Italian media hail return of 'catenaccio'

ROME, April 23 (Reuters) - Italy's sports media has hailed the return of catenaccio - a style of play based on deadlocked defence and swift counterattack - as Juventus and Inter Milan squeezed through to the last four of the Champions League.

'We might be in the 21st century, but we haven't forgotten the art of catenaccio,' crowed the front page of La Gazzetta dello Sport on Wednesday.

While a 10-man Juventus struck an extra-time winner to sink Barcelona, Inter progressed thanks to the away goals rule despite being outclassed 2-1 at Valencia.

'Inter reached the semi-finals of the Champions League using weapons it thought it had buried forever,' the paper continued.

'Valencia was superior in every department. Goal chances, shots on goal, possession. It was a siege.

'Inter owes its passage (to the semi-finals) to its goalkeeper Francesco Toldo, who pulled off one, two, five prodigious saves.'

The defensive style of play, however, did not impress Valencia coach Rafael Benitez.

'We were better than Inter in both games. If all sides played like them then football could disappear,' he told reporters after the match.

'The stadiums would be empty because nobody would come and pay to watch that kind of display. They are the death of football.'

Inter, who are in the last four of the European Cup for the first time in 22 years, could possibly meet city rivals AC Milan, who play Ajax Amsterdam in their quarter-final on Wednesday, in the semi-finals.