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JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Juventus vs. Atalanta Preview: Round 36 — It's time to celebrate May 5, 2014 For months on end we've heard how winning the Scudetto for a third straight season is Antonio Conte's No. 1 priority this season. We heard it weeks before the season started. We heard it weeks before I was standing a couple feet away from Andrea Pirlo's world-famous beard. We've heard it — a lot — throughout the season, too. If anything, Scudetto No. 32 has been on Antonio Conte's mind ever since the day after he won the 31st of Juve's storied history last season. And when Juve take the field against Atalanta tomorrow night in Turin, No. 32 will be signed, sealed, and delivered. Is it a little less thrilling considering what happened the last time Juve were on the Juventus Stadium field? Yeah, maybe — MAYBE! — a little bit because doing well in Europe is important to us all and that was such a unique opportunity present to the Juventus team and the City of Turin. But this is something that few teams have done in the history of this incredibly historic club we call the Old Lady. It's special, regardless of what Juventus did just a few days prior. I'd say that's a pretty solid way to ring in May 5 even if the Scudetto was technically won 24 hours earlier when Juventus weren't actually on the field. Today is the first-full day as "Juventus, three-time champions." It has a better ring to it than "Juventus, two-time champions" if you ask me. That might be a biased opinion, but to that's what everybody else going to be saying, too, so I'm totally okay with every bit of it. You don't need to think twice about the players cherishing this achievement based on what we saw from everybody in the aftermath of Juve clinching the Scudetto. Just look at some of the pictures on Juve's website from the celebration after Roma lost to Catania. Or, you can watch Antonio Conte come out of nowhere and (probably) unintentionally kick Dani Osvaldo in the face and then jump into Paul Pogba's waiting and open arms as the team celebrated like a bunch of wild children who just found out they're all going out for ice cream after the game. This is a team that is obviously going to be in a celebratory mood when they take the field against Atalanta tonight. And why shouldn't they? They know they've made history, and by the looks of things, they're damn happy about it. And so should we. This thing doesn't happen all that often. fernando llorente ✔ @llorentefer19 Oggi è un giorno triste per noi, no saremmo nella finale, ma speriamo darvi una buona notizia il lunedì! That was what Fernando Llorente pre-Scudetto party when Juve had just been knocked out of the Europa League by Benfica. Now that the good news has arrived a little earlier than a lot of us expected it to, we shall all celebrate. No matter where you are — near Turin or far from it — there will be a party during the 90 minutes of game time against Atalanta. Oh, and vamos! You can't forget the vamos. GOOD NEWS Have I mentioned that Juventus have won their third straight Scudetto? Because they've won their third straight Scudetto. BAD NEWS No extra game at Juventus Stadium this season. That's too bad. I was kinda looking forward to Juve playing in their home stadium on May 14 and technically being considered the away team. It would have been so ironic and funny at the same time. Oh, well. Maybe next...I dunno when. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. If Juventus play like they actually want to play the game, or just go through the motions. If Juventus didn't lock up the Scudetto on Sunday without actually playing the question would have been a pretty simple one — "How pissed off are Juve going to be after Thursday's Europa League disappointment?" But because there isn't the whole "We can wrap up the Scudetto today" thing going on tonight in Turin, it's not exactly a game that screams "We're gong all out, so just bring it, baby." Or maybe it does, I don't know. But it's understandable if there's a bit of a sluggishness amongst the players. It's not that often a team gets to celebrate winning the title before actually going out and playing the regularly-scheduled game. 2. Staying on the pace for 100 points. This, of course, is the only real achievement Juventus will still be shooting for in the season's final three games. Conte loves him some wins — and who doesn't? — and that has spurned rumors that Juve will go away from starting a lot of their reserves and play close to the same lineup that was out there against Benfica on Thursday night. There might be some truth to that considering Conte wants to win and win and win some more. And the only way to get to triple digits in points is if Juve, who are currently sitting on 93 points, win two and draw another at the very minimum. 3. How much squad rotation now that the Scudetto is locked up. If Juventus were to be playing for the Scudetto today, the predicted lineup a few lines down the page would have looked a whoooole lot different than it does right now. But because Roma lost to Catania and Juve got the Scudetto wrapped up, there quite possibly could be a ton of squad rotation going on. You know, like Coppa Italia squad rotation happening. That's what logic tells you, doesn't it? But, like I said above, there's also the fact that Juve is charging towards the 100-point mark. And with Conte at the helm, you never really know if there's going to be a ton of squad rotation happening unless it actually is in the Coppa Italia. 4. The party at Juventus Stadium. By the time Juventus-Atalanta kicks off in Turin, it will have been about 28 hours since Juve clinched the Scudetto. That's a lot of time to celebrate — and there's no reason to think that it's even stopped. I don't think I really need to say a lot more than that. There will be a lot of black and white, a lot of happy people, a lot of happy folks who have their paychecks signed by Andrea Agnelli every week. Just a lot of happiness going on at Juventus Stadium. The celebration calls for it, folks. My starting XI (3-5-2): Storari; Cáceres, Ogbonna, Peluso; Isla, Padoin, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Giovinco OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 9 P.M. IN ITALY; 3 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; HIGH NOON ON THE WEST COAST http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Serie A - 17^ Giornata - Ritorno - 5-5-2014 (ore 21:00) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Arbitro: Andrea De Marco Confronti ufficiali 117 - 103 (Serie A) - 12 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) Vittorie Juventus 61 - 57 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Pareggi 42 - 35 (Serie A) - 6 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Vittorie Atalanta 14 - 11 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 215 - 189 (Serie A) - 23 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato a gironi) Goals Atalanta 101 - 83 (Serie A) - 17 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) Juventus-Atalanta Serie A a Torino Confronti ufficiali 51 Vittorie Juventus 33 (L'ultima il 16.12.2012, 3-0) Pareggi 14 (L'ultimo il 17.05.2009, 2-2) Vittorie Atalanta 4 (L'ultima il 08.10.1989, 0-1) Goals Juventus 103 Goals Atalanta 34 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro l'Atalanta a Torino 12 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 10 Del Piero Alessandro 8 Leoncini Gianfranco 8 Parola Carlo 8 Viola Giovanni 7 Del Sol Luis 7 Manente Sergio 7 Muccinelli Ermes 7 Salvadore Sandro 7 Tacconi Stefano 6 goals Boniperti Giampiero 5 Hansen John 5 Trezeguet David Sergio 4 Del Piero Alessandro 4 Montico Antonio 3 Baggio Roberto 3 Charles John William 3 Gabetto Guglielmo 3 Moeller Andreas 3 Muccinelli Ermes Ultimi confronti diretti 20.04.2008 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 0-4 21.12.2008 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 1-3 17.05.2009 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 2-2 07.11.2009 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 2-5 28.03.2010 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 2-1 21.01.2012 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 0-2 13.05.2012 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 3-1 16.12.2012 Serie A Juventus-Atalanta 3-0 08.05.2013 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 0-1 22.12.2013 Serie A Atalanta-Juventus 1-4 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 9 - Pareggi 1 - Vittorie Atalanta 0 - Goals Juventus 29 - Goals Atalanta 8

