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Buffon: Busy schedule could hinder Juventus' double bid The Bianconeri captain has admitted that he fears Antonio Conte's men could succumb to fatigue as they attempt to end their season with two trophies. Apr 9, 2014 Gianluigi Buffon fears that Juventus' busy schedule could hinder their trophy hopes this season as they prepare to host Olympique Lyonnais in the Europa League just three days after edging closer to retaining their Serie A title with a win over Livorno. The Bianconeri are clear favourites to progress to the last four after winning 1-0 at the Stade de Gerland last week but their captain is taking nothing for granted, particularly as he fears fatigue could be a factor. "We won the first leg with a single-goal margin, but we have to be very focused," Buffon told the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "We go into the game on the back of big games all close together and some players have been played a lot, so it will not be easy." Juventus are eight points clear of second-placed Roma in Serie A, with Antonio Conte's men expected to wrap up their third successive Scudetto in the coming weeks, but Buffon says that they can not afford to take their foot off the gas. "Unfortunately, the title is not yet won," the Italy international continued. "Behind us are a top team in Roma, who believe in a comeback, so it should drive us to be very careful. "The third title in a row would be the recognition of our work: I do not think we will get 100 points this season, but I want to win the championship." Juventus need to win their final six games to make history by finishing with treble figures.

'Scudetto race not over yet' - Marotta warns Juventus to be wary of Roma threat The Bianconeri lead Serie A by eight points but the club's director general says that Antonio Conte's men cannot afford to ease up. Apr 9, 2014 Giuseppe Marotta has warned Juventus against writing off Roma as they look to wrap up their third straight Scudetto. With just six rounds of the Serie A season remaining, the Bianconeri have an eight-point lead over the Giallorossi, who have been rocked by the news that in-form forward Mattia Destro will miss four games through suspension. However, the Bianconeri general manager has no doubt that Rudi Garcia's men will still be able to maintain their surprise title challenge. "Destro is a little champion, but Roma can do without him, as they are a great team," Marotta told reporters. "The club is highly motivated, play well together and can cover for his absence. "We have a good lead at the top, consolidated with an extraordinary campaign, but there are still 18 points to go and the Scudetto race isn’t over yet." Marotta also stressed that being the dominant team in Italy has not been easy for Juve. "For three seasons we have been the pace-setters and this puts a lot of strain on a side," he explained. "But thanks to Antonio Conte we have maintained our position at the top and will try to stay there for even longer." Juve's success this season has been founded on the sensational goalscoring form of summer signings Carlo Tevez and Fernando Llorente and Marotta finds it extraordinary that neither the Argentine nor his Spanish accomplice are likely to travel to Brazil with their respective nations. "Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente have scored 31 goals between them and I think they both deserve to go to the World Cup," he stated.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juventus-Olympique Lyonnais Preview: Visitors go in search of a miracle in Turin Antonio Conte's men boast a formidable home record in all competitions and will be confident of progressing to the last four after triumphing 1-0 at the Gerland last week. Apr 9, 2014 Olympique Lyonnais will need to become the first team in a year to win at Juventus if they are to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Italian champions hold a 1-0 advantage from the first-leg at the Stade de Gerland, which saw the Serie A leaders net a crucial away goal in the 84th minute through Leonardo Bonucci. The defender's goal puts Antonio Conte's men in command of the tie, and the Old Lady should be clear favourites to qualify for the last four considering their magnificent home record. Indeed, the return fixture takes place a year to the day since Conte's side last suffered a home defeat, which came at the hands of Bayern Munich in the second-leg of last season's Champions League quarter-finals. The likes of Real Madrid, Napoli and Roma have all failed to win in the Juventus Stadium since that day, and Lyon coach Remi Garde, who said Lyon had a "mountain" to climb before last week's meeting, accepted his side need a "miracle" following its conclusion. "It was a great experience for the young players [playing against Juve]," he said. "It will be tough in Turin and we will need a miracle to win in the second-leg." The clash marks the start of an exciting run of fixtures for Lyon, who face Ligue 1 champions-elect Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday before taking on Laurent Blanc's men again in the Coupe de la Ligue final the following Saturday at the Stade de France. But the seven-time French champions will approach that daunting triumvirate of fixtures with a number of injury concerns. Clement Grenier is out with a groin problem, and fellow midfielder Gueida Fofana will also miss out with a similar injury. Playmaker Yoann Gourcuff remains unavailable with an ankle problem, and Jordan Ferri - scorer