Socrates

Bonucci 'punched' by mental coach Sep 27, 2014 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci is fired up by getting insulted in the dark and punched in the stomach, said his mental coach. The Italy and Juve centre-back has for years been working with personal motivator Alberto Ferrarini, who also worked with Alberto Gilardino and Francesco Toldo in the past. “Over the years I took Bonucci into my basement. Underground. In the dark,” wrote Ferrarini on Facebook. “There, with a tone anything but kind or sweet, I offended him in every way possible. I judged him. I insulted him. “If he made even the slightest attempt to glance at me, he’d receive a punch straight to the stomach. “The objective? To win over judgement, so Leo would always be focused and ignore everything else around him. That’s how I started making him into a soldier.”

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta V Juventus – Team News, Tactics, Line-Ups And Prediction Sep 27, 2014 Juventus travel to Bergamo to take on a stuttering Atalanta on Saturday evening. Massimillliano Allegri’s side have made a perfect start to their new campaign and are yet to concede a goal so far. Considering the absence of first team starters like Andrea Pirlo and Andrea Barzagli, the lively beginning to the season has surprised many. Juventus will have one eye on the away trip to Vicente Calderon on Wednesday but will be equally aware of the tough task ahead of them in this game at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia. Atalanta are traditionally very strong at home but surprisingly they have registered only one point out of a possible six so far this season. The 1-0 loss against Fiorentina in match week 3 was a particularly poor result as they looked listless on the field against a relatively inexperienced La Viola outfit. Stefano Colantuono will be rallying his troops for this tough task and will be well aware of the monumental task ahead of them tomorrow. Team news and tactical brief ATALANTA Atalanta have made an indifferent start to the new season picking up only one win out of the four games played. They were comprehensively outplayed against Inter Milan on Wednesday and the task does not get any easier as they host the champions now. Stefano Colantuono knows that his side are firmly the underdogs here but another defeat could create some pressure even this early on in the season. Marco Sportiello who saved a Rodrigo Palacio penalty midweek will continue in goal. The center-back pair of Guiseppe Biava and Nicolò Cherubin will have their toughest test so far this season against a solid Juventus frontline. Davide Zappacosta has earned rave reviews following his steady performances with the Under-21 side and Juventus are reportedly interested in acquiring his services for the upcoming season. He has been a regular fixture in the Nerazzuri lineup so far this season and he will be a starter again this Saturday. Senegal international Boukary Drame who joined from Chievo in the summer will start in the left-back position. Ex-Juventus winger Marcelo Estigarribia will be lining up against his old team on Saturday. The tricky Paraguayan winger could prove a handful for Asamoah and he will have to keep an eye on him as Estigarribia could cause problems on the field. Daniele Baselli has been touted by many as a natural regista capable of filling Andrea Pirlo’s boots in the future. He will be up against a really strong looking midfield on Saturday and this will be a major test of his credentials. Chilean international Carlos Carmona will start alongside Baselli in midfield. If Atalanta are to create a major upset this weekend then much will depend on how Alejandro Papu Gomez performs. The lively Argentine winger had many successful seasons at Catania before his move to Ukraine which did not pan out exactly the way he would have thought. However, he is back in Italy and while he has still not rediscovered his old form, Gomez on his day can prove to be a really dangerous option for his side. Colantuono will be hoping that his enigmatic winger is back to his brilliant best against the champions. Upfront Richmond Boakye who is on loan from Juventus will be hoping to put on an impressive display against his parent side while his strike partner German Denis, who was on the bench against Inter on Wednesday, will be looking to get off the mark in this new campaign in his first start this season. Probable Starting Line-up (4-4-2): Sportiello; Zappacosta, Biava, Cherubin, Drame; Estigarribia, Baselli, Carmona, Gomez; Boakye, Denis JUVENTUS Juventus head coach Massimilliano Allegri categorically denied the idea of resting his key players ahead of the midweek Champions League game and he will bring back his main players for this tricky test. Andrea Barzagli was not summoned for this game but his recovery from injury has been going on pretty steadily. Martin Caceres is expected to start against Atletico Madrid midweek so Angelo Ogbonna will retain his place on the right side of the back three. Even though he is left-footed, the former Torino captain has performed admirably against AC Milan and Empoli in this position and he should feel confident about his role although he will face a potential threat in the form of Papu Gomez tomorrow. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci will be looking to keep up the impressive run of clean sheets along with the ever reliable Gianluigi Buffon in goal. Andrea Pirlo will take part in a friendly game on Sunday after which his situation will be assessed carefully. But his absence has been pretty much overshadowed by Claudio Marchisio’s brilliant start to this season. He has looked incredibly comfortable in the regista position and he will be expected to be the driving force again this game. Arturo Vidal is not 100 percent fit but still he scored a brace against Cesena on Wednesday. Allegri claimed the Chilean would be regaining his sharpness slowly in training and by starting these games for the team. He is expected to start alongside Frenchman Paul Pogba who was rested midweek but will be back as the starter in midfield. Kwado Asamoah is expected to return as well in place of Patrice Evra while Stephan Lichtsteiner will be on the field from the first minute as Romulo,who was expected to start tomorrow, misses out with an injury. Allegri dropped a strong hint that Spanish striker Alvaro Morata will be making his debut against Atalanta. He had an unfortunate start to his career in Turin but displayed enough quality in his substitute appearances to suggest that he has what it takes to make the difference in this level. Carlos Tevez was rested midweek but he will be looking to continue his explosive start to the new campaign by adding to the 4 goals he has already banged in. The Argentine was once again overlooked in the national team but that disappointment should not be an obstacle for El Apache to drive Juventus towards a vital win in Bergamo. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon(GK); Chiellini, Bonucci, Ogbonna;Lichtsteiner, Asamoah, Marchisio, Pogba, Vidal; Morata, Tevez Players to Watch Out For Arturo Vidal (Juventus) Arturo Vidal opened his account for the season with a brace midweek against Cesena. The Chilean is still short of full fitness and has been carefully used so far by Massimilliano Allegri. The game against Atalanta will be his 100th in Italy. He has notched up 30 goals so far for the Bianconeri, a staggering return for a midfielder. A leader on the pitch, Vidal is simply irreplaceable and Juventus will be hoping he regains his full fitness quickly and help Juventus march forward towards more glory. Richmond Boakye (Atalanta) Richmond Boakye joined Juventus on a co-ownership deal from Genoa in 2012. He was sent out to gather first team experience firstly to Sassuolo and then to Elche in Spain. This season he is in Bergamo and has already scored his first Serie A goal. A good display on Saturday could have a positive impact on the Juventus directors who must settle the co-ownership deal next season. Prediction Atalanta 1–2 Juventus Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia is a very tricky place for any visiting side and Juventus would be well advised not to take this game lightly. A quick goal can settle the nerves better although this will be a really challenging test even after that. However, the strong defence which is yet to concede a goal could be the deciding factor here. Juventus are expected to scrape home with a win. Blast From the Past Juventus ran out 4-1 winners last year in this fixture. The task won’t be so simple this time one feels. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Boakye Keen To Impress Against Juventus Sep 27, 2014 Atalanta host reigning champions Juventus on Saturday and on-loan Ghanaian striker Richmond Boakye wants to do well against the club that co-owns him. The 21-year-old is in his third loan spell away from Juventus in the last three seasons having spent a season with Sassuolo, where he was also out on loan before joining Juventus and having a further season on loan with Elche. Speaking to Tuttosport, the striker spoke about his desire to do well against the Bianconeri as he said, “I am happy to be playing against Juventus, but we will do everything to beat them. “The defeat against Inter gives us a new desire and we have new ideas which we will try to put in place against Juventus along with all the grit that the coach gives us as we want to give great satisfaction to the fans.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Allegri urges Juventus not to underestimate Atalanta The former AC Milan boss has warned his side to be on their mettle on Saturday and is ready to recall Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba to the starting XI. Sep 27, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has warned his side not to underestimate Atalanta ahead of their Serie A clash on Saturday. The two teams have experienced differing fortunes so far in the campaign, with the Bianconeri making a 100 per cent start without conceding a goal, and Atalanta losing their past two matches, picking up four points overall. But Allegri says the Nerazzurri were unlucky not to have earned more positive results against the likes of Fiorentina and Inter and has warned his side against complacency in their encounter. “Atalanta approach the game on the back of two defeats despite putting in good displays during both, especially in the home game against Fiorentina," the 47-year-old told reporters. “They possess greater quality with respect to previous years, have plenty of pace up front, two attack-minded wingers and a target man either in the form of German Denis or Rolando Bianchi. “We’ll look to come back with three points that would be fundamental ahead of our upcoming fixtures against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Roma in Serie A. "The latter will be a fascinating affair and important for the league, but not decisive at this stage. There are still plenty of points up for grabs.” The former midfielder also gave an update on the fitness of a number of his stars. "I think Pogba and Tevez will return," he continued. "Vidal needs to both train and play. He struggled a little bit in the second half against Cesena [a 3-0 win in which he scored two goals], but is in very good shape and the goals served as a morale boost. "Pirlo will train in Vinovo tomorrow before playing a friendly designed to give minutes to those who need them." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Outrage as Lotito mocks Marotta Sep 27, 2014 Lazio President Claudio Lotito sparked controversy after mocking Juventus director Beppe Marotta’s eyes. The patron is not new to outlandish comments, but his statements to the Corriere dello Sport brought widespread condemnation. Lotito was asked if he had ‘made up’ with Marotta following a recent exchange of insults in the media. “The problem with Marotta is you don’t know where he’s looking,” laughed the Lazio President. “The problem with Marotta is he’s playing pool with one eye and counting points with the other.” Juventus director general Marotta suffers from strabismus, a condition where the eyes are not properly aligned. The media was outraged, with La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport calling it “a low blow” and the Corriere dello Sport an “offensive” comment “in poor taste.” Lotito was the main backer of FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio, whose ill-judged attempt at humour also backfired when he suggested some unqualified African players were “eating bananas” before coming to Serie A.

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta vs. Juventus Preview: Round 5 Sweeping our way through September? Sep 26, 2014 O was how his teams started each season during his time at AC Milan. It was no secret, and for whatever reason, it wasn't a one-time deal, either. Allegri's Milan squads were notorious for starting the season poor and sluggish, with it ultimately costing him his job no matter how you feel about the squad that was assembled around him. How his Allegri started his career as Juventus manager? Win. Win, win, win. And, most recently, another win midweek against Cesena in Turin. Juventus has played five games (four in Serie A, one in the Champions League) — and they've won them all. Just for fun, they have yet to allow a goal in those five games, too, which is another sign of how well Juve are playing under their new boss. If there was ever a way to start a season as a manager, I'm sure Allegri would choose exactly what is going on right now. But Allegri isn't settling for a handful of quality wins. This is what he said after Wednesday's 3-0 win against Cesena at Juventus Stadium: JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: “I’ve inherited a well organised team, but this group can and must improve further.” #JuveCesena MAX ISN"T SATISFIED AND HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW ABOUT IT. We've seen Antonio Conte's squads win at the start of the season, but not always while playing their best. Conte's teams started to truly click when November and December rolled around (although that didn't always pay off in the Champions League). While Allegri acknowledged Juve are nowhere near their peak, it's not like his team is playing anywhere close to poor right now, either. With both Atlético Madrid and Roma waiting in the wings before the second enthralling international break arrives, Allegri knows that keeping the train rolling is Priority No. 1 tomorrow night. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "It’s never simple for anyone to win in Bergamo. Atalanta approach the game on the back of 2 defeats and will cause us problems." JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Allegri: "We need to go there prepared and aim to claim three fundamental points ahead of Atletico and Roma." #AtalantaJuve You see, that's exactly what you want to hear — regardless of who is on the upcoming fixture list. But it's just that much more imperative that Juventus don't slip up in their annual trip to Bergamo. Why? Because Maxi said so. (And it's not like I disagree with him, too.) GOOD NEWS I like the way Juventus has started the season. You like it, too. That wasn't so hard, was it? Indeed. BAD NEWS To be honest with you, I'm tired of talking about injuries preview after preview. You might ask yourself, "Well, you write it, so why do you keep mentioning it?" And that's a good point. So, for this match preview, I won't mention Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli, Martín Cáceres, and Luca Marrone are still working their way back from their respective injuries. We can also add Romulo, who wasn't called up for the trip to Bergamo, to the list of players currently injured. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Can Juventus keep the shutout streak going? Gigi Buffon had to make all of one save against Cesena on Wednesday, thus putting forth the notion that Juventus always want their legendary goalkeeper to have a few nights off even though he's actually still on the field. History tells us that Atalanta has only scored two goals in their last six games against Juventus, not exactly an inspiring tally for a club that hasn't beaten the Old Lady in Bergamo since 2001. And it's not like Atalanta has been lighting things up this season, scoring all of two goals in their first four Serie A games. They've been shutout by both Fiorentina and Inter in a 72-hour span, and if you bet money on things, the odds are probably pretty heavy in Juventus' favor that another clean sheet could be on the way for the boys from Bergamo. 2. Who starts, who sits? We're not talking about full squad rotation, but maybe just a return to what we've seen before Juve faced Cesena? I'm not sure what Allegri has in store when it comes to his starting lineup. Even with Atlético Madrid and the Champions League on the horizon, it seems like the starting lineup will be more or less what we've seen sans-Cesena on Wednesday night. Allegri was rather coy on the matter when asked about it at his pre-match press conference on Friday, so it's not like Max was helping us figure out what is going on. But if Cesena was the game where some of the regulars got a rest, then doesn't common logic tell us those who were rested will return to the starting lineup? Maybe that's just me thinking out loud here. 3. How a rested Carlos Tévez plays. While his team was dominating Cesena, our dear Carlitos looked a little ... tired? Bored? Maybe wanting to go out and play with his friends like a little kid would? Or maybe it was something else, I dunno. Either way, it seems as though it's all but certain that Tévez will return to the Juventus starting lineup on Saturday night. Before he got some rest midweek, Tévez was absolutely rolling, scoring four goals in four games in all competitions. Pretty good, huh? Yeah, that's pretty good. No matter who starts alongside him against Atalanta, Tévez will be taking the field in great form and well rested. That sounds like a pretty good combination to me. 4. Can Fernando Llorente break his Serie A duck — if he plays? The last time Juventus made the trip to Bergamo, Llorente had officially shaken off the rust of not playing much at all for Athletic Bilbao and was in damn good form. He recorded a goal — a lovely one at that — and an assist in Juventus' 4-1 win over Atalanta last December. Things are a bit different for Fernando this time around. It's not like he's playing poorly, he just hasn't found the back of the net in five appearances (five starts) this season. That's not reason to panic, especially since he's contributing in other areas, but it might be a factor in Allegri potentially giving Llorente a rest and hand Álvaro Morata his first Juventus start. I mean, Allegri did say Morata "needs minutes under his belt" at his pre-match press conference. And if my memory serves me right, there's only one true way to get somebody a big chunk of minutes 5. Keeping an eye on Richmond Boakye. In the understandable fervor surrounding Juventus-owned strikers like Domenico Berardi, Simone Zaza and Manolo Gabbiadini, spending a year on loan in Spain might have caused Boakye to fly a little under the radar. Now that he's back in Italy, it's obviously much easier for all of us to keep tabs on the young Ghanian striker, who has one of Atalanta two goals this season. Boakye spoke about his desire to come back to Juventus at some point and do great things in the lead up to Saturday's match. One way to improve the club that still owns your contract? To play well against them. Pretty easy to figure out, huh. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tévez, Morata 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

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato MATCH PREVIEW Sep 26, 2014 The fixtures are coming thick and fast for Atalanta, who face an uphill task to end their losing run in Serie A against a rampant Juventus on Saturday. Successive defeats to Fiorentina and Inter have increased the pressure on Coach Stefano Colantuono, who once claimed that he had a job for life in Bergamo. The 51-year-old watched his side put in another encouraging display at the Giuseppe Meazza, but their efforts ultimately proved futile. The tactician, meanwhile, is refusing to panic just yet. “The important thing is that the results will come in the long run, but it was a strange match. We played better after the restart, but in the first half we had problems with our finishing,” Colantuono said after Wednesday’s loss. "We must think about survival first, and then we'll see. Unfortunately, even against Fiorentina, we offered a good performance but secured no points.” However, Atalanta will be boosted by the return of Giuseppe Biava. The veteran centre-back was rested against the Nerazzurri midweek, but he is set to regain his place in the heart of the defence against the champions. Juventus, on the other hand, have enjoyed an invincible start to the season, which has yielded nine goals without reply. The Bianconeri continued their imperious form against Cesena on Wednesday, courtesy of a 3-0 victory on home soil, but what made their win all the more impressive, in Massimiliano Allegri’s eyes, was how his rotation policy paid dividends. “At times you need to raise the tempo, and at others lower it. Some players don’t need to be completely caged by tactics,” Allegri told reporters after the final whistle. “I think games are won with [the right blend of] organisation and imagination, otherwise it becomes like playing on a computer, and that’s not possible.” Arturo Vidal, who marked his return from injury with a pair of goals, will keep his place in Juve’s midfield for the trip to Atalanta, while quartet Paul Pogba, Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah, Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata are expected to come into the fold. Keep an eye on: Alvaro Morata (Juventus) – The striker is set to make his full Bianconeri debut on Sunday, yet he has already shown enough potential in small doses to suggest that he will become an astute piece of business for the Italian champions. Rather than being thrown into the deep end, the 20-year-old has been eased into his new surroundings, and he will be able to kickstart his career in Turin without any pressure, starting against the Orobici. Form Guide: Atalanta ( -D W L L) Juventus ( -W W W W) Last season: Atalanta 1-4 Juventus Stat fact: Atalanta’s last home win against Juventus came 13 years ago, courtesy of a late Nicola Ventola goal. ATALANTA (probable): Sportiello Zappacosta, Biava, Cherubin, Drame Estigarribia, Baselli, Carmona, Gomez Denis, Boakye Suspended: None JUVENTUS (probable): Buffon Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini Romulo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah Tevez, Morata Suspended: None http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta-Juventus Preview: Champions' perfect defence meets blunt attack Massimiliano Allegri's men have yet to concede in Serie A this season while the home side - beaten by Inter this week - have only scored in one game. Sep 26, 2014 Serie A leaders Juventus will be banking on their defensive strength when they travel to Atalanta on Saturday. Juve, unsurprisingly, are the early pace-setters ahead of Roma in the Italian top flight after four rounds, albeit on goal difference. The defending champions have won all four games to date following Wednesday's routine 3-0 win over Cesena, while Atalanta are eight points off the pace after back-to-back defeats. Juve's defence has stolen the headlines, with the Italian giants yet to concede a goal in the league - the only team to do so thus far. Juve's last Serie A match without a clean sheet came as far back as last season, which came in a 3-1 victory over Sassuolo on April 28. Switzerland international defender Stephan Lichtsteiner - on the scoresheet against Cesena midweek - said Juve's willingness to defend all over the pitch has been key to their success in recent seasons. "It has always been one of our strong points because all the players attack and defend in unison," Lichtsteiner said. "We have strikers and midfielders at our disposal who give their all and this offers us security." Carlos Tevez is a prime example of Juve's desire to attack from the front, with the Argentine striker known to harass defenders in order to win possession. Tevez - Juve's equal top goalscorer with two goals - and midfielder Paul Pogba were both rested for Wednesday's fixture as sought-after Chile international Arturo Vidal bagged a double. Massimiliano Allegri is expected to recall Tevez and Pogba to the starting XI and Juve will be confident of preserving their 100 per cent record, with Atalanta struggling for form. Consecutive goalless defeats to Fiorentina and Inter means Atalanta have only scored in one match this season - a 2-1 win at Cagliari. Marcelo Estigarribia and Richmond Boakye - a Juve loanee - are the only two players to find the back of the net for Atalanta. Juventus have won the past eight meetings between the two teams, scoring 21 goals in the process. Atalanta have not collected a point against Juventus since drawing 2-2 in 2009. HEAD TO HEAD Serie A - May 5, 2014 - Juventus 1 - 0 Atalanta Serie A ‎- Dec 22, 2013 - Atalanta 1 - 4 Juventus Serie A - May 8, 2013 - Atalanta 0 - 1 Juventus Serie A ‎- Dec 16, 2012 - Juventus 3 - 0 Atalanta Serie A ‎- May 13, 2012 - Juventus 3 - 1 Atalanta LAST FIVE MATCHES ATALANTA Sep 24, 2014 - FC Internazionale 2 - 0 Atalanta - Serie A Sep 21, 2014 - Atalanta 0 - 1 Fiorentina - Serie A Sep 14, 2014 - Cagliari 1 - 2 Atalanta - Serie A Aug 31, 2014 - Atalanta 0 - 0 Hellas Verona - Serie A Aug 23, 2014 - Atalanta 2 - 0 Pisa - Coppa Italia JUVENTUS Sep 24, 2014 - Juventus 3 - 0 Cesena - Serie A Sep 20, 2014 - AC Milan 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A Sep 16, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 0 Malmo FF - UCL Sep 13, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 0 Udinese - Serie A Aug 30, 2014 - Chievo 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Allegri: Pogba And Tevez Will Be Back For Juventus Against Atalanta Sep 26, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that several first team regulars will return to the Bianconeri starting line-up against Atalanta on Saturday evening in Serie A. Allegri rotated his squad during the 3-0 win against Cesena on Wednesday, but will look to maintain Juve’s one hundred per cent start to the season with at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia by recalling key players such as Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez. “Tomorrow’s game in Bergamo will be difficult because winning there is never easy for anyone,” the 47-year-old tactician said during his pre-match press conference. “Pogba and Tevez will be back, while Fernando Llorente is doing really well – even if he didn’t manage to score, he is playing a lot for the team. “I don’t really want to talk about rotation. “Let’s only say that there will be some changes because saying rotation would degrade those who play less. “The game against Cesena showed that this Juve can do well even when four or five regular starters are missing. Allegri also provided an update on the fitness of Arturo Vidal and whether Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo will be able to return from injury in time for next week’s matches against Atletico Madrid and Roma. “Vidal needs to train and play at the same time,” he continued. He hasn’t played a lot so far and against Cesena on Wednesday it was evident that he struggled after the first 70 minutes. “So he needs to find some balance between training and game time, but the most important thing is that he doesn’t suffer any problem to his knee. “Barzagli is working separately in order to be back in a week’s time, while Pirlo underwent some tests today and they went well. “Pirlo will play a friendly match on Sunday in order to put some minutes under his belt. “Let’s see how he feels after that.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Colantuono wary of ‘quality’ Juve Sep 26, 2014 Stefano Colantuono expects a very difficult game on Saturday when his Atalanta side face reigning champions Juventus. With four wins from four games, the Bianconeri have gotten off to a perfect start in Serie A, and their Week 5 hosts’ Coach has explained how tough it is coming up against them. “I’ve followed all the Juventus games and I think that it’s the team that, by some distance, is the strongest in the championship,” Colantuono said. “There doesn’t exist a strategy to stop them - if you attack, you leave them too much space and they punish you. “If you try to defend in numbers, like teams have done in this opening part of the season, sooner or later they break through because they have players of incredible quality. “We will have to play with our mentality, hoping to do the best we can. Against Fiorentina and Inter we played well, like a team aware of its own limits and capabilities. “To at least have a chance we need to play with our mentality. The Bianconeri, I repeat, are so strong - they have unique technical qualities, great aggressiveness, and an excellent organisation of play. “But starting out with a defensive shape would be a suicidal move. I want to see a little more competitive nastiness in the final third.” Colantuono also mentioned that he would have to make some changes from the line-up that played midweek against Inter. “Rotation is always a double-edged sword because it doesn’t make sense to change a lot of players all at once. “I will do my evaluations, but certain players will have to play out of necessity. “I will evaluate the changes based on the games we have coming up, it will be a game of sacrifice.