VANCOUVER — The home team might not be the main attraction for what is expected to be a capacity crowd when the Vancouver Whitecaps face Inter Miami FC Thursday night in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal.
A crowd of over 52,000 is expected for the match with many of the fans coming to BC Place Stadium excited about the prospect of seeing soccer legend Lionel Messi play in Vancouver.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen shrugged off his team taking second billing in its own building.
“Lionel Messi for the past 20 years has been maybe the best player all time in this sport, and he deserves the praise he gets,” Sorensen said after training Thursday. “I also would say tomorrow it’s not going to be Vancouver Whitecaps against Lionel Messi. It’s going to be Miami against Vancouver.”
Messi disappointed many fans when he didn’t travel to Vancouver last year for Miami’s regular-season Major League Soccer game against the Whitecaps.
This year the Argentinian superstar was on the pitch when he practised with his team Thursday afternoon at the Whitecaps training facility at the University of British Columbia.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano didn’t give any hints on whether Messi would start or how much time he will log on BC Place’s artificial turf.
“It’s a very important game for us, maybe one of the important games for the history of the club,” he told a news conference. “We are ready.
“I don’t like to talk before the game about who is available or who isn’t. Tomorrow you will see.”
The match itself may dictate Messi’s participation. If Miami jumps out to an early lead in the opening leg of the two-game series, Messi may see limited action. If the Whitecaps go ahead, and Miami needs to score goals on the road, he could see more playing time.
“We don’t know what is going to happen in the game,” said Mascherano. “We know that we have a game that is 180 minutes. Tomorrow we are going to play the first half of the game.
“It’s important to play a good game, try to score. Obviously, the idea is to try to come here and to win the game.”
Vancouver midfielder Ali Ahmed knows the challenges of playing against Messi, having faced him as a member of Canada’s national team.
“You have to be conscious of where he is, not give him any breathing room in the final third,” said Ahmed. “We know he can make plays that not many can.
“We’ve got some great players on your team that we know are going to put up a fight. It’s going to be a collective team effort, not letting him have a fun game. We’re capable.”
Defender Tristan Blackmon, the hero of Vancouver’s quarterfinal win over Mexican side Pumas UNAM, said the Whitecaps can’t become too focused on one player.
"You have to change if he’s on the field just because of what kind of player he is and what he’s able to do on the ball,” said Blackmon. “Whether he’s here or not, we’re focusing on what we’re going to do.
“At the end of the day, we’re focusing on us and how we’re going to be on the ball, and hopefully we can take it to them.”
The second game of the series will be Wednesday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The winner will advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL on June 1.
The Whitecaps will be playing without captain Ryan Gauld (knee), but fullback Sam Adekugbe (quad strain) and forward Jayden Nelson (left hamstring strain) are expected to return to the lineup.
The Whitecaps have travelled an exciting road to the semifinals.
In both their series against Pumas and Monterrey, the Whitecaps tied the first leg at home, then scored in extra time to draw the second leg and advance on away goals.
The Whitecaps have the best record in MLS and lead the Western Conference with a 6-1-2 record for 20 points. They are second in league scoring with 17 goals.
Miami, which has played one less game, are the league’s only team without a loss. They sit third in the East and fourth overall with a 5-0-3 record.
Star striker Brian White said the players will be able to block out the hype surrounding the game once the opening whistle blows.
“Once you step across those white lines, it’s all about the game,” said White, who has scored six goals in MLS play this season. “You’re not worried about who you are playing. You’re just trying to execute the game, find the best you can and get the result you need.”
The Whitecaps reached the tournament semifinals back in 2017.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup features the best teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean to crown a regional champion and to qualify for the next FIFA Club World Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 23, 2025.
Jim Morris, The Canadian Press
