KLIK SAJA - Monterrey, still battling to secure a top-two finish in Group E of the FIFA Club World Cup, are set to face Urawa Red Diamonds—who have already been eliminated—on Thursday morning.
Urawa sit at the bottom of the standings with zero points from their two matches.
Meanwhile, Monterrey are in desperate need of a victory to lock in a spot in the top two on the final day of the group stage.
The Japanese side entered the Club World Cup with inconsistent form, having recorded only two wins, three draws, and two losses in their last seven J1 League fixtures.
Drawn into a tough group with Inter Milan, River Plate, and Monterrey, Urawa were widely expected to finish at the bottom—an outcome that seems all but confirmed heading into the final matchday.
The Red Devils began their Group E campaign with a 3-1 defeat to River Plate, followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Inter Milan.
In that match, Urawa initially took the lead but conceded an equalizer in the 78th minute and a last-gasp winner in the 92nd minute from Valentin Carboni.
Those back-to-back defeats have left Urawa rooted to the bottom of Group E with zero points, and with a four-point gap to the top two, their elimination is already confirmed.
Nevertheless, head coach Maciej Skorza hopes his side can finish the tournament with pride by securing a win in their final outing.
Each Club World Cup victory also comes with a hefty prize of £1.5 million.
On the other hand, Domenec Torrent’s Monterrey are targeting all three points in a bid to break into the top two and advance to the knockout stage.
The Mexican outfit were initially seen as third favorites to progress from Group E—behind River Plate and Inter Milan—but two draws from their opening fixtures have kept their hopes very much alive.
Monterrey currently trail the top two by just two points.
With River Plate and Inter Milan going head-to-head, a win for Monterrey would almost certainly guarantee their progression.
