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| Manchester City's Sergio Aguero dejected after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Juventus |
THE personnel can differ, the outlay can spiral, but some things do not change for Manchester City.
Their hopes of breaking new ground among Europe’s elite continue to be anchored by bad old habits.
Already this Champions League campaign now looks complicated for Manuel Pellegrini as another costly defeat exposed all the old insecurities and sense of panic that were supposed to have been consigned to the past.
Fortune had smiled on City when taking the lead as Giorgio Chiellini inadvertently headed into his own net under pressure from Vincent Kompany in the 57th minute, but instead of closing out the contest they capitulated.
Mario Mandzukic restored parity from close range and then, with nine minutes remaining, Alvaro Morata conjured an exquisite curling finish to secure a come-from- behind victory for Juventus.
City have never won their first home match in the group stage before and here their own profligacy was their undoing.
The disappointment and frustration Kompany said still pursues them from previous campaigns will only have intensified after last night.
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| Mario Mandzukic celebrating after making it 1-1 at the Etihad |
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| Manchester City manager in despair as his side's bad luck in Europe continues |
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| Vincent Kompany celebrating Man City's lead after Giorgio Chiellini's own goal |
The opportunity City craved arrived inside two minutes, but was to be carelessly spurned.
Fernandinho pick-pocketed Stefano Sturaro and drove deep into enemy territory before slipping a perfectly weighted pass which invited Raheem Sterling to tuck his shot beyond the exposed Gianluigi Buffon.
It was for nights such as these that Sterling pushed to leave Liverpool, but here was a reminder that for £49 million City purchased potential. A weakness remains in his finishing and Buffon was able to repel the youngster’s side-footed shot.
When Wilfried Bony skewed horribly wide from the edge of the penalty area, ignoring the unmarked Sterling to his left after receiving a pass from David Silva half an hour later, the aberrations served as a reminder of the ruthlessness required at this level.
It was not without good reason that the TV cameras cut straight to Sergio Aguero, a surprise inclusion among the substitutes given he had previously been ruled out with injury by Pellegrini.
The City boss would not have expected his side to totally dominate against opponents who remain streetwise even if they are in transition following the departures of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo from the squad vanquished in last season’s final to Barcelona.
Juventus do still possess Paul Pogba and his battle for supremacy in midfield with Yaya Toure provided a simmering subplot, one in which the France youngster thought he had landed a telling blow after 12 minutes.
Juan Cuadrado, on loan from Chelsea, delivered a tantalising cross which Pogba stooped to head home, but the goal was rightly scrubbed out with Morata having strayed offside.
There was a free-kick from Hernanes which clipped the foot of Joe Hart’s post, although the goalkeeper had it covered, and Cuadrado also rifled a shot from distance.
Chiellini’s misfortune was compounded when his protests at having been fouled by Kompany were waved away, but City’s benevolence continued.
When Bony brilliantly dummied Kompany’s raking pass, Silva was sent scurrying clear. He fed Sterling, who again shot too close to Buffon, and when the ricochet rebounded to Silva he, too, was denied by an excellent save from the veteran keeper.
Such profligacy was to prove costly. There were warning signs when Hart saved brilliantly from Sturaro, though they were not to be heeded as Juventus kept finding space. Parity came from the boot of Mandzukic, an effort with his outstretched leg striking the post before nestling in the net, but it was the floated pass from Pogba which was a delight.
Worse was to follow when a hopeful pass from Stephan Lichsteiner bounced off Aleksandar Kolarov and Morata produced a sensational finish from 20 yards.
For City, it seems the only way is the hard way.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Hart; Sagna, Kompany (Otamendi 75), Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Nasri (Aguero 83), Silva, Sterling (De Bruyne 71); Bony. Goal: Chiellini 57 og. NEXT UP: West Ham (h), Sat PL.
JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Buffon; Lichsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandzukic (Dybala 78), Morata (Barzagli 85). Goals: Mandzukic 70, Morata 81.
Referee: D Skomina (Slov).
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