Socrates

Grande Marco van Basten!

Pirlo: I joined Juventus because Allegri preferred Ambrosini or Van Bommel in midfield The Bianconeri star has revealed that he left the San Siro not because he was only offered a one-year extension, but because his former coach no longer saw him as first choice. Nov 25, 2012 Andrea Pirlo has said he left AC Milan for Juventus because coach Massimiliano Allegri favoured to play either Massimo Ambrosini or Mark van Bommel ahead of the Italy international in his position. Pirlo spent 10 years with the Rossoneri before moving to Turin at the beginning of last season, and his decision was vindicated as he played a vital role in helping Juventus win the Serie A title without losing a game. But the 33-year-old has insisted that he wanted to extend his stay at the San Siro outfit but felt he had to leave as Allegri wanted to play others in his preferred role. "When I spoke with Milan about my contract, they proposed the renewal for one year," the 2006 World Cup winner was quoted saying by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "I asked for a three-year deal because I was younger than the other experienced players. But the real reason for my transfer was another: Allegri wanted to place Ambrosini or Van Bommel in front of the defence and I'd have to change role. "Then, I said 'no thanks' and I chose Juve, who offered me the right conditions. I want to say that it was not a financial decision. "Milan decided that others were serving more. I quickly realised this during the interview. In my role Allegri preferred other players."

Serie A - 14^ Giornata - Andata - 25-11-2012 (ore 20:45) - Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)- Milano Arbitro: Nicola Rizzoli Moggi: "Qualcuno ipotizza che Rizzoli sia stato mandato apposta per dare contro alla Juve, noi non vogliamo credere a tanto..." L'ex Dg del club bianconero spiega poi qualcosa a Berlusconi: "Forse vorrebbe riprodurre il metodo della Triade, ma dobbiamo avvertire che la strategia non è facile da attuare..." Nov 25, 2012 Domenica sera di Serie A è consacrata al big match di San Siro tra Milan e Juventus, ed ovviamente anche Luciano Moggi non si sottrae al dibattito - che ha infiammato la vigilia - sull'opportunità o meno di designare come arbitro Rizzoli, alla luce dei 'precedenti' ritenuti da taluno a favore Vecchia Signora. "Quando uno se le va a cercare! Il designatore Braschi - attacca l'ex Dg del club bianconero nella sua consueta rubrica su 'Libero' - non sapendo come complicare la vita a sè e agli altri, sceglie l’arbitro Rizzoli per Milan-Juve, senza minimamente tener conto di quanto accaduto in precedenza quando appunto Rizzoli, in qualità di giudice di porta, ne ha combinate di tutti i colori e sempre in favore della Juve: giusto ricordare la Supercoppa tra Napoli e Juve; Catania per Catania-Juve, Torino per Juve-Inter, tutti avvenimenti recenti". "Il primo ad essere imbarazzato sarà l'arbitro stesso - spiega Lucianone - scendere in campo con l'aureola di 'juventino' può portarlo a decisioni opposte rispetto alle precedenti, in caso di incertezza. Qualcuno ipotizza che sia stato mandato apposta per dare contro alla Juve, noi non vogliamo credere a tanto, ci interroghiamo però sul come viene gestito questo sport per capire il perché ogni settimana c'è qualche casino da ripianare...". Nelle sue abituali punture che affonda nella nuova veste di opinionista, Moggi ha anche qualcosa da spiegare a Berlusconi: "Riandare al passato e leggere il presente si ha come la sensazione di un salto copernicano rispetto al Berlusconi che prelevò i più forti giocatori del mondo squilibrando la serie A dell'epoca con ingaggi mai dati prima. C'è un tempo per tutto: per le follie, detto senza offesa, e per il fair play finanziario forse troppo rigoroso. Il pensiero segreto del presidente del Milan lo conosciamo, lui guardava alla Triade, lo sollecitava molto la capacità juventina dell'epoca di vincere con larghezza autofinanziandosi con quei successi e con abili operazioni di mercato, non gravando quindi sul club. Il metodo gli deve essere rimasto in testa, e forse lo vorrebbe riprodurre, ma dobbiamo avvertire che la strategia non è facile da attuare e provoca anche invidie, ben conosciute, purtroppo per la Juve... in entrambe le società