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Juventus secure Champions League last 4

Xinhua, April 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Juventus grounded out a 0-0 draw with Monaco on Wednesday to secure a 1-0 win on aggregate and become the first Italian team since Inter won the competition in 2010 to qualify for the Champions League semifinals.

With Real Madrid beating Atletico 1-0 in Wednesday's other quarterfinal, the semifinals now offer the mouth-watering prospect of four top teams that have all won European football's premier club competition multiple times. Barcelona and Bayern Munich have already reached the last four.

Juventus, two-time champions, won't be the strongest team in Friday's semifinal draw. But the dogged defending Juventus deployed to blunt Monaco's youthful attack showed it will be a challenge to break down.

Arturo Vidal, whose first-leg penalty goal proved decisive in this quarterfinal, and the hoped-for return from a thigh injury of Paul Pogba give Juventus plenty of attacking intent from midfield. Striker Carlos Tevez, a 2008 Champions League winner with Manchester United, also is a constant headache for opposing defenders, even when sick as he was against Monaco.

Stopped in the quarterfinals in 2013, 2006 and 2005, Juventus will play in the semis for the first time since 2003, when it was a losing finalist on penalties to AC Milan.

Juventus are also running away with fourth consecutive Serie A title and can complete a domestic double in the Italian Cup final against Lazio on June 7. Endi