Club World Cup: Can Inzaghi Stop the Sky Blue Wave?

Manchester City vs Al-Hilal

Two of Europe’s finest managers come face-to-face in Orlando on Monday when the Club World Cup contest between Manchester City and Al-Hilal is the box-office draw for the Florida footy fans.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City stormed through the group stage and could well be the team to beat for anyone fancying a tilt at the title. And it is Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal who have the first chance in the Round of 16. The Blue Waves finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season, and they moved quickly to recruit the former Inter Milan head coach. He is a Scudetto winner, and Inzaghi has already endeared himself with his new bosses, unbeaten at the group stage in the Club World Cup, including a draw with Real Madrid.

Now he has his sights set on another titan of European football. And when the Sky Blues meet the Blue Waves at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, the Club World Cup 2025 odds will predict a first loss for Inzaghi, but can he outwit Guardiola?

Talking Points

Citizens have a trophy thirst

After a rare campaign without silverware, Manchester City look to have the eye of the tiger in this preseason lucrative competition. The trophy cabinet at the Etihad is creaking under the weight of past triumphs, but has been shut for a year, and the manager and players want to put that right as soon as possible.

The Sky Blues had to watch Liverpool win the Premier League title last May, and that will have hurt after they had won the previous four. And City have been ruthless in the group stage of the Club World Cup, beating Wydad and Al Ain 2-0 and 6-0 before thumping Juventus 5-2.

The manager used two different lineups for the first two games before fielding a strong team for the match with the Old Lady, and I expect him to field at least some of his big guns against the Saudi side. Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku, and Ilkay Gundogan have all scored two goals, and they will be in line to start on Monday, while new signings Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki will hope to play some part.

The Premier League fixtures are out already, and the Sky Blues start with a trip away to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Guardiola will be determined that his team has the winning habit ingrained again by then.

Portuguese pair are well known to the Citizens

Former Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is playing a key role in Al-Hilal’s Club World Cup campaign — Joao Cancelo of Al-Hilal crosses the ball during their Club World Cup 2025 clash with Red Bull Salzburg at Audi Field

Al-Hilal drew with Real Madrid and RB Salzburg before picking up that vital 2-0 win over Pachucha, as Salem Aldawsari and Marcos Leonardo saw off the Mexicans, with the Brazilian wrapping up the game deep into injury time.

As well as those two goal scorers, another player who is sure to make plenty of Club World Cup 2025 highlights is former Sky Blue star Joao Cancelo. The flying full-back spent five years at Manchester City between 2019 and 2024 and, despite loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona, he made 98 appearances for City, scoring five goals. Cancelo is a terrific attacking wing-back who can play on either flank and is known for his attacking capabilities, scoring 10 goals in 60 games for Portugal.

Cancelo’s Selecao and Al-Hilal teammate Ruben Neves has scored a goal and made an assist in this competition, and he too is well known to the Citizens. He played over 200 games for Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring 27 goals, but he mainly operates as a defensive midfielder, yet to score a goal in 58 appearances for Portugal. But Neves does have a thunderous long-range strike and a clever free-kick in his locker.

History

They had an off season last term, but with six Premier League titles from the last decade, the Sky Blues have been dominant in their domestic league. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal have matched the Citizens, with six Saudi Pro League titles in their last 10 years, and both teams will be aiming to make it a magnificent seven in 11 over the next 12 months.

These two sides have met once before in a 2012 friendly, a game the Riyadh men won 1-0, just two months after the Citizens had their first Premier League title under the new ownership regime.

The Sky Blues are on a winning streak of five, their last defeat coming in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, the Blue Waves have won two and drawn three of their last five games.