Socrates

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Montella: 'Gomez perfect moment' Mar 13, 2014 Vincenzo Montella said Mario Gomez “couldn’t have picked a better moment” to score in Fiorentina’s draw at Juventus. AMAZONIAN “We need to keep the ball, otherwise we struggle,” he told Sky Sport Italia after a 1-1 Europa League result. “Against Juve that is even more necessary, as they are a stronger team and physically tougher, so we have to play between the lines. “There were positive signs despite the difficult start, as they were forcing our full-backs to stay tight. I liked the first half perhaps more than the second, as Fiorentina were always in it and almost all Juve’s scoring opportunities were on set plays. AMAZONIAN “We always tried to take the initiative and I saw my team enjoy its football in possession.” Gomez had not scored since September 1 and only recently returned after five months out with a knee injury, but broke his drought in Turin for a precious away goal. “The first touch was wonderful, but also his physique and international experience. Combine all those and you get a world class goal. He could not have chosen a better moment to get back on the scoresheet.” AMAZONIAN Montella was asked about his choices, as he started with Alessandro Matri and Josip Ilicic, while Juan Cuadrado and Manuel Pasqual remained on the bench throughout. “A Coach prepares a strategy ahead of a game, but some work and others don’t. Against Juve you have to prepare several, as they have so many options and movements. “Initially we decided to push up and keep the ball wide to avoid them going through the middle and slowly we got the measure of them. I like this style of football, attacking and taking some risks. AMAZONIAN “I don’t know how many games Cuadrado has played, but he can be on the bench occasionally. I made a tactical choice too, as we needed players who would dialogue with a certain logic and his strength is more of an illogical approach!” Fiorentina have the away goal and can therefore afford to draw 0-0 in the second leg next Thursday, but Montella is not convinced. “We are by no means favourites. Fiorentina have scored regularly for the last two years, so at most we have a slight advantage.”

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Conte: 'Better than on Sunday' Mar 13, 2014 Antonio Conte “preferred this performance to Sunday’s” despite the failure to beat Fiorentina in the Europa League. AMAZONIAN The Bianconeri earned a 1-0 win in Serie A at the weekend, but here were pegged back 1-1 by a Mario Gomez equaliser late on. “In all honesty, I preferred this performance to Sunday’s. Of course when you concede a goal it’s hard to justify, but I feel the team created many chances, hitting the bar as well and probably expressed better football than we saw on Sunday. “When you concede a goal there are always situations to analyse and corrections to be found. We lost the ball in midfield and this through ball took us by surprise, then Gomez did very well to control and beat Buffon as he came out.” AMAZONIAN The second leg at the Stadio Franchi is next Thursday and the Viola now have an away goal to count on. “Optimistic? I am always optimistic. It’s a football match, we play to win and we have won a lot, but it’s fair to draw against Fiorentina, as they are a strong side. I do feel we were a little unlucky tonight, as we could’ve scored more.” Curiously, Juve lost 4-2 to Fiorentina earlier this season after going 2-0 up and at the weekend risked conceding a late equaliser in a 1-0 victory. Why do the Bianconeri seem to end on a low in these encounters? AMAZONIAN “Maybe we shouldn’t take the lead! On a psychological level teams have a different approach, maybe subconsciously, when going in front early on. We have gone in front in every game with Fiorentina this season. “The 4-2 defeat was strange, as they scored four in 20 minutes. It’s true on Sunday Fiorentina pushed hard in the final stages, but I felt it was a deserved victory. “If we look at the chances created tonight, then I’d say we were a little unlucky to draw. It was a good performance from both Juventus and Fiorentina, so I don’t see why we should praise one side to the detriment of another. AMAZONIAN “It was a great game and a fine advert for Italian football in Europe. I imagine those watching enjoyed the spectacle.” Conte defended his use of squad rotation, making five changes from the line-up that started in Serie A on Sunday. AMAZONIAN “It was not our intention to control the game, that is not the input I give to my players. I had to replace Giovinco as he had a muscular problem, while Osvaldo was dead by that stage. I absolutely do not tell my players to control a 1-0 lead, as I always urge them to score a second and third goal. “We won 2-0 in Turkey by rotating the squad and nobody complained there. The squad has 22 players, I tried to put my best formation out taking everything into account. Tevez had a knee problem, Marchisio, Vidal and Pirlo are a stratospheric trio in midfield, while Asamoah played wide. These were hardly second choices.”

