(foto: Getty Images)
Lionel Messi will face his former club PSG in the Club World Cup last 16, with Jordi Alba warning the French side that Messi is fully focused and motivated to win.
Lionel Messi is set for a high-profile reunion with his former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup last 16, and his Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba believes the Argentine is determined to make a statement.
Messi helped Inter Miami reach the knockout stages after a 2-2 draw with Palmeiras, securing a historic qualification as the only MLS team to advance. The result sets up a mouth-watering clash against reigning European champions PSG, where Messi spent two seasons before returning to a more relaxed environment in the U.S.
The 36-year-old has previously admitted he was “so unhappy” during his time in Paris, and his exit from the club was clouded in tension. Now, he’ll get a chance to face them directly with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Jordi Alba, who played alongside Messi at Barcelona and now again in Miami, believes this match will be personal for his long-time teammate.
"In the end, what Leo wants is to win games, like the great player that he is. I know the feelings he has towards Barça, where we played together, but not towards PSG. He was there for two years and only he knows what happened," Alba said in a press conference.
"What is clear is that it will be a hard-fought match and hopefully we can ring the bell, knowing the difficulty involved in playing with these types of teams," he added.
The match between Inter Miami and PSG will take place on Sunday, June 29 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, where Messi will aim to prove a point against his former employers.