GOAL US writers discuss what to expect in the CWC finals – outcomes as expected, or surprises in store for the last four?
The Club World Cup semifinals have arrived, and we have a duo of compelling matches on our hands.
On one side is PSG-Real Madrid, two European heavyweights in different iterations of themselves. PSG are the best team in the world at the moment. Madrid are revamping, rebuilding, and rebranding. Based on those facts alone, and it would be a no-brainer.
But this is Real Madrid, and they always seem to find a way to turn it on for the big games.
And on the other is Fluminense, a heartwarming Brazilian team, against Chelsea, an evil capitalist entity, who can't stop spending money (or some might say). It's hard to imagine anyone not favoring Chelsea blue will be rooting for the English club, but they are certainly favorites – even if that means taking on the villain role they used to embody so well.
Perhaps it would have been ideal for the four best teams in the world to be in the CWC semifinals, but beggars can't be choosers and there is certainly intrigue here.
Are we careening to a PSG-Chelsea final? Will Real Madrid's voodoo return? And can Thiago Silva conjure one more defensive masterclass?
GOAL US writers break it all down in the Club World Cup semifinal edition of… .
AFPWho wins Madrid vs PSG?
Tom Hindle: PSG, and quite comfortably. Madrid are still in the beta-testing phase of their team, and aren't quite clicking yet. They have no real midfield and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be given actual nightmares by PSG's switchable wingers. The Parisians did themselves no favors by getting a couple late reds against Bayern, but they have the depth to make up for it. Lucas Beraldo next to Marquinhos? They will be just fine.
Jacob Schneider: With PSG shorthanded defensively, Madrid win. With Kylian Mbappe now in the mix, it's expected that he will start. Without both Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez, PSG will fall to the Spanish outfit. That said, with Ousmane Dembele back and healthy, it will be interesting to see if PSG's attack can make up for their defensive shortcomings.
Alex Labidou: First off, praise the football gods for teeing this up. Call it a guess, but if there's ever been a match Mbappe is up for (outside of the World Cup he won in 2018), this is likely it. Mbappe's breakup with PSG is among one of the most drama-filled departures in recent memory. In fact, the Real Madrid star is still very much in a legal battle with his former club over millions of dollars he is claiming he's owed. If there was ever a chance to send a message, this is it. Fully expect Real Madrid and their French star to be fired up – and Madrid will narrowly defeat the European champs.
AdvertisementAFPWho wins Fluminense vs Chelsea?
TH: It really be Chelsea based on quality, budget and level of performance so far. But why not Fluminense, who could quite easily grab an early goal and dig in for 90 minutes? Throw in the fact that Chelsea will have to figure out how to play without Liam Delap – and will run out a semi-fit Reece James – and the pieces are here for an upset. Believe.
JS: Chelsea should advance, especially with Moises Caicedo back in the mix after missing their quarterfinal match. James is reportedly healthy and available for selection, which only bolsters their odds. For Fluminense, though, anything is possible – and this run has been nothing short of miraculous.
AL: Fluminese have been the one of the Cinderella stories of this tournament. Try not getting chills over the recently-released video of Thiago Silva firing up his teammates. But that story ends in the semifinals. After years of being mismanaged and languishing in irrelevance, Chelsea are back. And they have shown how potent they can be in this tournament. It will help that the Blues have already faced two Brazilian sides in the CWC, and that should ultimately serve them well here. Chelsea 2-0 and on to the final.
gettyWho will be the biggest difference maker?
TH: Jude Bellingham, if he decides he wants to play football again. It has been a rough tournament for the Englishman, and a talismanic showing here would give Madrid a far better chance. It would also be pretty handy if Alexander-Arnold could learn how to defend in the next 48 hours.
JS: For Madrid, it's Mbappe if he is back and healthy, while for Luis Enrique and PSG, the same goes for Dembele. Chelsea, meanwhile, will be without new star Liam Delap, so all eyes are on striker Nicolas Jackson – who has two red cards in his last three appearances across all competitions. Can he redeem himself? For Fluminense, it's Thiago "El Monstro" Silva. The 40-year-old veteran has captained them this far, and now he comes up against his former team from London. There's your storyline.
AL: This is a tough one but let's go with Antonio Rüdiger. With Dean Huijsen being sent off and unavailable for the semis, it's up to the German to keep things at bay with whomever he will be paired with against PSG. Rüdiger is arguably one of the world's top three defenders when it comes to marking and aerial prowess, but he's been known to lose his head – as he did in Madrid's Copa final last season. Xabi Alonso can ill-afford a repeat against PSG or Los Blancos will miss out on the CWC final.
Getty Images SportHow shocking would it be to have a Brazilian team in the final?
TH: It would be absolutely massive. If there is one thing that this tournament has proved, it is that South American football simply has to be taken seriously. They have already made something of a case with a couple of upsets and a semifinal berth. What's one more win?
JS: It would be a big wake-up call for how South American football is viewed, in general. The teams have started spending more and more in recent years, and it's starting to pay off. If Fluminense can manage the upset, it would put Serie A in Brazil on the map.
AL: It would be extraordinary considering the pride and quality shown by these sides, but its difficult to imagine Fluminese getting past Chelsea, let alone beating either PSG or Real Madrid. If they do it, the world should take notice and pay more attention to competitions such as the Copa Libertadores.
