16 March 2022
Juventus paid the price for not capitalising on their chances after dominating the first half as Villarreal struck three times in the closing 15 minutes, twice from the penalty spot, to silence the Allianz Stadium and clinically end the Bianconeri's European ambitions this season.
EARLY PROMISE
Massimiliano Allegri opted for a 4-4-2 set up with Juan Cuadrado encouraged to push forward on the right and supply the deliveries for the front two of Alvaro Morata and Dusan Vlahovic. A drop of the shoulder from the Colombian on 10 minutes gave him space to deliver an early cross and create the first chance of the game. An unmarked Morata met the delivery but his header was parried by Geronimo Rulli.
10 minutes later, it was Morata's co-striker, Vlahovic who tested the Villarreal goalkeeper with a powerful drive from distance.
On 22', Vlahovic got the better of Rulli as he met a near post cross with his left foot. The speed and timing of the run caught the Villarreal defence off guard, but the shot rebounded off the crossbar. The Spanish side breathed a sigh of relief and on the counter attack created their first chance, when Giovanni Lo Celso curled his effort just wide. But it was Juventus that once again came close in the 36th minute, and again it was Rulli who denied the Bianconeri attack, this time blocking a close-range Vlahovic header. Juventus finished the opening half on top, but were left ruing not having taken advantage of their chances.
LATE DEMISE
Juve continued to take the game to the Spanish side after the restart. An industrious Adrien Rabiot drove into the Villarreal penalty area, but again Rulli parried to safety. A minute later, Rabiot again made a run into the area, but could only win a corner.
With both teams cancelling each other out, it was Unai Emery who made the first substitutions, bringing on experience in attack in the form of Francis Coquelin and Gerard Moreno. And the two subs would be involved in the game's opening goal. Daniele Rugani arrived late on a challenge inside the penalty area on Coquelin. The referee after consulting the VAR awarded a penalty, which was converted by Moreno.
Allegri brought on Paulo Dybala and Federico Bernardeschi but the goal had knocked the wind out of Juve's sails.
On 85' the contest was ended when Pau Torres prodded home a cross from a corner that had evaded the Juventus defence.Salt was rubbed into wounds in stoppage time when Matthijs De Ligt blocked a shot with an arm. The resulting penalty was swept into the net by Arnaut Danjuma. After such an impressive first half, Juventus painfully crashed out of the Champions League as Villarreal celebrated a historic 3-0 win.
JUVENTUS 0-3 VILLARREAL (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: 78' Moreno (V), 85' Torres (V), 90+2' Danjuma (V)
JUVENTUS
Szczęsny; Danilo, de Ligt, Rugani (79' Dybala), De Sciglio; Cuadrado, Locatelli (83' Bernardeschi), Arthur, Rabiot; Vlahovic, Morata (86' Kean).
Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, Chiellini, Pellegrini, Miretti.
Coach: Allegri
VILLARREAL
Rulli; Aurier, Albiol, Pau Torres, Estupiñán; Pino (65' Chukwueze), Capoue, Parejo (86' Pedraza), Trigueros (65' Coquelin); Lo Celso (73' Moreno), Danjuma.
Subs not used: Asenjo, Mario, Foyth, Iborra, Rubén Peña, Dia, Mandi, Gómez.
Coach: Emery
REFEREE: Marciniak (POL)
ASSISTANTS: Sokolnicki, Listkiewicz
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Raczkowski
VAR: Kwiatkowski, Frankowski
BOOKINGS: 90' De Ligt
