Manchester City's current malaise continues with Champions League defeat
Juventus 2 - 0 Manchester City
Manchester City’s struggles continued as they suffered a potentially damaging defeat to Juventus, leaving their Champions League knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread.
Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie sealed a crucial win for the Italian side, bolstering their chances of progressing automatically as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, however, it marked yet another setback in a torrid run of form, with just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions and a seventh defeat during this miserable spell.
The result leaves City languishing in 22nd place in the Champions League standings, with only two group games remaining. They face Paris Saint-Germain away on 22 January and host Club Brugge a week later. The top eight teams secure automatic progression, while those finishing between ninth and 24th must navigate a two-legged play-off. City remain just one point above PSG in 25th, making their position increasingly precarious.
Once again, City looked a shadow of their former dominant selves. They failed to register a shot on target until just before half-time, when Kevin De Bruyne played in Erling Haaland, only for Michele Di Gregorio to deny the Norwegian striker.
Things unravelled in the second half. Vlahovic’s scrappy header squirmed over the line after a defensive lapse, and McKennie fired home from Timothy Weah’s cross as City, chasing an equaliser, left themselves exposed. Ilkay Gundogan forced a fine save from Di Gregorio, but City’s lack of cutting edge ultimately proved their undoing.
This defeat not only dents City’s European ambitions but also disrupts their preparations for Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
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After showing signs of revival with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on 4 December, City followed it up by salvaging a draw against Crystal Palace, twice coming from behind. However, against Juventus, the cracks reappeared. Guardiola’s side dominated possession in the first half but lacked creativity and penetration, leaving them vulnerable to moments of defensive fragility.
Juventus capitalised eight minutes into the second half. Ederson did well to parry Federico Gatti’s acrobatic volley, but Josko Gvardiol’s misplaced pass allowed Kenan Yildiz to set up Vlahovic for a header that just crossed the line. City’s attempts to raise their intensity backfired as they lost control of the game, leaving them wide open for McKennie’s clincher.
In previous seasons, a 2-0 deficit wouldn’t have seemed insurmountable for City, but this campaign has exposed their struggles to rediscover their resilience and form. With time running out, the challenge to reverse their fortunes grows ever more daunting.
