The lessons Xabi Alonso will have to learn as Real Madrid humbled by imperious PSG | OneFootball

Is it too soon to call this “vintage PSG”? This iteration of the Parisian giants has only really begun to come into effect over the last eight months. But after watching the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Inter Milan fall to their brilliance in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain demonstrated their ability as a giant-killer on the global stage.

The mighty Real Madrid, one of the Club World Cup’s biggest draws to the American audience, were their latest victims.

To say that Xabi Alonso has been given a reality check in the Real hot seat might be a bit of a stretch. The levels between the side he’s inherited and the footballing powerhouse sculpted by Luis Enrique was apparent before a ball was kick. But if the former midfield maestro has his own hopes of “modernising” at the Estadio Bernabeu, he has a long way to go before the Galacticos can scratch the surface of what has been created in Paris.

There isn’t a point on the pitch where PSG have something to be desired. They are a fully-functioning, faultless football machine. Nasser Al-Khelaifi has poured billions into this team, but it’s now - without the reliance of obvious superstars for their identity - that PSG are truly worldbeaters. They’re already champions of Europe, an accolade considered their holy grail, and lifting the Club World Cup will only feel like a double stamp for their quality. At Chelsea’s expense, that eventuality almost feels inevitable.

But to get to the final, PSG had to beat the game’s superpower - football’s equivalent of the United States. And contrary to the widespread apathy expressed for the competition from across the pond, this rightfully felt like a high-stakes game from the outset. A sea of white inside the MetLife Stadium, the atmosphere was electric, and both sides started in what felt like a purposeful bid to keep it that way.

There was intent from both attacking forces, Real Madrid registering their first effort of the match inside 74 seconds before Thibaut Courtois was called into drastic action moments later. Two outstanding saves, the first tipping Fabian Ruiz’s curling effort around the post before denying the on-rushing Nuno Mendes from point-blank range in near-impossible fashion. But there was only so long the big Belgian, who was the hero against Borussia Dortmund in the quarters, could hold back the tide.

open image in gallery

(Getty Images)

In this sweltering heat, Real Madrid were in hell against the PSG press. Raul Asencio was caught dawdling over a clearance in his own box and was robbed of the ball by Ousmane Dembele, who after rounding Courtois - and being brought down in the process - had Fabian on hand to tap into the open net.

It was a similar story three minutes later. Asencio’s centre-back partner Antonio Rudiger completely fluffs a back-pass, his trademark erraticness coming back to bite him as Dembele, once again, pounced. By the time the German had the time to look up from halfway, Dembele was away with only one outcome in the script. Tucking neatly past Courtois into the bottom-left corner, PSG’s talisman made it 35 goals for the season.

Two goals down inside 10 minutes, Real Madrid tried to show signs of life, fearing they could face the same brutal fate that Inter Milan experienced in Munich. They naturally turned to PSG old boy Kylian Mbappe, now embroiled in a court case over unpaid wages with his former employer, to be the difference maker. Dancing into the box past two of his ex-teammates, he tries to get a meaningful shot away but is thwarted by imperious captain Marquinhos, who celebrates his intervention like a goal. Today was not going to Mbappe’s day.

open image in gallery

(Getty Images)

And it wasn’t long until PSG had more to celebrate. Delightful one-touch passing between Achraf Hakimi, Doue and Dembele orchestrates an opportunity for the marauding Moroccan to be set free down the right, with Fabian waiting in the box. The Spaniard doesn’t rush things upon receiving the cross, allowing the desperately backtracking Federico Valverde to overrun himself before producing a delicate finish. Ridiculously good football and PSG were out of sight, all before the water break.

Behind Donnarumma’s goal, the small designated section of hardcore PSG fans were completely surrounded by stunned white shirts in their seats. No surprise they were the only ones making the noise now. Outnumbered or not, this PSG side do not need a “12th man” to do the business.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had been punishing Real’s right-side in trademark maverick fashion throughout the contest, bullying an out-of-position Valverde whose misfortune found him matched against the Georgian. Trent Alexander-Arnold, watching from the stands after missing the contest through injury, would have struggled to fare much better.

open image in gallery

Trent Alexander-Arnold avoided the test of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as he missed out with injury (Getty Images)

But it was Dembele who exploited the left flank for what appeared to be PSG’s fourth just two minutes after the restart, only for his run to be adjudged just offside. The unpredictable malleability of Enrique’s front-three makes them that much harder to handle, adding to the supreme individual quality each of Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Doue.

A momentary reprieve this was for Real, the damage had already been done. Their second-half substitutions indicated that the towel had been thrown in by Alonso, who brought off Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham and replaced them with veterans Luka Modric, 40, and Dani Carvajal, who returned from an ACL tear just 10 days ago after spending 268 on the treatment table. Against PSG’s all-action incarnation, this felt like a death sentence for the two bona fide Madrid legends, with this being as Modric’s final act in white before ending his glittering 13-year stay.

There was no recovering this for Real Madrid. It had felt like that since the sixth minute, with substitute Goncalo Ramos compounding Real’s woes in the late stages to, this time, make it four. Just like teammate Dembele before him, he celebrated by honouring the passing of friend and international teammate Diogo Jota, recreating his now-synonymous PlayStation celebration. At 4-0, the referee saw no need for any stoppage time - an act out of mercy.

open image in gallery

(Getty Images)

Another example made of a European giant, Enrique further justified his philosophical transformation in Paris, one that was allowed to kick into motion by Mbappe’s exit to Madrid. The focus on the collective over the individual is apparent and overtly effective. It’s an approach Xabi Alonso seemingly wants to emulate, as he ponders his new star-studded “dream team” ending the season trophyless.

For PSG, a quadruple could be on the way. Chelsea have gritted their way to the Club World Cup final, in part thanks to the fact they avoided the heavily stacked side of the draw that included the European champions as well as Real, Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Enzo Maresca can escape them no further. And after watching the latest heavyweight sparked out cold by Parisian power, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the ambitious Blues will be hoping for a miracle come Sunday afternoon in the States.