Socrates

Il costosissimo de Bruyne

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) HT 0-0: Juve comfortable at Man City http://www.football-italia.net/73016/ht-juve-comfortable-man-city Sep 15, 2015 Paul Pogba had a goal disallowed and Gigi Buffon made a great save, but Juventus have been fairly comfortable against Manchester City. The Bianconeri had their worst ever Serie A start to a season and dived into a very tough Champions League opener at the Etihad. Claudio Marchisio joined Sami Khedira on the treatment table, so Hernanes moved into a deeper role in a 4-3-3, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado completing the trident attack. Sergio Aguero was only fit for the bench after an ankle injury, while £55m signing Kevin de Bruyne was on the bench. Within 90 seconds Stefano Sturaro lost possession and Gigi Buffon used his legs to deny Raheem Sterling’s angled drive at the near post. Paul Pogba had the ball in the back of the net with a diving header, but Alvaro Morata was offside and interfering with play as he failed to reach Cuadrado’s cross. Hernanes curled a free kick just wide, while Fernandinho, Aleksandar Kolarov and Cuadrado were off target from distance. Wilfried Bony should’ve done better when ballooning wide from the edge of the box. A dangerous Kolarov ball was pulled back, but Giorgio Chiellini did brilliantly to stop Bony tapping in from six yards. Fernandinho’s snapshot swerved just past the far post from a poor Stephan Lichtsteiner clearance. Man City 0-0 Juventus (Half-Time) Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri, Silva, Sterling, Bony Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Morata Ref: Skomina (SLV)

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Marotta: 'Juve lost charisma' http://www.football-italia.net/73015/marotta-juve-lost-charisma? Sep 15, 2015 Juventus director Beppe Marotta “expects a positive response” against Manchester City, having “lost charisma.” “Do I expect a response from Paul Pogba? I expect it from all of Juve,” general manager Marotta told Mediaset Premium. “He is a component of the squad and today we face a team of great strength, perhaps the favourites to take the trophy along with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.” Max Allegri has changed the system to a 4-3-3 with Chelsea loaner Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. “At this moment we can make many predictions and look to different philosophies of football, but in the end we’ll see what happens on the pitch. We expect a strong response. “This group is starting to gel and the new players are understanding what it means to play for Juve, while the old guard have to reconfirm themselves at this level. “We have lost charisma and character by losing players like Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez. As we stand today, we need a response from the squad and not from individuals. “We need a positive performance to reinforce the concept of self-belief that has been lacking so far this season. Today we have another all-time first line-up. “The transfer market ended late and Serie A started later than the Premier League, which also doesn’t favour us in Europe, but there are no alibis.”

Che nemmeno gioca ....

Fernandinho, mi sembrava goal.

Bony non ne azzecca una, bene cosí.

Bravo Cuadrado

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Sergio Aguero makes Manchester City bench against Juventus http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/champions-league/team-news/team-news-sergio-aguero-makes-man-city-squad_246337.html? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has made two changes to his starting XI ahead of their Champions League Group D clash against Juventus at the Etihad. Raheem Sterling and David Silva return to the Citizens' forward line in place of Jesus Navas and Sergio Aguero. The Argentinian, previously ruled out of the game through injury, is however fit enough to make the bench. Meanwhile the Bianconeri have made six changes, with ex-Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra joining on-loan Chelsea winger Juan Cuadrado in the starting lineup. Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri, Silva, Sterling, Bony Subs: Caballero, Otamendi, Demichelis, Fernando, Navas, De Bruyne, Aguero Juventus: Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra, Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Morata Subs: Neto, Barzagli, Alex Sandro, Lemina, Pereyra, Zaza, Dybala

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Pellegrini: 'Juve strongest team' http://www.football-italia.net/73014/pellegrini-juve-strongest-team? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini called Juventus “the strongest team of the group” and explains Sergio Aguero’s recovery. “It’s the first game of the group, it’s important to try to qualify from the group the same way we did the last two seasons,” Pellegrini told BT Sport Europe. “It’s important now to start with a good game here at home against the strongest team of the group.” Aguero is on the bench, a surprise considering he had by all accounts been ruled out by a knee injury at the weekend. “Sergio is not 100 per cent fit, he had a very good recovery, unexpected from yesterday afternoon and this morning, so he will be on the bench and we’ll see what happens in the game. “It’s important for the team to see that if we need him, he can play.” Juventus have had their worst ever start to a Serie A season with one point from three rounds, but Pellegrini is not swayed. “I think we must expect from Juventus what they had in the other seasons. They won the Serie A title four years in a row and had a very good game against Barcelona in the Final of the Champions League. “They are a strong team with players who know how to play, with two strikers, so we need to work very hard today if we want to keep the points here at home.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Zoff: 'Old-fashioned Juve' http://www.football-italia.net/73013/zoff-old-fashioned-juve? Sep 15, 2015 Dino Zoff believes “if Juventus play in an old-fashioned style, they can bring home a positive result against Manchester City.” The Champions League tie kicks off tonight and Juve adopt a 4-3-3 formation. “I am confident, as if Juventus play in an old-fashioned style, relying on the defence, they can bring home a positive result against Manchester City,” Zoff told Tuttomercatoweb. “In other years Juventus had started out in Serie A with a comfortable advantage, but this won’t the case now because the other teams have reinforced a great deal.” The 1982 World Cup winner and Italy legend also cheers on Roma tomorrow night. “I believe in Juve tonight and Roma can do well against Barcelona tomorrow too.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Line-ups: Man City-Juventus http://www.football-italia.net/73012/line-ups-man-city-juventus? Sep 15, 2015 Juventus rely on Paul Pogba, Juan Cuadrado, Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata in a Champions League opener with Manchester City. It kicks off at 20.45 CET. The Bianconeri almost secured the Treble last term, winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia, while beaten by Barcelona in the Champions League Final. Fast forward a few months and fans are calling for Coach Max Allegri’s head after the worst ever Serie A start, scraping one point from three rounds. The new team is taking a while to gel, sorely missing Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal, while Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira are long-term injury absentees. Hernanes arrived from Inter on deadline day for €11m and has made only one appearance so far, while ex-Palermo striker Paulo Dybala scored both of their goals so far in Serie A this season. Nonetheless, Dybala is dropped in favour of former Real Madrid striker Morata alongside Mandzukic with Cuadrado, on loan from Chelsea, in the trident. Juve rejected all offers for Pogba this summer from Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester City, reportedly in the region of €100m. City were meant to be missing their star striker for this match, as Sergio Aguero picked up a knee injury in the Premier League at the weekend, but he is surprisingly named on the bench Fernandinho and Samir Nasri are not 100 per cent fit either, while Raheem Sterling and David Silva have recovered to start. Kevin de Bruyne cost £55m, but is only on the bench tonight. Manchester City: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri, Silva, Sterling, Bony Manchester City bench: Caballero, Otamendi, Demichelis, Fernando, Navas, De Bruyne, Aguero Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Morata Juventus bench: Neto, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Lemina, Pereyra, Zaza, Dybala

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Allegri keeps Man City guessing http://www.football-italia.net/73006/allegri-keeps-man-city-guessing? Sep 15, 2015 Max Allegri is keeping Manchester City guessing, as Juventus have three different systems to choose from. The Champions League tie kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), yet we still don’t have a clue how the Bianconeri will be set out. This morning the Coach had tested out a 3-5-2 system with Mario Lemina making his debut in midfield and Patrice Evra returning to replace Alex Sandro on the left. However, reports from the Juventus camp now suggest a 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 is more likely. Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is the key, as if he starts then it’ll be a 4-3-3 with Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata (or Paulo Dybala). If not, then Roberto Pereyra takes the trequartista role behind the two strikers. Deadline day signing Hernanes will start in midfield, while Stefano Sturaro is expected to be picked rather than Lemina in this set-up. Juventus probables (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Lemina, Hernanes, Pogba, Evra; Dybala, Mandzukic (4-3-3): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Morata (Dybala) (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba; Pereyra; Mandzukic, Morata (Dybala)

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Lemina to make Juventus debut? http://www.football-italia.net/72997/lemina-make-juventus-debut? Sep 15, 2015 Mario Lemina could make his Juventus debut against Manchester City in the Champions League tonight. Training sessions in Manchester indicate Bianconeri Coach Massimiliano Allegri looks set to opt for a 3-5-2 shape, with the French midfielder preferred to Stefano Sturaro. In defence, Andrea Barzagli is likely to edge out the pacier Martin Caceres, despite the English side boasting considerable speed on the flanks. Patrice Evra is likely to come back into the side in place of Alex Sandro, having been suspended for the weekend draw with Chievo. Up-front, Mario Mandzukic will lead the line, with Paulo Dybala likely to beat Alvaro Morata to a starting shirt. Probable Juventus line-up: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Lemina, Hernanes, Pogba, Evra; Dybala, Mandzukic

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Del Piero: ‘Pogba is unique’ http://www.football-italia.net/72996/del-piero-%E2%80%98pogba-unique%E2%80%99? Sep 15, 2015 Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero describes Paul Pogba as ‘unique’ and discusses Manchester City. The French midfielder has inherited Pinturicchio’s number 10 shirt, worn by Carlos Tevez last season, and the former captain believes the youngster is a worthy successor. “Pogba is a great player,” Del Piero told Sky Sports. “And he is improving. He has a rare talent and is unique. He has great mobility and technique, combined with an impressive physicality. “Could he join Manchester City? He's with Juve and I don't think he's for sale, at least not in the immediate future.” The Bianconeri’s all-time record goalscorer was being interviewed ahead of tonight’s clash between City and the Old Lady, and gave his analysis of some of the English side’s stars. “Raheem Sterling? I've never seen him play live, but I know his value. He's a very modern player, and although he's very young he isn't afraid to make a mistake and as a result can make very difficult things look very easy. “Kevin De Bruyne’s transfer fee? It's not for me to pass judgment but it was a lot of money [€75m], really a lot! “I don't pay their bills but it does add a lot of pressure or responsibility on his shoulders.” Tonight’s match represents something of a homecoming for Patrice Evra, who played for City’s rivals Manchester United, did the Red Devils make a mistake in letting the left-back leave? “I wouldn't call it a 'mistake' - teams must plan for the future,” Del Piero considered. “Evra certainly is a player who still has a lot to give, as last year with Juventus proved, and I believe he will continue to do well this year.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Manchester City - Juventus Betting: Goals to be at a premium at the Etihad The home side will be looking to start their Champions League campaign in style, but our tipster is anticipating a tight clash when Massimiliano Allegri's men visit Manchester. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4563/main/2015/09/15/15375802/-? Sep 15, 2015 On Tuesday evening, Manchester City will hope to make the perfect start to their Uefa Champions League campaign when they play host to Italian champions Juventus. Manuel Pellegrini's men enter the opener having preserved their 100 per cent record in the Premier League by virtue of Kelechi Iheanacho's late winner against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon. With that in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that bet365 offer just that the Premier League side pick up all three points from Tuesday's Group D tussle. The hosts, though, have concerns over the fitness over key trio David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero, and Massimiliano Allegri's side will be desperate to exploit any perceived weaknesses in City's ranks. In contrast to City, Allegri's side have endured a difficult start to the season, having garnered just one point from their opening three league matches. Juventus, runners-up in this competition last term, are chalked up at a chunky to get the better of Pellegrini's men at the Etihad, while the same firm go that both sides are forced to settle for a share of the spoils. It is worth noting that Pellegrini's men have kept a clean sheet in each of their opening five competitive fixtures so far this season and they can be backed at to keep a sixth successive clean sheet when they line up against the Serie A winners. City backers may be tempted by the quote offered up by bet365 for Pellegrini's men to win to nil against the Bianconeri, while the quotes offered up for the home side to lead at both half-time and full-time is not without appeal. However, Juventus will be determined to alleviate their early season woes with a determined display, and Allegri's men are capable of keeping things tight - especially given the potential absence of Silva, Sterling and Aguero from the home side's line-up. Therefore, punters are advised to snap up the quote for fewer than three goals to be scored when these two sides go toe-to-toe on Tuesday night.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Fail! British Newspaper Highlights Carlos Tevez as Key Man for Juventus http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2566897-fail-british-newspaper-highlights-carlos-tevez-as-key-man-for-juventus? Sep 15, 2015 British newspaper Metro has made a rather embarrassing gaffe ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League clash between Manchester City and Juventus. The commuters' favourite highlighted Carlos Tevez as the key man for the Italian giants at the Etihad Stadium despite the fact that the Argentinian forward now plies his trade for Boca Juniors. Tevez went back to his former club in the summer, and unless he’s made a stunning loan return to the Bianconeri that's gone completely under the radar, he won't be taking the field against Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

