Socrates

Chiellini: 'England, Roma and MLS' Oct 18, 2014 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini revealed how he nearly joined Roma, the Premier League and now wants to experience America. The centre-back sat down with La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport for a lengthy interview in which he confessed to several near misses in his career. “I could’ve gone to the Premier League in 2007, which wouldn’t have been a bad thing. Quite simply, I had Juve in my destiny. “If that hadn’t been the case, then I would’ve gone to Roma in 2004, seeing as the deal was all agreed. “When I arrived at Juventus, Giuliano Giannichedda was like a big brother to me. I was afraid to even speak, but he taught me the balance you need in this world. “He’d say ‘Enjoy it when you can, sacrifice at all times and learn to understand the moments you’re going through.’ He was so right.” Chiellini still has time for a different experience and hinted at a future in the MLS, having turned 30 in August. “I’d like to remain in the football world, but I certainly don’t want to become a Coach. It’s too stressful and you have to move around so much. “I see retirement as a far away moment, but sooner or later I’m going to have to think about it. It seems more likely to be at 34-35 than 38. “Hopefully I’ll hang up my boots after an experience in the USA, just to see what it’s like to live there.”

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti MATCH PREVIEW Berardi tests Juve Oct 18, 2014 Winless Sassuolo will be praying for a miracle as they begrudgingly welcome a seemingly unstoppable Juventus. Sassuolo exceeded expectations last term by avoiding the dreaded hand of the relegation reaper. It appears more and more likely that his scythe will spell their doom this season however and an early Halloween 'trick or treat' from the Old Lady will hammer yet another nail into their Serie B bound coffin. However, there may be a glimmer of hope further down the line, as since their 7-0 demolition by Inter in Week 2, the Neroverdi have since kept two consecutive clean sheets against Sampdoria and Fiorentina. In the last couple of rounds they have lost to Napoli and Lazio by just the odd goal and pushed the Biancocelesti in a five goal thriller. Juventus meanwhile march on and are on course to possibly even better their record breaking 2013-14 League campaign. Few expected Coach Massimiliano Allegri to adapt so well to a role moulded in Antonio Conte's image, but the 3-2 win over Roma before the international break highlighted their Scudetto winning credentials. A successful but far from perfect couple of results for the Azzurri at least sees its Bianconeri continent return in decent shape and decent spirits, even as Andrea Barzagli is still yet to recover from his lengthy heel injury. With the rumour mill once again in full swing with regards to the future of one Arturo Vidal, it will also be interesting to see whether or not he features from the start. Keep an eye on: Paul Pogba (Juventus) - Fresh from scoring the winner in a morale boosting friendly victory over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, the much coveted Frenchman will be keen to net his first League goal of the season. Form guide: Sassuolo (L D D L L) Juventus (W W W W W) Last season: Sassuolo 1-3 Juventus Stat fact: In their two meetings last season, Juventus scored a combined seven goals past Sassuolo and conceded just one. Sassuolo (probable): Consigli; Vrsaljko, Antei, Cannavaro, Longhi; Biondini, Magnanelli, Taider; Berardi, Floccari, Sansone Suspended: Peluso Juventus (probable): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente Suspended: Morata http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Juventus vs. Sassuolo Preview: Round 7 — The Kids in the Hall Oct 17, 2014 Normally, a matchup between the first-place and last-place teams in Serie A would be easy to figure out and thought about as rather straightforward. You know, the kind of thing that makes you think something like, "This team is no good. Juventus are about to stomp all over them." Easy to say, easy to predict the outcome. But Juventus vs. Sassuolo has a bit of a different feel to it. At least from here it does. Not because of where each team is in the standings, but who's actually playing in the game. Over the past two summers, Sassuolo has seemingly become a the minor-league baseball team equivalent to Juventus. Got a promising player? Send 'em to Sassuolo! It's seemed to work out pretty well so far, so why stop now, right? Exactly. Keep 'em coming, guys! Those kids are Sassuolo's present, but also looked at as Juventus' future. Go ahead and name them if you'd like. There's Domenico Berardi, Simone Zaza and the likes. Instead of watching them play for Juventus like a lot of us want to see happen, they're going to try and slow down the only team still to not lose a game in Serie A so far this season. Heavy task to ask of them? Sure, mainly because — even with the injuries — Juventus are still the best team in Italy and playing good football. Well, at least they're playing good football domestically. We will talk about the Champions League in a couple of days when we're ready to mix up a Greek salad and get away from all these crooked Italian referees. (Hi, Mr. Totti.) I mean, up until the 3-2 win over Roma, Juventus' goals allowed column read a big, fat goose egg. In short: Step on up, Sassuolo. You're the next team to try and slow the train down. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "Not winning tomorrow would undo all our efforts in claiming three points against Roma." I must say, that's a damn good quote. Right on, Max, right on. GOOD NEWS Points after six rounds of the Serie A season: Juventus 18, Roma 15. Three points worth of difference and alone at the top of the table for the first time all season. A little room to maneuver never hurt anybody. Well, anybody who is port of and/or roots for the team that's in first place, that is. BAD NEWS Might as well just change the 'Bad News' section to the 'Who's Injured?' at this point. Martin Cáceres remains out with a hamstring injury he picked up against Roma, same goes for Andrea Barzagli, Romulo and Luca Marrone. There's also no Álvaro Morata as he serves his one-game red card suspension. At least Simone Padoin is 100 percent healthy, right? JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "Injuries? Marrone is feeling better, Barzagli continues to work alone, Caceres is coming on very well." WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Domenico Berardi. You can tell that Domenico Berardi really does love Sassuolo, and they obviously love him back. That definitely played a big-time roll in his decision to stay around another season despite Juventus reportedly being quite interested in bringing the 20-year-old starlet to Turin this summer. But he clearly decided to repay the club that has given him so much the last couple of years and, for the first time in his career, he will play against the club that owns half of his contract after being suspended for both Juventus-Sassuolo meetings last season. There will be a spotlight on Berardi, and rightfully so. You name the best prospects Juve have right now, and Berardi is the first or second name out of somebody's mouth every single time. In other words, the kid is good. Really, really good. 2. Simone Zaza. Zaza isn't officially on Juventus' books this season, but he could very well be this time next season. He doesn't have the kind of hype surrounding himself as Berardi does, but he's still one of the best young Italian players going these days. And guess who's been starting for Italy's senior squad these past few months? It's not Berardi, it's Zaza. It hasn't completely clicked for Zaza on the club level, scoring just one goal in five games (413 minutes). Then again, you could say that about the Sassuolo squad as a whole, with Berardi (2) and Zaza (1) scoring all of the club's goals so far this season. Not exactly good news that Serie A's best defense is coming to town, I guess. 3. Federico Peluso. Nah, just kidding. Guy is suspended tomorrow night anyway after receiving a red card against Lazio. Moving on... 4. Angelo Ogbonna. This point was originally slotted for a brief discussion about all of Juve's four stellar central midfielders being available for selection, but apparently Max Allegri — and a travel agent in Chile — had other ideas. So, we've called an audible, and will focus our intention on one of the guys who will be looked upon to slow down Berardi, Zaza, and the rest of the talented Sassuolo attack. This has been a sort of mini-redemption tour for Ogbonna, wo struggled both for playing time and on the field when he did get the chance to play during the 2013-14 campaign. This season has been a completely different story for the former Torino defender. He's been good, maybe the best and most consistent Juventus defender not named Martin Cáceres through the first two months of the season. With Cáceres out injured for at least the next couple of weeks, Ogbonna isn't going to find himself in a situation where he isn't playing much at all. It's going to be the exact opposition. And the way he's playing right now, it's not a bad thing to him Ogbonna in the starting lineup. 5. Can the other half of The Beauty & The Beast striker partnership break his duck? We know Carlos Tévez has been in fine form to begin the 2014-15 season. We also know Fernando Llorente hasn't been in very good form to begin the 2014-15 season. Thanks to Allegri's words on Friday afternoon, we pretty much know — whether you agree with it or not — that it will be Llorente and Tévez starting alongside one another against Sassuolo. There goes any kind of thoughts that we'd see Kingsley Coman's mohawk from the opening kickoff. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "It's likely @llorentefer19 and @carlitos3210 will start up front tomorrow. Fernando's just missing a goal, he's working well." What does Llorente have going for him even though he's not in a good vein of form right now? Through six games, Sassuolo has one of the worst defense in Serie A, allowing 12 goals (seven of which came against Inter last month). If there was a defense to score against when you're in need of a goal, Sassuolo would probably be one of the top teams you'd throw up there. You know, just like he did last season. (I miss that Llorente, for the record.) Until then, Tuttosport will lie in wait like Randy Orton before an RKO to roll out another "E SOLO BELLO?" cover after the weekend's Juventus game. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Cáceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Tévez, Coman OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 8:45 P.M. IN ITALY; 2:45 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 11:45 A.M. ON THE WEST COAST http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Sabato, 18 Ottobre 2014 - ore 20:45 Stadio Città del Tricolore (Mapei Stadium) - Reggio Emilia Arbitro: Luca Banti Confronti ufficiali 2 - 2 (Serie A) Vittorie Juventus 2 - 2 (Serie A) Pareggi 0 Vittorie Sassuolo 0 Goals Juventus 7 - 7 (Serie A) Goals Sassuolo 1 - 1 (Serie A) Sassuolo-Juventus a Sassuolo Serie A Confronti ufficiali 1 Vittorie Juventus 1 (il 28.04.2014, 1-3) Pareggi 0 Vittorie Sassuolo 0 Goals Juventus 3 Goals Sassuolo 1 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Sassuolo a Sassuolo 1 presenza Asamoah Kwadwo 1 Barzagli Andrea 1 Bonucci Leonardo 1 Buffon Gianluigi 1 Chiellini Giorgio 1 Isla Mauricio Anibal 1 Lichtsteiner Stephan 1 Llorente Fernando 1 Marchisio Claudio 1 Ogbonna Angelo Obinze 1 goal Llorente Fernando 1 Marchisio Claudio 1 Tevez Carlos Ultimi confronti diretti 15.12.2013 Serie A Juventus-Sassuolo 4-0 28.04.2014 Serie A Sassuolo-Juventus 1-3 Giocate 2 - Vittorie Juventus 2 - Pareggi 0 - Vittorie Sassuolo 0 - Goals Juventus 7 - Goals Sassuolo 1 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti ‘Vidal won’t play at Sassuolo’ Oct 17, 2014 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed Arturo Vidal will not be in the squad for the Bianconeri’s trip to Sassuolo. The Chilean midfielder played two 90-minute games while on international duty, and only arrived back in Turin yesterday. “Vidal will not be in the squad,” Allegri has told today’s pre-match Press conference. “He was late back yesterday, but it wasn’t his fault. He came in and trained with the squad. “Vidal has played two 90 minute games - and I don’t think the Chilean Coach played Vidal when he wasn’t fit, he played two 90 minute games because he was in good condition. “So, let’s get rid of any controversy or potential controversy. “However, having looked at the data Vidal isn’t in as good a condition as the rest of the team. “Given that he only came back yesterday, having just played two games and we have an important game in Athens on Wednesday [against Olympiakos], I’d prefer him to do three days of work here, so he will stay here in Turin.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Di Francesco: Sassuolo Will Put Our Hearts Into Match With Juventus Oct 17, 2014 Sassuolo boss Eusebio Di Francesco has revealed that his team will put their hearts into their upcoming home game against Juventus and will fight until the final whistle is blown. The last place Neroverdi will play hosts to league leading Juve on Saturday and the tactician is adamant that his players will give their all in hopes of securing a positive result despite the talent gap between the two sides. Di Francesco spoke during his pre-match press conference on Friday about Sassuolo’s determination ahead of the meeting with Juventus and refused to give too much information on his plans for the match in order to avoid giving a bigger advantage to the Old Lady. “It’s a game that everyone wants to play,” said the 45-year-old. “We shall put our hearts into this game. “I also have players from the national teams available. I won’t speak of my formation, I don’t want to give any benefits to our opponents, but the boys know that we can play in different ways. “Massimiliano Allegri is carrying out the work of Antonio Conte. The values of these two teams are different, but we’ll play at our best until the end.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Allegri: Juventus Have A Fundamental Month Ahead Oct 17, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his side to focus on Saturday’s match at Sassuolo ahead of an important month of matches in Serie A and the Champions League. The Bianconeri return to league action at the Mapei Stadium after the international break looking to extend their lead at the top of the table and then travel to Athens to play Olympiacos on Wednesday. “It’s an important game for us and we’ve got a fundamental month ahead,” the 47-year-old tactician said in his pre-match press conference. “Not just in the championship, but in also in the Champions League where the double-header with Olympiacos will be decisive in the race to get out of the group. “We need to pick up where we left off, but tomorrow won’t be straightforward by any stretch of the imagination. “Sassuolo may have just three points on the board as it stands, yet they’re very strong in forward areas and possess everything that’s required to stay up and maintain their top flight status.” Allegri also called for fallout from the 3-2 win against Roma prior to the international break to now stop. “What has been said is part of the game and I believe that it is the moment to stop, because luckily, tomorrow we return to the league,” he continued. “And I think that this is the most important thing, because after that I think people’s interest will be in watching football games, seeing beautiful matches, as Juventus-Roma was, and there will be many others. “There are a lot of games to go until the end of the season and as I said, in the case of victory or defeat for one of the two teams, it certainly does not affect the title race for either team.”

Allegri: One day to England Oct 17, 2014 Juventus Coach Max Allegri has admitted he would like to work in the Premier League, but reiterates Arturo Vidal won’t be going there in January. The 47-year-old is a few months into his tenure in Turin, but has conceded to the BBC World Service this week of intentions to one day manage in England. “What particularly struck me was how good their infrastructures are and the huge enthusiasm that the crowd has,” Allegri is quoted as saying this week. “I hope, in the future, to have the opportunity to coach in England. I was in London for two months when I was dismissed by Milan. “I saw some games to try and better understand English football. It's different from the Italian football, it's more fascinating.” Rumours continue to suggest Juve midfielder Vidal is closer than Allegri to a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United again seen as preparing a January bid. “The club has been very clear on Vidal,” Allegri has responded. “This season Vidal is a Juventus player and I think there's no possibility that in January he'll go to Manchester.”

