Juventus Season 2013-2014

[Socrates 7962]

Klose eager to end Juventus curse

The German believes the Supercoppa clash is the perfect stage to net his first goal
against the Bianconeri, while Vladimir Petkovic has called for courage in Sunday's meeting.

Aug 17, 2013

Lazio striker Miroslav Klose is eager to end his curse in front of goal against Juventus when the two sides clash in the Supercoppa on Sunday.

The veteran marksman has failed to net past Gianluigi Buffon since arriving in Serie A in 2011 but is relishing the chance to break his duck against the Italian champions - and seal the first trophy of the season in the process.

http://markting10.nl/

"I am sure that sooner or later I will score a goal against Juve. Hopefully it will happen tomorrow," the 35-year-old told reporters.

"I am not the only person who can score goals. Our midfield has players like [Antonio] Candreva and [senad] Lulic.

"This is our first official game of the season and we want to prove we’re ready. I am sure we can win, especially in our home stadium, though as always we’d need a bit of luck."

Head coach Vladimir Petkovic conceded his side will be up against it on Sunday, but believes a strong mental approach to the game could see the Biancoceleste triumph.

"Juve are stronger then they were because they haven't sold anyone and brought in new players this summer," the 49-year-old acknowledged.

"Our heads must be in top condition, as they were in the Coppa Italia [final]. Our mentality will be key against them. We'll do everything we can to win.

"We can make life difficult for them. We do have something more [than last season]. I'm curious to see how we perform tomorrow.

"We are a solid team and must be clinical in attack, because Juve won't allow us many chances."

[Socrates 7962]

Super Cup
Tevez vs Klose

Aug 18, 2013

Mirko Vucinic is expected to partner Carlos Tevez, while Miroslav Klose is supported by Hernanes in tonight’s Italian Super Cup Juventus-Lazio.

The traditional season opener is between Coppa Italia holders Lazio and Scudetto winners Juventus. It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

http://markting10.nl/

The Bianconeri have some fitness doubts over Andrea Barzagli and Fernando Llorente, as the Spaniard has looked tired and off form in pre-season friendlies.

Therefore Vucinic is likely to partner new signing Tevez in attack, leading Antonio Conte’s favoured 3-5-2 system.

Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio should take the midfield roles, leaving Paul Pogba on the bench as he only recently began training after winning the Under-20 World Cup with France.

Lazio have largely the same squad as last season, with the only real addition of Argentina international Lucas Biglia in midfield.

Vladimir Petkovic experimented with several different tactical systems during recent friendlies, so his line-up could well vary its shape and remain unpredictable.

Hernanes should start despite fatigue from international duty, while Antonio Candreva and Senad Lulic also provide support for hitman Miroslav Klose.

The German international has never been able to score against Juventus in seven previous meetings.

Stefano Mauri is in the stands after his appeal against a six-month ban for failing to alert authorities to a potential fix was postponed pending further investigation.

Felipe Anderson and Vinicius are also injured.


Probable line-ups

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic

Juventus bench: Storari, Ogbonna, Caceres, Peluso, Isla, Marrone, Padoin, Pogba, Giovinco, Llorente, Matri, Quagliarella


LAZIO: Marchetti; Konko, Biava, Dias, Radu; Biglia, Ledesma; Candreva, Hernanes, Lulic; Klose

Lazio bench: Bizzarri, Strakosha, Ciani, Cana, Novaretti, Cavanda, Gonzalez, Onazi, Ederson, Floccari, Kozak, Rozzi

[Socrates 7962]

SuperCup Preview: Juventus vs Lazio
What’s So Super About This Coppa Anyway?

Aug 18, 2013

Hey guys! It’s been a while. Sure the summer has been choc full of activity, between another fake trophy to compete for, a pretty damn good transfer market, and an American tour in which Juventus seemed to hit virtually every GD spot in the States except for the New York metro area (and why not, it’s not like it has the highest concentration of Italian Americans or anything), but more on that later, and not that I’m bitter or anything. Anyway, finally we have a real life game to watch, the Supercoppa against one of my least favorite teams from the blue side of the capital.

Yes, a trophy will be awarded at this early stage. But what’s so super about this coppa anyway?

http://markting10.nl/

The Supercoppa began in 1988, and is viewed as a “curtain raiser” of sorts for the Serie A season. Pitting the Serie A winner against the Coppa Italia winner — unless, of course, the Serie A champion *is* the Coppa Italia winner, in which case bedlam breaks loose, and by bedlam I mean replacing the Coppa Italia winner with the runner up — it is at least a fun showcase of what should be two strong teams playing for a trophy a week before Serie A begins. Is it in reality a minor trophy? Pretty much. But try telling to il club piu supercoppolato al mondo!

Anyway, this year will certainly see two of Serie A’s best square off for a worthy antipasto to the campionato. Both teams had strong seasons, both were Italy’s sole remaining representatives deep into their respective European tournaments and, in what can be seen as a positive step for calcio, neither team has seen any notable departures this offseason. I’m being flippant, I know it’s difficult to tell. I wish there were a “flippant” format for text, similar to “italic.” Anyway, in typical Italian fashion, the preamble to this matchup was not without drama. Between over-exaggerated headlines featuring Lazio President Claudio Lotito, to Antonio Conte switching up the training grounds, to backup ‘keeper Marco Storari allegedly blowing up the spot of the new location via Instagram, yada yada yada, it’s still the middle of August. About that Storari thing, I checked and he either deleted the picture or the story is made up. Now onto the teams.

Juventus

The Old Lady didn’t exactly have the smoothest of sailing upon what was, for much of the team, a second business trip to the new world in about a month. Uneventful draws-turned-penalty-losses to Everton and shitty-ass-Inter, sandwiched between an embarrassing 3-1 loss to the Beckham-less-shitty-ass-Los-Angeles-Galaxy, rightfully lead tifosi and critics alike to panic and cast aspersions, respectively. Seriously, after a season of beating the ever-living crap out of Serie A, and sending twelve players away for international tournaments during the month of June, U21 included, a friendly tournament named after a beer should make us all sit and ponder the future of our Bianconeri. Ok, I’m done.

Notwithstanding the recent poor form, and being that this is the first “match” of the year, it is not unreasonable that the transfer market should take up a significant portion of analysis. Not only is our beloved Bianconero the undisputed albeit no longer undefeated rulers of Serie A for two seasons running, they’ve actually continued to improve the squad notwithstanding that success. Director of Sport Beppe Marotta has finally cast aside the demons of chasing and missing out on Signore Toppleia (thanks, Max). Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente represent new attacking options for Antonio Conte’s amusement, while Angelo Ogbonna was brought into solidify the stingiest defense in Italy, albeit to the chagrin of some of the crew (cough, Aaron, cough).

With that, Conte looks set to keep up the 3-5-2 which served him so well the past two seasons, but the details have been up for interpretation by this point.

Gigi Buffon as usual is set to start between the sticks, while Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are set to make up two-thirds of the backline, with RCB still uncertain at writing. Earlier reports suggested that stalwart Andrea Barzagli was not expected to be fit for game time, with the left-footed Ogbonna set to get the nod over fan favorite and natural righty Martin Caceres — with the latter of whom is beginning to disappointingly look expendable. However, more recent reports suggest Dre may in fact be in the starting XI.

The midfield/wingback tandem looks predictable, at least. Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal seem set to continue to carry Andrea Pirlo’s water, while flanked by Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah out wide. While in attack much has been made of the expected exclusion of new signing Llorente from the first whistle, the reality is that it is likely nothing more than a matter of adaptation and, much ado about nothing. Instead it’s been reported that Tevez will likely team up with former Roma player (and Lazio nemesis) Mirko Vucinic, as the tip of the spear.

Probable Starting XI:
Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Asamoah, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner; Tevez, Vucinic


Lazio

It was not too long ago when Lazio was staring down the barrel of relegation, sort of like the 2011-12 version of Fiorentina. However much like the purple people eaters, some shrewd investments and cohesiveness righted the ship almost overnight, and Lazio has been a steady force in Serie A for the past two seasons. A 7th place finish was arguably a harsh verdict on them last year, yet the Biancocelesti were able to snatch the last Europa spot in poetic fashion beating city rivals Roma — who actually finished 6th in the table and all things equal should have qualified for a spot in Europe — in the Coppa Italia final. In Rome.

Of course, that was not before Lazio ruined Juventus’ chances of winning a record 10th Coppa themselves, dispatching of them in Rome back in January.

Like Juventus last year, Lazio has found itself mired in the seemingly ongoing Calcioscommese scandal, with captain Stefano Mauri been for six months. I haven’t followed this year’s version of the soap opera, but if the prosecution is behaving anything like last summer, then Laziale have my sympathy. If this is actually an up-and-up investigation, then screw you for giving the authorities an excuse to cast an unreasonably wide net based on nothing but hearsay by a non-credible, culpable party last year.

