Socrates

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Attendance: 9500 Buffon: 'Juve were complacent' Feb 3, 2013 Gigi Buffon admits Juventus “were complacent in January” after securing a 2-1 victory over Chievo, but welcomes the pressure piled on them by Napoli. The Bianconeri went into the Christmas break with an eight-point lead, which was quickly whittled down to three, and were eliminated in the Coppa Italia semi-final. “It was a bit of a difficult time, because analysing the games we did not win, you could tell we weren’t in our best form,” the goalkeeper told Sky Sport Italia. “In January it all went wrong for us and we were a little complacent too. Now we are in the battle for the Scudetto and finally the opponents are revealing themselves, so we are not just challenging our own records. It’s much more fun this way. “It is very motivating to play knowing you cannot afford to get anything wrong. There are 15 games to go and everything is still up for grabs. I welcome more Scudetto rivals. “The same is true of preparing for the Champions League against Celtic. Certain players perform better under pressure. At the end of December people acted like we’d almost won the Scudetto already, but that is not the case.” Napoli are now just three points adrift and had been level top of the table overnight. “When they earn five wins and draw one in six games, including a victory away to Parma in the final minutes, it is clear they believe in their capabilities. “Napoli have been playing together in this group for many years and are consolidated, so have everything it takes to win the Scudetto.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Attendance: 9500 Alessio: 'Juve always in control' Feb 3, 2013 Juventus assistant manager Angelo Alessio never felt anxious during the 2-1 win over Chievo. “The game was always in our hands.” With Coach Antonio Conte suspended for insulting the referee, Alessio was on the touchline at the Stadio Bentegodi. “The game was always in our hands,” he assured. “In the first half we scored two goals and could’ve had more. We only failed to control the match properly in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. “It is becoming a recurring theme that we concede on our opponents’ first shot on goal, but we were in control and it was important to earn the three points today.” When asked why Juve were so tense recently, with their virulent protests after the 1-1 draw with Genoa, Alessio was surprised. “We didn’t lose our cool. We are relaxed and have always played to the best of our abilities. Now we continue along our path, knowing it is more difficult than last season. “Napoli are our main antagonists and strengthened in January, but we are aware of our strengths.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi Attendance: 9500 Lichtsteiner delighted with crucial Juventus victory The defender believes Sunday's win was important for the side after a disappointing run of results during January. Feb 3, 2013 Stephan Lichtsteiner has spoken of his delight after Juventus returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory at Chievo. The right-back scored what proved to be the winning goal shortly before half-time, after Alessandro Matri had given the visitors the lead in the 10th minute. Cyril Thereau set up a tense finish by pulling a goal back in the second half, but the Bianconeri held on to record their first league victory since January 19. "Today’s victory was very important for us. We dropped many points in January, which was also down to an element of bad luck," the defender told Sky Sport Italia. “We struggled a bit in the second half and could have handled things a little better after the restart. We’re still top of the league, but we know we’ll need to remain alert because Napoli are a great side, as are Lazio and Inter.” Bianconeri assistant coach Angelo Alessio praised his side for the manner of their win, and assured reporters that they always had the game under control. “The game was always in our hands," he added. “In the first half we scored two goals and could’ve had more. We only failed to control the match properly in the opening 10 minutes of the second half." Alessio concluded by admitting Napoli are the biggest threat to Juve retaining their Serie A crown, pointing to the number of new signings the Partenopei have made during January. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Llorente has 'clear conscience' over Athletic Bilbao exit The Spain forward says he has no regrets over his conduct in sealing a move to Serie A, but is disappointed by the negative reaction he has received from supporters and the media. Feb 3, 2013 Fernando Llorente says he has "a very clear conscience" over his decision to move to Juventus at the end of the season. The Athletic Bilbao striker has signed a four-year deal to take him to the Bianconeri when his contract expires at San Mames. However, Llorente has claimed that the negative response to the move has placed him in an unenviable position. "The situation I am in is still difficult," he told AS. "Many people are with me and want me, but a lot of other people want me out of here as soon as possible. Going through this after so many years here is hard. I have tried to do everything in the best possible manner so that the board can do the best for Athletic. But it seems that that has not worked out for me. "I would have liked that to have not happened. It’s difficult to have everybody with you but I would have liked it if they understood my position. "I have acted well. I have a very clear conscience. I am trying to learn from everything that is happening to me, I hope that all this makes me stronger." Llorente, who has scored 108 times in over 300 appearances for Athletic, also expressed his dismay at how the affair has been reported in local media outlets. "I have felt the support of the national press, I must say that," he added. "But certain local media have been pounding me day after day, and it is one of the things that made me make the decision to leave. I opted to stay silent and not to fight against the terrible things that I have read. "I didn’t lie [about the good things I said about Marcelo Bielsa]. As a coach he has improved me as a footballer and I have learned a lot. At the end of it all I will stay positive, although there have been differences." The 27-year-old has endured a frustrating season amid the furore surrounding his decision to leave the club, scoring just twice in 22 appearances.

