Socrates

FERNANDO LLORENTE CLOSE TO JUVE DEPARTURE http://www.juvefc.com/fernando-llorente-close-to-juve-departure/? Jul 28, 2015 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente looks ever closer to leaving the club with Arsenal and Spurs linked with a move for the Spaniard. Llorente has become the forgotten man this summer as Juve signed no fewer than three new forwards. The arrivals of Simone Zaza, Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala mean that it’s almost certain that ‘El Rey Leon’ will be the next big departure from the club. La Stampa reported that Llorente’s agent was in London yesterday to meet with Arsenal and Spurs over a possible transfer. UK newspapers The Daily Express and The Telegraph believe that a move could be agreed with the Gunners, who currently lead the race to sign the striker, for a fee believed to be around the £8.5 million mark. Llorente managed just 7 goals and struggled to make an impact last season, where he was eventually dropped in favour of Alvaro Morata.

Andrea Barzagli to miss three weeks with a thigh injury http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/28/9051639/juventus-andrea-barzagli-injury Jul 28, 2015 Injuries and Andrea Barzagli have been a way too common pair of things used in the same sentence the last couple of years. It's the reason whenever we hear reports — and the subsequent official club statements — about Barzagli's latest injury we feel the need to throw our hands above our head and scream "AGAIN?!" at the top of our lungs. Well, get ready to throw those hands up again. Yeah, you know why. From Juventus' official website: Andrea Barzagli will be sidelined for 20 days after pulling up with an injury to his right thigh at the end of the weekend's fixture. Subsequent tests have revealed a first-grade tear of the defender's adductor muscle. That's a portion of a paragraph that also says Fernando Llorente will miss a little over a week with a twisted ankle (the reason why he missed the friendly against Borussia Dortmund). But the more important matter, no offense to Fernando, is that Barzagli will be out for the Italian Super Cup against Lazio next month and could be at risk for the season-opening game against Udinese if his rehabilitation goes any longer than the 20-day diagnosis. Is it a good thing that it happened on one of the final days of July rather than one of the final days of preseason training camp? Well, yeah, that's pretty much a given. But knowing Barzagli's injury history over the last couple of seasons — both major injury absences and minor ones — it's hard to think that this will be his only instance of missing time this season. I guess that one positive in all of this is that we will probably see more of Daniele Rugani during the remaining friendlies. And when you consider that Rugani seems like Barzagli's natural successor, then we might as well let the kid show what he can do. (And hopefully do quite well at the same time.)

Khedira returns to Juventus training After missing a friendly against Borussia Dortmund through injury, the Germany international rejoined his new team-mates, though Fernando Llorente remains out of action. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4563/main/2015/07/28/13941232/-? Jul 28, 2015 Sami Khedira has returned to training with Juventus after recovering from the adductor injury that kept him out of Saturday's friendly defeat to Borussia Dortmund. The Germany midfielder is yet to make his debut for the Serie A champions after arriving from Real Madrid but will be looking to build his fitness ahead of Wednesday's clash with Lechia Gdansk. Goalkeeper Rubinho also missed the weekend fixture with an adductor problem and took part in an individual training regime on Monday, but the news is not so good for Fernando Llorente and Andrea Barzagli. Llorente is expected to be sidelined for 10 days with an ankle injury, while Barzagli could be out for up to three weeks with an adductor tear sustained against Dortmund. Juventus discovered on Monday that they would begin the defence of their Serie A title against Udinese before heading to last season's runners-up Roma for matchweek two.

The drive for five straight Scudetti: Juventus' 2015-16 fixture list released http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/27/9050035/juventus-2015-16-serie-a-fixture-list-released Jul 27, 2015 Juventus will go into yet another Serie A as the favorite to win the Scudetto. It's not breaking news or anything close to it. Not that we need much inside information to tell us what we already know. Even with all the turnover we've seen happen this summer, Juventus are still the best team Italy has to offer, with the rest of the pack desperately trying to close the gap on the four-time Serie A champions. As we found out on Monday, Juventus' latest and hopefully greatest title defense will start against their bianconero brethren Udinese at Juventus Stadium. Maybe Beppe Marotta will have an extra bit of attention on the game for the simple reason of trying to decide which Udinese player to acquire on loan with an option to buy next summer. That's how it works, right? But I digress. Here, in full, is Juvenuts' schedule for the first half of the 2015-16 Serie A season. Why don't you go ahead and notice where Juve are going on Week 2. As a somewhat-recent Bond villain would say, "Delicious..." Match day - Date - Opponent - (Home/Away) 1 - August 23 - Udinese (H ) 2 - August 30 - Roma (A) 3 - September 13 - Chievo (H ) 4 - September 20 - Genoa (A) 5 - September 23 - Frosinone (H ) 6 - September 27 - Napoli (A) 7 - October 4 - Bologna (H ) 8 - October 18 - Inter (A) 9 - October 25 - Atalanta (H ) 10 - October 28 - Sassuolo (A) 11 - November 1 - Torino (H ) 12 - November 8 - Empoli (A) 13 - November 22 - AC Milan (H ) 14 - November 29 - Palermo (A) 15 - December 6 - Lazio (A) 16 - December 13 - Fiorentina (H ) 17 - December 20 - Carpi (A) 18 - January 6 - Hellas Verona (H ) 19 - January 10 - Sampdoria (A) We can worry about Juventus competing on all three fronts until they jump into the Coppa Italia in the round of 16 right before the Christmas/New Year holiday break. But the group stage of the Champions League comes much sooner than that, with the first match day scheduled for Sept. 15/16. The group stage draw will take place on Aug. 27 in Monaco. And just because you're probably wondering, here's all of the 19 return fixtures, which will almost certainly change if Juventus make a deep run in the Champions League or Coppa Italia or hopefully both once again this upcoming season. Match day - Date - Opponent - (Home/Away) 20 - January 17 - Udinese (A) 21 - January 24 - Roma (H ) 22 - January 31 - Chievo (A) 23 - February 3 - Genoa (H ) 24 - February 7 - Frosinone (A) 25 - February 14 - Napoli (H ) 26 - February 21 - Bologna (A) 27 - February 28 - Inter Milan (H ) 28 - March 6 - Atalanta (A) 29 - March 13 - Sassuolo (H ) 30 - March 20 - Torino (A) 31 - April 4 - Empoli (H ) 32 - April 10 - AC Milan (A) 33 - April 17 - Palermo (H ) 34 - April 20 - Lazio (H ) 35 - April 24 - Fiorentina (A) 36 - May 1 - Carpi (H ) 37 - May 8 - Hellas Verona (A) 38 - May 15 - Sampdoria (H ) I can see it now. Juventus go into that April 17 game at home against Palermo with a chance to essentially wrap up a fifth straight Serie A title. A certain former Palermo striker by the name of Paulo Dybala grabs a late game-winning goal to give Juventus the title (and probably activate some kind of performance/team bonus that was built into his summer transfer to Turin). It's almost too good to be true! I must say, that'd be pretty awesome. So would Juventus winning another Scudetto. Hope you all agree. So there you have it. Thirty-eight rounds of Serie A football have been scheduled.. Now we can all go back to scheduling our lives around Juventus because that's what we all do come the middle of August. The countdown clock continues to click down in our favor. We're at 27 days and counting. Tick-tock, tick-tock...