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Gomez: Many more goals to come The striker was over the moon with his equaliser and says the Viola are desperate to reach the quarter-finals. Mar 13, 2014 Mario Gomez has promised Fiorentina fans that he will score plenty more goals this season after netting a late equaliser in the 1-1 Europa League draw against Juventus. AMAZONIAN Arturo Vidal put the Bianconeri in front in the first-leg of the last-16 tie, but Gomez scored his first goal since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off to set up an exciting second leg. "Today's goal was an emotional one. I am very happy with it," the former Bayern Munich man told Mediaset Premium. "I know how important my goals are for this club and for this city. It is not easy to get back after five to six months out of action. AMAZONIAN "I feel that my fitness and my power are improving and I will score just like before once I'm in peak condition again." Gomez then went on to voice his delight with his side's draw and stressed that they never gave up, not even after Vidal's early opener. AMAZONIAN "I am pleased for the team, because it was not an easy game in Turin. Juventus are strong opponents. We want to reach the next round. We never gave up and will continue to do our utmost in the return." The second leg takes place in Florence next Thursday.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Buffon: 'Juve thought it was safe' Mar 13, 2014 Gigi Buffon admits Juventus “thought we could take the 1-0 home” against Fiorentina and were punished. AMAZONIAN Arturo Vidal had given them the lead after just three minutes, but Mario Gomez netted for a 1-1 Europa League draw. “Maybe we thought, considering in recent games we had controlled the second half well, that we could do so again,” the captain told Sky Sport Italia. “It is also true that it can’t always go well, as we were facing a side with strong individuals who can hurt you at any moment and find that moment to change the game. AMAZONIAN “The goal is one of those moves that can happen, especially as Gomez is a great champion. Naturally there are regrets, as we thought that we could take the 1-0 home the same way we had done on Sunday in Serie A.” Buffon was asked why he had told Vidal to ‘calm down, there’s a second game too’ at one stage. “I had told Arturo to calm down because he was on a booking and I didn’t want him to miss the second leg.”

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Vidal 'bitter' at Euro draw Mar 13, 2014 Arturo Vidal scored within three minutes, but was left “very bitter” by “a bad performance” in Juventus-Fiorentina. AMAZONIAN The Chilean had given the Bianconeri the perfect start to their Europa League clash, but the 1-1 draw in Turin gives Fiorentina the upper hand ahead of the second leg next Thursday. “I am very bitter, as it was a bad performance,” Vidal told Mediaset. “There are still 90 minutes to go and we have to win at the Stadio Franchi.” AMAZONIAN Vidal is in the record books with the fourth fastest goal in the history of the Europa League. “Was I happy with my goal? The important thing is to win trophies, not score goals.”

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Borja Valero: 'Fantastic Fiorentina!' Mar 13, 2014 Borja Valero said Fiorentina were “fantastic” to fight back from a goal after three minutes to draw at Juventus. AMAZONIAN Arturo Vidal had opened the scoring almost immediately, but Mario Gomez came off the bench to earn a late 1-1 result in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16. “Considering the way the game went with that early goal, I’d say we were fantastic,” Borja Valero told Sky Sport Italia. “We played our game with the ball and in the end got that goal that will be fundamental in the second leg. AMAZONIAN “We weren’t set out well defensively at the start and Juve came out fighting, but after the goal we had the courage to take control of the ball in a very difficult stadium to play in.” With the away goal and a draw, Fiorentina can go through even with a 0-0 at the Stadio Franchi next Thursday. “The draw won’t change anything, as we always play the same way and will try to win in the second leg.” AMAZONIAN It was Gomez’s first goal since his comeback from five months out with a knee injury, as he hadn’t scored since September 1. “The goal above all is important for Mario, as he has been out for such a long time and will gain confidence from it.”

