Juventus managed to secure their place in the last four of the Champions League with a stern defensive display to grind out a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp against a frustrated Barcelona side.
It certainly wasn’t pretty in what was a lifeless first period. There were some half-chances for Paulo Dybala, Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuaín though none of them could make the crucial difference.
The second-half wasn’t much more eventful but it was Barcelona applying the majority of the pressure as they looked to get back into the tie.
Messi, Sergio Roberto and Javier Mascherano pushed to save their side but couldn’t produce a similar miracle to that of previous round, crashing out in the last eight of the competition.
Looking to shut the game down
After the previous week’s performance in Turin many will have had doubts over Barca’s chances of progression, but with what was witnessed last time out against Paris Saint-Germain it would impossible to rule them out.
Yet it was clear Juventus was going to be a much tougher test and it was Massimiliano Allegri’s side who had the first real chance of the match, and they were only prevented by the excellent defending of Gerard Piqué.
Good play from Dybala sent Juan Cuadrado on his way and the winger found himself in acres of space as he entered the area, where he looked for Dybala at the far post. But Piqué was across to block the Argentine’s effort.
The 21st minute brought the first chance of what was an individually frustrating night for Messi, and it was arguably his best opportunity. Jordi Alba’s cross into the area was touched on by Luis Suárez which fell perfectly for Messi in the box.
Many similar situations have ended in the Argentine talisman getting himself on the scoresheet but this was one of those very rare occasions where he managed to pull it wide from 15 yards.
He was at it again on the half-hour mark as he tried one from the edge of the area which forced Gianluigi Buffon to parry. He was on the end of his own chance after that save, but the angle was against him as he smashed it into the side-netting.
The final chance of the half fell to the visitors and it was an excellent piece of play from Allegri’s side. Miralem Pjanić did brilliantly with a pass through the eye of a needle into the feet of the running Higuaín, the striker could only get a minimal touch with his run across Piqué but it ended up been comfortable for Marc-André ter Stegen.
Getting closer and closer
Luis Enrique sent out his side for second period knowing that their aspirations of making the semi-finals were dwindling, but his side had a handful of chances which came within of been a possible catalyst for a comeback.
That wasn’t before Juve had another opportunity after more excellent play from Cuadrado. The wide-man showed some great trickery on his way into the area but a minor touch from Ter Stegen took it into the side-netting.
Messi continued to try and step up for his team but once again was left frustrated as he looked to try and curl one from the edge of the area for a minimal touch from Giorgio Chiellini to take it just wide.
Messi had another chance as the minutes continued to be chalked off. A rare mistake from Buffon, as he came rushing out for corner which left him stranded in no man’s land, allowed Neymar to cut it back across to Messi, but he had too many bodies in front of him and sent his shot well over the crossbar.
Down and out
It was clear that the pressure was beginning to get to the Barca side with the fans beginning to show their frustrations, but they had two final throws of the dice.
Desperate times called for desperate measures as the game hit the 70-minute mark, as Roberto took the ball on his left foot and cut further in but as he closed in on goal, his shot went well wide of Buffon’s post.
The final chance came ten minutes from time as Neymar continued to cause trouble. The Brazilian played the ball in and Mascherano looked to make an instant impact but couldn’t get anything on to it as Buffon palmed away.