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi‎ Attendance: 9500‎ Player Ratings Goal.com evaluates the performances of everyone involved at the Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, after a game in which the Serie A champions were left hanging on at the death. Feb 3, 2013 CHIEVO Christian Puggioni - Confident under the high ball, Puggioni also made a couple of fine saves, with his close-range stop from Lichsteiner arguably the pick of the bunch. Absolutely nothing he could have done about either Juventus goal. Dario Dainelli - Fine performance in difficult circumstances at the heart of the Chievo defence. Made a series of vital interventions, most notably when he deflected a goal-bound effort from Vidal wide for a corner. Marco Andreolli - One of Chievo's more reliable performers at the back, Andreolli put in a succession of crunching tackles and also looked confident on the ball. However, he lost his man more than once. Bostjan Cesar - Was given no end of trouble by Giovinco, and was booked for hacking down the diminutive attacker after he had executed a one-two with Matri. Wisely taken off at half-time. Bojan Jokic - Let Lichsteiner know he was there inside the opening three minutes with a crude challenge, but that was to no avail, as he failed dismally to keep up with his persistent threat. Mario Sampirisi - A Chievo defender who actually did quite well in trying to cope with the movement of the Juve front two, so his removal before the start of the second half came as something of a surprise. Isaac Cofie - Was willing to mix it right from the off, tussling for possession with Pogba before chopping down De Ceglie. However, his aggression eventually led to a booking and he could have collected another had he not been withdrawn. Luca Rigoni - Distributed the ball calmly and effectively in the middle of the park, and was also responsible for manufacting one of Chievo's better openings by slipping Paloschi in for a shot on goal. Did his utmost to upset Pirlo's rhythm by snapping at the playmaker's heels at every opportunity, but ultimately it proved a fruitless approach. Perparim Hetemaj - Always keen to drift over to the left-hand side to double up on Lichsteiner with Jokic, but there was to be no containing the Juve wing-back. On the plus side, though, Hetemaj caused problems when he got forward to join the Chievo attack and played a part in Thereau's goal. Alberto Paloschi - Very nearly put straight in on goal by Marrone just three minutes in, but was beaten to the ball by Buffon. Called the Bianconeri skipper into action later in the half with an angled effort from inside the area, but the forward was always stretching and therefore unable to generate much power behind his strike. Cyril Thereau - Was nowhere near as involved as Paloschi in the opening 45 minutes, though the Frenchman did whip over a couple of inviting crosses. However, he came to life in the second period, dragging the home side back into the game with a decent strike from just inside the area. Substitutions Francesco Acerbi - Introduced during the interval and looked a far, far better option at the back than Cesar. F. Seymour - Came on in time for the start of the second half but did not manage to impose himself on proceedings. Sergio Pellissier - Thrown on with 15 minutes to go as Chievo pressed for an equaliser but did not get a single sight of goal. JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Swept up nicely at the back after being put under pressure by Marrone's poor pass and then got down well at his near post to deny Paloschi. Also used his feet to good effect to frustrate the latter again later in the half. Andrea Barzagli - Picked out some nice passes, particularly during the first half, and was rarely ruffled at the back. Another strong showing from one of Juve's most consistent performers. Luca Marrone - Put his side in jeopardy early on with a loose pass in the direction of Alberto Paloschi, but his skipper was alive to the danger and picked up the pieces. Defended well thereafter. Martín Cáceres - Dominant as ever in the air and also predictably composed in possession. Looked a little shaky at times in the opening exchanges of the second half, but, overall, the Uruguayan did very well. Stephan Lichtsteiner - Undeniably ruffled by his roughhouse treatment at the hands of the Chievo defence but he took revenge in the most effective manner, firing home emphatically just a couple of minutes after being denied by Puggioni. Paul Pogba - This was not one of his more barnstorming displays but he was decent on the ball and, as per usual, covered acres of ground and recovered possession with great regularity. Andrea Pirlo - As usual, always a threat in dead-ball situations, teeing up Vidal for a volley and then testing Puggioni with a decent effort from distance. His passing was also of a predictably high standard, with one sublime ball putting Lichsteiner in on goal. Arturo Vidal - Created Matri's goal with a measured chip in behind the Chievo