Inter Miami drew 2-2 towards Palmeiras to qualify for the 2025 Membership World Cup spherical of 16, rising from Group A in second place with an unbeaten file.
Lionel Messi‘s workforce is the only MLS consultant to advance to the knockout section, the place they’re set to face European champions Paris Saint-Germain, the membership the place the Argentina star spent two seasons (2021-2023).
Miami left-back Jordi Alba labeled PSG the “present finest in the whole world.”
“I am pleased with the workforce and now we’re competing towards a prime workforce like PSG. It is nice, for me they’re taking part in the very best soccer in Europe, and nicely, it is clearly a really tough match, however we’ll attempt to compete,” mentioned Alba after the match.
“Why not dream of beating the European champion? Will probably be very tough. We all know the standard of all of the gamers, and for me, Luis Enrique is the very best coach on the earth. I do know him very nicely.
“That is soccer, and it is 90-something minutes, and nicely, why not dream?… They’re [PSG] those who play the very best soccer at this time. They’re very versatile, with superb huge gamers, and guys in midfield who’ve the ball. Total, they’re essentially the most full workforce for me. We’ll see how far we will go and attempt to compete.”
Miami established the early lead over Palmeiras within the first half with a purpose from Tadeo Allende earlier than Luis Suárez doubled the rating within the sixty fifth minute. The Main League Soccer facet virtually clinched first place in Group A, however in the end let in two targets within the closing minutes of the match to conclude with a draw.
The victory would’ve seen Inter Miami face Botafogo within the knockout spherical of the competitors as a substitute of PSG.
“We had all of it there. For a second, we already noticed ourselves taking part in towards Botafogo, however soccer is like this: you lose focus for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and also you pay dearly for it,” mentioned Suarez.
“We all know it should be very tough, very difficult, however we now have the instruments we have to compete.”
Messi will now face his former workforce for the primary time since departing PSG in 2023 to hitch Inter Miami, whereas he alongside Suarez, Alba and Sergio Busquets reunite with supervisor Luis Enrique after taking part in beneath the Spaniard at FC Barcelona.
“However for me, he is the very best,” mentioned Alba
“I feel not solely as a coach but additionally as a workforce supervisor. For me, they’re phenomenal. I am additionally wanting ahead to seeing Rafel Pol, Joaquín Valdés, all their workers, and the gamers who play with them at Barcelona, and sharing them nicely. It is 90 minutes, and nicely, I feel we must be pleased with how we have competed in these three video games. Now, let’s compete towards PSG.”
The Miami-PSG match shall be performed on Sunday, Jun. 29 on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.