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Juve list 21 for Atalanta Sep 26, 2014 Juventus have listed 21 players for their Week 5 trip to Atalanta, with Andrea Pirlo and Andrea Barzagli still absent. The duo were confirmed in today’s Press conference by Massimiliano Allegri as continuing their recovery from respective injuries and, as expected, neither make it into the squad for tomorrow’s League match. Arturo Vidal, off the back of starting in midweek against Cesena, is once more included in the selection. Juventus squad to face Atalanta: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente, Bonucci, Padoin, Asamoah, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Storari, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra, Mattiello http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Allegri: Juve can still improve Sep 26, 2014 Max Allegri updates on the conditions of Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli and Arturo Vidal and reflects that Juventus can still improve. The Bianconeri head out to Atalanta on Saturday evening looking to maintain their 100 per cent start to the League season, before fixtures with Atletico Madrid and then Roma. It was put to the Coach at today’s Press conference that this is a decisive week for the team. “This team is first class regardless of the next few results,” Allegri responded. “Technically speaking, Juve can still improve in order to win the Scudetto once again and do better in Europe. “I feel that we can still improve in terms of speed of passes and in the offensive development of plays. The game against Roma will be a great one, but it won’t be decisive and we won’t be thinking about it before Thursday. “Tomorrow’s game in Bergamo will be difficult because winning there is never easy for anyone. I’ll play the best starting XI I can. “Pogba and Tevez will be back, while Llorente is doing really well – even if he didn’t manage to score, he is playing a lot for the team. “But if Alvaro Morata was to play, I would feel confident all the same because he’s got great qualities and he can only improve. “I don’t really want to talk about rotation. Let’s only say that there will be some changes because saying rotation would degrade those who play less. “The game against Cesena showed that this Juve can do well even when four or five pseudo-starters are missing. Giovinco, Pereyra, Ogbonna and Evra all played well.” Key players like Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo might be back just in time for the games against Atletico and Roma. “Pirlo will play a friendly match on Sunday against the reserves or against a non-League team in order to put some minutes under his belt. Let’s see how he feels after that. “So far he underwent some tests and they went well. It’s been 33 days since his injury so we want him to be in excellent conditions. “On Monday night he will be with the team, just like he was this morning. I’ve also tried Padoin in his position but at the moment Marchisio is doing a fantastic job and he is improving game by game. “Barzagli is working separately in order to be back in a week’s time. It’s important that everyone recovers as soon as possible so that I get the chance to rotate them throughout the season.” The same is true for Arturo Vidal who scored a brace against Cesena in midweek. “Vidal needs to train and play at the same time. He hasn’t played a lot so far and against Cesena on Wednesday it was evident that he struggled after the first 70-75 minutes. “So he needs to find some balance between training and game time, but the most important thing is that he doesn’t suffer any problem to his knee. So this is a key moment for him.” When asked if fans will get the chance to see Llorente, Morata and Tevez altogether on the pitch, Allegri dismissed the possibility. “That would be for the show and I don’t really like shows. Let’s throw in also Coman and Giovinco, but it’s not that the more strikers you play the more games you win. It doesn’t work like that. “I’ve always stated that players who come off the bench are equally important. Pepe, Morata and Padoin proved that the other night. “Some players will play more, some less but I think and hope that nobody will see off the season with only one game played in the end.” Allegri also explained why he suddenly disappears into the tunnel once the referee’s whistle blows. “I tend to march away because I want fans to applaud the players. The only thing I can do is helping them by making the least damage I can. This is part of myself and I’ll always do this.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Strong start vital for Juventus this season - Chiellini The Italy international is confident they can continue their good form as they prepare for trips to Atalanta and Atletico Madrid. Sep 26, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini is delighted with Juventus' start to the 2014-15 campaign and is confident they can keep up their fine form in the weeks to come. The reigning Italian champions have won all four Serie A games so far this season without conceding a goal, while they also started the Champions League in positive fashion with a 2-0 win over Malmo. Some important games await, including the trip to Atletico Madrid, and Chiellini is optimistic about Juventus' chances of success. "We’re happy with how we’ve started the season. It’s an important signal following the eventful summer we experienced," Chiellini told the official Juventus website. "The many positive signals bode well for the upcoming games. Arturo Vidal has made his comeback following the injury he sustained on international duty. "But we’ll keep moving on and working hard on a daily basis because we know we’re just at the start. "The Champions League is different from Serie A on a physical level. We got off to a good start, but must put in a top performance in Madrid." Atletico, meanwhile, were beaten 3-2 by Olympiakos in their Group A opener. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta v Juventus: Preview Sep 26, 2014 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon believes it will be harder to win the scudetto this season with Roma having already shown themselves to be serious title contenders. The Italian champions are level on 12 points with Roma at the top of the Serie A standings ahead of Saturday's game at Atalanta. Like Juve, Roma, who finished second - 17 points behind the Bianconeri last season, have enjoyed a perfect start to the campaign. ``It's going to be very difficult to win the scudetto again against this strong Roma,'' Buffon said. ``I know that Roma will fight until the end for the league title. ``They have strengthened their team this summer and have grown in confidence thanks to their good results. ``We want to continue to impress and we are on the right path. I think it's going to be a thrilling campaign.'' Juve travel to Bergamo having yet to concede a goal this season and looking for their fifth-straight league triumph. Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri is expected to hand Spanish striker Alvaro Morata his first start against Atalanta and rest Fernando Llorente in view of Wednesday's Champions League match at Atletico Madrid. Against Atalanta, Morata will partner Carlos Tevez in attack. Tevez returns to the starting line-up having rested in Wednesday's 3-0 triumph over Cesena. Atalanta head into the encounter on the back of Wednesday's 2-0 loss at Inter Milan. The result followed their 1-0 defeat to Fiorentina and dropped the Bergamaschi to 12th place with just one win so far. Atalanta coach Stefano Colantuono has urged his players to put their recent setbacks behind them and focus on putting in a great performance against Juve. ``We must turn the page,'' he said. ``We face a very difficult game against Juventus and will try to do our best. ``The important thing is that we play our game and fight until the end because if we do, the results will eventually arrive.'' Atalanta defender Giuseppe Biava has recovered from a muscular injury and will play against Juve. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta vs. Juventus: Key Issues That Will Shape Serie A Game Sep 26, 2014 Having handily dispatched Cesena on Wednesday evening, Juventus travel to Bergamo on Saturday for their next Serie A fixture. Their comfortable 3-0 win over Pierpaolo Bisoli’s men—reviewed here—marked their fourth straight victory to start the season, and they will look to add three more points against Atalanta. Their opponents have endured a difficult start to 2014-15, losing to Inter and Fiorentina in their last two outings. Currently sitting in 11th place in the table, they will be glad to see the easier run of fixtures following this encounter with the reigning Italian champions. Massimiliano Allegri insists there is more to come from his side, despite the fact they have won five games in all competitions without conceding a single goal. “I inherited a side with great organisation, but this team still needs to improve a great deal,” he told Sky Italia on Wednesday (h/t Football Italia). Over the following pages is a look at the issues which will shape this match as they seek to do just that, identifying the matchups and factors which could ultimately decide the result against the Orobici. Juve’s Injury Hit Defence One major area for concern in the Juventus side is in defence, Martin Caceres joining Andrea Barzagli on the sidelines with an injury. Angelo Ogbonna filled the void left by the absent duo on Wednesday, turning in an impressive display despite being fielded in an unfamiliar position. With German Denis yet to score for Atalanta, how the reshuffled Bianconeri backline copes with the Argentinean striker could well decide the result of this match. Gigi Buffon already has four clean sheets to his name, and the team will certainly be looking to add to that tally. The Midfield Battle As with seemingly every Juventus fixture, how their opponents cope with the Bianconeri midfield is likely to have a major impact upon the outcome. While Vidal and Andrea Pirlo have struggled with knocks, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio have ensured their team-mates are not overly missed. Both have been excellent thus far, with the latter turning in a superb display against Cesena as his passing dominated the game. Atalanta boast a talented group of midfield players themselves, with Luca Cigarini and Maxi Morales two names to monitor closely. The Form of Marco Sportiello Goalkeeper Marco Sportiello has been in excellent form so far this term, often the difference in ensuring Atalanta haven’t suffered even heavier defeats. According to Fox Soccer, only Genoa’s Mattia Perin (21) has made more saves than the 22-year-old after four matches and he has also managed one clean sheet. Juventus clearly boast the quality to find their way past even the best of stoppers, but Sportiello’s ability to frustrate them could weigh heavily here. Tuesday’s Big Champions League Fixture Following this match, Juve are next in action on Tuesday, travelling to Spain to face last year’s Champions League runners-up. Atletico Madrid will provide a stern test for the Bianconeri, and the prospect of that on the horizon could affect the game with Atalanta. Allegri has already proven unafraid of rotating his side, using no less than 20 players in the first four league fixtures. That, allied to Arturo Vidal’s ongoing injury worries, seems to suggest the coach could once again field a much-changed line-up on Saturday. Atalanta will seek to exploit any lack of focus from the Turin giants, while La Madama must hope she can once again muster a performance to see off a determined opponent. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Atalanta V Juventus: Oribici Up Against The Unstoppable Bianconeri Machine Sep 26, 2014 Atalanta host Juventus at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia on Saturday evening, hoping to halt the Bianconeri’s current run of victories. Massimiliano Allegri’s men have won their opening four Serie A matches in a most convincing fashion and it will take something special from the Oribici to get a point or more from this match. Last season, the game ended in a spectacular 4-1 victory for the visitors, as Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba, Fernando Llorente and Arturo Vidal downed the side from Bergamo, with Maxi Moralez getting the solitary goal for Atalanta. The current campaign has not started so well for coach Stefano Colantuono, as his side have only earned one win in their four games and have struggled to score. Last time out, they were convincingly beaten 2-0 away to Inter and have only picked up maximum points away to bottom team Cagliari. Having only scored twice so far, Colantuono dropped German Denis from the starting line-up against the Nerazzurri but Rolando Bianchi and Moralez faired little better, as they both failed to find the net. Denis is expected to start against Juventus alongside Richmond Boakye who also missed the Inter tie. The Ghanaian is owned by the Bianconeri, and it will be interesting to see how he plays against his parent club. However, there is some good news for the coach as young keeper Marco Sportiello and Italy U21 full back Davide Zappacosta continue to impress despite their club’s indifferent form. Both should feature on Saturday evening against the current Serie A champions. Allegri’s Juventus look in terrific form and with Champions League football on the horizon, the ex-AC Milan coach may look to rest a few of his regulars. Romulo may get a rare chance at right wing-back in place of Stephan Lichsteiner and new Spanish signing Alvaro Morata could start his first game for the club, allowing compatriot Llorente to take a well earned break. Italian international midfielder Andrea Pirlo has begun to train with his team mates after a lengthy lay off due to injury, but he is very doubtful to even make it onto the bench this weekend. Angelo Ogbonna will continue at centre back as both Martin Caceres and Andrea Barzagli recover from various knocks. Expected Starting XIs ATALANTA - Sportiello; Zappacosta, Biava, Cherubin, Drame; Gomez, Carmona, Baselli, Estigarribia; Boakye, Denis JUVENTUS - Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Romulo, Vidal, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah; Morata, Tevez http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Llorente Brands Allegri As The ‘Perfect Coach’ Sep 26, 2014 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente is delighted to have coach Massimiliano Allegri in Turin and feels he is the right person to lead the team. The former AC Milan boss replaced fan favourite Antonio Conte in the summer and has had a wonderful start to the Serie A campaign as his side have won all four games played so far. This run of results has led to praise from Llorente, who himself has featured vastly for the Old Lady. “Allegri is a good coach and a good person,” the Spaniard stated while speaking with Calcio2000. “It was always difficult to replace a coach like Conte and I think Allegri is the right choice. Compared to Conte, he speaks perhaps more with the players. I feel he is the perfect coach.” The 29-year-old is yet to open his goal scoring account for the season but feels that the team will only grow stronger as they look to hold off challengers Roma for the Scudetto this season. “I think Rome maybe our most dangerous opponent. They have a consolidated group, with some really good new players and it is going to be difficult to beat them. “We are not afraid of anyone and, above all, we still want to win the Scudetto.”

