Inter Miami, the sole MLS representative remaining in the Club World Cup, faces a significant challenge in the last 16. Having surprised many by advancing from the group stage, they now meet Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi`s previous team, on Sunday.
Messi departed the French champions in 2023, concluding a two-year period in his club career often characterized by difficulties and not meeting expectations, despite securing two Ligue 1 titles and the Trophee des Champions. The defining memory of that era remains the team`s failure to conquer the UEFA Champions League with the star-studded trio of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe. This contrasted sharply with his achievements for Argentina, notably defeating Mbappe`s France in the World Cup final during his final months at PSG.
The upcoming round of 16 match in Atlanta serves as a stark reminder of Messi`s time in Paris. It stands out as a particularly unique fixture in the knockout rounds. Inter Miami is anticipated to be the only team from outside Europe or South America to reach this stage, positioning them as clear underdogs against PSG, who recently claimed their first Champions League title just weeks ago. The narrative surrounding Messi`s encounter with his former club and his ex-Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique, is set to dominate discussions leading up to the match and could potentially be a defining moment of this round.
Key Moments from Messi`s Time at PSG
August 10, 2021: Messi Joins PSG
Just two days after an emotional departure from Barcelona, necessitated by the club`s financial limitations preventing his re-signing, Messi officially signed with Paris Saint-Germain. In the club`s announcement, he stated that PSG `matches my football ambitions.` The move felt like a natural fit given Messi`s salary requirements and PSG`s financial strength since the 2011 takeover by Qatar Sports Investments. His arrival, alongside Neymar and Mbappe under coach Mauricio Pochettino, instantly elevated PSG to Champions League favorites.
September 28, 2021: Messi`s First Champions League Goal
While PSG was dominating Ligue 1, they secured their first Champions League victory of the season against Manchester City, managed by Messi`s former Barcelona mentor, Pep Guardiola. Messi scored his inaugural goal for PSG in the competition that day in spectacular fashion. In the 70th minute, he received the ball near the halfway line, drove towards City`s box, exchanged a quick one-two with Mbappe on the edge of the area, and fired a powerful shot into the net.
March 9, 2022: PSG Loses to Real Madrid in Champions League
Facing another familiar opponent, Messi`s PSG finished second in their group and were drawn against Real Madrid in the round of 16. The tie did not go their way. Despite Messi missing a penalty in the first leg, PSG held a 1-0 home advantage thanks to Mbappe`s late goal, and Mbappe extended the aggregate lead to 2-0 with a goal in Madrid in the second half. However, Karim Benzema`s rapid 17-minute hat-trick led to a stunning comeback, eliminating the star-studded PSG side much earlier than expected.
March 8, 2023: Bayern Munich Ousts PSG from Champions League
Almost exactly one year after their previous Round of 16 exit, PSG repeated the feat, this time suffering a decisive 3-0 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich under manager Christophe Galtier. Looking at PSG`s European record from reaching the final in 2020 to winning this year, the two seasons with Messi marked the only times they failed to advance to the Champions League semifinals.
April 8, 2023: Messi Breaks European Club Scoring Record
Although Messi later described his tenure at PSG as `difficult,` it wasn`t entirely negative. In a match against Nice in spring 2023, Messi became the leading goalscorer in European club football, netting his 702nd goal at that level and surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo`s tally. In the same 2-0 victory for PSG, Messi also reached the milestone of 1,000 goal contributions in his club career.
June 3, 2023: Messi Plays Final Match for PSG
Two days after Christophe Galtier confirmed his impending departure, the World Cup winner played his last game for PSG at the Parc des Princes. It was a notable but negative occasion for the club; Messi was booed by some sections of the crowd, and the team ended up losing 3-2 to Clermont, even though Mbappe scored twice early on.
Dominic Ashworth