Sport
Guardiola Blames Missed Chances as City Fall 2-0 to Juventus
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered his thoughts on their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League, attributing the loss to a lack of sharpness in attack and vulnerability on counterattacks.
Goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie at the Allianz Stadium handed the Serie A side a significant win and left City struggling to find form.
This defeat adds to City’s recent woes, as they have now managed just one victory in their last 10 matches across all competitions.
Even more concerning, the Premier League champions currently sit in 22nd place in the league phase standings of the Champions League, putting them at risk of an early exit from the competition.
This scenario is unfamiliar for Guardiola’s squad, who have been dominant in Europe in recent years.
Speaking to the press after the match, Guardiola reflected on his team’s performance.
“We played really, really well in terms of overall build-up and possession,” he said.
“But in the final third, we missed that decisive pass and finishing touch.
Juventus punished us on the counterattack, and we couldn’t recover from that.”
Despite the result, Guardiola remained positive about his team’s effort.
“I am so proud of these players. They gave everything and tried their best,” he emphasized.
“We’re going through a tough period, but I believe we can turn things around with better results.”
Guardiola also acknowledged the difficulty of the Champions League. “It’s never easy at this level,” he admitted.
“We’ve played well in recent matches against Feyenoord and Inter Milan, but mistakes at crucial moments have cost us.
We need to focus on getting at least one win in our final two games.”
City’s current form is raising concerns among fans and analysts.
After winning the treble last season, expectations have been high, but injuries, fatigue, and inconsistent performances are starting to take their toll.
The absence of key players like Kevin De Bruyne, who has been sidelined for months due to injury, has left City struggling to maintain their usual fluidity and creativity.
Werder Bremen defender, Felix Agu, has expressed his willingness to play for Nigeria at the senior level.
Agu, 25, was born in Germany to Nigerian parents and has already represented Germany at the U-21 level. However, he remains eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria. The full-back admitted that playing for the Super Eagles would be a dream come true.
“Playing at the national level has always been a dream for me. I’ve already made part of that decision by playing for the German U-21 team,” Agu told Oma Sports.
“I’ve had several conversations with Justin Njimah about playing for Nigeria, and we both agree it would be a dream come true.” Agu has been in solid form for Bremen this season, making 14 league appearances so far.
Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes, has opened up about why he turned down offers to leave Old Trafford last summer.
The Portuguese midfielder confirmed that he received offers from other clubs but chose to have a conversation with the club’s management and former manager Erik ten Hag before making a decision. He wanted to know if the club still saw him as part of their long-term plans.
According to Fernandes, the club assured him that he would play a key role in their rebuilding process. Feeling valued and confident in the project, he decided to stay at Old Trafford.
Speaking after United’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, Fernandes said, “I had an offer to leave, so I sat down with the club to discuss my future. I asked if they still considered me part of their plans. Both the club and Ten Hag made it clear that they saw me as an important part of the rebuild, and I believed we could achieve success together.”
Fernandes has been a driving force for Manchester United this season. His performance against Real Sociedad on Thursday, March 13, was outstanding. He scored a hat-trick, helping United secure a 5-2 aggregate win and advance to the Europa League quarterfinals.
Former England winger Lee Sharpe has suggested that Manchester United should sign Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta to strengthen their attack alongside Rasmus Hojlund.
Sharpe believes Mateta’s experience and playing style would complement Hojlund and improve United’s frontline. He also thinks Hojlund could learn from the 27-year-old by playing alongside him.
“Mateta would be a great signing for Manchester United. He’d give Hojlund some relief and be someone he can learn from,” Sharpe said. “He’s strong, tough for defenders to handle, and would be a positive addition.”
Sharpe added that Mateta’s ability to hold the ball and involve teammates in play would suit Ruben Amorim’s style of football.
United have struggled in attack this season, sitting 15th in the Premier League with 34 points from 28 games and scoring just 34 goals. Joshua Zirkzee and Hojlund have managed only five goals between them, with Hojlund’s last league goal coming against Nottingham Forest on December 7.
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