Socrates

Q Quaglia Alberto Quaglia Lionello Quagliarella Fabio Quaranta Ezio

Allegri on Juventus future: “I love my job but the management will evaluate” Juventus coach Max Allegri remains attached to his post, but admits his future is within the hands of the hierarchy. The 56-year-old addressed the press on the eve of his side’s encounter against Lazio in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. ............ “We will be facing Lazio who will play with great aggression because they have to recover two goals,” noted the Juventus manager in his pre-match press conference. ............ “It will be a tough and long match tomorrow, and we will have to fight.” Naturally, Allegri was also asked about his future, but insisted he remains focused on the pitch while leaving the matter for the management. “I’m not thinking about it. I love my job. However, the management will rightly evaluate the value of a coach’s surplus in one context or another. “The most important thing for us today, however, is to achieve our objectives. “We have been working hard for it, and tomorrow will be a beautiful and important match to play in order to achieve these goals.” Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegri-on-juventus-future-i-love-my-job-but-the-management-will-evaluate/

Allegri can make history by guiding Juventus towards Coppa Italia triumph Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri will have the opportunity to achieve a unique feat if he manages to clinch the Coppa Italia. On Tuesday, the Bianconeri will take on Lazio in the second leg of the semi-final at the Stadio Olimpico. The Turin-based giants are riding a two-goal lead from the first leg thanks to goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa, so they’ll be the favorites to advance to the grand finale. Allegri would become the most successful manager in the history of the Coppa Italia if he wins this edition. The Livorno native already has the record with four triumphs, but he currently shares it with two other coaches. The first is Sven-Göran Eriksson who won the Italian domestic cup at Roma and Sampdoria and twice with Lazio. Roberto Mancini is another record co-holder as he won the Coppa Italian with Fiorentina, Lazio and twice with Inter. ............ If the Bianconeri go past Lazio, they will clash heads with either Fiorentina or Atalanta in the final. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegri-can-make-history-by-guiding-juventus-towards-coppa-italia-triumph/

Elkann entrusts Giuntoli in deciding Allegri’s fate at Juventus Juventus majority owner John Elkann has reportedly placed his full trust in Cristiano Guintoli when it comes to deciding the identity of the club’s head coach. The Bianconeri appointed the 52-year-old as Football Director last summer, placing him as the head of the club’s sporting department. While the former Carpi and Napoli director has been relatively quiet since his arrival in Turin, he is widely expected to ring some changes in the summer. Nevertheless, Giuntoli irked the club’s supporters with his statements on Friday, suggesting that the club is still planning for the future with under-fire manager Max Allegri. ............ The management as well as Allegri can sense the need for a change, especially amidst the recent disappointing results and hollow displays. Therefore, Elkann won’t be vetoing any decision Giuntoli makes on this front. On the contrary, he’ll give his full support to the director’s choice. Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio had also confirmed that Juventus will likely opt for a change in the summer, with Thiago Motta emerging as the most likely candidate to replace Allegri. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/elkann-entrusts-giuntoli-in-deciding-allegris-fate-at-juventus/

Juventus considering Antonio Conte as Massimiliano Allegri replacement Juventus are considering bringing Antonio Conte back to the dugout as a replacement for Massimiliano Allegri in the summer. According to Fichajes, Juventus are drawing up a brief shortlist for potential Massimiliano Allegri replacements ahead of the summer. The list features former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, with the club ready to take the next steps to determine the appointment. Antonio Conte to replace Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus? Many years ago, Antonio Conte left Juventus on the back of unprecedented domestic success amid rumours of a rift with the upper management. Whether the rift has been resolved over the years remains the question. But recent links of a return to Turin may suggest that they have solved their differences. The former Chelsea and Tottenham manager has been out of a job since leaving the latter last year and visibly took a big break from football. He has been in the news lately, amid links with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and the Napoli job ahead of the summer, with Juventus now heavily involved in bringing him back. ............ Thiago Motta also considered for the Juventus job Conte is not alone on the Juventus shortlist to replace Allegri ahead of the summer. Current Bologna boss Thiago Motta is a big name, and for a few weeks now, he has been considered the favourite to replace the current Juventus boss. ............ Read more -> https://thehardtackle.com/news/2024/04/21/juventus-considering-antonio-conte-as-massimiliano-allegri-replacement/

