PASADENA, Calif. — Paris Saint-Germain marked their entry into the Club World Cup with a decisive 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid at the historic Rose Bowl on Sunday. Still basking in the triumph of their inaugural Champions League title, secured with a 5-0 win against Inter Milan, PSG’s dominance on the field was undeniable.
In an electrifying atmosphere, witnessed by a crowd of 80,619 fans, PSG secured their lead with first-half goals from Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha. The match, hosted at the same venue as the 1994 World Cup final, was a highlight of the Club World Cup’s debut 32-team tournament. It was a demonstration of PSG’s prowess, adding yet another accolade to their treble-winning season.
The game took a pivotal turn for Atlético when Clément Lenglet was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 78th minute, triggering visible frustration from Atlético’s coach, Diego Simeone, at questionable refereeing and his team’s performance. On the PSG side, Ousmane Dembélé was absent due to a reported quadriceps injury, with Gonçalo Ramos stepping in as the single lineup change from their Champions League final.
Under the 31-degree Celsius California sun, PSG manager Luis Enrique maintained a casual touchline presence in shorts, uncomplicated by the temperature, as he marshaled his team. PSG controlled the match from the outset, and in the 19th minute, Ruiz seized an opportunity at the penalty area, deftly finding the far corner against Jan Oblak.
Vitinha extended PSG’s advantage with a well-timed goal in injury time, assisted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s impressive playmaking. Although Julián Alvarez appeared to bring Atlético back in contention in the second half, the goal was nullified due to a foul identified by VAR.
An error-prone moment for Atlético arrived when Alexander Sørloth missed a critical chance on an open net. PSG wrapped up their victory with Senny Mayulu’s goal shortly thereafter, and a final-minute penalty by Lee Kang-in cemented their triumph.
A key highlight of the match was goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s vital save against a shot by Thomas Griezmann, which preserved PSG’s confidence before Vitinha’s decisive breakaway goal.
PSG’s sharpness was evident throughout the match, boding well for their chances of advancing from the group stage, having overcome a formidable adversary. In contrast, Atlético appeared fatigued and gathered seven yellow cards, a concern for future fixtures. Moving forward, Atlético remains the favored side for the next matchups, though they will play under the cloud of limited leniency for errors.
Post-match, Enrique emphasized the tournament as an opportunity for the team to make history, expressing satisfaction with their performance. Atlético midfielder Koke acknowledged the sending-off as a turning point, stating that while the team faced a challenging match, PSG’s superiority was transparent, leaving no room for controversy over the scoreline.