Socrates

É una bolgia.

Miiiiiii, riguri puuu Catania!

Ci sono piú giocatori in campo di madrelingua spagnola che italiana.

Bonucci trattenuto e fallo a favore del Catania.

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Line-ups: Catania-Juventus Mar 23, 2014 Leaders Juventus rotate the squad to start Daniel Osvaldo and Marco Storari in their trip to bottom of the table Catania. AMAZONIAN It kicks off at the Stadio Massimino at 20.45 CET. The Bianconeri are running away with the Scudetto and eager to consolidate their 14-point lead, but also have to focus on the Europa League quarter-final against Lyon. Andrea Pirlo free kicks proved decisive in two consecutive games against Genoa and Fiorentina, but he is given a well-earned rest while Paul Pogba is suspended. AMAZONIAN Antonio Conte rotates the squad with Gigi Buffon and Fernando Llorente among those rested, but some decisions are forced upon him. Andrea Barzagli, Angelo Ogbonna, Claudio Marchisio, Mirko Vucinic and Federico Peluso are sidelined. Catania are propping up the table and last week threw away a one-goal lead to lose 3-1 in a relegation dogfight at Sassuolo. AMAZONIAN Lucas Castro, Sergio Almiron, Nicolas Spolli and Alberto Frison are carrying injuries for the hosts. Gonzalo Bergessio is their top scorer and the one to watch in attack, flanked by Pablo Barrientos with Francesco Lodi the free kick specialist. AMAZONIAN CATANIA: Andujar; Gyomber, Spolli, Bellusci, Izco; Lodi, Rinaudo, Plasil, Monzon; Bergessio, Barrientos Catania bench: Capuano, Keko, Boateng, Petkovic, Leto, Ficara, Legrottaglie, Fedato, Pablo Alvarez, Peruzzi, Biraghi JUVENTUS: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Padoin, Isla; Tevez, Osvaldo Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Romagna, Asamoah, Llorente, Gerbaudo, Giovinco, Quagliarella http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Catania vs. Juventus Preview: Round 29 — Starting the final countdown Mar 23, 2014 In reality, the chase for the Scudetto was probably Juventus' and Juventus' only weeks ago. It's only natural to think that way when the lead over the closest competition hits double digits. As Juve enter the week with an absolutely commanding 14-point lead with 10 games to play, the light at the end of the tunnel is becoming just that much more visible to everybody associated with our black and white friends in Turin. AMAZONIAN And what a better kind of way than to officially kickoff the final charge to clinching a third straight league title than playing against the team that is on the completely opposite end of the table? Done and done. Serie A's best team, Juventus, will be traveling to Sicily to face the league's worst team, Catania. Two teams meeting on the same field, a differential of 55 points in the league table. Sounds like a gold mine for returning home with three points, doesn't it? Yeah, I think so. This is the portion of the schedule in the first half of the season where Juve started to make their rapid rise up the table and into first place for good. They racked up win after win, shutout after shutout, three points after three points. AMAZONIAN How did Catania's visit to Juventus Stadium at the end of October go? Well, think about some poker, and then think of the relation to footy that we like to use it in regards to. That's exactly how it went in Turin. Juve's 4-0 shellacking of Catania was exactly that and was the second game (and win) in what has become a 20-game unbeaten and a simply crazy lead atop the table. So, three more points closer to a third straight Scudetto come 24 hours from now? Sure! I'm all for it! And if they want to make it another day where we see our poker face, then that's cool, too. AMAZONIAN GOOD NEWS Inside information: Juventus is good, Catania is not very good. Khaled Al Nouss @JuventusRelated Catania have failed to score in 6 of their last 20 home games. Juventus have failed to score in 0 of their last 20 away games. #CataniaJuve AMAZONIAN BAD NEWS Injuries, injuries, injuries. Still plenty of injuries to go around for what seems like a third of the Juventus roster. Basically the same names from the trip to Florence will be missing out on the trip to Catania, which pretty much sucks. Oh, and Paul Pogba is suspended after picking up a yellow card against Genoa last weekend. As if Juventus needed any other players to be missing from the squad right now. Ah, well. AMAZONIAN WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Post-Europa League hangover. Thursday's win was emotional. It was a physical battle. It had to take a lot out of every player involved. Now we ask the simple question: How much does Juventus have in the tank coming off short rest? And not just in a physical sense, but also a mental one. Thursday night was a tough one, and you'd probably be right to say that the players were as fatigued physically as they were emotionally and mentally. Well, after they were done jumping around and celebrating, of course. But as is the case no matter if it's the Champions League or Europa League, it's the game after that makes you think. Although I'm pretty sure that playing the worst team in Serie A could help ease some of those issues. 