Socrates

‘Conte can do well with Italy’ Aug 11, 2014 Beppe Marotta has backed Antonio Conte as: “a great professional who can do well with the national team.” As the Italian Football Federation’s council meets today to vote in their next President, speculation is on who he will then bring in as Italy’s new Coach to replace Cesare Prandelli. With Carlo Tavecchio seen as the outright favourite to become President, attention is on his believed intentions when in power. The 71-year-old is speculated as preparing a €1.7m-a-year contract offer for former Juventus Coach Conte, as his first choice to bring in. However, should the 45-year-old turn down the role, Tavecchio reportedly has a plan B in place, with a more senior Coach such Francesco Guidolin to be brought in to mentor a younger, future successor such as Fabio Cannavaro or Antonio Cabrini. Whilst Juve general director Marotta has made clear his unhappiness at Tavecchio’s potential presidency, he has backed the choice of Conte. “Conte is a great Coach,” Marotta has told reporters today on the subject. “He is a great professional who can do well both with a club and with the national team. “However, these are choices that we are not responsible for.”

Marotta: Reform won’t be easy Aug 11, 2014 Juventus general director Beppe Marotta has hit out at Claudio Lotito and warned that reform in Italian football ‘will not be easy’. The Italian Football Federation today meets in Rome to vote in a new President to replace Giancarlo Abete, following his resignation in the wake of Italy’s World Cup debacle in Brazil. Despite racist comments made in recent weeks, Carlo Tavecchio is the outright favourite to secure a high enough percentage of votes to take up the role. However, for the director general from Juve, a club who have not supported Tavecchio from the start, there is a clear divide at the Federation. “The FIGC council is fragmented and it will not be easy to implement reforms immediately,” Marotta has told reporters today waiting for polling to begin. “I do not believe in a reconsolidation, beyond which there are seven, eight or 10 clubs whose positions are clear and in the Lega Calcio there are two mindsets, the rift is evident. Lazio President Claudio Lotito has been vocal in his support of Tavecchio. “[Claudio] Lotito’s super-activism is perplexing, that he acts as a mentor for the candidate Tavecchio - this is something unpopular and unique in the history of the Federation. “It seems that personal interest are being put at the expense of the collective.” These comments echo those yesterday from Torino President Urbano Cairo. “The position of Juventus was clear from the outset - President Agnelli has also contributed to the drafting of the program to be entrusted to the candidate for presidency,” continued Marotta. “We have not been reflected in this nomination, but the reforms and the program are things that we all know we need to implement. I think that the problem is not with the vote today, but tomorrow…”

Juventus have heavy legs - Allegri A last minute goal gave the Bianconeri victory in their latest friendly in Australia and their new coach admitted they were tired after a tough few days of fitness work. Aug 10, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri said Juventus had "heavy legs" after beating the A-League All-Stars side 3-2 in Sydney on Sunday. The hosts - who boasted Juve legend Alessandro Del Piero in their ranks - took the lead through Marcelo Carrusca on nine minutes, before Fernando Llorente levelled in the second half. But the Bianconeri again fell behind when Tomi Juric found the back of the net on 77 minutes, only to be saved by late goals from Paul Pogba and Simone Pepe. The game was part of Juve's Asia-Pacific tour and Allegri admitted his players were feeling the physical effects of several days of tough work. He said: "We made too many mistakes, at an individual level and not just in defence. But the boys had heavy legs because of the hard work done in Sydney over the last two days. "Of course, we still lack a bit of rhythm before we start Serie A but we are working well and working hard to get there." Juve kick off the defence of their Serie A title with a clash against Chievo on August 30.

