Champions Cup is a measuring stick by which MLS sees how it stacks up against other leagues in the region, particularly Liga MX, which has a rich history that predates MLS by half a century.

So far, Liga MX has dominated this competition, winning 17 of the last 18 titles. The Seattle Sounders won in 2022 over Pumas, but before that Liga MX teams won 16 in a row. Monterrey won five of those trophies, the latest in 2021.

MLS, by contrast, has had one champion and three finalists in the past 15 years.

The winner of the tournament earns a spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which is being held in the United States next summer.

ESPN commentator Herculez Gomez, a Mexican American who played for many MLS and Liga MX teams over his 17-year career, competed in numerous Champions Cup/League tournaments. He has lived it from both sides of the border and finds the Miami vs. Monterrey matchup to be among the most intriguing in recent memory.

In previewing Wednesday’s game as a guest on the Miami Herald podcast Inside Inter Miami, Gomez began by explaining that Liga MX can be divided into clubs that are “old money and new money” and Monterrey falls in the “new money” category. He compared the tradition old Mexican heavyweights such as Chivas, Club America, Cruz Azul and Pumas to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

Monterrey and rival Tigres are the nouveau riche of Liga MX, the teams with new money who have acquired higher-priced players.

“Inter Miami is facing off against what many consider one of the richest rosters in all Latin America, and certainly when you talk about Concacaf,” Gomez said. “If you go through the names on their roster from one through 30, you’d be hard pressed to find richer resumes. It’s going to be interesting.”

As for the atmosphere Miami players and fans can expect in Monterrey, Gomez is curious to see how many fans show up in pink Messi No. 10 shirts. He has heard that Tigres fans may show up in big numbers and support Miami.

“Inter Miami has taken over Tigre fans who want to go see Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and they’re snatching up Inter Miami jerseys and want to go support Messi, one because he’s a global icon, but number two because they hate Rayados,” Gomez said. “The rivalry is that big.”

It will be the first time a soccer star of Messi’s level of fame plays in a Mexican stadium, Gomez said, and security will be tighter than ever. He said fans there are buying tickets on the secondary market in record numbers.

“We’ve had international stars Bebeto and Ronaldinho playing in Mexico, and they move the needle, but not an icon of this magnitude,” he said. “This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen in this country. I’m glad it’s in this city and at this stadium, because they will be more prepared than most.”

Asked on the eve of the game how his team plans to contain Messi, Ortiz smiled and replied: “We are Monterrey. We are at home with our fans. Messi can worry about us. No, but seriously, we are very fortunate to be on the field with the best player in the world. We will enjoy it, but at the same time we want to win.”

When are Champions Cup semifinals?

If Inter Miami advances to the semifinals, the first leg will be on April 23-25, with the second leg April 30-May 2.

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