April 7, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

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LONDON, April 6: Arsenal reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time after a 0-0 draw at Juventus on Wednesday secured a 2-0 aggregate victory.

Title favourites Barcelona, who won Europe's elite club competition in 1992, advanced to the last four for the 14th time in their history after a 2-0 home win over Benfica.

Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o were on target for the Spanish league leaders after the first leg in Lisbon had ended in a goalless draw.

In Turin, Juventus rarely looked like scoring as Arsenal's mean defence produced a record eighth successive clean-sheet in the competition.

The home team's frustration was complete when Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved was sent off for a bad tackle on Emmanuel Eboue in the 77th minute. Juve also had two players red-carded in their 2-0 first-leg defeat at Highbury.

"I am very happy for the club, every year we were expected to do something in the Champions League and weren't able to," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told reporters.

"This year no one expected it from us and we are there in the semi-finals. It is a victory for a team who like to play football."

In Barcelona, Ronaldinho wasted an early opportunity for the hosts when his fifth-minute penalty was saved by Benfica goalkeeper Marcelo Moretto diving to his right.

However, it did not take long for the world and European Footballer of the Year to make amends as he pounced on a cut-back from the byline by Eto'o to side-foot the ball past Moretto in the 19th minute.

Barcelona were not at their fluent best and Benfica twice came close to scoring in the second half.

Captain Simao Sabrosa missed a glorious opportunity in the 61st minute, shooting wide from eight metres with only keeper Victor Valdes to beat.

Valdes also had to beat out a ferocious 30-metre drive from substitute Giorgios Karagounis five minutes from time.

Eto'o put the tie beyond Benfica with a minute to go, chesting down a pass from substitute Ludovic Giuly to lash in a volley from close range.

"Benfica have the reputation of playing very well away from home and they created a couple of very dangerous moments during the match," said Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.

"While the score was 1-0 we could never relax. We played well in the first half but there was more tension in the second."

Benfica coach Ronald Koeman, a former Barcelona player, criticised the refereeing in both matches.

"Barca were superior over the two games but there appeared to be a certain influence against us from the referees," said Koeman.

"It is hard enough to play against Barcelona but even harder when the referee is against you. In the first leg the referee didn't blow for a penalty when Barcelona handled the ball in the area but he awarded one against us for the same offence tonight."At the Delle Alpi stadium, Arsenal always looked in control of the return match against Juve. Home striker David Trezeguet had an early goal disallowed for offside while Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann made two good second-half stops to thwart Nedved and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Arsenal will play Spanish debutants Villarreal, conquerors of Inter Milan on Tuesday, in the semi-finals. Barcelona meet six-times former champions AC Milan, who knocked out Olympique Lyon.—Reuters