FIFA Club World Cup
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Real Madrid and RB Salzburg meet in the last of the 2025 Club World Cup group-stage action with knockouts places on the line.
The Spanish giants hold the advantage in Group H as they lead the way heading into tonight's final games. A draw will be enough to take them into the last 16 while a win will secure top spot. There will also be attention on the other game being played as Al Hilal can still qualify with a win against bottom club Pachuca.
A severe thunderstorm watch is currently in effect in Philadelphia, which may affect whether the match kicks off on time.
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Impressive how the Madrid anthem was sung in the pouring rain. I'm not going to say it was as good as at the Bernabéu, but it was stirring.
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Red Bull Salzburg will go through if they beat Real Madrid. If they draw, they will advance if Al Hilal fail to win against Pachuca. If Al Hilal do win, and Salzburg draw, the Austrians will go through if they draw by a scoreline of 2-2 or higher. That prompted the somewhat questionable tweet from Salzburg's English X account seen below.
If Red Bull Salzburg lose they will be knocked out only if Al Hilal win.
The bad thing for the teams that make it out of Group H? They are going to have to move. The good thing? They already know where they will be going.
Both last-16 ties that await the qualifying teams from Group H are being played in Florida.
The winners of the group will head to Miami where they will face Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium. The runners-up will head to Orlando where Manchester City await at Camping World Stadium.
Less than three hours for the flight whatever happens.
When Manchester City's Club World Cup campaign started, they looked a lot like the team that failed to defend its Premier League crown this season. They weren't convincing at all in their opener against Wydad AC despite winning 2-0.
But the 6-0 win against Al Ain seemed to jolt them back into life and they were terrific in dismantling Juventus earlier today.
They had to beat the Italians to win Group G. They didn't just beat them, they thrashed them.
It finished 5-2 but that scoreline flattered Juve who just couldn't cope with Pep Guardiola's men. It was a real marker put down by the Premier League side and they will take some stopping at this tournament.
In Nashville, where Al Hilal and Pachuca are playing tonight's other Group H finale, Simone Inzaghi has named an unchanged Al Hilal side from the team that battled to a goalless draw with Salzburg last time out. Pachuca make four changes from their 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid, with Gustavo Cabral – currently subject to FIFA disciplinary proceedings relating to an alleged incident of racist abuse against Antonio Rudiger – again among the substitutes.
Born in the Netherlands, brought up in Spain, where Dean Huijsen was formed by the cultural melting pot of the searing southern shores.
The 20-year-old has come a long way since his early days on the Costa del Sol — in an incredibly short space of time.
From Malaga, to Juventus, to Bournemouth and beyond. Follow the link below for the story of Real Madrid’s £50m centre-back.
GO FURTHER
Real Madrid’s £50m defender Dean Huijsen: The car crash, cultures and country that made him
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Federico Valverde may have missed the penalty that could have won Real Madrid their opening game against Al Hilal, but this fan doesn't seem to have lost any love for him!
Two changes to the Red Bull Salzburg side that drew 0-0 with Al-Hilal in their second group game. Former Brentford man Mads Bidstrup is absent with a calf issue, so Mamady Diambou comes into the engine room. Further forward, youngster Petar Ratkov gets the nod over Karim Onisiwo.
Rodrygo is a substitute for the second game in a row, in a clear message from Xabi Alonso to the Brazilian.
Antonio Rudiger, who returned from injury at the end of the match against Pachuca, starts in place of the suspended Raul Asencio. This allows Aurelien Tchouameni to play in midfield, where he feels more comfortable.
Starting XI: Zawieschitzky, Kratzig, Rasmussen, Gadou, Lainer, Diabate, Diambou, Gloukh, Nene, Ratkov, E. Baidoo
Subs: Krumrey, Hamzic, S. Baidoo, Kitano, Onisiwo, Vertessen, Kjaergaard, Daghim, Mellberg, Trummer, Aguilar, Schuster
The temperature has cooled in Philadelphia from recent days but the concern is now thunderstorms. The chance of rain is approximately 75 per cent over the next hour before kick-off, and a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect. As we get closer to 10 p.m. ET, the chance of rain diminishes, but we could be looking at a delayed start tonight.
