Paris Saint-Germain vs. Real Madrid tickets 2025 Club World Cup
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Paris Saint-Germain vs. Real Madrid match information
The FIFA Club World Cup brings 32 teams from across the world to compete in the USA. Eight groups of four teams will play round robin in the group stage from Saturday, June 14 through Thursday, June 26, with the top two teams from each group advancing.
Those 16 teams will compete in a single-elimination knockout tournament starting Saturday, June 28, to crown the Club World Cup champion on Sunday, July 13.
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Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Youthful Chelsea ready for Thiago Silva reunion at Club World Cup
Former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is still going strong at the age of 40 and will lead out Fluminense against the Blues in Tuesday's Club World Cup semi-final (Paul ELLIS) Chelsea's young side are targeting a place in the final of the Club World Cup when they take on Fluminense in the last four on Tuesday, with the Brazilian team marshalled by former Blues defender Thiago Silva who is still going strong at the age of 40. Silva was already a veteran when he signed for Chelsea in 2020 before going on to have an impressive four-year stint at Stamford Bridge. Advertisement One of the finest centre-backs of his generation, Silva arrived after eight years at Paris Saint-Germain and in his first season at Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League. He played 155 games for the London club and left 12 months ago after helping oversee the development of some of the young talents now featuring regularly under Enzo Maresca. "He's a legend of football, a top player," Marc Cucurella, a teammate of Silva's for two years, told English media, adding that the two had exchanged messages about their impending reunion. "We have the opportunity to play against him again and hopefully we can do good things, win this game and play in the final." Advertisement Silva initially made his name at Fluminense, featuring in the team that reached the Copa Libertadores final in 2008 before losing to LDU Quito of Ecuador. He returned there upon leaving Chelsea, once again pulling on the green, red and white of the Rio de Janeiro outfit who won the Copa Libertadores in 2023. The evergreen Brazil international was then reunited earlier this year with Renato Gaucho, the coach in 2008 who is now in his sixth spell in charge. An impressive run at the Club World Cup has seen Fluminense hold Borussia Dortmund in the group stage, eliminate Inter Milan in the last 16 and get the better of Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal in the quarter-finals. Advertisement "If you had asked me beforehand if we would have got this far I would have said we were a long way away from doing so," Silva told broadcaster DAZN after the victory over Al Hilal. "We know the financial size of these teams, the difference is enormous, absurd. But often our collective, the family atmosphere that we have, gives us strength that you maybe don't think you have." - Brazilian opposition again - It is not just Silva raising the average age at Fluminense. There is also 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio, wing-back Samuel Xavier at 35 and 37-year-old Argentine forward German Cano. Advertisement But the man giving them the X-factor is 27-year-old Colombian winger Jhon Arias, unquestionably one of the players of the tournament. "I have watched some games that they have played and you can see that they are very well organised. They have some very good players. The manager is doing a fantastic job," Maresca said as he prepares to face Brazilian opposition for the third time at the tournament. They lost to Flamengo in the group stage but beat Palmeiras in the quarter-finals in Philadelphia. "The energy from Brazilian teams in this competition has been high -- probably the reason why is because they are at the start of their season while we are finished the season," Maresca added. Advertisement Chelsea now get their first taste of the MetLife Stadium, the hulking 82,500-capacity venue in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City. Many of Maresca's players may not have been sure what to make of FIFA's new tournament which came at the end of a campaign in which they finished fourth in the Premier League and won the UEFA Conference League. But suddenly they stand one game from the final, in which they would face either Real Madrid or PSG. With Silva gone, Maresca has been working with a young squad at Chelsea, and the average age of his starting line-up against Palmeiras last Friday was just 24. Advertisement There are more young players coming in too, with 23-year-old Brazilian forward Joao Pedro, formerly of Fluminense, making his debut in the quarter-finals. Brazil prodigy Estevao Willian, 18, will join from Palmeiras ahead of next season and 20-year-old winger Jamie Gittens has just signed from Borussia Dortmund. Moises Caicedo, the midfield linchpin who is still only 23, will return to the midfield against Fluminense after suspension. as/dh
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Real Madrid are using Valverde to protect Alexander-Arnold – how will that go against PSG?
