3 Storylines To Watch When RSL Take on Messi & Inter Miami

Welcome to Storylines.

Real Salt Lake’s season opens with a bang as the Claret-and-Cobalt fly down to Boward, Country to face off against Inter Miami CF on Matchday 1.

There’s countless exciting storylines going into RSL’s season opener, but here’s a select few to keep an eye on:

Storylines:

1. How does RSL’s new tactical look match up against a new look Miami?

2. Which of RSL’s young players step up on one of the biggest stages of their career so far?

3. What does RSL’s backline need to do to deal with Messi and Suarez up top?

4. Bonus: There's a new captain in town

Where to Watch: 

You can catch RSL vs Messi & Co on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass right here.

Kick off is at 6:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday, February 21.

The Deep Dive (TL;DR Summary At The Bottom Of Each Storyline):

1. How does RSL’s new tactical look match up against Miami?

Real Salt Lake has the ultimate opportunity to set the tone for the 2024 Major League Soccer season on Matchday 1 against arguably the most-hyped team in MLS history, Inter Miami CF.

It’s Wednesday’s only match and the eyes of 110 countries across the globe will be focused on the Claret-and-Cobalt as they take on Messi & Co. for the first time ever.

The hype for Miami is well deserved. According to RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni, IMCF boasts the greatest soccer player to ever play the game in Lionel Messi, wearing the iconic pink number 10 shirt. This offseason, the Herons then decided to replace outgoing striker Josef Martinez with one of the world’s greatest strikers ever in Messi’s former FC Barcelona teammate, Luis Suarez.

It’s been an interesting preseason for Miami leading up to Wednesday’s match. IMCF lost a pair of talented young standout midfielders Benjamin Cremaschi and Facundo Farías to long-term injuries, while lynchpin metronome Sergio Busquets also missed time due to injury - although the former Barça icon is expected to play against RSL.

This leaves the Herons potentially a bit shallow in the midfield, which was a key to their success in the stellar run towards the end of the 2023 season. While older players like Busquets and Messi made the moments of magic for Miami, it was Cremaschi and Farías' hard running in the engine room that made much of the magic possible.

Miami added Julian Gressel this offseason, one of the league’s best fullbacks, and played him in midfield this preseason, so there’s a strong possibility Inter lines up with three in midfield with Busquets, Gressel, and young Honduran David Ruiz, who’s started most of Miami’s preseason games.

Brazilian Jean Mot and 22-year old Italian Yannick Bright also started Miami’s last preseason match and are other names to keep an eye on.

The midfield is crucial because while the hard running done around Mami’s older stars was a recipe for success last year for the Herons, the middle of the park will yet again serve as a massive emphasis for RSL this season as well.

American Soccer Analysis points out how Miami have switched between a 4-3-3 and a 5-3-2 this season, depending on the personnel available. That 5-3-2 in particular seeing global legends Suarez and Messi up top.

Real Salt Lake and Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni worked this offseason on playing more of a possession-style game, attacking more often through the middle.

This is where the midfield battle will be key on Wednesday.

In possession, RSL want to play a version of a 3-2-4-1, with two 10’s under the striker, wingbacks providing the width outside and two pivots at the base of the midfield.

Without the ball, RSL look to play more of last year’s familiar 4-4-2, with one wingback dropping to the fullback position, and another up to a winger and then one ten going out wide while the other stays central in the midfield.

* graphics from buildlineup.com *

The play of the attacking midfielders and pivots will be massive in maintaining possession, and in defense, stopping one of MLS’ best throughball-playing teams. While winning the possession battle will be difficult (When Messi was on the field, Miami had the highest rate of possession in the league), keeping the ball when it is won back, and creating positive attacking moments when the chances arrive will fall on the midfield.

Pablo Ruiz, Diego Luna, Matt Crooks, Emeka Eneli, Braian Ojeda, Fidel Barajas and Nelson Palacio will have their work cut out for them underneath Chicho Arango, but there’s a battle to be won in the middle of the park on Wednesday.

TL;DR Summary: 

Messi is very good at soccer (who knew?) RSL will need its midfield to win the battle in the middle of the pitch to help limit Messi’s chances. The Club’s new tactical approach should aim to do that, while Miami’s lack of midfield depth could give the Claret-and-Cobalt an advantage in the middle of the park.

Player to watch: Pablo Ruiz

2. Which of RSL’s young players step up on one of the biggest stages of their career so far?

The youngsters of Real Salt Lake will have a massive chance to show the world what those of us in Utah already know, which is that there’s some serious young talent wearing Claret-and-Cobalt these days.

Luna, who’s still only 20, had a coming-out party towards the end of last season, nailing down a starting spot in Mastroeni’s team and finishing the season with seven goals and four assists across all competitions. Now coming into Miami, fresh off his first full MLS season and first senior U.S. Men’s National Team appearance, there’s a palpable buzz building around the young midfielder. He’ll also have an increased responsibility at RSL - with Jefferson Savarino gone, Luna will be looked at as RSL’s biggest attacking threat alongside Chicho Arango in terms of goals and chance creation.

