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Lippi explains which player absence caused Juve UCL heartbreak: 'He's as important as Ronaldo'

Lippi explains which player absence caused Juve UCL heartbreak: 'He's as important as Ronaldo'

Marcello Lippi, former Italy, Juventus and Inter Milan head coach, has spoken to Radio Due about Juventus' elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Dutch underdogs Ajax. Lippi offered an explanation as to why things went wrong for the Bianconeri and here is what he had to say:

"​In the Champions League you must also be lucky to have all the best players available in a given moment. At Juventus this was missing. For example, there was no Giorgio Chiellini, who is almost as important as Cristiano Ronaldo for the team."

Juventus drew the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final 1-1 in Amsterdam, with the Bianconeri simply having to win at home to progress to the next round. However, things did not go to plan for the Old Lady and a 2-1 win for Ajax in Turin, including a winner from Juventus target Matthijs de Ligt, put the Dutch side into the semi-finals against all odds.

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