FIFA expanded the Club World Cup to 32 teams, mirroring the World Cup format. The Intercontinental Cup (Real Madrid vs Pachuca) was created to allow top clubs from each continent to compete for a trophy.
Thanks to Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League last year, they automatically got a spot in the final.
They will take on Pachuca from Liga MX, as the Mexican side made it through each step in the bracket to get the chance at Los Blancos in Qatar.
Real Madrid also won the UEFA Super Cup, taking down Atalanta from Serie A, so now they have a chance to get two trophies in the 2024-25 season.
Madrid need to shore up the defense after a disappointing 3-3 draw at Rayo Vallecano in La Liga play, but they will get Kylian Mbappé and Eduardo Camavinga back for this match.
Los Blancos have four defenders still on the shelf, though, as David Alaba, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, and Ferland Mendy will all miss the match with knee injuries.
Pachuca got through Botafogo, the champs of the Copa Libertadores, in the quarterfinals, and used penalties to get by Al Ahly in the semifinals.
Their top player is striker Salomon Rondon, who has played in the English Premier League in the past.
If you plan on including this matchup in your Club World Cup betting, read on to get our prediction.
Soccer Preview: Real Madrid vs Pachuca Prediction FIFA Intercontinental Cup Final
When: Wednesday, December 18, 2024, 12:00 pm ET
Where: Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
TV: beIN Sports
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Fubo
Final Score and Prediction: Real Madrid vs Pachuca FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024
Madrid has the potential to win this match with their talented lineup, including Mbappe on the bench. However, Vinicius Jr’s La Liga suspension and his last action in 2024 make him a crucial player to leave everything out for the team.
Pachuca has nothing to lose, but they only have a puncher’s chance in Qatar. The Pachuca defense has been elite since the team arrived in Qatar, an amazing turnaround from their porous performances in Liga MX Apertura.
Real Madrid’s weekend La Liga action was unimpressive, but their team has proven to win on the biggest stages, including dealing with Cinderella teams and turning the clock to midnight. Their backline was not impressive in their road draw.
I predict a final score of Real Madrid 3, Pachuca 1.
^Real Madrid Betting Analysis
Since losing, 2-1, to Atlético Madrid, Los Blancos have put together a three-match unbeaten streak. In the draw at Rayo Vallecano, they got goals from Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, but they still could not get the win.
That gave them their sixth tie or loss in La Liga, and now they are in third place in the table, just behind Barcelona and Atlético. Kylian Mbappé has failed to live up to the hype so far, struggling to meld into the star-studded roster at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Champions League winners, aided by the tournament’s structure, secured a significant victory over Borussia Dortmund, thanks to goals from Vinicius Jr and Dani Carvajal.
Here is Real Madrid’s expected XI
Thibaut Courtois (GK), Lucas Vázquez, Aurélien Tchouameni, Antonio Rüdiger, Fran Garcia (D), Luka Modrić, Federico Valverde, Arda Güler (M), Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes, and Vinícius Júnior (F).
Lucas Vázquez should be at right back, with Tchouameni and Rüdiger in the middle. Garcia will hold down the left side, with Mendy still on the shelf.
While Mbappé is available, the fact that Pachuca is such an underdog will likely mean that he remains on the bench and will only come on in case of emergency.
Real Madrid included five Castilla players in their travel squad: Raul Asencio, goalkeeper Fran Gonzalez, attacker Victor Munoz, middle defender Lorenzo Aguado, and left back Youssef Enriquez.
^Pachuca Betting Analysis
Los Tuzos, have already spent more than a week in the Middle East, working through matches on consecutive days to get to Los Blancos.
Stadium 974 in Doha was the site of the Tuzos’ quarterfinal win over Botofogo, as goals from Oussama Idrissi, Nelson Deossa and Salomon Rondon, all in the second half, led to the 3-0 win. They followed that up on Saturday with a win over Al Ahly, the African champions.
It came down to goalkeeper Carlos Moreno getting a save on Khaled Abdelfattah’s attempt in penalties, and then Pachuca made the final. Before those two wins, though, Tuzos had finished Liga MX Apertura with a skid, winning just once in eight matches and settling for 16th place in the 18-team league.
This is the first time that Real Madrid and Pachuca have ever met, although they will see each other again soon as they are together in Group H of next year’s Club World Cup, along with RB Salzburg and Al-Hilal.
Pachuca has had Andres Micolta back from a thigh injury in Qatar, and he has been a major part of his side’s advancement to the final. The major injury for Tuzos is midfielder Israel Luna, who blew out an ACL in April.
Here is Pachuca’s expected XI
Carlos Moreno (GK), Luis Rodriguez, Gustavo Cabral, Andres Micolta, Bryan Gonzalez (D), Elias Avalos, Pedro Pedraza (M), Arturo Gonzalez, Erick Gutierrez, Ousamma Idrissi (F), Salomon Rondon (A). Rondon has already led Tuzos on a terrific run, as the win over Botafogo was a surprising upset.
Despite being 35, he has shown potential in Mexico after a successful season. After stints with West Brom, Newcastle, and Everton, he has returned to scoring with Pachuca after winning an Argentinian first-division title with River Plate in 2022-23.
With Venezuela, he tallied an equalizer in World Cup qualifying against defending champion Argentina. He has posted 26 goals since coming to Pachuca in January. He led all scorers in the Liga MX Clausura campaign, as well as in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
He was named player of the match in Pachuca’s 3-0 victory over Columbus Crew, securing their first FIFA club competition berth. They also won the Derby of the Americas and Challenger Cup. Can he lead more upsets?
^⏪ @ManCity 🆚 @FluminenseFC
— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) December 17, 2024
Last time out in the #FIFAIntercontinentalCup final! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/sXmbus7Pkr
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