Paris Saint-Germain made a powerful statement in their Club World Cup debut, sweeping past Atlético Madrid with a commanding 4-0 victory at the historic Rose Bowl.

In their first competitive match since lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy, PSG showed no signs of slowing down. Goals from Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha, Senny Mayulu, and Lee Kang-in sealed an emphatic win over a 10-man Atlético Madrid in front of over 80,000 fans in California.

Quick Read:

• PSG beat Atlético Madrid 4-0 in their Club World Cup group stage opener.

• Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha scored in the first half.

• Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-in added goals late in the game.

• Atlético finished with 10 men after Clément Lenglet’s red card.

• PSG dominated possession and were sharp despite the summer heat.

• Match held at the Rose Bowl, with 80,619 in attendance.

• PSG’s first game since their Champions League win on May 31.

• Luis Enrique praised the team’s focus and motivation to create history.

• Atlético’s performance raised concerns, with seven yellow cards and poor finishing.

PSG Sends a Message With 4-0 Rout Over Atlético Madrid

If anyone thought Paris Saint-Germain would take it easy after finally winning their first Champions League title, they were mistaken. Very mistaken.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon in Pasadena, PSG burst into the expanded 32-team Club World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Atlético Madrid. The setting was the famous Rose Bowl, the stage of battles during the 1994 World Cup final. PSG certainly honored that history.

A Fast Start and Total Control

From the kickoff, PSG played like a team on a mission. They controlled the game, moved the ball confidently, and looked threatening every time they pushed forward. In the 19th minute, Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring with a calm finish from the edge of the box. Atlético’s defense backed off, allowing the Spanish midfielder to curl a shot past Jan Oblak with precision.

The pressure kept building. Just before halftime, Vitinha doubled the lead with a well-placed pass from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, marking his second assist of the half. PSG went into the break up 2-0, leaving their opponents chasing shadows.

Atlético’s Struggles Mount

Atlético Madrid had some chances, including a fierce shot from Antoine Griezmann that forced a key save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. However, their lack of discipline proved costly. Clément Lenglet received a red card in the 78th minute after a second yellow, further diminishing an already struggling team to ten men.

Earlier in the second half, they briefly thought they had turned things around when Julián Álvarez scored. But VAR stepped in, disallowing the goal due to a foul by Koke in the buildup. That decision highlighted their frustrating afternoon.

Alexander Sørloth’s terrible miss from close range in the 82nd minute rubbed salt in the wound. Moments later, PSG made them pay again. Youngster Senny Mayulu scored to make it 3-0, and in stoppage time, Lee Kang-in calmly converted a penalty to seal the 4-0 defeat.

Luis Enrique’s Side Keeps Its Focus

Coach Luis Enrique, dressed casually in shorts and a training shirt, appeared relaxed on the sidelines. However, his team played with intention, discipline, and energy in the 88-degree California heat, traits often lacking in big clubs during off-season tournaments.

“We’ve set ourselves the goal to make history in this competition,” Enrique said after the match. “This is a new chapter for us. The players showed they’re ready to keep fighting.”

Even without Ousmane Dembélé, who missed out due to a minor injury from international duty, PSG hardly missed a beat. Gonçalo Ramos filled in, but the real story was how smoothly the squad continued from their Champions League final win against Inter Milan.

Atlético Needs to Regroup Fast

For Diego Simeone’s team, it was a day to forget. Seven yellow cards, one red, and few real chances defined a performance that fell short of their high hopes in a major group-stage match. Simeone displayed visible frustration, often pacing and gesturing on the sidelines, unhappy with both the officiating and his team’s mistakes.

Midfielder Koke acknowledged after the game, “The sending-off killed us. 4-0 feels harsh, but PSG were clearly the better team. We need to push harder, especially like we did in the second half.”

Atlético will need to win their next two matches and improve their discipline to avoid an early exit from the tournament.

Final Thoughts: PSG Looks Ready to Make History

With their toughest group opponent behind them, PSG is now a strong favorite to advance far in the tournament. Their performance was everything you would expect from newly crowned European champions—deadly, confident, and calm.

The Club World Cup may be a new challenge, but for Paris Saint-Germain, the goal remains the same: win it all. Based on this first performance, they’re off to a strong start.