Schmeichel tips Chelsea-Al Ahly final

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has backed Chelsea and Al Ahly to reach the final of the Club World Cup.

Clubs are currently battling it out in the quarter-finals of the tournament, with the semi-finals and final to follow later this week.

And Schmeichel believes African champions Al Ahly’s previous experience will see them get past Brazilian giants Corinthians, setting up a potential clash against Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea.

“I’m not surprised about Ahly’s victory over Hiroshima to qualify for the semi-finals of the World Club Cup,” Schmeichel told Al-Wassat.

“I was expecting that because the Egyptian team has a great reputation in the tournament.

“The chances of Al Ahly and Corinthians are equal, although I think the preference would be in favour of the Africa champion because of their experience of playing in the previous three World Club Cups and got third place in 2006.

“I personally expect that Ahly and Chelsea will be in the final but then the Londoners will be the closest to winning the title, as usual for European clubs.”

Chelsea head into the competition fresh from back-to-back wins over Nordsjaelland and Sunderland.