MLS Matchday 6 kicks off this weekend with several compelling storylines taking center stage across the league. As all 32 teams have secured at least one point, the Philadelphia Union currently lead the Supporters' Shield standings, while a four-way tie at the bottom sees Sporting KC, Toronto FC, New England Revolution, and CF Montreal each with just one point.
Inter Miami returns to action after a bye week, with all eyes on Lionel Messi's potential minutes. "Leo is good, God willing and if nothing weird happens, he will be named to the matchday roster," manager Javier Mascherano confirmed on Friday. The Herons currently sit second in both the Eastern Conference and Supporters' Shield race, making their matchup against the first-place Philadelphia Union particularly significant.
Messi has appeared in just two of Inter Miami's five regular season matches this season, initially due to load management before developing a muscle injury that forced him to miss the March international break with Argentina. While he completed training with the first team on Friday, it remains unclear whether he'll start or come off the bench. A victory would propel Miami to the top of both tables and potentially validate Mascherano's capabilities as a senior manager in the eyes of critics.
In Western Conference action, San Diego FC received a boost with the news that Mexican international Chucky Lozano will be available for their crucial match against LAFC. Manager Mikey Varas confirmed the winger's return after Lozano had been sidelined since Matchday 2, when he exited just 31 minutes into a scoreless draw against St. Louis CITY SC with a lower leg injury.
Lozano made an immediate impact in San Diego's season opener, providing the game-winning assist in a 2-0 victory over the LA Galaxy. His return comes at a pivotal moment as third-placed San Diego faces fourth-placed LAFC in what promises to be a compelling Western Conference clash. The expansion franchise has yet to win at home, drawing their two matches at Snapdragon Stadium, but Saturday presents an opportunity to complete a Los Angeles double and secure their first home victory.
Meanwhile, CF Montreal begins a new chapter following Laurent Courtois' surprising dismissal earlier this week. The second-year manager became the first casualty of the 2025 MLS season despite challenging circumstances, including seven consecutive away matches to start the campaign and the club's position as one of the league's lowest spenders with the youngest starting lineup.
Interim head coach Marco Donadel now faces the task of inspiring a Montreal side seeking their first win of the season. With just one point through five weeks, they'll face a formidable Chicago Fire team that has won three straight matches behind striker Hugo Cuypers' five-goal contribution. Montreal will look to Canadian internationals Nathan Saliba and Samuel Piette, along with U.S. international Caden Clark, to lead their new project under Donadel.
Other notable trends heading into Matchday 6 include Cuypers' opportunity to become just the third player in Fire history to score in five consecutive games, while a Chicago victory would give them four straight wins for the first time since 2017. FC Dallas star Lucho Acosta is on the verge of a historic milestone against Sporting Kansas City, needing just one more goal to become the seventh player in MLS history with 75+ goals and 75+ assists. The playmaker currently has 74 goals and 97 assists in his MLS career.
Finally, Austin FC's Owen Wolff has recorded three game-winning assists already this season. Should he provide another against St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, the Homegrown product would join Sporting KC's Graham Zusi (2012) as just the second MLS player to achieve such a feat within the first six matches of a season.
