Ship's Log, May 20: Takeaways from MLS Rivalry Week

With the Seattle Sounders' 1-1 derby draw at Portland in the books, there were a few other Rivalry Week results that caught my eye.

Chief among them is the continued descent of Inter Miami CF, who appear in real danger of watching their season go off the rails. It's not just that they've won only one match in their last seven across all competitions. It's the nature of the defeats. A 3-0 rout at the hands of Orlando City SC was just the latest result that devolved into a non-competitive contest.

It's been a shocking downturn for Lionel Messi and the Barca Boys. After setting the single-season points record a season ago, I was among those who figured they would remain a dominant force in 2025, despite their disappointing playoff exit against Atlanta United. I can't say with certainty exactly what's gone wrong, but it seems we might be witnessing the perils of building a team around star players who are mostly in their mid-to-late 30s, then handing the head coaching reins to someone with no experience at the club level. It's entirely possible that their talent ultimately wins out and they get back to their dominant ways, but right now the vibes feel ominous in South Florida.

Sunday night's El Tráfico fixture between LAFC and the LA Galaxy was both entertaining, and a near-ideal result from my perspective. The Galaxy's 87th-minute leveler from Marco Reus was a nice highlight in an improved performance, but they're still winless through a record 14 matches (0W-10L-4D). LAFC, meanwhile, will certainly feel like they dropped points after leading a winless rival until the game's waning moments, only to concede the leveler.

Lastly, I agree with the widespread consternation regarding the scheduling for these matches, which had these clubs playing their derbies at the end of a three-match week. Fixture congestion and squad rotation are a part of life in MLS, but having the league's best rivalries taking place with the clubs all running on fumes was just unfortunate. Hopefully we never see that again.

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