All change in Turin but Juventus can again be contenders The Old Lady lost a number of key players but has been rejuvenated by the addition of several fresh faces, including Paulo Dybala, who looks capable of becoming a Bianconeri icon. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4659/editorials/2015/09/15/15371452/-? Sep 15, 2015 It's already clear: Juventus are going to find it very difficult to reach the Champions League final again this season. Massimiliano Allegri's new team are very different to the one that upset Real Madrid on its way to Berlin last term. The loss of several key players has necessitated a complete overhaul in Turin and it is going to take time for Juve to recover. That much is already obvious. They have played three games in Serie A this season - and won none of them. This, remember, is the team that won a domestic double last season, finishing 17 points clear of Roma before seeing off Lazio in the Coppa Italia. Change is good but it requires patience. Juve should get some, at least. Yes, they have made a dreadful start to their Serie A title defence but the Old Lady has plenty of credit in the bank after four successive Scudetti. Giuseppe Marotta, meanwhile, has earned a reputation as a canny transfer operator. Therefore, his new signings will be afforded time to prove themselves. And don't forget Juve have won eight trophies in the last four years. They would have won nine had they not run into a ridiculously talented Barcelona side in May. Juventus are undeniably back. They have proven themselves a side capable of competing with Europe's elite. However, emulating last season's achievement will not be easy. Yes, Juve have spent big this summer but they are still not operating on the same financial plane as the likes of Manchester City, whom they open their European campaign against on Tuesday, and Paris Saint-Germain - let alone Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Of course, with all the money in the world, it was always going to be difficult to replace players of the calibre and influence of Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal - three men who played a key role in their resurgence. Consequently, a period of readjustment was always required. The good news, though, is that Paulo Dybala - signed for a fee that could rise to €40 million - is already looking like money well spent. The 21-year-old is the only player to have scored for Juve in the league so far this season (two goals in three outings) but what is more impressive than his prowess in front of goal is his character. This is a 21-year-old who seems to have already realised what it means to play for Juventus and is relishing the responsibility. However, if Juventus are to enjoy another good run in Europe, Alvaro Morata will be key. The Spaniard's season has yet to really get going due to fitness problems but, as he proved against Madrid last season, he is capable of making the difference on the big stage. The Bianconeri will be hoping that he forms a formidable and thrilling partnership with fellow young gun Dybala. Juve will certainly need both firing on all cylinders in Europe, given they have been placed in a very trick group alongside City, the form team in England, Borussia Monchengladbach and Sevilla. Still, Juve are a strong and, crucially, versatile side, no longer solely reliant on Antonio Conte's 3-5-2 formation. Indeed, Allegri has made it his mission to make Juve just as comfortable in his preferred 4-3-1-2 formation and the good news is that he now, finally, has a proper trequartista in the shape of Hernanes, acquired from Inter on deadline day. Juve now have real pace on the flanks, with left-back Alex Sandro joining from Porto and Juan Cuadrado arriving on loan from Chelsea. The pair were undoubtedly signed with the intention of getting the best out of Mario Mandzukic, who thrives on quality service from out wide. As a result, while Juve are much changed they should, at least in time, have more strings to their bow. This looks like a team capable of adapting to their opponents. As well as that, the core of the team remains intact. Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio (out for the next month, however) all remain in Turin, meaning that while the Old Lady has had a facelift, she has not lost her heart. Or that winning mentality. Indeed, Juventus are still Juventus. Even without Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Manchester City vs. Juventus: Team News, Predicted Lineups http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2566674-manchester-city-vs-juventus-team-news-predicted-lineups-live-stream-tv-info? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City will be looking to take their immaculate Premier League form into their Champions League campaign as they take on Juventus on Tuesday in the first match of Group D in this year’s competition. City have won five out five in the league and are yet to concede a goal. They find themselves five points ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal, and 11 in front of last season’s champions Chelsea. Leicester City, in second, sit four points behind the Blues. City are setting all sorts of records, too. Victory over Watford saw them break a 103-year record of consecutive league victories, with their win at Crystal Palace on Saturday extending their current run to 11 straight wins. They have also kept six consecutive clean sheets in a row, something they have never managed before, and their five away wins in a row has equalled the club's best-ever tally. Juventus, meanwhile, have begun the season in poor form. Having won Serie A at a canter last season while reaching the Champions League final, they haven’t looked the same this campaign, with just one point from their opening three matches. Andrea Pirlo, a wonderful passer who brought control to the side, left for New York City FC, and Arturo Vidal, whose aggression and urgency was key to their success, joined Bayern Munich. It’s left them looking far less formidable, and City will be hoping to capitalise on their shaky start. Manchester City FC ✔ @MCFC BUFFON: "It will be nice to start with such a big test. City have seven or eight of the best attacking players in Europe." Manchester City FC ✔ @MCFC BUFFON: "Our Serie A start? We expected more, but now we just need to focus objectively on this match ahead of us against #MCFC." Predicted Formations City Sergio Aguero is out of the game with a knee injury suffered against Palace on Saturday. Aguero was on the receiving end of a hefty challenge from Scott Dann that enraged Pellegrini and hasn’t recovered in time for this match. The good news for City, though, is the return to the starting line up of David Silva and Raheem Sterling, both of whom missed the win at Selhurst Park. Gael Clichy, Pablo Zabaleta and Fabian Delph remain out, but Fernando has recovered from his recent injury troubles and is available for selection again. City possible starting XI: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Bony Yaya Touré ✔ @YayaToure Great training session this morning! We are all looking forward to the game tomorrow!! #ComeOnCity !!! Juventus The Old Lady will be without Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah and Claudio Marchisio for the trip to the Etihad. Manchester City FC ✔ @MCFC ALLEGRI: "Tomorrow the team will have to play carefully, knowing that we have in front of us one of the strongest teams in Europe." Manchester City FC ✔ @MCFC ALLEGRI: "I have five midfielders available tomorrow. We'll wait & see if I go with three or four - I won't be revealing my XI." Juventus possible starting XI: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Sandro; Hernanes, Sturaro, Pogba; Pereyra; Morata, Mandzukic Players to Watch City: David Silva David Silva missed Saturday’s win over Crystal Palace with an ankle problem, but he is set to return to the side for City’s first European match of the season. The Spanish playmaker has been the Blues’ best player so far this term. He controls games with his passing ability, vision and creativity. With the added pace and balance brought to the side by Raheem Sterling, Silva appears to be getting more room to inflict damage. He's a joy to watch and remains City's most potent attacking threat. Juventus: Paul Pogba The departures of Pirlo and Vidal have left Paul Pogba as Juventus’ outstanding player. The Frenchman, 22, is on the cusp of greatness. He possesses a range of attributes only matched by a select few in world football: pace, power, an ability to run with the ball, tackle and score goals. There’s very little he can’t do. He has single-handedly dominated matches since he moved to Juventus in 2012 after a frustrating spell at Manchester United. It’s impossible to nullify him completely, but City need to minimise his impact on the game because he’s capable of winning the match with moments of brilliance. Key Battle: Wilfried Bony vs.Giorgio Chiellini In the absence of Aguero, it’s likely Wilfried Bony will lead the line for City, with Pellegrini expected to start with the 4-2-3-1 formation that has served him so well for much of the season so far. Bony’s start to life at City has been mixed. His introduction to the side was delayed by his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, and then niggling injuries and Pellegrini’s switch to one man upfront saw his chances limited even further. There have, though, been flashes of his quality. On Saturday at Selhurst Park, he showed some neat touches and excellent hold-up play, bringing others into the game and adding a physical edge to City’s attack. If he can start well and play with confidence—and against Giorgio Chiellini, a hugely experienced defender, it won’t be easy—City will fancy their chances of scoring some goals against a side likely to be low on confidence. Odds (via Odds Shark) City: -120 Juventus: +325 Draw: +240

