Juventus 2-5 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s side bring rivals down to earth to win Group G
If observers are going to witness a resurgent Manchester City in the 2025-26 campaign, Pep Guardiola’s full-backs are likely to play a starring role. They were on hand as City smashed the Old Lady of Juventus on Thursday at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
For the first goal Ait-Nouri, occupying the left half space, cut a straight pass through the Juventus backline to Jeremy Doku, who took the ball away from his man with a beautiful first touch, and then curled a shot in at the far post. For the second, City’s other full-back Matheus Nunes was involved, driving the ball to the byline and then sending in a low cross to put Pierre Kalulu under pressure. Unsettled, the France international scored an own goal as he tried to put the ball out for a corner but got it completely wrong.
City’s first goal had taken only nine minutes, but Juventus equalised almost immediately when Ederson misplayed a pass out from the back, and Teun Koopmeiners swept it up and duly punished the Brazilian. But besides the goal the Italian side did very little to trouble City. Guardiola’s side were confident in possession, passing the ball from left to right while Juventus sat deep and hoped for a counter attack. Midfield dangerman Rodri was back for Guardiola in his first start since his return from injury. His task: to suffocate Juventus and banish any subversive ideas against the oppressive regime camped just outside their penalty area.
At half time the Florida heat gave way as a heavy rain poured down in the stadium. Cooler weather could have been merciful to Juventus, since they had spent much of the first 45 minutes chasing the ball as City danced around looking for openings, Savinho and Doku lively on the flanks, the two full-backs always ready to play them in or make darting runs themselves, Tijjani Reijnders constantly looking for the clandestine run into the box.
But a lower temperature made no difference for Juventus in the second half as City continued from where they stopped. A beautiful forward ball from Reijnders into Nunes’s path blew open the Juventus backline, and the right-back put in a square pass so good that Haaland was unable to miss, even though he tried to. The City No 9 completely botched the finish but was right on the edge of the six-yard box so the ball rolled into the net anyway.
Then the fourth came when Ederson’s long pass from one end was deftly controlled by Haaland at the other to slide the ball in for Foden. The England international missed it but it got through to Savinho, who controlled to take the goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio out, and then Foden recovered to casually pass the ball into the net.
City were running rampant. It was 5-1 soon after Di Gregorio saved Haaland’s effort on the goal line following a corner kick, and then Savinho intervened from outside the box with a vicious long-range strike that cannoned in off the crossbar.
Juventus had a few chances in the second half. Substitute Kenan Yildiz’s attempt was too far wide. Ederson smothered Dusan Vlahovic’s attempted flick after the forward had been put through by the lively Yildiz. Then Vlahovic scored for the Italian side, timing his run perfectly to escape City’s backline and finish one-on-one against Ederson.
City could have extended the scoreline afterwards but Rayan Cherki was unable to finish after he was put through by Haaland. At the end of the game it was 77 per cent possession for City and they were winners of Group G. They had shown Juventus who the boss was, and delivered a warning to any other contenders for the trophy out there.
