Messi, Inter Miami face FC Porto in Atlanta in critical Club World Cup Group A clash
Determined to prove they can compete with a historically strong European club and get closer to the Club World Cup knockout rounds, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates head to Atlanta for what should be a telling match against FC Porto at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Miami and the 30-time Portuguese champion Dragons are tied on points with Al Ahly and Palmeiras in Group A after earning one point with scoreless draws in their opening matches.
Both teams relied on heroics from their goalkeepers to salvage a tie. Miami's 38-year-old Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari won Man of the Match after making eight saves, including a double save on a Trezeguet penalty kick just before halftime.
Porto's Claudio Ramos, starting in place of injured captain Diogo Costa, also had a brilliant performance, denying Brazil's Palmeiras time and time again, including a double save in first-half stoppage time.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano and his players expect a stiffer test against Porto than they got against Al Ahly and are hungry to score their first goal of the tournament. Miami should get a boost as Jordi Alba is expected to return to action after missing the Club World Cup opener and the May 31 MLS game against Columbus with a hamstring injury.
Midfielders Yannick Bright and David Ruiz continued to train apart from the team this week as they recuperate from hamstring injuries, so they are doubtful for the match.
'We know the next game the level will be higher because we are playing a European opponent, but it is 11-v.-11 and even though we will face a quality opponent, anything can happen in football,' Mascherano said. 'We saw that in the first game, how things changed from the first half to the second when we settled our nerves, were patient, moved the ball from side to side and created scoring chances.'
Porto also comes in with something to prove after a disappointing season in league play, finishing Primeira Liga in third place for the second year in a row. The Dragons finished nine points behind second-place Benfica and 11 points behind champion Sporting.
The last time they finished below the top two in back-to-back seasons was in 1976 and 1977.
Porto, a historic club that was founded in 1893 and has never been relegated, was eliminated by Roma in the first knockout round of the Europa League this year and lost in the Round of 32 of the Taca de Portugal (Portugal's FA Cup) against Moreirense and the semi-finals of the Taca da Liga (League Cup).
The team is coached by Martin Anselmi, a 39-year-old native of Argentina who was hired in January after one season with Mexican club Cruz Azul, where he led that team to a championship final and record for points.
Anselmi previously coached in Ecuador and Chile. Like so many successful Argentine players and coaches, he hails from Messi's hometown of Rosario.
Among Porto's top players is Samu Aghehowa, a 6-4 Spaniard who scored 25 goals in 42 games and is a dangerous threat on long passes and set pieces, which presents a challenge for a Miami team that lacks height and speed. At 20 years old, Aghehowa has already won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics and was called up to Spain's national team.
Other Porto players to watch include forward Pepe, midfielder Stephen Eustaquio, and midfielder Gabri Veiga, who joined the team in January from Al Ahly.
Porto is the most decorated Portuguese team in international competitions, with seven trophies. They won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in 1987 and 2004, the UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2003 and 2011, the UEFA Super Cup in 1987, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1987 and 2004.
Although Porto is favored over Miami, Anselmi insists his team expects a tough game on Thursday (3 p.m., TNT, DAZN.com), saying 'there are no easy games' in this tournament.
He added that he sees an international competition like the Club World Cup is a way to improve as a coach: 'There are so many different cultures, different coaches, different ideas of how to play, so without a doubt it makes us better as coaches because we have to step out of what we're used to every week and adjust.'
Messi Leads MLS Jersey Sales
It should come as no surprise that for the third season in a row, Messi tops the list of best-selling Adidas MLS jerseys. Inter Miami had four players in the Top 25: Messi (No. 1), Luis Suárez (No. 2), Sergio Busquets (No. 16), and Benjamin Cremaschi (No. 23).
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