Paris Saint-Germain quickly asserted their dominance, needing just six minutes to score the opener in their 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid in the Club World Cup semifinals. Despite both teams arriving late due to traffic congestion at MetLife Stadium, PSG decisively defeated the squad featuring their former talisman, Kylian Mbappe.
Several key players were absent for both sides; Willian Pacho and Dean Huijsen were suspended, and Trent Alexander-Arnold missed out due to training tightness. Fabian Ruiz initiated PSG`s scoring, and the French side capitalized on Real Madrid`s errors throughout the match, securing their spot against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final, scheduled for Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET).
Fresh off their historic first Champions League triumph, PSG carried that momentum into the Club World Cup, now standing one game away from their maiden title in this competition. Coach Luis Enrique has forged a formidable team since Kylian Mbappe`s transfer to Real Madrid, proving that even their former record scorer`s presence couldn`t halt the Parisian juggernaut.
Following Ruiz`s opener, Ousmane Dembele enhanced his strong form, dispossessing Antonio Rudiger and finishing clinically. Ruiz then quickly added his second, completing his brace within the first 24 minutes. Xabi Alonso`s team appeared disorganized throughout. Although facing travel difficulties with a late flight arrival the previous night, Real Madrid never found their rhythm in the contest.
Mbappe started for the first time in the tournament, paired with young Gonzalo Garcia. However, Real Madrid`s tactical switch to a back four seemed ineffective, leaving them struggling to keep pace with PSG. Paris Saint-Germain has been dominant all season, and even in their 64th competitive match, they showed no signs of fatigue. Much praise is due to Luis Enrique for fostering a strong team culture that transcends individual star power, a factor that previously hindered their European ambitions.
PSG has significantly evolved since the era of Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, and a victory against Chelsea on Sunday would cap off this transformation. For Xabi Alonso, this marks his initial significant challenge as Real Madrid manager. Experiencing such difficulties now, rather than during the critical Champions League knockout stages, serves as a valuable lesson. This match offered insights into his team`s strengths and weaknesses and allowed him to experiment with various tactical setups.
Real Madrid appeared more effective using a back three earlier in the tournament, a formation that allows players like Francisco Garcia and Alexander-Arnold to contribute more offensively. If this setup becomes their standard, squad adjustments may be needed, as it potentially limits space for Rodrygo. With Luka Modric`s potential departure, an era might be ending, but further changes seem inevitable for Real Madrid, especially now recognizing the significant gap they need to bridge to compete with PSG.
