Socrates

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juventus-Olympique Lyonnais Betting Preview: Back the tournament favourites to power their way into the last four Antonio Conte's men have one foot in the semi-finals and our tipster is backing the Serie A side to record a comfortable win against Remi Garde's men on Thursday evening. Apr 10, 2014 Europa League favourites Juventus took a significant step towards the semi-finals of the competition with a battling 1-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais last week and Antonio Conte's men can secure their place in the last four by seeing off Remi Garde's side in Thursday's return leg in Turin. Juventus are red-hot favourites to ensure their progress to the semi-finals with victory, with bet365 offering just 1/3 (1.34) on a home win for Conte's charges while Lyon can be backed at a chunky 9/1 (10.0) to claim victory with the same firm. A draw, of course, would be enough to seal Juve'splace in the next round too and such an outcome can be backed at 4/1 (5.0) with bet365 ahead of Thursday's second leg. It took a late strike from Leonardo Bonucci to put Juventus firmly in the driving seat in the first leg and Conte will be keen to see his side make the tie safe early on when on home turf. The Bianconeri have been imperious in Turin so far this term, winning all 16 of their home matches in Serie A and scoring an impressive 42 goals with just nine conceded. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Conte's side have led by the interval in no fewer than 14 of their league fixtures in Turin this term. With that in mind, the 4/5 (1.80) quote from bet365 for Juventus to lead at both half-time and full-time looks to be supremely generous and should be snapped up accordingly by punters ahead of Thursday's tussle. Garde's side do not come into this tie in good form, having lost four of their last six fixtures and they are likely to be outclassed by the hosts here. The 10/11 (1.91) quote for Juventus (-1) in the handicap market is tempting, but punters should note that the selection would have landed in just one of the last nine matches for the hosts. Therefore, punters are advised to play safe and snap up the 4/5 (1.80) quote on offer from bet365 for Juventus to lead at both half-time and full-time on Thursday.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Conte to shift Juve midfield Apr 10, 2014 Sebastian Giovinco and Mirko Vucinic compete for one spot in attack at Lyon, as Juventus prepare to rest one of Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba. The Bianconeri tonight host the Ligue 1 outfit in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final, with a 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg. Antonio Conte is speculated as set to pick a first-choice defence available to him, with Martin Caceres, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini expected to start. Midfield has conflicting reports on Vidal’s selection. The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport believe he will be rested due to a slight knee issue, but Tuttosport see him as a likely starter alongside Claudio Marchisio in the centre, with one of Pirlo and Pogba fighting for the remaining spot. The wings are expected to be covered by Mauricio Isla and Federico Peluso, whilst Carlos Tevez is set to be supported in attack by Giovinco or Vucinic, although Dani Osvaldo is seen as a third option in contention for that place. Probable Juventus XI to play Lyon: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Pogba, Marchisio, Vidal, Peluso; Tevez, Osvaldo

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juventus News – Europa League Updates Apr 10, 2014 Time for the Two Faces of Fabio to meet once more! Fresh from dispatching Livorno 2-0 on Monday evening, Juventus now turn their collective attention to Lyon and the Europa League, the dream of playing the final in Turin ever closer to becoming a reality. Enjoy it while it lasts, Mr. Grosso. The Livorno match was encouraging for several reasons, chief among them the return of Fernando “Danny Zuko” Llorente to Juve’s scoresheet. Sporting a clean-shaven look with slicked-up hair straight out of a touring production of Grease, the once and future Lion King livened up a wishy-washy first half with an expertly placed strike and a seeing-eye header (and I swear that first goal made Andrea Agnelli instantly grow a beard). New looks, old skills—beautiful. Otherwise, Juve mastered the match in pretty much the exact way we expected them to: casually, untroubled, a bit distracted at times, but mostly business as usual. After Fernando’s brace, Juve intermittently threatened to add more goals, but in general they played it Italian style, managing the remainder of the 90 minutes with relative ease. Now Lyon arrive at Juventus Stadium on Thursday desperate to make up a