Juventus 2, Manchester City 0: Troubled Premier League Stars Shine with Stunning Goal, Pushing Pep Guardiola’s Team Near Elimination in 22nd Place
MANCHESTER CITY is facing a daunting task in their quest to regain their past stature.
This matchup, set against the stunning backdrop of the Alps, showcased the steep decline they have experienced since late October.
Dusan Vlahovic’s header, which eluded Ederson, along with Weston McKennie’s volley, has left Pep Guardiola’s squad with only one victory in their last ten matches.
Of those encounters, seven have resulted in defeats, and the manager must find a way to boost his fatigued players before the Manchester derby on Sunday.
In recent times, they have cruised through the Champions League group stages with remarkable ease.
However, with the competition resuming in a month, securing a spot in the top 24 is far from guaranteed.
Their next fixture against long-standing rivals Paris Saint-Germain, who are also in vital need of points, will be succeeded by a home match against Club Brugge.
Considering they were crowned European champions just 18 months ago, their current scramble to secure a position in the Last 16 play-offs is alarming.
At present, City seems to be completely lacking in confidence, conceding goals at an alarming pace while struggling to capitalize on their chances.
The last six weeks have been a nightmare for Pep, who notably signed a new two-year contract amidst all this upheaval.
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A trip to Turin may seem daunting, but Juventus have lost four of their last six European fixtures at their Allianz Stadium.
Thiago Motta’s side began the match a few positions below City in the table, barely clinging to a play-off spot.
Frustrated Man City manager Pep Guardiola had an unusual interview discussing Rico Lewis’s red card
Guardiola restored first-choice keeper Ederson, who had been sidelined due to inconsistent performances in the last Champions League match against Feyenoord.
That game – where they squandered a three-goal lead in just 15 minutes – has raised doubts about their ability to advance in the tournament after January.
Pep was again forced to patch up his squad – utilizing Rico Lewis as a left-back following his eventful outing at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
City maintained possession, as Guardiola instructed prior to the match, emphasizing the need to return to their fundamentals.
However, they found it challenging to generate significant chances, while at the back, they were fortunate to see a shot from Kenan Yildiz narrowly miss.
The Turkish winger also outpaced City captain Kyle Walker on multiple occasions.
First-half challenges
England defender Walker can no longer count on his former speed and this time had to rely on Ruben Dias for a vital block.
City, meanwhile, failed to produce a single noteworthy attempt in the opening thirty minutes – the first instance of such a failure in a European match in four years.
Erling Haaland had a shot blocked by Teun Koopmeiners before it fell into the grasp of Michele di Gregorio.
The two faced each other again shortly afterward as the Norwegian pursued a classic pass from Kevin De Bruyne.
Haaland attempted to chip the ball over the home goalkeeper, but he managed just enough to keep it out, resulting in the best chance of the half slipping away.
Guardiola would have been satisfied with the level of possession his team exhibited but slightly worried about their lack of creativity and occasionally sluggish performance.
Juventus takes the lead
After conceding seven goals in their last two matches in this competition, they at least managed to keep the home team scoreless in the first half.
Guardiola understood that failing to secure a win here could jeopardize their chances of finishing in the top eight and qualifying automatically for the Last 16.
A two-legged play-off in February is the last thing a squad already struggling with injuries needs.
Unsurprisingly, City’s best moments came through De Bruyne, whose low cross soon after the restart found Ilkay Gundogan – but the German’s weak effort was blocked.
Those missed opportunities ultimately proved costly as Juventus took the lead when Federico Gatti’s acrobatic effort was parried by Ederson.