Manchester City fans have spotted a sad moment involving Ilkay Gundogan as Pep Guardiola’s men suffered a seventh defeat of the season at the hands of Juventus.
Second half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie piled more misery on the Premier League champions, who now have just one win in their last 10 games in all competitions.
The same issues were present for City, who didn’t create all that much with the possession they had and were undone on turnovers.
With Ballon d’Or winner Rodri out for an extended period and Mateo Kovacic also picking up an injury of late, the returning Gundogan has had to play the deep midfield position consistently by himself and struggled immensely in a dire period.
The German left City on the ultimate high after captaining them to a historic treble and returned on a free after a year at Barcelona in La Liga. But now 34, his legs simply cannot do what they used to and a clip posted from the Juventus game showed just how much Gundogan has declined and the problems City are facing.
The ex Borussia Dortmund man struggled to run back into position as Juve countered. And in an honest interview with TNT Sports, Gundogan admitted that Guardiola’s side are feeling the danger when teams attack and noted how it feels as though the opposition “score on the transition every time”.
“At the moment it feels like every attack we concede, it’s so dangerous,” Gundogan said post-match.
“I have a feeling sometimes we’re a bit careless in duels, instead of playing simple we over-complicate things, and we miss the right timing to pass or release the ball, and just losing balls and they score on the transition every time and gives them counter-attacks and we have to chase every time 50, 60 metres back.
“That’s not what we’re built for; we’re built for possession, keeping the ball, being strong. And even if you cannot do anything in a duel, don’t lose it. At the moment it’s just not working out for us.”
Pep Guardiola has won just one game out of his last 10. Image: Getty
The loss leaves City 22nd in the Champions League table and just one point ahead of next opponents PSG, who are in 25th and occupy the first elimination spot.
City travel to Paris on 22 January before they host Club Brugge in their final fixture at the Etihad Stadium a week later. The Blues may well have new recruits by the time the aforementioned games roll around but next up is the small matter of the Manchester derby against United on Sunday.
