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JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Vidal to start against Cesena Sep 24, 2014 Arturo Vidal is expected to start for Juventus tonight, as well as Romulo, whilst Alvaro Morata will continue from the bench. Vidal had been out of action with a thigh injury since the international break, but made a brief return from the bench against Milan at the weekend. The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport report that with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next midweek, the intention is to have the Chile international fit for that encounter. So, the paper indicates that Vidal is favourite to come in for this evening’s Week 4 clash at home to Cesena. Roberto Pereyra is believed likely to drop out, whilst Stephan Lichtsteiner is expected to be rested, with Romulo handed an opportunity from kick-off, and Patrice Evra starting on the opposite flank. Morata’s search for full fitness will apparently only continue from the bench, though, with Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez seen as likely to start once more in attack. Max Allegri did confirm that Andrea Barzagli’s return from injury is scheduled for October 1, the date of the match with Atletico. Probable Juventus XI to face Cesena: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Romulo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Llorente, Tevez http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli MATCH PREVIEW Sep 23, 2014 Juventus meet Serie A new-boys Cesena in Turin this midweek hoping to extend their 100 per cent record so far this season. A 1-0 victory over Milan on Saturday night was evidence that, despite the summer exit of Antonio Conte and arrival of Max Allegri in the dugout, Juventus remain the team to beat in Serie A. Not only have three wins been recorded, but the Bianconeri backline has yet to be breached, and Juventus have looked extremely strong without ever hitting their top form in the campaign’s opening weeks. Allegri insisted the victory at San Siro against his old employers was not a matter of revenge, and praised his side’s ‘handling’ of the game, “We created chances, including on the break, although we could have exploited them better on some occasions. But in terms of handling the ball after scoring, the guys were good, in playing and dealing with the pressing of Milan.” Another victory is highly likely on Wednesday. Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner will be encouraged to stay wide when going forward, and central midfielders Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal will likely make lateral runs to take advantage of the lack of width in Cesena’s setup. Carlos Tevez, looking to get on the scoresheet for the fourth consecutive game in all competitions, will be a constant nuisance for the Cesena backline with his movement and work ethic. Cesena’s return to the top-flight has been mixed, a win over Parma and defeat to Lazio followed up with a 2-2 draw with Empoli on Sunday, a game which saw the Seahorses race into a 2-0 lead before a second-half comeback rescued a point for Empoli. Cesena will have to be at their very best defensively – their strong point during last year’s promotion campaign – to collect anything from the Juventus Stadium. Luigi Giorgi, Emmanuel Cascione and Manuel Coppola will provide a shield in front of the back four, the latter man also adept at carrying the ball forward on the counter, while Guido Marilungo’s lightening pace will also be important in attacking transitions. Cesena’s start to the season has been promising, but it is difficult to see anything other than a comfortable Juventus victory on Wednesday night. Keep an eye on: Nicola Leali (Cesena) – The highly-rated young goalkeeper is on loan from Juventus and will be hoping to catch the eye against his parent club. Agile and athletic, Leali is one of a few promising young Italian shot-stoppers to emerge over the past couple of seasons. Form Guide: Juventus ( - -W W W) Cesena ( - -W L D) Last season: Not played Stat fact: Since moving to the Juventus Stadium in 2011, the Bianconeri have only failed to score in a league home game twice. Juventus (probable): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente Suspended: None Cesena (probable): Leali; Capelli, Volta, Lucchini, Renzetti; Giorgi, Cascione, Coppola; Brienza; Defrel, Marilungo Suspended: None http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus squad for Cesena Sep 23, 2014 Juventus are still without Andrea Barzagli, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres against Cesena. It kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET. Caceres is awaiting further tests on a thigh injury, but could be out for several weeks after he limped off during the 1-0 victory over Milan. Pirlo, Barzagli and Luca Marrone are still dealing with pre-season injuries. Juventus squad for Cesena: Buffon, Romulo, 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

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Bisoli: 'Tempo can hurt Juve' Sep 23, 2014 Cesena Coach Pierpaolo Bisoli says the key to causing Juventus problems is “a high tempo and concentration.” “Games like this are actually easier to prepare, because when playing against Juventus you cannot lack concentration,” noted Bisoli in his Press conference. “We know it is a prohibitively difficult task for us, as Juve are unbeaten at home in two and a half years and kept a clean sheet for all four fixtures this season. “We will try to make life difficult for them by keeping a high tempo and packing the midfield, therefore preventing their many champions from having the space to pick passes.” Cesena were promoted into Serie A in June via the play-offs and lost only one of their opening three games. “We are working to improve, but need a great deal of patience to reach our peak. I’d say four points after facing Parma, Lazio and Empoli is a decent tally.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Allegri: Scudetto no two-horse race Sep 23, 2014 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri does not believe the race for the Scudetto is only between his side and Roma. The Bianconeri and Giallorossi have both made perfect starts to the season, winning three games out of three, but the former’s tactician does not see it as ruling others from title contention. “It's too early to say whether or not it’s a two-horse race with Roma,” Allegri has told reporters in today’s conference ahead of facing Cesena. “There are still too many games to be played. Inter, Milan, Napoli, Lazio and Fiorentina, are all possible rivals [for the title]. “We'll have to be very good to deal with all the matches in the right way.” Allegri also revealed that midfielder Arturo Vidal is close to a return for the Serie A Champions, while Alvaro Morata could make a first start. Martin Caceres could also be back in contention soon, but Andrea Barzagli and Andrea Pirlo are not quite ready. “Vidal has been training with the team for the past three or four days, but he’s not 100 per cent and he needs playing time. “We are in a situation where unfortunately we have players who have been injured and have missed training sessions. “Morata? I’d like to see him play 90 minutes, as he’s a player with great quality, but let’s not forget he only returned against Udinese after a month out. We need to take things slowly. “Andrea Barzagli will return on October 1. I had to have him in the squad for Udinese to make up the numbers. “Caceres’ injury is nothing serious and he should be available for the Atletico game. Pirlo will have a fitness test this week, but he’s already training with the ball.” Allegri commented on tomorrow night’s League opponents Cesena. “They are in a good moment of form, they give away little, in three games they have only allowed nine corner kicks and have defended well. “To win championships you need to win particularly against the smaller sides so as to head into direct clashes with rivals in a strong position. “I will not change everything in the team - we are at the beginning of the season and I do not need to change anyone to catch their breath.”

