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New York Times

Paris Saint-Germain 4 Atletico Madrid 0 – European champions put down marker with clinical win

Paris Saint-Germain showed why they are European champions with a commanding 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the first match of Group B in Pasadena, California. Fabio Ruiz opened the scoring after 19 minutes in the Rose Bowl's blazing heat, striking after the French club pressed their opponents into a mistake deep in their own half. Vitinha doubled the advantage just before half-time; Antoine Griezmann had Atletico's best chance but PSG ruthlessly broke down the other end to score. Advertisement Julian Alvarez had a goal disallowed in the second half after a foul by Koke on Desire Doue in the build-up play as the match became disjointed and scrappy. Clement Lenglet made things worse for Atletico by getting sent off for two yellow cards with around 15 minutes remaining. It allowed Luis Enrique's team to coast to victory — with Senny Mayulu scoring their third and Lee Kang-in scoring a penalty with the last kick of the game — ahead of the other game in the group Botafogo vs Seattle Sounders. Here our reporters, Stuart James, Dermot Corrigan, Jack Lang and Thom Harris break down the key talking points in the game… PSG might have been forgiven for easing off the gas under the beating sun. It's barely been two weeks since they thrashed Inter 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final, only three since they lifted the French Cup, in which they were also dominant — and once again, champions — throughout nine months and 38 games in their domestic league. They were having none of it. The ball gave PSG life throughout a stylish display, as relentless rotation pulled Atletico Madrid apart. Diego Simeone's side are usually well-equipped for a defensive smash-and-grab, having beaten the Parisians back in November with just 29 per cent of the ball, but they were chasing shadows throughout much of the first half, 45 minutes that put them firmly on the back foot. PSG's midfield three were at the heart of it all, the elusive Vitinha often dropping into a centre-back role to allow marauding full-back Nuno Mendes to push on. Ruiz was equally dynamic, drifting across the pitch and frequently driving into space behind enemy lines after neat one-twos, while Joao Neves was typically tenacious without the ball — an incredible feat in such punishing conditions. 45 + 1′ | GOAL @vitinha — brilliant strike to double the lead for @PSG_inside WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025 All three were involved in the opening goal — Ruiz and Neves both within the centre circle just 10 seconds before the former tore forward to nick back possession, and the latter smashed in from the edge of the box. We saw right-back Achraf Hakimi pop up on the left, his opposite number Mendes drive through the middle, Desire Doue flit from flank to flank. It's dizzying to watch; one can only imagine how it feels to chase. Thom Harris Atletico Madrid were proud to have qualified for this tournament, and many at the club were looking forward to showing they deserved to be ranked among the elite global clubs. So far their trip to the US for the tournament has not gone to plan. Their hotel for the tournament is in downtown LA, just 500 metres from City Hall, where a lot of protests have been taking place. Players and staff have admitted to hearing police sirens and helicopters at all hours of the day since arriving, but claimed pre-game the noise and uncertainty had not affected their preparation. The team's apparent lack of energy and ideas as they were completely overrun in the first 45 minutes suggested otherwise. Advertisement Simeone's Atletico can often thrive in adversity, and through the 2024-25 campaign they regularly roared back into games which had not started well. That included coming from 0-1 down in November's Champions League group game at PSG to win 2-1, a typical 'smash and grab' from Simeone's team. After going 2-0 down at the break, Simeone sent on veteran midfielder Koke for previously anonymous left-winger Samuel Lino. This did make the team more solid — and Alvarez thought he had pulled one back with a speared 15-yard finish to the net, only for the VAR officials to spot Koke's crafty trip on Doue to help them win the ball back at the start of the move. 19′ | GOAAAAAL! @FabianRP52 puts @PSG_English ahead with a brilliant effort! WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025 Just past the hour mark, Simeone made one of his patented triple substitutions, meaning the Atletico team on the pitch was now much fresher and more attacking. By 70 minutes he had sent on a fifth sub in huge centre-forward Alexander Sorloth, who missed a golden opportunity with less than 10 minutes remaining, driving the ball over the bar from a few yards out. They still caused PSG little damage though, and never looked likely to get anything out of this game, especially after their growing frustration with referee Istvan Kovacs ended with a second yellow card for Lenglet for dissent. Atletico are scheduled to be based at the Conrad through the whole group phase — except for flying up to Seattle for two days for Wednesday's second game against the Sounders. Simeone's team must hope a change of scene, and maybe a bit more calm around the camp, will help them get the result they need to keep alive in the competition. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia must be a manager's dream. A gifted dribbler with an incredible work ethic, the Georgian plays the game with a mixture of adventure, tenacity and selflessness. He made his mark on this opening group B fixture with two assists before the interval and was inches away from scoring an outstanding goal himself, only to be denied by the combination of Jan Oblak's smart goalkeeping and the crossbar. Advertisement PSG's first goal highlighted Kvaratskhelia's football intelligence, the winger drifting into a more central position in the Atletico penalty area, where he received with his back to goal and cleverly teed up Fabian Ruiz. His second assist came at the end of a superb PSG counter-attack, with Kvaratskhelia scampering away on the left flank before feeding Vitinha. But it's the hunger, desire and energy that Kvaratskhelia brings to PSG's pressing that catches the eye every bit as much as his goal contributions. He is a tireless worker who epitomises the changing face of PSG's attack this season – superb with the ball and relentless without it. It would have been fitting if Kvaratskhelia's curling shot early in the second half, after he received possession from Nuno Mendes and stepped inside onto his right foot, had found the top corner. Instead, Oblak's fingertips intervened. 50′ 🧤 Big save by Jan Oblak! A lively start to the second half in LA! WATCH Paris Saint-Germain-Atlético de Madrid in the @FIFACWC NOW! | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #PSGATM — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 15, 2025 It was 28 degrees Celsius at kick-off at the Rose Bowl. By full time that had risen to 32. For the fans, there was no respite, not a square inch of shade to be found in this lovely old ice cream scoop of a ground. You don't often see football managers wearing shorts away from the training ground, but PSG's Luis Enrique must have been pretty happy with his decision here. How did the players cope? It was a mixed bag. PSG, in the first half especially, coped well, pressing with their usual intensity. Atleti's players did not fare so well. Think slow-motion runs, hands on hips, more panting than a trouser factory. At one point, left back Javi Galan made a rare foray forward, lost the ball and then just kind of… stood there, dazed and confused, heat stroke already on order. We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference. We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference. Thursday, June 19: Botafogo, Club World Cup group stage (Los Angeles), 9pm ET, 2am Fri UK Thursday, June 19: Seattle Sounders, Club World Cup group stage (Seattle), 6pm ET, 11pm UK You can sign up to DAZN to watch every FIFA Club World Cup game for free.