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JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus criticism predictable - Conte The Bianconeri boss is unsurprised by the fact that just a couple of weeks after being labelled 'unstoppable' by the Italian press, his side's quality is now being questioned. Oct 5, 2013 Antonio Conte has bemoaned the fickle nature of Juventus' critics ahead of Sunday's Serie A showdown with AC Milan. http://markting10.nl/ The Bianconeri currently lie in third place on 16 points, just two adrift of league leaders AS Roma. Yet whilst Conte’s men remain unbeaten this season, the media have taken aim at Juventus’ poor performances in the Champions League, with the Turin outfit having drawn their first two games in Group B, against Copenhagen and Galatasaray. "We seem to be in this situation where if we don’t win then people say we’re worthless, but I understand that," Conte told reporters on Sunday. "We are well aware that we can always improve, especially at the start of the season, but the same people panicking now are the ones who a few weeks ago said we’d be unstoppable." http://markting10.nl/ The Bianconeri boss also insisted that he is more than happy with the club’s continental displays. "In Europe, we have had more shots on goal than any other team, which is an important and positive statistic," he reasoned. "There were a few too many individual errors, but these things can happen. I have faith in my lads.” Although Milan are currently ninth in Serie A this season, Conte believes that Massimiliano Allegri's men can still challenge for the league title. "This will certainly be a match between two teams who can take the Scudetto," he argued. "The Rossoneri have an excellent group of players who have belief in their qualities and for three seasons have been consistently at the top of Italian football." Juve's eagerly-awaited meeting with Milan in Turin is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Allegri bemoans 'unfair' Milan criticism The Rossoneri coach believes that, despite the sub-standard start to the season, the club can turn around their fortunes at Juventus on Sunday. Oct 5, 2013 Massimilano Allegri believes that recent criticism of AC Milan and Juventus has been "unfair" ahead of Sunday's clash in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ The Rossoneri have struggled in Serie A in 2013-14 and sit eighth in the division heading into gameweek seven - eight points behind Antonio Conte's men - while the Bianconeri have been criticised for drawing their opening two Champions League ties to Copenhagen and Galatasaray. Allegri, 46, has no doubt that his players can perform when up against the Scudetto winners and revealed, in Mario Balotelli's suspension-induced absence, that Robinho and ex-Juve striker Alessandro Matri will start up front. "I am utterly sure the lads are up to the task, then the result depends on many elements," Allegri told reporters on Saturday. "It is not a test for us, but a fascinating game between two teams who are separated by eight points. http://markting10.nl/ "At the moment, there has been unfair criticism of both Juventus and Milan. "The two who start in attack will be Alessandro Matri and Robinho. Matri is just missing a goal, as he was unlucky, but we hope tomorrow he can find the breakthrough." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus duo miss Milan Oct 5, 2013 Mirko Vucinic and Stephan Lichtsteiner have not recovered in time to play Juventus-Milan tomorrow night. http://markting10.nl/ Vucinic and Lichtsteiner both hobbled off during the first half of Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Galatasaray. Neither player is fit for tomorrow night, joining Martin Caceres and Simone Pepe on the sidelines. Juventus squad for Milan: Buffon, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Marchisio, Tevez, De Ceglie, Giovinco, Peluso, Llorente, Barzagli, Motta, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Quagliarella, Storari, Isla, Rubinho http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Milan squad for Juventus Oct 5, 2013 Riccardo Saponara is in Milan’s squad travelling to the Juventus Stadium, though Mario Balotelli is still banned. http://markting10.nl/ Under-21 international Saponara is fit again, but the absentee list remains extensive with Balotelli continuing his three-match ban for insulting the referee. Missing out are Kaka, Stephan El Shaarawy, Valter Birsa, Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele Bonera, Giampaolo Pazzini, Jherson Vergara and Matias Silvestre. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has already confirmed Robinho and Alessandro Matri will start. Milan squad for Juventus: Abbiati, Amelia, Gabriel, Abate, Constant, Mexes, Zaccardo, Zapata, Emanuelson, De Jong, Montolivo, Muntari, Nocerino, Poli, Saponara, Matri, Niang, Robinho http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Tactical battle of wits between two old foes Oct 5, 2013 Between them Juventus and AC Milan have won the last three Scudetti in Italy. The two coaches -- Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri -- have achieved remarkable feats with small clubs outside of Serie A and the giants of the top-flight and the two squads are both capable of the remarkable and the frustrating. http://markting10.nl/ The Rossoneri take on the Bianconeri in Turin on Sunday evening in what should be a tactical battle of wits between two old foes. Whilst the Juventus are considered the domestic heroes of Italy, Milan have always been the country's greatest representatives in Europe. Yet they are both experiencing a delicate moment as of late. This Juve lacks that purposeful edge and unpredictability to their game and Milan have seemingly lost their identity, playing a game more focused around neutralising threats than imposing their own style of play. With only eight points collected from six games, the Rossoneri are still trying to find their feet -- something we expect from Allegri led sides. Only when in charge of Sassuolo, in Serie C1 at the time, did the man from Livorno manage a perfect start to the campaign. The following year, when in charge of Cagliari, Allegri picked up four straight defeats. http://markting10.nl/ In the first four games of each season, one has come to expect at least one defeat when Allegri is in charge. Points are always hard to collect initially for the tactician, who takes his time to find the right tactics and balance to win the games. So far this season, he has already tried out three different formations and suffered two defeats. Meanwhile, Conte stays faithful to his tactics and has clear ideas from the start on how his side should be deployed. What his team lack in cohesion at the start of their seasons, they make up with determination. Pre-seasons are focused on building stamina and teaching desired patterns of play. So what is the difference between Allegri and Conte? "Conte is more obsessed with tactics and a great motivator but Allegri has more of a relationship with his players and seeks dialogue," Alessandro Matri, the striker who has played under both men, told Gazette dello Sport. Conte is indeed a man who loves nothing more than to light the fire under his players and bully an intense performance out of each member of his squad. He is vivacious, incredibly demanding and easily disappointed. No man in the club has a bigger personality than the Juventus coach. http://markting10.nl/ Yet despite the undefeated tag, his squad are not quite clicking. Gianluigi Buffon is now capable of misjudging situations – a weakness he never shown before; Arturo Vidal seems inconsistent while Claudio Marchisio is sorely missed in midfield. What was beautiful about the Old Lady was her fast runs and timely insertions from midfield. Mobility was one of the Bianconeri's greatest assets, as was the solid defence, perfectly secured by the hard-working midfield. Yet now their attack offers less variety, their methods easily predicted and neutralised and their players capable of individual errors. Milan are surely concocting a strategy to contain the Bianconeri pressure. This season, they have relied on playing a patient and cautious game at the start of their matches up until they notice the opposition tiring. It is then, when space is more easily relinquished, that the Rossoneri impose their strength and steal vital points. http://markting10.nl/ Maturity will be key. If Juve can remain concentrated for the full 90 minutes, plus stoppage