Socrates

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus 2-0 Empoli: No Marchisio, No Pogba, No Pirlo, No Problem Apr 5, 2015 Juventus welcomed Empoli to Turin in the final game of this week's Serie A action, with the Italian football calendar moving forward for the Easter holiday. Juventus won the sides' first meeting 2-0 in Empoli with wonderful goals from Andrea Pirlo and Álvaro Morata, and history repeated itself with Carlos Tévez and Roberto Pereyra grabbing the goals this time around. Empoli played their game, trying to keep possession and press high up the field, but Juventus' quality in both boxes eventually told. After the international break it's always a relief to see the squad relatively unscathed, especially after Claudio Marchisio's injury turned out to be much less serious than was feared. Il Principino did have to skip the Empoli match, and with Pirlo and Paul Pogba nursing longer-term injuries Massimiliano Allegri's hand was forced in midfield, with Sturaro and Padoin joining Arturo Vidal. In defense, Angelo Ogbonna got the nod ahead of Giorgio Chiellini at center back in the 3-5-2. With another three points Juventus' lead atop Serie A remains at 14, while perhaps the most impressive news is how comfortable the side looked without three starting midfielders. Padoin won't be confused for Pirlo anytime soon, but neither did he and Sturaro look overwhelmed. The defense once again kept the clean sheet, although this time Gianluigi Buffon had to make a couple of difficult saves. MATCH SUMMARY Empoli started with a decent spell of possession, with Padoin perhaps lucky to avoid a yellow card for an early tackle. Both sides were happy to press high and there was some sloppiness at the back, with Tévez getting a decent shot in on 5'. Fernando Llorente nearly got behind Daniele Rugani, but the ball just ran out of play. Sturaro was all over the pitch, and came off worst in a couple of challenges, while Riccardo Saponara looked the most dangerous for Empoli. As the half wore on the quality of the Juventus began to show, however Empoli could still create dangerous triangles with their front three on the counter, but the Juventus center backs won their battles. Llorente began the game very well, holding on to long balls and even showing a bit of pace with the ball. On 21 minutes Juve had a chance when Stephan Lichtsteiner's switch of play found Patrice Evra who cut it back for Tévez in space. The Argentine's feint stunned the Empoli defense, but Luigi Sepe came out to close the angle. Vidal began imposing himself in the game, nearly playing in Sturaro, before Lichtsteiner smacked the followup wide. Tévez nearly broke through for a great chance but the ball ran away to Sturaro, before Lichtsteiner's cross found Vidal's header, over. Mirko Valdifiori tried to squeeze a dangerous ball through for Saponara, but Andrea Barzagli got their first. Empoli hadn't come to defend, and tried to keep possession play out from the back, but couldn't find the individual quality to create any real chances. Sturaro's 34th minute cross found Vidal and Lichtsteiner crowding each other out, and the keeper claimed the resulting shot. Manuel Pucciarelli showed some flashes of skill, but Saponara was again closed down. Barzagli tried to burst down the side and find Tévez, but Daniele Croce came across well. Tévez and Vidal nearly combined in the box, but Empoli again got bodies in the way. The away side finally created something, as Saponara played a nice first-time pass through for Massimo Maccarone, but his finish drifted well wide. Evra found Sturaro in the box where Rugani tipped the ball away, only for the referee to rule it an intentional backpass. Indirect free-kick from the corner of the six-yard box! As always the set up was high tension, and this time the execution was perfect. Vidal touched it on for Tévez, who smashed it into the roof of the net past a flinching wall. The second half began with a couple of hopeful efforts, Pucciarelli flicking a difficult header over and Evra found Llorente in the box, but again Empoli crowded him out. On the resulting counter Croce escaped from Tévez, earning the Juve man a yellow card. Saponara was next to try his luck for Empoli, but sent his effort straight at Buffon. There was an even better chance when a brilliant first-time ball from Valdifiori found Pucciarelli's run, while Buffon almost got caught in no-man's land but backpedaled quickly and made a great sprawling save. Empoli were on top, and finally putting shots on target. A free-kick in midfield gave Empoli a set-piece, but the whistle blew for offside. Evra made a run to break the offside line, but was again flagged off. Matías Vecino threatened to break through, beating two and playing a ball for Pucciarelli, but again Juventus defenders got in the way. Tévez looked to have space to charge towards goal from his own half, but Valdifiori made a good covering run and challenge. A quick attack from the home side saw Tévez, Vidal, and Lichtsteiner combine but the right wingback's cross was poor. Empoli continued to control most of the possession, but got very little end product out of it. In the 66th minute Lichtsteiner drew a yellow for Mário Rui, giving Juventus the chance to set up possession in the opponent's half, before Lichtsteiner got caught offside. At the whistle, Llorente made way for Morata. Things got a bit more exciting soon after when a poor clearance from Barzagli gave Pucciarelli the ball at the edge of the box, where the striker nutmegged Evra and tried to round Buffon, but the veteran keeper held his nerve and tipped the ball away, springing to his feet to make a follow-up save. Juve seemed to wake up a bit and pressure Empoli more, with the midfield conquering the ball high up the pitch. In the 75th minute Vidal played a lovely ball in for Morata's run, but Rugani slid across to cover. A crunching tackle from Vecino left Sturaro worse for wear, and the midfielder was soon taken off for Pereyra. On