Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Désiré Doué broke the deadlock in the 78th minute, and Ousmane Dembélé wrapped up the win deep into stoppage time. Despite being reduced to nine men late on, PSG held firm to secure a semi-final spot.
—
Key Moments
– 45’+4″: Jamal Musiala suffers a suspected leg fracture after colliding with Gianluigi Donnarumma and is stretchered off, casting a shadow over the contest.
– 45’+1″: Dayot Upamecano heads home from a Michael Olise free-kick but sees the goal ruled out for offside after VAR intervention.
– 78′: Désiré Doué latches onto João Neves’s pass and fires a low left-foot shot past Manuel Neuer to make it 1-0 for PSG.
– 81′: Willian Pacho receives a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Leon Goretzka, reducing PSG to ten men.
– 90+0′: Lucas Hernández is sent off for an elbow on Raphaël Guerreiro, leaving PSG with nine players.
– 90+6′: Ousmane Dembélé finishes Achraf Hakimi’s cutback to seal a 2-0 victory deep into stoppage time.
– 90+11′: Bayern are initially awarded a penalty when Nuno Mendes challenges Thomas Müller, but VAR overturns the decision after confirming no contact was made.
—
Tactical Analysis
PSG’s Approach
Paris Saint-Germain set up in a proactive 4-3-3 under Luis Enrique, focusing on rapid transitions and width. Key elements included:
– Midfield shield: João Neves and Vitinha sat deeper to protect Marquinhos and absorb Bayern’s build-up.
– Wing threat: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola stretched play, creating channels for overloads.
– Counter-press: Upon losing possession, PSG immediately sought to win the ball back high up, disrupting Bayern’s rhythm.
Defensively, PSG conceded only 13 shots with an xG of 0.6, extending their run to ten straight games holding opponents under one xG in all competitions, a testament to their compact shape and coordinated pressing.
Bayern’s Strategy
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern lined up in a possession-oriented 4-2-3-1, aiming to:
– Control midfield: Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka looked to dictate tempo and launch diagonal balls to Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry.
– Set-piece threat: Bayern targeted free-kick opportunities for aerial duels, nearly capitalizing via Upamecano’s disallowed goal.
– High pressing: They sought to pin PSG back, forcing errors in the French side’s buildup.
However, Bayern managed just 45% possession and struggled to break down PSG’s disciplined defensive block, creating few clear openings despite sustained pressure.
—
What’s Next
PSG’s defensive resilience and ability to thrive under duress will be crucial as they prepare to face either Real Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final. Bayern, mourning Musiala’s injury and knocked out earlier than expected, must regroup ahead of the Bundesliga restart. Both clubs will take many lessons from this intense tactical battle as they chase further silverware this season
