Madrid topped Group H with seven points from three games, while Juventus came second in Group G, collecting six points along the way.
Real Madrid’s Journey So Far
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Real Madrid early on. They stumbled in their first group-stage match with a 1–1 draw against Al-Hilal. But they bounced back strongly, defeating Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg to secure their place in the knockout stage.
Their standout performance came in the win over Salzburg, where Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, and Gonzalo Garcia all found the net in a dominant 3–0 victory.
Now under the leadership of former player Xabi Alonso, Real are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2024/25 season. Alonso has been brought in to restore the club’s dominance in Spain and across Europe. They've already made moves in the transfer market, signing Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold, with more additions expected before the window closes.
A Renewed Rivalry
This is the first meeting between the two sides since the 2017/18 Champions League quarterfinals. Juventus famously won the second leg 3–1 in Madrid, but Real advanced on aggregate thanks to a 3–0 first-leg win in Turin.
Juventus in Strong Form
Juventus made an explosive start to the tournament, thrashing Al Ain 5–0 and beating Wydad AC 4–1. Their final group match, however, was a tough one — Manchester City handed them a 5–2 loss, which dropped them to second place in the group.
Now managed by Igor Tudor, Juve would have preferred an easier draw in the round of 16 than facing Real Madrid, but they'll be up for the challenge. A win would set up a quarterfinal clash against either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey.
The Old Lady hasn’t won Serie A since the 2019/20 season and finished fourth last year, a spot they’ve landed in three of the last five seasons.
Head-to-Head History
This will be the 22nd meeting between these two European powerhouses. Real Madrid have the edge historically, with 10 wins to Juventus’ 9, and just two draws between them.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Real Madrid are expected to have Antonio Rudiger available for selection after the defender went off with cramp during the second half of their win over Salzburg. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious.Kylian Mbappe hasn’t played in the Club World Cup yet due to illness, but the French star is back in training and should be on the bench for the upcoming match against Juventus.
Eder Militao might make the squad, though Dani Carvajal and Eduardo Camavinga are still out. David Alaba, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy also remain sidelined.
Head coach Xabi Alonso is likely to stick with a 3-5-2 formation. Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to continue in a defensive role, while Gonzalo Garcia, who's been in great form, could partner Vinicius Junior up front.
On the Juventus side, manager Igor Tudor is set to make a few changes following their loss to Manchester City.
Khephren Thuram is likely to return in central midfield, and attacking options Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceicao, and Randal Kolo Muani are all expected to come back into the starting lineup.
There could also be a switch at left wing-back, with Andrea Cambiaso in line for a start.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:Courtois; Tchouameni, Rudiger, Huijsen; Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Guler, Valverde, F Garcia; Vinicius, G Garcia
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Savona, Kelly, Kalulu; Costa, Thuram, McKennie, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Kolo Muani, Yildiz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 2-1 Juventus
This one’s really tough to predict, and it wouldn’t be a shock if it went all the way to penalties. That said, Real Madrid looked sharp in their last outing against Salzburg, and we’re backing them to edge past Juventus and book their spot in the quarterfinals with a narrow win.
