Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will try again to win their first match in their new stadium when they welcome the Portland Timbers, coached by former Herons manager Phil Neville.

Miami (7-2-4, 25 points) has failed to win its previous four matches at Nu Stadium, the permanent venue that opened in April. Incredibly, that included a 4-3 defeat to Orlando City on May 2 after the Herons raced to a three-goal lead.

But interim manager Guillermo Hoyos’ side has been exceptional away, winning five straight on the road. He particularly admired the passion shown by Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and other stars in Wednesday night’s 5-3 win at Cincinnati, in which Miami rallied with three late goals.

“Just think about it, they have the World Cup coming up very soon,” Hoyos said. “There are players who have the World Cup on their minds and nothing else, yet the way they run, play and commit themselves is incredible.”

Messi scored his 10th and 11th goals of the season, and his 60th and 61st for the club since his arrival in July of 2023.

That tally began just months after Neville was dismissed as Miami’s second permanent manager after two-plus seasons. He helped Miami to a then-club-best 12th-place finish in the 2022 Supporters’ Shield standings but suffered a first-round playoff defeat that year and a bad start the following spring.

He’s now in his third season with Portland (4-6-2, 14 points), a team that may be coming together following a slow start.

Kevin Kelsy has scored three times in Portland’s last two matches, a 6-0 home win over Sporting Kansas City on May 9 and a 2-2 draw at CF Montreal on Wednesday. And in April, the Timbers pulled off impressive wins against LAFC and San Diego.

Now, they face Miami for the first time since Messi’s arrival. Neville likens it to his time as a Premier League player for Everton visiting his former club, Manchester United, for the first time.

“The first time back at Old Trafford, I literally just went to the stadium with blinkers on my eyes and tried to perform to the best of my ability for my club and fight for my club,” he said. “And then after the game I hugged and kissed and celebrated some incredible friendships.”

–Field Level Media

Chelsea is set to hire Xabi Alonso as their next head coach, according to multiple reports.

He is finalizing a four-year contract and was the club’s top target, per The Athletic.

Alonso was hired as the head coach of Real Madrid in 2025, but both sides mutually agreed to part ways in January. His overall record with the club was 24-6-4.

Liam Rosenior was Chelsea’s previous head coach. He was hired in January, but he was fired in April after a scoreless, five-game losing streak. Calum McFarlane has been serving as the club’s interim manager.

Chelsea lost in the FA Cup final on Saturday 1-0 to Manchester City. They hold a Premier League record of 13-13-10 with 49 points.

–Field Level Media

Daulton Varsho’s RBI single in the 10th gave the visiting Toronto Blue Jays a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon.

Varsho’s one-out hit off Tyler Holton (0-2) knocked in the runner at second, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Yohendrick Pinango hit his first career homer for Toronto’s other run. Louis Varland (2-1) pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the victory. He gave up two hits and struck out two.

Matt Vierling homered for the lone Tigers run. Detroit has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Riley Greene had a ninth-inning single to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the majors.

Detroit starter Casey Mize tossed six scoreless innings in his return from the injured list. Mize held the Blue Jays to two hits with no walks and four strikeouts. He was sidelined since late April by an adductor strain.

Spencer Miles, the second pitcher used by the Blue Jays, did not allow a run in 3 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits and struck out five.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the third. Zach McKinstry led off with a single and advanced to third on Kevin McGonigle’s single. Dillon Dingler walked to load the bases, but pinch-hitter Gage Workman struck out, leaving the runners stranded.

Varsho had a one-out double in the fifth but Mize responded by retiring the next two batters with a strikeout and popout.

Vierling broke the deadlock with two out in the sixth. He took advantage of a hanging Braydon Fisher slider and pulled it over the left field fence for his third homer of the season.

Pinango tied it the next inning with his leadoff homer against Kyle Finnegan. Pinango jumped on the first pitch Finnegan threw and drove it over the right field wall.

The Tigers had runners at first and third with two out in the ninth. Varland then struck out Colt Keith to send the game into extra innings.

–Field Level Media