Club World Cup

News, commentary, tickets, pre and post match reaction alongside opinion about the FIFA Club World Cup competition.

David
Liverpool

Liverpool Are World Champions

Liverpool World Champions

Jurgen Klopp has urged his players to savour their ‘sensational’ Club World Cup success but admits they were left ‘exhausted’ following their extra-time victory over Flamengo.

Roberto Firmino’s 99th-minute strike secured victory for the Reds against the Copa Libertadores champions in Doha on Saturday, meaning the Merseyside club become just the second English side to lift the trophy in the competition’s history.

It completes a clean sweep of continental trophies for Liverpool in 2019 following their victories in the Champions League and European Super Cup.

With the side currently 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League, a first league title since 1990 is also tantalizingly within reach next May.  Read more... (477 words, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

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David
Liverpool

Klopp Praises Alisson As Liverpool Reach Club World Cup Final

alisson becker liverpool

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to his goalkeeper Alisson Becker after the Brazilian delivered a match-winning display against Monterrey on Wednesday.

The Reds had to rely upon their goalkeeper in the Club World Cup semi-final, as Alisson came up with several big stops against the Mexican side in Qatar.

Naby Keita gave Liverpool the lead in the 11th minute after a tremendous pass from Mohamed Salah, but Monterrey struck back just three minutes later through Rogelio Funes Mori.

From there the CONCACAF champions gave Liverpool all they could handle, forcing several key saves from Alisson as Klopp’s side barely managed to stay level.  Read more... (361 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

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David
Real Madrid

Ronaldo Sets Another Record In Club World Cup Win

Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat trick led Real Madrid to the FIFA Club World Cup title on Sunday, closing out a truly incredible season for the Portuguese. With the trophy, he became the first player to ever win the Champions League, European Championship, Club World Cup and Ballon d’Or in a calendar year.

Not only did Ronaldo capture three team trophies, he led his team to all three.

Ronaldo’s magic started in the Champions League, where he scored a tournament-best 16 goals. It was the second most goals anyone has ever scored in a single Champions League, one behind the mark he set in 2013/14.  Read more... (192 words, 1 image, estimated 46 secs reading time)

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David
Barcelona

Barca Win Record Third FIFA World Cup Title

barca-2015A pair of goals from Luis Suarez and a Lionel Messi strike saw Barcelona claim their third FIFA Club World Cup crown with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over River Plate in Yokohama.

There was no doubt that the champions of Europe deserved to win the match and consequently the tournament with an immaculate all-round display.

The win capped a great year for Barcelona that saw them win a record 50 game and score an unprecedented 176 goals, two new club records

Remarkably the MSN forward line of Messi, Suarez and Neymar scored 76% (134) of Barcelona’s 176 goals in 2015.  Read more... (496 words, 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

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David
Barcelona

Suarez Leads Barcelona Into World Club Final

suarez-goal2No Mess. No Neymar. No problem for Barcelona because they still have arguably the third best player in the world in Luis Suarez whose hat-trick kept Barca on track for a an unprecedented third FIFA World Club Championship. Suarez is the first player who has scored hat-trick in the Club World Cup history

Suarez’s goals led Barca to a 3-0 win over Guangzhou Evergrande, and set up a meeting with River Plate in Sunday’s final.

Even without Messi and Neymar, Barcelona were rarely troubled by Guangzhou and they took the lead in the 39th minute when Guangzhou goalkeeper Li Shuai could only parry Ivan Rakitic’s powerful strike from distance into the path of Suarez, who was on hand to poke home the rebound.  Read more... (303 words, 1 image, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)

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David
La Liga, Real Madrid

Iker Casillas Makes History After Club World Cup Triumph

iker-casillasWhen Real Madrid beat San Lorenzo 2-0 on Saturday to become Club World Cup champions, skipper Iker Casillas made history as he became the first captain to win eight major trophies, the Club World Cup, La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, Champions League, World Cup and the European Championships.

The 33-year-old can now also claim to have won every competition he has ever played in after goals from Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale secured victory in Marrakesh.  Read more... (371 words, 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

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David
Real Madrid

Real Madrid Are World Club Champions

real-world-championsReal Madrid are FIFA Club World Cup champions after easily beating San Lorenzo 2-0 in the final in Morocco.

The Champions League winners scored on either side of the half thanks to goals from defender Sergio Ramos and winger Gareth Bale. The two wins in Morocco, means that Carlo Ancelotti’s side have won their last 22 consecutive matches in all competitive matches. An incredible record.

This was no more than a practice game for Real as San Lorenzo rarely threatened Iker Casillas’s goal.  Read more... (292 words, 1 image, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

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David
Chelsea

Chelsea Lose In Club World Cup Final

FIFA Club World CupChelsea fans around the world will not be waking up to “Champions Of The World” t-shirts under the tree on Christmas Day after Rafa Benitez’s side lost 1-0 to Corinthians today.

The defeat is the latest blow for a Chelsea side that had failed at every opportunity to live up to the title of CHampions Of Europe. Consider that in the last five months Chelsea have lost the Community Shield and European Super Cup and have been eliminated from the Champions League.

A season that began with the possibility to winning seven trophies is rapidly turning into a diaster.  Read more... (254 words, 1 image, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)

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Andreas Vassiliades
Barcelona

Barcelona romp to World Club Cup victory

Thanks to Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and, of course, Lionel Messi Barcelona won the World Club Cup at a canter. Santos, arguably the best team in South America at the moment, were disposed of as though they were an irritant to Barcelona. This Barcelona side take no prisoners. They win constantly, they win beautifully. They win everything.  Read more... (426 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

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David
Barcelona, La Liga

David Villa Breaks Leg At FIFA Club World Cup

David Villa fractured his left tibia shortly before half-time in the Fifa Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd in Yokohama, Japan today.

Villa, who had been linked with a move to away from the Nou Camp in January, was carried off on a stretcher after appearing to land awkwardly 39 minutes into a game Barcelona were winning 1-0.

“Bad news for David Villa and Barca; the striker’s left tibia is fractured,” Barcelona said on their Twitter feed. “The player has been taken to the Yokohama Rosa hospital for further tests.”  Read more... (225 words, estimated 54 secs reading time)

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