Socrates

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Dzeko: 'My first Juve game' http://www.football-italia.net/71739/dzeko-my-first-juve-game? Aug 28, 2015 Edin Dzeko is fired up for his first ever match against Juventus and called Roma teammate Francesco Totti “a legend.” The Giallorossi host the Bianconeri in Serie A on Sunday at 18.00 CET. “It is curious, as in my career I have played against almost every big club in Europe and the world, but never against Juventus,” the Bosnian told Sky Sport Italia. “They are a great team and you just need to look at the numbers. They’ve won the last four Scudetti in a row and that says it all. “Now finally I can face them and I hope to do well. I respect Juve a great deal, but we must give our all to get a good result.” Both giants struggled in the opening weekend, as Juventus lost at home to Udinese and Roma were held 1-1 at Verona. “Clearly they lost the first game and therefore want to do better, while we are playing in front of our home fans and therefore want all three points.” Dzeko partnered Mohamed Salah and Gervinho in the opening game, but can he co-exist with Totti? “Of course I can, he is a legend and a fantastic player. Everyone can play with him, but it depends on Coach Rudi Garcia to decide. “Lucas Digne is a player who certainly improves the squad and we hope he can get to know his teammates as soon as possible. There are big games coming up and Digne is one of those who can give us a big hand in future.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Roma Winger Believes Juventus Game Is Special http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/roma-winger-believes-juventus-game-is-special/? Aug 28, 2015 Roma winger Iago Falque admits this weekend’s match against Juventus is special. The Giallorossi drew their opening game of the season 1-1 away to Hellas Verona last weekend and face Juventus this Sunday night in the biggest fixture of the season so far. “Every game is important, but this is a bit more special for the fans,” Falque told Mediaset Premium. “It is a match between the two best teams in Italy so it should be entertaining.” The 25-year-old then talked about Roma’s season in general, saying there was no need to worry about the team’s form after just one game because there are still lots more matches to be played. “There are always some difficulties in the first game of the season.” “The season is still very long, it does not end with Sunday’s game and there is still plenty of time to recover and push on.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Preview: Roma vs. Juventus http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/roma/preview/preview-roma-vs-juventus_242407.html? Aug 28, 2015 The first heavyweight clash of the Serie A season will take place this weekend, as Italian champions Juventus visit Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. The Bianconeri suffered a shock defeat in their opening league match against Udinese, while Rudi Garcia's side came from behind to earn a draw at Hellas Verona. Roma AS Roma are seen by many as the biggest threat to Juventus's dominance over Italian football, but they cracked under the pressure last season and saw their hopes of winning the title fade before the end of January. They managed to put together a strong run of four wins from six games in the final month of the campaign to seal a place in the Champions League, but there was still an air of disappointment around the Stadio Olimpico. Rudi Garcia will be hoping that his team can get closer to Juventus this campaign, after finishing 17 points behind the Old Lady for the past two seasons, and he has made a number of new additions to his playing squad, with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Mohamed Salah and Iago Falque brought in to bolster their attack. In the past 10 days the Giallorossi have also made a number of defensive signings, as Antonio Rudiger, Norbert Gyomber and Lucas Digne have all joined. However, despite the changes made by the club, they started their season with a 1-1 draw at Verona. Bosko Jankovic had given the Gialloblu the lead, but five minutes later Alessandro Florenzi fired in to earn his side a point. They created numerous chances to score a second late on, but despite having 20 efforts on goal, they could not force a late winner. It was a familiar result for supporters of the club, as their team drew 13 games in the league last season, which was the highest of any club in the top six. Many of Roma's problems last term also came at home, as they went on a frustrating spell between December and March without winning any of their league games at the Stadio Olimpico. Recent form: D Juventus Having romped to the Serie A title for the past four seasons, the major favourite to win the league this campaign is once again Juventus. The Bianconeri brushed aside all of their rivals with ease last season on the way to a domestic double, and they also enjoyed a run to the Champions League final, which culminated in a defeat to Barcelona. Despite losing key personnel over the summer, including Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, the general consensus is that the Scudetto is theirs to lose, and they opened their campaign last weekend with a clash against Udinese. Things do not go according to plan, though, as a late strike from Cyril Thereau condemned them to a shock 1-0 defeat in Turin. Massimiliano Allegri's side had gone the past two seasons without suffering a home league defeat, in a run that stretched to 47 games. The result has left many of their rivals sensing that the title race could be a much more open affair this season, but Allegri has refused to panic and has said that he expects his team to bounce back quickly. Recent form: L Team News Roma will have Maicon available for this weekend's match after the Brazilian's return to training. Florenzi, who has been covering at right-back, is expected to play in a more advanced role in support of Dzeko and Salah. The club have also signed Digne from Paris Saint-Germain, but Vasilis Torosidis could keep his place at left-back. Meanwhile, Juventus will welcome Alvaro Morata back to their starting lineup, after the striker missed last week's game against Udinese. Alex Sandro is in contention to make his debut following his recent move from Porto, but Claudio Marchisio is still ruled out with a thigh injury. Roma possible starting lineup: Szczesny, Maicon, Manolas, Castan, Torosidis, Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan, Salah, Florenzi, Dzeko Juventus possible starting lineup: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Pogba, Pereyra, Evra, Morata, Mandzukic Head To Head These teams last met in March when a late header from Seydou Keita cancelled out a Tevez free kick to earn Roma a 1-1 draw. There was also plenty of excitement in the reverse fixture, as Leonardo Bonucci crashed in a late volley to give Juventus a 3-2 win under controversial circumstances in Turin. Overall, it is Juventus who possess the better record between the teams, as they have lost just four of the past 21 meetings against their opponents. We say: Roma 1-1 Juventus There has been a wealth of drama in recent meetings between these teams and it is expected to be another heated affair in Rome. Juventus will be under added pressure to get off the mark following their defeat last weekend, but Roma are also expected to perform this season and provide a genuine title threat. Although the Bianconeri have had a lot of joy at the Stadio Olimpico, we think that the match will end all square, with both teams claiming a point. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Cuadrado: I don't know what went wrong at Chelsea The Colombian winger remains confused as to why his spell at Stamford Bridge has not worked out well and is looking forward to a "new challenge" back in Italy. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2015/08/28/14840402/-? Aug 28, 2015 Juan Cuadrado remains unsure as to why he failed to become a first-team regular at Chelsea and is keen to make an immediate impact at Juventus. The Colombia international joined the Serie A champions on loan on Tuesday after a frustrating six months at Stamford Bridge that only saw him make four starts. Cuadrado struggled to explain why he could not make it into Jose Mourinho's plans, but hopes to put that behind him and be successful in Turin. "What went wrong? The truth is, I don't know," he said. "I was always professional and I always trained very well. I didn't play as much as I wanted, but I was always ready. "Moving to Juventus was the best choice for me and I hope to give my best, and give everything for this shirt. "It's a new challenge for me. I've always been training, even if I wasn't playing, and I always train with playing in mind. "This is a great move for me." Juve travel to title rivals Roma this weekend and Cuadrado is ready to be thrown straight into action by coach Massimiliano Allegri. He added: "I hope I get the opportunity to get on the pitch on Sunday, it would be a pleasure for me. "There's plenty of competition for places here, I'll need to stay on my toes and be ready. "I've played in both 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 systems that Juve employ, but regardless of the system, I'll give everything I've got. "Roma will be a tough game, but we need to head to the Stadio Olimpico with the conviction that we can win it."

