Juventus exposed: City defeat sparks defensive alarm | OneFootball

According to reports from Tutto Juve, Corriere della Sera, Spazio J, Bianconera News, and JNetwork24, Juventus wrapped up their FIFA Club World Cup group stage with a resounding 5-2 defeat at the hands of Manchester City—an outcome that starkly highlighted the gulf in class exposed by Pep Guardiola’s side.

Igor Tudor rotated his squad after Juventus had already secured qualification, but the decision proved costly against a City team operating at full tilt. The Bianconeri started with determination and parity seemed possible when Teun Koopmeiners levelled early, but the game quickly turned. A misjudged own goal by Pierre Kalulu gifted City the lead, and from there the English champions dominated proceedings, exploiting every defensive lapse.

The pattern was familiar: after the initial exchange, City turned up the tempo. Haaland, Foden, and Savinho found the net, capitalizing on Juventus errors and underlining defensive fragility—a theme Tudor didn’t shy from post-match. “They have incredible quality, especially right now,” the Juventus manager said. “We wanted to rest a few players and give others a chance, but City made things very difficult. We suffered in every phase and failed to counter their pressing. For a different outcome, we need to be at full strength, physically and mentally.”

Despite conceding five, there were minimal positives for Juventus. Substitute Kenan Yildiz delivered two quality assists and provided a late spark, with Dusan Vlahovic netting a consolation goal in the closing stages. Defensive concern, though, overshadowed those moments. Kalulu endured a torrid night (receiving considerable criticism in Italian press and a score of 3/10 from Eurosport), while injuries mounted—Savona limped off in the second half and his condition for the next round is in doubt.

Player reactions matched Tudor’s candor. Captain Manuel Locatelli remarked, “We played badly. We switched off. We must analyze our mistakes and react—we are still in this tournament.” Koopmeiners echoed the need for growth, highlighting how Juventus dropped too deep and struggled technically under pressure.

Prior to this humbling defeat, Juventus had breezed through matches against Al-Ain and Wydad Casablanca, notching nine goals and conceding just once. However, their straightforward progress was put into perspective when faced with City’s intensity—a result which leaves Juventus second in Group G and sets up a daunting knockout tie.

The next task is a meeting with Real Madrid, group winners under Xabi Alonso, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 1. With Madrid coming off a strong group performance, the challenge ahead is clear—and errors like those seen against City are unlikely to go unpunished.

In the aftermath, calls to address defensive frailty have grown. Reports suggest the club is considering moves to strengthen at the back, having identified John Lucumí as a possible target should sales be completed.

If nothing else, the scale of the defeat shows Juventus exactly where they stand among Europe’s elite, offering a sharp reality check as the knockout stages loom.

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