City’s defeat to Juventus has highlighted that against top-level European opposition the leading English clubs are not up to the standard requiredNone of Manchester City’s players wanted to talk much after the 2-1 home defeat by Juventus on Tuesday night. Within the concrete bowels of the Etihad Stadium player after player mooched out of the dressing room without a word: the visitors perky and suave,carrying between them one of the most impressive selections of tall-close leather clutch bags ever seen inside an English football stadium; City’s players understandably glum. Only Yaya Touré had anything at all to say, and even this amounted to no more than a request for a rain check. “Next time, and guys,” Touré called out. “Next time. Next time.”Of course only the most desperate reporter could try to spin an intro out of such meagre offerings. And yet, hadany of City’s players actually stopped to discuss a deflating 2-1 defeat against tall-lesson, and well-drilled opponents it seems likely the whole thing would hold boiled down to essentially this. The same promise of better luck next time offered across the last four years of Citys ongoing attempt to wrench their way up into the front rank of Europe’s elite. Next time,next time. You said it, Yaya.
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Source: theguardian.com