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What Fernando Llorente Brings to the Bianconeri Jul 23, 2013 Juventus have finally given Antonio Conte what he's been missing in the two years of his tenure in Turin—a top-of-the-line target man for his striking line. The arrival of Fernando Llorente gives Juve their first quality target man since the departure of David Trezeguet. After two years of frustration, Juve's fans finally have a forward who is capable of the clinical finishes that Juve have lacked in two otherwise spectacular seasons. So what does the Spaniard bring to the Bianconeri? Let's take a close look and find out. Clinical Finishing Last season was one to forget for Llorente. A feud with coach Marcelo Bielsa after his refusal to sign a contract extension limited him to mostly substitute appearances. He scored only five times in all competitions. His performance from the year before is what has made Juve go after El Rey Leon for the last year. Llorente scored 29 times in all competitions in 2011-12, leading his team to the finals of both the Europa League and the Copa del Rey. Finishing has been Juventus's biggest problem the last two years. Alessandro Matri, Fabio Quagliarella, Mirko Vucinic and Sebastian Giovinco have run hot at various times, but none of them was consistent enough through an entire season to be thought of as a true top-of-the-line goalscorer. In his last two full seasons Llorente has scored 35 league goals—18 and 17, respectively. No Juve player has scored more than 10 league goals the last two seasons. Llorente was brought into the team to fix that weakness. Scratch Goals It's not only the misses on clear chances that have caused Juve's fans to lose some hair the last few years. Few of Juve's strikers could take a half-chance and turn it into a goal with any consistency. Llorente can make those chances count. The above goal, from the 2011-12 Europa League, is just such a chance. Llorente streaked down the left side and volleyed a long pass from an angle at 14 yards into the bottom far corner. It was a fantastic strike, and one that helped Bilbao eliminate Manchester United from the Europa League. These are the kinds of goals that Juve can hope to see with Llorente as a member of the squad. Aerial Dominance At 6'5", Fernando Llorente is a handful for any defender in the air. Llorente's leaping ability is complimented by the power and accuracy of his heading ability. With Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah on the wings in the 3-5-2, Llorente can expect some good service into the box for him to bang into goal. Also not to be forgotten is the service he could get on set pieces from dead-ball wizard Andrea Pirlo. It all means a great number of chances for Llorente to give keepers nightmares. His ability to use his head to flick on to teammates like Carlos Tevez isn't a bad trait, either. Proficiency with Both Feet Llorente is capable of controlling and scoring with either foot. For a player in Llorente's mold, the first touch is extraordinarily important. Llorente's excellent footwork allows him to take that first touch straight into a position to menace the opposing keeper. Compare Llorente with a striker of a similar type who has been on Juve's roster for the last two-and-a-half years, Alessandro Matri. If someone told you that Matri was one of the best strikers in Europe last year in terms of shot-to-goal ratio, you'd probably be surprised. But that's exactly the case. The problem for Matri? His first touch lets him down so often that he's not able to get into position to take as many shots. When Llorente does get himself in that position, he won't have to wait to get onto his preferred right foot, as he's equally deadly with his left. Making Space The picture accompanying this slide is from the 2012 Europa League Final between Bilbao and Atletico Madrid. Llorente is standing, in green. Note how many defenders have been sucked in to defend Llorente. The striker is bracketed by two Atletico players with a third on the way to help and a fourth looking on in case he's needed. Such is the threat from Llorente that he will suck a few extra defenders to him. That will make space for Carlos Tevez (or whoever else is partnered with him) to sneak through for shots on goal. It will also make the channel