Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Borussia Dortmund in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The win propels them into the semi-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid took an early lead, with Gonzalo Garcia scoring in the 10th minute, assisted by Arda Güler. The lead was doubled in the 20th minute by Fran Garcia. Dortmund fought back in stoppage time, with Maximilian Beier reducing the deficit. However, Kylian Mbappe then scored to restore Real Madrid's two-goal advantage. Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty to make it 3-2. Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save at the end of the match to secure the win.
Mbappe started on the bench due to a tactical decision by manager Xabi Alonso. Alonso said that Mbappé was "feeling better day by day, but he's still not at 100%, so we made the decision to keep him on the bench with the idea of using him strategically if needed". Gonzalo Garcia was chosen to start in his place.
Mbappe's appearance was his second of the tournament, having previously been sidelined due to gastroenteritis. He made his return as a substitute in the match against Juventus.
The match was eventful, with a total of five goals, a red card for Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen, and a penalty for Borussia Dortmund. Mbappe and Huijsen received yellow cards.
Real Madrid's victory means they will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals, setting up a first encounter against his former team for Kylian Mbappe since joining Real Madrid. PSG advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich. The other semi-final will see Fluminense face Chelsea. Real Madrid have won the Club World Cup a record five times.