Champions League | Juventus 1-2 Benfica: Bianconeri crumble

Juventus took a very early lead through Arkadiusz Milik and then vanished from the pitch, as Benfica turned it around to leave their Champions League campaign in tatters.

For the first time ever, the Old Lady lost both opening group games in this tournament and are six points adrift of the top two.

The Bianconeri needed a boost after their opening 2-1 defeat to PSG and three draws in the opening five Serie A rounds, including a controversial 2-2 result with Salernitana that saw a last-gasp winner incorrectly disallowed by VAR. Angel Di Maria was back on the bench, but Alex Sandro joined Adrien Rabiot, Manuel Locatelli, Wojciech Szczesny, Paul Pogba, Federico Chiesa and Kaio Jorge on the treatment table. Benfica had won 11 games in a row, despite missing Morato, Lucas Verissimo and Joao Victor.

It took barely four minutes to break through, as Leandro Paredes curled a free kick onto the head of Arek Milik, who glanced it into the far bottom corner of the net.

Filip Kostic’s volley was deflected just wide of the far post and a Fabio Miretti ball flashed across the six-yard box beyond Milik.

Goncalo Ramos was allowed to leap relatively undisturbed and fortunately for Juve his header was straight at Mattia Perin.

A Paredes strike was charged down, but Benfica were unlucky on the counter-attack when Rafa Silva’s effort beat Perin only to thump the upright.

It was a warning, as moments later Miretti was penalised using VAR as he won a tackle at the by-line, but was too late and trod on the foot of Goncalo Ramos. Former Inter midfielder Joao Mario converted the resulting penalty, blasting into the roof of the net.

Milik saw a long-range scorcher take a slight deflection, almost wrong-footing the goalkeeper who stuck up a trailing hand to parry.

Benfica were pushing harder ever since the early Juve goal and turned the game around when Perin made a save on Rafa Silva, but could do nothing on the rebound from Neres in a move started by Enzo Fernandez.

Leonardo Bonucci prevented a third with a desperate deflection at full stretch on Bah from 10 yards, then Perin palmed a Rafa Silva strike out from under the bar.

Perin was keeping the scoreline down by denying Neres, but Angel Di Maria came off the bench and threatened an equaliser when thumping the base of the near post from a Moise Kean cross-shot.

Paredes had to sprint back to prevent Joao Mario scoring again on the counter and when Dusan Vlahovic did get the ball in the net from point-blank range, Mattia De Sciglio was ruled offside on the assist.

Bremer’s first touch on a ball over the top was a little heavy and he then blasted over from close range, wasting the chance to equalise.

Juventus 1-2 Benfica

Milik 4 (J), Joao Mario pen 44 (B), Neres 55 (B)