Tag: UEFA Champions League

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Mason Greenwood scores stunner in draw

Mason Greenwood scored a spectacular goal as Manchester United drew 1-1 with Young Boys at Old Trafford in their Group F finale.

Despite Ralf Rangnick making 11 changes to the team that beat Crystal Palace last weekend, the Red Devils got off to a flying start as Greenwood volleyed stylishly inside the near post after Shaw had sent the ball into the middle.

However, the visitors equalised three minutes before half-time as Fabian Rieder pounced on a loose pass before bending a sweet strike into the top corner, leaving Dean Henderson with no chance.

The second half lacked the energy of the first, although Young Boys looked the more dangerous of the two sides, but they were ultimately unable to find a winner.

Greenwood gave United the lead in the ninth minute with a fabulous, acrobatic finish into the bottom-left corner from Shaw’s left-wing cross.

The hosts were lively throughout the first half and Greenwood burst down the left before pulling back for Juan Mata, but the Spaniard’s well-struck, deflected effort was kept out superbly by Guillaume Faivre.

But Young Boys drew level with a fantastic goal of their own through Rieder, who picked off a pass in the United third and curled a stunning strike from the edge of the box into the top-right corner.

The visitors then went close to taking the lead on the stroke of half-time as Michel Aebischer lashed a low shot across goal that Eric Bailly did well not to turn into his own net.

Young Boys pushed for a winner in the second half and had a glorious opportunity to put themselves ahead when Quentin Maceiras somehow fired wide after being found in space in the box by Silvan Hefti.

United came into the game guaranteed to finish first in the group, so Rangnick’s decision to change his entire starting XI for his second game in charge was not that much of a surprise. Whether this early experiment helps him find his best formula a successful second half of the season remains to be seen.

Young Boys required a victory to stand a chance of continuing their European campaign but could not find that crucial second goal.

Greenwood’s superb opening strike was his eighth goal in major European competition (excluding qualifiers) for United, the most of any player for the club before their 21st birthday, overtaking Marcus Rashford.

United have now failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last five Champions League group stage matches at Old Trafford, their longest run without a home shutout at this stage of the competition.

United face Norwich City at Carrow Road in Premier League action next on Saturday, while Young Boys host Sion in the Swiss Super League.

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Kean heads Bianconeri top of Group H

Moise Kean’s early header proved enough to earn Juventus a 1-0 Champions League win over Malmo and top spot in Group H on Wednesday.

The Bianconeri controlled the game well but could only muster one goal despite playing a team with just one point to their name.

Federico Bernardeschi’s classy cross from the right was one of the few moments of true quality in the final third, which Kean met with a darting run to the near post in the 18th minute.

Malmo rarely threatened in the time that remained, but Juventus never looked like claiming an emphatic win either and their solitary goal proved enough to see them finish above Chelsea, who conceded a 94th-minute equaliser in their 3-3 draw with Zenit. 

Kean came close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute after being slipped into the area by Paulo Dybala, but the striker lashed his low effort just wide of the bottom-right corner.

The Italian made amends 12 minutes later, however, nipping in front of Ismael Diarra Diawara to nod Bernardeschi’s outstanding outside-of-the-boot cross in and put Juventus ahead.

Kean then laid the ball off to Arthur just inside the box on the stroke of half-time, but the midfielder lost his balance as he took the shot on and fired narrowly past the top-right corner.

Juventus, despite dominating the game and holding the lead, lacked conviction in the final third as Adrien Rabiot burst forward down the left and smashed a shot into the side-netting after the break.

Kean forced a low save in the 66th minute and should have doubled Juventus’ advantage with under 10 minutes remaining after Diarra Diawara spilled Rabiot’s initial effort, but the goalkeeper recovered to make a stunning save at point-blank range and deny the 21-year-old, whose contribution proved decisive in settling the group thanks to events in St. Petersburg.

Juventus’ triumph was a game of little drama, but the back-and-forth between Chelsea and Zenit in Russia saw the Bianconeri’s final position in the Group H table change several times.

The Serie A side needed to better the Blues’ result to win the group and Thomas Tuchel’s men and the cards fell in their favour as stoppage-time draw meant last season’s winners were held.

Kean is the second-youngest Italian goalscorer for Juventus in the Champions League at 21 years, 283 days old, behind only Alessandro Del Piero.

He would do well to match Del Piero’s exploits, but is showing promise this season with three goals in seven league games and his winner here.

