The expanded soccer Club World Cup is proving to be a stage for managerial fresh starts, with three of the eight quarter-finalists led by coaches appointed just weeks before the tournament – and all three have already stamped their authority on their new teams.

Arguably none has made a bigger splash than Simone Inzaghi, who delivered one of the tournament’s biggest shocks when his Al Hilal side stunned Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 4-3 in a breathtaking extra-time thriller.

The 49-year-old Italian, who left Inter Milan after their Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain just five weeks ago, got sweet revenge on Monday against the Premier League giants who had beaten his Nerazzurri in the 2023 Champions League final.

Inzaghi took the win by playing steady, rock-solid defence and exploring the speed of his forwards up-front with long balls that exploited their opponent’s aggressive, high-positioned defensive line.

Malcom and Marcos Leonardo were a constant menace on the counter-attack throughout the match, while his defenders managed to slow down City’s star-powered attack for most of the game.

And when they were threatened, Moroccan goalkeeper Bono worked his magic with a string of world-class saves to frustrate their opponents and keep the Saudis in the game.

Al Hilal’s reward is a quarter-final clash with tournament underdogs Fluminense, who defied the Opta supercomputer’s odds of just 0.05% to win the title and stunned Champions League runners-up Inter Milan 2-0 to reach the last eight.

Initially tipped to exit in the group stage, the Brazilian side’s remarkable run continues under Renato Gaucho, a former Fluminense striker and club legend who took charge three months ago. Renato has transformed a team that narrowly avoided relegation in 2024 into genuine contenders, with Colombian winger Jhon Arias emerging as a potential tournament MVP.

Against Inter, Fluminense showed the grit and determination that have defined their campaign with a remarkable Arias and striker German Cano once again making the difference.

Real Madrid complete the trio of new-manager success stories, with Xabi Alonso arriving a month ago to replace Carlo Ancelotti after a rare trophy-less season that included four consecutive defeats to Barcelona, including a humiliating 4-0 Clasico thrashing at the Bernabeu.

Arriving with a reputation for innovative tactics following his trophy-laden stint at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has started using a five-man defence, marking a significant departure from the traditional 4-3-3 formation used by predecessors Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane over the past decade.

The change evoked memories of Vicente del Bosque’s 2000 Champions League-winning side, the last Real Madrid team to adopt such a structure, as Real prepare to face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday off the back of three consecutive wins.

As the tournament progresses, the early success of these new managerial appointments suggests that fresh ideas and bold decisions can reshape even the most storied teams.

-Reuters

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Real Madrid hit their stride at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, edging Juventus 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals thanks to a second-half strike from academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia as Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut.

Garcia, deputising for Mbappe after the France forward missed the group stage due to gastroenteritis, found the back of the net early in the second half to set up a meeting with either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey.

Mbappe made his much-anticipated appearance as a second-half substitute, delighting the partisan crowd who packed Hard Rock Stadium to near capacity in a demonstration of the Spanish giants’ considerable global appeal.

Juventus had early chances but gradually faded under the relentless pressing of Xabi Alonso’s side and had goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio to thank for sparing them a heavier defeat.

After a lacklustre group phase, Real, playing in Alonso’s favoured 3-4-3, showed glimpses of what they could be capable of under their new coach.

Juve striker Randal Kolo Muani, set up by Kenan Yildiz’s incisive pass that split the Real Madrid defence, attempted an audacious chip in the seventh minute but sent the ball narrowly over Thibaut Courtois’s crossbar.

Moments later, Yildiz tried his luck from long range but saw his effort fly wide.

Real Madrid grew into the match and nearly capitalised on a defensive lapse by Juventus.

Jude Bellingham, aiming a sharp angled strike, was denied by Di Gregorio, whose quick reactions kept the Italian side level.

Di Gregorio was called into action again shortly before halftime, making an impressive save to parry away a thunderous long-range shot from Federico Valverde.

Juventus, under pressure late in the first half, must have been satisfied to reach the interval with the scoreline still goalless.

Twice early in the second half Di Gregorio denied Bellingham and Dean Huijsen, but he was helpless when Garcia headed home from Trent Alexander Arnold’s pin-point cross in the 54th minute for his third goal in the tournament.

The Italian keeper sustained some hope for Juventus, his reaction save preventing Valverde from scoring with a bicycle kick.

‘Mbappe, Mbappe!’ the crowd chanted as the France forward, after warming up, ran towards the bench to get ready to replace Garcia midway through the second half.

The 26-year-old was often in a good position but he was not properly served by his team mates and his start in the 32-team tournament eventually looked like a glorified workout.

-Reuters

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Borussia Dortmund held off a stirring second-half fightback from Monterrey to complete the Club World Cup quarter-final line-up with a 2-1 win in a round-of-16 thriller at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Tuesday.

Clinical finishes from Serhou Guirassy in the 14th and 24th minutes put Dortmund on top at the break but German Berterame hit back for Monterrey in the 48th minute and the Mexican club pressed for an equaliser until the final whistle.

The Dortmund defence held firm, however, to set up a last-eight meeting with 15-times European champions Real Madrid in New Jersey on Saturday.

There will be no reunion for the Bellingham family, however, with a yellow card shown to Dortmund’s Jobe in the 28th minute ruling him out of the clash with big brother Jude’s Real.

“It was difficult. They’re a good team with experienced players,” said Guinean Guirassy.

“I think we had a very good first half. Second half was a bit harder, but the mindset was tough and we won so we’re all happy tonight.”

The first 10 minutes of the clash were frenetic with plenty of full-blooded challenges and the first of a string of dangerous long-range shots from Monterrey’s Nelson Deossa the best of the early efforts.

Dortmund strike duo Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi took over in the 14th minute with a neat exchange of touches on the edge of the box setting the former free to drill the ball inside the near post.

Monterrey left winger Jesus Corona hit the outside of the post with a cross-shot and another Deossa strike tested goalkeeper Gregor Kobel minutes later but Dortmund soon doubled the lead.

Julian Ryerson won possession with a physical challenge and his long-ball found Adeyemi racing towards goal, the 23-year-old holding up his run before laying the ball on a plate for Guirassy to slot it past goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.

Guirassy should have had a hat-trick before halftime but spurned gilt-edged chances provided by Bellingham and Pascal Gross passes.

Monterrey brought their fans back into the match with a storming start to the second half, however, and quickly cut the deficit in half.

Corona, a constant threat throughout the match, curled a cross to the far post where Erick Aguirre headed the ball back across goal and Berterame nodded it past Kobel.

Monterrey continued to pour forward looking for an equaliser, Corona having one chance saved by Kobel and blasting another over the bar before Berterame found the net from an offside position.

A couple of 70th minute substitutions helped Dortmund find a bit more composure, and Guirassy had a couple of half-chances to grab his third goal before Monterrey got back on the attack.

Sergio Ramos, who was hoping for his own reunion with Real, moved forward to help his forwards and grazed the outside of the post with a header in the last few seconds of normal time, but there was to be no fairytale finish for the Spain great.

“I think I could have scored maybe three goals at least,” Guirassy, who was named Player of the Match, added. “I expect a tough game (against Real), but we’ll be prepared.”

-Reuters

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