one-goal aggregate difference, thanks to the away goal scored by Leo Bonucci in France. It is not only imperative for Juve to avoid conceding but also to attack and control the ball. As we saw in the first leg, Lyon will be less threatening offensively if they have to worry about the Bianconeri running up the score. Playing at home with the pressure almost entirely on their opponents, Juve will hopefully avoid making things interesting and close out another two-legged affair on their road to European redemption. No sleep ’til the semifinals, ragazzi! Europa Updates: Vidal Doubtful, Tevez & Osvaldo Start Antonio Conte will field a strong lineup to seal passage to the Europa League semifinals, though due to ongoing health concerns and squad rotation, it may be a few players short of Classic Juve 2014. Andrea Barzagli was not called up for this one, presumably as a precaution as he nears full recovery. Angelo Ogbonna was included but is probably not fit to start, which means the officially overworked trio of Martin Caceres, Leo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini will once again shield Gigi Buffon. On the wings, Kwadwo Asamoah should start on the left flank, as Federico Peluso is either not fully fit or not fully trusted in a match as important as this one; although to be fair, Conte is probably trying to keep his squad rotation to a minimum, since it looks like Mauricio Isla will spell Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right flank. Expect a second-half injection of Swiss energy, though it’s always bittersweet not to see Stephan mixing it up right from kickoff. Aside from Fernando Llorente’s heroics, the other highlight of the Livorno was Lichtsteiner’s running war of words with the officials, Livorno players and seemingly anyone who will listen. Stephan was in rare form on Monday; I hope that when he retires, some enterprising Swiss casting agent will land him a role in a tough-talking detective show. Here’s the tagline for The Swiss Express: “Sometimes, it’s difficult to stay neutral.” But I digress. Regarding central midfield, we were all set to trumpet the return of Arturo Vidal from one-game suspensions in both the Europa League and Serie A, but apparently he’s picked up a knock to his knee and will probably start on the bench. You know what that means: Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio will play together for the third straight match. Nice for continuity, not so much for rest. Compared to defense and midfield, Conte has a relative cornucopia of options in attack. At the moment, he’s leaning towards an all-Argentine strike force of Carlos Tevez and Dani Osvaldo, though we can expect Sebastian Giovinco, Mirko Vucinic and Llorente to appear early (for Conte) if the latter continues his recent underwhelming form. Here’s hoping Osvaldo is more Jack Sparrow, less regular Johnny Depp out there. A match like this is deceptively dangerous. Juve’s mission is so straightforward and the venue so comforting that they could easily fall prey to the kind of casual approach that popped up during stretches of the Livorno match. A missed shot here, a few missed connections there, and Lyon could make the Bianconeri pay. The good news is that Antonio Conte is undoubtedly aware of the perils of Thursday’s match and has the lungs to scream away any perceived lapse in concentration and quality. And again, we can’t overstate the motivation of playing the EL final at Juventus Stadium. When we started the Europa League, I may have said something to the effect that since the final’s in Turin, Juve might as well be the ones to play in it. I’d like to revise that: Juve must be the ones to play it — and win it. FINO ALLA FINE, FORZA JUVE!!! Spanish Officials for Lyon Clash Juve’s Europa League adventure has seen an Epcot Center’s worth of different national refereeing contingents holding the whistle. So far, all of them have acquitted themselves with aplomb — and more importantly, very few incidents. No pressure, Spain! Alberto Undiano Mallenco of Pamplona (the man must know how to run!) takes over for Lyon’s visit to Turin on Thursday evening. According to the Mothership, Mallenco is no stranger to our heroes, as he has presided over two Bianconeri Champions League dates in the recent past: Juve’s inspiring 3-0 away win over Celtic last season, and a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in 2009′s round of 16. Mallenco’s linesmen Cabanero Martinez and Yuste Jimenez, while the goal-line officials will be Teixeira Vitienes and Estrada Fernandez. The fourth official will be Fernandez Miranda, who hopefully holds no hard feelings toward Fernando Llorente for either leaving Bilbao or shaving his beard.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Juventus host Lyon with 1-0 lead Lyon have a tough task ahead of them as they aim to overturn a 1-0 deficit to Juventus in the Europa League. Apr 10, 2014 https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/video/juventus-host-lyon-1-0-062602320.html

