Torino Juventus Derby Ends 2-2 As Juventus Miss Champions League Qualification

Juventus let a two-goal lead go in a 2-2 draw at Torino, and that slip, combined with other results, meant Champions League football disappeared, while Como and Roma both secured places in UEFA’s top competition after decisive victories on the final Serie A matchday.

Before kick-off, Juventus already needed a sequence of favourable scores elsewhere and a huge win to climb into the top four, and although AC Milan lost against Cagliari at San Siro, earlier victories for Como and Roma meant only a nine-goal Juventus triumph could change the standings.

Events around the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino turned serious before the derby, with kick-off delayed by more than an hour after clashes between the two sets of supporters, and reports stated one Juventus fan was taken to hospital with serious injuries before the teams finally entered the pitch.

Once the match started, Juventus struck first in the 24th minute when Dusan Vlahovic took aim inside the box and the shot hit Enzo Ebosse, wrong-footing goalkeeper Alberto Paleari and giving Juventus early control in a game that still carried slim Champions League hopes.

Vlahovic strengthened that position nine minutes after half-time, timing a run into space and steering a composed side-footed effort into the bottom-left corner, putting Juventus 2-0 ahead and seemingly on course for three points that still would not be enough without a huge scoreline.

Torino refused to fold, though, and halved the deficit on the hour mark when Cesare Casadei met Rafa Obrador’s corner with a well-directed header, then substitute Che Adams completed the comeback in the 84th minute by volleying in from another set-piece to secure a 2-2 draw.

Performance data suggested Juventus could argue about the outcome, as they produced 17 attempts and an expected goals figure of 2.03, while Torino managed 12 shots with an xG of 0.85 and only five efforts on target, yet the hosts again took a point from the city rivals.

Como’s result proved crucial in the wider Champions League picture, as Cesc Fabregas’ side travelled to face Cremonese knowing a victory would guarantee a top-four finish if Milan lost, and they delivered with a 4-1 success over opponents reduced to 10 players, sealing a historic first appearance on this stage.

Captain Lucas da Cunha led Como’s charge at Stadio Giovanni Zini with two goals, supported by strikes from Jesus Rodriguez and Tasos Douvikas, and although Federico Bonazzoli converted a 55th-minute penalty for Cremonese, that goal only reduced the margin as Cremonese dropped to Serie B.

Roma also claimed a Champions League berth by winning 2-0 away to Hellas Verona, with Donyell Malen and Stephan El Shaarawy on the scoresheet, and that result lifted Roma to third place in Serie A, three points behind runners-up Napoli, while Como ended two points further back in fourth and Milan sat fifth, one point short of Como.

Juventus data, Torino draw and Spalletti future after Champions League miss

Before the derby, Luciano Spalletti dismissed suggestions that a failure to reach the Champions League would lead to an immediate resignation from Juventus, but with sixth place confirmed and the club moving into the Europa League, attention now turns to whether Spalletti decides to continue in charge.

This season’s outcome shows a clear drop by Juventus, as they ended outside the top four for the second time in four campaigns after previously putting together 11 straight seasons inside Champions League positions, and they also completed their first league season without reaching 70 points since 2010-11, when they finished with 58.

There was another notable statistic from this derby, as the 2-2 result meant Juventus and Torino have now drawn three consecutive Serie A meetings, and Juventus closed the season on 69 points, leaving the club and Spalletti with several technical and tactical questions to address before the next campaign.