Italian team Juventus FC are one of the most successful clubs in the UEFA Champions League. But, this legendary club has failed to qualify for the Round of 16. Last night, they lost a dramatic game against Benfica, which cost them out of the tournament.
As it happened
Italian giant Juventus FC are having a difficult time both in the Champions League and Serie A. Before the clash against Benfica last night, Juventus won only one of their four games in Group H. As a result, Juventus had no alternative than winning the clash against Benfica.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri played his best possible XI in this crucial match. He set up the team formation with 3-5-2, where Dusan Vlahovic and Moise Kean played as the center-forwards. On Benfica’s side, the manager played his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
As the home team, Benfica FC tried to dominate at the Estadio da Luiz. They highly pressed the visitors from the beginning of the match. Therefore, the home team didn’t have to wait much to take the lead. In the 17th minute, Benfica took the lead with a stunning goal from the defender, Antonio Silva.
However, Juventus took only four minutes to find the equalizer. Striker Moise Kean netted the ball in the 21st minute for the Juve. But the home team had gone wild after conceding the goal. The reaction was very quick on their part. Benfica scored two more goals in the first half. The first goal came from a penalty kick, and Rafa Silva netted the other goal. So, the first half ended in a 3-1 margin.
Returning from the break, the home team kept the same pressure on Juventus. Due to their high press, Juventus became vulnerable in defense. Rafa Silva scored his second goal as a result of this, which gave Benfica their fourth goal.
However, Juventus made the game more exciting. In the 77th minute, the Juve got their 2nd goal as Arkadiusz Milik found the net for the team. Within two minutes, they netted another goal. This time, Weston McKennie found the net for the Juve. It seemed they would score another one. But Benfica defended very well in the remaining minutes and didn’t concede more. In the end, Benfica defeated Juventus, eliminating them from the UCL.