the Empoli side, Pucciarelli made way for Verdi. Lichtsteiner went charging into the box after a Morata flick, and Vidal had a shot from a nice Tévez setup, but Juventus could not quite find the second goal. Valdifiori again threatened to play a ball over the Juventus defense, but Ogbonna held his ground very well. Arturo Vidal went down holding his ankle in the 84th, sending hearts briefly into mouths, but was quickly able to get back on the field before Pepe replaced him. Morata threatened to get through in the 89th, but Rugani was again quick to get his challenge in. Barzagli gave away the ball in defense, forcing Bonucci into an important challenge. Eventually Barzagli saw yellow and Verdi limped off. Juventus once again finished the half with a bang as Roberto Pereyra grabbed the second. The substitute played the ball in for Tévez who turned his man and sent the Empoli defense into disarray. Sepe saved the first effort, but Pereyra was on hand to tap in the rebound. Empoli had one more chance to grab a goal with a good set-piece, but nobody was able to get a touch as the last ball of the game fizzed across the box. LE PAGELLE Buffon: 8 Very little to do in the first half, but made two fantastic saves in the second to preserve the clean sheet. Barzagli: 6 Controlled his space defensively, but sometimes took risks playing the ball out that could have cost a goal. Bonucci: 6.5 Another good performance from Bonucci, who did well reading the play and stepping in defensively but struggled a bit with his long passing. Ogbonna: 7 Called on frequently 1-on-1 in space, the Nigerian-Italian imposed himself on the Empoli frontline. Seemed to get the most attention from Empoli, and always had the answer. Lichtsteiner: 6.5 Combined well with Vidal and Tévez at times, as well as getting into the box himself. Vidal: 7.5 A tenacious defensive presence who seems to be finding a bit of form on the attacking side, Vidal and Tévez were a very large part of Juve's attacking plans. Padoin: 6 Playing in front of the defense this time, Padoin stayed close to his defenders, played the easy passes, and backed up the midfield press reasonably well. Sturaro: 6.5 Had a few moments where he seemed to be trying too hard to impress by throwing his body around, but overall showed great strenght, got into good positions, and played a couple of dangerous balls. Evra: 6 Provided good width for the whole match, but got caught offside too often when there was no need to run behind the defense. Llorente: 6 Faded after a very promising start, but provided the sturdy hold-up man that Juventus needed at times this match. Tévez: 7.5 Persistently dropping back into midfield to help compensate for the losses there, Tévez still managed to be threatening around the box and score a wonderful free-kick, blasting it above the wall and under the bar from the edge of the six-yard box. Substitutes: Morata: 6 Given 25 minutes at the end he had a couple of chances to create off the dribble, but was unable to get his shot away. Pereyra: 6.5 Scored the second and generally filled un well on the right of midfield. Pepe: N/A Given a few minutes after Vidal was taken off with an ankle problem. Allegri: 6.5 With the injury crisis in midfield and players coming back after an international break, as well as an impressive Empoli side, the points were by no means certain in this one, but Allegri's team once again kept a clean sheet and created enough at the other end. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Carlos Tevez Leads from Front as Juventus Edge Nearer Scudetto with Empoli Win Apr 4, 2015 Juventus returned to duty following the international break by welcoming Empoli to Turin on Saturday evening, the fixture completing the latest round of Serie A action. After a day in which the two teams directly below the Bianconeri—AS Roma and Lazio—both won, they knew a WINagainst the Tuscan minnows would maintain their 14-point advantage over the chasing pack with just nine games left to play. Maurizio Sarri’s men would be no pushovers, however, with the Azzurri enjoying their return to the top flight and coming into the game sitting in 14th place. While they turned in another excellent performance, they would prove no match for the reigning champions, eventually succumbing 2-0 after 90 hard-fought minutes. Massimiliano Allegri’s task was complicated by the absences of Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo—the midfield trio at varying stages in their recovery from injury. After their international exploits last week, Kingsley Coman was also omitted, with the team selection somewhat reflective of the schedule awaiting the Old Lady in the coming weeks. Given that cushion in the standings and with the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina on Tuesday—and just a further just seven days until AS Monaco visit Juventus Stadium for a Champions League quarter-final clash—it was perhaps no surprise to see the coach also rest a number of other players here. Leaving out Giorgio Chiellini, Allegri handed Angelo Ogbonna the perfect chance to show he could be relied upon—a matter discussed at length in this previous column. Empoli’s high-tempo play would test Ogbonna early, and a successful tackle followed by a clearance under pressure quickly calmed the nerves of the Juventus defender. From there he would excel, forming part of the solid back line upon which the Bianconeri would build yet another victory. Sturaro and Padoin turned in solid midfield performances in place of their more high-profile team-mates, while Fernando Llorente was excellent in leading the line throughout the match. When the deadlock was finally broken, it was no surprise to see it was Carlos Tevez once again finding the back of the net, the striker taking his tally for the campaign to 25 goals in all competitions. The 31-year-old had already tormented the Empoli defence on numerous occasions, but after Daniele Rugani was judged to have made a back pass to Luigi Sepe, the