Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the second round matches at the FIFA Club World Cup will take place on Monday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Manchester City will face Al Ain. Here’s my pick for the outcome of this clash, featuring an attractive odds value.
Match preview
Heading into the clash with Al Ain, Manchester City are fully focused: for the Citizens, this tournament is the last opportunity to salvage a lackluster season. Pep Guardiola is renowned for his ability to quickly get his side back on track, and their opening match against Wydad showed that the team can play pragmatically without ever losing control of the game. The attack remains sharp: two early goals and total dominance across all areas of the pitch — just what City fans expect.
At the same time, the club maintains a balance between defense and offense: in their last seven matches, the English side have kept five clean sheets. Even with some low-scoring games, City remain strong in possession and react instantly to any opponent's mistakes. Against Al Ain, their weapons will be blistering wing play and relentless pressure in the final third.
Al Ain approach this fixture as clear underdogs, but underestimating them could be costly. The Violet club may have crumbled in their debut against Juventus, but just participating in the Club World Cup is a major achievement for the team from the UAE. Their AFC Champions League triumph proves they can get results even against more illustrious opposition on their continent.
Al Ain’s main issue is their shaky defense and the near-total lack of cohesion under high pressing. Juventus exposed this weakness: when the tempo increases and the passing is sharp, the Emirati side's defense falls apart. It will be even tougher against City, whose attack is faster and more unpredictable.
Probable line-ups
- Manchester City: Ederson – Khusanov, Stones, Aké, Aït-Nouri – Rodri – Savio, Reijnders, Foden, Doku – Haaland
- Al Ain: Patrício – Traoré, Ratnik, Rabia, Autonne, Zavala – Yong-Woo – Palacios, Romero – Laba, Rahimi
Match facts and head-to-head
- The only previous meeting between Manchester City and Al Ain was in May 2014: the English side won 3-0.
- Al Ain conceded five unanswered goals in their first Club World Cup 2025 match against Juventus.
- Manchester City have won their last three matches in a row, each by at least a two-goal margin.
Prediction
All signs point to City dominating and barely allowing their opponent a sniff at goal. Al Ain are simply too fragile defensively to cope with the English side’s high-paced attacks. Given City’s form and the level of opposition, the best bet looks to be Manchester City to win with a -2.5 handicap. Expect a 3-0 or 4-0 scoreline, as Guardiola is unlikely to field a weakened side even with a comfortable lead. Our pick: “Manchester City to win with a -2.5 handicap” at odds of 2.02.
