Socrates

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Barreto eyes Juve upset Oct 24, 2014 Edgar Barreto thinks that Palermo have the tools to halt the record Juventus winning streak at home. The Uruguayan midfielder missed out Palermo’s 2-1 win over Cesena through injury, but he is ready to slot back in the starting XI in Turin. “We’ll face a very strong team in a wonderful stadium,” Barreto told Sky Sport Italia. “But despite this, we’ll try to have our say, taking advantage of the spaces they will concede.” Palermo have a surprising recent record in Turin against Juve, winning three consecutive visits from 2009 to 2011, but Barreto is aware that times are changing. In fact, the Bianconeri have won their last 22 games played at home, a Serie A record. “To be honest that was a different Juve side – in this case history says something, but reality suggests otherwise. “We are aware that we’ll be facing a team angry for the defeat in Athens. “But we’ll go there heads down and why not, we’ll try to snatch a draw in Turin.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Asamoah: Juventus Must Find Rhythm Again Oct 24, 2014 Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah has admitted that the Old Lady haven’t been in the best form as of late and hopes the Turin giants can turn their luck around against Palermo at home on Sunday. Since returning from the most recent international break the Bianconeri have been unimpressive in both Italy and Europe, as they were only able to manage a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo on October 18 and fell 1-0 to Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday, but the 25-year-old is confident that the reigning Serie A champions can improve as long as they remain competitive and change their attitude. Asamoah spoke to JTV on Friday about the upcoming match with Palermo and what Juve need to do in order to secure better results, while also commenting on why he wears the number 22 on his shirt. “We want to win against Palermo on Sunday in order to stay on top of the standings,” said the Ghanaian international. “We’re aware that we can get past these recent struggles and win, but first we must change our attitude and our aggression. “In the Champions League we’ve been going up against very strong teams. We have to be aware of our strengths and continue to grow from the first minute of every match. “All of our opponents are formidable, but in the Serie A it’s difficult as the teams are compact in their defence. “Anything can happen in the Serie A, but in the end everything depends on us. After the international break we have lost our rhythm a bit, so we must find it again immediately. “My shirt number? My good luck number was 20 but it was already taken when I got here, so I chose 22 instead because I liked it a lot when I was younger.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Preview: Juventus vs. Palermo Oct 24, 2014 Juventus will be hoping to put an end to their recent unconvincing form when they host Palermo on Sunday. Massimiliano Allegri's side did beat Roma before the international break, but a second successive defeat in the Champions League has left the Serie A champions searching for a boost in domestic action. Allegri, whose team still lead Serie A by a point, must decide between Alvaro Morata and Fernando Llorente for a place in attack. After a frustrating opening two months of the season, Palmero finally recorded their first triumph of the campaign last weekend against Cesena. It appeared as though the Rosanero would go a seventh league game without a win before Giancarlo Gonzalez struck in the final seconds to help his team out of the relegation zone. Barring any late injury issues, coach Giuseppe Iachini is likely to keep the same team for the visit to Turin. Recent form Juventus: WLWDL Palermo: DDLLW Possible starting lineups Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Chiellini; Pirlo, Vidal, Asamoah, Pogba; Tevez, Alvaro Morata Palermo: Sorrentino; Morganella, Andelkovic, Munoz, Gonzalez, Lazaar; Rigoni, Bolzoni, Chochev; Vasquez, Dybala Sports Mole says: 3-0 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Massimiliano Allegri Must Make 2 Key Changes for Juventus to Improve Oct 24, 2014 Juventus' flop against Olympiakos on Wednesday was revolting to the team's fans and emblematic of the team's continuing problems in European competition. It should also mark a turning point in the team's season. Indeed, the game revealed two major points that, if Massimiliano Allegri addresses properly, may be able to turn Juve back into the monster that it has been the last three seasons—and maybe take them to new heights. First, the formation has to change. When Allegri took charge following Antonio Conte's surprise resignation, he toyed with formation changes in preseason training. So far, however, he has remained wedded to the 3-5-2 that Conte used for the vast majority of his tenure in charge. There were pragmatic reasons for keeping things the way they were. With such an abrupt change, it was easier to keep the players in a shape they knew than to try to change things wholesale in the space of one preseason campaign. Injuries—both in preseason and over the course of the season—have also kept several players who would be key to other formations on the sidelines. But the last week has made it clear that the 3-5-2's run might finally be at an end. Both the Olympiakos game and last weekend's draw against Sassuolo saw Juve struggle in the 3-5-2 in the first half. They also saw the team come alive when Allegri changed formations midway through the game. Against the Greeks, in particular, the change was striking. With 13 minutes left, Allegri removed Angelo Ogbonna and replaced him with Roberto Pereyra, creating a 4-2-3-1. Juve had already clawed a foothold after Andrea Pirlo—who is clearly not back to full fitness after his preseason injury—was replaced by Claudio Marchisio, roared. They pushed hard for an equalizer and were twice denied one by fantastic saves from Roberto Gago. It's becoming clear that Allegri doesn't know how to get the most out of the 3-5-2. That's understandable considering he's never used anything resembling the system before in his career. Given that, the logical move is to change formations. Why Allegri hasn't done it yet is puzzling. He may be waiting for some injuries to heal. In September he was quoted by the website of transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio that he couldn't use a four-man defense "until I have the personnel to do it." That might mean he's waiting on the injured Andrea Barzagli, who has shown himself to be more effective in a back four than Leonardo Bonucci. Given that Barzagli might not return until January, he may not have that luxury. It may be considered dangerous to make a wholesale formation change in the middle of the season, but Conte did the same thing during his unbeaten 2011-12 season when he changed from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2. A large segment of the current roster are veterans of that change. Whatever the reason for staying, in the last week his team has simply played better from a formation with a four-man line. Allegri obviously knows how to utilize those systems better. Rather than persist in something he isn't good at, Allegri should shift to his own strength. The other point Allegri needs to address has to do with tactics rather than formation. Specifically, it has to do with possession. As in Juve has too much of it. It may be heresy in this age, when Pep Guardiola's Barcelona teams made possession king, but if you possess the ball and do nothing with it, it's meaningless—and Juve isn't doing much right now. If you go to Juve's fixture list on WhoScored.com and go through the statistics of each game, you can average out Juve's possession stats at 61.47 percent over 10 games between the league and Europe. But Juve hasn't used that possession the way they have in years passed. So much of their movement is wayward, and they aren't putting the ball into positions where their strikers can use them. Simply put, they're getting stale. But the solution to this is simple—let the opponents have more of the ball. Why do this? Because Juve is a team that can be deadly on the counterattack. They rarely get credit for how good they are on the break because they usually enjoy so much possession, but when they get the chance to run with the ball, the opposing goal is usually in danger. The best example of this comes from last January's game against Roma in Turin. Roma's best weapon last season was their devastating counterattack. Conte's way of nullifying that threat was to cede Roma possession and take the counterattack out of Rudi Garcia's arsenal. Juve had a few nervy moments, but the defense held firm. They then thrust forward on the counter. A run like down the wing eventually set up the throw-in that saw Juve score their first goal in the 3-0 rout. It was arguably the best tactical performance of Conte's Juve tenure. Juve needs a shot in the arm. A different approach, one that takes advantage of their excellent defensive record this season and allows them to unleash the quality counterattacks that they are capable of, could be what is needed to push out the lethargy that has crept into their game. Wednesday's game needs to be a wake-up call. If Allegri doesn't make changes, Juve could crash out of the Champions League for a second consecutive year and Roma could zoom past them in the league table. These modest proposals are, in this writer's opinion, the best way to start the alarm clock going.

