The world dream of Paris Saint-Germain broke in New York. Beaten 3-0 by Chelsea in the final of the first World Cup of clubs at 32 teams, the Parisians cracked physically against cooler and more lucid blues. From the start, the Londonian pressing high put in difficulty the men of Luis Enrique, quickly overwhelmed. Cole Palmer, sparkling, opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before doubled the bet (30 ′), each time operating the Parisian defense.
At the break, Chelsea already led 3-0 after a decisive pass from the same palmer for Joao Pedro (43 ′). PSG, amorphous, never seemed able to return, despite a more marked possession in the second period. The Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez even allowed himself to shine, pushing two attempts at Dembélé and Vitinha. The Cramps of Goué and the expulsion of Neves for a mood gesture at the end of the match symbolized a team out of breath and nerves.
A workforce management that questions
Beyond the score, this final highlighted a shouting gap in the management of efforts. If PSG has played 65 games this season against 64 for Chelsea, its holders have accumulated on average 49,018 minutes of play, 8,434 more than their London counterparts. The equivalent of more than 93 full games in eleven. A significant difference, reflection of more marked wear and tear on the Parisian side.
Luis Enrique regularly bet on a hard core, intensely soliciting his executives throughout a season punctuated by Ligue 1, the Champions League, the French Cup and this Club World. Conversely, Chelsea was able to count on a much wider rotation: 42 players used for all competitions, against only 28 for PSG.
This reverse highlights a concrete imbalance in the physical management of groups. PSG, despite an enrollment fleshed out on paper, paid the price of a relentless season, where freshness has sorely failed at the decisive moment.
