Paris Saint-Germain enters the club World Cup as ultrasavourites. In their first game, the club of the French capital Atletico Madrid takes in Los Angeles.
After PSG has won the Champions League for the first time in their history, PSG will also try to win their first club World Cup.
The club from the capital will be the big favorites to take this competition with its new format, with the intention of crushing everything on his path.
The competition will be difficult, but given their form, trust and timing, who can really stop this team?
Atletico will be their opponents in their first match. This is a club that is known at Manager Luis Enrique, his staff and the players, because they met last November in the Parc des Princes, a competition that ended in the victory for the Spaniards thanks to a final gasp goal by Angel Correa.
If there was doubt about PSG then – even if the defeat came as a real surprise – they now seem to be ahead of light years for the Colchoneros. The perfect test to start their club World Cup campaign.
The first obstacle for the obstacle course
The men from Luis Enrique strive for a quintuple, but first they have to pass Atletico and if possible in style.
There is one important factor to keep in mind for this meeting in Los Angeles: the temperature is expected to reach 31 ° C, which may feel more like 38 ° C.
For the Parisiens, “The keyword is adjustment”, according to RMC Sport. In particular, they report that the Paris team has so far prepared to adapt as closely as possible to the competition schedule and the expected conditions.
Their medical staff and athletic performance staff “pay attention to” and are “focused on hydration and recovery with the players”.
Now the circumstances will also be the same for Atletico, which, it is honest to say, may be better used to this climate, given that the heat in Madrid is part of daily life. So although they will be a heavy note to crack, they must also adapt to the competition environment, two important obstacles that can influence the way they approach the game.
How do you deal with the pressure and weak moments? How important will the ball control be to give the players a break? Do they have to be as intense as usual? These are very real questions when we prepare for this first competition, which give us an indication of which team on top of Group B will end.
But finishing at the top of your group really has an influence on the rest of the tournament?
Because the format is modeled on the 'real' World Cup, this would enable you to make the second place of group A in the round of 16, either FC Porto, Inter Miami, Palmeiras or Al Ahly.
A rather forgiving opponent, whether it is now, in a group where the Porto are the clear favorites.
Nevertheless, whether it is worth finishing the top of your group is a question that must be asked from the quarterfinals.
By first ending, and if there are no surprises, PSG could meet Chelsea in the quarterfinals, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid or Juventus in the semi -final, with a final against Inter, Bayern Munich or Manchester City who waits them.
Otherwise it would be Bayern in the quarterfinals, Inter of City in the semi -final, and Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid or Juventus in the Metlife Stadium on July 13.
Two obstacle courses, even if 'option A' seems slightly more accessible. In any case, the best formula for PSG remains the best team in the competition, such as in the Champions League.
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