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Juve name 19 for Sassuolo Oct 17, 2014 Juventus have named a 19-man squad to face Sassuolo, minus a few injured names and midfielder Arturo Vidal. Andrea Barzagli, Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres are all unavaiable through injury, whilst Alvaro Morata is suspended following his red card against Roma in Week 6. Meanwhile, Vidal is absent from the squad, which Coach Max Allegri confirmed with reasons in today’s Press conference. Juventus squad to face Sassuolo: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Marchisio, Tevez, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Lichtsteiner, Storari, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra, Mattiello http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Allegri: Juventus in for a tough time at rock-bottom Sassuolo The coach was dismissive that Saturday's opposition would be easy and confirmed that Arturo Vidal would miss out the match due to coming back late from international duty. Oct 17, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that Sassuolo will not be an easy match despite the opposition being rock-bottom of Serie A. While the Bianconeri have begun their title defence with six successive wins, Sassuolo have failed to get a single victory and have just three points in the Italian top flight. Allegri, however, is convinced that the relegation-fighting side who he used to coach would prove to be a tough battle on Saturday regardless of their low standing in 2014-15. "For us this is an important game tomorrow, at the same time we have a tough month ahead and I think that this is a crucial month," Allegri told reporters. "For the league it is not decisive, but very important. For the Champions League I think that the two games, one in Athens and the return at home to Olympiakos, are essential for progressing to the next round. "This break has allowed us to recover a little of our energy, many international players went off but they have returned in good condition, and they played some good games. "There have been few people here during the international break, I’ve never before had to train only two players. Tomorrow we must continue the journey. "It will not be simple against Sassuolo, who are not going through a good period, but are a team with good quality, indeed very good quality in attack and this will absolutely not be an easy game." Allegri also confirmed that midfielder Arturo Vidal - who was left out of the starting line-up ahead of Juve's Roma win after getting drunk the night before the game - would not feature due to having come back late from Chile duty during the international break. "Vidal will not be in the squad," Allegri added. "He was late back yesterday, but it wasn’t his fault. He came in and trained with the squad. "Vidal has played two 90 minute games - and I don’t think the Chilean Coach played Vidal when he wasn’t fit, he played two 90 minute games because he was in good condition. "So, let’s get rid of any controversy or potential controversy. However, having looked at the data Vidal isn’t in as good a condition as the rest of the team. "Given that he only came back yesterday, having just played two games and we have an important game in Athens on Wednesday [against Olympiakos], I’d prefer him to do three days of work here, so he will stay here in Turin." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Allegri: A crucial month for Juve Oct 17, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri shrugs off Juventus-Roma talk by asserting focus has to be on Sassuolo and then a ‘crucial’ month ahead. The Bianconeri return to League action against the Reggio Emilia outfit after the international break, with talk still very much on the fallout from their Week 6 win over Roma. However, in facing the media today in his pre-match Press conference, Juve’s Coach has looked to direct focus to the here and now. “For us this is an important game tomorrow, at the same time we have a tough month ahead and I think that this is a crucial month,” Allegri has responded to reporters. “For the League it is not decisive, but very important. For the Champions League I think that the two games, one in Athens and the return at home to Olympiacos, are essential for progressing to the next round. “This break has allowed us to recover a little of our energy, many international players went off but they have returned in good condition, and they played some good games. “There have been few here, I’ve never before had to train only two players. Tomorrow we must continue the journey. “It will not be simple against Sassuolo, who are not going through a good period, but are a team with good quality, indeed very good quality in attack and this will absolutely not be an easy game.” Allegri was pressed for comment on the continued debate over the controversy from the Roma win. “What has been said is part of the game and I believe that it is the moment to stop, because luckily, tomorrow we return to the League. “And I think that this is the most important thing, because after that I think people’s interest will be in watching football games, seeing beautiful matches, as Juventus-Roma was, and there will be many others. “There are a lot of games to go until the end of the season and as I said, in the case of victory or defeat for one of the two teams, it certainly does not affect the title race for either team. “Hence we should be focused straight away, because we know that we have to be aware that this month, as I have said, is not decisive, but is crucial for the Scudetto and it is very important and certainly decisive for the Champions League.” Allegri spent the 2007-08 season on the Sassuolo bench, whilst defeat to the Neroverdi last season spelled the end of his time at Milan. “I can only say that Sassuolo has been part of my coaching career, I have experienced beautiful and less beautiful things. “Tomorrow we face a team that has a lot of quality, and whilst a side only with three points, they have all the features to avoid relegation and stay in Serie A.