PSG sweep aside Atletico Madrid in Pasadena

-

PSG 4 - 0 Atletico Madrid

Champions League winners start Club World Cup with emphatic win

Author | Jack L

Stadium | Rose Bowl

Club World Cup | PSG 4 - 0 Atletico Madrid

Paris Saint-Germain made a commanding start to their first-ever Fifa Club World Cup campaign with a comfortable victory over Atletico Madrid in Pasadena.

The newly crowned European champions controlled proceedings from the outset in the sweltering California heat, dominating possession in front of a crowd of 80,619 at the iconic Rose Bowl. 

They had a remarkable 82.6% of the ball in the opening 15 minutes, setting the tone for what turned into a one-sided affair.

Fabian Ruiz opened the scoring with a precise low strike from the edge of the area, giving Jan Oblak no chance. Goncalo Ramos had several opportunities to extend the lead but was wasteful in front of goal, missing the target three times.

Vitinha doubled the advantage just before the break, gliding through the heart of the Atletico defence before finishing coolly past Oblak. The Slovenian goalkeeper was called into action again shortly after the interval, tipping Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s curling effort onto the crossbar to prevent further damage.

Julian Alvarez had the ball in the net soon after, but his goal was chalked off for a foul in the build-up by Koke on Desire Doue. Atletico’s hopes were all but extinguished with 12 minutes remaining when Clement Lenglet received a second yellow card for dissent, moments after Oblak appeared to be obstructed while trying to distribute the ball.

READ MORE | Club World Cup news and stories

READ MORE | Lionel Messi arrives at the Club World Cup

Diego Simeone’s side squandered a golden chance to reduce the deficit when substitute Alexander Sorloth somehow failed to convert from close range at the far post. PSG, by contrast, remained clinical. Senny Mayulu, fresh from scoring in last month’s Champions League final, added a third with a composed finish into the bottom corner on 87 minutes.

There was late drama as Ibrahim Mbaye struck the post, before Robin Le Normand was penalised for handball in added time following a VAR review. Lee Kang-in stepped up to slot home the resulting penalty, rounding off a resounding 4-0 win for the Parisians.

Who stood out for the European champions?

Vitinha continued his outstanding season with another impressive performance in the PSG midfield.  The 25-year-old scored a well-placed goal, showcasing his awareness and ambition by identifying a gap in the Atlético defense. He drove forward and calmly placed the ball past the outstretched arms of Oblak. 

There's a definite argument that he's the world's best midfielder now. Winning this competition would round off a remarkable campaign for both the player and his club.

Popular posts from this blog

Recap | 2025 Europa League Final

-
Image
This is the place for all the latest news from the Europa League final It's Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur. Who will save their season? Authors - Olivia T and Greg S Full-time | Manchester United 0 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur  Tottenham ended a 17-year trophy drought as Brennan Johnson's first-half goal secured a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final.  The result delivers on Ange Postecoglou’s promise of silverware in his second season.  In contrast, United’s defeat compounds pressure on Ruben Amorim, whose side face Aston Villa in their final league game after a dismal campaign. Despite support from the club's hierarchy, Amorim's tactical choices are under scrutiny, particularly the decision to start Mason Mount over Alejandro Garnacho. With Bruno Fernandes largely anonymous, United offered little creativity and never looked likely to recover once they fell behind. History of Manchester United in European finals GM Super News reports on how Uni...
Read more

Recap | Conference League final coverage

-
Image
Chelsea v Real Betis This is the place for the best news and stories from the 2025 Conference League Final Author | Lauren W Keep reading for updates from throughout the day and match. Chelsea fans display before kick off. The Chelsea party can start now  | Real Betis 1-4 Chelsea A fantastic second-half performance by Chelsea that has seen them score four goals. Moises Caicedo - who has started all 38 Premier League games this season - had a shot from the edge of the box that took a slight deflection on its way into the net. That has to be game over now  | Real Betis 1-3 Chelsea With seven minutes of left to play, Jadon Sancho has extended Chelsea's lead.  It was a goal delivered by the substitutes bench as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's ball bobbled into the path of Jadon Sancho. The player, who is still on loan from Manchester United, curled the ball beyond Adrian, probably sealing Chelsea's spot in the history books. They will be the only team to have won all four ma...
Read more

How does new signing Cunha fit into Manchester United's plans?

-
Image
A pivotal summer begins for Manchester United Manchester United enter the summer on the back of a bruising Europa League final defeat and one of their worst-ever Premier League campaigns.  Author | Liam C Under new head coach Rúben Amorim, the club faces a defining transfer window, one that could shape their trajectory for the next few years. Maybe even the next decade. Amorim has not shied away from speaking plainly about the scale of the task ahead. United are in urgent need of a reset, and this time, they cannot afford missteps. If the Portuguese coach is to succeed with his preferred 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation, the club must fully support him in the market. So where should they begin? Signing Matheus Cunha would be a strong statement of intent. The Brazilian forward was Wolverhampton Wanderers’ standout performer last season, combining work rate with end product. More importantly, he could help solve United’s long-standing attacking problems. United have struggled for goals a...
Read more