Inter Miami will hope to gain ground on first place in the Eastern Conference when they host FC Cincinnati on Saturday night at Chase Stadium.
The announcement on Friday afternoon that Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba would be suspended leaves the Herons badly shorthanded. They now must try to defeat a Cincinnati team that took them down 3-0 just last week.
My Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati predictions and free betting picks discuss why the home team will struggle to score goals on Saturday, July 26.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati picks and predictions
My Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati best bet: Inter Miami team total Under 1.5 goals (+116 at FanDuel)
The expectations of this match changed heavily on Friday afternoon on the news that Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba would be suspended for skipping the MLS All-Star festivities, per league policy. While many anticipated there would be no punishment based on commissioner Don Garber’s comments on Wednesday night, the league faced pressure and eventually gave in.
That is terrific news for bettors, as it creates a strong value opportunity.
This match was expected to see goals, based on the odds in play. But without Messi and Alba, it will be difficult for Inter Miami to break down a strong FC Cincinnati defense.
These two sides met just last weekend, and Cincinnati not only kept a clean sheet, but they limited Inter Miami to just two shots on target. And while Cincinnati has allowed 31 goals in 24 matches this season, they’ve looked good defensively of late.
The Orange and Blue have kept clean sheets in two straight matches heading into the All-Star break. And only Columbus, in the Hell Is Real Derby, have scored multiple goals against them in the last seven matches as they’ve moved to the top of the Eastern Conference.
Since the Club World Cup ended, Messi has either scored or assisted on 10 of Inter Miami’s 13 goals. Without him on the pitch, this Inter Miami side will struggle even more than they did a week ago and will be held to one goal at most.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati same-game parlay (SGP)
Inter Miami team total Under 1.5 goals
Evander Ferreira 4+ shots
FC Cincinnati moneyline
Evander Ferreira scored twice in the 3-0 win over Inter Miami last weekend, and managed six shots in the process. He leads FC Cincinnati with four shots per match, and Messi’s absence will let the visitors control the tempo as he gets more opportunities to shoot here.
Without Messi and Alba, the attacking threat for the Herons diminishes significantly. Cincinnati has won four straight on the road and six of their last seven, and are in fine form at the moment. I like them to pick up all three points with Miami having less than two days to put together a gameplan without two of their biggest stars.
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati odds
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati live odds
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati opening odds
- Moneyline: Inter Miami -135 | FC Cincinnati +280
- Draw: +310
- Over/Under: Over 3.5 (-105) | Under 3.5 (-135)
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati game info
| Location | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| Date | Saturday, 7-26-2025 |
| Time | 7:15 p.m. ET |
| TV | Apple TV+ |
| Weather | 94F, PoP 0%, winds 9-16 mph |
Inter Miami vs FC Cincinnati key injuries
Inter Miami: Lionel Messi F (Out), Jordi Alba D (Out), Drake Callender GK (Out), Ian Fray D (Out), Oscar Ustari GK (Out), Baltasar Rodriguez M (Out), Maximiliano Falcon D (Out).
FC Cincinnati: Kevin Denkey F (Out), Obinna Nwobodo M (Out), Yuya Kubo D (Out).
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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