Kylian Mbappe was absent from Real Madrid’s opening match of the tournament due to hospitalisation for a stomach issue and is expected to miss out again, presenting another opportunity for 21-year-old Gonzalo Garcia. The young forward impressed in Real Madrid’s first game against Al Hilal, showcasing his potential.  

Garcia registered six shots in that match, with four on target. He found the net once and finished the game with an expected goals (xG) figure of 1.29. His efforts accounted for four of Real Madrid’s seven shots on target and contributed significantly to their total xG of 2.64.  

Having rarely featured for Real Madrid before, Garcia’s display against Al Hilal was particularly noteworthy. He should have the chance to build on that performance in this match, likely receiving a similar number of opportunities given the creative players around him. The fact that he played the full 90 minutes in the opener suggests Xabi Alonso has faith in him, despite his relative lack of experience at this level.

Xabi Alonso’s main challenge with this Real Madrid side is tightening their defensive structure. Against Al Hilal, it was far too easy for the opposition to exploit gaps in Real’s backline, and a more clinical team would have capitalised on their lack of organisation. Thibaut Courtois was only forced into making one save, yet Al Hilal managed 13 attempts, with just two hitting the target, highlighting Los Blancos' vulnerability.  

Courtois was forced into making four saves in the most recent head-to-head meeting between the sides, which took place last year. Alonso must address these issues quickly, especially against stronger opponents who will be more ruthless in front of goal.  

If Real Madrid are to succeed in this tournament, they must improve their defensive discipline. The ease with which Al Hilal created chances should serve as a warning, and Alonso will need to find a way to make his side more compact and difficult to break down. Without these adjustments, Real could struggle against higher-quality opposition.

Pachuca committed 12 fouls in their opening game of the Club World Cup against Salzburg, and Bellingham stands out as a player that could be on the end of a few of those more reckless challenges with his strong ability when it comes to winning fouls.

Bellingham contested seven duels in Real’s opening game of the Club World Cup against Al Hilal. He wasn’t fouled on that occasion, but his record across the 24/25 La Liga campaign would suggest that this should change in this clash against Pachuca.

Bellingham won 64 fouls across his 31 appearances during the 24/25 La Liga campaign (2.31 per 90). This record shows how consistent Bellingham is when it comes to winning fouls. Bellingham was fouled twice in the head-to-head meeting that took place between these sides last year. 

Vinicius Jr will be determined to take charge in Kylian Mbappe’s absence and help Real Madrid recover from their disappointing 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in their tournament opener. The Brazilian was one of Real’s most influential players last season, contributing to 36 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions. Only Mbappe himself outperformed Vinicius in terms of goal involvements for Los Blancos during the 24/25 campaign.  

The winger has already proven he can deliver against Pachuca, having scored in their most recent encounter last year. That match ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory for Real Madrid, and Vinicius will be looking to replicate that performance this time around. With Mbappe sidelined, the team will rely even more heavily on his creativity and attacking threat.  

This tournament presents an opportunity for Vinicius to reaffirm his importance to the side. After a slow start, he will be eager to make a decisive impact and propel Real Madrid towards the knockout stages. His ability to step up in key moments could be crucial in ensuring his team progresses further in the competition.

Bellingham is no stranger to losing his head when things aren’t quite going Real’s way. He cut a frustrated figure at multiple points during their 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in the opening game of the Club World Cup, and could turn to frustration quickly here if Real Madrid fail to establish a lead early on.

Bellingham received five yellow cards during the 24/25 La Liga season, only Luka Modric (seven) and Vinicius Jr (eight) picked up more yellow cards than Bellingham in the Real Madrid squad in the most recent campaign. Bellingham averaged 1.2 fouls committed per 90 across these fixtures, which further supports the suggestion that he can be quite reckless with his challenges.

This is a must win game for both sides, especially for Real Madrid who could find themselves out of the competition in the group stages if they fail to get all three points here depending on the result in the game between Al Hilal and Salzburg. Pachuca saw 3+ goals in their opening game of the Club World Cup as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Salzburg, but they did create plenty of chances - 17 shots and an xG of 1.40.

There were 3+ goals in the meeting between these sides last year as Real Madrid ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.