Socrates

Juventus to face PSV Eindhoven in Champions League play-off round Juventus jumping back into the Champions League this season provided plenty of unknowns. The squad was so much different than the last time they played in Europe, their new manager had played but never coached in the competition before, and the brand new format was maybe the biggest of unknowns with how it would all play out over the next four months. That return to Europe started with a bang, as Juventus beat Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven 3-1 in Turin back in September, a night that had plenty hoping that better times ahead. ............ It will be that same PSV side in which Juventus will either keep their Champions League campaign alive or see their return to Europe end, as the two sides that met on Matchday 1 will meet again in the two-legged play-off round that will fill out the second half of the round of 16 field. Juventus, as a result of finishing a disappointing 20th, entered Friday’s play-off round draw set to face either PSV or AC Milan — who finished 13th and 14th, respectively, during the league phase — with very obvious storylines attached to either of those potential opponents. So instead of a meeting with the last team Juventus has beaten domestically or in Europe, it’s a rematch with the club in which Thiago Motta claimed his first Champions League win against. The first leg of the play-off matchup will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 11, in Turin, with the return leg eight days later on Wednesday, Feb. 19, in Eindhoven. The winner of the Juventus-PSV matchup will face either Inter Milan (blah) or Arsenal in the Champions League Round of 16, which will see the first leg tie played the first week of March. ............ . Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2025/1/31/24355991/juventus-psv-eindhoven-2025-champions-league-playoff-round-draw-team-news

Repubblica: Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz want Juventus exit La Repubblica newspaper reports that Dusan Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz want to leave Juventus, while other players are ‘surprised’ by how Thiago Motta has treated Nicolò Fagioli and Danilo. Juventus stars Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz wants to leave Juventus as they are not on good terms with coach Thiago Motta, according to La Repubblica. ............ Both Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz went straight into the Allianz Stadium tunnel on Wednesday and didn’t wave at the fans after a 2-0 loss against Benfica. Vlahovic has less than 18 months left in his contract with Juventus and the Bianconeri are ready to listen to offers for the Serbian, although his exit seems unlikely this month. On the other hand, Douglas Luiz has attracted interest from some Premier League clubs, including Manchester City. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/vlahovic-and-douglas-luiz-want-juventus-exit/

S Sacco Giovanni Sain Orlando Sakor Vajebah Sala Salas Marcelo Salice Piero Salihamidzic Hasan Salvadore Sandro

Preview: Juventus vs. Empoli - prediction, team news, lineups After back-to-back defeats, Juventus will seek an end to their three-game winless streak on Sunday, when they welcome Serie A strugglers Empoli to Turin. The Bianconeri recently followed their first league loss of the season with another setback in Europe, while their ailing visitors have slumped to the foot of the form table. Match preview ............ On the domestic scene, Thiago Motta's men have won only eight of their 22 league matches this season, following last week's 2-1 loss to league leaders Napoli, now coached by Juve legend Antonio Conte. Despite a debut goal from new signing Randal Kolo Muani - who had completed his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain just a few days earlier - they suffered a defeat that left them fifth in the table. Motta's side have now let some 17 points slip through their fingers, leaving the ex-Bologna boss with the third-lowest win percentage of any permanent manager in Juve's club history. Indeed, the last time Juventus recorded so few victories at this stage of a Serie A season was back in 1988, so Motta is coming under pressure to turn things around - starting this weekend. Still the only team unbeaten at home in the Italian top flight this season, they have won 80% of their league games against Empoli in Turin, so nothing less than three points will do. ............ Team News Subject of much speculation around a winter switch to the Premier League, Andrea Cambiaso should be back in the Juventus squad after missing their midweek defeat with an ongoing ankle problem. However, first-choice centre-back Pierre Kalulu has been sidelined by a muscular injury, so either new signing Renato Veiga or midfielder Manuel Locatelli could deputise in the hosts' back four. After scoring against Napoli, Randal Kolo Muani was ineligible to play Benfica, but he could now become the first man to find the net in his first two league games for Juve since Carlos Tevez in 2013; top scorer Dusan Vlahovic may be dropped to the bench. ............ Juventus possible starting lineup: Perin; Savona, Gatti, Veiga, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Yildiz, Koopmeiners, Gonzalez; Kolo Muani Empoli possible starting lineup: Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, De Sciglio; Gyasi, Henderson, Anjorin, Cacace; Fazzini, Esposito; Colombo We say: Juventus 2-1 Empoli While Empoli can consider this Sunday lunchtime clash a free hit, Juventus are burdened by the need to reverse their recent downturn. New additions have freshened up the hosts' squad, so they can edge past an away side that knows how to grind out results on the road. . Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/preview/preview-juventus-vs-empoli-prediction-team-news-lineups_564473.html

