FC Porto knocked out Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus to enter the Quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League
Byline By- Vinayak Heliwal
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus crashed out of the Champions League Last 16 for the second year running on Tuesday, by losing to 10 man FC Porto on away goals despite winning the second leg 3-2 at the Allianz Stadium.
Sergio Oliveira’s extra-time free-kick sent twice former winners Porto into the quarterfinals of the Champions League despite a thrilling 3-2 loss on Tuesday.
Porto which had played most of the second leg at a numerical disadvantage after Mehdi Taremis sending off, advanced on maximum away goals after the Matchup ended 4-4 on aggregate.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Portugal, Oliveira’s first-half penalty increased Porto’s advantage but Juventus leveled the tie through two goals from Federico Chiesa, which came to either side of Porto striker Mehdi Taremi’s red card.
Porto appeared to have all but won it before Andrei Rabiot reduced the deficit three minutes from time to set up a tense finale which saw Oliveira’s brilliance.
It is the second successive year that Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo went out in the Round of 16 on away goals after its loss to Lyon last season.
Juventus had been counting to Portuguese striker Ronaldo, the Champions League record goalscorer and in form Spaniard Alvaro Morata who had scored six goals in the competition this season to pull them through.
But unfortunately Juventus’s Champions League heartache stretched back 25 years continued falling again in the first knockout round after losing to French Club Lyon last season.
Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said when you make four big errors over two legs in the Champions League last 16, you can get eliminated.