Barzagli out of Italian Super Cup http://www.football-italia.net/69804/barzagli-out-italian-super-cup? Jul 27, 2015 Andrea Barzagli ruled out for three weeks by a thigh strain, so will miss the Italian Super Cup Juventus v Lazio. The centre-back suffered the muscular problem in his right thigh during the friendly defeat to Borussia Dortmund. Today tests showed a first degree lesion to the adductor. It will require at least 20 days to get Barzagli back in the squad. This means he won’t be ready for the Italian Super Cup against Juventus in Shanghai on August 8. Fernando Llorente is also a massive doubt for that fixture, as he's out of action for 10 days with a sprained ankle. However, Sami Khedira is back in training after skipping the Dortmund game.

Marotta: 'We made Draxler offer' http://www.football-italia.net/69802/marotta-we-made-draxler-offer? Jul 27, 2015 Juventus director Beppe Marotta confirmed an initial offer for Julian Draxler and listed the Scudetto contenders. This evening Schalke 04 announced they had “received and rejected” a bid from the Bianconeri for Draxler, reported to be €22m including bonuses. “In a very realistic way, there are many proposals in the market. Today we presented an offer based on our evaluations and I think there’s still a big gap,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “That was one of the many proposals we have put forward during this market. The player belongs to Schalke 04, so obviously it ultimately depends on them. “We are in no rush, but the squad at Allegri’s disposal is solid and we are trying to add a few cherries to the cake. “We are working on a trequartista, or at least a midfielder with certain characteristics, and a left-back who can act as an alternative to Patrice Evra while Kwadwo Asamoah recovers from his injury. “We are looking for eclectic players, who can allow us to set out the team in various different ways. We are looking for a midfielder with certain characteristics.” The Serie A fixture list was drawn up today and Juventus open their campaign against Udinese, but visit Roma in Week 2. “Before talking about favourites for the Scudetto, we need to see how this transfer window ends. Inter have strengthened a great deal, plus the usual Roma and Napoli. “Milan have changed Coach and brought in some important players, so I believe this will be the most intriguing campaign of the last four years.”

Juventus face early Serie A showdown with Roma The Scudetto holders will meet last term's runners-up on the weekend of August 30, while there will be a Milan derby on matchday three. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4563/main/2015/07/27/13935682/-? Jul 27, 2015 Serie A champions Juventus will face rivals Roma on the second weekend of the new season. The Bianconeri, who are bidding for a fifth successive Scudetto, have beaten the Giallorossi into second place for the past two years but must travel to the Stadio Olimpico on the weekend of August 30. In what is set to be an exciting start to the 2015-16 campaign, free-spending duo AC Milan and Inter will lock horns in the Derby della Madonnina on matchday three. Juve will begin their title defence with a home game against Udinese on either August 22 or 23, while Roma will open with a tricky trip to Verona. Roberto Mancini's Inter, who are set to continue their summer spending spree with the addition of Manchester City attacker Stevan Jovetic, will kick off their campaign against Atalanta at San Siro. Meanwhile, new Milan boss Sinisa Mihajlovic faces a difficult opening assignment, with the Rossoneri having to travel to the Stadio Artemio Franchio to take on Fiorentina, who appointed Paulo Sousa as Vincenzo Montella's successor during the off-season. Maurizio Sarri, who replaced Rafael Benitez as Napoli coach after a fine season at Empoli, will take the Partenopei to Sassuolo on the opening weekend. Elsewhere, newly-promoted Bologna have been handed a difficult opening fixture at Lazio, who finished third last season. Serie A newcomers Frosinone and Carpi begin against Torino and Sampdoria, respectively.

Bonucci announcement tomorrow? http://www.football-italia.net/69779/bonucci-announcement-tomorrow? Jul 27, 2015 Juventus will reportedly confirm a contract renewal for Leonardo Bonucci at a Press conference tomorrow. The Italian international is currently contracted to the Bianconeri until 2017, but negotiations over an extension have been underway for some time. Now SportMediaset is reporting that a Press conference will be held at Vinovo tomorrow, where a renewal until 2019 will be confirmed. The media event is set to take place at midday in Italy, 11am GMT, and will see the central defender confirm he is staying in Turin, alongside President Andrea Agnelli. Bonucci initially struggled to adapt to life with the Old Lady after moving from Bari in 2010, but has since become a mainstay of the Juve defence, and is regarded as one of the top defenders in Europe.

Juventus can cope without Pirlo, Tevez & Vidal, insists Chiellini The Italy international is unconcerned about the departure of key figures and believes the Bianconeri have signed some fine replacements. http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2015/07/27/13922412/-? Jul 27, 2015 Giorgio Chiellini is confident Juventus can cope without the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez and feels the Serie A champions have held onto their best players. Pirlo, Tevez and Vidal played a key role in Juventus' recent successes, but all opted to move on ahead of the 2015-16 campaign. Nevertheless, Chiellini has little doubt new arrivals such as Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala will prove to be more than adequate replacements. "There will be a few more new arrivals. Either way, the strongest players remain at Juventus. With all due respect toward the others," Chiellini told Corriere dello Sport. "The players who left gave Juventus a lot, but their replacements will do well. Mandzukic and Khedira are born leaders and have already shown this week that they will become important. "The younger players will also help the older ones. Their presence will increase the intensity and the level of the team. "The core of this Juventus is still there. And players like Khedira and Mandzukic can perform right away. "This will not be a start from zero for Juventus. The structure is still there. Plus we have great youngsters like Dybala." Apart from Khedira, Mandzukic and Dybala, Juventus have also brought in Simone Zaza from Sassuolo, Guido Vadala from Boca Juniors and Neto from Fiorentina, while Daniele Rugani has returned from his loan spell with Empoli.

