Socrates

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni HT 2-0: Juve flatten Fiorentina Feb 9, 2013 Mirko Vucinic and Alessandro Matri have given Juventus the 2-0 half-time lead in an exhilarating encounter with Fiorentina. These clubs have always been bitter rivals and there was real fire in the opening fixture of Serie A Week 24. Leonardo Bonucci and Coach Antonio Conte were still banned for insulting the referee, while Giorgio Chiellini, Simone Pepe, Mauricio Isla and Nicklas Bendtner were sidelined. Alberto Aquilani and Giulio Migliaccio sat out Fiorentina bans, so Romulo stepped in. The Viola had won just one of their last 22 League meetings with Juventus and Claudio Marchisio had a great opportunity, volleying off target from a splendid Andrea Pirlo ball over the top and no teammates were there to follow up. Moments later Marchisio drilled inches wide from the D, but Stevan Jovetic ran on to a smart Luca Toni pass only to take a heavy touch and allow Gigi Buffon to block his path. The goalkeeper also smothered a Juan Cuadrado volley and Toni almost got a toe to it. It was wide open and very attacking from both sides, as Emiliano Viviano used his legs to deny Mirko Vucinic at the near post. Buffon needed a spectacular reaction save with an outstretched foot after Jovetic spun round on the penalty spot to shoot. Toni and two Juve players dived in to get the rebound, but it bundled out for a corner. Stephan Lichtsteiner’s screamer swerved viciously in the air and Viviano got enough on it to punch away, but there was absolutely nothing Viviano could do moments later. Vucinic gathered a poor clearance outside the box and hit an absolute missile under the bar. It was really travelling at an astounding pace. Vucinic really should’ve made it 2-0 on 32 minutes. Gonzalo Rodriguez slipped over, letting the Juventus striker clear on goal, but he fired straight at Viviano from close range. Alessandro Matri was ready for Vucinic to roll across for a certain goal. Juventus doubled their advantage before the break when Arturo Vidal controlled with a smart flick and rolled a through ball to release Matri for the angled drive. Bizarrely, Matri managed to score after his boot had fallen off! It flew away as he was pulling the trigger, but he got enough power on to it even with just socks. Juventus 2-0 Fiorentina (Half-Time) Scorers: Vucinic 20 (J), Matri 41 (J) JUVENTUS: Buffon; Peluso, Marrone, Barzagli; De Ceglie, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner; Vucinic, Matri FIORENTINA: Viviano; Roncaglia, Rodriguez, Savic; Cuadrado, Romulo, Pizarro, Borja Valero, Pasqual; Jovetic, Toni Ref: Mazzoleni http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Mazzoleni con la mano a carciofo ...

Francamente non vedo nessuna rivalitá con la Fiorentina. Noi siamo superiori e basta!

Bravo Matri.

ALESSANDRO MATRI 2-0

Vucinic si divora letteralmente il raddoppio.

De Ceglie crolla in area .... improvviso abbassamento della pressione sanguigna .....

Cuadrado abbattuto da Marchisio.

MIRKO VUCINIC 1-0

Bravo Gigi!

Grande Marchisio, di poco fuori.

Marchisio la mette in mezzo per nessuno.

Pirlo é di un altro pianeta. I compagni non lo capiscono.

