29/06/2025

SPORTS 14 ON SUNDAY JUNE 29, 2025 PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN have come to the Club World Cup as newly crowned champi ons of Europe, but a meeting with the Inter Miami of Lionel Messi in the last 16 tomor row (12.01am Malaysian time) brings back memories of unhappier times for the French club. PSG’s stunning 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in Munich at the end of last month which allowed them to win the Champions League for the first time completed an incredible season for the Qatar-backed side under the coaching of Luis Enrique.

Messi memories PSG reunion with Argentinian star recalls unhappier times

World Cup. Fate has therefore thrown up a last-16 showdown with PSG tomorrow in Atlanta, at the same stadium where he scored a marvellous free-kick to secure a 2-1 win over Porto last week. Miami coach Javier Mascherano, meanwhile, believes the unhappy memory of his time in Paris could spur Messi on. “It’s clear that for us it’s better if he plays angry, because he’s one of those players who, when he has something on his mind, gives an extra effort,” Mascherano told ESPN . – AFP

Europe’s elite club competition in the last 16 two years running. Having to fit in Messi – with his estimated annual salary of €30 million (RM150m) after tax – as well as Neymar and Mbappe may have increased the star appeal, but it weakened them as a team. Towards the end the Barcelona legend was even being jeered by some sections of the PSG support who felt Messi’s commitment to the cause was not what it should have been. Messi was a PSG player when he inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in late 2022, but there were only flashes of his genius at club level in France. His statistics stand up to any scrutiny, with 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 appearances, and he did win two Ligue 1 titles while helping increase PSG’s value as a brand. But one memorable quote by a columnist in French sports daily L’Equipe rather summed things up.

It is no coincidence that PSG achieved their crowning glory in their first season after definitively shifting their focus away from signing superstar players to instead allow a brilliant coach to work with a hungry, dynamic young team. Kylian Mbappe’s move a year ago to Real Madrid followed the departures in 2023 of Neymar, the world’s most expensive signing when he joined in 2017, and Messi, in the same summer Luis Enrique was appointed. When PSG pounced in August 2021 to sign Messi after a cash-strapped Barcelona were unable to keep him, the French side logically thought the Argentinian could be the man to deliver elusive Champions League glory. Messi, who was 34 at the time, thought the same thing. “My dream is to win another Champions League and I think I am in the ideal place to have that chance and to do it,” he said at his unveiling. Alas, it did not work out that way, either in Messi’s first season in Paris, under compatriot

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Draw Date: 28/06/25 (Sat)

Draw No: 5933/25 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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“PSG have not been better than they were before because of him… and he seemed to have as much desire to play in Ligue 1 as he did to go to the dentist,” wrote Vincent Duluc. Fast forward two years and Messi is enjoying the twilight of his career in Major

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Mauricio Pochettino in 2021/22, or in the next campaign under Christophe Galtier. PSG had got to the Champions League final and then semifinals in the two seasons prior to Messi’s arrival, so he looked like the final piece in the jigsaw. Instead they went backwards with him in the side, going out of

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League Soccer with Inter Miami, the team he has helped to qualify for the knockout stage of this Club

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Lionel Messi. – REUTERSPIC

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‘Everyone deserves a vacation’ BRAZIL’S Barcelona forward Raphinha regretted that the players were not con sulted about extending their season to play at the Club World Cup, adding that nobody should be obliged to give up their vacation time. may or may not be, but having to give up our vacations out of obligation is very complicated. It’s our right. “Everyone deserves at least a month of vacation. And many of them won’t get it.”

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Most of the major European leagues will be back in action in mid to late August, with the pre-seasons starting early in the month. “If PSG reach the Club World Cup final, they will have the Super Cup right away. It doesn’t stop,” Raphinha added. “It depends on your point of view. From my point of view, it’s very bad to give up your vacation to play something that you are forced to do. At no point did they ask the players if they wanted to. “It (should be) up to us to accept it. Having to give up your vacation to play in a new tournament is very compli cated.” PSG will face Tottenham Hotspur for the Super Cup on Aug 13. – Reuters

The first expanded edition of the Club World Cup started on June 14 and will run until July 13. The competition followed the European league season which con cluded in late May and an international window at the beginning of June. “Speaking particularly as someone who plays for a European team, we would (currently) be on vacation,” Raphinha said. “Marquinhos and Beraldo, from Paris St Germain, won the Champions League and didn’t even get to celebrate properly. “They came to the national team and then went to the Club World Cup. They still haven’t stopped. “Many say that this is an excuse. It

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