Buffon Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah Tevez, Vucinic

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON U.E.F.A. EUROPA LEAGUE (Ritorno - quarti di finale) 10 aprile 2014 - ore 21:05 Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spagna) Confronti ufficiali 1 - 1 (Europa League) Vittorie Juventus 1 - 1 (Europa League) Pareggi 0 Vittorie Ol. Lione 0 Goals Juventus 1 Goals Ol. Lione 0 Juventus-Olympique Lione a Torino Confronti ufficiali 0 Vittorie Juventus 0 Pareggi 0 Vittorie Olympique Lione 0 Goals fatti 0 Goals subiti 0 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro l'Ol. Lione 1 presenza Asamoah Kwadwo 1 Bonucci Leonardo 1 Buffon Gianluigi 1 Caceres Josè Martin Silva 1 Chiellini Giorgio 1 Giovinco Sebastian 1 Isla Mauricio Anibal 1 Lichtsteiner Stephan 1 Marchisio Claudio 1 Osvaldo Pablo Daniel 1 goal Bonucci Leonardo Ultimi confronti diretti 03.04.2014 - Europa League - Olympique Lione-Juventus 0-1 Giocate 1 - Vittorie Juventus 1 - Pareggi 0 - Vittorie Ol.Lione 0 - Goals Juventus 1 - Goals Ol.Lione 0

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Europa League preview Juventus, FC Basel, Porto and Benfica head into Thursday's Europa League last-eight second-leg clashes knowing that a win will be enough to book their place in the semi-finals. Apr 9, 2014 All four teams claimed victories in the first leg of their ties, but it is Basel who will travel to Valencia with the biggest advantage, having beaten the Spanish outfit 3-0 first up. A brace from Matias Delgado and a third from Valentin Stocker put the Swiss side in the driving seat heading into the second leg. No side has ever come back from a three-goal deficit at this stage of the competition, so los Che were always going to be up against it, but they are further hindered by the fact that they are in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will also be without the services of Diego Alves, Philippe Senderos and Victor Ruiz. Captain Ricardo Costa is back in training after an ankle injury but it remains to be seen whether he will be fit for the match. While a goal-scorer in the first leg, Stocker (adductor) will not feature in the second leg and he will be joined on the sidelines by Philipp Degen (calf), while Marek Suchy is suspended. *** Juventus welcome Lyon to Turin confident of maintaining the strong run of form on home soil which has seen them win all 16 of their Serie A fixtures at the venue this season. A slender 1-0 lead means that Lyon are still very much in the tie. However, the French outfit have a number of injury absentees. Clement Grenier, Gueida Fofana (both groin), Yoann Gourcuff (ankle), Mouhamadou Dabo (hamstring) and Miguel Lopes (leg) are all out of the encounter. Conversely, Juventus are boosted by the return of Arturo Vidal, Carlos Tevez and Angelo Ogbonna, but Andrea Barzagli (calf) is sidelined. *** Having claimed a 1-0 first-leg advantage over AZ Alkmaar away from home, Benfica are within touching distance of a third semi-final appearance in four years. The history and form books aren't in AZ's favour either, with Jorge Jesus' Benfica outfit having not lost any of their last 11 European clashes on home soil, while their Dutch visitors have only won one of their last seven matches in all competitions. Dirk Marcellis (knee) misses out for AZ, while Enzo Perez returns for Benfica. However, Nicolas Gaitan and Maximiliano Pereira are non-starters due to suspension. *** In the night's final clash, Sevilla will be backing themselves to overcome a 1-0 first leg deficit against Porto. Unai Emery's side have won five of their last six games at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and having climbed to fifth in the La Liga standings after a weekend victory, los Rojiblancos will be on a high. Eliaquim Mangala's goal gave Porto the win at Estadio do Dragao, but the Portuguese outfit were dealt a blow when midfielder Fernando was sent off late on after picking up two yellow cards and as a result will miss the return fixture. Striker Jackson Martinez is also suspended. Daniel Carrico is Sevilla's only injury concern, with the defender struggling to shrug off a muscle problem.