Juventus did the bare minimum as they scraped into the Champions League knockout stage on Tuesday with a 0-0 draw at home to Atletico Madrid, a result which also suited the Spaniards who topped the group.
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The first half was reasonably intense, with sporadic chances at either end, but the last half hour was a non-event with both teams clearly happy with what they had got.
"It's never to easy to play against Atletico, they defend very well and it's never simple to find a way through," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side had needed a point to make sure of a second round place, told Sky Sport Italia.
"Given the situation, we didn't want to take any risks," said the phlegmatic coach who succeeded where predecessor Antonio Conte had failed last season by getting past the group stage.
"In the second half we tried to win, but at the same time we did not want to risk losing. We didn't want to spoil a qualification I thought was thoroughly deserved as we did not deserve to lose against Olympiacos."
Juventus, who lost two of their first three games in Group A, finished with 10 points, one ahead of Olympiakos who beat Malmo 4-2. Had they lost, Juve would have finished below the Greeks on the head-to-head record.
Spanish champions Atletico, already qualified, won the group with 13 points.
Nervy Dortmund earn draw and top spot
Dortmund earned some relief from their domestic woes as they qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners -- but their 1-1 draw against Anderlecht told of a side still down on confidence and form.
Ciro Immobile's splendid 58th-minute goal had looked as if it would be enough to give the already qualified Germans, who had only climbed off the foot of the Bundesliga at the weekend, a victorious finale in Group D.
Yet Anderlecht, lively and with nothing to lose as they had already been eliminated, were finally rewarded for the threat they had offered at a nervous Westfalenstadion all evening when Serbian Aleksandar Mitrovic headed a thumping 84th-minute equaliser.
Olympiakos beat Malmo but exit
Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus had to settle for a Europa League place despite a 4-2 win over Malmo in their final Champions League Group A match.
Olympiakos finished third, a point behind Juventus who drew 0-0 with already-qualified group leaders Atletico Madrid to claim second apot and a place in the last 16.
Kostas Mitroglou and substitute Ibrahim Afellay struck in the last three minutes for Olympiakos to down the Swedes, who had twice drawn level at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium.
The hosts had scored through David Fuster’s opener and Alejandro Domínguez’s stunning volley, either side of Simon Kroon’s goal for the visitors, before Malmo's Rosenberg made it 2-2 in the 81st minute before the late push from Olympiakos.
The fact that Olmypiakos missed out on reaching the last 16 of the Champions League was rough justice on the Greeks, who won all three of their home games.
In the end their poor away form cost the Red and Whites dear, as they failed to pick up a point on their travels.
