Socrates

Gianluigi Buffon to end ownership of hometown club Carrarese May 27, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will end his investment in Italian third-division club Carrarese, saying he feels he has been fighting a losing battle at his hometown club. Buffon, 37, has been the owner of Carrarese since 2012, but after three years of pumping his own money into the side, he says it is time to call it a day. At the end of the current season, he will be leaving the club to resolve their future alone -- a situation he feels he has been in ever since taking control. "I'm disappointed," Buffon said in quotes reported by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "June 30 will be my final day as owner." Carrarese finished the season in 12th and Buffon no longer sees a future for them any higher than at their current level, saying: "I wanted to wait until the end of the season before summarising this experience, and I've decided I'm leaving Carrarese. "What I did here was a gesture of love which was never repaid. This decision has matured over the course of this year. "It's very difficult to carry on playing football on a professional level in this situation, which has been going on for three years. Both the city and the mayor have been aware of my thoughts for a while. "I'm disappointed and upset. At this moment in time, I do not think there are the conditions for this city to support a football club in an important league such as the third division." Buffon claims he has done all he could possibly have done to guarantee the club's future, but that the time has now come for him to end his involvement. "Twice in the past five years I have chosen to be part of two groups who were keen on lifting Carrarese's fortunes," Buffon continued. "The first group fell apart after two years, leaving me on my own. The second, despite the promises, never even materialised. "On both occasions, I found myself left on my own and with the responsibility in deciding whether to declare the club bankrupt or guarantee them a future through the involvement of my family. "I always opted to invest, aware that it was only going to be a decision based on affection and not on business. "Maybe we all now should take a period of reflection -- the city, local businessmen and the fans -- to understand whether there really is enough interest to have a club who represents us in the third division." In the meantime, Buffon has more pressing thoughts. He will play in his second Champions League final on June 6, hoping for a better outcome than his first back in 2003, when he was on the losing Juventus side to AC Milan.

Athletic Club Keen On Bringing Back Llorente May 27, 2015 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente may be heading back to Spain with former side Athletic Club in the summer. The 30-year-old Spanish international has endured a difficult campaign on a personal level with the Bianconeri this season, with the towering striker even being replaced by Alvaro Morata in the first eleven in recent months. El Correo report that Llorente may be heading back to La Liga in the off-season following the arrival of Paulo Dybala, with Sevilla leading the chase. Athletic however have also entered the race for their former talisman, with coach Ernesto Valverde on the lookout for reinforcements up top, given their first-choice striker Aritz Aduriz is 34 years old. It remains to be seen how the Athletic fans will react to the news, given the acrimonious circumstances in which Llorente left the club two years ago. Llorente has netted eight goals in 42 appearances this term for Juventus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irDUJt0uBiY

Serie A - 19^ Giornata Ritorno - 30-5-2015 (ore 18:00) VERONA - JUVENTUS - Sabato, 30 maggio 2015 - ore 18:00 Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, Verona Arbitro: Marco Di Bello Confronti ufficiali 74 - 51 (Serie A) - 9 (Coppa Italia) - 6 (Campionato divisione nazionale) - 2 (1^ categoria) - 2 (1^ divisione) - 2 (Coppa Campioni) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 45 - 29 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) - 5 (Campionato divisione nazionale) - 2 (1^ categoria) - 2 (1^ divisione) - 1 (Coppa Campioni) - 2 (Serie B) Pareggi 17 - 13 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Coppa Campioni) Vittorie Verona 12 - 9 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato divisione nazionale) Goals Juventus 139 - 87 (Serie A) - 18 (Coppa Italia) - 18 (Campionato divisione nazionale) - 8 (1^ categoria) - 4 (1^ divisione) - 2 (Coppa Campioni) - 2 (Serie B) Goals Verona 60 - 45 (Serie A) - 9 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato divisione nazionale) - 2 (1^ categoria) - 1 (1^ divisione) Verona - Juventus Serie A a Verona Confronti ufficiali 25 Vittorie Juventus 7 (L'ultima l' 08.04.2001, 0-1) Pareggi 9 (L'ultimo il 09.02.2014, 2-2) Vittorie Verona 9 (L'ultima il 30.04.2000, 2-0) Goals Juventus 28 Goals Verona 28 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Verona a Verona 9 presenze Bettega Roberto 9 Furino Giuseppe 9 Morini Francesco 9 Scirea Gaetano 7 Anastasi Pietro 7 Cabrini Antonio 7 Cuccureddu Antonello 7 Tacconi Stefano 7 Zoff Dino 6 Causio Franco 2 goals Bettega Roberto 2 Schillaci Salvatore 2 Tevez Carlos 1 Alessio Angelo 1 Anastasi Pietro 1 Baggio Roberto 1 Brio Sergio 1 Charles John William 1 Corradi Giuseppe 1 Del Piero Alessandro Ultimi confronti diretti 26.11.2000 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 2-1 08.04.2001 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 0-1 04.11.2001 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 2-2 17.03.2002 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 1-0 09.12.2006 - Serie B - Juventus-Verona 1-0 27.04.2007 - Serie B - Verona-Juventus 0-1 22.09.2013 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 2-1 09.02.2014 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 2-2 15.01.2015 - Coppa Italia - Juventus-Verona 6-1 18.01.2015 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 4-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 8 - Pareggi 2 - Vittorie Verona 0 - Goals Juventus 22 - Goals Verona 7 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

Marotta: Juventus Are Interested In Neto And Khedira May 26, 2015 Juventus director general Beppe Marotta has revealed that the Old Lady are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira and Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto this summer. Both players will be out of contracts with their current clubs in June and will be available on free transfers, which the Bianconeri executive admits will present very appealing opportunities for the reigning Serie A champions as they look to further strengthen the team for the 2015-16 campaign. Marotta recently spoke to the press in Milan about Juve’s pursuit of the two talented players and also commented on the club’s wishes to keep star striker Carlos Tevez for as long as possible. “Khedira is very interesting, but not only to us,” said the 58-year-old. “This is a good market opportunity for us and we can sign him immediately. “We are currently taking in all the factors as we build an accurate strategy to secure him. “Neto? Just like Khedira, he will be out of a contract. It is easier to try and get him here. “I’ve made it no secret that I think he’s done well. This is another good opportunity for us that we will also consider later on. “Tevez? He has a contract with us until 2016. He is a great professional and this club has a lot of respect for him. “He controls his own fate, but we will try to keep him. After the Champions League final we will hold a meeting to address his future and have great respect for whatever decision Tevez makes. “Our hope is that he will continue his stay with us until the end.”

