Real Madrid Discovers Their Club World Cup Round of 16 Rivals

Real Madrid have secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup knockout phase, setting up a repeat of their memorable 2017 Champions League final encounter.

The disappointing 1–1 stalemate during Xabi Alonso's managerial debut has quickly faded into the background. Despite missing Kylian Mbappé throughout the entire group phase of the Club World Cup, Real Madrid managed to claim an impressive 3–1 triumph over Pachuca followed by a commanding 3–0 victory against RB Salzburg.

The Madrid outfit concluded their group campaign with seven points, edging past Al Hilal to claim the summit of Group H. The Saudi Arabian club had to settle for the runner-up position while both Salzburg and Pachuca saw their tournament journey come to an end.

Having topped Group H, Real Madrid will now meet the second-placed team from Group G in the tournament's next phase.

Who Are Real Madrid Playing in the Club World Cup Round of 16?

Real Madrid will take on Juventus in the Club World Cup round of 16. These two powerhouses will meet in competitive action for the first time in half a decade.

The Champions League has witnessed numerous battles between Real Madrid and Juventus over the years. In their most recent encounter, the Spanish club knocked out the Turin-based team in the 2018 quarterfinal stage during their march to a 13th European crown.

The previous campaign saw Los Blancos overcome Juventus 4–1 in the Champions League final, making history as the first and sole club to claim consecutive European titles.

Real Madrid's historical superiority over Juventus should provide them with considerable confidence going into this Club World Cup knockout encounter. They will likely welcome this draw over potentially facing Manchester City, which would have been their opponent had they finished as Group H runners-up.

The showdown between Real Madrid and Juventus is scheduled for July 1 at Hard Rock Stadium.