Serie A - 5^ Giornata Andata - 27-9-2014 (ore 20:45) ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Sabato, 27 settembre 2014 - ore 20:45 Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia - Bergamo Arbitro: Daniele Orsato Confronti ufficiali 118 - 104 (Serie A) - 12 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) Vittorie Juventus 62 - 58 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Pareggi 42 - 35 (Serie A) - 6 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Vittorie Atalanta 14 - 11 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 216 - 190 (Serie A) - 23 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato a gironi) Goals Atalanta 101 - 83 (Serie A) - 17 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Atalanta - Juventus Serie A a Bergamo Confronti ufficiali 52 Vittorie Juventus 24 (L'ultima il 22.12.2013, 1-4) Pareggi 21 (L'ultimo il 02.02.2003, 1-1) Vittorie Atalanta 7 (L'ultima il 03.02.2001, 2-1) Goals Juventus 86 Goals Atalanta 49 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro l'Atalanta a Bergamo 12 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 9 Leoncini Gianfranco 8 Del Piero Alessandro 8 Salvadore Sandro 8 Viola Giovanni 7 Buffon Gianluigi 7 Castano Ernesto 7 Del Sol Luis Cascajares 7 Muccinelli Ermes 7 Parola Carlo 9 goals Boniperti Giampiero 6 Del Piero Alessandro 6 Sivori Omar Enrique 3 Hansen John Angelo Valdemar 2 Anastasi Pietro 2 Astorri Mario 2 Baggio Roberto 2 Banfi Raul 2 Camoranesi Mauro German 2 Carapellese Riccardo Ultimi confronti diretti 21.12.2008 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 1-3 17.05.2009 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 2-2 07.11.2009 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 2-5 28.03.2010 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 2-1 21.01.2012 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 0-2 13.05.2012 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 3-1 16.12.2012 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 3-0 08.05.2013 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 0-1 22.12.2013 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 1-4 05.05.2014 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 1-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 9 - Pareggi 1 - Vittorie Atalanta 0 - Goals Juventus 26 - Goals Atalanta 8 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/V6DIaWxgSjO/Juventus+FC+v+AC+Cesena+Serie http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/calcio/serie_a/2014/09/24-81321_0/FOTO+Juve+show%2C+Cesena+travolto+3-0

ATALANTA - JUVENTUS - Saturday, September 27th, 2014 8:45 PM Atleti Azzurri d'Italia Stadium - Bergamo Referee: Daniele Orsato Preview: Atalanta vs. Juventus Sep 25, 2014 Juventus will be hoping to maintain their early lead in Serie A when they face Atalanta in the Italian top flight this weekend. The defending champions have won all four of their matches so far this season, including a 3-0 win over Cesena earlier this week. The Turin side welcomed back Arturo Vidal from a knee injury in their last match, and will be hoping that the Chilean playmaker will be involved again in this match. Meanwhile, Atalanta will be hoping to bounce back for defeats in their last two league outings. A 2-0 defeat to Inter Milan earlier this week has left the club 11th in the table, just a point above the relegation places. The visitors have a number of players carrying knocks, but have reported no fresh concerns following their midweek match. Recent form Atalanta: DWLL Juventus: WWWW Possible starting lineups Atalanta: Sportiello, Zappacosta, Benalouane, Cherubin, Drame, D'Alessandro, Carmona, Estigarribia, Cigarini, Bianchi, Moralez. Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Romulo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Asamoah; Giovinco, Llorente. Sports Mole says: 0-3 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CESENA - Arturo Vidal 18' Arturo Vidal 64' Stephan Lichtsteiner 85' Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Lichtsteiner: Defence Has Always Been A Key Strength For Juventus Sep 25, 2014 Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner has admitted that one of the Old Lady’s main strengths is their strong defence, which is what helped them defeat Cesena on Wednesday. The 30-year-old scored a goal for the Bianconeri in their 3-0 home win over the Seahorses and he has attributed the positive result to his team’s ability to have everyone on the pitch alternate between attacking and defending in order to help keep control of the ball. Lichtsteiner spoke to the press after the victory against Cesena about the difficulties Juventus had faced in the beginning of the match and the qualities that aided the home side in securing the three points. “The defence has always been one of our key strengths, because we defend ourselves with all eleven players and then attack with al eleven players,” said the Swiss international. “We have forwards and midfielders who already know that they’ll have to make certain sacrifices and this is what gives us security. “We had done good against Cesena because in the beginning it was not easy, we had some chances to score but we weren’t particularly sharp in front of the goal. “However, we had always kept hold of the game and, once we unlocked the result, we had continued to play our game, deserving the win.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

The seven early wrinkles of Massimiliano Allegri The older you get, the more wrinkles you have. It's just life and you cannot avoid it. Wrinkles are good, though. Sep 25, 2014 As in life, wrinkles in football also means "change." And there are some new wrinkles I found on the Old Lady under our new coach, Max Allegri. It's early, yes, as we are only four giornate and one UEFA Champions League game into the 2014/15 season. But they're there, so let's see what those are. Wrinkle No. 1: Leonardo Bonucci's less long balls, more thrusts In 2013/14, Leonardo Bonucci averaged nine long balls per game. But this season, it's an average of only five per game. He did, however, quite often thrust into the opposition's half, something we didn't see his three seasons under Antonio Conte. They haven't given any clear results yet, but these thrusts are something different. And while Bonucci hasn't gotten the hang of it, they offer a new dimension in Juve's scheme. The opposition has to commit a man on him and it will open more space for other players. Will it work? I don't know, but it does have a great potential and at least, less long balls means more possession. Wrinkle No. 2: Claudio Marchisio is keeping it simple Last season, Andrea Pirlo averaged 69 passes per game as Juventus' regista. With him out, Claudio Marchisio took his place and averaged around 40 percent more, 101 passes per game. He didn't open the opposition's defense with his passes but he kept it simple and made the game flow quicker. Defensively, he is also more sound and contributed to the clean sheet in all of our five competitive games so far. Will it continue when Pirlo is back? I don't know, but I like what I've seen so far. Both players compliment each other and it doesn't hurt to have two types of regista in our squad. Wrinkle No. 3: Paul Pogba's power game Last season, we were mesmerized by Paul Pogba's silky skill and booming shots from outside the box. This season, I'm in awe at how he's used his power to keep the ball. He's still in the process to assimilate skill, speed and power and hence why he doesn't seem to play as well as Marchisio. But once he can mix them all together, oh boy... Will he still have weaknesses after this? Yes. His defensive phase and ability to read the game still need improvement, but those hopefully come later as he keeps working and gets more mature. One thing I predict, though. Pogba is going to be an absolute beast sometime soon. Wrinkle No. 4: Deep is good, Calos Tévez Last season, Tévez had two goals after four competitive games. Now, he's got four. The difference is he's now playing deeper and maximizing his strength at running at defenders. Does it work? I think so, but he's already 30 years old so Allegri needs to control his minutes carefully. Wrinkle No. 5: Rotation, rotation, rotation Through four Serie A and one UEFA Champions League games in, Juventus has scored nine goals and, probably more importantly, conceded zero goals. This is even more satisfying considering Andrea Barzagli didn't play in any of those games and Giorgio Chiellini also missed the first two games. Allegri didn't have any choice, but to play them but Martín Cáceres and Angelo Ogbonna have responded very well and performed admirably with oozing confidence. They made plenty of errors last season, but now, they can keep it at a minimum. If they can keep it up, we don't need to worry about the center back position for the next few years. Not only at the back. Last season, with the scudetto virtually secured, Antonio Conte played his best eleven against Sassuolo when three