Socrates

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Asamoah: 'Juve not in great shape' Apr 10, 2014 Kwadwo Asamoah confirmed Juventus are “physically not in great shape” and lost their focus against Lyon. The Bianconeri won 2-1 on the night, 3-1 on aggregate, to reach the Europa League semi-final. “It was very important for us, as it wasn’t easy. We saw in tonight’s game that it was not simple against an opponent like Lyon, who played better than in the first leg,” the Ghanaian told Sky Sport Italia. “We were able to do some of the things we studied in training. The tempo lowered a little and we lost concentration on the corner, so that’s where the game changed a bit. “We kept our calm and moved the ball around patiently to keep possession, as physically we’re not in great shape, so we had to make the ball work for us. “We are playing every three or four days, so it’s not easy.”

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Chiellini criticises Juve crowd Apr 10, 2014 Giorgio Chiellini criticised the fans at the Juventus Stadium for their reactions during the Europa League win over Lyon. “We are very satisfied,” he told Sky Sport Italia after a 2-1 victory, 3-1 on aggregate. “At times people take Juventus success for granted, but we saw that over two legs Lyon played to the death, man-marked us for 180 minutes and it becomes difficult to score in those circumstances. “We did well to take our chances, though perhaps lost some sharpness during the second period of the first half. That came back after the break and I thought we deserved qualification. “We got a little swept along by the crowd, as when we were 1-0 up they acted as if we were meant to go forward and win 4-0. “As soon as the equaliser went in, they started grumbling and that can really hurt confidence, create frustration and prompt us to lose our sharpness. That’s when passes are misplaced and we are under pressure.” When asked who he’d prefer to face in the semi-final, Chiellini shrugged off the question. “The only thing that interests me is coming back here in May for the Final. We want to play the Final on our turf, as it’s something that might never happen again in the history of this club. It’s too important to miss out on.”

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Marchisio: 'It wasn't easy' Apr 10, 2014 “It wasn’t easy to reach the semi-final of the Europa League,” said Claudio Marchisio after Juventus beat Lyon. The midfielder got the second goal in a 2-1 victory in Turin, securing passage 3-1 on aggregate. “It wasn’t easy to reach the semi-final of the Europa League. We started well tonight, then conceded an equaliser,” Marchisio told Mediaset. “My goal was fortunate, but now we will play the semi. Our objectives are to keep going to the end in every competition.” Carlos Tevez had scored today, but his European goal drought continues after five years because it was flagged offside. “The important thing is that we win and that the team wins. Tevez is a great champion and he proves that when he doesn’t score too. “Our team has grown also thanks to Tevez.”

