Juventus slammed for ‘awful performance’ by the Italian media as Cristiano Ronaldo and Co are made to ‘pay for defensive errors’ in shock Champions League last-16 defeat against Porto
- Juventus’ poor run of form continues after they were defeated in Europe
- The Italian giants lost their Champions League last 16 first-leg clash with Porto
- Italian media have now started to turn on Andrea Pirlo’s ‘awful’ side
- Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a late penalty and Juve must overturn a 2-1 loss
Andrea Pirlo’s struggling Juventus have woken up on Thursday morning to find themselves widely slammed in the Italian media, following their Champions League last-16 defeat to Porto.
The Bianconeri fell to a miserable 2-1 defeat in their opening match, which threatens a shock exit from the competition which many have backed Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. to go on and win this season.
A series of humiliating defensive errors were the undoing of the Italian giants, who conceded after just two minutes into the contest after Mehdi Taremi was able to pounce on a sloppy pass from Rodrigo Bentacur.
Italian media pulled no punches with Juventus on Thursday and slammed their efforts
Pirlo’s men toiled into the second half before allowing Moussa Marega to score less than 20 seconds into the restart, prompting the printers to go into overdrive inside the Italian media outlets as the likes of Tuttosport branded the performance ‘awful.’
Others bemoaned how Juve were made to ‘pay for defensive errors’ while warning that a place in the quarter finals of the competition is now under serious threat.
A late goal from summer signing Federico Chiesa gives Juve hope in the tie, and something to cling on to as the fixture returns to Italy.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Co face the humiliation of a last 16 exit from the competition yet again
Porto put on a spirited display, and will be looking to match their exploits of two seasons ago when they booked a place in the last eight of the competition against the odds.
The Portuguese giants are most famous for their 2004 exploits, when they went all the way under a then relatively unknown Jose Mourinho to win the Champions League and defeat Monaco in the final.
Juve now face an embarrassing repeat of last season, when they were dumped out of the competition at the first knockout hurdle despite facing an inferior opponent.
Twelve months ago the Italians met Lyon in the last 16 of the competition, only to be eliminated on away goals following a 2-2 draw over two legs.