Buffon: ’35 per cent chance with Barça’ May 26, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon admits they have ’less than a 35 per cent chance’ of beating Barcelona in the Champions League final. The Bianconeri will face the Catalan giants in on June 6 in Berlin, the scene of perhaps the most famous moment of the ‘keeper’s career, when he lifted the World Cup with Italy. “I’m going back to Berlin after nine years,” Buffon told Mediaset. “Let’s see if the feelings are the same, I don’t think there’s a big difference to the sensations I felt nine years ago. “Against Barcelona we have less than a 35 per cent chance, but we have some weapons and we have to focus on that. “Before we played Real Madrid they were a meter in front of us, and we have two games where we had to make up a metre plus one centimetre, and that’s what we did. “After 10 years, to have struggled to reach this goal with my teammates, the club and the fans is something great and rewarding. “We can only say, very clearly and calmly, that we know the difficulties we’re going to face, and we’ll need psychological strength, because if you look like you’re in crisis the opponent can kill you with a single blow.”

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Britos banned for three games May 26, 2015 Napoli’s Miguel Britos has been handed a three-game ban for headbutting Juventus striker Alvaro Morata. The match at Juventus Stadium was in stoppage time when the defender butted his opponent, which resulted in a penalty for the Bianconeri. The Lega Serie A has taken a strong line on the incident, banning the Uruguayan for three matches. Juventus have also been fined €15,000, after their fans were heard singing chants “expressive of discrimination on the grounds of territorial origin”. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Andrea Barzagli injury: Juventus defender listed as 'day-to-day' after right thigh injury May 25, 2015 We played the waiting game for Andrea Barzagli's medical test results to come in. Now we play the waiting when it comes to Barzagli being available for the Champions League final in less than two weeks' time. Fun, fun, fun. Juventus have announced their stalwart defender is listed as 'day-to-day' after suffering a first-grade tear in his right quadricep. Because of the injury, Barzagli — who made his return from a long injury layoff back in early back — had to be replaced at the beginning of the second half by Leonardo Bonucci in Juventus' win over Napoli this past weekend. Here's the official word, courtesy of Juventus' website: After leaving the pitch due to muscle discomfort at half-time of Saturday's 3-1 triumph over Napoli, Andrea Barzagli this morning underwent an MRI scan. The medical examination showed that the defender has suffered a first grade tear of the rectus femoris muscle in his right thigh. Barzagli will now begin treatment and both his condition and availability for June's Champions League final are to be monitored on a day-to-day basis. Now, as we've come to realize with the Juventus medical team's evaluations on things this season, being day-to-day could actually mean that, or he could be out for a couple of weeks. Barzagli's status for the Serie A finale this weekend against Hellas Verona doesn't matter at all, so go ahead and throw one last domestic appearance this season right All that matters, like the last sentence of the Juventus website post says, is whether or not Barzagli will be available for the Champions League final against Barcelona on June 6. That's it. Nothing more, just the Champions League final. If Barzagli misses out, it will be a huge blow even if Max Allegri doesn't plan on starting the game with a 3-5-2 formation. We've come to see that Barzagli can be a valuable part of the equation off the bench — especially when Juventus are winning and Allegri wants to lockdown the lead in the second half. And we know Barcelona are going to be coming at Juve with the best trident the world of football has to offer, so having one of your best defenders available will be huge. All of this is dependent on Barzagli being healthy. We're counting down the days until the Champions League final. The waiting game isn't fun, but it's the only thing we can do now. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...

Agnelli: ‘Win in Italy and Europe’ May 25, 2015 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli says the club’s aim is to ‘win in Italy and Europe’ and praises Antonio Conte. The Bianconeri have clinched their fourth consecutive Scudetto, and will contest the Champions League final with Barcelona on June 6. “Our horizon has to be Europe,” Agnelli told 400 selected Juventus Members, as reported by La Stampa. “We can’t always be in the final, but our dimension is Europe and our first goal is Italy. There’s a lot of pride after the fourth Scudetto, and a first Coppa Italia in 20 years. “Now we’re all aware that we have a dream, and dreams can grow. “We must confirm year-on-year in Serie A before being competitive in the Champions League: Juventus are going to win in Italy and in Europe.” The patron also had words of praise for Coach Max Allegri, but did not forget the man he replaced, Antonio Conte. “Allegri arrived here on July 16 and moulded a team which had won three Scudetti. He brought results, and made real the dream of being number one in Europe, so great credit must go to him. “It’s also right to recognise the merits Conte brought when he arrived here in 2011. Antonio helped to bring the Juventus mentality up from the bottom, he was instrumental in our reconstruction.”

