Socrates

Chiellini: 'Juve threw it away' Dec 11, 2013 Giorgio Chiellini feels Galatasaray-Juventus should’ve been a draw, but concedes “we threw qualification away.” http://markting10.nl/ The Bianconeri needed a point in Istanbul to stay in the Champions League, but lost 1-0 in a game that was played out over two days due to snow and hail. “We were unable to achieve the objective of the last 16 and it’s a shame, because today we couldn’t play football on a terrible pitch,” the defender told Sky Sport Italia. “This game had 0-0 written all over it and there is a bitter taste in the mouth looking at our journey, because we could’ve reached this game with qualification already assured. http://markting10.nl/ “The two biggest errors were away to Copenhagen and at home with Galatasaray, where we threw qualification away. “Yesterday when we were actually in a condition to play football, we allowed nothing to the Turkish side, whereas today we could only hang on until the 85th minute. With a different pitch, it probably would’ve finished with another result.” Juve were eliminated from the Champions League after just one victory in six group games, earned at home to bottom club Copenhagen. http://markting10.nl/ “The regret remains that we compromised qualification with the opening two matches of the group,” continued Chiellini. “Now the Europa League must give us the push to continue our growth process. After all, last season Chelsea were eliminated from the Champions League and went on to lift that trophy. “It is too early to talk about the fact the Final will be in Turin, because there is such a long way to go including the Serie A and Coppa Italia fixtures. http://markting10.nl/ “It will be important to reach the European games with the right mentality and concentration.”

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Chiellini: We have only ourselves to blame Juventus were knocked out of the Champions league by Galatasaray in a controversial game on Wednesday but the defender insists their earlier results should have been better. Dec 11, 2013 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini says the Old Lady have only themselves blame for their early Champions League exit. http://markting10.nl/ The Turin giants lost 1-0 to Galatasaray in their vital Champions League clash on Wednesday, ensuring they will drop into the Europa League for the remainder of the season. Although both Antonio Conte and Roberto Mancini felt the playing conditions were dangerous following the snowstorm in Istanbul on Tuesday evening, Chiellini insists his side were made to pay for their poor results earlier in the group stage. "It was a 0-0 game and it remains bitter in our mouths because we could've come into this match already qualified," he told reporters. http://markting10.nl/ "I have regrets because we compromised our qualification in the first two games of the round. The two main mistakes were the games at Copenhagen and the one at home against Galatasaray where we threw away the win. "We could not achieve our goal of qualifying for the round of 16 and we are sorry because today you couldn't play football on an impractical field. "Yesterday when it was possible to play football we didn't concede anything to Galatasaray, but today we couldn't do the same. It was straightforward until the 85th minute where we suffered from the goal that eliminated us." http://markting10.nl/ The 29-year-old was also quick to defend the Europa League, insisting his side will fully respect the competition, the final for which will be played at Juventus Stadium. "In terms of the Europa League, we must be motivated to win it: like Chelsea did last year when they were eliminated (from the Champions League) then went on to win the Europa League," he continued. "It's too early to talk about the final in Turin because there is a lot to play for in Serie A and Coppa Italia. We will treat the Europa League with the right mentality and the right concentration."

