Thank you very much for joining me. The roundup of the latest Club World Cup action is coming your way very soon.
Updated
Barney Ronay is in the US to find out what this tournament is all about.
The interviewer claims there were 80,000 people and a great atmosphere inside the ground. I will take her word for it.
Man of the match Vitinha: “A very good performance. We did a very good game, it is difficult with this temperature. We did well against a tough team, we controlled all of the game. We are happy with the result.
“The toughest thing to do in football is to maintain the level and that is what I try to do.”
Budweiser is the official beer of the Club World Cup. Could things get any worse?
Full-time: PSG 4-0 Atletico
A hilarious end to a game. The result never looked in doubt from kick-off. PSG were in control early on and the Spanish never gave the impression they had much interest in competing with the European champions, who breezed to victory.
GOAL! PSG 4-0 Atletico (Kang-in, pen, 90+7)
The South Korean makes no mistake.
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90+4 mins: PENALTY PSG! The referee is off to look at the monitor to check for a handball. Le Normand seems too close to me to the shot. This is stupid. Give it up.
90+3 mins: We are checking for a PSG penalty. Come on, lads.
90+2 mins: We are at walking pace. Just blow the whistle, mate.
90 mins: Four minutes added on.
GOAL! Atletico fail to clear a cross, Mbaye recycles it and finds Mayulu in space inside the box, and the sub does the rest.
GOAL! PSG 3-0 Atletico (Mayulu, 87)
PSG complete the job with a clinical finish from Mayulu.
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86 mins: PSG are jus t doing whatever they want to run down the clock here. Passing it around, dribbling down the wing.
84 mins: Red card, the European champions, VAR disallowing a goal. And yet still, no one cares.
Kari Tulinius writes: “What with the cooling break I’ve been able to rip my eyes from this exhibition of walking football and explored the various extras that DAZN offers. There’s a ‘fan zone’, which is mostly people posting unrelated GIFs. The line-up and formation tab could be useful, but they haven’t been updated since the match started. There’s a stat bar that is far behind the action. And there’s a minute-by-minute text description that… well, let’s just say that the Guardian doesn’t have to worry much about the competition. This is all so half-arsed.”
Thank you for not thinking this is half-arsed.
82 mins: WHAT A MISS! Sorloth somehow misses an almost open net from a yard out. We see one brief replay but the director leaves it at that.
With Atletico down to 10, this could be a very tedious final few minutes.
80 mins: A bad couple of mins for the referee. At least if no one is taking this tournament seriously, we might as well enjoy some pure comedy.
Hernandez and Mbaye on for PSG.
Joe Pearson says: “To be fair, the Rose Bowl is over a hundred years old. So looking dated might be expected?”
They could renovate.
RED CARD! Lenglet
78 mins: PSG are aiming to play walking football here. It works against them as Gallagher dispossesses Mendes in the PSG defensive third. The PSG full-back solves his problems by palming the ball away from the Englishman but the referee misses the indiscretion, much to the irritation of Simeone.
Oblak is then fouled when trying to roll the ball out. The referee gives nothing but PSG mess up the chance to score. Atletico are once again fuming, causing Lenglet to have a word with the referee, who books him before realising he has already had a yellow and belatedly showing a second.
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76 mins: Zaire-Emery is penalised for winning the ball before Koke. Odd from the ref.
Alvarez gets into the PSG box but Correa makes a dreadful run, confusing his teammate and the danger is gone.
74 mins: The ball goes through for Doue to chase but Oblak comes out quickly to remove the danger.
72 mins: Kang-in and Zaire-Emery are heading on to freshen things up for PSG.
70 mins: There is a Mexican wave. I am sure Trump will have them all arrested now. It does look like a better crowd than around kick-off. Unfortunately, a Mexican wave is confirmation, this is not a serious event.
Sorloth is on for Atletico as we enjoy a cooling break.
68 mins: PSG are looking to regain control after a couple of threatening moments from Atletico.
“Having just tuned in for the second half of this nonsense, I’ve been treated so far to a half arsed effort from both sides, a half full stadium and a half hearted cheer from the crowd when Alvarez slotted home,” writes Matthew Lysacht. “Gianni will spin all of this as a success no doubt. Hard to believe the Rose Bowl once hosted a World Cup Final though. It looks.....dated.”
It was more than 30 years ago …
66 mins: There is limited quality in the game at the moment. The main action is focused on niggly fouls.
Mayulu on for Ramos for PSG.
