Socrates

Numeri molto belli di Coman ma fini a sé stessi purtroppo.

Potrebbe entrare il Mitra allora.

Ma é sicuro che Insigne sia italiano? Sembra un magrebino.

É tornato Asamoah!

1-1

Rigore per il Napoli

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti HT 1-0: Napoli trip up in Turin May 23, 2015 Roberto Pereyra has given Juventus the half-time lead over Napoli on a day of celebrations. The Bianconeri staged their Double Party to celebrate the last home game of the season, the Scudetto and Wednesday’s Coppa Italia triumph in extra time over Lazio. Napoli needed precious points to keep their Champions League qualification dreams alive. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kalidou Koulibaly were suspended, but Kwadwo Asamoah made his first appearance since sustaining knee tendon damage in November. It was a bright Partenopei start, Dries Mertens stinging Gigi Buffon’s gloves, but their intensity quickly petered out. Instead, Juve went in front with a well-worked move, as Kingsley Coman chipped the pass over the defence to send Roberto Pereyra clear. Coman almost provided another assist soon after, but he over-hit the through ball for Alvaro Morata, while Mertens curled over. Paul Pogba’s free kick was just over the bar. There was a touching moment at the 39th minute when the crowd unveiled a huge banner commemorating the 39 victims of Heysel. Along with all their names held up by fans, it also read: ‘Nobody ever really dies if they live on in the hearts of others: For always.’ Juventus 1-0 Napoli (Half-Time) Scorers: Pereyra 13 (J) Juventus: Buffon; Padoin, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Asamoah; Pogba, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pereyra; Morata, Coman Napoli: Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; David Lopez, Gargano; Insigne, Callejon, Mertens; Higuain Ref: Banti http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Morata: 'It's our party' May 23, 2015 Alvaro Morata warned Juventus won’t let Napoli spoil “our party” this afternoon. “We are the champions.” It kicks off at 18.00 CET. The entire Juve squad stepped off the team bus wearing special sunglasses with black and white stripes. “It was a gift to celebrate the fact we are champions. We are home with our fans and it is a day to feel happy,” Morata told Sky Sport Italia. They will present the Coppa Italia and Scudetto trophies to the crowd today. “As long as the team wins, it’s a happy day! Now we need to celebrate in our stadium, but after that can focus entirely on Barcelona and the Champions League Final. “This day was important to thank the fans, as if we managed to do everything we’ve done so far, it is also thanks to them. “I expect a great game against a team with excellent players, but we too want to win because we are on home turf, it’s our party and we are the champions.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Line-ups: Juventus-Napoli May 23, 2015 Juventus bring Kwadwo Asamoah back to celebrate the Double, but Napoli aim to spoil the party with Gonzalo Higuain. It kicks off at 18.00 CET. Juve are fresh from winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia, beating Lazio 2-1 in extra time on Wednesday. They will be presented with the trophies today and parade them to supporters in their final home game of the season. Several top stars are rested, but Claudio Marchisio and Alvaro Morata return, as they were suspended for the Coppa Italia Final. Asamoah is in the starting XI, making his first appearance since sustaining a knee tendon problem in early November. Stephan Lichtsteiner is suspended, plus Martin Caceres and Romulo injured. Napoli drop Manolo Gabbiadini, Jorginho and Marek Hamsik, giving the reins to Lorenzo Insigne, Jose Maria Callejon and Dries Mertens. Kalidou Koulibaly sits out a ban with Michu, Jonathan de Guzman and Juan Camilo Zuniga. Duvan Zapata and Giandomenico Mesto. Juventus: Buffon; Padoin, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Asamoah; Pogba, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pereyra; Morata, Coman Napoli: Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; David Lopez, Gargano; Insigne, Callejon, Mertens; Higuain http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti MATCH PREVIEW May 23, 2015 It’s all or nothing for Napoli as their pursuit of Champions League qualification comes to a head at Serie A champions Juventus. The Bianconeri have already sewn up the Scudetto and subsequently secured the second part of a potential treble with midweek Coppa Italia Final victory over Lazio in extra-time. They’re also unbeaten in four Serie A matches after Derby d’Italia spoils were claimed courtesy of a late Alvaro Morata winner at Inter last Saturday. Massimiliano Allegri – who has commendably exceeded even the loftiest of expectations as Coach during a stellar season – must continue shuffling his pack with several stars requiring rotation, as they strive for prime condition in preparation for an upcoming Champions League Final date with Barcelona. Defenders Martin Caceres and Stephan Lichtsteiner are out through injury and suspension respectively. Romulo is also expected to miss the remainder of this campaign due to a thigh problem. Visitors Napoli have tasted defeat just once throughout their seven most-recent League fixtures, while winning five of them, amid growing uncertainty surrounding the futures of several club figures and the additional fall-out from two hugely disappointing legs of Europa League football, which saw them crash out at the semi-final stage against unfancied Dnipro. The Partenopei have recovered the joint-most Serie A points – 17 – from trailing positions this term and maintained hopes of a Champions League spot by battling back from one-down to eventually triumph 3-2 at home to Cesena on Monday. A first League win in Turin over the Old Lady since October 2009 would keep them firmly in the hunt for a top-three finish, with Rafa Benitez’s men currently lying four points adrift of second-placed Roma. However, they must continue without the services of crocked trio Michu, Juan Zuniga and Jonathan De Guzman. Keep an eye on: Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli) – Argentine striker Higuain has struck 26 times in all competitions, including 16 