Messi helped Inter Miami to a 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, scoring a goal and providing an assist. However, he did all of that in the first half and was forced to leave the pitch just five minutes into the second period.

Speaking with reporters, Martino explained that Messi has “muscle overload” in his right leg and that the team is taking a cautious approach. 

“I don’t want to take any risks, but I imagine that he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino said via ESPN. “That’s the only thing I can say about it now. We’ll have some tests soon, and we’ll see how he feels.”

Messi’s “muscle overload” appears to be an issue that has been around for some time. He was noticed getting treatment in the first leg of the Nashville SC matchup last week while also missing the MLS game against CF Montreal this past weekend.

Messi has five goals and two assists in five games in all competitions this season. Miami is through to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals while also sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference.

The post Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi Dealing With a Leg Injury, Will Miss D.C. United Game appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“After thoughtful consideration, we have informed MLS that the U.S. Soccer staff recommendation, which was adopted by the Pro League Taskforce, is that the request be denied,” said the statement.

MLS announced a plan to withdraw teams from the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States, last week. According to the league’s announcement, teams from MLS Next Pro, which is essentially a developmental league for MLS, would take their place. 

The move was explained by fixture congestion due to the increased number of games in the league and the emergence of other competitions like the Leagues Cup. Reportedly, MLS also isn’t too happy with the fact that the U.S. Open Cup attracts fewer fans and that they are not in charge of important elements of the competition.

It remains to be seen how MLS will react after USSF denied their original request. Sources told The Athletic that the league will field their first teams in the U.S. Open Cup at least for the 2024 edition.

The U.S. Open Cup was founded in 1914. It features professional clubs from all tiers of the U.S. soccer pyramid competing in a knockout format. The defending champions are Houston Dynamo, who beat Inter Miami 1-2 in the 2023 Finals.

The post U.S. Soccer Denies MLS Request to Field Next Pro Teams in U.S. Open Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Hoilett signed a deal that runs through the 2023 MLS season, according to Whitecaps’ official press release.

Hoilett last played with the English club Reading during the 2022-23 season, making 35 appearances and scoring one goal. The club was relegated from the Championship at the end of the campaign, after which the 33-year-old opted to leave despite being offered a new contract.

Whitecaps will benefit from Hoilett’s experience as well as his familiarity with the rest of the team. The club already has several other members of Canada’s national team on its roster, including midfielders Ali Ahmed and Russell Teibert and backs Richie Laryea and Sam Adekugbe.

“Junior brings a wealth of experience and leadership to our group,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement announcing the move. “He has played a key role with Canada’s men’s national team over the years, having most recently helped Canada finish at the top of Concacaf qualifying for the World Cup and was the captain at the Gold Cup. We are very pleased to welcome Junior and his family to the club.”

Junior Hoilett spent the majority of his professional career in England, playing with Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, and Cardiff City. He made 59 appearances on international level with Canada and has 15 goals to his name.

The post Vancouver Whitecaps Sign Canada International Midfielder Junior Hoilett appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi is currently on holiday in his native Argentina and is not officially considered Inter Miami’s player just yet. He needs to wait for his contract with Paris Saint-Germain to expire at the end of June, and there are several details that need to be finalized in his agreement with the MLS side.

Still, Miami is already making preparations for Messi’s arrival. This includes increasing the capacity of their DRV PNK Stadium by 3,000 seats, getting the capacity up to 22,000.

Speaking with Miami Herald earlier this week, Mas confirmed that Messi’s Inter Miami debut is set to take place against Cruz Azul next month. He also talked about the influence Messi will have on soccer and sport overall in the United States.

“I think there will always be a ‘before and after Messi’ when we talk about the sport in the United States,” Mas said. “I cannot overemphasize the magnitude of this announcement. Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league and for the football ecosystem in the United States.”

The details of Lionel Messi’s contract with Inter Miami remain under wraps. However, it is certain that the 35-year-old will remain one of the highest-paid players in the world. Reportedly, his annual salary will be in the $60 million range while he’ll also receive part of the profit from streaming and merchandise deals.

