Juventus News

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Pirlo to be Juventus ambassador

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98577/pirlo-be-juventus-ambassador

 

 

Feb 19, 2017

 

Andrea Pirlo will return to Turin as Juventus brand ambassador after he hangs up his boots at New York City FC, it’s reported.

 

Sunday’s edition of Tuttosport has the Bianconeri comeback as its front page story.

 

It is suggested Pirlo never truly cut his ties with Juve and is already making plans for a reunion.

 

It’s not yet clear when this will be, but the moment Pirlo decides to end his playing career in Major League Soccer, he’ll be heading to Turin.

 

Juventus believe that Pirlo best represents the brand both in Italy and abroad, bringing prestige to the club’s reputation.

 

The midfielder turns 38 in May and is under contract with New York City FC until December 2017.

 

He spent four years at Juventus, winning four Serie A titles, and left for a new experience in MLS in the summer of 2015.

[Socrates 7964]

 

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Juventus stay atop Power Rankings

but Bayern leapfrog Real Madrid

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3072587/

juventus-stay-atop-power-rankings-but-bayern-munich-leapfrog-real-madrid

 

 

Mar 3, 2017

1. Juventus (no change)

Juventus have won the league and cup double in Italy for two straight seasons and last week moved closer to a three-peat. First, Empoli were dispatched in Serie A before Max Allegri's men earned a 3-1 win vs. Napoli in the first leg of the Coppa Italia quarterfinal.

2. Bayern Munich (+1)

Carlo Ancelotti marked 1000 games as a coach with an emphatic 8-0 win over Hamburg, in which Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick. And the Polish striker was among the goals again in midweek, netting twice in a 3-0 DFB-Pokal quarterfinal win vs. Schalke.

3. Real Madrid (-1)

It's rarely quiet at Madrid and so it was over recent days. First, they fell behind 2-0 at Villarreal before eventually winning 3-2 and then found themselves down to 10 men and trailing 3-1 vs. Las Palmas, before Cristiano Ronaldo scored two late goals to save a point.

4. Chelsea (no change)

With 12 games to go, Chelsea have a 10-point lead in the Premier League title race and are almost at the point where, if they don't win it, it will be one of the all-time worst collapses. They showed no sign of that in their latest game, a 3-1 win vs. Swansea.

5. Paris Saint-Germain (no change)

In the latest edition of Le Classique, PSG thrashed bitter rivals Marseille 5-1 as five different players found the net. Unai Emery's team then negotiated a difficult playing surface to win 2-0 at Niort and reach the Coupe de France quarterfinals.

6. Benfica (no change)

Kostas Mitroglou continued his superb scoring form with four goals in two games, as Benfica earned a league win over Chaves and cup success vs. Estoril. In February as a whole, the Greek international forward scored nine goals in six games.

7. Monaco (+1)

With a 2-1 win at Guingamp, the Ligue 1 leaders consolidate their three-point advantage over PSG and Nice. Monaco then overcame Marseille in the last 16 of the French Cup, earning a 4-3 win after extra-time, thanks to Thomas Lemar's winning goal.

8. Barcelona (new)

You know how I said Madrid had an eventful week? Well, Barca "see and raise" their great rivals. In the space of three days, they won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid, overwhelmed Sporting 6-1, found out manager Luis Enrique was leaving and claimed top spot in La Liga!

9. Sevilla (no change)

In the Seville derby at Real Betis, Sevilla recovered from falling behind to claim a 2-1 win that kept them in touch at the top of the Spanish standings. Then, they showed their ability to finish a game off by taking a 14th-minute 1-0 lead vs. Athletic Bilbao on Thursday and holding on for all three points. Is there anything Jorge Sampaoli's side can't do?

10. Manchester City (new)

After having a weekend off, City got back into the swing of things with a Sergio Aguero-inspired 5-1 FA Cup fifth-round replay win against Huddersfield. It wasn't entirely comfortable, though, with the Championship club taking an early lead.

Dropping out: Roma.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Pirlo: ‘I’ll stop soon’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99334/pirlo-‘i’ll-stop-soon’

 

 

Mar 7, 2017

 

Andrea Pirlo confirms “I’ll stop soon” as it’s better to retire “when you decide, not when others tell you to”.

 

The former Juventus, Inter and Milan midfielder is now 37, and has just one year left on his contract with MLS side New York City FC.

 

“I haven’t really decided yet what I’ll do after my career,” Pirlo admitted, speaking to L’Équipe.

 

“I need to think about what’s best for me, whether that’s to be a Coach or a director or something else.

 

“I don’t when I’ll stop, I have another year on my contract with New York City so we’ll see how I feel at the end of this season.

 

“But it’s sure that I’ll stop soon.

 

“Of course I’d like to play for another 10 years, because I have fun doing it and playing football is the most beautiful thing I do.

 

“But you get to an age where you have to ask yourself the question: do I keep playing at a high level, as a protagonist, the way I’ve always done? Or do I keep going and be one among many others? I don’t like that.

 

“It’s better to stop when you decide, rather than when others tell you to.

 

“Did I ever think I was the best player in the world? No, I never thought that. Ever. Being number one in your head, on the pitch is one thing.

 

“But feeling like number one and saying ‘I’m better than everyone’ is something I don’t like. I’m not interested in that.

