Lionel Messi starts on bench as Barcelona play out goalless draw with Juventus
ByPA Sport
Published 22/11/2017 at 22:40 GMT
Lionel Messi started on the bench as Barcelona secured their passage into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 0-0 draw at Juventus.
Lionel Messi was a surprise omission from Barcelona's starting line-up
Image credit: PA Sport
The Argentina playmaker was a surprise omission from the starting line-up in Turin.
But he still went close to breaking the deadlock with a free-kick shortly after coming on as a substitute.
Barca knew a point would be enough to see them through and rarely threatened to end Juve's 25-match unbeaten home run in Europe in a bore draw.
Juve's Douglas Costa had the first chance of the game after two minutes, making space in the area before forcing Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to save at his near post.
Ter Stegen then dived to his left to block an effort from Paulo Dybala.
Serbian referee Milorad Mazic had a big decision to make on the half-hour mark when Barca's Paulinho stepped past Miralem Pjanic and crashed to the ground in the area.
Any contact certainly looked minimal and Mazic duly showed the midfielder a yellow card for simulation.
Juan Cuadrado then sent a volley high over the Barcelona crossbar from the edge of the area.
Gianluigi Buffon was finally called into some meaningful action three minutes before half-time, making a regulation save to keep out Gerard Deulofeu's weak effort.
Ivan Rakitic then struck the Juve post with a free-kick meant as a cross which flew past everyone.
Luiz Suarez, anonymous in the first half for Barca, had an opportunity early in the second with a free-kick which he curled narrowly over.
That was the signal for Ernesto Valverde to send on Messi, with Deulofeu the man to make way.
When Suarez drew a foul on the edge of the area Messi was the man to line up the free-kick, but once again it flew just over the crossbar.
In the 68th minute Barca squandered a golden chance when a defensive mix-up left Lucas Digne one-on-one with Buffon.
But the overlapping French full-back opted to pass instead of shoot and the chance disappeared.
Dybala almost snatched a victory for Juve in stoppage time but Ter Stegen got down well to make a fine save.
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