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Fans online were left satisfied with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Ousmane Dembele starting against Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final. The clash is set to take place on Wednesday, July 9, at the MetLife Stadium.
Coach Luis Enrique went for a solid starting XI, with Gianluigi Donnarumma at the goal. Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, and Nuno Mendes form the PSG backline. The midfield includes Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, and João Neves. The front three include Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue, and Ousmane Dembele.
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Ousmane Dembele was not a part of the squad for PSG's group stage games, and started off the bench against Inter Miami in the Round of 16 and Bayern Munich in the quarter finals. He also scored against the Bavarians in the quarter-finals, with the semi-final against Real Madrid marking his first start in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Fans took to X to react to the line-up, with many being excited about Dembele returning to the starting XI. One user wrote:
"He going to show to World how to destroy Xabi's Madrid😂😂😂."
"Pray for Madrid," another user jibed.
"He’s going to own Madrid and Mbappe tonight," a third one chimed in.
"Luis Enrique knows Dembele always performs in big games. He was always going to start," another person opined.
Fans continued to share their thoughts about Dembele's return:
"He is going to do the magic today," a netizen claimed.
"It’s so good to be back after that light injury. My ballon dor winner," a person added.
"His isn’t just Dembele’s first start it’s the last moment of peace for the opponent’s defense. Every move from now on will strike like lightning!," a fan wrote.
"It's behind us"- When PSG boss Luis Enrique made feelings clear about facing Kylian Mbappe's Real Madrid in Club World Cup semi-final
In the pre-match press conference, PSG boss Luis Enrique spoke about facing Kylian Mbappe in the semi-final against Real Madrid. Mbappe left the French side as a free agent in the summer of 2024 to sign for Los Blancos. Enrique said (via Sports Illustratated):
"That's in the past. It's behind us and I have nothing more to add."
The Spanish tactician coached Mbappe for the 2023-24 season before his departure. The semi-final clash marks the first time the Frenchman will face his former club since switching to Real Madrid. Speaking further of the game, Enrique added:
"There are many things that make it a special match, there are many different situations around the match. But in the end, the most important thing is to play a Club World Cup semi-final . I think it's very interesting, we have to be ready to stay focused on the match and the semi-final."
After missing the group stage games due to a stomach infection, Kylian Mbappe featured in both the Round of 16 and quarter-final clashes for Los Blancos from the bench. The Frenchman is set to start against PSG tonight.