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Garde: Lyon came close to upsetting Juventus The coach was impressed with his side's efforts over the two legs, saying there was not too much between the two sides despite the superior talent at the Old Lady's disposal. Apr 10, 2014 Remi Garde praised his Olympique Lyonnais players despite their elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Juventus on Thursday. The Ligue 1 underdogs lost 2-1 in Turin to exit the competition 3-1 on aggregate, although they were within one goal of progression for 50 minutes of action courtesy of Jimmy Briand's equaliser on the night. Garde was proud that his side had kept the tie competitive until Samuel Umtiti’s own goal midway through the second half at Juventus Stadium eventually killed off any hopes of progression. “I must say I am proud of my players,” the Lyon boss told reporters. “At half-time we thought that we were getting close to a huge achievement because we only needed to score one more goal and we knew we would have chances after the break. “It is always disappointing when you go out of a competition, but we have to recognise Juve’s superiority - even if over the two legs we did not see that much difference between the teams.” Clearly reluctant to speak negatively about his side’s exploits over the two legs, Garde said the most frustrating element had been losing a goal so late to Leonardo Bonucci in the first leg, which made his side’s task more difficult. He continued: “I have no regrets for this game - maybe for the first leg. “The three goals we conceded were unusual. Andrea Pirlo’s free kick was marvellous, but we conceded in the first leg after 85 minutes and today Claudio Marchisio scored with a deflection. “I would have rather Juve showed their superiority over us by having to score better goals, but we cannot honestly have too many regrets.” Lyon return to action on Sunday when they face the first of two meetings in as many weeks against French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Conte: Rest of Italy wants Juventus eliminated from Europa League Even though a Bianconeri triumph would do wonders for the nation's falling coefficient, the coach says that it would be naive to think that everyone will support the Old Lady. Apr 10, 2014 Antonio Conte has dismissed the notion that everyone in Italy will be hoping that Juventus win the Europa League for the good of the domestic game, claiming that nobody in the country cares about the Uefa ranking. The Bianconeri progressed to the last four of the tournament on Thursday night, defeating Olympique Lyonnais 2-1 in Turin to go through 3-1 on aggregate. When it was put to Conte during his post-game interview on Sky Sport Italia that it was a good result for Italian football in terms of the country's Uefa coefficient, which has fallen dramatically over the past five years, the coach countered: "In Italy nobody cares about the ranking. Everyone else wants us eliminated. "People are either Juventini or anti-Juventini. Let's not beat around the bush: it's a question of local pride. "We wouldn't expect Juve to support Inter, so we won't be hypocritical by saying that we want Inter fans to cheer on Juve." Andrea Pirlo opened the scoring in Turin with a fourth-minute free kick but Jimmy Briand equalised soon after with a header and the hosts were ultimately indebted to a deflected Claudio Marchisio strike for sealing their place in the final four. Conte admitted afterwards that he had been distinctly underwhelmed by what he felt was a sense of complacency among both his players and the club's fans. "We fell asleep for Lyon's goal," Conte fumed. "It's that simple. We thought it was going to be easy. "I want everyone to remember it's always a battle and we have to keep pushing. "I'm referring to the crowd too, as they should always support this team. I didn't like the crowd that much tonight." The Uefa coefficient determines the seedings and amount of European places allocated to a country. Italy currently sit fourth, well behind leaders Spain, England and Germany, but only just ahead of Portugal.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Marchisio: Juventus 'a little lucky' against Lyon The Bianconeri needed a deflected goal from the Italy international midfielder to belatedly break the resistance of the Ligue 1 outfit. Apr 10, 2014 Claudio Marchisio admitted that Juventus had been "a little lucky" in their Europa League victory over Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday night. A goal up from the first leg of their quarter-final tie at the Gerland, the Bianconeri looked poised to coast into the last four when Andrea Pirlo broke the deadlock after just four minutes of play in Turin with a trademark free kick. However, Jimmy Briand dragged Lyon right back into it with his 18th-minute header and Juve needed a deflected effort from Marchisio midway through the second half to finally break their French foes' game resistance. "We absolutely knew that it would not be easy to reach the semi-finals," the midfielder told Sky Sport Italia. "We started very well. Then, however, we suffered a little setback when they equalised. "It's clear that my goal was a little lucky, but now we will go forward and fight right until the end with our intent to complete our objectives." Star striker Carlos Tevez once again failed to find the net for Juve in Europe this season, meaning it is still five years since the Argentine netted in continental competition. However, Marchisio insisted that the Argentine, who had a goal disallowed for offside, had played his part in the Old Lady's progression to the semi-finals. "The important thing is that the team wins," the Italy international mused. "In these cases, it's not necessary to focus on individuals. "Carlos is a great champion who helps the team greatly even when he doesn't score. His presence this season has helped us to grow in so many ways."

