Humiliating elimination

The abysmal gap between the current Champions League champion and a six-year-old MLS team was on full display yesterday at the Club World Cup.

Joao Neves scored a brace (6' and 39') as PSG humiliated Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami side with a crushing 4-0 victory that took coach Luis Enrique's team to the quarterfinals of the expanded FIFA tournament. An own goal from Tomás Avilés (44') and another goal from Achraf Hakimi in first-half stoppage time sealed the match.

"We had an almost perfect start to the match and created many chances," Luis Enrique said after the victory.

With Messi facing the team he played for the two seasons prior to his departure to the United States league, the Parisians were vicious against the Garzas, leaving no room for an upset.

“The difference is what it is,” said Javier Mascherano, Miami’s Argentine coach. “We’re probably facing the best team in the world.”

"We were down a man very early on. Knowing the difference made it a little harder for us. We made mistakes, and a team like PSG punishes you," said Sergio Busquets.

The French media heavily criticized the Argentine star's performance. Among the harshest comments was L'Équipe, which held nothing back against Messi, stating, "It wasn't the first time we've seen Messi walk while PSG players run. A bit of magic, even in slow motion, resurfaced."

The big winner

At the end of the match, cameras captured the emotional reunion of "La Pulga" with Ousmane Dembele, who was his teammate for several years at Barcelona and boasted on social media that he had kept the "10" shirt. — AP