Socrates

Capocciata di Lichtsteiner alta sulla traversa dopo il rimbalzo sull'erba.

Dopo 1003 minuti Tevez é tornato al goal in CL.

Complimenti all'allenatore svedese (che non ha simpatia per la Juve) per il suo catenaccio alla Nereo Rocco. LOSER!

Goal di Llorente annullato.

CARLOS TEVEZ 1-0

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) HT 0-0: Malmo scare Juventus Sep 16, 2014 Gigi Buffon made the only real save of the first half, as Juventus are struggling to break down Malmo. Elsewhere in the group, Olympiacos have a surprise 2-1 half-time lead over Atletico Madrid in Athens. The Bianconeri had more pressure than ever to do well in this competition after their group stage exit last season. In a group with Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos, they hosted Swedish champions Malmo in what was on paper the easiest fixture. Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Barzagli were injured with Roberto Pereyra suspended, so Kwadwo Asamoah went into a more central midfield role, while Giorgio Chiellini made his season debut after injury and bans. Malmoe made their Champions League group debut, but missed Simon Thern and Ricardinho. Malmo had the first real chance after 17 minutes when Gianluigi Buffon was forced to use his foot to parry from Magnus Eriksson at the back post. Paul Pogba was penalised for handball when chesting down in the box, though replays suggest Filip Helander also handled and perhaps made contact first. It was penalty! Pogba nodded off target and Carlos Tevez fired straight at the goalkeeper, while Asamoah had several shots over from distance and Apache failed to keep his balance on a Stephan Lichtsteiner assist. Fernando Llorente forced a corner with his attempt on the turn, but overall Juventus struggled to create any danger. They finally had a decent chance on 43 minutes when Lichtsteiner burst into the box on a Tevez pass and tried to roll across for Asamoah to tap in, but the Swiss Express over-hit the pass. In the last kick of the half, Leonardo Bonucci hit a free kick into the wall and thumped the rebound into the goalkeeper's arms. Juventus 0-0 Malmo (Half-Time) Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Evra; Tevez, Llorente Malmo: Olsen; Tinnerholm, E Johansson, Halsti, Helander, Konate; Eriksson, Adu, Forsberg: Thelin, Rosenberg Ref: Marciniak (POL)

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Line-ups: Juventus-Malmo Sep 16, 2014 Juventus field Paul Pogba, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente in their Champions League opener against Malmo. It kicks off at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT) at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. They are in the same group as Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos. Max Allegri made a winning start to his Serie A career on the Bianconeri bench, beating Chievo 1-0 and Udinese 2-0. The pressure is on the club to deliver in Europe, having crashed out in the group stage last season under Antonio Conte. Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Andrea Barzagli are injured, while new signing Roberto Pereyra is suspended from his time at Udinese. Giorgio Chiellini gets to make his season debut, having been ruled out by injury and a Serie A ban so far, while Martin Caceres steps in. Claudio Marchisio takes on the Pirlo role with Patrice Evra out wide, moving Kwadwo Asamoah into a more central position, while Tevez and Llorente are again the front two. There is pressure on Tevez, who has not scored a Champions League goal since April 2009. Statisticians will also be concerned that Juve have not won their first match of the group phase since 2008 against Zenit, drawing their next four. Swedes Malmo make their first ever foray into the Champions League group phase, last reaching this tournament in 1990-91, and these clubs have never previously crossed paths. Malmo did take part in the European Cup and reached the Final in 1979, losing to Nottingham Forest. They fought their way through the preliminary rounds, eliminating FK Ventspils, Sparta Prague and Salzburg, and are currently top of their domestic League. Simon Thern and Ricardinho are out injured until October, but their big star is Markus Rosenberg, who scored 10 goals in his last 11 games in all competition. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Evra; Tevez, Llorente Juventus bench: Storari, Romulo, Ogbonna, Padoin, Coman, Giovinco, Morata Malmo: Olsen; Tinnerholm, E Johansson, Halsti, Helander, Konate; Eriksson, Adu, Forsberg: Thelin, Rosenberg Malmo bench: Azinovic, Hammar, Kroon, Cibicki, Nazari, Rakip, Mehmeti