2. How close Juventus come to playing a complete 90 minutes. I guess you could say Point 1 is connected to Point 2. The problem with Juventus's form right now is that even though they are winning games and picking up points, it's not coming with all that great of football. Earlier in the season when they were winning, they were crushing teams. These days, putting together a complete game is, well, not even close to being a reality. Juve could have a good 45 minutes, then — for whatever reason — just make things hard on themselves. And it's not just turning the switch off and making things interesting, it's keeping the opponent hanging around and in the game. And as a wise man once told me, "When you've got the chance to step on somebody's throat, you do it." Truer words have never been spoken. AMAZONIAN 3. Who's replacing Paul Pogba in the starting lineup? Having the 20-year-old Frenchman out of the lineup is one thing, not knowing who the heck is going to take his spot is quite another. With Claudio Marchisio being one of those injured players not included in the squad for tomorrow's match, we're all left to wonder one thing and one thing only — 'Who's it going to be?' Maybe Conte shifts Kwadwo Asamoah to the center of the midfield for the first time in a good amount of time. That's a pretty logical option even though it opens up another question about the left wing. Other than that, though, options are as slim as they've been with only two natural central midfielders not named Asamoah on the roster. Or, we could get our much-anticipated Simone Padoin start. Hey, the guy's won two league titles, ya know. 4. Who's Conte going to be starting in attack? When I sat at my laptop and thought about who Conte was going to start against Fiorentina, I really had no idea. Well, I had a hunch Carlos Tevez was going to play, but other than, I had no clue. Sitting here a few days later and putting this preview post together, I pretty much have the same kind of vibe. Tevez looked fully fit and was one of the best players against Fiorentina on Thursday night. And even though he played a huge role in Andrea Pirlo's game-winning free kick masterpiece, Fernando Llorente's overall game was nowhere near his strike partner in Florence. Could that open the door for Dani Osvaldo to get a start? I'm thinking it might, especially the way he has played since he arrived in Turin. AMAZONIAN 5. Does anybody get to rest following the second leg against Fiorentina? Because Antonio Conte never talks to the press before Serie A matches these days, we have no idea of knowing for sure. Or, we don't even have the chance to get a hint of something happening when it comes to players who were in action on Thursday night getting a bit of a breather. This is supposed to be the perfect game for Conte to do some squad rotation. The problem is that there's not much of a squad to really rotate. That's what the current injury situation has done to Conte's option. Any kind of depth Juve had a few weeks ago is just completely gone at this point. If you need anything close to a reminder, just look at Juve's bench from the 1-0 win over Fiorentina because there's a good chance it will look a lot like it was three days ago. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Asamoah, Isla; Osvaldo, Tevez OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 8:45 P.M. IN ITALY; 3:45 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 12:45 P.M. ON THE WEST COAST http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Juve revolution in Catania Mar 23, 2014 Juventus look set for a mass squad rotation tonight against Catania, including Gigi Buffon and Fernando Llorente. AMAZONIAN The runaway Serie A leaders visit bottom of the table Catania at 20.45 CET. Antonio Conte is more determined than ever to rotate the squad after reaching the Europa League quarter-finals. As they will play high-flying Parma on Wednesday evening, the Coach is taking this opportunity to rest some big stars. AMAZONIAN It’s reported Buffon will make way for Marco Storari, while Llorente will get a well-deserved rest in favour of Daniel Osvaldo. Some choices are forced upon Conte, as Andrea Barzagli, Angelo Ogbonna, Claudio Marchisio, Federico Peluso, Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe are out of action. Paul Pogba sits out a one-match ban in midfield. AMAZONIAN Juventus squad for Catania: Buffon, Chiellini, Caceres, Tevez, Giovinco, Llorente, Osvaldo, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Quagliarella, Storari, Isla, Rubinho, Romagna, Gerbaudo http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