back-line and very nearly doubled the Bianconeri's lead with a well-executed volley that was deflected wide by Dainelli. Not quite as eye-catching in the second half but the significance of his contribution could not be questioned. Paolo De Ceglie - Reasonably solid defensively and also produced the odd decent delivery, but he just does not offer the same attacking threat as Lichsteiner and Juve will be eagerly awaiting Asamoah's return. Sebastian Giovinco - Should have at least hit the target after being put in on goal by Matri midway through the first half, but he did at least test Puggioni with a low drive from the edge of the area soon after. Teed up Lichsteiner for Juve's second with a sublime backheel, but that was to be his last notable contribution as he was replaced by Quagliarella before the hour mark. Alessandro Matri - Made the most of a rare opportunity to start, breaking the deadlock with a tremendously well-taken volley before playing a key role in the visitors' second by pulling the ball across the box for Giovinco, with whom he formed a terrific partnership. Substitutions Mauricio Isla - Replaced Matri late on as Juve looked to shore things up at the back. Simone Padoin - Thrown on with 10 minutes remaining in place of Lichsteiner but did not catch the eye. Fabio Quagliarella - Came on in place of Giovinco with just over half an hour remaining, but while the forward put himself about, he was unable to press his claims for a regular starting berth. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi‎ Attendance: 9500 Juventus conquer Chievo Juventus maintained their three-point lead at the top thanks to a comfortable 2-1 victory away to Chievo, thanks to well-worked goals by Alessandro Matri and Stephan Lichtsteiner. Feb 3, 2013 The pressure was on the Bianconeri, as last night Napoli joined them on top of the table. Antonio Conte and Leonardo Bonucci began two-match bans for insulting the referee after a 1-1 draw with Genoa, while Mirko Vucinic was also suspended. Claudio Marchisio joined Giorgio Chiellini, Simone Pepe and Nicklas Bendtner on the treatment table after the Coppa Italia semi-final exit to Lazio midweek. Chievo have upset sides like Roma and Lazio so far this season, but were without Gennaro Sardo, Luciano and Boukary Drame. The Flying Donkeys have beaten Juve only once in 21 games, home and away in all competition, in a 1-0 at the Bentegodi in January 2010. Juve broke through after just 10 minutes with a wonderful goal. Arturo Vidal chipped up a pass for Alessandro Matri’s precise left-foot volley across Cristian Puggioni. Alberto Paloschi had one effort charged down and another captured at the near post by Gigi Buffon, while Sebastian Giovinco went on a smart run and pulled his finish across the face of goal from close range. Andrea Pirlo pulled a free kick to the edge of the box for a fierce Vidal volley that was crucially deflected round the post. Buffon timed his intervention perfectly, rushing off his line to tackle Paloschi in the box like a seasoned defender. Paolo De Ceglie did enough to put off Paloschi when he tried to finish a Cyril Thereau counter-attack from 10 yards. Puggioni smothered a Pirlo free kick and Stephan Lichtsteiner forced a save out of Puggioni after his handling offence was not spotted. Lichtsteiner was on target soon after with a well-worked goal. Giovinco burst forward on the counter, exchanged passes with Matri in the box and then his cheeky backheel flick allowed Lichtsteiner to smash a rising finish into the far top corner from eight yards. Eugenio Corini introduced two January buys at half-time, Francesco Acerbi and Felipe Seymour. Chievo were more determined after the break and found their way back into the game. Paloschi knocked down a long pass with his back to goal and Thereau smashed the daisy-cutter into the far bottom corner from just inside the penalty area. Paul Pogba couldn’t quite get good contact on a dangerous Paolo De Ceglie cross, so it was deflected off Dario Dainelli just past the near post for a corner. Chievo were definitely more in the game in this second half, though Puggioni caught a deflected De Ceglie strike. However, Juventus settled after a period of pressure and took home all three points. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chievo: Puggioni; Sampirisi (Seymour 46), Dainelli, Andreolli, Cesar (Acerbi 46), Jokic; Hetemaj, L Rigoni, Cofie (Pellissier 74); Thereau, Paloschi Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Marrone, Caceres; Lichtsteiner (Padoin 79), Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, De Ceglie; Matri (Isla 89), Giovinco (Quagliarella 58) Ref: Bergonzi http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 23 - 3-2-2013 (12:30 p.m.) 1 - 2 Alessandro Matri (10′) Stephan Lichtsteiner (42′) Cyril Thereau (52′) Marc'Antonio Bentegodi Stadium - Verona Referee: Mauro Bergonzi‎ Attendance: 9500‎ Battling Bianconeri restore three-point advantage The Serie A leaders appeared to be cruising to victory in Verona, after fine