Socrates

Pirlo: ‘Buffon the best ever’ http://www.football-italia.net/73084/pirlo-%E2%80%98buffon-best-ever%E2%80%99? Sep 17, 2015 Andrea Pirlo believes Juventus’ Gianluigi Buffon is ‘perhaps the best goalkeeper ever’. The shot-stopper won rave reviews for his performance in the win over Manchester City this week, and his Italy teammate believes he’s the best-ever in his position. “I’m lucky to have played with him since we were 15,” Pirlo told Sky. “For me, he’s unique, and perhaps the best goalkeeper ever. Watching him playing and training is awesome. “They won a good game, you approach these games differently, you can’t make a mistake.” Pirlo played with Buffon at club level for four seasons, before swapping Juventus for New York City this summer. The pair won the World Cup together in 2006, with Buffon picking up 150 Azzurri caps to Pirlo’s 116.

NETO: ‘GIGI BUFFON IS THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER ONE’ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2567816-why-gianluigi-buffon-will-be-juventus-x-factor-in-201516? Sep 17, 2015 Norberto Neto says he always dreamt of playing for a top team while declaring Gigi Buffon is the ‘absolute number one’. Speaking to Calcio2000, the Brazilian keeper explained how joining Juve was a dream come true. “Since I came to Italy, I’ve always dreamed of playing for a top team,” Neto told the website. “By coming to Juventus, I’ve fulfilled my dream. Since I was very young I wanted to join a team like this, and now I have to show I deserve it. “On Buffon there’s not much to say, we’re talking about the absolute number one. Being by his side in training definitely helps me a lot. “Thanks to him, I can certainly grow and improve faster. I watch the way he prepares for a match, the little things he does to stay at certain levels, and these are all important lessons which will be important for me.”

Hi Gigi, I think the best you can do is to ask directly the official site. https://www.juventus.com/en/contact.php Welcome to the best Juventus forum in the world!

Why Gianluigi Buffon Will Be Juventus' X-Factor in 2015/16 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2567816-why-gianluigi-buffon-will-be-juventus-x-factor-in-201516? Sep 17, 2015 It's been a bumpy start for Juventus in Serie A this season. The four-time defending champions have only managed a single point through three games. They suffered a shock opening loss to Udinese before losing an early six-pointer against Roma. Expectations were huge for a rebound on Saturday at home against Chievo, but an early long-range bolt put Chievo up and Juve needed a late penalty to finally rescue their first point. The start is worrying, but it's not unexpected. Juve lost a trio of impact players over the summer in Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal. The summer transfer window saw a huge amount of turnaround. No fewer than 10 new players have been introduced into the first team. Seven of them are midfielders or forwards. It's going to take time for those new pieces to mesh. When they do, they have the talent to become a force of nature, but for the time being they need to start picking up points while the knitting process takes place. For them to do that, they're going to have to rely on the one unit of the team that returns intact: the defense. The back line is a talented group, and their keystone will be the fulcrum on which Juve's season will balance: goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon is Juve's rock. He arrived in Turin in 2001 as the most expensive goalkeeper in history. Juventus paid 100 billion lire—just under €52 million. No goalkeeper since has been valued at even half that. He secured his place in the history of the game long ago. He's won almost everything there is for a player to win and has made some of the iconic saves of recent history. When he finally hangs up his gloves, there will be a significant and valid argument for him as the greatest goalkeeper ever. What's remarkable is that as little as four years ago, most who followed the game considered Buffon a spent force. A back injury suffered during pregame warm-ups for Italy's 2010 World Cup opener against Paraguay forced him out of the tournament after only 45 minutes—a key factor in the humiliation that followed in South Africa—and kept him out for half of the subsequent season. When he did play, he looked a shell of himself. The 2010/11 season was the second of consecutive seventh-place finishes. Things were so bad at Vinovo that Buffon, as he told Sky 17 months ago (h/t ESPN FC), that Buffon was considering leaving the Bianconeri and moving to Roma. That all changed in the summer of 2011, when Buffon's former teammate and captain Antonio Conte took over for Luigi Del Neri as Juve's manager. Juve celebrated the opening of their new stadium by roaring from seventh place to the Scudetto, going unbeaten along the way. Buffon, now healthy, anchored a defense that only allowed 20 goals the entire season. The next summer Buffon inherited the captaincy from the departing Alessandro Del Piero, becoming the spiritual center of the entire club as well as the on-field hinge of the defense. As the years have gone on, Buffon has carried on a long line of Italian goalkeepers who age gracefully. As his long-time rival for the title of Best Keeper on the Planet—Iker Casillas—declined precipitously in the last few years, Buffon has continued to play at an extraordinarily high level. While younger men like Manuel Neuer and Thibaut Courtois are probably better on the field at the moment, Buffon is still an elite keeper and easily one of the best five in the world. His powers were on full display on Tuesday against Manchester City. He made five saves, including a one-on-one denial of Raheem Sterling and a fantastic double save against Sterling and David Silva three minutes after City went ahead, that kept Juve in the match—with his performance drawing praise from coach Massimiliano Allegri: ESPN FC ✔ @ESPNFC "Buffon is an extraordinary goalkeeper, perhaps the best ever in the history of football." A pair of fantastic goals in the last 20 minutes saw Juve win their first competitive game since the Supercoppa Italiana in August. It was a huge confidence-booster for the struggling champions, and Buffon's performance—which included a sprawling parry of a fierce long-range effort by Yaya Toure two minutes from time—was integral to it. His shot-stopping ability, though not what it was at his absolute peak in the mid-2000s, is still elite, but what sets him apart is how he handles the rest of his duties as keeper and as captain. Stopping shots is just one aspect of goalkeeping. The No. 1 also has to keep command of his penalty area, claim any dangerous through balls or crosses and, perhaps most importantly, marshal the defense in front of him. In all these aspects Buffon is exceptional. Of the latter one, he truly has no equal. What's even more impressive is the fact that he can keep the defense together in front of him even when running entirely different systems. Until Juve changed to a 3-5-2 in the middle of the 2011/12 season, he had never played behind a three-man line before, but he kept the new formation just as tight as the 4-3-3 that started the year. In the four years since, he has been able to shift between the two systems week to week—sometimes even within the same game—and keep things watertight. That defense has been criticized at the beginning of this season—they've given up as many goals in three games this year as they did in nine last year—but a lot of their problems have to do with the fact that the new-look midfield has too often left the team exposed after giveaways. For the most part, the back line has been fairly organized—and they showed it in Manchester on Tuesday. Buffon is the man who should get the ultimate credit for that. As the season continues and this new Juventus team jells, their talisman will be there, keeping their superlative defense tight and mopping up anything that manages to leak through. As the players further up the field learn how to play as a team, they know they can lean on their captain and that so long as he is there, the way to goal is shut. In turn, Buffon will impart his passion—his Juventinitá—into the new players and show them what wearing the black and white stripes of Turin really means. He will tend this team as it grows, and when it flowers—and there is too much talent in this squad for it not to—he will once again have been one of the biggest contributors to its success.