FOURFOURTWO JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Serie A Preview: Juventus v Palermo Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon is expecting a response from his side when they host Palermo in Serie A on Sunday. Oct 24, 2014 Juve - three-time defending Italian champions - lost their second UEFA Champions League match in a row on Wednesday, going down 1-0 to Olympiacos. The result has put Juve's spot in the competition's last 16 - something they missed out on last year - in jeopardy. Massimiliano Allegri's side have had no such problems in Serie A this season, though, winning six of their seven matches to lead the league by one point. Roma are snapping at their heels but a home clash against a struggling Palermo side presents an ideal chance for Juve to bounce back from their disappointment in Greece. And that is what Buffon is after, telling the club's official website: "We're hungry to return to our pre-international break form. "It was an important period in which we grew as a team, and I count the defeat against Atletico [Madrid] as part of that. "We acquired something extra in terms of character. "Getting back on track requires everyone to be on board and the desire to keep surprising." There was one positive for Juve in Greece, with Spanish forward Alvaro Morata looking the part in his first start for the club. And Buffon was impressed, adding: "He was one of the highlights of the evening. "In a matter of four or five moves, he showed us that he's the type of player who can decide the game in any given second. "He's exactly what we need - an individual blessed with the talent of unpredictability, who can put the cat amongst the pigeons." Morata started alongside Carlos Tevez, with Fernando Llorente on the bench, and Allegri may opt for a similar approach in this contest. The forward, who moved to Juve from Real Madrid in the last transfer window, has already scored one Serie A goal for his new club, as a substitute in a 3-0 win at Atalanta. Juve defenders Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres are set to be sidelined with injury again. Allegri's men have won an incredible 22 successive home Serie A games, and take on a Palermo side scrapping away in 16th. Palermo, who won Serie B last term to return to the top flight, beat Cesena 2-1 last Sunday for their first triumph of the season. Credible draws against Sampdoria, Inter and Napoli have shown that Pierpaolo Bisoli's side are no mugs, but their defence - which has conceded 15 goals in seven games - needs improvement. And that record is sure to have Tevez licking his lips, as the Argentinian has already bagged six league goals this term. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus vs. Palermo: Key Issues That Will Shape Serie A Game Oct 24, 2014 Having lost to Olympiacos on Wednesday evening, Juventus return to domestic action against Palermo this weekend. Having won the Serie B title last term, the Sicilian side have struggled thus far in 2014-15, registering just one win in their first seven matches. That victory came last week against Cesena, themselves freshly promoted to the top flight, and the points lifted the Rosanero to 15th place. Beppe Iachini’s side are likely to be battling to avoid relegation all year. They last beat the Turin giants back in February 2011. However, there may be no better time to face the Old Lady, struggling as she has in recent weeks with just one win in her last four outings. That came in the controversial match against title rivals Roma, with a loss to Atletico Madrid and a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo compounding the misery of the reigning champions. Massimiliano Allegri will know there is huge pressure on him to return Juventus to winning ways, and he will hope to see improvements from a number of key performers. Over the following pages is a look at the issues likely to decide this Serie A encounter, with the Bianconeri hoping to maintain their lead atop the Serie A standings. Tactical Conundrum for Juventus Perhaps the greatest question facing Allegri right now is whether to stick with the 3-5-2, which has brought Juventus such incredible success, or twist in favour of a new formation. In the last quarter of Wednesday’s loss in Greece, the coach opted for a 4-2-3-1 framework, and he was rewarded with a much-improved performance. While that may be a difficult decision to make, the fact the Bianconeri continue to struggle in Europe may sway Allegri to make a change. In doing so, he would hope to prepare the side before their next Champions League outing with Olympiacos at the Juventus Stadium in early November. The one obstacle to making that switch may well be the injuries affecting the defence, with a number of players still absent. In September, Allegri told reporters that he could not deploy a back four without Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, per Football Italia. Therefore, he may simply be waiting for the return of the former—or the excellent Martin Caceres—before he makes the change. The Desperate Search for Goals Even more pressing than the choice of formation is the worrying lack of goals from Juve’s attacking options. With Fernando Llorente, Sebastian Giovinco and Kingsley Coman all yet to score, Allegri opted for Alvaro Morata alongside Carlos Tevez on Wednesday. The former Real Madrid starlet is the only striker other than the Argentine to find the back of the net this term, with his lone strike coming in the win over Atalanta. The young Spaniard looked sharp in midweek, so the coach may decide to try the same pairing, hoping to see their efforts rewarded on the scoresheet. The attacking struggles of the Bianconeri front line were discussed in detail here. Juventus will hope the Palermo defence proves less resolute. The Rosanero have allowed 15 goals thus far, with only Sassuolo having conceded more this term, which should provide hope for the Juve front men. The Midfield Battle for Form and Fitness Another area beginning to concern Juventus is in midfield, with the big names of the Bianconeri failing to recapture their previous excellent form. With Arturo Vidal struggling for fitness, his team-mates have also been unable to provide the spark they so often inject into the team’s style of play. Andrea Pirlo was uncharacteristically poor against Olympiacos, with Gianluca Vialli singling out the Italian shortly after the final whistle on Sky Sport Italia. “Pirlo is also not in condition,” he said (h/t Forza Italian Football). “He has negatively impacted the previous two matches in which he has played in.” Having watched on as Pirlo struggled in possession—a display discussed in detail here—it is hard to argue with that assessment. Juventus will hope their quartet can rediscover their best and help the side return to winning ways. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Zamparini: No Kasami regrets Oct 24, 2014 Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini insists he has no regrets about selling Pajtim Kasami - despite his Champions League winner against Juventus. The Swiss midfielder played for the Rosanero in the 2010-11 season, making 14 appearances for the club without scoring a goal. Kasami moved to Olympiacos from Fulham this summer, and scored the Greeks’ only goal as they beat Juventus 1-0 on Wednesday. “I don’t regret it [selling Kasami] at all,” Zamparini has told Livesicilia Sport, though. “Against Juventus he scored, but he also got another one spectacularly wrong. “He’s not a player who could make a difference for Palermo. There’s a reason why he left the English League to play in the more modest Greek League.” Zamparini’s Palermo travel to face Juventus on Sunday, but the Palermo patron is adamant his players should not fear facing a wounded Bianconeri. “On Sunday I expect to see a Palermo side concentrated on the game at hand, ready to give everything without being worried that Juventus will want revenge for their defeat in the Champions League. “The game will be far from simple, and the odds are not on our side but we have a duty to try and make an impression.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - PALERMO - Sunday, October 26th, 2014 - 3:00 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese Juventus V Palermo – Preview: Juve Look To Return To Winning Ways Oct 24, 2014 Juventus will look to overcome their recent drop in form this Sunday afternoon as they play host to Palermo in the eighth round of Serie A at Juventus Stadium. The Bianconeri will be keen to bounce back from their surprise Champions League defeat against Olympiacos and the fact they dropped their first league points of the season in their previous match against lowly Sassuolo. Meanwhile, the Rosanero will be in high spirits after they secured their first win of the season against Cesena following two successive heavy defeats against Empoli and Napoli. History will be on the side of Juventus as the last four league fixtures between these two have all ended in wins for the Turin side and Palermo failed to score in each of those games. The last time the two sides faced off was back in May 2013 when an Arturo Vidal penalty was enough to see the Bianconeri earn the win. Juventus, under new head coach Massimiliano Allegri had started the Serie A season in fine form, winning their first six games before stuttering to a 1-1 draw with Sassuolo. They have also managed to emerge victorious in every game they have played at Juventus stadium this season, including the Champions League. The Rosanero, under the guidance of Giuseppe Iachini have struggled playing away from the Stadio Renza Barbera and have just one point from their opening three away games in their remarkable 3-3 draw with Napoli. Iachini has no fresh injuries to players to be concerned about and has a full strength squad at his disposal for Sunday’s game and is likely to name a similar line-up to the one that faced Cesena last time out. The Bianconeri, on the back of their trip to Greece will be wary of the fitness of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal but will be without the suspended Simone Padoin following his late dismissal against Sassuolo. They will also be missing the likes of Martin Caceres, Andrea Barzagli through injury whereas they are hopeful on the situations of Romulo, Luca Marrone and Simone Pepe. Allegri is likely to keep faith with Alvaro Morata, who is line to make his first league start for the club, to partner Carlos Tevez in attack ahead of the goalless Fernando Llorente. Expected Starting XIs Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Morata Palermo: Sorrentino; Munoz, Gonzalez, Andelkovic; Pisano, Bolzoni, Rigoni, Barreto, Feddal; Vazquez, Dybala http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Agnelli: Italy lagging behind Oct 24, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has declared that Italian football is lagging behind its continental rivals. The club today announced a record turnover of over €300m, but Agnelli believes Italian clubs are failing to compete with those in England, Spain and Germany. “Is everything ok then?” Agnelli pondered after pinpointing the Premier League as an example to follow to club shareholders. “No. All you have to do is look at the situation in Italian football with a minimum of detachment and without partisanship to recognise a progressive decline. “Someone in the establishment tried to argue that, since Italy as a whole has lost ground in every other sector, then the growth of our industry [football] - albeit lower than other countries - should reassure us. “This is not the case, because the growth is linked exclusively to the evolution of the television market. “Less than 20 years ago, England, Spain and Germany looked to Italy as an example. Today we have been overtaken in every respect - revenue, sustainability of businesses, sporting results, filling stadiums and UEFA ranking. “Today we’re struggling to defend fourth [in the UEFA coefficient] from Portugal.” The Bianconeri President hailed the club’s return to the top 10 clubs in Europe in terms of turnover, but warned Italian clubs are limited structurally. “The level of turnover that we’re presenting today confirms Juventus as one of the top 10 clubs in the world, and our UEFA ranking has improved. “However, our competitors - Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Barcelona - have significantly outdistanced us. “No Italian club has been able to grow at their pace, a clear sign of the structural limitations that plague our football.” Agnelli called on other Serie A clubs to follow the example being set by Juventus, as he sees Italian football falling further and further behind. “Only 10 years ago, matchdays in Serie A and the Bundesliga generated the same revenue, slightly less than those in La Liga and a third of the revenues in the Premier League. “We were already a tortoise - today we are a shrimp. “The Bundesliga and La Liga now generate twice the revenues of our football stadiums, which this year fell below €200m - of which one fifth, 20 per cent was generated by Juventus Stadium. “The latter remains the only example of a cutting-edge facility [in Italy], but it only represents 1/20th of the total product. It’s not enough. “Football is about the fans, but the fans and families have abandoned Italian stadiums. Some people blame increased television availability, which is a strange argument, because without TV money Italian football would have died a slow death. “It still will, if clubs don’t take up a double challenge. “Domestically, we need to get fans back into popular stadiums. Juventus, thanks to Juventus Stadium has reached a point where we’re at 95 per cent capacity - it’s news when a game doesn’tsell out. The rest of Serie A is constantly below 50 per cent, and falling. “And then there’s abroad. Italian football has disappeared from the television screens of the big Western markets without getting into new markets. “Juventus are trying to recover lost ground. Tours and social media give us new capabilities and new markets that will allow us to grow revenues. “But Juventus will only grow fractionally if the collective product that is Serie A doesn’t do the same. “Many years ago a book by Simon Kuper called ‘Football Against The Enemy’ was released. “The author wrote: ‘When the English football fan seeks a better life, he goes to Italy, where he’ll find the world’s best players, games broadcast in full on television and lots of sports papers. The weather is also good’. “This was Serie A for the English 20 years ago. “I’m not saying this out of nostalgia. I’m saying this with the ambition that Serie A goes back to being thepoint of reference.”

