Socrates

‘Azzurri have two stars’ Jun 7, 2014 Goalkeeper Gigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo are Italy’s two star players, according to defender Giorgio Chiellini. The Juventus man was speaking at a Press conference today, held at the Azzurri’s World Cup base near Rio de Janeiro. As well as praising his two club teammates, the 29-year-old stressed the need for Cesare Prandelli’s side to demonstrate a team ethic during their campaign in Brazil. He also stated that a winning mentality has always been ingrained into the Azzurri, just as it is at Juve. “This mentality has always been part of the national team,” Chiellini said. “At the moment we have two star players, Buffon and Pirlo. “We other 21 players just have to put ourselves at the team’s disposal. The important thing is for us to give our all for the team. “In modern football, you can’t win with individuals. Messi still hasn’t won with Argentina, neither has Ronaldo with Portugal. Imagine if one of us could do it!” Chiellini also admitted that some of the Azzurri squad, himself included, are still feeling a little jaded after the demands of a long club season. “I’m feeling quite good, but during the first week I had to recover from a blow to my back that I took at Roma in the League. “There can always be a few aches and pains after a long season, but we are all recovering. “The last year has been demanding but not just for us. Everyone has their own targets, I think it’s better to have arrived having won than having failed. “When you approach a World Cup you can’t have feelings of regret. There shouldn’t be any other problems other than worrying about whether you will start.”

'Stadium worth 10 points a season' Jun 7, 2014 Andrea Pirlo believes that Juventus’ new stadium is worth ’10 points a season’ and credits Carlo Ancelotti for ‘raising’ his game. The Bianconeri won their third straight Scudetto last season becoming the first Italian side ever to break the 100-point barrier. And the midfielder has credited the newly-built ground for taking the Old Lady to the next level. “The new stadium is worth 10 points a season,” he told John Foot in the Financial Times. “It doesn’t have barriers and the crowd is close to the pitch, but nothing bad happens. And nothing bad ever happens in England either. “Everything has changed here. It’s more of a family atmosphere. It’s a day of sport. The whole climate is different there.” The regista then went on to praise Ancelotti, who was Pirlo’s boss at Milan, and former teammate Pippo Inzaghi. “Ancelotti moved me to a new position and helped me raise my game. “Pippo knew when I would make a pass and I knew how he would move. We could understand each other’s positions without looking at each other.” The 35-year-old concluded by moving on to penalties, and revealed how he decides where to put the spot kick. “I decide then and there. Not before - I am not worried about particular goalkeepers. “I don’t take them into consideration, beyond their position. I decide on the basis of what is happening around me, the ‘context’, and this leads me to make different decisions.”

Marotta reveals European aim Jun 7, 2014 Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta has revealed what the club’s aims are for next season. The Bianconeri won their third straight Scudetto last term, becoming the first team in the history of the Italian game to break the 100-point barrier. However, having crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages, and losing in the Europa League semi-final, the board member has insisted that they will attempt to better their performances on the continent. “Next season our goal is to improve our level of performance in Europe,” he is reported as saying in Tuttosport. “We want to have a good Champions League next time. “And in Antonio Conte we have the ideal leader to do that. The results of the last three years show that.”

Juventus could consider Llorente sale Jun 6, 2014 Juventus are considering selling striker Fernando Llorente, as they look to open spaces for new attackers. The former Athletic Bilbao player only joined the Bianconeri on a free transfer one year ago. According to La Stampa, Carlos Tevez is the only forward with an assured role for next season. La Liga sides Barcelona and Valencia are both considered to be possible destinations for the 29-year-old, who was not chosen by national coach Vicente Del Bosque to make his squad for this summer’s World Cup. Antonio Conte’s Serie A champions are reported to be seeking at least €20 million for the services of a player who scored 16 league goals in the 2013-14 season, believing it would be great business having acquired him for nothing last year. Juventus are out to mount a sustained Champions League challenge next season.

‘Alongside Baggio, Pirlo greatest’ Jun 5, 2014 Gianluigi Buffon has compared Andrea Pirlo’s ‘genius’ to that of Roberto Baggio and made clear Italy’s match with England is ‘not a play-off’. In an extensive interview with the Guardian in which he discusses the particular traits to being a goalkeeper, the 36-year-old also had words for his Juventus and Azzurro colleague Pirlo, who is retiring from international duty after the World Cup. “Pirlo is a genius. Together with Baggio, I think he’s the greatest talent that Italian football has produced in the last 25 years,” Buffon commented in the interview released this week. “You can try and adopt the right countermeasures to contain him. But you know that in any given moment he can break the bank and everything you thought you knew [about stopping him] is worthless.” Buffon also considered Italy’s opening Group D match at the World Cup, against Roy Hodgson’s England in Manaus on June 14. “It’s the first game. Then there’s another two. It’s an important game. Not a play-off. “I’ve never lost to England? Nor against Germany. I’ve played them five times and never been beaten. “Capita! It happens!”

