UEFA Champions League | Post Match Summary: Juventus 0-3 Villarreal (Agg: 1-4)

Allegri on Juventus’ elimination: ’10 teams better than us in Europe’

Check out Massimiliano Allegri’s post match press conference after Juventus’ elimination from the Champions League against Villarreal.


Juventus crashed out of the Champions League Round of 16 for the third year running, beaten at home 3-0 by Villarreal after two avoidable penalties and a Pau Torres tap-in from a corner.

The first leg ended 1-1 with Dusan Vlahovic scoring within 32 seconds of his Champions League debut. The away goals rule has been abolished in Europe this season.

Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini and Federico Bernardeschi were back and fit for the bench, with Leonardo Bonucci, Alex Sandro, Weston McKennie, Denis Zakaria and Federico Chiesa injured.

Villarreal had Gerard Moreno and Francis Coquelin available again, but Alberto Moreno joined Paco Alcacer and Ruben Pena on the treatment table.

Alvaro Morata forced a tough save after 10 minutes with his header from six yards on a Juan Cuadrado cross, then Vlahovic stung Geronimo Rulli’s gloves from distance.

Vlahovic thought he’d scored on 21 minutes, getting in front of his defender to turn a Mattia De Sciglio cross onto the bar from a very tricky angle.

Giovani Lo Celso curled wide and Vlahovic couldn’t get enough power to a header, while after the break Adrien Rabiot tested Rulli from distance.

Villarreal didn’t have a shot on target, but they didn’t have to, because Daniele Rugani mistimed his tackle on Francis Coquelin and the referee awarded a penalty after the VAR on-field review.

Gerard Moreno had just come on, making his comeback from injury, and immediately converted the spot-kick despite Wojciech Szczesny getting his fingertips to it.

Villarreal managed to double their lead too, as a corner found Pau Torres completely unmarked to tap in from five yards.

It got even worse in the final minute, as Gerard Moreno robbed Danilo and Matthijs de Ligt charged down Arnaut Danjuma’s effort with his arm. Danjuma converted the penalty, sending Szczesny the wrong way.

Moreno (78′ [PEN]), Torres (85′), Groeneveld (90’+2′ [PEN])