Juventus are aiming to secure a place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals by defeating a Real Madrid team who have encountered some initial difficulties under Xabi Alonso.
Real Madrid drew against Al-Hilal in their first match, followed by victories over Pachuca and Salzburg. However, Los Blancos lost the Expected Goals battle against the Mexican side, leading to a tactical adjustment by Alonso.
Team news
Real Madrid have several key defenders sidelined for this match, including Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, and holding midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
Despite the injuries, Real Madrid will have Antonio Rudiger and Kylian Mbappe available for selection.
Alonso is set to stick with the 3-5-2 formation utilized in the last game, with Aurelin Tchouameni likely to feature in central defense.
Following their 5-2 defeat to Manchester City, Juventus are expected to make numerous changes. Juan Cabal is the only player unavailable, otherwise, they have a nearly full-strength squad.
The stats
Real Madrid have seen both teams score in two out of their three matches in the tournament.
Juventus faced 24 shots in their recent 5-2 loss to Man City.
Real Madrid currently rank 10th in the tournament for most shots on target, with Manchester City leading in this stat after their game against Juventus.
Despite an Expected Goals against of 4.7, Real Madrid have conceded two goals at the Club World Cup.
Juventus have scored in eight consecutive matches across various competitions, totaling 20 goals in that period.
Prediction
Juventus began the Club World Cup strongly, securing significant victories over Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca.
They were impressive in attack during those games, scoring nine goals. However, their defensive vulnerabilities were exposed against Manchester City in the final group stage match.
Real Madrid showed more efficiency going forward in their 3-5-2 setup against Salzburg, but they still allowed 10.4 Expected Goals against them.
While Real Madrid's defensive issues were not fully reflected in their results due to the quality of their opponents in the group stage, this upcoming match against a top Serie A team could present a tougher challenge.
Real Madrid managed to keep a clean sheet in the last game, conceding only twice despite an Expected Goals against of 4.7. However, their attacking prowess could trouble Juventus, making both teams to score a favorable prediction for this encounter.