Sevilla defeated Juventus 1-0 in the Champions League at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Tuesday night, thus ending the Italian side’s unbeaten run in the group stage.
In a hectic night on the pitch both in Spain and elsewhere across the continent in terms of Group D, it was a former Bianconeri player in Fernando Llorente who would ultimately overcome his former employers with a header midway through the second half.
Alvaro Morata should have opened the scoring early on when he pounced on a Claudio Marchisio cross and headed towards goal but it went slightly too high.
Whether it was reading of the game or just blind luck, the Italians were fortunate not to go a goal behind when a double attack from Sevilla started with Llorente’s effort being saved before another attempt hit the goalkeeper’s legs.
Morata, if he didn’t score before, definitely should have broken the deadlock 25 minutes in when a Paulo Dybala header across the face of goal for the Spaniard gave him the opportunity to toe-poke it into the net from a few yards out but it rolled wide.
With 25 minutes to go, Buffon was left with a bitter taste in his mouth from a former teammate in Fernando Llorente as his deliciously delicate header from a corner flicked the ball on and into the corner of the net.
An equaliser nearly came for the Serie A side from Dybala with his brilliant shot smashing the crossbar and rebounding out.
It was an eventful last 10 minutes with the Spaniards having a goal ruled out for offside before Kevin Gameiro shot just wide from a one-on-one with Buffon and then Morata came agonisingly close to finding an equaliser.
The loss for Juventus coupled with a victory for Manchester City means they finish second in Group D ahead of the knockout stages, while Sevilla’s victory continues their European participation as they transfer to the Europa League after finishing third.