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Buffon praises Fiorentina quality The veteran goalkeeper has conceded that the Viola caused the Old Lady problems with their skilful players. Mar 13, 2014 Gianluigi Buffon has admitted that Fiorentina's individual quality made life difficult for Juventus in Thursday's Europa League clash as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Turin. AMAZONIAN Arturo Vidal gave the Serie A champions an early lead, but Mario Gomez salvaged a late draw for Vincenzo Montella's men and Buffon was quick to heap praise upon the Germany international. "We were up against a team featuring important individuals who can hurt you with just one move," the goalkeeper told reporters. "Gomez did well. He's a world-class player, not someone who's just burst onto the scene." AMAZONIAN Juventus beat Fiorentina 1-0 at the weekend in Serie A and Buffon was hopeful they could get a similar result, but conceded they were unable to play their own game. "We wanted to handle the game in the same way we did on Sunday, unfortunately it didn't go our way tonight." The return takes place at the Artemio Franchi on March 20.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Player Ratings Goal rates the players on show as Mario Gomez earns a draw for the Viola with an important away goal after Arturo Vidal gave the Bianconeri an early lead. Mar 13, 2014 JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - The goalkeeper was not tested during the first half but in the second he made important saves, including a late one from Vargas, to keep his team level. Martín Cáceres - The Uruguayan was very composed in possession and did not put a foot wrong all evening as he had a largely solid outing. Angelo Ogbonna - The towering defender often left himself with a lot to do and was forced to make some rash challenges after diving in too quickly. Giorgio Chiellini - A typically solid performance from the Italy international as he always proved strong in the challenge and was rarely beaten in the air. Mauricio Isla - Found plenty of space out on the right in the opening stages and proved a consistent threat. He also put in a good shift defensively. ARTURO VIDAL - The Chilean was a constant source of danger and was on the end of all of Juve's most impressive moments. He scored an early opener and also hit the bar. Andrea Pirlo - Dictated the tempo of the game when Juve were in possession and made a number of astute passes from his deep-lying position. Claudio Marchisio - Put in a nice ball which was key to the opening goal and regularly made some impressive runs from deep to create chances for his side. Kwadwo Asamoah - His direct dribbling on the left constantly had Roncaglia under pressure but he also showed great energy to get back and help defensively. Sebastian Giovinco - Had a role in the opener as his touch was finished off by Vidal for the opening goal, and his movement was decent in the final third. Pablo Daniel Osvaldo - The former Fiorentina man put in some clever touches in and around the box, but he was unable to test Neto himself throughout the game. AMAZONIAN Substitutions Paul Pogba - Replaced Osvaldo with 15 minutes remaining but failed to make the most of a great chance to score. Simone Padoin - Brought on for Isla in the 82nd minute. Fernando Llorente - Came on for Giovinco in the 64th minute and managed to test Neto with a couple of good shots. AMAZONIAN FIORENTINA Neto - The Brazilian stopper could do little to keep out Vidal's opener, but he made a number of decent stops thereafter to keep his side in the game. Facundo Roncaglia - The right-back was fairly hesitant when going in for the challenge and allowed players past him too easily. He did not push up to offer much-needed width. Gonzalo Rodríguez - Made a couple of good blocks but left too much space in the channels which Juve exploited, particularly with late runs that he failed to track. Stefan Savic - The Montengrin made a vital clearance to deny Juve a simple goal in the first half but his positioning was not always so impressive. Nenad Tomovic - Adventurous down the left to provide some much-needed width to the Viola's play, but his crossing was poor and he left space too often. Alberto Aquilani - Helped his side control possession effectively for large parts of the game, but he did not push on to support the forwards often enough. David Pizarro - The Chilean found it difficult to get involved in the game early on but as time continued he started to stamp his authority on the midfield with some crisp passing. Borja Valero - The Spaniard was unavailable at the weekend due to suspension and the rest served him well as he orchestrated the Viola's possession throughout. Mati Fernández - His marking as Vidal opened the scoring was poor, but he did force a save from Buffon later in the game with a clever effort. Josip Iličič - Did not provide much of substance throughout the game, and his decision making was poor as he often passed when he should have taken on his man. Alessandro Matri - Only got into potentially goalscoring areas on a couple of occasions and never looked like beating Buffon at those points. AMAZONIAN Substitutions Massimo Ambrosini - Replaced Fernandez in the 51st minute and sat deep, allowing Valero to push on into more dangerous areas. Juan Vargas - Came on for Aquilani in the 77th minute and nearly netted a late winner, but his shot was saved by Buffon. Mario Gomez - Brought on for Matri in the 67th minute and added the clinical finishing that had been missing as he netted an important away goal in sublime fashion.