🔊 Can Juventus secure an early spot in the Club World Cup playoffs? The teams have had contrasting starts to the tournament. However, each has exceeded expectations in their own way. Juventus claimed one of their biggest victories in recent years, while Wydad put up a commendable fight against one of the tournament's strongest teams. Thus, the "Old Lady" are considered favorites, but they will need to work hard to secure all three points this time. We will explore different options to make an insightful prediction. It's worth noting that the match will take place in Philadelphia, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams have not faced each other before.

Juventus Turin Team Overview

⚪ Juventus wrapped up their Serie A campaign on a high note, securing a spot in the Champions League on the final matchday. However, the club's management had doubts about Igor Tudor. While discussions were held with Antonio Conte and Gian Piero Gasperini, neither could be signed. On the flip side, Tudor was reluctant to lead the team into the Club World Cup without a contract extension. Eventually, both parties agreed to extend his contract until 2027.

⚫ It's unclear if the coach's contract extension impacted the team, but they left a positive impression in their opening match. Admittedly, their opponent was Al Ain, a team of lesser caliber. The UAE side made numerous errors, but Juventus still needed to capitalize on those mistakes. Standout performances came from Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceição, both on loan at the Turin club, each netting a brace.

🔝 One of Juventus's key players is Kenan Yıldız. At just 20 years old, he's been with the club for three years. The management sees him as a future star and plans to extend his contract until 2030 with an increase in salary. This season, the forward has made significant strides, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in Serie A. Yıldız also impressed in the first round of the Club World Cup, scoring and earning a rating of 8.2.

Wydad Casablanca Team Overview

🔴 Wydad's season has been disappointing. They finished third in the national league, trailing the champions by 16 points. Given this situation, it's no surprise the coach was dismissed. Just four weeks before the start of the Club World Cup, Amin Benhachem was appointed. He's done a decent job with the team, and at least the players don't look like pushovers.

⚪ In the first round, Wydad put up a respectable fight against Manchester City and posed some real attacking threats, but their finishing let them down. Nonetheless, managing 12 shots against such a high-caliber team is commendable. Even the "Citizens" had words of praise for Wydad. Ultimately, the Moroccan side couldn't secure any points but avoided a heavy defeat (0-2).

🔝 One of Wydad's key players is Mohamed Rayhi. He's in his first season with Wydad but has already scored 11 goals. In the match against Manchester City, Amin Benhachem initially left the forward on the bench. Cassius Mailula started up front instead. However, the coach admitted his mistake and brought Rayhi on at halftime. It's reasonable to expect he'll be in the starting lineup for the upcoming match.

Latest news

Juventus Turin

🎙 Juventus' head coach shared his thoughts on their victory over Al Ain: “I'm pleased. The opposition started the match energetically, but we responded well. It's a good result that will boost our confidence... In the second half, I asked the players to slow down a bit due to the heat and focus on better controlling the game.”

📝 Juventus have extended their contract with Adidas for 10 years. Over the duration of the deal, the club will receive €408 million. This amount is not contingent on any additional performance metrics or team results.

❌ Juventus are dealing with some injury setbacks. Bremer, Juan Cabal, Arkadiusz Milik, Manuel Locatelli, and Mattia Perin are sidelined due to injuries. Bremer and Locatelli are particularly vital for Tudor, who has requested they not be sold under any circumstances.

Wydad Casablanca

🎙 Manchester City's Phil Foden praised Wydad's performance in the first round: "Credit to the opponents – they were a top team on the counterattack. We had to deal with numerous chances at our goal."

❌ In the upcoming match, Ayoub Boucheta will be sidelined due to injury, posing a challenge for the left flank of the defense. Renan is also in the infirmary, although he has only made two appearances for Wydad since his transfer.

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

Analyzing match statistics over the past six months, Wydad hold an edge in yellow cards, averaging 2.2 compared to 1.6. In their encounter against Manchester City, they received just one caution, while Juventus picked up four in a favorable match. Given this scenario, it might be worth considering a bet that Turin will not lose in yellow cards.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Juventus aren't known for high-scoring games. They did manage to break through against Al-Ain, but their expected goals (xG) sit at a modest 1.41. Interestingly, in nine home matches, the "Old Lady" have scored no more than two goals. Wydad conceded the same number against group favorites Manchester City. It's unlikely the "Bianconeri" will achieve more. Therefore, a potential bet could be Juventus total goals under 2.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

In matches over the past six months, both teams average 5.1 corners. Wydad delivered four corners against the Mancunians, while Juventus allowed Al-Ain three corners at their goal. A similar number of set-pieces can be expected from the Moroccans. Thus, we suggest a bet on Wydad total corners over 2.5.

Juventus are clear favorites in this clash, but it's important not to overrate them after their demolition of Al-Ain. The scoreline didn't quite reflect their performance, and a straightforward victory over Wydad seems unlikely, given that Wydad appear stronger both defensively and offensively than the UAE side. Thus, a reasonable prediction would be a narrow 2-1 win for Juventus.

Wydad managed to create chances against Manchester City, with an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.56, indicating they were close to breaching Guardiola's defense. They might find the net in the upcoming match, but focusing on another attacking metric—corners—could be more reliable. In Group G's first round, no team registered fewer than three corners, so a key bet could be on Wydad's total corners over 2.5.