Socrates

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823 Player Ratings: Juventus 0-2 Bayern Munich (Agg 0-4) Goal.com evaluates the performances of everyone involved in Turin, as the Bundesliga champions clinch their place in the final four with another assured display. Apr 10, 2013 Juventus Gianluigi Buffon - Had to deal with one awkwardly flighted ball in the opening quarter before then being called upon to make a fine stop from Alaba. Pulled off an even better save to deny Javi Martinez, so was unfortunate to see Mandzukic bury the rebound. Nothing he could do about the second goal either. Andrea Barzagli - Back to his best after an uncharacteristically nervy display in Munich, the centre-half making a number of typically well-timed tackles. Leonardo Bonucci - An ill-timed slip resulted in him picking up a booking for cynically hauling down Muller, but he was defensively sound thereafter. Giorgio Chiellini - Played with passion and determination, as exemplified by the way in which he threw himself into two 50-50s in the space of 10 seconds in the first half. However, was given all sorts of trouble by Robben's quick feet. Simone Padoin - Showed a great appetite to get forward down the right-hand side and was also admirably strong in the tackle. However, he just did not offer enough going forward and, as expected, proved a poor substitute for Lichtsteiner. Paul Pogba - Showed a real eagerness to get beyond his attackers right from the off, while at the same time ensuring that he was always on hand to help Padoin deal with Ribery. His final ball let him down occasionally but this was a fine display. Andrea Pirlo - Once again put under pressure, the veteran playmaker once again failed to dictate the pace of the game. Was unfortunate that his fiercely-struck free kick was straight down Neuer's throat. Claudio Marchisio - Initially played with far greater drive and dynamism than he had at the Allianz, getting a shot away inside the opening 10 minutes after a strong surge from midfield. But he faded dismally the longer the game when on. Kwadwo Asamoah - Unsurprisingly left space in behind for Robben to exploit as he was charged with the responsibility of providing Juve with greater width, and while he switched the play well at times, he never really put Lahm under any great pressure. Mirko Vučinić - Lively enough at times, getting a shot on target inside the opening five minutes before then releasing Marchisio into space. Lifted Juve with a barnstorming run just after the break but could not make a sustained impact. Fabio Quagliarella - Seemed more intent on getting players booked than scoring goals in the first half, but began the second in far more determined fashion, firing just wide after cutting in nicely from the left wing. His resurgence didn't last, though, and he was replaced by Matri on 66 minutes. Substitutions Mauricio Isla - Took over from Padoin just after Mandzukic's goal but was unable to alter the course of the game. Emanuele Giaccherini - Sent on in place of Marchisio with just over 10 minutes remaining but unable to make an impact. Alessandro Matri - Came on for Quagliarella midway through the second half but did not get a clear sight of goal. FC Bayern München Manuel Neuer - Showed strong hands in fisting a free kick from Pirlo over the bar and exhibited his bravery in diving at the feet of Vucinic midway through the second half. Reliable as ever. Philipp Lahm - Gave away a very dangerous free on the edge of the area with a clumsy challenge on Marchisio and only once got beyond Robben down the right flank. However, he defended Asamoah excellently. Dante - Never ruffled, even when his central defensive colleague was forced off shortly before half-time. Coped confidently and effectively with everything Juve threw at him, and played a key role in containing Quagliarella. Daniel Van Buyten - Looked dominant in the air before his injury-enforced departure some 35 minutes in. Had bravely tried to play through the pain but it was clear that he was struggling badly before he was belatedly withdrawn. D. Alaba - Wisely focused solely on his defensive duties during the opening quarter but began to attack with far greater regularity the longer the first half went on and the Austrian tested Buffon with a fine strike just before the break. Javi Martínez - Lucky to escape a booking after chopping down Marchisio in midfield and fortune smiled on him again when Bonucci sliced over after he had botched an attempted clearance. However, protected his back four to great effect and deserves credit for the volley which led to Mandzukic breaking the deadlock. Bastian Schweinsteiger - Whipped the ball away from the feet of Vucinic as the Montenegrin set himself to shoot on 13 minutes and continued in that vain