runs of midfielders Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio that much deadlier. Hold-Up Play One of the biggest problems Juventus had in the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich was the hold-up play of the forwards. Particularly in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri were unable to hold onto possession after long clearances. The Bavarians regained possession too quickly for the Juve midfielders to get forward to support, pinning the Bianconeri into the defensive half. Llorente promises to do a better job of holding the ball up when the team is forced to play long from the back. Such play may be necessary deeper into Champions League play against teams like Barcelona and Bayern, where possession can be harder to come by and long balls from the back more necessary. Tactical Flexibility Llorente's presence will allow Antonio Conte to experiment with tactics this summer. He can keep the 3-5-2 that made his team the class of Italy in place, or he can do a few things different. In the last few games of 20121-13 season, fans started seeing a 3-5-1-1 formation with Mirko Vucinic as the lone striker and Claudio Marchisio playing in the hole. It was probably more a way of getting Paul Pogba into the midfield than anything else, but it was also a good experiment for how Juve may be able to incorporate Llorente. Better as a lone striker than one of a pair, it would allow Carlos Tevez, Vucinic, or even Sebastian Giovinco playing in the hole with Marchisio moving back to his normal midfield position. Another option would be the 4-3-3 that Conte used at the very beginning of his tenure with Juve. It would keep the MVP midfield intact, allow Stephan Lichtsteiner to play his more natural right-back position and shift Vucinic to the left wing, where he has proven very effective in his career. The downside would be that it wouldn't allow Llorente and Tevez to play together. ESPNFC blogger Mina Rzouki wrote in a recent post that Conte has also been toying with an old-timey 3-3-4 formation in preseason training. The formation was used by teams like Herbert Champman's Arsenal sides in the 1920s and '30s and Tottenham Hotspur in the 1960s. The formation has its advantages and disadvantages. The attacking potential would be phenomenal, allowing Llorente, Tevez and Vucinic to all be on the field together with Vucinic on the left wing. The wingers would have to track back to try to win the ball and help cover defensively, and the midfielders would have to be able to run forever—not necessarily something you want Andrea Pirlo to be doing on a regluar basis. Great pressure would be put on the defense and midfield, and there would be questions about wing coverage. It would also likely force the dynamic defensive presence of Lichtsteiner off the field. There's also a question as to whether or not the team has the correct wingers on the roster to fulfill the duties the formation imposes on them. Still, it's an option—one of the wealth that Conte now has at his disposal with Llorente in the fold. Financial Flexibility The biggest off-field aspect of the acquisition of Llorente is what Juve had to pay to get him. Namely, nothing. OK, not really nothing. Llorente's salary is reported to be €4.5 million, which is certainly a shot in the wage bill. But Llorente did not cost anything beyond that to acquire. Juve tried to pry Llorente from Bilbao on an immediate transfer in January, but the Basque club refused to sell their striker rather than make something off of his move. This means that Beppe Marotta was able to sign a supremely gifted striker without spending a dime on a transfer fee. Marotta's wizardry with the free transfer has been one of the keys to Juve's resurrection. Andrea Pirlo arrived via the Bosman two seasons ago, and last year Juve nabbed wunderkind midfielder Paul Pogba. Both have turned into huge cogs in Antonio Conte's machine. Not spending on a transfer fee for Llorente means more money for Juve to acquire players like Tevez and defender Angelo Ogbonna—not to mention any other moves Marotta has up his sleeve in the month remaining in the transfer window. Hunger, Part 1 Fernando Llorente has spent the entirety of his top-flight career with Athletic Bilbao. In that time, the team has finished no higher than sixth