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Conte: 'Juve left it too late, but...' Dec 11, 2013 Antonio Conte thought it madness to play on that pitch, but admits Juventus “shouldn’t have left it all to the last match.” http://markting10.nl/ Their 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray knocked them out of the Champions League. It had started last night, was called off due to snow after 32 minutes and resumed this afternoon with a pitch that seemed to be in even worse condition. “We certainly tried to have the game postponed and met with the UEFA delegate beforehand, but nobody wanted to listen. Roberto Mancini said it was dangerous and I agreed with him, I said “I think so.” I don’t think my English is that bad...” Conte told Sky Sport Italia. “At half-time I reiterated to the referee that it was not safe to play in these conditions. Didier Drogba said it was the same thing for both teams, but I pointed out it wasn’t, because we were trying to play football. http://markting10.nl/ “I have to praise the lads, as they gave their all in a situation where we were enormously penalised, as the game resorted to a football brawl.” “I will say our mistake was to get to the last game and play everything here. With a decent pitch, I am sure we would’ve played our game. We couldn’t have predicted these circumstances, so in my view our exit is unfair, but we also made life difficult for ourselves.” The Bianconeri finished the group with just one victory, three draws and two defeats. They didn’t keep a clean sheet, though the Istanbul result was their first without scoring. http://markting10.nl/ They now go into the Europa League and the Final will be played at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. “We have to dive back into Serie A and the disappointment – and it is a disappointment – has to spur us on domestically. We have another two games before the Christmas break and will then start to think about the Europa League. We’ll try to do our best, as we wanted to do our best in the Champions League. Are we targeting the Final? You’re more optimistic than I am! “Last season we had a slow start too and qualified top of the group with three final victories. This time we didn’t manage it. http://markting10.nl/ “Let’s not forget this side rose from the ashes of seventh place twice. We won in Italy two years in a row and didn’t qualify this year because it was our fault, we shouldn’t have left it all to the last match when anything could happen.” Wesley Sneijder scored the goal with an angled drive set up by Drogba, though Leonardo Bonucci was caught out in defence. “There were many situations that needed to be corrected in that move. We shouldn’t have been three against three, as Kwadwo Asamoah or Stephan Lichtsteiner could’ve come back or Paul Pogba not allowed Sneijder to go on the counter. It’s always danger when there is a three against three and I told the team at half-time it was crucial to have an extra man. http://markting10.nl/ “In the entire second half we had to attack on the side of the pitch that was impossible, whereas Galatasaray’s end was better.” Conte became increasingly angry when pressed on how much the field had affected Juve’s chances of qualification. http://markting10.nl/ “We are talking about a game played on a mudslide. There’s no ‘also’ when it comes to discussing the turf. It was everything. What made me angry was yesterday the referee suspended play because it was ‘dangerous’ and all of a sudden today it was no longer ‘dangerous.’ Maybe I need to improve my English, as the officials don’t seem to understand me very well. “The only way of playing today was to kick it upfield and hope for the best. That is really not the sort of football we are accustomed to and it showed.”

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Mancini: 'Gala deserved victory' Dec 11, 2013 Roberto Mancini insists Galatasaray “deserved to win” against Juventus, but reveals he didn’t want to play. http://markting10.nl/ The game was halted after 32 minutes on Tuesday night, then resumed this afternoon despite the continuing snow and a pitch in appalling condition. Wesley Sneijder scored five minutes from time to seal a 1-0 victory that qualified Galatasaray for the Champions League last 16, sending Juve to the Europa League. “It was difficult to play football in these circumstances and I said beforehand it was dangerous for the players, so perhaps better not to play,” Mancini told Sky Sport Italia. http://markting10.nl/ “Last night was practically impossible, as a sheet of ice had formed over the pitch and nobody wanted to continue. I told the UEFA delegate that in my view it wasn’t right to play today either. “At half-time it was already too late. Juve wanted to play before the game, or at least they didn’t say anything. I agree with Conte, it was impossible to play football for either side. It became a lottery. “After that it was an open game and we were more aggressive, so deserved the victory, perhaps because we knew that we had to win.” http://markting10.nl/ This qualification is extraordinary, particularly considering Mancini took over from sacked Fatih Terim just two days before a 2-2 draw in Turin. “It was a difficult situation when I took over, as we’d lost our first home game 6-1. We were good and lucky to get a point in Turin, then deserved to win this match.”

