FIFA Club World Cup
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Real Madrid have beaten Juventus 1-0 in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup thanks to Gonzalo Garcia's headed goal from close range in the 54th minute.
Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to make his first appearance in this tournament after recovering from acute gastroenteritis.
Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey in the quarter-final.
GO FURTHER
Real Madrid 1 Juventus 0: Gonzalo keeps shining, Mbappe’s return and Alexander-Arnold ups and downs
I mentioned that there is one more last-16 tie to come at this tournament and we are exactly three hours away from that one kicking off between Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey.
The Germans are expected to win but they have not been anywhere near their best at this tournament and could very easily be picked off by their Mexican opponents this evening.
We are covering that match live here on The Athletic and our pre-match build-up has just started, so make sure to join us over there by clicking here.
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The eagle-eyed among you might have noticed that Rodrygo didn't get any game time again today.
He was on the bench and did spend time warming up on the touchline but failed to appear for the second time in four matches at this Club World Cup.
Now Kylian Mbappe is back, Rodrygo will surely slip even further down the pecking order.
GO FURTHER
What’s going on with Rodrygo at Real Madrid?
Gonzalo Garcia discussed the comparisons to Raul when he spoke after the match.
💬 “Well, it's a comparison that obviously, respecting the distances. Raul is a Madrid legend and it's a great compliment to be compared to him. I have had the opportunity to share a dressing room with him as a coach these last two years and he has taught me a lot of things.
“He has written to me after every game, we keep in touch, he congratulates me and tries to help in situations that can go better for me.”
With three goals and one assist in four games at the Club World Cup, Gonzalo Garcia is the only player in the tournament to have directly contributed to a goal in all of his team's matches.
Quite an impressive run of performances by the 21-year-old tasked with filling in for Kylian Mbappe.
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As you can see from the momentum graphic above, it was a competitive first half with the teams carrying an attacking threat at both ends.
But it was all Real Madrid in the second half and they made their pressure tell in the 54th minute before closing out the victory with little fuss.
And then there was one. Last-16 tie, that is.
Seven of our quarter-finalists at this Club World Cup have been confirmed so there is just one more game to come in this round.
That takes place later this evening — at 9pm ET — and pits Borussia Dortmund of Germany against Mexico's Monterrey.
It will be a Bellingham derby in the quarters if Dortmund win, or will be the Sergio Ramos derby if they lose — an exciting quarter-final guaranteed whatever happens.
Anonymous: Juve had their chances. That first chance of the game could have changed it. Chasing guys around in this hot weather will tire you.
Kurt P.: Juve look absolutely gassed.
Aurel G.: I don't understand Juventus' tactics. With one goal down, giving away the possession and play counter?
And here is a nice graphic of those 11 Real Madrid shots on target.
In the end, it was the one nearest to the middle of the goal that did the damage with Di Gregorio making a string of diving saves, particularly those to his left-hand side.
Out of all the Juventus players, you've got to feel for Michele Di Gregorio after that one.
He was in inspired form throughout, making 10 saves from the 11 shots on target he faced.
There was nothing he could have been expected to do to keep out Garcia's bullet header, so he can hold his head high as he leaves Hard Rock Stadium this evening.
Had it not been for Di Gregorio's brilliance, that would have been a heavy defeat for Juventus.
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Juventus raised eyebrows in their first two matches when they scored nine goals. But, as soon as they came up better opposition, they came unstuck.
Manchester City made light work of them in the final group-stage game and they didn't put Real Madrid under any real pressure in the second leg of today's game.
No one expected Juventus to go deep into this tournament and they will be pretty happy to have scooped a fair amount of cash from getting to the last 16. And I suspect the Juve players are already looking forward to their holidays.
Anyone familiar with football over the last 10 years or so know that Real Madrid are so hard to beat in knockout matches.
They had honed their craft in two-legged Champions League affairs but showed again today that they can do the same in one-off matches too.
A very professional performance in a game they could have won by two or three more goals.
FT Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
And there goes the final whistle!
Real Madrid fully deserving of their 1-0 win and they will go to the Club World Cup quarter-final.
Juventus looked bright at times in the first half but did nothing to lay a glove on their opponents in the second, so they have been eliminated at the last-16 stage.
90+5' Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
A very late shout for a penalty from the Juventus as Kolo Muani went down in a heap after a clash with Rudiger.
But the protests were immediately waved away. And it didn't look like a foul at all, in truth.
90+4' Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
Four minutes of five down in stoppage time and Juventus still don't look at all like scoring.
It really is now or never for the Italians. Currently, it looks almost certain to be never.
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90+1' Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
It hasn't looked at all like Juventus would equalise since Garcia gave Real Madrid the lead, so it is hard to imagine they will take this match to extra time.
But this is football, a game often entirely unpredictable — Juve had five minutes of stoppage time to equalise or they will be eliminated.
90' Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
Another break in play for a substitution.
Valverde's brilliant performance is brought to a premature end, and to a great ovation too — Dani Ceballos has replaced the Uruguayan in midfield.
87' Real Madrid 1-0 Juventus
This has been a pretty well-mannered match compared to what we have seen in the last few days at this tournament.
It has taken until the 87th minute for the yellow card to come out and it is shown to Bellingham for a mistimed sliding challenge.
That is his first booking of the tournament, so he will not miss the potential Bellingham derby in the quarter-final through suspension.