“Juventus seem superior than Barcelona”- Pirlo
What is the story?
Bianconeri legend Andrea Pirlo has chosen his former side as favorites to win this year’s UEFA Champions League. The former Italian midfielder believes that Juventus are “superior” than Barcelona and they have better odds of winning the Champions League than other contenders like Barcelona & Manchester City.
In case you didn’t know
Juventus pulled off a stunning comeback after going 2-0 down in the first leg against Atlético Madrid, courtesy to a sensational Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick which made the impossible happen. The Italian Champions will face a high-flying Ajax in the quarterfinals and if the old lady manages to shake their Dutch opponents off, then they will set a date against either Manchester City or Tottenham in the semi-final.
Whereas, Barcelona ace Lionel Messi inspired the Catalan giants to overcome Lyon 5-1 on aggregate in the round of sixteen and set a date against Manchester United in the quarter-finals. If Barcelona overcomes the challenges that the Red Devils possess, they will face the winner of Porto Vs Liverpool in the other semi-final clash.
The heart of the matter
In an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Pirlo who won the Serie A four times with Juventus said:
"Juventus seem superior than Barcelona and Manchester City could be a dangerous opponent"
"In the Champions League, there is always a turning point and if it is your year, there are episodes that make you realise that you can be successful. In Juve's case, it's the perfect game against Atlético, to eliminate a team that hosts the final in their stadium or to eliminate Real Madrid," he continued.
Pirlo also hailed the Juve’s Portuguese superstar by saying:
"Without Cristiano, I don't know, it could have ended 1-0 but maybe not 3-0. If you decide to change your life at 33, it's because your motivation is at the maximum.”
What’s Next?
Juventus will be back in action in Serie A after the International break, where they will take on Empoli on the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
Whereas, Barcelona will be up against their city rivals Espanyol in the Catalan derby on the 30th of March at Nou Camp