Lionel Messi and Co. are back in the Big Apple for a late-season MLS matchup against New York City FC at Citi Field on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET).
The Boys in Blue are hot off a three-win bounce — the first of Pascal Jansen’s short tenure as NYCFC head coach — and have won five times against David Beckham’s team in their head-to-head.
The mood about the City Blue camp must be buzzing. New York surpassed their highest-ever win total in MLS with 16 this season following its 2-0 win against Charlotte FC. Jansen has pushed his side to fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, and CEO Brad Sims said last week the club “really got it right” with Jansen’s signing.
Having already clinched a playoff spot, the side could also rise to third in the standings if Charlotte drops points this weekend.
Alonso Martínez has hit a purple patch of form at the right time for the Boys in Blue as well, with three goals in his last three matches — albeit two goals were penalties that saw NYCFC past Charlotte.
Ties have been common between the two teams — NYCFC’s 2025 season opener saw Martínez give New York the lead with 35 minutes left on the clock, before Telasco Segovia was slid in by Messi to equalize in the fifth minute of injury time. Last season’s results were both 1-1 draws in which the Pigeons had to come from behind.
The two are neck and neck in the playoff race as well, with NYCFC holding one point and one position over Inter Miami in fifth. However, Miami has two matches in hand over New York due to their Club World Cup duties in the middle of June.
Miami’s September started with a demoralizing 3-0 loss to Charlotte that featured an Idan Toklomati Jorno hat-trick, but it has since secured back-to-back wins for the first time in the league since July.
They continue to look strong upfront, bolstered by Messi’s return of three goals in their last two matches. Head coach Javier Mascherano has also pushed Jordi Alba, a former Barcelona teammate of Messi’s and traditionally a left full-back, further forward to the left wing, where he contributed two assists and a goal against the Seattle Sounders and D.C. United.
Unsurprisingly, Alba’s two assists were to the Argentine No. 10.
With playoff spot in hand, NYCFC embarks on a tough four-game run to end the season — after Miami, the Pigeons could deliver the final push to knock the New York Red Bulls out of playoff contention on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Fixtures against league-topping Philadelphia Union and Seattle promise to push Jansen’s men all the way to the finish line.