Buffon: 'Del Piero the Juve symbol' Aug 10, 2014 Gigi Buffon assures Alessandro Del Piero “will always be the symbol of Juventus” after the A-League All-Stars game. Del Piero said goodbye to Sydney FC and the A-League in today’s exhibition match, which was won 3-2 by the Bianconeri. “Del Piero will always be the symbol of Juventus,” Buffon told reporters in Australia. “Alex has had a unique and extraordinary career. I think he will always be representative of the Bianconeri. “It was a good game and it’s always wonderful to see so many fans come to see us in Australia. “Although we had to suffer for it, we were able to win in the end.” Juve were trailing twice, but two goals in the final minutes from Paul Pogba and Simone Pepe turned it around. There had been reports Del Piero would play a few minutes in the Juventus jersey today, but that did not prove to be the case.

Juve beat Del Piero's All-Stars Aug 10, 2014 Juventus twice fought back against Alessandro Del Piero’s A-League All-Stars to win 3-2 in a Sydney spectacular. The Bianconeri continue their pre-season tour of Asia by playing this exhibition match in Sydney, greeted by 65,000 fans. It was the first time Del Piero has faced his former teammates and also his last game in Sydney. Arturo Vidal was on the touchline, as he still hasn’t fully recovered from a knee problem. Alex tried one of his trademark free kicks and curled another effort just over the bar, but it was Adelaide midfielder Marcelo Carrusca who surprising gave the All-Stars the lead. He dribbled past a static Angelo Ogbonna to fire in an angled drive. It should’ve been 2-0, but Gigi Buffon was alert to deny Besart Berisha’s strike. Tevez had a great opportunity to equalise just before half-time, but after a give-and-go with Fernando Llorente his right-foot finish thumped the upright. Stephan Lichtsteiner deflected Thomas Broich’s attempt out for a corner and Claudio Marchisio’s header was practically cleared off the line by Eugene Galekovic after splendid work by Tevez. The pressure was building and the Bianconeri got their equaliser, as Patrice Evra whipped a cross into the centre for a classic Llorente header. Del Piero, who leaves Sydney FC this summer, left the field to a standing ovation from the entire stadium after 64 minutes. The All-Stars continued to impress and went back in front, as Juric took advantage of a defensive error to blast home. Just as the Australians were preparing to celebrate a shock victory, Paul Pogba popped up with a fantastic stop and right-foot screamer into the corner. Juve’s quality won out eventually, as Sebastian Giovinco’s cross was deflected, turning into an assist for Simone Pepe. The Bianconeri conquered the ANZ Stadium deep into stoppages. A-League 2-3 Juventus Scorers: Carrusca 9 (A), Llorente 59 (J), Juric 76 (A), Pogba 88 (J), Pepe 93 (J) A-League All-Stars: Galekovic; Smith, Rose, Muscat, Berisha; Ibini (Hersi 66), Carrusca (Montgomery 66), Riera; North (Thwaite 66), Broich, Del Piero (Williams 64) Juventus: Buffon (Storari 70); Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner (Coman 80), Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Evra (Asamoah 70); Tevez (Pepe 80), Llorente (Giovinco 86)

A-League All Stars 2-3 Juventus: Pogba & Pepe spare Bianconeri's blushes The France midfielder equalised with two minutes to go at the ANZ Stadium before the winger plundered an injury-time winner as Alessandro Del Piero ended on the losing side. Aug 10, 2014 Paul Pogba and Simone Pepe struck twice in the closing stages as Juventus twice came from a goal down to record a dramatic 3-2 win over the A-League All Stars on Sunday. Marcelo Adrian Carrusca opened the scoring just nine minutes into the friendly at the ANZ Stadium but Fernando Llorente headed home an equaliser for the Bianconeri just before hour mark. Tomi Juric's 77th-minute strike looked to have won it for the All Stars but Pogba hammered home a half-volley before Pepe snatched a last-gasp winner after pouncing on a loose ball in the box. A lively start from the hosts saw former Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero have the first sight of goal after eight minutes. The World Cup winner's free-kick struck the wall, but a minute later the All Stars were ahead through Carrusca. Matt Smith brought the ball confidently out of defence to begin a flowing move that ended with Carrusca cutting inside Angelo Ogbonna, before firing low into the bottom corner of Gianluigi Buffon's net. Juve were struggling to cope with their opponents and nearly fell further behind on the half-hour as Besart Berisha forced Buffon into a smart save, the experienced goalkeeper pushing a curling shot wide. The visitors gradually found their stride as Andrea Pirlo began to dictate proceedings, and a neat move between the Italian champions' front two almost brought an equaliser. Carlos Tevez and Llorente exchanged passes on the edge of the penalty area but the Argentine's low shot struck a post before bouncing out for a goal kick. Juve eventually levelled as Patrice Evra made good ground down the left and, after being found by Pirlo, delivered a pinpoint cross to find Llorente, who headed beyond Eugene Galekovic. A host of changes gave the All Stars a boost and with 13 minutes remaining they claimed what appeared set to be a winning goal, as Juric cut in from the left edge of the area and lashed the ball into the back of the net. With time running out and Juve staring defeat in the face, it was Pogba who initially came to the rescue with a sumptuous volley over Mark Birighitti to level the match. But the drama was not over. The All Stars failed to clear a late Juve corner and Pepe latched onto the loose ball inside the penalty area to fire into the bottom corner and seal the victory.

