Socrates

REAL MADRID V BARCELONA FOR PAUL POGBA http://www.juvefc.com/real-madrid-v-barcelona-for-paul-pogba/? Jan 13, 2016 Real Madrid will go head-to-head with rivals Barcelona in a bid to sign Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. …At least that’s according AS. The Spanish sports daily believes new Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane wants his fellow Frenchman at Real and has made him their number 1 priority. If they do have intentions of signing the 22-year-old, they’ll have to go up against long time admirers and arch-rivals Barcelona, who have already made a bid for the player as recently as last summer. For now, it’s all just paper-talk and that amounts to precious little in the real-world. Why mention it i hear you ask? Well mainly so that I could recap that Pogba said just a day ago: “I’m at Juventus, and I’m happy.” Will he remain another season? It’s difficult to say. He only ever speaks in the highest regards when he discusses the club and his teammates. He’s adored by the supporters, he’s become a mainstay of the starting XI and he’s still got so much to offer. At the same time, the Barcelona’s and Real’s of this world will always attract the best players because of what they can offer. They have the money, they each have teams full of superstars and they generally tend to win something every season. Contrast this with Beppe Marotta reiterating at every opportunity that our players are not for sale, no matter how much is offered, along with how much emphasis we’re placing on building a team for the future. Surely Pogba would be an integral part of that? What can €100m buy you when you already have a strong squad coupled with having deals in place for the most promising young talent around Italy? Speaking personally, my hope is that we turn down the money and keep young Paul at the club for many years to come, provided that’s what he wants as well. After years in the doldrums, we’ve finally built something that’s worth keeping together. A team that understands one another on the pitch, while off the pitch, the President and his directors are doing sterling work to grow the brand while planting the seeds for the future. Transfer rumours….they’re the bane of any websites existence. They’ll get you the hits but they rarely stand up to any scrutiny. Anyway, i digress. Here’s a poll for you to participate in: Where will Pogba be heading to in the summer? Real Madrid to jon Zidanes revolution 19% Barcelona to play alongside Messi 29% Nowhere, he's happy at Juve and he'll stay 52% Votes 112

Rummenigge rekindles talk of European super league The Bayern Munich president insists that top clubs from Europe's elite divisions could unite to form a super league, comprising the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. http://www.goal.com/en/news/725/bundesliga/2016/01/13/19308192/-? Jan 13, 2016 Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has rekindled the idea of creating a European super league involving the elite teams from the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1. Such a competition was previously put forward by the now-disbanded G14 group of Europe's top clubs, and Rummenigge, chairman of its replacement the European Club Association, has raised the proposal once again. The Bayern executive believes the growing superiority of a handful of sides in their respective countries means such a proposition is a distinct possibility in the future. "You can't rule out that, in the future, we could create a European league with the major clubs from Italy, Germany, England, Spain and France, under the umbrella of UEFA or a private organisation," Rummenigge said. "It would be a competition with 20 teams and perhaps we would play some matches in America and Asia. "The best teams are becoming stronger and stronger in relation to others in the main leagues and another league is in fact already being born beyond the Champions League." And Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has backed Rummenigge, citing the possibility to increase revenue as a motivating factor. "The Champions League is worth €1.5billion in television rights compared to almost €7billion for the NFL. However, market studies show that of the two billion sports fans worldwide, 1.6billion are football fans with American football accounting for just 150million fans," he said. "This must make people think about the untapped potential regarding the format of current football competitions."

Bonucci: ‘Sarri playing mind games’ http://www.football-italia.net/78308/bonucci-%E2%80%98sarri-playing-mind-games%E2%80%99? Jan 13, 2016 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci believes Napoli Coach Maurizio Sarri calling them Scudetto favourites is “a bit of a mind game”. The Bianconeri have climbed to second place in the table, but remain two points behind the Partenopei at the half-way point of the season. Despite this, the Vesuviani Coach insists that the Old Lady “are better placed to win the Scudetto”, but Bonucci is taking those words with a pinch of salt. “It’s a bit of a mind game,” the centre-back told Sky. “It’s a way or releasing the pressure that builds up with a fanbase like Napoli’s, which comes when they’re up there at the top of the table. “So they try to put it on other teams, first it was Inter, now Juventus. It’s normal for us, but we’re aware that this League is wide open until the last day. “On our side, we have the desire to get into the history of Juventus, winning a fifth Scudetto in a row. “It will definitely be difficult, because the League is wide open and Inter, Fiorentina and Napoli are well-equipped.”

