The Club World Cup quarter-finals will feature a clash between two teams that caused major upsets in the previous round. Fluminense advanced by defeating Inter 2-0, while Al-Hilal pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory over Manchester City. As these surprising teams meet, one is guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the match between Chelsea and Palmeiras.
Possible Starting Lineups
Here are the potential starting elevens for the match:
Fluminense XI: Fabio; Xavier, Silva, Freytes, Rene; Hercules, Martinelli; Arias, Nonato, Canobbio; Everaldo.
Al-Hilal XI: Bono; Cancelo, Tambakti, Koulibaly, Lodi; Neves, Kanno; Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic, Al-Dawsari; Leonardo.
Player Spotlight
Yassine Bono, Al-Hilal — The Moroccan goalkeeper was outstanding in their win against Manchester City, making crucial saves throughout the match that were key to the Saudi team`s unexpected victory. His performance will be vital if Al-Hilal aims to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
Key Storyline
A key question is whether Simone Inzaghi can continue making history with Al-Hilal. He took charge of the team before the Club World Cup and immediately guided them to an upset win over Pep Guardiola`s Manchester City. Reaching the quarter-finals is already a significant achievement for the club internationally, but advancing further to the top four would represent an even bigger milestone.
Prediction
Following their impressive 4-3 win against Manchester City, Al-Hilal is favored to defeat the Brazilian side on Friday. The winner of this tie will advance to face either Chelsea or Palmeiras in the semi-final.
Forecast: Al-Hilal 2, Fluminense 1.