Allegri: ‘Juve, repeat 2006’ May 25, 2015 Max Allegri hopes his Juventus side can emulate Italy’s 2006 World Cup winners, by winning the Champions League final in Berlin. Current Bianconeri stars Andrea Pirlo, Gigi Buffon and Andrea Barzagli were part of the Azzurri side which emerged victorious from Olympiastadion, and the Coach wants a repeat. “It’s a final, we’re better off playing a one-off match,” Allegri mused as he collected the Enzo Bearzot award. “We hope to repeat the achievement of the Azzurri in 2006. The game on June 6 is easy to prepare for, less so was the Coppa Italia final. “This season has been extraordinary for Italian football, but the film is not over. Juventus are in the final in Berlin, but not just that, two teams [Fiorentina and Napoli] went close in the Europa League. “The national team is doing well too, we don’t have to discard everything we’re doing in Italy, but work on positive things like infrastructure or the future of the kids. “Serie A is not worse than other Leagues, it’s just different.” Allegri also reflected on his arrival in Turin, which was not greeted with universal acclaim. “I always thought I could coach at a certain level. I’m different to when I was Coach at Milan, I’m happy to Coach Juventus and I’m enjoying the moment. “We’ll try to win the fifth Scudetto in a row next year, that’s our main goal. “My reception? It was understandable, but I found a club here which protected me, and an extraordinary group of lads, real men, many of them internationals.” Finally, the Livorno native addressed comparisons between himself and his predecessor, Antonio Conte. “In football, all that counts is who wins,” Allegri considered. “One Coach isn’t better than the other, we’re just different. We both won at Juventus.”

Buffon: Juventus Will Need 100 Percent Of Even A Little Luck Against Barcelona May 24, 2015 Gianluigi Buffon spoke ahead of Juventus’ Champions League clash against Barcelona, optimistic but respectful before the Spanish giants. Juventus will meet Barcelona in the Champions League final on June 6. Juventus defeated another Spanish team, Real Madrid, in order to make it to Berlin and will need to repeat the feat to complete a treble of trophies. “Before an event like this [Champions League final], the more the days pass and more the tension rises,” Buffon told Tuttosport. “We are aware that we are not favourites; I would say we have about a 30 percent chance of winning. We know we are a good team but they [barcelona] are very strong. “We created momentum after the win against Real Madrid, and winning two trophies after it [scudetto and Coppa Italia] is proof that we can be optimistic. “We will need 100 percent of even a little luck; but in football, it is not always the strongest who wins.” The Juventus captain also touched on being a potential candidate for the Ballon d’Or. “It would be an honour for me and a great prize after this fantastic season,” Buffon said to Tuttosport.

Pirlo Mulling Juventus Exit And New York City FC Move May 24, 2015 Andrea Pirlo is reportedly thinking about leaving Juventus this summer regardless of whether or not they win the Champions League. The 36-year-old had said that if the Bianconeri emerge victorious against Barcelona on June 6, he will move on from the Juventus Stadium. A statement which he later said was a joke. Now, according to Sky Sport Italia, Pirlo is mulling over a summer move to MLS with New York City FC heading the queue for his signature. The former AC Milan midfielder joined Juventus in 2011 and has gone on to win four Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana. Pirlo’s contract with Juve ends in June 2017.

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Napoli’s Britos Apologises For Head Butt On Morata May 24, 2015 Napoli centre back Miguel Britos has issued an apology for his assault on Juventus forward Alvaro Morata during their 3-1 loss in Turin on Saturday evening. Reacting to a perceived trip on him as he jogged away late in the game, the Uruguayan responded by planting a firm head butt on to Morata. Speaking through the club’s official Twitter account @SSCNapoli, he stated: “I apologise to everyone for my action. “I know that it was wrong and I am sorry.” Britos was issued with a straight red card for the incident and further disciplinary action seems set to follow.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Barzagli doubt for Barcelona May 24, 2015 Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli is in doubt for the Champions League Final against Barcelona with a muscular injury. The centre-back hobbled off during last night’s 3-1 victory over Napoli in Turin. Coach Max Allegri has given the squad three days off to rest and recuperate, so Barzagli will only undergo tests on Wednesday afternoon. Barzagli has a muscular problem at the back of his right thigh. Juve will face Barcelona in the Champions League Final in Berlin on June 6.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnJ6fhfpZ9E http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie-a/juventus/2015/05/23-1084567/juventus-napoli_il_film_della_partita/ http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/05/in-pictures-juventus-celebrate-lifting-the-201415-serie-a-title/?

