Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United continues to drift following a goalless draw to Valencia. In other UCL encounters, Dybala reemerged as one Juventus’ biggest stars, while City rescued victory in the dying stages of their match against a tough German opponent.
There’s a certain morbid fascination with Manchester United at the moment. Clearly, the team is in disarray. The lack of harmony within the squad is affecting results. Sure, these things do happen to even the best of teams from time to time. However, it’s the way in which the crisis is being dealt with by management that is keeping fans on edge.
⏰ RESULTS ⏰
😎 Comebacks. Goals. Drama!
🤔 Performance of the night? pic.twitter.com/HcoKnbBQVz
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 2, 2018
United continued their winless streak with a 0-0 draw to Valencia, on Old Trafford. There weren’t a great deal of surprises in terms of lineup, with Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba, two players rumored to be feuding with the manager, starting. The Red Devils, however, looked tired and uninspired against Valencia, an opponent that has been struggling desperately in La Liga this season.
Things could still turn around for Mourinho’s side, but, more than ever, it feels like drastic changes are required if the current campaign is to be salvaged.
Elsewhere, in Group H, Juventus sans Cristiano Ronaldo, took on Swiss side Young Boys. The Serie A champions won 3-0, with Paolo Dybala scoring all three goals for the Italians. Dybala’s influence at the club had seemed to diminish since the Portuguese star joined the team’s ranks. Some have even claimed that the player has considered leaving the team. But last night the Argentine proved a vital part of the team and Juventus showed to have acquired the maturity they need in order to flourish, with our without Ronaldo’s help.
Bayern and Real Madrid served up two surprising results last night. The Germans managed only a draw against Ajax, once more proving to be a resilient side with plenty of talent at their disposal. Meanwhile, Real Madrid succumbed to a surprising 1-0 defeat away to CSKA Moscow, in spite of holding the reins for most of the match.
And while their Manchester rivals are struggling, City are slowly moving into the normal rhythm. Guardiola’s side snatched victory in the dying stages of their game against Hoffenheim, through David Silva’s goal. The victory adds some comfort to City, who are left with 3 points after two matches and there is the sense that the team is not far from the marvelous pace they had last season.
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Eduard Bănulescu
