2025 Club World Cup: The Quarterfinals Kick Off
by Tyler Doty | by Tyler Doty
Fluminense vs Al Hilal: A Clash of Underdogs
One of the most intriguing matchups in these Club World Cup quarterfinals is the showdown between surprise packages Fluminense and Al Hilal, two clubs that have taken down opponents who, on paper, were supposed to be stronger.
The Brazilian side kicked off their tournament with a scoreless draw against Borussia Dortmund. They followed that up with a win over Ulsan HD and another 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns, which earned them second place in the group and a spot in the round of 16. There, they faced none other than Inter Milan, the most recent Champions League runner-up. Fluminense stunned the Italians by scoring within the first three minutes and went on to win 2-0.
Al Hilal’s road hasn’t been easy either. They opened with a draw against Real Madrid, the top pick in our Club World Cup predictions. A second scoreless tie against Red Bull Salzburg kept things tense, but they finally secured qualification with a win over Pachuca in the third game. In the round of 16, they played one of the tournament’s most entertaining matches against Manchester City. A 2-2 draw in regulation led to extra time, where Simone Inzaghi’s squad pulled off a dramatic 4-3 victory.
This quarterfinal promises to be an open, attacking affair between two ambitious teams hungry for glory.
Palmeiras vs Chelsea: Another Evenly-Matched Showdown
This could end up being the last South America vs Europe clash of the tournament, and one that slightly favors the Londoners on paper. It won’t be easy, but Chelsea’s pedigree suggests they should be among the final four.
Palmeiras topped their group after a 0-0 draw with FC Porto and a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami. Their key win came against Egypt’s Al Ahly. In the round of 16, they faced fellow Brazilians Botafogo in a tense match that ended 0-0 in regulation. Paulinho eventually broke the deadlock with a screamer in extra time.
Chelsea’s path hasn’t been smooth sailing either. Despite early wins over Esperance Tunis and LAFC, Enzo Maresca’s team already knows what it’s like to lose to a Brazilian side, having been outplayed by Filipe Luís’ Flamengo. Finishing second in their group set them up for a tough round-of-16 clash against Benfica. Chelsea led 1-0 before the game was suspended for over two hours due to weather. Once play resumed, the Portuguese side equalized in stoppage time, forcing extra time, where the Blues scored three unanswered goals to seal a 4-1 win.
What remains to be seen is how Palmeiras will fare against a top European side. So far, their only matchup against a UEFA club came against a struggling Porto. The rest of their games have been against non-European opponents. Our analysts believe that whatever the result, this will be a low-scoring affair, favoring a pick for Under 2.5 Goals at -147 odds.
