Fresh off a dramatic overtime victory over England’s Manchester City, Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal heads into the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup against Brazil’s Fluminense, which also toppled a European heavyweight to advance.
The two teams meet Friday in Orlando, Florida. The tournament’s other Brazilian quarterfinalist, Palmeiras, faces England’s Chelsea later in the day in Philadelphia. On Saturday, France’s Paris Saint-Germain plays Germany’s Bayern Munich in Atlanta, and Spain’s Real Madrid faces Germany’s Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
While Fluminense and Palmeiras aren’t the biggest names in the quarterfinals, their presence represents the benefits that come from the tournament’s expansion to 32 teams after never having more than a dozen and typically only seven in previous editions.
Both clubs will make more than $13 million for reaching the quarterfinals, and that’s on top of what they’ve already collected so far. Then there’s the global brand exposure and the chance to show Brazilian clubs can compete on a world stage where the European clubs typically dominate.
Fluminense advanced with a 2-0 victory over Italy’s Inter Milan in the round of 16, the first stage of knockout play. Germán Cano scored in the opening minutes, and Hercules sealed it with another goal in stoppage time. Fluminense even trolled its opponents with an Instagram post that featured the goals set to a song sung by AC Milan, one of Inter’s rivals.
Fluminense was pushed in its win by a pregame speech by 40-year-old leader Thiago Silva, who told an emotional story about how he wished he had visited his stepfather in the hospital during the 2014 World Cup.
“Don’t leave for later what we can do now,” he told his teammates.
While Fluminense has the passion, opponent Al Hilal has the determination. The Saudi Arabian club has not dropped a match in the tournament and steadily built toward the marathon 4-3 victory over Manchester City.
While Manchester City was coming off a trying season, it was widely considered among the favorites in the field.
Al Hilal, in contrast, was considered an underdog at this year’s tournament despite reaching the 2022 Club World Cup final in Morocco before losing to Real Madrid.
On this side (for now)
Palmeiras’ match against Chelsea could be teenager Estevao Willian’s last with the club. After the tournament, the talented winger is set to head to Europe. His new team?
Chelsea. Estevao agreed to a deal with the Premier League club last summer that moved him to Stamford Bridge once he turned 18.
“I have to focus here, I have to work, but it’s not easy. The closer it gets, the more anxiety sets in. But I’m trying to focus here, to leave here well, knowing I did my best here,” he told reporters after Palmeiras’ 1-0 victory over Brazil’s Botafogo to advance.
Chelsea downed Portugal’s Benfica 4-1 in extra time in the round of 16.
Dembélé dilemma?
Paris Saint-Germain’s top scorer this past season, Ousmane Dembélé, missed the group stage at the Club World Cup because of a sore quadriceps.
He returned as a substitute in the final 28 minutes of PSG’s round-of-16 victory over Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF. Joao Neves scored two goals in the 4-0 rout, which Miami coach Javier Mascherano called a “bloodbath.”
Dembélé’s availability is raising questions about how coach Luis Enrique might approach lineup decisions for the quarterfinal clash against Bayern Munich.
Dembélé has scored 33 goals this season across all competitions for the Champions League and Ligue 1 winners and is considered a favorite for the Ballon d’Or.
Bayern Munich defeated Brazil’s Flamengo 4-2 to advance, with Harry Kane contributing a pair of goals.
A soccer star is born
Real Madrid’s success in the Club World Cup hasn’t really been a surprise. After all, the Spanish titan has won the tournament five times since 2014.
What has been surprising is Gonzalo Garcia. The 21-year-old forward has been one of the breakout stars of the tournament with three goals — including in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Italy’s Juventus in the round of 16.
“When I’m in the box, I don’t care what I shoot with: my head, left foot, right foot, my knees, whatever. I just want to score,” he told reporters after the match.
Garcia, an academy product, has helped the team in the absence of star Kylian Mbappé, who missed the group stage because of illness and was a substitute in the 68th minute against Juventus.
Borussia Dortmund eliminated Mexico’s Monterrey 2-1 in the round of 16 on Serhou Guirassy’s two first-half goals.
Dortmund’s Jobe Bellingham is suspended from the match because of yellow card accumulation, meaning he won’t face brother Jude, who plays for Real Madrid, in the quarterfinal.