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Player Ratings Goal was on hand to see Juventus march into the last four, with a phenomenal Andrea Pirlo free-kick helping the hosts on their way to an unconvincing victory against Les Gones. Apr 10, 2014 JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Perhaps could have done better with Briand's goalscoring header, but the veteran made a couple of reasonable stops to beat away powerful strikes. Martín Cáceres - The Uruguayan, aided by Isla, made it difficult for Bedimo and Mvuemba to enjoy themselves down the left hand side as they did in the first leg. Leonardo Bonucci - Looked to have a mild injury complaint, but the central defender was willing to break out of the defensive line and supply Juventus' attack when Pirlo was marked. Giorgio Chiellini - A solid performance from the Italy international, who used his power and physicality to barely give Briand a sniff throughout. Mauricio Isla - The Chile international offered plenty of width and worked very hard defensively, but his touch and delivery let him down in advanced areas. Claudio Marchisio - The box-to-box midfielder injected plenty of energy, with his long-range effort being fortunately deflected beyond Lopes via a deflection off Umtiti. ANDREA PIRLO - The veteran midfielder curled in a delicious fourth minute free-kick, leaving Anthony Lopes like a statue. Calm and composed in possession, looking to kick-start Juve attacks whenever possible. Arturo Vidal - Didn't manage to carve out any opportunities for himself, but tracked back well to fulfill his defensive responsibilities in the first half. Kwadwo Asamoah - The Ghanaian wing-back was vibrant throughout, tracking back when needed, but also had the beating of young full-back Tolisso. Mirko Vučinić - The Montenegrin fed Tevez with a couple of smart flicks, but was generally anonymous. Rightfully replaced by Llorente in the second half. Carlos Tévez - The Argentine forward was a man on a mission for break his European goal drought, going on excellent driving runs with regularity. Unlucky to have an excellent header ruled out for offside. Substitutions Paul Pogba - The French midfielder didn't have a great deal to do, but held his position well and was a threat in Lyon's box from set pieces. Sebastian Giovinco - The diminutive striker was a handful, using his speed to get beyond Umtiti on several occasions, but his shooting let him down. Fernando Llorente - The Spaniard acted as a focal point for Juventus, knocking down several good balls for the likes of Tevez and Giovinco. OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS Anthony Lopes - The Portuguese goalkeeper made a couple of smart stops, but could do nothing to deny Pirlo's free-kick, nor Marchisio's deflected shot. Corentin Tolisso - The young full-back was beaten by Asamoah several times early on, but did press forward positively and break to the byeline on occasion. Baky Kone - Impressive aerially and made a number of important clearances to hook dangerous crosses away from the likes of Tevez. Samuel Umtiti - Unfortunate to be the man whose block sent Marchisio's shot beyond Anthony Lopes, but the youngster was otherwise a solid physical presence. H. Bedimo - Pressed forward whenever possible and tracked back excellent to deny Tevez on two occasions. Steed Malbranque - An excellent showing from the experienced Frenchman, who pressed Pirlo well, as well as getting in between the lines effectively for his side. Jordan Ferri - Bright in the first half, always looking to keep the ball moving and open up the pitch, but faded after the break. Maxime Gonalons - Tried his luck on one occasion from range, forcing Buffon into a good save. Tenacious and battling midfield showing. Arnold Mvuemba - Tested Buffon with a free-kick attempt, whipping in several good crosses, including the assist for Briand's header. Dangerous on his left foot. Jimmy Briand - His goal gave Lyon hope, diverting a header onto the inside of the post, beating Buffon. Otherwise a fairly quiet showing. Alexandre Lacazette - The prolific forward showed moments of brilliance, with nice skill to get beyond Chiellini in the second half. His shooting was very poor. Substitutions Bafetimbi Gomis - The physical striker didn't receive any service whatsoever, failing to have an impact on proceedings. Clinton NJie - His pace and quick feet caused Asamoah and Chiellini a couple of problems down the right flank, winning a couple of corners for his side.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Bianconeri Into Final Four Apr 10, 2014 Juventus defeated Lyon 2-1 at the Juventus Stadium in the Europa League Second-Leg Quarter Final, a result which meant the Italian side go into the semi-finals thanks to a 3-1 aggregate scoreline. Andrea Pirlo’s free kick opened the scoring for Juventus early in the match, before Jimmy Briand levelled for Lyon, but Claudio Marchisio’s deflected effort separated the teams on the night. The game started with a bang with Carlos Tevez curling just over Anthony Lopes’ crossbar from 25 yards after easily sidestepping Bakary Kone. The frantic start to the match soon had its first goal in the opening five minutes. Andrea Pirlo doing what he does best, placing a free kick given away by Corentin Tolisso into the top left corner with ease, leaving Lopes rooted to the spot. Lyon could have had a penalty not long after the opener as Tolisso struck a shot which appeared to strike Leonardo Bonucci on the arm but the referee waved away the protests. They would get their away goal though when a short corner ended with a miss-hit cross to the back post where Jimmy Briand would head back across goal and, although Gianluigi Buffon got a hand to it, the ball hit the inside of the post and went in. The game then settled in a midfield battle with both teams opting to play the ball long and to the wings but the final crucial pass wasn’t to either side’s usual standard. Just before the half an hour mark Maxime Gonalons met a strike brilliantly well from outside the area but Buffon matched the shot well with a good save as the Bianconeri were able to deal with the danger. Juventus couldn’t seem to find a way past the well structured Lyon midfield as the first half soon petered out. This was due to the sheer fact that both sides, although having a fair bit of the ball, were failing to do anything effective with it. The second half mirrored the final quarter of the first half as balls from Mirko Vucinic and Mauricio Isla were well intercepted by the Lyon backline with the Argentinean Tevez ready to pounce. A cross from Kwadwo Asamoah took a slight deflection off of Samuel Umtiti and goalkeeper Lopes did very well to get fingertips to the cross to deny Tevez who was waiting for an easy tap in to end his European goal drought. The best chance Lyon could muster in the opening quarter of the second half was a wild shot from Alexandre Lacazette which ended up going off for a throw in. The goal drought of Tevez looked to be over following the Lacazette effort, when he met a Pirlo cross brilliantly with a glancing header but was correctly ruled out for offside. The next five minutes would prove as frantic as the opening of the match with Arnold Mvuemba hitting a sweet free kick which was well saved by Buffon. The resulting two corners were cleared by Juventus and the Bianconeri countered with power and Claudio Marchisio got a long range strike away which took a massive deflection of Umtiti before nestling in the goal to restore the Juventus lead. Substitute Bafetimbi Gomis tried to ignite a Lyon fight back with an optimistic strike that was easily saved by Buffon as the match entered the final ten minutes. Lyon began to run out of ideas and time as Juventus started to control the game once more. Sebastian Giovinco taking an eternity to get a shot away inside the area which ended up flying over the bar. It would prove to be the final chance of the match. Juventus will find out which team they will meet in the Europa League semi-finals on Friday April 11.