Two teams struggling to meet expectations will convene in Turin on Wednesday evening, when Juventus host an ailing Manchester City in the Champions League.
Side by side in the league-phase standings, Juve have regularly failed to turn one point into three this season, while City are enduring a crisis of confidence.
Match preview
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on December 7, 2024© Imago
Sparking talk of an ending era, Manchester City's remarkable 3-3 draw with Feyenoord last time out in the Champions League saw them squander a three-goal lead with less than 20 minutes to play on home turf.
Following their 4-1 loss to Sporting CP in Lisbon, that result continued a downward trend stretching back several weeks, and the reigning Premier League champions are enduring by far their worst run of form since Pep Guardiola took charge.
Not only have City shipped seven goals in their last two European games - having kept a clean sheet in all of their first three this term - but taking just one point from those outings has left them with eight on the board, only good enough for a playoff place as things stand.
Winners in 2023, they have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 11 seasons, topping their group for seven years straight; now, Guardiola's chief concern is ensuring his faltering squad do not slip out of the top 24.
Facing another domestic defeat at the weekend, City twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw away with Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace, as Rico Lewis levelled matters for a second time at Selhurst Park before getting himself sent off.
The Citizens therefore head to Italy having won just one of their last nine games across all competitions, and they will aim to avoid setting an unwanted club record on Wednesday night.
City's current five-match winless run against Juventus is their joint-longest against any opponent in UEFA competition - though this is the first time they have faced the Bianconeri during Guardiola's reign.
Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus, November 2024© Imago
After losing the clubs' very first meeting back in 1976, Juventus have since stayed unbeaten against their next visitors, winning three times and drawing twice.
Like City, though, Juve are occupying an insecure place in this season's Champions League standings, having won both of their first two games before picking up just a couple of points from the next three.
After their first - and still only - defeat of the 2024-25 campaign, against Stuttgart, Thiago Motta's men went on to play out stalemates with Lille and Aston Villa last month.
Yet another draw last weekend - their 19th in the league since the start of the year - also saw the two-time European champions fall further off the pace in the Serie A title race, and they are now seven points shy of top spot.
In fact, they were quite fortunate to avoid a first top-flight loss on Saturday evening, when they had to fight back from two goals down to draw at home to Bologna: Teun Koopmeiners reduced the deficit, before substitute Samuel Mbangula netted a 92nd-minute equaliser.
That made it four straight draws across all competitions, and seven in the last nine; yet, the Turin giants can still boast Serie A's best defensive record, with just 10 goals conceded and 10 clean sheets from 15 games so far.
Juventus Champions League form:
Juventus form (all competitions):
Manchester City Champions League form:
Manchester City form (all competitions):
Team News
Manchester City's Phil Foden on October 1, 2024© Imago
Though Manchester City's injury list remains stubbornly long, Pep Guardiola will hope to have Phil Foden back at his disposal in midweek, after the England star sat out the draw with Crystal Palace due to bronchitis.
Defensive duo Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji both sustained injuries in last week's win over Nottingham Forest, while John Stones and Mateo Kovacic are also sidelined; Rodri and Oscar Bobb are City's long-term absentees.
Facing a Premier League suspension but available to start on Wednesday, Rico Lewis is the youngest player to have played every minute in this season's Champions League, using that time to create 13 chances.
Meanwhile, Matheus Nunes has laid on three goals in his last three appearances in the competition - two more than any of his teammates this term. Previously a little-used squad member, Guardiola could pick the Portuguese midfielder again.
Juventus have recently seen their packed treatment room lose a couple of regulars, as star striker Dusan Vlahovic started on Saturday having missed three weeks with a thigh injury; Nicolo Savona also returned to action at the weekend.
The latter will vie with former Man City defender Danilo for selection at right-back, while Thiago Motta is set to stick with Pierre Kalulu and Federico Gatti in the centre.
However, Nico Gonzalez, Weston McKennie and another ex-City player, Douglas Luiz, still join ACL victims Juan Cabal and Bremer on the sidelines.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Perin; Danilo, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Weah; Vlahovic
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Dias, Gvardiol, Lewis; Gundogan; Savinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Nunes; Haaland
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We say: Juventus 1-1 Manchester City
Although they certainly know how to keep a clean sheet, Juventus are a work in progress during the first phase of Thiago Motta's reign, so Manchester City should claim at least one point.
Recent results have left City shaken, but Juve have actually lost four of their last six home matches in the Champions League - as many as throughout the previous 40 - and injuries have thinned out their squad too.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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