Leonardo Campana does not concern himself with competing with team-mate Lionel Messi when it comes to Inter Miami records.

Campana has netted 25 goals during his time with Miami, while Messi – who joined the club midway through 2023 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain – has scored 22 times.

Only Gonzalo Higuain (29), has scored more goals than Campana and Messi for the Herons in the club’s short history.

Campana, though, shrugged off the suggestion that he is in competition with Messi to become Miami’s record goalscorer.

"No, I don't really pay it much attention,” he said.

“I just try to enjoy it when it's my turn to play. Obviously, if I could manage it, it would be incredible, but we all know that Leo [Messi] is coming up behind me very quickly, so let's see what happens."

Asked if Messi will catch up with his own tally, Campana played the question with a straight bat, replying: "As I said, Leo is coming up fast. So, obviously, it makes me happy for him, for everything he creates for the team. But my time will come.

"As I always say, having Leo [Messi] on the pitch is a positive. It's good, when he's in the national team, we feel his presence, and when he's here with us, we feel him and when he's not, we feel that too. We know what he creates on the pitch and, obviously, when he's not there we always try our best to do a good job. But as I say, Leo is Leo and always when he's not there, it's different."

Next up for Miami – the Western Conference leaders – and Messi are the New York Red Bulls, who are four points behind the Herons in the standings.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter Miami – Lionel Messi

Messi has contributed to at least one goal in 10 consecutive club matches in all competitions for the seventh time in his career and the first since 2018 (12 straight). Messi has scored in six straight league matches for the first time since January-February 2021.

New York Red Bulls – Lewis Morgan

Morgan has scored seven goals this season, including one on Saturday and three against Miami in March. Last season, Omir Fernandez and Elias Manoel led the Red Bulls with six total goals all season.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

While the Opta predictor is forecasting a draw, there has never actually been a draw between these two teams, with the Red Bulls recording six wins to Miami’s three, including a 4-0 victory in New York in March. Indeed, the Red Bulls have won three of their four away games against the Herons.

Miami have scored 78 goals in 36 matches in all competitions since Messi made his debut for the club last July, 14 more than any other MLS team in that time. Saturday’s 4-1 win over the New England Red Bulls was the 15th time Miami has scored at least three goals in a match in that time.

The Red Bulls are unbeaten in six straight regular-season matches (W2 D4), though the last three matches have all ended in draws. New York have had only one longer unbeaten run in league play since 2017, an eight-match stretch in September-October 2021.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Inter Miami – 39.7%

New York Red Bulls – 31.4%

Draw – 28.9%

Vanni Sartini is anticipating a tight encounter when his Vancouver Whitecaps team face the New York Red Bulls.

Vancouver have enjoyed a fine start to the MLS season and sit second in the Western Conference.

The Red Bulls, meanwhile, are in second place in the East.

This game will be the first meeting of the teams since 2019, and Sartini joked that facing sides from a different Conference is akin to a trip to a casino.

He said: “It’s going to be hard. It’s like going to the casino when you play the Eastern teams – you never know!

“Maybe you’ll face the team in last, the team that’s in first place. Unfortunately, this season we’re going to play the Red Bulls, who are doing very well.”

Explaining what he expects to see from the Red Bulls, Sartini added: “They’re a team with a very distinct and particular style of play, like we have, to be honest.

“We need to be very intense, because that’s what they are, they are very intense in pressing, counter-pressing, counter-attacks and we need to be very well organised. It’s a game that will be decided in the second half, it’s going to be tight until the end – that’s what I feel.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New York Red Bulls – Lewis Morgan

Morgan is enjoying a fine campaign, and he leads the Red Bulls’ scoring efforts with six goals in MLS.

Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White

White joined the ‘Caps from the Red Bulls in 2021. He has scored four goals in MLS this season, making him Vancouver’s leading scorer.

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN

Ryan Gauld and White have each contributed to at least one goal in their last five MLS appearances, equalling the longest streak in Whitecaps’ history. Prior to them, only three players in team history had recorded a goal contribution in five straight matches.

With 16 points through eight matches, the Whitecaps are off to the joint-best eight-match start in club history (also 2015). Vancouver have never had more than 17 points (2012) after nine matches of a season before.

The Red Bulls have lost only one of their first nine matches this season (W4 D4), the second time in club history they have had fewer than two losses at this stage of a season, along with their Supporters’ Shield winning 2015 campaign (also W4 D4 L1).

Six of the 12 all-time meetings between the Red Bulls and Whitecaps have been drawn (Whitecaps W4, Red Bulls W2), but New York are anticipated to win this one.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYRB – 48.9%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 23.3%

Draw – 27.8%

Lewis Morgan became the top goalscorer in MLS this season after his hat-trick inspired New York Red Bulls to a 4-0 thrashing of Inter Miami.

With Lionel Messi out injured, Miami could do little to prevent their former player Morgan turning on the style at the Red Bull Arena.

Not only did Morgan help himself to three goals, but he also teed up another with a mazy run from the touchline before helping it back to Wikelman Carmona.

Saturday's heavy defeat saw Miami, temporarily at least, fall from top spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Red Bulls moved up to third with 10 points from their four games.

The Red Bulls enjoyed a sensational start, with Morgan firing them in front after just three minutes to bring up his third goal of the season. The Scottish striker latched on to a clever flick from Dante Vanzeir before dispatching into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Sandro Schwarz's side could have doubled their lead in the 29th minute after Morgan returned the favour to Vanzeir with a superb throughball, but he dragged his effort wide.

Miami's best chance of the first half came through Jordi Alba, who found himself in space inside the penalty area after Lawson Sunderland poked the ball into his path, but his effort whistled over the bar.

The visitors' frustration was compounded just six minutes into the second half – Vanzeir and Morgan linking up once again as the latter got on the end of a defence-splitting pass before tucking home.

It was 3-0 in the 66th minute, Carmona firing in from close range after tireless work from Morgan.

The 27-year-old chased down a loose ball before taking on his marker and picking out Vanzeir, whose touch fell Carmona.

Morgan secured his hat-trick just four minutes later with the Red Bulls hitting Miami on the counter-attack, finishing coolly from yet another excellent Vanzeir pass.

Morgan haunts the Herons

With the home side unbeaten in four straight matches at the Red Bull Arena in all competitions before kick-off, Schawrz's men played with plenty of confidence in front of their own supporters, and made that five wins on the bounce in emphatic fashion.

Morgan, who spent two seasons with Miami in 2020 and 2021, was crucial, and went off to a standing ovation. 

His opener brought up the Red Bulls' quickest strike of the season, and he now tops the MLS scoring charts with five goals this season. Vanzeir, meanwhile, has risen to the top of the assists list (five).

Suarez fails to step up in Messi’s absence

It has been an impressive start to the season for Miami, who went into this clash at the top of the East, but they Gerardo Martino's side were taught a harsh lesson, and they did not have Messi to bail them out.

Suarez was tasked with taking on the responsibility in attack, but the Uruguayan was not at his best and struggled to get involved in the action in the final third.

Indeed, after picking up a booking for dissent in the first half, he did not really provide a spark at all until late on, when his cross diverted off a defender and onto the crossbar.

It was a day to forget for Miami, who did have a consolation goal ruled out by VAR, and the Herons will now have to lick their wounds and hope Messi, who has skipped international duty, is back sooner rather than later.