JUVENTUS SECURED THEIR ticket for the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in two years after dominating a listless Atletico Madrid in an entertaining scoreless draw in Turin on Tuesday.
While the Spaniards already qualified thanks to the four-match winning run that followed their opening day defeat to Olympiakos, Juventus required just a point to qualify for the knockout phase.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri had underlined his side’s intention to go for a win with a two-goal margin that would allow the Turin giants to snatch top spot from Diego Simeone’s reigning Spanish champions.
But despite dominating in all departments, the Italians failed to convert chances into goals.
The draw means Atletico finish top of Group A on 13 points, with Juventus second on 10 and Olympiakos, who beat Malmo 4-2, finishing third on nine to drop into the Europa League.
Meanwhile, goals by Aymen Abdennour and Fabinho secured French side Monaco a 2-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg and a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2004 the year they reached the final.
The French side — who scored just five goals in the six group games — also finished top of the group as Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 away away against Benfica, who finished bottom of the group with Zenit left with the bitter consolation of the Europa League spot.
Monaco took the lead in the 63rd minute, Tunisian Abdennour rising to head home Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco’s beautifully delivered freekick — only the third goal of their campaign — to give Prince Albert II of Monaco, sitting in the stands, reason to smile.
Zenit went desperately close to levelling with 20 minutes remaining as Hulk’s curling freekick from long range crept over the bar, but Monaco too used the extra space being left at the back as the visitors pressed for an equaliser and Moroccan midfielder Nabil Dirar sent a fizzing shot just wide of the far post.
The hosts doubled their lead and ensured they took their place in the last 16 draw as Fabinho fired home a left-footed shot two minutes from time provoking Prince Albert on this occasion to get up from his seat in celebration.
