Kashima Antlers advanced to the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup, and a showdown with Spanish giant Real Madrid, after outlasting Mexican powerhouse Guadalajara 3-2 on Saturday.
The semifinal against the Spanish power will be a rematch of the 2016 Club World Cup final, when Real Madrid beat Kashima 4-2 after extra time.
"This match is going to garner a lot of attention," said Kashima coach Go Oiwa. "We'll play aggressively and we'll play our own football from the very beginning against Real Madrid."