and as low as 17th. In a league dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, he has never sniffed a title and has never played in a Champions League game. Despite that mid-table existence, Llorente has led Bilbao to a Europa League final, a pair of Copa del Rey finals, and a Spanish Supercup. The club were runners up every time. Juventus is the best team Llorente has ever played for, and they give him the best chance he's ever had of claiming a winner's medal on the club level. That's a big carrot to put on the stick. For a team that has sometimes been accused of complacency, that kind of motivation could be contagious, which could lead to an excellent season for the Bianconeri. Experience, Part 1 It has been mentioned that Llorente has played in three final games and one two-legged final. While Bilbao lost all of them, that experience is valuable. With a few exceptions—Pirlo and Tevez come to mind—Juventus's players don't have as much experience going deep into club tournaments. They made the final of the Coppa Italia two years ago, but the Coppa is not nearly as grueling a tournament for a top team like Juve than are its equivalents in other countries. Juve's players make up the backbone of the Italian national team, so they have experience going deep into international tournaments, but club tournaments like the Champions League are a different ballgame. The grind of playing those games alongside the league games—and the long-distance travel involved—is different from an international. Those competitions stand alone and are usually in a localized area where travel is usually not as extensive. To have another player with the experience of a deep run on the club is a valuable commodity, and will serve Juve well as the season goes on. Experience, Part 2 Despite their differences, it doesn't hurt to have players who have had success on the highest level of them all. Fernando Llorente has never won a title at the club level, but he was on the roster for Spain's triumphs in the 2010 World Cup and at Euro 2012. Juve already have a pair of world champions on their team in Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon. Having another—especially one in the strike force—is a boon to any club. Hunger, Part 2 Llorente has been on the roster for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. But his lack of playing time during his feud with Bilbao's management this year saw him lose his spot with La Roja in the Confederations Cup to Roberto Soldado. Llorente will want his spot on the Spanish national team restored this year. That will take a great season for the Italian champions. Llorente will be motivated to make his second trip to the World Cup and will need to show Vicente Del Bosque that he deserves it. Confidence Factor There seemed to be a lack of confidence in Juve's forwards that was evident on the field. Between April 15 and May 5 midfielders Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio combined to score five consecutive goals while the forwards floundered. Overall, midfielders scored 38 of Juve's total goals this season. The last two seasons Juve's leading scorer or joint-leading scorer has been a midfielder. There's just been something about the forwards that the team didn't trust. A lot of that production from the midfielders comes from Conte's 3-5-2, but the midfielders have also had to take up the slack from a subpar strike group. With Llorente and Tevez in the squad, the midfielders may be more confident in their ability to make the extra pass than to take the shot, which could end up putting the team in better position to score, either off that pass or later on in the movement. Depth The arrival of Llorente and Tevez has given Juve six strikers on the roster. That might be a bit much, and as many as two of the gaggle of Vucinic, Matri, Quagliarella, and Giovinco could be going elsewhere before the transfer window is finished. Still, Juve has some great depth up front right now, and if Conte does settle on a 3-3-4 formation keeping five of the forwards would be a must, unless someone like Simone Pepe was pressed into service on the wings to give people some rest. Conte has a wealth of options in his attack now that he can mix and match into formations as he sees fit. It's a perfect situation for any manager.

