Juventus, managed by Igor Tudor, has already secured qualification for the knockout phase of the Club World Cup. The team is now preparing for the decisive match against Pep Guardiola`s Manchester City, scheduled for 9 PM Italian time on Thursday, June 26, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. This game will determine the winner of Group G.
For the Bianconeri, a draw against the Citizens will be sufficient to finish atop the group stage. Juventus currently holds a slight advantage in goals scored (9) compared to City`s 8 from their first two matches (a 5-0 win against Al Ain and a 4-1 victory over Wydad). Both teams presently have an identical goal difference of +8.
Potential Last 16 Opponents
Juventus` group will be paired with Group H, which includes Al-Hilal, Pachuca, Real Madrid, and Salzburg. Both Real Madrid and Salzburg are currently tied on 4 points and will face each other for the top spot in their group overnight between Thursday, June 26, and Friday, June 27 (Italian time) in Philadelphia. Real Madrid currently holds the tie-breaker advantage based on goal difference.
However, Al-Hilal, coached by Simone Inzaghi, could still potentially finish first or second. The Saudi club has two points and will play against Pachuca, who are currently without points, on the final matchday. If the match between Real Madrid and Salzburg ends in a draw, and Al-Hilal wins their game, three teams would finish level on points, and their final standings would be determined by head-to-head goal difference among the tied teams.
Here are the potential scenarios for Juventus in the Round of 16:
- If Juventus finishes first in Group G, they will play at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 1st at 3 AM ET against the team that finishes second in Group H (currently Salzburg).
- If Juventus finishes second in Group G, they will play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 2nd at 3 AM ET against the team that finishes first in Group H (currently Real Madrid).
