AFCON 2025
The “boys” have been separated from the “men” as the FIFA Club World Cup gets to its latter stages. Real Madrid will take on reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in one of the semi-final clashes at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Paris Saint-Germain have arguably been the best team in the tournament so far, despite suffering a shocking defeat to Botafogo in the group stage. Luis Enrique’s men have shown superior quality and resilience as they knocked out Messi’s Inter Miami and Bayern Munich en route to the last four.
Real Madrid have grown into the tournament after Al Hilal held Xabi Alonso’s side to a one-all draw in their match. Los Blancos have gone ahead to dispatch Salzburg, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund, leading up to the semi-final.
The blockbuster clash comes at the right time, especially for neutrals, as PSG look to continue an incredible run from last season, while Real Madrid hope to begin the Xabi Alonso era by defending their Club World Cup title.
This post highlights three reasons why Real Madrid can send PSG out of the competition.
3 reasons why Real Madrid can knock PSG out of the Club World Cup
1. Fiery Attacking Prowess
Real Madrid’s attacking trident or options are as potent as those of PSG, if not more. It is interesting to note that neither Kylian Mbappe nor Vinicius Jr has lit up the tournament for Los Blancos. However, a certain Gonzalo Garcia has taken many by surprise. The 21-year-old striker has four goals in five matches so far, and he’s the top scorer in the tournament with an assist as well. Gonzalo Garcia’s performance is a testament to Real Madrid’s depth in quality, and Xabi Alonso has given young players that opportunity to excel in less than two months on his job.
2. Defensive Vulnerabilities
With the absence of Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez in defense for PSG, Real Madrid will look to exploit the void with the speed of Vinicius Jr, the brilliant positioning of Garcia, and the creativity of Jude Bellingham behind them. Pacho and Hernadez received red cards in the quarter-final fixture against Bayern Munich. The return of Kylian Mbappe also boosts Real Madrid’s options. The Frenchman returns after a brief illness and scored a brilliant goal against Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final.
3. Psychological Edge
Real Madrid have a better psychological edge over PSG, having won the FIFA Club World Cup five times. They also have a better head-to-head record over the French Champions in recent meetings. Los Blancos have won six of their previous fourteen matches against the European champions. The last victory was a 3-2 aggregate win over PSG in the 2022 Champions League.
