It was a tough night in Orlando, marked by heat and rain. Juventus, having won their first two Club World Cup matches against Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca, faltered badly against their first high-level opponent. This was Manchester City, who, despite a less successful recent season (and having had the upper hand in previous encounters), remained a formidable challenge. The match ended in a decisive 5-2 victory for the English side, leaving Juventus in second place in their group.
Looking at player performances, Erling Haaland was unstoppable for City, reaching a remarkable 300 career goals at just 24 years old. For Juventus, defender Kalulu seemed to struggle under pressure. The brightest spot for Juve was arguably goalkeeper Di Gregorio, who earned a respectable rating of 6 despite letting in five goals – a statistic that highlights the defensive struggles elsewhere on the pitch. City`s players were generally impressive.
The consensus from the Juventus camp, echoed by coach Igor Tudor, was straightforward: “City were simply too strong for us.” Tudor elaborated, stating that while it might sound strange, he had little to criticize his team for because Manchester City is “simply too strong” and has been the world`s best team over the last ten years, even if Real Madrid has won more major trophies. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, in his post-match comments, suggested that his team`s relative dip in form last season was a result of numerous injuries.