England must shackle 'world's greatest playmaker' Pirlo, warns Scholes The Manchester United legend recalls Park Ji-Sung's effective marking of the Italy star in the Champions League in 2010 and sees Danny Welbeck as a useful option for such a role. Jun 5, 2014 Former England star Paul Scholes warns that the Three Lions must put pressure on Andrea Pirlo in their World Cup opener against Italy. Hailing the Juventus midfielder as "the world's greatest playmaker", the Manchester United legend feels that Roy Hodgson's side must learn from their mistakes in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, when the Azzurri progressed on penalties. Scholes sees Danny Welbeck as a good candidate to start the game in Manaus in order to make life difficult for Cesare Prandelli's key man. Writing for the Paddy Power Blog, the 39-year-old said of Pirlo: "He's the world's greatest playmaker – the complete footballer. "Give him time and space and he will destroy you. He's such a clever player and is so composed. If surrounded he'll lay it off. If he's got room he's devastating. "Even though England's Euro 2012 game against Italy finished 0-0, we paid nowhere near enough attention to him. Roy Hodgson seems to have underestimated him, which surprised me given Alex Ferguson's tactics against Pirlo previously. "In 2010, before United played AC Milan in the Champions League, Sir Alex gave very specific instructions on how to take care of Pirlo. "Man-marking him was a huge part of our pre-game plan - I played against Pirlo when Milan beat us 3-0 at San Siro in 2007. We didn't man-mark him. He destroyed us. We learned and it was painful. Park Ji-Sung was the perfect man for Pirlo in 2010 and never gave him a kick [as United beat Milan 7-2 on aggregate]. "For Manaus, we need an English Park Ji-Sung - one England player designated to man-mark him. Looking at the squad, Danny Welbeck (a good defender who can nick the ball well) could be an option and would be a bold decision, one which gives England a creative outlet and saddles Pirlo with defensive work." Being vexed by Park in 2010 left a mark on Pirlo, who wrote in his 2013 autobiography that Ferguson's tactic caused him to lose respect for the Scottish great. "Even Sir Alex Ferguson, the purple-nosed manager who turned Manchester United into a fearsome battleship, couldn't resist the temptation," fumed the Italy international. "He's essentially a man without blemish but he ruined that purity just for a moment when it came to me. A fleeting shabbiness came over the legend that night. "The midfielder must have been the first nuclear-powered South Korean in history. Even though he was already a famous player in his own right, he consented to being used as a guard dog, willfully limiting his own potential."

Barzagli misses Luxembourg with fever Jun 4, 2014 Andrea Barzagli is still struggling with a fever and will miss Italy’s game with Luxembourg this evening. The Juventus defender had been named in Cesare Prandelli’s starting XI for the match in Perugia tonight, but the FIGC have confirmed that he will in fact sit out the clash. The Bianconeri man has, instead, been ordered to travel up to Rome a day earlier than the rest of the squad and try to recover in time for tomorrow’s flight to Rio. Club-mate Leonardo Bonucci will now partner Giorgio Chiellini instead at Stadio Renato Curi.

Pogba valued at €66m Jun 4, 2014 Juventus’ Paul Pogba has been given a transfer value of €66m by a team of expert football economists. An investigation took place in the Swiss town of Neuchatel and rated the young French international as the sixth most valuable player in the World. The five above him are Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Barca’s Neymar. 21-year-old Pogba has already won two Scudetti since making the move to Turin from Manchester United, as well as establishing himself in the France national side. His performances have attracted the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs, including big-spending Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain, though Juve are determined to keep hold of him. However, speaking to France Football today, head of the investigation Raffaele Poli said it might make sense for the Old Lady to sell now. “If Pogba doesn’t renew his contract that expires in June 2016 and things stay as they are, his value in a year wouldn’t be above €50m anymore,” Poli said. “Suddenly, you see it’s not inconceivable that if a club offer more than €60m [this summer], Juventus may let him move so that they have the resources to strengthen.” The investigation also claimed Pogba to be more valuable than Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, who was ‘clearly overpaid for’ by the Spanish side last summer when they forked out €100m to prise the player away from Tottenham Hotspur.

