Paris Saint-Germain produced a stunning 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid to set up a Club World Cup final against Chelsea.
Only a month on from beating Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final, Luis Enrique’s side delivered another statement performance which gives them the chance to cap an incredible season with a world title at New York’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
There was never any doubt they would claim their place in the final after a rampant 18-minute spell in the first half which began when a heavy touch from Raul Asencio inside the Real Madrid box allowed Ousmane Dembele to set up Fabian Ruiz’s sixth-minute opener.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates with Desire Doue
Three minutes later, a miskick from Asencio’s centre-back partner Antonio Rudiger allowed Dembele to race through on goal and coolly beat Thibaut Courtois to double Paris Saint-Germain’s lead.
Real Madrid were reeling and it got even worse for them when Ruiz added his second and Paris Saint-Germain’s third from Achraf Hakimi’s cut-back following a scintillating passing move.
Real Madrid, who lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury before the game, tried to regain a foothold by sending on Luka Modric for his final appearance for the club, but substitute Goncalo Ramos added a breakaway fourth to spark more Paris Saint-Germain celebrations.
Already European champions, Paris Saint-Germain will return to the MetLife Stadium on Sunday as strong favourites to win against Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea and add yet another piece of silverware having won a domestic double as well as the Champions League.
For Real Madrid and their new head coach Xabi Alonso, the challenge is to put an embarrassing end to their Club World Cup campaign behind them as they prepare for life after veteran midfielder Modric, who was saluted by team-mates and fans following the final whistle.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric made his final appearance before his exit from the club
Enrique backs Dembele for Ballon d’Or
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique lauded his side’s performance and praised Ousmane Dembele as he bolstered his Ballon d’Or hopes with a 35th goal of the season on his first start of the Club World Cup following his return from a thigh injury.
“I feel great,” Enrique told DAZN. “It’s difficult to play those kinds of matches against Real Madrid. I think we started the game very good and we’re happy with the performance.
“Especially in these conditions – it’s too much heat, for me. You need to play in different conditions to watch a better show but I think both teams did it great.
“We are in a special season, a special moment and I think we deserved to win.
Dembele took his goal coolly after pouncing on Antonio Rudiger’s error
Dembele’s goal was his 35th of the season in all competitions
“It’s the first match in this Club World Cup we can use Ousmane as a normal player because he was injured with the national team and we tried to take care of him. I think he’s the best player this season by a long way.
“He deserves to win everything because he gave everything to the team and the team is going to achieve trophies, which is the most important thing for a club.”
Of Sunday’s final against Chelsea, Enrique added: “We are going to try to win it. One more step against a good team like Chelsea. They performed the whole competition and now it’s time for us to prepare for that, try to recover.
“Almost there; we want to make history for our club and then it’s our holidays.”
Alonso: We have to learn from today
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso urged his players to take lessons from the heavy defeat and paid tribute to the departing Luka Modric.
“For sure we knew the task was really tough being 2-0 down against Paris after 10 minutes,” he told DAZN.
“At the moment the feeling is not the best but we have to try to learn from today.
“They are a team that have been building for two years and we are just starting. We have to take time but we have to learn.
Xabi Alonso hopes his side will take lessons from the defeat
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe made his first start of the tournament but struggled to make an impact
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham shows his dejection
“At the moment we need a proper break. This is not the beginning of this year; this is just the end of last season.
“After just three weeks here, I think we can take positives from this period. Not from today but we take lessons from today.
“I think we have not been the last ones to face such a good team. I think, since February, they are in a top moment and today we have faced one of the best teams in the world.
“Let’s see what happens in the final but they have shown a very good level. We want to be there but for sure it would take time.”
On Modric, he added: “It’s a bitter end for a last game but apart form that he’s been a legend of the club, a legend of football.
“I have been a team-mate, now his coach, but he’s a great guy so he is going to be remembered by everyone at Real Madrid.”
What’s next for PSG?
Paris Saint-Germain will take on Chelsea in Sunday’s Club World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium, with kick-off at 8pm.
