Lionel Messi Invites Club Barcelona 'Hated' More Than Real Madrid to Messi Cup
Lionel Messi has invited the club that Barcelona players once 'hated' more than Real Madrid to take part in the inaugural edition of the Messi Cup.
The new tournament will be held in December at Inter Miami's Chase Stadium, with eight youth teams competing at the event.
Chelsea and Manchester City are the English representatives, while clubs that Messi has played for: Inter Miami, Barcelona and Newell’s Old Boys will also take part.
Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and River Plate will make up the rest of the competition, but there is no spot for one of Messi's former clubs PSG.
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All teams will send under-16 squads to the competition, giving fans a chance to see the next generation of talent.
On Instagram, Messi wrote: “Thrilled to finally share this with you. This December, Miami will host a very special youth football tournament featuring some of the top clubs from around the world.
“The future of the game will be on full display, and it’s more than just matches – we’ve got an incredible few days planned with lots of other exciting activities. This is about the next generation. Hope you like it!”
Which club did Barcelona players hate?
Perhaps the most surprising invite to the Messi Cup was Chelsea, given Messi's past comments about the English club.
Barcelona and Chelsea have a history of tense clashes in the Champions League.
Back in 2005, Chelsea defeated Barcelona 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with 17-year-old Messi not included in the squad.
The following year, the two sides met again, and Messi spoke out about how the team felt towards Chelsea.
He said: "There are players here who hate Chelsea more than Real Madrid. I never thought I would hear myself say that.
"I also never thought I would see something worse than the Boca and River Plate rivalry or Brazil vs Argentina. But this is.
"We would rather play Arsenal, Manchester United, or anyone else than be on the pitch with Chelsea."
Messi got his revenge, helping Barcelona to a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge, followed by a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou to ensure they progressed to the next round.
What is the Messi Cup?
The competition will see two groups of four play each other in a round robin format over the first three days.
The top teams from each group will then advance to a play-off stage to determine the final rankings.
On the final day, both the third-place match and the final will take place at Inter Miami's Chase Stadium.
In total, the tournament will feature 18 matches, running from December 9 to December 14, giving plenty of opportunity for young players.
Topics: Lionel Messi, Football, Inter Miami, Chelsea, FC Barcelona
James Taylor