Pogba: 'Australian Juve fans amazing' Aug 9, 2014 Paul Pogba was amazed by the reception Juventus received in Australia ahead of their A-League All-Stars match. The Bianconeri continue their pre-season tour and after Indonesia they touched down in Sydney for tomorrow’s game. “I’m surprised still now to see a lot of fans here outside Europe that we didn’t know,” Pogba told media after a training session attended by over 3,000 people. “It’s very good for them when you come here because it’s hard for them to see the team in Australia because it’s quite far. “But it’s good for us as well to see that we have a lot of fans outside Europe.” As always, the 21-year-old France international was asked about his future amid interest from PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United. “Like I said in Jakarta, I’m just focused on the pitch and on Juventus and doing great things on the pitch. “I haven’t spoken with any manager or with anyone about my contract so for me I’m just staying focused and training hard.” Pogba was also questioned on Arturo Vidal’s on-going transfer saga with Manchester United and Real Madrid. “Of course, I hope he will stay. He’s injured at the moment and he’s trying to get fit. We want him to stay at Juventus. For the moment he is here so we won’t speak about him leaving.”

Evra Surprised By Juventus Fans In Indonesia Aug 8, 2014 Juventus defeated the ISL All Stars 8-1 in Indonesia and the reception the three time defending Italian champions received was amazing and former Manchester United player Patrice Evra was pleasantly surprised. The French International joined Juventus after leaving the English Premier League giants for €7.5 million. Evra insist that he excited about being a part of Juventus and joined the team as they begun their preseason tour through Indonesia, Australia and Singapore. Speaking to Juventus.com, Evra was surprised about the warm reception that Juventus received in Jakarta. Saying that he only believed that Manchester United experienced moments like that. “I honestly did not expect this,” said Evra, “I thought this only happened with Manchester United. But it’s the reason I joined Juventus because it’s a great club like Manchester and it gives you the same feeling.” When asked about how he was feeling about the club, Evra had this to say, “I am very happy. I thank my teammates, masseurs … everyone. “They gave me a warm welcome and I already feel at home. The result did not matter, but it’s always nice to win and score a lot of goals. We took the commitment seriously and are working well, but the important thing is to ready for August 30. “

Allegri: Juventus Can Win A Fourth Scudetto Aug 8, 2014 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri still believes his side can win their fourth consecutive Scudetto this coming season. The Bianconeri surprisingly lost coach Antonio Conte who terminated his deal with the club by mutual consent, thus many have deemed this to have levelled the Serie A playing field. “I inherited a team that won three Scudetti,” Allegri told the press. “It will be difficult, but not impossible to win a fourth title in a row and have a great Champions League campaign.” Juve are currently on a tour of Asia and the Pacific are are due to play an Australian A-League All-Star team containing Alessandro Del Piero on August 10.

