Lionel Messi face his former club PSG for the first time on June 29 as Inter Miami take on the French giants in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atalanta.
The clash is one of the most talked-about fixtures of the tournament so far, as the Argentine icon comes up against a team that once hoped he would help them conquer Europe.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s two-year stint at PSG yielded two Ligue 1 titles and 32 goals across all competitions, yet, his time in Paris remains underwhelming in the eyes of many fans, as the club failed to win the UEFA Champions League with him in their ranks.
Messi joined Paris as a free agent after leaving Barcelona in 2021 due to major financial issues in Catalonia, but while there were glimpses of greatness, Messi's first season in the French capital produced just 11 goals.
He left at the end of 2023, having secured silverware but never quite settling in the French capital.
Since arriving in Miami, Messi looks revived, linking up with former teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, as Inter Miami have developed into a more dangerous team under his influence.
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PSG, meanwhile, are fresh off a historic quadruple, including their long-awaited Champions League crown. They have scored six goals through six different players in the tournament and conceded just once in their last five matches.
PSG star ready for historic Messi meeting
Speaking ahead of the upcoming showdown PSG midfielder Desire Doue shared his admiration for Messi .
"He’s the GOAT, he made football history, he’s a player who inspired me a lot. We’ll still be talking about him in 20, 30, 50 years, that’s for sure."
Doue also acknowledged the danger Inter Miami poses as Luis Enrique's side for a spot in the quarter finals.
"They’re a team with a lot of quality, a lot of experience and some very great players, so they’re going to cause us problems. But our goal will be to play our football."
Inter Miami booked their spot in the last 16 - as the sole MLS side to do so - after finishing second to Palmeiras in Group A with a win and two draws from their three outings.
Lionel Messi news and related links
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