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco How Juventus Will Line Up Against Atalanta May 4, 2014 Following their Europa League elimination, Juventus host Atalanta on Monday night, with a win enough to clinch the Serie A title. The loss to Benfica was a bitter blow, but lifting a third consecutive Scudetto would still be a remarkable achievement this season. With no injuries or suspensions, over the following pages is a look at what can be expected from Antonio Conte as he sends out the Bianconeri in search of silverware. Goalkeeper If Roma fail to win against Catania on Sunday, Juventus would go into Monday’s match knowing the title is already theirs. Even in those circumstances however, Antonio Conte is expected to send out his strongest XI against Atalanta, giving them one last outing before giving the reserve players some minutes. As such, Gianluigi Buffon should take his place between the posts for La Madama, the captain once again providing a guarantee for those ahead of him. He has made 87 saves this season according to Fox Soccer statistics, keeping 18 clean sheets in his 32 appearances thus far. Defence Having missed out against Benfica, it is likely Andrea Barzagli will return to the defence on Monday, stepping in to replace Martin Caceres on the right of the back three. He is expected to join regular team-mates Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini as Conte field’s his first choice trio at the back. A troublesome calf injury has limited Barzagli to just 24 starts this season, but he is now seemingly fully recovered and ready to face Atalanta. Midfield Arturo Vidal’s knee injury has taken much longer to heal than was originally expected, and despite returning to face Benfica the Chilean is likely to be rested here. The in-form Claudio Marchisio is certain to take his place, and the Turin native will hope to turn in another excellent performance. Having seen the team fall behind against Sassuolo last week, the 28-year-old scored one goal and created another to help the Bianconeri seal three more vital points. He is likely to feature alongside creator-in-chief Andrea Pirlo, with Paul Pogba taking the last central midfield berth. On the flanks, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah are the most likely candidates to start. Strikers It may be in attack where where Antonio Conte will have the biggest dilemma, perhaps opting to look beyond his first-choice strike pairing of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente if the title is already theirs. Both men netted in Monday’s win over Sassuolo, taking their combined tally for the campaign to an impressive 37 in all competitions. They have each enjoyed excellent debut seasons on the peninsula, but could well be rested if Juventus no longer need victory to deliver the title. Two of Daniel Osvaldo, Mirko Vucinic or Sebastian Giovinco would likely deputise in that case, with the first pair possibly playing for their future at the club. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Juventus v Atalanta – Team News, Tactics, Line-ups And Prediction May 4, 2014 5th May- an iconic date in the history of Juventus. A day when the unthinkable happened twelve years ago: a Scudetto snatched from the jaws of bitter rivals Inter Milan on the final day of a dramatic league season in 2002 which cemented the date in calcio folklore. Last year Juventus won their 31st scudetto on the same date beating Palermo even though the finale was much less dramatic. Now they have the chance to seal their third title on this special date as they host Atalanta on Monday night. Atalanta have had a strange season, so it is a bit hard to predict exactly what to expect tomorrow; their two best players are in good form, the club have won six of their past ten games yet they have struggled on the road. They are mathematically out of the Europa league qualification race hence any chance of them gatecrashing the scudetto party seems very unlikely. Team News and Tactical Brief JUVENTUS Juventus will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment midweek as they could not break down a resolute Benfica defence and were subsequently knocked out of the Europa League. The past has to be put in the past and that’s what Conte will be telling his players. The wounds might still be fresh but a win will go a long way in healing the situation right now as that would secure a historic third consecutive scudetto. With Vidal still nursing a thigh strain, Marchisio will return to the starting lineup alongside Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba. The preferred back three of Andrea Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini will start together after almost two months with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwado Asamoah taking up the fullback positions. The emphasis, as always, will be to attack from the first whistle. Possession should be dominated by the home side and they will look to Carlos Tevez to open up the Atalanta defense in the final third. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Lichtsteiner, Asamoah; Llorente, Tevez ATALANTA Stefano Colantuono’s crew sit in 11th place well clear of the relegation zone thanks in no small part to the six straight victories they registered until the defeat to Sassuolo and since then they are yet to win a game. They have eight one-goal victories and they have conceded fewer goals per match than the league average. While on the other hand, they sport a negative goal differential, they are second to last in shots per game, they have been held scoreless ten times, and they have allowed more than one goal on 17 occasions. The center back pairing of Stendardo and Mario Yepes will face a tough task to shut out the Juventus attack. Yohan Benalouane and Del Grosso will take the fullback positions. Atalanta would miss Luca Cigarini’s playmaking as he is suspended for this game. His position will be taken up by the talented Danielle Baselli who is a serious transfer target of Juventus along with Fiorentina and Inter Milan. Baselli should provide quite a challenge for Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba tomorrow. He will be partnered in midfield by Chilean Carlos Carmona. Giacomo Bonaventura who looks set to move this summer will be looking to impress on the big stage as well. Ex-Juve man Marcelo Estigarribia will start against his former club. The man bringing home the bacon in Bergamo is German Denis. The Argentine has scored 12 goals this season pushing his three year total to 43 and has shown a pretty decent scoring range through 32 appearances