With four matches on Wednesday, June 18, the first edition of the World Club Championship continues in a new format with 32 teams. Three of them involve big teams and contenders for the trophy. Manchester City plays Wydad Casablanca. Then Real Madrid takes on Al Hilal, and three hours later Pachuca faces RB Salzburg. We will also watch the game between Al Ain and Juventus.

In Miami, Real and Al Hilal will clash in the debuts of Xabi Alonso and Simone Inzaghi at the helm of the two teams. The “Kings” will be looking to make amends for a poor season in which they failed to win a single trophy, starting their campaign with a new coach in Alonso. The former Leverkusen coach, who is also a former player for the Royal Club, will be able to count on his new signing from Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold. The big star in attack, Kylian Mbappé, is doubtful for the “white ballet.”

The situation is similar on the other bench, where Inzaghi will take his place. The Italian specialist parted ways with Inter after their Champions League final disaster, where the Nerazzurri suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season and boasts names such as Kalidou Koulibaly, João Cancelo, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Aleksandar Mitrović.

In the other Group H match, Mexico's Pachuca will take to the field in Cincinnati against Austria's RB Salzburg.

In addition to Real, Manchester City and Juventus, who are together in Group G, will also play their first matches. The Citizens, and in particular their manager Pep Guardiola, have already made it clear that they have not come to the US just as tourists and will be looking to win the competition after an unsatisfactory campaign last season. City failed to win the English Premier League, were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the playoff round, and lost the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace at the end of the season. Guardiola's squad includes four new signings - Marcus Bettinelli, Ryan Ait-Nouri, Tijani Rayenders and Ryan Sherkey, but Jack Grealish, who is expected to be sold, will not be travelling to the US. The Sky Blues' first opponent on American soil is Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca, with the match taking place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Juventus will play Al Ain (UAE) in the capital Washington. Igor Tudor's boys managed to qualify for the Champions League after finishing fourth in Serie A, one point ahead of fifth-placed Roma. Tudor remains at the helm of the Old Lady, and the Italian giants will try to perform strongly in the Club World Cup as they prepare for the new season. The Bianconeri will face the most successful club in the United Arab Emirates at Audi Field. | BGNES