Sometimes I have seen that a team gradually builds momentum as a competitive progress and begins to finds their form that was what happened to PSG they gradually find their form after the scare from the group stages of the competition after going through a playoff.
While madrid was doing well but could not maintain their position and from in the champions League so this game coming up in the FIFA club world cup is going to be a really tight game for each of the team because both teams are having a great run of form
Are you sure you watched Real Madrid last season or you're talking about another season. You call having 15 points in the group stages doing well? Lost against Liverpool in match day 5, lost against AC Milan in match day 4, lost against Lille in match day 2, win against Atlanta narrowly in match day 6. Real Madrid really struggled right from the group stages, this is evident because they finished 11th which was below the 8 teams that were supposed to qualify automatically.