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Fiorentina go from underdogs to an advantage Mar 13, 2014 A broken record, a repeated pattern. When Juventus play Fiorentina, they show off their strength, score the goal(s) and then drop intensity to allow their opponent the opportunity to deliver the killer blow. AMAZONIAN The Viola were unlucky not to manage something last weekend, but Thursday in the Europa League, Mario Gomez didn't err. He delivered the perfect finish to grab the away goal and end the match 1-1. Once again, Fiorentina did what they do best. They controlled possession and rotated the ball, yet they rarely troubled their opponents. Seemingly impotent in front of goal, they missed Giuseppe Rossi's intellect and Juan Cuadrado's pace and direct play. Without these two assets, the Bianconeri's defence felt confident and capable of dealing with the mild threat. AMAZONIAN Vincenzo Montella, on the back of his team's poor performance in the first half of the match over the weekend, opted to flood the midfield and congest the central areas to force Juve out wide. It was initially thought he would deploy a 3-5-2 formation, but he instead chose to play his men in a 4-3-1-2 shape. This seemed an intelligent tactic to deploy to minimise the vertical passes that the Bianconeri deliver through the middle. Juventus instead operated well on the wings with the likes of Angelo Ogbonna, desperate to make plays from his position, always seeking to deliver the diagonal long ball to his wing-backs placed high up the field. Mauricio Isla and Kwadwo Asamoah throughly enjoyed the attention, attacking the space to help their side cause Fiorentina problems. For his 18th goal of the season, Arturo Vidal needed less than three minutes to score the opening goal of the game, making his the fourth-fastest goal in the history of the Europa League. Omnipresent and opportunistic, the Chilean is remarkably consistent in these games, finding himself in just the right positions to deliver the perfect finish. AMAZONIAN If only Sebastian Giovinco could manage similar feats. A special talent who taunted the Viola back line with his mobility and incredible intelligence, he saw his hard work overshadowed by his woeful finishing. Aiming straight at the goalkeeper or just wide, Giovinco would be on the path to greater recognition if not for that elusive goal. There's no use getting past one's marker, fooling the opponent and producing fine footwork, if it results in mere frustration and missed chances. The fluidity of the game in the first half all but disappeared in the second. Defined by fatigue, disinterest and needless fouls, Juventus still looked to be in complete control, capable of shutting down any attacking passage of play their opponents attempted to create. Yet, as we've seen from the Old Lady before, her players continued to make the same errors that gift the opponents chances. They were inaccurate with their passing and careless in possession; it took Fiorentina only a moment to steal the ball in midfield and allow Mario Gomez to strike the killer blow. With that wonderful finish, the tables had turned. The Viola went from being the underdogs to the team with the advantage, the team with the crucial away goal. AMAZONIAN Of course, Juventus are always capable of scoring. Averaging 2.3 goals a game this season, they know their attack can produce magic, but can they restrain what is bound to be an extremely motivated Viola side playing in front of their own fans? Whilst it's understandable that Antonio Conte may want to show confidence in certain players who simply don't have the opportunity to form part of the starting XI, it must be made clear that with Juventus' 14-point advantage in Serie A, the Europa League should be the priority at this stage of the season. It is also equally important to recognise the strength of the opposition and adapt to the situation accordingly. Those who can excel against a weak Turkish side may not manage as effectively against better opponents such as this marvellously fluid Fiorentina side. AMAZONIAN Juve can afford to drop points in the domestic league, but they simply cannot afford to crash out of this European competition. Especially not when the final is being played in their own home ground. In the next leg, Conte must rally his troops to produce a performance similar to what they conjured up in Turkey against Trabzonspor. There comes a time when domestic glory is simply no longer enough to satisfy the appetite of the fans who demand European victories.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Juventus vs. Fiorentina: 6 Things We Learned Mar 13, 2014 This was the second time in two weeks that Juventus and Fiorentina played each other. We have seen this kind of thing before: El Clasico as a weekly event. On Thursday, they met in the Europa League, where neither team has played each other before. AMAZONIAN This game did have the feel of a derby, and it is true that the two teams share a deep rivalry. Fans sung in full voice, in a full stadium, and put together a full tifo. This competition is not secondary, even if both managers made several changes to their lineup since their previous match on the weekend. La Viola conceded early but didn’t surrender. Mario Gomez entered the game as a substitute, and when Josip Ilicic lobbed a beautiful ball to Gomez, the German took it down with a delicate touch and slipped a shot underneath Gianluigi Buffon. Fiorentina drew Juve 1-1 and still remain undefeated in the Europa League this season. Here’s what we now know about these two teams heading for the second leg next week. AMAZONIAN Arturo Vidal Is Omnipresent As usual, Vidal was omnipresent. He is dangerous all over the field. He can play the long ball, scurry around the penalty box and shoot from afar and up close. He even wins the ball in the air. Terrence Clarke @terrenceKC Vidal is our best