Neto: ‘I was happy in Florence’ http://www.football-italia.net/78294/neto-%E2%80%98i-was-happy-florence%E2%80%99? Jan 13, 2016 Juventus goalkeeper Neto says ‘I was happy in Florence’ but praises the Bianconeri’s ‘winning mentality.’ The Brazil international was heavily criticised by Viola supporters after moving to their bitter rivals last summer. However, the 26-year-old has only made one appearance for the Old Lady since making the move, as he plays second fiddle to Gianluigi Buffon. “In Florence they called me a mercenary and they all hated me when I decided not to renew,” Neto said to ESPN. “I didn’t leave my house to avoid people bothering me, even though after being excluded from the team and then recalled the public had to applaud me because I helped Fiorentina. “When I decided to leave I always showed that I didn’t have anything against the club or the city. “I was happy in Florence and only decided to leave because I wanted to change my life. “Juventus? They were the club that showed the most interest in me, the Bianconeri have a winning mentality which is perfect for my personality.”

Agnelli: Juventus Are Like Bayern Munich http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/01/agnelli-juventus-are-like-bayern-munich/? Jan 13, 2016 Juventus president Andrea Agnelli vowed that the club has grand ambitions for the future as it continues to compete on three fronts during the 2015-16 season. The Bianconeri believe that they can learn lessons from Bayern Munich as they look to the future. “The first thing [bayern ceo Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge made me understand was that we are capable of competing at an international level after our defeat in the Champions League final,” said Agnelli to reporters at an event held by Bocconi University. “We are in a similar position to what they were in after they lost to Inter in 2010. “There are moments in which you can lose the will to compete but you have to start again from that point.” The FIAT board member also promised that the Old Lady will be run in a financially responsible manner. “I’ve been here for six years now and every decision has been taken with Financial Fair Play in mind,” Agnelli went on. “They have been six intense years as we aimed to get Juventus competing again which took financial and human resources. “The European royalty is made up of Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona and then you have sides such as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City who have grown in a slightly unnatural way and everyone else is behind them. “We have great ambitions and the next five years will be difficult but we are looking ahead with great enthusiasm.”

Zidane wants Pogba at Real? http://www.football-italia.net/78285/zidane-wants-pogba-real? Jan 13, 2016 New Real Madrid Coach Zinedine Zidane is determined to challenge Barcelona for Juventus’ Paul Pogba, say Spanish reports. Former Juve player Zidane took over from Rafa Benitez at the Santiago Bernabeu this month and is believed to want Pogba to follow in his footsteps by moving to Spain. Spanish outlet AS writes today that Zidane wants his compatriot to be his first ‘Galactico’ signing, despite Barcelona’s long-time interest in the midfielder. Pogba is valued at around €100m and the report says that this would be more of an issue for Barca than it would be for Real, who spent a similar figure on Gareth Bale in 2013. However, the newspaper points to Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola as a possible stumbling block for the Merengues. They believe that Raiola was offended when Carlo Ancelotti discarded the possibility of signing Pogba while Madrid coach, responding by saying: “We don’t want him to sign with a team like Real Madrid. They treat players as if they were towels; they use them and then throw them away.” Pogba’s contract at Juve runs until 2019 and the Bianconeri will not let him go easily, but he appears set to be at the centre of a bidding war between the two La Liga giants.

RUMOURS: Zidane wants to beat Barca to Pogba The French coach wants his compatriot to be his first big signing at Real Madrid, but faces competition from Catalonia to land the Juventus midfielder. http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2016/01/13/19282182/-? Jan 13, 2016 Zinedine Zidane wants to make Paul Pogba his first galactico signing at Real Madrid, according to reports in AS. The new head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu made the switch from Juventus to the Spanish capital himself in 2001 and now wants his fellow Frenchman to follow in his footsteps. However, it will not be a straight forward deal, as Barcelona are also keen on the midfielder. Ariedo Braida and Albert Soler fronted a delegation from the Catalan club which travelled to Turin last summer to talk with Juve about Pogba. At the time they were under a transfer ban, so were unable to push the deal through, while the club are also struggling to pay what the Serie A side want for the 22-year-old. Zidane has always spoken highly of Pogba, who in return has always admired the man who won the World Cup and European Championships with France. Madrid’s problem is that their relationship with the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, broke down when Carlo Ancelotti ruled out a move for Pogba last summer. AS add, though, that Los Blancos would be happy to make up with Raiola in order to fulfil Zidane’s request and get one over on Barca. Pogba, who was named in the FIFPro Team of the Year earlier this week at the Ballon d’Or gala, has a contract with Juventus until 2019.