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Morata: ‘Juve strong in Europe’ http://www.football-italia.net/73069/morata-%E2%80%98juve-strong-europe%E2%80%99? Sep 16, 2015 Juventus striker Alvaro Morata says the club are ‘really strong in Europe’ and warns: ‘it was a mistake to say we’re already dead.’ The Spaniard was on the scoresheet during the Bianconeri’s impressive 2-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday. The result has re-energised an Old Lady squad that had started the league season poorly, picking up only one point in their first three matches. “I’ll be the first to say I played badly against Chievo, but against City we all played together, fighting with the same determination we had last year,” Morata told Tuttosport. “The truth is that we’re really strong in Europe. “In Serie A you concede goals and the others close you down, in the Champions League there is more space and you can play. “It was a mistake to think that Juventus were already dead. “So many people don’t like Juventus, it’s normal after having won four Scudetti in a row. We’re calm and if we’re compact, we’re dangerous. “Buffon helps us, he’s one of the best in the world and it’s impressive.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Allegri Prioritising Champions League Over Serie A “My advice to Allegri is to stop thinking about last season’s successes,” were the wise words from Juventus sporting director Marotta,as he piled the pressure on the Juventus coach after a disappointing 1-1 draw to Chievo. http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/09/juventus-club-focus-allegri-prioritising-champions-league-over-serie-a/? Sep 16, 2015 It would appear, though, that Allegri has completely ignored that threat, and, thankfully in his eyes, it has paid dividends. They faced Manchester City in a tricky Champions League tie on Tuesday night at the Etihad Stadium, as goals from Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata cancelled out a controversial Giorgio Chiellini opener. This victory may have come as a shock, but it wasn’t that much of a big surprise at all. La Vecchia Signora have been the only team challenging for the title in Serie A recently, topping the table for last two seasons with a points difference of 17 over runners-up Roma. Yes, Juventus sit on just one point so far this term, but Allegri has already planned ahead. They haven’t won the Champions League in 19 years and captain Gianluigi Buffon is yet to lift the trophy, so it does seem to be the main target for them this season. Last year, Serie A affected their first few games in the tournament, as the Bianconeri lost twice in their opening three group stage matches, yet still succeeded in getting out of the group and making it all the way to the final. So, this season, will it be the other way round? Juventus know that they are huge favourites for the league title, despite their current league form. AC Milan are still under construction, Inter have only just scraped a 100 per cent record and Roma have looked unconvincing overall. Out of that 17-point lead of recent years, the Bianconeri have dropped eight points so far this term, while claiming all three in the most difficult fixture in their Champions League group. Allegri’s moves at the Etihad prove this plan, too. At 2-1 down, City brought on in-form striker Sergio Aguero with about 10 minutes to go and it was hoped he would get the goals they needed to turn the scoreline around. The immediate response from the Italian coach was to replace goal scorer Alvaro Morata with defender Andrea Barzagli and play with five at the back. Had they gone in pursuit of another goal, then the effect from the summer transfer market probably would have come into play. Carlos Tevez had the pace to attack the opposing goal before tracking back to help in defence, but the Juventus strike force are lacking that certain energy currently. Adding another defender into the mix, therefore, removes that risk of having too many men up front and conceding an equaliser at the other. Juve’s determination to shut up shop was obvious when Juan Cuadrado received an earful for not running the ball into the corner late on. Allegri’s passion towards the end of the game showed how much the victory meant to him, and he could breathe a sigh of relief as the Italians bagged all three points. His cautious strategy is a possible sign that this season Juventus have the biggest chance yet to prove themselves gainst the big boys of European football, while still maintaining one eye on Serie A.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Massimiliano Allegri Proves His Worth To Juventus In Champions League Victory Juventus came from a goal down to overcome Manchester City 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, largely down to coach Massimiliano Allegri’s tactical genius and brilliant drilling of his players. http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/09/massimiliano-allegri-proves-his-worth-to-juventus-in-champions-league-victory/? Sep 16, 2015 The Bianconeri have suffered a poor start to the new Serie A season, claiming just one point from a possible nine, but those problems seemed to be on another planet during the game against City. On paper, it appeared the Italians lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, but in reality this was more fluid and asymmetric. The first 45 minutes played in their favour, despite the possession statistics perhaps suggesting otherwise. The game was being played at a slow pace, which suited Juventus’s playing style; the midfield threat of David Silva was forced to play deep in his own half while Giorgio Chiellini made sure Gianluigi Buffon was rarely threatened in the Italian goal. Even when the veteran goalkeeper was called upon, he was almost impermeable. The preparation in the build up had paid off and the organised shape of the Juventus side made it difficult for their opponents to break through, which was evident as the Citizens only breached the Juve defence once in the first half. Even when the Premier League side opened the scoring, Chiellini’s defending cannot be questioned, as he was blatantly fouled by Vincent Kompany. Nevertheless, the goal stood and Juventus had work to do. The deadlock was broken at a time when the game’s pace increased and Manuel Pellegrini’s men were just beginning to turn the screw. For the next 10 minutes, the football was being played with dangerous speed and the team in blue were beginning to settle down and find their rhythm. Fortunately for the Old Lady – thanks to a wonderful Paul Pogba pass, which was met by Mario Mandzukic in front of goal – they snatched an equaliser. The game’s dynamic changed and slowed down, turning once more in favour of Juve. Alvaro Morata made sure that three points returned with him and the squad to Turin with a well-executed shot. With ten minutes to go, Allegri decided to shut up shop, as City’s introduction of Sergio Aguero was met by the Bianconeri’s of Andrea Barzagli. This made any remaining efforts left in Pellegrini’s locker redundant, as the Italian backline was now impenetrable. Allegri was determined to hold on to the lead they had earned, and refused to take any chances. Barzagli’s inclusion converted the formation to a more defensive 5-3-2, with the back-line fully covering the whole width of the pitch. Manchester City are a huge danger going forward, their dominance in the Premier League shows this, but setting up a solid back five makes their biggest weapon powerless. Allegri studied the English side and found out how they could be weakened, and he played his cards perfectly. Thanks to this, Juventus came out as 2-1 winners and won the toughest task they are likely to face in their Champions League group. Showing these positives against a side of Manchester City’s calibre gives the Bianconeri a huge boost of confidence as they return to Serie A action at the weekend. They travel to Genoa on Sunday afternoon, where they will aim to finally kickstart their 2015-16 Serie A season after a rollercoaster first few weeks. With this result, they are now off the mark in terms of wins this season, and you would now expect them to put together a string of positive results as they look to defend their title.

