Socrates

Serie A Week 34 - 28-4-12 (3:00 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium - Turin Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Cairo: Derby always special Apr 26, 2013 Torino President Urbano Cairo has admitted that the derby match against Juventus is 'always special'. The Toro face Antonio Conte's side on Sunday afternoon, and could play host to the Bianconeri's Scudetto-winning party if results go their way. The club's owner though, has insisted that his team will give their all to stop that happening. “The derby is always a special game,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “The emotion has to be forgotten if we are to play as well as possible. “The most important thing for us is to play well and put in a good performance. “Hopefully, after that, everything will fall into place.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Agnelli: Times have changed Apr 26, 2013 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli has conceded that Serie A has become a stepping-stone to bigger things for players. The Bianconeri have run away with the League this season, and could win the Scudetto this weekend if they beat Torino and Napoli lose to Pescara. However, Antonio Conte's side could only reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and the owner has admitted that Italian football cannot compete with teams from other Leagues around Europe. “Unfortunately, times have changed,” he told the Financial Times. “Now Serie A is a transition. “English teams have the ability to merchandise, Spain have the freedom to sell their own TV rights and there are great corporate sponsorship deals in Germany. “Our bureaucracy is too cast. It took me ten years to get the okay for our own stadium.”

Serie A Week 34 - 28-4-12 (3:00 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium - Turin Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Chiellini puts champagne on ice Apr 25, 2013 Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini doesn’t expect to celebrate Scudetto success at the end of Sunday’s derby against Torino. The Old Lady could, in theory, wrap up the title this weekend if Napoli fail to beat Pescara and they defeat Toro. “We’re not thinking about the title,” he stated on Thursday. “We’re just keen to win our encounter because it is an important game. We shouldn’t be thinking about partying. “I honestly don’t think that Napoli will take a false step because they have a big objective and that is to maintain second place. “With all due respect to Pescara, who will certainly play their game, I don’t think that Napoli will have any problems.” Juventus will certainly retain the title with four points over their next two matches against Torino and Palermo. “The history of the championship shows that the team which has the best defence wins,” he stated when asked about the Old Lady’s rearguard. “The defensive solidity of a team makes the difference. But I’m not talking about two, three or four defenders, I think it is the whole team that counts, their defensive organisation. “If I’m not mistaken, we conceded even fewer goals last season. But, this time around, we have one of the best attacks too, if not the best.” Juve have conceded 20 goals in Serie A, 12 less than Napoli. They also have the joint best attack with Roma thanks to their 64 goals scored. While Juve’s domination at home continues, their Champions League dream was shattered by a Bayern Munich side who this week beat Barcelona 4-0 over 90 minutes. “That game does re-evaluate our ties against them,” the Italian international noted. “They were incredible. “We were given the worst possible team in the last eight. But we are certain that we did an excellent job and that we played against the best.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Chiellini: Bayern & Dortmund are Martians! Juve defender has been blown away by the performances of the Bundesliga giants in Europe this season and feels that we might be seeing the start of a new era of German dominance. Apr 25, 2013 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has described Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as "Martians" on account of the sides' extraterrestrial performances in this season's Champions League. Having swept the Bianconeri aside in the quarter-finals, die Roten hammered Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their last-four encounter on Tuesday night, while their Bundesliga rivals were just as impressive in winning 4-1 against Real Madrid the following evening. Chiellini was left in awe by the performances of the German duo although, as he explained at a press conference on Thursday, he had already witnessed first-hand just how awesome a side Bayern have become. "Our performance against the Bavarians has to be re-evaluated a little bit," the versatile defender argued to gathered media, alluding to his side's 4-0 aggregate loss to Jupp Heynckes' men. "Bayern and Borussia are two Martians! In addition to their technical qualities, they are playing with an incredible intensity; they don't let you breathe. "In my opinion, the two games against Bayern gave me the idea that they were nearly invincible and now I know it. "When I saw them on the field they seemed a step ahead of everyone, and that's how it was [against Barcelona]. "To say, though, that the Germans are about to start a cycle [of dominance], well, we must wait for the return legs, even though, in theory, there has already been a change at European level. "Nobody thought at the start of the season that there would be too German teams in the final." Even though Juve came off a clear second best against Bayern, Chiellini believes that Antonio Conte's troops can take enormous pride out of their European campaign. "We were handed the worst possible draw, against a Bayern side whom could and did give us difficulty," he mused. "We put on a good show and did create some chances, but they fully deserved to go through. "However, the initial disappointment of going out has gone, and now there’s the awareness of the important progress we’ve made. “We wouldn’t ever have the possibility of purchasing a world class player. I think it would be impossible for any Italian club to pay the figure that Cristiano Ronaldo commanded, for example. "Borussia set out on a different path, picking up youngsters from youth academies for relatively low fees and moulding them into a team over the past three-to-four years. "You can only congratulate the club and its coach [Jurgen Klopp] on their achievements. They’ve created a team that’s gone to the top in Europe. "I’d say their journey is slightly similar to ours, and that’s why we hope to emulate them soon." For now, though, Chiellini is just targeting a win in Sunday's Serie A derby against city rivals Torino that would edge them ever closer to a second successive Scudetto. "We should be happy with what we’ve done this season," he added. "If I had predicted a season like this in the summer I would have been happy. Now we’ll aim to wrap up the Scudetto as soon as possible.”

