European champions Paris Saint-Germain are set to begin their pursuit of a 5th trophy in less than a year as they take on Atletico Madrid in their FIFA Club World Cup Group B opener at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sunday.
Luis Enrique’s side are still basking in the glow of their historic Champions League triumph, a 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan that sealed an unforgettable treble. PSG claimed the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France before conquering Europe for the first time, and now turn their attention to global glory.
The Parisians have been ruthless in front of goal throughout the 2024-25 season, scoring 152 goals across all competitions according to Livescore.com. That attacking brilliance is something they will be keen to carry into this tournament as they chase another major piece of silverware. And of course they will have it easy in Group B, where Brazilian outfit Botafogo and MLS side Seattle Sounders await.
Their first test is a difficult one against Atletico Madrid, a team looking to salvage their season with silverware after finishing third in La Liga. Diego Simeone’s men were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by arch-rivals Real Madrid and also fell to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals, ending the campaign without a trophy. The Club World Cup now represents a golden chance for redemption.
Both teams are expected to field strong lineups. PSG will be without star winger Ousmane Dembele, who is sidelined with an injury and could miss the entire group stage.
Atletico have no major injury concerns and are boosted by the return of goalkeeper Jan Obla who was out injured. Their frontline is loaded with talent, with Antoine Griezmann, Alexander Sorloth, and Julian Alvarez combining for 69 goals during the season.
These two European heavyweights have only met once before in a competitive match, earlier this season during the Champions League group stage. Atletico stunned the French side with a 2-1 comeback victory at the Parc des Princes, and they are determined to do the same.
With both teams eager to start strong to get a chance of topping the group, and with plenty of attacking firepower on display, Sunday’s clash promises to be an entertaining affair. PSG may be flying high after their European success, but Atletico have proven they can rise to the occasion, and this encounter could go either way.
