Islamabad, July 2, 2025: Trent Alexander-Arnold recorded his debut assist in Real Madrid colors as Xabi Alonso’s squad secured a spot in the Club World Cup quarter-finals with a triumph over Juventus in Real Madrid vs Juventus.
In his fourth consecutive start at the tournament, Alexander-Arnold had a quiet opening half at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium but came alive in the second, delivering a sublime cross that Gonzalo Garcia converted with a precise header just nine minutes after the break in the thrilling Real Madrid vs Juventus showdown..
Alonso stuck with his preferred 5-3-2 setup against Italy’s most decorated club, though Madrid’s backline appeared shaky in the early phases. Juventus nearly took the lead when Randal Kolo Muani squandered a glorious one-on-one opportunity, lofting the ball over the bar after being sent through by Kenan Yildiz, who moments earlier saw a fierce strike deflect narrowly wide.
Madrid’s closest attempt in the first half came via Jude Bellingham, who was denied from a tight angle by the outstanding Michele di Gregorio. Federico Valverde also came close, only to be foiled by a brilliant one-handed stop from the Juventus shot-stopper.
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Di Gregorio continued his heroics after the interval, frustrating Bellingham and Dean Huijsen again, but could do little about Garcia’s bullet header, which powered into the net.
Garcia was later substituted for Kylian Mbappe, who made his first tournament appearance following a bout of gastroenteritis.
Madrid will now face Borussia Dortmund in the last eight.
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Alexander-Arnold’s debut assist will delight fans, who hope it’s the first of many. Known for his delivery at Liverpool, his cross to Garcia was textbook – curling perfectly for the youngster to net his third goal of the competition.
Garcia’s goal capped another strong showing, continuing his scoring streak and drawing comparisons to club icon Raul. Meanwhile, Di Gregorio stood tall for Juventus, while Kolo Muani will regret his missed chance.