'Quarter-finals mean nothing' - Pobga sets sights on winning World Cup The 21-year-old will not discuss his future until the end of the season and says only victory will satisfy him with France this summer. Mar 23, 2014 Paul Pogba has set his sights on winning the World Cup with France, insisting he "doesn't care" about only reaching the quarter-finals. AMAZONIAN France head into this summer’s tournament as outsiders, with hosts Brazil and holders Spain rated amongst the favourites to lift the trophy, along with Argentina and Germany. But Pogba insists his country won’t settle for simple targets like advancing beyond their group, which contains Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras. “We will do everything to win the World Cup," the 21-year-old told Telefoot. "I don't care about being in the quarter finals or just getting past the group phase. AMAZONIAN "We will have to remain concentrated throughout the tournament. "It is always a pleasure for me to wear Les Bleus shirt - I have made my dream come true." The Juventus midfielder was asked about his future as he continues to attract attention from some of Europe’s biggest teams, but he insists he is happy for now and will think about it after the current campaign. AMAZONIAN Pogbe added: “I want to be concentrated on the pitch. I’ll open myself up when we finish the season. “Everything is OK at Juve and in the national team - I’m very happy. “I want to have more fun, I have goals. You have to make sacrifices to be happy. Let’s hope my sacrifices will make me happy.”