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Starting XI: Courtois, Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Fran Garcia, Bellingham, Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Valverde, Vinicius Jr, Gonzalo
Subs: Lunin, Fran Gonzalez, Modric, Rodrygo, Lucas Vasquez, Ceballos, Brahim, Youssef, Jacobo, Chema, Victor Munoz, Mario Martin
There are still a couple of moving parts to the rest of the last-16 line-up, but those will stop moving in a few hours' time.
Here is what awaits the two teams that make it out of Group H as the knockout stage continues on Monday and Tuesday (all times ET).
Monday
Tuesday
With only two group-stage matches left at this tournament, the last-16 line-up isn't far away from being complete.
After we all get a much-needed rest day tomorrow, the knockout stage starts this weekend — here are the matches on Saturday and Sunday (all times ET).
Saturday
Sunday
Rodrygo’s name has rarely been out of the headlines in recent weeks.
When the 24-year-old Brazilian started Real Madrid’s Club World Cup opener against Al Hilal — and assisted Madrid’s only goal in that 1-1 draw — it was his first appearance since being replaced at half-time of the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26.
In those 53 days, speculation about Rodrygo’s situation and future escalated. There were doubts over the reasons for his absence along with rumours about a potential move to the Premier League, with Arsenal one of the clubs closely monitoring him.
New coach Xabi Alonso seemed to bring some clarity last week — but then Rodrygo played no role in Madrid’s 3-1 win against Pachuca on Sunday.
With his future up in the air, The Athletic explains what we are hearing about Rodrygo – follow the link below to check it out.
GO FURTHER
What’s going on with Rodrygo at Real Madrid?
Red Bull Salzburg and Al Hilal played out a 0-0 draw in their second match in Group H in Washington, D.C.
Yassine Bounou made five saves for the Saudi Arabian side while Christian Zawieschitzky made four for the Austrians. Al Hilal finished with a 19-13 advantage in shot attempts.
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Real Madrid bounced back from an early Raul Asencio red card to beat Pachuca 3-1 in Charlotte and give Xabi Alonso his first win as head coach.
After looking shaky early on, Asencio was sent off for bringing down Salomon Rondon just outside the penalty area, with the former Newcastle United forward through on goal.
It was an awful start with just seven minutes gone, but the Spaniards managed to get a foothold in the game before a wonderful move down the left flank saw Jude Bellingham accelerate onto the ball before striking into the bottom corner after 35 minutes.
Arda Guler then doubled the advantage two minutes before half-time with a lovely cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold and a lay-off from Gonzalo Garcia. Federico Valverde made the game safe after another clinical move from Madrid before Elias Montiel pulled a goal back for Pachuca.
GO FURTHER
Real Madrid 3 Pachuca 1 – Alonso’s side show attacking class after early Asencio red card
Red Bull Salzburg opened the tournament on a winning note, beating Pachuca 2-1 in a weather-delayed match in Cincinnati.
Oscar Gloukh opened the scoring for the Austrian side a few minutes before the half-time break, before the match was halted for approximately 90 minutes early in the second half due to severe weather. When the match resumed, Bryan Gonzalez soon equalized for the Mexican side, sneaking the ball in at the near post from a direct free kick. The match remained level until Karim Onisiwo's header in the 76th minute gave Salzburg the lead again, an advantage they wouldn't relinquish.
Real Madrid missed a late penalty as Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal produced an excellent performance to secure a 1-1 draw in their opening game in Group H.
Madrid’s young centre forward Gonzalo Garcia broke the deadlock after a neat passing move in first half, which came moments after their new coach Xabi Alonso had issued instructions to his team at a first-half cooling break.
Then Ruben Neves levelled from the penalty spot for Al Hilal shortly before the break. after a clumsy foul in the penalty area by Madrid centre-back Raul Asencio.
Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou held his nerve in the 92nd minute, diving low to his right to keep out Federico Valverde’s tame penalty kick.
GO FURTHER
Real Madrid 1 Al Hilal 1: Alexander-Arnold’s debut, Bounou’s penalty heroics and a slow start for Alonso