Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FIFA Club World Cup match.
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, the rivals that know each other so well, will meet in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. Real Madrid won in the final of the 2024 UEFA Champions League (2:0) and they beat Borussia Dortmund again last autumn in the group stage (5:2)
Real Madrid
Real Madrid beat Juventus in the Round of 16 with just a one-goal lead. The defensive line of the Spanish side grew stronger. They started to use a scheme with 3 central defenders, which helped them keep Juventus away from the goal. Only once in the last seven games involving Real Madrid, we could see more than 3 goals scored. Gonzalo García is the main threat for the Real Madrid’s opponents, as Kyllian Mbappé has just recovered and is yet to score.
Borussia Dortmund
Their path to play-offs wasn’t simple. A goalless draw against Fluminense, a difficult victory over Mamelodi Sundowns and just a one-goal lead win against Ulsan HD. Borussia Dortmund beat Moneterrey (2:1) in the Round of 16 but never performed really well in their attacking actions, with only 6 shots and 42% of ball possession. Only in one game of Borussia Dortmund in this tournament, against Mamelodi Sundowns, the spectators saw over 3 goals scored.
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction
Both teams have reached the quarter-finals and now they’re not going to take any risks. Real Madrid are stripped off Mbappé, with no person being able to really substitute him, besides Gonzalo García. Borussia Dortmund are so careful that they’re not ready to score a lot. We’re unlikely to see many goals scored in this game