scoring from left, right and center. He is Atalanta’s prime threat, scoring nearly 30% of their goals this season. Azzurrini frontman De Luca will partner Denis upfront. Probable Starting Line-up (4-4-2): Consigli, Del Grosso, Stendardo, Benalouane, Yepes; Bonaventura, Baselli, Carmona, Estigarribia; De Luca; Denis Players to Watch Out For Paul Pogba(Juventus) The young French midfielder has been outstanding for Juventus this term and was in dazzling form against Benfica. His dynamic displays and mesmerizing ability on the ball and off it have been a crucial factor in the Old Lady’s charge at the top and Atalanta may have to devise something special to keep the midfielder quiet. Giacomo Bonaventura (Atalanta) Teams such as Juventus were linked with 23-year-old Giacomo Bonaventura during the summer and rightfully so. The Atalanta starlet made his club debut at 18 and has gradually progressed over five years. He has scored five goals in 36 matches in all competitions including a brace against Inter at the San Siro. Bonaventura, who operates best in behind the strikers, causes a nuisance for defenders with his terrific technique and vision. He is equally comfortable as a winger as well. He received his first cap for the Nazionale this past May against San Marino. Prediction Juventus 3–0 Atalanta Atalanta have nothing to play for this season and the last thing they would have wanted was a trip to the impregnable fortress in Turin. Juventus have a 100 percent record in their own background and everything points to a comfortable win for the Bianconeri and along with it the 32nd league title. Blast From the Past The first meeting between these two sides in the new Juventus stadium in 2012 was also played under similar circumstances; only difference being Juventus were already crowned champions before the kickoff. It was also the final game of Juventus icon Alessandro Del Piero for his beloved club. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Buffon: 'Different, but wonderful' May 4, 2014 Gigi Buffon is one of the few Juventus players with experience of winning a title without playing. “It’s different, but still wonderful.” The Bianconeri have started the Scudetto party already after Roma’s 4-1 defeat to Catania, making their result against Atalanta tomorrow night irrelevant. “It is the second time I’ve won a Scudetto without playing, as it happened about 10 years ago. It’s different, a special sensation, but still wonderful,” the goalkeeper told Mediaset Premium. “Of course I prefer the satisfaction of winning on the field, that moment the whistle blows and you have given everything you’ve got, both physical and psychological.” Buffon reveals he knew Juve had it made over a month ago with their last-gasp 1-0 win in Genoa. “We had gone through so many scares in that game and Genoa probably deserved more, but we managed to bring out that Andrea Pirlo free kick from nowhere that gave us confidence. We knew that we could push forward and put our hands on the Scudetto.” Roma seemed listless and unmotivated this afternoon, aware the title was going to Juve on Monday anyway. “In general all of Italian football should thank Roma for the way they played this season and kept the title race alive. On many occasions this term they truly impressed me. “We weren’t certain we could achieve our targets because they were so strong and confident that it frightened us, so I think the credit goes to them for pushing everyone harder.” Next season both Roma and Juve will be in the Champions League, while Napoli go via a preliminary round. “I think that when you don’t have the economic power of other clubs, it is important to be inventive and find the courage to dare,” concluded Buffon. “These are the only ways I know for us to bridge the huge economic gap.”

Marotta: 'Credit to Conte' May 4, 2014 Beppe Marotta gave Antonio Conte much of the credit for a third consecutive Juventus Scudetto and will try to keep Paul Pogba. The club hadn’t been able to win three on the bounce since the 1930s, but celebrated today after Roma’s 4-1 defeat at Catania. “Conte drilled this mentality into the squad from the first day he arrived, so much of the credit for this Scudetto goes to him, as it’s an historic occasion,” general manager Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “It is a victory for everyone, even the invisible team that works in the background. It is a hugely important achievement. “We knew from the start it would be tough between European competition and Serie A. We were really hungry and motivated to secure this title.” Marotta was asked about Conte’s contract renegotiations, which they said would only resume after the season was over. “We’ll have an opportunity to see each other calmly next week. I consider Conte among the best Coaches in the world, both for his football strategy and the way he motivates the group. He is precious for Juventus and we are holding on tight.” The same goes for midfielder Pogba, who is reportedly at the centre of a €70m bidding war between Real Madrid and PSG. “We told him our intention of renewing his contract and obviously to keep him here. We need to meet again in order to work out the numbers, but we do want to go forward together. “Paul is intelligent and knows professionally he has the chance to grow in good time here. It’s difficult to predict his exit. “Last summer we improved with Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Angelo Ogbonna. We’ll improve even more next season, albeit keeping in mind Financial Fair Play, so there will be no crazy spending.”

Tevez: 'Now we celebrate!' May 4, 2014 Carlos Tevez revealed “incredible tension” in the Juventus camp as they watched Roma lose on television. The Bianconeri won the title without stepping on to the field, as Roma’s 4-1 defeat in Catania made it mathematically impossible to catch them. “I was asleep, but only managed 30 minutes, as they were watching the game in the hotel and there was an incredible tension between my teammates,” said the Argentine. “I was expecting to win it tomorrow on the field against Atalanta. Now we will go celebrate and relax a bit. “We knew that we had the title after Monday’s win over Sassuolo. That was a huge step for the Scudetto.” There will be a party atmosphere at the Juventus Stadium on Monday night, as they play Atalanta at 21.00 CET.

Chiellini: 'Juve wrote history' May 4, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini hailed a “record-breaking Scudetto” for Juventus, even though it was his first won in front of a TV. The Bianconeri secured their third consecutive title without kicking a ball, as they watched Roma lose 4-1 in Catania this afternoon. “It was strange winning it like this and I’d never experienced that situation from the outside,” the defender told Mediaset Premium. “We’ll enjoy this historic event, a record-breaking Scudetto that is more than deserved made of emotions over nine months that should be enjoyed and savoured. “It was an incredible journey and we’re not done yet, as we want to become the first Serie A club to amass 100 points. “We also thank Roma, as their great campaign pushed us to go beyond 100 per cent. You never get used to winning, so this third consecutive title pays us back for all those years in which we had nothing. “We want to continue winning, this squad is growing and we’ll prove that in future. We want to write new pages in the history of this club.” This means next Sunday’s match with second-placed Roma at the Stadio Olimpico is little more than a showcase. “Now we’ll go to Rome for a pleasure cruise and enjoy this Scudetto, because we deserve it.”