thereafter, putting out fires left, right and centre. Also played his part in both goals. Inspirational. Franck Ribéry - Created a fine opening for Mandzukic inside the opening 10 minutes, after being released by Robben, and drew a routine save out of Buffon at the end of a decent - if unspectacular - opening 45 minutes for the Frenchman. Listless in the second half, though. Thomas Müller - Did some good work down the right-hand side, creating a couple of openings for Mandzukic. However, he took too much out of the ball on occasion and also missed a glorious chance to double Bayern's advantage. Arjen Robben - Combined well with Ribery, while at the same time sparking panic within the Bianconeri back-line every time he started taking players on. His shooting was wayward during the first half but he was so unlucky to strike the post with a terrific curler just before the hour. Mario Mandzukic - Went close to opening the scoring eight minutes in but was denied by a tremendous last-ditch challenge from Padoin. Just as he had done in Munich, put Pirlo under pressure at every opportunity and was rewarded for his endeavour with a simple finish on 64 minutes. Substitutions Jerome Boateng - Thrown on in place of the injured Van Buyten 10 minutes before half-time and made a significant early contribution, putting in a fine block on a shot from Pogba, setting the tone for a fine performance. Luiz Gustavo Dias - Replaced Ribery in the closing stages, but did not have enough time to really make his presence felt. Claudio Pizarro - Took over up top from Mandzukic and helped himself to a goal right at the death with a calm finish.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ Champions League: Bayern ease past Juventus and into the semi-finals Bayern Munich beat Juventus 2-0 in Turin to win 4-0 on aggregate and progress to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Apr 10, 2013 Bayern, who wrapped up the Bundesliga crown at the weekend, might have been expecting a tough night in Italy but second-half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro sealed the tie. Mandzukic, who was unlucky to be booked early on and will now miss the first leg of the semi-final, had the first opportunity for the German side when he almost turned in a Franck Ribery cross. At the other end, Juventus pushed for the first-half breakthrough they surely needed but Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saved well from a fiercely struck Andrea Pirlo free-kick. Paul Pogba then played a dangerous ball across the face of the Bayern goalmouth but there was nobody on the end of it, while Arjen Robben blazed over wildly when well placed for the visitors. After the break, Juve showed some intent when Fabio Quagliarella cut in from the left and fired right-footed just wide of Neuer's near post. But it was Bayern posing the greater threat with Robben hitting the post with Buffon beaten before Mandzukic delivered the killer blow on the hour mark. Bastian Schweinsteiger whipped in a free-kick from the right and while Buffon was able to parry Javi Martinez's close-range effort away, Mandzukic was there to slot the ball home. The German champions could have doubled their advantage on the night when Robben set up Thomas Muller but the 23-year-old curled a great chance over the bar. Substitute Pizarro did add a second goal when the veteran pulled away from his marker in the right channel and slid the ball past Buffon with ease. By that point, any hope of a Bianconeri comeback had long since been extinguished and Jupp Heynckes' side saw out the game to join Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the last four.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ Mandzukic melts Bianconeri hearts Apr 10, 2013 Juventus were beaten 2-0 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final second leg in Turin on Wednesday. Mario Mandzukic’s second half goal and Claudio Pizzaro’s late strike meant the Germans won 4-0 on aggregate as they were victorious in the first leg 2-0. In the opening moments Mirko Vucinic had a poor shot which went straight to Manuel Neuer. While Mandzukic has a good chance at the other end as Bayern took advantage on the counter attack. Andrea Pirlo then forced another save from Neuer as his freekick looked set to go in. Then Paul Pogba smashed a ball across the Bayern goalmouth but Kwadwo Asamoah struggled to get on the end of it. Not long after Fabio Quagliarella hit wide, before Thomas Muller did the same. Then a few moments later David Alaba tried another long range effort, but unlike in the first leg, Gianluigi Buffon was equal to it. Just before half-time Juve had another opportunity as Quagliarella and Leonardo Bonucci couldn’t poke the ball in from close range as bounced around the six-yard area. Following