MY ACCOUNT
– Real Madrid have won the Club World Cup a record four times
– Al-Hilal showed plenty of attacking quality in their semi-final win
– Recommended bet: Real Madrid to win and both teams to score
Real Madrid will face Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Saturday and the European giants will expect to end the night as champions.
Los Blancos booked their place in the final of the competition with a resounding 4-1 victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly on Wednesday and they are now just one step away from landing a record-extending fifth Club World Cup title.
Standing in Real’s way are Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal, who are looking to become the first non-European or South American club to be crowned world champions and they have already underlined their pedigree in this year’s competition.
After seeing off African champions Wydad Casablanca via a penalty shootout in their opening match, Ramon Diaz’ side then stunned Brazilian giants Flamengo with a 3-2 victory in the semi-finals — proof they cannot be underestimated even by a team of Real’s quality.
Team news
Real Madrid have plenty of fitness concerns heading into Saturday’s showpiece, with Ferland Mendy (hamstring), Eden Hazard (muscle) and Lucas Vazquez (ankle) having all been ruled out through injury, while Karim Benzema (hamstring), Eder Militao (groin) and Thibaut Courtois (muscle) remain doubts.
Should Courtois fail to prove his fitness then goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is likely to retain his place between the sticks, while another youngster, Sergio Arribas, will be hoping to start after coming off the bench to score in the semi-final victory over Al Ahly.
Peru international Andre Carrillo is Al-Hilal’s main fitness concern after he revealed he was forced to play through the pain barrier during the win over Flamengo due to an ongoing ankle issue.
Mohamed Kanno, who missed the semi-final victory through suspension, could replace Carrillo in the starting XI, while the likes of former Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo and ex-Atletico Madrid ace Luciano Vietto are among the standout names in the Al-Hilal squad.
The stats
No team has won the Club World Cup more often than Real Madrid, who have lifted the trophy four times in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018, while they have also scored the most goals (32) and registered the most wins (10) in the competition’s history.
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti helped Real to the first of their Club World Cup successes and he is bidding to win the tournament for the third time as a manager, equalling Pep Guardiola’s record, with the Italian having also lifted the trophy with AC Milan in 2007.
Los Blancos claimed a much-needed victory over Al Ahly in the semi-finals, as they had failed to win or score in two of their previous three matches, surprisingly going down 1-0 to Mallorca in their final LaLiga fixture before heading to Morocco.
Al-Hilal are the first Saudi team to reach the Club World Cup final and they will head into the contest in good form, having lost just two of their 19 competitive games to date this term.
On their two previous appearances at the tournament, Al-Hilal have finished fourth, with the AFC Champions League holders losing in the third-place playoff to Monterrey in 2019 and Al Ahly last year.
Prediction
European teams have won this competition in each of the last nine years, with four of those successes coming from Real, and it seems highly likely the Madrid giants will continue that dominance with a victory on Saturday.
However, it may not be completely straightforward for Ancelotti and co, with Al-Hilal having showcased their attacking prowess in their two matches at this tournament to date, notably as they netted three times against a Flamengo team that were expected to be Real’s opponents in the final.
Al-Hilal have a knack for scoring goals, netting in 24 of their last 26 competitive matches and they will be facing a Real defence that has shown vulnerability of late, as they have conceded in seven of their previous 10 competitive games, including in their semi-final victory over Al Ahly.
This game could well follow a similar pattern to that 4-1 success over the Egyptian outfit, with Real ultimately prevailing but conceding at least one goal in the process.
Back Real Madrid to win and both teams to score at 29/20 with LiveScore Bet.
