Inter Miami superstar Jordi Alba has admitted that he feels the playoff system in MLS is “unfair” after the Herons were eliminated from the post-season tournament by Atlanta United.

Aided by superstar arrivals in the form of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, the Floridan franchise secured the league’s Supporters’ Shield in 2024. Having amassed a record-breaking 74 points in the Eastern Conference, Vice City had come into the MLS Cup playoffs as favorites.

However, a 3-2 loss against Atlanta in a decisive match of a best-of-three series sealed their fate as they fell to a shock defeat at Chase Stadium. Now, former Barcelona stalwart Alba has bemoaned the playoff format as he called for MLS chiefs to consider reform after his first post-season experience.

Giving his verdict, the Spanish full back admitted that he feels Miami should have been pitted against Western Conference victors Los Angeles FC to decide the overall MLS title. He asserted: “It was a good season, but what we wanted was to win this more. In my opinion, I am not the one who is going to change now.

“This format seems a little unfair to me. It is clear that it has been done this way for many years,” he continued. “But if you ask me, if it were up to me, I would have to be the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible, that’s how it is.

Either way, Alba did reserve praise for Atlanta on the night, as he credited the opposition, saying: “I repeat, congratulations to the rival team. I think they competed very well against us, they knew their weapons, the goalkeeper was spectacular and good, I think that is what clearly marked the difference.

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Inter Miami's superstars could not prevent the team from crashing out of the MLS playoffs against Atlanta United

Inter Miami’s superstars could not prevent the team from crashing out of the MLS playoffs against Atlanta United ( 

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Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

“Today I think we have been superior, we have dominated, but they attacked four times and they scored three goals, he continued, as he took a balanced view on the way the game played out, adding: “And well, there’s things to correct, clearly.”

Meanwhile, Herons head coach Gerardo Martino acknowledged that the season could not be viewed as a success after his side slumped to defeat in the playoffs. He confessed: “No, success, no. When one is eliminated here in the quarterfinals, no. It had good things; it had bad things. ”

Revealing that the team had fallen short of expectations, the Argentine added: “If you think about where we were in November last year, obviously there is progress as far as the club is concerned, not just the team. If you think about the expectations we had for these playoffs, obviously we have fallen short.”