Benarrivo: Evra will improve Juve Aug 8, 2014 Antonio Benarrivo believes that new Juventus full-back Patrice Evra may be the buy of the summer so far. The former Parma defender has considered the transfer market so far and picked out someone in his old position as likely to have the best impact next season. “Iturbe is a good buy, but I would not underestimate Evra going to Juventus,” Benarrivo has told iamcalcio.it this week. “He is a full-back with great experience and can improve a squad that already has a fantastic base. “What next from the market? The deal to be concluded with most urgency, for me, is a striker for Juventus. “They could do with replacing Morata, who is injured.” The former Italy interantioanl was also asked about who he sees as set for the title race next term. “Inter, Roma, Napoli and Juventus if they play well to the end, with the latter slightly favoured. “Milan will struggle if they do not buy a striker.”

Evra: Juve a new challenge Aug 8, 2014 Patrice Evra says that whilst it was hard to leave Manchester United, Juventus represented a ‘new challenge’. The Frenchman is currently with his new side in Australia as they continue their pre-season tour of the Asia-Oceania region. “It was very difficult to leave Man United because it was like my second family,” the BBC quote Evra as telling reporters at an overnight conference. “But as soon as I knew there was interest from Juve, I knew it would be a new challenge for me because I have to repay the faith they showed in me.” Sat alongside Massimiliano Allegri, Gigi Buffon and Carlos Tevez, the 33-year-old considered his new side’s bid for a fourth successive League title. “I have to show more as a Juventus player because we have to win four times in a row. “It’s never easy to win four times in a row. I won it with Man United three times but four times is really difficult.”

Allegri: Fourth Scudetto difficult, but… Aug 8, 2014 Max Allegri considers Juventus’ goal of winning Serie A for a fourth consecutive season ‘difficult, but not impossible’. The Bianconeri are now in Australia for the second leg of a three-game tour of the region during pre-season. Talking to the media, the club’s new Coach has reflected on the importance of preparation ahead of trying to retain the League championship for 2014-15. “We are very happy to be here in Sydney, we have had a fantastic welcome and this is an ideal climate for work and to prepare for the season and to play,” Allegri told a Press conference overnight. “Australian football has grown a lot, even if they did not enjoy a great World Cup, and for us it will be a good test ahead of the third game in Singapore. “These matches are important for physical and tactical preparation for the new season, in which we will have many goals to achieve. “I have inherited a team that has won three Scudetti and this year it will be more difficult. The League will be more competitive. “But Juventus is still the favourite and we must try to accomplish something that is difficult, but not impossible - to win a fourth Scudetto in a row and play a great Champions League.”

‘If Allegri wants to move me…’ Aug 8, 2014 Kwadwo Asamoah thanks Antonio Conte and expresses satisfaction at early work under Max Allegri, and a willingness to change position if required. The versatile midfielder could be in line for a move back to central midfield or to full-back if Juventus’ new Coach opts to change formation. “In these first few friendlies we have played with the formation we used last year, but in case Allegri decides to change, for me it would be no problem to adapt as I did two years ago when I arrived at Juve,” Asamoah has promised to Tuttosport. “From an internal midfielder I switched out to the wing. No problem then? I repeat, no problem, ever. I played in that role in Udine. “Conte’s resignation was, for all of us, an unexpected event. Now, from here, I thank him again for the two victorious years we spent together. “Allegri? We are fine, we are getting to know him, he is a great Coach with whom we are working fine. We have begun to set up with him and his staff, the work in preparation of the new season and I am satisfied, I feel just fine.” Juve are in Australia for the second leg of their tour of the region and will come up against Alex Del Piero this weekend. “It will be a great thrill to face someone like him, who is part of the history of Juventus and of Italian football. And with who I spent a little time in Turin with too.” Attention is once more on how far the club may go in the Champions League this season. “We will try with all our strength, because we know the value of competition. And in Europe we want to advance as much as possible. “Our work in the market? Morata, Coman, Evra, Pereyra, Romulo. They are all strong players. And I think they will certainly help in dealing with a season full of commitments. “It is a season that we want to play in the winning spirit that we have shown in recent years.”