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Line-ups: Juventus-Fiorentina Feb 9, 2013 Juventus welcome arch-rivals Fiorentina in a fiery clash, as Claudio Marchisio returns to face Stevan Jovetic and Luca Toni. Serie A Week 24 opens in Turin at 17.00 GMT. Click here for the match preview. These clubs have long had a fierce rivalry which escalated again before the game with a video posted on the official Juve website. Leonardo Bonucci lost his appeal against a two-match ban for insulting the referee, while Giorgio Chiellini, Simone Pepe, Mauricio Isla and Nicklas Bendtner are injured. Mirko Vucinic returns from suspension and partners Alessandro Matri, but Coach Antonio Conte is again in the stands with a touchline ban. Marchisio returns from his injury to bolster the midfield and make his 200th official appearance for Juventus, while Luca Marrone and Federico Peluso join Andrea Barzagli in defence. Fiorentina had a disastrous start to 2013, but finally registered their first win of the calendar year last week against Parma. Alberto Aquilani and Giulio Migliaccio are suspended, joining the injured Giuseppe Rossi and Mati Fernandez. Toni takes on his former club along with Jovetic, while Juan Cuadrado and Romulo complete the midfield. JUVENTUS: Buffon; Peluso, Marrone, Barzagli; De Ceglie, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner; Vucinic, Matri Juventus bench:Storari, Rubinho, Caceres, Pogba, Giovinco, Anelka, Padoin, Giaccherini, Quagliarella FIORENTINA: Viviano; Roncaglia, Rodriguez, Savic; Cuadrado, Romulo, Pizarro, Borja Valero, Pasqual; Jovetic, Toni Fiorentina bench: Neto, Lupatelli, Tomovic, Compper, Bernardeschi, Wolski, Capezzi, Llama, Ljajic, Larrondo, El Hamdaoui http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Conte is Serie A's most successful coach, says Montella The Fiorentina boss has voiced his admiration for his Bianconeri counterpart, and is looking forward to this weekend's match between the two sides. Feb 9, 2013 Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella has taken the time to praise Juventus trainer Antonio Conte ahead of this weekend's Serie A encounter. The former Siena boss guided the Bianconeri to the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia final last season, and the 38-year-old believes he is arguably the most successful coach in Italy's top tier. "Conte has created an important mentality at Juventus and that’s not easily done," he was quoted as saying on the Juventus website. "In the last two years he’s shown himself to be the championship’s most successful boss." Montella then went on to underline the importance of Saturday's match against Juventus. "Let’s not forget that this is an important game of football for all of us. We’ll need to display all our quality on the pitch because Juventus are very strong." Saturday's encounter is scheduled to kick off at 18:00CET. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni The 'stolen Scudetto' & the Baggio riots - the causes of the bitter Juventus-Fiorentina rivalry The two clubs may be separated by 416 kilometres, but they remain huge enemies thanks to the events of May 1982 and the transfer of Roberto Baggio which followed eight years later. Feb 9, 2013 COMMENT By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer Football revels in its derby matches. Arriving at work on a Monday to be faced by fans of your gloating rivals is a pain like no other to the ardent supporter of a team that has to share its city with another club. Whether it be AC Milan against Inter, Manchester City-Manchester United or even a lower-league match-up between local enemies, there is always something special when two neighbours are thrust together. But the highest highs and lowest lows that are experienced on such occasions are not confined to cross-city clashes. If you are a Fiorentina fan, you know exactly how it feels to rule the roost of an entire city, and yet still have a burning desire to beat one team more than any other in a Serie A season. Local or not, their rivals are Juventus. And to Gigliati supporters, there is nothing more important than Saturday’s clash in Turin. It is 31 years now since the final day showdown which sparked the intense rivalry between the two sets of fans, but there is still no tempering the hurt that Viola fans felt on that afternoon on May 16, 1982. Going into the final day of the season joint-top of the pile with Juventus, Fiorentina looked set to earn a title play-off as they headed to Cagliari on the same afternoon as the Bianconeri