Allegri: Tevez deserves Argentina recall The Bianconeri boss says the striker, who has not played for his country since 2011, is playing well enough to be brought in from the cold by Gerardo Martino. Sep 23, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says Carlos Tevez deserves to be recalled to the Argentina squad. The 30-year-old striker has not played for his nation since 2011, but has made a fine start to the 2014-15 season, scoring four goals in five appearances in all competitions for his club side. Nevertheless, Tevez was omitted once again when Argentina coach Gerardo Martino named his latest squad, for next month's friendlies against Brazil and Hong Kong. “Tevez is doing great things, as he did last year," Allegri told reporters on Tuesday. "He deserves to be called up, but I’m not the [Argentina] coach." One Juventus star who did receive a call-up was the previously uncapped Roberto Pereyra, who has made an encouraging start to this Bianconeri career following his summer switch from Udinese. “Pereyra is new to the national team, but he’s doing great things with Juve,” Allegri enthused. Pereyra and Tevez are both likely to feature when Juventus host Cesena in Serie A on Wednesday night.

Lippi: Juventus & Roma on another level The Guangzhou Evergrande coach thinks only two teams have what it takes to challenge for the Scudetto this term. Sep 23, 2014 Marcello Lippi believes Juventus and Roma will be the two teams fighting it out for the Serie A title this season. Both the reigning champions and last term's runners-ups have collected nine points from their opening three games and the former Italy boss believes their rivals will face a tough task to close the gap. "I really think that Serie A will be a two-horse race this season. I know that it's still early, but I think Roma and Juventus are on another level," Lippi told Corriere dello Sport. "They have something extra compared to the other teams. And I'm not the only one who has that feeling. "It's rather predictable. You don't need to be a magician to see this. The majority of the fans will have expected these two teams at the top of the table. "Milan and Inter have had a good start and did well on the transfer market, but they are not at the same level yet. "I think we should be expecting more from Napoli, although they are still a level below Juventus and Roma as well." Juventus finished 17 points clear of Roma last season. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus - Cesena Preview: Hosts out to maintain perfect record The Bianconeri have won their first three games of the new season and will be confident of seeing off their mid-table opponents. Sep 23, 2014 Juventus will be out to continue their strong start under new boss Massimiliano Allegri when they host Cesena in Serie A on Wednesday. Allegri took over from Antonio Conte in the summer tasked with following the act of a man who had delivered three consecutive Scudetti. After his tenure at Milan ended in an unceremonious departure following a poor run of results last season, doubts were raised in some quarters over whether Allegri would succeed in Turin, but general director Giuseppe Marotta made public his support for the coach on Monday. Marrotta's praise is backed up by the facts; Allegri has begun in fine fashion, boasting a 100 per cent record in three Serie A matches this season, all won without conceding a goal. The most impressive of these came on Saturday as Allegri returned to his former club and came away from San Siro with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Carlos Tevez's 71st-minute winner. It was the Argentine's fourth goal in three matches, following his effort in the 2-0 win over Udinese and his brace in their Champions League success over Malmo, by the same scoreline. Tevez will be hopeful of continuing that scoring run on Wednesday, while regular strike partner Fernando Llorente is yet to get off the mark. The game also provides Juve with a chance to extend their remarkable home record, with the Turin giants boasting 20 consecutive league victories at Juventus Stadium, with their last Serie A defeat there coming against Sampdoria in January 2013. The visitors, meanwhile, are looking to continue their solid start to the campaign after gaining promotion from Serie B in 2013-14. Pierpaolo Bisoli's men have four points from their first three outings back in the top flight, thanks to a 1-0 win over Parma and a 2-2 draw at home with Empoli on Saturday. Bisoli was unhappy with the officiating in that encounter as the visitors were handed what he thought was a controversial penalty to halve the deficit after Guido Marilungo and Gregoire Defrel had put them two goals to the good. In their last outing away from Stadio Dino Manuzzi, Cesena were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Lazio, and they will have their work cut out if they are to pick up their first away point of the season on Wednesday. Cesena continue to have concerns over Giuseppe De Feudis, Andrea Tabanelli, Nico Pulzetti and Riccardo Cazzola, who are all continuing their recovery from injuries. For Juve, Martin Caceres has suffered a hyperextension of his hamstring and is unlikely to feature, while Andrea Pirlo remains a doubt with a similar problem. HEAD TO HEAD Serie A ‎- Apr 25, 2012 - Cesena 0 - 1 Juventus Serie A -‎ Dec 4, 2011 - Juventus 2 - 0 Cesena Serie A - Mar 12, 2011 - Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus Serie A ‎- Nov 7, 2010 - Juventus 3 - 1 Cesena Serie B -‎ May 6, 2007 - Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus LAST FIVE MATCHES JUVENTUS 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 Aug 10, 2014 - A-League All Stars 2 - 3 Juventus - Friendly CESENA Sep 20, 2014 - Cesena 2 - 2 Empoli - Serie A Sep 14, 2014 - Lazio 3 - 0 Cesena - Serie A Aug 31, 2014 - Cesena 1 - 0 Parma - Serie A Aug 24, 2014 - Cesena 1 - 0 Casertana - Coppa Italia Jun 18, 2014 - Latina 1 - 2 Cesena - Serie B http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Mercoledí, 24 Settembre, 2014 ore 20:45 Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Piero Giacomelli Confronti ufficiali 31 - 24 (Serie A) - 5 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 15 - 12 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Serie B) Pareggi 14 - 10 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Serie B) Vittorie Cesena 2 - 2 (Serie A) Goals Juventus 51 - 43 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) - 4 (Serie B) Goals Cesena 29 - 24 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Serie B) Juventus - Cesena a Torino Serie A Confronti ufficiali 12 Vittorie Juventus 7 (L'ultima il 04.12.2011, 2-0) Pareggi 4 (L'ultimo il 10.12.1989, 1-1) Vittorie Cesena 1 (Il 22.11.1987, 0-2) Goals Juventus 28 Goals Cesena 14 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Cesena a Torino 6 presenze Bettega Roberto 6 Gentile Claudio 6 Scirea Gaetano 6 Zoff Dino 5 Brio Sergio 4 Cabrini Antonio 4 De Agostini Luigi 4 Furino Giuseppe 4 Tacconi Stefano 3 Alessio Angelo 7 goals Bettega Roberto 2 Benetti Romeo 2 De Agostini Luigi 2 Fortunato Daniele 2 Scirea Gaetano 1 Anastasi Pietro 1 Capello Fabio 1 Casiraghi Pierluigi 1 Damiani Giuseppe 1 Del Piero Alessandro Ultimi confronti diretti 14.04.1990 Serie A Cesena-Juventus 1-1 23.09.1990 Serie A Cesena-Juventus 1-1 10.02.1991 Serie A Juventus-Cesena 3-0 23.08.2006 Coppa Italia Cesena-Juventus 1-2 16.01.2007 Serie B Juventus-Cesena 2-1 06.05.2007 Serie B Cesena-Juventus 2-2 07.11.2010 Serie A Juventus-Cesena 3-1 12.03.2011 Serie A Cesena-Juventus 2-2 04.12.2011 Serie A Juventus-Cesena 2-0 25.04.2012 Serie A Cesena-Juventus 0-1 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 6 - Pareggi 4 - Vittorie Cesena 0 - Goals Juventus 19 - Goals Cesena 9 http://www.goal.com/it/results-standings/69/serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_101

