European champions Paris Saint-Germain delivered a footballing masterclass on Wednesday night, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 at MetLife Stadium to book their place in the Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
In a match that reunited the Parisians with former star Kylian Mbappé, it was Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz who stole the spotlight, scoring twice in a ruthless display that left the Spanish giants reeling. Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos were also on target as Luis Enrique’s side outclassed Real in every department.
PSG struck early, silencing a largely pro-Madrid crowd of 77,542 in New Jersey. Ruiz opened the scoring in the 6th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error before Dembélé doubled the advantage just three minutes later. Real never recovered from the early blows, with Ruiz adding his second and PSG’s third midway through the first half.
The much-anticipated first encounter between Mbappé and his former club since his high-profile exit last year proved anticlimactic. The France captain, making his first start of the tournament after illness, struggled to influence proceedings as PSG’s slick attacking unit took center stage.
Real Madrid, led by new coach Xabi Alonso, looked disjointed and unable to match the tempo set by their French opponents. The absence of key defenders Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold only deepened the defensive frailties.
Even the reliable Thibaut Courtois, who made two excellent saves in the opening minutes, could do little to stem the onslaught. PSG’s final goal came three minutes from time, as Ramos collected a Bradley Barcola pass, turned sharply, and fired home.
Victory over Chelsea on Sunday would complete a historic treble for Paris Saint-Germain, who lifted their maiden UEFA Champions League title earlier this year, followed by the French league crown. Having already dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 and brushed aside Atletico Madrid in earlier rounds, the Paris club has now established itself as the team to beat on the world stage.
For Real Madrid, the defeat marks a bitter end to their hopes of securing the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup trophy to add to their record haul of 15 European Cups.
Luis Enrique’s men, operating with the poise and precision of a seasoned machine, now turn their focus to Chelsea, with continental supremacy in their sights.