to sit joint-fourth in this season’s Serie A goalscoring charts. The 27-year-old recently failed to notch from 10 attempts over two legs against Dnipro, which contributed heavily to Napoli’s Europa League downfall. He was denied by a mixture of solid goalkeeping and poor finishing against the Ukrainians, but will be determined to halt an overall four-game goalless streak when facing Juventus. Form Guide: Juventus (L W W D W) Napoli (W L W D W) Last season: Juventus 3-0 Napoli Stat fact: Juventus have plundered eight unanswered goals in their three previous home Serie A meetings with Napoli, all of which resulted in victories for the hosts. Juventus (probable): Storari; Padoin, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Ceglie; Sturaro, Marchisio, Vidal; Pereyra; Morata, Matri Suspended: Lichtsteiner Napoli (probable): Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; David Lopez, Inler; Callejon, Hamsik, Mertens; Higuain Suspended: Koulibaly http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus V Napoli – Team News, Tactics, Lineups And Predictions May 23, 2015 Napoli travel to Turin to face double winners Juventus on Saturday evening with the knowledge that only a victory would be enough to exert pressure on their Roman rivals for the Champions League spots. The Partenopei currently sit fourth, just three points behind Lazio and four behind Roma ahead of their derby meeting on Monday. However, with this clash coming a couple of days before, Napoli would be able to climb up to third with a victory. Both sides will enter the game in impressive form having won four of their last six Serie A matches, though Rafael Benitez’s best results have generally come at the Stadio San Paolo. This will be the 138th meeting between the two and the Bianconeri hold a heavy lead in the overall victories, with 62 to Napoli’s 29; a difference that is even more pronounced in games in Turin. The Partenopei have only won seven away games against Juventus – most recently in 2009, but more than half of those victories came before 1960. Team news and tactical brief Juventus This season just keeps getting better with each passing week for Juventus and they are now on the verge of landing a historic treble for the first time in their 117-year history. Having already won the Serie A title earlier this month, they added the Coppa Italia to their growing list of honours by claiming a 2-1 victory over Lazio on Wednesday evening. They got off to the worst possible start by conceding inside of four minutes, but Giorgio Chiellini flicked in a quick equaliser and Alessandro Matri completed the comeback with an extra-time winner to seal a domestic double and their first victory in the cup for 20 years. Their next target is to win the Champions League final against Barcelona in two weeks, and if the La Liga giants manage to win the Copa del Rey final next weekend, then it will be a straight shootout to decide which club lands a treble. Massimiliano Allegri’s side still have two games left until that European clash and their first order of business will be to finish their league campaign with an unbeaten home record for the second straight season. Their last defeat in Serie A in front of their own supporters came in a 2-1 reverse against Sampdoria over two years ago and they have gone 46 games since without a loss. They actually won every single home game in the league last time around and have dropped points just three times this season. The Bianconeri will be expected to rest a number of players this weekend following their cup success, but even without some of their key squad members, they are still a formidable foe and last weekend they were victorious against Inter Milan with a second-string lineup. Juventus will have to make do without Stephan Lichtsteiner, who sits the game out with a ban. He is expected to be replaced by Simone Padoin at right-back, while there could be a number of other changes to the team that started the cup final. Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo and Chiellini could all be rested, but Claudio Marchisio and Alvaro Morata are likely to start after being banned in midweek. Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-1-2):Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Asamoah; Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Matri, Morata Napoli While everything has been going perfectly for Juventus, the exact opposite can be said of Napoli, who have seen their season crumble around them in the past month. They seemed to have recovered from a bad run of form in March, by claiming three wins on the spin that saw them edge closer to the top three. However, a damaging 4-2 defeat against Empoli three weeks ago stopped them in their tracks. The Azzurri bounced back a few days later with a 3-0 win over AC Milan, but their inconsistency came back to haunt them in their next match, with already-relegated Parma holding them to a 2-2 draw. It seemed as if they would falter again on Monday evening after falling behind early on against Cesena, but they fought back to earn a 3-2 victory that has moved them to within three points of third-placed Lazio. That result means that they would move level with Lazio with a win against Juventus and crucially ahead of the Rome club based on their head-to-head record. Anything other than a win this weekend would seriously damage their Champions League chances and would leave them hoping for a Roma victory in the Derby della Capitale next Monday. That would ensure that they can still pip Lazio to third spot when they meet on the final day of the season. It is not just in the league where they have been poor, as they were dumped out of the Europa League by underdogs Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk last Thursday at the semi-final stage. Their cause has not been helped by the constant speculation surrounding manager Rafael Benitez and the Spaniard has recently been linked with a move to Real Madrid when his contract expires in the summer. Gonzalo Higuain has also been tipped to leave Naples, so the club could be in for a difficult time ahead trying to convince them to stay if they fail to land a Champions League spot. Kalidou Koulibaly is suspended for Napoli, so Miguel Britos should come into the defence to partner Raul Albiol. Higuain will come back into the starting lineup and Dries Mertens could keep his spot in the attack after scoring twice against Cesena, but Lorenzo Insigne may be chosen ahead of him. Probable Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1): Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; Gargano, David Lopez; Callejon, Hamsik, Mertens; Higuain Key Facts This will be the 138th Serie A meeting between Juventus and Napoli: the Bianconeri have won 62 times so far, the Partenopei only 29 (46 draws). The Serie A 2014/15 champions have lost only one of their last eight league matches against Napoli (W4 D3). Napoli have won only once in their last 17 Serie A outings away to Juventus (3-2 in October 2009), losing 11 times in the process. Players to Watch Out For Alessandro Matri (Juventus) The Italian scored the crucial winner against Lazio midweek to give Juventus their 10th Coppa Italia crown. With Carlos Tevez likely to sit this game out in order to ensure he is primed and ready for the Champions League final, Allegri may well look to Alessandro Matri for goals; he has yet to net in Serie A since his return from Genoa, though his next goal will be his 80th in Serie A. Gonzalo Higuaín (Napoli) Argentine striker Higuain has struck 26 times in all competitions, including 16 to sit joint-fourth in this season’s Serie A goalscoring charts. The 27-year-old recently failed to notch from 10 attempts over two legs against Dnipro, which contributed heavily to Napoli’s Europa League downfall. He was denied by a mixture of solid goalkeeping and poor finishing against the Ukrainians, but will be determined to halt an overall four-game goalless streak when facing Juventus. Prediction Juventus 2–2 Napoli Champions of Italy, winners of the Coppa Italia and waiting for the 6th of June, Juventus will play the two remaining matches to maintain their form and recover injured players. Napoli’s season could end with a whimper as they are close to failing in all three competitions they have taken part in this term. However, they have not given up hope of qualifying for the Champions League as Roma and Lazio will take points from each other, while the Partenopei meet the Biancocelesti on the last day of the season. Juventus will be the more relaxed as they have just lifted another trophy and the Champions League final is still two weeks away. Playing at home will probably turn this match into a celebration of their most recent title, while Napoli may struggle to focus. it’s likely that Juventus will honour the match the same way they did against Inter, so Napoli will need to be at their best to keep hot on the heels of Roma and Lazio. Blast From the Past Fernando Llorente opened the scoring for the hosts before Andrea Pirlo produced a wonderful free kick to double the hosts advantage. Paul Pogba sealed the points emphatically. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus vs. Napoli Preview: Round 37 — Curtain comes down at Juventus Stadium May 22, 2015 Welcome to another edition of "Juventus games that don't mean much anything," boys and girls. Or is it...? Juventus have already won the Scudetto weeks ago, they've recently been crowned Coppa Italia winners for the 10th time, the most of any club to ever play the sport in Italy. There are reasons why Saturday's final home game of the season actually matters. We can try and guess, or we could just sit here and remember what is to be played in exactly two weeks from tomorrow and know that Juventus is going to try and build up to their first Champions League final in 12 years. Yes, Juventus has something to play for when Napoli comes to Turin for the final game Juventus Stadium will host this season. There might not be anything related to the Serie A table or Juventus having to keep the competition from nipping at their heels with a couple games to play. But there is something, at least when it comes to a big-picture aspect of looking at things, that will benefit Juventus. So, in order, here's a few things that I am looking have happen when Juve takes the field against Napoli. Nobody gets hurt. Nobody gets hurt. Scudetto presentation. SImone Pepe doing Simone Pepe things on the sideline or on the field. Nobody gets hurt. See? All is not lost. There are things to pay attention to instead of watching just to say you watched. Sure, first place playing fourth place with two games in the season remaining might get a lot more hype compared to what is going down in the lead up to this one. That's mainly a byproduct of Juventus wrapping up the Scudetto with plenty of room to spare yet again this season. If there is any pressure on Juventus, it's for the simple fact that they want to go into the Champions League final playing well. JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "#JuveNapoli? A night to remember. We'll be presented with the Scudetto and parade the Coppa Italia in front of our fans" I'm sure a win would be a nice little addition to that. I don't think Max would disagree with me there. GOOD NEWS Next season's Juventus jerseys is about to be damn crowded with patches and stars. It's going to be awesome. And like Max said, they get to celebrate with their Scudetto and parade around with the Coppa Italia at the same time. So if you're looking for a time to tell your friends to tune in and tell them "Kiss the trophies!" then Saturday would be a pretty good chance to do so. BAD NEWS Last home game of the season. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Just how strong of a team will Max Allegri field? Juventus are coming off a game on Wednesday and will have a whole week off before their Serie A finale against Hellas Verona next weekend. That's a lot of time to take advantage of if Allegri so desires. He has already announced that the squad will have three straight days off without training following the Napoli game, so Juventus will be as fresh as they've been in weeks no matter who takes the field against Hellas next weekend. I would like to think Allegri would rest at least a few players who logged heavy minutes against Lazio midweek because of this chance to do so. He's been great at rotating the squad this season, and it's not like he's going to suddenly stop doing so just because Juve has a week in between games to close out the season. If that means the likes of Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo aren't playing against Napoli, consider me not shocked at all. 2. Is this the game we finally get to see Kwadwo Asamoah? The most we have seen of Kwadwo Asamoah in 2015 has been him warming up on the sidelines during the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday or in pictures celebrating Juventus winning trophies. Other than that, it's been a lot of waiting for Juve's No. 22 to finally make his presence be known and get some game action after such a long injury layoff. So consider me one of the folks who was a little surprised when he saw the giornalaccio rosa roll out this predicted lineup on Friday afternoon: Yep, that's Kwadwo Asamoah playing left back in a 4-3-1-2, ladies and gentlemen. Am I opposed to it? Not one bit. Even if he won't be figuring into the Champions League final at all, I want Asamoah to make a comeback appearance or two before the season is over. And it's interesting that it comes as an all-out left back and not a wingback considering Asamoah has basically made two or three appearances as a full-on defender since coming to Juventus. Maybe Allegri will throw Asamoah out there at left back to see how he handles it. Either way, Asamoah may very well make his return to the lineup on Saturday — and that's good regardless of what position he is playing. 3. Which Napoli team actually shows up. There is plenty going around Napoli these days — and that's not even counting how they're on the outside looking in when it comes to a Champions League spot. Secret Agent Rafa Benitez has been rumored to be getting a four-year contract, and then a few days later he's being linked to take over for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. That's just how things are these days around the city of Naples. Will it affect them on the field? That's the million dollar question. They're obviously fighting for the third and final Champions League spot Serie A has to offer. And knowing that the Rome derby is being played two days later, there's the chance for Napoli to get help from one of their closest competitors for that European spot. That's just kinda stating the obvious, though, since no matter whatever happens in the Roma-Lazio game will be a moot point if Napoli don't get any points against Juventus on Saturday. 4. Alvaro Morata vs. the sometimes suspect Napoli defense. Napoli enter the 37th round of Serie A fixtures with a plus-20 goal differential, one of the best in Italy's top flight. But that's not thanks to the way their defense has played this season. Napoli has scored 67 goals this season, tied for the most along with some club called "Juventus." However, Napoli has allowed 47 goals this season, which is the same amount as Serie A's 16th-placed team (Empoli) and more than twice as many as the team they're playing on Saturday. So, with that being said, how do you feel about Morata facing a defense like that? Pretty confident, right? The young Spaniard is easily one of Juve's most in-form players right now, having scored in his last three games (Real Madrid x 2 and Inter). My starting XI (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Padoin, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Morata, Coman http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ROBERTO PEREYRA 1-0

Allegri: Juventus want to spoil Xavi's party The Champions League final will be the veteran's final match for Barcelona and the Italian coach wants to ensure it is a disappointing day for him. May 22, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says his side are hoping to spoil iconic Barcelona midfielder Xavi's farewell when they meet in the Champions League final. Both sides are in with a chance of completing a treble when they meet in Berlin in June 6, with Juve already having two trophies under their belt and Barca still to face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final before the European showpiece. Xavi announced on Thursday that he will leave Camp Nou this summer to join Qatari side Al Sadd, meaning the final will be his last appearance in a 24-year period with the club. Allegri insists his side will be out to make the occasion a disappointing one for the Spain and Barca legend. "It will be the last game for Xavi, an extraordinary player for Barcelona and the Spanish national team, but we hope to spoil the party," he told reporters. Juve needed an extra-time goal from Alessandro Matri to beat Lazio in the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday and Allegri believes his side's struggles against a team currently 17 points behind them in Serie A proves the Bianconeri have a chance against the highly favoured Catalans. "Barca have three great players in attack in Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez and they have Andres Iniesta dictating the pace in midfield," he said. "Seeing the points difference in the league between us and Lazio, the Italian Cup final would have appeared to have been a foregone conclusion, but that is not how it went. It will be the same thing in Berlin. "They are used to playing in finals, but we won't be at a disadvantage because of our inexperience and our positivity will be important. "We will work on the mental and physical aspects to get into optimal condition for the game." Allegri took the time to praise Gianluigi Buffon, who he believes has already shown he is deserving of the Ballon d'Or. "I am always pleased to talk about Buffon," he said. "He is an extraordinary player, a professional with values. Considering his career, whatever the outcome of this final, he deserves the Ballon d'Or." The Serie A champions take on Napoli in their penultimate league game on Saturday and the 47-year-old says they must look for the three points to keep their momentum going before they take on Luis Enrique's men. Allegri said: “It's an important game ahead of the Champions League final. In order to keep the team in good physical condition, we have to keep training and playing. “Against Lazio, we played without Claudio Marchisio, Stefano Sturaro, Paul Pogba, and Alvaro Morata, so some players will be available to face Napoli. "The game doesn't mean anything in terms of the league title, but we can keep our undefeated run of home games going."

