Bonucci: Teams Now Fear Juventus After Barca Ouster

The Old Lady’s held Barca to a goalless draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night to advance to the Semi-finals of the Champions League after a comprehensive 3-0 victory last week in Turin.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side now joins Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Monaco in the last four, after reaching the European Cup semi-finals for a 12th time.

“It’s not about who we don’t want to face because none of the other teams want to face us. Juventus provoke fear in everyone else and now our objective is to reach the final,” Bonucci said.

We showed great unity and solidarity. We have belief in ourselves, because scoring three goals against Barcelona and keeping a clean sheet at the Nou Camp shows we are a great team. Now there are another two steps to go.

“This side deserves praise for how we approache every game, whether we’re playing Barcelona or Pescara,” added the Italy defender, whose side have conceded two goals in 10 games in the Champions League this campaign.

“This is another step for our growth and now every opponent will worry about facing Juventus,” the Italian added.

Juve have let in just two goals in Europe this season.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said Juventus deserved to go through after his side were wasteful in the quarterfinal second leg last night.

Enrique told reporters after the game, “Juve concede a lot of chances, even though they don’t let in many goals.

“We had chances to have scored and with better effectiveness we should have scored a goal. We must have had 13, 14 shots and none on target, which is where you do damage.

“Juve deserved to go through.

“They’re a team that know how to defend perfectly. We created enough chances to have done it, but it wasn’t to be. We kept going until the very last minute.

“[It was lost] in Turin. I will remember that first half there forever and ever … It’s sad, we weren’t at our level. In a competition like this you pay for that. So, sadly, I will remember it for a long time.”

The Catalans travel to Real Madrid on Sunday, in a must-win encounter if they are to pip their rivals to the La Liga crown this season. 

Juventus’s outstanding display to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League will have the rest of Europe running scared of the Old Lady, defender Leonardo Bonucci said on Wednesday.

Juve served Barca a two-year-old dish of revenge for defeat in the 2015 Champions League final with a comprehensive 3-0 beating last week in Turin and followed it up by holding the Catalans to a goalless draw at the Nou Camp to reach the European Cup semi-finals for a 12th time.