The knockout stage of the Club World Cup continues on Monday in Orlando. This fixture sees Manchester City take on Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.
Manchester City enters this match as the strong favorites. They demonstrated dominant form in Group G, winning all three of their matches with a significant goal difference, outscoring opponents 13 to two. A highlight was their commanding 5-2 win over Juventus. This won`t be their first encounter against a team from Asia in this competition; they previously defeated Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates 6-0 during the group phase.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia`s Al-Hilal has reached the round of 16 as one of three teams from outside Europe and South America, and they are the sole representatives from Asia remaining. Their qualification came from a 2-0 victory against Mexico`s Pachuca in Group H, complemented by draws against RB Salzburg and, notably, a surprising 1-1 result against Real Madrid. While their performance against Real Madrid might inspire confidence, facing Pep Guardiola`s in-form Manchester City presents a challenge of a completely different magnitude.
Match Information
- Date: Monday, June 30 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Camping World Stadium — Orlando, Florida
- Odds: Manchester City -370; Draw +480; Al-Hilal +750
Last Meeting
This Monday`s match marks the first competitive clash between Manchester City and Al-Hilal. They did previously meet in a preseason friendly in Innsbruck, Austria, back in July 2012. Al-Hilal won that match 1-0 against a heavily rotated City squad, as Roberto Mancini used the game for early pre-season preparations.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City: Ederson, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Savinho, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland
Al-Hilal: Yassine Bounou, Joao Cancelo, Hassan Al-Tombakti, Kalidou Koulibaly, Renan Lodi, Ruben Neves, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Malcom, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Salem Aldawsari, Marcos Leonardo
Player to Watch
Rodri, Manchester City: Despite Manchester City`s recent signings in the transfer windows, Rodri remains a crucial figure and a welcome sight for fans. The Ballon d`Or winner recently returned to the starting lineup after recovering from an ACL injury that impacted their season. He settled back effectively in the 5-2 victory over Juventus. The match against Al-Hilal offers another opportunity for him to regain full match fitness, regardless of the attacking players Guardiola selects ahead of him. His impressive, forward-thinking midfield play, already linking well with Erling Haaland, could create exciting moments with newer players like Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki.
Storyline to Watch
Is Manchester City the tournament favorite? There was some uncertainty about Manchester City`s form heading into the Club World Cup following a demanding previous season and no major domestic or continental trophies. However, three games into the tournament, it appears City has successfully refreshed. They were the only team to win all three group stage matches and finished as the highest-scoring team in that phase with 13 goals. Coupled with Pep Guardiola`s extensive squad options and the use of the tournament to integrate new talent, momentum has shifted strongly in their favour. Monday`s match against Al-Hilal is likely to reinforce this perception, with their strongest challenge probably coming later in the competition.
Prediction
Manchester City benefits from the historical advantage European teams hold over their Asian counterparts, and their current form makes them exceptionally difficult to beat for most teams. Regardless of Guardiola`s team selection, expect City to secure a relatively comfortable victory and advance to the last eight.
Pick: Manchester City 3, Al-Hilal 0
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