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti JUVENTUS V NAPOLI MATCH PREVIEW May 22, 2015 Juventus As Massimiliano Allegri said in the pre-game presser, Juventus are now in the middle of a two-week long training sessions to get ready to the Champions League final that incidentally involves two Serie A games. The ultimate goal is to have everybody at peak condition on June 6. The fact that Napoli, and not just a random team, are visiting Turin won’t change the plan one bit. The stars won’t be overplayed just because a tough opponent is in town. The coach hasn’t announced who will be ruled out, but we can expect that the ones who have played the full 120 minutes on Wednesday to sit out. Therefore it’s unlikely that Carlos Tevez, Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal will be risked. Stephan Lichtsteiner is suspended. On the other hand, Gianluigi Buffon will return on goal and Alvaro Morata and Claudio Marchisio skipped the midweek game and are primed to headline the starting XI. Paul Pogba is back, he has scored, but he hasn’t look as smooth, powerful and dominant as usual. It’s understandable and he needs playing time to get it going. He and Roberto Pereyra didn’t play the whole game at Stadio Olimpico so we can expect at least a cameo, but they are probably going to start, making the lineup pretty competitive. In addition, Kwadwo Asamoah is primed to make his return, five months after a knee procedure. Somebody between Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli (or both) will have to start alongside Angelo Ogbonna in the back, unless Luca Marrone is given a chance. Simply considering the guys that are fresh and available, 4-3-1-2 seems to have an edge on 3-5-2: the presence/absence of Pogba will dictate the scheme. In the attack, the Coppa Italia final hero Alessandro Matri and Kingsley Coman are battling to pair with Morata, while the 4-3-3 with Simone Pepe (as you know, you can use 4-3-3 only when Pepe is available) is a more distant option. It’s the last home game of the season, so it’s celebration time: Juventus will lift the Scudetto trophy after the final whistle, but there will be no parade this time as we’re saving it for a different time. The ban of the Curva Sud has been suspended once again and it will probably be enforced next season. Juventus are undefeated at home and they certainly would like to keep it that way, even if the game is meaningless. Probable lineup: 4-3-1-2: Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Asamoah; Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Matri, Morata. Injured players: Romulo (thigh), Caceres (ankle). Suspended players: Lichtsteiner. Napoli Napoli need to win this game at all costs to keep their Champions League hopes alive, as they’ll face Lazio in the final match day of the season: they are three points behind Biancocelesti. They also have to kick themselves because in the last two road games they have drawn against Parma and lost against Empoli. They are just an ok team away from San Paolo with seven wins, four ties and seven losses. Rafa Benitez is a goner and this certainly hasn’t helped an environment that is historically quite moody. Some performances have legitimately raised the question whether the squad had quitted on the coach as they have been so inexplicably bad. They showed good fighting spirit against Cesena, but it was still an opponent that had already bid farewell to Seria A. The firepower is undeniable: they have several good offensive players, but the roster is unbalanced because there is little quality in the midfield and in the defense. 4-2-3-1 is a fine tactic, but you need to be strong in the trenches to back it up. The stats tell the whole story: they are tied with Juventus for most goal scored during the season (67), but they have also conceded 47 goals, which is as much as Empoli: nine teams have done better and that’s not good at all if you want to be an elite team. Despite the shortcomings, they have a solid chance to qualify to the Champions League playoff at the buzzer. Gonzalo Higuain hasn’t scored a lot (or at all) lately, but he remains a threat. Dries Mertens has showed incredible form and Manolo Gabbiadini is in a good period. Probably the Italian striker will come off the bench as Marek Hamsik and Josè Callejon are the favorites to start. Against tougher opponents, Benitez like to field Walter Gargano for a more defensive outlook, however it’s possible that this time Gokhan Inler will get the call alongside David Lopez, who have started most of the games this year. In the back, Kalidou Koulibaly is suspended, but that’s not necessarily bad news for them, so Miguel Britos and Raul Albiol will play in the heart of the defense, with Christian Maggio and Faouzi Ghoulam (or Ivan Strinic) on the flanks. Mariano Andujar has won the starting job at goalkeeper over Rafael a while back. When they are on point, they