Paris Saint-Germain sweep aside Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 to set up last eight clash with Bayern Munich or Flamengo.
Paris Saint-Germain have thrashed their former player Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0 in the last 16 of the Club World Cup with Joao Neves scoring twice en route to victory.
A Miami own goal and a strike by Achraf Hakimi widened the margin to four by halftime at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.
The European champions will face the winner between Bayern Munich and Flamengo in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Oscar Ustari made six saves for Inter Miami while PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make just three after Miami were held without a shot attempted for the first 50 minutes. The match was Messi’s first time facing PSG since leaving the club and coming to the United States two years ago.
Desire Doue won PSG a free kick just outside the penalty area less than five minutes into the match. Vitinha took the kick and connected with Neves, who headed it on the run across Ustari’s body and into the net.
Miami defender Noah Allen took a tumble and subbed out due to injury in the 19th minute. His replacement, Tomas Aviles, immediately earned a yellow card by tripping up Nuno Mendes.
PSG continued to control play until Neves doubled the advantage in the 39th minute. Fabian Ruiz dispossessed Sergio Busquets, and a quick passing sequence freed up Neves for an open shot from the centre of the box.
Aviles’s unfortunate match continued when he accidentally chested a PSG cross over his own goal line in the 44th minute.
Moments later, PSG’s Bradley Barcola made a perfect run to receive a pass deep in the box, and he passed it back to Hakimi.
His first shot ricocheted off Ustari’s head and the crossbar, but Hakimi scored his own rebound for a 4-0 advantage.
After a quiet first half, Messi was credited with Miami’s first shot attempt in the 51st minute when he had a left-footer deflected over the net.
Inter Miami’s best chance came early in the second half.
A Messi pass to Luis Suarez sent him clear at the side of the net, but the ball slid harmlessly off his foot without a shot. The 38-year-old striker kicked a water bottle over the barrier in frustration, summing up the day for Inter Miami.
Messi finally connected with Inter Miami’s first shot on goal in the 63rd minute, but it was easily scooped up by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Messi had another chance on a header with about 10 minutes remaining, forcing Donnarumma to make a diving save in the only real threat to his third clean sheet of the tournament.
Neves said it was a very “positive” day for PSG.
“It is the first time I have scored two [goals] in one game, so I am very happy. But I am happier for the win,” he told DAZN.
“We have the same confidence [as before]. We will play our game, no matter against who [our opponents are]. We are tired now, but we will recover [before the quarterfinal].”
Inter Miami’s coach Javier Mascherano told DAZN that the game was a good learning experience for his side.
“We knew today was going to be very, very difficult. They [PSG] are probably the best team in the world,” he said. “In the second half, we tried to play and show our worth.”
