Friday's briefing: Lionel Messi free-kick lights up Atlanta and PSG shocked
Lionel Messi lit up the Club World Cup with a fine free-kick as Inter Milan came from behind to beat Porto in Atlanta.
Champions League winners Paris St Germain were stunned by South American champions Botafogo in Group B, while Atletico Madrid proved too strong for the Seattle Sounders.
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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca faced questions over Mykhailo Mudryk, while Real Madrid revealed star man Kylian Mbappe had been discharged from hospital.
Closer to home, Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson scaled new heights to announce her Euro 2025 squad.
Lionel Messi magic for Miami
Messi doing Messi things - unreal free-kick! ⚽️
Enjoy it from every angle 👏👀
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— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball)
June 19, 2025
Lionel Messi scored a trademark free-kick as Inter Miami beat Porto 2-1 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to move a step closer to the last 16 of the Club World Cup.
Porto took the lead in the eighth minute from the penalty spot but Miami equalised just after half-time through a thumping finish from Telasco Segovia.
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Messi then gave the Atlanta crowd what they came for when he clipped home a fine 20-yard free-kick in the 54th minute.
Igor Jesus scored the only goal of the game as Botafogo stunned Paris St Germain in Pasadena, with Atletico Madrid beating the Seattle Sounders 3-1 in Group B's other game.
Elsewhere in Group A, Palmeiras beat Egyptian side Al Ahly 2-0 at the MetLife Stadium – with the match interrupted during the second half because of the threat of lightning in East Rutherford.
Enzo Maresca – I'll talk to 'Misha' soon
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed he has not yet spoken to winger Mykhailo Mudryk since the Ukrainian was charged with violating anti-doping rules.
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The 24-year-old has not played since being suspended last December after testing positive for a prohibited substance, and is facing a lengthy ban after being charged by the Football Association.
Blues boss Maresca fronted questions on Mudryk as he prepared the team for their second Group D match against Flamengo in Philadelphia on Friday.
'The last time I spoke with Misha, he was quite good. I didn't see him worried, or at least I didn't see him not good. It was OK,' Maresca said.
'I don't know how he is now, but for sure in the next days, weeks, we're going to have a talk.'
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Rhian Wilkinson has high hopes for Wales
Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson is ready for her side to climb their own Everest at Euro 2025 (Nick Potts/PA)
Rhian Wilkinson hiked up Wales' highest peak at Yr Wyddfa before delivering the names of 23 players determined to scale their own summit at Euro 2025.
'It (qualifying) was always going to be an uphill battle with little setbacks,' said former Canada international Wilkinson.
'As we have moved towards the Euros we have talked about the summit, the Everest part of it. That something is impossible until it isn't.
'Outside Wales people can think whatever they want. Our goal is to show up and deliver to the best of our ability. I am sure people will be looking up Wales on a map very soon.'
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Kylian Mbappe in and then out of hospital
Mbappé medical update.
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden)
June 19, 2025
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has been discharged from hospital after being admitted with 'acute gastroenteritis'.
The 26-year-old France international missed Wednesday night's 1-1 Club World Cup draw with Al Hilal through illness, with head coach Xabi Alonso revealing he had a fever.
Real Madrid subsequently confirmed Mbappe was suffering from 'an acute case of gastroenteritis' and had been admitted to hospital for further tests and treatment, before later being cleared to return to the team's base.
'Our player Kylian Mbappe was discharged from the hospital this afternoon and has returned to the Real Madrid training camp,' a club statement read.
'Mbappe will continue receiving specific medical treatment and will gradually return to team activity.'
What's on today?
MD2 vs the Brazilian giants. 🇧🇷🔜
pic.twitter.com/gqgbPg8JSN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
June 19, 2025
The Club World Cup continues with Chelsea facing Flamengo in Philadelphia.
The Blues will be looking to build on their opening Group D win over LAFC, who play ES Tunis in Nashville.
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