Unlike in the international edition, Real Madrid won’t have the chance to secure a third-place finish at this summer’s revamped Club World Cup following their 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night. Xabi Alonso’s side were left black and blue at MetLife Stadium, with two goals from Fabian Ruiz and one each from Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos proving that the Champions League holders still mean business.
The French giants will now face Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea in the final after the Blues advanced with a 2-0 win over Brazilian side Fluminense on Tuesday, where new signing Joao Pedro scored both goals. As for Los Blancos, their pre-season will begin shortly, as they return home without even playing a third-place match.
In major tournaments like the World Cup, losing semi-finalists usually face off in a third-place playoff to determine the bronze medallist and boost their prize money. However, the decision to omit that fixture from the Club World Cup has now been explained as Real Madrid fly home and set their sights on a more fruitful campaign than their last, which saw them lose out on every major honour available to them.
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Why There's No Third-Place Playoff at Club World Cup
FIFA have provided an explanation
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In a statement posted on the official FIFA website, the organisation confirmed: "There will be no third-place match, or bronze final, at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
"For the inaugural edition of this elite global competition, FIFA decided not to include this match to ensure that clubs and players who do not make the final can transition to their next commitments as soon as possible."
As a result of their defeat, Real Madrid are now out of the running for the £125 million prize money on offer in next week’s final. Still, they remain among the highest earners of the competition, having reached the final four. According to BeIN Sports, all four semi-finalists received the same payout for making it to that stage of the showpiece event - meaning there’s no financial distinction between finishing third or fourth.
When Xabi Alonso returns to the Spanish capital next week, his focus will be on getting Real Madrid back on track swiftly, with sights set on silverware next season. After falling short in all domestic competitions to rivals Barcelona and suffering a Round of 16 exit in the Champions League at the hands of Manchester City last time out, the pressure is on for a quick response.
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