In the Club World Cup semi-finals held in Jeddah, Manchester City secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds, positioning themselves one step away from claiming their fifth title in 2023. The trend of European champions prevailing over their Asian counterparts in the Club World Cup continued, and Manchester City now appears poised to face Fluminense of Brazil in the final.
The semi-final match saw Manchester City facing some initial challenges, with the breakthrough goal coming just before halftime through an own goal by Urawa Red Diamonds’ defender Marius Hoibraten. The second half witnessed a burst of scoring activity, with Mateo Kovačić and Bernardo Silva both finding the net within a seven-minute span against the Japanese team.
Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, has found solace and success in international competitions amid a less typical performance in the Premier League, where they have won only one of their last six games and experienced late goals. The victory in the Club World Cup semi-final followed City’s flawless six-win streak in the Champion’s League group stage earlier in the month. Additionally, City had already claimed the UEFA Super Cup title in August, adding to their impressive trophy collection from the previous season, which included the Champions League, Premier League, and English FA Cup.
“It’s the only title that the club don’t have,” City manager Pep Guardiola stated.” The players know how important this game is for all of us at the club.”
The absence of Erling Haaland sidelined due to a foot injury, and the decision to keep Argentina forward Julián Álvarez on the bench showcased City’s adaptability. The match also featured cheers from fans when the images of City stars Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who were seated in the main stand, were broadcast on screens throughout the stadium. However, neither Haaland nor De Bruyne will be available to play in the final.
With this victory, Manchester City is now the favorite to face Fluminense in the final, setting the stage for an exciting climax to the Club World Cup.
Despite participating in a light training session on Monday, Kevin De Bruyne was not included in the Manchester City lineup for the Club World Cup semi-final against Urawa Red Diamonds. De Bruyne, who had undergone surgery for a hamstring injury sustained in City’s Premier League season opener over four months ago, was not risked in the semi-final clash.
The match, held in front of a crowd of 40,127 in a stadium that was not at full capacity, featured around 400 passionate Urawa fans clad in red and black, creating a lively atmosphere. The fans, situated behind one goal, contributed to the ambience with continuous clapping, singing, and jumping, accompanied by relentless drumming from one of their members. This spirited support continued even as Manchester City secured goals on either side of halftime.
In the 52nd minute, midfielder Mateo Kovačić took advantage of the space left by the absence of Erling Haaland, who was sidelined due to injury, to surge forward and score after receiving a long pass from Kyle Walker. Bernardo Silva added another goal seven minutes later, with a slight deflection assisting his shot after goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa had initially pushed away Matheus Nunes’ effort.
As City comfortably navigated the last half-hour of the game, manager Pep Guardiola outlined his squad’s approach in Jeddah, emphasizing their consistent two-games-per-week schedule throughout the season. The match highlighted a significant gap in quality between the fourth-place team in England and the fourth-place finisher in the Japanese league, which had concluded earlier in the month.
“The plan is to sleep and to sleep and to sleep,” the coach stated, praising Walker as an “incredible captain” who organizes social time for teammates.
Urawa coach Maciej Skorża acknowledged that his players were unable to cope with the “huge offensive power” of the Premier League champions, recognizing the evident disparity in skill.
The final on Friday will feature another Europe vs. South America clash, the 13th in 19 editions of the Club World Cup. This final will mark the conclusion of the current format that began in 2005, with FIFA planning to relaunch the competition in June 2025 in the United States, featuring 32 teams, where Europe will have 12 entries and Asia only four. Urawa will be part of this expanded lineup in 2025.
“I think this experience will be very important for our club,” stated Skorża, who will leave Urawa after the season.
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