Manchester City look to seal their place in the knockout stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup as they face Al Ain FC on Sunday, June 22 at 9:00 PM ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. With City riding high after a confident opening win and Al Ain reeling from a heavy defeat, this Group G clash is expected to be one-sided—but not without intrigue.
Match Overview
Manchester City Record: 1–0–0 (2–0 win vs Wydad AC)
Al Ain Record: 0–0–1 (0–5 loss vs Juventus)
Group G Standings: Juventus (6 pts), Man City (3 pts), Wydad (0 pts), Al Ain (0 pts)
Broadcast: DAZN, FOX Sports App, TUDN, FIFA+
Head-to-Head History
| Matches Played | Man City Wins | Al Ain Wins | Draws |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Last Meeting: Manchester City defeated Al Ain 3–0 in a 2024 friendly.
Players to Watch
Manchester City
Phil Foden: Scored and assisted in the opener vs Wydad. The 2024 PFA Player of the Year looks rejuvenated.
Jeremy Doku: Netted a goal and created havoc on the left wing. His pace will test Al Ain’s fullbacks.
Erling Haaland: Expected to start after being rested in the opener. Scored 22 goals in the 2024–25 Premier League season.
Unavailable: Rico Lewis (suspended), Mateo Kovacic (foot injury)
Al Ain FC
Kodjo Laba: The Togolese striker scored 20 goals in 21 UAE Pro League matches. Needs better service to be effective.
Soufiane Rahimi: A creative winger who can unlock defenses but struggled against Juventus.
Rui Patrício: The veteran goalkeeper will be under siege again and must deliver a heroic performance.
Tactical Breakdown
Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s 4-2-3-1 emphasizes possession, pressing, and wide overloads. Expect rotation but no drop in intensity.
Al Ain: Likely to sit deep in a 5-4-1, hoping to absorb pressure and counter through Laba and Rahimi. Their midfield must improve after being overrun by Juventus.
Key Matchup: Haaland vs Ratnik – If Al Ain’s center-back can’t contain Haaland, it could be a long night.
Projected Lineups
Manchester City (4-2-3-1)
Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Reijnders; Doku, Foden, Cherki; Haaland
Al Ain (5-4-1)
Patrício; Traore, Ratnik, Rabia, Autonne, Zabala; Kaku, Palacios, Park, Rahimi; Laba
MATCH ODDS
Manchester City – 1000 Draw + 950 Al-Ain + 2000
Over 3.5 – 120 Under 3.5 – 110
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, June 21, 2025
