Socrates

PARMA - JUVENTUS 0 - 1 Álvaro Morata 89' Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Parma 0-1 Juventus: Last-gasp Morata sends Bianconeri into Coppa Italia semi-finals The Spaniard netted with just over 60 seconds of normal time remaining to keep Massimiliano Allegri's men on course for a domestic double. Jan 28, 2014 Juventus moved a step closer to ending their Coppa Italia drought as substitute Alvaro Morata's 89th-minute goal saw them edge Parma 1-0 in a scrappy quarter-final on Wednesday. No side has won the competition more times than the Bianconeri, but the reigning Serie A champions have not tasted success since 1995. They seem destined for a fourth successive Scudetto crown, though, and a league and cup double would be an outstanding way for Massimiliano Allegri to cap his first season in charge. His side will need to show more in the final third if they are to win the Coppa Italia for a 10th time, but Morata's late strike proved enough to seal their progression into the last four on this occasion. The Spanish forward - introduced in the 77th minute - latched on to Fernando Llorente's ball before sliding his shot under Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante in smart fashion. Simone Pepe saw his cross hit the post in the first half and luck looked to be against Juve when Claudio Marchisio had an effort deflected onto the crossbar in the 86th minute. But Morata's late show ensured Allegri - who made eight changes - did not have to worry about extra time and, potentially, penalties. Veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo was back in the team for Juve, after recovering from flu, while first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon took a spot on the bench on his 37th birthday. The clash looked a mismatch on paper, with title-chasing defending champions Juve facing a Parma side who sit bottom of Serie A. But the class divide was not evident during a poor and uninspiring first half, in which both sides lacked any sort of cutting edge. Raffaele Palladino cut inside and shot just over in the 23rd minute for Parma, who were dealt a blow when defender Pedro Mendes pulled up injured in pursuit of 18-year-old Frenchman Kingsley Coman - leading to the introduction of Fabiano Santacroce. The hosts built some pressure as half-time approached, but the best they had to show for it was an Antonio Nocerino effort that was turned behind by Giorgio Chiellini. Juve nearly caught them cold when Pepe's cross from the left was allowed to bounce and hit the post with Mirante beaten in first-half stoppage time. Arturo Vidal fired the rebound just over but the match could, seemingly, only improve after the break. That was not the case, though, as Juventus battled to break down Roberto Donadoni's strugglers. Chiellini's thumping header went over the crossbar from a Pirlo corner in the 55th minute, while Gabriel Paletta did the same for Parma at the other end. The match was crying out for a spark and with 19 minutes remaining, Allegri threw Paul Pogba on looking for just that. Morata was then introduced and he at least forced a save from Mirante after a mazy run, before Marchisio was denied by the crossbar. As the visitors stormed forward, they did leave themselves open at the back - but that meant little in the end as Morata booked Juve's spot in the semi-finals against either Roma or Fiorentina with a cool finish.

Allora meritavamo di perdere? Spero che tu sia contento della qualificazione in ogni caso.

Meno male.

Pogba é umano ... sbaglia anche lui.

ALVARO MORATA 0-1

Per caso hai sognato il risultato finale della partita?

Errore clamoroso di Palladino.

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo HT 0-0: Parma scare Juventus Jan 28, 2014 Juventus hit the woodwork with Simone Pepe, but Parma had the better of the first half in the Coppa Italia quarter-final. The winners of this tie at the Stadio Tardini will go on to face Roma or Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semi-finals. Kingsley Coman was given a rare start after his spectacular debut goal for Juve in the last Coppa round, but this game arrived during a crisis for Parma. Antonio Cassano terminated his contract by mutual consent after six months of unpaid wages, while they were bottom of the Serie A table. The Ducali lost 7-0 to Juve in November, so confidence was understandably low. Giorgio Chiellini’s header was charged down and Raffaele Palladino blasted just over the bar with a solo effort. Parma put up a strong performance and lost Pedro Mendes to a bruised shin, but still saw Daniele Galloppa’s strike go off target. The hosts had the only scoring opportunities of the first half, including a fantastic Antonio Nocerino volley that was decisively blocked for a corner by Chiellini. Juventus finally had a chance on the stroke of half-time, but it was an accident, as Simone Pepe’s cross went past everyone to smack against the far post. Arturo Vidal then turned the follow-up wide. Parma 0-0 Juventus (Half-Time) Parma: Mirante; Pedro Mendes (Santacroce 34), Lucarelli, Paletta; Rispoli, Galloppa, Mariga, Nocerino, Gobbi; Palladino, Rodriguez Juventus: Storari; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Padoin; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pepe, Llorente, Coman Ref: Peruzzo

