For the first time in their history, Palmeiras will partake in the prestigious Club World Cup tournament.
They come into this tournament as a seeded side and will begin their outing in the semi-finals. In their bid for a final spot, it won’t come easy. They would have to overcome Mexican outfit Tigres UANL.
Tigres are in quite decent form at the moment, winning seven out of their last 10 games, drawing once and losing only twice.
In fact, Palmeiras will have to be at their best to progress against Tigres, especially in defence. The Mexican side have scored at least two goals each in six out of their seven victories as mentioned above. In their last 10 games, they have only failed to score in a game on one occasion.
Goalkeeper Weverton should be prepared for a busy game as Tigres like to dominate possession and break through the lines of their opposition defence.
The Mexican side also have Brazilian Rafael Carioca in their ranks. Strong on the ball and a force in defensive midfield, the 31-year-old can also play in central midfield and even at centre-back. He will be one of the names to keep an eye on.
Perhaps the most important player Palmeiras should be worried about is forward André-Pierre Gignac. The Frenchman has been in prolific form this season, scoring 16 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions for Tigres.
In fact, the same Gignac scored both of his side’s two goals in their 2-1 victory over Ulsan Hyundai in their first game of the current Club World Cup competition on Thursday. He is also quick and good in the air and must be closely watched by the defence.
Palmeiras arrived in Qatar on Wednesday and have already undergone several training sessions since then. All players also had to pass mandatory covid-19 tests.
The stage is set as Brazil’s Palmeiras will take on Mexico’s Tigres at Education City Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Doha. The winner of that game could be set for a final clash with current reigning European champions Bayern Munich.
