PSG Humiliate Madrid
PSG Humiliate Madrid as Fabián Ruiz Shines with a Brace

Before the semi-final, PSG boss Luis Enrique summed up the weight of the clash perfectly: “Playing against Real Madrid is a joy. It always has been and always will be, because you’re playing against the most decorated club in world football,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

Having once led Barcelona to three wins in six El Clásicos during his coaching spell, Luis Enrique has history with Los Blancos — not as an enemy, but as a former Madrid player himself. He spent five seasons in the Spanish capital before switching to Catalunya. But that was over 20 years ago.

Now on the opposite touchline stood the ambitious Xabi Alonso. Still strange to see him not in a kit, Alonso is learning fast as a coach. Ironically, Luis Enrique once managed the treble-winning Barça side that steamrolled Bayern Munich, where Alonso tried and failed to hold the midfield.

But that was the past. At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, two elite teams came out swinging — with no room for mistakes. For the first time in the tournament, both sides started their top scorers: Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé led the PSG frontline. With Willian Pacho suspended, Lucas Beraldo stepped in for the Parisians, while Real Madrid again trusted academy talent Gonzalo García, making his sixth straight start.

Xabi Alonso had plans, but injuries and suspensions forced adjustments. No Dean Huijsen, no Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Englishman picked up a knock in training, and Huijsen was suspended. Federico Valverde was pushed into an unfamiliar right-back role, while the erratic Raúl Asensio partnered Antonio Rüdiger at the heart of defense.

Against a finely tuned PSG machine, those gaps were brutally exposed. The first warning came just six minutes in. A simple miscontrol by Asensio and — boom — Dembélé was on him. The winger was brought down by Courtois, but the ball rolled to Fabián Ruiz, who finished into the empty net.

What followed was total chaos. Just four minutes later, Rüdiger was caught dawdling, again by Dembélé, who made no mistake one-on-one with Courtois. By the 25th minute, it was 3-0 — Ruiz again, this time assisted by Achraf Hakimi.

Social media had been buzzing pre-match with headlines like “A final before the final” and “Alonso’s true test.” But on the pitch, it was a demolition job — and Luis Enrique was driving the bulldozer.

Madrid fans were stunned. This was the team that shut out Harry Kane, Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi and even Mbappé earlier in the tournament — yet conceded their only goal to Botafogo’s Igor Jesus. Was it a fluke? Or just a reminder of Brazilian flair?

Any hope of a comeback was killed off late in the second half when Gonçalo Ramos made it 4–0, delivering the final blow.

Now PSG march into the Club World Cup final with full momentum. They’ve already claimed Ligue 1, the French Cup, the Super Cup, and the Champions League. Adding a CWC title would cap off an already historic season. Sure, there won’t be much rest before the next campaign — but these moments are worth every drop of sweat.

As for Real Madrid, they’ve got a lot to reflect on. With Mbappé now wearing white, having just switched from PSG, the rebuild must start immediately.

Published by Patrick Jane
10.07.2025