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Lyon won't be affected by PSG exit, says Lacazette The attacker believes his side are fully capable of knocking Juventus out in their Europa League quarter-final and says they don't feel pressure as Ligue 1's sole representatives. Apr 9, 2014 Olympique Lyonnais attacker Alexandre Lacazette claims his side will not be affected after watching Paris Saint-Germain crash out of Europe on Wednesday. The Ligue 1 champions surrendered a 3-1 first-leg lead to lose out on away goals to Chelsea following a 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge, meaning Lyon remain Ligue 1's sole representatives in continental competition. Lacazette insists his side feel no extra pressure as France's sole surviving outfit and says there is plenty of hope within the squad that they can overturn their first-leg deficit to Juventus. "The fact that PSG have gone out and we're the only French team left in Europe does not change our approach," he told a press conference. "The narrow scoreline [from the first leg] means there's hope as far as we're concerned. We managed to give Juve some difficulties in the first leg. "Juve have plenty of quality in defence but I believe we can do it tomorrow night. Ligue 1 and the Europa League are very different, but our last victory over Valenciennes on Sunday gives us added belief." Lyon's clash with Juventus in Turin kicks off at 21:05 CET.

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Europa League Preview: Juventus vs. Lyon, Leg 2: The final four awaits Apr 9, 2014 By nature, I'm a very optimistic person when it comes to Juventus-related things and Juventus-related events. So, when I see Juventus play the way they did over the weekend against Livorno, all of those random optimistic parts in my noggin get a little more positive than they have in past weeks. It's hard not to, really. The way Juve played, it's impossible not to be happy about it. Was I sitting there watching Juventus dominate Livorno from opening kickoff to final whistle and screaming "THEY'RE BACK, BABY! THEY'RE BACK!"? Nah, I don't think I would go that far. Ninety-minutes against Livorno won't completely outweigh what we've been seeing the past month or so. But considering how they played on Sunday night, it's hard not to think there was at least something good that came out of it. See, that's the eternal optimist in me coming out again. Now, this is the thing they need to do — show it wasn't just a 90-minute outlier in a four-week period full of yuck and drab performance after drab performance. It's safe to say that Lyon aren't Livorno. Therefore, thinking that Juventus will have things as easy as they did on Sunday will be a little hard to believe. But if Juventus play anywhere close to the way that they did three days ago tomorrow night in Turin, then this Europa League journey will be continuing and the chance to the final into a home game. But at the same time, small sample sizes can be funny, wonky, whatever you want to call them. We can say that Juventus are possibly turning a corner into something positive again and that better days are ahead. Or, the devil sitting on my shoulder can slap me in the face and remind me of how Juventus played against Napoli two weekends ago. For every good that happened against Livorno over the weekend, there's four weeks full of meh to remind us that this probably some instant kind of fix. Basically what I'm trying to say is this: Juventus can either build off of what they did against Livorno or they can just revert back to what they've been for most of March and April. I think I know which one I'd prefer. I think I know which one Antonio Conte prefers. Now it's just time to get to the semifinals. That's because it's what everybody prefers. GOOD NEWS Juve returns home with an away goal in their back pocket. That's a little different than, say, the situation they had against last opponent in the Round of 16. There's also the thing about playing the first leg at home rather than this way, but that was pretty much a given. BAD NEWS It wasn't exactly a dominant showing against Lyon in France. It's pretty easy to figure that out when you think about Leonardo Bonucci having to bail everybody with a last-minute goal. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Protecting the away goal. Because what else is more important than that when trying to advance? Exactly. The biggest thing that will determine Juventus advancing or not is pretty simple — the team that showed up in France or the team that faced Livorno. If it's the former, then hold on to your hat because it's probably going to be a pretty stressful 90 minutes. If it's the latter, then Good Juventus is here to make all of us happy again and Conte's squad will be two games away from the Europa League final in their own stadium. Obviously every game is different. That's cliché, sure, but it's the truth as well. Which Juventus will stand up? 2. How Lyon defends Andrea Pirlo. I'll open the question up for discussion: Did Lyon do the best job of any team Juve have faced this season in taking Andrea Pirlo completely out of the game? Go ahead and talk about it because it's out there now. But the facts were the facts — Lyon's primary objective was to take away Pirlo and that's exactly what they did. It caused Juventus to basically build their attack from the back through Bonucci. Not that doing so is such a bad thing as a compliment to Pirlo's brilliance, but not as a complete substitute to the man with the magical beard. There's only one Pirlo, you guys. Just in case you forgot. 