Koni de Winter became the youngest player to start a match in Juventus history in the Champions League at 19 years and 179 days old – 14 days younger than Ruben Olivera – and did not look out of place.

De Winter completed 57 of his 64 passes, his accuracy of 89.1 per cent fifth-best among Juventus players to start the match.

– Juventus have won five of their six group games in the Champions League for the sixth time – never before winning all six – but with three of those six instances coming in three consecutive campaigns (2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22).

–  Malmo have lost each of their nine away games in the Champions League, suffering three defeats during each group stage in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2021-22. They hold the worst 100 per cent losing ratio away from home in the competition.

– Kean has scored four goals in just five Champions League starts across spells with PSG (three) and Juventus (one), while he is only the second Italian aged 21 or younger to score for Juventus in the competition after Alessandro Del Piero (eight such goals).

– Juve have won each of their last six home games in the Champions League, only the second time during the 21st century they have recorded such a winning run on home soil, also managing this feat between December 2016 and October 2017.

– Aged 19 years and 179 days, Koni de Winter became the youngest player to start a match for Juventus in their Champions League history.

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Chelsea forced to settle for second place

Chelsea were forced to settle for second place in Group H after an injury-time equaliser from Magomed Ozdoev clinched a 3-3 draw for Zenit in the Champions League.

Two goals from Timo Werner and another from Romelu Lukaku were not enough to secure the victory for the Blues, with Claudinho, Sardar Azmoun and Ozdoev all scoring for Zenit in Russia, and the Blues will now not be seeded in Monday’s draw for the last 16 after finishing below Juventus, who beat Malmo in Turin.

The momentum of the game swung back and forth several times, with Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga kept particularly busy.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel was missing a number of midfielders, including Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, and started Ross Barkley and Reece James in the middle, with Atletico Madrid loanee Saul Niguez being utilised at left wing back.

Chelsea took the lead in just the second minute when a Barkley corner was flicked on at the near post by Andreas Christensen, allowing Werner a simple tap-in.

Zenit should have been level on 26 minutes when Malcom was played in on goal, but the former Barcelona winger was denied by Kepa.

The equaliser did arrive 12 minutes later when Douglas Santos played a ball into the box that was glanced in by the head of Claudinho.

The hosts then took the lead before half-time when Barkley was dispossessed in midfield, with Malcom sliding Azmoun in behind a chaotic Chelsea defence. The Iran international took the ball round Kepa before slotting home, with the Blues goalkeeper forced to make another save from Azmoun just moments later.

Chelsea improved in the second half and were level just after the hour as Werner and Barkley played a one-two on the edge of the box, with the German giving Lukaku an easy tap in to make it 2-2.

Azmoun was denied another as Kepa made a fine save down to his left following a header from the striker, before Werner finished off a nice move five minutes from time, narrowly remaining onside.

However, the visitors failed to hold on as a tremendous strike from substitute Ozdoev deep into stoppage time levelled it up to ensure the spoils were shared.

This was a second chaotic game in the space of a week for Tuchel’s men, which will have the German scratching his head considering how organised they have looked for much of his reign.

After surrendering top spot in the Premier League following their 3-2 defeat at West Ham on Saturday – where they also conceded a late goal – Chelsea lost first place in their Champions League group as well, and could potentially now face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Tuchel was forced into several changes, but will still have been irked by the lack of shape in this game, with Zenit looking the more dangerous across the 90 minutes, having 18 shots to Chelsea’s 13, with seven on target.

James has been one of Chelsea’s standout players this season playing at right wing back, but the England international was moved to midfield in Russia due to a growing injury list at Stamford Bridge.

Despite the disappointing result, James looked the part for most of the game, topping the list of Chelsea players for total passes (81), successful passes (76) and total passes in the opposition half (49), while also gaining possession eight times.

James’ versatility could come in very handy for Tuchel in the next few weeks while he waits for his first-choice midfielders to return.

Normally, you cannot question Chelsea’s defence. Since Tuchel’s first Champions League game in charge of the club in February, the Blues had only conceded three goals in 12 games in the competition before this one.

Their nine clean sheets in this period was the highest total of any team, and had they kept one here, they would have been the fastest team and manager combination to reach 10 clean sheets in the competition (13 games), ahead of Ajax under Louis van Gaal, Milan under Fabio Capello and Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho (all 14 games).

However, without Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea’s backline looked all over the place for large parts of this game, with Cesar Azpilicueta, Christensen and Malang Sarr being regularly pulled this way and that by the Zenit attack.