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Allegri: Juventus Must Be Wary Of Champions League Pitfalls Sep 16, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has taken to Twitter to rally the club’s supporters ahead of their Champions League opener. The Old Lady welcome the Swedish champions Malmö FF.to the Juventus Stadium as they begin their Group A matchup. “We want to begin the competition in an attractive manner,” Allegri proclaimed. “In the Champions League we want to lead the way, but we must be aware of the pitfalls.” Last season, under the stewardship of Antonio Conte, the Bianconeri were eliminated in the Group Stage of the competition.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Marotta: 'Juve under pressure' Sep 16, 2014 Beppe Marotta said “it is only normal” for Juventus to be under pressure ahead of a Champions League tie with Malmo. It kicks off today at 20.45 CET. “It is only normal to be under pressure in such an important competition,” director general Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “Although Malmo are on paper inferior to us, they are in good form, top of their domestic League and have plenty of experience.” Marotta was asked how Juve have changed from last term, when they crashed out in the group phase of the Champions League. “The difference from last season and the year before is that our squad is more experienced and we completed the squad with players of more quality than in the past. “They might not be first choices, but they are ready when called upon.”

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Juventus V Malmö: Probable Line-Ups Sep 16, 2014 Juventus will kick off their Champions League campaign under Massimiliano Allegri tonight as they prepare to welcome Swedish side Malmö FF to Turin. Allegri is set to continue with the 3-5-2 system that his predecessor Antonio Conte installed. Martín Cáceres and Leonardo Bonucci will form the back three with the returning Giorgio Chiellini. There are issues in midfield with key men Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo both missing through injury. As a result Kwadwo Asamoah is set to be moved to a more central role with Patrice Evra starting at left wing back. Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente will likely lead the attack. Malmö’s Norwegian coach Åge Hareide is set to put out a more conservative side than what he usually deploys in the Swedish domestic championship. Perhaps the most recognisable name in his side is former Werder Bremen striker Markus Rosenberg, who will lead the attack alongside youngster Isaac Kiese Thelin. PROBABLE LINE UPS Juventus (3-5-2) - Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Asamoah, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Tevez, Llorente. Malmö (5-3-2) - Olsen; Tinnerholm, Johansson, Halsti, Helander, Konate; Forsberg, Kofi Adu, Eriksson; Rosenberg, Kiese Thelin.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Bonucci: Juventus Want Champions League Success Sep 16, 2014 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci is delighted with the way the team has started the season and has also identified Atletico Madrid as their biggest rival in the Champions League. The Bianconeri begin their Group A campaign against Malmo on Tuesday evening. “It is good to see that there are other teams doing well besides Roma and us,” Bonucci told the club’s official website. “This is good for the Italian game and it challenges us because we have an obligation to become champions again.” Turning his attention to Europe, Bonucci was clear about the task facing Juventus after their failure to progress from the group stage last season. “With the Champions League, we have only one goal this season and that is to be protagonists like we are in Italy. In a group that also include Olympiakos, the Italian international sees last season’s finalist as their greatest threat. “Atletico gave it their all last season and we must do the same. We will leave everything, including our last drop of sweat on the pitch to fulfil our goal and it is on the field where we will decide who’s best.”

Marchisio: Allegri Has Brought ‘Tiki-Taka’ To Juventus Sep 16, 2014 Italian international Claudio Marchisio has provided some insights into the subtle changes that new coach Massimiliano Allegri has introduced since taking over at Juventus. While Allegri has stuck to the same 3-5-2 system to ensure continuity, there are different shades in how he interprets the tactics and the way he wants the team to play. “Under [Antonio] Conte, we had very specific tasks and duties; every movement was planned and there were greater demands on us physically as we were asked to play at a high intensity throughout the whole match,” the midfielder explained. “By contrast, under Allegri, we are asked to maintain more possession and to identify the right moments to attack, particularly in front of opposing defenses. “This is preferable because we are able to manage the game and conserve our energy. Going all out makes it a struggle to recover the ball, so perhaps this is better for us. You could say that we are introducing a bit of tiki-taka into our play.” A look at Juventus’s statistics this season bore out Marchisio’s analysis. Under Allegri, Juve has toned down their aggression and intensity, enjoying 64 percent of possession compared to 56 percent under Conte last season. The team has also made more successful passes – 546 this season, compared to 445 last term. Marchisio has also spoken of the positive impact since Allegri’s arrival. “We are doing very well. the new signings have integrated seamlessly and the results of the first two games proved the success of our new tactical approach. We could not have asked for a better start. “Are we stronger now as a team compared to 2013-14? Well, we can only tell at the end of the season. Certainly the margins of improvement have been remarkable.”

