The least-needed Mbappé arrives in time to push Real Madrid into the semi-finals.

With the doubts about the opening match against Al Hilal, the Arab team that stunned Manchester City and eliminated them from the Club World Cup, now clear, Real Madrid will play Borussia Dortmund tonight at 10:00 PM (4:00 PM in New Jersey, with a forecast of 30 degrees) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for a place in the semi-finals. A big match between the two finalists of the penultimate Champions League , who haven't had the best of years: a scoreless draw at Chamartín with a change of coach, and the Westphalians are in fourth place in the Bundesliga , 25 points behind Bayern.

After the final training session in Miami, Xabi Alonso's team flew to the US city and arrived in Spain on Friday night. Real Madrid inspires passion wherever it goes and is one of the few clubs that guarantees a decent presence of spectators in the stands. On the pitch, the main doubt for Alonso, who has been consolidating the team, is whether to choose Gonzalo or Mbappé up front. A youth squad versus a potential new player, or a breakout player versus last season's star signing. A decision that will also determine the San Sebastian native's approach, considering that Gonzalo has scored three goals and is the most in-form player at this Club World Cup.

The rest seems clear. With Rudiger now established, leaving Asencio on the bench and Arda Güler as a creative midfielder, rescuing the Turk is one of the weaknesses of the new coach, who has managed to begin to create an identity for the Merengues under the North American heat.

Niko Kovac's Capital Statistics Of the 42 qualifying rounds he has played, his teams have advanced in 35 of them.

On the other side of the spectrum, a team wounded by a disastrous season will await, with multiple coaching changes, from Sahin to Tullberg, ending with Niko Kovac, whom they are now clinging to. The former Bayern Munich manager, who broke Barça 's winning streak in 2025, is a sure thing in the knockout stages. The German newspaper Bild reported in its Friday edition that he had won 35 of the 42 knockout stages of his career. They know that Real Madrid can only be beaten by the collective .

Xabi Alonso and Kovac will reminisce about their Bundesliga duels. The two met on May 11th, with Dortmund winning 4-2, in what was the current Real Madrid manager's final Bundesliga match at home. The German trio is his main weapon, with Brandt, Adeyemi, and Guirassy all scoring 33 goals this season, with the center forward scoring 21.

Read also Madrid takes flight against Juventus Carlos Ruiz Osias

Unlike other clubs, this tournament marks the end of the season for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with two established leaders on the bench. Two high-flying, authoritative teams chasing a title that could lift them out of poverty.