Paris Saint-Germain enter the Club World Cup as the clear favourites. In their opening match, the French capital club will face Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles.
Fresh off clinching the Champions League title for the very first time, PSG are also keen to secure their inaugural Club World Cup trophy.
The Parisians are tipped to dominate this revamped tournament, intent on overcoming all challenges that come their way.
The competition will undoubtedly be fierce, but given their impressive form, confidence, and timing, who can truly stand in their way?
In their opener, they will go up against Atletico, a team familiar to manager Luis Enrique, his coaching staff, and the players, having faced each other last November at the Parc des Princes, where the Spaniards emerged victorious with a dramatic late goal from Angel Correa.
If there were any doubts about PSG’s status back then—even though the defeat was a major surprise—they now appear to be significantly ahead of the Colchoneros. This match serves as an ideal test to launch their Club World Cup journey.
The first challenge in a series of hurdles
Under the guidance of Luis Enrique, PSG are on a quest for a quintuple, but first, they must navigate through Atletico, ideally with flair.
One critical factor to consider for this match in Los Angeles is the anticipated temperature, expected to hit 31°C, which could feel more like 38°C.
For the Parisians, “the key word is adaptation,” as noted by RMC Sport. Reports indicate that the Paris squad has been preparing diligently to acclimatise to the match schedule and the forecasted conditions.
The medical and athletic performance teams are “paying close attention” to these aspects, focusing on player hydration and recovery.
Atletico will also contend with similar weather, and they might be more accustomed to such heat as it’s a regular part of life in Madrid. While they will undoubtedly be a tough opponent, they too must adjust to the playing conditions, presenting significant hurdles influencing their match strategy.
How will they cope with the pressure and inevitable low moments? How vital will ball control be to grant the players some respite? Will they need to maintain their usual intensity? These are pressing questions as we approach the first match, which will provide insight into which team will emerge at the top of Group B.
But does finishing first in the group truly impact the knockout rounds?
Mirroring the structure of a traditional World Cup, topping the group could set them up against the runner-up from Group A in the round of 16, likely to be either FC Porto, Inter Miami, Palmeiras, or Al Ahly.
This would represent a relatively manageable opponent, especially with Porto standing out as the clear front-runners in that group.
Nevertheless, the relevance of finishing first in the group is a consideration that should be evaluated from the quarter-finals onwards.
If PSG claims the top spot and everything proceeds as expected, they might encounter Chelsea in the quarter-finals, with Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, or Juventus in the semis, leading to a potential showdown against Inter, Bayern Munich, or Manchester City in the final.
Conversely, should they not finish first, they could face Bayern in the quarters, with Inter or City in the semis, and a likelihood of meeting Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, or Juventus at the MetLife Stadium on 13 July.
Two challenging pathways lie ahead, even if ‘option A’ seems slightly more navigable. In any case, the best strategy for PSG remains to be the standout team in the tournament, just as they were in the Champions League.
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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