FIFA Club World Cup: Group G Tips
Group G at the FIFA Club World Cup is expected to be dominated by Europe, with Premier League powerhouses Manchester City and Italian giants Juventus seeming to have a big class edge on Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates and Moroccan minnows Wydad AC.
City, the last winners of the tournament in its previous shorter format, are desperate to redeem themselves following a disappointing campaign in which they failed to win a single piece of major silverware.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side appeared to turn a corner at the end of the campaign and they have already been busy bolstering their ranks with the arrivals of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Despite finishing only fourth in Serie A, Juventus look to pose the biggest threat to City’s supremacy and it is still early days in the tenure of Igor Tudor.
Al Ain are the giants of UAE football but they could finish only fifth domestically while Wydad AC, one of four African teams in the Club World Cup, came third in the Botola Pro, 16 points behind champions RS Berkane.
Tip 1 - Juventus to be eliminated in the round of 16 @ 7/10
Manchester City underwhelmed for much of the season but they finished the Premier League campaign on a 10-game unbeaten run, winning seven of those fixtures, to narrow the gap on second-placed Arsenal to just three points.
That suggests that they have started to right their early-season wrongs and, with the influential Rodri back from injury and star striker Erling Haaland returned to full fitness, there is every expectation that they top the group at 2/5.
Juventus should prove too strong for Al Ain and Wydad AC to secure second but that may reward them with a tricky last-16 tie against predicted Group H winners Real Madrid.
It is hard to see how the Old Lady, who finished fourth in Serie A and were dumped out of the Champions League by PSV Eindhovern, can live with the Spanish heavyweights and backing them for a round-of-16 exit could be a shrewd move.
Tip 2 - Omar Marmoush anytime goalscorer vs Wydad AC @ 26/25
Manchester City are as short as 1/10 to record victory in their Group G curtain-raiser against Wydad AC on Wednesday, with goalscoring phenomenon Erling Haaland 11/20 to get up and running by getting on the scoresheet.
It would be no surprise to see City go through the gears and rack up the goals, so attacking maverick Omar Marmoush makes plenty of appeal to get in on the scoring.
Marmoush has created a strong impression since arriving from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in January and was one of City’s most consistent performers in the second half of the season.
The Egyptian international has already got eight goals and three assists in just 22 appearances since joining the Citizens and he has quickly established himself as one of Guardiola’s most trusty allies.
Tip 3 - Randal Kolo Muani anytime goalscorer vs Al Ain @ 6/5
This is a fixture in which Juventus must be targeting victory as they attempt to keep tabs on Manchester City and they are expected to power past opening opponents Al Ain, who appear to have taken a backwards step.
Juve manager Igor Tudor favours an aggressive style of play and that should bring out the best in powerful forward Randal Kolo Muani, who has had his loan deal from Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain extended to allow him to play in the Club World Cup.
The French forward has been a bit hit amongst the Old Lady faithful, bagging eight goals in 16 Serie A appearances this season, while he also got on the scoresheet from the substitute’s bench for his country in a 5-4 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals of the Nations League last week.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation