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JUVENTUS - UDINESE - Saturday, September 13th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Damato Tevez: Injury rumours are rubbish The Argentine has dismissed reports in the Italian press suggesting that he is unavailable to face Udinese. Sep 12, 2014 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that rumours claiming he is unfit to face Udinese on Saturday are untrue. Reports in Italian media claimed that coach Massimiliano Allegri would be without his star striker in his first home match in charge of the Scudetto holders after the Argentine limped out of training on Wednesday. However, Tevez - whose international exile continued this month when new Argentina coach Gerardo Martino left the forward out of his first squad - has dismissed suggestions Juve will have to fend without him this weekend as he has avoided picking up a knock. "Thanks to those of you who expressed your concern, but I am not injured," the 30-year-old wrote on his official Twitter account. "I'm preparing myself to play on Saturday." Tevez scored 21 times for Juventus last season, forging a great partnership with fellow striker Fernando Llorente, who himself bagged 18 goals. Allegri's men will be aiming to add to their opening day 1-0 win over Chievo against an Udinese side who also triumphed in their first clash of 2014-15. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Llorente: Allegri is a winner The Juventus forward says he is confident in his coach's ability to win trophies and also had encouraging words for new team-mate Alvaro Morata after his summer arrival. Sep 11, 2014 Fernando Llorente insists new Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is a winner and expects the Turin side to enjoy another successful season under his leadership. The Spanish striker was a Scudetto winner in his first season in Italy, scoring 16 Serie A goals to help Juve to their third consecutive title after signing on a free transfer from Athletic Bilbao. Coach Antonio Conte left the club in the summer and was controversially replaced by former AC Milan boss Allegri, but Llorente believes the club’s era of success will continue despite the coaching change. "Allegri has not been here for long, but you can already tell he is a great coach," the 29-year-old told Sky Sport Italia. "He has a winning spirit and he will certainly be able to win with Juve too. "Allegri is a coach with a very clear idea of his football and he is transmitting that well to the squad." Llorente believes fellow countryman Alvaro Morata - who joined the club from Real Madrid this summer to bolster an attacking group that also contains Carlos Tevez - will be a man to watch in 2014-15. "Morata is a player with a lot of mobility and he is very quick to finish his goalscoring opportunities too," said Llorente. "He can do well in any attacking role and I think he will really make his mark." Juventus host Udinese on Saturday before kicking off their Champions League campaign with a home tie against Malmo next week.