Argentinian would seize his opportunity. While the decision was debatable, there would be no question marks over the resulting indirect free-kick, Arturo Vidal knocking the ball sideways and Tevez smashing it into the roof of the net. It left the defenders and goalkeeper helpless to prevent the home side taking the lead, and just two minutes later, it was half-time. The interval came and went, with Gigi Buffon called into action shortly afterwards, making superb saves from Riccardo Saponara and Manuel Pucciarelli in quick succession, and he would pull off another important double save 20 minutes later to deny any hope of an equaliser. A wonderful challenge in the box from Rugani was all that prevented Juve doubling their advantage, the young defender underlining the quality which has seen him signed permanently by the Bianconeri, a fact the club’s director general Beppe Marotta confirmed to Sky Italia before the game (h/t Football Italia). Indeed, the only sour note for the Turin side came with just a few minutes remaining, as Vidal struggled following an awkward landing. Allegri quickly replaced him with Pepe. The Chilean had been superb once again, and losing him—particularly given the already injury-ravaged nature of the midfield—does not bear thinking about given their upcoming matches. That made the decision to take off the 27-year-old fully understandable, and Roberto Pereyra added a second goal in stoppage time to deliver three more points in the quest for a fourth consecutive league title. Bigger games lie in wait, but Juventus—inspired by the in-form Tevez—once again took care of business here, and the relentless march continues. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Player Ratings: Juventus 2-0 Empoli Apr 4, 2015 Juventus defeated Empoli 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium on Saturday night in Serie A. Carlos Tevez put the hosts ahead before substitute Roberto Pereyra doubled their lead to give La Vecchia Signora the three points, although they faced a tough challenge from a strong Empoli side. Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 7.5 – Unbeatable - The Italian keeper once again proved to be a key figure in the Italian champions’ line up, as he pulled off a fantastic double save as well as another athletic stop to keep out a Massimo Maccarone effort and make sure his side kept a clean sheet. Andrea Barzagli – 6 – Dependable - Similar to Ogbonna, the Juventus back line had little to do during the course of the 90 minutes, but 33-year-old Barzagli also put in a few key stops and did some good positional play to clear Empoli attacks when needed. Leonardo Bonucci – 7 – Attacking - The 27-year-old defender spent most of his time on the other side of the pitch, with a header of his going a bit too high over the cross bar and also helping his team WIN FREE kicks in key areas to pile on the pressure. Angelo Ogbonna – 6 – Realiable - Thanks to the keeper behind him, 26-year-old Ogbonna had little to do in the Juventus defence, but when he was called upon the Italian did his job well. Stephan Lichtsteiner – 7 – Hopeful - The Swiss international was eager during the match as he was offside on a couple of occasions in attack, but the full-back did manage to get a few shots away which were blocked by a wall of Azzurri defenders. Arturo Vidal – 7 – Threatening - The Chilean international showed his speed on counter attacks which helped him assist a lot of efforts on goal for Juve, and the 27-year-old set up Tevez on the free kick in which the Argentine scored. Simone Padoin – 6.5 – Late - The 31-year-old produced a good cross and some good passing throughout the match, but unfortunately his final ball was a little too late which meant a lot of the home team’s attacks were ruled out for being offside. Stefano Sturaro – 6 – Careless - The 22-year-old Italian set up a couple of shots and had a shot of his own blocked, but was often careless in losing the ball in midfielder to allow the opposition to attack. Patrice Evra – 6 – Dangerous - The French international was offside a few times when trying to get past the Empoli defence, but put the pressure on the visitors before the flag was inevitably raised. CARLOS TEVEZ – 8 – Best - Definitely the best player on the field during the game, Argentina international Tevez put the hosts ahead in the firs half as well as having plenty other shots throughout the game and making sure the Empoli defenders were never at rest. Fernando Llorente – 6 – Disappointing - The Spaniard looked encouraging in the opening moments of the game when him and Tevez were in an attacking scramble in the box, but during the 90 minutes his threat died down and the 30-year-old was rightly substituted. Substitutes Alvaro Morata – 6 – Impact - The Spaniard made a good impact when he was brought on in the second half, producing a few threatening crosses and keeping the opposition’s defence on high alert. Roberto Pereyra – 7 – Decisive - The 24-year-old Argentina international put the game to bed when he capitalised on a rebound from a Tevez shot in the final moments of the game. Simone Pepe – N/A Empoli Luigi Sepe – 7 – Unlucky - The 23-year-old goalkeeper produced a number of good saves throughout the match, and was unlucky not to keep a clean sheet for most of the game as Tevez’s shot was from a few yards out and highly difficult to stop. Elseid Hisaj – 6 – Silent - The 21-year-old’s only effect on the match was a cross to assist a Pucciarelli shot but otherwise the Albanian was relatively unnoticed. Daniele Rugani – 6 – Unfortunate - The 20-year-old Italian was extremely unfortunate to give away the FREE kick that led to Tevez’s goal, as his tackle was mistook for a back pass to keeper Sepe. Federico Barba – 6 – Quiet - The 21-year-old Italian had a relatively quiet game in defence, providing an interception on a Juventus cross but nothing more. Mario Rui – 6 – Dangerous - The Portugese looked dangerous on the Empoli team, having a few shots going just