Juve announce record turnover Oct 24, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has announced a record turnover for the Turin club at today’s shareholders’ meeting. The Bianconeri chief has announced that the Serie A champions have recorded a turnover €315.8m in the past year, in addition to winning a third straight Scudetto. “Only once in its history has experienced a period comparable to what we’re achieving now,” Agnelli announced to shareholders today. “In May this year we won our third title in a row, something which we haven’t achieved since the 1930s. “Juventus has been able to achieve this once again, nearly 80 years later, marking milestone in Italian football. “The sporting sector has a solid foundation, consisting of Massimiliano Allegri - a Coach who has already proven his ability to win - alongside Pavel Nedved and Fabio Paratici. “In addition we have a group of players which is ready to face new challenges, and is working to win a fourth consecutive title.” In addition to matters on the field, Agnelli also revealed record turnover for the Bianconeri. “The daily work of the men and women of Juventus - who ideally I’d be able to thank individually here today - led Juventus to a turnover of €280.5m in operating revenues, consisting of matchday revenues and television rights. “When you include the ‘player management’ revenue, that’s a turnover of over €300m for the first time in our history - precisely €315.8m. “Breaking even pre-tax, and a return to operating profit after three years complete the turnaround, one which few believed was possible.”

Agnelli: Premier League our example Oct 24, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli admits the English Premier League is the model Serie A should look to emulate. Having fallen to fourth in the UEFA coefficient rankings, Agnelli believes the Italian League must look England as an example of how to revive their fortunes. “Juventus are among the top 10 clubs in the world,” Agnelli has told today’s shareholders’ meeting. “However, we’re a long way behind the top clubs in Europe because of the structural limits of Italian football. “Our club has nonetheless recorded a turnover of over €300m. Matchday revenues abroad are double [Juve’s]. “Liverpool have a main sponsor which operates only in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and not in Europe. This demonstrates the pulling power of the Premier League, a project which was started 15 years ago. “New partnerships will allow us to increase revenue, but we must work hand-in-hand with Serie A. “The governance of Italian football showed its limits last summer, making us look old fashioned and with no chance of winning. “Teams are sacrosanct, but must be reinforced by second teams, and immigration laws. “Television money should ensure more fairness and stability. “The Premier League has once again become a reference point.”

