Socrates

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.”

Pogba can match Zidane and Platini - Allegri The Juventus boss was full of praise for the France midfielder after his showing against Napoli. Jan 12, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri has tipped Paul Pogba to emulate the achievements of countrymen Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini at Juventus. The Frenchman opened the scoring in Sunday's 3-1 win over Napoli and has been one of his side's key performers this term as the champions target a fourth consecutive Scudetto. After an impressive showing for Juve at the Stadio San Paolo, Allegri sees no reason why he cannot achieve similar feats to those of France greats Zidane and Platini. Zidane won world and European honours on the international stage, with Platini also claiming the latter prize, and both earned two Serie A titles in Turin. "I hope that Pogba is able to come close to achieving what Zidane and Platini achieved at Juventus," the Juve coach told RAI of the 21-year-old, who already has two Scudetti to his name. "He is still very young, and has all the quality to do so. "He scored a wonderful goal against Napoli and played reasonably well after the goal, but I think he has the quality to do much better."

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 Juventus’ message in Naples Juventus have reclaimed a three-point lead at the top following a thrilling 3-1 success over Napoli. Luca Cetta wraps up the action. Jan 12, 2014 The question posed on Saturday was whether Juventus could end their Naples hoodoo and claim a first win in the city since 2000. They answered on Sunday evening, an emphatic yes. “Maybe I have a good tradition here. If I remember right my Milan hadn’t won here for 24 years...” Massimiliano Allegri cheerfully boasted afterwards. With six losses in nine meetings following the 2000-01 opening day victory, Juventus entered the Stadio San Paolo cauldron on the back of mixed form. That had opened the door for Roma and their derby comeback meant the teams were level on points as the evening match commenced. Undeterred, Juve’s response was telling. The opening half hour proved cagey. Napoli dared Juventus to break their blue wall knowing their pace on the counter would be a threat. The ploy nearly led to a Jonathan de Guzman opener, but it was shot down on 30 minutes by a thunderous Paul Pogba strike. The French international’s fine volley gave Juve the edge and forced the home side to come out of their shell. The effort which arrowed past Rafael was reminiscent of past Pogba efforts against the Partenopei. His maiden strike in Juve colours was a sumptuous volley to seal a 2-0 win in October 2012. He repeated the trick a year later to leave Pepe Reina floundering and has now added to his collection of special goals. It wasn’t Pogba’s most polished performance, but a moment of brilliance turned the game. Recent Bianconeri matches suggested this would not be the end of the scoring. They had conceded an equaliser in three of the past five Serie A encounters, in addition to twice coughing up the lead in the Super Cup. And so it proved as an unmarked Miguel Britos netted just past the hour. It was another case of poor defending, Giorgio Chiellini the guilty party on this occasion. Where the Old Lady had struggled to regain the ascendancy against Sampdoria and Inter they immediately hit back here through Martin Caceres. The Uruguayan scored his first goal since that 2012 victory, marking his return from injury. Appearing for the first time since October, Caceres defended well and was a threat going forward. “It was important for me to score and play tonight, as I had never been out for such a long time,” he said afterwards. Caceres didn’t see out 90 minutes after a collision with David Lopez, but his return is important for a Bianconeri defence which had been stretched in recent months. El Pelado provides a viable alternative on either flank for Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner, rather than Allegri resorting to makeshift options like Simone Padoin. As Napoli pushed for a second equaliser, Juventus defended doggedly and with Allegri’s switch to a three-man defence managed to plug the gaps. It wasn’t all clear sailing as Juve fans endured heart-in-mouth moments, firstly for a disallowed goal deemed a foul by Kalidou Koulibaly on Gianluigi Buffon. Then in a frantic six-minute injury time period Gonzalo Higuain went close and Duvan Zapata fell when staying on his feet would surely have brought about a goal. As the seconds ticked by one final Juventus counter-attack put the final nail in the Napoli coffin, Arturo Vidal hammering a shot past Rafael. The Chilean will be buoyed by that goal as he edges ever closer to his best. With the win Juventus will wear the crown of Winter Champions for the fourth season in succession. An ultimately futile prize, it does hint at the final outcome in May. In 82 previous seasons the ice kings have gone on to win the Scudetto 57 times. The Turin side have taken winter honours 27 times and converted that to glory on 21 occasions. But with Roma still within striking distance, Allegri is not getting carried away: “Juventus won the Scudetto three years in a row, but that certainly does not mean a fourth is to be taken for granted.” Silencing the San Paolo will offer a boost. It could be the result to propel them forward and at the same time has sent a message to the Giallorossi that Juventus are not willing to give up their crown without a fight. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Juventus proved doubters wrong, says Bonucci The centre-back was over the moon with his side's win over Napoli and believes they silenced their critics. Jan 12, 2014 Leonardo Bonucci feels Juventus proved their doubters wrong with their 3-1 Serie A win over Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday evening. The reigning Italian champions had been struggling to find their best form in recent weeks and there had even been talk about a crisis at Juventus. Nevertheless, Juve returned to winning ways at the weekend as they proved to be too strong for Napoli, much to the delight of Bonucci. "We required a reaction after the Supercoppa Italiana defeat and recent draws against Inter and Sampdoria," the defender told reporters. "Our response against Napoli was emphatic, striking at the right moments. We showed that we still have our spirit and proved any doubters wrong. "Winning and showing the right spirit was what mattered to us on Sunday. "Often being aware of your strength leads you to being overconfident, but we showed that we’re a great team." Juventus currently sit atop of the Serie A table, holding a three point lead over second-placed Roma. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Napoli 1-3 Juventus: Paul Pogba screamer paves the way to victory at the San Paolo Juventus finally ended their winning drought at San Paolo in Napoli after a good, quick response to an equalizer halfway through the second half. Jan 12, 2014 San Paolo Stadium. That stadium. That cursed stadium where a ridiculous negative record kept going on for 14 years. Juventus’ last victory at the root of Mount Vesuvius came in September 2000, courtesy to a beautiful performance from another certain Tudor and second-half goals scored by Darko Kovacevic and Alessandro Del Piero, turning around the one-goal deficit registered at the break. Second-half goals were also key in Sunday’s game, with Martin Caceres and Arturo Vidal adding to Paul Pogba’s screamer to overcome Napoli and get the revenge for the lost Super Cup in December. The win is more welcomed knowing Roma drew 2-2 in their local derby with Lazio earlier in the day, allowing Juventus to restore the 3-point gap they had at the top of the table before drawing 1-1 at home against Inter in the last fixture. It was a horrible second part in that game that resulted in Bianconeri dropping two points and it looked as if things were heading in the same direction after Miguel Britos’ equalizer. The quick reaction to regain the lead through Caceres — wasn’t it beautiful to see him playing football again? — and shrewd decision from Max Allegri to change to a 3-5-2 formation worked brilliantly together to ensure Juventus were not letting the game slip away again. What was interesting to remark, however, was that Stephan Lichtsteiner’s introduction and subsequently switching from 4-3-1-2 to 3-5-2, was prepared even before Caceres scored his goal. Defending with wingers allowed Juventus to sit back more deeply and contain attacks coming from the flanks, which was their major problem in the game up until that moment. Also, having to just defend a lead and put no men forward to attack left no space at the back to be exploited by Napoli, so the win was in the bag nicely — special thanks to Duvan Zapata and Gonzalo Higuain for their late wasted chances, as well. It might have been interesting to see how Juve would have approached the game after Lichsteiner’s introduction, had Caceres not gave the team the 2-1 lead. Even more if the first poor 20 minutes of the second half are to be considered. Regardless, Allegri got the better of Rafa Benitez in the match and deserves credit for that. So does Pogba, who seems to quite enjoy his time against Napoli on the pitch — three goals in five appearances against them and some goals they were! If the poor, sloppy first half that lacked movement from midfielders, showed no intensity whatsoever and needed a Pogba-special for things to stand the right way, is to be neglected, Juventus played one of the most clinical games of the season. Jose Mourinho himself might offer Allegri a nod of approval for he would definitely be pleased had any of his teams put in a similar performance — weird, not especially handsome, but one that gives you a two-goal margin win in a place where you only won once this millennium. You can’t argue with that and, as a matter of fact, you shouldn’t. So there it is — the 3-point lead nicely keeping a safe enough distance from those guys with the violins. Verona and Chievo are to visit Juventus Stadium in future fixtures, while they travel to Palermo and Fiorentina in the hope of getting the maximum points. Had this writer been in a better mood, he would have wished them good luck but it is not happening now. Things look reasonably good for the Old Lady and this win might well prove to be a turning point in the season. Care must be taken Juventus are firing on all cylinders when the big game against Borussia Dortmund comes up. Until then, Serie A should be a stroll in the park... MATCH SUMMARY An unexpected calm start of the game saw Cristian Maggio randomly running with the ball out of the playing surface, after a rather embarrassing first touch. A few crackers thrown now and then by the — let’s call them — supporters were the most interesting points of some dull first 15 minutes. Andrea Pirlo gave the ball away in the centre of midfield, allowing Marek Hamsik more space than he needed to break free on a counter, but his low cross towards Higuain was cleared behind for a corner kick by Bouncci. On the 18th minute, Jonathan de Guzman missed a glorious first chance as he sent his shot from just inside the box well over the bar, after a through ball deflected by an onrushing Chiellini had luckily reached the Dutch. Both teams continued the sloppy play, without creating any real chances, although Napoli looked a bit more dangerous, being allowed to attack on counter by some poor passing from Juventus’ players. However, seconds before the half hour mark, Juventus opened the scoring with their first shot of the game after another thunderous effort from Pogba. As Tevez’s attempt was blocked, the ball bounced at the Frenchman who was lurking at the edge of the box and he hit a first-time volley that gave Cabral no chance. Caceres wasted a great chance to extend Juventus’ lead with two minutes before half-time. Tevez played a fantastic ball in for the Uruguayan but the defender’s shot from angle was straight at Cabral who managed to pull an easy save. There were no seconds of injury time as referee Paolo Tagliavento blew the whistle to send the two teams to the locker rooms. The teams came in after the break with no changes to either side and Jose Callejon had an early chance to pull Napoli level in the 47th minute, but his shot from close range was brilliantly blocked with a lunging tackle from Chiellini. Just minutes later, Pogba was close to goal number two, but the Frenchman was hustled by two Napoli defenders and couldn’t get a touch to a great Caceres cross and the ball went behind for a goal kick. Fifty-five minutes in, both Evra and Chiellini tried to head a ball delivered by Pirlo from a corner kick but the two of them clashed in mid-air, causing some serious injuries to the Italian defender who needed the intervention of the medical team to continue the game. Five minutes later, Caceres was booked by referee Tagliavento after a foul made by... well, Claudio Marchisio, who pulled Mertens’ shirt just outside Juventus’ box. Britos brought Napoli level in the 64th minute. The defender was unmarked in the box at a corner taken by Mertens and had no problems putting the ball past a helpless Buffon. Out of the blue, exactly how Napoli got the equalizer, Juventus took the lead again in the 69th minute. Caceres found himself at the receiving end of a free-kick taken by Pirlo from more than 35 yards out and volleyed the ball past Cabral, marking his return from injury in style. Just moments later, Caceres scored at the wrong end as well, putting the ball past Buffon but Tagliavento blew the whistle for a foul on the Juventus’ captain and the goal didn’t count. Juventus gave away possession completely in the final minutes, preferring to sit back and leave little spaces for Napoli’s attacks, but there was no real danger at Buffon’s goal until the last minutes of injury time. Zapata was the first to miss a great chance when he stupidly decided to dive after taking the ball past Buffon in a 1-on-1 situation, forcing the yellow card from Tagliavento. Moments later, Higuain showed some excellent ball control inside Juventus’ box before firing a shot at goal that was parried away by the veteran goalkeeper who showed great reflexes. Usually, if you don’t convert your goalscoring chances, you