REAL MADRID secured their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday. Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute header proved decisive, setting up a last-eight clash against the winner of Borussia Dortmund versus Monterrey.
The match saw a strong performance from Xabi Alonso’s side, with Kylian Mbappe making his tournament debut as a second-half substitute after recovering from illness. Juventus started brightly, with Randal Kolo Muani and Kenan Yildiz testing Thibaut Courtois early on. However, Madrid grew into the game, with Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde forcing saves from Michele Di Gregorio.
The breakthrough came when Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered a pinpoint cross for Gonzalo to head home, his third goal in four tournament matches. Juventus pushed for an equaliser, with Francisco Conceicao and Nicolas Gonzalez coming close, but Real held firm.
Alonso praised his team’s resilience, saying, “We had to be patient and mature into the game. It’s a knockout tie, and you have to grit your teeth.” He also hinted at a bigger role for Mbappe in the quarter-finals, stating, “He will be much better for the next game.”
Juventus manager Igor Tudor cited fatigue as a key factor in their defeat, pointing to the heat, humidity, and a long season as contributing factors.