strikes from Alessandro Matri and Stephan Lichsteiner, but Cyril Thereau set up a tense finish. Feb 3, 2013 Juventus restored their three-point advantage at the summit of Serie A with a battling 2-1 victory over Chievo at the Marc'Antonio Bentegodi on Sunday. The reigning champions took the lead early on with a stunning volley from Alessandro Matri, before doubling their advantage just before the break after Stephan Lichsteiner fired home at the end of a deadly counterattack. Cyril Thereau dragged the hosts back into the game when he fired home shortly after half-time, but Juve held on to put some daylight between themselves and second-placed Napoli. The Bianconeri went into the game a side under pressure, having seen the Partenopei draw level with them at the top of the table by defeating Catania the night before. In addition, the champions were also without coach Antonio Conte and defender Leonardo Bonucci through suspension, with the pair banned for their hostile reactions to last weekend’s draw at home to Genoa. However, this Juventus side has proved to be a resilient beast over the past year or so, and they began brightly in Verona, taking the lead just 10 minutes in with a sublime strike. Arturo Vidal pounced on a loose ball some 30 yards from goal, before lofting a wonderfully weighted pass in behind the Chievo defence, that Matri finished off with a crisp left-footed volley. It could so easily have been 2-0 moments later, but Giovinco dragged his shot wide after a well-worked one-two with strike partner Matri. Chievo, meanwhile, threatened for the first time midway through the first half when Luca Rigoni prodded the ball through for Alberto Paloschi, but the latter’s effort on goal was easily saved by Gianluigi Buffon. Buoyed by that break, the hosts began to take more risks but this left them increasingly exposed at the back, and their enterprise was brutally exploited by the Bianconeri just before the break. Matri was again involved, advancing into the area before pulling the ball across the box for Giovinco, who showed tremendous awareness in backheeling the ball into the path of the supporting Lichsteiner. The Swiss had been denied by Christian Puggioni just moments before, after being put in on goal by Andrea Pirlo, but the wing-back made no mistake this time around, lashing the ball into the top right corner. A rout appeared a distinct possibility as the sides left the sun-drenched field at half-time, but Chievo returned a side transformed after the interval and halved their deficit on 52 minutes when Thereau found the bottom left corner of the Juve goal, after the ball had dropped nicely for him on the edge of the area. The Old Lady suddenly looked ruffled but, guided by Andrea Pirlo, they quickly regained their composure and ultimately dealt quite comfortably with everything Chievo threw at them in the final half hour to collect three precious points. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Moggi: Roma need another Calciopoli more than another coach The former Juventus director dismissed Zdenek Zeman's sacking as predictable, criticising the Roma coach's work as well as Juventus' signing of Nicolas Anelka. Feb 2, 2013 Luciano Moggi has cast a critical eye on Roma's decision to appoint coach Zdenek Zeman at the beginning of this season, after the Czech received his marching orders on Saturday, following a 4-2 home defeat to Cagliari. The pair endured tempestuous run-ins with each other over the 1990's when Zeman first took charge of the Giallorossi, and Moggi questioned general manager Franco Baldini's decision to re-hire him in the first place. "I cannot deny expecting and widely predicting Zeman's fate," the ex-Juventus director revealed to TuttoJuve. "Unfortunately, it happened that way. "Baldini's two years in management have been completely negative, from the statistics and results. The results were disappointing, but not surprising. "He needs another Calciopoli more than another coach to have an opportunity to usurp the table." The infamous betting scandal of 2006 stripped Moggi of his position as a Juventus official and plunged the Turin giants into Serie B, although the Old Lady have managed to redeem themselves lately by winning the Scudetto last season. But poor form at the turn of the year has led to the repeat title charge of Antonio Conte's men to falter slightly. "The championship has been reopened, as it's now clear Napoli are true contenders. Their Europa League journey is of little account, and I doubt they will pay much attention to it. "But Juventus' Champions League commitments will take away energy. Chiellini is a player that cannot be replaced. His absence is sorely felt. "Sebastian Giovinco has proven a good purchase for them, though they would have been better off staying as they were without Nicolas Anelka, as he is no better than any of their current strikers." The 33-year-old former Chelsea forward arrives from Shanghai Shenhua on a five-month contract, with the clause to extend his stay by one year.

