Real turn off ancestral year in UAE

• Real Madrid crowned Club World Cup champions in Abu Dhabi
• Gremio take second place on their contest entrance
• Mexico’s Pachuca finish a podium, while Al Jazira were a warn packages of a tournament

In holding a honours during UAE 2017, Real Madrid became a initial side in a story of a FIFA Club World Cup to keep a trophy. After nearing in a United Arab Emirates as transparent favourites, a holders lived adult to expectations.

They did not have things all their possess way, however, and had to quarrel tough to overcome a warlike Al Jazira side in their opening compare in a semi-finals. Gareth Bale’s late strike finished a hard-fought 2-1 win for a Spanish side, who saved their best football for a final opposite Brazil’s Gremio.

While Cristiano Ronaldo’s unique idea was all they had to uncover for their efforts in a tournament’s showpiece match, Los Blancos dominated from start to finish opposite a South American champions, who were maybe fatigued following their extra-time semi-final win over Pachuca.

The Mexican outfit finished a lectern during this a 14th Club World Cup, interjection to an fatiguing 4-1 better of Al Jazira in a compare for third place

Al Jazira infer a explanation
Guided by gifted Dutch manager Henk 10 Cate and desirous by their Brazilian striker Romarinho – who won a contest in 2012 with Corinthians – and their screw and captain Ali Khaseif, Al Jazira were a warn packages of UAE 2017.

The reigning Emirati champions non-stop adult with a 1-0 win over Auckland City and saw off Asian champions Urawa Red Diamonds by a same scoreline in a quarters.

They afterwards pushed Real Madrid all a approach in a semis and finished a contest in a equitable fourth place.

VAR hearing a success
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was used during a FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017 to support referees with “match-changing” decisions. As good as trialling practical offside line technologies and arbitrate communication systems, FIFA also tested a centralised VAR resolution for a initial time. The record worked seamlessly.

“We are really happy with a use of VAR during this Club World Cup here in a UAE”, pronounced FIFA’s Deputy Secretary General Zvonimir Boban after a final. “VAR has again achieved an critical purpose in ensuring a satisfactory outcome in all 8 games of a competition. The suggestion of VAR is smallest division for limit benefit, that was serve demonstrated during this tournament, and we have seen once again how video assistance has really helped referees to make a scold decisions.

“Our refereeing dialect is doing a good pursuit and it is transparent that we are on a right track. we would like to highlight that whoever is open to this hugely critical step can usually be certain and welcome a insurance VAR provides for football.”

We spoke to…

• Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos
• Gremio’s Luan
• Al Jazira’s Romarinho
• Urawa Red Diamonds’ Mauricio Antonio
• Pachuca’s Victor Guzman

Final standings 
1. Real Madrid
2. Gremio
3. Pachuca
4. Al Jazira
5. Urawa Reds Diamonds
6. Wydad Athletic Club
7. Auckland City

Venues 
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain

Goals scored: 18 (an normal of 2.2 per match)

Top goalscorers:
Romarinho: 2 (one assist)
Mauricio Antonio: 2
Cristiano Ronaldo: 2

Awards:
adidas Golden Ball: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
adidas Silver Ball: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
adidas Bronze Ball: Jonathan Urretaviscaya (Pachuca)
FIFA Fair Play Award: Real Madrid

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/news/y=2017/m=12/news=real-round-off-historic-year-in-uae-2925328.html