Real Madrid will be boosted by the return of Kylian Mbappe to the squad, despite his recent thigh injury ruling him out of their last La Liga outing. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s defensive resources are stretched thin, with Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, and Ferland Mendy all sidelined. David Alaba is back in training but wasn’t included in the squad for Qatar. The likely front three of Rodrygo, Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr. will be expected to carry the goal-scoring burden.

For Pachuca, key defender Andres Micolta is set to start after shaking off his own injury issues, but they are still without Israel Luna, who suffered a season-ending ligament injury in April. Manager Guillermo Almada’s side arrive in better spirits after a shootout win over Al Ahly, and the experience of striker Salomon Rondon could prove crucial.

With European pedigree and a star-studded lineup, Real Madrid come into this final as heavy favourites. While Pachuca have impressed in Doha, toppling both Botafogo and Al Ahly, stepping up against Los Blancos is a different challenge entirely. Expect Madrid to take control early, with the attacking trio likely to find plenty of space against the Mexican backline.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-0 Pachuca