Socrates

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria: Manolo Gabbiadini holds Juventus to disappointing draw A second-half goal from the co-owned youngster cancelled out Patrice Evra's opener, leaving Juventus on a run of three consecutive draws. Dec 14, 2014 Sampdoria travelled to the Juventus Stadium on a strong run of form, just outside the Champions League places and having not lost in six games. Sampdoria was in fact the last Italian team to beat Juventus in Turin, recording a 2-1 win in January of 2013, a season in which the Genovese side did the double over Antonio Conte's Scudetto-winning Juventus. Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus side has struggled a bit for goals of late, coming off consecutive 0-0 draws at Fiorentina and against Atlético Madrid in Turin. This one ended in another draw, and it could have been even worse after a flat second-half performance from the home side, in which Manolo Gabbiadini scored the equalizer and was denied a second by a stunning save from Gianluigi Buffon. With a visit to Cagliari and the home game against Napoli coming before the winter break, Allegri will have all hands on deck to try and inject some life into a sputtering Juventus attack. Both sides came into the game with a nominal 4-3-1-2 formation, with Roberto Pereyra and Nenad Krstičić taking the free roles behind the strikers. The Argentine got the better of this particular duel, frequently dribbling into the heart of the Sampdoria defense and creating chances for himself and others, while Krstičić struggled to have any influence and was replaced at half. Up top, Álvaro Morata joined Carlos Tévez in a switch that many had anticipated given Fernando Llorente's poor form in recent weeks. Perhaps a greater surprise was that Andrea Pirlo dropped to the bench, with Allegri preferring Claudio Marchisio at the base of midfield. The legendary midfielder has been in a rut of poor form lately, and with Marchisio recovered from illness Juventus tried to take control with a more physical midfield. The early signs were very positive from Juventus, as Sampdoria were quickly pinned back into their own half with Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra combining to great effect down the left. One of these early combinations led to the corner kick resulting in the first goal, when Claudio Marchisio's far-post delivery was met powerfully by the French left-back. As the half wore on Sinisa Mihajlović adjusted, moving Krstičić and Eder back into midfield and leaving Stefano Okaka up front alone. The adjustment helped Sampdoria finally get some possession as the first half trickled to an end, but Juventus were well-worth their lead at the interval. The second half began with the introduction of Manolo Gabbiadini for the ineffective Krstičić, with the left-footed attacker slotting in on the right flank to balance Eder on the left. The co-owned youngster, seemingly bound for Napoli in January, made the telling contribution with his first touches of the game, finishing excellently from the edge of the box following a quick counter down Juventus' right side. Juventus was unable to create many chances even with the added urgency of the 1-1, with Pereyra's curling shot perhaps the best of the lot. Morata and Tévez showed signs of an intriguing partnership, with the Spaniard's pace and energy evident along with with good technique to control in tight spaces, but neither striker was able to really trouble Sergio Romero in the Sampdoria goal. As time ticked down Juventus continued to control possession high up the pitch, but Sampdoria continued to threaten on the counter, and especially through the substitute Gabbiadini cutting in on his left foot. Evra was able to close down one threatening opportunity, but another shot from the ex-Atalanta player required Buffon to be at his best to save with a strong right hand. Kingsley Coman, Llorente, and Sebastian Giovinco all came off the bench as Allegri tried to breath some life into a stuttering attack, but the pattern of play continued until the final whistle. A disappointing result, especially after the first half-hour, but still a point that keeps Juventus atop the standings ahead of a trip to Cagliari, where there's sure to be plenty of Bianconero in the stands. MATCH SUMMARY It all started so well for Juventus, with the home side taking control almost immediately after Samp kicked off. Early balls into the box came from Stephan Lichtsteiner, Morata, and Pogba, but failed to find their intended targets. "El Tucu" Pereyra showed early signs of intent, with an excellent run through the Sampdoria lines before laying the ball of for Tévez' shot, saved at the near post. Crosses were raining into the box, with Morata and Pereyra just unable to get good contact on their headers. The Spanish striker had a chance with the ball at his feet when Vidal slipped him in, but the angle was against him and Romero stood his ground well. Pogba and Evra were having their way down Sampdoria's left flank, and won the corner that would get Juventus their lead. A far-post delivery (from just outside the line) was met well by a flying Patrice Evra, who had escaped the attention of Vasco Regini. It was an excellently-timed jump, reminiscent of many goals scored by the left-back in the red of Manchester United. A questionable offside call denied Tévez a run through on goal, while Morata was rightly flagged off. At this point Sampdoria's best chances were all coming from Juventus errors, with lazy backpasses from Lichtsteiner and Vidal forcing Gianluigi Buffon to rush off his line. Marchisio tried his luck from distance, but wasn't able to beat the Argentine goalkeeper. In the 28th minute Juve nearly doubled their lead, when an excellent long ball from Leonardo Bonucci found Pogba charging into the box. Fabrizio Cacciatore did everything to put the Frenchman off, grabbing him by the jersey and around the shoulder, but the referee saw nothing wrong. A few minutes later it was Pereyra brought down just outside the box, but the referee again waved play on. Around the half-hour mark, with Sampdoria now stabilized in a 4-1-4-1, the visitors finally began stringing some passes together and moving up the field. The space they left was almost fatal, with Morata and Pereyra nearly getting in behind, and by the 36th minute Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero had seen enough. Angelo Ogbonna did well to control Stefano Okaka in the box, and Buffon was alert to smother a loose ball following a corner pulled back for a shot from distance. Carlos Tévez tried his luck from range but hit the ball straight at Romero, while Arturo Vidal tried and failed to find the killer pass for the second goal. Manolo Gabbiadini replaced Krstičić at the start of the second half, a move that instantly brought more danger to the Sampdoria attack. Even so the second half began with pressure from Juventus, as Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, and Vidal tried to create chances for teammates. Following a giveaway Arturo Vidal earned Juventus' first yellow card of the night, for a tackle from behind on Angelo Palombo. Morata and Pereyra combined to put the Argentine through on goal, but his curling effort was fairly comfortable for Romero. From the save Sampdoria broke downfield, with Eder and Regini leaving Juventus players trailing behind. The Brazilian rolled the ball across the top of the box for Gabbiadini, who had all the time he needed to take a touch and fire an excellent shot into the far corner. 1-1. The Juventus midfield continued trying to create space for a killer ball, but were unable to convert possession into shooting opportunities. Gabbiadini continued to threaten at the other end, playing a dangerous ball in behind for Okaka but his cross was ahead of an onrushing Eder. The young Italian showed that he isn't afraid to take one for the team as well, dragging back Pogba when the French midfielder looked to break into space. A combination of bad luck, poor form, and deep defending continued to keep Juventus from getting good chances, and for all the crosses pumped in from the flanks Juve never really got good contact on the end of them. Another passing sequence on the edge of the Sampdoria box ended with a poor touch from Tévez, and Eder was off on the counter. Bonucci put an end to the danger, but paid for it with a yellow card that means he will miss the trip to Cagliari. Llorente came on for Morata, but even the giant Basque was unable to get good contact on a cross, with one ball from Evra bouncing off both Llorente and Tévez with neither able to get a shot off. Arturo Vidal actually had some of the best chances, sending one header over the bar and another into Romero's arms. A slack touch from Pedro Obiang nearly gifted Tévez a run through on goal, but the Sampdoria midfielder recovered in time. Kingsley Coman came on for Pereyra to add a pit of pace, but ended up