Messi starts as interim coach Hoyos leads Inter Miami into its first game after Mascherano’s exit.
Inter Miami is stepping onto the road today carrying more than just three points on their mind. This afternoon’s match against the Colorado Rapids at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado marks a genuine turning point for the club, the first game since the abrupt midweek departure of head coach Javier Mascherano, who stepped away from his role citing personal reasons.
Taking the reins as interim head coach is Guillermo Hoyos, a seasoned manager with experience across Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Greece and Cyprus. Hoyos most recently served as Inter Miami’s sporting director, and his transition to the sideline comes at a moment when the reigning MLS champions are in clear need of a steadying hand.
What is at stake for Inter Miami
Despite being MLS champions, Inter Miami have not looked like title defenders through much of this young season. The Herons enter this match sitting third in the Eastern Conference with 12 points from seven games, but they are coming off back-to-back draws at home at Nu Stadium in Miami, a run that has taken some of the shine off what began as a promising campaign.
The departures of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets through retirement have left visible gaps, and Mascherano’s exit only adds to the sense that the club is navigating a period of significant transition. A win in Colorado would do a great deal to steady the mood around the squad and launch Hoyos’s tenure on the right foot.
El once está listo 📋✨ pic.twitter.com/I0EL8QR0N0
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 18, 2026
Messi confirmed to start
The brightest piece of news for Miami fans is that Lionel Messi has traveled with the squad and trained normally, and he is expected to start. The Argentine forward has been in sharp form, scoring five goals across his last six appearances, and his presence on the pitch gives Inter Miami a dimension that no opposing defense can simply gameplan away.
German Berterame is also set to start after his goal-scoring performance in the previous draw against the New York Red Bulls. Luis Suarez is available from the bench and could prove to be a decisive option should Miami need a spark late in the match. Rodrigo De Paul is expected to continue as a key figure in midfield as Hoyos looks to impose some consistency on the team’s performances.
Inter Miami will be without Sergio Reguilon and David Ayala, while Tadeo Allende remains a doubt due to injury.
Colorado Rapids in confident form
The Rapids are not an easy first assignment for a debut manager. Colorado arrives at this match riding a wave of momentum after a 6-2 demolition of the Houston Dynamo last weekend, a result powered by a brace from Rafael Navarro, two goals from Kosi Thompson, two from Joshua Atencio and an own goal from Felipe Andrade. The Rapids sit sixth in the Western Conference with 12 points, matching Miami’s tally on the other side of the conference table.
Head coach Matt Wells does face some injury concerns of his own, with Miguel Navarro, Theodore Ku-Dipietro, Reggie Cannon and Connor Ronan all sidelined. Still, Paxten Aaronson and Navarro give Colorado a genuine attacking threat capable of testing a Miami backline that has shown some vulnerability this season.
The two clubs last met in 2024, when the match at Chase Stadium ended in a 2-2 draw. Today’s encounter is only their second meeting overall.
How and where to watch
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. PT in the United States, with local time in Denver set at 2:30 p.m. The match will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV in both English and Spanish, making an Apple TV subscription the essential requirement for fans wanting to follow the action live.