English legend Michael Owen picks Esperance Sportive de Tunis during the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 draw which was held at the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich yesterday.
Zurich: Qatari giants Al Sadd could face favourites and European champions Liverpool in the English side’s first match at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 in December, the draw revealed yesterday.
English Legend Michael Owen drew the seven contenders in Zurich.
Hosts Al Sadd – unless they were to be crowned champions of Asia – and Hienghene Sport have a meeting with Monterrey to look forward to, before the winners face Liverpool on December 18.
Fans will be treated to a meeting between Asia and Africa in the quarter-finals, with Esperance Sportive de Tunis now set to be following the final rounds of the AFC Champions League intently. The pair will then face off against the winners of the CONMEBOL Libertadores.
As European champions, Liverpool will enter the competition in the semi-finals with a match against CONCACAF Champions League winners Monterrey, Al Sadd or minnows Hienghene Sport of New Caledonia.
Earlier this year, Barcelona and Spain great Xavi took over as coach at Al Sadd, who are competing at the Club World Cup as champions of the host nation.
They will play Oceania representatives Hienghene Sport on December 11, with the winner going on to face Monterrey three days later.
The winners of that match will then meet Liverpool on December 18, while the as-yet unknown Copa Libertadores winners will enter in the other semi-final.
They will face either the Asian champions or African champions Esperance Tunis on December 17.
The final will be played on December 21. Liverpool lost to Sao Paulo in Japan in the final when they last took part in the competition in 2005.