 

“What counts is being number one for yourself, and being important to the team.”

 

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard both retired recently after spells in MLS, is an era of football coming to an end?

 

“Without a doubt the era of players born in the 70s and 80s is coming to an end. But in football, when one era ends another one opens up.

 

“There are young people who are growing, but I’m very sorry to see the end of a lot of top players who gave huge emotions to the football world, or have done so in recent years.

 

“Players come and go, we stop and only the clubs remain.

 

“It was our time, we came up in that era and so we have affection for it. For us it was the best.

 

“Maybe we’ll grow old and there will be another generation which will be better and we’ll talk about that one.

 

“[Paolo] Maldini, [Roberto] Baggio, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, [David] Beckham… that was my era. The one I most like to talk about, to remember.”

 

Is their an heir to Pirlo in the current crop of players?

 

“There are a lot of good players in that role, but for the moment they don’t look like me. I can’t find my way of playing in anyone I see today, unfortunately. If someone came along, I’d welcome him.

 

“I’m not a proud person, I don’t think about what makes me special, it’s you guys who say it. But I’m glad you say so.

 

“When I watch matches on TV, I see the position I play in and there are players who don’t understand certain things. Sometimes I think I could have done something other than what I just saw.

 

“I always wanted to have the ball. Often my teammates would say: ‘You can’t get through, there’s an opponent behind you or near you’.

 

“I’d say: ‘give it to me anyway!’. For me it’s important to have control of the game, I need to touch the ball to feel like I’m at the centre of the game.

 

“When it comes to my feet, I already know where to give it to, where to pass it. That’s what gives me the strength to say: ‘just give it to me, there will be no problem’.

 

“On the pitch I want to be the player who controls the team, the game. That’s one thing I feel deep inside me, if I’m not at the centre of the game then I can’t feel complete.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Tardelli: ‘I didn’t win at Heysel’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99377/tardelli-‘i-didn’t-win-heysel’

 

 

Mar 8, 2017

 

Former Juventus midfielder Marco Tardelli says “I’ve never won the European Cup”, due to the Heysel tragedy.

 

The 1985 European Cup final between the Bianconeri and Liverpool was marred by violence, with 39 Juve supporters killed when English fans charged the opposing supporters, who were then crushed against a wall.

 

Due to public order concerns, the match went ahead and Juventus won the match 1-0, but one club legend can’t bring himself to recognise the win.

 

“I’ve never won the European Cup,” Tardelli said at an event to benefit earthquake victims.

 

“That is, I’ve won it but I haven’t… won it. I don’t recognise it.”

 

Tardelli also discussed the future of current Coach Massimiliano Allegri.

 

“A lot of people must not remember him reaching the Champions League final. Sometimes I hear criticism of him, and honestly it gets on my nerves.

 

“I hope he stays at Juventus for a long time.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Power Rankings: Juventus still top,

Bayern second, Real Madrid third

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3082976/power-

rankings-still-dominated-by-juventus-with-bayern-and-real-madrid-lagging-behind

 

 

Mar 16, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

 

Juventus' reign continues atop the Power Rankings after another brilliant week for Max Allegri's team. Who will catch them? Anyone?

1. Juventus (no change)

It's as-you-were at the top after the leaders claimed a pair of one-goal wins. And it was a tale of two Paulo Dybala penalty kicks as Juve first saw off Milan in Serie A with a controversial, injury-time spot kick and then completed a Champions League last-16 win vs. Porto.

2. Bayern Munich (no change)

Carlo Ancelotti's side lead the Bundesliga by 10 points with 10 games left after they beat Eintracht Frankfurt while RB Leipzig lost to Wolfsburg. Bayern's victory featured two more goals for Robert Lewandowski, taking his career tally for the club to 100.

3. Real Madrid (no change)

Sergio Ramos is Madrid's problem solver, and so it proved again with his winner vs. Real Betis. A word, too, for Keylor Navas, who made a horrible mistake to concede a goal but later produced a match-winning save. Just sticking up for a fellow goalkeeper!

4. Chelsea (+1)

The Premier League leaders moved closer to the first double in club history as they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup quarterfinals. N'Golo Kante was a somewhat unlikely match winner, while Eden Hazard turned in a dazzling display.

5. Monaco (+2)

Everyone seemed to think that Monaco's win over Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 was a fluke, but really, Leonardo Jardim's team are the real deal. Les Monegasques warmed up for their midweek heroics with a 2-1 win over Bordeaux over the weekend to preserve their three-point lead at the top of Ligue 1. Kylian Mbappe continues to score big goals (and enhance his transfer value) as teams struggle to figure out how to take Monaco down.

6. Barcelona (-2)

Luis Enrique's changes, as well as an inspired Deportivo, saw Barcelona slump to defeat while looking nothing like the side that stunned Paris Saint-Germain. The Deportivo result, plus Real Madrid's win, means Barca drop to second in La Liga, two points and one game adrift.

7. Borussia Dortmund (-1)

Thomas Tuchel's side suffered a tight 2-1 loss at the weekend to fellow top-three challengers Hertha Berlin, but Christian Pulisic's run of games, and fine form, has them looking well-placed for another deep Champions League run and a strong finish in the Bundesliga.