Deschamps to answer doping questions 'behind closed doors' The France boss has been summoned to an enquiry into the use of banned substances, with a particular emphasis on his time at Juventus in the 1990s. Apr 24, 2013 Didier Deschamps has been granted permission to give his testimony to a French-senate led investigation into doping in football ‘behind closed doors’. It was first reported earlier this month that the current France boss had been summoned to answer questions in relation to his time at Juventus as a player during the 1990s. Most of those asked to provide evidence on alleged doping have done so before an open court, but Deschamps has been given special dispensation to testify in private. Juve’s club doctor during his time at the club, Riccardo Agricola, was found guilty of sporting fraud in connection with the use of banned substances during the '90s in November 2004 but he was cleared on appeal a year later. However, senator Jean-Jacques Lozach admitted that he is keen to hear Deschamps speak about his experiences in Turin. "There is the story of the alleged doping at Juventus that interests us," he is quoted as saying by Tuttosport. "We want to know if the fight against doping is a concern for the national team coach, but, above all, if the coach has proposals to make." The 44-year-old called time on his playing career in 2001. He returned to Juve as coach in 2006.

Serie A Week 34 - 28-4-12 (3:00 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium - Turin Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Juventus focused on derby win & not Scudetto, says Asamoah The Ghana international revealed that he does want to contemplate winning Serie A until the title is secured while he admitted his favoured position is still a central role. Apr 23, 2013 Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah has insisted that he and his team-mates will not be thinking about winning Serie A when they take on Torino in the Turin derby on Sunday. Should the Bianconeri triumph at their local rivals this weekend and Napoli lose then Antonio Conte's side will seal a second successive Scudetto. The 24-year-old did admit that a win would be a big stepping stone towards a triumphant campaign but said he will be looking at the game as a local derby and nothing more. "We are thinking we want to win the derby and then we will think of winning the Scudetto," he told Tuttosport. "The derby is a tough game and requires the utmost concentration. The championship is there, we're getting closer, but it's not worth thinking about." Asamoah has been used mostly on the wing this season but he admitted that he would prefer to play in a more central position despite feeling he has progressed due to his positional change. He added: "I have discovered that I can also be useful in that position. My favourite position remains that of midfielder, but I am very happy to have learned to do well on the wing." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Llorente training to the maximum Apr 24, 2013 New Juventus striker Fernando Llorente says he’ll continue to give his all for Athletic Bilbao despite the situation he finds himself in. The Spanish international has mainly been used as a reserve this term after refusing to sign a new contract with his outfit. He’ll now join the Italian champions on a free transfer at the end of the season once his present agreement has expired. “It is hard when you are not given a lot of space in the team,” he told Tuttosport. “However, I understand the situation and the choices of boss Marcelo Bielsa. “The only thing that I can do is train to my maximum.” Llorente was given a rare start at the weekend and he grabbed his second La Liga goal of the campaign in the 1-1 at Deportivo. “Playing was a surprise and it did me well,” added the 28-year-old. “I’m getting better and I’m training to reach 100 per cent. “I’m happy that my goal helped the team.”

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Juventus fined €30,000 following Boateng incident The Ghanaian was racially abused by Bianconeri supporters on Sunday and the Italian authorities have moved quickly to punish the club. Apr 22, 2013 Juventus have been fined €30,000 after AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng was the victim of racist abuse in Sunday's clash between the two sides. The Rossoneri midfielder had been targeted by Bianconeri supporters during the warm-up and as a result the Serie A disciplinary committee have moved quickly to punish the club. Juve, meanwhile, have released an anti-racism statement regarding the incident, stressing their disgust at the actions of a minority of fans. "Juventus Football Club reminds its fans and the media that it is heavily involved in projects dedicated to integration and is against any form of racism or discrimination," a statement on their official website read. "Such behaviour does not represent the position of the club, its millions of fans or even the vast majority of spectators at Juventus Stadium, which is something unique in Italian football. "This statement is not in any way intended to contest the decision of the sporting judge." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Asamoah returning to best Apr 22, 2013 Kwadwo Asamoah has admitted that his form in the second half of the season for Juventus was affected by the Africa Cup of Nations. AMAZONIAN The 24-year-old was part of the Ghana side that reached the semi-finals of the competition at the start of 2013. “I had a lot of problems after coming back from that tournament,” the 24-year-old noted. “My physical and mental energy was hit. “However, I’m now returning to my levels and I’m happy.” AMAZONIAN Asamoah was signed from Udinese in the summer on a co-ownership deal and the central midfielder has been used as a left wing-back by Antonio Conte. “I now play on the flank and I’m happy there, I’m used to it now,” he continued. “I’m content because I am now a more complete player seeing as I can be used in two different positions.” Asamoah won the penalty in last night’s 1-0 win over Milan which Arturo Vidal slotted home. AMAZONIAN “The penalty changed the game,” he added. “It was a tough contest, especially in the first half because we didn’t manage to play our usual game. “We got better after the restart and managed to break the deadlock and record a crucial victory. AMAZONIAN “There are still five games left and we want to finish the championship season on a high. “For me it would be amazing to win the Scudetto, it would be my first and something that’s very important to me.”

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Chiellini: Not a great Juve, but… Apr 22, 2013 Giorgio Chiellini has conceded that Juventus may not have impressed onlookers in the 1-0 win over Milan on Sunday night. “It wasn’t our best game of the season,” the stopper noted. “We faced a great team who have had an incredible revival. They stopped us from playing in the first half.” Juve, who became the first side to beat Milan in the League during 2013, are now just four points away from the Scudetto with five games left. “We now know how far away we are after this victory and we can now just think about ourselves without looking elsewhere,” he added. Juventus could actually wrap up the title this weekend against city rivals Torino if the result of the Napoli game goes in their favour. “But I don’t think we’ll do it on Sunday. We’ll give our all in the derby, both for our fans and to take us closer to our goal. “But with all respect to Pescara, I think Napoli will win their game. “The 11-point gap is considerable, we’ve done well to win difficult games over the past few weeks and take the wind out of the sails of the chasing pack.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Barzagli: Juventus deserve first Apr 22, 2013 Andrea Barzagli has underlined that Juventus are worthy of the 11-point advantage they have at the top of the table. The Old Lady are now just four points away from winning the Scudetto with five games left after the 1-0 win over Milan. “We deserve to be top of the League,” the defender stated. “We’ve won extremely difficult away games, against Inter and Lazio for example, and today at home against Milan. “At times last season, also when playing at home, we struggled to break the deadlock. However, this year we’ve managed to bring more intensity to our displays and make the best of the chances created.” Juve, who have collected 10 more points away from home than anyone else in Serie A, beat the Rossoneri thanks to an Arturo Vidal penalty. “It was a very difficult game, especially in the first half,” the 31-year-old continued. “Milan made us chase them, they moved the ball around well and we weren’t particularly aggressive. We upped the tempo after the interval and things changed.”

