Socrates

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Allegri: We played on an unfit pitch The Bianconeri boss lashed out at the playing surface and his troops for getting caught on the break in the dying seconds as they lost for the first time in Serie A this season. Oct 29, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri blasted the Luigi Ferraris pitch and his side's refusal to settle for a draw after Juventus suffered a shock 1-0 loss at Genoa on Wednesday night. The Bianconeri bossed the game in Liguria but suffered a first Serie A defeat of the season by conceding an injury-time goal to Luca Antonini. Allegri was furious that his side had been caught on the break in the dying seconds, particularly as he would have been more than happy with a point from a game staged on a poor playing surface. "We played on an unfit pitch," the former AC Milan boss told reporters. "One cannot play like this. "But we can only regret the last 30 seconds. To win the championship, you also need to draw games. One point can be difference between first and second. "We fought on level terms with Genoa but now this result must act as a lesson for us. "Tonight, between the posts, the crossbar and Mattia Perin's saves, we could have gone away with a 0-0 draw lamenting the fact that we didn't win. "Therefore, to have lost leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. But tonight we must grow in terms of our maturity level. "But there are still a lot of games to go. We've not ruined anything. A draw would have been important, as it was at Sassuolo. "We thought only of going for the winning goal but in football it's also important to know how to defend. "That kind of risk should not be there, particularly 30 seconds from the end. "But we must take the positives. It wasn't a knockout game and we're not out of anything." Juve's defeat at Genoa allowed Roma to draw level on points with the Old Lady at the summit of the Serie A standings thanks to a 2-0 win over Cesena at the Stadio Olimpico. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Player Ratings Genoa 1-0 Juventus Oct 29, 2014 Genoa defeated Juventus 1-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris thanks to a goal in the third minute of stoppage time by Luca Antonini. Juventus had several opportunities to take the lead throughout the game, but were continually stymied by poor shooting and Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin. Second half substitute Antonini made sure all three points went to the home side as he tapped in a pass from Alessandro Matri; though replays showed Antonini may have been offside. Did we get our ratings right? Let us know in the comments below. Genoa Mattia Perin – 8 – Brilliant - Great save from a Carlos Tevez strike in first half. Outstanding when called upon. Denied Morata to keep Genoa’s hopes alive. Giovanni Marchese – 6 – Challenger - Put in some strong challenges. Had a strong cross that Juve only just dealt with in the second half as he got into the attack. Nicolas Burdisso – 6 – Stopper - Took Llorente out of the game and played a solid 90 minutes. Sebastien De Maio – 6 – Clever - Made good defensive decisions but was helped by poor Juventus finishing. Aleandro Rosi – 6 – Silencer - Silenced Asamoah for most of the night. Did little in the attack, but defended well. Luca Antonelli – 6 – Defended - Passing is not his strong suit and he had a poor night in this area. Made up for it by slowing down Juventus’ attack. Rolando Mandragora - 6.5 – The future - The 17-year-old had a solid debut. Didn’t do much to stand out above the rest of the Genoa team, however he looks like he will be a valuable player in the future. Leonardo Greco – 6.5 – Link - A solid game from the ex-Roma man as he played a valuable role in Genoa’s central midfield. Andrea Bertolacci – 6.5 – Dangerous - Has improved his performances in recent weeks. A good night from the play-maker. Diego Perotti – 4.5 – Anonymous - Did absolutely nothing on the night. Never got a cross in, never challenged a defender. Last ten minutes of the game were his best. Mauricio Pinilla – 5.5 – Alone - Limited service on the night. Lost the ball too easily when he did get it, but had little support against Juve’s back three. Substitutes Juraj Kucka – 5 – Dull - Despite his experience, wasn’t much of an upgrade to Mandragora. Luca Antonini – 8 – Genoa hero - Unexpectedly got the game winner in a short cameo appearance. Alessandro Matri – 6 - Came on later than expected. Set up Antonini for the winner. Juventus Gianluigi Buffon – 5.5 – Ill-timed - Had little to do in his 500th appearance, but when he did he conceded. Angelo Ogbonna – 6.5 – Ball winner - Won the aerial battles against Pinilla all night. Leonardo Bonucci – 6 – Solid - Defended well, but missed several headed chances on Juventus corners. Giorgio Chiellini – 6 – Rock - Made a few powerful runs into the attacking third of Genoa. Defended solidly, but was goaded into some silly fouls. Stephan Lichtsteiner – 5.5 – Tired - Not as rampant up the wing as he typically is. Still pushed the Genoa wing-backs into their defensive third. Arturo Vidal – 5 – Quiet - Caught on the ball a few times, looked slow and lethargic. Not a typical Vidal night. Claudio Marchisio – 6 – Smooth - Won some important fouls, ran the Juventus midfield. Paul Pogba – 6.5 – Cool - Good when on the ball, but didn’t get forward enough. Kwadwo Asamoah – 6 – Runner - Ran his socks off on the left wing. Continually took Aleandro Rosi out of the Genoa attack. Fernando Llorente – 5- Poor - Faded in and out of the game. Never made a real impact. Heavy touch all night. Carlos Tevez – 7 – Industrious - Typical Tevez night. Didn’t get a lot of service, but saw more of the ball when paired with Morata rather than Llorente. Substitutes Alvaro Morata – 6.5 – Improvement - A better performance than Llorente’s. Made Juventus exponentially better in attack. Roberto Pereyra – 5 – Average - Failed to impact the game as a substitute. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juve's Overconfidence Backfires vs. Genoa Oct 29, 2014 Juventus travelled to Genoa on Wednesday evening, the Italian champions knowing they had opened up a three-point lead over the rest of Serie A. Their 2-0 win over Palermo on Sunday stretched the gap to nearest rivals AS Roma, but the Bianconeri were aware they were facing a difficult opponent. The Grifone began the day in ninth place, losing just twice so far in 2014-15 and unbeaten in their three previous fixtures. Massimiliano Allegri was prepared for a tough encounter, noting in his pre-match press conference that “Genoa are a team which has lost only once in the last seven games,” per the club’s official website. The coach went on to add that they “play attractive football, like to attack and show decent movement up front” under former Juve youth team boss Gian Piero Gasperini. With Alessandro Matri telling La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport the Genoa fans would be “a weapon on our side,” (h/t Football Italia), the Bianconeri faced a difficult test. Eventually that would prove to be the case, the home side netting an injury time winner, leaving the Turin giants hugely disappointed to have failed to meet that challenge. Over the following pages in a look at the winners and losers from the match, focusing on the performances of some key individuals. Winner: Gigi Buffon (Juventus) The storyline in the build-up to the game was undoubtedly the fact it represented Gigi Buffon’s 500th appearance for Juventus, becoming only the fourth player in history to surpass that milestone. The club captain moved to Turin back in 2001, his £32.6 million transfer fee still a record sum for a goalkeeper. He enjoyed a relatively quiet match, Genoa rarely getting forward and mustering only three shots on target during the 90 minutes. The result may not have gone his way, but Buffon should still be proud of his incredible achievement. Winner: Mattia Perin (Genoa) If Buffon deserves credit for his remarkable career, his opposite number draws praise for his performance on the night. Mattia Perin made a string of saves to deny Juventus, turning in an excellent display in front of the Italy legend. While Gasperini was reluctant to compare the two goalkeepers, he did praise Perin at his pre-match press conference. The Genoa coach told reporters (h/t Football Italia) that the 21-year-old was “a real protagonist in Serie A.” Winner: Rolando Mandragora (Genoa) While their was a familiar air to the Juventus line-up, Gasperini sprung a major surprise by opting to start Rolando Mandragora in midfield for Genoa. In making his debut against the reigning champions, the 17-year-old became the youngest player to feature in Serie A this term. He did well too, WhoScored showing he made four tackles and one interception, and won two aerial duels. Certainly a player to watch as the season unfolds, he looks like a promising prospect in midfield. Loser: Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus) Had Perin not been in such great form, Juventus would surely have emerged from this encounter with all three points. Sadly for them he was, and the blame for this defeat is likely to fall upon the shoulders of Massimiliano Allegri. The Juventus boss has continued to persevere with the 3-5-2 formation so beloved by Antonio Conte, but within that framework the team appears to lack a cutting edge. He switched to a 4-2-3-1 against Palermo and instantly saw a much more potent looking attack, yet retreated for the familiar shape here once again. The change away from the back three seems essential, and the 47-year-old can expect to be heavily criticised in the coming days. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Genoa 1 - Juventus 0: Initial reaction and random observations Oct 29, 2014 There's no really take time relax and take in a long introduction, so I'll just describe Juventus' game against Genoa in one handy two-second long video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs7PmoHpNhA And, for the record, this video was placed in this here post before Juventus allowed Genoa to score virtually out of nothing in the 93 minute and steal all three points. But now that we know that Genoa handed Juventus their first loss of the season with a last-gasp goal — offsides, by the way — the above video seems a little more appropriate. Are these kind of nights going to happen to every club sooner or later? Yeah, probably, no matter how much we dislike it. For some clubs, like those who will be battling relegation each and every season, it's much more of a regular occurrence than top-of-the-table teams like Juventus. But Juventus had been seemingly asking for it with how poorly they played against Genoa all night. Juve were bad, really bad. In short: Juventus shouldn't have lost, but with the way they played, they deserved to. And guess what? They did lose. They way they've been playing lately, they deserved to lose. You can only play with fire for so long and not get torched by it. That's what happened to Juventus Wednesday night, and I'm probably the only one who isn't all that surprised. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "You can't concede in the last 30 seconds. We need to take heed of tonight's result and learn from it." I agree, Max. Now go out and prove your words have meaning. Random thoughts and observations I'll just go ahead and say what I did on the BWRAO Twitter account right after the game: Maybe Juventus shouldn't play like absolute dog (crap) so that these kind of things aren't even possible. Just an idea. This is the fourth straight game coming out of the international break where Juve haven't looked very good at all. Let's just go ahead and say it: They need something to try and get the good vibes going again. Maybe it's a shift in tactics and formation — OMG 3-5-2 vs. 4-3-3 debate returns! — or maybe it's just a swift kick in the ass, I don't know. But something needs to change because the current formula has the most talented team in Serie A playing well under its potential. Like not even close to it. If Álvaro Morata isn't one of Juventus' starting strikers this weekend — and for the immediate future after the visit to Empoli, too — then there's going to be some hell to pay. Take a gander at the way Juventus' attack looked before Morata came on and after Fernando Llorente was subbed off for his fellow Spaniard. I am not ashamed to admit it: Consider me a Mattia Perin fanboy. That save on Morata in the second half was simply superb. The guy is definitely the future of Italian goalkeeping, but he's not too bad in the present, either. Did anybody see Arturo Vidal do anything today? I mean, he was in the starting lineup, but I didn't see him doing much of anything at all out there. Juventus were clearly struggling and Allegri made one sub (Morata) through the first 75 minutes of Wednesday night's loss. It's not like I've got any offers to manage in Serie A or anything, but one could surmise by watching Juventus' performance against Genoa that they need some kind of spark. And that's more than just bringing on Morata in the second half. Much, much more. Maybe it's just me, but as that game went on, it cried out for Andrea Pirlo. Juventus were struggling in midfield and the only change was to bring on Roberto Pereyra with less than 10 minutes to go. Don't know about that one, Max. What a way for Gigi Buffon to ring in his 500th Juventua appearance. He barely does anything all game and then sees his defense absolutely lose its mind and concede a goal with less than a minute remaining. I think Buffon's face as he shook hands with players after the game said it all. Juventus is still atop the Serie A table. Hey, that's some good news in case you thought this post was just hundreds of words put together into setences courtesy of a venting writer. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Allegri: 'Juve should've held on' Oct 29, 2014 Max Allegri told off Juventus for their last-gasp defeat to Genoa, which put Roma on a par with the Serie A leaders. “We played on a simply awful pitch. You cannot play football on that field. Secondly, the only thing my team got was in the final 20 seconds,” he told Sky Sport Italia after the 1-0 result at Marassi. “I have said before that Scudetti are also earned with draws. We fought hard and tried everything to win, but we can’t concede right at the death. To win the title you don’t need 108 points, but just one more than the team in second place. “Do everything to win, but if you hit the woodwork, see some great saves and are 30 seconds from the end, try not to lose. “We leave here with regrets, as we were six against two on that counter and conceded a goal. That has to make us think and improve in terms of maturity.” Juve have a poor away record recently, drawing 1-1 at Sassuolo, losing at Genoa and defeated 1-0 in both Champions League games outside Turin. “I am not worried, despite the statistics. Against Sassuolo we did everything possible and a draw can happen, tonight we did everything and conceded right at the end. “We had a good advantage of three points, especially as we have the head-to-head in our favour, so we should’ve controlled that advantage better. “Just as it was an important point against Sassuolo, we should’ve picked up an important point here. When Genoa had the ball, we should’ve focused on defending, not trying to create another chance to go forward. I hope this can serve as a lesson for the future, as it’s practically impossible to win every game, so every point counts.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Luca Antonini's late winner helps Genoa upset Juventus Oct 29, 2014 Luca Antonini scored deep into stoppage-time as Genoa spoiled Gianluigi Buffon's 500th appearance for Juventus with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris. The 36-year-old goalkeeper was wearing a special armband to commemorate the milestone but was largely untroubled until Antonini bundled home at the death to hand the home side a dramatic victory and end Juve's unbeaten start to the Serie A season. Angelo Ogbonna hit the post for Juve in the second half and substitute Alvaro Morata had two good late chances but the champions never hit full stride and were punished as Roma's win against Cesena saw their advantage at the summit disappear. Juventus had most of the early possession and had the first real chance as a corner was cleared but only as far as Stephan Lichsteiner whose shot from distance took a deflection off Giovanni Marchese and dipped just over the bar. Genoa were proving to be more than mere spectators, though, and had a chance of their own moments later when Andrea Bertolacci provided a diagonal ball into the box which a stretching Mauricio Pinilla just failed to get a foot to. Juve were beginning to find their feet and Carlos Tevez tested Mattia Perin as he cut in