The post Lionel Messi to Make His Inter Miami Debut on July 21 Against Cruz Azul appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Reportedly, the loan agreement doesn’t contain a purchase clause. This and the fact that he recently signed an extension means that the Eredivisie side didn’t completely give up on the 22-year-old and instead hopes he can rediscover his form with a change of scenery.

Ledezma started his professional career with USL side Real Monarchs in 2018 but was scooped up by PSV just a year later. He made a total of 23 appearances for the senior team during three and a half seasons in the Netherlands, contributing with one goal and one assist.

The main reason why Ledezma failed to make a splash with PSV is his struggles with injuries that prevented him from establishing himself as a regular starter. Then, when he got healthy, there was simply no place for him. That shouldn’t be an issue with NYCFC, where he is expected to immediately become one of the team’s key players.

“I am really excited to be joining New York City Football Club,” said Ledezma. “It’s a club that has had success the past couple of seasons and have developed many great players. I look forward to working hard every day to continue my development and reach the level I know I am capable of.”

The post USMNT Midfielder Richard Ledezma Joins NYCFC on Loan Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The team began its maiden MLS campaign on February 26, defeating Austin FC 3-2, before going on to beat Charlotte FC 3-1 a week later. St. Louis then defeated the Portland Timbers 2-1 before coming face-to-face with the Earthquakes.

Joao Klauss scored his third league goal in St. Louis City’s win, while Nicholas Gioacchini and Tomas Ostrak also put themselves on the scoresheet. On the opposite end of the field, goalkeeper Roman Burki only needed to make two saves in order to keep the first clean sheet of the season.

In addition to breaking the standing MLS expansion team winning streak, St. Louis also find themselves atop the Western Conference standings with 12 points.

The previous expansion team to get the best start to a debut season was the Seattle Sounders, with three consecutive wins in 2009.

The post St. Louis City Sets MLS Expansion Team Record appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Puig fills out the Galaxy’s last remaining DP spot. The team already had striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and winger Douglas Costa as their DP players.

Puig arrived in LA last summer on a free transfer from La Liga giants Barcelona. He immediately showed he is a great addition to Galaxy, scoring three goals and dishing two assists in only 10 games.

“We are excited to announce Riqui Puig as our newest Designated Player,” LA head coach and sporting director Greg Vanney said. “Riqui is an exceptional talent that has the capacity to impact games in many different ways. He is a tireless competitor with a combination of awareness and precision at high speed that is truly unique. We look forward to his continued contributions to the club for years to come.”

LA Galaxy didn’t reveal the financial terms of Riqui Puig’s DP status, although some mention the 23-year-old earning as much as $6.5 million annually. He was originally brought in with Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) and earned a base salary of $1.61 million in 2022.

The post Galaxy Unveils Riqui Puig as a DP Player appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In previous years, seven teams from each conference made the postseason. The first-placed teams in conferences received a bye in the first round, effectively being guaranteed a semi-finals spot. All matchups were played in a best-of-two format.

The new system will see nine teams from Eastern Conference and nine teams from Western Conference take part in the playoffs. The teams that finish No. 9 and No. 8 will square off in a wild-card round, with the winner then playing the top-seeded teams in their respective conferences in the first round.

The first round will feature the best-of-three series, with the higher-seeded team hosting Game 1 and Game 3 (if applicable). There will be no extra time, as the ties in the regular 90 minutes will be resolved in a direct penalty shootout.

The conference semi-finals and finals, as well as the championship game, will be contested in a single-elimination game like in previous years.

The 2023 MLS season kicks off on February 25th. The Los Angeles FC enters the campaign as the reigning champion and has the biggest odds to win it all again.

The post MLS Introduces Changes to Its Playoff System for 2023 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The interest of DC in Poland international was reported earlier this month after the two clubs engaged in advanced talks. Now it seems that it is only a matter of time before the deal gets official.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay reports that DC United has a deal in place with Leeds and that the player is open to a move. The 32-year-old player is unhappy with his playing time on Elland Road, and the offered contract is better than the one he currently has. On the other hand, the Premier League club wouldn’t mind cashing in on a player that they don’t use that often.

