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Bonucci: 'I think every team would like to avoid' Juventus

Reuters / SeReuters / Sergio Perez Livepicr

Leonardo Bonucci doesn't think the remaining clubs in the Champions League would fancy a date with Juventus in the semi-finals.

Coming off a dominant display at the Camp Nou in which Bonucci was an integral part in helping Juventus eliminate Barcelona, the Italian defender detailed the defensive plan that helped his side keep a second straight clean sheet against one of the Champions League's highest scoring teams.

"We knew Barcelona were ready to risk everything tonight, but we closed down all the spaces," Bonucci said after the match.

"Scoring three in the first leg and not conceding at the Camp Nou is the evidence that we are a great team, a great group. Now we need to make another difficult step to reach the final in Cardiff."

With the semi-final draw set to take place Friday, Bonucci insisted that none of the remaining teams - AS Monaco, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid - will want to be paired with a Juventus outfit that put on a defensive masterclass over the span of 180 minutes.

"The draw? I think every team would like to avoid us now," he added.

Despite his joy over knocking out Barca, Bonucci admitted he was thrilled to have exchanged shirts with Lionel Messi, whom he and his defensive linemates limited during a match in which the hosts only managed one shot on target.

"I'm very happy to have exchanged my jersey with him after the final whistle because he is the best or one of the two best players in the world," Bonucci said.

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