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Coppa line-ups: Parma-Juventus Jan 28, 2014 Juventus start Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Kingsley Coman in tonight’s Coppa Italia quarter-final with Parma. It kicks off at the Stadio Tardini at 20.45 CET and the winners go on to face Roma or Fiorentina. This match arrives at crisis point for Parma, who lost 2-1 to Cesena at the weekend and are now rock bottom of the Serie A table. Antonio Cassano terminated his contract by mutual consent on Monday evening in protest at six months of unpaid wages. The Ducali now face a team they lost 7-0 to in Turin only a couple of months ago, so confidence could not be lower. Juventus rest captain and ex-Parma goalkeeper Gigi Buffon on the day of his 37th birthday, as Marco Storari is the designated Coppa shot-stopper. Pirlo returns after experiencing flu symptoms, while talented teenager Coman gets a rare start with Fernando Llorente. Simone Pepe also starts in a trident attack. Parma: Mirante; Paletta, Lucarelli, Pedro Mendes, Rispoli, Gobbi, Galloppa, Mariga, Nocerino, Palladino, Rodriguez Parma bench: Lucas Souza, Cassani, Jose Mauri, Santacroce, Iacobucci, De Ceglie, Varela, Lodi, Rossetto, Costa, Pozzi Juventus: Storari; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Padoin; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pepe, Llorente, Coman Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Caceres, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra, Pogba, Pereyra, Morata, Giovinco

Pirlo: Pogba will never go back to Manchester United The Italian midfielder feels Sir Alex Ferguson made a mistake in failing to keep the France international and believes the 21-year-old will never return to Old Trafford. Jan 28, 2015 Andrea Pirlo insists Manchester United are living with their mistake of allowing Paul Pogba to join Juventus and believes the French midfielder is unlikely to ever return to Old Trafford. Pogba left United for the Serie A champions in July 2012 after growing frustrated with a lack of first-team opportunities under Sir Alex Ferguson. The 21-year-old immediately became a regular fixture at Juventus and has already won two Serie A titles during his time in Italy. "For whatever reasons they [Manchester United] chose not to give him a chance, and that is a mistake they will have to live with now," Pirlo told Telefoot. "I can’t see that Pogba will ever return to Manchester United."

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Juventus squad for Parma Jan 27, 2014 Juventus rest Carlos Tevez for tomorrow’s Coppa Italia quarter-final against Parma, but Andrea Pirlo returns. It kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET. Tevez is once again left out of the squad for this tournament, but Pirlo is back after missing Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Chievo with flu symptoms. Coach Max Allegri also hinted that Paul Pogba will be rested. The winning team goes on to face Roma or Fiorentina in the semi-final. Juventus squad for Parma: Buffon, Chiellini, Caceres, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente, Barzagli, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Storari, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo 'Pogba could be benched for Coppa clash,' admits Juventus boss Allegri The France international has been in sensational form of late for the Bianconeri but could be rested for the midweek trip to the Ennio Tardini. Jan 27, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has revealed that he could bench Paul Pogba for Wednesday's Coppa Italia quarter-final at Parma. The Frenchman has been in sublime form for the Serie A champions this campaign, scoring eight goals in 15 appearances in all competitions, yet Allegri is ready to rest the dynamic midfielder in order to ensure he's fresh for more important encounters. "On Wednesday, I'll decide whether Pogba is named in the starting line-up or on the bench," the Bianconeri boss said at a press conference. "We need to be ready for Wednesday and go out determined to reach the next round of the Coppa Italia. We'll send out the best team to win the game. "Parma are having a tough moment but they will be determined to get through to the semi-final. We can't underestimate them. "Parma have put in some good displays recently. Let's not forget that they've also beaten Inter and Fiorentina." Allegri then went on to reveal that top scorer Carlos Tevez will miss the game against Parma, although midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal are both available. "Pirlo has trained, has recovered and will be in the squad," he confirmed. "I took Vidal off on Sunday because he was on a yellow card, his substitution was a precaution."

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Allegri: ‘Semi-finals obligatory’ Jan 27, 2014 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri says reaching the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia is ‘an obligation’ for his side. The Bianconeri have not won the Coppa Italia since 1994, and the tactician warns his players he expects them to make the last four when they play Parma tomorrow night. “Tomorrow’s game is a quarter final, we have an obligation and a duty to try and make the semi-finals,” Allegri told reports in his pre-match Press conference. “I believe it’s 20 years since Juventus won the Coppa Italia, so this should be one of our main goals with the League and the Champions League. “We mustn’t think that we’ll go to Parma [bottom of Serie A] tomorrow and find an easy game, because it’s an important game for them too, to try and make it into a semi-final. “It will be difficult, very difficult, so we must not underestimate the commitment that will be needed tomorrow night. “We must approach it with the right attitude, knowing that it won’t be an easy game, partly because in recent games - although they didn’t get results - Parma have played well. “Let’s not forget, they’ve beaten Inter and Fiorentina in the League.” The Old Lady reached this stage after crushing Verona 6-1 at Juventus Stadium in a 4-3-3 system, and Allegri says that is once again an option for tomorrow. “It could be an option, but I’ll have to assess the condition of the players after training today. “I have the whole squad available, the only one who I don’t think will make it is [Carlos] Tevez, because he needs to do some specific, personal training since he’s been training a little less due to an inflammation on his knee. “Everyone else is at my disposal.”