milanesi". http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A - 14^ Giornata - Andata - 25-11-2012 (ore 20:45) - Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)- Milano Arbitro: Nicola Rizzoli Verso Milan-Juventus: Allegri insiste sul 4-3-3 ma snobba gli input presidenziali. Conte sceglie Isla e Giovinco Non è sfida scudetto ma resta una delle gare più affascinanti del campionato: quando si sfidano a San Siro rossoneri e bianconeri non è mai una partita come le altre. Nov 25, 2012 PROBABILI FORMAZIONI MILAN Abbiati De Sciglio - Yepes - Mexes - Constant Montolivo - De Jong - Emanuelson Boateng - Bojan - El Shaarawy ------------------------------------------------- Vucinic - Giovinco Asamoah - Marchisio - Pirlo - Vidal - Isla Caceres- Bonucci - Barzagli Buffon JUVENTUS QUI MILAN Allegri confermerà il modulo visto contro Napoli e Anderlecht: sarà ancora 4-3-3 con Emanuelson che dovrebbe prendere il posto di Nocerino a centrocampo, accanto a Montolivo e De Jong. In avanti ancora il tridente. Nonostante le pressioni del presidente, Boateng dovrebbe giocare ancora a destra, con Bojan prima punta ed El Shaarawy a sinistra. Robinho, molto probabilmente, ancora una volta partirà dalla panchina. I dubbi in difesa circa le condizioni di Mexes sono stati fugati: il francese affiancherà Yepes. Pato salterà la sfida per una contusione alla coscia. QUI JUVENTUS Conte deve rinunciare a Chiellini: il difensore della Nazionale italiana è uscito malconcio dalla sfida con il Chelsea, soffre un problema muscolare al polpaccio. Caceres in vantaggio su Marrone e Lucio per la sua sostituzione. Bonucci ha avuto un pò di febbre ma stringerà i denti e sarà sicuramente della partita. A destra Isla dovrebbe esser preferito a Lichtsteiner, davanti Giovinco 'brucia' Quagliarella per far coppia con Mirko Vucinic. Il bomber partirà dalla panchina. IL MOMENTO Milan e Juventus arrivano allo scontro diretto cariche di entusiasmo: la Champions ha regalato soddisfazioni ad entrambe, anche se fisicamente i bianconeri sembrano avere una marcia in più. I rossoneri hanno però bisogno di un successo in campionato per tornare a credere anche nella rimonta in Italia. LA CHIAVE La vera domanda è: che tipo di partita sceglierà di fare Allegri? Affronterà la Juventus, sulla carta superiore, a viso aperto, cercando di imporre il proprio gioco, oppure deciderà di lasciare il pallino in mano ai bianconeri, affidandosi principalmente alla velocità dei suoi attaccanti e alla loro capacità di ribaltare l'azione? I PROTAGONISTI Oltre all'ormai immancabile El Shaarawy, potrebbe essere il grande duello a distanza tra Andrea Pirlo, ex mai dimenticato dal popolo rossonero, e Riccardo Montolivo, l'uomo che sta cercando di prendere per mano il Milan in questo periodo di rifondazione. Due direttori d'orchestra a confronto: chi meriterà gli applausi della 'Scala del calcio'? Testa a Testa Coppa Italia ‎- 20/mar/2012 - Juventus 2 - Milan Serie A ‎- 25/feb/2012 - Milan 1 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia ‎- 08/feb/2012 - Milan 1 - Juventus 2 Serie A ‎- 02/ott/2011 - Juventus 2 - Milan 0 Amichevoli ‎- 21/ago/2011 - Milan 2 - Juventus 1 Ultime 5 Partite MILAN 21/nov/2012 - Anderlecht 1 - Milan 3 - UCL 17/nov/2012 - Napoli 2 - Milan 2 - Serie A 11/nov/2012 - Milan 1 - Fiorentina 3 - Serie A 06/nov/2012 - Milan 1 - Malaga 1 - UCL 03/nov/2012 - Milan 5 - Chievo 1 - Serie A JUVENTUS 20/nov/2012 - Juventus 3 - Chelsea FC 0 - UCL 17/nov/2012 - Juventus 0 - Lazio 0 - Serie A 10/nov/2012 - Pescara 1 - Juventus 6 - Serie A 07/nov/2012 - Juventus 4 - FC Nordsjælland 0 - UCL 03/nov/2012 - Juventus 1 - Inter 3 - Serie A Previsione Milan 1 - 2 Juventus http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-12 (20:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Montolivo: Juventus are more of a team than AC Milan The Rossoneri midfielder admits that there is currently a gulf between his side and the Bianconeri, but believes they can cause an upset in Sunday's clash. Nov 25, 2012 Riccardo Montolivo has admitted that Juventus "have more quality" than AC Milan, but feels that the Rossoneri have every chance of beating the league leaders at San Siro on Sunday. Massimiliano Allegri's side currently sit 17 points behind the Bianconeri, but the Italy international believes that his side can take inspiration from last week's game against