Despite the absence of Mauri, Lazio still boasts a strong midfield. Some reports are convinced that boss Vladimir Petkovic will line up his team in a 4-5-1 in hopes to stymie a ball-controlling, attacking Juve. Brazilian Hernanes joined what seemed liked virtually all of the Juventus team in his home country for the Confederations Cup, and only seems to perform better with each game he plays. Former Juventus loanee Antonio Candreva also fits into the puzzle behind ageless German international Miroslav Klose. Meanwhile, Senad “Why Can’t You Be The Left Sided Player Juventus Is Actually Chasing” Lulic always seems to be dangerous from the flank.

If we’re talking about the transfer market, since May there hasn’t been much movement on Lazio’s front. They’re brought in some midfield reinforcements, but none should displace or overshadow the other regulars.

But let us not mistake this for complacency. This Lazio team is good.

Hopefully, we are simply better. And we’ve improved, and further widened the gap. Period.

Oh yea. I almost forgot about the referee. What could possibly go wrong?

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus vs Lazio
Italian Super Cup 2013

Aug 18, 2013

Defending Serie A champion Juventus hope to capture their second straight Italian Super Cup title, but Coppa Italia winner Lazio have their eyes on an upset. It's a perfect way to start another season of football in Italy.

The two sides already went to battle over the location of the match. Lazio wanted the match played in Beijing, but Juventus didn't want to make the trip, which the current agreement with China only required once over the next two years, as reported by Ben Gladwell of ESPN.

The Lega Calcio was left with an unpopular choice to make: upset the Chinese, upset Lazio or upset Juve. It chose the former two. By means of a compromise, Rome's Stadio Olimpico was chosen for the event, yet the Lega Calcio went even further by guaranteeing Lazio a larger slice of the overall revenue to offset their disappointment at missing out on the riches a trip to China would have offered.

http://markting10.nl/

So there could be a little extra bad blood between the clubs heading into the match, which makes it all the more intriguing. Both squads would love to get the campaign off to a winning start before turning their attention to league play.

Let's take a look at all the key information for the marquee clash, followed by a preview and a prediction for which club will capture the 2013 Italian Super Cup trophy.

Where: Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy

When: Sunday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m.


Preview

Although preseason results carry limited weight, especially once the season gets underway, Juventus can't be pleased with their form in recent weeks. Notably, the Vecchia Signora lost all three matches in the International Champions Cup, including one to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

That said, manager Antonio Conte is going to start taking the fixtures a lot more seriously starting with the Super Cup. A victory over Lazio would immediately eliminate any concerns raised by the lack of top form during the exhibition schedule.

Juve should be excited about their attacking potential. Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente will bolster a group that already featured Arturo Vidal and Mirko Vucinic, among others. Once they build chemistry, it's going to become very difficult to slow them down.

They also have stability at the back thanks to the centre-back duo of Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci as well as longtime goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. So Juventus should be able to get off to a solid start even if it takes some time for the attack to start producing at an elite rate.

All told, the club certainly doesn't lack talent. And, with the preseason over, expect the Italian champion squad to raise its level of play against Lazio.

The Biancocelesti have some firepower of their own. Led by veteran striker Miroslav Klose, who's shown few signs of slowing down at age 35, the Lazio attacking group should be able to put some serious pressure on the Juventus back line.

It's an attack that also features Hernanes, Libor Kozak and Sergio Floccari. While they don't receive the same type of attention or hype as the Juve stars, it's still a group that's proven capable of producing chances at a high rate.

In order to pull off the upset, however, Lazio will have to lean on their defense. They ranked fourth in Serie A last season, allowing just 42 goals in 38 matches. They even held a clean sheet against Juventus on the road early in the last term.

Ultimately, this is a match Juventus should win. Whether they are clicking on all cylinders yet is the biggest question mark, but they hold a big enough talent edge to give them the nod.

Expect Juve to raise the Italian Super Cup trophy once again.

Prediction: Juventus 2, Lazio 1

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus-Lazio
Super Cup line-ups

Aug 18, 2013

It’s Carlos Tevez and Mirko Vucinic against Miroslav Klose and Lucas Biglia in the Italian Super Cup Juventus-Lazio.

The traditional clash awards the first silverware of the 2013-14 season and is between the Scudetto winners and Coppa Italia holders. It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico – which is considered a ‘neutral’ venue despite being where Lazio play their home games – at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

http://markting10.nl/

The Bianconeri have struggled in pre-season and finished last in the International Champions Cup in America, but Coach Antonio Conte assured he has “blind faith” in his men.

Summer signing Tevez leads the attack with Vucinic, as Fernando Llorente is still not at full match fitness.

Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal control the midfield with former Lazio winger Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Lazio have largely the same squad that won the Coppa Italia in May, beating Roma 1-0 with a Senad Lulic strike.

The only real addition is Argentina international Lucas Biglia in midfield, while German veteran Klose is hoping for his first ever goal against Juventus.

Stefano Mauri is in the stands, as his appeal against a six-month ban for failing to alert authorities to a potential fix was postponed pending further investigation.

Felipe Anderson and Vinicius are also injured.

Lazio will be wearing their dark blue jersey with very thin light blue horizontal stripes.


Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic

Lazio: Marchetti; Cavanda, Biava, Dias, Radu; Biglia, Ledesma; Candreva, Hernanes, Lulic; Klose

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus-Lazio
HT: Pogba puts Juve in front

Aug 18, 2013

Paul Pogba came off the bench to score as Juventus lead Lazio 1-0 at half-time in the Italian Super Cup.

This traditional clash awards the first silverware of the season and is between the Scudetto winners and Coppa Italia holders. Mirko Vucinic partnered new buy Carlos Tevez and Andrea Barzagli shook off an injury, while Lazio had Argentina international Lucas Biglia supporting Miroslav Klose. Although the Stadio Olimpico is the Biancocelesti’s home venue, it is considered ‘neutral’ for this tournament as the arena for the Coppa Italia Final.

http://markting10.nl/

In the third minute Tevez took a free kick quickly to surprise the defence, but Vucinic blasted over. Arturo Vidal intercepted a Cristian Ledesma free kick before Andre Dias could nod in at the back post.

Claudio Marchisio suffered a knock to the knee in a collision with Stefan Radu and was visibly frustrated as he hobbled off to make way for Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman was only on the field for under three minutes when he broke the deadlock. Andrea Pirlo rolled a free kick to Stephan Lichtsteiner, whose deflected cross landed into the path of Pogba and the Under-20 World Cup winner spun round to score from 12 yards. It was a well-worked set-piece, as everyone was expecting Pirlo to curl it over the wall.

Antonio Candreva pulled back from the by-line just past the waiting Senad Lulic and Hernanes was booked for a very late tackle on Andrea Barzagli.

Gigi Buffon needed a sensational fingertip save with his trailing hand to turn a Stefan Radu rocket out of the far top corner on 33 minutes.


Juventus 1-0 Lazio (Half-Time)

Scorers: Pogba 23 (J)

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio (Pogba 20), Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic

Lazio: Marchetti; Cavanda, Biava, Dias, Radu; Biglia, Ledesma; Candreva, Hernanes, Lulic; Klose

Ref: Rocchi

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio

23′ Paul Pogba
52′ Giorgio Chiellini
54′ Stephan Lichtsteiner
56′ Carlos Tévez

August 18, 2013 9:00 PM
Stadio Olimpico — Roma
Referee:‬ G. Rocchi‎
Attendance:‬ 57000‎

Second-half salvo secures Supercoppa

A four-minute blitz from the Bianconeri after the interval ensured
they secured the first silverware of the season in Italy.

Aug 18, 2013

Juventus reclaimed the Supercoppa by virtue of a routine 4-0 success over Lazio.

Paul Pogba opened the scoring in the first half shortly after replacing Claudio Marchisio but it was three goals in six second-period minutes which proved decisive.

Giorgio Chiellini. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez completed the rout prior to the hour mark, ensuring the Serie A champions secured their first silverware of the new campaign.

http://markting10.nl/

Juventus named a strong side for the meeting with the Coppa Italia holders, although Fernando Llorente was omitted to allow Tevez to partner Mirko Vucinic in attack. Lazio, meanwhile, were without the services of captain Stefano Mauri following his six-month suspension for match-fixing offences.

The game started at a frenetic pace, with both sides carving out presentable opportunities in the opening stages.

Only a desperate Arturo Vidal headed clearance prevented Andre Dias grabbing a goal for Lazio in the 10th minute, while Vucinic went agonisingly close to nodding an Andrea Pirlo cross into the net in the immediate aftermath.

