Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has promised a fresh start next season, after his side suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat to European champions PSG on Wednesday.
Fabian Ruiz (2), Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos netted in a dominant display by the French side, securing a convincing win in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal.
Los Blancos were without both of their summer acquisitions, Dean Huijsen who was serving a suspension following his sending off in the quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who suffered an injury in training.
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Xabi Alonso, took the reins ahead of the tournament in the United States after replacing Carlo Ancelotti, switched to a four-man defence ahead of the clash, departing from the five-man defence that had been preferred earlier in the competition.
However, the plan backfired as PSG exploited Real Madrid’s defensive vulnerabilities, scoring twice within the game’s opening ten minutes from defensive mistakes.
“We were two goals down and we couldn’t find our footing,” Alonso said. “It was a painful defeat, we must admit that we were not up to standard today.
We had some shortcomings at some points and sometimes it’s good to see our mistakes and you can draw lessons for the future.
We start a new age after a break, with fresh mindset and we want to build a team that plays as a unit, with everyone playing together … we were one match away and it’s painful and let’s see what happens now”, he continued.
An error by Raul Asencio in the Madrid box early in the game allowed Fabian Ruiz to give the European champions the lead in the sixth minute.
Ousmane Dembele pounced on another error from Antonio Rudiger, before slotting past Thibaut Courtois to double PSG’s lead.
A brilliant team move later in the half ended with Ruiz scoring his second of the game and the French side’s third goal, before substitute Goncalo Ramos added a fourth in the second half to complete the rout.
PSG, once again, delivered a statement win and advance to the final of the competition, where they will face Chelsea on Sunday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