from the left and unleashed a curling shot which the goalkeeper saw behind. Moments later it was Fernando Llorente worrying the home side when he gathered the ball with his back to goal but did well to turn and beat his man and get a shot away which hit the outside of the post. Paul Pogba, this week nominated for the Ballon d'Or, then unleashed a shot from all of 25 yards but it flew high and wide as the teams went into the break level. The visitors continued to have more of the ball in the early stages of the second half but Genoa did well to stifle them and they were limited to two Leonardo Bonucci headers from corners that missed the target. Buffon had had little to do on his big night but was alert to tip over a long-range half-volley before Juve found another gear. First Tevez did well to wriggle free of his marker and fire a shot over before substitute Morata was brilliantly challenged by 17-year-old debutant Rolando Mandragora when he was about to pull the trigger from 12 yards. And moments later they had the best chance of the lot as a dinked ball over the top found Ogbonna who was just onside but the centre-half saw his hook over Perin come back off the post. Both sides looked to be struggling for inspiration as the game entered its final moments but with seven minutes remaining Morata burst down the left and brought a smart save out of Perin from a tight angle. Morata had an even better chance two minutes from time as a Tevez backheel found him eight yards out but Perin made the save of the night to help set up a stunning finish. Bertolacci's ball forward was gathered by Alessandro Matri and he squared for Antonini who bundled the ball over the line to send the home crowd into raptures. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Genoa 1-0 Juventus: Antonini Ends Old Lady’s Unbeaten Run At The Death Oct 29, 2014 Genoa beat Juventus 1-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday evening in Serie A action. Juventus were looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season at the summit of the league table, while Genoa were looking to consolidate their position in the top half of the table after an optimistic start to the season. However, it was Genoa who took all three points in the last minute of stoppage time as Alessandro Matri cut back for Luca Antonini to easily finish into the back of an empty net. Both sides looked positive in the early exchanges of possession although both sides struggled to command a presence in the final third. Juventus’ Stephan Lichtsteiner had the first attempt of goal with a his shot taking a dangerous deflection, resulting in the ball dipping towards Mattia Perin’s goal, although the shot dipped too late to test the young ‘keeper. Andrea Bertolacci got forward well from midfield for the home side and turned under pressure from the Juventus defence and nearly found the foot of Mauricio Pinilla but with the Chilean stretching to make contact, the ball drifted out of play. As the first half progressed the home side gained momentum and held spells of dominance, however against the run of play, Paul Pogba found Carlos Tevez free on the left flank and Argentinian stuck the palms of Perin with a curling effort from the edge of the box before ball was cleared to safety at the expence of a corner. Kwadwo Asamoah found Fernando Llorente in the middle of the Genoa box and the Spainiard showed great strength to turn Nicolas Burdisso, coming close after hitting the outside of the post with a low drive. Diego Perotti gathered the ball on the right flank for the Griffone and crossed to find Bertolacci free on the edge of the box but could not make a clean contract with the ball as the ball was scuffed towards goal. Pogba looked lively in the centre of midfield and ran past debutant Rolando Mandragora, shooting from range as his shot sailed high and wide as the Old Lady gained momentum in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Leonardo Bonucci had an opportunity from a free kick in a promising area but his effort was poor and was deflected out for a corner which was easily cleared by the Genoa defence as Juventus continued to lack the cutting edge in front of goal. The defender should have hit the target again early in the first half with a free header following a corner but headed wide when the ball should have nestled into the top corner. Genoa continued to frustrate Juventus as the Bianconeri struggled to break down the Rossoblu defence, with the home side nearly finding the net if Perotti could have made contact with a Luca Antonelli cross. Gianluigi Buffon, who was making his 500th league appearance for the Bianconeri, remained untested until the 63rd minute with a long range effort being easily tipped over by the 36-year-old veteran. Juventus moved up a gear and hit the bar when the ball fell to Angelo Ogbonna, breaking the offside trap following a corner, but lifted the ball over Perin and onto the bar before the 21-year-old goalkeeper pounced on the loose ball. Genoa dropped deeper as the Old Lady fought to take the lead and Perin again came to the rescue, saving an effort from Alvaro Morata who shot from a tight angle. Perin saved superbly again just moments later with a reflex save from Morata, tipping the ball over the bar from a powerful shot. Genoa dramatically won the game with the last kick of the match when Matri managed to cut back to find Antonini free in the box, finishing comfortably into the empty net. The result sees Juventus’ unbeaten record come to an end as Roma move level at the top. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Benvenuti nello staff, colleghi!