of a spectacular long-range strike in Sunday's 2-1 win at Valenciennes - will likely be selected to fill the void again in a depleted midfield. At the back, Mouhamadou Dabo has yet to recover from a hamstring issue and Miguel Lopes is out for the rest of the season with a broken leg. Meanwhile, the hosts will be boosted by the return of Arturo Vidal after he missed the 2-0 Serie A win over Livorno at the weekend through suspension. Defender Andrea Barzagli (calf) is still struggling for fitness, but Carlos Tevez shook off a thigh injury to play against Livorno on Monday and defender Angelo Ogbonna is available to feature for the first time in nearly a month. Head to Head UEFA Europa League -‎ Apr 3, 2014 - Olympique Lyonnais 0 - 1 Juventus Club Friendlies ‎-‎ Jul 24, 2010 - Juventus 2 - 1 Olympique Lyonnais Last Five Matches JUVENTUS Apr 7, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 0 Livorno - Serie A Apr 3, 2014 - Olympique Lyonnais 0 - 1 Juventus - EL Mar 30, 2014 - SSC Napoli 2 - 0 Juventus - Serie A Mar 26, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 1 Parma - Serie A Mar 23, 2014 - Catania 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS Apr 6, 2014 - Valenciennes FC 1 - 2 Olympique Lyonnais - Ligue 1 Apr 3, 2014 - Olympique Lyonnais 0 - 1 Juventus - EL Mar 30, 2014 - Olympique Lyonnais 1 - 2 AS Saint-Etienne - Ligue 1 Mar 23, 2014 - EA Guingamp 0 - 1 Olympique Lyonnais - Ligue 1 Mar 20, 2014 - FC Viktoria Plzeň 2 - 1 Olympique Lyonnais - EL

Buffon: Winning the Scudetto is Juventus’ priority Apr 9, 2014 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon hinted that Serie A is Juventus’ main focus despite their run in the Europa League. The Bianconeri can reach the semi-finals as they hold a 1-0 lead over Lyon heading into the second leg of their tie on Thursday but Buffon insists the Italians are still focusing their attention on the Scudetto race. “There are priorities,” the goalkeeper told Tuttosport after being asked whether the Europa League would be snubbed in order to win Scudetto. “The comedown from losing first place would be bigger than the joy of the Cup. “I hope that by the time the semi-finals are played the Scudetto will be basically already sewn on our chests.” Juventus hold an eight-point lead over Roma with six matches remaining in the Serie A season.

Buffon: Juventus’ eight-point advantage does not make me feel serene Apr 9, 2014 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is adamant that the Bianconeri’s eight-point lead over Roma is not a comfortable gap. The 36-year-old also discussed the upcoming Europa League return leg against Olympique Lyonnais, inviting his teammates to remain vigilant despite the 1-0 victory in the first leg. “We will have to pay attention to Olympique Lyonnais, they are a mature team with experience,” Buffon told La Stampa. “We are coming from a period where the same players have always been fielded.” He then weighed in on the Scudetto race and the battle with Roma. “The eight-point advantage does not make me feel serene.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Iuliano: Juventus can win the Europa League Apr 9, 2014 Former Juventus defender Mark Iuliano is confident that the Bianconeri can lift the Europa league this season. The Serie A leaders entertain French side Lyon on Thursday night at the Juventus Stadium in the second leg of the quarter final tie. The Bianconeri hold a slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg thanks to a goal from Leonardo Bonucci but Iuliano is confident the Italian champions can continue their march in Europe and even win the competition. “Hopefully the Bianconeri can get to the final and win the cup,” the 40-year-old told Tuttomercatoweb.com. “It will be important to understand the game well, psychologically. “But in that aspect Conte is a guarantee as he knows how to motivate the players. “Lyon are a decent team who offer good football. So,we still have to pay maximum concentration for the full 90 minutes.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juve to use strongest side against Lyon Turin giants forget title race, set sights on Europa League. Apr 9, 2014 Juventus boss Antonio Conte has said that his side have put the Serie A title race aside and are focusing exclusively on their Europa League quarter-final return against Lyon in Turin on Thursday. That means Conte will resist the temptation to rotate his squad to save the energy of key players for the battle in the domestic league. Juventus are eight points clear in Serie A with six games to go, but the strong form of second-placed AS Roma, who have won their last six games, means Conte's men cannot afford to relax. That and the fact that Juve take a 1-0 advantage into the quarter-final return after their victory in France a week ago had led to speculation Conte could rest some regulars. But the coach says he wants Juve to be at their best as they aim to reach the final of Europe's secondary club competition, which will be played at their home ground in Turin on May 14. "We're here to talk about the Europa League quarter-final return leg and as far as I'm concerned the league doesn't exist today," said Conte. "It would be prestigious for Juventus to reach the semis, it's been seven years since an Italian team got to that stage," he added, referring to Fiorentina's appearance in the last four in 2008. "I'll look to pick the best team that will enable us to get through, playing those who can give us the best guarantees from a physical and psychological point of view".

