Man City crisis deepens with loss to Juventus as Barcelona, Arsenal win

Paris: Manchester City plunged deeper into trouble in the Champions League by losing 2-0 at Juventus, the latest setback in a scarcely believable run of poor results for the ailing English champions.

City dropped to 22nd place in the 36-team standings, with only the top 24 advancing.

Progressing to the next round of the new-look format looked a certainty before the season for a team that was European champion in 2023 and has won the last four Premier League titles. But not anymore as City manager Pep Guardiola battles injuries and an apparent loss of belief among his players.

City has won just one of its last 10 matches in all competitions, with goals by Dušan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie inflicting the latest defeat and igniting Juventus’ qualification hopes.

City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan described the team’s problem as a “mental issue.”

Opponents “are able to break our rhythm with the smallest of things,” Gundogan said on Wednesday.

“They don’t even need to do much and it has such a big effect on us right now.”

Barcelona jumped into second place in the league standings, behind

Liverpool, and is guaranteed to advance after a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund. Raphinha and Ferran Torres, with two goals, scored for Barca.

Arsenal beat Monaco 3-0 mainly thanks to two goals by Bukayo Saka to move into third place and be the highest of six teams on 13 points.

The top eight qualify directly for the

last 16 and the teams placed No. 9-24 go into a two-legged playoff.

City has two games to save its faltering Champions League campaign and the first is against Paris Saint-Germain, another giant in trouble in 25th place — one spot out of the qualifying positions.

Vlahovic put Juventus ahead in the 53rd when he powered a header goalward straight at City goalkeeper Ederson, who could only parry the ball over his own line. Two American substitutes sealed the win for Juve, with McKennie volleying home from Timothy Weah’s cross.