Rummenigge: 'Juve found form' http://www.football-italia.net/78270/rummenigge-juve-found-form? Jan 12, 2016 Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge “would’ve preferred to face Juventus a few months ago.” The two giants face off in the Champions League Round of 16 and Juve are on a run of nine consecutive Serie A victories. “It will be a difficult test, we know that, and we’ve been following their progress since the draw,” Rummenigge told reporters at an event in Milan. “Now they are on the right track. We have a lot of respect for Juventus, but no fear. The draw was bad for both teams and it’s a shame to see one go out so early. “Seeing the table and how they have climbed back up, I can’t help but think I would’ve preferred to face Juventus a few months ago. It could’ve been quite different. “Paulo Dybala is a great buy, and the same goes for Mario Mandzukic.” Former Inter midfielder Rummenigge always keeps a close eye on Serie A. “Inter can still win the Scudetto. There are three sides challenging for the title, Napoli, Juventus and Inter. The Nerazzurri have done quite well, it’s a shame they lost to Sassuolo, but these things can happen.”

Agnelli: ‘Juventus balancing act’ http://www.football-italia.net/78253/agnelli-%E2%80%98juventus-balancing-act%E2%80%99? Jan 12, 2016 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has “great ambition” but the club respects Financial Fair Play. A round-table meeting about FFP is taking place today in Milan, and the Bianconeri patron gave his thoughts to journalists on his arrival. “We hope you understand that for us we can return to competing in Europe after the defeat in the Champions League final,” Agnelli explained. “There are times where it could seem like you lose that desire, but on the contrary that’s what we have to start from. “I’ve been at Juve for six years, any action taken at my club is taken with Financial Fair Play in mind. “It’s up to those in charge to combine the need to win with the need to follow the rules. It’s been six intense years. “The goal was to make Juve competitive both nationally and internationally, and to do this you need human and financial resources. “I was fortune to have met Giuseppe Marotta, and with him [Fabio] Paratici and [Pavel] Nedved. “The four realities in Europe are Bayern [Munich], Real [Madrid], Barcelona and [Manchester] United. “The other realities are hard to analyse, there’s PSG [Paris Saint-Germain] and [Manchester] City whose growth hasn’t been entirely organic. “The others are all two steps below. We have great ambition, and the next five years will be the hard part, but we’re looking forward with great enthusiasm.”

Pogba denies saying he wants Barcelona transfer The French midfielder is focused on Juventus at the moment, but says wants to be better than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the future. http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2016/01/12/19251952/-? Jan 12, 2016 Paul Pogba has denied he wants to join Barcelona, but spoke of his desire to one day surpass Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Juventus midfielder was named in the 2015 FIFPro World XI after helping the Serie A outfit win the Scudetto, Coppa Italia, and reach the Champions League final. Pogba was present in Zurich on Monday as Messi won a record fifth Ballon d'Or crown, finishing in front of Real Madrid's Ronaldo. The 22-year-old said a goal of his is to finish ahead of the two in the future, but claimed he's never said he wanted to sign for Barca. "I've never said that," he told reporters in Zurich. "Right now I am playing with Juventus." On his lofty ambitions, he continued: "Maybe one day I can be among the three finalists. My biggest goal is to win the Ballon d'Or, but there are a lot of other candidates. "I used to watch Messi and Ronaldo on TV and played with them on the Playstation - now I am close to them. "But my objective is not just to be close to them, I want to be better than them one day. It is all about putting in the work. I have to keep working hard and maybe I will get there."

Pogba: ‘Happy at Juventus’ http://www.football-italia.net/78249/pogba-%E2%80%98happy-juventus%E2%80%99? Jan 12, 2016 Paul Pogba declares “I”m at Juventus and I’m happy” but would like to play with Lionel Messi. The midfielder was named in the FIFPro World XI at last night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, and spoke to L’Equipe about his future. “It’s an honour to be compared to such big stars,” Pogba acknowledged. “I’m at Juventus, and I’m happy. The biggest goal is to win the Ballon d’Or one day, and being in the XI is an honour for me. “I’ll work to at least be among the three finalists for the Ballon d’Or, but there are many great players ahead of me and I’m a midfielder, not a striker…” “Neymar? He’s a great striker, a great player. He had a great year. I was watching these guys [Neymar, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo] on TV, I played as them on the Playstation, now I’m alongside them. “My goal is not just to be next to them, it’s to play on the same level or exceed them, that’s the goal.” Despite affirming his happiness in Turin, the French international admitted he’d like to play alongside Barcelona star Messi. “He’s a fantastic player, and as with all great players, I’d like to play with him.”

