Man City, Inter Milan crash out of Club World Cup in last 16

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the loss to Al Hilal at the Club World Cup. PHOTO: REUTERS

UPDATED Jul 01, 2025, 02:00 PM

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ORLANDO – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged his team to learn from their mistakes, as they crashed out of the Club World Cup with a surprise 4-3 defeat in extra time by Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the last 16 on June 30.

The loss came hours after Inter Milan were also eliminated by Fluminense on a day of shock results.

“Unfortunately we can’t continue in the competition so we have to learn and keep moving forward,” Guardiola told reporters.

“Al Hilal don’t just run, they have a lot of quality, we created a lot with wingers but they are a complete team... I have a big, big opinion of Al Hilal but I (also) think we had a good game to be honest.”

Champions League runners-up Inter were dumped out 2-0 by Brazilian side Fluminense in Charlotte and Guardiola’s City joined them after Marcos Leonardo’s brace left the Premier League giants on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller.

Al Hilal, who recorded one of the greatest results in Middle Eastern football history, will face Fluminense in Orlando in the quarter-finals on July 4.

City were the only side to win all three group matches, including a thrashing of Juventus, but came undone in Florida against an Al Hilal side filled with players who once starred for European teams.

Guardiola’s team were matched blow-for-blow by Al Hilal at the Camping World Stadium.

“We knew that it was a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world – we wanted to show our ideas, our talents, our power,” Al Hilal’s Kalidou Koulibaly told DAZN.

Bernardo Silva turned home from close range to put City ahead after nine minutes on a muggy night on the east coast, but Leonardo levelled early in the second half.

Former Barcelona winger Malcom fired the Saudi side ahead after Joao Cancelo threaded him through on goal. Erling Haaland levelled for City and had an effort cleared off the line late on before the game went to extra time.

Koulibaly nodded home from a corner after 94 minutes but Phil Foden finished well to level 10 minutes later.

The match was decided by Leonardo reacting well to prod home when Ederson saved Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header after 112 minutes, with City unable to battle back a third time.

“It is a pity. We have been on incredible journey together and were in a good place,” added Guardiola.

“I cannot thank the players enough for training and playing how they have been. We would have loved to have continued... But we go home and now it is time to rest and rest our minds for the new season.”

In the other match, German Cano headed home early on to give Fluminense the lead against Inter and the Brazilian side survived an onslaught from the Serie A team to progress.

Substitute Hercules netted late on to seal their win, while a frustrated Inter hit the woodwork twice through Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco.

The Rio de Janeiro outfit become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.

“We knew they were not going to be easy opponents. Less than a month ago they were playing the Champions League final, but we played really well,” said 40-year-old ‘Flu’ captain Thiago Silva, once of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

It is the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the United States, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage.

“This is a very important victory for our fans, for all of Brazil, for my country, for South America,” said Jhon Arias, the lively Colombian winger who was named man of the match.

Inter did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and a furious Martinez criticised some of his teammates after the game.

“I want to fight for the major trophies, (so) anyone who wants to stay at Inter, fine, let’s fight, but anyone who doesn’t want to stay can leave,” said Inter’s captain.

“We need players who want to be here.” AFP

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