Juventus have already decided the fate of Southampton loanee Juventus have already decided against maintaining the services of Carlos Alcaraz, according to the latest reports in the Italian press. ............ While the 21-year-old is certainly not to blame for the crisis, he never truly managed to shine when given the opportunity, or offer the desired burst of energy in the middle of the park. The player’s contract allows Juventus to maintain him on a permanent basis for circa 49.5 million euros. ............ The writing is on the wall for Alcaraz who won’t remain in Turin beyond the current campaign. As the source explains, Juventus are no longer interested in keeping the Argentine, even with a discount. Therefore, ‘Charly’ will return to England at the end of the season, while Juventus will be pursuing other options to bolster the middle of the park. Since making his move to Turin in January, Alcaraz has made seven appearances in Serie A, mostly coming off the bench, contributing with a single assist. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-have-already-decided-the-fate-of-southampton-loanee/

Juventus fans turn on Giuntoli over his stance on Allegri Cristiano Giuntoli has landed in the bad books of Juventus fans after reiterating that the club plans to stick with Max Allegri for the future. Juve fans have been calling for the manager’s departure for most of his tenure since returning to the club, but he still has a year left on his contract. The Bianconeri are not in a position to spend a lot of money on sacking their manager. ............ Before the game against Cagliari, Giuntoli was asked about the manager’s future, and he stated that they would plan for the future together. This statement did not sit well with Juve supporters, who started the #Giuntoliout trend on social media. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-fans-turn-on-giuntoli-over-his-stance-on-allegri/

Giuntoli gives Allegri a public vote of confidence again Cristiano Giuntoli is the man who will decide Max Allegri’s future at the end of this season, and he continues to express his vote of confidence in the manager. Allegri’s team is struggling, and most of the club’s supporters expect this to be his last season in charge. The men in black and white have not shown improvement since Allegri returned to the club, and this season has been disappointing. ............ This is why fans are calling for a change in leadership and want Max Allegri to be replaced. However, the gaffer has continued to get the public backing of Giuntoli, who said before Juve’s match against Cagliari: “This is very simple: we are very happy with the coach, he is doing an excellent job. At the end of the year, with all the cards on the table, we will plan the future together. Behind the scenes? At the moment he has a contract and there is no need, we want to put all the energies that are defined”. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/giuntoli-gives-allegri-a-public-vote-of-confidence-again/

Allegri admits Juventus must improve if they want to beat Lazio Juventus manager Max Allegri admits his team will be eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Lazio if they perform as they did against Cagliari. Juve fought back to earn a 2-2 draw after being two goals down in the first half against the Islanders. They hold a precious 2-0 advantage over Lazio ahead of the second leg of their Coppa Italia tie next week. ............ After their game against Cagliari, Allegri looked towards the match against Lazio and said: “There is no need to redeem ourselves but to go to final. But if we don’t win a challenge like tonight against Lazio, we won’t go anywhere”. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/allegri-admits-juventus-must-improve-if-they-want-to-beat-lazio/

“Juventus are unwatchable.” Journalist reacts to Juventus’ draw against Cagliari According to journalist Vittorio Oreggia, Juventus is a poor team to watch at the moment, as the Bianconeri struggled to a 2-2 draw against Cagliari last night. As the games come and go, it is difficult to say Juve has been improving over the last few weeks, which makes it easy to call for the end of Max Allegri’s spell as the club’s manager. The Bianconeri gaffer has been doing all he can to make things better, but his team does not show signs of improvement. ............ Vittorio Oreggia said: “Juventus are unwatchable. Anyone who coaches her is unwatchable, anyone who goes on the pitch is unwatchable, anyone who says they are satisfied with the coach is unlistenable. Thinking about this team in the Champions League is an extreme exercise. For months now the trend has been one of relegation.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-are-unwatchable-journalist-reacts-to-juventus-draw-against-cagliari/

Juventus players take responsibility for Cagliari draw claims Danilo Juventus captain Danilo insists that the players must take responsibility for their actions after their 2-2 draw against Cagliari last night. Max Allegri’s men have been struggling in the last few months and have remained a team smaller opponents do not fear. ............ The hosts were prepared to hurt Juve, who showed very little fight in the first half, allowing the Islanders to race to a 2-0 lead. Juve eventually came back into the game in the second half but settled for a 2-2 draw after failing to find a winner before the final whistle. The Bianconeri captain spoke after the game and said: “The responsibility is ours, there are no alibis. No penalties or referees. These things could certainly have helped us, but we go onto the pitch, pass, win tackles. Once we understand these things better, we are they came back in the second half meaner, dirtier, the match asked for it.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-players-take-responsibility-for-cagliari-draw-claims-danilo/

