Juventus claimed a 2–0 victory over Benfica in a match defined by strong second-half control, decisive attacking moments, and late drama. Goals from Khéphren Thuram and Weston McKennie secured the win, while Benfica missed a crucial penalty late on when Vangelis Pavlidis slipped during his run-up. Despite moments of pressure from the visitors, Juventus managed the game well after the break. The key tactical themes from the match are explored in detail by Israel Schmidt de Azevedo below.
The match began with Juventus attempting a set-piece straight from kick-off. Kenan Yildiz received the ball and passed to Pierre Kalulu, who took a first touch before finding Jonathan David. David then sent the ball wide to Weston McKennie, who attempted a cross, but it ran behind Khéphren Thuram and Andrea Cambiaso.
In the 5th minute, Benfica tried to build from the back through Juventus’ pressing system. After a well-executed double press from Lloyd Kelly and Thuram, the ball was recovered and played to Manuel Locatelli near the halfway line. Locatelli clipped a long ball over Benfica’s defence for Yildiz, who cut inside and crossed in search of David, but Nicolás Otamendi rose well to head clear and stop a promising Juventus attack.
In the 8th minute, Georgiy Sudakov drifted to the left, stopped, cut inside past McKennie, and attempted a curling shot towards the bottom corner. The effort lacked power and placement, allowing Michele Di Gregorio to make a comfortable save.
When pressing, Juventus pushed their centre-forward high into Benfica’s box, with a line of five behind him. Yildiz and McKennie operated as wide midfielders, Locatelli was central, and Thuram and Fabio Miretti played close to him through the middle. Behind them, Cambiaso shifted from a central role to act as a left-back, while Kalulu moved from right centre-back to right-back.
Benfica attempted to play through the press by splitting their centre-backs wide and pushing their full-backs higher. Both central midfielders dropped closer to the penalty area to offer central passing options, while the wide midfielders stayed high and wide, ready to accelerate on the counter-attack. The attacking midfielder floated between the lines, often close to the centre-forward.
Still in the 8th minute, Juventus regained possession and launched a counter-attack through Jonathan David. He released Yildiz down the left, and after a slight collision with Cambiaso, Yildiz drove forward, cut inside, and attempted a lofted shot. Di Gregorio produced an excellent save, and the rebound fell centrally before Dahl cleared ahead of McKennie.
When attacking, Benfica positioned their attacking midfielder between the lines, with both wide midfielders attacking space like wingers. The full-backs pushed on to act as wing-backs alongside the central midfielders, while the centre-backs advanced beyond the halfway line to add numbers for crosses. Juventus responded defensively by narrowing the distance between their centre-backs and dropping Cambiaso and McKennie into a back five.
Ahead of them, Yildiz and Miretti worked as wing-backs, with the two central midfielders protecting the middle. Jonathan David led the press from the front.
In the 18th minute, Locatelli switched play to Yildiz on the left. Yildiz cut inside twice to beat his markers and attempted a placed shot that drifted narrowly wide.
When defending, Benfica compacted their defensive line, with the wide midfielders dropping deep to form a back four alongside the central midfielders. The attacking midfielder and centre-forward pressed Juventus’ defenders as the first defensive line.
Juventus attacked by pushing their right centre-back towards the halfway line, with Bremer slightly deeper and Locatelli dropping into the left centre-back position. Cambiaso moved centrally and stepped forward when required, Kalulu pushed high as a wing-back, and Thuram operated on the left. Yildiz and McKennie stayed high but dropped when needed, waiting for overlaps to create chances wide. David and Miretti stayed central, attacking crosses.
In the 22nd minute, Cambiaso played into Locatelli inside the area. Locatelli attempted to pass to Bremer, but the ball was underhit and intercepted. The move broke to Schjelderup, then Sudakov, whose shot towards the corner was saved by Di Gregorio, with Lloyd Kelly clearing the rebound.
In the 25th minute, Benfica’s pressure paid off when the ball fell to Prestianni near the box, but his shot flew over the bar.
When pressing, Benfica moved their attacking midfielder alongside the centre-forward, forming the first line of pressure. Behind them, two compact lines of four closed space, with midfielders stepping up to support the press.
Juventus tried to escape pressure by widening Kalulu into a right wing-back role and shifting Cambiaso to left centre-back. Locatelli dropped to right centre-back, using his passing range to progress the ball. Miretti and Thuram stayed central, ready to accelerate counters, while Yildiz and McKennie held wide positions near the halfway line, with David leading the line.
In the 36th minute, Cambiaso delivered a corner from the right. McKennie flicked it on at the near post, finding Miretti at the back post, but his header sailed over the bar.
The first half began with Juventus in control, creating several chances, before Benfica gradually grew into the match and produced opportunities of their own.
In the 50th minute, Thuram misplaced a pass, and after a deflection the ball fell to Sudakov. He cut inside and fed Pavlidis, whose shot deflected off a defender and curled dangerously towards the corner, narrowly missing the target.
In the 54th minute, Bremer carried the ball forward from defence and found McKennie, who quickly played Yildiz. Yildiz released Kalulu down the right, and Kalulu’s low cross picked out McKennie arriving in the box. His first-time effort was saved well by the Benfica goalkeeper.
In the 55th minute, Thuram played into David, who battled with his marker. The ball broke back to Thuram, who drove at the defence, cut inside, and finished across the goalkeeper to open the scoring for Juventus.
In the 64th minute, Thuram found Locatelli, who threaded a pass to David. David cushioned the ball with a backheel to McKennie, who held off three defenders and returned the ball. David laid it back first time, sending McKennie through one-on-one. McKennie shaped to shoot left but finished to the goalkeeper’s right, making it 2–0 after a superb team move.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn the 69th minute, Benfica nearly responded when a corner found Fredrik Aursnes, whose header struck the crossbar and bounced away.
In the 79th minute, after a sustained Benfica move, the ball reached Barreiro in the box. He went down under pressure and appealed for a penalty. After a VAR review in the 80th minute, the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Bremer. Pavlidis stepped up but slipped during his run-up and sent the ball well wide.
Juventus made several errors while building from the back, some of which allowed Benfica chances. However, Juventus were clearly the better side in the second half and deserved their two goals. Benfica hit the post and won a penalty, but luck was not on their side.
With this victory, Juventus secured qualification for the next stage and remain in contention for a direct place in the Round of 16. They now face an away match against Monaco. Benfica, meanwhile, drop out of the qualification places and must win their final game while relying on other results to reach the Champions League play-offs.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Israel Schmidt de Azevedo
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