Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid and Niko Kovac's Borussia Dortmund have comfortably reached the quarter-finals with similar records as they gear up to face off in East Rutherford for a spot in the semifinals.
Real secured a 1-0 victory against Juventus in the round of 16 after finishing at the top of their group with seven points, while Dortmund also notched two wins and a draw before defeating Monterrey 2-1 in the first knockout stage.
Team news
Kylian Mbappe made a substitute appearance for Real in the previous round after recovering from illness, but indications from the Spanish team suggest he might start on the bench again, with academy product Gonzalo Garcia retaining his spot.
Alonso deployed a back three against Juventus, but Aurelien Tchouameni's adaptability means he may not stick with that formation throughout the entire match.
Jobe Bellingham, brother of Real's Jude, will be unavailable for Dortmund due to suspension after receiving two yellow cards.
Marcel Sabitzer is the likely replacement, although Julian Brandt or Yan Couto could also be introduced with a minor adjustment.
The stats
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund both topped their respective groups with seven points.
Real have emerged victorious in their last four encounters with Dortmund, the most recent being a 5-2 win in the Champions League in October.
Five out of the last six matches between these teams have seen four or more goals scored.
Dortmund are averaging 12.3 shots per game at the Club World Cup, the lowest among the eight quarter-finalists.
However, Real are conceding an average of 14 shots per game, the highest among the quarter-finalists.
Prediction
Real Madrid secured the Half Time/Full Time bet in two of their group stage games - the 3-1 victory over Pachuca and the 3-0 win against Salzburg - and are well-positioned to do the same against Borussia Dortmund at the MetLife Stadium.
The final quarter-final promises to be an interesting all-European showdown, a rematch of the 2024 Champions League final, and Real must believe they have what it takes to come out on top.
Neither team has been particularly outstanding in the Club World Cup, with Alonso still adjusting to his role at the helm of the Bernabeu side.
The return of star forward Mbappe to almost full fitness gives Real an added advantage, and with their pace in attack, they can capitalize on Dortmund's high defensive line.
Dortmund narrowly escaped against Monterrey in the previous round, and a team known for its attacking flair is finding it challenging to create scoring opportunities.