Socrates

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus-Verona Betting: Bianconeri to remain on course for long-awaited Coppa Italia triumph Massimiliano Allegri's men are seeking to end a 20-year wait for a 10th cup win, and Al Hain-Cole expects them to keep that dream alive despite conceding against the Gialloblu. Jan 15, 2014 Juventus will be aiming to bring their 20-year wait for a 10th Coppa Italia triumph to an end when they welcome Hellas Verona to Turin in Thursday's last-16 clash. The Bianconeri have not lifted the trophy since 1995's two-legged victory over Parma in the final but are clear favourites with Unibet to keep their dreams of finally reaching double figures alive by coming out on top tonight. Unlike their opponents, Andrea Mandorlini's men have already come through two rounds to reach this stage, and are available at to add the national champions to Cremonese and Perugia as cup scalps. The hosts have drawn their last three consecutive matches on home turf and you can get odds of on them being forced into extra-time with a tied 90 minutes this evening. Fans watching their side lift the trophy for the ninth time back in 1995 would have been horrified at the prospect of their side still being without the silver star to commemorate 10 titles 20 years on. Massimiliano Allegri’s team have lost out in three finals since then, while also suffering the ignominy of seeing Roma draw level on nine wins after victories in both 2007 and 2008. With this in mind, their will be no shortage of motivation for the home side as they seek to embark on the triumphant cup run that their supporters have for so long been clamouring for, and their strong home record of 25 wins and two draws in the last 27 domestic home games should give them plenty of confidence. However, Allegri will have been slightly unnerved by his team’s uncharacteristically sloppy streak at the back in recent matches, having seen his team now go five matches without keeping a clean sheet. Considering the Gialloblu have hit the back of the net five times in their last six matches on the road, they must be backed to breach the Juventus defence for the third consecutive encounter, with odds of too good to miss on the hosts coming out on top in a game featuring goals at both ends.

RAI: Tutto facile per la Juve. Secondo me meglio dire: Troppo piú forte la Juve.

ROBERTO PEREYRA 2-0

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Allegri Aiming For Coppa Italia Glory Jan 15, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has stated that the Bianconeri are looking to win the Coppa Italia as they prepare to battle with Hellas Verona on Thursday. Juve will square off against the Gialloblu, with the winner set to play Parma in the quarter finals and Allegri is keen to end Juve’s 20 year wait for the Coppa Italia. “It is one of our goals for the season, to win the cup,” Allegri told reporters at his pre-match press conference. “We must do our best in this competition as if it was Serie A or the Champions League. “The stadium will be full for the Verona game and that will give our players extra motivation. “Tomorrow [Carlos] Tevez and [Andrea] Pirlo will be rested. We have four strikers available for the game and any combination of them could start. “Looking back at the summer transfer window we did well. [Roberto] Pereyra is the player who has played most from our summer signings and done well. “[Patrice] Evra had a difficult start but he is now settled in the team and [Alvaro] Morata has not been able to play too often but when he has, he has always made an impact.”

Stavolta Giovinco spara alto.

Bravo Morata!