Juventus 2013-14 Season In Review: The Strikers Jun 4, 2014 ven a year later, the feeling is still very new. After years of turmoil, rebuilding, and average/streaky strikers, Juventus played one full season with two amazing strikers leading the charge. Can you believe it? And boy did they lead this team. Juve fans had been longing for two match-deciding forwards for a long time and this year they finally got what they were waiting for, at least in Serie A. The partnership that Tevez and Llorente formed up front was a true representation of what and who Juventus is in 2014. A hard-working team that is patient, prepared, and one of the most dedicated teams in Europe. Conte's work with Tevez and Llorente was the epitome of hard work paying off. There were others that helped the charge up front of course, but the beauty and the beast were the main attacking duo to will Juventus to glory this season. Here's how yours truly, the ever-generous BWRAO player rating keeper, would rate the attackers for the 2013/2014 season: Carlos Tevez - 8.0 For how young Tevez is, there was already plenty of turmoil in his career before he showed up at Vinovo last summer. His quality was never brought into doubt, however. He was, for Serie A, a top-class striker who had all the qualities to bag 20 goals for a well-oiled machine like Juventus. Carlitos ended the Serie A season at 19 goals in 34 games, in third place for the Capocannoniere title behind Ciro Immobile with 22 and Luca Toni (yes, that's right, the ancient Luca maafuckin Toni) with 20. He also led the league in most shots on goal (54) and notched 7 assists in Italy. Aside from all the goals and stats, Tevez proved himself to be one of the hardest working attackers I've ever watched and was a relentless pitbull on the pitch every time he stepped on it in a Juve shirt. The expectations for him were high, and he not only matched them but successfully established an incredibly high reputation for himself. A fantastic first season for Carlitos in Torino — I wish him only more success in the years to come. Fernando Llorente - 7.5 Standing tall but trailing only slightly behind Tevez is the magnificently beautiful Spaniard, Fernando Llorente. We've all but forgotten the time it took El Rey Leon to adapt to Juventus' game at the start of the season, as he's become such a staples choice up front ever since. The arrival of Llorente had many facets to it — his ability to score goals was certainly important, but the way Conte used the Spaniard for the flow of Juve's attack really transformed him into a key figure in our starting 11. Llorente worked hard, learned, and responded well to the pressure to go on and notch 16 goals and 5 assists in 34 games. His headers were so good he made Lichtsteiner look like a capable crosser. He scored key goals in key moments and similarly to Tevez, was sorely missed when not on the pitch. Both of our starting strikers will have to improve in Europe next year — especially Tevez — but now that it's all said and done for this season, they sure had a great one. Fabio Quagliarella - 6.5 The drop off in games played, goals scored, and overall quality is massive from the newly acquired duo of Llorente and Tevez to the rest of Juve's strikers. While injuries did their thing throughout the season, it really goes to show the massive need we had for strikers that can actually score goals on a consistent basis. Fabio Quagliarella was on the verge of leaving Juventus on several occasions, yet in the end ended up scoring two goals in four games during our measly Champions League run, as much as any other striker this season. In the league, his performance was quite awful, notching just one goal in 17 games, most of which he came on as a substitute. I highly doubt we'll see Fabio in a Juventus jersey for one more season, though he's always been somewhat of an interesting back up with his unpredictability. Sebastian Giovinco - 6.5 I know there's been a lot of hate towards the Atomic Ant from Juve supporters throughout the years (me included), but this year I saw flashes of what Giovinco can be at Juventus if all the stars aligned for him. Not saying it will ever happen, in fact the chances are slim, but in all the garbage minutes Giovinco was given he was a bit more decisive with his play, a bit sharper, even if only slightly. Don't get me wrong, he had a very average season other than that goal against Milan, but if Conte finally switches to a 4-3-3 next year he can prove to be a valuable option on the attacking wing. That is, if he stays in Juventus, which I think he will. Mirko Vucinic - 6 Poor Mirko spent most of the season benched, injured, or getting shipped off to Inter only to be brought back into the team after a collapsed transfer. Last year, he was a key figure for Juventus while this season his impact was minimal at best. I doubt he'll stick around for much longer. Dani Osvaldo - 6 Came on loan mid-season as a backup and was seemingly more of a locker room spirit addition than a highly-valuable asset on the field. He is undoubtedly talented, but did very little to force Marotta's hand to splurge around $20 million for his outright ownership. That said, he did get that meaningless yet season-stamping goal against Roma at the end of the season. All in all, Juventus made a huge jump in quality when it comes to our strikers last summer. Players like Llorente and Tevez were needed for years and now that they are finally here, we certainly reaped the benefits from it. As we try to bridge the gap between Juventus and the world class teams like Bayern and Real Madrid, we must continue to improve on this level. One more great striker to create healthy competition is crucial, especially if Conte is to continue to use the 3-5-2 for the majority of games during a season. Whether that will be a young talent like Morata or a seasoned veteran with plenty left in the tank, we cannot get complacent with the duo of Llorente and Tevez to lead us to glory on all fronts next season.

