Real Madrid is set to face Mexican club Pachuca in the highly anticipated final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup this Wednesday. This tournament adopts a new format following FIFA's expansion of the Club World Cup slated for 2025, bringing together the champions from all six federations.
As the reigning European champions, Real Madrid earned a direct spot in the final, showcasing their elite status. Pachuca, on the other hand, secured their place by triumphing over Al-Ahly in a thrilling penalty shootout that ended 6-5 after a goalless draw.
In recent form, Real Madrid has been impressive, winning three and drawing one of their last five matches across all competitions since their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Currently positioned third in La Liga with 37 points from 17 matches, they are just one point behind leaders Barcelona, who have an additional game under their belt.
One key storyline heading into the final is the status of Kylian Mbappe. The French star returned to training after missing a La Liga match due to injury sustained during Real's 3-2 victory at Atalanta in the Champions League last week. Coach Carlo Ancelotti remains optimistic about Mbappe's participation, stating, \"Kylian Mbappe's situation is simple: he trained yesterday and felt good. He did sprints, and everything went well. Today's training session will be important for evaluating his condition. If he feels fine after speaking with him and the doctors, he'll obviously play. But if there's even the slightest risk, he won't. So, today's training session is crucial. Yesterday was very good, so we are optimistic.\"
The final promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Real Madrid looking to add another prestigious trophy to their illustrious history and Pachuca aiming to make their mark on the international stage.
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Real Madrid gear up for Intercontinental Cup Final against Pachuca
cgtn.com
