Intermiami’s left back Jordi Alba enjoys Luis Enrique’s reunion, claiming that the PSG boss is “the best”
Jordi Alba enjoys the prospect of facing former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique when Inter Miami faces Paris Saint-Germain in the final 16 of the Club World Cup.
Miami appeared to be cruising the goals of Tadeo Arende and Luis Suarez at Hard Rock Stadium to the top spot in Group A last night.
However, before Mauricio hit the equalizer in the 87th minute, Paulinho pulled back one in 10 minutes.
This meant that while Miami was doing the enviable job of meeting European champion PSG, Palmeiras and Botafogo would meet in an all-Brazil clash.
16 rounds. Dial-in. Vamos Miami 💗🖤
We face @psg_inside In the next round @fifacwc ✨ pic.twitter.com/0k55ic6pkd
– Intermiami CF (@intermiamif) June 24, 2025
The old man in Barcelona meets again
Alba, along with Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Basquets and Miami boss Javier Mascherano, all work under Camp Know’s Luis Enrique, with the left-back looking forward to Sunday’s reunion in Atlanta.
“For me, he’s the best,” Alba said. “I think not only do I do as a coach, but also as a team manager. For me, they are incredible. I also look forward to seeing Rafel Pol, Joaquínvaldés, all the staff and the players playing together in Barcelona.
“It’s 90 minutes. Well, I think we should be proud of how we competed in these three games. Let’s compete with PSG now.”
Miami is the only MLS team to advance beyond the group stage, but Alba will be difficult to pass the PSG side, where Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final last month.
It is also the first time Messi has faced the League One Giants since Messi left the Parc de Princess in 2023.
“I’m proud of my team and now I’m competing with top teams like PSG,” Alba said. “That’s great. For me, they play the best football in Europe. Well, it’s obviously a very difficult match, but we’re trying to compete.
“Why not dream of defeating the European champion? That would be very difficult. We know the quality of every player. For me, Luis Enrique is the best coach in the world. I know him very well.
“This is football, it’s 90 minutes. Well, why not dream?
“They are (PSG) the best footballers today. They are very versatile and have very good wide players and midfield guys with the ball. Overall, they are the most complete team for me.
Suarez wanted Botafogo, not Barca
Alba might be excited by the prospect of meeting PSG, but Suarez was frustrated that Miami had slipped the opportunity to face Botafogo instead.
Uruguiron said: “We had everything there. For a while, we’ve already seen them play against Botafogo, and football is like this. Focus for 15 seconds, 30 seconds and pay heartily for it.
“We know it can be very difficult and very complicated, but there are tools that need to compete.”