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Asamoah in place of Vidal Sep 16, 2014 Max Allegri is expected to stick with the 3-5-2 formation for Juventus’ opening Champions League night against Malmo. Kwadwo Asamoah is expected to play in central midfield for the Bianconeri, as both Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo will miss the game through injury, while Roberto Pereyra is suspended. Asamoah sat out Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Udinese, but is expected to return to the side in a three-man central midfield, along with Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba. Patrice Evra will remain at left-wing-back, with Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right, whilst defence is expected to see Giorgio Chiellini displace Angelo Ogbonna and sit alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Martin Caceres. Fernando Llorente is expected to partner Carlos Tevez up front. Probable Juventus XI to face Malmo: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Evra; Tevez, Llorente

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Juventus still bear the scars of last year, says Chiellini The Italy international has warned his team-mates that they cannot afford to underestimate Malmo if they are to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League. Sep 16, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini has stressed that Juventus have not forgotten about previous disappointing Champions League campaigns and has made it clear the Serie A champions will take things one step at a time in European club football's elite competition. The Turin side were eliminated in the group stages last season as they had to settle for third spot in their group behind Real Madrid and Galatasaray and Chiellini is eager for them to learn from their mistakes ahead of their Group A opener against Malmo on Tuesday. "We’re not expecting an easy win by any stretch of the imagination. We know that it’s going to be a tough game," Chiellini said at a press conference. "We still bear the scars of last year and two years ago, from the results against Copenhagen and Nordsjælland. "I think Malmo will be quite similar to those teams, given the likeness in the brand of football they play and their geographical proximity. "Rather than focusing on having to prove ourselves or erasing the disappointment of last season, we need to try and surprise people and achieve something big." Atletico Madrid meet Olympiakos in the other Group A encounter.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Allegri vs Conte - will Juventus flop again in Europe? The Bianconeri re-established themselves as Italy's top team under Antonio Conte but disappointed on the continent - will things be different under Massimiliano Allegri? Sep 16, 2014 By Mark Doyle There is a story that when Juventus arrived at their team hotel for last summer's pre-season meeting with LA Galaxy in Los Angeles, Antonio Conte was immediately perturbed by the potential for distraction. The problem, as far as the then coach was concerned, was the number of beautiful, young women loitering in the lobby. Consequently, he spent the next two nights residing in the hotel room so as to ensure that his players did not succumb to the temptations of the city's world-renowned nightlife. The tale may well be apocryphal but it does, at least, perfectly convey the lengths to which Conte was prepared to go in order to control his players – both on and off the field. Of course, it was Conte's sense of professionalism and autocratic nature that had completely reinvigorated Juventus. He took a club in complete disarray, after two successive seventh-placed finishes in Serie A, to three consecutive Scudetti. His achievements in Italian football cannot be underestimated. Upon taking charge of Juventus in 2011, he immediately excommunicated expensive signings such as Milos Krasic because they did not conform to what he wanted in a player. This incredibly strong-willed and single-minded ability to restore order to a chaotic, despondent and divided dressing room is precisely why he already looks like the right man to get Italy back on track after an embarrassing first-round exit at Brazil 2014. However, Conte's rigidity was also viewed by many as the reason why Juventus failed to replicate their domestic success in continental competition. Although, his initial plan was to play an adventurous 4-2-4 formation upon taking charge in Turin, he quickly switched to a 3-5-2 – and immediately reaped dividends. It was the right system for the right set of players. Shorn of prolific forwards for the first two years of his tenure, Conte's system brought the best out of his strongest department – his midfield. Juventus won their first two titles because of an outstanding engine room and solid defence. It is no coincidence that his midfield contributed over half of Juve’s goals during their 2012-13 season. By that stage, Juve had become an unbeatable force in Serie A – literally. They went the whole 2011-12 campaign undefeated. They could even have triumphed in Europe the following year had they not run into Bayern Munich, one of the most complete teams the Champions League has ever seen. Before being taken down by the Bavarians in the quarter-finals, Juventus had been undefeated and had effectively eliminated Chelsea with a resounding 3-0 win over the reigning champions in Turin before topping their group with a 1-0 success away at Shakhtar Donetsk. However, Juve were dismantled 4-0 on aggregate by Bayern. There had been no shame in that, of course, and Juve thought that the shrewd addition of two fine strikers in Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente would give them the requisite firepower to win in Europe. Bayern, though, had provided everyone with the blueprint for beating Juventus: pressurising playmaker Andrea Pirlo and nullifying before then exploiting the space left by their wing-backs. Consequently, while they were unlucky to have had to play Galatasaray on a disgracefully poor pitch in what was effectively a play-off to reach the knockout stage of the 2012-13 Champions League, by that point it was already well-known that Juve could be easily nullified. They were too predictable, too one-dimensional, too committed to Conte’s tried-and-trusted 3-5-2 formation. Change was clearly required – and Conte knew it. However, when it came to deciding upon where and how Juve needed to strengthen this summer, he found himself in disagreement with the club’s directors over transfer targets. His departure came as a shock given he had committed himself to the Bianconeri until 2015 one year previously but, in hindsight, we should have seen it coming. Conte wanted total control. He was not given it. A parting of the ways was thus inevitable. What was surprising, though, was that Juve turned to Massimiliano Allegri, who only six months previously had been sacked by rivals AC Milan. The fans were not impressed. However, Allegri's appointment does, at least, offer some grounds for optimism. He did, after all, win Milan a title in his first season in charge, in 2010. Secondly, he oversaw four Champions League campaigns during his time at San Siro – and the Rossoneri made it out of the group stage with squads of incrementally decreasing value on each and every occasion. Thirdly, and most importantly, Allegri is intent on teaching Juve to play in another way. Yes, he has a preferred system, 4-3-1-2, but he is not married to it. "I often say '4-3-and then up front we'll see!' It depends on the characteristics of the players. But I have the good fortune to only have to teach only one system here, because the other [3-5-2] is already memorised." For better or for worse, Allegri is very different to his predecessor. Conte wanted to control everything his players did. He wanted to create a sense of unity, which is why staff and coaches always are together. Already under Allegri, players are free to eat before the coaching staff – or even alone. The point is greater freedom – on and off the field. Allegri wants Juventus to achieve the tactical fluidity that Conte always craved but never attained, even being able to switch positions within games. "I believe that it's a great luck to have the chance to alternate between two systems, even in the same game. There will be moments in the season when we’ll play with three at the back and others in which it will be better to go with four." Whether Allegri can pull off such tactical versatility remains to be seen (he has persisted with 3-5-2 in the opening two Serie A games this term, both comfortable wins over Chievo and Udinese, but is expected to gradually change formation - particularly in the Champions League). The results of his two-pronged approach are unpredictable. But then, that is the whole point. As Allegri says, "Juve are coming off three exceptional years but everyone knows how they play. They need variety. The players have the characteristics to change." Now let's see if their results in Europe change, too ...