striker, no doubt AMAZONIAN It took three minutes for him to get his 18th goal of the season with Juventus. He has scored more than any other teammate. But the chances he missed also stick out. Vidal could have clinched a hat-trick in the first half alone. He missed two solid headers—one off the crossbar—following his opening goal. AMAZONIAN Vincenzo Montella Outdoes Antonio Conte Juventus made five changes to their starting lineup. Antonio Conte likes to rotate the squad whenever he can, and he makes sure in training that every one of his players is ready to step into the first team. Andrea Pirlo was one of the few who did not play on the weekend and was one of the fresher midfielders in the game, slinging the ball and making tackles. AMAZONIAN The same quality is not available to Vincenzo Montella, but Fiorentina actually fielded six different players than the ones who featured in the starting XI against Juve on Sunday. But the biggest changes made by Juventus manager Antonio Conte came in attack, and Dani Osvaldo and Sebastian Giovinco just did not do enough to test Fiorentina. It was Giovinco who assisted Vidal for the first goal, but Juventus scored in the middle of mayhem, with the ball bouncing between players before landing at the feet of the Chilean. AMAZONIAN Mario Gomez Finally Gets a Goal Finally, Mario Gomez scored a goal. It had been months since he last found the net—all the way at the beginning of the season in September—and he suffered through injury. And Gomez kept shooting after that equalizer. It was as if he finally learned the trade again. He looked unencumbered on the field for the first time in a long while. When teammate Josip Ilicic launched the ball up the field, Gomez brought it down with ease and shot a few steps later. The goal was one fluid motion. Perfect execution. AMAZONIAN Juventus Were Too Passive at Home It is weird: Juventus have scored three goals against top rivals like Roma, Inter and AC Milan at home. They weren’t so ready to kill this game. Right after Vidal scored the opener, Fiorentina began to press forward, and Alberto Aquilani was the first to really test Gianluigi Buffon. Then Borja Valero joined, and Juventus kept backing up. AMAZONIAN The Bianconeri gave up more and more of the ball. Fiorentina’s midfielders began to overrun Juve. It was Montella’s substitutions who did more. Alessandro Matri and Aquilani could not penetrate Juve, who held a firm line before conceding the equalizer. So Gomez came on and scored. Fiorentina controlled 60 percent of the ball, as per WhoScored.com, and attempted more shots (15) than Juventus (13). But the league is the priority for Juventus anyway. AMAZONIAN Chiellini Back in Action Here was Giorgio Chiellini, finally back from a thigh injury, showing his true definitions as a left-back. The 29-year-old outran Facundo Roncaglia. When Antonio Conte first deployed a 3-5-2 formation, Chiellini no longer played as a veritable left-back, but he can still run down the flank and cross the ball with distinction. He drew three fouls, according to WhoScored.com, and caused lots of issues for Fiorentina’s midfielders. Chiellini is one of the reasons why Juve spread across the pitch so successfully. AMAZONIAN Full Support at Juventus Stadium It’s obvious that Juventus want to play in and host the Europa League final later in May, and 39,610 people attended the match. This game meant a lot. And maybe it had something to do with the prices. AMAZONIAN Mina Rzouki @Minarzouki Juve ultras looking to boycott the reverse fixture next week. Fiorentina charging €50 when their fans have paid approximately €30 tonight Fiorentina have done a good job filling their stadium for both Serie A and Europa League matches. We will most likely see a similar atmosphere next week.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Initial reaction and random observations Juventus play terribly after the break let a second-half lead slip away against Fiorentina. Where have I seen this before? Mar 13, 2014 For the first 45 minutes, Juventus were looking pretty darn good compared to their last game against Fiorentina. They had the lead after just three minutes thanks Arturo Vidal's 18th goal (!!) in all competitions. Their passing was crisp, their ability to create scoring chances was on full display and had Fiorentina's defense scrambling while trying to stop it. AMAZONIAN And then, something happened — again. Bad second-half tactics from Antonio Conte? Yeah, definitely. Letting your foot off the gas and enabling Fiorentina to get back in the game? Yeah, definitely. AMAZONIAN There's other obviously things that contributed to Juventus' 1-1 draw with Fiorentina in the first leg of their Round of 16 Europa League matchup on Thursday night, but it's safe to narrow it down to one distinct statement right here: The team in black and white that was up 1-0 at the half wasn't the same team that came out of the locker room and proceeded to play in the second half. Juve needed to grab a second goal and never they did. Fiorentina, much to their credit, just hung around. And with Juventus clearly shifting their play to protect the lead rather than pushing for a second goal, Fiorentina was able to take advantage of it, eventually getting their coveted away goal courtesy of Mario Gomez just 13 minutes from full time. Stupid Gomez Button. I hate you now. More than ever before. AMAZONIAN All of the work Juve did in the first half — especially the first 15-20 minutes — gone just like that. But it's hard to say that Fiorentina didn't deserve it. Juventus took their foot of the gas pedal and got punished for it. Fiorentina is a good team and they'll will make you pay for your own mistakes. Juventus' mistake was letting them hang around for far too