http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie_a/2014/10/29-83541_0/FOTO+Juve+sconfitta+a+Genova%3A+la+beffa+nel+finale+è+firmata+Antonini http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/o5eK3cMU8VK/Genoa+CFC+v+Juventus+FC/qdMtmUB3ZsU

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus crash in Genoa Juventus suffered their first defeat of the season, falling at the death to Genoa despite dominating the match. Oct 29, 2014 The Bianconeri were seeking a boost on their travels after a 1-1 at Sassuolo and two consecutive Champions League defeats. Gigi Buffon wore a special armband to mark his 500th official game in a Juventus jersey, but Andrea Barzagli, Patrice Evra, Martin Caceres and Simone Pepe were injured. Genoa missed Tomas Rincon and Ioannis Fetfatzidis, but made some very surprising decisions. Mauricio Pinilla was preferred to Alessandro Matri and 17-year-old Rolando Mandragora got his Serie A debut. The pitch at Marassi was still in dire condition after recent floods in the city that left one man dead and many homeless. Mattia Perin got down for a crucial one-handed save on Carlos Tevez after Leandro Greco accidentally sparked a Paul Pogba counter-attack. Juve dominated possession, but struggled to break through. Fernando Llorente clipped the outside of the near post after spinning on the spot, while after the restart Leonardo Bonucci’s header skimmed the woodwork. Genoa came out of their shell as the game wore on and Buffon had to palm a strange Giovanni Marchese lob out from under the bar. However, Angelo Ogbonna sprung the offside trap and incredibly toe-poked it on to the woodwork from 10 yards. Alvaro Morata came off the bench and made an immediate impact, twice forcing Perin into spectacular saves – one at the near post and a brilliant one-handed stop at the top corner. Just as Genoa seemed content to hold on for dear life, they snatched victory at the death. It was a counter-attack and the Alessandro Matri cross went past Buffon, allowing Luca Antonini to bundle over the line from point-blank range! Genoa: Perin; Marchese, De Maio, Burdisso; Rosi (Antonini 81), Mandragora (Kucka 69), Greco, Antonelli, Bertolacci; Pinilla (Matri 87), Perotti Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal (Pereyra 80), Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente (Morata 65) Ref: Mazzoleni http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 L. Antonini 90'+ Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Genoa 1-0 Juventus: Champions' unbeaten start comes to an end Luca Antonini scored in the dying minutes to give the home side the victory and ensure the visitors' winning run came to an end. Oct 29, 2014 Genoa shocked Juventus 1-0 to hand the champions their first league loss since March and sour Gianluigi Buffon's 500th Serie A appearance. Luca Antonini bundled the winner home from six yards in the 94th minute and, with just 20 seconds of stoppage time remaining, there was no way back for Massimiliano Allegri's men. Genoa substitute Alessandro Matri - formerly of Juve - drew the attention of two defenders and cut-back to the unmarked Antonini, who saw his unconvincing effort hit the back of the net despite the best efforts of the desperate visitors. It was a cruel way for Buffon's milestone match to end as a tired Juve lost just their second league match of 2014. Juve were twice denied by the woodwork on Wednesday, with Fernando Llorente firing into the base of the left post midway through the first half. Defender Angelo Ogbonna lifted over Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin in the 70th minute, but saw his effort hit the post after the hosts were caught napping at the back. And those close-calls came back to haunt Juve - playing their fourth match in 12 days - as Antonini netted a dramatic winner. Juventus remain top of the league, but second-placed Roma beat Cesena to join them on 22 points. Buffon wore a special captain's armband that simply read '500' for a Juventus side which brought Paul Pogba and Stephan Lichtsteiner back to the starting line up, while Matri started on the bench for the hosts - despite scoring in their 2-1 win at Chievo on Sunday. After a slow start, Juve - controlling possession - finally turned the screw in the 22nd minute, as Carlos Tevez cut inside and forced a good save from Perin when he tried to fire into the bottom-right corner. Llorente was next to go close, but shot into the woodwork after showing good control to shield an opponent. Tevez and Pogba saw efforts from distance go wide as half-time approached and the off-target efforts continued after the break, with Lichtsteiner and Leonardo Bonucci the next culprits. Buffon made his first save of the night in the 64th minute, tipping a swerving Giovanni Marchese effort over the bar, while at the other end, substitute Alvaro Morata played in Tevez - only