Real Madrid survived a late scare against Borussia Dortmund to secure their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals, winning 3-2 in a thrilling match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Spanish giants appeared to be cruising to victory, but a late surge from Dortmund made for a tense finish.
Real Madrid took an early lead, with Gonzalo García finding the net in the 10th minute, assisted by a cross from Arda Güler. Fran García doubled their advantage ten minutes later, putting Real Madrid firmly in control. However, Borussia Dortmund showed resilience in stoppage time. Maximilian Beier pulled a goal back for Dortmund in the 92nd minute. Just two minutes later, Kylian Mbappé appeared to have sealed the win for Real Madrid with an overhead volley, assisted by Arda Güler. But the drama wasn't over yet, as Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty in the 97th minute to make it 3-2. Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, then made a crucial save with virtually the last kick of the match to deny Dortmund an equalizer. Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid was shown a red card, and Mbappé received a yellow card in the match.
Real Madrid's victory means they will now face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a heavyweight European semi-final clash. PSG reached the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich, despite finishing the match with nine players after red cards to Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernández. Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé scored the goals for PSG. The match between PSG and Real Madrid will take place on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at MetLife Stadium.
The other semi-final will see Chelsea take on Fluminense. Fluminense is the last non-European team remaining in the competition. Real Madrid, under the guidance of coach Xabi Alonso, displayed great solidity throughout the match. Alonso had expressed his delight with the team's performance and professionalism after their previous match against Juventus. Real Madrid have won the Club World Cup a record five times, with their last victory in 2023 against Al Hilal. They are aiming to win their sixth title.