wide of Buffon's goal and also winning a free-kick for his side, but the 23-year-old failed to stop attacks from La Vecchia Signora in defence. Matias Vecino – 6 – Useful - The Uruguayan international’s only moment in the game came as an assist to a close shot on goal. Mirko Valdifiori – 6 – Helpful - The Italian international helped his side win a few dangerous free kicks as well as assisting Pucciarelli on a huge chance for Empoli which he failed to take advantage of. Daniele Croce – 6 – Quiet - The 32-year-old helped his side win a free kick in a dangerous area and also had a few shots go wide of the goal, but he failed to make a strong impact in the match. Riccardo Saponara – 6 – Angry - The AC Milan loanee had a few blocked shots on goal but showed anger just before he was subbed off when he received a yellow card for a tackle on Padoin. Massimo Maccarone – 6 – Zero - The Italian put pressure on the Juventus back line but all of his shots went wide of the goal and he failed to help Empoli score. Manuel Pucciarelli – 6 – Wasteful - The Italian had a golden opportunity to score for the visitors but failed to take it, before he was ruled offside on a few occasions. Substitutes Levan Mchedlidze – 6 – Uneventful - The 25-year-old Georgian did what he had to do when he was called upon, but he failed to make any impact at all in the game. Piotr Zielinski – N/A Simone Verdi – N/A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Player Ratings: Juventus 2-0 Empoli The Old Lady overcame a plucky performance from the visitors to win by two goals and restore their 14-point Serie A lead. Apr 4, 2015 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Rescued his side during a tough period at the beginning of the second half by pulling off some fine saves. 15 A. Barzagli - Confident game from the veteran, who read the intentions of the visitors superbly. 19 L. Bonucci - The defender was a little rattled during Empoli's best periods but he was never at the centre of a mistake. 5 A. Ogbonna - Struggled during the initial attacks, but once he figured out an understanding with Evra, he improved. 26 S. Lichtsteiner - Overlapped relentlessly, and was always available to put pressure down the right. 23 A. Vidal - Set up Tevez's opener from the indirect free kick and made a collection of tackles to break up play. 20 S. Padoin - A solid two-way performance from the versatile midfielder, who protected the defence well and made some clever passes. 27 S. Sturaro - An encouraging game from the reserve midfielder, who worked hard and tried to showcase his passing chops. 33 P. Evra - The fact that he was caught offside regularly tells you all you need to know about his intentions in this game. 14 F. Llorente - An encouraging start soon evaporated as the service around him began to stagnate. 10 Carlos Tévez - Another game, another goal for the in-form Argentine. He scored from a tricky indirect free kick scenario and was unstoppable when driving at the defence. Substitutes 37 R. Pereyra - In the right place at the right time to stroke in a rebound for the leveler. 9 Álvaro Morata - Showed some lovely footwork to aid his side's build-up play. Empoli 33 L. Sepe - The keeper perhaps could have pushed the ball further away in the build-up to the second goal, but he also pulled off some fine stops to deny Tevez. 23 E. Hysaj - His passing was typically reliable, but that was about the extent of the risks that he would take. 24 D. Rugani - A solid performance for most of the game, but he was slow to close down the rebound during the build-up to the second goal. 19 F. Barba - Often got first to a series of dangerous crosses into the area. 21 Mário Rui - Allowed too much space in behind him during the first half. 88 M. Vecino - Halted a number of Juve moves dead in their tracks. Always available to harry the man on the ball. 6 M. Valdifiori - Broke up his fair share of attacks, and his short-range distribution was exemplary. 11 D. Croce - Like the rest of the midfield, his defensive work and awareness on the build-up was commendable. 5 R. Saponara - Created a number of chances tonight, dropping onto some glorious positions between the midfield and defensive lines. 7 M. Maccarone - Involved in one or tow attacks, but too often, he went for the speculative and rarely troubled the keeper. 20 M. Pucciarelli - Started a few great moves and nearly finished one or two of his own, were it not for Buffon. Substitutes 27 P. Zielinski - The midfielder really couldn't create much in the final third. 9 L. Mchedlidze - Some decent off-the-ball movement, but by that time, his side had lost their edge. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli JUVENTUS 2-0 EMPOLI PLAYER RATINGS SERIE A WEEK 29 Apr 4, 2015 Carlos Tevez and Roberto Pereyra provided the goals in an efficient and effective 2-0 victory against Empoli. Juve dominated the first half as Tevez bought a series of saves from Sepe before he finally broke the deadlock from an indirect free-kick. Empoli continued to press in the second-half and created chances of their own before Roberto Pereyra scored a late Juve goal to seal the win. Gianluigi Buffon 7.0 - Exceptional display from the veteran keeper to deny Empoli a series of clear goal-scoring chances, including a perfectly timed clearance followed by a point-blank save. Andrea Barzagli 6.5 - Read the game perfectly and kept Maccarrone very quiet as a result. Even managed to make a great run into the Empoli half to try and create something. Leonardo Bonucci 6.5 - Barely troubled by the Empoli attack, largely due to his great positioning and marking. Strong performance Angelo Ogbonna 6.5 - Stepped in for Giorgio Chiellini and made some of the best tackles of the night including a vital intervention to deny Pucciarelli Stephan Lichtsteiner 6.5 - Pushed up the right flank again and again. Provided a real attacking threat in the Empoli half of the pitch while defending very well. Arturo Vidal 7.0 - A typically hard-working and industrious