Napoli, where they came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw. "There is a big difference between us and Juventus," the former Fiorentina man was quoted as saying by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "They have more quality; they are more of a team. But we have the weapons to have a great match against them. "After the games against Napoli and Anderlecht, it takes very little to make the same old mistakes again. A good result against Juve would send a message, above all to ourselves. "The stadium should be full and furious. We cannot let them play and must defend away from our box and attack at every opportunity." Massimiliano Allegri, meanwhile, is aware of the task at hand, but the former Cagliari boss is fully focussed on getting all three points. "We are on the eve of an important game," said the Rossoneri coach in his pre-match press conference. "We are facing the league's strongest team and we will have a good match from every point of view. A positive result would make things look different, and it would certainly be a big help. "We will have to play with great intensity for 100 minutes, without faltering and making mistakes. It will need to be an almost perfect match." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Moggi: 'Ref chosen to damage Juve' Nov 25, 2012 Luciano Moggi has stirred up controversy by suggesting referee Nicola Rizzoli was assigned to tonight’s game with Milan in order to ‘damage’ Juventus. “The designator, unsure of how else to complicate his life and that of others, chooses referee Rizzoli for Milan-Juve without taking into consideration what happened in the past,” wrote former Juve director general Moggi in Libero newspaper. “Rizzoli, used as a goal-line judge, caused all sorts of trouble and always in favour of Juve. Don’t forget the Italian Super Cup with Napoli, Catania-Juventus and Juve-Inter – all very recent games. “The first to be embarrassed by this situation will be Rizzoli, as stepping on to the field with the ‘aura of Juventus influence’ can prompt him to make opposite decisions compared to beforehand out of a sense of uncertainty. “Some are even suggesting Rizzoli was sent on purpose to damage Juve. I don’t want to believe such a thing, but we do have to ask ourselves how this sport works to understand why every week there is some controversy to calm down...” This will be Rizzoli’s fourth time officiating a match between Milan and Juventus. So far his record is two Bianconeri victories and one for the Rossoneri, although all were played in Turin. Moggi was the Juventus director general, but resigned in 2006 when the Calciopoli scandal broke, as he was found to have called the refereeing designator to influence the choice of officials assigned to their games. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Moggi: 'Ref chosen to damage Juve' Nov 25, 2012 Luciano Moggi has stirred up controversy by suggesting referee Nicola Rizzoli was assigned to tonight’s game with Milan in order to ‘damage’ Juventus. “The designator, unsure of how else to complicate his life and that of others, chooses referee Rizzoli for Milan-Juve without taking into consideration what happened in the past,” wrote former Juve director general Moggi in Libero newspaper. “Rizzoli, used as a goal-line judge, caused all sorts of trouble and always in favour of Juve. Don’t forget the Italian Super Cup with Napoli, Catania-Juventus and Juve-Inter – all very recent games. “The first to be embarrassed by this situation will be Rizzoli, as stepping on to the field with the ‘aura of Juventus influence’ can prompt him to make opposite decisions compared to beforehand out of a sense of uncertainty. “Some are even suggesting Rizzoli was sent on purpose to damage Juve. I don’t want to believe such a thing, but we do have to ask ourselves how this sport works to understand why every week there is some controversy to calm down...” This will be Rizzoli’s fourth time officiating a match between Milan and Juventus. So far his record is two Bianconeri victories and one for the Rossoneri, although all were played in Turin. Moggi was the Juventus director general, but resigned in 2006 when the Calciopoli scandal broke, as he was found to have called the refereeing designator to influence the choice of officials assigned to their games.