running into the same problems as the Argentine, with the Sampdoria backline controlling space well. Pogba nearly broke through from an Evra pass, but Palombo was quick to slide in on the cover. Sampdoria continued to look for Gabbiadini's left-footed shot, but this time Evra was close and shut him down. Seconds later it was Gabbiadini again doing his best Arjen Robben impression. Pogba got caught leaning the wrong way to give him room to shoot, and Buffon was forced into a fantastic save diving to his right. Arturo Vidal continued to try and create an opening, but the Chilean's form is nowhere near that of last year and nothing seemed to come off for him. Sebastian Giovinco was brought off the bench in place of Tévez, but with only a couple of minutes to go he had little chance to impact the game. Following another poor touch to give the ball away Vidal tried to make up for it and could easily have seen a second yellow for a late tackle on Sampdoria substitute Alfred Duncan. In stoppage time Vidal sent in a cross looking for Llorente, but Romero was quick to punch the ball away. Marchisio tried his luck from distance once more, but unlike Andrea Pirlo's effort two weeks ago his shot went well over the bar. Sergio Romero saw yellow for time-wasting in the final minute, as Sampdoria held Juventus to a third consecutive draw. LE PAGELLE Buffon: 7 Quick off his line several times to clear the danger, Superman made an excellent save on Gabbiadini to keep the game level. Nothing he could do on the goal. Lichtsteiner: 5.5 Put in a couple of crosses, but was unable to create the same danger as usual. Could have done more to slow Eder and track back in the buildup to Gabbiadini's goal. Bonucci: 5.5 Generally in control of Okaka, but in the buildup to the goal stepped forward and was beaten too easily by Eder. Played a few nice long passes, but will miss the Cagliari trip due to card accumulation. Ogbonna: 6 Brought in for Chiellini, the Nigerian-Italian continued his strong performances this season. Left with a huge area to cover after Bonucci and Lichtsteiner got caught upfield, takes little blame for the goal conceded. Evra: 6.5 Scored his first Juventus goal with an excellent header, and was left fairly isolated against the dangerous Gabbiadini. Combined well with Pogba and put in lots of crosses, but will be disappointed he didn't do more to stop the Sampdoria forward. Vidal: 5 Tried hard, but his technique let him down more than once on the edge of the Sampdoria box. Could perhaps have done more to slow the counter leading to Sampdoria's goal. Saw yellow early in the second half, and could easily have seen another for a poor tackle on Alfred Duncan. Marchisio: 6 One of the better performers on the night, Marchisio's energy was important in keeping Sampdoria penned deep in their own half for long periods. Pogba: 5.5 At times showed his amazing strength and technique when combining with Evra down the flank, but was unable to make a telling contribution. Could perhaps have done more to help Evra with Gabbiadini. Pereyra: 6 One of the few bright spots for Juventus, the Argentine midfielder continued his strong run of form and seems sure to keep a starting spot. Always driving at the defense, with better finishing he could have won the game for Juventus. Morata: 5.5 Showed his pace and skill, but was unable to seriously trouble the Sampdoria defense. Always eager to close down and vary his movement, with time those combinations with Tévez and Pereyra will get more precise. Tévez: 6 Another who can't be faulted for effort, but Tévez' finishing has cooled down since a stunning start to the season. Was perhaps too happy to try his luck from distance. Substitutes: Llorente: 5 Given 20 minutes in place of Morata, the Basque striker did little to prove he should be starting. Was in the area of a couple crosses, but couldn't trouble Romero. Coman: 5.5 Brought on for Pereyra the Frenchman tried to inject pace into attack, but couldn't find the space to cause real trouble. Giovinco: N/A A late run-out for the Juve youth product, in which he hardly had a touch. Allegri: 5 Began on the front foot with a strong starting lineup that immediately took control, but as the game wore on was slow to react to Sampdoria's changes. Removed Pereyra when he was one of the few players creating anything, and failed to provide help for Evra when Gabbiadini was the obvious danger. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Evra: Sampdoria draw not good enough The Frenchman was left frustrated as his side gave up a first-half lead to see their lead over Roma at the top of Serie A cut to one point. Dec 14, 2014 Juventus full-back Patrice Evra has labelled Sunday’s draw with Sampdoria "not good enough". The Frenchman gave the reigning Serie A champions a 12th minute lead at the Juventus Stadium, nipping in at the back post to grab his first goal for the club. But Manolo Gabbiadini equalised six minutes after the break, forcing a draw which saw Juve’s lead over Roma at the top of the table cut to one point. “We must win next time out,” said Evra. “We’ve dropped two points here and that’s not good enough. We need to beat Cagliari. We’ve got great character and personality so I’m sure we’ll do it. “My goal would’ve been more important had we got the win today. I’m happy to have scored, but also disappointed by the result because the match was ours for the taking in the first half. "If we’d scored two goals before the break that could’ve been it.” The result ended Juve's run of 25 consecutive home Serie A victories and left them two games without a league win for the first time since May 2013. It was also the first time this season that Juve failed to win after taking the lead and Evra expressed his frustration at their inability to push on and dominate the game after he put them ahead. “We felt good in the first half,” he said. “We spoke about it beforehand and wanted to make a great start. As it happened, we just couldn’t get that second goal and that came back to haunt us after the break. We’re disappointed, but we’re still the league leaders so we’ll just focus on the next match.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Arturo Vidal is a shadow of his former self, and that's a concern for Juventus Dec 14, 2014 Juventus' 1-1 draw at home to Sampdoria on Sunday felt like a defeat for the hosts. It's clear Juve were the superior team, but their failure to make the most of their chances, especially in the first half, will trouble them as they attempt to keep Roma at bay in the table. Aside from the immediate disappointment of dropped the points, the main issue to come from the match is the form of Arturo Vidal. The Chilean is quite simply a shadow of his former self. While Juventus have been in terrific form in certain games, what they truly have lacked is their warrior in midfield; the man who can both improve their attacking ability, as well as secure the back line. Had the old Vidal been playing as he knows how, the Old Lady would have simply been unstoppable this season. That player is greatly missed, and one has to be concerned with his performances. Not only is his timing off, his decision-making horrid and his passing inaccurate, but he's proving to be a liability and should have been sent off both against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek and again in this match. Vidal, strongly linked with Manchester United over the summer, is now the reckless midfielder who is struggling to understand his body and the blow it has received. The knee ligament injury has not only affected his ability, but his confidence, too. One can only imagine how much better this team would perform with Paul Pogba, Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo all playing at their top level. Despite having played a Champions League game midweek, the Bianconeri started the game with great intensity, playing an energetic and high-tempo match as they immediately set about to score the opening goal. The mark of a true side is one that stays loyal to their identity and style of play, even if versatility is required. As such, Sampdoria erred when they opted to change and mirror Juve's formation, leaving their usual 4-3-3 behind to play a 4-3-1-2 shape. The change not only led to a brand of play with players looking uncomfortable, but it allowed Massimiliano Allegri's men to dominate possession and control the midfield. With Stephan Lichtsteiner making use of the space to push up and Patrice Evra pushing forward on the opposing flank, Roberto Pereyra worked on speeding up play through the middle, allowing the Bianconeri to fashion many chances. With the game in their hands and Sampdoria struggling, Juventus should have made more of their chances, especially as by the 38th minute they had already produced 10 shots -- five of which were on target -- as well as scoring through Evra. Sampdoria introduced Manolo Gabbiadini at the start of the second