Manchester City hit the first championship in team history, Urawa Red Diamonds should not be underestimated At 2 a.m. Beijing time on December 20, Manchester City will face Urawa Red Diamonds in the semifinals of the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time in Manchester City's history that they have participated in the Club World CupIt is also the last traditional seven-team Club World Cup.
As Champions League winners, Manchester City will be on track to claim the trophy yet to be won in two games, but their opponents Urawa Red Diamonds will not be easy to play against. Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 in last season's Champions League finalFinally fulfilled the dream of winning the top European competition.
This also allowed them to qualify directly for the semi-finals of this Club World Cup, saving them the grind of the group stage. However, that doesn't mean City can easily win the trophy, as their opponents Urawa Red Diamonds are a strong team with two AFC Champions League titlesIt is also a representative of Japanese football.
Urawa Red Diamonds showcased their attacking and defensive prowess in the first round of this tournament's Club World Cup with a 2-0 win over African champions Al Hilal. Their head coach is former Japan national team coach Hiroshi Nishino, whose tactical style is characterised by quick passing and switchingBe good at making good use of space and opportunities.
His team also has many powerful players, such as striker Yuki Muto, midfielder Yosuke Kashiwagi, defender Tomoaki Maki, etc., all of whom are the main or former main players of the Japanese national team. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola spoke highly of Urawa Red Diamonds in his pre-match press conference, saying: "It was a very difficult game and we have to respect our opponents, they are champions in AsiaThey are very competitive.
We don't know much about them yet, but we've learned as much as we can about them. Japanese football has improved a lot in the last decade, with their national team beating Germany at the OlympicsThis speaks to their level.
Their team is very agile and fast when it comes to transitions, and in many cases it is unavoidable. Pep Guardiola has also said that he and his players are eager to win this trophy, a trophy they have yet to winIt's also a challenge for them.
"We want to win this trophy and that's our goal," he said. We're here to complete this slamWin all the trophies we can.
This is the last traditional Club World Cup and we want to make a great memory. Pep Guardiola himself has a wealth of experience in the Club World Cup, having led his team to three Club World Cup appearances, Barcelona in 2009 and 2011 and Bayern Munich in 2013, both of which he successfully led to the titleHe became the most successful manager in the history of the Club World Cup.
If he can lead City to another trophy, he will set a new record as the first manager to win the Club World Cup four times. City's players have also shown their importance in the Club World Cup, which they see as a stage to show themselvesIt's also an opportunity to prove yourself.
Captain De Bruyne said: "We're happy to be here, it's a very special game and we want to try to win it. We know it's not going to be easy, our opponents are strongWe have to stay focused and work hard.
Striker Raheem Sterling also said: 'It's a big trophy and we want to take it home. We have a lot of good players and we are confident that we can play this game well, but we can't take our opponents lightlyThey also have their strengths.
Manchester City have not been in the Premier League this season, they are currently in fourth place, 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, and they have had a lot of problems defensively, they have won just once, drawn one and lost four in their last six league games, conceding a total of 12 goals. This made their hopes of winning the title slimIt also took a toll on their morale.
The Club World Cup is both a challenge and an opportunity for Manchester City to regain their form and confidence, as well as to add to their glory. Urawa Red Diamonds, on the other hand, showed their strength and resilience in the AFC Champions League, beating Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal 3-0 on aggregate in the final to claim their second AFC Champions League trophyIt is also the eighth AFC Champions League trophy for Japanese football.
They have also had a good run of results in the Club World Cup, having reached the final twice in 2007 and 2016, losing to the European giants, but they have also shown their style and quality. Their goal is to make it to the finals again, or even make historyBecame the first Asian team to win the Club World Cup.