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CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Allegri: ‘Best XI against Cagliari’ Dec 17, 2014 Juventus Coach Max Allegri says that tomorrow’s game with Cagliari ‘is the most important’ and that victory comes ‘first and foremost’. The Bianconeri travel out to Sardinia on Thursday evening for their Week 16 fixture, before facing Napoli in the Italian Supercup in Doha at the start of next week. The Coach of the Old Lady is aware of the upcoming challenge abroad, but says his first focus is on the Isolani. “I expect a difficult team, one that creates a lot,” Allegri said in today's Press conference. “They've given proof of these qualities in their home games, especially against Fiorentina, but we must return to victory with a good performance. “We had one against Sampdoria, but in that case unfortunately we weren't able to win. “I have absolute no worries as far as our attack is concerned. We must return to scoring, against Sampdoria we had important chances that we weren't able to exploit at our best. “Our midfielders should have made a few more runs in the end game. “Tomorrow we must try doing what we always do, looking to create play with the involvement of the midfielders and the strikers, so we can go back to scoring and finding victory.” Juventus currently have a number of their players on an accumulation of yellow cards, who might miss out on the Supercup Final in Doha should they pick up another booking, a situation which Allegri finds abnormal. “I don't think it's regular that we'll be playing in Cagliari with five players on a caution and the problem that they could miss out on Doha. “The same can be said about the risk of being booked in Doha and skipping the following League game against Inter, because the Supercup is played as a final, as a single game, and it should be disputed in August. “Tomorrow I will play with my best XI, because tomorrow's game is the most important. “Let's think first and foremost about winning tomorrow, then we'll deal with potential bookings. I hope nobody does. “Based on that, I'll see who is available for Doha and I'll let them play, I have no other alternative. Unfortunately we'll have to face the consequences of this.” Allegri was given a one-match ban after the 1-1 Sampdoria game for insulting officials. “I was surprised by the suspension, because I think there's a substantial difference between an insult and a general curse. “I think my behaviour towards the referees has always been quite correct. That being said, of course I am not a saint, so I think I can be forgiven if I allow myself the odd curse.” Juventus play against Cagliari tomorrow at 7 pm CET at the Stadio Sant'Elia. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Cagliari v Juventus: Preview Dec 17, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri has ordered Juventus to snap out of their toothless slumber with a convincing victory at Cagliari on Thursday evening. The reigning Serie A champions have allowed title rivals Roma to cut their advantage at the top to a single point by struggling through back-to-back draws with Fiorentina and Sampdoria. Allegri's men were uncharacteristically sluggish against Samp and conceded a second-half equaliser in Turin. Their next opponents, who are coached by the notoriously attack-minded Zdenek Zeman, will also be keen to respond to a rare goalless game having drawn a blank in Parma at the weekend. Juve boss Allegri must watch the encounter from the stands of the Stadio Sant'Elia after earning a one-match touchline ban for insulting officials during the Samp game and, while he could still succeed in an appeal against the suspension, he is keen to get his message across to his players as soon as possible. ``They have a lot of attacking options, like all Zeman's teams do: they will be a difficult challenge,'' he said of Cagliari at his pre-match press conference. ``Tomorrow we have to return to winning ways with a really good performance. ``We created lots of opportunities against Samp but we didn't exploit them as well as we could have. ``My suspension? I'm still surprised about it. My behaviour around the officials was, as it always is, proper and correct.'' The Bianconeri are almost at full strength with only injured defenders Andrea Barzagli and Kwadwo Asamoah giving Allegri any real cause for concern. The former AC Milan coach will most likely partner Giorgio Chiellini with Angelo Ogbonna in central defence. Zeman is without Sebastian Eriksson, Marco Sau and Simone Colombi as he makes plans to snap a seven-game run without a win, an outcome which would lift Cagliari out of the relegation zone. The islanders are unlucky to produce the shock triumph they need, but their Czech coach remains optimistic based on Juve's recent shortcomings. ``Right now we cannot afford to do any favours for other clubs,'' he