Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami preview: Three questions with Alex Windley of The Heron’s Nest

The last time Atlanta United traveled to Chase Stadium, they eliminated Inter Miami in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs in one of the biggest upsets in league history.

Fast forward to today, and while the gulf between Miami and Atlanta still exists, this Miami group feels different than the one that won the Supporters’ Shield in runaway fashion in 2024.

As ever, Lionel Messi, who may (or may not) play against Atlanta on Saturday, is doing his thing (24g/17a). But the Herons fell to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final, came up short in their quest of a second straight Shield, and haven’t gotten the production they need from Suarez (9g/10a in 26 matches after a 20g/9a campaign a season ago). Rodrigo de Paul, brought in on loan midseason, has fallen short of expectations. The defense has been a question mark all season. Oh, and both Sergio Busquets (unsurprisingly) and Jordi Alba (surprisingly) are retiring at season’s end.

Does all of that mean Atlanta will leave Fort Lauderdale with a win in its penultimate match of the season? One can hope! To get the scoop on Miami, we reached out to longtime friend of the site Alex Windley from The Heron’s Nest.

What’s the feeling around Inter Miami right now? They’re still headed to the postseason and are among the favorites to win MLS Cup, but what is the sentiment you’ve gathered from the fan base?

I think there’s a lot of apprehension. Sure, Miami have Messi, Busquets, Alba, De Paul, Suarez and a bevy of young talent, but there’s still several question marks surrounding Javier Mascherano, tactically.

The Leagues Cup Final loss was a big moment for fans regarding their trust in Mascherano. Heading into the playoffs, there is fear that despite all of Miami’s talent, Mascherano’s shortcomings could waste the final season of professional football from Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. 

Sergio Busquets announced his retirement effective the end of the season on September 26, but — rather surprisingly — Jordi Alba did the same on Tuesday despite signing a contract extension months prior. Can you gather what his reasoning was behind this decision?

Retire before retirement catches you, essentially, haha. I think for both Busquets and Alba – Alba more specifically- they could maybe play at least one or two more years, but I think they don’t want to get to a point where their bodies are telling them, “Hey, it’s time.”

So, both of them hanging up their boots before Father Time gets them is a smart way to end their legacies on a high note. 

Another former Tottenham Hotspur player could be making his way to MLS…that, of course, is Sergio Reguilon. What do you think of the potential move, and how would he fit into this Miami defense?

Perfect! With Alba retiring, bringing in Reguilon will not only be a like for like replacement, but he’ll be younger!

Looking at this, alongside the De Paul signing, Miami is shifting from maybe getting older European stars to players who are still very much in their prime and could still play in Europe, to usher in this new era of Inter Miami, which includes their new stadium opening in 2026. Reguilon will be a huge part of that.