Luxemburgo names his Club World Cup favourite—and it’s not Brazilian | OneFootball

According to reporting from Lance, former Flamengo manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo has weighed in on the favorites for this year’s Club World Cup in the wake of Flamengo’s early departure from the tournament. While the Brazilian sides Palmeiras and Fluminense remain in the competition, Luxemburgo is tipping Real Madrid, guided by Xabi Alonso, as his pick for the title.

“The Real Madrid shirt carries a lot of weight. There’s so much respect—Real are always going to be the favorite in a tournament like this. They arrive quietly, then suddenly they grow into the competition. That’s what happened when they won with Ancelotti. I’ll be supporting Fluminense and Palmeiras, but I have to go with Real Madrid,” said Luxemburgo during the “Galvão e Amigos” program on Band.

Real Madrid have progressed steadily, coming into the knockout stage after finishing atop Group H with seven points, thanks to a draw with Al Hilal and victories over Pachuca and Salzburg. Performances from Vini Jr and Valverde have stood out. However, injuries give Alonso some headaches—Carvajal, Camavinga, Alaba, Endrick, and Mendy are all unavailable, and doubt lingers over Kylian Mbappé following a recent illness.

Juventus, Real Madrid’s next opponents, advanced as runners-up in Group G after big wins over Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca but slipped to a heavy defeat against Manchester City. They enter the contest with a reputation for attacking flair, now hoping to exploit Real’s absences and spring a surprise.

For Flamengo, their Club World Cup run ended at the round of 16, bowing out after a 4-2 defeat to Bayern Munich—a match that exposed defensive lapses and saw key midfielder Erick Pulgar depart injured. According to Globo, Pulgar suffered a recurrence of a metatarsal fracture and faces an uncertain spell on the sidelines.

Despite positive moments for Flamengo in attack, the early exit was disappointing for the Rio side, leaving Brazilian hopes with Palmeiras and Fluminense as they look to restore some national pride on the global stage.

(Source: Lance)

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