Juventus face a tough task if they are to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League after suffering a shock loss away to
Maccabi Haifa inflicted the third defeat of this season’s Champions League group stage on Juventus on Tuesday night, with a convincing 2-0 win.
The defeat meant that the Italian side remains third in their group and now faces a tougher task of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.
Omer Atzili scored two first-half goals for the Israeli side, Maccabi Haifa to leave Juventus third in Group H with two games left.
Atzili’s first came after only seven minutes when Pierre Cornud’s cross bounced off Atzili’s back and crept in.
The second saw Atzili fire a shot into the top corner after a bright run and pass by team-mate Frantzdy Pierrot.
Juventus only have three points from their four matches, after they had beaten Maccabi Haifa 3-1 at the Allianz Stadium last week.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side now have to win at Benfica on 25 October and at home to Paris St-Germain on 2 November to have any chance of making the last 16.
PSG and Benfica drew 1-1 in the other match in the group and are now level on eight points.
For Maccabi Haifa, this was their first Champions League group-stage victory since a 3-0 triumph over Manchester United in October 2002.
Two-time European champions Juventus are also struggling domestically after a 2-0 loss to AC Milan on Saturday left them eighth in Serie A, 10 points behind leaders Napoli.