Socrates

Marotta confirms Khedira deal May 30, 2015 Juventus director Beppe Marotta confirmed a deal for Sami Khedira, while they also “need” Paul Pogba. The transfer guru spoke to Sky Sport Italia ahead of today’s final game of the season against Verona. “We are very close to Khedira and will announce it officially when pen is put to paper,” confessed Marotta after this week’s medical. The German international midfielder arrives on a free transfer, as his contract with Real Madrid expires next month. “We moved swiftly and tenaciously because he has everything we were looking for. It is a winning group and we took the opportunity to further raise the quality level.” With that in mind, the Bianconeri also shrug off any attempts to poach €100m rated Pogba. “He is a player who had a positive transformation in a very short space of time. Juventus are accustomed to winning and to achieving their targets. “Pogba is not just a valuable asset for the club, but is also a player who we need to achieve these objectives.”

Luca Toni non stacca Carlitos.

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Line-ups: Verona-Juventus May 30, 2015 Juventus have a dry run for the Champions League Final, as Carlos Tevez battles Luca Toni for top scorer. It kicks off at 18.00 CET. Going into the final round of the Serie A season, Toni is Capocannoniere with 21 goals, followed by Tevez and Mauro Icardi of Inter on 20. They go head-to-head at the Stadio Bentegodi and await tomorrow’s Inter-Empoli to see what Icardi can give in reply. It would be a huge achievement for Toni to win, as he turned 38 this week and last took the Serie A crown nine years ago. Fernando Llorente gets the nod ahead of Alvaro Morata, while Simone Padoin and Angelo Ogbonna step in for not 100 per cent fit Stephan Lichtsteiner and Andrea Barzagli. Arturo Vidal is also rested, as he’d likely start against Barcelona rather than Roberto Pereyra. Verona: Rafael; Sala, Moras, Marquez, Agostini; Greco, Tachtsidis, Hallfredsson; Gomez Taleb, Toni, Jankovic Verona bench: Benussi, Gollini, Rodriguez, Saviola, Obbadi, Nico Lopez, Marques, Valoti, Campanharo, Fernandinho, Martic, Fares Juventus: Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Evra; Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente Juventus bench: Storari, Del Favero, Chiellini, Pepe, Morata, Coman, De Ceglie, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Matri http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Lichtsteiner Faces Surgery After Champions League Final May 30, 2015 Juventus right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner is set to undergo ankle surgery following the Champions League final against Barcelona. The club have adopted a pragmatic approach involving day-to-day management of the injury in order to maintain the Swiss defender’s match-fitness, but must now accept the inevitable in booking the post-season procedure. According to Tuttosport, the 31-year-old has been suffering with pain and inflammation in his left ankle for sometime, meaning a cleaning out of the troublesome area has finally become necessary. They state an operation to solve the problem will take place around mid-June, after further examinations have been undertaken by specialists. Lichtsteiner has been in fine form for the Serie A and Coppa Italia double winners, while making 47 appearances in all competitions so far this term. However, he may not be risked during Saturday’s away league fixture at Hellas Verona in an effort to ensure his availability for June 6 in Berlin.

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Mandorlini: Hellas Verona Will Produce A Big Performance Against Juventus May 30, 2015 Hellas Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini hopes his side can end the Serie A season on a high and stop the rot against champions Juventus. The Gialloblu have suffered against Massimiliano Allegri’s team this season, losing heavily at the Juventus stadium 6-1 and 4-0 in Coppa Italia and Serie A, respectively. Mandorlini doesn’t believe Juventus will be distracted by their upcoming Champions League final with Barcelona but is drawing inspiration from their last encounter at the Stadio Bentegodi, when Verona fought from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw. “We will try our best to produce one last big performance,” the 54-year-old told the press. “It has been difficult for us in Turin and, while we have since achieved our season’s objectives, but we have not forgotten about those results. “I am convinced that Juventus will come here ready to compete, so we must be prepared mentality and physically for the match. “The game last year [a 2-2 draw] is still fresh in the memory and it would be nice to repeat it, even though it will be difficult.” Evergreen Hellas striker Luca Toni has scored six goals in his last six matches to go into the final round of fixtures top scorer in Italy with 21 goals. The 38-year-old is one strike ahead of Inter’s Mauro Icardi and Juve’s own Carlos Tevez, and could clinch his second Capocannoniere crown against his former club on Saturday evening. “Toni vs Tevez? We of course will all be rooting for Luca, and we must do everything we can to help him,” Mandorlini added. “In addition, we need to be stand firm in defence to neutralise the threat from Tevez, who has already scored against us this season.” While Hellas have only lost once in their last seven outings, they have only avoided defeat to Juventus three times in 14 top flight meetings, with their sole victory recorded 15 years ago. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus vs. Hellas Verona Preview: Round 38 — Last call ... in Italy, at least May 29, 2015 When I've rolled out the match preview that involved "Round 38" the last few seasons, it has usually come with the mention of something like "We'll see you all in a couple of months. Have fun with all the transfer rumors now!" It's pretty much the official declaration that the actual season is just 24 hours from ending and the absolute silly one is just a couple of hours away from getting underway. Except this season's Round 38 post isn't the last preview of the season. Oh no, there's still one more game to be played after the 2014-15 Serie A season comes to a close. It's not for the Coppa Italia; we've already done that. It's much, much bigger than that. Seven days from tomorrow, Juventus will embark on their biggest game since the 2003 Champions League final. And it's no coincidence that it's against one of the teams they beat the last time they made a run into the biggest game European football has to offer. It's no offense to Hellas Verona, really. They're just the final game before that game in the grand old city of Berlin on June 6. Juventus vs. Hellas Verona is the final game of the Serie A season. But it's not Juventus final game of the 2014-15 season. See the difference? Good, because there's an obvious difference to identify. One game is against Hellas Verona, the other is against everybody's odds-on favorite to win the Champions League this season in Barcelona. (Gee, Juventus in an underdog kind of role in the Champions League. Where have we seen that one before...?) Juventus have gotten their Scudetto celebration out of the way last week. Same goes for winning the club's 10th Coppa Italia. So all that matters is one thing — that same Champions League final next Saturday in Berlin. Juventus' trip to the Bentegodi is the last warm-up for that final against the Spanish champions. Just one, and that's it. Finish the Serie A season and then it's nothing but a week full of "CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL! CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL! CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!" My gut tells me that Juve are playing relatively well right now. And here's confirmation of that. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen Form guide? We head into Saturday's #VeronaJuve with four wins and a draw from our last five @SerieA_TIM matches. And you know what would be a good thing heading into the Champions League final? Yeah, extending that good run of form. Nobody wants to see Juventus lay an egg with such a monumental match just a week away. Well, maybe Barcelona, but that's just a guess on my part. GOOD NEWS This isn't the las game of Juventus' season! BAD NEWS But it's the last Serie A game of the season. I've kinda liked this season, too. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Luca Toni vs. Carlos Tévez for the Serie A scoring title. Outside of the fact that Juventus will be playing in the Champions League final in eight days, this is the biggest storyline heading into the Serie A finale for both teams tomorrow night. It's not very common to see two direct competitors for the Capocannoniere play against one another on the final week of the season. And while Mauro Icardi is also in the race to win the Serie A scoring crown, he plays for Inter and therefore will be disregarded. (Sorry, not sorry.) Max Allegri said at his pre-match press conference that Tévez will play on Saturday, which means he'll have the chance to pull level or leapfrog Mr. Numero Uno on the final weekend of the season. And you know what Tévez did the last time he faced Hellas Verona? Yeah, he scored a brace in Juventus' blowout win in Turin back in mid-January. If Juve keep Hellas Verona scoreless, well then Tévez has a shot to tie Toni with 21 Serie A goals at the very least. 2. Who sits, who plays? With the Champions League final a week away and no games to be played between tomorrow's Serie A finale and a week from Saturday, I wouldn't be surprised to see Allegri field a relatively Juventus A lineup compared to the Juventus B one we've seen the last few weekends. But we also know that regardless of what Max says at his pre-match press conferences, any kind of general, nondescript comment about the starting lineup should just be translated to something like "Yeah, just wait to see the starting XI tomorrow, folks." The luxury Allegri has is that he could give somebody like Andrea Pirlo or Patrice Evra two weeks off between games. That's not exactly something every manager gets to do on a regular basis. And when you take into consideration that Barca will be playing in the Copa Del Rey final on Saturday, it's not like they have a chance to do massive squad rotation. 3. Who starts alongside Tévez in attack? It really is a toss up at this point. Allegri could decide to stick with the Tévez-Morata partnership with the Champions League final seven days away. Or, Mad Max could decide to give the young Spaniard most of the game off at the very least to ensure that he goes into the final as rested as anybody. Some folks are thinking that it will be Fernando Llorente starting next to Tévez, others have a hunch and are predicting it will be Alessandro Matri. At this point, it doesn't really matter. If Morata plays, then that's great. If Morata rests, then we'll know exactly why. And it's not like Morata hasn't been playing well lately. Out of all the Juventus players, Morata is certainly one of the most in-form ones — especially in Europe. Maybe we could ask some of his former Real Madrid teammates to remind us about that... 4. Can everybody stay healthy. Dear God I hope so. The last thing Juventus needs right now is somebody getting hurt. And that's on top of the waiting game we're currently playing with Andrea Barzagli and his recovery from the thigh injury he suffered against Napoli last weekend. My starting XI (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Tévez, Morata http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello HELLAS VERONA V JUVENTUS PREVIEW May 29, 2015 Juventus There’s very little at stake for