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Rolando Maran expects "extremely difficult" Juventus match Mar 23, 2014 Catania manager Rolando Maran has said that his team will face a tough test against Juventus in their Serie A match this evening. AMAZONIAN The Rossazzurri are currently bottom of the table and Maran admits that it will be difficult to take any points from the league leaders. "We need to play an intense match because otherwise, looking at the difference between the two sides, it will be extremely difficult for us. I want to be proud of my lads when leaving the field tomorrow night," he told reporters. "We know all about Juve's strengths and they are by far and away the stronger side. Looking at the table the game would appear to be over before it's even been played. The good thing about football, however, is that it enables you to defy the odds." AMAZONIAN "We're convinced that our stadium will be able to lend us a hand. We'll require the support of our public and we need to get them onside by showing the right attitude on the pitch." Catania have won just four of their 28 league games this season. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato MATCH PREVIEW Mar 22, 2014 Leaders Juventus travel to bottom of the table Catania with Inter’s 2006-07 points record in sight. AMAZONIAN Roberto Mancini’s Nerazzurri won the title with 97 points in that campaign - a feat Juventus can surpass. The Bianconeri will reach 105 points, if they win their 10 remaining fixtures. It’s a record that is undoubtedly motivating Antonio Conte’s side, with the Scudetto seemingly already won. Last weekend’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Genoa was followed up with an equally gruelling Europa League victory in Florence on Thursday. Juventus didn’t play at their best in either of those ties, but the resilience and will to win that Conte has installed - plus two pieces of set piece magic from Andrea Pirlo - ensured the right result was secured on both occasions. AMAZONIAN Paul Pogba sits out a ban for this game, while Andrea Barzagli and Federico Peluso are still injured. Claudio Marchisio and Angelo Ogbonna also remain in doubt. Having toiled over the last six days, the fixture list has seemingly been kind to Juventus, as they make the trip to Sicily to face bottom of the table Catania. After a spell of more positive results, following the return of Rolando Maran, Catania have slumped once more. Last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at fellow strugglers Sassuolo was a third in four matches and leaves them four points from safety. AMAZONIAN Their demise over this season has been completely unexpected. Having finished eighth last term, there was hope that they could push on and maybe have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe. The loss of Alejandro Gomez and Francesco Lodi - who returned from Genoa in January - undoubtedly hurt Catania, but few expected this. Maran needs a turning point and an unlikely victory against Juventus would provide that. Catania were smashed 4-0 in Turin in November, while Juve also possess Serie A’s best away record, but Genoa showed last weekend that they can be troubled. Spurred on by a passionate Sicilian crowd, Catania will hope to at least put up an equally stern fight. AMAZONIAN Keep an eye on: Francesco Lodi (Catania) - The playmaker’s return from Genoa in January coincided with a - slight - upturn in results. The 29-year-old never settled in Liguria, but is getting back to his best at Catania. Juventus will be wary of his set-piece prowess, having fallen victim to it in the past. A Lodi free-kick may just be Catania’s best bet of securing an unlikely result. Form Guide: Catania (W L L D L) Juventus (W W W W W) Last season: Catania 0-1 Juventus Stat fact: Juventus have lost just once away from home in Serie A this season. AMAZONIAN CATANIA (probable): Andujar; Peruzzi, Bellusci, Legrottaglie, Biraghi; Izco, Lodi, Rinaudo; Keko, Bergessio, Barrientos JUVENTUS (probable): Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Padoin, Asamoah; Tevez, Osvaldo http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Catania-Juventus Preview: Conte's men chasing points record The bottom side are looking to climb back up the table and give themselves a chance of staying in the Italian top flight but face the difficult task of beating the champions. Mar 22, 2014 Juventus will be expecting to pile on the misery for bottom club Catania when the sides meet in Serie A on Sunday. AMAZONIAN The Turin outfit are chasing down the division's record points total of 97 - set by Inter in 2007 - and should have three more to show for their efforts come the end of this weekend. Indeed, if Juventus win their remaining 10 matches, they will surpass that marker by eight points and, with Roma well adrift in second, Antonio Conte's men may feel they have the freedom to push for the milestone. Catania's run of one win from their last 10 league fixtures stands in stark contrast to the form of the defending champions, who are unbeaten in 20, having won 18 of those. AMAZONIAN It has been a campaign of dramatic decline for the hosts, who finished eighth last season but are now facing the very real prospect of a return to Serie B after an eight-year absence. Sunday's 3-1 loss to fellow strugglers Sassuolo saw Rolando Maran's men hit rock-bottom and the task that will greet them this weekend is one of the most daunting in Italian football. Catania have not beaten Juve since 2009, although that victory came in Turin, where Juve stormed to a 4-0 triumph earlier this season. AMAZONIAN Andrea Pirlo found the net with a superb free-kick on that occasion - his 100th appearance for the club - and the midfielder has attracted much praise in recent weeks after more set-piece wizardry. The 34-year-old scored a late set-piece in Juve's 1-0 win at Genoa last time out in the league, before producing another top-drawer set-piece effort to knock Fiorentina out of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. AMAZONIAN Pirlo's dead-ball form moved Juve assistant boss Angelo Alessio to proclaim to Mediaset: "I think Pirlo is the best in the world at free-kicks and I also believe he can beat Sinisa Mihajlovic's record of goals from set-plays in Serie A (27)." The league leaders are without the suspended Paul Pogba for the trip to Catania, while Andrea Barzagli and Federico Peluso miss out through injury. Claudio Marchisio and Angelo Ogbonna remain doubtful. AMAZONIAN Head to Head Serie A - Oct 30, 2013 - Juventus 4 - 0 Catania Serie A ‎-‎ Mar 10, 2013 - Juventus 1 - 0 Catania Serie A ‎-‎ Oct 28, 2012 - Catania 0 - 1 Juventus Serie A ‎- Feb 18, 2012 - Juventus 3 - 1 Catania Serie A - Sep 25, 2011 - Catania 1 - 1 Juventus AMAZONIAN Last Five Matches CATANIA Mar 16, 2014 - Sassuolo 3 - 1 Catania - Serie A Mar 8, 2014 - Catania 1 - 1 Cagliari - Serie A Mar 2, 2014 - Genoa 2 - 0 Catania - Serie A Feb 23, 2014 - Chievo 2 - 0 Catania - Serie A Feb 16, 2014 - Catania 3 - 1 Lazio - Serie A JUVENTUS Mar 20, 2014 - Fiorentina 0 - 1 Juventus - EL Mar 16, 2014 - Genoa 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A Mar 13, 2014 - Juventus 1 - 1 Fiorentina - EL Mar 9, 2014 - Juventus 1 - 0 Fiorentina - Serie A Mar 2, 2014 - AC Milan 0 - 2 Juventus - Serie A http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Juventus squad named for Catania match Mar 22, 2014 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has named a 19-man squad for the Bianconeri’s away match against Catania on Sunday. AMAZONIAN The tactician has left several players out of the squad with the likes of Claudio Marchisio, Angelo Ogbonna, Federico Peluso and Andrea Barzagli all unavailable for Sunday. Paul Pogba has also been left out as he serves a one match ban. AMAZONIAN Goalkeepers: Buffon, Storari, Rubinho Defenders: Chiellini, Caceres, Bonucci, Romagna Midfielders: Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Isla, Gerbaudo Forwards: Tevez, Giovinco, Llorente, Osvaldo, Quagliarella http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

