Two of Europe’s biggest heavyweights, Real Madrid and PSG, are going up against each other for a spot in the final of the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup. Both teams have been sensational so far in the tournament, and this promises to be a mouth-watering affair.
PSG kick-started their campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid. While they did suffer a shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of Botafogo, a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders helped them secure the top spot in Group B.
Les Parisiens smashed Inter Miami in the round of 16 before getting the better of Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals to set up this meeting with Los Blancos. They will be hoping for a similar performance to the one they put up last time out.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid started their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal, but wins over CF Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg helped them finish top of their group. They secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Juventus in the round of 16 before getting the better of Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
While it was a clinical performance against the German club, the Merengues did struggle a touch towards the very end of the game and ended up conceding twice in a matter of minutes. They will be hoping to keep things tighter at the back against the French giants, who have one of the best attacks in the world. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Luis Enrique’s team will be without the services of Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez as the pair were sent off in their last outing. Apart from the defensive duo, everyone else is expected to be available for selection.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League winners will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Gianluigi Donnarumma will be in goal. Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes will continue to feature as the full-backs, while Marquinhos should pair up with Lucas Beraldo in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Joao Neves will be the defensive midfielder, and he will have the support of Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure they have the majority of the ball.
Ousmane Dembele is unlikely to be risked from the start despite having made substitute appearances in the recent fixtures. Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should feature on the flanks with Desire Doue leading the line for PSG against Real Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Lucas Beraldo, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz; Barcola, Doue, Kvaratskhelia
The team in white do not have any fresh injury concerns, but they did receive a massive blow in their last outing when Dean Huijsen was sent off at the very end of the game. They will be without the Spanish international for this fixture. Apart from Huijsen, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy are still unavailable.
Xabi Alonso will go ahead with the 4-3-3 formation that will function like a 3-5-2 in possession. Thibaut Courtois will be in goal for the team in white. Fran Garcia and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio should partner with Antonio Rudiger in the central defensive partnership.
In the centre of the park, Aurelien Tchouameni will be the defensive midfielder, and he will have Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham in his support. They will look to ensure the PSG midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Arda Guler and Vinicius Junior could feature on the flanks, with the tournament’s top scorer Gonzalo Garcia likely to lead the line for Real Madrid against PSG. Kylian Mbappe will once again make a substitute appearance.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Asencio, Fran Garcia; Tchouameni, Bellingham, Valverde; Guler, Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
While Vinicius Junior has a goal and an assist in his five Club World Cup outings, he has not been as effective as Xabi Alonso would like him to be. The 24-year-old is far from his best, and the Spanish manager will hope he can bring his A game to the table against PSG.
Given the kind of talent he has, the Brazilian can certainly have a big say in the end result of the game. If he fails to hit top gear in this fixture, Los Blancos might struggle to go past the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League winners.This semi-final clash between PSG and Real Madrid has all the makings of a classic, with both teams stacked with world-class talent and playing some of their best football. The Ligue 1 giants have been clinical throughout the tournament and come into this fixture high on confidence.
Despite being without two key defenders, their attacking unit remains dangerous, and if Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola find space on the flanks, they could cause Madrid plenty of problems. However, Real Madrid’s experience at this stage of major tournaments could give them the edge.
Xabi Alonso’s men have been defensively solid, and even though they showed late lapses against Dortmund, the overall performance was commanding. With Jude Bellingham pulling the strings in midfield and the electric Gonzalo Garcia in top form up front, Los Blancos might just have enough firepower to edge out the French champions in what promises to be a high-octane contest. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 3-2 win for the team in white.
