Champions League: Villarreal wins 3-0 at Juventus, Chelsea beats Lille to reach quarterfinals

With three different coaches in three seasons, the result remains the same for Juventus: three straight eliminations at home in the Champions League round of 16.
Europa League champion Villarreal scored three second-half goals in a 3-0 win on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in 13 years.
Substitute Gerard Moreno converted a penalty in the 78th minute to break the deadlock following a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Then Pau Torres was left unmarked to redirect in a corner before Arnaut Danjuma added another spot kick as Villarreal advanced 4-1 on aggregate.

“For 75 minutes the squad did well,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “Then a single episode changed the match. These things happen in soccer and we have to accept this heavy loss.”
Allegri returned to Juventus this season after Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo coached the Bianconeri during defeats to Lyon and Porto at this stage over the last two seasons, respectively.
Including a quarterfinal defeat to Ajax in 2019, it’s the fourth straight time that Juventus has been knocked out after a home second-leg match.
“We have to improve in scoring goals when we are dominating games like tonight,” Juventus defender Danilo said. “We made another make after their first goal. We still had time to equalize and bring the game to extra time but we all went forward and they punished us.”
Juventus sorely missed captain Giorgio Chiellini, who never left the bench following an injury layoff, and fellow center back Leonardo Bonucci, who was still out injured.
The Bianconeri were eliminated Lyon and Porto at Allianz Stadium the last two years under Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo, respectively. With Massimiliano Allegri having returned as coach this season, the trend was expected to be broken. But after a strong first half, Juventus was broken down midway through the second half.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR ruling determined that Juventus defender Daniele Rugani fouled Francis Coquelin. Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has saved three straight penalties in Serie A and got his gloves on Moreno’s kick but couldn’t stop it.
“We’re here at Juve’s stadium, we were always going to suffer,” Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli said. “We defended incredibly and we have to applaud that. We’re happy to still be in the competition.”
Torres netted from close range in the 85th after a corner was flicked on. Then a handball from Matthijs de Ligt in stoppage time set up Danjuma’s spot kick.
“That’s the script. We wanted to make it a long game for them,” Torres said. “We had a number of important lads on the bench and Gerard changed the side completely when he came on because he’s a top player.”
With the away goals rule no longer in use, both teams needed to win to advance.
Juventus had several chances early on, including when Dusan Vlahovic hit the crossbar with one touch following a cross from Mattia De Sciglio, and a header from Alvaro Morata. Giovani Lo Celso curled wide in Villarreal’s best chance of the first half.
At the start of the second half, it appeared that Villarreal was content to sit back and defend and try to get take the game to extra time and a shootout. But when Moreno came on, the momentum shifted.
“That’s soccer,” Juventus midfielder Juan Cuadrado said. “We had a good first half with some chances. In the second half we tried to move the ball around more to create spaces but they were placed well.”

Embattled Chelsea beats Lille to reach CL quarters
Much remains uncertain about Chelsea’s future, but for now the reigning champion is through to the Champions League quarterfinals.
U.S. international Chrian Pulisic converted one of Chelsea’s rare chances and Cesar Azpilicueta added another goal Wednesday to help the embattled Premier League club progress with a 2-1 win at Lille, and 4-1 on aggregate.
Chelsea, whose future has been left in doubt after Britain and the European Union froze the assets of owner Roman Abramovich, did not create much but was clinical against the French league champion.
Pulisic canceled out a penalty from Burak Ylmaz with a goal at the stroke of halftime and Azpilicueta scored the winner in the 71st minute.

“They gave us a lot of problems in the first half,” Pulisic said. “It was a really important goal right before the half, and from there I think it gave us some confidence.”
Chelsea had won the opening leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month.
Abramovich’s assets were frozen after he was sanctioned over his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Under the British government action, Chelsea will operate through the end of this season with a special license that among other restrictions prohibits the team from selling new tickets or merchandise, or signing new players.
Abramovich, whose $2 billion investment in Chelsea over 19 years transformed the team into a force in European soccer, had put the club up for sale even before those measures were announced, amid growing calls for his name to be added to the l of sanctioned oligarchs.
The owners of the Chicago Cubs said Wednesday that they will make a bid to buy the Premier League club.
“It has not been a normal last few weeks but we have to do what is in our hands, which is train the best we can,” Azpilicueta said. “Tonight it was a difficult game and of course we are happy to go through.”
Looking for an early goal, Lille started the game with a spell of intense pressure and camped in Chelsea’s half.
The hosts won duels in midfield and their dominance materialized with a first scoring chance after seven minutes when Burak Ylmaz had an effort from 20 meters blocked.
With a comfortable lead from the first leg, Chelsea did not take any risk and was content to patiently wait for an opening with a fluid passing game. The visitors gradually grew into the match and Mateo Kovacic caused real problems to the Lille backline with his bursting runs and quick dribbles.
There was a change in dynamics soon after the half-hour mark when Andreas Chrensen had to leave the pitch injured. He was replaced Trevoh Chalobah, who was immediately nutmegged Jonathan David on the side of the area and conceded a free kick.
Lille’s opener came from the subsequent move as Jorginho involuntarily blocked the ball with his arm in the area, prompting Lille players to shout for a penalty that was awarded following a VAR check.
Ylmaz took it and fired the ball into the top corner past Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the 38th minute.
Lille could not hang onto the lead for long, though. The hosts were punished after Jorginho picked out Pulisic in the box with a perfectly weighted pass that the American forward slotted into the net at the far post from a tight angle.
After the break, Lille threatened again with a fine header from Ylmaz that sailed just inches wide. Portuguese midfielder Xeka came even closer in the 64th minute with a powerful header from Ylmaz’s pinpointed cross that crashed onto the post.
Lille’s hopes were dashed for good when Azpilicueta beat goalkeeper Leo Jardim at the end of a good spell of possession. Left unmarked, the former Marseille player connected with a cross from Mount and sent the ball into the net with his right knee.
Timothy Weah came off the bench for Lille in the 58th minute, making it the first time two Americans played against each other in a Champions League knockout game.

The draw for the quarterfinals will be held Friday.
Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Benfica also advanced to the last eight.