Barcelona were unable to repeat their Paris Saint-Germain heroics as they crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Juventus last night.
Needing to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first leg, Luis Enrique’s side huffed and puffed but were unable to find a way past Juve’s terrific defence.
The second leg finished 0-0, meaning Barca failed to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time since 2007.
There’s likely to be plenty of changes at the Camp Nou in the summer. Enrique will depart and it’s clear - with Barca out of the Champions League and behind Real Madrid in La Liga - that the squad needs some new faces, too.
What Barcelona fans would do to see Paulo Dybala arrive in the summer. The Argentinian scored a brace in the first leg and looks like the real deal.
Unlike PSG, you always had the sense that Juventus could prevent Barcelona from scoring the required number of goals in 90 minutes. Max Allegri’s side has conceded just twice in the entire tournament so far - that’s 10 games in total - Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and co. were equal to Barca’s fabled MSN trio on Wednesday.
Dixon: Juve are the full package
Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon believes the Italian’s are “the full package”.
“They're not just a defensive unit that's for sure,” Dixon told ITV, via the Daily Mail. “They do play their attacking football as well. They've got the full package for me.
“I think they're a really good side. Just look at the shape and the back four is in position. The midfield in front of them know how to hunt the ball down. They all get a sniff of it and they all close in.”
Keane slammed two Barca players
Dixon’s pundit, Roy Keane, turned his attentions towards Barcelona. The ex-Manchester United man, who won the Champions League in 1999, blasted Neymar and Luis Suarez for not showing up, not just at the Camp Nou but in last week’s first leg, too.
“Neymar and Suarez never turned up for the two legs. Messi still showed moments of magic but never really troubled the goalkeeper,” Keane said.
“(Barcelona) never really troubled the goalkeeper. From a defensive point of view, from the whole team, it was an outstanding night for them.
“It's a brilliant achievement (winning the tie). It was a fairly comfortable night (but) no matter how well you defend you're still going to give up one or two chances, which Messi had and he didn't take them.
“Over the two legs Juventus were by far the better team and we saw their experience come through tonight.”