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Digne: ‘Ready to face Juventus’ http://www.football-italia.net/71728/digne-%E2%80%98ready-face-juventus%E2%80%99? Aug 28, 2015 New Roma signing Lucas Digne says he’s ready to make his debut against Juventus on Sunday. The left-back has joined the Giallorossi from Paris Saint-Germain on loan with an option to buy, and insists he’s prepared for what could an early Scudetto showdown. “It’s a huge game, it’s very important for the squad and the club,” Digne told journalists at his presentation Press conference. “It’s up to the Coach [Rudi Garcia] to choose, but I’m ready. Footballers want to play in big games. Like I said, I’m ready, and it’s up to the Coach to choose. “Juventus? They’re a very good team. I had the chance to see the matches last year, and Roma were able to make it very difficult, so we hope to do the same again on Sunday.” Digne worked with Garcia when they were both at Lille, and the 22-year-old admits his old mentor didn’t have to say much to convince him to come to Serie A. “He didn’t have to say much, this is a great club. Everyone in Europe knows Roma, and they’re in the Champions League too. “I’m very happy to be here.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Cuadrado: ‘Always professional at Chelsea’ http://www.football-italia.net/71725/cuadrado-%E2%80%98always-professional-chelsea%E2%80%99? Aug 28, 2015 Juventus signing Juan Cuadrado admits he doesn’t know why he failed to make an impact at Chelsea. The winger has joined the Bianconeri on a season-long loan, just six months after joining the English side from Fiorentina. “What went wrong?” Cuadrado considered in his presentation Press conference. “The truth is, I don’t know. I was always professional, and I always trained very well. I didn’t play as much as I wanted, but I was always ready. “This is not a step back, it was a choice, the best one for me, and I hope to give my best, and give everything for this shirt. “I thank God, my agent and Juventus for this opportunity. It’s a new challenge for me. I’ve always been training, even if I wasn’t playing, and I always train with playing in mind. “I hope I get the opportunity to get on the pitch [against Roma] on Sunday, it would be a pleasure for me.” There has been speculation about where Cuadrado will fit into Coach Massimiliano Allegri’s plans, but the Colombian international assures he’s happy in a number of roles. “I played in a 3-5-2 many times with Fiorentina. I’m always available for the Coach, so I’ll work hard in training then he’ll decide where I play.”