Paul Pogba signs contract extension through 2019 Oct 24, 2014 In the span of two years, Paul Pogba has gone from youngster with loads of potential to one of the focal points of Juventus' title-winning squad. And now he's getting a handsome raise because of it. Juventus announced on Friday morning that Pogba, their 21-year-old French midfield dynamo, has agreed to a contract extension through 2019, ending what had been months of "Will he or won't he sign a new deal?" Juve director general Beppe Marotta ensured that a new deal would get done in due time no matter what was going on in the Italian press. Come Friday, we got word that the much-talked about status of Pogba's has been resolved. And with a bunch of good news to boot. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Marotta: @paulpogba has just renewed his contract with us until 2019. The official, non-Twitter club statement, courtesy of juventus.com: Juventus Football Club is delighted to announce that Paul Pogba has today put pen to paper on a new contract which keeps him with the club until 2019. The agreement was confirmed this morning at the club's shareholders' assembly by CEO Giuseppe Marotta, who said: "Before coming here we signed Paul Pogba's contract extension which binds us until 2019." The raise in annual salary, according to the figures being thrown out there in the last 24 hours or so, seems to be in the neighborhood of €4 million to €4.5 million a season. Gianluca Di Marzio's initial report that stated negotiations had been completed said Pogba will earn €3.5 or €4 million a season. The Corriere Dello Sport's report on Friday that said a deal was done had Pogba's annual salary in the €4.5 million range, which would be one of the highest figures on the current Juventus roster. Either way, Pogba has officially put pen to paper on a new deal and both sides have clearly won. Pogba gets a shiny new contract, and Juventus locks up one of its most sought after assests. And no matter what he's officially making, he's gotten a well-deserved raise that will keep him in Turin for a good long time. Noted goalkeeping great and Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon had this to say about Pogba signing an extension during an interview with Sky Sport Italia on Thursday: "It would be great news for all of us and I hope also for him, because the most beautiful thing is knowing what it means to represent Juventus and be a symbol for such a glorious club. Juventus would also be sending a strong message" (Source: Gianluca Di Marzio) I agree, San Gigi. Like I said before Arturo Vidal signed his new deal, my stance remains the same for Pogba: Go ahead and give him all the money. It will be worth it. You just have to wonder if Pogba's new deal will kick into motion all of the other rumored contract extensions within the Juventus squad. Who knows if it will be Buffon, Martín Cáceres, Giorgio Chiellini, Carlos Tévez, Stephan Lichtsteiner, whoever else you want to throw into the mix. Seeing as that's a good portion of Juve's core, I sure hope there's more contract extension posts coming in the next couple of months. We'll see. But this is about Pogba — and rightfully so.

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Why Do Juventus Fail in the C. League Despite Dominating Serie A? Oct 24, 2014 In Athens, a familiar story unfolded. Arriving as favourites for their Champions League game against Olympiacos on Wednesday night, Juventus started slowly, gave up a goal, woke up too late and were then thwarted by a combination of poor finishing and an inspired goalkeeper. To put it another way, they did exactly the same thing as they had against Copenhagen last season, and Nordsjaelland the year before that. The only difference this time was that they wound up losing instead of scrabbling their way to a draw. The intention here is not to take anything away from Olympiacos—a distinctly more talented group than either of those two Scandinavian sides—but simply to highlight the recurrent nature of the Italian champions’ woes. Juventus’ recent away record in the Champions League is atrocious. Since beating Celtic in Glasgow two seasons ago, they have drawn one and lost five of their six away games in the competition. While their home performances have also been imperfect, they have lost just one Champions League game at Juventus Stadium over the same period—and that against a Bayern Munich team that was on course to win the whole tournament in 2013. Clearly, Juventus's results away from home are preventing them from fulfilling their potential in Europe. So how should we explain such consistent underachievement? Bayern Munich’s CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, offered one possible explanation. He was quoted by the newspaper giornalaccio rosa dello Sport (in Italian) on Thursday as saying that Serie A clubs were not used to the high tempo at which other European clubs play the game. His assertion is borne out, to some extent, by the numbers. Between the two Italian clubs competing in this season's Champions League, no player has run more than Stephan Lichtsteiner, who has covered 32,626 metres in three games. But this ranks him just 66th overall among all players in the competition, according to Uefa.com. And yet, it is too simplistic to explain Juventus’ problems thus. While Rummenigge’s comment might have been influenced by Bayern’s 7-1 rout of Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday, we should not forget that the same Giallorossi team had set the tempo for long stretches against Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad barely three weeks earlier. The same could be said of Napoli’s wins against Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Marseille last season, or at home against City and Chelsea two years prior to that. Demonstrably, with the right approach, it is still possible for the Italy’s best teams to impose themselves in European games, in a way that Juventus have repeatedly failed to do. So what are they getting wrong? Many have argued that Juventus’s problem is simply one of tactics. When Antonio Conte first took over at the club in 2011, he experimented with a 4-2-4 formation that had served him well at Siena. Very quickly, though, he concluded that this shape did not suit his personnel, instead devising a 3-5-2 to take advantage of his abundance of central midfielders. Domestically, it was a huge success, that formation granted Andrea Pirlo space to pull the strings while Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio put in the hard graft alongside him. But in Europe, where opposing teams have done a better job of restricting Pirlo, the same tactics have been far less effective. Conte’s successor, Massimiliano Allegri, has continued with the 3-5-2 so far this season, but it was noteworthy that Juventus only began their fightback against Olympiacos after he switched to a 4-2-3-1 in the second half. Other teams have demonstrated that a three-man defence can prosper in Europe, but the issue is one of interpretation. Napoli used a 3-4-2-1 to great effect under Walter Mazzarri in 2011-12, because they were happy to sit back and absorb pressure before breaking at speed with three exceptional, jet-heeled, forwards in Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani. Likewise, Bayern have been devastating in a 3-5-2 under Pep Guardiola this year, but they are interpreting the scheme in a manner unlike anything we have seen before—shifting fluidly between different shapes throughout the game. Tactics writer Michael Cox, of zonalmarking.net, defined their formation as “indescribable”. Juventus, by contrast, have been all-too predictable. To some extent, that is a question of personnel. Lichtsteiner, for example, is a solid contributor, but he could hardly match the attacking contributions of his Bayern counterpart, Arjen Robben. The Bianconeri have bigger problems up front. Carlos Tevez was a stunningly good signing at just €9 million plus bonuses, per The Guardian, last summer, but his difficulties scoring in Europe go back as far as 2009, and they have not been wiped away by two goals this season against Malmo. Fernando Llorente is struggling alongside him, and Alvaro Morata, while certainly talented, remains inexperienced on this stage. The easy response here is to simply point to the club’s budget. Despite recent growth, Juventus’s overall income is still dwarfed by that of the biggest clubs in England, Spain and Germany. They placed ninth in Deloitte’s Money League for 2014, with revenues of €272.4 million, as compared to €518.9 million for first-placed Real Madrid. But while nobody is expecting Juventus to win the Champions League as things stand, consistently competing for a place in the quarter-finals ought to be a realistic goal. What fans are asking today is not why the club cannot beat Madrid or Bayern Munich, but simply why they cannot win away to the likes of Olympiacos, Copenhagen and Nordsjaelland—clubs that do not appear in Deloitte’s top 20. Perhaps the real answer is not one of tactics, or playing staff, at all, but simply one of approach. The truth is that domestically, Juventus are used to rolling over their opponents—too many of whom approach matches against the champions with cautious, defensive game plans based entirely around self-preservation. When teams break out of that mode, even in Italy, the Bianconeri can sometimes be caught off guard. Four days before the loss to Olympiacos, Juventus travelled to last-placed Sassuolo expecting an easy win. Instead the Neroverdi refused to be cowed, attacking their opponents with rare abandon, and they came away with a deserved 1-1 draw. It is a model that other clubs in the lower-half of Serie A would do well to observe. And it is a lesson that Juventus would do well to learn. Their best European performance of the last two seasons came against Real Madrid, where they lost narrowly last season after a harsh red card to Giorgio Chiellini. Knowing that they were facing one of the best clubs in the world, the Bianconeri raised their tempo from the outset, instead of waiting until they had fallen behind. If they could bring the same gusto to the first-halves of their matches against Europe's lesser lights, they might not find themselves in the position that they do now. Juventus need to be much better in their remaining fixtures if they are to make it through to the last 16. The only good news is that two of the three are at home. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