TIM Cup - Quarti di finale - 28-1-2015 (ore 20:45) PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Mercoledí, 28 Gennaio 2015 - ore 20:45 Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma Arbitro: Sebastiano Peruzzo Confronti ufficiali 61 - 10 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 32 - 7 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 17 - 1 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Parma 12 - 2 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 107 - 14 (Coppa Italia) Goals Parma 56 - 7 (Coppa Italia) Parma - Juventus - Coppa Italia a Parma Confronti ufficiali 6 Vittorie Juventus 3 (L'ultima il 29.08.2007, 1-3) Pareggi 1 (Il 10.02.1993, 1-1) Vittorie Parma 2 (L'ultima il 10.05.2002, 1-0) Goals Juventus 8 Goals Parma 5 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Parma in Coppa Italia 4 presenze Conte Antonio 3 Marocchi Giancarlo 2 Carrera Massimo 2 Casiraghi Pierluigi 2 Del Piero Alessandro 2 Ferrara Ciro 2 Kohler Jurgen 2 Peruzzi Angelo 2 Rampulla Michelangelo 2 Tacchinardi Alessio 1 goal Almiron Sergio Bernardo 1 Caudera Tommaso Schina 1 Moeller Andreas 1 Molinaro Cristian 1 Porrini Sergio 1 Ravanelli Fabrizio 1 Salihamidzic Hasan 1 Vojak I Antonio Ultimi confronti diretti 09.05.2010 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 2-3 06.01.2011 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 1-4 15.05.2011 - Serie A - Parma-Juventus 1-0 11.09.2011 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 4-1 15.02.2012 - Serie A - Parma-Juventus 0-0 25.08.2012 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 2-0 13.01.2013 - Serie A - Parma-Juventus 1-1 02.11.2013 - Serie A - Parma-Juventus 0-1 26.03.2014 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 2-1 09.11.2014 - Serie A - Juventus-Parma 7-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 5 - Pareggi 2 - Vittorie Parma 3 - Goals Juventus 20 - Goals Parma 11

