Nashville SC are set to host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF for the first leg of a Round of 16 Concacaf Champions Cup tie at Geodis Park on Thursday night. Inter Miami are coming off a dominant 5-0 victory over in-state rivals Orlando City as Messi registered a brace in Saturday's MLS match. Nashville SC, meanwhile, cruised to the Round of 16 after knocking off Moca 7-0 on aggregate in the first round of this competition. 

Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Herons are +120 favorites (risk $100 to win $120) in the latest Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami odds, with the Boys in Gold the +205 underdogs. A draw is priced at +265, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before you bet on Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC or make any other Concacaf Champions Cup predictions, you need to 

Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been SportsLine's top soccer editor for more than five years. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most-informed decisions possible, keeping his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe. 

Sutton was SportsLine's top soccer expert in 2022 with a 165-130-2 mark with his soccer picks, returning nearly $2,200 for $100 players. He also has been hot recently, going 4-1 with his last five soccer picks for a profit of 2.00 units.

Now, Sutton has broken down Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami from every angle and identified his picks and Concacaf Champions Cup predictions. You can  Here are the betting lines and trends for Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC:

• Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami money line: Miami +120, Nashville +205, Draw +265
• Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami over/under: 2.5 goals
• Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami spread: Miami -0.5 (+110), Nashville +0.5 (-155)
• NAS: Nashville are tied for sixth in the MLS in save percentage (87.5)
• MIA: Lionel Messi is tied for the league lead in goals (three)
• Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami: 

Why you should back Inter Miami 

Luis Suárez already has made an impact with his new team. The decorated 37-year-old striker from Uruguay, who signed with the Herons in the offseason, has two goals and three assists so far this year in MLS play. In the 5-0 blowout of Orlando City, Suarez scored twice in the first 11 minutes and added two assists, becoming the first player in club history to record multiple goals and assists in a single match.

Suárez and the rest of the Herons will face a shorthanded Nashville attack on Thursday. Nasvhille coach Gary Smith said Sam Surridge will miss the game with a shoulder injury. In addition, Hany Mukhtar is questionable with a hamstring issue. Without Surridge and Mukhtar this season, Nashville have managed only one goal in two MLS games.

Why you should back Nashville SC

Nashville SC are extremely tough to beat at home. The Boys in Gold have recorded back-to-back shutouts in their first two home games this season and they played Inter Miami to a 1-1 draw in the Leagues Cup Final last August, eventually losing on penalties. Nashville SC held Inter Miami to just two shots on target in that match. 

Gary Smith's side also lost just four of their 17 home games in MLS play last season, proving they have what it takes to compete with Inter Miami. Walker Zimmerman. a two-time MLS Defender of the Year, anchors Nashville's backline, while goalkeeper Joe Willis has made over 200 MLS appearances. Nashville conceded just 32 goals in league play last season, the fewest in the Eastern Conference.