Great Wall of Turin: Buffon surprised by clean sheet against Barcelona

Juventus' performance against Barcelona took
Gianluigi Buffon by surprise as the iconic
goalkeeper did not expect to keep a clean sheet at
Camp Nou en route to the Champions League
semi-finals.
It was the Great Wall of Turin in Barcelona as
Juventus held the Spanish champions to a goalless
draw in Wednesday's return leg, which confirmed a
3-0 aggregate quarter-final loss for the hosts.
After completing a stunning comeback courtesy of
a 6-1 second-leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain
in the last 16, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis
Suarez were neutralised by Juve trio Giorgio
Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli as
captain Buffon heaped praise on the five-time
reigning Serie A winners.
"Aside from the result, the belief and character of
our approach was excellent and it's a good
confidence booster to qualify comfortably against
what remains probably the best team in the world,"
Buffon told Mediaset Premium and RSI.
"I did think we had a good chance of qualification
after the 3-0 first leg result, but I honestly didn't
believe we would come to Camp Nou and keep a
clean sheet. When you face a side like this, with
their attacking options, you think that one or two
goals are always going to be scored.
"The fact we stopped Barcelona scoring over 180
minutes of football means we really are solid.
"Our growth process started a few years ago and
needs to continue. It certainly can't just stop or
plateau after this victory. It's down to us now, our
destiny is in our own hands for whether we can
improve. When it comes to the trophy, fate has a
hand in that, too.
"Aside from our determination, which is
traditionally part of the Juventus identity, we are
becoming more 'European' by pressing, proving
dangerous in attack and controlling the game more
than we did in previous years.
"If we build on that even more, and continue to
evolve, then we can become a truly great team."