Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) launched their maiden FIFA Club World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside 10-man Atletico Madrid with a commanding 4-0 win in scorching conditions at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.
Roared on by a crowd of 80,619, the newly crowned European champions wasted no time asserting dominance, holding an eye-watering 82.6% possession in the opening 15 minutes of the game.
Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring with a clinical low drive from the edge of the box, setting the tone for the French champions. Despite a string of missed chances by Portuguese forward Goncalo Ramos, PSG doubled their lead just before half-time when Vitinha danced through the Atletico defence and calmly slotted past Jan Oblak.
The second half began with more PSG pressure, as Oblak had to tip Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s curling strike onto the bar to prevent further damage. Julian Alvarez briefly thought he had made it 3-0, but the goal was chalked off after VAR spotted a foul by Koke on Desire Doue.
Atletico’s night went from bad to worse in the 78th minute when Clement Lenglet received a second yellow card for dissent after a bizarre moment where Oblak was obstructed while attempting to roll out the ball, a moment that sparked confusion and frustration on the Spanish bench.
Diego Simeone’s men had a golden opportunity to claw one back, but Alexander Sorloth somehow missed an open goal from just a few yards out.
PSG capitalised late on, with substitute Senny Mayulu, who scored in last month’s UEFA Champions League final, adding a third with a sharp finish in the 87th minute.
There was more drama in added time as Ibrahim Mbaye hit the post before VAR penalised Atletico defender Robin le Normand for handball. South Korean star Lee Kang-in stepped up and coolly converted the penalty to seal a dominant performance.
What’s Next
The result sends a strong message from PSG, who are looking to cap off their historic season by conquering the world stage. For Atletico Madrid, a regrouping will be vital as they look to bounce back in their next Club World Cup fixture.
