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Evra is my idol, says new Juventus signing Alex Sandro The new arrival in Turin has confessed his admiration for the veteran France full-back, whom he will challenge for a place in the starting XI. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2015/08/24/14717022/-? Aug 24, 2015 New Juventus signing Alex Sandro has revealed his idol to be Patrice Evra - the very man he will challenge for the starting left-back berth in Turin. Brazil international Alex Sandro arrived at Juventus Stadium from Porto for a fee of €26 million last week and says it has always been an ambition to play for the Serie A champions. "Playing here has always been a dream for me and now it's coming true," he said. "Juventus was the perfect choice for me. Coming here will help me to develop as both a person and player. "Juventus are a team I've always been fond of. As a youngster I admired Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet. "After Porto went out of the Champions League I cheered for Juventus." Discussing his inspirations, Alex Sandro added: "Roberto Carlos and Patrice Evra are the two players who I've most looked up to." Alex Sandro could make his debut when Juve take on Roma this weekend, having been an unused substitute for Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Udinese, and is hungry to play his own part in the club's history. "I always give 100 per cent to win," he said. "I'm confident I'll be able to show my qualities both during games and in training. "Serie A is a tough league and the most tactical in the world. I know playing here will help me to develop. "We're working hard and will strive to win all the competitions we're involved in this season."

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Three Talking Points As Injury Ravaged Juventus Suffer Shock Opening Day Defeat To Udinese http://www.thehardtackle.com/2015/three-talking-points-as-injury-ravaged-juventus-suffer-shock-opening-day-defeat-to-udinese/? Aug 24, 2015 A depleted Juventus side got off to the worst possible start as they suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat at the hands of Udinese at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. Udinese pulled off a perfect Italian job on the reigning Italian champions as their French striker Cyril Théréau scored in the 78th minute for the Zebrette with their first and only shot on target in the match. The defeat shattered the Old Lady’s unbeaten streak of 46 matches at home and also saw them suffer their first ever opening day home defeat in Serie A. As expected, Allegri deployed a 3-5-2 formation with Martin Caceres making way for Giorgio Chiellini who returned to fitness, to take up his place in the Juventus back three. The midfield five comprised of Padoin, Pogba and Perreyra, with Evra and Lichtsteiner occupying the wing back positions. 19 year old French striker Kingsley Coman started up front alongside new signing Mario Mandzukic. Juventus started off brightly and threatened the Udinese goal in the opening exchanges with Mandzukic, coming close to scoring. Despite having 65% possession and dominating play in the middle of the park, Juventus were unable to penetrate a well-organized Udinese defence with centre-back Danilo and goalkeeper Karnezis catching the eye. Juventus made all 3 substitutions in the second half bringing in Paulo Dybala, Fernando Llorente and Mauricio Isla, but were still unable to score past Karnezis. Then the inevitable happened. At the end of an Udinese counter attack, Théréau latched onto a perfectly weighted cross from Kone and shot past Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to send the travelling fans into delirium. Here are the three things we learnt from the match. Juventus Missed Pirlo’s artistry, Marchisio’s assurance and Vidal’s drive in midfield The Juventus midfield was the driving force behind its successful double winning campaign last season. The injury to Claudio Marchisio and the departures of Vidal and Pogba have left the Juventus midfield hollow, with Pogba, Padoin and Perreyra unable to provide the necessary drive and artistry in midfield. Juventus missed the assured presence of Claudio Marchisio in midfield as they struggled to penetrate the well-oiled Udinese defensive machine. Marchisio suffered a muscle injury in training, a week ago and will only return after the International break in September. Simone Padoin, who started in the heart of midfield for Juventus, struggled to dictate the tempo of the play in front of him. Perreyra and Pogba were lively, but lacked coordination and failed to link up well with the front two. Juventus need to fill the gap left by Vidal and Pirlo in midfield soon, if they are to replicate their performances from last season. Mandzukic-Coman partnership upfront lacks creativity and balance Despite dominating 65% of the possession, Juventus failed to pose any real danger to Karnezi’s goal as they mustered a mere 5 shots on target. A large part of the blame for the shocking defeat suffered by Juventus has to be shouldered by the strikers Mario Mandzukic and Kingsley Coman. Mandzukic, in particular, was very rusty in front of goal and failed to bank on 2-3 good opportunities presented to him during the course of the match. 19 year old Coman had a reasonable game, but could not provide the necessary spark in attack. Without the dynamic presence of Carlos Tevez (who left the club) and Alvaro Morata (injured) upfront, Juventus put up a rather lacklustre attack as both Mandzukic and Coman were unable to fruitfully link up with their midfield and failed to complement each other’s play. Paulo Dybala, Juventus’ new €32m signing, came on in the second half and infused dynamism in the team’s play. With Simone Zaza on the bench and the impending return of Morata after his injury, Allegri will have the option to shake things up in attack. He will most certainly need to do so if Juventus are to retain their Serie A crown. New-look Udinese have the necessary resilience to thrive in Serie A this season Udinese put on a virtuoso defensive display to stun Italian champions Juventus in Turin on Sunday. Despite pressure in the final minutes of the match, their backline held firm and came away with all 3 points from the Juventus stadium. The Udinese defence was ably supported by its midfield, tirelessly tracking back and providing cover to its full backs. There were a lot of standout performers for the club including goalkeeper Karnezis, midfielders Bruno Fernandes & Ali Adnan and the match winner Cyril Thereau. Substitutes Duvan Zapata and Panagiatos Kone also impressed for the Zebrette, the latter delivering the pin point cross for Thereau’s winner. The Udinese players displayed the necessary grit and resilience that is required to thrive in the Italian Serie A. After finishing a disappointing 16th in the league last season, Udinese underwent a complete overhaul of their squad. Under new manager Stefano Colantuono, Udinese will be looking to significantly improve upon their dismal 16th place finish from last season and vie for a place in the Europa League. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Juventus a dream come true for Alex Sandro http://www.espnfc.co.uk/story/2579399/juventus-a-dream-come-true-for-alex-sandro? Aug 24, 2015 Alex Sandro said joining Juventus from Porto this summer was "a dream come true" as he was officially presented as a Bianconeri player on Monday. The Brazilian full-back completed a €26-million move to Turin last week, in time to soak up the atmosphere at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday. Although named as a substitute for the 1-0 defeat to Udinese, Sandro did not feature. He is set to make his first appearance when Juve travel to Roma next weekend, however, having got to know his new surroundings and a club he claims he had always wanted to play for one day. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen Alex Sandro is in the building! #AlexSandroDay "It was always my desire to play for Juventus," he said at a news conference. "I've got a lot of belief in this club and this, for me, is like a dream come true. Once Porto were knocked out of the Champions League, I supported Juve. "I used to watch the likes of [Alessandro] Del Piero and [David] Trezeguet here. It's a perfect choice for me and I'm sure I'm going to gain a lot from it. I've always loved Juve." Sandro faces stiff competition for a starting berth in the Juve starting XI with Patrice Evra settling in well after some initial difficulties last season. Both are set to alternate at left full-back, with the apprentice learning from his master. "Roberto Carlos and Evra are the two players who have inspired me the most in my career," said the 24-year-old. "I've always watched Serie A and I know it's the most difficult league in the world tactically and I'm certain that playing here is going to help me in my career, both as a footballer and a person." After kicking his heels on Sunday, enjoying the occasion only to a certain extent in view of the result, Sandro says he is ready to take his bow next Sunday, when the Old Lady will look to avoid completing a false start to the season when they travel to Roma. "I know what that game means," he said of the battle between the teams who finished first and second in the past two Serie A seasons. "It's a classic and, as such, it's going to be difficult for me, but I'm ready."

