Paris Saint-Germain blew Real Madrid away with a 4–0 win in the Club World Cup semi-final, as Luis Enrique’s side punished a sluggish Madrid performance and booked a place in the final in ruthless fashion.

The tone was set inside six minutes when Fabian Ruiz rifled in the opener. Madrid barely had time to regroup before Ousmane Dembélé doubled the lead three minutes later. And when Ruiz struck again on 24 minutes, PSG were 3–0 up and cruising.

Xabi Alonso’s side never recovered. Despite starting Mbappé, Bellingham, Vinícius Jr., and Arda Güler, Madrid lacked intensity and cohesion. Enrique’s team controlled possession, cut through the midfield with ease, and looked sharper in every department.

Madrid showed flashes of fight through Valverde and Gonzalo, but Donnarumma remained mostly untested. In the final moments, substitute Gonçalo Ramos added a fourth, capping off a statement win for the Ligue 1 champions.

This was Alonso’s first major test since taking over and it exposed the gap between his ideas and execution. His tactical setup offered little resistance in midfield, and Madrid struggled to cope with PSG’s press and movement.

PSG advance to the final as favourites, while Madrid must regroup quickly.  A disappointing drop for a club of their stature, and a brutal reminder that Alonso’s project is still in its early days.

Written by Pejuola Ransome