Juventus will face familiar foe in Champions League playoffs Juventus has been drawn against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League playoff phase, setting up a rematch between the two sides after their earlier meeting in the league stage. Juventus triumphed in their first encounter in Turin, but both teams have evolved significantly since that clash. ............ The two-leg playoff will provide an intense test for both sides. Juventus fans are hopeful their team can rediscover its best form ahead of these decisive matches, as recent performances have been inconsistent and disappointing. ............ This tie is a pivotal moment for Juventus. Failing to advance against PSV would not only be embarrassing but would also damage the club’s reputation and ambitions in Europe this season. The players and coaching staff must treat this as a must-win fixture, preparing diligently for both legs to avoid an early exit from the Champions League. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-will-face-familiar-foe-in-champions-league-playoffs/

Juventus Close to Sealing Danso Deal, Awaiting Final Approval from Lens Juventus and Lens are in the final stages of negotiations for the transfer of French defender Kevin Danso. Gianluca Di Marzio reports that talks between the two clubs continued through the night of Thursday, January 30, and into Friday, January 31, as they work to finalize the details of the move. While an agreement is close, Lens have yet to give their final approval to the transfer. The main point of discussion overnight cantered around the inclusion of a purchase option for Juventus. The proposed deal would see Danso join the Bianconeri on loan with an option to buy set at €25 million, plus an additional €2 million in bonuses tied to certain objectives. Juventus are optimistic about closing the deal on Friday, January 31. ............ . Read more -> https://www.footitalia.com/juventus-close-to-sealing-danso-deal-awaiting-final-approval-from-lens/

Done Deal: Arthur to Join Girona Juventus and Girona have reached an agreement for the loan transfer of Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo. The deal, which is set to be completed in the coming hours, will see Arthur join the Catalan club on a straight loan until the end of the season. ............ Girona, currently sitting in 8th place in La Liga, have been searching for midfield reinforcements following their exit from the Champions League. The club sees Arthur as an ideal candidate to fill the void left by Aleix Garcia, who departed for Bayer Leverkusen last summer. The negotiations between Juventus and Girona progressed rapidly in the last 24 hours, outpacing interest from Brazilian side Santos, who had also made a formal proposal for the player. Girona’s willingness to cover a significant portion of Arthur’s salary, which stands at 5.5 million euros gross per season, was a key factor in securing the deal. ............ The loan agreement does not include an option to buy, meaning Arthur will return to Juventus at the end of the season. His contract with the Bianconeri runs until June 2026. . Read more -> https://www.footitalia.com/done-deal-arthur-to-join-girona/

