Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus: Decimated Old Lady survive late scare

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BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa makes a save off a shot from Andrea Cambiaso of Juventus during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Aston Villa FC and Juventus at Villa Park on November 27, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

A decimated Juventus came away from Aston Villa with a precious Champions League point with huge scares at both ends, including a last-gasp disallowed goal.The Bianconeri arrived in Birmingham with a decimated squad, missing Dusan Vlahovic, Weston McKennie, Arkadiusz Milik, Nico Gonzalez, Vasilije Adzic, Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal and former Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz. Tim Weah therefore had to be a False 9. Villa won the first three Champions League games, including against Bayern Munich, but lost 1-0 to Club Brugge and had just two points from the last six competitive matches. Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey missed out, with Ezri Konsa not fully fit.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

The Pau Torres glancing header skimmed the crossbar on a corner, while Kenan Yildiz drilled wide from outside the area, as Juve dominated possession without creating many chances.

Manuel Locatelli threw himself in the way of a dangerous John McGinn half-volley and Andrea Cambiaso fired over from the edge of the area.

Michele Di Gregorio made a fine save at the near post to deny Ollie Watkins and on the resulting corner Matty Cash’s strike was charged down by Federico Gatti, but Juve then went on the counter with Weah firing just over.

epa11744477 Goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio of Juventus in action during the UEFA Champions League match between Aston Villa and Juventus in Birmingham, Great Britain, 27 November 2024. EPA-EFE/ADAM VAUGHAN
epa11744477 Goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio of Juventus in action during the UEFA Champions League match between Aston Villa and Juventus in Birmingham, Great Britain, 27 November 2024. EPA-EFE/ADAM VAUGHAN

Francisco Conceicao tested Martinez at the base of the near post, but Villa had a great chance on the stroke of half-time when Lucas Digne’s free kick was floated over the wall to thump the top of the crossbar.

Juventus thought they had surely opened the scoring on 65 minutes when Francisco Conceicao met a corner at the back post with his header that Martinez somehow managed to claw off the line with one hand from point-blank range.

Aston Villa also threatened soon after, Bailey pulling back from the by-line for McGinn, denied from close range by a combination of Di Gregorio and Manuel Locatelli.

There was a huge scare with the final kick of the game, as Morgan Rogers turned into an empty net when Di Gregorio dropped the Youri Tielemans free kick. However, VAR showed that Diego Carlos had elbowed the goalkeeper in the ribs and it was disallowed.

Aston Villa 0-0 Juventus

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