Real Madrid's Club World Cup Dreams in Jeopardy as Key Plans Fall Apart Before Semifinal Showdown

Real Madrid scrapped their scheduled pre-game media obligations before Wednesday's FIFA Club World Cup semifinal clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Xabi Alonso was scheduled to field questions from the press at 7:30 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium, followed by a mixed zone session featuring players Thibaut Courtois, Federico Valverde and Jacobo Ramón.

These arrangements failed to materialize as intended. The Athletic reported that Los Blancos remained airborne at 7:28 p.m., having departed from their training base in Palm Beach, Florida, with their journey hampered by unfavorable weather conditions affecting both Miami and New York regions.

FIFA subsequently announced the cancellation of media obligations, with Real Madrid finally touching down shortly before 9 p.m. Severe weather had postponed their originally planned 4 p.m. departure. While teams must fulfill mandatory media commitments under tournament rules, the club anticipates no sanctions given the circumstances behind this absence.

Madrid established their tournament headquarters in southern Florida, making substantial investments in upgrading the facilities at Gardens North County District Park to suit their needs.

The Athletic reports this arrangement motivated the team's decision to return to Florida rather than remain in the northeast after their quarterfinal victory over Borussia Dortmund at MetLife. They opted for the back-and-forth travel approach, which unfortunately disrupted their preparation schedule on this occasion.

Should Madrid triumph over PSG in their semifinal encounter, the championship match will also take place at MetLife four days afterward, leaving their travel arrangements for that scenario yet to be determined.

The semifinal victor will meet Chelsea in the title decider. The English Premier League club, having capitalized on a beneficial path through both the group phase and elimination rounds, secured victory against Brazil's Fluminense on Tuesday.