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.
Fenerbahçe have entered the race to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, a player Galatasaray are hoping to bring back this summer. Reports from Ekol Sports reveal that Fenerbahçe’s president, Ali Koç, has tabled the highest offer so far to Napoli in an attempt to lure the Nigerian forward to their squad.
Galatasaray, who had Osimhen on loan last season, are also keen to keep him permanently. The 25-year-old played a vital role in their success last season, helping the club secure both the Turkish Cup and the Super Lig title. Although Galatasaray have made their offer, they’re still waiting for Osimhen to make a final decision.
The Super Eagles star is currently on summer break and hasn’t revealed where he plans to play next season. Several top clubs across Europe and beyond are monitoring his situation. Aside from Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, Juventus, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Saudi giants Al Hilal have all shown interest.
However, sources close to Osimhen say his first option is to rejoin Galatasaray on a permanent deal, but only if a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs doesn’t materialize during this summer transfer window.
Former Real Madrid legend Luis Figo has shared his top picks for this year’s Ballon d’Or. With the winner set to be announced in September, many names are in the running, but Figo believes three players stand out.
The Portuguese icon pointed to Ousmane Dembele, Lamine Yamal, and Vitinha as his favourites to take home football’s biggest individual honour. “All three had incredible seasons with their clubs,” Figo said in a chat with Sport Bible.
He added, “There are plenty of players who deserve it based on how they performed. But in the end, it depends on what matters more; your individual stats or the trophies you’ve won.” Figo also admitted the final decision is out of his hands, saying, “It’s not up to me, but I personally like players like Lamine, Vitinha, and Dembele; they’ve all been outstanding this season.”
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has expressed his desire to have Kylian Mbappe and Endrick back on the pitch as soon as possible. Ancelotti shared his thoughts after Los Blancos sealed a comfortable 3-0 win over RB Salzburg in the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to goals from Vinicius Junior, Valverde, and Gonzalo Garcia.
Both Mbappe and Endrick missed the game, with Mbappe sidelined due to gastroenteritis and Endrick still nursing a hamstring injury. “We want Mbappe back fully fit,” Ancelotti said after the match. “I can’t say for sure if he’ll feature on Tuesday against Juventus, but we’re hopeful.”
He also gave an update on Endrick’s condition, saying, “He’s still recovering, but we expect him to join the squad in the US for training. I’m counting on him for what’s ahead.”