Allegri: Juventus are Scudetto favourites Jul 23, 2013 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has stated he feels Serie A will be a much more competitive league this coming season. The Rossoneri clinched the third and final Champions League place on the last day of last season, just beating Fiorentina to the spot, and the tactician feels it will be another close race at the top of the Serie A table. “Juventus will be favourites,” stated Allegri. “They’ve brought in some important players from Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente to Angelo Ogbonna. “Milan know it will be harder than last season. Apart from Juve, there are six other sides who will be fighting for a place in the Champions League.”

Milan name TIM Cup squad Jul 22, 2013 Milan have named their 23-man squad for the TIM Cup fixtures against Juventus and Sassuolo on Tuesday. Massimiliano Allegri has called upon a mixture of youth and experience for the friendly competition, with the Rossoneri’s Confederations Cup participants unavailable. Milan squad: Abbiati, Amelia, Gabriel; Antonini, Bonera, Constant, Mexes, Zaccardo, Zapata; Kevin-Prince Boateng, Cristante, Emanuelson, De Jong, Nocerino, Poli, Piccinocchi, Strasser, Traoré; Niang, Oduamadi, Petagna, Kingsley Boateng, Robinho.

Juventus name 23-man TIM Cup squad Jul 22, 2013 Juventus have named their 23-man squad for the TIM Cup fixtures against Milan and Sassuolo. The Bianconeri face their Serie A rivals in the pre-season tournament on Tuesday evening, and Antonio Conte has named a strong squad to travel to Emilia-Romagna. New signings Angelo Ogbonna, Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente are all involved, but those players who participated in the Confederations Cup will not be available. Juventus squad: Ogbonna, Vucinic, Tevez, De Ceglie, Peluso, Llorente, Motta, Rossi, Padoin, Asamoah, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Quagliarella, Storari, Matri, Isla, Rubinho, Buchel, Untersee, Magnusson, Garcia, Tena, Penna, Citti

Italy one of the best, says Buffon Jul 22, 2013 Gianluigi Buffon is confident Italy will have a good chance of winning the World Cup in Brazil next summer. The Azzurri crashed out at the group stages in 2010, but the goalkeeper is upbeat about the strength of the national side after their showings at Euro 2012 and the recent Confederations Cup. “A beautiful national side is being born,” the Juventus captain told ANSA. “The side can still grow and take on anybody at the World Cup. “We demonstrated at the Confederations Cup that we are as good as the best teams in the world. We’ve also made progress in the way we play. “Now we need to keep following the instructions of boss Cesare Prandelli in order to continue growing.” Italy finished as runners-up to Spain in the European Championship a year ago. They achieved third at the Confederations Cup in Brazil last month. Buffon has won 133 caps for his nation. He is just three short of drawing level with record holder Fabio Cannavaro.

Hamsik: 'It's Napoli-Juventus war!' Jun 21, 2013 Marek Hamsik fired up the Napoli fans by declaring the Scudetto “is going to be war with Juventus.” The Slovak international spoke to supporters at pre-season training in Dimaro after a 5-1 friendly win over Lega Pro side Feralpi Salò. “We all know the Scudetto is going to be war with Juventus and we hope to win it this season,” grinned Hamsik. “Playing in the Champions League is the ultimate for a player, so it would be extraordinary to win it. “I also hope to beat Diego Maradona’s record of appearances, as I have many years ahead of me as a Napoli player.”

Palacio tips Tevez for 'leading role' at Juventus The Argentine believes that his compatriot's arrival in Turin has ensured that the Bianconeri will once again be "a step ahead of the rest" this term. Jul 20, 2013 Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio believes that Juventus counterpart Carlos Tevez will play a "leading role" in this season's Serie A title race. The Bianconeri lifted their second successive Scudetto back in May and have now bolstered their attack with the additions of Tevez and Fernando Llorente. Consequently, Palacio feels that Juve will again be the team to beat this year, particularly in light of his fellow Argentine's arrival in Turin. "Tevez is a great striker who has made a difference in every league in which he has played," the 31-year-old attacker told Corriere dello Sport. "For me, he will play a leading role this season. "For the Scudetto, Juventus is still a step ahead of the rest."

Juventus as big as Barca & Madrid, says Llorente The striker insists that Serie A is as strong as La Liga and the Premier League, while praising strike partner Carlos Tevez and coach Antonio Conte. Jul 20, 2013 Fernando Llorente has defended Juventus' reputation by insisting that his new side are as big as the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. The striker left La Liga for the Bianconeri this summer on a Bosman transfer from Athletic Bilbao and the Spaniard is adamant that Serie A has a depth of quality to match any other top European league. "I chose Juventus because I think this is a great team and I know that I can improve here," Llorente, 28, told reporters at a press conference on Saturday. "Many sides have strengthened over the summer in Italy, but I’d say it is still too early to predict who our main rivals will be. "The team is no worse in quality than Barcelona and Real Madrid. I would say Serie A is on the same level as La Liga and the Premier League." Another summer signing from coach Antonio Conte has been Carlos Tevez from Manchester City - whom Llorente is thrilled to be playing alongside in Turin - and the Spain international is confident the Old Lady can challenge in the Champions League following their summer investment. "I’m very happy to be playing alongside Tevez, but I get along with all the other strikers too," the forward added. "Our most important objective for this season is a third consecutive Scudetto. "As for the Champions League, we need to take each game as it comes. We know that anything can happen, but I believe we have a very strong side. Antonio Conte’s methods are excellent and I’m very happy to work alongside him. "I’ve never seen anything like the welcome I got from the Juventus fans. They are magnificent. We are working hard at the moment, which is tough, but that’s the way it needs to be. I’m very happy right now, as it was a tough year in Bilbao, but now I am working to be in the best possible shape."