JUVENTUS - UDINESE - Saturday, September 13th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Damato MATCH PREVIEW Sep 11, 2014 Defending champions Juventus are missing five of their first choice XI and Udinese could take advantage with veteran sharpshooter Antonio Di Natale. The international break has certainly not done Massimiliano Allegri's unenviable task of following in the footsteps of the indefatigable Antonio Conte any favours. Arturo Vidal, the highly coveted midfield maestro will be out of action for a minimum of 10 days after he picked up a thigh injury whilst on duty for Chile. The 27-year-old joins first team players Andrea Pirlo and Andrea Barzagli on the treatment table. Worse news was yet to come, as in Wednesday's training session the club's top scorer from last term Carlos Tevez suffered a similar thigh injury to Vidal. Early prognosis is that he will face a race to be fit for the clash with Milan next weekend and he will likely miss the Udinese game and midweek Champions League group stage opener against Malmo. Spanish striker Alvaro Morata will be unable to make his Bianconeri debut as he too is still recovering from knee surgery. Terrier like centre-back Giorgio Chiellini is suspended meaning that Allegri is without five of his best starting XI. Fernando Llorente will spearhead his 3-5-1-1 with either Kingsley Coman, who impressed on his debut against Chievo, or Sebastian Giovinco replacing Tevez in the hole. Udinese meanwhile are without 18-year-old goalkeeper Simone Scuffet and full-backs Gabriel Silva and Giovanni Pasquale through injury. Coach Andrea Stramaccioni may have cut his teeth at Inter before Erick Thohir removed him like a rotten molar, but he has a chance to start afresh with a Zebrette side eager to make amends for a disappointing campaign. Antonio Di Natale continues to ignore father time and an opening round brace against Empoli surely indicates that the 36-year-old is once again game for a Capocannoniere challenge. Keep an eye on: Roberto Pereyra (Juventus) – Having replaced Vidal for the final few minutes in Round 1, the 23-year-old Argentine is set to make his Juve League debut proper - at home and against his former club. The tricky winger has already scored for his new Bianconeri side in the Trofeo TIM and will need to take his chance in the absence of Vidal. Form Guide: Juventus ( - - - -W) Udinese ( - - - -W) Last season: Juventus 1-0 Udinese Stat fact: Juventus have won five of their last six home League ties with Udinese, four of which were to nil. The Zebrette last bucked the trend here four seasons ago with a 2-1 victory and the winning goal from the now Arsenal player, Alexis Sanchez. JUVENTUS: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Pereyra, Asamoah; Llorente; Giovinco Suspended: Chiellini UDINESE: Karnezis; Heurtaux, Danilo, Domizzi; Widmer, Allan, Guilherme, Badu, Piris; Muriel, Di Natale Suspended: None http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Llorente: 'Allegri has winning spirit' Sep 11, 2014 Fernando Llorente said Juventus Coach Max Allegri has “a winning spirit” and trusts Fernando Torres will impress at Milan. The Spanish centre-forward spoke to Sky Sport Italia ahead of Saturday night’s Serie A match with Udinese. Click here for a match preview. “Allegri is a Coach with a very clear idea of his football and he’s transmitting that well to the squad. He hasn’t been here for long, but you can already tell he’s a great Coach and has a winning spirit. He will certainly be able to win with Juve too. “We have several different tactical options and you cannot play every game the same way. We’ll continue working on alternatives and then the Coach will decide how we play from match to match. “I hope this season to help the team with hard work and many goals. It’d be a dream to improve on the number of goals I scored last term.” Llorente is one of several Spanish strikers in Serie A this year, including his Juventus teammate Alvaro Morata and Milan’s Torres. “Morata is a player with a lot of mobility and can do well in any attacking role,” continued ‘The Lion King.’ “He is very quick when finishing scoring opportunities too, so I think he can really make his mark. “Torres is a fantastic player and he just needs a good year. I think he can do very well at Milan and wish him all the best, but at the end of the day the teams are more important than the players and I hope we can have a winning year.”

JUVENTUS - UDINESE - Saturday, September 13th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Damato Juventus Star Tevez Denies Injury Claims Sep 11, 2014 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has denied rumours claiming that he’ll be out for the Old Lady’s next match with Udinese and insists that he’s doing fine. The 30-year-old had reportedly pulled out of training with the Bianconeri on Wednesday after suffering a thigh injury and was originally expected to miss Juve’s Serie A game with the Zebrette on Saturday, as well as their Champions League group stage meeting with Malmo on Septemeber 16. Tevez spoke through his official Twitter page about the false claims regarding his physical condition and thanked the Juventus fans for their concern. “Thank you all for worrying about me,” wrote the Argentine. “I do not have any injuries and I am currently preparing for the match on Saturday.” The positive news on the striker’s condition comes as a sign of relief for Juventus as they will already be facing Udinese without Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo, who are both currently recovering from their own injuries. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - UDINESE - Saturday, September 13th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Damato Serie A Preview: Juventus v Udinese Massimiliano Allegri will have to contend with a growing injury list as Juventus welcome Udinese in Serie A on Saturday. Sep 11, 2014 With Arturo Vidal (thigh), Andrea Pirlo (hip), Andrea Barzagli (Achilles) and Giorgio Chiellini (calf) all unavailable, it now looks as though Carlos Tevez could also be set for a spell on the sidelines. Reports in the Italian press claimed that the Argentina forward limped out of training on Wednesday with a suspected hamstring injury. That would represent a major blow for the champions, with Tevez having scored 19 goals last season as Juve saw off the threat of Roma to take a third consecutive Scudetto. It would also leave Sebastian Giovinco and Fernando Llorente as Allegri's primary striking options for his first home match in charge. Juve coach Allegri could, however, be boosted by the return of close-season signing Alvaro Morata, who has made a swift recovery from the knee surgery he had in July. Morata joined from Real Madrid with the promise of increasing Juve's attacking threat and, though a start against Udinese is unlikely, he could play a role from the bench. Chiellini's absence has been the subject of some controversy, with the defender having been withdrawn from international duty by his club. Juve were forced to defend the decision to recall Chiellini amid criticism from the Italy hierarchy, who argued that he should have stayed with his country until the end of the international break. While Allegri's tenure started with a 1-0 win over Chievo, Udinese were also victorious in Andrea Stramaccioni's first game at the helm - beating newly promoted Empoli 2-0. Stalwart striker Antonio Di Natale scored twice in that match to defeat the club where his career began almost two decades ago. That double added to the 36-year-old's incredible five-goal haul against Ternana in the Coppa Italia, and Udinese will need their talisman to be on top form if they are to upset the odds this weekend. Udinese, who finished 13th last season, have not beaten Juve in the last six attempts and lost twice to them in the 2013-14 campaign. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Tevez calms injury fears Sep 11, 2014 Carlos Tevez assured Juventus fans he has “no lesions and am preparing for Saturday’s game” against Udinese. There were reports last night that Tevez had pulled up during a training session with a muscular problem. It had been rumoured Apache would be out of action for this weekend and potentially the next two matches against Malmo and Milan too. “Thank you to everyone for being worried about me,” wrote Tevez on Twitter this evening. “I have no lesions and I am preparing for Saturday’s game.” Juventus host Udinese in Turin on Saturday at 20.45 CET.

