In a commanding display at MetLife Stadium, Paris Saint-Germain, under the guidance of coach Luis Enrique, delivered a stunning 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid, effectively “baptising” Xabi Alonso in his role as Madrid’s manager.
The emphatic victory secured PSG’s place in the FIFA Club World Cup final against Chelsea, setting the stage for a historic showdown.
From the outset, Luis Enrique’s side dominated, racing to a two-goal lead within just nine minutes—both goals capitalizing on costly defensive errors by Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio and Antonio Rudiger. Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring with a clinical finish after Asencio’s mistake, followed swiftly by Ousmane Dembele exploiting Rudiger’s blunder to double the advantage.
The third goal was a testament to PSG’s quality rather than Madrid’s missteps, with Ruiz again finding the net through a powerful strike that left Alonso’s team reeling. Goncalo Ramos sealed the rout late in the 87th minute, marking Madrid’s heaviest defeat of the season.
Luis Enrique, who coached Kylian Mbappe during the French star’s turbulent final season at PSG, maintained focus on the team’s collective performance rather than individual narratives. Mbappe, now on Madrid’s books, was unable to impact the game, as PSG’s defense, led by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, remained resolute and secured a fifth clean sheet in six tournament matches.
Post-match, Enrique praised his squad’s professionalism and resilience under challenging conditions, highlighting Dembele’s influential role and Fabian Ruiz’s perfect performance. He emphasized the significance of the victory as a step toward making history for PSG, who are aiming to add the Club World Cup to their recent UEFA Champions League triumph.
For Alonso, the defeat was a harsh baptism in his managerial career at Real Madrid, underscoring the challenges ahead as PSG’s tactical mastery and clinical execution exposed vulnerabilities in the Spanish giants.
PSG now prepare to face Chelsea in the final on Sunday, with Luis Enrique confident his team can continue their remarkable run and secure another prestigious troph