Allegri ‘amazed by reception’ Aug 7, 2014 Massimiliano Allegri has written of Juventus’ welcome so far in Indonesia and of how the club are representing Italian football out in Asia. The Bianconeri began their three-game tour of the region, and Australia, with a comfortable win over an Indonesia Select XI yesterday. For the club’s Coach, the way he and his squad have been received in Jakarta was worth acknowledging. “The welcome we received in the early days of the #JuveTour was really crazy,” Allegri has written on his personal website afterwards. “We could expect enthusiasm for one of the top clubs in the world, but certainly not hundreds of supporters with flags and t-shirts to sing chants from the Curva Scirea in Italian outside our hotel. Travelling around the world we remember once again the worth of Italian football and how it is valued abroad, how fans in every corner of the globe is essential in strategies to grow, not only for a single club - it is true that we play here in the shirt of the team that has won the last three Scudetti, but we represent all of Italian football.”

Juventus Legend Hails Allegri Aug 6, 2014 Former Juventus forward Fabrizio Ravanelli has claimed that new boss Massimiliano Allegri has the ability to achieve great things with his new team. The Perugia native also went on to comment on the departure of Antonio Conte from the helm, who led the bianconeri to three straight scudetti. “I think that the ceasing of the relationship between Antonio and the side has hurt both sides,” he said in an interview to sportal.it. “Allegri is a tenacious coach with plenty of character who can do well. We’re talking about a coach who has already won and someone who can provide continuity to a group of winners.” The former AC Ajaccio boss went on to discuss his preferred choices for the Italian national team position, left vacant by the outgoing Cesare Prandelli. “I hope that Conte will guide La Nazionale, but I also like Roberto Mancini,” he said. “I’m not sure if Conte will have the strength to wait for a call from a big club or to immediately accept a possible call from the Italian Football Federation.”

Agnelli: Juventus Like Challenges Aug 6, 2014 Andrea Agnelli is confident with the team that Juventus is shaping up to be in time for the start of the new Serie A season. The 38 year old FIAT heir is optimistic about the upcoming season and is satisfied with recent additions made to the team. “We got Patrice Evra, Alvaro Morata, and Roberto Pereyra,” the Bianconeri president told Bloomberg TV. “Thanks to them, and the rest of the team that won three consecutive titles, I think we can do good and position ourselves among the top eight in Europe. “We like challenges, we want to confirm in the Italian league and go as far forward as possible in Europe.”

Indonesia All-Stars vs. Juventus: What Massimiliano Allegri Learned Aug 6, 2014 Italian champions Juventus travelled to Jakarta this week to visit Indonesia for the first time, much to the delight of the club’s huge fanbase there. The first match on their Asian tour saw the Bianconeri face off against an All-Star XI from the nation’s domestic league, and the encounter saw many of Juve’s international players back in action. Massimiliano Allegri named a strong starting line-up, and he will hopefully have used the occasion to discover what to expect from his new side in the forthcoming campaign. Still relatively new to the role, the coach witnessed much of his squad in action for the first time during Wednesday’s exhibition game, and the experience could prove vital in the months ahead. On the following pages is a look at what Allegri will have learned from the 8-1 victory at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. The Juventus Squad Is Deeper Than Ever While Allegri fielded a strong side, Juventus kicked off without arguably their best defender, midfielder and striker, with the leading figure from each department absent from the line-up. Without Giorgio Chiellini, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, each section of the team was missing its leader, and yet the side performed well. While it is difficult to read too much into a pre-season friendly, the starting XI still looked strong without those key men, and the reserve players stepped up well. Names like Martin Caceres, Claudio Marchisio and Sebastian Giovinco could all be vital squad members in 2014-15. The Llorente-Lichtsteiner Link Remains Strong Fernando Llorente netted one of his goals in Jakarta from a Stephan Lichtsteiner assist, their link-up play proving vital for Juventus once again. Last term, the Spanish striker netted 16 league goals, while the defender led the Bianconeri with a total of eight assists. That six of those were to Llorente shows just how important their partnership became to Antonio Conte’s side, and the Swiss international’s crossing looks set to be a vital weapon under Allegri. Juventus Have Attacking Options While Llorente continued his fine scoring form, the match will also serve as a reminder to Allegri that this team has depth in attack. Carlos Tevez returned to net Juve's seventh goal on the night, but there was far more on display than just the first-choice duo. Sebastian Giovinco scored and won a penalty, while Kingsley Coman netted his first-ever goal for the club in the second half. With Alvaro Morata still to return from injury, it is clear that this version of the Bianconeri will not struggle for goals. Indonesian Juventus Fans Are Among the Best in the World TERIMA KASIH INDONESIA! @@ While other clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid may lead world football in terms of global popularity, even those two giant clubs would struggle to match Juve’s fanbase in Indonesia. The Gelora Bung Karno Stadium was at its 88,000 capacity, packed full of Bianconeri supporters in full voice. The Asian country has waited a long time to see their heroes travel to play a fixture there, and the atmosphere they created will live long in the memory of Allegri and the Juventus players.

