"Mbappe vs Neymar", "Time to own them in favour of Ronaldo" - Fans react as Real Madrid set to face Al-Hilal in Club World Cup

Fans have reacted as UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid have drawn Al-Hilal in their FIFA Club World Cup opener. The competition begins in the United States on June 15 next year.

In a revamped format, 32 teams are set to feature. Los Blancos have been clubbed with Al-Hilal, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions, Pachuca - the 2024 CONCACAF Copa de Campiones winners - and Salzburg.

In the draw made in Miami on Thursday (December 5), the other European clubs in the expanded competition are Porto, PSG, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Manchester City,

Fans reacted on Los Blancos learning their group-stage opponents in the competition, with one tweeting:

"Time to absolutely devastate those burns in the name of Ronaldo."

Another chimed in:

"Mbappe vs Neymar"

It's pertinent to note that the two were teammates at PSG but now play for different clubs. While Mbappe joined Los Blancos this summer, Neymar moved to Al-Hilal last summer.

There were varied reactions from other fans, with one posting:

"We are gonna cook them"

"This is so fixed, it's funny," chimed in another

Another tweeted:

"Time to own Al-Hilal in favour of Ronaldo"

The new format of the Club World Cup will see the 32 teams divided into eight groups of four, with each team playing every other team in their group once.

The top two from each group will advance to the Round of 16, with every subsequent knockout game - including this one - getting decided in a single game without penalties.

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"We have to keep going" - Real Madrid boss after Athletic Bilbao defeat

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti wishes to look ahead and not focus too much on a hard-fought 2-1 La Liga loss at Athletic Bilbao in midweek. The game saw summer arrival Kylian Mbappe squander a penalty.

Following the defeat, Ancelotti's side remain second in the standings, four points behind leaders Barcelona, with a game in hand. Ancelotti said about Mbappe (as per Managing Madrid):

“I haven’t spoken to him. It was a complicated match, evenly matched, fought, competed. When we equalised, we could have thought we were in control, and small details penalised us tonight.

"We missed the penalty. ... I don’t have to evaluate a player’s game because of a penalty that sometimes is scored and sometimes is missed. Obviously he’s sad, disappointed, but we have to keep going.”

Real Madrid next take on Girona away in the league on Saturday (December 7), hoping to return to winning ways.