DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain’s wait for the Champions League title is finally over and they could end the year with their first ever Intercontinental Cup trophy.
PSG will face South American champions Brazilian club Flamengo in the final of the year-end international tournament on Wednesday. The Intercontinental Cup was held for more than 40 years until 2004, when it was renamed the Club World Cup, but a French team has never won it.
FIFA reinstated the Intercontinental Cup last year after revamping the Club World Cup as a 32-team summer competition.
PSG won the Champions League for the first time in May, but lost to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final in the United States in July.
“We are focused on building on what we achieved last season,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said on the eve of the match in Doha. “The goal last season was to make history. We want to continue to make history. Every final is different. Flamengo are a very good team and it will be a close and difficult final.”
Flamengo are aiming for their second Intercontinental Cup title, the first being in 1981 when they defeated Liverpool with a team that featured Brazilian greats Zico and Junior. He is capping off a brilliant year in which he won both the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian Championship.
PSG qualified directly for the final as European champions, but Flamengo had to defeat Mexico’s Cruz Azul and Egypt’s Pyramids to advance to the title game.
South American teams have traditionally taken the tournament more seriously than European clubs, but PSG rested several players in Saturday’s 3-2 league win over Metz ahead of the trip to Qatar. Right-back Achraf Hakimi was absent due to injury.
“We know how strong PSG are and we are favorites to win, but that doesn’t mean we lose confidence,” said Flamengo’s veteran left-back Alex Sandro. “This game is special for us. We will enjoy every minute, every second, every gap on the pitch, every touch of the ball as if it were our last game. This game is all that matters to us at the moment.”
The winner will be able to wear the FIFA badge on their shirt for the following year.
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