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JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Line-ups: Juventus-Fiorentina Mar 5, 2014 Juventus host Fiorentina in tonight’s first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final, as Paul Pogba and Mohamed Salah face off. It begins at the Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.45 CET. This fixture has always been a bitter grudge match, which only intensified last season after Juve knocked Fiorentina out of the Europa League. The Viola reached the Coppa Italia Final last term, losing 3-1 to Napoli, so are eager to get back there. Juventus boss Max Allegri makes changes, as he is without the injured Andrea Pirlo, Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Luca Marrone. Carlos Tevez is rested, but Paul Pogba returns to the starting XI after he was left out of the big 1-1 Serie A draw with Roma on Monday due to a muscular problem. He also brings back the 4-3-3 system with Fernando Llorente given a chance to lead the line with 18-year-old prodigy Kingsley Coman and veteran Simone Pepe, who seems to have finally recovered after two years of an injury nightmare. Fiorentina know all about injury nightmares and are without Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi, Ciprian Tatarusanu and Federico Bernardeschi. Mario Gomez is available again, but all eyes will be on Mohamed Salah, who is in sensational form since arriving from Chelsea in January. Norberto Neto starts against what many believe will be his next club. These teams have faced off 12 times in the Coppa Italia, the Viola ahead by five wins to three along with four draws. However, Fiorentina haven’t beaten Juve in this tournament since September 1985, managing just three draws and a defeat. Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe, Llorente, Coman Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Evra, De Ceglie, Sturaro, Pereyra, Tevez, Morata, Matri Fiorentina: Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Marcos Alonso; Aquilani, Badelj, Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez, Salah Fiorentina bench: Aquilani, Bagadur, Borja Valero, Diamanti, Gilardino, Ilicic, Lazzari, Lezzerini, Pasqual, Rosati, Rosi, Vargas

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus to make changes for Coppa Mar 5, 2014 Juventus will make significant changes for tonight’s Coppa Italia semi-final with Fiorentina, and are likely to field a 4-3-3 system. The Bianconeri have played with three forwards in the two previous rounds, a 6-1 victory over Verona and a 1-0 triumph in Parma, and the system was employed in today’s training session. Marco Storari seems set to take his customary Coppa Italia place in goal, while Andrea Barzagli could make his first appearance of the season in defence. Youngster Kingsley Coman could be handed a starting shirt, with the Frenchman and Simone Pepe flanking Fernando Llorente. Paul Pogba is likely to return after sitting out the Roma game with injury, but Andrea Pirlo is still sidelined. Probable Juventus team to face Fiorentina: Storari; Caceres, Ogbonna, Barzagli, Padoin; Pogba, Marchisio, Vidal; Pepe, Llorente, Coman

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus-Fiorentina Betting: Defences likely to come out on top in an edgy Coppa Italia clash With a number of first-team players missing and a busy schedule to contend with, Al Hain-Cole expects La Viola to keep things tight against Massimiliano Allegri's men. Mar 5, 2014 Juventus will be hoping to keep their chances of a domestic double alive when they welcome rivals Fiorentina to Turin in Thursday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg. No team has won this competition more times than the Bianconeri, who are favourites with William Hill to remain on course for a 10th title with a win here. Having seen off Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in the last round, the visitors are available at to put one foot in the final with another big victory at the home of the champions. The sides shared a 0-0 draw when they met in the league back in December, and you can get odds of on them cancelling each other out once again. Considering their deep-rooted disdain for their opponents, La Viola would like nothing more than to get one over on them by coming out on top in their own back yard. However, although they come into the fixture in fine form, a lengthy injury list means that Vincenzo Montella’s men will be up against it to secure a first away victory over the league leaders in just under seven years. Furthermore, a hard-fought away win over Inter on Sunday will almost certainly have drained the already weakened squad, who have a hectic schedule to contend with over the upcoming weeks due to Serie A, Coppa Italia and Europa League commitments. With this in mind, Montella would surely settle for a solid performance from his under-strength team at the Juventus Stadium, where any away goal would represent a bonus in a resolute performance. Considering Massimiliano Allegri’s side were also put through their paces in an intense top of the table league clash against Roma only on Monday, this evening’s match is likely to be played at a rather slow tempo. All things considered, quotes seem to offer excellent value on a tight game reaping under 2.5 goals for the seventh time in eight encounters between the sides in Turin, particularly given Juventus have kept clean sheets in six of the previous eight meetings in all competitions.

