An all-European matchup will take center stage as Group H comes to a close at the Club World Cup on Thursday, with RB Salzburg and Real Madrid facing off as both target a spot in the round of 16.
Both teams enter the match equal on four points, two ahead of third place Al-Hilal, with Real Madrid edging out Salzburg on the tiebreakers and currently in first place. The simplest scenarios favor the two European sides to advance on Thursday, though the tight margins in the Group H table mean if one of Salzburg or Real Madrid lose, they will have to count on Pachuca – who have already been eliminated – beating Al-Hilal to ensure their spot in the next round.
The Spanish side are the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the match and the group as the early days of Xabi Alonso’s tenure in charge of the team continue. The first two matches of his spell have been full of notable moments, first with a sluggish first result in a 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal and then a 3-1 win over Pachuca after Raul Asencio‘s seventh-minute red card. Asencio will miss Thursday’s match as a result, while Kylian Mbappe’s recovery following his hospitalization for gastroenteritis remains a talking point.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch RB Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, odds
- Date: Thursday, June 26 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Live stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: RB Salzburg +750; Draw +490; Real Madrid -370
Group H scenarios
Real Madrid advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win or draw against RB Salzburg
- Loss to RB Salzburg AND Al-Hilal draw or loss to Pachuca
RB Salzburg advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win or draw against Real Madrid
- Loss to Real Madrid AND Al-Hilal loss to Pachuca
Al-Hilal advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win against Pachuca AND Real Madrid loss to RB Salzburg OR RB Salzburg loss to Real Madrid
Pachuca: Eliminated from the competition
Predicted lineups
RB Salzburg: Christian Zawieschitzky, Stefan Lainer, Joane Gadou, Jacob Rasmussen, Frans Kratzig, Mads Bidstrup, Soumaila Diabate, Nene Dorgeles, Oscar Gloukh, Edmund Baidoo, Karim Onisiwo
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Fran Garcia, Arda Guler, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
Player to watch
Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid: Even if the attack remains a topic of curiosity, Alonos has kept many things consistent in his first lineups as Real Madrid’s manager, including ensuring Jude Bellingham has a starring role in midfield. He will likely play a big role on Thursday as Los Blancos look to book a spot in the round of 16, especially after scoring his first goal in Alonso’s tenure in the 3-1 win over Pachuca, putting them in good standing to build and defend a lead after going down to 10 early.
Storyline to watch
Will Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo play?: Alonso could speak late Wednesday about Mbappe’s availability, which has been up in the air since he was discharged from the hospital last week. The World Cup winner did not travel from their base camp in the Miami suburbs to Sunday’s match against Pachuca in Charlotte, North Carolina, though he has since returned to training with Real Madrid, per the Philadelphia Inquirier. How likely he is to play on Thursday, though, is unclear.
With or without Mbappe, though, there are still plenty of question marks about how Alonso’s front line will look on Thursday – and in the near future. Rodrygo played his first match for Real Madrid since coming on at halftime of the Copa del Rey final in last week’s draw with Al-Hilal, which felt like a signal that the player’s future at the club was secure. He, though, did not start the subsequent match against Pachuca, raising those questions yet again. Whether or not he re-enters the lineup against Salzburg, or if academy product Gonzalo Garcia will receive another start and the spotlight that comes with it, is arguably the biggest question ahead of the match.
Prediction
No matter how Alonso’s Real Madrid line up, they have what it takes to pick up a straightforward win against Salzburg, especially after a practical but effective performance while down to 10 against Pachuca. It is still too early to expect the team to look like their best selves under Alonso, but with their star-studded attack and talent all over the pitch, a fairly straightforward win seems likely. Pick: RB Salzburg 1, Real Madrid 2
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