Leonardo Bonucci set to announce contract extension through 2020 http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/27/9045207/report-juventus-leonardo-bonucci-set-to-announce-contract-extension Jul 27, 2015 Leonardo Bonucci likes social media. He's good at it, therefore he has my blessings when continuing to do so. There isn't the volume of posts compared to, say, you or I, but Bonucci has a constant stream of contributions to the Twitter and Facebook landscape no matter what the topic really is. I lede with this piece of information because of this other piece of information: Two days ago, Bonucci posted this little picture and photo caption, leaving us wondering, "Yeah, so Leo, what exactly are you talking about while taking a picture of all the trophies Juventus has won in its history?" Leonardo Bonucci ✔@bonucci_leo19 To be continued...#finoallafineforzajuventus #vincereèlunicacosacheconta Gee, I wonder what that might allude to... One option could be the fact that he was going to leave for Switzerland and get ready to start another season with Juventus. Makes sense, doesn't it? But then again, we kinda figured that would happen because those Bonucci-Real Madrid rumors seemed rather, well, not very true at all. But the other option seems a little more logical, though. That would be Bonucci actually agreeing to and subsequently signing a brand new contract with Juventus. Say, now that you mention it... Khaled Al Nouss @KhaledAlNouss Leonardo Bonucci will sign a new contract with Juventus until 2020 this week. He will earn €3.5m/yr. [GdS] Ahhhhh, that seems like an understandable and very realistic reason for Bonucci to kinda-sorta subtweet us but pretty much give us a hint into what's going down in the future. I guess he's making us think more than anything else. I would say he's earned the right to have some fun on Twitter every so often. Of course, this isn't the first we've heard about Bonucci getting a new contract after the best season of his Juventus career. Gianluca Di Marzio reported about six weeks ago that Bonucci and Juventus had agreed to a brand new contract. That came during a flurry of post-Champions League final reports that had a handful of Juventus folks — Martin Cáceres, Claudio Marchisio and Max Allegri — getting close or even agreeing to brand new deals that would keep them in Turin past the next couple of seasons. We've seen Marchisio and Allegri get their new contracts, with a nice chunk of change along the way. And it's safe to say that Bonucci certainly deserves to be the next in line for some more long-term security as well as that reported €3.5 million per season salary. He was fantastic last season and was arguably one of the best at his position in all of Europe. As Giorgio Chiellini struggled for any kind of consistent form, the complete opposite was true for Bonucci. As we quickly approach the 2015-16 season, Bonucci's importance on this new-look Juventus squad is even that much more important. He's close to being one of the elder statesmen now. Yeah, at the age of 28, too. UPDATE: Juventus has announced both Bonucci and President Andrea Agnelli will be holding a press conference at 12 p.m. on Tuesday. You know it's something special going on when they bring the No. 1 guy in the building to the press conference. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen Live tweets here tomorrow from 12.00 CEST as Andrea Agnelli and @bonucci_leo19 meet the media at Juventus Center. I sure wonder what that's all about... Oh, right. Time to put two and two together, folks.

Chiellini: ‘Juventus more hungry’ http://www.football-italia.net/69770/chiellini-%E2%80%98juventus-more-hungry%E2%80%99? Jul 27, 2015 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini believes the Old Lady are ‘more hungry’ than their rivals, but anticipates a difficult Serie A campaign. The Bianconeri recorded their fourth consecutive Scudetto last season, as well as winning the Coppa Italia, but Chiellini believes the teams around them have vastly improved now. “Everyone has spent so much and the market isn’t finished yet,” the Italy international said to Tuttosport. “I still expect something more from Roma and Napoli. “The Milan clubs, after two really bad years, are spending right left and centre, and they will challenge. “After four consecutive Scudetti it’s normal for this to happen. For us it will be even more difficult to win the fifth title, the history of football says so. “We want to show everyone that we are the strongest this year as well. “If one achieves certain results, it means that it's in the DNA. The feeling you get is only to win and it motivates you. “The others have improved, but they don’t have our hunger. We’re ready to demonstrate that already in the Supercoppa. “Tevez’s goals? Pogba will make them. Don’t worry, we have guaranteed goals: Morata, Mandzukic, Dybala and Paul will make it happen.”

Paulo Dybala and Gianluigi Buffon impress in Juventus' first exhibition Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2537295/paulo-dybala-gianluigi-buffon-shine-in-juventus-vs-dortmund? Jul 26, 2015 It was Juventus' first friendly of the summer and while they may have lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund, which demonstrated their lack of fitness at this stage of their preparations, there were also many positives to note in the match as well. It was clear that Massimiliano Allegri's men were lacking in rhythm and dynamism. While Dortmund whizzed past, demonstrating energy and cohesion, Juventus appeared off pace and were desperately struggling to keep up. To be fair to the Bianconeri, this was the Germans' seventh friendly this summer. New Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel has already created a good unit, slowly transmitting his ideals to the team that was once overpowered by former manager Jurgen Klopp's infectious energy. Yet despite their superior form, Juventus were still able to create openings, finding space at the back to coordinate their attacking moves. As we imagined, Allegri tested out several of his newcomers and few imagined Paulo Dybala would impress so quickly. Demonstrating a good understanding of the patterns of Juve's game, he looked for the gaps, served striker Alvaro Morata well and introduced much needed creativity and imagination to the team in his role as the playmaker in the 4-3-1-2 formation. With Carlos Tevez gone, there was concern over Juve's front line. The team is lacking established talent and boasts more youth than genuine experience. However, it was the attack that impressed the most (on relative terms) in the match with Morata and Dybala already boasting chemistry. This could well be the start of a beautiful partnership that combines both the Spaniard's quick ability and determination with the Argentine's creative talent. However, one forward who did struggle was Mario Mandzukic but that was to be expected. The Croatian requires some time to understand the tactics deployed by Allegri and exactly what is required of him. While he attempted to show off his strengths, he wasn't offered the service required to truly shine, as the tactician mentioned in his postmatch appearance. Dortmund's pressing style of play also makes it somewhat more difficult for a player like Mandzukic to prove effective but considering what he can offer, it is fair to say that Juve have a much more versatile squad this season. It is one that more capable of piercing through different defences. Yet while certain newcomers attempted to adapt to their new surroundings, it was a certain Gianluigi Buffon who stole the headlines. We've seen this summer that as goalkeepers age, some of them like Petr Cech and Iker Casillas can be forced out of their clubs. Yet, Buffon continues to prove he is a champion and a leader on and off the pitch. Pulling off rather spectacular saves, Italian publication giornalaccio rosa dello Sport noted their pity for his new understudy, the young Norberto Neto, who is bound to hardly ever play considering the talent that stands before him. Buffon simply doesn't play like he's 37 and still possesses the agility of a young footballer. While Dortmund exploited the Old Lady's sluggishness, almost every brilliant attacking move was closed down by a wonderful Buffon, who aside from the two goals simply wouldn't let anyone get past him. Neto said he chose to come to Juventus for the sake of his development but with the No. 1 performing as he is, does he really have the chance to nurture his talent? This was clearly not Juve's best performance and observers should expect drastic improvement in the coming weeks. Once again, they struggled to cope with counter-attacks, especially against pace and intensity, continuing a frustrating trend for the Old Lady. With Dortmund proving more effective in closing down their opponent, it was Juve's defensive game that disappointed onlookers the most. Easily dispossessed and with so much hesitation in their game, they struggled to keep the ball long enough to establish a rhythm, leaving themselves exposed at the back. A defeat was inevitable. However, this is only the beginning and it will take time for the likes of Martin Caceres to recover his form at centre-back and the likes of Simone Zaza and Mandzukic to fully understand the required movements. One thing that is clear is no matter how well Dybala managed to play on his debut, Juventus still need another playmaker, a man who better understands how to work between the lines.

