Messi’s Inter Miami play in Peru amid tight security after scandal | OneFootball

Las Garzas travel to Peru as guests of honor for the Noche Blanquiazul, the event in which the Lima team will present their 2026 season squad.

Alianza Lima and Inter Miami will play this Saturday starting at 19:00 at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium, for the Noche Blanquiazul, the annual event where the Peruvian team unveils its squad. The hosts, who have added renowned reinforcements such as Luis Advíncula and Federico Girotti, will be Lionel Messi’s first opponents of the World Cup year.

The event could not have come at a worse time. The team led by Pablo Guede is embroiled in a serious sexual abuse allegation, and two historic figures of the team were attacked by hooligans. Find out the lineups, where to watch live, and more.

How Alianza Lima and Inter Miami arrive to the clash for the Noche Blanquiazul

A serious legal complaint shakes Alianza Lima and South American football. A 22-year-old Argentine woman accused Miguel Trauco, Sergio Peña Flores, and Carlos Zambrano (the latter with a past at Boca) of alleged sexual abuse with carnal access, for an incident that reportedly occurred on January 18 at a hotel in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Hours after the club’s official statement, a group of supporters stormed Matute to express their anger and outrage following the accusation, which has shocked the institution. Full-back Luis Advíncula and striker Paolo Guerrero tried to calm the fans, but ended up being assaulted.

The Victorian side continues their preparations for the 2026 campaign with the now classic Noche Blanquiazul, after a series of friendlies in Uruguay where they lost to Unión and Independiente, managing only to defeat Colo Colo. The annual squad presentation event will have a special touch, as it coincides with the club’s 125th anniversary. In addition, it will mark the beginning of the end for Paolo Guerrero, who has already announced this will be his last season as a footballer.

The Miami franchise returned to training after winning the MLS and is now preparing for the first match of their South American tour, which will also include visits to Colombia and Ecuador to face Atlético Nacional and Barcelona de Guayaquil. For this match, Las Garzas will have all their stars available, except for Tadeo Allende, who must resolve visa issues after finalizing his permanent move to the club. This friendly will be the first match of the World Cup year for Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, six months before the tournament.

The probable lineup for Alianza Lima vs. Inter Miami, for the Noche Blanquiazul

Guillermo Viscarra; Luis Advíncula, Mateo Antoni, Renzo Garcés, Marco Huamán; Jesús Castillo, Gianfranco Chávez, Jairo Vélez; Alan Cantero, Eryc Castillo, and Paolo Guerrero. Coach: Pablo Guede.

The possible starting eleven for Inter Miami vs. Alianza Lima, for the Noche Blanquiazul

Rocco Ríos; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcón, Baltasar Rodríguez, Sergio Reguilón; Santiago Morales, Rodrigo De Paul, Mateo Silvetti; Noah Allen, Lionel Messi, and Tyler Hall. Coach: Javier Mascherano.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.