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LATE CHUKWUEZE GOAL SENDS VILLARREAL THROUGH TO UCL SEMIS

Samuel Chukwueze snatched a dramatic 88th-minute equaliser to send Villarreal through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Four minutes after coming on as a substitute, Chukwueze swept home a cross by Gerard Moreno to cancel out Robert Lewandowski’s 52nd-minute opener and send the LaLiga side through by virtue of a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.

Villarreal had withstood mounting Bayern pressure in the second half, with Lucas Hernandez and Thomas Muller among those who had a chance to win it before the visitors sealed the deal with extra-time looming.

The hosts had looked listless for much of the first period and it took until just before the half-hour mark for them to muster a shot on target when Jamal Musiala headed straight at Villarreal keeper Geronimo Rulli.

Villarreal were coping comfortably with Bayern’s one-dimensional approaches and looked increasingly confident of clinging onto the hard-fought single-goal advantage they had forged in the first leg.

Lewandowski’s frustrations got the better of him when he was booked for a foul on Raul Albiol in the 33rd minute, then Arnaut Danjuma and Moreno both came close for the visitors.

But it was a different story after the break as Bayern finally got into gear, and Dayot Upamecano should have scored from a clever cut-back by the busy Leroy Sane in the 51st minute.

Lewandowski ended a strong spell of pressure by poking Bayern in front on the night moments later, sparking a spell of pressure that saw Hernandez shoot straight at Rulli, and Muller miss a glorious chance with a close-range header from another Sane cross.

In the midst of the chances, Moreno had served a warning by flashing the ball across the face of the Bayern box on a swift counter-attack, and that danger became a reality four minutes after Chukwueze’s introduction.

The Nigerian kept his cool to fire another Moreno cross past Manuel Neuer and the ‘Yellow Submarine’ saw out the dying moments to secure a famous aggregate win and a place in the last four.

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Bayern will not replicate poor first-leg display against Villarreal

Julian Nagelsmann has promised that Bayern Munich “will not play badly against the same opponent twice” ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Villarreal.

Bayern welcome Villarreal to the Allianz Arena trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg.

The Bundesliga leaders are looking to avoid being eliminated in the quarter-finals in consecutive seasons. Prior to last term, when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, Bayern had only been eliminated in one of their last nine quarter-final ties in the competition, against Real Madrid in 2016-17.

Villarreal coach Unai Emery said after the first leg that he regretted his side not being able to make the most of further opportunities to extend their advantage.

It was the first time Bayern have failed to score in a Champions League since Liverpool in February 2019, and Nagelsmann insisted the poor display will not be replicated on Tuesday.

“We played a bad game and they played their best game,” Nagelsmann told a news conference.

“This will not happen again, to play badly against the same opponent twice.

“We delivered in the past and it should be like that. We have to, we must, we want to. It is normal when you win so many titles and have such success for so many years that you maybe need this pressure sometimes to get the maximum out.

“Maybe it will be a sparkling game from our side. We must turn up our complete intensity level. We did not take the last steps, the last metres in the first leg. We have to play more uncomfortable football.”

Bayern actually finished the first leg with a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.6 in comparison to Villarreal’s 1.5, though that will have been helped by a higher quantity of attempts (22 to 12).

Nagelsmann added: “We made many mistakes. They made one to keep us alive. They could have scored more goals but we are still alive and we should show it on the pitch.”

Bayern are aiming to progress from a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg for the first time since the 2014-15 quarter-finals, while the defeat was their 20th against a Spanish team in European competition, their most against sides from a specific nation.

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DANJUMA GIVES VILLARREAL FIRST LEG ADVANTAGE OVER BAYERN MUNICH

Arnaut Danjuma’s early goal secured Villarreal a deserved 1-0 win against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Former Bournemouth winger Danjuma gave the Spaniards a slender advantage going into the return leg by scoring the only goal early in the first half at Estadio de la Ceramica.

But it could have been worse for Bayern, who produced a disappointing display, as Villarreal had another effort ruled out for offside before they struck a post through Gerard Moreno.

The home side, backed by a vociferous crowd, made an excellent start and took an eighth-minute lead through Danjuma.

On-loan Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso cut the ball back into the area before Danjuma diverted Daniel Parejo’s shot into the bottom corner.

Spain defender Raul Albiol’s well-timed challenge on the edge of the box denied Serge Gnabry a scoring chance as Bayern looked to get a foothold in the game.

But the German champions were relieved to see Pau Torres fail to connect with a flick-on from Parejo’s free-kick as Villarreal threatened again.

And the stadium erupted just before the break when the Spaniards thought they had taken a deserved two-goal lead.

Francis Coquelin’s attempted cross flew into the net, but referee Anthony Taylor was told the French midfielder had been offside after a VAR check and Bayern breathed again.

The visitors, who had failed to register a shot on target, had it all to do at half-time.

Thomas Muller was inches away from diverting in a cross for an equaliser early in the second period, but there was no respite for Bayern, who were spared by the woodwork when Moreno’s shot hit a post in the 53rd minute.

Bayern sent on Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka for Gnabry and Muller and in the 66th minute Alphonso Davies fired straight at Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. It was Bayern’s first effort on target.