8. Tottenham (no change)

Given that Harry Kane had earlier limped off with what turned out to be ankle ligament damage, it will have heartened Spurs fans to see their side score six vs. Millwall. Son Heung-Min, Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and others will be vital in Kane's absence.

9. Benfica (no change)

After being dumped out of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund, Benfica found some comfort in league play with a 4-0 thrashing of Belenenses. The result was enough to keep Rui Vitoria's side one point clear of Porto at the top of the Primeira Liga.

10. Feyenoord (new)

Last but definitely not least, some love for the Eredivisie in the form of the Dutch league leaders. They've won six of their last seven games and thrashed AZ 5-2 at the weekend, with Nicolai Jorgensen notching a hat trick and the ageless Dirk Kuyt (yes, he's still playing) also getting on the score sheet. Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side have a four-point lead over second-place Ajax with just eight games remaining.

Dropping out: Sevilla.

 

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Juventus to face Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Roma

in the International Champions Cup this summer

 

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/3/21/14998498/juventus-2017-

international-champions-cup-schedule-anouncement-team-news

 

 

Mar 21, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

As we look toward some massive Juventus-centered fixtures come the end of the international break in the month of April, we now know who the soon-to-be record-setting six-time defending Serie A champions will be tuning up for the 2017-18 campaign against.

And just like in the summer of 2013, they’ll be doing so in the United States.

At a press conference in Tuesday evening in New York, Juventus’ first summer opponents became known to the general public. Juventus will face Spanish giants Barcelona, defending French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Serie A rivals Roma within a nine-day period as part of the fifth annual International Champions Cup this summer. Juventus’ newly-unveiled summer schedule is as follows:

July 22: Juventus vs. Barcelona at East Rutherford, New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)

July 26: Juventus vs. Paris Saint-Germain at Miami, Florida (Hard Rock Stadium)

July 30: Juventus vs. Roma at Foxborough, Massachusetts (Gillette Stadium)

 

Start requesting your vacation time and booking your hotels for the last two weeks of July now, my fellow America-residing Juventus friends.

Juventus actually took part in this same International Champions Cup last season. But they were part of one of the less publicized groups that played its preseason minutes in Australia. The big boys, like they have been since the competition began a few years ago, were in the United States playing to massive crowds and doing their preseason work in some of the biggest and most well-known cities we have.

Now, we get to see Juventus do the same type of thing.

 

Besides Barcelona, PSG, Roma and Juventus, the are four teams taking part in the “tournament” are: Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Real Madrid.

I’ll go ahead and pose this question on the way out: When was the last time that Juve had this level of opposition in the summer months? Let’s just hope nobody gets hurt.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

Muntari: 'Ghost goal not enough'

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/100522/muntari-ghost-goal-not-enough

 

Apr 2, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Sulley Muntari admits Milan would 'probably not' have won the Scudetto even if his 'ghost goal' against Juventus had been allowed to stand.

 

The Rossoneri were leading Antonio Conte's Old Lady by a goal to nil in a vital clash in the 2011-12 Serie A title race when the Ghanaian thought he had doubled his side's lead.

 

However, his headed effort was not given as a goal despite clearly crossing the line, with Juve going on to equalise and claim a 1-1 draw.

 

A win would have put Milan four points clear of their opponents on the day but Muntari believes the Bianconeri would have ended the season as champions anyway.

 

"Even if it had been allowed, it probably wouldn't have been enough for the Scudetto," Muntari told Gazzetta dello Sport.

 

"The truth is that under Conte, they [Juventus] felt like lions.

 

"Then I reflect: we had Ibra, Robinho, Seedorf, Nesta, Thiago. With these players you can play at 50 per cent and still win.

 

"That lost Scudetto and the fact I didn't end my career with Milan are my biggest regrets. I could have done more with the Rossoneri."

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

Tommasi: 'Ultras rapport not normal'

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/100644/tommasi-ultras-rapport-not-normal

 

Apr 4, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

President of the Italian Players’ Association Damiano Tommasi wants it made clear that fans threatening players “is not normal,” despite it becoming common.

 

The debate ties in with the investigation into Juventus and their rapport with the ultras, which included selling tickets that ended up fuelling touts.

 

“Players have become accustomed to the fact that if they play badly, it is normal to receive threats and pressure from the fans,” declared Tommasi at the Anti-Mafia Commission.

 

“More than half the incidents of violence and threats is from fans of their own team, who think that by paying the season ticket they can do what they want and the player has to conform to their rules.

 

“Another statistic is that almost half these cases occur in amateur leagues. Those who have been fortunate enough to play in other leagues will tell you all this is not normal.

 

“Players are too often not prepared to deal with certain things. The culmination of that was the Europa League game Roma-Fiorentina in April 2015, with players talking to the fans. We had already seen this in the Coppa Italia Final of 2014, Napoli-Fiorentina.

 

“Let us not forget, Napoli captain Marek Hamsik took on a role in that game that was not suited to a player.”

 

A Napoli fan, Ciro Esposito, was shot on his way towards the Stadio Olimpico to view the Coppa Italia Final.

 

The start of the match was postponed briefly while information flew round, as Hamsik went with the police under the curva to speak to ultras leaders.

 

“After Fiorentina-Roma we contributed to emanating new rules in the FIGC, albeit finding opposition. We wanted as a first sanction a ban on the rapport between players and fans. That would be a good deterrent.”

