Last updated on June 17, 2025
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Pep Guardiola has won the Club World Cup more times than any other manager, winning the trophy every time he’s participated in the competition.
Image credit: mancity.fever
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A bruised giant. A proud underdog. And a trophy that kickstarts redemption.
As Manchester City embark on their 2025 Club World Cup journey, a date with Moroccan champions Wydad AC in Philadelphia serves as more than just a curtain-raiser – it’s a test of hunger, pride, and unfinished business.
From treble winners to titleless and tested, Manchester City endured a brutal 2024–25 campaign by their own stratospheric standards.
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Dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, dethroned in the Premier League by Liverpool, and edged by Crystal Palace in a gut-wrenching FA Cup final, Pep Guardiola’s men have been licking their wounds longer than they’d like.
But tough times often precede triumph. And with a wave of fresh faces including Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Tijjani Reijnders, the Sky Blues arrive in the United States not just to compete, but to conquer.
Guardiola may still have one eye on the looming verdict over the club’s financial conduct, but on the pitch, City will aim to remind the world why they were crowned champions in 2023.
They begin their Group G campaign in a section also featuring Juventus and Al-Ain – two more sides steeped in pedigree.
Yet Wydad AC, three-time attendees of the Club World Cup, will be determined to spoil the opening party.
The Casablanca giants qualified via their 2021–22 CAF Champions League triumph but have since endured a slide, finishing third in Morocco’s Botola last term and suffering their first-ever group-stage exit from the CAF CL in 2023–24.
Still, under the seasoned gaze of coach Mohamed Amine Benhachem and with the veteran leadership of 38-year-old Nordin Amrabat, Wydad carry both history and hope.
Their warm-up results – narrow 1–0 defeats to Porto and Sevilla – show they can hold their own in phases, but facing City’s relentless machine is another level entirely.
Team News
City’s summer recruits – Reijnders, Cherki, and Ait-Nouri – have all made the trip and are expected to debut in some capacity.
Marcus Bettinelli provides backup in goal, while John Stones travels despite his recent thigh issue.
Mateo Kovacic, however, remains sidelined with a heel injury.
With tougher tests to come, Guardiola could rotate heavily, perhaps handing chances to rising stars and those with a point to prove.
For Wydad, Amrabat’s presence adds experience, while ex-PSV forward Mohamed Rayhi – their top scorer last season – will spearhead the attack.
The Moroccan side will focus on compact defending and counter-attacks, knowing their margin for error is razor-thin.
Possible Starting Lineups
Manchester City:
Ederson; Lewis, Khusanov, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Reijnders, Gonzalez; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Wydad AC:
El Motie; Moufi, Meijers, Harkass, Boucheta; Malsa, Moubarik; Amrabat, Arthur, Rayhi; Obeng
Prediction
With one eye on recovery and the other on dominance, Manchester City are unlikely to need second gear to overcome Wydad.
A comfortable win seems likely as they aim to set the tone early in Group G.