Agent: ‘Sturaro rumours true’ http://www.football-italia.net/78241/agent-%E2%80%98sturaro-rumours-true%E2%80%99? Jan 12, 2016 Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro’s agent says reports of English interest ‘are all true’ and that Chelsea wanted him under Jose Mourinho. It emerged today that Southampton have had a €17m bid for the Italy Under-21 international turned down, with Crystal Palace also interested. Agent Carlo Volpi revealed today that interest runs deeper than those reports, with six Italian clubs wanting the midfielder on loan. “The rumours coming from England are all true, there are a lot of teams interested in Stefano, especially thanks to the matches Juventus played against Manchester City in the Champions League,” Volpi said to Tuttomercatoweb. “But Juve have turned down all of them, rejecting every approach for the player. “€17m? The figures could be more or less true, let’s not forget that in England a second-tier team has economic resources that are extremely higher than those in Italy, for example. “In Serie A we’ve had interest from six clubs, all intending to ask for him on loan. But in England there was also Chelsea, but everything fell apart after Mourinho was sacked. “The Special One followed Stefano’s development with great interest. But Juventus took him off the market. Juve were the first to be intrigued by the growth of the player, they want to see how far he can go. “Sturaro is totally focused on his work. He wants to show he’s an important player for Juventus and he’s happy in Turin.”

Saints rejected for Sturaro? http://www.football-italia.net/78236/saints-rejected-sturaro? Jan 12, 2016 English reports say Southampton and Crystal Palace are battling to sign Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro. The Daily Mirror writes that Saints have had a £12.7m (€17m) bid rejected for the 22-year-old as they look to replace unsettled midfielder Victor Wanyama. The outlet also believes that fellow Premier League outfit Palace are interested in the Italy Under-21 international. Sturaro has scored one goal in 11 league appearances for the Bianconeri this season and moved to Turin from Genoa in February 2015 for around €5m.

Pogba signs... a Barcelona shirt?! The midfielder has long been linked with a Juventus exit, with Barcelona thought to interested, but the 22-year-old insisted talk of the Ballon d'Or incident meant nothing. http://www.goal.com/en/news/13712/extra-time/2016/01/12/19245462/-? Jan 12, 2016 Has Paul Pogba hinted that he is interested in signing for Barcelona?! Well, perhaps not, but the Juventus star uploaded a video of himself signing his autograph on a Barcelona shirt at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony, where he was named alongside four Barca and four Real Madrid stars in the FifPro World XI. Pogba has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou with his future in Serie A expected to come to a head in the summer as the list of admirers - reportedly including the likes of Manchester City - continues to grow. "I hope one day I can win the Ballon d'Or, but there's a lot of work to be done," Pogba told Mediaset in Zurich. "I hope to continue like this, and today is a great victory when I think about where I started. "I'm happy for myself, but even more for all the people who helped me get to this stage." But, how about penning your name across the Catalan club's colours, Paul? "It did not mean anything," he insisted.

