Juventus are out of the Champions League after failing to get the better of 10-man Porto in extra time, as Federico Chiesa’s heroics were ruined by an error on a free kick.
Follow all the action as it happens and give your views on the LIVEBLOG.
Juventus are out of the Champions League after failing to get the better of 10-man Porto in extra time, as Federico Chiesa’s heroics were ruined by an error on a free kick.
Follow all the action as it happens and give your views on the LIVEBLOG.
The Bianconeri had lost the first leg 2-1 in Portugal, so needed at least a 1-0 win to progress from the Round of 16. Danilo was suspended, with Paulo Dybala injured, Rodrigo Bentancur positive for COVID, plus Matthijs de Ligt not at 100 per cent. Arthur returned for his first start in seven games, but Porto fielded the same XI that won the first leg.
Alvaro Morata forced a great save with his header after just three minutes on Juan Cuadrado’s cross, but Wojciech Szczesny had to rush off his line to smother at the feet of Moussa Marega, then Mehdi Taremi’s header bounced off the bar after Cuadrado’s slip.
Cuadrado seemed to hurt himself in that move and needed strapping on his right thigh.
Merih Demiral gave away an avoidable penalty, as Taremi was shielding the ball with his back to goal and there was no need to make the tackle. Sergio Oliviera converted the spot-kick to give Porto a 1-0 lead on the night, 3-1 on aggregate.
Porto continued to have shots from outside the box, while Morata chested down a Cuadrado cross only to find Agustin Marchesin rushing off his line.
Juventus finally got into the game with the same man who scored in the first leg. Ronaldo knocked down a Leonardo Bonucci floated ball over the top for Chiesa to smash into the far top corner with the inside of the right boot from a tricky angle.
Moments later, Taremi was booked for a foul on Chiesa, then two minutes after that the striker did something incredibly stupid, kicking the ball into the stands after a foul was given against him. It was an inevitable second yellow card and Porto were down to 10 men.
Chiesa then almost scored again, managing to get around Marchesin and about to tap into an empty net when Pepe somehow managed to get a deflection to push it onto the upright from point-blank range.
Ronaldo’s header was also parried, but Chiesa completed the comeback with a rare header, getting to the back post to steer in Cuadrado’s sensational cross.
It was now 3-3 on aggregate, all square on away goals, so would go to extra time.
Juve were suddenly completely fired up, with Bonucci and Adrien Rabiot strikes beaten away, while Marega had a poor first touch when clear on goal.
Ronaldo was surprisingly poor on the night and wasted a huge opportunity to win it with his header well wide on a great Cuadrado cross.
Chiesa left Corona in his dust with a strong run, Marchesin rushed out to narrow the angle and parry with his chest, then Morata hit a fresh-air volley on the rebound.
Szczesny also had to be on his toes, beating away a Malang Sarr screamer, while Marega hit the side-netting after turning Demiral.
Chiesa went for an assist too, his cross perfect for the head of Ronaldo, but Chancel Mbemba got a decisive touch to flick it away.
Morata had the ball in the net at the 91st, but he had wandered narrowly offside. Cuadrado then cut inside a defender and curled an astonishing strike, but it bounced off the underside of the crossbar at the far top corner. Almost a memorable and worthy winner, but the tie went to extra time.
Cuadrado was booked and will be suspended for the next European fixture, and Marega aimed a weak free header straight at Szczesny from Corona’s corner routine. Chiesa was understandably exhausted and had to come off.
Ronaldo went clear on goal, but Marchesin made an extraordinary sliding tackle to get the ball in the penalty area.
Dejan Kulusevski turned one defender inside out, but Mbemba made a decisive block from six yards, while Marko Grujic had a shot charged down after Cuadrado slipped in the box.
Morata really should’ve done better when Kulusevski pulled back to the edge of the area, but he fired straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Instead, Porto got back to 2-2 and ahead on aggregate when Sergio Oliviera’s free kick went under the wall and through Ronaldo and Rabiot’s legs, as they jumped at completely the wrong time, leaving Szczesny unsighted to squirm in at the near bottom corner.
It still wasn’t over, as Rabiot made up for his error by nodding in a corner moments later for 4-4 on aggregate, going out on away goals.
Matthijs de Ligt had penalty appeals, but the tackle seemed to be clean, and Rabiot blasted over the bar.
Juventus 3-2 Porto (aet, 4-4 agg)
Sergio Oliviera pen 19, 115 (P), Chiesa 49, 63 (J), Rabiot 117 (J)
Juventus: Szczesny; Cuadrado, Demiral, Bonucci (De Ligt 75), Alex Sandro; Ramsey (McKennie 75), Arthur (Kulusevski 102), Rabiot, Chiesa (Bernardeschi 102); Morata, Ronaldo
Porto: Marchesin; Manafá, Mbemba, Pepe, Zaidu (Luis Diaz 71); Corona (Diogo Leite 118), Uribe (Grujic 90), Sergio Oliveira (Loum 118), Otavio (Sarr 61); Marega (Toni Martinez 106), Taremi
Ref: Kuipers (NED)
Sent off: Taremi 54 (P)