SEBA GIOVINCO 1-0

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Coppa Italia Preview: Juventus vs. Hellas Verona — Welcome to Hell(as) Jan 15, 2014 It's been awhile since we've had to concentrate on the third and final competition Juventus is taking part in this season. Let me start this again... It's not 'Copa,' it's 'Coppa!' And now that we've gotten our yearly Barry Manilow kick out of our head, we can officially go on and talk about Juventus hopping into the Coppa Italia for the first time this season. And Juve's entrance in the competition, which comes in the tournament's round of 16, comes with a unique twist. Thursday night, Juventus will be playing Hellas Verona at Juventus Stadium in Turin. Sunday night, Juventus will be playing ... Hellas Verona ... at Juventus Stadium in Turin. Two games within four days of one another. That's a ton of Hellas Verona to think about for Max Allegri and his squad. Maybe that's a good thing considering how crammed the schedule is going to be over the course of the next month. Surely the second game will be easier to prepare for compared to the first one. Then you throw in the fact Juventus will be hosting Chievo next weekend, there's just too much Verona-related things to handle right now. So let's just concentrate on what should matter the most — Thursday night against Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "The Coppa Italia is a target of ours. We want to get through this round and go all the way." The winner gets Parma — which beat Cagliari 2-1 on Wednesday — in the quarterfinals on Feb. 4. And we all know what happens the last time Juventus played Parma. It was such a blowout famed WWE announcer Jim Ross might as well been yelling to end the damn match once the flood gates opened up completely. A second edition of that complete dismantling would be fun. But Juventus must get past Verona first and foremost. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. How much squad rotation will there be? Even if Max Allegri didn't say a damn thing about squad rotation in his pre-match press conference, the list of players he called up is rather indicative that there will be a good number of changes in the starting lineup. There's no Andrea Pirlo, no Carlos Tevez, no Martin Caceres with all three not being among the 21-player squad list for Thursday's game. That's not all that much of a surprise considering the first two have been playing a lot of minutes over the last few rounds of games and the latter has just returned from injury. But there's all this: It's the Coppa Italia, which is the league-wide signal to rotate your squad and show off your depth if you have any. That's just how it goes no matter how serious you are taking the competition. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "We have a competitive squad. Having everyone available is crucial for freshening things up." 2. The strike partnership — who will it be? This is the chance for the reserves to get their shot to play big minutes. And that's especially true for the reserve strikers, who have basically seen Tevez and Fernando Llorente play every game together this season. With no Tevez in the squad, two strikers will sit, two will be on the bench at the opening whistle. But which two? You would have to think Alvaro Morata is getting a start, so that leaves Sebastian Giovinco and Kingsley Coman. If you believe the reports that Coman is ahead of Giovinco in the pecking order, then it will be a Morata-Coman tandem that last played together in the 7-0 beatdown of Parma. I wouldn't be opposed to that combination getting a chance from the start of a game for once. (Not that my starting lineup below is really saying otherwise.) 3. How many of the regular central midfielders get the start? With Pirlo not being included in the match day squad, that's one fewer option to for Allegri to choose from. While Juventus are not in the same kind of injury situation as, say, four or six weeks ago, it's not like Allegri is swimming in a pool of options right now. There's no Pirlo, Luca Marrone is still out (this time with the flu), and that basically leaves us with the usual three and Simone Padoin. Maybe we can throw in Federico Mattiello if Allegri doesn't use him as a fullback Thursday night. So while other positions on the field are pretty much guaranteed to see plenty of squad rotation, I'm not so convinced that 4. Can Juventus take control of the game early so they're not stressing late? What has Juventus' problem been in recent games? It's easy — they get the lead, they just can't hold onto it. Obviously we saw a team rebound and beat Napoli on Sunday, but the get-the-lead-only-to-blow-the-lead trend is becoming a regular thing. The gulf in talent — even with squad rotation a formality — between Juventus and Hellas Verona is a big one, and that means there's no reason Juve should be having trouble advancing in the Coppa Italia. But it's about trying to avoid what they have done the first two games of 2015. It'd be nice not to stress about every single thing in the second half, that's for sure. My starting XI (4-3-1-2): Storari; Padoin, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Mattiello; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Coman, Morata OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 9 P.M. IN ITALY; 3 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; HIGH NOON ON THE WEST COAST

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Mandorlini: Hellas Verona Will Play A Rotated Team Against Juventus Jan 14, 2014 Hellas Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini admitted that he will rotate his squad for their Coppa Italia fixture away at Juventus on January 15 in the Round of 16. The 54-year-old revealed that striker Luca Toni will not start the game but the Brazilian goalkeeper Rafael will be back after he was replaced by Francesco Benussi in the Gialloblu’s four most recent Serie A fixtures. “It’s a straight elimination game then we have another game against them [Juventus] in the league that will conclude the first half of the season,” said Mandorlini in his press conference. “First we have to think about the Round of 16 game, they will make changes and so will we, I think it’s the right thing to do.” “This will my approach to the game, for example, Luca Toni will not play from the start and we’ll leave him to rest. “Rafael? He will return to starting in goal. “I would like to give him back his starting place in the second game we have in Turin, then we’ll revaluate everything for the second half of the season.” Mandorlini also spoke about how he might look to use attacking midfielder Javier Saviola against the Bianconeri. “What he has been doing has not shocked me, I knew he was a great player when he plays in a certain way.” “This does not affect my way of saying things, he’s a great guy, there weren’t any problems with him before and even more there are none at the moment.” The Hellas coach also addressed transfer rumours surrounding his team following reports that the attacker Fernandinho had signed on loan from Gremio. “Fernandinho? I don’t speak about players who aren’t here, I’ve never seen him and I’m waiting to judge him.” “[Guillermo] Rodriguez to Bologna? They’re rumours. “You should ask these questions to sporting director Sean Sogliano. “He has integrated himself into Verona and done a good job.”

