PSG defeated Flamengo on penalties to win the 2025 Fifa Intercontinental Cup thanks to heroics from back-up goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
Four penalty saves from the Russian shot-stopper were the difference between PSG and Flamengo in Qatar.
Luis Enrique’s men had the better chances throughout the 120 minutes but still were underwhelming. Relative to expectations, quality and strategies, it’s fair to say Filipe Luis and his side were more impressive.
How PSG’s and Flamengo’s strategies complemented each other and led to draw
Filipe Luis’ calculated gamble
PSG lined up in their 4-3-3 shifting into a 3-2-5, like they always do and everyone expected they would. So let’s start with Flamengo.
It was down to Filipe Luis to decide how he was going to combat. Most inferior teams choose to sit deep and match the five-man attacking line with a back-five of their own. This is not what happened.
The Brazilians showed a brave approach and a lot of spirit to face PSG. The former left-back decided to maintain his usual back-four. This is what enabled them to have more bodies forward and press high up the pitch.
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They were never going to enjoy a lot of time on the ball to have territorial dominance in the attacking half with long passing sequences. The only way to get near PSG’s goal was to recover possession as close to it as possible. And they did.
Flamengo had 33 recoveries in the final third, the fifth most Luis Enrique’s men have allowed in a game this season. One of them led to the penalty that Giorgian De Arrascaeta won and Jorginho scored to make it 1-1.
There was also a clear demand for both wide midfielders (Jorge Carrascal on the left and Gonzalo Plata on the right) to step forward and turn their out-of-possession 4-4-2 into a 4-3-3 to match the three central defenders.
However, there is one downside to this strategy – which brings us to the next point.
Luis Enrique looking for the fifth man
Since Flamengo always had four defenders against five PSG forwards whenever the French side had the ball, Luis Enrique would always try to get his team to find the free man – usually from left to right.
Filipe Luis enforced the rotations from one side to the other when PSG tried switches of play. It was the only way to survive with a numerical disadvantage.
But the Parisiens eventually managed to leave opposing full-backs with doubts. When the Flamengo wide midfielders committed forward, Joao Neves or Fabian Ruiz would step up and occupy the spaces behind them. As a result, Alex Sandro and Guillermo Varela often found themselves with two men to mark at once.
And it was in one of those aforementioned switches of play that PSG found their goal. They worked their way on the left, forcing the Flamengo backline to tilt that way. Desire Doue stayed out wide on the left hugging the touchline to receive the ball completely unmarked.
Goalkeeper Agustin Rossi’s mistake was what actually led to the goal, since Doue’s cross could have been intercepted. And we could also say the same about Flamengo’s goal. They did recover possession almost inside the box, but it was a Marquinhos reckless and unnecessary challenge that allowed them to have the chance to score.
In the end, mistakes led to both goals during the match. But the attacking and defensive concepts of how both teams wanted to hurt each other were there for everyone to see.
Changes and adaptations to the flow of the game
Flamengo had a solid first half but Filipe Luis knew he wouldn’t be able to maintain the pace for the rest of the game.
Fatigue and yellow cards forced him to dismantle the whole team that was able to bother PSG. He replaced Jorginho and Pulgar with Saul Niguez and Nicolas De La Cruz. They had nowhere near the same amount of ‘fight’ to press high and tackle, but showed a lot of composure with the ball.
And it was in a more difficult context than what their subbed off teammates played in. Facing way less pressure, PSG managed to control the second half and both periods of extra time. They forced Flamengo to basically resist.
By the end, the Brazilians clearly lacked legs and quality down the squad. Marquinhos could have even won it with the last kick of regulation, but somehow missed a sitter. And then it was down to Matvey Safonov to (literally) save the day, preventing four of Flamengo’s penalty kicks from going in.
All things considered, PSG still look as mortal as ever since their revolution under Luis Enrique following Kylian Mbappe’s arrival. But, just as it was against Tottenham in the Uefa Super Cup, they still found a way to win.