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Sassuolo vs. Juventus: Key Issues That Will Shape Serie A Game Oct 17, 2014 Juventus travel to Sassuolo on Saturday, hoping for a sixth straight league win to start 2014-15 on their return to domestic action. The controversial 3-2 triumph over Roma before the international break saw the Bianconeri open up a three-point lead atop Serie A, and the reigning champions will certainly look to maintain that cushion. Indeed, with the Giallorossi facing Chievo earlier in the day, Massimiliano Allegri and his players will expect nothing less than victory against the division’s bottom club. Along with Palermo, the minnows are the only side yet to record a win, registering three defeats and three draws so far this term. Coach Eusebio Di Francesco is a widely respected tactician, and he has an array of exciting, young attacking talent at his disposal. Over the following pages is a look at the factors most likely to influence the result, with a number of intriguing matchups to monitor closely over the course of this game. Juventus-owned players with a point to prove The percentage of the Sassuolo squad with ties to the club lining up opposite them is notable, to say the least. Sporting director Giovanni Rossi is the former head of the Juventus youth sector, and he has used that connection to bring in a number of players he has previously worked with. A member of the side which won the 2009 Viareggio Tournament, the Bianconeri sold defender Lorenzo Ariaudo to Cagliari three years ago, while midfielder Raman Chibsah was released last summer. The latter never represented the Turin giants in a competitive fixture, while his Sassuolo team-mate managed just three senior appearances. Two Neroverde players who hope to have a far greater impact are Simone Zaza and Domenico Berardi, both of whom harbour ideas of playing for Juventus. The former ended his co-ownership deal with the Bianconeri this summer, but they retain a buy-back option for the next two years, per Football Italia. Meanwhile, Berardi’s registration remains shared between the two clubs, and the performances of both men will be key to Sassuolo’s chances of a result. Sassuolo’s attack vs. Injury-hit Juventus defence Aiming to stop Sassuolo’s gifted young attack will be a Juventus defence which could face major issues. Martin Caceres has joined Andrea Barzagli on the injury list. That has robbed Allegri of both his options on the right of the back three, but he insists that is not a problem, speaking highly of the other players available to him among the squad. “Ogbonna has done very well,” the coach told Corriere della Sera on Wednesday (h/t Football Italia). “We will recover Marrone, and on the edge Lichtsteiner can be a third.” Despite a high turnover of players in defence this term, only Roma have scored against the Bianconeri this season, and they will hope to record their sixth clean sheet of the campaign on Saturday. Allegri’s Champions League selection dilemma As well as a potential headache in defence, Allegri has the added issue of a crowded fixture list to contend with. Arturo Vidal and a number of other players have faced long journeys over the international break, and the Bianconeri also have a difficult-looking Champions League tie in midweek. All four teams in Group A sit on three points, but while Atletico Madrid will welcome Malmo to the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday, Juventus travel to Greece to meet Olympiakos. Resting players for that fixture is an important consideration, but whatever the XI players selected on Saturday, the form of Roma demands Juve take maximum points. Anything less than a victory would likely see Rudi Garcia’s men wipe out their deficit and see the reigning champions come under intense scrutiny. It is a difficult balance, but one the Turin club know they must find, with Sassuolo the latest challenge in the quest for a fourth consecutive title. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Lichtsteiner Could Leave Juventus If Wage Demands Not Met Oct 17, 2014 Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner could leave the Italian giants and move to French club Paris Saint-Germain if he is not able to sign a contract renewal. The 30-year-old Swiss right-back’s contract with the Bianconeri will expire in June 2015 and the Serie A leaders want to renew his contract in case he decides to leave next summer. According to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, Lichtsteiner has been offered €2.3 million a season but he prefers to receive €3 million and Juventus are not willing to offer him that amount of money. Lichtsteiner has played for Juventus since 2011 and he has been a key player in the Bianconeri’s last three Scudetto wins. He has scored nine goals in 97 Serie A matches for the Turin-based giants. At international level, he has scored five goals in 69 matches for Switzerland and he has played in one European Championship and two World Cups for his country.

Tevez as good as Juventus icon Zidane - Lippi The former Bianconeri boss believes that the Argentine has established himself as "the leader of the team" - just as the Frenchman did under him in the 1990s. Oct 17, 2014 Marcello Lippi has hailed Juventus striker Carlos Tevez, claiming he is as good as former France superstar Zinedine Zidane. Tevez has been in magnificent form this season, scoring eight goals in all competitions and six in Serie A, with the Bianconeri currently topping the table with a 100 per cent record. Consequently, Lippi feels that Tevez is proving just as influential as former charge Zidane, who inspired Juve to two Serie A titles during his five years in Turin during the 1990s. "Tevez is playing so well that he reminds me of Juve's best days. He has reached the level that Zidane was at while at Juventus," Lippi told Tuttosport. "He is now a leader of the team and he has not missed one step. "He is so unique. There is no phenomenon like him, not even at Roma, who have many highly talented players." Lippi added: "The squad is very experienced. Tevez is doing great things for Juventus but Juventus is doing great things for Tevez also. "As a former coach of Juventus, with the club in my heart, I can only wish that the team takes off in the Champions League." Lippi, who also hailed Roma's Miralem Pjanic as a "great player", ended by stating that Arturo Vidal will stay at Juventus despite again being linked with a transfer away from the club. "His future is in Turin, and I think that the Chilean has already said that," he concluded.

