Manchester City have learned their schedule - and route to the final - for the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA next summer.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JULY 30: A general view of Camping World Stadium prior to a pre-season match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona at Camping World Stadium on July 30, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JULY 30: A general view of Camping World Stadium prior to a pre-season match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona at Camping World Stadium on July 30, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Manchester City must top their group in next summer's FIFA Club World Cup if they want to avoid a likely last-16 clash with Real Madrid.
City learned their three group stage opponents in a bizarre draw on Thursday in Miami, being placed in Group G with Wydad, Al Ain and Juventus. Immediately, that looked like a straight shoot-out between City and Juventus for top spot, with the pair facing each other in the final game of the group.
And now City have been handed their potential route to the final, which will see the winner of Group G take on the runners up from Real Madrid's group. If City were to finish second, they would face the winners of Real's group - which the Spaniards are comfortably expected to top.
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City will begin their tournament in Philadelphia at the Lincoln Financial Field on June 18, before flying to Georgia to the Mercedes Benz Stadium to take on Al Ain four days later.
And it is a return to Orlando and the Camping World Stadium for the Juventus clash on June 26, following on from their friendly vs Barcelona at the same venue this summer.
Should City top the group, they will remain in Orlando for the last-16 and a potential quarter-final tie, with the semi-finals and final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Potential opponents from Madrid's group could also be FC Salzburg or Al Hilal in the last-16. Borussia Dortmund or Inter Milan could wait in the quarter-finals, and possibly Bayern Munich (or even Lionel Messi's Inter Miami) in the semi-finals.
But if City finish second to Juventus, it could be a tasty last-16 tie with Real Madrid in Miami, with all ties after that stage in New Jersey. Dortmund, Inter, Chelsea and PSG are possible opponents on that path.
The schedule limits travel, particularly after the group stage, which will be welcomed by Pep Guardiola. But it makes the reality for City clear: better Juventus and avoid Real Madrid until the final.