logo
PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach CWC final

PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach CWC final

Observer2 days ago
EAST RUTHERFORD, United States: Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semifinals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea. Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York.
The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique's side moved one game away from glory at FIFA's new tournament.
Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May.
"We are in a special season, a special moment, and we deserved to win," Luis Enrique told broadcaster DAZN before looking ahead to the final.
"We are going to try, one more step against a good team like Chelsea. They did great, they performed the whole competition and now it is time for us to prepare for that... we want to make history in our club, and then take some holidays."
After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real was striking.
PSG's fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso.
"We were not good enough today," said Alonso. "We are not the first ones to lose to them but we have a lot of different things to improve."
Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club last year.
The defeat is a real blow to Real as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups.
PSG were without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, but that did not matter.
Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG's first-choice line-up was there.
DAY TO FORGET FOR MBAPPE
Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow.
The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place.
But the Spanish giants' front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG's domination.
Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range.
Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real 'keeper saved at the forward's feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball.
Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner.
Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition having been injured. That was a 35th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or.
It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half.
A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their net a minute later.
Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed early in the second half.
But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender.
PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in. — AFP
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PSG, Chelsea set for Club World Cup final
PSG, Chelsea set for Club World Cup final

Observer

time20 hours ago

  • Observer

PSG, Chelsea set for Club World Cup final

EAST RUTHERFORD: Paris St-Germain (PSG) will face Chelsea in the final of Fifa's revamped 32-team Club World Cup on Sunday, capping off a month-long tournament in the United States that, while sparking debates about the weather and calendar, has delivered drama akin to a nations' World Cup. The French and English sides, two of European football's most powerful and richest clubs, will compete for the honour of being the first champions of Fifa's expanded competition, created with the promise of revolutionising club football and as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The final, scheduled for midday at a sweltering MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, follows a tournament filled with surprises, including shock exits for Manchester City and Inter Milan at the hands of underdogs Al Hilal and Fluminense. PSG have been in scintillating form, winning seven of their last eight matches without conceding a single goal. Luis Enrique's side showcased their high-pressing, fast-paced, vertical style to devastating effect in a 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid in the semifinals. Two early turnovers, forced by PSG's relentless press, led to a commanding two-goal lead within nine minutes. The Parisians, fresh off their maiden Champions League triumph last month, are chasing their first world title. Manager Luis Enrique has revitalised the team, replacing departing stars Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe with a youthful, dynamic squad committed to his total football ethos. Midfield orchestrator Vitinha has been pivotal, while flying fullbacks Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi provide width and pace. Up front, Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembele has shone, delivering crucial goals and assists. PSG's defensive solidity has also been remarkable, with their high turnover rate - averaging seven per hour of play - proving instrumental throughout the competition. Luis Enrique, who has already experienced glory leading Barcelona to a treble a decade ago, has never lost a one-off club final, winning 11 of 11. Chelsea, meanwhile, have taken the longer road to the final, arriving in the US after winning Europe's third-tier Conference League following a sub-par domestic campaign in which they barely managed a top-four Premier League finish. Chelsea have rallied in the tournament and the final gives manager Enzo Maresca a chance for redemption after being questioned due to struggles with a squad that cost Chelsea over 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) in recent years. The mid-tournament addition of Joao Pedro has proven inspired, with the Brazilian forward netting twice in their semifinal win over his childhood team Fluminense. He has combined well with Cole Palmer in attack, while Chelsea's midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo has excelled at breaking up play and exploiting spaces. — Reuters

PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach CWC final
PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach CWC final

Observer

time2 days ago

  • Observer

PSG crush Real Madrid 4-0 to reach CWC final

EAST RUTHERFORD, United States: Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semifinals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea. Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York. The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique's side moved one game away from glory at FIFA's new tournament. Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May. "We are in a special season, a special moment, and we deserved to win," Luis Enrique told broadcaster DAZN before looking ahead to the final. "We are going to try, one more step against a good team like Chelsea. They did great, they performed the whole competition and now it is time for us to prepare for that... we want to make history in our club, and then take some holidays." After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real was striking. PSG's fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso. "We were not good enough today," said Alonso. "We are not the first ones to lose to them but we have a lot of different things to improve." Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club last year. The defeat is a real blow to Real as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups. PSG were without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, but that did not matter. Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG's first-choice line-up was there. DAY TO FORGET FOR MBAPPE Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow. The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place. But the Spanish giants' front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG's domination. Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range. Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real 'keeper saved at the forward's feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball. Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner. Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition having been injured. That was a 35th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or. It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half. A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their net a minute later. Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed early in the second half. But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender. PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in. — AFP

PSG set to face Chelsea in FIFA Club World Cup final after defeating Real Madrid 4-0
PSG set to face Chelsea in FIFA Club World Cup final after defeating Real Madrid 4-0

Times of Oman

time3 days ago

  • Times of Oman

PSG set to face Chelsea in FIFA Club World Cup final after defeating Real Madrid 4-0

New York: Paris Saint-Germain is set to face Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Sunday after claiming a commanding victory over Real Madrid away in a 4-0 semifinal win in New Jersey. UEFA Champions League winners PSG were 3-0 up after just 24 minutes, with two goals from Fabian Ruiz and an Ousmane Dembele strike putting the game beyond a woeful Madrid side, according to Ruiz and Dembele teamed up to score the game's first goal in the sixth minute, with Dembele able to steal the ball from Raul Asencio in the Madrid penalty area before Ruiz could complete the close-range shot, which they had both previously tested Thibaut Courtois. Dembele then doubled the lead just three minutes later when he dispossessed Antonio Rudiger and ran in unopposed to fire into the bottom corner. Luis Enrique's team was in complete control in New Jersey, and before the half-hour mark, they scored three goals. Ruiz's second goal of the match came when Achraf Hakimi squared for him at the end of a fluid play. It was likely that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have scored four as well, but he missed wide when in a good position just before halftime. PSG took their foot off the gas somewhat in the second period, though they were still able to keep Madrid at arm's length before capping their performance with a fine finish by substitute Ramos after Bradley Barcola found him. PSG outclassed the German champions Bayern Munich 2-0 in the quarterfinals. For Paris Saint-Germain, Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele scored the goals for their side in the 78th and in the stoppage time (90+6) minutes, respectively. During this game, two PSG players received red cards. In the 82nd minute, Willian Pacho was shown the red card, and a second one was given to Lucas Hernandez during stoppage time (90+2).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store