Paris Saint-Germain’s hopes of clinching the inaugural edition of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup have suffered a significant setback, with defenders Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez both ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to suspension.
The Ligue 1 champions will head into their semi-final showdown against Real Madrid without the influential defensive pair, following separate red card incidents in their 2-0 quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich.
Pacho saw red in the 82nd minute for a reckless challenge on Leon Goretzka, while Hernandez was dismissed in added time after elbowing Raphael Guerreiro in the face.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has since confirmed that both players have been handed two-match bans for breaching Article 14, paragraph 1(e) of the governing body’s disciplinary code.
This rules them out of the semi-final at New York’s MetLife Stadium and, if PSG progress, the final on Sunday against either Chelsea or Fluminense.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will also be without one of their key defenders, Dean Huijsen.
The 20-year-old centre-back received a red card during stoppage time of Madrid’s dramatic 3-2 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund, after a late tackle on Serhou Guirassy.
However, the Spanish giants received a slight reprieve as Huijsen has only been suspended for one match.
His absence, though brief, poses a challenge for Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, especially with the Dutch youngster establishing himself as a defensive stalwart in the early days of his tenure.
With both European giants dealing with key suspensions, the semi-final promises to be a high-stakes encounter as PSG and Real Madrid battle for a place in Sunday’s final and a shot at global glory.