PARMA - JUVENTUS .- Wednesday, January 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Ennio Tardini Stadium, Parma Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo PARMA V JUVENTUS COPPA ITALIA PREVIEW Jan 27, 2014 Juventus Juventus will be aiming to heap more misery on Parma while moving a step closer to winning their first Coppa Italia in 20 years. The Gialloblù are having a season to forget having managed just 4 wins in all competitions, sitting at the foot of the table following another defeat, this time at the hands of fellow relegation-battlers Cesena. To add to their woes, Antonio Cassano has officially rescinded his contract, having taken legal action against the club for six months of unpaid wages. An especially bitter blow when you consider ‘Fantantonio’ was responsible for almost a third of the goals scored by the club this season. Meanwhile, Juve will be hoping to lift the trophy for the first time in almost 2 decades, their last Coppa Italia trophy coming way back in the 1994-95 season when, coincidentally, they faced Parma in a 2-legged final which saw Juve run out 3-0 winners over both legs. The Bianconeri have won their last 4 matches in a row scoring 15 goals along the way while conceding just 2. Rotation will be the order of the day for Max Allegri, especially as Juve will be playing 3 times in the space of a week. Marco Storari should begin in goal in place of Gigi Buffon while Stephan Lichtsteiner will hopefully start at right-back, given Martin Caceres played last weekend in the 2-0 win against Chievo. Angelo Ogbonna has been out of action for the last 2 games since injuring his ankle in the 4-0 victory over Hellas Verona but he was in the squad against Chievo and may start alongside Leonardo Bonucci. Patrice Evra may be rested with Simone Padoin taking his place at left-back while Andrea Pirlo should have recovered from flu to return to the starting XI. Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal should start alongside Pirlo in midfield with Kingsley Coman possibly playing behind the strikers or perhaps even partnering one of either Carlos Tevez or Fernando Llorente. Predicted Lineup 4-3-1-2 : Storari; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Pirlo, Vidal, Pogba, Coman, Tevez, Llorente Injuries Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo (Both undergone knee surgery), Angelo Ogbonna (Ankle), Andrea Pirlo (Flu – Recovered), Luca Marrone. Parma Despite the change of ownership that was supposed to bring some serenity and some financial stability at Parma, the situation of Ducali remains tumultuous. The star of the team Antonio Cassano has just terminated the contract because the wages haven’t been paid in months. The other players have met with some representatives of the Player’s Association to study the next moves: a mini-mutiny that could lead to other departures. It’s pretty simple: if footballers don’t get paid, they don’t play well. We’ve seen this multiple times, especially in the lower divisions. To make things worse, despite the impressive signings of Cristian Rodriguez from Atletico Madrid, Silvestre Varela from Porto and Antonio Nocerino from Milan, they have lost against Cesena, one of the few teams within their grasp and they remain dead last in the table and reaching Chievo, Cagliari, Empoli and Atlanta, who are actively battling to avoid the drop, is a mirage. The fans have vehemently confronted the team after the disheartening defeat, but they seem resigned to relegation. When you collect only nine points in twenty matches, it means that pretty much nothing has worked. The problems started when the former president Tommaso Ghirardi pulled the stunt of “abandoning” his position after they were deprived of the Europa League spot over tax issues, leaving the CEO Pietro Leonardi with no cash in the summer window. Roberto Donadoni is not the main responsible, but he’s on the hot seat and shares some of the blame: his low-key, docile character is probably not suitable for war-time. The squad plays with no sense of urgency. In Serie A, Parma have won two matches at home, drawing once and losing eight times. But Coppa Italia is a different animal and everything comes down to this: how much they care about it? I guess very little, considering their desperate situation. They face Milan, another troubled team, on the road on Sunday night and they might even think that they could get some points out of that fixture and thus rest the starters. Predicting the lineup is a bit of a guessing game, but they probably don’t have the depth to use 4-3-3 with the reserves, so Donadoni is likely opt for 3-5-2. Some of the benchwarmers are slated to get the nod in this one: Fabiano Santacroce, Felipe, Pedro Mendes, McDonald Mariga, Lucas Souza, Nicola Pozzi and maybe some youngsters will have a chance to get playing time too. We’ll see if he’ll give the newcomers few minutes to mesh with the others. They have the worst defense in the league and the return of the rusty Gabriel Paletta hasn’t boosted it: they have conceded 43 goals in 20 matches, more than two per game. They struggle almightily to score too: Cassano was the team’s best with five goals, Paolo De Ceglie (!) is the second best with three. Until they don’t find a good striker, they ain’t going anywhere. The memory of the last encounter between the two teams is still fresh: Juventus hammered Parma: it ended 7-0. Predicted Lineup 4-4-2: Iacobucci; Santacroce, Felipe, Mendes; Rispoli, Mariga, Galloppa, Souza, De Ceglie; Palladino, Pozzi. Injuries Biabiany (heart), Coda (knee), Ghezzal (fibula), Jorquera (foot), Lila (calf). Belfodil and Acquah are partaking to AFCON 2015. Formation

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Boban: ‘Scudetto impossible for Roma’ Jan 26, 2014 Former Milan midfielder Zvonomir Boban believes the title race is over, saying it’s ‘almost impossible’ for Roma to win the Scudetto. The Giallorossi slipped to seven points behind Juventus this weekend, after the Bianconeri defeated Chievo in Turin, while Roma struggled to a draw at Fiorentina. “You have to say, it’s almost impossible for Roma to win the Scudetto,” Boban told Sky. “It would be a miracle, seeing the way things are going. Juve seem stronger, and crucially, more focused. “Their motivation? Antonio Conte, in the sense that everyone wants to show it wasn’t just Conte who took Juventus to the top. “The players, the club and the new Coach have overcome many obstacles, for this they must also thank Conte. “I think it’s unlikely that Juve will let up. I didn’t think they’d pull away so quickly, I though the title fight would last longer.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boszNUfDA3c http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie_a/juventus/2015/01/25-88819_0/FOTO+Juventus-Chievo+2-0%2C+la+quarta+perla+di+Pogba http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/k5EBF8DMi_h/Juventus+FC+v+AC+Chievo+Verona+Serie/KKPXgEr086g

Raiola: Pogba Costs Too Much For Most Clubs Jan 26, 2015 Mino Raiola, agent of Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, has revealed that his client costs too much for most teams to afford but admits there are several clubs that may be able to shell out the right amount of cash for his services. The 21-year-old star has been linked with a possible move to numerous European giants since the summer, but has so far stated his intentions to continue his career with the Bianconeri, though his agent is yet to fully rule out a move away from the reigning Serie A champions in the near future. Raiola spoke to the Daily Mail about his client’s transfer situation and confirmed that some of the clubs rumoured to be interested in the Juventus talent could indeed afford him as long as they were willing to spend a bit of money. “Pogba costs a lot,” said the agent. “I think that there are only a few clubs that could actually afford to purchase him. “There may be about seven or so, like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.”