JUVENTUS - UDINESE - Saturday, September 13th, 2014 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Antonio Damato Domizzi adds to Udinese woes Sep 11, 2014 Udinese will be without Maurizio Domizzi and Simone Scuffet for a month. The Friulani are having a bad week on the injury front, as goalkeeper Scuffet had already been ruled out for three to four weeks with a sprained ankle. Today it was confirmed defender Domizzi had been diagnosed with a left thigh strain that will see him on the treatment table for 20-25 days before he can resume training. It looks as if Igor Bubnjic will get the nod in place of Domizzi against Juventus this weekend. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Tevez adds to Juventus injuries Sep 10, 2014 Bad news for Juventus, as Carlos Tevez has joined Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo on the treatment table. Tevez pulled up during today’s training session in Turin and reports suggest he has suffered a muscular injury. That would rule him out of this weekend’s Serie A game against Udinese, while he’d also be at risk for the Champions League clash with Malmo and the next fixture at Milan. Today it was confirmed Vidal will be out for at least a week due to a thigh problem he picked up while on international duty with Chile. Pirlo and Alvaro Morata are also out of action, while Andrea Barzagli is recovering from Achilles tendon surgery.

Agnelli: 'Juventus fighting racism' Sep 10, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli made a speech at the UEFA Respect Diversity meeting on fighting racism. With UEFA President Michel Platini among those attending, Agnelli outlined the club’s “ongoing pledge to focus on education as the key to tackling all forms of discrimination and promoting integration. “Anti-discrimination, integration and education. These can be regarded as the three building blocks of a happy society – especially in this world I already described, a world in which people are moving from country to country at an unprecedented rate for working, studying and living abroad.” Agnelli addressed why racism in Italian stadiums – and indeed society – is still an issue, because historically this country was not accustomed to mass immigration. “For many decades now, the United Kingdom has witnessed very high levels of immigration, leading to a multicultural environment, not only in the big cities, but even in the countryside. “From my experience of living and studying in England, I noticed how it is completely normal for British people to walk down the street, even in smaller towns, and see as many people of a different ethnicity as his or her own. This is the situation and most people are not concerned nor bothered by it. They are used to it and they get on with their daily lives. “Italy is just waking up to this phenomenon of mass immigration. Of course, we were for many years a land of emigrants, but this is the first time in our history that we are seeing such numbers of people arriving on our shores and staying for long periods in order to make a living. The world has changed and Italy too is becoming a more multicultural country than ever before. “There is no better example of this than the football pitch. Our teams and our changing rooms have become multicultural workshops, filled with players from all over the world. I only need to think of the Juventus line-up this year to count eight different nationalities that take to the field every weekend. “When they put on those black and white stripes, our fans are not worried about where they come from. The Italian public has become accustomed to cheering for these men. They could be from Ghana, Argentina or Turin. All that matters, is they work together. “The current World Champions Germany are made up of a group of footballers who were not necessarily born in the country. Their all-time leading goalscorer, Miroslav Klose, was born in Poland but has become an iconic figure for all of Germany. “If we were to look at the Italian national side, we have a few players with Italian passports but with foreign heritage, who are becoming prominent figures for both club and country. It goes without saying that if Italy can include every component of its population in the same way as Germany, we would reap the benefits both on and off the pitch. “The international nature of the modern-day football club makes this sport the perfect means through which we can tackle racism.” Agnelli also noted the problem with ‘territorial discrimination’ – usually anti-Neapolitan or Southern Italian chanting that until this season was treated as racist abuse. “Unfortunately, we still hear chants in football stadia, both in the form of racism and territorial discrimination between Italians. “We all know that Italy is a country made up of different provinces with different ways of life – this is the cultural variety that should make us stronger as a people, yet we continue to turn a positive into a negative. “Why do we need to look at our differences with anger and aggression? If Italy can win World Cups by coming together as a nation, this country can excel in all walks of life when we treat each other equally and unite properly.” Juventus help sponsor anti-racism projects in schools in Piedmont. “If we can open up people’s minds from a young age, they will grow up to become the responsible and respectful adults of tomorrow. These are the kind of people we also want to see at the Juventus Stadium, which already provides the best family atmosphere in Serie A. “I believe that the wonderful initiatives we have come up with at Juventus are able to show that there are people working in Italy to overcome the ongoing problem of discrimination. “The example set at our club is something that we hope other teams will follow attentively. Football has a responsibility to eradicate this problem and by pulling together in the same direction we will learn to respect each other’s differences.”

