Socrates

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.”

Lichtsteiner: At Juve, you have to win Jun 30, 2014 Stephan Lichtsteiner has looked back on his career, commenting on his spells in Switzerland, France and Italy. The wing-back has been one of the best defenders in Europe for some time now, earning plaudits during his time at Lazio and Juventus. And in an interview with newspaper Le Matin, the 30-year-old reminisced on his time in the game so far. “Grasshoppers was a good experience for me, and then I moved to Lille when I was 21,” he told the daily. “I worked with Claude Puel there – he was a Coach who was very important for my growth as a player and as a man. “Then I moved to Italy, which was a different mentality entirely. It was a different style of play, where the focus was on tactics. “I worked with Delio Rossi at Lazio, and he helped me a lot as a defender. “At Juve though I’ve learned one thing above all – you have to win, it’s as simple as that. “Perhaps one of my main qualities is my positioning on the pitch, and I’ve got better at that as I’ve got older. Oh, and I’m quite fast!”

The best young player in the world? Pogba makes the difference for off-colour France Didier Deschamps’ men were second-best for large parts of the game, but eventually scraped through following the Juventus man’s header and a late Joseph Yobo own goal. Jun 30, 2014 By Stefan Coerts in Brasilia Going into the game, France were widely regarded as the favourites to reach the quarter-finals at the expense of Nigeria. Les Bleus had impressed in the group stages against Honduras and Switzerland, while the Africans had only made it to the knockout stages after a controversial win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Yet as soon as Monday’s game at the Estadio Mane Garrincha kicked off, it was clear that Didier Deschamps’ men were in for a tough afternoon. Nigeria showed right from the off that they had no intention of letting France play the free-flowing attacking football that won them so many admirers in previous games. Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Valbuena hardly saw the ball in the opening 45 minutes, while Ahmed Musa, Peter Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike caused their opponents all kinds of trouble with their physicality and direct style of play. The most interesting battle was fought out in midfield, with Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi going head to head with John Obi Mikel and Ogneyi Onazi. There were doubts before the game as to whether the Juventus man or Newcastle United’s Moussa Sissoko would start, but Deschamps opted for Pogba in the end – and the youngster proved his boss right with a superb display. The 21-year-old provided his back four with excellent cover when needed, made a number of important interceptions, won his fair share of his personal duels and got involved going forward whenever possible, too. Pogba first came close in the 23rd minute after a quick one-two with Valbuena, only to see Victor Enyeama pull off a superb save to deny him. The energetic midfielder continued to be a major threat, though, and eventually made the difference for France when he headed home into an empty net after Enyeama failed to clear a corner kick in the 79th minute. By then, the French had seized the initiative after a difficult opening hour – and there’s no denying the introduction of Antoine Griezmann played a major role in the outcome of the game. With Giroud up front, France looked shorn of ideas and lacked mobility, but things changed as soon as the Real Sociedad man came on. He first created a good chance for Benzema, who saw his effort saved by Enyeama, and then played a big role in the second goal as he forced Joseph Yobo into turning the ball into his own net. France will now have to deal with either Germany or Algeria in the quarter-finals and Deschamps might very well decide to give Griezmann another chance to prove his worth right from the start in Les Bleus’ next game. And if not, there’s always Pogba to fall back on. Earlier this year, Jose Mourinho stressed that Eden Hazard was the best young player in the world. The France fans might have another opinion about that, however. At the tender age of 21, Pogba is already taking the national side by the scruff of the neck. And there’s only more to come.