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Juventus Good Enough to Get Past Lyon in the Europa League Apr 10, 2014 The fans were loud all night. They were chanting, their voices swaying in sing-song, while Juventus kept up the fight against Lyon. It was a 2-1 win for Juve in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final, 3-1 on aggregate. A game of few scares, a little inspiration and some luck. Juventus have never lost to French opponents, and thus they have not yet lost in this competition. They have not lost at home this entire season. This is looking more and more like their tournament, the final of which will be played in Torino. leonera19 @leonera19 Le tifo de la Juve. #JuveOL They started the game well enough, Andrea Pirlo scoring off a free-kick after just four minutes. It was wonderful, and it was the 12th goal off a free-kick in just three seasons with Juve. Pirlo had scored eight such goals in 10 years with Milan. He doesn’t smack it, and he doesn’t take a huge wind-up. It’s a three-step process: a couple of steps and the kick itself, the ball struck with spin and just enough power. But then Juventus stopped. They didn’t surge forward or kill the game. It is something of a trend for them in 2014: Juventus often leave the game in doubt, even if the result never is. Kwadwo Asamoah told Sky Sport Italia after the game (h/t Football Italia) that "physically we’re not in great shape, so we had to make the ball work for us." He continued: "We are playing every three or four days, so it’s not easy." Juventus have lost just twice over the past four months, but they have won many of those games by a single goal. And that’s the point: Juventus don’t have to play well to win. The threat was still real. Jimmy Briand scored off a header in the 18th minute, and it was not particularly pretty. The central defenders were lost, and Briand nicked the ball just beyond the reach of Gianluigi Buffon. And Buffon made sure Juventus would not concede another. He held his ground, diving to save a rasping shot from midfielder Maxime Gonalons. Buffon later parried away a free-kick, giving Juventus the confidence to score a couple of minutes later. He does not make the most saves of all goalkeepers, and he does not even keep the most clean sheets, but he is always there. Buffon and Pirlo are the protagonists of this team. Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez have scored big goals, too—but Buffon and Pirlo are the mainstays. They have shown up in all competitions. Even the little things: Pirlo faking one way and going another, taking the threat right out of danger, playing a delicate pass out to an open teammate. He also made five interceptions—a game-high, per WhoScored.com. David Amoyal @DavidAmoyal Feels like Pirlo's free kicks are what kept Juve from having a very rough second part of season Juventus started the second half as they did the first. Tevez missed a chance to end the game when the ball skipped past him in the box. Then Lyon mounted one last challenge. They took back the ball and attacked in waves. But the Bianconeri did not falter. They have a great spine consisting of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Martin Caceres, and they made the important clearances. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@chiellini: "Playing the #UEL final at home might not ever happen again in the club's history. We must seize the occasion." #JuveOL On the other side of the field, Juventus only put two shots on target. The second goal they scored came off a deflection. Mirko Vucinic was totally ineffective. He started in place of Llorente, but he misplaced 46 percent of his passes, per WhoScored.com. He doesn't get much time anywhere, and he doesn't particularly use it well. Tevez also scored—until his header was ruled offside. He still has not found a goal in Europe since 2009, back when he scored for Manchester United against Porto. But it is not a curse that seems to affect Juventus. Finally, they will play in a European semi-final for the first time since 2003.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Initial reaction and random observations Apr 10, 2014 When you get a piece of magic four minutes into a game, you think it's going to be your night. That's exactly what Juventus got on Thursday, courtesy of a pretty familiar source from an even more familiar dead-ball situation. Go ahead and look at the gif below, it won't hurt you to do so. That thing of beauty you see above was the reason Juve were soaring high after just four minutes Thursday night. Well, one of the reasons why, at least. Juve came out like gangbusters, took the lead, and appeared to be storming into the semifinals rather than limping to the quarterfinals like was the case in Florence a few weeks back. But because Lyon grabbed an equalizer a mere 13 minutes after Pirlo's latest dead-ball masterpiece, things weren't so easy. In fact, I feel safe in saying that outside of the first 15 minutes, Lyon was certainly the better side. And if it wasn't for that away Juve had in their back pocket — more on that later — things could have been much more difficult with things level on aggregate instead of having a 2-1 lead. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@Asabob20: "Their goal made it a different game, but we did well to keep the ball. We can't always go at full pelt when we play so often." Ah, the beauty of getting a goal in the first game away from home rather than at Juventus Stadium. And once Claudio Marchisio's long-range shot deflected off a Lyon player and into the back of the net, Juve's place in the Europa League's final four was just about wrapped up. Just two games separate Antonio Conte's squad from a European title game being a home game. It's a possibility more than ever before now. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen .@chiellini: "Playing the #UEL final at home might not ever happen again in the club's history. We must seize the occasion." #JuveOL The man does have a point, you guys. Regardless of how you feel about the Europa League, it's a pretty unique opportunity that not many clubs will ever get to play for. Would I like to be in the semifinals of the Champions League instead of the Europa League right now? Well, yeah. That's pretty obvious. But having the chance to play for a Europa League trophy in front of the Juventus Stadium faithful is a pretty unique alternative. Random thoughts and observations • Andrea Pirlo is good at free kicks. You heard it here first. • Gianluigi Buffon is good at goalkeeping. You heard it here first. • Can you imagine how much different this game could have been if Leonardo Bonucci didn't score in the dying minutes in France? That away goal from Lyon would have been even more of a possible possible reason for Europa League derailment. But because of Bonucci's goal last Thursday night, we're here thinking about Juventus in the Europa League semifinals, not being dumped out of another European competition. • The announcers on Fox Sports 1 here in the states were getting some good use out of the "Carlos Tévez hasn't scored a goal in Europe in four years" narrative. And while it's true that Carlitos hasn't scored a goal in a European competition in quite awhile, that doesn't mean he's playing poorly at all. He was pretty close to grabbing a goal on more than one occasion Thursday night. You get the feeling that long-awaited goal will come. Say, the Europa League final sounds like a good time to break the duck... • There was a Seinfeld episode where Jerry was dubbed 'Even Steven' by Kramer because when something bad happens, a good thing ends up being right around the corner. I think that's how I will think of Claudio Marchisio's performance against Lyon. His sub-par defending allowed Lyon to tie the game at 1-1 in the first half, but his second-half goal was what allowed Juve to breathe a little easier and win both legs. See? Claudio Marchisio, also known as Mr. Even Steven. • It seems like it's becoming redundant at this point, but Martin Cáceres is really, really good at what he does for a living. • Juventus had a lead in the 80th minute and Antonio Conte didn't throw on Simone Padoin. Somebody help because this does not compute. • Friendly reminder: Europa League semifinal draw tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 CET. In case you're wondering and feel like laughing at yours truly, that's at 3 a.m. here on the West Coast. Dammit.

