Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie found the net to guide Juventus to a 2-0 victory in the Champions League against Man City on Wednesday, dealing a significant setback to the English champions’ aspirations of securing a top-eight position in the group stage of Europe’s premier tournament.
Disappointing Run for Champions League Winners
Manchester City, the 2023 Champions League winners, have struggled with a disappointing streak, achieving just one win in their last 10 matches in all competitions.
Man City Confidence and Mental Aspect Under Scrutiny
“Confidence plays a significant role, and clearly, it’s also a mental aspect. You can observe this. At times, just by missing a ball or losing a duel, you can notice how we immediately lose our composure,” stated City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to Amazon Prime.
It has a significant impact on us at this moment. At this critical time, we are making the wrong choices.
Juventus Narrow Victory and Player Performance
Vlahovic found the back of the net by the slimmest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz delivered the ball, and City goalkeeper Ederson mishandled the Serbian’s close-range header, causing the ball to barely cross the line, as confirmed by the goalline technology.
“The entire team performed exceptionally in the match; we trained thoroughly and executed all our responsibilities,” Vlahovic stated to Amazon.
The outcome is fantastic and can provide us with a significant lift for the remainder of the season.
Missed Opportunities and Juventus Clever Play
City increased their urgency in a frantic effort to level the score and pushed more players forward, but Juve took advantage of the situation to extend their lead against the flow of the match when McKennie executed a magnificent volley to convert Timothy Weah’s cross in the 75th minute.
Pep Guardiola’s squad wasted numerous opportunities, with one of the clearest going to Erling Haaland towards the end of the first half.
Kevin De Bruyne delivered a stunning through pass to the Norwegian, allowing him to slip past the defense. He then tried to lob the ball over goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio, who raised his arm to deflect the ball.
Gundogan fired off a powerful shot from a distance that Di Gregorio managed to extend and deflect just out of bounds.
Pep Guardiola Assessment and Tactical Analysis
We did it really, really well, we didn’t lose many balls like in the past, and we got into the positions, Guardiola said.
It is challenging to deal with Italian teams that are so well-organized and defend so deeply, they excel in these types of situations.
Champions League Standings and Future Matches
As they head into the final two matches of the group stage, Juventus sits in 14th place in the standings, whereas City has dropped to 22nd, just three spots away from being automatically eliminated from the tournament.
Since early November, City has allowed more goals (21) in total competitions than any other club in the top five leagues of Europe, marking the worst period in Guardiola’s otherwise impressive managerial career.
Manchester City, who will welcome Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, are set to continue their Champions League journey against Paris St Germain on January 22.
Juventus will travel to Brugge on January 21.
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