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Juventus V Cesena – Team News, Tactics, Line-Ups And Prediction Sep 22, 2014 Juventus host newly promoted Romagna based side Cesena on Wednesday at the Juventus stadium in Turin. The start of the season has been solid so far for new head coach Massimilliano Allegri with Juventus claiming 9 points in 3 games without conceding a goal. A professional display saw them grab a vital win away at the San Siro last Saturday and Allegri will be hoping to keep up the winning run in this busy schedule of games. The two sides met earlier this season in a friendly which ended 0-0 but it would be a big surprise if Cesena manage to get anything out of this game. Cesena come into this game as one of the weakest teams in this division. They lack significant quality in their roster and survival would be a miracle for them this season. The Seahorses started well with a win in their opening game but have struggled since then. Team manager Pierpaolo Bisoli understands the magnitude of the task ahead of him and is likely to setup his team to grab a draw which will be a massive point for them even at this early stage of the season. But how far that is achievable is a question that will be answered tomorrow night at the Juventus stadium. Team news and tactical brief Juventus Juventus have more or less settled on a 3-5-2 formation this season with their head coach Massimilliano Allegri recently pointing out that without Andrea Barzagli it is almost impossible to switch to a back four. Barzagli was not summoned against Milan but he will be on the bench for this game. Martin Caceres picked up an injury against Milan so Giorgio Chiellini, Angelo Ogbonna and Leonardo Bonucci are expected to start on Wednesday. Patrice Evra started on the bench against Milan but he should be the holder on the left flank for this game while summer signing Romulo is likely to get his debut on Wednesday night as the right fullback. Arturo Vidal looked very confident on the pitch against Milan but Allegri will have one eye on the Champions League game so it is most likely that Roberto Pereyra will deputize for the Chilean. Andrea Pirlo is still nursing his knee injury so Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio should continue to run the show in the middle of the park. Upfront finally it will be the much awaited debut of new recruit Alvaro Morata. His cameos as a sub were impressive enough to suggest that he can add quality to an already strong team. Alongside him the relentless Apache Carlitos Tevez will be looking to continue his explosive start to the new season. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Romulo, Pogba, Pereyra, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata Cesena Cesena have had an indifferent start to the season although they won their first game at home. They would be immensely disappointed to throw away a 2 goal lead against Empoli on Saturday. Bisoli is known to rotate his players throughout the season while he never settles on a single formation for the entire season. The first three games of the season have been more of a 4-3-1-2 module which is likely to continue here as well although the team will be more defensive on Wednesday. On loan Juventus keeper Nicola Leali will be guarding the goal with experienced central back pair Massimo Volta and Stefano Lucchini in front of him. Daniele Capelli will be handed the task to check the right side of the defence while Francesco Renzetti will be on the opposite flank. The flat 3man midfield lacks creativity but that won’t be a concern for Bisoli as their main aim would be to stifle the free flowing Juventus midfield and offer little space for them to work. Keeping that in mind, experienced customer Emmanuel Cascione is a safe bet to drive the team from the heart of the midfield. Rest of the load will be distributed between Manuel Coppola and Brazilian Ze Eduardo. On paper these names do not look likely to cause any trouble but teams sitting deep and packing the defence have posed problems to Juventus previously and one feels they would require an early goal to settle themselves better. Franco Brienza will be the playmaker in Bisoli’s lineup whose main job would be to keep an eye on Claudio Marchisio who will operate as a regista. Apart from this, he will be looking to feed the two frontmen Guido Marilungo and Alejandro Rodriguez. Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-1-2): Leali; Capelli, Volta, Lucchini, Renzetti; Cascione, Coppola, Ze Eduardo; Brienza; Marilungo, Rodriguez Players to Watch Out For Claudio Marchisio (Juventus) In absence of two protagonists in midfield Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo, doubts were raised how Juventus would cope in their absence. But all those doubts were comprehensively quashed and Claudio Marchisio deserves a special mention for this. Although Juventus have not yet lined up against a very strong midfield till now, but the ease with which Marchisio has slotted in the regista position is praiseworthy. His goal against Udinese was typical of him and he is expected to be the driving force once again on Wednesday night. Nicola Leali (Cesena) Standing at 6’2’’, Nicola Leali will be an important factor in Cesena’s quest for survival this season. Leali himself will be looking to impress his parent club on Wednesday. This is his first season in the top flight and his abilities will be fully tested as he has a pretty weak defence in front of him. A good show in Turin will further strengthen his position as one of the most promising goalkeepers in the peninsula. Prediction Juventus 2–0 Cesena The games are coming thick and fast and although the busy fixture list might be a headache for Massimilliano Allegri yet this game should not cause any trouble. A relatively easy 2-0 win is expected for the Bianconeri. Blast From the Past Juventus ran out comfortable 2-0 winners last time these two sides met in 2011 thanks to goals from Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