A much-required break in play in a breathless start was provided in unfortunate circumstances in the 21st minute, when Claudio Marchisio was forced to leave the field after picking up an injury while challenging Stefan Radu for the ball.

But the unplanned introduction of his replacement Pogba led to the deadlock being broken.

Lichtsteiner worked space to receive a Pirlo ball on the right before finding the unmarked Frenchman via a deflected cross. And he made no mistake after receiving that slice of luck, turning and smashing the ball home hard and low past Federico Marchetti just two minutes after arriving on the pitch.

That goal did not bring about a let up in the intensity of the game, either, with Hernanes and Andrea Barzagli both picking up yellow cards for cynical challenges prior to a hard-fought first half coming to a close.

The end-to-end nature of the fixture continued after the break, and so it was of little surprise when Juventus' second goal came courtesy of a devastating counter-attack.

Conte's side had been defending a corner in their own box but, from the clearance, Vidal found Lichtsteiner's roving run down the right and the Swiss completed the simple task of teeing up Chiellini following a lung-bursting sprint upfield.

Lichtsteiner had been a constant source of worry for Lazio throughout the match and, when Juventus grabbed a third just two minutes later, the 29-year-old was a deserving scorer. He played a delightful one-two with Vucinic to deceive the Lazio defence before producing a delightful outside-of-the-boot finish to cement Juve's utter dominance of the fixture.

But they were not done there, as some Marchetti heroics denied Pogba but allowed Tevez to grab his first competitive goal for Juventus since joining from Manchester City from close range amid some chaotic Lazio defending.

The remaining half-hour did not see an end to the chances, but a Miroslav Klose effort that was well-saved by Gianluigi Buffon was the closest either side came as Juventus held on to seal their second-successive Supercoppa victory.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio

23′ Paul Pogba
52′ Giorgio Chiellini
54′ Stephan Lichtsteiner
56′ Carlos Tévez

August 18, 2013 9:00 PM
Stadio Olimpico — Roma
Referee:‬ G. Rocchi‎
Attendance:‬ 57000‎

Four-star Juve demolish Lazio

Juventus demolished Lazio 4-0 in the Italian Super Cup, scoring three
in as many second-half minutes, including Carlos Tevez’s debut goal.

Aug 18, 2013

This traditional clash awards the first silverware of the season and is between the Scudetto winners and Coppa Italia holders. Mirko Vucinic partnered new buy Carlos Tevez and Andrea Barzagli shook off an injury, while Lazio had Argentina international Lucas Biglia supporting Miroslav Klose. Although the Stadio Olimpico is the Biancocelesti’s home venue, it is considered ‘neutral’ for this tournament as the arena for the Coppa Italia Final.

In the third minute Tevez took a free kick quickly to surprise the defence, but Vucinic blasted over. Arturo Vidal intercepted a Cristian Ledesma free kick before Andre Dias could nod in at the back post.

http://markting10.nl/

Claudio Marchisio suffered a knock to the knee in a collision with Stefan Radu and was visibly frustrated as he hobbled off to make way for Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman was only on the field for under three minutes when he broke the deadlock. Andrea Pirlo rolled a free kick to Stephan Lichtsteiner, whose deflected cross landed into the path of Pogba and the Under-20 World Cup winner spun round to score from 12 yards. It was a well-worked set-piece, as everyone was expecting Pirlo to curl it over the wall.

Antonio Candreva pulled back from the by-line just past the waiting Senad Lulic and Hernanes was booked for a very late tackle on Andrea Barzagli.

Gigi Buffon needed a sensational fingertip save with his trailing hand to turn a Stefan Radu rocket out of the far top corner on 33 minutes.

Juventus doubled their lead after the restart with a classic counter-attack. Lichtsteiner sprinted up from the centre-circle and rolled across for Giorgio Chiellini to tap in from eight yards. It was his fourth career goal past Lazio, confirming them as his favourite targets.

Moments later it was 3-0, as Lazio seemed to be completely stunned. Lichtsteiner sprung the offside trap with a wonderful give-and-go pass with Vucinic and rolled it past the on-rushing Marchetti.

It turned into a rout, as Tevez scored on his official Juventus debut for the fourth. Marchetti acrobatically parried a Lichtsteiner strike, then Pogba from close range until Tevez sidefooted in the rebound from seven yards.

Lazio were torn apart and Marchetti needed a shin to deny Arturo Vidal’s shot and Tevez’s spectacular volley was over the bar.

Candreva blasted from distance, but Buffon had his body behind it to smother. Klose, who has never scored against Juventus, got between defenders for a free header but turned Candreva’s cross over.

Klose dribbled between three defenders to find a gap in the Juve defence, but Buffon rushed off his line and got just enough on it to deflect wide. The goalkeeper also smothered an Ederson attempt. In the final minutes some racist booing was heard from the Lazio end, so a warning message was read over the loudspeaker.

Curiously, referee Gianluca Rocchi blew the final whistle just shy of the 90th minute, so no stoppages were awarded.


Juventus 4-0 Lazio

Scorers: Pogba 23 (J), Chiellini 52 (J), Lichtsteiner 54 (J), Tevez 56 (J)

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli (Caceres 75), Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Ogbonna 82), Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio (Pogba 20), Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic

Lazio: Marchetti; Cavanda, Biava, Dias, Radu (Ederson 57); Biglia (Onazi 71), Ledesma (Floccari 57); Candreva, Hernanes, Lulic; Klose

Ref: Rocchi

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio

23′ Paul Pogba
52′ Giorgio Chiellini
54′ Stephan Lichtsteiner
56′ Carlos Tévez

August 18, 2013 9:00 PM
Stadio Olimpico — Roma
Referee:‬ G. Rocchi‎
Attendance:‬ 57000‎

Player Ratings

Goal was on hand to rate the players as Stephan Lichtsteiner was in scintillating form
for the Bianconeri, with his strike helping them to retain the Supercoppa Italiana.

Aug 18, 2013

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon - Italy's national goalkeeper ensured he kept a clean sheet with a fine string of saves, particularly Radu's fizzing first-half effort which he got his fingertips to.

Andrea Barzagli - Despite carrying a knock, the centre-back looked assured on the ball and used his aerial prowess to prevent Klose from latching onto a series of crosses.

Leonardo Bonucci - Was burdened with the difficult task of man-marking Klose and on the whole he impressed, despite being beaten by the German's footwork on the odd occasion.

Giorgio Chiellini - A solid defensive performance from the centre-back, who raced up the other end to finish a devastating counter-attack

Stephan Lichtsteiner - Stunning performance from the former Lazio man who frequently got the better of Radu down the right. Showed brilliant movement and composure to notch a goal and an assist.

Arturo Vidal - Another eye-catching performance from the midfielder who worked tirelessly from box-to-box. Did a brilliant job in preventing Hernanes from pulling the strings.

Andrea Pirlo - Demonstrated his genius with a clever free kick routine to open the scoring for Conte's side. Even at 34, Pirlo continues to unlock opposition defences almost effortlessly.

Claudio Marchisio - The Juventus No.8 had little time to make his mark on the match as he was withdrawn with an injury after 20 minutes following a tackle from Radu.

Kwadwo Asamoah - Found himself often pinned back by Candreva in his own half as he struggled to join in the Juventus attack. It's no surprise that this is a position that Conte is considering strengthening.

Carlos Tévez - A typical, hard-working performance from Juventus' summer signing who will be delighted to score on his competitive debut. His mazy dribbling caused Biava and Dias problems all game.

Mirko Vučinić - The Montenegrin failed to get on the scoresheet but dropped deep to receive the ball and dragged defenders away with him. Juventus fans will be pleased to see he has formed a good understanding with Tevez.


Substitutions

Paul Pogba - Conte's super-sub. Pogba showed once again why he is one of the brightest talents in Europe with another powerful performance. Showed great technique to swivel and finish with his left-foot to give Juventus a first-half lead.

http://markting10.nl/

Lazio

Federico Marchetti - The Lazio shotstopper could do nothing to prevent any of the goals and will have serious questions to ask of his defence.

Andrè Dias - Was found ball-watching on several occasions and failed to track runs in behind him. His positioning will certainly be a concern for Petkovic.

Giuseppe Biava - Struggled to deal with the movement of Tevez and Vucinic and his sloppiness allowed Lichtsteiner to break the offside trap for Chiellini's goal.

Luis Cavanda - The Belgian defender had a solid game at right-back, showing great pace and anticipation to prevent Asamoah from having joy down the left.

Stefan Radu - Came close to a Lazio equaliser with a rasping long-distance effort but ultimately struggled to cope with the runs of Lichtsteiner down the right. Substituted as a result.

