Manchester City stormed back to familiar form, dismantling Juventus 5-2 to finish top of Group G in the Club World Cup. For Pep Guardiola, the biggest satisfaction wasn’t just the win—it was finally recognizing his team again after a long spell of inconsistency.
“That rhythm, that speed, that aggressive football… the mentality to dominate the opposition—we looked like ourselves again,” said Guardiola after the emphatic victory. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen my team play like this.”
The clash, held at Camping World Stadium in Florida, saw City take the lead in the 9th minute through Jeremy Doku. Juventus hit back almost immediately, but an own goal in the 26th minute restored City’s lead. In the second half, goals from Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Savinho sealed a commanding win.
Both teams had already qualified for the knockout stage, with Juventus holding a slight edge on goal difference heading into the match. But on the pitch, there was no doubt who the stronger side was. City dominated with 77% possession, fired 24 shots at goal—11 on target—and left the Italian giants looking helpless and outclassed.
Guardiola was particularly pleased with the nature of his team’s performance.
“I liked the way we approached the match. With and without the ball, it was one of our best displays in a long time,” he said. “The players were fully committed, and beating such a high-quality team in this manner makes us proud.”
He hopes the performance will help City regain their lost confidence.
“Yes, it’s just one game,” Guardiola admitted. “But I think the players have once again felt what it means to be a truly great team. Confidence comes from performances, not the past.”
In City’s first two matches of the tournament, Guardiola had rotated his squad completely—winning both games. Against Juventus, however, he fielded a strong lineup combining elements of the previous two, and it paid off. Notably, midfield maestro Rodri returned to the starting XI for the first time in nine months after recovering from injury.
Though Guardiola substituted him later in the match, he couldn’t hide his delight at having Rodri back.
“We really missed him,” he said. “He knows exactly what to do with the ball and has a brilliant mindset. I didn’t expect him to play that long today, but he’ll be fully ready for the next match.”
City now face Al-Hilal, runners-up from Group H, in the knockout stage. The Saudi Arabian side secured their spot with a win over Pachuca. Meanwhile, Juventus must prepare to face Real Madrid, who beat Red Bull Salzburg 3-0 to top Group H under manager Xabi Alonso.