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus defeat Napoli to underline their winning mentality in Serie A May 24, 2015 Critics often like to tell us that Italian football isn't competitive enough. Teams apparently adopt negative approaches to games and once they sense their inferiority, they stop fighting. While the likes of Bayern Munich and Chelsea have nothing left to play for, Juventus continue in their quest for success and managed yet another victory as they won 3-1 against Napoli on Saturday afternoon. A second-string squad playing only for pride, Massimiliano Allegri's men proved they simply like to win. This was by no means an easy match, and fights took place all over the pitch. It was a feisty affair considering Napoli desperately needed a win to still be in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Rafael Benitez's men turned up having failed to score a single league goal at Juventus' new stadium. But with the champions heavily rotating the squad, this was Napoli's chance to score and perhaps even grab the win -- yet it was Juve who started the game with confidence and composure, needing only 13 minutes before they made their superiority count with Kingsley Coman delivering a beautiful chip for Roberto Pereyra to score. The Bianconeri were in total control in a stadium that was in celebration mode, singing and cheering on their men. When it came to the 39th minute, a giant banner was held with the number 39 emblazoned on it to commemorate the 39 lives lost in the Heysel Stadium disaster 30 years ago. Their names held aloft for the world to acknowledge. Juventus remembered and will never forget. The second half saw a more determined Partenopei side that began to create an abundance of chances but overcoming a well-organised Juventus defence proved difficult. Gonzalo Higuain simply couldn't outwit Andrea Barzagli and was replaced while Gianluigi Buffon, regardless of the occasion, remains imperious. With a soft penalty awarded to the visitors, the chance to score in this stadium finally arrived only for Buffon to make a save but he couldn't rescue his team from the rebound and David Lopez equalised. Kwadwo Asamoah gave away the penalty with his clumsiness, and while his eagerness will always be appreciated, he is far from the refined product Juve came to love. It will take time to recover his old form and he was often caught making silly mistakes on the pitch. Thankfully for him, the Bianconeri refused to be beaten and each player fought with great intensity. Stefano Sturaro in particular played a beautiful game. A newcomer with the attitude of a veteran, he simply refused to surrender and played an immensely well-balanced game. The warrior then produced a goal that will remain in the minds of many for weeks to come. Exploiting space in superb fashion, he skilfully turned and struck an outrageous goal that put Juve in the lead. Carlos Tevez immediately leapt up and applauded the most unexpected piece of magic witnessed on the pitch. Sturaro truly has been a revelation. Coman also impressed. The player had previously struggled in recent matches, especially when paired with Fernando Llorente, but he played a powerful game against Napoli. His mobility and ability to overcome defenders make him an interesting addition to the side. He likes to leave his mark even if his decision-making desperately needs to be improved. With a little more time awarded, he can certainly develop into an instrumental player. The more Juventus fought, the more frustrated Napoli grew until their stars began to surrender to their frustrations with Miguel Angel Britos head-butting Alvaro Morata to concede a penalty and receive a red card. Simone Pepe duly converted to record his first goal for the Old Lady since 2012. Juventus, along with Parma and Cesena, have proved that regardless of relegation, trophies or the occasion, a win must always be chased. No side regardless of their size or objectives should ever roll over and accept defeat. With the Coppa Italia and league title in their hands, Juventus defeated Napoli as they did Inter Milan last week, proving they are a team that will always strive for success. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus 3-1 Napoli: Juve continue to win at home thanks to Pereyra, Sturaro, Pepe and Buffon May 24, 2015 Wait a second ... You mean to tell me that the black and white team had nothing to play for and the blue team was playing for a chance to compete in Europe next season? Admit it, if you just found out that Juve were more than 15 points ahead of Napoli, you would have asked that question too. When I watched the match, it looked like Juventus were the more incisive, more determined, and more convincing side of the two. Maybe they didn't want to lose their streak at home; or maybe the substitutes wanted to show their coach that they too deserve minutes against Barcelona; or maybe all of the players have bought into the idea that at Juve winning is not important, it is the only thing that matters. If you ask me, it was all of the above. MATCH SUMMARY Before the game started, the 10th Coppa Italia was paraded in its new home. Good thing the Juventus Museum is big enough to hold all of these trophies. Now let's talk about the match. I thought Juventus were going to have a poor display with their minds firmly set on the game against Barca. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. The defense was decided to not let anything past them, the midfield convinced to fight for every ball, and the attack was ready to make Napoli pay. Juventus started with a somewhat rotated side with two very notable inclusions: Kwadwo Asamoah and Kingsley Coman. These two had less than 600 Serie A minutes before today and were eager to make an impression. Coman started things off after 13 minutes with an exquisite pass to put Pereyra in front of goal with plenty of time. The Argentinian coolly finished to make it 1 - 0. The game continued and Juventus were having almost too much fun. Paul Pogba was running circles around Napoli players and Claudio Marchisio was showing his immense talent. There really wasn't too much of note in the first half, except that Juventus showed to be at a markedly different level than Napoli. In the second half, Rafa Benitez brought in Manolo Gabbiadini and the ex-Juve owned player changed things quite a bit. He carried the team on his back and brought more pace and creativity to Napoli's attack. From one of these attacks, the ball hit Asamoah's hand in the area and the ref awarded a penalty. Did the bal hit Asamoah's hand? Sure. Was it intentional? Hardly. Insigne's