Neto: ‘I can learn from Buffon’ http://www.football-italia.net/73047/neto-%E2%80%98i-can-learn-buffon%E2%80%99? Sep 16, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Neto says his aim is to learn from ‘absolute number one’ Gigi Buffon. The Brazilian joined the Bianconeri on a free transfer from Fiorentina this summer, a move which raised eyebrows given his probable lack of playing time. “Since I came to Italy, I’ve always dreamed of playing for a top team,” Neto explained to Calcio2000. “By coming to Juventus, I’ve fulfilled my dream. Since I was very young I wanted to join a team like this, and now I have to show I deserve it. “On Buffon there’s not much to say, we’re talking about the absolute number one. Being by his side in training definitely helps me a lot. “Thanks to him, I can certainly grow and improve faster. I watch the way he prepares for a match, the little things he does to stay at certain levels, and these are all important lessons which will be important for me.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Cuadrado: ‘Juventus must believe’ http://www.football-italia.net/73043/cuadrado-%E2%80%98juventus-must-believe%E2%80%99? Sep 16, 2015 Juan Cuadrado says Juventus ‘should always believe in ourselves’ after beating Manchester City. The Bianconeri are yet to win in Serie A, but emerged victorious in their first Champions League game, and the Colombian believes they should take confidence. “We played a great match, as a team,” Cuadrado told Sky. “I think that’s the most important thing, we went onto the pitch with the desire to get a result. When we play like that we’re a great team. “We knew it was an important match and that gave us the extra boost to get the result. We should always believe in ourselves, we’re a strong team and we passed a big test. “I think if we play like this we’ll be difficult to stop. Now we have to think about the next game, this has fired us up, and we know we have to strive for the Scudetto. “We’re in the race, and we’ll play every game like a final.” Cuadrado was praised by Coach Massimiliano Allegri after the match, but received an earful during the game for not taking the ball to the corner flag. “The Coach told me to take it to the corner and waste a bit of time because the match was almost over. “It was good, because you could see his desire. Next time I’ll definitely listen!”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Juventus played like a team, Manchester City didn't - Sacchi After the Turin side's 2-1 away win, the former coach says Massimiliano Allegri's men deserved the win because of the way they played as a unit. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2015/09/16/15420172/-? Sep 16, 2015 Juventus' superior organisation was the main reason they beat Manchester City 2-1 in Tuesday's Champions League encounter, according to Arrigo Sacchi. The Serie A champions responded to Giorgio Chiellini's own goal with strikes from Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata to seal maximum points from their opening Champions League group game of the season. Iconic former AC Milan boss Sacchi believes Massimiliano Allegri's side fully deserved their victory for the way in which they performed as a unit. "There was only one team on the pitch and that was Juventus," he told Mediaset Premium. "The Bianconeri are more united and compact than City. Massimiliano Allegri didn't get a single thing wrong. He got the right line-up and tactics, which proved he believes in his players. "Juve deservedly won, as they were the only ones playing as an organised team." Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta added that last season's beaten finalists are a more unpredictable side this season thanks to their new recruits. "Allegri has different solutions compared to last year," he said. "This is definitely a good thing because it allows us great flexibility."

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Yaya Toure: Juventus were lucky to beat Manchester City The visitors came from behind to secure victory at the Etihad Stadium but the midfielder feels his side did not deserve to lose the game. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2015/09/15/15403012/yaya-toure-juventus-were-lucky-to-beat-manchester-city?ICID=TP_TNM_ART_4 Sep 16, 2015 Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure says Juventus were "lucky" after the Italian champions condemned the Premier League leaders to a 2-1 defeat in their opening Champions League game. Manuel Pellegrini's side took the lead through Giorgio Chiellini's own goal but the visitors hit back through Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata to secure all three points at the Etihad Stadium. The defeat is City's first of the season, after they had stormed to five consecutive Premier League wins without conceding a goal, and Toure believes his side played well. "I think they've been lucky today, I don't think we played so bad. I think we missed a little bit of luck today," he told BT Sport . "I think we just have to be strong and try to bounce back in the next game." The result continues City's recent poor form in European competition but Toure insists City can bring their current Premier League form into the Champions League. "We just missed the luck today and we have a couple of changes but they've been brave and what we have to do is learn from Europe and try to do it better in the next game," he added. Pellegrini also rued his side's luck and insists his side were the better team, although he did take time out to praise the Serie A side's goals. "It's disappointing, I don't think we deserved to lose," he explained. "We had better chances and played better than Juventus. It was a typical Champions League game, both teams didn't create many chances but we had more possession. "It was not a tactical problem, Juventus just scored two beautiful goals."

