Group B of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ kicks off with a heavyweight showdown between two European powerhouses, as Paris Saint-Germain face Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Sunday. Set for a 12pm local time kickoff (9pm in France and Spain), this match is the group’s most anticipated, with both clubs expected to progress deep into the tournament.
It’s a rematch of last year’s Champions League group stage clash—only this time, the stakes are even higher.
Match Overview
Paris Saint-Germain enter this tournament brimming with confidence after a stunning 2024–25 season that saw them sweep all major trophies: Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League. They scored an astounding 152 goals in all competitions and concluded their campaign with a 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
This will be PSG’s Club World Cup debut in the new 32-team format, with Luis Enrique’s side looking to add global silverware to their domestic and continental dominance. Despite being dominant, their defensive vulnerabilities remain a concern—they’ve kept only three clean sheets in their last 12 games.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, beat PSG 1-0 in the Champions League group stage back in November, thanks to Angel Correa’s stoppage-time winner in Paris. However, Los Colchoneros struggled to maintain consistency afterward and ended their La Liga campaign a distant third.
Diego Simeone’s men have had more time to regroup and prepare for this tournament, and they will be eager to replicate their smash-and-grab tactics once again.
Team News
PSG could be without Ousmane Dembele, who withdrew from international duty due to a muscle concern. Bradley Barcola is expected to recover in time, while Champions League breakout star Desire Doue is locked in to start after his historic final performance.
Luis Enrique has a settled lineup with Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Fabian Ruiz commanding the midfield, while Kvaratskhelia and Goncalo Ramos offer attacking depth alongside Doue.
Atletico Madrid have a fully fit squad, with Jan Oblak returning to action for Slovenia last week. Several key players—Rodrigo De Paul, Julian Alvarez, and Nahuel Molina—featured heavily for Argentina during the international window, while Alexander Sorloth is expected to start from the bench after netting a final-day hat trick in La Liga.
Antoine Griezmann will lead the line alongside Alvarez, supported by a midfield of De Paul, Koke, and Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher.
Tactical Review
PSG’s aggressive pressing, fluid attacking transitions, and width through Mendes and Hakimi make them a nightmare to defend. Luis Enrique’s men play a high line and rely on their ability to overwhelm opponents through sustained possession and creative overloads in wide areas.
Atletico, in contrast, are specialists in resilience. Under Simeone, they adopt a low block with compact midfield lines and look to punish mistakes on the counter. Their ability to frustrate technically superior sides is well documented—just ask PSG, who were undone by them last fall.
The key battle will be in midfield, where PSG’s creativity will be challenged by Atletico’s physicality and organization.
How to Watch
Catch the match live and free worldwide on DAZN.com. Fans across the globe can stream the entire Club World Cup on the platform.
Predictions
Softfootball Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Despite Atletico’s historical edge and tactical nous, PSG’s firepower and momentum make them slight favorites. If they maintain the intensity shown in their Champions League run, the Parisians should claim revenge and start their Club World Cup journey with a statement win.