Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side could have done without this particular fixture at this juncture. Having won the last four Premier League titles, they are on a horrific run of form, with just one win from their last nine matches in all competitions. They face local rivals Manchester United on the weekend, but before that, it’s a clash with Italian heavyweights Juventus.
City triumphed in the first meeting between these teams back in 1976, but it’s been a very different story since then. Juventus is unbeaten in the last five encounters.
In their last Champions League game, City ended a run of defeats in the most embarrassing fashion by drawing 3-3 despite having a three-goal lead with 15 minutes remaining against Feyenoord. In a sense, the Champions League is a microcosm of City’s season since they kept a clean sheet in their first three matches in the competition but have shipped seven in the last two, including a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Sporting Lisbon.
Like City, Juventus started well in the Champions League this season but have faded somewhat, picking up just two points from their last three European games.
City are enduring an injury crisis that is doing little to aid matters, but Phil Foden should return to action in Turin. Unfortunately for Guardiola, the same cannot be said about Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic or John Stones. And, of course, Oscar Bobb and Rodri are nowhere near returning to the fold. Juventus, on the other hand, have seen their own injury issues start to ease with the return of both Dusan Vlahovic and Nicolo Savona recently.
Juventus are all the way down in sixth in Serie A, and their position in this competition is precarious, so a win over a beleaguered City side feels essential heading into the Christmas period.
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Venue: Juventus Stadium — Turin, Italy
Time: 8 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET), Wednesday
Form guide
Juventus: 2-2-1 in UCL, 8 points
Last five (all competitions): D-D-D-D-W
Manchester City: 2-2-1 in UCL, 8 points
Last five (all competitions): D-W-L-D-L
Match prediction
Juventus 2-2 Manchester City
This is an intriguing fixture pitting two of Europe’s recent dominant forces against each other during a bad period for both. City seemed to have steadied the ship with a win over Nottingham Forest but dropped points again on the weekend, a result that might just rule them out of the title race. Guardiola will be desperate to bounce back with a win here and against United on the weekend but Juventus will be similarly motivated to try and kickstart their own season.
More Champions League coverage
Champions League projections: 16% chance of Liverpool champions, Man City at 8%
Juventus, Man City and the far-reaching impact of a scandal that resulted in relegation
Why youth won’t win you the Champions League
(Photo of Erling Haaland: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)