Juventus defeated Manchester City 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie.
The English champions’ dreams of finishing in the top eight in the group stage of Europe’s top competition were severely damaged.
City, who won the 2023 Champions League title, has been in dismal form lately, winning only one of their last ten games in all competitions.
According to goalline technology, Vlahovic scored by the smallest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz swung the ball in and City keeper Ederson mishandled the Serb’s header from close range, allowing the ball to slip just over the line.
In a last-ditch effort to tie the score, City increased the pace and put people forward, but Juve took advantage of the situation to double their lead in the 75th minute when McKennie hooked Timothy Weah’s cross in with a magnificent volley.
Erling Haaland had one of the best chances late in the first half, but Pep Guardiola’s team wasted many more.
The Norwegian slipped in behind the defence after Kevin De Bruyne’s lovely through pass, but goalie Michele di Gregorio blocked the shot by throwing up his arm.
Di Gregorio reached out to just push wide a blazing long-range shot from Gundogan. Juventus is in 14th place with two games left in the group stage, while City fell to 22nd place, three spots short of immediate elimination.
The worst stretch in Guardiola’s otherwise stellar managerial career has occurred since the beginning of November, when City has given up more goals (21) in all competitions than any other team in Europe’s big five leagues.
City will play Paris St. Germain in the Champions League on January 22 after hosting Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. On January 21, Juventus will travel to Brugge.
