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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.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Man City are one of the Champions League favourites - Allegri The former Milan boss feels his side will have to raise their game to beat the Premier League leaders while Gianluigi Buffon hailed the attacking talent City can call on. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2914/champions-league/2015/09/14/15354192/-? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri believes Manchester City are one of the favourites to win the Champions League this season. Allegri led the Serie A champions to the final of the competition in 2014-15, and feels City have as good a chance as anyone of picking up the silverware this time around. City have begun the campaign in fine form, having won all five of their opening Premier League matches, which is in stark comparison to Juve, with the Italian outfit picking up one point from three matches in Serie A. And Allegri has called on his players to raise their performance levels if they are to beat Manuel Pellegrini's side in their Group D opener. "Manchester City are one of the Champions League favourites," he told reporters. "Tomorrow will be the first of six group matches and our aim is to get through. "We'll need to put in an intense performance, show plenty of courage and also play at a high technical level. "The team's given everything in the first three games, we've lacked goals and also been a little unlucky." Juve captain Gianluigi Buffon has agreed with his manager regarding City being one of the best sides in the competition, and has hailed their attacking talent. City signed both Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne over the summer to further bolster their forward line, and Buffon feels that their offensive players are some of the best on the continent. "For me it will be my first time playing in this stadium, against City who are one of the candidates to win the Champions League," he said. "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 - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Allegri: ‘Juventus must improve’ http://www.football-italia.net/72972/allegri-%E2%80%98juventus-must-improve%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Coach Max Allegri admits Juventus must ‘reverse the trend’ of bad results against Manchester City tomorrow. The Bianconeri face the English side at Etihad tomorrow night, having taken just a single point from their first three Serie A games. “We have to play with intensity, courage and technique to improve our confidence,” Allegri explained in his pre-match Press conference. “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. Echoing the words of captain Gianluigi Buffon, Allegri sees Manchester City as a team which can win the Champions League. “City are one of the favourites. We have to forget about the League, and think about the Champions League. “We’ll have the opportunity to find space, and to play in a different kind of match than in the Italian League. We have to stay focused, and know that a positive result will change everything. “Last year Juventus played on a par with Real Madrid, and dominated other games, playing a more ‘European’ style of football and we deservedly reached the final. “To only talk about the League is reductive, Juventus must have the ambition to remain among the top eight teams in Europe, but playing good football.”

Buffon: ‘Juventus need unity’ http://www.football-italia.net/72971/buffon-%E2%80%98juventus-need-unity%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon insists he was not attacking fans at half-time on Saturday, but ‘we need unity’. The Bianconeri were subjected to jeers and whistles as they left the pitch at 1-0 down against Chievo, with the goalkeeper turning to the stands and declaring ‘we need you with us’. “We all expected more,” Buffon admitted in a Press conference ahead of the Champions League match with Manchester City. “There are some valid reasons, but when you don’t get a result in three games you can’t make excuses. We have to focus on the problems and understand what we can do individually. “What I did on Saturday was a way of defending the younger players, wearing the Juventus shirt is a diffferent world. “The team is giving everything on the pitch, we need unity. It wasn’t a reproach to the fans, it was a request to try to understand the moment and help us for the good of Juve. “Who are we now? We’ll find out by playing. It’s undeniable that after three games we haven’t played well and we haven’t got the results we expected. “We’ll get back to being the team we were a few months ago, who gave great performances in the biggest games. I'm sure of it. "We’re a group of players, coaches and directors all pulling in the same direction, and I can speak for the players, they’re a great group of lads who really care about the cause. “There are 25 or 26 players in the squad, and we’ve trained together two or three times, we need to get to know each other. The season lasts 10 months, it’s very long. “I’m not here to duck the issue, I wouldn’t accept anything that is not first place. The next month will give us a lot of answers. “Tomorrow we’ll try to give a good performance, and show signs of cohesion and team spirit. Juventus have never played too defensively in Europe. “We have a squad which can put on a good show.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Corradi: Manchester City Have Too Much For Juventus http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/09/corradi-manchester-city-have-too-much-for-juventus/? Sep 14, 2015 Former Italy international Bernardo Corradi says that even without Sergio Aguero, Manchester City will have too much for Juventus. Corradi, who used to play for the Premier League side, sees his former club triumphing over the Bianconeri when the two sides meet at the Etihad stadium on Tuesday. “In addition to their poor form, Juventus have also lost Marchisio and find themselves in difficulties that they probably never expected,” Corradi told Tuttomercatoweb. “On the other hand, here is a Manchester City side that have spent considerably and have a squad that is well equipped. “Despite some absentees I believe Pellegrini’s team will have too much for Juventus. “Whilst they are missing Aguero, Juventus also have major absentees. “The point is that the two teams are in two completely different situations and it should make for an entertaining match, it’s a challenge for Juventus and not a turning point, but it’s definitely a key moment in the season.” Juventus have taken just one point from their three league matches this season whilst Manchester City have won all five Premier League games and have yet to concede a goal.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) ‘City can win Champions League’ http://www.football-italia.net/72970/%E2%80%98city-can-win-champions-league%E2%80%99 Sep 14, 2015 Juventus' Gianluigi Buffon believes tomorrow's opponents Manchester City ‘can win the Champions League’. The Bianconeri are in Manchester ahead of the match at Etihad tomorrow, and the ‘keeper sees the English side as one of the contenders for the trophy. “There’s great enthusiasm for the match tomorrow,” Buffon told journalists in the pre-match Press conference. “It’s my first time playing in this stadium. Manchester City can win the Champions League, and it’ll be nice to start our European campaign with such a big test. “It’s the best way to help us recognise ourselves again, to know our value and have the sole purpose of knowing where we want to go.” Sergio Aguero will be missing for the hosts, but the Juve captain is not celebrating the face he won’t have to face him. “They have seven or eight attacking players who could all play in the top five teams in Europe. “It’s not possible to play more than three strikers at once, and it’s a shame not to see some players on the pitch.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Preview: Manchester City vs. Juventus http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/champions-league/preview/preview-man-city-vs-juventus_246136.html? Sep 14, 2015 Manchester City welcome travelling Juventus to the Etihad in Group D of the Champions League on Tuesday evening looking to kickstart their campaign with a positive result on home soil. Travelling Juve are seeking to set the record straight after a testing start to the new Serie A season, having picked up just one point from three opening games. City go into their clash against the Old Lady with the confidence of an untouched introduction to the Premier League behind them. Despite their European struggles of late, City have started the new domestic campaign in lightning fashion after recording five wins from five fixtures so far. The Sky Blues have often suffered from difficult draws in their previous Champions League exploits, although they have arguably been handed a slightly easier task this time around. Roberto Mancini's charges are to come up against Juve, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach, but they will feel that they can reach the knockout stages given that Tuesday's opponents are the only heavyweight team in Group D. The European showpiece is often won with tactical organisation and this is something City have been crying out for in the last year. The summer addition of Nicolas Otamendi could help to add some strength and guile into City's back-line should he feature, while the late purchase of Kevin De Bruyne could sharpen City's ability to break down some of Europe's hardened defences. The Manchester club will be looking to earn a victory from this clash in order to set out a marker for the rest of the group campaign, which may also serve as a message to some of this year's major contenders. Recent form (all competitions): WWWWW Juventus come into the fixture in a totally different position, given that the current Serie A champions have had a rough start to the season. The Old Lady have picked up just one point from three league fixtures, while also suffering a defeat at the hands of title contenders Roma. The early season problems must be considerably perplexing for coach Massimiliano Allegri, given that he has been able to keep hold of much the same squad as the one that reached the final of this tournament last campaign. The Italian outfit did well to ward off continued interest from a number of clubs for highly-rated midfielder Paul Pogba, while they made clever purchases in the shape of forwards Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and the creative midfielder Hernanes. It is perhaps too early in the season for Juve fans to start worrying, but they will need to turn things around quickly in order to provide a threat on both domestic and European fronts. Should they be able to get a result away at the Eithad, some of those early season blues may soon disappear. Recent form (all competitions): WDDL Team News City have been boosted by the return to training of David Silva and Raheem Sterling on Monday, but they will be without key forward Sergio Aguero who is suffering with a knee injury. It is also thought that Fernandinho and Samir Nasri missed City's training on Monday and could be absent from the clash. However, De Bruyne may make his starting debut for the club after coming off the bench against Crystal Palace at the weekend. Juventus have not had much luck with injuries of late, following major knocks to Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah and Claudio Marchisio. Giorgio Chiellini could make a much-needed return, but that will depend on whether Allegri decides upon a three or four-man defence away from home. Mandzukic could be knocking on the door to replace either Dybala or Alvaro Morata, while Juan Cuadrado will also be seeking to present his boss with a selection headache going forward. Manchester City possible starting lineup: Hart; Sanga, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; de Bruyne, Silva, Sterling; Bony Juventus possible starting lineup: Buffon; Sandro, Chiellini, Bonucci, Caceres; Pogba, Pereyra, Cuadrado; Hernanes; Morata, Dybala Head To Head Juventus currently have the advantage when you look at the sides' history against each other. As it stands, City have gone three games in all European competitions without a win against Juventus. The Italian side have beaten them once and held the Sky Blues to draws in the other two recent occasions. We say: Manchester City 2-2 Juventus City go into the fixture on the back of some impressive early season form, but Juventus will be itching to get their campaign back on track with a positive result in Manchester. Mancini and his men have been struggling in the competition lately and have won only two of their last 10 Champions League fixtures.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Kompany: ‘Juventus game crucial’ http://www.football-italia.net/72967/kompany-%E2%80%98juventus-game-crucial%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Vincent Kompany admits Manchester City’s clash with a ‘strong’ Juventus is ‘really important for us’ after previous disappointments. The English side have been seen as under-performing in Europe in recent seasons, and the Belgian stopper is aiming to put that right. “It’s really important for us,” Kompany said in a pre-match Press conference. “Everything has been so bright and good for us so far, it’s the same as people have been saying for the last three or four years, if we don’t perform and show our quality as we’ve done in the Premier League then there will always be something that’s left behind and leaves us unsatisfied, so it’s a really important game for us. “We’ve been looking forward to the start of this competition since that disappointing game in Barcelona last season [City lost 3-1 on aggregate, 1-0 at Camp Nou]. “Even in the group stages we’ve struggled a couple of times. Certainly last season against [CSKA] Moscow was disappointing as well, it’s about finding that confidence we have in the Premier League and bringing it into the Champions League. “If we’re not confident for tomorrow, then we’ll never be confident after what we’ve done so far. We’re frustrated from many seasons before, we just have to take that anger, or that desire into tomorrow’s game. “Whatever happened last season should be used as a lesson. We have a good team, we should always be confident before a game starts. “Tomorrow is a game which everyone will be ready for, and just really up for. It maybe takes a bit of pressure off you, you can’t underestimate any team at this level. “Tomorrow, everyone knows it’s a strong team, and everyone is ready for it.” Juventus reached the Champions League final last season, losing to Barça, but Kompany sees three teams as being far ahead of the chasing pack. “Since we’ve been in the Champions League, it’s been Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, they’ve been the three strongest teams by a mile, so I think every other team has been playing catch-up. “For us to close that gap and overcome them eventually - and the same for any other team, Juventus are probably trying to do that as well - it’ll just take time and hard work, like they’ve done over the years. “Those teams are not just the best because they have a better badge or better colours, it’s because they’ve had the chance to work on their squad for so many years, and they’ve always attracted the best players “For us to attract players like [Raheem] Sterling and [Kevin] De Bruyne takes us a step closer, but ultimately we’ll have to prove it on the pitch. “One of the things is, they [those teams] have huge depth in the squad, and people forget that sometimes. “They want to show us where the most money is spent, but that’s not what it’s about really, it’s about who has the best squad to cope with all the competitions “It seems like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have been fielding such strong squads over the whole season that it’s given them an advantage, but closing the gap is about making sure those differences don’t exist anymore. “No-one left the Champions League satisfied last year. Ok, we came up against the best team in the world, I guess that made it a little bit easier to understand, but that’s not what we want. “We want to be able to compete with them, and at least beat them on a regular basis. It’s another year, and it’s another season full of hope.