Manchester City plunged deeper into trouble in the Champions League (CL) by losing 2-0 at Juventus yesterday, 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 champions in 2023 and have 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 have won just one of their last 10 matches in all competitions, with goals by Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie inflicting the latest defeat and igniting Juventus' qualification hopes.
Barcelona jumped into second place in the league standings, behind Liverpool, and are 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 play-off.
City have two games to save their 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. Juventus moved into 14th place.
Super-sub Torres Ferran Torres came off the bench to inspire Barcelona to a fifth win in six games and push Dortmund, last season's runners-up, out of the top eight.
Torres came on in the 71st to replace Robert Lewandowski, who had a quiet game against his former club. Just four minutes later, Torres scored a goal on the rebound from Dani Olmo's shot.
Serhou Guirassy's second goal of the game levelled the score at 2-2 but Torres scored again in the 85th off Lamine Yamal's pass on the counter.
Raphinha gave Barcelona the lead before Guirassy equalised from the penalty spot. Raphinha and Guirassy are tied for second place in the scoring chart on six goals, behind Lewandowski's competition-high seven.
Selected results: AC Milan 2-1 Crvena Zvezda; Benfica 0-0 Bologna; Feyenoord 4-2 Sparta Prague; Stuttgart 5-1 Young Boys; Lille 3-2 Sturm Graz; Atletico Madrid 3-1 Slavan Bratislava.