Juventus Must Pull Toothless Llorente Oct 24, 2014 Fernando Llorente has been struggling to get into form this season and Massimiliano Allegri needs to drop the striker from Juventus’ starting line-up. The former Athletic Club striker has played nine games for the Bianconeri in all competitions in 2014/15 and he has failed to either score or create a goal. If Llorente’s disappointing statistics weren’t bad enough, his work ethic in games has been close to non-existent. He does not put pressure on opposition defenders and his movement is usually static. Juventus have frequently dominated possession in their matches so he cannot have any complaints about a lack of supply. Even when the ball is in the penalty box, he does not react quickly enough to pounce on the ball and has been overall too lethargic. Llorente has proven to be the anti-thesis of his strike partner Carlos Tevez. The Argentine forward has scored six goals in as many Serie A games and has provided two assists. Tevez has also scored two goals in as many UEFA Champions League matches for the Bianconeri. Aside from his statistics, Tevez has been invaluable to Allegri’s side thanks to his hard work and determination. It would be fair to say that the Argentinian has carried the Juventus front line by himself due to Llorente’s ineffectiveness. One possible reason for Llorente’s uninspiring performances so far is the change in coaches which has resulted in a change in Juventus’ playing style. Under Antonio Conte the team needed to work hard and apply pressure on the opposition but under Allegri the Bianconeri have played at a slower tempo than in prior years and the intensity is lower. If Conte was still the Juventus coach, he probably would have lectured Llorente by now for his lack of determination or movement but it seems that Allegri is happy to let the Spanish striker wait for the ball in the penalty box. There is the old saying, “If something isn’t broke, why fix it?” After losing to Atletico Madrid in Champions League and drawing to Sassuolo in Serie A, Allegri must acknowledge that the Juventus blade has grown blunt and Llorente is the cause of it. There are two players that could take Llorente’s place in the Juventus starting line-up: Alvaro Morata or Sebastian Giovinco. Morata arrived this summer from European champions Real Madrid. He suffered a knee injury in pre-season training and he was sent-off against Roma but Morata has looked more lively than his compatriot whenever he has featured. Although he has not started a match for Juventus this season, Morata has scored a goal in his first four Serie A matches. Perhaps with more match time the Spanish youth international can make more of an impact in Juventus’ attack. Giovinco has not lived up to expectations since he has been at Juventus but he has provided some spark whenever he has played. Italian football is lacking in support strikers and someone with his flair can light up an attack. He has played four times for the Bianconeri this season, but he has also played twice for Italy and his pace and dribbling have trouble opposing defences. Although the quality of opposition was not the best, at least he is creating a presence unlike Llorente. Allegri has been putting too much faith in Llorente since the start of the season, but if Llorente does not start scoring, it could hurt Juventus in their quest for more success. Today, it is time for Allegri to start someone alongside Tevez who can make a real difference as opposed to simply being a passenger.

Agnelli anger over Juve defeat Oct 24, 2014 Club President Andrea Agnelli was reportedly angered by Juventus’ defeat to Olympiacos on Wednesday. Juve went down 1-0 to the Greek side in Athens, with Pajtim Kasami’s strike and heroics from goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez enough to confine Massimiliano Allegri’s men to a second defeat of the Champions League group stage. Now Tuttosport reports that the loss could have far-reaching consequences, with President Agnelli reportedly angered by the Bianconeri’s capitulation. The Turin-based sports newspaper reports that Agnelli has specified that the Old Lady must qualify for the Last 16 of the Champions League not only given the history and prestige of the club, but also for financial reasons. The sports daily indicates that last year’s failure to qualify from the group stage after losing a do-or-die clash with Galatasaray in Istanbul had a serious impact on club finances, and Agnelli will not allow the same thing to happen again. Agnelli is reported to have discussed the match at length on Wednesday night with directors Giuseppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici, being particularly aggrieved by the Bianconeri’s jaded first-half display, according to Tuttosport. The Juventus President laid out his European ambitions clearly in the summer. “We want to continue what we’re doing in Italy, and do as well as we can in Europe. That’s our level. “We need to catch-up, and get back among the best eight teams in Europe.”

Moggi: Serie A Lagging Behind The Rest Of Europe Oct 24, 2014 Former Juventus director Luciano Moggi believes that Italian football a level below other leagues in Europe. The 77 year old was spoke to Tuttomercatoweb after Juventus’ shock 1-0 loss to Olympiakos in the Champions League and stated that the football being played outside of Italy is at a higher level. “Juventus played very poorly in the first half, they were virtually not even on the field,” Moggi said. “In the second half they deserved to equalise, but [Olympiakos goalkeeper] Roberto performed miracles. “The Bianconeri gave the first 45 minutes to their opponents, and some players contributed less than usual, such as [Andrea] Pirlo. “This is evidence that abroad the football is more aggressive, and in some cases is on a higher level.”

