Manchester City vs Fluminense betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Club World Cup
3pts Matheus Nunes to have 2+ total shots at 4/5 (Sky Bet)
2pts Both teams to score at 11/10 (General)
Neither of the finalists had to work up much of a sweat this week.
Fluminense lifted the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history, not only did the club rid themselves of that voodoo but they booked a spot to the Club World Cup.
The Brazilians then breezed past Egyptian side Al Ahly in Monday’s semi-final in Jeddah to book their spot in the final. As the odds suggest though, their next opponents will be a much tougher test.
Manchester City joined them Tuesday, cruising past Urawa Red Diamonds, the Asian Confederation Champions League champions.
The Japanese side will have drawn encouragement from the absence of City’s big hitters, although Kevin De Bruyne returned to training he and Premier League top goalscorer Erling Haaland were excluded from the squad.
Despite dominating proceedings, Shusaku Nishikawa made a number of saves as the Urawa Red Diamonds proved stubborn opposition.
It was not until the stroke of halftime when the deadlock was broken, Marius Høibråten turning into his own net after good work from Matheus Nunes.
Though City went on to win the game comfortably, there was an air of complacency about to their game. The kind we have come accustomed to on home soil which is to blame for one league win in six top flight games.
Pep Guardiola doesn't think complacency has crept in to his Manchester City players — but says the days of "living like a cat" are over... 🐱 pic.twitter.com/KMXN3zbjG7
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 8, 2023
What are the best bets?
BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE priced at odds against seems a little disrespectful to the Copa Libertadores champions.
Plenty of teams have proved they can bloody the nose of the treble winners this term. In fact, City’s clean sheet in the semi-finals was their first in seven games and even then Urawa Red Diamonds did threaten.
Roy Hodgson's reaction 😅 @CPFC pic.twitter.com/df9h0GEh5P
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 19, 2023
Pep’s side haven’t had the toughest schedule either. Crystal Palace netted twice at the Etihad, Red Star Belgrade hit the double as well and Luton took the lead at the Kenny this month.
In between those two clean sheets, City have shipped 14 goals and 43% have come in the last 20 minutes of games. Certainly suggests a whiff of complacency.
MATHEUS NUNES notched up six shots in the semi’s three of which hit the target.
The Portuguese import squandered a ‘big chance’ (xG greater than 0.30) but could rectify it here.
Nunes’ City career is very much in its infancy but has endured its fair share of peaks and troughs. The midfielder looks to be finding his feet now though and no doubt will rack up the SHOTS on Friday and his price for 2+ appeals.
BuildABet @ 50/1
- Both teams to score
- Manchester City to win
- Matheus Nunes to have 5+ total shots
Complacency or not, there is a trophy on the line so no doubt City will be doing everything in their power to ensure it returns home with them. After all, Pep has won this all three times his teams have participated.
Nunes met this shot line of 5+ in the semi and threatened to do the same in his two starts against Young Boys, hitting four shots in each of those matches.
Team News
🗣️ Marcelo on winning the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense and being in a Club World Cup Final. "Real Madrid is the most iconic team in the world, but Fluminense is my biggest club because they made me... I was a baby when I joined and Fluminense is my everything. To play at a… pic.twitter.com/IwZNYGPUTR
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 18, 2023
Haaland, De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are ineligible for the final as they were not in the squad for the semi's even though the trio have all returned to training.
Mateo Kovacic and Nunes should keep their spots in the engine room after an impressive display on Tuesday.
Marcelo is set to start for Fluminense at left back and 43-year old goalkeeper Fabio will become the oldest player to appear in the Club World Cup final if he starts in between the sticks Friday evening.
Predicated line-ups
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, Foden, Grealish; Alvarez.
Fluminense: Fabio; Xavier, Nino, Melo, Marcelo; Andre, Martinelli; Arias, Ganso, Keno; Cano.
Match facts
- This will be Manchester City’s first competitive match against a Brazilian team, and Fluminense’s first competitive match against an English team.
- This is the 20th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, with the previous 19 all being won by sides from Europe (15) or South America (4). Each of the last 10 editions have been won by a European club.
- Manchester City and Fluminense are both looking to become first-time winners of the FIFA Club World Cup; England and Brazil are currently tied for most different winners of the competition, with Manchester United (2008), Liverpool (2019) and Chelsea (2021) being the previous English winners, and Corinthians (2000, 2012), São Paulo (2005) and Internacional (2006) the previous Brazilian winners.
- English clubs have a record of 10 wins, one draw and three defeats at the FIFA Club World Cup, with all three defeats coming against Brazilian teams – Manchester United 1-3 Vasco da Gama in 2000, Liverpool 0-1 São Paulo in 2005, and Chelsea 0-1 Corinthians in 2012.
- Since Chelsea lost against Corinthians in the 2012 final, European clubs have won each of their last 21 matches at the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring 54 goals while conceding 11 in return.
- Brazilian clubs have been runners-up at the FIFA Club World Cup more often than sides from any other nation (5), ahead of Argentina (4). Indeed, they have lost each of their last three finals in the competition – Grêmio 0-1 Real Madrid in 2017, Flamengo 0-1 Liverpool in 2019, and Palmeiras 1-2 Chelsea in 2022.
- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola could win the FIFA Club World Cup for a record fourth time, having previously done so with Barcelona (2009, 2011) and Bayern Munich (2013); he is currently tied with Carlo Ancelotti. Guardiola has won all seven of his FIFA Club World Cup games as a manager, overseeing 21 goals scored and only two goals conceded.
- Fluminense had the highest share of possession (62%), made the most successful passes (18,502) and attained the highest passing accuracy (88%) of any side in the most recent Brazilian Serie A campaign, which concluded at the start of this month. As of matchday 17, Manchester City currently lead all clubs for the same metrics in the Premier League this season – 62% possession, 9,748 passes completed and 90% passing accuracy.
- The youngest player to score in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup is Vinícius Júnior for Real Madrid against Al-Hilal in the previous edition, aged 22 years and 214 days. Manchester City included six players in their most recent matchday squad who are young enough to surpass this record - Joško Gvardiol, Oscar Bobb, Micah Hamilton, Rico Lewis, Mahamadou Susoho and Max Alleyne.
Odds correct at 0800 GMT (21/12/23)
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