Nidhish Waghmare
Real Madrid booked their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The decisive moment came in the 54th minute, when Gonzalo Garcia rose to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross with a perfectly timed header—his third goal in four tournament games.
The win sets up a last-eight clash with Borussia Dortmund, who defeated Monterrey in the other round-of-16 tie.
“We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game,” said Madrid boss Xabi Alonso. “It’s about competing in a knockout tie, and I’m happy we held on.”
Mbappe Returns, Madrid Dominate Second Half
The match also marked the return of Kylian Mbappe, who came on as a 68th-minute substitute after recovering from illness. Though he didn’t score, his presence lifted the 62,000-strong crowd and added pace to Madrid’s attack.
Madrid controlled much of the second half, with Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Arda Guler all testing Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
“Day by day he will be better,” Alonso said of Mbappe. “I think he will be much better for the quarters.”
Juventus Fade After Bright Start
Juventus, who had started brightly with early chances for Randal Kolo Muani and Kenan Yildiz, struggled to maintain intensity in the Miami heat. Coach Igor Tudor admitted fatigue played a major role.
“There were 10 of them asking to be substituted,” Tudor said. “The tension, the heat, and the long season took its toll.”
Despite late efforts from Francisco Conceicao and Nicolas Gonzalez, Juve couldn’t find an equaliser.
What’s Next for Real Madrid
Madrid will now face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, with a potential semi-final clash against PSG or Bayern Munich looming. With Garcia in red-hot form and Mbappe regaining fitness, Alonso’s side looks poised for a deep run.
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