Juve want Evra extension http://www.football-italia.net/78232/juve-want-evra-extension? Jan 12, 2016 Patrice Evra is reportedly set to be offered a one-year contract extension by Juventus. The 34-year-old’s current deal is due to expire in June and there is believed to be interest in him from France and England. Tuttosport reports today that the left-back’s representatives will meet Juve directors soon to discuss a new deal, with a one-year extension until 2017 likely. The Frenchman is believed to want to stay in Turin and is considered one of the most influential players in the Bianconeri dressing room. Evra has scored one goal in 15 Serie A appearances this season despite competition from summer signing Alex Sandro.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM IN BAYERN PAIRING http://www.juvefc.com/reasons-optimism-bayern-pairing/? Jan 11, 2016 On December 15, in the exhilarating aftermath of the Champions League round of 16 draw, we wrote a piece explaining that playing Bayern Munich may just be a blessing in disguise—not a curse or condemnation, but rather an opportunity. I stand energetically by this outlook. Juve is a top European club, perhaps the slightest tier below Barcelona and Bayern (but then, so is everybody else). We should relish the chance to prove our strength against a club expected by many to wind up in the final. This is the chance the make a statement. I’m also supremely confident that the team will adopt a similar outlook. The 2015-16 edition of Juve has already shown some resilience and pride in battling back from a very rough start in Serie A, and now there’s every expectation we’ll be competing once again for the domestic title. Because of the slow start, one can argue we have an unusual capacity for improvement among top clubs, whereas the likes of Barca, Bayern, and even teams like Real Madrid, PSG, and the top Premier League contenders may already be flashing their best form of the campaign. But I also believe there are a few more specific reasons for optimism heading into the Bayern matches (the first of which is in Turin on February 23). For one thing, as noted in the aforementioned article, competitive energy is worth considering, and in that sense it may truly be a bit of good fortune that we’ll be playing Bayern so soon as opposed to in a deeper round. Presumably Bayern will still be at least partially focused on keeping Borussia Dortmund off their back come February, which means they won’t be coasting in domestic play and focusing their energies entirely on Juve. That’s not to say they’ll be at a disadvantage, of course, but logically speaking it’s better to play a great team that has to divide its energy than one squarely focused on a single task. Any club that hopes to win the UCL in 2016 is going to have to beat Bayern, Barca, or both along the way, so I’d say it’s better to get the job done now. Looking for other signs of optimism (hey, I’ve had a month to turn the draw over in my head and scour the depths of the Internet in search of interesting facts and trends), I’ve also come across an intriguing little bit of trivia that may interest the superstitious among Juve supporters. According to an overview on Champions League betting methods, every UCL winner since 2012 finished as a runner-up in the previous domestic campaign. Now, the unsettling thing is that this would count both Bayern and Juve out of contention, as they’re defending domestic champions (look out for Wolfsburg and Roma though!). But more interestingly, the trend seems to indicate that it’s the hungrier teams among contenders that have been finding success of late in UCL play. And given their relative places in European football, it’s hard to envision Bayern being hungrier or more motivated than Juve. For perhaps a more relevant take on the coming matches, I also took some comfort in the German side’s reaction to the pairing. Here I’ll point out to anybody that might have missed it that Barcelona’s star players were reportedly laughing and crying with joy when the round of 16 draw revealed that they’d be playing Arsenal. I honestly can’t imagine a more disrespectful reaction to a draw. While the argument can be made that Barca provided the Gunners with some strong motivation, the clearer take on the report is that Barcelona knows it can handle Arsenal. These are professionals, and they’ve all been through upsets and stunning outcomes. They’re not going to be that condescending unless they’re damn sure they can back it up. By contrast, Bayern’s stars as well as manager Pep Guardiola reacted with caution and respect toward Juve when the pairing was announced. Guardiola suggested it might be a “50/50” match-up, and Philipp Lamm and Thomas Muller praised Juve as a top European club and a clever side. Now, I’m certainly not writing to tell you that a few Bayern players confirmed that Juventus is in fact a good football team so we can all relax and take pride. But there’s a clear tone on the Bayern side suggesting they’re a little bit wary of this pairing. It’s by no means a sign of weakness, but personally I’d rather see these types of reactions than the mockery of Barcelona. But more than any of these factors, I see one primary reason for optimism, and it’s entirely to do with the future of Bayern Munich. Recently, Pep Guardiola confirmed his desire to coach in England, which means he’ll be leaving Bayern this summer when his contract expires. I’m just not sure how you deal with that if you play for the man. It would be one thing if he were simply retiring; players could band together and play inspired football to help send him out on a high note. But Guardiola’s desire to coach in the Premier League sounds more like abandonment and could even signal the end of an era at Bayern (not that the club doesn’t have the talent to remain among the best in Europe). I don’t mean to suggest that things will get nasty in Munich. By most indications, there remains mutual respect between Guardiola and his players. Furthermore, European footballers tend to understand the business side of things and the high turnover rate for both players and managers. There won’t be any sort of collapse or lack of ambition on the Bayern side due to this news. But I still have to believe it’s a great challenge for a team to retain the same levels of unity and cohesion in the face of such a monumental change. Ultimately, this is all just a call to optimism. Take each of these ideas and suggestions lightly, because not one of them is a decisive stone slamming the scale down in support of Juve. But I do believe each is a small pebble tilting things toward the “50/50” status Guardiola alluded to, and with that mindset our club has the ability to make it work on the field.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba named to FIFPro World XI http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/1/11/10750412/juventus-midfielder-paul-pogba-named-to-fifpro-world-xi Jan 11, 2016 A few weeks back, some people complained about Paul Pogba being in the No. 11 spot in The Guardian's Top 100 Footballers in 2015 list. That was the elite of the elite, a group in which is reserved for a selection of players that those people felt the 22-year-old midfielder might not have broken into just yet despite his insane amount of talent. I wonder what they're saying now. Pogba, in his flashy gold tuxedo jacket, was named to the FIFPro World XI for the first time in his career Monday night in Zurich. In a squad otherwise filled with players from Barcelona and Real Madrid, Pogba was the only representative from the other team that played in the Champions League final back at the beginning of June. "It's an honour for me to be here and I hope that it won't be the last time. This year the European Championships are in France. Hopefully we'll win them in front of our home support again like in the past." (Source: juventus.com) Here is the rest of the starting XI for the FIFPro squad, as voted on by more than 20,000 professional footballers from around the world. FIFA.com ✔ @FIFAcom Here are the stars voted in to make up the FIFA/@FIFPro World XI You can squabble about the merits of some of those that joined Pogba. Lord knows there's probably another Juventus player or two — cough cough Leonardo Bonucci cough cough Gianluigi Buffon cough cough — that deserved at least serious consideration to be included in the team above. But, because Barcelona and Real Madrid dominate these things every year, it's no surprise to see eight of the 11 starting spots go to players from Barca/Madrid/La Liga. But Juventus got their much-deserved representation in Pogba, who will certainly be appearing on this list time and time again if he continues to go on the same career arc that he's currently riding. He will continue to become one of the best and most well-known players in the world, he will continue to dab after goals he and/or his teammates score and he will go on to win more and more awards because he's just that damn good. And he's a Juventus player first and foremost. That's a pretty nice thing to say. Oh yeah, this also happened before Pogba left the building. Yes, Andrea Agnelli is the president of Juventus. When you got him dabbing, you know you're doing something right.

