Sports Illustrated FC
·28 giugno 2025
PSG vs. Inter Miami: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

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Yahoo sportsSports Illustrated FC
·28 giugno 2025
Inter Miami CF will need to produce the performance of their lives to reach the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal on Sunday as they do battle with European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the competition.
The Herons qualified for the knockout phase by finishing second in Group A, with some Lionel Messi magic in victory over Porto and draws with Al Ahly and Palmeiras ensuring them safe passage to the last 16. Unfortunately, after being handed a favorable group, their luck has run out as they prepare to face the all-conquering PSG.
The French giants dominated both domestically and on the continent during the 2024–25 campaign and are many people’s favorites to win the Club World Cup. Despite a surprise defeat to Botafogo on Matchday 2, their thrashing of Atlético Madrid and convincing win over Seattle Sounders secured them comfortable entrance into the knockout rounds.
Luis Enrique boasts the most formidable forward line in the competition and they should, on paper at least, waltz into the last eight. But the Club World Cup has already conjured a few surprises and Inter Miami need another one to surface on Sunday in Atlanta.
Here is Sports Illustrated's guide to this Club World Cup clash.
This is the first competitive fixture between PSG and Inter Miami.
Ousmane Dembélé has missed all three matches with injury. / IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
Ballon d’Or favoriite Ousmane Dembélé missed the entirety of the group stage due to a hamstring injury but the Frenchman has now returned to training. Whether he starts against Inter Miami remains to be seen but he should feature in some capacity.
Dembélé is PSG’s only fitness concern and it was 19-year-old Senny Mayulu, who scored in last month’s Champions League final and in the win over Atléti in PSG’s Club World Cup opener, who replaced him last time out. He will compete with both Bradley Barcola and Gonçalo Ramos for a starting berth should Dembélé only make the bench.
PSG predicted lineup vs. Inter Miami (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Barcola, Kvaratskhelia.
Messi will be the difference-maker against his former side. / Hannah Mckay-Reuters via Imagn Images
Messi will be hoping to inspire the Herons to an upset against his former side, for whom he made 75 appearances in all competitions—a total he’s nearly surpassed at Inter Miami. Close friend and former Barcelona ally Luis Suárez provided a goal and assist against Palmeiras in the final group game and will need to share the creative burden.
Drake Callender, Yannick Bright, Gonzalo Lújan and David Ruiz will miss out against PSG, while defender Ian Fray is also a doubt with a groin injury that saw him miss the Palmeiras draw.
Jordi Alba has made cameos in the last two matches after recently returning from injury and is pushing for a start.
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs. PSG (4-4-2): Ustari; Weigandt, Avilés, Falcón, Allen; Allende, Redondo, Busquets, Segovia; Messi, Suárez.
Inter Miami will be aiming to give a strong account of themselves against PSG, even if progression to the quarterfinal looks immensely difficult. They will need to be defensively rigid and rely on individual brilliance at the other end of the pitch to escape with their pride intact.
PSG showed they’re not invincible in defeat to Botafogo during the group stage but they still dominated that fixture despite the loss. They simply have too many weapons for Inter Miami and they should find the back of the net more than once against Javier Mascherano’s side to book a last eight meeting with either Flamengo or Bayern Munich.
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