Gigi Buffon was man of the match, including a penalty save, as 10-man Juventus won away to Lyon thanks to an extraordinary Juan Cuadrado goal.
See how the night unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
Juve remain joint top of the group with Sevilla, who won 1-0 away to Dinamo Zagreb.
Gigi Buffon was man of the match, including a penalty save, as 10-man Juventus won away to Lyon thanks to an extraordinary Juan Cuadrado goal.
See how the night unfolded on our LIVEBLOG.
Juve remain joint top of the group with Sevilla, who won 1-0 away to Dinamo Zagreb.
The Bianconeri were joint top of the group alongside Sevilla, just one point in front of Lyon. Max Allegri missed Giorgio Chiellini, Mario Mandzukic, Daniele Rugani, Claudio Marchisio and Kwadwo Asamoah, but surprisingly picked Patrice Evra in a mobile 3-5-2 system and Mario Lemina as the playmaker. Lyon had to do without Clement Grenier, Christophe Jallet, Maciej Rybus and ill Emanuel Mammana, while Aldo Kalulu sat out a ban. Alexandre Lacazette had his first start five weeks after a thigh strain.
Miralem Pjanic sprung the offside trap, but couldn’t get on the end of the inspired Leonardo Bonucci long ball due to a touch from ex-Roma defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. On the resulting corner, Bonucci’s shot was charged down by teammate Sami Khedira.
Juve dominated possession from the start, as Lyon seemed content to play on the counter. Gonzalo Higuain ran on to an Alex Sandro through ball and flashed his finish across the face of goal, finding the fingertips of Anthony Lopes.
For all the domination, the Italians created few genuine chances and risked going behind when Bonucci foolishly dragged down Mouctar Diakhaby on a corner. Lacazette stepped up, but saw his penalty palmed off the line by Gigi Buffon, who dived to his left for a crucial save.
Higuain got a surprising amount of power to his header on the Dani Alves cross, forcing Lopes to slap it round the near post.
Bonucci had appeals for a slight push in the box on a corner on the stroke of half-time and as the move continued he nodded inches wide.
Buffon came to the rescue again after the break with an even more sensational save, as Nabil Fekir’s effort from 12 yards took a deflection, but he stuck up a trailing hand to punch it over the bar.
Juve shot themselves in the foot when Lemina, already booked in the first half, chased down and tripped Fekir for a second yellow card. The Bianconeri had to play the final 35 minutes down to 10 men.
Higuain was offside when his first touch let him down one-on-one with Lopes anyway, but at the other end Buffon smothered a dangerous Lacazette cross-shot off the feet of Fekir.
Buffon performed another miraculous stop, as a free kick found Corentin Tolisso totally unmarked for a downward header at the far post.
Just as 10-man Juve seemed to be under pressure, substitute Cuadrado broke the deadlock with a moment of magic. The Colombian burst down the right with a double step-over and fired in from an almost impossible angle to surprise Lopes.
Buffon parried a Maxime Gonalons strike at the near post and Ghezzal’s angled drive flashed just wide in stoppages – although the captain seemed to have it covered.
Lyon had scored in all 15 home games at their new stadium, winning 12 of those games and losing only once.
Lyon 0-1 Juventus
Cuadrado 76 (J)
Lyon: Lopes; Yanga-Mbiwa (Ghezzal 82), Nkoulou, Diakhaby; Rafael, Darder (Ferri 64), Gonalons, Tolisso, Morel; Lacazette (Cornet 72), Fekir
Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Dani Alves (Benatia 83), Khedira (Sturaro 75), Lemina, Pjanic, Alex Sandro; Dybala (Cuadrado 69), Higuain
Ref: Marciniak (POL)
Saved penalty: Lacazette 35 (L)
Sent off: Lemina 53 (J)