Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said he was looking forward to seeing how his team measures up to European champions Paris Saint-Germain after setting up a semi-final clash at the Club World Cup.
Real edged past Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a dramatic quarter-final that should prepare them for their next challenge.
The Spanish giants looked mostly in control at the MetLife Stadium, dominating possession and opening a two-goal lead thanks to strikes by Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia in the 10th and 20th minutes.
Gonzalo, the 21-year-old forward continuing his breakout tournament, opened the scoring with a close-range volley from Arda Guler’s cross.
Ten minutes later, Fran doubled Real’s lead, arriving at the far post to turn in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low delivery after an incisive move down the right.
Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. squandered chances to extend Real’s lead before halftime, while Aurelien Tchouameni came closest in the second half, rattling the crossbar with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
Despite the reduced intensity of play in New Jersey's scorching heat, Real looked set to close out the match until the game exploded into life in 10 minutes of added time.
Substitute Maximilian Beier pounced on a rebound in the 93rd minute to pull one back for Dortmund, but a minute later Kylian Mbappe restored Real’s two-goal cushion with a stunning volley.
Dortmund refused to back down and Serhou Guirassy’s pace saw him break through Real’s defence only to be pulled down in the box by Dean Huijsen.
The defender was shown a straight red card, ruling him out of the semi-final, and Guirassy coolly converted the resulting spot-kick to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
Dortmund came within inches of forcing extra time when in the ninth minute of added time Thibaut Courtois produced a sensational save to deny Marcel Sabitzer’s powerful strike.
Real will now face PSG at the MetLife Stadium in their semi-final on Wednesday.
“Today we played against a team who went far in the Champions League and now we face the winners, so this is going to be another little step up for us in this new project we are beginning,” said manager Alonso.
“They (PSG) have been playing at a really high level since the last 16 of the Champions League and it will be a really big challenge for us.
“We can do better but overall it was a very serious performance and now we need to take the positives from this. The game has just ended so I am not yet thinking about the semis. I will have a couple of hours of peace but obviously it is not good news to have lost Huijsen.”
PSG made to fight
Paris Saint-Germain grabbed a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich to reach the semi-finals as Ousmane Dembele played a crucial role in securing victory after his team were down to nine men.
Bayern lost Jamal Musiala just before half-time with a horror ankle injury but shared an intense and even battle with the Parisians and had two goals ruled out for off-side.
With 20 minutes remaining, Luis Enrique sent on Dembele to make the difference and avoid extra-time.
Dembele came inches from doing just that when Neuer gave the ball away outside his area and the Frenchman lunged to try to roll into the empty net, but it trickled just wide of the post.
Eventually 20-year-old Desire Doue, who burst into the limelight in PSG's run to Champions League glory, fashioned some space on the edge of the box and flashed a low strike home at the near post.
Bayern were given hope as they hunted for an equaliser when PSG defender Willian Pacho was sent off for a high tackle on Leon Goretzka after 83 minutes.
Harry Kane headed home from an off-side position before PSG substitute Lucas Hernandez was dismissed for an elbow.
Despite their numerical disadvantage Dembele hit the crossbar before sealing their victory after Achraf Hakimi's run through, and the Frenchman paid tribute to Jota by copying his video-gaming celebration.
“It's an important period for us. We had a score to settle with Bayern after the 2020 (Champions League) final (won by Bayern 1-0) and after they beat us earlier this season,” captain Marquinhos said. “We want to win this competition.”
