Club World Cup Group Stage Concludes
With only two days remaining in the group stages of the Club World Cup, ten teams have already secured their spots in the last 16. Juventus and Manchester City are among the qualifiers and will play for group supremacy on Thursday. Before that, focus shifts to Groups E and F. Group F features less prominent names, but matchups like Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense hold interest. A win for the South African side against Fluminense would make them Africa`s sole representative in the next round, a possibility given their strong showing in a recent 4-3 loss to Dortmund.
High stakes are also present for Inter, who need a victory against River Plate to guarantee their knockout stage berth. A late win over Urawa Red Diamonds offered a reprieve, and coach Cristian Chivu hopes it can reverse the “cycle of negativity” following their Serie A title near-miss and Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Real Madrid`s coach, Xabi Alonso, aims to top Group H by beating Salzburg. Failure could be costly; a loss to the Austrians combined with an Al-Hilal win would see the tournament`s biggest club eliminated early.
Another Champions League winner, Chelsea, successfully navigated their final group match on Wednesday, defeating Esperance de Tunis 3-0 in Philadelphia`s intense heat. This marked game number 60 in a taxing season for Enzo Maresca`s squad, but they are leveraging the Club World Cup to their advantage rather than viewing it as a final push before vacation. Liam Delap highlighted how the tournament has aided his integration:
- Delap: `This tournament has really helped me settle in because you know if we`re back at the training ground, everyone would be disappearing at three o`clock. And here we`re together all the time, so it`s a great way to get settled in, and everyone`s been really helpful.`
Benfica`s surprising 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich demonstrated their potential and set up a last 16 tie against Chelsea, with the winner facing Palmeiras or Botafogo. Bayern, conversely, landed in a potentially tougher section of the bracket, facing Flamengo in the round of 16, followed by the winner of the high-profile clash between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. The knockout stage promises intriguing encounters.
Examining Potential USMNT Player Transfers This Summer
While the Gold Cup action is on hold, speculation regarding USMNT players` futures is heating up. One such player is Yunus Musah, absent from the Gold Cup due to personal reasons. Despite making 40 appearances last season for AC Milan, the 22-year-old appears likely to depart following managerial changes (Massimiliano Allegri replacing Sergio Conceicao) and the expected arrival of Luka Modric after Real Madrid`s Club World Cup campaign. AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare confirmed this, explaining:
- Tare: `I consider Musah an excellent player, but we are looking for profiles with characteristics that fit the project we have with coach Allegri. We are seeking deep-lying midfielders for a three-man midfield. Musah doesn`t have these characteristics. He can play in a two or three-man midfield but with different characteristics. This is the real reason why we want to do something different.`
Musah`s next destination remains unclear. A move to Napoli under Antonio Conte seemed likely recently but appears less certain since Kevin De Bruyne signed for them. West Ham, long-time admirers who targeted Musah in 2023 after Declan Rice`s departure, are also linked. His future is currently uncertain.
In contrast, Johnny Cardoso appears close to joining Atletico Madrid from Real Betis. The deal for the defensive midfielder, currently with Mauricio Pochettino`s USMNT squad, could reportedly cost Atletico $34.8 million. This transfer is expected to be finalized once the USMNT concludes its Gold Cup participation.
Cardoso`s defensive abilities align well with Atletico boss Diego Simeone`s style, and the prospect of Champions League football is likely appealing to the 23-year-old. This move could provide Pochettino with a reliable option in midfield, an area that has been inconsistent for the USMNT. However, there`s also a concern that Cardoso might struggle for playing time behind established players like Koke and Rodrigo De Paul, potentially hindering his rhythm ahead of next summer. Only time will reveal if this move proves as beneficial as it could be for Cardoso.
Further Football News Headlines
- Lyon Relegated: Shocking news from France as Lyon is demoted from Ligue 1 due to financial mismanagement. The eight-time champions plan to appeal.
- Auckland City`s Historic Draw: Amateur side Auckland City achieved a memorable 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors. Their goalscoring hero, Christian Grey, is a teacher returning to his day job.
- Arsenal Bids for Norgaard: Arsenal has reportedly bid over $12.5 million for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard, also a target for Tottenham.
- Musah and Pulisic Updates: More details are available on the futures of AC Milan`s US players, Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic.
- Chelsea Secures Win: Reporting from Chelsea`s important 3-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis in challenging heat.
- Boston Legacy Hires Coach: Filipa Patao, formerly of Benfica, will lead the NWSL expansion club next season.
- Benfica Receives US Investment: Benfica is the first Portuguese club to receive US investment in a deal valued up to $23.1 million.
- Morgan`s No.13 Retired: San Diego Wave has honored legend Alex Morgan by retiring her iconic number 13 jersey.
- Inter Miami`s CWC Earnings: As the only MLS club in the knockout stages, Inter Miami stands to earn at least another $7.5 million from the Club World Cup.