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Galliani: It should have been 0-0 Apr 22, 2013 Adriano Galliani insists that his Milan side deserved at least a point from their trip to Juventus on Sunday. The Rossoneri lost the game 1-0 thanks to an Arturo Vidal penalty after Marco Amelia brought down Kwadwo Asamoah. “It was one of those games that was always going to end 0-0, but then there was that episode,” the Vice-President noted. “It is always tough to talk when we lose games, but I don’t think we deserved to lose. We played a good game. “At 0-0, there weren’t many chances either for us or for Juventus. We slipped up a bit with our finishing.” Milan, 18 points behind leaders Juve, are now just a point clear of fourth-placed Fiorentina with five games left. “Now we have to hang on to third place to get into the Champions League preliminary stages which is very important,” Galliani continued. “We shouldn’t be afraid now. “Also, there won’t be the present gap between ourselves and Juventus next season…” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Juventus deserve Serie A success, insists Barzagli The former Wolfsburg star has hailed his side's performances this term in the big games and admitted Milan made life difficult for Juve. Apr 22, 2013 Andrea Barzagli believes Juventus fully deserve their Serie A success this season as they rose to the occasion in the games when it mattered most. The Scudetto holders beat third-placed AC Milan 1-0 on Sunday evening to maintain their 11-point lead over Napoli, and Barzagli insists Juventus have been even more convincing than last term. "We’ve won extremely difficult away games, against Inter and Lazio for example, and now [at home] against Milan. We deserve to be top of the league," Barzagli was quoted as saying on the official Juventus website. "At times last season, also when playing at home, we struggled to break the deadlock. However, this year we’ve managed to bring more intensity to our displays and make the best of the chances created." The centre-back then reflected on Sunday's hard-fought win over Milan and admitted things were not easy for Juve. "It was a very difficult game, at least in the first half. Milan made us chase them, moved the ball around well and we weren’t particularly aggressive," Barzagli added. "We upped the tempo after the interval and things changed." Juventus resume Serie A action on Sunday when they travel to city-rivals Torino. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Conte casts doubt on Scudetto success in Turin derby Juve coach says he does not care where his Juventus team win the points which ensures they are champions following their 1-0 win over AC Milan on Sunday. Apr 22, 2013 Juventus boss Antonio Conte has insisted that it will be tough to be crowned as Scudetto winners against local rivals Torino next Sunday following their 1-0 win over AC Milan. The Bianconeri took another step toward retaining their Serie A crown against the Rossoneri thanks to Arturo Vidal's second-half penalty strike, ensuring their lead over second-placed Napoli stays at 11 points. The result which means that - depending on how Napoli fare against Pescara next weekend - Conte's men could secure the title by beating Torino in their next Serie A clash, though the 43-year-old coach has played down talk of winning the Scudetto in the Derby della Mole. "I don’t want to think about when or against whom the decisive victory could come, I’m only interested in closing off the Scudetto race," Conte told reporters. "After that, we can celebrate and relax following a very demanding season. We know all about Torino’s desire to beat us and about the hidden dangers that await us in Sunday’s derby." Meanwhile, Juve defender Giorgio Chiellini revealed that the dressing room is aware of how close they are successfully defending their title but does not necessarily believe victory in Sunday's derby will ensure 2012-13 success. "We now know how far away we are after this victory and we can now just think about ourselves without looking elsewhere," he said. "But I don’t think we’ll wrap up the title on Sunday. "We’ll give our all in the derby, both for our fans and to take us closer to our goal. But with all respect to Pescara, I think Napoli will win. "The 11-point gap is considerable, we’ve done well to win difficult games over the past few weeks and take the wind out of the sails of the chasing pack." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Boateng subjected to racist abuse before Juventus game The 26-year-old Ghanaian was targeted during the warm-up, while Bianconeri fans also displayed offensive flags about Mario Balotelli during the game. Apr 21, 2013 AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng was subjected to racist abuse before Sunday's Serie A clash with Juventus in Turin. The Ghanaian was targeted by certain sections of the home support during the warm-up and responded to the insults by putting his finger over his mouth. However, it was not until the stadium announcer intervened, calling for those aiming slurs at Boateng to desist, that order was finally restored. Juventus supporters also displayed a banner during the game which read: "No to racism; yes to jumping", which was a reference to a previous slogan about another Milan player, Mario Balotelli: "If you jump, Balotelli dies". Both Balotelli and Boateng have been the victims of racist abuse in the past, with the latter having left the field after being singled out by Pro Patria fans during a friendly game in January. The 26-year-old's stand drew praise from leading figures throughout the sporting world and eventually led to him being asked by both Fifa and the United Nations to participate their respective campaigns against racism. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Allegri: Milan not worried by Fiorentina A 1-0 defeat to Juventus in Turin on Sunday night has piled the pressure on the Rossoneri, who now have the resurgent Viola breathing down their necks. Apr 21, 2013 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri remains confident that his side will qualify for next season's Champions League despite seeing their lead over fourth-placed Fiorentina cut to a solitary point on Sunday. The Viola recorded a remarkable 4-3 win over Torino at the Artemio Franchi during the afternoon, while the Rossoneri lost 1-0 to leaders Juventus in the evening kick-off in Turin. With five rounds of the season remaining, Italy's third and final Champions League berth is clearly now well and truly up for grabs, but Allegri is backing his side to keep Fiorentina at bay. "We are not worried," the Rossoneri boss told Sky Sport Italia. "We have lost our first game of the year. Now we must try to do well in the next games to hold onto third place. "We know that Fiorentina are a good side. We threw away a match point by not winning