In a much-anticipated friendly in Saudi Arabia Inter Miami suffered a resounding 6-0 defeat against Al-Nassr.
The highly anticipated clash, initially billed as a showdown between Messi and old rival Cristiano Ronaldo, took an unexpected turn as Ronaldo was ruled out due to injury.
Messi, who only featured for seven minutes, couldn’t influence the game’s outcome as Al-Nassr had already secured a commanding 6-0 lead.
Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte stole the spotlight with a remarkable free-kick from his own half.
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Brazilian Talisca proved to be a thorn in Inter Miami’s side, netting a hat-trick for the Saudi Pro League side. The onslaught began early, with Talisca and Otavio putting Al-Nassr 3-0 up within the first 12 minutes. Laporte’s audacious long-range effort left Miami goalkeeper Drake Calender stranded.
Talisca added a second from the penalty spot, Mohammed Maran scored with a header, and Talisca completed the scoring, securing a comprehensive victory for Al-Nassr.
The absence of Ronaldo and Messi’s brief appearance left fans yearning for the highly-anticipated Messi-Ronaldo showdown, which will have to wait for another day.