 

This sort of negotiation between fans and players is by no means new in Italy. Roma and Lazio supporters forced a derby to be abandoned when rumours - which turned out to be fake - spread about a child being run over by a police van outside the Stadio Olimpico.

 

Genoa ultras famously suspended a game their team was losing at home and forced the players to take off their jerseys, as they were 'unworthy' of wearing them.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Conte: No Pirlo reunion

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/100786/conte-no-pirlo-reunion

 

Apr 7, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Antonio Conte insists there is no truth in rumours linking former Juventus and Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo with the assistant Coach vacancy at Chelsea.

 

Former Chelsea player and coach Ray Wilkins claimed earlier in the week that Conte wanted Pirlo to become his No 2 at Stamford Bridge, with incumbent Steve Holland due to take on the same role with England on a full-time basis.

 

However, BBC Sport quotes the Blues boss as saying: “Andrea Pirlo is playing and he wants to continue to play.

 

“I don’t know why someone wants to put this type of situation for me.”

 

The 37-year-old has made 50 appearances for New York City FC since joining from Juve in 2015, although his contract expires on December 31 of this year.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

VAR in Serie A next season

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/101446/var-serie-next-season

 

Apr 21, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

The head of the Italian referees’ association says there will not be video technology in the Coppa Italia final, but it will be used in Serie A from next season.

 

Both Juventus and Lazio had agreed to use Video Assistant Referees in the cup final, but the proposal needs approval from FIFA and the International Football Association Board.

 

Today the President of the Associazione Italiana Arbitri [AIA] has confirmed that the technology won’t be used, but it will be live for Serie A next season, pending approval.

 

“The news is this: we’ll start with VAR from the first day of next season, moving it forward a year,” Marcello Nicchi announced at the end of the FIGC federal council meeting.

 

“We’re waiting for approval from the International Football Association Board. For the Coppa Italia final it won’t be there.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Conte: 'Chelsea my greatest achievement'

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/101648/conte-chelsea-my-greatest-achievement

 

Apr 25, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Antonio Conte claimed winning the Premier League would Chelsea would be a greater achievement than three Scudetti at Juventus.

 

The former Italy tactician made the comments in a Press conference ahead of tonight’s game against Southampton.

 

He was asked if securing the Premier League at his first attempt would be his greatest achievement.

 

“Yes, for sure. For me, for the players, for the club,” replied Conte.

 

“To win the title in England is a great achievement. To win in England these days is not easy.

 

“Now it's a good season. To become a great or fantastic season there is only one way: to try to win.

 

“This season it's very important to understand that it's not always about who spends more money who wins. This season isn't the only season both Manchester clubs have spent a lot of money. Look at the past.

 

“Chelsea want to build, also, slowly, slowly to become a real power."

 

Juventus had finished seventh before he took charge and led them to three consecutive Serie A titles.

 

Max Allegri replaced Conte and is on the verge of his third Scudetto on the trot.

Before heading to Chelsea, the tactician took Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, going out on penalties against Germany.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Conte clarifies Chelsea-Juve comparison

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/101664/conte-clarifies-chelsea-juve-comparison

 

Apr 25, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Antonio Conte wanted to clarify he is “proud of the extraordinary victories with Juventus” and Chelsea is a great achievement because it’s his first experience abroad.

 

The former Bianconeri and Italy Coach caused controversy when he was asked in a Press conference if winning the Premier League would be his greatest achievement and he replied that it would.

 

“I am in this League right now, it is my first season, so being able to challenge for and hope to win trophies is certainly extraordinary,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia this evening after a 4-1 win over Manolo Gabbiadini’s Southampton.

 

“It is my first experience abroad, with a new language, new habits, in a difficult league with strong teams and Coaches. It’s a very difficult challenge for me.

 

“But my past cannot be cancelled out, I am proud of what we did and the extraordinary victories with Juventus. The team had come off two seventh-place finishes, we won straight away and built something very important over time.

 

“And today Juve are where they ought to be.”

 

 

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Conte: ‘Never made Juve comparisons’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/101685/conte-‘never-made-juve-comparisons’

 

Apr 26, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte insists he “never made comparisons” with his Juventus triumphs and “never will”.

 

The former Italy CT was asked if winning the Premier League title with the Blues would be his greatest achievement and replied “yes, for sure”.

 

That was taken as a diminishing of his three consecutive Scudetti in Turin, the first of which came after two seventh-place finishes.

 

After last night’s win over Southampton, the former Bianconeri Coach looked to clarify those comments, and today he has hit out at the reporting of his words.

 

“Nobody ever asked me to compare this possible victory to those at Juve,” Conte fumed in an interview with Sky.

 

“Since I left, there have been those who have fun trying to bring me down and turn the Juve supporters against me.

 

“I’ve never made any comparisons and I never will.

 

“Since I’ve been at Chelsea, I’ve always avoided talking about Juventus, just to make sure there’s no room for controversy. And yet people always find a way to put words in my mouth which I never said!

 

“I’m furious!”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

On This Day: Three-way Scudetto shoot-out

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102117/day-three-way-scudetto-shoot-out

 

 

May 5, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

On May 5 2002, Inter, Juventus and Roma all went into the final match with the chance to win the Scudetto.

