Pep Guardiola’s team extended their dismal run in football as Manchester City suffered yet another setback. Juventus took full advantage of their opponent’s struggles, taking a step closer to regaining form and bolstering their chances of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage. Despite a second-half push after conceding early, Manchester City failed to break free from their web of failures.
At the Allianz Stadium on Wednesday night, the hosts secured a 2-0 victory. Dusan Vlahovic opened the scoring for Juventus, and Weston McKennie doubled the lead to seal the win.
This win marked a turnaround for Juventus, who had been winless in their last three Champions League matches following two consecutive wins to start the campaign. After a loss and two draws, they finally returned to winning ways, climbing eight spots in the standings. Juventus now sit 14th with 11 points from three wins and two draws, while Manchester City remain in 22nd place with 8 points.
Both teams have been struggling for over a month, and their on-field woes were evident in this clash as they took a long time to find their rhythm.
While possession shifted back and forth, neither side could muster any incisive attacks in the first half. In the opening 30 minutes, there was just one shot, and it wasn’t on target—Juventus’ attempt. Despite dominating possession, City didn’t register a single shot during this period, marking one of their most lackluster starts in the Champions League in four years. The last time they had such a slow start was against Porto in December 2020, when their first shot came in the 33rd minute.
City finally registered their first attempt in the 36th minute, and their first shot on target followed three minutes later. Erling Haaland’s effort inside the box was met with a sharp save by the Juventus goalkeeper.
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute. Juventus’ Federico Gatti’s overhead kick was blocked by the City goalkeeper, but Dusan Vlahovic headed home a cross moments later. The ball bounced off Ederson’s chest and crossed the goal line before the Brazilian goalkeeper could recover. The referee signaled for a goal, confirming Juventus’ lead.
After falling behind, City ramped up their attacks. In the 68th minute, Ilkay Gündoğan unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box, but Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio dived to tip it away for a corner.
City’s hopes of a comeback were dashed in the 75th minute when Weston McKennie scored a stunning goal. A cross from the right flank found McKennie near the penalty spot, and the U.S. midfielder finished with a brilliant volley.
City managed just one more shot on target in the closing minutes, a tame effort from Rico Lewis that was easily dealt with by Di Gregorio.
With this defeat, Manchester City’s chances of advancing to the next stage of the Champions League grew even slimmer. Struggling across all competitions, they have now won just one of their last 10 matches, leaving their domestic campaign in disarray as well.
