Manchester City’s struggles continued on Wednesday as they suffered a costly 2-0 loss to Juventus, putting their Champions League knockout stage hopes in serious jeopardy.
Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie secured a vital victory for Juventus, boosting their chances of automatic progression as one of the top eight teams in the league phase. For City, the defeat marked their seventh loss in 10 matches across all competitions, with just one win during this troubling stretch.
The result leaves Pep Guardiola’s side in 22nd place in the Champions League standings with two group-stage games remaining. City face an uphill battle to maintain their playoff spot, sitting just one point ahead of Paris Saint-Germain in 25th. Their final fixtures—a trip to PSG on January 22 and a home match against Club Brugge a week later—are now must-win encounters.
Against Juventus, City once again fell short of their usual standards. Their attack struggled to find rhythm, managing only one shot on target in the first half—a tame effort from Erling Haaland, set up by Kevin De Bruyne, easily saved by Juventus goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio.
Juventus took control in the second half. Vlahovic broke the deadlock with a scrappy header that crossed the line after a chaotic goalmouth scramble. McKennie sealed the win with a well-taken volley from Timothy Weah’s cross, capitalizing on defensive lapses as City pushed forward in search of an equalizer.
Ilkay Gündogan came closest for City, forcing a fine save from Di Gregorio, but their attacking display lacked the sharpness needed to challenge Juventus’s resolute defense.
The defeat not only dents City’s European ambitions but also leaves them with minimal momentum ahead of Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
This poor run of form contrasts sharply with City’s recent dominance and raises questions about their ability to turn their season around in both domestic and European competitions.