64 mins: Correa has been on for around 30 seconds and is already cautioned for kicking Mendes.
Hilarious another sub, Reinildo is then booked for fouling Doue. The defender came on for Galan. At least there is some needle in this pre-season friendly now.
“I hope Atleti don’t need reminding of what happened to the last side that went up against PSG and were 2-0 down at half time,” emails Kieran McKintosh.
“Mind you, would probably give people something interesting to talk about at this stage of the tournament.
“Also has me realising an interesting statistic-the WC hasn’t been held in a country which isn’t obviously ethically dubious since, what, 2010? Huh.”
62 mins: Simeone on the sidelines is not happy with the decision. He must think Doue had already lost the ball when Koke intervened but I do think it was fair to call a foul.
Maquinhos is the latest to go in the book after clearing out Simeone Jr on the pitch.
Gallagher, Correa and Reinildo are on for Atletico. Simeone, De Paul and someone else off.
NO GOAL! PSG 2-0 Atletico
Doue loses the ball just inside the PSG half, allowing Atletico to break but there is a trip on the Frenchman by Koke. A pass is slipped through to the Argentinian who does the rest. PSG claim there was a foul in the buildup … the referee goes to the monitor and rules out of the goal.
Updated
GOAL! PSG 2-1 Atletico (Alvarez, 57)
The striker finds space in the box and pings his shot across Donnarumma and into the corner.
56 mins: Hakimi barrels down the right and wins a corner for PSG. Mendes goes over to take it on the right … Oblak comes to punch and does so well. The ball comes straight back but Doue’s cross goes straight out of play.
54 mins: Atletico have a corner that comes to nothing. I just can’t see them getting back into this. Maybe put Sorloth on and let him rough people up. They have the chance of a decent attack but De Paul holds onto the ball for too long, eventually playing it once Llorente had run offside.
52 mins: “Estimated attendance for Athletico Madrid-Paris Saint Germain?” asks Kurt Perleberg. Difficult to say from the YV coverage. The aerial shots at the start made it look 50% full. More people seem to have arrived but if it’s 75% of the 90,000 capacity, I’d be surprised.
50 mins: Koke is already in the book for taking down Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgian always gets his revenge with a thrashing drive towards the top corner from the edge of the box but Oblak produces a stunning save to tip the shot onto the bar.
“Has the DAZN cheesy thumbs up emoji done your head in yet, asking you to upgrade?” asks John Potter. Yes it is has. “Has the opposite effect on me, deleted the App and thought I’ll just follow the MBM. Enjoy the Uefa cash grab, sorry, the game!”
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48 mins: There are a lot of adverts for PIF going around the hoardings. Where can I buy one?
Atletico are trying to press a bit more, maybe boosted by being well-hydrated after half time.
46 mins: Atletico ping the ball out of play from kick-off, copying PSG’s tactic. This is now a banter game.
Second half
Here we go again!
Atletico have sent on Koke for Lino. More central midfielders to help the Spanish side keep the ball better.
Half-time reading.
Half time: PSG 2-0 Atletico
PSG have dominated from the first whistle and deserve the lead. Atletico have struggled in the heat against a superior team.
GOAL! PSG break on Atletico, ending with Vitinha getting the ball inside the box and finding the corner with a cool finish.
GOAL! PSG 2-0 Atletico (Vitinha, 45+2)
From one end to the other …
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45+2 mins: Atletico have their first shot of the match. There is a touch of pinball inside the PSG box before the ball falls to Griezmann but the goalkeeper stops it.
45 mins: Doue sprints into space down the right and pulls the ball back to Ramos, who whacks his shot well over the bar.
Three minutes added on.
43 mins: Atletico are already looking a bit tired. Wait until they find out there is another half of football to go.
Simeone is down holding his face again. He is a very boring player and individual.
41 mins: Vitinha’s been the best player on the pitch for me. The tempo has really suited his style.
Doue shows off some fancy footwork on the right wing but his cross finds no one.
39 mins: Ramos gets the ball in space just inside the area on the left. He has options to cross but decides to ping a shot straight at Oblak.
PSG are working hard to win the ball back in the final third and Atletico are struggling to beat their press.
37 mins: The players, I would argue, are taking as much time as possible over throw-ins and other set-pieces to slow things down more and take a few seconds off the clock.
35 mins: Atletico almost enjoy an attack but Neves gets back and dispossesses Lino.
PSG have enjoyed 77% possession. Something for everyone.
33 mins: Everyone is hydrated once more and plays restarts.