time, they will frustrate their opponents and achieve the win. Defensively, both sides are suffering. Whilst both Buffon and those three centre-backs have suffered moments of madness to concede some odd goals this season, Milan are frightful when asked to defend a corner. The Rossoneri have conceded six headed goals so far this season as the side struggle to portray understanding in the box. Confused as to what they are meant to do and who they are supposed to mark, this is one area Juve must exploit. It is therefore important that Fernando Llorente plays some minutes to target the Milanese weaknesses, but according to reports, Conte will opt to start Carlos Tevez alongside Fabio Quagliarella. The latter has come in for some criticism from the fans, who argue that the team play with a man down when he's on the field. However, he is the only one to have understood how to exploit Gala's deficiencies in the Champions League – playing between the lines and operating in the large gap between the Turks' midfield and defensive lines. He was therefore the one who continuously slipped under the radar and not marked as closely, scored Juve's second goal. http://markting10.nl/ Marchisio will also return to the side and Stephan Lichtsteiner, who suffered an injury, will be rested, allowing Simone Padoin to take his place instead of the woeful Mauricio Isla. It will be tactical and it will be tough but let's hope the battle will also be entertaining on Sunday evening. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus vs. AC Milan Preview: Round 7 — Dancing with the Devils Oct 5, 2013 Juventus isn't playing well. Milan isn't playing well. It doesn't take a football insider to figure out that those two sentences are, in fact, true. Each team has their own respective problems, some that can be fixed, while others weren't signed this summer and are currently sitting in Russia waiting for their contract to expire in January so they can move to Serie A. http://markting10.nl/ I digress. Back to the topic at hand. Juventus may be struggling, but they enter the weekend's action only two points away from the top of the table. Milan, on the other hand, are struggling and are still suck in the middle of the league table and haven't even cracked double digits in points on the season yet. Two different scenarios, each with their own unique twists and turns and will obviously continue — or end — in different kinds of ways. What do they have in common? Well, they'll be playing tomorrow night at Juventus Stadium, for one. And when it comes to the clash of the Italian football titans, form doesn't always matter. Just look at the first time the two teams met last season — Juventus were riding high after beating Chelsea in Turin and then laid a complete egg at the San Siro. And what do ya know, Juve are coming off a Champions League game again. But this time, they're coming off an incredibly disappointing result rather than, as The Rock would say, putting boots to asses and dominating the then-defending European champions in front of a raucous Juventus Stadium crowd. http://markting10.nl/ So maybe this is the game that Juventus need to snap back into some kind of shape before we all head into the two-week international break. It'd be nice to talk about Juve doing something nice for the first time in a couple weeks. Lord knows it'd also be nice not to have the desire to smash my head against a wall. (Yes, the same wall I mentioned during those whacky post-Galatasaray shenanigans.) But this isn't all about me. This is about Juventus trying to get a win against one of its biggest rivals. There, that's more like it. Juventus vs. Milan: Maybe not getting the same amount of hype as previous editions, but still important. That sounds good to me. On with the show. GOOD NEWS I'll get back to you on that. BAD NEWS Milan will get a penalty in the 92nd minute. It won't be deserved, but they will be awarded one by the referee. Juventus players will swarm him in protest to no end. Mario Balotelli, who nobody knew actually made the trip to Turin, will come out of the stands in some kind of whacky outfit, step up to the penalty spot, and then give the lead two seconds before the final whistle is blown. Or something like that. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. Who starts alongside Carlos Tevez? This is becoming a regular thing, isn't it? Maybe we should look at the candidates. Fernando Llorente: It took the big Spaniard all of about a minute to come close to getting a goal against Galatasaray on Wednesday night. That was just the beginning of another step forward in his adaptation to Italian football. He obviously isn't close to being in top form, but he's showing glimpses of the productive player we saw all those years with Athletic Bilbao. The process and acclimation was never going to be a quick one, but it's nice to see it actually begin to happen in front of our eyes. http://markting10.nl/ Fabio Quagliarella: Mr. Champions League had what looked to be the game-winning goal until Juventus' defense forgot to, well, defend a minute after Juve took the lead. Whenever he has been on the field this season he has produced. Okay, so maybe not all the time, but a good portion of it. He's earned the chance to get more playing time and he's done it the way you like to see — taking advantage of the playing time Antonio Conte has given him thus far. Decisions, decisions, Mr. Conte. 2. The impact of one Claudio Marchisio. There will always be the argument about just how important Claudio Marchisio is to Juventus. And there will always the argument about why Paul Pogba should start over Marchisio. But the fact that Juventus struggled in a sans-Principino midfield against Galatasaray on Wednesday shows that maybe, just maybe, Marchisio is as important as some of us around here think he is. Pogba has played as much as anybody this season and has been the one player who hasn't been rotated out for a rest by Conte this season. Sunday night might be that game, as some are predicting. And if it is, I'm going to go out on a limb and say the left side of Juventus' midfield and defense plays a little bit better than it did on Wednesday. 3. Who will start on the right wing? If he was healthy, Stephan Lichtsteiner would start and there would be no second guessing whatsoever. But because he had to come off at the break against Galatasaray and is looking like a doubt for tomorrow night. That means it's either Mauricio Isla coming off one of the worst games of his career as Lichtsteiner's replacement or Mr. Ordinary Simone Padoin on the right flank. Those options are...uninspiring? Maybe you've got a better way to describe it. All I know is that I wouldn't be opposed to Padoin playing from the start after the way Isla proved to be completely worthless against Galatasaray. Maybe he'll even be able to put in a couple decent crosses or two. That'd be nice for a change. http://markting10.nl/ 4. Stupid refereeing decisions. Why? Because the Vegas odds aren't going to be a good investment when it comes to something happening. It's Italy and the refs are terrible. What a perfect time to have it magnified even that more than during Juventus-Milan match. 5. How Milan will survive without Mario Balotelli. With all of Milan's issues this season, they could always hang their hat on Super Mario doing something — good, or bad. But as we know, there will be no Mario Balotelli because of his latest dust-up and subsequent suspension. That means our old friend Alessandro Matri, who hasn't had the best of starts to his second go-around at the San Siro, will get the start as Milan's prima punta. While I'm still a fan of Matri, it's pretty easy to say that he's no Balotelli. And with Stephan El Shaarawy also out of the lineup, who knows what Milan's attack is actually capable of at this point. http://markting10.nl/ My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Tevez http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Allegri: 'Juventus are still the title favourites' Oct 5, 2013 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that Juventus are still favourites for the Serie A title. http://markting10.nl/ Juve have face criticism for their recent performances despite remaining unbeaten so far this season. Allegri, whose Milan side travel to Juventus tomorrow, believes that the title favourites remain a very strong side. "I don't think Antonio Conte's team can be regarded as being in crises following their draw with Galatasary," Allegri told reporters. "They always play a great brand of football. "I think Juve have the same characteristics as they did both two months ago and last year, as far as I'm concerned they remain favourites for the Scudetto. http://markting10.nl/ "We'll need to battle on the field of play and I think we'll see a great game tomorrow night." Milan travel to the Juventus Stadium at 8.45pm on Sunday. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus v AC Milan probable line-ups Oct 5, 2013 Following their respective draws in the Champions League last week, Juventus and AC Milan return to Serie A duty this weekend with a clash in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ These sides have met 78 times in Turin with Juventus having won 36 times in comparison with 21 draws while the Rossoneri have left with the win on 21 occasions. In the last five contests there has never been a draw with the Bianconeri winning three and Milan leaving with the points twice. Mirko Vucinic and Stephan Lichtsteiner are set to miss out with niggles while Fabio Quagliarella is in ahead of Fernando Llorente. Robinho and Alessandro Matri start in attack and are essentially the only fit and suspension-free strikers the Rossoneri have at their disposal. http://markting10.nl/ Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, Isla, Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal, Asamoah, Quagliarella, Tevez. AC Milan: Abbiati, Abate, Mexes, Zapata, Emanuelson, Poli, De Jong, Muntari, Montolivo, Matri, Robinho. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Why Fernando Llorente Needs to Stay and Fight at Juventus Oct 5, 2013 Fernando Llorente is gradually adapting to life in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ The Spaniard has endured a difficult beginning to his Juventus career, with fierce competition for at most two places in the side. With Carlos Tevez almost guaranteed a start and Paul Pogba's form potentially swaying Antonio Conte towards a one-forward formation, the former Athletic Club striker will have to work hard to win a starting berth. A turning point was the Champions League opener in Copenhagen when the Bianconeri were chasing a victory, but even with Mirko Vucinic out injured, it was Fabio Quagliarella who started before Sebastian Giovinco replaced the Neapolitan in search of all three points. http://markting10.nl/ It must have been somewhat discouraging to note that Conte needed to throw caution to the wind with attack-minded changes, yet the 28-year-old remained unused. A lifeline was thrown the way of the Spaniard the following weekend and Llorente started the league clash with Hellas Verona. http://markting10.nl/ Del Bosque "Llorente has great qualities and can do well in any team, even in Juve. He just needs time & patience." - CdS The Mastini have adapted superbly to life back in Serie A and posed a stern test for a Juve outfit who had struggled days earlier, but Llorente was a difference maker as he scored on his full debut, demonstrating what he can offer to the team. In a cameo role versus Galatasaray on Wednesday, Llorente further enhanced his credentials as the Aslan looked to be on their way to a famous victory. Llorente changed the dynamic of the game, posing a handful for Aurelien Chedjou and Gokhan Zan with his physicality. The ability to link to the wide areas was also evident and can provide food for thought to Conte as Llorente gradually begins to force the Mister to consider giving him a starring role. http://markting10.nl/ With extra attention given to Llorente, the player was able to hold off the opposition by shielding the ball excellently and feeding Mauricio Isla and Kwadwo Asamoah at regular intervals—even if the wide pair failed to provide adequate service on a consistent basis. The Quagliarella strike that appeared to have won the game for the Bianconeri involved Llorente in the build-up—with the striker attracting double marking on the edge of the area, the ball was shifted back out to the deeper, wider areas. Andrea Pirlo had all the time in the world to take aim and float a wonderful cross that started towards the goal and curled back across the six-yard line for Quagliarella to head home. That sort of variation to Juve's approach will be highly useful as the season develops and if Llorente can replicate that impact on a regular basis, he will eventually work his way into Conte's plans for the starting line-up. http://markting10.nl/ It is premature to think of an exit for Llorente, potentially a return to La Liga, as he has needed to shake off the rust that was accumulated by a stagnant season spent for the most part on the Athletic bench. There have been enough signs in the limited opportunities given to the player, however, to suggest he has a bright future at the Juventus Stadium and that he could be a pivotal player for a side that is steadily evolving towards European contention. Having waited so long for an opportunity at the elite level, Llorente should undoubtedly bide his time a little longer before seizing his chance that will inevitably fall his way.

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus News – Milan Prep, Conte Tactics Oct 5, 2013 And… there goes another great opportunity. Anybody else tired of seeing our beloved Bianconeri “suffer” for “hard-fought” draws or narrow, underwhelming victories? http://markting10.nl/ Tired of seeing Juve’s defense generously gift goals to weak opposition while struggling to score themselves? Tired of “celebrating” controversial goals or bailout penalties? On Wednesday evening, Juventus wasted a second chance to make a statement in the Champions League by failing to finish off a weak Galatasaray squad. The all-too-familiar hallmarks of this recent funk were all present and accounted for: A horrific defensive error led to an unrelenting, slightly dispiriting toil to score an equalizer, only to see it come in a cheap, ultimately unsatisfying fashion unbecoming of a great club. And to add insult to this latest of injuries, Juve’s one moment of true quality — Fabio Quagliarella’s wonderful header from Andrea Pirlo’s equally wonderful cross to make the score 2-1 — was immediately canceled out by an unforgivable lapse in concentration. Throw in the presence of Roberto Mancini on the other bench, and the pain continues. So what now? How does Juve win at least one of back-to-back matches with Real Madrid, thus keeping their Champions League hopes alive? How do they take command of their next two Serie A fixtures against Milan and Fiorentina without living on fortune, good or bad? We’re approaching nothing less than the next step in Antonio Conte’s (and Juve’s) evolution. Backed into a tactical corner and relatively devoid of extra resources (see below), Juve and their coach have now reached a tipping point. If they don’t cook up a new solution, they will not only fail to progress in Europe, but even struggle to maintain their domination of Serie A. http://markting10.nl/ This season was supposed to see Juve at least attempt to reach that hallowed, international “next level.” It will take not only hard work (Conte has that covered) but some individual brilliance, too. Sunday’s match with a hobbled, Balotelli-less Milan will be an excellent place to start moving on up. So let’s do it. Enough suffering. Bianconeri Prep for Milan, Injury Updates Now let’s put things in perspective regarding this weekend. We may have a mini-crisis on our hands, but at least we’re not Milan. http://markting10.nl/ The Rossoneri have had a dismal start to the season, sitting in ninth place and running basically on Mario Balotelli fumes. And, as noted above, they will not have Balotelli on Sunday: He’ll serve the last of the three-game suspension meted out for his latest piece of insanity. Unfortunately, Juve will also be missing two key players. According to Sky Sport (via Football Italia), Mirko Vucinic will sit out this weekend:  The Montenegro international limped out of the 2-2 draw with Galatasaray last night and tests are thought to have shown a left thigh strain. It is unclear at this stage how long the former Roma ace will be sidelined for. Infinitely worse is the loss of Stephan Lichtsteiner, who “also picked up a muscle problem on Wednesday, but his condition will continue to be monitored.” He will surely sit out Milan, and as we saw on Wednesday, Mauricio Isla is no Stephan Lichtsteiner. http://markting10.nl/ At the moment, Sky Sport is claiming that Simone Padoin might fill in for the Swiss Express. I know I’ve made light of Conte’s high esteem