Juventus in the final Serie A match, a week before the much anticipated Champions League final. The coach Massimiliano Allegri stated that they would like Carlos Tevez to be the top scorer of the League, but given how much he rested over the last few weeks, they wouldn’t be very disappointed if he didn’t win the symbolic award. A shoot-out between the two contenders Tevez and Luca Toni would be riveting. This is the final tune-up before the Berlin game and the rotation will be moderate. In the pre-game presser, Allegri said that they don’t want the players who are one yellow card away from disqualification to risk losing the Super Coppa, which should be played in the summer this year (against Lazio). Therefore Giorgio Chiellini, Arturo Vidal, Roberto Pereyra and Stefano Sturaro are likely to be benched (Paolo De Ceglie is in the same condition but I doubt he’ll be at Juventus in August). If he strictly followed this principle, the coach would have a strange squad at disposal, very limited in the midfield and especially with no options at CAM. So it’s possible that Pereyra or Sturaro will make an appearance anyway and then it’ll be up to them to be cautious, and, no disrespect, but having them sidelined wouldn’t be as bad as having Vidal or Chiellini suspended. The main goal is to avoid what happened in the last game when Andrea Barzagli suffered a thigh problem. Barzagli has been only a borderline starter this season because of his health issues, but not having him at disposal on June 6 would deprive Allegri of the possibility of using a three-man defense (the first Bayern Munich game showed that it’s not effective, but if you are up one goal with few minutes to go, that’s a no brainer). A rectus femoris strain usually heals in three weeks, let’s see if they’ll be able to speed up the recovery. Juventus can’t afford to lose any starter: it’s very easy to suffer an injury so deep into the season because of the wear and tear. Leonardo Bonucci and Stephen Lichtsteiner have a lot of mileage on them (4,5k and 3.9k minutes this season), Patrice Evra and Andrea Pirlo are aged. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them on the bench. If Pereyra and Vidal was indeed preserved, it would mean that Simone Pepe or Kingsley Coman would be forced to play out of position in the hole. Fernando Llorente is the favorite to start over Alvaro Morata. A typical three-man attack with both Spaniards sitting is a possibility. Rubinho, Luca Marrone. Kwadwo Asamoah aren’t in the squad list for unknown reasons. Probable lineup 4-3-1-2: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Evra; Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pereyra; Llorente, Tevez. Injured players Barzagli (thigh), Caceres (ankle), Romulo (thigh). Hellas Verona All in all, Hellas Verona had a pretty boring season: last season’s campaign was an exploit and it’s understandable that they have taken a step back since they had much less talent on the roster this year. The have been solid, but they didn’t have an explosive offensive talent like Juan Manuel Iturbe or an interesting reclamation project like Romulo. They had a bunch of veterans: some matched expectations, some were a little below average. Nico Lopez, who replaced Iturbe, had some good moments but didn’t break out the way they hoped and also Campanharo, a possible new Jorginho, didn’t pan out. However, only once they slipped towards the dangerous zones of the table, but they brilliantly recovered and navigated with ease through the final stretches. They are sitting comfortably in thirteenth position with 45 points. While they don’t have any more team goals to achieve, they do have one more objective they are pushing for: they want Luca Toni to win the scorers’ chart. He has a one-goal advantage over Tevez and Mauro Icardi going into the final match day. That’s not surprising because Hellas Verona is the only team that really plays for one man, since Udinese have slowly shifted away from Antonio Di Natale. Therefore we can expect tons of crosses and long balls, with every member of the squad committed to feeding the centre-forward in the box, which is really no different from what they’ve been doing all season long. Toni has never had the speed and the agility, but he’s powerful, he constantly outmuscles defenders, he’s always aware of where the goal and the goalkeeper are, he has a bag of old man’s tricks he can use in every situation and he mastered the art of scoring while out of balance. It’s the end of the season, so it’s normal that there are some bruises here and here. Artur Ionita, an early spark that quickly faded, is definitely out with a thigh injury, Munir Obbadi, Rafa Marquez and Eros Pisano are dealing with minor thigh problems but they might play through them. Guillermo Rodriguez is the most likely replacement for the Mexican CB if the physical issue ultimately sidelines him. Anyway, Mandorlini has plenty of option to mold his usual 4-3-3, also thanks to the stud Jacopo Sala, who can cover the whole right flank. It looks like he’ll play in the defense, with Alessandro Agostini on the other wing. But Sala might move to the midfield if Obbadi wasn’t ready to play. Juanito Gomez seems to have recovered from a minor injury and he’s slated to start up front, probably sharing time with the Brazilian trickers Fernandinho, who’s been getting loud cheers from Bentegodi in his rare appearances. It’s the final game of the season so it might be the right opportunity to give a chance to some youngsters who haven’t got much playing time like Pierluigi Gollini, Ivan Martic, Mattia Valoti and Frederick Sorensen. We’ll see if Mandorlini will rely on them. Probable lineup 4-3-3: Rafael; Sala, Moras, Marquez, Agostini; Obbadi, Tachtsidis, Hallfredsson; Juanito Gomez, Toni, Jankovic. Injured players Ionita (thigh), Pisano (thigh). Formation http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Juventus