Juventus want to pass 100 point mark - Chiellini Roma's defeat to Catania handed the Bianconeri the league title on Sunday and the centre-back already has his eyes on setting yet more records. May 4, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini says Juventus are determined to create more history by surpassing the 100-point mark after winning a third straight Serie A title on Sunday. The Bianconeri face Atalanta on Monday night but retained their league crown without kicking a ball thanks to Roma's shock 4-1 defeat to Catania. Should Juve win all of their remaining three games they will end the season on 102 points, surpassing the current record of 97 set by Inter in 2007. Chiellini told Mediaset Premium: "We've done amazingly well. We aim to exceed 100 points and get into the history of Italian football. "We must thank Roma who forced us to give more than 100%. This third title is the reward for the years where we did not win anything. "This group is growing and we want to write new pages in the history of this club."

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Record makers: Unstoppable Juventus creating history with third straight Scudetto The Bianconeri's magnificent campaign has deservedly seen them clinch a third straight title, despite Roma's extensive challenge. May 4, 2014 Even before the season began, most onlookers seemed resigned to the probability that Juventus would clinch a third straight Scudetto in 2013-14. Largely pointing to the continued weakening of Serie A in the list of leading domestic competitions, the Bianconeri were deemed to be the only quality side in an otherwise ailing league. But the Turin outfit’s triumph, clinched thanks to Catania's shock 4-1 victory over Roma on Sunday, was a much more spectacular effort than many believed would be necessary. That they had to wait until they had racked up 93 points before celebrating the title win says much about the effort that was required to become only the fourth team ever to claim a hat-trick of Serie A wins. Nobody could have foreseen the form of Roma over the course of the season. The Giallorossi shocked the whole of Europe by winning their opening 10 games, and suffered only their third defeat in 36 games in Sicily on Sunday such has been the extent of their revolution under Rudi Garcia. Coming up against that kind of opposition, Juventus had to be at their very best to win the Scudetto. But that is exactly what they did. A sensational 30 wins in 35 games have put Antonio Conte’s side on the verge of recording Italy’s first-ever 100-point haul. While in the Champions League they foundered without even a whimper, in Serie A they were sensationally consistent. Conte is a hard task master. He demands nothing less than 100 per cent effort, and it has been that unwillingness to ask for anything but the best that has at times hindered their hopes on the continent. But his fostering of a win, win and win again attitude has been the main factor in Juve’s latest title success. The coach’s reaction to the 2-2 draw at Verona in February said much about his obsession for perfection. Despite boasting a comfortable lead at the top of the table, the loss of two points from 2-0 up was a source of great anger for Conte. “It's inexplicable,” he said to reporters after the game. “Matches like these last 95 minutes, and not 45. “We could've done a lot, lot better. It leaves me perplexed how we could dominate the game for the first half and then end up like this.” Andrea Pirlo talks in his autobiography of a stirring speech from Conte on his first day at the club. "We need to do whatever it takes to pull ourselves up and start being Juve again," the boss had told his players. "Turning round this ship is not a polite request; it's an order, a moral obligation." And they have fulfilled that. He demanded that they beat every team because they were simply better than everybody else. They are now within a pair of victories against Atalanta and Cagliari of recording a 100 per cent home record over the entire season. And away from home, they have been almost as clinical at times. Games like the one against Verona were notable for their rarity. In Gianluigi Buffon, they still have the best goalkeeper in Italy. Their regular back three of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli has been broken up a little more than in recent years but yet they have still conceded only 24 goals in the entire campaign. Four of them came in one manic 15-minute period at Fiorentina which threatened to mark the start of a slide. Instead, Juve responded like champions. Twelve successive league wins later, they were clear of the dogged challenge of Roma. Since that 4-2 defeat in Tuscany in October, they have dropped only seven points in 27 games. Simply put, they have been phenomenal. For a third straight year, their midfield has been the basis for success. With Andrea Pirlo at the heart of most attacks, Arturo Vidal has again proven to be the driving force both offensively and defensively. Alongside them, Paul Pogba has not only seen off Claudio Marchisio in the battle for a starting shirt but also further developed his reputation as a world star. Out wide, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah remain two of the best proponents of the wing-back art. The first-team squad has had to be bigger than ever given the weight of fixtures added by runs in the Champions League and Europa League, with names such as Martin Caceres, Angelo Ogbonna and Mauricio Isla appearing more regularly on Serie A surfaces than might have been expected, but rarely have Juve been let down by their reserve stocks. If they needed to add anything after back-to-back Scudetti, it was more goals from their forwards. And Conte will be delighted with the way Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente have performed in their debut seasons in Turin. With 19 strikes to his name, the Argentine has added exactly what they were missing in terms of an all-round forward, while Llorente has overcome early question marks to become the target man Juve never previously had, racking up 15 goals of his own. Serie A may not be what it was, but Juve are as good they have been in a very long time. Failure in the Champions League and then the Europa League may have tainted their season somewhat, but in Italy they have been better than anyone before them, with the points tally to prove it. Roma’s concerted challenge demanded that Juventus be as good as they possibly could be. They have been all that and more. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco JUVE CAMPIONI D'ITALIA! May 4, 2014 Juventus have mathematically won a third consecutive Scudetto, as Roma were crushed 4-1 in Catania. The Bianconeri don’t play their Serie A game until Monday night against Atalanta, but that is now irrelevant. Roma needed a victory in Sicily to keep the race alive, but were humiliated 4-1 by the bottom of the table club. Antonio Conte’s men had already won the title in 2011-12 and 2012-13, but become the first Juventus team to win three consecutive Scudetti since the 1930s. It also means next weekend’s showdown between Roma and Juventus can be played without the pressure of a result. This is officially Juve's 30th Scudetto, so they will be allowed to put a third gold star on their jerseys from now on. The club considers it to be their 32nd, as two were revoked in the Calciopoli scandal in 2004-05 and 2005-06. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hERBuq97-QQ#t=44 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco MATCH PREVIEW May 4, 2014 Juventus will be crowned Champions of Italy if they overcome mid-table Atalanta, who appear to be out of European contention. The finish line is in sight for Antonio Conte’s Bianconeri. When they looked sluggish against Sassuolo and fell behind to Simone Zaza’s early goal, a lesser side may have crumpled in the Reggio Emilia rain. Juventus responded. Carlos Tevez equalised before half-time, followed by well taken goals from Claudio Marchisio and Fernando Llorente. They may have rounded the final corner, but Conte knows that while Roma are a mathematical chance, his side must be methodical in their approach to claim three-in-a-row. They face the Bergamo club just days after suffering Europa League heartache and elimination at the hands of Benfica. The Bianconeri will look to take their frustrations out on Atalanta. Conte has a full squad to choose from in what may be the Scudetto clincher, with Arturo Vidal recuperated from a recent knee injury. Atalanta saw their tilt at Europe halted with a 1-1 draw against Genoa. They may not have even got that, were it not for Giuseppe De Luca’s late – and offside – equaliser. It didn’t look like being their night when German Denis had a second half penalty saved. Yet the draw ended a three match losing streak, with Atalanta now 11th. Five clubs are ahead of them in the European reckoning. Nerazzurri official Pierpaolo Marino promises the Bergamaschi will ‘honour’ the match. While he admits the Europa League dream has vanished, he is not buying into the recent war of words between Conte and Roma boss Rudi Garcia over a perceived lack of effort from smaller clubs when facing the Turin giants. Riccardo Cazzola, Maxi Moralez and Franco Brienza are all sidelined through injury, while Luca Cigarini will stay at home due to suspension. Marko Livaja remains on the outer. Juventus have enjoyed total dominance in this fixture, winning 33 times to Atalanta’s four in 51 encounters. This includes last season’s 3-0 drubbing. Keep an eye on: Giacomo Bonaventura (Atalanta) – Long linked with the Bianconeri, a good performance could thrust Bonaventura back into the minds of those at the Turin club. The winger continues to be one of the Nerazzurri’s outstanding players. Form guide: Juventus (L W W W W) Atalanta (W L L L D) Last season: Juventus 3-0 Atalanta Stat fact: German Denis may be Atalanta’s top scorer for the third season running, but he is yet to score against Juventus in five matches. That tally further extends to his time at Napoli and Udinese. JUVENTUS (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Llorente, Tevez ATALANTA (probable): Consigli; Benalouane, Yepes, Stendardo, Del Grosso; Estigarribia, Baselli, Carmona, Bonaventura; De Luca, Denis http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Juventus-Atalanta Preview: Bianconeri on brink of third successive Serie A title Antonio Conte's side can clinch the Scudetto if they beat Stefano Colantuono's charges, who have done well against big clubs this season May 4, 2014 An unlikely set of circumstances could mean that Juventus will have already won the Serie A title by the time they face Atalanta on Monday. The Bianconeri are eight points clear of second-placed Roma with three games remaining and will definitely claim a third straight Scudetto with a win in Turin. However, a shock win for bottom club Catania against the capital club on Sunday will hand Juve the title prior to the visit of Stefano Colantuono's men. But, with Catania having claimed just five league wins all season, the more probable scenario is that Antonio Conte's men will need three points to make sure of a 30th Italian top-flight championship. That will be no easy feat for the hosts against an Atalanta side that have already claimed the scalps of Inter and Napoli this season, and held Roma to a 1-1 draw back in December. Juve will take confidence from their performance in the reverse fixture in Bergamo, which saw them cruise to a comfortable 4-1 success. And the Turin club should have extra motivation to give their fans something to celebrate after missing out on a place in the Europa League final, which is to be held in their home stadium. Juve could only manage a 0-0 draw against nine-man Benfica in an ill-tempered second-leg of their semi-final clash, the Portuguese champions progressing to the showpiece 2-1 on aggregate following a contest that also saw Juve's Mirko Vucinic sent off. And defender Leonardo Bonucci is keen for Juve to display resolve and immediately bounce back from their European disappointment. "We go out with our heads held high, but we need to move on quickly and think about writing many other important pages in our club’s history," the centre-half told Juve's official website. "We'll look ahead with positivity and the desire to clinch a third consecutive Scudetto." Juventus have no significant injury worries ahead of the encounter, while Atalanta will be able to welcome back Carlos Carmona and Mario Yepes from suspension. Midfielder Maxi Moralez is set to return from an injury that kept him out of last weekend's 1-1 draw with Genoa, but Luca Cigarini is banned. The stalemate with Genoa ended a run of three straight defeats for Atalanta, who sit 11th in the table, and Colantuono is eager to finish the season on a high. "We can't allow ourselves to lose motivation; we want to finish the season well," he told Sky Sport Italia. "We ended a negative streak and want to carry on in that vein even if we know that our remaining fixtures aren't easy." Head to Head Serie A ‎-‎ Dec 22, 2013 - Atalanta 1 - 4 Juventus Serie A ‎-‎ May 8, 2013 - Atalanta 0 - 1 Juventus Serie A ‎-‎ Dec 16, 2012 - Juventus 3 - 0 Atalanta Serie A ‎-‎ May 13, 2012 - Juventus 3 - 1 Atalanta Serie A ‎-‎ Jan 21, 2012 - Atalanta 0 - 2 Juventus Last Five Matches JUVENTUS May 1, 2014 - Juventus 0 - 0 Benfica - EL Apr 28, 2014 - Sassuolo 1 - 3 Juventus - Serie A Apr 24, 2014 - Benfica 2 - 1 Juventus - EL Apr 19, 2014 - Juventus 1 - 0 Bologna - Serie A Apr 14, 2014 - Udinese 0 - 2 Juventus - Serie A ATALANTA Apr 27, 2014 - Atalanta 1 - 1 Genoa - Serie A Apr 19, 2014 - Atalanta 1 - 2 Hellas Verona - Serie A Apr 12, 2014 - Roma 3 - 1 Atalanta - Serie A Apr 6, 2014 - Atalanta 0 - 2 Sassuolo - Serie A Mar 29, 2014 - Bologna 0 - 2 Atalanta - Serie A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Conte: 'Scudetto and Coppa shock' May 4, 2014 Antonio Conte prepares the Scudetto party in Juventus-Atalanta, but inevitably was shocked by the Coppa Italia Final chaos. The Bianconeri need only a victory – or for Roma not to beat Catania this afternoon – in order to secure the title. It kicks off on Monday at 21.00 CET. “The important thing isn’t when or how the Scudetto arrives, but that it does arrive,” said Conte in his Press conference. “I achieved promotion with Bari when watching television. “The Scudetto is always special, especially a third in a row, as that had never happened to us before. Even legendary Coaches were unable to get three consecutive titles, but I am a realist and until I have the Scudetto trophy in my hands, I will not celebrate.” Roma Coach Rudi Garcia confessed the title race “is over” in his Press conference on Saturday, complimenting the Bianconeri on their record-breaking campaign. “I have always given praise to Roma for their excellent season, as their performance pushed us on to give our best too,” added Conte. “We have an antagonist of a very high level that is forcing us to keep our foot firmly on the accelerator. I always complimented Roma and will continue to do so. “Similarly, I feel the need to compliment Napoli and Fiorentina for last night’s Coppa Italia Final. I hope next season these teams can do well in Europe and help Italy to climb back up the rankings. We must make Italy important at a European level again.” Juventus had hoped to boost the rankings, but were eliminated in the Europa League semi-final by Benfica, so