The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in New Jersey is about to deliver another blockbuster all-European encounter as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid – winners of the last two UEFA Champions League titles – square off in Wednesday’s semi-final for a coveted spot in the final against either Chelsea or Fluminense.
Both teams arrive in the last four after felling Bundesliga powerhouses in the quarterfinals.
PSG stunned Bayern Munich 2-0 despite finishing with nine men, while Real Madrid weathered a late storm to hold off Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a nerve-jangling finish.
For PSG, this campaign has been about redemption and ruthlessness.
After a surprise stumble against Botafogo in the group stage, Luis Enrique’s men bounced back with three consecutive victories – all with clean sheets.
Their dismantling of Atletico Madrid 4-0 on matchday one set the tone, and their dominance continued with a clinical shutout of Bayern, achieved even after red cards to Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez.
That duo will now miss the semi-final, forcing Enrique to shuffle his backline, likely handing a start to Lucas Beraldo.
PSG’s season has been nothing short of electric.
The reigning European champions have now scored a jaw-dropping 164 goals across all competitions, including a 5-0 drubbing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final. Enrique, who won this competition with Barcelona in 2015, appears primed to repeat history a decade later.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, have quietly built momentum under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who replaced the legendary Carlo Ancelotti.
Though they opened their Club World Cup campaign with a lackluster draw against Al Hilal, Los Blancos found their rhythm with wins over Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg to top their group before eliminating Juventus and Dortmund in the knockouts.
But their path hasn’t been flawless. Against Dortmund, Madrid nearly let a 2-0 lead slip in stoppage time.
After Maximilian Beier briefly narrowed the gap, Kylian Mbappe responded with a spectacular overhead kick.
Yet chaos followed. Dean Huijsen conceded a penalty and was sent off, allowing Serhou Guirassy to pull another back. It took a world-class save from Thibaut Courtois in the 99th minute to deny Marcel Sabitzer and prevent extra time.
Huijsen’s red card adds to Real’s defensive dilemma, and his absence means Raul Asencio is likely to step in. Eder Militao is back from injury but may not be match-fit. Madrid’s defensive frailties could be exposed against a high-flying PSG attack.
Still, Madrid’s bench boasts firepower, with Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz, and Mbappe ready to pounce. But the spotlight may belong to 20-year-old Gonzalo Garcia, who has netted four goals in the competition and emerged as the tournament’s breakout star.
Achraf Hakimi will be another player to watch.
The former Real Madrid full-back has been on fire for PSG, registering goal contributions in three straight matches, including an assist against Bayern.
With Ousmane Dembele still not 100% fit despite returning as a substitute in the knockouts, Hakimi’s influence on the right flank could be decisive.
Content Source: www.dailysabah.com