told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. ``We have to play for ourselves. ``It's true that Juventus have only lost three or four league games in the last two years but anything can happen in football and so we have to try.'' http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Defiant Allegri insists Juventus are not exhausted The coach believes the illusion of fatigue was created by his team's eagerness to score early in the clash with Sampdoria, and revealed his excitement to face Dortmund in Europe. Dec 17, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that his players are not suffering from exhaustion with the winter break imminent. The Scudetto holders have drawn three successive matches - against Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid and Sampdoria - which has sparked suggestions his squad are losing their legs somewhat due to the intense run of fixtures. Allegri, who took over from Antonio Conte in the summer, flat-out refused to use fatigue as an excuse and believes the illusion of tiredness was created by his players' eagerness to impress early in their 1-1 result at home to Sampdoria on Sunday. "It's absolutely not true that the team is tired at the moment," he said in a press conference ahead of their clash with Cagliari on Thursday. "On Sunday we played one of our best games from a physical point of view. "I think we made some technical mistakes and were guilty of too much urgency after the break, especially in the last 20 minutes - this made it look as though we were tired. "But this is absolutely not the case. The team's physically in top condition, especially when you consider that last Sunday's game was the best physical performance in the whole first half of the season. "It was one of our best games, second only to the match against Olympiakos. Cagliari always play open games and look to score. It's certainly going to make for a good match." On Monday, Juve were drawn in the Champions League last 16 with 2012-13 runners up Borussia Dortmund who - despite finishing top of their group - are currently languishing joint-bottom of the Bundesliga. "Dortmund are a team that, regardless of their trouble in this first half of the Bundesliga, have won a few games in the Champions League," Allegri added. "They are emerging from a few sensational years, in which they reached the final of the Champions League, claimed two German titles and did other great things in their own top flight. "It's going to be a fascinating match. We are going up against one of the great European teams." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Cagliari v Juventus: Barzagli unconcerned by successive draws The Bianconeri have failed to win in their last three games, but their defender is focusing on the big picture ahead of Thursday's Serie A clash. Dec 17, 2014 Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli is unconcerned that the Serie A champions head to Cagliari on Thursday winless in three matches. Massimiliano Allegri's men have been held to a trio of draws in succession, playing out a goalless match with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League between league stalemates against Fiorentina and Sampdoria respectively. As a result, Juve were forced to settle for a second-place finish in their Champions League group, while their lead over Roma at the top of Serie A has been cut to just one point. Up next for Juve is a trip to struggling Cagliari on Thursday and they may be without coach Allegri after he picked up a one-match touchline ban for expletive remarks made to officials during the draw with Sampdoria, though the club lodged an appeal on Tuesday. Barzagli, who is nearing a return from an Achilles injury, is not worried about the champions' form, reminding critics that they are still top of the table. "We played against three big, physical sides," the centre-back told Juve's official website. "But the important thing is we're still top. It's a long season, and we have to stay as focused as ever." Juve will be expected to take all three points away from Stadio Sant'Elia, with Cagliari having failed to register a single win in the last 10 meetings between the sides across all competitions. Cagliari's last win over Juve came in the shape of a 2-0 triumph at home in November 2009, but few will envisage a similar outcome this time around. Zdenek Zeman's side head into the clash third from bottom in Serie A, ahead of only Cesena and Parma. Cagliari have won none of their last seven fixtures in the league, a run which includes home defeats to Fiorentina and Chievo. The Sardinia-based club were held to a 0-0 draw at rock-bottom Parma last time out and under-fire coach Zeman has acknowledged that his players are worried about their precarious position. He told Radio Rai: "The mentality of the lads was correct and we controlled the ball well, even if