AS Roma makes Juventus star a summer transfer target AS Roma has emerged as a surprising contender for Federico Chiesa’s signature ahead of the next season, amidst Juventus’s struggles to secure him on a new contract. There is a prevailing belief that if Max Allegri remains as Juventus manager, Chiesa will depart from the club at the conclusion of this season. Under the current Bianconeri manager, Chiesa has found it challenging to display his best form and has yet to commit to a new contract. With his current deal expiring at the end of the next season, Juventus faces an uncomfortable dilemma. Chiesa must either sign a new contract imminently or depart from the club, with the latter scenario seeming increasingly likely now that AS Roma has expressed interest in acquiring the attacker. Daniele de Rossi is an admirer of Chiesa, having worked with him during their time together as part of Italy’s coaching staff at Euro 2020. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/as-roma-makes-juventus-star-a-summer-transfer-target/

Allegri: Juventus made unbelievable technical errors Coach's comments after another frustrating fixture for the Bianconeri at Cagliari Juventus labored to a 2-2 draw away at Cagliari after being two goals down for a large period of the game. A stellar free kick from Dusan Vlahovic and then only an unfortunate own goal from a late cross brought Juve level after the hosts had pulled ahead with a pair of first half penalties that had sent Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way both times. Speaking after the game, coach Massimiliano Allegri reflected on the latest setback that sees the Bianconeri go through their sixth consecutive away league game without a win, the club's worst sequence of performances on the road since 2009-10. ............ “Simple, we allowed seven counter-attacks and were constantly trying these tik-tak passes to someone a metre away and getting it wrong,” Where did it all go wrong then? “Against aggressive sides like Cagliari, you need to wage battle. We didn’t understand that was the situation, especially with the ball not really rolling on that pitch, we had to hit it long instead. “We allowed seven counter-attacks, we got a lot wrong technically, and when you play at this stage of the season, you will lose if you don’t match the opponents for intensity. That is why Cagliari players all had cramp at the end, they gave their all. In those situations, you either match them for intensity or get out of it with technical precision, and we did neither.” Once again Juve appeared asleep in the first half, only to chase a game in the second stanza. “We got back into the game, but this has to make us think. If we don’t run as hard as the opponents, we will rarely be able to win the game with technical quality, especially at the start. “It is good that we showed such determination, but we cannot keep gifting the first half. We conceded the second penalty from a throw-in, the first was a counter-attack from a misplaced pass." ............ “We need to understand the initial approach, which is a sign of maturity. It is always difficult to play well in Cagliari, because the pitch is quite slow and the ball doesn’t move quickly. It’s always been a battle for my teams here and we didn’t understand the situation. ............ Carlos Alcaraz started in the midfield in a short-lived experiment, with the coach switching to finally playing the trio of Kenan Yildiz, Federico Chiesa and Vlahovic at the same time. “On the strength of the first half performance, I should’ve changed everyone – including myself! I saw some unbelievable technical errors. It’s a pity we didn’t get the three points, but I knew that we would need patience and to gradually get there. I hope this will be a learning experience for them.” Next up for the Bianconeri is the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final, with Allegri's charges holding a 2-0 advantage from the first leg at home. “We need to reach the Final, that is all. We’re up against a good Lazio side and if we play the way we did tonight in the first half without winning a duel, then we’ll be in trouble. We will try to be different.” Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/20/24135446/juventus-2-2-cagliari-serie-a-match-recap-reaction-allegri-comments-unbelievable-technical-errors

Controversy over Cagliari-Juventus refereeing Both Cagliari and Juventus had complaints about the referee in their 2-2 draw, as Carlos Alcaraz needed two stitches for a Yerry Mina elbow, while the decisive free kick was controversial. The Sardinians had surged into a 2-0 lead through penalties converted by Gianluca Gaetano and Yerry Mina, both of which seemed pretty difficult to deny. However, in the very opening minutes and with the result at 0-0, Mina jumped over Alcaraz and caught the Southampton-owned midfielder on the side of the head with an elbow. This contact was inside the penalty area, but the referee and VAR considered it to be a simple collision and waved play on. Alcaraz certainly felt the impact, as he was bleeding and required two stitches to the wound at half-time, when he was substituted. ............ Read more -> https://football-italia.net/controversy-over-cagliari-juventus-refereeing/

