Juventus vs Man City LIVE: Champions League reaction as Vlahovic and McKennie goals earn fine win
Juventus 2-0 Man City: Pep Guardiola’s team slumped to a seventh defeat in 10 games
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Your support makes all the difference.Pep Guardiola’s side suffered a seventh defeat in 10mgames when they were beaten 2-0 away at Juventus leaving them on the verge of an early Champions League exit.
For all the pre-match talk of legacy and a fighting mentality, City looked nervous and slow as they attempted to assert some control on the game by maintaining possession. Too often they failed to create openings for Erling Haaland and the striker only had one good opportunity to score in the first half but was denied by Michele Di Gregorio.
Playing with a mid-low block worked to frustrate City and Juve opened up more in the second half, pushing higher up the pitch and opening the scoring through Dusan Vlahovic’s headed effort. City’s defence, which at times looked shaky, failed to properly clear the danger and were punished.
The hosts added a second with a superb counter attack that was finished off by American duo Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie with the former Leeds United midfielder putting the cap on a fine night for the Serie A side.
Relive the Champions League action with our live blog below:
Juventus 0-0 Man City
30 mins: Half an hour played and I’m genuinely unsure whether Erling Haaland has touched the ball yet. If he has he’s not had more than three touches.
City are doing their best to control play but they aren’t creating a whole lot.
Ah! Lewis sends the ball up to Haaland but, as he’s being man-marked, has to drop deep to get the ball. He sends it straight back to Lewis.
Well he’s had at least one touch now.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
27 mins: Wonderful hold up play from Vlahovic as he takes on Ruben Dias and Rico Lewis after winning control of a long ball. He brings it down and turns toward goal before getting brought down.
The resultant free kick doesn’t trouble City who recover the ball quickly and look to build slowly out from the back again.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
24 mins: Oh! Jeremy Doku does a step-over and dribbles at Nicolo Savona before cutting inside and slipping a pass into the box for Kevin De Bruyne’s darting run.
De Bruyne collects the ball and cuts it inside where Erling Haaland is waiting. It seems like a sure chance but Pierre Kalulu intercepts the ball and boots it away.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
21 mins: Koopmeiners looks for space over on the left in behind Kyle Walker. He collects a through ball and sends a cross into the box only to get flagged offside.
City’s high line is paying off in this half, they just need to put something together in the opposite side of the pitch.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
18 mins: Juventus have struggled to score goals and one of the reasons is that Duson Vlahovic is isolated up top. His two wide players, Francisco Conceicao and Kenan Yildiz are too deep to supply him with opportunities close to goal.
A cross from the right wing is well defended by Man City but the ball comes out to Yildiz. He shoots from range and forces the effort just wide of the target!
Close one.
‘Interesting to see Grealish play deeper'
“Not that much to report from a footballing perspective but interesting to see Jack Grealish often in a deeper role than normal and when he pushes up, Rico Lewis inverts from left-back to give Ilkay Gundogan some company at the base of the midfield.
“Juventus had not pressed City much, which may have lulled them into a false sense of security, because they suddenly advanced a minute ago and threatened to dispossess the Premier League champions within 25 yards of their own goal.”
Juventus 0-0 Man City
15 mins: City have had most of possession but they’ve not done a lot with it. They’re still trying to find their feet in the game and discover the fluidity that tends to define Pep Guardiola’s side.
Doku goes on a run down the inside left channel and is brought down for another free kick. Kevin De Bruyne lifts this one into the box but it gets headed clear.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
12 mins: Rico Lewis is doing some nice work tucking inside and moving the ball either side. He receives a pass from the right and quickly turns to feed Jack Grealish on the edge of the box.
Grealish’s first touch is heavy and the slight chance to shoot goes begging. Grealish chases it back down and ends up winning a free kick deep in Juventus’ half.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
9 mins: Juventus are starting to get themselves in the game. They work the ball nicely up the pitch and win a corner. Tuen Koopmeiners delivers the set piece but overhits it to the far side of the penalty area where Rico Lewis has a free opportunity to head it clear.
Juventus 0-0 Man City
6 mins: Dusan Vlahovic makes a nice run in behind the City defence and sprints onto a threaded pass from Francisco Conceicao. The striker carries the ball into the box and gets off a shot.
The effort goes wide and the offside flag is raised anyway.
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