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus vs. Fiorentina: Team News & Preview Mar 5, 2014 The last week has seen Juventus and Fiorentina each enjoy two excellent results, one which saw them move closer to their domestic goals while also earning impressive victories against widely respected continental opposition. The Bianconeri followed up their win over a resurgent Borussia Dortmund with a draw against AS Roma that enabled them to maintain a nine-point advantage over their closest rivals. Meanwhile, La Viola eliminated Tottenham Hotspur from the Europa League, and then beat Inter in Milan to move back into the top five and within just two points of the third place they so dearly covet. That would of course see Vincenzo Montella’s men earn a berth in next season’s Champions League, which would be a remarkable achievement for the Tuscan outfit. The two clubs will now put those matters aside, going head-to-head in the Coppa Italia semi-final, with Thursday seeing the first leg take place in Turin. With the return encounter not taking place until next month, this match will offer both teams the opportunity to rest and rotate their players after a busy run of fixtures. It will also provide Montella with another chance to test his ability against one of the league’s more astute coaches, having recently earned wins over Rudi Garcia, Roberto Mancini and Mauricio Pochettino. Massimiliano Allegri has similarly shone at Juventus, his decisions almost certainly key to Monday’s stalemate with the Giallorossi, as discussed in detail here. The two clubs share a bitter rivalry, one which intensified during the 1982 Scudetto race and reinforced by Roberto Baggio’s move to Turin. With the Bianconeri having eliminated Fiorentina from last year’s Europa League at the Last 16 stage, the Viola will need no further encouragement to try and upset the reigning Serie A champions, who last won this competition as long ago as 1995. Player to Watch With both teams likely to rest many of their high-profile names, the man to watch here could well be Norberto Neto. The Fiorentina goalkeeper is out of contract this summer, and it seems he is now unlikely to extend his stay at the Stadio Artemio Franchi once that deal expires. Frozen out back in December, his replacement Ciprian Tatarusanu impressed, but has since picked up an injury which forced Montella to turn to Neto once again. The Brazilian has kept two clean sheets since returning to the line up, holding both Tottenham and Inter at bay with some impressive saves. The added intrigue comes in the form of his next destination, with Gianluca Di Marzio reporting via his own website that the player has agreed to join Juventus this summer. However, that is something Neto denied back in October, as he told ESPN (h/t Forza Italian Football): I confess I was not aware of any Juventus interest and I think it is just a rumour. I do not think I would go anyway. There is a big rivalry between the two teams and I think it will stay this way! I would not do it for the fans who I admire so much. My goal is to continue to play with Fiorentina. Key Battle Both teams undoubtedly take their strength from the quality they possess in midfield, with the likes of Borja Valero and David Pizarro more than capable of matching the star-studded options available to Juventus. It remains to be seen if Paul Pogba will recover in time, and Andrea Pirlo is certain to miss out following the calf strain he suffered against Borussia Dortmund. That could well see a number of reserve players step up, with Martin Caceres likely to retain his place in the Bianconeri back line. The Uruguayan has impressed when fit this term, but is likely to have a tough task when faced with new Fiorentina signing Mohamed Salah. Brought on loan from Chelsea, the Egyptian flyer has already recorded four goals and one assist in less than 400 minutes of action for La Viola. Odds (via OddsChecker) Home win: 4/7 Away win: 6/1 Draw: 10/3

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus V Fiorentina – Coppa Italia Preview Mar 5, 2014 Juventus host Fiorentina in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final in Torino on Thursday evening. La Viola have only won five of the 40 matches they’ve played against La Vecchia Signora, although they’ve only played Juventus once in the Coppa Italia before. That fixture came in the 2005/06 season, which ended in a 2-2 draw before the replay saw the Bianconeri run out 4-1 winners. Their most recent meeting in the league, however, ended in a goalless draw, but Fiorentina have lost 18 times in Serie A to the reigning champions. Juventus are joint with Roma in holding the most Coppa Italia titles, on nine each, while Fiorentina have only won it six times. However, The Old Lady last won the tournament in 1995, while the Gigliati last won it in 2001. Recent form favours Massimiliano Allegri’s side, who haven’t lost since the end of October last year and have won three out of their last six league games, scoring 13 goals. The Italian champions have gone unbeaten in their last 16 matches, which is a current record streak in Europe’s top five leagues. Vincenzo Montella’s men aren’t too far away from that, though, having also won half of their last six in Serie A and not losing since the start of January. Fiorentina will be without goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu who was injured in late February, and influential striker Khouma Babacar who was injured in their clash with Inter on Sunday evening. Octavio and Mounir El Hamdaoui are also missing after their injuries in January, while Giuseppe Rossi, Federico Bernadeschi and Cristiano Lupatelli also remain out. Meanwhile, key Juventus player Andrea Pirlo remains injured as well as Stefano Sturaro and Luca Marrone, while Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo are also missing after picking up knocks last year. Form Guide: Juventus (W-D-W-D-W-D) Fiorentina (D-D-W-W-D-W) Expected Starting XIs Juventus: Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Caceres; Evra, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Lichtsteiner; Tevez, Morata Fiorentina: Neto; Pasqual, Basanta, Rodriguez, Richards; Borja Valero, Badeli, Mati Fernandez; Ilicic, Salah, Diamanti