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Manchester City V Juventus Team News: Agüero And Marchisio Ruled Out Of Group D Clash, Silva Fit Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that he would be without star striker Sergio Agüero in the Group D opener against UEFA Champions League finalists Juventus, but had better news regarding David Silva and Raheem Sterling. http://www.thehardtackle.com/2015/manchester-city-v-juventus-team-news-aguero-and-marchisio-ruled-out-of-group-d-clash-silva-fit/? Sep 15, 2015 Manchester City have been handed another tough group in the UEFA Champions League in 2015/2016, but early-season form seems to suggest they should have few problems in making it through to the knock-out stages. While the Citizens have won each of their opening five games in the league, their Group D opponents Juventus, Sevilla and Borussia Mönchengladbach have failed to win a league game between them so far. City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be further boosted by the news of David Silva’s return, with the Spain international expected to be passed fit for Tuesday’s clash at the Etihad. However, Sergio Agüero will be a noticeable absentee after picking up an injury against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri confirmed midfielder Claudio Marchisio would miss what is likely to be the Bianconeri’s toughest group game, but revealed he had enough options in midfield to cause Manchester City some problems. Agüero ruled out for Manchester City, David Silva passed fit Sergio Agüero will miss the opening game of his side’s UEFA Champions League campaign, as will long-term absentees Pablo Zabaleta, Fabian Delph and Gaël Clichy. However, there is positive news on David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Samir Nasri, with the Silva and Sterling in particular expected to be ready to face Serie A champions Juventus. Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Group D meeting, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is quoted by the club’s official website as saying: “That’s why when you have choose your squad for season it’s important to have two players for every position. “We have injuries, it’s difficult with the amount of games and intensity of the Premier League not to have injuries. In this case we have a lot of problems, but I trust this squad 100 per cent.” Allegri confirms Marchisio will miss Manchester City clash The former AC Milan manager has confirmed that Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio has been ruled out of Tuesday night’s clash against City, while German international Sami Khedira continues to remain sidelined as he recovers from his thigh injury. However, Allegri was keen to stress that he has quality options in midfield for his side’s Champions League opener. “I have five midfielders available and we’ll see if I go with three or four,” the Italian is quoted as saying by the club’s official website. “I won’t be revealing my team just yet. I need to have a good think about things because Saturday’s game was an energy-sapping one. “Hernanes played well, seeing as he hadn’t featured in a competitive game for a while, as did Alex Sandro. Cuadrado also looked good, it’s important for us to play to his strengths and give him the right support.”

Man City's failure to sign Pogba 'important for football' - Buffon The France international opted to stay with the Serie A champions during the summer and his captain feels that sends a message to the richest clubs in world football. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2914/champions-league/2015/09/14/15361772/-? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon feels Manchester City's failure to sign Paul Pogba is "important" for modern football. The France international was courted by City, Chelsea and Barcelona over the summer but opted to stay with the Serie A champions. Buffon believes his team-mate was the best player in Europe last season, and his willingness to remain in Italy shows the richer clubs cannot always sign the players they want. "The level that Paul Pogba was playing at last season, there was nobody better in the world, and I include Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in that," he told the Daily Mirror. "When you are at that level, stories are always going to be written about your future. "Manchester City are one of three or four clubs in the world that can pay what I call crazy money, so it’s only natural they were interested in him. "He made his intentions to stay with Juventus very clear though, and that was important for us, but also important for football. It showed that money doesn’t always win." Pogba will come face-to-face with City as Juve travel to the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday for their opening Champions League clash of the campaign.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Giornata 1 Martedí, 15 settembre 2015 - ore 20:45 Etihad Stadium, Manchester Arbitro:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Confronti ufficiali 4 - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 2 (Europa League) Vittorie Juventus 1 - 1 (Coppa UEFA) Pareggi 2 - 2 (Europa League) Vittorie Manchester City 1 - 1 (Coppa UEFA) Goals Juventus 4 - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 2 (Europa League) Goals Manchester City 3 - 1 (Coppa UEFA) - 2 (Europa League) Manchester City - Juventus - Champions League a Manchester Confronti ufficiali 0 Vittorie Juventus 0 Pareggi 0 Vittorie Manchester City 0 Goals Juventus 0 Goals Manchester City 0 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Manchester City 2 presenze Benetti Romeo 2 Bettega Roberto 2 Causio Franco 2 Chiellini Giorgio 2 Cuccureddu Antonello 2 Del Piero Alessandro 2 Felipe Melo 2 Furino Giuseppe 2 Gentile Claudio 2 Grygera Zdenek 1 goal Boninsegna Roberto 1 Giannetti Niccolò 1 Iaquinta Vincenzo 1 Scirea Gaetano Ultimi confronti diretti 15.09.1976 - Coppa UEFA - Manchester City-Juventus 1-0 29.09.1976 - Coppa UEFA - Juventus-Manchester City 2-0 30.09.2010 - Europa League - Manchester City-Juventus 1-1 16.12.2010 - Europa League - Juventus-Manchester City 1-1 Giocate 4 - Vittorie Juventus 1 - Pareggi 2 - Vittorie Manchester City 1 - Goals Juventus 4 - Goals Manchester City 3