The Bundesliga side pressed in the final 15 minutes, but still found chances hard to come by and Alfonso Pedraza fired a golden chance wide for Villarreal in the 87th minute.

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JUV 0-3 VILL: JUVENTUS DUMPED OUT OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AS VILLAREAL STUN ITALIAN GIANTS

Villarreal stunned Juventus with a 3-0 win to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2009.

Gerard Moreno, Pau Torres and Arnaut Danjuma all scored in the final quarter as Juventus unravelled in embarrassing fashion.

Unai Emery’s side produced a defiant defensive show for most of the Turin return after the two sides had played out a 1-1 draw in Spain three weeks ago.

Villarreal took a 78th-minute lead when substitute Francis Coquelin tumbled over Daniele Rugani’s outstretched leg.

The penalty was awarded after a VAR review and Moreno, who had only been on the pitch a matter of minutes, just managed to beat Wojciech Szczesny from the spot.

Torres added a second five minutes from time, stabbing in from close range after Serge Aurier had flicked on a corner.

Danjuma sealed victory in stoppage time with a third goal in 14 minutes, sweeping home a second penalty for ‘The Yellow Submarine’ after Matthijs De Ligt had handled.

Villarreal had earlier settled into their possession-based game, yet it was Juventus who carried the greater attacking threat.

Juventus should have broken the deadlock after 11 minutes when Juan Cuadrado’s whipped cross found Alvaro Morata unmarked in front of the Villarreal goal.

Contact on the header was good but Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli reacted superbly to claw the ball to safety.

Morata turned provider to free Dusan Vlahovic, but again Rulli was alert to the Serbian’s bending shot.

Vlahovic went even closer when he met Mattia De Sciglio’s centre to rattle the crossbar from a tight angle.

Giovani Lo Celso curled just wide as Villarreal countered at speed.

But the visitors were again indebted to Rulli’s reflexes when he kept out Vlahovic’s point-blank header at his near post – and Juventus were made to pay for their missed chances in the closing stages.

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UCL: VILLAREAL HOLD JUVENTUS AFTER DUSAN VLAHOVIC’S EARLY STRIKE

Dusan Vlahovic lived up to the hype by scoring 32 seconds into his Champions League debut on Tuesday but Juventus have work to do to make the last 16 after being held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal in the first leg. Vlahovic found the corner with just his second touch of the game at La Ceramica but a sensational start for Juve and the Serb’s Champions League career was not enough for victory. Instead, Villarreal’s Dani Parejo steered in a deserved equaliser midway through the second half to leave a compelling contest in the balance ahead the return leg in Turin.

At 22 years and 25 days old, Vlahovic is the second youngest player to score on their Champions League debut for Juventus after Alessandro Del Piero made his mark aged 20.

“He’s young, this is his first Champions League match,” said Juve’s Alvaro Morata. “Imagine the career he has ahead of him.”

Vlahovic was signed for an initial 70 million euros from Fiorentina in January and to huge excitement, with Juve toasting the arrival of one of the world’s most coveted young talents.

Juventus coach Max Allegri had tried to reduce expectations on Monday by insisting the striker would have to adapt psychologically and technically to the intensity of the Champions League – but Vlahovic needed less than a minute to find his feet.

It was his second goal in five appearances for Juve after he scored 12 minutes into his debut against Verona earlier this month, following a blistering 25 goals in 31 games for Fiorentina.

“When you play against this type of team, with top players, you can’t give them even half an inch. It was a great goal,” said Parejo.

Juventus will be favourites to finish the job at home next month but a well-organised and disciplined Villarreal, who won the Europa League last season, showed enough to suggest an upset is far from impossible.

“We feel a bit of frustration. You need to win at home,” said Villarreal’s Etienne Capoue. “But I think this team has the strength and mentality to win there. It’s difficult but we can do it.”

Nine Juventus players had not yet touched the ball when it hit the back of the Villarreal net.

Villarreal had stroked the ball back and across the pitch from kick-off but it was their ninth pass that went astray, Alberto Moreno choosing to dummy when he thought Arnaut Danjuma was behind him, only to find Danjuma had sprinted away.

Danilo intercepted and instantly drove a ball over the top, where Vlahovic had sped between Raul Albiol and Pau Torres. Vlahovic chested down and looked well-marshalled, with Torres tracking him across, but the striker fired early on the turn and the ball slid crisply into the far corner.

Half of the Villarreal team were yet to have a touch but they responded, dictating possession and tempo while Samuel Chukwueze went close, a flicked finish flashing wide of the near post.

Juventus were compact and organised while up front, Vlahovic remained a brooding presence. He held up three defenders in the area and laid back for Manuel Locatelli but the midfielder shot over.

Leonardo Bonucci, fit again after recovering from injury, replaced Alex Sandro at half-time but Villarreal finally found an equaliser in the 66th minute. Etienne Capoue held the ball in midfield and looked short of ideas, until Parejo spotted a gap and darted in behind.

Capoue lifted the ball over the top to the midfielder, who swung his left foot, a scuffed finish enough to beat Wojciech Szczesny at the near post.

The game tightened up late on as neither team wanted to risk opening themselves up, preferring to defer to the rematch in Turin.