PSG's crushing and compassionate attitude toward Inter Miami in their bid to send Messi off at the World Cup.

The reality of football has come true. It was unimaginable that it could have been any other way. PSG , European champions after beating Inter Milan 4-0 in the Champions League final and dominating the continent this season, swept aside Leo Messi's Inter Miami , winners of the MLS Supporters Shield that has given them access to the Club World Cup . Things are that simple sometimes. Luis Enrique's team abused their opponents in the first half, went 4-0 up at halftime, and slowed down in the second half, where Messi , incisive, tried to score the consolation goal.

Mascherano lined up his entire veteran backbone, bringing back Jordi Alba and repeating with Busquets in the middle and Messi and Suárez up front. Luis Enrique, meanwhile, came out with everything from the start, naming names and making moves, accelerating from the opening whistle and not flinching against his former star.

In the 3rd minute, Ustari saved the first goal after a slalom run by Kvaratskhelia that resulted in a back pass from Barcola , who appeared to be the goalkeeper, who could do little in the following minutes. The first goal came in the 5th minute. Vitinha launched a free kick to the far post, and Neves appeared, unmarked, to head it past Ustari.

If Inter Miami had any objective in the match, it must have fallen after conceding such an early goal against the European champions. PSG dominated possession, danced to the tune of an extraordinary Vitinha , drew the timid pressure of the Florida team, beat the front line of Suárez and Messi with ease, and appeared on the edge of the box every minute with the ease of a training session.

It was a monologue in which Inter couldn't win back the ball, and when they did, they lost it in just a few seconds. A constant siege. Kvaratskhelia could have scored the second, Nuno Mendes had another chance later, Hakimi too, Fabián was close... Too much physicality for Miami, too much technique, too much of everything.

Luis Suárez was desperate with his teammates because they weren't able to put pressure on the ball carrier, but the shouting didn't help. It was reality. Inter held on for 40 minutes, but fell apart just before halftime due to a mistake of their own.

In the 40th minute, Busquets lost the ball as the last man, Fabián stole the ball from him, and Neves scored easily from Barcola 's pass. The game was all but over.

Luis Enrique's men formed triangles against Inter Miami's full-backs, moving off the ball and creating space behind Alba and Weigandt . In one of those instances, Hakimi found Doué behind Alba, the young striker delivered a cross, and Avilés inadvertently put the ball into his own net. A piece of cake for Luis Enrique's men.

With the crowd looking ahead to halftime, Vitinha wanted more. In the next possession at 3-0, the Portuguese midfielder chipped the ball behind Alba and found Barcola, who passed the ball back for Hakimi to beat Ustari after a first-time save from the goalkeeper.

The attack created by Luis Enrique is unpredictable. Without a clear center forward, his three attackers move forward as they please, interchange positions, and create advantage when the defender isn't alert enough. A superior level.

The halftime break ended with the score at 4-0, with 73% possession for the French, 10-0 in shots, 4-0 in corners, 340-107 in passes... Two different worlds.

In the second half, PSG slowed down and began to focus on the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Flamengo-Bayern . Inter improved as the pace of the match slowed and began to find Messi, their only outlet. The Argentine played a chipped pass to Suárez, which the Uruguayan failed to control inside the box, and a few minutes later he had a clear header that Donnarumma quickly saved by diving to the side.

At the end of the match, Messi had his big chance: a free kick on the edge of the box that crashed into the wall just as the entire stadium was dreaming of that consolation goal to send him off to the World Cup.