MIAMI — The MLS playoff stage is set for Lionel Messi and his supporting Inter Miami cast, who are in the spotlight as they kick off the postseason as the top seed at home Friday night against Atlanta United.

Atlanta squeaked into the Eastern Conference wild-card game with the ninth and final slot and beat CF Montreal in a thrilling match Tuesday night that came down to a penalty-kick shootout. With the victory, Atlanta moves on to the Round One best-of-three series against Inter Miami.

Whether you have been following Inter Miami all season, or are a newcomer tuning in now to see what all the Messi Mania is about, here is what you need to know:

MLS playoff schedule

Atlanta and Miami open Round One on Friday at 8:30 p.m. at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale before heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for Game 2 on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is back in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.

Tickets for Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United

Tickets for Game 1 at Chase Stadium are available through TicketMaster and on secondary online ticket outlets.

How to watch

The opening game will be broadcast free on Apple TV and on a special Messi-focused TikTok livestream (registration is required).

MLS playoff format

The first-round series winner will face Orlando City (the No. 4 seed) or Charlotte FC (No. 5) in the Eastern Conference semifinal on Nov. 23 or 24 at Chase Stadium, as Miami earned home-field advantage for the duration of the playoffs by winning the Supporters’ Shield with the league’s best regular-season record. Miami finished with 22 wins, eight ties, four losses for an MLS-record 74 points.

Every Round One game will have a winner; so, there will be no ties, no aggregate score. If a match is tied after regulation, no extra time will be played. It will go straight to a penalty-kick shootout.

After Round One, the rest of the tournament is single elimination games.

If the score of a conference semifinal, conference final or the final is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute extra-time periods will be played in their entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the two extra-time periods, it goes to a penalty-kick shootout.

Which teams made the MLS playoffs?

Eastern Conference (in order): Inter Miami, Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Orlando City, Charlotte FC, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Atlanta United (beat Montreal in wild-card game)

Western Conference (in order): LAFC, LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Minnesota United, Colorado Rapids, Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers play wild-card game for final spot Wednesday night.

Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United scouting report

Inter Miami lost only four of 34 games this season and one of them was to Atlanta United, 3-1 on May 29. That was Miami’s last home loss of the year. Messi scored in that game, in the 62nd minute, but it wasn’t enough. Saba Lobjanidze scored twice that day to put Atlanta on top 2-0, and Jamal Thiare scored Atlanta’s third goal.

The teams met again in Atlanta on Sept. 18 and Inter Miami, with a makeshift lineup and its stars coming in late off the bench, settled for a 2-2 tie.

Miami had just three regular starters in the lineup that day — Drake Callender, Marcelo Weigandt and Julian Gressel. Messi, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba were left out of the starting lineup to rest, and Sergio Busquets was suspended for yellow card accumulation. Coach Tata Martino was also suspended and watched the game from a stadium suite.

David Ruiz and Leo Campana scored for Inter Miami.

Atlanta struggled at points during the season but has been in good form of late with three consecutive victories under interim coach Rob Valentino. Atlanta, led by Lobjanidze, veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan and midfielder Alexey Miranchuk, are looking to contain Messi and Luis Suarez and spoil Miami’s party.

This playoff series will have special meaning for Martino, who coached Atlanta United to the 2018 MLS Cup title. Gressel was on that Atlanta team, as well.

The last word

Valentino, asked what they will do to contain Messi: “That’s the golden question. That’s been his whole career. He’s arguably the best player that’s ever played. We’ve faced them a few times, know his qualities, but they’ve got other players who are good, too. We have to be hyper alert when he’s on the pitch, know where he’s at, and keep the other players from getting him the ball.”

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