Socrates

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA 3 - 0 Paulo Dybala (8') Leonardo Bonucci (45') Simone Zaza (82') MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus 3-0 Hellas Verona http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432098/juventus-hellas-verona/report Jan 6, 2016 Juventus stormed back into the title race by beating hapless Hellas Verona 3-0 to register an eighth straight Serie A win. Massimiliano Allegri's men - the reigning champions - made a poor start to the season, spending most of the autumn in mid-table after kicking off their latest title defence with back-to-back defeats. But they are now well and truly in the fight for the Scudetto with the likes of Inter Milan and Napoli, thanks to goals from Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Bonucci and substitute Simone Zaza at the Juventus Stadium. Winless Hellas, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table after losing for the 10th time. Juve wasted no time setting about lowly Verona, and Dybala opened the scoring with a perfectly-aimed free-kick after just eight minutes. The Bianconeri could have scored a lot more in the first half but Pierluigi Gollini denied both Alvaro Morata and Claudio Marchisio with smart stops. He could not deny Juve's centre-back on the stroke of half-time, though. Dybala's free-kick was accurate once again and it was Bonucci who rose highest to glance the ball home. Juve clearly wanted more goals after the break but took a while to get going, with Alex Sandro and Paul Pogba coming up short with their ambitious attempts. Eight minutes from time substitute Zaza provided the buffer. Pogba's through-ball put the former Sassuolo striker in a fine position and he could do nothing other than beat Gollini for Juve's third. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA 3 - 0 Paulo Dybala (8') Leonardo Bonucci (45') Simone Zaza (82') MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Wk18: Juve climb http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/01/juventus-3-0-hellas-verona-bianconeri-continue-winning-streak/? Jan 6, 2016 Juventus celebrated their eighth win on the bounce by sweeping bottom club Verona aside 3-0. The Bianconeri were seeking an eighth consecutive Serie A victory and hosted bottom of the table Verona, coached by former Juve boss Gigi Del Neri. Andrea Barzagli, Roberto Pereyra and Mario Lemina were sidelined, while Hellas missed Michelangelo Albertazzi, Romulo and suspended Jacopo Sala. Paulo Dybala started 2016 the way he finished 2015, scoring a magnificent goal with a curling free kick into the near top corner. Remarkably, that was Juve’s first Serie A goal from a free kick since Andrea Pirlo against Torino in April. Gigi Buffon had to fingertip an acrobatic Giampaolo Pazzini volley round the base of the far post at full stretch and Pierluigi Gollini dived to deny an Alvaro Morata left-foot strike, doing the same on Claudio Marchisio’s right. Leonardo Bonucci extended Juve’s lead before the break with a bullet header on Dybala’s corner. Urby Emanuelson made his debut for Verona and Alex Sandro drilled an intriguing effort across the face of goal, while Gollini rushed out to deny Dybala a brace. Simone Zaza replaced a disappointing Alvaro Morata and scored four minutes later, springing the offside trap on a Pogba pass to beat the goalkeeper from a tight angle. Juanito Gomez Taleb threatened a consolation goal, but his header only skimmed the woodwork. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres (Rugani 84), Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira (Sturaro 70), Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Morata (Zaza 79) Verona: Gollini; Bianchetti, Moras, Helander, Souprayen; Greco (Gomez Taleb 61), Hallfredsson (Fares 81); Wszolek (Emanuelson 64), Ionita, Siligardi; Pazzini Ref: Calvarese http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA 3 - 0 Paulo Dybala (8') Leonardo Bonucci (45') Simone Zaza (82') MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus 3-0 Hellas Verona: Bianconeri Continue Winning Streak http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/01/juventus-3-0-hellas-verona-bianconeri-continue-winning-streak/? Jan 6, 2016 Juventus have stretched their winning run in Serie A to eight games after beating Hellas Verona 3-0 at the Juventus Stadium. Two first-half goals from Paulo Dybala and Leonardo Bonucci put the Old Lady firmly in the driving seat at half time and Massimiliano Allegri’s men controlled the match in the second half adding a third through substitute Simone Zaza The home side started on the front foot and Dybala picked out Stephan Lichtsteiner in the penalty area in the first couple of minutes but his shot whistled just wide. The hosts did go ahead though just as a few minutes as Dybala struck a fantastic free kick to which Verona keeper Pierluigi Gollini had no chance of keeping out. The Gialloblu tried to get back into the game and in Luca Toni’s absence, striker Giampaolo Pazzini’s acrobatic effort was saved by Gianluigi Buffon. Juventus then preceded to control the game and went 2-0 up just before half time. Once again a Dybala free kick this time from the left hand side and defender Bonucci met the ball with a header unmarked in the penalty to double his side’s lead. The second half started as the first one had ended with Juventus firmly dominating the game and Verona really struggling to cause them any major problems. Mastini boss Luigi Delneri decided to change things up on the hour mark by bringing on new signing Urby Emanuelson as well as Juanito Gomez. Substitute Zaza scored from a Pogba pass on 82 minutes to seal the points. Victory means that Juventus temporarily go level on points with Inter but still two behind Fiorentina at the top of the table. Defeat leaves Verona rooted to the bottom and defeat on Sunday would mean that Delneri’s men will have gone through the whole of the first half of the season without a win. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA 3 - 0 Paulo Dybala (8') Leonardo Bonucci (45') Simone Zaza (82') MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Champions Juventus move into second spot http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/result/result-champions-juve-move-into-second-spot_263637.html Jan 6, 2016 An eighth successive Serie A victory at the expense of basement side Hellas Verona has lifted champions Juventus up to second in the Serie A standings this afternoon. Massimiliano Allegri's men started the campaign in slow fashion, but just two points now separate them and leaders Fiorentina thanks largely to the influence of summer signing Paulo Dybala, who was involved in two goals as Juve won 3-0 in front of their own supporters. It took the Argentine striker just eight minutes to score what was his third goal in as many league outings. Faced with a five-man Verona wall, Dybala lifted his set piece over the top and inside visiting goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini's near post. As the half wore on Alvaro Morata, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio all spurned chances to double the home side's lead, but there were no such problems for Leonardo Bonucci in first-half stoppage time as he opened his goalscoring account for the season. On this occasion Dybala turned provider when he swung over a cross from the left, which an unmarked Bonucci powered into the back of Gollini's net. The Old Lady continued to dominate proceedings after the restart, yet it was not until eight minutes from the end that they were able to score a third goal. A day after Allegri had insisted that he would not be leaving the club this month, substitute Simone Zaza sprinted clear to latch on to Pogba's through-pass. Then, faced with Gollini, he rounded the keeper before going on to roll the ball into an empty net. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA 3 - 0 Paulo Dybala (8') Leonardo Bonucci (45') Simone Zaza (82') MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus 3-0 Hellas Verona: Champions move second with convincing win Two goals in the first half and a late effort from substitute Zaza were the key for the Bianconeri in a straightforward home win, which takes them level with Inter. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/juventus-vs-hellas-verona/2120549/report Jan 6, 2016 Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Zaza stepped up to an eighth consecutive league win for resurgent Serie A holders Juventus, who overcame Verona 3-0 to move briefly up to joint-second place. After a faltering start to the season, Massimiliano Allegri's champions have surged up the table and this latest triumph will only serve to increase the pressure on early pacesetters Inter, Fiorentina and Napoli. Paulo Dybala broke the deadlock from a free-kick after just eight minutes as Juve dominated the early exchanges against winless Verona – coached by former Bianconeri boss Luigi Delneri. The hosts' second came courtesy of a powerful Leonardo Bonucci header before half-time, while Verona were restricted to a Giampaolo Pazzini effort that was kept out by Gianluigi Buffon. Simone Zaza came off the bench to round off the scoring eight minutes from time, wrapping up the three points in convincing fashion. Juve could probably have won by a bigger margin, but their bottom-placed visitors posed little threat throughout and Allegri's attentions will now turn to Sunday's trip to Sampdoria. The home side started brightly and could have been ahead inside the opening three minutes as Stephan Lichtsteiner dragged just wide of the right-hand post from a Dybala cutback. The full-back's participation looked to be in doubt when he went down holding his knee following a challenge from Samuel Souprayen, but the Swiss soon returned to the action and Dybala curled home a wonderful effort from the resulting free-kick. The goal was just reward for an utterly dominant first eight minutes from the home side, but Pazzini almost netted a leveller out of the blue five minutes later with an improvised effort that forced Buffon into a diving save. Paul Pogba pulled wide with a chance to make it 2-0 from 20 yards, before Alvaro Morata had a shot turned around the post by goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini. Juve remained in control and Claudio Marchisio tested Gollini with a low drive, while Souprayen produced a goal-saving interception to clear over the crossbar with Lichtsteiner and Morata ready to pounce in the six-yard box. Having scored the opener, Dybala was on hand to provide the assist for Juve's second. A whipped free-kick from the left was met with a bullet header by Bonucci that sailed beyond a flat-footed Gollini. Alex Sandro skewed wide early in the second half, but Juve were happy to sit on their advantage and committed fewer men to attacking moves as the half progressed. Pogba was denied a penalty when he went down softly in the box, before Buffon faced a rare threat to his goal as he expertly tipped over a looping Pazzini header that looked destined for the top corner. But Zaza made absolutely certain of the win in the 82nd minute, slotting home after latching onto a wonderful throughball from Pogba. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Marotta: ‘Gundogan unsellable’ http://www.football-italia.net/77946/marotta-%E2%80%98gundogan-unsellable%E2%80%99? Jan 6, 2016 Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta admits Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan is “unsellable”. The Bianconeri have been linked with the German international in recent weeks, with reports that they were willing to offer up to €30m to get their man. “Juventus are taking part in three competitions, and we’re taking part to win,” Marotta told Premium Sport ahead of today’s clash with Verona. “The most difficult of course is the Champions League, where the strongest teams are. We’re a bit more relaxed now, we’re getting players back. “We still have players who haven’t been able to express himself fully like [Kwadwo] Asamoah and [Roberto] Pereyra who is out. “We also want to look around though, to see what opportunities there are. “Gundogan is a name which hasn’t been brought up by us, but he’s considered unsellable by Borussia Dortmund. “It’s too early to know what the market will be in June.” The Old Lady have closed the gap to Inter at the top of the table to three points, but Marotta still sees the Nerazzurri as favourites. “We’re Juventus, and it’s normal that we’re competing in the League to try and win it, but I think at this moment in time Inter have the advantage. “It’s a fight which will be decided in the last few games.” Martin Caceres has been preferred to Daniele Rugani for today’s game, but the director insists the club still has faith in the young centre-back. “I think that the assessment of the lad must be made as a whole,” Marotta said. “His technical qualities, his adaptation to the Juventus shirt, his characteristics off the field: they’re all very good. “He’s a player who can become a very important starting player for Juventus.”

Pogba fuori di poco.

Grande Gigi!

PAULO "LEO" DYBALA 1-0

Entrataccia del francese veronese.

Ha cominciato male l'anno nuovo.