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Juventus 0:1 Olympiacos: Another day, another debacle in the C. League for Juve The more things change, the more they stay the same. Oct 23, 2014 I'll be honest, I was too disgusted to write this report after I watched the Juventus game, and had to walk away from the keyboard to settle myself. So when I did find myself a little more composed, I also saw a tweet that pretty much sums up yesterday's game (sorry I can't remember who it's from) - First half - Juventus 2014/15 Second half - Juventus 2011/12 Alas, that was not going to be enough to get a draw or a win away to Olympiacos, not in the kind of form that the Greek team's goalie Roberto Gago was in yesterday. When the goalie was beaten, his defence stepped up to clear the ball and even the woodwork showed up to keep Juve out. Also, Pirlo was pretty poor for the second consecutive game, which is almost unheard of in the time he's been at Turin. While we're talking about poor performances, can we unequivocally accept that the 3-5-2 simply has to go, especially away in Europe? Match Summary Maybe it's these green and blue away jerseys Juve have been wearing. The Old Lady looked pretty bad at Atletico Madrid in the last round of games, and then looked even more abysmal in the first half yesterday. Olympiacos for their part stuck to their gameplan, backed by the raucous home support at the Karaiskakis Stadium. They out-hustled the Italian giants to every ball all game long, got their sole goal and then defended like their lives depended on it — in other words, they played like the provinciale side they are, which is scant consolation for Juve as they find themselves third in their Champions League group now, three points adrift. In fact, the Bianconeri lost to Olympiacos for the first time in Greece. Arturo Vidal is a pale shadow of his previous seasons — let's put it this way, the bad sides are still there, but the positive aspects that let us overlook the negatives are missing. He returned to the starting XI and played his part in the poor first half. We wondered when Massimiliano Allegri would wield the axe and drop Fernando Llorente, this game was it — Alvaro Morata made his first start for Juve and was guilty of a handful of missed chances. Carlos Tevez, just about the only Bianconeri striker who can find the back of the net, also had a few chances but it was not meant to be. The forward core of the team cannot buy a goal right now, and some of this falls on Allegri's shoulders - when things are not working, continuously trying the same things is by definition also known as insanity. The home side were satisfied to let Juve have the ball, and try to bite them on the break, which they promptly did on the 36th minute. Pirlo got caught in possession and turned the ball a little too easily, and Swiss midfielder Pajtim Kassami beat goalie Gianluigi Buffon to put Olympiacos ahead. Gigi already had made smart saves to keep out shots from Luka Milivojevic and Kasami. Allegri finally ended Pirlo's miserable day at the office bringing on Claudio Marchisio at the hour mark. Pirlo has seemed a step off and looks like he could have extended his recovery time a little longer. Roberto Pereyra came on for Angelo Ogbonna and Giovinco was on for Paul Pogba towards the end as Olympiacos stonewalled Juve who threw everything including the kitchen sink at them in the dying minutes. Frustrating game for Juve fans really. Le Pagelle Buffon - 6. Hard to fault him for the goal. Did what was expected of him otherwise. Ogbonna - 6. Nothing to write home about really. Bonucci - 6.5. Solid at the back, but not much help with his poor long balls. Chiellini - 6. Beaten to the ball too often, he had the most touches on the team. Bad sign. Lichsteiner - 5. Rough day for the Swiss Express. Olympiacos pinned both wingbacks down well. Pogba - 5.5. Invisible, lost the ball too easily. Almost scored from nowhere. Pirlo - 5. Had to be an icy day in hell when I gave him this score. It's an icy day in hell today. Vidal - 7. Not the Vidal of old, but did win some tackles and carried the ball well. Asamoah - 6. Second-most touches in the team on the day. Not a good sign. Morata - 6.5. Surely he should have scored at least one today?! Tevez - 6.5. All effort, all the time. Fates conspired against him today though. Subs: Marchisio - 6. Wasn't hard for him to be marginally better than Pirlo, that's how bad Pirlo was. Pereyra - 5.5. Made little impact. Might as well have thrown Padoin or Coman on. Giovinco - N/A Manager: Allegri - 5. The boss doesn't get a passing grade today. Change is required before this season starts spiralling out of control. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

Buffon: Juventus Deserve More Points In The Champions League, Pogba Renewal Important Oct 23, 2014 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon believes that the Old Lady have been deserving of more points in their three Champions League group stage matches thus far and admits that the renewal of Paul Pogba would send an important signal to the world. The Bianconeri have managed to earn just three points in their first three matches of the tournament’s group stage, with a win against Malmo and successive losses to Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos, and the 36-year-old feels his team should have been able to secure at least five points based on their performances up until now. Buffon spoke to Sky Sport Italia on Thursday following Wednesday’s defeat to Olympiacos about Juve’s inconsistent run in the Champions League this season, while also commenting on the future of rising star Pogba, who’s expected to sign a contract extension with the Turin giants in the coming weeks. “Differences between playing in Italy and the Champions League? Surely there are environmental factors, along with more of a thickness in technical abilities and more individual players who possess important qualities,” said the veteran goalkeeper. “This is awe-inspiring and may create some uncertainties. But in the end, the truth lies in the fact that there is regret and anger for only collecting three points in three games, although I think Juventus should be credited with more. “Between Malmo, Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos, Juve deserve to have at least five points right now. “Pogba’s renewal? The renewal of Pogba would be great news for us, for both Juventus and Paul. He wants to embody Juventus all over the world and become the main player people associate with this glorious club. “His renewal would be a very important signal both inside and outside of the club.”

Tacchinardi: Pirlo - Italy or Juve Oct 23, 2014 Alessio Tacchinardi believes Andrea Pirlo can’t continue to play for Juventus and Italy, and warns the Bianconeri ‘no more mistakes’ in Europe. Pirlo has come under scrutiny for his performance in the Old Lady’s Champions League 1-0 defeat to Olympiacos, completing only 77 per cent of his passes before being substituted on 57 minutes. Tacchinardi, part of the Juventus squad that lifted the Champions League in 1996, believes the former Milan man’s decision to return to the Italy fold is to blame. “Andrea is an absolute champion, but he must make a choice between club and country,” Tacchinardi told Tuttomercatoweb. “When there is an international break he could remain in Vinovo and recharge his batteries. What I’m seeing now is a Pirlo who comes back from international duty completely drained. “Lots of players have retired from the international scene to continue their careers. I’m thinking of Nesta and Totti. “Players are not robots, it’s not easy to shoulder this kind of physical burden when you have so many commitments. “Juve are very much in need of him being physically and mentally fresh.” Tacchinardi also warned his former club that they cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to qualify for the Last 16 of the Champions League. “Juve have to play in Europe the way they do in Italy - at full intensity throughout the game. “A game like Olympiacos happens because the teams [in the Champions League] are top-notch, and they know they can get a result. “Also they [Juve] started with the handbrake on. Juventus were poor in the first half, then came into the game. “You can’t win the group like that, Juventus need to show up for the full 90 minutes, and if they don’t do that they’ll be out of the Champions League. “In my view this team could reach the last eight, on the understanding that some teams are unreachable like Real [Madrid], Bayern [Munich] and Barcelona. “The defeat to Olympiacos was the last chance to make mistakes. Juve have everything they need to be competitive, but they can’t afford any more mistakes. “In Europe the standard has gotten higher, while in Italy it has fallen so if you don’t get used to the rhythm of the Champions League you won’t improve.”

Pogba Ready To Sign Juventus Contract Extension Oct 23, 2014 Italian champions Juventus are looking to extend young French phenomenon Paul Pogba’s contract through to 2019. Paul Pogba, who is one of the most coveted central midfielders in the world, has been linked with a number of the world’s largest and richest clubs including English trio Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. However, Sky Sport Italia reports that Juventus have agreed the terms of Pogba’s contract renewal and are looking to extend his deal until 2019 later on Thursday. This comes as welcome news to Juventus supporters as they are in need of some good news, due to Juventus’ 1-0 Champions League loss to Olympiakos in Greece on Wednesday.