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Man City will take struggling Juventus seriously in UCL opener - Pellegrini http://www.juvefc.com/manchester-city-v-juventus-champions-league-preview/? Sep 14, 2015 MANCHESTER -- Manuel Pellegrini insisted Manchester City will not be lured into complacency by Juventus' poor start to the season. While Premier League leaders City have a 100 percent record in the young campaign, Tuesday's opponents Juventus have only taken one point from three Serie A matches, and have made their worst start to a season since 1912. But while the Champions League finalists lost Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo in the summer and are set to be without midfielders Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio for the clash at the Etihad Stadium, Pellegrini remains wary of the defending Serie A champs. "We play against a very strong squad. That is why they won the title four years in a row in Italy," the CIty boss said in a news conference on Monday. "That is not easy. They did not start the season very well in Italy but they continue having very good players. "I don't think we must trust in Juventus [to make things easy for City] because it is a different competition. The Champions League also always motivates all the players so we are not thinking about Juventus." While City have never reached the quarterfinals of the competition, Pellegrini is determined not to get ahead of himself and is concentrating purely on getting out of a difficult group. "We are just thinking to win against Juventus and to try and qualify, as we did in the last two seasons, to the round of 16," he said. "After that we will see the draw."

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) MANCHESTER CITY V JUVENTUS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW http://www.juvefc.com/manchester-city-v-juventus-champions-league-preview/? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus Juventus will be hoping to bounce back from their worst start in the clubs illustrious 118-year-history when they travel to Manchester, to face a City side that are undefeated so far this season. It’s been a dismal start to the season, whichever way you look at it. Two losses in the first two weeks of Serie A…..and just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, Juve were a goal down inside the opening 5 minutes against a Chievo team that sit pretty at the top of the table, while the Bianconeri languish just outside the relegation zone. Perhaps the only saving grace from last weekend’s eventful match were the promising performancees from new signings Hernanes, Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado. My biggest concern watching the match against the Flying Donkeys was the utter lack of cohesion between the players, including the experienced ‘heads’ who were at the club last season and long before. The defence looked unsure of itself while the midfield lacked any real shape and the forwards looked rushed and hurried, desperate to create something against a resolute Chievo defence. On the plus side, there’s no denying the potential and raw talent is there, although it may take time until we see this team deliver at its best. Next up, the Bianconeri are in Manchester, preparing for tomorrow night’s Champions League opener against a Man City side who are yet to concede a goal this season. Getting a result may be a tough ask and yet this team may just have enough to cause City problems, and perhaps even spring a surprise or two. Coach Max Allegri gave a typically confident and optimistic press conference earlier today, but he dropped no hints about how he might line his team up on the night. “We have to play with intensity, courage and technique to improve our confidence,” Allegri explained. “It has been lowered because of the results, and we have to reverse the trend. At the moment there are a thousand questions about the team, because the results have not arrived. “We can only find out who we are by playing, we don’t know if we can start talking about the Scudetto or the Coppa Italia, that doesn’t make sense. “We have to be calm, and work, and see things in a different way. In football, the mood depends on results. “On Saturday [in the draw with Chievo] I felt sorry for the lads, the team did a lot of things right, aside from being ruthless. “At the moment we’re not scoring enough goals, it takes us a lot of chances to get one, when we start scoring the games will be different. “I have five midfielders available tomorrow. We’ll wait & see if I go with three or four – I won’t be revealing my team.” It’s tough to predict just how Max will field his squad, especially given that Juan Cuadrado has been one of the few positives this season and Allegri needs to find a way to play him. I can’t see us going away from home in a big game like this and deployin a 4-3-3, which means we’ll either see a 3-5-2 or Allegri’s favoured 4-3-1-2. Sky Italia have been reporting Juve using a 3-5-2 with Buffon fit and ready to start in goal. In front of him, we’ll likely see Caceres, Bonucci and Chiellini with Lichtsteiner and Evra as the full-backs. Pogba and Hernanes are almost certain to start in the middle of the pitch with either Lemina, Pereyra or Sturaro making up the midfield. Up front, Mandzukic will probably be given the nod with Alvaro Morata alongside him. Probable lineup 3-5-2 Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichsteiner, Pereyra, Hernanes, Pogba, Evra; Morata, Mandzukic. Injuries: Khedira (thigh), Asamoah (knee), Marchisio (thigh) Suspended: None Manchester City Probable lineup 4-2-3-1 Hart; Sagna, Mangala, Kompany, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Navas, De Bruyne, Nasri; Bony. Injuries: Zabaleta, Fernando, Clichy, Delph, Agüero Suspended: None Formation