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Line-ups: Juventus-Verona http://www.football-italia.net/77940/line-ups-juventus-verona? Jan 6, 2016 Juventus search for an eighth consecutive Serie A victory and host bottom of the table Verona. It kicks off at 15.00 CET - 14.00 GMT. The Bianconeri had a disastrous start to the season, but begin 2016 back among the Scudetto favourites thanks to a remarkable march up the table. They are looking for an eighth win on the bounce here and Max Allegri’s touchline histrionics should ensure there’s no complacency after a squeezed 3-2 at Carpi before Christmas. Andrea Barzagli, Roberto Pereyra and Mario Lemina are sidelined, but Mario Mandzukic and Leonardo Bonucci have recovered from slight issues. Martin Caceres is given the nod in the back three rather than Daniele Rugani. Hellas are bottom of the standings and incredibly still without a single victory this season, despite a change of management. This is Gigi Del Neri’s first time back in Turin since he was sacked by Juventus in 2011, having finished seventh in Serie A with early Coppa Italia and Europa League exits. While Verona are no doubt in serious trouble, there has been an upswing recently with two consecutive 1-1 draws against Milan and Sassuolo. Jacopo Sala sits out a ban with Michelangelo Albertazzi and ex-Juve winger Romulo sidelined. The heavy blow is that start striker Luca Toni pulled out this morning with a calf injury and has already left Turin. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Morata Juventus bench: Neto, Rubinho, Rugani, Evra, Padoin, Sturaro, Hernanes, Vitale, Asamoah, Cuadrado, Zaza Verona: Gollini; Bianchetti, Moras, Helander, Souprayen; Greco, Hallfredsson; Wszolek, Ionita, Siligardi; Pazzini http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Del Neri: ‘Juventus best in Serie A’ http://www.football-italia.net/77891/del-neri-%E2%80%98juventus-best-serie-a%E2%80%99 Jan 6, 2016 Verona Coach Luigi Del Neri says Juventus are “for me, currently the best team in the League”. The Butei travel to Turin to take on the defending champions tomorrow, having failed to win a single Serie A game so far this season. “They’ve shown that any recovery is possible,” Del Neri said when asked about Juventus in his pre-match Press conference. “Until two months ago it seemed like Inter were favourites for the Scudetto, then Juventus put together seven wins a row. “For me, they’re currently the best team in the League. The return from the winter break is always difficult, and we hope the Bianconeri will grant us something. “Clearly they’ll control the game, we have to be good at defending, showing our qualities which are temperament, desire and aggression.” Hellas are being tipped as certainties for relegation, but Del Neri believes they can turn their fortunes around. “We are where we are in the table and we have to improve that. The results of the season will reflect what Verona did on the pitch. “Right now we’re in limbo, we had good performances against Milan and Sassuolo, and the clash with Empoli showed us how to deal with our direct rivals correctly. “Juventus is a step up for us, to see if we can play against anyone. I expect to see tactical and physical improvements, we’ve been together for a month and we have to do well until May. “The break was beneficial, and the games we’ve played so far in the League and the Coppa Italia have been useful to fill the tank. “We have credibility, the fans believe in us and the travelling support for tomorrow proves it. I’ll take this opportunity to thank them.
 “We’ll do everything we can not to throw away the work we’ve done so far, together with them we can do something important.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus prepared for Serie A sprint finish - Allegri The reigning Italian champions have bounced back from a dreadful 2015/16 opening to sit three points off the summit, and their coach wants to keep pushing. http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/01/05/19011612/allegri-ready-for-scudetto-push?ICID=TP_HN_HP_RI_1_2 Jan 6, 2016 Massimiliano Allegri is preparing his Juventus side for a "sprint finish" to the Serie A season and wants to see stronger performances against lower ranked sides. The Scudetto holders recovered from a poor start to the campaign in which they won just three of their opening 10 fixtures to head into the mid-season break in fourth position, just three points adrift of leaders Inter, after seven consecutive wins. Allegri credited the players for turning their fortunes around and believes they cannot afford to slip up against teams below them in the table as they chase a fifth straight title. Juve have dropped points against the likes of Udinese, Chievo and Frosinone this season but the coach sees Wednesday's clash with bottom side Verona - without a win in 17 top flight fixtures this season - as a chance to begin a title charge in a positive manner. "The lads have put a difficult situation right, because we were 12 points behind [sic 11 points] and we put a run of important wins together," Allegri said on Tuesday. "From tonight onward the sprint to the finish begins, the second half of the season where those who make less mistakes have more chance of winning. "So we have to be aware, we're still three points off top spot with two games to go until the end of the first round of fixtures. "We'll see how we end the first round, but we have to be aware that from here until the end of the season we'll have to make as few mistakes as possible because we don't have much time to recover." With just four points separating the top five teams in Serie A, Allegri does not believe the title will be decided until late in the season. "I think this year's Scudetto will be decided in the final six games of the season," he added. "I think this year the number of points to win the title will be around the 82 mark." http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Cuadrado: Every game is now a final for Juventus Following a slow start to the season, the Italian champions are climbing up the Serie A table after winning their last seven league games. http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/01/05/18998712/cuadrado-every-game-is-now-a-final?ICID=TP_HN_3 Jan 6, 2016 Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado says he and his team-mates must treat every game until the end of the season "like a final". The Italian champions endured a difficult start to their Serie A campaign, winning just one of their opening six fixtures. Things have since gotten better, with Juve on a run of seven successive wins, sitting just three points behind league leaders Inter. "The unity of the group has been the secret of our comeback," Cuadrado told Sky Italia. The Colombian international pin-pointed October's 2-1 derby win against Torino as a turning point in his and Juve's season. Cuadrado scored the winner in stoppage time - his first goal in over ten months of competitive action. "For me that was very important, because I was coming off a long drought," he said. "For the team it was a point of inflection, we knew we had to win that game. "Since we have gotten big results and we will keep playing every game like a final."

