Juventus will face Wydad AC in this Group F fixture knowing that a victory against the Moroccan side will more or less seal their qualification in the knockout stages of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Here is our Preview and Prediction for the game.
Juventus had the best result in the first round of fixtures in the tournament so far, demolishing UAE side Al-Ain 5-0. The side from Turin thoroughly outperformed their Expected Goals tally (xG) for the game, scoring 5 goals from an estimated xG of 1.62.
Randall Kolo Muani and Fransisco Conceição helped themselves to braces while Turkish star Kenan Yildiz got on the scoresheet in what was a rousing start for the Old Lady in this competition.
Coach Igor Tudor will be ecstatic with his side’s performance in the opener as very little went wrong for his side in all aspects of the game. They attacked with gusto, defended confidently and had the better measure of control in their passing and possession as the game ticked on. Tudor will undoubtedly be hoping for more of the same as victory here will almost certainly guarantee passage to the Round of 16.
Randall Kolo Muani will hope to continue his scoring form as the on-loan forward continues his good patch of goalscoring in a Juventus shirt. The brace against Al-Ain took his tally to 12 goals for the club in 34 appearances. With his loan spell coming to an end, the Frenchman will hope to bring it to a close with a few more goals to his name.
As far as their opponents go, do not let the 2-0 scoreline against Manchester City divert you from the fact that Wydad AC were thoroughly competitive for a large chunk of the game. The Moroccan side time and again caused a much superior Man City backline a plethora of problems whenever they were on the attack. Wydad’s primary mode of attack was quick and accurate crossfield balls that initiated the switch and left Man City vulnerable on the flanks. Time and again they easily cut open City at the back only for their lack of cohesion and poor decision making in the final to let them down in crucial moments. They were rather unfortunate to not have at least a goal to show for their enterprise in attack.
As far as their defensive shape is concerned, they did not let the early goal disrupt their backline. Playing with a back five, they defended well in a low and compact block, not allowing the City attackers space to exploit. If their performance against Manchester City is any indication of the way they play, Juventus will have to be wary of the threat they possess.
Despite Wydad’s spirited performance against Man City, it will be a Herculean task for them to eke out a result against Juventus given the disparity in quality between the two sides. While they can take heart from Botafogo’s shock upset against PSG, it is hard to look beyond anything but a Juventus victory at this point.
Score Prediction: Juventus 3-0 Wydad AC
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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