get punished; and that’s what happened with Napoli. After Higuain’s miss, Juventus hit on the counter with Alvaro Morata finding lots of spaces down the left flank, passing the ball in the centre to Vidal who took a touch before sending a shot into the top corner from just outside the box, sparkling wild celebrations from his teammates and sealing the win for the Bianconeri. PLAYER RATINGS Buffon: 6.5 Had nothing to do beside some good positioning on crosses, but produced a brilliant save at Higuain’s late chance. Can’t be blamed for the goal Caceres: 7 A fantastic return from injury for the Uruguayan who scored the winner, being also wrongly booked by the referee Bonucci: 6.5 Put in a couple of great tackles and kept Higuain under control for most of the game Chiellini: 6 Completely lost Britos at the goal, but was well-positioned throughout the game Evra: 6 Never a presence on attack and despite being constantly ran at by Callejon, he did an alright job defending Marchisio: 6 His lack of movement made it hard for Juventus in the first half. Was quiet for the majority of the game Pirlo: 6.5 Despite being again at the start of every action, couldn’t influence the game enough. Good delivery nevertheless for Caceres’ goal Pogba: 6.5 Scored with a magnificent volley making the difference in the first half. Good physical presence in midfield, although the Frenchman didn’t see much of the ball Vidal: 7 The Chilean is slowly reaching his usual best level, as he put in an industrious performance rewarded by a nice late goal Tevez: 6 Unusual quiet game for the Argentine who didn’t test Cabral at all but Llorente: 6 Another lacklustre performance from him, creating no spaces for teammates, while his hold-up play could be improved Subs Lichtsteiner: 6 Came in after Juventus retook the lead, as Allegri switched to a 3-man defence Morata: 6.5 Brought some extra speed on the counters after he replaced Llorente and also played a good pass to assist Vidal’s goal Ogbonna: N/A Replaced Caceres with 10 minutes left to play Coach Allegri 6.5 Credit to him for winning in this bogey place, no matter how. Overall, defending was decent but the same lack of ideas in attack is holding the team back. Great inspiration to change formations and also for the already ordinary Morata-Llorente sub. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Marotta: ‘Unacceptable Napoli words’ Jan 12, 2015 Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta has slammed Napoli after comments made following the Bianconeri’s win yesterday. The Old Lady secured a 3-1 victory at San Paolo on Sunday evening, but the Partenopei were less than impressed, with both President Aurelio De Laurentiis and Coach Rafa Benitez intimating that referees had favoured the champions. “We are proud of the performance,” Marotta told Mediaset in the wake of the game. “We gave a committed, extraordinary performance for a transparent and well-deserved victory. “Transparent, and followed by utterances that I disagree with. Every time Juventus win, and we get a decision in our favour it’s interpreted with suspicion. Bad decisions happen with other teams too. “The team that wins the League will be the best team, over a season decisions going for and against you even out. I haven’t spoken to De Laurentiis. “I want to give credit to Napoli, a great team, and I respect De Laurentiis but every time that Juve win we’re accused of stealing and it’s something I firmly reject because it’s unacceptable. “Caceres being offside by millimetres reduces our performance to a series of incidents, and there’s no doubt that’s unfair on the club and the Coach.” “It was a well deserved victory against a Napoli side who played well, our club should be proud.” The Juventus director also addressed rumours linking the club with Mario Balotelli, insisting the Liverpool man will not be arriving in Turin. “We’re not looking at Balotelli, he is not a player who we’re willing to try to move for. Balotelli is not what we’re looking for.”

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 Marotta Ashamed At De Laurentiis Tweet Jan 12, 2014 Juventus director of football Giuseppe Marotta has expressed his disappointment at the actions of Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis following the Bianconeri’s 3-1 win over the Partenopei. La Vecchia Signora ended a 14-year winless streak at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday night and the Napoli president took to Twitter to express his outrage at the refereeing, especially in Juve’s second goal. “I’m ashamed, Aurelio De Laurentiis has not yet accepted that we deserved the win,” he told Sky Sport. “Every time we win a big game, we’re always accused of stealing. “When refereeing is against us, no one from the club speaks a word.” Marotta then went on to say that the character of a side is determined in Serie A not a penalty shootout, referring to the Partenopei’s victory over Juve in the Supercoppa Italiana in late December. “The character of a side is visible in Serie A, not on penalties in the Supercoppa Italiana. “Napoli are a good side, and we wanted to get a positive result. “The three points come after a series of draws.” The former Sampdoria director concluded his words by hinting that the Bianconeri have no intention in selling France international Paul Pogba. “Pogba has caught the eye of several clubs,” he said. “However, Juventus always want the very best players at the club, and that means having a team of young champions, just like him.” Juve are set to host Hellas Verona in their upcoming game on January 18. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Boban: Juventus Have Shown They Can Win Without Conte Jan 12, 2014 Former AC Milan star Zvonimir Boban believes Juventus are proving that they can win without former coach Antonio Conte. The 46-year-old believes the side always has drive and despite Conte’s departure, the Bianconeri are performing well under new coach Massimiliano Allegri. “Juve always has a great desire and motivation,” he told Sky following the Old Lady’s 3-1 victory against Napoli. “Conte signalled an era and now the team wants to demonstrate that they don’t just win with him.” “Allegri is doing very well,” he said. The Croatian also commented on the Bianconeri’s match against the Azzurri and believes they were the better side throughout. “Today they suffered a bit in the second half, but Juventus has always been more of a team in respect to Napoli, who have never had fluid movement,” he said. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Napoli vs. Juventus: Paul Pogba and Massimiliano Allegri Inspire Bianconeri Win Jan 11, 2014 Juventus travelled to Naples on Sunday evening to face Napoli, a match of major significance in the Serie A title race. While a game between two of Italian football’s biggest clubs should need little else to signify its importance, this encounter carried more than a little extra weight for the Bianconeri. As the buildup to the game began, the Turin giants were constantly reminded that they were without a win at the Stadio San Paolo since September 2000. While it must be noted that the fixture was absent from the top-flight calendar for seven years following that victory, it was still an unwanted record for Massimiliano Allegri’s men. Given the Super Cup triumph the Partenopei enjoyed in December—reviewed here—manager Rafael Benitez and Napoli began the match high on confidence. Those hopes were almost boosted early into the game, with their counter-attacking style seeing Jonathan de Guzman gifted a chance to open the scoring, but he failed to capitalise. Arturo Vidal would similarly miscue moments later, before a flash of magic broke the game open in favour of the visitors. A touch from Fernando Llorente in the area was deflected into the air, and Paul Pogba—largely a peripheral figure until that point—carefully tracked its flight. Seemingly frozen in time, the Partenopei defence could only watch as the ball dropped to the young Frenchman. Leaning back, he unleashed a superb volley into the far corner, leaving Napoli goalkeeper Rafael Cabral with no chance to make a save. Reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane’s stunning effort in the 2002 Champions League final, the goal stunned the normally vociferous home crowd into silence, and it prompted a vastly improved performance from his team-mates. From the moment his 29th-minute strike found the back of the net, Juventus controlled the match almost completely until half-time. It was the kind of goal that only a truly special player can provide—one which lifts those around them and inspires teams to victory. While the clamour for a star signing during the transfer window has been inescapable, it also served as a reminder of the quality already on display in the Bianconeri lineup. The strike was also Pogba’s third against Napoli, a mark the club’s official Twitter account was only too happy to note. After the restart, however, another trait of recent Juventus performances reared its head as the team made a subdued return to the field. Jose Callejon hit the side netting almost immediately, before a clash of heads left Giorgio Chiellini and Patrice Evra both needing treatment. The introduction of Dries Mertens left the Bianconeri defence equally dazed, and it was his corner which created an equaliser for Miguel Britos. Juve quickly restored their lead through Martin Caceres, and Allegri immediately made changes in order to protect that advantage. The coach would substitute Pogba—who aside from his goal had made almost no other contribution to the match—for Stephan Lichtsteiner to facilitate a change of formation. Indeed, the 21-year-old had connected with just of his 67.7 percent of 37 passes, according to statistics from WhoScored.com, a mark far below his usual standard. The same source shows he has averaged 81.5 percent this term, while he was also constantly caught in possession during a poor display on Sunday. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "Tonight we had to win by digging deep and it's important for us to have come through this test." Antonio Conte had enjoyed so much success, with Allegri showing a tactical flexibility that his predecessor seemed so adverse to. Where previously the three-man back line was as much a fixture of the side as the black and white stripes, it is now merely an option when required. The team would suffer further blows as Caceres went off with a shoulder injury, and the uncertainty in the Juventus defence saw Napoli gifted yet more chances on goal. A collision between Kalidou Koulibaly and Gigi Buffon saw one effort disallowed; then Duvan Zapata was booked for choosing to dive when it was perhaps easier to score. A shot from Gonzalo Higuain went narrowly wide before Vidal broke free to seal victory for Juventus, his thumping shot ensuring a memorable victory. She may not have been at her best, but thanks to Pogba’s wonderful goal and some quick thinking from Allegri, the Old Lady certainly have three invaluable points. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Napoli 1 - Juventus 3: Initial reaction and random observations Jan 11, 2014 Be honest, who had the "Here we go again..." thoughts when Napoli made it 1-1 on Miguel Britos' goal? You can be honest, we're all friends here. You wouldn't be the only one to have thought it. I know that I for one was having flashbacks to Tuesday's Derby d'Italia once Juventus took a 1-0 lead. You know what, though? Unlike five days ago against Inter, Juventus actually had a response. It took all of five minutes for Juventus to get the lead they just coughed up back in their favor. And thanks to Martin Caceres — yes, a game-winning goal from a defender — Juve were able to hold off Napoli and dispose of their demons at the Stadio San Paolo. The 3-1 win was Juventus' first win on Napoli's home ground since 2000. That was a long time ago, ladies and gentlemen. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "Tonight we had to win by digging deep and it's important for us to have come through this test." By the overall grade of the test, Juventus probably got a passing grade — barely. They didn't play well. They looked susceptible whenever Napoli broke out on a counterattack. Juve didn't create much offensively, recording just eight shots in total, which (without looking it up) has to be one of their fewest totals this season. And when you consider what happened the last time Juventus had a 1-0 lead, I'll take that kind of response every day of the week. Cliche as it might sound, but Juventus just got the job done. They weren't even close to their best, but they found a way. Sometimes in games away from home, you just need that to happen. They did it. And three points will be coming back to Turin with them because of it. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@gianluigibuffon: "In a crucial game of the season we managed to come away with three points that are worth their weight in gold." Random thoughts and observations Paul Pogba continues to prove he is not human. Max Allegri on the refereeing decisions: "When they go against us, everyone is happy, but when they go in our favour it's controversy." (Via Football Italia) I'd say that's pretty much hitting the nail on the head. The only thing I've been able to write about Martin Cáceres for the last three months has been how he was injured and not playing in games. Today, El Pelado made his return. Obviously his goal was the difference in the game, but his defending was exactly like what we saw before he was injured against Roma back in October. Just look at how he (re)injured his shoulder — throwing his body around with reckless abandon to get the ball cleared out of Juventus' defensive third. That's Martin Cáceres in a nutshell. I sure hope that his shoulder isn't hurt with any kind of serious manner. I want to write nice things about him all the time again. Seriously, Paul Pogba's goal. He sure has a thing for scoring goals against Napoli, huh? Manolo Gabbiadini didn't score a goal against Juventus. I'm telling the truth. This actually happened. Maybe all Juve needed to do was to not own any of his contract for that trend to end. Giorgio Chiellini's head was still gushing blood by the time the final whistle blew. His head needing to get wrapped because of a cut in a big-time game is more of a tradition than Gabbiadini finding the back of the net against Juventus. It's the 86th minute, Juventus just had a counterattack shutdown. Claudio Marchisio, who was involved in the same counterattack, busts his tail and gets a tackle at midfield. That's the beauty of Marchisio's work rate. Those are some of the things he does that are just under-appreciated by some and loved by others. Arturo Vidal with another Man of the Man-like performance, I'd say. It looks like the holiday break came at the perfect time for him and now we're starting to see him work his way out of this late-2014/injury-related funk he found himself in to begin the season. Álvaro Morata's assist on Vidal's goal in one word — beautiful. It was perfectly placed, and pretty fitting that Juve put the game away in the same kind of style as Napoli tried to beat them. Plus counterattacking goals are just pretty to watch. Well, Juventus ones, that is. He mad. Oh he soooooo mad. The Serie A lead is back to plus-3 over Roma. That's more like it. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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: Napoli win was revenge for Supercoppa The defender returned from four months out with a hamstring injury to score in Juve’s first win over Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo in 14 years. Jan 11, 2014 Juventus defender Martin Caceres said Sunday's 3-1 Serie A win over Napoli helped make up for their defeat to Rafa Benitez's side in the Supercoppa Italiana in December. The Serie A champions lost on penalties to the Coppa Italia winners in Doha and had not beaten Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo in 14 years. Caceres scored on his return from four months out with a hamstring injury to help secure a hard-earned victory the moves Massimiliano Allegri's side three points clear of Roma at the top of Serie A. “It was a difficult game and I’m happy with the win. Napoli are a strong side and it’s a shame we lost the Super Cup to them in Doha, but today we won 3-1 and made up for it,” the Uruguay international told Sky Sport Italia. “It was important for me to score and play tonight, as I had never been out for such a long time." Caceres, who has won three consecutive Scudetti with Juve, added: “After three years of winning it was inevitable this season would be more difficult. Every game is to be treated as a final.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Buffon: 'Napoli lack dignity in defeat' Jan 11, 2014 Gigi Buffon called Napoli sore losers after the protests around a 3-1 Juventus victory at the San Paolo. “It is more satisfying to win when suffering under pressure, as it unites the squad and I think we emerged in a fundamental stage of the season with three precious points.” The Bianconeri had not conquered this stadium in Serie A since September 2000, but broke that taboo this evening with a 3-1 result. The goalkeeper hit back at Rafa Benitez’s suggestion Kalidou Koulibaly had not fouled him on the disallowed goal, but rather it was the other way round. “It’s a creative interpretation!” Buffon told Sky Sport Italia. “After the referee blew the whistle, I told Koulibaly he fouled me and he laughed. If in such a tense moment of the game your opponent laughs, it means he knows it was a foul. “It can happen when someone is upset at the end of a game they lost, that they can go overboard and see reality a different way. I’m surprised, frankly, as it’s not like Benitez to say such things, but I accept it and understand his mood at this moment. “It’s just a shame we always end up talking about rubbish that is bad for football and doesn’t do honour to losers or winners. I think at times silence is the best medicine, as otherwise we hurt football for no reason. “In football and in life, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Don’t forget three weeks ago we maintained our dignity in defeat and expected others to do the same in our position. It’s too easy to be dignified only in victory.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Player Ratings: Napoli 1-3 Juventus Jan 11, 2014 Napoli 1 Rafael - Got a hand to Pogba's volley but couldn't keep it out, though he did well to deny Caceres shortly before the break. 11 C. Maggio - The right-back did not get forward frequently enough but was defensively solid against Evra. 33 Albiol - Could have been stronger with his tackle on Llorente ahead of the opener, and was nowhere to be seen on the second. 26 K. Koulibaly - The Frenchman positioned himself well to intercept numerous crosses and he kept tight to Llorente and Tevez. 5 M. Britos - At times tucked too far inside and gave Caceres space, but he volleyed home an important equaliser for his side. 19 David López - The Spaniard put in a good shift for his team and tried to get forward and support the forwards. 77 W. Gargano - Worked hard to limit the space for Juve when they had possession but ended up chasing shadows. 7 José Callejón - Showed a brilliant touch when in possession and put some decent crosses into the box. 17 M. Hamšík - Created a couple of openings but was often too optimistic with his shooting from distance. 6 J. de Guzmán - Missed the first gilt-edged opportunity of the game and struggled to link with his team-mates for the remainder. 9 G. Higuaín - The Argentine striker's movement was poor throughout and he was often static inside the penalty area. Substitutes 14 D. Mertens - Replaced Hamsik in the 60th minute and was very lively, also assisting Britos' goal. 91 D. Zapata - Brought on for Gargano after 83 minutes and opted to dive rather than round Buffon and potentially score. 23 M. Gabbiadini - Came on for Callejon in the 73rd minute but did not positively influence the match. Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Did not have many saves to make but was confident when coming off his line. 4 M. Cáceres - Was tireless on the right in order to provide some width to his team, and he netted an important second for his team. 19 L. Bonucci - Had a comfortable night up against Higuain for the most part and was strong in the air throughout. 3 G. Chiellini - His positional awareness was impressive throughout and he made a number of interceptions. 33 P. Evra - The left-back did not attack as often as Allegri may have liked but he did a good job up against Callejon. 8 C. Marchisio - Did not see an awful lot of the ball in midfield but kept it simple whenever he was involved. 21 A. Pirlo - Did not show his range of distribution at all, but his free kick was volleyed home by Caceres for their second. 6 PAUL POGBA - The Frenchman was at his physical and technical best, scoring an exquisite volley in the first half. 23 A. Vidal - Chased the ball at every opportunity and capped the win with an emphatic third goal for Juve in stoppage time. 10 C. Tévez - Played an influential role in the opening goal but did not get an opportunity to test Rafael himself. 14 Llorente - Earned an assist for Pogba's goal but he didn't mean it, and his display was lacklustre due to a lack of involvement. Substitutes 26 S. Lichtsteiner - Replaced Pogba in the 70th minute and defended well on the right. 