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A brace from Fabian Ruiz, a trademark strike by Dembélé, and a late goal by Ramos seal the deal for Luis Enrique’s men, who will now face Maresca’s Chelsea in the final.
Luis Enrique’s PSG dismantled Real Madrid with a dominant 4-0 win in the second semifinal of the Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium. The French champions controlled the game from start to finish, powered by a devastating first half, and booked their spot in the final against Chelsea. It’s the chance to put the cherry on top of an already legendary season for Paris.
The Match
The opening 45 minutes were a Parisian monologue. PSG came out flying, creating two clear-cut chances within the first five minutes—both denied by a sharp Courtois—before taking the lead in the 6th minute. Asencio fell asleep in the box and gifted the ball to Dembélé, who was brought down by Courtois. The referee wisely played the advantage as the ball rolled to Fabian Ruiz, who slotted into an empty net.
Just three minutes later, PSG’s high press struck again. This time it was Rudiger who cracked under pressure, losing the ball to Dembélé on the edge of the box. The winger pounced and made it 2-0 with ease.
Down two goals inside just nine minutes, Real Madrid tried to respond but lacked both clarity and cohesion. PSG, on the other hand, stayed ruthless. In the 24th minute, Fabian Ruiz completed his brace with a perfectly timed run onto a Hakimi assist. At 3-0, the game was virtually over before the half-hour mark.
The tempo dropped after the break, but the dynamic remained unchanged: Madrid disorganized and toothless, PSG threatening on the counter. The only real chance for Los Blancos came in the 86th minute, when Militao’s weak shot was easily saved by Donnarumma. At the 90th minute, the Parisians added a fourth, as substitute Barcola set up Gonzalo Ramos with a brilliant move to make it 4-0.
PSG now head to the final against Chelsea, dreaming of a historic five-trophy season, having already secured Ligue 1, the French Cup, French Super Cup, and the Champions League. For Real, it’s a heavy loss—the first of the Xabi Alonso era—and one that raises serious questions ahead of next season.
Post-Match Reactions
Luis Enrique (PSG):
“I’m feeling great. It’s always tough facing a team like Real Madrid, but we started off brilliantly. It was an important performance, especially given the heat. Dembélé? He’s finding top form—he’s an exceptional weapon for us. Now we’re one step away: against Chelsea, we want to make PSG history.”
Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid):
“That start killed us. Being down two goals after 10 minutes made everything harder. This loss hurts, but we have to stay composed. We’re just beginning our journey, and tonight was a clear reminder of how much work lies ahead.”
Match Summary
Club World Cup – Semifinal
PSG 4–0 Real Madrid
Scorers: 6’ & 24’ Fabian Ruiz (PSG), 9’ Dembélé (PSG), 90’ G. Ramos (PSG)
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Courtois; Valverde, Rudiger, Asencio (64’ Militao), F. Garcia; Tchouameni, Arda Güler (82’ Lucas Vazquez), Bellingham (64’ Modric); Vinicius Jr. (64’ Brahim Diaz), G. Garcia (70’ Carvajal), Mbappé.
Coach: Xabi Alonso
PSG (4-3-3):
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Nuno Mendes (79’ Kang-In Lee); Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz (65’ Zaire Emery); Doue (65’ Mayulu), Dembélé (58’ G. Ramos), Kvaratskhelia (58’ Barcola).
Coach: Luis Enrique
Bookings: Tchouameni (28’), Joao Neves (48’), Carvajal (73’)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
Final (Sunday)
PSG vs Chelsea – MetLife Stadium, 3:00 PM local time (9:00 PM CET)