Ho unito i due topics.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final - 29-1-2013 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alvaro Gonzalez (53′) Arturo Vidal (90+2′) Sergio Floccari (90+3′) Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee: Luca Banti Player Ratings Goal.com rates the players on show as Sergio Floccari sends the home fans into raptures with a late winner after Arturo Vidal thought he had sent the game to extra time late on. Jan 29, 2013 LAZIO Federico Marchetti - The keeper was largely untroubled until a pair of efforts from Vucinic and Giovinco late in the first half which he kept out. He commanded his area well before another save from Giovinco in stoppage time helped keep hold of the win. Michael Ciani - Provided a strong, physical presence at the back and got his head to the majority of passes sent over the top. Alongside Radu he managed to limit the influence of Isla and kept things pretty tight. Giuseppe Biava - The centre-back was at the heart of a stoic defensive unit which almost shut out Juventus for the full 90 minutes. He failed to deal with a cross which Vidal subsequently fired home but was solid for every other moment. Abdoulay Konko - The right-back kept close tabs on Giaccherini and for the large part he succeeded in restricting his influence in the wide areas. He became more adventurous in the second half and provided some relief for his side by pressing up the pitch. Andrè Dias - A brilliant performance at the back from the Brazilian as he was extremely aware of his surroundings, regularly beating Juve players to the ball with some well-timed challenges. He did not put a foot wrong. Stefan Radu - Did not provide sufficient width for a team playing with three at the back. His ventures forward were sporadic and ineffective at best. Defensively, though, he did well to keep Isla out of the game. Stefano Mauri - Was unable to provide a creative spark in behind Klose and left the German starved of service. He vanished in the second half until his corner was headed home by Floccari. Cristian Ledesma - Always had his head up in order to look for the best possible pass, unfortunately he had to do this inside his own half for the first period. Nevertheless, he put in a decent display and supplied an exquisite cross for Gonzalez's goal. Hernanes - Failed to supply the creativity in the middle of the park, meaning that his side never stretched the Bianconeri. He had one effort at goal and that never looked like worrying Storari. Alvaro Gonzalez - Floated around the middle of the park, consistently looking for the ball. He did very little of note until he ghosted in at the back post to head his side into the lead early in the second half. Miroslav Klose - Looked extremely isolated throughout as service to the German striker was almost non-existent. He at least tried to challenge for the majority of aerial balls but did not get a chance to test Storari. Substitutions Senad Lulic - Replaced Hernanes on the hour mark and added some more energy to the midfield. He was hungry for the ball and chased everything down. Lorik Cana - Brought on for Gonzalez in the 86th minute and did not impact on the game. Sergio Floccari - Replaced Klose with 20 minutes and had a decisive impact on the game with a brilliant late header. He had also been full of running beforehand. JUVENTUS Marco Storari - Had virtually nothing to do in the entire first half as Lazio failed to worry the keeper. There was very little opportunity for him to impress in the second but he was left rooted to the spot as the hosts put two past him. Andrea Barzagli - It was a relatively comfortable night at the back for the former Wolfsburg man. He did not have very much to contend with and made no fuss when he was in possession. Leonardo Bonucci - Dealt with whatever was thrown at him, though that was hardly anything. He read the play well, stepping out from the back and winning the ball more often than not. A comfortable evening for the centre-back. Federico Peluso - Showed good judgement as he timed his tackles well and was not afraid to get stuck in. He did not stray from his defensive team-mates but allowed Gonzalez in behind to head in the opener. Mauricio Isla - Did not see a lot of the ball as he rarely pushed forward down the right. He did not have to track back very often and should have used that to his advantage a bit more. The one time he got in behind he sent in a poor cross. Arturo Vidal - Was caught in possession far too often and struggled to get forward and supply some support to the front two. He did not drive his team forward, but popped up late on with an opportunistic goal. Luca Marrone - Sat the deepest of the Old Lady's midfielders and did his best to try and orchestrate the attacks for his side. While not every pass