Morata in, then Llorente out? Jun 4, 2014 Juventus will reportedly consider Fernando Llorente’s sale only once a move for Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata has been completed. The Bianconeri are believed to be in continued negotiations with Los Blancos over Morata’s arrival this summer, with the player understood to have chosen the Italians over a potential switch out to Germany. Reports are that negotiations are set at around the €15m mark for the 21-year-old, with Madrid seen as pushing for a slight increase. The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, however, indicate that the main sticking point may be the Spaniards’ insistence in including a buyback clause in any deal, to allow them to repurchase Morata further down the line for a pre-agreed price. It is a situation that the pink paper reports has the club only willing to listen to potential offers for Fernando Llorente once any deal for his compatriot is complete. Speculation of late has been that Llorente is available should a significant offer arrive this summer and that he would be open to a return to Spain. It is understood also by the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport that Barcelona had asked for either Llorente or Arturo Vidal to be included in a potential deal for Alexis Sanchez. Whilst Juve are seen to have rejected this notion, it was reportedly put forward as a result of a continued gap in valuation on Alexis, with the Old Lady believed to be offering around €17m for the former Udinese man and Barca asking for €25m.

Verratti: I can play with Pirlo The 21-year-old says he is versatile enough to play in the Azzurri midfield alongside the Juventus star and admitted Riccardo Montolivo's injury has shaken up the whole team. Jun 2, 2014 Marco Verratti has spoken of his delight at being included in Cesare Prandelli's 23-man Italy squad for the World Cup and insists he can play alongside Andrea Pirlo. Prandelli announced his final squad on Sunday night, with the 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder making the cut. His inclusion came as a surprise to some, who feel his participation in the tournament will be limited because of his similarity to Andrea Pirlo. However, the youngster believes he is versatile enough to play alongside the Juventus star and cement a spot in the Italy midfield. "There isn't a midfield role I prefer, for three years now I have had several tasks and positions," he told reporters. "I still believe that playing alongside Pirlo is possible, it is impossible for others as they aren't comfortable with a player like Andrea. The former Pescara player also touched on the injury Riccardo Montolivo picked up in Italy's friendly with Ireland, which has ruled him out of the competition. "I can’t imagine what Riccardo is going through at the moment," Veratti added. "His injury has shaken us all up a bit, but now we have to take this opportunity that has been offered to us by the coach."

Marchisio: There is time for Italy to improve Jun 2, 2014 Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio feels that the Azzurri have time to improve after their recent 0-0 draw against Republic of Ireland. Il Principino made his first appearance for the Italians under then coach Marcello Lippi against Switzerland in 2009 and has gone on to make over 40 appearances for the national team while scoring two goals. Marchisio gave an interview to Rai Sport after the goalless draw against Ireland where he spoke about the positives that his team can draw from this game while expressing sadness for Riccardo Montolivo’s injury. “I have a very positive opinion of the game,” said the 28 year old midfielder. “We faced some difficulties but the team reacted well and created a lot of chances. We will have two more tests before the World Cup, so there is time to improve. “I feel good but I also feel that the team responded positively given the effort we put in games like this that precede major events. Our idea of the game is new compared to other years. “Montolivo’s injury was really bad. We will gather around him and we are very sorry because the injury was serious. “Antonio Cassano had a very good season with Parma and he has also played well for the national team in the past. He will be very important for us in the World Cup.”

‘Three years to bring Juve closer’ Jun 2, 2014 Andrea Agnelli says it may be ‘impossible’ for Juventus to bridge the gap to Europe’s giants by 2018, but that the club’s goal is to ‘bring them closer’. The club President met with a club members forum this week and considered assessments of the Old Lady’s season, which are split between the success of a third successive Scudetto and disappointment in Europa League semi-final elimination. “Sometimes they speak of a season of failure. I think of Bayern Munich,” Agnelli has considered on the issue. “I was talking with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, they have experienced one of their best seasons and yet, after the elimination from the Champions League semi-final, you hear some comments about failure. “Incredible given that just finished is the second best season in the history of the German club. “We need balance - if you get to spring still in the running on several fronts, it is still a positive year. We must always be realistic and take into account others.” Taking into account those others, Agnelli considered Juve’s ambitions to close the gap on and off the field to the likes of Bayern, Real Madrid and Barcelona. “Yesterday does not matter, we are already looking forward to the future, we are hungry for the next success. “Over the next three years it will be impossible to bridge the gap to the big clubs in Europe - the goal in the period 2015-2018 is to bring Juve closer to the battleships of Europe. “At the end of the ‘15-18’ cycle, we expect to generate an annual revenue of €300m, excluding the proceeds from UEFA, excluding sporting performance, thus placing us very close to the great powers of today. “The strength of Juventus comes from a tradition that few can have in Europe.” Antonio Conte has committed as Coach until at least the end of next season. “For my part, I have no adjectives to assess what has been done in the last three years - we must all be grateful to the management of the sporting area, the players who have made up the orchestra and to its director, Antonio Conte, who every day has worked behind the scenes. “And here emerges the true value of this team - humility.”

