Real Madrid vs Al Hilal Betting Tips and Preview
17th June 2025
Champion vs Champion
The FIFA Club World Cup Group H kicks off Wednesday evening (8pm BST) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, featuring a heavyweight clash between the most decorated European and Asian champions — Real Madrid and Al Hilal. Fifteen-time European champions Real Madrid enter the match as strong favourites and are also tipped as second favourites to win the tournament outright. However, don’t underestimate Al Hilal, the four-time AFC Champions League winners. The Saudi giants boast a squad packed with international talent and a market value of €158.33 million, according to Transfermarkt. Keep reading for Real Madrid vs Al Hilal Betting Tips
Goals to Buck the Trend
The success of both teams means they have met in this tournament before — in the 2023 final, where the Spanish side secured a thrilling 5-3 victory. That was quite a different Al Hilal squad, as they have since transformed into a team featuring the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Malcolm, and Kalidou Koulibaly. As of Tuesday, only two of the eight games played so far in the Club World Cup have seen both teams score, but Statz.ai projects a 3-1 scoreline (3.09–1.01), with both teams emphasizing attack and expected to register double-digit shots (18.59–10.72).
Vinicius Jr. represents solid value to score at even odds (1/1 on Bet365) with a 0.73 goal projection, while Mbappé tops the charts with a 1.39 projection. For Al Hilal, there could be value in Saudi talisman Salem Al-Dawsari or former Barcelona player Malcolm, available at 5/1 and 15/4 respectively on Bet365 — both aiming to exploit a new-look Real Madrid defence.
New Manager Face-Off
Both sets of players will be eager to impress, as both teams are under new management. Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso and Al Hilal’s Simone Inzaghi will be keen to make a statement in tournament football, especially after recent painful defeats in European finals while at Bayer Leverkusen and Inter Milan, respectively. Alonso has made his expectations clear ahead of the tournament, emphasizing that players who don’t put in the work will be substituted. As he stated in a recent interview: “Those who don’t run will be subbed.”
For Al Hilal, tactical changes may be more significant, with Inzaghi expected to deploy his favoured back three. Fortunately for him, he inherits two excellent wingbacks in Renan Lodi and Joao Cancelo, who will play key roles if the Saudi club hope to challenge the Spanish giants. Lodi and Cancelo rank as the second and third most likely players to register an assist, according to Statz.ai, and both are available at 5/1 on Bet365 to score or assist in the game.
Star-Studded Midfields Could Be Key
The Jude Bellingham vs. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic tussle in midfield could be pivotal, with the Englishman drawing the most fouls for Real in the last 30 games, averaging 2.2 per match (Statz.ai). Meanwhile, the Serbian has committed 25 fouls in the last 20 games — six more than any other player in the team (Statz.ai).
Renan Lodi leads the projections as the most likely player to receive a yellow card, with João Cancelo ranking second for Al Hilal on the opposite flank, but the Portuguese has had hamstring issues in recent months.
Watch the Cards
Argentinian referee Facundo Tello will take charge of this match and does have a tendency to reach into his pocket. He has issued 86 cards across domestic and continental competitions this season, averaging over six cards per game, with the Statz.ai model projecting around four cards for this one.
Pro-Real, but Al Hilal to Compete
It would be foolish to look past anything but a Real Madrid win here, but Al Hilal have the quality to make it competitive — and the arrival of new coach Simone Inzaghi will only strengthen that case.