No problem with Tevez, insists Argentina boss Martino The Albiceleste coach has left the Juventus ace out of his latest squad but is adamant that the door remains open for the 30-year-old, who has not played for his country since 2011. Sep 22, 2014 Argentina boss Gerardo Martino insists that he has no problem with Carlos Tevez - despite once again overlooking the in-form forward. The Juventus ace has hit three goals in his last three games at club level but failed to make the Albiceleste squad for next month's friendlies against Brazil and Hong Kong. Tevez was never called upon by Martino's predecessor, Alejandro Sabella, but Tata insists that he is not against the idea of recalling the 30-year-old attacker. "When I came here, I was asked if there were any problems with any player and I said no and from there are the conditions to consider anyone," the newly-appointed Argentina coach told ESPN+. "As Carlos has said, to get into the team then you have do things right, and he is doing very well. I won’t say whether or not I will call him, but I will say that he is doing very well." Inter's Mauro Icardi has also been in fine form in Serie A but Martino hinted that the striker, whose relationship with wife Wanda has generated much publicity over the past year, needs to prove to him that he is fully focused on football. “My obligation is to do the analysis of the player," the former Barca boss explained. "If I had a chance to say something to Icardi, I would try to talk to him about working on his career, strictly in sporting terms. “But I think that I do not have to get into things that are not applicable."

JUVENTUS - CESENA - Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Piero Giacomelli Preview: Juventus vs. Cesena Sep 22, 2014 Juventus are expected to record a routine Serie A victory when they entertain Cesena on Wednesday evening. The Italian champions have begun their title defence with three wins and three clean sheets from as many matches. They passed their first big test of the season on Saturday when Carlos Tevez's goal downed Massimiliano Allegri's former club AC Milan. The Argentine striker has scored in his last three matches and will be confident of continuing that run against a Cesena side who have started the season steadily, but have never beaten Juventus. Pierpaolo Bisoli's team have picked up four points from three games since gaining promotion back to the top flight, but threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Empoli at the weekend. Nicola Leali and Horour Magnusson are unavailable for the visitors due to the conditions of their loan moves from Juventus, and so Federico Agliardi will likely make his first appearance of the season in goal. Juventus will be without Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres for a few weeks after he suffered a calf strain at the San Siro, and so former Manchester United man Patrice Evra may return at left-back. Allegri could use this match as an opportunity to rest several players ahead of the trip to Atalanta on Saturday, with Paul Pogba, Fernando Llorente and Leonardo Bonucci all having been ever presents thus far. Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal is still working his way back to match fitness and may start in the centre of the park. Recent form Juventus: WWWW Cesena: DLWW Possible starting lineups Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Evra; Marchisio, Asamoah, Vidal; Tevez, Morata, Giovinco Cesena: Agliardi; Lucchini, Volta, Capelli, Renzetti; Giorgi, Coppola, Cascione, Brienza, Marilungo, Defrel Sports Mole says: 3-0 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Marotta: Serie A title between Juventus and Roma The Bianconeri director general says it is impossible to look beyond last season's top two for the 2014-15 Scudetto, though he admits that his dream is the Champions League. Sep 22, 2014 Giuseppe Marotta believes that this season's Serie A title race will once again be between only Juventus and Roma. The two sides finished first and second last term, with the Bianconeri claiming a third successive Scudetto courtesy of a record points haul of 102. AC Milan and Inter have made encouraging starts to the 2014-15 campaign but Marotta says it is impossible to look past Juve and Roma, both of whom boast 100 per cent records after three rounds of action. "The indications from the start of the season are that it is between Juve and Roma," the Juve director general told Radio Anch'io lo Sport. "Securing nine points in three matches says that we are top-evel sides and serious candidates for the Scudetto." Marotta admitted, though, that European success is of slightly greater importance to Juventus this season. “If I had to choose between the fourth Scudetto in a row and the Champions League, I would say the latter," he admitted. “It is something so extraordinary that I would willingly chase it. But, if I could, I would choose both.” Encouragingly, Juve kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over Malmo last week, meaning the Bianconeri have won all four of their first competitive fixtures under new coach Massmiliano Allegri.

Martino: Tevez doing very well, but... Sep 22, 2014 Argentina Coach Tata Martino offered encouragement to Carlos Tevez, Mauro Icardi and Santiago Gentiletti, but the Juventus man isn't in his latest squad. Ahead of naming a squad for next month’s matches with Brazil and Hong Kong, the Albiceleste’s head Coach commented on speculation he was preparing to include Juventus forward Tevez, for a first call-up in three years. “When I came here, I was asked if there were any problems with any player and I said no and from there are the conditions to consider anyone,” Martino responded to ESPN+. “As Carlos has said, to get into the team then you have do things right, and he is doing very well. “I won’t say whether or not I will call him, but I will say that he is doing very well.” However, later in the evening Martino confirmed 19 European based players for his squad and did not include the 30-year-old. Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Romero, Luca Biglia and Roberto Pereyra are Serie A's representatives. Martino, in the earlier interview, was also asked about Inter forward Icardi’s prospects of adding to his one international cap. “My obligation is to do the analysis of the player. If I had a chance to say something to Icardi, I would try to talk to him about working on his career, strictly in sporting terms. “But I think that I do not have to get into things that are not applicable.” Lazio defender Santiago Gentiletti can count himself doubly unlucky for his injury sustained yesterday, ruling him out for the next six months. “The injury that has hurt me the most was that for Gentiletti, because I was following him.” Argentina squad to face Brazil and Hong Kong: Messi, Mascherano (Barcellona), Musacchio (Villarreal), Romero (Sampdoria), PEREYRA (Juventus), Higuain (Napoli), Biglia (Lazio), Aguero, Zabaleta, Demichelis (Manchester City), Pastore (Paris Saint-Germain), Di Maria, Rojo (Manchester United), Vergini (Sunderland), Lamela (Tottenham), Perez, Gaitan (Benfica), Guzman (Tigres), Fernandez (Swansea)