Pogba denies Daily Mail comments Jun 1, 2014 Paul Pogba has confirmed that comments attributed to him in a Daily Mail interview are in fact false. SportsMail ran an interview on Saturday – which was also reported here – claiming to have been with the Juventus midfielder. In it, the French youngster was supposed to have said that he was ‘disrespected’ by Manchester United, and revealed that Andrea Pirlo was his sporting idol. However, via his official Twitter account this afternoon, Pogba has insisted that the quotes are not true. “The Daily Mail has falsely attributed words to Paul that are causing social media reaction,” a statement read. “Paul wishes to say he has never been interviewed by the Daily Mail, SportsMail or [journalist] Mr David Kent, who he is happy to have never met. “Paul reserves the right to take all appropriate legal actions. “The Pogfamily.”

Agnelli: Juve humility key Jun 1, 2014 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli says his club’s continued humility is the key reason behind their success. The Old Lady have won the last three Scudetto titles and this season broke the 100-point barrier in Serie A, the first time the feat has ever been achieved. In a speech made at the Bianconeri’s Juventus Stadium today, the 38-year-old businessman paid tribute to the hard work done by Coach Antonio Conte and his players and spoke about the club’s strategy moving forward. “We can never eliminate the mantra that winning is all that matters, but we must be realistic and see how we compare to others,” Agnelli said. “I have no adjectives to sum up what has been achieved in the last three years. We need to all be grateful to the way the sporting side of the club has been managed. “That means to the players, who are the orchestra, and to their conductor Antonio Conte, who has worked behind the scenes every day. “That is where the true added value of this team comes from – humility. It’s the same humility that we use to calmly plan of continued journey of growth.”

Marchisio can see the positives Jun 1, 2014 Claudio Marchisio believes that Saturday’s friendly with Republic of Ireland was a positive, apart from the injury to Riccardo Montolivo. The Milan midfielder is out of the World Cup after he fractured his tibia early in the game at Craven Cottage yesterday. But despite this, the Juventus man has claimed that the 0-0 draw with Martin O’Neill’s men was good preparation for the World Cup. “It’s really bad that this [Montolivo’s injury] has happened in this match,” he told Rai Sport. “We want to be around him because he’s very important to us. Hopefully we’ll see him at the hotel soon. “But honestly, in my opinion, I think that this game was good for us. It was a competitive game with some difficulties. “There are things to improve, but I think, overall, it was a positive performance.” Marchisio then commented on Antonio Cassano’s performance and his own fitness going into the tournament. “Cassano has done well at Parma and is doing well here. He’s physically fine and wants to be important at the World Cup. “I feel good as well. It’s been tough work at Coverciano, but that’s what we have to do.”

Ghana announce final World Cup squad Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Kwadwo Asamoah are all included in the final squad as the Black Stars look to improve on their 2010 quarter final exit. Jun 1, 2014 Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah has revealed his 23-man squad for the World Cup in Brazil. Appiah's squad includes 16 World Cup debutants with captain Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari appearing in a third-consecutive finals while Jonathan Mensah, Michael Essien, Kwadwo Asamoah, Andre Ayew and Kevin-Prince Boateng all prepare for their second outing at the tournament. The 53-year-old has dropped the injured Jerry Akaminko, Jeffrey Schlupp and David Accam as the remaining squad will be heading to Miami for the final phase of preparations as the Black Stars face off with South Korea on June 9. Akaminko picked up an ankle injury in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Netherlands and will undergo surgery that will keep him out of action for about three months. The 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists have been paired in Group G with USA, Germany and Portugal. The full squad: Goalkeepers: Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates), Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars) Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Platanias), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege/Porto), Harrison Afful (Esperance), John Boye (Rennes), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Rashid Sumalia (Mamelodi Sundowns) Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan), Sulley Muntari (AC Milan), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese), Afriyie Acquah (Parma), Christian Atsu (Vitesse), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough), Andre Ayew (Marseille), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan) Strikers: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke 04), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux)

