Inter Miami drew 2-2 in opposition to Palmeiras to qualify for the 2025 Membership World Cup spherical of 16, rising from Group A in second place with an unbeaten report.
Lionel Messi’s staff is the only real MLS consultant to advance to the knockout part, 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 greatest in your entire world.”
“I am pleased with the staff and now we’re competing in opposition to a high staff like PSG. It is nice, for me they’re enjoying the very best soccer in Europe, and nicely, it is clearly a really troublesome match, however we will attempt to compete,” mentioned Alba after the match.
“Why not dream of beating the European champion? It will likely be very troublesome. We all know the standard of all of the gamers, and for me, Luis Enrique is the very best coach on this planet. 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 immediately. They’re very versatile, with excellent broad gamers, and guys in midfield who’ve the ball. Total, they’re essentially the most full staff for me. We’ll see how far we are able to 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 aspect nearly clinched first place in Group A, however in the end let in two targets within the remaining 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 enjoying in opposition to 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’ll be very troublesome, very sophisticated, however now we have the instruments we have to compete.”
Messi will now face his former staff 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 enjoying beneath the Spaniard at FC Barcelona.
“However for me, he is the very best,” mentioned Alba
“I feel not solely as a coach but in addition as a staff supervisor. For me, they’re phenomenal. I am additionally trying ahead to seeing Rafel Pol, Joaquín Valdés, all their employees, 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 in opposition to PSG.”
The Miami-PSG match will likely be performed on Sunday, Jun. 29 on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.