Friday, June 27

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Sports Mole previews Friday's Club World Cup clash between Red Bull Salzburg and Real Madrid, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Seeking to secure their spots in the last 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup, Red Bull Salzburg and Real Madrid square off in an all-European Group H contest at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Friday (BST).

Both teams sit level on four points and are looking to secure top spot in the group, with Los Blancos currently boasting a slight advantage courtesy of goals difference.

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Match preview

After being held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal in their opening Group H fixture, Real Madrid faced an uphill battle from the very start of Sunday’s encounter with Pachuca on matchday two as they were reduced to 10 men inside just seven minutes.

Raul Asencio was sent off for a last-man challenge, and in response, Pachuca posed a regular threat in the final third. However, Los Blancos had Thibaut Courtois to thank as he made a total of 10 saves in Charlotte, while goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Federico Valverde sealed maximum points for the Spaniards.

After condemning alleged racist abuse aimed at Antonio Rudiger towards the end of the match, head coach Xabi Alonso expressed his hope for Real Madrid’s win against Pachuca to act as a springboard for further success at the Club World Cup, with a victory on Friday enough to guarantee last-16 qualification and top spot in Group H.

Los Blancos, five-time winners of the Club World Cup, can afford to draw against Salzburg to finish in the top two, but they would miss out on top spot if the spoils are shared on matchday three and Al-Hilal, who currently sit two points further back in third, claim all three points against Pachuca to climb to the summit.

Excluding a penalty-shootout defeat to Mexican outfit Necaxa in the 2000 third-place playoff, Real Madrid have never lost a game at the Club World Cup, while they have also won their only previous competitive meeting with Salzburg - a 5-2 victory in the League Phase of the Champions League five months ago.

After kick-starting their debut Club World Cup campaign with a 2-1 win over Pachuca, Red Bull Salzburg missed the chance to punch their ticket to the knockout rounds with a game to spare as they were held to a goalless stalemate by Al-Hilal in Washington DC on Sunday.

Salzburg can take pride in collecting four points from their opening two group games, but head coach Thomas Letsch has claimed that his team are “disappointed” after failing to make it two wins from two and take full control of Group H.

The 17-time Austrian champions know that they must pull off an almighty upset and beat Real Madrid if they wish to finish top of Group H; they could still qualify for the last 16 even if they draw or lose to the La Liga giants, as long as Al-Hilal fail to beat Pachuca.

Salzburg head into Friday’s encounter having won only five of their previous 24 meetings with Spanish opposition across all competitions (D4 L15), but they will back themselves to score against a leaky Real Madrid backline as they found the net in 16 successive games prior to their 0-0 draw with Al-Hilal, scoring at least twice on 11 occasions.

Red Bull Salzburg Club World Cup form:

W D

Red Bull Salzburg form (all competitions):

W L W W W D

Real Madrid Club World Cup form:

D W

Real Madrid form (all competitions):

L W W W D W

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Team News

Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Takumu Kawamura suffered a knee injury in training prior to the draw with Al-Hilal and has since left the club’s base in the United States as he is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Goalkeeper Alexander Schlager (hand) and winger Moussa Yeo (knee) are also set to remain sidelined, with 18-year-old Christian Zawieschitzky - who made his senior debut for Die Roten Bullen on matchday one - poised to continue between the sticks in the former’s absence.

Maurits Kjaergaard made his first appearance in eight months as a second-half substitute against Al-Hilal after recovering from a serious ankle injury, and the midfielder is in connection to feature again in some capacity on Friday, while Oscar Gloukh could be recalled at the expense of new signing Sota Kitano, who was handed his first start for the club last time out.

As for Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy and Endrick all remain sidelined with injuries, while Asencio will serve a one-match ban following his red card last time out.

Antonio Rudiger is the most likely candidate to replace Asencio and start in central defence alongside summer signing Dean Huijsen, while fellow new recruit Trent Alexander-Arnold will be hoping to retain his place at right-back.

Alonso is set to make a late call on the fitness of star forward Kylian Mbappe, who has missed the opening two group games with a bout of gastroenteritis. Gonzalo Garcia has led the line in the Frenchman’s absence and could make way if the latter - who has returned to training this week - is fit to start.

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Zawieschitzky; Lainer, Gadou, Ramussen, Kratzig; Bidstrup, Diabate; Nene, Gloukh; Onisiwo, Baidoo

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, F. Garcia; Guler, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Valverde, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr

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We say: Red Bull Salzburg 1-3 Real Madrid

 

Real Madrid have conceded in 27 of their 39 matches across all competitions (71%) since the turn of the year, and Salzburg will fancy their chances of scoring against Los Blancos as they did in the Champions League earlier this year.

However, Alonso’s men will be regarded as firm favourites to outscore their Austrian opponents and claim all three points, especially if Mbappe is back fit and firing.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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