Moggi: I told Ibrahimovic to start a war at Ajax to kickstart Juventus move May 31, 2014 Former Juventus director Luciano Moggi has revealed some of the most astonishing off the field stories in his book among which he admits to have suggested Zlatan Ibrahimovic to start a war with Rafael van der Vaart. Moggi resigned from his post with the La Vecchia Signora at the end of the 2005/06 season being at the centre of the Calciopoli scandal which resulted in the Bianconeri being stripped of the two Scudetti won in 2005 and 2006 apart from being demoted to the Serie B with Moggi himself given a life ban from football. The 76 year old Italian came forward and released some of the most controversial stories during his time as a Juventus director in his book “Il Pallone Lo Porto Io.” “I have often heard that Juve was like a prison,” wrote Moggi in his book. “It is false but it is true that I gave advice to the players. I told players ‘If you go chasing women, do it in the right places, not where everyone can see you. ‘ At Juve we only intervened when the player being gossiped about was not performing.” Moggi wrote of his likeness towards Ibrahimovic and that he was a very dedicated player. “Ibrahimovic and I liked each other right away, ever since our first meeting that lasted an hour in Montecarlo during the Formula One race. “Mino Raiola is always dressed in an inappropriate manner, but he does not care. That is one of the reasons I like him. If I asked him to, Ibrahimovic would take a bike ride around all of Italy. “I liked Ibra right away: direct, honest and not afraid to confront powerful people. He told me he only cared about football and family. I cannot remember Ibra missing even one practice. Even a fever could not stop him. He was an exemplary professional.” “Ajax did not want to let Ibra leave, so I admit I was not politically correct, but I suggested Ibrahimovic start a war with van der Vaart. If a player asked me to leave I always did so even if it made team weaker. I did so with Christian Vieri in 1997. “Had I remained at Juve, Ibrahimovic would still be a bianconero. ” The man who also spent some of his time as a director of football with clubs such as Roma, Lazio and Napoli also wrote of how he signed Pavel Nedved. “Nedved always scored against us. ‘We’ll buy him so we can resolve this problem’ I told Roberto Bettega and Antonio Giraudo in 2001. “I knew the negotiation with Real Madrid for Zinedine Zidane would end well, but we risked not getting the replacement for Zizou. I needed a stroke of genius to get Nedved to agree to join Juve, so I played along . ” “I called Nedved and said: ‘Do me a favour and come to Torino, just look around you don’t have to sign with Juve’ . I told Nedved I would send him a private plane while he was in Prague so nobody would see him. Pavel fell into my trap.” “After I hung up with Nevded I called journalists and TVs to tell them ‘Nedved is on his way’. When Nedved got off the plane there were numerous reporters waiting for him.” “He told me ‘How could they know of my arrival?’ Nedved went through a few days of protest in Rome and on July 4th he gave up ‘Okay! I will sign with Juve.’” Moggi also wrote about some of the incidents in the life of Paolo Montero. “I smile thinking about Montero. He was a great player who loved the night life. ” “But he was a real man who always took responsibility. When Montero went out chasing women and drinking beer, he was like a tornado on pitch the following day: he never gave up. “Montero always went out with Mark Iuliano at night. He was a warrior who will always be in the hearts of the Juve fans. After Montero got married and stopped going out, his performance dipped considerably.” “I told him: ‘Stay out all night or I will sell you’. Luckily after that Montero went back to giving great performances.” Moggi has also written about a tough period in the footballing career of David Trezeguet and how he resolved it. “I remember Trezeguet had a difficult period.” “He was not playing up to his potential. I found out Trezeguet would often go to club Hollywood, where footballers were often seen.” “Solving the problem was easy. One night I went to club Hollywood and Trezeguet showed up smiling. His expression changed when he saw me. ” “I asked Trezeguet, what are we going to do- ‘leave together or just take my car?’ After that Trezeguet started scoring again. “

Llorente cut from Spain WC squad May 31, 2014 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente has been left out of Spain’s 23-man squad for the World Cup. The Bianconeri goalscorer, who impressed in his first season in Serie A, has not been included in the travelling squad to go to Brazil. Instead, Coach Vicente Del Bosque has opted for Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa, despite him being an injury concern. Napoli duo Pepe Reina and Raul Albiol however, do make the cut. Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool), David De Gea (Manchester United) Defenders: Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Sergio Ramos (Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona) Midfielders: Koke (Atletico), Xabi Alonso (Madrid), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), David Silva (Manchester City), Juan Mata (Man Utd), Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets, Pedro Rodriguez (all Barcelona) Forwards: Fernando Torres (Chelsea), David Villa, Diego Costa (Atletico)

Chiellini to pen Juve deal May 31, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini is on the verge of signing a contract extension with Juventus that will keep him at the club until 2017. Tuttosport reveal this morning that the defender’s agent will meet with the Bianconeri hierarchy next week, but a deal is already in place and agreed. The Italy international is, according to the paper, set to earn around €3m per season, plus bonuses. With Chiellini set to fly out to Brazil next Thursday though for the World Cup, the deal won’t be penned until at least mid-July.