As Xabi Alonso imposes his tactical ideas on Real Madrid, there have been compelling, subtle tweaks across the tournament. That continued as Madrid defeated Dortmund 3-2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with a fluid, adaptable shape that shifted when Alonso's side were in and out of possession. Given their difficulties with ball progression against Juventus, Alonso returned to a back-four system in possession, with Aurelien Tchouameni starting in his familiar midfield position rather than the central defender in a back three. Advertisement This meant that Madrid were able to shift the ball laterally and vertically to threaten Dortmund's shape. While Arda Guler would occasionally drop between Madrid's centre-backs or into a left-back position to allow Fran Garcia to stay high and wide, the below example was a typical structure from which they built. How Madrid looked out of possession is where things looked interesting. New signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen have assimilated well into the back line, and Alonso has expressed his satisfaction of the team's chemistry within the early weeks. Madrid are the only side not to have fallen behind in a game across all Club World Cup teams. With Alexander-Arnold not particularly known for his one-v-one defending, Alonso has put structural tweaks in place to mitigate against any vulnerabilities, via Federico Valverde. The Uruguay international has deputised at right-back on many occasions for Madrid, but his discipline to protect Alexander-Arnold on Madrid's right was a notable theme of the game against Dortmund. As ever, Valverde was everywhere — bringing safety on the ball, pushing forward, and catalysing Madrid's attack when needed. Off the ball, he was often playing as a wing-back. With Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi drifting towards the touchline, Alonso was acutely aware of the threat that the pacy 23-year-old could offer — particularly when supported by wing-back Daniel Svensson. Valverde was tasked with dropping in and forming a back five out of possession. Sometimes this would mean Alexander-Arnold taking a narrow position — almost as the right centre-back — across Madrid's back line… …but on other occasions, the England international returned to his wider position to track Adeyemi, with Valverde tucking in to close any gaps Dortmund could exploit and stay goalside of any runners in behind. Such was the tactical intelligence from Alonso's players, that the back five would be retained even if the configuration of players themselves were different. After 23 minutes, when Antonio Rudiger was pulled into a wide position, Alexander-Arnold tucked in, Huijsen shuffled across, and Tchouameni was the one to drop into the defensive line to ensure that those gaps remained filled. There were countless other examples, but another benefit of this situational back five is that it allows centre-backs Huijsen and Rudiger — both of whom are front-footed in their defensive style — to jump out and snuff attacks at source, knowing they have the protection of their team-mates to shuffle across. When he is not deputising as a right-back, Valverde has been known for supporting Dani Carvajal defensively under Carlo Ancelotti — but the extent to which Valverde was dropping into the back line has been notable under Alonso. A perfect example of Alexander-Arnold and Valverde dovetailing is shown in the second half. As Alexander-Arnold steps forward to engage with left wing-back Svensson, Valverde steps back to cover the space and shut out Felix Nmecha's underlapping run. A pulley system that will please Alonso as much as their finishing and shot-stopping. 'It has been a tactical tweak that we wanted,' Alonso told The Athletic after the Dortmund game. 'He had to decide when he was dropping and when he was pressing a little bit higher, but we know with Fede that he is such a complete player that he gives you whatever you need, and we use him in different tasks. So when Trent was tired, we used him as a right-back. I'm really happy to train him, and he is a top player for us.' Advertisement So, why is this so relevant? Well, Alexander-Arnold and Valverde have the unenviable task of shutting down Europe's most threatening left-sided attacks on Wednesday against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final. The skills of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are one thing, but the underlapping runs from supporting team-mates means that Madrid will have to be particularly switched on in wide areas. It might be the direct running of left-back Nuno Mendes, any one of PSG's forward line, or a supporting midfielder — typically Fabian Ruiz — but Luis Enrique's side have a knack for pulling players out of position. In their quarter-final with Bayern Munich, it was Desire Doue's run that Kvaratskhelia found in the disorganised back line of Vincent Kompany's team. Doue's subsequent cutback to the edge of the area found Ruiz in space, and a better finish would have seen PSG punish Bayern midway through the first half. Even when that run is not found, it is still threatening as a decoy. The best example of this comes from PSG's last-16 match against Inter Miami with another penetrative underlapping run from Doue. This time, Kvaratskhelia cuts inside and drives straight towards the goal with no Miami player able to get near to him without making a foul. While you might point to poor defending above, the speed, conviction and fluidity with which PSG drag opposition defenders away to create space is attacking play of the highest level. For Madrid fans, the good news is that flexibility and fluidity is starting to show under Alonso, in and out of possession. Wednesday's match will be the biggest test of that under their new head coach. If Madrid are going to shut down PSG's threat on the left, they will need to combine Alexander-Arnold and Valverde to great effect again.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
At what cost? Saudi Arabia and soccer