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ 'It was a mudslide' - Conte insists Juventus-Galatasaray clash should have been called off The Old Lady were eliminated from the Champions League after Wesley Sneijder's late goal, but Conte insists his side were hampered by the condition of the playing surface. Dec 11, 2013 Juventus head coach Antonio Conte believes his side's 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League should never have been played. http://markting10.nl/ The Turin giants were knocked out of the competition after Wesley Sneijder scored a late winner at Turk Telekom Arena, sending the home fans into raptures in treacherous wintry conditions in Istanbul. Conte was outraged that the game went ahead because of the state of the pitch, but says he could not fault the effort of his players in such testing conditions. "We certainly tried to have the game postponed and met with the Uefa delegate beforehand, but nobody wanted to listen. Roberto Mancini said it was dangerous and I agreed with him, I said "I think so". I don’t think my English is that bad..." he told Sky Sport Italia. http://markting10.nl/ "At half-time I reiterated to the referee that it was not safe to play in these conditions. Didier Drogba said it was the same thing for both teams, but I pointed out it wasn't, because we were trying to play football. "We are talking about a game played on a mudslide. What made me angry was yesterday the referee suspended play because it was 'dangerous' and all of a sudden today it was no longer 'dangerous'. Maybe I need to improve my English, as the officials don't seem to understand me very well. "The only way of playing today was to kick it upfield and hope for the best. That is really not the sort of football we are accustomed to and it showed. http://markting10.nl/ "I have to praise the lads, as they gave their all in a situation where we were enormously penalised, as the game resorted to a football brawl. "I will say our mistake was to get to the last game and play everything here. With a decent pitch, I am sure we would've played our game. We couldn't have predicted these circumstances, so in my view our exit is unfair, but we also made life difficult for ourselves."

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Player Ratings A late Wesley Sneijder goal sent the hosts into the round of 16 at the expense of the Old Lady on an almost unplayable pitch in the conclusion of Tuesday's abandoned game. Dec 11, 2013 GALATASARAY Néstor Muslera Micol - Dealt with a few pot shots from the opposition and kept his handling well in dangerous conditions. Gökhan Zan - Dealt with everything that was thrown his way in the air, and made sure that his fellow defenders were kept on their toes with some strong communication. Aurélien Chedjou Fongang - Given the slip a few times by Asamoah as his side of the pitch looked riper for exploitation by the opposition. Semih Kaya - Took care of almost everything on his flank, often taking away the overlap from Lichtsteiner and forcing the full back to cut onto his weaker left foot. Emmanuel Eboue - Pushed high up the field, and was a good attacking outlet for his side, but his end product was desperately poor. He attempted a few ill advised shots that failed to even come close. Felipe Melo - Seemed to relish the scrappy nature of the game, winning a number of tackles, and embracing the conditions to disrupt the opposition. Selçuk İnan - The Gala vice captain played hard for his side's cause tonight, putting in a defensive shift, though the state of the pitch meant that his usual calming passing game was decidedly off. Wesley Sneijder - Scored an impossibly clutch goal, running onto a Drogba flick and drilling a sure shot into the opposite side. That gave his side the points, and a spot in the knockout stages. Albert Riera - Offered little in an attacking sense, and spent most of his time camped in his own half, providing defensive assistance to Kaya on the left flank. Didier Drogba - Held the ball up superbly well when presented with the opportunity, and his target man abilities came to the fore during the buildup to the only goal of the game. He leaped high to flick a lovely header into Sneijder's path, who did the rest. Burak Yılmaz - His off the ball movement was promising, but he was never found in a threatening position - until late on when Drogba's cutback saw him nearly prod home a clincher late on. http://markting10.nl/ Substitutions Ceyhun Gülselam - Did not make much of an impact in his short spell. Umut Bulut - Added little up front for his side, as he barely got a touch on the ball. http://markting10.nl/ JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Made a save for the ages when he tipped away a Drogba piledriver at full stretch. A shame that he could not end up on the winning side. Andrea Barzagli - Made a series of vital interceptions, and never looked fazed by the opposition or the weather. Strong game. Leonardo Bonucci - Looked the most unsettled of Juve's back three by the state of the ptich, and allowed Sneijder to run on his blindside to score the game winner. Giorgio Chiellini - Though he nearly lost his footing a few times, he still managed to mop up most of the loose balls that came his way. Stephan Lichtsteiner - Overlapped well, and constantly gave the opposition something to think about on the right flank. Worked hard throughout. Arturo Vidal - Charged about with his typical tenacity, but only succeeded in giving away cheap free kicks. Gave the ball away more than once to do in what was a game to forget. Paul Pogba - Did not have as many attempts on goal as he would have liked from range, with only one tame effort no trouble for Muslera. Claudio Marchisio - Hampered by the bogged down pitch, the Italian international never really got going. Kwadwo Asamoah - Defended solidly, and tried to pick up the ball in attacking positions, but could not offer his team anything on that front. Carlos Tévez - Held the ball up strongly, and was a constant nuisance for the opposition. Played a few quality passes too, despite the state of the field. Fernando Llorente - In contrast to Drogba at the opposite end, he was barely able to function as a target up front for the visitors, as he was often shooed off the ball, and failed to keep his footing. http://markting10.nl/ Substitutions Sebastian Giovinco - Could not fashion anything in attack. Fabio Quagliarella - Brought on to salvage a late goal, but never came close.

