Socrates

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juan Cuadrado Essential in Juventus' Win over Genoa and Their Title Bid http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2613653-juan-cuadrado-essential-in-juventus-win-over-genoa-and-their-title-bid? Feb 4, 2016 Having fought their way back into title contention, Juventus broke their club record for consecutive Serie A wins on Wednesday as they defeated Genoa 1-0. Emerging from a tightly contested affair with the Rossoblu, it marked a 13th victory in a row for coach Massimiliano Allegri’s men and came courtesy of a moment of brilliance from Juan Cuadrado. It was a stark contrast to last weekend’s comfortable triumph away to Chievo, and the former Milan boss was pleased with his side’s efforts. “Tonight’s game brought us back to earth,” Allegri told reporters at his post-match press conference. “To win the league you need to pull through and win matches like this.” That feeling stemmed from Genoa’s determined efforts to frustrate the Bianconeri, who—despite enjoying 60.2 percent of possession in the first half alone according to figures courtesy of WhoScored.com—struggled to create any meaningful goalscoring opportunities early on. Then, in the 30th minute, the ball came out to Cuadrado on the right flank. Armando Izzo looked to close down the Colombian, who then simply left him standing with an incredible piece of skill before firing a low cross-shot towards goal from a tight angle. Fortunately for the Italian champions, it took a decisive deflection off Genoa defender Sebastien De Maio and subsequently looped up over Mattia Perin. With the goalkeeper beaten, the former Fiorentina winger ran off to celebrate, dancing once again with Paul Pogba and clearly happy with the win after the final whistle. “Genoa are a great team, they played a good game, but we wanted to win to claim first place,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Italian Football Daily). “We didn’t play our best game like last one, but we fought until the end to get a result.” Adam Digby @Adz77 Juan Cuadrado #JuveGenoa 2/2 take-ons, 24/30 passes, 3 tackles, 2 int, 2 clearances, 4 ball recoveries (@StatsZone) Few players did more than him to secure the victory, with the graphic in the tweet above showing the full extent of his contribution. Taking two shots while completing both of his attempted take-ons and 24 of his 30 pass attempts (75 percent), he was a constant problem for the Genoa back line and a vital outlet for his team-mates. Yet that attacking output is no more important than the work Cuadrado did defensively, dedicating himself to closing down opponents as he recorded three tackles, two interceptions and two clearances, and he also recovered the ball four times. Clearly adhering to that task, it was a much-improved display and one that bodes well for the future as Juventus look to defend their title once again. When he is on song, that ability to blend pace and trickery on the wing is an unstoppable combination for even the best defences, and it can be an extra weapon for Allegri to deploy. With Mario Mandzukic already absent through injury and Simone Zaza’s red card against Genoa meaning he will serve a suspension, the coach may perhaps be prompted to occasionally utilise Cuadrado in a more advanced role for a short time. Wherever he is used, the 27-year-old must be ready to perform at the same high standard, and it was no surprise to see how defenders reacted to him on Wednesday evening. Unable to cope with Cuadrado’s ability, Genoa players constantly hacked at him, and statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com show he was fouled a game-high seven times. Able to create chances for himself and others, forthcoming matches against Napoli, Inter and Bayern Munich may see those skills become even more important to the Bianconeri. Cuadrado may not be the first name on the Juventus teamsheet, but he could find himself as one of the most crucial to their title bid. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Higuain fires, Juve march on Gonzalo Higuain can't stop scoring and Juventus can't stop winning, as Richard Hall reflects on another impressive week for the top two. http://www.football-italia.net/79401/higuain-fires-juve-march? Feb 4, 2016 Napoli took one look at Lazio and simply pushed them aside. It was no fault of the Aquile, as the Neapolitans have been extraordinary of late and when Gonzaolo Higuain made it 23 goals in 23 games the result was not in doubt. Jose Callejon also continued his good form, scoring again after his brace in the previous match. The memories of Maradona, Careca and Alemao are being slowly replaced by the class of 2016. Juventus were not going to be out done by Napoli and matched Higuain’s 23 goals in 23 games by going and making it 13 straight wins. It wasn’t an easy game for The Old Lady, who saw Simone Zaza get a red card in stoppage time. The damage had already been done before this however as Juan Cuadrado’s cross-shot was deflected past Mattia Perin by Sebastien De Maio. The own goal was enough to seal Genoa’s fate and keep the Bianconeri’s superb run alive. Roma continue to improve as they won away in a tricky away tie at the Mapei Stadium. The Giallorossi managed to ‘out Sassuolo’ Sassuolo, as they played with a high tempo and an expansive style. This resulted in Mohamed Salah and Stephan El Shaarawy getting on the score sheet, showing signs that this side that is being moulded by Luciano Spalletti shows real promise. Domenico Berardi had a chance to pull one back from the penalty spot after Radja Nainggolan gave away a penalty and got sent off in the process. Unfortunately for the normally consistent wide man, he smashed his spot kick over the bar, leaving the Neroverdi accepting it wasn’t going to be their day and the game ended 0-2. Roberto Donadoni was left distressed as he saw his Bologna side fall to a resolute Frosinone. The early kick off on Wednesday saw a late penalty decide the game, Federico Dionisi only just managing to slot the ball past Antonio Mirante in the Rossoblu goal for the only goal of the game. It was the home side's first win since November 29 and will give the Gialloazzurri a glimmer of hope. Mauro Icardi gave Inter some much-needed relief as he scored his ninth goal of the season to give his team a win against Chievo at San Siro. The Nerazzurri could have scored more if it had not been for the Flying Donkey’s flying keeper Andrea Seculin. His man of the match performance stopped Mancini’s side from running riot. Those who frequent San Siro will be encouraged by the result as Eder, Brozovic and Kondogbia put in excellent displays. The city of Milan will be a happy place this evening as the Rossoneri also recorded a fine win away in Sicily. Palermo were dispatched by a Sinisa Mihajlovic team who followed up their 3-0 win in the Derby Della Madonnina with a 0-2 win at the Stadio Renzo Barbera. Milan were never under pressure and first half goals from Carlos Bacca and M'baye Niang sealed all three points, moving them up to sixth place. Sampdoria and Torino played out an entertaining draw in Genoa in a game that saw the home side show some sort of fight for the second game running. Luis Muriel had given the home side the lead before Andrea Belotti equalised only five minutes later. The game looked to be won for Vincenzo Montella’s men when Roberto Soriano gave his side the lead with six minutes to go. Incredibly there was more late drama and Belotti managed to get a brace after heading home in the final minutes. The flags were out in Florence after only two minutes when Borja Valero put the Tuscans ahead against Carpi. Kevin Lasagna certainly has now got the taste for goals and he equalised on 73 minutes. This looked to be enough but at the death new signing Mauro Zarate made himself an instant hero by scoring a goal out of nothing. Empoli faced Udinese in a game that offered up even more late drama. Duvan Zapata put the Zebrette a goal up in the first half and the Tuscans looked to be on the rocks, however as in so many of Week 23's games, a last gasp equaliser arrived thanks to Manuel Pucciarelli’s right footed effort on 90 minutes. Finally Hellas faced Atalanta and did what seemed to be the impossible by winning. The side from Bergamo were down to 10 men in Verona and the score was tied at 1-1 and looked like it was going to a draw. In the 84th minute Giampaolo Pazzini stepped up and scored from close range, sending the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi wild with delight as they picked up their first win of the campaign. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus vs. Genoa 1-0, Cuadrado's magic gives Bianconeri the victory over Grifone Juan Cuadrado's moment of magic broke Genoa's resistance as Juventus secured their 13th victory in a row. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/4/10912076/juventus-genoa2016-serie-a-round-23-final-score-recap-result Feb 4, 2016 This match at Juventus Stadium resembled a chess confrontation between Massimiliano Allegri and Gian Piero Gasperini: it was tactical, tense and incredibly boring to watch at times. Nevertheless, Juventus won again and set a new club record with their 13th victory in a row in Serie A. Juventus deployed the usual 3-5-2 formation. In this occasion, Patrice Evra started for Alex Sandro on the left flank and Simone Padoin substituted for an injured Sami Khedira — and sick Stefano Sturaro — in the center of the midfield. Allegri repeated Sunday's defensive line, using the alternate BBC of Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Martin Cáceres. Also, he again employed the partnership of Álvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala in attack. Gasperini adopted a 3-4-1-2 array, with the newcomer Alessio Cerci and the dangerous Leonardo Pavoletti as strikers. Gasperini's strategy was clear from the beginning, he attempted to choke Juventus midfield and gamble on his forwards' ability to create danger. Oliver Ntcham — who plays on loan from Manchester City — shadowed Juventus' regista Claudio Marchisio allover the pitch. Thanks to this tactic, the Bianconeri had trouble building plays correctly. Juventus attempted to break patiently the riddle presented by the griffins, Dybala and Paul Pogba retreated to the middle of the park to help with the playmaking labors. This movement almost paid dividends in the 13th minute. Dybala took the ball near the midfield and performed a fierce run towards Genoa's goal, then La Joya fired a potent low shot that missed Mattia Perin's left post by inches. Pogba also tried to score with a couple of long-range efforts, but he was unsuccessful. Genoa regrouped and started to gain some momentum in the game. Nevertheless, on the half-hour mark, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado took the ball near Genoa's penalty box. The Colombian swindled Armando Izzo with a twist and performed a cross that was deflected by a desperate Sebastien Di Maio into the back of the net. Juventus was ahead and gained some precious oxygen in a very suffocating match. The first half finished without another clear opportunity. However, four minutes before halftime, Patrice Evra needed to leave the pitch and he immediately went to the looker room. Alex Sandro took his place. One minute after halftime Genoa had their only scoring chance. Cerci controlled the ball on the left corner of Juventus' box and unleashed a powerful shot. Gianluigi Buffon had some trouble and coughed the ball, but luckily for the Bianconeri, Marchisio cleared the danger. The game became a dogfight with an awfully number of fouls. At the 54th minute, Simone Zaza replaced a frustrated Morata. Just a minute later, Dybala assisted the ex-Sassuolo attacker, leaving him 1-on-1 with Perin. Zaza fired a low shot from close range, but it was easily controlled by the Geona goalkeeper. The match lowed its tempo dramatically after those scoring situations. On 62 minutes, Cáceres felt awkwardly after jumping for a header. The Uruguayan left the game on a stretcher, biting back his tears. Daniele Rugani entered in his place. In the last half hour of the game, Juventus sat deeper in their own field, but Genoa didn't know what to do with the ball. However, the last minutes had a little bit of drama. On injury time, Zaza made a reckless sliding challenge on Izzo and the referee dismissed him without hesitation. Genoa started to bombard Juventus' box, but the Bianconeri defense managed the situation with aplomb. It wasn't pretty, but Juventus achieved a valuable victory. Juventus will play on Frosinone on Sunday, then, on Feb. 13, the Bianconeri will host Napoli with the Serie A lead at stake. LE PAGELLE Buffon 6 Superman had another quiet night. He had some problems with Cerci's shot. Cáceres 6.5 Defended appropriately, but exhibit lack of communication sometimes. He was coming along before his injury. Bonucci 6 Leo was careless with the ball again. it's important to fix this problem ASAP. Gonzalo Higuaín and Robert Lewandowski are just around the corner. Barzagli 6.5 It was nice game for The Rock. He made a couple of impressive defensive plays. Cuadrado 7 The Colombian saved the night for Juventus with his magic. He had a couple of head-scratcher passes; nevertheless, he defended belligerently. Padoin 5.5 Please, don't get me wrong I really love his attitude. Nonetheless, Genoa's midfielders often outperformed him and he didn't help to create game. Marchisio 6.5 Gasperini targeted him, he had some problems to generate plays; yet, Il Principino completed an important role defensively speaking. Pogba 6.5 He played an adequate game. The youngster tried to break Genoa's defense with his skills, but he often found little space to perform. Evra 6 The Frenchman was solid on defense, but he didn't have a chance to attack. He left the match before halftime. Dybala 6.5 La Joya fought hard in this match. He completed a great assist to Zaza, but he also failed some passes on attack. Morata 5.5 Ezequiel Munoz had his number during the game. He suffered for the lack of clarity on Juventus midfield. Subs Sandro 6 Entered for Evra at the 41st minute. He played with his usual stamina. but he was not a factor on offense. Zaza 4.5 Entered for Morata at 54th minute. He missed an opportunity that could seal the victory. Then, he jeopardized the match with a reckless challenge. I like his intensity but he must be smarter. Rugani 6.5 Entered for Cáceres at the 63rd minute. It was a very impressive cameo by the youngster. He fortified the defense after Cáceres' awful injury. Things I think I think Genoa committed 30 fouls in the match! The first rule of Genoa's fight club is... An ugly win is still a win. Right? Injuries are really stupid! Having Rugani on the bench is such a luxury My heart broke when I saw Cáceres leaving the game in tears. ¡Fuerza Pelado, estamos contigo! http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus relieved after difficult win vs. Genoa - Juan Cuadrado http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2800637/juventus-relieved-after-difficult-win-genoa-juan-cuadrado Feb 3, 2016 Juan Cuadrado was a relieved man after Juventus emerged unscathed from a "difficult" match against Genoa to register a record 13th straight Serie A victory. The on-loan Colombia winger crucially cut inside from the right midway through the first half of a 1-0 success in Turin, with his low cross ending up in the Genoa net thanks to a wayward clearance from visiting centre-back Sebastian De Maio. Juve were grateful for the gift of an own goal as they were not at their best on Wednesday night and substitute striker Simone Zaza created late concern by earning a red card for his needless challenge on Armando Izzo. Come full-time, however, they remained within two points of league leaders Napoli and have won 13 consecutive league games for the first time in their history. Cuadrado said: "It was a difficult match. Genoa are a great team and played really well. "We'd wanted to win the game so we could try and reclaim first place. We may not have put on a really good show like we did in our last game [sunday's 4-0 victory at Chievo], but we fought right to the very end and got the result." Head coach Massimiliano Allegri felt the tough nature of the encounter served as a timely reminder of how hard it will be for Juve to secure a fifth straight title. "It's been an intense period for us," Allegri said. "Sunday's victory created a sense of euphoria both inside and outside the locker room. "But this result brings us all back down to earth -- if we're going to win the Scudetto