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese JUVENTUS V HELLAS VERONA COPPA ITALIA PREVIEW Jan 14, 2014 Juventus After big games versus Inter and Napoli the fixture list for Juventus has calmed down somewhat. They face Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia – and then again over the weekend in Serie A – which is an opportunity for Max Allegri to rest some of the stars and start some of the bench players. Also, he may throw in some youth players. This is something more or less unheard of at Juventus from the years 2011-2014. I’m not sure why. As in all Coppa Italia competitions, Gianluigi Buffon will sit and Marco Storari will start. I’m hoping Storari will be motivated by the rumors of a Neto transfer to Juve (in the summer) and will have a terrific game. Either way, Storari has always been a fine deputy for Buffon. The backline will feature some rotation as well. Right now it’s reported that Leonardo Bonucci will start alongside Angelo Ogbonna at centerback. Meanwhile, Patrice Evra will be rested and Simone Padoin will start in place of the Frenchman. It’s less clear at right back. Stephan Lichtsteiner is of course the usual start, but he should be rested. Who replaces him? Roberto Pereyra? Martin Caceres was not called up, so I can’t see how Lichtsteiner is benched. Technically, Simone Pepe is on the roster. He played right back once, like in 2010. So, I suppose that is an option. The midfield also has some stars being rested. Andrea Pirlo wasn’t called up for the game, and Arturo Vidal is expected not to start. So, Claudio Marchisio should start in Pirlo’s regista role. That leaves Paul Pogba and perhaps the youngster Federico Mattiello in the middle two positions and finally Roberto Pereyra in the trequartista role. With Pogba and Marchisio still in there, it’s hardly a weak midfield. Finally stalwart Carlos Tevez is also not listed on the roster and will be rested. Fernando Llorente is unlikely to start, but Alvaro Morata, Kinglsey Coman, and Sebastian Giovinco are all being considered. I expect Morata to start, and then to be partnered with one of Coman and Giovinco, hopefully Coman. Predicted Lineup 4-3-1-2 : Storari; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Marchiso, Mattiello, Pereyra; Coman; Morata, Giovinco* Injuries Andrea Barzagli (Heel), Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo (Both undergone knee surgery) Hellas Verona Juve will have a look at the whole Hellas Verona roster as they’ll face them twice in four days. Without Juan Manuel Iturbe and Romulo (and Jorginho too, who left in January), Hellas Verona are no longer that explosive team that plays an exciting brand of football. They added some experienced players and they rely heavily on the veteran play to salvage some points here and here. They are substantially a standard low-table team that tries to navigate through adversities without sinking. They have succeeded so far: they have 21 points, six more than the 18th team in the table, but they are a distant cousin of last season’s squad, which was a legitimate contender for an Europa League spot until the final third of the season. The main problem is that they haven’t been able to find the change-of-pace players they needed to replace the ones who left. Nico Lopez has had a good run two month ago (four goals in six matches) but he hasn’t scored since November 29. He’s their main offensive creator, but he’s wildly inconsistent. Luca Toni needs to be fed properly to unleash his old-man tricks in the box. The former Bayern Munich and Fiorentina striker is still getting it done at 37: he has scored seven goals in 19 matches and he’s still their focal point. They are likely to be without several players in both matches: Bosko Jankovic, Mounir Obbadi, Artur Ionita, Juanito Gomez and Vangelis Moras have been nursing injuries for a while and they probably won’t be able to return in time. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos is questionable because of a back issue, but he might be available. These absences dramatically reduces the options at disposal of the coach Andrea Mandorlini so Juventus won’t square off against two completely different lineups in the two matches. In the first one, some of the least used players will be inserted in the starting XI, like Pierluigi Gollini, Frederik Sorensen, Antonio Luna, Gustavo Campanharo, Mattia Valoti, Jacopo Sala, Javier Saviola or Nene, even though the word coming from Hellas is that they really want to pass the turn, so they could field their best lineup. However, they have been forced to use so many different formations because of injuries and inconsistent performances that they really don’t have a ‘best XI’. It will be interesting to see what Mandorlini does with Toni: the centre-forward can’t bear playing twice in four days and the coach will have to pick one. UPDATE: Toni is out with flu-like symptoms. They have recently used 3-5-2 more than last season’s 4-3-3 due to injuries to the wingers and to the lack of quality upfront. They added a little wrinkle to their offensive strategy by acquiring Leandro Greco, who can play as advanced midfielder and support the strikers better. Mandorlini is starting to use Sala in the midfield more and he’s an interesting player. Differently from other small teams, Hellas Verona have a lot of quality in the midfield, which is now their main (only?) strength. Furthermore, they are tall, tough and physical, thanks to players like Rafa Marquez and Guillermo Rodriguez who add a lot of muscles. On the road, they are in the middle of the pack, having won two games, drawn four times and lost thrice. Last year, when Hellas visited the Turin, Mandorlini built a bunker to avoid conceding, he might do the same again. In any case, Juventus will have to pay attention to the counter-attacking game, which, as usual, is the sole weapon of this kind of team against a top club. They have fast players (Nico Lopez clearly stands out, but also Sala, Valoti, Christodoulopoulos and Toni runs hard when he sees an opening to score) and they have the technical skills to find them in the open field. They shoot a lot from distance and it’s better not to be caught off guard. They don’t score a lot, but they are good in protecting the lead. Predicted Lineup: 3-5-2 Rafael; Sorensen, Marquez, Rodriguez; Martic, Campanharo, Tachtsidis, Valoti, Brivio; Saviola, Nene. Injuries: Jankovic (ankle), Obbadi (thigh), Ionita (thigh), Gomez (thigh), Moras (thigh), Toni (flu). Formation