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Roma V Juventus – Preview: Giallorossi Take On Bianconeri In Huge Serie A Clash http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/roma-v-juventus-preview-giallorossi-take-on-bianconeri-in-huge-serie-a-clash/? Aug 28, 2015 Roma face Serie A champions Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday in what amounts to a stern test of their title credentials. The Bianconeri hold the upper hand during their last 47 meetings across all competitions, with 21 victories to Roma’s 11. Juve have dominated on their 10 most recent league trips south to challenge the Giallorossi in their own backyard, winning six times and losing just once throughout a period stretching back to March 2005. Last season’s corresponding fixture saw the Lupi bounce back to claim only their sixth point against the Bianconeri in a decade, thanks to Seydou Keita’s equaliser after a Carlos Tevez opener. Hosts Roma began the new Serie A campaign with a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona last weekend, while Juventus were caught cold by Udinese in a sensational 1-0 defeat. It also represented a first home defeat for the Bianconeri since January 2013, when 10-man Sampdoria shocked the perennial Scudetto holders. Giallorossi coach Rudi Garcia hopes to have experienced defender Maicon back in the fold after his recovery from a knee injury which plagued him last term. Recent addition Lucas Digne is pencilled in for his debut at left-back, following the completion of his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. Fellow new boy Antonio Rudiger is expected to be out for ten days, while Kevin Strootman’s injury nightmare continues, amid speculation that the Dutchman will be forced to undergo a third operation on his left knee in the space of 18 months. Massimiliano Allegri has a selection headache to contend with up front, where he must decide whether to risk Juve star Alvaro Morata on his return from a calf problem. Midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira are both missing due to thigh injuries, plus long-term absentee Kwadwo Asamoah. Fresh arrival Alex Sandro from Porto appears likely to begin life with the Turin giants on the bench. It’ll be interesting to see if Allegri sticks with the 3-5-2 formation he utilised when taking on unfancied conquerors Udinese, though the smart money suggests that he will persevere along those lines for now. Ahead of this huge clash, Roma boss Garcia will be only too aware of the significant damage his side could inflict upon the visiting champions’ confidence levels by grabbing all three points from the eagerly-awaited contest. Juventus can ill-afford to be four points down on their rivals, even at this early stage of proceedings. Form Guide: Roma (D) Juventus (W-L) Expected Starting XIs Roma: Szczesny; Maicon, Manolas, Castan, Digne; Pjanic, Keita, Nainggolan; Salah, Dzeko, Iago Falque. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Padoin, Pogba, Evra; Morata, Dybala. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Juventus' Champions League Luck Runs out After Group of Death Draw http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2556371-juventus-champions-league-luck-runs-out-after-group-of-death-draw? Aug 28, 2015 Everyone's luck has to end sometime. On Thursday, Juventus' charmed Champions League life finally ran its course. Starting from December 15 of last year, the Bianconeri were on a terrific run of fortune. Of the seven teams they could potentially have played in the round of 16 in the Champions League knockout phase, current form said three of them offered good chances of progressing and four were likely certain death. They got one of the three: a struggling Borussia Dortmund team that they squeaked past 2-1 in the first leg before wiping them out with a 3-0 away victory in the return. When the quarterfinal draw came up later that week, Juve got the best possible matchup: a Monaco side that had only scored seven goals in its eight games—three of which had come in one match. The two best defenses in the tournament threw up stone walls, and a questionable first-leg penalty call was the only difference in the 1-0 aggregate. Going into a draw with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the semis, memes like these posted on the Daily Mirror's web site flew around the Internet. But Lady Luck was kind again—Juve got the easiest of the three giants: a Real side that was without key cog Luka Modric and slipping in form. Three weeks and some heroics from the likes of Alvaro Morata and Stefano Sturaro later, Juve were in the final on the back of a 3-2 aggregate win. Juve's play during the knockout stages was generally fantastic, of that there is no doubt. But in the Champions League, luck in the draw is just as important as playing well on the field. Juve's was abnormally good last year, and that couldn't possibly have lasted forever. In Thursday's group stage draw, their coach finally turned into a pumpkin. This year's rule change—which put the title holders and the champions from the top seven European leagues into Pot 1, or the top eight if the winner of the title also won their league—was going make this draw different for Juve. Under last year's system they would have been solidly in the middle of Pot 2 rather than in Pot 1, which would have made facing the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea or Bayern Munich a distinct possibility. Not that the matchups they were looking at from Pot 2 would have been gimmes. Staring them in the face were six teams with higher UEFA coefficients including both Madrid teams, Manchester United, Arsenal, Valencia and Porto. Manchester City was lower in the coefficient rankings, but they had won the English Premier League two of the last four seasons and had leaped out of the gate this season like someone had poked them with a cattle prod. The Pot 2 matchup was always going to be rough. Getting Manchester City is probably better than Real Madrid or Atletico, but the more desirable options would have been offensively challenged Arsenal, a Man U team that is still pulling itself together under Louis van Gaal or a Porto club that had just been raided of top talent like Jackson Martinez and Alex Sandro. Having problems with a second-seeded team won't necessarily be a shock. For Juve, it was the third and fourth pots that housed the biggest potholes, the teams that could stun them if given the chance. Now they may need a trip to the body shop. Of the seven teams they could have been matched with in Pot 3—competition rules prohibit two teams from one league in one group, so Roma could not have been drawn with them—Sevilla was the nightmare scenario. The Andalusian outfit has won the Europa League two years running. That's a massive amount of experience going deep into European competition. Even without Carlos Bacca, who moved to AC Milan this summer, Sevilla will have firepower to spare with Kevin Gameiro leading the line and a pair of former Juventini—Ciro Immobile and the recently arrived Fernando Llorente, as confirmed Thursday by Juventus (h/t Football Italia)—taking places up top while Argentina international Ever Banega gives them service. Jose Antonio Reyes and Michael Krohn-Dehli provide added backbone in midfield. The Rojiblancos also boast one of the hottest coaches in Europe in Unai Emery, who can coach circles around anyone when he's on his best day. The tactical matchup between him and Massimiliano Allegri will surely be fascinating. None of the other six teams in that pot pose the same kind of threat to Juve. Shakhtar Donetsk lost top goalscorer Luiz Adriano and midfielder Douglas Costa this summer and are about to embark on a second season of nomadic existence after their imposing home, the Donbass Arena, was engulfed by the armed conflict in Ukraine. Olympiakos and Galatasaray have claimed scalps against Juve in the last two editions of this competition, but both loses were as much self-inflicted by Juve as they were earned by the opposition. They are easily superior to them, as well as Dynamo Kiev, Lyon and CSKA Moscow. Pot 4 was the cruelest blow. Traditionally inhabited by minnows, there were a pair of sharks to watch out for. Both from Germany, Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach were in Pot 4 due to prolonged absences from European competition and represented dangerous land mines. While Juve managed to avoid the particularly dangerous Wolfsburg, they weren't able to miss the Foals, who finished a convincing third in the Bundesliga and made the knockout rounds of the Europa only to fall to Sevilla. While it is not nearly the worst-case scenario of this draw, it's definitely the toughest route any of the top seeds have to face. On paper Juve are better than Sevilla and Gladbach. They are at the very least the equal of City. But there are other factors to consider. What makes this draw so difficult is not only the quality of the opposition—which is very high—but also the state of the Bianconeri themselves. Juve lost a trio of major contributors this summer in Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. All three played a huge role in their run to last year's final. Tevez scored seven times; those goals included the clincher in a must-win group game against Malmo, three against Borussia Dortmund and the penalty that proved the difference in the 2-1 first-leg win over Real Madrid and probably was decisive in the tie as a whole. Pirlo dropped in a textbook free kick in a crunch home win over Olympiakos in the group stage, and Vidal's penalty was the only goal either team scored in the quarterfinal. They reloaded with the likes of Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira and Sandro. But while the team isn't necessarily worse, they're certainly different, and they're going to need time to produce the same kind of cohesion of last year's squad, which developed virtually unchanged in the three years prior under Antonio Conte. Apart from the new arrivals, injured striker Alvaro Morata has yet to play a competitive game, and star midfielder Claudio Marchisio is nursing a minor knock of his own. The hodgepodge of newbies, youngsters and reserves that participated in Sunday's shocking opening loss to Udinese clearly didn't have the chemistry of the teams that have lorded over Serie A with an iron fist over the last four seasons. An easier draw would have been a boon to this team. Juve's presumed first unit has the talent to become a juggernaut, but they need time to learn to play as one. The competition opens three weeks from now, and one of those weeks will be taken up by the international break, further limiting the time this team has to gel. No one is saying that Juve will be crashing out to the Europa League the way they did two years ago. On paper they are still very much favorites to go through. Fans can also take solace in the fact that the defensive unit—the best in Europe over the last four seasons and arguably the most important aspect of the team—remains unchanged, perhaps even augmented by the arrival of Sandro and of wunderkind Daniele Rugani. But this draw is going to force Juve to grow up in a hurry. They start the group with a trip to the Etihad, and their home games are front-loaded. They end on December 8 with a trip to Seville that could be the difference between advancement or elimination. Any hope that the qualifying process would be easier on the nerves than the last three have been can be considered dashed. Juventus made the final last year because they played fantastic football, but luck was a big factor as well. That luck has finally run out and put Juventus into the Group of Death. Now it's time for them to truly prove that they have what it takes to claim a full-time seat at Europe's big table.