'Pirlo is my hero' - Pogba The France international says he is lucky to share the field with the Italy star and admits his time at Manchester United is the low point of his career to date. May 31, 2014 Paul Pogba has said Juventus team-mate Andrea Pirlo is his sporting hero and has admitted he tries to emulate the Italy international. The 21-year-old has been a vital component to the Serie A champions since his move from Manchester United in 2012, cementing a place in Antonio Conte's starting XI alongside Arturo Vidal and Pirlo en route to winning back-to-back Serie A titles. And the France international admitted that he feels fortunate to be able to feature alongside his role model. "I am lucky that I get to play with my hero - Andrea Pirlo," he told Mail Sport. "I make no secret I want to become like him. He has won everything, and he has won it playing such an important role." The midfielder was then asked about the high and low points of his career so far and he confessed his time at Old Trafford fell under the latter category, as he says he didn't feel respected at the English outfit. "I can’t choose between the two league titles with Juventus and winning my first international cap for France. They were both very special. "My time at Manchester United [is the worst of my career]. Of course when you are at such a big club you understand you need to be patient for your chance, but I did not feel respected or valued as a player or a man."

Benzema wants Pogba to join Madrid The striker wants his France international team-mate to leave Juventus for the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, amidst rumours the midfielder could be sold. May 31, 2014 Karim Benzema wants Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba to jump ship for Real Madrid this summer as transfer rumours continue to swirl regarding the young midfielder's future. The Blancos have been linked with a mega-money move for the 21-year-old France international for months now, with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea also fellow admirers of the former Manchester United youth prospect. Benzema, who will line up alongside Pogba at the World Cup this summer, would love his international team-mate to come to the Santiago Bernabeu should he decide to leave Turin in the upcoming transfer window. "He’s a young player playing at a big European club. He gets better with each game and he’s at a high level and will continue to work hard," the Madrid striker told reporters. "I would love him to leave for Madrid, because he’s French and can become a great player." Benzema says his recovery from a minor muscle injury is going positively and dismissed concerns he is an injury doubt for the World Cup as Didier Deschamps' men prepare for a friendly against Paraguay. "My adductor is healing, it's much better, there's nothing to worry about," the forward added. "I started to run again and I work with the physios, it's evolving in the right way. Now I have to keep working but don't be worried, it's much better than when I played in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid." Benzema and Pogba are expected to be prominent players in France's attempt to win the World Cup, starting with group stage games against Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras.

Costa gamble another blow to credibility of Juventus and Serie A Despite Fernando Llorente's wonderful debut season in Italy, he was overlooked for the Spain World Cup squad by Vicente del Bosque, losing out on a place to Diego Costa. May 31, 2014 Juventus may have swept aside all challengers in Serie A last season; they may have surpassed an unprecedented century of points; they may only have lost twice through the entire 38 match campaign; they may have won their third successive Scudetto. But there appears to be at least two important decision makers in world football who are not impressed by those facts, or more accurately, the individuals who helped make them happen. When Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella announced his squad for this summer's World Cup in Brazil, there were a few who were surprised, even angry, to see Carlos Tevez omitted from his final 23. Tevez had been a leading player in Juve’s success, contributing 19 goals in the league. He was however, not a one-man show. For backing him, in terms of goals and assists, was Spanish striker Fernando Llorente, who had completed an impressive debut season in Italy by hitting the net 17 times. If Sabella could overlook Tevez, surely Llorente’s efforts would be too much for del Bosque to ignore. How wrong we were. Like lightning striking twice, the coach who guided Spain to victory in the last World Cup and in Euro 2012 decided to follow Sabella’s lead by overlooking yet another of Turin’s best - a sizable jolt to those who believe the Italian league is one of the best around and have a similarly high opinion of Juventus. Star names, national heroes and hugely talented individuals have missed past World Cups through injury, oversight and personal reasons, but for two players so key to one club’s enormous domestic success to be canned is almost unprecedented. What makes Llorente’s plight all the more shocking is that Del Bosque has decided to go with a player who has been struggling with injury for the last few weeks, let alone being 100% match ready. Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, Del Bosque’s preferred option above Llorente and Manchester City’s Alvaro Negredo, has been desperately trying to overcome an ongoing hamstring problem that first surfaced weeks ago. The injury even curtailed his contribution to his club’s La Liga decider against Barcelona two weeks ago and the Champion League final last week. In Camp Nou, Costa was replaced after just 15 minutes. Then, in the meeting with city rivals Real, the Atletico marksman succumbed to the effects of the injury after just nine minutes of action. Few gave the Brazil-born striker a hope of playing in Lisbon. After his early departure, many more have doubted his preparation and readiness for the demands of a World Cup finals tournament. But Del Bosque has decided to take the risk. Given his CV, you have to believe del Bosque knows best. Or rather those who are advising him (from a medical background rather than dealers in potions akin to witch doctoring) do. But taking Costa across the Atlantic has to be a major risk - possibly even more of a major folly seeing who Del Bosque overlooked and left back home, or on holiday. Do Spain really need Costa that much? Does del Bosque? Who can say? What is known is that the former Real Madrid coach is not the first international manager to turn up at football’s biggest show carrying damaged goods. England took key contributors Kevin Keegan, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney respectively to the 1982, 2002 and 2006 World Cup final tournaments, all when carrying significant injuries and a doctor’s note for their managers expecting them to be healthy. None were, which backfired badly on the incumbent coach at the time. In winning in South Africa and a couple of European Championships, Del Bosque will have gambled a couple once or twice along the way - but maybe never to the extent he has with Costa.