Marotta: Juventus have too many forwards The Bianconeri have been reportedly trying to cash in on Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella in order to fund a move for Napoli wing-back Juan Camilo Zuniga. Jul 20, 2013 Juventus director Giuseppe Marotta has claimed that the club have a "surplus" of forwards and hinted that even Mirko Vucinic could be sold. The Bianconeri have already brought in two new strikers this summer in the form of Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez, and given that they also have Vucinic, Sebastian Giovinco, Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella on their books, it has been suggested they have been trying to hawk their attackers to the highest bidder. Marotta refused to confirm what players were for sale but did concede that Juve have a problem to address as they look to free up funds and squad space for additional transfers. "We have a surplus up front," he told reporters on Friday. "But to speak about names is obnoxious, also because consent is essential to any transfer." Marotta sought to play down mounting speculation that Vucnic might be on the market, but then appeared to suggest that the Montenegrin could be allowed to leave for the right price. "Speaking about Mirko [like this] is like talking about an entire squad that has brought with it two championships in a row," he claimed. "There are players of great value who must be respected. "Today, anyway, there are not the right conditions for the boy to be transferred." It has been claimed that Juve's attempts to sign Juan Camilo Zuniga from Napoli hinge on their ability to offload one of their strikers.

Tevez: 'I'll write Juve history' Jul 20, 2012 Carlos Tevez insists he is at Juventus to “write history” and “never had doubts over joining this great club.” The striker completed a €9m transfer plus performance-related bonuses from Manchester City and has been greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm by the supporters. “I am here to write more pages in the history books of Juventus,” he told Juventus TV. “The Champions League is a dream for all the fans and I will do whatever I possibly can to help that come true.” Tevez was speaking to supporters at pre-season training in Chatillon. “I haven’t seen much of Turin yet, but what I’ve seen suggested it is a passionate city. I accepted the offer from Juventus immediately. I never had doubts over joining this great club.” The Argentine hitman also commented on the Number 10 jersey, which he has inherited from Alessandro Del Piero. “It is a privilege to wear the Number 10 shirt at Juventus, as it has so much history attached to it.”

Llorente: 'Juve make me better' Jul 20, 2012 Fernando Llorente expressed his joy at the new Juventus experience. “I know I can improve here.” The Spanish striker held a Press conference this afternoon at the team’s pre-season training camp in Chatillon. “Antonio Conte’s methods are excellent and I’m very happy to work alongside him,” said the forward who joined on a free transfer from Athletic Bilbao. “I’ve never seen anything like the welcome I got from the Juventus fans. They are magnificent. We are working hard at the moment, which is tough, but that’s the way it needs to be. I’m very happy right now, as it was a tough year in Bilbao, but now I am working to be in the best possible shape.” In games between ranks Llorente has already started to improve his rapport with teammate Carlos Tevez. “I’m very happy to be playing alongside Tevez, but I get along with all the other strikers too. Our most important objective for this season is a third consecutive Scudetto. “As for the Champions League, we need to take each game as it comes. We know that anything can happen, but I believe we have a very strong side. “I chose Juventus because I think this is a great team and I know that I can improve here. Many sides have strengthened over the summer in Italy, but I’d say it is still too early to predict who our main rivals will be. “I would say Serie A is on the same level as the Liga and the Premier League.”