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri JUVENTUS V FIORENTINA COPPA ITALIA PREVIEW Mar 4, 2014 Juventus Juventus will have to put Monday night’s disappointing draw behind them as they head into the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia against a Fiorentina side undefeated in their last 12 matches. The Bianconeri had all but ended Roma’s title-challenge after going ahead through Carlos Tevez but the Giallorossi fought back to net a late equaliser and earn a vital point. Both Juve players and the management were quite vocal in agreeing that they should have won the game while coach Max Allegri warned they can’t ‘switch-off’ against Fiorentina as they did against Roma. “Fiorentina are a team that handle the ball quite well, thanks to the skills of their players and the mentality instilled in them by Montella.” Allegri told reporters in his pre-match press conference earlier today. “For our own part we’re a group that can command our games, so we’ll see who has the strength to dominate tomorrow. “But that’s not essential to win a match. Often you can win with the least possession or lose with the most. “What matters is that you read the game correctly. You must interpret the clash correctly from the word go. “Pogba and Sturaro are both doing well. Pogba already came to Rome but I didn’t want to risk him, so he’s certainly going to be in this match. Sturaro’s doing better and will be on the bench.” After switching from 4-3-1-2 to the tried and trusted 3-5-2 against Roma, Allegri may make yet another formation change. Sky Sport Italia suggest Juve will lineup 4-3-3, similar to the formation used against Parma in the quarter finals last month. Marco Storari could start in goal with Martin Caceres reverting to right-back and Simone Padoin coming in for Patrice Evra at left-back. Andrea Barzagli has recovered from his injury woes and might make his first start of the season alongside Angelo Ogbonna. Andrea Pirlo will be out for at least another 3 weeks leaving Claudio Marchisio the clear choice to replace him at the base of midfield with Paul Pogba confirmed to start as well. Arturo Vidal and Roberto Pereyra were both exceptional against Roma, albeit for different reasons, so it could be a toss-up between the two for the final midfield spot. Up front, Fernando Llorente will spearhead the attack while Kinglsey Coman and Simone Pepe on either flank to offer some width in attack. Predicted Lineup 4-3-3: Storari; Caceres, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Coman, Llorente, Pepe Injured Asamoah and Romulo (Recovering from surgery), Andrea Pirlo (ankle) Suspended None Fiorentina Fiorentina are in a very good moment: they haven’t lost a match since January 6, they have won seven of their last eleven games, they have cut down the gap from Napoli’s Champions League-qualifying third place to just three points and they have knocked Tottenham out in Europa League. But, most importantly, it feels like that the whole squad is clicking and the vibe around them is excellent. The midseason acquisitions have added quality and depth, especially up front: Mohamed Salah (three goals in four matches) has those Cuadrado-esque pace and unpredictability and is a good scorer, Alessandro Diamanti hasn’t lost his trademark playmaking ability in his hiatus in China and Alberto Gilardino is a valuable replacement in a department that has often been injury ridden. The lineup is pretty much up in the air and we’ll have to wait for the squad list to see who’s available and who’s not. In this particular match, the problems lie in the defense for La Viola. Gonzalo Rodriguez is the only healthy centre-back available: Josè Maria Basanta, who has a minor thigh muscular injuries, will probably be forced to play through pain, or the coach will have to come up with a creative solution to field a respectable defensive line, maybe fielding the fullbacks Micah Richards and Marcos Alonso as centre-backs. After the January window, Montella has used 4-3-3 more often than his usual 3-5-2, basically because Salah and Diamanti have been indispensable. However, there’s a chance to see a three-man defense on Thursday, considering the injuries, just to have one more body in front of Norberto Neto (what a weird game it will be for him…). They intended to rest the Egyptian winger against Inter, but he had to be subbed in because Khouma Babacar got hurt (he won’t be available for at least a couple of weeks). They are eking out Mario Gomez’s appearances as of late, turning him in a sort of Cup specialist, and he has bitten Juventus before. In the midfield, Mati Fernandez, Borja Valero and Alberto Aquilani are all banged up. Milan Badelj has started to perform well recently and he’ll fill in for the injured David Pizarro. Jasmin Kurtic is the backup option if the others aren’t healthy enough. As far as the attack is concerned, Montella will likely go with his best trio Salah-Gomez-Diamanti, but a little bit of rotation is always possible is a cup game and Joaquin or Josip Ilicic could crack into the starting lineup. So far in this season, they have been an excellent road team: they have collected 24 points in 13 matches (record 7W 3D 3L) and they trail only to Juventus in this category. They have a very good defense, as they have conceded 24 goals, third in the League behind Allegri’s side and Roma (but they’ll have some absences…). Since Montella took over, they have always played a very European brand of football, with a lot of proactive possession, off-the-ball movement, trying to control the game and having territory dominance. If you mix that with very skilled players, you obtain a remarkable result, even though Fiorentina haven’t always been able to fulfill its potential and looked inexplicably flat in some games. However, they have caught fire in the last few matches and Juventus will have to be extremely careful in this first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals. Predicted Lineup 4-3-3: Neto; Richards, Rodriguez, Basanta, Alonso; Aquilani, Badelj, Valero; Salah, Gomez, Diamanti. Injured Rossi (knee), Bernardeschi (ankle), Tatarusanu (back), Babacar (thigh), Pizarro (thigh), Savic (thigh), Tomovic (neck), Lupatelli (shoulder). Formation