we were lacking something up front. "It was hardly an epic match, as you could tell both teams were worried about their current situations." While Juve could be without Allegri, they definitely will not be able to call upon the services of suspended defender Leonardo Bonucci. Cagliari continue to miss goalkeeper Simone Colombi (wrist) and striker Marco Sau (thigh), with neither expected back until early 2015. OPTA FACTS Cagliari have only taken two points from the last nine Serie A clashes against Juventus, conceding an average of 2.4 goals per game in the process. The Sardinians have lost six of the last seven home games against Juve, winning the other one (November 2009), the only game in which they have not conceded. Cagliari are winless in seven league matches (D4, L3), failing to score in the last three. LAST FIVE MATCHES Cagliari D L W L D 2014/12/14 - Parma 0 - 0 Cagliari 2014/12/08 - Cagliari 0 - 2 Chievo Verona 2014/12/04 - Cagliari 4 - 4 Modena 2014/11/30 - Cagliari 0 - 4 Fiorentina 2014/11/23 - Napoli 3 - 3 Cagliari Juventus D D D W W 2014/12/14 - Juventus 1 - 1 Sampdoria 2014/12/09 - Juventus 0 - 0 Atlético Madrid 2014/12/05 - Fiorentina 0 - 0 Juventus 2014/11/30 - Juventus 2 - 1 Torino 2014/11/26 - Malmö 0 - 2 Juventus HEAD TO HEAD 2014/05/18 - Juventus 3 - 0 Cagliari 2014/01/12 - Cagliari 1 - 4 Juventus 2013/05/11 - Juventus 1 - 1 Cagliari 2012/12/21 - Cagliari 1 - 3 Juventus 2012/12/12 - Juventus 1 - 0 Cagliari http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni CAGLIARI V JUVENTUS MATCH PREVIEW Dec 17, 2014 Juventus Juventus have appealed coach Max Allegri’s one match ban as they travel to the Stadio Sant’Elia to face Zdenek Zeman’s Cagliari. Allegri was handed a one match ban for insulting officials following his sides 1-1 draw with Sampdoria on Sunday. “Juventus are to lodge an urgent appeal against the one-match touchline ban handed to Massimiliano Allegri during Sunday’s home game against Sampdoria,” read a statement on the club’s official website. Juventus are on a run of three draws in a row but defender Andrea Barzagli was quick to reassure supporters. “We played against three big, physical sides, but the important thing is we’re still top” the player told the clubs official website earlier this week. Juve are without Leonardo Bonucci who triggered an automatic one match ban following his yellow card against Sampdoria. Angelo Ogbonna is expected to take his place while Giorgio Chiellini returns from suspension to play alongside. Stephan Lichtsteiner has played some of his best football of the season in recent matches and will start at right-back. Patrice Evra was named in Gazetta’s team of the week and will hopefully continue his good run of form which included a goal against Sampdoria. In midfield, Arturo Vidal has been struggling for form but is expected to start with Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo. Roberto Pereyra impressed at the weekend and is likely to reprise his role behind a front two of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente. Predicted Lineup 4-3-1-2 : Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Pirlo, Vidal, Pogba, Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente Injuries Andrea Barzagli (Heel), Luca Marrone (Thigh), Martin Caceres (Thigh), Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo (Both undergone knee surgery) Suspended: Leonardo Bonucci Cagliari On Thursday night, Juventus will face Cagliari and Zdenek Zeman’s high-octane offense. The return of the Czech coach in Serie A hasn’t been particularly impressive so far: they are in 18th position with only 12 points. They have won their last match on October 25 and they have only won two games so far. They have never won at home so far (three draws, four losses) and they have been resoundingly defeated in the last two games at Sant’Elia, by Chievo Verona and Fiorentina. In addition, they don’t look the offensive vanguard Zeman’s sides usually are. They have scored 20 goals: it’s good for a low-table team but it’s average overall. As you would expect, they have the second-worst defense in the league, as they have already conceded 26 goals. But something doesn’t seem right here: they are using 4-3-3, but it’s very plain, there’s no longer that tactical recklessness and it’s not even that fluid. It probably comes down to the squad Zeman has at disposal. They don’t have a productive and mobile centre-forward: Samuele Longo could be that theoretically, but he hasn’t so far; Marco Sau, who’s been a viable option, is more a second-striker/left-winger. They still rely on the old legs of Daniele Conti and Andrea Cossu and also Lorenzo Crisetig and Albin Ekdal don’t stand out for their dynamism. The general lack of movement is a problem. Add that to a Serie B-caliber defense and the bad results are inevitable. Cagliari made some interesting purchases in the summer to