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Pogba saved Juventus, says Lichtsteiner The Switzerland international has highlighted the young midfielder's importance to the team in the wake of Sunday's victory. Jan 26, 2014 Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner has hailed Paul Pogba's role in the reigning Serie A champions' 2-0 win over Chievo on Sunday. Massimiliano Allegri's men struggled to find an opening against Chievo until Pogba opened the scoring with a fine strike from outside of the area after a moment of individual brilliance, while the Frenchman also had a hand in Lichtsteiner's goal that effectively put the match to bed. The Switzerland international has admitted that Juventus endured a tough game, however had nothing but praise for Pogba after his match-winning performance. "We knew that we would be in for a very tough game, but then Pogba popped up and took care of things," Lichtsteiner told reporters. Juventus went seven points clear of Roma following their win and the Stadio Olimpico side's draw versus Fiorentina, but Lichtsteiner is not getting carried away. "Our seven-point advantage for the time being doesn’t mean a thing," the full-back, 31, added. "We want to keep pushing forward - in Serie A and the Coppa Italia." The 31-year-old recently signed a new deal with Juventus until June 2017 and he is desperate for more silverware in the years to come. "What convinced me to stay? The desire to win at Juventus. I’ve got a great deal of belief in this group." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Juventus 2-0 Chievo: Paul Pogba works his magic again Paul Pogba produced another terrific display in his side's win against Chievo, scoring with a beautiful long shot and creating the second goal. Jan 25, 2014 After two games against Verona-based opposition in which Juventus played the closest to perfection football you could get, scoring 10 goals in the process, there came the third meeting with a team from Romeo and Juliet’s city. And it was no surprise the Bianconeri had a much harder time trying to break down this defence. Chievo used to have that reputation of a disciplined team, of a team whose Serie A life would hinge on every single point they would gain away from their home stadium, Marcantonio Bentegodi. And oh, they were disciplined. How they wanted that point so courteously given by the 0-0 draw. Being forced to say Giorgio Chiellini was the most dangerous man in the first half sums up the game pretty well. For exactly the first 60 minutes of the game, Chievo didn’t even look like doing too much to defend their dearest 0-0 result. Juventus’ attacks were once again slow and predictable, with a bit more pace coming from the fullbacks Patrice Evra and Martin Caceres. And this state of equilibrium, so perfectly balanced by one side’s sheer determination to win a point and other’s impotence to capitalise its dominance, was suddenly broke when the lighting struck. There was no storm other than that man Paul Pogba, again, scoring his fourth goal in the last four appearances for the club, of which three were absolute belters. Doing nought to 60 in a fraction of a second, getting past opponents like there wasn’t anybody there and then delivering a thunderous shot somewhere near the post, unreachable for the goalkeeper, seems to have become house speciality for the Frenchman – world class speciality. It was a treat to watch him working his magic again, saving the day for Juventus, who were still quite far from producing anything dangerous at Chievo’s goal. Max Allegri made just one change to the XI that started against Verona last weekend, with Arturo Vidal replacing Andrea Pirlo who was out with flu. And why would he change anything? The team worked well, excluding the first hour of Chievo game, and there is a Coppa Italia fixture on Jan. 28 when Juventus travel to Parma, that would give Allegri a good enough reason to refresh the first XI. The likes of Kingsley Coman, Fernando Llorente and the Simone duo would get more minutes than today for sure. All in all, Allegri is doing his job with decency and a certain – and also welcomed – amount of discretion. It is true that seeing pictures of Antonio Conte back at Vinovo, chatting, shaking hands with the players while proudly giving them a tap on the back, has the potential of making even the most stony-hearted of Juventini sigh – you can’t help it, really. But at the time of writing, Juventus are eight points ahead of Roma, who are yet to play their tricky away game in Florence. Looking at the table, the situation is a most convenient one halfway through the season and we all like that, don’t we? MATCH SUMMARY Roberto Pereyra had the first decent chance of the game six minutes in when he arrived at the near post to meet a low cross from Evra but goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri managed to get a foot in and send the ball behind for a corner kick. Carlos Tévez took the corner and Chiellini guided his header over the crossbar from six yards. Juventus had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Davide Massa, as Vidal went down after a challenge from Alessandro Gamberini and saw the yellow card for diving. Chievo barely threatened Buffon’s goal in the first half, with Gamberini being the closest to what can barely be classified as a chance, but the defender totally botched his shot. Despite dominating possession, the Bianconeri only created another good goalscoring opportunity in the 25th minute, when Caceres delivered a great cross but Alvaro Morata missed his header from close range and the ball went well wide of the far