 

The Nerazzurri were in the driving seat, only needing a win away at Lazio to secure their first title since 1989.

 

Fans of the Biancocelesti, fearful that their city rivals would retain their crown, urged Angelo Peruzzi to “lean on his post”, and many were cheering for the opposition.

 

Juve lay one point behind, four wins in a row having seen them return to contention after a mid-season slump.

 

Zinedine Zidane had been sold to Real Madrid the previous summer for a world record fee, with Pavel Nedved, Lilian Thuram and Gianluigi Buffon coming in to replace the Frenchman.

 

The defending champions, Roma, sat a further point behind and knew that both of their rivals would have to slip-up to give them any chance of holding on to the Scudetto.

 

It was Juventus who put down the first marker, taking a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes thanks to goals from David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero.

 

Marcello Lippi’s men had effectively secured the necessary three points, and attention turned to Stadio Olimpico.

 

Things appeared to be going to plan for the Beneamata, Christian Vieri giving them the lead after 12 minutes.

 

Karel Poborsky levelled things up, but Luigi Di Biagio’s header put Inter back in the driving seat.

 

The Nerazzurri though, were to suffer a painful collapse.

 

With half-time looming, Vratislav Greško attempted to head the ball back to Francesco Toldo, but Poborsky ghosted in to put the Aquile back on terms.

 

In the second half, former Inter man Diego Simeone and current Lazio Coach Simone Inzaghi both scored to condemn the Beneamata to a 4-2 defeat.

 

Ronaldo, in his last game for the club, wept on the bench and Marco Materazzi somehow avoided a red card for a furious lunge at Poborsky.

 

 

In Turin, Antonio Cassano’s beautiful chip saw Roma beat Torino 1-0, ensuring that Inter would fall from first to third in the space of 90 minutes.

 

Back in Udine, delighted Juventini swarmed the pitch to celebrate a 26th Scudetto, and their first since 1998.

 

Del Piero and Trezeguet had hit 52 goals between them in all competitions, with the Frenchman sharing the Serie A Capocannoniere crown with Dario Hubner.

 

To this day, fans of the Bianconeri still celebrate 5 Maggio 2002, while Interisti almost certainly still shudder at the mention of Karel Poborsky.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Carrera and Spartak win Russian title

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102256/carrera-and-spartak-win-russian-title

 

 

May 7, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Italian Coach Massimo Carrera has won the Russian title with Spartak Moscow, their first victory since 2001.

 

The tactician only took over this season, but he made a huge impact and took them to the Russian Premier League, comfortably leaving behind CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg.

 

Carrera was a players for the likes of Juventus, Atalanta and Napoli, then retired in 2008.

 

He worked at the Juventus youth academy, then was promoted to Antonio Conte’s staff from 2011 to 2014, following him to the Italy squad.

 

Carrera had joined Spartak Moscow last summer after Euro 2016 as assistant manager to Dmitrij Alenicev, but was promoted to the main role after just one round when the Coach quit.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Trezeguet: ‘Del Piero was a symbol’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102282/trezeguet-‘del-piero-was-symbol’

 

 

May 8, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

David Trezeguet looks back on his Juventus career, describing Alessandro Del Piero as “a symbol”.

 

No foreign player has scored more goals for the Bianconeri than the Frenchman did, and he reflected on his time on the pitch in an interview with L’Équipe.

 

“What struck me most about Juventus?” Trezeguet considered.

 

“The absolute professionalism. I discovered the size of the club in Italy and the passion it generates right across the country.

 

“Juve are very popular and prestigious, not just in Italy but all over the world. At every single one of our away games there were an impressive number of fans backing us. All our games were sold out.

 

“The tradition of the club, which is very strong, has been maintained by the Agnelli family since its creation.

 

“For me Juve was [Michel] Platini, [Zinedine] Zidane, [Didier] Deschamps and [Thierry] Henry, even if Titi didn’t stay for very long.

 

“It was a great thing for me to follow in the footsteps of those great French players, who made history with the club.

 

“My best teammate? It’s difficult to choose one, because I knew so many great players at Juve. Alessandro Del Piero was the symbol of the club for many years.

 

“I saw the arrival of a very young Gianluigi Buffon [in 2001 at the age of 23] and today he's a symbol of the club.

 

“I was very close with Mauro Camoranesi, because we have the same [Argentine] roots. Paolo Montero and Mark Iuliano had a special role in my journey because they reached out to me when I arrived and helped me to adapt.

 

“Then there was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, we only played together for two seasons but they remain extraordinary. Unfortunately the Calciopoli scandal pushed him away and we couldn’t continue to grow side-by-side.

 

“I liked playing with Zlatan and I admired him.”

 

Of course, Trezeguet also played under Coaches like Marcello Lippi, Carlo Ancelotti and Fabio Capello…

 

“I’ve always loved Coaches with a certain personality, and that was the case with Lippi. He perfectly understood what Juventus was, and through his charm and his words he instilled in us a 100 per cent motivation to win.

 

“With Ancelotti, he and I understood that at Juventus all that counts are wins and trophies. When you wear that shirt, the watchword is 'win and accumulate trophies'.

 

“Over time that’s something that becomes part of you.