UEFA Champions League draw group stage: Looking at Juventus' next three European opponents Juventus was drawn in the "group of death" with Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. What does that entail for the Serie A champions? http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/28/9219075/champions-league-group-stage-analysis-juventus-sevilla-manchester-city-borussia-monchengladbach Aug 28, 2015 Ladies and gentlemen, what a tricky draw for Juventus. The actual Champions League runners-up are in Group D with Manchester City, who is the current Premier League leader, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. As we all know by now, this group is considered by a lot of analysts to be the group of death (play hitchcockian music). So, my fellow juventini, get your popcorn ready because this is going to be intense. The cards have been dealt, for better or worse. Nevertheless, let´s dissect our group rivals. Manchester City These guys really have bad luck; they are always in the group of death. Sheikh Mansour loves to spend money on his team and has placed a constellation of stars at disposal of manager Manuel Pellegrini. The Citizens are red hot right now. They just equaled a 103-year-old record of nine successive wins in the Premier League. Of course, the transfer window never closes for this squad until the last second. They're really close to signing German playmaker Kevin De Bruyne for a record-breaking transfer fee. Pellegrini likes to have the ball and his side is loaded with speed demons like Sergio Aguero, Jesus Navas and Raheem Sterling. Max Allegri knows this — I hope — and he needs to find the antidote for this aggressive Sky Blues squad. My forecast is that Juventus will close spaces, similar to the match they played in the semifinals against Real Madrid last season. So, again, San Gigi and the Bianconeri BBC must be stellar. The first game of the Champions League group stage will be held at the Ethiad Stadium on Sept. 15. The Citizens will pay the visit to Turin on Nov. 5. If Juventus steal at least a point in Manchester and can win at Juventus Stadium, they'lll be on business. Sevilla What a Shakespearean turn of events. Damn, I don´t have words to describe the feeling of analyzing Fernando Llorente as a rival. The Lion King will return to Turin real fast and I can't wait to hear the ovation of the crowd that he will get. Sevilla just hopes that he´s going to be Carlos Bacca's successor, and if Fernando proves his worth, we´re in trouble because Sevilla lacks firepower right now. That said, I really hate this tie. Don´t get me wrong, I believe Juventus are the superior team. However, manager Unai Emery knows how to play these kinds of tournaments. Sevilla never gives up — just ask Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup — the team is as flexible as it gets and the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan is a fortress. The key for this match is Juventus' talent. When you're a better team, you must match your rival´s intensity and let your skills be the tiebreaker. This is going to be a real test for the young bianconeri. Juve don´t have Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo anymore, so Álvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala and Paul Pogba are all calling to step up. Juventus will host Sevilla on Sept. 30 and they'll visit the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the group stage's last game on Dec.8. Let's hope Juventus is qualified by then. Borussia Monchengladbach "Die Fohlen" are in theory the weakest team of the group, nevertheless you know what the experts say about Germans. Right now, Monchengladbach are the antithesis of Manchester City — they lost midfielder Christoph Kramer, who returned to Bayern Leverkusen, and have also started the Bundesliga really slow with two losses against Borussia Dortmund and Mainz. Borussia Monchengladbach's virtue is their defense. Last season they conceded just 26 goals and know how to create havoc with the youngsters Ibrahima Traore and Patrick Herrmann. These matches are made for Mario Mandzukic. He knows how to score in Germany and against a solid defense, Juventus will need help from their Croatian enforcer up front. Fearless Forecast... Sept. 15: Manchester City 2. Juventus 1 Sept. 30: Juventus 1, Sevilla 0 Oct. 21 : Juventus 2, Borussia Monchengladbach 0 Nov. 3: Juventus 2, Borussia Monchengladbach 1 Nov. 25: Juventus 2, Manchester City 1 Dec. 8: Juventus 0, Sevilla 0

