Socrates

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - MATCHDAY 10 Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Sassuolo V Juventus – Preview: Bianconeri Hoping To Continue Momentum Against The Neroverdi http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/sassuolo-v-juventus-preview-bianconeri-hoping-to-continue-momentum-against- the-neroverdi/? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus visit Sassuolo on Wednesday night as the reigning Serie A champions attempt to continue their revival. Coach Eusebio di Francesco has led his Sassuolo side to a fine start to the season with his team in sixth place ahead of their game against Juventus and are just three points shy of a European spot. Sassuolo however have lost to Empoli and AC Milan in recent weeks, while Juventus are unbeaten in any competition since their loss to Napoli in late September. The Neroverdi are though undefeated in their last seven home matches in Serie A. The Bianconeri’s dominant win over high-flying Atalanta on Sunday only helped solidify the impression that Massimiliano Allegri’s side are returning to form. Summer signing Paolo Dybala in particular shined as he scored the first and then set up the second in the 2-0 win. Sassuolo were hindered by the loss of goalkeeper Andrea Consigli in the 28th minute in Sunday’s match against Milan and they ended up losing 2-1 after conceding a late goal. Though this season has already defied expectations for the home side, if history is any indication then Sassuolo might have a tough time of it. They have drawn one and lost the rest of their last six meetings against Juventus since being promoted back to Serie A in 2013. With the exception of the suspended keeper Consigli and the injured duo of Luca Antei and Alfred Duncan, Sassuolo should be able to field a full strength side on Wednesday evening. Juventus will be without several players for their trip to Emilia-Romagna. Stephan Lichtsteiner, Martin Caceres, Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah are all out of action for the Bianconeri. Form Guide: Sassuolo (W-D-L-W-L) Juventus (W-W-D-D-W) Expected Starting XIs Sassuolo: Pegolo; Peluso, Acerbi, Cannavaro, Vrsaljko; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Laribi; Flores, Defrel, Berardi Juventus: Buffon; Padoin, Chiellini, Bonucci, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pogba; Dybala, Mandzukic http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Mandzukic in Croatia squad http://www.football-italia.net/74874/mandzukic-croatia-squad? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic is among six Serie A players in Ante Cacic’s latest Croatia squad. The Balkan side have a friendly with Russia on November 17, and the Bianconeri man is included after recovering from injury. Sime Vrsaljko of Sassuolo has also made the cut, alongside Fiorentina pair Milan Badelj and Nikola Kalinic. Inter also have two representatives in the squad, with Ivan Perisic and Marcelo Brozovic selected, but ex-Nerazzurri man Mateo Kovacic is absent with a muscular injury. Croatia squad: Subasic [Monaco], Kalinic [Hajduk Split], Vargic [Rijeka], Srna [shakhtar Donetsk], Corluka [Lokomotiv Moscow], Pranjic [Panathinaikos], Vida [Dynamo Kiev], Vrsaljko [sassuolo], Pivaric [Dinamo Zagreb], Leskovic [Rijeka], Milovic [Hajduk Split], Rakitic [barcelona], Perisic [inter], Badelj [Fiorentina], Brozovic [inter], Antolic [Dinamo Zagreb], Olic [Hamburg], Mandzukic [Juventus], Kalinic [Fiorentina], Kramaric [Leicester City].

Juventus lose Pereyra, Asamoah http://www.football-italia.net/74860/juventus-lose-pereyra-asamoah? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus have lost Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah to muscular injuries, the club confirms. Pereyra came off injured after 37 minutes of yesterday’s win over Atalanta, and faces over a month on the sidelines. His replacement Asamoah has also succumbed to a muscular injury, and is out for the next three weeks. “During the match, El Tucumano [Pereyra] suffered a muscular problem in his right thigh,” a statement on the Bianconeri’s official website confirmed. “Diagnostic tests carried out this morning showed a second-degree injury to semimembranosus muscle, with the recovery time needed estimated to be 40 days. “The Ghanaian midfielder [Asamoah] also suffered a muscular problem, a first-degree injury to the biceps femoris of the left thigh, so the prognosis for recovery is 20 days.”

Dybala: ‘Staying calm at Juventus’ http://www.football-italia.net/74846/dybala-‘staying-calm-juventus’? Oct 26, 2015 Paulo Dybala admits “I definitely feel the change” having swapped Palermo for Juventus. The striker joined the Bianconeri this summer for a fee of up to €40m, but has been left out by Coach Massimiliano Allegri for some high-profile encounters. The Argentinian international returned to the starting XI for the win over Atalanta yesterday, scoring once and providing an assist. “I’m going through this period very calmly,” Dybala assured Premium Sport. “I always think about working in peace and doing my best. I definitely feel the change, but like Allegri said, when there’s too much pressure you make mistakes and it can weigh on you. “You just have to play calmly, staying close to your friends and teammates. I’m definitely raring to go, I like being on the pitch, but the Coach has to choose his 11.”

Marotta: ‘Too much Dybala talk’ http://www.football-italia.net/74843/marotta-%E2%80%98too-much-dybala-talk%E2%80%99? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta says ‘there’s too much talk about Paulo Dybala’ after his starring role in the 2-0 win over Atalanta. The Argentine scored one and assisted the other in the Bianconeri’s victory on Sunday, but Marotta believes the media focus too much on the 21-year-old. “I’ve already said to Allegri, when a player arrives from the provinces they must have time to grow and acclimatise,” he said to Mediaset Premium. “I think you (the media) talk a bit too much about Dybala, Juventus is made up of other components. “Allegri has a full complement of staff and you can see the results. “We have the second best defence, we have to find a greater solidity. “Pogba’s number? We didn’t notice it from the stands, we don’t know and therefore don’t know what to say.”