Indonesian Super League All-Stars vs. Juventus: Score, Grades & Reaction Aug 6, 2014 Indonesian Super League All-Stars 1-8 Juventus Fernando Llorente scored a hat-trick in the opening half-hour as Juventus began their Asia-Pacific pre-season tour with a hefty 8-1 win over the Indonesian Super League All-Stars at the GBK Stadium in Jakarta. The Turin team had been stunned by an early opener for the hosts, but an Andrea Pirlo penalty and a Sebastian Giovinco strike sandwiched Llorente's treble in front of a partisan pro-Juventus crowd. Under new head coach Massimiliano Allegri, the Serie A champions have failed to impress in their pre-season matches, with defeat to Lucento followed by a draw against Cesena. However, the match against the All-Stars proved to be effectively a walkover, as Llorente and Juve ran riot in the opening 45 minutes. Kingsley Coman added a sixth goal for Juventus midway through the second half before Carlos Tevez tapped home the seventh. Simone Pepe had enjoyed an excellent second half for Juve, and his reward came in the penultimate minute when he grabbed the eighth goal for his team. Juventus named a relatively strong side with Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio starting, but key players such as Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal were sidelined for the game. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Juventus starting XI: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco, Llorente #ISLStarsJuve Serie A Indonesia @LigaItaliaSERIA ISL All Stars XI (vs #Juventus): Meiga; Zulkifly, Fakhrudin, Lobo, Ricardo; Maitimo, Gustavo Lopez; Lopicic; Kone, Gonzales, Nesteban. The Italian giants were left stunned in the second minute as the host team took the lead when Srdan Lopicic lost Stephan Lichtsteiner at a corner and slotted past Gianluigi Buffon. It took Juve just two minutes to level, but they needed Pirlo from the penalty spot after Sebastian Giovinco was brought down in the area to do so. Allegri's team went in front in the 16th minute when Llorente caught a long ball from Pogba before firing home to make it 2-1. Moments later, it was 3-1 to the Turin club, with Llorente again on the scoresheet after being first to a loose ball inside the All-Stars' box. The Spaniard had his hat-trick before the half-hour mark, heading home after Lichtsteiner found him with a great ball. Nine minutes before the break, Llorente turned provider when his cross into the area was turned home by Giovinco to give Juventus a 5-1 lead. Luca ^Tyrian^ @Tyrian3 Kudos to all the indonesian fans,they make it look and sound like the match is at the Juventus Stadium @juventusfcen #ISLStarsJuve Allegri made a raft of changes for the second half with goal hero Llorente and Giovinco among those not to appear after the interval. Patrice Evra was one of four newcomers who came on, the former Manchester United man making his first appearance after his move from Old Trafford. Buffon was also replaced by Marco Storari. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfc Girandola di cambi per la Juve: Asamoah/Evra Giovinco/Coman Pogba/Pereyra Llorente/Tevez With the sting taken out of the game before the break, Allegri decided on four more changes in the 63rd minute. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Four further substitutions for Juventus: Chiellini, Padoin, Pepe and Vitale join the action. Juventus added a sixth goal in the 66th minute when Coman scored with the help of Simone Pepe's assist. Tevez was then on hand to tap home the Italian champions' seventh goal of the night after Pepe's shot had bounced back off the post. Pepe deserved a goal for his efforts in the second half, and it duly arrived in the 89th minute. He clipped the ball over the All-Stars goalkeeper after a tremendous pass from Tevez. Selected player ratings Fernando Llorente: A+ A simply terrific first-half display by the Juventus striker. The game proved to be a timely reminder of his qualities, and his finishing was first class. Sebastian Giovinco: A Some great movement by the Juventus star throughout his time on the pitch in Jakarta. Stephan Lichtsteiner: B+ Recovered well from his early error and even provided an assist for one of Llorente's goals. Rarely troubled, though. Post-match reaction JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Allegri: "It was a good workout for us, I was pleased with the attitude shown by the lads out there." JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen Allegri: "We've been raising the tempo and adding greater intensity in order to improve our physical condition."