visited Catanzaro. THE VIOLA'S BITTERNESS IN 1982 While Fiorentina could only draw 0-0, with a goal by Francesco Graziani having been ruled out by referee Maurizio Mattei for a foul on the Cagliari goalkeeper by Daniel Bertoni, Juve were also at the centre of controversy. First, a strong penalty claim from Catanzaro was waved away, then – with only 15 minutes remaining – Costanzo Celestini blocked Pietro Fanna’s shot with a hand, giving the Old Lady a spot-kick of their own. After a short delay, Liam Brady stepped up to slot home the only goal of the game, despite playing in the knowledge it was his last game for the club due to the impending arrival of Michel Platini. Juve had a 20th title, and with it a second gold star, but Fiorentina fans have never let the bitterness stray far from their minds. Some suggest the use of the anti-Juventus slogan ‘we would rather be second than thieves’ was instigated on that day, and Mattei’s name is uttered with contempt to this day in Florence, while Viola midfielder Giancarlo Antognoni, who would spend the next two months becoming a national hero by winning the World Cup alongside six Juventus players, claimed afterwards: “They have stolen our championship.” Eight years on, the two sides came head-to-head for silverware once more, this time in the two-legged final of the Uefa Cup. By the time of the opening game at the Stadio Comunale in Turin it was already clear that Fiorentina’s star man, Roberto Baggio, was to leave the club, and rumours were rife that Juve would be his destination. After a goal each in the first half, Pierluigi Casiraghi put Juventus 2-1 up with a goal which arguably should have been ruled out for a push on Celeste Pin in the build-up, and violence broke out in the stands in response. The Bianconeri went on to win 3-1, with the remainder of the match being a torrid, scrappy affair full of bad challenges. The second leg was played in Avellino due to fan troubles at Fiorentina’s semi-final clash with Werder Bremen, but while Juve earned a 0-0 draw which clinched them the trophy, it was the backdrop of the Baggio deal which was catching everyone’s attentions. Within days, ‘Il Divin Codino’ had been sold to the Bianconeri for a world record fee of 16 billion lire, plus the rights to forward Renato Buso. The sale of the club’s biggest asset was galling enough, but the fact he had been sold to the outfit still castigated as thieves proved the tipping point for the Tuscan followers, sparking massive riots all across Florence. Baggio himself would gain some redemption in the eyes of the Viola faithful the following season on his return to the Artemio Franchi. After refusing to take a penalty which was subsequently missed, Baggio was substituted. Donning a bench coat, he picked up a Fiorentina scarf that had been hurled from the terraces, and as he made his way behind the goal in front of the Curva Fiesole, he received the applause of the fans who had rioted over his departure. It was a move which didn't go down well with Juventini, who remain to this day to one set of supporters Baggio never won over entirely during his glittering career. Over the years, further players have been sold back and forth between the two clubs, but never gaining the attention that the Baggio deal did. Still, Fiorentina fans would never let the moment they felt they had been wronged be forgotten. Those feelings came to the surface once more last year, as Juventus’ summer-long pursuit of Stevan Jovetic grew to agitate the Fiorentina board and fans in equal measure. With visions of another 1990 in the offing, the Viola money men said no, but the Old Lady would still have a huge say in their transfer movements. With a deal for Dimitar Berbatov seemingly tied up and the striker’s air fare to Tuscany having already been paid, the Bulgarian stood up the Viola amidst a last-ditch bid by Juve to lure him to Turin instead. In the end, Berbatov moved to Fulham, but the Bianconeri’s part in the failed transfer continued to rankle long after the closure of the summer window. Now, the club still awaiting that elusive third Scudetto are eager to record their first win over Juventus since 2008. More than that, they still feel that aching in their hearts every time they see the black and white shirts line up in front of them. To Fiorentina fans, Saturday’s game is about more than three points, while those they refer to as ‘Gobbi´(hunchbacks) just love rubbing the Tuscans’ noses in it. Another barnstormer is to be expected. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Fiorentina fury after Juve promise 'Hell' Feb 9, 2013 Fiorentina are “speechless” after Juventus posted an official video with a potentially threatening message ahead of today’s game. The clubs are old rivals and go head-to-head in Turin at 17.00 GMT. Click here for a match preview. Juve fired up the match by releasing a video on their official website Juventus.com that included the voice-over: “The Viola started the season in Paradise, but are now in Purgatory 13 points behind us. “For them on Saturday the Juventus Stadium will be Hell. Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” Fiorentina patron Andrea Della Valle was told about to the video and was flabbergasted. “I’m speechless. Are we sure that with the ‘Agnelli Style’ they put that video on their official website? You can comment on it, but I have no words.” The phrase ‘abandon hope all ye who enter here’ came from Dante’s Divine Comedy, the most famous piece of literature to have come out of Florence. It includes a journey through the Seven Circles of Hell. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Conte seeks crucial Juventus victory in pivotal Serie A weekend The Bianconeri boss thinks Saturday could go some way to deciding the league title and Champions League places in Italy with many of the top teams all set to face each other. Feb 8, 2013 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has said that Saturday could be a pivotal moment in the race for Serie A and Champions League places. The Bianconeri host Fiorentina while third-placed Lazio host second-placed Napoli. "A few paths intersect tomorrow. Fiorentina are chasing a Champions League place while Lazio and Napoli are fighting us for the Scudetto, which is a big challenge." Conte told giornalaccio rosa.it. Juventus will be without Leonardo Bonucci who is suspended as well as Nicklas Bendtner, Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Giorgio Chiellini who are all injured. They will be able to call upon Andrea Pirlo, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Mauricio Isla, who had picked up knocks on midweek international duty. Conte also went on to say that despite feelings to the contrary in Florence, Juve do not feel as much of a rivalry with Fiorentina. "I've never really felt any rivalry with Fiorentina. They feel that more in Florence and we must not let ourselves take a provincial outlook," he continued. "Playing against us is the greatest game of anybody's life, not just for Fiorentina." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A - 5^ Giornata - Ritorno - 9-2-2013 (ore 18:00) - Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Confronti ufficiali 163 - 147 (Serie A) - 12 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) - 2 (Coppa Uefa) Vittorie Juventus 73 - 67 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Coppa Uefa) Pareggi 54 - 49 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Coppa Uefa) Vittorie Fiorentina 36 - 31 (Serie A) - 5 (Coppa Italia) Goals Juventus 276 - 239 (Serie A) - 19 (Coppa Italia) - 15 (Campionato a gironi) - 3 (Coppa Uefa) Goals Fiorentina 182 - 158 (Serie A) - 23 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Coppa Uefa) Juventus - Fiorentina a Torino Serie A Confronti ufficiali 73 Vittorie Juventus 47 (L'ultima il 25.10.2011, 2-1) Pareggi 20 (L'ultimo il 27.11.2010, 1-1) Vittorie Fiorentina 6 (L'ultima il 02.03.2008, 2-3) Goals Juventus 155 Goals Fiorentina 62 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro la Fiorentina a Torino 14 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 14 Scirea Gaetano 11 Bettega Roberto 11 Cabrini Antonio 11 Castano Ernesto 11 Del Piero Alessandro 11 Furino Giuseppe 11 Varglien II Giovanni 11 Zoff Dino 10 Causio Franco 7 goals Boniperti Giampiero 7 Hansen John 6 Borel II Felice Placido 6 Del Piero Alessandro 5 Anastasi Pietro 5 Sivori Omar Enrique 4 Bettega Roberto 4 Inzaghi Filippo 4 Lushta Riza 3 Alessio Angelo Ultimi confronti diretti 02.03.2008 Serie A Juventus-Fiorentina 2-3 31.08.2008 Serie A Fiorentina-Juventus 1-1 24.01.2009 Serie A Juventus-Fiorentina 1-0 17.10.2009 Serie A Juventus-Fiorentina 1-1 06.03.2010 Serie A Fiorentina-Juventus 1-2 27.11.2010 Serie A Juventus-Fiorentina 1-1 17.04.2011 Serie A Fiorentina-Juventus 0-0 25.10.2011 Serie A Juventus-Fiorentina 2-1 17.03.2012 Serie A Fiorentina-Juventus 0-5 25.09.2012 Serie A Fiorentina-Juventus 0-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 4 - Pareggi 5 - Vittorie Fiorentina 1 - Goals Juventus 15 - Goals Fiorentina 8

