Orlando City SC are set to face Inter Miami CF in what is undisputably the glamour tie in the Round of 32 of the 2023 Leagues Cup.
Thanks to Wilder Cartagena's 92nd-minute goal in the Lions' final group stage match against Santos Laguna, Orlando earned the opportunity to take on Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and the Herons.
"We will be ready", says Pareja
Manager Oscar Pareja faced the media prior to just the second Florida derby in a knockout competition and fired the opening salvo by
"That we will be ready", he said after Orlando topped South 3. "It was in our mind in our preparation; no other words in the last week other than Santos.
"We know that you can overlook things and then start thinking ahead, what if? But that was not in our equation, nothing but just beating Santos."
While the 54-year-old acknowledged that Messi's arrival to MLS is a positive for the league, he also talked about the approach the Lions would have against this star-studded Miami side, led by arguably the greatest player ever.
"After the victory we have to face a team who has been playing well and obviously just to make sure --- the Messi thing, right, it is the wave that is bringing a lot of attention and we're very proud.
"But we know what we are. We know who we are. And we're going to go get the victory because our heart is prepared to do it."
"For 12 years, no one can stop him"
Having won every domestic competition and award he has played for in a career with Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain as well as the World Cup title with Argentina last year, Pareja knows the difficulty of containing Messi.
"For 12 years, nobody can stop him", he said. "We take into account that we are going to play with our rival from the state, but also with the attention that Leo generated in the atmosphere of football in the United States."
The Lions boss admits Messi's presence in MLS is vital for the growth of soccer in the United States but also understands his side is focused on winning this derby and moving on to the Round of 16.
"The Messi phenomenon makes us proud in the MLS, that he has chosen to come to this league. We are not going to play against just a player but against a whole team. Of course I can't ignore Messi, but we're focusing on the whole team."