Monterrey's Path to Glory: Breaking Down Every Scenario for Club World Cup Knockout Stage
Monterrey heads into the concluding group stage match of the Club World Cup as the only Liga MX representative still holding hopes of reaching the tournament's round of 16.
Under Domènec Torrent's guidance, the team has performed respectably against two European powerhouses. They managed to secure a valuable point against Champions League runners-up Inter Milan and demonstrated resilience in a tough, goalless stalemate with Marcelo Gallardo's River Plate.
With Pachuca already knocked out following consecutive losses, Monterrey now bears the weight of Liga MX's expectations in the Club World Cup.
Going into their Group E finale against the already-eliminated Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey finds themselves in third position with two points, trailing both Inter and River Plate by two points as those teams prepare to meet simultaneously.
Here, Sports Illustrated examines the scenarios required for Monterrey to escape elimination and progress to the Club World Cup's knockout phase.
What Monterrey Needs to Advance in the Club World Cup
Monterrey has no choice but to secure victory against Urawa Red Diamonds to maintain any hope of reaching the knockout stages. It's that straightforward.
Should Rayados claim all three points, their clearest path to the round of 16 would be a decisive result in the Inter versus River Plate encounter. This would see Monterrey progress as group runners-up while the losing team from that match would face elimination.
Nevertheless, if Monterrey triumphs while the battle between the European and South American powerhouses concludes in a stalemate, all three clubs would finish the group phase with identical point totals.
This is where tiebreaking procedures come into play.
How Monterrey Can Qualify if There's a Three-Way Tie on Points
Should Monterrey win while Inter and River Plate draw, the situation becomes intricate.
The Club World Cup employs different tiebreaking criteria compared to the standard procedures football supporters are accustomed to from previous tournament formats.
Therefore, for clarity, here are the requirements for Monterrey's advancement based on each potential outcome of the Inter Milan versus River Plate fixture.