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| Gerard Moreno of Villarreal CF celebrates with his team-mates Serge Aurier and Samu Chukwueze after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen Leg Two match between Juventus and Villarreal CF at Juventus Stadium on March 16, 2022 in Turin, Italy. |
Europa League champion Villarreal scored three second-half goals in a convincing 3-0 win at Juventus on Wednesday to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Substitute Gerard Moreno converted a penalty, then Pau Torres was left unmarked to redirect in a corner before Arnaut Danjuma added another spot kick.
Villarreal advanced 4-1 on aggregate as two-time winner Juventus was eliminated at home in the round of 16 for the third consecutive season.
That’s soccer, Juventus midfielder Juan Cuadrado said. We had a good first half with some chances. In the second half we tried to move the ball around more to create spaces, but they were placed well.
It’s the first time in 13 years that Villarreal has reached the last eight.
In Wednesday’s other match, defending champion Chelsea advanced 4-1 on aggregate after a 2-1 win at Lille.
The draw for the quarter-finals will be held Friday.
Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Benfica also advanced to the last eight.
Juventus sorely missed captain Giorgio Chiellini, who never left the bench after an injury layoff, and fellow centre back Leonardo Bonucci, who was still out injured.
The Bianconeri were eliminated by Lyon and Porto at Allianz Stadium the past two years under Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo, respectively. With Massimiliano Allegri having returned as coach this season, the trend was expected to be broken. But after a strong first half, Juventus was broken down midway through the second half.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR ruling determined Juventus defender Daniele Rugani fouled Francis Coquelin. Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has saved three straight penalties in Serie A and got his gloves on Moreno’s kick but couldn’t stop it.
Torres then netted from close range after a corner was flicked on. A handball from Matthijs de Ligt set up Danjuma’s spot kick.
With the away goals rule no longer in use, both teams needed to win to advance.
Juventus had several chances early on, including when Dusan Vlahovi hit the crossbar with one touch after a cross from Mattia De Sciglio, and a header from Alvaro Morata. Giovani Lo Celso curled wide in Villarreal’s best chance of the first half.
At the start of the second half, it appeared that Villarreal was content to sit back and defend and try to get take the game to extra time and a shootout. But when Moreno came on, the momentum shifted.
Much remains uncertain about Chelsea’s future, but for now the reigning champion is through to the Champions League quarter-finals.
U.S. international Christian Pulisic converted one of Chelsea’s rare chances, and Cesar Azpilicueta added another goal Wednesday to help the beleaguered Premier League club progress with a 2-1 win at Lille and 4-1 on aggregate.
Chelsea, whose future has been left in doubt after Britain and the European Union froze the assets of owner Roman Abramovich, did not create much but was clinical against the French league champion.
Pulisic cancelled out a penalty from Burak Yilmaz with a goal at the stroke of halftime, and Azpilicueta scored the winner in the 71st minute.
Chelsea had won the opening leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month.
