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The Argentine great encounters a few familiar faces with a quarter-final spot on the line
Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami vie for a quarter-final place at the Club World Cup as Lionel Messi faces his former club in Atlanta.
Messi spent two seasons in the French capital before making the move across the Atlantic, helping PSG to back-to-back titles but missing out in the Champions League. With the continental crown now claimed by the club, they will set their sights on more silverware in this expanded competition which has dealt with plenty of challenges and criticism through the group stages.
There will be plenty of familiarity in both camps, with Messi sure to encounter a few friendly faces and PSG manager Luis Enrique likely to enjoy a chance to catch-up with his 2015 treble winners. Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets were all part of that brilliant Barcelona side along with their Argentine star – can they cause a shock to get one over their old boss?
Follow all of the latest from the round of 16 clash with our live blog below.
26 mins: First real chance for Inter Miami to break comes through Lionel Messi, but as they get to the end of the box, PSG quell the attack and the ball goes out for a throw.
From there, PSG counter and win a free-kick in a similar position to the goal.
They play it short to Neves who rockets a shot against a pink body.
24 mins: CLOSE! Kvaratskhelia tries to bend one from outside the box and it’s whiskers away from creeping in the bottom corner!
23 mins: Barcola dives in late on the goalkeeper as he makes a clearance – lucky to escape a booking there.
But from the free-kick, Ustari gives it straight back to the PSG dangermen, allowing the French giants to break.
21 mins: This is just relentless from PSG. A deft dink over the top wrongfoots the entire Inter defence, allowing the Parisians to break in behind.
Hakimi’s effort is deflected out for a corner, from which Vitinha tests the keeper with a volley.
19 mins: More problems for Inter Miami as Allen goes down – looks to be a hamstring issue.
A chance for Mascherano to knock some sense into his side.
Aviles looks to be replacing him at centre-half.
15 mins: PSG have the ball in the net again – but the flag goes up!
It’s another easy set piece routine for PSG, who whip a corner to the back-post where Barcola – just like Neves for the first goal – is unmarked.
He heads it across goal where Fabian Ruiz is to tap home, but the Spaniard is miles offside.
This is looking like men against boys at the moment – ironic given the average ages of both teams’ big names.
11 mins: Kvaratskhelia falls victim to a slap across the face and goes down in some agony.
No booking this time, but it’s safe to say Weigandt is in for a long night.
9 mins: This is all one-way traffic at the moment – Inter will need to make sure this doesn’t get ugly.
Lovely give and go between the PSG forwards nearly fashions another shooting opportunity – this time they’re denied.
Dream start for PSG, nightmare for Inter Miami!
It’s simple stuff for PSG as Joao Neves goes unmarked at the back post and is picked out by Vitinha’s free-kick to head home!
Already, we’re seeing levels between these two teams.
4 mins: SAVE! This could be a long night for Inter Miami – because this PSG front line is like nothing they have ever faced in the MLS.
Kvaratskhelia gets it on the left and goes on a mazy run into the box, beating two or three pink bodies with ease, before cutting it back to Barcola on the penalty spot.
Ustari is called into action and denies Barcola with an outstretched leg.
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