Italian Super Cup at Christmas Sep 10, 2014 The Italian Super Cup tie between Juventus and Napoli will probably take place at San Siro on December 23. Although the date and venue are yet to be made official, all the signs suggest that the Lega Serie A will agree to such a scenario. The annual encounter between the League champions and the Coppa Italia winners usually takes place at the start of the season. However, finding time in the summer 2014 calendar wasn’t possible so the match has had to be delayed. The 1995-96 clash between Juventus and Parma was also postponed to January 17. Both clubs also look set to give the thumbs up to playing the tie in Milan after the options of going to the UAE or Qatar were discounted. Juventus have won the last two editions when they beat Napoli 4-2 in 2012 and Lazio 4-0 last year. Milan are the only side in history to win the trophy on three consecutive occasions thanks to their triumphs in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Bonucci: 'Balotelli must work' Sep 9, 2014 Leonardo Bonucci sent a stark message to Mario Balotelli. “He needs to understand to play for Italy you have to work together.” The centre-back scored in tonight’s 2-0 Euro 2016 qualifier against Norway, while Sassuolo striker Simone Zaza opened his account. “In Italy we already knew Zaza and he scored a great goal for Sassuolo against Juventus last season,” Bonucci told Rai Sport. “He is wise for his age and ready to work hard, while he has real physical gifts.” Zaza has effectively replaced Balotelli in the side and with this form it’ll be tricky for the Liverpool striker to get back in. “Mario will certainly have seen the games. If he does what the Coach asks of him, then he can be a reference point for this Nazionale. “The problem is he needs to understand to play for the Nazionale you have to work all together, run together and move constantly. “We’ve never had a problem with Mario. We know what his personality is like and during the World Cup I tried talking to him, but we know his character is his Achilles heel. It can make him strong and weak at the same time.” Bonucci plays from the back, especially in the absence of injured Andrea Pirlo. “I certainly like this role and the Coach put many elements in my hands to help the team move. I like responsibility on my shoulders. “As we have always said with Conte at Juventus, the important thing is for all the players to contribute to defence. The new boys can attest to how focused and pernickety he is on ensuring nobody relaxes for a second.” Conte was his usual spectacular self on the touchline in Oslo, which was no surprise for Bonucci. “Everyone knows what he’s like and we’ve all got those images in our minds from his time at Juventus. He is the first to transmit his grit and hunger to the players, which can also be seen by everyone else on the touchline. “We haven’t had much time to oil the gears of a system that for us Juventini was practically automatic. We’ve had the chance to apply these ideas on the field, which makes us very happy and builds our confidence going forward. “When you know what to do and everything is planned out, it comes naturally and you feel more confident.” Malta and Azerbaijan are Italy’s next opponents in the group before Croatia. “On paper they are teams we can certainly beat, but as the Coach will no doubt say, unexpected things happen the moment you relax. We need the same approach as always, with that hunger and determination.”

