Ruben Dias of Manchester City
Ruben Dias of Manchester City
Just like every match is at the moment, this is a critical game.
Because this is a huge club failing to meet their massive expectations. They have a proud history of not just winning league titles, but dominating the top flight, and winning European titles, too.
But a summer of underwhelming transfer business is now looking poor in hindsight and they can't buy a win. Their league title hopes are rapidly fading (if they haven't faded already), and Champions League progress in the top six could be beyond them if they lose on Wednesday night in Turin.
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This, of course, is a brutally-accurate summary of Manchester City. But it also neatly covers Juventus and their own struggles this season.
"We are not in the position to talk about win games and win games in plural," Guardiola said. He simply wants to win one, and you would expect Juventus are desperate for the same.
And while Guardiola looked for answers - settling on eliminating the uncharacteristic mistakes as a starting point - one of his captains treated the questions in his own press conference like a shot he could throw himself in front of to block away.
"That people doubt is the one thing that brings you strength, inspires you to be greater," Ruben Dias said. "This is our legacy. More than the Treble, four in a row… all of it is spectacular but I do believe what defines a legacy is how you react in the most difficult moments of your career.
"I’m a true believer that those moments being the ones that define you. We embrace it. Those are the ones I’ll for sure remember later."
As City ponder the past and the future, so too are Juventus. Massimiliano Allegri left in the summer, with the Old Lady snapping up the highly-rated Thiago Motta from Bologna to replace him.
Supporters feel more could have been done in the summer transfer window and they are sixth in Serie A after 15 games, already seven points off the top. Juventus are yet to lose all season in the league - a stark difference from City - but are also winless in four, and with only six wins so far. Nine draws.
City have one win in nine in all competitions. Juve have won two in ten.
In Europe, the two European giants are also experiencing similar struggles. Normally, City would travel to a big club like this with no fear, ready to twist the knife in as fan discontent simmers. But they have bigger problems of their own.
"The injuries are disruptive," Dias admitted. "I focus mainly on the way to move forward, that’s the one thing that concerns my mind when I go home. How are we going to move forward? The ways to stick together, whatever people throw at us.
"It’s not an easy period and we’re used to very different situations. This is the time you show character, show who you are. This is when you show your true colours."
Ahead of the last Champions League clash - the collapse against Feyenoord - Kevin De Bruyne said there had been interventions from the captain's group this season but not anything more than usual. Dias offered another version of events.
"I guess we all [give speeches] in a way. Some are more genuine about it," he said, referring to the different styles of leadership in the dressing room.
"In any circumstance there is always a time when words mean something and they should be said. We do a good job between leaders in assessing the moments when words are needed. We’re a team but we’re a family. In a family we stick together and we need to run for a reason. It’s about keeping that reason alive."
So when City visit Juve, both teams struggling on eight points and needing an unlikely nine points from nine to qualify directly for the last-16, what promised to be a must-win for both sides for qualification is now must win for a sense of identity.
It is more El Crisis-co than El Classico. The Derby della Dilemma. But City will come out fighting.