give the coach a more suitable team, but the only player who has performed well enough has been Diego Farias. Joao Pedro has been bad, Godfred Donsah has played sparingly, Caio Rangel has basically never featured. In defense, Zeman has used Alessio Cragno, Luca Ceppitelli and Antonio Balzano a lot, but they haven’t really proved they can be Serie A material. Cagliari have shown exceptional resilience as they have been often able to come back (they’ve been 0-2 six times): they can score a lot and they can score in a hurry. Farias-Cossu-Ibarbo, even if there won’t be Sau due to an injury, remains an unpredictable attack: it’s very difficult to contain, especially from the speed standpoint. Conti, Crisetig and Ekdal are all capable of feeding the strikers with timely through balls. On the other side of the ball, Cagliari struggled both collective and individually. The mechanisms of the high offside trap aren’t on point and the defenders and the goalkeepers are blunder-prone. More importantly, their offense hasn’t been able to compensate for the poor defense and this is the key element of Zeman’s teams. If that doesn’t happen, they are in trouble, like Cagliari are now. Predicted Lineup: 4-3-3: Cragno; Pisano, Ceppetelli, Rossettini, Balzano; Crisetig, Conti, Ekdal; Ibarbo, Cossu, Farias Injuries Marco Sau, Sebastian Eriksson Formation http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Serie A - 16^ Giornata Andata - 18-12-2014 (ore 19:00) CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Giovedí, 18 Dicembre 2014 - ore 19:00 Stadio Sant'Elia, Cagliari Arbitro: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Confronti ufficiali 77 - 68 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Coppa Uefa) Vittorie Juventus 35 - 32 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 28 - 25 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Cagliari 14 - 11 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Coppa Uefa) Goals Juventus 101 - 91 (Serie A) - 9 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Coppa Uefa) Goals Cagliari 65 - 57 (Serie A) - 5 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Coppa Uefa) Cagliari - Juventus Serie A a Cagliari Confronti ufficiali 34 Vittorie Juventus 13 (L'ultima il 12.01.2014, 1-4) Pareggi 12 (L'ultimo il 15.04.2006, 1-1) Vittorie Cagliari 9 (L'ultima il 29.11.2009, 2-0) Goals Juventus 35 Goals Cagliari 30 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Cagliari a Cagliari 10 presenze Del Piero Alessandro 9 Buffon Gianluigi 9 Furino Giuseppe 9 Salvadore Sandro 8 Causio Franco 8 Cuccureddu Antonello 8 Zoff Dino 7 Anastasi Pietro 7 Bettega Roberto 7 Chiellini Giorgio 4 goals Matri Alessandro 3 Altafini Josè João 2 Bettega Roberto 2 Llorente Fernando 2 Tardelli Marco 2 Vucinic Mirko 1 Amauri Carvalho de Oliveira 1 Anastasi Pietro 1 Baggio Roberto 1 Boniek Zbigniew Ultimi confronti diretti 11.04.2010 - Serie A - Juventus-Cagliari 1-0 26.09.2010 - Serie A - Juventus-Cagliari 4-2 05.02.2011 - Serie A - Cagliari-Juventus 1-3 15.01.2012 - Serie A - Juventus-Cagliari 1-1 06.05.2012 - Serie A - Cagliari-Juventus 0-2 12.12.2012 - Coppa Italia - Juventus-Cagliari 1-0 21.12.2012 - Serie A - Cagliari-Juventus 1-3 11.05.2013 - Serie A - Juventus-Cagliari 1-1 12.01.2014 - Serie A - Cagliari-Juventus 1-4 18.05.2014 - Serie A - Juventus-Cagliari 3-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 8 - Pareggi 2 - Vittorie Cagliari 0 - Goals Juventus 23 - Goals Cagliari 7 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

Pogba: 'Stronger than Vieira' Dec 16, 2014 Paul Pogba is “honoured to be compared with Patrick Vieira, but my objective is to become even stronger than him.” The Juventus starlet was voted best right-sided midfielder for 2014 in the Gran Gala del Calcio, organised by the Italian Players’ Association (AIC). “I am honoured to be compared with Vieira and happy that people think of me that way, but my objective is to become even stronger than him,” the 21-year-old told reporters. “Like Michel Platini? If only! I’d love to experience a career like his.”

Buffon Goalkeeper of the Year Dec 16, 2014 Gigi Buffon was voted Best Goalkeeper of 2014 in the Gran Gala del Calcio. “The Champions League draw could’ve been worse.” The Juventus shot-stopper won the award ahead of Inter’s Samir Handanovic and former Napoli man Pepe Reina, as voted by the AIC – the Italian Players’ Association. “Retirement? When the moment comes, and it hasn’t yet, I will be the first to acknowledge it,” he told Sky Sport Italia. Buffon was also asked about the Champions League draw, which has put Juve against Borussia Dortmund. “It’s an honest draw. It could’ve gone better, it could’ve also gone worse. The challenge with Borussia will tell us who we are and at what level we are right now. It’s something we all care about very much. “We will face this test with great determination.”

