The two sides are level on four points heading into the final group game, but Real Madrid hold a narrow advantage thanks to a better goal difference. After being held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal in their opener, Madrid had to dig deep on matchday two against Pachuca. Things got off to a rocky start when Raul Asencio was sent off just seven minutes in for a last-man foul, leaving the Spanish giants with ten men for nearly the entire match.
Despite the early setback, Madrid managed to come away with a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Federico Valverde. Thibaut Courtois played a huge role in keeping Pachuca at bay, making ten saves in a standout performance.
After the game, head coach Xabi Alonso condemned racist abuse directed at Antonio Rudiger and expressed hope that the victory would serve as a turning point for his side. A win on Friday would guarantee both a place in the knockout stage and top spot in Group H. A draw would still be enough for Madrid to progress, but they could lose first place if Al-Hilal beat Pachuca and overtake them on points.
Real Madrid have an impressive track record at the Club World Cup. Aside from a penalty shootout loss to Necaxa in the 2000 third-place match, they’ve never been beaten in the tournament. They also won their only previous competitive meeting with Salzburg, a 5-2 victory in the Champions League group stage five months ago.
Salzburg started their campaign well with a 2-1 win over Pachuca but missed the chance to seal early qualification after being held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Hilal in Washington DC. While they’ve picked up four points from two games, head coach Thomas Letsch admitted the team was disappointed not to take full control of the group.
The Austrian champions now face the tough task of needing a win over Real Madrid to finish top. They could still qualify with a draw or a loss, but that depends on Al-Hilal failing to beat Pachuca.
Historically, Salzburg have struggled against Spanish sides, winning just five of their 24 meetings in all competitions, with four draws and 15 losses. Still, they’ll fancy their chances of scoring. Prior to the stalemate with Al-Hilal, they had found the net in 16 straight matches, scoring two or more goals in 11 of those games.
Friday’s match promises to be a tense and exciting battle with plenty on the line for both sides.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Red Bull Salzburg will be without midfielder Takumu Kawamura, who picked up a knee injury in training before the draw with Al-Hilal. He has since left the team’s base in the United States and is expected to face a long spell on the sidelines.Goalkeeper Alexander Schlager is still out with a hand injury, and winger Moussa Yeo remains sidelined due to a knee problem. That means 18-year-old Christian Zawieschitzky, who made his senior debut in the opening game, is set to keep his place in goal.
There was a positive development for Salzburg as Maurits Kjaergaard made his return from a long-term ankle injury, coming off the bench against Al-Hilal for his first appearance in eight months.
He’s expected to feature again in some capacity on Friday. Midfielder Oscar Gloukh could also be brought back into the starting lineup, possibly replacing new signing Sota Kitano, who made his full debut last time out.
On the Real Madrid side, several key players remain unavailable. Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, Ferland Mendy, and Endrick are all still out with injuries. Raul Asencio will also miss the match as he serves a one-game suspension following his red card in the win over Pachuca.
Antonio Rudiger is the favorite to step in for Asencio in central defense, likely lining up alongside summer signing Dean Huijsen. Another recent arrival, Trent Alexander-Arnold, is expected to keep his spot at right-back.
Head coach Xabi Alonso will make a late decision on Kylian Mbappe’s availability. The star forward missed the first two group matches due to gastroenteritis but returned to training earlier this week. If he’s fit, he could return to the starting eleven, with Gonzalo Garcia — who has led the line in his absence — likely to make way.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
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
EXPERT PREDICTION
RB Salzburg 1-2 Real Madrid
That said, Xabi Alonso’s side will still be strong favourites to come out on top and take all three points, especially if Kylian Mbappe is back in the lineup and fully fit.