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Goals finally galvanise Juventus After three dire matches and just two goals for Juventus, along came Manchester City, at arguably the worst possible time. A 2-1 win later and the Old Lady seem to be back, writes George Rinaldi. http://www.football-italia.net/73041/goals-finally-galvanise-juventus? Sep 16, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri ended his post match Press conference after the 1-1 draw with Chievo with a simple statement, "We aren't lacking character, just a bit of goals." Prior to the Champions League tie in Manchester, Juventus had scored just two goals. One was a penalty, and both of them came in the last ten minutes of the match. Slow starters? Failure to gel? A number of questions arose when peopled looked at exactly why Allegri's side weren’t banging in the goals. It all seemed too familiar after the opening 45 minutes at Etihad Stadium. The defence had improved, but the attack appeared disjointed - a common occurrence in the past few weeks Juventus. They fell behind mid-way through the second-half and the groans could be heard all the way back in Turin. It was the fourth competitive game in a row where they'd failed to score in the first-half. Enter Paul Pogba. The golden boy in the heart of the Juventus midfield, picked out a superb ball which fell just within the reach of Mario Mandzukic. The Croatian glanced it home, and all of a sudden, the Bianconeri were back. It all felt as if everything was finally coming together, but then again, who really thought that such a state with Juventus would carry on for much longer? Mandzukic now had his first goal for his new club. You don't need a genius to tell you that the first goal is always the hardest. Now that is behind him, expect the goals to start flowing. The attack became much more fluid from then on, with Alvaro Morata adding the final touch with an exquisite left footed finish. It may have arrived from a nothing ball and fortunate deflection, but the Juventus of last week would have smacked the post with that effort. Times were changing drastically and it all felt as if faith was restored when the ball nestled into the back of the net. It could be the catalyst for the reawakening of one of the most tenacious attacking sides in world football. With 80 and 72 league goals across the last two seasons, with a certain Carlos Tevez at the helm, Juventus were a club to feared when they came headfirst at any trepid defence. Hernanes and Pogba took turns to take up the attacking mantle, with the two players exchanging moments of attack and defence. The Brazilian produced an 83 per cent pass accuracy, whilst the latter managed 78 per cent, in what can best be described as the hardest place to play on the pitch. Hernanes' unshackled role changed from sitting in front of the back four to free roaming, and he took the weight off of the Frenchman's back, allowing the 22-year-old to move well and play his game how he does best. Pogba is a player who knows he can win a game by himself, so allowing him to change styles creates chances. It meant three chances were conjured up between the two, detailing exactly half the chances made by any of the other eight outfield players. One of them fell right in front of Mandzukic, and the goal meant much more than just an equaliser to himself and Allegri. The Coach wants Mandzukic to grow into that experienced player the Bianconeri crave. With Tevez gone, currently the longest serving forward at the club is 22-year-old Morata. As Allegri also pointed out prior to their UEFA Champions League tie with Manchester City, "We have young and talented players, but they have to grow." And grow they did. What better way that to silence the media and nagging journalists than to score twice away from home at the only English club who are yet to concede in the Premier League? Realistically, it was just a matter of time until Juventus got going. They had only played out 270 minutes of Serie A football, a tiny amount considering there's still 3870 minutes to go. It only takes a second to score a goal, and Allegri's men will aim be gobbling them up like hot dinners in the future. Be wary, Genoa, Juventus are back and firing.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Del Piero: Manchester City Win Highlighted Juventus’ Complacency Elsewhere http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/09/del-piero-manchester-city-win-highlighted-juventus-complacency-elsewhere/? Sep 16, 2015 Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero believes that the Bianconeri’s 2-1 win away at Manchester City in the Champions League proves that the club’s early struggles in Serie A have been due to a lack of focus. The 40-year-old striker acknowledged that his former side have become unwittingly complacent as they picked up just one point from their opening three fixtures. “Juventus have won their two most important games at the start of the season when they have been most motivated,” said Del Piero to Sky Sport Italia. “Those two main challenges were the game against City and the Supercoppa Italiana versus Lazio and Juve won both those games. “This suggests to me that in other games they have probably subconsciously allowed their concentration levels to drop. “This is something that can happen; Juventus also had lapses in concentration and problems with injuries last season as well.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 ‘Juventus showed great character’ http://www.football-italia.net/73035/%E2%80%98juventus-showed-great-character%E2%80%99 Sep 16, 2015 Angelo Di Livio praises Juventus’ ‘great character’ in the Champions League win over Manchester City last night. The Bianconeri fell behind to the English side, but came back to win the match 2-1, surprising many after their poor start in Serie A. “Against Manchester City, Juventus showed great character and desire, especially at 1-0 to the English,” former Juve midfielder Di Livio told Calciomercato. “The great victory yesterday is a good sign, and a good starting point to start moving up the League. “After four consecutive Scudetti, the team still seems alive and they still want to win. “The criticism of Allegri? A Coach can make choices which may turn out to be wrong, but if you Coach Juventus or any other big club then you’re aware that you have to win. “Can Juventus qualify? At first there was some doubt, because Sevilla aren’t bad either. But after the victory last night Juventus have taken a big step forward.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Juventus 2-1 Manchester City: Bianconeri complete impressive comeback against Citizens Second-half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Álvaro Morata gave Juventus a comeback victory over the Premier League leaders on the first match day of the UEFA Champions League. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/9/16/9335977/manchester-city-juventus-2015-uefa-champions-league-group-stage-final-score-recap-result Sep 16, 2015 Welcome back, Signora, we really miss you. Juventus traveled to Manchester looking for their true identity, grinta and personality. After 90 minutes of an intense battle at Etihad Stadium, I believe they found all three of those things. Max Allegri refused to give us a hint of his starting lineup at Monday's pre-match press conference and now we know why. Everybody was expecting a 3-5-2 formation with a very cautious approach; however Allegri displayed an aggressive 4-3-3 formation with the attacking trident of Álvaro Morata, Mario Mandzukic and Juan Cuadrado. The Citizens presented their classic 4-5-1/4-2-3-1 formation, however, they were without Sergio Aguero, who was injured and began the match in the bench. The game started red-hot, when Manchester City's summer signing Raheem Starling had a golden opportunity denied exceptionally by Gianluigi Buffon. Juventus responded quickly with a beautiful cross by Juan Cuadrado that found Paul Pogba at the second post, the Frenchman's header met the back of the net but the play didn't count because Álvaro Morata was offside. Then, Hernanes was close to score with a long-range free kick. Both teams exchanged a series of opportunities that could break the partial tie; nevertheless the first half finished 0-0. The Citizens broke the deadlock in a polemic way early in the second half. In the 57th minute David Silva curled a corner kick to the far post; Vincent Kompany raised and committed a flagrant foul over Giorgio Chellini. The Belgian held down Chellini, who couldn´t jump and was forced to connect the ball into his own goal. Juventus was shaken and Manchester City had taken the advantage. In a furious counterattack David Silva assisted Raheem Starling who forced a great save by Buffon; the ball ricocheted to Silva but the Juventus captain scrambled and made a second save. In the 70th minute, 10 minutes after Buffon's miracle save, Mario Mandzukic scored the equalizer. Paul Pogba fed the Croatian with a lovely cross from the left wing, as Mandzukic then redirected the ball to Joe Hart´s left post. Eleven minutes later, Álvaro Morata put Juventus ahead with a marvelous goal. The Spaniard took advantage of a rebound just outside The Citizens' penalty area and curled a thundering left footed shot that left Joe Hart without a chance. Manchester City had one last chance. Yaya Touré tested Buffon with a long-range effort, but The Italian legend made another spectacular save, diving to his left to keep out a shot destined for the top corner of the goal. LE PAGELLE Buffon 8 Sorry guys, San Gigi can't be the man of the match because he's a demigod. His double save should be one of the UEFA's plays of the year. He kept Juventus in the game and showed once again why he's the best in the business. Litchsteiner 6 It was a hard game for the Swiss express. He barely attacked and had problems with Starling. Bonucci 6.5 A Solid effort by Leo. Outside one play he erased Bony and led the defense with poise. Chellini 6.5 The own goal wasn't his fault. He was an enforcer and won a pair of great duels against Yaya Touré Evra 6.5 He owned the left flank, however had some troubles with his final touch. Sturaro 5.5 He had problems to understand the match. That said, in the second half he was a Pit Bull and won a lot of balls. Hernanes 6.5 I really liked "the prophet" in this match. The middle of the park was really crowded but he played a smart game and was always well positioned. Pogba 6.5 He assisted Mandzukic delightfully and played a solid game. Still, he needs to step up. Cuadrado 6.5 The Colombian wanted to show his worth in this match and succeed. However, he need to be calm in some stages of the game- almost gave Max a stroke-. Mandzukic 6.5 Made his best David Trezeguet impression. Almost invisible in the game but fought hard against Manchester City's central defenders and scored in a really beautiful play. Morata 7 Mr. Champions League did it again. Scored a late screamer to seal the game and also helped a lot on defense. Subs Dybala s/v Made little impact. Celebrated Morata's goal wonderfully. Barzagli s/v Entered in the final minutes of the match to lock down the win. Coach Allegri 7 Max really knows how to prepared this kind of matches. He surprised Mauricio Pellegrini with an aggressive formation and gave his men the motivation to execute it. Things I Think I Think Juventus broke my fearless predictions and I couldn't be happier. Let's hope this is the turning point we're expecting. The bianconeri won against a heavyweight at Etihad stadium without Vidal, Tevez and Pirlo. Yes, Juventus can win without them. Gianluigi Buffon: The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. Juventus is back. Fino alla fine!

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Morata: Man City win proves Juventus remain one of Europe's best The striker is confident the victory will be the catalyst to kick-start their season after poor run of results in Serie A. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2015/09/16/15412922/-? Sep 16, 2015 Juventus' Champions League victory over Manchester City shows the club remain one of Europe's strongest sides, according to Alvaro Morata. The former Real Madrid striker scored a dramatic curling winner with nine minutes remaining as the Serie A champions came from behind to defeat the Premier League side 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The win provides welcome relief for Massimiliano Allegri and his players after a disastrous start to the new Serie A season, which has seen them fail to pick up a win from their opening three games. Morata, 22, insisted the slow start to the campaign was natural after there was such a high turnover of players in the close-season but is confident the club remain one of the teams to beat in the tournament. "We just need to get used to playing together - that is perfectly normal after so many changes at the club," he said to Mediaset after the match. "That is the reason why we have made a slow start but we can build on this result now. This is a great starting point for Juve. "The most important thing is we won and reminded people that when we play together as we know we can, we are among the best in Europe. "It is a very important victory for us. I worked hard to help out the defence throughout the game and was fortunate enough to score a goal too." Juventus will look for their first win of the league season when they travel to face Genoa on Sunday.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Juventus show true colors in Champs Lge opening win vs. Man City http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2614775/juventus-in-form-champions-league-win-vs-manchester-city? Sep 16, 2015 Welcome back to the real Juventus, a side that will always understand the value of discipline, organisation and sacrificial play. It's been a difficult start to the season and many were quick to write them off in a match against the current Premier League leaders but despite the criticisms and the piling pressure, the Bianconeri executed Massimiliano Allegri's tactics perfectly to register their first European win of the season. Many thought Allegri would revert back to the 3-5-2 formation in order to offer his back-line some added support. However, rather than play a predictable XI, Juventus lined up in a 4-3-3 formation to startle those who had already made their assumptions based on the practice sessions. An ambitious formation on paper, Allegri played a trident but ensured his side remained defensively solid by asking all his players to sacrifice for one another with the forwards tracking back and helping to maintain balance in the unit. In fact, three of their best four tacklers of the evening were offensive players. Only Stefano Sturaro managed more tackles than Juan Cuadrado, Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic, showing how hard every single player sacrificed for the cause. With the squad closing down spaces well and Gianluigi Buffon playing the type of game that demonstrates age is nothing but a number, Manchester City were kept quiet. Manuel Pellegrini's men were forced to rotate the ball by the halfway line as they struggled to penetrate with pace and conviction. Their movements predictable and their stars stifled, they failed to make the most of the chances they did get perhaps forcing critics to believe they still suffer at a psychological level in this competition. In essence, Juventus were never forced to exert too much energy. Their English opponents simply struggled to speed up the pace to overwhelm the Old Lady and test the resolve of a defence that had conceded four goals in three Serie A games. When they did lose possession, they simply weren't good enough at closing down the spaces, offering the Italians plenty of opportunities to show off their passing game, which only allowed Juve to grow in confidence. This was a victory for Allegri who demonstrated courage and ambition at just the right moment. He saw that his squad were struggling on a psychological level. Rather than play the usual