Juventus agree to loan deal for RC Lens defender Kevin Danso Before Juventus took the field for Wedneday night’s Champions League league phase finale against Benfica, director Cristiano Giuntoli was understandably asked about the club’s activity in the final days of the January transfer window. Speaking to Sky Italia, Giuntoli stated: “As of now, our transfer market is effectively closed, but we will keep an eye out for any opportunities that suit our requirements.” It appears they’ve found something. Juventus have agreed to bring in yet another player in on a short-term loan deal to try and solve some of their pressing depth issues at the back. First it was Renato Veiga from Chelsea, now it’s RC Lens center back Kevin Danso, with Juventus agreeing to a loan deal for the rest of the season with the French club to bring the 26-year-old Austrian to Turin. Juventus will pay an initial loan fee of €2.5 million with another €1.5 million worth of potential bonuses. ............ Of course, the move for Danso comes at a time in which Pierre Kalulu will be out at least a couple of weeks after pulling his hamstring as he did the splits in the first half of the loss to Benfica. With Kalulu out, that meant Federico Gatti was the only natural defender playing in the back four during much of the matchup against Benfica since Veiga was not eligible to play Wednesday night. ............ In Danso, Juve will be getting a player who has been relatively health over the last 4 1⁄2 seasons — he’s started at least 30 games domestically prior to this year. This season, Danso has started has played in 12 games domestically, starting them all, for a Lens side that is currently seventh in the Ligue 1. There is still no word on when Danso could be in Turin to undergo his medicals and sign his contract with Juventus. Considering the timing of when the deal has been essentially finalized, it looks unlikely that he will be able to train with his soon-to-be new squad prior to them facing Empoli on Sunday afternoon. . Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2025/1/31/24355769/kevin-danso-juventus-rc-lens-2025-serie-a-ligue-1-january-transfer-rumors

Danso set for Juventus loan at 2.5m RC Lens have accepted a Juventus offer to loan defender Kevin Danso for €2.5m plus €1.5m in add-ons. The centre-back was targeted after an injury ruled Pierre Kalulu out of action for at least three weeks, although it will possibly be more after he pulled up during last night’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Benfica. ............ Danso had long been on the Juventus radar, but Sportitalia noted that the club was only open to a loan with obligation to buy at the end of the season. That changed today, as despite interest from Rennes and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the player would prefer Juventus and has accepted the terms. ............ Juve are prepared to pay €2.5m for the six-month loan, plus a further €1.5m in potential performance-related bonuses. It is similar to the agreement that was struck with Chelsea for another defender, Renato Veiga, at a cost of €4m with the Stamford Bridge side covering his salary. . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/report-danso-set-for-juventus-loan-at-2-5m/

Juventus set to beat Wolves for Ligue 1 defender Juventus have been seeking one last signing in January, and have reportedly found their man in Kevin Danso. In what has been a chaotic season for the Bianconeri, the January transfer session is offering the management a chance to rectify some of the mistakes committed in the summer (like leaving Dusan Vlahovic without a backup), and also fill in the gaps caused by the injury plague. ............ In recent days, the Bianconeri have been linked with several defenders from all over Europe, including Newcastle United’s Lloyd Kelly and West Ham United’s Jean-Clair Todibo, while sources in Italian football claimed the club will be looking for domestic solutions by pursuing the Serie A duo of Thomas Kristensen (Udinese) and Saba Goglichidze (Empoli). Nevertheless the Italian giants have identified Danso as their right profile for the role, and are now close to sealing an agreement, thus beating Wolves and other alternative suitors. ............ “Final details to be sorted, loan move for €4m package add-ons included (€2.5m initial fee). Wolves and Rennes have been trying for days but Juve are now ahead, confident.” Danso is a 26-year-old Austria international who started his career at Reading’s academy before embarking on several experiences between England and Germany, including MK Dons, Augsburg and Southampton. Nevertheless, he’s been a staple at Lens since 2021, and is tied to the Ligue 1 side with a contract running until June 2027. . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/fabrizio-romano-juventus-set-to-beat-wolves-for-ligue-1-defender/

Juventus nearing move for Lens’ Kevin Danso Serie A giants Juventus are now nearing a move to Lens defender Kevin Danso. The Bianconeri have failed in moves for Newcastle United’s Lloyd Kelly and West Ham’s Jean-Clair Todibo. Danso now seems to be their preferred choice. They are getting close to signing the Austrian, who was close to joining Roma in the summer before a failed medical. ............ Juve have put forward a fee of €2.5 million plus €1.5 million in bonuses as part of a dry loan deal. Lens are happy to accept it but are waiting for a formal acceptance. ............ . Read more -> https://www.getfootballnewsitaly.com/2025/juventus-nearing-move-for-lens-kevin-danso/