TIM Cup - Semifinale - 5-3-2015 (ore 20:45) JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia Semifinale Giovedí, 5 marzo 2015 - ore 20:45 Juventus Stadium, Torino Arbitro: Paolo Valeri Confronti ufficiali 169 - 12 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 76 - 3 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 56 - 4 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Fiorentina 37 - 5 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 283 - 19 (Coppa Italia) Goals Fiorentina 187 - 23 (Coppa Italia) Juventus - Fiorentina - Coppa Italia a Torino Confronti ufficiali 4 Vittorie Juventus 2 (L'ultima il 10.01.2006, 4-1) Pareggi 1 (Il 20.01.1998, 0-0) Vittorie Fiorentina 1 (L'ultima il 24.05.1936, 1-3) Goals Juventus 8 Goals Fiorentina 5 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro la Fiorentina in Coppa Italia 2 presenze Del Piero Alessandro 2 Zalayeta Marcelo Danubio 1 Balzaretti Federico 1 Blasi Manuele 1 Bodoira Alfredo 1 Boniperti Giampiero 1 Buffon Gianluigi 1 Cannavaro Fabio 1 Cason Lino 1 Castano Ernesto 3 goals Del Piero Alessandro 1 Charles John William 1 Mutu Adrian 1 Nicolè Bruno 1 Stivanello Giorgio 1 Varglien II Giovanni Ultimi confronti diretti 17.04.2011 - Serie A - Fiorentina-Juventus 0-0 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 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 5 - Pareggi 4 - Vittorie Fiorentina 1 - Goals Juventus 14 - Goals Fiorentina 6

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus squad for Fiorentina Mar 4, 2014 Stefano Sturaro is back in the Juventus squad for tomorrow’s Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina. The first leg kicks off in Turin on Thursday at 20.45 CET. Ex-Genoa midfielder Sturaro was ruled out of the 1-1 draw with Roma on Monday night by an ankle injury in training, but returns to the side. Paul Pogba is also thought to be fully recovered, though Andrea Pirlo, Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Luca Marrone remain unavailable. Juventus squad for Fiorentina: Buffon, Chiellini, Caceres, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Llorente, Barzagli, De Ceglie, Bonucci, Padoin, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Storari, Matri, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Fiorentina will make it tough for Juventus - Montella Despite heading into the Coppa Italia semi-final with several injury worries, the coach is sure his side can give the Turin side a difficult test. Mar 4, 2014 Vincenzo Montella has promised that Fiorentina will put Juventus under pressure in Thursday's Coppa Italia semi-final, despite going through an injury crisis. Montella's side boast a 12-match unbeaten run going into their first-leg meeting with the Serie A champions in Turin, but will have to contend with a number of concerns, with Borja Valero, David Pizarro, Jose Basanta, Stefan Savic, Nenad Tomovic and Matias Fernandez all doubtful. Montella, though, still fancies his side's chances against Massimiliano Allegri's men. "Matches with Juventus for me are always special, even before I arrived in Florence," he said on Wednesday. "When you meet the strongest team there are more incentives and motivations. "Borja Valero is doing everything possible to recover, Pizarro also. We will evaluate prior to departure. "Basanta is still a question mark, we will not risk Savic and Tomovic, Badelj is fine, Babacar no. Mati Fernandez did a good workout. "We will still have a competitive team, but we will be forced into making some changes."

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Gomez back for Juve-Fiorentina Mar 4, 2014 Mario Gomez is back for Fiorentina’s Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus, but many others miss out. It kicks off on Thursday at 20.45 CET and is the first leg in Turin. Gomez was ruled out of the Viola’s 1-0 victory away to Inter at the weekend. The German international returns to the squad, but Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic and David Pizarro join the absentee list. It means there are only two pure strikers available for Vincenzo Montella. Ciprian Tatarusanu is still sidelined, so Norberto Neto is again expected to go in goal. Fiorentina squad for Juventus: Neto, Rosati, Lezzerini; Alonso, Basanta, Gonzalo, Pasqual, Richards, Rosi, Vargas; Aquilani, Badelj, Borja Valero, Kurtic, Lazzari, Diamanti, Mati Fernandez, Salah, Ilicic, Joaquin; Gilardino, Gomez

Bonucci: 'Only victors write history' Mar 4, 2015 Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci talks about the possibility of winning a fourth Scudetto, saying that 'only victors write history'. The defender was accused of premature celebration yesterday for tweeting a picture of a Scudetto emblem on the chest of Gianluigi Buffon, with the comment 'Always on our chest, proudly!' Today, the 27-year-old returned to the social network to clarify his original intention. “I'd just like to clarify that the Scudetto on [buffon's] chest is the one that we already won, with a record that is not just hard to beat, but hard to get close to,” he wrote on his Twitter profile. “It's the 32nd in Bianconeri history, the third consecutive. I placed it on Gigi's chest because it's ours and we must show it with pride, defending it so we can conquer it again. “Today we're first in the standings, with a nine-point lead. But to conquer the 33rd Scudetto, the fourth in a row, there's still a lot of sweating, running, working, and fighting to do. “There are many battles we still have to win. The road is long. ‘Fino alla fine’ [until the end] is not just a motto but a lifestyle, we have to keep going until we have reach our objectives. “Everything else, all of the interpretations so far, are given by the freedom of speech guaranteed by a democratic state. “I'm going straight for my objective – winning. Because only the victors write history.”

