Barcelona vs Juventus
April 19 2017
Camp Nou Stadium
The Champions League has reached the quarter-final stage and we have a repeat of the 2015 final as Juventus play host to Barcelona in Turin. Two sides head into the first leg in contrasting form, with Juventus carrying all before them in Serie A and Barcelona struggling to chase down Real Madrid in La Liga.
While both sides have great defenders, the focus will be on attack. Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez versus Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8loS3NVQW4
Juve are into the Champions League semi-final, overturning their 3-0 win from the first leg ultimately proved to be a miracle too far for Barcelona after their PSG heroics. Juventus very much deserve their progression, though, from their first-leg triumph to today’s defensive masterclass. Luis Enrique’s final European tie in charge of the Catalans ends in defeat.
Barcelona are out of the Champions League, thoroughly undone by a wonderful Juventus team. The other semi-finalists must figure out how to score against them.
Neymar was in tears as he left the field. As a Brazilian who plays for Barcelona, he probably doesn’t lose very often and certainly doesn’t take it well.
Imagine if Juventus and Monaco meet in the semis or final. Breath-taking attack against the most miserly of defences. It would be like when Homer Simpson took up boxing, with his plan being taking so much punishment that his opponent eventually collapsed in a heap.