Socrates

La musica é finita ... l'inno continua!

Pagliaccio David Luiz con la maglia di Neymar tipo vessillo.

Scolari cerca di corrompere Löwe con un regalino.

Llorente on Tevez 'understanding' Jul 7, 2014 Fernando Llorente has praised teammate Carlos Tevez, and admits that he has a new understanding of fitness after joining Juventus. The Spanish striker joined the Bianconeri last summer, signing on a free from Athletic Bilbao, and forming a tremendous partnership with the Argentine. And the Roja international has been moved to commend his goalscoring ally, as well as commenting on Antonio Conte’s training methods. “I’ve never trained as hard as I have since I’ve been here,” he told Hurra Juventus. “I have a great understanding with Carlitos. He is a true warrior on the pitch. “He defends the ball so well. He might be small in stature, but even the best defenders have difficulty getting the ball off him.”

Man City lead Pogba race Jul 6, 2014 L’Equipe claim Juventus starlet Paul Pogba sparked a bidding war between Manchester City, Real Madrid and Manchester United. The midfielder’s price-tag has only climbed after his performances for France in the World Cup. According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Manchester City have climbed into the lead in the race to sign Pogba, seeing him as the ideal replacement for unsettled Yaya Touré. As Touré is heading towards PSG, that would rule the Parisians out of the race for Pogba. City have the funds to reach Juve’s price-tag, which is believed to be anything from €80m to €100m. Real Madrid are also contenders, though are unaccustomed to paying such large sums for a midfielder. Manchester United want Pogba back, but having released him as a teenager when his contract expired, they would have to pay a huge sum for his return.

Pogba wants to be complete player Jul 4, 2014 Juventus and France’s Paul Pogba says he is driven by a hunger to one day become a complete player. The young midfielder has had a highly successful career thus far, starring in successive Scudetto wins for the Old Lady and in his country’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals. However, speaking to L’Equipe during an interview, the former Manchester United player admitted there is still a lot of room for improvement in his game. “I still have everything to improve,” Pogba stated. “My target is to become the complete player who can do everything. Getting assists, scoring but also defending. “What am I missing? I’m still lacking experience and a lot of work. But I have the desire to give it my all to be one of the best in the world. “I like 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, they are formations that give you a certain freedom. But it’s true that the 3-5-2 has also made me grow a lot.”

Pogba: Pirlo and Scholes idols Jul 4, 2014 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba classes Andrea Pirlo and Paul Scholes as the two main idols of his career so far. In an interview with French outlet L’Equipe, the 21-year-old also revealed that he enjoys watching videos of past and present great players in order to improve his game. “At the start I was a forward, then a number 10. I liked the trequartista role, I felt at home there,” Pogba said when asked about the course his career has taken. “Then I moved back and it started to be more aggressive technically. That way I had the chance to complete my game. In Italy I have grown further from a tactical point of view. “I love to watch the videos [of the matches] and correct my errors on the pitch. I often watch Andrea Pirlo, Yaya Toure but also Gerrard and Lampard. “I also like watching videos of the great former players like Zidane and Ronaldo. I look to take the best aspects of their games and mix them up. “My role models? Pirlo at Juve and Scholes at Manchester United.”

Saha: Manchester United made mistake in letting Pogba leave The ex-Red Devils forward believes Sir Alex Ferguson made an error in allowing the France international to leave for Juventus and admitted he reminds him of Patrick Vieira. Jul 5, 2014 Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha feels the Old Trafford outfit made a mistake in allowing Paul Pogba to leave the club. The midfielder was allowed to leave for Juventus in 2012 after just three senior appearances, and has gone onto forge an excellent reputation at both club and international level. His performances at the World Cup for France have caught the attention of supporters and scouts alike, with Chelsea believed to be preparing a lucrative package to lure him from Turin to Stamford Bridge. And Saha, who scored 28 Premier League goals in 52 starts for the Red Devils, believes Sir Alex Ferguson made a rare error in allowing the 21-year-old to depart the club. "It's not often I will criticise Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson but it's clearly one of their biggest mistakes," he talkSport. "He's clearly a talent. He's a confident player and he's always trying to improve. He's got a lot of aggression but he's got so much potential to improve." Saha also claimed that Pogba reminded him of former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira in his playing style, with his ability to play in both defensive and attacking roles a key attribute. "He's been very important for France and showed in the last game [a 2-0 win over Nigeria] he can score goals and he can dictate the midfield area. "He was very strong in his desire to go forward and he is a great box-to-box player. He reminds me of Patrick Vieria but maybe with a bit more style."