Alex Sandro: ‘Ready for Roma’ http://www.football-italia.net/71537/alex-sandro-%E2%80%98ready-roma%E2%80%99? Aug 24, 2015 Alex Sandro says he’s ‘ready’ to make his Juventus debut against Roma on Sunday. The Brazilian international has joined the Old Lady for €26m, but remained on the bench for the duration of the weekend defeat to Udinese. “I’m sure the game against Roma will be difficult,” Alex Sandro told journalists at his presentation Press conference. “It’s a ‘clasico’, and they’re always hard. I’m ready to play, I’m feeling better every day, more confident and more in tune with the team. “I’m ready for Roma.” The 24-year-old believes the move to Serie A will benefit him as a player, especially with regard to the tactical side of the game. “I’ve always followed the Italian League, it’s a very difficult League. It’s the most tactical division in the world. “I’m sure it will help me a lot in my career, it will mould my style of play. I know I can grow up in Italian football, and I know that Juventus will support me in doing that. “Roberto Carlos, and Patrice Evra who is here at Juve are the players who have most inspired me. I imitated them, and I’ll continue to do that.” The left-back has previously stated that he supported the Bianconeri in last season’s Champions League, and was asked where his passion for the club stems from. “It’s true, after Porto were knocked out I was always cheering for Juventus,” Alex Sandro explained. “They were the team left in the Champions League who I liked the most. As a child I saw big names like Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet playing for Juventus. “This has always been a team I’ve liked.”

Alex Sandro: ‘Juventus a dream’ http://www.football-italia.net/71536/alex-sandro-%E2%80%98juventus-dream%E2%80%99? Aug 24, 2015 New Juventus signing Alex Sandro says he’ll ‘give 100 per cent to win’ as he’s officially unveiled. The full-back has joined the Bianconeri from Porto in a €26m deal, and spoke at a presentation Press conference this afternoon. “One of my most important attributes is that I’m someone who always wants to win,” the Brazilian told assembled media. “I’ll give 100 per cent to win, always looking to defend and attack well. I’ll try to show my quality during training and during games. “What brought me to Juve was that this has always been my dream, it’s always been my desire to play for Juventus. This is a dream come true for me.” The Old Lady’s season got off to a bad start yesterday, losing 1-0 to Udinese in Turin, but the new arrival is not overly concerned. “Being at Juventus Stadium? It was a spectacular feeling, fantastic. It’s something that all players would like to experience. 
“Unfortunately we lost yesterday, but we played well and we paid for a mistake.”

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Chiellini Calm Despite Shock Opening Day Defeat http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/juventus-defender-calm-despite-shock-opening-day-defeat/? Aug 24, 2015 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini remains unflustered despite his team’s loss to Udinese in their opening Serie A fixture of the 2015-16 season. The Bianconeri endured their first loss in 48 Serie A home matches despite dominating for the majority of the match. The Italian though is confident that the Scudetto holders can still retain their title, however they would need to work harder and be less negligent if they are to achieve that goal. “We are even more united and compact, we know our qualities,” the Italian began. “You need to have patience, but that does not mean we’re not here to win,” he added. “When we have the full squad, it will be another matter.” The 31-year-old has featured a total of 287 times for the Turin outfit. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus' Loss Highlights Absence of Leadership and Creativity http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2553786-juventus-loss-to-udinese-highlights-absence-of-leadership-and-creativity? Aug 24, 2015 After a summer of change, transfers and lots of speculation, Italian football returned on Sunday as the Old Lady began the defence of her Serie A crown. Udinese were the visitors on the league’s opening day, pulling off a shock 1-0 victory over a team who they had failed to beat in each of their four previous visits to Juventus Stadium. Indeed, since the Turin giants opened their new home, they had outscored the Friulian side by a margin of nine goals to two, underlining their dominance with a string of impressive victories. Yet, thanks to their diligent execution of coach Stefano Colantuono’s game plan, Udinese were able to leave with all three points this time around. While the Zebrette deserve praise for their own resolute performance, it is difficult not to look at what has happened to Juventus over the past three months and wonder just where they stand today. It is easy to read too much into a single performance, but the game showed at least two key issues that the reigning champions must quickly address. The first is the absence of leadership on the field as with Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal having moved on, a lack of identity in the opening few weeks of the season was perhaps inevitable. It is a matter which is likely to resolve itself as the extensive injury list eases and some key names return to full health, with Sami Khedira certainly falling into that category. Like Pirlo, the German international is a vastly experienced World Cup winner who arrived on a free transfer, and he must look to fill the void left by the former Milan maestro’s decision to move on to a new adventure with New York City FC. “It is my personal ambition to become a leader for this team,” Khedira told As (h/t Forza Italian Football) shortly after signing for the Bianconeri, and his presence will be an important one as the season progresses. Joining him on the treatment table is Claudio Marchisio, with the club’s official website ruling him out for two more weeks with a torn thigh muscle. The 29-year-old signed a new contract with Juventus last month, and club president Andrea Agnelli told a press conference that the midfielder “is already a legend.” Adding that Marchisio “is the point of contact between the Juventus of yesterday and the Juventus of tomorrow,” Agnelli also labelled the Turin native as one of the team's senators. That is undoubtedly true, and his impact on the side was missed on Sunday as the side slumped to defeat against Udinese. Indeed, the loss of his attacking impetus was evident, with the likes of Simone Padoin simply unable to provide a similar spark to the midfield. He is a reliable hand, but he cannot drive the team forward in the way Marchisio can, and it is with that in mind that the club is expected to delve into the transfer market in the coming days. “We needed more quality in the final ball and the finishing,” Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Sport Italia shortly after the final whistle (h/t Football Italia), and Juan Cuadrado might provide that for the coach in the near future. Speaking before the game, director general Beppe Marotta told Sport Mediaset that the Colombian will arrive on loan as soon as Monday, per Guardian Sport. With his pace and invention providing Juventus with elements that were clearly missing and the return of some much-needed leadership, there is no need for panic at Juventus, who will look to get back on track in next week’s clash with AS Roma. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus defeat to Udinese not a big deal - Massimiliano Allegri http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2579024/juventus-loss-to-udinese-not-a-big-deal-allegri? Aug 24, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said he was not too concerned about his side's first defeat at home in Serie A since January 2013 on Sunday. A 1-0 loss to Udinese at the Juventus Stadium was not the ideal start to a season in which the Bianconeri hope to win a fifth straight Scudetto. However, Allegri is refusing to panic, insisting just a little more sharpness is needed from his Juve team. "We did what we had to do for 70 minutes, only really failing to get a goal," Allegri is quoted as saying in giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "Then we should have defended better on their goal. We had five men back there against two, and we were really badly organised. "Then I felt we were too quick trying to react, and we've got to improve this. I don't need to analyse the result, but the performance. And like I've said, for more than an hour I saw a Juve side creating chances, pressing high up the field and not conceding anything. We deserved more. "Let's remember, though, that we're only at the start of the season and a lot of our players are new here and need time to adapt. Like I said, we needed to take our chances better, both in the first half and after the break. [Kingsley] Coman did a good job, but he was just lacking in front of goal. But he's only 19." The defeat to Udinese was Juve's first at home on the opening day of a new season, but Allegri was again quick to play down its significance. "Physically we're in great shape, so it's nothing to do with that," he added. "I think we played well, we just need to have more belief in ourselves because we do have a lot of quality. Our squad is already good enough to challenge for the Scudetto." The Juve squad, however, is still likely to be reinforced before next week's transfer deadline, with general manager Beppe Marotta announcing that Juan Cuadrado is arriving on Monday from Chelsea on a season-long loan. He should arrive in time to play in Sunday's Serie A fixture at Roma. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus miss Pirlo, Vidal and Tevez as Udinese claim shock Serie A victory http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2578991/juventus-lose-udinese-serie-a-tevez-vidal-pirlo? Aug 24, 2015 Juventus lost 1-0 to Udinese on Sunday to taste defeat for the first time ever at home on the opening day of the season. The home record also went up in smoke -- after 46 home matches, the hosts were left empty-handed. It happened when it was least expected, and Udinese executed the most basic facets to the Italian game: a tight and organised defence and a ruthless counterattack. It is clear the champions have not woken up from their summer slumber, and in the absence of collective brilliance, no individual could save them either as Juve missed a host of departed icons. Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez have all left the club, and you have to question why coach Massimiliano Allegri did not start Paulo Dybala. Kingsley Coman, who started in Dybala's place, is yet to understand how to overcome defenders and create chances for himself even if the desire is there. Udinese, under the control of new coach Stefano Colantuono, were organised and defensively orientated and the only way to pierce through such determined defending was with a little courage and ingenuity. Dybala not starting baffled many, as did the decision to burden Simone Padoin with so much responsibility in the heart of midfield. Padoin may be tactically intelligent but he does not boast the technique or the vision to play such an important role in what once was the engine room of a gloriously assembled Juve side. It is a role that requires an inspirational player; a courageous individual who can dictate the pace of the game with authority. Padoin is unable to do any of the above. Instead, Juventus played a monotonous game with no creativity and even less pace. The Bianconeri's game improved as soon as Dybala was introduced, not only because he inspired them going forward but he allowed them to play with more structure and fluidity. This is not a forward to start on the bench. Allegri still has plenty of work to do. It's clear the squad will suffer with teething problems as they seek to rediscover their identity and how best to exploit the vast array of talent they have. It would help if the current leaders within the squad stepped up and offered their all to help Allegri translate his tactical vision. Paul Pogba fell back into old and frustrating habits. For a man who requested the iconic No. 10 jersey, he is yet to demonstrate his understanding of the weight that particular shirt carries. It's not enough to be a beautiful player and display wonderful technique -- many gifted individuals can and often do that. There is no room to boast, to show off or to impress, there is only room to win, and by any means possible. The Frenchman will need to quickly realise the error of his ways and improve but Juventus do not have much time to get their act together. They face Roma this weekend and critics are on tenterhooks, awaiting failure. This season, Allegri must not only find the right tactical balance that will best exploit the brilliance of those currently in the squad but play with the intensity and winning mentality . He deserves the trust of the fans, who watched him guide the squad to so much glory last season. Considering the talent he can count on, it is surely only a matter of time before results start to improve. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

Llorente stays, Zaza goes? http://www.football-italia.net/71513/llorente-stays-zaza-goes? Aug 24, 2015 Fernando Llorente could be staying at Juventus and Simone Zaza heading out on loan, according to reports. The Spaniard has been linked with an exit from Turin this summer, but Tuttosport have reported today that none of the interested parties have fronted the desired €10m offer. The paper believes this means he is now likely to stay with the Old Lady, but that summer signing Zaza could head out on loan. The club have reportedly received several offers for the former Sassuolo man, who is believed to not have convinced Coach Massimiliano Allegri in the off-season. Meanwhile, Juan Cuadrado appears set to complete his loan move from Chelsea today, with a €1.5m loan fee believed to have been agreed and a medical set for today.

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Serie A Week 1: Did You Know? The 2015-16 season kicked off with shocks and all-time firsts, explains Susy Campanale, including Juventus' worst ever start and dream Paulo Sousa debut. http://www.football-italia.net/71511/serie-week-1-did-you-know? Aug 24, 2015 Only once before in Serie A history had Juventus, Milan and Napoli all lost the opening round of the season. That was in 1939-40. The reigning champions hadn’t started with defeat since Sampdoria fell 3-2 at Cagliari in 1991, followed by 13 wins and nine draws. Udinese had faced the title holders in Week 1 on six previous occasions, managing one point. Juve had never lost their first Serie A game of the season in Turin after 33 victories and seven draws, nor fired blanks. They hadn’t even conceded in Week 1 fixtures since a 4-1 success over Parma in 2011. The Old Lady is off the top of Serie A after 64 consecutive rounds, since Week 12 of the 2013-14 campaign. The Bianconeri were undefeated at the Juventus Stadium in League fixtures since Sampdoria emerged 2-1 on January 6 2013. Inter are the only other side to have won here in Serie A. Udinese hadn’t even scored against Juve since Andrea Lazzari in a 4-1 home defeat on September 2 2012. For the first time in their 42 top flight campaigns, Udinese have won the opener for two years in a row. Cyril Thereau has put three goals past Gigi Buffon, becoming his joint favourite victim with Michael Agazzi. Stefano Colantuono celebrated his 200th Serie A game as a Coach in the best possible way. His record against Juventus now stands at two victories (the other 3-2 at Palermo) and nine defeats. Roma had not started a campaign with a stalemate since their 2-2 with Catania in 2012, followed by two victories. It’s already the worst start in Rudi Garcia’s reign, as in his first year he won the opening 10 rounds and last term the first five. Verona have drawn four of their last five Serie A openers, winning the other. Bosko Jankovic has put four of his 20 League goals past Roma, making them his favourite targets. This was Alessandro Florenzi’s third strike past Hellas. However, the Giallorossi hadn’t scored from outside the box since Francesco Totti in February, which was also against Verona. The Giallorossi are unbeaten against Verona, home and away, since a 2-1 result on October 20 1996. They’ve put together 10 victories and four stalemates, plus scored in each of their last 19 meetings for a total 47 goals. For the third year in a row, the Stadio Bentegodi hosted the first game of the season. It was Verona 2-1 Milan in 2013 and Chievo 0-1 Juventus in 2014, then Verona 1-1 Roma. August 22 is the joint-earliest start in Serie A history, as it also kicked off on this date in 2009. Fiorentina have only lost one of their last nine Serie A debuts, 2-0 at Roma in 2014, along with five victories and three draws. Rodrigo Ely was the most red-carded player in Serie B last season, getting sent off