9 Álvaro Morata - Came on for Llorente in the 75th minute and assisted Vidal for Juve's third goal. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Allegri Hails Important Step For Scudetto Ambitions Jan 11, 2014 Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri praised his side for overcoming one of the difficult ties that can determine a team’s Scudetto hopes after their 3-1 win away to Napoli. Fellow title chasers Roma had already been beaten when they made the trip to the San Paolo, an indicator of how tough it is for any side to go to Naples and leave with the victory. Allegri told Sky Sport Italia: “This can be a decisive victory. To win the league, you have to get through these difficult games. We must however, continue working hard on not being caught. “Just because the Scudetto has been won each of the last three years does not mean it is a guarantee. I thought we were good on the ball and did well to bring men into the game but we must improve, especially when the opposition are in possession.” He was also questioned on the comments of Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis who raged at perceived injustices against his side throughout the match. “If I have to comment on Caceres’ alleged offside goal then I will have to discuss the two incidents against Sampdoria,” said Allegri. “I believe that Tagliavento refereed well in this game. “When we win, there does not always have to be controversy. We cannot continue to talk about every mistake that referees might make and I would rather talk about the game. “The team still has many things to improve upon but we needed a win like this.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Player Ratings: Napoli 1-3 Juventus Jan 11, 2014 Juventus defeated Napoli 3-1 after a tough game at the Stadio San Paolo in the Serie A Sunday night to end their 15-year wait for a win in Naples. Goals from Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres and an injury-time Arturo Vidal clincher were enough for the visitors, who had conceded the equaliser midway through the second half when Miguel Britos guided in a Dries Mertens’ corner. Napoli Rafael Cabral – 6.5 – Alert - Couldn’t have done much with any of the goals but was solid apart from those occasions. Christian Maggio – 5.5 – Inconsequential - Got forward much more in the second half though his crosses rarely found teammates. Was decent defensively. Kalidou Koulibaly – 6 – Adapting - Was shaken off by Llorente for Pogba’s goal but did well otherwise making a couple of important tackles. Raul Albiol – 5 – Faltered - Like his partner, was very easily outmuscled by Llorente and could have done better while defending Pirlo’s freekick. Miguel Britos – 6.5 – Involved - Came into life in the second half and finished expertly to equalise. David Lopez – 6.5 – Focussed - Read the game intelligently and initiated counter attacks as he was instructed to frustrate his more illustrious opponents. Walter Gargano – 5.5 – Determined - Broke up play effectively and provided steel to Napoli’s midfield. However gave the ball away one time too many. Jose Callejon – 6.5 – Influential - Looked Napoli’s best bet on the counter and provided a couple of dangerous moments for the Juventus defence. Marek Hamsik – 5 – Quiet - Wasn’t involved too much as the game bypassed him and was subbed off just before the hour mark. Jonathan De Guzman – 4.5 – Poor - Guilty of missing a very easy chance in the opening 20 minutes, he was ineffective otherwise and wasted most of his crosses. Gonzalo Higuain – 5 – Lethargic - A disappointing performance from the Argentine striker who only came into life as the match headed into injury time. Substitutes Dries Mertens – 6.5 – Impact - Came on for the last half an hour and made an immediate impact, winning and taking the corner for his side’s equaliser. Manolo Gabbiadini – 5.5 – Ineffective - Had a quiet debut and was unable to make much of an impact after coming on. Duvan Zapata – N/A Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 6 – Shaky - Wasn’t the usual reliable performance from the 36-year-old and was lucky to not concede the equaliser at 2-1 when the referee blew for a soft foul. Martin Caceres – 8 – Marauding - Was very lively on the right flank bombing forward at every given opportunity and providing a couple of delightful crosses and gave his side the lead after a scruffy finish. Leonardo Bonucci – 6 – Sturdy - The Italian international had a fairly comfortable afternoon dealing with Napoli’s sporadic counter attacks. Giorgio Chiellini – 7 – Solid - Made a couple of very important blocks to keep his side ahead and made sure that Juventus didn’t lose their lead a second time. Patrice Evra – 6 – Decent - Didn’t anything going forward but was comfortable in defence especially after Gabbiadini came on. Paul Pogba – 6 – Faded - Was quite apart from the goal which required a beautiful technique to execute. Subbed off with 20 minutes remaining. Andrea Pirlo – 7 – Metronome - Put in his usual shift, spraying some excellent balls out wide before delivering the perfect assist for Caceres. Arturo Vidal – 7.5 – Commando - The Chilean put in another impressive shift in midfield before capping it off with a stunning strike to finish Napoli off. Claudio Marchisio – 6.5 – Disciplined - Was part of the trio that dominated the midfield in the opening hour. Committed a few fouls though he was good with winning the ball back. Fernando Llorente – 7 – Hardworking - Was very good with the ball at his feet as he did brilliantly to hold off both centrebacks before setting up Pogba. Had to put in a real shift as Juventus played without any width. Carlos Tevez – 6 – Silent - Had a very quiet game though he worked his socks off running the channels and helping out in midfield. Substitutes Stephan Lichtsteiner – 6 – Focused - Added steel to the Juventus defence as they switched to a back three and helped them preserve the lead. Alvaro Morata – 6 – Provider - Didn’t have much to do after coming on though he was the outlet for the counter-attack through which Vidal scored after receiving the Spaniard’s cross. Angelo Ogbonna – N/A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 NAPOLI V JUVENTUS PLAYER RATINGS – WEEK 18 Jan 11, 2014 Juventus beat Napoli at the San Paolo for the first time in 14 years to retain top spot in Serie A. The Bianconeri got off to a slow start but it was Paul Pogba who opened the scoring with a sublime volley. Napoli pulled one back through Britos before Juve took the lead again as Martin Caceres met Andrea Pirlo’s FK to slot past Cabral. Napoli piled on the pressure but Juve finished the game late on with a swift counter when Arturo Vidal latched onto Alvaro Morata’s pass to fire past the Napoli keeper. Gianluigi Buffon - Didn’t have many saves to make but was quick to come off his line to claim any Napoli crosses into the box. Was unable to stop Napoli’s equaliser but solid thereafter. Superman 6.5 Martin Caceres - Galloped and ran down the right flank for much of the first half. Provided Juventus with some much needed width and supplied some decent crosses before scoring the second Juve goal. Pedalo 7.0 Leonardo Bonucci - Back to his old self and more in keeping with his performances from earlier this season. Robust in his tackles, kept Higuain on a tight leash for much of the game. 6.0 Giorgio Chiellini - Great positioning as always, beaten for pace only a few times on the counter and even then, he managed to draw a foul. Fought on despite a nasty looking head injury. A true warriors performance. 