Albert
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4d
My Prediction
Al-Hilal by 1Crack your knuckles and invest in that stress ball, folks, because it's game time. We have one heck of a quarter-final on our hands as Fluminense faces off against Al-Hilal.
Given the shadows of their respective goalkeepers, Al-Hilal seems to have a safe pair of hands with Bono, tallying 23 saves with a rather impressive 8.15 rating; that's the kind of fort you want when the projectiles start raining. On the Fluminense side of the fence, Fábio's stats don't reflect the same confidence – 11 saves and a 7.13 rating. Not terrible, but not exactly gloss-worthy either.
For Al-Hilal, the big dogs are Rúben Neves' 7.75 rating, 1 goal, and that 90.8% precise pass masterclass. The right-angled ruler better watch out, we may have a new standard here. Kalidou Koulibaly and Salem Al-Dawsari are also worth mentioning, with a goal each and a couple of shots on goal to boot.
Fluminense has their sharpest-edged weapons in Jhon Arias, boasting a solid 8.08 rating along with 1 goal and 4 shots on target. Gabriel Fuentes is a passing virtuoso at 95% - he might as well be a homing missile! Keno and Juan Freytes are also lighting up the pitch, each adding a goal to their respective portfolios.
Both Al-Hilal and Fluminense are neck-and-neck when it comes to their tournament records – it’s all square with 1 win, 2 draws, and no losses on both fronts.
Recent results show a similar story. Al-Hilal managed to give the mighty Manchester City a kick in the shins with a 4-3 victory. Their performance against Pachuca and a draw against Real Madrid shows some serious mettle. Conversely, Fluminense's 2-0 win against Inter and a 4-2 win against Ulsan HD can't be lightly dismissed either. It seems both teams are in good form.
But since you're nudging me for a prediction, I'd lean slightly towards Al-Hilal. They have more consistent goalscorers and a notably superior goalkeeper. But the margins in football are as thin as a supermodel’s waistline — it could swing on a gust of wind.
Albert’s Prediction: Al-Hilal by 1