05 December 2024
FIFA CLUB WORLD OPPOSITION FOCUS
FIFA CLUB WORLD OPPOSITION FOCUS
FIFA CLUB WORLD OPPOSITION FOCUS
The FIFA Club World Cup draw in Miami saw Juventus drawn in Group G alongside Manchester City, Wydad AC and Al Ain FC.
The Bianconeri face Manchester City next week in the Champions League, but have never faced the Moroccan outfit, nor the club from the United Arab Emirates.
Below are a few fast facts regarding Juve's opponents at next year's tournament in the USA:
- Since the existence of the single group stage in Italy (1929/30), Juventus has only met non-European teams in official matches three times in its history: in the three Intercontinental finals, always against Argentine clubs (Independiente 1973, Argentinos Juniors 1985 and River Plate 1996).
- The last official match played by Juventus against a non-European club was on 26 November 1996, a 1-0 victory over River Plate in the Intercontinental Cup final (in a match decided by a goal from Alessandro Del Piero).
- There are six previous meetings between Juventus and Manchester City: three Bianconeri victories, two draws, one defeat (1-0 on 15 September 1976): the two teams will also meet in Matchday 6 of the current Champions League campaign.
- This will be the fourth different international competition in which Juventus and Manchester City will meet, following match-ups in the UEFA Cup, Europa League, Champions League and Club World Cup.
- Wydad Athletic Club is the team with the most titles in the Moroccan top-flight (22, the last of which they won in 2021/22, a season in which they also won their third CAF Champions League title).
- Wydad will face a European team in an official match for the first time. In general, only one Moroccan club has faced European sides: Raja Club Athletic, defeated by Real Madrid in January 2000 and Bayern Munich in December 2013 in the Club World Cup.