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Federico Peluso sold to Sassuolo, Luca Marrone bought outright Jul 3, 2014 Just like we all expected to happen this summer, Juventus are keeping that pipeline to Sassuolo going strong. There's Domenico Berardi and Simone Zaza. A few others along the way, too. Chalk up another couple of Juventus-Sassuolo moves, guys and gals. Juventus announced a pair of deals with Sassuolo on Thursday. The first being that homegrown midfielder and sometimes central defender Luca Marrone was bought outright after he — along with Berardi — had his co-ownership deals extended two weeks ago. The second sees backup defender Federico Peluso head to Sassuolo on a permanent basis for a transfer fee of €4.5 million. The details, from juventus.com: Juventus Football Club and U.S. Sassuolo Calcio have today reached an agreement on two transfer deals concerning Luca Marrone and Federico Peluso. Marrone, who spent last season on a co-ownership agreement with the Neroverdi, will return to Juventus after the club paid a €5 million fee for the remaining 50 per cent of his transfer rights. He has signed a five-year contract. Peluso, meanwhile, will join Sassuolo on a permanent basis after both clubs agreed a €4.5m fee payable over three years for the defender's services. Two quick questions... 1-How will Juventus survive going forward without the constant threat of Federico Peluso being shown a yellow card every time he steps on the field? 2-Does Luca Marrone, a former Juve youth product, actually figure into Juventus' plans next season? Marrone battled injuries throughout his season at Sassuolo, limiting him to just 15 appearances (14 starts) in the center of the Neroverdi midfield. Not exactly what we figured was the plan so Marrone, who was sent to Sassuolo right before the transfer window closed last summer. I guess it's just wait-and-see mode at this point when it comes to Marrone's immediate future. There have been rumors that he could be included in some kind of transfer to bring down the potential fee. According to some other outlets, Palmero have also expressed interest in the 24-year-old Marrone as they look to strengthen their squad in their return to Serie A. Or, he could just stay at Juventus and playing for known-admirer Antonio Conte once more. That'd be perfectly okay, too, ya know.

Lichtsteiner: No Juve issues Jul 3, 2014 Stephan Lichtsteiner is optimistic in talks with Juventus over a new contract and insists he has ‘no problems’. Reports this week have been that contract renewal talks are not progressing and, with only a year left on his current deal, Juve were facing the prospect of having to sell him. However, having just finished his World Cup campaign with Switzerland after Round of 16 elimination to Argentina this week, the full-back has refuted those claims. “I still have a year on my contract and I do not have any problems,” Lichtsteiner has told Tuttosport’s latest edition. “I feel very good there and then, we will see. As I have always said, however, my priority is Juventus. “I have not received any signals from the club, but it is normal at this stage. On my return we will talk and I am convinced that we will find a solution.”

Pogba will become best in the world, insists Ferdinand The former Manchester United defender says his one-time colleague has what it takes to become a world-beater and has also lifted the lid on why the Frenchman quit Old Trafford. Jul 3, 2014 Rio Ferdinand believes former Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba is well on his way to becoming one of the best midfielders in the world. The ex-England international witnessed the Juventus star’s development first hand at Old Trafford before he moved to Serie A in the summer of 2012. And now, after seeing the 21-year-old deliver on the World Cup stage for France, Ferdinand is certain Pogba - who is wanted by Chelsea - is well on his way to joining the game’s elite. "Paul told me before he left that he wanted to be 'the best player in the world,'" the 35-year-old told BBC Sport. "I don't know whether that will happen, but he will definitely turn out to be the best midfielder in the world. "As well as his undoubted ability, his strength is definitely his self-belief, not just by statements like that but by how he backs them up. "He made the big, bold move to leave United, the best club in the world in my eyes, at only 19 because he wanted opportunities. He backed himself to do it, which is a big thing to do for a kid of his age, and he has not looked back since. "You have to have that arrogance about you as a young player coming through at United, otherwise you sink. You won't make it." Ferdinand also hinted at the real reason behind Pogba’s acrimonious departure from United, ahead of the Frenchman's possible return to the Premier League with Chelsea. It was long thought that Pogba's omission from Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to face Blackburn in December 2011, the manager’s birthday, was the main motive for his departure and the former United captain confirmed that played a significant role. Ferdinand said: "I think he left because he felt disrespected that he did not play in a particular game when a few players were played out of position in midfield."

