Palmeiras players during a practice session at Aspire Zone yesterday. Pic: Twitter / @Palmeiras
Newly-crowned Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras are set to make their FIFA Club World Cup debut as they take on Mexican giants Tigres UANL, with both sides eyeing victory at the Education City Stadium to book spot in the final.
Palmeiras, the Sao Paulo club, was the last side to qualify in the six-team event being held in Qatar after they edged three-time champions Santos on last-gasp goal on Saturday to regain Copa Libertadores trophy after 21 years.
Being one of the most successful football clubs in Brazil, The Greens – coached by Portuguese Abel Ferreira – will start as favourites against CONCACAF Champions League winners Tigres in today’s first semi-final, which will kick off at 9:00pm.
But Tigres, who reached the semi-final of the ongoing event with a 2-1 comeback win over Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai FC following Andre-Pierre Gignac’s brace on Thursday, are capable of pulling off a shocker against the Brazilians.
With head coach Ricardo Ferretti at the helm since 2010, the Mexican side Tigres has shown phenomenal progress winning four of their seven Liga MX titles between 2015 and 2019, and Palmeiras are aware of their threat.
Tigres UANL players taking part in a training session. Pic: Twitter / @TigresOficial
“Tigres have played in the three finals of CONCACAF in the last five years and are a team which has been invested heavily. In addition they have a collective, purposeful way of playing. They like colourful, attacking football,” Palmeiras coach Ferreira told a video conference on the eve of the semi-final.
But Ferreira, 42, said his team will enter the important match with a positive frame of mind.
“We have to do what we do best: play top football, so we feel safe. We want to go out with courage and respect. We know they have quality, but we know our goals, ambitions, what it will cost us,” he added.
Ferreira also had instructions for his side against Tigres’ main weapon in Frenchman Gignac – the all-time leading scorer for the Mexicans with 146 goals in all competitions.
“We have to look closely at this player, we have to worry before the ball reaches his feet, we have to anticipate. More than being concerned about Gignac, we have to worry about Tigres as a team. We will impose our way of defending and attacking against them. We have defend well because our opponent has a lot of quality and tremendous potential with great players,” said the coach.
Yesterday, Palmeiras defender Gustavo Gomez added on Gignac: “It will be a difficult game, but we work every day against great forwards. In the Brazilian League there are also skilled and strong forwards. We know the ability of the Tigres striker, hopefully we can have a great game.”
Palmeiras defensive midfielder Felipe Melo said the team is focused on today’s semi-final against a tough side.
“We saw part of the Tigres game, we know that they are a strong team. They are focused on the World Cup and showed their strength against Ulsan. They demonstrated strengths and weaknesses, as did all the teams. We are going to work on it, just as they are going to work on us. The important thing is to stay focused as a group and keep dreaming. That’s what we’re doing,” said Melo.
Tigres UANL look to make history at Cup
Mexican clubs have played FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals on nine occasions but they have not reached the title match of the tournament yet, and Tigres are hoping to achieve the feat.
“Just as the fans are excited, so are we and we want to do things well. The message is the same: we will try to do our best,” Brazil-born Ferretti said a pre-match video conference yesterday.
"We are aware of Palmeiras’ quality. I don't think there is anything that we don't know about them. But we treat all the teams equally, be it Brazilian, Chinese, Korean, German. We do not value or belittle anyone. Tomorrow is not going to be the exception,” the 66-year-old added.
Tigres captain Guido Pizarro said his team is targeting a spot in the final - against Bayern Munich or Al Ahly, who will square off in the second semi-final tomorrow.
“We are aware of the hierarchy they have, the same as us. It will be difficult from a technical point of view, we face a tough opponent, but trusting in the capabilities we have to go to the final,” said Pizarro.
“We know that we have the ability and enthusiasm to go looking for it. Sunday will be like a final, to reach the goal that is to reach the final, and then we will go in search of everything. Hopefully, we can do it for everyone,” the midfielder added.