CATANIA - JUVENTUS March 23, 2014 - 20:45 PM Angelo Massimino Stadium — Catania Referee: Antonio Damato Maran: To defeat Juve… Mar 22, 2014 Rolando Maran says Catania will look to give their all and bring intensity to their performance against Juventus tomorrow. AMAZONIAN Sat bottom of the League, the Elefanti host runaway leaders Juventus on Sunday night looking to become only the second team to defeat the Bianconeri this term in Serie A. To that end, their Coach has outlined what he hopes to see from his charges. “I want to see the maximum given and over and above this I want the fans to be proud of this team,” Maran has told reporters ahead of the fixture. AMAZONIAN “We have to be able to have balance. It won’t be enough to stop Andrea Pirlo to beat Juve. “They are a strong team who are experiencing a moment distinctly different to our own, but to start off believing we have lost would be the biggest mistake. I am not talking about a miracle. “We play in our stadium, which has always given us a boost. I will not make any appeals, but it will be down to us to involve the fans. The team is aware of the difficulty but we will have to give our best. AMAZONIAN “Grit? We have tried to work on every aspect both mentally and physically. We have had plenty of time to do this. “Overall, we are fine. We have a few players out, but we have been working to try to produce intensity on the field come Sunday. That is what we have been training towards. AMAZONIAN “I have never liked training retreats as a player and as a Coach I do not like them. “The formation we’ll use? I have tried both the 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 and I reserve the right to decide on which one to choose. It is not impossible that we could change during the game.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Serie A - 10^ Giornata - Ritorno - 23-3-2014 (ore 20:45) - Stadio "Angelo Massimino" - Catania Arbitro: Antonio Damato Confronti ufficiali 34 - 31 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 19 - 17 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 10 - 9 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Catania 5 - 5 (Serie A) Goals Juventus 64 - 58 (Serie A) - 6 (Coppa Italia) Goals Catania 31 - 30 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) Catania - Juventus - Serie A a Catania Confronti ufficiali 15 Vittorie Juventus 7 (L'ultima il 28.10.2012, 0-1) Pareggi 5 (L'ultimo il 25.09.2011, 1-1) Vittorie Catania 3 (L'ultima il 27.09.1964, 3-1) Goals Juventus 23 Goals Catania 17 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Catania a Catania 5 presenze Buffon Gianluigi 5 Chiellini Giorgio 5 Salvadore Sandro 5 Stacchini Gino 4 Del Piero Alessandro 4 Iaquinta Vincenzo 4 Leoncini Gianfranco 4 Sarti Benito 3 Anzolin Roberto 3 Bercellino I Giancarlo 3 goals Stacchini Gino 2 Miranda Armando 2 Quagliarella Fabio 2 Sivori Omar Enrique 1 Bettega Roberto 1 Bronée Helge Christian 1 Charles John William 1 Da Costa Dino 1 Del Piero Alessandro 1 Iaquinta Vincenzo Ultimi confronti diretti 20.12.2009 Serie A Juventus-Catania 1-2 02.05.2010 Serie A Catania-Juventus 1-1 05.12.2010 Serie A Catania-Juventus 1-3 13.01.2011 Coppa Italia Juventus-Catania 2-0 23.04.2011 Serie A Juventus-Catania 2-2 25.09.2011 Serie A Catania-Juventus 1-1 18.02.2012 Serie A Juventus-Catania 3-1 28.10.2012 Serie A Catania-Juventus 0-1 10.03.2013 Serie A Juventus-Catania 1-0 30.10.2013 Serie A Juventus-Catania 4-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 6 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Catania 1 - Goals Juventus 19 - Goals Catania 8