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Kompany calls on Manchester City to 'make a statement' against Juventus Manuel Pellegrini's men face the Serie A champions in midweek, and the Belgium international believes his team-mates must prove their worth in Europe's premier club competition. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2015/09/14/15350282/-? Sep 14, 2015 Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says the Premier League champions must look to "make a statement" in the Champions League this season, starting with Tuesday's visit of Juventus. City have been either champions or runners-up in England in each of the last four seasons, but have failed to make it past the Champions League's round of 16 in that time. A perfect record in the top flight to kick off this campaign has added to the weight of expectation on Manuel Pellegrini's shoulders to deliver success in Europe and Kompany has welcomed the pressure. "It's important to make a statement. Everything has been so bright for us so far. We have to show our qualities," said the Belgium international. "As long as we don't perform in the Champions League as we have in the Premier League there will always be something left behind. It is a really important game for us. "It's about finding that confidence we have in the Premier League and bringing it into the Champions League. This season isn't the same [as previous campaigns], if we're not confident before tomorrow we never will be. "In the Premier League we're really determined and really hungry because we're frustrated from last season. In the Champions League we're frustrated from many seasons before. We just need to take that anger, that desire and energy into tomorrow's game, it’s so important." While City have begun their season impressively, last season's Champions League finalists Juventus have taken one point from nine in defence of their Serie A title. With Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach also in Group D, Kompany added: "We have to be [better]. It cannot be what it was in the previous years. "I think last year, we did come up against a very, very strong Barcelona team [in the last 16]. It is not an excuse. It is the truth. "The group may be the hardest this year again but we have learned to cope with it in the last few years. Ultimately, it is the Champions League and it is good to play against the best teams."

'Dybala is no Messi' - Capello The Italian trainer is excited about the Juventus starlet's potential but does not believe that will develop into the "phenomenon" that the Barcelona ace has become. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italian-football/2015/09/14/15336162/-? Sep 14, 2015 Fabio Capello says that while Paulo Dybala can be a big hit at Juventus, it is wrong to compare the attacker to Lionel Messi. Dybala took Serie A by storm last season, scoring 13 times in 35 appearances for Palermo to earn himself a €32 million move to Turin. Rosanero president Maurizio Zamparini repeatedly compared the 21-year-old to four-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi and Dybala has made an impressive start to his Juve career, netting three goals in his first four competitive outings. However, Capello still believes that there is much room for improvement and says that the comparisons with Messi are wide of the mark. "Messi was already doing certain things at 17 at Barcelona that made one realise that he would become a phenomenon," the former Juve boss told the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "Dybala needs time to better understand how to play for a big team. "However, he has all the qualities to do so: imagination, dribbling and a left for that he knows how to hurt teams with." While Dybala has started the season well, Juve have not, with the reigning Italian champions collecting just one point from their opening three Serie A fixtures. Consequently, there is a modicum of pressure on coach Massimiliano Allegri, even though the former AC Milan boss led the Old Lady to a domestic double last season, as well as the final of the Champions League. However, Capello feels that the 48-year-old is well used to handling such situations and is confident that the deadline-day signing of midfield ace Hernanes from Inter will aid Juve's recovery. "Max is an experienced coach now," he added. "He knows what he has to do and how to manage certain moments. "And from training Juventus, he knows that a season of transition just does not exist. "Anyway, Juve have a defensive system of play that they know very well and this is important. "They will need a little while to gel in the offensive phase, but I believe that the arrival of Hernanes can help them rediscover the old fluidity of their game."

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 Q&A http://www.juvefc.com/manchester-city-v-juventus-champions-league-qa/? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus start their Champions League campaign against a rampant Manchester City who sit top of the Premier League and look in scintillating form. Ahead of the game, we out your questions to Alex from the ‘Typical City‘ blog to get an idea of what to expect. 1. City have been a real domestic force for the last few years, but not so much in Europe. Is this season going to better for City? Absolutely. This is the most complete team City have ever had. Going forward City have been deadly and in defence we have looked surprisingly solid. Not conceding a goal this season so far tells its own story. I have high hopes this season and I don’t think I’m being over optimistic to suggest that City should be topping this group. If we run into Barcelona AGAIN after that then all bets are off… 2. Who do you consider the biggest threat in groups, CL runners up Juve or double EL winners Sevilla? Juventus are a slightly bigger threat to my mind. Your experience of recent success and general savviness should see you in second. That’s not to discount Sevilla though as they clearly know what they’re doing in Europe. But Juventus are a first class team whereas Sevilla and Gladbach are not. 3. Dzeko and Jovetic have left City for Serie A, is this for better or worse for City? Honestly, it’s a combination of both. Jovetic wasn’t any good for us on the rare occasions he was fit. Dzeko has written his place in City history and is a much more significant loss. The Bosnian is a big game player and has shown us time and again what he’s capable of. There will be at least one stretch this season when we look back and think “wouldn’t it be nice if Dzeko was still here…” 4. Juve and City havent played each other much yet, last time it was in EL groups and ended in 2 draws. What do you expect of our next 2 encounters? I am really looking forward to playing Juventus. Seeing them walk out at the Etihad for a Champion’s League match will be a special moment indeed. Between our two current teams I really cannot see two draws being the outcome again. I expect City will win at home and possibly at your ground. I don’t see Juventus winning both taking your current form into account compared to ours. 5. Pellegrini or Allegri? Pellegrini is the perfect fit for City in this period of time and I wouldn’t swap him for anyone at the moment. He seems to be very in synch with the club, the players and (most of the time) the fans. In saying that I of course mean no disrespect to Allegri. The man’s achievements speak for themselves and I’m not under the illusion that he will be giving City an easy ride! 6. Best XI made with players from both teams? I’m going to the City 4-3-3 formation, players who are fit, based on this seasons form. You and your readers will disagree with the goalkeeper at least but here we go… Hart Sagna – Kompany – Mangala – Kolarov/Sandro (honestly can’t decide) Fernandinho – Pogba – Toure Silva – Aguero (Morata if Aguero isnt fit) – Sterling I’m not even sure if that team would make sense on the pitch but it would at the very least be a lot of fun. 7. In your opinion, whats Juve’s biggest strength and weakness ? Previous to the start of this season I would have said your defence is the biggest strength. On their day they are very, very good. That’s not even mentioning Buffon who is apparently evergreen. 8. Who do you think is Juve’s best player ? The easy answer here is Paul Pogba. Last season there would have been an argument for Arturo Vidal and I suspect in the near future there will be an argument for one of Dybala or Morata but for now the runaway candidate is Pogba. 9. Of all the CL groups City have been in, which did you see as the toughest ? That’s a really difficult question because in one way or another, including this season, we have been shafted. The year we were drawn with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax was a particularly bad year. Last year’s group including Bayern and Roma was also dreadful. One year we will get an easier group… Oddly enough the worst thing over the last few years has been getting drawn against the same teams over and over. There’s something to be said for variety which is one of the reasons I am very excited about the group this year. 10. Against an organized defence like Juve’s, how do you think City will break them down ? A moment of genius from Aguero ? Normally I’d have presumed it might come down to Aguero doing something outrageous but to be honest we have so many options this year that we aren’t so heavily reliant on him. David Silva is our best player and has been sensational as per usual this season. Sterling has started brightly and it is clear that defenders don’t know what to do with him. De Bruyne promises more of the same. That’s just the most obvious weapons and doesn’t even consider the possibility that Toure might decide to win the game on his own. The thing I think you will get a front row view of tomorrow is that our front players interchange constantly. Even a defence as formidable as Juventus’s will have their work cut out. 11. Do you see City as favourites for the PL this season ? Yes. Despite large sections of our media thinking City would finish 4th or even 5th for some reason it has been clear for a while that City have a deeper, stronger squad than everyone else. Add in the summer reinforcements, the return to form of Kompany and Managala finally turning into the defender we hoped he would be and the perfect start to the season looks like more than a flash in the pan. 12. What are the key differences between this seasons City and last seasons ? As mentioned above, Kompany is no longer playing like a Sunday League player and Mangala has settled into the team and the league. Our attacking options are the best in the Premier League by a distance and one of the best units in Europe already. When Sterling and De Bruyne are fully up to speed it is heard to see anyone stopping us from scoring. Most crucially, Pellegrini has seemingly switched to a 4-3-3 formation which plays to the team’s strengths rather than persisting with his preferred 4-4-2 in the name of stylistic purity. 13. After so much spending, what do the fans expect from the team in the CL this season? Finalists? Champions? I think anyone who “expects” their team to win the Champion’s League is an idiot. It’s too unpredictable and relies on too many variables. However this is the first City team I’ve looked at and can’t see any reason why they shouldn’t be in the later rounds. Quarter Finals at least. Previously there has always been an obvious weakness but not this time really. 14. Do MCFC feel that their team is complete? Or are there any areas which they feel they’re still vulnerable in? The only area there’s a potential worry at is at left back. Both Kolarov and Clichy retain the potential to have an absolute shocker completely at random. This could happen against Barcelona or in an FA Cup game against Bury. Both of them just sometimes play really really badly. Other than that Fernando is an obvious weakness but there has been talk about how he was playing with injury all last season so we’ll see on that front… 15. Whats the most effective way to keep Aguero quiet ? I promise I’m not just saying this, but there isn’t a tried and tested way to keep him quiet really. Sometimes he’s injured. That’s the only sure way to know he won;t have an effect on the game. He is the real deal. He is that good. Ask Bayern Munich or Barcelona for examples of that… 16. how do you utilize Bony? As a super sub or do you use him and Aguero together sometimes? Bony is definitely not purely a super sub. He has not really got fully into the groove at City yet but there is enough evidence that when he does he will score his fair share of goals. He’s not a direct replacement for Aguero. He is superb at drawing defenders out of position and bullying them. He is also very good at playing it into players running beyond him which is obviously a good thing bearing in mind the sort of players we have just behind the strikers. He is also useful in a 4-4-2 but that is now hopefully consigned to the bin or at least only used as a last resort. 17. Prediction for the game ? 3-1 to City. I don't expect to get through this game without conceding at least one goal but I also don’t expect your defence to be able to handle City for 90 minutes…

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Man City v Juventus preview: Sergio Aguero ruled out Manchester City will be without striker Sergio Aguero for their opening Champions League group-stage fixture at home to Juventus on Tuesday. http://www.skysports.com/football/man-city-vs-juventus/preview/351335? Sep 14, 2015 The Argentina international was forced off during City's last-gasp victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday. City, however, still managed to prevail as Kelechi Iheanacho's late effort sealed a fifth consecutive victory for the Premier League pacesetters. Manuel Pellegrini's side have been dealt another tough hand in this season's competition, paired in the same group as last season's Serie A winners and Champions League runners-up, Juventus, Europa League winners Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. But City can head into Tuesday's game buoyed by their imperious early-season form, and can take comfort from the fact Juventus head to the Etihad Stadium having failed to win any of their first three league games. Team news Pellegrini will have both Raheem Sterling and David Silva available for the visit of the Italian champions after the pair missed Saturday's trip to Selhurst Park. Samir Nasri and Fernandinho are expected to shake off minors knocks, while Wilfried Bony is expected to deputise for the injured Aguero. Kevin de Bruyne could make his first start, and his Champions League debut, after impressing against Palace from the bench, but goal hero Iheanacho is ineligible while midfielder Fabian Delph and full-backs Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta are still out. Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio will miss the trip to Manchester after being ruled out of action for a month. The Italy international suffered an injury to his left abductor in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chievo. Opta stats Manchester City have gone three games in European competition without a win against Juventus (D2 L1). Juventus have failed to win any of their last six matches against a side from Manchester (D3 L3). Manchester City are taking part in their fifth Champions League campaign. They have never made it past the last 16. Manchester City have only won two of their last 10 Champions League games (D2 L6). None of Manchester City's 28 Champions League games have ended goalless. They have only kept four clean sheets in these 28 games. Only Basel have played more games in the competition without ever registering a goalless draw. Juventus are making their 16th appearance in the Champions League. Only AC Milan have made more appearances among Italian sides (17). Betting Manchester City are marginally odds-on at 4/5 with Sky Bet to begin their Champions League campaign with a win, as Juventus are rated 15/4 outsiders for the points and 12/5 to secure a draw. Pellegrini's men are also favoured in the Group D outright odds at evens to secure top spot to Juve's price of 2/1 despite the clubs' contrasting records in Europe's elite competition, while Sevilla (9/2) and Borussia Monchengladbach (11/1) are rated outsiders. Mario Mandzukic is considered the visitors' biggest threat at 13/2 to break the deadlock.

Juve built for long-term success but finding winning formula will take time http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2611730/juventus-built-for-success-but-winning-formula-take-time? Sep 14, 2015 As the referee blew for half-time at the J Stadium on Saturday night, Juventus captain Gigi Buffon made a short detour. Instead of heading straight to the dressing room, he turned to the fans behind his goal and began to relay a message. "We need you," he said. What Juventus didn't need was their supporters whistling the team. Three days before their trip to Manchester City in the Champions League, last season's vice-champions of Europe found themselves 1-0 down to Chievo. This was a top-against-bottom clash in Serie A, just not as we know it. Improbably, the champions were the cellar dwellers and their visitors the league leaders. It wasn't the first time Buffon has provided us with a powerful image this season. Time-wasting after 15 minutes against Roma to give the team a break from Giallorosso pressure was remarkable enough on its own. Both offer a reminder of how quickly things can change. Juventus have won four straight Scudetti. In June, they almost did the treble. Last month they lifted the Italian Super Cup. Yet here was Buffon seeking to get the fans back on side. "It's easy to come to the stadium and applaud when everything is going well," Leonardo Bonucci posted on Instagram on Sunday. "A real fan applauds when the going gets tough to help the team." Juventus were also whistled at full-time against Chievo. They had rescued a point and as such it is no longer their worst start to a season since 1912. It's now only as bad as when they opened 1962-63 campaign. Luckily, Juan Cuadrado came on and changed the game, with a series of dribbles, one of which got Juventus back into it. His pace, cunning and fleet of foot won a late penalty after a naive challenge from Bostjan Cesar and Paulo Dybala equalised from the spot. Did the Old Lady deserve it? She'd had 67 percent of possession and made 25 attempts on goal. Her true identity, however, was that of Lady Luck. Cesar in particular had a right to feel aggrieved. He had already seen Buffon make one of the best saves of his career after lashing a shot at him from little more than five metres out. The 37-year-old's reaction time was clocked at 0.352 second. Before giving the penalty away, Cesar had also had a perfectly legitimate winner ruled out for a perceived foul on Bonucci. The only explanation for it not standing being that maybe the referee still had the free kick that led to it in his mind, which should never have been given in the first place. Chievo merited victory, and their travelling fans demanded that their hosts salutate la capolista -- salute the league leaders. While finally off the mark, this did not represent a turning point for Juventus. The team is in disorder and didn't play as one on Saturday. Second to the ball, four or five players would run toward it and no one would get it. Chievo played through the pressure and all of a sudden Juventus were in trouble. Of course, it would help if they didn't give the ball away, which they did 140 times on Saturday. Insecure, there were also times when seven or eight players were in their own box. This was a feature of their performance against Roma, too. In the first minute of that game, Alessandro Florenzi should have been awarded a penalty following a foul not by a defender but striker Mario Mandzukic. Perparim Hetemaj's goal on Saturday came about because six Juventus players ran not toward him, but towards their own goal instead. The absence of an organiser is glaring. Claudio Marchisio made his comeback but unfortunately for Juventini, it was a short-lived one. Replaced at half-time vs. Chievo, reports emerging from Vinovo claim he is out for another month. Juventus don't have anyone capable of balancing the team quite like he does. Hernanes assumed the position in the second half and was often talked about as a possible heir to Andrea Pirlo when he was at Sao Paulo and il Maestro still at Milan. But he hasn't played there since he moved to Italy five years ago and was signed as the No. 10 Max Allegri requested. The use of utility man and cult hero Simone Padoin against Udinese and Roma in the zone once occupied by Pirlo has only served to bring home how much he is missed. Juventus' passing lacks variety. There were a number of occasions on Saturday when a switch was on and instead they chose to play it down a blind alley. How the returning Alvaro Morata must have craved one of Pirlo's no-look long balls over the top, releasing him into space and stretching the opposition. The champions' attacking play is far too one-dimensional at the moment. After crossing the ball 34 times against Udinese, more than at any time in one game since May 2013, new left-back Alex Sandro must have been given the same brief on Saturday. He whipped in 11 on his own. Not one caused Chievo any problems. Dybala, Juventus' most expensive summer signing, has scored in three of his four appearances for the club, but without ever having the same influence on a game as Carlos Tevez did. La Repubblica called him "a robin red breast among eagles" against Roma. Yet he is Juventus' only goal scorer in the league this season. Go-to match-winners have yet to emerge and take the place of Tevez, Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. That was always going to be a huge challenge no matter how well Juventus planned for their succession. Include Fernando Llorente in that conversation and the team has lost 114 goals of the 210 it scored in the past two years. More than half. A shortfall would be manageable if the defence was as watertight as it has been in the past four years, but with little protection from a midfield that is lacking in structure and imagination, even the "BBC" of Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini is buckling. It took Juventus 13 games to concede as many goals last season as they have already done in the opening three of this one. Remember they were behind for just seven minutes in the entire first half of the last campaign. They have yet to be in front in this one. Allegri has accepted his share of the responsibility. Some of his decisions haven't helped. Playing Padoin alla Pirlo, for instance. The caution shown in introducing new signings. Roma's Rudi Garcia threw his new left-back Lucas Digne in at the deep end against Juventus and was rewarded. Allegri kept his (Alex Sandro) in reserve. The passive approach at the Olimpico was all wrong, too. And there was surprise when he left Paul Pogba out of the starting lineup against Chievo. Juventus can't afford to rotate at the moment, even with City on the horizon. It's too delicate a time. Pogba is their best player, although so far this season, orphaned by mentors Pirlo and Vidal, he has played as if he has the world on his shoulders. Allegri has been at pains to remind everyone that Pogba is still only 22 and must be allowed to make the mistakes every 22-year-old makes. Alluding to the French international's fourth season at Juventus, it was interesting to hear Allegri say of him after the Roma game that although a 4-year-old can walk, they often "don't yet know how to write." Pogba, like Dybala, and Juventus' many other youngsters -- remember, nine members of the first-team squad are '90s children -- must grow up quicker than planned. Juventus refuse to acknowledge that this is a transition year. Their history means they are obliged to win. "We don't like an excuses culture," Beppe Marotta told RAI, "and we didn't expect the difficulties we'd face to be so accentuated." In gross terms, Juventus invested €125.5 million in the team this summer. They started the window in optimum fashion, doing business early to beat the competition to Dybala, seizing the opportunity presented by Sami Khedira's contract expiring at Real Madrid and wrapping things up for Mario Mandzukic before granting Tevez his wish to go back to Boca Juniors. But they finished it imperfectly. Juventus played the waiting game for Julian Draxler only for Wolfsburg to sell Kevin De Bruyne and gazump them, which meant Allegri wasn't able to implement his preferred 4-3-1-2 system. Hernanes was far from first choice and joined on deadline day. Other new recruits also arrived late like Alex Sandro, Cuadrado and Mario Lemina, which meant they didn't have a preseason to learn the ropes. Allegri didn't even get the chance to put his message across during the last fortnight either as Juventus' squad is full of internationals. Irrespective of this, question marks have been raised about the team's preparation and conditioning. Like Chelsea, Juventus started preseason later than everyone else to give the players time off after a gruelling season. The team has suffered six muscle injuries so far, which has brought back memories of Allegri's first two seasons at Milan when there were no fewer than 78. All of this has only further complicated matters for Juventus. Old certainties are gone and their aura with it. The team has everything to come good and is built to open a new longer cycle of success, but it will take time for them to hit upon a winning formula. In the meantime, they are vulnerable and matches against City, Napoli, Sevilla, and Inter, who are already eight points clear of them in Serie A, threaten to be unforgiving over the next six weeks.

3 Juventus Players Who Are Fighting for Their Futures in 2015/16 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2565375-3-juventus-players-who-are-fighting-for-their-futures-in-201516 Sep 14, 2015 The complete overhaul of the Juventus squad this past summer has drawn huge interest, with the far-reaching changes seeing the Bianconeri endure a difficult start to the new campaign, as they lost both of their first two fixtures. Yet there is undoubtedly a bright future ahead for this new-look team, with the average age of the squad having dropped considerably. Coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that bodes well for the coming seasons, telling RAI Sport (h/t Football Italia) that the club “are building a Juve that can have a future for the next four or five years.” There is clearly huge promise in the Old Lady’s youngsters, with the likes of Daniele Rugani, Stefano Sturaro and Paul Pogba needing no introduction, but there are a number of players for whom the current season could prove hugely significant. Over the following pages is a look at three members of the Juventus squad who are fighting for their futures in 2015/16. Simone Padoin A fringe player since arriving in Turin, Simone Padoin was thrust into a major role in the early part of this season due to the injuries that beset the Bianconeri. Allegri started him in the centre of midfield in the losses to Udinese and Roma, with deficiencies in the skill set of the 31-year-old becoming fully exposed. Clearly unable to impact either match, Padoin was subsequently dropped from Juve’s Champions League squad, per the club’s official website. While that shows great belief in the likes of Mario Lemina and Stefano Sturaro, it also forces the former Atalanta man into even more of a marginalised role. Padoin will need to show he can still make a positive contribution over the coming months if he is to continue to be a Juventus player. Juan Cuadrado There is little reason to doubt the ability of Juan Cuadrado, as the Colombia international proved his quality over a three-year spell with Fiorentina. He made a particularly impressive impact in his final 18 months with La Viola, weighing in with 15 goals and nine assists over that period while displaying great versatility. Playing as a wing-back, an orthodox winger or even as part of a front two, the 27-year-old caught the eye of Chelsea, and the Premier League giants paid an initial fee of £23.3 million to bring him to Stamford Bridge back in January. Yet he struggled to find space under Jose Mourinho, making just 15 appearances and failing to score or create a single goal during what proved to be an ill-fated stay. Juventus have now taken him on loan, and Cuadrado will hope to prove that the problem was Chelsea and their manager rather than any shortcomings of his own. Simone Zaza The 24-year-old striker impressed during his time there, netting 20 goals in 64 Serie A appearances for the Neroverdi. Yet he has much to prove in Turin, particularly following the exits of Kingsley Coman and Fernando Llorente, which left Zaza as one of only four forwards available to Massimiliano Allegri. Mario Mandzukic, Alvaro Morata and Dybala are all likely to feature ahead of him, meaning the former Sampdoria man will find playing time difficult to come by. Indeed, while he featured for Antonio Conte’s Italy during the recent international break, Zaza has yet to play a competitive minute for the Bianconeri. When that opportunity presents itself, he will need to seize it quickly and prove that he does indeed belong in such surroundings.