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Juventus out of the Champions League Dec 11, 2013 One can blame the pitch, the hideous decision to play in such circumstances and the weather, but ultimately, leaving qualification until the last minute cost Juventus dearly, on both an economic and a sporting level. Galatasaray defeated the Italians 1-0. http://markting10.nl/ Essentially this was a game in which Juventus could not exhibit their short passing game or even attempt accurate passes. This was about the long ball over to the top and the hope that someone, somewhere, would make a defensive error. At halftime, Antonio Conte complained to the referee about the state of the pitch. Didier Drogba replied that however poor the conditions were, it was the same for both teams -- except it wasn't. As the Bianconeri coach explained, Juventus wanted to play football. They wanted to demonstrate their ability to control the midfield in a game where skills, rather than aggression, should have determined the outcome. UEFA set the bar of tolerance when they allowed the Benfica-Olympiakos game to be played despite the adverse weather conditions that saw the ball refuse to roll. For a sport in which teams are reliant on money made in these competitions, it's a tragedy to allow such important games to be played in such conditions, depriving sides of potential revenue. This is not only a defeat for Juventus, but one for Serie A and their coefficient points. http://markting10.nl/ Up until the Turkish goal, the Bianconeri should be credited for their attempts to contain the pressure and look for a goal. They demonstrated maturity and strength of character as they showed determination in keeping ball and rotating it around as much as was feasibly possible when in Gala's side of the pitch, and while at the back, they held the line well for much of the game. Despite controlling the game, it was the Turks who created the better chances with Drogba in tow. Gianluigi Buffon performed an excellent save to keep his side level and while Juventus attempted to push forward, looking to still pull off their passing game, inaccuracy got the better of them. Sadly, Champions League qualification was lost on account of poor defending from the wing-backs. Whether it was Mauricio Isla in the reverse fixture or the fact that the centre-backs were left alone to fend for themselves against Gala's front line, a lesson should be learnt. The strength of Conte's defence relies on the fact there are always players able to run back to block gaps and offer a helping hand, whether in the wide areas or in central midfield. http://markting10.nl/ A beautiful, diagonal long ball allowed Wesley Sneijder to score the goal that sealed qualification for the Turks and knocked Juventus out of the competition. Conte attempted to rally his troops and encourage them forward by throwing on Sebastian Giovinco and Fabio Quagliarella, but as the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport pointed out, Gala's remarkable time-wasting left Juve too little time to grab an equaliser. There were unlucky moments that the fans may cling on to, such as the red card for Giorgio Chiellini against Real Madrid, but frankly, the inability to secure wins at home or at least away to Copenhagen sealed Juve's fate, leaving them holding all their eggs in one basket. Italians rarely play unless they have to, and while they usually win under pressure, they do open themselves up to the prospect of being knocked out because of circumstances beyond their control. This result should teach them to pick up points quickly and rid them of this tendency to procrastinate. http://markting10.nl/ Well done to Galatasaray for playing with grit and belief, their great showing in Juve's stadium is what allowed them the opportunity to keep fighting. Now, more than ever, the Bianconeri must win Serie A and take the Europa League seriously. The final of that match will be played in their own stadium and every big club should chase a trophy. Chelsea hoisted that Cup on their shoulders last season and deserve credit for not turning up their noses at a competition many deem inferior. Juve should follow in their footsteps.

