FIFA Club World Cup: Al-Hilal's journey to the Round of 16 | OneFootball

City face Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup in Orlando after both sides progressed through the group stage.

It was largely plain sailing for City, winning all three games and being the only team in the whole tournament to enjoy a 100% record.

Pep Guardiola’s men enjoyed comprehensive victories over Wydad AC, Al Ain and Juventus but now know that counts for little in the single-leg knockout ties.

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Our first winner-takes-all clash is against the Saudi Pro League giants, who initially qualified for this summer’s trip to the US through winning the 2021 AFC Champions League.

Simone Inzaghi is their new manager after leaving Inter following the end of the 2024/25 campaign, while there are plenty of recognisable faces for European fans in the playing squad including former City man Joao Cancelo.

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We’re playing them after they finished runners-up in Group H behind Real Madrid.

Here we’ll take a look at the three fixtures that brought them to this point…

Real Madrid 1-1 Al-Hilal, 18 June 2025

One of the stellar ties in the first round of fixtures, Al-Hilal held their own against the 15-time European champions in Miami.

21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcia scored the opener for Real after 34 minutes but Al-Hilal had the chance to level just a few minutes later when Raul Asencio pulled on Leonardo’s shirt in the box.

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Ruben Neves converted from the spot and that’s the way it remained.

Real Madrid had 19 efforts in total and xG of 2.64, while Al-Hilal produced 13 shots and an xG of 1.88.

With 48% possession and 396 completed passes, it was far from a case of sitting deep and catching their opponents on the break.

RB Salzburg 0-0 Al-Hilal, 22 June 2025

While there were chances for both teams in Washington D.C., Al-Hilal were the more likely of the two sides to score.

They had 19 shots and an xG of 1.49 having enjoyed 57% possession with the likes of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Malcom going close.

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At the back, Renan Lodi, Kalidou Koulibaly and Joao Cancelo are part of the back four while former Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is behind them.

Al-Hilal 2-0 Pachuca, 26 June 2025

It all came together in Nashville in the final game of the group, with winger Salem Al-Dawsari scoring in the 22nd minute before striker Leonardo set the seal on Al-Hilal’s place in the Round of 16 in added time.

That saw them leapfrog RB Salzburg and become the only team from the Asian confederation to reach the knockout stages.