name squad for Verona May 29, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri has named a 22-man Juventus squad for the trip face Verona tomorrow evening. The only surprise inclusion is 16-year-old goalkeeper Mattia Del Favero, who is included in the travelling party ahead of third-choice ‘keeper Rubinho. The Brazilian customarily makes a cameo appearance in the last game of the season, but that honour could now go to the young shot-stopper. Having failed to play a single game this season, Rubinho now has twice as many trophies with Juventus as appearances, having won three Scudetti and the Coppa Italia, while only actually taking to the field twice. The match represents the Bianconeri’s last domestic appointment of the season, but they still have the Champions League final with Barcelona to look forward to on June 6. Juventus squad to face Verona: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Llorente, De Ceglie, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Storari, Matri, Evra, Pereyra, Del Pavero. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Hellas Verona v Juventus: Preview May 29, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is stressing the importance of winning Sunday's game at Hellas Verona in order to avoid going into their Champions League final against Barcelona on the back of a loss. The Serie A champions end the campaign at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi before facing Barca in next week's top European game in Berlin. ``This is our last test before the final,'' Allegri said to the Italian press. ``Now we must try to maintain our level of high concentration and go to Verona with our minds on Sunday's game and not on Berlin.'' Juve, under first-year coach Allegri, have already captured their first domestic double in two decades after winning the Coppa Italia against Lazio. They head into the final round of the season 16 points clear of second-placed Roma in the standings. ``We've had an extraordinary campaign,'' Allegri said. ``We are just missing the icing on the cake. ``We are all excited about the final and I believe we can play a great game against Barcelona.'' Carlos Tevez is expected to start at Hellas having been rested in last weekend's 3-1 triumph over Napoli. The Argentinian forward is Juve's top scorer this season with 20 league goals, the same as compatriot Mauro Icardi of Inter Milan, and both players are one goal shy of Hellas Verona's Luca Toni, who leads the Serie A goalscoring charts. ``I will give Tevez the possibility to try to overtake Toni as the top goalscorer in the league,'' Allegri said. ``Although I believe both players are worthy of the award.'' Toni, who struck twice for Hellas Verona in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Parma to leapfrog Tevez and Icardi into first place, is ready for the challenge. ``I am calm and hoping to take my chances,'' he said. ``Finishing as the top scorer in Serie A would be very satisfying for me and my team, because it is thanks to them that I have 21 goals. ``No Verona player has ever been capocannoniere (top scorer) in Serie A.'' Toni, 38, won the award by scoring 31 goals for Fiorentina in the 2005-06 campaign and came close last season when he finished in second place with 20 goals, two fewer than then Torino forward Ciro Immobile. ``He has given us so much in the past two years,'' Hellas coach Andrea Mandorlini said. ``We hope we can help him on Sunday. ``It would be a fantastic achievement and well deserved.'' Hellas are 13th in the standings, one place and two points above city rivals Chievo. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Allegri: Heysel a black page in world sport and the history of Juventus The Bianconeri boss, his staff and entire squad will attend a memorial service on Friday to commemorate the deaths of 39 people in Brussels 30 years ago. May 29, 2015 Massimiiliano Allegri has described the Heysel Stadium disaster as "a black page in world sport and the history of Juventus". Speaking on the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, which saw 39 people die after Liverpool fans charged a wall during violent clashes before the 1985 European Cup final, the Bianconeri boss voiced his support for a growing campaign among the Italian club's followers for greater recognition of what happened on that fateful evening and widespread acknowledgement of the continued suffering of the victims' families. “What happened 30 years ago, on that tragic night, was a black page in world sport and the history of Juventus," Allegri told reporters at a press conference on Friday afternoon. "Today we commemorate the victims and our hearts go out to their relatives." Allegri, his backroom team and entire squad will attend a memorial service in Turin's Gran Madre de Dio church on Friday evening before departing for Verona for their final Serie A game of the season. The 47-year-old coach is expected to rest players for the meeting with Andrea Mandorlini's men at the Marcantonio Bentegodi but revealed that he will start Carlos Tevez. Juve face Barcelona in the Champions League final on June 6, with both sides bidding to complete a treble, but Allegri is willing to allow his star striker to play, given the Argentina international currently sits one goal behind Verona striker Luca Toni in the battle for this season's Capocannoniere. “It will be an important game for us as it’s our final test before the Champions League final," the Juve boss added. "We need to focus exclusively on Verona in order to round off our season on the best possible note. “I still haven’t fully decided on my starting line-up but Tevez will play. "He wasn’t involved last Saturday and will have the opportunity to draw level with and overtake Toni in the Serie A top scorers' list. "Both would be deserved winners for their achievements this season.”