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Toni out of Juventus-Verona Jan 14, 2014 Luca Toni is out of Verona’s Coppa Italia trip to Juventus after coming down with flu symptoms. The Round of 16 tie kicks off on Thursday at 21.00 CET in Turin and is a one-off elimination match. Hitman Toni will not make the trip, as he is suffering from flu symptoms, joining the injured Juanito Gomez Taleb, Mounir Obbadi, Artur Ionita, Bosko Jankovic and Evangelos Moras. The winners will go on to face Parma or Cagliari in the quarter-finals next month. Verona squad for Juventus: Rafael, Benussi, Gollini; Rodriguez, Marquez, Sorensen, R Marques, Brivio, Agostini, Boni, Martic; Hallfredsson, Greco, Sala, Valoti, Campanharo, Tachtsidis, Checchin; Saviola, Nico Lopez, Christodoulopoulos, Fares, Cappelluzzo, Nenè

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus squad for Verona Jan 14, 2014 Juventus have left out Andrea Pirlo, Martin Caceres and Carlos Tevez for tomorrow’s Coppa Italia tie with Verona. The Round of 16 fixture kicks off on Thursday at 21.00 CET. Coach Max Allegri already announced in his Press conference that he’ll be resting some top stars for this one-off game. Hellas Verona are likely to take it much more seriously, especially as even reaching the Final could be enough to earn a spot in the Europa League next season. There should be a great atmosphere, as the Juventus Stadium is sold out for this game. The winners will go on to face Parma or Cagliari in the quarter-finals. Juventus squad for Verona: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente, Bonucci, Padoin, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Storari, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra, Mattiello, Romagna

Allegri: ‘Pogba can do more’ Jan 14, 2015 Max Allegri praises Roberto Pereyra, admits it's ‘not easy’ to find space for Sebastian Giovinco at Juventus, and challenges Paul Pogba. Ahead of their Coppa Italia game against Hellas Verona, the Bianconeri may be shuffling some of their usual starters. Hinting at this in his pre-match Press conference, the Old Lady’s boss claims that his team has more than sufficient players to handle the season, whilst he is particularly positive about those who came in last summer. “Our new signings have been good. [Roberto] Pereyra is the one who played the most and he did better than anyone. [Patrice] Evra had some trouble at first but now he is recovered,” Allegri commented to reporters. “[Alvaro] Morata doesn't always play but even when he doesn't, he has great technical qualities that make him decisive. “Against Napoli he executed a pass that wasn't easy and that allowed [Arturo] Vidal to score a great goal. “He is a great player and he'll grow even more. He comes from Real Madrid and he went from being treated as a child there to being given responsibilities here. It's not easy when you start getting treated as an important player. “[Kingsley] Coman is still a boy, but he played two games as a starter in Verona and in Florence and he's putting in some good performances. He has great potential and great quality. “Romulo had a good game against Parma but then he had to stop.” Reports continue to link Sebastian Giovinco with an exit. “Of course, when I have Tevez doing such great things, and [Fernando] Llorente who's working so well, it's not easy to find space, as [sebastian] Giovinco knows quite well. “Giovinco can not play as a trequartista if not for short segments. He is a striker, with great technical qualities. “I treat players in my team as though they were going to stay until the end of the season. Out of five strikers, a few will always have to stay on the bench.” The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport today speculate on a possible summer auction for Paul Pogba. “It's normal that everybody should be going crazy for [Paul] Pogba. He has great quality and he can still improve. He does less than he could…” Allegri was also prompted to cast an eye on the Serie A transfer market so far. “Inter made two important moves on the mercato and they can aim for third place. Milan already had a good mercato campaign in the summer. “Third place is open, all of the teams in the bracket between 26 and 31 points are fighting for the Champions League.”

