Juventus were eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup at the hands of Real Madrid but, despite their 1-0 defeat at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, there were a number of important takeaways for the Bianconeri.
As they head off for a short break before regrouping for preseason training, those tasked with leading the Turin giants into the 2025/26 campaign will have learned a lot about the squad at their disposal.
What follows is a look at the three most noteworthy things we learned about Juve during their four matches during this competition in the USA, starting with a major positive between the posts.
Michele Di Gregorio is vital to Juventus
Having played every minute of the FIFA Club World Cup, it became increasingly clear that Michele Di Gregorio is one of the club’s best and most important players. The goalkeeper may have kept just one clean sheet and conceded seven goals in four games, but his quality was evident for anyone paying attention.
According to fbRef.com, Di Gregorio made no fewer than 27 saves over those appearances in this competition, that tally of 6.75 per 90 far higher than the 2.15 per 90 he made in Serie A last term.
Nowhere did the 27-year-old make more impact than in the defeat to Real Madrid, pulling off a number of incredible saves to deny Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and others as he found himself repeatedly called into action.
Signed last summer from AC Monza for a fee of €18 million ($19.49 million), Di Gregorio looks like a superb signing already worth far more than that initial transfer fee. He must be a cornerstone of Juve’s plans for the future, while Gennaro Gattuso will surely start including him in Italy squads immediately.
Juventus have serious defensive issues
While Di Gregorio repeatedly spared their blushes, there was no escaping the fact that Juventus have genuine problems at the back. The Italian side possess a serious number of defenders who are simply not good enough to represent a club with ambitions of winning Serie A while competing in the UEFA Champions League.
Lloyd Kelly, a €17.5 million ($20.61 million) acquisition from Newcastle United has looked completely out of his depth even given the slower pace of Italian football. Indeed, Juve have managed just six clean sheets in his 19 appearances to date, conceding a worrying 25 goals in the remaining matches.
Yet, as Gleison Bremer recovers from his serious injury, Kelly is far from the only substandard defender in black and white. Daniele Rugani returned from yet another loan that has failed to lead to a move away, his time at Ajax ending just as spells with Cagliari and Rennes did.
Back in the Juve lineup against Real Madrid, the once-promising defender looked to be the same timid, nervous player the club has given up on three times already. Set to turn 31 later this month, it is clear Rugani is never going to be a viable option for the Bianconeri who need to add reinforcements quickly.
Compounding the feeling of desperation for defenders was the sight of Dean Huijsen starting for Real Madrid. The 20-year-old joined the Spanish side in May, completing a €59.5 million ($70.08 million) move from Bournemouth just 10 months after Juve sold him to the Premier League outfit for a mere €15.2 million ($17.90 million).
“I am surprised that Juventus didn’t see the clear potential of the boy,” Fabio Capello – who managed both Juve and Real Madrid told La Gazzetta dello Sport this week. “Huijsen didn’t just suddenly become good. If he’s playing for Real Madrid at 20, he’s surely good enough for Juventus.”
Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz is a genuine star
Besides Di Gregorio, arguably the only other positive for Juventus from the Club World Cup were the performances of Kenan Yildiz. The Turkey international used the tournament as something of a personal showcase, delivering some stunning performances and sensational goals along the way.
Indeed, in 251 minutes of action over his four appearances in the US, Yildiz weighed in with three goals and two assists, consistently at the heart of everything positive his side produced.
Juventus must hold onto him while seeking solutions for other problems in the team, as they quickly learn the lessons of a tournament that saw them record just two wins and two losses in four outings.