Portugal leapfrogged Italy. “I watched that game back and the sensations I had from the touchline were correct. I am very satisfied with the growth of my team and its consolidation in Europe. “Dropping down into the Europa League helped us to grow, as it was the first time for many in the squad. We still proved we are on a par with the big clubs and have what it takes to challenge in the major competitions. “I did complain about the referee, but I did so after the game, not beforehand like our opponents. I still think we deserved more.” Conte inevitably commented on the chaotic scenes in Rome last night, which saw the Coppa Italia Final delayed by 45 minutes because three Napoli fans were shot by a local man in the Tor di Quinto area of the city. The game only went ahead after intense negotiations between police, clubs, local authorities and more importantly the ultra leaders in the Stadio Olimpico. “The problem is that periodically something happens, we all get angry and it becomes news, but then nobody does anything. “Slowly the situation is getting worse and worse, so we must be careful not to just be moralistic when the incident happens, but to come together and build something. “We talk and talk and talk, but it just exasperates the whole situation. The signs we are sending out are not the best from the system, those who set the rules and the football authorities.” After the game there was a pitch invasion from Napoli fans, as stewards were warned beforehand not to try stopping them. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Manchester City To Offer Two Players Plus Cash For Juventus’ Pogba May 3, 2014 Manchester City are reportedly set to offer Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and cash in return for Juventus’ Paul Pogba. The French international had left City’s rivals Manchester United to join the Bianconeri on a free transfer in the summer of 2012, and recently gave an interview saying that his former club had disrespected him during his short tenure at Old Trafford. According to Tuttosport, the Citizena are preparing a bid to bring in the 21-year-old to the Etihad Stadium and are willing to offer Dzeko, Kolarov and €40 million cash in return. It is thought, La Vecchia Signora are looking at an amount close to €70 million for the talented youngster and could be prepared to sell him to the highest bidder. The former Manchester United player highly regards Patrick Vieira as his idol with the latter recently declaring interest in bringing his prodigy to England proving to be the catalyst of this transfer. Pogba has a contract with Juventus that expires in 2016 is rumoured to have been offered a new deal despite reports linking him to Real Madrid and PSG, as well as City.

Paris Saint-Germain to offer Verratti for Juventus star? May 3, 2014 Juventus could be set to exchange Paul Pogba for Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti in a deal that could hit records in the market. The Parisiens have been keen to capture the 21-year-old, insisting that the Frenchman would make the perfect iconic symbol at the club. According to Tuttosport, Verratti is worth €35 million and would be part of the deal, this would help reduce the value of Pogba as he is estimated to be worth between €70-80 million. Nothing has been set in stone as yet however PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has reiterated that he wants the former Manchester United player and would not block any sort of deal if he can land him. Pogba has made 52 appearances and scored 9 goals in all competitions this season, while Verratti has made 43 appearances.

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA May 5, 2014 - 9:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee:‬ Andrea De Marco Garcia: 'Scudetto race is over' May 3, 2014 Roma Coach Rudi Garcia admits “the Scudetto race is over” regardless of their result in Catania, “but we’ll play to win anyway.” It kicks off on Sunday at 15.00 CET at the Stadio Massimino. Despite nine consecutive victories, the Giallorossi are still eight points adrift of Juventus and the title could be assigned on Monday if Atalanta lose in Turin. “Could our victory in Catania put pressure on Juve? No, the Scudetto race is over,” shrugged Garcia in his Press conference. “Our result won’t change anything, but we’ll play to win anyway, as we want to extend our winning streak. It’ll be tough on their home turf, but we want to play well and give our all, even if it’s meaningless in terms of the title. “We compliment Juve, a great club with great players. Their record-breaking campaign is in part down to us and vice-versa.” Roma already set a new club record of points in a single Serie A season, but Juventus are on track to amass 100 points – something no team has ever achieved in this Division. Despite their domination in Italy, Juve were knocked out of the Europa League semi-final by Benfica on Thursday and consequently the Portuguese League will surpass Serie A in the rankings. “Serie A is very tough and I can tell you Portugal isn’t very difficult, so you can rest many players and still get results. You can’t do that here. “Last season Benfica lost all three chances of silverware at the last hurdle. Now they are back in the Europa League Final and as such have already won, because this is the path to follow. We haven’t won anything yet, but must surf on this positive wave.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Buffon: 'Benfica didn't humiliate Juve' May 3, 2014 Gigi Buffon maintains Juventus were beaten “but not annihilated” by Benfica in the Europa League. The Bianconeri went out of the semi-final 2-1 on aggregate after a goalless second leg in Turin on Thursday. “These were two very balanced games and in boxing terms we deserved more on points,” the goalkeeper told Sky Sport Italia. “They were two matches in which the details made the difference in these cases you can win or, as happened to us, you can lose. “We were not humiliated or made people change their view of us. We played on a par with Benfica. They did well to go through, but we were not annihilated. “Benfica are a side who, if I’m not wrong, are sixth in the European club rankings and yet we played at the same level and probably deserved to qualify. We have to compliment them for their progress.” Benfica will play the Europa League Final against Sevilla at the Juventus Stadium on May 14.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Random thoughts about Juventus and European competition May 2, 2014 There is a reason why there was no post on this site on Friday. Your boy needed to think about a few things. And not just think about how to live a long, somewhat stress-free life when I root for a team like Juventus, but also what exactly happened Thursday night against Benfica and resulted in Juventus players sporting sad faces in many of pictures available to us. The simple way to put it: Juve didn't get to the final of the Europa League when EVERYBODY thought they were the favorites to win the whole damn thing. Another simple way to put it: Juventus need to improve in Europe. Now that all of you are thinking something like "Thanks, genius." I'll try and elaborate a little bit more than just sounding like a complete dope. Juventus are one of the select few teams this season that can say they've been eliminated from two European competitions within the span of a couple months. I'm pretty sure that's something they didn't want to be saying at the beginning of the season when Antonio Conte sat down for one of his first press conferences back in August and September. There's reasons why Juventus are here. You don't enter the season as a sleeper to do damage in the Champions League and then not even make it to