Real Madrid has shown resilience since their surprising 2-1 loss to Athletic Bilbao on December 4, managing a three-game unbeaten streak across La Liga and the Champions League. This has helped them regain momentum in their pursuit of defending both crowns.
However, their most recent outing left room for improvement. A thrilling 3-3 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday saw goals from Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo fall short of securing victory in front of 14,000 fans at Estadio de Vallecas.
With six La Liga matches already ending in dropped points this season, Real Madrid has slipped to third in the league standings, trailing Barcelona and Atlético Madrid by a single point.
Among the star-studded lineup, summer signing Kylian Mbappé is yet to fully hit his stride at the Santiago Bernabéu, struggling to find seamless chemistry with the Galacticos in Carlo Ancelotti's high-powered squad.
Real Madrid’s ticket to the Intercontinental Cup final came by virtue of their Champions League triumph in June, where second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Jr sealed a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Pachuca’s path to the final has been far less straightforward. The Mexican side has already spent over a week in Qatar, battling through successive matches against continental champions to earn their place against the European giants.
Last Wednesday, Tuzos delivered an emphatic 3-0 victory over Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo at Doha’s Stadium 974. Goals from Oussama Idrissi, Nelson Deossa, and Salomón Rondón showcased their attacking firepower.
Just days later, Pachuca secured their spot in the final with a dramatic penalty shootout win over African champions Al Ahly. Goalkeeper Carlos Moreno was the hero, saving Khaled Abdelfattah’s decisive kick to clinch the match.
Despite their recent success on the international stage, Pachuca endured a rough end to their Liga MX Apertura campaign, winning just one of their last eight matches to finish a disappointing 16th in the 18-team league.
Wednesday night’s showdown at Lusail Stadium will mark the first-ever meeting between Real Madrid and Pachuca. However, this won’t be their last encounter. Both sides are drawn into Group H of next summer’s expanded Club World Cup, where they’ll face Al-Hilal and Red Bull Salzburg, setting the stage for more intriguing battles to come.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Real Madrid has announced their 24-man squad for the trip to Qatar, confirming that Kylian Mbappé will travel and could feature at Lusail Stadium. The French forward, who sustained a thigh injury during last week’s Champions League win over Atalanta, missed Saturday’s draw with Rayo Vallecano but appears ready to rejoin the team.
Carlo Ancelotti’s defensive options remain stretched thin. Long-term injuries have sidelined Dani Carvajal, who played a key role in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, and Brazilian defender Éder Militão for the remainder of the season.
David Alaba has resumed training after recovering from a knee issue but hasn’t been included in the squad for the Qatar contest. Similarly, Ferland Mendy, still recovering from a muscle injury sustained earlier this month, will remain in Spain as the team pursues intercontinental glory.
For Pachuca, Andrés Micolta has made a strong return from a thigh injury that sidelined him in October. His performances over the past week suggest he’s ready to play a pivotal role in Wednesday’s final. However, Tuzos will continue to miss Israel Luna, their defensive midfielder, who has been out since April with a season-ending cruciate ligament injury.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Garcia; Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr
Pachuca possible starting lineup:
Moreno; Rodriguez, Cabral, Micolta, Gonzalez; Montiel, Pedraza, Deossa, Bautista, Idrissi; Rondon
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 2-0 Pachuca
As the champions of Europe, Real Madrid will be expected to swan into the Lusail Stadium and romp to victory on Wednesday night, especially if all of their attacking stars are fit to make the starting XI.
CONCACAF champions Pachuca will cherish the chance to pit their wits against one of the world's biggest clubs, although we do not believe that the Mexicans will enjoy a fairytale final in Qatar.
