Messi has scored once in the competition so far, which was an excellent free kick against Porto in a man of the match performance. Messi has had nine shots across his three games at the Club World Cup (3.00 per 90), with four of these attempts finding the target (1.33 per 90).

Unsurprisingly, Inter Miami look for Messi at any given opportunity which can sometimes harm their overall play, but gives us a good chance of our selection landing here - especially when considering that Messi will be on free kicks and penalties for Inter Miami, which can offer the Argentine another route to the target.

Messi has scored 10 goals across his 13 appearances in the MLS this season while averaging 2.42 shots on target per 90. His shot volume across these fixtures sits at 5.41 per 90 and while we can expect that decrease here against a strong PSG side, Messi should still have opportunities to find the target in this round of 16 tie against his former club.

Neves is often the most combative of PSG’s midfield trio, he’s committed two fouls across his 188 minutes of football at the Club World Cup so far. PSG are a very active side out of possession, Luis Enrique wants his side to press as high up the pitch as possible, especially in instances where PSG lose the ball in advanced areas. The idea is to suffocate the opposition and produce wave after wave of attack.

Neves averaged 1.51 fouls committed per 90 across his 17 appearances in the Champions League during the 24/25 season. This metric shows how PSG’s tactical approach leads to Neves committing fouls in games, he is more dogged in trying to win the ball back than Ruiz and Vitinha who do also feed into PSG’s aggressive approach off the ball.

Neves will likely face up against Lionel Messi at points here, Messi likes to drop deep to get involved in the build up play for Inter Miami. Messi has won six fouls across his three appearances at the Club World Cup (2.00 per 90) and is averaging 1.78 fouls won per 90 across his 13 appearances in the MLS.

PSG have only conceded one goal at the Club World Cup so far, which came in their 1-0 defeat against Botafogo. This result isn’t truly reflective of the context surrounding the fixture, PSG rotated heavily and should have scored at least once with the number and quality of chances they created. They should be able to punish Inter Miami more effectively here, with Luis Enrique expected to deploy a side more familiar to the one that went all the way in the Champions League. 

Inter Miami have quality scattered around the pitch, but are missing the players at the back to deal with the threat PSG can offer with their electric front three. If Inter Miami are as open as they have been in the group stages, PSG should be able to establish a commanding lead without too many issues. The energy of the Parisians is likely to be the difference here, Inter Miami will struggle to match that with the various ageing players they have in the squad.

Luis Suarez proved his enduring quality with a decisive contribution in Inter Miami's final group stage match. The veteran striker scored a brilliant goal against Palmeiras to give his side a 2-0 lead before the Brazilian team's late resurgence. Suarez demonstrated his clinical edge by converting his only shot on target from two attempts during the game.

The Uruguayan has maintained impressive shooting statistics throughout the tournament, registering five shots across three appearances (1.78 per 90 minutes) with three on target (1.07 per 90). This accuracy could prove crucial against PSG, where Miami may only create limited chances.

While much attention focuses on Lionel Messi, Suarez has quietly delivered this season with five goals in 13 MLS appearances, averaging 0.89 shots on target per 90 minutes. His proven ability to convert chances could be vital if Miami are to emulate Botafogo's group stage upset against more fancied opposition. The former Barcelona star remains a potent threat who can punish any defensive lapses.

Doue arrives at the knockout stage still searching for his first goal contribution of the tournament, but the statistics suggest his moment may be coming. The PSG attacker has registered seven shots across his three Club World Cup appearances, averaging 2.60 attempts per 90 minutes, with these chances accumulating an xG total of 0.58. His creative output has also been notable, having crafted two scoring opportunities for teammates during the group phase.

The young forward will fancy his chances against an Inter Miami defence that showed vulnerability in their previous outing, conceding twice against Palmeiras. Doue's combination of pace and technical quality could prove particularly troublesome for Miami's backline, especially when combined with the threat posed by PSG's other attacking options.

Doue looks well positioned to convert his promising underlying numbers into tangible contributions. His persistent threat in front of goal throughout the group stage suggests it's only a matter of time before he makes his mark on this tournament.

Benjamin Cremaschi will be very busy in the middle of the park for Inter Miami in attempting to manage the energetic approach of the PSG midfield trio. Cremaschi is often paired with Busquets, so you would imagine that the 20-year-old will be tasked with being the legs in the middle of the park, which should see him contest plenty of duels against Vitinha, Ruiz and Neves. 

Cremaschi has received four yellow cards across his 13 appearances in the MLS this season, more than any other Inter Miami player. He is yet to pick up a caution at the Club World Cup but this is the perfect environment for Cremaschi to commit a few fouls and catch the eye of the referee, up against a standard of opposition which is much more efficient and effective than he is used to playing against.