Pogba earns less than average Premier League player The French midfielder has made headlines since his move to Juventus, but his salary continues to shrink in comparison to the big-money leagues. Sep 9, 2014 Paul Pogba earns less than the average salary in the cash-rich Premier League, new figures have revealed. The Juventus star is considered to be one of the jewels in the Italian league’s crown on the back of two fantastic seasons in the famous black and white stripes following his move from Manchester United. However, the France international has regularly been touted for a potential big-money exit from Juventus Stadium, and figures recently published by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport give one indication as to why Pogba may wish to move on soon. The 21-year-old has three years left to run on his current Juventus contract, but his deal in Turin entitles him to a gross salary of €1.5 million per year, which means he earns less than 14 of his team-mates. His deal also pales in comparison with figures paid to the best players in some of the more wealthy leagues in the world. What’s more, figures released this summer quoted the average wage of a Premier League player in England to have been €2m in 2012-13, with projections suggesting salaries have markedly increased in the past 12 months. Radamel Falcao joined Manchester United earlier this month on a loan deal from Monaco which is set to earn him a €22.5m over the course of one season, a sensational 1500% mark-up on Pogba’s Juve deal. Daniele De Rossi comes in top of Serie A’s earners for a second successive year thanks to his €6.5m Roma deal. The Italy midfielder’s salary is worth more than newly-promoted Cesena’s entire wage bill.

Buon lavoro!

Buffon 'no rush' for Juve contract Sep 9, 2014 Gigi Buffon is in negotiations with Juventus for a contract extension, said his agent, but “there’s no rush.” The goalkeeper’s current deal is set to expire at the end of this season and there has been talk of a new agreement until June 2017 – by which time he will be 38 years old. “There is no rush, nor any short-term agreements made,” representative Silvano Martina told Calcionews24.com. “We have an excellent rapport with Juventus, so there will be no problems. Right now I can’t talk about details, as it’s still too early. “Buffon is a key figure at Juventus and still the best goalkeeper in the world.” Martina was asked whether the shot-stopper will join the club hierarchy as a director after he hangs up his gloves. “These are questions you should ask him. I don’t know, but right now he wants to play.”

Boniperti: Allegri will be okay if Juventus keep winning The Bianconeri faithful were less than impressed when the former AC Milan boss was named as their new coach and the 86-year-old says he is under pressure to deliver trophies. Sep 9, 2014 Juventus icon Giampiero Boniperti has warned Massimiliano Allegri that only titles will help him win over the club's supporters. The Bianconeri faithful were left in a state of shock when Antonio Conte, the man who had led the club to three successive Scudetti, quit as coach by mutual consent this summer. The appointment of Allegri, who was sacked by AC Milan earlier this year, enraged the fans but Boniperti says that the 47-year-old trainer will retain their full support as long as Juve keeping winning. "Juventus are a club that must always win," the former Italy international told Tuttosport. "They must fight for every goal, in Italy and abroad. "Juve must continue to do as Juve has always done, which is to aim for one target after another. "And that's why for Allegri, and everyone else, it is the results that count. "I know his history. He seems to me to be a good person and a coach of the highest dedication. "He's a young coach but already experienced. He won a Scudetto with Milan and he knows the Champions League. "But now he's at Juve. Hopefully his past with the Rossoneri have taught him many things ..." Meanwhile, Boniperti believes that 18-year-old attacker Kingsley Coman is capable of achieving great things in Turin - provided he keeps his feet on the ground after a much-lauded Serie A debut, against Chievo. "Coman certainly has great quality, but he must improve and become a complete player," the 86-year-old stated. "The important thing is that he does not rest on his laurels. Ever."

