FC Barcelona 0-0 Juventus: Access denied

Barcelona (CNA).- Barça bid farewell to the Champions League after being unable to breakdown a resilient Juve backline. The blaugranes couldn’t repeat the heroic deed against PSG (6-1) and were unable to overcome last week’s defeat at Juventus Stadium (3-0).  None of the teams managed to score on Wednesday at Camp Nou, and the stalemate couldn’t reverse the 0-3 agrregate for FC Barcelona. Gerard Piqué was magnanimous in defeat immediately after the final whistle of the 0-0 draw at Camp Nou that saw the blaugranes exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. “Juventus are a great side. Overall I think they have been the better team. I wish them the best and they have deserved to go through. We tried to play our way and create chances but little by little the mountain we had to climb got bigger and bigger and it was not to be,” admitted the Barça defender.

Barça so very nearly had their breakthrough goal through Leo Messi, who fired just wide from inside the area. Neymar Jr and Sergi Roberto then had volleyed attempts go wide and high respectively as the hosts began to pressure.

With very little to maneuver in front of a stubborn Juve defence, it was up to Barça to create something out of nothing, and Messi so nearly did exactly that with a double effort that first stung the gloves of Gianluigi Buffon before rattling the side net on the follow up.

Shortly after the restart, it was Messi again at the heart of Barça’s attacking siege, as a one-two exchange with Neymar was perfectly executed but the move ended in a skyward shot from the mercurial no.10.

The attempts kept flying towards goal, but not on target as another Messi effort, via a deflection, whistled inches past the far post.

The home side refused to accept defeat but it was simply not going in – Suárez hooked the ball back into the danger area after Buffon’s fumble but Messi could not keep his volley under the bar.

Sergi Roberto was so famously the hero last month against PSG but a powerful left-footed strike went just wide of the post. Try as they might, it was clearly not going to be Barça’s night.

With the tie all said and done, the Camp Nou faithful rose to their feet, singing and waving their flags in support of the team, acknowledging the effort of the players.

Luis Enrique's side now turn their attention to Sunday's Clásico against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, as they look to turn things around in La Liga.