Juventus 2 - Cagliari 2: Initial reaction and random observations Thanks to everybody’s favorite goal scorer, Own Goal, Juventus salvaged a point in their latest dud of a performance. As he talked with the media on Thursday, Juventus manager Max Allegri said “the best is yet to come” as his team enters the final month and a half of the 2023-24 season. What we saw Friday night was more the status quo from the last three months more than anything that would resemble something a sudden turn for the better. It’s a run of form that, no matter if there’s a bad first half or bad second half or vice versa, Juventus simply can’t get themselves out of. Juventus’ latest first-half dud resulted in another mad scramble to get some semblance of a result. This time it involved trying to erase a pair of penalties within the opening 40 minutes against Cagliari, who built a stunning 2-0 lead against a not-so-stunning crap performance from Max Allegri and Juventus that left us — and maybe even themselves — wondering just how much lower they can actually go before rock bottom actually hits them in the face. Thankfully, Juve did just enough after the break to take a point back to Turin with them, with Dusan Vlahovic’s free kick and Alberto Dossena’s own goal leveling things up in what proved to be a 2-2 draw at the Sardegna Arena. It was, without a doubt, one of those “thank goodness they got something out of this” kinds of moments mostly because that first half was quite the dumpster fire worth of a showing. ............ That meant, against a Cagliari team that entered the night with the fourth-highest goals allowed total in Serie A this season (54 in 32 games), Juventus did this: One shot on target in the first half. A grand xG total of ... 0.66. Yes, you can say the positive is that they found something at halftime and fought their way back to salvage something from what was otherwise a terrible trip to Sardinia. Or, you can ask yourself why, against a team sitting 14th in the table that has struggled defensively just as much at home as they have when on the road, is this team continuously struggling to do much of anything right on a consistent basis? Hell, why is the team that is sitting 14th in the table absolutely taking it to Juventus like they are the potential relegation battler that is trying to hit a certain point total to ensure they avoid the drop back down to Serie B. The only reason as to why Juve were able to get a point was because of a brilliant free kick from Vlahovic and an own goal off a near-perfect cross from second-half substitute Kenan Yildiz. ............ That’s because over the last 14 games, Juve have won a 18 points out of a possible 42. That’s insane to think about. And it’s the reason why so many of us have changed our viewpoint of this season so quickly. At this point, I really don’t know to expect other than poor performance after poor performance. And for a team that needs just a handful of points to lock up a Champions League spot for next season, that really is a pretty bad situation to find yourself in no matter how many UCL spots Serie A officially has now. RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS You see that elbow to the head below? That is an elbow that both broke open Carlos Alcaraz’s head a little bit, but also required the Argentine midfielder to receive stitches because of the gash on his head. And yet, that elbow to the head, which was very different from the kind of elbow that Wojciech Szczesny got to the face last weekend, didn’t even get reviewed by VAR for some sort of card. Once again, VAR in Italy completely to makes no sense. Also, when it comes to Bremer’s “handling” of the ball that led to Cagliari’s first penalty, I really have no idea what he is supposed to do there to avoid the ball. Simply because, at that point, you get the impression his main task is trying to figure out a way to maneuver around Federico Gatti and get his head to the ball in the same motion. Because Gatti put Bremer in such an awkward position, that is why his arm is essentially flailing in the air. Unnatural position, sure, but you try and control your body in that kind of situation, ref. Also, Gatti got absolutely cooked on the run that led to Cagliari’s second penalty. Who knew that a big galoot of a center back would struggle with a small and speedy forward, huh. PK call going against him aside, this was not a very good Bremer game. Far from good. Would you say more than three or four Juve players had good games? Like, honestly, let’s not hold back here. Because I’m struggling to think of more than four dudes. Controversial opinion: Kenan Yildiz should play more. Federico Chiesa played a full 90! It wasn’t a great 90-plus minutes, but it was still a full 90. Yet, Chiesa was one of two Juve players to record more than one key pass against Cagliari. That means even when he’s not playing well he can still create something to help his team try and score. That free kick from Dusan ... that was so pretty. Like, just the bend, the ability to absolutely freeze Scuffet in the Cagliari goal, the celebration where he was visibly just trying to drag is teammates across the finish line. Say what you want about his shortcomings, but you can’t say the guy doesn’t care about this team and this club as a whole. The more diehard Juventinos on this squad the better, I say. Wojciech Szczesny going with the simple nose cover rather than the mask. The guy said that masks are only meant for Zorro — and he meant it. So take that, everybody who thought he was going to sport a mask like he’s the goalkeeper version of Victor Osimhen. ............ This Juve midfield needs new blood in the worst possible way, man. It’s just feel like such a lost cause during this three-month stretch. Just help them out, please. Help them and subsequently help us out, too. ............ It is very Juventus in 2024 to have three times as much possession as their opponent on the day and yet still barely outshoot them overall. Good job, guys. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/20/24135111/juventus-cagliari-2024-serie-a-matchday-33-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations

Second-half comeback rescues a point for sloppy Juventus against Cagliari Once again Juventus failed to pick up all three points, this time away at lowly Cagliari. Despite seeking an important win, Juventus were not in control at the beginning of the game as Cagliari appeared comfortable in their attempts to secure the opener. ............ During one of their attacks, Gleison Bremer failed to keep his hands in a natural position, resulting in a penalty that was awarded after a VAR check. Gianluca Gaetano made no mistake from the spot. Juve could have conceded a second goal three minutes later, but Luvumbo missed the target once again. Five minutes after the opening goal, Wojciech Szczesny conceded yet another penalty, which Yerry Mina converted. That second goal was embarrassing for Juventus, prompting them to make efforts to score their first goal. Dusan Vlahovic found the back of the net shortly after, but it was ruled out for offside after a VAR check. Juve ended the half trailing, and Max Allegri responded by substituting Kenan Yildiz for Carlos Alcaraz before the second half began. Cagliari continued to play bravely as Juve struggled to find their first goal of the game. Sixteen minutes into the second half, Vlahovic scored a stunning free kick from a position most people wouldn’t have expected him to attempt a goal from. ............ Juve would get the next goal as one of their attacking moves forced Alberto Dossena to inadvertently put the ball into his own net, levelling the score with three minutes of normal time remaining. That goal demoralized Cagliari and gave Juve a chance to play for the winner, prompting them to increase their attacking efforts. Vlahovic went down in the Cagliari box and felt he deserved a penalty, but the referee remained uninterested, forcing Juve to search for a goal elsewhere. Yildiz managed to get a shot on target, but couldn’t find the back of the net, leaving Juventus to end another match with a draw after a second-half comeback. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/second-half-comeback-rescues-a-point-for-sloppy-juventus-against-cagliari/

Mi viene giá voglia di spegnere tutto

E dopo Tek anche Alcaraz becca una gomitata impunita.

Per quale motivo il minuto di silenzio?