Nedved: 'Ignore the Final' Mar 21, 2014 Pavel Nedved warned Juventus not to look beyond Lyon in the Europa League. “The road to the Final is long.” AMAZONIAN The Bianconeri were paired with Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-finals and are among the favourites, especially as the Final will be at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. “The road to the Final is still long,” noted Nedved, who is now a director at the club. “I am proud to be for the second year running the only Italian representative at the quarter-final draw, even if it was the Champions League last season. AMAZONIAN “The draw is difficult, even if on paper everyone keeps talking about Juve as if they are already in the Final. The Europa League must be faced with a serious attitude. “I don’t think it is an advantage to play the Final on home turf, anyway. Now we must focus only on the quarter-final.” AMAZONIAN Andrea Pirlo’s free kick secured their place in the quarters, eliminating Fiorentina 2-1 on aggregate. “Andrea is a phenomenon and we are happy to have him. Pirlo already met with the club for renewal talks and I don’t think there will be problems.”

EL: Juventus face Lyon Mar 21, 2014 Juventus will face Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals as they aim to play the Final on home turf. AMAZONIAN The draw for the next phase of the competition was made today in Nyon by ex-Juve hero Ciro Ferrara and the Bianconeri have to be considered one of the favourites for the trophy. Antonio Conte’s men have an extra advantage, as the Final will be played at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on May 14. Today’s draw pitted Juve against French side Olympique Lyonnais. AMAZONIAN AZ Alkmaar host Benfica, while Swiss side Basel take on Valencia. Porto and Sevilla go head-to-head in a Portuguese-Spanish clash. The first leg is on April 3 and the decider a week later. AMAZONIAN Europa League - Quarter-Finals 1st leg - April 3 AZ Alkmaar-Benfica Basel-Valencia Lyon-Juventus Porto-Sevilla 2nd leg - April 10 Benfica-AZ Alkmaar Juventus-Lyon Sevilla-Porto Valencia-Basel

Nedved confident Juve can win Europa League The Bianconeri won the Uefa Cup three times between 1977 and 1993 and are well set to do so again in the tournament's modern format. Mar 21, 2014 Pavel Nedved is confident of Juventus' prospects in the Europa League after they were drawn against Lyon in the quarter-finals. AMAZONIAN The Serie A champions overcame Fiorentina 1-0 on Thursday to qualify for the last eight, with Andrea Pirlo's stunning free-kick ensuring a 2-1 aggregate success for Antonio Conte's men. The Turin club won the tournament three times under its Uefa Cup guise between 1977 and 1993 and are considered to be among the favourites to claim victory in this year's competition. Juve suffered a shock exit from the Champions League in December as they finished third in Group B behind Real Madrid and Galatasaray. AMAZONIAN But former Juve midfielder Nedved - now a board member at the club - feels Conte's side have learned how to approach European competition and have the capabilities to reach the final, which is to be held at Juventus Stadium on May 14. "There's still a long way to go before we reach the final in Turin," Nedved said. "We're up against Lyon and it won't be easy. We'll play the two-legged tie with full commitment. "After all, Juventus have tackled this competition with maximum respect and that's why we're here today. AMAZONIAN "We've developed as a side. In Europe teams face you with the shackles off and we came up against the odd difficulty as we weren't used to handling this approach. "Now, however, we've understood the way we need to deal with and win these games. "The Juventus team I played in also had these difficulties. We were the strongest in the league and struggled in Europe. But this side has all it takes to do well."

FIORENTINA 0 - 1 JUVENTUS (Agg. 1-2) Andrea Pirlo (71′) March 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM Artemio Franchi Stadium — Florence Referee: Howard Webb (England) Asamoah: 'Conte turned tide' Mar 21, 2014 Kwadwo Asamoah revealed Antonio Conte’s instructions turned the tide for a Juventus victory over Fiorentina. AMAZONIAN The Bianconeri swept through to the Europa League quarter-finals after a 1-0 win in Florence, having drawn the first leg 1-1. “Juan Cuadrado was defending a lot more than usual,” Asamoah told the official Juventus website. AMAZONIAN “In the first half we talked with Conte and decided to push the team forward. It went better, as both Mauricio Isla and I were too deep. We usually play in a different way, looking for the strikers. “In the second half it was a whole other game. When we play like that out wide, something happens and the forwards can receive better service.”