Why 4-3-1-2 Should Be the Go-to Formation for Juventus in 2015/16 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2529340-why-4-3-1-2-should-be-the-go-to-formation-for-juventus-in-201516? Jul 26, 2015 Much has changed at Juventus this summer, the Bianconeri making some major changes to their squad since their 2014/15 campaign ended with a defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League final. That loss at Berlin’s Olympiastadion—coming after the club had secured a Serie A and Coppa Italia double—appears to have signalled the end of an era in Turin. Speaking at a recent press conference, director general Beppe Marotta revealed Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez, Angelo Ogbonna and Arturo Vidal had each “expressed his desire to try a different experience.” Those exits have been offset by a raft of new additions, with Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Simone Zaza arriving to reinforce the attack while World Cup-winning midfielder Sami Khedira and promising young defender Daniele Rugani have both also joined the Bianconeri. Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto will now be the backup for Gigi Buffon after Marco Storari departed, and veteran midfielder Simone Pepe has been released. Sat beside Marotta on Monday, coach Massimiliano Allegri gave his take on the club's transfer activity, per the official Juventus website: I’m happy with the team that’s being assembled. Tevez, Pirlo and Vidal have all decided to embark on a different challenge and you need to move on. We’ve brought in players with top European experience like Khedira and Mandzukic and the likes of Buffon, [Leonardo] Bonucci, [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Claudio] Marchisio, [Patrice] Evra and [simone] Padoin are still in the dressing room. The youngsters we have can only get better and improve from a leadership point of view. As well as ensuring the chemistry of the team is not lost Allegri’s main task this summer will be finding a formation that brings the best from what will undoubtedly be a new-look side. In front of Buffon, it makes sense to continue with the four-man defence that was responsible for much of last year’s success. Moving away from the 3-5-2 framework that had been Juve’s default setup for the previous three years, Allegri’s shift to an orthodox back four was much better suited to the demands of European football. Stephan Lichtsteiner will continue at right-back, the Switzerland international continuing to show he belongs in any conversation about the world’s best players in that position. On the opposite flank, Patrice Evra proved to be a wonderful addition, bringing defensive solidity and vast experience to what had long been a problematic area for Juve. While Martin Caceres remains a viable alternative on the right, the Uruguayan—as well as midfielders Kwadwo Asamoah and Padoin—does not offer the same well-rounded quality on the left, meaning an alternative may yet arrive. Sky Italia has linked the club with Layvin Kurzawa of AS Monaco, Porto’s Alex Sandro and Guilherme Siqueira of Atletico Madrid (h/t Forza Italian Football), while no such move is needed in central defence. Bonucci and Chiellini proved to be an excellent blend of flair, intelligence and brute force last term, helping the Bianconeri keep 20 clean sheets in Serie A. Andrea Barzagli recovered from injury and ensures a shift back to 3-5-2 remains an option, while much is expected from Rugani who returns from a spell at Empoli. He too believes he can adapt to any formation, telling reporters at a press conference that “my versatility is partly why I am here and I can play in a three or a four. I’ll slot in wherever the manager needs me.” He is likely to remain a reserve for a while, but the benefit of training alongside that trio of Italy internationals can only help his development over the coming years. In midfield, Khedira will almost certainly slot in between Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba, his defensive diligence allowing that duo to press forward in attack. If he can overcome the injuries that have blighted him recently, the German star could prove to be a superb acquisition. With Stefano Sturaro, Asamoah and Padoin able to provide cover, a three-man midfield would seem the logical choice, although what happens further forward is arguably where the real intrigue lies. Speaking to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport last season (h/t Football Italia), Allegri dubbed his favoured formation “4-3 and then we’ll see.” That is likely to continue in 2015/16. The coach has also revealed that he expects the Old Lady may well have one more move left to make. “As far as further signings are concerned, the club has got its eye out for an attacking midfield player with offensive qualities," Allegri told reporters, per the official Juventus website. "We’re assessing our options and requirements.” Names fitting those attributes have emerged quickly, with the Italian champions receiving permission from Schalke to discuss terms with Julian Draxler. "Juventus made a written request to be allowed to negotiate with Julian's agent, and we have agreed to it," the Bundesliga side’s general manager, Horst Heldt, told Bild (h/t ESPN FC). Despite the official going on to add they had yet to receive a bid for the player, the German paper reported Juve sporting director Fabio Paratici was in Germany on Tuesday to meet Draxler's agent, Roger Wittmann. Alternatively, Sportmediaset believes a move for Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze is still possible (h/t Football Italia), meaning Juventus are almost certain to play with an attacking midfielder next season. Roberto Pereyra—whose loan move from Udinese has now been made permanent—provides an excellent alternative, impressing in his debut campaign and winning a place in the Argentina squad for this summer’s Copa America. In attack, Mandzukic will challenge Alvaro Morata for the job of leading the line, while much will be expected of Dybala, the club’s €32 million replacement for Tevez. The 21-year-old will need to shine, Juve relying on him to become a source of both goals and creativity in the mould of his compatriot. Simone Zaza and Kingsley Coman provide alternatives, but are likely to leave Fernando Llorente somewhat surplus to requirements. According to Mirror Sport’s David MacDonnell, Manchester United have identified the Spaniard as a transfer target, and that could be the ideal solution for all concerned. SUMMARY Should they be able to add a left-back and an attacking playmaker, Juventus would have the depth to utilise a 4-3-1-2 formation and line up as follows: Gigi Buffon, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra; Claudio Marchisio, Sami Khedira, Paul Pogba; Julian Draxler/Mario Gotze; Paulo Dybala, Alvaro Morata. Reserves: Norbeto Neto; Martin Caceres, Daniele Rugani, Andrea Barzagli, Layvin Kurzawa/Alex Sandro; Stefano Sturaro, Simone Padoin, Kwadwo Asamoah; Roberto Pereyra; Kingsley Coman, Mario Mandzukic. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@Neto_Murara: "Everyone's a top quality player and capable of coming in and doing a good job." Obviously, those teams would be interchangeable, but listing them in that manner highlights the quality available to Allegri for the forthcoming season. He told reporters at that aforementioned press conference he is looking forward to the challenge, per the club’s official website: The new arrivals possess different characteristics to those who have departed and it’s my job to enable them to best express themselves on the field of play. We’ve brought in some talented youngsters and once the transfer window shuts we’ll have 10 players born between 1991 and 1996. It’s the right way forward to ensure a bright future and planning for this team. It is a future that looks extremely positive, and one which will the Juventus coach given a chance to truly shape the team in his image.

