Manchester City 1 Juventus 2
Manchester City: Chiellini (og) 57'
Juventus: Mandzukic 70', Morata 81'
Man of the match: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
Manchester // This was a sadly familiar tale for Manchester City. They may be England's finest, but Europe continues to be a test they seem unable to pass. In particular, they struggle to convince at the Etihad Stadium.
It has become a venue Europe's best like to visit. Juventus illustrated that, despite their troubles in Serie A, they are among the continent's outstanding teams.
A belated first win of the season was a memorable one as they came from behind to defeat City and stamp their authority on Group D. Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata scored the goals that put last season’s finalists in position to qualify for the last 16.
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With City boasting a 100 per cent record in the Premier League and Juventus having recorded their worst start in Serie A since 1912, timing seemed to favour Manuel Pellegrini’s team.
Yet, Juventus belied their poor form. They did not appear a team chronically low on confidence or a side in meltdown.
Instead, Massimiliano Allegri’s charges resembled their old selves, albeit with different personnel.
While the summer departures of Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo have lent them a different appearance, Paul Pogba, a rare constant in a much-changing team, brought power and poise.
Juan Cuadrado, a bit-part player during his Chelsea career, looked liberated by a return to Serie A and was bright.
The entire group displayed the character to respond after going behind.
Pellegrini’s team had the majority of possession and chances without proving ruthless enough.
Perhaps it would have been different if Sergio Aguero had been fit enough to feature. Instead the Argentine, who was expected to miss the game altogether, was a late substitute.
His deputy, Wilfried Bony, cited Uefa Champions League football as a reason to join City in January and had two opportunities to mark his first start in the competition with a goal.
The first saw excellence undermined by erratic finishing, when he nutmegged Leonardo Bonucci but then sliced his shot wide. Then he proved unable to connect with Aleksandar Kolarov’s enticing cross.
City still led. When David Silva delivered a corner, Vincent Kompany rose highest, partly by leaning on Giorgio Chiellini.
To compound the Italian’s irritation, the ball went in off him. It was an own goal with referee Damir Skomina ignoring Chiellini’s protests.
Juventus levelled in less controversial fashion. Pogba curled in a lovely cross and Mandzukic, a scorer in the 2013 final, stretched out a leg to divert it past Joe Hart.
It was the first goal City have conceded this season after 520 minutes of football.
A second duly followed when Morata, Juve’s scorer in May’s final, reacted quickest when the ball deflected off Kolarov and curled a shot beyond Hart.
The goals were bookended by world-class goalkeeping, including a flying stop by Gianluigi Buffon to deny Yaya Toure an 88th-minute equaliser.
The Juventus captain also made an outstanding double save from Raheem Sterling and Silva, adding to a terrific third-minute stop from the Englishman, also following slick, counter-attacking football.
While the World Cup winner had previewed the match by describing Hart as one of the game’s outstanding goalkeepers, and the Englishman offered evidence to support that, Buffon’s brilliance indicated he remains in that bracket, too.
Hart had produced a fine save to deny Stefano Sturaro but was left powerless by Juventus’ strike duo.
Their efforts represented yet more woe for City, who have only won three of their last 12 home Champions League games.
History threatened to repeat itself from the opening exchanges when Pogba stooped to head in Cuadrado’s cross.
The goal was disallowed because, although he did not make contact, an offside Morata had attempted to apply a finish.
City could thank a change in regulations. It would have been especially galling to concede to Pogba, the only one of their three main summer transfer targets to elude them. Instead, he fashioned Juventus’ equaliser and emerged victorious.
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