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ EL: Juve see off Lyon Apr 10, 2014 Andrea Pirlo’s free kick and a deflected Claudio Marchisio strike beat Lyon 2-1 and sent Juventus to the Europa League semi-final. The Bianconeri had won the first leg 1-0 in France with a late Leonardo Bonucci goal, so had the upper hand in this Europa League quarter-final. Arturo Vidal returned from suspension, so Paul Pogba was rested with Andrea Barzagli sidelined. Lyon missed Mouhamadou Dabo, Milan Bisevac, Gueida Fofana, Clement Grenier, Miguel Lopes and ex-Milan midfielder Yoann Gourcuff. Within the opening three minutes Carlos Tevez, who hasn’t scored in Europe since 2009, unleashed a snapshot that skimmed the crossbar. Tevez went on a mazy run and was tripped for a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area. It was perfect Andrea Pirlo territory and he did not disappoint, curling it over the wall into the near top corner. Another of Pirlo’s set plays had sent Juve through to the quarter-finals against Fiorentina. This was his sixth goal of the season in all competition, all of them direct free kicks. Alexandre Lacazette had penalty appeals when his shot was charged down by Bonucci’s hand, but the referee waved play on as it was very close range. Lyon equalised and got a precious away goal, as from a corner a wayward Arnold Mvuemba cross came to Jimmy Briand, whose header bounced on the wet turf and rebounded off the inside of the far post. The French side were fired up by that equaliser and tested Gigi Buffon with a Maxime Gonalons strike from the edge of the box. Lyon continued to have the better of the play for the rest of the first half, as that fiery Juve start dissipated. Tevez also protested, as he tried to run between two defenders and appeared to trip over Bakary Kone’s leg. There was a well-worked move on the stroke of half-time, but Tevez fell too easily in the box when he tried to turn on a Marchisio pass. After the restart a Vucinic cross for Tevez was intercepted by Bakary Kone, then Kwadwo Asamoah’s cross just needed to be tapped in, but Samuel Umtiti proved decisive to stop it coming through to Tevez. Moments later, Asamoah’s shot was smothered by Anthony Lopes, who then came out to grab the ball as Vidal chested down a Marchisio pass over the top. Tevez thought he had finally broken his European goal drought with a sensational glancing header from a corner, but the offside flag was raised. Tevez gave the ball away in midfield to spark a Lyon counter and from that move Buffon had to punch away a Mvuemba free kick. However, from the Lyon corner it was Juve’s turn to counter and they made it count, as Marchisio’s strike took a decisive deflection off Umtiti’s thigh to leave his goalkeeper stranded. This was ‘Principino’s first Europa League goal. Another Tevez effort was charged down in the box and Buffon was right behind a strike from substitute Bafetimbi Gomis. Sebastian Giovinco went on a rapid counter from a Lyon corner and was barged into the advertising boards by Umtiti, who was booked for his trouble. The Atomic Ant tried to get on the end of an over-hit Marchisio assist, but could only balloon over the bar. The Bianconeri become the first Italian side to reach a European semi-final since Fiorentina in 2007-08. Juventus 2-1 Lyon (3-1 agg) Scorers: Pirlo 4 (J), Briand 18 (L), Marchisio 68 (J) Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal (Pogba 75), Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez (Giovinco 78), Vucinic (Llorente 60) Lyon: Lopes; Tolisso, B Kone, Umtiti, Bedimo; Malbranque (Danic 75), Ferri, Gonalons, Mvuemba; Briand (Njie 70), Lacazette (Gomis 70) Ref: Mallenco (SPA)

