Manchester City completed its historic 2013 by winning the Club World Cup for the first time after beating Fluminense in Jeddah (4-0) in the final. Pep Guardiola became the coach who has won this title the most timesfour, after the two he achieved with FC Barcelona (2009 and 2011) and one with Bayern Munich (2013), surpassing Carlo Ancelotti.
The other side of the coin was embodied by Marcelo, that at 35 years old he could not fulfill his dream of achieving his fifth Club World Cup of his career with the team where he was formed, Fluminense, after his four successes with Real Madrid.
Julián scores with his chest ‘like Messi’
Despite the losses of Haaland, De Bruyne and Doku, The final was put in City’s face after 40 seconds after an error by Marcelo himself. With both teams crowded on their side, the left-handed back sent a long ball into the no-man’s zone that he took advantage of. Nathan Aké to enter the center and released a thread that, after being deflected by Fabio, repelled the post. The rejection came to Julián Álvarez who, with an empty goal, pushed the ball into the net with his chest.
A goal, the fastest in the history of the tournament, which reminded the one who Leo Messi also achieved with his chest in 2019 and won the Club World Cup in extra time against Estudiantes (2-1), culminating the historic Sextete for Guardiola’s Barça.
Flu agrees with Pep
Conceding this blow so soon did not affect Fluminense, who took possession of the ball and agreed with Guardiola, whon said the day before that his game reminds him of the great Brazil of the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Fluminense took the ball from their goal in true Pep style and it came to have 76% possession in this phase of the match, but he failed to trouble Ederson in the face of intense rival pressure and an unfortunate play practically sealed the final.
Autogol letal
Rodri put a great pass between the lines that left Phil Foden alone, whose captain Nino deflected the center to a teammate towards his own goal (27′).
The own goal already affected Fluminense, plagued by veteran players such as Fabio, Felipe Melo, Ganso and Marcelo, the dominance became clearly City’s, although curiously Ederson was forced to show off in his only intervention of the first half to take a header from Jhon Arias after a corner taken by Marcelo.
Before the break the goal Fabio, at 43 years old, the oldest player to play in the final of a Club World Cupavoided 3-0 in a shot from Jack Grealish.
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Guardiola did not allow his players to get overconfident and in the second half Fabio once again kept his team alive with a double save on a Foden shot and Bernardo Silva’s header from the rebound.
Fernando Diniz, at the same time Brazilian coach, He tried to react by withdrawing his veterans, Marcelo included, at the hour mark. The last pass continued to be missing and it didn’t take long for City to put the game away definitively. Julián Álvarez and Foden exchanged roles and the Argentine put in a cross that the Englishman, close to goal, pushed into the net (71′).
Rodri retires ‘touched’
Seconds before, Rodri set off the alarm when he received a hard tackle from Alexsander that injured his left ankle. Already at 3-0, Guardiola relieved the Spanish midfielder. It was the only cause for concern on the night when City closed a historic cycle with a final goal from Julián Álvarez, who received, cut back a defender and defined with an unstoppable cross kick. The ‘Spider’ once again made Haaland forget with two goals and an assist.
Manchester City: Ederson; Kyle Walker, Reuben Dias, John Stones (M.74); Nathan Ake (Oscar Bobb, m.81), Rico Lewis (Matthew Kovacic, m.60); Rodri (Manuel Akanji, m.74), Phil Foden (Matthew Nunes, m.81), Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish; and Julian Alvarez.
Fluminense: Fabio; Samuel Xavier, Nino (Marlon, 74), Felipe Melo (Diogo Barbosa, 60), Marcelo (Alexander Cristhian, 60); Andrew, Matthew Martinelli; Jhon Arias, Goose (Vinicius Lima, m.60), Keno (John Kennedy, m.46); and Germain Cano.
Goals: 1-0, m.1: Julián Álvarez. 2-0, m.27: Nino, own goal; 3-0, m.72: Phil Foden. 4-0, m.89; Julian Alvarez.
Referee: Szymon Marciniak, from Poland. He showed a yellow card to Marcelo, Alexander and John Kennedy, from Fluminense.
Incidents: final of the 2023 Club World Cup played at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium in Jeddah.
see match sheet
2023-12-23 04:19:40
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