🔊 Friends, let's be honest, you didn't expect to see this matchup in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, did you? At the Orlando Citrus Bowl, Brazilian side Fluminense and Saudi club Al-Hilal will battle for a spot in the semi-finals. Both teams have rightfully earned their place at this stage, pleasantly surprising football fans. Let's trace their journey to make an insightful prediction for such an intriguing clash. It's worth noting that the winner of this tie will face the victor of the Palmeiras vs. Chelsea match in the semi-finals.

Head-to-Head

📊 Fluminense and Al-Hilal have never faced each other in either friendly or official matches.

Fluminense Team Overview

🔴 Under the leadership of Renato Gaúcho, "Big Flu" are doing an outstanding job. After finishing second in Group F (which included Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, and Mamelodi Sundowns), the Brazilian side faced Italian giants Inter in the round of 16. Despite remaining unbeaten in their group matches, they entered the game as underdogs. However, the "Tricolors" found success as early as the third minute when 37-year-old forward Germán Cano struck from the six-yard box to put them ahead against the Milan side.

🟢 Flu had opportunities to double and even triple their lead in the first half but went into halftime with just a one-goal advantage, crucially keeping a clean sheet. In the second half, Gaúcho's men were less sharp, spending much of the time without the ball and only occasionally troubling Inter's defense. Fluminense's backline looked solid until the 80th minute when the Italians ramped up their aggression, sensing the threat of elimination.

⚪ Fortunately for the "Tricolors" fans, their 44-year-old goalkeeper Fábio came to the rescue on several occasions with four saves, while the woodwork twice denied Inter. The defense, led by Thiago Silva, handled other threats effectively. Ultimately, Flu held on through seven minutes of added time in the second half.

🏆 Then a crucial football axiom came into play—either you take your chance or you get taken down. In the 93rd minute, the "Tricolors" took a risk by pressing for possession on the opponent's half. The ball ended up with substitute midfielder Hércules, who carried it a few meters before entering the box and delivering a precise left-footed shot into the far corner past Yann Sommer. Thus, Fluminense secured their spot in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory.

Al Hilal Riyadh Team Overview

🔵 Under the guidance of the newly appointed yet remarkably seasoned Simone Inzaghi, the "Leaders" are living up to their moniker. The team has already faced some of Europe's elite clubs twice in the tournament. After a respectable 1-1 draw with Real Madrid in Group H and solid performances against Austria's Salzburg (0-0) and Mexico's Pachuca (2-0), the Saudis advanced from the group in second place, setting up a Round of 16 clash with Manchester City.

⚪ With top-tier European players and a high-caliber European coach, Al-Hilal showed no fear against City, trailing only slightly in the first half. Within the first six minutes of the second half, the balance tipped in favor of the "Leaders" thanks to goals from Marcos Leonardo and Malcom.

🔗 However, City being City, Al-Hilal conceded a goal just three minutes later from a corner. They came close to conceding a third from another set-piece, but efforts from Yassine Bounou and Ali Lajami ensured the ball stayed out. The match then moved into extra time, and Inzaghi's men were not keen on dragging it to penalties: by the 94th minute, Kalidou Koulibaly directed the ball into City's net following a corner from Ruben Neves.

📍 But Manchester found the strength to equalize once more—ten minutes later, the score was level again. It seemed both teams would play cautiously in the second extra time, anticipating penalties, but not Al-Hilal. After a cross from Renan Lodi into the box, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic won the aerial duel and struck at goal. The keeper made the save, but Marcos Leonardo was on hand to slot home the rebound into an empty net.

☑ In the remaining minutes, the "Leaders" withstood the "Citizens'" pressure and, fortunately for the Saudis, conceded no further goals (4-3). With this result, the team advanced to the quarter-finals, surprising many football fans with their performances against Europe's football giants.

Latest news

Fluminense

⭐ The standout player in the match against Inter was winger John Arias. This marks the Colombian's third individual accolade in the tournament. Across four matches, he has registered one goal and one assist.

