ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JUNE 30: Simone Inzaghi, Head Coach of Al Hilal, gives the team instructions during a hydration break during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Manchester City and Al-Hilal at Camping World Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Al-Hilal head coach Simone Inzaghi says that his side’s 4-3 victory over Manchester City at the FIFA Club World Cup was like ‘climbing Everest with no oxygen’, but is delighted with what he saw from his players who ‘deserved’ to beat the Premier League giants.
Al-Hilal booked their spot in the 2025 Club World Cup quarter-finals with a 4-3 extra-time win over Manchester City in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Marcos Leonardo, Malcolm and former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly provided the goals for the Saudi Pro League side, while Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden were not enough for Pep Guardiola’s men.
Al-Hilal will go on to face Brazilian outfit Fluminense in the quarter-finals. They are coming off the back of a 2-0 win over Simone Inzaghi’s former club, Inter, who have missed out on the opportunity to go up against their former head coach.
Inzaghi: ‘We knew we’d have to do something extraordinary’
Speaking about Al-Hilal’s victory after full-time, Inzaghi insisted that: “We climbed Everest with no oxygen, we did it.
“The secret behind this victory was the players and the heart they had on the pitch. We knew that we would have to do something extraordinary against a team like Manchester City.
“We were exceptional in everything. In possession, in the defensive phases, in the tactical management. It wasn’t easy against an aggressive team like City.”
Inzaghi also had a word of praise for his Man City counterpart, Guardiola, adding: “For me, Guardiola is the best coach in the world, but tonight, we did something special. I think we deserved this victory.”
Image:Getty
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