Spanish giants Real Madrid advanced to the FIFA Club World Cup final with a 3-1 victory over Japan's Kashima Antlers in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.

In a rematch of the 2016 final at Yokohama's Nissan Stadium, Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick to run the show for Real and help set up a showdown against host side Al Ain on Saturday, where they will try and win the tournament for the third year in a row.

"They took advantage of our defensive flop and scored just before halftime, and that's when we let the game slip away," Kashima manager Go Oiwa said of Bale's opening goal in the 44th minute.

"They were mentally strong after they took the lead. I feel like we could have controlled the game more," he said.

Shoma Doi pulled one back for the Asian champions in the 78th minute, but it was too little, too late as Bale tore the Antlers apart with three goals in the space of 11 minutes before Doi's consolation effort.

Members of the J-League side said they were simply overwhelmed by the level of play from one of the world's most successful sides and were visibly more exhausted than their Spanish opponents.

"I haven't seen (players) worn out like that in the J-League," Japan World Cup defender Gen Shoji said. "We all wanted to take the game back, but we couldn't."

Former Japan defender Atsuto Uchida, who returned to Kashima this season after seven and a half years in Germany, said, "The (club's) young players should not let this experience go to waste. I don't think we can catch up (with the top teams) playing like this."

Antlers lost 4-2 to Madrid on home soil in 2016's Club World Cup due to an extra-time brace from Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently signed with Italian side Juventus.

Real will play Saturday's final at the Zayed Sports City Stadium against hosts Al Ain, who upset Argentina's River Plate on penalties in the other semi. The South Americans will meet Kashima in the third-place playoff.