Club World Cup Team Betting Predictions: Al Ain

The UAE's only representative at the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup, Al Ain, were dealt an unfavourable group for the tournament, which kicks off in the USA on June 15. Al Zaeem must contest Manchester City and Juventus, as well as Wydad AC, in Group G, with only the top two teams advancing to the last 16.

Below are my Al Ain Fifa Club World Cup 2025 predictions, as I weigh up their chances of upsetting the odds and reaching the knockouts.

Group G: Manchester City, Juventus, Al Ain, Wydad AC

Fixtures: Al Ain vs Juventus (02:00 BST, June 19), Al Ain vs Manchester City (02:00 BST, June 23), Wydad AC vs Al Ain (20:00 BST, June 26)

Player to watch: Soufiane Rahimi

Al Ain won their second-ever AFC Champions League title in May 2024 and, in the process, clinched qualification to the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup in America.

The defence of their crown was shoddy, however, as they finished bottom of the 12-team West Region table, failing to win any of their eight games (D2, L6) and shipping 22 goals.

They also failed to lift the UAE League title for a third consecutive season, ending the campaign in fifth, 19 points behind champions Al Ahli Dubai, despite going unbeaten in their final seven games.

Legendary Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, who led Al Ain to continental success in the AFC Champions League, was dismissed as head coach in November last year, and his replacement, Leonardo Jardim, only lasted until February.

Vladimir Ivic became the club's third manager of the season, but has only won five of his 12 games in charge so far, losing four.

Club World Cup 2025 Odds

Al Ain's squad is littered with players from all over the continent, with a particular sway towards South America and Africa.

The Abu Dhabi club recently bolstered their starting XI with the signing of Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio, formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers in England but most recently on the books of AS Roma and Atalanta in Italy. One would imagine that he will have to be on top form if Al Ain harbour any ambitions of qualifying for the knockouts.

Player to watch: Soufiane Rahimi

Paraguay international Kaku has been one of Al Ain's leading lights since joining from Saudi side Al Taawon in 2023, but it's Moroccan striker Soufiane Rahimi, who starred at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, who I'm predicting to make the biggest impact stateside.

The 29-year-old scooped the Golden Boot at last year's Olympics, becoming the first player to score in all six games of a single edition in the process, netting eight times in total, to help his country achieve a bronze medal.

Rahimi has been a consistent scorer at club level for Al Ain, too, bagging 60 in 130 matches since joining from Raja Casablanca in his homeland in 2021. He struck 13 times in as many AFC Champions League outings last season and was responsible for 45.5% (five) of their 11-goal tally in the competition this term.

Football Odds

*FIFA Club World Cup: Bet £10 or more on a team to win the 2025 Club World Cup and receive £2 in Free Bets for each game your team wins in 90 minutes to use on Football Bet Builders.

Prediction: Third in Group G

Juventus may not be the Juventus of old, while Man City fell way short of expectations in the Premier League and Champions League this season, but both clubs boast a much superior squad to Al Ain and Wydad, so it would be a huge shock if both didn't qualify for the knockouts as the top two in Group G.

Al Ain face Juve and Man City in the first two games, so by the time they face Wydad on June 26, the group could have already been decided, and it could turn out to be a battle for third place, which I expect to be won by the UAE club.

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