He still has to wonder how he was able to finish the game. Adrien Rabiot was not expelled Tuesday evening during Villarreal – Juventus (1-1), despite a very dangerous intervention on Samuel Chukwueze. We were playing the 73rd minute of this round of 16 first leg of the Champions League when the incident happened.
The French international intervened on a ball pushed a hair too far by the right winger of the Spanish club. But instead of putting his foot in opposition, the Juve midfielder placed a “sole” just under the Nigerian’s left knee. The German referee of the meeting Daniel Siebert immediately showed a yellow card, which should logically have turned into red after using the VAR. But incomprehensibly, the very quick use of video did not change the decision.
Fanfare debut for Vlahovic
Rabiot is therefore applying for the return match in Italy on March 16. The fate of this round of 16 remains very open after the first leg, marked by the first goal in C1 of the Serbian striker of Juventus Dusan Vlahovic after barely 33 seconds of play – for his first appearance in the competition – then by Dani Parejo’s equalizer in the 66th minute.