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Juventus vs. Malmo Preview Sep 16, 2014 Malmo will make their UEFA Champions League debut on Tuesday when they travel to Turin to take on Italian giants Juventus at the Juventus Stadium. The Bianconeri are strong favourites to join last year's finalists Atletico Madrid in the second round of the tournament, and they'll expect nothing less than a convincing win against the Swedish minnows. Massimiliano Allegri is yet to drop points in his first season coaching the Italian champions, and he'll want to start the Champions League group stages in the same way as Juventus have started their domestic campaign. Preview Malmo came back from a two-goal deficit at BK Hacken to secure a 3-3 draw and preserve their lead at the top of the Swedish Allsvenskan standings, as closest competitors AIK are five points back. The Swedish champions lost to Djurgarden on the previous matchday, but Juventus fans shouldn't expect to see a team in crisis on Tuesday—Malmo pummeled Red Bull Salzburg on their way to the Champions League group stages, and they more than deserve their spot among the elite. The Bianconeri haven't been at their best on the European stage in the past few seasons, and they won't forget their dreadful showing against Nordsjaelland, a club with a similar profile as Malmo. As reported by Goal's Stefan Coerts, Beppe Marotta told the club's website the squad needs to learn from past mistakes: We now have a proven group of players that, in recent years, was undone by a lack of experience. I think what happened last year will help us to not repeat the same mistakes again. Having said that, we must be aware of our club’s history and remember that qualification is certainly attainable. We're satisfied with the outcome of the draw. Juventus often looked uninspired and almost lazy against supposedly weaker opposition under Antonio Conte, and one of Allegri's main goals will be to do better on the European level than his predecessor. The Italian told Sky Sports he's not at all surprised his team has started the season well, and that he wants his players to learn to control the tempo of the game better, via Goal: I am absolutely not surprised we've started the season so well. This squad has physical and technical qualities which mean we can do a lot better. We must improve on how to control the tempo, as we cannot always go at 100 miles per hour or at 10 miles per hour. Playing every three days we have to learn more control to avoid wasting energy. The fixture against Malmo could be the perfect example of that. Backed by one of the most vocal crowds in all of football, the Bianconeri will have a tendency to rush forward and put pressure on their opponents immediately. In years past, Juventus would often score early and sit back, content to knock the ball around. Malmo put four goals past Salzburg in two matches—banking on them not to convert a single chance would be a risky choice. Giorgio Chiellini has yet to feature for the club in 2014-15, and he will likely be a game-time decision. Andrea Pirlo isn't expected to be fit in time, and replacement Roberto Pereyra will be suspended following a booking in his final European match for Udinese. Arturo Vidal likely won't be risked against the Swedes, which could open the door for Kwadwo Asamoah. A regular under Conte, the Ghanaian was converted to a wing-back but has always been at his best in the centre of the pitch. For the visitors, Guillermo Molins, Simon Thern and Ricardinho remain unavailable due to long-term injuries. While it's easy to foresee Malmo digging in and playing Juventus conservatively, the Swedes didn't get this far by playing it safe. Expect them to do what they do best: Push bodies out wide and give star forward Markus Rosenberg plenty of looks at goal. Juventus have looked very solid defensively early in the 2014-15 season, but their efficiency in front of goal has been lacking. The Bianconeri need to get better at closing out matches, so Allegri will have them pushing for goals early and often.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Juventus V Malmö: Bianconeri Set To Begin Champions League Campaign Sep 16, 2014 The most prestigious club competition in European football makes its long awaited return this week and Serie A champions Juventus will be looking to improve on their showing in previous years this time around, beginning on Tuesday as they host Swedish side Malmö. Both sides are the champions of their respective countries, however, Juve will no doubt be expecting to claim all three points to kick start their European campaign for another season. The Scandinavian side currently sit top of the Swedish Allsvenskanliga with 49 points from their 23 games played, five points clear of second placed AIK. Unlike the Italian side, Malmö had to face qualification for the Champions League and came through ties against FK Ventspils, Sparta Prague and Austrian champions FC Salzburg en route to the group stages. In qualifying for the group stages, Malmö have achieved something no Swedish side have done since the 2000/01 season. It is no secret that the main priority for Massimiliano Allegri this season is to impose the club on the latter stages of the Champions League, having seen Antonio Conte struggle to do so in the last three seasons. Granted, the club reached the quarter-finals in 2012/13 but have seen themselves eliminated prematurely in the last two seasons. It has been 11 years since the Bianconeri made it to the semi-finals of Europe’s most elite club competition and that is something Allegri will be determined to change. The Old Lady come in to this game with maximum points from their opening Serie A fixtures, having beaten Udinese and Chievo without conceding a goal. Albeit against inferior opposition, but the feat is still impressive considering the injury problems facing Allegri’s men. Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Giorgio Chiellini all sat out the Udinese match with injury problems, and they are unlikely to make a return midweek. Andrea Barzagli is still on the road to regaining full fitness and wasn’t included in the matchday squad. Roberto Pereyra will miss the game through suspension, which will force Allegri to make at least one change to his starting eleven selected in both Serie A fixtures this season. While Malmö will be looking to mark the 50th anniversary of their first European match with a win, their form has not been as impressive of late. Although they sit five points clear at the top of the Swedish Allsvenskanliga, they have managed to win just once in their last four domestic games. Should they manage to see out the remainder of the season as leaders, they will become the first team to retain the Allsvenskanliga since Djurgårdens IF in 2003. The key man for Juve to watch out for will be club captain Markus Rosenberg, who has found the net 10 times in his last 11 appearances in all competitions. Expected Starting XIs Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner, Padoin, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra: Tevez, Llorente. Malmö (4-3-3): Olsen; Concha, Helander, Konate, Tinnerholm; Forsberg, Halsti, Adu; Eriksson, Thelin, Rosenberg.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Hareide: No Pressure For Malmo Against Juventus Sep 16, 2014 Malmo coach Age Hareide insists his side will head into their Champions League clash against Juventus ‘with no pressure’. The Scudetto holders host the Swedish champions on Tuesday evening, to which the Bianconeri are expected to win comfortably. “We have no pressure on us, we calm, we only have a great enthusiasm,” Hareide told reporters at a press conference. “Juventus have just started their season and the second half against Udinese we saw a tired team. “We are already used to playing every three days, we will focus primarily on the physical condition and our courage.”