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Allegri: Juventus Focused On Hellas Verona, Not Barcelona May 29, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his players to remain focused on ending their Serie A season on a high and not on the upcoming Champions League final against Barcelona. The Italian champions are expected to convincingly defeat 13th-placed Verona when they travel to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on Saturday. And the 47-year-old has insisted that the team are in good shape and motivated coming into their final domestic fixture. “It is the last test before the final. It’s not ‘Allegri’s Juve’ but a team that has done a fantastic this season,” he told reporters. “We haven’t played for seven days. Now we have to try to keep the focus high and go to and play Hellas Verona, with Verona with on our mind, and not Berlin. “The team is well, so many players have played a lot. The final has different motivations though. “For us it is normal to have enthusiasm, it’s hard to repeat a season like this, most of what has been done was difficult.” Allegri then went on to address the team’s injury issues, and has reassured the club’s supporters that things are progressing nicely. “We will not know about Barzagli until Tuesday,” the tactician continued. “I do not know if he is proceeding well, the medical staff are all doing their best. “Pogba is fine and normal after the second game in Madrid and has had a good run, as have the others.” When asked about how Juventus will take on Barcelona in the final, Allegri admits it will be hard to contain the Catalan’s world-class players. “When you play these challenging games with great players, if we have the right approach, we will deserve the win,” Allegri said. “We have to be calm and play with enthusiasm. “We face two teams with different characteristics, we have to be as if we were playing Real, if not more so. “It is a single game, but now there is no need to talk of Barcelona. On Sunday the guys will rest and will resume working on Monday to prepare for the week ahead.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Barcelona Intensify Talks For Pogba May 29, 2015 The transfer saga surrounding midfielder Paul Pogba seems to be reaching a climax with Spanish media reporting that Barcelona are set to step up their efforts to acquire the player. The France International’s supreme form this season has seen him linked with moves to Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City. However, Catalan sports daily Sport reports that Barcelona have intensified talks with the 22-year-old’s agent, Mino Raiola, for a possible transfer in the summer of 2016. However, it is suggested that while the transfer ban could leave Juventus inclined to sell Pogba to Barcelona, there could be several obstacles in the way, namely the price tag of the player, which could be upwards of €80 million. In addition, it is believed Pogba will only settle for a salary which would make him the second highest player at the club behind talisman Lionel Messi, with the club said to be reluctant to heed to the starlet’s wishes. Nevertheless, the Blaugrana seem to be in the front-seat to sign Pogba after Real Madrid were forced to deny rumours that they had already made an offer for the France International. “Real Madrid have had no contact either with Juventus or the player’s agent and, as a consequence, the reports published in this newspaper are completely false,” a statement from the club read. Juventus are currently preparing for their final Serie A outing with an away fixture against Hellas Verona on Saturday, before facing Barcelona in the Champions League in Berlin on June 6.

Allegri: 'No Messi anxiety' May 29, 2015 Max Allegri says Juventus must have no 'Messi anxiety' ahead of the game against Barcelona. The Bianconeri play their last Serie A game against Verona tomorrow, but predictably most attention is being diverted to the upcoming Champions League final on June 6. “I think it's normal that we should be enthusiastic,” he said in today's Press conference. “It's unlikely that a season like this one is going to be repeated, because we played on three different fronts and went all the way in all of them. “We won two of them, now let's see what happens on Saturday. The team could have done no more. “A final is a final and our problems become secondary. “We have no advantages here, but we must be conscious of having a real chance against a great team, and we must hope for a touch of luck to favour the underdog, as is often the case in Champions League finals. “We must have no 'Messi-anxiety', or for that matter any 'Neymar-anxiety'. I don't get why we should. “They're fabulous players. When you take part in these games it's a given that you'll face world-class adversaries, but this shouldn't be a source of anxiety. “Besides, if we made it to the final it means we have as many qualities and characteristics as those who are before us. “We know they have some important players upfront as well as in the midfield, where [Andrés] Iniesta is an extraordinary player. “But we must stay calm and play with enthusiasm, or we could compromise our chances of winning the cup. “This week must be approached like any other. The potential prize is on a different level, but we must avoid thinking about the final 24 hours a day or we'll burn mental energy. “It's such an extraordinary event, and it's so wonderful to be playing it, that our enthusiasm and adrenaline must absolutely not turn into anxiety. “At the end of the day it's a football game, and to play it you need serenity." The 47-year-old was also asked whether he'd rest Carlos Tevez, who could potentially be one of the key men against the Blaugrana. “He'll play tomorrow because he wasn't able to last Saturday [against Napoli] and we must give him the chance to reach [top goalscorer Luca] Toni. “I think both of them deserve to be top goalscorer. Toni deserves a special mention because I don't think anyone can do what he did, and with such professionalism, at the age of 38. “Juventus and Barcelona have different characteristics. We have some important qualities and Barcelona have others. “We'll have to do what we did against Real Madrid, perhaps more so. “We've got to be good because it's a one-time match and there will be no second leg. “But right now I think there's no point in talking about Barcelona. We'll think about them starting from Monday. “On Sunday, after tomorrow's game, I'll give the lads a rest and then we'll have a training session on Monday, perhaps with open doors. “Then it's going to be an easy ride until Berlin. “The FIFA scandal? We must wait before passing judgment. But these are matters that don't concern me, because I must be competent in other fields. I'm a man of the pitch. “Paulo Dybala? He's an important player. He has the potential to become a great champion because he's only 21-years-old. “He had a significant season with Palermo, so I like him. No, we haven't spoken yet.”

