Past meets present as PSG face Messi's Inter Miami at Club World Cup
MIAMI :When Paris St Germain meet Inter Miami in the Club World Cup last 16, it will mark a rare reunion of European football greats, all layered with old loyalties, recent regrets and the chance for Lionel Messi to settle a score.
Sunday's game features a compelling contrast of eras - a PSG side powered by youth and energy fresh off their maiden Champions League title, and an Inter Miami team built around aging but iconic former Barcelona stars.
On the PSG touchline, Luis Enrique comes face to face with four players he once led at Barcelona - Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
They are all now reunited under Miami coach Javier Mascherano, another figure from Luis Enrique's treble-winning era at Camp Nou.
"Luis Enrique is a phenomenon," Alba said this week. "I'm excited to see him and will give him a hug, but when the ref blows the opening whistle, we'll try to beat him."
Suarez, now 38, reflected on his former manager's impact:
"I already had a competitive DNA, but he injected even more into me," he said.
In another layer of intrigue, Miami's contingent of former Barcelona players were all part of 2017's 'Remontada' against PSG.
That was PSG's darkest night, when Barca thrashed them 6-1 in Spain after losing 4-0 in Paris in their last-16 Champions League tie.
That was when Miami's veterans were at their peak.
Now they rely on memory and rhythm, while PSG's core has been reshaped by a rising generation: Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Vitinha have helped inject fresh energy into Luis Enrique's system, culminating in a Champions League triumph just weeks ago.
But the Parisian side arrive in Atlanta after a 1–0 loss to Brazil's Botafogo in the group stage raised questions about fatigue following a long European season.
Though PSG remain heavy favourites on paper, that defeat showed cracks in a squad that has played more high-stakes matches than most of their rivals.
"It will be an honour for me facing a great coach - one of the greatest I've had in my career," said Mascherano of Luis Enrique.
Now in his first major club coaching role, Mascherano brings an emotional edge and tactical sharpness to a Miami side that, while physically limited by age, can still threaten, especially with Messi in form.
The Argentina great endured a turbulent two-year stint at PSG after leaving Barcelona in 2021. Though he won domestic silverware, Messi never found peace in Paris and after his World Cup win in 2022, some fans turned on him.
"I didn't enjoy myself at PSG," Messi told reporters earlier this year. "It was a tough period."
Mascherano believes that memory still drives him.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Round of 16 - Benfica v Chelsea - Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. - June 28, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca celebrates after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca lashed out after a two-hour weather delay disrupted his team's last-16 Club World Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday, suggesting the United States was not a suitable country for the competition - a year before it is due to host the men's World Cup. Chelsea beat Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to qualify for the quarter-finals after a game that ended four hours and 39 minutes after kicking off, following a two-hour interruption due to a storm warning. It was the sixth time that a game was stopped at the 32-club tournament because of the risk of lightning. "For me personally, it's not football," Maresca told a press conference. "I think it's a joke. It's not football. "I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition. "It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here," he added. "But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem." FIFA, which organised the tournament, was not immediately available for comment. Chelsea were 1-0 up when the players were asked to leave the pitch and play only resumed almost two hours later. "The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo," Maresca said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
Chelsea boss lashes out at Club World Cup organisers after yet another weather delay
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina :Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca lashed out after a two-hour weather delay disrupted his team's last-16 Club World Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday, suggesting the United States was not a suitable country for the competition - a year before it is due to host the men's World Cup. Chelsea beat Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to qualify for the quarter-finals after a game that ended four hours and 39 minutes after kicking off, following a two-hour interruption due to a storm warning. It was the sixth time that a game was stopped at the 32-club tournament because of the risk of lightning. "For me personally, it's not football," Maresca told a press conference. "I think it's a joke. It's not football. "I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition. "It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here," he added. "But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem." FIFA, which organised the tournament, was not immediately available for comment. Chelsea were 1-0 up when the players were asked to leave the pitch and play only resumed almost two hours later. "The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo," Maresca said.
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Master meets maestro as Luis Enrique prepares PSG for Messi challenge
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Seattle Sounders v Paris St Germain - Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington, U.S. - June 23, 2025 Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique with Senny Mayulu before the start of the second half REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique will face former protege Lionel Messi on Sunday in a Club World Cup clash at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium that pits the European champions against Inter Miami's team of former Barcelona veterans. The 54-year-old Spaniard, who led PSG to the Champions League crown in May, will now be tasked with confronting the same player who helped him secure nine major titles during their distinguished three-year association at Barcelona. "I had the chance to coach Leo Messi at the peak of his game. But his peak has actually lasted 10–15 years or more," Enrique told reporters on Saturday. "That's why I'd say he's the best football player in history... I had the chance to win every possible title with him at Barcelona." However, the PSG coach warned there is more to Inter Miami than just Messi. "There's no doubt whatsoever that they have the right skills and quality," he added, noting that the American side's lineup features former Barcelona players Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. Asked about neutralising the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Enrique stressed a collective approach. "If we want to stop Leo Messi, we can't rely on just one player because we'll be dead. We need collective defence, he can dribble past any player." Despite being favourites, PSG remain driven after lifting the Champions League trophy. "We just won the Champions League, but we're thirsty and eager to keep showing that there's room for improvement," he said. "What better place to do so than here in this amazing stadium, facing a team that includes Messi?" MASCHERANO READY FOR CHALLENGE Luis Enrique also highlighted the involvement of former mentee Javier Mascherano as the opposing coach. "He has everything it takes to become a top coach. I'm not surprised because I knew Mascherano very well as a player. He has been ready for a long time," he said. Mascherano acknowledged the scale of the task facing PSG. "We are not naive and we know that we are the weaker team, but that doesn't mean that they will kill us beforehand. We will fight," the Argentine manager told reporters. "The challenge tomorrow is to test ourselves against the best team in the world. We know how difficult the match will be." The knockout encounter represents a significant test for both sides, with PSG seeking to add global honours to their European success while Inter Miami aim to prove themselves against elite opposition. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
