Paulo Dybala bagged a brace of left-foot stunners and Giorgio Chiellini completed the 3-0 Juventus rout of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final.
See how it all unfolded and give your views on the Liveblog.
The second leg is at Camp Nou on April 19 and nothing can be taken for granted.
Paulo Dybala bagged a brace of left-foot stunners and Giorgio Chiellini completed the 3-0 Juventus rout of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final.
See how it all unfolded and give your views on the Liveblog.
The second leg is at Camp Nou on April 19 and nothing can be taken for granted.
These sides met again after the 2015 Champions League Final, which ended 3-1 for the Blaugrana. The Bianconeri missed Marko Pjaca, but had Mario Mandzukic back from a muscular injury and wanted to keep their 21-game unbeaten European home record going. Sergio Busquets was suspended and Rafinha ruled out, but Barça only reached the quarter-finals thanks to a last-gasp 6-1 win over PSG, cancelling out the 4-0 first leg defeat. Luis Enrique opted for the 3-4-3 with Jeremy Mathieu a surprise starter.
This was the first time Giorgio Chiellini (who missed the 2015 Final) had faced Luis Suarez since the Uruguayan bit his shoulder in the 2014 World Cup.
It was a very aggressive start from the hosts, as after three minutes Gonzalo Higuain’s header from a Miralem Pjanic free kick was spilled by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The deadlock was broken with a fine move, as Juan Cuadrado in acres of space down the right pulled back for Dybala, who spun on the spot to curl into the far bottom corner with his left foot in one sweeping move.
However, Barcelona then settled in to possession football and Lionel Messi threaded through to send Andres Iniesta clear, but Gigi Buffon stood tall and managed to fingertip the finish round the base of the far post.
It proved a pivotal moment, as a minute later Mario Mandzukic pulled back from the left for Dybala to smash home from just inside the box at the near bottom corner, surprising Ter-Stegen with another left-foot finish.
Barcelona had the ball in the net on the half-hour, but only after Messi had strayed offside, as their possession was largely ineffective. Pjanic blasted over from another good Cuadrado assist and a glancing Luis Suarez header deflected off Giorgio Chiellini for a corner.
Gonzalo Higuain’s half-volley on an Alex Sandro assist was beaten away by Ter-Stegen just beyond Dybala, as Mathieu put it out for a corner.
Lucho Enriquez transformed his team for the second half, introducing Andre Gomes for Mathieu, moving Javier Mascherano into a four-man defence and Samuel Umtiti at left-back.
Messi drilled just wide after Leonardo Bonucci intercepted his pass for Neymar, then Sami Khedira fired over and Buffon was quick off his line to smother at Suarez’s feet.
Iniesta blasted over after Mandzukic got back to defend a Neymar cross-shot, but Higuain wasted two great chances in as many minutes. First his finish was weak from the edge of the box, then he sprung the offside trap and fired straight at Ter-Stegen at the near post.
However, Juve added a third when Javier Mascherano tried and failed to drag Giorgio Chiellini back on a corner, as he still got his header in off the inside of the far post. It was the defender’s first Champions League goal since October 2009.
Buffon fingertipped a Suarez angled drive inches past the far post and a shot was charged down by Chiellini’s hand, but the penalty was not given. It’s not clear if the ball ricocheted off his chest first, in which case it would be involuntary.
Cuadrado had the ball in the net after Khedira was incorrectly flagged offside, but Messi’s cross only skimmed the head of Samuel Umtiti when he was unmarked from a couple of yards out.
A dangerous Messi free kick bounced off the wall and Chiellini toe-poked the rebound off Suarez’s foot.
Juventus 3-0 Barcelona
Dybala 7, 22 (J), Chiellini 55 (J)
Juventus: Buffon; Dani Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic (Barzagli 89); Cuadrado (Lemina 73), Dybala (Rincon 81), Mandzukic; Higuain
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Pique, Umtiti, Mathieu; Mascherano, Rakitic, Iniesta, Messi; Sergi Roberto, Suarez, Neymar
Ref: Marciniak (POL)