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The set of FIFA Club World Cup group stage matches concludes tomorrow, with exciting action, including a faceoff between the top two teams in Group G, Manchester City and Juventus. Which team will go through to the playoffs as a top seed?
After reviewing our in-depth picks for the game below, decide whether you want to fade or follow them!
Juventus’s season in the Italian Serie A didn’t end how they hoped. However, they scraped out 4th place with 70 points, an 18-16-4 record, and a +23-goal differential, barely qualifying for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. Despite not winning any silverware this season, they started their FIFA Club World Cup play strong with two back-to-back wins and 9 goals.
Their first game against Al Ain saw 5 goals hit the back of the net, with two players, including Randai Kolo Mauni and Francisco Conceicao scoring braces. In Matchday 2, they won 4-1 against Wydad AC with another brace from Kenan Yildiz. Juventus sits atop Group G, but only due to 1+ more goals scored than Manchester City, so whoever wins tonight will go through as the top team, leaving the other in second place.
Throughout their domestic season, Juventus’s goal-scoring was spread out through the likes of Dusan Vlahovic (10 goals), Randal Kolo Muani (8 goals) and Kenan Yildiz (7 goals). Yildiz leads the team and the tournament with 3 goals, while Kolo Muani comes in close with 2 to his name. While things are looking up for Juventus’s offense, Manchester City is a completely different ball game, and although the stakes of the game are only for seeding in the playoffs, this one won’t be easy for the Italian side.
Manchester City’s four-year English Premier League title streak ended this season as they finished third in their domestic league with 71 points, a 21-8-9 record, and a +28-goal differential. In reality, it was only a matter of time before the dominant Manchester City dynasty ended, but this year, they failed to win any silverware under Pep Guardiola, which was a true spectacle to behold.
In the FA Cup Finals, the team lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 6-3 on aggregate to Real Madrid. However, they showcased a clean start to the Club World Cup, winning their first match against Wydad AC 2-0, and their second match 6-0 against Al Ain.
Erling Haaland finished the 2024/2025 EPL season with 22 goals while battling an injury. Both Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush completed their campaign with 7 goals each. Halaand and Foden have 1 goal to their names in the Club World Cup, while Jeremey Doku continues to pose a major threat on the wing, and their 6-0 win over Al Ain saw six different goal-scorers hit the back of the net. Erling Haaland will surely be the game-changer in this big matchup, with an expected 1+ goals to take the win for Man City, although it won’t be easy.
Camping World Stadium hosts an epic matchup between two powerhouses from the biggest European leagues. The stakes could be higher, but that shouldn’t change either side’s attitude heading into this one, and Man City will want to keep their shutout record as they move through to the Round of 16.
While it’s completely up in the air, I expect Manchester City to put the pedal down and score at least 1+ goals with Erling Haaland leading the charge, allowing City to go through as the top seed from Group G.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.