Juventus will need to draw on experience in difficult Group D http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2584437/juventus-champions-league-experience-will-help-in-group? Aug 27, 2015 A certain few highlighted how lady luck smiled upon Juve last season, paving their way to the final by throwing easy challenges their way. After all, Borussia Dortmund were in the midst of their worst season under Jurgen Klopp, Monaco had sold off many of their stars and were far inferior in technical terms while Real Madrid, some opined, were an easier prospect that Bayern Munich or Barcelona. To win, one always needs a little luck, but the Old Lady earned everything she achieved last season, including a final showdown against Barcelona. After years of near misses and poor finishing, the Bianconeri have grown into being a formidable European team that believes in success and has matured both mentally and physically. However, if lady luck was on their side last season, she has certainly abandoned them now forcing Juve to contest three difficult opponents in what can only be described as the Champions League group of death, otherwise known as Group D. Being top seeds, Juventus had hoped for an easier challenge, but in football, things are rarely simple and four excellent teams from UEFA's top four leagues will battle it out for qualification. Difficult? Yes. Entertaining? Most definitely. These aren't merely four well-balanced squads but teams led by wonderful tacticians who boast several weapons up their sleeve. Perhaps the most dangerous will be Manchester City, the side topping the Premier League at the moment and one that is due a successful journey in Europe. The opening game will see the Bianconeri travel to Manchester to take on the most in-form side in Europe. With Manuel Pellegrini shown faith and offered a better constructed and a better balanced side that boasts defensive talent and attacking brilliance, Juventus are bound to struggle. Having lost their first match of the season against Udinese, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri will need time to find the right balance to allow the team to play with the breathtaking fluidity they displayed last season. Arguably the biggest test within that group will be that first game away from home against City, made tougher by the prospect of playing it without the presence of key midfielder Sami Khedira while Claudio Marchisio would have just returned from injury. Thankfully for Juve, Stefano Sturaro can be relied upon for grit while one only hopes Paul Pogba will seize the opportunity to demonstrate growth and maturity, leading his team to greatness in these tough matches. After the City match, Juve will face last year's Europa League winners, Sevilla. A team led by one of the most coveted coaches, at least in Italy, Unai Emery will ensure his side truly challenge the Turin giants. The Spanish team lost a lot of quality when they sold Carlos Bacca to Milan and Aleix Vidal to Barcelona, but they have gained two strikers who once donned the Juve colours, Ciro Immobile and Fernando Llorente, and the former is always desperate to make an impression against the side that developed him. Whether or not those men have the mentalities to prove their doubters wrong and cause trouble is one thing, but Allegri should be wary of Emery and his extraordinary ability of bringing out the best in the squad he has. After all, the sale of Ivan Rakitic hardly stopped them from obtaining more trophies last season. Perhaps the "easiest" opponent Juve will face is Borussia Monchengladbach, the German side coached by arguably one of the best tacticians in the country. Lucien Favre is one of the few coaches in the Bundesliga who truly understands tactical football and the various strategies one can deploy to both nullify the opponent and exploit the strengths of his own squad. A man capable of adapting and altering his strategies, Favre understands the power of versatility, and unlike other sides, he refuses to simply depend on tenacity and power. While his side benefitted from terrific counterattacking displays and the use of measured pressing last season, his squad boast outstanding patterns of play and wonderful fluidity and are capable of destroying any opponent. Cohesive and compact, one should not underestimate this German side, especially when led by Favre who continues to impress, regardless of the number of obstacles he has faced. While Juventus have enough to qualify to the next stage, it remains to be seen whether their newcomers have the mentality required to play at this level. Juan Cuadrado has a point to prove since he has seemingly failed to impress Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, while Paulo Dybala and Simone Zaza will need to quickly adapt to the demands of Europe. Allegri has proved himself at this level and can always be relied upon to produce the goods. It will take time for him to translate his ideals to this new side and teething problems are bound to occur, so fans cannot expect a swift start. But once it clicks, Juventus will be a difficult opponent to face despite the departures of world class talent. Mentality is key and after last season, few will doubt the ability of Italy's best side.

