Juve hailed as European dream finally takes shape

“UNBEATABLE” Juventus can finally hand goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon an elusive Champions League title after making fivetime winners Barcelona “cry” on their way to a spectacular Champions League semifinal exit on Wednesday.

Those were the headlines splashed across the front pages a day after rocksolid Juventus followed their impressive 30 first-leg win over the Spanish giants with a defensive masterclass that held Barca to a scoreless draw at the Camp Nou.

As Juve celebrated a 3-0 aggregate win at a stunned but appreciative Nou Camp, Barcelona – who beat Juventus on their way to triumph in 2015 – crashed out of the competition.

“Fly Juve Fly” was the front page headline on Italy’s biggest-selling sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, which included a vignette showing teary-eyed Barca star Neymar being comforted by former club defender Dani Alves.

Corriere dello Sport used the same picture of Alves and Neymar to fully illustrate the Brazilian starlet’s disappointment.

“You made them cry,” screamed Corriere’s headline, while for Turin-based Tuttosport Juventus are simply “Unbeatable”.

Even Barcelona, outdone by Paulo Dybala’s impressive brace and Giorgio Chiellini’s 55th minute header in Turin last week, had to agree.

“Compliments to @Juventusfc for reaching the semifinal,” the Catalan club wrote on its official Twitter page.

To which Juventus replied: “Thank @FCBarcelona, it’s an honour to beat such a great opponent.”

Juve go into today’s semifinal draw along with Real Madrid, Monaco and Atletico Madrid – all of whom have faced Massimiliano Allegri’s men in recent European campaigns.

For Barca defender Gerard Pique, though, the Italians showed enough over the two legs to merit another tilt at the trophy they last won in 1996.

“Over the two legs, they were better than us so they deserve to go through to the semifinals. I think they can win the Champions League this season,” said Pique.

Gazzetta dello Sport suggested Juve’s virtually “impenetrable defence” should also give 39-year-old club legend Buffon the chance to add a European trophy to his long list of titles and accolades.

“It’s your year. With a defence like this you can lift the trophy,” said an inside-page headline.

Currently on their way to a record sixth consecutive Serie A title and a third successive league and Cup double, Juve can also target an unprecedented club treble – last achieved by an Italian club by Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

“Henceforth, there’s no doubt: there’s a smell of the treble in the air,” wrote Gazzetta columnist Alessandro De Calo.

While Allegri applauded the achievement of keeping a clean sheet against Barca, he believes there’s more to come.— AFP