(Football news) Juventus’s disappointing season continued as they were held to a underwhelming 1-1 draw by Nantes in the home leg of their Europa League playoff tie on Thursday. Juventus had picked up only one win from six Champions League group matches to drop into the Europa League playoffs and after that were deducted 15 Serie A points for financial irregularities as their fans have endured a miserable season all together.
The playoff should have come as a relief for the Turin giants against a side who are in 13th place in French Ligue 1 and the hosts took an early lead when Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic scored from a Federico Chiesa’s header across goal. The Italian sensation was unfortunate not to double his side’s advantage early in the second half after his powerful shot hit the underside of the crossbar but did not cross the line as it bounced on the goal line and came out.
Nantes capitalised on that let-off, as they went on to score a fine equaliser on the hour mark, courtesy of Ludovic Blas slammed the ball into the net following a very swift counter-attack.The Nantes could have got an unlikely victory as they hit the woodwork. Angel Di Maria hit the crossbar from a corner which evaded everyone but a winner eluded Juve on another frustrating night. A controversial late call in stoppage time prevented Juventus from having a clear option to secure a victory. The Italian side got a penalty for a handball in the area but the Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro was called by the Video Assistant Referee to check the play. Instead of the penalty, the referee decided to give Nantes a free kick for a foul by Juventus defender Bremer.
Record six-times Europa League champions Sevilla breezed past PSV Eindhoven with a 3-0 win thanks to goals by Youssef En Nesyri, Lucas Ocampos and Nemanja Gudelj as they have one foot in the round of 16. Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon had to fight back to draw 1-1 with FC Midtjylland. Monaco’s young captain Axel Disasi thundered in a stoppage-time goal to earn his team a 3-2 win against Bayer Leverkusen in their first leg.
The visitors took the lead in the ninth-minute when Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky, was under pressure from Breel Embolo who lost control of a pass back and stumbled over the ball which sent it rolling into his own goal. The hosts scored twice in the second half to bounce back as Moussa Diaby scored home through the legs of keeper Alexander Nuebel to level before teenager Florian Wirtz scored a superb solo goal. It took a special effort for Monaco to draw after as Senegal international Diatta scored an equaliser in the 74th minute before Axel Disasi produced a worldie with virtually the final kick of the game.
Also read: Manchester United and Barcelona held to a high scoring draw at Camp Nou
