The update says Berhalter has tried to frame this as a football problem, not a circus. That feels like the right tone.
That is the balancing act for any side facing Inter Miami. Get too caught up in the occasion and the game can run away from you. Stay compact, defend smartly and make the night uncomfortable, and the glamour fades fast.
If the report is accurate, Robert Lewandowski lining up for Chicago Fire against Messi would give the fixture an extra edge far beyond the standings.
That is probably the key point. Big names sell the match, but they do not settle it alone. Chicago need runners around their striker, control in midfield and brave defending whenever Miami start combining around the box.
Reports suggest Chicago are third on 38 points from 22 matches, with Miami sitting second having played one game more. That makes this more than a showcase.
A home win would not just boost belief; it would sharpen the shape of the Eastern Conference near the top. A defeat, though, would hand Miami more daylight and remind everyone how hard it is to reel them in once they settle into rhythm.
The next storyline is simple: can Chicago Fire make this a statement night in the standings, or will Inter Miami leave Soldier Field looking even more like a side built for the business end of the season?