are a pretty entertaining team to watch. The four attackers combine well, they use interesting backdoor cuts, they have many players who can pass and finish in a variety of ways, they like to use a proactive style of possession football. The only knock on them is that they are fragile and concede a lot, but it’s a big one, especially in tight games. Motivations make all the difference in these late season games and there’s cleary more on the line for Napoli, but it was the same for Inter and Cagliari in the two previous games. Probable lineup: 4-2-3-1: Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; Gargano, David Lopez; Callejon, Hamsik, Mertens; Higuain. Injured players: Zapata (thigh), Mesto (leg), De Guzman (back), Michu (ankle), Zuniga (thigh). Suspended players: Koulibaly. Formation http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Serie A - 18^ Giornata Ritorno - 23-5-2015 (ore 18:00) JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Sabato, 23 maggio 2015 - ore 18:00 Juventus Stadium, Torino Arbitro: Luca Banti Confronti ufficiali 159 - 137 (Serie A) - 9 (Coppa Italia) - 6 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 73 - 62 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) - 4 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 1 (Coppa UEFA) - 1 (Serie B) Pareggi 51 - 46 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 1 (Serie B) Vittorie Napoli 35 - 29 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 1 (Coppa UEFA) Goals Juventus 246 - 201 (Serie A) - 12 (Coppa Italia) - 21 (Campionato a gironi) - 7 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 3 (Serie B) Goals Napoli 178 - 149 (Serie A) - 13 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato a gironi) - 9 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 3 (Coppa UEFA) - 1 (Serie B) Juventus - Napoli Serie A a Torino Confronti ufficiali 68 Vittorie Juventus 41 (L'ultima il 10.11.2013, 3-0) Pareggi 20 (L'ultimo il 22.05.2011, 2-2) Vittorie Napoli 7 (L'ultima il 31.10.2009, 2-3) Goals Juventus 120 Goals Napoli 64 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Napoli a Torino 14 presenze Furino Giuseppe 12 Boniperti Giampiero 12 Scirea Gaetano 11 Zoff Dino 10 Bettega Roberto 10 Brio Sergio 10 Causio Franco 10 Cuccureddu Antonello 10 Salvadore Sandro 10 Tardelli Marco 6 goals Borel II Felice Placido 5 Boniperti Giampiero 4 Sivori Omar Enrique 3 Anastasi Pietro 3 Bettega Roberto 3 Capello Fabio 3 Charles John William 3 Ferrari Giovanni 3 Hansen John 2 Baggio Roberto Ultimi confronti diretti 29.11.2011 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 3-3 01.04.2012 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 3-0 20.05.2012 Coppa Italia Juventus-Napoli 0-2 11.08.2012 Supercoppa Italiana Juventus-Napoli 4-2 20.10.2012 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 2-0 01.03.2013 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 1-1 10.11.2013 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 3-0 30.03.2014 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 2-0 22.12.2014 Supercoppa Italiana Juventus-Napoli 2-2 11.01.2015 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 1-3 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 5 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Napoli 2 - Goals Juventus 21 - Goals Napoli 13 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

Allegri: ‘Barça are world’s best’ May 22, 2015 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri believes Barcelona are ‘the best team in the world’, but does not fear them ahead of the Champions League final. The Bianconeri will meet the Catalan side in Berlin on June 6, seeking to win the competition for the first time since 1996. “They are the strongest team in the world,” Allegri admitted in an interview with il Tirreno in his native Livorno. “However, we’re feeling good, and we’ll go there to play. I’m serious, we will play. My team gives me physical and mental guarantees, it really is a great squad. “Tomorrow we’ll think about Napoli, and then we’ll start preparing for that game with a sense of calm. “The truth is we haven’t been able to catch our breath for two months, even to celebrate. “Chiellini and Luis Suarez? It will be an interesting battle between two champions.” Allegri also reflected on the state of Italian football, and believes clubs must give more opportunities to youth. “In Tuscany there are fantastic youth systems, such as Empoli and Fiorentina, so it’s not like we have to discard our entire football system, we’re too self-defeating in Italy. “It is true, however, that it’s difficult for young players, the Primavera League isn’t enough, the youth teams would have to be playing in Serie D or the Lega Pro. “I don’t think there’s a lack of talent. Clubs should invest more in youngsters, that’s true, but unfortunately, in Italy immediate results matter more than anything.”