Pogba in World XI http://www.football-italia.net/78220/pogba-world-xi? Jan 11, 2016 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been named in the FIFPro World XI for 2015. The French midfielder helped the Bianconeri to a domestic double and the Champions League final, and was included in the team of the year at today’s Ballon d’Or ceremony. Pogba is the only Serie A representative in the team, with Manuel Neuer beating teammate Gianluigi Buffon to the goalkeeping spot. No Italian players made the final cut, with Marco Verratti, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Pirlo having been on the original shortlist along with Buffon. The three final candidates for the Ballon d'Or, Lionel Messi and Neymar of Barcelona and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo take the attacking slots. FIFPro World XI 2015: Neuer; Marcelo, Silva, Ramos, Alves; Iniesta, Modric, Pogba; Neymar, Messi Ronaldo

Muted Messi outshone by Pogba on Ballon d'Or red carpet There were no burgundy tuxedos nor polka dots on display from the four-time winner this time round, and his plain black threads were no match for the Juventus star's unique look. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/4160/extra-time/2016/01/11/19219202/-? Jan 11, 2016 Lionel Messi usually grabs all the attention on the Ballon d'Or red carpet, but this year the Barcelona star has been outdone by the outlandish Paul Pogba in Zurich. The Argentine is known for his rather unorthodox fashion sense when it comes to awards tuxedos, and has sported everything from a fetching burgundy number to polka dots in previous years. But for the 2015 ceremony, he picked a standard black outfit which was elegant rather than eye-catching. It was Juventus star Pogba, however, who captured all the gazes with a sparkling black and gold effort, taking Messi's crown as the Ballon d'Or's most extravagant dresser. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen It's a family affair as @paulpogba is joined by his mother in Zurich.

Chiellini Praises Serie A Table-Toppers Napoli http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/01/chiellini-praises-serie-a-table-toppers-napoli/? Jan 11, 2016 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has stated that Serie A leaders Napoli are currently the most organised of the teams battling for the title. The Bianconeri extended their winning run in Serie A to nine games with a 2-1 win over Sampdoria at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday, with their last defeat dating back to late October. “The defeat against Sassuolo [last defeat before the run] was like a wake-up call, we didn’t have a great start to the season,” he told Sky Sport. “The players had the desire to bounce back and perform; last season we had four of the best midfielders in Europe in [Andrea] Pirlo [who now plays for New York City FC], [Arturo] Vidal [now plays for Bayern Munich], [Claudio] Marchisio, and [Paul] Pogba – we don’t have that anymore. “The coach tries to set out the best team regardless. “The spat with [Leonardo] Bonucci? We enjoy a special partnership, it’s been going on for four years – we embraced after that, everything is fine. “Serie A title race? Napoli are the most organised team, but we only think about ourselves.” Chiellini concluded by praising youngster Daniele Rugani, squashing rumours that the young defender will leave the Juventus Stadium. “Rugani is slowly being integrated into the line-up, I’ve read some clubs are interested but he’s not going anywhere.

Paul Pogba has been dabbing around the world After introducing the soccer world to the dab, Paul Pogba took the dance on a global tour. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/1/11/10745736/paul-pogba-has-been-dabbing-around-the-world Jan 11, 2016 A few months ago, NFL quarterback Cam Newton of my hometown Carolina Panthers introduced the dab dance to the world in spectacular fashion, trolling the Tennessee Titans not once, not twice but four times in the same touchdown celebration. Since then, the dab has spread like wildfire, from tiny children to old ladies, and now it's hit the footballing world. Paul Pogba was the first to hit his dab after scoring the winner against Carpi on December 20th. He soon brought his new bestie Paulo Dybala in on the action and enlisted Pavel Nedved's help to create possibly the most legendary dab photo we've seen to date. Since then, Paul has gone on a dab rampage. During the Serie A winter break he hit Dubai to dab with Leo Messi. He then hopped back over to Italy to kick it with Mario Balotelli and hit yet another legendary dab, despite some questionable fashion choices on both of their parts. Pogboom even unveiled a brand new dab haircut, further outlining his commitment to the dab cause. Paul Pogba ✔ @paulpogba Back to work Dab team is back #pogboom#JuveVerona#juventusfc The Pogdab influence has permeated Juve, with Bonucci even getting in on the action after a commanding 3-0 win over Hellas Verona. Paul Pogba ✔ @paulpogba First game of the year well done guys #dab team#dydy#leo#pogba In Sunday night's match against Sampdoria, Pogba scored yet another beautiful goal and followed it with yet another in-game and post-game dab. I guess you could say it's lit. Cam Newton owns the dab in football, and Paul Pogba owns it in calcio. When will the Pogdab be unveiled again? Let's hope soon. My sincere wish is that he scores so many goals this season we get to see it every game, and opposing fans hate it more than they already do. It's a win-win scenario IMO.

