First and foremost, the new facilities and stadium expansion including the work completed on the surrounding areas is fantastic, very pleasurable walk to the stadium yesterday. Should be proud of being able to attend a complex like that week in week. Secondly sitting in the second tier of the south stand last night, really enjoyed the mature and general conversation with the surrounding City fans, I didn't celebrate when we scored, I kept it muted as a sign of respect to my surroundings but I made it clear before the game to people who asked I was a Juventus fan and everyone treated me excellently. Not being from Italy, it was impossible for me to get tickets in the away end so I assume that was the same for the rest of the ones scattered around the stadium. Alas I still don't agree with celebrating in home ends, you're asking for trouble.
Onto the game itself, I'd say overall it was an even game, a draw would've been more than fair, both teams in the first half seemed very content with the way the game was going and nobody really took any risks, barring individual errors, most notably from Sturaro in the first five minutes and Lichtsteiner, City failed to carve any notable chance, nor did Juve, outside of the offside goal and Hernanes hitting the post. Both teams took pot shots, Cuadrado and Morata and Fernandinho and Kolarov but none were really troubling either keeper. Thought we did very well to funnel alot of your attacks inside and preventing Sterling isolating any player one and one, Silva also got marked very well by Hernanes, I also believe Pogba got the better of Toure for the most part.
Second half was completely different, first 10 minutes we stepped up a gear and started playing with alot more fluidity creating space between the lines and looking more confident, however City then scored with a goal that should've never stood, then really should've had a second minutes later, from there it seem to give us a second lease of life, we dominated in midfield, looked dangerous on the break and between Cuadrado and Morata's movement, I feel City were unable to deal with the spaces that were opening up, a wonder ball and finish by Mandzukic put us level then the only team who looked like scoring again was us, this was also replicated by numerous City fans sitting around me, we went on top and City were unable to muster any notable chance, De Bruyne got penned back the minute he came on and Silva became anonymous. The second goal the way it fell to Morata was fortunate but from there it was a sensational finish after that the game was secured and I thought it was useless to bring Aguero on when Bony was starved of service most of the game.
I don't think City have faced a well drilled team like this for along time, it was the same scenario in last seasons CL term mistake it for putting ten men behind the ball, like was so apparent for Chelsea, but Juventus actually played an attacking 4-3-3 last night and most of the time played two attacking players against every team last year, so I don't feel that's parking the bus.
Alot of posters underestimated Juventus, because we've lost so many star names, but once the younger players bed in and the team becomes settled, we have as much chance as City to win the CL.
On a final note, I read alot of the transfer forum over the summer, Tolmie is fantastic and a real reliable poster, but Pogba was never close to a move to City, any bid was rejected and Pogba I'm certain has been promised to Barca next summer unfortunately.
Posted the above on Bluemoon, let's see what they come back with.
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