Lionel Messi talk grows ahead of Inter Miami v PSG showdown in Club World Cup knockout stage - ‘Leo wants to win every game’
Published 24/06/2025 at 13:43 GMT+1
Lionel Messi is treating Inter Miami's Club World Cup last-16 tie with former side Paris Saint-Germain like any other match, according to team-mate Jordi Alba. Javier Mascherano's side will face the UEFA Champions League winners after a 2-2 draw with Palmeiras saw them finish second in Group A, meaning a reunion for Messi against both his former club and former manager Luis Enrique.
Alba unsure of Messi feelings toward PSG, Suarez hails Enrique
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Of all the storylines at the Club World Cup thus far, Lionel Messi reaching the knockouts to face his former side surely eclipses them all.
Messi, who turned 38 the day after Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Palmeiras that secured qualification, will now line up against his most recent former side PSG in the last 16.
That tie extends his record of always advancing to the knockout stages in major competitions, but unlike in previous competitions for Argentina, PSG and Barcelona, this time he will be lining up for the underdogs.
His former side have changed direction since his departure, parting ways with their Galactico stars in Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe and opting for younger talent.
That saw them finally break their duck in the UEFA Champions League last month, and now they are among the favourites to go all the way in the new Club World Cup format.
Inter Miami, though, have plenty of players who have experienced the biggest stage in their ranks: Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Messi himself and manager Javier Mascherano all starred for now PSG manager Luis Enrique at Camp Nou.
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Alba, who was a second half replacement against Palmeiras, made it clear that although Messi will be up against his former side, it is not revenge motivating the Argentine.
He said: "At the end of the day, Leo wants to win every game like all great players, and I don't know how he feels about PSG.
"I do know how he feels about Barcelona, but with PSG, well, he was there for two years, and he knows what happened because I wasn't there, so I can't talk about it, but we haven't discussed it either, and it will be a very competitive game.
"Hopefully, we'll be able to knock them out, but we know how difficult it is to play against them, against that kind of team."
Suarez, who scored Inter Miami’s second goal on Monday night, was a key cog in the treble-winning Barcelona side under Enrique, forming one of the most feared frontlines in football alongside Neymar and close friend Messi.
He said: "Well, Luis Enrique is one of the most significant figures in my career.
"Everything I've learned from him has impacted me, and of course, I know that it will be a huge challenge to play against the Champions League champions.
"It'll be challenging, it'll be complicated, but we are competitive. We will compete.
"We'll try to fix some of the mistakes that we've made today, because if we do this kind of thing with PSG, it'll be a very expensive mistake."
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