A frightening level of attacking soccer shown by PSG ended up being very dominant against Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Club World Cup, with an unforgettable 4-0 thrashing at the MetLife Stadium, leaving Chelsea extremely cautious ahead of next Sunday's big decider.
The three-forward line-up meant that Xabi Alonso completely lost control of the midfield, a wrong decision that was confirmed after just two minutes. Fabián Ruiz had the job of pushing the ball into an empty net with only six minutes left after Asensio lost control of the ball in the box, with Dembélé stealing in and splitting Courtois before finishing.
Giving in to the pressure of possession, Real Madrid conceded again in the 9th minute, with Dembélé stealing the ball from Rudiger to shoot into the attacking half and beat the opposing goalkeeper. The Whites tried to adopt a more aggressive stance by pushing their lines too far forward, but the strategy didn't work either and the one-sided victory turned into a rout before the half-hour mark.
Trying to apply completely disorganized pressure, Real Madrid offered plenty of space for the French to transition quickly. In a great combination down the right flank, Hakimi received Dembélé and took off as a free runner to find Fabián Ruiz, who turned very well in the area and hit Courtois' corner.
Trying to apply completely disorganized pressure, Real Madrid offered plenty of space for the French to transition quickly. In a great combination down the right flank, Hakimi received Dembélé and took off as a free runner to find Fabián Ruiz, who turned very well in the area and hit Courtois' corner.
PSG controlled Real Madrid from start to finish
A summary of the game: PSG crushed Real Madrid with a technical, tactical and physical performance, securing a place in the Club World Cup final against Chelsea, while Real Madrid were largely dominated from the first minutes. With the great win, PSG advance to the final, where they will face Chelsea, who eliminated Fluminense.