Urawa Red Diamonds Vs Manchester City Match Preview (1 Viewer)

[Lady In Red]

On Tuesday night, Manchester City steps into the Club World Cup arena at King Abdullah Sports City, ready to face Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds in the semi-final. While Pep Guardiola's squad is making its Club World Cup debut, Urawa had to overcome Mexican side Leon to secure a spot in this high-profile clash.

Even before claiming their third AFC Champions League title by defeating Al-Hilal in the final, Urawa Red Diamonds had earned their place in the 2023 Club World Cup by reaching the pinnacle match.

This secured them a spot in the tournament, preventing Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad from being invited as runners-up. The Red Devils didn't rest after their continental triumph, setting up a second-round Club World Cup showdown against Leon in front of a modest 2,500-strong Jeddah crowd.

Despite the subdued atmosphere, Maciej Skorza's team showed no signs of slowing down on their path to victory. Alex Schalk, formerly of Scottish Premiership side Ross County, came off the bench to score the winning goal in the 78th minute. Despite missing a couple of chances, the Dutch striker sealed the deal for Urawa.

Leon's captain, William Tesillo, received two yellow cards, making Urawa's task easier. This victory marked Urawa's second semi-final appearance in three Club World Cup outings, having participated in the 2007 and 2017 events and securing third place in the former tournament.

For Urawa, this Saudi Arabian journey offered a respite from domestic and continental duties, following their early exit from the AFC Champions League group stage. The win over Leon was only their third in ten games in all competitions. Meanwhile, Manchester City faces their Club World Cup debut after a less-than-ideal run, dropping points in five of their last six Premier League matches.

In their recent clash with Crystal Palace, City took a 2-0 lead through goals from Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis. However, Jean-Philippe Mateta's tap-in and Michael Olise's injury-time penalty left Guardiola's team stunned. The manager acknowledged their missed opportunities as the cause of their downfall.

As they arrive in Saudi Arabia, the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup holders are favorites to add another trophy to their collection. However, the challenge posed by Al Ahly or Fluminense awaits them in the final if they can navigate past Urawa on Tuesday.

INJURIES & SUSPENSION​

Urawa's triumph over Leon in the semi-final came at a significant cost for the Red Devils, with left-back Takahiro Akimoto, right-back Takahiro Sekine, and winger Tomoaki Okubo all being forced off in the second half of Friday's game due to unspecified injuries.

Fortunately for coach Skorza, he has depth in the full-back positions, and the recently recovered former Marseille defender Hiroki Sakai may step in for Sekine. The matchwinner, Schalk, who made a strong impact in his brief appearance on Friday, is set to replace the injured Okubo. In the attacking third, Jose Kante is expected to join Schalk, and he will play a crucial role as he approaches the end of his career, planning to retire at the conclusion of the current campaign.

On the other side, Manchester City's manager, Guardiola, faces challenges with three players dealing with injuries ahead of the semi-final. Kevin De Bruyne, who has been sidelined for three months with a hamstring issue, has been training in Saudi Arabia. However, Erling Haaland (foot) and Jeremy Doku (muscle) were absent from the recent draw with Palace.

While De Bruyne is back in training, both Haaland and Doku will miss the semi-final. This opens up an opportunity for Julian Alvarez to showcase his abilities as City's main striker. Guardiola, who made only one in-game change on Saturday, is expected to make more alterations for the semi-final, giving Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic, Kalvin Phillips, and Stefan Ortega hope for potential playing time.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS​

Urawa Red Diamonds possible starting lineup:
Nishikawa; Sakai, Scholz, Hoibraten, Ogiwara; Iwao, Ito; Schalk, Yasui, Koizumi; Kante

Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Gomez; Nunes, Kovacic; Bobb, Silva, Grealish; Alvarez

EXPERT PREDICTION​

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Urawa Red Diamonds 2-4 Manchester City

Guardiola is likely to field a less familiar starting eleven due to limited recovery time and the effects of jet lag. However, even with an experimental lineup, Manchester City should face minimal obstacles on their journey to the Club World Cup final.

Urawa, considered underdogs in this matchup, have nothing to lose on Tuesday. Despite being unlucky not to secure a more decisive victory against Leon, facing a Man City side that tends to be formidable after a disappointing result might prove to be a challenge too daunting for them.