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Trapattoni: Juventus Can Still Come Back For Title Race http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/trapattoni-juventus-can-still-come-back-for-title-race/? Oct 26, 2015 Giovanni Trapattoni spoke about Juventus‘ chances for the title after a poor start of their Serie A campaign. The 76-year-old endorsed the Bianconeri side for a probable comeback in the second half of the season, following their satisfactory win against Atalanta at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. “I believe there is still a long road to go down before the title is assigned,” said Trapattoni to Rai Due. “The matches are giving very clear indications so far,” he added. “But this league is a long-run and Juventus is not completely out of it. “At the top of the table, there are many important clubs and they are all going to fight for the title”. The former coach was in charge of Juventus on two occasions during his career. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Buffon Excited By The Challenge Of Scudetto Defence http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/juventus-captain-excited-by-the-challenge-of-scudetto-defence/? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon has expressed his belief that the Bianconeri’s fortunes will start to turn for the better soon. Massimiliano Allegri’s side have not enjoyed the start to the Serie A season that many expected from them, but following their 2-0 defeat of Atalanta on Sunday, Buffon feels that things are starting to pick up for the Old Lady. Speaking to Rai Tre, Buffon was in a positive mood as he evaluated his side’s start to the season and discussed where things would go from here. “Right now, we are a team under construction,” the veteran goalkeeper began. “We are still trying to find the right balance and the good results will start to come soon,” he added. The reigning Scudetto holders have, quite remarkably, won only three of their opening nine Serie A fixtures, leading to many writing off their chances of defending their title. Buffon, however, admitted he was excited by the challenge. “I do not know if we will win [the Scudetto],” he said. “The players will definitely return to form. “I play for the challenge, it is something priceless.” The 37-year-old has kept three clean sheets in his last three outings for Juve in all competitions.

Gianluigi Buffon breaks Juventus record and targets 2018 World Cup http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2683487/gianluigi-buffon-breaks-juventus-record-and-targets-2018? Oct 26, 2015 Gianluigi Buffon has told Rai Tre TV he still hopes to be playing in 2018 after surpassing Alessandro Del Piero's record for the number of minutes played for Juventus. Buffon, the Italy and Juventus captain, surpassed Del Piero's landmark of 48,794 minutes in the 0-0 Champions League draw with Borussia Monchengladbach last week. The 37-year-old goalkeeper wants to make it to 50,000 minutes and beyond and said: "I'm proud of it [the record], but I think I've still got a lot to give. "It's one of my objectives still to be playing in 2018. "Since turning 32 or 33 each year counts for seven, like with dogs. As a lad, unrestrained passion for football is what drives you. As you grow, you realise that what stimulates you the most is the challenge. This is why I enjoy playing every game. "I've not yet thought about what I will do [after football] -- I've not yet had that enlightening moment. I prefer to play these next two-and-a-half years the best I can." Buffon is set to take part in his fourth European Championship in France next summer, and could chalk up his fifth World Cup finals appearance in Russia in 2018. In addition to having played more minutes than any other Juve player, he is Italy's most capped player with 152 to his name. Barring injury, Buffon will captain Italy at Euro 2016 and appears on course to lead the Azzurri out in Russia at the age of 40. But he still has a way to go to match Del Piero's appearance record for Juventus -- he has made 547, while the striker made 705.

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Paulo Dybala Shrugs off Criticism to Help Juventus Ease to Win over Atalanta http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582644-paulo-dybala-shrugs-off-criticism-to-help-juventus-ease-to-win-over-atalanta? Oct 26, 2015 There have been numerous issues for Juventus so far in 2015/16, with few appearing to resonate as deeply as their use of Paulo Dybala, yet the Argentinian striker was undoubtedly the star of their 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday afternoon. The club’s most expensive summer signing, he arrived from Palermo at a cost of €32 million (323 million), according to their official website, with a further €8 million (£5.75 million) in potential bonuses still to be paid. However, Massimiliano Allegri’s decision not to start him in either of their previous two matches saw the coach widely criticised. “The Dybala case is causing Allegri problems,” proclaimed the front page of Thursday morning’s edition of TuttoSport (h/t Football Italia), the Turin-based newspaper one of many voices discussing the situation. “Allegri is on track to ruin Dybala," Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini said when asked about his former player by Radio Sportiva last week (h/t FourFourTwo). Yet before the meeting with Atalanta, none of Juve’s attacking players had spent more time on the pitch this term than the 21-year-old. Indeed, Dybala had featured for 561 minutes in all competitions, putting him ahead of Alvaro Morata (535 minutes) Mario Mandzukic (499) and Simone Zaza (296), a fact noted by Allegri at his pre-match press conference. “Dybala has played more than any of our other strikers,” the coach said, per the club’s official website. “He's a lad with fantastic ability and a great future. Last year he was Palermo's star player but that doesn't mean we can hand him the same responsibility at a club like Juventus.” While the fact Dybala had returned from international duty ahead of the Inter clash perhaps justified his omission there, his late introduction in the following match against Borussia Monchengladbach was certainly questionable. Yet Allegri would feel vindicated after including the Cordoba native in the starting XI against Atalanta, finding himself subsequently rewarded with an energy-filled display that fully showcased the player’s ability. Dybala would open the scoring after 28 minutes, collecting Paul Pogba’s pass outside the area and smashing an unstoppable effort past goalkeeper Marco Sportiello that put Juve fully in control of the game. Taking his 2015/16 tally to five goals overall, it was a goal whose significance cannot be understated after those somewhat misplaced concerns. But it would merely be one highlight of a superb all-round performance, with Dybala then joining a sublime team move that provided Mario Mandzukic with the game’s second goal. He would also win a penalty that Pogba failed to convert, while statistics in the tweet below show Dybala connected with 41 of his 46 pass attempts, recovered the ball four times and took eight shots at the Atalanta goal. Adam Digby @Adz77 Paulo Dybala vs Atalanta: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 penalty won, 8 shots, 1 on target, 41/46 passes (via @StatsZone) But even he was dissatisfied with his contribution, noting in a post-match interview that he hopes to have an even greater impact in the future. “I'm only half-satisfied, I was able to score a goal but I also missed a lot,” Dybala told Mediaset (h/t Football Italia). “I am self-critical because this is the only way I will improve.” Allegri made similar comments at his post-match press conference, per the club's official website, with the coach saying that he “liked Paulo’s positional sense,” but adding that he needs to “get used to the physical aspects of the game.” That unified message certainly bodes well for the future, one in which the striker will surely become a more prominent figure for Juventus. Dybala continues to justify that significant summer outlay, and performances such as this one should see more faith shown in the way Juve manage him. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU95zS46YC0 http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie-a/juventus/2015/10/25-5286852/juve-atalanta_2-0_allegri_torna_a_sorridere_con_dybala_e_mandzukic/