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus vs. Verona: Live Score, Highlights from Serie A http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2605189-juventus-vs-verona-live-score-highlights-from-serie-a? Jan 6, 2016 Serie A midweek action continues on Wednesday afternoon as title-holders Juventus host Hellas Verona at home. Following an awful start to the campaign, the Turin side have gotten their act together and are on a run of seven straight wins in the league, shifting them up to the table into fourth place, just three points off leaders Inter Milan. Hellas Verona's own poor start to the year simply hasn't come to an end at all; 17 games into the season they have still yet to win a single match, drawing their last two but still eight points adrift of safety after scoring only 12 goals all season. The match kicks off at 2 p.m. GMT (9 a.m. ET). http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus V Hellas Verona — Preview: Hot Streak Bianconeri Take On Winless Bottom Club http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/01/juventus-v-hellas-verona-preview-hot-streak-bianconeri-take-on-winless-bottom-club/? Jan 6, 2016 Juventus host Hellas Verona at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Serie A, hoping to win their eighth consecutive game. After a slow start to the season, the Italian champions have won their last seven Serie A games, catching up with the top, now distant only three points. Massimiliano Allegri wanted his team to have a positive run before the Christmas break to close the gap with the top teams and his players responded perfectly, scoring 17 goals in seven games, conceding just five, and climbing into fourth position. Hellas Verona on the other hand have won just in the Coppa Italia so far this season, having put together only eight points with eight draws that put them bottom of the league and eight points away from the safe zone. Coach Gigi Delneri said he is convinced Verona will stay in Serie A, but it already seems very difficult. The latest game between the two sides ended 2-2 in Verona on the final day of last season, with Luca Toni and Juanito Gomez responding to goals by Fernando Llorente and Roberto Pereyra. Last season’s fixture at the Juventus Stadium saw the Vecchia Signora thrash the visitors 4-0 thanks to a wonder goal by Paul Pogba, a Carlos Tevez brace and a Pereyra goal. The Argentinian midfielder, who scored in both games last season, is unavailable, due to a long lasting injury. He is joined by Mario Mandzukic, Andrea Barzagli and Mario Lemina on the sidelines. Allegri will therefore start Alvaro Morata up front and probably give Daniele Rugani his first start for Juventus in Serie A. Allegri also has the usual decision on the flanks with the duel on the right between Juan Cuadrado and Stephan Lichtsteiner and on the left between Alex Sandro and Patrice Evra. Delneri won’t be able to count on banned Jacopo Sala or Romulo, who has been out virtually all season. Other than that, Delneri will play with his usual 4-4-2, targetting the heavy attack formed by captain Toni and Giampaolo Pazzini, who scored and appeared in good form in the friendly against Vigasio on Sunday. Form Guide: Juventus (W-L-W-W-W) Hellas Verona (W-L-D-L-D) Expected Starting XIs: Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Morata, Dybala. Hellas Verona (4-4-2): Gollini; Pisano, Bianchetti, Moras, Souprayen; Wszolek, Viviani, Halfredsson, Siligardi; Toni, Pazzini. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese JUVENTUS VS HELLAS VERONA MATCH PREVIEW http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-vs-hellas-verona-match-preview-and-scouting/? Jan 5, 2016 Juventus Serie A returns after the break and the schedule is kind with Juventus as they host Hellas Verona. The Old Lady was not particularly sharp against Carpi, conceding the lead in the first half and scoring an own goal late in the game, but the performance was good enough to bring home the three points: it was the seventh win in a row, which is quite an achievement. Thanks to the Inter stumble against Lazio, the deficit from the top has now been cut down to just three points. If bianconeri keep getting the job done against the low table teams, as they have been doing recently, they are well positioned to win Scudetto as most of the head-to-head matches against the other title contenders will be played at the Stadium. There are a couple of doubts regarding the lineup: Andrea Barzagli and Mario Mandzukic are dealing with sore calfs, a very tricky muscle, so they will be rested in order to not to aggravate the injuries. Mandzukic could return by Sunday while Barzagli is a little more behind in the recovery. Massimiliamo Allegri admitted that he will choose between a finally healthy Martin Caceres and Daniele Rugani to replace Barzagli. It would probably be a good situation to put the Italian youngster into, as we host one of the worst teams in Serie A, even though they have foxy strikers. If Caceres started, that would mean that his departure is not so imminent and obvious as it was made to be. Stephen Lichtsteiner is set to be the right wing back, with Alex Sandro and Patrice Evra battling it out to start on the other flank. The midfield should be the best one available: Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba. Roberto Pereyra and Mario Lemina have not been called up. Alvaro Morata is the frontrunner to take Mandzukic’s spot, but I wonder if the coach (and the management) could decide to give Simone Zaza some playing time to convince him to stay put. Rumour has it that Juventus do not want to sell the striker, but the offers that arrived are pretty rich. However, as we have seen in the past, the club does not want to keep disgruntled players, so if Zaza demanded to leave because he wants to play, he would be let go. A similar maneuver was used with Kingsley Coman, but it was not enough to retain him after Bayern’s strong courtship. As for the transfer market rumours, it looks like the officials are making a strong move for Ikay Gundongan, a very good player that would add a ton of quality and could become a cornerstone, especially should Paul Pogba leave in the summer. As it happened with Alex Sandro, the executives are willing to spend for young players that could have a long career in black & white. Borussia Dortmund are playing hardball, we will see how it goes and if the management will move for other targets in the event Gundogan does not arrive. It may not: the midfield has been injury ridden but it is stacked when fully healthy; a move to add a superb player always makes sense, spending just for the sake of spending rarely does. Honestly, I would be very happy with simply securing the deals for Rolando Mandragora and Stefano Sensi, who could become helluva players in a couple of years. Probable lineup 3-5-2: Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Sandro; Morata, Dybala. Injuries: Mandzukic (calf), Barzagli (calf), Pereyra (hamstring), Lemina (knee). Suspended: None. Hellas Verona Hellas Verona are at the bottom of the table and they are still winless. They have sacked their longtime coach Andrea Mandorlini to hire Luigi Delneri. The situation has not improved by much after the coaching change: they have been able to pick up a point here and there, but obviously not being able to win games have hurt them immensely. Certainly, injuries have played a big part in the demise of what was looking like an established Serie A side last season. I think that every of their players has missed time because of various ailments at some points during the season. The most impactful absence was Luca Toni’s, who was sidelined for two months by a knee ligament tear. The heir apparent Giampaolo Pazzini has been in and out of the lineup with ankle problems and has never been able to gain some momentum and scored only a goal so far. Considering that main strengths were defending hard and countering fast with Toni finishing up the plays, it is easy to see why things went south so quickly: their defense is 17th in the League for goals allowed and has always looked shaky; they have no speedy wing players to lead the counter-attacks; Toni has missed most of the season. It is a recipe for disaster. Delneri is a 4-4-2 aficionado but because of injuries and suspensions, he has used so far 4-2-3-1 with Artur Ionita as a tactical weapon in the advanced midfielder