he struck may have been pinpoint, he did show some awesome vision and a lot of potential. Simone Padoin - A distinctly average performance from the Juve man as he struggled to get involved in the action in a congested midfield. He was withdrawn for Andrea Pirlo in the 68th minute. Emanuele Giaccherini - Began the game at a frantic pace, continually buzzing around on the left side. Under the watchful eye of Konko he found his space restricted but still managed to get on the ball and use it well. Mirko Vučinić - Was perhaps unlucky not to receive a penalty in the eighth minute, but continued to try and pester the stalwart Lazio defence. He had a rasping shot saved just before the break but was forced to create that all on his own. Sebastian Giovinco - Found it difficult to weave his magic on the game as he was closed quickly when he received the ball. He attempted to drop deeper but fared no better. He should have got a goal with one of his two efforts that came either side of the break. Substitutions Claudio Marchisio - Replaced Marrone in the 70th minute and missed a golden opportunity to qualify but hit the ball wide of an open goal. Andrea Pirlo - Came on for Padoin in the 68th minute but did not quite have the desired impact. His range of passing did stretch the Lazio defence, but it was not game changing. Fabio Quagliarella - Added another dimension to the attack after replacing Giaccherini with 15 minutes remaining but could not trouble Marchetti.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final - 29-1-2013 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alvaro Gonzalez (53′) Arturo Vidal (90+2′) Sergio Floccari (90+3′) Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee: Luca Banti The Old Lady Crashes Out of the Coppa Italia Jan 29, 2013 And we are out. I have had to write a number of game recaps and reviews, but this one hurts quite a bit. This team was built around an airtight defense, but, since Giorgio Chiellini's injury and Kwadwo Asamoah's AFCON departure, our defense has been anything but airtight. Juventus did play against one of the best teams in the league, but to allow thre goals in two matches is simply poor. Some may look at some poor refereeing decisions, but when the team defends in the way we did today, there is simply no excuse. There is really not much to write about this game that hasn't been said before. Our midfield suffered without Andrea Pirlo, however Luca Marrone showed that he may be better at playing that position than Pual Pogba (it is never a bad thing to have competition). Our attack did little with the few chances created and our defense was abysmal. For this reason it is hard to pick a Man of the Match, if I had to pick one I would give it to Arturo Vidal for never giving up. Also, one thing that was clear from this encounter is that the difference between our starters and our bench is very large. Simone Padoin, Emanuele Giaccherini, and Federico Peluso are no Asamoah, Claudio Marchisio or Chiellini (I know, thank you Captain Obvious). With that being said, those on the field played at the best of their abilities, the unfortunate part is that the shoes they had to fill were immense. You could see the increase in quality once Marchisio, Pirlo, and Vidal were on the pitch. This just shows that some players should be sold in the summer to make room for better reserves (notice that I am not calling for a mass exodus as that would be unnecessary). Also, my call to calm as I said before is that injuries are temporary, we just need to hold on until some of our starters return from injury (or AFCON). The last thing I need to get off my chest is Sebastian Giovinco's constant flopping. The kid is small, so it is easy to push him off the ball. But when he is trying to milk that for every foul the ref is going to catch on. For a large portion of the match he was looking for fouls that would not be given under normal circumstances, let alone in a Coppa Italia semifinal. Today Giovinco was the boy who cried wolf too many times and the team paid for it. C'mon son, stay on your feet. Besides that there is not much to add. Juventus could have sent the game into extra time and bought themselves more playing time, heck Giovinco or Marchisio could have sent us through in the dying minutes but it wasn't to be (who here thinks that Anelka could have finished one of those chances?). The best team over two legs was Lazio who will probably raise the trophy in May. Now Juventus' focus can return to the other two competitions. One good thing to look forward is that with Marchisio, Vidal, and Pirlo returning from injury this team is going to be looking a lot better.