Lionel Messi put Barcelona ahead in first half. (Source: AP)
Barcelona lead Juventus 1-0 at half time following a Lionel Messi goal at the stroke of half time. After a neat one-two with Luis Suarez, the Argentinian finds the bottom corner of the net for his first goal past Gianluigi Buffon. There have been half chances at both ends for more goals but none too concrete.
Barcelona vs Juventus, Live Score and Updates: Barcelona 1-0 Juventus at half-time at the Camp Nou.
The Champions League 2017-18 begins on Tuesday with Barcelona and Juventus facing each other at Camp Nou. The La Liga and Serie A sides have developed a rivalry over the years, after 2015 Champions League final which Barcelona won but the Italian club taking revenge in last season’s tournament in the quarterfinals stage. Ousmane Dembele will hope to start for the Catalan team while Giorgio Chiellini is expected to miss out with a calf injury. While Barcelona will be without Neymar, Juventus will be seen without Leonardo Bonucci and Dani Alves unlike the last time the two sides met. The Catalan side have begun the Spanish season with three victories, standing at the top of the table with nine points. Juventus too stand at the top of Serie A table with again three victories and nine points. Watch this space for live updates and scores of the first Champions League match of the season.
Barcelona vs Juventus Live:
TEAMS:
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Dembele, Messi, Suarez
Juventus XI: Buffon, De Sciglio, Benatia, Barzagli, Sandro, Pjanić, Matuidi, Bentancur; Dybala, Douglas Costa, Higuain
MANAGER SPEAK
Ernesto Valverde: “They have lost Bonucci but they remain a very strong, good team. I can see the comments of comparing squads to previous seasons are the same in every country. People look at transfers and decide if a squad is stronger or weaker, but the time to do that is at the end of the season.”
Massimiliano Allegri: “Despite losing Neymar, Barcelona are, along with Real Madrid, the strongest team in the world. To go three games against them without conceding a goal (this year) would be extraordinary. Winning the Champions League can’t be an objective, it is a dream.”