position. The results have not been great. Pazzini and Juanito Gomez are both healthy enough, so there is a chance they deploy 4-4-2 with a double pivot, Toni and Pazzini, a couple that might work wonders or not work at all. They have been hit by a number of last-minute absences, so the lineup is pretty much up in the air. Jacopo Sala is disqualified and Eros Pisano has been ruled out, this means that they have no true right backs available other than Claudio Winck that they have refused to play all season. Matteo Bianchetti will probably slide on the flank, as he did for few minutes against Milan, and Filip Helander will start in the middle, as they have recently lost Rafa Marquez, who moved to Atlas, and they are yet to replace him. They are not particularly high on Samuel Souprayen either and they are looking for a new fullback, but they have no alternatives to fielding him in this one. It is safe to say that they will not have the stingiest defense on Sunday. Federico Viviani has been dealing with sports hernia all year and will be sidelined in the weekend and Matuzalem is out too. These absences will probably lead them to use 4-4-2, with Leandro Greco or Ionita alongside Emil Hallfredsson in the middle and Luca Siligardi or the newcomer Urby Emanuelson on the left wing. Pawel Wszolek has been constantly picked over Bosko Jankovic in the recent games. Of course they could still use 4-2-3-1, but they are very shorthanded in the midfield and would have no replacements on the bench other than a couple of youngsters. The availability of Juanito Gomez and Pazzini makes a two-man attack more likely. Rafael has been one of their cornerstone for a longtime, but they are reportedly looking for a new goalkpeer and he could even be on his way out, so it is possible that Pierluigi Gollini will take the starting job. Probable lineup 4-4-2: Gollini; Bianchetti, Moras, Helander, Souprayen; Wszolek, Greco, Hallfredsson, Siligardi; Pazzini, Toni. Injuries: Viviani (groin), Albertazzi (calf), Romulo (groin), Matuzalem, Pisano. Suspended: Sala. Formation Poll Who will emerge victorious when Juve take on Hellas Verona? Juventus 95% Hellas 2% Draw 2% Votes 42 http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Serie A race is set to go all the way as five teams challenge for the title As Serie A returns after the winter break, James Horncastle assesses the title hopes of the top five, who are currently separated by just four points. http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/12/blog/post/2780137/inter-fiorentina-napoli-juventus-and-roma-seek-serie-a-title Jan 5, 2016 1st: Inter (36 points) Why they can win it Roberto Mancini was a winner as a player and he has been as a coach. He inspired Sampdoria to their one and only Scudetto in 1991, Lazio to their first in a quarter of a century in 2000, ended an agonising 18-year wait at Inter and, in England, made Manchester City champions after 44 years. In Italy Mancini is considered close to a guarantee and so is having the best defence. Only once in the last 10 years -- Fiorentina in 2006-07 -- has the team with the tightest backline not won the league in Italy. Inter aren't in Europe and so can focus almost exclusively on winning their first title since 2009-10. There are big margins of improvement in how they play and their chances will be enhanced further if Geoffrey Kondogbia starts to repay his €31 million transfer fee and last season's co-Capocannoniere Mauro Icardi starts to score more regularly. Why they can't Too many carpenters, not enough architects. Although things have improved in the construction of Inter's play, goals and results would come more easily if they had a midfield capable of making their passing game smoother and more fluent. Gary Medel and Felipe Melo aren't the answer. Up front, Icardi and Stevan Jovetic have not combined. Flying to Dubai during the winter break took a toll on Milan a year ago. Will it on Inter now? Ill-discipline -- or poor refereeing decisions if you believe Mancini -- might cost them too. Even if Inter have occasionally played better when down to 10 men, six red cards have made life more difficult than it needed to be. 2nd: Napoli (35) Why they can win it In Gonzalo Higuain, Napoli have the league's best and most decisive player. He scored 35 goals in the last calendar year, including eight braces and a couple of hat tricks. In 2015-16 alone, he has 16 in 17 league appearances and we're not even halfway through the season. To put that into some perspective, Icardi and Luca Toni finished Capocannoniere with 22 goals apiece last term. Higuain's partnership with Lorenzo Insigne is the most lethal in Serie A but, unlike other years, Napoli are finely balanced. Their +18 goal difference is level best with Fiorentina but, as a collective, they have the better individuals. In head-to-head encounters with the current top four, their record is won three, drawn one, lost none. Napoli have been behind for only 118 minutes this season and Maurizio Sarri, their coach, is a magician. Just look at what he has done for the defence. No wonder they're calling him "Sarri Potter". Why they can't Higuain is durable. He played all but one of Napoli's league games last season but, if anything happens to him, it is essential he isn't out for long and that Manolo Gabbiadini isn't sold during this window. Sarri's reluctance to rotate might also tire a team that looked weary going into the winter break, particularly if Napoli go deep in the Europa League. Also how will they cope with the pressure? It's now more than a quarter of a century since Napoli last won Serie A and there is desperation for that to end. Napoli got vertigo on going top in December and immediately relinquished pole position, surprisingly losing to Bologna. If they do move back into first, can they hold their nerve? 3rd: Fiorentina (35) Why they can win it Paulo Sousa arrived in Florence as a championship-winning coach in back-to-back seasons with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Basel. He knows how to lead a title challenge, get a team over the line and has Fiorentina believing they can win the Scudetto for the first time since 1969. Along with Napoli they have played the best football in Italy this season and everything about their play is in proportion. They have nine clean sheets in 17 games, four of which came without the opponent mustering a shot on target. With 62.6 percent, they also have the league's highest possession figures and best attack. Fiorentina have spent 768 minutes in the lead this season, which is two hours and 50 minutes more than the next best. They've got great staying power, as their presence in the top three since mid-September shows, and have immediately bounced back from defeat when many thought they would fade away. Why they can't Although Fiorentina could hold their heads up high after each defeat, they still lost big games to Napoli, Roma and Juventus, which would give the impression that they're not quite on the same level and thhis is a team punching above its weight. Their revenue and wage bill are much inferior to the other contenders, after all. Meanwhile, as with Napoli, can they really play any better and sustain these performance levels over entire season? What if top scorer Nikola Kalinic gets injured like Gabriel Batistuta did in the spring of 1999? Khouma Babacar and -- if he stays -- Giuseppe Rossi suggest there is depth to cope but the Europa League also might prove a drain on energy levels. 4th: Juventus (33) Why they can win it Because they're Juventus. They've got the knowhow and the experience; they've been there and done it and are now back in the race, which is nothing short of remarkable considering they're in a transition season and were 11 points off the top on the morning of Halloween. Gigi Buffon got everyone back on message after defeat to Sassuolo and Juve haven't looked back since Juan Cuardrado's stoppage time winner in the Turin derby. Also vital have been a return to 3-5-2, injured players making comebacks, Paulo Dybala becoming the first name on the team sheet and other new recruits like Alex Sandro and Mario Mandzukic all beginning to consistently deliver. Seven straight wins demonstrate what Juventus are capable of and, with Inter, Napoli and Roma all having to go to the J Stadium in 2016, a fifth straight Scudetto for the first time since the 1930s is a distinct possibility. Why they can't No one has ever won the league after the start Juventus had. Plus, if Claudio Marchisio gets hurt they're in trouble. Their Serie A record with him is won eight, drawn two, no defeats. Without him they lack balance and control and have won just twice losing four and drawing once. Juventus can't afford to take anyone lightly and have dropped points to Udinese, Chievo, Frosinone and Sassuolo. Their Round of 16 Champions League tie with Bayern Munich also comes at a delicate time: Juventus play Inter after the first leg and have the Turin derby after the second. 