As the quarter-finals of FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup approach, all eyes are on Saturday’s clash between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Bayern Munich—a tie that could well determine the eventual champions of this new global competition.
While Real Madrid remain contenders, the Spanish side are still settling under new manager Xabi Alonso and must first navigate a challenging tie against Borussia Dortmund in New Jersey. In contrast, PSG arrive in the United States full of confidence, having lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy in Munich at the end of May. Despite a stumble against Brazil’s Botafogo during the group stage, Luis Enrique’s men advanced with relative ease to the knockout rounds.
Bayern Munich finished second in their group behind Benfica, but their commanding 4-2 win over Flamengo in the round of 16 — with Harry Kane netting twice — suggests the German champions are hitting their stride. Under new coach Vincent Kompany, Bayern have now scored 16 goals across four matches in the tournament, and are clearly eager to redeem themselves after their Champions League disappointment. Their European campaign ended at the quarter-final stage, losing to Inter Milan — a team PSG thrashed 5-0 in the final.
Reflecting on the form of their French rivals, Kompany said, “We followed PSG’s season with interest. It was an impressive journey — they weren’t flawless at the beginning, and despite criticism, they kept pushing and believing. But that doesn’t change our focus. We’re here to win.”
Victory in this competition would cap a strong debut year in charge for Kompany, who reclaimed the Bundesliga title with Bayern after Bayer Leverkusen’s triumph the previous season.
While PSG were crowned kings of Europe, Bayern defeated them 1-0 in the Champions League group stage last November — a result that could boost the Germans’ confidence ahead of Saturday’s tie.
Speaking ahead of the match, Kane, who has scored 41 goals in 50 club appearances since last August, said: “We need to channel our energy and confidence into this game. It won’t be easy, but when we’re at our best, we believe we can beat anyone.”
For PSG, who lost to Bayern in the 2020 Champions League final, the hunger for redemption and global glory remains strong. Their 4-0 demolition of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the last 16 underlines their ambition to add a world title to their domestic and continental trophies.
“We’re having a historic season and want to carry that into this tournament,” said coach Luis Enrique. “Our goal is to reach the final, but there’s still a lot of work ahead. We have to get through two tough matches first.”
Saturday’s quarter-final will be PSG’s 63rd game of a grueling season that began in August. Luis Enrique is hoping his players can summon one final effort before a well-earned summer rest.
However, preparations for the match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta have been marred by tragedy. The sudden death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota in a car accident in Spain on Thursday has cast a shadow over proceedings.
Four PSG players — Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos — had all recently played alongside Jota for Portugal in the UEFA Nations League, which they won just weeks ago. Both PSG and Bayern held extended moments of silence before training on Thursday to honour the 27-year-old, whose passing has deeply affected the football community.