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juventus v Lyon team news Juventus coach Antonio Conte has called on the club's fans to play a big part when they host Lyon in Thursday's Europa League clash in Turin. Apr 9, 2014 The Italian champions take a slender one-goal lead into the second leg of their quarter-final tie after Leonardo Bonucci's late strike earned them victory in France. Conte knows, though, that the tie remains very much alive, with Lyon unbeaten in the competition until last week. He said: "This tie is far from over. Lyon have great players in attack. "I hope to see a packed Juventus Stadium and that our fans make their voices heard to push the team forward. "We need the crowd to rise to the big occasion. We want to be in the semi-final. "It would be great to reach the last four, for Italian football as well as for Juve." Lyon can expect a stern test at the Juventus Stadium, the venue for this year's final. Juve, who lead the Serie A standings with an eight-point advantage over Roma, have been dominant at home this campaign. They have won all 16 of their league matches in Turin, including Monday's 2-0 triumph over Livorno. Moreover, Conte's side is unbeaten at home in Europe since falling 2-0 to Bayern Munich in April 2013. Lyon travel to Italy on the back of Sunday's 2-1 triumph at Valenciennes which lifted Remi Garde's side to fifth in Ligue 1. Les Gones are still missing half of their regular starting XI through injury but are confident they can overturn the tie. "We have to believe we can do it," Lyon midfielder Maxime Gonalons said. "But it will be very tough. "We need to score and then see what happens afterwards. "Anything is possible in football and Lyon have already turned around worse situations in the past." Carlos Tevez will lead Juve's attack with the Argentinian striker eager to score his first European goal since April 2009. The hosts also welcome back midfielder Arturo Vidal from suspension.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Bonucci expecting ‘battle’ Apr 8, 2014 Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci is expecting a battle when his side face Lyon in Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg. The Old Lady hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg in France but the Azzurri international says the team must continue to show a winning mentality. “Our win against Livorno shows that when we go out onto the pitch we always want to win,” Bonucci wrote on his official website. “My aim, and I hope it’s my teammates’ aim too, is to increase our advantage over Roma. “A winning team needs to keep looking forward and after a victory they repeat the job. “In Udine we have another final, a win we need to win and a match with a thousand motivations. “Now we need to think about Thursday against Lyon, we are expecting another battle. “The match against Lyon is the first of four cup finals. At Juventus Stadium I only know one result. Winning!”

Llorente: Juventus must ignore Roma's results The Spaniard says that the Bianconeri should only concern themselves with their own form and admitted that Antonio Conte was right to drop him for last week's trip to Lyon. Apr 8, 2014 Juventus striker Fernando Llorente has urged his team-mates to focus on their own performances rather than look at second-placed Roma's results as they aim to wrap up their third successive Serie A title as soon as possible. The reigning champions beat Livorno 2-0 on Monday evening courtesy of a Llorente double to restore their eight-point lead over the Giallorossi and the Spanish forward is confident that Antonio Conte's men will hold onto top spot as long as they ignore what their Scudetto rivals are doing. "We mustn’t look at Roma; instead we should concentrate on ourselves," Llorente told the official Juventus website. "We won’t have any problems if we play as we know how." Llorente returned to the starting XI after being benched for the Europa League match against Olympique Lyonnais last week and he claimed that his two-goal haul proved that coach Antonio Conte made the right call. "The rest has done me good; I feel strong again," he enthused. "I was a bit tired in recent games and not as good as usual. "But that’s normal. It happens when you have so many fixtures to play." The 29-year-old has now netted 13 goals in 29 Serie A appearances so far this term.

Buffon on Scuffet and Destro Apr 8, 2014 Gigi Buffon believes Udinese goalkeeper Simone Scuffet “deserves a place at the World Cup” and is sorry for Mattia Destro. The Juventus and Italy shot-stopper spoke to Sport Mediaset and discussed the upcoming tournament in Brazil. Scuffet is only 17 and made his Serie A debut in February, but has quickly become a star name. “Should Scuffet go to Brazil? Considering what he is doing I’d say he deserves it, but watch out for Mattia Perin and Francesco Bardi too,” said the veteran. Destro will be suspended for the next four games, three of them handed out using video evidence to identify his lashing out of an arm on Cagliari’s Davide Astori. Not only is it a heavy blow for Roma, but could also rule him out of the World Cup for breaking Cesare Prandelli’s Code of Ethics. “If Roma were to lose such an important player it would be disappointing for us too, as a side like the Giallorossi make the League more fascinating,” noted Buffon. “Does he risk missing the World Cup? That is not a problem that I can resolve, as there are people who know how to face the situation.”

Marotta: 'Roma fine without Destro' Apr 8, 2014 Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta insisted “the Scudetto race isn’t over yet” despite their lead and Mattia Destro’s ban. The Bianconeri maintained the gap at the top of the table at eight points and Roma’s top scorer Destro will be suspended for the next four games. “Destro is a little champion, but Roma can do without him, as they are a great team,” said Marotta at a talk at the Insubria University in Varese. “The club is highly motivated, play well together and can cover for his absence. We have a good lead at the top, consolidated with an extraordinary campaign, but there are still 18 points to go and the Scudetto race isn’t over yet. “For three seasons we have been the pace-setters and this puts a lot of strain on a side, but thanks to Antonio Conte we have maintained our position at the top and will try to stay there for even longer. “Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente have scored 31 goals between them and I think they both deserve to go to the World Cup.” Naturally, Marotta was asked about the Juventus Stadium, which is setting the benchmark for other Serie A clubs. “It is the example to be followed. Most Italian stadiums are cathedrals in the desert, used only during the games. Our stadium has a daily life of its own and on match day welcomes spectators not just for the game, but to spend many enjoyable hours together. “Directors also have a social responsibility towards the lads in the youth academy. They hope to become professionals, but Italian football will only allow three out of a hundred to achieve that aim. “Therefore we wanted to become the first Italian football club to create our own college to ensure the players can combine sporting activity with learning and accompany them towards their diplomas.” Marotta was asked who his favourite figures from the history of football were. “In my view Pele and Diego Maradona were the greatest players, while as a Coach I’d say Sir Alex Ferguson not just for what he won, but because he covered an entire era at the top.”