Serie A - 4^ Giornata - Ritorno - 3-2-2013 (ore 12:30) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi - Verona Arbitro: Mauro Bergonzi Spettatori: 9500 Serie A - La Juve risponde al Napoli: 1-2 a Verona I bianconeri vincono contro il Chievo grazie alle reti nel primo tempo di Matri, con un gran sinistro, e di Lichtsteiner, migliore in campo. Il Chievo la riapre ad inizio ripresa con un destro di Thereau, ma non riesce poi a rendersi pericoloso e a trovare il pareggio. Non c'è l'esordio per Anelka, che rimane in panchina per tutta la gara. Eurosport - Domenica, 3 febbraio 2013 La Juve è tornata. Con una grande prova i bianconeri si impongono per 2-1 sul difficile campo di Verona, contro un Chievo tenuto in partita solamente dal gol di Thereau ad inizio ripresa. La Juventus domina il primo tempo e va avanti con i gol di Matri e Lichtsteiner, soffre i primi dieci minuti del secondo tempo e poi torna a gestire il vantaggio, potando a casa una vittoria fondamentale per il morale: il Napoli, pur in rimonta, resta dietro di tre punti in classifica e i bianconeri ritrovano la vittoria dopo l’andamento altalenante di questo inizio 2013. JUVE SUBITO IN VANTAGGIO. I bianconeri approcciano alla gara con il giusto atteggiamento. Per scacciare la paura provocata dalla grande rimonta napoletana è necessario attaccare subito. E così Conte, che schiera dall’inizio Matri e Giovinco, lasciando in panchina Quagliarella e Anelka, manda in campo una squadra aggressiva e ricaricata mentalmente. Nonostante le assenze di Vucinic, Bonucci, Marchisio, Chiellini e Asamoah (5 titolari), la Juventus parte forte e al 10’ è già avanti: Vidal mette dentro una palla deliziosa per Matri e l’attaccante ripaga la fiducia del tecnico con un gran sinistro al volo incrociato, che porta sull’1-0 la squadra di Torino. Per l’ex Cagliari, che oltre al gol gioca una prima frazione di alto livello, sono 5 le reti in Serie A quest’anno. Matri ha fatto gol per due gare di fila in cui ha giocato in campionato (Udinese e questa): non gli capitava dall’ottobre 2011. UNO SVIZZERO STRARIPANTE. Il primo tempo è giocato a buoni ritmi. Paloschi e Thereau sono serviti poco e male e la Juventus, galvanizzata dal vantaggio, gioca bene , domina nel possesso palla e chiude il Chievo nella propria metacampo. La regia del trio Pirlo-Pogba-Vidal è lucida e sulla destra Lichtsteiner spinge in continuazione. Puggioni è bravo su Giovinco, Pirlo e sullo svizzero, ma nulla può su una micidiale ripartenza bianconera nel finale di primo tempo. Giovinco avvia il contropiede per Matri, che gira e la ridà a Giovinco: assist di tacco per lo svizzero che infila all'incrocio. 0-2, terzo gol in campionato per l’ex Lazio e Juventus padrona del campo dopo un primo tempo da grande squadra. REAZIONE CHIEVO DOPO L’INTERVALLO. La squadra veronese entra in campo con un altro spirito nella ripresa. Corini cambia modulo, passando al 4-3-1-2 ed inserisce Acerbi e Seymour. I frutti della variazione tattica si vedono subito: il Chievo pressa altissimo e gioca i primi 10 minuti di ripresa alla grande. Al 53’ è Thereau, al quarto centro in campionato, a riaprire il match. Il francese è bravo e fortunato (leggera deviazione di Caceres) a battere col destro Buffon dopo una corta respinta della difesa bianconera. GESTIONE PERFETTA JUVE. Da lì in poi, però, il Chievo, anziché cercare il pareggio, si spegne. La Juve reagisce al gol subito e torna ad imporre la sua supremazia. I bianconeri non soffrono e anzi cercano in un paio di occasioni la terza rete, soprattutto con Quagliarella, subentrato a Giovinco. Non c’è l’esordio di Anelka, che rimane in panchina per tutti i 90 minuti, ma la Juventus torna a vincere e a rimettere tre punti di distanza in classifica tra sé e il Napoli. Per lo Scudetto la sfida è apertissima. Enrico Turcato http://it.soccerway....regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juve name squad for Fiorentina Feb 8, 2013 Antonio Conte has named his 20-man squad as Juventus prepare to host Fiorentina on Saturday evening. The Bianconeri Coach had admitted that Andrea Pirlo, Mauricio Isla and Stephan Lichtsteiner were doubtful after international duty. But all three have been selected for the game against the Viola, with Nicolas Anelka also involved. Full squad: Buffon, Caceres, Pogba, Marchisio, Vucinic, De Ceglie, Giovinco, Peluso, Barzagli, Anelka, Padoin, Pirlo, Vidal, Giaccherini, Lichtsteiner, Quagliarella, Storari, Matri, Rubinho, Marrone. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus vs. Fiorentina: Key Battles to Watch and Projected XIs Feb 8, 2013 First-place Juventus take on a Fiorentina side in panic mode. Having only picked up four points from their last five matches, the Viola face a tough test against the Old Lady, playing at the highly intimidating Juventus Stadium, where they've only conceded eight goals all season in Serie A. Fortunately for the Florence faithfuls, Juventus have cooled off significantly after their near historic 49-match undefeated run late last year. Projected lineups for both sides: Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon, Barzagli, Marrone, Caceres; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, De Ceglie; Vucinic, Matri Fiorentina (3-5-2): Viviano, Roncaglia, G.Rodriguez, Savic; Cuadrado, Romulo, Pizarro, Borja Valero, Pasqual; Jovetic, Toni So, what are the top stories in this pivotal Serie A fixture? Let's take a look at the top three matchups ahead of one of the most anticipated games in Europe. Juve's Strikers Versus Emiliano Viviano. For the past two seasons, the bane of Juventus has been their lack of a world-class striker. Boasting one of the best defenses and midfields in all of Europe, their revolving door of mediocrity up front caused Juventus director Giuseppe Marotta to splurge in the January transfer window, buying Fernando Llorente from Athletic Bilbao, who won't arrive until summer, and Nicolas Anelka for the present. Reports from La giornalaccio rosa show that Juventus coach Antonio Conte will most likely go with a pairing of Mirko Vucinic and Alessandro Matri. While Vucinic has had his moments, his flashes of brilliance are negated by uneventful 90-minutes periods of action. The man they have to score against is Emiliano Viviano, who has replaced struggling goalkeeper Neto between the sticks for Fiorentina. Fiorentina's Midfield Versus Juventus' Midfield The two best midfields in Serie A square off for what will be an incredible tactical battle between two of the brightest Italian coaches. David Pizarro and Borja Valero have turned the Viola into a Barcelona-esque tiki-taka type team, often pressing the opposition in their own half with suffocating periods of ball possession. On the other side, a midfield trio of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, and the young sensation Paul Pogba are expected to start. Claudio Marchisio is expected to start from the bench, so you see why Juventus is one of the deepest teams in all of Europe. Big Luca Toni Versus Juventus' Defense The massive Luca Toni has seemingly revived his career during his second stint at the club where he had his best domestic season, scoring 31 goals in the 2005-06 season with Fiorentina. This time around, big Luca has netted seven goals domestically thanks to quality crosses from the likes of offensive winger Juan Cuadrado and the reliable Manuel Pasqual. Juventus' defense is missing their leader Giorgio Chiellini due to injury and ball-playing central defender Leonardo Bonucci, who is out due to suspension. Converted midfielder Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres have the task of stepping in and stopping a highly offensive Viola side. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus vs Fiorentina PREVIEW – Viola Visits Serie A Champions Feb 8, 2013 January has been a difficult month for Juventus in recent years, and this season has been no different. Napoli has gained 7 points on the Bianconeri in the last 4 weeks, and the team was disappointingly dumped out of the Coppa by Lazio in the semifinal. The frustration boiled over against Genoa, and Bonucci, Chiellini, Conte, and Marotta were all handed bans for their outbursts against the referee. It has not been a good month for Juventus. Last year’s January was poor, but unfortunately, February was even worse. The Bianconeri drew 0-0 at home against Siena, the start of a 7-match run where all but one was a draw. Juventus will start out February this year against another tactically disciplined Tuscan side that plays at a stadium named the Artemio Franchi – this time, Juventus welcomes bitter arch-rivals Fiorentina to the Juventus Stadium. FIORENTINA Fiorentina are not the same team from last year – the Viola flirted with relegation amidst three different coaches: Mihajlovic was sacked for inconsistent results, Delio Rossi for punching Adem Llajic, and Vincenzo Guerini finished out the season as caretaker. They were defeated 2-1 by Juventus in Torino, punished by Bonucci and Matri having failed to capitalize on their first half energetic performance. The return fixture in Firenze was a humiliating 5-0 drubbing for