Klich has a big fan in DC United’s head coach Wayne Rooney, who is reportedly pushing hard for the move. Rooney sees Klich as the key player and someone he can build a winning team around. United is trying to bounce back after a disappointing season that saw them finish last in the Eastern Conference and have the worst record in the league.

Mateusz Klich played for Bundesliga’s VfL Wolfsburg and Eredivisie’s FC Twente, among other clubs, before landing with Leeds in 2017. He helped the club to earn a promotion to Premier League in 2019–20 and was one of the key players that helped Leeds stay there ever since.

However, Klich has been an afterthought this season, failing to start a single Premier League game. He played just 188 minutes and failed to register a goal or assist. He did, however, score twice in English Cup.

The post DC United Close to Securing a Move for Leeds United’s Mateusz Klich appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kellyn Acosta opened the scoring for LAFC in the 28th minute, handing the Los Angeles-based side the half-time lead. In the 59th minute, Dániel Gazdag leveled for Union before Jesús Murillo restored LAFC’s lead with seven minutes left on the clock. Just two minutes later, Jack Elliott brought Philadelphia to level yet again to send the game into extra time.

With the game looking set to go to penalties, Elliot scored in the 124th minute to hand Union what they believed to be the match-winner.

That was before former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale emerged as a game-changer for LAFC, coming off the bench in extra time to score four minutes later at the death of the match to send it to penalties.

Backup goalkeeper John McCarthy proved to be a star for LAFC in his own right, saving two penalties after only getting brought into the game during extra time. Denis Athanase Bouanga, Ryan Hollingshead, and Ilie Sánchez Farrés all converted their penalties to hand LAFC MLS Cup glory.

“This place deserves this,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo exclaimed following his team’s win. “These fans are amazing. They deserve a Cup, and they got it.”

The post Bale, McCarthy Shine as LAFC Wins First MLS Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi helped Inter Miami to a 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, scoring a goal and providing an assist. However, he did all of that in the first half and was forced to leave the pitch just five minutes into the second period.

Speaking with reporters, Martino explained that Messi has “muscle overload” in his right leg and that the team is taking a cautious approach. 

“I don’t want to take any risks, but I imagine that he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino said via ESPN. “That’s the only thing I can say about it now. We’ll have some tests soon, and we’ll see how he feels.”

Messi’s “muscle overload” appears to be an issue that has been around for some time. He was noticed getting treatment in the first leg of the Nashville SC matchup last week while also missing the MLS game against CF Montreal this past weekend.

Messi has five goals and two assists in five games in all competitions this season. Miami is through to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals while also sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference.

The post Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi Dealing With a Leg Injury, Will Miss D.C. United Game appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“After thoughtful consideration, we have informed MLS that the U.S. Soccer staff recommendation, which was adopted by the Pro League Taskforce, is that the request be denied,” said the statement.

MLS announced a plan to withdraw teams from the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States, last week. According to the league’s announcement, teams from MLS Next Pro, which is essentially a developmental league for MLS, would take their place. 

The move was explained by fixture congestion due to the increased number of games in the league and the emergence of other competitions like the Leagues Cup. Reportedly, MLS also isn’t too happy with the fact that the U.S. Open Cup attracts fewer fans and that they are not in charge of important elements of the competition.

It remains to be seen how MLS will react after USSF denied their original request. Sources told The Athletic that the league will field their first teams in the U.S. Open Cup at least for the 2024 edition.

The U.S. Open Cup was founded in 1914. It features professional clubs from all tiers of the U.S. soccer pyramid competing in a knockout format. The defending champions are Houston Dynamo, who beat Inter Miami 1-2 in the 2023 Finals.

The post U.S. Soccer Denies MLS Request to Field Next Pro Teams in U.S. Open Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Hoilett signed a deal that runs through the 2023 MLS season, according to Whitecaps’ official press release.

