Juventus Outscores Manchester City 2-0, Placing Pressure on Pep Guardiola's Shoulders
Amidst both teams desperate for a win, it was Juventus who secured three points in their UEFA Champions League clash, winning 2-0 against Manchester City.
In fact, the Premier League champions have been struggling lately. Since their victory over Southampton on October 26, Pep Guardiola's team has only managed a single victory, with two draws and six defeats in all competitions in the following ten games.
On the other hand, Juventus appeared to be just as unlikely to secure a victory, having drawn four consecutive games and winning only twice in their last seven matches.
Dusan Vlahovic Adds to Manchester City's Woes
Despite reinforcing his squad with the return of Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz, Thiago Motta was still burdened with a long list of injuries: Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Andrea Cambiaso, Nico Gonzalez, and Arek Milik all remained sidelined.
As a result, the initial stages of the game saw both teams cautious, each trying to minimise risks while maintaining a compact and organized formation.
Unfortunately, the opening 20 minutes passed without much excitement, with the first notable attempt coming from Kenan Yildiz, who just missed the target with a powerful shot. Erling Haaland had Manchester City's first attempt on goal, but his effort was saved by Michele Di Gregorio, while the Italian keeper denied Haaland yet again after a clever pass from Kevin De Bruyne.
The teams went into halftime without a goal, but in the 53rd minute, Juventus took the lead. A perfect pass from Yildiz found Dusan Vlahovic, who outjumped Josko Gvardiol and beat Ederson with a close-range shot, with goal-line technology confirming that the ball had crossed the line.
City had opportunities through Jeremy Doku and Ilkay Gundogan, but Juventus managed to thwart their attacks before increasing their lead on the counterattack. Tim Weah provided a cross for Weston McKennie, who finished with an acrobatic volley from 10 yards.
Manuel Locatelli Guides Juventus to Victory
The final 20 minutes saw City maintain possession without creating many clear-cut chances, with Juventus' midfield working diligently to protect their goal and manage the flow of the game.
Manuel Locatelli, whose good form was discussed in a previous column, played a key role in securing the win. According to WhoScored.com, the Italian midfielder made six tackles, four clearances, and blocked two shots during the 90+ minutes of action.
Thiago Motta praised his players for their intelligent display in his post-match interview, praising their heart, soul, and unity.
"We played with heart and soul, but also with our heads and with the desire to do things the right way," Motta said. "We knew before the game that we would have to defend deeply more than usual, but we did it as a team.
"In attack, we also had to go together, strike at the right time, and that is what we did. The important thing is that we are in sync, we know what we want to do, what we need at this moment."
Juventus next face Venezia, while City face United in a highly anticipated Manchester derby.
Despite Manchester City's recent struggles under Pep Guardiola, with only one win in ten games since their victory over Southampton, Juventus also had their share of difficulties, drawing four games and winning only twice in their last seven matches. However, it was Juventus who managed to exploit City's vulnerabilities, as Dusan Vlahovic's header in the 53rd minute gave them a 1-0 lead, a goal that was confirmed by goal-line technology. In the closing stages of the game, Manuel Locatelli, who had an impressive performance, helped Juventus maintain their lead and secure a 2-0 win, further strengthening their position in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
