Real Madrid vs Pachuca LIVE!

Real Madrid are in Qatar this evening to contest the final of the 2024 Intercontinental Cup against Mexican giants Pachuca. Kylian Mbappe starts alongside Vinicius Jr at the Lusail Stadium after injury, boosting the Champions League holders after Saturday’s six-goal draw at Rayo Vallecano that saw the title holders drop to third in LaLiga.

Carlo Ancelotti is out to secure the 15th major trophy of his Madrid career that would see him move clear of Miguel Munoz as the club’s most successful manager ever. But Los Blancos could face a tough test against Pachuca, who won the Concacaf Champions Cup earlier this year and eased past Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo in a Derby of the Americas shock last week before then holding their nerve in a Challenger Cup penalty shootout triumph that followed a goalless draw with CAF Champions League holders Al Ahly.

Both sides are bidding to become the first winners of this inaugural trophy in a competition that is similar to the old format of the Club World Cup, which has been significantly revamped and expanded and moved to the summer. Follow Real Madrid vs Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup final live below!

Real Madrid vs Pachuca latest news

• Kick-off: 5pm GMT | Lusail Stadium

• How to watch: DAZN

• Real Madrid team news: Mbappe and Vinicius Jr start

• Pachuca team news: Barreto and Deossa come in

• Score prediction

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:24 , George Flood

21 mins: A fine block from Micolta denies Rodrygo.

The subsequent corner then bounces dangerously off the Ecuador defender inside the box, but Pachuca escape.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:21 , George Flood

18 mins: Fran Garcia works his way to the byline for Madrid, but his cutback into the box is hacked away quickly by Micolta.

You sense that Real Madrid are starting to turn the screw just a little here now after a rather lacklustre start.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:18 , George Flood

14 mins: Both sides are denied a decision at either end, crucially Pachuca inside the box after a risky challenge from Valverde on Bautista.

Referee Jesus Valenzuela doesn’t think it’s a penalty and the VAR Juan Ernesto Soto Arevalo concurs.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:14 , George Flood

11 mins: More danger for Madrid as former Sevilla winger Oussama Idrissi works his way into the box and produces an effort that is tipped behind by Courtois.

Los Blancos break and Vinicius Jr earns a corner that is promptly cleared, before a low Bellingham through ball into the box is crucially cut out.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:10 , George Flood

9 mins: Pachuca have been the more threatening side in this opening 10 minutes, Courtois now having to smother bravely at the feet of Alan Bautista inside the box.

Real Madrid yet to get going here.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:09 , George Flood

7 mins: The first shot in anger comes from Pachuca full-back Luis Rodriguez, who finds a pocket of space before unleashing an awkward low drive that Courtois has to get down low to his left to tip around the post.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:07 , George Flood

5 mins: A foul by Luis Rodriguez on Vinicius Jr doesn’t lead to a Madrid chance, while Mbappe is then penalised for handball to end their latest attack.

A very flat start to this game amid a subdued atmosphere.

Real Madrid 0-0 Pachuca

17:04 , George Flood

3 mins: A quiet opening in Lusail, with spells of possession for both sides but nothing doing in terms of any early attacking intent or chances.

A lot of touches in defence and in midfield for Madrid so far.

Real Madrid vs Pachuca

17:02 , George Flood

Underway in the inaugural Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar!

Will Real Madrid win another major trophy in 2024?

Time to find out...

Real Madrid vs Pachuca

16:58

The teams are out in Lusail!

Kick-off is imminent.

Venezuela’s Jesus Valenzuela is tonight’s referee.

Vinicius Jr and Carlo Ancelotti win Best FIFA awards

16:50 , George Flood

Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr and Carlo Ancelotti both won top prizes at The Best FIFA Football Awards in Doha last night.

Vinicius was named best men's player after his Ballon d’Or snub that led to the club boycotting the ceremony back in October.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti took home the honour for best coach after delivering LaLiga, Champions League and Spanish Super Cup success this year.

16:36 , George Flood

Plenty of support for Real Madrid in Qatar tonight, particularly Jude Bellingham it would appear...

Two Pachuca changes from Al Ahly win

16:23 , George Flood

Pachuca show two changes from the side that started the victory over Al Ahly in Doha on Saturday.

Sergio Barreto replaces fellow Argentine Gustavo Cabral in defence and Colombian Nelson Deossa is in for Alfonso Gonzalez in midfield.

Salomon Rondon leads the line again as expected.

Pachuca lineup

16:12 , George Flood

Starting XI: Moreno, Barreto, Micolta, Gonzalez, Rodriguez, Pedraza, Deossa, Montiel, Idrissi, Bautista, Rondon

Carlo Ancelotti on the cusp of making Real Madrid history

16:08

It’s a big night for Carlo Ancelotti in Qatar.

If Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the 15th major trophy of his Los Blancos career, the Italian would move clear of the legendary Miguel Munoz as the most successful manager in the club’s long and illustrious history.

“It’s important for me to have achieved so much with this club,” Ancelotti said this week.

“I believe I’ve done a good job, and I want to continue doing so. It’s an honour to be compared to such great coaches.”

Pachuca's route to inaugural Intercontinental Cup final

15:58 , George Flood

Tonight is Real Madrid’s first game in the inaugural edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, which has a similar format to the old Club World Cup which of course has now been significantly (and controversially) revamped and expanded and moved to the summer.

However, Pachuca have come through two games to get to the final, beating Brazil’s Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo 3-0 in the ‘Derby of the Americas’ clash in Doha last week before then seeing off CAF Champions League holders Al Ahly on penalties after a goalless draw in the so-called ‘Challenger Cup’ on Saturday night.

Both games brought new trophies to add to the cabinet back home in Mexico.

15:46

A peek inside the Real Madrid dressing room at the 88,966-capacity Lusail Stadium, which was built for the 2022 World Cup and hosted that unforgettable final between France and Argentina.

Real Madrid draft in Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Camavinga

15:26 , George Flood

So that’s three changes from Carlo Ancelotti to the Real Madrid side who drew 3-3 with Rayo Vallecano in a LaLiga thriller at the Estadio de Vallecas on Saturday night.

It’s full strength from the Italian in his quest for that record-breaking 15th major trophy with Los Blancos, with Kylian Mbappe replacing Brahim Diaz in attack.

Luka Modric and Arda Guler also make way for Eduardo Camavinga and Vinicius Jr, who was initially named as a substitute at the weekend.

Aurelien Tchouameni continues in defence.

Real Madrid lineup

15:16 , George Flood

Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Tchouameni, Rudiger, Fran Garcia, Valverde, Camavinga, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr

Subs: Lunin, Gonzalez, Modric, Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Ceballos, Brahim, Youssef, Asencio, Lorenzo

Mbappe STARTS for Real Madrid in Qatar

15:14 , George Flood

Real Madrid have named their lineup for this evening’s final very early indeed - and it DOES contain Kylian Mbappe.

Stay tuned...

Real Madrid vs Pachuca prediction

15:02

Pachuca have certainly done well to get to the final but Real Madrid boast such a strong record in these big games that it’s very difficult to look past them.

Real Madrid to win, 3-1.

Pachuca team news: Rondon to lead attack

14:58 , George Flood

Pachuca remain without the services of long-term absentee Israel Luna, the young attacking midfielder who is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered earlier this year.

However, Ecuador defender Andres Micolta is now fit again.

Guillermo Almada’s attack should once again be led by Salomon Rondon, the former West Brom, Newcastle and Everton striker.

Ex-Swansea and Aston Villa forward Borja Baston is also in the current Pachuca squad.

Real Madrid team news: Mbappe expected to play

14:52

The main team news storyline for Real Madrid in recent days has been the fitness of Kylian Mbappe, who was forced off early after scoring in last week’s eventful 3-2 Champions League win at Atalanta before missing the six-goal thriller at Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga on Saturday with a thigh muscle issue.

His status for this game initially looked very uncertain as a result, though he was eventually named in the 24-man travelling squad and has trained in recent days.

It remains to be seen if the French superstar will be fit to start in Qatar this evening or have to make do with a place on the bench.

David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are among the Madrid players left at home by Carlo Ancelotti after recovering from injury, while Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao remain long-term absentees.

How to watch Real Madrid vs Pachuca

14:43 , George Flood

TV channel: The game will be broadcast live on beIN Sports and beIN Sports Espanyol, as well as DAZN and FIFA+.

Live stream: beinSPORTS CONNECT will provide subscribers with a live stream online, as well as DAZN and FIFA+.

Real Madrid vs Pachuca live

14:38 , George Flood

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s live coverage of the inaugural Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar.

Tonight’s showpiece fixture at the Lusail Stadium pits Champions League holders Real Madrid against Concacaf Champions Cup winners CF Pachuca of Mexico, who have come through two previous rounds to tee up a huge clash with the European giants.

There are subplots aplenty for this high-profile game in the Middle East, including Kylian Mbappe’s fitness and Carlo Ancelotti seeking the trophy that would make him the most successful Real Madrid manager of all time.

Kick-off this evening is at 5pm GMT, so stay tuned for all the latest team news, match build-up and live updates.