Real Madrid will take part in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar, while Arsenal and Liverpool enter the League Cup quarter-finals.
Real Madrid – Pachuca: 0:00, December 19, Intercontinental Cup
Real Madrid has shown an erratic appearance so far this season. However, the ambition to defend the championship of the “White Vultures” in both La Liga and the Champions League remains intact.
Popular summer rookie Kylian Mbappe has not really shined at the Santiago Bernabeu. The French striker is said to be having difficulty integrating with other Galacticos in coach Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded squad.
Real Madrid will enter the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final as Champions League champions. Their opponents Pachuca had to go through a more difficult road to this match, when the Mexican team defeated South American champions Botafogo and African champions Al Ahly respectively.
It is not surprising that the Lusail Stadium in Qatar will witness the first clash between the two teams. With a much higher rated force, Real Madrid is expected to win resoundingly to add another title to their trophy collection, especially if all their attacking stars are all physically fit to be in the starting lineup.
Arsenal – Crystal Palace: 2:30, December 19, League Cup quarterfinals
Arsenal was just disappointed when they were held to a goalless draw by Everton at the Emirates in round 16 of the Premier League last weekend. That result puts the “Gunners” at risk of losing the gap to top team Liverpool to 9 points if the “Red Brigade” wins the make-up match. Coach Mikel Arteta is facing a lot of criticism for his recent alarming performance in attack.
Therefore, Arsenal needs a convincing performance to appease fans even if the League Cup is not their priority arena. Indeed, the “Gunners” have been eliminated in 7 of the last 10 appearances in the quarterfinals of this cup tournament and have gone 31 years without winning their first title of the season.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s best achievement in the League Cup is reaching the semi-finals in 1995, 2001 and 2012. The “Eagle’s” confidence is very high after defeating formidable opponent Brighton with 3-1 score in round 16 of the Premier League last weekend.
Crystal Palace is still ranked 15th in the Premier League rankings, so coach Glasner’s team understands that they need to prioritize the relegation battle. Furthermore, in all 4 recent meetings between the two teams, Arsenal won.