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus name 24 for Napoli May 22, 2015 Juventus have named a 24-man squad for the visit of Napoli tomorrow, with Claudio Marchisio and Alvaro Morata returning. The pair missed the Bianconeri’s Coppa Italia triumph on Wednesday through suspension, but have returned to Massimiliano Allegri’s squad. The Old Lady will be presented with the Serie A trophy after the match on Saturday evening, as the match is their last home game of the season. Allegri has already confirmed that Gigi Buffon will return in goal, having been deputised by Marco Storari in the last two matches, but Juve aren’t expected to field a full-strength side. Juventus squad to face Napoli: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchision, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Llorente, Barzagli, De Ceglie, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Sturaro, Storari, Matri, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra, Marrone. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus Curva open for Napoli May 22, 2015 A full-house will see Juventus presented the Serie A trophy, as the closure of the Curva Sud has again been suspended. Following violence in the Derby della Mole with Torino, the Lega Serie A ruled that the Curva Sud at Juventus Stadium would be closed for two games. The punishment was suspended for the draw with Cagliari to allow time for further investigation, and the same course of action has been taken for tomorrow’s clash with Napoli. “Juventus Stadium’s south stand will remain open as normal to all supporters for this Saturday’s Serie A clash with Napoli,” the Bianconeri announced on their official website, following confirmation from the FIGC. “After the derby meeting with Torino on 26 April, the sporting body had ordered the stand to be closed for two games. “The original decision was then suspended pending an additional investigation for the match against Cagliari and now, following this afternoon’s FIGC statement, the suspension will again apply for tomorrow’s visit of the Partenopei.” The Old Lady will be presented with the Serie A trophy after the match, which is their last home game of the season. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus v Napoli: Preview May 22, 2015 Napoli coach Rafael Benitez will have to come up with a brilliant strategy if his team is to end Juventus' unbeaten run at home in Serie A when the two sides meet on Saturday. Benitez's side travel to Turin needing a win to remain in the race to finish third and qualify for the Champions League. With two games remaining, Napoli are fourth in the standings, three points adrift of third-placed Lazio. Roma are one point clear of Lazio in second place. If results go Napoli's way, they could also finish as high as second in the standings. Lazio and Roma face each other on Monday while Napoli host Lazio in their season finale on May 31. ``We can still qualify for the Champions League and we must do the best we can in our final games,'' Benitez told the Italian media at a press conference. Napoli have won just seven of their 77 games at Juventus in all competitions, their last a 3-2 triumph in October 2009. However, the Azzurri have won five and lost just one of their last seven league games. Serie A champions Juve go into the contest in a celebratory mood. The Bianconeri followed their 2-1 triumph at Inter Milan in last weekend's 'derby d'Italia' with Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Lazio in Rome to clinch their 10th Coppa Italia. Alessandro Matri struck an extra-time winner to hand Juve their first domestic double since 1995. Juve will win a treble if they beat Barcelona in next month's Champions League final. ``Going all the way in three competitions as we have done is no simple task,'' Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri said. ``We put in a magnificent performance against Lazio. The players were fantastic. It's never easy to win the double. ``Now we'll see what the next final has in store for us.'' Juve have won 15 of their 18 games at home this season. Alvaro Morata, who missed the Coppa final through suspension, is expected to start and play alongside Kingsley Coman in Juve's attack, with Serie A's top scorer Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente set to start on the bench. Juve defender Stephan Lichtsteiner must serve a one-match ban. Napoli are without the services of suspended defender Kalidou Koulibaly. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Juventus vs. Napoli: Team News May 22, 2015 There will be a strange juxtaposition in play at Juventus Stadium on Saturday, with the two teams set to face each other viewing the game from very different perspectives. For the visitors—currently chasing Champions League qualification—it presents an opportunity to close the gap on Lazio and AS Roma above them. The two capital clubs meet in the derby on Monday, with Rafael Benitez’s side three points behind them in fourth place. They will be desperate for victory, which will provide a stark contrast to their hosts, who will likely be in celebratory mood as they play their final home game of the season. Having already clinched the Serie A title, the Bianconeri added the Coppa Italia on Wednesday—in a match reviewed at length here—securing a wonderful domestic double. It will be interesting to see the lineup chosen by Massimiliano Allegri for this encounter, with just two matches before the Champions League final against Barcelona. Giorgio Chiellini admitted the team will not be focussing on that, however, telling RAI Sport that they will instead relish this latest triumph. “Berlin is a way off,” said the defender (h/t Football Italia), “now we deserve to enjoy this Coppa Italia with our fans all over the country.” Napoli should remain cautious however, as the Old Lady proved last week against Inter that she remains dangerous even with a rotated side. Making seven changes from the side that faced Real Madrid, Juventus won 2-1 and the Partenopei cannot afford to do the same, with the three points at stake crucial to their hopes. Predicted Lineups Juventus: (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Barzagli, De Ceglie; Vidal, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pereyra, Matri; Morata Napoli: (4-2-3-1): Andujar; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam; Lopez, Inler; Callejon, Hamsik, Mertens; Higuain Player to Watch While he may not be chosen to start this clash, Manolo Gabbiadini could well emerge as the man to watch on Saturday. The 23-year-old began the season with Sampdoria, netting nine goals before moving to Napoli in January, continuing his excellent form under the tutelage of Rafael Benitez. What