Antonio Candreva - A determined performance from the Italian international whose dribbling caused Asamoah problems down the left. Good service from wide areas.

Cristian Ledesma - Acted as a solid shield for the Lazio defence in the first half but was overpowered by Pogba and Pirlo in the second. Was duly replaced on the hour mark.

Hernanes - Lazio's little magician found himself under heavy pressure every time he received the ball and consequently could not pick his passes as he would have liked. Displayed his frustration with a wild swipe on Barzagli which earned a yellow card.

Lucas Rodrigo Biglia - Not the best of debuts for the Argentine who found himself chasing Juventus jerseys for the majority of the game. Allowed Pirlo, Vidal and Pogba to dominate the midfield.

Senad Lulic - The Bosnian winger showed his ability by finding himself in space on the left on regular occasions. However, he lacked support in the attack and was often forced to cross the ball into the box.

Miroslav Klose - Lazio's top goalscorer last season showed glimpses of his class by getting into promising positions but will be disappointed after spurning two glorious chances to grab a consolation. Found himself well marshalled by Bonucci.


Substitutions

Ederson - Certainly made Lazio look more dangerous with his introduction but will be disappointed with his shooting.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio

23′ Paul Pogba
52′ Giorgio Chiellini
54′ Stephan Lichtsteiner
56′ Carlos Tévez

August 18, 2013 9:00 PM
Stadio Olimpico — Roma
Referee:‬ G. Rocchi‎
Attendance:‬ 57000‎

Conte: 'Juve continue to write history'

Aug 18, 2013

Antonio Conte was always confident as Juventus thrashed Lazio 4-0 for the Super Cup. “We continue to write history.”

The Bianconeri failed to win a pre-season friendly, but looked another team at the Stadio Olimpico.

“In the Press conference yesterday I said I was relaxed because I know my players and above all what they are like as men,” Conte told Rai Sport.

http://markting10.nl/

“I knew we’d face this one-off match in the right way. It is one game, there is no tomorrow and you have to do it today.

“We continue to write history, these players put in a great performance and it was a deserved victory.

“Don’t forget we only actually lost one match in 90 minutes, against LA Galaxy. We know that we still have to shake off the heavy pre-season training work, but we deserved the win and I’m very happy.”

Juventus are expected to push harder in the Champions League this season, but Conte is focused.

“Last year we won the Scudetto and the Italian Super Cup. I’d be happy to repeat that this year.”

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio

23′ Paul Pogba
52′ Giorgio Chiellini
54′ Stephan Lichtsteiner
56′ Carlos Tévez

August 18, 2013 9:00 PM
Stadio Olimpico — Roma
Referee:‬ G. Rocchi‎
Attendance:‬ 57000‎

Petkovic: 'Lazio apologise to fans'

Aug 18, 2013

Vladimir Petkovic apologised to Lazio fans after a 4-0 defeat and a “black-out” in the Super Cup with Juventus.

“We let go after an avoidable second goal and should’ve stayed in the shape we prepared before the game, but were naïve,” he told Rai Sport.

http://markting10.nl/

Juve scored three goals between the 53rd and 56th minutes, finding the net with Giorgio Chiellini, Carlos Tevez and Stephan Lichtsteiner after Paul Pogba’s first half opener.

“It was a psychological collapse and with that black-out we conceded another two goals in quick succession.

“Juve didn’t create much until the second goal. We conceded an avoidable goal from a dubious free kick and Juventus were smart. They deserve credit for that.

“We certainly have to get our feet back on the ground. We tried to do that after winning the Coppa Italia Final and must do it again now. We were perhaps a little too confident against a great Juve side when we weren’t 100 per cent fit.

“We have to take a good look at ourselves and recognise our mistakes, starting from myself, because for us this new journey begins today. Even after defeats like this we have to show our character and how to get back on track.

“It’s always tough to lose by more than two goals, but we will be ready for the first game of the Serie A season against Udinese.”

Sergio Floccari was a surprisingly late substitute and Petkovic explained his approach.

“It was a very balanced game that only an incident could turn. I was waiting for the right moment to introduce Floccari, but then this black-out happened.

“We apologise to the fans and the city. We turn over a new leaf and move forward.”

[Socrates 7962]

Prandelli: Juventus will win Serie A

The Azzurri head coach expects the Bianconeri to be Serie A champions
once again, but believes Napoli and Fiorentina's new recruits will see them challenge.

Aug 19, 2013

Cesare Prandelli says Juventus are "the number one favourite" to retain their Serie A title and predicted another season of success for Antonio Conte's side.

The reigning Italian champions start the defence of their title away to Sampdoria next Saturday and are firm favourites to record a third successive first place finish.

Conte's men ended last season nine points clear of closest challengers Napoli, and have since added the names of Carlos Tevez, Fernando Lllorente and Angelo Ogbonna to an already stellar squad.

http://markting10.nl/

The Bianconeri have lost just five of their last 76 Serie A league games and Italy boss Prandelli is predicting the Turin giants to dominate again.

"For the championship, Juventus are always the number one favourite," the 55-year-old told SkyItalia.

"After what Conte has done in the past two years, there have been further reinforcements to the squad and it will be difficult to remove them from the top of Serie A."

But after envisaging yet more glory for Juventus, Prandelli then went on to say he expects both Napoli and his former club Fiorentina to enjoy good campaigns after a strong summer of recruitment.

The Naples outfit have seen coach Walter Mazzarri depart for Inter and star striker Edinson Cavani join Paris Saint-Germain, but president Aurelio De Laurentis has moved astutely to lessen those blows.

Rafa Benitez has been charged with taking over from Mazzarri, and the Spaniard has been granted a raft of new recruits at the San Paolo.

Jose Callejon, Raul Albiol and Gonzalo Higuain have all been signed from Real Madrid, with that trio being joined by Dries Mertens, Pablo Armero and Pepe Reina.

Fiorentina have been similarly active in the transfer market as they seek to improve on an impressive fourth place finish last term, with the losses of Stevan Jovetic and Alessandro Cerci being offset by the arrivals of Josip Ilicic, Mario Gomez, Massimo Ambrosini, Joaquin, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado and Oleksandr Yakovenko.

"Napoli and Fiorentina are making the fans dream. They have done the best in the transfer market."

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus will need luck in the Champions League, says Lippi

The former Azzurri boss feels the Bianconeri could have gone all the way in the competition
last term, but were unfortunate to draw Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Aug 19, 2013

Juventus will need lady luck on their side if they are to triumph in the Champions League this season, according to Marcello Lippi.

Antonio Conte's men were defeated 4-0 on aggregate by the Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the tournament last term, with the Bavarians going on to win the tournament.

http://markting10.nl/

And the former Juve boss - who lifted the Champions League with the club in 1996 - feels the luck of the draw was against the Bianconeri, but believes they are capable of winning the trophy this season if fortune works in their favour.

"Conte has a strong team but winning the Champions League depends on several factors, including luck, which does not play a secondary role," the 65-year-old told the Corriere dello Sport.

"If last year they didn't meet Bayern in the quarter-finals, they could have reached the final."

Furthermore, the trainer believes the Bianconeri are in a favoured position to secure their third title in a row this term.

"All the teams that win Serie A are considered favourites the following season," he said.

"Juve have a winning mentality, the right belief and strengthened themselves with new signings.

"Winning the league is difficult, it is harder to win back-to-back titles and winning it the third consecutive year even more so."

Regarding the club's new signings Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, Lippi is confident they will strengthen the squad, but also remarks they have to prove their worth in Serie A.

"I think Tevez is a great signing, he will add value and Llorente can be the player Juve have missed out on from a technical aspect.

"However, both are foreigners and have to prove their worth in Italy."

Lippi led Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 before leaving his post in charge of the national side in 2010 and joining Chinese outfit Guangzhou Evergrande.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus – the Coppa killers

Juventus underlined with their Italian Super Cup win over Lazio
that they will still be the team to beat this season, writes Giancarlo Rinaldi.

Aug 20, 2013

Their pre-season form had raised the hopes of every other side in Serie A. The difficulties of slotting in their new signings had people wondering if the big name acquisitions might adversely affect a well-oiled winning machine. And then, when the competitive matches started, Juventus blew away all the doubts in devastating fashion.

It is hard to credit that the start of their Super Cup demolition of Lazio started in a slightly fortuitous manner. It took an injury to Claudio Marchisio to get Paul Pogba on to the pitch. Within moments he had broken the deadlock and, in the process, suggested that Antonio Conte will have a job keeping him out of the side this year.

http://markting10.nl/

Prior to that strike, midway through the first half, neither side had really shone. There was more perspiration than inspiration on display from both teams prior. But a deadly spell at the start of the second half ended any thoughts of the Biancocelesti sneaking back into the match.