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Juventus v Malmo FF: Preview and Projected Lineups Sep 16, 2014 Juventus are coming off of a second straight Serie A win to hold a place at the top of the Italian table only two weeks into the new race for the Scudetto. Confidence is high and the current Italian champions are expected to be the favorites over their Swedish opponents. Patrice Evra will make his first UEFA Champions League start in a Juventus uniform while the Italian side will be without several stars in the form of absent veteran midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal as well as defender Giorgio Chiellini. Andrea Barzagli is a late decision while Roberto Pereyra is suspended. Malmo FF currently sits atop of the Swedish Allsvenskan table with five points clear over second. They come off a loss and a draw in their last two results and will be hoping to impose themselves early in their away match in Turin. However, they are not expected to have much bite against the Bianconeri. The Swedish giants will be without two stars in injured Simon Thern and Piotr Johansson. It is going to be a tough test for the visitors and they are likely to struggle against the strong Italian side. Predicted Score: Juventus 3 – 1 Malmo FF Projected Lineups Juventus: Buffon: Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichsteiner, Padoin, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Tevez, Llorente. Malmo: Olsen: Concha, Helander, Konate, Tinnerholm; Forsberg, Adu, Halsti; Eriksson, Rosenberg, Thelin.

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) UEFA Champions League Preview: Juventus vs. Malmö — The Euro trip begins Sep 16, 2014 Juventus haven't made things easy on themselves in the beginning of the Champions League group stage the past couple of years. That's as much of a secret as Antonio Conte having some of the best hair plugs in all of Italy. There's last season's inability to completely qualify for the knockout round thanks to frustrating draw after frustrating draw. And even though they made it to the quarterfinals two years ago, it's not like they got out of their group in a textbook kind of manner. Luckily for Max Allegri and his squad, they have two things going for them in this year's group stage. There's no Danish team to bug the hell out of us all for two group-stage matches. There's no long trip to Turkey or Eastern Europe where the field might be covered in snow by the time Juventus arrives in town. That sound you probably hear right now is the collective sigh of Juventus supporters remembering there's no trip to Denmark and/or Turkey during the group stage. (And don't remind me about that field in Istanbul last December. That was incredibly stupid.) Instead, Juventus opens their Champions League fixture list at home, the same place where they picked up a 2-0 win over Udinese on Saturday. Their opponent? Swedish champions Malmö, who are looking to make some noise in a group that also features one of last season's finalists, Atlético Madrid. We shall talk about Atléti and Diego Simeone at another time, though. Tuesday night is all about Malmö coming to Turin. Oh, and also about Juventus trying to get three points in their Champions League group stage opener for once. Do the Juventus players need to come out and make a collective statement at home against a team they should beat 11 times out of 10? Maybe. But at the very least, those same Juventus players need to do exactly what they didn't do in back-to-back years under Antonio Conte in the Champions League — win their opening game and start the group stage out on the right foot. GOOD NEWS Juventus are at beautiful home stadium, in front of their own crowd, and playing the minnows of the group. If there ever was an equation to start the Champions League group stage with three points, I'm pretty sure this is it. BAD NEWS The injuries to important players are still present. No Andrea Pirlo nor Arturo Vidal starting in the midfield. Andrea Barzagli, who was on the bench for Saturday night's win over Udinese, has not been called by Allegri as he continues to rehab from heel surgery. Luca Marrone is also out injured, while Roberto Pereyra — who played well in his first official start as a Juventus player — is suspended thanks to a card he picked up during his Udinese days last season. At least Giorgio Chiellini is all but certain to start against Malmö, but more on that in a little bit. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Carlos Tévez and the personal Champions League bugaboo. Do you remember the last time our dear Carlitos scored a goal in the Champions League? Not in Europe, just in the Champions League? It was back in 2009 when Tévez was still with Manchester United. That was the season United made it all the way to the final, eventually losing to Barcelona in Rome. There has been a lot of talk since then — even during his first season with Juventus — about Tévez and the lack of goals in Europe's top club competition. Some of it was hushed when he scored against Benfica in the Europa League last year, but until he scores in the Champions League, the chatter will continue. I would like nothing more than to see Carlitos score a goal tomorrow night and just put a finger up to his mouth. "Shhhhhhhhh!" 2. How Juventus deals with the quick turnaround after Saturday's win. It's always a thing to talk about, but especially so when it's so early in the season and they've played all of about 90 or so minutes following a two-week international break. Did Malmö manager Age Hareide notice this? You bet he did. "Juventus have only just started their season and this could be an advantage for us. We've seen them play and we noticed that they were a bit tired towards the end against Udinese." (Source: Football Italia) In a way, what Hareide said at his pre-match presser is exactly on point. Juventus have played two games this season, that's it. And, to add to his point, those two games have been separated by two weeks. You can argue that the core of Juventus' starting lineup tomorrow night will have just come off international duty and we're sitting around, and you would be correct. But this is the first time, as a team, Juventus have had to deal with a 72-hour turnaround from one match to another. 3. Kwadwo Asamoah, wingback or central midfielder? Allegri brought up a certain Ghanian midfielder at his pre-match press conference. This is what he had to say: #Allegri: "@Asabob20 could play as one of the three central midfielders tomorrow. I’ll assess my midfield options today.” #JuveMalmo #UCL Ah, so cagey, Max. But yet so intriguing at the same time. With Patrice Evra's arrival, Juventus have a legit backup at the left back/wingback position for the first time in years. Because of that, it gives Allegri a lot more flexibility in the midfield. With Vidal injured and Pereyra suspended, this could be the time for Allegri to go with what we've wanted to see ever since Asamoah was signed — Kojo as a central midfielder. Not only would a Asamoah-Marchisio-Poigba midfield be a very good one with skill alone, it'd also be one hell of an energetic group of 4. The fitness level of Giorgio Chiellini. We have yet to see Giorgio this season — for both disciplinary and injury reasons. All indications point toward Chiellini making his return to the starting lineup Tuesday night. It will be the first time we've seen Chiellini on a field for club or country since he was getting chomped on the shoulder by Luis Suárez. Since then, he has had to sit out Juve's first two games because of a three-match suspension that carried over from last season and then a minor muscular injury that made him pull out of Italy's training camp last week. How fit is he?I don't know. But he's ready to play. And you know whenever Giorgio Chiellini steps onto the field, there will be a multitude of crazy tackles with limbs flying everywhere. 5.Juventus starting off on the right foot. So you're playing at home and have a team everybody expects you to beat coming to town. What do you do? No, the answer is not "Record 20-something shots, 10 of which get saved, and end up with a frustrating draw." Juventus were able to overcome their inability to beat the group's minnows both times around in Conte's first Champions League campaign, but not last season. With Malmö coming to Turin, there's only one acceptable result — a win. Why? Because Juventus is better, for one. And because Atlético Madrid is right around the corner. Juve is the favorite to win in one of these games, and I'm pretty sure all of you guys and gals can figure out which one it is. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Cáceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Evra; Tévez, Llorente OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 8:45 P.M. IN ITALY; 2:45 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 11:45 ON THE WEST COAST