6.5 Patrice Evra - Performed well against Callejon on the night. Not his usual self in the attacking sense and didn’t link up with Pogba as often as he normally does. A more defensive performance and a good one at that. 6.5 Claudio Marchisio - Didn’t see as much of the ball as he normally does. Was combative and hard-working when he did have a part to play. 6.0 Andrea Pirlo - Not his best performance at all, lots of misplaced passes early on but he got better as the game went on. Provided the assist for Juve’s second. 6.0 Paul Pogba - A quiet start to the game, gave up possession a few times before blasting home a beautiful volley to open the scoring. Built on that as the game progressed with lots of hard work in the midfield before being subbed off. 7.0 Arturo Vidal - A battling performance, hunted down every ball. tackled, chased and harried Napoli all night before scoring Juve’s third to seal the game. 7.0 Carlos Tevez - Played his part in the opening goal but had a pretty quiet night by his standards. Made the right runs but the Napoli defence kept him pretty quiet. 6.0 Fernando Llorente - Frustrating yet again. Does what is asked of him and holds up the play well but needs to be getting into more goalscoring positions. 5.5 Substitutes Alvaro Morata - Gave Napoli plenty to think about after coming on for Llorente and provided the assist for Vidal when he started the Juve counterattack. 6.5 Stephan Lichtsteiner - Replaced Pogba and sat in on the right to protect Juve’s lead. 6.0 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Allegri: 'Juve deserved victory' Jan 11, 2014 Max Allegri blasted Aurelio De Laurentiis for “stirring up trouble” after Juventus beat Napoli 3-1 in “recompense for Doha.” President Aurelio De Laurentiis ranted on Twitter at the second goal, which had some players offside, but Allegri was unimpressed. “It makes me smile, because if we start protesting at refereeing decisions then it’ll be chaos. When they go against us, everyone is happy, but when they go in our favour it’s controversy,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. “In that case, shall we complain about the two incidents that went against us with Sampdoria? Mistakes happen, they are made by Coaches, players and Presidents, so why not referees? Why do we want to stir up controversy after a great game? “It’s disappointing to see someone trying to stir up trouble after such a wonderful night of football. Unfortunately this is football in Italy, as nobody accepts defeat or decisions. “If we had to drop referees every time they made one mistake, there’d be nobody left. Are we meant to be the referees instead?” The Bianconeri hadn’t won at the San Paolo since September 2000, but the new Coach broke that taboo. These sides had met in Doha only three weeks ago, Napoli fighting back twice from a goal down for 2-2 in extra time, eventually winning the Super Cup on penalties. “Maybe I have a good tradition here. If I remember right my Milan hadn’t won here for 24 years...” he smiled. “Aside from that goal, tonight we played better than Napoli and fully deserved the victory. This was like a recompense for what we lost in Doha, as then we conceded at the last minute with a ricochet that fell to Higuain. This time it went the other way. “We have many things to improve, such as the pace of the game and the speed of passing, but it was a struggle and I’m pleased we were able to win out. Recently we had dropped leads, but this time we fought back and reacted. “In order to win we must learn to sacrifice, suffer and fight. We should also defend a certain way and read moments in the game. That is where we must work and improve. As a team we are getting better on incidents where we lose the ball in midfield. “Juventus won the Scudetto three years in a row, but that certainly does not mean a fourth is to be taken for granted.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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: 'Important night for me' Jan 11, 2014 Martin Caceres was overjoyed after marking his Juventus comeback with a goal, but joked about another injury. The defender hadn’t started a game since early October, but made his return and scored in a 3-1 victory away to Napoli. “It was important for me to score and play tonight, as I had never been out for such a long time,” Caceres told Sky Sport Italia. “It was a difficult game and I’m happy with the win. Napoli are a strong side and it’s a shame we lost the Super Cup to them in Doha, but today we won 3-1 and made up for it.” Roma had hoped to go top of the table this weekend, but instead Juventus restored a three-point advantage. “After three years of winning it was inevitable this season would be more difficult. Every game is to be treated as a final.” Unfortunately Caceres was forced off the field early by a suspected dislocated shoulder. “Every time I play, something happens to me!” he laughed. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Pogba, Vidal lead Juventus to 3-1 win vs. chasing Napoli Jan 11, 2014 Juventus beat Napoli at Stadio San Paolo for the first time in 15 years to pull three points clear at the top of Serie A. Paul Pogba's fantastic volley lit the touchpaper at a ground where reigning champions Juve have managed to lose five times since last tasting victory back in September 2000. Defender Miguel Britos tried to prolong the visitors' poor run in Naples by equalising midway through the second half, but Martin Caceres hit back before Arturo Vidal confirmed Juve's 3-1 win with a thunderous stoppage-time goal. The victory re-establishes Massimiliano Allegri's men as the outright leaders in the race for Scudetto after nearest challengers Roma were held to a 2-2 draw in Sunday afternoon's city derby against Lazio. The Bianconeri, who have reached 43 points, were also able to avenge their Supercoppa defeat to Napoli in Doha. Despite their recent successes, Juve often appear tremulous in Naples and looked shaky in the early exchanges. Leonardo Bonucci had to deflect Marek Hamsik's dangerous cross out for a corner before Jonathan de Guzman blasted over from a one-on-one with Gianluigi Buffon in the 18th minute. It therefore came as some surprise when Juve took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark. The Bianconeri had been making up ground in the hosts' half for some time but, when Fernando Llorente was surrounded with his back to goal after latching onto a through-ball, it looked like a good chance would go to waste. So when the Spaniard flicked the ball up to Pogba and the young midfielder shaped his body, fans from both sides were left stunned when his perfectly struck volley fizzed off Rafael's fingers and into the bottom corner. Juve were brighter from that point forward and might have doubled their lead shortly before the break, defender Caceres slamming the ball against Rafael after