in Florence despite being 2-0 up. No our calendar becomes easier. I am confident." However, Allegri was still left counting cost of Milan's misfortune in Turin, with the Rossoneri losing both Christian Abbiati and Massimo Ambrosini to injury before gifting their hosts the game-winning penalty with a defensive mix-up between Ignazio Abate and Marco Amelia. "It was an evenly balanced game in which we conceded very little to Juve," the former Cagliari boss mused. "It was a game that seemed destined to end in a draw, but then we were punished for our only error in defence. "Unfortunately we have also lost two players to injury and even [Riccardo] Montolivo was not at his best, physically." Allegri was keen, though, to defend top scorer Stephan El Shaarawy, after another lacklustre display from a player who shone so brightly during the first half of the season. "He's a boy of 20 that has done very well up until now, but it's normal that there can be a dip [in form]," he argued. "Physically, he's fine, but he must understand these difficult moments can happen." Allegri is in no doubt that El Shaarawy will bounce back and he firmly believes that Milan will also benefit from their experiences this term. "The true value of Milan will be seen next season," he claimed. "Then we will be know if we can compete with Juve. "We have had a great second half of the season; but I hope we don't undo all that in the remaining games." Milan host Catania next weekend, while Fiorentina travel to Genoa to take on Sampdoria. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Vidal wants Juventus to finish in a flurry The Chile international asserts that the Bianconeri will not become complacent despite holding an 11-point lead over Napoli and dismisses reports of a move away from Turin. Apr 21, 2013 Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal expressed his delight after his side's narrow 1-0 Serie A victory over AC Milan and wants the side to finish the season in a flurry. The Chile international struck the only goal of the game when he dispatched a 57th-minute penalty past substitute Rossoneri goalkeeper Marco Amelia. Speaking to Premium after the game, Vidal said: "We have to continue like this until the end. There are still five major games and we have to finish the season as we did last year." Should Napoli fail to win away at Pescara on Saturday, Juventus could claim the Serie A title with victory in their local derby against Torino on Sunday. Asked whether he would prefer to win the title in the derby or in front of the home fans against Palermo the weekend after, Vidal insisted that the team's focus was to concentrate on the next match. "We're thinking of Torino, already from tomorrow we will focus [on that] and we will see if we will get the result." With seven league goals and seven assists this season, Vidal has been identified as a transfer target for clubs all over Europe. However, the Chilean was determined to squash speculation and pledged his future to the Old Lady. "I'm happy here and my family are happy, and I'm proud to wear the Juventus jersey." Juventus hold an 11-point lead over Napoli and require four points to win the league with five games remaining. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Allegri: 'No pressure on Milan' Apr 21, 2013 Massimiliano Allegri gave credit to Juventus for their defending tonight and insisted Milan “must not feel pressure” after Fiorentina closed the gap to one point. The Rossoneri suffered their first defeat of 2013, but with two points from three rounds now have only the most slender of leads in third place. “The lads put in a good performance, allowing little and controlling the ball,” Allegri told Mediaset Premium after a 1-0 defeat in Turin. “We conceded on a penalty, but have to stay calm and pick up as many points as possible to maintain our advantage. We must not feel pressure looking at other results, as we already know that we have to pick up points regardless of what the other teams do.” Milan used Robinho, Stephan El Shaarawy, Giampaolo Pazzini and Kevin-Prince Boateng together, but barely troubled Gigi Buffon. “El Shaarawy played well, especially in the first half, then Juventus closed us down and allowed very few spaces. “Robinho did well last Sunday against Napoli, but today he sacrificed himself on the right and it’s only normal he’d struggle after such a long time out. “Juventus defended very well and lately we are having difficulty creating chances in the final third. So far we have done, including against Juventus, so there is everything to suggest we’ll have a different campaign next year.” Allegri was asked if he will still be on the bench at San Siro for 2013-14. “We’ll see. I don’t want to talk about that now. Besides, I already have a contract, so I am happy to stay here.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Player Ratings Goal.com evaluates the performances of everyone involved in Turin, as Arturo Vidal slots home a penalty to move the Bianconeri to within four points of the title. Apr 21, 2013 JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Made a couple of routine stops from El Shaarawy in the first half and, overall, had very little to deal with other than speculative shots from distance. Andrea Barzagli - Initially seemed like he might be given the runaround by El Shaarawy but he quickly imposed his authority on the talented 20-year-old. Another fine showing from one of Juve's players of the season. Leonardo Bonucci - Had his pocket picked by Pazzini as he tried to usher the ball out of play at the tail end of the first half but that was the one error of judgement in an otherwise impeccable performance. Giorgio Chiellini - Bailed out Bonucci by making a splendidly timed challenge on Pazzini, after the forward had dispossessed his central defensive colleague. Beaten all ends up by Robinho at one point, but had the Brazilian in his pocket for the most part. Stephan Lichtsteiner - A fantastic outlet for Juve in the opening half. Indeed, it was no surprise that all of the hosts' best attacks came down the right-hand side. However, Lichsteiner's final ball was not up to scratch and he did not carry the same attacking threat after the break. Paul Pogba - Always looking to get forward, the French youngster went close with a spectacular overhead kick on 16 minutes. Continued to threaten thereafter, while at the same time sweeping up well in midfield. Andrea Pirlo - Very nearly opened the scoring against his old club with a deflected free kick but was terribly lucky that a subsequent stray pass on the edge of his own area went to Ambrosini, rather than another Milan player more likely to punish such sloppiness. Ran the game after the break, though. Arturo Vidal - Not his usual dynamic self, with Juve surprisingly subdued during the first half, but picked up dramatically after the break and netted