The highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup last-16 clash between Inter Miami and Paris Saint-Germain is set to take place today at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The match marks a significant moment as Lionel Messi faces his former club, adding extra intrigue to the contest.
Inter Miami, the only team from the host nation to advance past the group stage, secured their spot in the knockout rounds after a surprising 2-1 victory over Porto, fueled by a moment of brilliance from Messi. They also managed to draw 2-2 with Palmeiras. Inter Miami's path to the last 16 wasn't easy, but they showcased resilience and Messi's undeniable impact. The Inter Miami lineup features not only Messi, but also former Barcelona players Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez. Javier Mascherano acknowledged the challenge, admitting that his Inter Miami side are not at the same level as PSG, but insisted that they could still shock the European champions. Mascherano also expressed his respect for PSG boss Luis Enrique, his former coach at Barcelona, alongside Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, where they won the treble together in 2015.
PSG, entering the tournament as favorites after their Champions League victory, had a slightly bumpy road through the group stage. They started strong with a 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid but suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat against Botafogo. However, they recovered with a 2-0 win against the Seattle Sounders to secure the top spot in Group B. PSG coach Luis Enrique will be facing his former protege Lionel Messi. The PSG squad boasts a formidable forward line, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola. Kvaratskhelia has been in impressive form, scoring four goals and providing two assists in his last five matches. Ousmane Dembélé, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, has returned to training, though it remains uncertain whether he will start against Inter Miami.
The match is scheduled to kick off at noon ET (16:00 GMT). For viewers in India, the match will begin at 9:30 PM IST. The game will be available for live streaming on DAZN.
According to Opta analyst, PSG is heavily favored to win with a probability of 80.2%. SportsLine expert Jon Eimer, who has a strong track record in soccer predictions, has also weighed in on the match. DraftKings Sportsbook lists PSG as the favorites with a money line of -700, while Inter Miami is a +1300 underdog.
The game promises to be an exciting encounter with Lionel Messi leading Inter Miami against his former team, Paris Saint-Germain.