City-Juventus group opener http://www.football-italia.net/71686/city-juventus-group-opener? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus’ first Champions League match of the season will be a trip to face Manchester City. The Bianconeri were drawn alongside the English club in Group D earlier today, and UEFA has now announced the fixtures. Massimiliano Allegri’s men will travel to Manchester on September 15 for Matchday 1, with the home leg on November 25. The middle of the group will see a double-header with Borussia Monchengladbach, while the final game of the group will be a trip to Sevilla on December 8. Juventus Champions League fixtures Manchester City v Juventus - September 15 Juventus v Sevilla - September 30 Juventus v Borussia Monchengladbach - October 21 Borussia Monchengladbach v Juventus, November 3 Juventus v Manchester City - November 25 Sevilla v Juventus - December 8

Allegri Optimistic Following Champions League Draw http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/juventus-coach-optimistic-following-champions-league-draw/? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is feeling positive following Thursday’s Champions League group stage draw. The Bianconeri were drawn in the same group as Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach which, as well as tough trips to England and Germany, means a reunion with Spanish striker Fernando Llorente will happen quicker than expected after he completed his move to the Spanish side. “Playing against Manchester City, the tradition of Borussia, the friend of Juventus in Llorente, tough challenges and a fascinating draw but we’ll make it!” Allegri tweeted. Massimiliano Allegri ✔@OfficialAllegri I campioni del @MCFC,la tradizione del @borussia,l'amico della @juventusfc @llorentefer19 : sfide dure e affascinanti,ma ce la faremo! The current Scudetto holders will hope to go one better in the competition this year after finishing runners-up to Barcelona last season.

Marotta: ‘Optimistic for Champions League’ http://www.football-italia.net/71683/marotta-%E2%80%98optimistic-champions-league%E2%80%99? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta insists the club are ‘optimistic’ for the Champions League. The Bianconeri were handed arguably the toughest of the eight groups, facing Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. “I’m optimistic,” Marotta insisted, speaking to Mediaset after the draw. “We’re Juventus. We face every opponent in the right way, then we’ll see how it turns out. We know we have to get through to the next round, but there isn’t a weak team in this group.” Fernando Llorente completed a move from Juve to Sevilla this afternoon, and will face his old employers when the groups get underway. “That’s the beauty of football. We’ll be pleased to see him, even if we want to win.”

Champions League group stage draw results: Juventus gets Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Mönchengladbach http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/27/9215815/champions-league-group-stage-draw-results-juventus-manchester-city-sevilla-borussia-monchengladbach Aug 27, 2015 At least there won't be a trip to Scandinavia in the group stage, right? Juventus' group stage opponents in the Champions League are now known. Out came Manchester City from Pot 2, Sevilla from Pot 3 and Borussia Mönchengladbach in Pot 4 as Europe's premier club competition looks to challenge every bit of your ability to type and spell things correctly. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen Our @ChampionsLeague group opponents. We're ready. #FinoAllaFine #ForzaJuve So we get a reunion with both Fernando Llorente and Ciro Immobile. After 'Nando completed his move back to Spain earlier in the day on Thursday, you kinda figured fate would bring Llorente back to Juventus Stadium sooner rather than later. Maybe not right off the bat in the start of the group stage, but funnier things have happened. And while it will be yet another year Juventus faces a Spanish opponent in the group stage, it will be the first time in three years that Juve will head to England. Juve and Manchester City last played in the Europa League back in 2010. You know you remember the days of Gigi Delneri screaming "MEEEEELOSH!!!" 500 times a game, right? Well, that was the case ... along with Vincenzo Iaquinta scoring on enemy soil. Ah, those were the days. Or maybe the days before the really good days that have been around for the better part of the last four years. Yeah, those pre-good times days. This is unquestionably one of the toughest draws there is in this season's group stage. But don't tell that to director general Beppe Marotta, who commented on things after the draw went down. "We are Juventus and mustn't fear anything or anyone. We'll take on everyone with the right mentality, aiming to come away with a result and honouring the shirt as best we can. There are no easy teams in this group and the fact it's evenly poised means the games will be tough for every side." (Source: juventus.com) The goal should be just as it always is — get out of the group stage and then try to get as far as possible. That seemed to work pretty well last season. Juventus didn't have the title of "Champions League finalist" during their charge to Berlin a year ago, but this group sure is different than that group. Maybe that's a good thing. If they make it out of one of the toughest groups there is, we'll know they're starting to live up to their potential. Along with starting to write their own story as a reigning Champions League finalist.

Juventus, Roma handed tough draws http://www.football-italia.net/71680/juventus-roma-handed-tough-draws? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus and Roma were both handed tough draws in the Champions League, with the Bianconeri facing Manchester City. The competition will also see a quick return to Turin for Fernando Llorente, who completed a move to Sevilla today and will face his old club in Group D. That meant the Old Lady were guaranteed to face a German side, with Borussia Monchengladbach completing Group D. Roma were always going to face a tough draw, as they were in Pot Three, but face the most difficult possible first seed, in defending champions Barcelona. Bayer Leverkusen eliminated the Giallorossi’s city rivals Lazio in the play-off round, and will return to Stadio Olimpico to face the Lupi. BATE Borisov of Belarus are the final team to be drawn in Roma’s group. Elsewhere, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will face his boyhood club as Paris Saint-Germain were drawn with Malmo, while Manchester United will face Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven. Champions League Groups Group A: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Malmo Group B: PSV, Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Wolfsburg Group C: Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, Astana Group D: Juventus, Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach Group E: Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma, BATE Borisov Group F: Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Olympiacos, Dinamo Zagreb Group G: Chelsea, Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Maccabi Tel Aviv Group H: Zenit St Petersburg, Valencia, Lyon, Gent

Juventus To Face Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach And Sevilla In Champions League http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/juventus-to-face-manchester-city-borussia-monchengladbach-and-sevilla-in-champions-league/? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus will face Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach in Group D of the Champions League. The draw therefore marks an immediate rerun for Fernando Llorente to face the Bianconeri after he completed his move to the Spanish side. UEFA’s draw ceremony confirmed that the top seeded side from Serie A will face Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach. Sevilla qualified for the competitions as Europa League winners and they also won the 2013-14 edition of that competition at the J-Stadium. City entered the competition after finishing as runners-up in the 2014-15 Premier League and the English side met the Old Lady in the 2010-11 Europa League with both group stage meetings ending 1-1. Borussia Monchengladbach qualified after finishing third at the end of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season and the German side beat Juve 2-0 in the 1975-76 version of the tournament.

