Javier Mascherano knows Inter Miami must consider "different options" without Lionel Messi ahead of their MLS trip to Orlando City.

Messi missed the 3-1 victory over Pumas UNAM due to a hamstring problem before the Leagues Cup clash.

Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez and Tadeo Allende stepped up with goals in his absence, and Mascherano is keen for Miami to find ways to succeed without their global superstar.

"When Leo is playing, we have a base of space that can open the game many times, right?” said Mascherano. "And that player between the lines that comes in to create the superiority is not forced.

"It's natural, because Leo is the one that give us the possibilities; we can play it in a different manner. When he's not there, we need to look for different options."

Mascherano's side are fifth in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind leaders Philadelphia Union but with three games in hand ahead of their visit to Orlando.

Central to any hopes of leaving with all three points may revolve around the absent Messi's Argentina team-mate, De Paul.

“I thanked him for the effort,” said Mascherano of De Paul after the last outing. "Three matches within a few days, but beyond the performance, also his willingness, his energy.

"I think that after some point, we need to understand that sometimes things can go better or worse.

"But the willingness with which he was playing after not having any preseason, after taking holidays and putting on his jersey and playing as he was doing, and spreading this to the rest of the team, I think [his signing] was a good idea."

Orlando are just a point and place behind Miami and will head into this game with confidence after a 5-1 thrashing of Necaxa in the Leagues Cup.

"I saw the group with a lot of desire, not just to win it, but trying to push harder than they have done before," said head coach Oscar Pareja after that win.

"But today, things bounced our way and the fact that we were lethal in our chances ... We had our players with a lot of clarity, and that gave us the opportunity to keep going."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Orlando City – Martin Odeja

Martin Ojeda, who also scored twice against Necaxa, has recorded a goal contribution in nine consecutive regular-season matches.

That’s the longest streak by an MLS player since Evander had an 11-game run from June to September 2024, and a run he will hope to continue here.

Inter Miami – Telasco Segovia

Since returning from the Club World Cup at the start of July, Miami have scored 13 goals in MLS play and eight of those have come through Messi.

Midfielder Telasco Segovia (three) is the only other player to score multiple goals during that span, and Mascherano will hope he can step up again.

MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN

Miami have only failed to score nine times in league play since Lionel Messi joined MLS in August 2023, the fewest of any team (excluding San Diego FC).

However, without their star talisman in Orlando, it is hard to see past an away defeat for Mascherano's visitors.

In fact, Orlando are unbeaten in their seven all-time home meetings with Miami across all competitions (W2 D5, including a penalty shootout win in the 2022 US Open Cup).

Miami are also the only team Orlando has hosted at least five times in their MLS era and never lost to at home.

Pareja's side may have a strong record against their next opponents, but Orlando have also scored in 14 consecutive league matches with the team’s only longer goalscoring streak in MLS being a 15-game run in 2016.

Their current streak is the second longest in MLS with only Charlotte FC (15) recording a longer active run, and Pareja will hope more goals flow when Miami come to town.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City win – 45.4%
Draw – 26.9%
Inter Miami win – 27.7%