The route to the rout came via Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right flank. He motored through to tee up Giorgio Chiellini who was making a cameo appearance as a striker on a lightning counter-attack. Then he finished off a neat Mirko Vucinic flick himself. The panic in the heart of the Lazio defence was almost palpable.

The icing on the cake for Juventus came with a goal for Carlitos Tevez who had looked a little bit off the pace and out of the play up until then. The strike gave him confidence and he started to look much more at home in a black and white shirt. You get the feeling he will find the net plenty of times this year as he develops a greater understanding with his new teammates.

A flicker of resistance from the Roman side was easily enough snuffed out in the closing stages. Gigi Buffon denied Miroslav Klose their best chance but it was unlikely to kick-start any kind of revival. The capital club looked short of the quality required for that sort of comeback.

There was time, in the closing stages, for yet another pathetic display of the racism which haunted the Italian game last season. Jeers for Paul Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah provided a depressing finale to the match. If Calcio wants to make a new start, it needs to tackle such idiocy head on.

On more sporting matters, the early indications were that Juve will set the standards for Serie A once again this year. Their old guard are still going strong and their new signings can make a significant contribution. Coach Conte will be driving them on to produce both in Italy and Europe.

As for Lazio, they need not hit the panic button just yet. They won’t come up against many teams in Italy as strong as the Bianconeri and can surely carve out a role in the top half of the table once again. On this display, they might struggle to retain their Coppa Italia or challenge at the very top end of the League. However, they have made a habit of defying the critics in the past and may well do so again.

All in all, the Super Cup was a tasty little appetiser for the season ahead. There was some sweeping, entertaining and attractive football on show for much of the match. It bodes well for a championship which is trying to re-establish itself as one of the best in Europe. If it can kick out the distasteful acts of racism, Serie A still has a lot to offer. Let’s hope those good elements shine through in the weeks and months ahead.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus Club Focus: Season Preview 2013/14

Aug 21, 2013

Overview

Juventus are back to back reigning Italian champions but that has not kept them from further improving their squad in the transfer market.

The club had been searching for a proper long term solution up top and had fallen flat through several previous attempts (often ending with a last minute purchase of a player who adds only depth to the squad – Nicklas Bendtner, Nicolas Anelka, etc) but finally this summer they succeeded.

http://markting10.nl/

Mercato

Fernando Llorente, who was signed on a free transfer from Atletico Bilbao, had his signing announced way back in January, but nonetheless did not join the club until July.

Llorente is very much out of form, as he was practically frozen out last year at Atletico, so he not only needs to get used to a new league, a new country, a new coach, new teammates, and a new tactical set up; he also has to get himself back into playing form.

This is why I warn Juventini and others not to expect too much from Llorente for the first few weeks (maybe months) of the season. That said, Llorente has the potential to be a world beater, and at Juve he has the teammates to help him achieve as much.

The other striker brought in this summer, and one who had a more immediate impact, is Carlos Tevez. One of the goal scorers from the August 18th 4-0 stomping of Lazio in the Supercoppa, the Tevez signing came as a slight surprise, if only because the media had linked Juve to so many other, different, strikers.

Still, for a price of at most €12 million (€10m base fee with an extra two in incentive based rewards) Juventus came away with one of the better strikers in Europe.

Another new arrival, and one who was signed with the long run in mind, is ex-Torino wonderkid Angelo Ogbonna. The CB, a position where Juve already have much quality, is likely to be a depth option for this season, but given the grueling schedule of Serie A, Champions League, and, Coppa Italia, all combined and you have a recipe for Ogbonna to receive a fair amount of appearances and starts.

Ogbonna has already looked somewhat comfortable in black and white during the pre-season, and he will surely grow to be another valued member of the Juventus defense.

In terms of transfers elsewhere, Juventus sold two players: Felipe Melo, and Emanuele Giaccherini. Melo, whom the club had been trying to offload for two years now, was purchased by the same club who had loaned him for two seasons, Galatasary of Turkey.

Meanwhile, Giaccherini was signed by the English Premier League club Sunderland, after a particularly impressive performance playing for the Azzuri in the Confederations Cup. Losing Melo was part of the plan, while losing Giaccherini is bitter-sweet. I like seeing the player succeed, and he isn’t an essential part of Juve’s squad, but I (and probably other Juventini) are sad to see him go.


Antonio Conte

Then there is Conte. The man has led the club to all sorts of various glory, but now he wants more: the Champions League trophy. Conte, who played at Juventus in the ’90s during Marcello Lippi’s tenure of greatness, knows the difficulties behind continued greatness.

He knows the difficulty of winning Serie A three times in a row, and he knows the difficulty of winning a lone Champions League trophy, especially in today’s world of superclubs like Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

Conte is very much capable of leading Juventus back to the top of the Serie A table, but he has sometimes shown an inability to rotate some players (we usually see some rotation but then various players get overused, end up fatigued, and then play badly in a big match) and has yet to prove his tactical chops on the big European stage. This season provides more opportunities for him to achieve both.


Predictions

This should be a tough season for Juve, but it also should be very exciting and very fun. The team is back in the Champions League, with a new strikeforce and new yellow away jerseys, and Serie A is an all new ball game, with several rival clubs having beefed up their rosters during the transfer window.

There are new coaches, old coaches at new clubs, and plenty of skilled players who are new to Italy and to their respective clubs. While I believe Juventus are the favorites to win the Scudetto, I could also easily see a scenario with the Champions League distracts them, and perhaps fatigue and injury take a toll during midweek fixtures, and Juventus let the Scudetto slip (but still finish 2nd or 3rd, and do well in the Champions League) but I do not see this as the most probable scenario.

Realistically, I expect Juventus to win a third consecutive Scudetto, and to fare well in Europe but not to win the Champions League. I think it’s possible for the squad to win the Champions League, but they first have to get to the final.

Looking at the potential clubs that Juventus could face in the knock out rounds, that won’t be easy. The easiest way for Juventus to win the Champions League at this moment would be for a lucky draw, to draw smaller clubs in the first two or three rounds, and then only have to take down one giant (and depending on the giant, I think Juventus could take them, but again it depends on which European giant it is) but at this point it is all speculation. We do not even know what group Juventus will be drawn in.

We’re in for a wild season, and I can’t wait for it to start. Praise Conte and Forza Juve.

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

De Silvestri calls for Sampdoria focus

Aug 22, 2013

Lorenzo De Silvestri claims his Sampdoria side have the potential to stop Juventus in Serie A on Saturday.

Although the defender has underlined the Old Lady’s status as favourites for another Scudetto, he doesn’t think they will necessarily win at Marassi in Week 1.

http://markting10.nl/

“Juventus can win their third title in a row hands down, but that doesn’t mean that we should feel beaten before kick-off,” the 25-year-old told Tuttosport.

“Juve are really strong, but it will still be 11 against 11 out there and if we stay focused, make sacrifices for each other, then we can play our own game.”

Sampdoria, who are 7/1 shots at betfair online to beat the Old Lady this weekend, will also be facing a side who demolished Lazio 4-0 in the Italian Super Cup last Sunday.

“I didn’t expect to see them at such an advanced stage already,” the former Lazio player, an Italian international, commented.

“All summer we have been hearing about the hard work that their boss Antonio Conte has been putting them through, but I instead saw a Juve side in form.

“Juventus were already so strong last season and now they are even stronger.”

The Turin giants breezed to the championship last term, but the port club did actually do the double over them.

“The win at the Juventus Stadium was like a fairy-tale,” De Silvestri recalled. “It was the perfect game for who won.

“We were down to 10 men and Mauro Icardi, starting just his second game, scored a splendid double.

“In the return, we wanted to give some satisfaction to our fans after some poor showings. We were really motivated, while Juve arrived with the Scudetto already in their pockets.”

[Socrates 7962]

Del Neri hails reinforced Juventus

Aug 22, 2013

Gigi Del Neri says former club Juventus have to be considered as favourites for Scudetto glory in 2013-14.

“After watching them in the Italian Super Cup Final against Lazio, you have to see them as that,” the out of work tactician told the Corriere dello Sport after the 4-0 demolition of Lazio.

http://markting10.nl/

“They have quality and character, they have been well forged by their Coach, while they possess security that other teams do not.

“They have also reinforced their squad with intelligence. Their capture of Carlos Tevez was a great piece of business.”

Del Neri spent one season on the Turin hotseat before being replaced by Antonio Conte, a man who has since led the Old Lady to back-to-back titles.

“We wanted to open a new cycle, but things did not go as we would have liked,” he recalled when asked about his Bianconero stint.