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Xavi’s men crash out of Champions League

Barcelona have been eliminated from the Champions League following a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Xavi’s side drop into the Europa League and will not appear in the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Already assured of top spot in Group E, first-half goals from Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane put Bayern well on the way to progressing with a 100 per cent record.

Jamal Musiala ensured that Julian Nagelsmann’s side did just that when he sealed the victory just after the hour mark in another routine victory for the hosts in this fixture.

To avoid elimination, Barca needed to win or hope that Benfica failed to beat Dynamo Kiev elsewhere in the final round of group fixtures.

Jordi Alba tested Manuel Neuer from distance, while Ousmane Dembele swept a shot over from Memphis Depay’s square ball.

But Barca fell behind in the 34th minute; Robert Lewandowski cleverly twisting and turning before crossing for Muller, whose looping header crossed the line before Ronald Araujo could volley clear.

Bayern doubled their lead just before the break with Sane’s powerful 30-yard strike completely perplexing Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Sane squandered a golden opportunity for his second goal shortly after the restart when somehow failing to turn the ball home from inside the six-yard box after Kingsley Coman cushioned Alphonso Davies’ cross into his path.

Bayern’s third goal did arrive in the 62nd minute as Musiala sealed the deal by slotting home following a strong run and cross by Davies.

Bayern will buoyantly march towards the knockout stages when the competition resumes in February, with the draw for the last 16 to take place on Monday.

With six wins from six, Nagelsmann’s side are one of only three teams to record maximum points during this season’s group phase – along with Liverpool and Ajax.

They have now scored two or more goals in each of their last 12 home matches in this competition, while it was also their fourth straight win over Barca, who must reset their focus to the Europa League after this humbling early exit.

It was a landmark day for Muller, who reached 50 Champions League goals with his clever first-half header.

That was Muller’s eighth strike in seven appearances against Barca – his highest tally against any opponent in the competition, and the most that any player has managed against the Catalan giants in the European Cup or Champions League.

Although he did brilliantly to provide the assist for Muller’s header, Lewandowski was not at his best on Wednesday. Not only did the talisman fail to register a single shot on goal before being replaced 13 minutes from time, but his tallies of 20 touches and 12 passes were the lowest recorded by any Bayern starter.

He subsequently missed the opportunity to become the first player to score 10 or more goals during the Champions League group stage on multiple occasions, as well as the second to find the net in 10 successive matches in the competition.

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AC MILAN LATE GOAL SINK ATLETICO AND KEEP LAST 16 HOPES ALIVE

A stunning header from substitute Junior Messias in the dying minutes handed AC Milan a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid and kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the last-16 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Milan arrived in Madrid rooted to the bottom of Group B with only one point and anything but a win against Atletico would have eliminated them from this season’s competition.

Wednesday’s result means the race to see who will join group winners Liverpool in the next round will go down to the wire. Porto, who are on five points, as well as Milan and Atletico, who are tied on four points, will have to wait until the final round of fixtures to decide who will finish second, and progress to the last 16.

Milan will host Liverpool while Atletico will travel to Porto on Dec. 7 for the final Group B fixtures.

On a freezing night in Madrid, a packed crowd at the Metropolitano Stadium failed to spur on Atletico, who struggled to make any kind of impact against a Milan side who showed urgency and aggression.

Brazilian Messias, who has completed a remarkable journey from working as a delivery driver and playing amateur football before slowly climbing the ladder , broke the deadlock in the 87th minute with a spectacular header after latching on to a perfect cross from Franck Kessie.

“They studied us really well and our gameplan didn’t work,” Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann told reporters.

“The Champions League is very difficult and Milan were superior in every aspect. We have to work, to get better…”

Milan controlled the game from the beginning, despite manager Stefano Pioli springing a surprise by starting Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench after he scored two goals against Fiorentina on Saturday.

The Swedish striker came on in the second half and almost scored a second goal in stoppage time, appealing unsuccessfully for a penalty after being caught by keeper Jan Oblak when he was about to shoot.

Atletico will finish the group stage having won none of their three home games, after losing to Milan and Liverpool and drawing with Porto.

“The Champions League does not forgive,” Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said.

“You only go through when you deserve to.”

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UCL: REAL MADRID EXACT REVENGE ON SHERIFF

Real Madrid CF approached Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League with a major grudge to settle. They did just that on Wednesday evening when they executed a flawless performance to win 3-0 over Sheriff Tiraspol at Sheriff Stadium.