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Bojan: 'Beating Juve a huge boost' Nov 25, 2012 Bojan Krkic believes Milan can get the better of Juventus this evening. “Our self-confidence has improved, so beating the Bianconeri would be a huge boost.” The Spaniard is one of the candidates to start in attack tonight, challenging with Robinho, Giampaolo Pazzini, Stephan El Shaarawy and Kevin-Prince Boateng. “We fought back to draw with Napoli and qualified for the next phase of the Champions League, so our self-confidence has improved,” Bojan told the Corriere dello Sport. “This is a great opportunity for us. It’s true that every game is a chance to climb the table, but beating the Bianconeri would be a huge boost. Juve are strong as a team unit and as individuals, but we have champions too. “We are in front of our fans and above all we are Milan. We’ve got to work hard, but know that we can win this. We have to focus on maintaining possession. It all depends on us.” The Rossoneri have been stuttering this season and remain in 12th place, a good 17 points behind Juve. Click here for a match preview. “It isn’t easy to go through a situation like this,” continued Bojan. “When you lack certainty, every single setback knocks down your confidence. We need belief and you can tell immediately when a team believes in what it’s doing. “I am fairly satisfied with my season so far. I could score more goals, but I have always thought a striker should be judged on more than just how many goals he gets. For example, I am asked to move off the ball and help the other strikers to run into space. “I am not really a centre-forward fox in the box who can challenge physically with Leonardo Bonucci.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-12 (20:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Allegri ignores Guardiola talk ahead of AC Milan's clash with Juventus Rossoneri owner Silvio Berlusconi recently revealed a desire to bring the ex-Barcelona man to San Siro, but the current head coach insists his attentions are on Sunday's battle. Nov 24, 2012 Massimiliano Allegri is ignoring talk of Pep Guardiola being lined up as the next AC Milan coach, instead choosing to focus his energies on the club's match with Juventus on Sunday. President Silvio Berlusconi revealed his desire to bring the ex-Barcelona boss to Italy in the near future but hinted that Manchester City are leading the race to appoint the 41-year-old. However, Allegri has brushed off the comments from his superior and pleaded that his only pressing concern is trying to beat the reigning Scudetto winners this weekend. "Berlusconi always knows the right words to use; he is very charismatic," the former Cagliari coach told reporters on Saturday. "His words on Guardiola are not my problem. I'm just thinking about the game tomorrow. It’s not for me to decide who will be the next coach of Milan." Juventus, who visit San Siro on Sunday, are currently top of Serie A, while Milan languish 17 points behind them in 12th position as of Saturday night. Allegri acknowledged the point difference and added: "We face the team that is at the top, the one that won the last title. "They have good players and are well-placed in the league, but we have great self-esteem to serve up a good game and get a result. But we know that we are going to challenge a team that is stronger." Allegri also responded to a question on the situation of Alexandre Pato, who is understood to be frustrated with life under the Rossoneri trainer. "His temperament is very hot, he must understand that he only needs patience to return to his previous form," the Italian added. "It’s too premature to talk about his departure, we think just about the football that needs to be played for now. "But I know that he wants to play and I talked to him. I told him that he must be patient. Robinho? He could play tomorrow." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-12 (20:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Vidal: Juventus will use their heads and hearts to beat AC Milan The Chile midfielder says that his side can triumph against the Rossoneri and is delighted with the nine goals he has scored, even though he tries to put the team ahead of himself. Nov 24, 2012 Arturo Vidal reveals that he is feeling confident about Juventus battling to beat AC Milan in Sunday's Serie A clash. The defensive midfielder expressed his passion for his club and went on to say that the team are starting to show the cutting edge that they possessed last season. "How do we beat the Rossoneri? With our heads, hearts and legs," Vidal told TuttoSport. "After the match against Inter we went back to do what we did last year, with the pressure and the ruthlessness that we had throughout last season. The Chile international is not known for his goalscoring abilities but he has found the back of the net nearly 10 times this season which has been a pleasant surprise for the Juve player. "I am happy about the goals that I have scored," he added. "I never expected to increase my tally to nine goals at this stage in the season, but I do not count my goals for much. "The only thing that matters is that the team wins. It is impossible to be sad here. I am happy to wear this shirt and be among these fans." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A - 14^ Giornata - Andata - 25-11-2012 (ore 20:45) - Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro)- Milano Arbitro: Nicola Rizzoli Confronti ufficiali 209 - 154 (Serie A) - 21 (Coppa Italia) - 32 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Champions League) - 1 (Supercoppa italiana) Vittorie Juventus 73 - 53 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 13 (Campionato a gironi) Pareggi 72 - 54 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 9 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Champions League) - 1 (Supercoppa italiana) Vittorie Milan 64 - 47 (Serie A) - 7 (Coppa Italia) - 10 (Campionato a gironi) Goals Juventus 293 - 212 (Serie A) - 24 (Coppa Italia) - 56 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa italiana) Goals Milan 282 - 206 (Serie A) - 25 (Coppa Italia) - 50 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa italiana) Milan - Juventus Serie A a Milano Confronti ufficiali 77 Vittorie Juventus 18 (L'ultima il 30.10.2010, 1-2 ) Pareggi 33 (L'ultimo il 25.02.2012, 1-1) Vittorie Milan 26 (L'ultima il 15.05.2010, 3-0) Goals Juventus 92 Goals Milan 111 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Milan a Milano 13 presenze Boniperti Giampiero 12 Del Piero Alessandro 12 Furino Giuseppe 11 Bettega Roberto 11 Salvadore Sandro 11 Scirea Gaetano 10 Leoncini Gianfranco 10 Varglien I Mario 9 Causio Franco 9 Foni Alfredo 5 goals Bettega Roberto 4 Boniperti Giampiero 4 Borel II Felice Placido 3 Anastasi Pietro 3 Del Piero Alessandro 3 Gabetto Guglielmo 3 Sivori Omar Enrique 3 Trezeguet David Sergio 2 Baggio Roberto 2 Bellini Savino 2 Jugovic Vladimir Ultimi confronti diretti 14.12.2008 Serie A Juventus-Milan 4-2 10.05.2009 Serie A Milan-Juventus 1-1 10.01.2010 Serie A Juventus-Milan 0-3 15.05.2010 Serie A Milan-Juventus 3-0 30.10.2010 Serie A Milan-Juventus 1-2 05.03.2011 Serie A Juventus-Milan 0-1 02.10.2011 Serie A Juventus-Milan 2-0 08.02.2012 Coppa Italia Milan-Juventus 1-2 25.02.2012 Serie A Milan-Juventus 1-1 20.03.2012 Coppa Italia Juventus-Milan 2-2 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 4 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Milan 3 - Goals Juventus 14 - Goals Milan 15

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan's Allegri says beating Juventus would be a boost Nov 24, 2012 The match against Juventus is not the turning point for AC Milan, but beating them would "help boost our self esteem and make us forget all that has been negative so far", said AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri. "In order to beat the Italian champions - he added - we must play aggressively and take great care in defence. Unfortunately, we're not first in the standings, but I'm sure we'll enjoy a comeback. A great performance would give us new enthusiasm and boost our self esteem. But we're going to need time to climb back up in the standings". http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Asamoah making the difference As Juventus go from strength to strength, Alex Mott explains why Kwadwo Asamoah is the reason behind their dominance this season.. Nov 24, 2012 The 2011-12 Serie A season was an historic one for Juventus. After the nadir of the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, last term was vindication for six years of ridicule and hard work. A succession of Coaches have come and gone since then, some good and some bad, but with Antonio Conte in charge, it was hard for Bianconeri fans to remember a time Juve dominated Italian football the way they did for the entirety of that season. The Turin giants didn't so much beat sides last term as pulverised them. 4-0 wins over Roma and Novara, plus a 5-0 victory against Fiorentina that confirmed their Scudetto credentials. It wasn't the high-scoring games that impressed fans and pundits alike though. What was most unnerving for the rest of the peninsula was the way they could