Allegri: Juventus Need A New Midfielder http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/07/allegri-juventus-need-a-new-midfielder/? Jul 26, 2015 Following his side’s 2-0 friendly loss against Borussia Dortmund in St Gallen, Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has admitted his side need to sign a specific kind of midfielder. The game also saw Juventus try out a new kind of system – employing a 4-3-3 with Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala occupying the wider attacking roles. Speaking about the defeat, he said: “You are never pleased to lose but we knew this game would be difficult having only trained for five days. We must improve certain things but this was a good workout, regardless of the outcome. “Dybala and Morata certainly did their chances no harm ahead of the Supercoppa. Unfortunately, Mandzukic did not get the service he deserved but that will come. We still need to sign a midfielder who can play between the lines and the club is moving towards achieving this.” Although he would not discuss specific transfer targets, he hinted at a move for Juan Cuadrado previously, this was quantified by the former AC Milan coach noting the importance of signings who will maintain the club’s balance while confirming Sami Khedira is nearing full fitness after some positive training sessions.

Juventus 0 - Borussia Dortmund 2: Initial reaction and random observations Juventus lost to a team they beat up on a few months ago. Therefore, we should just cancel the season and pack up shop until July 2016. Makes perfect sense to me. Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/25/9039463/juventus-borussia-dortmund-friendly-initial-reaction-and-random-observations Jul 25, 2015 If anything, we it didn't take long to discover two very obvious things during Juventus' 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in Switzerland on Saturday. For one, Dortmund have been training for over a month now and had already played a handful of friendlies before even stepping foot onto the field against Juventus, Secondly, Juventus have been training as a full-ish squad for about, oh, six days before they played their first preseason friendly of the summer. What does those two very clear and concise facts tell you? Well, how about the fact that Dortmund are nearly ready to start their 2015-16 season, while Juventus are .. well, just getting started with theirs. We had two teams at two very different fitness levels facing one another on Saturday. And, sure, the final score tells us Juventus lost to Borussia Dortmund just a few months after beating them in the Champions League. But do wins and losses really matter on the 25th day of July if it's a preseason friendly? JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "In spite of the result it was a good work out for us tonight." And that's the main point of a friendly at this point in time in the Juventus preseason calendar. It's more about the game itself than than the final result. Wins are nice, but it's the end of July and Juventus have been training as a full team — or as much as there is right now — for a week and still have plenty of time to get right before the games truly mean something. The good thing is this: Outside of the players getting their work in and Allegri being able to tinker with things, these games don't count for a damn thing in the standings. I mean, the first friendly last season was a loss against a semi-pro team, and things turned out pretty decently, right? Right. Juventus lost on penalty kicks to Everton two years ago and went on to record a record 102 points in Serie A. Juventus lost to Lucento in Allegri's first game as manager and went on to win the double and making the Champions League final. Translation: Things are going to be okay. Random thoughts and observations It took Gigi Buffon all of four minutes into preseason to make a great save. He's the best. And then Buffon made a couple more awesome saves before the first half was over. I guess all he needs is about a week of training to get back into shape. That's because he's only been back for about six days. Also notable: The man who replaced Buffon to begin the second half, Mr. Neto. His debut was probably the most impressive out of all the debutants, making a couple of really nice diving saves to either side. Poor Leo got Marco Reus'd so damn bad. I will admit that the way Juventus' Twitter account posted the starting lineup had me totally confused. I mean, Evra is supposed to be after Pogba and Marchisio unless he's playing as a wingback, so mind said "3-4-3?" or some kind of variation of it. But it ended up to be a four-man backline like everybody expected it to be with a front line full of promise. And there might be more added to it, too. Good times. One of the more noticeable things with the 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 formation Allegri used was that Álvaro Morata was hanging out on the left wing a lot more than he did at any point last season. Because Carlos Tévez was more of a free-roaming striker, Morata was essentially the out-and-out prima punta. This year, it's obvious that Mario Mandzukic will be doing that most of the time, thus opening up more freedom for the young Spaniard. And knowing how Morata possess the speed to play out wide, it's going to be fun to watch him adapt to a new, wider role if in fact that's where Allegri envisions him playing this season. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@AlvaroMorata: "I enjoyed it out wider on the left, I found lots of space in which to run. We've got plenty of options up front." I like seeing Martin Cáceres healthy and playing in games. He should do that more often. Maybe his high socks would become more popular that way. (Just a suggestion.) Sami Khedira's injury isn't supposed to be anything serious. I'll try and put two and two together and figure it has something to do with the fact he hasn't played much at all over the past 12 months. I don't care if it's a friendly or in the Champions League, there's just something that brings a lot of us joy when we see the younger players trot onto the field for the first time in a Juventus shirt. We saw a lot of "debuts" on Saturday, and hopefully their actual ones aren't too far behind. I might be starting to come around on this adidas kit. Maybe it will be like past seasons and I'll like it more and more as time goes on. I know one uniform-related thing, though: That blue keeper kit Buffon and Neto were rocking is a thing of beauty. The black and grey one is nice, but the all-blue one is so clean and simple. I love it. Nobody got hurt in the game. Isn't that what really matters here, people?

Allegri drops Draxler to Juventus hint The Bianconeri boss refused to confirm that the German is set to join from Schalke but did admit that more players will arrive in Turin before August 31. http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4682/transfer-zone/2015/07/25/13888432/-? Jul 25, 2015 Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that the club are trying to sign the trequartista he so desperately craves. While Carlos Tevez has departed for Boca Juniors and Arturo Vidal is bound for Bayern Munich, the Bianconeri have strengthened their attack this summer with the additions of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Simone Zaza. However, Allegri has spoken openly about his desire for a classic No.10 and the Italian champions have agreed personal terms with Schalke starlet Julian Draxler over a move to Turin. The Bianconeri boss refused to be drawn on the proposed deal for the Germany international but did admit that a playmaker will arrive before the close of the transfer window on August 31. "We need someone we can play between the lines [of the attack]," Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. "The club are working on this. "Right now we have to work with the squad that we have available to us. "The club has worked very well this summer and now we're thinking only about our conditioning. "But other players will arrive. The market is long." Allegri was speaking after watching his side suffer a 2-0 defeat in Saturday's friendly clash with Borussia Dortmund. The former AC Milan coach had no complaints about the result but was keen to point out that BVB are further along in their pre-season preparations given that the Bundesliga gets under way before Serie A. "We lacked fitness today," Allegri said. "I would say, however, that today was good practice for us irrespective of the result. "Borussia have different fitness levels to ours and the most important thing is that nobody got injured, particularly as our big goal is to be ready for the Supercoppa Italiana on August 8." Dybala started for Juve following his summer switch from Palermo and the Argentine attacker impressed sporadically alongside Alvaro Morata and Mandzukic. "He's a kid who has great quality," Allegri added. "His level dipped the longer the game went on but he did as well as Morata. "As for Mandzukic, he wasn't served well." Another recent arrival, Sami Khedira, missed the game through injury but Allegri was quick to play down any fears over the German's fitness. "He came here with enthusiasm and he's working well but today I didn't want to risk him," he added.