Cagliari vs Juventus: Preview and Prediction Cagliari are set to host Juventus at the Unipol Domus on Friday, aiming to build on their recent positive performances in Serie A. Under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri, they secured a commendable 2-2 draw against champions-elect Inter Milan in their last outing, following a notable 2-1 victory over Atalanta in the previous week. This recent form has bolstered their confidence as they prepare to take on Juventus. ............ Hosting Friday’s match at the Unipol Domus, Cagliari aims to extend their unbeaten streak at home to five matches. Under Ranieri’s guidance, they have secured eight points from their last four home matches, making them a formidable opponent on their home turf. Meanwhile, Juventus are determined to continue their dominance over Cagliari, aiming for a sixth consecutive victory against the Rossoblu. Led by Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus face a tough challenge, especially considering their inconsistent away form since the start of the year. Despite Allegri’s confidence in securing a Champions League spot, Juventus have faced setbacks, winning only two of their last 11 matches. However, with Italy expected to secure an additional Champions League slot, there is some cushion for Juventus in the league standings. Team News & Tactics Cagliari Claudio Ranieri is likely yo have to manage Friday’s fixture without Gaetano Oristanio, Andrea Petagna, Marco Mancosu, and Leonardo Pavoletti, all sidelined due to injuries. Nicolas Viola has emerged as a valuable asset, displaying his scoring prowess with goals in the previous two game weeks after coming off the bench. ............ Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Dossena; Nandez, Deiola, Makoumbou, Sulemana, Augello; Luvumbo, Lapadula Juventus The availability of Moise Kean and Arkadiusz Milik for Friday’s match remains uncertain, with the latter having a better shot of featuring, at least on the bench. Federico Chiesa was noticeably frustrated after being taken off in the Turin Derby but should return to the lineup. Wojciech Szczesny is sidelined for the game, meaning Mattia Perin will take the reins in goal for the visitors. He should be protected by the trio of Federico Gatti, Gleison Bremer and Danilo as the Bianconeri set up in a 3-5-2 formation. Manuel Locatelli should start as the midfield anchor, with Weston McKennie and Adrien Rabiot for support. Andrea Cambiaso and Filip Kostic should provide the width, with Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa leading the frontline up top. Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Perin (Szczesny); Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa Key Stats Juventus have won 12 of their last 13 matches against Cagilari in Serie A. Against no other team have the Bianconeri secured more wins since 2016/17 in the Italian top flight. Juventus have won 19 times away to Cagliari in Serie A. Cagliari have not lost as many games to any other side in the Italian top flight at home. Cagliari have lost just one of their last eight league games. The last time Cagliari defeated a top three side in the league was in 2020, when they beat Juventus 2-0. Since then, they have gone winless in 15 games against opposition meeting the criteria. Cagliari have won six home games in Serie A this season, bettering their record over the last couple of top flight campaigns. Player to Watch Dusan Vlahovic The Serbian striker is Juventus’s best attacker and will hope to get his side to within touching distance of second-placed AC Milan on the night. Vlahovic has not found the back of the net in his last four Serie A appearances and has lacked the killer instinct since returning from his suspension. With just six more games to go, Juventus cannot afford to cede any more ground in the race for a top-two finish. Should Vlahovic return to his best, the Bianconeri have a good shot at bringing high-flying Cagliari crashing back to earth. Prediction Cagliari 1-1 Juventus While Juventus have a solid record against the Isolani, Cagliari are in good form and will be brimming with confidence at the moment. Add to it the visitors’ soft underbelly, and it is fair to say that Claudio Ranieri can smell blood. The game is likely to be closer than expected and should end with both teams settling for a point. Read more -> https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2024/04/19/cagliari-vs-juventus-preview-and-prediction/

Cagliari vs. Juventus match preview One of the few very winnable games left on the schedule is here and hopefully Juve don’t mess things up. In a perfect world, you’re thinking to yourself that third-place Juventus having an eight-point advantage over the team currently sitting in fifth is a pretty good situation to be in. But, as we know, the better part of the last three months has been far from anything close to good, or event bang-average, for Juve. ............ As a very important cup tie lies in the distance in just a few days, an even more important Serie A matchup against Cagliari is Juventus’ immediate task come Friday night. This is one of the final chances that Juve have this season to get three points that won’t come against another one of Italy’s competitors for a top four spot. That’s especially true for the next few weeks, with Juve facing Milan, Roma and Bologna — the latter two being right behind the Bianconeri in the Serie A standings — before the season finale against Monza. That is the kind of situation that could result in a fair number of dropped points. Thus the reason why Friday’s trip to Sardinia is quite the important one. ............ The following things should not surprise anybody considering how Juventus have played of late: Juventus have won one in their last six in Serie A Cagliari have won three in their last six in Serie A One team is currently in third. The other is sitting in 14th, with hopes of getting close to not having to sweat out the last month of the season as a result of falling back onto the fringes of a relegation fight. ............ Sure, Serie A getting a fifth Champions League spot now adds a little bit of a cushion and a little more room for error — which, knowing how Juve have been playing much of the last three months, is certainly a rare positive development. But the last thing we want to see happen is Juventus actually need all of that breathing room. They might, but that’s not exactly how you want to be thinking heading into this incredibly important final stretch of games to close out the season. ............ TEAM NEWS Even though Allegri was noncommittal about Wojciech Szczesny’s status for Friday’s game against Cagliari. the general feeling coming out of training on Thursday was that the Juve No. 1 is good to go less than a week out from breaking his nose. That said, Allegri mentioned he still has to evaluate how Szczesny is feeling Friday morning and then take it from there. If Szczesny isn’t good to go against Cagliari, that will clear the way for Mattia Perin to start just his third league game of the season. For the record, Szczesny joked with the Juve social media team that he will not rock a mask like pretty much everybody expects him to when he does make his first start since catching a stray elbow to the face. “Only Zorro wears a mask,” he declared as he walked to training. While Arek Milik has returned to the traveling squad for the trip to Sardinia, midfielder Fabio Miretti and striker Moise Kean are both out and will watch on from Turin. Tuttosport has reported that Allegri tried out a 4-3-1-2 in training with Carlos Alacaraz playing behind the two strikers. Despite that, Allegri is still expected to stick with his customary 3-5-2 formation. The good thing for Juventus regardless of the result is that nobody on the roster is one yellow card away from suspension, thus meaning everybody is good to go against Milan next weekend barring somebody getting sent off or a new injury popping up. JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH It was just a couple of weeks ago that the smile returned to Federico Chiesa’s face as he wheeled off toward the sideline to celebrate his goal in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals against Lazio. ............ MATCH INFO When: Friday, April 19, 2024. Where: Sardegna Arena, Cagliari, Italy. Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. in Italy and the Central European time zone, 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, 11:45 a.m. Pacific time. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/19/24129716/cagliari-juventus-2024-serie-a-matchday-33-preview-team-news-schedule-how-to-watch