 

“The best team? From 2004 to 2006 with Fabio Capello we were an incredible team, players like [Pavel] Nedved, Ibrahimovic, [Fabio] Cannavaro, Emerson and [Lilian] Thuram joined us.

 

“With that kind of team, the Champions League was within reach. Maybe we weren’t aware that we were built for that trophy, and that competition comes down to the details, which went against us.”

 

The Juve ambassador was also asked about his best goal for the Old Lady.

 

“The one which immediately comes to mind is the one I scored against Milan at San Siro thanks to a fantastic cross from Del Piero at the end of the 2004-05 season,” Trezeguet replied.

 

“It allowed us to take the decisive step toward becoming champions of Italy. My goals against the Real Madrid Galacticos and in the 2004-05 Last 16 are also very special to me.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

‘Spartak triumph unbelievable’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102284/‘spartak-triumph-unbelievable’

 

 

May 8, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Massimo Carrera tells the story of Spartak Moscow’s “unbelievable” Russian Premier League triumph.

 

The former Juventus assistant took over the job in August, and yesterday his side officially secured their first title since 2001.

 

“It’s unbelievable, but yet here I am to recount this ride,” Carrera said in an interview with Tuttomercatoweb.

 

“I burst into tears of emotion, it was something indescribable. It was the liberation of a full year of great suffering, lived at 1000 kilometres per hour.

 

“I tried to make my players understand right away what I wanted, and I was lucky enough to find a group which followed me right away.

 

“They awakened the enthusiasm of the fans, and of course we’re talking about a team which hadn’t won the title for 16 years.

 

“This team always fought, apart from a spell of two or three games where there was a drop in tension, but that can happen in football.

 

“It’s very difficult here because of the pressure, Spartak are considered to be the Juve of Russia. It’s a team with a lot of fans, and there are a lot of expectations.

 

“As far as I was concerned, I didn’t have much to do with the outside environment. I read maybe one per cent of what the newspapers wrote.

 

“Antonio Conte? Last night he called me to congratulate me, now they [Chelsea] are close to the end and I wish him the best.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Weah: 'Juve in my blood'

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102319/weah-juve-my-blood

 

 

May 9, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Former Milan player George Weah claims he has Juventus 'in his blood' and regrets never playing for them.

 

The Liberian, who also played for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Marseille during a distinguished career, credits his support of the Old Lady to having grown up watching Michel Platini.

 

"Juventus have been my favourite team since I was a child," Weah told French sports daily L'Equipe.

 

"In Liberia I used to play in a Juventus shirt. It was because of Michel Platini, who made me fall in love with those colours.

 

"When I then met him I couldn't stop smiling."

 

Weah added that he would have loved to play for Juve but never had the opportunity.

 

"I have Juve in my blood. I really wanted to play for them but I never managed to do it.

 

"If I could have chosen, I would have chosen Juve and not PSG after my time at Monaco."

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Patrice Evra with special Monday

motivation on his birthday

 

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/3126661/patrice

-evra-with-special-monday-motivation-on-his-birthday

 

 

May 15, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

 

It's Monday and you know what that means! It means it's time for Patrice Evra's weekly motivational video.

However, it's not just any old Monday, oh no.

Indeed, it just so happens to be Evra's 35th birthday, which meant that the Marseille full-back laid on an extra slice of high-energy positivity for his Instagram followers.

 

It all begins in fairly standard fashion, with Evra singing along to James Brown in his car, howling and bopping his shoulder along to the music.

However, the excitement soon becomes to much to bear, with Evra proclaiming that he "can't breath" before eventually having to leave the vehicle to get some "fresh air" only to exit through the sun-roof.

What a man. We'd all be lifeless husks without him.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Carrera: Chelsea over Juve

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102628/carrera-chelsea-over-juve

 

 

May 15, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Spartak Moscow boss Massimo Carrera admits he would prefer to face Chelsea over Juventus in the Champions League. “I’m a Juventino in my DNA!”

 

Speaking to Radio Uno on Monday, Carrera explained his blueprint for Spartak’s first Russian title in 16 years, reflected on Antonio Conte’s success with Chelsea and touched on Juve’s chances of a Treble.

 

“Spartak? They hadn’t won the League for 16 years,” said Conte’s former assistant and ex-Bianconeri teammate.

 

“I was able to convey the ideas of Italian football and convince the players, who showed they were professionals.

 

“Why I chose Spartak? Because this offer came from Spartak to be an assistant.

 

“Then we were eliminated from the Europa League and the club asked me if I wanted to take charge of two games while a new Coach came in.

 

“I accepted, then they asked me to stay on and I accepted again.

 

“I found a League that isn’t very tactical compared to the Italian one: there’s so much running, and it’s not easy because all the games are dangerous.

 

“Would I prefer to avoid Conte’s Chelsea or Juventus in the Champions League? I’d like to avoid Juventus.

 

“I’m a Juventino in my DNA and I hope I can avoid them for so many reasons, as well as because they’re strong.

 

“All jokes aside, I’m happy with what we’ve done at Spartak and if it came down to Chelsea or Juve, I think that’s already an important achievement.

 

“How many Russians are there in my team and how far can Spartak go? I have five because I’m obliged to play five. It’s a complication for changes [to the playing staff].