Delio Rossi’s squad. Fiorentina went down to 10 men early on, after Cerci kicked out at Caceres, and Mirko Vucinic put in the performance of a lifetime to utterly destroy the Viola at home. The Viola went about fixing things by recruiting talented young manager Vincenzo Montella and aggressively signing talent in the mercato. Montella had done well at Catania, and has justified his early hype by turning Fiorentina into a technical, tactical side. They currently sit in 6th place, only 4 points off a Champion’s League spot. Fiorentina are a balanced side, scoring a decent amount of goals with a solid defense as well. Former Roma DS Prade oversaw a great mercato – they signed technical midfielders Pizarro, Aquilani, and Borja Valero. Roncaglia has been a reliable rock at the back with Valero’s Villarreal teammate Gonzalo Rodriguez. Luca Toni has been an inspired signing as well, bagging an impressive 7 goals thus far. While he won’t be fit until March or April, Giuseppe Rossi could be an inspired signing if he returns to his old form. January has been a struggle for Fiorentina as well – they lost 3 out of 4 games in the league, with the remaining result a draw against Napoli. Like Juventus, they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by a Roman side, being defeated in extra time by Destro’s strike for Roma. They got February off to a good start though, beating Parma with strikers Toni and Jovetic getting the goals. Fiorentina are a side with a strong defense and a very technical midfield, and thus it’s unlikely Juventus will dominate possession as the team often does at home. It will be a much more even contest, and Fiorentina’s strikers are in good shape this term- Toni has 7 goals, and Jovetic has scored in every other match. It will be a tough encounter. Probable Formation: (3-5-2) VIVIANO – RONCAGLIA, RODRIGUEZ, SAVIC – CUADRADO, ROMULO, PIZARRO, BORJA VALERO, PASQUAL – JOVETIC, TONI JUVENTUS The team needs to get it together – there have been some missing important players, like Chiellini, Pirlo, and Asamoah, but there has been a mental meltdown more than anything, as evidenced by the shocking behavior displayed by management and players after the Genoa debacle. Conte will have a selection headache – Chiellini, Bonucci, Asamoah, Pirlo, Marchisio, and Giovinco will possibly not make the match. Marchisio is pushing to be match fit for the Viola but will probably not be risked with the Celtic match coming up soon. The bright side is underused players like Caceres and Marrone will likely see playing time, and French prodigy Paul Pogba may slot in again in midfield. Up top, Giovinco will likely miss due to injury and Mirko Vucinic will return from suspension due to accumulated yellow cards. Matri bagged a goal and an assist last week against Chievo, and could be rewarded with another start. Quagliarella is another option, though he’s been generally out of favor since his outburst against Angelo Alessio. Nicholas Anelka, despite the overwhelming praise from the Juventus camp, will probably not play due to fitness- Marotta noted the Frenchman was “not in good form” when he signed in January. The tactics and formation have been pretty good in the last month, despite the results. The problem has been inattention at the back combined with poor finishing. Conte should consider returning to the 4-3-3, but the 3-5-2 is probably the better option to flood the midfield to combat Fiorentina’s technical central midfielders. Probable Formation: (3-5-2) BUFFON – BARZAGLI, MARRONE, CACERES, – LICHTSTEINER, VIDAL, PIRLO, POGBA, DE CEGLIE – VUCINIC, MATRI More than anything, we need to see some fire from the boys. The team needs to channel their anger and disappointment into performance on the pitch, as Ciro Ferrara once called for – “11 Nedved’s on the pitch.” There’s no better time to display this energy, pride, and fury than against bitter foes Montella & Co. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus-Fiorentina Betting Preview: Expect goals at both ends in a Serie A grudge match There is no love lost between these two sides, but Al Hain-Cole expects plenty of talking points to be played out on the pitch thanks to the attacking capabilities of both teams. Feb 8, 2013 One of Italian football’s fiercest rivalries is reignited on Saturday night, when Fiorentina travel to face bitter foes Juventus. Much of the hostility between the two clubs can be traced back to Roberto Baggio’s defection from Florence to Turin over 20 years ago, and tensions were stoked once again last summer by the champions allegedly scuppering La Viola’s move for Dimitar Berbatov. With the atmosphere expected to be even more fractious than usual, the Bianconeri are favourites at 4/6 (1.67) with Paddy Power to rub salt in the wound by collecting all three points. Vincenzo Montella’s men have not beaten the hosts in five years, and with just one win in their last five games, they are 4/1 (5.00) outsiders to end that run with victory on Saturday. The sides played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw earlier on in the season, and 11/4 (3.75) is available for them to share the spoils at the Juventus Stadium. The home side boast the best defence in Serie A this season, but have shown an uncharacteristically sloppy streak at the back in recent games. Antonio Conte’s side have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine matches, and are sure to be tested against a talented opposition attack that has scored in every away game so far this season. A bet on both teams to score would have paid out in nine of the visitors’ 12 matches on the road, as well as eight of the hosts’ last nine fixtures, so looks like the market to back at respectable 4/6 (1.67) odds. Stevan Jovetic has been the undisputed star performer for Montella’s men this season, and is at the centre of all of their best attacking play. His form has not escaped the attention of the current league leaders, who are said to be very keen to cause yet more outrage at the Artemio Franchi, by tempting him to follow in Baggio’s footsteps to Turin. With the Montenegro international keen to impress his potential suitors, it could be worth backing him to hit the back of the net on Saturday, at attractive odds of 13/5 (3.60) with Paddy Power. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 24 - 9-2-2013 (6:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Juventus v Fiorentina: Preview Feb 8, 2013 Juventus head coach Antonio Conte may be spinning a lot of plates this week but he is determined to come out on top against Fiorentina tomorrow. The Bianconeri fly to Glasgow for a Champions League meeting with Celtic just 24 hours after taking on Vincenzo Montella's men in Turin. Both games are certain to take a lot out of Conte's players, who are chasing a Serie A and European double, before a demanding league game at Roma completes a hectic week. The Juve boss told giornalaccio rosa.it: "We'll make sure we don't lose any sleep because we have to go again at Roma on Saturday. "Normally they would have let us play that game on Sunday night or even on Monday. What's the rush to play another league game? "I don't want to be controversial, it just worries me that we will play three games in seven days." Defeat to Montella's ambitious Viola could allow Napoli to catch Juventus at the top of the table should they beat Lazio tomorrow night. "A few paths intersect tomorrow," Conte added. "Fiorentina are chasing a Champions League place while Lazio and Napoli are fighting us for the Scudetto, which is a big challenge." Midfielders Claudio Marchisio and Simone Pepe are joined by defender Giorgio Chiellini and striker Nicklas Bendtner on the sidelines, while Leonardo Bonucci sits out the second game of a two-match ban. "I've never really felt any rivalry with Fiorentina," Conte added. "They feel that more in Florence and we must not let ourselves take a provincial outlook. "Playing against us is the greatest game of anybody's life, not just for Fiorentina." Montella, conversely, recognises a fervent desire from the Tuscan public to end a nine-game hoodoo against the Italian champions. He told juventus.com: "Our rivalry with Juventus is a sporting one, a healthy and exciting one. But we have to turn the sporting rivalry into energy without becoming arrogant. "We must always remember that is just a game of football. We have to prepare well because the whole city is looking forward to it, but we can't let the attention consume us. "We have to bring all our best qualities to the game and we will not prevail if we are missing a trick because Juve are very strong. "Over the last two years they have proven to be the best side in the country. "We play football in a different way and I'm not saying one is right and one is wrong, just that people like to do things differently." Striker Giuseppe Rossi is six weeks away from recovering from injury while Ahmed Hegazi and Michele Camporese stay on the treatment table, with midfielders Alberto Aquilani and Giulio Migliaccio serving one-match bans. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/