Hoilett last played with the English club Reading during the 2022-23 season, making 35 appearances and scoring one goal. The club was relegated from the Championship at the end of the campaign, after which the 33-year-old opted to leave despite being offered a new contract.

Whitecaps will benefit from Hoilett’s experience as well as his familiarity with the rest of the team. The club already has several other members of Canada’s national team on its roster, including midfielders Ali Ahmed and Russell Teibert and backs Richie Laryea and Sam Adekugbe.

“Junior brings a wealth of experience and leadership to our group,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement announcing the move. “He has played a key role with Canada’s men’s national team over the years, having most recently helped Canada finish at the top of Concacaf qualifying for the World Cup and was the captain at the Gold Cup. We are very pleased to welcome Junior and his family to the club.”

Junior Hoilett spent the majority of his professional career in England, playing with Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, and Cardiff City. He made 59 appearances on international level with Canada and has 15 goals to his name.

The post Vancouver Whitecaps Sign Canada International Midfielder Junior Hoilett appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi is currently on holiday in his native Argentina and is not officially considered Inter Miami’s player just yet. He needs to wait for his contract with Paris Saint-Germain to expire at the end of June, and there are several details that need to be finalized in his agreement with the MLS side.

Still, Miami is already making preparations for Messi’s arrival. This includes increasing the capacity of their DRV PNK Stadium by 3,000 seats, getting the capacity up to 22,000.

Speaking with Miami Herald earlier this week, Mas confirmed that Messi’s Inter Miami debut is set to take place against Cruz Azul next month. He also talked about the influence Messi will have on soccer and sport overall in the United States.

“I think there will always be a ‘before and after Messi’ when we talk about the sport in the United States,” Mas said. “I cannot overemphasize the magnitude of this announcement. Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league and for the football ecosystem in the United States.”

The details of Lionel Messi’s contract with Inter Miami remain under wraps. However, it is certain that the 35-year-old will remain one of the highest-paid players in the world. Reportedly, his annual salary will be in the $60 million range while he’ll also receive part of the profit from streaming and merchandise deals.

The post Lionel Messi to Make His Inter Miami Debut on July 21 Against Cruz Azul appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Reportedly, the loan agreement doesn’t contain a purchase clause. This and the fact that he recently signed an extension means that the Eredivisie side didn’t completely give up on the 22-year-old and instead hopes he can rediscover his form with a change of scenery.

Ledezma started his professional career with USL side Real Monarchs in 2018 but was scooped up by PSV just a year later. He made a total of 23 appearances for the senior team during three and a half seasons in the Netherlands, contributing with one goal and one assist.

The main reason why Ledezma failed to make a splash with PSV is his struggles with injuries that prevented him from establishing himself as a regular starter. Then, when he got healthy, there was simply no place for him. That shouldn’t be an issue with NYCFC, where he is expected to immediately become one of the team’s key players.

“I am really excited to be joining New York City Football Club,” said Ledezma. “It’s a club that has had success the past couple of seasons and have developed many great players. I look forward to working hard every day to continue my development and reach the level I know I am capable of.”

The post USMNT Midfielder Richard Ledezma Joins NYCFC on Loan Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The team began its maiden MLS campaign on February 26, defeating Austin FC 3-2, before going on to beat Charlotte FC 3-1 a week later. St. Louis then defeated the Portland Timbers 2-1 before coming face-to-face with the Earthquakes.

Joao Klauss scored his third league goal in St. Louis City’s win, while Nicholas Gioacchini and Tomas Ostrak also put themselves on the scoresheet. On the opposite end of the field, goalkeeper Roman Burki only needed to make two saves in order to keep the first clean sheet of the season.

In addition to breaking the standing MLS expansion team winning streak, St. Louis also find themselves atop the Western Conference standings with 12 points.

The previous expansion team to get the best start to a debut season was the Seattle Sounders, with three consecutive wins in 2009.

The post St. Louis City Sets MLS Expansion Team Record appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Puig fills out the Galaxy’s last remaining DP spot. The team already had striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and winger Douglas Costa as their DP players.