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Montella: 'Competitive but lack depth' Mar 4, 2014 Coach Vincenzo Montella admits Fiorentina lack depth, but says they'll be 'competitive' against Juventus anyway. The former Roma Coach faces a major test tomorrow as his team plays the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus, and he understands the magnitude of the event. “It's a special game for me. I felt that way even before coming to Florence. There are greater incentives to win, sure enough. “We don't have much depth, but we'll be competitive as a team. “Borja Valero is doing everything he can. Pizarro will have to be evaluated over the next few hours. Basanta has a great question mark hanging over him. “We don't want to risk Tomovic and Savic. We'll see about Mati Fernandez, he did some good work in training today, while Aquilani is ready. “As for Gomez, he had some trouble in the last game, he wasn't giving me any guarantees. But I saw him developing in the last few days, and now he's fine. “Mohamed Salah? The objective of every Coach is to keep developing a player, all the time. “He must keep going this way. He managed to get into the team's mechanisms right away and we're perfectly happy. Often when you try to improve a player at all costs you end up making him worse.” Another benefit that Montella is keen to reap from tomorrow's game is the qualification to next year's Europa League, which is granted to the Coppa Italia winner. “Since this is a semi-final, there's only one obstacle to overcome. Tomorrow represents the most direct path to reach European qualification. “The fact that Juventus are playing with their best XI represents yet another reason to do well. “It's understandable that they would play with their starters. After all, they already have a great lead in the championship. “They're the best in Italy, and this represents a challenge for us. We expect a tough game.”

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Allegri: Pogba to start against Viola Mar 4, 2014 Juventus Coach Max Allegri admits that Fiorentina may dominate possession, but expects to fight back with the likes of Paul Pogba. The pre-game press conference held by the Bianconeri Coach ahead of the Coppa Italia semi-final was the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics, but of course Allegri started out from his direct opponents. “Fiorentina are a team that handle the ball quite well, thanks to the skills of their players and the mentality instilled in them by [Coach Vincenzo] Montella. “For our own part we're a group that can command our games, so we'll see who has the strength to dominate tomorrow. “But that's not essential to win a match. Often you can win with the least possession or lose with the most. “What matters is that you read the game correctly. You must interpret the clash correctly from the word go. “Pogba and Sturaro are both doing well. Pogba already came to Rome but I didn't want to risk him, so he's certainly going to be in this match. Sturaro's doing better and will be on the bench.” Asked about his team's weaknesses, the former Milan Coach identified them in dead-ball situations. “Almost all of our recent trouble came from free kicks. We've got to work on that, we need to pay greater attention. “In three different situations we stopped marking our man, so we need to start working in a different way. “We need a solution that guarantees greater security, because we took 4-5 goals always in the same way and in the same position, aside from that by [Roma's Seydou] Keita on Monday.” It was pointed out to Allegri that the Bianconeri are still fighting for all three major competitions, and this was a source of pride but also of responsibility for the Coach. “We have an obligation to try and reach the end of all three competitions we're in. Now we're in a critical, decisive moment of the season. “We're in the semi-final of the Coppa Italia, so we're either going to the final or back home. “The same goes for the Champions League Last 16. In any case we've reached one objective, which was that of getting to the month of March in a condition to challenge for all competitions. “The Scudetto will be decided later on. Until our victory is mathematically guaranteed, the championship is always open. “So we have to think match by match even in Serie A, seen how we dropped a lot of points against the smaller teams, and that's where you win the Scudetto. “Now we have four matches coming up in which we absolutely have to do well. “As for Marco Reus, Borussia have some truly great players and he's one of them. He has real talent. “I believe he's one of the best players in Europe in terms of technique and speed, but we'll see. If he's there then we'll face Borussia with Reus, otherwise we'll face them without Reus. “But what matters to us is getting to the end of the game and reaching our objective.” Finally, Allegri was asked whether the cause of his team dropping points against smaller teams could have something to do with the lack of competition and incentives that Juventus find in Italy. “It's absolutely not true that there is no competition in Italy. Roma are a team of extraordinary quality and they proved it over the last year-and-a-half. “The same goes for Napoli, while Fiorentina are growing and Inter built a very good team over the January transfer window. “Games have to be won, championships have to be won. Nobody gives us anything for free and it's hardly a given that Juventus should win the Scudetto. “This is all the more true when you consider that it would be the fourth consecutive Scudetto. This is an historic feat that only a few teams in the world have achieved. “It would be my first one with Juventus, and the fourth for the players. “We must not lose sight of the main and extraordinary objective of the season.”

Allegri: Pirlo to return against Dortmund The Juve coach expects the midfielder to be fit for the upcoming European encounter, while stressing his team must improve against lesser opposition. Mar 4, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is hopeful Andrea Pirlo will be match-fit in time for their Champions League last-16 second leg at Borussia Dortmund . The experienced midfielder picked up a knock in the first leg of the encounter and consequently missed the Serie A draw with Roma. He will also miss Thursday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg with Fiorentina and is expected to watch from the sidelines for upcoming league matches against Sassuolo and Palermo. Nevertheless, Allegri thinks Pirlo will be raring to go again on March 18 when Juventus defend a 2-1 lead at Signal Iduna Park. "I hope to have Pirlo back for the game against Borussia Dortmund," Allegri said at a press conference. "We want to get through to the next round in the Champions League."