for him to smash over from 20 yards. Ogbonna then had his near miss after he reacted quickest to a header back into the box, only to see his effort come back off the post. Morata forced a tidy stop from Perin from an acute angle in the 84th minute, and the goalkeeper went one better as the final whistle approached, reacting quickly to excellently tip another effort from the Spaniard over. And Perin's saves proved crucial as his side stormed forward in the dying minutes, with Matri squaring it to Antonini who was able to knock it home for his first league goal of the season and give Genoa a famous win. Juve's first league defeat of the season coupled with Roma's 2-0 win over Cesena on the same night sees the two teams level on points at the top of the Italian top flight. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Il calcio é cosí, purtroppo stavolta ci é andata male a noi.

Roma 2 - 0 Cesena

Perin salva per ora il Genoa.

Matri con i capelli corti.

Genoa alle corde

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni HT 0-0: Woodwork denies Juve Oct 29, 2014 Genoa are frustrating Juventus at half-time, holding out thanks to Mattia Perin and the woodwork. The Bianconeri were seeking a boost on their travels after a 1-1 at Sassuolo and two consecutive Champions League defeats. Gigi Buffon wore a special armband to mark his 500th official game in a Juventus jersey, but Andrea Barzagli, Patrice Evra, Martin Caceres and Simone Pepe were injured. Genoa missed Tomas Rincon and Ioannis Fetfatzidis, but made some very surprising decisions. Mauricio Pinilla was preferred to Alessandro Matri and 17-year-old Rolando Mandragora got his Serie A debut. The pitch at Marassi was still in dire condition after recent floods in the city that left one man dead and many homeless. Mattia Perin got down for a crucial one-handed save on Carlos Tevez after Leandro Greco accidentally sparked a Paul Pogba counter-attack. Juve dominated possession, but struggled to break through. Fernando Llorente clipped the outside of the near post after spinning on the spot. Genoa 0-0 Juventus (Half-Time) Genoa: Perin; Marchese, De Maio, Burdisso; Rosi, Mandragora, Greco, Antonelli, Bertolacci; Pinilla, Perotti Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente Ref: Mazzoleni http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Genoa start 17-year-old Mandragora Oct 29, 2014 Gian Piero Gasperini pulled a huge surprise on Juventus, starting 17-year-old Rolando Mandragora on his Serie A debut. The match kicks off tonight at 19.45 GMT, click here for the line-ups. Nobody expected Mandragora to be in the starting XI at Marassi for this huge game, but Gasperini has taken a gamble on the young Italian. Born in Scampia, the most impoverished and notorious quarter of Naples, he only turned 17 on June 29 and is therefore the youngest player to feature in Serie A this season. He is a midfielder in the Thiago Motta vein, so Gasperini hopes to bring back some of that magic from his previous Genoa side. Rolly comes from a football family, as his father is the technical director of the Naples football school owned by Paolo and Fabio Cannavaro. Despite that, he was turned down in trials with Juventus, Roma, Palermo and Atalanta at the age of 13. Genoa promoted him to the senior squad over the summer and he is being thrown straight in at the deep end against the Serie A leaders. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Team News: Juventus make two changes Oct 29, 2014 Juventus manager Massimo Allegri has made two changes to his side for this evening's Serie A match against Genoa. Paul Pogba and Stephan Lichtsteiner both return to the starting lineup after featuring from the bench in Sunday's 2-0 win against Palermo. Meanwhile, Mauricio Pinilla leads the Genoa attack after scoring the winner for his side in their 2-1 win against Chievo at the weekend. Diego Perotti will join him up front, but on-loan AC Milan striker Alessandro Matri drops to the bench. Genoa: Perin, De Maio, Burdisso, Marchese, Antonelli, Greco, Mandragora, Rosi, Bertolacci, Pinilla, Perotti Juventus: Buffon, Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah, Tevez, Llorente http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Line-ups: Genoa-Juventus Oct 29, 2014 Juventus mark a Gigi Buffon milestone and Gian Piero Gasperini surprises in a tricky trip to Genoa. Last season this game was decided by a last-gasp Andrea Pirlo free kick to break hearts at Marassi, but the veteran midfielder is rested with Claudio Marchisio taking on his deep-lying playmaker position. Juve are three points clear at the top of the table, but confidence is still shaky after two consecutive Champions League defeats and a 1-1 draw at Sassuolo in their last Serie A away game. Andrea Barzagli, Patrice Evra, Martin Caceres and Simone Pepe are out of action. Buffon will be wearing a