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus vs. Atalanta: Winners and Losers from Serie A Game http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582522-juventus-vs-atalanta-winners-and-losers-from-serie-a? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus welcomed Atalanta to the Juventus Stadium on Sunday in need of a big win. After their rough start, a home victory against a team that, on paper, they should beat—not to mention one above them in the standings—was vital to start Juve's climb back up the table. It was even more important considering the way the league's other games have shaped up this week. Second-placed Inter dropped points on Saturday to Palermo, while four teams ahead of Juve in the standings—Lazio, Torino, Roma and Fiorentina—played each other later on Sunday. Lazio and Roma emerged triumphant from those two games, and Juve are eight points off the latter, who top the Serie A table. The Bianconeri delivered one of their more comprehensive performances of the season. Paulo Dybala and Paul Pogba keyed the team to a 2-0 victory that could easily have much more had La Dea not gotten a fine performance from goalkeeper Marco Sportiello. Who were the big winners and losers from this important match? Let's delve a little deeper to find out. Winner: Paulo Dybala Four days after fans and media blasted coach Massimiliano Allegri for benching Paulo Dybala for Juve's Champions League match against Borussia Monchengladbach—and one day after Allegri hit back at those critics—the young Argentinian had what might be a breakout performance. During his pre-match press conference, per Football Italia, Allegri blasted critics of his move to sit Dybala midweek and suggested that it wasn't fair to put too much pressure on the 21-year-old. "Last season he was a leader at Palermo," he said, "but he cannot have that same role at Juve yet...We cannot put this amount of responsibility on Dybala's shoulders." On Sunday, Dybala went out and proved that his coach might be wrong. He was absolutely everywhere in the attacking third. He made good runs to get himself free off the ball, and he dribbled incisively on it, cutting through a weak Atalanta defense to set up dangerous situations. It paid off in the 28th minute, when he controlled a simple layoff from Pogba and slammed in a shot that took a last-minute swerve to off-balance goalkeeper Marco Sportiello. It was his fourth goal of the year. To this point, he'd fired in a pair of penalties and bundled a ball over the line on the run against Roma, but this was the one that really showed just how good he is. It wasn't the end of his day either. He set up Juve's second, and could very easily have scored four times. Right before the half, he hit a low, powerful first-timer off a beautiful pass. Sportiello didn't know much about it but was lucky it was right at him, and he saved with his feet. The second half saw Dybala snag a ball on the left wing and drive to the byline before sending in a hard low cross, giving Mario Mandzukic a simple tap-in. Later, he whizzed a free kick just beyond the post, then he was unlucky after his first touch on yet another through ball was just a bit too hard, leaving him a difficult shot on a bouncing ball rather than a more routine tap. Dybala was without a doubt the man of the match. He played perfectly and made Mandzukic look better than he has for much of the season. The idea of the Argentine pairing with Alvaro Morata at full bore from the start is a tantalizing prospect—and Dybala must certainly have shown that he now deserves to be in the big matches from the beginning. Loser: Roberto Pereyra Just as it seemed like Roberto Pereyra was about to start getting a chunk of playing time, he's been stalled again. Juventus fans who were clamoring for a trequartista in the summer transfer window seemed to have forgotten the Argentina international, whose performances in the hole last year were impressive. His ability to dribble and take a man on are precious commodities on a team where there isn't much of that to go around. The 24-year-old performed well on Sunday, playing sideline to sideline to open up the field in the attacking third and splitting Atalanta's back line apart several times. He also keyed several breakaways. But it was one of those counterattacks about 35 minutes in that threw a wrench into the gears. Pereyra pulled up hard after letting Dybala through on the run and collapsed to the field. There is no official word yet, but from the looks of it it had hamstring written all over it. It's a real shame for a man who was, once again, showing that he deserved to be on the field in big moments. Juve will hope that he recovers soon and regains his place. Winner: Paul Pogba The harsh glare of his missed penalty kick aside, Paul Pogba had a very good game. According to WhoScored.com, Pogba completed 89.4 percent of his passes on the day, made four key passes, put two shots on target and assisted the opening goal. He also drew five fouls and completed one of two crosses, both of his long passes and his lone attempt at a through ball. For any other player, this would be an extraordinarily good day. For Pogba, from whom so much is expected due to his prodigious skill and his takeover of the No. 10 shirt, there will undoubtedly be some criticism for not doing even more. Granted, the penalty miss makes the 22-year-old an easy target, especially after his nonchalant, baby-steps run-up. He did the same thing against Genoa in September and was booked for unsportsmanlike play as a result. It's that tendency towards Hollywood play that is his one remaining weakness—one that he's overcoming in fits and starts. Regardless of that miss, however, the young Frenchman took a step in the right direction today, although it may be in the best interests of the team to rest him a bit soon with a stretch of big games on the horizon. Loser: Gabriel Paletta It was only two seasons ago that Gabriel Paletta enjoyed the best season of any center back in Serie A and earned himself a starting spot in the World Cup opener against England. How the mighty have fallen. An injury slowed him at the beginning of last season, and then he bailed out of the sinking ship that was Parma only to arrive at the mess that was AC Milan's 2014-15 campaign. The Rossoneri needed to off-load a center back this summer and chose Paletta as the man to go. His play for Atalanta has left a lot to be desired. Back in the starting lineup after being suspended for a red card, the 29-year-old was carved up all day long. While WhoScored.com clocked him at five tackles, four interceptions and five clearances, those are volume stats accumulated after 90 minutes of near-constant Juve attacks. He was directly responsible for Juve's clincher after losing Mandzukic's run, and he was let out of jail by Sportiello after conceding the penalty Pogba missed. He was constantly on the wrong end of dribbles and was very lucky not to have been booked when he took out Dybala on the penalty. Certainly not a good day for Paletta, who is showing more and more that his 2013-14 season was a one-year wonder. Winner: Marco Sportiello Sportiello certainly showed something on Sunday. While his legendary opposite number Gianluigi