half, returning to their usual 4-3-3 shape and the difference was remarkable. The Blucerchiati were back to playing in an organised fashion, imposing their strength and frustrating the opponent. While Juventus started the second half with determination, their opponents were less fearful, and it didn't take them long before they got their goal. Gabbiadini, the youngster co-owed by Juventus and tipped to move to Napoli soon, may not be the most consistent performer on the planet but he does boast great technique. With Evra not getting close enough to close him down -- as per usual, with him -- Gabbiadini produced a fabulous shot to equalise. The Old Lady required a moment of magic. When Sampdoria play with confidence and stay compact and organised, it can be almost impossible to breach their walls. A perfect Carlos Tevez or a stronger Vidal may well have made the difference as would a Pogba who doesn't switch off in certain moments. Tevez truly missed Fernando Llorente up front. While Alvaro Morata played an excellent game, Llorente's ability to annoy the centre-backs and push them back creates space and time for Tevez to work without pressure. Llorente's absence on the pitch allowed Alessio Romagnoli to focus all his energy on Tevez, who suffered when pressed and looked incapable of maintaining possession. The "tactical sacrificial lamb" that is Llorente -- as dubbed by this blog -- may not be the world's best striker, but his sacrifices improve the performance of those around him. Nevertheless, a point against Sampdoria is nothing to be ashamed of, but Roma will continue to apply pressure, and it will be up to Allegri and his men to play with the consistency required of winners. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus must be more clinical, says Allegri The champions spurned a number of chances in the first hour against Sampdoria only for Manolo Gabbiadini to punish them on the break. Dec 14, 2014 Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri was left frustrated at his side's lack of cutting edge as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sampdoria on Sunday. Patrice Evra put the hosts in front during an opening hour in which they dominated proceedings, only for Manolo Gabbiadini to score a fine strike on the break in the second half. Though left irritated by what he considered to be time-wasting tactics from the visitors, Allegri concedes his side have only themselves to blame after failing to make their dominance count with additional goals. "I think there should have been more stoppage-time, especially with substitutions and time-wasting. But we have to accept it," he told Sky Sport. "You can't play for 90 minutes in the way we did the first 55 minutes. We created so many opportunities, didn't allow Sampdoria anything and should've made more of our chances. "It was a shame we didn't win as we dominated the first half with so many chances. We struggled more after the break, [Gianluigi] Buffon made a great save and we were unable to seal the victory after doing all that we could. "Samp are very dangerous on the counterattack and we conceded from that. It's a pity. The team gave gave their all and were coming off several games where we've played at a high intensity. "We remain top of the table and that is what counts." Roma closed to within a point of the champions at the Serie A summit following their 1-0 win over Genoa. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Player Ratings: Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria A second-half strike from Manolo Gabbiadini cancelled out an early header from Patrice Evra, as the away side managed to hold the Serie A leaders to a hard-fought draw in Turin. Dec 14, 2014 Juventus 1 G. Buffon - Made a couple of important second-half saves to ensure that Juve didn't succumb to a rare home defeat. 26 S. Lichtsteiner - A workhorse down the right-hand side and offered plenty as an outlet in the first half. 19 L. Bonucci - Made a few important sliding blocks and challenges to keep Juve in the game late on. 5 A. Ogbonna - Covered well and wasn't caught out of position too often, but was turned too easily on occasion. 33 P. Evra - Steered home a back-post header in the first half to give the Bianconeri an early lead. 23 A. Vidal - Always present at the back post, but could only loop headers onto the roof of the net and straight at Romero. 8 C. Marchisio - His long-range shooting was poor, with the Italy international failing to run things from deep. 6 Paul Pogba - The Frenchman went close to having clear-cut chances on several occasions, but was unable to hit the target. 37 R. Pereyra - The Argentine midfielder clipped a number of interesting deliveries towards the back post, but nobody could get a touch. 10 C. Tévez - Forced Romero into a few good saves, despite trying his luck from tight angles rather selfishly. 9 Álvaro Morata - Anonymous and didn't offer a great deal physically, before being replaced by Llorente. Substitutes 14 Llorente - Offered a physical presence, but had no opportunities. Sampdoria 33 S. Romero - Commanded his area well, was quick enough off his line and made a number of good saves. 86 F. Cacciatore - Struggled when Evra overlapped at times, but was competitive and fairly solid. 28 D. Gastaldello - Made a couple of timely headers deep inside his own box, as Sampdoria marshalled the edge of their area well. 5 A. Romagnoli - Strong in the air and kept tabs on Juve's strikers to ensure that Sampdoria's defensive line stayed strong. 19 V. Regini - Struggled against Lichtsteiner in the first half, but was a lot more comfortable after the interval. 22 L. Rizzo - A fairly good outlet down the right-hand side throughout, with his runs able to relieve some pressure. 17 A. Palombo - Threw himself into a brilliant late challenge, with the defensive midfielder leading by example. 14 Pedro Obiang - Physical in his challenges and broke up play fairly well in front of the back four. 10 N. Krstičić - A fairly anonymous showing from the Serbian midfielder, who only slid through one telling pass. 9 S. Okaka - Didn't have any opportunities throughout, despite holding the ball up fairly well at times. 23 Eder - A real handful in the second half, using his pace and dribbling ability to good effect. Substitutes 11 M. Gabbiadini - Netted Sampdoria's only goal with a great finish, as well as forcing Buffon into a great late save. 18 G. Bergessio - Offered plenty of late running and approach play around the box. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Evra: 'Happy and disappointed' Dec 14, 2014 Patrice Evra couldn’t entirely celebrate his debut Serie A goal, as Juventus were held 1-1 by Sampdoria. “My goal would’ve counted for more if we had won,” the ex-Manchester United star told JTV. “I am happy to have scored, but disappointed by the result, as we had the game in hand during the first half. If we’d scored another goal, it would’ve been over. “We had talked before the game and wanted to start all guns blazing. At the end of the day we did it, but missed the second goal and paid for that in the second half. “We are disappointed, but still top of the table and are focused on the next match. Juve must begin again as winners. We dropped two points and need to beat Cagliari next week. “Juve have incredible character, so I have no doubts we’ll achieve our aims. I dedicate the goal to my sister Annette and fitness coach Marco Luison, who made me work hard when I was injured.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus 1 - Sampdoria 1: Initial reaction and random observations Dec 14, 2014 There's two ways to go about this... The glass half full approach to the way Juventus played in the first half pretty much says that they played relatively well despite only scoring one goal. Then there's the glass half empty approach to the way Juventus played in the first half, which pretty much says that they played not even close to being all that great because they could only manage to score one measly goal despite a handful of quality opportunities. Regardless of how you feel about Juventus' first-half performance, they certainly had chances to score more than just Patrice Evra's 12th-minute header off a corner kick. Not a lot, but a healthy number of goal-scoring opportunities against Sampdoria to open the game, going out of the gates as the vastly superior side. But there's no way to spin how Juve played in the second half into anything positive. Nope, not even close to it, really. Max Allegri's men looked like a shell of the team that played well in the first 45 minutes against Sampdoria. When were Juventus at their best in the first half? Pressing, high-tempo play, quick and dangerous counterattacks. That didn't happen after halftime, and the result proved to be costly. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Post-match @OfficialAllegri reaction: "It’s a pity, we played very well in the first half but didn’t match it after the break." That doesn't excuse Juve from not taking full advantage of all the chances they created in the first half. Sure, Sergio Romero made a couple of really good saves — most notably on Claudio Marchisio's ferocious left-footed strike — but Juventus really should have done better to grab more than just one goal. Saying Juventus lack a clinical aspect in front of goal these days might as well be the understatement of the year. Yet when they really needed to be efficient in front of goal in the first half Sunday afternoon, they weren't able to. And as a result, it came back to bite them right in the bianconero backsides. Random thoughts and observations It feels like I can write the same thing about Arturo Vidal after each and every game these days. He's not playing well. He hasn't been playing well for weeks now. I don't know when this run of bad form will end because he really hasn't shown us any consistent glimpses that he will get out of it anytime soon. The question going into the winter break is this: Should Allegri consider sitting Vidal down when the holiday break comes to an end in January? Even though it seems like he's just a few minor details away from securing his move to Napoli, I still feel like Gabbiadini could be a useful piece for Juventus. And that was before his beautiful game-tying goal in the second half. Bringing Gabbiadini on to begin the second half was the best thing Samp manager Siniša Mihajlović did all game. Who knows how much longer he'll end up being a Sampdoria player, but we're coming to find out Gabbiadini has a serious thing for scoring pretty goals against Juventus. Patrice Evra screams, "SUCK IT, HATES!" as he scores tumbling headers against Sampdoria. Or at least that's what I imagine he said as he went and celebrated his first career goal in a Juventus jersey. And good for him, too. He played well in Sunday's draw. You know who else had a very good game? Claudio Marchisio. And it came as a regista, which certainly adds another chapter to the book about how he could step in at regista for Andrea Pirlo whenever the bearded wonder hangs up his boots. Marchisio's numbers in the first half were just plain crazy: He touched the ball 71 times, recorded three tackles and had a 91 percent pass success rate. So much for any doubts about him being still a little shook up from the flu earlier in the week, right? Status quo for Gigi Buffon. His one difference-making save was absolutely superb. Ho-hum. Their finishing sucked, but Juve's attack just go about things at a different speed when Álvaro Morata is on the field. I know I've been championing his case for more playing time, and I do think if he continues to contribute like this, both goals and assists will come. Now it's just up to Allegri to show him at least some of the same kind of faith he's shown Fernando Llorente so far this season. Kingsley Coman came on in favor of Sebastian Giovinco in the second half. I know Seba made a late-game appearance, but that's a pretty good sign of what Juve's current striker depth chart looks like. Carlos Tévez is starting to cool off a bit from his early-season hot streak. I'm pretty sure I know how to feel about this development. It just had to be Manolo Gabbiadini scoring the game-tying goal, didn't it? Not Stefano Okaka, not Eder. Just Manolo freaking Gabbiadini because that's the curse of the co-owned who will never wear a Juventus jersey. Game recap in one word: Frustrating, man. Really frustrating. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Mihajlovic: Sampdoria Showed Great Character To Comeback Against Juventus Dec 14, 2014 Sampdoria boss Sinisa Mihajlovic believes his team performed extremely well against Juventus after drawing 1-1 to the reigning Serie A champions. The Blucerchiati initially struggled to cope with the home side’s pressure, but were able to find an equaliser through substitute Manolo Gabbiadini. Speaking after the match to Mediaset Premium Mihajlovic said the team came into the match with confidence, believing his side could get something against the league pacesetters. “We [sampdoria] came to play but did not necessarily think we would win, but thankfully we got a wonderful Christmas gift,” Mihajlovic said. “First half hour we suffered against Juve. But you cannot be afraid in football, I know they could do it and have shown that often.” The Sampdoria coach was also quizzed about the decision to start goal-scorer Manolo Gabbiadini on the bench. “Gabbiadini on the bench was a technical choice. I am not afraid he [Gabbiadini] will leave to go to another club in January.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus Home Winning Streak Ends At 25 Dec 14, 2014 Juventus’ remarkable winning streak at Juventus Stadium in Serie A has been stopped after 25 successive wins as Sampdoria earned a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon. The Bianconeri last dropped points at home on the penultimate round of league fixtures during the 2012/13 season when a Mirko Vucinic goal cancelled out an early strike from Cagliari’s Victor Ibarbo in a 1-1 draw. Last season they had a perfect 19 wins at home, scoring 47 goals and conceding just nine and in total just lost twice during the league season with away defeats at Fiorentina and Napoli. The Bianconeri so very nearly had their streak end in their previous game against Torino, however Andrea Pirlo’s last second strike preserved their perfect record. Indeed, their last home defeat came against Sunday’s opponents, Sampdoria, when in January 2013 the ten men of the Blucerchiati came from behind with a Mauro Icardi brace to secure a memorable victory. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Mihajlovic: 'Shocking Samp start' Dec 14, 2014 Sinisa Mihajlovic was more annoyed by Sampdoria’s first half performance than proud of holding Juventus. The Blucerchiati were dominated before the break, but after introducing Manolo Gabbiadini secured a 1-1 draw in Turin. “We suffered a lot in the first 30 minutes, as they were superior in technical and physical terms, while we stepped on to the field with fear,” Miha told Sky Sport Italia. “We changed system and then played our game. It’s disappointing, as if we play the way we know how, then we can be on level terms with anyone. “Juve had won their last 25 consecutive home matches, so getting a point here certainly wasn’t easy. We were fortunate to only be a goal down at the break and then did well to earn the draw. “The result was not as interesting to me as the performance. If we had played like Samp throughout, then I would’ve been happy. For example, we drew with Napoli with a great performance and I was content, but the first 30 minutes today were terrible. “We did much better playing 4-3-3 than trying to mirror Juve’s system. In the first 30 minutes I wanted to change eight of the 11 players...” Mihajlovic was shown replays pointing out the Claudio Marchisio corner for Patrice Evra’s goal was outside the quadrant, but the former defender was unimpressed. “Every now and then I did that too. You have to sneaky in life! I am more irritated that a not very tall player like Evra can score that goal. I’d accept it more from Bonucci, Morata or Llorente. He did well, but we were dumb.” Gabbiadini came off the bench to score the equaliser amid reports he’s on the verge of joining Napoli for €13m. “I won’t talk about the transfer market other than with my directors. Manolo is an important player for us, but has to improve like everyone. Perhaps being on the bench for a few games helped him, because now I see more determination and conviction in him.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Player Ratings: Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria Dec 14, 2014 Juventus drew 1-1 with Sampdoria on Sunday afternoon at the Juventus Stadium in Round 15 of Serie A. It was a game in which the Bianconeri dominated possession but the Doria defence was very hard to penetrate. Juventus left-back Patrice Evra opened the scoring with a header but Manolo Gabbiadini came on at half-time and rescued a point for the Doriani. Did we get our player ratings right? Have your say below. Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 7 – Aware - He performed well as a sweeper keeper, particularly in the first half. Denied Gabbiadini a winner for Samp near the end of the game. Stephan Lichtsteiner – 6 – Tolerable - The back-pass he made early in the game was almost punished otherwise he was able to push forward most of the time. Leonardo Bonucci – 5.5 – Suspect - He needed Buffon to cover for him on a few occasions and he had trouble controlling Eder. Angelo Ogbonna – 6 – Decent - He had to man-mark Okaka throughout the game. He made it tough for the Samp centre-forward but he didn’t shut him down completely. Patrice Evra – 6 – Mixed - Opened the scoring after 12 minutes and he did well offensively but he gave enough space for Gabbiadini to score the equaliser. Arturo Vidal – 5.5 – Ineffective - Received a yellow card for a foul on Palombo but he nearly could have made it 2-1 to Juve with a header. Claudio Marchisio – 6 – Director - He assisted Evra’s goal with the corner from the left. Marchisio is no Pirlo but he helped Juve maintain possession. Paul Pogba – 7.5 – Electric - The French international was the man who ran the show in midfield and gave Sampdoria some real headaches. He squandered a chance to make it 2-0 in the first half. Roberto Pereyra – 5.5 – Faded - He started off well but faded. Could have made it 2-0 early in the second half. Alvaro Morata – 5.5 – Restricted - He hit the post in the first half; otherwise he struggled to wriggle away from the Doria defence. Carlos Tevez – 6.5 – Energetic - He nearly scored in the opening minutes of the game and he always worked hard in the Juve attack. Substitutes Fernando Llorente – 4.5 - He replaced his compatriot Morata after 72 minutes but he hardly touch the ball. Kingsley Coman – N/A - He replaced Pereyra after 78 minutes and he was quiet as well. Sebastian Giovinco – N/A - Came on for Tevez on 88 minutes and made a few passes in a short timeframe. Sampdoria Sergio Romero – 7.5 – Barrier - The Argentine goalkeeper was a thorn in Juve’s side and he made about six important saves. Fabrizio Cacciatore – 6.5 – Improved - He was beaten defensively at times but he improved as the game went on and he contributed offensively. Alessio Romagnoli – 5.5 – Inexperienced - He failed to mark Evra for the goal and he received a yellow card for a foul on Morata. Despite being one of this season’s revelations, he needed his older teammates to help him. Daniele Gastaldello – 7 – Pillar - Played a captain’s game. Whether it was in the air or on the ground, the Juve attack found the Doria centre-back a very hard man to beat. Vasco Regini – 6 – Atoned - Like Romagnoli, he didn’t man-mark Evra well for the Juve goal, but he made an excellent run from defence to play a part in Gabbiadini’s goal. Luca Rizzo – 5.5 – So-so - He was getting destroyed defensively but he was decent offensively. The former Modena midfielder might be better suited to being an attacking midfielder than a box-to-box player. Angelo Palombo – 6.5 – Solid - Didn’t do much offensively at first but he eventually contributed well to the defensive and offensively in the second half. He made an excellent tackle on Pogba with less than 15 minutes remaining. Pedro Obiang – 6 – Adequate - He had to cover for Rizzo in the first half and worked more in defence than in offense. Nenad Krsticic – 5 – Minimal - He made a few passes but he barely made an impact in the game and Gabbiadini replaced him at half-time. Stefano Okaka – 6 – Presence - He struggled to get space during the game but he made sure that Ogbonna did not have an easy time in Juve’s defence. Eder – 6.5 – Effective - The Brazilian striker made the most of the possession he had. He nearly scored early in the first half but he managed to set-up Gabbiadini’s goal. Substitutes Manolo Gabbiadini – 6.5 - Replaced Krsticic at half-time and equalised with an excellent left-foot strike. The Doriani were better offensively when he was on the field and he also came close to winning the game for Doria. Gonzalo Bergessio – 5.5 - He replaced Okaka after 73 minutes and made one decent solo run. Alfred Duncan – N/A - Replaced Obiang after 83 minutes and suffered an injury after a cynical foul by Vidal. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Gabbiadini: Sampdoria Played Well Against Juventus Dec 14, 2014 Sampdoria striker Manolo Gabbiadini was happy with his side’s point away to Juventus. Sampdoria drew 1-1 at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with Italian forward Gabbiadini scoring the equaliser for the Blucerchiati. “We did well, we were able to stop a great team,” Gabbiadini told Mediaset Premium. The 23-year-old started the game from the bench with suggestions this was due to an impending transfer away from Samp. “I don’t know, you should ask the coach,” he said when asked about the decision. Gabbiadini has scored 12 goals in 42 Serie A appearances since signing for Sampdoria in July 2013 for €5.5 million, while Juventus retain a 50 percent ownership of the player. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Allegri: 'Juve lost intensity' Dec 14, 2014 Max Allegri said Juventus “can’t play 90 minutes the way we did the first 55” after a 1-1 draw with Sampdoria. “I think there should’ve been more stoppages, especially with substitutions and time-wasting. We have to accept it,” the Coach told Sky Sport Italia. “It was a shame we didn’t win, as we dominated the first half with so many chances. We struggled more after the break, Buffon made a great save and we were unable to bring home the victory after doing everything we could. “You can’t play 90 minutes the way we did the first 55. We created so many opportunities, didn’t allow Sampdoria anything and should’ve made more of our chances. “Samp are very dangerous on the counter-attack and we conceded on that situation. It’s a pity. The team gave its all and was coming off several games played at a high intensity. “We remain top of the table and that is what counts.” Allegri was asked why he introduced Kingsley Coman and Sebastian Giovinco rather than Andrea Pirlo. “At that moment I preferred an extra striker and maintain solidity, as Samp were still alive on the counter. Coman is rapid and physical, so could cause them problems. “There were six against four on the goal, so we could’ve comfortably defended against that. It’s a shame.” Genoa, Sampdoria and Lazio are currently tussling for third place, so who does Allegri tip? “In terms of quality, Napoli are a little above the rest, but Lazio, Sampdoria, Genoa, Milan and Fiorentina are all capable of getting back into it. I think the battle for third will be tough right to the end.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus' home run halted by Sampdoria's Manolo Gabbiadini Dec 14, 2014 Manolo Gabbiadini came off the bench to score a second-half equaliser as Sampdoria ended Juventus' perfect home run in Serie A with a 1-1 draw on Sunday. Patrice Evra put the hosts ahead with his first goal for Juve in the 12th minute but the Bianconeri were unable to extend their lead despite having chances to do so and were made to pay. Gabbiadini struck the equaliser six minutes into the second half to earn Samp a deserved point in Turin. The outcome sees Juve extend their advantage at the top of Serie A to four points over Roma, who face Genoa later on Sunday, while Samp, who are unbeaten since October 29, have climbed to fifth place. Juve went into the encounter having won all six of their homes games at the Juventus stadium. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri made three changes to the side that held Atletico Madrid to a goalless draw in midweek, a result that saw Juve progress to the Champions League knockout round. Angelo Ogbonna replaced suspended Giorgio Chiellini in defence while Allegri opted to rest veteran Andrea Pirlo with Claudio Marchisio taking his place in midfield. Alvaro Morata was chosen ahead of compatriot Fernando Llorente to partner Carlos Tevez in attack. The hosts enjoyed the majority of the early possession and sent a warning in the fourth minute. Roberto Pereyra spotted Tevez in the box and his diagonal shot forced Sampdoria goalkeeper Sergio Romero to dive to his right to clear. Romero had no chance shortly after when Evra got behind Claudio Marchisio's cross from a corner kick and headed the ball past the Argentinian and into the back of the net. Juve should have doubled their lead in the 21st minute but Romero produced a great save to turn a 20-yard effort around the post from Marchisio at full stretch. The home side continued to press forward and before the half-hour mark, Paul Pogba's 15-yard shot went over the bar. Samp finally began to apply pressure of their own and created the first chance two minutes before the interval. Stefano Okaka drilled a right-footed effort from outside the area that had power but lacked precision. Samp coach Sinisa Mihajlovic made his first substitution after the restart, with Gabbiadini replacing Nenad Krsticic. Gabbiadini put Samp back on level terms five minutes after entering the pitch. Eder set up Gabbiadini just outside the area and he fired a low left-footed shot past Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and into the corner of the net. In the 71st minute, Allegri brought in Llorente in place of Morata as Juve went in search of the winner. Romero was then called on to make two saves to deny Vidal and Llorente's close-range headers from Marchisio's crosses. With five minutes remaining, Buffon kept his side on level terms with an excellent save, turning aside a left-footed effort from Gabbiadini, in what was the last chance of the game. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria: Bianconeri Held By Gabbiadini Stunner Dec 14, 2014 Juventus were left frustrated after failing to snap a two-game winless streak, drawing to highflyers Sampdoria 1-1 at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The hosts opened the scoring through an unlikely source, courtesy of Patrice Evra’s forceful header, but Manolo Gabbiadini equalised to share the spoils, in what was a highly riveting affair. Juventus began to dictate proceedings from the outset, dominating possession but struggled to create any genuine chances after 10 minutes. However, Juventus forward Alvaro Morata almost found the opening after his header was put wide from Roberto Pereyra’s pin point cross. But the home side did not have to wait long to take the lead with defender Patrice Evra scoring his headed effort into the bottom corner, from a Claudio Marchisio corner on 11 minutes. The Bianconeri continued to probe the Sampdoria goal and were inches away from doubling their advantage as Claudio Marchisio’s long-range shot was met with a fine finger-tip save by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Swashbuckling midfielder Paul Pogba should have found the back-of-the-net, midway through the first-half though squandered his opportunity – blasting his attempt over the cross-bar from six yards. Chances were few and far between after Pogba’s effort despite both sides exploiting each other’s defensive fragilities, but were unable to capitalise on the situation as Gianluigi Buffon and Sergio Romero were quick off their lines to sweep any danger. After the interval, the Bianconeri started the brighter once as Pereyra flashed his emphatic attempt just over the bar, while moments later Romero was again at full stretch denying Carlos Tevez’s shot. However, from the ensuing save the Blucerchiati went on a swift counter-attack to draw level with the three-time reigning Serie A champions. Inspired substitute, Manolo Gabbiadini expertly dispatched his stunning strike, curling his effort from the edge of the area to restore parity in the 51st minute and register his fifth goal of the season. The match ebbed and flowed during the second-half as Sampdoria displayed resoluteness in defence and appeared to play on the counter-attack, with Juventus controlling possession. Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci received a caution for committing a professional foul on Sampdoria’s Eder as the away side were too hot to handle at times on the break. Arturo Vidal had a header comfortably saved by Romero, as the hosts could not break the deadlock. Not long after, goal-scorer Gabbiadini’s fabulous shot brought the best out of Buffon who replied by parrying the attempt out for a corner and ensure Juventus stayed level. Juventus pushed everyone forward to find a winner but those endeavours proved fruitless as it finished 1-1. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus held by Sampdoria Dec 14, 2014 Juventus have dropped points for the second successive game in Serie A with a 1-1 draw at home to Sampdoria. The champions made the breakthrough on 12 minutes when Patrice Evra headed in his first goal for the club from a corner. Juve continued to dominate as Sampdoria were forced further back, and they nearly doubled their advantage 10 minutes later through Claudio Marchisio, but his effort from the edge of the box was kept out by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Paul Pogba smashed an effort over the crossbar midway through the opening half, while Carlos Tevez was denied by Romero with 39 minutes played. Sampdoria carved out a rare chance in the final stages of the half, though Stefano Okaka could only fire wide from 18 yards after the home side had failed to clear their lines. A tentative second half came to life on 51 minutes when Manolo Gabbiadini equalised for the visitors with a curled effort from the edge of the penalty area following a swift counter-attack. Chances were few and far between after that as Juve struggled to break their opponents down, though Sampdoria almost snatched the points with two minutes left when Gabbiadini had his long-range drive pushed away by Gianluigi Buffon. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Gabbiadini pegs back Juventus Juventus dominated the first half, but Manolo Gabbiadini’s gem gave Sampdoria a 1-1 draw in Turin, ending a 25-game home winning streak. Dec 14, 2014 The leaders hosted fourth-placed Samp and both teams had just one defeat all season. The Blucerchiati were the last Serie A side to win in the Stadium back in January 2013, followed by 32 wins and two draws. Stephan Lichtsteiner returned from suspension, but Giorgio Chiellini was banned with the injured Marco Storari, Kwadwo Asamoah, Martin Caceres, Andrea Barzagli, Luca Marrone and Romulo. Lorenzo De Silvestri was suspended with Matias Silvestre, Gianluca Sansone and Pawel Wszolek unavailable, but Manolo Gabbiadini was benched ahead of an imminent transfer to Napoli and Roberto Soriano suffering from fever. Carlos Tevez had the first shot turned round the base of the near post after three minutes, then Sergio Romero’s gloves were stung by Alvaro Morata in a very aggressive Juve start. The pressure paid off, as a Claudio Marchisio corner was whipped in and found the head of Patrice Evra. He was allowed a completely free header from six yards, as nobody expected him to get his debut Serie A goal. It was also noted that Marchisio placed the ball outside the quadrant, something Andrea Pirlo had also done against Atletico Madrid, so it seems to be a new Juve tactic. Marchisio’s strike was fingertipped out from under the bar, as it was one-way traffic in Turin. Sinisa Mihajlovic moved his men to 4-3-3 after 20 minutes of total domination. Paul Pogba chested down a very long Leonardo Bonucci ball over the top and fired off target under pressure. Samp had their first chance of the game on 37 minutes from a corner, as Fabrizio Cacciatore’s shot was deflected into the path of Daniele Gastaldello, forcing Gigi Buffon into a save. There was a curious moment when Stefano Okaka was tying his laces as the pass came to him. He swung his leg to fire both the ball and his boot off target. Mihajlovic threw on Gabbiadini for the second half, though Roberto Pereyra immediately fired just over the bar and had another curler beaten away by Romero. Sampdoria had barely threatened, but equalised with their first genuine shot on target. It was substitute Gabbiadini who completed a counter by curling in from the edge of the box with his trademark left-foot finish into the far bottom corner. Nobody was ready to tap in Okaka’s pass across the face of goal, while Bonucci was booked for stopping an Eder counter and will be suspended against Cagliari. Okaka was given a yellow card and increasingly tense, so Mihajlovic replaced him with ex-Catania striker Gonzalo Bergessio. Arturo Vidal’s looping header landed on the roof of the net, while Angelo Palombo’s brave sliding tackle stopped Pogba pulling the trigger from 14 yards. Gabbiadini almost completed his brace with a deflected left-foot curler towards the far top corner, but Buffon showed he’s still got it by flying for a one-handed save. Vidal should’ve been sent off in the final minute after he lost possession and then went through the back of Alfred Duncan, but the referee opted against a second booking. It ended 1-1 and Juventus were held to their third stalemate in a row between Serie A and Champions League. Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra (Coman 78); Tevez (Giovinco 87), Morata (Llorente 71) Sampdoria: Romero; Cacciatore, Gastaldello, Romagnoli, Regini; Rizzo, Palombo, Obiang (Duncan 83); Krsticic (Gabbiadini 46); Okaka (Bergessio 73), Eder Ref: Doveri http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA 1 - 1 Patrice Evra (12') Manolo Gabbiadini (51') Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria: Gabbiadini strikes to seal a point against champions Patrice Evra had put the Serie A leaders in front in the first half but their former striker arrowed a fine shot into the corner six minutes after the break. Dec 14, 2014 Juventus were denied by a former player on Sunday as Manolo Gabbiadini scored a fine equaliser to ensure a 1-1 draw for Sampdoria in Turin. Patrice Evra looked to have ensured the Turin club's extraordinary run of 25 home league wins in a row would continue with his first Juventus goal early on. But following a switch to 4-3-3, Sampdoria improved after the break and half-time substitute Gabbiadini scored a fine equaliser just six minutes into the second half. The striker provided a scoring touch against his old club to halt an incredible winning sequence, which also opens the door for Roma to close the gap on the champions. Massimiliano Allegri had seen his side's momentum falter of late. A six-match winning run was ended by a goalless draw at Fiorentina in their previous league outing before another stalemate against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League. Sinisa