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Sassuolo - Juventus Preview: Basement boys braced for visit of league leaders Massimiliano Allegri's men will be confident of making it seven wins out of seven against a side without a single win to their name. Oct 17, 2014 Juventus will seek to move on from their controversial win over Roma when they take on Sassuolo in Serie A on Saturday. Massimiliano Allegri claimed that "everyone is against Juve" after the champions came under fire following the award of two questionable penalties and a contentious winner in their 3-2 home success against title rivals Roma. That result, which came before the international break, made it six league wins on the bounce for Allegri's side, who are red-hot favourites to claim maximum points against rock-bottom Sassuolo. Allegri insisted Juve's excellent display against Roma was overlooked as the focus fell more sharply on the performance of the referee and the notion that the hosts had been given some apparently favourable decisions. For Sassuolo, one glimmer of hope may come from the fact that a host of Juve players represented their countries during the latest international schedule, offering the possibility of fatigue among the squad. One man who did not feature, though, was Carlos Tevez, who was once again overlooked by Argentina. The industrious 30-year-old hit his first Juventus hat-trick in a 4-0 win at home to Sassuolo, before scoring again in a 3-1 away victory in the teams' second meeting of 2013-14. Tevez has netted four times in his last two appearances and heads Serie A's scoring chart. He is bidding to become the first Argentine to win the Capocannoniere award since Hernan Crespo in 2000-01. Pogba has also excelled for Juventus this term and, after receiving the Best Young Player Award for his performances at the recent World Cup at the Paris Motor Show on Wednesday, expressed his desire to win a more prestigious gong. "I'm going to do all I can to win even more [individual] trophies," said the 21-year-old. "My aim is to become the best player in the world." Allegri must decide whether to recall reported Manchester United target Vidal. The coach claimed he dropped the Chile midfielder against Roma for "tactical reasons", though he suggested otherwise by referring to the 27-year-old as a "silly boy" after he was reportedly involved in a nightclub scuffle. Vidal did, however, play every minute of Chile’s recent two friendlies in his homeland – a 3-0 win over Peru and a 2-2 draw with Bolivia in which he scored a last-gasp equaliser. Another player who returned to Turin from another continent was Kwadwo Asamoah, who helped Ghana beat Guinea 3-1 on Wednesday. Allegri will nevertheless be thankful Andrea Pirlo, who recently returned from a hip injury, was left on the bench as Italy won in Malta in midweek. The 35-year-old has yet to play for Juventus this season, but was given a run out for his country against Azerbaijan last Friday. Defender Federico Peluso, who left Juventus for Sassuolo in the close-season, is suspended, but Domenico Berardi, fresh from scoring twice in the 3-2 loss at Lazio, is free to face his parent club. LAST FIVE MATCHES Sassuolo - L L D D L 2014/10/05 - Lazio 3 - 2 Sassuolo 2014/09/28 - Sassuolo 0 - 1 Napoli 2014/09/24 - Fiorentina 0 - 0 Sassuolo 2014/09/21 - Sassuolo 0 - 0 Sampdoria 2014/09/14 - Internazionale 7 - 0 Sassuolo Juventus - W L W W W 2014/10/05 - Juventus 3 - 2 Roma 2014/10/01 - Atlético de Madrid 1 - 0 Juventus 2014/09/27 - Atalanta 0 - 3 Juventus 2014/09/24 - Juventus 3 - 0 Cesena 2014/09/20 - Milan 0 - 1 Juventus HEAD TO HEAD 2014/04/28 - Sassuolo 1 - 3 Juventus 2013/12/15 - Juventus 4 - 0 Sassuolo http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Sassuolo V Juventus – Preview: Top Plays Bottom As Pressure Mounts At Both Ends Oct 17, 2014 Sassuolo will play host to Juventus this Saturday evening, as Serie A returns after its break for the European Championship qualifiers. The Bianconeri, currently leading the race for the Scudetto, travel to the Mapei Stadium to face Eusebio Di Francesco’s men who prop up the table after an indifferent start to their current campaign. The last time the two sides met in Reggio Emilia back in April, Carlos Tevez, Claudio Marchisio and Fernando Llorente dispatched Sassuolo, after Simone Zaza had given the home side an early ninth minute lead. This season the Neroverdi have struggled to put together any consistency, and find themselves still searching for their first win of the campaign. With three draws and three defeats after six games, the coach would have hoped for a slightly less complicated opponent than the current champions of Italy. The delicate nature of the match has forced Di Francesco into a tactical rethink and the 45-year-old has reportedly experimented with a 3-4-3 formation which he may decide to adopt come Saturday evening. With Luca Antei, Domenico Berardi, Simone Zaza and Saphir Taider returning from international duty relatively unscathed, concerns now surround the current injury situation to Thomas Manfredini, Antonio Floro Flores and Lorenzo Ariaudo. The three are a doubt to win their race for fitness and may struggle to make the starting line-up. Ex-Juve defender Federico Peluso will definitely miss out, having picked up a ban for this match. The Bianconeri have a few issues themselves, the suspension of Alvaro Morata but more worryingly the fact that their other Spanish front