It may be remembered that the two sides met earlier in the Group Stage where the Champions League

newcomers shockingly defeated the 13-time European Champions 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

It was humiliating as much as it was shocking for Los Blancos, and they needed last night’s victory to get their pride back. The decisive win was achieved thanks to goals from David Alaba, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema. Manager Carlo Ancelotti know how important it was to come away with three points and he did not hold back and brought in all of his trusted soldiers in the starting XI.

David Alaba continues to prove that he is a real gem of a signing after his free kick remained unbeatable for Sheriff goalkeeper Giorgos Athanasiadis. The former Bayern Munich

star drew first blood and gave the visitors a firm grasp on the momentum of the match.

The Spanish giants went into the half-time break just after Toni Kroos doubled the lead via a sublime goal off the crossbar struck with his right boot. The second half was no different, with Real Madrid driving the nail down even further with a Karim Benzema goal fed by Ferland Mendy.

At this point, Ancelotti started to make changes. He took off Alaba, who appeared to have picked up a knock and brought in Nacho. Then, he made more changes at the back with Marcelo coming in for Mendy, followed by Lucas Vazquez for Dani Carvajal.

Sheriff may have been beaten decisively, but to be fair they did not really just roll over. An attempt by Adama Traore forced Thibaut Courtois to make a save midway through the second half, but apart from another attempt that hit the post, they were mostly neutralised.


Now with 12 points in the bag with only one Group stage fixture remaining, Real Madrid are guaranteed to advance into the knockout stage which begins in February. However, they still have to face Italian side Inter Milan to determine the Group D winner.

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MANCHESTER CITY COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT PSG TO REACH LAST 16

Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus struck as Manchester City came from behind to sink Paris St Germain 2-1 and reach the Champions League last 16.

The Premier League champions produced a superb response after falling behind to a goal from Kylian Mbappe against the run of play early in the second half at the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling levelled just after the hour and substitute Jesus popped up to claim a winner 14 minutes from time that also confirmed City as winners of Group A.

It was a disappointing night in Manchester for PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino in a week that has seen him heavily linked with the managerial vacancy across the city at United.

Yet City’s victory was thoroughly deserved as, despite lacking three of their most inventive players in Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, they produced an energetic and dominant display.

PSG’s much-vaunted forward trio of Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar were also denied the chance to wreak havoc by City’s disciplined defence.

There was still some consolation for PSG, however, with Leipzig’s victory over Club Brugge meaning the French side would still go through.

City had early opportunities when Rodri’s powerful header was cleared off the line by Presnel Kimpembe and Riyad Mahrez fired into the side-netting.

Mahrez went even closer with a curling effort that looked destined for the top corner but Achraf Hakimi did brilliantly to get back and divert the ball over the crossbar.

Ander Herrera almost turned the ball into his own net as he stretched to intercept a Bernardo Silva cross but Keylor Navas saved, as he did again shortly afterwards to keep out another Mahrez attempt.

As the first half drew to a close, City were completely dominant and at their fluid best but the ball would still not go in. Ilkay Gundogan hit a post, although a flag suggested it may not have counted.

PSG were restricted to occasional counter-attacks but Neymar and Nuno Mendes both failed to get any power behind shots.

Mbappe, who overcame a fitness test to start, had their clearest chance but leant back and blazed over after being played through by Neymar.

The World Cup-winning striker made amends for that miss five minutes into the second half as the visitors suddenly burst into life.

Messi and Neymar were both involved in a slick attack but a deflection off a City defender presented Mbappe with a chance he did not waste, firing through Ederson’s legs.

PSG immediately went looking for more but Ruben Dias blocked from Messi and another promising attack was also snuffed out.

City manager Pep Guardiola responded by sending on Jesus for Oleksandr Zinchenko and the hosts were soon back in the ascendancy with Navas sticking out a glove to deny Mahrez.

Pressure paid off just after the hour as Rodri’s deep cross into the box was cut back by Kyle Walker and Sterling poked home after a deflection off Jesus.

PSG almost hit back as Neymar played a clever one-two with Angel Di Maria but shot wide.

City made them pay for that miss by claiming the lead 14 minutes from time.
Mahrez picked out Silva with a deep ball into the box and the Portuguese neatly laid off for Jesus to turn home first time.

It was enough to ensure City, last season’s runners-up, will be in the knockout stages for a ninth successive year.