then we have to suffer through games like this. "I don't care about the record. Now we're only thinking about Sunday's game [at Frosinone]. I've only got two strikers available as Simone is now suspended. "He needs to try and remain calm. To play in a great team you have to keep a level head irrespective of whether you're in the starting line-up or on as a sub." http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus vs. Genoa: Winners and Losers from Serie A http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2613656-juventus-vs-genoa-winners-and-losers-from-serie-a? Feb 3, 2016 Wednesday night saw Genoa, the latest Serie A side to take on the division’s most in-form side, travelling to Juventus Stadium to challenge the reigning Italian champions. Just as they had on 12 previous occasions, the Bianconeri would win again, notching a 13th consecutive victory courtesy of the 1-0 final score. After winning just twice in their previous nine league matches, the visitors came into the clash sitting in 16th place and just five points outside the relegation zone. Now facing a real battle to remain in the top flight, Genoa gave a good account of themselves and continually frustrated Juventus throughout. What follows is a look at the winners and losers from this encounter, highlighting the best and worst performances from a tightly contested affair that ultimately saw the Bianconeri take all three points. Winner: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) Since arriving on loan from Chelsea in the summer, Juan Cuadrado has struggled to break into coach Massimiliano Allegri’s regular starting XI, as the form of Stephan Lichtsteiner kept him largely sidelined. Indeed, before the match against Genoa, the Colombian winger had made just 12 starts in all competitions but had still made some vital contributions. He would continue that here, skipping past his marker before rifling a shot toward goal that deflected off a defender and over the helpless Mattia Perin. Beating the Genoa goalkeeper in the 31st minute, it was a goal that ultimately proved the difference between the sides and handed all three points to the Bianconeri. Winner: Martin Caceres (Juventus) While Cuadrado made the most of his opportunity, Martin Caceres looks set to spend more time out of the side, collapsing to the turf in the second half before being stretchered off. Leaving the field in tears, it looked as if the Uruguayan defender believed it to be another serious injury just as he had returned to action. Winner: Daniele Rugani (Juventus) That injury may be bad news for Caceres but good news for Daniele Rugani. The young defender replaced the stricken Uruguayan here and perhaps in the coming weeks too. With his own playing time limited thus far, the 21-year-old will hope to now feature more regularly and showcase his talent. Loser: Gian Piero Gasperini (Genoa) With his side already in trouble, yet another defeat will not be good news for Genoa boss Gian Piero Gasperini. The coach had already seen his side lose on 10 occasions in 2015/16, and with results elsewhere going against them, the Rossoblu will face a difficult end to the campaign if they are to retain their Serie A status. Winner: Simone Padoin (Juventus) Another player to earn a chance against Genoa, Simone Padoin made the most of his opportunity, turning in a neat performance on the right of Juve’s midfield. He had always been a reliable veteran presence for the Bianconeri, but after struggling in the opening weeks of this season, he will be pleased with his contribution on the night. Loser: Simone Zaza (Juventus) Simone Zaza put Juventus under added pressure for a senseless red card, an incident that will almost certainly see him suspended for the forthcoming fixtures with Frosinone and Napoli. That—combined with Mario Mandzukic’s injury—means Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala are now the club’s only available strikers. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juan Cuadrado stands out in flat performance as Juve sneak past Genoa http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2800679/cuadrado-stands-out-in-flat-performance-as-juve-top-genoa Feb 3, 2016 Having accrued 13 consecutive Serie A victories, Juventus have broken a club record, one previously held by Antonio Conte's astonishingly strong side of 2013-14. Yet despite beating Genoa 1-0, courtesy of an own goal, this was far from an accomplished performance by the Bianconeri. They managed to hold on largely thanks to their cunning ability to draw out fouls and punish their opponents' heavy-handed approach. Gian Piero Gasperini's sides are often exhaustive in their manner. Dynamic, relentless and just a tad bit overly aggressive, they almost force opponents into playing bad football. Pressing consistently, they looked to win back possession as quickly as possible to get the upper hand but, while they did indeed scare the Old Lady on a few occasions, their lack of experience doomed them to defeat. Surrendering to panic far too easily, they end up needlessly fouling the opponent, thus losing possession in dangerous areas. A more mature performance may have allowed for an equaliser but Genoa were too concentrated on defensive work to attempt attacks. Thankfully for them, this was a poor Bianconeri performance, one riddled with mistakes, inaccurate passes and bad choices. Failing to establish an attacking rhythm, perhaps due to the nature of this stop-start game, the Juve players simply failed to read one another. Leonardo Bonucci's launches were over hit, Paulo Dybala failed to notice an open Juan Cuadrado only to pass into a crowded area, while inaccurate passes led to the loss of possession on too many occasions. However, experience is what gets a good team out of trouble, and with Andrea Barzagli showing his strength, Cuadrado drawing out fouls and Dybala slowing down play to keep possession, Juve got over the line and achieved another victory. One only hopes for a better performance on Sunday. Player ratings Gianluigi Buffon, 6 -- Alert enough to stop Alessio Cerci early in the second half but the decision to parry rather than hold on made life uncomfortable for his teammates. Nonetheless, he directs the defence well. Martin Caceres, 6 -- An injury forced the player off in tears. Guilty of a few mistakes, but his anticipation ought to be commended. Leonardo Bonucci, 6 -- His passes forward were frustratingly overhit but defensively, his experience ensured he won the duels that neutralised Genoa's attacking game well. Andrea Barzagli, 6 -- As the team held on in the final few minutes, it was Barzagli's strength and experience that ensured his team won back possession and won the fouls to secure all three points. Juan Cuadrado, 8 -- Perhaps the best on the night. While he started the match slowly, his acceleration and change of pace overwhelmed the Genovese defence forcing an own goal. Cunning and experienced, he took up excellent positions, cut in well and drew out the fouls to frustrate an eager opponent. Meanwhile, his pace allowed him to recover defensively and take the ball out of play to frustrate the opponent. Simone Padoin, 6 -- After Dybala, Padoin was the best at creating chances but he's not as dynamic as one would hope of a player playing in that position. His passing is accurate, but he needs to sacrifice more of himself to balance the tasks of the role. Claudio Marchisio, 7 -- A monster defensively, neutralising Genoa's attacking attempts. Always looked to spread play effectively. Paul Pogba, 6 -- Some great individual moments, especially in providing service to his teammates, but failed in helping the team establish a rhythm. More muted than usual. Patrice Evra, 6 -- Saw little action before being taken off but always displays intelligence on the ball. Paulo Dybala, 7 -- Often the player who threatens the most, he keeps possession, boasted impressive vision and created chances but Genoa rushed him too much and robbed him of a chance for a complete performance. Alvaro Morata, 6 -- A muted performance from the Spaniard, who unlike his clever teammates, failed to use his experience to gain the upper hand. Substitutes Alex Sandro, 6 -- Excellent at the one-on-ones but not as offensively brilliant as usual. Provided tactical solutions by occupying the right spaces. Simone Zaza, 6 -- A combative player made for matches like these, this blog still believes his perfectly timed run was wrongly deemed offside but while his eagerness is a delight, his inexperience forces silly mistakes. A red card leaves Massimiliano Allegri with few options in the next match. Daniele Rugani, 6 -- A clean performance from a player who is improving. Genoa offered little going forward to trouble the youngster but he knew when to move forward to maintain the team's attacking momentum. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Allegri delighted as disciplined Juventus prove title mettle Last season's Serie A champions did things the hard way in their 1-0 win over Genoa but their manager was delighted to negotiate another tough test. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2016/02/03/19984362/-? Feb 3, 2016 Massimiliano Allegri was more pleased by Juventus' ability to grind out a 1-0 victory over Genoa than their new club record for consecutive wins in Serie A. A deflected Juan Cuadrado cross after half an hour earned Juve the points in Turin on Wednesday as the champions remained two points off leaders Napoli thanks to their record-breaking 13th straight league win. While Allegri played down the record, the Juve boss was delighted to negotiate a close-fought encounter made more difficult by Simone Zaza's late red card for a poor challenge on Armando Izzo. "There are 15 rounds to go and we need to put together a certain number of victories, whether they are in a row or not is irrelevant," he told Mediaset Premium of the record. "The match was hard and to win Scudetti you have to come through these dirty games and win. We came from a game where everything came easy and it's normal that after a game like that you can falter." Zaza was introduced for Morata early in the second half but his dismissal is likely to compound some selection dilemmas for Allegri who saw Patrice Evra and Martin Caceres limp off in either half. Caceres is to have scans on Thursday after reportedly tearing his Achilles tendon while Evra could also be doubtful for the potentially decisive visit of Napoli in 10 days time. "Morata might have been frustrated but no more than I was," Allegri added. "There are these difficulties without injured striker Mario Mandzukic, when you have three guys who are not yet 23 years old. We must make them grow slowly. "I'm not concerned by the injuries. Unfortunately Sturaro took a knock and I have not risked him, Asamoah should return on Monday. "Khedira and Mandzukic are to be evaluated but we hope to have them back for Napoli. Caceres is a great lad and a great defender. We'll see what the tests say but hopefully it’s less serious than he thinks. "We'll try to get to Naples at most two points behind." http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Allegri: 'Juve feet on the ground' http://www.football-italia.net/79390/allegri-juve-feet-ground? Feb 3, 2016 Max Allegri believes the scraped 1-0 record-breaking win over Genoa “reminded Juventus that there are no easy games.” The Bianconeri remain two points off leaders Napoli thanks to a 13th consecutive Serie A victory, a new club record. “It’s always difficult against Genoa because they are good at not letting you play,” the Coach told Mediaset Premium. “Sunday’s 4-0 at Chievo created a lot of euphoria, but tonight our feet are back on the ground. This reminded us that there are no easy games. “I am not interested in the record, as there are 15 rounds to go and we need to put together a certain number of victories, whether they are in a row or not is irrelevant.” With Mario Mandzukic injured, Simone Zaza came off the bench and got himself sent off. “I will have only two strikers at my disposal for the next game. Zaza is very eager and at times over-eager. He needs to relax, because when playing for a big club he must have balance. He needs to grow up, because these are mistakes he shouldn’t be making.” Martin Caceres was stretchered off in tears, while Patrice Evra also picked up a muscular problem. “Caceres is an extraordinary lad and a great defender. Tomorrow we’ll see what the tests say, hopefully it’s less serious than he thinks. “I am not worried by the injuries. Stefano Sturaro had a knock against Verona and I didn’t want to risk him. Kwadwo Asamoah will be back with the squad soon. Sami Khedira and Mandzukic have to be evaluated day by day.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus 1 - Genoa 0: Initial reaction and random observations http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/3/10908116/juventus-genoa-2016-serie-a-round-23-final-score-result-initial-reaction Feb 3, 2016 It didn't take long to figure out that this game wasn't going to be like the one over the weekend where Juventus were basically scoring goals for fun. If there was ever a game where you could tell how things were going to be for a full 90-minute stretch after only 20 minutes, I'm pretty sure this was one of those nights. The only thing that separated Juventus and Genoa on the scoreboard ended up being Sebastien Di Maio's 29th-minute own goal after he deflected in Juan Cuadrado's strike from inside the penalty area. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. In typical Juventus-Genoa fashion, nothing was really easy. Seeing as the final scores in five of their last six games against one another have all been 1-0 or 2-0, then I guess we shouldn't be surprised by any of this. But with this 1-0 win on Wednesday night, Juventus and Max Allegri can do a little bragging about the latest piece of history they just achieved. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Thirteen straight @SerieA_TIM successes - a new club record. Just go ahead and insert your "Juventus win game No. 13 in a row in lucky fashion" here because we're all expecting it. Puns are aplenty sometimes. Just as fruitful right now as Simone Zaza getting some kind of card whenever he steps onto the field. (Yes, that tackle was stupid. Really, really stupid.) Juventus didn't win in anything close to the same kind of fashion or style and flair that they did over the weekend against Chievo. I'm pretty sure it wasn't because of those black-into-white shorts they sported for the first time all season during Sunday's lunchtime kickoff, so we won't go down that road. That ruthlessness that was there in the final third at the Bentegodi wasn't present at Juventus Stadium. That's not necessarily a reason to be upset. There's only so many times in a season where Juventus will look that good from the opening whistle to the final one. The good thing about Wednesday, though? Juventus won. And they kept pace with Napoli. That collision course two Saturdays from now seems like the real deal knowing who each team plays over the weekend (Juventus at Frosinone, Napoli home to Carpi). So if Juventus makes it 14 straight wins and then 15 straight wins, the time atop the Serie A table will be more than just a couple of minutes or hours. Juve just has to keep winning — which is what they did against Genoa, so there. Random thoughts and observations Patrice Evra was subbed off late in the first half and immediately went right down the tunnel to the locker room. If you ever wanted a bad sign about why a player came off the field, I think that would be it. Plus the whole thing about it being about two minutes before halftime, too. Martin Cáceres also went off injured, and it looked as though this one was much more serious than Evra's. Unfortunately for a player who has seemingly been injured for the last three years straight, it's just another one added to the list. If his reaction to being stretchered off was any indication of the severity of it, then I don't think we'll be seeing Cáceres and his high socks for a while. Suddenly the injury list is crowded again. Amazing how things can go from looking so good to looking incredibly frustrating again in just about seven or eight days. A much more pleasant observation: Simone Padoin played, Juventus won. Any questions? The biggest thing to come out of Zaza getting a red card on that absolutely stupid tackle? Now Allegri can't rotate his front line against Frosinone this weekend. I know there's nearly a week in between games, but giving Paulo Dybala nearly two weeks of rest entering a massively important game would have been fantastic. Instead, Dybala's next day off might just come once the season is over at this rate. On a night where there wasn't a Juventus player that really stood out, Claudio Marchisio had a quietly effective game against Genoa. He had a team-high four tackles. He was second to only Andrea Barzagli in terms of interceptions. He was third to Leonardo Bonucci and Barzagli in terms of clearances. This was not a very pretty game, so I don't know what else to say. And with that, I'm out. POLL Who was your Juventus Man of the Match against Genoa? 