display with a lot of tackling and some great pirlo-esque passes. Simone Padoin 7.0 - Exceptional display. Stood in for Pirlo/Marchisio and kept everything ticking over with a great range of passes and tackles. Shielded the defence well and tried to make a creative contribution as well. Stefano Sturaro 6.0 - A good display on only his second game as a Juve player. Good tackles, good vision and some half-chances in the Empoli area. Patrice Evra 6.5 - One of his most attacking performances to date, judging by the amount of times he was caught offside. Offered real width when things became to narrow. Solid match. CARLOS TEVEZ 7.5 - Tested goalkeeeper Sepe 3 times before he finally opened the scoring with a brilliantly taken indirect free kick. Exceptional display overall and deserved more goals. Fernando Llorente 6.0 - A solid game without having too many clear chances to score. Held up the play very well as he bought his teammates into the attack. Substitutes Robero Pereyra 6.5 - Came on for a brief cameo and managed to score late in the game from a difficult angle. His second of the season Simone Pepe N/A Alvaro Morata N/A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Sturaro: Referee Was Correct In Giving Free-Kick To Juventus Apr 4, 2015 Juventus midfielder Stefano Sturaro believes the referee made the correct decision in awarding the Bianconeri an indirect free-kick that opened the door to their 2-0 victory over Empoli. Daniele Rugani’s backpass was deemed voluntary by referee Piero Giacomelli, allowing Carlos Tevez to fire home from inside the penalty area, while Roberto Pereyra wrapped up proceedings with a goal in injury time. “In my opinion the referee was correct did well to call a free-kick,” he told Rai Sport after the match. “Maybe the goalkeeper Sepe made a mistake as I think Rugani wanted to put it out for a corner kick.” The 22-year-old also described what it’s like to play for the reigning champions after making the move over from Genoa in January. “It is easier playing with stars of this calibre,” he admitted to Sky Sport Italia. “Today we had a good team in front of us, one that is prepared and organized. We suffered but together we were able to win.” The win allows Juve to maintain their 14 point advantage on Roma, who were 1-0 winners over Napoli earlier in the day. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Allegri: 'Padoin can be a Coach' Apr 4, 2015 Max Allegri said Simone Padoin “could become a Coach” after filling in for Andrea Pirlo as Juventus beat Empoli 2-0. The Bianconeri notched up a fourth consecutive Serie A victory, although Roberto Pereyra’s late goal meant it wasn’t a fourth straight 1-0 result. “First of all I am very happy with the performance, especially as it was Padoin’s first time playing in front of the defence, Angelo Ogbonna was back after a month and Stefano Sturaro had only his second start,” the Coach told Sky Sport Italia. “We allowed Empoli practically nothing in the first half, but after the break we tried to control the situation and did run some risks. We should’ve been more concentrated and anticipated the moves. “It’s not easy to win four in a row with clean sheets. Many of the players only returned from international duty on Thursday, so they really do deserve compliments. “Empoli are a very organised side and played well, so we had to play between the lines and the only way to open them up was to keep moving their defenders from one side to the other. “I’d say it’s a great victory against a team in good shape who were unbeaten in eight games.” Allegri had particular praise for benchwarmer Padoin, who took over the Andrea Pirlo role in the absence of Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba too. “Padoin is proving himself to be a great professional. As well as being able to play in many different roles, he also has the characteristics to become a Coach! He’s tactically intelligent and it’s tough to play in front of the defence. He brings balance to the side and anywhere you put him, he does the job.” The gap at the top of the table is still 14 points, as Roma beat Napoli 1-0 today, but there are only nine rounds to go. Meanwhile, Juve have to overturn a 2-1 first leg defeat to Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semi-final on Tuesday night. “Marchisio will be available against Fiorentina on Tuesday, while I hope to have Pirlo against Monaco, though he’s been out for six weeks so we have to introduce him back slowly. “Arturo Vidal just had a knock to the ankle, it’s nothing serious.” The Bianconeri can also start thinking about the Champions League quarter-final against Monaco. “I saw a bit of Monaco’s game yesterday. They might not have as much quality as Borussia Dortmund, but they are difficult to play against and the fact they’re underdogs will give them something more,” continued Allegri. “I told the lads you mustn’t be more talented in a Champions League quarter-final, but you have to be better on the night. “I brought my concepts to the squad and tried to improve those things that could be improved after winning the Scudetto for three years in a row. This team should be aware it’s one of the best in Europe, but we mustn’t get sated. I think the individuals can still improve in various ways.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Tevez: Juventus Will Be Champions When The Math Says So Apr 4, 2015 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has refused to call the Scudetto race over as the Bianconeri took another important step towards a fourth consecutive title thanks to a 2-0 victory over Empoli on Saturday. Title challengers Roma claimed a hard fought 1-0 win over Napoli earlier in the day, and the Argentine stated it was key for Juve to match the result as he believes the title race is still well and truly alive. “Roma are still alive, we saw that before taking the field,” he told Sky Sport Italia after the match. “We had to win on the field, only the math will say when we are champions.” The Argentine scored a controversial goal from a free-kick from inside the penalty area after Daniele Rugani’s back pass was deemed voluntary, and Tevez admitted there was little technique involved in his effort on goal. “I knew I had to take a hard shot because there were a lot of people in the penalty area,” he revealed. “Luckily it went well, I don’t know if I’ve scored similar goals.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