Luna’s 99th percentile in key passes shows that as an attacking midfielder he’s an extraordinary chance creator, and RSL will need that when on the other side of the pitch will be arguably the greatest chance creator of all time. With two tens now operating underneath the striker when RSL have the ball, Luna should be able to get more time and more touches on the ball to help his team create chances. However, as previously mentioned by Mastroeni, his defensive work-rate will be even more important if Luna - and by extension RSL - look to take the next step. So far this preseason, the ambitious young father has shown he’s more than up for the challenge. Against Miami, he’ll be able to show the rest of the world too.

Andrés Gómez is another name to watch against Miami on Wednesday. The young Colombian has also recently returned from national team camp, getting his first invite to Los Cafeteros senior side. According to the RSL coaching staff, Gómez has shined this preseason, and looks to build upon last year’s promise on the Wasatch Front.

“It's a great feeling coming back to Utah, Gómez said. “Obviously, with the desire to fight to do things in the best way, even better than last year. Despite the setbacks I had, every day the love I have grows for this jersey and for this team.”

Gomez excels at progressing the ball, taking players on and creating chances by stretching the defense. In the new tactical system, he’ll be providing the width in attack when the 10’s cut in, and will have additional responsibilities on defense along the right side. The young Colombian flying down the wing should give RSL yet another threat going forward, and he’ll have a chance to show the league the reason why the RSL coaching staff - along with that of the Colombian Olympic effort - have been raving about him this preseason.

Finally, Fidel Barajas, who was one of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s standout players this preseason, may also have the opportunity to show what he can do against the league’s best teams. Last year’s USL Championship Young Player of the Year fit in seamlessly this preseason with the existing group of players, and showed why the front office prioritized him early in this transfer window. With the new tactics emphasizing creative attackers, Barajas, who was one of the best providers in the USLC last year, will likely get his chance to shine at some point this season with RSL at any of the top 4 attacking positions. If it comes against Miami, even better.

TL;DR Summary:

Diego Luna is also very good at soccer. With Mastroeni’s change in tactics, even more attacking responsibility will be on the young midfielders shoulders. His chance creation will be key to getting balls in the back of the net on Wednesday, and it will be exciting for a national audience to see what he can do. Andrés Gómez and Fidel Barajas have had great preseasons as well, and could play big factors in RSL getting a result in South Florida.

3. What does RSL’s backline need to do to stop Messi & Suarez up top?

The short answer is, sometimes there’s not a lot you can do when you face two of history's greatest attacking players. However, RSL - a top road performer in both MLS and Open Cup action last year - is going to Miami to get a result and do a job, and one of the biggest jobs will land on the shoulders of the Claret-and-Cobalts back line.

One of Inter Miami’s biggest strengths last year was how well their players, Messi especially, could play killer through balls. When RSL get forward in their new tactical shape, they’ll need the wingbacks to pressure and/or fly back when possession is lost to help the back three. Meanwhile, the midfield pivots will need to stay disciplined in their position to cut off any potential passing lanes in transition.

Then of course, the responsibility of marking those two great players, Messi and Suarez, will often fall on the centerbacks such as Justen Glad, Bryan Vera, Marcelo Silva and Eric Holt.. It won’t be easy, but Mastroeni has preached repeatedly how important it is for the entire team to defend.

With the help of the wingbacks and renewed focus of defensive work for the attacking midfielders, defending in numbers will hopefully help limit the damage Miami’s game-breakers can inflict, and as seen in preseason, perhaps help spark the offense as well.

Mastroeni’s teams have never shied away from doing the dirty work, and 2024’s group seems no different. It will take a massive team effort to limit the dangers Miami is capable of, but there will be no question RSL’s backline will be eager and ready to work for it. A massive test awaits on Wednesday that you won’t want to miss.

TL;DR Summary: 

In order to help mitigate the damage Messi and Luis Suarez do, up top, RSL will need to defend as a team. How RSL’s centerbacks mark both of those legends will be another key to the Claret-and-Cobalt’s success. If RSL defends well, it could also spring chances on the other end of the field as well.

Bonus: Chicho Time

As Real Salt Lake embarks on its 20th season in Club history, famed Colombian striker Chicho Arango is named the sixth Captain for the Claret-and-Cobalt, assuming the armband and related duties vacated by the recent departure of beloved leader Damir Kreilach, now in Vancouver .

ALL-TIME RSL CAPTAINS:

Chicho Arango - 2024-

Damir Kreilach - 2022-23

Albert Rusnák - 2021

Kyle Beckerman - 2008-20

Carey Talley - 2007

Jason Kreis - 2005-07

Arango arrived on the Wasatch Front last July as the Claret-and-Cobalt's most acclaimed acquisition ever. The former LAFC / Pachuca striker became the fifth-ever RSL player to score in his debut - a 4-0 home win over Orlando - and the only RSL man to find the back of the net in his first 4 appearances with the Club (three MLS, one Leagues Cup).

Joining a locker room that has also seen veteran leaders Marcelo Silva and Zac MacMath serve as Captain – as well as Justen Glad, the first-ever and only Homegrown to wear the armband in recent years – Chicho would have to remain at an elite level with RSL through the 2037 season to eclipse the longevity of the man who changed RSL’s competitive culture, Cup-winning former Captain and all-time Club legend Kyle Beckerman.

Can Chicho score his 100^th professional goal Wednesday night in Miami in his 1^st game as the RSL Captain? Tune into MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ at 6:00 p.m. MT to find out – you might witness history!