four times for Avellino. It is his sixth career dismissal in Italy out of 108 games played. Fiorentina hadn’t started out with a Serie A debutant Coach since Fatih Terim 15 years ago. Josip Ilicic has found the net five times in his last five League games. Paulo Sousa, Roberto Stellone and Fabrizio Castori all made their Serie A debuts as Coaches. Out of 20 teams, only three have foreign tacticians: Milan, Fiorentina and Roma. Stevan Jovetic had also scored in his last Serie A game, Fiorentina’s 5-1 win away to Pescara on May 19 2013. Inter are unbeaten in an opening home fixture since Pescara surprised San Siro in 1987, followed by 11 wins and three draws. Atalanta haven’t won their campaign opener since a 1-0 over Siena seven years ago, scraping two points from six attempts. They’ve lost 25 debuts in 55 seasons, more than any other club. Their only Week 1 away victory was 6-2 at Bologna in 1949. Since 1990, only Chievo in 2001 managed a victory on their all-time Serie A debut. Siena and Reggina drew, while Parma, Ancona, Reggiana, Piacenza, Treviso, Sassuolo, Frosinone and Carpi lost. The last campaign with two absolute beginners was 1993-94, when Reggiana and Piacenza stepped up. The last time Sampdoria scored five goals on home turf was a 5-0 thrashing of Padova in 1994. They hadn’t got five in the first half since facing Bologna on October 24 2009. The Blucerchiati were without a domestic victory since beating Inter 1-0 on March 22, managing just three points from six games. Curiously, the last time a Serie A fixture was 5-1 at half-time also involved Sampdoria. On June 10 1951, they eventually beat Bologna 7-2. Eder has converted 21 out of 22 penalties in Italy. Luis Muriel had netted five times for the Blucerchiati before this, but none of them were at Marassi. Andrea Lazzari will enter the history books for scoring Carpi’s maiden Serie A goal. Carpi are the second club to make their all-time debut away to Sampdoria after Messina on September 15 1963. The Sicilians lost 3-1. Sassuolo ended their Napoli hoodoo after one point from four Serie A meetings, home and away. Antonio Floro Flores scored his 100th competitive goal (49 in Serie A, 37 in B, nine in the Coppa Italia, three in UEFA tournaments and two other). Napoli hadn’t lost the season opener since a 2-1 at Palermo in 2009, winning the next five on the trot. Marek Hamsik is now the top scoring August player of the 21st Century, netting nine times this month, leaving behind David Trezeguet and Antonio Di Natale on eight. Nicola Sansone has scored 18 top flight goals and 12 of them came in the second half. Danilo Soddimo scored the first ever Frosinone Serie A goal and did so in his 200th game as a professional. The Ciociari had been unbeaten in their home stadium in all competition throughout 2015. Torino are undefeated in Serie A Week 1 for a remarkable 20 years, picking up four wins and five draws since they fell 2-0 at Fiorentina in 1995. Stefano Pioli finally won the season debut after three consecutive defeats. Bologna’s last Serie A fixture was also at the Olimpico, where they lost 1-0 in May 2014. Delio Rossi has been beaten in all eight of his visits to former club Lazio. Bologna have not won any of their last six top flight debuts, earning two draws and four consecutive defeats since a 2-1 away to Milan on August 31 2008. The Rossoblu secured one victory in 15 visits to Lazio, a 3-1 in 2012 interrupting three stalemates and 11 losses. Matteo Mancosu found the net in his 200th game as a professional. He scored on his Serie A and Serie B debuts. Ricardo Kishna also celebrated in his first games in Serie A and the Eredivisie. Genoa scraped only two points away to Palermo in their last seven Serie A visits since a 3-2 victory in 2008. The Grifone have lost the season opener for three years running. Empoli never shared the spoils in Week 1, losing eight out of 11 attempts. Chievo had only won away to Empoli once in Serie A, 1-0 in 2003, along with a draw and three defeats. Valter Birsa broke his goal drought from October 19 2013. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus vs. Udinese: Winners and Losers http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2553743-juuventus-vs-udinese-winners-and-losers-from-serie-a-game? Aug 23, 2015 Serie A returned this weekend, with the reigning champions opening the defence of their title at home to Udinese. The Friulian side travelled to Turin, taking to the field at Juventus Stadium in a vastly altered state as Massimiliano Allegri sent his new-look side into league action for the first time. The coach did so with confidence, knowing that—despite the exits of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez—the Bianconeri had comfortably dispatched Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana two weeks ago. That game showed that the gap between Juventus and the peninsula’s other big clubs appeared to remain intact, but Udinese exploited their weaknesses to snatch a shocking 1-0 victory. Over the following pages is a look at the winners and losers from Sunday’s encounter, picking out the best and worst performances from what proved to be a difficult evening for Italian football’s Old Lady. Winner: Cyril Thereau (Udinese) After 75 difficult minutes in which their opponents had dominated proceedings, Udinese finally created an opening, and Cyril Thereau was ideally placed to capitalise. The French striker netted 13 times last term, and after an excellent cross from the right, he made no mistake at the far post, beating Gigi Buffon at close range to give his side a surprise lead. Loser: Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus) Stephan Lichtsteiner has been a model of consistency for Juventus over the past four seasons, and for the majority of this match, The Swiss Express once again turned in an accomplished display. Yet as that fateful Udinese attack came, it was his poor marking that Cyril Thereau capitalised upon, and Lichtsteiner was withdrawn soon after. While it was a necessary substitution, he perhaps paid the price for an uncharacteristic lapse that the 31-year-old is unlikely to repeat as the 2015/16 campaign wears on. Winner: Kingsley Coman (Juventus) While there is little doubt that Juventus in 2015/16 is a vastly altered side to the one that faced Barcelona in June’s Champions League final, a number of similarities held over from last season. Chief among them was arguably the presence of Kingsley Coman in Max Allegri’s starting XI, just as he was on the opening day 12 months ago. The 19-year-old lined up against Chievo last term and retained his place this time around, looking to hurt Udinese with his pace and invention. Bayern Munich are reportedly looking to steal him away, with La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport believing the Bundesliga side have made a bid of around €19 million, according to Forza Italian Football. Given the belief his current coach continually shows in him, it is hard to imagine the Bianconeri entertaining such an offer. Loser: The 3-5-2 Formation (Juventus) One of the major features of Juve’s success last term was Allegri’s move away from the 3-5-2 formation, although the coach did revert to it to protect a lead during a number of high-profile matches. Yet due to the lengthy injury list with which the Bianconeri arrived at kick-off on Sunday, he was forced to deploy it once more, with the loss of Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira in particularly causing issues here. That left the side light in midfield, which prompted Allegri to field an extra defender and deprived his side of the attacking creativity that punctuated their performances last season. It also reinforced the belief that Juventus are looking for one more player in midfield in order to complete the squad, with director general Beppe Marotta telling reporters the club "want a top player," per Football Italia. Winner: Stefano Colantuono (Udinese) If Allegri’s tactical choices were forced upon him, then new Udinese boss Stefano Colantuono made his own decisions perfectly, mirroring his opposite number with a 3-5-2 formation of his own. That compounded Juve’s problems in creating space and time in which to attack, leaving the reigning champions looking blunt and devoid of ideas. Colantuono deserves huge credit, as his choices panned out well and helped Udinese record their first-ever victory at Juventus Stadium. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Player Ratings http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-udinese/2120381/ratings?ICID=MP_MS_6 Aug 23, 2015 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Barely made a single touch of the ball until he had to pick it out of the net after being beaten late on. 15 A. Barzagli - Defended resolutely initially but started to struggle in the second half, particularly after the introduction of Zapata. 19 L. Bonucci - Joined Chiellini in pushing forward to swamp the Udinese defence and put continuous pressure on the visitors’ front line to stop them from breaking away quickly. 3 G. Chiellini - Camped himself firmly inside the Udinese half of the pitch, but he failed to find as much joy on the ball as he would have liked. 26 S. Lichtsteiner - A constant threat down the right flank and he consistently looked a danger whenever breaking forward. 37 R. Pereyra - Really impressed during the opening period but just couldn't seem to continue that good form after the break, and he faded as time wore on. 20 S. Padoin - Put in a strong shift initially but faded into obscurity as the game wore on. Some of his long-range passes left much to be desired. 10 P. Pogba - Enjoyed a positive first half but struggled in the second, where poor decision-making and sloppy passes let him, and his teammates, down. 33 P. Evra - One of Juventus’s biggest threats going forward. Constantly peppered the Udinese penalty area with dangerous crosses. 11 K. Coman - Looked bright whenever he was able to get on the ball, twisting and turning through a sea of Udinese defenders, but seemed to lack that cutting edge in front of goal. 17 M. Mandžukić - Hit the ground running and impressed on his first league start for Juventus. Used his height and power to great effect, particularly when holding up the ball to bring Coman and Pogba into play. Substitutes 21 P. Dybala - Was bright and looked full of energy but his end product let him down on too many occasions. 14 Llorente - Featured late on as Juventus desperately pushed forward in search of an equaliser but made little impact in his short time on the pitch. 2 M. Isla - Came on late on as Juventus were chasing an equaliser but failed to make much of an impact in his short time on the pitch. Udinese 31 O. Karnezis - Was under fire from start to finish but pulled off several excellent saves to keep the determined Juventus front line at bay. 75 T. Heurtaux - It was a long night for the Frenchman, who put in a great defensive shift, particularly in the second half as Juventus desperately pushed forward. 5 Danilo - Was an absolute rock in the centre of the Udinese defence. Grew in the game as it wore on and fully deserved the clean sheet. 89 I. Piris - Struggled to contain Coman, whose skill and trickery forced him into making several rash challenges as he tried to deal with the young Frenchman. 21 Edenilson - Struggled against Evra, who kept the Brazilian pinned back inside his own half. Couldn’t get anywhere near the Frenchman, who, as a result, was one of Juventus’s best players. 7 E. Agyemang-Badu - Found little joy in the first half but started to look bright at the start of the second period before a nasty-looking injury forced him off the pitch. 16 M. Iturra - Protected the Udinese back line with an excellent defensive performance and looked bright at the other end when in possession. 8 Bruno Fernandes - Failed to make much of a an impact going forward but put in a great shift defensively to help out the under-fire Udinese back three. 53 Ali Adnan - Battled hard against Lichtsteiner and put in a great shift against the marauding Swiss wing-back, particularly in the second half when he dropped even deeper. 77 C. Théréau - Was largely anonymous for the vast majority of the game before popping on late on to score what would prove to be the winner. 10 A. Di Natale - Virtually non-existent due to Juventus’s dominance. Found it hard to get into the game and, as a result, had a dreadful night. Substitutes 33 P. Kone - Came on for the injured Agyemang-Badu and continued the Ghanaian’s good work. Defended well and looked bright whenever Udinese were able to break away quickly, resulting in him setting up the only goal of the game with a wonderful curling cross. 9 D. Zapata - Replaced the ineffectual Di Natale and was excellent, holding up the ball well and using his strength and power to great effect. 27 S. Widmer - Came on late on and was excellent defensively to help Udinese claim all three points. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Allegri: Juventus did not deserve to lose The reigning Serie A champions suffered a 1-0 defeat in their first league game of the season but the coach felt they deserved more for their efforts. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2557/news/2015/08/23/14691682/-? Aug 23, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri was positive about Juventus' display in their first Serie A game of the season, despite losing 1-0 to Udinese. The Bianconeri's title defence got off to a poor start as they went down to a Cyril Thereau goal after 78 minutes. Allegri, though, was happy with his side's performance and feels they should have got something out of it. "For 70 minutes we did what we had to do, all we missed was the goal," he said. "Playing against Udinese was not easy, we created chances in both the first and second half, but we had to defend better at the goal. "We did not deserve this defeat, but football is like that. We had many chances but in the end we lost. "We must remember that we are still in the beginning of the season and many of our players have just arrived. "The team worked hard and created chances. Udinese scored with their first shot on goal, we must have the confidence to score a goal at any time and we must not lose patience. "The aim is for us to challenge on three fronts. Of course having so many new players needs patience." http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus 0 - Udinese 1: Initial reaction and random observations Get ready for some serious overreactions based on the first 90 minutes of a 38-game season. This should be a doozy. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/23/9194005/juventus-udinese-serie-a-round-1-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations Aug 23, 2015 As much as we wanted to say that this was the start of a new-look Juventus side, it ended up being a situation where Max Allegri rolled out a starting lineup on Sunday that featured all of one brand new summer signing. There was still a different looking side than the last time Juventus played a game on Italian soil, but there were more projected starters out injured than there were new acquisitions from the past couple of months. When it came to making a good first impression on the first day of the Serie A season ... anybody else want a do-over? Juventus didn't look very good whatsoever in a 1-0 loss to Udinese at Juventus Stadium, the first time Juve have lost a season opener on their home turf. It has caused us to doubt whether hearing "Juventus lost Pirlo, Vidal and Tévez this summer" for 90 minutes was really worth it. (That's a brand new drinking game to take part in, by the way. If you participated in it, you would have been done for by halftime if you went through with it.) And, in turn, caused the collective masses to throw themselves down the stairs because Juventus won't be in first place from the start of the season to the final day of it. See what you do to us, Juventus? DO YOU SEE IT? Yes, I understand that Juve played like crap. They had 10,000 scoring chances and Udinese scored its first one late in the second half. One single defensive breakdown from Stephan Lichtsteiner and the chance to get one point at the very minimum went up in smoke. Truth be told, though, it should have never gotten to that point. Juventus had plenty of chances to score the game's opening goal. As Udinese even struggled to get across midfield for a large portion of Saturday's proceedings, Juventus struggled to get anything in the back of the net. There were bright spots, surely, but the overall struggle to be effective on a team-wide view of things will be the theme that everybody will be talking about. Here's what we know, in a nuts-and-bolts kind of fashion: Juventus lost 1-0 to Udinese. It's the first weekend of the 2015-16 season. See where I'm going with this? Good, because it's important to remember while you're thinking about how to roll down the stairs. I'll be worried if this happens in December or January, not on the third Sunday in August. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "It wasn’t an easy game but we did create plenty of chances. We should, however, have defended better for their goal." Random thoughts and observations The value of Claudio Marchisio was even that much more magnified in Saturday's loss. This is more to do with what Marchisio brings to the table rather than Simone Padoin being used as a holding midfielder. We know Padoin's versatile yet has a limited skill set that is suited more for other spots in the midfield or as a fullback. I guess we shouldn't be surprised the step down from Marchisio is a big one seeing as how he's adapted to being a regista over the last 12 months. Sure would have liked to see Stefano Sturaro play in front of the defense, though, Max. Juventus are now 0-1 in games where Gigi Buffon wears an all-yellow keeper kit that is made by adidas. He should never wear it again. Apparently starting Kingsley Coman on Serie A opening day is a thing for Allegri to do. Maybe it wasn't the "OH MY GOD IT'S KINGSLEY COMAN!" kind of first game of the season like last year, Coman certainly showed some of that potential we all know he has. It's pretty funny that it came just a few minutes after reports emerged about him potentially going to Bayern Munich. Ironic, since if Coman was actually leaving, why would he be playing? I have pictures of Alex Sandro sitting on the bench in my photo tool. I hope there's pictures of Alex Sandro playing in games in my photo tool somewhat soon. Paul Pogba's first game as Juventus' No. 10 in front of the Juventus Stadium crowd was pretty much a dud. Maybe he felt like he had a little too much to do thanks to all the injuries, I dunno. But it just wasn't the classic Pogba game where he had the chance to take things over and then did exactly that. Allegri storming down the tunnel right as the halftime whistle blew pretty much summarized this game in a nutshell. Part of the good things to happen against Udinese: Roberto Pereyra was all over the place and Stephan Lichtsteiner was even more of threat down the right wing than he usually is. Start Paulo Dybala next weekend against Roma, Max. Have Paulo Dybala take corners and free kicks next weekend against Roma, Max. I guess we wait for Cuadrado Day now. Seems like it's soon, which will hopefully make us all forget about what just happened against Udinese. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Player Ratings: Juventus 0-1 Udinese http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/player-ratings-juventus-0-1-udinese/? Aug 23, 2015 Udinese shocked champions Juventus on Sunday evening, recording a memorable 1-0 victory at the Juventus stadium. The goal came courtesy of Cyril Thereau, who tapped in a fine cross from substitute Panagiotis Kone. The Bianconeri squandered numerous chances and were left ruing their lack of clinical finishing as Udinese scored late on and held out for a famous victory. Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 6 – Untested - Could do nothing for the goal, but other than a late stop from Kone the veteran keeper was untested. Andrea Barzagli – 6.5 – Calm - Looked to push up the field to support the midfield, marshalling those in front of him. Was solid in the first half but was susceptible to the counter attack after the break. Leonardo Bonucci – 6 – Composed - Handled Thereau well for most of the match and didn’t give Antonio Di Natale a sniff of the ball. When Zapata was introduced, Bonucci matched the Colombian for pace and power. Giorgio Chiellini – 6 – Tough - The Italian international threw himself into tackles and ensured that his presence was felt, marshalling the Udinese frontline out of most of the match. He was always ready to receive the ball. Stephan Lichtsteiner – 7 – Threatening - The fullback burst down the wing regularly, carving out space for himself before swinging in dangerous crosses. Had a great chance to score in the first half but his influence seemed to diminish after the break. Roberto Pereyra – 5.5 – Faded - An explosive start, including an Arturo Vidal-esque burst into the box, quickly evaporated. Pererya struggled to assert himself on the match and was taken off for Fernando Llorente in the second half. Simone Padoin – Energetic – 6 - The midfielder rushed around the pitch and found himself in dangerous positions. His finishing let him down however, with several clear cut chances going to waste. Paul Pogba – 6.5 – Pressured - The talismanic figure at the heart of the Juventus midfield showed great strength and awareness but was guilty of forcing the play and over-complicating moves. The pressure of being the main man at the Bianconeri seemed to show. Patrice Evra – 6 – Quiet - Was solid but unspectacular, with his trademark bursting runs lacking somewhat. Although he was generally untroubled in defence, the Frenchman offered little as Juventus pushed for an equaliser. Kingsley Coman – 7 – Improved - Started the match nervously, wasting possession and making some poor decisions. Slowly grew into the game to become one of Juventus’ biggest threats, with powerful runs wreaking havoc in the Udinese defence. Mario Mandzukic – 5 – Wasteful - Had several opportunities to open the scoring for Juventus but put his chances over the crossbar. Rose well to win numerous headers but lacked the clinical finishing to win the game for his new club. Substitutes Paulo Dybala (65 mins) – 6 – Frustrating - The new signing from Palermo came on for his league debut but couldn’t break through the Udinese defence. Despite showing some good touches and intelligent player, Dybala was crowded out more often than not. Fernando Llorente (80 mins) – N/A Mauricio Isla (83 mins) – N/A Udinese Orestis Karnezis – 7 – Brave - Got down well to block Mandzukic, taking the ball away from the Croatian’s feet. Made some good stops to keep his side in the match and deserved a clean sheet. Thomas Heurtaux – 6 – Quiet - Was solid when called upon and kept Mandzukic at bay. Did well to block the Juventus striker and stuck close to Dybala when he came on. Danilo – 6 – Strong - Slipped in the box early on to let Lichtsteiner through but recovered well to marshall the Udinese defence. Was powerful in the air and looked to get the ball forward. Ivan Piris – 5.5 – Risky - His tackling was tough and at times misjudged, including a late slide on the edge of the box to give Juventus a dangerous freekick. Looked assured in the second half. Edenilson – 5 – Struggled - Coman got the better of him on several occasions and he looked uncomfortable with the direct running and pace of both the Frenchman and Dybala. Emmanuel Badu – 6 – Unfortunate - Was lively and energetic, looking to bring the ball out and break down Juventus attacks. An injured sustained in a clash with Pogba ended his match early in the second half. Manuel Itarru – 6 – Composed - Looked relaxed in possession and kept the ball well. Made sure that he didn’t let Dybala out of his sight, marking him tightly. Bruno Fernandes – 7 – Determined - Broke up attacks and got up and down the pitch to counter. Saved an almost certain goal after charging down the pitch to block Mandzukic just as the Juventus man was about to unleash a vicious shot in the box. Ali Adnan – 7 – Energetic - The Iraqi was full of life and caused a headache for Lichtsteiner. Aggressive in the tackle, the debutant showed quick feet to burst into the box and swung in several threatening crosses throughout. Cyril Thereau – 6 – Matchwinner - Got the only goal in a quiet performance. Seemed isolated in the first half and slowly became more involved. Intelligent movement in the box allowed him to escape his marker and tap in the winner. Antonio Di Natale – 5 – Invisible - The veteran had an afternoon to forget, barely seeing the ball and doing little with it when it finally came his way. Was replaced by Duvan Zapata midway through the second half. Substitutes Panagiatos Kone (53 mins) – 7.5 – Influential - Made an impact when coming on for the injured Badu, offering an outlet for Udinese and getting into dangerous positions. His inch-perfect cross was knocked in by Thereau, whilst he could have scored a goal of his own soon after. Was a thorn in the side of the Juventus defence. Duvan Zapata (67 mins) – 7 – Powerful - The striker’s strength allowed him to hold the ball up and let Udinese regroup after waves of Juve attacks. Caused numerous problems for the Bianconeri defence and brought Thereau into the game. Widmer (86 mins) – N/A http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Udinese’s