In the previous season, Benfica was in the group stage of the Champions League with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Dynamo Kyiv. Many already saw the German and Spanish teams in the round of XNUMX, but the "eagles" upset the order, drew with Barca and beat them, so they went to the knockout stage instead.
Something similar could happen this season, only Benfica could be fatal for Juventus, instead of Barça. The "Old Lady" welcomed Benfica on Wednesday, took the lead after four minutes through Arkadiusz Milik, but eventually lost. João Mario and David Neres brought victory to the team from Lisbon.
Juventus is in a result crisis - counting all competitions, the "black and white" have not known a victory for four matches. They lost both matches in the Champions League, and in Serie A after six rounds they have 10 points, four less than the leading Napoli and are in eighth place in the table.
Due to only two wins in eight matches in all competitions since the beginning of the season (both at home - against Spezia and Sassuolo in Serie A), coach Massimiliano Allegri is already under pressure. The hashtag Allegriout appeared on Twitter, fans are demanding a replacement, but the 55-year-old Italian is calm.
- My position is threatened? No, hard times are part of the game. The only thing we have to do is to keep quiet and work - said Allegri after the match.
The Italian said that after the meeting with Benfica, he did not speak with the club's leaders.
- I did not expect that we would lose two matches in a row. It is normal that the expectations are high, but the fact is that we are missing a lot of important players. We hardly manage to rest players who already have a lot of games in their legs. Now the situation has become more complicated in the Champions League, but we have to work calmly and responsibly - me, the team and the whole club - said Allegra.
Juventus, therefore, faces relegation from the Champions League already in the group stage. Although it is one of the biggest, some would say the biggest Italian club, Juventus has been waiting for the European title since 1996 and Vladimir Jugović's decisive penalty against Ajax. Since then, the club from Turin has played five finals and lost all five.
Before the match with Benfica, Allegri said that his team will need 10 points to advance to the round of XNUMX. But, after two rounds, Juve does not have a single point, unlike Benfica and PSG, who already have six points more. That is why the next two matches against Maccabi are of crucial importance. And the way Juve are playing, it will be a very difficult task.
- We lost a game we shouldn't have lost. I am the captain and I have to take responsibility. We are going through a period where it is difficult for us to do anything. It is also true that the fans are laughing at us - said captain Leonardo Bonucci, after the fans booed the team after the match with Benfica.
For the first time in history, Juventus lost the first two matches in the group stage of the Champions League.
- I'm worried, I can't deny it. We tend to lose our game during games. I don't know why this is happening. During matches we struggle to stay consistent. The situation must change. We also have a lot of football players, who are off the field, and those who are playing feel tired - said Bonući.
It is true that Juve have been hit hard by injuries. Paul Pogba is out and likely won't be back until January, Angel Di Maria has only played three matches due to a muscle problem, and Federico Chiesa is not expected to return until early 2023 or, at best, just before the start of the World Cup in Qatar. The Italian injured his knee at the beginning of this year.
Juvetnus faces another problem. And financially. The media in the Apennines write that the team lost as much as 250 million euros last season. Therefore, every match in the Champions League is important, because every success is rewarded. Therefore, placing in the knockout phase is practically an obligation of the Italian giant.
After the draw for the group stage of the Champions League, Allegri said that Benfica is his team's biggest competitor for second place and the knockout stage. And, as things stand now, the team will have to struggle hard to reach the second position.
Bonus video:
