Revenge fuels PSG, Dortmund

NEW YORK, USA. Five European clubs made the quarterfinal stage of the Fifa Club World Cup but only one of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund can reach the tournament final.

The quartet are on one end of the tournament draw in quest for the title to be awarded at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 13.

Hence the painful route must be found when PSG meets Bayern in a quarterfinal meeting at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before Real faces Dortmund at MetLife tonight.

The winners from both matches in the second semifinal at MetLife on Wednesday and that implies, there’s just so much at stake.

PSG are reigning European champions after defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the Uefa Champions League final in Munich, Germany early last month.

PSG coach Luis Enrique admitted their season began last July and here they are, still in quest for silverware. And surely, it must be worth the mile.

The French champions have lost and conceded once, a 1-0 group stage defeat to Brazilian club Botafogo yet PSG has dispatched Atletico Madrid 4-0, Seattle Sounders 2-0 and then 4-0 against Inter Miami at the last 16 stage.

It means PSG has scored 10 times and let in one here in the USA yet lead talisman Ousmane Dembele only came on in the second half against Inter Miami following a layoff.

PSG’s standout fixture against Bayern was the 2020 Champions League which they lost 1-0 thanks to Kingsley Coman’s goal. Revenge is on their minds, albeit trading carefully.

“At this stage of the competition, it will be difficult no matter who the opponent is,” Enrique said. He won the Club World Cup title with Barcelona in 2015.

On the other side, Bayern has been flying especially in front of goal. They too lost 1-0 to Benfica in the group stage but defeated Auckland City 10-0, Boca Juniors 2-1 and they humbled Brazilian club Flamengo 4-2 at the last 16.

Three Bayern players Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise have each netted thrice with Vincent Kompany’s side on 16 goals in four matches.

That average of four goals per match will be tested by PSG’s solid backline comprising centre-backs Willian Pacho and Marquinhos as well as Lucas Hernández and Achraf Hakimi.

“We have to believe (we can win the Club World Cup) for sure. We’re going up against a tough opponent in the next round, no doubt Champions League winners,” remarked Kane, who struck 38 goals for the club across all competitions last season.

“We have to be ready for that but we feel like on our day we can beat anyone. It would be a dream come true to go all the way and win it but there's games before that,” he added.

PSG’s midfield trio of João Neves, Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz will battle to control the proceedings against Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka with backing from Olise, Coman and Serge Gnabry.

Ahead, PSG is buoyed by the return of Dembele who will hope to exploit spaces through channels and pace on the flanks with youngster Désiré Doué.

Like PSG, Dortmund hopes it finds its revenge too against Real, who beat them 5-2 in the Champions League in Madrid last October.

Months prior still, Real had defeated Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League final too. The Black and Yellow relied on Serhou Guirassy’s brace to eliminate Mexican side Monterrey 2-1 at the last 16.

Yet, Real, like PSG, have played for the greater part without lead striker Kylian Mbappe who was struggling with a stomach flu. Real ejected Juventus 1-0 with youngster Gonzalo Garcia netting his third goal in four games at the tournament.

Mbappe returned to play for the first time in the tournament against Juventus. “I think day by day he will get better, and by the time of the quarters, he should be in much better shape. We’ll keep checking in with him every day,” Real manager Xabi Alonso said of Mbappe.

 Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham will miss facing his elder brother Jude Bellingham after he picked a second yellow card of the tournament against Monterrey.

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

QUARTERFINAL FIXTURES

Saturday 

PSG vs. Bayern, 7pm

Real vs. Dortmund, 11pm