Greetings on this final day of the work week! The Club World Cup bracket has been whittled down to the final two combatants, with London’s Chelsea and the squad from France’s capital, Paris Saint-Germain, securing their places in the culminating match on Sunday after strong performances in the preceding games. Each team is set to clash at MetLife Stadium with ambitions of proving their dominance. I’m Pardeep Cattry, and I’ll be giving you a glimpse of what you can anticipate this weekend.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, July 11
🌍 WAFCON: Ghana vs. Mali, 12 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Italy vs. Spain, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Portugal vs. Belgium, 3 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🌍 WAFCON: Tanzania vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
Saturday, July 12
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Sweden vs. Germany, 3 p.m. ➡️ Fox
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: Poland vs. Denmark, 3 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🌍 WAFCON: Morocco vs. Senegal, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
🌍 WAFCON: Zambia vs. Congo DR, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
🌎 Copa America Femenina: Peru vs. Chile, 5 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🌎 Copa America Femenina: Ecuador vs. Uruguay, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2
Sunday, July 13
🏆 CWC: Chelsea vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ➡️ TBS
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: England vs. Wales, 3 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🇪🇺 Women’s Euro: France vs. Netherlands, 3 p.m. ➡️ FS2
🌍 WAFCON: Tunisia vs. Botswana, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports Connect
🌍 WAFCON: Nigeria vs. Algeria, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
🌎 Copa America Femenina: Bolivia vs. Paraguay, 5 p.m. ➡️ FS1
🌎 Copa America Femenina: Brazil vs. Venezuela, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS1
⚽ The Forward Line
🇫🇷 Paris Saint-Germain’s title to lose
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Mirroring their performance in the concluding stretch of the European season, Paris Saint-Germain has distinguished itself as the preeminent team at the Club World Cup throughout the elimination phase. This not only positions them as the frontrunners for Sunday’s contest but also solidifies their claim as the leading team globally by nearly every available metric, regardless of the outcome of the final match.
A clear illustration of this is their decisive 4-0 victory against Real Madrid during Wednesday’s semifinal. PSG surpassed their opponents in almost every statistical category, demonstrating a commanding approach that unsettled Real Madrid’s defense and led to uncharacteristic errors. This was PSG exhibiting the novel strategy devised by Luis Enrique, aimed at exhausting competitors swiftly through a distinctive, high-energy play style, irrespective of the rival’s capabilities. It marked their third instance of a 4-0 victory in the tournament, which also encompasses their initial game against Atletico Madrid and their Round of 16 victory over Inter Miami. Moreover, they’ve achieved a scoring differential of 16 to one. The solitary goal conceded was during a 1-0 defeat to Botafogo in the group stage, underscoring the near-flawless results yielded by Enrique’s approach, even after 64 games into their season.
- Enrique: “My phone is overflowing with messages from Barcelona supporters, which speaks volumes about the significance of this match. We give it our all for the honor this jersey embodies, understanding Real Madrid’s prestige, past achievements, and enduring legacy. We exercised caution because of the heat, the proximity of the final in three days, potential fatigue, and the risk of cramps. The primary focus is always achieving our objective: reaching the final and giving our best effort. But we never intentionally slow down.”
It’s not surprising that PSG enters Sunday’s game as the team to overcome, consistent with their status throughout the tournament. Labeling the current UEFA Champions League victors as favorites in the Club World Cup doesn’t offer much novelty; the core narrative of their journey to the final instead chronicles their strategic evolution over the recent months. The Parisian champions were previously distinguished by individual brilliance, but their most significant successes have stemmed from promoting team cohesion. This places them on the verge of transforming a noteworthy treble into an unparalleled quadruple.
- Enrique: “This was a target we set from the outset. Now, we are just one match away from etching our names in PSG’s history by winning all the trophies we’ve contested this season. This achievement means a great deal to us, our supporters, and I cherish the opportunity to work at this club. We’ve surpassed 100 goals while maintaining a tight defense. These players are remarkable… Their exceptional play and dedication exemplify their commitment to serving the team.”
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🔵 Chelsea’s up-and-comers target more silverware
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Concurrent with Paris Saint-Germain’s newly established pattern of dominance is the fundamental inquiry of what measures are required to impede their progress – a question now presented to Chelsea to address this Sunday.