31 mins: The PSG wingers have swapped sides to amuse us all.
We are enjoying a drinks break because it really is too hot to exercise.
30 mins: Atletico give away a cheap corner. While we await it being taken, Simeone, who loves this sort of thing, throws himself to the ground with Ruiz in the vicinity. The Spaniard is booked.
Atletico clear and Alvarez has a chance to break but when the time comes to pass, he sends it straight out of play.
28 mins: PSG might agreed to play in spurts. They keep upping the tempo for a minute and the dropping it right back down, knowing Atletico can’t speed things up.
Dazn keep telling me to upgrade to HD and then the sound drops for no reason. It’s not a selling point, lads.
26 mins: Ruiz is crudely taken down by Le Normand, who goes into the book. Both Atletico centre-backs are now on a yellow.
Kari Tulinius emails: “It probably says something about how seriously the European sides are taking this competition, that I’ve never seen Diego Simeone so unbothered about going one-nil down.”
24 mins: Ermmmm … Simeone gets the other side of Mendes and looks to be through on goal. The defender puts his arms on the Atletico man, taking him down. The referee gives nothing, suggesting there is not enough in it. Atletico are unhappy but it would have been a soft award.
22 mins: PSG have a free-kick on the right. Vitinha swings it into the box, Atletico have the chance to clear but do not take it, inviting more pressure from the European champions. The attack ends with Doue taking aim from 25 yards but it is a weak effort.
21 mins: Atletico might need to adapt their walking football strategy now. They do not change immediately and Lenglet lunges in to stop a sprinting Hakimi, earning a booking for his recklessness.
GOAL! PSG have been the far better side since the off. They work it well on the right before Kvaratskhelia lays it off to Ruiz who does the rest with a piercing drive.
GOAL! PSG 1-0 Atletico (Ruiz, 19)
Ruiz slams the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Updated
18 mins: Ramos shoots from 25 yards but there is no power in his effort and Oblak gets the long barrier out. Doue gets down the right soon after and his cross reaches Kvaratskhelia, who causes the goalkeeper a greater problem but he gets down quickly enough.
The commentator calls this a “chess match”. He’s right but it might not solely be because of the conditions in LA as I suspect the players are tired in general.
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16 mins: Kvaratskhelia has a run at Llorente but the Spaniard wins the battle.
I am starting to debate whether to have some ice cream at half-time. It is father’s day after all …
14 mins: Neither PSG winger has been able to influence the game thus far. Maybe they do not have much to give and want to conserve energy.
Jason Geer emails: “This tournament is nothing but a money grab and content generator. It will be forgotten 10 minutes after it’s done.
“To me, the most intriguing thing to track is which teams and players will most benefit from NOT being in the CWC.
“I think of teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona and Napoli, and countries like Belgium and Spain, each of whom have vital players resting in advance of another gruelling 10 month cycle beginning this August.”
Only time will tell …
12 mins: Infantino is there to boost the numbers in the crowd.
Vitinha has looked the most lively on the pitch thus far, happy to take possession in all areas and is eager to find passes.
De Paul is down holding his knee after a little kick. Nothing to worry about.
10 mins: Atletico have barely strung a pass together yet.
8 mins: Atletico are happy to cede possession and avoid putting too much pressure on because they do not want to be drained in this hear.
Simeone Jt has hit the deck, complaining Mendes has thrashed him in the face. There is nothing to it but the Argentinian is still l complaining about an elbow. Grow up, mate.
6 mins: PSG are looking to take control here, having the majority of possession as they work it wide to their devastating wingers. Understandably, it feels a little slow in the heat and there’s not much atmosphere coming from the stands.
4 mins: Alvarez curls the resulting free-kick just wide while the commentator describes the shot like his life depends on it, before the sound drops off.
“Ah, PSG v Atlético Madrid!” pens Justin Kavanagh. “Now here’s something to get the pulse racing and bring tears to the eyes. But, obviously, that’s only because one has to run the gauntlet of National Guard troops, US Marines, and tear gas to get to the stadium in LA. Well played, Signore Infantino, way to choose your dictatorship host country. “
Updated
2 mins: PSG use their glorious kick-off routine of kicking for touch down the field.
Alvarez is bundled over 30 yards from goal to give Atletico a chance …
“Sitting in a line of traffic trying to exit the freeway, there’s people jumping out of cars on the hard shoulder and a lot of people that look like they will be arriving some time in the second half,” writes Tom Pile. “Might be why the stands are a bit quiet at the moment.”