JUVENTUS 2 - 1 OLYMPIQUE LYON (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate) Andrea Pirlo (4′) Jimmy Briand (18′) Samuel Umtiti (68′O.G.) April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Attendance:‬ 40710‎ Juventus 2-1 Olympique Lyonnais (Agg 3-1): Pirlo & Marchisio on target as Bianconeri seal semi-final spot The veteran playmaker opened the scoring just four minutes in with a sublime free kick and his midfielder partner clinched victory for Antonio Conte's men with a deflected strike. Apr 10, 2014 Juventus kept their dreams of a domestic and European double alive with a 2-1 Europa League victory over Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday. After a 1-0 victory in the quarter-final first leg in France last week, the Turin giants secured a 3-1 aggregate victory to progress to the last four of a European competition for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign. Inspirational midfielder Andrea Pirlo struck the opening goal after four minutes with an exquisite free kick from just outside the penalty area, but the visitors levelled when Jimmy Briand placed a header beyond Gianluigi Buffon before the close of an exciting opening quarter. The Italian champions were not to be denied, though, and sealed victory on the night thanks to a long-range Claudio Marchisio strike that took a wicked deflection off Samuel Umtiti and gave goalkeeper Anthony Lopes no chance. The victory extends Juve's unbeaten home record to over a calendar year, with their last defeat at the Juventus Stadium against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last April. Leading scorer Carlos Tevez, who has been nursing a thigh injury but was passed fit, missed a third-minute effort as Antonio Conte's side wasted no time in stamping their authority on the game. Then just a minute later Corentin Tolisso ended a typical bustling run from the Argentine striker on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder was punished when Pirlo fired a trademark free kick into the back of the net. Juve's lead only lasted quarter of an hour, though, as Briand caught them out when he levelled with a close-range header. From a quickly taken corner Arnold Mvuemba lifted a high ball to the back post, where Briand shrugged off a challenge from Marchisio and placed his header out of Buffon's reach. Lyon were slowly getting into their stride and created the next opening just before the half-hour mark, with Maxime Gonalons meeting a cross on the edge of the area but Buffon parried his low strike away to safety. A lacklustre start to the second half saw the hosts control possession without threatening the Lyon goal, in fact they had to wait until just after the hour mark to test Lopes again. The evergreen Pirlo whipped a cross into the penalty area for Tevez, who flicked a header into the top corner but saw his effort ruled out for offside. Mvuemba tested Buffon with a free kick in the 67th minute, but Lyon otherwise struggled to fashion goalscoring opportunities in the second half and a minute later they fell further behind in the tie. Marchisio was given far too much room 25 metres from goal by the Lyon defence, and he made them pay by unleashing a strike towards goal that Lopes looked to have covered until the ball struck Umtiti and flew in the opposite direction and into the net. Substitute Sebastian Giovinco wasted an opportunity to extend the hosts' lead further, but that never looked like being costly. Conte's men now progress to the semi-finals and continue to dream of reaching the final, which will be held in their own stadium next month.

