Real Madrid have secured a place in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 following their 3-0 win over RB Salzburg.
The Spanish giants are set to face Juventus in their Round of 16 clash, which will be played on July 1.
Juventus will be a formidable opponent for Los Blancos, especially under the leadership of new manager Igor Tudor.
Juventus to miss Nicolo Savona
However, Real Madrid have been dealt with a massive boost heading into this Round of 16 clash, as Juventus are set to miss out on one of their players.
Nicolo Savona is the player in question. Inter Milan confirmed that the highly-rated right-back has been ruled out for the entirety of the competition.
Savona picked up a severe ankle sprain in the recent game against Manchester City, which Juventus 5-2.
Savona picked up a serious injury vs Manchester City (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
“Diagnostic tests revealed a high-grade capsuloligamentous injury. The player has begun his rehabilitation process and will be re-evaluated in a month,” Juventus confirmed in an official statement.
This could be a major blow for Juventus as Savona had started in all three of the team’s group stage matches in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Italian’s injury appears to be quite serious as well and has been ruled out for at least two months, meaning he will be missing the pre-season as well.
While Juventus will lose out on Savona, Real Madrid are likely to be boosted by the return of star player Kylian Mbappe for this important game.
After a draw with Al Hilal, the Real Madrid team has shown glimpses of its true talents under Xabi Alonso and it will be interesting to see whether or not Los Blancos can secure a victory over Juventus and advance to the quarterfinals.