There are eight teams remaining in the FIFA Club World Cup as several traditional powerhouses will be joined by a few surprising entries into the quarterfinals.
The reigning UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, the most popular soccer team worldwide in Real Madrid, German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and English standouts Chelsea have expectedly reached this point.
The others – Brazilian clubs Fluminense and Palmeiras, and Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal – have brought awareness to themselves and their respective leagues by reaching the quarterfinal.
Let’s break down the four quarterfinal matchups on July 4 and 5, and rank how intriguing they’ll be/how much we want to watch them:
4. Real Madrid vs. Dortmund
- When: July 5, 4 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: TNT/TruTV/Univision/DAZN
- BETMGM betting odds: Real Madrid (-160), Draw (+333), Dortmund (+375)
While you never know what could happen in a stage like the Club World Cup quarterfinals, Real Madrid has won the last four matchups in this series. The intrigue for a matchup we’ve seen before doesn’t strike the same as some of the others.
Kylian Mbappe is back, but how is new coach Xabi Alonso going to work him back into the front line with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham? Here’s the reason why it’ll be tough: 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia has scored three goals in four games, including the game winner against Juventus that punched Real Madrid’s ticket into the quarterfinals.
Alonso could use a rotation to keep his best players on the pitch, but it might be difficult to pull Garcia, Real Madrid’s breakout player at the Club World Cup, even with Mbappe – the French World Cup champion waiting in the wings.
Dortmund has three wins and a draw, like Real Madrid, at the Club World Cup. They were led by two goals from Serhou Guirassy to beat Monterrey 2-1 in the round of 16.
Sadly, this matchup won’t feature Bellingham facing his younger brother, Jobe, for Dortmund. The younger Bellingham is suspended due to yellow card accumulation and won’t play against Real Madrid.
3. Palmeiras vs. Chelsea
- When: July 4, 9 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: DAZN
- BETMGM betting odds: Chelsea (+105), Draw (+230), Palmeiras (+275)
Is Chelsea’s time in the Club World Cup going to end thanks to a relatively unknown team? Or could we see a traditional power take care of business handily? The intrigue for an upset here is fascinating, but this is the third-best match to watch in the quarterfinals.
Chelsea was nearly on the brink of elimination when Argentine star Angel Di Maria of Benfica tied their Round-of-16 match to force extra time until Christopher Nkunku (108′), Pedro Neto (114′) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (117′) secured their quarterfinal berth.
Palmeiras reached the quarterfinal after beating fellow Brazilian side Botafogo, overcoming a club that beat them four of the last five times they played before the matchup.
Keep an eye on the No. 10s in this one: Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been relatively quiet since he started the tournament wearing his new number, while Palmeiras’ Paulinho has come off the bench to score against Inter Miami and Botafogo.
2. Fluminense vs. Al-Hilal
- When: July 4, 3 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: TNT/TruTV/DAZN
- BETMGM betting odds: Al-Hilal (+145), Fluminense (+175), Draw (+240)
This was supposed to be a quarterfinal between Inter Milan and Manchester City. Now, Fluminense and Al-Hilal have a chance to reach the semifinals. In a battle of relatively unknowns, this is the second-best matchup in the quarterfinals.
Al-Hilal is a Saudi Arabian club with international flair: Brazilian Marcos Leonardo scored two goals in their 4-3 win against Man City, celebrating his last by taking off his jersey, putting onto the corner flag, and waving it in the air after his game-winner in the 112th minute.
Brazil’s Malcom, Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly also scored against Man City, while Al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari is known for scoring the game-winner for Saudi Arabia against Lionel Messi and Argentina at the Qatar World Cup.
Meanwhile, Fluminense has had six different players score a goal during the Club World Cup, along with one of the best traveling fanbases in the tournament. Along with their 2-0 win against Inter, they played to a scoreless draw against another quarterfinalist, Dortmund in the group stage.
1. PSG vs. Bayern Munich
- When: July 5, 12 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: TNT/DAZN
- BETMGM betting odds: PSG (+120), Bayern (+200), Draw (+270)
This will be the best matchup in the quarterfinals: The reigning Champions League winners, and the Bundesliga champions who have played like one of the best teams at the Club World Cup.
Harry Kane scored twice in the Round of 16, while Michael Olise scored three goals during the tournament for Bayern.
PSG lost to Botafogo in the group stage, but are back on track after a 4-0 win over Messi and Inter Miami in the last round. They also welcomed Ousmane Dembélé back into the lineup after he missed the group stage with a quadriceps injury.
Bayern has won the last four matchups against PSG, considered the best in the world at this moment. Can Bayern pull off another, or will PSG continue its recent dominance?