Man City XI vs Al-Hilal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Club World Cup

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·30. Juni 2025

Man City XI vs Al-Hilal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Club World Cup

The winner will play Inter Milan or Fluminense in the quarter-finals

Manchester City face Al-Hilal on Monday night with a spot in the Club World Cup quarter-finals up for grabs, but Pep Guardiola could decide to rest some key players with one eye on games to come.

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With the Spaniard bemoaning the impact the competition - which began just three weeks after the end of the Premier League campaign - might have on his team’s fitness heading into next season, rotation may be rife in the Sky Blues’ squad when they line up against Simone Inzaghi’s Saudi Pro League side in the Orlando heat.

City’s last outing, a 5-2 humbling of Juventus, saw Rodri return to the starting line-up ten months after suffering an ACL injury.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner lasted just over an hour before making way for İlkay Gundoğan, who could replace him in the XI this time around if Rodri is deemed unready to start two games in under a week. City’s other alternatives at the base of the midfield include the likes of Tijjani Reijnders - who started and played 90 minutes in the first and third games of the group stage but missed the one in between - and Nico González.

Omar Marmoush led the line against Juventus but was replaced at half-time by Erling Haaland, who scored and should reclaim his starting spot as he did against Al Ain after being benched for the Group G opener versus Wydad Casablanca.

Jeremy Doku and Savinho were the two wide men of choice last Thursday and both found the back of the net, while Phil Foden also made it onto the score sheet having replaced Doku in the second half.

After his full run-out against Bianconeri, Savinho is probably the likeliest winger to drop to the bench against Al-Hilal. That could see Foden come back into City’s XI, while new signing Rayan Cherki will hope to be handed his second start of the tournament following a second-half cameo against Juve.

At the back, Rico Lewis - who was sent off at the start of the group stage and subsequently handed an extra two-game ban - will serve the final match of his suspension on Monday, meaning Matheus Nunes should continue at right-back if the ever-tinkering Guardiola opts again for a four-at-the-back system.

Ex-Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri may be handed a breather, with Josko Gvardiol ready to step in after being an unused substitute in the final group stage game, and in central defence, Nathan Ake could then slot in alongside Rúben Dias, replacing Manuel Akanji.

Dias may himself be deputised by Vitor Reis or Abdukodir Khusanov, although Guardiola might be hesitant to swap out too many of those who starred against Juventus given Al-Hilal are also unbeaten so far at the 2025 Club World Cup, including a spirited draw against Real Madrid.

City youngster Claudio Echeverri is expected to miss the rest of the tournament with the injury he picked up on matchday two, but no new injury concerns have been reported.

The winner of this tie will play either Inter Milan or Fluminense, who face each other earlier on Monday evening, at the next stage.

Predicted Man City XI: Ederson, Nunes, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Gonzalez, Gundoğan, Foden, Cherki, Doku, Haaland

Time and date: 2am BST on Tuesday, July 1, 2025

TV Channel: DAZN or Channel 5 (UK)