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Versatility and depth Juve’s key Juventus may have surrendered the lead in the Scudetto showdown, but Luca Cetta saw Bianconeri versatility and depth as winners on the night. Mar 4, 2014 It wasn’t the knock-down drag-out Scudetto showdown neutrals hoped for. For a long time it looked as if Roma had no answers to a Bianconeri wall determined to give captain Gianluigi Buffon a comfortable evening. As they entered the Stadio Olimpico for the top-of-the-table affair, Juventus enjoyed a nine-point cushion over the Giallorossi. Carlos Tevez temporarily pushed the advantage out to 12, but a late Seydou Keita header maintained slim Roman ambitions. For Juventus the aim was not to lose. And for long periods they were in control of a game Roma needed to win. Weathering the late Lupi storm completed the job. Juve’s major victories on Monday were for tactical variation, versatility and squad depth. Massimiliano Allegri’s initial reaction to the draw was one of anger. Understandable, given he had just seen his team relinquish maximum points against 10 men. “It is a step forward, but considering the way the game was going we really should’ve done better,” he stated. The Coach saw it as a missed opportunity to hammer home the margin between the clubs. It was a theme continued by his players, Tevez claiming Juventus “got it completely wrong after 70 fine minutes” and Claudio Marchisio regretting their inability to put the game to bed. Another point of contention with the boss was dropping points on the road for a third successive match after Udinese and Cesena. Juventus have equalled in their last three away fixtures what was the season total on their travels beforehand – after Sassuolo, Genoa and Fiorentina. But that shouldn’t take away from what was gained. The Turin club retained their advantage with a performance that should encourage rather than worry. They were measured in their approach, hinting at the style shown against Borussia Dortmund and one to possibly emerge in the second leg. Juve had just 35 per cent possession to half-time, but Buffon was rarely called into action. In reverting to a 3-5-2 from the start for just the second time in 2015, the Bianconeri hardly lost a step. Allegri was forced into changes and got the maximum from those replacements. Martin Caceres did a fine job as the third defender. Midfield looked a problem area for the Old Lady in the lead-in and a re-shuffle was on the cards. Andrea Pirlo limped off against Dortmund and will even miss the second leg. Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal were day-to-day propositions and potential replacement Stefano Sturaro didn’t make the trip due to his own injury concern. The Chilean recovered just in time. Marchisio stepped up as he has done prior in the absence of Pirlo and while offering a different interpretation of the role, Juventus still tick. Roberto Pereyra has been the first choice replacement for any midfield absentee, but normally in an advanced role. On Monday it was part of the midfield three and he too looked assured. Tevez took over free-kick duties and gave his best Pirlo impression to open the scoring. “I always try to copy Pirlo’s position and it’s important to watch him in training. Of course Andrea is still first choice!” Kingsley Coman’s pace gave Roma something to think about in the final moments. That versatility and depth adds to Juve’s ominous presence. In losing two of their regular starting midfielders and altering the formation they did not fold, rather showed another facet of their game and remained in control of proceedings. Credit must go to Allegri for his preparations on both a tactical and personnel level. He’s shown flexibility and no matter who takes the field, has faith in the players to carry out the task. With Roma remaining at arm’s length attention turns to the Coppa Italia tomorrow. Juventus host Fiorentina in the first leg of the semi-final as they fight on three fronts. Expect to see others get their chance to shine. The trip to Dortmund inches ever closer, but beforehand are domestic duties to tend to. Knowing they can perform even without key players makes the Bianconeri an even more frightening opponent.

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Allegri: 'We switched off against Roma' Mar 4, 2014 Juventus Coach Max Allegri warns against 'switching off' versus Fiorentina the way they did against Roma. The Old Lady face a very intense schedule, with Monday's Serie A game against Roma and tomorrow's Coppa clash against Fiorentina sandwiched between the two Champions League games against Borussia Dortmund. Allegri took the opportunity of today's pre-game press conference to look back on the game against the Giallorossi. “I think the team played a good game for 70 minutes, giving up nothing to Roma and creating some dangerous situations. “We showed that we were very compact, and also very mature. “After the goal we did quite well for another 4-5 minutes, then we switched off a little, and when you switch off in a football game it no longer matters if you're 11 versus 10. Nothing matters at all. “We were faced with a team that had gathered courage and that were throwing themselves forward with nothing to lose. “At a moment like that, if you slip out of the game, then getting back into it is hard, not to say impossible. “I think there's a lesson there, and it must help us grow. “Inbetween the 90 minutes against Dortmund and the 70 minutes against Roma, our team only conceded one goal against Dortmund, and it came after an accident by [Giorgio] Chiellini. “So I think we did really well for 160 minutes, even though the last 20 minutes ought to be erased. “They are only important because they teach us that this team still has to improve and that a game is never over till it's over, especially when the two teams are balanced in terms of technique and strength.” Allegri was also asked whether this was not a recurring problem, as his team arguably 'switched off' against Inter, Sampdoria and Cesena. “Maybe we still don't understand this concept well enough. Maybe we have to change, in which case finding the way will be down to me. “I'll have to teach the lads how to handle games like these. “But these are all different games. Against Sampdoria we allowed one shot, maybe one-and-a-half, and we conceded a goal. “In Rome we allowed three free kicks in the last 15 minutes, after going 70-75 minutes giving up only one of them. “This is what I mean when I say that we switched off. “Against Inter it was yet another game, because we should have closed on a different result after the first half, and we ended up allowing Inter to draw. “We even took some risks because we almost made the same mistake against Roma as we did against Inter at the last minute, when [goalkeeper Gianluigi] Buffon came all the way out to the midfield. “These situations show you that you have to keep your head in the game, because once you're out you lose your sense of order. “Then, when you're in a condition of disorder, the team that desperately chases the game is clearly advantaged.”

