By Andrea Caropreso
Index
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We’ve reached the final stages of the Club World Cup after the quarterfinals have also been wrapped up. Advancing to the next round are Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG, and Fluminense—the last South American team left in the competition. The Brazilians defeated Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal at the end of a match that opened up in the second half. Now the bracket sets up a clash with Maresca’s Chelsea, while the other side features another big match: Real Madrid vs PSG.
Chelsea and Fluminense Among the Final Four
In different ways, both Chelsea and Fluminense find themselves among the top 4 in the Club World Cup. A predictable result for the Blues, but perhaps less so for Fortaluppi’s squad. The Brazilians secured a 2–1 win over Al-Hilal, confirming themselves as a defensively solid side with excellent offensive qualities—highlighted by Martinelli’s spectacular goal that opened the match. The game ended with controversy, as a potential penalty for Koulibaly went uncalled, which could have leveled the match 2–2 and pushed it into extra time.
The match between Palmeiras and Chelsea unfolded differently. The spotlight was on two stars who had been quiet up to that point in the tournament: Palmer and Estevão. The Englishman broke the deadlock with a beautiful left-footed strike into the corner, setting the match in Chelsea’s favor. But it was Estevão—Chelsea-bound—who responded with a goal to equalize. However, luck sided with the English in the end, as a deflected shot (later ruled an own goal) gave Maresca’s team the winning edge and secured their spot in the Club World Cup semifinals.
Unstoppable PSG, Real Madrid Next
On the other side of the bracket, European champions PSG faced a high-level opponent in Bayern Munich. The Germans, especially in the first half, created several chances but failed to capitalize. A fatal flaw when playing against a well-oiled machine like Luis Enrique’s PSG. In the second half, a mistake by Kane with 15 minutes to go led to a deadly counterattack finished by Doue.
The same counterattacking scheme led to PSG’s 2–0 in the final moments despite being down to nine men, with a brilliant play from Hakimi assisting Dembélé. The Frenchman dedicated his goal to the late Diogo Jota. Bayern, once again, exit the Club World Cup, maintaining their reputation as a powerful yet flawed force. Noteworthy is the serious injury to Musiala, who risks five months out after a collision with Donnarumma.
Despite the 3–2 scoreline, things were relatively smooth for Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid. The Blancos opened the scoring with Gonzalo García—having an excellent Club World Cup—and doubled their lead with Fran García shortly after. In the second half, everything seemed to be going well until Borussia scored to cut the lead to 2–1, reigniting their hopes. Then Mbappé struck with a stunning bicycle kick to make it 3–1 and seemingly put the game to bed. But that wasn’t the end. Huijsen fouled Guirassy in the box, earning a red card and conceding a penalty. The former Stuttgart striker converted to make it 3–2. In the dying seconds, Courtois made a spectacular save to deny Sabitzer the equalizer. Now, in the Club World Cup Real Madrid face PSG.