Serie A preseason starts today Jun 30, 2014 Serie A clubs start preseason plans from today, with Torino the earliest to report back and the rest of the League to follow shortly. Torino will report back for preseason training from this evening, when players are due to report at a Turin-based hotel by 10pm Italian time, before a first session on the field is held on Tuesday morning. With the Granata in Europa League third qualifying round action from July 31, they are the Serie A to return to preseason training earliest this summer. The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport run through the dates for the other 19 teams, listing Sampdoria as due back next, from July 1 when their players reconvene in Genoa. Inter start work from July 4 at Appiano Gentile, ahead of a training camp from July 9 to the 20 in the small Trentino town of Pinzolo in the northern Alps and then the start of their US tour on July 23. Next Saturday will see Andrea Stramaccioni begin work with his new Udinese players and the day after that Fiorentina will report back for duty. From Monday July 9, Chievo and Milan will be back at work, with the Rossoneri under new Coach Pippo Inzaghi then also due to fly out to the US for a tour from July 24. Cagliari, Lazio, Napoli, Parma, Empoli, Genoa and Sassuolo are all calling players back on July 11, whilst Palermo will ask theirs to return a day later. Defending champions Juventus, whose preseason plans take them out to Indonesia, Australia and Singapore, start work on July 14, as do Atalanta. Roma are back at Trigoria from July 15, before they also head out to America from July 21. From August 9 they are then due for a week in Austria. Verona are due to start training from July 16, whilst the last team to confirm their place in Serie A for next season, Cesena, will begin preparations to beat the drop from July 19.

Disgraced Suarez finally admits to biting Chiellini Having previously denied any wrongdoing, the Uruguayan has come forward to apologise to the Italian defender. Jun 30, 2014 Disgraced Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has finally admitted to biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup. The Liverpool forward has been barred from all football-related activity for four months, banned for nine competitive international matches and hit with an €80,000 fine. Suarez had previously denied biting the defender, instead insisting his face "hit against the player, leaving a small bruise ... and a strong pain in my teeth" but has now come clean. The fallout from the incident has been vast and wide-reaching, with the president of the Uruguay Football Association, Jose Murjica, calling the ban "fascist" and Uruguay team-mate Diego Lugano branding it an "act of barbarity". Suarez was previously banned for seven matches in 2010 for biting PSV's Otman Bakkal, during his time at Ajax before being suspended for a further 10 games after biting Branislav Ivanovic while playing for Liverpool. The Uruguayan FA have informed Fifa that they will appeal against the ban, though it remains to be seen if Suarez's apology will change their stance. Chiellini himself has called the punishment on Suarez "excessive" and took to Twitter shortly after the Uruguayan's apology to make it clear he holds no grudges over the incident. Luis Suarez ✔ @luis16suarez My apologies to Chiellini: pic.twitter.com/CvfkkjxzlM Giorgio Chiellini ✔ @chiellini .@luis16suarez It's all forgotten. I hope FIFA will reduce your suspension.

Pogba happy at Juventus, says agent Mino Raiola has ruled out any transfer while France remain in the World Cup, but he feels the 21-year-old's immediate future will be with the Serie A champions. Jun 30, 2014 The agent of Paul Pogba says his client is unlikely to leave Juventus ahead of the 2014-15 season, despite Chelsea's interest in the midfielder. Goal understands the Blues have prepared a lucrative package to entice the French youngster to Stamford Bridge, though they would have to fork out at least €75 million [£60m] for him to be allowed to leave Turin. But Mino Raiola has insisted that while France remain in the World Cup no transfers will be discussed, though a move from the Serie A champions does not seem likely. "We have decided not to speak of the transfer market with regards to Paul until after the World Cup," he told Rai Sport. "But I can calmly say that his future will still be at Juventus, where he feels very happy." Chelsea have already signed Cesc Fabregas, but with Jose Mourinho keen to play the Spaniard in an advanced role behind the striker, Pogba is seen as someone who can drive the team forward from a deeper position. The 2013-14 Champions League semi-finalists had hoped the former Manchester United trainee would be open to a return to the Premier League, though Juventus had previously outlined their determination for him to stay. And this latest development will please the hierachy at La Vecchia Signora, who are hopeful the 21-year-old will sign a new contract with Antonio Conte's side.