3. Does Carlos Tévez get the start? There are a whole lot of people who want to see Carlitos break his European goose egg and find the back of the net sooner rather than later. But if the rumor mill is to be believed, Tévez may not even part of the starting lineup when Juve take the field against Lyon tomorrow night. To put it the way Google translate turned a Tuttosport article from Italian into English, "Conte can't stop thinking about Giovinco." Well, when you put it that way... In all seriousness, if Conte does end up resting Tévez, I'll understand why. Juventus have a goal to play with and that means Conte has some room to work with when it comes to who he does or doesn't choose to start. And we all know that Conte loves him some Giovinco. So much so, he can't stop thinking about him. (I couldn't resist.) JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen #Conte: "Will @carlitos3210 play? I will watch him in tomorrow's workout and speak to him, then make my decision." #JuveOL #UEL 4. Will Angelo Ogbonna get the start over Giorgio Chiellini? While Andrea Barzagli still works his way back into the lineup, one of Juventus' other injured defenders made his way back into the squad over the weekend. Ogbonna didn't see any kind of playing time, but his inclusion in the squad for the Livorno game was certainly a sign that he is getting back to full health. And there's no denying that Chiellini has been playing just as much as anybody in recent weeks because of all the injuries and games happening every three or four days. Much in the same fashion as with Tévez, the 1-0 scoreline being in Juve's favor could give Conte the idea to possibly give a few guys a rest. Not saying it will happen, just kinda throwing it out there. 5. How an extremely well-rested Arturo Vidal plays. I can't remember a time where a player has had to sit out back-to-back games in different competitions because of the same reason — yellow cards — like Vidal did in the first leg against Lyon and then Livorno over the weekend. Vidal, who plays as much as anybody in the non-Gigi Buffon category, has basically had nearly two weeks off since his last appearance in a game. He's had so much time off that the last time Vidal play it was a totally different month. Okay, so "last month" was 10 days ago, but you probably get what I'm saying. The rest came at a good time for Arturo, and now it's time to get back to his usual awesomeness. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Giovinco OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 9:05 P.M. IN ITALY; 3:05 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 12:05 P.M. ON THE WEST COAST

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Lacazette: Lyon believe Apr 9, 2014 Alexandre Lacazette says Lyon believe they are capable of turning around their Europa League tie with Juventus. The French side must win tomorrow’s quarter-final second leg at Juventus Stadium to have a chance of progressing against the Old Lady. “Juve have a lot of defensive quality,” Lacazette said at the pre-match Press conference. “We will see tomorrow whether we are able to exploit anything. “We can do it, the result from the first leg means we can still believe. In Lyon we caused them some problems. “The fact PSG are out of the Champions League and that we are the only team left in Europe gives us added motivation. “We know we can do it, this sport is based on meeting challenges. It’s great that we get to play in such a beautiful stadium.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Garde: Anything can happen Apr 9, 2014 Lyon Coach Remi Garde believes his side still have a fighting chance in their Europa League quarter-final with Juventus. The French outfit trail the Old Lady 1-0 from the first leg and must now overturn the deficit at Juventus Stadium tomorrow night. “Juve are a solid team,” Garde said a Press conference this afternoon. “We know how strong they are but over the 90 minutes of a match anything can happen. “Getting through to the next round will be a huge challenge but we are here to turn the situation around. “We will play with the same spirit as we showed in the first-leg. We need great concentration, determination and solidarity. “We will also need a little bit of luck, owing to the quality of the team we are facing. “I’m asking the boys to give everything and to have no regrets at the end of the match.