63% Juan Cuadrado (190 votes) 26% Claudio Marchisio (77 votes) 7% Andrea Barzagli (20 votes) 5% Leonardo Bonucci (14 votes) 301 votes total http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus maintain pursuit of Serie A leaders Napoli with win vs. Genoa http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432044/juventus-genoa/report Feb 3, 2016 Ten-man Juventus needed an own goal from Genoa defender Sebastian De Maio to maintain their pursuit of Serie A leaders Napoli. With the Azzurri winning 2-0 at Lazio on Wednesday night, Juve had to beat lowly Genoa to stay within two points of first place. They did so, thanks only to an unfortunate moment for centre-back De Maio, who turned Juan Cuadrado's cross into his own net to gift Juve their 1-0 victory. Simone Zaza was sent off at the death for a Bianconeri side who remain right on the heels of Napoli, who also are managing to continue their winning ways to stay out of reach at the top. The Bianconeri will have the chance to check their progress when the title rivals meet in Turin later this month, but for now all the reigning champions can do is concentrate on dominating everybody else. Paulo Dybala might have fired the hosts ahead in the 12th minute when he ran at the Genoa defence before rasping the ball just past a post. Paul Pogba's free-kick warmed Mattia Perin's palms but Juve were struggling to break through an organised Grifone backline. That changed on the half-hour mark when a fine solo run from Cuadrado brought the pacy Colombian into a position to shoot or cross -- his searing drive into the box took a crucial deflection off De Maio before spinning into the Genoa goal. The visitors did not lose focus and almost equalised when play resumed. Dybala's mistake allowed Alessio Cerci to take aim from the edge of the area but veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was wise to the threat. Juve dusted themselves down and resumed their pursuit of goals with Dybala feeding Zaza for a chance that the former Sassuolo striker wasted. Perin almost gifted the Bianconeri another goal by dribbling inside his own box. Dybala came sniffing but the young keeper managed to clear his lines. In the 75th minute Pogba sent a clever ball into Cuadrado's path, with a poor first touch letting the winger down and allowing Perin to nullify the danger. Zaza, who did enjoy the last chance to change the scoreline when set up by the never-tiring Dybala just before full-time, was dismissed in stoppage time for a rather exuberant challenge on Armando Izzo. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus break club record with Genoa victory The Italian champions have won 13 straight Serie A games for the first time ever by recording a home triumph over Gian Piero Gasperini's side on Wednesday night. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/7118/opta/2016/02/03/19977852/-? Feb 3, 2016 Juventus set a new club record of 13 straight Serie A wins by beating Genoa on Wednesday night. Massimiliano Allegri's side earned a 1-0 victory at Juventus Stadium thanks to Sebastian De Maio's early own goal. Juve won only one of their first six league games this season but their phenomenal run since then has boosted them back up to second in the table. Napoli continue to lead Serie A by two points, with Maurizio Sarri's men enjoying a 2-0 victory away at Lazio to ensure Juventus were not able to retake top spot. After a visit to Frosinone on Sunday, the Bianconeri take on Napoli at home on February 13. Juventus's previous record run of 12 consecutive wins came during the 2013-14 season, when they won the Scudetto by a remarkable 17-point margin. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus 1-0 Genoa: Slice Of Luck For Ten-Men Bianconeri http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/02/juventus-1-0-genoa-slice-of-luck-for-ten-men-bianconeri/? Feb 3, 2016 Juventus completed a narrow 1-0 win over Genoa at the Juventus Stadium in their Wednesday night Serie A meeting. The goal was made by Juan Cuadrado but Sebastian De Maio got the last touch, with Simone Zaza shown a red card in the second half. The first opportunity came the way of the home side, a quick burst of pace from Paulo Dybala opened up some space, but his driven effort went just wide of the post. However, with half an hour on the clock the Bianconeri opened their account. A winding run from Juan Cuadrado culminated in a shot that deflected off Sebastian De Maio and beyond Mattia Perin. In the second half the Grifone missed a great chance to restore parity, the ball was loose in the penalty area after Gianluigi Buffon denied Alessio Cerci, but Leonardo Pavoletti couldn’t reach the ball in time. Substitute striker Simone Zaza then came remarkably close to doubling the hosts advantage, having successfully escaped the offside trap he inexplicably put his shot straight at Perin. Paul Pogba has been in sparkling form for the Old Lady and almost got himself on the scoreline, but he couldn’t direct his shot on target following a free kick from Dybala. The home side would have to finish the game with ten men, Zaza with a terrible challenge from behind on Armando Izzo saw the striker shown a straight red card. Juventus keep up the pressure on Napoli who are still within two points of the current champions, while Genoa share the same concerns as their city rivals Sampdoria, with the gap between themselves and the relegation zone becoming more and more narrow. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo RATINGS: Juventus 1-0 Genoa http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-genoa/2120600/report Feb 3, 2016 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Had very little to do due to comfortable defending from the hosts, but he was nonetheless impressive on the rare occasions that he was called upon to act. 15 A. Barzagli - Consistently defended resolutely in the middle of the Juventus back line, where he made life extremely difficult for Pavoletti. 19 L. Bonucci - Had one nervy moment after being caught sleeping on the ball on the edge of the Juventus penalty area, but bar that it was a solid night for the defender. 4 M. Cáceres - Impressed for the opening hour, particularly in the air, but was forced off with 60 minutes on the clock after falling down awkwardly and injuring his leg. 16 Juan Cuadrado - Put in an excellent performance down the right wing, where he comfortably contained Silva and set up the only goal of the game with a thumping cross-cum-shot that De Maio turned into the back of his own net. 20 S. Padoin - Was unable to get as far forward as he might have liked due to his side’s attacking struggles, but he nonetheless looked good on the ball and defended resolutely when required. 8 C. Marchisio - Enjoyed himself at the base of the Juventus midfield, where he sat deep and defended well, particularly in the second half as Genoa tried to push further forward. 10 P. Pogba - It was a solid yet unspectacular performance from the Frenchman, who did all that was required of him without producing a standout display. 33 P. Evra - Had a solid opening 40 minutes in which he defended resolutely but was unfortunately forced off due to what looked like an injury just before the half-time break. 21 P. Dybala - The Argentine always looked bright on the ball, and his pace and trickery caused the Genoa midfield problems time and time again, but he found his chances limited in the second half due to Juventus' decision to start sitting deep. 9 Álvaro Morata - Had a few bright moments in front of goal but largely found it difficult to beat Genoa’s determined back line, resulting in him being replaced by Zaza early into the second half. Substitutes 12 Alex Sandro - Replaced Evra shortly before the half-time break and put in a solid shift down the left flank, where he defended without too many problems and was always on hand to push forward. 