for Simone, but perhaps he might finally prove worthy of a Giaccherini-esque role as an unsung hero. On the other wing, Kwadwo Asamoah will start as usual. In defense, Gigi Buffon will likely have his three stalwarts (who unfortunately have proven anything but reliable these days): Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. In the midfield, Paul Pogba is likely to get a much-needed rest (20-year-olds get tired, too). Claudio Marchisio will take his spot alongside Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. Though Carlos Tevez could probably use a rest for his body in general and his ankle in particular, he is likely to start alongside Fabio Quagliarella, who is close to a no-brainer due to his current form. Hopefully Fernando Llorente will get some playing time at some point, as he seems to be progressing nicely back to full fitness and really does provide tactical variety. There is no excuse this weekend. Milan are weak even by their current standards due to the absence of Balotelli, while many of their best players are themselves recovering from assorted knocks. The best tonic for Juve’s recent woes would be a clean sheet and the kind of three-goal punishment doled out to a Serie A minnow. And, it should go without saying: No funny stuff, Alessandro Matri! Rocchi Refs Milan Clash Gianluca Rocchi of Tuscany will hold the whistle at Juventus Stadium on Sunday. Which is good news for Juve. (I know — good news from Tuscany. Who would have thought?) http://markting10.nl/ In Rocchi’s 22 Bianconeri matches, Juve have 16 wins, three draws and three losses — a favorable record even by their lofty standards. But more importantly, Rocchi presided over Juve’s most impressive win this season: the comprehensive 4-0 rout of Lazio in the Super Cup. And Juve’s success under Rocchi extends specifically to recent meetings with Milan, as the official site notes:  In 2010, goals from Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Del Piero secured a 2-1 win at the San Siro, while two years previously, in 2008, Hasan Salihamidzic’s double and a solitary Del Piero effort claimed all three points in Turin. So Rocchi’s assignment brings with it several benevolent signs — at a time when we need them desperately. His linesmen will be Alessandro Giallatini and Andrea Padovan. Maurizio Liberti will be fourth official, but he’ll also act on behalf of both sides by fighting Inter trolls on Twitter. Juve Out of Ideas? Perhaps what is most alarming about Juve’s recent performances is the sense of utter exhaustion — in every sense of the word. In literal terms, everyone looks very tired — no surprise there, as September and now October have seen a truly punishing schedule (not helped by Juve’s famously punishing training regimen). And tactically speaking, it seems as if everyone, even floundering sides with brand-new coaches, have figured out Conte’s tactics. http://markting10.nl/ Worst of all, the sense of exhaustion extends to Conte’s resources. The signing of Carlos Tevez has proven to be an excellent one, but otherwise, with the occasional, match-saving exception of Quagliarella, the attack is far too often a toothless one. Whether due to injury or his usual wishy-washiness, Mirko Vucinic has nevertheless relinquished his position as Tevez’s No. 1 striking partner, and the other potential candidates have either struggled to get on the pitch, or struggled to impress once on it. Meanwhile, the ongoing injuries to Simone Pepe and the club’s failure to buy a true winger force Conte to stick with a predictable 3-5-2 until at least January. Antonio Conte said as much after Galatasaray (via Juventus.com):  Changing something to catch the opposition by surprise is something that can be done during a game. But we’ve only got Pepe in the squad who would enable us to adopt a 4-3-3 system. Based on the players available, you look to go for the formation that can get the best out of them. While his basic position is understandable, his comments seem to imply that he doesn’t feel it’s worth it to experiment at all. He may be nonplussed with the lack of options given him this year, but why not take a hint from the squad’s strengths? Why not fool around with things, at least in training, if the alternative is simply more of the same? Despite their defensive-midfield origins, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal are two serious attacking threats. If Conte was so quick to play Marchisio out of position in an advance role, why not consider either Pogba or Vidal in the same role? Once Claudio is fully fit, could he and Pogba not make up for the loss of Vidal in the midfield — or better yet, could Claudio and Arturo not support Pogba in an advanced role? Why not experiment for a half one of these matchdays? http://markting10.nl/ The problem might be that things actually can be worse: Instead of drawing, we could be losing. Antonio-Conte-kicks-jvuentus-ballConte seems to know as much, which may influence his reluctance to do something potentially reckless (like a makeshift 4-3-3 featuring a converted midfielder as part of the attacking trident, or a straight 4-3-3 which might leave the midfield vulnerable). No one wants to lose, especially Conte, but maybe his reluctance to take a risk and devise a new tactical troubleshoot is actually hurting the club. The other problem might be that he’s simply running his players ragged. This is harder to ascertain, since we’re not at training sessions (well, all but 300-400 of us), and again, this early schedule would be incredibly taxing for any squad, much less a squad trained by Conte. We could wish that maybe a striker or two could ease off on the pressing, saving some energy for things like shot accuracy, but then Conte’s overall system wouldn’t work. http://markting10.nl/ What’s clear, even beyond mitigating circumstances such as “unusually” conceded goals, injuries and packed schedules, is that Juve are currently not a versatile squad. Perhaps a totally fit Fernando Llorente will help by establishing an aerial threat (as used to great effect on Wednesday evening), but he needs to be fit first. In the meantime, some little tweak is needed. Despite what he tells the media, Conte’s distaste not only for losing, but for not winning, will soon force him to make a change. We can trust him to make the right one, because we know him too well. Even his famous stubbornness will not hold out against the prospect of further glory. Previous Milan Encounters in Turin If the choice of referee is a good omen for this weekend (see above), then the city and venue should provide even more good fortune for the Bianconeri. Juventus have a solid history of Milan domination in Turin, one which most recently includes two straight wins at Juventus Stadium. From the official site:  These triumphs came courtesy of Claudio Marchisio’s late double in 2011/12 and Arturo Vidal’s perfectly placed penalty last time out in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ Moreover, the Bianconeri’s Milanese mastery has been marked by long streaks of victories:  The record of seven consecutive wins was achieved back in the 1930s, but in more recent times Juventus have gone four games with a maximum haul of points, from 1978 to 1983 and 1999 to 2002. The first sequence of victories began in 1978/79 with a second minute Roberto Bettega goal in a game that is now also famous for Marco Tardelli’s foul on Gianni Rivera practically direct from the kick off, surely the fastest free-kick in history. It was again Roberto “Bobby-gol” Bettega who decided the next match-up between the two sides, a 2-1 success against the then reigning champions of Italy. http://markting10.nl/ Milan’s subsequent demotion to the second tier meant the teams didn’t meet again until 1982, but it proved well worth the wait a hat-trick from an irrepressible Giuseppe Galderesi, affectionately known by the fans as “Nanu”, downed the visitors 3-2. Capping off the run of four consecutive success were Michael Platini and Paolo Rossi, whose goals edged out the Rossoneri in a 2-1 victory for Giovanni Trapattoni’s men on 9 October 1983. The next streak began in November 1999, when Zinedine Zidane’s own goal was cancelled out by Antonio Conte’s header and Darko Kovacevic followed future Milan player Filippo Inzaghi’s strike with a looping header to make it three. The following year, the Bianconeri’s supremacy was even clearer when they ran out 3-0 winners thanks to Igor Tudor, Inzaghi and Zidane. The Frenchman’s goal was a moment of magic, a deft chip over the Milan goalkeeper pulled off at speed on the right flank. http://markting10.nl/ Only at the turn of the millennium did Milan muster up some fierce competition in Turin. Still, Juve were triumphant in the long run:  The 2001/02 edition produced a much more evenly-contested affair. With the Bianconeri in the midst of an epic Serie A revival that would eventually see them overtake Inter on 5 May, they overcame their opponents thanks to a back-heeled own goal from Jose Chamot. The final win in that streak was the 2-1 of 2002/03, one of the most inspiring triumphs in Marcello Lippi’s reign as Juventus boss. Marco Di Vaio put the hosts in front and Lilian Thuram doubled the advantage, with a two-goal cushion enough to render Andrea Pirlo’s penalty a mere consolation. The signs are unmistakable: This should be the weekend that Juve snap out of their funk and reclaim their rightful place as the kings of Serie A, and by extension one of the best clubs in Europe. All that’s left is to actually do it. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Key Battles That Will Shape AC Milan's Clash with Juventus Oct 5, 2013 In one of the most anticipated matches of the weekend, Milan travel to Turin to take on Juventus in their brand new stadium. http://markting10.nl/ The story-lines for this match center around suspensions and injuries, as some of the most technically gifted players will be out of the match. Here are some of the key battles that will shape Milan's clash against Juventus: Alessandro Matri vs. his old teammates: The misfiring striker purchased from Juventus for a whopping 11m. returns to the place he called home for the past two seasons in a different jersey. Still needing his first goal for the Rossoneri, the 29-year-old will be starting up front for coach Massimiliano Allegri's men as Mario Balotelli is serving the final banishment of his three-match suspension. http://markting10.nl/ Matri knows the Juve back-line very well from practice and will look to exploit their weaknesses. Unfortunately, the same could be said for the likes of Giorgio Chiellini and company, who probably stifled the former Bianconeri substitute on more than one occasion in heated practice skirmishes. Nigel De Jong vs. Andrea Pirlo: There's no doubting that the most effective way to quell the brilliance of Andrea Pirlo is to stick an athletic defensive midfield on him. When Pirlo has been man-marked, he has often been taken out of games -- unable to turn and spray passes. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi MATCH PREVIEW Oct 5, 2013 As Juventus aim to keep pace with the leaders, Milan are hoping to put their stuttering start to the season behind them. http://markting10.nl/ The Bianconeri have won three straight League contests, although the latter two were contentious results. Their Derby della Mole triumph over Torino came amid a war of words between the clubs. The winner from Paul Pogba sparked it all and was courtesy of a missed offside decision. They hoped to secure their first Champions League win on Wednesday, but in a lacklustre performance were held at home by Galatasaray. Arturo Vidal and Fabio Quagliarella looked to have staged a late comeback, only for the Turks to equalise straight after as it ended 2-2. Simone Pepe, Martin Caceres and Rubinho remain sidelined through injury. Meanwhile, Mirko Vucinic and Stephan Lichtsteiner join the trio following the midweek European clash. http://markting10.nl/ Last week Milan claimed just their second win of the season, edging past Sampdoria thanks to a lone second-half goal from Valter Birsa. The result ended a three-match winless run for the Rossoneri, who in typical Massimiliano Allegri fashion have opened the season slowly. Following that Samp win, Milan stuttered in midweek, only managing a draw at Ajax in the Champions League. Mario Balotelli rescued the Rossoneri with a penalty deep into injury time, after the Dutch club had moments earlier taken the lead. Still, Allegri was pleased with the level of performance. Balotelli serves the third match of his suspension, on top of a host of injured absentees. Daniele Bonera, Mattia De Sciglio, Matias Silvestre, Giampaolo Pazzini, Kaka, Stephan El Shaarawy and Birsa are all ruled out due to various concerns. Vidal’s successful penalty gave the Turin club maximum points last term, their 36th home win against Milan. For their part, the Rossoneri have 21 wins, the same as the number of draws. Keep an eye on: Alessandro Matri (Milan) – The striker makes his return to Turin following his summer move back to Milan. Matri is still without a goal since changing white for red and now would be the perfect time to appease concerns of the Rossoneri fans. Form guide: Juventus (W D W W W) Milan (W D L D W) Last season: Juventus 1-0 Milan Stat fact: Milan’s 7-1 thumping in 1949-50 remains the largest margin of victory in the fixture’s history. JUVENTUS (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez, Quagliarella MILAN (probable): Abbiati; Zaccardo, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Poli, De Jong, Muntari; Montolivo, Robinho; Matri http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus-AC Milan Preview: Reigning champions face revitalised Rossoneri Massimiliano Allegri's men are still in a precarious position in Serie A, but are chasing a third win on the trot on Sunday. Oct 5, 2013 Scudetto holders Juventus will look to extend their unbeaten start to this season's Serie A when they host AC Milan on Sunday. http://markting10.nl/ Antonio Conte's men are one of four sides yet to lose in the league in 2013-14, but they face a Milan side who have been defeated just once in all competitions since their opening-day reversal against Hellas Verona. Juventus - who sit fourth heading into gameweek seven - have won their last three league games, but followed up their derby success over Torino with a second successive draw in the Champions League on Wednesday with a 2-2 result at home to Galatasaray. Carlos Tevez is currently Juve's joint top goalscorer with three goals in the league, though he has not hit the back of the net in the last three games. AC Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo made his return to Massimiliano Allegri's starting XI in the 1-1 draw with Ajax on Tuesday following a muscle strain, although the likes of Stephan El Shaarawy (foot) and Kaka (thigh) remain major doubts as they trained in a group aside from the first team on Friday. http://markting10.nl/ While Tevez is likely to feature for the Bianconeri, Milan will be without their main marksman Mario Balotelli. The Italian, who has scored five goals in all competitions this season, was sent off in the Rossoneri's 2-1 defeat to Napoli in September and will watch from the sidelines for the final time in his three-game ban. While Balotelli has been in impressive form this season, strike partner Alessandro Matri is yet to score for the San Siro outfit - who are placed ninth in Serie A due to struggling to win domestically this season - since joining from Juve in August. Head to Head Serie A ‎- Apr 21, 2013 - Juventus 1 - 0 AC Milan Coppa Italia ‎- Jan 9, 2013 - Juventus 2 - 1 AC Milan Serie A ‎- Nov 25, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - 0 Juventus Coppa Italia ‎- Mar 20, 2012 - Juventus 2 - 2 AC Milan Serie A ‎- Feb 25, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - 1 Juventus Last Five Matches JUVENTUS Oct 2, 2013 - Juventus 2 - 2 Galatasaray - UCL Sep 29, 2013 - Torino 0 - 1 Juventus 1 - Serie A Sep 25, 2013 - Chievo 1 - 2 Juventus - Serie A Sep 22, 2013 - Juventus 2 - 1 Hellas Verona - Serie A Sep 17, 2013 - FC Copenhagen 1 - 1 Juventus - UCL AC MILAN Oct 1, 2013 - Ajax 1 - 1 AC Milan - UCL Sep 28, 2013 - AC Milan 1 - 0 Sampdoria - Serie A Sep 25, 2013 - Bologna 3 - 3 AC Milan - Serie A Sep 22, 2013 - AC Milan 1 - 2 SSC Napoli - Serie A Sep 18, 2013 - AC Milan 2 - 0 Celtic - UCL http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Matri eyes AC Milan return for Pirlo The Italian admits he would love his former team-mate to return to the Rossoneri in future, while Giorgio Chiellini has urged caution ahead of the sides' clash. Oct 5, 2013 AC Milan striker Alessandro Matri admits he would love to see Andrea Pirlo return to the club should he choose to leave Juventus. http://markting10.nl/ The veteran playmaker's current deal with the Serie A champions expires at the end of the season, and the club have already confirmed they will not hold talks until the early part of next year. With