Real Madrid is set to face Mexican club Pachuca in the final of the revamped Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappé likely to return to action after recovering from a left-thigh injury.
This year’s tournament features a new format as FIFA prepares for the expanded Club World Cup in 2025, bringing together champions from all six soccer confederations. The Intercontinental Cup will continue to be held annually, while the larger Club World Cup will take place every four years.
As the reigning European champions, Madrid advanced directly to the final without playing preliminary matches. In contrast, Pachuca secured their spot by defeating South American champions Botafogo and Egypt’s Al Ahly in the tournament’s early rounds in Qatar.
Mbappé has resumed training with the Madrid squad after missing a recent La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano, which ended in a 3-3 draw. The French forward, who has yet to fully meet expectations in his first season with the club, sustained the injury during Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Atalanta in the Champions League last week, where he scored before being substituted.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed optimism about Mbappé’s availability for the final, although the team has been impacted by injuries to several key players, including Dani Carvajal, Eder Militão, David Alaba, and Ferland Mendy. “Kylian trained yesterday and felt good,” Ancelotti said. “He will see how he feels. If he feels good, he will play, but if there is any sort of risk, he won’t. But everything looked good yesterday, and we are optimistic.”
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is expected to participate after recently returning from a muscle injury that kept him sidelined for several matches. Ancelotti has also included a few players from the club’s youth academy to complete the squad for the final.
Real Madrid has won the Intercontinental Cup three times (1960, 1998, and 2002) before FIFA transitioned to the Club World Cup format. The club has claimed the Club World Cup title five times (2014, 2016, 2017-18, and 2022) and is currently positioned third in the Spanish league standings. Pachuca previously finished third in the Club World Cup in 2017.
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