Infantino, FIFA president, reveals who will attend Inter vs. Barcelona influenced by Club World Cup
Inter Milan and FC Barcelona face off this Tuesday in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Giuseppe Meazza, with a spot in the Munich final on their minds. Gianni Infantino, the current president of FIFA, has weighed in on the highly anticipated match. Infantino attended the Miami Grand Prix of Formula 1, with the goal of displaying the trophy for the Club World Cup.
When asked whether he preferred Inter or Barça, the Swiss president responded that “everyone knows that I am a fan of Inter Milan,” making his preference very clear. This is not the first time that Infantino has expressed his passion for the team led by Simone Inzaghi, as he has done so on other occasions in the past.
Infantino praises Argentine influence
The FIFA president also spoke about Lautaro Martínez and his impact on the Italian team. “Inter is the team of the Argentinians,” he said, referring to the Nerazzurri striker and other players like Javier Zanetti and Diego Milito.
FIFA’s secret fear: A Club World Cup without the Champions League winner
FIFA is on the verge of inaugurating its first major Club World Cup with the participation of 32 clubs who will compete to win a trophy that is intended to be comparable to the most prestigious competition that national teams contest every four years. However, just weeks before a tournament that will be played in the United States between June 14 and July 13, there is currently a 50% chance that the finalists of the Champions League, arguably the competition with the most global appeal at the club level, will not play in this nascent Club World Cup.
Of the four semi-finalists vying for the Champions League trophy, FC Barcelona and Arsenal are not part of the list of clubs that will fight to be crowned in the Club World Cup. If Barcelona defeats Inter in Milan this week and Arsenal overturns the 0-1 deficit against PSG in Paris, then it would be a given that the European champion would not be in that great tournament that FIFA has activated. This is a major concern for the organization.
There are other latent threats for FIFA. Barça has players in its ranks who are gaining worldwide recognition this season. There is the recent example of Pedri González, who, for a Real Madrid legend like Toni Kroos, is already “the best in the world in his position.” Or Raphinha Dias, whom many see as a Ballon d’Or contender thanks to his goals and assists. And, above all, Lamine Yamal, whose global consecration at just 17 years of age has accelerated at a dizzying pace in recent days for his own colleagues, including Erling Haaland, or among soccer legends such as Thierry Henry or Rio Ferdinand. He appears destined for great heights.
Ideal scenario for FIFA: Inter vs. PSG
All of this uncertainty hangs over the eve of a Club World Cup to which, applying the most basic logic, a Champions League final in Munich between Inter Milan and PSG would be much more beneficial for its peace of mind than one between Barça and Arsenal. A final between two of the biggest and most lucrative brands.