//Barcelona Beats Juventus, But Neither Appears Anywhere Close to Champions League Contention

Barcelona Beats Juventus, But Neither Appears Anywhere Close to Champions League Contention

A first of two meetings between the European giants showcased how far they have to go and not what they’re capable of achieving on the game’s brightest stage.

No president, no problem. Those seeking symbols of a brave new world for Barcelona after the resignation of Josep Bartomeu on Tuesday will perhaps find it in the club’s first victory at Juventus. And it is true Barcelona was probably more dominant than the 2-0 scoreline in Wednesday’s Champions League triumph might suggest. But what was most striking about a meeting of two of the giants of European football, two clubs who would be guaranteed a place in any super league, was just how poor it was. 

In a sense this was typical of the modern group stage: two big teams meeting but with very little sense of jeopardy given they are much better than the other two sides in the group.