🎙 Renato Gaúcho commented on the team's success following the match against Inter: “I thought a lot about the formation we would use. We needed to have three defenders. The players executed my instructions. We were humble and knew how to respect the opponent when they had the ball. I told them, 'I trust you.' I said this yesterday and repeated it today: 'I believe in this.' The players adapted very well.”

🔝 Legendary Brazilian defender Thiago Silva has been named in the Team of the Week for the Club World Cup. His experience, leadership, and solid defensive play have been pivotal to the team's success in the tournament.

📝 It turns out Neymar almost joined Fluminense before the Club World Cup: “I was very close to deciding to move to Fluminense before the Club World Cup—it was a serious option. However, I chose to stay at Santos to regain my physical form since I'm not yet at 100% fitness and want to return to my level as soon as possible.”

📉 Opta's supercomputer has updated the odds for teams winning the Club World Cup, placing Fluminense last at eighth with a 1.55% chance.

❌ Defensive midfielder Otávio has been out for a while as he recovers from an Achilles injury. Young attacking players Isaque Silva and Riquelme Felipe are also sidelined due to injuries, having missed out on the tournament. Another defensive midfielder, Matheus Martinelli, is doubtful for the match after being substituted in the 60th minute against Inter due to a potential injury.

Al Hilal Riyadh

⭐ In the absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic, 22-year-old forward Marcos Leonardo is the main attacking threat and the club's top scorer with three goals. The Brazilian could top the tournament's goal-scoring chart, surpassing Angel Di Maria (4), with a strong performance against Fluminense.

🎙 Simone Inzaghi reflected on his team's success against City: “Tonight we had to do something extraordinary. We knew how good Manchester City are, and we understood it would be like climbing Everest without oxygen, but we were magnificent. Guardiola is the best coach in the world, but tonight we did everything possible and deserved the win.”

🔝 Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and central defender Kalidou Koulibaly were included in the Team of the Week for the Club World Cup. His reliable defense and goal did not go unnoticed, earning him well-deserved recognition in the tournament.

📝 According to journalist Ahmed Al-Karni, Al-Hilal players received bonuses of 452,000 euros each for their victory over Manchester City.

📉 British company Opta evaluated Al-Hilal's chances of winning the tournament at 4.3%, placing the club sixth in the final contender rankings.

❌ Captain Salem Al-Dawsari missed the match against Manchester City due to a hamstring injury. Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic has also yet to play a match due to muscle damage.

🟨 Yellow Cards

🟨 Yellow Cards

The Brazilian club has accumulated a total of 10 yellow cards over four matches in the tournament, averaging 2.5 per game. Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian club has received only 6 cautions in the same number of matches, averaging 1.5 per game. Given the match's significance and the players' skill levels, frequent referee interventions are likely. Therefore, we suggest considering a bet on total yellow cards over 3.5.

⚽ Goal Prediction

Fluminense have kept clean sheets in three of their four tournament matches, indicating a well-organized defense. Meanwhile, their attack has netted six goals. Al-Hilal conceded just one goal against Real and three against City, while scoring seven goals across four matches. This suggests that neither team shies away from the challenge, regardless of the opponent's status. Thus, our prediction is both teams to score (yes).

🚩 Corner Prediction

Regarding corners, the average total in Fluminense's tournament matches is 9.5, with 5.5 being their own. In Al-Hilal's matches, the average total corners stand at 14.3, with the Saudis earning 6 themselves. It is evident that both teams frequently take set pieces, so we recommend a bet on total corners over 9.5.

Both teams have had an impressive journey: Fluminense looked strong in their opening match against the group leaders, Borussia Dortmund, and went on to eliminate last season's Champions League finalists, Inter, in the playoffs. Al-Hilal performed admirably against Madrid in the group stage and deservedly knocked City out of the tournament in the playoffs. This is a tough match to call, with bookmakers slightly favoring Simone Inzaghi's side. We concur, as the Saudi team boasts a more expensive squad, which translates to top-tier players with experience at the highest level of competition. However, Brazilian clubs have shown in this tournament that they should never be underestimated or written off easily. Therefore, we suggest a cautious bet—Al-Hilal to win with a (0) handicap. Predicted scoreline: a 2-1 victory for the club from Saudi Arabia.