post. Vidal tested Bizzarri in the 28th minute with a long shot but the goalkeeper dived to his left post to parry it away for a corner kick. Chiellini was again at the receiving end of Tévez’s corner and forced Bizzarri into another good save. Evra collided with fellow Frenchman Nicolas Frey in an aerial duel in the 38th minute which resulted in a horrible head injury for the Chievo defender who had to be replaced by Cristiano Biraghi. He was carried off on a stretcher in the applause of the crowds. Dario Dainelli was booked in the third minute of injury time for a late challenge on Pereyra just outside Chievo’s box, being the fourth player to receive a yellow card for the visitors after Frey, Ezequiel Schelotto and Ervin Zukanovic. Tévez wasted the free kick after trying to send the ball beneath the wall and it was cleared away easily. The beginning of second half saw Claudio Marchisio trying his luck from distance with no result, and Evra delivering a good low cross in the 50th minute for Vidal, but the Chilean was a step ahead of the ball and sent his left-footed shot well over the crossbar. Pogba was again the man who put Juventus upfront with another fantastic strike from distance in the 60th minute. The Frenchman demonstrated some sublime skills to get past Isaac Cofie at the edge of the box and then sent a left-footed piledriver at the near post that gave Bizzarri no chance. Allegri decided to change to 3-5-2 two minutes after taking the lead and Stephan Lichtsteiner replaced Vidal who looked quite unhappy for being substituted. It was an inspired substitution from Allegri, as the Swiss was to double Juventus’ advantage in the 73rd minute. Padoin’s first action of the game resulted in a perfect cross for Pogba who produced a fantastic first touch to put the ball down, but his shot was aimed straight at Bizzarri. The goalkeeper only managed to palm it away at the Swiss right-back’s foot who coolly put the ball in the back of the net. Marchisio had a glorious chance to score the third goal for Juventus in the 76th minute after dribbling his way inside Chievo’s box but his powerful shot was blocked by Bizzarri. The rebound found Lichtsteiner again but the Swiss was in an offside position. Schelotto missed his side’s best chance of the game in the 87th minute. Bonucci couldn’t deal with a long ball played for Sergio Pellissier and it got to Schelotto’s foot who hit a first-time shot from not more than six yards that hit the near post, as Buffon was well beaten. Chievo broke free on a counter once more in the second minute of injury time but Caceres managed to block a through ball attempt from Riccardo Meggiorini. The ball bounced back to the Italian whose shot from distance went wide of Buffon’s goal. It was the last notable action of the match and referee Davide Massa blew the final whistle. PLAYER RATINGS Buffon: 6.5 A quiet day at the office for the captain, who was barely called into action for a few crosses. His first save came into 83rd minute. Caceres: 6.5 Great performance from the Uruguayan who was very involved in attacking actions while at right back. Despite having a few problems with Schelotto, he was steady at the back as well. Bonucci: 5.5 Nothing out of the ordinary for the centre back, who was rarely involved in defensive actions. No trademark long balls from him either Chiellini: 6 Was a threat from corners in the first half, getting a few headers in and also played a few decent direct passes for Morata and Tévez. Caught out of position late in the game for a couple of times. Evra: 6 Delivered quite few decent crosses but his teammates couldn’t make the most of them. Wasn’t called into action too often defensively and was replaced by Padoin with 20 minutes to go. Vidal: 6.5 Probably the most influential midfielder beside Pogba, the Chilean was unlucky not to get his name on the score sheet. Was booked for a foolish dive in the first half Marchisio: 6 Was barely seen in the first half, but had a decent second part of the game when he came close to scoring. Stupidly booked for protests Pogba: 7.5 Another simply brilliant performance from the Frenchman who single-handedly won the game for Juventus. Produced a moment of magic to open the scoring and did the most for the second goal as well. Pereyra: 6.5 His movement was good throughout the game and also contributed defensively, but he couldn’t influence the attacking moves as much as he would’ve wanted. Tevez: 6 Quiet game for the Argentine goalscoarer, whose first decent attempt came late in the second half. Morata: 6 The Spaniard tried a lot and found himself just inches away from getting his goal in the first half after Caceres’ cross. He looked somehow frustrated for the most part of the game when his game wasn’t what he wanted Subs Lichtsteiner: 6.5 Replaced Vidal in the 62nd minute as Allegri decided to change formation and found himself in the perfect position to score the second goal. Padoin: 6.5 Came in for Evra and made an immediate impact by providing Pogba with a great cross at the second goal. Very active on the left for the 20 minutes he played Pepe: N/A Replaced Pereyra late in the game. Coach Allegri: 6 He definitely has Pogba to thank for paving the way to victory with his solo effort. Up until then, it was the same old story of Juventus trying hard but not managing to open up stubborn defences. Changing to 3-5-2 was a good decision for it was easier to defend the lead and also gave Lichtsteiner the chance to score his goal. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Frey released from hospital Jan 25, 2014 Chievo defender Nicolas Frey has been released from hospital after suffering a head injury against Juventus. The centre-back was stretchered off during today’s 2-0 defeat in Turin, coming off much worse from a clash of heads with Patrice Evra. Seen bleeding from a deep cut to his forehead, Frey was taken to a local hospital for tests and observation. Chievo released a statement this evening confirming he had been released from the hospital and will continue to have further check-ups with the club medical staff over the next few days. Chievo thanked the emergency services and Juventus medic Fabrizio Tencone, who assisted Frey from the moment of impact. He is the younger brother of ex-Fiorentina and Parma goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, who posted a picture of his sibling’s nasty head wound. “Despite the trauma, my brother is out of the hospital with a nice scar!” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Maran: 'Pogba changed game' Jan 25, 2014 Rolando Maran concedes “the game changed with that great move from Paul Pogba” as Chievo lost to Juventus. The Flying Donkeys had held out very well in Turin, but Pogba scored one and created another for the 2-0 result. “Sometimes you can lose to Juventus and be happy with receiving compliments for the performance,” shrugged Maran on Radio Rai. “It’s a shame, as the game changed with that great move from Pogba. Until that moment, Juve had created few genuine scoring opportunities. “Against the big clubs you need to make the most of your chances and any favourable situations. We’ll try to take the positives from this game. “It’s a long road towards safety and many matches to go. We must continue along our path and try to put together consistent performances.” Nicolas Frey was stretchered off after a nasty clash of heads with Patrice Evra. “It’s just a scratch,” assured Maran, but the defender is being kept in hospital for observation anyway. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Player Ratings: Juventus 2-0 Chievo Jan 25, 2014 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Barely tested, though he did have to come off his line to collect through-balls several times. Distribution was not always at his best. 4 M. Cáceres - Struggled at right-back despite the lack of attacking intent from the away side. Did put a couple of quality crosses into the box at the other end. 19 L. Bonucci - Struggled at times with the movement of Paloschi as he looked to get in behind. 3 G. Chiellini - Strong at both ends of the pitch as he made numerous interceptions in his own half while he twice went close with headers from corners. 33 P. Evra - Excellent in forward areas as he got into the final third and sent in some testing crosses. Strong enough in defence though he was rarely tested. 23 A. Vidal - Booked for simulation in the first half and fired off-target twice when well placed. Replaced with half an hour to play, much to his disappointment. 8 C. Marchisio - Looked to find the more creative players in space around the final third but couldn't find an incisive pass. Twice went close in the second period. 6 Paul Pogba - Saw plenty of the ball and distributed the ball well in the final third. Superb strike eventually broke the deadlock before his fine control and volley helped set up the second for Lichtsteiner. 37 R. Pereyra - Direct running caused the Chievo defence problems, though he struggled to provide an end product. Denied by a fine Bizzarri save early on. 10 C. Tévez - Is still yet to score against Chievo though was not for the lack of trying this time around. Looked to create opportunities for himself, but saw his shots blocked or fly off-target. 9 Álvaro Morata - Not his best showing for the Italian giants as he was wasteful in possession inside the final third. Sent a header wide when well placed during the first half. Substitutes 26 S. Lichtsteiner - Replaced Vidal and managed to get himself on the scoresheet with a poacher's finish after Pogba's volley was saved. Chievo 1 A. Bizzarri - Made three excellent saves in the first half - the best of which kept Chiellini's looping header out. Had no chance with either goal and made good stops from Pogba and Marchisio after the break. 21 N. Frey - Struggled with the overlapping runs of Evra before being booked midway through the first half. Forced off with a nasty head injury shortly before the break. 3 D. Dainelli - Slotted back into the defence and kept his position well, though he did pick up a booking for silly trip on Vidal. 5 A. Gamberini - Was strong at the heart of the visitors' defence as he stuck with Tevez whenever the striker looked to advance into the area. Missed a good chance at 0-0. 87 E. Zukanović - Sent a couple of decent crosses into the box from the left-hand side early on, but did not look quite as comfortable at centre-back after switching positions due to Frey's injury. 23 V. Birsa - Did his best to get foward and support the front two, though he saw little of the ball in forward areas. 14 I. Cofie - Tried to get close to Pogba but was unable to really stop the France international from dictating play in midfield. 56 P. Hetemaj - Kept the visitors ticking over in midfield when they won possession, but his passing was more metronomical than eye-catching. 24 E. Schelotto - Carried the ball well in midfield and looked to drive Chievo forward at every opportunity. Hit the post late on after being deployed at right wing-back in the second period. 