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final - 29-1-2013 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alvaro Gonzalez (53′) Arturo Vidal (90+2′) Sergio Floccari (90+3′) Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee: Luca Banti Coppa: Lazio beat Juve for the Final! Jan 29, 2013 Lazio are through to the Coppa Italia Final after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Juventus, as Arturo Vidal thought he’d forced extra time until Sergio Floccari’s stoppage-time header. They will face either Roma or Inter in the Final in May. The Biancocelesti had the advantage after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Stefano Mauri scoring that precious away goal. Miroslav Klose returned for his first game since January 13, while they retained a three-man defence to mirror Juve. Andrea Pirlo was only fit for the bench, but Paul Pogba was rested in the Bianconeri midfield. Just days after the huge controversy of Juventus-Genoa, the Bianconeri were again absolutely furious on eight minutes. Mirko Vucinic ran on to a poor backpass and appeared to be brought down by Federico Marchetti right at the by-line, but the referee and his linesman only awarded a corner. Sebastian Giovinco’s free kick curled over from a very tight angle and Marchetti intercepted a Vucinic ball across for Giovinco in the six-yard box. Hernanes blasted over from the D after good work from Stefan Radu down the left. It was Lazio’s turn to be angry on 29 minutes, as Mauricio Isla clumsily chested down the ball in the box and Klose pounced, falling under his challenge. Once again, the referee waved play on. Juve continued to pour on the pressure in the first half, but defensive bodies charged down efforts from Giovinco and Emanuele Giaccherini. The Atomic Ant had a very promising counter-attack only to run into Andre Dias. It was intense, but above all tense, as players from both teams contested every decision. In first half stoppages, Marchetti had his palms stung by a fierce strike down the right side of the box by Vucinic. Giovinco should’ve scored with the last kick of the half, but after spinning brilliantly to get away from two defenders, he scuffed his shot into the arms of Marchetti. After the restart Arturo Vidal was booked for a crunching tackle on Michael Ciani, meaning he’ll be suspended for the next Coppa Italia game. Lazio were more attacking in this second half and took the lead with Alvaro Gonzalez diving header on to a Cristian Ledesma curling pass over the top to the back post. Gonzalez celebrated by holding up the jersey of Lionel Scaloni, who completed his transfer to Atalanta today. Juve now needed a goal just to force extra time. There was a very nasty clash of heads between Luca Marrone and Hernanes. The Brazilian came off much worse and seemed to lose be out cold mid-air. He regained consciousness, but was bleeding heavily when stretchered off for Senad Lulic. Giovinco and Klose went down in the box again, but neither seemed worthy of a penalty. Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio were thrown on for the final Juventus push to get this semi-final back on track. Ciani’s sliding block charged down Giovinco’s shot and Sergio Floccari stumbled as he was lining up his finish on the counter-attack. It was getting increasingly desperate from last year’s beaten Finalists, as Giovinco was booked for simulation and Fabio Quagliarella blasted off target from distance. Pirlo rolled a free kick wide for Mauricio Isla, but Andre Dias did well to intercept the pass to Quagliarella. The Olimpico crowd jeered angrily as six minutes of stoppages were awarded, but it did take some time to remove Hernanes from the pitch. Juventus only needed 60 seconds of it to draw level, as a cross was flicked on and Stefan Radu was caught napping, as Vidal burst in behind him to blast under the bar from nine yards. It seemed to be enough to force extra time, but moments later a corner found Floccari’s glancing header in at the back post from six yards. The crowd went wild after this dramatic finale. It still wasn’t over, as Juve went straight up the other end and should’ve scored. Giovinco forced a desperate save from Marchetti from point-blank range and Marchisio somehow turned the follow-up wide at the back post! It would’ve put Juventus through to the Final on away goals. It went right down to the wire, as the Bianconeri had a free kick just outside the area that Pirlo floated in for Vidal’s header wide. Even goalkeeper Storari had gone up for that set play at the 97th minute. LAZIO 2-1 JUVENTUS (3-2 on agg) Scorers: Gonzalez 53 (L), Vidal 91 (J), Floccari 93 (L) LAZIO: Marchetti; Biava, Dias, Ciani; Konko, Gonzalez (Cana 86), Ledesma, Hernanes (Lulic 62), Radu; Mauri; Klose (Floccari 70) JUVENTUS: Storari; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Isla, Vidal, Marrone (Marchisio 70), Giaccherini (Quagliarella 76), Padoin (Pirlo 68); Vucinic, Giovinco Ref: Banti