Pirlo today, Pirlo tomorrow Andrea Pirlo’s future with Italy continues to hang in the balance, but Livio Caferoglu is keen to see the midfielder remain part of the country’s present. Jun 28, 2014 As the dust settled on Italy’s miserable World Cup campaign, so did the unfathomable realisation that Andrea Pirlo may never don the famous Azzurri jersey again. Prior to the World Cup, Pirlo had stated that his international career would be coming to an end once his sojourn in Brazil was over. His reasoning that the time had come for younger players to take centre stage was wholly understandable, given his advancing years and widespread calls for younger players to be entrusted. After a second performance of epic proportions against England in an opening 2-1 victory, the Italians became expectant and placed their trust in the evergreen star. The country had just given the best passing display seen at a World Cup in 48 years - an accolade not possible without Pirlo’s contribution. However, his influence wavered in their remaining group matches, and the nation promptly crashed out at the first hurdle for the second time running. But the 35-year-old gave a glimmer hope to his compatriots when he announced that all may not be lost: “If the new Coach asks for my availability, I would willingly return.” Ever since his debut in 2002, Pirlo has been the most important member in La Nazionale’s development. While the likes of Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero, arguably more stylish contemporaries, spent their Italy careers stealing the headlines, the midfielder was quietly at work, laying the foundations for a glorious era in the Azzurri cycle. In the current Italy set-up, Pirlo’s role of regista has begun to diminish, as the entire team is instructed to maintain possession. Although he continues to dominate the centre-circle, his mobility has evaded him. His mental sharpness has only increased with experience, meaning he is still able to orchestrate attacks at free will – providing his team-mates offer ample movement around him. Before the reign of Cesare Prandelli, the Azzurri were known primarily as a counterattacking team, built on the ideals of catenaccio. Pirlo’s primary role under Marcello Lippi was to release the ball quickly on the break. It may not sound that ravishing, but the ability to remain calm and make a split-second decision in the pressure cooker of international football cannot be underestimated. Following on from the 2010 debacle, Prandelli engineered a shift in Italy’s style of play – one which certainly plays to the strengths of an ageing Pirlo. The former Fiorentina boss once again made Pirlo the focal point of his philosophy, which has been to turn the side into a team that can relentlessly adapt itself to the opponent while remaining in control at all times. Yet there are certain issues with Pirlo’s continued indispensability. Prandelli’s approach has faced criticism for a variety of excesses - too similar to the Spanish tiki-taka system that has nosedived in efficacy over the past 18 months, too much tactical convolution and too much reliance on the No 21 to “make a magic pass” in the words of Brazil great Zico. Pirlo’s impact has also suffered at the hands of heavy pressing. Two of the world’s fittest sides, Spain and Bayern Munich, carried out their best efforts to stifle the midfielder, and it rendered Italy and Juventus one-dimensional, as they recorded convincing defeats in both Euro 2012 and the Champions League without reply. However saddening it may be, his brilliance has been clouded by sentiment at times. Lippi blindly entered the South African World Cup in the hope that the class of 2006 could repeat their heroics of four years prior, without a contingency plan to boot. Still, it’s hard to blame Pirlo for their joint failures. The ex-Milan ace was ruled out for most of the group stage due to injury and can’t be held accountable for the lack of another creative presence on the pitch. But Pirlo is like a fine wine, as Juventus have seen since grabbing him on a free transfer from Milan three years ago. The creative heartbeat for both club and country, there still isn’t an equal and may never be another of his ilk. With that in mind, his availability crucially bides Italy some extra time in moulding their plans for the future.

Did Cassano blame Buffon? Jun 28, 2014 It’s reported Antonio Cassano turned on Gigi Buffon and the Italy ‘senators’ after their World Cup exit. According to La Repubblica, the Parma man stood with the younger players and pinned the blame on the old guard. “We only won when you weren’t on the pitch,” Cassano is alleged to have told captain Buffon on the flight home from Brazil. The goalkeeper was injured for the 2-1 victory against England, as Salvatore Sirigu impressed in his place. La Repubblica also claims FantAntonio complained that Buffon and Daniele De Rossi “want to make all the decisions.” It’s reported Buffon threatened to “give Cassano a slap” if he continued his protests. However, in today’s interview with the Corriere della Sera, Buffon insisted Cassano did “nothing out of the ordinary. “I don’t understand this desire from the media to create controversy.”