speculation over his future in Turin continuing, Matri has claimed he would relish the chance to be reunited with the 34-year-old at San Siro, after he moved from Juventus during the summer. "It would be great to see Andrea here with us," he told Tuttosport, before adding on the meeting between the sides this weekend: "I have no desire for revenge, only the desire to do well with Milan." Juventus were held to a 2-2 draw with Galatasaray to leave their chances of reaching the Champions League knock-out rounds in doubt, but defender Giorgio Chiellini has played down talk of the result being a "disaster". "People often go from one extreme to another," he told reporters at a sponsor event. "We were irrepressible, then in crisis, then unstoppable again. http://markting10.nl/ "Too often the verdict is linked to the result. If we had beaten Galatasaray 2-1 people would have spoken about a 'Super Juve', if we had drawn 1-1 it would have been 'Juve show great heart' and instead, at 2-2, it's now all about a 'Juve disaster'. I think balance is required in every case. "We certainly need to improve and work hard, but I think our run so far has been more than decent. Now we've got an important test against Milan ahead of us and it will enable us to work out the team’s current condition. "They’re an excellent side and the collective without Balotelli will give their all. We witnessed this two years ago when we faced them without Ibrahimovic. When these stars are missing the others often step up to the plate. "They’ve certainly got a squad capable of challenging for the Scudetto and Champions League places. Let’s not forget they also started slowly last year. Then after Balotelli’s arrival in January they started dreaming of a revival that was only foiled by our fantastic run of form in spring." Chiellini alo discussed the form of former team-mate Matri, insisting the striker does not get the credit he deserves for us all-round performances despite having failed to score for Milan this season. "Unfortunately he’s still yet to get off the mark and we hope he doesn’t score his first against us, but his work goes beyond finishing and isn’t always given the credit it deserves," he added. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Conte: 'Criticism is Juve enemy' Oct 5, 2013 Antonio Conte believes Milan will fight for the Scudetto and blasted Juventus critics. “These murmurs trying to destabilise us are the enemy.” http://markting10.nl/ “We can still bring enthusiasm to the fans in this third year. I am not remotely surprised that people are trying to destabilise the collective and damage the club’s environment,” said Conte in his Press conference. “We haven’t lost yet and these murmurs are the enemy, the enemy that is hiding in every corner. All of it can cause us problems, but I am relaxed as we work hard, so there’s nothing to recriminate.” The grumbling in the media has been growing with a series of fightbacks to earn points and on Wednesday Juve drew 2-2 with Galatasaray in the Champions League. “We are getting our players back towards their best shape. In Serie A we are fighting against a super Roma side who have won six out of six, while we won five and drew one, so at the moment we are where we expected to be. http://markting10.nl/ “We seem to be in this situation where if we don’t win then people say we’re worthless, but I understand that. I remember last season early on we had fortunate victories over Genoa and Siena. As you can see, last year it wasn’t an easy journey either. “I repeat, criticism of Juventus is predictable. We are well aware that we can always improve, especially at the start of the season, but the same people panicking now are the ones who a few weeks ago said we’d be unstoppable. I’m used to it and these comments have become funny to me, like hearing a joke. “In Europe we had more shots on goal than any other team, which is an important and positive statistic. There were a few too many individual errors, but these things can happen. I have faith in my lads.” If Juve are being criticised, then Milan received a mauling after falling 10 points adrift of Serie A leaders Roma and drawing 1-1 with Ajax midweek. “It is a challenge between two great teams who are targeting the Scudetto,” insisted Conte. “If Milan had not been up against this Juventus over the last two years, they would’ve won one or even both those titles. The Rossoneri have an excellent group of players who have belief in their qualities and for three seasons have been consistently at the top of Italian football. “This will certainly be a match between two teams who can take the Scudetto. Alessandro Matri? I hope he doesn’t start scoring in a Milan shirt against us! He’s an excellent player and a lovely guy who will go far.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Allegri: 'Milan-Juve critics unfair' Oct 5, 2013 Massimiliano Allegri believes criticism of both Milan and Juventus has been “unfair” ahead of tomorrow’s clash. http://markting10.nl/ The Rossoneri step into the Juventus Stadium on Sunday at 20.45. “Antonio Conte is a great Coach, the most successful in Italy over the last two years,” said Allegri in his Press conference. “Despite the criticism, Juve are the favourites for the title and played very well against Galatasaray apart from the two goals conceded due to Leonardo Bonucci errors. At times results change people’s opinions on a performance.” http://markting10.nl/ Both sides stalled midweek, as Juventus drew 2-2 with Galatasaray and Milan scraped a 1-1 with Ajax after a very defensive first half. “At the moment, there has been unfair criticism of both Juventus and Milan. Galatasaray had one and a half shots on target, while Ajax have historically caused problems for Milan. On Tuesday I was very happy with the performance, as we were organised and risked very little. In the second half we deserved to take the lead. “Juve play differently to Ajax, as they are stronger physically and technically. The side is constantly improving and after the break for international duty we’ll have almost everyone available.” Mario Balotelli continues his three-match ban for insulting the referee, while Stephan El Shaarawy, Kaka, Mattia De Sciglio, Giampaolo Pazzini, Daniele Bonera, Matias Silvestre and Valter Birsa are injured. “The two who start in attack will be Alessandro Matri and Robinho,” revealed Allegri. “Matri is just missing a goal, as he was unlucky, but we hope tomorrow he can find the breakthrough. “How will we lock down Andrea Pirlo and Leonardo Bonucci? We’ll let them both play, that way it’ll be more entertaining. Andrea is doing great things this season too and it’d be a shame to man-mark him. “I am utterly sure the lads are up to the task, then the result depends on many elements. It is not a test for us, but a fascinating game between two teams who are separated by eight points. http://markting10.nl/ “I am confident for tomorrow. Last season we were much further behind, so this will be a more balanced campaign. The teams fighting for the top three have reinforced. It is going to be difficult, so we must play with our heads and our hearts. Fatigue is an issue, as I haven’t been able to rest some players who needed it.” The Rossoneri continue to concede goals from set plays, particularly headers, so how can Allegri counter this trend? “We are paying for these situations, but not just from corners or free kicks. Every ball floated into the box causes problems. We need to be more concentrated, as when we are then we rarely concede.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Matri: 'I'd like Pirlo at Milan' Oct 5, 2013 Alessandro Matri faces his old Juventus teammates tomorrow and would gladly “bring Andrea Pirlo back to Milan.” http://markting10.nl/ The striker has already said he would celebrate if he scored at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday night. “I have no desire for revenge, as I only want to do well for Milan,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “Who would I like to take away from the Juve squad? Purely out of friendship, I’d love to bring Pirlo back to Milan. Of course, as a player everyone knows how good he is. “In terms of rapport and his skills, I think Pirlo would fit in well here with us.” Of course Pirlo spent 10 years at Milan before he was allowed to leave at the expiry of his contract in 2011. Juventus picked him up on a free transfer and the creative midfielder proved to be one of the inspirations behind two consecutive Scudetto triumphs.

