The group stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, expanded for the first time to 32 teams, concludes with the final fixtures of Group H. The most anticipated clash is undoubtedly Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid, with both sides sitting on four points—Madrid holding the top spot thanks to a superior goal difference. Salzburg and Real Madrid will battle for their future in the final ninety minutes: both must secure a result to avoid being overtaken by Simone Inzaghi’s Al Hilal, currently third with two points. The Austrian side, coming off a disappointing second-place league finish, opened their campaign with a win over Pachuca, who remain bottom of Group H with zero points. However, they couldn’t replicate that success in their second outing, drawing 0-0 with Al Hilal and keeping the Saudis’ qualification hopes alive. For Los Blancos, the journey has been the opposite: after drawing 1-1 with Milinkovic and co. in the opener, they bounced back with a dominant 3-1 win over Pachuca—despite a straight red card shown to Asencio just seven minutes in. That win, Xabi Alonso’s first as Real Madrid manager, brought them level on points with Salzburg but ahead thanks to goal difference. Given the slim two-point cushion separating them from third place, both teams will be aiming for all three points to finish atop Group H. While a draw could be enough if Al Hilal fail to beat Pachuca, all signs point to an intense, hard-fought match with no room for calculations or conservative play.

Red Bull Salzburg Recent Form and Key Stats

Red Bull Salzburg's goalless draw with Al Hilal marked their fourth consecutive unbeaten match following three straight wins over BW Linz, SK Rapid, and Pachuca. With four points, Salzburg slipped to second place but still maintain a narrow edge over Al Hilal.

The 0-0 result on Monday, June 23, was a mixed bag: while it marked the first clean sheet in four matches for Thomas Letsch's men, it also ended a streak of 16 consecutive games in which the Roten Bullen had scored at least once. Fans will hope the attacking misfire was just a one-off.

Real Madrid Recent Form and Key Stats

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against Al Hilal to start their Club World Cup journey, Xabi Alonso claimed his first win as Real Madrid head coach with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Pachuca. Despite Raul Asencio’s early red card, Los Blancos took control quickly, with first-half goals from Bellingham and Arda Guler, and a third from Federico Valverde in the 70th minute to seal the result.

While star forwards Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo have yet to score, and Mbappé is still sidelined (though he could return for this match), Real Madrid have found the net in twelve consecutive games. However, defensive frailties remain a concern: just two clean sheets in their last eight matches.

Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid Prediction and Tactical Overview

Red Bull Salzburg and Real Madrid already met earlier this year during the single-group stage of the UEFA Champions League. On that occasion, Los Blancos cruised to a 5-1 win, with braces from Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, and a goal from the ever-present Mbappé. Salzburg’s lone goal came via Bidstrup in the 85th minute.

For this third-round Club World Cup fixture, the prediction leans toward both teams finding the net.

Real Madrid have struggled with injuries in defense throughout the season and will once again be without key defenders like Rudiger, Militao, Alaba, Mendy, and Carvajal. Offensively, they’ve scored in six of their last eight matches.

Salzburg, meanwhile, have recently played in thrilling, high-scoring games. Four of their last five outings have featured at least three total goals, with both teams scoring.

• Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid prediction from the BetMines algorithm predicts that both teams will score at least one goal at 61%.
  
  
• Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid prediction from the BetMines Algorithm predicts that at least one of the two teams will not score a goal at 39%.

Probable Lineups Red Bull Salzburg vs Real Madrid

RED BULL SALZBURG (4-2-2-2): Zawieschitzky; Lainer, Gadou, Ramussen, Kratzig; Bidstrup, Diabate; Nene, Gloukh; Onisiwo, Baido. Coach: Thomas Letsch

REAL MADRID (4-3-3): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, F. Garcia; Guler, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Valverde, Mbappé, Vinicius Jr. Coach: Xabi Alonso