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello 'Juve duty to play well' May 29, 2015 Max Allegri looks forward to the 'final conclusion' to Juventus' season after the game against Hellas Verona. The Bianconeri conquered the Scudetto several weeks ago and are expected to field a dress-rehearsal formation against Verona ahead of the Champions League final in Berlin, but the 47-year-old wished to open his Press conference on a different note. “Before anything else I'd like to start by remembering what happened 30 years ago, a black page in the history of sports and Juventus,” he said, in reference to the Heysel Stadium disaster, which saw the death of 39 supporters. “I think today the only thing to be done is to commemorate the victims and be close to their families. “Tomorrow is an important game because it's our last test before the Champions League final. “It's not Allegri's Juve, it's just a team that played an extraordinary season. We're short of the final conclusion, the Champions League. “We have to wait seven days because it can't be played any earlier. “So tomorrow we have a duty to play a good game, especially to make sure our levels of tension stay high. “We're in a good physical condition, but tomorrow our minds mustn't go to Berlin. That wouldn't make sense. “Our minds must go only to Verona, so we can close the championship in the best possible way. “I'll choose my formation today, though I have a lot of players who picked up yellow cards and may be suspended for the Supercup, so I'll have to think about it. “The fact that a player doesn't play tomorrow doesn't mean he isn't ready for the final. “The team is doing well. I have a lot of players who put in a lot of matches, but the final gives you so much drive that it makes no difference whether you've played an extra game or not. “Andrea Barzagli? We won't know whether he can play until Tuesday or Wednesday. “He's progressing well. I'm not going to say how likely it is that we'll see him against Barcelona, because it's an injury, but all the staff is working to bring him back. “As for Pogba, he's doing fine. It's understandable that after the second game in Madrid – I mean the second after his game against Cagliari – he should have picked up his condition again.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Verona - Juventus Preview: Ogbonna seeks strong Champions League warm-up In their penultimate game of the season, the Bianconeri will hope to put in a good performance ahead of their Champions League final next week. May 29, 2015 Angelo Ogbonna has urged Juventus to finish their Serie A season in style as they play their final game before facing Barcelona in the Champions League final. Juve have already clinched the league title and Coppa Italia and victory over Barca next week will see them lift a historic treble. Before then, though, the Bianconeri have to complete their domestic campaign and centre-back Ogbonna is keen to put on a show. "We are already preparing for June 6," Ogbonna told Juve's official website. "We want to have a good match against Verona to end our season in the best possible way before looking towards the Champions League final." Ogbonna pin-pointed two moments that have defined as Massimiliano Allegri's men's season, adding: "There's the Coppa Italia, which we finally won after 20 years with a great final and a great semi-final against Fiorentina in Florence. "Perhaps that was the real turning point of the season, along with the 3-1 away win in the league against Napoli in January." Few would back against Juve finishing off their season strongly, considering they have lost just three times in the league this season. However, the Bentegodi has proved a difficult ground for Juve, with the club's last two visits both finishing 2-2. OPTA FACTS Verona have picked up just two points in their last seven league meetings against Juventus. Verona have won only once over their last 16 Serie A matches agasint the Old Lady, losing 12 times. The last two league clashes between Verona and Juventus at the Bentegodi have both ended with a 2-2 draw. Verona have never repeated the same result twice in a row in their last six Serie A fixtures - their last game ended in a draw against Parma. Juventus are unbeaten in their last five league games (W4 D1), after they had lost two of the previous three. Verona have recouped 18 points from trailing situations, a league-high this season. Juventus have netted the most goals from outside the box across the top five European leagues this season (21). Carlos Tévez has scored five goals in his three league appearances against Verona, his favourite opponent in the Italian top-flight. LAST FIVE MATCHES Hellas Verona D W D L D 2015/05/24 - Parma 2 - 2 Hellas Verona 2015/05/17 - Hellas Verona 2 - 1 Empoli 2015/05/10 - Chievo Verona 2 - 2 Hellas Verona 2015/05/03 - Hellas Verona 0 - 1 Udinese 2015/04/29 - Sampdoria 1 - 1 Hellas Verona Juventus W W W D D 2015/05/23 - Juventus 3 - 1 Napoli 2015/05/20 - Juventus 2 - 1 Lazio 2015/05/16 - Internazionale 1 - 2 Juventus 2015/05/13 - Real Madrid 1 - 1 Juventus 2015/05/09 - Juventus 1 - 1 Cagliari HEAD TO HEAD 2015/01/18 - Juventus 4 - 0 Hellas Verona 2015/01/15 - Juventus 6 - 1 Hellas Verona 2014/02/09 - Hellas Verona 2 - 2 Juventus 2013/09/22 - Juventus 2 - 1 Hellas Verona 2007/04/27 - Hellas Verona 0 - 1 Juventus http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Hellas Verona V Juventus – Preview: Old Lady Looking To Finish With A Flourish May 29, 2015 Hellas Verona host Serie A champions Juventus at the Stadio Bentegodi on Saturday evening in the Bianconeri’s final test before the Champions League final. Juventus will face Barcelona in European football’s showcase event in Berlin next Saturday, but must first overcome the challenge of a Verona side hoping to finish above rivals Chievo. The hosts are currently two points ahead of the Flying