PSG lineup vs Atletico Madrid: Predicted XI for Club World Cup opener

Paris Saint-Germain are expected to be without talisman Ousmane Dembele for their Club World Cup opener against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Dembele was PSG’s top scorer during 2024-25, but picked up an injury representing France in the UEFA Nations League last week, before pulling out of the squad ahead of the third-place playoff.

That will open the door to one of Goncalo Ramos or Bradley Barcola to come into the side, which became a rarity in the latter stages of the season, as Luis Enrique settled on the same XI for all of their big games in the run-in.

Desire Doue’s late-season form means he replaced Barcola in the XI, and after becoming the first player to contribute to three goals in a Champions League final, his place in the team is secure.

Ramos was part of the Portugal team that won the Nations League last Sunday, but had minimal impact across the week, while Vitinha and Nuno Mendes have many more minutes in the legs from that success.

Centre-back pairing Marquinhos and Willian Pacho both played 180 minutes in South American qualifying, keeping two clean sheets apiece for Brazil and Ecuador, respectively, and they are likely to start again, with Lucas Beraldo, Lucas Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe in reserve.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is the only player in the squad coming into this tournament on the back of a bit of adversity, as he was part of the Italy side that were thrashed in Norway last Friday, with some question marks being asked about his role in the second goal of that 3-0 defeat.

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Doue, Goncalo Ramos, Kvaratskhelia

Click here to see how Atletico could line up for this Club World Cup opener.

Written by
Andrew Delaney