Cyril Thereau Scores As Holders Juventus Slump To Shock Opening Day Defeat New Udinese signing Cyril Thereau pounced late in the second half to secure a 1-0 win away to Juventus and hand the champions their first ever opening-day defeat in Turin. http://www.thehardtackle.com/2015/udineses-cyril-thereau-scores-as-holders-juventus-slump-to-shock-opening-day-defeat/? Aug 23, 2015 In 40 previous matches on the opening day of the Serie A season, Juventus had lost only once, a 1-0 reverse away to Bari in 2010. Yet after dominating for long periods, Juve ultimately failed to convert their many chances and were stunned in the 78th minute when Thereau — signed in the off-season from Chievo — escaped his marker to slide the ball past Gianluigi Buffon at the keeper’s far post. Udinese, Italy’s northern-most club based in the Friuli region, last beat Juventus in 2011. A new-look Juve lined up for their first game of the season after the summer departures of Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich), Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC) and Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors). Coach Massimiliano Allegri deployed a 3-5-2 and for most of the game Juve’s expectant fans were thrilled with the decision. Juve dominated throughout and Udinese struggled to get out of their half but on the flip side the hosts struggled to break down the visitors’ stubborn defence. Kingsley Coman started ahead of star signing Pauolo Dybala Allegri left Pauolo Dybala on the bench as Kingsley Coman partnered Mario Mandzukic up front and it looked a wise decision as the pair mustered a handful of chances. Early on Coman pounced on a loose ball after Mandzukic tumbled under a challenge but the Frenchman’s weak shot trickled into the hands of Orestis Karnezis. Juve went closer on 19 minutes when Stephan Lichsteiner ran on to a header to fire a deflected shot just wide of the far post. Roberto Pereyra then ran on to a loose ball following a challenge on Coman only to produce a weak shot that gave Karnezis no problems. Lichsteiner, switched to the wingback position in Allegri’s 3-5-2, was finding plenty of space down the right and unleashed an angled drive that forced Karnezis to block. The Swiss international then turned provider for Mandzukic, but the Croatian sent a looping header over the bar while under pressure in the box. It was a one-sided but ultimately frustrating first half for the champions, but Allegri stuck with his gameplan for the start of the second half. Minutes after Paul Pogba sent a speculative first-time volley inches wide, Mandzukic rose to connect in the box but his angled header met traffic. Udinese’s forays forward were few, and proving risky. A Juve counter was launched by Coman but a Udinese boot came to the rescue after Mandzukic headed the Frenchman’s cross into Pereyra’s path yards from goal. Karnezis was forced down moments later to block Simone Padoin’s low drive as Juve pinged the ball around the area unchallenged. Cyril Thereau stunned Juventus 12 minutes from time Dybala replaced Coman just after the hour, with former Napoli striker Duvan Zapata replacing Antonio Di Natale for Udinese minutes later, and had an almost immediate impact. The diminutive Argentinian threaded a perfect ball through for Pogba, but after first rounding Thomas Heurtaux the defender did well to slide in and deny the Frenchman. Juve were throwing everything at Udinese, Patrice Evra even firing a first-timer into the hands of Karnezis after Pogba’s lay-off on the edge of the area. But the hosts were stunned 12 minutes form time when Thereau was left alone at the back post to slide a cross-field ball from Panagiotis Kone past Buffon. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Allegri: 'Juve played well' http://www.football-italia.net/71501/allegri-juve-played-well? Aug 23, 2015 Max Allegri insists Juventus “played well” but didn’t take their chances in a home defeat to Udinese. The Bianconeri had never lost their season opener on home turf, but were beaten 1-0 by a late Cyril Thereau strike. “We had started well, but then got a bit disorganised and hasty. We needed more quality in the final ball and the finishing,” the Coach told Sky Sport Italia. “We were tired towards the end, as we’d played for 70 minutes with great intensity, and Udinese took advantage on the counter-attack. “The result might make it look as if Juventus played badly, but instead we largely did well and Udinese are really tough to play against. They make it difficult for everyone.” Kingsley Coman was a surprise starter instead of Paulo Dybala, but has still never scored a Serie A goal. “He is a very young player and did some good things, but what he lacks at the moment is his finishing. In the first half especially he had some good moves, but we must not forget he needs time to grow like the other players who arrived this summer.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Colantuono: 'Juve as expected' http://www.football-italia.net/71499/colantuono-juve-expected? Aug 23, 2015 Stefano Colantuono said Juventus “did what we expected them to do” after Udinese’s historic victory. The Bianconeri had never lost their season opener on home turf. “I had doubts we could do it until the final whistle! Juventus force you to suffer, but we prepared the game perfectly and were very organised. “They did what we expected them to and we knew that when we’d have the chance to go forward, we had to hurt them. That’s exactly what we did. “Juve always take a striker off the line, but we wanted to be very aggressive and it wasn’t easy against the likes of Kingsley Coman and then Paulo Dybala who tracked back to cause problems. “Bruno Fernandes did a great job and worked so hard, at one point running back almost the entire length of the pitch to block a clear scoring opportunity.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus lose at home to Udinese via Cyril Thereau winner http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432268/juventus-udinese/report? Aug 23, 2015 Defending champions Juventus suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to Udinese in their Serie A opener on Sunday. Cyril Thereau scored the only goal of the game with what was Udinese's first shot on target in the 78th minute, and Juve could not respond. It was Juve's first home league loss since January 2013 and only the sixth time in 48 games since that defeat that they have even dropped points in front of their own fans. The result at the Juventus stadium failed to reflect the home side's dominance, though. Last season's Champions League runners-up controlled possession and had five shots on goal but could not find a way past Udinese goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Udinese, under new coach Stefano Colantuono, failed to test Juve stopper Gianluigi Buffon until Thereau beat the Italian veteran when the Frenchman was left unmarked to tap in Panagiotis Kone's cross. Cyril Thereau celebrates after scoring what proved to be the winner. New Juve signing Mario Mandzukic was handed his Serie A debut, playing alongside Kingsley Coman in attack from the start. Juve had the first chance in the 20th minute, Roberto Pereyra's left-footed attempt from inside the area kept out by Karnezis. Shortly after, Pereyra fed Stephan Lichtsteiner inside the box and his right-footed shot from 10 yards was also saved by Karnezis. The home side continued to press forward and Mandzukic headed Lichsteiner's dangerous cross just over the bar in what was the last chance of the opening half. Juve picked up where they left off after the re-start and in the 52nd minute, Paul Pogba was unable to find the target with a long-range effort. Before the hour, Coman spotted Simone Padoin in the box but the Italian midfielder's powerful shot did not trouble Karnezis. In the 65th minute, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri brought in another of his new signings, Paulo Dybala, to replace Coman up front. However, it was Manduzkic that had the best chance four minutes later but the Croatia forward's close-range header from Patrice Evra's cross went wide. Then, against the run of play, Juve fell behind when the unmarked Thereau punished the hosts, and Udinese held on for the final 12 minutes to record a famous win. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Bonucci: 'Transitional year' http://www.football-italia.net/71498/bonucci-transitional-year? Aug 23, 2015 Leonardo Bonucci said “this is a transitional year” for Juventus after their shock home defeat to Udinese. The Bianconeri hadn’t lost their season opener since 2010 against Bari, but were stunned by a Cyril Thereau goal. “Nobody likes to start with a defeat, especially as it came about with Udinese having their first shot on target after 78 minutes,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia. “We always press forward and try not to get too hasty looking to score. Today we weren’t good enough in front of goal and it’s a shame. “There is a very important game next week and we will try to show our real strength against Roma. “Everyone needs patience, as it is a transitional year, but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost before we begin. There are many young players here and we have to put them in the best condition to do well.” http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Udinese shock Juventus! Juventus lost their season opener 1-0 at home to Udinese after a late Cyril Thereau strike in a huge shock. http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/69825 Aug 23, 2015 The Bianconeri began the hunt for an historic fifth consecutive title by hosting Stefano Colantuono’s Udinese. Injuries ruled out Alvaro Morata, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Kwadwo Asamoah, but Mario Mandzukic was fit to start despite a knock midweek with Kingsley Coman preferred to Paulo Dybala. Simone Padoin took over the Andrea Pirlo role in front of defence. The Friulani missed Guilherme and suspended Molla Wague, but Ali Adnan became the first Iraqi player in Serie A. Coman aimed a weak finish straight at Orestis Karnezis and Stephan Lichtsteiner’s strike was deflected just past the far post after a wonderful Mandzukic knock-down. Karnezis also smothered from Roberto Pereyra after more good work from Coman, but it was one-way traffic with Udinese barely emerging from their own half. Ali Adnan did venture over at the 27th minute, hitting the side-netting after a splendid run down the left. Lichtsteiner’s powerful shot was beaten away at the near post and Mandzukic nodded the Swiss wing-back’s cross over from an excellent scoring position. Pogba swung a volley off target and Padoin’s cross-shot was fingertipped out from under the bar, but Udinese lost Emmanuel Agyeman Badu to a sprained ankle. Mandzukic again knocked down a fine Coman chipped pass, but Bruno Fernandes got back brilliantly to stop Pereyra turning in from seven yards. Coman again did very well to pull back from the by-line, but Padoin couldn’t get power to the finish straight at Karnezis. Mandzukic had another great opportunity set up for him by Coman, but Udinese flung bodies in front to block in the six-yard box and he scuffed it. Pogba also tried to do one too many twists and turns in the penalty area, allowing Thomas Heurtaux to tackle him. Just as Udinese seemed ready to capitulate after so many chances, they incredibly took the lead with their first shot on target. Panagiotis Kone swept a wonderful cross from the right and Thereau was left unmarked to volley in low at the back post. It was almost 2-0 moments later, but Kone blasted over the bar after more disastrous defending. Juve were frazzled and hasty when trying to equalise, creating few genuine chances. In fact, Gigi Buffon had to beat away a Silvan Widmer effort at the near post. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Isla 81), Pereyra (Llorente 79), Padoin, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Coman (Dybala 64) Udinese: Karnezis; Heurtaux, Danilo, Piris; Edenilson, Badu (Kone 54), Iturra, Bruno Fernandes, Ali Adnan (Widmer 86); Thereau, Di Natale (Duvan Zapata 66) Ref: Mazzoleni http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus 0-1 Udinese: Zebrette Stun Scudetto Holders http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/08/juventus-0-1-udinese-zebrette-stun-scudetto-holders/? Aug 23, 2015 Juventus kicked off their Serie A title defence with a 0-1 loss against Udinese at the Juventus Stadium. A late Cyril Thereau goal gave the four-time Scudetto champions a rocky start to the defence of their league title. Unsurprisingly, it was the Serie A champions that troubled first. A defensive mix-up allowed Kingsley Coman to dash into the box unhindered, but his slack shot didn’t trouble Orestis Karneziz. Roberto Pereyra squandered the next opportunity against his former club, when he tried to guide the ball past Karneziz but to no avail. Massimiliano Allegri’s side continued the second half in very much the same vein, but still struggled to unlock the Udinese defence. Mandzukic came close again with a back-post header, but against Karnezis beat it away. Bruno Fernandes came to the rescue next when Mandzukic tried to pick out Pereyra in the box, but the Portuguese youngster sent the ball skyward to safety. Simone Padoin looked to have finally broken the deadlock for Juventus, but against Karnezis got down quickly to deny the league champions. Stefano Colantuono screamed at his players to remain compact and continue to frustrate the opposition. Pogba came very close once again to crushing the Udinese resistance, but took one too many touches and Thomas Heurtaux slid in to deny him. With ten minutes to go it was the moment Juventus’ fans had been dreading. Panagiotis Kone picked out Cyril Thereau perfectly in the box, who shocked Gianluigi Buffon with a neat finish at the back post, silencing the Juventus Stadium. The Bianconeri threw players forward in a last ditch attempt to stifle the opposition, but Colantuono and his men held on for a priceless three points. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

JUVENTUS - UDINESE 0 - 1 Cyril Théréau (78') Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus 0-1 Udinese: Thereau stuns wasteful champions The home side spurned a number of chances, most notably through Mario Mandzukic, before a late sucker-punch condemned them to defeat. http://www.football-italia.net/71487/line-ups-juventus-udinese? Aug 23, 2015 Juventus were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as Udinese snatched a late strike to seal a 1-0 win in Turin. Thereau ghosted in at the back post with 12 minutes to play to fire Udinese to all three points in Stefano Colantuono's first league game at the helm. After scoring 72 top-flight goals last season as they romped to a fourth successive title, Juve were uncharacteristically profligate on Sunday as they lost on home soil on the opening day for the first time. Udinese had to ride their luck at times, with Orestis Karnezis' goal leading a charmed life as Mario Mandzukic and Roberto Pereyra went closest. But it was at the other end that the breakthrough came as Thereau provided a close-range finish past an exposed Gianluigi Buffon. Massimiliano Allegri used all three of his substitutions in the second half, but failed to get the desired response as Juve were stunned by a side that finished 16th last season. Allegri's new-look Juve began life without Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal on the front foot, with Kingsley Coman particularly lively in attack alongside Mandzukic. Midway through a half dominated by Juve, Pereyra was presented with the clearest opening after a mazy run from Coman, but the Argentine failed to get enough power in his shot to worry Karnezis. Juve's failure to convert possession into goals nearly cost them on the half hour as Ali Adnan – the first Iraqi player in Serie A – jinked through two tackles on the edge of the penalty area, but his effort was the wrong side of Buffon's left-hand post. Late pressure from the hosts saw Stephan Lichtsteiner sting the palms of Karnezis with a low drive from the right, before Mandzukic headed over a superb cross from the Swiss full-back. Determined to get their campaign off to a positive start, Juve raised the tempo even further after the restart, but once again were let down by the quality of their finishing. Mandzukic was unable to turn a diving header goalwards, Simone Padoin fluffed his lines 12 yards from goal after Coman's pass and Pereyra got the ball stuck under his feet five yards out in a frantic five minutes before the hour. Thereau then stunned the Juventus Stadium with the game's only goal after 78 minutes, the unmarked Frenchman pouncing on a Panagiotis Kone cross to fire past Buffon. Substitute Paulo Dybala led the charge on Udinese's goal in the closing minutes, but Juve's 47-game unbeaten streak at home in the league came to an end. http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127