Paris Saint‑Germain crushed Real Madrid 4‑0 in the Club World Cup semifinal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, marching into the final against Chelsea.
Big-Ticket Highlights:
Explosive start: After just six minutes, Fabian Ruiz capitalized on a defensive blunder to slot home. PSG extended their advantage in the ninth minute when Ousmane Dembélé capitalized on another defensive lapse to slot home a composed finish.
Dominant first-half display: Ruiz bagged his second in the 24th minute, following an incisive Hakimi run down the right flank. At halftime, PSG were 3‑0 up, completely overwhelming Madrid.
Late flourish: Substitute Gonçalo Ramos sealed a 4‑0 rout with a goal three minutes from time.
Star Performers:
Fabian Ruiz: Two clinical first-half finishes earned him man‑of‑the‑match honors.
Ousmane Dembélé: Returned from injury to assist in the first goal and score the second, proving pivotal under Luis Enrique’s system.
PSG employed high pressing and fluid attack, exposing Real’s shaky defense—a backline breached by early errors from Asencio and Rüdiger.
Real Madrid, under new boss Xabi Alonso, reverted to a fragile four‑man defense after missing key defenders and couldn’t cope with PSG’s intensity.
Ruiz commended his teammates, noting, ‘Despite the intense heat, we delivered an impressive performance together.
Alonso acknowledged the learning curve: “We’ll have to try to learn from today… it will take time.”
PSG will face Chelsea in the final this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, aiming to cap off a historic season that already includes Ligue 1, the national cup, and the Champions League titles.
This commanding 4‑0 victory underscores PSG’s ruthless momentum and tactical cohesion under Luis Enrique, while Madrid returns to the drawing board after a humbling defeat.