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UCL: LIVERPOOL MAINTAIN PERFECT RECORD WITH WIN OVER PORTO

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara swept away 14 months of frustration with one swing of his cultured right foot to set Liverpool on the way to a 2-0 victory over Porto and a record Champions League group stage points haul.

The Spain midfielder’s sweetly-struck low half-volley early in the second half was worthy of winning any game and the fact it came in a dead-rubber having already qualified for the last 16 should not diminish the quality of the goal.

Mohamed Salah scored for the fourth time in three meetings against this opposition to take his personal Champions League tally to 32 with Steven Gerrard’s European record of 41 well within his sights.

But while the Egypt international has shone for the entire time he has been at Anfield it has been a less successful time for Thiago.

However, when it came his goal was nothing less than could be expected of the playmaker, whose arrival from Bayern Munich in a £20million deal in the summer of 2020 was hailed as being the signing to take Jurgen Klopp’s side to the next level.

He endured a mixed start to his Anfield career, contracting Covid-19 shortly after arriving and then missing almost three months with a knee injury sustained in his first Merseyside derby.

This, though, was one of his better days as he gradually warmed to the occasion after a side showing four outfield changes – including two in the back four – from Saturday’s victory over Arsenal struggled for cohesion.

Thiago began to find his range midway through the first half and his perfectly-weighted pass to pick out Sadio Mane to run through and slide a shot across Diogo Costa appeared to have made the breakthrough only for VAR to rule it out by the tightest of offside margins.

That was merely an appetiser as he saved his best of the night for in front of the Kop, caressing a 25-yard shot past Costa after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s free-kick was only half-cleared.

While the 30-year-old Thiago was impressing a fellow midfielder 11 years his junior was enjoying his Champions League debut.

Five days after his first Premier League appearance, academy graduate Tyler Morton slotted in between the Spaniard and Oxlade-Chamberlain and showed he could do a job at this level with some important defensive work, with one back-tracking run into the penalty area cutting out a dangerous cross at 0-0.

Klopp’s changes did not help their early cohesion and Porto, with much more to play for, immediately seized the initiative but failed to take advantage due to some poor finishing and good defensive work from Morton and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Mehdi Taremi’s header was deflected wide but Otavio will still be wondering how he side-footed when faced with an open goal after Evanilson broke clear down the left.

Not much was going right at the other end for Liverpool either as when Costa’s hurried clearance rebounded off Mane Salah was unable to get enough power on his shot to trouble the goalkeeper.

The loss of experienced defender Pepe, who made his competitive debut before Morton was even born, to injury afforded the hosts an opening but VAR denied them the lead.

Porto’s profligacy continued in the second half with Matheus Uribe shooting wide from a corner and it was the last real sight of goal they got as although the breakthrough was 52 minutes in arriving it was more than worth the wait.

Takumi Minamino had a volley ruled out for offside but there was no denying Salah, who cut in from the left to score a trademark goal this time with a shot inside the near post.

It was his sixth of the group stage, equalling Roberto Firmino’s record from 2017-18 – with still one match to go.

In adding a second Liverpool became the first English top-flight side in 82 years to score two or more goals in 16 consecutive matches.

Victory also brought up 15 points – beating their previous best of 14 set in 2008-09 – as they remain on course to be the first English side to win all six group games.

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LEWANDOWSKI SUPER GOAL HELP COVID-INFESTED BAYERN EDGE DYNAMO KIEV

Bayern Munich, missing half a dozen players to COVID-19 quarantine, edged past Dynamo Kiev 2-1 on Tuesday to secure top spot in Champions League Group E with a game to spare.

First-half goals from striker Robert Lewandowski, who struck with a spectacular 14th-minute overhead kick, and Kingsley Coman three minutes from halftime and amid heavy snowfall, put the German champions in front.

Dynamo, who are now eliminated from the competition, cut the deficit with their maiden group-stage goal through Denys Garmash in the 70th minute.

They then forced Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to make a fine save in the 75th and hit the post in stoppage time as they looked for an equaliser with a strong finish.

The Bavarians, desperate to bounce back from Friday’s shock 2-1 loss to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, top the group on 15 points with five wins from five games. They are also unbeaten in a record-extending 21 consecutive Champions League away games.

Barcelona, who face Benfica later, are in second place on six points and the Portuguese side are third on four, with Dynamo bottom on one point.

“It was maybe not our best performance but overall we are satisfied with the Champions League so far with five wins for five games and 15 points,” Neuer said.

“It was important to focus on the task today and put all the other issues aside,” he added, referring to an ongoing debate over the vaccination of players.