Juventus set to beat Wolves in the race to sign Kevin Danso from Lens Juventus are close to agreeing a deal to sign Kevin Danso (26) on loan until the end of the season from Lens. The Serie A club are in discussions with Les Sang et Or over a complete package worth €4m to sign the Austrian international defender on a temporary basis. Juventus are set to beat Rennes and Wolves in the race to sign the former Southampton loanee. ............ With a deal close between Juventus and Lens, the centre-back should spend the rest of the season in Turin. The Bianconeri will pay an initial loan fee of €2.5m that may rise to €4m if performance-related bonuses are met. It remains to be seen if any purchase option will be inserted into the deal. . Read more -> https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2025/juventus-set-to-beat-wolves-in-the-race-to-sign-kevin-danso-from-lens/

Juventus ready to swoop for Danso after Kalulu setback Sky Sport Italia report that RC Lens have put Juventus in pole position to sign Kevin Danso after the Pierre Kalulu injury. The Bianconeri were forced back onto the transfer market following the injury to Kalulu during last night’s 2-0 defeat to Benfica in the Champions League. ............ Juventus are in talks with French club RC Lens for Danso and put them in pole position to get him on loan. ............ There is competition from Fenerbahce and Stade Rennais, while he had originally agreed a transfer to Roma in the summer before failing the Lega Serie A medical. That issue has now been resolved and there was also interest from the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers. . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-ready-swoop-for-danso-kalulu-setback/

Juventus confirm Pierre Kalulu suffered thigh injury, reveals timetable Juventus have released an official statement, confirming that Pierre Kalulu has indeed suffered a thigh injury on Wednesday night. ............ The Frenchman slipped while attempting a clearance, and his leg extended awkwardly. The defender wasn’t able to continue, thus forcing Thiago Motta to introduce Manuel Locatelli. The makeshift backline hardly lasted a minute before conceding the opener, as the team went on to suffer a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Benfica. On Monday morning, Kalulu reported to the J|Medical Centre to undergo all necessary tests and determine the extent of his injury, while Motta and his technical staff collectively held their breath. In the end, the tests detected a low-grade lesion in the right thigh, so he’ll be out for at least 10 days. ............ “In about 10 days’ time, new tests will be carried out to determine the player’s recovery time.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-confirm-pierre-kalulu-suffered-thigh-injury-reveals-timetable/

Del Piero’s Scathing TV Commentary: “Juve Distracted, Needs Help. If You Change Too Much…” Former Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero provided a critical analysis of the Bianconeri’s defeat against Benfica in the final Champions League group stage match. ............ “After a sparkling start, Benfica took over and found the goal. From there, Juventus tried to pressure the opposing team, which closed down even more. The Bianconeri didn’t create great opportunities, and only a masterpiece by Perin saved them from 0-2.” ............ “There were many moments of struggle, especially from a psychological point of view, with the crowd rumbling both at half-time and at the final whistle. There’s not an optimal climate. The team seemed disorganized and distracted because something is missing. “They must be helped not only by the coach but also by the club. There must be compactness, unity, and above all, try to design a way out.” ............ “Juventus was certainly oriented towards attack with four up front plus Luiz. But it only lasted 10 minutes because they struggled more than others. A more solid midfield would have improved the initial situation. “If you change too much, you give less certainty to everyone. On the other hand, you keep everyone on their toes and they think they can play every Sunday, which is also a good thing.” ............ “We hope Juventus and Milan don’t cross paths in the playoffs and that both recover. The Bianconeri’s defeat hurts a bit more compared to the Rossoneri’s. “You need to know how to clean up today, which leaves its mark, and start again. We’ll see how they do it. An approachable match with Empoli awaits them at home.” . Read more -> https://www.footitalia.com/del-pieros-scathing-tv-commentary-juve-distracted-needs-help-if-you-change-too-much/

