Juventus experienced their first setback under new manager Thiago Motta, falling 1-0 to VfB Stuttgart in a tense Champions League encounter. The match was marked by dramatic moments, including a red card for Danilo and a crucial penalty save by Mattia Perin.
Despite winning their previous two European fixtures, including a remarkable 3-2 comeback victory against RB Leipzig while down to 10 men, Juventus struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Stuttgart side. The Bianconeri were hampered by several absences, including the suspended Michele Di Gregorio and injuries to key players like Nico Gonzalez and Teun Koopmeiners.
Stuttgart, also dealing with their own injury concerns, proved to be the more threatening team throughout the match. Ermedin Demirovic came close to opening the scoring in the first half, his low drive tipped onto the post by Perin. The Juventus goalkeeper was called into action multiple times, making impressive saves to keep his team in the game.
The turning point came late in the second half when Danilo received his second yellow card for a late challenge on Roualt, resulting in a penalty for Stuttgart. However, Perin rose to the occasion, saving Enzo Millot’s spot-kick to temporarily keep Juventus level.
Despite Perin’s heroics, Stuttgart finally broke the deadlock in stoppage time. Former Atalanta striker El Bilal Touré combined well with Millot before finishing from a tight angle to secure a deserved victory for the German side.
This defeat marks a challenging moment for Thiago Motta’s tenure at Juventus, highlighting areas for improvement as they navigate their Champions League campaign and domestic competitions.
Goals:Toure 92 (V)
Sent off: Danilo 84 (J)
Saved penalty: Millot 86 (V)
Juventus (4-3-3): Perin; Savona (55′ Cambiaso), Danilo, Kalulu, Cabal; McKennie (55′ Locatelli), Fagioli, Thuram (90′ Rouhi); Conceiçao (55′ Weah), Vlahovic (69′ Adzic), Yildiz. (A disp. Pinsoglio, Daffara, Gatti, Douglas Luiz, Mbangula).
Stuttgart (4-2-3-1): Nubel; Vagnoman, Rounault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Millot, Undav (74′ Rieder), Leweling; Demirovic (62′ El Bilal Touré). (A disp. Bredlow, Seimen, Al-Dakhil, Keitel, Kratzig, Stenzel, Chase, Malanga).
