Juve guaranteed next stage place
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain -- Last season's losing finalists Juventus booked their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League after a 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad in their Group D match on Wednesday.
The draw, combined with Galatasaray's 3-0 defeat away to Olympiakos, means that Juve cannot now finish lower than second in the group.
Depleted Juve were under severe pressure for most of the match by a much-improved Sociedad and had to thank goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon for the draw.
The result also leaves Sociedad well-placed in the group and a win in one of their last two matches will ensure they join Juve in the last 16.
Juve only had two clear chances on goal in a frenetic encounter, but Sociedad keeper Sander Westerveld saved well from Fabrizio Miccoli and Pavel Nedved.
Sociedad, who lost 4-2 at the Delle Alpi two weeks ago, made a brisk start with live-wire Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci creating problems for Juventus down the middle.
Buffon produced a fine full-stretch save to turn the ball round the post after Nihat had sent a neat toe poke fizzing towards the near post.
Sociedad continued to dominate after the restart and Kovacevic let his old side off the hook on the hour when he lost control of the ball after he had chased on to a fine through ball from Xabi Alonso.
Two minutes later Buffon pulled off a great one-handed stop to turn a stinging Nihat shot round the post.
Juve only threatened once in the second half when Westerveld beat away a rasping 20-meter drive from Nedved.