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri 'Juventus, our duty to win Coppa Italia' Mar 4, 2014 Coach Max Allegri says it is the 'duty' of Juventus to win the Coppa Italia after 20 years, and will be looking to field the 'ideal side'. The Old Lady will be up against Fiorentina tomorrow at 20:45 (local time) to dispute the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. Allegri, in his pre-game conference, stressed the cardinal importance of being in the right form. “What matters is that everybody is in a good condition,” he said. “There are some Juventus players who have covered more than 30 games. “This year we have players who had much more playing time than last season, while others had a little less. “But we have many games now and we need everyone at their best. “Against Fiorentina I may field the ones who played the most so far and maybe give them a rest on Monday against Sassuolo. “The Coppa Italia is an important objective for Juventus. It's been 20 years since we last won it, so it's our duty to make a run for it. “Therefore I'll be looking to field the ideal side for tomorrow's game.” In spite of this, the former Milan tactician still hasn't chosen the exact components to make up his starting XI. “I still haven't decided the starters who will take to the pitch tomorrow. “[Andrea] Barzagli is definitely feeling better, I'll make my mind up about him today. “Of course he hasn't played in eight months other than some friendlies, so I'll have to evaluate his situation. But we'll decide together. “Tomorrow is a Coppa semi-final, so we need the best possible formation. “The result will be decided over 180 minutes against Fiorentina, one of the most in-form teams of the championship. “They play good football and they have a good physical and mental condition. [Coach Vincenzo] Montella's teams aren't just technically skilled, they also play very well.”

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus - Fiorentina Preview: Allegri demands improvement The Bianconeri drew 1-1 with 10-man Roma on Monday and the Italian is keen to see a better performance on Thursday. Mar 4, 2014 Juventus host Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg on Thursday with coach Massimiliano Allegri demanding an improved showing from his players. On Monday, the reigning Serie A champions took the lead against title rivals Roma, who had been reduced to 10 men, through Carlos Tevez's wonderful free kick. However, just when it seemed Juve would close out the win and extend their lead at the top of the table to 12 points, Roma found an equaliser through Seydou Keita 12 minutes from time. The Bianconeri still hold a commanding nine-point advantage with 13 games remaining, but, as they turn to their attentions to the cup, Allegri has called for a better display. "We need to improve, as sometimes we lose sharpness and focus," he said. "We are still a long way off our objective and have conceded too many goals recently. We also have to improve in our control of the game when in front." Although Allegri was disappointed with the draw against Roma, Juve have lost only once in their past 23 games in all competitions - and that was after a penalty shootout against Napoli in the Super Cup. Meanwhile, Fiorentina - who lost out to Napoli in the final of last year's Coppa - are in fine form themselves and come into this meeting at Juventus Stadium on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions. The last of those outings saw Vincenzo Montella's side triumph 1-0 at Inter, a victory which left them fifth in Serie A, just three points adrift of a Champions League qualification spot. Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score the winner at San Siro on Sunday and Montella was quick to praise the Egyptian, who has netted three goals in four appearances since joining on loan from Chelsea. "I wanted to make the most of Salah's extraordinary form, that is why I chose him ahead of Alberto Gilardino," Montella said. "I know that when a player is going through that kind of form, it's the duty of a coach to encourage it. "I think he can play any position in attack. He attacks the space well and is very good at getting straight into the tempo of a game when coming off the bench." Juve's influential playmaker Andrea Pirlo missed the meeting against Roma with a calf problem and remains a doubt. For the visitors, Nenad Tomovic suffered a head injury against Inter and is thought unlikely to play, while Stefan Savic and Khouma Babacar are struggling with muscular problems and are being monitored. LAST FIVE MATCHES Juventus D W W D W 3/2/15 - Roma 1 - 1 Juventus 2/24/15 - Juventus 2 - 1 Borussia Dortmund 2/20/15 - Juventus 2 - 1 Atalanta 2/15/15 - Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus 2/7/15 - Juventus 3 - 1 Milan Fiorentina W W D D W 3/1/15 - Internazionale 0 - 1 Fiorentina 2/26/15 - Fiorentina 2 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2/22/15 - Fiorentina 1 - 1 Torino 2/19/15 - Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 1 Fiorentina 2/14/15 - Sassuolo 1 - 3 Fiorentina HEAD TO HEAD 12/5/14 - Fiorentina 0 - 0 Juventus 3/20/14 - Fiorentina 0 - 1 Juventus 3/13/14 - Juventus 1 - 1 Fiorentina 3/9/14 - Juventus 1 - 0 Fiorentina 10/20/13 - Fiorentina 4 - 2 Juventus

Deja Vu! Tevez Replicates Juventus Legend’s Free Kick Mar 3, 2015 Carlos Tevez might have impressed many with his fine free kick against Roma on Monday night, however almost 32 years ago to the day a certain Juventus legend scored an almost identical effort. The legend scoring for the Bianconeri way back on March 6, 1983 in a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico was none other than Michel Platini and the similarities between the two are clear for all to see. Despite the Bianconeri winning the game, they ultimately lost out in the race for the Scudetto to Roma who finished four points ahead of them. This allowed the Giallorossi to celebrate their second league title in their history. Even the goalkeepers react (well just stand and watch) in an eerily similar manner and they even took place at the same end of the ground!

