Benfica Secure Champions League Playoff Spot with Victory at Juventus

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Benfica clinched a place in the Champions League playoffs with a 2-0 win over Juventus in Turin. Goals from Vangelis Pavlidis and Orkun Kökçü secured the victory for the Portuguese side, who finished 16th in the league phase and will now face either AS Monaco or Brest in the knockout round.

Juventus, who were already guaranteed a playoff spot, ended their Champions League campaign in 20th place and will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven in the next round.

Benfica started the match brightly, with Ángel Di María and Andreas Schjelderup both creating early chances. They took the lead in the 16th minute when Pavlidis converted Alexander Bah’s cross.

Juventus struggled to contain Benfica’s attacking threat, and goalkeeper Mattia Perin was called upon to make several saves. The home side were booed off at half-time after a disappointing first-half performance.

Despite Juventus’s attempts to find an equalizer in the second half, Benfica held firm and sealed the victory with a late goal from Kökçü.

This victory marks a strong finish to the Champions League league phase for Benfica, who recovered from a slow start to secure their place in the playoffs. They will now be hoping to continue their momentum in the knockout stages.

Juventus, on the other hand, will be disappointed with their overall performance in the Champions League. Despite remaining unbeaten in Serie A, their struggles in Europe highlight the challenges they face in competing on multiple fronts.

The draw for the Champions League playoffs will take place on Friday, with Juventus and Benfica awaiting their opponents.


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