“The time wasn’t right and the results were not what the people of Juventus rightly demanded.

“I have no regret though,” he continued. “I still regard it as a positive experience for me and I’m happy I got the chance to Coach them.

“I hold on to the fact that I launched Frederik Sorensen who still wasn’t 18, while Gigi Buffon returned to world class levels after his six months out because of back surgery.

“We were weighed down by injuries, a lack of experience and the fatigue of the Europa League. We lost our balance and we threw countless games away…”

Del Neri’s Juve finished seventh.

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

Facing Juve normal for Gabbiadini

Aug 23, 2013

Manolo Gabbiadini will not have any split loyalties when Sampdoria entertain Juventus in Serie A on Saturday.

The striker is co-owned by both clubs after the Old Lady initially signed him outright in the summer from Atalanta, before selling 50 per cent of his contract and this season’s sporting rights to Doria.

http://markting10.nl/

“It will just be a game like any other,” the Italian Under-21 international told the Corriere dello Sport. “Will I celebrate if I score? Let us first see if I manage to find the net…

“The Juventus defence is very strong, they are all Italian internationals. However, they can also make mistakes and we have to be ready to pounce on them.”

Gabbiadini has impressed in pre-season so far and he admits he has been surprised by how quickly he has settled in Genoa.

“I really wanted to start the season well, but I didn’t think I would be feeling so good already. I have to thank my teammates who are giving me a helping hand.”

Gabbiadini spent last season on loan at Bologna where he scored six goals in 30 games.

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

Sampdoria squad for Juventus

Aug 23, 2013

Sampdoria boss Delio Rossi has named a 24-man squad for their Serie A opener against Juventus on Saturday.

http://markting10.nl/

New signing Vasco Regini and Renan Garcia are missing from the party as they are carrying suspensions from the end of last season.

The game, to be played at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, will kick off at 20.45 local time.

Goalkeepers: Da Costa, Fiorillo, Tozzo.
Defenders: Berardi, Castellini, Costa, Fornasier, Gastaldello, Mustafi, Palombo, Salamon.
Midfielders: De Silvestri, Eramo, Gavazzi, Gentsoglou, Krsticic, Obiang, Rodríguez, Soriano, Wszolek.
Forwards: Eder, Gabbiadini, Pozzi, Sansone.

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

Preview: Conte's men lost twice to Blucerchiati last term

Antonio Conte's men kick off their Serie A defence with a potentially tricky trip
to the Luigi Ferraris to face one of the teams who gave them problems in 2012-13.

Aug 23, 2013

Juventus kick off the defence of their Serie A crown with a testing trip to Sampdoria on Saturday.

The reigning champions lost just five league fixtures on their way to the title last term, but two of those came against Delio Rossi's men.

http://markting10.nl/

Sampdoria earned a shock 2-1 victory over Juve away from home despite Gaetano Berardi receiving an early red card, and also defeated Antonio Conte's men 3-2 at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on the final day of the season.

However, the scorer of three of their five goals against Juve, Mauro Icardi, will not be available this time around following his close-season switch to Inter.

Rossi will hope that young striker Manolo Gabbiadini, whose economic rights remain split between Sampdoria and Juventus, can fill the goalscoring void this term.

Juventus come into the game off the back of a morale-boosting Supercoppa Italiana victory over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.

An early strike from Paul Pogba and second-half goals from Giorgio Chiellini, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez handed the Turin club the win, and ensured they will open their Serie A campaign full of confidence.

Sampdoria in fact kicked off the 2012-13 campaign with three consecutive victories, but separate winless runs of nine and 10 games saw them go on to finish in 14th position in the Italian top flight.

And if they are to get off to a similarly encouraging start this term then they will need to cope with a Juve side who will be keen to lay down an early marker.


Head to Head

Serie A ‎ May 18, 2013 Sampdoria 3 - Juventus 2
Serie A ‎ Jan 6, 2013 Juventus 1 - Sampdoria 2
Serie A ‎ Jan 23, 2011 Sampdoria 0 - Juventus 0
Serie A ‎ Sep 12, 2010 Juventus 3 - Sampdoria 3
Serie A ‎ Mar 21, 2010 Sampdoria 1 - Juventus 0


Last Five Matches

Sampdoria

Aug 17, 2013 Sampdoria 2 - 0 Benevento Coppa Italia
Aug 3, 2013 Sampdoria 4 - 3 Olympique de Marseille Fr
May 18, 2013 Sampdoria 3 - Juventus 2 Serie A
May 12, 2013 Lazio 2 - Sampdoria 0 Serie A
May 8, 2013 Sampdoria 1 - Catania 1 Serie A



Juventus

Aug 18, 2013 Juventus 4 - 0 Lazio Italian Supercoppa
Aug 6, 2013 Juventus 1 - 1 FC Internazionale Fr
Aug 4, 2013 Juventus 1 - 3 Los Angeles Galaxy Fr
Aug 1, 2013 Juventus 1 - 1Everton Fr
May 18, 2013 Sampdoria 3 - 2 Juventus Serie A

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

MATCH PREVIEW

Aug 23, 2013

Scudetto winners Juventus start their bid for a three-peat against last season’s bogey club Sampdoria.

http://markting10.nl/

The Blucerchiati were the only side to twice defeat Juve in 2012-13, in what was a season of contrast following Serie B promotion. Ciro Ferrara was replaced by Delio Rossi in December, who lifted Samp from the relegation zone to a 16th place finish, including those dual Bianconeri triumphs.

Rossi’s men played their first competitive match last weekend, enjoying a 2-0 win over Lega Pro outfit Benevento. Manolo Gabbiadini, co-owned with Juventus, netted both goals on debut for the port-city club.

Vasco Regini and Renan are suspended for the opening match. Sampdoria are expected to continue with the 3-5-2 system so frequent during Rossi’s time in charge.

Juventus signalled a warning to their rivals on Sunday as they dismantled Lazio to win the Italian Super Cup 4-0. Paul Pogba gave the Turin club a half-time advantage, before a lethal second half blitz saw goals from Giorgio Chiellini, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Carlos Tevez within six minutes.

The Old Lady start the new campaign as favourites to retain their Serie A crown. Yet they have been quick to stress the difficulty in achieving what no Juve side has done since 1935 and win more than two consecutive Scudetti.

Claudio Marchisio went off injured at the Stadio Olimpico and will be sidelined for a month, while Simone Pepe’s fitness will be evaluated.

Samp’s season-ending 3-2 win last term allowed them to push past Juventus in the all-time head-to-head record. The 1991 Scudetto winners have 19 victories to Juve’s 18, with 18 further draws.

Keep an eye on: Carlos Tevez (Juventus) – The Argentine marked his official debut with a Super Cup strike and is aiming to celebrate again in Genoa. Hopes have been pinned on Tevez to be the top player in attack Juve have craved for a number of seasons.

Form guide: Sampdoria ( - - - - ) Juventus ( - - - - )

Last season: Sampdoria 3-2 Juventus

Stat fact: Juventus have not won on their last five visits to the Marassi to face Sampdoria.

Sampdoria (probable): Da Costa; Gastaldello, Palombo, Costa; De Silvestri, Eramo, Krsticic, Obiang, Castellini; Sansone, Gabbiadini

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

MATCH PREVIEW

Aug 23, 2013

Antonio Conte readily accepts his Juventus side are the favourites to retain the Serie A title - but he knows predictions do not guarantee prizes.

The Juve head coach has reinforced the squad that claimed a second straight Scudetto by nine points from Napoli in May with prolific strikers Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, while landing highly-rated Italy defender Angelo Ogbonna from Torino.

http://markting10.nl/

Ahead of a season-opening trip to Sampdoria, however, he seemed bemused that reporters had written off rivals including Napoli and Fiorentina despite their own significant investments in the transfer window.

The Azzurri are boosted by former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain as Fiorentina prepare to unleash the strike duo of Mario Gomez and Giuseppe Rossi.

Conte told juventus.com: "We are the favourites to retain our title."

"It's useless to deny that we start the season as favourites because we've won two straight titles, but in May it's not the favourites who win, it's the side that's proved themselves to be strongest on the pitch."

"We have several rivals who have equipped themselves well by spending more than we have."

"You lot, however, have said that the gap at the top is likely to increase even more. So what do you think would happen if we had the same size of budget?"

Conte, who will be without injured midfielders Simone Pepe and Claudio Marchisio, also expressed his disgust at the spread of racism through the Italian game, after Supercoppa opponents Lazio were issued a partial stadium closure for abusive behaviour from fans during the curtain-raising game.

"Everybody has to rebel against these violent and intolerant incidents caused by a few imbeciles," Conte said.

