PSG and Real Madrid will play their match for the Club World Cup semi-finals on July 9 at MetLife Stadium in New York.
Facts
- These two teams have faced each other 13 times, with Real Madrid winning seven matches, PSG taking four, and the other two ending in draws.
- Real Madrid is unbeaten in the FCWC, having won four matches and drawn one. Three games have ended with both teams scoring.
- Paris Saint-Germain have suffered just one defeat in five games, and all of them have ended with BTTS: No.
- Just two PSG games ended with over 2.5 goals, both 4-0 victories.
Betting Tip: PSG - Real Madrid
These two have been the two best European teams in this tournament, and they will face each other in what is shaping up to be an excellent semi-final. They have 14 European titles between them, with the Parisians storming through the tournament and Real Madrid aiming to kickstart a new era with a trophy.
Both teams will be missing crucial defenders, but their attacking talent remains. We expect a thrilling contest, and our pick is the BTTS & Over 2,5 Goals combo.
- Prediction: BTTS & Over 2.5
- Odds: 1.85 (at the time of writing)
- Stake: 6
PSG
Paris Saint-Germain overcame German giants Bayern Munich 2-0 in a hard-fought quarter-final to reach this stage. The Bavarians were the better side in the first half, coming close to breaking the deadlock, but Italian goalkeeper Donnarumma kept a clean sheet for his team for the fourth time in this tournament.
The second half saw PSG take the upper hand, aided by the two injury-induced substitutions for Bayern, and the Parisians took the lead in the 78th minute with a standout performance from Doue.
The game turned even wilder after that, as Pacho (82’) and Hernandez (90+2’) were sent off for PSG. Both players received a straight red and will miss the semi-final. Despite that, and with only nine men in the field, Paris Saint-Germain managed to score a second goal, this time with usual suspect Ousmane Dembele, with right back Hakimi providing the assist.
PSG has been riding high after winning the Champions League, and the confidence has propelled them to the semifinals with relative ease. They have conceded just once in the tournament, in the surprise group stage loss to Botafogo.
They can score at will, as usual, and new players step up in seemingly every game. Despite that, Luis Enrique is tasked with replacing crucial contributors who will be absent from the semi-final game.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid managed to eke out a 3-2 win against Borussia Dortmund in a quarter-final that captivated spectators. The Spaniards took an early 2-0 lead in the 20th minute, thanks to a goal by 20-year-old starlet Gonzalo Garcia (his fourth in the competition), who is rapidly earning playing time, and another by defender Fran Garcia.
A number of substitutions in the second half brought the tempo down for most of the remainder of the game, but everything changed during stoppage time.
Dortmund scored in the 90+3rd minute before Kylian Mbappe doubled his team’s lead, only for newly arrived Real defender Huijsen to commit a penalty and allow Dortmund to cut the lead down to 1 goal before the end. Huijsen received a red card and will miss the semi-final.
Real Madrid continues unbeaten in the tournament, having scored 11 times. Three of their games have ended with BTTS. Gonzalo Garcia has been a pleasant surprise, while new arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold is off to a positive start, assisting for the second straight game.
Antonio Rudiger is optimistic about this game, while recognising that PSG are a very talented team. If Los Blancos advance to the final, it will be the sixth such occasion in their history, having won the trophy in each of the previous five, when the competition was played in a different format.
