MIAMI, Oct 24, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Lionel Messi begins his first MLS playoff campaign on Friday when Inter Miami take on Atlanta United in the opening game of the post-season journey to the MLS Cup final.

The Argentine has tasted success in all manner of formats in the game from ten Spanish league titles and four Champions League victories with Barcelona to the 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina.

But while the level of competition in MLS doesn't match those honours won throughout the career of the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner, the format is one the 37-year-old hasn't encountered before.

Messi was celebrating on the field with his team-mates on Saturday after they received the Supporters' Shield for finishing top of the regular season standings, the confetti and fireworks at Miami's Chase Stadium coming after the team broke the league's points record.

But despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino declaring that the Supporters Shield had earned Inter a place in next year's Club World Cup, the reality is that the Shield counts for little in MLS.

Infantino had his reasons for elevating that title, mainly to lock in the marketing power of Messi in the new, expanded 32-team tournament which has yet to secure a broadcast deal or any sponsors.

But Miami's co-owner David Beckham, who tasted both success and failure in the playoffs with Los Angeles Galaxy, knows that in MLS it's all about the playoffs.

After praising coach Gerardo Martino for an "incredible season", Beckham was quick to add: "But this year is not finished, on to the playoffs and we'll be ready".

The format offers little room for error.

The first task will be the "best of three" series against Martino's former club Atlanta, where aggregate score doesn't count and there are no draws, with penalty shoot-outs coming if the game is level after 90 minutes.

Two wins will take Miami through and with the firepower of Messi and his former Barca team-mate Luis Suarez, who have scored 20 goals each in the regular season, should be enough to take them past an Atlanta side that finished ninth in the Eastern Conference.

From then on though, every match is a knock-out game, although they will feature extra-time if the matches are level after 90 minutes, before an eventual shoot-out.

Should they advance to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, final and then MLS Cup, Miami will play all their games at home having earned the top seed.

- Tough obstacle -

If Miami get past Atlanta they will face either in-state rivals Orlando City or Charlotte FC and their most likely opponent in an eventual conference final would be reigning MLS champions Columbus Crew, who would be a tough obstacle.

The December 7th MLS Cup final pits East v West and 2022 champions Los Angeles FC, who feature former France internationals Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, are the favourites to win the Western Conference although neighbours Los Angeles Galaxy may disagree.

The jeopardy involved in the playoffs is highlighted by the fact that in the last ten seasons, only two teams have won the Shield and then gone on to clinch the MLS Cup.

LAFC in 2022 and Toronto FC in 2017 are the only two teams to have done the "double" in the last decade but Miami have good reason to believe they can pull it off.

It is not just the masterful presence of Messi, who came off the bench to score a second-half hat-trick in Saturday's 6-2 win over New England Revolution, that makes Miami the favourites.

Suarez may no longer have speed but he still has a deadly eye for goal while two other former Barca players, midfielder Sergio Busquets and left-back Jordi Alba, further elevate the level of class in Martino's team.

But while no-one scored more than Miami's 79 goals in 34 games, they are vulnerable at the back - of the top eight teams in the Shield standings, only LA Galaxy conceded more than Miami.

Atlanta are unbeaten against Miami this season -- they won 3-1 when the teams met in Fort Lauderdale in May and then drew 2-2 in the return game in Georgia in September.

Miami keeper Drake Callander knows that all the plaudits so far will count for nothing if there isn't an MLS Cup triumph at the end of it all.
"We didn't come this far, just to get this far," he said.