AFCON 2025
Real Madrid edged past Juventus with a hard-fought 1–0 victory in the Club World Cup last-16 clash played tonight at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Gonzalo García, a product of Real Madrid’s youth academy, scored the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, rising highest to meet a superb cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold and nodding the ball into the far corner. It was his third goal of the tournament and a decisive moment in a tightly contested affair.
Juventus started brightly, with Randal Kolo Muani nearly opening the scoring early on, only to see his clever chip sail just wide of Thibaut Courtois’ post.
Real Madrid grew into the match, dominating possession and testing Michele Di Gregorio several times, notably through Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde. Di Gregorio was in inspired form, making close to ten saves and single-handedly keeping Juventus in the game.
After the break, Madrid continued their dominance, and the breakthrough finally came when Alexander-Arnold curled a perfect delivery into the box, which García met with precision to give Madrid the lead.
Juventus responded with a flurry of substitutions and mounted pressure late on, but Real’s defence held firm. Courtois dealt calmly with aerial threats and long-range attempts, ensuring Madrid kept a clean sheet.
Kylian Mbappé made his tournament debut in the second half after recovering from illness, coming on around the 68th minute. Although he didn’t score, his presence stretched the Juventus backline and added another dimension to Madrid’s attack.
Despite Juventus’ efforts, the night belonged to Real Madrid. The Los Blancos now move into the quarter-finals of the tournament, where they will face the winner between Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey.
