Manchester City and their woeful Champions League nights resume

When will the real City turn up?

Manchester City’s kick off to their Champions league campaign ended on a sour note after they were beaten 1-2 by Juventus F.C at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on Tuesday. An own goal by Giorgio Chiellini put the home side in the lead, but goals from Mario Mandzukic and Morata ensured that the Bianconeri started their European campaign on a winning note.

There was an air of justified optimism around the Etihad stadium before kick-off. City came into the clash on the back of a perfect start in their domestic competition, winning all of their five games. Juventus, on the other hand, has had a stuttering start to the new season in which they could manage only one point out of a possible nine.

City were therefore expected to win their opening European game of the season, something they had not been able to do the last couple of years. Yet Pellegrini’s men put in an uninspired display characteristic of them on European nights.

The first half was goalless with City edging their opponents on chances created. But for the most part, they did not give their fans anything to cheer about. They moved the ball slowly without purpose which enabled the Juventus defense to get bodies behind the ball without trouble.

The game picked up in the second half and an own goal from Chiellini put the home side ahead in the 57th minute. City, however, failed to impose on the game after the goal and duly got punished by Mandzukic in the 70th minute when the Croatian latched onto a brilliant through ball from Pogba and volleyed it home.

Squad bolstered with new signings yet no promising effects

Morata sealed the win for the visitors in the 81st minute when he cut inside from the right and let out an impressive left foot curler past Joe Hart. The defeat meant that City have lost five of their last nine home matches. Surely such a record is not even close to good enough at the highest level.

City simply cannot seem to replicate their domestic success onto the European front. It is as if they feel insecure when pitted against the top guns of the Europe. Lack of experience was cited in the previous seasons but after swimming with the big sharks for five years, it is time to move beyond that excuse already.

The Premier League giants have bolstered their squad with new arrivals. Kevin De Bryune signed for a club record fee of £55 million while Otamendi was purchased from Valencia. Raheem Sterling was bought for £49 million which was a record fee for an English player. Such heavy spending was undoubtedly done to succeed in Europe.

But the results do not appear to be any better as they continue to produce lackluster performances in Europe. Sterling was quiet throughout the game and De Bryune did not make any impact when introduced in the second half. It takes time to get a new squad working in perfect order but manager Pellegrini would not be pleased with what he saw on Tuesday.

Plenty to ponder for Pellegrini.

Tactical errors have also cost City on many European nights. This game against Juventus was a perfect example. Pellegrini started Nasri ahead of Jesus Navas. Nasri was not a true wide player and therefore, snuffed out easily by the Juventus defense which stayed compact and central. The game was literally crying for true width which Navas can provide down the right flank.

City overdependent on Aguero

Yet Navas did not even appear as a substitute. Surely Navas would have made better use of the wide areas and added another dimension to the attack which was laboring to move the ball past the Juve’s midfield. Such tactical naivety questions Pellegrini’s capability as a manager in Europe’s top flight.

Another handicap for City is the over-reliance on their talismanic striker Sergio Aguero. They struggle to score goals without him. It was evident on Tuesday when his backup Wilfried Bony could not hold up play or convert chances.

Bony may be a good enough replacement for Aguero in the Premier League but he is clearly not Champions League material. It is certainly a concern for the Blues that despite strengthening the squad there is not yet a decent back-up for Aguero and he can still solely make or break their European season.

The Citizens must look to finish top of the group to avoid clashes with the titans of the continent in the round of 16. Failing to do so on previous occasions have cost them dearly with exits at the hands of Barcelona and Bayern Munich. This defeat at home clearly does not help that cause. They have also been drawn in a tough group along with Juventus and Sevilla which makes finishing first that much harder.

It is still early days of the season but if City does not get their act together soon they are likely to suffer another miserable European season.