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Juventus: Germans Ease To Victory Over Bianconeri Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/07/borussia-dortmund-2-0-juventus-germans-ease-to-victory-over-bianconeri/? Jul 25, 2015 Juventus were defeated 2-0 by a strong Borussia Dortmund in a pre-season friendly at the AFG Arena in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The Bianconeri were out played for most of the game as Dortmund assumed control from the off. Dortmund’s first goal came from a well-worked counter-attack slotted in by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang which was followed by a sensational individual goal by the talented Marco Reus for the second. The game began with both sides immediately going at each other’s throats. Gianluigi Buffon demonstrated why he is the Juventus and Italy No.1 by making a double save from a swerving Reus free kick, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan returning a menacing shot as the ball fell to him outside the box after the initial parry. Shortly after, Reus narrowly missed the post after beating Gianluigi Buffon from a dangerous position on the right hand side of the box. Mario Mandzukic responded with an offside goal after the Bianconeri produced some effective play along the left flank, with Patrice Evra and Paul Pogba greatly involved. As the game continued, control of the game shifted in favour of Thomas Tuchel’s side who saw Buffon, yet again, deny their chance to taking the lead after a Aubameyang header was tipped over the bar from close range. Juventus lost more control as a sloppy pass from the back was intercepted which allowed Reus to send Kevin Kampl into the box who’s shot was saved again by Buffon. Juventus gained some momentum after two new signing linked up after Paulo Dybala’s free kick was attacked by Mandzukic to be well-saved and tipped over the bar. Finally, Juventus cracked in the fortieth minute with a sloppy attack transforming into a Dortmund counter-attack. The impressive Mkhitaryan ran onto a lobbed through ball to find a free Aubameyang on the edge of the box, who latched onto the lay off and decisively beat Buffon, to send the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal. The second half produced a much slower tempo of play with Dortmund totally asserting their dominance in the game. The game restarted with Norberto Murara Neto coming on to prove why he merited a move up to Turin with a one on one save against an Aubameyang effort. The slower second half continued with Dortmund keeping the ball in the Juventus half with comfort and pulling off some minor attempts on goal. Dortmund’s dominance climaxed in the sixty third minute as Marco Reus showcased his phenomenal individual talent by storming up the field with the ball from the halfway line. The magnificent German nutmegged Leonardo Bonucci before slotting past a helpless Neto from 10 yards. The final quarter of the game continued with Dortmund maintaining control with ease and stringing together a few soft attempts on goal. One of which placed Aubameyang, once again, one on one with Neto who made another marvellous save again proving his worth to the Italian champions. Juventus’ miserable second half performance was symbolised by Dybala’s careless half-hearted effort from outside the box, which flew straight into the stands. Following this effort, the final whistle blew shortly after, which brought an end to a dire Juventus performance leaving Massimiliano Allegri aware of the extent of work he has ahead of him to form a side strong enough to continue the Bianconeri’s brilliant performance last year.

Gigi Buffon's Greatness on Show in Juventus Pre-Season Loss to Borussia Dortmund Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2531216-gigi-buffons-greatness-on-show-in-juventus-pre-season-loss-to-borussia-dortmund? Jul 25, 2015 Just 49 days after the full-time whistle in Berlin signalled the end of the Champions League final—and with it the 2014/15 season—Juventus returned to action against Borussia Dortmund as part of their preparations for the new campaign, with a 2-0 defeat the outcome for the Italian side. The Bianconeri took on a German outfit coming to terms with the loss of Jurgen Klopp, who had led them for seven years but drew an end to his tenure after their struggles last term. Yet if the absence of the popular coach was jarring, no less so was the vastly different lineup fielded by Massimiliano Allegri. As discussed in this previous column, it has been a tumultuous summer in Turin, with a number of key figures deciding to move on perhaps in the belief that last season cannot be bettered. Due to those exits—and a number of other factors—the Juve boss made no fewer than four changes to the XI that lost to Barcelona last month. Martin Caceres returned from injury to take his place in defence, while new signings Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic formed an intriguing attacking trident alongside Alvaro Morata. Also making his first start was Colombian under-20 international Andres Tello, the 18-year-old who only arrived at the club back in January. As expected, the game began slowly, the two teams clearly struggling for fitness given both sets of players only returned to training a few days earlier. Juventus supporters tuning in would have perhaps had concerns over the lack of creativity—a point discussed in depth here—after the exits of Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez. Those fears would be quickly allayed, however, with the Old Lady's best chance of the first half coming via a free-kick on the left-hand side of the field. Dybala stepped up to take the set piece, curling a delightful ball into the box, and Mandzukic almost managed to net his maiden goal for the club with an excellent header. While it was the two new boys linking neatly at one end of the field who caught the eye, it was a familiar face at the other end who kept the scoreline respectable. He was unable to prevent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slotting the opening goal of the game after some smart play from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but Gigi Buffon was superb in the first 45 minutes. The game was just three minutes old when the goalkeeper was called upon for the first time, making a good stop on a powerful Mkhitaryan effort. He would make a second to deny Kevin Kampl before an Aubameyang header from point-blank range drew Buffon's very best. The 37-year-old made a stunning stop to repel the fine attempt from the Gabon international, showing that while so much around him has changed, the Juventus captain remains one of the best in the business. Buffon would make another stop from Kampl after Paul Pogba lost the ball, but he would make way at half-time for Brazilian stopper Norberto Neto, who also joined the club this summer. A raft of substitutions—including debuts for Juventus youth team players Luca Clemenza and Alberto Cerri—interrupted the flow of the game even more after the break. Marco Reus would eventually double the advantage for Borussia Dortmund after a wonderful solo run, with only a smart double save from Neto denying Thomas Tuchel's men from going further in front. Aside from knowing Buffon remains incredible between the posts, this new-look Juventus will take very little from Saturday's defeat, with Allegri—via the club's official Twitter account—saying "in spite of the result it was a good work out for us tonight." Having lost last season's first friendly before going on to such huge success, there will be little panic in Turin over this result, particularly from their experienced coach and captain.

