Messi stakes impressive record against PSG at Club World Cup

Messi stakes impressive record against PSG at Club World Cup

The inevitable reunion between Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain is almost upon us, as the Argentine’s Inter Miami side square up to the European champions in tomorrow’s Club World Cup last-16 clash.

Thanks to one special free kick from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner against Porto, Inter Miami nabbed second spot in Group A behind Palmeiras and are yet to suffer defeat at the revamped summer tournament in 2025.

Meanwhile, PSG’s shock loss to Botafogo on matchday two did not prevent them from topping Group B, and Les Parisiens now renew hostilities with a foe who scored plenty for them and a few against them in European football.

A frequent foe of PSG – as he was with many European teams during his prime – Messi faced Les Parisiens a total of 10 times in a Barcelona kit, with all of those contests coming in the Champions League.

READ ALSO:

• 5 things to know about Cristiano Ronaldo’s renewed contract with Al Nassr
• Those earning N250,000 won’t pay tax – FG
• Rivers: Wike, Fubara reconciliation tears supporters apart

The Argentine superstar came out on the winning side on four occasions, while suffering three defeats and an equal number of draws, two of which occurred in the 2012-13 Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi battled PSG for the first time 12 years ago and marked his maiden match against them with the opening goal in a 2-2 first-leg draw, before Barca progressed on away goals following a 1-1 stalemate in the corresponding fixture.

En route to the 2014-15 Champions League title, Barcelona and PSG collided in both the group stage and quarter-finals, and Messi was on target in each of the two matches in the former phase.

The South American also helped Barca on their way to a 5-1 aggregate quarter-final success, albeit only contributing to one of those strikes, setting up future Parisiens teammate Neymar in a 3-1 first-leg away win.

Two years down the line, in the 2016-17 last 16, Messi inevitably had his say in the extraordinary remontada, scoring Barcelona’s third of six strikes in the Blaugrana’s mesmerising comeback triumph at Camp Nou.

From that raucous atmosphere to the behind-closed-doors era, Barcelona and PSG locked horns at the same stage in the 2020-21 last 16, and Messi made the net bulge on both occasions there too.

Messi stakes impressive record against PSG at Club World Cup