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PSG maul Madrid to set up Chelsea final
Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Real Madrid C.F.
Goals: Fabian Ruiz (6, 24), Ousmane Dembele (9), Goncalo Ramos (87)
Paris Saint-Germain have set up a mouth-watering FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ final with Chelsea FC after putting on a MetLife masterclass against Real Madrid C. F.
The highly-anticipated decider between the two European giants will take place in this same impressive arena on Sunday, 13 July.
In this blockbuster semi-final, PSG were 3-0 up by the half-hour mark, with Fabian Ruiz scoring either side of a breakaway goal from the returning Ousmane Dembele. Their victory was capped with a Goncalo Ramos effort three minutes from time.
Despite Kylian Mbappe making his first start in the global showpiece, Madrid were unable to mount a comeback. It was not the return that the French forward had expected against his former club.
PSG are now just one win away from a quadruple of trophies, having won the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and UEFA Champions League this season.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso had been forced to shuffle his defence, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold out of the squad after reportedly suffering muscle discomfort in training, and Raul Asencio in for suspended Dean Huijsen.
Those changes seemed to unsettle Los Merengues, and it was mistakes by Asencio and fellow centre-back Antonio Rudiger that led to PSG taking a 2-0 lead within just nine minutes.
The European champions broke the deadlock in six minutes when Ruiz pounced on a loose ball in the area after an error from Asencio and slotted the ball in the net. That lead was quickly doubled when Rudiger lost control of the ball near the halfway line and Dembele — who was also making his first start of the global showpiece — raced in on goal and placed the ball past the helpless Thibaut Courtois.
Already reeling, Madrid were left utterly shell-shocked when PSG launched another lightning-quick break in the 24th minute and Ruiz scored his second goal of the game with some ease.
The Spanish giants tried to muster a comeback after the break but PSG further extended their lead in the 87th minute through substitute Ramos, who turned and finished smartly after some intricate approach play.
With Madrid's exit, their veteran midfielder Luka Modric has now played his final game for the club. The Croatian icon was given a huge ovation at the MetLife Stadium when he came on as a second-half substitute.
Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match
Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain)
Quotes
"I try to help the team. Knowing that I’ve helped the team, I’m happy to have scored two goals in a Club World Cup semi-final. I try to do my best, do what the coach asks of me, and I’m very fortunate to be able to play for this club. Now we want to finish the tournament in the best possible way and add another trophy."
Fabian Ruiz, PSG midfielder
“I feel great. It’s always difficult to play this kind of match against Real Madrid. I think we started the game very well. I am very happy with this performance. We are in a special season, a special moment, and I think we deserved to win. We have one more step against a very good team like Chelsea. Now it’s time to prepare. We want to make history for our club."
Luis Enrique, PSG coach
“They always start very strong, pressing high. We didn’t quite manage to do what the coach told us — to keep possession and try to play our game. They found the free man very well and created a lot of danger. The first two goals shaped the game, and it’s a tough defeat, but also an opportunity to learn. We’re halfway through the process and still have a lot of work to do to reach their level.”
Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid goalkeeper
"Today's result didn't go our way, but the important thing is to keep working hard. They [PSG] are already well-coordinated, as you can see from their season. They're a young team with the will to win. They're showing this with their collective play. We saw clearly today how strong they are. Congratulations to them."
Militao, Real Madrid defender
"The start of the match had a big impact for us. We wanted a well-managed start, knowing we were up against a very strong opponent. By the 10th minute, the game had already become very difficult for us, and that’s a sign that we still have a lot of work to do. Conceding two early goals demands a lot more from you — you know you can’t lose your balance because they have a very high level. There’s a lot to analyze and learn from today’s defeat.”
Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid coach
Stats
- Fabian Ruiz, who joined PSG from Napoli in 2022, has scored multiple goals in a game for the club for the first time.
- PSG’s last six victories have all come without conceding a goal.
- Ousmane Dembele scored his 35th goal of the campaign - his previous highest total was 14.