the game's decisive goal with a clinically executed penalty. Kwadwo Asamoah - Very quiet from an attacking perspective during the first half, solely because he had his hands full with Abate. However, was slightly more menacing in the second period, the Ghanaian winning the penalty from which Vidal opened the scoring. Claudio Marchisio - Once again selected to play in behind Vucinic but he struggled dreadfully to get into the game. Marchisio is a fine player but he is not a No.10. Mirko Vučinić - Did not shy away from mixing it with Mexes and Zapata, but he just did not manage to bring his midfielders into the game. Also fluffed a free header from a Pirlo free. Substitutions Federico Peluso - Saw literally 30 seconds of game time. Simone Padoin - Came on for Lichsteiner for the final 10 minutes, but was unable to make an impact. Fabio Quagliarella - Only introduced in the dying seconds, so did not have sufficient time to influence the game. AC MILAN Christian Abbiati - Changed direction wonderfully well to keep out a deflected free kick from Pirlo some eight minutes in but was forced off just moments later through injury. Ignazio Abate - Typified Milan's attacking intent by pinning the attack-minded Asamoah back inside his own half for the majority of the opening 45 minutes. however, his final ball repeatedly let him down before he gifted Juve the three points by misjudging the ball that led to the penalty. Philippe Mexes - Made three crucial blocks inside the opening six minutes alone of a solid performance. However, his propensity for picking up yellow cards remains a worry. Cristian Zapata - Worryingly out-muscled by Vucinic at one point, while his distribution was erratic. However, he dug in and eventually got to grips with Juve's lone striker. Kevin Constant - Given all sorts of problems by the rampaging Lichtsteiner but stuck to his task well and got the better of the Swiss in the second period. Kevin-Prince Boateng - A powerful burst from midfield led to El Shaarawy testing Buffon early on, while he also threatened an equaliser towards the end after a great run down the right. However, he played on the periphery of the game for far too long. Riccardo Montolivo - Covered plenty of ground and used the ball sensibly and intelligently, playing a key role in Milan's dominance of possession in the first half; all that was missing was a killer ball. Massimo Ambrosini - Instigated a couple of attacks by breaking up play well in the middle of the park, while at the same time showing a desire to try his luck from distance. However, did not come back out for the second half after picking up a knock just before the break. Robinho - Retained his place in the starting line-up despite an anonymous display against Napoli last weekend and was lively enough in the first half, getting a couple of shots away as well as hitting the side netting with snap volley. Faded badly in the second half, though. Giampaolo Pazzini - Held the ball up well and was more than happy to try to mix it with Bonucci, whom he robbed of possession at one point. However, never got a clear sight of goal. Stephan El Shaarawy - Looked a threat every time he built up a head of steam and repeatedly backed himself from distance, testing Buffon twice in the opening quarter. Also showed an admirable willingness to track back but did not get a look-in in the second half. Substitutions Marco Amelia - Introduced into the action with less than 15 minutes on the clock, following the injury-enforced withdrawal of Abbiati, and while he made a couple of decent stops, it was he who gave away the penalty that decide the game. Sulley Ali Muntari - Took over in midfield from the injured Ambrosini during the interval. Bojan Krkic - Thrown on for the final 20 minutes. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Impotent Devils Fall at Juventus Stadium Apr 21, 2013 Milan needed to win this match. While unbeaten in calendar year 2013, the Rossoneri only sat 1 point ahead of 4th-placed Fiorentina going into this match. Milan were no longer trying to meet Napoli in 2nd to avoid the Champion’s League preliminaries, but now attempting to preserve their status in the elite competition for the coming football year. Juventus had already more or less sealed the title, but this was a battle against old rivals. While it wasn’t too shocking that the Bianconeri played this match without much urgency, Milan’s apathy was quite surprising, as they fell to Juventus 1-0 in a dull and uneventful affair. MATCH ANALYSIS by John Cascarano Napoli began the day with a 3-2 win over Cagliari, leaving Juventus with seven points left to clinch their second consecutive and 31st overall Scudetto. Antonio Conte decided to line up with the 3-5-1-1 which was teased during Champions League training, and served the team so well last week in Rome against Lazio. Milan meanwhile had to do without Mario Balotelli who is rather surprisingly serving a ban for misconduct, and thus started a trident of Pazzini, El Sharaawy, and Robinho. Milan looked to control possession from the outset, serving up a couple of runs coordinated by their trident resulting in two outside shots from Robinho and El Sharaawy within the first five minutes. Both, however, were fired straight at Buffon, who had little trouble stifling them. At the 7th minute, Juventus had a dangerous opportunity in the zona di Pirlo, after a handball by Robinho just outside the penalty box gave a free kick in the Maestro’s comfort zone. Pirlo’s direct shot ricocheted off the box nearly resulting in an Alaba-on-Buffon type goal, but Abbiati was somehow able to turn his body back despite moving in the opposite direction, and pushed the ball aside. Not much occurred for the next few minutes, with both teams looked to at a stalemmate early on, until the 15th minute when Marco Amelia was subbed on for Abbiati. The Milan keeper walked gingerly off the pitch, while fans whistled for Amelia to begin play again. He did and shortly thereafter Paul Pogba almost scored a Quagliarella type bicycle kick wonder goal off a perfectly placed cross by Lichtsteiner. In the 27th minute, Milan again looked to build a fruitful play when Montolivo cheekily deflected a pass onwards to Abate running down the right side, who crossed low to Robinho, but the Brazilian just couldn’t put it away at the near post. Shortly thereafter, Pirlo had another chance on a free kick in almost the same spot as earlier, which appeared to again be deflected but this time right into the hands of Amelia. Things continued rather slowly for the rest of the half. A buildup of play from the right side by Juventus lead to another near-perfect cross by Lichtsteiner to Vucinic who surprisingly could not finish. At around the 40 minute mark, Marchisio — playing as a more advanced trequartista/second striker — looked to break through on goal and was one-on-one with