the break, Quagliarella jinxed past Philip Lahm but his shot went just wide of the post and a few minutes later tested Neuer once again but the German goalkeeper saved easily. Bayern started to look a but more dangerous and Arjen Robben his the post with an effort from the edge of the area. But a few minuted later the ball was in the back of the net. Mandzukic nodded home from close range after Buffon parried a Javi Marttinez effort into his path. As a result of that goal, Juve poured forward and Bayern should have been two up, as Robben picked out Muller on the left edge of the penalty area but the German smashed over the cross bar. Pogba tried a long shot from the edge of the area, but Neuer easily dealt with it, then Bayern had a chance to kill the tie completely with Mandzukic’s low cross which Muller just failed to get a toe on. As the end of the match approached Bayern looked to shore up the midfield as Juve struggled to have any more meaningful chances, then just to rub salt in the wounds of the Bianconeri, Pizarro made it two right at the death.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ Champions League Post-Match Reaction Apr 10, 2013 In the days leading up to the second-leg match against Bayern Munich, Antonio Conte's men made the rounds in the Italian media with their cries of urgency and pride before the big match. Juventus sounded so convincing that I even bought into their unbridled confidence, thinking that a 2-0 aggregate scoreline could be turned around by the reigning Italian champions in their intimidating new stadium. However, another dominant display from the recently-crowned Bundesliga winners put to bed my naivety, as they managed yet another 2-0 win against a team that was clearly inferior throughout both legs. Juventus Notes: •The losses of Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner proved costly to the Bianconeri, as they were forced to slot in a player like Simone Padoin on the right flank, who has about as much Champions League experience as I do. •Up front, Antonio Conte once again went with the hit-or-miss Fabio Quagliarella, who nearly scored with a signature fantastic effort from distance. Along with Mirko Vucinic, the mercurial and rather inconsistent pair failed to give Juventus a goal in the entire game. •Simply put, the attack isn't up to the level required at this stage of the competition. Fortunately for Juventus fans, January transfer window signing Fernando Llorente can be that man next year, as he will join the team in the summer. •Andrea Pirlo isn't Andrea Pirlo in the Champions League. Milan fans have been echoing these sentiments since the club sold the deep-lying playmaker to Juventus two seasons ago. Pirlo can be quelled by a world-class team with athletic midfielders. Against Bayern, Pirlo was contained in both legs and looked slower and older than he ever has berfore in his entire Juventus stint. Bayern Munich Notes: •Bayern Munich not only proved to be a better side than Juventus, but also one that needs to be considered as a favorite in Europe. They've built a model organization which is balanced throughout the formation, having incredible depth in each position. •This Bayern Munich team reminds me a bit of the Inter side which went on to win the Champions League in 2010 under Jose Mourinho (ironically against Bayern in the final). They play the same 4-2-3-1 formation and employ plenty of hulking, physical players with the right mix of ruggedness and technique. Final Thoughts: Although it was a sad exit for Juventus, they'll be back next year even better. After a summer where they'll improve their striking core, the Bianconeri will fill their biggest weakness while having young starlets like Paul Pogba getting even better—a terrifying thought for any fan of a rival Italian side. La Vecchia Signora can bow her head back and admit that the better team won. Bayern Munich put on a footballing display for the entire world and will undoubtedly provide us with another memorable two-legged affair in the semifinals.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ We Believed, But The Dream Is Over Apr 10, 2013 Last week Juventus travelled to the Allianz Arena and were humbled by a Bayern Munich side desperate to make amends for losing last year’s final in their own stadium. A two-nil victory showed that they were a side to be taken seriously and that the second leg defeat to Arsenal in the previous round was more a product of circumstance rather than any sudden loss of form by the Bavarian outfit. The Bianconeri knew that overcoming that deficit would be difficult but not impossible and they would fight to the very end in the hunt for victory. MATCH ANALYSIS by Adam Digby Yellow cards and the subsequent suspensions robbed Antonio Conte of both Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner so Paul Pogba slotted into midfield alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio while Simone Padoin and Kwadwo Asamoah filled the wingback berths. The usual suspects lined up in defence while Fabio Quagliarella partnered Mirko Vucinic in attack and Juventus made clear their intent from the opening whistle. Juventus-0-2-Bayern-Munich-Champions-League-Pirlo-RiberyThey asserted themselves in a way David Alaba’s early first leg goal never allowed them to do last week and it looked like being one of those games where the pressing and pressure demanded by Conte would pay dividend. The increased sense of belief inside the stadium was palpable as, in one voice, the crowd declared “if you’re not jumping, you don’t believe we can do it!” Not a single soul remained in their seat. Vucinic failed to trouble Manuel Neuer inside two minutes with a weak effort before Marchisio blasted a left-footed drive over the bar. With 22 minutes gone, Bayern had barely been allowed to venture beyond their own half and gave away a free kick that was outside their box and in a nice central position. It was a gilt edged opportunity and the noise inside Juventus Stadium grew even louder as Pirlo stood over the ball and surveyed the scene. Sadly for The Bearded Genius and the “one hundred and sixty million fans around the world,” Neuer proved equal to the task and parried a superb effort away from goal. Undeterred, the Bianconeri stuck to their task and drove forward, almost completely in command of the game. Padoin slotted a superb pass to Pogba but, as the midfielder flashed the ball across the face of goal, not one player had followed him in to tap home. Somewhere in northern Spain, Fernando Llorente smiled and imagined similar chances coming his way next term. Quagliarella would fire wide with an effort typical of his insane penchant for miraculous goals before some normality was restored and, after almost forty minutes, Bayern recorded their first genuine shot as everyone’s favourite pensioner Gigi Buffon prevented Alaba from netting again. Halftime came and went without any change from Conte, a worrying issue given the team now had just 45 minutes to find three goals after not finding a goal in triple that amount of time so far. Yet he appeared to have once again inspired the players as a great run from Vucinic drew a poor challenge from Dante. That gave Pirlo another set piece opportunity but this time he struck the wall and the ball ran softly to the waiting goalkeeper. Quagliarella and Arjen Robben traded efforts before the moment all those of a Bianconeri persuasion dreaded. Mario Mandzukic was in the right place at the right time and headed home from close range to all but end Juve’s hopes and substitute Claudio Pizzarro added a second to ensure comfortable passage into the Semi Finals for Bayern. LE PAGELLE by Aaron Giambattista Buffon 7.0 - Criticized by Beckenbauer as a “pensioner” after a disappointing display in the first leg, San Gigi showed his class in the return match in Torino. Commanded his box well and pulled off some great saves on Alaba and Robben. Made a good save on Martinez before the goal, but couldn’t do anything on the rebound. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barzagli 5.5 - Pressed by Muller, Barza never settled into a good passing rhythm and was occasionally defensively suspect. Bonucci 5.0 - Ultimately, Bayern’s goal that ended the game was his fault. Held Martinez onside for his first effort, and then, the game was over. Chiellini 5.5 - Must have remembered the trouble from Mandzukic from the first leg, because he appeared nervous from the first minute. His passing was especially poor even for his standards, it seemed pressured and rushed. Defensively, did alright with Mandzukic’s threat. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Padoin 6.5 - Most thought that Padoin would be the worst player on the pitch, but he dignified himself with a great game. Made an impressive goal-saving tackle early on (though he kept Mandzukic onside, it must be noted) and did well getting forward, cutting inside, delivering simple but effective passes. May be redeeming himself in Juventus fans eyes. ’69 Isla s.v. - Got a few minutes in his legs, and despite the game being well over by the time he subbed in, worked hard on the flank. Pogba 6.0 - The first half was excellent- he played physical, retained possession, and caused Bayern threats on the few occasions he moved forward. The second half was the complete opposite, he entirely disappeared. Still, a solid performance for a 20-year old in a Champion’s League Quarterfinal. Pirlo 6.0 - Started out the game decent- not brilliant, but nowhere as poor as he was in Germany. Worked hard in midfield, but never was able to deliver a truly killer pass. Had a great free kick that Neuer saved. Marchisio 4.5 - In the first few minutes, it looked like Claudio would have a good game, he was pressuring, he was making good forward runs, but unfortunately, the Prince was absent for the rest of the game, outclassed by Schweinsteiger. The few times he was on the ball, the result was very poor. ’79 Giaccherini s.v. - Subbed on, ran, nothing of note. Asamoah 5.5 - Ran up and down the flank and held his own defensively, but it has become increasingly an issue that he’s not at all a wide player. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quagliarella 6.5 - Fabio has probably been the most underused player in the team this year. Looked determined to make an impact and had Juve’s best opportunities all game, including a drive that struck the lower right post. ’66 Matri s.v - The game was over, the forwards got no support. Nothing to do. Vucinic 5.0 - There were 2-3 times where Vucinic made a brilliant run through 3-4 Bayern players, showing individual skill and tenacity in keeping the ball. Unfortunately, that was about it. Big Game Mirko has failed to show up in pretty much any big game for most of this season, completely unlike his demolition jobs against Milan, Fiorentina, and Inter a year ago. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conte 5.5 - The team started out well enough, a dramatic improvement over the match in Germany, but the Bianconeri became increasingly desperate as time went on. Once Bayern scored, the game was over. A great debut Champion’s League run, but a 4-0 aggregate loss is pretty heavy. ANALYSIS WRAP-UP by Adam Digby Conte made few changes to the first leg other than the two forced upon him. Aside from the inclusion of Pogba and Padoin, his inclusion of Asamoah over Peluso was seemingly there to balance the loss of the Swiss fullback’s attacking intent. The coach did allow his wingbacks freedom to attack by removing their defensive responsibility, instead opting to use Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini to nullify the threat of Robben and Franck Ribery when Juve were in possession. However, that change was almost directly responsible for the second goal here as it left Leo Bonucci to cover the middle on his own and some smart interplay left the 25 year old with no chance to prevent Bayern scoring. On the whole, the two legs proved that the 3-5-2 – so vital to Scudetto glory in Serie A – is wholly inadequate against the continents top sides who attack with pace and quality which overwhelms the back three over and over again. I’ve congratulated the lads, because I think winning the Scudetto and being among the top eight sides in Europe represents an extraordinary achievement. Antonio Conte But there are two ways to assess this game and, by proxy, Juve’s 2012-13 Champions League campaign as a whole. On the one hand, it is easy to look at the performance and say Antonio Conte was out-coached and Juventus outclassed by Jupp Heynckes’ marauding FC Bayern. That view is the one neutrals appear to hold as the Bianconeri crash out to last year’s runners up and leads to the inevitable debate about the weaknesses of Serie A compared to its German counterpart. Perhaps the events of last weekend should have provided us with a clue for, as a much-changed Juve laboured to a 2-1 win over lowly Pescara, FC Bayern were celebrating sealing their twenty-third Bundesliga title. Holding an unassailable twenty point lead over the rest of the German league, they have enjoyed a similar dominance of the domestic scene that the Old Lady currently possess on the peninsula. However, an alternative view would be to recognise the mitigating factors at work here and the inexperience of this young Juventus team. Not only had very few players ever ventured into Europe’s top competition before, Conte himself was making his personal debut in the elite tournament and will grow immensely from the experience. He did so not only having been banned from the early matches of the campaign but also without two players who gave him genuine tactical options. With Mauricio Isla still not fully fit and Simone Pepe missing for the entire year, the 4-3-3 alternative used before was not available to the coach and that shape could certainly have helped here as much as the addition of the much lamented ‘top player’. With this season under their belts, the Old Lady will undoubtedly return next season stronger than ever. Conte has often claimed Juventus must play ‘as if going to war’ and, given the coach’s love of a rallying speech, perhaps it is fitting the last word should go to iconic orator Winston Churchill who once said “this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xywkwl_juventus-0-2-bayern-munich-highlights_sport