Coppa Italia - Semi-final - 29-1-2013 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alvaro Gonzalez (53′) Arturo Vidal (90+2′) Sergio Floccari (90+3′) Olimpico Stadium - Rome Referee: Luca Banti Floccari nets dramatic injury-time winner to seal final berth Arturo Vidal thought he had cancelled out Alvaro Gonzalez's opener in second-half stoppage time but the Biancocelesti striker struck to send his side into the showpiece. Jan 29, 2013 Lazio booked a spot in the Coppa Italia final with an astounding 2-1 victory over Juventus, providing them with an aggregate win at Stadio Olimpico. The Biancocelesti knew that they would progress if they could keep their opponents off the scoresheet and such a notion was evident in their extremely defensive mentality. The Old Lady were allowed to dictate the tempo of the game but Alvaro Gonzalez's second-half header appeared to have justified Vladimir Petkovic's tactical decisions. Arturo Vidal thought he had taken the game to extra time when he struck late on but Sergio Floccari had other ideas with a header moments later to crush the visitors. Juve were on top from the off and felt they should have been awarded a penalty after just eight minutes as Mirko Vucinic beat Federico Marchetti to the ball in the area and a collision followed. However, the referee only awarded a corner suggesting he believed the keeper made some connection with the ball. Lazio struggled to ease that early pressure as the Bianconeri controlled possession, penning the Rome outfit back inside their own half. But for all their time on the ball, Antonio Conte's men struggled to find a way through the compact Biancocelesti defence. It was not until the 25th minute that the Serie A champions got in behind as Emanuele Giaccherini switched the play to Mauricio Isla but the Chilean's cutback was too close to Marchetti. Both side's were defending in large numbers and after Miroslav Klose had seen a penalty appeal turned down on the half hour mark, the game's first save finally came in first-half stoppage time. After Vucinic had seen his individual effort batted away by Marchetti, Giovinco popped up one minute later but after a brilliant turn he sent a tame attempt straight at the goal. Those misses proved costly as eight minutes after the restart Lazio, against the run of play, took the lead. Cristian Ledesma's superb cross was flighted to the back post where Gonzalez ghosted in behind Federico Peluso to head in the opener. The match momentarily opened up but Petkovic's men soon regained their composure and reverted to their conservative approach. Eager to step up his side's search for a goal, Conte introduced Andrea Pirlo with 20 minutes remaining and the breakthroguh came in the second-minute of added time. Giuseppe Biava failed to deal with a cross into the area and the ball fell to Vidal who smashed it past Marchetti, breaching the previously stoic defence. However Lazio were unperturbed and immediately ventured back up the other end and won their first corner. Stefano Mauri swung the ball in and Floccari got on the end of it, glancing a header past the idle Marco Storari and into the far corner. Claudio Marchisio then missed a near-open goal at the death after Giovinco's shot was parried aside, in what proved to be Juve's last chance. With their first win in 10 meetings against the Turin outfit, Lazio booked a spot in the final where they will face either fierce rivals Roma or Inter.

CLAMOROSO.

Floccari 2-1

ARTURO VIDAL 1-1

I laziali si lamentano dei 6 minuti di recupero.

Banti non vede proprio Giovinco.

Ma dai Quaglia!

Non é un fringuello ....

Quagliarella entrerá al posto di Giaccherini. 3-4-3

... per modo di dire.

Il prossimo ad entrare sará Marchisio per Marrone.

Ci affidiamo a sant'Andrea ....