'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 18th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup gets underway in the UAE over the weekend as Al Alhy and Monterrey lock horns in the second-round fixture on Saturday at the Al Nahyan Stadium.
Al Ahly secured a place in the competition after lifting their 10th CAF Champions League title in July while Monterrey secured their place in the competition with their fifth CONCACAF Champions League trophy.
The winner of the match will face 2021 Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras on Tuesday in the first semi-final of the tournament. Neither side has made it to the final of the competition in their previous campaigns and will be hoping for a better outcome here.
Al Ahly vs Monterrey Head-to-Head
The two sides have met just twice in competitive fixtures so far, both times in the FIFA Club World Cup. The maiden encounter between the two sides in the competition took place in 2012 for the third-place playoff while they met again in the 2013 edition for the fifth-place playoffs.
The Mexican side have a 100% record against their Egyptian rivals, recording 2-0 and 5-1 wins in their first and second games against Al Ahly.
Al Ahly form guide (all competitions): D-W-W-W-W
Monterrey form guide (all competitions): D-W-D-D-D
Al Ahly vs Monterrey Team News
Al Ahly
Akram Tawfik, Badr Benoun, Salah Mohsen and Percy Tau have all been ruled out with injuries for this game, which is a blow for the team. The club mostly consists of Egypt-based players and as many as six players are with the national team at the ongoing AFCON.
Mohamed El-Shennawy, Ayman Ashraf, Mohamed Abdelmoneim, Hamdi Fathi, Amr El-Sulya, and Mohamed Sherif will miss the game even if Egypt are eliminated from their semi-final game against Cameroon.
Injured: Akram Tawfik, Badr Benoun, Salah Mohsen, Percy Tau
Suspended: None
Unavailable (International duty): Mohamed El-Shennawy, Ayman Ashraf, Mohamed Abdelmoneim, Hamdi Fathi, Amr El-Sulya, Mohamed Sherif
Monterrey
Rayados have just one injury concern as Duván Vergara picked up a knee injury against Cruz Azul in a Liga MX fixture. All the players on international duty are expected to report directly to the training camp in UAE.
Injured: Duván Vergara
Suspended: None
Al Ahly vs Monterrey Predicted XI
Al Ahly Predicted XI (3-4-3): Hamza Alaa (GK); Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Ashraf; Ali Maaloul, Mohamed Magdy, Aliou Dieng, Amar Hamdi; Hossam Hassan, Hussein El-Shahat, Ahmed Abdelkader
Monterrey Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Esteban Andrada (GK); Edson Gutiérrez, Cesar Montes, Héctor Moreno, Érick Aguirre; Luis Romo, Matias Kranevitter; Alfonso González, William Mejia, Maximiliano Meza; Rogelio Funes Mori
Al Ahly vs Monterrey Prediction
Al Ahly will be without 10 key first-team players heading into the competition and they have also not played a competitive game since December, so might be a bit rusty here.
Monterrey have an almost full-strength squad for the game and are the favorites to progress into the next round.
Prediction: Al Ahly 1-2 Monterrey.