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ Super Bayern send Juve out Juventus crashed out of the Champions League after a 2-0 home defeat against Bayern Munich, as Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro silenced the Turin crowd. Apr 10, 2013 The Bianconeri had a mountain to climb in order to reach the Champions League semi-finals, having lost the first leg 2-0 in Munich. Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner were suspended, so Paul Pogba and Simone Padoin stepped into the starting XI with Fabio Quagliarella replacing the injured Sebastian Giovinco. Bayern won the Bundesliga last week with six games to spare and welcomed Javi Martinez back from his ban, though Toni Kroos suffered a thigh strain. As Antonio Conte requested, the atmosphere in the Juventus Stadium was deafening and a huge banner read: ‘Never give up, because when you think it’s all over, that is the moment where everything begins.’ After 84 seconds Mirko Vucinic scuffed his shot at Manuel Neuer, then Giorgio Chiellini went down in agony after a clash with Mario Mandzukic that saw the striker very harshly booked and therefore suspended for Bayern’s next game. Mandzukic went close to a goal on the counter, but turned wide under pressure from Padoin. Philipp Lahm tripped Claudio Marchisio right on the edge of the box for a free kick, from which Andrea Pirlo hit a missile that Neuer punched out from under the bar with great difficulty. Padoin tackled Ribery to win back possession and Vucinic threaded through for Pogba down the right, who flashed a ball across the six-yard box, but Asamoah was a fraction too late to get the final touch. Quagliarella smashed a long-range attempt high and wide, while Thomas Muller volleyed off target. Daniel Van Buyten requested a substitution, making way for Jerome Boateng, the brother of Milan star Kevin-Prince. Pogba’s first touch let him down in the D when Vucinic pulled back and he hesitated, allowing the shot to be charged down. David Alaba’s screamer surprised Gigi Buffon in the first leg, but this time a corner fell to the full-back for a powerful shot and the goalkeeper was ready, flying to palm it away. Juve went close from a free kick that was not dealt with, as Quagliarella and then Bonucci couldn’t finish it off from six yards. In first half stoppages Ribery scuffed a weak effort into Buffon’s arms, while Vucinic’s chipped pass for Padoin was crucially deflected out for a corner. Straight after the restart, Vucinic sprinted at the Bayern defence and was eventually sandwiched between red shirts on the edge of the box for a free kick. Pirlo’s effort was deflected off the wall and into Neuer’s arms. Quagliarella cut in from the left and his daisy-cutter whistled inches past the base of the upright. Pirlo’s misplaced pass sparked a Muller counter, then Quagliarella spun round to sting Neuer’s palms, but was offside anyway. Chiellini fell in the box under a Boateng challenge, but play continued and Robben’s fantastic curler cracked against the upright from the edge of the area. However, it was Bayern Munich who took the lead in Turin. A Robben free kick found Javi Martinez’s outstretched foot, forcing a great reaction save out of Buffon, but there was no stopping Mandzukic with a diving header to follow it up from a couple of yards. Juventus now needed four goals to qualify. From their corner, Bayern went on the counter and Muller ballooned over the bar. Vucinic wasted a good chance when needing one extra touch and allowing Neuer to smother at his feet, then the goalkeeper blocked a Pogba strike. Muller drilled wide at the end of a well-worked move and Buffon at full stretch fingertipped a Robben solo effort round the base of the upright, as all belief had long seeped out of the Juventus Stadium. In stoppages, Bayern made it 2-0, as Schweinsteiger set up substitute Claudio Pizarro for a low angled drive that went through Buffon’s legs. Juventus 0-2 Bayern (0-4 agg) Scorers: Mandzukic 64 (B), Pizarro 91 (B) Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin (Isla 69), Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio (Giaccherini 78), Asamoah; Vucinic, Quagliarella (Matri 66) Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Van Buyten (Boateng 35), Alaba; Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez; Robben, T Muller, Ribery (Luiz Gustavo 80); Mandzukic (Pizarro 83) Ref: Carballo (SPA)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823‎ Juventus 0-2 Bayern Munich (Agg 0-4): Germans impressive march to semis for Bayern The Croatian striker opened the scoring midway through the second half before substitute Claudio Pizarro added a second right at the death. Apr 10, 2013 Bayern Munich booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League with another commanding defeat of Juventus, the newly-crowned German champions triumphing 2-0 in Turin on Wednesday night to seal a 4-0 aggregate win over their Italian counterparts. The Bavarians soaked up what little the Bianconeri could throw at them during the early exchanges of both halves before eventually putting the outcome of the tie beyond all doubt when Mario Mandzukic converted from close range just after the hour-mark. Juventus tried to rally but there was to be no way back for Antonio Conte's game but limited side, who were opened up again in the dying seconds when substitute Claudio Pizarro fired home. While the Bianconeri had to make do without suspended duo Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner, they were at least buoyed by Mirko Vucinic’s return to full fitness, with the Montenegrin having been restricted to the role of substitute in Munich. Unsurprisingly, a fired-up Vucinic was particularly prominent early on, curling a tame strike into the arms of Manuel Neuer before then lofting the ball into the path of Claudio Marchisio, who drove forward with will menace only to then blaze high and wide as the Bayern goal came into range. Bayern, though, weathered what was a very early and a very brief storm, and it took an expertly executed sliding challenge from Simone Padoin to prevent Mandzukic from finishing off a terrific move down the right-hand side involving Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery. Andrea Pirlo lifted the home fans with a stinging free kick from the edge of the area that Neuer did well to fist over the bar, while Paul Pogba flashed a ball across the face of the six-yard box that criminally went unconverted. However, for all the Bianconeri’s bluster, and the loss of Daniel van Buyten to injury 35 minutes in, Bayern looked reasonably comfortable and they arguably finished the half the stronger, with Gianluigi Buffon having to produce a flying save to keep out a well-struck drive from David Alaba. Vucinic, though, put Juve back on the front foot with a barnstorming run right at the heart of the Bayern back-line immediately after the interval and, just moments later, strike partner Fabio Quagliarella flashed a shot just wide of Neuer’s right post. However, the increasingly desperate hosts unsurprisingly began to leave holes at the back and one brilliant Bayern breakaway on 57 minutes really should have resulted in the opening goal, Mandzukic deftly laying the ball off into the path of Robben, who took a touch before striking the post with a sublime curling effort from 20 yards out. The Bavarians’ disappointment did not last long, though, with Mandzukic on hand to convert the rebound after Buffon had done brilliantly to keep out Javi Martinez’s point-blank range volley from a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick. The visitors should have doubled their advantage moments later but Thomas Muller blazed over after being put through by Robben. However, Bayern would get the second goal their dominance deserved when Pizarro slotted home after slipped in by Schweinsteiger to put the seal on another statement of intent from a side clearly driven by their desire to atone for last season's defeat by Chelsea.