cautious formations that have failed to yield the right result, he attempted something new in hopes that the talent of those he picked will outshine all else. It takes a brave man to bench Paulo Dybala, who has arguably been Juve's best attacking player in Serie A, in favour of Morata and Mandzukic. He also trusted Cuadrado would do well enough between the lines to terrorise Man City as well as maintain his defensive discipline to offer overall balance. The Colombian played an excellent game in which he not only tackled well and recovered possession but he ventured forward with attitude, working in unison with those on the right side of the field. His ability to play a cunning game that revolved around drawing out fouls in dangerous areas should remind fans of old times, when Mauro Camoranesi and Alessandro Del Piero frustrated the opponent to no end much like he managed on this occasion. By trusting talent and ensuring his team were well drilled and well organised, Allegri has gone some way in restoring his players' confidence, forcing them to believe in themselves and not fear anyone or anything. While it's clear certain players, such as Hernanes, struggled to impose themselves and were easily impeded by City's pressing game, youngsters such as Morata continued to remind us why investing in youth can be so fruitful. A player who can at times be selfish when he forces the issue, the Spaniard played a mature game on the night, running relentlessly, dropping back to help the team and still managing an incredible finish that will be remembered for some time. A player of the highest quality, if he continues to work as hard as he did in this game, it's only a matter of time before he's rated as world class. It was a match in which the youngsters proved they have what it takes to take over from those who departed, while the veterans showed off their leadership skills, performing brilliantly to carry the team over the finish line. There is still a lot more work to be done, but perhaps now the team understands that when united, all can be achieved. They just have to rely on another, trusting their teammates until the very end.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Allegri: Manchester City win will change Juventus mentality The coach believes his side have more belief going into the season now, and also praised veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon for his superb performance at the Etihad. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2015/09/15/15402552/-? Sep 15, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri feels the performance that Juventus provided in their 2-1 win at Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday was not unexpected. The Old Lady have suffered in Serie A this season, failing to win any of their opening games, and fell behind to Giorgio Chiellini's own goal in their Group D clash. But Juventus duly responded via Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata to win the tie at the Etihad, and Allegri believes the result could spark a turnaround for their season. "We did believe even after our Serie A start but it takes patience," the coach told reporters after the match. "The lads put in a great performance and it wasn’t easy. "The Champions League motivates everyone. A victory represents a huge boost of confidence and helps you work better. "A defeat would’ve been seen badly, but we wanted to put in a good performance and turn the tide. It’s a psychological issue and these lads showed they were up to the task.” The Bianconeri regularly turned to captain Gianluigi Buffon between the posts to shut their hosts out, and Allegri lauded the shot-stopper while praising his side's work ethic. "Today when 1-0 down, we risked conceding a second, and Buffon was extraordinary," he continued. "I had decided on Cuadrado yesterday, as he could cause problems for City between the lines. Morata and Cuadrado worked hard and sacrificed themselves for the team."

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 RATINGS: Man City 1-2 Juventus Gianluigi Buffon proved to be crucial for the Old Lady after making a fine double save when City lead 1-0, while Nicolas Otamendi had a debut to forget and Samir Nasri struggled. http://www.football-italia.net/73025/sacchi-juve-only-team-playing? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City 1 J. Hart - Made a very good save to deny Sturaro shortly after City had gone ahead but was left helpless by Mandzukic's deft touch for the equaliser and Morata's delightful curler. 3 B. Sagna - As solid as he has been all season, making one or two painful blocks in the process. 4 V. Kompany - Skipped past once by Pogba but was otherwise solid as a rock in the first half, making a number of timely clearances and tackles. Forced the opener by leaning on Chiellini and then went off - seemingly injured - for Otamendi. 20 E. Mangala - A bit sloppy with his passing and not as busy as Kompany, but was solid when called upon. 11 A. Kolarov - Tried to get things going in attack and put a couple of dangerous balls into the box. As imposing at the back as he has been all season. 42 Y. Touré - Showed plenty of power and thrust at times in this battle against Pogba, the player most likely to emulate his style. 25 Fernandinho - Set up Sterling's early chance and whistled a half-volley just past the post in the first half. Continued to break things up in the midfield and scrambled the ball away from danger when needed. 8 S. Nasri - A quiet game - did not really create a lot, which is his primary objective. 21 David Silva - Should have followed up after Buffon saved from Sterling but the veteran Italian pulled off another brilliant stop. Wasn't at his creative best. 7 R. Sterling - Should have opened the scoring early on but his low shot was saved by Buffon, and then did the exact same thing just after the opening goal. Was a threat but should have scored/ 14 W. Bony - Skewed an effort badly wide and also failed to get on the end of Kolarov's low cross. A decent target man but no goal threat. Substitutes 17 K. De Bruyne - Came on immediately later the equaliser but could not forge any opportunities. 30 N. Otamendi - Came on for Kompany and was at fault for Morata's goal as he followed the Spaniard too far across and was easily turned. 10 S. Agüero - Came on at 2-1 down for Nasri but made no impact - not fit enough for starters. Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Got down low early on to deny Sterling impressively and then repeated the trick to keep his side in it, before springing up to deny David Silva on the rebound. It proved to be crucial. 26 S. Lichtsteiner - Not really charged with getting forward, like Evra, but allowed Sterling two gilt-edged chances down the City left. 19 L. Bonucci - Solid enough without excelling. No major flaws, nothing particularly eye-catching. 3 G. Chiellini - The most impressive performer for his side before the break, mainly for his assuredness at the back, but headed into his own net for City's opener under very heavy pressure from Kompany - should probably have been a foul. 33 P. Evra - Did not get forward as much as City fans may have expected given his time at United, but ran a tight ship down his flank. 27 S. Sturaro - Almost pulled his side level but was denied by Hart. Not much of a presence in the midfield. 11 Hernanes - Offered legs in the middle but could not provide the kind of driving force which is expected. A decent showing, nothing more. 10 P. Pogba - Headed home at the far post but was flagged offside. Not at the top of his game but showed flashes of his class and composure - apart from when he sliced a volley from close in. Put the ball in for Mandzukic's equaliser. 16 J. Cuadrado - Went closest for the visitors before the break with a dangerous low shot across goal, and looked to dribble at the defence whenever possible. Faded as a threat as the game wore on. 17 M. Mandžukić - The first half passed him by but he got on the end of Pogba's cross to toe home via the post. Limped off for Dybala. 