Juventus’ Marotta talks transfers Jul 19, 2012 Juventus director general Beppe Marotta insists they have no immediate plans to sell Mauricio Isla or Mirko Vucinic. The Chilean international, co-owned with Udinese, is wanted by Inter. Vucinic, meanwhile, is said to be considering his future after the arrivals of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente. “At this moment in time, Isla is not available for transfer,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “Mauricio was of interest to Inter. We sat down around a table to evaluate the offer financially and technically. “However, right now, and in agreement with the Coach, we don’t think that he should be made available. Isla is our player.” The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport this morning suggested that Juventus could sell Vucinic if a €15m offer was received. “Vucinic is, like everyone else in the squad, a valuable player and he deserves respect,” Marotta continued. “It is only normal that competition for places increases with new signings, but the Coach will make his considerations game by game. “Competition is positive and not negative. At this moment there are not the conditions in place to sell Vucinic.” Marotta though did concede that Juventus have too many options in attack with Sebastian Giovinco, Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella also at the club. “We know that we have too many forwards and we want to start the season with five in the squad, but to sell you need the right offer and the desire of the player to leave as was the case with Emanuele Giaccherini. “Other transfer moves? If an opportunity presents itself then we’ll take advantage of that, but right now there are no opportunities that could become concrete in the near future. “We have to respect our financial parameters, but we’ll look to remain number one in Italy and be super competitive in Europe.”

Del Piero: Tevez, love the No 10 Jul 19, 2012 Alessandro Del Piero has urged Carlos Tevez to show his love for the Juventus No 10 jersey which was his second skin for almost two decades. The Argentine summer signing from Manchester City has become the first player to wear the mythical jersey at the club since Del Piero joined Sydney FC in 2012. “I thank Tevez for his kind words about me at his official unveiling,” the Italian veteran told Sky Sport Italia on Friday. “I hope that he wears the No 10 shirt with love.” The Turin giants won their second consecutive Scudetto last season and the 38-year-old is predicting more success. “Juventus are favourites in Serie A and they will be very competitive in the Champions League,” added the forward who spent 19 years with the club.

Marotta hints at further Juventus signings The 56-year-old is thrilled with the club's summer purchases to date but claims they will continue to monitor the transfer market for any other "decent opportunities". Jul 19, 2013 Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta has hinted that the club's summer spending may not be at an end. The Bianconeri have already invested heavily in the off-season, with Fernando Llorente, Carlos Tevez and Angelo Ogbonna for a combined fee of approximately €25 million, but Marotta maintains the Serie A champions will continue to scour the market for any further "decent opportunities." “The recent arrivals have fitted in well. We’ve moved early to assemble a very competitive squad,” he told reporters. “Considering the foundations are already strong, comprised of players who have lifted us to two consecutive league titles, we can already consider ourselves satisfied, even though we’ll continue to monitor the transfer market should any decent opportunities arise. “The competition has certainly increased following the arrival of such important players. But this can only positively impact a squad that’s about to embark on a long season with plenty of fixtures.” Marotta is hopeful the club's investment this summer will allow them to push for European glory in addition to domestic dominance, after they reached the quarter-finals of last season's Champions League before being knocked out by Bayern Munich. “We’ll aim to reclaim our title in Italy and go even further in Europe. However, given the recent acquisitions made by the main foreign teams, we know it won’t be a straightforward task," he added.

Mazzarri expects Juve-Napoli battle Jun 19, 2013 Inter boss Walter Mazzarri expects Juventus and former club Napoli to be on the front row of the Scudetto grid for 2013-14. Although the tactician expects the top half of the table to be pretty tight, he’s told Sky Sport Italia that there are two teams who seem to be above the rest. “There are at least six or seven teams, including Fiorentina and Lazio, who will be bunched together on the starting grid,” he noted. “It's hard to know who has got more quality, who can do better – it depends on how you work on the pitch, on whether you manage to exploit the players' ability to the max. “Besides Juventus, I think that in terms of financial muscle and on the strength of the last four years, Napoli could be a notch above the rest. Along with Juve.” When asked about his club’s title chances, Mazzarri refused to make any promises. “Nothing is impossible,” he added. “But what I'm saying is that as things stand, looking at the factors usually weighed up in football – signings, wages, squad, the previous season – if Inter finished ninth, then that's where we start from. “Then the technical work takes over, the work put in on the pitch, the chemistry within the squad, and that can make the difference, help a club which was perhaps fourth, fifth or sixth in the eyes of some to shock a few people and finish ahead of the pack. “That's what the teams who on paper start a little further back always hope.”