penalty was saved by Gigi, but unfortunately Buffon couldn't do anything on the rebound shot from David Lopez. Napoli tried hard to score a goal but they met a resolute Juventus defense and a monstrous Gigi Buffon who stopped everything that came his way. There was one nervy moment when Gigi came out but failed to punch the ball which barely missed the net. Juventus weathered the storm and in the 77th minute took the lead. Stefano Sturaro received a pass from Álvaro Morata and turned his man to score a beauty in the top left corner. If you had a poor stream, no one will fault you if you thought Carlos Tevez scored the goal. Sturaro's movement was that of a top forward and a welcome surprise. Napoli continued to try but at that point Juventus came closer to the third than Napoli to tying things. After a few missed chances, Britos had himself sent off after a ridiculous headbutt on Morata in the 18 yard box. Despite the ball being far away from the play, the referee awarded a penalty as is his right to do so. Pepe took the penalty to seal an impressive show of force with a team missing some of its stars. After that came the celebrations and the fourth scudetto of the Andrea Agnelli era was lifted by Gigi. So I guess this game finished the same way it started, with a brand new trophy being paraded around the tifosi. Not a bad day to be a Juventino. LE PAGELLE Buffon 7.0 Had one terrible play when he was caught in no man's land. With that being said, he saved Juve at least two goals when the match was tied. Padoin 6.5 Regular Padoin game, he didn't light the world on fire but he also didn't look like Zebina on the flank. Barzagli 7.0 A rock at the back. Allegri has some tough decisions ahead of the upcoming Champions League final. Bonucci 6.5 Came on for Barzagli at the half. Solid defensive display. Ogbonna 6.5 Didn't do anything to convince me he is not surplus to requirements. Asamoah 7.0 Under regular circumstances he would get a 6.5 or even a 6, but after coming from a lengthy injury he gets some points for effort. He run himself to the ground and has much match sharpness to recover. He will be a welcome "addition" to the team next season. Pogba 7.5 Playing with no pressure allowed him to show all his skill and just have fun. He is growing every game and making a case to start in Berlin in a couple of weeks. Marchisio 8.0 His game was really flawless today. I wouldn't be surprised if next year Marchisio pushes Pirlo to the bench as the team seeks to rejuvenate itself. Sturaro 7.5 The kid is having the time of his life. Six months ago he was almost and unknown player. Now he has won one scudetto, a Coppa Italia, played an important role in a Champions League semifinal, and scored his first goal for Juventus. By the way, he was WhoScored man of the match. Pereyra 7.5 He is slowly improving in the worst feature of his game: his scoring ability. Coolly finished off a good chance like a veteran. He will also be important in the rejuvenation of Juve. Coman 8.0 His assist was a thing of beauty, no news there. But, did you know he also had a game high three tackles? He has much room to grow but the potential is there. Morata 7.5 He was always involved in the attack and assisted Sturaro's goal. He provoked Britos on the penalty incident. Although he is not a hot head like Berardi, he can still get into trouble like most players his age and today he could have received a red for instigating Britos (red against Roma, red against Fiorentina). Allegri 7.5 Keeping a team motivated after three scudetti is a feat. Keeping a team motivated after winning a historic double is incredible. Aside: A few months ago I said that I didn't know if Allegri was a good coach or just a coach riding in this machine that Conte created. Although I still believe that Conte was responsible for lighting the fire in this group of players, Allegri has been able to play with this fire in ways in which Conte never could. Allegri has demonstrated that he can win long tournaments (Serie A) and elimination tournaments (Coppa Italia). Although I don't think we will be ever breaking 95 points in Serie A with Allegri, we are becoming a more unpredictable team at the hands of our coach. And I couldn't be happier, so thanks Mister, sorry for doubting you. Summary Juventus played with more urgency and incisiveness than a Napoli team in need. Sidelined players got time on the ball, well-established players got some minutes on their legs, and youngsters got to show that they can contribute in the future. Two different trophies were paraded around a Juventus stadium that has seen much silverware in the past few years. So long Juventus stadium, see you in a few months when we fight for every ball all over again. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Player Ratings: Juventus 3-1 Napoli The Bianconeri extended their home unbeaten run in the league while ending the Partenopei's Champions League hopes. May 23, 2015 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Incredibly unlucky not to have picked up a clean sheet, after denying Insigne from the penalty spot, but could do little to keep out the rebound from Lopez. Two spectacular saves late on allowed his side to get forward and grab a winner. 20 S. Padoin - Didn't get forward much with his hands full defensively, doing a good job of forcing Mertens to drift inside to get in possession. 15 A. Barzagli - Marshalled the back line with real authority, keeping a close eye on Higuain and limiting the visitors' chances in attack. Replaced at half-time, earning a well-deserved rest. 5 A. Ogbonna - Committed himself to a number of challenges and was a constant physical presence in defence. Did well to keep everything in front of him. 22 K. Asamoah - Unlucky to concede a penalty shortly after the restart as a result of a handball. He was slightly off the pace early on, making his first start since November due to injury, but sprung to life in the second half. 6 P. Pogba - Ran tirelessly in midfield, covering every blade of grass. Contributed nicely at both ends of the pitch. 8 C. Marchisio - A typically influential performance from a deeper-lying role. Replaced with 20 minutes to play. 27 S. Sturaro - A tremendous turn and finish into the top corner secured all three points for his side. Looked very capable in possession. 37 R. Pereyra - A tidy run and delicate finish saw him open the scoring after 13 minutes. 9 Álvaro Morata - Chances were limited for the Spaniard, as he was more of a peripheral figure in attack. Found a bit more space in the second half as Napoli pushed forward. 