Bonucci: Playing for Conte fun Sep 8, 2014 Leonardo Bonucci has praised former Juventus and current Italy Coach Antonio Conte for his work with the Azzurri so far. The 45-year-old is gearing up to his competitive debut on the national team bench and has received backing from one of his former Juve players pre-game. “Although there is little time to train, we have to play two games,” Bonucci began, sitting next to his Coach in today’s conference in Oslo. “With Conte we train in strong rhythms whilst we always know what to do, how we need to move the ball, and this is fun. “And his particular style of man-management? In a football team there is a Coach who decides a set of rules and it is up to the players to enforce those rules. “Conte does not make decisions for us but directs us. That is the secret that led Juve to win so much and we hope now that it can also happen with the national team.” Bonucci was then asked about the absence of Giorgio Chiellini, and the other potential centre back pairings. “After three years working together, the partnership between Giorgio and I is stupendous. But with David Astori I have worked well and we have talked a lot, which helps. Against the Netherlands the defence was great.” The Bianconero also shared his views on the situation between Juventus and Italy over Chiellini. “Giorgio would have liked to have stayed here with us, we all know how he is and how he lives his work. “But Juve needed to monitor his condition. He must abide by what his club decides - it is not that Juve want to impose their power, it is just a necessity.” Italy begin Euro 2016 qualifying against Norway. “We started to study Norway three days ago and saw the live game on TV between them and England. “They play a solid 4-5-1 that allows them to take advantage of the offensive characteristics of the two wide attackers.” Bonucci provided a brilliant lobbed assist for Ciro Immobile against the Netherlands last week. “I told Ciro after kick-off, let's get the ball rolling, you attack deep. And he did.”

Conte: No Italy-Juve rift Sep 8, 2014 Italy Coach Antonio Conte has made clear that there is no rift with Juventus over Giorgio Chiellini’s injury situation. Speaking at his Press conference ahead of Italy's opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Norway, the CT was inevitably asked about the injured defender, whose earlier-than-agreed return to Juventus had caused a falling out between club and country. “With Chiellini has resulted this episode, we will need to use this experience to better handle these situations next time, both on the part of ourselves and on that of Juventus,” Conte has considered from the Ullevaal Stadion on Monday night. “But I am here to unite and not to divide. This is just an incident where there have been misunderstandings but it ends there, because Giorgio was injured and would not have played. “Any consequences to this case? With Juve there will be no problems, it is right that is a spirit of collaboration [between clubs and the national team] if we want to achieve something important.”

Juve confirm Chiellini injury Sep 8, 2014 Juventus have confirmed that Giorgio Chiellini has an edema in his calf and that he will undergo further tests shortly. The defender complained of the issue at the beginning of last week in preparing to train with Antonio Conte’s Italy squad and missed consecutive days of training as a result. Then missing the Netherlands friendly on Thursday as a precaution, the player was later ruled out of the Norway Euro 2016 qualifier with what Azzurri medical staff diagnosed as an edema - a build up of fluid - in the player’s calf. On from calling back the player ahead of what was previously reported as agreed with the Italian Football Federation, the Bianconeri have confirmed that they have subjected him to their own tests today and come to the same conclusion. The Old Lady reports that Chiellini will continue on his rehabilitation programme before facing further tests in the coming days.

Garcia: Juve still the favourites Sep 8, 2014 Roma Coach Rudi Garcia believes Juventus are still the favourites for the Scudetto. The Frenchman spoke to Canal + this week and discussed a number of topics, including expectation that his Giallorossi can push for the Scudetto. “Sometimes I am presented in France as too ambitious,” Garcia began in his interview. “The ambition is to do the best we can. Juve have won the last three Scudetti and have not sold any players and have brought people like Morata and Evra. “So I think that Juve is the favourite. We will do everything we can and this summer I asked to redouble the team’s efforts to get as close as possible. “The Italian League is a little special, there is not only Juve and Roma. Napoli are a very strong team, and very rich, and then there are the two teams from Milan, Inter and Milan, who have strengthened. “I believe it will be a great championship, hard fought.”

