Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the opening fixtures of the Club World Cup group stage will take place on Thursday at Audi Field in Washington, where Al Ain will face off against Juventus. Here’s a bet on the outcome of this clash with an enticing odds value.
Match preview
The Arabian side qualified for the Club World Cup as AFC Champions League winners and are hoping to replicate their 2018 run, when they reached the final of their home tournament. Despite a dip in their domestic league — where Al Ain finished only sixth — the squad remains competitive, largely thanks to prolific striker Kodjo Laba. Under new head coach Vladimir Ivic, the team is striving to strike a balance between attack and defense, but defensive lapses are still a concern.
Al Ain play an open, attacking brand of football: both teams have scored in 12 of their last 13 AFC Champions League matches. The club’s experience and chemistry on the international stage are also worth noting — they know how to weather the storm, even against more illustrious opponents. With Laba spearheading the attack and if the defense stays disciplined, Al Ain are capable of making life difficult for even such giants as Juventus.
The Turin powerhouse is making its Club World Cup debut and is clearly eager to showcase their quality after an up-and-down season. Juventus booked their ticket thanks to consistent European results over the past four years, but last season’s Champions League campaign ended early once again — this time with a defeat to PSV. Despite finishing fourth in Serie A, Juventus often looked toothless in attack and frequently dropped points against mid-table sides.
Igor Tudor has continued working with the team through the offseason, but there have been no significant improvements in their play so far. Juventus rarely win by a big margin and often settle for draws, especially against teams with a solid defensive setup. Given their struggles to convert chances and a tendency towards low-scoring games, this encounter with a motivated and resilient Al Ain could prove unexpectedly tricky for the Italians.
Probable lineups
- Al Ain: Khalid Eisa – Amadou Niang, Abdul Karim Traore, Kouame Kouadio, Eric – Yahya Nader, Pak Yong-woo, Matias Palacios – Kaku, Kodjo Laba, Soufiane Rahimi
- Juventus: Michele Di Gregorio – Andrea Cambiaso, Lloyd Kelly, Pierre Kalulu, Alberto Costa – Manuel Locatelli, Francisco Conceição, Nicolás González, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah – Arkadiusz Milik
Match facts and head-to-head
- Al Ain have lost by more than two goals only once in their last 115 UAE league matches
- Juventus haven’t won by three or more goals in Serie A in their last 15 matches
- In the AFC Champions League, Al Ain have both scored and conceded in 12 of their last 13 matches
Prediction
Despite the clear difference in pedigree, Juventus will find it tough to beat Al Ain by a big score. The Arabian club are solid at the back and have a standout attacking leader capable of springing a surprise. We expect a Juventus win, but with only a narrow margin. Our bet for this match: "Al Ain to win with a (+2.0) handicap" at odds of 1.81.