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Pellegrini: ‘Juventus are strong’ http://www.football-italia.net/72961/pellegrini-%E2%80%98juventus-are-strong%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes Juventus are ‘very strong’ despite a poor start to the season. The Bianconeri are yet to win in Serie A this season, but the Chilean believes they’ll still pose a tough test tomorrow night. “We play a very strong Juventus,” Pellegrini insisted in his pre-match Press conference. “They reached the final last season and have won four titles in a row. Maybe Juventus haven’t started very well in their league, but this is a different competition. They will be motivated.” Pellegrini also hopes to finish well in the group to avoid a tough tie in the Last 16. “I have been here for two seasons. In the first one, we qualified in second position with 15 points from 18. After that we had to play against Barcelona and Barcelona was the better team. “Last year we had a difficult group but we did well in the last two games and we qualify and after that we play against Barcelona again. We played against the strongest team two years in a row. “It is very important to not only have a successful team here but in Europe. I hope we will not play against Barcelona in the round of 16. “I don’t think there is more pressure on us than other English teams. Our own pressure is enough because we want to continue. We will try to continue the way we are playing this year.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Juventus suffer Marchisio injury blow The Italy international has been sidelined for 30 days with a adductor strain after missing the start of the season with a similar hamstring problem. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2015/09/14/15344622/-? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus have been rocked by the news that Claudio Marchisio will be out of action for another month through injury. The Italy international had only just returned to action after missing the first two games of the new Serie A season with a hamstring problem. Marchisio made his comeback in Saturday's clash with Chievo in Turin but lasted just 45 minutes, with subsequent scans revealing that the midfielder had suffered a grade 1-2 strain of his right adductor muscle. The 29-year-old's injury issues have hit Juve hard, with the reigning Italian champions having only picked up a point from their first three league outings. Marchisio had been the man charged with the responsibility of filling the void left by influential playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who departed for New York City FC during the summer. With Marchisio now facing another spell on the sidelines, it is believed that Hernanes, a deadline-day arrival from Inter, could be asked to play as a regista, rather than the trequartista he was signed to be. Indeed, it is thought that the Brazilian could start in front of the defence in Tuesday's Champions League showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad. As well as the trip to Manchester, Marchisio is now also set to sit out the upcoming Serie A clashes with Genoa, Frosinone, Napoli and Bologna and the Champions League meeting with Sevilla at the end of the month.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Aguero ruled out of Juventus clash The striker has failed to recover from a knee injury, although David Silva and Raheem Sterling are fit to face the Serie A champions. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2914/champions-league/2015/09/14/15342162/-? Sep 14, 2015 Sergio Aguero has been ruled out of Manchester City's Champions League opener against Juventus on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old missed training on Monday morning and Manuel Pellegrini confirmed at a press conference after the session the striker's absence for the visit of the Italian champions. Aguero suffered a heavy blow to his knee and was substituted after 24 minutes of the Premier League leaders' 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday. However, the City boss did confirm that David Silva and Raheem Sterling, who missed out against Palace due to respective ankle and hamstring problems, are both available. As well as Aguero, Fernandinho, an ever-present for City this season in midfield, and Samir Nasri were also not involved in the session. Pellegrini hopes both will be ready to play some part on Tuesday, though. Holding midfielder Fernando has not featured so far this term due to a groin problem, but he was back training with the squad.

Official: Marchisio out for a month http://www.football-italia.net/72959/official-marchisio-out-month? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus have confirmed that Claudio Marchisio will be out for at least a month with a thigh injury. The midfielder made his first start of the season in the weekend’s draw with Chievo, but was forced off at half-time with injury. Marchisio had scans at Vinovo this morning, and the Bianconeri have now confirmed that he will be out of action for at least a month. “Tests today have revealed a first to second grade tear of the midfielder's right adductor longus muscle,” a statement on the club’s official website read. “The prognosis for recovery is around 30 days.” That means Marchisio will miss clashes with Genoa, Frosinone, Naples and Bologna in Serie A, as well as Manchester City and Sevilla in the Champions League. The timescale could see the Italian international return for the Derby d’Italia with Inter on October 18.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Official: Aguero to miss Juventus http://www.football-italia.net/72957/official-aguero-miss-juventus? Sep 14, 2015 Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero will not be fit to face Juventus, manager Manuel Pellegrini confirms. The Argentine forward injured his knee during the weekend win over Crystal Palace, making him a doubt for tomorrow’s clash. “Sergio is not fit for tomorrow,” Pellegrini confirmed in his pre-match Press conference. “He has an injury to his knee. We will wait on him. We will see this afternoon how long it will be. "We have Wilfried [bony] and Raheem [sterling] can also play as a forward so we have different options. I trust this squad 100 per cent.” It’s good news for the Old Lady, as Aguero is one of the deadliest strikers in Europe, having scored 108 goals in 166 games for City since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2011. Pellegrini did confirm, however, that David Silva and Raheem Sterling will be at his disposal, after injury concerns. The Bianconeri have injury problems of their own, with Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah and Claudio Marchisio ruled out of the clash at Etihad tomorrow.