It offers a distinctive trial for any squad, but more acutely so for a youthful team navigating the preliminary phases of a project overseen by coach Enzo Maresca, who persists in managing a densely populated lineup. While PSG has deployed only 19 players during their Club World Cup campaign, Chelsea has utilized 27. This tournament functions as an opportunity to showcase athletes poised to accrue valuable playing time in the upcoming season. The competition for roster positions is particularly heightened among attacking players, with several emerging talents vying for attention, notably Joao Pedro. Within a week, he transitioned from playing for Brighton and Hove Albion to starring in the Blues’ 2-0 semifinal triumph over Fluminense, his former team. Joao Pedro addresses a need for Chelsea, as remarked by Maresca post-match, thereby strengthening his case before an eventful season for the team, which includes a return to the Champions League after three years.
- Maresca: “We acquired him specifically because this season, we’ve faced numerous teams adopting a low defensive setup. His skillset proves invaluable against such teams. Moreover, being Brazilian, he shares in the joyous approach to football characteristic of Brazilian players… As evidenced [Tuesday]. While he might not sustain this level consistently throughout the season, his presence and versatility are beneficial.”
However, Maresca faces a wealth of options leading into Sunday’s final. Joao Pedro’s selection on Tuesday was prompted by Liam Delap’s suspension, with the final potentially providing a preview of the manager’s plans for the forthcoming season. Confronting PSG, in particular, will serve as a definitive gauge for a Chelsea squad confident in its capacity to build a competitive team for the future.
🔗 Top Stories
🔵 Madueke’s impending departure: While Chelsea boasts an extensive roster of attackers, offloading Noni Madueke – particularly to Arsenal – might represent a misstep for the Blues.
👋 Real Madrid exit CWC: Real Madrid’s elimination from the Club World Cup following a loss to Paris Saint-Germain highlighted not just the merits of Kylian Mbappe but also underscored the team’s overarching need for rejuvenation.
🇺🇸 Tobin Heath retires: USWNT icon Tobin Heath, a multiple-time Women’s World Cup victor and Olympic gold medalist, formally declared her retirement nearly three years post her final match and in the aftermath of a significant knee injury.
❓ Messi to Saudi Arabia?: With Lionel Messi yet to renew his contract with Inter Miami, prominent entities in Saudi Arabia are devising strategies to tempt him to the Middle East should he contemplate leaving MLS.
⚫🔴 AC Milan preview: As AC Milan commences its preseason activities, a preview of forthcoming season highlights emerges, including Christian Pulisic’s position under freshly appointed manager Massimiliano Allegri and the addition of Luka Modric.
🏆 World Cup power rankings: Spain leads the contenders one year ahead of the World Cup, while the U.S. men’s national team lingers beyond the top 20 amidst ongoing challenges in the lead-up to the tournament.
👎 Ancelotti’s tax evasion charges: Carlo Ancelotti has been accused of tax evasion in Spain and handed a one-year jail sentence.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Club World Cup final: Chelsea vs. Paris Saint-Germain, Sunday, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score (+150) – With Paris Saint-Germain on the cusp of yet another prestigious achievement characterized by an exhilarating brand of football, it appears plausible that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will assume a pivotal function in the process. His addition marked a transformative moment in PSG’s season, seamlessly integrating with notable offensive contributions, while facilitating Luis Enrique in establishing a balance that ensures optimal performance from every player on the team. Although Kvaratskhelia might not stand out as the team’s leading scorer, he showcases the capacity to score, rendering him a commendable option to find the net as PSG endeavors to complement their Champions League triumph with another significant title.
For additional selections, forecasts, professional insights, and breaking betting updates, ensure you visit CBSSports.com’s dedicated betting platform.
📺 What we’re watching
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📺 What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Tune into Golazo Network and join the fans as they start their day off right on the network’s flagship morning show featuring highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer news. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you’ll never have to miss an episode.
☀️ Morning Footy (10 a.m. ET): A special edition of Morning Footy, the network’s flagship morning show featuring highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer news, will begin Golazo Network’s coverage of the big game. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you’ll never have to miss an episode.
🏆 Champions League Today (1 p.m. ET): Kate Scott is at the helm of pregame studio coverage alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. Coverage from Allianz Arena in Munich starts at 1 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network, followed by coverage on the CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.
⚽ The Champions Club (5:30 p.m. ET): Poppy Miller, Mike Grella, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Meola and Jimmy Conrad are there for live reactions and match analysis as they break down all the action from the Champions League final.
🥅 Scoreline (7 p.m. ET): Scoreline is where fans can catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the unmissable goals from the day’s action, broadcasting seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to providing unmatched coverage of all the top soccer competitions around the world. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