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Allegri: Juventus will avoid another embarrassing Champions League exit The coach is certain that the Bianconeri are not heading for another elimination before the knockout stage, despite losing two of their opening three games. Oct 23, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri is "convinced" that Juventus will qualify from Champions League Group A, despite Wednesday's defeat against Olympiakos. The Serie A champions suffered a second successive 1-0 loss in Europe courtesy of Pajtim Kasami's first-half strike at the Karaiskakis Stadium, although the Greek hosts were indebted to goalkeeper Roberto for a string of sensational saves. Juve now sit third in Group A behind Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos with three games to go, but Allegri expects his side to progress, while at the same time acknowledging that Juve must raise their game in order to turn their campaign around. "I'm full of optimism and I'm convinced we'll go through," the former AC Milan boss told reporters. "We didn't play well in the opening period. We were stretched and unable to get at them high up the pitch. Technically, we were poor. "We fell behind but then, after the break, we pushed up more. We need to improve in certain areas, against teams like this who hustle and harry a lot. Even if you're not on your game, you can't let them have three or four breaks like we did. "They pressed us a lot and the whole team generally found it hard. We needed to show more movement when we were in possession but we didn't do that." Andrea Pirlo was substituted early in the second half, after a performance which was considered woefully beneath his usual high standards, but Allegri backed the playmaker to come good after missing the start of the season through injury. "Unlike some other players, I think Andrea needs to be playing to find his best form," the Juve coach added. "I thought he would be key to slowing down the tempo of our opponents. "In any case he'll soon be bang on form again. He has a starring role to play for us in Serie A and our Champions League campaign." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Juventus cannot make Champions League leap, says Sacchi The ex-Azzurri coach believes that the Bianconeri's struggles in continental competition can be attributed to the slow and defensive nature of the Italian game. Oct 23, 2014 Juventus' homegrown style is leaving them unable to make the leap from Italian champions to true European heavyweights, according to former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi. No Serie A team has reached the last four of the Champions League since Jose Mourinho's Inter won the tournament in 2010 and the Bianconeri and Roma both showed up Serie A with embarrassing midweek defeats to Olympiakos and Bayern Munich, respectively. While the Giallorossi probably expected a rough ride against the Bundesliga champions - although losing 7-1 at home certainly wasn't expected - Juve must have been anticipating all three points against their Greek opponents, who instead beat them 1-0 in Greece on Wednesday. Sacchi hinted that Massimiliano Allegri's men are trapped, like the rest of Italy, playing an archaic brand of football that simply does not work against the likes of Bayern, Real Madrid and Barcelona. "Juventus' story in recent years is one of difficulty in the Champions League," Sacchi told Mediaset. "In Europe, you have to play a different kind of football to win and Juventus have not made that leap - even if they were very unlucky in the second half against Olympiakos. "They threw the game away in a mediocre first half, where the only good thing was the build-up to Olympiakos' goal. "Italian football is based on individuality and is at a slow pace. There’s no success [in the Champions League] now because in Europe that’s not what it’s all about. "Olympiakos tried to score, whereas back in Italy there are teams which don’t ever try to score." Pajtim Kasami was the hero for the Greeks, who go second behind Group A leaders Atletico Madrid on goal difference, while Juve are three points adrift in third ahead of bottom-placed Malmo. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Old Wine In A New Bottle: Allegri’s Juventus Have Not Changed Drastically Newly appointed technician Massimiliano Allegri has settled in well at Juventus and made some minor but effective changes to a winning system. Oct 23, 2014 It would be fair to say that Massimiliano Allegri’s arrival at Juventus was hardly greeted with any enthusiasm in Turin. The feeling was more of disappointment rather than hostile and around 300 Juventus fans staged a protest outside the headquarters of the club while a group of ultras were allowed to enter the stadium to display their frustrations. The skepticism of the tifosi was understandable. After three years of domestic domination, it would have been a difficult task for anyone to replace Antonio Conte. Add to this the fact that Conte was a Juventino through and through and the fans could connect to the passion he displayed on the touchline for the last three years. Replacing him with an ex-Milan coach who was sacked in January this year was even more difficult to digest for the Bianconeri faithful. Plus there was also the small matter of Andrea Pirlo with whom Allegri did not enjoy the best of understandings during his time with AC Milan to put it mildly. There was a major concern that the key architect of Juventus’ renaissance in the last three years would re-consider his future in Turin after extending his contract few months earlier. Fast forward three months and the situation stands: Juvenuts are one point clear at the top of the table with 19 points from their first seven games. All the senators in the squad including Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Pirlo have nothing but praise for the new man at the helm. Slowly but surely Allegri has made his own mark without radically changing Conte’s tactical module. The small but effective tweaks have so far yielded the right results except one defeat at the Vicente Calderon in the Champions League. Less Long Balls From Defence Leonardo Bonucci was sometimes deployed as vice-Pirlo or a deeper regista when Andrea Pirlo was man-marked by the opposition last season. Against Lazio he did manage not one but two Pirlo-esque assists for Arturo Vidal and Mirko Vucinic but in most of the games like the one against Lyon in France his long balls were frustrating to watch. This tendency seems to have changed under Max Allegri. Last year Bonucci was averaging nine long balls per game; this year it is five. He is however carrying the ball forward into the opposition territory much more, something which was not evident under Conte. Nothing significant has been achieved due to this change but these thrusts do offer a new dimension to Juventus’ game-play. Firstly, the opposition will have to commit a man on Bonucci to check his forward movement. Secondly less long balls will mean more possession which is a better option in Allegri’s scheme of things. The New Claudio Marchisio Max Allegri usually favors a 4-3-1-2 formation which he frequently and sometimes frustratingly used at Milan. He wrote his coaching thesis on the dynamics of a three man midfield which is nothing revolutionary but the analysis is done in a very specific detail. The player in the centre according to the thesis must have charisma, good positional sense and capability to move the ball forward quickly to launch counter-attacks. It seems the role is tailor-made for Andrea Pirlo but the Juventus man suffered an injury in the Trofeo Tim Cup against Milan in pre-season and was forced to miss the start of the season. The fact that Juventus have not felt his absence is a testament to the work done by Claudio Marchisio as a regista this season. Antonio Conte did use him in that position few times last season but this year under Allegri,Marchisio has flourished even more. Marchisio, who is traditionally a mezzala, has shown his versatility in adapting to this new role. He does not open the defence with Pirlo-like passes but so far he has kept it simple and made the game flow quicker. Defensively he has offered more and has averaged around 101 passes per game. His display against Milan was one of his best in recent years and it certainly does not hurt Allegri to have two registas in his squad at this moment. To the left side of the regista according to Allegri’s thesis there should be a player who is technically better than the other two in midfield and has the ability to take on an opposition and beat him, dribble, pick out the strikers with clever through balls and should have the necessary attributes to score himself. Paul Pogba seems to fit these requirements perfectly. Last season he mesmerized the Bianconeri fans with his skills and thunderbolts. This year he has enforced his physical powers to retain the ball. He is still a work in progress and it is true that his form with the club has not been sparkling so far. He is working on improving his defensive qualities and game reading abilities but these things should eventually fall in place as he gets more mature. Both his club and national team manager feel that he has a lot more to offer and Pogba certainly will be looking to do justice to his immense talent once again this term. Arturo Vidal Is Still Not At His Best Arturo Vidal is the Il Centrale or the box-to-box midfielder in Allegri’s tactical module. The Chilean needs no introduction but the phase which he is going through now is something abnormal. A knee injury sustained last season forced a surgery which threatened to