Allegri: 'Juventus seek balance' http://www.football-italia.net/69711/allegri-juventus-seek-balance? Jul 25, 2015 Max Allegri saw a pattern after Juventus lost to Borussia Dortmund. “We ended the season conceding on the counter-attack…” The Bianconeri played their first game of the summer, while it was the seventh for the Germans, and the difference in fitness levels was evident. Despite several excellent saves from Gigi Buffon and Norberto Neto, Juve were beaten 2-0 in St Gallen. “We ended the season conceding two goals on the counter-attack and we start the season conceding two goals on the counter-attack,” smiled the Coach on Sky Sport Italia. Their last game was the 3-1 Champions League Final loss to Barcelona. “Obviously it is never pleasing to lose, but we knew that we would encounter difficulties this evening, because Borussia Dortmund are much further ahead in terms of pre-season preparation. “We must find our balance and lost the ball too many times coming out of defence. We must get our heads back in the game and try to be more focused. “It was a good training session, aside from the result. The important thing is that nobody got hurt as we head towards the game in Shanghai on August 8.” That appointment is the Italian Super Cup against Lazio. “We will find our fitness levels with time. We did some good things today and could’ve been better in controlling the ball, but we didn’t have the legs to keep up with Borussia Dortmund.” Sami Khedira would’ve made his debut as well, but was left out after a muscular problem. “I didn’t want to risk him, but he’s worked very well in training and will be very important this season.” There are negotiations for Julian Draxler, while Mario Gotze is an alternative. “We still need someone who can play between the lines,” confirmed Allegri. “We’re evaluating some options, but there’s time. “Right now I am working with the squad at my disposal and the club did well on the market. Paulo Dybala has great technique and did good things today, as did Alvaro Morata. Mario Mandzukic didn’t get the right service. “We want to challenge for every trophy right to the end.

Juve debutants lose to Dortmund Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://www.football-italia.net/69710/juve-debutants-lose-dortmund? Jul 25, 2015 Juventus gave Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic, Simone Zaza, Norberto Neto and Daniele Rugani debuts in a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund. The Bianconeri unveiled new buys Dybala and Mandzukic from the start, but Sami Khedira and Fernando Llorente were ruled out by muscular and ankle problems respectively in the St Gallen friendly. The last time these sides met was in the Champions League quarter-final, when Juve won 5-1 on aggregate. Gigi Buffon took under three minutes to make his first save of the season on a Henrikh Mkhitaryan angled drive, then used his legs to parry from Kevin Kampl. Dybala’s inspired through ball found Alvaro Morata to drill over from a tight angle, while Mandzukic saw a goal ruled offside. Buffon completed a hat-trick of saves after 27 minutes by fingertipping a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang header over from point-blank range. The veteran goalkeeper also beat away a Kampl counter-attack when Paul Pogba was dispossessed. Dybala curled a set play in for Mandzukic, but the free header was steered over the bar. Borussia Dortmund eventually did beat Buffon, as Mkhitaryan laid it off to the edge of the box for a powerful low Aubameyang finish on the counter. There was a clear difference in fitness levels, as it was Juve’s first friendly of the season and Dortmund’s seventh. Norberto Neto and Daniele Rugani made their debuts for the second half, but it was Giorgio Chiellini who nodded a corner just wide. The ex-Fiorentina goalkeeper stuck out a foot to deny Jonas Hoffman on a rapid counter-attack, while former Sassuolo striker Simone Zaza also made his first appearance in a Bianconeri jersey. Marco Reus doubled Dortmund’s lead with a wonderful solo effort, slaloming from midfield and nutmegging Leonardo Bonucci to fire past Neto. Hoffman should’ve made it 3-0 moments later, but aimed straight at Neto. Gonzalo Castro’s audacious lob was off target. Alberto Cerri came off the bench, though the ex-Parma striker is expected to go out on loan to Cagliari. Former Boca Juniors striker Guido Vadalá also made his bow for the Bianconeri and Simone Padoin blasted over late on. Neto kept the scoreline down with two saves in stoppages, palming a pair of Kirch efforts round the post. Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Juventus Scorers: Aubameyang 40 (B), Reus 64 (B) Borussia Dortmund: Bürki (Weidenfeller 46); Piszczek (Ginter 46), Hummels, Sokratis (Stenzel 62), Schmelzer (Kirch 62); Weigl (Castro 46), Gündogan (Bender 46); Kampl (Hoffman 46), Mkhitaryan (Kagawa 46), Reus (Dudziak 66); Aubameyang (Leitner 66) Juventus: Buffon (Neto 46); Caceres (Lichtsteiner 46), Barzagli (Rugani 46), Bonucci (Parodi 77), Evra (Chiellini 46); Tello (Sturaro 46), Marchisio (Cerri 69), Pogba (Vadalá 79); Dybala (Padoin 46); Mandzukic (Zaza 56), Morata (Clemenza 56)

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Juventus: Aubameyang & Reus star as BVB batter Bianconeri The striker opened the scoring with a precise finish from the edge of the area before the Germany international sealed a deserved win with a stunning solo strike. Saturday, 25th July – 19:00 CET – AFG Arena, St. Gallen, Switzerland http://www.goal.com/en-za/match/borussia-dortmund-vs-juventus/2038873/report Jul 25, 2015 Borussia Dortmund exacted some revenge for the Champions League exit to Juventus with a 2-0 friendly win over the Serie A champions in St. Gallen on Saturday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring for the Bundesliga outfit just before half-time at the AFG Arena, before Marco Reus' superb solo goal secured the win. The victory is Dortmund's fifth under Thomas Tuchel and sets them up nicely for their Europa League third-round qualifier with Wolfsberger on Thursday. Juve – who included seven of their Champions League final side in their starting line-up – found themselves on the back foot from the outset as Kevin Kampl and Henrikh Mkhitaryan tested Gianluigi Buffon. The Italy international was again on hand to deny Aubameyang 27 minutes in, but was unable to prevent the striker from breaking the deadlock just before half-time from Mkhitaryan's precise pass. New signing Mario Mandzukic should have given Juve the lead prior to Dortmund's opener, but the Croatia striker headed over from fellow new boy Paulo Dybala's free-kick. Changes aplenty at the break slowed the pace of the game down somewhat, but Reus sparked it back into life with a sublime run, the forward dancing through the Juve defence before slotting past substitute goalkeeper Neto - who was making his Bianconeri debut as a second-half substitute. Despite late pressure a third goal failed to materialise as Juve - who lacked their normal intensity - kept Dortmund at bay in their first pre-season outing.

