Inzaghi: Guy City 3-4 Al-Hilal victory was ‘like climbing up Everest
ORLANDO, FLORIDA-JUNE 30: Simone Inzaghi, Head Coach of Al Hilal, provides the group guidelines throughout a hydration break throughout the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match in 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 success over Manchester City at the FIFA Club World Cup was like ‘climbing Everest without any oxygen’, but is
delighted with what he saw from his players who ‘was worthy of ‘to beat the Premier League giants. Al-Hilal reserved 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 previous Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly offered the objectives for the Saudi Pro League side, while Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden were inadequate for Pep Guardiola’s males. ORLANDO, FLORIDA– JUNE 30: Kalidou Koulibaly # 3 of Al Hilal commemorates scoring his group’s third goal with Ali Lajami # 78 and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic # 22 during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match in between Manchester
City and Al-Hilal at Camping World Arena on June 30, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Al-Hilal will go on to face Brazilian attire 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 lost out on the opportunity to go up against their former head coach. Inzaghi:’We knew we ‘d have to do something amazing’ ORLANDO, FLORIDA– JUNE 30: Simone Inzaghi, Head Coach of Al Hilal, gives the team directions throughout a hydration break during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match in between Manchester City and Al-Hilal at Camping World Arena on June 30, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Image by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Speaking about Al-Hilal’s triumph after full-time, Inzaghi firmly insisted that: “We climbed up Everest with no oxygen, we did it.
“The trick behind this victory was the players and the heart they had on the pitch. We knew that we would need to do something extraordinary versus a team like Manchester City.
“We were extraordinary in everything. In possession, in the protective phases, in the tactical management. It wasn’t easy against an aggressive group like City.”
Inzaghi also had a word of praise for his Guy City counterpart, Guardiola, including: “For me, Guardiola is the very best coach in the world, but tonight, we did something special. I think we deserved this triumph.”