Paris Saint-Germain – Inter Miami: In the absence of epicness, there was logic (4-0)

An auspicious debut for the European champions. A win that confirmed them as clear favorites, staying true to their philosophy: occupying space through constant movement. Position Play at its finest.

Tactical analysis and match report by Juan Lauz.

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Third match of these round of 16 of the Club World Cup in, perhaps, the most uneven tie of all on paper (something that ended up being confirmed).

A clash that, nonetheless, invited expectation. The European champion with a squad that had several of those called to be the next generation of footballing references, faced Inter Miami of the former stars, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez up front, both showing that they still had bullets in the chamber.

For this match, Luis Enrique fielded his gala eleven, with only one change compared to the victory in the last group stage match against Seattle Sounders: Bradley Barcola came in as right winger, replacing Senny Mayulu, who had started as center forward in the last match.

The rest of the team, as expected: asymmetric fullbacks in different heights and lanes like Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi. Vitinha in the engine room with Joao Neves and Fabián Ruíz ahead. Desiré Doué moving to the central lane as the attacking reference, and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia and Barcola on the wings.

For his part, Javier Mascherano, another former player managed by Luis Enrique (although this one behind the sideline), also fielded no surprises: Óscar Ustari in goal, defended by center-backs Noah Allen and Maximiliano Falcón, with Jordi Alba and Marcelo Weigandt as fullbacks; as a double pivot Sergio Busquets and Federico Redondo, son of the legendary Real Madrid midfielder from the 90s; on the wings were the Venezuelan Telasco Segovia and the Argentine Tadeo Allende. Up front, the monsters: Suárez and Messi.

Yes, up to five (if we counted the manager) former players managed by Luis Enrique in that epic FC Barcelona that won the treble in 2015.

A rampaging start

From the beginning of the match, PSG made it clear that their participation in these round of 16 of the Club World Cup was no minor commitment.

The initial kick with a long ball was a statement of intent: press high, unsettle an Inter Miami that tried to maintain their 4-4-2 structure in a medium block, with Messi and Suárez as the first line of pressure. However, that initial intention was quickly drowned by PSG’s structural fluidity in build-up phase, set up in their usual 3-2-2-3, with Vitinha dropping to the first line and Nuno Mendes attacking the inside lane.

PSG’s plan was as clear as it was effective: build from the back with patience and width, win duels in intermediate zones, and punish any mistake with surgical precision.

Doué, acting as a false 9, floated between the lines and was key in generating advantages through short support and third-man runs. After 5 minutes, he provoked a free kick that led to a set-piece finished by Joao Neves for the 1-0. From there, it was the usual theatre show from Luis Enrique’s side: width and depth as the frames, and inside, let everything happen.

Minute 12′ Superiority in midfield. Create and manage situations of Numerical and Positional Superiority using a square in midfield. Doué drops as a false 9 to receive in the space between the lines against the rival’s 4-4-2 formation mid block, thus changing the tempo.

Miami could not contain the Parisian wave. The low block they were forced into not only deprived them of depth, but disconnected their main weapons: Messi as the playmaker and Suárez as the finisher. The distance between where they recovered the ball and the opponent’s goal was too large for transitions to have any effect.

To that was added PSG’s intense counterpress, which induced errors and nullified any attempt at clean progression from the American team.

Movement between lines was constant. Doué positioned himself between the center-back and the fullback to open gaps, which allowed midfielders to make runs from the second line, as happened in the play that ended in a disallowed goal by Fabián Ruiz after a corner.

Minute 16′ Create disorder. Doué makes lateral runs around the squares to attract defenders and free up second-line arrivals from the midfielders.

Positional superiorities were constant, especially on the left side, where the exchanges between Nuno Mendes, Doué, and Kvaratskhelia generated defensive chaos. Kvara, receiving in 1v1 situations with space, had time and comfort to enter the box frequently.

Once again, excellent work without the ball

PSG not only showed technical superiority, but overwhelming tactical discipline.

The high press was not an isolated gesture, but a constant well-orchestrated throughout the first half. Every loss was immediately answered with collective pressure, recovering balls in the opponent’s half and making the game be played in 40 meters.

A significant difference in dominance near the box. The result of excellent counter-pressing.

This suffocation had its reward: a poor exit by Avilés, who came in due to injury, gave the ball to Fabián Ruiz for Neves’ second goal. Then, Avilés scored an own goal and Hakimi closed the rout before half-time with the fourth goal. In just 45 minutes, PSG had not only decided the match, but had delivered a lesson in elite football.

A second half of training

The second half showed another face, more relaxed. With the scoreboard in their favor, PSG lowered the pace and Inter could enjoy some long possessions, with Messi as the organizer from deeper zones.

The Argentine, still far from the opponent’s area, showed flashes of his inexhaustible talent with extraordinary through balls, including one that surprised even Suárez. His reading, his foot, his ankle remained from another planet, but the structure surrounding him at Inter did not allow him to shine with continuity nor exploit transitions as he used to in his prime.

Minute 50′ Messi as the center of the action. The Argentine star is generally his team’s main playmaker, both in static attacks and in transition. His drops are at times undetectable for the Parisian block, and his special striking ability does the rest.

At times, PSG chose to bypass lines and seek their wingers in depth, which generated some chances but without the first half’s intensity.

The entry of Dembélé as a false 9 slightly revitalized the Parisian attack, although the tone of the match was already different. The match took the shape of an advanced training session for the French side, with Inter defending deeper but without a real threat in attack, unable to generate real danger sensations.

PSG’s physical deployment was remarkable: everyone ran, but not disorganized, rather with purpose. The compact block, synchronized pressing and coverage, and spatial management both with and without the ball, were the pillars of a rounded performance.

This team not only played well, but played as a team. And when their individuals, like Vitinha, Doué, or Kvaratskhelia, were on point, they became a machine hard to stop.

Inter, for their part, left the sensation of being a team in transition. Their low block was not the product of a calculated strategy, but of necessity. Messi showed spark and quality, but too alone in the task of connecting with the attack. Suárez, no longer with the explosiveness of the past, could not pose a real threat and ended up relegated to spectator. The rest of the team showed order, but without the tools to compete against such a superior rival.

Takeaways

In short, PSG banged their fist on the table. They not only advanced to the Club World Cup quarterfinals with authority, but did so displaying excellent positional play. The European champions confirmed that their competitive level remained intact, with a group of players who not only understood the game, but interpreted it with intensity and quality in every meter of the pitch.

For Inter Miami, the reality was harsher. The team managed by Javier Mascherano showed order in their initial setup, but had neither the tools nor the legs to withstand the rhythm and talent of their rival.

Messi offered flashes of his magic, but found himself too far from goal and without partners at his level. Suárez, for his part, felt the passage of time and remained isolated against a PSG that did not forgive.

This match was a reminder of the current hierarchies in world football: PSG, as reigning European champions, played in another dimension; Inter, even with stars in their squad, remained a team under construction within a league — the MLS — that still had a long way to go in terms of international competitiveness.

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