TIM Cup - Semifinale - ritorno - 7-4-2015 (ore 20:45) FIORENTINA - JUVENTUS .- Coppa Italia Semifinale Martedí, 7 aprile 2015 - ore 20:45 Stadio Artemio Franchi, Firenze Arbitro: Davide Massa Confronti ufficiali 170 - 13 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 76 - 3 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 56 - 4 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Fiorentina 38 - 6 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 284 - 20 (Coppa Italia) Goals Fiorentina 189 - 25 (Coppa Italia) Fiorentina - Juventus - Coppa Italia a Firenze Confronti ufficiali 7 Vittorie Juventus 0 Pareggi 3 (L'ultimo l' 01.12.2005, 2-2) Vittorie Fiorentina 4 (L'ultima il 04.09.1985, 1-0) Goals Juventus 8 Goals Fiorentina 16 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro la Fiorentina a Firenze in Coppa Italia 2 presenze Bellini Savino 2 Borel II Felice Placido 2 Cabrini Antonio 2 Capocasale Francesco 2 Del Piero Alessandro 2 Depetrini Teobaldo 2 Foni Alfredo 2 Gabetto Guglielmo 2 Pessotto Gianluca 2 Rava Pietro 1 goal Borel II Felice Placido 1 Gabetto Guglielmo 1 Inzaghi Filippo 1 Mora Bruno 1 Mutu Adrian 1 Pessotto Gianluca 1 Rava Pietro 1 Zidane Zinedine Ultimi confronti diretti 25.10.2011 - Serie A - Juventus-Fiorentina 2-1 17.03.2012 - Serie A - Fiorentina-Juventus 0-5 25.09.2012 - Serie A - Fiorentina-Juventus 0-0 09.02.2013 - Serie A - Juventus-Fiorentina 2-0 20.10.2013 - Serie A - Fiorentina-Juventus 4-2 09.03.2014 - Serie A - Juventus-Fiorentina 1-0 13.03.2014 - Europa League - Juventus-Fiorentina 1-1 20.03.2014 - Europa League - Fiorentina-Juventus 0-1 05.12.2014 - Serie A - Fiorentina-Juventus 0-0 05.03.2015 - Coppa Italia - Juventus-Fiorentina 1-2 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 5 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Fiorentina 2 - Goals Juventus 15 - Goals Fiorentina 8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eq1A1iJmDc http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/Calcio/Serie%20A/Juventus/2015/04/04-93834_0/FOTO+Juventus-Empoli%3A+il+film+della+partita http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/yibctQJCBYG/Juventus+FC+v+Empoli+FC+Serie

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Carlos Tevez's goal gives Juventus victory over Empoli Apr 4, 2015 A fourth straight Serie A title is Juventus' for the taking after they beat Empoli 2-0 on Saturday night to establish a 14-point advantage at the top of the table with nine games of the season remaining. Carlos Tevez opened the scoring shortly before the interval and Roberto Pereyra added a second in stoppage time as the Bianconeri responded to victories from Roma and Lazio to restore a seemingly unassailable lead at the top of the standings. They also had goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to thank for making several fine interventions in the second half when Juve dropped their intensity, saving their batteries for a trip to Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia in midweek and the Champions League quarter-final clash with Monaco a week after. Tevez was not given a rest by Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri, who did leave Alvaro Morata out of his side and handed Stefano Sturaro his first start in the absence of the injured midfield trio Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo. The energetic Argentinian certainly did not look like he needed any sort of a rest either as he led Juve's assault on a 21st victory of the season. Luigi Sepe did well to deny the Serie A top-scorer after he threw two Empoli defenders a dummy to make place for a shot. Tevez was making a nuisance of himself at all times and it was his pressure which forced Daniele Rugani to clear the ball back towards his own goalkeeper, who clutched the ball. The referee decided it was a deliberate backpass and awarded Juve a free-kick just outside the six-yard box. With 11 players lined up on the line, there was only one way Tevez was going to get the ball past them and that was by lifting it high into the roof of the net, and he executed his shot to perfection to give the hosts the lead. It was enough to wi.n the game, although Juve had to rely on Buffon in the second half to see them through. Despite getting enticed from his line to seek a lofted ball, the Italy number one realised he was not going to make it and retreated enough to turn Manuel Pucciarelli's header behind. Buffon denied the same Puciarelli with a perfectly-timed save which would have resulted in a penalty had he not got to the ball when he did, and he got back to his feet to punch Daniele Croce's effort away. Nothing else came Buffon's way and there was time for Tevez to fill his lungs again with a run and shot which Sepe could only parry for Peryera to convert deep in stoppage time as Juve's march towards a fourth straight Serie A title continued unabated with a fourth straight league win. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Tevez: 'I always sweat for Juve' Apr 4, 2015 Carlos Tevez described his goal against Empoli and assured he is “always prepared to sweat” for Juventus. Apache had only just returned from international duty with Argentina, but played the entire 2-0 victory in Turin this evening. He broke the deadlock by scoring from a touched-on indirect free-kick, a tough ask from the outside corner of the six-yard box with numerous Empoli players on the line. “I knew I had to fire it high, as it’s difficult to score from that area of the goal,” Tevez told Sky Sport Italia. Initially there had been reports he’d be rested for this game, especially with a Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina coming up on Tuesday. “I am always prepared to sweat for the team and now we have too many injuries, so it’s important to give our all. “I said before this game that Roma were still alive, so we had to do our job, and keep going until we are mathematically champions.