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Allegri: ‘No Pirlo, Tevez tomorrow’ Jan 14, 2014 Juventus Coach Max Allegri confirms that his team will be without Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez for tomorrow's game against Hellas Verona. The Bianconeri face a Coppa Italia Last 16 encounter at home to the Butei, but will be missing some first team names. “Pirlo and Tevez will certainly not take part in the game tomorrow,” Allegri has confirmed in his pre-game Press conference. “I haven't even called them up, so I'll have four strikers. Tevez and Pirlo need to rest and do some training apart. “Out of my four strikers, two will play in the first half and two in the second. “As for Barzagli, we still don't know precisely how long his complete recovery is going to take. “Let's say that he's making good progress and this morning he even worked with the team. We're all very happy and we hope to have him back as soon as possible. “Tomorrow's game is a seasonal objective and we must do everything. The stadium will be full and we won't be short of incentives. “Marrone is working, but he had influenza last weekend. Tomorrow, in the last training session, I will consider whether to play Mattiello from the first minute or just for a segment. “Leonardo Bonucci is well rested thanks to his suspension and the holidays. Motta hasn't been called up. “We recovered Caceres and on Sunday he had an excellent game. Having all of them available is important for the turnovers. The club is working to bring us some more great players, too.”

TIM Cup - Ottavi di finale - 15-1-2015 (ore 21:00) JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Giovedí, 15 Gennaio 2015 - ore 21:00 Juventus Stadium, Torino Arbitro: Gianpaolo Calvarese Confronti ufficiali 72 - 8 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 43 - 3 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 17 - 3 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Verona 12 - 2 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 129 - 12 (Coppa Italia) Goals Verona 59 - 8 (Coppa Italia) Juventus - Hellas Verona - Coppa Italia a Torino Confronti ufficiali 5 Vittorie Juventus 3 (L'ultima il 22.06.1983, 3-0) Pareggi 1 (Il 03.09.1972, 0-0) Vittorie Hellas Verona 1 (Il 03.04.1963, 0-1) Goals Juventus 9 Goals Hellas Verona 3 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro l'Hellas Verona in Coppa Italia 4 presenze Furino Giuseppe 3 Bettega Roberto 3 Causio Franco 3 Gentile Claudio 3 Morini Francesco 3 Tardelli Marco 3 Zoff Dino 2 Benetti Romeo 2 Boninsegna Roberto 2 Cuccureddu Antonello 2 goals Platini Michel 2 Tardelli Marco 1 Benetti Romeo 1 Bettega Roberto 1 Boninsegna Roberto 1 Furino Giuseppe 1 Rossi Paolo Ultimi confronti diretti 06.01.2000 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 1-0 30.04.2000 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 2-0 26.11.2000 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 2-1 08.04.2001 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 0-1 04.11.2001 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 2-2 17.03.2002 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 1-0 09.12.2006 - Serie B - Juventus-Verona 1-0 27.04.2007 - Serie B - Verona-Juventus 0-1 22.09.2013 - Serie A - Juventus-Verona 2-1 09.02.2014 - Serie A - Verona-Juventus 2-2 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 7 - Pareggi 2 - Vittorie Verona 1 - Goals Juventus 13 - Goals Verona 8