43 A. Paloschi - Caused Chiellini and Bonucci some problems with his movement, but the service into him was poor and he never really got a decent sight of goal. 19 R. Botta - Looked to link with Paloschi in the final third but was not a goal threat himself. Substitutes 34 C. Biraghi - Struggled in defence after replacing the stricken Frey towards the end of the first half. 69 R. Meggiorini - Fired wide late on but otherwise struggled to get involved after replacing Botta in the second half. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CHIEVO VERONA 2 - 0 Paul Pogba (60') Stephan Lichtsteiner (73') Sunday, January 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Davide Massa Paul Pogba the difference for Juventus in win over Chievo Verona Jan 25, 2014 Another win on Sunday, a 2-0 triumph over Chievo Verona, means that Juventus are now eight points ahead of second-place Roma, at least for a few hours before the Giallorossi take on Fiorentina later on Sunday. Gifted with individuals who can change the course of the game in an instant, the Bianconeri earned their fourth consecutive victory, forcing the Flying Donkeys to accept their inferior quality. Chievo Verona, thanks to their training techniques, played in an organised fashion with great intensity in a bid to halt their opponent. Manager Rolando Maran insisted in his prematch interview that his side would not play with fear despite the quality of the opponent, and the tactician stayed true to his word, deploying an attack-minded side that hoped to exploit Juve's narrow play. Each player was taught to sacrifice and make the most of the risks Juve take. Defensively, they played as a unit, pressing ferociously and determined to defend in tight lines while remaining alert to the danger. As such, a nonchalant Juventus struggled to penetrate for close to an hour. Alvaro Morata, in a rare start, was chosen to play alongside Carlos Tevez instead of Fernando Llorente, and the former Real Madrid man played the kind of game that provided explanations for Massimiliano Allegri's usual choices upfront. Morata may be more mobile, more determined and better technically, but he cannot provide the side with what Llorente can to ensure that Tevez plays his best possible game. Morata failed to do enough to occupy the centre backs and allow his teammates to exploit the spaces. His hold-up play isn't the best, and his insistence on dropping deep to pick up the ball forced the Argentine to either drop even deeper or adopt a higher position on the field than he would like to ensure his teammates always had options. As a result, Tevez could barely make an impact on the match, struggling to even intimidate the opponent. In short, Morata and Tevez get in each other's way. While the young Spaniard is getting better at playing for the team rather than satisfying his own personal ambitions (still not there yet), his type of game doesn't suit Tevez's as well as one might have hoped, thus making it clear why the former Athletic Bilbao man is often preferred. Yet for all their offensive inadequacies, the Bianconeri still produced 29 shots on goal but failed to make their superior technique count. It must also be noted that Albano Bizzarri played an excellent game in goal to keep his Chievo side in the game. Playing without intensity and seemingly uninspired in the final third, the fear was that the Bianconeri wouldn't find the breakthrough needed to win and keep the pressure on Roma for the title. However, Paul Pogba's individual quality made the difference. A player with all the potential in the world, he has been criticized for his finishing and Allegri insists he's capable of demonstrating more. The problem with the young Frenchman is that for all his ability on the ball, he usually plays as if he's shackled, holding himself back at times when a little confidence would almost guarantee tremendous displays. Juventus fans know his ability to score from distance, his control on the ball and his vision on the field, yet at times this season he has disappeared for long stretches of matches while his finishing has been abysmal to say the least. It is almost as if he doesn't believe in his strengths, too fearful of making mistakes. This leads to him over-complicating matters when his technique requires nothing but simplicity. Confidence is of the utmost importance to this player. Against the Flying Donkeys, he played one of his best games and ought to have grabbed a brace largely because recent performances have allowed him to believe in his ability and the courage to express his strengths, scoring a sublime goal and producing a stunning assist. The fans could finally enjoy what could one day be the world's best player and they were treated to a show, watching his controlled first touch and special footwork. If Pogba truly wants to develop, then he must stop holding himself back and permit himself to play with freedom, even if mistakes are made along the way. Perfection cannot be achieved without tasting failure or set-backs. His goal and subsequent assist robbed Chievo of their desire to play to their maximum potential, yet they still managed to create some chances at the end thanks to Juve's tendency to surrender to complacency, sleeping at the moments that require defensive attention. Yet the Flying Donkeys' poor finishing and bizarre decision-making tell their own story, demonstrating why they are Serie A's worst side when it comes to scoring goals. For all their tactical changes and determination to match Juve's energy, Maran's men were once again forced to accept their deficiencies when facing a superior side blessed with skill. Allegri reverted to a 3-5-2 formation after the game to help his manage the lead and his men grabbed all three points to stay on course for another Scudetto. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111