long. And because of it, we're all headed to Florence knowing that Juve doesn't have a lead in its back pocket. JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Conte: We’re disappointed with the result, but not the performance. We created plenty of opportunities and deserved more than we got. #UEL That damn second half. You just can't help but make a face at it. AMAZONIAN Bingo. We know what happened the last time Juve were in Florence. But it's not like winning there is impossible. In seven days, these two teams will play for the right to get to the Europa League semifinals at the scene of that dreadful day in October. You know Fiorentina will be fired up since they will be in front of the home crowd at the Franchi. The only question will be if Juventus can answer the call and advance. AMAZONIAN Random thoughts and observations • Arturo Vidal could have had a hat trick in the first half if not for a brilliant Neto save and then smashing a header off the stupid crossbar. The opportunities to double the lead were there for the taking. Juventus just couldn't get that second goal they oh so desperately needed in the first half. • Mauricio Isla's game might be Exhibit A of how different Juventus were in the first half compared to the second half. It was a throwback kind of effort from Isla in the first half, taking advantage of plenty of space down the right flank. The second half? Barely a peep. Polar opposite halves for Isla — and for Juventus as a whole. • Can you imagine what it would have been like if Gigi Buffon didn't make one of those saves towards the end of the second half? Yep, Oct. 20 in Florence all over again. AMAZONIAN • How things change from one game against Fiorentina to the other: Mario Gomez did next to nothing on Sunday afternoon. Thursday night? That first touch, that game-tying goal, that frustration that followed. Gomez gave Fiorentina the exact boost Vincenzo Montella was hoping for when the German striker was introduced for Ale Matri in the 67th minute. • Even though we're all grumpy because of the result, I want to say something: It's pretty nice to have Giorgio Chiellini back in the starting lineup again. AMAZONIAN • Have I said how much I missed first-half Juventus during the course of the second half? Because I did. • I'm off to go bang my head against the desk a few more times.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Gomez scores vital away goal for La Viola Mar 13, 2014 Juventus could only manage a 1-1 draw with Fiorentina at the Juventus Stadium on Thursday evening in their Europa League Round of 16 tie. AMAZONIAN An early goal by Arturo Vidal was cancelled out by second-half Fiorentina substitute Mario Gomez 11 minutes before the final whistle. Vidal opened the scoring after just three minutes. He found the net from close range after Sebastian Giovinco settled down Claudio Marchisio’s lob cross from the left. After the goal, the Bianconeri took the initiative and continued to threaten, but shots from Pablo Osvaldo and Vidal went wide. AMAZONIAN After 13 minutes, Fiorentina’s Stefan Savic prevented an imminent goal when he intercepted Kwadwo Asamoah’s sharp cross across goal which was directed toward Osvaldo at the far post. At the other end, the Viola had their first chance on goal when Alessandro Matri got a touch of the ball after a volley shot by Alberto Aquilani, but could not redirect it on goal. Later, Mati Fernandez took a shot from inside the penalty box with the outside of his foot, Gianluigi Buffon parried it and while he was on the ground Asamoah made a last-ditch tackle to deny Borja Valero, who almost had the chance to tap the ball into an open net. AMAZONIAN Not long after, Osvaldo advanced into the Viola box and sent a cross from the right to Giovinco at the far post, but the Italian forward’s shot was too weak to trouble Neto. Moments later, Vidal came close to a second goal when he forced a great diving save from Neto after heading a ball from yet another cross by Marchisio. He came even closer 10 minutes later, when, under similar circumstances, his header, this time from a cross by Andrea Pirlo, met the crossbar. AMAZONIAN Pirlo provided another good ball when he found Giovinco unmarked in the penalty area, but the pint-sized striker failed to find the target. Then, just moments before the interval, a Valero shot in a congested penalty area took a deflection off a defender and ended up just centimetres wide of Buffon’s left post. The beginning of the second half was far less dramatic, with both teams being fairly cautious, as a result chances were few and far between. AMAZONIAN A rare chance came just after the hour mark when Mauricio Isla advanced deep into the Viola half and took a long-range shot, but it was comfortably saved by Neto. Shortly after, Fiorentina struck out of nowhere. Josip Ilicic sent a long ball over the top toward Gomez. The German took a touch to settle the ball and with his second sent it under the on-rushing Buffon for the equalizer. At the other end, Fernando Llorente responded with a volley shot that was saved by Neto. AMAZONIAN Towards the end of the match, the Bianconeri missed another chance to get back in front when Llorente set up Paul Pogba for a shot, but the young Frenchman’s shot went wide. Fiorentina nearly made them pay when captain Valero fired a long range effort in, but Buffon did not take a risk and turned it away, as it looked to be dipping under the bar. AMAZONIAN Another substitute, Juan Vargas, tried his luck from long range after the corner that followed, but the Bianconeri goalkeeper again stood strong between the posts. Despite Juventus’ attacking pressure in the final minutes, Fiorentina managed to take away the draw before the second leg in Florence on March 20.

