Aston Villa and Juventus played out a goalless draw on matchday five of the UEFA Champions League group stage on Wednesday evening at Villa Park. The contest struggled to find its rhythm, with a controversial late goal from Villa's Morgan Rogers disallowed due to a perceived foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. Ultimately, both teams departed the pitch without securing all three points.
Villa Park was electric as Aston Villa welcomed the illustrious Italian club, Juventus, who have claimed the prestigious tournament on two occasions. The home side were eager to break a six-match winless streak that had left them languishing following a recent defeat to Club Brugge. Although facing a Juventus team missing several key players, Villa appeared tentative, failing to spark excitement among their supporters while Juventus' methodical passing dampened the atmosphere.
Juventus displayed commendable discipline, which effectively stifled Villa's attacking aspirations in the first half. The home side found it challenging to penetrate the visitors' compact formation, with Ollie Watkins closely monitored throughout the contest. Nonetheless, Watkins managed to test Di Gregorio just before half-time with a sharp attempt, while teammate Lucas Digne struck the crossbar with a promising free kick.
Although Juventus enjoyed the majority of possession, their efforts on goal were lacking, producing only a handful of ineffective long-range attempts. The second half saw the match open up slightly, as Villa increased their attacking intent, yet Juventus remained resolute, aiming to frustrate their opponents. Francisco Conceicao came close to breaking the deadlock with a powerful header, which was expertly saved by Villa’s Emiliano Martinez midway through the second half.
As the match approached its conclusion, tension mounted, but neither side could find a breakthrough. In stoppage time, Villa thought they had snatched a last-gasp winner when Rogers slotted the ball home following a chaotic sequence in the box. However, the goal was ruled out after the referee determined that Diego Carlos had infringed upon Di Gregorio during the play.
Following this result, Aston Villa now sit just outside the top eight in ninth place, having accumulated only a single point. They face upcoming fixtures against RB Leipzig and Monaco before returning home to host Celtic in their final group match. This goalless draw marked Villa's seventh game without a win, a concerning statistic for manager Unai Emery as they prepare for a pivotal clash against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Conversely, Juventus showcased their resilience, maintaining an impressive record this season with only one loss to date. Under manager Thiago Motta, the Old Lady remains unbeaten in Serie A, extending their overall unbeaten streak to seven matches. They will host Manchester City in Turin next month, buoyed by their tactical performance against Villa, although they will need to elevate their game to secure a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Youngster Morgan Rogers has emerged as a key figure for Villa this season, with Emery utilising him in various roles. While his ability to exploit central positions has often proved beneficial, in this encounter, he was largely stifled, prompting Emery to switch him with John McGinn in an effort to combat Juventus' strong midfield. Digne's overlapping runs provided some chances for Rogers to exploit, but the young forward frequently found himself on the defensive.
For Juventus, the absence of star striker Dusan Vlahovic was keenly felt. Vlahovic had previously remarked that it was "easier" to play for the national team, yet his contributions have been pivotal to Juventus' success this season, scoring six goals in 12 Serie A matches and three in four Champions League appearances. In his absence, Timothy Weah struggled to have the same impact as a centre-forward, leaving Juventus without a focal point to maximise their attacking threat. Despite the efforts of Kenan Yildiz and Conceicao, Juventus concluded the match with limited chances to pose a significant challenge to Villa's backline.
Both teams will ponder their performances as they continue their campaigns, striving to regain winning form in the weeks ahead.