"We showed this level of performance after a long time."
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City defeated Juventus 5-2 in the third match of Group G of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held on the 27th (Korean time) at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. With this, Manchester City secured the top spot in Group G with three wins in three matches (9 points) and an overwhelming record of 13 goals scored and 2 goals conceded.
Manchester City took the lead with a goal from Jeremy Doku in the 9th minute of the first half, but allowed a tie just two minutes later when Thijs Kopermeiners capitalized on Ederson's mistake to score. However, in the 26th minute of the first half, a low cross from Matheus Nunes was inadvertently connected to an own goal by Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu, allowing City to take the lead again.
Haaland, who was substituted in at the start of the second half, scored a goal just 7 minutes later by receiving a pass from Matheus Nunes, achieving his 300th career goal. This was a monumental achievement combining 258 club goals and 42 goals for the Norway national team.
After that, Manchester City's offensive intensified. In the 24th minute of the second half, Rodri, who received a pass from Haaland, drew out the goalkeeper before passing to Phil Foden, who completed the team's fourth goal, and six minutes later, Rodri scored the fifth goal with a fantastic long-range shot after a chaotic situation.
Juventus managed to score a consolation goal in the 39th minute of the second half when Dusan Vlahovic received a pass from Kenan Yildiz, but the flow of the game had already tilted. The BBC evaluated, "Manchester City executed a perfect group stage, and Juventus's late goal was merely a consolation."
With this victory, Manchester City will face Al Hilal in the Round of 16 on July 1.
After the match, the BBC commented, "Manchester City has shaken up this tournament." Indeed, Manchester City recorded astonishing statistics with 76% possession, 24 shots to 5, and 738 passes to 219, completely overwhelming Juventus, the 36-time Serie A champion.
According to reports, Pep Guardiola stated after the match, "We showed this level of performance in both defense and offense after a long time. I am satisfied with the players' dedicated attitude," and noted, "This one game doesn't solve everything, but the players must have felt once again 'the feeling of being a good team.'"
Manchester City finished last season in third place in the Premier League, ending an 8-year trophy drought. Guardiola firmly stated, "This tournament is not a continuation of last season, but the beginning of a new season." He added, "This season, the training intensity is also different. That is the only way to survive. Whether in victory or defeat, it's important to regain the rhythm."
Rodri's presence was crucial in this match. After suffering a serious knee injury in a match against Arsenal, Rodri returned after 9 months and played for 65 minutes, making 67 accurate passes. His 79 touches were second on the team, following Ruben Dias (84 touches). He orchestrated the game as a central figure in midfield, controlling the flow throughout.
Guardiola said, "Everyone knows the importance of Rodri. He is one of the best players in the world. Today he played a good 60 minutes and will be a great help to us," expressing his anticipation for his return.
Another key figure was Haaland. Substituted in the second half, he scored the team's third goal just 7 minutes later, achieving the milestone of 300 career goals.
Guardiola joyfully praised, "To have 300 goals at just 24 years old; his father (Alfie Haaland) had 11 goals in 11 years," and commented, "He is a truly great player. I am very proud."
Doku, Sabinyu, and Phil Foden, who also scored in this match, cannot be overlooked. Guardiola remarked on the entire attack, "They were very aggressive even without the ball. Ederson's long pass to Haaland was excellent. We are beginning to feel that sensation again."
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given also evaluated, "Manchester City has proven that they are 'real' again. There was talk of them being 'robotic' during four consecutive league titles, but watching this match, the momentum has returned."
Guardiola stated, "A few years ago, I could not have imagined Manchester City participating in the Club World Cup. It is an honor to meet new teams, and I want to stay here for a long time," reiterating his challenger's mindset. The performance on this day was sufficient to prove that Manchester City remains one of the best teams in the world.
[OSEN]