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) 'We must have no regrets at the end' - Garde urges Lyon to rise to Juventus challenge The Ligue 1 side were beaten 1-0 at home by the Biaconeri in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final but their coach maintains "anything can happen" in Turin. Apr 9, 2014 Olympique Lyonnais boss Remi Garde has challenged his players to leave Turin with "no regrets" on Thursday as they look to overturn a Europa League quarter-final deficit to Juventus. Leonardo Bonucci's late goal handed the Italian champions a first-leg advantage and they are strong favourites to progress to the last four in front of their own fans. Garde admits his side are facing a mountain to climb but insists his players can turn the tie around if they maintain their concentration. "Juve are a solid team," he told a press conference. "We know how strong they are but over the 90 minutes of a match anything can happen. "Getting through to the next round will be a huge challenge but we are here to turn the situation around. "We will play with the same spirit as we showed in the first leg. We need great concentration, determination and solidarity. We will also need a little luck due to the quality of the team we are facing. "European experience doesn't always make the difference. It's concentration that does. I'm asking the lads to give everything and to have no regrets at the end of the match."

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Caceres: Juventus will not be distracted by Scudetto The defender is eager to forget about domestic duties for now as he attempts to help secure a place in the Europa League semi-finals against Olympique Lyonnais. Apr 9, 2014 Juventus defender Martin Caceres says he is ignoring the Serie A run in for the time being and is eager to progress in the Europa League. The Bianconeri stand on the brink of their third straight Scudetto and have also made sound progress in Europe, having reached the quarter-finals of the continent's second competition. The Uruguayan is concentrating firmly on sealing a berth in the last four when his side host Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday, having won the first leg 1-0 in France last week. "We're enjoying playing in the Europe League at the moment," he told a press conference. "We've got a strong Lyon side in front of us now and we'll look to make the next round with an excellent performance – that's our aim. "We're playing every three days so we're taking things game by game. Tomorrow's is the most important of the week, and we won't think about the league until that's over." As the Bianconeri fight on two fronts, Caceres has found himself firmly back in coach Antonio Conte's plans of late, and he is adamant he will give his all during a gruelling run of fixtures. "I'm feeling in good shape physically and I'm happy to be playing all these games during this period when the coach and side need me."

PSG owner: No Pogba talks Apr 9, 2014 Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al Khelaifi has claimed that there have been no talks with Paul Pogba regarding a move. The French champions have been heavily linked with the Juventus midfielder, with outlets all over Europe reporting figures between €40m-€70m that the capital club are willing to pay for the youngster. However, the Parisiens chief has insisted that the club have not held talks with the former Manchester United man about a transfer. “Pogba? We have not spoken with him,” he told Sport Mediaset. “Only at the end of the season will we evaluate everything.” After Tuesday night’s elimination from the Champions League to Chelsea, Al Khelaifi has also indicated that Laurent Blanc will keep his job as Coach. “We have confidence in him. I expect him to stay on.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) 'EL semis would be proud moment' Apr 9, 2014 Antonio Conte has claimed his side are fully focused on reaching the Europa League semi-finals. The Bianconeri host Lyon tomorrow, going into the game holding a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg. And with the last four just around the corner, the Coach has urged his men to focus on what would be a prestigious occasion for the cub. “Let's not forget that it's been seven years since an Italian side reached the semis,” he told a Press conference. “That would really be something we would be proud of. “We're completely focused on this game because it would be prestigious for Juve to reach the semi-finals of such a great competition. “Our job's going to be very difficult though - all that counts is winning. “When you win, you've got it right. When things don't go well, you've got it wrong – it’s that simple. “We'll try to carry on doing the things which went well in the first leg, and try to correct what didn't go so well.” The tactician then commented on Paul Pogba’s remarkable rise from Manchester United outcast to most-wanted man in European football. “Certainly Pogba has taken giant steps forwards since he joined us. He's improved physically, technically and tactically. “I'm convinced he can grow even more though. He's got margin for improvement and he must not settle for where he is now."

