Juventus boosted their top-eight hopes with a 2-0 win over Benfica, but still need key results on the final Champions League matchday.
Juventus took a major step forward in their push for a top-eight finish in the UEFA Champions League after a vital 2-0 victory over Benfica on Wednesday night, but qualification for the round of 16 is still far from guaranteed.
Goals from Khephren Thuram and Weston McKennie sealed the win at the Allianz Stadium against José Mourinho’s Benfica, keeping the Bianconeri firmly in the conversation heading into the final round of league-phase fixtures.
Despite the win, Juventus sit 15th in the standings with 12 points from seven matches, having recorded three wins, three draws and one defeat so far. The tight nature of the table means even a single result can dramatically alter the final positions.
The Old Lady are currently behind Inter on goal difference and trail Atalanta by a single point, leaving all three Italian sides locked in a congested cluster between 13th and 15th place.
The final round of Champions League league-phase fixtures will be played next Wednesday, January 28, with Juventus facing a tricky away test against Monaco. Victory is non-negotiable if they are to have any chance of breaking into the top eight.
Even with three points in Monaco, Juventus will still need help elsewhere. They would need Liverpool to lose to Qarabag, Tottenham to draw or lose to Eintracht Frankfurt, a PSG draw against Newcastle, Chelsea draw or lose to Napoli, and Barcelona draw or lose to Copenhagen. The same applies to Sporting CP vs Athletic Club, Manchester City vs Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid vs Bodo/Glimt, Atalanta vs Union Saint-Gilloise, and Inter vs Borussia Dortmund.