The Club World Cup and CONCACAF Gold Cup — two football tournaments held in the United States this summer — have been influenced by KSA, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the field, and commercially strengthened by it off the pitch. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has partnered with FIFA and CONCACAF — the global and regional governing bodies which organise the two tournaments — while other Saudi brands have been promoted across the club and international showpieces including Aramco, Riyadh Air and Visit Saudi. Advertisement FIFA's broadcast deal for the Club World Cup with DAZN — now part-owned by PIF's sports arm SURJ — is another element of the Middle Eastern nation's dominant position in the sport. 'At what cost? Saudi Arabia and Soccer' — a special episode of The Athletic FC podcast — investigates the heightened visibility of Saudi Arabia on and off the field in the U.S. this summer. Beyond analysing the impact of Al Hilal's success in reaching the Club World Cup quarter-finals, and the country's national team being an invitee to the Gold Cup, the episode highlights the political bond between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, as well as those fighting for greater awareness of the human rights issues in Saudi. 'Allowing Saudi Arabia to make all these deals is a clear indication that there is no human rights assessment,' says Abdullah Alaoudh, director for countering authoritarianism at the Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC), who says it is 'an atrocious conclusion (for) humanity'. Alaoudh, whose father, a leading Saudi scholar, has been imprisoned since 2017, believes the Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup award should not have happened without 'essential and transformational changes'. Rodney Dixon KC is one of three international lawyers who have made a complaint to FIFA — with the support of Alaoudh and the MEDC — which alleges it breached its own rules on human rights. 'It should be done first as part of the bidding process, but we passed that stage now. It can't be more generalised rhetoric.' FIFA says all statutes were followed in the decision to award the World Cup to Saudi Arabia. A statement to The Athletic said: 'FIFA implemented thorough and robust bidding processes for the 2030 and 2034 editions of the FIFA World Cup. 'All relevant reports, including the independent human rights context assessments and the human rights strategies of all bidders for the 2030 and 2034 editions, were made available on our website.' Advertisement FIFA's evaluation report classed Saudi Arabia's human rights record as a 'medium' risk. Input from PIF, DAZN and the governing bodies also feature in the episode that includes reporting from Miami, Austin, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. 'The Saudis want to be in it, they have a right to be in it, and we have a right to engage with them,' explains Victor Montagliani, the president of CONCACAF, the governing body for soccer in north America, central America and the Caribbean. The Saudi Arabia national team coach, Herve Renard, acknowledges that 'some people are still not convinced, but I'm sure they will change their mind', and striker Saleh Al-Shehri says 'with the vision of our Crown Prince, everything is set up perfectly'. Al Hilal have been one of the surprises of the Club World Cup and the new head coach Simone Inzaghi, who joined from UEFA Champions League finalists Inter in the build-up to this tournament, says he wants to make the team 'one of the most important clubs in the footballing scene'. Fans of the club — one of four in Saudi Arabia owned by PIF — and the international team give their view on the reputation of their nation. 'I'm familiar with what they're saying in the Western and global media, the sportswashing, the image and all that, but nothing can be built without money,' said one supporter at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. 'Let's not lie, sports is a very good tool to build the soft power.' The USMNT head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, praises 'the progression and improvement' of the Saudi Pro League and national team — who were the only team to beat his native Argentina at the Qatar World Cup — saying they are 'building something special'. Speaking about Saudi Arabia's growing influence on football, the USMNT and Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams spoke about the 'unique opportunity' for younger Saudi players 'now playing with (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Karim) Benzema or (N'Golo) Kante' which is the same as 'Lionel Messi coming to MLS' and helping 'so many young Americans grow'. Dwight Yorke's Trinidad and Tobago also took on Saudi Arabia in the Gold Cup and Yorke, a Middle East resident and frequent visitor to Saudi, believes 'there is no limitation in terms of where they're trying to get to' on their journey to hosting the World Cup in 2034. 'Being the host (in 2034) they have a plain objective of wanting to be one of the best,' he says. 'Is it a good thing? Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people may have their opinion on it. I don't see any problem with it.' Advertisement Objections to the sport's biggest tournament heading to Saudi, including those made by Norway's football association, are discussed in addition to how political unrest in the Middle East may prove disruptive to the 2034 World Cup. 'The Saudis want a period of stability and calm,' says Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a regional political expert. 'They do not want to be caught in the middle of another conflict.' The MLS commissioner and US Soccer board member Don Garber engages with Saudi Arabia's greater influence on the game. 'We need to recognise the beauty of our game is to introduce us to folks outside of the way we think and the way we act, and maybe there are things we could learn,' he says. 'That doesn't mean it's easy, but I try to lean into it.' Football is now intertwined with Saudi money just like other sports, including golf and tennis. The leading boxing promoter Todd duBoef, the president of Top Rank, gives his take on the scene in his sport: 'It's not just about making fights — it's bigger,' he says. 'It's great to have those events in Saudi, but are you actually separating the fanbase from the product?' Whatever happens in boxing in the future, one thing is for certain as football continues to grow in Saudi Arabia towards 2034: the nation's influence across the globe shows no sign of abating. (Top image: Saudi Arabia Tourist Authority tent outside Q2 Stadium, Austin, where Saudi Arabia played USMNT. Credit: Adam Leventhal)