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Hell froze over for Juventus Juventus were eliminated from the Champions League following their bizarre final Group B clash away at Galatasaray. Luca Cetta reviews the action. Dec 11, 2013 Going into a big match you hope for any omen or advantage over your opponent. Juventus were hoping their clash in Istanbul against Roberto Mancini’s Galatasaray would end in a similar manner to their last do-or-die European group encounter 12 months ago against Shakhtar Donetsk. Instead, the Bianconeri were dealt a card similar to the one experienced in Perugia 13 years ago, that fateful final day of the 1999-2000 Serie A season. http://markting10.nl/ It will go down as one of the most chaotic Champions League contests of all time. The action at the Turk Telekom Arena verged towards the realms of Test cricket, with play spread over multiple days. It was Galatasaray versus Juventus, versus the elements. On Tuesday the snow fell. And fell. Play did commence, but after further snow and hail, the game was halted just past the half hour mark. During those 30 minutes Juventus looked comfortable against a Gala outfit which needed to take maximum points. The hosts - playing in front of their typically fervent home support - mustered little to worry Gianluigi Buffon, while Fernando Llorente had Juve’s best chance. Play was expected to be halted temporarily. As the groundsmen cleared the pitch, the match was abandoned. Determining a restart time for Wednesday was something of a calamity in itself. UEFA decided a time, only to then be told by local police to shift it back an hour. http://markting10.nl/ The groundsmen chopped up the pitch in clearing the snow and come the resumption of play, it was even worse than when the abandonment was called. It looked a potato field in some sections, the ball often stuck in the mud. How play was allowed to resume is something only UEFA can answer. The governing body should be held accountable for 60 minutes of football more suited to amateur level proceedings. Their handling of the situation was fittingly amateurish. “We certainly tried to have the game postponed and met with the UEFA delegate beforehand, but nobody wanted to listen,” stated Antonio Conte afterwards. “Roberto Mancini said it was dangerous and I agreed with him, I said ‘I think so.’ I don’t think my English is that bad...” For what football could be played, it called for an hour of determination and concentration. Both sides were cagey, understandably so, once play resumed for the final 15 minutes of the first half. Neither wanted to make a mistake that would equal an even greater challenge after the interval. http://markting10.nl/ Juve could rely on nabbing a draw and qualifying. Gala had to go for it. They did so with greater attacking intent in the second half, nonetheless the Bianconeri stood firm and aside from one fine Buffon save, were not really tested. That was until Wesley Sneijder was on the end of Didier Drogba’s knockdown to score with five minutes remaining. Gala advance with seven points, Juve drops down to the Europa League with six. For the Turkish club it’s a great achievement. They advanced from a group containing Real Madrid and Juventus, changed Coach during the group stage and recovered from an initial 6-1 drubbing against Real. Conte also rightly noted his side should never have been in this situation to begin with. “I will say our mistake was to get to the last game and play everything here.” Juventus can only blame themselves for sitting on two points from the opening two games. They were punished by Copenhagen on Matchday 1 and after battling from a goal down against the Turks in Turin, conceded cheaply moments later. From there it proved an uphill climb. http://markting10.nl/ Once European football resumes in the new year, Juventus will be in the Round of 32 in the Europa League. The Final will be played at the Juventus Stadium, so that is certainly an aim. But it’s merely a consolation, both football-wise and financially. No matter the circumstances, it’s an embarrassing exit and now they’ll have to make-do with the poorer European cousin.