Fifa must hope you’re right.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go (finally)!
I would describe the stands of the Rose Bowl as at best “sparsely populated”. The director will be banned from using the aerial shot soon.
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Here come the teams … one by one.
Kurt Perleberg asks: “Who is watching this Fifa Club World Cup?”
It’s a good question. I can’t imagine the UK viewing figures for this match will be huge. It was a big of a faff to sort getting the Dazn app on my TV, to be honest. I am fascinated by Channel 5 showing Bayern earlier over this, too.
I have been wondering whether to make these on my day off this week.
John Barnes (probably not that one) gets in touch: “So I’m am deathly bored at the moment and a lack of sport lead me to watch Bayern Munich beat a team ranked over four thousand places below them. It’s all a bit of a sham innit?
“But instead of PSG v Atletico I’m going to watch Wayne Rooney and boy has he still got it, scored in the first 5 minutes! I’m also amazed by just how much he looks like a young Raymond Briggs’s Father Christmas. ‘Bloomin footballs’.
“Now THAT’S entertainment.”
Doue can’t compete with that!
November seems a long time ago …
“Paris Saint-Germain’s disappointing Champions League campaign continued on Wednesday as they slumped to a last-gasp 2-1 home defeat by Atlético Madrid that left the Ligue 1 leaders in the elimination zone.”
Rob Green is out in LA and he points out that it is boiling. I suspect we are set for a slow-paced affair.
It looks hot at the Rose Bowl. It also looks rather empty in the stands but that might be people shielding from the heat.
There does seem to be an overeager security guard there pushing the cameras away. Has he not heard how much Dazn paid for these rights?
It’s the same lineup in the studio. Richardson is right, this is actually a decent game in theory. It might allow him to gloss over how pointless the Bayern game was …
Gerard emails: “I just watched Bayern-Auckland with my son and it was obviously a shocking mismatch. Felt sorry for an Auckland side so terribly out of their depth and also for a Bayern side who were damned if they did, damned if they didn’t.
”We enjoyed a misfiring Harry Kane and wondered what sort of a negative goal difference Auckland would end up with at the end of the group phase (will Boca and Benfica really be easier?).
”My son is 14 and a bit naive to what’s really happening here. Personally I don’t give a sh*t as to who wins the competition. Too much football? Yes.”
It does feel like the game eating itself. Players forced more games, fans forced to pay more money. All that is going to happen is the players will become more tired, the product will diminish and the real supporters will stop going, therefore ruining the atmosphere.
I should say the wonder combination of James Richardson, Mamadou Sakho and John Obi Mikel for the last match was a fantastic surprise.
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I am genuinely interested in people’s views on the competition. I watched the buildup to Bayern v Auckland and the first half hour of the match. I can’t stand each player coming out onto the pitch separately nor the pointless countdown to kick-off. The fact Bayern played at half speed did add an element of humour. If this was a Champions League night, I would be very excited by this fixture but I am quite concerned it will be pretty sterile.
Thus far in the tournament we have had a 0-0 draw and a 10-0 win. I am not sure this is the sort of “entertainment” Fifa were hoping for. There were plenty of empty seats and zero atmosphere for Bayern’s rampant win over Auckland, so Infantino must be desperate for this to be better.
Starting lineups
PSG (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Ramos, Kvaratskhelia
Subs: Hernandez, Kamara, Kang-in, Beraldo, Mayulu, Mbaye, Safonov, Tenas, Zaire-Emery
Atletico: (4-3-3) Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Galan; De Paul, Samuel Lino; Simeone, Griezmann, Alvarez
Subs: Azpilicueta, Correa, Gallagher, Gimenez, Gomis, Reinildo, Kostis, Witsel, Lemar, Carlos Martin, Molina, Musso, Koke, Riquelme, Sorloth
Preamble
A couple of weeks on from winning the Champions League, PSG are back in action in the Club World Cup. They must be seen as favourites after being crowned the best in Europe but they might be a little tired from celebrating and a bit of international duty.
Atletico finished their league campaign on 25 May, so were afforded an extra week off prior to international commitments. Will that be beneficial or are PSG in more of a flow?
This is certainly the most intriguing of the games over the first couple of days of the competition. Inter Miami’s opening night draw with Al Ahly did little to get people excited, so maybe two European giants going head to head will get a few more eyeballs.
It will be very hot in Los Angeles for this one, which I am sure the players will be ecstatic about after a long season.
Kick-off 8pm BST.
