Messi Set to Face Former Club PSG as Inter Miami Progress After Draw with Palmeiras
Lionel Messi is set for a reunion with his previous club, Paris Saint-Germain, after guiding Inter Miami to the last 16 of the Club World Cup. A thrilling 2-2 draw against Brazilian giants Palmeiras at Hard Rock Stadium secured a place in the knockout stage for both teams. However, Palmeiras mounted a late comeback with goals from Paulinho and Mauricio in the final 10 minutes to secure a vital point.
Building on their earlier triumph over Porto, Inter Miami appeared set for another shock victory as first-half strikes from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suárez put them firmly in control.Despite initial doubts about Miami’s chances of progressing from the group, they now prepare to take on the reigning European champions PSG. Palmeiras are set to take on fellow Brazilian side Botafogo in the upcoming round.In the next stage, Palmeiras will meet domestic rivals Botafogo.Palmeiras will go head-to-head with Botafogo, another Brazilian club, in the next round.Next up for Palmeiras is a clash with compatriots Botafogo.
For Messi, who turns 38 on Tuesday, the upcoming clash in Atlanta will mark his first meeting with PSG since leaving the French side for MLS in 2023.
Elsewhere in the group, Al Ahly and Porto bowed out of the tournament despite a thrilling 4-4 draw in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium.
A large crowd of 60,914, heavily featuring Brazilian supporters, watched as six Argentines started for Inter Miami. The game saw early chances, including a strong header from Gustavo Gomez, which was well saved by Oscar Ustari.
Suarez created the opening goal in the 16th minute, chesting down a long ball perfectly for Allende, who raced past defenders and slotted calmly past Palmeiras keeper Weverton.
Miami dominated much of the first half, with Messi orchestrating play from deep alongside Busquets and Redondo. Palmeiras’s best first-half opportunity came from Facundo Torres, but his shot missed the target after capitalizing on Miami’s defensive error.
After the break, Messi had his first real sight at goal with a low effort that Weverton dealt with. Allende and Messi both came close again before Suarez doubled the lead in the 65th minute, showing his class with a dribble past two defenders and a thunderous strike into the top corner.
Top spot in the group would have meant avoiding PSG, but Palmeiras’s late resurgence dashed those hopes. Paulinho struck in the 80th minute following a clever pass from Allan Andrade. Then, just minutes before full-time, Mauricio capitalized on a rebound to level the score.
“It’s a historic night for MLS. Inter Miami is among the world’s top 16 teams. The whole league should be proud,” said coach Javier Mascherano.
“These matches are usually more intense than our domestic games, but we still tried to stick to our footballing principles and play with courage,” he added.
