Luke Lindholm
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 has been filled with drama, goals and extra time thus far. We have another great slate today featuring Inter vs Fluminense and Manchester City vs Al-Hilal. Following today’s action, the Round of 16 concludes tomorrow. I’ve been red-hot to start the knockout stage after going 3-1 over the weekend. I’m now 18-6 with my FIFA Club World Cup picks, which is why I’m previewing tomorrow’s slate featuring these two games:
- Real Madrid vs Juventus – 3:00 pm ET, DAZN
- Borussia Dortmund vs Monterrey – 9:00 pm ET, TNT and DAZN
We’re still waiting for our first major upset in the Round of 16, but I’m not sure we’ll get one tomorrow. However, both games will be a great watch, so let’s dive into my two FIFA Club World Cup picks to kick off July.
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Real Madrid vs Juventus best bets: Real Madrid 3-Way ML and Over 1.5 (-105)
*Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing*
The first game on Tuesday features two clubs quite familiar with one another, as Real Madrid takes on Juventus. Los Blancos finished atop Group H, as they went 2-1-0 under new manager Xabi Alonso. While some Madrid fans may have been worried after they drew Al-Hilal 1-1 in the opening match, those worries were quickly erased thanks to 3-1 and 3-0 victories over Pachuca and RB Salzburg. The Spaniards played their best match of the group stage in their final game against Salzburg, as they picked up 2 first-half goals from Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde and allowed just 3 shots on target. It’s worth noting that this game marked the first time CB Antonio Rudiger started at this tournament, mainly because Raul Asencio was suspended after picking up a red card against Pachuca. I expect him to be in Alonso’s starting XI against Juventus.
Juventus enters this Round of 16 tilt after finishing 2nd in Group G. The Italian squad was rolling in their first 2 games before Manchester City gave them a wake-up call, as the Citizens dismantled them 5-2 in their final group-stage match. I expected a bit more from the Turin squad, but they never stood a chance against City, and I’m not sure how they’ll slow down this Madrid team. The game was 1-1 after the 11th minute, but a Pierre Kalulu own goal made it 2-1, and Man City added 3 second-half goals to blow the game open 5-1. Igor Tudor will have to take a more conservative approach if he wants his squad to have a chance in this one, but even that may not be enough to stop this Madrid squad.
Madrid looked a little shaky in their opening game, but they’ve settled in during the last 2 matches, and I find it hard seeing Juventus getting by them. Additionally, Rudiger is back in the starting lineup, and they’re a different animal when the 32-year-old CB plays. The other big news to watch is the status of Kylian Mbappe, as the French forward hasn’t played at the FIFA Club WC due to a stomach bug, but Alonso said he should be back in the squad for the knockout stage. He had scored in 8 straight matches for club and country entering the tournament, so he will be an X-Factor if he makes it onto the pitch.
Juventus has done well under Igor Tudor, as they’re 7-3-2 since he took over, but the competition they’ve played during that stretch hasn’t been too impressive. His best win came against Udinese in Serie A, but they finished 12th in the league, and his squad struggled against Roma (1-1) and Lazio (1-1) and were destroyed by City. Meanwhile, Madrid bounced back after their opening draw, and each of the Spaniards’ last 6 victories featured at least 2 goals. I expect Xabi Alonso’s squad to get the job done in 90 minutes in a game that should feature 2+ scores.
My Pick: Same Game Parlay – Real Madrid 3-Way ML and Over 1.5 (-105)
Read our full Real Madrid vs Juventus prediction
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Borussia Dortmund vs Monterrey predictions: Dortmund to Qualify, Serhou Guirassy 2+ Shots and 1+ Shots on Target (-115)
*Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at the time of publishing*
The second match tomorrow pits Borussia Dortmund, the winners of Group F, against Monterrey, the runners-up in Group E. Both teams enter this game undefeated at the FIFA Club WC, as the Germans posted a 2-1-0 record, and the Mexican squad went 1-2-0, allowing just 1 goal against Inter Milan. Borussia Dortmund are the favorites in this one, and the Bundesliga side has played well outside of their opening 0-0 draw against Fluminense. Although they were shut out in that game, they followed it up with a 4-3 shootout win against Mamelodi Sundowns before taking out Ulsan HD 1-0. Although they only scored 1 goal in that game, they recorded 3.37 xG, and Ulsan HD GK was outstanding. I anticipate that Dortmund can replicate this offensive performance even though getting one past Monterrey’s backline will be difficult.
Monterrey finished 2nd in Group E, but they did well to record draws against Inter (1-1) and River Plate (0-0) before taking care of business against Urawa Reds (4-0) in the third group-stage match. As you can see, their defense has played extremely well at this tournament, which is no surprise given they’re anchored by CB Sergio Ramos in the back. He’s brought feisty leadership to the Mexican squad, and they haven’t allowed more than 2 goals in a match since January. Even though Dortmund has 3+ goals in 7 of their last 9 matches, I expect goals will be hard to come by in this game.
Overall, Monterrey has impressed at this tournament, but going up against Dortmund will be a tall task. European clubs have dominated Mexican opponents at the Club World Cup, as they’re unbeaten in their last 13 meetings, posting a 10-3-0 record. Additionally, the Germans have been on a tear the past few months, as they are 10-2-1 in their latest 13 matches with their only defeat coming against FC Barcelona. I expect them to take care of business, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they need extra time.
I expect Borussia Dortmund to advance, but they will need a strong effort from Serhou Guirassy. I backed him to score or assist a goal when they played Ulsan HD, and although he failed to do so, he had plenty of chances. The Guinean striker recorded 7 shots and 4 shots on target in that game, and he’s recorded at least 2 shots and 1 shot on target in 9 of Dortmund’s last 12 matches. I expect him to test Monterrey’s back four early and often, and he should extend his shooting streak to 10 out of 13 games when he faces them tomorrow night.
My Pick: Same Game Parlay – Dortmund to Qualify, Serhou Guirassy 2+ Shots and 1+ Shots on Target (-115)
Read our full Borussia Dortmund vs Monterrey prediction
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