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Juve out after Galatasaray loss Juventus crashed out of the Champions League after going down 1-0 to Galatasaray thanks to a late Wesley Sneijder goal. Dec 11, 2013 After a severe hail and snow storm saw the match abandoned on Tuesday evening, the team re-emerged this afternoon at the Turk Telecom Arena to play out the remaining 58 minutes. The Bianconeri knew that a draw would see them into the Last 16, whilst Roberto Mancini’s team were going all-out for the three points that would guide them into the knockout round. http://markting10.nl/ The pitch, after a full-scale operation to clear the snow, was in a terrible condition, with the ball constantly stopping in the slush. The players were coping admirably, but in the conditions, both teams resorted to long balls. It was Antonio Conte’s men who got off to the brighter start though, almost opening the scoring after 36 minutes, only for Stephan Lichtsteiner’s deflected cross to just clip the side-netting. It was Carlos Tevez though, who went closest to breaking the deadlock with just four minutes of the half remaining – the Argentine forward broke past Aurelien Chedjou inside the area, but slipped before he could get a clean shot away on goal. http://markting10.nl/ After the break, the Old Lady were once again quickest out of the blocks, but the pitch was playing havoc with the intensity of the game. Thick mud was stopping the ball in its tracks, and neither side could properly build up a head of steam and dominate the match. Paul Pogba fired from long-range, as did Leonardo Bonucci, but both efforts were easily dealt with by Fernando Muslera. Roberto Mancini’s men weren’t ready to just roll over however. Sneijder tried his luck from distance on 55 minutes, but Gianluigi Buffon saw the shot go well wide of his right-hand post, and just moments later, Didier Drogba fired from the edge of the area, but the Italy international got down well to push the ball away. http://markting10.nl/ Despite Tevez’s best efforts, neither team really looked like breaking the deadlock, as the quagmire-like surface forced the game to become an attritional, midfield battle. The Argentine’s jinking runs and clever movement weren’t paying dividends in the mud, and it was just a solitary backheel for a Claudio Marchisio shot that lit up the final stages. Amazingly though, seemingly out of nowhere, the Turkish side got their noses in front. Drogba headed a long ball down to Sniejder on the edge of the area, who shot low across Buffon and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. The Bianconeri couldn’t get themselves back into the game, ending the group stage in third place and exiting the competition. http://markting10.nl/ Galatasaray 1-0 Juventus Scorers: Sneijder 85 (G) Galatasaray: Muslera; Chedjou, Semih Kaya, Gokhan Zan; Eboue (Bulut 80), Felipe Melo, Selcuk Inan, Riera; Sneijder (Ceyhun 92); Drogba, Burak Yilmaz Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci (Giovinco 90), Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pogba, Marchisio (Quagliarella 87), Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ 'This is not football' - Juventus exit Champions League after a game that should never have been played The Turkish outfit achieved their objective of reaching the last 16, but did so in the most ridiculous of conditions at the Turk Telecom Arena. Dec 11, 2013 COMMENT By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent It all started at 20:45 CET on Tuesday with a green pitch, a white ball and the hope of a Champions League barnstormer to come. It ended at 15:19 on Wednesday with a browny-white pitch, an orange ball and a continent of short-changed football fans. http://markting10.nl/ Galatasaray qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League thanks to the 1-0 win they earned from their extended clash in Istanbul, while Juventus will believe that their shot at the knockout stage was massively compromised, and rightly so. After Tuesday evening’s abandonment in the 31st minute, it was obvious that Uefa would want the remainder of the game to be completed as soon as possible. Had the final hour been postponed until next week, there would have been the risk of Monday’s draw being affected, amongst other things. The pressure on referee Pedro Proenca to see the game to its end on Wednesday afternoon left fans across Europe watching a poor imitation of the match that had been so anticipated. These were two teams primed to play the most important game of their seasons, but upon the resumption they were simply taking part in an absolute farce. http://markting10.nl/ With an icy base, the pitch played like a local park surface that had seen all four seasons in the space of an hour. In some of the corners the ball ran true, but elsewhere it was impossible to read the roll of the ball at all. Within seconds of the restart, it was clear that the players were simply hoping to get the game over with and get out of there, such was the difficulty in judging passes correctly. This was not what big-game European football should be about. When the game reached half-time – nearly 18 hours after kick-off – Galatasaray’s Didier Drogba and Juve coach Antonio Conte immediately approached Proenca. “This is not football,” Conte appealed, and he was exactly right. The hail may have stopped, but the pitch conditions were even worse on Wednesday than they had been at the time of the original abandonment the previous night. This season, we have seen Benfica-Olympiakos played on a pool of water and now Gala-Juventus carried out on an icy quagmire. For a competition that is meant to showcase the very best that football has to offer, it does a fair old job of undermining the sport at times. http://markting10.nl/ Even Galatasaray coach Roberto Mancini conceded at full time that the game should never have been played. "It was better not to play the game. It was dangerous for the players and you couldn’t play football," the ex-Inter boss confessed to Sky Italia. Conte agreed: "You couldn't play football on this pitch. It has penalised us enormously. It is not just." The Champions League is meant to be better than this.