being picked out at the far post by Carlos Tevez. Napoli had an opportunity to equalise immediately after the break but Giorgio Chiellini blocked Jose Callejon's attempt to convert Hamsik's pass from deep. There was a lengthy break in play after Chiellini clashed heads with team-mate Patrice Evra but, despite the fact he was left bloodied, the former was quickly bandaged up and felt able to continue. Napoli did not let the pause distract them and drew level with a goal from an unlikely source on 65 minutes. Uruguayan centre-back Britos notched only his third league goal in four seasons with the Azzurri as he turned Dries Mertens' corner home with his left boot. A rare defender's goal looked to have changed the game, but another would soon follow in its wake. Barely five minutes after Napoli's equaliser, Caceres steered Andrea Pirlo's free-kick beyond Rafael to restore Juve's lead. Now the game was wide open and, with chaos reigning at both ends of the pitch, Napoli were left furious after Caceres' clumsy own goal was ruled out due to an infringement on Buffon. As time ticked away the ball continued to ping freely from box to box, but its final resting place was soon determined by Vidal. Four minutes into stoppage time, the industrious Chilean unleashed a fearsome drive off his left boot that gave Rafael absolutely no chance, meaning that - for once - all three points were definitely heading back to Turin. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Juventus edge out Napoli to move three points clear in Serie A Jan 11, 2014 Juventus have moved three points clear in Serie A thanks to a 3-1 victory over Napoli. Despite being forced onto the back foot for much of the first half, the pattern of the game could have been very different had Jonathan de Guzman not fired over after latching on to a deflected pass from Marek Hamsik in the box. Napoli survived a couple of extended spells of pressure from the visitors, but Juventus were ahead in the 29th minute when Paul Pogba found the space to volley home from 18 yards. Rafael Cabral avoided being beaten for the second time before the break by making a smart save to keep out Martin Caceres. Juventus continued to dominate possession in the early stages of the second half, but chances were difficult to come by as Napoli's stubborn defence kept them in the game. Rafael Benitez's side equalised through Miguel Britos, who found the space inside the box to convert an inviting cross from Dries Mertens. However, the hosts would be on level terms for just five minutes as Caceres restored his side's advantage by steering home from Andrea Pirlo's free kick. It was a comfortable finish to the game for Juventus as Napoli struggled to create the opportunities required to set up a dramatic climax. Juventus wrapped up the win in stoppage time when Arturo Vidal took full advantage of space on the edge of the box to fire past a helpless Cabral. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

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 Juventus end Napoli taboo Jan 11, 2014 Juventus conquered Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo for the first time in 14 years, their 3-1 result including a spectacular Paul Pogba volley. It was fourth against first, but also a replay of the December 22 Italian Super Cup clash in Doha. That saw the Partenopei fight back twice for a 2-2 draw in extra time, eventually lifting the trophy on penalties. Manolo Gabbiadini was on the bench awaiting his debut, but Lorenzo Insigne, Michu, Juan Camilo Zuniga and Faouzi Ghoulam unavailable. Stephan Lichtsteiner pulled out with a fitness problem, so Martin Caceres got his first start in over three months. Kwadwo Asamoah, Andrea Barzagli and Romulo were all sidelined. There was a touching tribute to Neapolitan singer-songwriter Pino Daniele before kick-off, as the teams came out to the sounds of ‘Napule’ with the crowd singing along and holding up lighters. Juve had won five of their previous six competitive games and hadn’t conquered the San Paolo since September 2000. Despite being the home side, Napoli invited Juventus forward to then strike on the counter-attack. Jonathan de Guzman really should’ve scored when a Marek Hamsik pass broke kindly for him, but ballooned over from 12 yards. Carlos Tevez set up Arturo Vidal on the counter, but the Chilean’s first touch let him down, but the deadlock was broken with a moment of magic. Fernando Llorente was trying to turn in the box, but it was deflected to Paul Pogba and the 21-year-old did not hesitate for a spectacular volley from just inside the area. It was not dissimilar to the goal Zinedine Zidane scored in the Champions League Final and bent back Rafael’s fingertips. The Frenchman has a habit of scoring against Napoli, as it was his third goal in five encounters. Andrea Pirlo and Hamsik had shots charged down, while Rafael smothered a Caceres angled drive at the near post from Tevez’s slide-rule pass. Straight after the restart Giorgio Chiellini deflected Callejon’s effort on to the side-netting and Pogba just failed to get the final touch to a Caceres cross into the six-yard box. Chiellini nodded a corner over the bar, but at the same time clashed heads with teammate Patrice Evra and continued with a large bandage. Napoli were piling on pressure and got their equaliser from a set play, as Dries Mertens whipped in a corner for Miguel Angel Britos to volley in from six yards with the inside of his left foot. It was a rare goal for the defender, but he escaped Chiellini’s marking. The momentum was now with the hosts, as Juve once again fumbled a lead. However, Pirlo curled a free kick into the box and Caceres was ready to turn in from six yards in a remarkably similar move to the Napoli goal. Replays suggest Chiellini was marginally offside. The Uruguayan’s last Serie A goal was also against Napoli in October 2012. The ball was in the back of the Juventus net again when Buffon dropped a cross after colliding with Kalidou Koulibaly, but the referee awarded a foul against the goalkeeper. Napoli were furious and it was one of those incidents that is open to interpretation. Caceres fell awkwardly and has a suspected dislocated shoulder. The Partenopei continued to pour forward in a desperate search for another equaliser during six minutes of stoppages. Duvan Zapata had a great chance when he ran clear on goal, but saw Buffon coming towards him and went down looking for a red card. Instead, the referee spotted there was no contact and booked the Colombian for simulation. Higuain squirmed between a crowd of players until Chiellini deflected his angled drive inches past the far post. Napoli failed to make the most of the set play and instead were caught out on the counter, Vidal smashing the finish into the top corner from the edge of the box. Napoli: Rafael; Maggio, Albiol, Koulibaly, Britos; David Lopez, Gargano (Duvan Zapata 83); Callejon (Gabbiadini 72), Hamsik (Mertens 60), De Guzman; Higuain Juventus: Buffon; Caceres (Ogbonna 79), Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba (Lichtsteiner 70); Vidal; Tevez, Llorente (Morata 74) Ref: Tagliavento http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111