On the fifth matchday of the Champions League group stage, Juventus travelled to Lisbon in the hopes of preserving what little hope remains for them in the competition with a mandatory win over Benfica. Nonetheless the Bianconeri couldn’t cope with the hosts’ fast tempo for the majority of the match. After trailing 1-4, a late resurgence saw Massimiliano Allegri’s men grab two goals back, but it remained insufficient to deny the inevitable outcome. So here our player ratings for Juventus following their 3-4 defeat at the hands of Benfica which sealed their elimination from the group stage.
Juventus (3-5-2)
Wojciech Szczesny – 5.5
The Pole wasn’t necessary at fault in any of the goals, but one would have expected him to deny perhaps one or two. Made a decent save with his leg in the second half.
Danilo – 5.5
Not a vintage performance from the Brazilian by any means, but he remains the pick of a poor defensive bunch. Made some vital interceptions to deny a more miserable result.
Leonardo Bonucci – 4
At this point, one has to wonder if it’s time for the Juventus captain to find a less competitive atmosphere after reaching the autumn of his career, as it’s quite clear that he no longer has the legs to compete at the highest levels. Made several defensive blunders, with the most obvious leading to Benfica’s third goal.
Federico Gatti – 5
The former Frosinone man made some decent interceptions, but he was at fault on the opener, as he got easily beaten in the air by Antonio Silva. Not a good look for a man in his size.
Juan Cuadrado – 4.5
Another Juventus veteran who had a torrid evening. The winger gave away the penalty kick which restored the Portuguese’s lead while also losing possession cheaply.
Weston McKennie – 6
The American had some flashy moments, but his technical touch leaves a lot to be desired. Nonetheless, he did well to pounce on the rebound and score his side’s third goal.
Manuel Locatelli – 5.5
The Euro 2020 winner didn’t enjoy his best evening, but to his credit, he was one of the few Juventus players who showed great determination from start to finish.
Adrien Rabiot – 4.5
The Frenchman undoubtedly ran hard, but his offensive and defensive contributions were almost non-existent as he disappeared for large instances.
Filip Kostic – 6
The Serbian was the most dangerous Bianconeri star in the first half, sending a flurry of wonderful crosses towards the box. Except for the corner kick that resulted in the first goal, his teammates wasted his hard work.
Dusan Vlahovic – 5.5
Well, the bomber did grab his side’s first goal, but this was his solitary positive contribution in an otherwise forgettable display.
Moise Kean – 5
The Italian hardly contributed in the buildup, and couldn’t direct his attempts towards goal.
Juventus Substitutes
Arkadiusz Milik – 6.5
The Pole had one real scoring opportunity, and he made good use of it.
Alex Sandro – 5
An upgrade on Bonucci, but not exactly an inspiring addition.
Fabio Miretti – 6
It took him a while to get going, but he certainly reenergized the infertile middle of the park.
Matias Soulè – 6
The young Argentine caused his opponents some problems with his runs, but still needs to improve his finishing.
Samuel Iling-Junior – 7
The Englishman lit up the match after making his Champions League debut from the bench. Provided the assist for Milik and his work on the left lane was also behind McKennie’s goal.
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