Juventus-Benfica 0-2
Networks: 16’pt Pavlidis, 35’st Kokcu.
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin 6; Weah 6, Gatti 5, Kalulu Sv (16’pt Locatelli 5), McKennie 6; Douglas Luiz 5, Thuram 5.5 (16’st Koopmeiners 5); Conceicao 5.5, Yildiz 5, Mbangula 5.5 (16 st Nico Gonzalez 5); Vlahovic 4. On the bench. Pinsoglio, Di Gregorio, Adzic, Fagioli, Savona, Rouhi. Coach: Thiago Motta 5.
Benfica (4-3-3): Trubin 6.5; Araujo 6 (46’st Joao Rego Sv), Antonio Silva 6, Otamendi 6.5, Bah 6.5; Florentino Luis 6.5, aursnes 6.5, Kokcu 7 (46’st Rollheiser Sv); By Maria 6 (27’st Kerem Akturkoglu Sv), Pavlidis 7 (39’st AMDUNI SV), Schjelderup 6.5 (27’st Barreiro Sv). On the bench: Samuel Soares, Prestianni, Beste, Joao Fonseca, Nuno Felix, Leandro Santos, Bajrami. Coach: Bruno Lage 7.
REFEREE: Kovacs (Romania) 6.
Notes: Cold evening, ground in perfect condition. Ammonites: Vlahovic, Otamendi, Bah. Corners: 7-3 for Juventus. Recovery: 2 ‘; 3’.
Juventus still loses, Benfica conquers the Stadium and slides the bianconeri in 20. Place: The play-offs were already certain, now the team of Thiago Motta, coupled with the Feyenoord, will have to deal with the PSV Eindhoven or in an all-Italian derby with Milan. It is an evening that begins badly for Juve, with Kalulu’s muscle injury, and continues worse, with a network in time signed by Pavlidis and Kokcu, in addition to the sound whistles. Thiago Motta and his boys must redeem the thud of Naples, he had even rumored with possible resignation by the Juventus coach. “I have never reported this news completely unfounded on the radio or through any means of communication,” Massimo Brambati, former footballer and prosecutor who had been attributed the rumors, wanted to clarify. In the eleven of the coach there are Weah and McKennie (Captain of the evening) as full -backs, Douglas Luiz with Thuram in the median, Mbangula and not Koopmeiners in the trocar together with Conceicao and Yildiz behind Vlahovic. The star of Benfica is by Maria, on the first return from the opponent to the Stadium, with the Fideo protagonist of a beautiful embrace with Thiago Motta. In the stands, however, the fans dedicate two banners to the former captain Danilo: “Thanks for everything, in a world without more values we greet you with all the honors” the messages for the Brazilian. The challenge is immediately at very high rhythms, Mbangula has the best opportunity with a close header rejected by Trubin. Then, within a minute, Juve lives a double frozen shower: Kalulu stops for muscle problems and gives way to Locatelli, the game resumes and cats pierces the intervention, paving the way to the advantage of Pavlidis on Bah’s assists . The bianconeri suffer the recourse, Douglas Luiz and Vlahovic are also caught by the fans for several technical errors and Trubin must not make any parade. In full recovery, however, Perin must put a huge piece of the cake of cats and Locatelli, rejecting the close blow with Pavlidis safely. The Stadium covers whistles Juve who falls within the changing rooms, Thuram tries to play the charge in the 57th minute with a strong but central shot while Yildiz hits the outside of the net. Thiago inserts Koopmeiners and Nico Gonzalez for Thuram and Mbangula, the Argentine immediately warns Otamendi but Vlahovic kicks high the punishment from an interesting position. Di Maria comes out among the whistles while Juve tries to give signs of recovery, raising the center of gravity and playing in the half field of Benfica: at 75 ‘McKennie Crossa, Douglas Luiz is inserted and Trubin blocks in beautiful style with a plastic flight. The Portuguese, however, start again at the great and ten from the end they catch the doubling, when Kokcu strikes from the edge of the area and detonates the over two thousand fans who arrived from Lisbon. It is the definitive blow for Juve, who finds the second defeat in a row after the thud of Naples. They are whistles and dispute for the Bianconeri, on Sunday at 12.30 Empoli will arrive at the Stadium and the team cannot be wrong. To think about the Champions League play-offs, with the way 11-12 February and return 18-19, there will be time.