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) UEFA Champions League Preview: Juventus vs. Manchester City http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/9/14/9300131/manchester-city-juventus-2015-uefa-champions-league-group-stage-preview-team-news-schedule Sep 14, 2015 For a variety of reasons, Juventus-Manchester City is a European matchup we haven't seen much of in recent memory. The last time the two teams meet in England was 2010, a decent number of years where quite a bit has happened — both good and bad — for both clubs. Titles have been won, lots of money spent, Every now and then it's interesting take a trip down memory lane and remember what once was. So, for the sake of refreshing our memory, here's the starting lineup from that trip to Manchester five years ago. Don't be shy. You know you're curious to rehash a few of those memories of yesteryear. Alex Manninger (GK); Zdenek Grygera, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Paulo De Ceglie; Milos Krasic, Momo Sissoko, Claudio Marchisio, Jorge Martinez; Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alessandro Del Piero Just for kicks, here's the actual visual evidence of that same Juventus starting lineup from that late-September night in 2010 when the Etihad Stadium was actually officially known as the Eastlands. Three players from that starting lineup still remain at the club. One of them, Claudio Marchisio, was set to be a huge part of Tuesday's game until we found out he's hurt and won't even make the trip to Manchester. So, yeah, times are a different, and all of us can see that. I guess what I'm trying to get at here is that it's been quite a change from five years ago when Juventus were still in the midst of discovering that Gigi Delneri wouldn't be around come that next summer. That was the Europa League, this is the group stage of the Champions League. Instead of a seventh-place finish in Serie A, Juventus are coming off their fourth straight Scudetto and a spot in last season's Champions League final. Juventus' fortunes haven't been so hot to begin this current campaign. We know about all of the roster turnover, how nearly half of the squad is changed from the one that faced Barcelona in Berlin last June. And we know how this team has struggled to start the Serie A season on any kind of positive note through the first three games. Some of it has to do with so many new elements, some of it has to do with the fact that important players are either injured or completely out of form at the moment. And some of it, honestly, is that Juventus, as a team, just aren't playing so well. But the Champions League is the Champions League. And now that they've gotten to the final as a group, they'll certainly want to make their next visit a much shorter of a wait. There's only one way to have that happen — get out of the group stage and then see where things may lead to. Considering how tough this Group D is this season, starting off on the right foot will be oh so incredibly crucial. GOOD NEWS Juventus actually have a point in Serie A now. Progress! BAD NEWS Juventus' on-field chemistry resembles poop emojis right now. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Will Big Game Juventus — or even Good Juventus — show up in Manchester? We've seen this team struggle in games and then suddenly flip the switch under the brightest of lights and biggest of microscopes. Even while their form wasn't so great the last couple months of last season domestically, we all know what they did to get to the Champions League final. Sure, it's a new group and it's a new season, but that oh so lovely grinta and big-game alertness should always be there. What a better opportunity for them to show just that against a team that has undoubtedly started their domestic campaign as well as anybody and have the tipsters thinking Man City are a legitimate threat to make noise in this season's competition. Juventus are the underdogs in this one, and just like it was the case against Barcelona three-plus months ago, that's totally okay. Juve have thrived in the past in this kind of situation. So why not have it happen again? 2. What formation Max Allegri goes with? This seemed a little easier to figure out with Marchisio healthy again. But, as we've come to know, that's changed rather quickly. The rumors going around the interwebs on Monday morning in the aftermath of the Marchisio news has Allegri going with one of two formations, a 3-5-2 or Christmas tree 4-3-2-1. Let's see what Allegri had to say about it during his pre-match press conference on Monday, shall we? JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "I have five midfielders available tomorrow. We'll wait & see if I go with three or four - I won't be revealing my team." Ah, that's more like it, Max. You're back to what I come to expect out of you when talking about your starting lineup ahead of important games. Bravo to you. But there's no denying that the injury to Marchisio — and who Juventus will be playing Tuesday night — will factor in to Allegri's tactical setup decision. City love them some attacking football with who they have up top, and Allegri may side with a more defensive-minded lineup because of that. This is certainly one of the more interesting lineup decisions he's had to make so far this season. Not just because of who's available to play, but who his team is playing, too. 3. Defending Manchester City's speed. What formation Allegri uses will likely have a big role in how he wants to defend City and all of their attacking options. When you can roll out an attacking quartet of Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne, not only are you going to have a lot of damn quality on the field, there's also going to be tons of speed on the field. As we've come to find out, Aguero won't be taking part in Tuesday's Champions League opener, which is probably a bigger loss than Marchisio is to Juventus' lineup. But there's still going to be plenty of offensive firepower out there for City going up against a Juventus defense that hasn't exactly looked strong to begin the season. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "We didn't allow Lazio a shot on goal in Shanghai. When you're solid at the back it allows you to attack better." 