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ ‘Juve’s strikers the difference’ Apr 7, 2014 Paolo Castellini reflected that Juventus’ strikers proved the difference against a Livorno side already looking to Chievo. The Amaranto were dispatched 2-0 on Monday evening thanks to two goals from Fernando Llorente, but one of their defensive number was not disheartened, particularly with a key relegation clash to come in Week 33. “The truth is that we came up against a great team and we tried to play our game, taking advantage of the speed of Emeghara. “The game was not bad, but the strikes from their forwards have determined the game in a certain way. “Against Chievo we will play for a lot. But we do not want to create tension in the environment, we are happy for the compactness shown against Juve. “Here we have shown great consistency, I must say that we were fairly good. From this point we must push on. “The Scudetto? Juve are impregnable. As a former Roma man I would like the Giallorossi to win it, but with Juve like this, it is impossible.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Juventus a step closer to finish line, says Chiellini The defender is amazed at how consistent the Bianconeri have been this term while coach Antonio Conte insists nothing is over yet. Apr 7, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini says Juventus are inching closer to securing their third consecutive Serie A title. Antonio Conte's men beat Livorno 2-0 on Monday night thanks to a first-half brace from Fernando Llorente that restored their lead over Roma at the top of the table to eight points with just six games remaining. Chiellini is proud of the way the Bianconeri bounced back from last week's 2-0 defeat to Napoli and he feels his side are getting ever closer to clinching the title again. "We have been sending messages to the rest of the league for a long time, as we are extraordinarily consistent," he told Sky Sport Italia. "A single slip-up was physiologically likely, but we reacted well to that. We put in a good performance, there’s still a way to go yet, but the finish line is getting closer and closer. "We are ready to go all the way both in Serie A and Europe. We’re getting closer to the finish line and that fires us up." The Old Lady will carry on a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final when they host Lyon on Thursday. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Di Carlo: 'Stars make the difference' Apr 7, 2014 Livorno Coach Domenico Di Carlo admits Juventus star power “made the difference” and turned his focus to Chievo. The Amaranto were beaten 2-0 in Turin by a Fernando Llorente brace and remain in the bottom three. “We faced the game with the right spirit, immediately having three shots on goal. I liked the team and its tactical balance, but then you have to remember we were facing Juve,” Di Carlo told Sky Sport Italia. “Llorente had a great turn for the opening goal, while we have more regrets for the second, which in the end made the difference. “We remained in the game and didn’t lose our balance, otherwise we would’ve been on the end of a real hammering. “Buffon performed two great saves and they scored two goals, so in the end that’s what made the difference.” Livorno have Emerson, Ibrahima Mbaye and Andrea Luci injured, while Paulinho was rested to ensure he’ll be at his best for the relegation dogfight with Chievo. “I think Livorno have a squad up to the task. We want to survive with team spirit and moments that can change a game,” continued Di Carlo. “It’s a head-to-head with Chievo that we must win, though we know they will focus on the counter-attack and try to stop us playing. We need great intensity on Sunday and call our fans to fill the stadium. “We’ve got to reach this occasion in the right way and don’t want to give up. It’s a young team, we are learning to be more consistent over 90 minutes, but we do pay for certain mistakes.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Juventus not champions yet, says Antonio Conte The Bianconeri now sit eight points clear of Roma with just six games remaining but the boss insists the title race is far from over. Apr 7, 2014 Juventus coach Antonio Conte is adamant that his side still have a lot of work to do before they can relax, insisting the league isn't over just yet. The Old Lady sit eight points clear of second-placed Roma with just six games remaining following their 2-0 victory over Livorno on Monday. But Conte insists the title race is far from over. "It is absolutely not over," he told Sky Sport Italia. "This has been a fascinating season with two teams breaking records and doing extraordinary things. People should give credit to Juventus and Roma, but there are six games to go and you all know what I think about it. "Nothing has been concluded and we must keep going like this." The 44-year-old turned his attention to the second-leg of his side's Europa League quarter-final clash against Lyon, which they head into with a 1-0 lead from the first meeting in France. "We cannot take our foot off the gas, as in three days we play again and we want to get into the semi-finals. "It would be great to reach the final four, for Italian football as well as for Juve. Lyon have some good players on the counter, so the tie is far from over. "I hope the stadium will be packed and that the fans make their voices heard to push these lads forward. We need the crowd worthy of a big occasion for this final strait. In recent years we won also thanks to them and I hope it’ll continue that way." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Player Ratings Fernando Llorente's first half brace extended the Bianconeri's lead atop the Serie A table to eight points with six games remaining. Apr 7, 2014 JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Not tested very often, but up to the task when called upon. Made a brilliant save to deny Duncan later in the second half. Martín Cáceres - Struggled at times to deal with the strength and pace of Emeghara, but made a few nice recovery tackles on this his 27th birthday. Leonardo Bonucci - Suffered an injury early in the second half, but soldiered up and helped see out the victory with another no nonsense performance at the back. Giorgio Chiellini - Didn't put a foot wrong at the back. Typically committed performance from the veteran defender. Stephan Lichtsteiner - Excellent pace and vision saw him set up a number of chances. Glided past Mesbah, giving the Algerian fits with his strong running on the ball. Paul Pogba - One of the best performers on the pitch for Juventus. He set up a number of chances with some sharp passing and came close to scoring with a few shots from distance. Andrea Pirlo - Commanding figure in midfield. Distributed the ball exceptionally well, kick-starting nearly every Juventus attack. Claudio Marchisio - Saw plenty of the ball, but didn't create too much in terms of chances. Seemed to improve as the time passed. Kwadwo Asamoah - The Ghanaian made a number of nice runs along the left, beating defenders at will. Sometimes lacked a better final ball. Carlos Tévez - Set up the opening goal with his determination and dribbling skills. Still a relatively quiet performance from the Argentine. FERNANDO LLORENTE - Man of the match type stuff from the Spaniard who showed his strength on the ball. Made easy work of Valentini on both his goals. Substitutions Simone Padoin - Late substitution to wind down the clock. Mirko Vučinić - Came on with the game out of reach and Juventus looking to wind down the clock. Sebastian Giovinco - Came close to scoring and setting up a third goal for the hosts. LIVORNO Francesco Bardi - Despite endless pressure from Juventus, he wasn't forced into making too many difficult stops. Very poor on the second Llorente goal. Federico Ceccherini - Did a good job of tracking back on a number of occasions from his right midfield position. Hardly saw the ball in attack. Subbed off in the 59th minute. Nahuel Valentini - Completely outmatched by Fernando Llorente. Beaten by the Spaniard on both goals. Andrea Coda - Caught out of position on more than a few occasions. A bit sloppy with his clearances allowing Juventus to keep up the pressure. Paolo Castellini - A bright spot for Livorno in defence. Fearless in his challenges, and kept Tevez in check for the greater part of the match. Marco Benassi - Overwhelmed in midfield. Put up against the likes of Pirlo and Pogba, and wasn't able to trouble the Juventus playmakers. Marco Biagianti - Failed to stamp his authority on the match. Didn't help the back three in dealing with the immense Juventus pressure. Subbed off in the 74th minute. Joseph Duncan - Produced the best chance of the match for the visitors, but had his blistering shot turned away by Buffon. Djamel Mesbah - Exposed by the speed and pace of Lichtsteiner. Struggled to cope with the quick passing of Juventus and squandered possession far too often. Innocent Emeghara - Strong and confident the few times he saw the ball in attack. Subbed off in the 64th minute. Luca Siligardi - Never managed to threaten the Juventus defence. Very wasteful on the ball. Substitutions Cristiano Piccini - Never saw much of the ball after coming on in the second half. Jonny Mosquera - Came on with 15 minutes to play, with Juventus milking the clock. Ishak Belfodil - Showed flashes of skill when on the ball, but hardly saw enough of it to make much of an impact. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Juve top Livorno to regain eight-point Serie A lead Apr 7, 2014 One need only look at the manner in which Juventus General Director Beppe Marotta, club President Andrea Agnelli and former Juve star Pavel Nedved celebrated Juve's first goal to understand how important a win at home to Livorno is for a side chasing their third consecutive league title. Seemingly tired and up against sides desperate to produce a miracle, the Bianconeri continue to push forward, managing a 2-0 victory to safeguard their position at the top of the table. Tactically, Livorno were worryingly poor. It was clear that when facing opponents boasting such superior technical quality, their game plan would consist of defending then counter-attacking. However, the manner in which their strategy was executed caused concern and further demonstrated why the club find themselves fighting a relegation battle. The first half was bizarre, to say the least. While the away side played a diligent game initially, the back line soon ceded space and began to fall apart tactically, gifting their opponents the opportunity to mount consistent attacks. If Livorno's game is based around defending before countering, then they must learn how to remain concentrated to close down space to play a compact game. Not one of Domenico Di Carlo's men was capable of holding his position or shutting down the avenues to goal effectively to minimise the vertical runs forward their opponents consistently made. Easily dragged out of position, the Amaranto back-line would shift towards one Juve attacker and leave plenty of gaps and open space for his teammates to exploit. This was especially obvious when Stephan Lichtsteiner cut inside and dragged six defenders towards him to create a cluster in the middle allowing the likes of Paul Pogba plenty of room to operate and strike behind Lichtsteiner. The first goal, was to a lesser extent, another example of this. Claudio Marchisio delivered a ball to Carlos Tevez on the left and the Argentine's cut inside dragged three defenders towards him, leaving Fernando