Tevez overlooked again by Argentina The striker, who has been in international exile since 2011, has been in sensational form for Juventus in recent weeks, but will not feature in the friendlies with Brazil and Hong Kong. Sep 22, 2014 Argentina boss Gerardo Martino has once again resisted the temptation to recall in-form forward Carlos Tevez. The Juventus star was ostracised under previous coach Alejandro Sabella, who repeatedly resisted calls to include the forward in his squad for this summer's World Cup in Brazil, and he was also excluded from Martino's first squad, for last month's friendly against Germany. It was thought that Tevez might earn a recall in light of his impressive performances so far this season, with the 30-year-old having hit three goals in his last three games, including the winner in Sunday's 1-0 win over AC Milan at San Siro - but he has been omitted from the 19-man panel to face Brazil on October 11 and Hong Kong three days later. However, while Tevez remains in international exile, where he has resided since 2011, his Juventus team-mate Roberto Pereya has been included, while there is also a recall for Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Javier Pastore. Captain Lionel Messi returns after missing the 4-2 win over Germany through injury, as does Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio. Argentina Squad: Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero, Nahuel Guzman. Defenders: Marcos Rojo, Federico Fernandez, Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Mateo Musacchio, Santiago Vergini. Midfielders: Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia, Javier Pastore, ROBERTO PEREYRA, Angel Di Maria, Erik Lamela, Enzo Perez, Nicolas Gaitan. Forwards: Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero.

Marchisio masterclass After Juventus’ convincing win over Milan, Luca Persico looks at the emergence of Claudio Marchisio as an alternative to Andrea Pirlo. Jun 22, 2014 Looking in from a distance, you could be forgiven for questioning what has changed at Juventus this season. The Old Lady may have swapped Antonio Conte for Massimiliano Allegri, but still line up in their almost symbolic 3-5-2 and retain the same ruthlessness and sheer desire to win that has been drilled into them over the last three years. With the new Serie A season just three games old, Juventus have already affirmed their place as the League’s benchmark, alongside Roma. Wins against Chievo and Udinese eased the early pressure on Allegri, while Saturday’s 1-0 defeat of Milan highlighted Juventus’ strength and showed there to be a significant gap between them and a side who had been built up as Scudetto outsiders before the contest. Such a run of results had become the norm under Conte and it would be understandable to assume Allegri has simply retained his methods and succeeded with continuity. To surmise the Livorno native’s work in such a way would, however, be unfair. Allegri has admittedly retained Conte’s blueprint, but has made notable tweaks that are giving Juventus a new outlook. The desire to free up Carlos Tevez is the most notable alteration, but the reinvention of Claudio Marchisio is perhaps more intriguing. With Andrea Pirlo out injured for the opening weeks of season, Allegri has turned to the 28-year-old to fill in. Marchisio had always been a more offensive midfielder for Juventus - usually from the left, but has embraced this new role, with his energy, positional sense and smart use of the ball has made the midfield more fluid. With Pirlo in the side, the build up would always go through him and he would play the decisive passes. Now, with Allegri preferring a more patient approach, Marchisio’s less ambitious, but neat passing has proven to be an excellent fit. This season, he is averaging 99.3 passes at an accuracy of 89.9 per cent per game in Serie A, compared to just 37.2 [with 86.7 percent accuracy] last term. Those stats look even more impressive when put alongside Pirlo’s output of 69 passes per game at an 88.5 per cent accuracy last season. Admittedly, Marchisio’s stats are drawn from a much smaller pool and are a reflection of Allegri’s desire for greater possession, but do suggest that he can be a worthy alternative to Pirlo. Perhaps, the most notable advantage of having Marchisio deep is reflected in his defensive output. This season, he has made 2.7 tackles per game - only Arturo Vidal’s made more. One of the downsides of having Pirlo as a deep playmaker is his lack of defensive work and need for cover. With Marchisio, that isn't necessary and allows the two central midfielders alongside him to push higher, as Roberto Pereyra and Paul Pogba did to good effect against Milan. Marchisio's recovery rate also means he can support the attack, as he did to score in the win over Udinese and when he hit the post at San Siro. Having Marchisio, a player who had an uncertain future 12 months ago and an uneventful 2013-14 season, coming to the fore gives Allegri another option, but also a potential dilemma. With Pirlo set to return in the coming weeks, there is no guarantee that he will go straight into the side. Allegri, let’s not forget, felt Pirlo was unsuitable to the role at Milan and though he has since been proven wrong, Marchisio may be a better fit for his system, particularly in Europe where Juventus need to be more dynamic. Whether Marchisio can displace Pirlo is unclear, but to have a worthy alternative to the great man is a nice headache for Allegri.

Argentina clears path for Carlos Tevez return Sep 22, 2014 Argentina Football Federation vice president Juan Carlos Crespi on Monday confirmed that the federation is making visa arrangements so that Juventus striker Carlos Tevez can be included in the call-up for two upcoming friendlies this month against Brazil. Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino hinted last week that he is likely to include Tevez, who has been absent from the Albiceleste for the past three years. Argentina, runners-up at the the 2014 World Cup after a 1-0 defeat to Germany in the final, have two upcoming friendlies against Brazil on Oct. 11 and 14 in China and Hong Kong, respectively. Crespi said no official recall has been made and added that Tevez's visa approval will not necessarily mean he will be included on the team. According to Argentine daily Clarin, Martino already has a list of 35 players and will trim to 25 this week. Tevez has not represented Argentina since July of 2011 when he missed a decisive penalty in a shootout that Uruguay won 5-4 on penalties to reach the last four of the Copa America. Alejandro Sabella, who took over the reins of the Albiceleste after that tournament, resigned his post after the World Cup, with Martino his successor. Tevez led Juventus last season to the Italian league title as the team and Serie A top scorer with 19 goals. On Saturday, Tevez's fourth goal in three matches helped Juventus win 1-0 at AC Milan on Saturday in the first high-profile matchup of the Serie A. He also scored in a 2-0 win over Udinese last weekend, then produced both goals in a 2-0 victory over Malmo in the Champions League last Tuesday.