special captain’s armband to mark his 500th appearance in a Juventus jersey and does so against the club he supported as a child. Genoa miss Ioannis Fetfatzidis and Tomas Rincon, but fought back on Sunday for a 2-1 victory away to 10-man Chievo. Alessandro Matri was on target, but is surprisingly benched in favour of Mauricio Pinilla against his former club and the Coach he worked with at both Cagliari and Milan. It was Massimiliano Allegri who tempted Matri away from Turin to join Milan, though the striker has been on a series of disappointing loan spells ever since. Stefano Sturaro failed a fitness test, a disappointment as Juventus bought him in July and immediately handed the midfielder back to Genoa on loan. A huge shock from Gasperini is picking 17-year-old Rolando Mandragora from the start in his Serie A debut. The pitch at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris is still in very poor condition after recent flash floods in the city that killed one man near the stadium and left many homeless. Genoa: Perin; Marchese, De Maio, Burdisso, Rosi, Mandragora, Greco, Antonelli, Bertolacci, Pinilla, Perotti Genoa bench: Kucka, Mussis, Lestienne, Antonini, Sommariva, Falque, Matri, Lamanna, Edenilson, Roncaglia, Izzo Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Romulo, Marrone, Padoin, Pirlo, Mattiello, Pereyra, Morata, Coman, Giovinco http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Brazil Legend Cafu Congratulates Buffon On 500th Juventus Appearance Oct 29, 2014 Brazilian legend Cafu has congratulated Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on his 500th appearance for the Bianconeri. Should the Italy No.1 play against Genoa on Wednesday evening, he will reach a milestone in his Juventus career. “Congratulations Gianluigi Buffon. He will play his 500th game tonight for Juventus. A living legend,” the former AC Milan and Roma full-back wrote on his Twitter account . Cafu, who has won the World Cup, Copa America, Champions League, Cup Winners’ Cup and two Serie A titles, face Buffon on many occasions during his playing career.

Diamonds are forever, sometimes Dave Taylor believes Paul Pogba certainly deserves his wage increase at Juventus, but wonders what the future will bring. Oct 29, 2014 “Just signed my new contract with Juventus and I want to thank the club for the trust and the tifosi for their support,” wrote Paul Pogba to his 1.28m Twitter followers last Monday. It was a message that reiterated the statement from Juve’s director general Giuseppe Marotta ahead of the shareholders’ general assembly last week: “Before coming to see you we signed a renewal with Pogba until 2019.” Perhaps a tad presumptive by a couple of days but there is no doubt that Marotta was warning any would-be suitors that if they are intent on taking the club’s best young player they will have to pay an appropriate price. He was certainly stating the obvious as, no longer a diamond in the rough, Juve’s glittering young gem has immaculately polished up and has displayed the many facets of his skills since joining the Old Lady. By rewarding him with a reported €75,000-a-week, Juve have demonstrated to the Best Young Player at last summer’s World Cup that he is now a vital and integral part of their future. The deal also apparently includes bonuses for personal and team gains until 2019. “We deem the wage increase appropriate to Pogba’s value. There are no release clauses because we intend to keep him for a long time,” Marotta commented also. This was a rejoinder of his earlier statement that Juve had turned down several lucrative offers for Pogba in the summer. The confidence shown in him by Juventus is the opposite of what the youngster says his former club Manchester United showed him after being offered a new contract. “I didn’t want to sign a contract as Ferguson [sir Alex, United’s then manager] didn’t play me, even though there were no midfielders there,” Pogba has previously commented. “He obviously thought I didn’t deserve the contract I asked for. I told him ‘If I don’t play then I can’t get any experience and see how far I have to go’.” He stuck at it for a while, sat on the United bench with the much-hyped return of the veteran midfielder Paul Scholes in his position, and obviously thought that was the final straw, a Ferguson kick-in-the-teeth to the highly promising youngster. Thankfully for world football, France and most of all Juve, the brilliant young Pogba seemed to have the confidence in his own innate talent to succeed anyway, regardless of the Premier League club’s input, and it proved the right decision. Now two Scudetti and a highly successful World Cup later, he is earning big money, has a guaranteed first team place and the potential to join the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic et al as one of the world’s biggest talents. For the present the exhilarating