Lichtsteiner: 'Match practically over' Jul 1, 2014 Stephan Lichtsteiner shouldered some of the blame for the goal that allowed Argentina to eliminate Switzerland. The Round of 16 tie was 0-0 and heading to penalties when Angel Di Maria scored at the 118th minute. “Switzerland deserve praise for a great performance and we didn’t deserve to go out like that,” the Juventus wing-back told Sky Sport Italia. “We proved that we are a very good side and it was a wonderful game for us until that moment. “On the goal I lost the ball after a challenge and they were able to run in on goal. “We were punished when the match was practically over. It’s such a shame.”

Lichtsteiner: Switzerland made one mistake too much The Juventus defender was unable to contain his frustration after the Swiss' narrow loss and feels they deserved better. Jul 1, 2014 Stephan Lichsteiner has voiced his disappointment with Switzerland's World Cup exit in the wake of their 1-0 round of 16 defeat after extra time against Argentina on Tuesday, but feels Ottmar Hitzfeld's men should be proud of their performance irrespective of the result. The Swiss came close to one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, but eventually bowed out following Angel Di Maria's 118th-minute winner. Lichtsteiner played an unfortunate role in his side's loss as he lost possession in midfield in the build-up to the Real Madrid man's goal, and Lionel Messi helped to punish them. "We worked a lot on how we would play against Messi. We knew we had to man-mark him well, and we did it well. We were up against one of the best players in the history of football and another five or six top class players on top of that," Lichtsteiner told reporters. "In the end we made one mistake too many." Switzerland could have grabbed an equaliser almost immediately, but Blerim Dzemaili hit the post and then the ball cannoned away, but the right-back says his side cannot linger on such moments. “This is the craziness of football! It hit the post, then it came back and he couldn’t score. But such is the craziness of football. "I don’t know about destiny, but we lost on the little details. We didn’t do a lot wrong at the back, but they won the match. "This loss is very bitter. I can only give the team a compliment. "We are incredibly disappointed, but let's not forget that we put in a great performance. We should be proud of ourselves." Switzerland had qualified for the knockout stages after a 2-1 win over Ecuador, a 5-2 loss versus France and a 3-0 victory over Honduras.

Barzagli out for three months Jul 1, 2014 As expected, Andrea Barzagli will be out for three months after undergoing surgery on his heel. The Juventus defender has suffered from a series of Achilles tendon and ankle problems, so opted to take action during the summer. The Bianconeri announced he underwent surgery on the heel bone of his right foot this afternoon. “Under the supervision of Juventus doctor Fabrizio Tencone, the defender was operated on by Professor Sakari Orava in Turku, Finland. “Barzagli, who did not require surgical treatment on his Achilles tendon, is due to return to Italy tomorrow and will proceed with his rehabilitation programme after a period of complete rest. “He is estimated to be out of action for approximately three months.”

Barzagli to have surgery Jul 1, 2014 It is reported that Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli will today undergo surgery to cure an ankle problem. The veteran, who featured in Italy’s disappointing World Cup campaign, has been struggling with injuries throughout the course of the season. Tuttosport say it was decided some time ago that Barzagli would go under the knife this summer, and according to the report today is that day. The player is said to have flown to Finland for the operation, and it is stated that his recovery time will put him out of action until late September or early October. This means he is set to miss the start of the Old Lady’s defence of their Scudetto.

