This could also be a foretaste of an explosive postseason clash, and if Rosanegra secures a key piece of hardware on the Columbus turf, it would send a strong message.

“I think the level of play will be some kind of playoff game,” predicted Columbus attacker Diego Rossi.

These are the stakes. Then there are the headlines: the brilliance of Messi and the electrifying effect he had on his entire club on and off the pitch, contrasted with the collective excellence of Wilfried Nancy’s skilled passing team, led by one of the league’s best, the Colombian Striker Cucho Hernandez.

What is remarkable is that both sides readily acknowledge each other’s quality. Martino called Columbus “by far the best team in the league” earlier this season, while Nancy and his team – “It’s always nice to play against players like that, that’s why we play football,” Camacho said – say they’re excited about to compete against Messi, who missed the previous two meetings this year.

“Listen, Messi is Messi,” Nancy said. “I obviously have a lot of respect for him because he is a role model for me when I try to teach my players certain things. Because he’s a player who has obviously won many, many things. But what I also like about him is that he plays with common sense. So when there is a pass, he passes the ball. When he sees the moment to dribble, he will do it. And for me, that’s rare to see.

“My players, yes, they know that Miami is coming with Messi and we know that this is a good game for both teams… that is (also) good for the league.”