Conceicao Sparks Juventus in a Dramatic 2-2 Champions League Night
2 octobre 2025
Match Recap
Juventus endured a disappointing night in Spain on Wednesday, facing Villarreal at La Ceramica in the second round of the Champions League group stage, and had to settle for a dramatic 2-2 draw that leaves their campaign in flux.
Villarreal opened the scoring in the 18th minute through Mikaotadze, finishing off a move after a teammate’s pass. Juventus responded in the second half with a brilliant bicycle-kick finish by Federico Gatti in the 49th minute, and Francisco Conceicao then produced a superb solo effort in the 56th to put Juve ahead. In stoppage time, Renato Vigo headed in a dramatic equalizer for Villarreal.
With this draw, Juventus sit on two points from two games, having drawn with Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund, while Villarreal collected their first point after losing to Tottenham Hotspur in their opener.
The Italians’ position in the group remains precarious, with six more matches to play in the phase. They must improve quickly or risk a difficult path to qualification, potentially via a playoff or elimination battle with a heavyweight in the mix.
Next up, Juventus travel to Real Madrid for the third matchday, at the Bernabéu, before facing Sporting CP, Bodø/Glimt, Paphos, Benfica and Monaco in the rest of the group stage.
Real Madrid looms as a pivotal test for Juve; a loss or draw would complicate their prospects even if subsequent fixtures look manageable.
At stake is a potential top-two finish, but a poor run could drop the team into a high-stakes playoff or a need to surge in the final matches to stay alive in Europe.
Conceicao: A Beacon of Light
Francisco Conceicao, Juventus’ right winger, acted as the beacon the team needed. He consistently posed a threat to Villarreal’s defense whenever he featured, proving to be one of the most important weapons in coach Igor Tudor’s arsenal.
When Conceicao is on the pitch, he threatens the opposition with his dribbling and one-on-one ability, creating danger either for himself or by feeding teammates in front of goal.
After a challenging first half for Juventus, Conceicao returned from injury and helped transform Juve’s rhythm. Within minutes of his introduction on the right, he burst forward, cut inside, and delivered a square pass toward the far post where David arrived, but the finish eluded him.
In the 49th minute, Juve equalized via Gatti’s stunning acrobatic finish from a long-throw situation inside the area.
Conceicao then added a second in the 56th, finishing a fine solo run after beating a defender and slipping the ball past the keeper from close range.
Continued pressure followed, with Conceicao’s runs and deliveries keeping Villarreal on the back foot. In the 60th minute, he delivered a cross to the far post that Kelly met with a dangerous header just wide.
Over 45 minutes in the match, Conceicao completed 10 of 12 passes (83%), had one shot on target from two attempts, and touched the ball 26 times, with five in the attacking third. He also produced two successful long balls and won two of five ground duels.
Across his two competitive appearances for Juve in Serie A, Conceicao has started three games and scored a goal; in the Champions League, he appeared as a substitute in one game and scored in that appearance as well.
Punchline 1: Juventus lead? vanish—it’s like their defense signed up for a magic show: now you see the ball, now you don’t. Punchline 2: If drama were a sport, Juve would be world champions—except the trophy cabinet would need a bigger shelf for all the late twists.