JUVENTUS - HELLAS VERONA - Wednesday, January 15th, 2015 - 21:00 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus-Hellas Verona Preview: Allegri's side begin quest for 10th Coppa Italia Despite having gone 20 seasons without winning the trophy, the Bianconeri have form on their side and begin against a side who have not beaten them at home in eight attempts. Jan 14, 2014 Juventus begin their campaign to end a 20-year wait to lift the Coppa Italia for the 10th time against Hellas Verona on Thursday. Massimiliano Allegri's men have history on their side in the last-16 clash at the Juventus Stadium - their first in this season's competition, having not lost on home soil to Verona in the last eight meetings. Another omen may give Andrea Mandorlini's side a glimpse of hope, though, with Juve not having not won the cup since 1994-95. Fabrizio Ravanelli starred in that team, scoring in the second leg of the final, as Juve became the most successful side in Coppa history with nine titles – a record since equalled by Roma. However, their attempts to make it 10 have fallen by the wayside, with final defeats in 2002, 2004 and 2012 the closest they have come to achieving the feat. Juve are in imperious form this season, though, with only one defeat in Serie A – to Genoa in October – and a penalty shootout loss to Napoli in last month's Supercoppa Italiana blotting their domestic record. Allegri's side remain top of the league by three points after their win over Rafael Benitez's men on Sunday, and will be confident of carrying that form into the cup. The visitors have been inconsistent this term after impressing so much during the previous campaign, when they kept pace with the top six until a late slump. Mandorlini's side have not recorded back-to-back wins since September, but have another opportunity to end that run having beaten Parma last weekend. Unlike Juve, Verona have already been in action in the competition this season with victories over Cremonese and Perugia in the earlier rounds. Juve continue to be without Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Andrea Barzagli for the clash, with Marco Storari, Simone Padoin, Angelo Ogbonna and Kingsley Coman expected to feature. LAST FIVE MATCHES Juventus W D D W D 2015/01/11 - Napoli 1 - 3 Juventus 2015/01/06 - Juventus 1 - 1 Internazionale 2014/12/22 - Juventus 2 - 2 Napoli 2014/12/18 - Cagliari 1 - 3 Juventus 2014/12/14 - Juventus 1 - 1 Sampdoria Hellas Verona W D L W L 2015/01/11 - Hellas Verona 3 - 1 Parma 2015/01/06 - Empoli 0 - 0 Hellas Verona 2014/12/21 - Hellas Verona 0 - 1 Chievo Verona 2014/12/14 - Udinese 1 - 2 Hellas Verona 2014/12/08 - Hellas Verona 1 - 3 Sampdoria HEAD TO HEAD 2014/02/09 - Hellas Verona 2 - 2 Juventus 2013/09/22 - Juventus 2 - 1 Hellas Verona 2007/04/27 - Hellas Verona 0 - 1 Juventus 2006/12/09 - Juventus 1 - 0 Hellas Verona 2002/03/17 - Juventus 1 - 0 Hellas Verona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EJJTzQH8mE http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie_a/juventus/2015/01/11-87781_0/FOTO+Napoli-Juventus+1-3%3A+sfatato+il+tabù+San+Paolo?src=correlato http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/LDzw4_77Vj9/SSC+Napoli+v+Juventus+FC+Serie/WRalj37-hBI

NAPOLI - JUVENTUS 1 - 3 Paul Pogba (29') Miguel Britos (64') Martin Cáceres (69') Arturo Vidal (90'+ 4) Sunday, January 11th, 2015 - 20:45 PM San Paolo Stadium, Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento Caceres: ‘Stop creating controversy’ Jan 13, 2014 Juventus defender Martin Caceres has told the Italian Press to ‘stop looking for controversy’ after the win over Napoli. The Uruguayan defender scored at San Paolo to put the Bianconeri 2-1 up and set them on their way to an eventual 3-1 triumph. However, Napoli were adamant that the former Barcelona man was offside when he converted Andrea Pirlo’s cross. “I don’t like looking at the Press,” Caceres insisted in an interview with Sky. “I like to talk about football, and the fact is that Juve deservedly won 3-1. “Instead [of talking about that], they’re just trying to create controversy, but this has nothing to do with that game, we were better. “I think you should talk about the team which deservedly won, rather than looking for controversy. “It was a difficult game obviously, because after we went up 1-0 it was a quiet game, but then after the equaliser they could also have gone 2-1 up. “It was good that after the last time [the Supercoppa, which saw Napoli equalise twice before winning on penalties], that didn’t happen. “But to be honest after going up 2-1 and then 3-1 we were more confident, Juve played well and that’s all that matters. “The intent is clear, every time we take to the field, we play at our maximum, and if I’m not mistaken this year we won at the San Paolo for the first time in 15 years which is very difficult as it’s always a tough place to go. “The message is the same, every time you play you must do your best and play in the Juventus way. “We’ve won a very important match 3-1, and it was fair.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Lichtsteiner agrees two-year Juventus deal The defender's contract was set to expire in the summer but the Bianconeri have ensured he will remain in Turin until at least 2017. Jan 13, 2015 Juventus have announced Stephan Lichtsteiner has agreed a new two-year deal with the club with the option of an additional third year. The right-back's contract was set to expire in the summer and there were reports a number of teams across Europe were ready to make a move for his services. But Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri has moved swiftly to ward off any interest by tying him down to a new deal that will see him remain in Turin until at least the summer of 2017. A statement on the club's official website read: "The player has signed a new agreement for two more years, with an option in favour of the club for the third. The journey of the Swiss Express continues alongside Juve!" Lichtsteiner joined the Serie A giants from Lazio in 2011, and has since made 134 appearances for the club. The Switzerland international has won three successive Scudetti in that time, all under Antonio Conte, and is on course for a fourth with Juve leading the table under the guidance of Allegri.