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Tevez takes down Empoli Carlos Tevez scored from a contentious indirect free-kick, as Juventus beat Empoli 2-0 to end an eight-game unbeaten run. Apr 4, 2015 The Bianconeri made changes, missing Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Kwadwo Asamoah, Martin Caceres, Kingsley Coman and Romulo, plus resting players ahead of the Coppa Italia semi-final with Fiorentina. Mirko Valdifiori was buoyed by his Italy debut against England in this very stadium earlier this week. Carlos Tevez forced the first save out of Luigi Sepe after four minutes, then the Apache left two defenders for dead with a sensational feint, but the goalkeeper rushed off his line to block. Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner both went for the same ball and eventually the Swiss international was denied by Sepe from close range. Massimo Maccarone fired wide of the near post, but Juventus took the lead when Daniele Rugani was rather harshly judged to have made a back-pass to Sepe. The indirect free-kick was awarded on the outside corner of the six-yard box and it was touched on for Tevez, who smashed his finish into the roof of the net. There were numerous Empoli players on the line, so his only hope of scoring was to lift it with real power. Moments later, Tevez went on another strong run and Sepe smothered at the near post. Gigi Buffon took the sting out of a Riccardo Saponara snapshot after the restart, then the veteran goalkeeper needed a great save on Manuel Pucciarelli’s diving header at the near post. Stephan Lichtsteiner wasted a promising team move by passing straight to Sepe, but Buffon again had to be on his toes to fingertip the ball off the feet of Pucciarelli after a Leonardo Bonucci error, then immediately got back on his feet to beat away a rising Saponara follow-up. Rugani performed a decisive tackle on Alvaro Morata, while Levan Mchedlidze’s back-heel flick from a corner was straight at Buffon. There were concerns for Max Allegri in the final minutes, as Arturo Vidal went off after landing awkwardly on his ankle. Empoli also played stoppages with 10 men, as Verdi had to be helped off when all the substitutions were completed. Nonetheless, Juve added a second late on when Tevez burst forward and his shot was parried into the path of Roberto Pereyra. This result puts an end to Empoli’s all-time club record eight-round unbeaten run in Serie A. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner, Sturaro (Pereyra 77), Padoin, Vidal (Pepe 86), Evra; Tevez, Llorente (Morata 67) Empoli: Sepe; Hysaj, Rugani, Barba, Mario Rui; Vecino, Valdifiori, Croce (Zielinski 74); Saponara; Maccarone (Mchedlidze 72), Pucciarelli (Verdi 77) Ref: Giacomelli http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus 2-0 Empoli: Bianconeri Overcome Spirited Azzurri Side Apr 4, 2015 Juventus defeated Empoli 2-0 at the Juventus stadium to stretch their lead at the top of Serie A to 14 points. Carlos Tévez smashed the ball into the top-right hand corner of the net from the result of an indirect free kick to open the scoring shortly before half time and Roberto Pereyra added the Old Lady’s second deep into added time. The energetic Tévez was a menace to Empoli all night and he had the first chance of the game within the first five minutes when he nicked the ball just outside the penalty area and fashioned a shot which forced Luigi Sepe into his first action of the evening. Empoli then had a very soft penalty appeal when the impressive Riccardo Saponara clashed with Andrea Barzagli. However, both players were both guilty of pulling each other’s shirts. The best chance of the first half came for Juventus when Patrice Evra found his ex-Manchester United team-mate Tévez, whose fantastic dummy which took out three Empoli players completely, was enough to get himself into a one-on-situation, but he had squandered the chance when he could not get past the towering figure of goalkeeper Sepe. Lichtsteiner had a great chance after the half hour mark when both him and Arturo Vidal jumped for Padoin’s ball into the box; the ball came off the Chilean and broke for the Swiss who could not get his shot past the onrushing Sepe. It was difficult for the Bianconeri to break down the spirited Azzurri side who themselves have been in good form under their coach Maurizio Sarri who emphasized beforehand that his team intended to compete against the Champions. But the goal eventually came for Juventus on 41 minutes when the referee awarded Juventus a controversial indirect-free kick for an alleged back-pass when Daniele Rugani attempted to make a tackle and Sepe picked the ball up. Carlos Tévez smashed it into the top right-hand corner of the net and became the league’s top scorer with his 17th goal of the season. Empoli however played very confidently and set out to press Juventus high up the pitch. They started the second half very well and had chances to equalise when Saponara’s shot was saved comfortably, then when Manuel Pucciarelli went through against Buffon, but the goalkeeper got enough on his header at the edge of the box to push it behind for a corner. Buffon was called into action again when one-on-one with Pucciarelli he produced a great save to push the ball away before quickly recovering to stop the rebound, this was the visitors golden chance to draw level and arguably it would have been no less than they deserved, and it was telling from the reaction of Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri who cut an animated figure on the touchline throughout the game. Empoli struggled to create anything substantial after those chances and were harshly consigned to defeat when Pereyra scored a rebound deep in stoppage time after good work from Tévez had forced Sepe into an initial save. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus see off battling Empoli Apr 4, 2015 Juventus moved closer to a fourth successive Serie A title after a hard-fought victory over Empoli. Carlos Tevez's 43rd-minute strike following an indirect free-kick and a stoppage-time goal from Roberto Pereyra proved enough for the Bianconeri to extend their lead over second-place Roma. The Argentine frontman was a threat to the Empoli back line from the start and brought an early save out of Luigi Sepe. A clever turn by Tevez midway through the half saw Tevez bamboozle three defenders before Sepe raced off his line to deny the ex-Manchester City striker. Stephan Lichtsteiner also went close for Juve when he captialised on loose Empoli passing in defence before firing wide of goal. However, the hosts broke the deadlock on 43 minutes when Tevez smashed the ball home from an indirect free-kick, given after Sepe was adjudged to have picked up an intentional passback. The visitors started to enjoy more attacking opportunities after the interval and their first chance of note in the game came Manuel Pucciarelli's low header was tipped away by Gianluigi Buffon. Midway through the second period, Empoli had their best chance to get back on level terms when Pucciarelli was threaded through by Riccardo Saponara and, as he tried to round Buffon, the Italian international keeper managed get a hand to the ball before saving a follow-up shot too. However, Juve managed to weather the visitors' attacking bluster and, despite Arturo Vidal's late withdrawal through injury, Pereyra capped off another WIN for the defending champions in stoppage time after following up Tevez's shot, which was only parried by Sepe. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - EMPOLI 2 - 0 Carlos Tévez (43') Roberto Pereyra (93') Saturday, April 4th, 2015 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus 2-0 Empoli: Tevez thumps home indirect free kick in victory The Argentine scored just before the break, lashing the ball into the back of the net after the referee had penalised the visitors for a backpass, before Roberto Pereyra netted. Apr 4, 2015 Carlos Tevez led by example in the absence of several key stars as injury-hit Juventus' ominous march towards a 31st Serie A title continued with an unconvincing 2-0 defeat of Empoli on Saturday. Juve were without a multitude of players due to injury, including Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo, but Tevez produced an all-action display in their absence to inspire Massimiliano Allegri's side to all three points. The Argentina international was a constant nuisance to the Empoli backline during the first half, though the visitors were successful in frustrating their hosts for over 40 minutes. Juve's breakthrough eventually came just before the break, Tevez slamming home an indirect free-kick from 10 yards to delight the home fans. Empoli improved after the break and were only denied a 53rd-minute equaliser by Gianluigi Buffon's fine one-handed save, as Juve's hold of the midfield battle began to loosen. The Italy goalkeeper came to Juve's rescue again 19 minutes from time, before more fine work from Tevez led to substitute Roberto Pereyra adding a late second for Allegri's side, who restored their 14-point lead at the summit following Roma's WIN over Napoli earlier in the day. Despite their injury woes in midfield, Juventus did not appear to have any problems dictating proceedings during the early exchanges, crafting the first chance after just five minutes. Tevez was unsurprisingly at the fore, as he cut on to his right foot and curled a delicate effort towards the bottom-right corner, only for Luigi Sepe to turn it around the post. Serie A's top scorer was central to Juve's next opportunity 14 minutes later, deceiving two defenders with a delightful feint on the edge of the area before seeing his eventual effort smothered by the advancing Sepe. Juve remained utterly dominant and Daniele Rugani - who is set to join Allegri's men in July - eventually presented them with a glorious opportunity from an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area after a 42nd-minute backpass. Tevez duly smashed the ball beyond the helpless combination of Sepe and his wall, finding the roof of the net in emphatic fashion to break the deadlock. Regardless of their dominance, Juve had to rely on goalkeeper Buffon to keep them ahead seven minutes into the second period, as Manuel Pucciarelli raced on to Mirko Valdifiori's long pass and saw his header acrobatically tipped wide. The match began to descend into a scrappy midfield battle as the hour mark approached, with neither side crafting much in terms of goal-scoring opportunities. Juve had to count on the brilliance of Buffon again in the 71st minute, the veteran rushing out to tackle Pucciarelli before then denying the Empoli striker with a reaction save. Arturo Vidal almost put the result beyond doubt with 80 minutes on the clock, stroking just wide of the bottom-left corner from 20 yards. The Chilean then jogged off gingerly with a knock four minutes from time, to leave Allegri with another potential midfield injury concern. But any late collapse was prevented by Pereyra, who tapped home in stoppage time after Sepe had parried another effort from the influential Tevez. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Una squadra che vince senza fenomeni come Pirlo, Pogba e Marchisio e con Ogbonna, Padoin e Sturaro in campo non puó temere né Roma, né Lazio.

ROBERTO PEREYRA 2-0

Empoli in 10.

Complimenti di Marocchi a Padoin davanti alla difesa. Non é Pirlo, non é Marchisio ma un giocatore tutta sostanza.

Bravo Rugani. Sará un grande acquisto.

Allegri esagitato.

Entra Pepe. Vidal a terra.

Bravo Angelino

Sono dappertutto gli azzurri toscani.