Puig arrived in LA last summer on a free transfer from La Liga giants Barcelona. He immediately showed he is a great addition to Galaxy, scoring three goals and dishing two assists in only 10 games.

“We are excited to announce Riqui Puig as our newest Designated Player,” LA head coach and sporting director Greg Vanney said. “Riqui is an exceptional talent that has the capacity to impact games in many different ways. He is a tireless competitor with a combination of awareness and precision at high speed that is truly unique. We look forward to his continued contributions to the club for years to come.”

LA Galaxy didn’t reveal the financial terms of Riqui Puig’s DP status, although some mention the 23-year-old earning as much as $6.5 million annually. He was originally brought in with Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) and earned a base salary of $1.61 million in 2022.

The post Galaxy Unveils Riqui Puig as a DP Player appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

In previous years, seven teams from each conference made the postseason. The first-placed teams in conferences received a bye in the first round, effectively being guaranteed a semi-finals spot. All matchups were played in a best-of-two format.

The new system will see nine teams from Eastern Conference and nine teams from Western Conference take part in the playoffs. The teams that finish No. 9 and No. 8 will square off in a wild-card round, with the winner then playing the top-seeded teams in their respective conferences in the first round.

The first round will feature the best-of-three series, with the higher-seeded team hosting Game 1 and Game 3 (if applicable). There will be no extra time, as the ties in the regular 90 minutes will be resolved in a direct penalty shootout.

The conference semi-finals and finals, as well as the championship game, will be contested in a single-elimination game like in previous years.

The 2023 MLS season kicks off on February 25th. The Los Angeles FC enters the campaign as the reigning champion and has the biggest odds to win it all again.

The post MLS Introduces Changes to Its Playoff System for 2023 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The interest of DC in Poland international was reported earlier this month after the two clubs engaged in advanced talks. Now it seems that it is only a matter of time before the deal gets official.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay reports that DC United has a deal in place with Leeds and that the player is open to a move. The 32-year-old player is unhappy with his playing time on Elland Road, and the offered contract is better than the one he currently has. On the other hand, the Premier League club wouldn’t mind cashing in on a player that they don’t use that often.

Klich has a big fan in DC United’s head coach Wayne Rooney, who is reportedly pushing hard for the move. Rooney sees Klich as the key player and someone he can build a winning team around. United is trying to bounce back after a disappointing season that saw them finish last in the Eastern Conference and have the worst record in the league.

Mateusz Klich played for Bundesliga’s VfL Wolfsburg and Eredivisie’s FC Twente, among other clubs, before landing with Leeds in 2017. He helped the club to earn a promotion to Premier League in 2019–20 and was one of the key players that helped Leeds stay there ever since.

However, Klich has been an afterthought this season, failing to start a single Premier League game. He played just 188 minutes and failed to register a goal or assist. He did, however, score twice in English Cup.

The post DC United Close to Securing a Move for Leeds United’s Mateusz Klich appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Kellyn Acosta opened the scoring for LAFC in the 28th minute, handing the Los Angeles-based side the half-time lead. In the 59th minute, Dániel Gazdag leveled for Union before Jesús Murillo restored LAFC’s lead with seven minutes left on the clock. Just two minutes later, Jack Elliott brought Philadelphia to level yet again to send the game into extra time.

With the game looking set to go to penalties, Elliot scored in the 124th minute to hand Union what they believed to be the match-winner.

That was before former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale emerged as a game-changer for LAFC, coming off the bench in extra time to score four minutes later at the death of the match to send it to penalties.

Backup goalkeeper John McCarthy proved to be a star for LAFC in his own right, saving two penalties after only getting brought into the game during extra time. Denis Athanase Bouanga, Ryan Hollingshead, and Ilie Sánchez Farrés all converted their penalties to hand LAFC MLS Cup glory.

“This place deserves this,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo exclaimed following his team’s win. “These fans are amazing. They deserve a Cup, and they got it.”

The post Bale, McCarthy Shine as LAFC Wins First MLS Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.