 

“[The club] expect so many things from us next season, so we’ll have to make some changes to strengthen the team.

 

“We’ll be playing on several fronts, so we must try to equip the team accordingly.

 

“Difficulties of coaching abroad? We have to adapt to the sporting mentality of those countries.

 

“There are less tactics here and you have to try to understand that in small doses: you can’t not think of going to a country with another culture and imposing your own mentality.

 

“Juve’s defeat to Roma due to the Coppa Italia final? "No because it could’ve been a decisive match.

 

“In football, every now and then there are some of these drops in tension, which are difficult to explain, but there are two finals to explain too. It would’ve been better to win.

 

“Have I heard from Conte? He complimented me and I did so back. I had no doubts about him, he’s one of the best Coaches in the world.

 

“Maybe he struggled a bit more than expected at the beginning, but with his passion, he managed to drag the players through and make them understand what he wanted.

 

“Would I advise him to stay at Chelsea or go to Inter? I won’t advise him to do anything, he’s big enough to decide what he’ll do in the future.

 

“I don’t know what he wants to do, but I don’t feel comfortable about giving him any advice.

 

“Inter closer than it seems? I don’t know. We’ve talked but not about this.

 

“Dybala or Mandzukic the real ‘irreplaceable’ for Juve? If Allegri has made certain choices then there’s a reason why.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Jail term requested for Miccoli

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102663/jail-term-requested-miccoli

 

 

May 16, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

The Palermo prosecutor has requested that former Juventus and Fiorentina striker Fabrizio Miccoli be jailed for four months.
 

The 37-year-old allegedly had his friend, Mauro Lauricella, recover €12,000 from a disco, but the prosecution alleges he used violent methods to do so.

 

Because of that, the Palermo prosecutor is seeking a four month sentence for Miccoli, on charges of aggravated exhaustion.

 

The former Italian international denies the charges, and his lawyer spoke to Corriere del Mezzogiorno.

 

“We are stunned by the request of doctor Mazzocco,” said Giovanni Castronovo.

 

“It’s in total contrast to what the procurator wrote in his filing request and the sentence which ruled there was no extortion.

 

“Nothing in favour of the defence was taken into consideration.”

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Happy birthday, Andrea Pirlo

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102802/happy-birthday-andrea-pirlo

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Today is the 38th birthday of former Inter, Milan and Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo.

 

Born in Fiero near Brescia, the young Pirlo began his career with Brescia playing in a trequartista role.

 

His performances soon led to a move to Inter, but he struggled to break into the squad in the 1998-99 campaign and was loaned to Reggina.

 

After another impressive season in the provinces he was again brought back to San Siro, but after just four League appearances Pirlo was loaned back to Brescia.

 

The great Roberto Baggio operated in the creative role high up the pitch, so Coach Carlo Mazzone moved the youngster into a deeper midfield role, playing almost as a quarterback.

 

 

Pirlo thrived in his ‘regista’ role, notably combining with Baggio for a stunning goal against Juventus at the Delle Alpi.

 

The midfielder picked the ball up in the centre circle, looked up, and pinged a perfect 40-yard pass into the path of Il Divin Codino.

 

Baggio killed the ball with his first touch, took it around Edwin van der Sar and stroked it into the net with his left foot.

 

Despite a fine season with his local club, Inter opted not to keep Pirlo for the 2001-02 season, selling him to city rivals Milan in a €17m deal.

 

If that seems cheap now, the deal was in fact partially funded by the movement of Dražen Brnčić in the opposite direction. Brnčić was last seen playing in the Belgian lower Leagues.

 

Rossoneri boss Carlo Ancelotti - who replaced Fatih Terim after a poor start - continued with Mazzone’s innovation, allowing Pirlo to pull the strings from a deep position as Milan finished fourth.

 

 

The 2002-03 season brought Pirlo the first silverware of his career, as Milan beat Juventus in Manchester to lift the Champions League.

 

The following season brought the Scudetto, with the midfielder scoring six times as the Diavolo finished 11 points clear at the top of Serie A.

 

Pirlo was not yet a key figure for Italy, but his performances earned him a trip to Portugal for Euro 2004.

 

The 2004-05 season brought another Champions League final, but Pirlo would suffer the most painful defeat of his career.

 

With Pirlo having set up Paolo Maldini for an early opener, the Rossoneri cruised to a 3-0 half-time lead against Liverpool in Istanbul.

 

What followed was perhaps the most dramatic turnaround in the history of the competition, with the Reds pulling it back to 3-3 and winning on penalties.

 

So ashamed was Pirlo by the capitulation, he wrote in his autobiography ‘I Think, Therefore I Play’ that he considered quitting football altogether.

 

 

He didn’t, and the following year brought arguably the greatest triumph of his career.

 

Having become a crucial part of Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri side - memorably scoring two free-kicks against Scotland to seal World Cup qualification - Pirlo scored the opening goal against Ghana at the tournament.

 

Pirlo played every game for Italy that summer, and was key in breaking the deadlock in one of the greatest games of modern times.

 

A pulsating semi-final against hosts Germany had somehow remained goalless for 180 minutes, when Alessandro Del Piero’s corner fell to Pirlo on the edge of the box.

 

Faced with a line of four German defenders, it appeared for all the world that the Milan man would simply attempt a speculative shot.