Donkeys and could yet finish the season as high as 11th place if other results go their way. Although Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve wrapped up the league title weeks ago, they should be firing on all cylinders in order to carry some momentum into their big night in Berlin. Evergreen Hellas striker Luca Toni will be hoping to score against his former club and has been on sensational form, scoring six goals in his last six matches. The 38-year-old will hope that his side have learned their lesson after two heavy defeats against the Old Lady already this season. Juve knocked Verona out of the Coppa Italia in January with a whopping 6-1 win, before recording an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Gialloblu in the league only three days later. Despite that record, Hellas coach Andrea Mandorlini will be encouraged by his side’s recent form, as they have now lost only once in seven matches. The visitors’ form has hardly fallen since they secured the title either and they arrive at the Bentegodi on the back of knocking Real Madrid out of the Champions League, beating Lazio in the Coppa Italia final and recording league wins over Inter and Napoli. Artur Ionita and Juanito Gomez could be absent for the home side due to injury problems. Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli has also been struggling with a niggle and could join Martin Caceres and Romulo on the absentees list. Form Guide: Verona (W-D-L-D-W-D) Juventus (L-W-W-D-W-W) Expected Starting XIs Verona: Rafael; Sala, Marquez, Moras, Agostini; Obbadi, Tachtsidis, Hallfredsson; Jankovic, Toni, Fernandinho Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Chiellini, Bonucci, Evra; Pogba, Marchisio, Sturaro; Vidal; Morata, Tevez http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Messi warns Barca of Tevez threat in Champions League final The 27-year-old singled out his international team-mate for praise as he prepares to face him in next weekend's European showdown. May 28, 2015 Lionel Messi has warned his Barcelona team-mates that Juventus pose a very serious threat in the Champions League final, particularly with Carlos Tevez in their ranks. The two sides will meet in Berlin on June 6 with Juve on the brink of their first-ever treble having completed the double in Italy. Meanwhile Barca can take another step towards repeating their 2009 heroics if they defeat Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey on Saturday. The Catalans are favourites going into the game but Messi says he and his team-mates can't afford to be complacent, while singling out Argentina team-mate Tevez as their key man. "We will face a very tough opponent," he told Sport Premium. "Juventus are physically strong and have great players like Tevez. "It's a final and anything can happen, but we are preparing for the game as we would normally do." Should Barcelona win the trophy, it will be the fourth time 27-year-old Messi has lifted the Champions League. He is already in pole position to claim his fifth Ballon d'Or - having been pipped to the Fifa award for the past two years by Cristiano Ronaldo - due to his stellar performances since the halfway point of 2014-15.

Carlos Tévez, Roberto Peryera part of Argentina Copa America squad May 28, 2015 Over the next couple of weeks, most of the Juventus squad will be heading to beaches and resorts as the season comes to an end following nearly nine months of blood, sweat and probably a few (happy) tears. Hopefully there will be some kind of Champions League celebration in there, but vacations are on the not-so-distant horizon for many players that Max Allegri has relied on during the 2014-15 season. That's not exactly going to be the case for Carlos Tévez and Roberto Pereyra. At least not right off the bat, anyway. Both Juventus' leading scorer and their utility knife in the midfield have been included in Argentina manager Tata Martino's 23-man squad for this summer's Copa America in Chile. Both Tévez and Pereyra have been included in recent Argentina squads, making their inclusion not a huge shock to anybody who know how good both of them have been during the 2014-15 season. Selección Argentina ✔@Argentina #CopaAmérica Repasá la lista de 23 futbolistas que eligió Martino para el torneo en Chile Here's the list in full in case you don't feel like squinting to see some of the faces on the squad picture: Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero, Nahuel Guzman, Mariano Andujar Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta, Facundo Roncaglia, Ezequiel Garay, Martin Demichelis, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo, Milton Casco Midfielders: Lucas Biglia, Roberto Pereyra, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago, Ever Banega, Javier Pastore, Erik Lamela, Angel Di Maria Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Ezequiel Lavezzi Tévez enters the final weekend of the Serie A season with 20 goals, one behind Hellas Verona's Luca Toni. It just so happens that Toni and Tévez will be playing on the same field at the Bentegodi this Saturday night. For the season, Tévez has scored 29 goals in 41 games — something that bears repeating every single time you talk to somebody who happens to root for Manchester City. Pereyra, who is a virtual lock to have his contract bought in full from Udinese this summer, has been as versatile a player that Max Allegri could have asked for over the course of the season. He has played out wide as a winger, as a central midfielder and as a trequartista. And, most of the time, he has been a quality contributor. Basically, he's been both a solid player when in the starting lineup and a huge boost of energy off the bench when called upon. So good on the both of you, Carlos and Roberto. Now we have some Juventus-related things to watch this summer while we try and cope with no football until the month of August.