Buffon spent his day largely watching his team attack from afar, the 23-year-old was in the thick of things. Squawka credited him with seven saves, including his stop against Pogba. He denied both Dybala and Pogba several times from open play, was sure-handed when coming for crosses, and he rarely put a pass wrong. It's clear now why La Dea didn't worry much when they let long-time goalkeeper Andrea Consigli—another excellent man between the pipes—move to Sassuolo before the start of last season. Sportiello is an excellent player, who could play his way into the conversation as one of Buffon's backups at Euro 2016 if he keeps performing at this level. Loser: Maximiliano Moralez When you're deployed on the left wing against a makeshift right-back, you're expected to do big things. Unfortunately for Maximiliano Moralez, he wasn't able to take advantage of Simone Padoin, who was deputizing for the injured duo of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres. Moralez has had a good season so far, scoring once, providing four assists and, according to WhoScored.com, averaging 2.4 key passes per contest. Granted, all of those numbers came from the right side of the attack. It seems that Atalanta manager Edy Reja tried to get cute by matching up his most creative attacker against a perceived weakness in his opponent's defense. Unfortunately it didn't work. Padoin did well to shackle the winger, who failed to get a shot off and only managed to provide half-chances—if that—for his teammates. The 28-year-old was hauled off after only 51 minutes after being completely ineffective. It's not uncommon for players to get smothered by Juve's defense, but with a point to aim at in Padoin, Moralez should have done better. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Paul Pogba agent denies Juventus and Barcelona have agreed deal over sale http://www.espnfc.co.uk/story/2683379/paul-pogba-agent-denies-talk-barcelona-deal-with-juventus? Oct 26, 2015 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has not made any pre-contract agreement to join Barcelona next summer despite reports in Italy that a deal is already in place, his agent has insisted. Pogba, 22, was linked with the Blaugrana all summer, and the Bianconeri turned down a substantial offer to keep hold of the France international. It has since been reported that Juve's refusal was not outright, however, and that they had instead agreed to keep hold of Pogba for the season before allowing him to join the Catalans next summer. Mino Raiola, however, insists Pogba chose to stay at Juve because of his love for the club. "He stayed at Juve because his heart told him to, even though there were some big offers for him," Raiola told Radio Deejay. On whether there was a pre-agreement with Barca, Raiola said: "Absolutely not -- whoever wants to sign him has got to sit down with Juve and then we will see. "There were three or four clubs interested him in the summer, but he decided to stay at Juve and he is convinced he made the right choice." Pogba's form this season has not yet lived up to the standards he set in the past two seasons, and there has been criticism of his performances, linked with the suggestions that he will move to Spain next summer and is therefore no longer as committed to the cause as he used to be. "He had a difficult start for various reasons, but as [Juve sporting director Pavel] Nedved said, he needs to be left in peace," Raiola added. "He's a great champion who's going through a rough spell like the whole of the team. I saw the old Pogba again in his last game." Raiola added that the iconic No. 10 shirt -- given to Pogba following Carlos Tevez's departure -- he is wearing "is only a number" which should not be affecting his performances, although Pogba amended it for his side's 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday, adding the number 75 in handwriting. The reference, it emerged after, was to mark the 75th birthday of Brazil legend Pele.

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus 2 - Atalanta 0: Paulo Dybala leads the way for the bianconeri against the nerazurri The Argentinian scored and assisted in Juventus' rout of Atalanta. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/10/26/9611920/juventus-atalanta-2015-serie-a-round-9-final-score-recap-result Oct 26, 2015 Juventus hosted an underrated Atalanta on Sunday seeking to finish their late scoring difficulties and trying to achieve some consistency in the domestic league. Massimiliano Allegri announced squad rotation at pre-match press conference on Saturday. He left Juan Guillermo Cuadrado on the bench and that meant a change in his module. Juventus started the match with Max's signature 4-3-1-2 formation, deploying Roberto Pereyra as trequartista. Atalanta coach Edy Reja presented an aggressive 4-3-3. The veteran manager tried to choke Juventus with a high pressure from his attackers. The bianconeri began the match with great determination. Early in the game, they had two interesting set pieces, both executed by Paulo Dybala. The first one was a floated cross onto Leonardo Bonucci's head, whose effort forced a spectacular save by Marco Sportiello. The second was a corner kick that found Mario Mandzukic in the back post; however the keeper controlled the striker's erratic half volley easily. Soon after, Atalanta started to even the match appealing to their usual high -tempo pressure, but they didn't cause troubles to Gianluigi Buffon. Nevertheless, this match was Dybala's show. On 28 minutes, "La Joya" found some space on the edge of the box and fired a wicked long-range shot that got past Sportiello. At first glance, it looked like the young goalkeeper could make a better effort. The truth is that the ball had — a lot — of movement. It was a superb goal by the tiny striker. In the 36th minute, Roberto Pereyra went down, and nobody touched him in that play. El Tucumano left the pitch and was replaced by Kwadwo Asamoah. Just before halftime, Paul Pogba served a nice ball to Patrice Evra on the edge of the penalty area, the Frenchman executed a back pass to Dybala, who shot straight away, but Sportiello responded with an acrobatic save. Five minutes after halftime, Juventus elaborated one of their prettiest plays of the season. Claudio Marchisio combined with Paul Pogba, who set up Dybala with a clever backheel. Then, the Argentinian executed an accurate low cross, which was sent into the back of the net by Mandzukic. In the 69th minute, Dybala was close to score once again when he fulfilled a beautiful free-kick. His curled shot was inches wide of Sportiello left post. A minute later a magical pass by Pogba left Dybala one-on-one with Sportiello. Dybala performed a nice volley, but the goalkeeper responded with a terrific save. On 78 minutes, Dybala beat Gabriel Paletta inside Atalanta's penalty box, the defender fouled his compatriot and the bianconeri were awarded with a penalty. However, Pogba couldn't capitalize from the spot because Sportiello responded again with an excellent stop. Juventus accomplished a worthy victory against the Goddess. They rediscovered their creativity and played with flexibility. I'm begging for more games like this. LE PAGELLE Buffon 6.5 - Another spectator-type match for Gigi. He had an untroubled evening at Juventus Stadium. Padoin 6.5 - Solid performance by the bianconeri's Swiss Army knife. He did not put a foot wrong on defense. Bonucci 7 - Rock-solid as always. My only complain is that he jeopardized the possession of the ball sometimes. Chellini 7.5 - Made a couple of great plays on defense. He's an unsung hero in this victory. Evra 7.5 - The ruler of the left flank. He was a constant threat on offense; yet a belligerent defender. Khedira 7.5 - Smart as always. It looks like he's starting to build huge chemistry with the rest of the team. Marchisio 