'Juve can move in January, but...' Sep 22, 2014 Beppe Marotta says Juventus can move in the January market if required, but that there is faith in the squad currently under Max Allegri’s guidance. On from praising the early impact the former Milan Coach has had in Turin since his summer arrival, the director general has commented on the suggestion further transfer work may be done in midseason. “In January if we need to do so then we will make corrective measures,” Marotta has explained on Radio 1 today. “We are happy with the group at the disposal of Allegri, we are competitive in Italy and even in Europe, where there are other clubs stronger than us. “I have heard criticism of our defence, but if I am not mistaken, after three games we have not conceded a goal. “In recent years, Juventus’ appeal has returned to what it was in the past. Years ago, [udinese forward Antonio] Di Natale would not come, but now champions are willingly doing so. “We have created a structure, with [sporting director Fabio] Paratici that allows us to take advantage of opportunities in the market.” Marotta was asked a couple of questions about strikers. “Mario Balotelli? We never went in for him. Alvaro Morata? He got injured in a surprising manner in just his first training session and has only recently returned. “We are counting on him, but the competition is great in attack. We have so many competitions to play and so he will have his space.” Juve have an option to buy back Simone Zaza next summer, whilst they still hold co-ownership on Domencio Berardi and Manolo Gabbiadini. “We already have five strikers in the squad, perhaps here they would not find the space that they have at Sassuolo and Sampdoria. “Ciro Immobile, however, was co-owned by Torino and he expressed his desire to go to Borussia Dortmund, whilst there was also the economic need.” Andrea Pirlo may face a battle to win back his place in the starting XI, with Claudio Marchisio’s form in his position. “The competition for places stimulates greater commitment - Pirlo is a champion and his place is not only on the field but also in the dressing room. “From the footballing point of view, so far, his absence has not been felt, but in the end we definitely need him, as we do the other midfielders.”

Marotta: Allegri deserves credit for strong Juventus start The Bianconeri suffered a fan backlash when the coach was hired following Antonio Conte's summer resignation and the club chief thinks he's proving his sceptics wrong. Sep 22, 2014 Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta believes Massimiliano Allegri deserves a good chunk of the credit for the club's strong start to 2014-15. The appointment of the former AC Milan coach in the summer following Antonio Conte's shock resignation was met with negativity by many Bianconeri fans. However, his side have started the season with three league wins from their opening three league games and beat Malmo in their Champions League opener. And Marotta hopes that Allegri's start to the campaign has turned the sceptics' minds around. "The scepticism regarding Allegri was a widespread and this was quite right after what Conte achieved," he told Rai Sport. "Replacing a coach who has won three league titles in a row with a lot of records.. backlash could always be negative because the coach is the leader of a group. "We must give great credit to Allegri, who was not a stranger but he had done well at Milan, winning the Scudetto in his first year there. "He's a winner - when we gave him the team we did it with great responsibility, knowing that he had the skills to coach Juventus."

Allegri happy with 'mature' Juve Juventus are brimming with confidence heading into Wednesday's game against Cesena, but coach Massimiliano Allegri has warned "we still have room for improvement". Sep 22, 2014 Saturday's 1-0 victory at the San Siro was the Bianconeri's fourth straight win in all competitions and kept Allegri's side at the top of Serie A, where they are level on nine points with Roma. "There's still a long way to go but my players have shown maturity," Allegri told giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "Our positive start has been deserved by my players. They are doing a great job on the pitch. "When you have talented players as I do, everything is easier. However, we still have room for improvement." Juve have not conceded a goal this season and will be firm favourites to beat Cesena, who recently returned to Italy's top flight.

Marotta: Allegri is a winner Sep 22, 2014 Juventus director general Beppe Marotta has praised the club’s new Coach Massimiliano Allegri for his impressive start to the season. Allegri replaced the popular figure of Antonio Conte in the summer and has begun his tenure at the Bianconeri impressively, with four straight wins and four clean sheets, silencing opposition to his appointment in the process. “After what Conte did here the scepticism over Allegri was understandable,” began Marotta today on Radio Anch’io lo Sport. “When replacing a Coach who has won three successive Scudetti and set so many records the backlash can be negative. “This is because the Coach is the leader of the group, but I believe also that behind the Coach and the team there has to be a strong club with the right to support the role of the Coach. “We have to give great credit to Allegri - he did well at Milan and was not an unknown when he arrived. “He won the Scudetto in his first year, he is a winner and when we gave him the squad we did it responsibly, knowing that he had the right attributes to coach Juventus.” After such a successful start to the season, Marotta was also questioned on how he saw the season ahead panning out and what would be his preferred outcome. “The indications from the start of the season are that it is between Juve and Roma - securing nine points in three matches says that we are top level sides and serious candidates for the Scudetto. “If I had to choose between the fourth Scudetto in a row and the Champions League, I would say the latter. “It is something so extraordinary that I would willingly chase it. But if I could, I would choose both.”