Amelia, but Amelia got a foot on principe’s low shot. Although it didn’t matter as Marchisio was flagged offsides anyway. Moments later Pazzini did well to muscle Bonucci off the ball deep into the box near the touchline, and nearly created a dangerous opportunity for Milan, but luckily Chiellini was there to sweep away the danger with a well-timed tackle. And that was pretty much it for the rest of the half. The second half kicked off with each side seemingly eager to grab an advantage. A quick corner from found Chiellini in the center of the box, but the nose/header was too high for goal. Second later, Marchisio was able to find space at the edge of the box, but his shot was right at Amelia. Milan would not sit still however. Mexes did his best Maradona impersonation to dribble a distance with the ball, but his shot was placed right at Buffon. A little while later, Vucinic would get one-on-one with Zapata on the other end, but the ball was scuppered neatly by the Colombian defender while Vucinic seemed to trip over his own shoe laces. And then, there it was, during the 56th minute. A beautiful long ball by Pirlo found Asamoah at the left side of the box, and all Amelia could do was take the Ghanian wingback out at his knees, earning a yellow card and surrendering a penalty kick. Arturo Vidal unsurprisingly stepped up to the spot, and sent a rocket into the right upper 90, with the precision of a heat-seeking missile. Amelia guessed correctly, but there was nothing any goalkeeper could have done. 1-0 Juventus. Juventus kept the pressure on, and Lichtsteiner found his way down the right edge of the box at around 62’, trying to split two defenders but couldn’t find room. He went down in the face of minor contact, but in classy fashion, pointed to the corner flag rather than looking for the free kick. The ensuing corner saw some messy shoving in the box between Chiellini and Mexes and, believe it or not, Mexes actually appeared to strike Chiellini in the face. That is not the Mexes that I know. The referee and even Paul Pogba needed to intervene. Eventually, the corner found the young Frenchman’s head, but he could not put it on target. In the 66’, Zapata surrendered a free kick on the right edge of the box which Pirlo lofted towards the far corner for Pogba, who could not do anything with it. Juventus would look to continue the pressure from there. In the 67th minute, Pirlo initiated a long ball from the center circle to Pogba on the left side of the box, who then found Vucinic, but his shot was deflected by Mexes for a corner. Three consecutive corner kicks ensued, with second one showing some dangerous moments with the ball trickling around the edge of the goal mouth. Neither Chiellini nor anyone else could get a foot on it, however. The third one saw Pirlo loft the ball to the far corner right to Bonucci’s feet, who could only one-time it straight at Amelia at the near post. By 71’, Mexes finally got that ever elusive yellow card despite his always gentlemanly conduct, on a hard foul on Vucinic on the top right edge of the box. Again, Pirlo’s swinging cross could find nobody, and was cleared out safely by the Milan defense. This time, a nearly dangerous counter-attack ensued beginning with an El Sharaawy run on the left side, but the Juventus defense was able to quickly smother out any danger. Milan would keep the pressure on minutes later, but Boateng could not find anyone at the other end of his low cross after beating Chiellini on the right side. Seconds later, Muntari would find space at the top of the box, but another “ghost goal” would not ensue as his ambitious effort was sent straight into Buffon’s welcoming arms. By 81’ Milan had burned through all three of their substitutions, having had to replace Abbiati, then swapping in Muntari for Ambrosini and the enemy-of-the-consonant Krkic with Robinho. By that time Conte decide to add Simone “the Game Changer” Padoin in for Lichtsteiner, who had a typical Lichtsteineresque game controlling the right side. At 89’ Milan had a dangerous chance to make things level, as Montolivo’s free kick from distance met Pazzini in the box (who on replay appeared to be at an offside position), before Mexes mistimed the second chance effort. Two additional late substitutions (Quagliarella on for Vucinic and Peluso for Asamoah) by Antonio Conte would ensure that enough time was spent to seal the precious 1-0 victory. LE PAGELLE by Aaron Giambattista Buffon 6.5 - Almost all of the shots were square in Buffon’s chest, but he did well to never spill an effort and claim it 1st-time. No nerves from Superman, despite Iron Man crowding his turf. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barzagli 7 - Made a brilliant tackle or two, and otherwise kept either Robinho or SES locked in his pocket. A very ordinary Barzagli game, a testament to his incredible form over the last few years. That was his 100th game in a Juventus shirt. The two games he’s really struggled in recent years were the Euro 2012 final and the Bayern match- does a huge occasion rattle him? Bonucci 6 - Ordinary administration at the back, in general, with only one big mistake when he let Pazzini beat him at the byline. Made sure that he was heavily marking anyone in the box. Chiellini 7 - Giorgio wanted to play in this match, despite recently recovering from injury, and did so, with the approval of the Juve doctors. Looked like the Keyser Giorgio of all, mopping up everything at the back, playing with grit and steel, always at the heart of the big moments. Only demerit is some silly diving (following a great tackle) that Montolivo rightly called Chiellini out on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lichtsteiner 6.5 - Marked Stephan El-Shaaraway well on the flank and moved up the field well. Was always ready to take on Milan offensively, but didn’t really receive a lot of support from the midfield. ’81 Padoin s.v. -Sent on to give Lichtsteiner a bit of a break. Nothing of note. Vidal 6.5 - Ran with two lungs in midfield, supporting the team defensively but also pushing up the right side of the field with Stephan Lichtsteiner. Scored the most accurate penalty I’ve ever seen. Juventus are not a selling club, and Arturo Vidal is a champion, thus, we cannot sell Vidal. Pirlo 6.0 - Had a few illuminating passes in the first half, then a few poor long passes. An average game for Andrea, but a good enough performance. Didn’t pass often (“only” 69 passes) but did so with relatively high accuracy. Pogba 6.0 - This was the game that really shows where Paul Pogba is right now. Occasional moments of brilliance, holding off Milan players, dribbling through opponents, but often disappears for stretches of time. That’ll fade with more playing time and mental maturity. Asamoah 6 - Kept with his man defensively but rarely did anything offensive of note. It was a pretty positive game for how well he played defensively, but winning the penalty came from one of the very few offensive actions from Asamoah. Better than we’ve seen, but still, not really a natural wingback and it shows. ’92 Peluso s.v. - Managed a stunning 36 seconds of play. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marchisio 4.5 - The Prince’s performance against Lazio earned rave reviews, his pressing and movement caused the Rome-based squad a lot of issues. Today was very much a game that grounded those reviews, as il Principino was virtually missing all match, only popping up once to threaten Amelia when he was already offside. Very much out of his natural position and didn’t know what to do or where to play. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vucinic 4.5 - Mirko was sensational a year ago when Juventus won 8-games in a row in the Spring to win the title, destroying Fiorentina, Milan, and Roma singlehandedly, but “Big Game Mirko” hasn’t showed up in a single big game this year. His passing was poor, he only managed 2 shots (none on target) and was dispossessed or turned over the ball more than double anyone else on the pitch. A very, very poor game that likewise calls into question if a 3-5-1-1 suits Mirko at all. ’90 Quagliarella s.v. - Once scored the winner vs Milan as a starter alongside Del Piero, now comes on in stoppage time to waste time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Antonio Conte 7 - Juventus won a very ordinary game over a big rival, and Milan never genuinely threatened Buffon. Looking back, it’s really amazing how muzzled Milan were and how nonplussed Juve looked. That said, his substitutions and lack of rotation drive me nuts. There was only one sub in a game that was very subdued, and it was Padoin. Conte speaks highly of players like Giaccherini, Marrone, etc, but if he won’t ever play them, why would they want to stay? ANALYSIS WRAP-UP by John Cascarano It wasn’t the most exciting of games and certainly not the prettiest victory, but Juventus did what they needed to do. When they visited the San Siro back in November, they fell to a Diavoli side which had very much bottomed-out. Since then, Milan has only played better, and the addition of Balotelli during the winter mercato means they’ve only gotten stronger as a squad. It’s crazy to think about, but this loss to Juventus was their first one in Serie A in 2013. With this victory Juventus’ magic number drops to 4. Any combination of Napoli dropping and Juventus earning four points within the five remaining games would give Antonio Conte his second Scudetto in as many seasons at the helm of Juventus. And speaking of Conte, he seemed to have gotten it perfectly right. The 3-5-1-1 answered Milan’s tactics well, and I’ve long been of the opinion that Marchisio has the skillset to play in a more advanced role. While the new formation is by no means a silver bullet or a necessary permanent switch, at the very least freshening things up from time to time means that opponents have less film to study and compare their pending opponents to during training. And perhaps appropriately, the winning goal against Milan was scored on a penalty. Bravi ragazzi! http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Juve four points from title defence Apr 21, 2013 Juventus need four points to successfully defend the Serie A title after Arturo Vidal's penalty decided a crucial victory over AC Milan. While the Rossoneri sweat over their chances of competing in next season's Champions League, Juve can seal a second straight Scudetto by winning next Sunday's derby meeting with Torino, should second-placed Napoli fail to beat Pescara. A Vidal penalty in the second half was the difference between the two sides, who are now separated by 18 points with five games remaining. The result means the Bianconeri are assured of their place in the Champions League next season while, with an 11-point cushion over Napoli, they could wrap up the title with four games to spare. Milan, however, are looking over their shoulders with fourth-placed Fiorentina now just a point behind in the race for Champions League football. Rossoneri head coach Massimiliano Allegri picked an attacking line-up in response to Napoli's earlier 3-2 win over Cagliari which opened a seven-point gap between second and third place. Robinho, one of three forwards in his starting XI, tried his luck in the early exchanges but just missed the target. Andrea Pirlo went closer to breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute with a free-kick that took a deflection off Massimo Ambrosini in the wall, making life difficult for Christian Abbiati who somehow managed to change direction and turn the ball behind for a corner. Milan's top goalscorer Stephan El Shaarawy responded by giving Gianluigi Buffon his first test of the evening in the 24th minute. Marco Amelia soon came on for the injured Abbiati and he had to deal with another deflected Pirlo free-kick as the two sides reached the break on even terms. The substitute keeper negatively affected his team, however, as his foul on Kwadwo Asamoah in the 57th minute earned Juve a penalty. Chile international Vidal made no mistake when placing his spot-kick high into the net to give the hosts the lead. Milan responded brightly with Sulley Muntari and Riccardo Montolivo both testing Buffon. But the visitors just could not find an equaliser, despite introducing a fourth striker in the shape of Bojan Krkic, and Juve rode out the final throes to edge closer to their 31st domestic title. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000 Vidal sees off toothless Milan Arturo Vidal’s perfect penalty gave Juventus victory over an uninspired Milan, putting them closer to the title and leaving the Rossoneri only one point clear of Fiorentina in third. Apr 21, 2013 Last season this was a Scudetto showdown, but this time round the Rossoneri were pushing to challenge Napoli for second place and aiming to stay clear of Fiorentina in fourth. Mario Balotelli and Mathieu Flamini sat out bans, but Massimo Ambrosini returned from injury. Stephan El Shaarawy was back in the starting XI after he was surprisingly dropped against Napoli, but Kevin-Prince Boateng moved into midfield to make way for Giampaolo Pazzini and Robinho. Juve had Giorgio Chiellini after an ankle injury, though Sebastian Giovinco, Nicolas Anelka and Simone Pepe were sidelined. Once again, Claudio Marchisio acted as support striker so there was room for Paul Pogba. Andrea Pirlo almost opened the scoring against his former club, as a free kick took a deflection off the wall and Christian Abbiati changed direction to palm it off the line. The goalkeeper hurt his knee during that move and after a while limped off to make way for Marco Amelia. This was the fifth time in three seasons Abbiati had to be substituted due to injury. An acrobatic Pogba