With win, Italy’s aristocrats Juventus readmitted to the European upper class

If it was a match to forget, it is a result to remember. Juventus, the aristocrats of Italian football, have finally been readmitted to the upper class of European football. Richard Jolly reports.

Juventus players in jubilant mood after booking their place in the Uefa Champions League semi-finals. Jean-Paul Pelissier / Reuters

If it was a match to forget, it is a result to remember. Juventus, the aristocrats of Italian football, have finally been readmitted to the upper class of European football.

For the first time in 12 years, they are Champions League semi-finalists. They navigated a path into the last four with a scoreline that fits stereotypes of Italian football, a 0-0 draw following a 1-0 first-leg win over AS Monaco. Solidity brought its reward, however, and with Juventus on the brink of sealing a fourth successive Serie A title, this is shaping up to be one of the great seasons in their illustrious history.

A fallow period in continental competition is ending. Since they lost the 2003 final shoot-out to AC Milan, they have endured relegation, as a result of the 2006 calciopoli scandal, before returning to first Serie A and then the peak of the domestic game. Gianluigi Buffon saved two of those Milan penalties. A dozen years later, he remains in the Juventus goal and could enjoy a quiet night in the Stade Louis II. Monaco's progress into the last eight is remarkable, given their lack of firepower. They may have scored three times at the Emirates Stadium but only struck four times in their other nine Champions League matches.

And, while there was an onus on them to attack, they rarely looked like adding to that meagre total. Unimaginative and unimpressive, their impotence meant a stalemate long felt inevitable. Geoffrey Kondogbia connected sweetly with a volley but saw it fly wide. The in-form Bernardo Silva darted to the byline and delivered a cross that almost induced an own goal from Andrea Barzagli. The Italy international centre-back had been incorporated as Massimiliano Allegri reverted to the three-man defence that served Juventus so well under his predecessor, Antonio Conte. The clean sheet justified his rethink.

Their complement of central defenders could have been reduced, though. Giorgio Chiellini collected the quickest caution in this season’s Champions League, after 48 seconds, and could have seen a second yellow card for a foul on Joao Moutinho. Instead, Juventus retained a full complement of players and continued to look comfortable.

Leonardo Jardim was spurred into action, responding to an uneventful first 45 minutes by bringing on Dimitar Berbatov. Laid-back as Berbatov invariably is, Monaco at least showed a little more urgency. Buffon spilt Moutinho’s cross but Patrice Evra hooked the ball off the line. Yet thereafter Monaco’s challenge petered out and, once holding midfielder Jeremy Toulalan went off, Juventus were afforded the space to kill the tie off.

They did not as Allegri’s team were muted in attack. Juventus only really threatened when Carlos Tevez fired narrowly wide on the stroke of half time and the excellent Andrea Pirlo came close with a wonderful late free kick. Alvaro Morata was wasteful and organised as Juventus are, the other semi-finalists look more dynamic and dangerous.

Yet the fact no Italian club had reached the last four of the competition since Inter Milan in 2010 illustrates what a feat it is for Juventus to get there. And dull as this was, they deserve their place.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE