Man City is still too strong for Al Hilal - Photo: REUTERS
After a 2024-2025 season considered a "failure" with no trophies in all competitions, Man City is making a strong comeback at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Coach Pep Guardiola's team is the only team to maintain an all-win record after the group stage, showing tremendous attacking power when scoring 13 goals and only conceding 2.
The impressive return of mainstay midfielder Rodri after injury, along with the quick integration of new signing Tijjani Reijnders (who replaced Kevin De Bruyne) has helped Man City operate smoothly again.
According to coach Pep Guardiola, it has been a long time since his team played effectively and creatively.
On the opposite side, Al Hilal is the pride of Asian football as the only representative to pass the group stage. The Saudi Arabian team has shown remarkable tenacity with an 8-match unbeaten streak.
Despite possessing many stars who have fought in Europe such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves and especially Joao Cancelo - a former player of Man City, their strength is still considered to be much different from their opponents.
Having to face Man City in the round of 16 is really a pity for an ambitious team like Al Hilal. If they had met an “easier” name, they could have gone far in the tournament.
Bookmakers give Man City a handicap of 1.5 goals for the whole match (0.75 goals in the first half). This is a completely reasonable number compared to the actual situation of the two teams.
Meanwhile, the over/under for the whole match is 3 goals (first half is 1.25 goals). With the Saudi Arabia team certainly choosing a deep defensive style of play, it is likely that the match will not have many goals.
However, the gap in class between the two teams is too great. Man City possesses a formidable attack and a style of play that is in tune. Although Al Hilal may play a strong defense, stopping the attack of Pep Guardiola's team for 90 minutes is a near impossible task.
Expected lineup:
Man City: Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Reijnders, Rodri, Silva; Savinho, Haaland, Doku.
Al Hilal: Bounou; Cancelo, Koulibaly, Altambakti; Lodi; Rúben Neves, Naseer Aldawsari; Salem Aldawsari, Milinković-Savić, Malcom; Marcos Leonardo.
Prediction: Man City 2-0 Al Hilal.
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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-doan-ti-so-fifa-club-world-cup-man-city-tien-al-hilal-ve-nuoc-20250630150202516.htm
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