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Fabian Ruiz scored twice as European champions Paris Saint-Germain turned on the style in their reunion with Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday, thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup to set up a final showdown with Chelsea.

Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored inside the opening nine minutes to stun Real and silence the majority of the 77,542 crowd who were wearing white at the MetLife Stadium outside New York.

The Spanish midfielder added another before half-time and Goncalo Ramos got a late fourth as Luis Enrique’s side moved one game away from glory at FIFA’s new tournament.

Victory against Chelsea on Sunday would complete a campaign of unparalleled success for the Parisians, who won the French title and then the first UEFA Champions League in their history in May.

After blowing away Inter Milan 5-0, the biggest victory in European Cup final history, PSG began their Club World Cup bid by putting four past Atletico Madrid and the ease with which they disposed of Real here was striking.

PSG’s fluidity contrasted starkly with Madrid, who are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso. Meanwhile Mbappe struggled to make any impact on his first start at the tournament and in his first game against PSG since leaving the French club a year ago.

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The France captain was hoping for a different outcome against the team for whom he scored a club record 256 goals, and the defeat is a real blow to Real as they hoped to win the first 32-team Club World Cup to add to their record tally of 15 European Cups.

But PSG have improved without Mbappe and are now such a well-oiled machine that they appear unstoppable — it would be a big surprise if they failed to beat Chelsea.

Luis Enrique was without imposing centre-back Willian Pacho due to suspension following his sending-off against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, but that did not matter.

Lucas Beraldo slotted into the defence with ease, and the rest of PSG’s first-choice line-up was there.

 Day to forget for Mbappe

Real were missing central defender Dean Huijsen through suspension, while the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold was an added blow.

The return to the starting XI of Mbappe, who missed the entire group stage through illness, did not prevent young striker Gonzalo Garcia from keeping his place.

But the Spanish giants’ front line, completed by Vinicius Junior, made no real impact, such was the extent of PSG’s domination.

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made two superb saves inside the opening five minutes, the first to tip away a Ruiz shot, and the second to deny Nuno Mendes from point-blank range.

Yet Courtois could not prevent Paris from scoring in the sixth minute, as Dembele pounced on slack defending by Raul Asencio. The Real ‘keeper saved at the forward’s feet but Ruiz converted the loose ball.

Three minutes later and the contest was effectively over when Antonio Rudiger failed to control a simple pass from Jude Bellingham, allowing Dembele to run through before finishing low into the corner.

Like his friend Mbappe, Dembele was starting for the first time at the competition having been injured. That was a 34th club goal since August for a player who is a serious candidate for the Ballon d’Or.

It was turning into a humiliating afternoon for Real as PSG got their third midway through the first half.

A deflected shot by Mbappe was easily held by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and no Madrid player touched the ball again before they were picking it out of their own net a minute later.

Dembele released Achraf Hakimi on the right and he squared for Ruiz, the Spain star taking a touch to hold off Fede Valverde before finishing.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could have got a fourth before the interval, while Desire Doue had a goal disallowed for offside early in the second half.

But Real were not coming back, and Alonso opted to take off Bellingham and Vinicius just after the hour mark in a clear sign of surrender.

PSG then got their fourth after 87 minutes when Ramos controlled a pass from fellow substitute Bradley Barcola, turned and fired in.

Novak Djokovic can make Wimbledon history in his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli, while his title rival Jannik Sinner must banish fears over an elbow injury when he faces Ben Shelton on Wednesday.

Djokovic, the seven-time champion, and world number one Sinner will book a blockbuster semi-final showdown if they win their last eight matches.

But before that heavyweight showdown is secured, both Djokovic and Sinner have pressing issues to resolve.

Djokovic will pass Roger Federer to take sole ownership of the all-time record for most Wimbledon men’s semi-final appearances if he advances to the last four for the 14th time.

The Serb is bidding to become the second man in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals aged 38 or older after Ken Rosewall, who made that stage aged 39 in 1974.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion is also aiming to reach a record extending 52nd major semi-final.

That would take him within two wins of breaking his tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam singles titles by a man or woman.

Success at Wimbledon has been child’s play for Djokovic, who has reached the final in every one of his appearances since 2018.

But it was a new experience for the sixth seed to watch his son Stefan take to the court against his quarter-final opponent this week.

