Juventus stood firm as Italy's only representatives in the Europa League by holding Ajax to a goalless draw at the Stadio Olimpico tonight to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory.

The home side came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when Mohamed Sissoko hit the post with a header, but they did not need a goal to progress to the last 16.

Ajax lacked incision in attack as they failed to trouble the Juve goalkeeper Alex Manninger.

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio sent in an early warning for Ajax, but his 22-yard shot was saved easily by Maarten Stekelenburg.

At the other end, Marko Pantelic copied him from a greater distance, but with the same outcome.

Juve goalkeeper Manninger, replacing the injured Gianluigi Buffon, was quick off his line to thwart Miralem Sulejmani before Juve began setting the tone of the game with a succession of dangerous corners.

Sissoko hit the post from an Alessandro Del Piero left-wing corner in the 17th minute before Giorgio Chiellini and Nicola Legrottaglie had headers cleared off the line by Siem de Jong and Christian Eriksen respectively from two more Del Piero set-pieces.

And at the end of the first half, Sissoko had his appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Laurent Duhamel when he fell under the challenge of Demy de Zeeuw.

A good combination between Pantelic and Sulejmani early in the second half signalled Ajax's intentions and the former headed a corner over the crossbar from six yards out in the 51st minute as the Dutch team started to raise their game.

Juve responded with Diego starting to get more of the possession and his free-kick in the 67th minute was a gift for Del Piero or David Trezeguet, but the pair got in each other's way and the chance was lost.

Juve coach Alberto Zaccheroni brought Mauro Camoranesi onto the field for the final 20 minutes, but Diego, who had just started to impose himself on the game, was far from happy with his coach's decision to withdraw him.

He headed straight down the tunnel without even exchanging glances with his coach.

Ajax attempted a late assault with substitute Urby Emanuelson causing a bit of confusion in the Juve defence, but Manninger was not tested, not even by Emanuelson's volley which missed his far post by several feet.