Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano believes his team is fortunate that Lionel Messi is harboring anger toward Paris Saint-Germain ahead of their upcoming match in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Club World Cup.
Messi has often spoken out publicly about his two-year stint with PSG, insisting he wasn’t happy and the atmosphere wasn’t right for him.
Now, Messi will face his former club, the Parc des Princes, for the first time since leaving the Parc des Princes. Despite the disparity in form that favors Paris, Mascherano believes Messi can make the difference.
“Obviously, it’s better for us if Messi plays angry, because he’s one of those players who puts in extra effort when he’s thinking about something,” Mascherano said after the final group stage match against Palmeiras.
He added, “I think Messi’s experience with Paris is a thing of the past, and things are completely different now.” He concluded, “Paris Saint-Germain is now perhaps the strongest team in Europe. The match will be difficult, and we will give our best and try to demonstrate our quality and prove our worth.”