Preview: Cagliari vs. Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups Cagliari seek a continuation of their recent upswing in Serie A when they take on Juventus at the Unipol Domus on Friday. Claudio Ranieri's men held champions-elect Inter Milan 2-2 last time out, having beaten Atalanta 2-1 the week before, and will back themselves to stun the Old Lady in this weekend's gameweek 33 action. Match preview Sardinia hosts Friday's encounter between Ranieri's side and Juventus, with the home team keen to continue the ongoing run that has seen them create separation in the relegation tussle. ............ Juventus aim to claim a win at Cagliari to extend their five-match winning run against the Rossoblu to six. However, Massimiliano Allegri's men must perform at a high level to secure maximum points in Sardinia, something the Bianconeri have not done consistently since the turn of the year. Allegri believes his side will not drop out of the Champions League places — he always maintained a return to Europe's premier club competition was the target, not Scudetto contention — but Bologna are four points adrift and fifth-placed Roma sit eight points adrift, possibly being cut to five if the Giallorossi win their outstanding game against Udinese. While looking over their shoulder at the turn of the year would have been scoffed at if it was suggested, picking up two wins victories from 11 matches has seen the Old Lady slide in the table, giving other sides a chance of supplanting Allegri's men in the final weeks. Nevertheless, Italy's likelihood of securing an extra Champions League slot means it would take a cataclysmic collapse and other sides taking advantage to see Juventus fall to sixth. Supporters may not be keen on a trip to an in-form side, especially as the Turin-based club have been winless on their travels since January 21's 3-0 win at Lecce, losing three of the subsequent five on the road. ............ Team News Ranieri may have to make do without Gaetano Oristanio, Andrea Petagna, Marco Mancosu and Leonardo Pavoletti, all of whom are expected to miss out through injury on Friday. ............ Moise Kean and Arkadiusz Milik are touch-and-go for Friday, with the latter tipped to make the bench if need be. Federico Chiesa was frustrated to come off in last weekend's Turin derby continuing his complicated relationship with Allegri. Regardless, the Italy international should start in Sardinia. Cagliari possible starting lineup: Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Dossena; Nandez, Deiola, Makoumbou, Suleman, Augello; Luvumbo, Lapadula Juventus possible starting lineup: Perin; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa We say: Cagliari 1-1 Juventus While Cagliari head into Friday's game having lost 12 of the previous 13 matches against Juventus in Serie A, this week's encounter represents the Sardinians' best opportunity of getting some joy against Allegri's men. The spoils could be shared in gameweek 33, with the Rossoblu taking that as a point gained, even if it extends their winless run to 16 against a side starting the matchday in the top three places. Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/cagliari/preview/preview-cagliari-vs-juventus-prediction-team-news-lineups_541522.html

Perin is set to enjoy a two-game spell as Juventus number one Mattia Perin is slated to step in for Juventus in their upcoming matches against Cagliari and Lazio, as Wojciech Szczesny is expected to be sidelined for at least one game. Szczesny sustained a suspected broken nose during the last game against Torino, prompting concerns among Juventus about the extent of his injury. Despite completing the match, the club opted to conduct further tests post-game. ............ Consequently, Perin being the preferred choice to stand in. This decision is part of Juventus’s strategy to ensure Szczesny is fully fit before returning to action, with Perin expected to fill in for the subsequent Coppa Italia match against Lazio. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/perin-is-set-to-enjoy-a-two-game-spell-as-juventus-number-one/