man has yet to open his goal scoring account. Fernando Llorente has failed to net in his six league matches, despite the Bianconeri having won every game thus far in dominant fashion. Coach Massimiliano Allegri will still keep faith with his centre forward, fully aware that last season the 29-year-old only started finding the net regularly from November onwards. There is still no sign of defender Andrea Barzagli returning to the Juventus side and Martin Caceres will also be absent after having picked up a knock last time out in their controversial win over Roma. Angelo Ogbonna will deputise, alongside fellow Italy internationals Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. Tickets are already difficult to find as the match is expected to be a sell-out and may break the current attendance record at the Mapei Stadium of 14206. Expected Starting XIs Sassuolo (4-3-3): Consigli; Longhi, Antei, Cannavaro, Gazzola; Taider, Manganelli, Biondini; Berardi, Zaza, Sansone. Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichsteiner, Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Preview: Sassuolo vs. Juventus Oct 16, 2014 Juventus can extend their winning run in Serie A to seven games on Saturday if they grab all three points over Sassuolo, who are currently rooted to the bottom of the league table. Prior to the international break, Massimiliano Allegri's side managed to overcome rivals Roma with a 3-2 victory, courtesy of goals from Carlos Tevez and Leonardo Bonucci. With that, the Old Lady pushed a three-point gap between themselves and second-placed Roma at the top of the standings, while Sassuolo are still searching for their first win in Serie A this season. Taking three points out of a possible 18 has left Eusebio Di Francesco's side at the bottom of the table, but with a victory they could possibly climb out of the relegation places. Last season, Juventus secured emphatic wins over Sassuolo both home and away with a 4-0 victory and 3-1 triumph. The home side are likely to start Simone Zaza and Nicola Sansone up front, while Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez are likely to provide the goal threat for Juventus. Recent form Sassuolo: DLDDLL Juventus: WWWWWW Possible starting lineups Sassuolo: Consigli; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Antei, Longhi; Biondini, Magnanelli, Taider; Berardi, Zaza, Sansone Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra; Llorente, Tevez Sports Mole says: 0-3 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Juventus Close To Renewing Contract Of Pogba Oct 16, 2014 Juventus look set to extend the contract of midfielder Paul Pogba with the French international set to stay with the Turin giants until 2018. The former Manchester United player has attracted Europe’s top clubs with a string of impressive performances for the Bianconeri but the reigning Serie A champions look set to keep him at the club. Sportmediaset report that Pogba is prepared to commit his future to Juventus as he feels he is an important cog in the Serie A Champions machine, with the signing coming as soon as the weekend. The 21-year-old was voted the Hyundai Young Player at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and has scored 12 goals in 68 appearances since joining the Bianconeri in August 2012.

Pogba: I want to become the best player in the world The 21-year-old France international says that he is driven by the desire to win individual awards and team titles with Juventus. Oct 16, 2014 Paul Pogba has revealed that his ambition is to "become the best player in the world". The midfielder has helped Juventus win two Serie A titles since joining from Manchester United in the summer of 2012 and only further enhanced his reputation by starring for France at this summer's World Cup. Pogba's performances in Brazil saw him named the Young Player of the Tournament and he has now admitted that he is driven by the prospect of winning more individual and collective trophies. "I'm very proud to receive this award and it was an honour for me to play in the World Cup," the 21-year-old told FIFA.com on Wednesday. "I can't predict what's going to happen in the future but I'm going to do all I can to win even more trophies. "I'm going to keep working hard. My aim is to become the best player in the world." Pogba's current contract with Juventus runs until 2016 and he was repeatedly linked with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and United during the summer. However, the former Le Havre prodigy is in talks with the Bianconeri over a new contract and is imminently expected to pen a three-year extension.

Brio: 'De Sanctis called Juve thieves' Oct 16, 2014 Former Juventus player Sergio Brio blasted Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis for calling the Bianconeri “thieves.” De Sanctis gave an interview to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport on the controversial 3-2 result of their head-to-head. “He called Juventus thieves and that is not acceptable, especially for someone who is on the Federal council,” Brio told Tuttomercatoweb. “In my view De Sanctis is just bitter because he was only in the Juve youth academy and never got to experience the first team, as that’s reserved for special players. I will add nothing more. “The only correct thing De Sanctis said was that Roma are currently a superior team to Juventus. Roma can win the Scudetto, their squad is just as strong.”