Juventus signings impress Padoin Jun 19, 2013 Juventus’ Simone Padoin has praised club officials for their work on the transfer market so far this summer. http://markting10.nl/ The reigning Italian champions have been strengthening the squad thanks to the captures of Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Angelo Ogbonna. “They’ve settled in quickly and well,” the former Atalanta player noted on Friday. “They are important players and the club should be congratulated for bringing them in. “Only the season will say whether we are stronger than last year, but we are convinced that their arrivals will benefit us.” http://markting10.nl/ The Old Lady have netted the trio with the intention of becoming more of a force in the Champions League. “We’ll aim to do well in Europe, but our first objective is winning a third consecutive Scudetto,” he continued. “It won’t be easy by any stretch of the imagination, because after you win back-to-back titles, you become the team to beat. But we’ll give it our best shot.” http://markting10.nl/ The midfielder could potentially see more action this term after the club sold Emanuele Giaccherini to Sunderland. “I’ve shown in the last year and a half that I can get a game, but I know that the players ahead of me are on another level. http://markting10.nl/ “My objective is thus to just make sure that I am ready whenever I am called upon. “It will be a long, taxing campaign, with different objectives to fight for and many games to play.”

Del Piero urges Tevez to treasure No.10 shirt The Juventus legend wore the famous jersey for many years and wants the Argentina international to show his 'love' for it in his time with the Old Lady. Jun 19, 2013 Former Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero has told Carlos Tevez to cherish wearing the No.10 shirt during his time with the Old Lady. The 29-year-old Argentina international joined the club from Manchester City earlier this summer and was very complimentary of the Italian when he was officially unveiled. Del Piero now wants Tevez to treasure his former shirt. “I thank Tevez for his kind words about me at his official unveiling,” Del Piero told Sky Sport Italia on Friday. “I hope that he wears the No.10 shirt with love.” Del Piero also believes his old side remain hot favourites to retain their crown, as well as mount a serious Champions League challenge. He added: “Juventus are favourites in Serie A and they will be very competitive in the Champions League."

Tevez: Calm key to Champions League glory The striker believes that Juventus have a chance of winning the Europe's top trophy in 2013-14 but claims that the team are prioritising Serie A. Jun 19, 2013 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has insisted that the key to the club claiming the Champions League crown this season lies in staying calm and not succumbing to pressure. The 29-year-old joined from Manchester City - who failed to get beyond the group stage of the continental competition for two campaigns running - this summer and has been given the No.10 shirt under Antonio Conte. Despite being keen on triumphing on the top European stage, the Argentine says that the Bianconeri have prioritised winning Serie A for a third straight season over toppling Bayern Munich on the continent in 2013-14. "I think we have to be calm and make sure we don't put pressure on ourselves to win the Champions League," Tevez told CNN. "If we don't then that pressure will become impossible to escape from. "We have to be calm and know that winning the Scudetto again will make us part of Italian history and then we can think about everything else. "We all dream of winning the Champions League but our main objective is winning Serie A. Then we can be calm in the Champions League and everything will become a lot easier."

