Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory over Juventus on Tuesday to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup, where they will face Borussia Dortmund, who edged past Mexican side Monterrey in a tightly contested encounter.
At the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, youngster Gonzalo Garcia continued his fine form by scoring the only goal of the match — his third of the tournament — with a 54th-minute header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. The match marked another solid display for Xabi Alonso’s Madrid side, who remain unbeaten under the new manager.
The Spanish giants were also buoyed by the return of Kylian Mbappé, who came on as a second-half substitute after recovering from illness. However, Juventus pressed hard in the latter stages, forcing Madrid to defend their narrow lead.
“We had a lot of chances in the second half, but their goalkeeper was really good,” said Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Madrid manager Xabi Alonso praised his team’s patience and composure, especially in the second half. “We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game. In the end, we had to hold on a bit, and I’m happy about that too,” he said.
On Mbappé’s limited role, Alonso noted, “We will keep watching him… I think he will be much better for the quarters.”
Juventus manager Igor Tudor attributed his team’s late fatigue to intense physical demands and environmental conditions. “In the end there were 10 of them asking to be substituted. Obviously you can’t do that but there was an incredible tiredness,” he said. “The heat and humidity and the tension of the game just burned energy.”
Dortmund Edge Monterrey to Set Up Madrid Clash
In Atlanta, Borussia Dortmund overcame Monterrey 2-1, thanks to a brace from Serhou Guirassy, to secure their own quarterfinal berth and set up a rematch with Real Madrid — the team that defeated them in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final.
Guirassy struck twice in the first half, both goals assisted by Karim Adeyemi. The goals took the Guinean striker’s tally to 37 in all competitions this season.
Although Monterrey pulled one back through German Berterame and nearly equalised in stoppage time through Sergio Ramos, Dortmund held on for the win. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made crucial saves to preserve their lead late in the match.
“I think I could have scored at least three goals but I am happy to have helped the team win,” Guirassy said in a post-match interview.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac expressed confidence ahead of the clash with Madrid. “Real has a great team, they have many good individual players. If we put everything on the pitch, I think that we will have a good chance,” he said.
In a twist of fate, Jobe Bellingham’s yellow card means he will be suspended for the upcoming match against his brother Jude Bellingham, who plays for Real Madrid.
Sergio Ramos, who played a key role for Monterrey in the dying minutes of the match, nearly forced extra time with a late header that went just wide. “The crowd and our fans and the people who understand about football, they saw that the team gave everything,” Ramos said.
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