keep him out of the World Cup in Brazil. He recovered in time to play but this summer was unsettling for him personally as he struggled to regain his full fitness while constant rumors of his move to Manchester United refused to go away. His performances on the field so far suggest he is not at his best but is slowly getting better. With 42 goals in 132 appearances and keeping in mind his ability at both ends of the field, Vidal is an almost irreplaceable player in the team. He is one of the most complete midfielders in Europe and a leader on the pitch. Everyone at the club is helping Vidal recover from this tough phase and Allegri feels it is just a matter of time before he is back to his brilliant best for the Bianconeri. Carlos Tevez Dictating The Play From Deep Perhaps the most noticeable modification in Allegri’s system is the role of Carlos Tevez. His evolution has seen him play a bit deeper, come short and start moves. His average position in the field is exactly where a number 10 should be playing: in the hole behind Fernando Llorente but also behind the ‘volante’ which in most of the cases this season has been new signing Roberto Pereyera. Tevez has provided a touch of fantasia to Juventus’ gameplay in Pirlo’s absence. His goals against Malmo and Milan have all come from him dropping deep to collect the ball and then combining with his team-mate to find the back of the net. Tevez is maximizing his strength this season and Juventus fans will be hoping that ‘Jugador del Pueblo’ is just flexing his muscles. Fernando Llorente had a difficult start to his journey in Italy last season but he came back strongly to score 18 goals which was a very good return in his first season in the peninsula. He looked sharp in pre-season but has struggled, failing to find the net even once in nine appearances for the club. Nor has he provided an assist. The circumstances are different from last season. This time Llorente seems lacking sharpness on the pitch. With Tevez playing a bit deeper, Llorente looks isolated up front with his back to goal. A closer look at his stats reveals Llorente has 38 percent of his shots on target compared to 64 last season. Allegri’s system has largely benefited Tevez but the same cannot be said about Llorente. Conte’s system was built around the Basque striker with the wing-backs encouraged to swing in crosses for Llorente to feed on but this year the approach has been a bit different. His passing stats and hold up play has improved and has played a big part in Tevez scoring so much. Llorente would be looking to end his barren spell soon but there is every reason to believe ‘El Rey Leon’ will roar again for Juventus. Bench Strength Looks Impressive The fact that Juventus have not felt the absence of two stalwarts like Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo is enough to suggest the bench strength they have. Martin Caceres has ably deputized for Barzagli but surprisingly Angelo Ogbonna deserves even more credit. After a mediocre season last year in which he failed to justify his hefty price tag, the ex-Torino captain has looked more confident this term and has actually done admirably even when played out of position on the right side of defence. Roberto Pereyra is no vice-Vidal but he has carved out his own identity in this team. He does not have the tackling, stamina, ability to break plays like the Chilean but he is a better passer and links the midfield and attack. Alvaro Morata and Kingsley Coman have already demonstrated that they are capable of making a decisive impact. Morata is a hardworking striker who can play out on the wings as well while Coman has shown flashes of skills to suggest that he can do a good job as the seconda punta. Both of them have qualities to be grouped as a Velocista(players who use pace as their primary attribute) and that can be a dangerous weapon against tiring teams during the course of any game. The differences or the signs of evolution are based on nine games only; maybe there will be even more as the season progresses. Change is the only constant and Juventus are doing that. They have definitely added quality to their gameplay but whether that will be enough to win them titles cannot be determined at this point. But one thing that can be certainly concluded is these improvisations are laying a solid foundation for the future of Juventus. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Juve lacking European aura Juventus have work to do after a second successive Champions League loss and Luca Cetta thinks they need a change of mentality on the continent. Oct 23, 2014 Wednesday’s giornalaccio rosa dello Sport was in a historical mood. Across its front page was sprawled the words ‘The Sack of Rome’ in reference to Bayern Munich’s incredible win over Roma. And in looking ahead to Juventus’ match against Olympiacos, the pink paper evoked the Greek Gods of mythology. There was Angelo Ogbonna as Hercules and Giorgio ‘Leonidas’ Chiellini. Carlos Tevez was likened to Achilles and sitting on the throne was Andrea Pirlo as Zeus. They wanted to see 11 heroes take the field. Having lost to Atletico Madrid the Bianconeri needed to get back on track. Yet there was only one player giving a performance to appease the Gods, Olympiacos goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez frustrating the Italian champions with a sequence of fantastic second half saves. He proved the hero giornalaccio rosa clamoured for. Juve were shown to be mere mortals. Roberto was only part of the problem. For Massimiliano Allegri’s side the performance continued a string of listless Champions League matches, notably away from home. The Bianconeri have failed to win in any of their last six away fixtures, claiming just one draw at Copenhagen. On the continent the Turin club has lost its aura of supremacy. Opponents do not fear Juventus as they once did and Olympiacos showed you can take the fight to them and succeed, controlling proceedings for much of the 90 minutes. That’s helped by Juve showing too much respect for opponents in their approach. Allegri conceded afterwards his team had to do better. A trip to face the Greek champions is never easy. In recent seasons they’ve claimed the scalps of Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Manchester United, plus Atletico Madrid on Matchday 1. But for Juve it was the type of unproductive performance too frequent in the last three seasons. They do not exhibit the same authority as in Serie A, where teams are outplayed and overpowered. Paul Pogba acknowledges there’s an issue: “I think we do lack something in the Champions League, whereas in Serie A we are more relaxed. In Europe we play against teams who are all very strong and we must take that extra step to go forward.” Allegri’s team didn’t help themselves with a plodding approach which failed to ignite until they realised the situation was desperate. The wing-backs’ ability to create width is vital to the formation, but Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah provided little. It made Juve predictable and the hosts comfortable until the closing stages. The response in the closing stages was positive, but that 20 minutes is perhaps the only spell in which the Bianconeri have showed verve and desire out of 270. It was sorely lacking in the first half as Olympiacos took a deserved lead through Pajtim Kasami. Juventus were too laid-back in possession and body language. When they turned on the style Juve created ample opportunities but failed to finish in the face of a superb Roberto. It’s something Gianluigi Buffon considered: “If we had played the whole game at this tempo [shown in the second half], it would’ve been a different result.” Carlos Tevez says something must change: “We have to turn over a new leaf and find something within ourselves. We must remember that we are Juventus. We certainly didn’t come here to lose... I think it is an issue of mentality and it depends only on us to change.” One positive was Alvaro Morata’s showing in his first Juventus start. He looked the only player capable of dragging the Old Lady from the first-half mire and continued through to the final whistle. Morata created opportunities, brought others into the game and wasn’t afraid to take players on. The result leaves the Turin club with plenty to do in the remaining three matches. Two are at home, the other away to Malmo. It starts with the return Olympiacos fixture, where the aim is to erase the deficit to the second-placed Greeks. Then they must set about finishing the job and at this stage, nine points is a must. They have the squad to do the job. But along the way there must be a change in mentality or Juve will not grow in the Champions League. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

OLIMPIAKOS - JUVENTUS 1 - 0 P. Kasami 35' Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - 08:45 P.M. Georgios Karaiskákis Stadium, Piraeus Referee:‬ Milorad Mazic (Serbia) Cannavaro: Juve lacked courage Oct 23, 2014 Former Juventus defender Fabio Cannavaro has accused the Bianconeri of lacking courage in their defeat to Olympiacos last night. Juve went down 1-0 to the Greek side through Pajtim Kasami’s first half effort, and although the Italian champions launched a second half assault on the opposition goal, they found opposition goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez in inspired form. “Juventus lacked courage in the first half,” Cannavaro told Mediaset in analysis. “They didn’t want to take any risks in the first half. “They only tried at the end, and they created lots of chances, but this is not the Juventus way.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166