GALATASARAY 1 - 0 JUVENTUS Wesley Sneijder (85′) December 10, 2013 - 8:45 PM Türk Telekom Arena Istanbul Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Attendance:‬ 37375‎ Sneijder sends Mancini's men into the knockouts The Dutchman turned home a precise finish in the final five minutes as Antonio Conte's side were sent crashing out of the Champions League. Dec 11, 2013 Galatasaray sealed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League in dramatic style as Wesley Sneijder's late goal saw them beat Juventus 1-0 on Wednesday. http://markting10.nl/ The Dutchman latched on to Didier Drogba's flick to fire low past Gianluigi Buffon in the closing minutes as Roberto Mancini's side battled past the Bianconeri in treacherous conditions in Istanbul. The fixture was halted after 31 minutes on Tuesday due to freak snow storms, with play resuming on Wednesday afternoon. On a heavy, muddy pitch, both sides were largely limited to direct passages of play when the game restarted, with Juventus coach Antonio Conte appearing very unhappy with the match officials at the break, presumably due to the condition of the playing surface. http://markting10.nl/ Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez had both been recalled to a Juve side missing injured forward Mirko Vucinic (knee), while Sneijder made his first start since November 1 for Galatasaray after shaking off a recurring thigh problem. The visitors had carved out the only clear-cut chance prior to Tuesday's suspension in play, Llorente going close after good work from Arturo Vidal, but it was Galatasaray who started stronger when play got back under way in Turkey. Drogba and Sneijder both probed well for the hosts, without threatening the goal, before Llorente and Tevez linked impressively, only for the former to lose his footing as both sides struggled with the conditions. http://markting10.nl/ Referee Pedro Proenca drew the half to a close after 14 minutes of play, and it was Juve who attacked first following the interval as Leonardo Bonucci fired over with an effort from distance early in the second period. Drogba did well to shield the ball in an advanced position at the other end, allowing Sneijder to fire wide, with the Ivorian then forcing a smart right-handed save from Gianluigi Buffon following a vicous effort. Claudio Marchisio saw an attempt on goal saved after a rare flowing move down the left in the 79th minute before Juve's defence, which boasts seven consecutive clean sheets in serie A, was finally breached with five minutes left. http://markting10.nl/ Drogba headed a long ball into Sneijder's path, with the Netherlands international cooly firing past Buffon. The hosts almost made it 2-0 late on but Burak Yilmaz was denied by a goalline intervention from Giorgio Chiellini, with the final whistle prompting joyous scenes a matter of seconds later. Galatasaray's three points moves them into second behind Real Madrid and into the last 16 draw, with two-time winners Juventus now in the Europa League.

Manchester City's Kolarov not a Juventus target, insists Marotta The Italian champions have dismissed reports that they are considering a swoop for the Serbia international during the winter transfer window. Dec 11, 2012 Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has made it clear that the Serie A leaders are not interested in signing Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov. http://markting10.nl/ The 28-year-old is again being linked with a move to the Bianconeri having allegedly attracted the attention of the Italian champions during the summer. However, Marotta has insisted that Juventus are not considering a January swoop for the Serbia international. "Kolarov is a player of absolute value," he told Mediaset. "However, there is no negotiation taking place at the moment and we have no intention of starting one up. http://markting10.nl/ "We are not interested in signing him." Kolarov joined Manchester City from Lazio three years ago and is under contract to the Premier League club until June 2015.

No, intendevo dire che anche i turchi non hanno fatto grandi prestazioni (come e peggio di noi) ma sono passati ugualmente.

Dico solo che i turchi si sono qualificati avendo subito 3 sconfitte e 10 goal dal Real.

Siamo nei guai.

Sneijder nano malefico!

Turchi in bambola.

Umut Bulut in t'o Mazz.

Calmo Felipe che siete quasi in Europa League.

Nano Sneijder fá il cattivo.

Un turco in campo con i guanti alla Mastro Geppetto...

Tevez, la classe in mezzo al fango.

Burak into' Maz!!!!