Will Kylian Mbappe or Ousmane Dembele start in Club World Cup semi-final? Can Trent Alexander-Arnold move step closer to first Real Madrid trophy?
AFNEWS reporter
Jul 09, 2025
Will Kylian Mbappe or Ousmane Dembele start in Club World Cup semi-final? Can Trent Alexander-Arnold move step closer to first Real Madrid trophy?
European royalty face off in the FIFA Club World Cup as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid take each other on in the semi-finals. It is likely to be the first time that Frenchman Kylian Mbappe faces his former team since moving from Paris to Madrid, having returned to the Real squad for his tournament debut in the last 16. The winner will face Chelsea in the final, who beat Fluminense.
Two European giants clash in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup as Real Madrid take on UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on Wednesday, July 9.
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PSG dominated their group, before beating Inter Miami and Bayern Munich in the knockout rounds.
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Real Madrid also topped their group, before edging past Italian giants Juventus and then downing Borussia Dortmund to set up this huge clash with PSG.
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The Spanish giants are perhaps yet to fully hit their stride in this tournament but possess plenty of experience and quality to give the Parisians a fight.
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The clash could see Kylian Mbappe line up against his former side for the first time since leaving Paris for Madrid, having made his tournament debut in the last 16.
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The two sides last met in 2022 in a thrilling Champions League last-16 second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Karim Benzema scored a 17-minute hat-trick to send eventual tournament winners Real through.
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The winner of this titanic match will face Chelsea in the final on Sunday, July 13.
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Squad issues for both sides
PSG continue to be without Nordi Mukiele, as well as Lucas Hernandez and Willian Pacho after the pair were sent off in the quarter-finals.
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Other than those three, Luis Enrique has a clean bill of health, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele, the latter who has not yet started in the competition due to a thigh complaint.
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After his goal in the quarter-final win over Bayern, will Ballon d'Or contender Dembele now come into the starting XI? And will it be Bradley Barcola who makes way amid recent heroics from Desire Doue and Kvaratskhelia?
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Real Madrid will be missing an important cog after new signing Dean Huijsen was sent off against Dortmund.
Alonso is also without the injured trio of David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick. Ferland Mendy is still out with a long-term injury.
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Raul Asencio was sent off early on against Pachuca, and with Huijsen unavailable, he is likely to make his first start since that moment.
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Mbappe must surely be close to a start against his former team, but all eyes continue to be on Gonzalo Garcia.
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The 21-year-old forward has made a name for himself as the tournament's breakout star with four goals, and appears to be dovetailing well with Vinicius Jr in Xabi Alonso's 3-5-2 formation.
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'WE BOTH DESERVE TO BE HERE' - ALEXANDER-ARNOLD
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With the two teams having last met three years ago, only Trent Alexander-Arnold has recent experience of facing PSG.
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His former side Liverpool lost to the Ligue 1 champions in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages on penalties earlier this year.
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"I played PSG this season and they were outstanding," he said. "Of course, it's going to be a difficult game. We're both in the final four and we both deserve to be here.
"In knockout football, anyone can beat anyone. We'll work hard to recover and prepare for a difficult game. Let's see who comes out on top and who are the best team."
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Alexander-Arnold - parachuted into the Real squad for the tournament - could yet win his first silverware with his new club just weeks after joining, but must first get past a rampant PSG and then Chelsea.
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Fellow defender Fran Garcia, who was the Player of the Match against Dortmund, is expecting a close clash between the two sides.
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"PSG have already proved how good they are, both domestically and in the Champions League," said the 25-year-old Spaniard.
"They have been contenders for the Club World Cup from the start. I think our wingers need to be ready to shut theirs down and make life difficult for them. But in the end, they should be wary of us too.
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"For me, Real Madrid are still the best team. Now it's up to us to prove that on the pitch, where it matters.
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"I don't think it's hard for us [to imagine becoming world champions], considering the standards we're held to every day in Madrid.
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"We have to stay focused and keep building on the progress we've made since coach Alonso arrived. We're putting the work in, and little by little you can see that shift in mentality."
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'WE'RE CONTENDERS FOR THE TITLE' - HAKIMI
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PSG star Achraf Hakimi, who started his career in Real Madrid's youth academy, delivered another glittering performance against Bayern, in what has been an incredible year for the Moroccan.
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The full-back provided the assist for Dembele for the decisive goal against the German champions, and credited Enrique for his attacking freedom.
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"The coach gives me a lot of freedom, which suits me," Hakimi said after the match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
"Thanks to him, I've improved a lot. He's helped me reach a level of play I never imagined. It's made a big difference."
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"This year we've gone through difficult times," he said. "But I think the team has shown our character, standing together in tough moments.
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"We were able to score the second and show that we want to stay in this competition, that we're one of the contenders for the title."
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WHEN AND WHERE IS PSG V REAL MADRID?
PSG v Real Madrid will take place on Wednesday, July 9. Kick-off is 8pm UK time.
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The match will take place at the MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
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— AFNEWS reporter