NAPOLI - JUVENTUS 1 - 3 Paul Pogba (29') Miguel Britos (64') Martin Cáceres (69') Arturo Vidal (90'+ 4) Sunday, January 11th, 2015 - 20:45 PM San Paolo Stadium, Naples Referee: Paolo Tagliavento No ban for Napoli-Juventus officials - Italian referees' president Jan 13, 2014 The president of the Italian Referees' Association (AIA) Marcello Nicchi says referee Paolo Tagliavento and his assistants will not be suspended following Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis' accusations in the aftermath of Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Juventus that the officials were "disingenuous or incompetent." De Laurentiis took to Twitter to criticise referee Paolo Tagliavento and his team over supposedly preferential treatment for Juve, and called for the officials to be suspended. But AIA president Nicchi responded in an interview with RaiSport's football analysis programme "Il Processo del Lunedi," saying: "No, we will not suspend Tagliavento and his assistants. I don't want to censure anyone but in football, more often than not, one says what one thinks, without thinking about what one is saying. "We need to be careful, because every single strong statement can cause violence. It is this type of statement that ultimately leads to the fact that in Italy, every year, 370 referees are hit or beaten up on the pitch." He then addressed Martin Cacares' goal to put Juventus 2-1 up, for which De Laurentiis claimed both Giorgio Chiellini and Cacares were offside. "It's absurd that, for an offside the size of a packet of cigarettes -- a matter of centimetres -- we create so much controversy, which will ultimately translate into violence on pitches lower down the leagues," Nicchi continued. "How can we fault the linesman for that goal? It was an incredibly difficult decision, on which Tagliavento has no responsibility, and none of the Napoli players complained on the pitch." Nicchi also expressed his opinion on Franceso Totti's selfie celebration after scoring in the derby against Lazio, adding: "With my AIA president hat on, I would say he probably should have been booked, but referee Orsato used his common sense in not booking. I think we should concentrate on how beautiful those two goals were." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Why Giorgio Chiellini Is Juventus' Most Disappointing Player so Far in 2014/15 Jan 13, 2015 While currently enjoying an enviable position as the only remaining Italian representative in the Champions League, the 2014-15 season has been far from perfect for Juventus. Indeed, even given their three-point lead over AS Roma at the top of the Serie A table, there is still much room for improvement for the Bianconeri. Massimiliano Allegri deserves huge credit for his continuation of Antonio Conte’s success, but there remains much work for the coach if he is to win over a fanbase which remains largely skeptical of his tenure. The same can be said of Beppe Marotta, the director general who brought the likes of Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba to the club, but is still viewed as aimless in his transfer market dealings by many. Even on the field, a number of players have failed to live up to their previous high standards, with perhaps Fernando Llorente as the most obvious example. The Spanish striker has netted just four times this term, with two of those coming in November’s rout of Parma, although he is far from the only underperformer. Arturo Vidal is seemingly over his own spell of poor form—discussed in detail here—but Andrea Pirlo still appears off-the-pace in a number of games, yet Giorgio Chiellini has been even more culpable. There is no escaping the fact that the Pisa-born defender may be the biggest disappointment of the season thus far. At first glance, the Juventus defence appears in fine shape, conceding just nine goals in the first 18 league games and keeping an impressive 10 clean sheets. Add a further three shutouts in the Champions League and—given that Chiellini is the linchpin of that back line—any criticism may at first appear unfounded. However those figures are skewed by the team’s bright start to the campaign. The club’s recent penchant for conceding has become concerning, with the play of Chiellini central to those worries. Indeed, it was he who was charged with marking Britos ahead of Dries Mertens’ corner that brought an equaliser for the Partenopei, a task he failed summarily to adhere to. The previous outing had also seen Chiellini inexplicably caught up-field following a substitution, his absence providing all the room Mauro Icardi needed to capitalise for Inter. His lack of attention to his man-marking duties was also to blame during Juve’s eventual Super Cup loss to Napoli, with Gonzalo Higuain scoring twice, with the first almost entirely due to Chiellini’s poor positioning. Having established himself as perhaps the finest Italian defender of his generation, it is an alarming slump that the 30-year-old must quickly address. It is also one which cannot be masked by numbers, a genuine case of what is seen on the field being backed by statistics. According to WhoScored, he is averaging just 1.7 tackles per game compared to 2.5 last term, a huge drop-off in such a small period of time since Italy’s embarrassing World Cup exit. He has also picked up four yellow cards already in 2014-15, just one short of last season’s tally and many have been as a result of clumsy challenges and poor timing. Further evidence comes from Squawka.com, figures there showing the former Fiorentina stopper has made a staggering 88 fouls in just 15 league appearances to date. While the absence of Andrea Barzagli—plus Martin Caceres’ own lengthy layoff—have been highlighted as issues, the displays of Chiellini remain a far more pertinent problem. He has proven that at his best, few strikers can expect to enjoy success as his direct opponent, and he has been every inch as good as his reputation suggests. Almost a year ago he became one of only 38 players to make 300 appearances for the Bianconeri, a wonderful achievement that was rightly honoured by the club. His displays over the past decade have seen Giorgio Chiellini become one of the most feared and accomplished defenders on the planet, and that is the player Juventus so sorely need him to be today.