Lichtsteiner-Juve talks struggle Jul 1, 2014 Juventus are reported to have so far failed to agree a new contract with Stephan Lichtsteiner, risking his possible exit this summer. The Switzerland international is in line to either renew his contract or leave the Bianconeri this summer, having today just entered the final year of his current deal. However, the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport explain that negotiations for an extension are not progressing, with a sticking point seen as the basic wage on offer. Where Beppe Marotta has apparently tabled a €2.5m salary offer as part of a two-year deal, Lichtsteiner is reported as pushing for a minimum €3m net pay packet. With the 30-year-old described as refusing to budge from this position, it is seen that an exit this summer is an increasing possibility.

Blue and green for Juve 2014-15? Jul 1, 2014 Images of what could be Juventus’ colours for next season have surfaced, with a blue second shirt and a fluorescent green third shirt. The Bianconeri are set for a final season with Nike for 2014-15, before switching over to Adidas to begin a six-year €139.5m deal with the German sportswear manufacturers. Images have surfaced recently of what could be the club’s final shirts with Nike, with little variation shown in the potential home wear - the addition of a collar and slightly thicker stripes the notable changes to last season’s design. The away shirt pictured in leaked images is a bright mid-blue, with a large star emblem pattern detailed into the design and centred around the badge. The shirt assumed to be the Juve’s third strip takes on an unusual design for the club, with it a fluorescent green colour, broken only by small black detailing along the shoulders and torso. Image source: Tuttosport’s @Mau_Romeo

Juve have three to replace Buffon Jul 1, 2014 Whilst Juventus are due to renew Gigi Buffon’s contract, they are also reportedly eyeing three players to one day potentially replace him. No 1 at the club since his 2001 summer arrival, Buffon is speculated as on the verge of committing to a new contract in Turin to tie him down until perhaps June 2017. Tuttosport, who are leading those suggestions, have also run through the club’s intentions further down the line, when the now 36-year-old eventually does hang up his gloves. It is understood that they Bianconeri have signposted three potential candidates to step in between the sticks at Juventus Stadium. First up is believed to be the highly rated Jan Oblak, Benfica’s 21-year-old Slovnian ‘keeper, who reportedly has a contract in place until June 2018, a buyout clause of €20m and interest already from the likes of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Valencia. A cheaper second option that Juve have is Nicola Leali, on their books already and reportedly in line this year for a run in Serie A. After two years on loan in Serie B, the 21-year-old is seen as attracting the interest of Cesena and Empoli, to provide him with a run in the top-flight that Juventus reportedly are keen for him to taste as part of his development. Meanwhile, the third name in the club’s mind to maybe one day replace Buffon is Simone Scuffet, Udinese’s highly-rated 18-year-old, who has just signed a new five-year deal with the Zebrette.

Buffon agrees Juve renewal Jul 1, 2014 Reports are that Gianluigi Buffon has all but signed off on a contract extension with Juventus, that could commit him until June 2017. The 36-year-old has been seen recently as in prospective talks with the Bianconeri over his future, with his current deal due to expire at the end of June 2015. The Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport today are running the line that an agreement has been reached on a contract renewal and that all that it awaits before confirmation is the Italy captain’s signature. However, the two publications differ slightly in their interpretation of the deal - Turin-based Tuttosport suggested that Buffon has agreed to a one-year extension to June 2016, with the option in place to then commit to June 2017. The Corriere dello Sport believe, though, that the player still has to decide between signing to such an equation, or agreeing a deal outright to June 2017. Buffon signed for Juventus in 2001 and his then reported €45m fee has him still listed as the world’s most expensive goalkeeper.

