Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, right, celebrated with Marcelo after scoring a goal against Japan’s Kashima Antlers. Giuseppe Cacace/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Real Madrid has won the Champions League three straight times. On Saturday, it will go for its third straight title in the Club World Cup, FIFA’s biggest club competition.
And of all the clubs around the world, the one that will try to stop mighty Real in the final is … Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates?
Though nominally a world championship event, the Club World Cup has struggled to be viewed as more than a glorified friendly, especially by the top European teams.