Pogba will leave Juventus, says Raiola The French midfielder's representative has said he could be on the move sooner rather than later and admits the youngster is developing quicker than he ever expected. Jan 13, 2015 Paul Pogba's agent Mino Raiola has revealed that the France international could leave Juventus in the not too distant future. The 21-year-old recently signed a new deal with the Serie A champions until June 2019, but his representative has stressed that his long-term future does not lie in Italy. "He will not stay in Italy much longer," Raiola told Sport Mediaset. "It all depends on Juventus to be honest. We have just signed a new deal and we are happy, but if the right moment comes along to leave we will not let it pass. "We will have to wait and see what happens. I don't know when the right moment comes along. "I knew how talented he was, but it's never easy to make such an impact when you bring a young guy to Italy. He has developed incredibly fast. Not even I had expected that." Pogba has been a key figure for Juventus so far in 2014-15, scoring five goals in 22 appearances in all competitions.

Manchester United To Launch An Extraordinary Bid For Pogba Jan 13, 2015 Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has decided that the two main transfer targets for the summer window will be Juventus’ Paul Pogba and Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich. Since it became apparent that chasing Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale is futile, the Dutch manager will now be looking to launch two extraordinary bids for the duo as he looks to build his own ‘Galacticos’ squad at Old Trafford. The Express reports that the bids would be in the region of €98 million for the French midfielder and €57m for the German World Cup winning star whom they also tried to sign last summer. The Bianconeri have told the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal that Paul Pogba is not for sale despite the 21-year-old’s agent hinting at a move to England come the end of the season.

POGBA: “JUVENTUS IS LIKE A FAMILY TO ME” Jan 12, 2015 Paul Pogba believes he can be the best footballer in the world while describing Juventus as his family. The following interview appeared in Czech magazine, Pro Football. QUESTION: You were the best young player at the World Cup and you are doing great at Juve – do you miss anything at the moment? Pogba: “It’s true that things are going pretty well right now, I’m really happy I’m not dealing with any troubles. Though, it’s not enough for me to be good, I want to get better, I want to work hard every day. I think that this attitude is important for big players. They are never satisfied, they always want to go ahead and improve themselves. I have this kind of attitude. ” QUESTION: You’ve been recently put on shortlist for Balon D’Or, what are your goals? Pogba: “Yeah, that was a compliment. I would like to win as many trophies as possible with Juventus and the national team. I know that I, alone, won’t win any trophies but I can contribute to winning them as a team. My personal goal? I would like to be the best footballer in the world in the future. Do you not believe me? I think it’s not impossible…” QUESTION: If you say that so clearly, you put yourself under lot of pressure, you know that right? Pogba: “Of course and I’m ok with it. I want to send a signal to everyone who doesn’t believe me. I personally feel I’m at high level now and if I continue to get better, after few years… why not? When you’re at Juventus you can’t have small goals. I will fight to be the best of all.” QUESTION: Do you really think you can beat Ronaldo or Messi? Pogba: “Right now it’s, of course, impossible, everyone has to admit that. Both of them play football from a different planet and deserve all the praise. I admire them so much. However, I also see that they are getting older meanwhile I will be still considered young after few years. When will be the time they retire I hope I will be the one to replace them.” QUESTION: Why did you renew your contract with Juve to 2019? Pogba: “I want to give Juve back everything they have given me. I think you should never forget the one who helped you. I was helped by Juve when no one had practically any interest in me. In United I played only 3 league games, they didn’t believe in me. I had to solve that problem because in United my career wouldn’t have taken any steps forward. Fortunately, Juventus was there and gave me confidence. I am thankful for that and that’s why I’m loyal. Juventus is like a family to me.” QUESTION: Don’t you think that La Liga and PL are better than Serie A? Pogba: “No, absolutely not. You can’t say that so surely. We know how English and Spanish teams are doing in Europe but you can’t take away quality of Italian teams. Every week there’s a really tough opponent waiting to break you. Every opponent is tactically 100% prepared for the game. It’s extremely hard to keep being on top. You can’t underestimate a single detail.” QUESTION: Are you thinking about comeback to United to prove them they were wrong about you? Pogba: “I’m not thinking about such things right now. However, I would like to say that I have learnt so much in United, I don’t think it was a negative experience for me. I don’t have a crystal ball but if one day I will decide to leave Juventus I could go to any club, certanly I won’t have the desire to get back at United for not giving me a chance. I don’t have the urge to prove someone wrong, everybody can see that themselves.”