Paris Saint-Germain has advanced to the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals after securing a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. Goals from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele sealed the win for the French side, despite them finishing the match with only nine players on the pitch due to red cards shown to Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez. The match also saw an unfortunate incident where Bayern winger Jamal Musiala suffered an injury late in the first half following a collision with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Despite the dramatic circumstances of their win and facing suspensions for the upcoming semifinal, PSG appears to be a leading contender to claim the tournament title. They are set to face the winner of the Real Madrid versus Borussia Dortmund quarterfinal.
If any team is capable of preventing PSG from lifting the trophy, who is it? Let`s evaluate the prospects of the most likely candidates to challenge the Champions League winners in their quest for global success.
4. Borussia Dortmund
The German club faces a significant test against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, with the potential to meet PSG in the semifinals. Dortmund navigated a decent path to this stage, but their performance against Real Madrid will truly indicate their standing in this summer tournament. While they have shown capability, it seems improbable that they possess the quality to stop PSG in a potential clash. However, the return of Jobe Bellingham from suspension could offer a boost should they manage to overcome Real Madrid.
3. Fluminense
The Brazilian team has been one of the tournament`s pleasant surprises, notably eliminating Inter and Al-Hilal in the knockout rounds. Fluminense will play Chelsea in their semifinal and could only encounter PSG in the final. While PSG, under Luis Enrique, has demonstrated they are perhaps the strongest squad and would be favored in a final matchup, Fluminense`s resilience, having conceded just one goal in their last three games, suggests they have the potential to make it a competitive contest.
2. Chelsea
The English side secured their place in the Club World Cup semifinals following a dramatic 2-1 win against Palmeiras, decided by an own goal. Chelsea took an early lead through Cole Palmer, who scored a well-worked goal just 16 minutes in. They are generally expected to reach the final by defeating Fluminense, but a potential confrontation with PSG would be a significant challenge. Chelsea boasts considerable talent, but questions remain about the level of cohesion needed to overcome a top side like PSG.
1. Real Madrid
Without question, Real Madrid represents the most formidable potential opponent for PSG in this tournament. Should the team managed by Xabi Alonso defeat Borussia Dortmund in their quarterfinal, they will face PSG directly in the semifinal. Real Madrid is widely considered a co-favorite for the tournament alongside PSG. French superstar Kylian Mbappe recently made his debut in the competition against Juventus, returning from a bout of gastroenteritis. All eyes will be on the prolific La Liga top scorer as Real Madrid looks to secure a trophy in what is their final opportunity this season before the next campaign commences in August.