Capello: 'Juve have winning mentality' Oct 16, 2014 Fabio Capello was “disappointed” by the Juventus-Roma controversy. “The difference is a winning mentality.” The Bianconeri beat Roma 3-2 in a fiery Turin clash, which saw two red cards and several contentious decisions. “Juventus-Roma was not a beautiful game in many respects, particularly the controversy both during and after the match,” Russia Coach Capello told reporters. “I was disappointed, as it should’ve been an example of Italian football coming back to a top level. The difference is in how accustomed they are to winning. There are clubs where you go and breathe in the winning mentality. Juventus have that mentality.” Despite a poor start to the campaign, Capello believes Napoli can get back into the Scudetto race. “When I was in charge of Milan there were seven teams fighting for the Scudetto, because there were also certain great Presidents. “Now the only remaining clubs are Roma, Juve and Napoli. The rest make do with simply competing. “The level of player in Serie A has dropped too. If you train with a great player, you learn and improve. Today, not having top players in their squads, they copy mediocre levels. “Abroad the clubs who have more money can buy the most talented players, so they take on a winning mentality. “Fortunately during this economic crisis Italian football is doing a good job of finding talented young foreigners. Only one top player arrived and that was Carlos Tevez.”

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Luca Banti to ref Sassuolo-Juve Oct 16, 2014 Luca Banti will officiate the Sassuolo-Juventus game this weekend, but Juventus-Roma referee Gianluca Rocchi is dropped. The Lega Serie A announced the officials for the Week 7 fixtures. Rocchi, who was bitterly criticised after Juve’s 3-2 victory over Roma, is nowhere to be seen this weekend. Atalanta-Parma (Guida) Cagliari-Sampdoria (Gervasoni) Fiorentina-Lazio (Peruzzo) Genoa-Empoli (Cervellera) Verona-Milan (Valeri) Inter-Napoli (Orsato) Palermo-Cesena (Damato) Roma-Chievo (Calvarese) Sassuolo-Juventus (Banti) Torino-Udinese (Russo) http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS - Saturday, October 18th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Città del Tricolore Stadium - Reggio Emilia Referee: Luca Banti Sassuolo take down barriers Oct 16, 2014 Sassuolo announced they will remove the barriers separating fans from the pitch at the Mapei Stadium. Most Italian stadiums still have barriers and nets to prevent objects being thrown on to the field, although some are now adopting a more English-style approach. Sassuolo today confirmed they will be joining the campaign to progressively eliminate the barriers at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia. It’ll begin with this Saturday’s Serie A game against Juventus, hoping to make it “an increasingly comfortable and secure arena, transforming it into a place for healthy and sporting support based on education and respect for the rules.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Juve continuing Pogba talks Oct 16, 2014 Juventus are continuing contract negotiations with Paul Pogba and are reportedly offering a four-year extension. The Bianconeri have been expected to agree an extended and improved deal for the France international having ended speculation of an exit from Turin this summer, despite reputed interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Tuttosport today update on the progress of those talks and say that a meeting has been held in Milan between Juve officials and Pogba’s representatives, Mino Raiola and Walid Ben Zefti. It is speculated that terms of the proposal have been tabled and that the Old Lady is looking to tie Pogba down to June 2018, with an option also in place for a further year. Representing an initial two-year extension to his current contract, the offer also apparently will have the 21-year-old’s salary boosted to €4m - currently the midfielder is earning €1.5m each season. Tuttosport say Beppe Marotta is eyeing another meeting as soon as possible with Raiola and Ben Zefti and this will most likely come after next week’s Champions League clash with Olympiacos, with an agreement aimed to reached by the end of this month. The Turin publication also quote Ben Zefti: “Paul is happy in Turin, the negotiations for the renewal are underway, they could take a long time just as they could be closed very quickly, we’ll see. “It depends on several things, not just the money.” Pogba yesterday picked up the Hyundai Young Player Award for his part played at the 2014 World Cup.

Boca President eyes Tevez, but… Oct 16, 2014 Boca Juniors President Daniel Angelici claims Carlos Tevez could return to the club as soon as next year. The Argentinean striker began his career with Boca and has more than once offered comments like this one in 2012: “My biggest wish is to finish my career in the Boca shirt.” Boca President Angelici, though, is targeting a quicker return to La Bombonera than most would have anticipated. “Let’s see if Tevez will come back next year,” Angelici has told ESPN this week. “We’ll talk with him, and try to find out if it would be a good time [for him to come back].” However, the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport has poured cold water on Angelici’s claims. According to the Milan-based sports daily, not only does Tevez have a contract until 2016, but the 30-year-old will be offered a new deal to keep him in Turin until 2018.