Dias says knockouts are like starting a new tournament | OneFootball

Ruben Dias says he’s happy with how City performed in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, but says it’s like a new tournament now the knockout stages have started.

City were the only team to qualify for the last-16 with a  100% record following impressive wins over Wydad AC, Al Ain and Juventus.

Next up is Club Al-Hilal at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida at 02:00 (UK) for a place in the quarter-finals.

The Saudi Arabian Club are unbeaten in the competition so far, having drawn with European opponents Real Madrid and RB Salzburg as well as beating Mexican side Pachuca.

“We’re happy but it means what it means,” Dias said of City’s three wins. “It means only that we’re first in the group and that we went through.

“And now it’s almost like a new competition starting from tomorrow.

“We know for certain it’s going to be a difficult game. They have a lot of very good individuals and they know for sure how to work well as a team.

“I kept close contact with them, mainly because of Ruben [Neves] and Joao [Cancelo] as well. So I know they’re a very good team and we’ll need to be on our best level.”

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The clash also sees City face new Al-Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi who was in charge of Inter on the night we lifted the Champions League in 2023.

While he has a reputation for being defensively strong, Dias says his sides have always been dangerous at the other end of the pitch.

“They can go different ways,” he said. “He’s obviously got that defensive side but his teams have always been very strong offensively.

“So it’s a little bit of both and they have many quality players. And it will definitely be a difficult one.”

Dias has already landed his first piece of silverware of the summer, having helped Portugal win the Nations League along with Bernardo Silva.

The City squad is full of players that have experienced similar tournaments, and the defender hopes they can use that at the Club World Cup.

“It was a special moment [winning the Nations League],” Dias added.

“It’s the Nations League which is a smaller version but it’s also the Euros, it’s the World Cups and there’s definitely some reasoning to take from them into this competition.

“It’s the same format and the way you compete, the mindset, the understanding of going into a knockout stage so I feel like there is [something we can use].”