4. Álvaro Morata or Mario Mandzukic? This probably wouldn't be an issue if either one looked better than the other to start the season. But because both have looked relatively meh in the opening couple of weeks, it's actually something to think about. Maybe if Allegri goes with a Christmas tree it's going to be a total non-issue. If not, then he has a decision to make. Or does he? I could be reading too much into it all, but if Mandzukic didn't play on Saturday because Allegri wanted him fresh for City on Tuesday, then there's your answer. It wouldn't be the first time Allegri rested somebody who did a bit of traveling during the recent international break Or, we can just think that Sky Italia is right and it will be the both of them, meaning I just wasted about 150 words trying to make a decision that isn't even there. My starting XI (3-5-2): Gianluigi Buffon; Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Mario Lemina, Hernanes, Paul Pogba, Alex Sandro; Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic Yeah, I went there folks. Don't like it, well, you tell 'em, Álvaro.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Against Man City, Juventus may revert to last season's tactics to get first win http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2612278/juventus-may-go-to-old-tactics-to-get-on-track-vs-man-city? Sep 14, 2015 It's not been a happy month for Juventus. Not only are they struggling to win Serie A matches, a league they dominated with ease for the past four years, but they must now deal with the fact they've lost one of their best midfielders, Claudio Marchisio, to injury. The player is suspected to miss at least a month and manager Massimiliano Allegri is now tasked with not only finding the perfect partnership up top, but learning how to balance a midfield that is practically entirely different to the one he had last season. By contrast to the Bianconeri, Manchester City have had a terrific start to their Premier League campaign, demonstrating cohesion and a remarkable appetite for success. Even during the tough matches, such as the one they played over the weekend against Crystal Palace, they still managed to find the goal that sealed all three points and maintained their perfect record. With David Silva linking play and a midfield that has both destroyers and creators, City barely have any weaknesses. However, Juventus should draw inspiration from Crystal Palace's performance, as they demonstrated on Saturday that City's back-line can struggle when playing against an opponent who understands how to stretch play and make use of the wings as well as one that works the channels well. Once upon a time, Juventus were a side that effectively penetrated through the middle. With Andrea Pirlo's passing and the movements of Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba, much of the Bianconeri's attacks went through the middle. This season, things have changed to suit the skill set of the new arrivals and that means playing with a little more width. Left-back Alex Sandro proved his determination against Chievo, pushing forward and attempting crosses as much as possible, the only problem was that his teammates at the forward positions could do little with what he produced. Meanwhile, Juan Cuadrado proved to be Juve's best player on Saturday night, he was perhaps the only one who understood how to apply pressure and get past the opponent in one-on-one situations. Allegri must make use of their talent. However, according to latest reports, the coach wants to revert back to a 3-5-2 formation against Manchester City in hopes of offering his defence a little more support to provide more balance within the side. That means it's likely that neither Sandro nor Cuadrado will start with the coach preferring to rely on the men with a little more experience, Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner. With City's centre-backs so comfortable in the air, he is less interested in Sandro's crosses and more interested in going back to what Juve used to be able to do last season -- pulling defenders away and creating spaces to score by keeping possession and playing the ball to feet. Yet, does the team have the personnel required to play a fast game in attack that can overwhelm their Champions League opponent? This particular match comes at a very bad time for the Old Lady. Great intelligence is required to beat a Premier League team that boasts confidence and great determination, not to mention spectacular players. With so many changes in the squad during the offseason, it will take remarkable team play for Juventus to create opportunities for themselves and neither Alvaro Morata nor Mario Mandzukic are adept enough at making the difference up top when they aren't paired with a world-class wizard like former striker Carlos Tevez. The players haven't found chemistry yet and that has been shown in not understanding the movements of those they play with or how best to execute Allegri's tactics. This will require patience and the willingness to sacrifice. With the demand for Juventus to finally get their first win of the season, the pressure is piling on. For players with less experience, like Paulo Dybala and Morata, the current situation could make both force the situation, in the hope of being the hero. Still, individual play is unlikely to result in success. This isn't a side that boasts many players who can make the difference on their own, so they must learn to look for one another and share the ball. Maintaining possession and looking for ways to penetrate is their best option as striking from distance and dribbling until they hit a brick wall has hardly panned out for them. Likely to play a defensive game, the priority is to keep a clean sheet. Juventus must get back to their disciplined ways and learn how to close down space and press the opponent to win back possession. Thankfully for them, Sergio Aguero will not play due to injury and that is bound to hinder the home side. Once the Bianconeri recover their defensive stability, they can then work upon perfecting an attack that boasts talent but little understanding. The most important thing is to try to enjoy the match instead of combating pressure and dealing with exaggerated criticism. Balance will be restored and once it does, the results will follow. For now, all Allegri can ask for is that his side play with courage, heart and discipline until they rediscover their form.