Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) showcased their dominance in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a stunning 4-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. The match, held in Atlanta, saw PSG outclassing their MLS opponents, exposing the gap in quality between the two teams.
Despite hopes of an upset led by Messi against his former club, PSG took control of the game from the start. João Neves scored twice, with Achraf Hakimi adding a fourth goal after a Tomas Avilés own goal in a scintillating first-half performance. Former Barcelona stars Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, who had guided Miami to the last 16, were unable to match PSG’s midfield dominance and attacking prowess.
Ousmane Dembélé, who made a return from injury, commented on PSG’s performance, stating, “We had to play a serious game. The competition is starting, and I think we played well.”
The match, attended by a 66,000-strong crowd, was anticipated to be a showcase for Messi. However, the spotlight quickly shifted to PSG’s impeccable performance on the field, leaving no room for Miami to make a comeback.
PSG opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Vitinha’s free kick found an unmarked Neves at the far post. Neves doubled the lead in the 39th minute after capitalizing on Busquets’ mistake. Avilés’ own goal and Hakimi’s goal further solidified PSG’s lead in the first half.
Despite Messi’s efforts to rally his team, PSG continued to dominate the game. Messi created opportunities for his teammates, but Miami failed to convert them into goals. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made crucial saves, denying Messi and his team any chance of a comeback.
Jordi Alba acknowledged PSG’s superiority, stating, “We exceeded expectations. We were the best team in our group.” PSG now looks ahead to the quarter-finals, where they will face either Bayern Munich or Flamengo in Atlanta on Saturday.
