Focused on climbing East table, Inter Miami host D.C. United

With Lionel Messi's long-term future at Inter Miami reportedly secure, the Herons will try to keep climbing up the Eastern Conference standings when they host D.C. United on Saturday night.

Both ESPN and the Miami Herald reported this week that Miami and Messi have agreed to the terms of a multi-year contract extension that would see the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner finish his career in South Florida. It's expected to become official later this month.

"I'm not going to speak about hypotheticals, and I'm certainly not the one who should make that announcement," manager Javier Mascherano told reporters Friday, per Goal.com. "Hopefully it happens soon. It would be fantastic news not only for the club but for MLS and soccer in the United States as a whole."

That ends months of anxiety after negotiations stretched longer than anticipated and allows Miami (14-6-7, 49 points) to focus on improving on its sixth-place positioning in the East entering the weekend. The Herons sit eight points off leaders Philadelphia with three matches in hand.

The Herons avenged one of their most significant losses of the season with a 3-1 home win over Seattle on Tuesday night, with Messi assisting Miami's first goal and scoring its second.

With 20 goals and 11 assists, he is one behind Nashville's Sam Surridge for the MLS goals lead and one behind San Diego's Anders Dreyer (14 goals, 18 assists) for most overall goal contributions.

Miami's Luis Suarez will continue serving his three-match MLS suspension from a spitting incident that followed a 3-0 loss at the Sounders in last month's Leagues Cup final in Seattle.

D.C. United (5-15-10, 25 points) is already eliminated from playoff contention but has yet to lose in four matches under new manager Rene Weiler (three draws, one win).

Last Saturday, 10-man D.C. gutted out a 1-1 home draw against Orlando City as Jackson Hopkins scored his third goal since Weiler's takeover in mid-August.

Weiler says Saturday's match should be the most difficult since his arrival.

"Of course it will be a big challenge, and maybe a benchmark to see how far the players are now, to compare them with the players of Miami," he said. "But we have to enjoy at the same time the game, because it's a pleasure to play against them in their big stadium."

--Field Level Media