Juventus coach Igor Tudor thought that his team was going in the right direction after playing some brilliant football to beat the Emirati side already 5-0 in their club World Cup opener on Wednesday.
Tudor took over from Thiago Motta in March in the midst of a disappointing campaign after Juve had left all the cup matches. He helped the club to end in the Serie A to get a return to the Champions League next year.
Juventus is one of the largest clubs in the world with expectations of success every season, but won the last of their 36 Series A titles in 2020.
They are also more than two decades without a major international trophy and the renewed club World Cup gives them the chance to change that.
Club management has thrown their weight behind Tudor to lead the team's revival, whereby the coach expands his contract until 2028 earlier this month.
Tudor explained after the game: “I felt that the team really cared about this game, they were really motivated. They were on their courage. They have that desire.
Al Ain vs Juventus Match Statsopta by StatesPerform
“There was nice energy between the players who want to work hard for each other, to run for each other. I felt that it really got through, and I think the players felt that themselves.
“We are going in the right direction. There are always things that you have to improve … A team is a living being, it is never the same from one day to the next.”