Juventus vs Manchester City - Juventus braced for City backlash to Liverpool mauling

Posted Wednesday, November 25, 2015 by PA

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is wary of a potential Manchester City backlash in Turin this week.

City were knocked off the top of the Barclays Premier League as they were thrashed 4-1 by Liverpool on Saturday.

It was a humiliating result for a side that had been clear title favourites and Marchisio is expecting a strong reaction as they face the Italian giants in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Italy international said: "We know it is not going to be easy. We are playing a team that has suffered a very heavy defeat in the Premier League. When these things happen and they come to the next match, in the Champions League in this case, they probably want a backlash and want to react.

"And that is in addition to all the skills and qualities of the Manchester City players, that are also very important."

City go into the matchday five encounter having already secured their place in the last 16. Juventus can join them in the knockout stages with a victory and a defeat would even be sufficient if Sevilla fail to overcome Borussia Monchengladbach in their match.

But despite that Marchisio is aware Juve's job is not done yet and he also knows City, after their past struggles in the competition, are keen to go through as group winners this time.

The 29-year-old said: "Manchester City is a team full of great champions. In their history they have not progressed so much but it is not easy to make progress in this competition. We know they want to get first place and we also want to be first. We are two teams that could take it easy but we will play hard to get first place."

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists his side's mauling by Liverpool has been banished to history and he wants a reaction against Juventus.

Pellegrini said: "I think that we finished with the game - that very bad game that we played on Saturday - on Sunday morning.

"This is a different competition and a different game. We are thinking of playing here against Juventus at home and trying to beat them.

"It was a strange and fake game that we played, and that is the past. It is more important to think about the future. I hope we will return to our normal performance."

City have won their last three matches in the competition to secure their place in the knockout stages with two games to spare.

The first two results in that sequence came courtesy of last-gasp winners but Pellegrini's men were highly impressive in their last outing away at Sevilla.

Pellegrini hopes that has provided a blueprint for the future as City look to progress beyond the last 16 for the first time and transfer some of their domestic dominance to the European stage.

The Chilean said: "I think first of all we need to play in Europe in the same way we did against Sevilla.

"We have a lot of experience now, better than the other years. We need a performance in these games.

"We have qualified for the last two years. This year it is important to try to be at the top of the group, not only to avoid Barcelona or other important teams but because it is a test for us to try and win in a difficult stadium here."

City will again be without influential captain Vincent Kompany due to a calf injury and his fellow centre-back Eliaquim Mangala is also unavailable due to an unspecified problem.

With playmaker David Silva and striker Wilfried Bony still not ready to return from ankle and hamstring injuries, and Pablo Zabaleta and Samir Nasri sidelined, City are short of senior players.

Pellegrini accepts that makes for a "difficult situation" but is still determined to put in a strong performance.

On Juventus, Pellegrini said: "We have played already against Juventus. It was a very close game, we did not deserve to lose.

"They are not in their best moment here now in domestic football but I am sure we will find a team who wants to qualify first in the group. I hope they find a Manchester City team who will fight for the game."