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS - Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Preview: Cagliari vs. Juventus Dec 16, 2014 Following a run of four successive victories, Juventus have now drawn their last two Serie A encounters. As a result, a once comfortable lead at the top of the Serie A standings has been cut to just one point by second-placed Roma. Massimiliano Allegri's men will look to return to winning ways on Thursday evening when they visit the Stadio Sant'Elia, the home of Cagliari. Allegri omitted both Fernando Llorente and Andrea Pirlo from his starting lineup for the weekend's clash against Sampdoria, but the duo could return for this encounter, potentially at the expense of Alvaro Morata and Arturo Vidal. Like visiting Juve, Cagliari are also in need of the three points, albeit for different reasons. Without a win in seven, Zdenek Zeman's team occupy the final relegation place. However, if they were to avoid defeat against the champions, they could move out of the danger zone. Despite the fact that he has not scored in Serie A this season, it is expected that Inter Milan loanee Samuele Longo will lead the Cagliari attack. Cagliari Form in Serie A: L D D L L D Form in all competitions: D D L D L D Possible starting lineup: Cragno; Rossettini, Ceppitelli, Avelar, Balzano; Conti, Ekdal , Cossu, Crisetig, Farias; Longo Juventus Form in Serie A: W W W W D D Form in all competitions: W W W D D D Possible starting lineup: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Pirlo, Marchisio, Pogba, Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente Sports Mole says: 1-2 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Chelsea Set To Enter Race For Paul Pogba Dec 16, 2014 Chelsea are the latest club to enter the race for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba ahead of the January transfer window. The 21-year-old is highly thought of around Europe, attracting prestigious clubs including French giants Paris Saint-Germain and Champions League holders Real Madrid, with a host of top-class performances for the Bianconeri. According to a report in the Express, Jose Mourinho could be key to securing the France international’s signature, with the club willing to involve Brazil midfielder Ramires as part exchange of any deal. Juventus will be keen to hold onto the highly talented youngster, with rumoured figures in the region €70 million that could prove difficult to refuse. If Pogba was to leave the club, Italy international Marco Verratti has been earmarked as a possible replacement. Pogba has scored 15 goals in his 75 appearances for the Old Lady since joining the club from Manchester United in July 2012.

Juventus appeal Allegri ban Dec 16, 2014 Juventus will appeal Coach Massimiliano Allegri’s touchline ban, the club has confirmed. The Bianconeri tactician was given a one match ban after insulting match officials following his side’s 1-1 draw with Sampdoria on Sunday. However, the Serie A leaders have indicated that they will appeal against the ban. “Juventus are to lodge an urgent appeal against the one-match touchline ban handed to Massimiliano Allegri during Sunday’s home game against Sampdoria,” read a statement on the club’s official website. “Leonardo Bonucci will miss out on the clash with Cagliari after triggering an automatic one-match ban with the yellow card he picked up at the weekend.”

Barzagli ‘hopes to return soon’ Dec 16, 2014 Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli says he hopes to return to action ‘soon’, but doesn’t give a timeframe. The defender has been struggling with an achilles injury all season, and hasn’t featured at all for the Bianconeri this term, and the club hasn’t given a return date for the 33-year-old. “I hope to return to the field soon,” Barzagli told the official Juventus website. “It’s hard to watch the games on television. My hope is that I’ll be back soon.” The centre-back also discussed the Old Lady’s Champions League draw which will see them take on Borussia Dortmund in the Last 16. “The draw pits us against a team which has been a top Champions League side in recent years, and played in the final recently [2013]. “They’ll definitely be a tough opponent, they have good players and a good Coach.” Juventus have drawn their last three games with Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid and Sampdoria, but Barzagli is not overly concerned. “We played against three big, physical sides, but the important thing is we’re still top. “It’s a long season, and we have to stay as focused as ever.”