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Manchester City - Juventus Preview: Big names in doubt ahead of Champions League opener Both sides could be without key players due to injury, with Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Raheem Sterling doubtful for the hosts and Claudio Marchisio facing a race to be fit. http://www.goal.com/en/match/manchester-city-vs-juventus/2146805/preview Sep 14, 2015 Manchester City have fitness concerns over three key players as they look to improve their poor Champions League home record at the expense of Juventus . Although Manuel Pellegrini's men have swept all before them domestically thus far this term, they have won just three of their 11 home Champions League games to date, a record that simply must improve if they are to make a serious impact in this season's competition. But their preparations for Tuesday's visit from the Italian champions have been hindered by injury doubts surrounding Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Raheem Sterling. Aguero looks to be the most likely absentee after limping off during the first half of Saturday's Premier League win over Crystal Palace with a knee injury. Pellegrini was not happy with the Scott Dann challenge that prompted the Argentina striker's premature departure and is unsure whether he will recover in time to feature at the Etihad Stadium. "It was an important kick on his knee," the Chilean said. "We'll see if he can recover between now and Tuesday. "It's very difficult to say now. It's important to see how he recovers. We'll see." Silva missed the trip to Selhurst Park due to an ankle problem, while Sterling was a late withdrawal after picking up a hamstring strain, but Pellegrini is hopeful that the attacking duo will be fit. Pablo Zabaleta (knee) and Fabian Delph (hamstring), meanwhile, will definitely be unavailable for the hosts, while promising youngster Kelechi Iheanacho – who netted a late winner against Palace – is not eligible. Juventus, meanwhile, may welcome the change of competition having made a shocking start to their Serie A campaign. The Turin side came within seven minutes of a third successive league defeat on Saturday, Paulo Dybala's late penalty eventually salvaging them a point at Chievo, but still they find themselves languishing in the unfamiliar surroundings of 16th place. To compound coach Massimiliano Allegri's woes, he lost Claudio Marchisio to a thigh injury at half-time and the Italy international midfielder is regarded as a major doubt. Fellow thigh injury victim Sami Khedira, meanwhile, remains sidelined and is yet to make his competitive debut for Juventus since his close-season move from Real Madrid. Last season's beaten Champions League finalists have not managed to win on English soil since downing Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1996, but they are unbeaten in their last four away games in this competition. Paul Pogba is expected to start for Juventus having been very strongly linked with a move to City during the transfer window. The sides last met in the 2010 Europa League, when both matches finished 1-1. OPTA FACTS Manchester City have gone three games in European competition without a win against Juventus (D2 L1). The Old Lady have failed to win any of their last six matches against a side from Manchester (D3 L3). Manchester City are taking part in their 5th Champions League campaign. They have never made it past the last 16. Manchester City have only won two of their last 10 Champions League games (D2 L6). None of Manchester City’s 28 Champions League games have ended goalless. They have only kept four clean sheets in these 28 games. Only Basel have played more games in the competition without ever registering a goalless draw. Juventus are making their 16th appearance in the Champions League. Only AC Milan have made more appearances among Italian sides (17). Juventus have won the European Cup/Champions League on two occasions (1985 and 1996). They have however lost the final more times than any other club (6, the latest of which came last season against Barcelona). Juventus have lost only one of their last 10 Champions League games (W6 D3) it was the 2015 final against Barcelona. LAST FIVE MATCHES Manchester City W W W W W 9/12/15 - Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Manchester City 8/29/15 - Manchester City 2 - 0 Watford 8/23/15 - Everton 0 - 2 Manchester City 8/16/15 - Manchester City 3 - 0 Chelsea 8/10/15 - West Bromwich Albion 0 - 3 Manchester City Juventus D L L W L 9/12/15 - Juventus 1 - 1 Chievo Verona 8/30/15 - Roma 2 - 1 Juventus 8/23/15 - Juventus 0 - 1 Udinese 8/8/15 - Juventus 2 - 0 Lazio 8/1/15 - Olympique de Marseille 2 - 0 Juventus HEAD TO HEAD 12/16/10 - Juventus 1 - 1 Manchester City 9/30/10 - Manchester City 1 - 1 Juventus

Allegri: ‘It was time for change’ http://www.football-italia.net/72952/allegri-%E2%80%98it-was-time-change%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri says ‘it was time for change’ over the summer and discusses Juventus’ new-look attack. The Bianconeri lost influential trio Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo in the off-season and have started the new campaign slowly, picking up one point from three Serie A matches. They begin their Champions League campaign away to Manchester City on Tuesday evening, with kick off at 19:45 UK time. “It is always difficult to repeat a season like the one we had, so we all decided it was time for a change,” Allegri said to UEFA.com “In any case, Tevez wanted to go back to Argentina, Vidal wanted to go to Bayern and Pirlo decided to try his luck in the United States. “Now we have some talented young players, but we need to work and develop, both individually and as a team. Every season, every year is difficult, but the important thing is trying to improve every day. “Mandzukic has scored for every team he's played for, so I believe he'll do great things this year. He should be an example for our attackers; because they're younger, he has more responsibility. "Dybala is young but he did well at Palermo and has great ability. He needs to improve and learn to fit in with our other strikers, but along with [fellow forwards] Alvaro Morata and Simone Zaza he can be an important player. “Pogba’s mission is to improve on last season. He's 22 and he has a lot of room for improvement. He has taken on the challenge of wearing the number 10 shirt but he has the quality to live up to it. He's currently one of the best midfielders around, but he can become the very best. "The goalkeeper's role has changed a lot – sometimes he is an additional player who can start moves from the back. However, I think it is important for the team to play an attacking, pressing style in order to keep the ball in the opponents' half as much as possible.”

MANCHESTER CITY - JUVENTUS - Matchday 1 Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Etihad Stadium, Manchester Referee:‬ Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Allegri ‘hopes to win Champions League’ http://www.football-italia.net/72951/allegri-%E2%80%98hopes-win-champions-league%E2%80%99? Sep 14, 2015 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri ‘still hopes to win the Champions League’ and reflects on last season’s run to the final. The Bianconeri were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona in the final of last year’s competition and kick off this season’s campaign tomorrow evening against Manchester City. Allegri told UEFA.com that he still hopes to win the tournament ,while analysing his group stage opponents. “It was a great feat, it was extraordinary, as no one thought Juventus would be finalists,” he said. “We improved with every match and our confidence grew too. We had some difficult moments, as is normal in the Champions League, but we deserved to reach the final and played an excellent match against a great Barcelona team. “It was a big season for us, because while it is good to win your national league, Europe shows you how good your team really are – so that final will be an important memory for me. I still hope to win the Champions League one day, though! “In the group stage there are always difficulties. We were playing catch-up after our defeat in Athens, but we improved and gained confidence. Our goal was to improve on the previous season when we didn't get through the group, so reaching the last 16 was the least we wanted. “We managed that and then did better than expected. It was big achievement for us and for the club, because with a first final in 12 years Juventus gained a lot of visibility all over the world. “It is a difficult group but we have what it takes to do well. We need to make the most of our home matches, knowing we're up against some serious opponents like Manchester City and Sevilla, who have won the Europa League twice. “Our first game is at City and we will try to get points out of that, but it is going to be tough. City are contenders to top this group – and win the Champions League too. No disrespect to Monchenglabach, but I think City, Sevilla and ourselves have the best chance of going through. “Our goal for the season is to win Serie A – even if we haven't started well – and the Coppa Italia, and to have an excellent Champions League campaign.”