
-
'Bitter end' for Real Madrid magician Modric
-
Sabalenka targets Wimbledon final as Swiatek showdown looms
-
Hopes for migrant deal as Macron wraps up UK state visit
-
France make 10 changes to starting side for second All Blacks Test
-
Wave of Russian drones, missiles kill two in Kyiv
-
Most stocks rise on trade deal optimism
-
Sherratt says 'grieving' Wales ready to end 18-game losing run
-
'Monster' Inoue to face Akhmadaliev in Japan
-
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
-
Hippo birthday: Thai internet sensation Moo Deng is a year old
-
Havili, Salakaia-Loto to lead Australia-New Zealand against Lions
-
Mexico barred from sending cattle to US over flesh-eating pest
-
China heatwaves boost ice factory sales
-
Russian strikes on Kyiv kill at least two
-
Fly-half Edwards to make first start for Wales against Japan
-
In Indonesia, a start-up captures coolants to stop global warming
-
Japan's sticky problem with Trump, tariffs and rice
-
European court to rule in Semenya sports gender case
-
Finns flock to 'shepherd weeks' to disconnect on holiday
-
Jones urges Japan to 'create history' against Wales
-
EU chief von der Leyen faces no confidence vote
-
Stocks mostly rise on trade deal optimism
-
Alonso looks forward to 'starting from scratch' with Real Madrid
-
Huawei probe blunder sparks EU parliament rules change
-
Israel's Bedouin communities use solar energy to stake claim to land
-
Search for missing cockfighters begins at Philippine lake
-
'Hippo Birthday': Thailand's Moo Deng marks one year old
-
Macron wraps up UK state visit with defence pact 'reboot'
-
India electoral roll revision sparks fear and fury
-
Robertson keeps faith with All Blacks for second France Test
-
Jewish Australians feel unsafe after rise in attacks: antisemitism envoy
-
S Korea's disgraced ex-president Yoon detained, again, over martial law
-
Trump taps transport chief to be interim NASA administrator
-
Mexican fishermen join fight to save extraordinary amphibian
-
Rubio to meet with Russia's Lavrov, ASEAN allies in Malaysia
-
Justice Dept sues California over transgender athletes
-
'Stuck in limbo': Over 90% of X's Community Notes unpublished, study says
-
Luis Enrique eyes more history for PSG after reaching Club World Cup final
-
AI giant Nvidia becomes first company to reach $4 tn in value
-
Global stocks mostly up despite new Trump tariffs, Nasdaq at record
-
Trump praises Liberian leader on English - his native tongue
-
S.Korean court orders new arrest of disgraced ex-president Yoon
-
Djokovic ready to go the distance in Sinner showdown
-
Wimbledon semi-finals: Sabalenka faces Anisimova as Swiatek meets Bencic
-
Milwaukee to face New York in NBA Cup
-
PSG inflict humiliating defeat on Real Madrid to reach Club World Cup final
-
Trump broadens push for tariff deals, unveils 50% Brazil levy
-
History-chasing Djokovic sets up Wimbledon showdown with Sinner
-
Sinner felt Wimbledon bid was in doubt after elbow injury
-
US senator warns of fossil fuel coup, economic reckoning

PSG inflict humiliating defeat on Real Madrid to reach Club World Cup final
Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea.
Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside the opening nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York.
The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique's side moved one game away from glory at FIFA's new tournament.
Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May.
After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real here was striking.
PSG's fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso. Meanwhile Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club a year ago.
The France captain was hoping for a different outcome against the team for whom he scored a club record 256 goals, and the defeat is a real blow to Real as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups.
But PSG have improved without Mbappe and are now such a well-oiled machine that they appear unstoppable -- it would be a big surprise if they failed to beat Chelsea.
Luis Enrique was without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, but that did not matter.
Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG's first-choice line-up was there.
- Day to forget for Mbappe -
Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow.
The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place.
But the Spanish giants' front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG's domination.
Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range.
Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real 'keeper saved at the forward's feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball.
Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner.
Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition having been injured. That was a 34th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or.
It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half.
A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their own net a minute later.
Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed for offside early in the second half.
But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender.
PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in.
R.Fischer--VB