What Juventus need to finish in Champions League top eight after 2-0 Benfica victory
Juventus gave themselves a big boost in the race to finish in the top eight of the Champions League table with their 2-0 victory over Benfica on Wednesday night, but the Bianconeri still need favours from several sides in the final round of league phase fixtures if they are to qualify directly for the round of 16.
Goals from Khephren Thuram and Weston McKennie gave the Old Lady a 2-0 win against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica at the Allianz Stadium in the seventh round of league phase fixtures on Wednesday night.
This result puts Juventus into 15th place in the league table. They have collected 12 points from their first seven matches of the competition this season: Three wins, three draws and one loss.
Juventus currently find themselves behind Inter on goal difference and behind Atalanta by one point in a pile-up of Italian teams between 13th and 15th place in the table.
What Juventus need to qualify directly for Champions League round of 16
The final round of Champions League league phase fixtures will take place next week on Wednesday, January 28.
Juventus will face Monaco away from home and must beat Sebastian Pocognoli’s side if they are to finish in the Champions League top eight first and foremost.
There are then 10 other fixtures that could impact Juventus’s chances of finishing in the top eight. The Bianconeri need at least six of these matches to go their way.
So, Juventus need a victory over Monaco and for at least six of the following 10 events to take place:
- Liverpool lose to Qarabag
- Tottenham fail to beat Eintracht Frankfurt
- PSG vs. Newcastle ends in a draw
- Chelsea fail to beat Napoli
- Barcelona fail to beat Copenhagen
- Sporting CP fail to beat Athletic Club
- Manchester City fail to beat Galatasaray
- Atletico Madrid fail to beat Bodo/Glimt
- Atalanta fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise
- Inter fail to beat Borussia Dortmund