midfielder appears very happy working and living in Turin and feels he can only become a better player if he stays where he is: “I am happy at Juventus. I have already told you that.” Yet his agent Mino Raiola offered this just before his extension: “We are very happy and Juventus stated they don’t want to sell him. He knows he can stay at Juve and be happy here, but in football you can never say never.” Of course being the sort of voracious agent that he is, he has to put in a rider, but Bianconeri fans hope that any move is some way in the future. Yet the facts are that the extension and wage rise indicate his star and his value are on the up, no doubt just as his ambition is. Juve now need to walk a fine line, a balancing act to make sure they appear in the final stages of the Champions league to fulfil Pogba’s and their fans wishes. And as indications from the start to their European campaign this term have shown, that may only be possible by bringing in new players. If they need to sell to raise funds for such investment, there are only one or two players who can fetch really big money and we all know who they are…

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Gasperini: Coaching At Juventus Helped Me Shape My Genoa Team Oct 29, 2014 Genoa tactician Gian Piero Gasperini is grateful for his experiences running youth team at Juventus, which he says have helped him mould his side. The coach has fond memories of his time with the Bianconeri during the 1970s and is convinced this is the secret of his own success. “Incredible training facilities and an impressive work ethic is Juve’s real strength,” explained Gasperini in an interview with Tuttosport. “Thanks to this [experience], I have been able to rebuild Genoa.” The Grifone coach also brushed off issues he has had with some sections of the Genoa faithful. “On Wednesday I’m certain I will see all the things that I like about this club, including the fans. They have never insisted on winning, just that we give a great performance as we did last year.” Genoa face Juventus at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Wednesday evening, having lost just once in their last five matches. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Trap: You can’t always be beautiful Oct 29, 2014 Giovanni Trapattoni is the latest former Juventus Coach to defend Massimiliano Allegri, following Alberto Zaccheroni and Marcello Lippi. Allegri replaced Antonio Conte on the Juventus bench this summer, and despite the Old Lady sitting top of Serie A, has come in for criticism for perceived poor performances. Trapattoni spent 10 enormously successful years on the Bianconero bench, winning six Scudetti and the European Cup, and the veteran Coach believes Allegri is right when he says you don’t win titles by playing well every week. “You can only make wine with the grapes you have available,” Il Trap has explained to Tuttosport. “You can’t always be beautiful. “Max is right, it’s hard to win Championships by playing well throughout. The Coach can’t always guarantee a spectacle. “The recipe for success is to change from time-to-time, like a chameleon to reach your goal. “Sacchi’s Milan - and it’s a compliment to Arrigo - they won while also offering great entertainment. In a different way, my Inter and my Juve with Platini and Boniek also produced great football. “But it’s not always the case, especially if you don’t have a [Lionel] Messi or a Cristiano Ronaldo in your team. “Tactics count, but it’s more down to the players you have available. “Also we have to be clear what we mean by ‘entertainment’ - I like shots on goal. I get excited when I see saves and goals. “Sterile possession for 40-50 minutes doesn’t excite me.”

GENOA - JUVENTUS - Wednesday, October 29th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Luigi Ferraris Stadium, Genoa Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Bertolacci: Genoa Can Beat Juventus Oct 29, 2014 Genoa midfielder Andrea Bertolacci believes that Genoa can beat Italian champions Juventus. In last season’s corresponding fixture Genoa were beaten by Juve 1-0 thanks to a last minute Andrea Pirlo freekick, but Bertolacci thinks they can go one better on Wednesday evening. “We will need luck on our side but we can beat Juve.” Bertolacci told Tuttomercatoweb “Last season Buffon saved a penalty and there was a moment of magic by Pirlo late on that denied us. “Compared to last season we are a better team, certainly in terms of attack. “To close the technical gap between the two teams we have to have more appetite than them and play as a team. “We are preparing mentally and physically, in the knowledge that we will have to face the Italian champions. “Even though Juve lost Conte this season they still have a great coach in Allegri and I do not think they are any weaker.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111