The 20th FIFA Club World Cup final, the last one in the present format, takes place in Jeddah on Friday between the champions of Europe and South America. The match between Fluminense and Manchester City will take place at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium to determine which team from which continent would be crowned global soccer champions for the next season. After only one victory in their previous six Premier League games, City entered this match reeling from a terrible run of form. Beating Urawa Red Diamonds was a welcome return to form, while the Brazilians who won the Copa Libertadores defeated Al Ahly of Egypt. With a victory, City would become the fourth English team to win the title, behind Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea. However, Pep Guardiola has already won three times, a feat only surpassed by Carlo Ancelotti. Brazil’s temporary manager Fernando Diniz, the opposite number of the Catalan strategist, leads the team in hopes of repeating Corinthians’ 2012 Club World Cup victory—the only non-European team to do so.
Here are our plots, the match’s viewing instructions, and more:
How to observe and the odds
• Location: King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;
• Time: 1 p.m. ET;
• Date: Friday, December 22;
• Live stream: FIFA+
• Fluminense +850; Draw: +450; Manchester City -400
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Team updates
Manchester City: Only the same 23 players from the semifinals team are allowed to participate in Friday’s final, thus Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jeremy Doku are back in training but not eligible. In front of Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol will want to compose the defense, while Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, who both made an impression in the semifinals, will also look to participate alongside Rodri. With Jack Grealish out on left and Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden assuming advanced midfield responsibilities, Nunes may be benched in favor of Julian Alvarez.
Potential Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez make up the Manchester City starting lineup.
Fluminense: Diniz is probably going to start with the same lineup that defeated Al Ahly, starting with 43-year-old Fabio in goal, who is about to become the oldest player to participate in a Club World Cup final. At forty, Felipe Melo may become the oldest outfield player in the championship game. Marcelo, the former Real Madrid star, is also not a young player and is expected to become the second player, after Toni Kroos, to appear in five Club World Cup finals. It is anticipated that Andre, who has been linked to a transfer to the Premier League, would work in the engine room with Matheus Martinelli, with Arias, Ganso, and Keno providing support in attack for the prolific German Cano.
Possible starting lineup for Fluminense: Cano, Arias, Ganso, Keno, Xavier, Nino, Melo, Marcelo, Andre, Martinelli.
Forecast
Although it is probably going to be close, City should have enough to defeat Fluminense and win their most recent trophy. Before the competition’s structure changes for the next year, a non-European triumph would be an appropriate send-off, although the winners should be Europeans. Pick: Fluminense 1, Manchester City 2.
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