Gerardo 'Tata' Martino, coach of Inter Miami, stated that he doesn't acknowledge "favoritism before the ball moves" and that his club faces their first Concacaf Champions League "with the same obligations as Philadelphia, Pachuca, América, Monterrey, Tigres, or Cincinnati."

He made these remarks during the pre-match press conference ahead of the first leg match against Nashville, the club that Inter Miami, with Leo Messi, defeated in the Leagues Cup last August, marking their first-ever trophy.

Haaland: "Messi is the Greatest of All Time"

"We have the same obligations as Philadelphia, Pachuca, América, Monterrey, Tigres, Cincinnati. The only way we become favorites is based on what we do on the field. I don't acknowledge favoritism before the ball moves," Martino affirmed.

"We don't claim favoritism at the expense of other institutions," he added.

Martino kept his cards close regarding the lineup and didn't confirm whether Spanish player Jordi Alba, who has been dealing with health issues, traveled with the team.

"Jordi is dealing with a strong flu, we will evaluate him tomorrow to see if he's fit to play," he said.

"They'll have to ring his doorbell at home to see if he's here. It's always important for the opponent to discover who they're facing when they see the squad list," he later added.

He also reported that Argentine midfielder Federico Redondo, son of Fernando Redondo, is ready to make his debut.

"We have high expectations. In these 180-minute matches, there's no other way to look at it than with a long-term perspective. Any result leaves the tie open," stated the Inter Miami coach.