The final international trophy of the year will be decided this evening in Qatar, where the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores go head-to-head in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
Kick off is scheduled for 18:00, with Paris Saint-Germain facing Flamengo in the second edition of the revamped competition.
PSG are looking to add yet another trophy to an already successful year, slightly blemished only by their defeat to Chelsea in the final of the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup. The French champions arrive as Champions League holders and have qualified directly for the final.
Flamengo, meanwhile, earned their place by winning the Copa Libertadores but had to navigate an earlier stage of the competition, overcoming Cruz Azul and Pyramids on their route to the final. Filipe Luís’s side now stand one match away from lifting the trophy for the second time in their history.
The new Intercontinental Cup revives the historic name of the competition, using a format similar to the previous version of the Club World Cup before its expansion. Last year, Real Madrid, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, lifted the trophy with a 3-0 win over Mexican side Pachuca.
At the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, several players with strong links to Italian football will be in action for Flamengo, including Jorginho, Alex Sandro and Danilo. The former Juventus captain spoke to Sky Sport about his affection for the Bianconeri.
“Juventus was my great love. I still message some of the players from time to time and I hope that with Spalletti they can achieve their objectives,” Danilo said.
Looking ahead to the final, he added: “PSG are a very strong team and they have won a lot. We need to prepare well and maybe we can beat them. We hope to bring another trophy back to Rio.”
Paris Saint Germain coach Luis Enrique also highlighted the importance of the occasion.
“We are fully aware of the significance of this final and we have done everything necessary to reach this point,” he said. “I see this as a continuation of what we experienced last season. Now it is time to play the final and it is important for us as a team, as a club and for our supporters.”
A victory would see PSG become the first French club to win the Intercontinental Cup. For Flamengo, success would mark a historic repeat, having previously lifted the trophy in 1981.
Probable line ups
