Nightmare for Guardiola continues as Juventus beats Man City 2-0; Bologna holds Benfica to a goalless draw

City, which lifted the 2023 Champions League title, continued a poor run of form which has brought only one victory in its last 10 games across all competitions.

Since the start of November, City has conceded more goals (21) across all competitions than any other team in Europe’s big five leagues, the worst spell in Guardiola’s otherwise sparkling managerial career.
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Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie scored to lead Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday, a major blow to the English champion’s hopes of clinching a top-eight spot in the group stage of Europe’s elite competition.

City, which lifted the 2023 Champions League title, continued a poor run of form which has brought only one victory in its last 10 games across all competitions.

“(Confidence) is a big part of it, obviously it’s a mental issue as well. You can see that. You can see that sometimes one action we miss the ball or lose a duel and you can see that we drop immediately,” City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told Amazon Prime.

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“It has such a big effect on us right now. At the crucial moment right now we are doing the wrong things.”

Vlahovic scored by the narrowest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz swung the ball in and City ‘keeper Ederson fumbled the Serb’s header from close range and the ball sneaked just across the line, according to the goalline technology.

Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match against Manchester City.
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“The whole team played an excellent match, we prepared well and did everything what we had to do,” Vlahovic told Amazon.

“The result is amazing and can give us a great boost for the rest of the season.”

City picked up the tempo in a desperate attempt to equalise and sent numbers forward, but Juve capitalised to double its lead against the run of play when McKennie hooked Timothy Weah’s cross in with a sumptuous volley in the 75th minute.

Pep Guardiola’s team squandered several chances, one of the best falling to Erling Haaland late in first half.

Pep Guardiola stays positive after Manchester City’s woes continue against Juventus

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola remained upbeat after watching his team lose 2-0 at Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday to continue its alarming form slump.

Guardiola’s side anguish 22nd in the Champions League table, only three places out of automatic elimination from the competition with two games remaining.

The Premier League champion has recorded just one victory in its last 10 games across all competitions.

“We played good, really really good,” Guardiola told reporters.

“So we missed the last pass, the last action, of course, some transitions happen, but I’m so proud of these players, they give everything and they tried, and now we live in this period, and hopefully we can change and get results. I know it’s difficult, it’s difficult in Champions League in Europe, but we play really good,” he added.

City’s last two matches in the group phase are against Paris St Germain and Club Brugge.

The competition’s new format sees the top eight teams after eight rounds of the league phase advance into the round of 16 and avoid a playoff, which is now almost out of reach for Guardiola’s team.

“We have two games. We need one point maybe, one victory, the last one is at home, and the situation is because the game against Feyenoord (when City gave up a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3) and especially Inter Milan (a 0-0 draw),” the Spaniard said.

“But our three games away were really, really, really tough and you have to accept it. And when we turn around, we don’t forget that period, we appreciate more what we have done in the past, what they are going to in the future,” Pep added

City hosts local rival Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.