New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami 2023 MLS Odds, Time, and Prediction

After winning the 2023 Leagues Cup, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates are ready for another challenge – to secure a spot in the 2023 MLS Playoffs.

They’re currently bottom of the Eastern Conference with the least number of points of all 29 teams in the entire league. However, there are still 12 games left to be played before the end of the regular season, meaning that the Herons still do have a chance to move up to the top 9.

Their first MLS game with Messi (and others) on the team is on the program on Saturday, August 26. That’s when they will travel to Big Apple to take on New York City Red Bulls, which is another team that’s currently outside the postseason zone.

New York Red Bulls Odds

*Odds taken from bet365 on Monday, August 21.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Red Bull Arena, New York City, New York
• Date: Saturday, August 26, 2023
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• How to Watch: Apple TV

New York Red Bulls Have a Great Record Against the Herons

The Red Bulls are 5-0-2 against Inter Miami since 2020 when these two met for the first time. Further, the last time they met in New York, the hosts won 3-1. However, all that was before the Messi era started. 

So, can they cope against Inter Miami 2.0, which looks insanely good offensively? Well, if there’s something the Red Bulls are good at in 2023, it’s defending. With 26 goals conceded in 24 games, they’re the third-best team in the East in terms of defense.

So, why are they sitting in 11^th place at the moment, with a 7-8-9 record? It’s because their offense has been pretty anemic in 2023. So far this season, they’ve scored just 23 goals in the MLS.

Messi & Co Ready to Do the Impossible

Since Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, the Herons are undefeated. In fact, they won the Leagues Cup last weekend. Obviously, with Messi on the roster, it’s no surprise that they’ve been brilliant offensively. Their defense, however, hasn’t been that great. However, you can be 100% certain that their coach Gerardo Tata Martino is working hard to patch the holes in Inter Miami’s defense.

This is very important as leaky defense could cost them points. And they really need a lot of points before the end of the regular season! Right now, they’re at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 18 points. The closest team from the playoff zone (Chicago Fire) has 32 points at the moment.

The good news is that there are 12 MLS games left for the Herons to play until the end of the regular season. They can get into the playoff zone, but for that, they mustn’t drop points against teams like the New York Red Bulls.

New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami Prediction

Inter Miami needs to win this to keep the 2023 MLS postseason dream alive. Luckily, with Messi and other new arrivals, the Herons look capable of defeating any opponent.

Pick: Inter Miami to win