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The FIFA Club World Cup is set to commence on June 14 in the United States.
The competition includes 32 teams from six confederations and will be played in 12 venues across the country chosen to host matches. Manchester City and Inter Miami are among the clubs who will be participating.
Man City are sorted into Group G alongside Juventus, Al Ain, and Wydad AC. Inter Miami, meanwhile, are in Group A with Al Ahly, Porto, and Palmeiras.
While there is no opportunity for the Premier League side and the Major League Soccer club to be pitted against each other in the first three matches of the group stage, they might have a chance in the later knockout stages of the competition.
The possibility of a reunion between Man City head coach Pep Guardiola and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has gotten many excited and now, former Irish goalkeeper Shay Given has shared his take on it.
What did Shay Given say about Pep Guardiola and Leo Messi's potential reunion in Club World Cup?
Given arrived at the Etihad from Newcastle United in 2009 and continued till 2011. Speaking in association with DAZN, Given told GOAL that Guardiola and Messi's potential reunion in the Club World Cup 'would be amazing.'
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Guardiola and Messi's association dates back to their respective tenures at Barcelona. The Catalan manager has coached the Argentine icon at Camp Nou from 2008 to 2012, winning 14 trophies together.
Both Guardiola and Messi have always candidly expressed admiration for one another in public.
“It would be amazing. Messi, for me, one of the best players to ever grace the planet. From a City point of view, with the profile of the club, it just feels like if they can get their hands on it… It’s a big ask with so many big clubs - Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final were phenomenal, the likes of them and Real Madrid will have the same ambition to get their hands on this trophy," said Given.
"As an ex-City player I would love to see them win it, but it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be tough," he added.
Messi-led Inter Miami will be facing Egyptian side Al Ahly in their first match of the Club World Cup on June 14 at Hard Rock Stadium, Florida. Guardiola's squad, meanwhile, will lock horns with Moroccan side Wydad AC on June 18 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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