Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City kick off their FIFA Club World Cup competition on Wednesday as they face Wydad AC in Philadelphia.
MORE — Club World Cup schedule, results, tables
City have made plenty of big signings already this summer, with new additions Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders expected to play a key role in this tournament. With Kevin de Bruyne gone, plus Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker not with City’s squad as they’re expected to leave this summer, this new-look City side are hungry to win this competition so they can say they didn’t go trophyless during the 2024-25 season and they will start the new campaign on a high.
Wydad AC hail from Casablanca, Morocco and are the huge underdogs in Group G alongside City, Juventus and Al Ain. They were the African champions in 2022 under current Morocco nation team manager Walid Regragui, and were also runners up in the CAF Champions League in 2023. They were also runners up in the newly-created African Football League in 2023. But they haven’t won the Moroccan league title since 2022 and are huge outsiders to make it out of this group.
How to watch Manchester City vs Wydad AC live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12pm ET Wednesday (June 18)
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia
TV Channel/Streaming: Watch live on DAZN, for free
Manchester City team news, focus
Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders are all expected to make their debuts, while City also have Rodri back from his long-term knee injury which makes such a huge difference. Guardiola will obviously rotate his squad but City are desperate to win this title and he is likely to go all-out in attack with Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush leading the way. Mateo Kovacic is out after having Achilles surgery, while Walker, Grealish and Kalvin Phillips are all not with the squad as they are believed to be leaving City this summer.
Wydad AC team news, focus
There are a couple of key players to look out for as Mohamed Rayhi is a real talent in attack, plus veteran midfielder Nordin Amrabat will do his best to hold things together. Captain Jamal Harkass will have his work cut out at center back as he tries his best to marshal Erling Haaland and Co.
Manchester City vs Wydad AC prediction
This feels like it could get quite lopsided. City are hungry and fired up to prove the doubters wrong and this new-look side have so much individual talent and new players ready to make a mark from the start. Manchester City 5-0 Wydad AC.
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