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS - Carlos Tévez 71' Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli Pretenders slow in pursuit The big guns of Juventus and Roma keep on rolling, but the pretenders to their dominance have started to show fragility already, writes Alasdair Mackenzie. Sep 22, 2014 It may be one of football’s most tired clichés, but the ability to ‘win ugly’ is universally regarded as an essential asset of a title-winning side. Not that Juventus or Roma have particularly needed to yet. After another week in which last season’s top two recorded victories, it is already quite hard to see a way in which another Serie A side will threaten to break their stranglehold of the League’s top places. Three games in, both the Giallorossi and La Vecchia Sigora are yet to concede a goal. After the excitement of a goal-fuelled opening two weeks for Pippo Inzaghi’s Milan, many hoped Saturday night’s clash at San Siro would shake things up finally, but instead Carlos Tevez scored to secure the three points. The Argentine’s bizarre celebration was perhaps an offering to break the monotony of Bianconeri dominance. Roma strode past Zdenek Zeman’s stuttering Cagliari side and look equally unflappable. Given that both sides had midweek Champions League ties that also ended victoriously, it is clear that Serie A’s pretenders will have their work cut out keeping up. And this was a week in which the pretenders showed worryingly familiar signs of fragility. Milan failed to provide their fans with the home win over Juve that they desperately crave. The Curva Sud unfurled a banner that read ‘A year of rage to become great again’, but after the performance many will be thinking that much more than rage is needed at San Siro. On the other side of the city, a Nemanja Vidic howler continued the Serbian’s nightmare start to his Serie A career and resulted in the Nerazzurri being held to a draw away to plucky Palermo. Defensive mishaps are not unfamiliar to Inter fans, but this will give many Interisti a much larger dose of reality than smacking seven past Sassuolo provided last week. Likewise, Lazio suffered from familiar problems on a couple of fronts. Firstly, the inability to be clinical in front of goal, as a host of chances went begging at Marassi, and secondly, unbelievably bad luck with injuries. The impressive Santiago Gentiletti may now have six months out after barely 150 minutes of Serie A football, with Lucas Biglia and Dusan Basta also likely to be long-term absentees. However, Rafael Benitez’s Napoli are again the most obvious example of underperformance. The Spaniard watched his side lose 1-0 to Andrea Stramaccioni’s impressive Udinese, conceding yet another goal from a set piece and looking as sharp as a hammer up front. The opening day win against Genoa is feeling very distant now and the home tie against Palermo on Wednesday could see a rather unsettled fan base. Going against this pattern, Fiorentina finally got off the mark with their first win of the season, beating Atalanta 1-0. Vincenzo Montella’s side were very impressive last year but have been slow starters this time round. Their young Coach will have to rediscover his side’s spark without Giuseppe Rossi, and do all he can to get Mario Gomez firing. One of the charms of last season’s Serie A campaign was that some pretenders to the European positions came from unexpected places – Parma, Torino and Verona. Roberto Donadoni’s team lost their opening two matches, suggesting their fleeting moment of success had passed, but they showed remarkable spirit to come back from behind and defeat Chievo 3-2. There was an inspired performance from Antonio Cassano, scorer of two goals, and Donadoni will need more of the same from his star man in the coming months if they are to replicate last season’s wonder run. Verona were certainly expected to drop off after a poor finish to last season and the sales of Romulo and Juan Iturbe. However, their win over a struggling Torino shows promise for another great story to take place as they sit in third place after three rounds. Players are already staking their claim to be the new Bentegodi heroes and goalkeeper Rafael may well be just that after his stunning double save from Omar El Kadourri’s late penalty that sealed the points for his side. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS - Carlos Tévez 71' Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan 0-1 Juventus – Tactical Analysis Sep 22, 2014 AC Milan hosted Juventus for the first time this season in Serie A, as the home side looked to continue their unbeaten run in the league so far. Both the teams arrived at the San Siro with two back-to-back wins with Juventus even victorious in midweek in the UEFA Champions League. A lot has changed on the managerial front for both of these Italian teams, with the most notable one being the change in coaches. While Milan placed their faith in Inzaghi, who had earlier won everything there is with the Milan Primavera, Juventus appointed Allegri, who was removed after Milan’s nightmare start last season. The coaches Both the coaches had a history between them, as it was reported that Inzaghi and Allegri clashed at least on three separate occasions during Allegri’s reign at Milan. The last of those came during Inzaghi’s last year, when he overcame a career-threatening ACL tear to make it to the first team. In spite of being fit and ready to play, he rarely saw any action and it came to such a situation that Inzaghi even thought of leaving Milan in the January transfer window to look for regular playing time. With such animosity between these two individuals, the clash was hyped to be one between Inzaghi and Juventus rather than between Milan and Juventus. Although both of them downplayed the past incidents in their interviews, one felt that whichever team scored would automatically prove a point in their favor. While Allegri visited the San Siro dugout for the first time since his removal and immediately took the opposition seat, Inzaghi walked over to the Juventus dugout and exchanged pleasantries. A moment for the camera, but one with far-reaching consequences. The formations Milan stuck to their 4-3-3 formation as this was the one which had given them goals and points in their previous two matches. While the attacking talent was there for all to see, the defensive lapses exposed Milan’s vulnerability at the back. Having lost Diego Lopez and Saponara to injury, Milan also missed Bonera with a suspension. In a bid to heighten their attacking options, Milan called up El Shaarawy and new recruit, Torres to the first team. Milan changed their back-line, opting to field Rami and Zapata as the central defensive duo. While the midfield remained the same, it did transmit a sense of desperation rather than options for Inzaghi. With Montolivo and Saponara out of the squad, Milan does have some muscle in the midfield, but Inzaghi is yet to use any of them so far. El Shaarawy returned to the forward line replacing Bonaventura as Menez once more started in the false nine position. When Allegri was appointed the head coach at Juventus, it was expected that he will change the formation to his favored 4-3-3. However, he stuck with their tried and tested 3-5-2 formation. So far this season, Juventus are yet to concede a goal and that goes a long way to show that the players have continued the process after the departure of Conte. Leading the most accomplished team in the subcontinent isn’t an easy affair, but to Allegri’s credit, he hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. The midweek victory over Malmo helped in that regard. For Juventus, Marrone and Pirlo missed this match due to injury and even though there was some doubt over Vidal, he was eventually included in the team. Juventus have a very solid back-line in Caceres-Bonucci-Chiellini, with players like Pereyra, Marchisio and Pogba providing the impetus from the midfield. Llorente and Tevez formed the strike force, with Llorente sometimes playing the role of a single striker with Tevez dropping a bit deeper. The match The match started at a slow pace with both teams feeling out each other before going for the kill. Inzaghi’s Milan deployed a fast counter-attacking formula against Juventus’ high intensity tireless running all over the pitch. Juventus deployed a high line from the very onset and as the match progressed, Milan midfield was pushed back to their own half. It was not that they did not have the possession or the ball, but anytime a Milan midfielder had possession, he was hounded till the point he retreated to his own half. Pereyra, Marchisio and Pogba pressured De Jong and Muntari as Poli preferred to play a bit higher role. The first chance of the match came Juventus’ way when Pereyra shot over the bar. Milan slowly gained confidence and composure as the first half progressed and their first real chance came when Honda headed straight to Buffon. Milan had Abbiati at the back saving them on many occasions with most of them coming from Llorente. The home side tried to shackle Tevez and for some portions of the match, they succeeded in doing that. Before the end of the first half, Llorente had a one on one saved against Abbiati. Marchisio came the closest to scoring as his shot hit the woodwork. Ogbonna came on for Caceres for what appeared to be a muscle problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf-Jd9QP68w The second half started a bit slower than the first, with the visitors keeping possession of the ball and Milan looking to break with Menez and El Shaarawy. Menez was a nuisance throughout the match, but lacked in his positional sense. It is a known fact that Menez likes playing on the left – a place where El Shaarawy was operating and during many occasions, he was seen drifting to the left, leaving a hole in the middle. At times, El Shaarawy became the central striker. Bonaventura replaced El Shaarawy soon after and minutes later, Tevez scored the only goal of the night. Working his way through a forest of Milan midfielders and defenders, Tevez waited for Abbiati to commit before finishing in the far corner. A flurry of substitutions followed from both the sides, with Milan throwing in four forwards and Juventus only replacing Pereyra with Vidal. While Milan attacked with vigor, Juventus defense held firm. Even a fast Torres could not get past the stubborn formation. Aftermath A victory was expected from Juventus, with the final score line confirming their status as the top team in Italy. Milan have only just began their journey and it will take quite some time till they become Scudetto material but it has been an encouraging start from Milan this season. They have to address their concerns at the back if they are to finish high up the table this season. Juventus, on the other hand, has continued so easily under Allegri that one wonders whether there has been any change at all at the helm. The victory leaves Juventus rightfully at the top of the table. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug2KPlwiSww http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/54-58N8HXaE/AC+Milan+v+Juventus+FC+Serie+A

