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Tag UEFA Champions LeagueFC Barcelona

Sport

Juventus beat Barca 3-0 to take control of quarter-final tie

NAN-S-25
Juventus
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, April 11, 2017 (NAN) Paulo Dybala scored twice as Juventus took charge of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie with FC Barcelona, courtesy of a commanding 3-0 home-leg display in Turin on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Argentine forward curled home both of his goals before the break, the first from an angle inside the box and the second from a central position on the edge.

Juve turned a dominant lead into one that should see them go on and win the tie when Giorgio Chiellini showed strength and guile to steer home a header from a corner kick.

For the second European round running, Barca —- who were as defensively suspect as they were in losing 4-0 to Paris St-Germain in the first leg of their last-16 tie —- must come back from a heavy away defeat to progress.

However, after their record-breaking achievement to overturn a four-goal deficit against PSG, they will retain hope heading into the return leg at the Nou Camp.

The last time these two sides met in the Champions League was in the 2015 final, when FC Barcelona secured the trophy courtesy of a 3-1 win.

The Italians are a much-changed side, with only goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and defender Leonardo Bonucci starting both the game in Berlin and Tuesday’s in Turin, but they played like a side with a score to settle.

The opening 20 minutes were a lesson in high-pressing, aggressive play that created a clear-headed opening for Gonzalo Higuain to spurn before paying off through Dybala’s two strikes.

The remaining 70 minutes saw Juve retain a high work-rate but with the luxury of strategically selecting their moments to counter attack.

This approach twice set up Higuain for shots that were saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen before more lax defending —- this time from Javier Mascherano, who had been moved to centre-back from midfield at half-time —- allowed Chiellini to head home from a corner kick.

The win means Juve, who have won their last 32 Serie A home games, are now undefeated in 18 European games in Turin.

With the second-best defence of any side in Europe’s top-five leagues and having gone 441 Champions League minutes without conceding, the Italians are well-equipped to avoid wilting under second-leg pressure in Spain.

After another heavy away defeat — their third in four Champions League games on the road and a second in succession after Saturday’s La Liga loss at Malaga — there is no escaping the feeling that this is a team in decline. (NAN)
VO/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Di Maria stars as PSG whip FC Barcelona 4-0

NAN-S-20
Whipping
Abuja, Feb. 14, 2017 (NAN) Angel di Maria scored twice as hosts Paris St-Germain (PSG) of France stunned FC Barcelona 4-0 on Tuesday in a last-16 first-leg tie.

The result left the Spanish side in danger of failing to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in a decade.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PSG dominated this match throughout and took the lead through Di Maria’s curled free-kick.

Julian Draxler added a second with an angled drive before Di Maria curled an effort into the top corner, while Edinson Cavani sealed a famous win with a powerful fourth.

A lacklustre FC Barcelona — with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar largely anonymous — did not produce an effort of note until seven minutes before the end.

This was when Samuel Umtiti headed onto the post.

The defeat leaves Luis Enrique’s side with an almighty task to stay in the competition when they host PSG in the return leg on March 8.

No side has managed to overturn a four-goal deficit in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

FC Barcelona breezed into the knockout stage by topping Group C, winning five of the six games they played.

Their one defeat was also the only time they conceded three goals in a group-stage game, when they lost 3-1 at Manchester City.

At least in that match they managed to score — Messi putting them ahead at Etihad Stadium.

But at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, they barely troubled Kevin Trapp in the PSG goal.

The visitors regularly squandered possession and looked lethargic throughout.

When they have not been at their best in the past, their star players have stepped up.

But on this occasion they offered nothing.

Messi, so often capable of creating something from nothing, made uncharacteristic mistakes and was at fault for PSG’s second goal when he lost the ball to Draxler.

Draxler then played a one-two with Marco Verratti to slice through a static defence and put the French side in control.

It was one of the worst FC Barcelona performances in recent memory, but PSG were also at their absolute best.

In truth, they could have won by an even bigger margin.

They finished the game with 16 shots on goal, 10 of those on target.(NAN)
OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)