Loading...
The FIFA Club World Cup semifinals conclude with a clash between European champions Paris Saint-Germain and the mighty Real Madrid. Only 1 team will prevail to reach the finals, but it won’t be easy for either side.
Catch all the action happening tomorrow at 3 PM ET, but only after analyzing my picks for the game to see if they’re something you want to fade or follow!
PSG is the team to beat, earning a closet full of silverware this season, including the French Ligue 1 title, the French Cup and the UEFA Champions League. If we look at how they performed in the Club World Cup up to this point, the Parisians breezed over Atletico Madrid with a 3-1 victory on matchday 1 of the group stage. Their only loss in recent months has been 1-0 to Botafogo, but the team’s final 2-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders secured them the top spot in Group B.
Their first playoff match in the Round of 16 was a walkover, defeating Leo Messi’s Inter Miami 4-0, but Bayern Munich was a different story in the quarter-finals. However, the Parisians progressed relatively unscathed in a 2-0 victory to knock out the German giants. Now may be their toughest test yet as they take on the trophy-hungry Real Madrid, a team that hardly falters at these stages.
Ousmane Dembélé finished his Ligue 1 run in 1st place for most goals scored with 21 in 29 games. He finally recovered from injury and found the back of the net in his first game back against Bayern Munich. Teammate Bradley Barcola concluded the Ligue 1 season with 14 goals, while Goncalo Ramos netted 10 in just 22 games. PSG has spread out their goals in this tourney, with the likes of Achraf Hakimi and João Neves leading the charge with 2 goals apiece. Vitinha boasts 1 goal and 1 assist, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia racked up 2 assists and 1 goal so far in the campaign. I predict he’ll score his second crucial goal of the tourney, considering how many shots he’s put up in the tournament.
Real Madrid still have a lot to prove in this Club World Cup, as they finished 2nd in La Liga with 84 points, a +40 goal differential, and a 26-6-6 record, with their only acquired trophies being the UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup. So far, there isn’t much to complain about in the FIFA Club World Cup under the new management of Xabi Alonso.
Their start was slightly rocky, drawing Al-Hilal 1-1 before recording a 3-1 win over Pachuca. The final day of group stage play saw Madrid take home a 3-0 win against RB Salzburg, allowing them to move on to the Round of 16 as Group H’s top seed.
Their next challenge in the Round of 16 was Juventus, and the Royal Whites proceeded with a close 1-0 win to face off against Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinal. Madrid led the game 2-0 for 90 minutes before the Germans netted a 90+2” goal to pull it back 2-1. Right after, Kylian Mbappé stretched the lead 3-1, Serhou Guirassy scored a 90+8” penalty to make the game close on the scoreline although ultimately ending 3-2 in favor of Madrid.
Both Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé led their team in goals through the UEFA Champions League campaign, with 8 and 7 goals apiece, and Mbappe finally netted his first goal of the tournament after coming on as a late sub against Dortmund. Frederico Valverde has had a spectacular run so far from the midfield, scoring 2 crucial goals in the tournament, while Jude Bellingham has 1 goal and 1 assist to his name. Striker Gonzalo Garcia currently leads the tournament with 4 goals in 5 games, and offers a lethal substitute for Kylian Mbappé when he’s not on the pitch.
Mbappe led the La Liga season in goal scoring to take home the Spanish Pichichi award with 31 goals, and now that he’s broken the ice with his first Club World Cup goal and overcame his stomach-related issues, I predict he’ll get the ball rolling with another vital goal before the end of the match.
It’s a truly exciting matchup as 2 of the biggest clubs in world football meet in a highly anticipated clash to determine which side earns a spot in the Club World Cup Final. While Real Madrid undoubtedly have a good chance of overcoming PSG compared to others, the French side has been toying with their opponents on the pitch, and their interplay is otherworldly this season.
Kvaratskhelia is bound to score another goal with how incredible he’s playing off the wing, and only the likes of Kylian Mbappé can rival PSG’s undeniable goal-scoring threats with another goal tonight. Anything can happen, but I’m certain the Parisians will move on to the finals, looking to win their 4th piece of major silverware this season alone.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.