'Tevez deserves World Cup place' Apr 9, 2014 Former Argentina international Ariel Ortega believes that Carlos Tevez has earned his place at the World Cup. With the Albiceleste’s wealth of attacking talent, the Juventus striker may well find himself sidelined for the tournament in Brazil. But the retired forward has insisted that the Biancocelesti man has done enough in Serie A to be called up by Coach Alejandro Sabella. “Tevez has done so much this season with Juventus,” he told Radio De La Red. “Personally, I think he deserves his place in the squad, and maybe even the team. “He’s played a great season in Italy and has adapted to Serie A really well.”

JUVENTUS - OLYMPIQUE LYON April 10, 2014 - 9:05 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) Conte: Juve focused on Europa League Apr 9, 2014 The Europa League clash against Lyon is all that matters for Juventus at the moment, according to coach Antonio Conte, with Monday's Serie A clash against Udinese only becoming an issue on Friday morning. Conte’s side face the Ligue 1 outfit on Thursday in the second leg of their quarterfinal clash, holding a 1-0 lead thanks to Leonardo Bonucci's late goal last week in France. And during his prematch news conference on Wednesday, the Juve boss let everyone know just how important he considers the game to be. Already frustrated by a question posed to Martin Caceres about his hopes of playing at the World Cup, Conte intervened after the Juve defender was asked whether he could imagine linking up with Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani next season. "We're here to talk about the second leg of a quarterfinal of the Europa League," Conte told his prematch news conference in Turin. "For me, Serie A does not exist today. We're focused on this game because it would be prestigious for Juve to reach the semifinals. "Let's not forget that it's been seven years since an Italian side last reached the semifinals of this competition, so doing so would be something to be proud of." Caceres echoed his coach’s comments, insisting that the Europa League is the team’s only focus at the moment. "We can't win either the league or the Europa League right now," Caceres said. "Tomorrow's game is the most important one for this week, then we think can about the league after. “Obviously Serie A is a priority because we've won it two years in a row and it's a priority to win it again, but of course we're delighted to be in the Europa League." Carlos Tevez has not scored a goal in Europe for four years, but Conte has yet to give the striker any assurances as to whether he will be able to try and end that drought on Thursday. "It's me who decides," Conte said. "Of course I will discuss it with Carlos, but the final decision is mine. "We're trying to preserve him from a physical point of view, due to a tendon and adductor problem. Since being suspended against Napoli he's played two games, over 55-60 minutes. “Carlos is an important player for us. We'll see what I get from him in training in the morning." Angelo Ogbonna returns to Conte’s squad after injury, but Andrea Barzagli is still out, while Mirko Vucinic remains a doubt as Juve look to remain on course for the Europa League final inside their own stadium. Meanwhile, Lyon coach Remi Garde said it would be an "upset" if his side were to overturn the first-leg deficit at the Juventus Stadium "We're here to believe in it, and we believe in it a lot," he told his prematch news conference. "It certainly would be an upset if we go through, because we would have done something that many people would have doubted before the tie. “I think that if we show the same spirit to last week in the 90 minutes tomorrow, we can put ourselves in a position to create an upset."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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