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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport

Lyon knock Juventus out of Champions League despite two Cristiano Ronaldo goals

An emphatic Cristiano Ronaldo double wasn't enough for Juventus as Lyon booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with the away-goals rule to thank.

Coming over five months after the French side claimed a 1-0 home victory in the first leg, a first-half Memphis Depay Panenka was enough to secure the tie for Lyon, despite losing 2-1 on the night.

In victory, Lyon will now face Manchester City next week in a one-off quarter-final as they battle for a place in the final four.

An under pressure Maurizio Sarri made six changes from the side that lost to Roma in the final game of their domestic season, with a rested Ronaldo coming back into the side, while Paulo Dybala was only fit enough for the bench. Depay was the notable inclusion for Lyon having missed much of the season with a cruciate injury.

It was Juventus - fresh off their Serie A title win - who entered as favourites, but the away side struck first, former Manchester United man Depay dispatching the coolest of Panenka penalties to hand Lyon the lead and the home side a mountain to climb.

After what was a highly dubious penalty, Juve were then handed a controversial penalty of their own as Depay was adjudged to have handled a Miralem Pjanic free-kick despite the fact his arms were positioned firmly by his side.

Ronaldo was always going to make a contribution tonight, and that he did. He sent Anthony Lopes the wrong way from the spot, calmly slotting into the bottom right-hand corner to level the score.

The 35-year-old wasn't done there, however. Following the half-time break, the veteran gave Juventus a 2-1 lead on the night with a thunderbolt of a strike with his left foot. He cut in on his supposedly weaker foot, before unleashing a rocket for his 130th Champions League goal.

With Lyon still going through courtesy of the away-goals rule, Juventus continued to push for a third. It seemed destined Ronaldo was to contribute yet another Champions League hat-trick, but he uncharacteristically headed over following a free header from a corner when he should have scored.

In failing to reach the Champions League last eight, the pressure continues to mount on former Chelsea boss Sarri after a sub-par season for the Italian giants comes to an end - despite another Serie A title.

For Lyon, however, a fairytale European run continues. After finishing seventh in a curtailed Ligue 1 season, alongside defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de la Ligue final in July, they still have glory to play for.

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