Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid preview: Team news, line-ups & prediction | OneFootball

MetLife Stadium forms the backdrop for a mouth-watering 2025 Club World Cup semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappe could line up against his former club for the first time since leaving his homeland for Spain after making his tournament debut in the quarter-finals.

PSG will be out to maintain their dream run under Luis Enrique and build on their momentous treble-winning 2024/25 campaign.

Fans in East Rutherford could be in for a spectacle as the two European heavyweights face each other for the first time since Los Blancos’ memorable comeback in the 2021/22 Champions League last-16.

New European superpower

Plenty has changed for PSG since that heartbreaking loss, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Mbappe making way for a new generation of stars, led by Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue.

Both players were on the scoresheet as nine-man PSG overcame Bayern Munich in a titanic quarter-final tie to make it to the last four in their maiden tournament appearance.

Except for a stunning 1-0 defeat to Botafogo in the group stage, it’s been a flawless Club World Cup run for Les Parisiens as they’ve won all four remaining games ‘to nil’ and via multi-goal margins.

Enrique’s side kick-started their North American journey with a 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid and rounded off their group-stage campaign with a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders.

Messi’s Inter Miami were on the receiving end of a 4-0 scoreline in the first knockout round, with all four goals coming before half-time.

That has been a theme for PSG lately. Three of their last four outings saw all match goals arrive inside one half and the winning team keep a clean sheet, highlighting the importance of drawing first blood.

Beginning of a new era

Xabi Alonso’s era is taking shape in North America as Los Blancos seek redemption for a trophyless season under new Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Despite going unbeaten in all five Club World Cup fixtures, conviction has been missing, with Madrid narrowly edging out Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in the previous knockout rounds.

While waiting for Mbappe to regain full fitness, Alonso may have found a new hero in 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia – the joint-leading goalscorer with four goals, three of which served to open the scoring.

Los Merengues haven’t taken this tournament lightly, as witnessed by a promised bonus to each player for returning home with the trophy, with a €1 million prize sweetening the incentive to secure world glory.

Madrid have won this tournament a record five times, most recently in 2022, but locking down a final berth won’t be simple against the reigning Champions League holders.

The record-time La Liga champions narrowly lead the head-to-head charts with five victories to PSG’s four across their 12 previous encounters.

Team News

In addition to long-term absentee Nordi Mukiele, PSG will be without Lucas Hernandez and Willian Pacho after Anthony Taylor sent them off in the quarter-finals.

Enrique will have the rest of his star-studded squad fit for this meeting, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembele, who may get the nod in attack at the expense of Bradley Barcola.

Meanwhile, Mbappe made his mark against Dortmund, scoring off the bench in his first-ever Club World Cup appearance, and will likely lead the line from the first minute at MetLife Stadium.

However, Alonso cannot count on Dean Huijsen, who picked up a late red card against the Germans, as well as the injured trio David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick.

PSG vs Real Madrid potential starting line-ups

PSG (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nuno Mendes, Beraldo, Marquinhos, Hakimi; Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Doue, Dembele.

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rudiger, F. Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Guler, Bellingham; G. Garcia, Vinicius Junior.

Prediction

It takes a brave man to bet against PSG, even though Los Blancos stand on the other side.

Despite Alonso’s five-game unbeaten start, Les Parisiens are in far better shape and look well-positioned to even the all-time head-to-head record against Madrid.

PSG to win.