Three things we learned as PSG demolish Atlético Madrid 4-0 | OneFootball

Just two weeks after winning the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history, Paris Saint-Germain were back in action, making their debut in the FIFA Club World Cup against Atlético de Madrid. The two sides had met back in November, when Atlético won 2-1 at the Parc des Princes. However, a lot has changed for Les Parisiens in that time, and they enter this tournament as one of the clear favourites.

Signs that clubs are taking the tournament seriously?

It was impossible to guess how seriously teams were going to take the revamped Club World Cup ahead of the first ball being kicked. The competition comes at the end of a long season, and teams could very easily approach these matches as glorified friendlies in half-empty stadiums. However, the opening signs were that Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone were going to lend some credibility to the competition.

Both managers fielded strong lineups, with Luis Enrique making only one change from the side that defeated Internazionale Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final, as Gonçalo Ramos came in for Ousamane Dembélé. However, the pace of the game perhaps revealed that a lot of work still needs to be done before the Club World Cup is a credible rival to UEFA’s flagship club tournament.

PSG moved the ball around well, but there was none of the usual zip that accompanies their game. It all felt slower, in part because of the Californian heat, which likely tempered some of the intensity that these two teams would usually be able to muster when meeting in the Champions League. And the result was that while glamorous names were on the field, the pre-season friendly vibe couldn’t be shaken.

PSG’s midfield light up Rose Bowl

Like when they met in November, Atlético sat back and looked to hit on the break in the first half, ceding complete control of the ball to PSG. It was a game plan that looked completely ill-suited to a team who have come on leaps and bounds since the Champions League league phase. This is no longer the misfiring squad that looked in December to be on the cusp of elimination from the tournament they eventually went on to win.

PSG’s midfield was in full control from the first whistle as they were allowed to orchestrate the match, taking 77% possession in the first half. Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabián Ruiz flitted around the pitch like a whirling dervish, forcing Atlético’s block into uncomfortable positions as they kept testing and teasing and trying to create little errors. It was no surprise that the turning point in the match would come from one of these three players.

Fabián Ruiz would score the opener in the 19th minute. A wonderful strike from outside the box would slip past Jan Oblak. Vitinha would follow in the first half stoppage time, after he was allowed to drift into the box from deep, before powering home. It had been total control from PSG on the pitch, and by the half-time whistle, that was also reflected on the scoreline.

A pitch-perfect debut

For Atlético, there was a change at half time, and they came out with far more vigour. They managed to get the ball in the back of the net from a Julián Alvarez strike, but that was ruled off by the referee following consultation with VAR. The game had a classic Simeone edge to it, but small fouls and complaints ultimately worked against them, as Clement Lenglet picked up a second yellow after the referee took exception to some furious words.

From there, any lingering doubt over the result was squashed. Atlético had struggled with 11 men, but with the man disadvantage, PSG could tighten their grip on the game. The 19-year-old Senny Mayulu scored in the 87th minute, and then in the 97th Lee Kang-in put away a penalty before the final whistle was blown and the La Liga outfit were given their reprieve.

PSG rarely had to move out of second gear at the Rose Bowl in a statement victory over European rivals. It was exactly the start that Luis Enrique would have envisioned for his club in their Club World Cup debut. It might be a brand new competition for Les Parisiens, but the result for this all-conquering side was very familiar.

GFFN | Nick Hartland