http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie-a/2016/01/10-7436382/sampdoria-juventus_le_immagini_della_partita/#1 http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/HgyffRXxwbZ/UC+Sampdoria+v+Juventus+FC+Serie/o2HLgG0WKBJ

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Paul Pogba (17') Sami Khedira (46') Antonio Cassano (64') MATCHDAY 19 Sunday, January 10th, 2016 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris (Marassi) Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni North and South mix fantasy with reality Napoli smash Frosinone to go top, Juventus continue to climb and Inter fall in an incredible game at San Siro, writes Richard Hall. http://www.football-italia.net/78203/north-and-south-mix-fantasy-reality? Jan 11, 2016 “I was delighted to find out the Napoli result and I am so pleased that they are winter champions,” These were the words of Diego Maradona according to Sky Sport Italia, he was speaking of his admiration and hope for his former team after their result against Frosinone this weekend. Whilst the former Napoli star has openly said that he misjudged Maurizio Sarri, he also will be aware that, with the best will in the world, the looming shadow of Juventus cannot be ignored. The Neapolitans have been the neutrals dream this season and the reason why was exhibited with style against Frosinone on Sunday. It was Maurizio Sarri’s birthday and what better present could there have been other than the 1-5 thrashing they handed out? This made them winter champions for the first time in 26 years. Gonzaolo Higuain got a brace and Marek Hamsik got on the score sheet but the goal of the game came from Manolo Gabbiadini with a fantastic curling strike. Sarri’s men are now two points clear at the top of Serie A. As far as comebacks go, the story of Juventus is simply incredible. The fact that only had one point after the first three games left many predicting at best that this would be a year of transition. Not so it seems as the win on Sunday night in Genoa against Sampdoria was their ninth in a row. Despite taking a 2-0 lead through Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira, the home side fought back through Antonio Cassano and could have levelled had Fernando been more composed. The Turin giants are now into second and are seemingly coming for the Neapolitans. All of Milan was talking about Andrea Consigli after the game had ended between Inter and Sassuolo at San Siro. His seemingly endless battle with Adem Ljajic captivated all who watched Sunday’s early kick off as Sassuolo beat the Nerazzurri in an incredible match. Samir Handanovic must also go away with tremendous credit as this ‘game of the goalkeepers’ saw both custodians excel. The match was won with a late penalty, converted by Domenico Berardi, that leaves Inter shell shocked and down to third. Saturday night through up a clash between two of Serie A’s Jekyll and Hyde clubs at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The Giallorossi had taken an early lead but this did prompt Milan into fighting back with some character. The equaliser came courtesy of Juraj Kucka but the draw does little to help either coach and both their jobs still hang in the balance. Fiorentina had hoped to keep their Scudetto hopes alive and kicking as they welcomed an erratic Lazio to the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Keita Balde Diao put the visitors ahead on the stroke of half time and this score line would remain until the 92nd minute when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored Lazio’s second and seemingly put the game to bed. Not so however, as moments later Fiorentina pulled a goal back before the Aquile finally put the last nail in the Viola’s coffin on the 96th minute of the match, 1-3 the final score. Late goals were also in fashion in Bergamo as Atalanta conceded two in the last 11 minutes but add to their woes. The home side have lost three on the rot but the Grifone eventually have something to celebrate as they put an end to their five straight defeats. Roberto Donadoni’s Bologna could not follow up on their victory against Milan last when they faced a resolute Chievo. Simone Pepe’s goal gave the away team the victory but the Rossoblu will rue missing a penalty. Elsewhere Udinese’s good run of form ended as they fell to an aggressive display from Carpi. The hosts won the game 2-1 but in truth they could have won by more had their finishing been up to scratch. Torino fans were unhappy with Fabio Quagliarella before the game against Empoli for his ‘apology’ celebration the week before against Napoli. This negativity seemed to transfer onto the pitch as they went down 0-1 thanks to a goal from Massimo Maccarone. Finally a winless Hellas welcomed a troubled Palermo to Verona in what seemed to be a game of the damned. Palermo captain Stefano Sorrentino confirmed the team is at war with Coach Davide Ballardini and said simply “He isn’t speaking to us.” Despite this the Sicilians managed to heap more misery on Hellas as they recorded a win thanks to a goal from Franco Vazquez. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Paul Pogba (17') Sami Khedira (46') Antonio Cassano (64') MATCHDAY 19 Sunday, January 10th, 2016 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris (Marassi) Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus Win Against Sampdoria Despite Struggles of Alvaro Morata and Hernanes http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2606693-juventus-win-against-sampdoria-despite-struggles-of-alvaro-morata-and-hernanes? Jan 11, 2016 Juventus travelled to Genoa on Sunday night to face Sampdoria, the visitors armed with the knowledge a win would see them climb into second place in the Serie A table. Losses for Inter and Fiorentina meant that the weekend's results had fallen perfectly for the Bianconeri, and a 2-1 victory saw them capitalise. It was far from a straightforward result, however, with Sampdoria looking particularly dangerous after Antonio Cassano scored with a little over 25 minutes remaining. It also saw the away side begin nervously, with Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri forced to make some changes that were ultimately to blame for their stuttering display. Marco Luzzani/Getty Images The coach went into the game without a number of key figures, with Andrea Barzagli and Mario Mandzukic injured while Claudio Marchisio sat out because of a one-game suspension for his accumulation of yellow cards. Having seen Martin Caceres given the nod against Hellas Verona in midweek, it was a relief to see promising young defender Daniele Rugani take his place in the starting XI here. The 21-year-old showed why he is so highly regarded, turning in a solid performance as part of the visitors' three-man back line. According to statistics on WhoScored.com, Rugani made five clearances and blocked one shot, completing a respectable of his 92.5 per cent of his 40 pass attempts while not committing a single foul. Yet while the former Empoli man deputised admirably for Barzagli in defence, the same cannot be said of Morata's contribution to the attack. Chosen over the in-form Simone Zaza, the Spain international continued to look devoid of confidence and nowhere near the high standard he set for himself last term. With only three goals to his name in 2015/16, he last found the net in the win over Bologna on October 4 and never looked like ending that barren spell at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Having made little impact on the game in the first half, a cross from Hernanes picked out an unmarked Morata in the 63rd minute, the striker inexplicably heading wide when it seemed easier to score. But if that miss added to his woes, it did the same for the chance's creator, the Brazilian playmaker also yet to discover anything close to his best form since joining the club from Inter back in August. Juventus paid their rivals an initial €11 million for the 30-year-old, per their official website, but he has yet to begin to repay that investment, putting in a string of poor displays. His inclusion against Sampdoria marked Hernanes’ 13th appearance since completing that deal, and his first-half display left much to be desired. Yet after the break, he found more space, with the graphic in the tweet below fully highlighting the much-improved performance of the former Sao Paulo and Lazio star. Adam Digby @Adz77 Hernanes #SampJuve 2 shots, 47/56 passes, 1 chance created, 4/4 take-ons, 1 tackle, 4 interceptions (via @StatsZone) Guilty of giving the ball away cheaply on a few occasions, his two shots tested Sampdoria goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano. His display was praised by Allegri as he spoke to reporters after the match. “If [Hernanes] continues to improve in that position in front of the defence, then he will be a very important player for us,” the Juve boss said, per the club’s official website. “I thought he was very good both offensively and defensively tonight.” There is still much room for improvement for both him and Morata, with a return to their respective peaks likely to help the Bianconeri make significant progress over the rest of the season. Rugani’s outing was hugely positive, and the decision to start that trio ultimately mattered little as the reigning champions secured yet another victory. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Revealed: Pogba named in 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI The Juventus midfielder has been selected in the best team of the year, which will be revealed in full at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich on Monday evening. http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/01/11/19175412/-? Jan 11, 2016 Juventus star Paul Pogba has been named in the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI, Goal can confirm. It is a debut appearance for the French midfielder in the best team of the year as voted for by professional footballers from around the world. The full team will be revealed at the 2015 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Zurich on Monday evening, but Goal’s sources in Italy have learned that Juventus have been requested to send Pogba to Switzerland to collect his award. The 22-year-old earned his place in the ultimate XI after a magnificent 2014-15 season in which he helped lead Juventus to the domestic double and the final of the Champions League – scoring 10 goals in all competitions. FIFPro is the worldwide representative organisation for all professional footballers; more than 65,000 players in total, male and female. Each professional is granted a vote for the FIFA FIFPro World XI, which has been chosen annually since 2005. The final XI is arranged in a 4-3-3 formation. Last year’s team was: Manuel Neuer; Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Philipp Lahm; Andres Iniesta, Toni Kroos, Angel di Maria; Arjen Robben, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Pogba will become the first Juventus player to make the FIFPro World XI since Gianluigi Buffon in 2007.