the knockout stage. You don't fall into the Europa League, get picked the thing and then fall short of making the final. Juventus are dynamite in Italy — which is good, and also bad. But when it comes to Europe, something just isn't right. (And, just for the record, I'm still pissed off about Thursday's game. Yeah, so much for not caring about a second-fiddle European competition. So close, yet so far, I guess.) Juventus' manager is still learning how to coach in Europe Antonio Conte isn't perfect — but we pretty much knew that already. And if you didn't think he's not perfect, then I don't know what to tell you. Conte can be stubborn about things we want him to possibly reevaluate. Conte can be somewhat frustrating when it comes to squad selection some of the time. And yet, there's also this: Conte, the player and the manager, is one of the best things to happen to Juventus in recent memory. While it's tough to ignore what some of Juventus' managers have done in Europe over course of the past couple of decades, is it fair to compare Conte to them? In some ways yes, in some ways no. Conte is damn good at what he does, but it's apparent that his ability to show the same kind of results he gets in Italy on the European stage. And if that means adapting, then so be it. There should be some tactical flexibility I'm not saying ditch the 3-5-2 completely. Let's not forget that even when Juve went 4-3-3 in the second half against Benfica on Thursday night, it's not like things magically changed and it went from sluggishness to absolute jubilation offensively. But for every game like that, there's a 4-3-3 sample of when Juve played Real Madrid toe-to-toe in two Champions League group stage game. You know, the same Real Madrid team that just advanced to the Champions League final. It seems like those two games were years ago, not all of five months ago, doesn't it? Simply going 4-3-3 won't solve all of Juve's apparent problems. Neither will sticking with the 3-5-2. Either way, a mix of the two won't be the worst thing in the world. It would just be nice to see the same kind of willingness to go from one formation to another we saw in Conte's first year. That's what we call tactical flexibility, ladies and gents. Juventus need to change their European mindset in a hurry Restoring the classic Juventus grinta became a staple of Conte's first year as Juventus manager. And in that sense, he has proven he can do exactly that. But when it comes to the early goings of the group stages in the Champions League, Juve have been 2 for 2 in starting out like total crap. They got away with it the first time around, but obviously not this year. The sluggish start bit Juve right in the backside and is one of a handful of reasons why Juve didn't even get into the knockout stages of the Champions League. It's one thing to draw against a team of Real Madrid's caliber, it's another to struggle to a draw against FC Copenhagen. Nobody expected European dominance right off the bat. Well, maybe a few people, but that's just silly. But nobody expected struggling against Danish sides for two straight years, either. While it's true you can't take any team lightly in Europe's biggest competition, there's also a reason why they're games considered Juventus should win. And until they actually do beat the worst team in the group twice, there's still going to be plenty of motivation to pull our hair out. Juventus need better squad depth from top to bottom Yes, the struggles in Europe aren't solely on Conte (as much as some people don't want you to believe that). Juventus have been playing a whole lot of games this season. And up until a few weeks ago, it was pretty much the same group of players starting every single game. It doesn't really matter what formation Conte deems as his default one next season. To have the tactical flexibility, Juve need players that are able to adapt. And that means no Simone Padoins around next season as much as it might be depressing to lose the official human victory cigar. I'm not saying Juventus need to go out and spend €100 million this summer just to say they did. Beppe Marotta is good at what he does because he finds himself some good deals. And for every deal he makes — Carlos Tévez, Andrea Pirlo, Fernando Llorente — the base is there. You improve the bench, you bring in a really good winger, and now we're talking some serious aspirations. Juventus acutally learn from both European exits this season To be honest, I was thinking the same thing last year when Juve were throttled by Bayern Munich over two legs. But there's a pretty big difference between this season and 12 months ago: That Bayern team were an absolute machine who took no prisoners and demolished just about every squad in sight, Juve have pretty much themselves to blame in this year's European woes. It's understandable and reasonable to say Juventus need to say learn from their mistakes in Europe the past two years. And while I'm always going to be Mr. Optimism, until those mistakes are, ya know, corrected, there will always be at least a little bit of skepticism. I guess it just all comes full circle. Conte learn from mistakes. Management learn what they need to improve the squad. The players learn to not lose to annoying Danish teams they have no business losing to. Full circle, folks. Hooray, hooray.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Juventus Hard Done by Fate, Referees in Fall to Benfica May 2, 2014 Football is a game of inches. That was evident throughout the second leg of Thursday's Europa League semifinal between Juventus and Benfica. Had Kwadwo Asamoah's cross in the first minute of first-half stoppage time been six inches farther ahead of Arturo Vidal, the Chilean could have powered his header past Jan Oblak instead of craning his neck to bounce it into the ground and see Luisao desperately clear the ball off the line. Three minutes earlier, a flick on from an Andrea Pirlo free-kick evaded Carlos Tevez's boot by the slightest of gaps. Pirlo's swerving 30-yard free-kick just after the hour just didn't knuckle enough to get by Oblak. Martin Caceres' header from a last-gasp corner was just too close to the Slovenian keeper to get by. Most glaringly, Stephan Lichtsteiner's mishandling of a ball from Claudio Marchisio in the 80th minute when it looked easier to score could have changed the game and sent Juve to the final. Yes, fate was a fickle lover for the Old Lady of Italian football Thursday night. The Bianconeri controlled the game and played like lions, but even at 10 and then nine men, Benfica could not be broken. If a team has to go out at this stage, that is the way fans want to see it. There was, however, one element that did not live up to the quality of the game: the officiating. I am not one who normally squeals about being hard-done by the officials. Having officiated sports games myself as a baseball umpire, I understand how difficult it is to do these things, especially at the highest levels of a fast-paced sport. But the way Mark Clattenburg handled Thursday's match was dreadful. The Englishman is one of the more respected officials in the English Premier League, but he and his crew missed at least three legitimate penalty appeals from the hosts. The first came early in the first half after Paul Pogba was brought down in the box with the defender nowhere near the ball. The next two came on the same play, when Fernando Llorente was undercut while going up for a header and a Benfica defender handled the ensuing deflection. Of course, judgement calls can always be criticized with the benefits of hindsight and six replay angles. One gets angry but eventually can forgive. But Clattenburg's inability to deal with Benfica's time-wasting, especially in