Muller sbaglia il 2-0

Tutti a casa.

28 minuti alla fine, Antonio dovrebbe cambiare qualcosa ora.

Basta guardare chi hanno loro in panchina.

La bolgia la stanno facendo i tifosi tedeschi.

Palo di Robben in contropiede.

Ora Robben e Ribery sulla stessa fascia, hai detto niente.

E se entrasse Giaccherini al posto di Pirlo?

Fuorigioco di Quagliarella.

Pirlo mette in difficoltá Barzagli e poi salva in angolo.

Come gioca Mandzukic, ci servirebbe uno cosí.

Mandzukic corre come un pazzo.

Gran tiro di Quagliarella sul palo esterno.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - BAYERN Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) HT 0-0: Juve hit Bayern brick wall Apr 10, 2013 Andrea Pirlo and David Alaba forced tough saves, but Juventus-Bayern is still goalless at half-time in Turin. The Bianconeri had a mountain to climb in order to reach the Champions League semi-finals, having lost the first leg 2-0 in Munich. Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner were suspended, so Paul Pogba and Simone Padoin stepped into the starting XI with Fabio Quagliarella replacing the injured Sebastian Giovinco. Bayern won the Bundesliga last week with six games to spare and welcomed Javi Martinez back from his ban, though Toni Kroos suffered a thigh strain. As Antonio Conte requested, the atmosphere in the Juventus Stadium was deafening and a huge banner read: ‘Never give up, because when you think it’s all over, that is the moment where everything begins.’ After 84 seconds Mirko Vucinic scuffed his shot at Manuel Neuer, then Giorgio Chiellini went down in agony after a clash with Mario Mandzukic that saw the striker very harshly booked and therefore suspended for Bayern’s next game. Mandzukic went close to a goal on the counter, but turned wide under pressure from Padoin. Philipp Lahm tripped Claudio Marchisio right on the edge of the box for a free kick, from which Andrea Pirlo hit a missile that Neuer punched out from under the bar with great difficulty. Padoin tackled Ribery to win back possession and Vucinic threaded through for Pogba down the right, who flashed a ball across the six-yard box, but Asamoah was a fraction too late to get the final touch. Quagliarella smashed a long-range attempt high and wide, while Thomas Muller volleyed off target. Daniel Van Buyten requested a substitution, making way for Jerome Boateng, the brother of Milan star Kevin-Prince. Pogba’s first touch let him down in the D when Vucinic pulled back and he hesitated, allowing the shot to be charged down. David Alaba’s screamer surprised Gigi Buffon in the first leg, but this time a corner fell to the full-back for a powerful shot and the goalkeeper was ready, flying to palm it away. Juve went close from a free kick that was not dealt with, as Quagliarella and then Bonucci couldn’t finish it off from six yards. In first half stoppages Ribery scuffed a weak effort into Buffon’s arms, while Vucinic’s chipped pass for Padoin was crucially deflected out for a corner. Juventus 0-0 Bayern (Half-Time, 0-2 agg) Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Quagliarella Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Dante, Van Buyten (Boateng 35), Alaba; Schweinsteiger, Javi Martinez; Robben, T Muller, Ribery; Mandzukic Ref: Carballo (SPA)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - BAYERN Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Marotta: 'Crowd our 12th man' Apr 10, 2013 Director general Beppe Marotta assures “Juventus believe in this comeback and the crowd is our 12th man” against Bayern Munich. This evening the Bianconeri aim to reach the Champions League semi-final despite a 2-0 first leg defeat. “Today the crowd is our 12th man and we hope the players can use this passion in their performance,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia. “We believe in this comeback, as football has accustomed us to extraordinary turnarounds. Bayern are a solid and very physical side, but we will fight to the end. The lads and the Coach are fired up.” Marotta also thanked Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero for sending his support from Sydney.

Infatti, alcuni siti avevano pensato a Marchisio dietro alla punta, con Pogba al fianco di Pirlo e Vidal.

Addirittura! Pogba é giá bravissimo a 20 anni, non puó che migliorare.

Martinez lo hanno pagato 40 milioni? Come possiamo competere con questi?