makes him so interesting here is that he was previously co-owned by Juventus, and while he never played a game for the club their decision to sell him was not an easy one. It is difficult to blame them when looking at the attacking talent already in Turin, but his tally of 20 goals in all competitions is difficult to ignore. He scored against the Bianconeri in December and will be looking to do so again as his current club seek to snatch third place. The €13 million signing is hoping for his first taste of Champions League football, knowing they must win here to keep that dream alive. Key Battle Napoli’s hopes of victory, as they so often have this term, will likely come to rest with Gonzalo Higuain, the striker so crucial to everything about the way the Partenopei approach matches. Their 4-2-3-1 formation hinges on his ability to stretch defences and create space either for himself or the trio behind him, and they will hope he can find gaps in Italy’s toughest back line once again. The Super Cup clash between these two sides ended 2-2 in normal time, with the Argentinian netting both goals for Napoli, and he has constantly caused the Bianconeri problems since arriving in Italy. The task of stopping Higuain will be the responsibility of a makeshift defence, with perhaps Andrea Barzagli the most prominent name to feature for the home side. The former Palermo man has been in excellent form since returning from a lengthy injury layoff, and Juventus will need him at his best here. Odds (via Odds Shark) Away win: 19/10 Home win: 36/25 Draw: 57/25 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Allegri: 'Winning never bores me' May 22, 2015 Max Allegri speaks of the 'dream' of the Juventus triplete and says winning all the time is a 'nice monotony'. The Bianconeri already conquered the Coppa Italia and the Scudetto, and the Champions League final against Barcelona on June 6 gives them an opportunity to pick up the coveted treble. “What can I say? I'm pleased,” said Allegri in today's Press conference. “I'm just happy about what we've done so far, and what we're doing with this campaign. “We must enjoy this extraordinary moment. As I've often said, seasons like this occur very rarely in one's career. “Making it to the final sprint in three different competitions, two of which we have already bagged, is a dream. So we'll have to be skilled and lucky against an extraordinary team. “That said, it's normal that someone should be pleased and satisfied upon attaining results of such importance.” Allegri was also asked whether Italy CT Antonio Conte, who sent him a message to congratulate him after winning the Scudetto, had contacted him again. “You mustn't be monotonous in life, sometimes you must invent something. But I received a very beautiful message from President [Massimo] Cellino. I still have an extraordinary bond with him. “Winning isn't something that should be taken for granted. But that does make for a nice monotony, if you can call it that, because there are many different ways of winning and it's never easy. “Today people talk as though winning the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia had been a given. A few days from now they might just be saying that of reaching the Champions League final. “Me, I believe this is an important year for the club and for the players. It's proof that this is an extraordinary group. “I'm delighted and privileged to have them with me. And I'm happy for the supporters too. “I perceive a lot of enthusiasm. I felt that in Rome when we played the final, and I feel it in the city, in the air. It will make tomorrow evening a beautiful one to remember.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - NAPOLI - Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m. Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Luca Banti Allegri: ‘Stay cool, Juventus’ May 22, 2015 Max Allegri stresses the importance of Juventus staying free of 'stress and anxiety' in the season's finale. The Bianconeri play the first of two remaining Serie A games this Saturday against Napoli. While the Scudetto is already theirs, their boss has refused to see the games as meaningless. “As in everything else, you've got to strike the right balance between training and giving playing time to those who need it,” said Allegri in today's Press conference. “Our game against Napoli tomorrow doesn't mean anything in terms of the Scudetto, but it counts towards the streak of undefeated games at home. “And it's important because we must play a good game from the technical point of view. “We still have to improve on that, as well as on intensity and character. We need to pull off some excellent performances that will let us achieve our results. “These two championship games are useful, along with the training sessions, to keep up the physical and mental condition. “We can't think about resting until June 6, otherwise we should unplug everything and stay in bed until that date, because we'd be worried about getting hurt. “In life you've got to have some fatalism. We must keep working with a cool mind and prepare these two remaining games in the best possible way. “After Saturday we can rest for three days, especially because this team hasn't been given half a day off since the end of February, especially when we had the international break. “Much like there's a need to work, there's also a need to rest. Besides, we also need to prepare ourselves for this [Champions League] Final. “But we must do so with serenity, with no excessive stress. We can't go to Berlin riddled with anxieties or we won't even be able to run. “Slowly, one step at a time, one day at a time, we'll prepare ourselves for the games we've got left.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Xavi Admires Long Time Andrea Pirlo May 22, 2015 Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez complimented Juventus midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo, calling the Italian international the most talented player he’s ever faced. The two legendary midfielders will square off on June 6 in Berlin as their respective clubs battle to lift the Champions League trophy. “I have faced Pirlo for 16-17 years now and have always admired his style of play,” Xavi stated at a press conference announcing his move to Qatari club Al Sadd for a three-year contract at the end of the season. The 35-year old Spaniard who, like Pirlo, has tasted the pinnacle of success for both club and country, winning league titles, Champions League medals and lifting the World Cup trophy, will face the Juventus play-maker for the last time in Berlin and hopes Pirlo continues playing. “He said if he wins the Champions League he will retire, so I hope to not let him quit,” Xavi added.