5th: Roma (32) Why they can win it Roma's win against Genoa in their final match before Christmas was their first in six weeks and yet they're only four points off the top. Alessandro Florenzi's and Sadiq Umar's goals were also their first from open play over that period and yet, with 32 goals, Roma's attack remains the second best in the league. If they come through this crisis, make some targeted signings in January and play to their potential, there is no reason why Roma can't win their first Scudetto in 15 years. The ceiling of this team is high and their position in the table is a false reflection of their ability -- there's more to come. Talismanic captain Francesco Totti is back, as are Mohamed Salah and Gervinho and there's surely more to come from Edin Dzeko. Meanwhile, Kevin Strootman should be fit again in February. Roma can't be ruled out. After all, they have beaten Juventus and Fiorentina and went to Napoli and didn't lose. Why they can't The tension around the club continues; fans have abandoned the Olimpico in protest at new public order measures and the ownership. The team is sensitive to the atmosphere around it and that leads to extremes, from euphoric wins against Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio to, albeit in non-Serie A play, devastating defeats to Barcelona and Spezia. Moreover, there is the loss of face endured by Rudi Garcia and the speculation surrounding his future. A flaky defence has no reliable centre-back partner for Kostas Manolas and regular natural right-back. Dzeko has been disappointing while Roma have plenty of wingers but no one capable of compensating for injuries to Salah and Gervinho. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Allegri: ‘Juventus don’t need signings’ http://www.football-italia.net/77885/allegri-%E2%80%98juventus-don%E2%80%99t-need-signings%E2%80%99? Jan 5, 2016 Coach Massimiliano Allegri says Juventus will only sign players “who can improve us” in January. The Bianconeri are competing in Serie A, the Champions League and the Coppa Italia, but the tactician doesn’t believe the club will be active on the transfer market. “In terms of the transfer market, we’re on the 5th of January,” Allegri noted in his Press conference ahead of the Verona match. “We’ve already discussed things with the club, we talked about strategy and evaluations. Don’t ask me for names, surnames, types of players because I won’t speak about that. “What I will say is that in a squad which is already competitive, we can only include players who will improve us. That’s it. Full stop. “Apart from all that, I’m not the driving force behind it, because I don’t deal with the transfer market. “That said, that January transfer window is long, because when the window is open there’s always instability. “Fortunately we have a very competitive squad, which only a select few players could improve. I won’t talk any more about the transfer market, because we have a game tomorrow and I think that’s the most important thing. “Let’s not forget that two months ago we were in 12th place, and everyone said it was all over. “That’s the first thing we have to make clear, the second is - and the last three minutes against Carpi come to mind here - we have to make fewer mistakes, so we don’t throw away wins. “In fact, I’ll tell you, Carpi’s last minute chance: I watched it with the lads the other day, and I was scared to look because I thought they’d score! “You have to take the positives out of a negative, because we had three ugly minutes and I hope it’ll be a lesson for the future. “As for the fact of us being in the Scudetto race, there are still 21 games to go, so there are 63 points available, which is a lot. “We’ve put in a great effort, but now the hardest thing is to continue it because, as I’ve always said, going from 12th-place to fifth-place is difficult, but it’s certainly easier than going from fifth-place to first. “Then the margin for error is so much smaller, and we have to be good in terms of that.” Simone Zaza has been linked with a move away from Turin this month, but Allegri thinks the Italian international would be better off staying. “First of all, Zaza has grown a lot and is doing well at Juventus. I don’t understand why he’d leave, and why there’s this chatter. “He’s a player with great quality, who has improved a lot and is important for us. It’s right that he stays with us. “As I always say, in a big team you need a pool of top strikers, top midfielders, and top defenders. So we can’t think about two top strikers and two who are on a lesser level. “The levels must be balanced, and we have four strikers with great quality, who are good together and are fighting for places, to play games or part of games. “But that’s part of the package at a great club.”

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Allegri: ‘Verona not easy’ http://www.football-italia.net/77884/allegri-‘verona-not-easy’? Jan 5, 2016 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri is expecting “a complicated game” against Verona tomorrow. The Bianconeri have won seven games in a row to propel themselves back into the Scudetto fight, while the Butei haven’t won all season, but the tactician isn’t taking anything for granted. “Tomorrow is a complicated game, because it’s like the first of the season,” Allegri warned in his pre-match Press conference. “Or it’s like the last before going on holiday. Firstly, we have a duty and an obligation to win, because we’re still lagging behind. “It’s true that we’ve closed the gap, but right now we can’t afford to get our approach wrong, or make mistakes in terms of our competitiveness or spirit in the game. “A result is the most important thing against a Verona who have played very well in their last two matches. “They’re a team who don’t give much away, they’ve found solidity and they’re going through a good period, so we’ll have to be very good, and above all be aware of the importance of this game. “The lads have come back [from the break] and I’d say they’re good. They needed to rest after an important period over the last two months, when we got to the Carpi game we really needed to catch our breath. “In my opinion we’ve done good work over the last week, and tomorrow the hardest thing is to power-up mentally right away. “I’d say that the team are very responsible in that regard though, they know that tomorrow is a game in which we can’t afford mistakes, not least because I think we’ve dropped important points against the mid-to-low ranked teams. “The lads have put a difficult situation right, because we were 12 points behind and we put a run of important wins together. “But the season ends in May, so from tomorrow onward the sprint to the finish begins, the second half of the season where, in the end, those who make less mistakes have more chance of winning. “So we have to be aware, we’re still trailing top spot by three points with two games to go until the end of the first round of fixtures. “We’ll see how we end the first round, but we have to be aware that from here until the end of the season we’ll have to make as few mistakes as possible because we don’t have much time to recover.” Allegri was then asked whether he’s likely to make changes to his side for tomorrow’s game, given they face Genoa at the weekend. “We’ll play Genoa three days later, which will be another tough match. I think the credit for these wins goes to the lads, because - especially in recent games, including the Coppa Italia - there have been a lot of changes. “I’ve made a minimum of three to five changes, and changing five players every game is not easy. So that means the lads are all in good condition mentally and are ready to play. “Above all, that allows me to keep a high intensity during the game.