Club World Cup Shock: PSG Thrash Real Madrid 3-0 at Halftime — Xabi Alonso Defends Bold Mbappé-Gonzalo Gamble 💥🇫🇷
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has defended his decision to start Kylian Mbappé and rising star Gonzalo Garcia together in the frontline, despite a disastrous first half that saw Paris Saint-Germain lead 3-0 in their Club World Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday night.
Speaking ahead of the second half, Alonso addressed the bold lineup choice:
“Starting Gonzalo and Mbappé together? Yes, we need to create danger in attack. But we also need to commit in defense, to play as a unit on and off the ball.”
But that plan clearly hasn’t worked so far. PSG, fired up and tactically superior, ripped through Madrid’s backline, with goals from Fabián Ruiz (brace) and Ousmane Dembélé, sending a clear message: they’re here for the title.
⚔️ A Tactical Gamble That Backfired?
Starting Mbappé against his former team was always going to carry emotional weight — but pairing him with 19-year-old Gonzalo Garcia in a major semi-final raised eyebrows. While the intent was to bring pace and unpredictability, the lack of defensive balance and midfield control has been Madrid’s undoing.
Meanwhile, Luis Enrique’s PSG are showing why they’re Champions League winners, blending fluid pressing with sharp transitions, suffocating Madrid’s rhythm and punishing their gaps.
💬 Our Take
Xabi Alonso’s philosophy is clear: trust the youth, attack with intent, and play with courage. But on a night like this — against a PSG side full of hunger, cohesion, and purpose — perhaps experience and structure should have come first.
There's still another 45 minutes to play, but unless Madrid finds its magic, Chelsea might already be preparing for a Parisian final this weekend.
🏆 Club World Cup Final Outlook:
Final: Sunday
Chelsea await the winner of PSG vs Real Madrid
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