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Juventus striker Fernando Llorente signs with Sevilla http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/27/9214093/officially-official-juventus-striker-fernando-llorente-signs-with-sevilla Aug 27, 2015 Even as Álvaro Morata took his starting spot last season, Fernando Llorente never publicly complained. If anything, he only continued to be the model professional that he always has been — one that takes selfies with the younger, more dynamic Spanish striker who just dethroned him. That's what Llorente was like from the day he signed with Juventus until today, the day where he officially joined Sevilla on a free transfer. The details of the move that sees Fernando head back to his homeland, courtesy of Juventus' official website: Striker Fernando Llorente has today completed a return to his native Spain, joining reigning Europa League Champions Sevilla on a permanent transfer after having his Juventus contract terminated by mutual consent. In the minutes following his arrival in Spain, Llorente fernando llorente ✔@llorentefer19 It has been a great pleasure to live the last two years in the Juventus. Thanks a lot for all the support. God, he's so classy. So incredibly classy. You don't see that from a lot of players. But when it comes to Llorente, he absolutely cherished his time in Turin despite it being relatively short compared to others. His first season was far and away better than his second, but you never would have known it by the way he conducted himself off the field. And that's what many of us appreciated about Llorente. He might have been one of the highest paid players on the squad, but he didn't change anything about his ultra-professional ways. There were goals — especially in the 2013-14 season where he got 18 goals in all competitions — and there were plenty of good times. Llorente wasn't as big of a contributor last season, but his value to getting Juventus to where it finished the last two years can't be missed or under-appreciated. We thank you, Fernando, for being you. We will miss the selfies, we will miss all the Abba references.

Juventus confirm Llorente depature http://www.football-italia.net/71674/juventus-confirm-llorente-depature? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus have confirmed Fernando Llorente’s move to Sevilla, after terminating his contract by ‘mutual consent’. The striker’s move to the Rojiblancos was confirmed earlier today, with the Spanish international signing a three-year deal with a buyout clause of €20m. “Striker Fernando Llorente has today completed a return to his native Spain, joining reigning Europa League Champions Sevilla on a permanent transfer after having his Juventus contract terminated by mutual consent,” the Bianconeri confirmed in a statement. “Llorente had a knack for scoring decisive goals in important matches, including his very first in the black and white stripes in a 2-1 victory against Hellas Verona in September 2013 and a memorable headed equaliser against Real Madrid two months later at Juventus Stadium. “A force to be reckoned with on the pitch, polite and amiable off it, El Rey Leon demonstrated a tireless work ethic during his time at the club and reaped just rewards with goals and silverware. “Everyone associated with Juventus Football Club would like to wish Fernando all the best for his new adventure in the south of Spain.”

Official: Llorente to Sevilla for free http://www.football-italia.net/71669/official-llorente-sevilla-free? Aug 27, 2015 Sevilla have officially confirmed the signing of Juventus striker Fernando Llorente on a free transfer. The Spanish international had been linked with a move away from Turin all summer, and flew to Seville for his medical today. “Sevilla FC have signed Fernando Llorente as a free agent, having reached an agreement to terminate his Juventus contract,” the Liga club confirmed on its official website. “The Spanish international striker is tied to Sevilla for the next three seasons, with a buyout clause of €20m. “At the age of 30, Fernando Llorente returns to Spain with the idea of reclaiming the key role he lost last year, and to force his way into [spain Coach] Vicente Del Bosque’s plans for Euro 2016.” Llorente joined the Bianconeri in 2013 on a free, scoring 27 goals in 91 games in all competitions.

OFFICIAL: Sevilla sign Llorente The striker has joined the Europa League holders after becoming surplus to requirements at Juventus. http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2015/08/27/14801872/-? Aug 27, 2015 Sevilla have confirmed the signing of Fernando Llorente from Juventus on a free transfer. The striker has signed a three-year contract with the Europa League holders, while his release clause has been set at €20 million. Juventus had been holding out for a fee, but have reached an agreement with Llorente to terminate his contract. The 30-year-old has spent the last two seasons in Turin, scoring 27 goals in 92 matches, but was surplus to requirements following the summer signings of Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Simone Zaza. Llorente will hope to be Sevilla's first choice centre forward after they sold Carlos Bacca to AC Milan earlier this summer. The former Athletic Bilbao man will also be keen to replicate his form from his first spell in Spain. He enjoyed nine seasons at San Mames, where he scored 111 goals in 327 games before leaving for Juve.

