New chapter of Inter Miami-Orlando City rivalry: Jordi Alba set for debut

Inter Miami defender Sergii Kryvtsov compares the Leagues Cup match against Orlando City to El Clásico, generating excitement and anticipation.

Fort Lauderdale -- Sergii Kryvtsov, a defender for Inter Miami, didn't hold back when discussing the significance of the Leagues Cup match against Orlando City on Wednesday night. He compared it to the Klasychne derby, a major rivalry in Ukraine between Dynamo Kyiv and his former club, Shakhtar Donetsk. But he didn't stop there. Kryvtsov also likened the Inter Miami-Orlando City matchups to El Clásico, the highly competitive matches between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Kryvtsov, who has never played in El Clásico, acknowledged that three of his star teammates, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, have experienced the intensity of the rivalry. Additionally, Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino has coached in El Clásico. While the European soccer rivalry has a long history dating back to 1902, the Miami-Orlando in-state rivalry, known as the "Florida Derby," is relatively new. It's a clash between European and American soccer, making it a unique spectacle.

Messi, Busquets, Alba, and Martino will soon experience the Florida rivalry for themselves. However, Martino tempered Kryvtsov's comparison, suggesting that the defender was referring to the team's mindset heading into the match rather than the actual rivalry itself. Martino emphasized the difficulty of predicting the outcome and highlighted the historical significance of the Barca-Madrid rivalry.

Nevertheless, the stakes of the matchup are undeniably high. The winner advances to the round of 16, while the loser is eliminated. A loss for Inter Miami would mean their next match is on August 20 against Charlotte FC when the Major League Soccer regular season resumes.

There is a possibility that Alba, who recently joined Inter Miami, will make his debut in this match. Martino confirmed that Alba will be available but did not commit to whether he will play or not. Alba, a former star left-back for Barcelona, has been training for the past two weeks in Spain after his wife gave birth to their third child.

It is likely that Alba will make his Inter Miami debut as a second-half substitution, similar to Messi and Busquets in their first game. Alba expressed confidence in his physical condition and readiness to contribute to the team.

During Tuesday's training session, the players engaged in various drills and friendly competitions. The team focused on one-touch play and participated in a handball competition. Despite some laughs, there wasn't much scoring, with only one goal scored by forward Shanyder Borgelin.

Inter Miami and Orlando City have faced each other 11 times, with Orlando leading the series with a record of 5 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses. Orlando City won the most recent matchup, but both teams have undergone changes since then. The match took place on May 20, during a seven-game losing streak for Inter Miami and under the leadership of former head coach Phil Neville. Messi had not yet announced his decision to join the club.

Now, with two convincing wins under their belt, Inter Miami's confidence is soaring. Messi made an immediate impact in his first game, scoring the winning goal in stoppage time, and followed it up with two more goals in a dominant performance against Atlanta United.

Defender Noah Allen expressed the team's newfound swagger and credited the presence of the world's best players for making things easier. The team is determined to avenge their previous loss to Orlando City and approach the match with an attacking mindset.

Perhaps one day, Kryvtsov's comparison between the Miami-Orlando rivalry and El Clásico will hold true. Alba described his move to Inter Miami as a "project" driven by his desire to win every possible title. In the larger context of American soccer, a deep-rooted rivalry in the MLS could be the missing piece. The match against Orlando City may be the first step in realizing that vision.

"We're not going to show any mercy. We're going to attack them and go all out," Allen declared confidently.