FIFA Club World Cup
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Updated 33s ago
Fabian Ruiz has given Paris Saint-Germain a first-half lead in their first game of the 2025 Club World Cup against Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl.
It was a super strike from the Spaniard, finding the bottom corner from outside the penalty area in the 19th minute.
It cemented PSG's strong start to the Group B opener with the European champions already looking a threat to the rest of the competition.
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Mendes, Pacho; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Kvaratskhelia, Ramos, Doue
Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Llorente, Lenglet, Javi Galan, Le Normand; De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez, Giuliano
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31' Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Luis Enrique is wearing shorts. Proper pre-season feel to this, like PSG were playing against an MLS select XI or something.
Right on cue, it's time for a cooling break, allowing the players to get some water.
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29’ Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
And just as we sing his praises, Ruiz shoves Giuliano to the ground in the Atletico box as the players were awaiting a PSG corner. He's shown today's fourth yellow card, although the first for a PSG player.
Outstanding from Fabian Ruiz linking the play for PSG prior to that cynical foul (and booking) for Robin Le Normand. He’s such an elegant midfielder and gives lovely balance to the PSG midfield with that left foot.
26’ Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
No doubt about this one. Ruiz is brought down by Le Normand as he broke down the left and this time the referee intervenes, booking Le Normand.
Both of Atletico's central defenders are now on a booking.
Giuliano Simeone seemed to know he did not have the pace to run clear behind Mendes there. That looks to be what referee István Kovács from Romania thought too.
24’ Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Mendes and Giuliano tangle as Simeone's son was attempting to break down the right wing and catch up to the ball.
Atletico are furious, wanting a red card, but the referee didn't even award a foul!
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21’ Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Lenglet is given the first yellow card of the match after he scythes down Hakimi, who needs a bit of treatment afterwards.
Atletico have not been able to get a foothold in the game at all. PSG are slowly pushing them back and back and the goal was not a big surprise.
Lovely strike from Spain international midfielder Fabian Ruiz, a player Atletico have often been linked with in past but could not financially compete with PSG to sign.
19’ Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Some pretty passes on the edge of the box leads to a shooting opportunity for Fabian Ruiz, who fires a daisy cutter of a shot across Oblak and into the far corner!
17’ Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Ramos gets on the end of a knock-down header on the edge of the box but can't generate any power on his first-time shot.
Moments later, Doue gets to the byline and forces an intervention from Oblak. The ball comes to Kvaratskhelia who swivels and fires, forcing a save at the near post.
Remains to be seen how the heat will affect their intensity as the game goes on, but this has been a typically stylish start from PSG. That midfield three is so good to watch — fluid, technically bright, always on the move.
Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz are noticeably taking it in turns to drop into the back three during build-up to allow Nuno Mendes to push on and get close to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, which is quite the duo.
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Notable in the opening stages just how hard Goncalo Ramos is working when Paris Saint-Germain don't have the ball. Every time I look up, he's sprinting to cut off the passing angles for Atletico's defenders. I guess if he does want to wrest a regular starting spot back from Ousmane Dembele, he's going to have to hustle like the Frenchman does…
8’ Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Atletico Madrid
The match is settling into a rhythm, with PSG controlling possession and Atletico meeting them in midfield.
Meanwhile, Giuliano is lying on the ground clutching his face and rolling away from play. Replays show he and Mendes got into a light tussle. If VAR took a look it was a quick review.
People still flooding into the stadium at this point. Would guess that a lot were caught out by the traffic in the mile or so around the Rose Bowl, which was… well, only just this side of stationary.
5’ Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Kvaratskhelia gets a header off from close range but the cross was hit with too much power for him to direct the ball goalward.
3’ Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Atletico break down the right side and work a cross into the middle, where Marquinhos is forced into an awkward clearance.
Moments later, Vitinha fouls Alvarez and Atletico have an early opportunity with a dangerous free kick.
Alvarez takes it and whips a curling effort past the PSG wall, nearly squeezing the ball into the corner but just missing.
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1’ Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Atletico Madrid
After an aborted start, PSG get the ball rolling and we're underway at the Rose Bowl!
If you were expecting kick-off promptly at the top of the hour, too bad!
As we saw last night and earlier today, the matches at this competition are preceded by individual walk-outs for each player in the starting XIs while the stadium announcer shouts his name. Not something you see in world soccer but it customary in some American sports.
Marquinhos is captaining Paris Saint-Germain at kick-off for the 229th time. That sees him surpass Dominique Bathenay for the second most in the club's history. He trails only Thiago Silva, who made 293 appearances.