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New-look Juventus ready for another City clash
- Juventus face Manchester City to determine which club will finish atop Group G
- The European giants also clashed in last season's UEFA Champions League, with Juve winning 2-0
- Recently appointed head coach Igor Tudor has overseen a tactical and mentality shift at the club
In one of the most anticipated showdowns of the group stage at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, European powers Juventus FC and Manchester City are set to go head-to-head for section supremacy in Orlando.
Given the history of both clubs, their status on the international stage and their results so far in the competition, this match is tipped to be a thriller and will ultimately decide who wins Group G and who will finish as runners-up. This will be a crucial factor in determining who they are pitted against in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Whoever comes out on top in Group G - Juventus currently occupy that spot by virtue of a greater number of goals scored - will play the runners-up of Group H in the round of 16, while the team that comes second will face the winners of Group H. The three teams in contention for those spots are Real Madrid C.F., FC Salzburg and Al Hilal.
This won’t be the first time that Juventus and Manchester City have played each other recently. The two sides met on 11 December 2024 in a UEFA Champions League league phase match, which the Bianconeri won 2-0. Both sides were in very different places back then, but now they are firing on all cylinders and set to play each other at the best possible moment.
Juve v City: The best result of Thiago Motta’s tenure
Juventus' victory over Manchester City in Turin was arguably the pinnacle of Thiago Motta’s short stint at the helm of the Bianconeri. It was a hugely important win which came after Juventus had drawn four games on the spin across Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. Their performance that evening seemed to convince everyone that they had turned a corner. They kept their shape, controlled possession, and played excellent counter-attacking football. Dusan Vlahovic broke the deadlock for his side before Weston McKennie put the game beyond doubt, rubbing even more salt in the wound for Pep Guardiola’s team, who, even before their defeat in Turin, had been struggling to muster up a win and had been on the wrong end of a few heavy defeats.
However, things are not always as good as they seem, and it was not long before Juventus found themselves in turmoil. They faced several injury setbacks and poor results, with performances that left much to be desired, compared to those in the first half of the season.
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The Tudor Revolution
After being prematurely knocked out of the UEFA Champions League play-offs by PSV Eindhoven and suffering defeat to Empoli in the Italian Cup, Juve's modest Serie A form continued and the club decided to part ways with Thiago Motta in March. Igor Tudor’s arrival would turn out to be a real turning point for the club.
The Croatian coach was determined to focus on changing the team’s mindset. He believed they needed to regain their mental sharpness and rebuild morale and chemistry in the dressing room. Both proved crucial in getting the club back on the straight and narrow.
Their first league win against Genoa lifted everyone’s spirits, and a string of solid results soon saw them back in the race for a UEFA Champions League spot. Back-to-back victories in their final two league games propelled them into fourth place, helping them secure the last available spot for Europe’s elite club competition.
It was mission accomplished under the guidance of the new coach and Tudor’s hard work has been praised by both Juventus and their supporters, who have been buoyed by an upturn in the club’s form since his arrival.
Tactical tweaks
After focusing all his efforts on improving his players’ mindset, Tudor had a bit of time before the Club World Cup to bring his side up to speed tactically as well. The Bianconeri coach has reverted to playing with a back three, with a midfield quartet that is more open centrally but features two versatile wing-backs in Alberto Costa and, most notably, Andrea Cambiaso, alongside a front three, which allows Kenan Yildiz more freedom to roam in the final third.
Thiago Motta’s rigid system, which was built on strict roles and a lack of fluidity, stifled the Turkish international’s creativity. So it comes as no surprise that at this tournament in the United States, Juventus’ No10 is thriving under his new coach’s system and has contributed key performances, goals, and assists.
“We played really well in our opening two matches, but now we need to turn our focus to the next game. It’s going to be an incredibly tough match, so we need to be fully focused on the task at hand. We’ve been training hard and putting a real shift in since Tudor took over and mentally, we’re in a good place,” the Turkish starlet said after his side’s win against Al Ain FC, where he stole the show, bagging a brace and forcing an own goal.
Another player who is thriving under Igor Tudor is Francisco Conceicao, who also looks like a completely different player to the one we saw with Thiago Motta at the helm. “We know we’ve got the talent to conjure up plenty of chances, and we’re playing really well as a team.
"We’ve shown what we can do so far. Now we want to finish the group stage strongly and go into the round of 16 ready to give it our all,” said the Juventus winger after their last victory, showing clear signs of the team’s newfound mental strength. Now it's over to Orlando to settle things on the pitch.