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Evra: 'Juventus like family' Aug 6, 2014 Patrice Evra said his first Juventus match in Indonesia gave him “the same sensations as with Manchester United.” The Frenchman made his Bianconeri debut in the 8-1 victory in Jakarta this afternoon. “In all honesty I didn’t expect such a welcome from the fans, as I thought that only happened with United,” Evra told Juventus.com. “Mind you, this is precisely why I chose Juve: because it is a big club like Manchester and gives you the same sensations. “I am very happy. I thank my teammates, the masseurs, everyone in the staff. They gave me a warm welcome and I already feel like family. “Today the result was unimportant, but it is always nice to win and score lots of goals. We took this test seriously and are working hard, but the important thing is to be ready for August 30.”

Allegri pleased with Juve triumph Aug 6, 2014 Max Allegri said Juventus must “try to improve upon our solid foundations” after an 8-1 win in Indonesia. The Bianconeri began their pre-season tour of Asia with a thumping 8-1 victory over the ISL All Stars. “It was a good training session and I am satisfied with the attitude of the lads this evening,” Allegri told the official Juventus Twitter account. “We picked up the pace, adding great intensity so that we can improve our fitness levels. “The competition will be far tougher in Serie A, so we must try to improve upon our solid foundations.” The Old Lady’s next test will be in Sydney against a group of A-League All-Stars, including Alessandro Del Piero, on Sunday.

Juve crush ISL All Stars Aug 6, 2014 Juventus have recorded a thumping 8-1 victory over ISL All Stars in the opening match of their pre-season Asian tour. Coach Max Allegri fielded a strong team for the match in Jakarta but watched his players fall behind early on, with Srdan Lopicic netting after only three minutes. However, Andrea Pirlo equalised from the penalty spot barely a minute later before Fernando Llorente bagged a quickfire hat-trick to put the Old Lady 4-1 up after 22 minutes. Sebastian Giovinco added another before half time. A goal apiece for three of Juve’s four second half substitutes, Kingsley Coman, Carlos Tevez and Simone Pepe, rounded off a comprehensive victory for the Serie A champions. ISL All Stars 1 – 8 Juventus Lopicic 3 (I), Pirlo p 4 (J), Llorente 16, 20 & 22 (J), Giovinco 35 (J), Coman 66 (J), Tevez 68 (J), Pepe 90 (J) Juventus: Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Caceres, Pirlo (Pepe 63), Marchisio, Asamoah, Pogba (Coman 46), Llorente (Tevez 53), Giovinco (Chiellini 64)