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Gomez earns Juve-Fiorentina draw Mario Gomez’s first goal of 2014 gave Fiorentina a precious 1-1 Europa League draw at the Juventus Stadium. Mar 13, 2014 These two arch rivals had already faced off in Turin on Sunday in Serie A, the hosts securing a 1-0 win with Kwadwo Asamoah’s strike. Antonio Conte made five changes from that line-up, introducing Martin Caceres, Angelo Ogbonna, Mauricio Isla, Sebastian Giovinco, Daniel Osvaldo and Andrea Pirlo, the latter sitting out a ban at the weekend. Borja Valero and Nenad Tomovic also returned for the Viola after suspension, while Alessandro Matri and Alberto Aquilani faced their former club. AMAZONIAN It took all under minutes for Juventus to break the deadlock. Asamoah’s run started the move, then Claudio Marchisio knocked it in for Giovinco to chest down and Arturo Vidal hit it on the half-volley from 10 yards. The Bianconeri were extraordinarily aggressive from the start, as Gonzalo Rodriguez rushed to close down Marchisio and Vidal flashed another shot off target. Stefan Savic, who was in doubt until the last minute due to illness, desperately intercepted Asamoah’s ball across the face of goal for Osvaldo, almost scoring an own goal in the process. AMAZONIAN Fiorentina finally had a chance on 15 minutes, as Aquilani’s volley was redirected just wide of the back post by Matri. Mati Fernandez shot with an angled drive off the outside of the boot, forcing Gigi Buffon to parry at the near post and Asamoah scrambled to get it clear. Giovinco was sent through by Osvaldo, but Neto rushed out of his penalty area to hoof clear, then the goalkeeper smothered the Atomic Ant’s scuffed volley from another Osvaldo assist. AMAZONIAN A corner was not dealt with by Juve, but both Rodriguez and Matri just failed to get the decisive touch. At the other end Marchisio fought hard to win back possession and set up a Vidal header, which Neto beat off the line. The rivalry between these clubs is fierce and there was a brief row between fellow Chileans Vidal and David Pizarro. Vidal almost doubled his tally and Juve’s lead on 38 minutes when his towering header thumped the crossbar with Neto beaten on a Pirlo assist. Just before the break Borja Valero’s angled drive took a deflection to bobble inches past the far post. AMAZONIAN Mati Fernandez was forced off by a sprained ankle and Mario Gomez replaced Matri. Mauricio Isla wasted a good chance by firing straight at Neto when he should’ve set up Vidal. Martin Caceres bravely chested down a ball to Buffon under pressure from Borja Valero, while Rodriguez stood his ground to charge down a Fernando Llorente run through the middle. Surprisingly, Vincenzo Montella opted not to use Juan Guillermo Cuadrado or Manuel Pasqual, who remained on the bench after the three substitutions. AMAZONIAN Fiorentina drew level with a precious away goal from Gomez, his first since being ruled out for five months by a knee ligament injury in September. The German ran on to a Josip Ilicic ball over the top and sprung the offside trap, drawing out Buffon to slide the finish under his body. Gomez hadn’t found the net for the Viola since a brace in the 5-2 victory away to Genoa on September 1. The Bianconeri fought back immediately, Neto smothering a deflected Llorente effort, but Gomez also hit the side-netting and Paul Pogba’s angled drive skimmed the far post. AMAZONIAN Gomez had rediscovered his confidence after that goal and his long-range dipping strike was palmed out from under the bar by Buffon. The goalkeeper also got down quickly to turn a Juan Manuel Vargas snapshot round the post, as it bounced right in front of him. The second leg will be at the Stadio Artemio Franchi next Thursday, March 20. AMAZONIAN Juventus 1-1 Fiorentina Scorers: Vidal 3 (J), Gomez 79 (F) Juventus: Buffon; Caceres, Ogbonna, Chiellini; Isla (Padoin 82), Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco (Llorente 63), Osvaldo (Pogba 75) Fiorentina: Neto; Roncaglia, Rodriguez, Savic, Tomovic; Aquilani (Vargas 77), Pizarro, Borja Valero, Mati Fernandez (Ambrosini 51); Ilicic, Matri (Gomez 68) Ref: Kuipers (HOL)

