Manchester City Thrashes Juventus 5-2 as Rodri and Doku Shine in Club World Cup

Manchester City Overpowers Juventus with Attacking Flair

The FIFA Club World Cup turned up the heat as Manchester City stormed to a clear 5-2 win against Juventus, leaving fans in no doubt about their title ambitions. The game was more than just a scoreline; it was a statement of intent. From the first whistle, City set the pace, controlling the tempo and suffocating Juventus with relentless pressure in every area of the pitch.

This was Rodri’s night to shine. After weeks on the sidelines, he slotted back into the lineup looking as assured as ever. Every attack seemed to pass through him—whether it was spreading play wide, calmly breaking up Juventus counters, or timing a tackle just right. His presence in midfield acted like a magnet, drawing in defenders and opening up spaces for his teammates. You could almost hear a sigh of relief from City’s fans when they saw him dictating the tempo again.

But if Rodri was City’s engine, Jeremy Doku was its spark plug. His first few touches showed he was in the mood to cause chaos. Every time he got the ball, Juventus defenders backed off, not quite sure if he’d burst past them or whip in a dangerous cross. Doku was involved in several of City’s best moves, setting up goals and nearly scoring one himself. At one point, he danced through three defenders as if he was in a training drill, not a World Cup clash. It’s these flashes of brilliance that make him such a nightmare to defend against.

Juventus Tactics Backfire and Future Plans in Doubt

On the other side, Juventus boss Igor Tudor tried to outsmart the current European champions with a defensive setup. He kept promising forward Kenan Yildiz and winger Andrea Cambiaso on the bench, hoping that quick counters would be enough. But by halftime, it was clear that the plan wasn’t working. Juventus barely threatened unless City made mistakes—and with Rodri in charge, mistakes were rare.

Yildiz’s absence was felt. When he finally came on, Juventus did look a little more dangerous. His impact was immediate, feeding Dusan Vlahovic for a consolation goal that showed what might have been if he’d started. Still, a single burst of quality couldn’t cover up Juventus’s lack of creativity and threat in the final third. Cambiaso, another player who’s sparked games off the bench this season, could only watch as City’s defenders had one of their most comfortable nights in weeks.

With the loss, Juventus now faces the tough reality of likely meeting Real Madrid in the Round of 16. It’s hard to see their current tactics standing up to another European giant. There’s talk already that Tudor won’t risk leaving talents like Yildiz and Cambiaso on the bench again, especially with the club’s attacking depth looking thinner than ever. Turin fans know that simply sitting back and hoping for the best isn’t a recipe for beating elite clubs—not when their rivals are fielding the likes of Rodri and Doku, who can dismantle even the most rigid of defensive systems.

City’s blend of star power and slick teamwork was on full display, sending a signal to anyone left in the tournament that they’ll need more than just hope to take down this machine. The Manchester City midfield continues to set the standard for modern football—mixing strength, skill, and composure under pressure like nobody else around.