Juventus boss Max Allegri admits it will be ‘extraordinary’ if Barcelona fail to score against them
Old Lady chief steered side past Spaniards in the quarter-finals last year but knows Lionel Messi can always strike
JUVENTUS boss Max Allegri admits it will be "extraordinary" if Barcelona fail to score against his side in the Nou Camp.
And the Old Lady chief said his men must be firing on all cylinders to have any chance of causing an upset in Catalonia.
Allegri steered his side past the Spaniards in the quarter-finals of last season's competition but despite that, and Barca's loss of forward Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee, he believes the Catalans remain tough opponents.
Juve visit Ernesto Valverde's Barca in their opening group match on Tuesday and Allegri said it would be "extraordinary" if his team could keep a clean sheet against them for the third time in 2017 following their 3-0 aggregate victory in April.
He said: "I know [Barcelona] well, this will be the 12th time playing against them.
"To try again against [Barca forward Lionel] Messi will be a huge stimulus.
"Despite losing Neymar, Barcelona are, along with Real Madrid, the strongest team in the world. To go three games against them without conceding a goal [this year] would be extraordinary.
"I repeat, along with Real Madrid they are favourites to win the Champions League."
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Juventus lost last season's Champions League final 4-1 to Real Madrid in Cardiff and Allegri urged his team to start their new European campaign with a bang.
He added: "It's the first game of the Champions League after last year's run and the disappointment of defeat. We have to return and start with great enthusiasm and desire.
"Winning the Champions League can't be an objective, it is a dream."