7 S. Zaza - Came on for Morata early in the second half and had a dismal night, as he missed a great chance to make it 2-0 before seeing red late on for a terrible challenge on Izzo. 24 D. Rugani - Featured for the final half hour after replacing the injured Caceres and continued the Uruguayan’s good work as part of an impressive back three. Genoa 1 M. Perin - Could do little about De Maio’s own goal, which took him by surprise, but pulled off several great saves to keep his side in the game right until the very end. 24 E. Muñoz - Didn’t look entirely comfortable whilst trying to deal with Dybala during the first half, but the Spaniard grew into the game as it wore on and put in a great shift towards the end as he constantly threw his body on the line. 4 S. De Maio - Was unlucky to send the ball flying into the back of his own net whilst trying to deal with a cross from Cuadrado, which was the only mistake, albeit a very costly one, that the Frenchman made. 5 A. Izzo - Struggled on a few occasions as he attempted to deal with Cuadrado when the Colombian cut in from the right, but towards the end the defender was one of Genoa’s standout players. 3 C. Ansaldi - Impressed down the right wing, where he always looked comfortable defensively and sent several dangerous crosses into the Juventus box. 30 L. Rigoni - Sat slightly deeper tan Dzemaili, which allowed the Swiss midfielder to push further forward, and was always there to frustrate the Juventus front line. 31 B. Džemaili - Looked bright going forward and impressed with his passing, resulting in him being one of Genoa's most dangerous players in the final third of the pitch. 18 J. Ntcham - Had a very quiet game in which he constantly found it difficult to get on the ball, and as a result he was replaced by Capel on the hour mark. 34 Gabriel Silva - Performed relatively well on his Genoa debut, although he found his attacking chances few and far between due to strong defending from the hosts. 19 L. Pavoletti - It was a difficult night for the striker, who looked good in the air on a few occasions but, overall, struggled to find any joy against Juventus’ determined back three. 11 A. Cerci - Was easily Genoa’s best and most creative player during the first half as he dictated the play well, but he was replaced by Suso early in the second half in an unusual substitution by Gasperini. Substitutes 17 Suso - Replaced Cerci and initially made a good impact as Genoa pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but the Spaniard found it increasingly difficult as Juventus started to sit deeper. 16 Capel - Came on for Ntcham and put in a decent shift at both ends of the pitch, although he was slightly reckless with his defending on a few occasions. 42 Matavz - NR http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Non stop Napoli and Juve Juventus squeezed past Genoa with a record-breaking 13th win on the bounce, but Simone Zaza saw red in a difficult game. http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/70044 Feb 3, 2016 The Bianconeri had already matched Antonio Conte’s club record 12 consecutive Serie A victories and were after a 13th, breathing down the necks of leaders Napoli, but had Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah and Giorgio Chiellini out injured. Genoa revamped over the transfer window, but had only ever won two of their 48 top flight trips to Turin, losing 37. Paulo Dybala drilled an angled drive just past the far post and Paul Pogba’s free kick whistled wide, but the Bianconeri struggled to make much of an impact. The breakthrough came when Juan Cuadrado cut in from the right, left Armando Izzo standing with a dummy and his cross-shot from a tight angle took a decisive deflection off Sebastien De Maio. Bad news for Juve, as Patrice Evra went off with a muscular problem before the break, while in general this was not a comfortable performance. The Bianconeri came out of the gate oddly distracted for the second half and within 30 seconds Alessio Cerci had forced a save out of Gigi Buffon. Simone Zaza came off the bench and with his first touch was sent clear on goal by Dybala only to fire straight at Perin. Juve’s injury problems got even worse when Martin Caceres was stretchered off in tears, visibly worried after he fell awkwardly. Perin smothered at Cuadrado’s feet and Dybala drilled off target, then De Maio was decisive to stop Zaza making the most of a Dybala assist. However, Zaza was shown a straight red card in stoppages for his completely mistimed tackle through the back of Izzo. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres (Rugani 63); Cuadrado, Padoin, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra (Alex Sandro 41); Morata (Zaza 54), Dybala Genoa: Perin; Munoz, De Maio, Izzo; Ansaldi, Rigoni, Dzemaili (Matavz 81), Ntcham (Capel 58); Gabriel Silva, Pavoletti, Cerci (Suso 54) Ref: Russo Sent off: Zaza 91 (J) http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA 1 - 0 Sebastian De Maio (30'-own goal) MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Juventus 1-0 Genoa: Bianconeri set new Serie A win record Max Allegri's in-form side picked up their 13th consecutive victory - their best ever streak in a single top-flight season - but remain two points behind league leaders Napoli. http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-genoa/2120600/report Feb 3, 2016 Juventus' 1-0 win over Genoa on Wednesday secured a record 13th consecutive Serie A victory, but Napoli's success against Lazio keeps the champions second in the race for the Scudetto. Juan Cuadrado - making his first league start since December 20 - was pivotal in the only goal of the game as his endeavour down the right led to a deflected cross deceiving Mattia Perin half an hour in. Sebastian De Maio was the unfortunate party credited with the own goal and, while his Genoa team-mates made life difficult for the hosts in spells, Gian Piero Gasperini's men remain without a win in Turin since 1991. Injuries in either half to Patrice Evra and Martin Caceres dampened a hard-fought win for Massimiliano Allegri as did substitute Simone Zaza's straight red card for a wild challenge on Armando Izzo. The Juve boss will likely be forced into changes for Sunday's clash with Frosinone, which comes ahead of Napoli's visit in 10 days. Having seen Sami Khedira join their injury list with a thigh complaint picked up against Chievo, Juve brought Simone Padoin, Cuadrado and Evra into their XI. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Alex Sandro dropped to the bench, while Alessio Cerci replaced Diego Perrotti following his move to Roma. Paulo Dybala had the best effort of the opening stages with a long-range strike flying wide of Perin's left-hand post 12 minutes in. Blerim Dzemaili then dragged a shot off target from a similar distance to prompt a strong spell of Genoa pressure that was punctured by Cuadrado's opener. The Colombian skipped past Izzo towards the byline before seeing his cross deflect off De Maio and past Perin to ease any nerves around the Juventus Stadium, with Napoli already 2-0 up in Rome. Alex Sandro was brought on for the injured Evra shortly before half-time and Juve were almost hauled level within a minute of the restart as a Cerci's drive was awkwardly dealt with by Gianluigi Buffon. Gasperini's men grew in confidence and had the better of the play before the hour mark, Allegri responding by replacing Alvaro Morata with Zaza eight minutes into the second half. The substitute should have doubled Juve's lead against the run of play with his first touch, but shot straight at Perin when played clean through on goal by Dybala. Genoa proved stubborn to break down and Juve were frustrated further with a second injury-enforced change after Caceres landed on his ankle inside the final 30 minutes. Zaza's mindless challenge on Izzo in the first minute of stoppage time made life harder for the hosts, but Juve - whose win set a record for consecutive league victories in a single season - had enough to see out the win as they remained two points behind Napoli. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Allegri non si spoglia causa il freddo.