8 - The metronome of Juventus' midfield. He hardly missed a pass, could make Andrea Pirlo proud with this performance. Pogba 7.5 - Paul we really missed you. Please don't let his missed penalty fools you; He had a very nice match. Maybe he could claim the trequartista role. Pereyra 7 - He played with great intensity. He had to leave the game with an ugly-looking injury. Mandzukic 6.5 - He's still out of rhythm. However, was an enforcer in the area and scored his first goal in Serie A. Dybala 9 - I don't know what to write. He was phenomenal plain and simple! He could have had a hat trick with a little bit of luck. Of course, he's the Man of the Match. Subs Asamoah 7.5 - I'm so glad to see Kojo back and playing an important number of minutes. He complemented nicely the rest of the midfield. I believe he's ready to fight for a spot. Morata s/v - Entered for Mandzukic and played the last 15 minutes. Sturaro s/v - Entered in the 89th minute for Khedira. Coach Allegri 7.5 - He deployed his favorite 4-3-1-2 formation and it was a success. Also made a gutsy decision when he put Asamoah in the game instead of Cuadrado. Pogba as a trequartista was another bright choice. However, the best of all is that he finally used Dybala in a complete game! Things I think I think Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. 4-3-1-2, 4-3-3 or (I hope not) 3-5-2? Dybala and Cuadrado? Dybala or Cuadrado? Pogba as a trequartista is an intriguing idea. Asamoah looked really good in his first real cameo of the season. Just imagine a weekly partnership between Dybala and Morata. By the way, let the Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester, Bayern, Arsenal rumors begin! It's just me or Giulio Migliaccio is Vin Diesel's lost twin? http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Max Allegri says Paulo Dybala must grow after win over Atalanta The manager's comments after Juventus' 2-0 win on Sunday. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/10/26/9612296/allegri-says-dybala-must-grow-after-win-over-atalanta-juventus Oct 25, 2015 Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri feels that striker Paulo Dybala still has some growing to do, especially to physically assert himself. Dybala had the game-opening goal as Juve won 2-0 at home against Atalanta on Sunday. "Paulo Dybala must grow physically, he still can't take contrasts. "The lads played a good game. We took no goals, we showed some good football at times and had some good chances to score. "I'm quite satisfied, even though we shouldn't have lost so many balls and we should have saved our energy towards the end, when they were reduced to ten men." Allegri had been criticized earlier this week for his apparent mismanagement of the young Argentinian striker. Juventus fans and Palermo president (where Juventus signed Dybala from) Maurizio Zamparini alike have mentioned that Allegri is not playing Dybala enough. The manager's response was pretty emphatic - "I believe in what I'm doing. As for handling youth, you can say anything about me, that I get my formations wrong or whatever, but not that I can't handle young players. "I liked Dybala's position, and Pereyra's too. Dybala will have to play between the lines. "With all due respect for [President Maurizio] Zamparini, but the lad only just came from Palermo and we can't give him too many responsibilities. "He must develop physically and improve. He's only 21 years old and the balls he plays here are not like those in Palermo. "He used to play one or two balls per minute, here he gets one or two every 15 seconds. He must improve in terms of character too. "He still has trouble with physical contrasts. But he's good at passing, he has a great shot and he can find his space. "Nobody criticizes his quality, he always played. The fact he played changes nothing, but my mind was made up after the game against Manchester [City]. "In the championship there are highs and lows. If he can develop technically, tactically and physically, he'll become a champion. "As for the defence, if we work as a group then we can cause our adversaries trouble and not take goals." Paul Pogba missed a penalty, too, but Allegri wasn't too worried about it. "Missing a penalty is not a problem. The only ones who don't miss penalties are those who don't take them. "Pogba is developing, but he can still improve." http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Pereyra Thanks Fans After Picking Up Injury Against Atalanta http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/juventus-winger-thanks-fans-after-picking-up-injury-against-atalanta/? Oct 25, 2015 Juventus winger Roberto Pereyra has thanked fans for their support following his injury. The Argentine international picked up a knock in his side’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday afternoon but he has insisted he is already focused on a return to the team. “I am happy about the result, we go on #ForzaJuve,” the 24-year-old posted on his Facebook page. “It’s a shame about the injury but as of tomorrow morning I will work hard for a return to the team as soon as possible. “Thank you for all the messages of support.” The latest news on his injury suggests that Pereyra will be sidelined for at least a month. The Bianconeri’s victory means they now sit 12th in the Serie A table ahead of their trip to Sassuolo on Wednesday night, while Atalanta are in ninth. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Khedira Praises Fans Following Atalanta Victory http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/juventus-midfielder-praises-fans-following-atalanta-victory/? Oct 25, 2015 Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira was delighted with his side’s victory over Atalanta. The Bianconeri won 2-0 against La Dea on Sunday afternoon in Serie A giving them their third victory this season which Khedira says is important. “This victory today was important,” the German international posted on his Facebook Page. The 28-year-old then praised the fans of La Vecchia Signora for their support. “The support from our fans is unbelievable, world class no doubt,” he said. “Taking time for pictures and autographs with the fans feels great. “Playing for this team feels like belonging to one big and special family. “Fino alla fine, Forza Juventus!” Massimiliano Allegri’s men sit in 12th place in the Serie A table following the victory, while Atalanta are ninth. Juventus’ next match is a trip to Sassuolo on Wednesday night. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello The incredible stats that show why Juventus MUST unleash Dybala The 21-year-old has been used sparingly by Massimiliano Allegri thus far this season but delivered a top-class display against Atalanta to prove he cannot be left on the bench. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/7118/opta/2015/10/25/16669052/-? Oct 25, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri listened to the fans and handed Paulo Dybala start on Sunday - and the 21-year-old Argentine forward didn't disappoint as he grabbed a goal and an assist in Juventus's 2-0 win over Atalanta. So why has Dybala been bit-part at Juve thus far this term? One look at the stats below and SURELY the former Palermo star shouldn't see another minute on the bench...! http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Player Ratings: Juventus 2-0 Atalanta http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/player-ratings-juventus-v-atalanta/? Oct 25, 2015 Juventus topped Atalanta 2-0 at home Sunday afternoon in Serie A, with Paulo Dybala staring for the home side. Though la Dea mostly managed a resolute defence, they were unable to stop the machinations of Bianconeri striker Paulo Dybala, who scored the first goal and set up the second. Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 6 – Spectator - The Italian international goalkeeper didn’t have much of anything to do as Atalanta’s counter-attack was unable to break through Juventus’ defence to get any shots on goal. Simone Padoin – 6 – Liability - Juventus’ jack-of-all-trades was the weak link in the Bianconeri’s overall impressive defence. Though Atalanta rarely launched attacks into Juventus’ half, they managed to find plenty of space behind Padoin when they did. Leonardo Bonucci – 7.5 – Stalwart - In those relatively rare moments when la Dea did attack, they were often blunted before the ball could get past Bonucci. The Italian managed four successful tackles and six interceptions over the 90 minutes. Giorgio Chiellini – 7 – Leader - The Juventus veteran was not as involved as his partner at centre-back, but did well to organize Juventus’ defence as they contained Atalanta’s attempt at breaks. Patrice Evra – 7 – Ageless - The French full-back’s age was not evident in his performance Sunday. He performed well in defence and frequently involved himself in Juventus’ attack, managing four passes or crosses that resulted in a shot. Sami Khedira – 6.5 – Superfluous - The ex-Real Madrid man didn’t play poorly per se. Rather, it was more that he didn’t have much to do. Atalanta sat deep and didn’t succeed in much build-up play from Khedira’s position in midfield. Juventus might have been better off fielding a more attack-minded player instead. Claudio Marchisio – 7.5 – Metronome - This was a tribute act to Andrea Pirlo. Marchisio played the role of distributor for much of the game, managing 134 passes at a 92% accuracy rate. That kind of thankless play proves vital in games such as this where Juventus are compelled to recycle the ball through midfield as they make successive attempts on goal. Paul Pogba – 7 – Uneven - When Pereyra went down, it was Pogba who stepped up to serve as that link between the midfield and attack. He synced especially well with Dybala, but when he stepped up to take the penalty the young striker earned, Pogba disappointed. His overly elaborate stutter-step in the lead up to his kick did nothing to fool the Atalanta keeper. Roberto Pereyra – 6 – Cut Short - The Argentine link-up man was subbed off in the 41st minute and thus wasn’t on the pitch long enough to actually make his mark. Prior to leaving the game, though, he struggled to get both Paolo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic into the game Mario Mandzukic – 7 – Sentry - Clearly asked to keep his back to goal and hold up play for Dybala to play around him, Mandzukic performed this limited role without a tremendous amount of flair. He scored Juventus’ second goal, though even that was mostly made by Dybala’s cross. Paulo Dybala – 8.5 – Star - The young Argentine grabbed this game by the horns and didn’t let go. From his excellent strike to score the opening goal to his superb cross for Juventus’ second and finally to the penalty he earned that Pogba failed to convert, this was Dybala’s game. It was the first hint that the considerable amount Juventus paid for him in the summer might just pay off. Substitutes Kwadwo Asamoah – 6.5 – Decent - His surprise inclusion in the 41st minute after Pereyra’s injury didn’t seem to faze Asamoah all that much. He played competently in his mashup role as central midfielder and wide attacker. Alvaro Morata – N/A Stefano Sturaro – N/A Atalanta Marco Sportiello – 8 – Wall - Even the best barricades have a few cracks. The Atalanta keeper might have conceded twice, but they were both exceptional bits of skill and few keepers could have done much more. Juventus managed eight other shots on goal besides those two, and Sportiello saved them all capably. If Atalanta could leave this match with a small amount of pride, it was only because of Sportiello. Gianpaolo Bellini – 5 – Exposed - Juventus managed some of their best chances from the left hand side of their attack thanks in no small part to Bellini’s generally terrible positioning. An Evra cross should have been converted but for a spectacular save from Sportiello in the first half. Rafael Toloi – 4.5 – Punished - Even without the second yellow card that saw him removed prematurely from the game, Toloi would not have rated especially high. Neither he nor his centre-back partner Paletta could contain the Juventus attack. Gabriel Paletta – 5 – Lacing - Along with Toloi, Paletta was largely responsible for Juventus’ 19 total shots, including nine by Dybala alone. Leaving that kind of space for the likes of Dybala will always get you punished. Boukary Drame – 5.5 – Enthusiastic - Cannot be left out of the poor reckoning for Atalanta’s defence, but Drame did manage to contribute to Atalanta’s counter when he could. Marten De Roon – 5.5 – Anonymous - Along with the rest of Atalanta’s midfield, De Roon was mostly ineffective. He successfully completed a mere 25 passes and three tackles, an especially embarrassing set of figures considering the Dutchman was supposed to be the pivot in Atalanta’s counter-attack. Jasmin Kurtic – 5.5 – Pressured - Once again, as a whole, Juventus’ midfield successfully nullified Atalanta’s attempts to do just about anything through the middle. Kurtic tried to be the creative impetus but more often than not failed. Alberto Grassi – 5 – Isolated - There was at least one or two moments when Grassi’s runs from midfield in Atalanta’s counter looked like a threat, but those moments came far too rarely. Maximiliano Moralez – 6 – Blunted - Atalanta’s counter was always going to rely on their attacking trio up front, and Moralez proved to be a threat on a couple occasions. Unfortunately Juventus’ defence cut off his attempts to be a creative force high up the pitch. Mauricio Pinilla – 6.5 – Inaccurate - Atalanta’s Chilean striker did manage to find enough space to take three shots in the game, though none of them were on target. Marco D’Alessandro – 6 – Curious - A strange inclusion in Atalanta’s starting XI considering Alejandro Gomez was healthy enough for the bench. He did little to convince anyone he should get the nod above Gomez again in the future. Substitutes Andrea Masiello – 5.5 – Poor - Subbed on for the woeful Atalanta right-back at halftime, he did little better than the man he replaced. Dybala’s cross for Juventus’ second came from the area Masiello should have been patrolling. Alejandro Gomez – 5.5 – Late - Though he made some promising runs in Atalanta’s attack, it all came too late to have any impact whatsoever on his side’s chances. Giulio Migliaccio – N/A http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Dybala: 'Juve are strong, I'm not' http://www.football-italia.net/74807/dybala-juve-are-strong-im-not? Oct 25, 2015 Paulo Dybala is self-critical in spite of scoring in the 2-0 win over Atalanta: 'It's the only way I'll ever improve'. The Argentine is trying his utmost to fill in the giant shoes left by Carlos Tevez, and it seems things are beginning to turn his way as he was decisive in beating La Dea. “I'm only half-satisfied, I was able to score a goal but I also missed a lot,” he told Mediaset after the game. “I am self-critical because this is the only way I will improve. “Today I went into the pitch linking up play, which isn't easy for me because I used to be a poacher and I had greater freedom. Besides, Vazquez used to help me a lot. “Pressure? No, I don't read all the things that are written in the papers and the team does a good job of shielding me. “Juventus are among the competitors for the Scudetto.