Paris, Florida – Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) delivered a football masterclass on Wednesday, routing Real Madrid 4-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final. Fabian Ruiz struck twice, while Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos added late goals to seal PSG's spot in the final against Chelsea.
PSG set the tone early with three goals inside 24 minutes. Ruiz opened the scoring in the 6th minute after capitalizing on Lucas Beraldo's mis-hit cross and a tipped save by Thibaut Courtois. Dembélé then seized on a defensive error by Antonio Rüdiger, dribbled past the backline and slotted home in the 9th minute. Ruiz completed his brace in the 24th minute, finishing a swift counterattack sparked by Hakimi and Dembélé's slick exchange.
The first half ended with PSG in command, enjoying 76.5% possession and exploiting gaps in Real's defense, which was missing Dean Huijsen (suspended) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (injured). Real's Kylian Mbappe was not a threat in his first game against his former team. Manager Carlo Ancelotti introduced Luka Modric and Eder Militao after 64 minutes, but PSG's rhythm never wavered.
Gonçalo Ramos wrapped up the victory in the 87th minute, tapping in from close range after sustained pressure. With this emphatic win, PSG now looks ahead to Sunday's final against Chelsea, aiming to add the Club World Cup trophy to their maiden Champions League title. For Real Madrid, the loss raises fresh questions about squad depth and rotation as they regroup for the Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
