Juventus - 1 Barcelona - 1 Juventus' Champions League hopes suffered a major setback last night at the Delle Alpi stadium.
Javier Saviola's heavily-deflected equaliser 12 minutes from time gave Barcelona a precious away goal after Paolo Montero had scored an early, close-range opener for the home side.
The result stretched Barcelona's unbeaten run in the competition to 13 matches and makes the Spaniards favourites to advance to the semi-finals, especially as Juve have won only once away from home in Europe this season.
Juventus had looked in control of the match after Montero struck, but a lapse in concentration allowed Saviola to peg the Italian champions back with a goal against the run of play.
Late substitute Marco Di Vaio almost restored Juventus' lead in injury time, but the Italy international dragged his left-foot shot wide of the post after outpacing the Barcelona defence. The teams meet at the Nou Camp for the second leg on April 22nd.
Juventus received a welcome boost before kick-off when Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved was given the green light to play after shaking off an injury to his right thigh.
Striker Alessandro Del Piero played as a lone striker in the absence of injured French forward David Trezeguet.
Barcelona's Dutch defender Frank De Boer recovered from a knee injury sustained on Saturday's league defeat away to Villarreal to start.
After a cagey beginning, the game sprang into life in the 16th minute when Juventus took the lead. Nedved's curling left-wing cross found Montero, who challenged for a header with Michael Reiziger in the six-yard box.
The ball fell for Del Piero whose acrobatic scissor-kick was beaten away by Barca goalkeeper Robero Bonano but only as far as Montero, and the Uruguayan hardman found the top corner.
Barcelona's best chance of the first half fell for Juan Riquelme, who should have tested Gianluigi Buffon after escaping his marker and sneaking into the box. But the skilful Argentine midfielder took too long over his shot, allowing French defender Lilian Thuram to make a last-ditch tackle.
Juventus almost doubled their lead nine minutes after the break after a swift counter-attack by the Italian league leaders. Gianluca Zambrotta broke down the left and his intelligent cut-back was met by Edgar Davids whose goalbound shot was blocked by De Boer a yard from the line. The ball rebounded for Del Piero whose overhead kick was then palmed away by Bonano.
Patrick Kluivert, Gabri and Juventus' Alessandro Birindelli were all booked, before Barca silenced the home crowd.
Reiziger's left-wing cross found Saviola whose toe-poke cannoned off Montero and squirmed out of Buffon's reach.
JUVENTUS: Buffon, Ferrara, Thuram, Montero, Tudor (Birindelli 60), Zambrotta (Zalayeta 65), Camoranesi, Tacchinardi, Davids, Nedved, Del Piero (Di Vaio 80). Subs Not Used: Chimenti, Iuliano, Pessotto, Conte. Booked: Birindelli. Goal: Montero 16.
BARCELONA: Bonano, Puyol, De Boer, Reiziger, Gabri, Overmars (Luis Enrique 82), Xavi (Gerard 73), Motta, Riquelme (Mendieta 63), Kluivert, Saviola. Subs Not Used: Valdes, Andersson, Christanval, Rochemback. Booked: Kluivert, Gabri. Goal: Saviola 77.
Referee: Michel Lubos (Slovakia)
