Leagues Cup knockout round: Can Lionel Messi propel Inter Miami and MLS to glory, or will LIGA MX's best in Tigres, Toluca prove to be too much?

Fans have been treated to what should be a final in the quarterfinals here, as two of the best remaining teams in the competition meet. The Herons defeated both Atlas and Pumas, and took two points vs Necaxa, to make it this far, and now have their biggest test yet in Tigres. The Guido Pizarro-led side defeated both the Houston Dynamo and San Diego FC during Phase One, while narrowly falling to LAFC 2-1 in their opening three matches. 

Now, it's a meeting between two heavyweights and two old friends, as the club's clash.

Messi's international compatriot, Angel Correa, recently joined the Liga MX side's ranks, and now the duo will meet on the pitch on Wednesday evening as two 2022 FIFA World Cup champions go head-to-head in the contest. 

Miami, 2023 champions, will look to return to the final, but they'll have to get past a top Tigres side to do so. It won't be easy, and a lot will depend on the attacking momentum from each club. 

GOAL's prediction: The Herons' defense will crack under pressure, and although Messi will find the back of the net, the Correa-led attack of Tigres will be too much for them to overcome. 

Such an interesting tie here. Orlando are in riveting form in MLS, but Toluca are living luxuriously in Liga MX, and is coming off a stupendous Clausura run.

TheLions defeated both Necaxa and Atlas in Phase One of the tournament, and added a point after a narrow draw with PUMAS. Toluca, meanwhile, defeated both CF Montreal and NYCFC and knocked out the reigning champions in the Crew in penalties to clinch a berth here. 

Both clubs have been stupendous domestically this season, but there's an edge to this Toluca side. Forward Alexis Vega is playing brilliant soccer and is coming off a Gold Cup title with Mexico in addition to domestic silverware. Add in that their Portuguese striker Paulinho is on fire with seven-straight matches across all competitions with a goal or an assist, and ot's hard not to see them as competition-wide favorites. 

 However, Orlando has been brilliant in MLS of late, too. They defeated Messi's Miami 4-0 and are unbeaten in their last seven across all competitions. Regardless of who advances here, it's going to be a lights-out contest.

GOAL's prediction: This one goes to Toluca. They're on a fairytale run in 2025 that just doesn't seem close to ending - their story still has more pages to be written. Orlando will fight and put forth a valiant effort, but the Liga MX side will narrowly come out on top. 

Puebla are the underdogs from Mexico in the remaining field as they are the surprise outfit from Liga MX remaining, but by all means, they earned their spot here. They defeated both CF Montreal and NYCFC to clinch their spot, and are now going to look to get past an MLS heavyweight into the semifinals. 

The Sounders, meanwhile, are the only team entering this stage of the tournament having won all three of their Phase One matches. Since their return from the Club World Cup, they're undefeated in 10 matches across all competitions, and have to be looked at as the favorites from MLS in the competition - even with Messi's Miami in the fray.

Manager Brian Schmetzer has them playing riveting soccer at the moment.

GOAL's Prediction: Seattle will come out on top here, and by some margin, too. The Sounders will win by three goals here. 

Pachuca, by all accounts, are the favorites in this one. They're in first place in the Apertura standings, and in Phase One of the competition, defeated LAFC and took two points vs. San Diego FC - two of the best Western Conference teams in all of MLS.

The Galaxy, meanwhile, made MLS history in 2025 by offering the worst return of a reigning champion in the league's 30-year run. They have been so poor that they've set the most unwanted record in league history. However, for LA, this is all they have left this season to play for, realistically. They are so far down the Western Conference table that they are nearly mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, meaning they have everything to play for here.

Sometimes, a team with nothing to lose is the scariest one left. Pachuca, though, are excellent - so nothing will be a given here.

GOAL's prediction: Pachuca will take this one, but it won't be as big a wide-margin defeat as one might expect. This will be a one-goal decision.