Alessio: Pirlo the world's best free-kick taker The Bianconeri assistant has lauded the midfielder's ability to find the net from set pieces, while at the same time saluting his side's display at the Artemio Franchi. Mar 21, 2014 Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio has hailed Andrea Pirlo as the best free-kick taker in the world in the wake of his winner in Thursday's 1-0 Europa League win over Fiorentina. AMAZONIAN The Italy international slammed home a stunning 71st-minute set piece to lead the Bianconeri to a 2-1 aggregate triumph over Fiorentina and seal their place in the last eight of the Europa League. The 34-year-old playmaker had done the very same thing in a 1-0 Serie A success against Genoa last Sunday, leaving Alessio in awe of Pirlo's dead-ball talents. "I think he is the best in the world at free-kicks and I also believe he can beat Sinisa Mihajlovic's record of goals from set-plays in Serie A (27)," the Bianconeri assistant told reporters. AMAZONIAN Alessio, who took Antonio Conte's place at the press conference due to the latter losing his voice during the match, then went on to voice his satisfaction with Juve's performance at the Artemio Franchi. "We performed well from start to finish and are very pleased with the performance. This game was talked up a great deal," he mused. "People say that the Europa League isn’t of great interest to us and we find that slightly irritating: we want to go all the way in every competition."

Europa League Player of the Week: Andrea Pirlo The midfielder's goal was the difference as Juventus left it fairly late to edge past Fiorentina and into the quarter-finals. Mar 21, 2014 Juventus were on the precipice of a shock exit before Andrea Pirlo scored the vital winner for the second game in a row, saving them from a second embarrassing European elimination this season. AMAZONIAN Three months ago the Bianconeri stumbled out of the Champions League in Istanbul, losing 1-0 to Galatasaray. On Thursday, meanwhile, Juve very nearly bowed out of the Europa League in Florence. Fiorentina held Antonio Conte's men to a 1-1 draw in Turin a week ago, giving them the upper hand heading into the second leg of their all-Italian last-16 clash. With the game still scoreless, Vincenzo Montella's men still held the advantage on away goals after 71 minutes of play, but Pirlo changed all that with a trademark free kick. AMAZONIAN The Italy international, who scored the winner in the 1-0 weekend win over Genoa with just one minute left on the clock, curled the ball majestically into the top corner, leaving Viola goalkeeper Neto helpless to prevent the Scudetto holders from seizing a lead that they would not relinquish. There have been questions about whether Pirlo will remain at the Juventus Stadium beyond this season, with his contract expiring in the summer and the likes of Paul Pogba rising through the ranks to potentially usurp his first-team spot. AMAZONIAN However, after the match, the 34-year-old confidently proclaimed: "I do not know if I will renew this month, but I know it will be with Juventus that I sign my next contract." Should he stay true to his word, the Old Lady will continue to benefit from his vast experience and wonderful ability to get them out of tight spots.

Buffon breaks Zoff's Juventus record The Bianconeri skipper moved past his legendary predecessor with his 477th appearance for the club against Fiorentina on Thursday. Mar 21, 2014 He is the most capped player in Italy history and now holds Juventus' club record for most games played by a goalkeeper. There really is no equal to Gianluigi Buffon. AMAZONIAN The 36-year-old's involvement in Juve's 1-0 win at Fiorentina in the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday took him past the legendary Dino Zoff on 477 appearances and into fifth place in the all-time list of the Bianconeri's most capped players. He still remains a long way short of Alessandro Del Piero's club-record 705 games, but Buffon's ascension to the rank of Juve's greatest ever goalkeeper is a notable achievement for a man regularly compared to 1982 World Cup winner Zoff.

FIORENTINA 0 - 1 JUVENTUS (Agg. 1-2) Andrea Pirlo (71′) March 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM Artemio Franchi Stadium — Florence Referee: Howard Webb (England) Borja Valero: 'Fiorentina are proud' Mar 20, 2014 Borja Valero maintains Fiorentina “can be proud” of what they achieved after a Europa League exit to Juventus. AMAZONIAN The Viola had been unbeaten in the tournament until tonight’s 1-0 home defeat, sealed by an Andrea Pirlo free kick after Gonzalo Rodriguez had been sent off. “It’s a shame we weren’t able to score with one of those early chances,” the Spaniard told Sky Sport Italia. AMAZONIAN “We can be proud of what we did in this journey. There won’t be any psychological setbacks because of the result, as we will think of this as a tough defeat against a great side like Juve. “There is a lot still to play for, including the Coppa Italia Final and getting a good finish in Serie A.”

