Atlético Madrid endured a humbling 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup debut on Sunday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. After the match, head coach Diego “Cholo” Simeone faced the media and acknowledged his team fell short of the challenge.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Argentine manager admitted PSG's superiority while maintaining that Atlético arrived with competitive intentions.

“We came to compete. On the road, there can be turbulence, and we experienced that today,” said Simeone.

Despite the heavy defeat, the coach emphasized the importance of looking ahead, with two crucial group-stage matches remaining.

“Now We Must Respond”

Simeone called the result a hard blow but stated that his side must bounce back quickly in their upcoming games—June 19 vs Seattle Sounders and June 23 vs Botafogo.

“This clearly forces us to get good results in the next two matches,” he added, confident that his squad can turn things around.

Simeone also praised his players’ effort:

“The team wanted to do it at all times. Then there’s the part where we couldn’t. The opponent was better, took the ball from us, and we couldn’t escape those situations.”

PSG in Full Control at the Rose Bowl

Luis Enrique’s side delivered a dominant performance from start to finish. Fabián Ruiz opened the scoring with a precise strike, Vitinha doubled the lead before halftime, and late goals from Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-in (from the penalty spot after Clément Lenglet was sent off) sealed the 4-0 rout.

Vitinha was named Man of the Match, orchestrating PSG’s midfield and setting the tone for what could be a deep tournament run for the Champions League winners.

When Is Atlético Madrid’s Next Match?

After the crushing start, Atlético Madrid must regroup fast. Their next fixture is on Wednesday, June 19, against Seattle Sounders—a make-or-break clash in Group B of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.