Messi prepares to face former club PSG in Club World Cup

Inter Miami will be a heavy underdog against Paris Saint-Germain, winners of last month's Champions League final in a 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan. It will be uncharted territory for Messi, who rarely has in his decorated career entered a match as anything other than the favorite.

It will be the first time Messi faces his former club since his exit from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 after two seasons.

He also will be facing his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, now the coach of PSG, who has had a big influence on Messi and several Inter Miami stars.

Messi was coached by Enrique for three of his 17 seasons with Barcelona. The Spanish coach led Barcelona from 2014 to 2017. He won nine titles, including two La Liga trophies, three from Copa del Rey and one Champions League.

Messi, Suarez and Brazilian star Neymar played together under Enrique for three memorable seasons, forming the famed “MSN” trio that combined for 364 goals and 173 assists.

“He has been very important to my career," Suarez said of Enrique, “what I learned from him and just being around him. I had a competitive DNA before I played for him, but he upgraded it even more.”

Miami's Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets also played for Enrique, and coach Javier Mascherano considers him a great friend.

Despite entering the tournament on somewhat of a slump, Miami became the only Major League Soccer team to advance to the Club World Cup round of 16 after playing Palmeiras to a 2-2 draw earlier this week, finishing runner-up to the Brazilian club in Group A.