VERONA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, May 30th, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium, Verona Referee: Marco Di Bello Preview: Hellas Verona vs. Juventus May 28, 2015 Juventus remain firmly on track to secure an historic treble this season, but before heading to Berlin for the Champions League final, they must round off their successful Serie A campaign. League title already in the bag, the Old Lady take on Hellas Verona this weekend with the hope of prolonging their unbeaten run into next week's showpiece final on the European stage. Hellas Verona Having overachieved on their return to the Italian top flight last season, finishing in the top half of the table on the back of an impressive set of results, the target this time around for Verona was to consolidate their place in Serie A. With just one set of fixtures left to play, Andrea Mandorlini's men have done exactly that. One defeat in their opening six games set the tone, with a current 14-point gap between themselves and the bottom three in the division. An unlikely win against the champions on Saturday will not quite be enough to secure another top-10 spot, but finishing within the same vicinity as fallen Milan giants Inter and AC certainly marks a fine return for the campaign. The three-point hauls have dried up in recent weeks, however, with just the one win - at home to Empoli earlier this month - to their name over the past five matchdays. While at times the Gialloblu's defence has let the side down - only three teams have conceded more than their tally of 63 goals against up the other end - Verona have one man in particular to thank. At the grand old age of 38, Luca Toni continues to rack up the goals. In fact, should the hosts keep out Juventus star Carlos Tevez this weekend, then it is likely that the Italian World Cup winner will finish as the league's top scorer. Toni may be tempted into ending his career on foreign shores, but keeping hold of the 21-goal striker will prove key to the Mastini's hopes next term. Recent form: WDLDWD Juventus So far, so good for Juventus in terms of this season's ambitions. A domestic league title firmly in the bag, combined with their recent Coppa Italia success, ensures that things are looking good for Massimiliano Allegri's men at this moment in time. They are not content with stopping there, either, having booked their place in the Champions League final thanks to a gutsy performance over two legs against current holders Real Madrid. A season that began with seven league wins on the bounce looks likely to end in a similar manner, with victory over Hellas on Saturday enough to take the Bianconeri's record to 89 points out of a possible 114 for the campaign. Allegri deserves huge credit for adapting his side to the challenge of competing on three fronts through this gruelling campaign, which looked to be heading towards a stalled finish at one stage. Two defeats in three games last month, including a shock 2-1 reverse at arch-rivals Torino, allowed others to cut the gap somewhat. But Juve's hopes of retaining their title have never truly looked in doubt right from day one. Now they have the chance to round things off in style domestically speaking, by building on their two previous victories against Mandorlini's charges this season ahead of that crucial meeting against Barcelona at the Olympic Stadium. Recent form in Serie A: LWWDWW Recent form (all competitions): WDDWWW Team News There has been plenty of transfer talk surrounding Juventus in recent days, both in terms of incoming and outgoing targets, but focus right now is very much on their final two games. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Old Lady made nine changes to their starting lineup last time out, bringing in Kingsley Coman to lead a much-changed side. With the European Cup final closing in, Allegri may be tempted to leave Madrid-linked Paul Pogba on the bench, although Tevez may be thrown in to keep the 20-goal forward ticking over. Meanwhile, Pierluigi Gollini is likely to return to the bench for Verona, while Mounir Obbadi, Eros Pisano and Ivan Martic are all major doubts for the final-day clash. Toni scored twice in the 2-2 draw against relegated Parma last time out, and he is expected to start in what could potentially be his final game for the club. Hellas Verona possible starting lineup: Rafael, Sala, Agostini, Marquez, Moras, Tachtsidis, Obbadi, Hallfredson, Toni, Jankovic, Fernandinho Juventus possible starting lineup: Buffon, Ogbonna, Barzagli, Padoin, Asamoah, Marchisio, Morata, Sturaro, Pereyra, Tevez, Coman Head To Head Verona have picked up just two points from their last seven league meetings against Juve, while they have only won one of the last 16 Serie A encounters. However, the last two league encounters at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi have ended in 2-2 draws, which offers more than a glimmer of hope for the home side. The mid-table club can also take consolation from the fact that they have recouped more points (18) from losing positions than any other top-flight side in Italy this campaign, meaning that the champions are likely to be made to fight all the way in their final league game. Juventus also brushed aside their opponents 6-1 en route to winning the Coppa Italia earlier this year, with Sebastian Giovinco - now at Toronto - bagging a brace. We say: Hellas Verona 1-3 Juventus The visitors may have one eye on the small matter of a Champions League final, but they are likely to prove too strong for a Verona side camped firmly in middle ground right now. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Madrid deny Pogba bid May 28, 2015 Real Madrid have released a statement denying that they have made a bid for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. The Merengues were responding to claims from newspaper La Stampa today that they were willing to pay Pogba €10m a year over five seasons, making him one of the club’s biggest earners. However, Madrid have sought to dampen the rumours by releasing an official club statement in response. "Following the reports published in the Italian newspaper “La Stampa” concerning an alleged offer from Real Madrid for the player Paul Pogba, the club wishes to state the following," read the statement. "Real Madrid have had no contact either with Juventus or the player’s agent and, as a consequence, the reports published in this newspaper are completely false".

Chiellini: 'How to stop Barcelona' Apr 27, 2015 Giorgio Chiellini believes he and Juventus have the key to stopping the Barcelona strikers. “You can’t man-mark them.” The Champions League Final in Berlin on June 6 is largely seen as a showdown between Leo Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez on one side, the Bianconeri defence on the other. “There is no such thing as man-marking Messi, Neymar or Suarez. The only way to stop them is working as a team,” Chiellini told Premium Sport. “They might seem unstoppable, but we will study the game very carefully. Those three are not the only players to watch out for, but a great team is what puts forwards in a condition to really hurt opponents. “At the end of the day, with our qualities we can limit their influence on the match. This Juve is a really tough side to beat for anyone. “After Real Madrid there was this race to buy a ticket for Berlin and I am sure there will be thousands of fans outside the stadium, even without a ticket, just wanting to experience the atmosphere of that day and be close to us.” Juve are in the running for a Treble, as they already won the Scudetto and Coppa Italia. “Since the start of the year fans have been asking us to win the Champions League, even snubbing Serie A. In my view that’s a mistake. “It is true though that the Champions League puts you face to face with something special, the best players in the world and a unique atmosphere. “That tournament gives you sensations and emotions that other games simply cannot provide. Since childhood you’ve heard that famous theme tune and the first few times you hear it up close, it gives you an incredible burst of adrenaline. “By now it has become a battle cry.”