9 Álvaro Morata - Had appeared to be on the fringes until he left Otamendi for dead and curled home a beautiful goal to win it. Subbed of as Juve shored things up. Substitutes 15 A. Barzagli - Came on for Morata to help see out the victory. Provided an extra body at the back. 21 P. Dybala - Came on but had no opportunity to get himself on the scoresheet.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Sacchi: 'Juve only team playing' http://www.football-italia.net/73025/sacchi-juve-only-team-playing? Sep 15, 2015 Arrigo Sacchi said “there was only one team on the pitch and that was Juventus” against Manchester City. The Bianconeri fought back from a controversial own goal to win the Champions League fixture 2-1 at the Etihad. “There was only one team on the pitch and that was Juventus,” coaching legend Sacchi told Mediaset Premium. “The Bianconeri are more united and compact than City. Massimiliano Allegri didn’t get a single thing wrong. He got the right line-up and tactics, proving he believes in his lads. “Juve deservedly won, as they were the only ones playing as an organised team.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Gigi Buffon is perhaps the best keeper ever, says Juventus coach Max Allegri http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2614716/juventus-max-allegri-says-gianluigi-buffon-is-best-keeper? Sep 15, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri described Gianluigi Buffon as possibly the greatest goalkeeper of all time after the veteran Italian made a string of saves to help Juventus win 2-1 against Manchester City. The 37-year-old denied Raheem Sterling twice, David Silva and Yaya Toure as Juve, who are yet to win in Serie A, began their Champions League campaign by taking three points against the Premier League leaders. Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata scored the goals and Allegri hailed his players for a show of character while singling out Buffon for particular praise. "I hope he will go on for as long as possible, certainly as long as I am manager," Allegri said in a news conference. "Buffon is someone who is extraordinary goalkeeper, perhaps the best ever in the history of football. He never fails." Buffon has won 150 caps for Italy and six Serie A titles, plus the World Cup in 2006, and Allegri believes he remains as good as ever. "Buffon pulled off many miraculous saves, particularly just after we went 1-0 down," he added. Paul Pogba, who was a summer transfer target for City, provided the cross for Mandzukic's equaliser and Allegri said it was vital Juventus kept the coveted Frenchman. "Of course it was important," he added. "A manager always needs to have really good players and great players in the squad. You saw Pogba played really well today. He is now getting back to showing us exactly what he can do. He is a great player." Allegri was delighted with his side's resilience and felt they merited the victory, explaining: "I think the players played extremely well. They have shown a great deal of character. "They were well disciplined and had lots of confidence even when they were losing 1-0. I am very pleased for the boys. I think they deserved it."

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Pellegrini: 'City goal was a foul' http://www.football-italia.net/73024/pellegrini-city-goal-was-foul? Sep 15, 2015 Manuel Pellegrini admits Manchester City’s goal against Juventus “clearly should’ve been disallowed.” Giorgio Chiellini put the ball into his own net from a corner, but only after Vincent Kompany had climbed on to his shoulders. Shown the replay by Italian television Mediaset Premium, the City manager confessed “yes, it clearly should’ve been disallowed.” Juve went on to win the Champions League clash 2-1 at the Etihad with Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata strikes. “We hope to turn this around when we play them in Turin. Tonight we were faced with an extraordinary Gigi Buffon. “Despite the defeat, we dominated until that strange (?) Juventus goal. We kept the ball more than they did and created more chances. “Last year we started with a defeat too, but we qualified anyway.”

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MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Juventus 2 - Manchester City 1: Initial reaction and random observations http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/9/15/9334037/juventus-manchester-city-uefa-champions-league-group-stage-final-score-result-initial-reaction Sep 15, 2015 And then, down a goal in the second half and away from home, Juventus showed its old self once again. Welcome back, old friend. We've certainly missed you. Juventus got its first win of the season Tuesday night. And not just its first win of the season, but a come-from-behind win at the Etihad against a Manchester City side that had yet to allow a goal all season. A pair of strikers whose respective starts to the season pretty much resembled Juventus' as a whole ended up being the difference. Mario Mandzukic, just like in the Supercoppa against Lazio, got the first goal and Ávlaro Morata scored the game-winner with an incredible bender that left Joe Hart absolutely hopeless as he dove in vain. There's a reason why the players celebrated Morata's goal so wonderfully. We all should do the same, to be completely honest with you. You will watch them slide along the grass in slow motion 1,000 more times and be totally okay with it. Don't disagree because you know it's true. You might even want to do some knee slides of your own across your kitchen floor because of the result Juventus just got. And you know what? I will be totally okay with it, too. Knee slides for everybody! This wasn't just the kind of result Juventus wanted, but it was also a result they needed. We knew this team had the talent and potential to get it done on the big stage, they just hadn't shown all that much just yet. That all changed Tuesday, as Juve not only fought back from a 1-0 deficit away from home, but then watched Morata give them the lead and hold on for the final 10 minutes or so. For a team that had struggled to fight back and show that extra something to get over the hump in their previous three Serie A games, they found it in droves in Manchester. It was what we've been waiting for out of this team, and they couldn't have picked a better time to show all of us watching from near and afar what they're truly capable of. It's not the final product, but it's a damn good start. The amount of confidence the Juventus players — who weren't lacking confidence even with how the season began — are carrying with them back to Turin tonight must be amazing. You see the joy they had after Morata's goal and after the final whistle and you realize just how much this kind of win means to them. Not bad for a Champions League opener, huh? Yep, not bad at all. