Igor Tudor reveals why 10 players 'asked to be substituted' in Juventus' Club World Cup loss to Real Madrid
Published 02/07/2025 at 14:32 GMT+1
Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 in Miami to advance to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. The game was played in hot conditions and Juve head coach Igor Tudor said "the exhaustion was incredible" and a number of players were asking to be replaced. Tudor also added that it is "time to rest" now before Juve start preparing for the 2025/26 campaign.x
Garcia enjoying 'opportunity of a lifetime' after match-winning display
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Juventus head coach Igor Tudor revealed that 10 players asked to be substituted during the FIFA Club World Cup defeat to Real Madrid due to the "really difficult" conditions.
Juve were beaten 1-0 by Madrid as Gonzalo Garcia converted from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross for the winner.
The temperature in Miami for the game was around 30°C with a humidity of 70%.
Although that is not as hot as it has been at some other Club World Cup matches, Tudor said it took its toll on his players.
"The conditions were really difficult today," said the Juventus boss, who made the maximum five substitutions.
"In the end, 10 players asked to be substituted. The exhaustion was incredible.
"There's the tension of this match, which burns your energy. Then there's this heat, which really gets to you, and the third thing that completes the conditions is playing in this humidity.
"All of these conditions make it much more difficult."
A number of matches at the tournament have been impacted by the weather.
Borussia Dortmund substitutes watched the first half of their game against Mamelodi Sundowns in Ohio in the dressing room due to the heat outside, while Bayern Munich faced Benfica as the temperature hit 36°C in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said it was "impossible" to train amid a "code red" severe heat warning in Philadelphia, before seeing their last 16 tie with Benfica suspended for two hours because of extreme weather.
There have also been cooling breaks in 33 out of 56 games.
"I think it is time to rest now," added Tudor, who was appointed in March to replace Thiago Motta.
"We will have three weeks of rest, so I don't think it [Club World Cup] will affect us in a negative way. But yes, we need to get some rest, start again and be stronger.
"The guys really gave it all, we played all our best cards and it wasn't enough unfortunately.
"If there are lessons, we know we can compete against some of the best players in the world and it is a precious experience when you play against clubs of a higher level."
Real Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.
The tie was an opportunity for brothers Jude and Jobe Bellingham to face each other, but Jobe will not be in the Dortmund team after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament to earn a one-match ban.
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