European teams lackluster despite good FIFA Club World Cup results; USMNT opponent faces pressure at Gold Cup

The football just doesn’t stop! Welcome to Wednesday, where we have already had our first taste of the 2025-26 season with the arrival of the Premier League list. There is still a club world cup, Gold Cup and much more to look ahead. I’m James Benge. Let’s go in.

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Always us/eastern

Wednesday June 18
🏆 CWC: Manchester City vs. Wydad Casablanca, 12.00 hrs ➡️ Dazn
🏆 CWC: Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal, 3 p.m. ➡️ Dazn
🇪🇺 U21 euros: England vs. Germany, 3 pm ➡️ VIX
🌎 Gold Cup: Costa Rica vs. Dominican Republic, 7 pm ➡️ FS1

Thursday, June 19
🏆 CWC: Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ➡️ Dazn
🏆 CWC: Seattle Sounders vs. Atletico Madrid, 6 pm ➡️ Dazn
🌎 Gold Cup: Saudi -Arabia versus vs, 9:15 pm ➡️ FS1

⚽ The forward line

🇪🇺 Europeans Underwhelm in Club World Cup

Despite everything that is new about this World Cup World Cup from the Formulated Club, one thing seems remarkably familiar, the unwavering feeling, never openly permitted by the players or coaching staff that the Europeans do not suffer from this as the rest of the field. It is worth mentioning from the start that indifferent representatives of UEFA can still do the job do the job Saint-Germain is the only side that the European opposition has defeated, but few are impressed by that.

The most underwhelming so far is perhaps just inter, held up to a 1-1 draw from the Mexican side Monterrey in Pasadena Tuesday evening. There are soothing factors for the Italian champions, battered and bruised, not only because of their 5-0 defeat in the Champions League final, but also the defect of Simone Inzaghi to Al-Hilal a few days later. New boss Cristian Chivu tried to freshen up their approach and eliminate the usual 3-5-2 in the second half for a 3-4-2-1-1, but also noticed that he went back to questions about the attitude of his side after they fell on the header of Sergio Ramos.

Chivu then insisted that Inter “our opponents never underestimated”, instead claiming that this was a draw caused by heavy legs.

• Chivu: “We are never ashamed of what we do on the field. We respect the opponents. We have a strong side, but we know that you have to do something more than the opponents to win in football. We tried it today, we were proactive for most of the match. I did not move to apologies.

The new Inter Boss certainly has a point. It is less than three weeks since the Nerazzuri A European season of 60 games completed, one that would have come closer to 70 for many of their players, given international obligations. It was pretty clear in Munich that there was nothing left in the Interbens; When their opponents raised Monterrey their play, they were more than a match for their richer opponents.

There have been comparable difficulties elsewhere in the competition. Benfica, Porto and Borussia Dortmund have all looked like teams on the wind and each of them had to settle for a point against South -American opposition that got out of the middle of their club seasons, just when they should be on their physical tops. That will be no less a balance factor than the famous appetite for this competition of clubs in Brazil and Argentina. Of course that also matters, As Pardep Cattry Notes:

• Cattry: “South American teams have clearly come to the US to make a point about their bonafides in a game that feels just as native in their countries as that of Europe. It is a similar pride that explains that legions of fans have chosen to follow them throughout the country during the club world cup, they are the actual stadium, the actual stadium, the actual stadium are the actual stadium to make the actual stadium made the actual stadium made to make the actual stadium made to the actual stadium fitted the actual stadium made to make the actual stadium made to the actual stadium made to the actual stadium. Whether the game is closer to a sale, such as Boca Juniors against Benfica in the Hard Rock Stadium of Miami Gardens or less than half full, as it was in Metlife Stadium on Tuesday.

The best teams in the tournament remain that from Europe and it is difficult to see that Real Madrid and Manchester City have wiggling wiggling in the coming days. The semi-final setup will certainly have a special UEFA-Y balance. Yet it is clear that those who are not at the height of their continent are vulnerable. There may be more disturbances in the club World Cup.

This Saturday and Sunday

🔗 Midfield link game

🇺🇸 Why the pressure is on the opponents of USMNT

On Thursday evening the second group game brings for the national team of the United States to the Gold Cup and it should be pleasant for Mauricio Pochettino to meet an opponent with more pressure on him than he once. Saudi Arabia may have made a winning start of group D just like the USMNT did, but there was not much to celebrate about a 1-0 win over the back of a penalty.

The Arabian Eagles traveled earlier this month to the West after a bright results, a 2-1 defeat against Australia who robbed them of an earlier chance to qualify for the World Cup next summer and the stage for games with a high bet in October. The invited guest nation on this summer’s Gold Cup could really do with a good series of results under Herve Renard, which returned to the track after Roberto Mancini struggled in the qualifying cycle early. It is also not much easier for Renard; The famous victory over Argentina on the World Cup 2022 seems long ago.

This is a Saudi team that misses several of his biggest names, in particular the leading role Salem Al-Dawsari, who led the Pro League in Assists last season, but was required by Al-Hilal for their Clubworld cup match against Real Madrid. Yet the hope for Saudi Arabia, both in the run -up to the following summer and in particular with a view to 2034, is that the many stars they have acquired for their domestic competition can help to increase the standard of their national side. This meeting with the USMNT will be a further data point about how that plan works and how fast, with Luca de la Torre who expects a test in Austin.

• Van de Torre: “It is clear that they are a good team that has had a good show at the World Cup. For us we go into the game and we respect their qualities, but try to play our football and play as we know how to play, more than whatever a good achievement.”

The USMNT goes in this game as strong favorites, knowing that a victory would be welcome after what has been a few months for Pochettino. And yet it is almost the same story for his counterpart Renard, who notice that he would be embarrassed if his side goes in the last matches of Trinidad and Tobago, who need a result. The pressure is on.

🔗 Top stories

🇧🇷 Fluminense bring exactly what the CWC needs: Here is more of Cattry, On the ground in East Rustherford as Fluminense showed a completely greater enthusiasm for this competition than it seems that Borussia had Dortmund.

📆 Premier League matches Drop: They will not look like they come the end of the season, but the Premier League matches have arrived. There will be enough to look forward to in those early weeks.

🌟 NWSL team of the week: Who were the Sterarters at the weekend? Sandra Herrera runs through her selection.

🇸🇦 Big week before Saudi: In the coming days there are two huge games for the kingdom, Where results in the World Cup Club and Gold Cup can justify the great editions of Saudi Arabia to football.

🏆 CWC Hub: Do you want to stay informed of the games, the talk points and the rankings? Here Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

💰 The back line

💵 Dear bets

• Club World Cup: Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal, Wednesday, 3 p.m.
  💰 The Pick: Trent Alexander Arnold to Assist (+275) – There is so little that we know that Real Madrid is on their way to their club world cup opener. Which formation will Xabi Alonso use? Will there be room for Rodrygo in it? How can Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior take the best apart? The presence of Trent Alexander-Arnold is another complicating factor and it can take a while before he is out of possession. With the ball, however, he will be fine. Expect it forward to party from his death from the first day.

For more choices, predictions, expert tips and the latest bet news, you don’t miss the homepage of CBSSports.com.

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