The Club World Cup finally comes to an end. After 62 matches filled with excitement, suffering, and surprises, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain will be the teams to decide this renewed tournament.
Chelsea had a tournament in which it improved as it progressed. Despite being the favorite, in Group D it finished second with 6 points behind Flamengo, with whom it lost 3-1 on the second matchday. Although it achieved victories against LAFC (2-0) and Esperance ST (3-0), these were not worthy opponents to compare its level.
In the knockout stages, the Blues finally rediscovered the level that led them to become Conference League champions. In the round of 16 they thrashed Benfica with a convincing 4-1, after having drawn 1-1 in regulation time. Later, in the quarterfinals they would once again face a Brazilian team, Palmeiras, but the story was different, as they managed to win 2-1 with great dominance throughout most of the match.
In their last match in the semifinals, Enzo Maresca's team overpowered a Fluminense that arrived with hopes of extending its historic run in the tournament. With 2 goals from Joao Pedro, a former Flu player, it was enough to secure their place in the grand final.
Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain was overwhelming from start to finish, except for an unexpected setback in the first stage. The reigning Champions League champion finished first in Group B with 6 points, thanks to a 4-0 win over Atlético Madrid, a 2-0 victory against Seattle Sounders, and a surprising 1-0 defeat to Botafogo.
In the knockout phase, Luis Enrique's team would show why they are the best team at the moment. First, they would destroy Inter Miami led by Lionel Messi in the round of 16 with 4 goals in the first half alone. Then in the quarterfinals they would assert their authority against Bayern Munich with a 2-0 win, scoring a goal with two players down.