Roma's Rudi Garcia and Juventus Boss Massimo Allegri Suspended by Lega Serie A Dec 16, 2014 The managers of Serie A’s top two teams are in hot water with the Italian FA after it was confirmed that Rudi Garcia and Massimiliano Allegri—bosses at Roma and Juventus, respectively—will both be banned for upcoming games, as noted by an official Serie A statement (in Italian). The length of the bans and the reasons behind them were noted by Italian football writer Enrico Passarella: Enrico Passarella @Guardalinee Rudi Garcia has been suspended for two games, Allegri for one. Enrico Passarella @Guardalinee Garcia has been suspended for aggressive and intimidating behavior towards a steward, Allegri for insulting the referees The ban for the Roma boss comes in the aftermath of an ill-tempered game against Genoa, in which it is alleged by Sky Sport Italia (h/t Adam Digby of FourFourTwo) that Garcia spat at a steward. Subsequently, he looks set to miss the upcoming games against AC Milan and Udinese. The Giallorossi won the match 1-0 in controversial fashion after Rossoblu keeper Mattia Perin was sent off just before the half-hour mark, prompting the Genoa president Enrico Preziosi to suggest Mafia involvement in the game, per football-italia.net. Allegri is also set to miss a game after he was found guilty of insulting match officials. This incident occurred in the aftermath of the Bianconeri’s shock 1-1 draw at home to high-flying Sampdoria and, as a result of his faux pas, the Juve boss is set to miss his team’s trip to Cagliari in the next round of matches. Juventus have drawn their last two games, allowing Roma to claw the deficit back to a solitary point in the race for this season’s Scudetto. The Bianconeri won the last three league titles under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, with Allegri looking to make it four in a row for the Turin club. These two sides are the standout teams in this division, and after years of dominance from Juventus, we finally look set for an engrossing title race in Italy's top flight. With every point vital in the run up to the winter hiatus, it's critical each team copes without its manager on the sidelines for its respective game and keeps the pressure up on its championship rivals.

Andrea Pirlo wins third-straight Serie A Player of the Year award Dec 16, 2014 Andrea Pirlo added the latest accolade to his collection on Monday night when he was voted as the best player in Serie A last season by his fellow professionals. Pirlo, 35, picked up the Italian Professional Footballers' Association (AIC) award for the third year running, making it onto the best team selection once again for his part in Juventus' third straight scudetto triumph in 2013-14. "It's always a great pleasure to win this award," Pirlo said during a gala evening in Milan. "It means that I've done well and that I am maintaining myself at the highest level. I'd like to thank all of my colleagues who have voted for me. I'm very honoured." The Italy international is the oldest player to win the award, which he has claimed in all three of his seasons since joining Juventus from AC Milan. He joins Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the only other player to have won the award three times. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Juve reign at Monday night's Gran Galà del Calcio awards. Seven Bianconeri awarded Pirlo also took his place on the best team from 2013-14 alongside six of his Juventus teammates -- Gianluigi Buffon, Kwadwo Asamoah, Andrea Barzagli, Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez -- while Antonio Conte, now in charge of Italy, was named the best coach for leading the Bianconeri to a third straight Serie A title last term. "It was a fantastic journey which brought me to becoming national team coach," said Conte. "It was an extraordinary journey with these lads, to whom I owe everything." Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Medhi Benatia (Roma, now at Bayern Munich) Matteo Darmian (Torino) and Ciro Immobile (Torino, now at Borussia Dortmund) were the only non-Juventus players to make it onto the best team. Melania Gabbiadini, sister of Sampdoria and Italy forward Manolo, won the prize for best female player while Nicola Rizzoli was elected the best referee. Empoli's Daniele Rugani picked up the prize for the best young player in Serie B. "Playing for Juventus would be amazing, but I need to be calm and concentrate on the present," said the 20-year-old. "Right now, I'm focusing on Empoli. My future's not something I think of much."

Agnelli: Conte 'a bit touchy' Dec 16, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has described the qualities and flaws of his ex-Coach Antonio Conte. Conte met the Juventus board of directors at the Gran Gala del Calcio's prize ceremony yesterday, where he was voted Coach of the Year. Agnelli, also present at the celebration, was asked specifically to describe a flaw and a quality of the Coach that won his team three consecutive Scudetti. The Bianconeri top man suggested that Conte could have done with some more patience. “He is perhaps a bit touchy, especially when you tell him that something isn't going the way that he wants it to. “As for a quality, that's tenacity, for sure.” Juventus were voted Team of the Year and had seven of their players in the best XI.

Tevez Dismisses Boca Juniors Rumours Dec 15, 2014 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has dismissed rumours he is set to move to Argentinian side Boca Juniors. Earlier in the week, it was reported that the Argentinian club held talks with the forward but the player was quick to dismiss these rumours. Speaking at the Gran Galà del Calcio the Argentine spoke about his future and quickly responded when asked if he would be moving to Boca. “No, it is not true,” he said. “I have a contract with Juventus [until 2016] and I want to stay here in Italy.” The 30-year-old also talked about the ongoing battle with Roma, who trail last year’s Scudetto winners by a point. “It’s a tough duel between two great teams that I hope will last until the end of the season.” The Argentine was also asked what he thought his team’s chances against Borussia Dortmund were, after the Old Lady drew the German side in the UEFA Champions League draw. “We are a great team and we can do well. I have confidence in my teammates.”

