Erling Haaland of Manchester City FC reacts after the goal by Weston McKennie of Juventus FC during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase match between Juventus and Manchester City
Manchester City are struggling in the Champions League
Manchester City's Champions League campaign was dealt another blow in Italy on Wednesday night.
The Blues were beaten 2-0 by Juventus to leave their chances of automatically reaching the last-16 now hanging by a thread. Pep Guardiola's side are languishing down in 22nd in the table with only the top 24 certain of reaching the knockout stages.
City have eight points from six games and are just one point above the bottom 12 sides who will be eliminated come January but Guardiola and Co can remain confident of reaching the play-off round with one win from their final two games - away at PSG and at home to Club Brugge set to be enough.
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City can still reach the top eight with two wins but it would require such a remarkable number of results going in their favour that it can essentially be discounted. Indeed if City fail to win in Paris then they definitely cannot make the top eight.
If they beat PSG they will be assured of a spot in the top 24 if Stuttgart lose to Bratislava. Indeed even defeat in France but a win over Brugge will be enough to reach the top 24 unless Stuttgart overturn a goal difference deficit of seven, because the German club and PSG meet on the final matchday so both teams can only reach a maximum of 11 points.
So for City to miss out on 11 points they would need to lose heavily in Paris and win narrowly against Brugge, while Stuttgart would have to thrash Bratislava to go into their final day game with PSG with at least a goal difference advantage of two or more over City. Stuttgart and PSG would then need to draw because a victor in that match would mean City would leapfrog whoever lost by beating Brugge.