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Reja: Atalanta Were Too Fearful Of Juventus http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/reja-atalanta-were-too-fearful-of-juventus/? Oct 25, 2015 Atalanta coach Edoardo Reja believes his side were unlucky during their Serie A defeat to Juventus. La Dea lost 2-0 to the reigning Italian champions on Sunday afternoon although they played some better football towards the end of the match, but coach Reja thinks his side were partly unlucky due the quality Juventus had during the game. “Ironically, we played our best after they scored,” the 70-year-old told Rai after the match. “We were unlucky to come up against Juventus who played very well in the first half.” The Italian tactician then pointed out that they also made some mistakes in the game, showing his disappointment with how much of the ball their opponents saw. “We recovered, we tried to attack them more, we created two opportunities with Pinilla and Maxi Moralez but overall we had too much fear against them,” he said. “We have too much space to our opponents.” Atalanta’s loss puts them in ninth place in the league table ahead of their next fixture at home to Lazio on Wednesday night. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello JUVENTUS 2-0 ATALANTA SERIE A MATCH REPORT Mario Mandzukic scored his debut Serie A goal but Paulo Dybala was the man of the match as Juve ran out 2-0 winners against Atalanta. http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-2-0-atalanta-serie-a-match-report/? Oct 25, 2015 5 Positives 1. Paulo Dybala – What a performance. At the heart of every Juve attack, drifting from the left to the right, tracking back to defend, scoring a pornagraphic opening goal, providing the kind of assist Madzukic thrives on, winning a penalty… the list goes on and on. It’s great to see people talking about him for all the right reasons. 2. Paul Pogba – Almost bacl to his very best – Galloped around the pitch like a thoroughbred, played some superb, intricate passes in the first half, dominated the midfield in the second. The missed penalty aside, he seems to be coming into his own again and playing very well as part of….. 3. KMP or PMK or MPK or….you get my drift – …the three man midfield of Khedira, Marchisio and Pogba ! It works, and it works damn well. The more often they play together, the better they perform as unit and individually. Funny that ? Allegri persisting with the same players actually makes the team better. Who would have though ? 4. Mandzukic scores ! – Give Mario Mandzukic a dodgy cross, and he may fap at it and fall on his arse. Give him the kind of delivery he needs, and he’ll finish all day. Great to see him score his debut Serie A goal. 5. Allegri’s tactics – I’ll be the first to admit that i wasn’t a huge fan of us changing formation yet again after starting to get to grips with a 4-3-3 that normally involves Juan Cuadrado. That said, Allegri got it perfect today, keeping the same midfield, resting key players and letting Dybala roam freely in attack. Bravo Max ! Statistics Man of the Match: Paulo Dybala Flop of the Match: Simone Padoin Corners: 5 Pass Accuracy: 91% Shots on Target: 10 Total Shots: 19 Ball Possession: 70% Formation: 4-3-1-2 Formation Lineups Juventus: Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Khedira (Sturaro 89), Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra (Asamoah 37); Mandzukic (Morata 77), Dybala Atalanta: Sportiello; Bellini (Masiello 46), Toloi, Paletta, Dramé; Grassi, Kurtic, De Roon (Migliaccio 73); Maxi Moralez (Gomez 52), Pinilla, D’Alessandro Ref: Di Bello Sent off: Toloi 74 (A) Saved penalty: Pogba 79 (J) Who was your man of the match against Atalanta Dybala 69 votes 87% Pogba 4 votes 5% Marchisio 2 votes 3% Padoin 2 votes 3% Buffon 1 vote 1% Khedira 1 vote 1% Bonucci 0% Chiellini 0% Evra 0% Pereyra 0% Mandzukic 0% Votes 79 http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus 2 - Atalanta 0: Initial reaction and random observations http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/10/25/9610548/juventus-atalanta-2015-serie-a-round-9-final-score-result-initial-reaction Oct 25, 2015 And then, on Oct. 25, 2015, Paulo Dybala completely took control of the Juventus attack. Maybe we will mark this day down in history and remember it fondly. Or maybe we will just think to ourselves, "See? This is why Dybala should have the Juventus attack built around him, Max!" Or maybe it's just going to be a game that we point to as the official start of Dybala's record-setting career in a Juventus jersey. Who knows, really. Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll be watching this wonderfully taken goal, the first in Juventus' 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday afternoon at Juventus Stadium, plenty of times in the future. Why? Because it's Dybala doing awesome things, and because it's just a beautiful, beautiful thing to witness. Seriously, look at that movement on the ball. Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello is a pretty good goalkeeper and even he had no chance whatsoever. Pretty much every goalkeeper in the world would have struggled with that shot. It had just an insane amount of unnatural movement on it. I feel safe in saying this: When Juventus shelled out all that money for Dybala over the summer, this was the kind of performance they envisioned would not just happen every so often, but be a regular occurrence. Dybala had one goal and assisted on Mario Mandzukic's first Serie A goal. And based on the chances he had, Dybala could have easily had two or three more goals if not for a Sportiello super save right before halftime and a second-half free kick whizzing just past the right upright. But for an attack that clearly needed a spark, Dybala provided exactly that. And it paid dividends throughout the team as well. The build-up play on some of the scoring chances was some of the best we've seen all season. It certainly helped that it seemed as though Dybala was involved in everything. With the way he played, that wasn't a bad thing. So, Dybala to start against Sassuolo midweek? I sure as hell hope so. He certainly earned it. Random thoughts and observations We've talked a lot about Juventus' offensive woes as of late, and rightfully so. But what's flown under the radar a little bit is the fact that Juve's defense is playing as well as it has all season long. Leonardo Bonucci was fantastic again, Giorgi Chiellini has seemed to right the ship after his struggles the last 18 months or so. There was a reason why Gigi Buffon didn't have to do a damn thing outside of catching a couple of easy crosses. It's because of what the players in front of him are doing right now. What's that saying about 2-0 being the most dangerous lead to have in the game? Once Juventus went up 2-0 it seemed as though Atalanta lost total interest. Complete side note even though it's got a Juventus-related twist to it: Domenico Berardi scored against Milan today. That might as well write this into Italian law at this point. Whenever Berardi plays against Milan, Berardi scores against Milan. Book it. Marco Sportiello is a goalkeeper I would totally be okay with playing for Juventus down the road. He's become one of the best in Serie A with what he's done over the last season and change. Oh, and he's just 23 years old, so there's still plenty of room for him to grow. In the post-game thread after the Borussia Monchengladbach draw, I said Paul Pogba needed a game or two off. Well, I guess I was wrong. Sans penalty miss, this was easily one of Pogba's best games of the season. You could see the confidence growing as the game went on. There were a few tricks and flicks, but they were helping Juventus this time around, not hindering the team. That's huge. Claudio Marchisio is good. Sami Khedira is good. Juventus' midfield trio is starting to take shape. And that, as you probably can guess, is also good. Speaking of midfielders, seeing Kwadwo Asamoah get some serious playing time — even though it was as a result of Roberto Pereyra having to come off injured in the first half — is maybe one of the best things to come of out the Atalanta win. How does a midfield of Khedira-Marchisio-Asamoah with Pogba playing further up the field sound to you? I'll tell you this, I'm definitely not opposed to it, especially if Pogba starts to find some kind of consistent form. I missed games like this one. I really did. There was never a doubt that Juventus would really be in serious trouble. I'll take a couple more orders of that before the season is over, please. Juventus up to 12th win the win. (Never thought I'd be typing that in late-October, by the way.) Two crucial games back to back against Sassuolo and Torino within the next seven days. POLL Who was your Juventus Man of the Match against Atalanta? 