Manchester City put five past Juventus to clinch top spot and qualify for the Round of 16 of the inaugural 32 team FIFA Club World Cup.
Jeremy Doku put the Blues in front early with his second goal so far in this tournament on before Teun Koopmeiners equalised for the Old Lady.
A bizarre Pierre Kalulu own goal meant the Blues retook the lead, before Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Savinho added their names to the scoresheet in the second half.
Reported Manchester United target Dusan Vlahovic pulled one back in the final ten minutes, but it was too late for Juventus, who still managed to qualify in second place.
The Blue will face Al Hilal in the Round of 16 in the early hours of Tuesday morning, whilst Juventus face Real Madrid later that evening.
Here are three things we learned from the clash in Orlando:
Doku is showing real signs of development
Juventus FC v Manchester City FC: Group G - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
I think for the first time in his City career, Doku is showing the things that have stopped him from truly developing into a great player, a player good enough to succeed at City - goal contributions and consistency.
That’s two games in a row that he’s scored, and both of them were excellent finishes. But most importantly for me, he is showing that he’s making progress towards delivering a more consistent final pass and is more measured, whilst still destroying his defender several times a game.
The Belgian winger is in his third season at the club - make or break year for him. If he can continue this Club World Cup form, he’ll make a huge difference this season and cement his future.
I’ve been critical of him before, but I really want him to succeed at City and for the first time since his first few weeks at the club, I’m very confident that he will.
The new coaching staff are making a difference
Juventus FC v Manchester City FC: Group G - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Pedro Monteverde/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
The image of Pep Guardiola celebrating on the touchline with his new assistant coaches James French, Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure could well symbolise the upcoming season.
Guardiola decided he needed fresh faces and new ideas, with Juanma Lillo, Inigo Dominguez and Carlos Vicens leaving.
Lijnders worked as Jurgen Klopp’s right hand man at Liverpool. He’s rumoured to be the person who suggested to Klopp that Trent Alexander-Arnold should be given a more free role to tuck into midfield (a move which saved Liverpool’s season) and has been seen in training to be encouraging the players to move the ball quicker.
French, meanwhile, worked behind the scenes at Liverpool but is now a set piece coach with the Blues. Including Haaland’s penalty and Claudio Echeverri’s freekick, the Blues have scored five goals from set pieces so far this Club World Cup campaign.
And Toure, a former City captain but somewhat overshadowed by his brother Yaya, has been seen gelling with the players in training and is one of the more vocal members of the backroom staff.
Jack Gaughan’s report seemed to imply he has been brought on initially just for the Club World Cup, but after seeing the impact he’s made so far they’d be daft not to keep him on for next season.
This group stage has been really promising for City. Much has been made of the new signings, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders, but the coaching staff are seemingly having just as big an impact.
Nunes is a great right back for the system
Juventus FC v Manchester City FC: Group G - FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento is an amazing player, but right now, it’s difficult to ignore the form of Matheus Nunes.
As well as Doku, Reijnders, Savinho, Ait-Nouri and Haaland played against Juventus, my man of the match was the Portuguese former Wolves player.
He’s come into his own as a full back. Highlighted by Guardiola as a better wide player than he is a central player, his athleticism and creativity makes him the perfect flying full back.
Question marks remain as to whether he’s good enough defensively, but he’ll improve with more minutes in the position.
Offensively, he’s effectively an extra attacker from defence and allows the likes of Foden, Cherki and Oscar Bobb from the wings to drift inside whilst he maintains width.
Signing Livramento may not bode well for Rico Lewis, but it shouldn’t impact Nunes’s place in the squad.