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus vs. Hellas Verona: Team News, Predicted Lineups http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2603930-juventus-vs-hellas-verona-team-news-predicted-lineups-live-stream-tv-info? Jan 5, 2016 Serie A returns to action this week, with Juventus hosting Hellas Verona on January 6, the date Italian football traditionally ends its winter break. Currently sitting bottom of the table and without a single win this term, the visitors could not have asked for a more daunting task than a trip to Turin. Indeed, the Bianconeri have finally returned to form, ending 2015 with seven consecutive league wins, adding a Coppa Italia victory over cross-town rivals Torino in for good measure. They will be looking to continue that streak, especially as they are now just three points behind early leaders Inter. OptaPaolo ✔ @OptaPaolo 7 - Massimiliano Allegri has won seven consecutive league games for the first time in the Serie A. Confidence. Yet the players appear to only be focused on their next opponents, with midfielder Stefano Sturaro in no mood to discuss Juve’s long-term objectives during an interview with Sky Italia late last week. “We’re taking each game at a time,” he said per the club’s official website. “To start talking about the title now would be premature and the wrong way to go about things because we’re only at the midway point of the season.” His team-mate Paul Pogba believes that the improvements are down to the work ethic instilled by Juventus, telling La Stampa (h/t Football Italia) that being at Manchester United felt “like being on vacation in comparison.” They will be made to work by Hellas, too, with veteran striker Luca Toni believing the timing of the fixture gives his side an advantage, as he discussed the matchup with Tuttosport last week. “It’s better we face them now after the Christmas break, so hopefully some will still be distracted,” Toni said (h/t Football Italia). “Juve are clearly stronger, but we can cause them problems.” The 38-year-old has, of course, been reunited with former Bianconeri boss Gigi Delneri, but the two men will know it will take something special to get the better of their old club as Juventus look to continue their climb up the table. Probable Formations Juventus (3-5-2): Gigi Buffon; Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Juan Cuadrado, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra; Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala Unavailable: Andrea Barzagli, Mario Lemina and Roberto Pereyra (all injured) Hellas Verona: (4-2-3-1): Pierluigi Gollini; Eros Pisano, Matteo Bianchetti, Vangelis Moras, Samuel Souprayen; Federico Viviani, Emil Hallfredsson; Pawel Wszolek, Artur Ionita, Luca Siligardi; Luca Toni Unavailable: Jacopo Sala (suspended), Romulo and Michelangelo Albertazzi (both injured) Key Battle Luca Toni is the danger man for Hellas Verona, the veteran striker having ended last season alongside Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi at the top of the Serie A goalscoring charts. The 2006 World Cup winner bagged a remarkable 22 goals to lift the Capocannoniere crown but has struggled somewhat with injuries this term. OptaPaolo ✔ @OptaPaolo 20 - Luca Toni is the Italian player who scored the most goals (20) over the top-5 European leagues in 2015. Giant. Limited to just eight starts thus far, the 38-year-old has still struck three times, a tally representing a third of Verona’s total goals so far in 2015/16. Toni is, of course, well-known in Turin, having netted the first-ever goal at Juventus Stadium during his short spell at the club. The task of keeping him under wraps is likely to fall to Giorgio Chiellini, and the Bianconeri defender will be undaunted by the physical battle that will ensue as the two men go head-to-head. Player to Watch If Toni poses the biggest threat for the visitors, perhaps the man to watch here will be working at the opposite end of the field, with Mario Mandzukic in excellent form for Juventus. The Croatian striker struggled in the early months of the campaign but has recently found his scoring boots, weighing in with five goals and an assist in his last five appearances before the winter break. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@MarioMandzukic9 is voted the best Bianconeri player during November: http://juve.it/VJpNK Mandzukic was named Juve’s Player of the Month for November, according to the club’s official website, and he will look to start the New Year by finding the back of the net once again here. The Gialloblu may struggle to stop him, conceding no fewer than 27 times thus far in 2015/16—a tally only beaten by Carpi (33), who are just above them at the foot of the Serie A table. Odds (via Odds Shark) Away win: 25-1 Home win: 50-357 Draw: 11-2 http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Five Juventus questions to be answered in 2016 http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/1/5/10708488/five-juventus-questions-to-be-answered-in-2016-serie-a-champions-league-pogba-morata Jan 5, 2016 Many questions about where Juventus are at will be answered in 2016. Here are five questions that will be answered, just two days away from the beginning of the 2016 portion of the schedule. Can Juventus win a fifth consecutive scudetto? Juventus started the 2015-16 season in the worst possible way. Juve's record for the first seven games of the season was L-L-D-W-D-L-W. That is a grand total of eight points in the first seven games. Luckily, we all know about Juve's perfect record in the last seven games they have played. The 21 points collected in the last seven matches have moved Juventus from 12th place on Round 7 to fourth place after Round 17. Most importantly, Juve are a mere three points away from first place. The big question now is this: Can Juventus win the 2015-16 Scudetto? I have mentioned that if Juve were to be champions once again, after the massive rejuvenation of the squad, then they will be unstoppable for years to come. Where does Juve stand in Europe? Last season's European run was just amazing. Even the most optimistic of fans would not have predicted Juventus making it into the Champions League final. We went toe-to-toe with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid ... and we beat them; and were inches away from going all the way against Barcelona. But, it wasn't to be. Now, for a team to claim a spot in Europe's elite, consistency is key, and Juventus have a golden opportunity ahead of them. Defeating Bayern Munich and moving on to the quarterfinals of the Champions League would be a massive statement. It will signal to other clubs that Juve are to be respected and feared. No matter what, the two upcoming European matches will be a huge learning opportunity for our young players. Will Paul Pogba stay one more year? Mino Raiola, Pogba's agent, recently mentioned how much Paul loves Juventus. The,n there is also young Paul taking the No. 10 shirt. Sure, he can take it for one year, but I think that he is more committed to Juve than what the media would like you to think. Winning the Champions League with Juve may accelerate a move, so will a €100 million-plus offer. But otherwise, I wouldn't be surprised seeing him stay put for one more season. Where will Alvaro Morata play next season? Next summer Real Madrid will have the chance to bring Morata back home for only €30 million. However, the final word will be Morata's. I honestly think he would like to be at Madrid, but he knows the competition there is unlikely to give him the extended playing time he requires. With that being said, he is not getting many minutes in Turin at the moment. In fact, he has only started six games as a center-forward, according to WhoScored, in all competitions, with his major role being that of an impact sub (10 substitute appearances). Will Domenico Berardi finally move to Turin next season? Berardi has been part of the Juventus world for a long time now. And this summer is the summer to make a decision. He needs to decide whether he is willing to come and fight for a spot or if he prefers to be a big fish in a small pond. Juventus also need to decide whether they are willing to build a team that will play to the young Italian's strengths or let his strengths match our style of play. A 3-5-2 is not really for him, but a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2 may be suitable. No matter what, the Berardi soap opera will be over by the end of the summer.