Instead, he feinted to pass out wide to Del Piero, before cutting a beautiful ball inside for Fabio Grosso.

 

The left-back curled it past Jens Lehmann first time, and Del Piero added a second with the last kick of the game. Andiamo a Berlino.

Against France in Berlin, the Azzurri fell behind early before Pirlo’s corner was headed in by Marco Materazzi.

 

There would be no more scoring, and the match went to penalties. Pirlo stepped up to take the first, a feeling he would describe in his autobiography:

 

“I lifted my eyes to the heavens and asked for help because if God exists, there’s no way he’s French. I took a long, intense breath. That breath was mine, but it could have been the manual worker who struggles to make it to the end of the month, the rich businessman, the teacher, the student, the Italian expats who never left our side during the tournament, the well-to-do Milanese signora, the hooker on the street corner. In that moment, I was all of them.”

 

 

Pirlo scored, as did everyone else, and Italy lifted a fourth World Cup, with L’Architetto named man of the match.

 

After gaining revenge on Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final, and winning a second Scudetto in 2011, Pirlo became surplus to requirements at Milan.

 

Having benefited from Inter’s mistake in letting him go, Milan would commit a similar error as Pirlo joined Juventus on a free transfer.

 

Described by Gianluigi Buffon as “the signing of the century”, Pirlo had one of the best seasons of his career, providing 13 assists and controlling the tempo as the Bianconeri won the Scudetto unbeaten.

 

The lank-haired midfielder completed 87 per cent of his passes that season, making 500 more successful passes than any other player in the League.

 

He was similarly imperious at Euro 2016, memorably pulling off a Panenka penalty against Joe Hart in the quarter-finals as Italy went all the way to the final.

 

However, the Azzurri were smothered by Spain’s tiki-taka and were beaten 4-0.

 

The following summer brought his 100th cap in the Confederations Cup, and Pirlo marked the occasion by scoring a perfect free-kick at the Maracana.

 

 

Having racked up four Scudetti in a row, Pirlo helped Juventus to the 2015 Champions League final, but his influence was on the wane and he couldn’t affect the game in his customary way as the Old Lady went down 3-1 to Barcelona.

 

Pirlo left the field in tears, and it would prove to be his last match for the club.

 

Currently playing in Major League Soccer with New York City FC, it appears the current season may well be Pirlo’s last in football.

 

If he is indeed to hand up his boots, he’ll be remembered as one of the finest midfielders of all time.

 

Andrea Pirlo

Games: 741
Goals: 73
Honours: 6 Serie A, 2 Champions League, 2 Coppa Italia, World Cup
International Caps: 116
International goals: 13

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

Juventus announce Mexico games

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103036/juventus-announce-mexico-games

 

 

May 23, 2017

 

Juventus have announced they will be playing in Mexico against CF Monterrey on July 18 and Tigres on July 19.

 

This is the first edition of the Supercopa Tecate tournament, which will have games from July 16-22 in Mexico City and Monterrey.

 

Juve are set to face CF Monterrey on July 18 at the Estadio BBVA Bancomer.

 

They’ll then take on Tigres at the Estadio Universitario in Mexico City on July 19.

 

The Supercopa Tecate also involves Porto, Chivas Guadalajara and Cruz Azul.

 

“The tournament is set to further strengthen Juventus’ links with Mexico, where they count their fourth and fifth largest international fan-base on Facebook and YouTube respectively.”

 

The Bianconeri are planning out their pre-season tour of America, which will also see them participate in the International Champions Cup.

 

They will face Barcelona in New York on July 22, Paris Saint-Germain on July 26 in Miami and Roma in Boston on July 30.

[Socrates 7964]

 

 

 

OFFICIAL: Juventus Stadium will

be renamed Allianz Stadium

 

 

http://www.juvefc.com/official-juventus-

stadium-will-renamed-allianz-stadium/

 

 

Jun 1, 2017

 

Juve have confirmed that the Juventus Stadium will be renamed Allianz Stadium as of July 1st.

The new stadium was completed in 2011 and the naming rights were sold directly to Sportfive for €75m – Since then, the ground has been referred to as the Juventus Stadium, however the Bianconeri have confirmed that a sponsor has been found.

A statement on the clubs official website confirmed the specifics of the new deal which will see the name change to the Allianz Stadium:

Starting on 1 July 2017, the stadium will be known as the Allianz Stadium of Turin for six seasons until 30 June 2023, joining the Allianz Family of Stadiums first created in 2005 which features Munich’s Allianz Arena, Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, Allianz Park in London, Nice’s Allianz Riviera, Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo and Allianz Stadion in Vienna.

“It’s with great pleasure that we welcome Allianz into our family of partners for a deal as special as this one – the naming of our home,” declared Giorgio Ricci, Co-Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Global Partnerships and Corporate Revenues at Juventus.

“The arrival of a global giant in the insurance sector such as Allianz is further testament to how Juventus has established itself as a first-class international institution, whilst enriching a stadium that has played a significant role, since its inauguration in 2011, to creating history with six legendary Scudetto titles celebrated within its walls.

“Our ambition and objective is to collaborate with Allianz for the benefit of our supporters, just as with the other partners who have helped transform the stadium into a theatre, ensuring that each match is a show of entertainment and a welcoming place for families.”