Entrata dura di Zaza ma non era da rosso.

Cuadrado furbo come una volpe

JUVENTUS - GENOA - MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo HT 1-0: Juve squeeze past Genoa http://www.football-italia.net/79387/ht-juve-squeeze-past-genoa? Feb 3, 2016 Juan Cuadrado’s deflected cross-shot has given Juventus the half-time lead over Genoa, but Patrice Evra is injured. The Bianconeri had already matched Antonio Conte’s club record 12 consecutive Serie A victories and were after a 13th, breathing down the necks of leaders Napoli, but had Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah and Giorgio Chiellini out injured. Genoa revamped over the transfer window, but had only ever won two of their 48 top flight trips to Turin, losing 37. Paulo Dybala drilled an angled drive just past the far post and Paul Pogba’s free kick whistled wide, but the Bianconeri struggled to make much of an impact. The breakthrough came when Juan Cuadrado cut in from the right, left Armando Izzo standing with a dummy and his cross-shot from a tight angle took a decisive deflection off Sebastien De Maio. Bad news for Juve, as Patrice Evra went off with a muscular problem before the break, while in general this was not a comfortable performance. Juventus 1-0 Genoa (Half-Time) Scorers: De Maio og 30 (J) Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Cuadrado, Padoin, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra (Alex Sandro 41); Morata, Dybala Genoa: Perin; Munoz, De Maio, Izzo; Ansaldi, Rigoni, Dzemaili, Ntcham; Gabriel Silva, Pavoletti, Cerci Ref: Russo http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - GENOA - MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo Line-ups: Juventus-Genoa http://www.football-italia.net/79381/line-ups-juventus-genoa? Feb 3, 2016 Juventus aim for a new club record 13th consecutive victory as they host a completely revamped Genoa. It kicks off at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT. The Bianconeri are the form side in Serie A and breathing down the necks of leaders Napoli with only a two-point gap. This evening the Partenopei have a tricky test away to Lazio, so it’s the best opportunity yet to snatch top spot. Juve have won 12 Serie A games in a row, matching the club record set by Antonio Conte, so another tonight would make history. There are injury problems to deal with, as Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira and Kwadwo Asamoah are expected to be out for two to three weeks with muscular injuries. Giorgio Chiellini is also rested, but Mario Lemina returns to the bench after a lengthy absence. Alvaro Morata leads the attack, having ended his 20-game drought with four goals in his last two competitive outings, but there’s no rest for Paulo Dybala. Stefano Sturaro is also not 100 per cent fit, so Simone Padoin gets a rare nod. Genoa have completely revamped over the January transfer window, bringing in the likes of Suso, Alessio Cerci, Tim Matavz and Gabriel Silva - the latter getting his debut tonight. Leonardo Pavoletti is the focal point of Gian Piero Gasperini’s 3-4-3 formation, with Oliver Ntcham and Cristian Ansaldi encouraged to bomb forward. Genoa have only ever won two of their 48 Serie A trips to Juventus, drawing nine and losing 37. The most recent success in Turin was 1-0 back in January 1991, while the Grifone won just one of their last 13 meetings with the Bianconeri, home and away in all competition. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Cuadrado, Padoin, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Morata, Dybala Genoa: Perin; Munoz, De Maio, Izzo; Ansaldi, Rigoni, Dzemaili, Ntcham; Gabriel Silva, Pavoletti, Cerci http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Chiellini: ‘I’d sign Ibrahimovic’ http://www.football-italia.net/79362/chiellini-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99d-sign-ibrahimovic%E2%80%99? Feb 3, 2016 Giorgio Chiellini names Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the man he’d sign for Juventus, given the chance. The Bianconeri defender answered fan questions for Tuttosport, and was asked which players he’d like to bring to Turin. “So I have to steal a job from [Giuseppe] Marotta and [Fabio] Paratici?” Chellini considered. “Ok, if you want to do a bit of fantasy football I’d take Sergio Ramos [of Real Madrid] for the defence, and Marek Hamsik of Napoli for the midfield. “For the attack I’d look for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he’s a player who can change the balance of a team, I’d like to see him in the Juventus shirt again.” Chiellini was also asked whether it’s true he’d turned down wearing Gaetano Scirea’s number six shirt. “Yes, that’s true. He gave me the opportunity to have that number, but I don’t think it’d be right. It would be like desecrating a myth. It’s a matter of respect too, I didn’t want to do it. “Since I’ve been at Juventus I’ve always worn the number 3, so I preferred to keep that.” The centre-back comes up against some star names in training, who is the most difficult to play against? “Paul Pogba,” Chiellini replied. “The right word for him is impressive. You can see it in the game, obviously, but in training with less on his mind his class and the complete nature of his technical ability are even more evident.”

Serie A - 4^ Giornata Ritorno - 3-2-2016 (ore 20:45) JUVENTUS - GENOA - 4^ giornata di ritorno Mercoledí, 3 febbraio, 2016 - ore 20:45 Juventus Stadium, Torino Arbitro: Carmine Russo Confronti ufficiali 144 - 97 (Serie A) - 10 (Coppa Italia) - 33 (Campionato a gironi) - 2 (Campionato di guerra) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 78 - 58 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 11 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Campionato di guerra) - 1 (Serie B) Pareggi 30 - 20 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 7 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Serie B) Vittorie Genoa 36 - 19 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) - 15 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Campionato di guerra) Goals Juventus 281 - 199 (Serie A) - 22 (Coppa Italia) - 53 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Campionato di guerra) - 4 (Serie B) Goals Genoa 179 - 101 (Serie A) - 13 (Coppa Italia) - 60 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Campionato di guerra) - 2 (Serie B) Juventus - Genoa Serie A a Torino Confronti ufficiali 48 Vittorie Juventus 37 (L'ultima il 22.03.2015, 1-0) Pareggi 9 (L'ultimo il 26.01.2013, 1-1) Vittorie Genoa 2 (L'ultima il 20.01.1991, 0-1) Goals Juventus 121 Goals Genoa 40 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Genoa a Torino 11 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 11 Depetrini Teobaldo 9 Varglien I Mario 8 Foni Alfredo 8 Rava Pietro 8 Varglien II Giovanni 7 Borel II Felice Placido 6 Gabetto Guglielmo 6 Marocchi Giancarlo 6 Monti Luis Felipe 7 goals Hansen John 6 Gabetto Guglielmo 5 Baggio Roberto 4 Boniperti Giampiero 4 Borel II Felice Placido 4 Charles John William 4 Orsi Raimundo Bibiani 4 Vecchina Giovanni 3 Cesarini Renato 3 Del Piero Alessandro Ultimi confronti diretti 10.04.2011 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 3-2 22.10.2011 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 2-2 11.03.2012 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-0 16.09.2012 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 1-3 26.01.2013 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 1-1 27.10.2013 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 2-0 16.03.2014 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-1 29.10.2014 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 1-0 22.03.2015 Serie A Juventus-Genoa 1-0 20.09.2015 Serie A Genoa-Juventus 0-2 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 6 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Genoa 1 - Goals Juventus 16 - Goals Genoa 7 da juworld.net http://www.goal.com/it/tables/serie-a/13