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus v Verona Preview: Champions back in action after winter break Despite a poor start to the season Massimiliano Allegri's side are back in the title chase as they kick off the second half of their campaign. http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-hellas-verona/2120549/preview Jan 4, 2016 Sami Khedira says tactical improvements have spread confidence throughout Juventus' ranks as they approach a return to Serie A action against Verona on Wednesday. Following the departures of key players such as Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, the defending champions endured a sluggish start to the season, winning just three of their opening 10 fixtures and sitting 11 points off Roma in pole position. However, a run of seven straight victories has put Massimiliano Allegri's side back in the hunt for a fifth successive Scudetto. They start the year in fourth position, just three points adrift of leaders Inter, and Khedira believes increased solidity has been key to restoring Juve's self-esteem and making them a formidable opponent once again. "The most important thing now is that the team keeps pushing on to win more matches," he told Juventus' official website. "As we have seen in recent games in the league, we are all playing with more confidence, we're set up better tactically, we score more goals and concede less. "I think it's normal that we took a bit of time to get going, after changing so many players, but now we've all settled in, we're performing well and getting results regardless of who is on the pitch." "We've trained very hard since returning from our holidays. We've done a lot of running and tactical work which will stand us in good stead for the second part of the season. "On Wednesday we have a tough match, as it's the first one after the Christmas break, but it's one which we need to win in order to keep up the pressure on Inter at the top of the table. "We're also at home which perhaps makes victory even more important, but we've had a good week's training, we're very focused on the task at hand and so I'm optimistic about our chances of taking maximum points." Verona are still winless in the top flight this season with Luigi Delneri's only victory since replacing Andrea Mandorlini in December coming in the last-gasp 1-0 triumph over Pavia in the Coppa Italia. Historically, Verona have struggled at Juventus, failing to beat them in 26 Serie A trips to Turin. They have been boosted by forward Juanito Gomez's return to training after he missed the 1-1 draw with Sassuolo last time out, but Jacopo Sala will be absent as the midfielder serves a suspension. Juventus duo Mario Mandzukic and Andrea Barzagli are lacking fitness, while Leonardo Bonucci trained separately from the group on Sunday after overcoming an illness. OPTA FACTS Juventus are unbeaten in their last eight league games against Verona, but were held to a draw by Hellas in two of the last three. Verona have never won at Juve’s ground in the top-flight (L22 D4). Hellas have never scored more than two goals in a game at Juve’s ground in Serie A. Juve ended 2015 with seven consecutive wins in the league – that’s the best run for Allegri as a manager. Meanwhile, Verona are yet to win their first game of the season (D8 L9). Verona have drawn four games from leading positions – more than any other Serie A side this term. The Old Lady has a record of a win, a draw and a loss on their first game of the New Year over the last three seasons. Juventus have already used 27 players in this campaign – more than any other team. LAST FIVE MATCHES Juventus W W W L W 12/20/15 - Carpi 2 - 3 Juventus 12/16/15 - Juventus 4 - 0 Torino 12/13/15 - Juventus 3 - 1 Fiorentina 12/8/15 - Sevilla 1 - 0 Juventus 12/4/15 - Lazio 0 - 2 Juventus Hellas Verona D L D L W 12/20/15 - Hellas Verona 1 - 1 Sassuolo 12/16/15 - Napoli 3 - 0 Hellas Verona 12/13/15 - AC Milan 1 - 1 Hellas Verona 12/6/15 - Hellas Verona 0 - 1 Empoli 12/2/15 - Hellas Verona 1 - 0 Pavia HEAD TO HEAD 5/30/15 - Hellas Verona 2 - 2 Juventus 1/18/15 - Juventus 4 - 0 Hellas Verona 1/15/15 - Juventus 6 - 1 Hellas Verona 2/9/14 - Hellas Verona 2 - 2 Juventus 9/22/13 - Juventus 2 - 1 Hellas Verona http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - MATCHDAY 18 Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Cuadrado: ‘Difficult game with Verona’ http://www.football-italia.net/77850/cuadrado-%E2%80%98difficult-game-verona%E2%80%99 Jan 4, 2016 Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado expects “a more difficult game” against Verona on Wednesday. The Bianconeri have won seven Serie A fixtures in a row, closing the gap at the top of the table to three points, and take on the winless Butei this midweek. “It’s a more difficult game, because it comes after the winter break,” Cuadrado explained to Mediaset. “But we know we have to get three important points. We always try to win, in the Coppa Italia and Champions League too. “We’re Juventus, and we have to fight for the top spots even though it’s not easy because there are other teams fighting for the Scudetto. “Over the break we’ve worked hard because we don’t have much time and we have to do everything we can to prepare for the next five months. “We’re a great group, a great family, and we’re all pulling in the same direction.” After a difficult start, Cuadrado’s late winner in the derby with Torino is seen by many as a turning point for the Old Lady, and the Colombian shares that assessment. “For me personally it was very important, as it came after a long drought. And a goal like that gives you a boost and faith. “For Juve it was a turning point, we knew we had to win that game and we believed until the end. “Since then we’ve achieved a lot, and hopefully we can go on playing every game like a final. “My goal against Fiorentina? It was a bit lucky, but it was important because we equalised straight away and then we played a great match and got a deserved victory.” Finally, the on-loan Chelsea man gave his thoughts on the Champions League Last 16 tie with Bayern Munich. “Any team can be beaten, but it will be difficult,” Cuadrado admitted. “We’ll have to go into it with great intelligence, as if it were the World Cup final. We still have time to prepare for the game, and get to 100 per cent or even 200 per cent.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127