Juve hopes in balance after loss to Bordeaux

November 26, 2009

Juventus will go into their last Champions League group stage game against Bayern Munich needing a draw to go through after being defeated 2-0 by Bordeaux here on Wednesday.

The French champions had already secured their passage to the knockout phase but they took full advantage of a lacklustre showing from the Serie A giants and secured top spot in Group A thanks to Fernando’s 54th-minute goal and a late header by Marouane Chamakh.

Bayern’s 1-0 win at home to Maccabi Haifa means they can only make the last 16 by beating Juventus in their last group game in Turin on December 8.

Bordeaux were without injured playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, last season’s French player of the year, while the visitors handed a first Champions League start of the campaign to veteran Italian forward Alessandro del Piero.

Laurent Blanc’s side are renowned for their set-piece prowess but they were unable to capitalise on a couple of early dead-ball opportunities before Giorgio Chiellini planted a header into the ground and over at the other end.

Bordeaux then threatened when Jaroslav Plasil headed straight at Buffon, while Wendel had a strong penalty appeal waved away by referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez after Del Piero brought him down on the edge of the box.

Juventus’s need may have been greater but the home side looked the more likely to score and Buffon stood up brilliantly to deny Chamakh after the Moroccan international latched onto a ball over the top.

Buffon also repelled a speculative effort by Yoan Gouffran shortly before the break but 10 minutes into the second half the Italians’ goal was breached, Brazilian defensive midfielder Fernando heading in a Plasil free-kick.

In response Diego forced Cedric Carrasso into action with a snapshot and the former Werder Bremen man was then guilty of a terrible miss when he miscued from five yards after being teed up by Del Piero.

The hosts continued to press and left-back Benoit Tremoulinas saw a shot deflected wide, while a woeful late free-kick from Diego that sailed well over the crossbar was symptomatic of the visitors’ malaise.

With the full-time whistle approaching it was Blanc’s men who remained on the front foot and they put the game beyond the away side in the fourth minute of injury time when Chamakh rose to direct a header beyond Buffon.

BORDEAUX, France (AFP)