🔊 Which European team will exit the Club World Cup? This matchup is arguably the most exciting in the Round of 16. Real Madrid are the clear favorites, yet they are under new management and in a rebuilding phase. Juventus might have an edge in this regard, but the difference in class is still apparent. Nonetheless, we will explore various scenarios to make a well-founded prediction. It's worth noting that the match will take place in Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium. The winner of this clash will face either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey in the next round.

Head-to-Head

📊 Over the course of 16 head-to-head encounters, Juventus hold the advantage with eight wins, six losses, and two draws. The last time these sides met in a major tournament was during the 2017/18 season. They clashed in the Champions League quarterfinals. Real Madrid thrashed Juventus in Turin (3-0), but nearly squandered their lead at the Santiago Bernabéu (1-3).

It's evident that Real Madrid typically face challenges when playing against the Bianconeri. They've conceded in 10 of their last 11 meetings, which makes the option Juventus to score a potential bet to consider.

Real Madrid Team Overview

⚪ Real Madrid have ended this season without any silverware. With Barcelona pulling significantly ahead, Carlo Ancelotti's departure seemed inevitable. He failed to integrate Kylian Mbappe in a way that wouldn't compromise the team's performance. Now, Xabi Alonso is tasked with finding a solution in Madrid, where he plans to experiment with a new formation.

👑 The former Bayer Leverkusen manager made his debut in the opening round of the Club World Cup. It wasn't exactly a dream start, as they had to settle for a draw against Al-Hilal (1-1). Real could have clinched victory in stoppage time, but Federico Valverde missed a penalty. In the match against Pachuca, there was no room for experiments as the Madrid side were reduced to ten men by the seventh minute. Nevertheless, they secured a convincing 3-1 win. In the third round, Real Madrid managed their first clean sheet of the tournament. Salzburg created scoring opportunities and could have broken through, but instead, Alonso's side cruised to a 3-0 triumph, testing out a 3-5-2 formation. They finished at the top of Group H.

🔝 One of the tournament's breakout stars is Gonzalo Garcia. The 21-year-old forward seized his opportunity when Kylian Mbappe was sidelined. Under Ancelotti, he had only three appearances this season. However, with Castilla, he netted 25 goals in 36 matches. Xabi Alonso admitted to closely following Real Madrid's reserve team, so he's well-acquainted with Gonzalo Garcia. Alonso compared the young striker to Raul, praising his knack for being in the right place at the right time. In the Club World Cup, Garcia scored against both Al-Hilal and Salzburg, and provided an assist in the match against Pachuca.

Juventus Turin Team Overview

⚪ Juventus have lost their status as Serie A leaders, so securing a top-four finish and a Champions League spot would be a success for the Bianconeri. This gives them a reason to extend Igor Tudor's contract, especially since negotiations with Conte and Gasperini fell through.

⚫ Juventus made a strong start at the Club World Cup. They truly flourished against weaker opponents. First, the Turin side demolished Al Ain with a 5-0 victory. The match against Wydad was slightly tougher, but the 4-1 scoreline speaks for itself. This was enough to advance to the playoffs. However, Tudor opted not to compete for the top spot in the group against Manchester City, leaving all the key players on the bench. For instance, Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceição never made it onto the pitch. Meanwhile, Kenan Yildiz, Andrea Cambiaso, and Khephren Thuram played just over half an hour. As a result, Juventus suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat but secured second place in Group G.

🔝 Kenan Yildiz has been a standout for Juventus in the current tournament, and the club is keen to extend his contract until 2030. While his Serie A stats are fairly average, he's been delivering decisive actions in every match on American soil. The Turkish international has scored three goals and provided an assist in the match against Manchester. Only Michael Olise (3+2) from Bayern surpasses him in this regard. WhoScored released their Team of the Group Stage for the Club World Cup, with Yildiz being the sole Juventus representative.

Latest news

Real Madrid

🎙 Xabi Alonso commented on the upcoming match against Juventus: "Once you get out of the group stage, every game feels like a final. Juve are Juve, a club with a rich history in Europe. The result against City doesn't matter; they have a great team, and this will be a very tough match."

🎙 Xabi Alonso is hopeful for Kylian Mbappé's return to action but doesn't guarantee him a starting spot against Juventus: "We need Kylian, that's clear. We want him back as soon as possible and in top form. He's one of the best in the world. I hope he's ready. I can't guarantee he'll play, but we're optimistic."

❌ Real Madrid are dealing with one of the largest injury lists at the Club World Cup. Players missing the upcoming match include David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy. Kylian Mbappé's participation is in doubt, but Raúl Asencio may return, having served his suspension for a red card in the match against Pachuca.

Juventus Turin

🎙 Igor Tudor discussed his lineup choices for the match against Manchester City: "I wanted to rest some players while also getting others back into rhythm. I wasn't pleased with the match, but if there's anyone to blame, it's myself, not the players, despite the result. It might seem odd, but that's truly how I feel."

📝 Timothy Weah turned down a move to Nottingham Forest. Juventus had agreed on the transfer, but the player decided to wait for other opportunities. As a result, the American was left out of the squad for the match against Manchester City, which angered his agent: "Weah is a fantastic player and a great teammate. No one has the right to treat my clients like puppets, forcing them into transfers."

❌ On the injury list remain Mattia Perin and Juan Cabal. For instance, Bremer, who missed almost the entire season, was named in the squad for the clash against Manchester City. Meanwhile, Nicolo Savona picked up an injury that will sideline him for at least a month.

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

Juventus have picked up at least one yellow card in every match at the Club World Cup. In their opening round against Al Ain, they received four cautions. Meanwhile, Real Madrid have seen only Vinicius Junior booked over three rounds. Given these circumstances, it makes sense to bet on Juventus to win the yellow card battle.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Real Madrid have been quite efficient in attack, scoring three goals in each of their last two rounds. They've netted at least twice in 8 of their last 9 matches, with the exception being against Al Hilal when Valverde missed a penalty. Considering Juventus' defensive struggles against Manchester City, it's reasonable to bet on Real Madrid scoring over 1.5 goals.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Real hold the edge in corners at the Club World Cup, averaging 4 compared to Juventus' 3.7. Surprisingly, both teams' opponents tend to have more corners, despite Real and Juventus' flank-heavy tactics. Therefore, it might be worth considering a bet on total corners under 9.5, as this has occurred in all of Juventus' matches in the tournament.

Real Madrid are the favorites for the upcoming clash. However, they lack cohesion, especially in defense, where they have two new players in the lineup. This means Juventus will have their chances; it's just a matter of converting them. Meanwhile, Real's attack is firing on all cylinders, even without Mbappe in the squad. Therefore, we're leaning towards a victory for them, perhaps with a scoreline of 2-1.

Real Madrid are likely to find the back of the net, given their status as favorites. Yet, in the current tournament, they've only managed one clean sheet, and even Salzburg had opportunities to score against them. Juventus, during the group stage, were among the top-scoring teams and never scored fewer than two goals per game. In this context, our key bet is – both teams to score (yes). This outcome has occurred in 7 of the last 8 head-to-head encounters between these teams.