Leagues Cup Final: Team news, broadcast options, preview for Nashville vs Inter Miami live on Aug. 19, 2023

Topics: TV Schedules, Nashville SC, Inter Miami, Leagues Cup Final

Messi and Co. lock horns with their Eastern Conference rivals in the 2023 Leagues Cup final with the sole goal of bringing silverware to the DRV PNK Stadium for the very-first time.

Where can I watch Nashville SC vs Inter Miami live on TV?

Fans in the USA who wish to watch Lionel Messi's team in the Leagues Cup final live on TV can tune in to TUDN USA and Univision USA. Unfortunately, this game will not be aired live on TV in the UK, Canada, and Australia (only available via streaming). If you live elsewhere, please check our dedicated match page for further information on how to follow this game live on TV in your country.

Where can I stream Nashville SC vs Inter Miami live?

Fans in the USA have many streaming options to choose from such as the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, ViX, the TUDN App, and Univision NOW. Those that live in the UK, Canada, and Australia can only catch the Leagues Cup final live exclusively on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. If you live elsewhere, please check our dedicated match page for further information on how to stream this game live in your country.

Preview

Will Lionel Messi lift a trophy in only his seventh game for Inter Miami? This is the question on everyone's mind ahead of Saturday's Leagues Cup final as the Florida-based club prepare to do battle with Nashville SC in the ultimate game at Geodis Park.

All eyes will be on the Herons in this game simply due to the presence of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. The Argentine's arrival at the club has completely transformed their form, with the MLS team going from the worst team in the Eastern Conference to one of the most exciting teams in North America.

Tata Martino's men have been the most dominant side in this competition so far, scoring a whopping 21 goals. To put this into perspective, this is only one short of what Inter Miami have scored so far in the MLS this entire campaign — 22 goals in 22 outings.

However, the club's improvement cannot be solely credited to La Pulga. Sergio Busquets has brought calm to Martino's midfield while Robert Taylor's stats have gone up. Even Josef Martinez, who had been struggling for form all season in the MLS, has refound his goalscoring boots and played a crucial role in the club's run to the final.

The Venezuelan striker opened the scoring in his team's last two games, the 4-0 win over Charlotte in the quarterfinals and the 4-1 triumph over Philadelphia Union in the semifinals. However, the 30-year-old's presence in the lineup alongside the 36-year-old Messi can cause issues as Inter Miami can appear to be a man or two down when defending against transitions and settled attacks. Philadelphia Union's profligacy in front of goal denied them the opportunity to capitalize on this and it will be interesting to see whether Nashville SC can ask tougher questions.

Inter Miami aren't the only side hoping to win their first-ever trophy on Saturday as the Boys in Gold are yet to lift silverware themselves. As a result, Gary Smith's crew will go all out in order to be crowned the 2023 Leagues Cup champions.

And just like the visitors, Nashville, who will boast the home advantage in this crucial fixture, have also gotten better in this tournament. The MLS side nearly crashed out in the group stage but made it to the knockout round nonetheless before facing another two scares.

In the round of 32 and round of 16, Hany Mukhtar and Co. needed penalty shootouts to triumph, beating Cincinnati and Liga MX powerhouse Club America on spot kicks.

However, in the last two round – the quarterfinals and semifinals – Nashville have scored a combined seven goals without conceding anything. Inter Miami boast the best attack in the competition and thus the hosts' defense will be tested. Nonetheless, this should give the Boys in Gold tremendous confidence to halt Messi and Co. in their tracks.

Team news

Nashville SC: Sam Surridge, who joined the Boys in Gold from Premier League side Bournemouth, could get a start after scoring off the bench in the last three games in a row. If so, he will likely be joined by Hany Mukhtar, the current leading goalscorer in the MLS this season. Walker Zimmerman is another recognizable name to international fans and the USA center-back is all but destined to start at the heart of the defense in this final.

Inter Miami: Tata Martino has been reluctant to switch things up, meaning Lionel Messi and Josef Martinez are likely to lead the line once against while fellow Barcelona icons Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba should make the lineup as well. Robert Taylor will likely play a key role in this tie while the 18-year-old should start again to offer energy in the middle of the park for a team that starts many players on the wrong side of 30.

Key stats

This game will see the tournament's two best attacks go head-to-head for the trophy.
However, it should be noted that Inter Miami dwarf Nashville SC in this regard, scoring a whopping 21 goals compared to the hosts' 15.
Lionel Messi is the leading goalscorer in this competition, netting nine goals in this tournament and getting on the scoresheet in every single game.
However, as mentioned earlier, in Hany Mukhtar, the Boys in Gold boast the top scorer in the MLS this season with 13 goals to his name.
These two teams have faced each other twice already in 2023 and on both occasions, the home side won.
Their first encounter came in mid-May, with Nashville SC winning 2-1 at the Geodis Park in the MLS thanks to goals from Picault and MacNaughton.
However, the two teams met less than a week later in the US Open Cup, with the Herons triumphing 2-1 at the DRV PNK Stadium.