The scoreline told one story. The atmosphere told another.
Joao Neves scored twice as Paris St Germain swept aside Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday to secure their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with ruthless efficiency.
The Club World Cup's various problems have been well documented, from empty seats to storm delays, extreme heat to complaints about FIFA's expanded competition being a cash grab at the expense of the players' long-term health.
Inter Miami will face European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 while Palmeiras will have an all-Brazilian encounter with Botofogo.
Miami's shock win over Porto, secured via a brilliant free-kick from Lionel Messi, has left them with a chance of making it to the last 16 of the tournament.
“But, to be honest, for me, the ideal outcome would be a draw. Leo scores, Palmeiras score, and everyone goes home happy. That would be perfect."
Veteran playmaker Messi curled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance in Atlanta, the winning goal in Miami's 2-1 Group A victory over their Portuguese opponents.
A Lionel Messi trademark free-kick earned Inter Miami a shock 2-1 comeback win against Porto in the Club World Cup on Thursday.
A video emerged of Messi touching his left leg during the session on Wednesday, but Mascherano confirmed the veteran forward was ready for Miami's second Group A match in Atlanta.
The addition of Suarez gives Messi a third former Barca teammate on Miami's squad and a much-needed secondary goal-scoring option.
In a video posted on China's Weibo social media platform, Messi rejected chatter that his no-show was "for political reasons" and said if this had been the case, "I would not have traveled" to Hong Kong in the first place.
The World Cup winner joined Inter from Paris Saint Germain in mid-July, the biggest name ever to move to MLS and his signing caused a massive spurt in interest in American soccer.
It was an emotional match for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez channelled his inner Lionel Messi when he scored his side’s third goal in a classy 3-1 win in a fourth-round FA Cup tie against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Thursday.
Argentine Messi, record eight-times Ballon D'Or winner, did not warm up in front of the 40,000 fans in Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday as he was being assessed by medical staff who decided it was too risky for him and team mate Luis Suarez to play.
It came days after his absence on the pitch in a recent Hong Kong friendly had angered fans there.
The announcement came after he did not play in a Sunday friendly in Hong Kong, prompting the ire of tens of thousands of fans who booed the World Cup-winning Argentinian and the team's co-owner David Beckham.
"I don't know if I can (play) or not but I feel a lot better and really want to do it," Messi told reporters
Lionel Messi and David Beckham were booed on Sunday after the Argentina superstar sat out Inter Miami's pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
