Manchester City begin their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Campaign against Wydad AC.
The Moroccan side, who won the CAF Champions League in 2022, are expected to be no match for the Blues, who’ve strengthened their squad over the last few weeks in the transfer market.
Here are five things to look out for from the season opener:
Debuts for the new signings
Manchester City Airport Arrivals - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
Pep Guardiola has the impossible job of managing a current 27 men squad (30 if you include Jack Grealish, James McAtee and Mateo Kovacic, who are missing for one reason or another) but you’d expect him to find the time to give minutes to some of the new additions.
Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri have featured heavily in City’s social media content on this trip to the US.
Reports from Paul Hirst say that Reijnders is already a very popular member of the squad, complimented for his polite and humble personality particularly towards the backroom staff, whilst Cherki appears to be an admittedly self-confident but grounded and driven character who has impressed Guardiola and has his sights set high.
Ait-Nouri too strengthens the squad at left back, and I’d imagine all three of them will feature in the match at some point.
Guardiola leaned on his more senior players to get City over the line at the end of last season, but I expect him to be more open to trying out the new players.
I could be wrong, but I’d expect to see Cherki, Reijnders and Abdukodir Khusanov preferred to the likes of new club captain Bernardo Silva, Ikay Gundogan and Manuel Akanji.
If anyone can surprise you and stick with the guys who’ve won the lot with him, it’s Pep, but I can say fairly confidently that all three of the major summer additions will see minutes against Wydad.
Players returning from injury to feature
Manchester City Airport Arrivals - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
As well as three new first team signings (four, if you count third choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli) the squad will receive the same boost of energy and positivity from the return to fitness of a few key players.
Rodri, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb all spent large spells of last season injured. I doubt Rodri is risked after his anterior cruciate ligament injury last season, and I expect Stones to leave this summer due to the sheer amount of centre backs at City’s disposal and his unreliability fitness wise, but Ake and Bobb will make an instant impact and could easily start against Wydad.
Phil Foden too had injuries last season, as well as spells of really poor form. If he returns to his best (and he’s looked both sharp and happy during training) then that’s like another world class player at City’s disposal.
Of the players injured a lot last season, Bobb will be viewed as a player for the next five or so years so you’d expect Guardiola will be desperate for him to play and force his way back into thinking.
I expect him, as well as a few others, to make a positive impact on this season beginning against the team from Casablanca.
Haaland’s Golden Boot claim starts now
Manchester City Airport Arrivals - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
Somehow, Harry Kane managed to play 65 minutes against amateur side Auckland City, be on the right side of a 10-0 thumping and manage to not get a goal. He must be fuming.
But that opens the door for City’s main man, Erling Haaland, to stake a claim for the Golden Boot.
The 24-year-old has scored 52, 37 and 31 goals respectively in his three seasons at the club, struggling for injury and form at times in his second and third campaigns whilst still putting up excellent numbers.
With Wydad and Al Ain perhaps considered to be slightly inferior opposition, Haaland will be looking to bag a few goals and claim the first ever expanded Club World Cup golden boot.
Minutes indicating futures for certain players
Manchester City Airport Arrivals - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference that every player was going to play at some point.
But how much the likes of Gundogan, Stones, Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri play could decide their futures.
Gundogan is linked to a move to Turkey and hasn’t been appointed as a part of the leadership group. I want him to stay (and think he will) but he’s the most likely of the “uncs” to leave.
Stones will probably leave whatever, but if he can force his way back into Guardiola’s thinking with a few fantastic performances this summer.
With the squad looking to be smaller we could see Reis and Echeverri depart on loan (particularly given a player is set to move to Lyon as part of the Cherki deal) but if they have a 2024/25 Bobb-esque pre-season then they could be kept around too.
The Club World Cup should provide us clarity on what will be a difficult job for the board.
Nothing other than a comfortable win (hopefully)
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Wydad have had success in Morocco and Africa as a whole, but City should be able to beat them comfortably.
We’ve seen a few shock results so far, such as Monterrey and Boca Juniors holding Inter and Benfica to draws, but ultimately this rejuvenated City side should be able to ease to victory.
The prize pot at stake means the club will take it seriously, and whilst I’m sure the players would rather be holidaying, the competitive drive will re-emerge and we can expect them to compete to win this tournament.