Pogba will be one of the world's best - Benzema France striker believes his 21-year-old team-mate will develop into an elite player, while his midfield partner, Blaise Matuidi, was also full of praise after win over Nigeria. Jul 1, 2014 Paul Pogba will develop into one of the world's best players, according to France team-mate Karim Benzema. Although the 21-year-old has been criticised for periods of inconsistency in recent months, he is viewed as arguably the best young player in Europe, having starred for Juventus and France over the last two years. The midfielder put in an excellent display for Les Bleus in their World Cup second round meeting with Nigeria, scoring the first goal in their 2-0 victory with just over 10 minutes left. Benzema feels the youngster has shown that he will continue to grow in stature and become one of the world's elite players. "He was criticised? We don't watch the same games," the Real Madrid striker said. "He is a great player. He will be one of the best players in the world." Pogba's midfield partner Blaise Matuidi also leapt to his defence, saying: "He is a young player, you tend to forget. His goal was a great responce in the big moments. Congratulations to him."

Juventus rocked by Barzagli injury The Serie A club have confirmed they will be without the defender for the opening part of the season after he underwent treatment on a heel problem. Jul 1, 2014 Juventus will start their Serie A title defence without centre-back Andrea Barzagli after the 33-year-old was ruled out for up to three months. Barzagli was a regular in Antonio Conte’s starting line-up and his performances for Juve helped his side win Serie A and reach the semi-finals of the Uefa Europa League. The defender, who has undergone surgery for a heel injury, also started in all three of Italy’s World Cup games before they were eliminated at the group stage. "Andrea Barzagli has this afternoon [Tuesday] undergone surgery on the heel bone of his right foot," a club statement read. "Under the supervision of Juventus doctor Fabrizio Tencone, the defender was operated on by Professor Sakari Orava in Turku, Finland. "Barzagli, who did not require surgical treatment on his Achilles tendon, is due to return to Italy tomorrow and will proceed with his rehabilitation programme after a period of complete rest. "He is estimated to be out for approximately three months."

Pogba: One of my best moments Jun 30, 2014 Paul Pogba has described his 79th minute goal for France against Nigeria as one of the best moments of his life. The scores were still level at 0-0 in the World Cup Last 16 tie when the Juventus man took advantage of Super Eagles keeper Vincent Enyeama flapping at a corner, heading the ball into an empty net. A late Joseph Yobo own goal made it 2-0 and, speaking to FIFA’s official website after the end of the game, the young midfielder was lost for words to describe his emotion. “There are no words, I have no words to describe what we are showing,” Pogba said. “We have a whole nation behind us, I am happy for the team. “It’s definitely the biggest emotion of my career. We are in the quarter-finals and it is one of the best moments of my life.”

‘Pogba? Not the time to leave’ Jun 30, 2014 In between words on Mario Balotelli, Mino Raiola has reiterated that Paul Pogba’s future for now is at Juventus. Speculation was ever increasing over the Frenchman’s future in Turin at one stage heading into the market, before both the player and his agent publicly stated his desire to stay, on from the club’s indication that they did not want to sell. Whilst discussing and defending Mario Balotelli after the fallout from Italy’s World Cup elimination this summer, Mino Raiola took the opportunity to briefly also update on Pogba, who is still in action for his country in Brazil. “With Pogba we chose a clear line - during the World Cup we will not talk about the market,” Raiola has told Rai Sport. “The guy is at Juventus and happy and does not want to leave. “The situation today is clam and it is not the moment to leave Juve. Everything is still and quiet.”

Suarez apologises, Chiellini accepts Jun 30, 2014 Luis Suarez has released an apology for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, which the Juventus defender has accepted. The incident occurred during the World Cup match between Uruguay and the Azzurri but went unnoticed by the referee at the time. In the aftermath of the game, the Uruguayan camp denied Suarez had done anything wrong and stuck to this stance even after FIFA had handed the forward a four-month worldwide ban for his actions. However, in an open letter released on Twitter, the Liverpool man admitted his guilt and promised that an incident of the like would never happen again. “After several days of being at home with my family, I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect on the reality of what occurred during the Italy-Uruguay match on 24 June 2014,” Suarez began. "Independent from the fallout and the contradicting declarations that have surfaced during these past days, all of which have been without the intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team, the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collusion he suffered with me. “For this, I deeply regret what occurred, I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family and I vow to the public that there will never again be an incident like [this].” Chiellini then responded to the tweet with a message of his own. “It’s all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension.”