Real Madrid’s heartbreaking loss to Paris Saint-Germain has ended their Club World Cup season.
It has been made clear why Real Madrid will not participate in a Club World Cup third-place play-off game.
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Real Madrid handily at the MetLife Stadium, securing their place in Sunday’s Club World Cup final.
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Wednesday, the Champions League champions from the previous season defeated them 4-0.
PSG advanced to the next round thanks to goals from Goncalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembele, and Fabian Ruiz (x2).
The French powerhouses will play Chelsea, led by Enzo Maresca, in the final after they defeated Fluminense, a Brazilian team, 2-0 on Tuesday thanks to braces from newcomer Joao Pedro.
A third-place play-off match is played between the losers of each semi-final in many other big tournaments, like as the World Cup.
This has been described as the reason why this will not be the case at the Club World Cup.
FIFA chose not to hold a third-place match so that participating clubs could resume their regular schedules in time for the 2025–2026 season, hence Real Madrid’s loss to PSG marks the end of their Club World Cup campaign.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will not have a bronze final or third-place match, the organization said in a statement on its official website.
“For the inaugural edition of this elite global competition, FIFA decided not to include this match to ensure that clubs and players who do not make the final can transition to their next commitments as soon as possible.”
As a result, Xabi Alonso’s squad will go back to Spain to start getting ready for the upcoming season, which starts next month.
As they kick off their 2025–26 season against Osasuna, the La Liga team has not announced any friendlies or preseason trips.
Prior to their return to France, PSG will play in the competition’s last match.
Against Nantes, Luis Enrique’s team kicks off their Ligue 1 title defense.
However, they play the UEFA Super Cup on August 13 against Tottenham, the Europa League winners from the previous season, who defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final, just days before their league match.
Similar to Real, PSG has not disclosed their preseason schedule.
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