Juve Champions League squad http://www.football-italia.net/79336/juve-champions-league-squad? Feb 2, 2016 Juventus named their Champions League squad for the knockout stages of the competition. Kwadwo Asamoah is included, but Simone Padoin and Mario Lemina are not. Juventus Champions League squad: Buffon, Neto, Audero; Chiellini, Caceres, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani, Lichtsteiner, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah, Sturaro, Pereyra, Hernanes; Cuadrado, Zaza, Morata, Mandzukic, Dybala

JUVENTUS - GENOA - MATCHDAY 23 Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Carmine Russo JUVENTUS VS GENOA MATCH PREVIEW http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-vs-genoa-match-preview-and-scouting/? Feb 2, 2016 Juventus In Verona, Juventus conquered the 12th win in a row in what was arguably the most dominant performance of the season. Bianconeri completely overmatched Chievo Verona, sliced at ease into the Flying Donkey’s patched defence and scored four goals, but they could have easily tallied at least a couple more. The team is humming right now. Seeing the game in person, I was particularly impressed with the majesty of Paul Pogba: the audience starts to buzz as soon as he has a little bit of space. He and Paulo Dybala make sweet music together when they combine in the final third. I would also say that Andrea Barzagli is the quickest slow player I have ever seen. To put things in perspective: it is true that Juventus won 12 games in a row also in the magical 2013/2014 season, but should this year’s should win one more, it would be second longest streak in Serie A history, trailing only to the 17-game one by Inter in 2006/2007. The Napoli game is obviously a big roadblock, but it is not unconceivable to think that this team can go that far. It would also be fitting, considering that we have smashed all kinds of records in the past four years. It is a midweek game and these match days are always kind of funky. We will see some rotations, but not too much. For instance, Massimiliano Allegri hinted that Claudio Marchisio, who missed time early in the season, is not really a player that benefits from resting: we might see him pulled out of the game after an hour when Juventus already secured it, but he will rarely be given a day off. Unfortunately, Sami Khedira has picked up another hamstring injury and will miss two or three weeks: Stefano Sturaro is the favourite to replace him, the alternative is using Hernanes as deep-lying midfielder and Marchisio as box-to-box. Roberto Pereyra has recovered, but he is not ready to contribute full-time, at least until he gets some playing time in one of those usual midweek friendlies. Mario Lemina is back in the squad list too, but probably in the same situation of the Argentinian midfielder. Giorgio Chiellini has not been called up and it is pretty strange since he was rested in the Chievo game too: hopefully they are just preserving him for Napoli and Bayern Munich and he has not suffered an injury. We will see whether Martin Caceres or Daniele Rugani will replace him. Juan Cuadrado and Patrice Evra should be the two wingbacks: it is the most draining position, so a strict rotation when you play thrice in a week makes a lot of sense. The coach stated that he will utilize all three his available strikers in the next matches: Simone Zaza will be given a chance to start, either against Genoa or Frosinone, replacing Paulo Dybala, because Alvaro Morata has not played that much this year and it would hurt him to bench him now that he has resumed scoring consistently. Probable lineup 3-5-2: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Cuadrado, Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Morata, Dybala. Injuries: Mandzukic (calf), Khedira (hamstring), Asamoah (hamstring). Suspended: None. Genoa Genoa are not having a good year: they got into a hole at the beginning of the season because of the injuries/suspensions of Diego Perotti and Leonardo Pavoletti and they are struggling to climb out of it. They have changed multiple lineups and schemes because they do not have all that talent at disposal and Gian Piero Gasperini will tinker until he finds something he fully likes. Quite often, the solution does not make sense at first but works in the long run. They have won twice and drawn twice in the last four, so they are in a good moment. Obviously, the departure of Perotti, their true leader and playmaker on the pitch, is untimely and the coach will have to find a new solution as 3-4-3 does not seem viable anymore. They have replaced the Argentinian winger with Suso and Alessio Cerci: while they have the skills and potential to do well at Genoa, they are both left-footed right winger, while Perotti played on the left. Diego Capel is the only natural left winger in the roster, but he is left-footed; Darko Lazovic, Diego Laxalt and Oliver Ntcham can play there too. Gasperini was already forced to come up with a solution for that role when Perotti missed some games, but none of the attempts was entirely satisfying. The reports suggest that against Juventus we might see an option that was briefly used against Fiorentina: Suso as advanced midfielder behind Alessio Cerci, deployed as second-striker, and the terrific Leonardo Pavoletti, who is their most obvious threat as he has scored ten goals in 15 match, one every 112 minutes. He reminds me of Luca Toni: he is not as big, but like the beloved Luca he is a late bloomer, a beast in the air and does all the dirty work. He is thriving in Gasperini’s system, which has always been very helpful for good centre-forwards. They will use a 3-4-1-2, with a very physical defence composed by Ezequiel Munoz, Nicolas Burdisso and Armando Izzo, even though Sebastien De Maio has a chance too. In the four-man midfield, Cristian Ansaldi will play on the right despite being a pure left-back, but he has already performed at the high levels there, and Diego Laxalt, a true revelation for them, on the left. Usually the two starting midfielder are Blerin Dzemaili and Tomas Rincon, but we might see a little of rotation, with the newcomer Luca Rigoni in for one of the two. The formation can quickly turn into a 4-3-3, with Izzo as right-back, Ansaldi as left-back and Laxalt as box-to-box midfielder. A more defensive option would feature Laxalt as offensive winger and three pure midfielder. They do not have any absence due to injuries or disqualifications. Gasperini’s team usually do not sit back and welcome the pressure, they play a proactive style. Nonetheless, they are fielding a very muscular squad, so we can expect a pretty tough game, especially if Juventus does not score early. Probable lineup 3-4-1-2: Perin; Munoz, Burdisso, Izzo; Ansaldi, Rincon, Rigoni, Laxalt; Suso; Cerci, Pavoletti. Injuries: None. Suspended: None. Formation http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Juventus midfielder Khedira suffers thigh tear & could miss Bayern clash The 28-year-old is set for a short spell on the sidelines after picking up a problem during the win over Chievo on Sunday. http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/02/02/19932942/-? Feb 2, 2016 Juventus have confirmed they will be without midfielder Sami Khedira for the next two to three weeks due to a torn thigh muscle. News of the injury immediately places Khedira's participation in Juve's Champions League last-16 first leg on February 23 against Bayern Munich into doubt. Khedira's time at Juve has been marred by a series of injury problems. The 28-year-old has only made 15 appearances since arriving from Real Madrid at the start of the campaign. It had appeared the worst of his issues were behind him after seven starts in Juve's last 10 matches in all competitions, however he will not feature against Genoa on Wednesday. "Absent from tomorrow's match at Juventus Stadium is Sami Khedira," a statement read. "After reporting continued discomfort in his right thigh after the game against Chievo, the midfielder underwent a series of medical tests. "These revealed a torn adductor longus muscle which is expected to keep Khedira sidelined for two to three weeks."