JUVENTUS 1 - 1 FIORENTINA Arturo Vidal (3′) Mario Gomez (79′) March 13, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance:‬ 39610‎ Gomez snatches late draw The Germany striker levelled in the second half after Arturo Vidal had opened the scoring at Juventus Stadium. Mar 13, 2014 A 79th minute strike from Mario Gomez saw Fiorentina snatch a late 1-1 draw at Juventus in the first-leg of their last-16 Europa League tie. AMAZONIAN The hosts enjoyed a narrow 1-0 win over the Viola in Serie A on Sunday to maintain their title charge and it looked as though it would be a case of deja vu for Vincenzo Montella's side after Arturo Vidal's early opener. Both sides had plenty of goalscoring opportunities after that and it was the visitors who took were the more ruthless, with substitute Gomez scoring his first goal since returning from a knee injury in February and set up an intriguing second leg. In what was a strong start, Juve needed less than three minutes to open the scoring, Vidal firing home from close range after Sebastian Giovinco had done well to chest Claudio Marchisio's powerful cross into his path. Vidal was in the thick of it again soon after when he flashed an effort wide from distance as Antonio Conte's men made all of the early running. AMAZONIAN Stefan Savic was forced to clear Kwadwo Asamoah's delivery from a dangerous position before Alessandro Matri had Fiorentina's first chance - diverting Alberto Aquilani's effort wide of Gianluigi Buffon's right-hand post. That sparked a short spell of pressure from Montella's men - Matias Fernandez forcing Buffon into a smart save with Asamoah required to acrobatically clear the rebound before the onrushing Borja Valero could follow up. Vidal threatened twice more late in the half - both with headed efforts - seeing the first saved by Neto before the crossbar denied him seven minutes from the interval. AMAZONIAN Juve were given a scare early on when Valero dispossessed Angelo Ogbonna in possession and found himself through on goal, before referee Bjorn Kuipers brought play back for a foul on the defender. With the home side keen to avoid conceding an away goal and Fiorentina eager not to fall further behind in the tie, the tempo dropped somewhat and chances became scarce. However, Gomez needed only one sight of goal when, after being involved for just 12 minutes, he brought down a long ball and slipped the equaliser past the onrushing Buffon.

Buffon salva su Vargas.

Grande occasione per Pogba ma il tiro va fuori.

Mario Gomez frega Osbonna e pareggia.

Mozzarella di Isla.

Dicevano che Seba aveva problemi all'inguine.

Ciao Mitra!

Chiellini monumentale!

Sta per uscire Giovinco. Llorente sta per entrare.

Deschamps spera di no.

Gonzalo teatrante!

Gonzalo tira una gomitata ad Asamoah e si fa male alla testa anche lui!