Juventus fans pay tribute to Danilo while aiming dig at the hierarchy Juventus supporters made it clear where the allegiance lies while paying homage to their departed captain Danilo during Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Benfica. The 33-year-old has recently rescinded his contract with the club after being omitted from Thiago Motta’s squad over the past few weeks. Moreover, the Brazilian never had the opportunity to greet the fans at the Allianz Stadium, and has already left Turin in previous days to sign for Flamengo. After terminating his deal with the Bianconeri, Danilo fired several jibes at the management, insisting he could no longer be part of this project. Moreover, the Brazil captain insisted that Juventus are the fans and not those in charge. ............ The Ultras who manned the Curva Sud raised a large banner that echoed the former captain’s statements, as it read: “Juventus are the fans. Thank you for everything Danilo.” Another banner appeared to be aiming a dig at the management: “In a world without values, we salute our captain Danilo with all the honours.” The fans also chanted the player’s name throughout the match, as the chorus of “Danilo, one of us” could be loudly heard at the Stadium. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-fans-pay-tribute-to-danilo-while-aiming-dig-at-the-hierarchy/

Juventus fans lose patience as #Mottaout trending Juventus fans didn’t only boo the team after a 2-0 loss to Benfica last night but seem to have lost patience with their coach as well as the hashtag #MottaOut is now trending on X in Italy. Juventus coach Thiago Motta is coming under increasing pressure at the Allianz Stadium after losing two consecutive matches against Napoli in Serie A and Benfica in the Champions League. ............ The Bianconeri were unbeaten in Serie A until last week but had collected 13 draws in 21 games and Napoli gave them their first defeat in the league on Sunday. Juventus have now lost four games across all competitions this season: two in the Champions League, one in Serie A and one in the Supercoppa Italiana. They sit 5th in the Serie A table, two points below fourth-placed Lazio. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-fans-lose-patience-mottaout-trending/

Why Manchester City have cooled down their interest in Andrea Cambiaso Manchester City are no longer eager to lure Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso in January, as they have decided to tend to some of their other needs. The Premier League champions have parted ways with their stalwart Kyle Walker who asked to leave the club in January and was granted his wish. The Englishman joined Milan last week, thus prompting the Cityzens to pursue Cambiaso as a replacement. ............ The English giants have decided to abandon their Cambiaso pursuit as they need to focus on bolstering some other playing positions. As the source explains, Guardiola has identified the signing of a new central midfielder as a more urgent request. The Sky Blues have been dearly missing the services of Rodri who suffered an ACL injury during a Premier League contest against Arsenal in late September. ............ Therefore, it’s easy to understand why the former Barcelona manager is so desperate to replace his injured compatriot, that he’s willing to give up on signing Cambiaso, or at least delay the chase until June. . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/why-manchester-city-have-cooled-down-their-interest-in-andrea-cambiaso/

Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz ignored Juventus fans after loss to Benfica Most Juventus players faced furious fans after a 2-0 loss against Benfica on Wednesday, but Dusan Vlahovic and Douglas Luiz didn’t join their teammates and walked straight into the tunnel. Juventus’ home defeat against Benfica last night infuriated the Allianz Stadium crowd as fans booed the Bianconeri during the half-time break and after the final whistle. ............ Vlahovic already clashed with a group of Juventus ultras this season when he responded to insults and shameful death threats after a 2-2 draw against Venezia on December 14. Juventus’ next match is at Empoli on Sunday, February 2. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/vlahovic-douglas-luiz-ignored-juventus-fans/