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Marchisio Aiming To End Juventus Drought Mar 3, 2014 Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is desperate for the club to end a 20-year wait for Coppa Italia glory by reclaiming the peninsula’s premier cup competition this season. The Bianconeri have gone 20 years since winning the trophy, with their last win coming in 1995 – since then they have been beaten in three finals, most recently in 2012 when they were soundly beaten 2-0 by Napoli. He tweeted following his side’s game against Roma: “Now we start the workout… head on to the Coppa Italia now. Another goal for us to reach.” The Azzurri international added on his side’s 1-1 draw in the capital: “There is regret for not having brought home the three points, but we are always up there… +9!”

Juventus not giving up on Tevez stay, insists Marotta The Turin side will do everything within their limits to convince the Argentine attacker to sign a new deal with the Serie A leaders. Mar 3, 2015 Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has stressed that the Serie A side have not given up hopes of holding on to Carlos Tevez, while they are also keen for Gianluigi Buffon to stay put beyond the expiry date of his existing contract. Buffon signed a new deal as recently as November last year to commit to the club until 2017, but Tevez's current deal with the Italian champions is due to expire in June 2016 and he recently hinted at a potential return to Boca Juniors. Nevertheless, Juventus refuse to accept that the Argentine attacker will leave in the near future and are willing to go far to hold on to Tevez. "We would like to extend the contracts of Buffon and Tevez," Marotta told reporters. "They are an integral part of this Juventus. They are excellent players, true professionals. "They decide their own future. From our side, a signed blank cheque is waiting for them. "As for Tevez's individual situation, we have a desire to keep him at the club for many more years." The attacker, 31, has netted 15 goals in 23 Serie A appearances so far in 2014-15.

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JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA .- Coppa Italia semi-final Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Coppa referees announced Mar 3, 2014 The AIC has announced the referees for this week’s Coppa Italia semi-finals, with Paolo Valeri taking charge of Juventus-Fiorentina. The semi-finals are a two-legged affair, the first of which take place this week as Lazio welcome Napoli and the Viola look to defeat Juventus in Turin. Paolo Valeri will take charge of the latter fixture on Thursday night, as Vincenzo Montella’s men look to reach the final for the second year in a row. Also looking to make a second-consecutive final are the Partenopei, whose trip to Rome will be officiated by Antonio Damato. Referees for the Coppa Italia semi-finals: Lazio-Napoli - Antonio Damato Juventus-Fiorentina - Paolo Valeri

Juventus And Marotta To Convince Tevez To Stay In Italy Mar 3, 2015 Juventus director Giuseppe Marotta has spoken of his desire to keep leading goal scorer Carlos Tevez at the club. The 57-year-old re-iterated the player’s value to the club just prior to this side’s game against second placed Roma on Monday evening. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, the Italian businessman was keen to respond to rumours of a Carlos Tevez exit. “Tevez? I would like to keep him,” said Marotta. “Both he and Buffon should earn respect for what they represent. They are serious professionals and great players.” Marotta, who has been with Juventus since 2010, also responded to recent comments by Antonio Cassano that he has rejected advances from the club four times. The Italian denied all knowledge of this saying: “Certainly not in my management.” The director also encouraged the Bianconeri to continue to fight to win this season’s Scudetto. “There are still many games and many points available, there is a risk of losing. Today we will honour the role of leaders and look for consistency in our results.” Juventus have won three Serie A titles since Marotta joined the club.

ROMA - JUVENTUS 1 - 1 Carlos Tévez (64') Seydou Kéita (78') Monday, March 2nd, 2015 - 8:45 PM Olimpico Stadium, Rome Referee: Daniele Orsato Marchisio: Don't compare me to Pirlo The midfielder feels he is not at the same level as his illustrious team-mate and was pleased Juventus managed to deny Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Mar 3, 2015 Claudio Marchisio says he is a completely different player to Andrea Pirlo and should not be compared to his Juventus team-mate. The 29-year-old was used in his fellow Italy international's role in the 1-1 Serie A draw with Roma on Monday due to the latter's injury and put in a good performance in front of Juve's defence. Nevertheless, Marchisio was quick to stress he is not at the same level as Pirlo in the latter's position. "There are comparisons that can’t be made between two completely different players," Marchisio told Sky Italia. "We know what Andrea offers us. "Personally speaking, I have undergone an important evolution in a role which I enjoy playing. With the attributes and qualities I possess, I’ll try to help the team out." The central midfielder then went on to voice his satisfaction with the Scudetto holders' draw against second-placed Roma, although he feels they could have bagged the full three points with a bit more luck. "We secured an important result in Roma’s own backyard. It’s not easy to come away from here, at the home of Serie A’s second-placed side, with our nine-point advantage still intact. "Nevertheless, there’s regret at leaving with a draw. "We started well and were able to break the deadlock. We created chances when we had numerical supremacy but were unable to put the game to bed." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111