Tevez man of the moment Once again Carlos Tevez proved himself to be man of the moment and Dave Taylor compares him to the Juventus greats. Sep 21, 2014 “I play for a team and with this one I always play as if it were my last game,” said current Juventus goal scoring hero and its striker Carlos Tevez. A player who with his terrific spirit recalls to mind previous Bianconeri bandiere like fellow Argentinean Omar Sivori, John Charles, Roberto Bettega and more recently Gianluca Vialli, Fabrizio Ravanelli and David Trezeguet. All Juve icons and all terrific strikers who like The Apache fought to the end for the shirt. Certainly Tevez is Juve’s man of the moment and following his two goals in midweek against Malmo in the Champions League, he drew level with the one and only Bettega. Following his second goal he has now scored 24 in his first 51 matches. Although it is still two less than another Juve legend Michael Platini, and four less than the incomparable Roberto Baggio, it is still noteworthy. And although he has only been with Juve one full season his stats stand up well to previous strikers. For instance last season in 34 Serie A games he scored 19, while Bettega scored 17 in 30 league appearances. Of course he would have to go some to beat the magnificent Charles, who just for the record scored 28 in 34 matches. Yet in more modern times Carlito’s records stand up well against Vialli, who scored six in 32 games in his first season while his strike partner Ravanelli had five in 22. A touch nearer was arguably Juve’s last great striker Trezeguet, who scored 14 in 25 games. All told the Frenchman contributed 123 over 214 league appearances and by the time he was released from the last year of his contract at the start of the 2010-11 season, he had scored 171 goals to become Juve’s all-time top foreign goalscorer. If Tevez can get somewhere near those sort of averages and Sivori’s 131 in 214, he won’t have done too bad. Perhaps Tevez most resembles the great Sivori, who recorded 22 goals in 32 league games in his first season. Like Sivori, who played for Juve from 1957-65, Tevez can play in several attacking roles and is excellent in each one. He also has a similar head down no nonsense movement that opposition defenders underestimate at their peril along with that absurdly deceptive touch his predecessor had. Plus with eight assists in Serie A last season, he has that ability to see a couple of moves ahead. Factor in his one-track mind when it comes to goals and like Sivori in his day he is the perfect modern striker. And like Sivori, Tevez can also be tetchy one minute and an inspiring leader the next. Yet so far Juve fans have witnessed none of the shenanigans that wrecked his relationship with his former manager at Manchester City, Roberto Mancini. Since arriving from City, the 30-year-old has been in absolutely sparkling form and has carried last season’s form into this, with four goals and one assist in four games. It is not only Juve fans who have been impressed, but also the new Argentina Coach Gerardo Martino, who is prepared to recall Tevez to the national team after his three years in an international wilderness. His magic goals against Malmo certainly reminded Martino of Carlito’s skills. His alertness to pick up on Kojo Asamoah’s sumptuous back-heel to score the first goal, which broke a five-year personal Champions League hoodoo, was typical of his current form. Then at the death Carlito added another with a sublime free-kick from the edge of the box that curled past and foiled the Malmo ‘keeper. Not that Tevez is getting carried away with the win. “The Champions League mustn’t be an obsession,” he said. “We should take it one game at a time.” And how! On Saturday came Juve’s toughest fixture yet, playing Milan at San Siro. However, after a tough game Tevez came to the rescue and struck with less than 20 minutes to go after snapping onto a great pass from Paul Pogba to coolly beat Christian Abbiati for the winning goal.And for a player taking on a deeper role this season, which allows him to run at defenders, he is still scoring like the old Tevez. “I like this position. There weren’t many opportunities today but I managed to score eventually and I am happy,” he grinned after the match,proving that he does play every game as if it is his last one.