Juventus 0 - Benfica 2: Initial reaction and random observations To have any sort of shot at putting a serious change into their final Champions League league phase table position Wednesday night, Juventus needed to put forth quite the performance against a Benfica side that has been all over the place of late. Instead of a strong showing, Juve just threw out quite a dud. Juventus had more shots, vastly more possession and even more of the shots on target. But the whistles in which Juve received after the final whistle were very much understood. This Juventus that we saw in the 2-0 loss to Benfica both struggled to seriously trouble the visitors’ defense and also looked like a team that was playing with just one natural defender following Pierre Kalulu’s hamstring injury that forced an experimental backline even further exacerbated the situation. ............ It all added up to Juventus finishing in 20th place in the league phase table, all of a point above 24th-place Club Brugge. Yes, the same side that Juve struggled against last week in Belgium. That means, when Friday’s playoff round draw arrives, Juventus’ pick of opponents to keep their European campaign alive are two very familiar names from this season: AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven. On paper, that’s not exactly the worst of the outcomes — if you were following the live table at all during Wednesday night’s 18-game slate, there were times in which Juve were potentially up against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Atalanta or Paris Saint-Germain — but it’s hard to have a whole lot of faith based on how Juve are currently playing and how soon the two playoff rounds come up next month. That ineffectiveness in front of goal was on display again Wednesday night. So was the fact that for much of the proceedings Federico Gatti was the only player in Juve’s back four actually playing in his natural position. Juve’s defense was stretched, and the concerns of how the defense and midfield would hold up when the starting lineups were announced didn’t take all that long to be confirmed. Even with all that possession and having more shots, Benfica were the much more dangerous side than Juventus. They had more xG, they had more big chances than Juventus and they certainly put Mattia Perin under more threat than what Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin had to deal with pretty much all night. (Perin made some huge saves just like he did on this same field against Stuttgart three months ago. He deserved none of this, and was not at fault for either goal.) ............ They’re sometimes just waiting for Francisco Conceição or Kenan Yildiz do something cool out wide as they wait for a cross to come in. For as refreshing as the performance against Milan was, it’s starting to look more like the exception to a rule that is becoming more and more frustrating. I mean, 10 of Juventus’ 17 shots on the night were taken from inside of the box and yet they still finished with an xG that was below 1.00 and much lower than Benfica’s total. ............ RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS ............ Didn’t take long to find out just how much of a mess the defense could be without any natural fullbacks, huh? Well that was a big swing by Motta that absolutely backfired. After further investigation, I can confirm Weah is not a fullback. Thank you for your continued support of this project. PIERRE KALULU YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET INJURED. STOP IT. Then you see the slow-motion replay of the sequence in which Kalulu did get injured and you can totally understand why his hamstring went twinge and he had to come off. Props to him for trying to grit his teeth through it, but you figured that would be quite a big ask knowing how long he was down on the turf. Just another sign this game was cursed. ............ We got Headband Yildiz for a little bit. Didn’t really kick on like Headband Chiellini, but it was there. And then it wasn’t as the second half went on because he simply took the big head wrap off and let that lovely head of hair flow again. So Antonio Silva looked pretty good. Maybe Juventus should target him. Manuel Locatelli didn’t play the first 15 minutes yet still led Juventus with 117 (!!) touches. Juve attempted 35 crosses. They completed seven of them. Juventus needed a big game from Dusan Vlahovic and instead they got one where he was utterly frustrated, wasn’t hiding that fact and then trying to bulldoze his way through two or three defenders in a very small pocket of space before turning the ball over. Just not good. ............ A certain Alessandro Del Piero used words like “disorganized” and “inattentive” to decribe Juventus’ performance against Benfica during post-game analyis on Sky Italia. These are hot takes, they’re the correct takes. As always, a Del Piero says things in a very clear way and is right on the money. Benfica finished with 34 tackles as a team. Bunch of hounds. Juventus accurate passes: 558 Benfica accurate passes: 237 That certainly didn’t help Juve actually score a goal. (But that’s just me venting right now.) Juventus had nearly twice as much of the ball in the second half yet Benfica recorded the high xG. That sounds about right for how ineffective Juve were in the final third. All of that possession in the second half yet Juventus didn’t create a single big chance after the break. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2025/1/30/24354681/juventus-benfica-2025-champions-league-league-phase-final-score-result-initial-reaction-observations