11 K. Coman - Played a lovely ball over the top to set up Pereyra for the opening goal. Looked a constant threat in possession, always eager to take on a defender. Substitutes 19 L. Bonucci - Hardly missed a beat, replacing Barzagli for the second half. 21 A. Pirlo - His defensive contributions proved important, replacing Marchisio with 20 minutes left. 7 S. Pepe - A late substitution, but a nice gesture from his team-mates letting him take the penalty in extra time, which he converted. Napoli 45 M. Andújar - Needed to come off his line to challenge Pereyra on the opening goal, but could do little to keep out Sturaro's effort. 11 C. Maggio - Lacked quality in attack, but his defensive contributions were sound as usual. 33 Albiol - Failed in playing the offside trap, allowing Pereyra through to open the scoring. 5 M. Britos - Did well to limit the chances of Morata, but his night ended in disaster as he was sent off for a senseless headbutt on the Spaniard in stoppage time. 31 F. Ghoulam - Got forward well on the overlap, but his crossing often left something to be desired. 19 David López - A lovely effort to stick with Insigne's penalty to slot home the rebound, and was denied a second goal by a world-class stop from Buffon. 77 W. Gargano - Prominent in possession, but couldn't create much going forward before being replaced in the second half. 24 L. Insigne - A lovely ball over the top played Mertens through inside five minutes, but that was the first and last creative contribution as he struggled to test the Juventus defence from then on out. 7 José Callejón - Needed to be much more decisive in possession. Played a few decent balls into the centre, but did little to test Buffon himself. 14 D. Mertens - A constant threat in attack in the first half, always looking the likeliest to create for his side, but faded a bit as the match wore on. 9 G. Higuaín - Limited to a role as a spectator before being replaced at the break. Substitutes 23 M. Gabbiadini - His movement off the ball proved vital in helping create space in attack for his side, something Higuain failed to offer. 17 M. Hamšík - Came close to putting his side in front just minutes after coming on, but Buffon denied his header from a corner. 8 Jorginho - On for the final 10 minutes but didn't see enough of the ball to make a positive impact on the match. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Buffon: Juventus Have The Players To Cause Barcelona Problems May 23, 2015 Gianluigi Buffon is optimistic Juventus can cause Barcelona problems when the two teams meet in the Champions League final. The Bianconeri will face the La Liga winners on June 6 in Berlin after both teams won their respective leagues. “In two weeks a lot can change both physically and mentally,” the goalkeeper told Sky Sport Italia. “We will take a lot of positivity into the final, but so will Barcelona. “The challenge is almost impossible. We aren’t the favourites but we have good players and will try to play our own game. “If they are all at 100 percent, then it will be tough. “We have had a nice journey over the last four years,” he told Mediaset Premium. “Barcelona are a team that are almost unbeatable, but we have our own weapons who can also cause problems. “Our priority is to play well and try to win the Champions League. Both myself and the team have had a great season. “Juventus have a great defence and will make life difficult for Barcelona’s attackers.”

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus' Impressive Win over Napoli Means Tough Choices for Allegri May 23, 2015 A match that started with the Coppa Italia being paraded around Juventus Stadium ended with the Bianconeri collecting the Serie A trophy, as Juventus defeated Napoli 3-1. But for the Italian champions, all roads lead to Berlin. Although it perhaps should not, there is no denying that the prospect of a Champions League victory has overshadowed their domestic double. The 2014-15 campaign is already one of La Madama’s most successful seasons of all time, but given that European Cup/Champions League success is an accomplishment that has been achieved only twice before in the club’s storied and glorious history, a victory over Barcelona would undoubtedly make it their single greatest. With that in mind, Massimiliano Allegri once again named a vastly rotated starting XI to face Napoli, but he knew the visitors were desperate for points. Indeed, nothing less than victory would do for Rafael Benitez’s side, who already trailed third-placed Lazio by three points with just two matches left to play. Despite having no need to chase the points, Juventus would take the lead through Roberto Pereyra, only for the Partenopei to equalise early in the second half. David Lopez put away the rebound after Lorenzo Insigne had his penalty saved by Gigi Buffon. Yet the Bianconeri would win the match, a wonderful piece of individual skill from Stefano Sturaro handing them the lead before Simone Pepe added a third goal via the penalty spot. Miguel Britos was sent off as Napoli’s Champions League hopes imploded, but there were a number of performances from the home side that will only add to Juve’s own dreams of that ultimate triumph. A number of players will be assured of their place against Lionel Messi and company on June 6, but some of those on the fringes undoubtedly made a strong case for inclusion here. Perhaps the most difficult choices will come in midfield, and the scorers of those first two goals enjoyed impressive outings. Both Pereyra and Sturaro have started in huge games this term already, with the latter surprisingly getting the nod against Real Madrid in the semi-final of Europe’s elite competition. Aside from his well-taken goal, the 22-year-old made two tackles, two interceptions and three clearances according to statistics from WhoScored.com. His play perhaps outshone that of his Argentinian team-mate, and if it came to a straight choice between them, Sturaro may have shown enough over the past few games to merit a place. Further back, another solid showing from Andrea Barzagli will lead to further debate over the formation Juve opt for, with the Italian allowing Allegri to field a back three. Should the coach line his side up with a four-man defence however, it is likely to be the former Palermo man—who left the field at half-time—who is left out, the partnership between Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini growing stronger as the season has progressed. The attack saw an eye-catching display from Kingsley Coman, linking well with Alvaro Morata and creating the opening goal of the game for Pereyra. His Spanish partner played the pass that lead to Sturaro’s goal however, and it is likely to be he who plays alongside Tevez when the final against Barcelona gets underway. “A win like this and playing in front of fans like ours, it was the perfect day,” a visibly overjoyed Sturaro said to Sky Italia shortly after the final whistle (h/t Forza Italia Football). “We always give our best and that’s where our strength comes from. Even when we cannot win, we give it everything. “Winning always helps you win the next match, and we do it to best prepare ourselves for Berlin.” They have certainly done that, and now Massimiliano Allegri has some difficult choices to make. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus 3 - Napoli 1: Initial reaction and random observations May 23, 2015 Regardless of the result, it was going to be a party at Juventus Stadium because of what was happening after the final whistle sounded. Win, lose or draw, the Scudetto was on hand and prepped for the post-game trophy presentation in which Juventus would be covered in even more confetti than they were a few days ago after winning the Coppa Italia. So much confetti. Oh so much confetti. But you know what made it better? A convincing win over Napoli to put the cherry on top. That's exactly what happened, as Juve recorded a 3-1 win over their rivals from the south to close out the home portion of the 2014-15 Serie A season. Goals from Roberto Pereyra, Stefano Sturaro and a stoppage-time penalty kick from Simone Pepe closed out Juve's home account, one that has undoubtedly been a massive reason why Juventus lifted the Scudetto for the fourth time in as many seasons after the game. So, as we get ready to enter the 2015-16 season in three or four months, this is what Juventus' home form is going to look like. I'm just going to go out on a limb right now and say that's incredibly impressive. Squawka Football ✔@Squawka Juventus' last 47 Serie A home games: WDWWWWWWDWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWDDWWWWWWWWWDW Goals: 108 Conceded: 23 Twenty-three goals conceded in their last 47 home games. That's something that makes this former goalkeeper smile. And sure it makes Juventus' current goalkeeper and captain smile as well. You know what also makes Gigi Buffon happy? Lifting the Scudetto over his head. Just to add to that, Juventus is closing the season on an eight-game unbeaten run in competitions after losing 2-1 to Torino in the Turin Derby last month. That includes two games against Real Madrid, the Derby d'Italia, the Coppa Italia final and now a win over Napoli. Yep, the same Napoli team that desperately needed to win in Turin on Saturday to have any kind of hope of getting the third and final Champions League spot next season. And while it was Sturaro who was the one who scored the eventual game-winning goal and subsequently karate kicking the crap out of his goal celebration, it was Buffon who gave Juventus the chance to even win the game. Crazy save after crazy save Buffon made — including the penalty that lead to Napoli's lone goal — in quick fashion. It was only fitting that on his 900th career appearance as a professional, Buffon was instrumental in another Juventus victory. Even a Juventus team that was filled with reserves. Although, some of Juve's reserves aren't even close to being reserves. They showed that against Inter last weekend and they showed once again in Juventus' home finale against Napoli. Then they celebrated with the Scudetto. Sounds like a nice little Saturday, if you ask me. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "It was an emotional one for me and a great day of celebration, capped off with a win in front of the fans." Random thoughts and observations Both of Juventus' first two goals against Napoli were just so pretty. So, so pretty. The creator of the first goal, Kingsley Coman, had easily one of his best games in a Juventus shirt. The young Frenchman was everywhere, creating all kinds of trouble for the shaky Napoli defense. It's the kind of game that makes you think Coman could have — and maybe should have — gotten more playing time this season. Obviously that can't be changed no so late in the season. But to see him playing so well alongside Álvaro Morata gives plenty of hope for what might develop in the future. So, so happy Kwadwo Asamoah was able to play a full 90 minutes after being out for such a massive amount of time. We hadn't seen Asamoah on the field in a Juventus jersey since Juve beat Olympiakos in the Champions League group stage at the beginning of November. Just think about how much has happened — both good and bad — since that game. (For the record, it was a weak handball call, too.) Angelo Ogbonna celebrated his 27th birthday on top of another Scudetto on Saturday. And like Coman, he played pretty darn well in the process. Watching Sturaro play well virtually every time he steps onto the field makes the decision to end his loan spell at Genoa early and bring him to Turin in January even that much smarter. That goal was a thing of beauty, and he just continues to be an absolute battering ram in the center of the park. He didn't have the Arturo Vidal-like tackle numbers, but he was his usual endless motor self. Props for the goal celebration, too. Games where Juventus players can bring their kids on the field will always be good days. At times I couldn't tell which team was the one who had nothing truly to play for and which one was trying to get back into the top three in the Serie A standings. Juventus definitely didn't just coast through this game and then turn things over for the Scudetto celebration. It would be wrong of me not to acknowledge the wonderful tribute the curva had for the 39 victims of the Heysel disaster. A great touch from a great crowd at Juventus Stadium. Rubinho has now taken part in more Scudetto celebrations (3) than games he's played in (2) since coming to Juventus. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Exactly two weeks to go before that game in Berlin. Not that I'm counting down or anything. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti JUVENTUS 3-1 NAPOLI SERIE A WEEK 37 PLAYER RATINGS May 23, 2015 Juventus celebrated the Scudetto in style by crushing Napoli 3-1 in their final home game of the season. Goals from Roberto Pereyra and a stunning effort from Stefano Sturaro put Juve in charge before Simone Pepe converted his penalty in the dying seconds of the game to secure the result. Gigi Buffon 7.5 - Performed a string of superb saves including an Insigne penalty. In imperious form, just as he has been all season. Simone Padoin 6.0 - Barely had anything to do – A few tackles and some good man-marking on Insigne and Mertens but rarely ventured into the opponents half. Andrea Barzagli 7.0 - Played really well, denied Higuain any space to operate and made some timely interceptions Angelo Ogbonna 7.0 - Solid over 90 mins, barely put a foot wrong and made some vital clearances to deny Napoli clear chances on goal. Brilliant Kwadwo Asamoah 6.5 - A huge display on his return after six months out through injury. Made his customary runs down the left and even managed to get a shot off. Good to see him back. Paul Pogba 7.0 - Had a number of shots and tried his best to create opportunities for his teammates. Solid display Claudio Marchisio 7.0 - Kept Juve ticking over, passing, tackling and pushing the team forward. Had a great moment where he nutmegged a Napoli player and beat two others to retain possession. Stefano Sturaro 7.5 - Outstanding display from the youngster topped off by one of the best goals of the season. Immense. Roberto Pereyra 7.0 - Scored a great opening goal, latching on to Comans ball to fire past Andujar. A little restricted in the second half but a great performance overall. Alvaro Morata 6.5 - A frustrating night for the youngster, tightly marked by the Napoli defence, he still managed to provide and assist and earn a penalty. Kingsley Coman 7.5 - Simply superb from the first minute. Strong in the Napoli half, shrugged off defenders, created chance after chance and provided the perfect assist for Pereyra’s opener. Substitutes Leonardo Bonucci N/A Simone Pepe 6.5 - Scored a penalty late on to tie up the result. Andrea Pirlo N/A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Allegri: Juventus Had To Win In Final Home Game May 23, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that his team would not allow themselves to drop points in their final home game of the campaign. They collected their Scudetto crown, his first at Juventus Stadium, after a 3-1 victory over Napoli on the penultimate weekend of the season. A reflective Allegri told Sky Sport Italia after the celebrations had begun to die down: “We had to end the season at Juventus Stadium in the best possible way. The players are in good condition and they played well, especially in the second half. “There is not much for us to complain about. I enjoyed watching them play. When I arrived at the club, there was a bit of skepticism but the whole team has worked together to keep winning. “I am also happy about the ovation from the fans. I have a good relationship with them and have always worked with professionalism. On the outside, it may seem strange because I do not take part in big celebrations but inside, I feel strong emotions.” Understandably, attentions now begin to turn to June 6 – the small matter of a Champions League final against Barcelona, Lionel Messi and the chance for a treble. “The game must be played out on the pitch then and not before it,” he said, wary of overcomplicating things. “Messi? He is always unpredictable. This year they are playing differently because they have a striker. “Playing against them is always difficult and you have to be very good because their passing trajectories can be deadly. Defensively, we want to play the perfect game.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI 3 - 1 Roberto Pereyra (13') David López (50') Stefano Sturaro (77') Simone Pepe (92' Penalty) Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus beat Napoli to cap Serie A title triumph in Turin May 23, 2015 Juventus won their final home game of the season against Napoli 3-1 in a celebratory atmosphere as they lifted their fourth consecutive Serie A trophy. Massimiliano Allegri's side paraded the Coppa Italia before the game and were presented with the league title after it, while their fans paid a moving tribute to the 39 people killed in the Heysel disaster 30 years ago this month. Amongst all that there was time for Roberto Pereyra, Stefano Sturaro and Simone Pepe to earn Juve the win. David Lopez scored Napoli's goal but the result left them relying on a Lazio slip-up if they are to qualify for the Champions League, and they also had Miguel Britos sent off in injury time. Dries Mertens and Lopez had early efforts saved for Napoli but they fell behind in the 13th minute when Kingsley Coman threaded the ball through and Pereyra finished right-footed from just outside the six-yard box. A flurry of activity just after the 20-minute mark saw Coman and Paul Pogba's shots blocked for Juve while Mertens and Lopez were off target. Pogba sent a free-kick just over before, with this the nearest Juve home game to next Friday's Heysel anniversary, the home crowd honoured their fallen colleagues in the 39th minute. A large flag reading "39 Rispetto [respect]" was accompanied by the message: "No one truly dies if they live on in the hearts of those who remain," while the crowd also held up the names of the individual victims. Faouzi Ghoulam and Christian Maggio were unable to find an equaliser before half-time but it came five minutes after the restart. Kwadwo Asamoah conceded a penalty with a handball and though Lorenzo Insigne's shot was saved, Lopez followed up to score. Pogba headed Claudio Marchisio's corner wide and Maggio was similarly off target at the other end. France midfielder Pogba forced a low save from Mariano Andujar, while Mertens' shot was blocked before Napoli went closer still in the 69th minute. The ball dropped to David Lopez on the edge of the box and he clipped a volley goalwards, which was brilliantly saved one-handed by Gianluigi Buffon. The keeper also kept out Marek Hamsik's header from the resulting corner. But Juve restored their lead when Sturaro turned superbly through the visiting defence and burst away at pace before finding the top corner, with even a slight deflection off Maggio unable to detract from the aesthetic pleasure of the goal. Buffon almost blotted his copybook moments later when he failed to get to a Napoli corner and was lucky to see Lopez head wide. Juve broke at speed after a free-kick and the referee played a good advantage when Coman was cynically hacked down, but Morata's poor cross saw the chance wasted. Ghoulam was booked for the foul at the next stoppage, which came when Coman was yellow-carded for seeking some retribution of his own. Napoli's match then ended acrimoniously as Britos headbutted Morata off the ball, earning himself a red card and conceding a penalty which Pepe, widely expected to leave Juve this summer, stroked coolly down the middle for his first goal since April 2012 to spark further delighted celebrations. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111