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "The #UCL is a fascinating competition that motivates everyone." Fascinating sure is one way to put it, Max. And if they keep celebrating game-winning goals with knee slides, then I'm all for this fascination. Random thoughts and observations If somebody tells you Gianluigi Buffon isn't the best goalkeeper in the world right now, show them this game and say nothing else. This was, for all intents and purposes, the most vintage Buffon game of all the Buffon games. He's my easy pick for Man of the Match, and it's not even close. Almost every save Buffon made was a world-class save. That double save kept Juventus in the match, and his save on Yaya Toure — which was just straight ridiculous — kept Juventus in the lead. Greatest. Of. All. Time. End of story. Speaking of vintage games, that was a vintage Paul Pogba kind of game. And in a game where Juventus really did need Pogba to be at his best. The assist on Mandzukic's goal will obviously be one of the highlights, but just the overall game Pogba had was reminiscent of so many games before. That's what Juve needed from Pogba in a game of this magnitude against an opponent like City. Now we can end the "Juve can't win with Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal" talk. Because they've won without Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal — and on the big stage, too. I wonder if Chelsea fans were watching this game going, "Hey, where was THIS Juan Cuadrado after we signed him for all that money?" What an impact he's made in such a short period of time already. That was a foul on Vincent Kompany. We all know it. Except for the guys who actually make the decisions on what's a foul and what isn't. Stefano Sturaro's night started with turnovers, giveaways and a lot of overall sluggishness. Against a speedy team like City, he was a half-step behind when he couldn't afford to be. But as time went on, he grew into the match. He had some huge tackles in the second half as Man City looked to get a second goal. We talk about the team needing confidence, and the same can be said for Sturaro individually. Álvaro Morata is starting to become a goal-scoring force in the Champions League. Think about it. These are the teams he's scored goals against in the Champions League in the calendar year of 2015: Borussia Dortmund. Real Madrid (again and again). Barcelona. Manchester City. That's pretty impressive, folks. Pretty, pretty impressive. That's how it's done, fellas. That's how it's done.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS 1 - 2 Giorgio Chiellini (57'-own goal) Mario Mandžukić (70') Álvaro Morata (81') Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Attendance: 50363 Manchester City vs. Juventus: Score and Reaction from 2015 Champions League http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2567216-manchester-city-vs-juventus-score-and-reaction-from-2015-champions-league? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City hadn't given up a goal all season long heading into their Champions League group-stage match against Juventus. But in a bizarre and exciting second half they managed to give up two to Juventus, dropping the contest in shocking fashion, 2-1. Following Giorgio Chiellini's controversial own goal—the defender appeared to be fouled by Vincent Kompany before unintentionally heading into his own net—forwards Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata answered with goals of their own, giving Juventus the win and continuing City's woes in the Champions League. City will surely be shellshocked by the result. The Citizens held 59 percent of possession, outshot the Italians 13-10 (5-3 on goal) and earned six corners to a measly one for Juventus, per ESPN FC. City nearly opened the scoring in the game's early minutes, as Fernandinho forced a Juventus turnover in the midfield and raced forward. He slid a pass to Raheem Sterling on the left side of the box, and the former Liverpool man ripped a quick shot toward goal. Gianluigi Buffon was up to the task, however, saving the effort, and the ball was cleared before David Silva could deposit the rebound in the back of the net. Juan Cuadrado, one of the top performers in the first half, found himself with space to shoot at the 31st-minute mark but pushed his shot wide. Still, he was a bright spot for Juventus, per Oliver Holt of the Daily Mail: Oliver Holt ✔ @OllieHolt22 Cuadrado unrecognisable from player he was at Chelsea. Bright, ambitious, sharp. Looks like he has his confidence back. Moments later, Wilfried Bony almost had a goal of his own for Manchester City after pulling off a bit of brilliant skill, per Tom Williams of AFP: Tom Williams ✔ @tomwfootball Sensational nutmeg on Chiellini by Bony, who then shanks about 15 yards wide with his left foot. Fernandinho came close to finally breaking through for City in the 40th minute, as a Juventus clearance attempt bounced to his feet outside of the box. But his slicing, rocket of a shot soared just wide of the net. The majority of the opening half was all about City possession and Juventus' traditional, resolute defending. The Citizens held 58 percent of possession and outshot their opponents, 8-4 (1-0 on goal), but neither side could manage a goal. City would strike first with a little help from Juventus, however, as Chiellini's controversial own goal in the 57th minute gave City a 1-0 lead. It appeared as though Kompany had fouled Chiellini as the corner kick came into the box, climbing over the Italian defender before the ball hit Chiellini's head and went into the goal. Chiellini was livid after the fact, and Matteo Bonetti of beIN Sports sympathised: Matteo Bonetti ✔ @TheCalcioGuy 2nd look at it - seems a foul from Kompany on Chiellini. Big Giorgio has a case this time. So too did Guardian contributor Paolo Bandini: Paolo Bandini @Paolo_Bandini Chiellini won't get much sympathy, because he's not shy of similar tactics when he can get away with them, but that was a foul by Kompany. City weren't about to give it back, however, and were absolutely buzzing after the goal. Minutes later, they would nearly strike on the counter, with Silva setting up Sterling with acres of space, again on the left side of the box. And again, Buffon would make a diving save, this time adding a save on Silva's shot attempt off of the rebound. It was a crucial moment for the Italian side, which easily could have been down by a 2-0 scoreline. Bony would have his own crack at goal moments later. But again Buffon's positioning was superb, and he came up with the save. The game remained fairly open from there, and Juventus would have their equaliser in short order. Paul Pogba's absolutely brilliant pass over the City defense into the box found a streaking Mandzukic, who needed only the slightest of touches to deflect the ball past a helpless Joe Hart and into the net. Fox Soccer on Twitter shared the goal: FOX Soccer ✔ @FOXSoccer Mandzukic turns home a wonderful Pogba ball over the top to equalize for Juventus. Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC aptly summed up the moment: Miguel Delaney @MiguelDelaney That Pogba pass is perfection. Morata would then give the visiting side a shock 2-1 lead in the 81st minute, curling a sensational shot past Hart, who never had a chance: FOX Soccer ✔ @FOXSoccer Alvaro Morata curls home from distance to complete the Juventus comeback at Manchester City. Yaya Toure tried to answer with a curler of his own from outside of the box in the 88th minute, but Buffon was again stout, leaping to make another crucial save. The Citizens didn't create another quality chance the rest of the way and walked off the pitch without a single point, clearly dazed by the end result. Post-Match Reaction City remained defiant in the face of defeat. "We played better than Juventus, but they scored two beautiful goals," manager Manuel Pellegrini told BT Sport after the match (h/t Football Italia). Toure felt Juventus were a bit fortunate on the day as well, though he gave them credit for their performance. “It was a disappointing game," he told BT Sport (h/t Football Italia). "The Italian team played very well, defended very well and I think they’ve been lucky. I don’t think we played that bad." The game's hero, Morata, felt the game was a crucial moment in the season for Juventus, as he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia): It’s a very important victory for us. We didn’t start the season in the best way, as we changed a great deal and need to get used to playing together. Today is a starting point, because when we all play together the way we know how, we are among the strongest teams in Europe. I worked hard to help out the defence throughout the game and was fortunate enough to score a goal too. I think this is a great starting point for Juve. Juve will be hoping it isn't a high point and simply the beginning of a successful run in the Champions League, however. And City will just be trying to put this match behind themselves. City will next face Borussia Monchengladbach in Champions League play on Sept. 30 in what has become a must-win game for the club, while Juventus will face Sevilla that same day.