In 2024, Atlanta fired its coach, fired its GM and parted with several stars. After knocking Miami out of the playoffs, it's playing with house money.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino stepped down from his role on Friday citing personal reasons, after the team were knocked out of the MLS Cup playoffs earlier this month.

Inter Miami has played Atlanta five times this year, and won just once, 2-1 in the playoff opener at home. Atlanta beat Miami 3-1 back in May, they tied 2-2 in September, and Atlanta stunned Miami on Saturday to force Game 3 with an extra-time game winner by Xande Silva before a crowd of 68,455 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

There will be no MLS Cup for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami this year. Atlanta United saw to that with a massive upset, sending the game’s most decorated player and biggest-spending team home earlier than anyone imagined.

The MLS continues to grow and attract top talent, with Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami significantly boosting the league's profile. Now, it seems that another big name could be heading to the United States,