Carlo Ancelotti warns Real Madrid must give Al Hilal full respect in Club World Cup final

European champions, seven-time winners, meet their history-making Asian counterparts in showpiece in Rabat on Saturday

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, right, is marked by Al Ahly's Egyptian defender Mahmoud Metwalli during the Fifa Club World Cup semi-final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on February 8, 2023. Real Madrid won the match 4-1. AFP

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior reacts after a challenge by Ahly's Egyptian defender Mahmoud Metwalli. AFP

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

Real Madrid's Rodrygo, left, Vinicius Junior and Aurelien Tchouameni celebrate. EPA

: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid is challenged by Metwaly Mahmoud of Al Ahly. Getty Images

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his team's opening goal. AFP

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior celebrates. AFP

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde in action against Al Ahly's Ali Maaloul. EPA

Ahly's Egyptian midfielder Hamdy Fathy tackles Real Madrid's Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde. AFP

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde and Nacho look dejected after Al Ahly's Ali Maaloul scores their first goal. Reuters

Real Madrid's Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde celebrates scoring his team's second goal. AFP

Real Madrid's Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde celebrates scoring his team's second goal. AFP

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Rodrygo shoots to score his team's third goal. AFP

Real Madrid's Rodrygo, left, celebrates with teammates. AP Photo

Sergio Arribas of Real Madrid scores the team's fourth goal. Getty Images

Sergio Arribas of Real Madrid celebrates with teammate Alvaro Odriozola. Getty Images

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says his side will not underestimate Al Hilal when the two meet in the Fifa Club World Cup final this weekend.

The European champions, record seven-time winners, set up a clash with their Asian counterparts on Saturday by defeating Egyptian side Al Ahly 4-1 in Wednesday night’s semi-final in Rabat, Morocco.

Hilal, meanwhile, came through their last-four encounter against Flamengo on Tuesday, defeating the South American champions 3-2. In doing so, Hilal became the first Saudi Arabian team to reach the Club World Cup showpiece.

However, Ancelotti warned against any complacency from his Madrid players as they chase a first Club World Cup crown since triumphing in Abu Dhabi in 2018.

“We are up against a team that won the semi-final by playing well and deserved to be in the final,” Ancelotti told reporters immediately following the Ahly win. "We have to respect this team. They've got good players and play well collectively. They'll be excited to play in the final and so will we.

“We have to prepare well for the match, provide clear instructions to the players and devise a good game plan. We have players who can handle this type of pressure extremely well.

“Football's changing because there're a lot of teams all over the world that can compete, fight and win too. I was surprised that Flamengo were eliminated, but they're in pre-season and their fitness level isn't at its peak. The rest of the teams, who are in the middle of the season, are at their peak."

Entering the tournament at the semi-final stage, Madrid kept alive their bid for a record-extending eighth Club World Cup thanks to goals from Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo and Sergio Arribas.

Ali Maaloul struck the lone goal for Al Ahly to at the time reduce the score to 2-1. Madrid could even afford for captain Luka Modric to miss a second-half penalty.

Yet, an annoyed Ancelotti said: "When we were leading 2-0 early, we thought that the game was over and started to dribble a little too much. This is a tournament that Real Madrid have a lot to lose and a nothing to win.

"We thought that the game was won 2-0 and things are not like that; we have relaxed and it cannot be like that. We lowered the intensity and suffered a bit, but in the end we could manage it. We go into the final very motivated.”

Madrid hope to have a number of players back for Saturday's final in Rabat, chief among those star striker Karim Benzema and defender Eder Militao. Both had remained in Madrid to receive treatment for injuries.

"Neither are fully recovered; Karim is quite well but with Militao that are more doubts,” Ancelotti said. "On Friday we will make the decisions. [Dani] Carvajal missed today's match due to a fever and [Marco] Asensio due to a little overload — I think they will be ready for Al Hilal."