Napoli could be a 'frightening' Juventus rival, warns Lippi The ex-Bianconeri boss thinks the €63 million received for Edinson Cavani can acquire some quality players, while praising "perfect" Carlos Tevez. Jun 19, 2013 Marcello Lippi believes Napoli could be a "frightening" rival for Juventus this season because of the €63 million sale of Edinson Cavani. The Partenopei finished second in Serie A, nine points behind Juve, in 2012-13 but are without coach Walter Mazzarri (Inter) and top goalscorer Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain) heading into the new campaign. However, the legendary former trainer of the Bianconeri, does not believe Rafa Benitez's side are going to suffer from the loss of the Uruguayan and also tipped AC Milan to challenge the reigning Scudetto winners. "Napoli hold the treasure in their hands after Cavani sale - €63 million is a frightening figure," Lippi told La Gazetta dello Sport. "If club president Aurelio De Laurentiis finds the right players, they can quickly become a credible rival. "Do you remember what happened when Juve gave Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid? I still remember the call from the chiefs: 'Marcello, we have to give bad news - Zidane's going to Real.' "It was a punch in the stomach. But the money brought in from Zizou's sale secured Juve signings such as Buffon, Cannavaro and Thuram and opened a new, extraordinary cycle. "The story can be repeated with the sale of Cavani. Do not forget that Napoli has a born winner on the bench in new coach Rafa Benitez. "Milan are another team that can come out from the group to challenge. Stephan El Shaarawy was and remains a champion. "After being out of this world for the first half of the season, he is back on Earth. He needed to take a breather. There's no mystery behind his little crisis. He can easily coexist with Mario Balotelli." Lippi is evidently a huge fan of Juve's signing of striker Carlos Tevez from Manchester City this summer, though he also took time to praise the progress of last year's transfer coup Paul Pogba. "Tevez is a perfect investment. He's a warrior, a fighter, he has that nastiness that brings positive electricity in a team," the World Cup-winning coach added. "Juve did not have a player like that. "And then there's Paul Pogba. He has class, strength, sense of play. He can use his feet and his head."

Tevez scores in Juventus debut The Argentine took no time at all opening his tally since moving to the Bianconeri earlier this summer, netting in the side's first pre-season clash. Jul 18, 2013 Carlos Tevez has enjoyed a goalscoring start to life at Juventus - scoring and starring in the side's 7-0 demolition of Rappresentativa Val D'Aosta. The opening Bianconeri pre-season friendly of the summer, in Saint Vincent, saw the Argentine open is tally in a non-competitive clash in the first half. The other goals in the clash came from fellow Juve strikers Alessandro Matri and Mirko Vucinic - two apiece - with single goals each for Marco Motta and young debutant Federico Mattiello. Check out the former Manchester City and Manchester United forward's finishing in the video above and let us know in the comment section below whether you think Tevez can continue scoring when Serie A gets under way in August.

Carlos Tevez insists Juventus focused on Scudetto Jul 18, 2013 Carlos Tevez is focused on firing Juventus to their 30th Serie A title and insists that - rather than winning the Champions League - is the club's main focus for next season. Tevez, who joined Juve last month from Manchester City, scored his first goal for the Italian club on Wednesday night as the reigning Serie A champions beat a Val d'Aosta XI 7-0 in a pre-season friendly in Saint-Vincent. The 29-year-old striker was clear on his aims after joining the Turin club and is keen to avoid the overwhelming pressure to win the Champions League trophy which he felt at City. "I think we have to be calm and make sure we don't put pressure on ourselves to win the Champions League," Tevez told CNN. "If we don't then that pressure will become impossible to escape from. "We have to be calm and know that winning the Scudetto again will make us part of Italian history and then we can think about everything else. "We all dream of winning the Champions League but our main objective is winning Serie A. Then we can be calm in the Champions League and everything will become a lot easier." Under Roberto Mancini, City failed to progress from the group stage of the competition in the last two seasons - something which Tevez blames on there being too much scrutiny. "Yes, there was way too much pressure," he added. "It came from everyone - the club, the fans. I think that too much pressure just hurts the team. "What happened was that there was so much hype and pressure to be one of the giants of Europe and we didn't do it. "We dropped out in the first round of the Champions League on both occasions."