Juventus 1 Manchester City 0
Manchester City’s hopes of winning the group and obtaining an attractive last-16 draw are remote following this defeat. They must defeat Borussia Mönchengladbach and hope Sevilla beat Juventus in the final round of games to do so.
A disappointing evening was summed up by the excellent Joe Hart having to be replaced near the close by Willy Caballero, the goalkeeper indicating a hamstring had been hurt.
The pre-kick-off fare was pure theatre. To the sound of a booming PA, the tifosi waved black and white flags – their beloved side’s colours – and one stand of the soberly named Juventus Stadium spelt out Juve in a bout of Broadway standard stage management.
A first opening emerged when Mario Mandzukic was found with plenty of space, but the header from the striker was misdirected. Paul Pogba produced a smart drag-back and pass with his heel but Felix Brych blew for offside and then City had the best chance thus far.
Kevin De Bruyne swung in a cross from the left and Yaya Touré tangled with Giorgio Chiellini. The ball broke to Fernandinho who should have scored but instead the shot was blasted over.
Immediately, City paid the price. Juve moved up the other end, Alex Sandro curved the ball over from his left corridor, and Mandzukic volleyed easily beyond Hart. Nicolás Otamendi appealed to Brych for a foul but he had allowed the striker to move the wrong side so had himself to blame for the tumble that followed the pair’s grapple.
The ease with which City had been sucker-punched was similar to Saturday’s debacle at Etihad Stadium where Liverpool were 2-0 ahead by 23 minutes and City ended up on the wrong end of a 4-1 drubbing. At least they were only one behind after 24 minutes here.
Yet moments later Juve’s advantage was nearly doubled. The excellent Pogba was again the visitors’ tormentor. This time he zipped into a yard of turf along the left and flashed the ball past Hart and when Gaël Clichy tried to clear first-time the ball stuck and the Frenchman was fortunate no opposing player was near enough to punish him.
It has become a hoary chestnut because it is true: when Vincent Kompany is absent City can be disorganised and hapless at the back. The next illustration came when Stephan Lichtsteiner had time to cushion a header into Mandzukic and the Croat’s instant hit warmed Hart’s fingers as he made a fine save.
This was now a test for City. They had been second best so could they soak up the punishment and find a way back into the contest? As long as the score remained 1-0 there was every chance, though the corollary of this was they had to take any opportunity.
When De Bruyne aimed a free-kick straight out from an advanced position on the right this, then, was wasteful. But the closing minutes of the half were spent near Juve’s goal, which was an encouragement, though Lichtsteiner again exposed the defence when racing clear of Clichy. Eventually, he ran out of space.
Agüero was put in by a loose backpass from Alex Sandro and the 37-year-old Gianluigi Buffon showed his enduring class by smothering the peril and now there was respite for City as Brych blew for the break.
For this penultimate Group D match, Pellegrini had retained the strategy that damaged Sevilla in the previous outing. This has Touré released to operate further ahead and two holding players behind him, Fernando and Fernandinho.
Clichy made a first start of the campaign following a foot injury, and Jesús Navas was preferred to Raheem Sterling, who was a substitute. Of the XI he sent out Pellegrini said: “We hope the performance will be similar to Sevilla, though obviously it’s not the same team.”
Agüero for Wilfried Bony was a trade-up, though the creaking Martin Demichelis for the injured Kompany was the opposite, and when the second half began it appeared only a matter of time before Pellegrini turned to the devilry of Sterling, who was acquired for these kind of nights.
Now, City came close to the equaliser. De Bruyne’s corner was headed by Fernando at Buffon, who mishandled onto his left post before recovering as Touré closed in.
It was Massimiliano Allegri who made the first change. To be able to swap Álvaro Morato for Mandzukic is a sweet option to have, and there was nearly an instant dividend. The No 9 chipped Hart and Stefano Sturaro’s stabbed attempt rebounded off the right post.
As the hour passed Pellegrini had made one switch but this was hardly an attacking one, as Fabian Delph entered for Fernandinho.
Sterling was introduced with around 20 minutes left, replacing Agüero. The star striker had hardly had a sight of goal. It was the story for City throughout.
(Guardian service)