days later, we had a very important game against Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semifinal. Now, Allegri rested Tévez, Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah in the midweek game against Cesena on Wednesday for a more trickier game against Atalanta three days later. Immediately follows is another midweek game, this time in the UEFA Champions League at Atlético Madrid. Does rotation always work? No, and while I'm not saying Allegri is better than Conte, it seems he's willing to take more risk for a greater return. With five wins from five games, those changes form the old guards have made us less predictable and so far it's working. Furthermore, Allegri has also mixed the new guards into the squad and they look encouraging. Wrinkle No. 6: Roberto Pereyra The Hub With Arturo Vidal out, Roberto Pereyra has proven that he belongs here. Many media members see Pereyra as the vice-Vidal, but I disagree. Both are excellent at their movement and versatility, but while Vidal is superior at tackling, stamina, shooting and breaking plays, Pereyra is quicker, a bit better at passing and making himself available for a pass. To me, he seems like a hub between midfield and attack. He's a type of a player Juve didn't have last season and personally, I like what I saw last night against Cesena when they played together. Before the season began, many Juventini doubted his worthiness. But little by little, Pereyra keeps proving himself and with only starts with Juventus, he's already been called up by the Argentina national team this past Monday. Wrinkle No. 7: Two-way striker in Álvaro Morata In the three games where he played around 30 minutes in total, he's already shown us how good he can be. Skillful, strong, quick and fast, Alvaro Morata will at least be our super-sub from the bench but personally, I think he's going to be a wonderful No. 9 for Juventus. Already a two-way striker, Morata complements his offensive skills with hard work and willingness to defend deep into his team's area. I won't be surprised if he takes the starting spot from Fernando Llorente sometime this season or next. And this is just the beginning. Who knows, maybe soon we are going to witness the eighth wrinkle, (Kingsley) Coman The Destroyer. We haven't seen much from Coman, but he could be the joker of our wrinkles. He's fast, technical and good at keeping the ball, so the potential is in abundance. If realized even a bit, Coman will also offer an option we didn't have last season: He can play as a second striker, wing forward and attacking midfielder and once he's learnt how to deal with Serie A's defenders, we can possibly have another diamond on our hands. The troubles Juve had in breaking down Milan's defense when they put 11 men behind the ball may be solved with Coman if he's given the chance and blossoms. These seven wrinkles are just from the first five games and who knows how many more we'll see from Allegri. The only constant is change and we're doing it. They have definitely enriched our plays and make us better but will they be enough? I don't know, but I'm confident that whether we'll achieve our target or not, these wrinkles are laying a solid foundation for our future success.

Tacchinardi: Buffon Keen To Play For A Long Time Sep 25, 2014 Ex-Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi says that former teammate and Bianconeri star Gianluigi Buffon wants to continue playing for a long time. The legendary Azzurri shotstopper turns 37 in January, but Tacchinardi told Mediaset Premium that he is not even thinking about retirement. “Buffon wants to be a player for a long time with Juventus and with the national team,” Tacchinardi said. “Nicola Leali the heir to Buffon? It’s hard to say now. Leali has quality, but this year he has to show he has the character to succeed in the Serie A. “He is a keeper for the future, he will do well in his career.” Leali is currently on loan to Cesena from Juventus for this season, and has started all four games so far.

5 Things Paul Pogba Must Do to Take His Game Forward in 2014/15 Sep 25, 2014 Speaking to Corriere dello Sport recently, former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi said it was “absurd,” (h/t Goal.com) that Paul Pogba had been allowed to leave Manchester United. Looking at the performances of the Frenchman since arriving in Turin, it is hard to disagree with that sentiment, such has been his dramatic elevation to stardom. From being a player seemingly unable to break into Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team plans at Old Trafford, the 21-year-old has become a mainstay for both the Bianconeri and his national side. He has established a reputation as one of the finest young talents on the continent and the envy of top clubs everywhere. However, despite L’Equipe reporting the interest of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid (h/t Forza Italian Football), there is still room for improvement in the player’s performances. Massimiliano Allegri touched upon that last week, telling Sky Italia (per Gianluca Di Marzio): I get mad with him a lot, because he has a lot of potential but he hasn’t fully expressed it yet. But we know that he’s 21 and so he has the time to do it. He’s an amazing player, both physically and technically: his skills make the team leap in quality. Over the following pages is a look at five areas in which Pogba can do just that, improvements which could make him an even more well-rounded player. 1. Stay Humble Perhaps the biggest hurdle to any player wishing to become truly great is their own humility, being able to remain calm as the world sings their praises. Thus far, Pogba has managed this, thanks to a combination of his high-profile team-mates' guidance and an eagerness to continue learning and improving. Antonio Conte told reporters last year that Pogba was “humble” and noted how important that had been in the player’s “incredible” progress, per Goal.com. By continuing with that approach, the Frenchman truly can become one of the world’s finest players. 2. Work on His Passing One area where Pogba can certainly improve is his passing, both in terms of consistency and his overall decision-making. According to stats site WhoScored.com, his pass completion rate was 83.8 percent last term, way below that of his colleagues in the Juventus midfield. After developing a reputation for superb goals outside the box, he has developed something of a shoot-first mentality, often overlooking better-placed team-mates. By making that extra pass, Pogba could improve his contribution to his side’s play further still. 3) Improve His Shot Selection That penchant for taking long-range efforts at goal has been rewarded with some stunning strikes, but there is clearly room to improve the accuracy of those shots. As the above image—courtesy of Squawka.com—highlights, Pogba found the target with just 29 of 73 attempts last term, leading to just seven goals. By making better decisions over when and where to take those chances, he will certainly improve those figures, making him an even greater threat to opponents. 4. Shine in Europe In order to bring even greater accolades and attention upon himself, Pogba needs to ensure both he and Juventus shine on the biggest stages. After stumbling in the Champions League last term, a deep run in the competition is essential this season. 5. Develop Better Understanding with Team-Mates After two full seasons with Juventus, Pogba has become a central figure in the starting XI for the Bianconeri. However, he has yet to foster the kind of intrinsic understanding that the greatest players seem to share between themselves. By further developing his relationships with players such as Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, the 21-year-old can elevate his play to an even higher level.

Chiellini: 'Bring on Atletico!' Sep 25, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini pleased with Juventus’ start to the season “after an eventful summer” and is targeting Atletico Madrid. The defender sat down with Juventus TV for an interview after the 3-0 victory over Cesena, which maintained their 100 per cent record between Serie A and Champions League. “We are happy with this start to the season. It’s an important sign after an eventful summer,” he said of Max Allegri replacing Antonio Conte in the first week of training. “We had a great approach against Cesena, we deservedly took the lead and kept our concentration levels high. “Last night a few important players rested, while Vidal returned to the pitch, so there were many good signs. “At this start of the campaign we are more or less all getting playing time, so we saw once again how important the whole squad is.” Juve travel to Atalanta this weekend, but Chiellini is already looking forward to the Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. “The Champions League has a different physicality compared to in Italy. We started well by beating Malmo, but now we need a great performance in Madrid.”