Come primo messaggio non c'é male! Complimenti! Ti ringrazio perché leggendo il tuo post mi sono venute in mente tante di quelle battaglie vissute a fianco della nostra signora. Hai 44 anni e sei vecchio? Allora io sono un tifoso decrepito della Juve.

Giovinco intima il silenzio a Gonalons molto piú grosso di lui.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) HT 1-1: Juve deal with Lyon fightback Apr 10, 2014 Andrea Pirlo’s splendid free kick was wiped out by Jimmy Briand, as Juventus-Lyon is 1-1 at half-time, 2-1 on aggregate. The Bianconeri had won the first leg 1-0 in France with a late Leonardo Bonucci goal, so had the upper hand in this Europa League quarter-final. Arturo Vidal returned from suspension, so Paul Pogba was rested with Andrea Barzagli sidelined. Lyon missed Mouhamadou Dabo, Milan Bisevac, Gueida Fofana, Clement Grenier, Miguel Lopes and ex-Milan midfielder Yoann Gourcuff. Within the opening three minutes Carlos Tevez, who hasn’t scored in Europe since 2009, unleashed a snapshot that skimmed the crossbar. Tevez went on a mazy run and was tripped for a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area. It was perfect Andrea Pirlo territory and he did not disappoint, curling it over the wall into the near top corner. Another of Pirlo’s set plays had sent Juve through to the quarter-finals against Fiorentina. This was his sixth goal of the season in all competition, all of them direct free kicks. Alexandre Lacazette had penalty appeals when his shot was charged down by Bonucci’s hand, but the referee waved play on as it was very close range. Lyon equalised and got a precious away goal, as from a corner a wayward Arnold Mvuemba cross came to Jimmy Briand, whose header bounced on the wet turf and rebounded off the inside of the far post. The French side were fired up by that equaliser and tested Gigi Buffon with a Maxime Gonalons strike from the edge of the box. Lyon continued to have the better of the play for the rest of the first half, as that fiery Juve start dissipated. There was a well-worked move on the stroke of half-time, but Tevez fell too easily in the box when he tried to turn on a Marchisio pass. Juventus 1-1 Lyon (2-1 agg, Half-Time) Scorers: Pirlo 4 (J), Briand 18 (L) JUVENTUS: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez, Vucinic LYON: Lopes; Tolisso, B Kone, Umtiti, Bedimo; Malbranque, Ferri, Gonalons, Mvuemba; Briand, Lacazette Ref: Mallenco (SPA)

Bravo Isla!

CLAUDIO MARCHISIO 2-1

Gigi para.

Punizione per loro dal limite.

Goal Tevez annullato.

É entrato Llorente e si vede.

Malbranque seguirá Pirlo anche al cesso alla fine della partita?

Incredibile, Tevez anticipato

Errori su errori.