92% Paulo Dybala (336 votes) 5% Paul Pogba (18 votes) 3% Claudio Marchisio (10 votes) 1% Leonardo Bonucci (2 votes) 0% Patrice Evra (1 vote) 0% Giorgio Chiellini (0 votes) 367 votes total http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Allegri: 'Dybala must grow' http://www.football-italia.net/74805/allegri-dybala-must-grow? Oct 25, 2015 Max Allegri is pleased about Juventus winning 2-0 against Atalanta, but says 'Paulo Dybala must grow physically, he still can't take contrasts'. The Bianconeri got back on the right track against La Dea, but it appears the Argentine's goal was not sufficient to fully convince the Coach. “The lads played a good game,” Allegri told Mediaset. “We took no goals, we showed some good football at times and had some good chances to score. “I'm quite satisfied, even though we shouldn't have lost so many balls and we should have saved our energy towards the end, when they were reduced to ten men. “Missing a penalty is not a problem,” he said, in reference to Paul Pogba's missed opportunity. “The only ones who don't miss penalties are those who don't take them. “Pogba is developing, but he can still improve. “I believe in what I'm doing. As for handling youth, you can say anything about me, that I get my formations wrong or whatever, but not that I can't handle young players. “I liked Dybala's position, and Pereyra's too. Dybala will have to play between the lines. “With all due respect for [President Maurizio] Zamparini, but the lad only just came from Palermo and we can't give him too many responsibilities. “He must develop physically and improve. He's only 21 years old and the balls he plays here are not like those in Palermo. “He used to play one or two balls per minute, here he gets one or two every 15 seconds. He must improve in terms of character too. “He still has trouble with physical contrasts. But he's good at passing, he has a great shot and he can find his space. “Nobody criticises his quality, he always played. The fact he played changes nothing, but my mind was made up after the game against Manchester [City]. “In the championship there are highs and lows. If he can develop technically, tactically and physically, he'll become a champion. “As for the defence, if we work as a group then we can cause our adversaries trouble and not take goals.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello JUVENTUS 2-0 ATALANTA SERIE A PLAYER RATINGS Juventus ran out worthy 2-0 winners against Atalanta but who was the man of the match ? Read our ratings and find out… http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-2-0-atalanta-serie-a-player-ratings/? Oct 25, 2015 The Bianconeri dominated from the off and it wasn’t long before Paulo Dybala had them in the lead with a sublime opening goal. It was to the be the Argentine’s game as he continued to impress, firing in a perfect cross for Mario Mandzukic to convert from close-range. Gigi Buffon 6.0 - Rarely troubled by the Atalanta front 3 and had very little to do all game. Bossed his box very well and kept his defence in order. A quiet game for the captain. Simone Padoin 5.5 - Not at his best when put under pressure which worked out well because most of Juve’s attack was focussed down the left. Performed better after Juve had gone ahead but not a natural right-back Leonardo Bonucci 7.0 - Juve’s best defender yet again. Defensively sound, cutting out crosses, intercepted well, bought the ball out of defence again and again and had a great moment when he nutmegged an Atalanta defender. Superb. Giorgio Chiellini 6.0 - Contained Pinilla very well and reduced Atalanta to just a handfull of half chances. Solid display Patrice Evra 6.5 - Spent most of the game working brilliantly in tandem with Pogba. Sound defensively and spent most of the match in the Atalanta half where he continued to be threat all game. Sami Khedira 6.0 - Did all the simple things very well, kept Juve ticking over, had some good chances of his own to score. A solid display Claudio Marchisio 7.0 - Dictated the game from midfield with a fine display, worked well with Khedira alongside him and you can see the two are developing a good understanding of one another. Paul Pogba 7.5 - Almost back to his very best – Played a defence splitting pass in the early minutes of the game that set the tone for his performance. Galloped up and down the pitch and seemed to only get better as the game went on. A shame he missed the penalty, but otherwise it was more like the Pogba of past seasons. Roberto Pereyra N/A - Injured early on and subbed off for Asamoah Mario Mandzukic 6.5 - A player who thrives on service, finally scored his first Serie A goal thanks to a great assist from Dybala. PAULO DYBALA 9.0 - Where do you start ? Scored a gorgeous goal before setting up Mandzukic then won the penalty late on. A near-perfect display from the youngster who showed just what he can do when he starts matches. Substitutes Kwadwo Asamoah 6.0 - A quiet return for the midfielder but thats only to be expected given the time he’s spent away from the team. Stefano Sturaro N/A - Came on for Padoin and sat in at right-back. Alvaro Morata N/A - A brief cameo role with the game already won. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA 2 - 0 Paulo Dybala (28') Mario Mandžukić (49') MATCHDAY 9 Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Marco Di Bello Paulo Dybala on target as Juventus defeat Atalanta in Serie A http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432179/juventus-atalanta/report? Oct 25, 2015 Paulo Dybala inspired Juventus to beat 10-man Atalanta 2-0 in Turin on Sunday for their third Serie A win. The Argentina forward put the hosts on their way in the 28th minute before setting up Mario Manduzkic for Juve's second of the afternoon after the re-start. Atalanta, who failed to test Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon throughout the encounter, had defender Rafael Toloi sent off for a second yellow card in the 74th minute. Four minutes later, Dybala earned a penalty but Paul Pogba's spot-kick was saved by Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello. The victory has lifted the defending Italian champions to 11th in the standings while Atalanta have dropped to ninth. A goalless draw at home to Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday had halted Juve's perfect run in the Champions League. Juve, who had held Inter Milan to a 0-0 result in the previous round, enjoyed a strong start. Sportiello was forced to make two saves early on to deny close-range attempts from Leonardo Bonucci and Mandzukic. Juve broke the deadlock shortly after when Dybala found space just outside the area and drilled a left-footed shot from 25 yards that beat Sportiello. Sportiello was beaten for a second time after 49 minutes when Dybala's perfect pass found Mandzukic and he tapped home from close range. The visitors suffered a further setback when Toloi was handed his marching orders after a late challenge on Mandzukic. With 12 minutes remaining, the referee pointed to the spot after Gabriel Paletta fouled Dybala in the box. Sportiello guessed correctly and kept out Pogba's right-footed shot towards the far post. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127