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Preview: Juventus vs. AC Milan Oct 4, 2013 Juventus will be looking to cement their place in Serie A's top three when they play host to AC Milan on Sunday. http://markting10.nl/ Antonio Conte's side have been in good form recently, winning five of their last six league matches, including last weekend's 1-0 victory over Torino. Milan have made an inconsistent start to the season, winning two, drawing two and losing two of their opening six fixtures. Massimiliano Allegri's side ran out winners over Sampdoria last time out thanks to a solitary goal from Valter Birsa. Juventus come into the match off the back of a 2-2 Champions League draw against Galatasaray in midweek. http://markting10.nl/ Milan were also held to a draw in the same competition on Tuesday by Ajax. Conte may be tempted to make changes to his Juventus side, with Sebastian Giovinco and Claudio Marchisio pushing for starts. Mario Balotelli will miss out for Milan due to his three-match ban, while Kaka, Stephan El Shaarawy and Giampaolo Pazzini are absent through injury. Recent form Juventus: WWDWWW AC Milan: LWDLDW Possible starting lineups JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner; Vidal, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah, Giovinco; Tevez AC MILAN: Abbiati; Zaccardo, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Poli, De Jong, Muntari, Montolivo, Robinho; Matri Sports Mole says: 2-0 http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi 'Inter, Roma & Napoli most difficult' Oct 4, 2013 Marco Storari believes that Roma, Inter and Napoli are Juventus’ nearest challengers for the Scudetto this season. http://markting10.nl/ The Bianconeri face Milan this weekend, but the goalkeeper doesn’t think that the Rossoneri can challenge for silverware. “The most dangerous opponents in the League are Inter, Roma and Napoli,” he told Bwin Italia. The shot-stopper then commented on his brief spell with Milan – where he only played 10 games – and who are the favourites for the Champions League. http://markting10.nl/ “It was short but intense at Milan. But I remember my time there with affection. “I think the strongest teams in the Champions League are Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juventus v AC Milan – Team News, Tactics, Line-ups And Prediction Oct 4, 2013 AC Milan will be looking to climb up the table when they face Juventus this weekend. After coming back to level the match 3-3 against Bologna, Milan rode a Birsa goal to claim all three points against Sampdoria. In their quest for European glory, they faltered as they drew their match against Ajax with Balotelli once again coming to the fore. http://markting10.nl/ Juventus, on the other hand, will be on the lookout to close the gap with run-away leaders Roma. Juventus did not have the best of starts to their season this time as compared to the previous two years and their performance in Serie A has also affected their results in the Champions League. Team News and Tactical Brief JUVENTUS Fabio Quagliarella could partner Tevez up front Juventus will be missing the likes of Pepe, Rubinho, Caceres, Lichtsteiner and Vucinic due to injury. Due to the absence of Vucinic, Conte is likely to field Quagliarella, although there has been strong rumors of Llorente being played from the start. Given Milan’s inability to guard against set pieces, Llorente might give Juventus the aerial threat they require in this match. Vucinic and Lichtsteiner were injured in the match against Galatasaray, which Juventus drew at home. Even without these players at his disposal, Conte has almost a full line-up to select from and given that they will be once again playing at home, will look to take all three points on offer. In the matches played so far this season, Juventus have been very strong in creating chances via through balls and also through individual skills. They attack very fluently down the wings and also very capable in defending from set pieces as well as protecting the lead. However, as has been seen this season, they tend to concede easy goals – something Milan will surely look to exploit. However, even if they concede early, Juventus have come back to score more and win the match on many occasions now. With both the teams playing possession-based football, it might all boil down to what happens in the midfield. http://markting10.nl/ Juventus will field a 3-5-2 formation with Buffon under the bars. The back-line will be formed by Barzagli on the right, Chiellini on the left with Bonucci playing through the center. The midfield will be formed by Isla on the right, Asamoah on the left, with Vidal and Marchisio complementing Pirlo, who will play through the center. The forward line is formed by Tevez on the right and Quagliarella on the left. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon(GK); Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Tevez, Quagliarella (Llorente) MILAN Milan will be missing the likes of Bonera, De Sciglio, Silvestre, Pazzini, Kaka, El Shaarawy and Birsa for this match due to injury and Balotelli due to suspension. The latest addition to the list is Birsa, who will be out for 10 days. The silver lining last week was the return of Montolivo, something which Galliani referred to as ‘important’. In the absence of Montolivo and Kaka, Milan were severely hampered in the creative department and now fans are eagerly waiting for the return of Kaka. Balotelli’s was not reprimanded any further for his actions, and Prandelli will not drop him from the national squad. Montolivo and Robinho seemed to be the most fired-up players ahead of this upcoming clash for Milan with Robinho stating that the match against Juventus will be a decisive one. Juventus did have a difficult start to this season, considering the fact that they had won two back-to-back Scudetti. However, that is unlikely to be a factor when the two sides meet this weekend, according to Montolivo. http://markting10.nl/ Allegri will field a 4-3-3 formation with Abbiati manning the posts. The change in formation is due to the absence of proper forwards with both Pazzini and Balotelli unavailable. The Milan back-line will be formed by Abate and Constant as right and left backs respectively. The central defensive pair for this match will be Mexes and Zapata. The midfield will see the likes of Poli playing on the right, Muntari playing on the left with De Jong playing the role of the central enforcer. Montolivo is likely to play as a right-sided forward, but it is more likely that he will drop deep and play more in the Milan midfield rather than on top.The forward line sees the likes of Matri and Robinho playing on top. Matri will be extra hungry to prove a point to Conte, whose side he was frozen out from. Niang might see some action later on in this match, but that will only be possible if Milan are in a winning position at that time. Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-3): Abbiati(GK); Abate, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Poli, De Jong, Muntari; Montolivo, Robinho, Matrinho Players to Watch Out For Carlos Tevez (Juventus) Tevez has been a revelation at Juventus since his move from Manchester City this summer. So far, he has found the back of the net three times so far, but the best part of his game is his endless energy. Under Conte’s leadership, Tevez often drops deep to receive possession – helping out the Juventus midfield. He will be a thorn on Milan’s side and will surely run havoc in the Milan back-line. Alessandro Matri (Milan) After moving out of Juventus this summer, Matri has found it difficult to find the back of the net for Milan. Faced against his former club, Matri will surely take this opportunity to break the barren spell. Milan players have not lost faith in him. Recently Matri went on record saying that he will celebrate if he scores against Juventus. Prediction Juventus 2 – 1 Milan Although there is a gap of 8 points between these two teams, Milan will look to reduce this in the upcoming match. Juventus, on the other hand will be on the lookout to climb to the top of the table and challenge Roma for the top stop. Although Juventus appeared lackluster in their forays in Europe, it will be futile to assume they will be anything other than dominating in the peninsula. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juve 'not at best' before Milan clash Leaders Roma face Inter in weekend's other big match. Oct 4, 2013 Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini admitted Friday that champions Juventus are not enjoying their best form ahead of Sunday's big match against AC Milan in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ Juve, who are aiming to win their third consecutive Serie A title, are joint-second alongside Napoli with 16 points from six games, two points behind leaders AS Roma. But their recent performances have not been impressive and they had the help of poor refereeing decisions in wins over city rivals Torino and Hellas Verona in their last two matches. The two-time European champions have also made a stuttering start to their Champions League campaign, with draws at Copenhagen and at home to Istanbul side Galatasaray on Wednesday, when poor defending led to them being held 2-2. "Too often the opinions about us are excessive and we go from being a steamroller side to being in crisis and then back to being steamrollers and then in crisis again," Chiellini told a press conference. "These assessments go too far. But even I can see that at the moment we are not playing our best football of the last two years. "Nevertheless, we are on a positive path". Juve will be without Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic against Milan and Switzerland full back Stephan Lichtsteiner is a doubt after the pair took knocks against Galatasaray. http://markting10.nl/ But Juve's problems are small compared to the injury crisis Milan are enduring, with playmaker Kakà, forward Stephan El Shaarawy and defender Mattia De Sciglio among a host of players in sick bay. Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is also unable to use Italy striker Mario Balotelli, who is serving the final part of a three-match ban for abusing the referee at the end of a defeat to Napoli last month. Milan are 10 points off the pace in ninth place after a slow start to the season. In the other big match of the weekend, Roma will visit the San Siro on Saturday aiming to defend their perfect record against Inter Milan, who are four points behind them in fourth. Napoli entertain eighth-placed Livorno on Sunday, when sixth-placed Lazio play host to fifth-placed Fiorentina. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

Manchester United interested in Juventus defender Oct 4, 2013 According to reports in England Manchester United manager David Moyes has identified Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci as a potential target as he looks to reinforce his defensive options at Old Trafford. http://markting10.nl/ However, the 26-year-old is not the Premier League club’s only target for the upcoming transfer windows, with the names of Benfica’s Ezequiel Garay and Eliaquim Mangala of Portugeuse rivals Porto joining Bonucci on their shopping list. Caughtoffside.com report that the Scot is growing concerned at the amount of time first choice pairing Rio Ferdinand and captain Nemanja Vidic are spending away from the starting 11 with both now into their thirties. In contrast the Italian has been virtually ever-present since signing from Bari in 2010 and has made at least 30 appearances in each of his three full seasons in Turin. Bonucci has now played 104 times in Serie A for the Bianconeri managing just four goals with his form also making him a fundamental element of the Italian national side.

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Matri: I'll celebrate if I score against Juventus The Italian reveals he has had messages of support from his former team-mates during his current goal drought and insists AC Milan are capable of winning Serie A. Oct 4, 2013 Alessandro Matri has vowed to celebrate if he scores for AC Milan against former club Juventus on Sunday. http://markting10.nl/ The 29-year-old moved to San Siro from the Serie A champions during the summer and will come face-to-face with his former employers for the first time in this weekend's clash in Turin. The Italian has failed to find the net in his seven appearances for the Rossoneri and has even had messages of support from his former Juve team-mates, yet he insists he will not hold back on his emotions if he ends his goal drought on Sunday. "I think so, I don't see it as a lack of respect," he told giornalaccio rosa dello Sport when asked if he would celebrate. "For me, scoring means you celebrate. I did it against Cagliari, [so] I don't see why I shouldn't. "Juventus players text me to cheer me up because I can't get a goal. But the punchline was always the same: 'Wait a little while - don't do it against us. 'I left a wonderful group in Turin and I'll be happy to see everyone." http://markting10.nl/ Milan currently sit eight points behind the reigning champions after just six games, but Matri believes there is no reason why his side cannot fight for the Serie A title this season. "Winning against a direct competitor could give us confidence, a morale boost. First I think about the top three, then the Scudetto. Why shouldn't I? The championship is long," he continued. "Milan have changed a lot, had a lot of injuries. That shouldn't be an excuse, but assembling a team takes time. Playing every three days doesn't help." Finally, Matri revealed the differences between Juve boss Antonio Conte and Milan's Massimiliano Allegri, claiming his current coach tends to use a more personal approach with his players. "Conte is more obsessive tactically, he is a great motivator. Allegri has more of a relationship with players, looking for more dialogue," he added. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Montolivo: Balotelli on a par with Tevez The Rossoneri midfielder says his enigmatic team-mate, who is currently serving a domestic suspension, is just as talented as the Argentine attacker. Oct 4, 2013 AC Milan skipper Riccardo Montolivo has claimed that Mario Balotelli is at least as good as Juventus striker Carlos Tevez ahead of Sunday's Serie A encounter in Turin. http://markting10.nl/ Balotelli will miss the game through suspension, yet the 23-year-old's absence has not stopped Montolivo from comparing him to his fellow ex-Manchester City attacker. "Mario and Tevez are at a different age. Mario has yet to fully mature. He's only 23, though, and has plenty of time," Montolivo told Tuttosport. "When talking about their quality, I don't think Balotelli has any reason to be envious of Tevez." Montolivo then went on to discuss the match against Juventus and insisted that Milan have what it takes to trouble the Scudetto holders. http://markting10.nl/ "We all know Juventus," the former Fiorentina captain stated. "Compared to last year, they now have Tevez, who is their main dangerman. "I have no doubt that we have the weapons to hurt Juventus. Even though we haven't been brilliant, we have always been dangerous. "Of course, we will have to improve at set pieces, which is our weakest point at the moment." Sunday's encounter is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

JUVENTUS - MILAN October 6, 2013 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Matri would celebrate Turin goal Oct 4, 2013 Alessandro Matri will celebrate against former club Juventus if he does finally ripple the net for Milan on Sunday. http://markting10.nl/ The striker returned to the Diavolo in the summer after an €11m transfer fee was agreed between the two giants. “I think I would celebrate,” he told the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. “I don’t think that would be a sign of disrespect. “Scoring means celebrating for me. I did so against Cagliari so I don’t see why I should not against Juventus. “I have a good relationship with many of the Juventus players, a few have sent me text messages encouraging me because I’m struggling to score. “Even if they all end the same way – don’t score against us…” http://markting10.nl/ Matri won two Scudetti with the Old Lady, but he did struggle to break into the first team plans of boss Antonio Conte. “When a club tells you that they will consider any eventual offers for you then it means you are not a first choice and they are not counting on you,” added the forward. “Juventus made investments and they needed money. I left instead of Fabio Quagliarella as I received an offer first.” Matri has failed to score in seven appearances for the Rossoneri. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111