By David Gold
November 18 – Copa Libertadores winners Santos may have to overcome Mexican outfit Monterrey in December’s FIFA World Club Cup semi-final if they are to set up a potentially mouth watering final with European champions Barcelona, following the draw in Nagoya.
The World Club Cup will kick off on December 8, when the J-League champions – probably one of Gamba Osaka, Kashiwa Reysol or Nagoya Grampus – take on Oceania Champions League winners Auckland City of New Zealand.
The winner of that game will face Mexico’s CF Monterrey, who defeated Real Salt Lake earlier this year to lift the CONCACAF Champions League, in a quarterfinal on December 11.
That will be the second quarter-final of the day, following the clash between Tunisian outfit Esperance, who beat Wydad Casablanca of Morocco 1-0 on aggregate last weekend to lift the African continental title, and Qatari side Al-Sadd, who won the Asian Continental Club Championship earlier this month with victory over previous winners Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea on penalties.
The victor of that clash will contest a lucrative tie with European Champions Barcelona, who enter the competition at the semi-final stage along with the Brazilians Santos.
Barcelona won the European crown in May when they defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley, giving them the chance to win the World Club Cup for the second time in three years.
They are likely to face Santos, who clinched the Copa Libertadores with a 2-1 victory over Peñarol on aggregate in June.
It was the first time the Brazilians had lifted the Libertadores Cup since 1963, when the legendary Pelé starred for the team, and neutrals across the world are hoping to see the player some see as his successor, Neymar, go head to head with the Catalan giants and Ballon d’Or winner Leo Messi in the final in Yokohama on December 18.
Esperance President Riadh Bennour has no intention of letting that happen though, and has his sights firmly set on following TP Mazembe of Democratic Republic of Congo, who last year shocked previous Libertadores champions Internacional 2-0 to become the first African side to reach the final of the competition.
“Everyone is expecting to see a final between Santos and Barcelona but maybe they can watch a final between Esperance and Santos instead,” he said.
“We will try to make it happen, that’s for sure.”
Amador Bernabeu (pictured above right), the Barcelona delegate present, was relaxed about the draw, playing down the huge expectations that will be on the favourites to win the trophy.
“We are looking forward to playing against Esperance or Al-Sadd,” he said.
“We hope that we can contribute with good football but of course our main hope is to reach the final”.
Santos, who have been below par in the Brazilian championship as they focus their attention on the World Club Cup, are focused on reaching the final, said director of football Pedro Luiz Nunes Conceição.
“We are very happy to play in Toyota, where we have the biggest community of Brazilians.
“With them and the 5,000 we are expecting to make the journey from Brazil, we will have excellent support.
“The draw was ok for us but we don’t think is going to be easy to reach the final, although we remain focused on that objective.”
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