Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF is set to face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Round of 16 of the Club World Cup, a highly anticipated match that will take place on Sunday, June 29, in Atlanta. That makes this particular matchup incredibly meaningful for Messi. He’ll be going to play his old club, a place where he won so many trophies during his storied career. On paper, it should be a scintillating matchup, one of many firsts for Messi and the league, but fans everywhere hope to see Messi shine on soccer’s biggest stage.
Inter Miami CF was the surprise qualifier, knocking out FC Dallas on penalties. They even managed to finish second in their group, again ignoring their horrific collapse against Palmeiras. The final piece of the puzzle for the team came in a thrilling win away at Porto that saw them advance to the Round of 16. This upset cements their case as dark horses in the tournament. Looking ahead, Messi will hope to have his former teammate Kylian Mbappe back in action for PSG, who missed the group stage due to illness.
Manchester City Poised to Defend Their Title
In the other major matchup, defending champions Manchester City will face Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal on Monday, June 30, in Orlando. Manchester City come into this knockout stage with perfect form after winning all three of their group-stage matches. And manager Pep Guardiola has expressed little hesitation in using his stars as the club looks to repeat as champions. With their recent prolific form and team confidence, they look like a dangerous prospect for any side in the tournament.
While City get ready to face Al Hilal, they are just showing their consistent performance and depth throughout their entire squad. By all accounts, Guardiola’s tactics have been an unqualified success to this point. Supporters will be eager to see how the team handles the pressure of the knockout rounds. This very first match against Al Hilal is going to be a big one for City. They’re eager to keep riding their wave of momentum and make a deeper run into the tournament.
Other Exciting Matches Scheduled
There are still plenty of other compelling matchups in the Club World Cup Round of 16 to keep an eye on. Real Madrid will face Juventus on Tuesday, July 1, in Miami, while Borussia Dortmund is set to go against Monterrey in Atlanta at 01:00 GMT on Wednesday, July 2. There’s a unique passion and excitement that these encounters add to the tournament’s competitive mix. They pit Europe’s elite clubs against each other in thrilling matchups.
Additionally, fans can look forward to matches involving Palmeiras and Botafogo, scheduled for Saturday, June 28, in Philadelphia at 16:00 GMT, as well as Benfica taking on Chelsea at 20:00 GMT on the same day in Charlotte. With its new tournament structure, dramatic showdowns and memorable moments will await Tournament fans around the world as they count down to their favorites’ matches.
