LIO-NIL MESSI
It’s a crying shame for Barca stars as Juve put up shutters to reach semis
BARCELONA’S hopes of staging another Great Escape fell flat last night as Lionel Messi and Co failed to find a way through Juventus’ stubborn defence.
The Catalan giants hit back from a 4-0 last-16 first-leg deficit to down Paris St Germain six weeks ago and needed another Nou Camp fairytale after shipping three goals in Turin.
But a dogged defensive showing guaranteed Max Allegri’s side a spot in the Champions League semifinals for a seventh time.
Messi twice missed the target with gilt-edged chances although Barcelona had left themselves with a mountain to climb.
Their misery was compounded by the fact Real Madrid and Atletico could be on course for a repeat of last year’s all-Spanish final.
But Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci insists the Serie A side are the ones to fear in the last four.
He said: “It’s not who we don’t want to face but the fact all three of the other teams don’t want to face us. Juventus invoke fear now in others and we’ve proved ourselves so our objective is to play the Final in Cardiff.”
Having been all but out against PSG, Luis Enrique’s side produced one of the finest attacking displays the competition has seen to triumph 6-5 on aggregate.
But Juve, who have shipped only two goals in nine European matches this term, were disciplined.
Bonucci added: “It was a performance of great unity and solidity. We have belief in ourselves because scoring three goals against Barcelona and then keeping a clean sheet at Camp Nou proves we are a great team. Now there are another two steps to go. We should’ve done better when playing out of defence and going on the counter.
“Nonetheless we still created several chances and it was hard to approach it any other way in the circumstances. We just failed to convert our opportunities.
“This Juventus deserve applause for how it approaches every game whether it’s Barcelona or Pescara.
“It’s another step in our growth process. Now every opponent must worry about Juventus.”
Juve served notice they would not be content to simply sit back as first Gonzalo Higuain lashed over then Juan Cuadrado threatened with an overhead volley.
But Barcelona gradually gained a foothold and should have netted in the 19th minute when a cross nicked off Luis Suarez and into the path of Messi but he fired wide from 12 yards. Although the Argentine finally tested Gianluigi Buffon, who parried away the deflected effort, Juventus rarely looked in trouble.
In fact they should have gone ahead at the interval but Higuain could not direct Miralem Pjanic’s lob past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Barca ended the half in a foul mood after Neymar was booked for a barge on Pjanic whose challenge on Messi seconds earlier saw the striker face-plant the floor.
Their mood almost worsened just after the interval but Cuadrado dragged his strike across goal while at the other end Messi fired wide. Juventus were warned again in the 67th minute when Messi volleyed over with Buffon in no-man’s land after failing to cut out a corner.
Sub Javier Mascherano then just missed Neymar’s cross albeit Buffon still needed to get down quickly to push to safety as slowly Barcelona began to run out of steam.