Saudi powerhouse Al-Hilal will be seeking to deliver another impressive performance against Brazil’s Fluminense in the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium on Friday, with a semi-final showdown against either Palmeiras or Chelsea at stake.
Al-Hilal etched their names in history by claiming a hard-fought 4-3 victory over defending champions Manchester City in the last 16. This remarkable win positions them among the favorites to win this prestigious tournament. Under the guidance of Simone Inzaghi, Al-Hilal have already defied expectations, becoming the first Asian team to defeat UEFA opponents in the Club World Cup’s 25-year history.
Under Inzaghi, who recently led Inter Milan to a Champions League final defeat, Al-Hilal drew their opening two matches against European sides Real Madrid and RB Salzburg. They secured qualification out of Group H by beating Mexican side Pachuca in their final match. The Blue Waves head into their quarterfinal clash unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions, winning six of those.
Fluminense’s Impressive Run
On the other hand, Fluminense pulled off a significant upset by knocking out Inter Milan, the recently beaten UEFA Champions League finalists, to secure their place in the last eight. Renato Gaucho’s side carries a long unbeaten run into Friday night’s quarterfinal, remaining undefeated in their last ten matches, including six wins in their last eight.
Like their Friday night opponents, Fluminense sneaked into the knockout stage of the Club World Cup by finishing second in their group. They collected just five points from three games, drawing with Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, alongside a 4-2 win over South Korean side Ulsan HD.
Injury Concerns for Al-Hilal
The Riyadh-based side’s attack will miss injured striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, but they still boast a golden boot contender in Marcos Leonardo, who has scored three goals so far. Inzaghi also lost skipper Salem Al-Dawsari to a hamstring injury during the group phase.
Furthermore, Abdullah Al-Hamddan (calf) and Mosab Al-Juwair (knee) are both doubts, while key defender Hassan Tambakti struggles to recover from the knock that saw him miss Monday’s game. However, the Saudi giants bolstered their frontline by signing Moroccan international striker Abderrazak Hamdallah on a short-term loan deal from Al-Shabab.
The 34-year-old forward arrived at Al-Hilal’s training base in Orlando on Wednesday and is set to join the squad’s training sessions as preparations ramp up for their last-eight showdown. During the game against Inter Milan, Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho switched to a back three, with 40-year-old captain Thiago Silva flanked by Juan Pablo Freytes and Ignacio.
Possible Lineups
Fluminense: Fabio; Ignacio, Silva, Freytes; Xavier, Hercules, Martinelli, Rene; Nonato; Arias, Cano
Al-Hilal: Bono; Cancelo, Tambakti, Koulibaly, Lodi; Neves, Kanno; Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic, N. Al-Dawsari; Leonardo
Historic Opportunity for Both Teams
Although Al-Hilal have never faced Fluminense, Friday’s game marks the fifth meeting between Brazilian and Saudi Arabian teams at the Club World Cup. Al-Hilal participated in two of the previous four encounters. They lost to Flamengo in the 2019 semi-finals but gained sweet revenge at the same stage three years later. Now, they prepare to face Flamengo’s bitter city rivals.
Moreover, these two sides are the most recent runners-up of the Club World Cup. Fluminense lost 4-0 to Manchester City in the 2023 final in Saudi Arabia, while Al-Hilal lost 5-3 to Real Madrid in the previous edition in Morocco. Neither side has ever lifted the trophy before.
Al-Hilal truly believe they belong in the latter stages of this competition after knocking out the defending champions, and they will back themselves to overcome Fluminense and secure their place in the semi-finals.