Juventus 2013-14 Season In Review: The Central Midfielders May 31, 2014 The Old Lady's midfield has been one of the best fixtures of the Antonio Conte era. Sure, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini have been a rock at the back, and this year, Carlos Tévez and Fernando Llorente led the most prolific attack in the Serie A. But the midfield has been the engine that keeps everything ticking. So, without further ado, let's see how our central midfielders have done this season. Paul Pogba - 7.5 Last year, we discovered Paul Pogba as he slowly carved a place in the starting lineup. This year, he was probably one of the first names in Conte's line-up. Pogba scored seven goals and had seven assists. He also is our highest ranking player in WhoScored. He seemed slow and complacent between February and April probably due to exhaustion. Psychologically and physically this has been the most demanding season for the Frenchman. With this experience I am excited to see what he can do next year. Let's just hope Raiola leaves him be for a while. Simone Padoin - 6.5 Padoin continues to see minutes in black and white despite his lack of natural talent. He started eight games and came on 13 times as a substitute in Serie A. Why you ask? Because Conte knows what he is going to get. Padoin works hard, runs hard and will take a bullet for Conte if needed be. Also, whether you like it or not, he was instrumental in Juve getting 102 points this season (Juve 1-0 Atalanta). Andrea Pirlo - 7.5 His impact directing Juve's game has been steadily decreasing after his first season. It may be because since the 2011-12 season, he has been heavily marked. With that being said, his impact and contribution to the Old Lady has been equally as impressive as his first season. With six goals, this season has been Pirlo's highest scoring since joining Juve. More importantly, he has done this while playing 14 games less than the 2012-13 season and 10 games less than the 2011-12 season. Arturo Vidal - 8.0 For me, Arturo Vidal was the best midfielder of the season. Sure, his impact decreased towards the end when his knee was busted but despite this he could always be counted on. Even with a bad knee and less than impressive performances towards the end of the season, Vidal scored three more goals than last year. I don't know how he ranks with respect to other midfielders in Europe, but he has to be one of highest scoring central midfielders around. Add to that his 4.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game as his defensive contributions. It is no surprise that most rich teams will be looking for his signature. It is also no surprise that Marotta has confirmed Vidal as an integral par of the team. Claudio Marchisio 7.0 Claudio had an interesting season. Without a doubt, his confidence received a hit when he noticed a 20 year old kid that had been in the club for one year had displaced him. By the end of the season, Pogba had played an extra 1200 minutes (that is over 13 full games) than Marchisio. In a more personal note, Claudio scored four goals this season compared to the six last season and the 10 the season before that. The trend is the same with regards to assists. With that being said, Claudio was his good ol' reliable self. Without being as dominating as in the past he helped close down the team when needed. It is no surprise that Conte trusted him to shut down Real Madrid's wing in the biggest game Juventus played all season. The bench time may have done Claudio well as his performances have been improving as of late. The goals against Sassuolo and Cagliari are a clear example that Il Principino has not lost his amazing technical ability. I look forward to seeing a renewed Claudio Marchisio next year.

#WorldCupRank: No. 39 Gianluigi Buffon May 30, 2014 No. 39 Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus/Italy Why he's ranked: The tagline "legend" is bestowed with a little too much gusto in modern sport, but Buffon certainly fits the bill when such accolades are handed out. He may be 36, but this rugged, commanding 2006 World Cup winner has enough medals in his collection to suggest he can still claim to be the world's finest keeper. Key stat: All-time leader in caps for Italian national team (139 as of March 5, 2014). What the experts say: "Underneath the goalkeeper jersey, you could be forgiven for thinking there is a Superman shirt. His former captain Fabio Cannavaro believed the No. 1 to be tattooed on his skin. Arguably the greatest of all-time, a sense of the man is given by another World Cup winner and former teammate, Lilian Thuram. 'Wherever Buffon decides to go, I will follow him because he gives me so much security to my back.'" -- James Horncastle "One of the best goalkeepers in history, he is faithful to Italy's long tradition of producing quality in that position. He is the captain and the reference point for this Azzurri squad." -- Leonardo Bertozzi, ESPN Brazil