Sergio Busquets has insisted Inter Miami are not too reliant on Lionel Messi, as they prepare to return to MLS action following their CONCACAF Champions Cup exit.<\/p>\n Miami were dumped out of the Champions Cup at the semi-final stage, losing 3-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps in Wednesday\u2019s second leg after going down 2-0 in the first leg.<\/p>\n Messi was largely well contained by Vancouver after playing a major role in Jordi Alba\u2019s ninth-minute opener, with Miami struggling to carve out clear chances.<\/p>\n But Busquets believes any team with Messi in it will look to go through him.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no team with Messi on it that doesn\u2019t depend on him,\u201d Busquets told reporters in the mixed zone after Wednesday\u2019s game. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the most decisive player in the world, the best player, and it\u2019s obvious that we have to rely on him to a great extent \u2013 but not 100%.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more he\u2019s involved in the game, the more we look for him and the more he can help us, then that will be a good sign.\u201d<\/p>\n Miami host the New York Red Bulls in their next league game on Saturday, with Sandro Schwarz\u2019s visitors eighth in the Eastern Conference with 15 points, three places and three points behind Miami.<\/p>\n New York midfielder Peter Stroud believes they must look to attack the Herons, saying: \u201cYou can\u2019t sit there in awe, because they will hurt you.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing. Now I think we realise that if you do that, you\u2019re only going to get punished, in a sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Schwarz, meanwhile, feels they need to pick their moments to go at Javier Mascherano\u2019s side, saying: \u201cWe started our preparation for this game on Saturday, so before the second game against Vancouver.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s clear, you could see it then, what they have done. They have a lot of quality especially with the ball, individual quality and this is what we have to defend.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to be all together in our defensive behaviour, this is the main part. Then when we can create the space in offensive transition moments, we have to be brave.\u201d <\/p>\n PLAYERS TO WATCH <\/strong><\/p>\n Inter Miami \u2013 Lionel Messi<\/strong><\/p>\n Messi has recorded a goal contribution in eight consecutive home league matches (10 goals, three assists). <\/p>\n This is Messi\u2019s longest run of home league games with a goal contribution since a nine-match streak with Barcelona in 2020.<\/p>\n However, the Argentine has gone four matches without a goal overall and will hope to halt that run here.<\/p>\n New York Red Bulls \u2013 Emil Forsberg <\/strong><\/p>\n Swedish defender Noah Eile scored his first career MLS goal against CF Montreal last Saturday. Eile and Forsberg are the second pair of Swedish team-mates to score for a team in a single MLS season, after Rasmus Alm and Joakim Nilsson for St. Louis City last term.<\/p>\n Forsberg, with three goals and one assist this season, carries the greater threat to Miami\u2019s hopes.<\/p>\n MATCH PREDICTION \u2013 INTER MIAMI WIN<\/strong><\/p>\n The Red Bulls\u2019 1-0 win over Montreal last week was their fourth win of the season, but New York have not won consecutive regular-season games in nearly a year, since beating Charlotte FC and Orlando City in May-June 2024. <\/p>\n All grit pic.twitter.com\/QDLgXlPuGn<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.soccernews.com\/wp-content\/themes\/SN\/images\/300x250_HR.gif\")
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