Cobolli and Djokovic are good friends, so the Serb was delighted to see the Italian 22nd seed practice with his 10-year-old.

“They hit a few days ago. They played some points.Obviously, he loves tennis. He has everyone’s signature, except mine. But that’s okay, I’ll accept that! Djokovic said.

“I’ll have a conversation with my son and see what he has noticed in the game of Cobolli.”

READ ALSO: Wimbledon Line Technology Fails Again As Fritz Reaches Semis

 Sinner concern

Sinner sparked fears he may have to pull out of the tournament after injuring his right elbow in an awkward fall during his fourth-round tie against Grigor Dimitrov.

The Italian top seed was trailing by two sets and on the brink of a shock defeat when Dimitrov pulled a pectoral muscle while serving and had to retire from the match.

Sinner subsequently cancelled a scheduled practice session at the All England Club on Tuesday after undergoing an MRI scan on the injury.

He is due to face American 10th seed Shelton later on Wednesday, when all eyes will be on the three-time Grand Slam champion’s fitness.

The 23-year-old beat Shelton in straight-sets in the Wimbledon fourth round last year and also eliminated him in this year’s Australian Open semi-finals.

Sinner, who has never made the Wimbledon final, is bidding to make history by becoming the first Italian player to reach the last four at the All England Club multiple times.

Shelton, eyeing a third Grand Slam semi-final at just 22, has already surpassed dad and coach Bryan, who reached the Wimbledon last 16 here 31 years ago.

In the women’s tournament, Mirra Andreeva is the youngest Wimbledon women’s quarter-finalist since 2007.

Under the wing of former Wimbledon winner Conchita Martinez, the Russian seventh seed has breezed impressively through the first four rounds without dropping a set.

But Andreeva faces former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, who is enjoying her best ever Wimbledon just over a year after giving birth.

“I’m fighting with everything I have on the court, I still want to win very badly but it’s much different now,” Bencic said.

A five-time Grand Slam champion, Iga Swiatek has conquered her demons on the grass by reaching her second Wimbledon quarter-final on the back of her first final on the surface at Bad Homburg.

Her last eight opponent, Russian world number 19 Liudmila Samsonova, has won two of her five WTA titles on grass.

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic said her dream had come true after she reached a first Wimbledon semi-final with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) win against Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva on Wednesday.

The former Olympic champion is enjoying her best run at the All England Club just over a year after giving birth.

The 28-year-old had her daughter Bella in April 2024, but has already risen to 35th in the world since returning from maternity leave.

Wimbledon appears to be child’s play for Bencic this year, and she dispatched Andreeva in just over two hours of enthralling quarter-final action on Centre Court.

Bencic, a former world number four, will face five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek for a place in Saturday’s final.

“It’s crazy, it’s unbelievable. It’s a dream come true. I tried not to think about it at the match point. I’m just speechless,” Bencic said.

“I studied all evening yesterday to come up with a plan. I think it worked out well. With two tie-breaks it is not easy, it’s just a small edge.”

READ ALSO: Wimbledon Line Technology Fails Again As Fritz Reaches Semis

Bencic’s only other Grand Slam last-four appearance ended in defeat at the US Open in 2019, two years before she won singles gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

She is the first Swiss woman semi-finalist at Wimbledon since Martina Hingis 27 years ago, having failed to make it past the last 16 in her previous eight visits to southwest London.

“I’m very proud. I didn’t say it to myself much before but since having Bella I say it to myself every day. It’s not only me, I wouldn’t be able to do it without my amazing family and team,” Bencic said.

“We worked so hard on the comeback. We are enjoying life on tour and to play great is a bonus.

“I’m generally just really happy to be able to play again, because my body allows it.”

The rising star of the WTA Tour, 18-year-old Andreeva was the youngest women’s Wimbledon quarter-finalist since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007.

Under the wing of former Wimbledon winner Conchita Martinez, the Russian had breezed through the first four rounds without dropping a set.

Andreeva said she was so focused on each point during her fourth-round tie against Emma Navarro that she did not realise when she won on match point.

But Bencic proved equally locked in and the Swiss veteran defied a painful cracked toe-nail in the second set to seal her memorable triumph.

“They always crack. It is the life of a tennis player. I didn’t want to take a medical time-out so you don’t have to see this,” she said.