Manchester City slumped to their second defeat in the Champions League this season, once again falling at the hands of Italian giants Juventus.
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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has explained that he is unsure about the extent of Joe Hart’s injury. Sevilla have to win that game to try to qualify for the Europa League.
“We didn’t score the chances that we had”, Pellegrini said.
The good news for City is that playmaker David Silva is back after a nine-game absence with an ankle injury.
A first-half Mario Mandzukic strike was enough to seal a 1-0 victory for the Bianconeri in Turin to follow up their 2-1 victory at the Etihad in September as the Old Lady climbed to the summit of the Group D standings.
Juventus made a stuttering start to their Serie A title defence but have now lost just once in their last 11 matches across all competitions, with consistency in Europe serving as something of a catalyst for Massimiliano Allegri’s team.
Despite the dual commitments, Pellegrini is keen for his side to learn to cope with both competitions, something he expects all big clubs to aspire to.
“Whilst there was encouragement in their midweek display at Juventus, they will be determined to show the resolve that makes them many people’s title favourites”. That’s how matches go. He goes down way too easy and Mandzukic has a tap-in for what should have been a cross that was defended properly, but Pellegrini will take comfort from the chances that he created.
“What’s important is that we won”.
“It is important to be a solid, consistent team and to recover our normal style of play and that will give us the points we need to win it”.
Fernandinho had an even better chance as he raced onto a loose ball in the box after Yaya Toure had tangled with Giorgio Cheillini but he blasted over from 10 yards.
It wasn’t until the stroke of halftime that City tested Gianluigi Buffon.
Adrien Rabiot and Angel Di Maria netted in the first half before Ibrahimovic finished past Johan Wiland early in the second period.
City came close to levelling in the 53rd minute when Buffon pushed Fernando’s header onto the post before gathering the loose ball under pressure from Toure. Mandzukic was later denied a second by a fine Hart save and Paulo Dybala hit the post but City also had numerous other chances in an entertaining contest.
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The Spain forward could have sealed the match late on as he skipped past two opponents before unleashing an effort which Hart did well to save.