Buffon: 'A new Juve era' http://www.football-italia.net/69702/buffon-new-juve-era? Jul 25, 2015 Gigi Buffon said Juventus are starting “a new era” this summer with radical changes to the team, but “we mustn’t limit ourselves.” The Bianconeri did the Double last term and reached the Champions League Final, but new faces make their debut in today’s friendly against Borussia Dortmund. “We changed many players, some important elements with great character left and we could say it’s the start of a new era,” Buffon told Sky Sport Italia. “What are our ambitions for the future? I think we mustn’t limit ourselves. We must figure out quickly what kind of a team we’ll be and where you could go thanks to everyone’s contribution.” Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic started against Borussia Dortmund, while Sami Khedira and Simone Zaza are among the other newcomers. “If I weren’t a Juventus player, I would still say that the club invested very well and showed their determination in a difficult time. “We were able to get strong, motivated players with a lot of potential. I think Dybala, Mandzukic, Khedira and Zaza can in future be part of Juventus history.”

Line-ups: Juve-Borussia Dortmund http://www.football-italia.net/69700/line-ups-juve-borussia-dortmund? Jul 25, 2015 Juventus unveil Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund, but Sami Khedira is injured. It kicks off at the AFG Arena in St Gallen at 19.00 CET. These sides met last season in the Champions League quarter-finals, Juve dominating 5-1 on aggregate. The Bianconeri are gearing up for the Italian Super Cup clash with Lazio next month, while the Bundesliga starts early. Khedira is left out after a muscular problem, Fernando Llorente sprained his left ankle and Kwadwo Asamoah remains in Turin for personalised training. Dybala starts in a new role for him, playing as a trequartista behind strikers Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata. Borussia Dortmund danger men include Henrikh Mkhitaryan and ex-Milan forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Tello, Marchisio, Pogba; Dybala; Mandzukic, Morata Juventus bench: Neto, Audero, Chiellini, Zaza, Padoin, Rugani, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Clemenza, Parodi, Cerri, Vadala Borussia Dortmund: Bürki; Piszczek, Hummels, Sokratis, Schmelzer; Weigl, Gündogan; Kampl, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Aubameyang Borussia bench: Weidenfeller, Subotic, Bender, Hofmann, Leitner, Großkreutz, Ramos, Kirch, Kagawa, Castro, Ginter, Durm, Dudziak, Stenzel

Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund Preview: What to watch for in Juve's first friendly of the season http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/25/9002337/juventus-borussia-dortmund-preview-what-to-watch-for-preseason-2015-friendly Jul 25, 2015 Excuse me, but this deserves caps lock: WE HAVE A GAME TO TALK ABOUT SOON. AN ACTUAL GAME. THANK THE HIGH HEAVENS. Now that I've got that out of my system, we can continue on with what will be the first match preview of the 2015-16 season. (Although since this is a friendly and doesn't count in the official standings, does this mean this is an official preview? You see, these are the things that truly matter. That hard-hitting pieces of information we desire here at BWRAO on a daily basis.) There won't be a trip to the Westfalenstadion for this meeting with Borussia Dortmund. There won't be a former Juventus primavera striker taking slight jabs at his former team in the press over the course of the build-up. None of that. Juventus' first preseason friendly, which is being played at the AFG Arena in Switzerland, is nothing close to what was on the line the last time Juventus and Dortmund played against one another back in the Champions League round of 16. Both teams are different. Dortmund will be rolling out a new head coach, Juventus will be rolling out a starting lineup that could very well feature a large portion of the summer signings brought in over the last six or eight weeks. This won't look like the Juventus squad that faced Dortmund back on March — to a certain extent. This will be the first look Max Allegri has of his new-look team in a game situation. The almost-full squad has only been training together for about a week, with the vast majority of the Juventus 2015-16 roster arriving from their vast array of summer vacations last weekend. It's the first step on what we hope is a season that was just as special as the last one. (And on the bright side, at least the middle of July has come and gone with Juventus having to replace their manager. So there's an improvement over last season right there.) Let's just list three things Juventus should accomplish in Saturday's friendly against the Yellow Submarine. Stay healthy. Get your work in. NOBODY GET HURT. Sounds good, right? Yeah, I think so, too. Just go ahead an tell yourself "It's only a friendly and the result doesn't really matter. It's only a friendly and the result doesn't really matter. It's only a friendly and the result doesn't really matter..." WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. What formation Allegri goes with. Okay, so it's a friendly and the final result doesn't matter in comparison to the team performance and players getting back into true game shape, that's what we know is certain. But we've seen Juventus' group of stikers change so much since the last time they were on the field, it's impossible to not be curious about what the team is going to look like in the first friendly of the season. Remember that period of the season when it seemed like Juventus bounced between two or three formations? Yeah, well go do a Twitter search right now and you'll probably find about 100 different would-be managers as to what Allegri should go with when the games actually do count. The good thing about this time of year? Allegri can experiment a little bit, which should be fun for all of us — at least in theory. 2. Where Paulo Dybala is deployed. Here's one thing completely connected to the thing we just talked about. I bring this whole thing because if you were to see any of the predicted lineups the Italian media created throughout the summer, a decent number of them had Paulo Dybala playing as a trequartista, not as a striker like he was during his pre-Juventus days. That could just be a whole load of crap, which is definitely possible when it comes to some of Italy's publications during transfer season. And if there's a signing of a certain Julian Draxler this summer, then there's your new No. 10 right there, not Dybala. But said No. 10 hasn't arrived in Turin yet and been shown his fancy new Juventus jersey, which means there's bullet point No. 1 that will determine what exactly Allegri has in stone for Juventus' €32 million man. 3. The new guys not named Paulo Dybala. Roster turnover is natural. But to see over half of Juventus' strikers be new — and pretty damn good, too — isn't exactly something we've seen happen the last few summers. But Mario Mandzukic is here and wearing David Trezeguet's old number. Sami Khedira will almost certainly step into Arturo Vidal's spot in the midfield. And let us not forget the likes of Simone Zaza, Daniele Rugani (more on him in a bit) and Gigi Buffon's new understudy, Neto. You would like to think that all of the newbies will playing into Allegri's plans in some way or another before the 90 minutes are up against Dortmund. And when you think about somebody like Khedira who didn't play much at all last season, these preseason minutes are going to be huge for the future. 4. Daniele Rugani's playing time. Excuse me while I geek out for a bit and re-watch Rugani's press conference from earlier in the week for the 10th time. ... Now, we can think about Rugani making his Juventus debut at some point against Borussia Dortmund today. Rugani arrives with plenty of hope attached to his 20-year-old shoulders. And it's not like he's done a lot to really disprove the notion that he's one of the best prospects to wear a Juventus jersey in quite some time. Who really knows what Rugani's role will be in a group of center backs full of experience and class, but it's undoubtedly going to be fun to watch this kid develop around his fellow Italian internationals. It all starts Saturday against Dortmund, too. My starting XI (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Cáceres, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba; Dybala, Morata; Mandzukic