The Round of 16 of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup continues on Tuesday with a marquee matchup as European giants Real Madrid CF face off against Juventus FC. Both teams have had hiccups in the group stage, yet Real Madrid remains among the favorites to win the tournament.
Oliver Strand
1. The Mbappé factor
The group stage proved easy enough for Real Madrid, even without star player Kylian Mbappé, who was sidelined due to illness. Gonzalo García filled in for the French striker and emerged as a standout performer. He is arguably Real Madrid’s best and most consistent player in the Club World Cup, tallying two goals and an assist in the group stage.
Still, Mbappé’s potential return looms large, and he could immediately become the team's X-factor. Few players in the world can change a match the way he can. He’s the type of player who can have a direct impact on the game through goals, but even when he doesn't score, he has the ability to stretch defenses and open up space and opportunities for other attackers.
Whether Mbappé can return for the knockout rounds will be crucial. Real Madrid’s hopes of advancing, and ultimately winning the tournament, could hinge on Mbappé’s availability. The club’s larger ambitions also matter: Do they risk further injury to Mbappé by rushing him back into a high-stakes match under the intense Miami heat? Or do they rest him ahead of a grueling, long European season in which expectations are high?
But consider this complication: Mbappé has walked himself into off-field distractions. The striker is at odds with his former club, Paris Saint-Germain. The French International filed a moral harassment complaint over being benched after declining to extend his contract. He also reportedly engaged in legal action over unpaid wages. This raises questions about his focus and mindset, and Real Madrid will need to determine whether this might be a distracted version of Mbappé, a player who could hinder more than help in a high-pressure knockout fixture against a seasoned Juventus side.
2. Juventus defensive lapses
The group stage was smooth sailing for Juventus until they ran into Manchester City, who beat them 5-2 in the group stage. Had Hudson River Blue issued traditional player ratings for that match, the Player Spotlight would have fallen squarely on the Juventus defense — for all the wrong reasons. Manchester City repeatedly found space behind a defense that was often caught flat-footed. The backline cost Juventus the game and 1st Place in the group, and Real Madrid will be eying that vulnerability.
One of the most glaring moments came when defender Pierre Kalulu turned a failed clearance into an own goal, symbolic of Juventus’ struggles in that match. Juventus must tighten up defensively if they are to advance. Manchester City exploited their mistakes, and Real Madrid are too clinical to let such opportunities go unpunished.
3. Real Madrid's questionable discipline
Real Madrid is the stronger team on paper, but the key to winning this game is discipline — they have struggled with costly fouls and red cards, and that kind of sloppy play could prove decisive against a team of Juventus’ caliber.
Notably, in the group stage, they conceded a penalty to Al-Hilal, resulting in the only match in which Real Madrid dropped points. Against Pachuca, defender Raúl Asencio was shown a red card inside the opening seven minutes for committing a last-man foul. Real Madrid were lucky to come away with the win in that game after surviving a flurry of missed chances from Pachuca.
Real Madrid’s path forward hinges on keeping all eleven players on the pitch. They will need to field a full-strength team against Juventus for the full 90 minutes — and play smart.
4. Hard Rock advantage
One advantage for Real Madrid is familiarity with the venue. They opened the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where Tuesday’s clash will be played. They are used to the field already, including the playing surface and heat, and those conditions could impact overall performance for both teams. This is as close to home-field advantage as Real Madrid will get in this tournament.
Not only did eleven starters play in Hard Rock Stadium, but head coach Xabi Alonso used all five substitutes in the draw against Al-Hilal: A full 16 Madrid players already will know what it’s like to play there. Depth, especially one that’s already acclimated to a venue, can make the difference in tournament football.
5. Goalkeeper duel
Both clubs boast talented attacks, questionable defenses — and exceptional goalkeeping.
Through the group stage, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois tallied 14 saves and averaged a match rating of 7.7. In comparison, Juventus’ Michele Di Gregorio leads the tournament with 17 saves, and has an overall 7.4 average rating according to FotMob. In a tournament where consistent goalkeeping has been rare, both players have risen to the occasion while remaining busy in goal.
The make-up of both these teams will set the stage for a goalkeeper’s duel, and the outcome may be decided by which goalkeeper can deliver a game-changing performance. Add to that the all-attack-no-defense nature of the teams, and this game should produce numerous chances for both sides.