"First of all, you lot should not give attention to certain individuals who are just happy to appear on television or in the newspapers."

"They should just close the stands. After a while I think people will start to think twice about their behaviour."

Samp completed an unlikely season double over Juve last season, spoiling their title celebrations with a 3-2 win at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on the final day, and coach Delio Rossi is suitably wary of the vengeance arriving from Turin.

"We could not be meeting a tougher opponent," he said. "They're a team full of great champions who thrive when they're winning and react immediately when they losing."

"I think Juve are the strongest team: they've bought class players like Tevez, Llorente and Ogbonna."

"The calendar has matched us with the toughest opponent, but we'll try to give them a game."

Defender Vasco Regini and midfielder Renan are suspended but Rossi should field his marquee summer signing, ex-Juve striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

Preview: Round 1 —
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines

Aug 23, 2013

The last time Juventus played Sampdoria, there was nothing to play for. It was the last day of the 2012-13 season, the Scudetto had already been clinched, and everybody had been assured that nothing of much importance was going to happen. Stupid jerks made us watch anyways because we love them so damn much.

Ah, but this Juventus-Sampdoria match is a little different.

http://markting10.nl/

The 2013-14 Serie A campaign is officially here. Well, tomorrow it will be. But the countdown has begun. The grass at the Ferraris will be looking extra special good with it being opening night. The players will roll out their fancy new boots they just got from their respective sponsors. The road to a third straight Scudetto starts in Genova — not against Parma as weird as it may seem after the last couple of years — and we're just about ready to get the party started.

Serie A, we've been waiting for you to return for months now, sitting through transfer rumors that make no sense and watching every player that could be going to a new team not sign with Arsenal. (Okay, cheap shot. I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry.)

While Juve didn't beat Sampdoria last season, the sound of typing "defending their Serie A title" has much more of a ring to it. So if you wanna keep doing that, Antonio Conte and crew, go right ahead. No complaints here.

And I'm just going to go out on a limb and say there's a little more to play for this time around. Just a hunch.

GOOD NEWS

Wait, so you're saying Serie A will officially be taking up a lot of our time in front of the television and computer for the next eight or nine months starting tomorrow night?

Welcome back, old friend.

BAD NEWS

Claudio Marchisio is hurt and out for another 30 or so days, but we already knew that. Luckily Paul Pogba is here to continue his usual awesomeness during Principino's month-long recovery time.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. That ever evolving Carlos Tevez-Mirko Vucinic dynamic.

I could talk about how they've played on the field. Or maybe I'll just show you what Tevez said on Thursday regarding his developing partnership with our favorite part-time mustached Montenegrin: "I get on well with Vucinic. He is a player who makes the difference. We only played for the second time together in Rome on Sunday and obviously we need to get to know each other better and refine our movements, but I'm already satisfied."

(Source: Football Italia)

Okay, so maybe I'll talk about how they've played on the field.

It's quite a small sample size, but thus far the Tevez-Vucinic partnership has gotten the job done. They seem to be on the same page when it comes to their movements and passes up front and they have that added bit of combined flair to break down an opposing defense or do some fancy kind of back heel when needed. Conventional wisdom suggests the more they play alongside one another, the more and more comfortable they will be as a strike tandem. So far that seems to be the case — and you won't see any complaints here if the final product is a good one.

2. Manolo Gabbiadini's impact.

We knew he'd be on the watch list sooner or later, but the first week of the season is certainly a bit of a welcome surprise. A good number of folks think that this is the season before he breaks into the Juventus squad in some kind of capacity. Manolo has said he's treating this game like any another and just wants to start the season on a positive note. That's cool and totally understandable. Except for the fact that this is the club that will be keeping one hell of a close eye on him this season, judging him week in, week out to determine whether he truly is ready for the big stage in Turin.

3. Paul Pogba's impact.

It's a nice problem to have when somebody of Pogba's ilk can be considered a "reserve." But Pogba's far from a guy who spends most weekends on the bench because he's not good enough to be a starter. It's far from that. The number of bad games Pogba has had in a Juventus jersey may as well be smaller than the number of hairstyles he rocked last season. With Marchisio's month-long injury putting Pogba in the starting lineup on a regular basis for the time being, it will be interesting to see how the 20-year-old Frenchman continues to grow and develop as a midfielder. And based on what we've seen in the 12 months he's been with Juventus, there's no reason to think a few more of those awesome Pogba performances won't become a regular thing again.

4. Building off the Supercoppa performance.

For as fantastic as it was, seeing Juventus score three goals in five minutes on a consistent basis is pretty much unheard of. I don't think that's breaking news to anybody of us, but Juve did indeed bring some of their top-notch play to the Supercoppa blowout victory against Lazio last Sunday night. It certainly made the not-so-positive thoughts from the United States tour go away, didn't it? Now the key is obviously to keep things going as the season officially gets going.

5. Who else will show up with a beard as the season gets underway?

First it was Andrea Pirlo. Now it's Andrea Barzagli. The beards are taking over Juve's regular starting lineup. Who might be next on the road to sporting a face full of hair? 'll just leave this here for the rest of you to see. #BOH


My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Vucinic, Tevez

[Socrates 7962]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

August 24, 2013 8:45 PM
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris — Genova
Referee:‬ L. Banti‎

Preview: Round 1 —
Juventus Versus the Boogie Man

Aug 23, 2013

There is something about getting older that makes time seem shorter and the days, weeks, and months, especially of summer, fly by. This summer seemed particularly brief, perhaps due to the fact that Juventus’ transfer season commenced in particularly rapid fashion. By the time July 4th barbeques rolled around, the “stories” generating the most ink were of the various pre-season training sessions and encounters peppered throughout the weeks, as well as good-old-fashioned, fabricated yellow journalism concerning the meteoric fall-out of new signing Fernando Llorente from favor. Yes, the mercato still has a few dying days left of potential activity, and Juventus have not yet ruled out any further movement (although sales are far more likely than purchases at this point). Sure, summer technically does not end until the latter part of September. However, just as the end of August marks a transition for students so does it for those of us who follow calcio.

http://markting10.nl/

In no small part because of all of the above, it was with a great sense of anticipation that tifosi near and far, present company included, awaited the first “official” match of the season last week. The 4-0 thumping of Lazio in the Supercoppa only served as a fois gras-calibre appetizer to the beginning of the 2013-14 Serie A campaign, a campionato in which Juventus will be fighting their own recent history in hopes of capturing an emphatic 3rd consecutive Scudetto.

It is perhaps appropriate then that the first step towards number 32 is the only team that Juventus could not beat during last year’s dominant run over the peninsula. Worse than that, Sampdoria not only held out against the Champions in their return from a one-year hiatus in Serie B, but were the only club to defeat Juventus twice. The first time was in particularly heartbreaking fashion, with Juventus throwing a 1-0 lead and a man advantage at home in what has become an annual January malaise, while the second time succumbing to more understandable post-Scudetto clinching fatigue.

This year Juventus look to turn that luck around. If past trends are indicative of the future under Antonio Conte, the first match of the season sets the tone for the rest. Certainly the Old Lady will look to mimic results such as consecutive wins over Parma the past two openers, 4-1 and 2-0 respectively.


JUVENTUS

As alluded to, Antonio Conte is someone who likes to hit the ground running. Known for his tireless preparation and attention to conditioning and tactics, il mister has shown a knack for guiding Juventus to a strong start out of the gates. Of course, lackadaisical summer friendly performances may also be implied, but really that can be lived with. The Supercoppa result is hopefully a more accurate harbinger of things to come. Between the coach’s intensity and the quality of an already dangerous and improved squad, there is no reason to believe it is not.

That being said, the Bianconeri will make the trip east to Genoa with no surprises expected. The standard 3-5-2 formation will be deployed, with all indications that the starting xi seen last week in Rome remaining mostly in tact. The only expected change will see Claudio Marchisio, out for an expected 30 or so days with a slight knee tear, replaced by Paul Pogba. While il Principe’s absence is no small loss, the fact that Juventus can replace him with one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe certainly mitigates that — and arguably makes things worse for Sampdoria.

Stephan Lichtsteiner will look to carry over his dominant form from last weekend into the next. Up against a side so good on the counter, the pacey, physical, right-sided player will undoubtedly have to be on his game on Saturday. To his left, it will be essential for Pogba and Arturo Vidal to neutralize a decent midfield across from them, while providing cover and ample time for Andrea Pirlo to set the pace of the game from in front of defense.

