Look at Manchester City’s x-ray, with the current season, strengths and weaknesses (do they exist?) and injuries; summaries on Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahly
Fluminense arrived due to much repression in Saudi Arabia, home of the Club World Cup. What to expect from the Tricolor, reigning Libertadores champion, in this competition? I know they have to overcome their opponents in the semi-final stage, the Arab Al-Ittihad or the Egyptian Al-Ahly. This traditional African club lost to Real Madrid in the semi-finals and, in the third place match, suffered a 4-2 defeat against Flamengo.
The flu fans at least want the Rio team to qualify for the final against Manchester City and, in this possible decision, demonstrate strength in their defensive and offensive systems. But the semi-final stage will already be complicated. If they face Al-Ittihad, there are some coincidences with Flamengo, eliminated by Al-Hilal in February this year. Al-Ittihad also comes from Saudi Arabia, has a fast Brazilian striker and an Argentine coach. In the probable opponent of the South American champion, Romarinho is the danger on the right and Marcelo Gallardo leads the team. At Al Hilal in the last edition, Michael was at the forefront and the coach was Ramón Diáz, who saved Vasco from relegation to the Brasileirão.
Calm down, tricolor. I’m not rooting against the dear Dinizist Influence. Quite the opposite. Fluminense is Brazil at the World Cup.
How does Al-Ittihad get there?
The Saudi club has a midfield backbone with an excellent quartet: midfielders Fabinho, silver medalist from Fluminense and former Liverpool, and Kanté, former Chelsea and with greater attacking presence, and top attackers such as Romarinho, former Corinthians, and surpassed the scorer Benzema. It also has goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe, Libertadores champion with Grêmio in 2017.
Basic time:
Marcelo Grohe, Shanqeeti, Hegazy, Kadesh and Zakaria Hawsawi; Fabinho, Kanté and Al-Ghamdi; Romarinho, Benzema and Igor Coronado
Coach: Marcelo Gallardo
And what about Al-Ahly?
The Egyptian club is the current African champion. He was fourth in the last edition of the World Cup.
Basic time:
El-Shenawi, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim (Adelmonem), Rami Rabia and Ali Maâloul (Karim Fouad); Dieng, Emam Ashour and Marwan Attia; El Shahat (Afsha), Percy Tau and Kahraba (El Debes)
Coach: Marcel Koller
And Manchester City?
The Citizens are not experiencing the best moments of the brilliant Guardiola era, at least in the Premier League. In the last five matches of this competition, Manchester City have drawn three, lost one and won just one. Before defeating modest Luton Town by just 2-1, and looking back, the current Champions League champions had gone four rounds without winning in the English Championship.
They had a tough time against Aston Villa when the three-time English champion was neutralized, lost and, incredible as it may seem, only had two shots in the entire match. In that match, Aston Villa broke the record against Pep’s City and crushed last season’s Triple Crown holder with 13 dangerous shots in the first half. Something unacceptable with Guardiola as coach.
In the Champions League the phase is very different. The British team is 100% successful and scored three goals in each of the six rounds. Total of 18 goals. What scares the manager and the fans in the Premier and Champions League is the number of goals conceded by the defense.
In the Premier League they have conceded ten in the last five games. In this most complicated journey, they drew 4-4 with Chelsea. In the classic against Liverpool, 1 to 1. In the match against Tottenham, 3 to 3. In the Champions League, he won seven in six rounds.
Watch Manchester City’s latest matches:
11/12 – 4-4 with Chelsea (Premier League)
25/11 – 1-1 with Liverpool (Premier League)
28/11 – 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig (Champions League)
3/12 – 3-3 with Tottenham (Premier League)
6/2 – Defeated against Aston Villa 1-0, City only had two shots on target. (Premier League)
12/10 – Comeback win over Luton Town 2-1 (Premier League)
13/12 – Away from home, Manchester City beat Estrela Vermelha 3-2 (Champions League)
English medical department
The Citizens have three victims so far. The number 9, the Norwegian center forward Erling Haaland, and the new signing, the left winger Jérémy Doku. Haaland is struggling with a foot injury after scoring 14 goals and providing four assists in 15 games. He hasn’t scored in four rounds, but is averaging 0.93 per game.
Belgians Kevin de Bruyne and Jérémy Doku will also not play. Everything in the medical department. Bruyne Brain suffered a partial muscle tear in his right thigh which required surgery and he will likely not feature at the World Cup. The fast and skilful Doku suffered a muscle injury in an unknown location, but, perhaps, he will be present in the semi-final or final of the biggest international competition. Midfielder Stones returned in the match against Luton Town.
On Saturday, three days before the semi-final of the Club World Cup, City face Crystal Palace, and Haaland remains in doubt. The team led by the positional Guardiola needs to win to continue chasing the new leaders, Liverpool, who have 37 points, and the current second place, Arsenal, with 36. The tormentor Aston Villa is in third place and he has 35. In fourth place, the three-time English champion has, so far, 33.
Manchester City’s basic squad without Kevin de Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Erling Haaland:
Ederson, Walker, Rubén Dias, Stones (Akanji) and Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo Silva, Foden and Grealish; Giuliano Alvarez
Basic team with Jérémy Doku and Haaland:
Ederson, Walker, Rubén Dias, Stones (Akanji) and Gvardiol; Rodri, Bernardo Silva; Foden, Julián Álvarez and Jérémy Doku; Haaland
In the next chapter I will write about the strengths and weaknesses of the current Libertadores champion, Fluminense.
A big hug from footballers and internationalists.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
