Leagues Cup betting tips: Messi set to make Inter Miami debut vs Cruz Azul

Lionel Messi will make his much anticipated Inter Miami debut as they face Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup this weekend but we aren't forecasting a comfortable night for the MLS side.

Cruz Azul +0.5 Asian handicap

Both teams to score

The 2022 World Cup final was watched by 1.12 billion viewers around the globe but allegedly more than triple the number tuned in to see Lionel Messi unveiled by Inter Miami.

He's been joined by Sergio Busquets in Vice City and with the league set to relax the strict salary cap, more is yet to come.

The world will get its first glimpse of Messi in action for the MLS club as they play host to Liga MX side Cruz Azul in the Leaguers Cup.

Tata Martino's charges are the bookmaker's favourites to win and we expect that they'll kick-off as overwhelming odds on favourite.

A lot of that has to do with Messi's arrival but it's worth taking a step back and acknowledging he's had less than a week with his new side.

As good as any team with his services could become, this particular team are winless in 11 and are about to overhaul their entire playing style.

The Leagues Cup is much more important than a set of friendlies but the month-long, mini World Cup-like tournament is a chance for Martino to put his ideas into practice.

Kicking things off with a home tie against Cruz Azul is fairly kind though with the Mexican visitors having lost their first three games of the season.

They've been outscored six to one across those three matches and although the added match fitness is a factor in Miami's favour, they'll be the weakest team Azul have faced.

The gap between the leagues has been closing rapidly in recent years but it's always been common for Mexican sides to struggle on US soil.

The key difference for this fixture is the visitors have been in Florida and training for the last several days and this tournament doesn't carry the same level of pressure.

There's a level of speed and intensity about Liga MX, in particular how teams press, that you don't always see in MLS.

We think the Messi hype train has affected this price too much and it's probably created value in being able to bet against a team that doesn't win very often.

However, he's so far beyond the level of these teams that he could produce individual moments of brilliance that help decide the game.