Juventus got a precious point at home to Barcelona, but Ivan Rakitic hit the woodwork and Paulo Dybala was denied by a last-gasp save.
See how it all unfolded in this game and Atletico Madrid-Roma on the LIVEBLOG.
Juventus got a precious point at home to Barcelona, but Ivan Rakitic hit the woodwork and Paulo Dybala was denied by a last-gasp save.
See how it all unfolded in this game and Atletico Madrid-Roma on the LIVEBLOG.
The Bianconeri had to do without Federico Bernardeschi, Giorgio Chiellini, Marko Pjaca and cup-tied Stephan Lichtsteiner, so debuted a new 3-4-2-1 formation. The real surprise saw the Blaugrana rest Lionel Messi, also missing injured Javier Mascherano, Arda Turan, Rafinha, Sergi Roberto, Andre Gomes and Ousmane Dembele.
Barcelona lost here 3-0 in last season’s quarter-final, but won by the same result at Camp Nou back in September.
Andres Iniesta failed to make the most of a mistaken Juan Cuadrado header back, but Ivan Rakitic went extremely close on 22 minutes when his free kick flew past everyone to bounce off the far post.
Paulinho went down in the box without contact from Miralem Pjanic and was booked for simulation. It was a first half curiously low on quality for such a prestigious fixture, but when Juve did put together a good passing move, Cuadrado ballooned the volley into the stands.
Dybala went on a mazy run from Alex Sandro’s assist, but his finish from a tight angle was over the bar just before half-time.
After the restart, Luis Suarez’s free kick was deflected inches over the bar and Gonzalo Higuain blasted off target on the turn from a Pjanic assist.
Leo Messi came off the bench for ex-Milan forward Gerard Deulofeu and curled a free kick just over the bar, but Cuadrado slipped to send Lucas Digne through and the Frenchman was too generous in trying to roll it across when he should’ve gone for goal himself.
Douglas Costa went down just inside the area on a Gerard Pique nudge, but there wasn’t enough to warrant a penalty, then drilled well wide from a very promising position.
Dybala thought he’d won it in stoppages with a wonderful first time daisy-cutter from the edge of the box, but Marc-Andre Ter Stegen got down for a decisive save to fingertip it out of the near bottom corner.
Juventus 0-0 Barcelona
Juventus: Buffon; Rugani, Barzagli, Benatia; Cuadrado (Marchisio 70), Pjanic (Bentancur 65), Khedira, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Douglas Costa (Matuidi 85); Higuain
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Digne; Sergio Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta (Alba 82); Deulofeu (Messi 55), L Suarez, Paulinho
Ref: Mazic (SER)