Paris Saint-Germain have made a powerful start to their Club World Cup campaign. The French giants thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a dominant display on Sunday.
This emphatic win came at the Rose Bowl, the iconic venue of the 1994 World Cup final. The Club World Cup clash was PSG’s first outing since their historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final on 31 May.
PSG Dominate Club World Cup in the Heat
The heat in California was intense, reaching 31 degrees Celsius. However, it was Atletico Madrid who felt the burn on the pitch. PSG outclassed them in every department.
Luis Enrique made just one change to his side from the UEFA Champions League final. With Ousmane Dembele out injured, Goncalo Ramos came into the starting line-up. Enrique himself kept cool on the sidelines, wearing shorts and a training shirt.
PSG controlled the tempo from the outset. Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a well-placed strike. The Spanish midfielder has long been admired by Atletico, but he made them regret not signing him.
Vitinha Shines as Atletico Struggle
Just before half-time, Vitinha doubled PSG’s lead. He slipped past the Atletico defence and finished calmly. It was a crushing blow to Diego Simeone’s side, who had just seen Antoine Griezmann denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma moments earlier.
Vitinha ran the midfield throughout the match. Speaking to DAZN afterwards, he said: “We did a very good game, it is difficult with this temperature. We did well against a tough team; we controlled the game. We are happy with the result.”
He added, “I think every single player showed their best quality to the team.”
Luis Enrique was also full of praise. “As a coach, I am happy. Great to feel that love [from the stadium]. We are happy and want to continue with our ways.”
Atletico’s Frustration Boils Over
Atletico Madrid thought they had pulled one back in the second half. Julian Alvarez found the net, but VAR intervened. Koke had fouled Desire Doue in the build-up, and the goal was disallowed.
The match went from bad to worse for Atletico. Clement Lenglet received a second yellow card in the 78th minute and was sent off. Diego Simeone looked furious as mistakes piled up.
Alexander Sorloth then missed an open goal in the 82nd minute. The error left Simeone on his knees in disbelief. It summed up a frustrating day for the Spanish side.
Mayulu and Lee Add Late Goals
PSG were not done yet. Senny Mayulu added a third goal five minutes after Sorloth’s miss. The 19-year-old took his chance with composure.
In stoppage time, PSG were awarded a penalty. Robin Le Normand handled the ball inside the box. Lee Kang-in stepped up and converted with confidence to make it 4-0.
The result was a clear message to the rest of the Club World Cup field. PSG are here to win. Their slick passing and clinical finishing made a major statement.
Bayern Munich Crushes Auckland City
Earlier on Sunday, Bayern Munich produced a record-breaking performance at the FIFA Club World Cup. They demolished New Zealand’s Auckland City 10-0 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jamal Musiala (6.52) was the star of the show. The 22-year-old came off the bench in the 61st minute. He scored three goals in just 17 minutes, marking his return from injury in style.
Thomas Muller, Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise each scored twice. Bayern were 1-0 up within six minutes and never looked back. They had 17 shots on target compared to Auckland’s one.
Musiala’s goals came in the 67th, 73rd (a penalty), and 84th minutes. It was his first appearance since 4 April, following a hamstring injury.
Despite the scoreline, much of the attention was on the fans. A crowd of 21,152 turned out, many of whom displayed a huge red-and-white banner. It read: “10 Years Baur Au Lac – World Football Is More Poorly Governed than Before! Smash FIFA!”
This was a clear reference to the 2015 corruption scandal that rocked world soccer. The banner accused FIFA of failing to improve governance. The message echoed long-standing criticism of the game’s leadership.
Eyes on the Prize
Both PSG and Bayern Munich have shown they are ready for a deep run in this new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup format. PSG’s win over Atletico Madrid was as efficient as it was stylish.
For fans interested in online sports betting, both teams have shown why they are among the favourites. Their early performances suggest they could meet later in the tournament. A potential clash between these giants would be box office.
With world-class stars and dominant form, PSG and Bayern have thrown down the gauntlet. As the competition progresses, they will be the ones to watch.
