When Paris St Germain meet Inter Miami in the Club World Cup last 16, it will mark a rare reunion of European football greats, all layered with old loyalties, recent regrets and the chance for Lionel Messi to settle a score.

Sunday's game features a compelling contrast of eras - a PSG side powered by youth and energy fresh off their maiden Champions League title, and an Inter Miami team built around ageing but iconic former Barcelona stars.

On the PSG touchline, Luis Enrique comes face to face with four players he once led at Barcelona - Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

They are all now reunited under Miami coach Javier Mascherano, another figure from Luis Enrique's treble-winning era at Camp Nou.

"Luis has probably been one of the best coaches I've had in my career," Mascherano said at a news conference at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday (June 28). "He was a very important coach, not only for everything I've learned from him, but during my time with him, he was one of the ones who convinced me to stick it out at Barcelona."

In another layer of intrigue, Miami's contingent of former Barcelona players were all part of 2017's “Remontada” against PSG.

That was PSG's darkest night, when Barca thrashed them 6-1 in Spain after losing 4-0 in Paris in their last-16 Champions League tie.

That was when Miami's veterans were at their peak.

Now they rely on memory and rhythm, while PSG's core has been reshaped by a rising generation: Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue and Vitinha have helped inject fresh energy into Luis Enrique’s system, culminating in a Champions League triumph just weeks ago.

But the Parisian side arrive in Atlanta after a 1-0 loss to Brazil's Botafogo in the group stage that raised questions about fatigue following a long European season.

Enrique told reporters that while it will be a special match, his players are hungry to compete.

"We're hungry, very hungry still, to show that we have room for improvement, that we want to compete, and there's no better stage to compete than this wonderful stadium, in front of a team that still has a man named Leo Messi," he said.

Though PSG remain heavy favorites on paper, that defeat showed cracks in a squad that has played more high-stakes matches than most of their rivals.

Now in his first major club coaching role, Mascherano brings an emotional edge and tactical sharpness to a Miami side that, while physically limited by age, can still threaten, especially with Messi in form.

The Argentina great endured a turbulent two-year stint at PSG after leaving Barcelona in 2021. Though he won domestic silverware, Messi never found peace in Paris and after his World Cup win in 2022, some fans turned on him.

Mascherano believes that memory still drives Messi, though the coach doesn't dwell on the conflict too much.

"We, as Argentinians, know what's been generated since the World Cup and this whole story. The most important thing is that Leo is doing well, Leo plays for us. I think that's what gives us the most ease," Mascherano said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 28, 2025) (REUTERS - See script for restrictions)

1. INTER MIAMI COACH JAVIER MASCHERANO (FAR LEFT) SITTING DOWN

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JAVIER MASCHERANO, INTER MIAMI COACH, ON SUNDAY’S MATCH, SAYING:

"I'm going to repeat it again. I believe that the most important thing for tomorrow is that we come to play the best game possible that we can. That we can compete against a rival that has an enormous hierarchy, that is a team that has also shown us that, but that in some way also is not a perfect team. There doesn’t exist a perfect team and you can hurt them. Well, we have to find a way to take advantage of the few opportunities they'll give us to hurt them, but those few opportunities have to be effective and we must be able to take advantage of them.”

3. NEWS CONFERENCE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JAVIER MASCHERANO, INTER MIAMI COACH, ON ANY ANIMOSITY BETWEEN SOME PSG PLAYERS AND FANS TOWARDS LIONEL MESSI, SAYING:

“Well, look, I can't really know the story because I haven't been in the middle of it. I'm not interested, either, honestly, Marcelo. The reality is that everything revolving around Leo generates a lot of exposure. We, as Argentinians, know what's been generated since the World Cup and this whole story. The most important thing is that Leo is doing well, Leo plays for us. I think that's what gives us the most ease, and then a soccer game? Sometimes everything that's generated around a soccer game is given much more importance on the outside than on the actual protagonists themselves. In the end, on both sides. What we're going to do is do it in the best way possible to try to get the result we want.”

5. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS RECORDING MASCHERANO

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAVIER MASCHERANO, INTER MIAMI COACH, ON PSG, SAYING:

“Obviously, we know how good they are, but I said before, it's football. We need to look at ourselves, trying to play tomorrow the best game that we can play, and the best game that we can play is (to) keep doing the same things that we did in the last three games. Obviously, we have to improve little things, but the line that we want to play is in the same way.”

7. NEWS CONFERENCE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JAVIER MASCHERANO, INTER MIAMI COACH, ON PSG COACH LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING:

“Well, Luis (Enrique), yeah, has probably been one of the best coaches I've had in my career. But I also have a personal relationship with him, even a family one. So, he's someone I have a lot of affection for, and yes, he was a very important coach, not only for everything I've learned from him, but during my time with him, he was one of the ones who convinced me to stick it out at Barcelona. I was there, kind of, unaware, so, we built a very, very strong relationship. A great coach who's proven it not only in Barcelona and now in Paris, but also with the Spanish national team, with a lot of experience, and it will be very, very nice to see him after a while since I've seen him.”

9. NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING

10. CLUB WORLD CUP LOGO

11. SOCCER BALL ON TABLE

12. SIGNAGE FOR CLUB WORLD CUP

13. VARIOUS OF PSG COACH LUIS ENRIQUE WALKING ONSTAGE AND SITTING

14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LUIS ENRIQUE, PSG COACH, ON FACING SOME OF HIS FORMER BARCELONA PLAYERS HE ENJOYED SUCCESS WITH, SAYING:

“Of course, emotionally it will be a very different match, very special. It's nice for me to see these players again, who are more than just players, but friends. It will be special before the match, of course, and after. But we're professionals, everyone knows what they playing for. It is important to stay focused. We have to prepare for the match. Well, that's the most important thing, and emotionally, of course, it will be different.”

15. NEWS CONFERENCE TAKING PLACE

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS ENRIQUE, PSG COACH, ON HIS SIDE BEING HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS & FACING LIONEL MESSI, SAYING:

“At the same time, it's very motivating for us. We recently won the Champions League, but we're hungry, very hungry still, to show that we have room for improvement, that we want to compete, and there's no better stage to compete than this wonderful stadium, in front of a team that still has a man named Leo Messi, who is a role model not only for all of us who are Barcelona fans, and have enjoyed Leo at Barca for many years, but also to enjoy Leo Messi, a footballer who continues to be a role model.”

17. NEWS CONFERENCE TAKING PLACE

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS ENRIQUE, PSG COACH, SAYING:

“Well, I think my players already have a lot of experience, even though some of them are young. I think the game, emotionally, is a special match for me, without a doubt, for the club, and also for the players who have been and played alongside Leo Messi. I think it's a match that especially motivates everyone because of the greatness of the players and their coach, Javier Mascherano. So, it's very special, very beautiful. When we saw that we were going to play Miami, it was very difficult at the same time because we know their quality, we know what they're capable of. In fact, they've proven it in this competition, qualifying for the round of 16, and I'm sure it's going to be much more complicated than anyone can imagine, because they have the level, because they have the quality, and because they're winners. Players who have won a lot throughout their careers have that spirit within them. They'll have it all their lives. But I repeat, emotionally, it's very beautiful to prepare for a match like that.”

19. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS IN SEATS

20. VARIOUS OF ENRIQUE GETTING UP