FIORENTINA 0 - 1 JUVENTUS (Agg. 1-2) Andrea Pirlo (71′) March 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM Artemio Franchi Stadium — Florence Referee: Howard Webb (England) Pirlo: 'I looked at the wall' Mar 20, 2014 Andrea Pirlo explained his free kick technique against Fiorentina and pledged to sign a new Juventus deal. AMAZONIAN The veteran midfielder smashed a free kick into the far top corner for the 1-0 victory, which sent the Bianconeri into the Europa League quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate. “I am happy to have scored two important goals in under a week, as it means we can get closer to the objectives we set ourselves,” said Pirlo, referring also to his free kick against Genoa in Serie A. “How do I decide which way to take free kicks? I make my decision at the last moment. This time I looked at the wall and decided to hit it with more power. AMAZONIAN “We knew it was a long game and suffered in the opening stages, but then we had our chances and were always convinced we’d get through. “Fiorentina were a difficult obstacle, but after going out of the Champions League it was important to do well in this tournament.” AMAZONIAN Pirlo’s contract expires in June, but he reassured fans that he is not going anywhere. “It’s only natural some people say I’m getting old, but I still have fun with my football. I don’t know if the contract will be this month, but I do know that I’m staying at Juventus.”

FIORENTINA 0 - 1 JUVENTUS (Agg. 1-2) Andrea Pirlo (71′) March 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM Artemio Franchi Stadium — Florence Referee: Howard Webb (England) Pogba: Pirlo has a golden foot The Frenchman was joined by Leonardo Bonucci in hailing the veteran midfielder, whose free kick saw the Bianconeri progress past Fiorentina in the Europa League. Mar 20, 2014 Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba hailed the "golden foot" of Andrea Pirlo as the Bianconeri marched past Fiorentina into the Europa League quarter-finals. AMAZONIAN Pirlo fired home a free kick from the edge of the area to give Juve a 1-0 win at the Artemio Franchi on Thursday, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory and progression to the last eight. Following the Bianconeri's win, French midfielder Paul Pogba was quick to hail the impact the veteran has on the side. "Pirlo's got a golden foot! I need to train for many years if I'm going to be able to shoot like him," the 21-year-old told Mediaset. AMAZONIAN "We're very happy. We still remember the 4-2 defeat here [in Serie A] and it was important for us to overturn that result. "We said before the match that if we stuck to our usual game plan, the goal would eventually come." Echoing his team-mate's sentiments, defender Leonardo Bonucci had his own words of praise for the decorated Italy international. AMAZONIAN "Pirlo is a champion – he can turn any match around," he said. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. They [Fiorentina] too wanted to keep going in this competition. "We played with the awareness that we are a great team and the humility allowed us to deal with the pressure. AMAZONIAN "Those who step on to the field put themselves at the disposal of the side and sacrifice [themselves] for their team-mates." Victory keeps alive Antonio Conte's side's hopes of competing in the final, which will be held at their home stadium in Turin on May 14.

FIORENTINA 0 - 1 JUVENTUS (Agg. 1-2) Andrea Pirlo (71′) March 20, 2014 - 7:00 PM Artemio Franchi Stadium — Florence Referee: Howard Webb (England) Pirlo: Juventus 'fully deserved' to beat Fiorentina The Italian veteran feels Antonio Conte's charges earned their place in the next round of the Europa League following their narrow win over la Viola. Mar 20, 2014 Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo insists his side fully deserved to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Europa League after their 1-0 victory over Fiorentina. AMAZONIAN A superb second-leg free kick from Pirlo overturned la Viola's away-goal advantage following a 1-1 result in Turin last week, and the 34-year-old feels the Bianconeri warranted their place in the next round. "It was important to move forward [in the Europa League]," the veteran midfielder told Mediaset immediately after the match. "We wanted to qualify and I think it was a well deserved win from what we saw here tonight. AMAZONIAN "A game that lasts 180 minutes [is a long time], but we knew we could do it. We want to continue progressing in Europe as well as Serie A." Juventus, who currently lead the Italian top flight with a comfortable 14-point advantage over second-placed Roma, will find out who they face in the quarter-finals after the draw on Friday.