Dusan Vlahovic had a dream Champions League debut, scoring within 32 seconds, but Adrien Rabiot’s error allowed Daniel Parejo to equalise for Villarreal, as the Round of 16 remains in the balance.
At least there is one bonus for Juve, which is that after two years in a row of crashing out at this stage on away goals, that rule no longer applies.
The Bianconeri were without Paulo Dybala, Federico Chiesa, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele Rugani and Federico Chiesa, while Leonardo Bonucci and Luca Pellegrini were only fit for the bench. The Yellow Submarine missed Paco Alcacer, Gerard Moreno, Francis Coquelin and Ruben Peña.
It took precisely 32 seconds for Vlahovic to open his account on his full Champions League debut. Danilo intercepted a ball in midfield and floated a pass, the Serbian chested it down with his back to goal between two defenders, in one movement spinning to place the precise angled drive into the far bottom corner from 12 yards.
Villarreal really should’ve equalised on 13 minutes, Giovani Lo Celso slipping at the crucial moment and scuffing the ball onto the upright from 10 yards.
Wojciech Szczesny also made a desperate reaction save on the cheeky Arnaut Danjuma back-heel flick that took a deflection off Danilo.
Alvaro Morata fired over from a promising position and Weston McKennie’s finish was charged down after a Mattia De Sciglio assist, while Matthijs de Ligt intercepted a dangerous Lo Celso cross-shot in the six-yard box.
Welcome to the Champions League, Dušan Vlahović 🙌🤩
The Serbian striker scores just THIRTY-ONE SECONDS into his #UCL debut 😳👏
What a start he’s made to life at Juventus! ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/lSqlQYS2l4
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 22, 2022
Bonucci came on for the second half and Morata volleyed McKennie’s cross just wide, but Villarreal equalised when Adrien Rabiot was caught ball-watching and did not follow Dani Parejo, allowed to volley in Capoue’s floated ball over the top from 12 yards relatively undisturbed. Matthijs de Ligt was furious with his teammate.
Rabiot was fortunate to avoid VAR and a possible red card moments later, as he scraped his studs down Samu Chukwueze’s knee and only received a booking.
McKennie went off after an awkward fall and seemed to sprain his ankle, then Vlahovic almost scored out of nowhere with another quick spin and shot, Sebastian Rulli getting one strong hand down to it.
Villarreal 1-1 Juventus
Vlahovic 1 (J), Parejo 66 (V)
Allegri blew another chance. And waiting on UEFA to pull UCL final from Russia.
😂 😂 😂. Allegri cannot defeat the 6th best team in Spain. He will be happy as it is a perfected draw. Best if Juve lose the second leg. Can you imagine them coming up against City or Munich. 20-0 after 2 legs.
This is what happens when you don’t have the protection of refs like you do in Serie A! Juventus will never win champions league!
Allegri is such a joke… Rabiot was playing garbage the whole game, why insist on him the whole game?? That Bonucci sub was god awful, that Villareal goal was totally on him, where the hell was he and what the hell was he doing? I’ll repeat what I said before, Allegri is clueless. We won’t win the UCL with him as manager, we won’t be even close. Can’t even beat the 6th team in La Liga. Draws after draws after draws. Such a joke.
Allegri would have been happy with a narrow defeat. This guy should not be allowed near anything that has to do with football.
Well done Rabiot for not tracking back on Parejo. Another predictably poor performance and what is worse is against a side who were a replica of us playing slow and showing no life.
Well done Rabiot for not tracking back on Parejo. Another predictably poor performance and what is worse is against a side who were a replica of us playing slow and showing no life.
This man has to go. His only plan is to Send crosses into the box and long balls to Vlahovic. Rehiring him is one of the biggest mistakes this club has made. He´s stuck in the 1990.
Agree with all my friends above.
The same old story, play from way way back we score and go even further back, so no more feeding the attackers.
We just defend hold the line and hope they dont score, which is rarely the case.
Better we dont go through so we dont humilate ourselves.
My wish is we get Zidane with one or two additions i believe he would want to coach his old team! Just cant stand watching my team defend for 90 minutes, enough!
With no away goals I cannot see this donkey of a coach going on the offensive. I know the plan, wait, hold back, see what happens and wait again even if we go a goal behind. No excuses despite the injuries as they were without Moreno and have a budget the fraction of ours.
If they get knocked out in the second leg or next round, Allegri may be sacked by the end of the season, even with a top 4 finish.
Time for Juve to look for a manger who isn’t terrified of winning a game by more than one goal.
@ConCon I really hope PSG won’t convince him to join them. Zidane should be joing a big club, not a thrash money machine like that Paris team. They barely can win with Messi, Neymar and Mbappe. I’d be surprised if he joined them, but I wouldn’t be shocked since money talks everywhere. The huge wages he will demand them will be paid without further ado.
Great finish by Vlahovic. I think he surprised the defender by taking it on his weaker foot.
Even Allegri’s mother would sack him. I can’t believe he still getting paid for this garbage.
The second half, their midfield was poor again. Looked like a repeat of the Torino game. Stuck deep in their own half and no service to Vlahovic. Why he insists on starting Rabiot I have no idea. He does “zero”. Replacing Locatelli in the second was correct since he wasn’t getting the ball forward any more just sideways and backwards. Play Arthur and Locatelli together from the start. Arthur should be further up the pitch while Locatelli plays as the holder.
PhD Max the best coach in the world who nobody would hire during that 2 year coma lol.
HAHA I love coming here when Italian teams are humiliated in Europe. YNWA
@tony, I agree with you, but don’t worry Allegri will hatch a plan to lose 1-0 so as not to face the real heavy weights of Europe. He will then blame the defeat on injuries and being in transition despite him being lost in translation.
@tony, I agree with you, but don’t worry Allegri will hatch a plan to lose 1-0 so as not to face the real heavy weights of Europe. He will then blame the defeat on injuries and being in transition despite him being lost in translation.
Lol, people here were so sure Villareal will demolish Juventus, but now that Juve got the draw they’ve changed the narrative and blame Allegri for the “ugly performance”.
1-1 is nothing to be proud of. Chelsea faced Lille and got the job done comfortably. If not losing to Villarreal with the utmost respect is acceptable then what standards are left. If they shut up shop after 1 minute then it is better to not face the bigger teams who will steam roll this present team.
@The Master
What people said Villarreal “will demolish Juventus“?
Guys – Allegri isn’t going anywhere. With a 4 year contract, if we were to sack him we would owe him so much money. Juve can’t afford that. We will have Allegri for years.