“But that is not that easy when you have a different squad with players who would normally not start.”

Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann’s options were extremely limited with only four outfield players on the bench but Lewandowski, who has now scored in each of his last nine Champions League appearances, struck with the first chance of the game.

A cross into the box bounced awkwardly off a Dynamo defender, and the Polish striker connected with an acrobatic bicycle kick.

The hosts almost scored an equaliser when Neuer attempted to clear a ball in the box but miskicked, sending it bouncing onto the post and wide.

Instead, Coman doubled their lead three minutes before halftime, drilling in from a Corentin Tolisso cross that Lewandowski let slip through his legs.

Neuer made amends for his earlier mistake with a double save to stop Mykola Shaparenko two minutes after the restart to protect their two-goal lead, but he was beaten when Garmash slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs for 2-1. Dynamo were the stronger side in the closing minutes and kept Neuer busy before Viktor Tsygankov struck the post with a long range effort in stoppage time.

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CHELSEA RUN RIOT AGAINST JUVENTUS TO TAKE CONTROL OF UCL GROUP

Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner struck to sink Juventus 4-0 and march an imperious Chelsea into the Champions League’s last 16.

The defending champions battered the outclassed Italians, Chelsea booking their place in the knockout stages but also overhauling their Serie A rivals at the top of Group H.

Match or better Juve’s result in the final set of round-robin fixtures in early December and the Blues will top the group.

Chelsea’s sole concerns on a raucous west London night proved injury scares for N’Golo Kante and Ben Chilwell, who both hobbled out of action well ahead of time.

England wing-back James became Chelsea’s outright top scorer for the season so far. The unassuming 21-year-old now boasts five goals and five assists for the term and continued his revelatory form with a sublime finish against The Old Lady.

Fast-improving young defender Chalobah lashed Chelsea into an early lead, palming his hands together in celebratory prayer. An outmanoeuvred Juventus side would quickly be left to wish for divine intervention, such was the scale of Chelsea’s stifling dominance.

Thomas Tuchel has long since vowed to make Chelsea horrible to play against, and on this evidence that mission is complete.

James struck and Hudson-Odoi finished a sumptuous team goal before replacement Werner rounded off the rout at the death.

Chelsea ripped straight into opponents seemingly entirely unprepared for the Blues’ gameplan.

The sluggish visitors were pulled apart time and again by an increasingly slick Chelsea side and once the hosts coupled that tight attacking approach with the ability to recover the ball almost immediately, a bleak night unfurled in front of the stunned Juve players.

Chalobah could have opened the scoring in mere minutes with a squarer connection to Ziyech’s corner, before Matthijs De Ligt had to deflect Chilwell’s low cross to safety.

James almost caught Wojciech Szczesny napping from a free-kick on the wing after the out-of-sorts Juan Cuadrado had been booked for hauling down Hudson-Odoi.

Chalobah finally provided the inevitable Chelsea lead, lashing into the net after a deflected corner.

Juventus’ woeful first-half showing descended into protesting an obviously issue-free goal, the visiting defence clutching at straws in claiming any kind of Chelsea handball.

Adrien Rabiot’s faltering clearing header deflected off Antonio Rudiger’s arm at point-blank range, with the Chelsea defender looking entirely in the opposite direction. Chalobah swept home as Juve protested pointlessly, with the Blues’ goal rightly standing.

Juve rallied to the point of Morata lobbing Mendy on the break, only for the ageless Thiago Silva to conjure a stunning goal-line clearance.

James chested down Hudson-Odoi’s crossfield ball to fire in a sweet strike on goal that forced Szczesny to tip around the post.

Rudiger nodded wide from another teasing Ziyech corner and Bonucci had to mop up just as Hudson-Odoi looked to pull the trigger having nipped in behind on Jorginho’s lofted pass.

Silva flicked a header on target to open the second half before Ziyech and Hudson-Odoi should have combined for a goal, but neither could quite find space for a shot.

James’ bullet finish doubled the home lead however, as the England wing-back chested down before delivering the killer blow.

Juventus never recovered, and conceded again in a flash.

Rudiger raked a ball out to James and he chopped inside in one touch then laid off to Ziyech, who slipped a first-time pass into Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

The resurgent former England midfielder skipped over two challenges in the area and cut through to Hudson-Odoi, who did the rest with a fine finish.

Just when Juventus thought their ignominy was at an end, James pinged a crossfield pass to Ziyech and his low ball invited Werner to tap into the empty net.