FIFA Club World Cup
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Real Madrid have booked their place in the Club World Cup last 16 with a 3-0 win against RB Salzburg.
The victory was enough for Xabi Alonso’s side to confirm top spot in Group H while the Austrians have been eliminated.
There was plenty of quality on show for Madrid on the night. A brilliant combination of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior brought the first goal before the latter turned provider for Federico Valverde moments later.
With Madrid headed for a comfortable win, Gonzalo Garcia put the icing on the cake with a lovely chipped finish over Christian Zawieschitzky. They will face Juventus in the last 16.
GO FURTHER
Vinicius Jr evokes Guti’s ‘Heel of God’ at Club World Cup to set up Real Madrid v Juventus
After a shaky opening draw against Al Hilal, Real Madrid found a bit more rhythm in their other two Group H matches.
There were only two teams that didn't face Auckland City that scored more group-stage goals than Alonso's men.
Most group-stage goals
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Shaim M.: Madrid is looking better and better every game. Gonzalo Garcia has to stay now, Endrick hopefully leaves on loan. Honestly all the players played well today, I think we have a shot at reaching the final if we build on this performance.
Daniel T.: Beautiful passing. Grateful my one-year old for waking up crying in the middle of the night so I could watch this.
A V.: The Club World Cup will benefit Real Madrid by helping them get familiar with Alonso’s style of play ahead of next season. I don’t think Rodrygo will get much playing time, especially with Gonzalo García looking promising.
Encara Messi: Don’t let the score line fool you. Madrid are not getting to the final. Awful Salzburg team could have put five past them if they were more clinical.
I'm not sure that last commenter is the biggest Madrid fan …
A well-timed photo of Jude Bellingham admiring Vinicius Junior's finish from his brilliant pass in the first half.
The Englishman was at his destructive best tonight; gliding through midfield with the ball at his feet, picking superb passes and winning the ball back at regular intervals.
A real all-action display this evening.
The last of what Vinicius Junior had to say after Real Madrid's win: "It's a pleasure to play in this competition. It's the first edition of this format and Madrid always want to win. The (Superior Player of the Match) award is the reward for all the team's hard work. Today I was able to help them".
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What is the Superior Player Award at the Club World Cup, and who picks its winners?
Vinicius Junior then spoke about his beautiful assist.
💬 “I haven't seen the video but it reminded me of Guti, a legend of this club. It's one of the most beautiful of my career and above all because it's for Fede, who always encourages me and supports me a lot.”
GO FURTHER
Vinicius Jr evokes Guti’s ‘Heel of God’ at Club World Cup to set up Real Madrid v Juventus
After the match, Vinicius Junior discussed working with Xabi Alonso.
💬 “It's been two very good weeks, in which we are gaining confidence and trying to understand as quickly as possible what he wants.
“I have to play a bit inside, I've always liked it because I'm closer to the goal and I can score more goals and give more assists. I played in this position with Ancelotti when we won the last Champions League and now it's a bit more difficult for me. The team is more compact.”
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He wasn't always flavour of the month at Real Madrid during his time there, but Gareth Bale had a very impressive record in the Spanish capital.
Among countless trophies and iconic moments, he scored 106 times for Madrid in all competitions — a tally bettered by only 16 men in the club's history.
Tonight's opening goal moved Vinicius Jr level with Bale, although he has made 61 more appearances than the Welshman.
Xabi Alonso then switched his focus onto the upcoming last-16 meeting with Juventus.
💬 “Once you go through the group stage, the last 16 every game is a final. Juve is one of the historic teams in Europe. (Their 5-2 loss today) doesn't matter, they're gonna be tough.”
Xabi Alonso was asked by DAZN after the match whether he preferred Vinicius Jr's goal or assist.
💬 “I loved both. It's teamwork, sometimes you need to score, sometimes you need to give. And fortunately it was a good collective performance.”
He was then asked about his players adapting to a back-three system.
“That's the challenge, to pick up things quite quickly. We want to be quite flexible, to understand different systems. With the players we have we can play in different ways.”
No real surprises with how Group H finished.
Real Madrid were the clear favourites, and so they proved.
RB Salzburg aren't anywhere close to Europe's elite and are not in the same stratosphere financially as Al Hilal, so stood little chance of ending the group stage above them.
As for Pachuca, they would have liked to have finished with at least a point but were no match for their three Group H opponents.
GO FURTHER
Vinicius Jr evokes Guti’s ‘Heel of God’ at Club World Cup to set up Real Madrid v Juventus
Tuesday's match in the round of 16 will mark the 22nd meeting all-time between Real Madrid and Juventus. They last met in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2018, with Madrid advancing 4-3 on aggregate en route to winning the tournament.
Madrid hold an all-time advantage of 11 wins to eight losses alongside two draws.
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Real Madrid have now won 15 matches all-time at the Club World Cup, and 12 of them have come by a margin of at least two goals.
The Club World Cup group stage is done, so we now know exactly who will face who in the last 16 — here's the line-up:
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Not the result the Red Bull Salzburg players or fans wanted to see in Nashville as Al Hilal have beaten Pachuca 2-0.
Salem Al-Dawsari got the first goal midway through the first half and Marcos Leonardo added the insurance goal deep into second-half stoppage time. Those three points are enough to send the Saudi side into the last 16, eliminating Salzburg in the process.
Al Hilal's reward for finishing second in Group H? A last-16 meeting with Manchester City in Orlando.
Pachuca just had a chance to equalise, but now Al Hilal have scored to secure their place in the knockouts! Marcos Leonardo finished a clear chance on a breakaway to put the Saudi Arabian club up 2-0 with just a minute left to play. That surely eliminates Red Bull Salzburg from the Club World Cup.
It's all over in Philadelphia! Real Madrid have notched a comfortable win that secures their place atop Group H.
Red Bull Salzburg are going out of the tournament unless Pachuca can find an equaliser against Al Hilal in the few minutes remaining in Nashville.
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90+2' Real Madrid 3-0 Red Bull Salzburg
Onisiwo has a chance to score a consolation goal for Salzburg from point-blank range but can't get the ball out from under his feet.
90+1' Real Madrid 3-0 Red Bull Salzburg
Three minutes are added on to the end of the second half.
In Nashville, Al Hilal have just missed a chance to go 2-0 up. Hope remains for Salzburg, who need Pachuca to equalise against Al Hilal.
89' Real Madrid 3-0 Red Bull Salzburg
Final changes of the night as Karim Onisiwo and Samson Baidoo replace Edmund Baidoo and Nene Dorgeles for Salzburg.