Probable Formation: (3-5-2)
Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli; Asamoah, Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner; Tevez, Vucinic


SAMPDORIA

Although Sampdoria are now without Mauro Icardi, the thorn in Juve’s side last season, they remain an exciting, energetic, athletic team. Pedro Obiang joins veteran Samp stalwart Angelo Palombo in a fairly strong spine that, like Juve, should be lined up with three central midfielders flanked by two outside players. The midfield duo will play behind Juventus co-owned Manolo Gabbiadini. The Italian U21 European runner-up has been in fine form for Sampdoria, after having had a positive last season on loan with Bologna. The relatively small six goal tally from last year doesn’t really do Gabbiadini justice, as he was fielded out of position as a wide player. Still only 21 years old, he is expected to be the focal point of Sampdoria’s attack and is only improving — a double-edged sword for Juventus fans, who will undoubtedly be hoping for a positive campaign from the young striker, albeit not this weekend.

Probable Formation: (3-5-2)
DaCosta; Gastaldello, Palombo, Costa; DeSilvestri, Eramo, Krsticic, Obiang, Castellani; Sansone, Gabbiadini


Conclusion

The key for Juventus will be its ability to hold the ball and build play against a side looking to mirror their formation, counter-attack, and take advantage of its young firepower. Last year Sampdoria were able to take full advantage of quick reactionary plays from the back, earning two victories on well-timed exploitations of ill-positioned Juventini. Under Delio Rossi, they have only refined their countering abilities, with pacey players who can take full advantage of any lapses. Juventus will thus must control possession and thus the game this time. Lichtsteiner and Asamoah should be on high alert against any quick threats from wide, while the back line should be wary of any direct balls into the final third. That said, expect a high-octane affair for the first weekend of il campionato.

[Socrates 7962]

Can anyone stop Juventus? AC Milan, Napoli & the Scudetto challengers

The 2013-14 Serie A campaign gets under way this weekend, with the Bianconeri
widely expected to rack up their third successive title.

Aug 24, 2013

COMMENT
By Carlo Garganese

Fashionably late, as always, the new Italian Serie A season is finally upon us. It has been a summer of thrills and spills in the transfer market - big names such as Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez and Mario Gomez arriving, but some formidable figures in the shape of Edinson Cavani, Marquinhos and Stevan Jovetic departing.

http://markting10.nl/

Having won the last two Scudetti, Juventus are red-hot favourites to become only the fourth post-war team to claim three successive Italian league titles. With the meanest backline in Italy, the peninsula's best playmaker in Andrea Pirlo and Europe's most ferocious ball-winner in Arturo Vidal, it will take some effort for the Bianconeri to be toppled from their throne. Especially as Antonio Conte's squad is even stronger this term following the acquisitions of Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Angelo Ogbonna.

So who can challenge Juventus for the 2013-14 Scudetto? The main contenders are listed below ...


NAPOLI

Napoli are considered by most experts, including Marcello Lippi, as the anti-Juve – the most realistic challenger to the Bianconeri's crown. It is easy to see why, after charismatic president Aurelio De Laurentiis oversaw a summer revolution in Campania. Rafa Benitez was brought in to replace Walter Mazzarri as coach and the former Liverpool and Valencia boss has splashed the cash in the transfer market.

Despite losing star man Edinson Cavani to Paris Saint-Germain for a whopping €64 million, Napoli are Europe's fourth-biggest spenders this summer – securing the talents of Real Madrid trio Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon, PSV livewire Dries Mertens and Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Offensively, Napoli have all the tools required to run Juventus very close. The likes of Higuain, Lorenzo Insigne, Goran Pandev, Marek Hamsik and Mertens will create and score numerous goals, and the Partenopei will be especially dangerous on the counterattack.

However, while Benitez will bring about a tactical improvement, Napoli may not be strong enough defensively to maintain a Scudetto challenge. Christian Maggio and Pablo Armero are not naturally suited to a four-man defence, while the current centre-back options are ordinary. A top-class holding midfielder may also be required. Unless these areas are addressed before the close of the transfer window, then Napoli will probably fall short of improving on last year's second-place finish.


AC MILAN

For the second year running, AC Milan have endured a rather frustrating summer. Only the arrivals of relative midfield youngsters Riccardo Saponara (from Empoli) and Andrea Poli (from Sampdoria) – who both have the potential to be fine acquisitions - have offered fans hope.

On the positive side, Milan boast Serie A's best attacker in Mario Balotelli. Should the Euro 2012 star improve his understanding with partner Stephan El Shaarawy – and there were finally good signs earlier this week against PSV – then the Rossoneri will cause defences all kinds of problems this term. The centre of midfield is solid, with Nigel de Jong back from injury, and Ignazio Abate and Matteo De Sciglio are Italy's strongest full-back combination.

However, there are too many gaping holes in other areas of the pitch for Milan to aim for any more than a Champions League spot in 2013-14. The Rossoneri are still crying out for at least one top-class centre-back, having lost the legendary Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva a year ago, while goalkeeper Christian Abbiati recently turned 36.

With coach Massimiliano Allegri persisting with the somewhat outdated 4-3-1-2 formation, Kevin-Prince Boateng lacks the fantasy and technique to interpret the trequartista role. Adriano Galliani needs to perform one of his late market-miracles for Milan to reach Juventus' level.


FIORENTINA

If there is one guarantee about the 2013-14 Serie A season, it is that Fiorentina will play the most exciting football. The Viola wowed audiences last term with their tiki-taka style and controversially missed out on Champions League qualification in the closing minutes of the season.

Despite losing top scorer Jovetic to Manchester City, Fiorentina have improved after somehow pulling off the transfer coup of the summer in signing Bayern forward Gomez. The arrivals of Palermo's Josip Ilicic, Malaga's Joaquin and Milan veteran Massimo Ambrosini only adds further depth to a midfield already brimming with quality.

With the outstanding David Pizarro and Borja Valero pulling the strings, Fiorentina are guaranteed to monopolise possession against most opposition. And with Gomez – a good shout to be Capocannoniere – Giuseppe Rossi, Adem Ljajic (should he stay) and Serie A's best dribbler, Juan Cuadrado, supplying the firepower, the Tuscans are a darkhorse for the Scudetto.

Fiorentina's problems, like Napoli, are in defence – regardless of whether Vincenzo Montella plays with three or four at the back. Centrally, only Gonzalo Rodriguez can be trusted, while Stefan Savic has been a horror-show in pre-season. Handing inexperienced Brazilian goalkeeper Neto the first team gloves is also a risk.


INTER

Never have expectations at Appiano Gentile been so low going into a new season as they are right now. Indeed, this is the weakest Inter squad since president Massimo Moratti bought the club in 1995. The oil tycoon, after years of heavy spending, has undergone a series of cost-cutting measures as he prepares to potentially sell (part of) the club.

The wage bill has been cut with the departures of Wesley Sneijder (in January) and Antonio Cassano, and a squad has been built around young, up-and-coming starlets such as summer signings Mauro Icardi, Ishak Belfodil, Saphir Taider, Wallace and Diego Laxalt.

The only two players on Inter's roster who offer immediate guarantees at the highest level are goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and forward Rodrigo Palacio. Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic looks like a star of the future and could very well explode this term, but in all truth the best the Nerazzurri can probably hope for this season is a Europa League place.

New coach Walter Mazzarri must be wondering why he swapped Naples for Milan!


ROMA & LAZIO

Until several days ago, the mood around Trigoria was positive. Despite the sale of arguably the world's best teenage defender, Marquinhos, to PSG for €32m, Roma were looking in good shape ahead of the new season, having signed Udinese centre back Mehdi Benatia and Dutch midfield enforcer Kevin Strootman.

However, the quality in new Roma coach Rudi Garcia's squad has since taken a fatal hit following the departure of Pablo Osvaldo to Southampton and the seemingly imminent exit of Erik Lamela to Tottenham. In two fell swoops, the Giallorossi have gone from possessing the best attack in Serie A to arguably the weakest and thinnest of the teams in this review. Gervinho and the mooted replacements for Osvaldo and Lamela – who include Demba Ba and Alessandro Matri – are a big step backwards.

While Roma still boast an abundance of top-class centre midfielders, a Champions League spot will be a tough ask. Two years on from Serie A's first foreign takeover, the American project is close to being branded a failure.

As for their city rivals, Lazio enter the 2013-14 season on the back of an unremarkable transfer market. The Coppa Italia holders have, however, retained all of their first team players and the signing of regular Argentina midfielder Lucas Biglia from Anderlecht is a fine acquisition.

The 4-0 thumping by Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana highlighted a number of weaknesses, particularly in the centre of defence, where Giuseppe Biava and Andre Dias are ageing fast. But with the ageless Miroslav Klose and the likes of Hernanes and Antonio Candreva – not to mention a top class coach in Vladimir Petkovic – this settled Lazio team will continue to trouble more individually-gifted outfits. A Champions League spot is unlikely, but not completely out of the question.