By Fakande Oluwamayowa
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has admitted that his team was thoroughly outclassed by Paris Saint-Germain in their FIFA Club World Cup semi-final clash on Wednesday.
Madrid suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the UEFA Champions League winners at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, crashing out of the tournament at the semi-final stage.
Costly defensive errors saw Madrid on the back foot early, and they never recovered against Luis Enrique’s in-form PSG side.
Speaking after the match, Alonso acknowledged the gulf in quality between both teams and emphasized the need for reflection and improvement.
“There’s a lot to analyse and learn from,” Alonso told Football Espana. “We now know where we are, where to look, and where we want to be.”
He praised PSG’s cohesion and admitted his team is still at the early stage of their development.
“PSG are a team. We have just begun our journey. We suffered and it was difficult. There are many things we want to do better. It hurts today,” he added.
With the loss marking the end of Madrid’s 2024/25 season, Alonso said the team will regroup and prepare for a fresh start in August.
