Manchester City arrive at this summer’s Club World Cup as reigning champions, but not quite at their best. After a rare season without silverware under Pep Guardiola, the Sky Blues travel to the United States hoping to reassert their dominance on the global stage, with Juventus, Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain standing in their way.
1) Who will Manchester City face at the Club World Cup?
Manchester City have been drawn into Group G and these are their group stage fixtures:
18 June: vs Wydad Casablanca. Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia.
22 June: vs Al Ain. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
26 June: vs Juventus. Camping World Stadium, Orlando.
2) Post-Abu Dhabi takeover dominance
For the first 131 years of their history, after being founded in 1880, Manchester City won 12 major honours, top division champions in 1937 and 1968. Well, since being taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group 18 years ago, the Sky Blues have picked up 24 major honours, including eight Premier League titles in 13 seasons, starting with the FA Cup triumph of 2011.
A whopping 18 of these trophies have come during Pep Guardiola's nine seasons as manager, notably become the first English club ever to win four consecutive top-flight titles.
3) Realising their Champions League dream
Even since the takeover, winning the Champions League had been the holy grail for the Citizens. At first, it took them five attempts to get beyond the round of 16 and, no matter how dominant they were back home, they could not get over the line, defeated in three successive quarter-finals before reaching the 2021 final, their very first, only to lose to Chelsea at Estádio do Dragão.
After an historic collapse against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu the following season, it was 12th time lucky for Man City, finally crowned champions of Europe for the very first time by beating Inter 1-0 at the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı in İstanbul on 10 June 2023, with Rodri the match-winner.
4) A trophyless campaign
Across the span of seven seasons between 2017/18 and 2023/24, Pep Guardiola's side dominated English football, picking up six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four successive EFL Cups and that aforementioned Champions League crown. Thus, it is a major surprise that, so far at least, they only have August's FA Community Shield to show for their efforts this time round.
The Sky Blues were dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in February, finished third in the Premier League, suffering nine defeats, before also losing to Crystal Palace in May's FA Cup Final, defeated 1-0 at Wembley. In all competitions, Man City lost 16 matches out of 57 this season, having only tasted 28 defeats in 239 outings across the previous three campaigns. Thus, the Citizens have certainly endured a major decline this season, hoping to rediscover their best form stateside.
5) Past Club World Cup expirence
This will be Manchester City's second appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup, hoping it goes as well as their debut campaign. Back in December 2023, the Sky Blues demolished Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 and then smashed Fluminense 4-0, breaking the deadlock inside 40 seconds in the final, thereby crowned champions of the world in Jeddah.
6) Manchester City players to watch: Erling Braut Håland
A leading candidate to be the golden boot winner this summer has to be Erling Braut Håland.
Even though Man City have suffered a difficult season, the Norwegian still scored 31 times across all competitions, taking his tally to 121 goals in 142 appearances in sky blue, thereby averaging a goal every 96 minutes, which isn't bad is it?
7) Manchester City players to watch: Rodri
Meantime, while most of the European-based players at this competition will be fatigued following a long season, Rodri will be refreshed and ready to go.
The Spanish midfielder ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal in September, making just one appearance since then, this a seven minute cameo against Bournemouth in May. During his eight months on the sidelines, Rodri was presented with the Ballon d'Or, underlining his importance, so will be determined to reintroduce himself to the world at this tournament.
8) Manchester City players to watch: Phil Foden
Another player looking to rediscover his best form in America this summer is Phil Foden.
During the 2023/24 campaign, the England international scored 27 goals and registered 13 assists, thereby picking every individual accolade going. However, this season, Foden's form completely evaporated, scoring just ten times, with 14 of his 45 appearances coming off the bench, an unused substitute on six occasions. This shows that he clearly need to win back the trust of his manager, so will Foden get back to his best at the Club World Cup?
9) Manager Pep Guardiola: chasing yet more silverware
As outlined earlier, Pep Guardiola has picked up 18 major honours as Manchester City manager, to add to the 14 he won with Barcelona and seven in charge of Bayern Munich.
The Catalan has hoisted aloft the Club World Cup with each of these three teams, picking up the trophy on four occasions, the most of any coach in the competition's history, so will he make that five at the newly-revamped edition this summer?
10) Will Man City go all the way?
Manchester City will take on Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain in Group G, before a rematch against Juventus in Orlando, facing the side who beat them 2-0 in Turin as recently as December.
Despite that, Man City are strong favourites to top the section, which could be important, as the runners-up are likely to face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. Despite their up-and-down season, the Sky Blues have to be considered amongst the favourites to win this competition for sure.