overhead kick from Stephan Lichtsteiner’s cross whistled wide, then Ambrosini pounced on a Pirlo error only to drill off target. Robinho also hit the side-netting after Mirko Vucinic gave possession away. Another Pirlo free kick went over the wall, but into Amelia’s arms, while Vucinic was just unable to get a touch to Lichtsteiner’s assist as he came sliding in. Ambrosini also needed treatment with a strong bandage applied to his ankle before the break, as injuries were beginning to take their toll on the Milan squad. Sulley Muntari replaced the captain for the second half, as the armband want to Riccardo Montolivo. Chiellini nodded over from a corner and a deflected Marchisio strike was smothered by Amelia, while Philippe Mexes pushed forward and fired straight at Buffon. Cristian Zapata used his strength to prevent Vucinic pulling the trigger from a defence-splitting pass. Just shy of the hour mark, Ignazio Abate let a pass go through so Kwadwo Asamoah burst into the box and Amelia rushed off his line, clattering into the Ghanaian for a clear penalty. Arturo Vidal stepped up and placed a perfect spot-kick into the top corner. Pogba nodded a corner over the bar and then set up Vucinic for a shot that Mexes crucially charged down. A dangerous Pirlo cross was not cleared effectively, but Chiellini couldn’t quite get it out from under his feet. From that corner, Leonardo Bonucci shinned a volley into Amelia’s arms. A fine Boateng run down the right saw him roll the ball across for Pazzini, but Bonucci got there first to prevent the tap-in. Muntari’s snapshot and a swerving Montolivo long-range effort were smothered by Buffon. Mexes fired wide from a free kick, but Pazzini had been flagged offside anyway, while Montolivo’s angled drive was again easy pickings for Buffon. These attempts summed up Milan’s performance, as they had 58% of possession in Turin, but barely troubled the goalkeeper. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Padoin 81), Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal, Asamoah (Peluso 92); Marchisio; Vucinic (Quagliarella 90) Milan: Abbiati (Amelia 15); Abate, Zapata, Mexes, Constant; Montolivo, Ambrosini (Muntari 46), Boateng; Pazzini, El Shaarawy, Robinho (Bojan 70) Ref: Banti http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Madrid were also interested in Llorente, reveals Perez The Blancos president is in no doubt that the Spain international, who is joining the Bianconeri on a free transfer, will prove a big hit in both Serie A and the Champions League. Apr 21, 2013 Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has revealed that he was interested in signing Fernando Llorente before the forward agreed to join Juventus. The Bianconeri announced in January that the Spain international will move to Turin on a free transfer upon the expiration of his current contract with Athletic Bilbao at the end of the season. Despite Llorente's imminent arrival at the Juventus Stadium, the Italian champions are still said to be pursuing another striker, much to the bemusement of Perez who remains a keen admirer of Llorente. "You [Juventus] are really looking for a forward?" the Blancos supremo is quoted as saying by Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport. "But you have already taken a really good one: Llorente. "He's really good. I am certain that he will score a lot and that he will also do well in the Champions League. "He was also liked by us, but our [transfer] policy does not allow us to take a player whose contract is expiring away from another team." Despite Perez's recommendation, the 28-year-old Llorente has scored just one goal in 19 appearances for Athletic in La Liga this season.

Serie A Week 33 - 21-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57′-PG) Juventus Stadium — Turin Referee: Luca Banti Attendance: 38000‎ Vidal edges Bianconeri ever closer to title The Chile international scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot, after Marco Amelia had clattered into Kwadwo Asamoah in the area. Apr 21, 2013 Juventus took a significant step towards a second successive Serie A title with a 1-0 win over AC Milan that simultaneously upset their opponents' hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League. Arturo Vidal scored the only goal of a desperately underwhelming encounter, the Chile international converting from the penalty spot after Kwadwo Asamoah had been felled in the area by Marco Amelia shortly after half-time. With Juventus in possession of an eight-point cushion at the summit of Serie A, the game was arguably of great importance to Milan, particularly with fourth-placed Fiorentina having defeated Torino earlier in the day to draw to within a point of the Rossoneri. Unsurprising, then, that the visitors began the brighter of the two, with Robinho and Stephan El Shaarawy both getting shots away inside the opening five minutes. However, it was Juve who went closest to an early breakthrough, with Christian Abbiati doing wonderfully well to change direction in time to scramble a deflected Andrea Pirlo free kick away for a corner. Unfortunately for Abbiati, that was to be his last contribution of note before being forced off through injury with less than 15 minutes on the clock. He was replaced by Amelia, whose first task was to deal with another Pirlo free kick, which he did with the minimum of fuss. The Rossoneri reserve goalkeeper had little to do for the remainder of the half, though, with Mirko Vucinic failing dismally to hit the target with a free header from yet another Pirlo set-piece. In truth, Milan looked the slightly more likely scorers during a cagey opening half. Massimiliano Allegri’s men were certainly the more composed side in possession, while Robinho and the recalled Stephan El Shaarawy buzzed about Giampaolo Pazzini with real intent. Their hopes of retaining control of the middle of the park were hit by the injury-enforced withdrawal of Massimo Ambrosini during the interval. Their hopes of winning the game, meanwhile, were hit by the concession of a penalty just 10 minutes later. Ignazio Abate and Amelia were both caught out by a seemingly innocuous diagonal in behind the Milan defence. Abate left it for his goalkeeper, who never had any chance of getting there in time and was powerless to prevent himself from clattering into the alert Asamoah, who had stolen in behind a hesitant Abate before cleverly nicking the ball past Amelia. Vidal buried the resulting spot-kick, firing high to Amelia's left to change the entire complexion of the game. Indeed, Milan suddenly looked completely devoid of any belief and the toothless visitors did not even go close to forcing an equaliser in the remaining 35 minutes, thus allowing Juve to coast to a victory that leaves them requiring just four more points to clinch the title. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/