Club World Cup: Real Madrid knock out Red Bull Salzburg and will face Juventus

Real Madrid secured top spot in Group H with a 3-0 win over Red Bull Salzburg, their most convincing display yet under Xabi Alonso. They will now face Juventus in the round of 16 next Tuesday.

After a relatively quiet start to the tournament, Madrid’s Vinicius Junior stepped up, playing a decisive role in two of the three goals. He opened the scoring in the 39th minute, finishing off a rapid counter-attack with a trademark move — cutting inside onto his left foot before firing low into the net after a perfectly weighted through-ball from Bellingham.

Less than ten minutes later, the Brazilian international exploited a Salzburg defensive error, driving into the box and setting up Federico Valverde with an audacious backheel.

Part of Vinicius Jr’s renewed impact came from a tactical tweak by Alonso. For the first time since taking charge at Madrid, the Spaniard opted for a back three - a system that brought him success during his Bayer Leverkusen days.

The formation allowed for a fluid front three, with Vinicius cutting in from the left, Bellingham operating from the right, and Gonzalo Garcia leading the line - the latter rounding off the night with a delightful chipped finish in the second half. Fran Garcia and Trent Alexander-Arnold provided width as wing-backs, while Arda Guler and Valverde controlled the midfield.

Crucially, the system not only enhanced Madrid’s attacking play but also resolved some of the defensive frailties exposed during their earlier draw with Al-Hilal and narrow win over Pachuca.

"I don’t think Vinicius needs to be ‘rescued’. He’s doing well but, of course, we all want to encourage him to be decisive. He has that quality, that unique unpredictability. When he’s enjoying his football, it makes a huge difference for the team" Alonso said last Saturday (21 June).

Vini Jr. & Real Madrid dominate as they take down Salzburg 3-0 and advance to the Round of 16! pic.twitter.com/Q7i0907r9b

— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 27, 2025

Madrid unlock Salzburg with a counter-attack masterclass

From the first whistle, Madrid dominated possession, though they struggled to break down Salzburg’s compact shape. Clear chances were limited - until the 39th minute, their only real opportunity came when Bellingham slid a pass through for Vinicius, whose tame effort was saved.

Madrid’s best opportunities in the opening period came from low crosses into dangerous areas, but the Austrian defence stood firm until they were undone by Madrid’s speed in transition - and again shortly after when Alexander-Arnold’s delivery nearly brought a second.

Salzburg threaten but Madrid punish late on

After the restart, Madrid were content to manage the tempo rather than press relentlessly for more goals — a cautious approach that allowed Salzburg a foothold in the match. The Austrians enjoyed their best spell midway through the half, carving out several opportunities.

Courtois was called upon to deny Maurits Kjaergaard’s long-range effort and produced a smart stop from Daghim inside the box. Kjaergaard then squandered another promising chance, blazing over following a neat cutback.

But while Salzburg lacked composure in the final third, Madrid were clinical. With seven minutes remaining, Gonzalo Garcia sealed the victory with a delightful chipped finish, wrapping up an assured performance for Los Blancos.

This article was originally published on Trivela.