Llorente with one player to contend with -- one player who was unable to effectively position himself to stop the Spaniard from turning to strike the ball. 1-0 and it should have been more at that point. An entire flank was left void of supervision which meant only one accurate cross or two quick passes would allow Juventus to switch play and penetrate with ease. More infuriating for the Livorno coach however was his players' reluctance to mark the creative outlets within Juve manager Antonio Conte's side. Andrea Pirlo was granted all the time and space in the world to operate and pick out perfect passes while Leonardo Bonucci behind him regularly pushed ahead, almost reaching the box before he was stopped and a tackle was even attempted. Incidentally, it was the defender's run across which dragged defenders away to allow Llorente a free header to score Juve's second from a corner. Not one Livorno player thought to concentrate on the tall man -- the player most likely to score in that situation. The strategy of defending deep and then leaving the forward(s) up front works only when executed effectively with players of quality, i.e. Manchester United vs Bayern Munich. This particular tactic is meant to stretch the opposition and force the opposing midfielders to play a more cautious game. If they venture too far forward, they risk an imbalance and we saw that happen in the first few minutes of the game when the Old Lady hadn't yet settled into her stride. However, for a side like Livorno, the gaps were essentially too wide and left the Bianconeri with plenty of room to roam in-between while the likes of Marchisio revelled in the ability to intercept passes and initiate his own attacking passages of play. While the relegation battlers' overall poor grasp of defensive tactics is the reason behind their loss, at least they boast the capability of nicking a goal. Alfred Duncan and Innocent Emeghara are easily their best players on the pitch -- men blessed with pace and physicality and the belief they can take on whomever lies ahead of them. Wonder shots and excellent movements called goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon into action and Conte was furious. He certainly did not want his men to suffer the same fate as Inter last week. Dramatic and entertaining, the first half was filled with opportunities for goals. The second was somewhat more composed with both sides attempting to minimise the errors. Juventus were more balanced while Di Carlo's men covered the pitch in a more effective manner. However, both teams seemingly accepted the result making for a quieter and perhaps less thrilling end to the game. The focus shifts back to the Europa League and Juve will hope Lyon will provide them with another opportunity to celebrate at home this week. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Initial reaction and random observations Apr 7, 2014 Apparently all Fernando Llorente needed to do to get back to his awesome goal-scoring ways was shave his beard, add some grease to his hair and comb it off to the side. It definitely worked for one day, at least. The Llorente of earlier this season was back in full force in front of the home crowd at Juventus Stadium on Monday night. Two goals from Llorente in a matter of just three minutes was the difference against Livorno, one of Serie A's relegation battlers. The first coming on a beautiful turn and left-footed blast into the roof of the goal, the second with a little help from Francesco Bardi. Something tells me Mr. Llorente likes playing against Livorno. I don't know what it is. And something else told me over the course of 90 minutes that this was the kind of thumping we were hoping Juventus would put on a side trying not to get relegated like Livorno currently is. Maybe it's the fact Juve had almost three times the amount of possession than Livorno. Or maybe it was because Juventus barely let Livorno out of their own half of the field in the first 45 minutes. Yeah, something like that. It was certainly nice to not have that pull-all-your-hair-out feeling from the opening kickoff to the final whistle like what has been present the last couple of weeks. For the first time in many a game, Juventus' performance was miles ahead of their competition. Ah, yes. Juventus wins with relative ease and Fernando Llorente scored a couple of goals. All is right in the world again. Here's a pretty nice little fact: Juventus need 10 points in their last six matches to clinch a third straight Scudetto. Looking at the remaining schedule, I would like to think that's going to be pretty achievable in short order. Random thoughts and observations • Fernando Llorente good. • Livorno bad. • Gianluigi Buffon's save on Alfred Duncan's attempt from long distance? Really, really good. • Livorno's attempt to not let Andrea Pirlo run the show and take complete control of the midfield? Pretty bad. • Remember when I said Juventus should maybe turn to Mirko Vucinic because Llorente wasn't playing well? Fernando knows how to shut me up. That had to be a big-time confidence-building game for El Rey Leon because it hasn't come easy for him since his last goal in early March. • That was the exact kind of game you want to have against a team like Livorno that is fighting for their Seire A lives. Get the goals early, put it away early and then just kinda sit on cruise control in the second half. Maybe a scare here and there — which Buffon helped save us all a little stress with the save on Duncan — but it was pretty smooth sailing after Llorente's second goal. • Juventus' midfield trio — Paul Pogba, Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio — were all involved early and often. All three had very good games. Then again, it wasn't like any of the players in Juventus' starting lineup had a bad game on Monday. • If Sebastian Giovinco wanted to build off his strong showing off the bench last Thursday against Lyon, he will probably want to press the restart button. Both him and Vucinic were relatively quite in their appearances against Livorno. Although, to be fair to Vucinic, he basically came on at the same time that Livorno started warming up their bus. • Not a bad way for Martin Caceres to celebrate his birthday, eh? Other than one slip-up in the first half, it was yet another solid game for Mr. High Socks. Happy 27th to you, Martin, and keep up the good work. • Back to plus-8 over Roma. Sorry, but we're not sorry. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Chiellini can see the finish line Apr 7, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini saw Juventus sweep Livorno aside 2-0 and pointed out “the finish line is getting closer and closer.” Tonight’s victory followed last week’s surprise 2-0 defeat to Napoli, which threw the title race open again. “We have been sending messages to the rest of the League for a long time, as we are extraordinarily consistent,” the defender told Sky Sport Italia. This result restored their eight-point cushion ahead of Roma at the top of Serie A and their 100 per cent home record. “A single slip-up was physiologically likely, but we reacted well to that. We put in a good performance, there’s still a way to go yet, but the finish line is getting closer and closer. “In the last month and a half I went from being injured to playing every three days, so that was not easy, but the individual is helped by the collective. “We are ready to go all the way both in Serie A and Europe. We’re getting closer to the finish line and that fires us up.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Llorente double crowns Bianconeri win Apr 7, 2014 Juventus coasted to a 2-0 victory against Livorno at the Juventus Stadium on Monday night in Serie A action. Fernando Llorente struck twice in the space of two minutes in the first half to ensure the Bianconeri bounced back after their blip in Naples last Sunday. The game kicked off at a frantic pace and the home side were almost caught napping, Innocent Emeghara bursting forward and striking from range, but Gianluigi Buffon was equal to the task saving down to his left. After a sloppy opening five minutes the Serie A leaders soon found their feet, Carlos Tevez wriggling into the box after being served by Llorente, but the Argentinian fired his shot straight at Francesco Bardi. Juve soon established control of the game, Giorgio Chiellini culpable of blasting a guilt-edged chance over the bar after Paul Pogba had found the defender unmarked just inside the area. Stephan Lichtsteiner was next to squander a presentable chance, the Swiss international failing to administer the contact required to guide Kwadwo Asamoah’s cross goal-wards. Just after the half-hour mark Livorno’s resistance was emphatically broken by Llorente, Tevez slipping a pass to his strike partner and after turning his defender with an adroit touch, the Spanish forward rifled his left-footed strike into the roof of the net. Before the Labronici could gather their wits they soon found themselves 2-0 behind courtesy of the Spanish Lion King once again. Andrea Pirlo’s corner was met at the near post by the 29-year-old whose downward header squirmed past Bardi, who will feel he should have done better. The Bianconeri’s pressure became relentless however just before the interval the Amaranto’s brightest spark, Emeghara, embarked on a virtuoso run nutmegging Martin Caceres, but just failing to get his shot off as Leonardo Bonucci closed him down. The second-half got underway with both sides unchanged and the Bianconeri soon re-asserted their dominance, Llorente receiving a precise Pogba pass and after shrugging off Nahuel Valentini, the side-netting denied the former Athletic Bilbao man his hatrick. On the 60-minute mark the away side came desperately close to pulling a goal back after Alfred Duncan’s 25-yard drive looked bound for the top-corner only for the Italian number one to claw the shot aside. As the Tuscan’s probed for a way back into the game, Domenico Di Carlo brought Ishak Belfodil into the fray while Antonio Conte replaced Tevez with Sebastian Giovinco, undoubtedly with an eye on Juve’s Europa League tie against Lyon on Thursday. Pirlo then produced an inch perfect pass for Pogba, however with ample time the Frenchman rushed his effort sending it well over the bar. At the other end Marco Benassi could only muster a tame effort which was comfortably gathered by Buffon as hope appeared to ebb out of the Labronici. The final 10-minutes of the game meandered by with little incident as the Bianconeri closed out a professional performance in front of a vociferous home crowd. The win maintains the Vecchia Signora’s 100 percent win record at home and opens up an eight point gap at the summit of Serie A. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Llorente double sinks Livorno A quick-fire Fernando Llorente double allowed Juventus to beat Livorno 2-0 and restore their eight-point lead over Roma. Apr 7, 2014 The gap at the top of the table had temporarily been closed to five points with Roma’s victory in Cagliari yesterday, so the pressure was on Juve. Arturo Vidal was suspended and Andrea Barzagli injured, but Carlos Tevez started despite a muscular problem ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final with Lyon. The Amaranto were in the drop zone and desperate, especially as Emerson, Ibrahima Mbaye and Andrea Luci were sidelined. Paulinho was rested, as he is on a booking and couldn’t be risked for next week’s relegation dogfight with Chievo. Innocent Emeghara scored in last week’s 2-2 draw with Inter and his confidence was still high, as within two minutes he had forced Gigi Buffon to beat away a snapshot. The Swiss striker threatened again, running at Leonardo Bonucci to set up a Luca Siligardi effort wide. Tevez responded, testing Francesco Bardi at the near post after good work from Fernando Llorente. Giorgio Chiellini wasted a great opportunity, blasting over from just inside the penalty area against his former club from a Paul Pogba assist. Stephan Lichtsteiner prodded off target too and Ceccherini performed a crucial sliding tackle on Kwadwo Asamoah in the box. The pressure finally paid off on 32 minutes when Llorente gathered from Tevez with his back to goal, spun round his marker and smashed it into the near top corner. Pogba’s screamer was charged down and from the resulting Andrea Pirlo corner Llorente was allowed a free header, which Bardi did not deal with at all well. It appeared to be straight at him and the goalkeeper fumbled it over the line. It was the Spaniard’s seventh headed goal of the season, more than any other Serie A player. Lichtsteiner ran on to a slide-rule pass down the right and tried to roll across for Tevez, crucially intercepted by Bardi. Just before the break, Emeghara caused a scare when he skipped past two players down the left and hesitated, allowing the block for a corner. Moments later, Juve went on the counter-attack and Tevez curled just off target. After the restart, Llorente turned Valentini to hit the side-netting from a tight angle. Livorno came back from 2-0 down to hold Inter last week and gave Buffon a scare with an Alfred Duncan blockbuster from distance, but the veteran goalkeeper flew for a one-handed save at the near top corner. The second half was entirely comfortable for the Bianconeri, who controlled their two-goal lead and allowed Livorno precious few opportunities. With the final kick of the game, Claudio Marchisio went down just inside the box, but the referee whistled for full time. Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba (Padoin 84), Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez (Giovinco 65), Llorente (Vucinic 77) Livorno: Bardi; Ceccherini (Piccini 59), Valentini, Coda, Castellini; Benassi, Biagianti (Mosquera 74), Duncan, Mesbah; Emeghara (Belfodil 64), Siligardi Ref: Gervasoni http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS 2 - 0 LIVORNO Fernando Llorente (32′) Fernando Llorente (35′) April 7, 2014 - 7:00 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Andrea Gervasoni Attendance:‬ 38000‎ Llorente double fires champions to victory The Bianconeri eased to victory to restore their eight point lead at the top of Serie A through the Spaniard's first half goals. Apr 7, 2014 Fernando Llorente was Juventus' hero as he scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Livorno that cements a top-two finish in Serie A. With third-placed Napoli losing to Parma on Sunday, Juve coach Antonio Conte knew three points against their relegation-threatened visitors on Monday would seal Champions League football next season. And the reigning champions, who are now eight points clear of Roma in second and 20 in front of Napoli with just six games remaining, put in an assured display with Llorente, who sat out the midweek Europa League win at Lyon, striking twice in three minutes in the first half. The Spaniard's first was an emphatic finish from inside the six-yard box, and he then saw a near-post header creep under Francesco Bardi to ensure Juve bounced back from just their second league defeat of the season at Napoli last week by maintaining their perfect home record in Serie A this term. The second half lacked the intensity of the first, with neither side really coming close to scoring, as Juve seemed content to control proceedings by dominating possession. Livorno, meanwhile, stay two points adrift of safety in 18th place. After threatening through Innocent Emeghara in the opening minute, the visitors struggled to contain Conte's side and their goal led a charmed life. Giorgio Chiellini and Stephan Lichtsteiner wasted early chances for the hosts, but Juve’s pressure eventually paid dividends with Llorente’s quickfire double just after the half-hour mark. Carlos Tevez was the architect for the opener, as he played a neat pass into Llorente, before the Spaniard spun away from his marker and lashed the ball into the top corner. The 29-year-old then doubled his tally with a close-range header. Andrea Pirlo delivered a corner to the near post and Llorente's header somehow squirmed under Bardi. Paul Pogba and Tevez both had opportunities to extend the Bianconeri's lead further in the closing minutes of the half, but their long-range efforts were just wide of goal. The start of the second half mirrored the first as Livorno came out very quickly, but their inability to test Gianluigi Buffon meant the hosts were able to keep them at bay. The reigning Italian champions were far from their best after the break and looked to hit their opponents on the counter-attack, although chances were at a premium. Llorente's search for a hat-trick saw his first sight of goal in the second half hit the side-netting, while Pogba scuffed an opportunity wide from inside the area. Livorno's Alfred Duncan finally called Buffon into action just before the hour, and the Italy keeper was equal to his long-range effort with a one-handed save. With Thursday's Europe League quarter-final second leg with Lyon on the horizon, Conte was able to rest Pogba, Llorente and Tevez in the final 20 minutes of the match as Juve took another step towards their third consecutive Scudetto. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

É un'amichevole secondo l'arbitro.

Llorente si soffia il naso con la mano e con la stessa mano dá il cinque a Vucinic.