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Rosenberg: Pressure all on Juve Sep 15, 2014 Malmo forward Markus Rosenberg says that the ‘pressure is all on Juventus’ ahead of their Champions League meeting on Tuesday evening. Speaking at the UEFA pre-match Press conference, the 31-year-old says the Swedes are looking forward to their group stage debut. “It is obvious we are happy to be playing a match like this,” Rosenberg reflected. “We will play with great enthusiasm and happiness, without thinking about anything else. In a match like this, the pressure is all on Juventus.” But he cautioned that, for his teammates, this will be a match like no other. “This will be the biggest experience for any players at Malmo so far. They play a very physical football and I’ve already played in many countries and in Italy, it’s extreme. “But my experience in Europe is good so I'm pretty confident. “The best way to develop as a player is when you play against the best sides, and when you face a team like Juventus, you are motivated to do your best. “It's always difficult to play a Champions League game.”

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) ‘Juventus tired against Udinese’ Sep 15, 2014 Malmo Coach Age Hareide has claimed that Juventus were 'tired' towards the end of their game versus Udinese on Saturday. The 60-year-old tactician has added that Italy's later start to their domestic campaign could be an advantage for his Swedish outfit when they face off in their Champions League encounter on Tuesday evening. “Juventus have only just started their season and this could be an advantage for us,” Hareide has told reporters in his pre-game conference. “We've seen them play and we noticed that they were a bit tired towards the end against Udinese. “We've got two of the best forwards in Swedish football and this could help us.” Max Allegri warned the Bianconeri in his own Press conference that there are ‘no easy games in Europe’, but his counterpart suggests that won’t really make the Italians cautious. “Juve will think this is the easiest game for them and that the Olympiacos and Atletico Madrid games will be their hardest. “So we're here to try to cause them problems. I think that if you want to be a good player, you've got to know how to play in different positions and Malmo's idea of football is teamwork, as we showed against Salzburg. “We don't want to get stressed about things, we want to take our chances.”

JUVENTUS - MALMÖ FF - Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee:‬ Szymon Marciniak (Poland) Vidal and Pirlo to miss Malmo clash The Juventus duo are recovering well but will miss the Champions League clash with the Swedish champions, while Giorgio Chiellini is fit to start. Sep 15, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri confirmed Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo will miss Juventus' Champions League clash with Malmo because of their injuries. Chile international Vidal missed Juve's 2-0 Serie A victory over Udinese on Saturday with a persistent knee problem, while midfield partner Pirlo sustained a hamstring injury at the end of August. Coach Allegri revealed that Vidal could return in time for the Serie A champions' clash with AC Milan on Saturday and Pirlo's fitness is set to be assessed at the end of this week. "We hope to have Arturo Vidal back with us for Milan on Saturday," Allegri said at his pre-match news conference. "Pirlo's coming on well. He'll up his workload and we'll give him another look over at the end of the week." Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini is set to feature after missing the start of the domestic season through a combination of suspension and a calf complaint. And the Italy international is itching to get involved, saying: "I'm in good shape and available for tomorrow's game. "There's plenty of enthusiasm in the camp and around Turin. We want to do well in the Champions League."