ROMA - JUVENTUS - Sunday, August 30th, 2015 - 6:00 PM Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee:‬ Nicola Rizzoli Rizzoli to ref Roma-Juventus http://www.football-italia.net/71666/rizzoli-ref-roma-juventus? Aug 27, 2015 World Cup final referee Nicola Rizzoli will take charge of Sunday’s Serie A showdown between Roma and Juventus. The top two from last season meet in only the second round of the league season, with the match set to kick off at 17:00 UK time at the Stadio Olimpico. Lega Serie A have announced that the experienced Rizzoli will take charge of the encounter, which was resulted in some fiery clashes last term. Referee Gianluca Rocchi came under fire for his performance in a 3-2 win for the Bianconeri last October, admitting after the game: ‘I didn’t have a great match.’ Rizzoli has refereed Serie A matches since 2001, as well as officiating the 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina and the 2013 Champions League final. Referees for Serie A Week 2 Atalanta-Frosinone: Domenico Celi Bologna-Sassuolo: Carmine Russo Carpi-Inter: Davide Massa Chievo-Lazio: Marco Di Bello Genoa-Verona: Daniele Orsato Milan-Empoli: Piero Giacomelli Napoli-Sampdoria: Andrea Gervasoni Roma-Juventus: Nicola Rizzoli Torino-Fiorentina: Paolo Tagliavento Udinese-Palermo: Antonio Damato http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Juventus Unveil New Adidas 3rd Kit for 2015/16 Season http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2556115-juventus-unveil-new-adidas-third-kit-for-201516-season? Aug 27, 2015 JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen Three stripes, three new kits. Today we present you our third @adidasfootball kit for the new season Juventus have unveiled a new third kit for the 2015/16 season, courtesy of kit partners Adidas. The new strip is predominantly black with "a unique gold imprint on the three stripes and club crest—a symbol of the club’s success in the major European competition," per the Adidas press release. Juve's kit was revealed as part of Adidas' "Spark In The Night" launch, which also saw them unveil third kits for fellow European giants Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

Llorente passes Sevilla medical http://www.football-italia.net/71661/llorente-passes-sevilla-medical? Aug 27, 2015 Juventus’ Fernando Llorente has reportedly passed his medical with Sevilla and is expected to sign a contract shortly. Estadio Deportivo writes that the striker passed his medical tests with the Europa League holders this morning and will now head to the club offices to sign a deal. The Spaniard appears set to terminate his Juventus contract so that the Andalucian side can sign him for free and the Bianconeri can save €20m on his wages. Llorente joined the Old Lady in 2013 and has scored 23 goals in 65 appearances for the Turin giants, but faced the exit door after the arrivals of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Simone Zaza.

Llorente thanks Juventus fans ahead of Sevilla switch The striker admits he was made to feel at home by the club's supporters despite struggling to find his form in Turin. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4682/transfer-zone/2015/08/27/14787192/-? Aug 27, 2015 Fernando Llorente has sent a message of thanks to Juventus fans as he prepares to complete a move to Sevilla. The striker is on the verge of sealing a return to La Liga after being deemed surplus to requirements at the Italian champions for the 2015-16 season. Despite failing to replicate the impressive form he showed in his prime for Athletic Bilbao during his two-year spell in Turin, Llorente has paid tribute to the supporters for making him feel welcome. Fernando Llorente (oficial)· Ha sido un verdadero placer haber vivido dos años de mi vida en la Juventus, un placer compartir con todos mis compañeros y con todos vosotros, tifosi, tantos triunfos,alegrías y momentos mágicos vividos. Gracias familia bianconera por todo el apoyo recibido, me he sentido muy querido en todo momento y os llevo a todos en mi corazón. È stato un vero piacere aver vissuto 2 anni della mia vita nella Juventus, un piacere immenso condividere tante vittorie, allegria e momenti magici con tutti i miei compagni e con tutti voi tifosi. Grazie alla famiglia bianconera per tutto l'appoggio ricevuto, mi sono sentito molto amato in ogni momento e vi porto tutti nel cuore. It has been a great pleasure to live the last two years in the Juventus, sharing so many victories, moments and happines with all of my team mates and all of you, Tifosi. Thanks a lot to my bianconera family for all the support. I have felt like home. I hold you in my heart. Llorente, 30, scored 27 goals in 92 appearances for Juventus and won five trophies during his time with the Old Lady, including two Serie A titles.

Fernando Llorente set to take Sevilla medical on Thursday http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/26/9212239/juventus-sevilla-fernando-llorente-serie-a-la-liga-summer-transfers-2015 Aug 26, 2015 As it turns out, the latest set of rumors about Fernando Llorente's future in Turin proved to be right on the money. The big Spaniard is in his final hours as a Juventus player. But those final hours aren't being spent alongside Álvaro Morata or Claudio Marchisio taking selfies and posting them to Facebook and Instagram. Llorente has made the trip from Italy to Spain Wednesday night where he's all set to take his medical examinations in anticipation of his transfer to back to his homeland with Sevilla. Yes, the same transfer to Sevilla that was talked about in both the Italian and Spanish media over the last 24 hours. Sevilla FC ✔@SevillaFC_ENG .@llorentefer19 travels to Seville with @juventusfc's permission Ah, man. It's actually happening. Some transfer rumors prove to be true. Earlier Wednesday morning there were reports that Llorente would be joining Sevilla for a transfer fee of around €10 million. But now those same media outlets in Italy are reporting that Juventus won't be receiving a transfer fee for the Spanish striker — something that is likely connected to Sevilla paying his lofty wages and the money Juventus will be saving because of it. We can speculate what Llorente heading out to Spain means for Simone Zaza's future all we want, but the big Spaniard moving on has been talked about from pretty much the beginning of the summer until now. We've heard about possible destinations in England, Spain, France and even Turkey a couple of times. None of those had come to fruition until now, with Sevilla being one of the first clubs linked with Llorente and now, obviously, the team that will sign him. Now let's just hope that Juventus don't get drawn with Sevilla in the Champions League group stage. Seeing Fernando in another jersey right off the bat will make me so, so sad. I don't care what anybody else says.