ISL all-stars 1-8 Juventus: Llorente hits hat-trick as Allegri's men run riot Carlos Tevez, Sebastian Giovinco and youngster Kingsley Coman were also among the scorers in a comfortable pre-season victory for the Italian champions. Aug 6, 2014 Fernando Llorente scored a first-half hat-trick as Juventus thrashed an Indonesian Super League all-stars team 8-1 on Wednesday. Andrea Pirlo levelled for Juve almost immediately after Srdjan Lopicic had given the hosts a shock early lead in Jakarta. Spaniard Llorente then took ownership of the game with his quickfire treble and Sebastian Giovinco added a fifth for the Italian champions before the break. Substitute Kingsley Coman then bagged his first Juve goal in the 66th minute, before Carlos Tevez and Simone Pepe completed the rout for Massimiliano Allegri's men. The home side surprisingly went ahead in the third minute when Lopicic made the most of slack marking to side-foot home a corner from close range, but Pirlo equalised from the spot from the next attack after Giovinco was tripped in the area. Llorente then took centre stage and put Juve ahead in the 16th minute by lashing home from just inside the box after a poor defensive header from Zulkifli Syukur, before he extended their advantage soon after when he tapped Stephan Lichtsteiner's centre into an empty net. The duo combined again for Llorente's third, this time the Spaniard planting a firm header into the bottom right-hand corner from the Swiss' accurate cross. Giovinco got in on the act on 35 minutes, the diminutive forward drilling a left-foot shot into the far-right corner. A host of changes saw the tempo slow somewhat after the break, but Juve notched a sixth when Coman turned home substitute Pepe's cross for his maiden Juve strike. Two minutes later, Juve made it seven when Tevez converted the rebound after Pepe's shot had hit the woodwork. And Pepe capped a fine run-out off the bench when he latched onto Tevez's throughball and deftly clipped the ball over the advancing keeper in the closing stages.

Conte exit was a mutual decision, says Juventus president Agnelli The Bianconeri chief is delighted with the work of the former midfielder over the past three years and claims they were lucky that Massimiliano Allegri was available. Aug 5, 2014 Juventus president Andrea Agnelli insists Antonio Conte's decision to leave as head coach was mutual. Conte stunned Bianconeri supporters when he resigned from his post last month after guiding the club to three Serie A titles in his three years in charge, with some speculating a disagreement over transfer policy as a major factor in his decision. While Agnelli says he will always be grateful for Conte's efforts as both a coach and a player in Turin, he has stressed both he and the 45-year-old came to the agreement that his departure was the best option for all concerned. "Firstly I must say I'm very happy with the job that's been done over the last three years," he told Fox Sports Asia. "Conte left us after winning three Serie A titles in a row, as well as the ones he won as a player. "In the end we decided together he would leave the dugout and I'm glad we were able to work things out with [director general Giuseppe] Marotta and [sporting director Fabio] Paratici over the next few hours." Agnelli believes he was fortunate to have a readily-available replacement in Massimiliano Allegri and is looking forward to sustained success in the coming years. "We were lucky to find him available. We now start a new adventure with Max, with the same desire to win as always."

'I'm not interested in the future' - Pogba committed to Allegri and Juventus The France midfielder says he is not planning any discussions over a new deal or a transfer and claims he is ready to work "in complete harmony" with his new boss. Aug 5, 2014 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has insisted he is not interested in rumours over his future and has stressed he is fully committed to the club. The France international has been linked with a number of European giants following his exemplary performances for club and country, with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea among those reportedly considering offers. Juve director Pavel nedved admitted earlier this summer that the Italian champions would be forced to consider any "high bids" for Pogba or Arturo Vidal and the departure of head coach Antonio Conte has served to increase the rumours over the duo's future. Pogba, however, has made it clear he is not considering a possible move in the coming weeks. "I'm not interested in the future. I live in the present. I'm working well on the pitch, I'm not thinking about my contract and I've not scheduled meetings with Allegri and [president Andrea] Agnelli," the Frenchman told reporters. New head coach Allegri revealed he plans a more attacking role for Pogba in 2014-15 and the 21-year-old admitted he is relishing the prospect of working under the former AC Milan boss. "Allegri and Conte are both great coaches. I've had a good feeling from the start. Conte is now gone and now we have Allegri. We met briefly, we talked a little over the weekend and we're ready to work together in complete harmony."