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Boca: 'We discussed Tevez return' Dec 15, 2014 The President of Boca Juniors had dinner with Juventus and Carlos Tevez tonight. “We discussed his return to Boca.” These reports have been circulating for several days now, fuelled by tweets from Tevez’s brother hinting at a comeback to his old club. This evening Boca President Daniel Angelici was in Italy for a group dinner with Tevez and Juventus President Andrea Agnelli. “We discussed his return to Boca, without giving a precise date,” confirmed Angelici to reporters. “He has a contract until 2016 and we respect Juve. However, if Carlos did want to come back earlier, we’d make an effort to ensure he finishes his career at his home. “It was a positive meeting with Agnelli. We talked about many things: the objective is to reinforce the institutional bonds between the two clubs.” It’s also likely they talked about Boca Juniors talent Tomas Pochettino, as Juve have an option to sign him in January.

Buffon: ‘Beautiful and exciting test’ Dec 15, 2014 Gigi Buffon looks forward to Juventus' Champions League tie with Dortmund, calling it ‘a beautiful and exciting test'. The Bianconeri will welcome BVB to Turin on February 24 in the Last 16 of the competition before travelling to Germany on March 18 for the return leg. Goalkeeper Buffon is looking forward to the match, and visting the Westfalenstadion Stadion. “I’m happy, in the sense that they were one of the teams we were hoping to meet,” the World Cup winner reflected in an interview with Sky. “Not because they’re a team which is inferior to the others, but because it represents a test to see how far we can go and where we can improve. “It’s a beautiful and exciting test. “We’ll play in a fantastic stadium, and to get to Berlin [for the final] we’ll have to go to Dortmund as has happened in the past. “In the Champions League teams are transformed, and perform better than in the league, probably because of the added stimulus this competition gives you as a player. “[Ex-Juventus player] Ciro Immobile gave us trouble when he was at Toro, and he can do the same for Borussia. “It [the draw] could have been better, but it could also have been a lot worse.”

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juve share spoils yet again A third draw in a week for Juventus shows that they do have weaknesses after all, says Alasdair Mackenzie. Dec 15, 2014 A frustrating week came to end for Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus as they were held to a third consecutive draw in the space of eight days. Sinisa Mihajlovic’s robust Sampdoria team came to Juventus Stadium and fought back from a Patrice Evra header thanks to a peach from Manolo Gabbiadini in the second half. The result ensures that perhaps Samp’s best statistic of an impressive season remains – along with Juve, they are the only team to have been beaten once all season. While Mihajlovic’s side deserve immense credit for a disciplined and organised performance, particularly in the second half, the result may be just enough for some of the more impatient Juventini to begin questioning Allegri again. Progress from the Champions League group stages was sealed on Tuesday night with their second successive goalless draw. While the result was enough in the end, the fact remains that if any of Atletico’s chances had been converted it would have been enough to see the Bianconeri crash out. Perhaps the most frustrating factor for the fans has been their inability to score. With an arsenal of attacking talent including Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Morata, one goal in three games (from the left back) is not good enough and suggests a lack of ideas going forward. The form of Arturo Vidal is another significant worry for Allegri. The Chilean was the club’s star man last season, scoring 18 goals from midfield, but he has looked a shadow of his former self at times in this campaign and was very lucky indeed to not be sent off in the draw with Sampdoria. However, the fact that two consecutive league draws can be counted as a fairly major hiccup for the Old Lady goes some way to underlining their dominance in recent years. Roma, just about managing to keep pace, failed to capitalise on Juve’s dropped points last week but ensured they wouldn’t make the same mistake this weekend. The Giallorossi travelled to the Marassi to face on-form Genoa and came away with an impressive 1-0 win. Eugenio Lamanna was so nearly the hero after coming off the bench following Mattia Perin’s expulsion to save an Adam Ljajic penalty with his first touch. However, Radja Nainggolan’s volley was enough to give Roma all three points, cutting the gap at the top to one point. The Giallorossi face another big game next week when they host Milan. The fixture could be crucial for the squad’s confidence going forward, as a win would be enough to ensure the club enter the winter break at least within touching distance of Juventus, if not above them. Milan’s much improved performance last night in their 2-0 win over Napoli suggests this might not be an easy task though. Pippo Inzaghi’s side showed much more attacking verve and caused enough problems to a shaky Napoli backline to ensure that they ended the night by leapfrogging the Partenopei into sixth place. The failure of either Genoa or Sampdoria to pick up wins against the top two did open up an opportunity for the chasing pack and Lazio took advantage with their comfortable 3-0 win against Atalanta in which captain Stefano Mauri scored twice and Senad Lulic got the other. The Biancocelesti have now moved into the third Champions League spot, but Fiorentina’s 4-1 win against Cesena continued their good run and La Viola are now only three points behind Lazio despite being in eighth place. There is all to play for going into the last round before the winter break. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Juve face Borussia Dortmund in Champions League Dec 15, 2014 Juventus will play Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16. The two-time winners were paired with Dortmund at Monday’s draw in Nyon and will be at home for the first leg, which is to take place on February 17/18 or 24/25. Dortmund will host the return bout at the Westfalenstadion on March 10/11 or 17/18. It’s a repeat of the 1996-97 final, in which Dortmund beat Juve 3-1 in Munich through a Karl-Heinz Riedle double and a Lars Ricken strike. Alessandro Del Piero netted for the Old Lady. Juventus, the only Italian representatives left in the tournament, qualified for the knockout rounds in second place in Group A, trailing Atletico Madrid. The Serie A leaders could have been pitted against Real Madrid, Monaco, Bayern Munich, Chelsea or Porto. Former Lazio striker Riedle conducted part of the draw, with the Champions League final to be played in Berlin on June 6. Champions League Round of 16 draw in full: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea Manchester City vs. Barcelona Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund Schalke vs. Real Madrid Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich Arsenal vs. Monaco Basel vs. Porto

Beppe Marotta: Carlos Tevez not leaving Juventus in 'near future' Dec 15, 2014 Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta has ruled out losing Carlos Tevez in the "very near future," but acknowledged the forward is destined to return to Argentina eventually. Tevez, 30, was linked with a return to Boca Juniors last week after his brother wrote on Twitter that it "won't be long now" before he is back celebrating scoring goals for the first club of his career. "Sooner or later," was the response from Marotta when asked about Tevez's likely return home, although the emphasis was on the latter. "I have to say that right now there is absolutely no cause for concern because he's in his natural habitat here," Marotta told Sky Sport Italia on Sunday. "In the last seven or eight years, he's found the way back to his best and I don't think there is absolutely any reason to think there might be a divorce between us. "But then he is Argentinean and he loves his country and sooner or later he wants to be a star back there again, but I think that is only human nature and logical. "He's certainly not going to go back to Argentina in the very near future. We don't get that feeling so I can categorically deny that he's unsettled or that there are any signs pointing in that direction." Tevez still has over 18 months left to run on his Juve contract and has scored nine goals in 13 Serie A appearances for the Bianconeri this season. He started his career with Boca before moving to Corinthians in 2005. From there, he had spells with West Ham United, Manchester United and Manchester City before arriving in Turin in 2013, scoring 19 league goals in his first season with the club.

Pirlo: Juventus not among Champions League favourites The experienced midfielder thinks the Serie A champions face a tough task in Europe, while he is not thinking about retiring just yet. Dec 15, 2014 Andrea Pirlo feels Juventus fully deserved to reach the Champions League knockout stages, but is adamant that they should not be considered among the favourites to win the competition. The Serie A titleholders finished as runners-up to Atletico Madrid in Group A, after overcoming a slow start to their campaign, yet Pirlo is playing down the Bianconeri's hopes of going all the way. "It was very important for us to make it out of the group stages. If you take all the games into account, we deserved to progress," the Italy international told BeIn Sports. "We have reached our first objective. We must now battle Europe's finest to win the trophy. The favourites are still Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid. "I don't have any preference for the draw. In order to become the best, you will have to beat the best." The 35-year-old then went on to discuss his future at Juventus and stressed that he is keen to continue his playing career. "I still have a contract for one-and-a-half year," Pirlo stated. "My future is not set in stone. I want to keep on playing and winning things, but it all depends on my fitness." Pirlo also had his say on Paul Pogba and made it clear the Frenchman has a bright future ahead of him. "Pogba will do everything within his power to become a true great," the playmaker added. "It all depends on himself and on his personal motivation. He has to listen to the people giving him advice."