Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira admits there’s still bitterness over their Champions League exit but “we have to accept it, we can’t change it”.

The Bianconeri were 3-0 up against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu on Wednesday, a result which would have sent the quarter-final to extra-time.

In injury time though, Medhi Benatia was adjudged to have fouled Lucas Vazquez, and Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty to send Juve out.

“Playing at the Bernabeu and coming back is almost impossible,” Khedira told Sky.

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira admits there’s still bitterness over their Champions League exit but “we have to accept it, we can’t change it”.

The Bianconeri were 3-0 up against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu on Wednesday, a result which would have sent the quarter-final to extra-time.

In injury time though, Medhi Benatia was adjudged to have fouled Lucas Vazquez, and Cristiano Ronaldo converted the penalty to send Juve out.

“Playing at the Bernabeu and coming back is almost impossible,” Khedira told Sky.

“We did it for 90 minutes, but sometimes the game lasts longer. We were sad at the end of the game, and even now it’s hard after a fantastic match, which no-one expected, where we proved ourselves to be one of the best teams in Europe.

“That’s football though and we have to accept it, as well as congratulating Real who are a great team.

“Even if we’re left empty handed it’s pointless crying over it and looking for excuses, now we have to look ahead and concentrate on the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, which are two big objectives.

“If you consider the situation, in the 93rd minute, the penalty wasn’t clear. You could definitely give it or not give it.

“If you watch the game you’ll see that the referee isn’t totally sure, he waited a few seconds and then decided.

“You can’t say that it’s not right to give a penalty in the 93rd minute, but if you’re the referee you have to be 100 per cent certain if you’re going to give it, even in the first minute.

“You have to be 100 per cent sure and in this case he was thinking about whether or not to give it – in that situation you can’t give it.

“That’s what made us angry, we’d fought for 90 minutes and in a 50-50 situation like that you can’t give it.

“It’s a difficult decision to manage, the referee made his choice and we have to accept it, we can’t change it.

“VAR? If I’m honest at the start of the season I was not enthusiastic about it, because it was new and interrupted the game for too long, but now it’s improving and it can help football be more just.”

Emre Can, Khedira’s Germany teammate, is rumoured to be joining Juve on a free transfer from Liverpool in the summer…

“I’ve spoken to him, but I don’t know what decision he’ll make on his future. He’s definitely a very interesting profile though, and he’d be right for the Juventus of the future.”

Bygaby

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