Real Madrid's first two games with their new manager Xabi Alonso have been full of action and they will be aiming for a more convincing win against RB Salzburg on Friday.
Both teams are tied on four points at the top of Group H, but a misstep could give third-placed Al Hilal an opportunity, as they play against eliminated Pachuca in their last group match.
Real managed a 1-1 draw with Al Hilal, with Federico Valverde missing a penalty, followed by an impressive 3-1 victory over Pachuca, despite being down to 10 men by the seventh minute.
Team news
RB Salzburg do not have any reported injury concerns, so coach Thomas Letsch is likely to field the same starting lineup from the Al Hilal match.
Leading goalscorer Nene Dorgeles and playmaker Oscar Gloukh play in attacking midfield in Letsch's 4-2-2-2 formation.
Real Madrid's top scorer Kylian Mbappe is still recovering from gastroenteritis and is expected to sit out.
Antonio Rudiger is set to return in central defense in place of the suspended Raul Asencio, while Dani Carvajal, David Alaba, Eder Militao, and Eduardo Camavinga remain sidelined with injuries.
The statistics
RB Salzburg lost seven out of their eight Champions League matches in the 2024-25 season.
Salzburg have scored and conceded in nine of their last 11 games across all competitions.
In their first two Group H matches, Salzburg have had fewer shots on target than their opponents, with counts of 17-10 and 19-13 against them.
Real Madrid have been leading at halftime in five of their last seven matches.
Real converted five out of their six shots on target in a Champions League win against Salzburg in January.
No club has won more FIFA Club World Cup titles than Real Madrid's five.
Prediction
RB Salzburg were considered the weakest of the 12 European teams in the FIFA Club World Cup, but they have put themselves in contention for the knockout phase.
The Austrians secured a 2-1 victory over Pachuca in their first match and then played to a draw with Al Hilal, yet they face a significant challenge on Friday.
Salzburg struggled in this season's Champions League, including a heavy 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid in January.
With Kylian Mbappe absent in the first two CWC games due to sickness, coach Alonso will not take any risks with the French star's fitness.
Against Pachuca, Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Valverde found the net after Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring. Guler also impressed as a substitute in the first fixture, hitting the crossbar with one of his three shots.
Guler's start against Pachuca was rewarded with a goal to put Real 2-0 up just before halftime. He is keen to establish himself under Alonso and could be a strong candidate to score first against Salzburg.