Thiago Motta takes responsibility for Juventus’ defeat and refuses to rule out new signings Juventus coach Thiago Motta takes responsibility for a 2-0 loss against Benfica and refuses to rule out making new signings on the final days of the January transfer window. ............ “We must improve quickly. Today, we missed creating something in the final third,” Motta said at a post-match press conference attended by Football Italia. “We faced a team that deserved to win. We must improve quickly and recover players for Sunday.” ............ “We didn’t deserve to win today. Benfica created more chances than us,” continued Motta. “We must improve quickly because we have another game on Sunday. Today’s first half was tough, even though Samuel [Mbangula] had a good opportunity to take the lead. “In the second half, we didn’t do enough to cause trouble for Benfica, and they deserved to win.” ............ “We must go forward when we go down, so we had to play openly today. We didn’t do what we wanted. If you can create and finalise well, it’s a way to prevent the opponents from attacking. Surely, re-aggression must be better. We are the first ones to be unhappy. It’s the second consecutive defeat; we are not satisfied, and there is just one way to bounce back: recover for the next game and win it.” Pierre Kalulu was forced off the pitch early in the first half with a suspected muscle injury. “Let’s see how he feels. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and he can return with the group for the next match. I think it’s difficult, but let’s see,” said Motta. “I don’t want excuses. Now, we must focus on the next game to win.” ............ “This is my responsibility. The lads always try to give their best.” ............ “We are on the same page. We know what this team needs, and our philosophy is only to buy players who can improve the team.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/motta-responsibility-juventus-defeat-transfers/

Player Ratings: Juventus 0-2 Benfica – Motta sinks as Bianconeri booed Perin 7 – Stunning save to keep Juve alive seconds before the half-time break. Weah 5 – Surprisingly picked as a right-back. He ran up and down the right flank, but was never quite in the right position to defend or attack. Gatti 4 – Didn’t intercept a long pass in the build-up to Benfica’s opener. Tried to make up for it with a few forward runs which didn’t produce any effect. Tricked by Aktrukoglu’s movement when Benfica scored the second. Confused. Kalulu N/A – Suffered a muscle injury after just 15 minutes. Juventus conceded 30 seconds after he was subbed off. (16′ Locatelli 5) McKennie 5.5 – ............ Douglas Luiz 5 – Too slow with the ball at his feet and too many backward passes. K Thuram 5.5 – ............ (60′ Koopmeiners 5.5) Conceiçao 6 – Booed by Benfica supporters every time he touched the ball. Tried to hurt them with some dribbles and crosses from the right flank. Not enough. Yildiz 5.5 – ............ Mbangula 5 – ............ (60′ Nico Gonzalez 6) Vlahovic 4.5 – Clumsy on the ball. The Serbian looked quite irritable and was booed by some fans during the first half. Didn’t have any real chance aside from a central free kick that he sent over the crossbar in the second half. Coach: Motta 5 – Sterile ball possession and too exposed to Benfica counter-attacks. His players panicked after Benfica’s opener in the first half and even though they dominated possession after the break, they didn’t really produce genuine goal-scoring opportunities. The team was booed after the final half-time and full-time whistle. It’s his fault too. Benfica: Trubin 6; Bah 6.5, Otamendi 7, Antonio Silva 7, Tomas Araujo 6.5; Orkun Kokcu 7.5 (90′ Rollheiser N/A), Florentino Luis 7, Aursnes 7; Di Maria 7 (71′ Akturkoglu 7.5), Pavlidis 8 (84′ Amdouni N/A), Schjelderup 7 (71′ Barreiro). Coach: Bruno Lage 7. . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-benfica-player-ratings-motta-sinks/