Real primed for Club WCup final

ABU DHABI (Reuters) – Real Madrid can cap its most successful year ever with victory in the Club World Cup final against Brazilian side Gremio on Saturday, which would see the Spanish side become the first team to successfully defend the trophy and end 2017 with five titles.

Defeat, however, would be the latest of a series of setbacks in a haphazard last few months for Zinedine Zidane’s team, which is fourth in La Liga, trailing leader Barcelona by eight points in the standings.

At times, Real has looked a shadow of the team that swept to Champions League and Liga glory last season and crushed Manchester United and Barca to win the European and Spanish Super Cups.

No South American side has managed to beat European counterparts in the Club World Cup since Gremio’s compatriots Corinthians stunned Chelsea with victory in 2012, although an upset is not entirely out of the question in Abu Dhabi.

The Spanish side dominated the game but, not for the first time this season, showed remarkable profligacy in front of goal until Cristiano Ronaldo equalized in the second half and Gareth Bale hit a late winner 30 seconds after coming off the bench.

Real is sure to face an even sterner test from Gremio, although the Brazilians also had to battle their way through their semifinal, overcoming Mexicans Pachuca 1-0 in extra-time.

Real was given an almighty scare in last year’s final, falling behind Japanese side Kashima Antlers before eventually winning 4-2 in extra-time with the help of a Ronaldo hat-trick and Zidane said he expected another difficult final.

“I don’t know the Brazilian league well but I watched their semifinal and they are a good team and we will have to lift our standard of play against them,” Zidane said after the nervy win on Wednesday.