Champions League Group A Betting Preview: Atletico to overshadow Juventus in top spot Having looked far more comfortable in European competition over the past few seasons, Al Hain-Cole is backing the Spanish champions to finish above Serie A's finest. Sep 8, 2014 Having failed to translate their dominant domestic form to the European stage over the past few years, Juventus will be determined to put in a strong display in this season’s Champions League. Champions League Group A Atletico Madrid to qualify 1/10 Juventus to qualify 1/6 Atletico to win the group 10/11 Juventus to win the group 11/10 Olympiakos to qualify 3/1 Malmo to qualify 14/1 However, after being drawn alongside last season’s runners-up Atletico Madrid in Group A, the Bianconeri may find themselves fighting for second place along with Olympiakos and Swedish underdogs Malmo. It is a fight bet365 fully expect them to win, with Massimiliano Allegri’s men priced at just 1/6 (1.17) to make up for last year’s group stage elimination by booking a place in the last 16. In fact, the Italian champions are clearly expected to give their Spanish counterparts a run for their money for first place, with odds of just 11/10 (2.10) on offer on them securing top spot. Considering Los Colchoneros’ superior continental record in recent seasons, odds of 10/11 (1.91) seem to offer stronger value on them progressing as group winners, while odds of just 1/10 (1.10) underline how nailed on they appear to reach the next round. Nevertheless, after finishing above Benfica to the reach the knockout stages last season, Olympiakos may offer some temptation at 3/1 (4.00) to pull off another shock by qualifying once again. Michel’s team came close to overcoming Manchester United in the last 16 before seeing their 2-0 home win overturned in the away leg, and are available at 11/1 (12.00) to upset more big names by finishing above both Juventus and Atletico in top spot. Back among the European elite for the first time since the competition was rebranded, Malmo have been billed as whipping boys in the group. Having become the youngest squad ever to win the Allsvenskan last season, Age Hareide’s inexperienced outfit are priced at a hefty 14/1 (15.00) to make yet more history by becoming only the second Swedish team to make it through the Champions League group stages. Goteborg finished above both Barcelona and Manchester United to top their group back in 1995, although their compatriots are 80/1 (81.00) outsiders to pull off the same feat this season.

Pirlo: I am still available for Italy The experienced midfielder has warned his team-mates not to underestimate the Giallorossi, while stressing that he is still available for Italy. Sep 8, 2014 Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has come back on his decision to retire from international duty after speaking to Italy coach Antonio Conte. The 35-year-old had previously suggested that he would say farewell to the national team after the World Cup, but he has now decided different. "I have spoken with Antonio Conte and I've told him that I'm available for Italy," Pirlo told reporters. "It was a difficult decision to take. I had wanted to stop playing for the national side but he took over and he asked me to lend a hand. I am happy to do that and we are hopeful we can achieve great things together. "I saw the game against Netherlands (2-0 win) and you could already see Conte's influence." Pirlo, who missed last week's win over Netherlands due to injury, then went on discuss Juventus' chances in Serie A and their Champions League ambitions and warned that Roma should not be underestimated. "In Serie A, Roma are the team we have to fear most. "We have to do better than last season in the Champions League. I think we have a good chance of making it to the knockout stages."

Pogba and Buffon to sign Sep 8, 2014 Italian champions Juventus are reportedly working on extending the contracts of Paul Pogba and Gigi Buffon. The French youngster, still just 21, is set to be rewarded for his performances and loyalty with a new deal until 2018, with an option for 2019. As part of that agreement, the former Manchester United man will see his wages rise from €1.5m a campaign to €4.5m. Talks with agent Mino Raiola have already begun and an official announcement is not expected to be too far away. Captain Buffon, meanwhile, is in the last year of his deal seeing as that is due to run out in June 2015. However, despite his 36 years, it is understood that he could put pen to paper on a fresh two-year extension. Buffon could then be handed a role within the club should he decide to retire in 2017. It is also being claimed that once the Pogba and Buffon situations have been resolved, Juve will talk to Claudio Marchisio about his future. The Italian midfielder’s contract is set to expire in June 2016.

Llorente: I Want To Play For Spain Again, But It’s Up To Del Bosque Sep 7, 2014 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente has revealed his hopes of being called up to Spain’s national team again, though he admits that the decision is ultimately up to coach Vicente del Bosque. The 29-year-old was included in the tactician’s 30-man preliminary World Cup squad over the summer but was one of seven players cut from the final team that ended up in Brazil, where their poor performance earned them an early exit during the group stage of the competition. Llorente spoke to Mediaset about wanting to represent Spain and commented on Del Bosque’s choice to replace him with Barcelona youngster Munir El Haddadi. “There are a lot of players available to the coach, and I certainly have a great desire to make my return to the Spanish national team,” said the Juve man. “If he chose to call up Munir instead, however, then he definitely has a good reason for it and the player deserves to be there.”

Celtic player names son Pirlo! Sep 7, 2014 Celtic player Beram Kayal has named his first son Pirlo in a tribute to the Juventus and Italy star. The Israeli international midfielder announced the news on Twitter and Facebook. “Today I have been graced with the birth of my first child Pirlo Kayal,” he wrote. “My wife Angela and Pirlo are both doing well. It's been an emotional day, especially for my parents who have came to see the birth of their first grandchild. “I would like to thank everyone for all their support and messages. I also thank God for everything he has blessed me with and today he has blessed me with a son .