Juve clinch last 16 spot with win over Olympiakos

PIRAEUS: Juan Cuadrado and Federico Bernardeschi scored in either half as Juventus sealed a berth in the Champions League knockout rounds with a 2-0 win over Olympiakos in Piraeus.

Colombian international Cuadrado turned in Alex Sandro’s cross after 15 minutes with Italian Bernardeschi getting the second in the final minute as last year’s finalists advanced to the last 16 for the fourth straight year.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side needed to win to assure their berth even though a draw or even defeat would have been sufficient for the six-time defending Serie A champions depending on the other Group D result.

But Barcelona eased past Sporting Lisbon 2-0 to comfortably finish top on 14 points, with Juventus second on 11 followed by Sporting on seven and Olympiakos at the bottom with just one point.

“It was like a final, we needed the win so we wouldn’t have to wait for the result in Barcelona,” said Allegri.

“But we need to improve and be more clinical finishing off.

“We got a lot wrong in the second half, so I was angry. Szczesny had a great save and we could’ve been 1-1 at the break,” the Juventus coach told Mediaset Premium.

“When you realise the game is there to be finished off, you have to kill it off.

“A game can change at any moment on a set play, so we can’t leave it open.”

Cuadrado was denied again on 78 minutes when he rose to pick up Sandro’s deep cross, with Bernardeschi replacing the Colombian late on and securing victory after Proto repelled his initial effort.

Juve captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was out injured with Polish deputy Wojciech Szczesny proving a worthy replacement, producing some key saves as he made his Champions League debut for the Turin side.

Andrea Barzagli wore the captain’s armband with Argentine ace Gonzalo Higuain, who scored the winner in Friday’s 1-0 victory at Napoli, again playing after undergoing hand surgery last week.