Mihajlovic's men meanwhile have forced their way into the fight for a spot in next season's Champions League, and are now unbeaten in six league matches. The champions started without the suspended Giorgio Chiellini, while Andrea Pirlo was rested following his midweek exertions. But neither was missed as the hosts were on the front foot from the first whistle with Mihajlovic's men almost immediately pegged back to their 18-yard line. The tone was set early as a string of dangerous crosses were sent into the Samp box in the first six minutes, Alvaro Morata heading one just wide from six yards. And any remaining fears of a third straight goalless draw were soon alleviated. Pirlo's replacement, Claudio Marchisio whipped in an inviting 12th-minute corner, which Evra rose highest to meet with his head and claim his first Juve goal. It was no less than the league leaders deserved, and with Sampdoria offering little by way of an attacking threat, the hosts eased off slightly and lost some of the pace that had characterised their early play. The visitors committed more men forward as half-time approached, winning two late corners, but a lack of cutting edge prevented them from truly threatening Gianluigi Buffon's goal. That improved finish to the first period had given Samp an injection of belief and they equalised soon after the break. Left-back Vasco Regini started a swift break forward after his goalkeeper Sergio Romero added to his growing collection of saves with a diving stop to deny Roberto Pereyra. The ball was soon at the feet of Gabbiadini on the right-hand side of the box and the forward cut in to curl a left-footed effort into the far corner. Juve piled on the pressure in search of a winner, introducing Fernando Llorente to spearhead a more direct approach. But Romero stood firm and Allegri even had Buffon to thank as he denied another fierce Gabbiadini effort at the other end which almost condemned his side to a first Serie A defeat at Juventus Stadium since January 2013 - when Samp were their opponents. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Patrice Evra Scores First Goal of His Juventus Career Against Sampdoria https://vine.co/v/O62mMHaxb5i Dec 14, 2014 Patrice Evra popped up with a few big goals for Manchester United, particularly in the latter stages of his career at Old Trafford. Well, now Juventus fans have finally got to see that aspect of his game. Evra put Juventus in front against Sampdoria on Sunday with a powerful downward header into the bottom corner of the net.

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA - Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri HT 1-0: Juventus in front against Sampdoria Dec 14, 2014 A goal from Patrice Evra has given Juventus a half-time lead over Sampdoria in this afternoon's Serie A clash in Turin. The hosts made the breakthrough on 12 minutes when Evra headed in his first goal for the club from a corner. Juve continued to dominate as Sampdoria were forced further back, and they nearly doubled their advantage 10 minutes later through Claudio Marchisio, but his effort from the edge of the box was kept out by goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Paul Pogba smashed an effort over the crossbar midway through the half, while Carlos Tevez was denied by Romero with 39 minutes played. Sampdoria carved out a rare chance in the final stages of the half, though Stefano Okak could only fire wide from 18 yards after the home side had failed to clear their lines. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Marotta on Tevez-Boca reunion Dec 14, 2014 Beppe Marotta insists Carlos Tevez is “in his natural habitat” at Juventus, but won’t rule out a return to Boca Juniors. The Bianconeri director was asked about the rumours sparked by Tevez’s brother, who wrote several posts on Twitter implying an imminent move to his old club Boca. “I have to say at this moment there is no reason for alarm, because he is very happy here, had the chance to rehabilitate himself as a professional and achieve great results as a consequence,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “In my view there’s no reason to think of a divorce. It’s only logical that an Argentinean man will sooner or later want to become a protagonist again in his own country.”

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA - Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Palombo: Everything Has Changed Since Last Win In Juventus Dec 14, 2014 Sampdoria’s Angelo Palombo has admitted that he has good memories of when they beat Juventus at Juventus Stadium in January 2013 but he admits that now everything is different to that day. The Blucerchiati on that occasion became the last team to beat the Bianconeri at home, courtesy of a brace from Mauro Icardi, however Juventus are currently on a 25 match winning streak at home in Serie A. “I think only a little of our last victory in Turin,” he said at a pre-match press conference on Saturday. “Everything has changed [since that game]. It is a good memory but I’d rather have new ones at the end of the game [today].” The 33-year-old has made well over 300 appearances for Sampdoria after joining from Fiorentina in 2002 and went on to make 22 international appearances for the Azzurri over a five year period. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA - Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Line-ups: Juventus-Sampdoria Dec 14, 2014 Leaders Juventus host fourth-placed Sampdoria in the early game, a fixture that traditionally has plenty of goals. It kicks off at 12.30 CET. Both these sides have suffered only one defeat in Serie A all season, so this is an extremely tough test for the Old Lady. Samp have been one of the surprise packages this term and were sitting pretty in fourth place going into this weekend, ahead of Napoli, Milan, Fiorentina and Inter. However, Juve’s problems with the Blucerchiati stretch back to January 6 2013, as that 2-1 result was the last time the hosts lost at the Juventus Stadium. That was followed by 32 wins and two draws with 82 goals scored and 15 conceded. The last five meetings between these sides have been spectacular with 23 goals overall, an average of 4.6 per match, including last season’s 4-2 thriller. Having said that, Juventus have drawn their last two games 0-0 against Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid. Stephan Lichtsteiner returns from suspension, but Giorgio Chiellini now sits out a ban with the injured Marco Storari, Kwadwo Asamoah, Martin Caceres, Andrea Barzagli, Luca Marrone and Romulo. Angelo Ogbonna therefore steps into the back four, with Alvaro Morata given a rare start in attack alongside Carlos Tevez. Andrea Pirlo is rested, as Claudio Marchisio returns after missing Atletico Madrid with flu symptoms. Sampdoria have Lorenzo De Silvestri suspended, Matias Silvestre, Gianluca Sansone and Pawel Wszolek sidelined. On the verge of a move to Napoli, Manolo Gabbiadini is again dropped to the bench in favour of Nenad Krsticic in a trequartista role behind Stefano Okaka and Eder. That means Roberto Soriano is also benched, as he's suffering from a fever. Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic said in his Press conference that Samp would be ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ in this match. He quoted a character in that spaghetti western classic stating he preferred to knock down the ‘big’ opponents, as they make more noise when they fall. Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra; Tevez, Morata Juventus bench: Rubinho, Audero, Pepe, Padoin, Pirlo, Mattiello, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente Sampdoria: Romero; Cacciatore, Gastaldello, Romagnoli, Regini; Rizzo, Palombo, Obiang; Krsticic; Okaka, Eder Sampdoria bench: Da Costa, Mesbah, Duncan, Fedato, Gabbiadini, Soriano, Djordjevic, Marchionni, Fornasier http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA - Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Eder: 'Samp not scared of Juve' Dec 14, 2014 Eder assures Sampdoria “will go to win, not clam up in defence and wait for Juventus” and has a message for “idol” Carlos Tevez. On paper this might seem a mismatch, but Samp are in fourth place ahead of giants like Napoli, Milan, Inter and Fiorentina. “We are perfectly ready for this,” striker Eder told Tuttosport. “We prepared for the game well and have no fear. “We will go to win, not clam up in defence and wait for Juventus. That is our philosophy, even knowing that they are the strongest team in Italy who have dominated Serie A for years. “We played Roma, who have a lot of possession, but the Bianconeri are more clinical. We have an ambitious target and we don’t want to fail it. “Tevez is extraordinary, a world class forward and has always been my idol since he played for Corinthians. It was 2005, I had just arrived in Italy with Empoli, but I already admired him. He is decisive even when he doesn’t score and that is his greatest strength. “Do I have a message for him? Yes. Carlitos, please, go easy on us...” Eder has scored four Serie A goals and provided two assists this season, while he also netted a hat-trick in the Coppa Italia. “The club has made it very clear I will not leave and I’m very happy about that. If some players do leave then it’ll be a shame, as we are creating something important here. The club is ambitious, so if someone does go then they’ll be suitably replaced.” Samp are flying high in fourth, but their city rivals Genoa are doing even better in third position. “I think this rivalry is good for the city, a sort of rebirth after so much suffering due to the floods. I think this is a very European city and we’ll do everything to ensure Samp get there too.