Paris Saint-Germain are ramping up preparations following a hard-fought win over Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. With a high-stakes FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semifinal against Real Madrid on the horizon, coach Luis Enrique has been hit with a setback as two players have departed the training camp in Atlanta.
In the quarterfinal showdown with Bayern, PSG secured a thrilling 2-0 victory in a high-quality contest. The match featured the return of Ousmane Dembele to the scoresheet, but was also marked by disciplinary trouble. Willian Pacho was sent off in the 82nd minute, while Lucas Hernandez, who entered in the 80th, received a red card in stoppage time (90+2).
As a result, both center backs were initially ruled out of the semifinal against Real Madrid, scheduled for Wednesday, July 9. However, a more consequential decision followed regarding their status.
FIFA announced that both Pacho and Hernandez would serve two-match bans—ruling them out of not only the semifinal, but also a potential final. In response, PSG opted to release both players from the squad, allowing them to leave the training camp.
“According to the sporting management and staff, Lucas Hernández and Willian Pacho, who are suspended for the remainder of the Club World Cup, are leaving the squad today,” PSG posted on their official X account Tuesday morning.
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The club had the option to appeal FIFA’s disciplinary ruling but ultimately chose not to. PSG confirmed that both Pacho and Hernández, in agreement with the team’s sporting leadership, exited the U.S. camp. With Pacho playing a crucial role during PSG’s run and Hernández serving as his natural replacement, head coach Luis Enrique now faces a forced reshuffle in defense.
PSG receive boost as two key players return to training
In addition to the suspensions, PSG recently faced concerns over the fitness of Achraf Hakimi and Fabián Ruiz, who trained individually in the gym on Sunday instead of joining the full squad. With the semifinal looming, fans were understandably worried.
Fortunately for PSG, both Hakimi and Ruiz participated in full training on Tuesday without issue. The duo is now fully fit and expected to start against Real Madrid in what promises to be a blockbuster Club World Cup semifinal.
