I usually don’t feature Messi and Friends in this column because let’s face it, if you’re a fan of this league, the league itself is gonna give you all the Messi content you would ever want.

All of you who had circled this game on the calendar before the season as the best game of this weekend, raise your hands. Now put them down, because you’re all damn liars.

This is the Rivalry Week Light in MLS for those who celebrate it. All the heavy hitter rivalries are another time, mind you, but these games aren’t nothing.

When I was making out my run sheet for this column, I initially had Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City for this slot.

As many “Cowlumbus” jokes I’ve made about the team from Ohio’s capital over the years, it is worth noting one thing: The Columbus metro area is actually about the same size as the Cincinnati metro area.

Thank God it was a bye week. I usually don’t get geeked for international breaks, or whatever passes for international breaks in this league, but at least it gave us fans a week-long break from watching the steady procession of players onto the injury list.

At this point, I feel bad for Luchi Gonzalez. He may not be a very good coach, but man, he keeps getting kneecapped by his employers.