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA - Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM Juventus stadium, Turin Referee: Daniele Doveri Juventus vs. Sampdoria Preview: Round 15 — Enjoying a Sunday matinee with Doria Dec 13, 2014 A quick look at the top four in the Serie A standings is half predictable, half "What the hell is going on here, people?" Juventus being atop the table isn't really a surprise to anybody who has any kind of calcio knowledge. Neither is Roma being just a couple of points behind the three-time defending Serie A champions. But that's when the predictability ends. In third? Genoa. In fourth? Sampdoria. Just like we drew it up! Or maybe not. Yeah, definitely not. That means Sampdoria's annual visit to Juventus Stadium has suddenly become a top of the table clash. Wait, what? No, you damn right, man. And with Roma playing high-flying Genoa, the Serie A weekend has become just that much more interesting. So you could say it's Serie A's No. 1 and No. 2 teams vs. the city of Genoa. Oh, what fun there could be! But our rooting interest involves the league's first- and fourth-place teams converging on the Juventus Stadium field for one of the last games before the holiday break arrives. And what a merry Christmas it would be if, say, Juventus went into the time of year where wear rip open boxes of presents winter champions once more. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "We can't let our guard down just because we've qualified for the UCL last 16." The man has a point, ya know. Juventus have two games left before the annual holiday break. And while this is a relatively surprising top four clash between Juve and Samp, it's a very good team who have been in the top half of the table all season long coming to Turin for a lunchtime kickoff. So grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee and watch Juve try and lock up the title of winter champion. Sounds like a nice thing to brag about during your company Christmas party again, huh. GOOD NEWS Juventus has qualified for the Round of 16 in the Champions League. They're at the top of the Serie A table through the first three months of the season. And they haven't lost a game in all competitions since they messed the bed against Genoa in October. Sounds like a good run of form to me, guys and gals. Another piece of good news: Claudio Marchisio, who missed the midweek Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid with the flu, gave himself a clean bill of health earlier in the week. That means he should be ready to play. Good times, good times. BAD NEWS While the injury list is shrinking, there are still the usual suspects out injured. That means no Andrea Barzagli, Martín Cáceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo. Gee, if I didn't know any better, I'd say I've typed out those names before... JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@OfficialAllegri: "On the injury front, Caceres not back yet plus @marcostorari30 needs a couple of days rest for a back problem." (And a selfish piece of bad news: Scroll down to the bottom of the preview and see what time kickoff is at for those of us who leave on the West Coast. This is one of those times where living in California isn't very enjoyable.) WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Does Manolo Gabbiadini actually play? By now, Gabbiadini — who is co-owned by Juventus and Sampdoria — being in negotiations over a potential transfer to Napoli this January isn't a secret to anybody. Things continue to progress as we make our way toward the opening of the latest transfer window next month. So, the question above stands. Does Gabbiadini actually play even though he's relatively close to a move to Napoli? Or, with Sampdoria playing so well this season, does Siniša Mihajlović roll out one of his best players not matter what is currently going on with Gabbiadini's potential move away from the club? It didn't stop the Samp manager from doing so in his team's last game, and the 23-year-old striker then went out to score a goal and set up another. If that's any hint as to where Mihajlović's thinking is, then I guess Juve's defense will have prepare for Manolo. 2. Can Juventus close the 2014 portion of their schedule with a bang? There's still one more game to go after this one before the holiday and new year break arrives. But for all intents and purposes, a game against an opponent in the top four has a little more priority than one that's currently sitting in the relegation zone like where the next round's challenger, Cagliari, currently resides. Based on the pure location of both Juventus and Sampdoria, this game is a big one. It doesn't have the Scudetto-laced storylines as Juventus-Roma, but it's still a meeting of Serie A's two most in-form clubs. That should be enough motivation right there for Juventus to do exactly what they've been doing the last six weeks — not lose. 3. #AlvaroMorataWatch2014 Ever since I wrote that Álvaro Morata should — and deserves to — get the chance to start on a regular basis, the young Spanish striker has played as many minutes on the field as any of us have. That's a big fat zero, with all of that playing time going to the other Spaniard on the Juventus roster. Is that a bad thing? Well, yes and no. Max Allegri is loyal to Fernando Llorente, and that's perfectly understandable. But Llorente has been struggling all season long in a different kind of role compared to his last season when he was one of the better strikers in Serie A. When will the landscape shift and give Morata at least one start? To be honest, I have absolutely no idea at this point. But as time goes by and Llorente continues to either a) not score goals or b) not contribute to goals being scored, then the clamoring for Morata to get playing time will only continue to grow. 4. Will the real Arturo Vidal please stand the heck up? In the grand scheme of things, the number of times King Arturo was linked with a move to Manchester United far outnumber the number of vintage Vidal performance we've seen. Even though he's played in 16 of Juventus' 20 games in all competitions this season, there have been few times where Vidal has truly looked like Vidal, let alone put really good performances on back-to-back appearances. This is the Vidal we've seen this season, one that is inconsistent at best and doesn't resemble the one of years past. As much as it could be natural, it's too convenient to not consider Vidal's pre-World Cup injuries at least playing some kind of role in what is going on now. There's one thing for certain, though: Out of all the Juventus players that need some rest over the holiday break, Vidal is probably close to the top of that list. 5. The Angelo Ogbonna-Leonardo Bonucci partnership in the center of the Juventus defense. Giorgio Chiellini needed a rest just by the sheer volume of games he's been playing lately. And now that he's missing tomorrow afternoon's game against Sampdoria thanks to his yellow card in the scoreless draw with Fiorentina, it's Ogbonna's time to step into the center of defense. This will be the first time Ogbonna has played alongside Bonucci since Allegri switched to a four-man backline, meaning this will be one of the few occasions the former Torino defender will get to be in the middle of a Juventus defense. Before then during Allegri's tenure as manager, we've mostly seen Ogbonna on the left or right of a 3-5-2 — which is not all to surprising considering Bonucci has been the main in the center of Juve's three-man defense when utilized. But now Ogbonna, who has been in extremely good form this season, will get the chance to partner with Bonucci against a Sampdoria side that is averaging a little over a goal per game so far this season. My starting XI (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Evra; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Tévez, Pereyra; Morata OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 12:30 P.M. IN ITALY; 6:30 A.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 3:30 A.M. ON THE WEST COAST http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111