Watch: Dybala, Chiellini give Juventus first leg win over Barcelona in UCL quarters
Two years ago, Barcelona topped Juventus in the Champions League final to win its most recent European crown, and as the two sides lock horns again on the grand stage, this time in the quarterfinal round, Barcelona has some work to do to come out ahead again.
Paulo Dybala scored twice and Giorgio Chiellini added a third, as Juventus earned a 3-0 win over Barcelona in the first leg of their series on Tuesday in Turin.
Of course, no lead is safe when facing Barcelona, as the club showed in its miraculous round-of-16 comeback against PSG, when it overturned a four-goal first-leg defeat with a 6-1 victory at Camp Nou in the second leg. Juventus will be cognizant and wary of that heading into the second leg next week, while happily nursing its three-goal advantage and eyeing a place in the semifinals.
Dybala got the scoring started early for Juventus. Juan Cuadrado found Dybala inside the Barcelona box, where the Argentine star turned and curled a left-footed finish by Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the seventh minute.
Moments after Gianluigi Buffon made a sensational save on Andres Iniesta, following a pinpoint Lionel Messi throughball, Dybala doubled the lead with a one-time finish to the near post from 18 yards. The goal was set up by Mario Mandzukic, who hit the cut-back pass to an unmarked Dybala.
Barcelona sent a few warning shots early in the second half, with Messi, Neymar and Iniesta all coming close in the first six minutes of the period but missing the mark of Buffon's goal.
Barcelona was made to pay for its wastefulness soon after. Giorgio Chiellini, headed home a corner kick in the 55th minute, giving Juventus a 3-0 advantage. It was Chiellini, of course, who was the victim of Luis Suarez's infamous bite at the 2014 World Cup.
Barcelona may have had claims for a penalty in the 69th minute, when Neymar's shot from the top of the box was blocked by a sliding Chiellini. The ball came off the defender's face and then hand, and no PK was given.
Barcelona hosts the second leg next Wednesday at what will surely be a raucous Camp Nou, with fans seeking a second consecutive unlikely Champions League comeback.
