The new edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, underway in the United States, has brought two Italian teams back to the big international stage: Inter and Juventus. Two different paths, two different playing identities, but a common goal: to bring Italian football where it deserves to be, among the best teams in the world.
Juventus, between light and shadow: Tudor seeks the feat against Real Madrid
A group with obstacles and illusions. Juventus arrived at the group stage of the Club World Cup with the unknown of the technical management entrusted to Igor Tudor, who replaced Thiago Motta only a few months before the tournament. Drawn in a group with Manchester City, Wydad Casablanca and Al Ain. The Old Lady alternated flashes of domination such as the initial 5-0 against the Emirati club and the 4-1 against the Moroccan club, but then collapsed on itself against Pep Guardiola’s battleship.
The first two matches against the Arab opponents have shown a cynical and organized team, capable of imposing themselves with great authority both against Wydad and against Al Ain. The six points collected in these challenges have arrived with a goal-fest and a good offensive feeling. Kenan Yildiz is the player who has stood out the most, scoring 3 goals (first of the tournament currently with Olise, Musiala, Di Maria and Abou Ali). Although certainly other players like Randal Kolo Muani, Francisco Conceicao and Andrea Cambiaso showed off, bringing bonuses, breadth and quality.
But the real test was obviously against Guardiola’s City. And there Juventus suffered a hard lesson: a 5-2 defeat that highlighted the difficulties of the Bianconeri’s rearguard under pressure and a structural distance still evident compared to one of the best teams in the world. The goals of Teun Koopmeiners and Dusan Vlahovic: the Citizens dominated in terms of ball possession and pace, making Juventus look embarrassing at times, having spent 3/4 of the match with almost all 11 players in their own penalty area trying to defend the result.
With two wins and one defeat, Juve finished second in the group, behind City. A position that forced them to a very complicated round of 16 against Real Madrid.
La sfida col Real Madrid: montagna da scalare o occasione per sorprendere?
Facing Real Madrid in a knockout stage is never good news, but it can be an opportunity to overturn the hierarchy. Los Blancos come to the challenge with their usual international experience and a very deep squad: from Mbappé to Vinicius, from Bellingham to Valverde, up to Arda Guler and the new signing Alexander-Arnold. Il talento abbonda. However, Real Madrid also showed some creaks in the groups, especially in the 2-2 draw vs Al Hilal.
Juve knows it must focus on compactness and verticality. Tudor has tried to build a solid team in individual duels, but a suffering and short defensive line, given the heavy absence of Gleison Bremer and for long stretches also of Federico Gatti, has not made things very easy for him. The most dangerous weapon could once again be Yildiz, ready to exploit his incredible talent.
Much will also depend on the personality with which the Bianconeri will face the match: avoiding trivial errors in the set-up and containing Real’s accelerations will be crucial. But if Juve manages to keep the result in the balance, it can also play its cards on the mental level.
Inter’s maturity: now the face-off against Fluminense
(Almost) perfect group stage performance for Christian Chivu and for Inter. The group with River Plate, Monterrey and Urawa Reds was full of pitfalls, but the Nerazzurri responded like a great team. Three games, two wins and a draw and first place in the group: 7 points, 5 goals scored and only 2 conceded.
Against Monterrey there was a so-so performance. Inter started at a disadvantage due to a header from the usual Sergio Ramos, before equalising with Lautaro. Against Urawa Red Diamonds the Nerazzurri once again fell behind, but then the two Argentines took care of it, the usual Lautaro Martinez and Valentin Carboni to overturn the result and gain 3 points. In the third match against River Plate after more than 70 minutes without goals, the young Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni decided it.
Chivu’s fluid formation, between 3-5-2 and 3-4-2-1, allowed Inter to adapt to their opponents without ever losing compactness. Carlos Augusto and Denzel Dumfries were essential to give breadth and engine, while Darmian, Bastoni and Acerbi offered solidity behind.
Fluminense, a technical and unpredictable opponent
In the round of 16, the Nerazzurri will face Fluminense: a technical, fast and potentially very dangerous Brazilian team. The Carioca club finished second in their group behind Borussia Dortmund, showing excellent offensive plays but also some shortcomings in the defensive phase.
It is a match that could be decided on the wings and transitions. Inter, due to their experience and solidity, start as the big favorite, but will have to pay attention to the creativity of Ganso, the dynamism of Arias and obviously the experience of Thiago Silva.
Chivu will have to be good at managing rotations, especially in midfield, where energy expenditure is high. But if Inter manage to impose their rhythm and immediately raise the intensity, they could cause problems for Fluminense from the first minutes.
Italy tries to return to the forefront
Inter and Juventus represent two sides of the same coin. One is a solid and mature team, aware of its own strength and with a clearer tactical identity. The other is a construction site under construction, which alternates excellent moments with worrying blackouts, but which can count on top-level individuality.
The Club World Cup 2025 has the flavor of a rebirth for Italian football. Now it’s time for concreteness: overcoming a round of 16 against Fluminense or Real Madrid would be more than just qualifying for the quarterfinals. It would send a strong message to Europe and the entire world.