Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain delivered a statement performance in their Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, dismantling Real Madrid 4–0 in a high-profile reunion with former star Kylian Mbappe. The emphatic win at MetLife Stadium near New York sets up a blockbuster final against Chelsea.
PSG stunned Real early, with Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele netting within the opening nine minutes, silencing much of the 77,542-strong, mostly pro-Madrid crowd. Ruiz added a second before half-time, and Goncalo Ramos capped the rout with a late fourth, as Luis Enrique’s side marched one step closer to lifting FIFA’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup.
Victory on Sunday would crown a historic campaign for the Parisians, who claimed the Ligue 1 title and their first-ever UEFA Champions League crown in May—blowing away Inter Milan 5–0 in what became the biggest margin of victory in European Cup final history.
After brushing aside Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, PSG’s dominance over Real was just as ruthless. Their slick, fluid style stood in sharp contrast to Madrid, who looked disjointed under new coach Xabi Alonso. In his first game against PSG since leaving the club last year, Mbappe—France’s all-time top scorer and PSG’s former talisman—was largely anonymous.
Madrid had hoped to add the new Club World Cup trophy to their record 15 European Cups, but their performance in New Jersey raised serious questions. Mbappe, who scored 256 goals for PSG before his move to Spain, found no joy against his former side, as Paris demonstrated they may be stronger without him.
Despite the absence of suspended defender Willian Pacho, PSG barely missed a beat. Lucas Beraldo seamlessly slotted into the back line, while the rest of Luis Enrique’s first-choice XI took control from the outset.
It was a day to forget for Real Madrid. Already missing suspended defender Dean Huijsen and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alonso opted to start young forward Gonzalo Garcia alongside Mbappe and Vinicius Junior up front. But the trio struggled against PSG’s disciplined press and defensive structure.
Real keeper Thibaut Courtois did his best to keep the score respectable, producing brilliant saves in the opening minutes to deny Ruiz and Nuno Mendes. But he could do little to stop Dembele from opening the scoring in the sixth minute after Raul Asencio’s defensive error. Courtois saved Dembele’s initial effort, but Ruiz converted the rebound.
Three minutes later, Dembele doubled the lead, capitalizing on a misplaced pass from Antonio Rudiger to race through and finish clinically—his 34th club goal since August, and another reminder of his Ballon d’Or credentials.
Madrid’s misery deepened midway through the first half. After a PSG attack led to Donnarumma collecting a tame Mbappe shot, Paris launched a lightning counter. Dembele found Achraf Hakimi on the right, and his cutback was calmly slotted in by Ruiz, who held off Fede Valverde with ease.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly added a fourth before the break, while Desire Doue had a goal ruled out for offside early in the second half. With the result all but sealed, Alonso substituted Jude Bellingham and Vinicius shortly after the hour—a clear white flag.
PSG added the final touch in the 87th minute, as substitute Bradley Barcola set up Ramos, who turned smartly and rifled the ball home.
With a dominant semifinal win and momentum on their side, PSG now face Chelsea in what could be the crowning achievement of a historic treble-winning season.
AFP