the late stages of the game, cannot be forgiven. He started chastising Oblak for slow play early in the game but did nothing substantial to speed things up when the Portuguese side began moving at a walking pace. By the end of 90 minutes, it was taking 20 to 30 seconds for Benfica players to take throw-ins. Lazar Markovic took the better part of two minutes late on to be helped off the field by the training staff, but he was obviously sprightly enough to get into a fight with Mirko Vucinic on the touchline less than three minutes after he was withdrawn. The only trick Benfica didn't pull was the shameful faked injury Brazilian defender Erika was guilty of in the 2011 Women's World Cup against the United States. By the time Clattenburg was done sorting out the touchline fracas between Vucinic and Markovic and the legitimate injury suffered by Ezequiel Garay, it's arguable that at least 10 minutes should have been added to the game. The initial number on the board was six—a number likely sent in before so much time was lost due to those incidents—but to stop at eight was still not going far enough. Simply put, his management of Benfica's blatant time-wasting and his subsequent management of stoppage time were, at best, subpar. Clattenburg's performance was not the reason Juve did not go through to the final, but it certainly did not help—especially when Arturo Vidal could easily have stepped up to the spot more than once. His future European appointments should be selected with care—and maybe shouldn't be at such advanced stages. In the end, heartbreaking as it was for Juve's fans, their team couldn't break Benfica down in either leg and paid for it. The team can now build for next year's European campaigns and hope to finally break through in the last phase of their post-Calciopoli rebuild—and fans will hope that they are much happier.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) Juventus vs. Benfica: Lessons to Be Learned for Antonio Conte's Men May 2, 2014 The idea of playing in a European final in their own stadium had further motivated Juventus, determined to lift the trophy in familiar surroundings and deliver some long-overdue continental silverware. Not since their Champions League triumph in 1996 had they managed such a feat, despite finishing as runners-up three times in the intervening years. While they will lament their elimination at the hands of Benfica, the thought that 2013-14 has been anything other than a success for the Bianconeri is almost laughable. Roma need to take all three points against Catania on Sunday to prevent the Turin giants from winning the league title, and even if they do they will only be prolonging Juventus' inevitable league triumph. Victory over Atalanta on Monday will secure the Serie A crown, Juve lifting it for a third consecutive time, a feat they have only managed once in their history. That was way back in the 1930s, meaning Antonio Conte will have already achieved something neither Giovanni Trapattoni nor Marcello Lippi managed during their trophy-laden years with the club. With three matches remaining, Juventus are also just five points short of setting a new record on the peninsula, aiming to top the 97 won by Roberto Mancini’s Inter in 2006-07. The team has continued to evolve under the current coach, the players available to him now vastly improved from his first season in charge. Supporters and observers demand and expect La Madama to contest the latter stages of European football’s elite competition, but it must be remembered that this is only his third year in the job. Even more important is that it is only the second campaign of his career where he has needed to balance domestic and continental obligations. That Conte has followed last season’s Champions League quarter final exit with a European semi-final this time around shows he too is improving. Questions remain over his choice of formation, with the 3-5-2 decried as unsuited to facing the differing styles across Europe, yet it is hard to blame the shape of the team for Thursday night’s 0-0 draw. His post-match press conference was littered with complaints, but Conte did make one extremely salient point after the final whistle. “They have international experience and showed it tonight,” he told reporters (h/t Football Italia), a nod to the fact Benfica finished runners-up in this competition last season. Juventus will enter next season with similar insight into what is required of them at the highest level, and they will rightly be expected to contend much longer in the Champions League. This year’s group-stage exit was—no matter the circumstances—hugely disappointing, with this all-conquering side expected to exert similar dominance outside of Italy. To do so they may yet need one more big-name signing, with the idea of a pacey attacking player such as Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez perhaps at the forefront of that thinking. That would allow the coach to vary his tactics, finding gaps even against a team as resolute as Benfica were here in Turin. Paris Saint-Germain’s Jeremy Menez has also been linked with the club, according to Football Italia, while their co-ownership in Sassuolo starlet Domenico Berardi hints at the club management seeing the need for that same type of player. Delivering one (or even two) of those should be Beppe Marotta’s main priority this summer, with the squad clearly strong in almost every other area. They will also benefit from having their star forward enjoying a summer off, with Argentina continuing to ignore the claims of Carlos Tevez for a place in Brazil this summer. The No. 10 has been a revelation in his first season with the club, weighing in with 21 goals and eight assists in all competitions. Strike partner Fernando Llorente struggled in the early part of the season, taking until November to earn a regular place in the Juventus side. But he has flourished since, adding 15 goals of his own and forming and excellent tandem with Tevez, which bodes well for next season. Their Europa League exit may have been disappointing, but the experience, combined with having Tevez and Llorente together and another attacking option to come, should make 2014-15 year to remember for Juventus.

JUVENTUS 0 - 0 BENFICA (Agg 1-2) May 1, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England) ‘Juve must improve in Europe’ May 2, 2014 Former Juventus player Mark Iuliano believes the Old Lady must concentrate on performing better in Europe in the future. Antonio Conte’s side exited the Europa League at the semi-final stage last night, having failed to break down Portuguese champions Benfica. Despite feeling that the Bianconeri were hard done by in their 2-1 aggregate defeat, the 40-year-old now expects the club to have a clear plan moving forward. “If you consider both legs, home and away, Juventus did show they were stronger than Benfica,” Iuliano said to CalcioNews24. “But you need to applaud Benfica and say well done. They defended well and they managed to go through without even scoring. “The first leg result turned out to be very damaging. I am sorry both for my old team and for the Italian League’s UEFA ranking, which is going down. It is a shame. “They had a lot of chances to get into the final, but they also need to think about improving now. “I’m talking about on a European level. Domestically Juventus have dominated. “I think that the Juve board of directors and Coach have a clear idea of what to do. From next season the players will have more experience in Europe, which has come from this year. “In the transfer market they need to strengthen in terms of numbers. Maybe at this stage of the season some of the players are tired because they have been starting matches so often.”