Juventus winger Francisco Conceição has made it clear that his team is not going into their final FIFA Club World Cup group stage match with Manchester City just to play it safe they are aiming to win.
Both Juventus and Manchester City have already qualified for the Round of 16 after solid victories over Al Ain and Wydad Casablanca.
However, the top spot in Group G is still up for grabs. While both sides are tied with six points and a +8 goal difference, Juventus currently leads the group thanks to one extra goal scored.
A draw would be enough for the Bianconeri to finish top and potentially avoid an early clash with Real Madrid, who are favorites to top Group H. But Conceição isn’t interested in playing for a draw.
“We have already qualified, but we want to face City to win,” said the 22-year-old Portuguese winger after Juventus’ 4-1 victory over Wydad.
“Every challenge is different. Today, despite the constant fouls of a single player, we maintained our identity and brought home the result.”
Conceição also acknowledged the physical difficulty of the Wydad match, saying:
“It was a tough match against a physical opponent, with many fouls, but we managed to impose our style of play. The heat made it difficult, but that must not be an excuse. We stay focused and do our job the best way possible.”
Juventus already defeated Manchester City once this season a 2-0 win at the Allianz Stadium in the Champions League group stage back in December, with goals from Weston McKennie and Dusan Vlahovic. That result gives the Italian giants confidence going into this crucial matchup.
Winning Group G would not only give Juventus bragging rights but could also give them a more favorable path in the knockout stages. Avoiding Real Madrid until later rounds would be a significant advantage.
As the two European giants prepare to clash, Francisco Conceição has made it clear: Juventus aren’t backing down they’re going for the win.