dominate a game for start to finish. Of the 38 matches they played in 2011-12, 17 of them were won by a one or two goal deficit – and not once did they look like losing. It was hard to see then how they could improve on that monumental campaign, but with 13 Serie A games gone and a Champions League group stage almost complete, it seems they may just have done that with the addition of Kwadwo Asamoah. The Ghana international joined the club from Udinese over the summer in a co-ownership deal. The fact that Conte's side fought off Manchester United tells you a lot about the quality of the 23-year-old, but with his performances so far this term, it could be argued that he is now a lynchpin to the Old Lady. Alongside Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right-flank, Asamoah has made the left wing-back position his own and turned their 3-5-2 formation into a fluid and free-flowing tactical system. Fabio Capello called it 'a step back' for the Italian game, but as they proved on Tuesday against reigning European champions Chelsea, Juve have turned the formation into an entirely positive one – giving width and defensive stability all at the same time. Asamoah has been given the task of doing all these things at once, but instead of shrinking in the high-pressure environment of Turin, he has prospered into one of the best wide-men in Europe. His pace, agility, natural fitness and decision-making have seen him lay on six assists already for his teammates, and score two goals at Genoa and Pescara. Replacing Paolo De Ceglie in the position has been a massive positive for the Bianconeri, and has made them genuine contenders at home and abroad. We've seen all too often the difficulty with juggling a domestic and European campaign. Manchester City haven't been able to make it out of the group for the past two years, Borussia Dortmund were felled by Arsenal and Marseille last season. And yet, Juventus are close to doing it, thanks to the extra dimension offered to them by Asamoah. Fans and media outlets clamour over the majesty of Andrea Pirlo, the warrior heart of Arturo Vidal and the home-grown talents of Claudio Marchisio, and rightly so. But for my money, the person who has really made La Vecchia Signora tick this season has been the youngster from Africa, pounding down the wing.

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan v Juventus – Injury News, Tactics, Lineups & Predictions Nov 24, 2012 Two of the biggest Italian sides lock horns against each other as Milan host Champions Juventus in Serie A’s main event on Sunday night. Two teams who were at loggerheads with each other last season as they fought stride for stride alongside now couldn’t be in more contrasting situations in the league. Milan have struggled to replicate last season’s form and that doesn’t come as a surprise as the club opted to balance its books – selling two of their most important players in Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to oil rich PSG. While Milan have weakened, Juventus have strengthened their squad with shrewd purchases in the summer market. The fruits of Marotta’s work are there to be seen as they look streets ahead of any team in the league. Milan head into this fixture on the back of a morale boosting away win at Brussels against Anderlecht; a win that secured their passage through to the knock-out phase of the Champions League. At the same time, the Bianconeri’s dismantling of the European Champions at the Juventus Stadium sent out a statement of intent to the rest of Europe. A point off Shakhtar is all they need to go through to the next round of Europe’s premier competition. Juventus sit comfortably at the top of the table with a 4 point lead over Inter, their nearest competitors for the title. Milan, on the other hand, occupy 12th position on the table with 15 points. Team News and Tactical Brief AC Milan While Milan may be getting their work done in Europe, it’s in Serie A where their struggles continue. Winless in their previous two encounters, Max Allegri’s head has been on the chopping block for long now and with each passing game and their inability to pick up the three points, his job at the helm of Milan comes under scrutiny. But Milan’s vice-president, Adriano Galliani, has been adamant that they will stick with Allegri through these tough times. Allegri is expected to make just one change from the side that faced Anderlecht with Antonio Nocerino making way for Urby Emanuelson in his 4-3-3 formation. Mattia De Sciglio has been one of the bright sparks in an otherwise dim season so far for Milan. His attacking forays coupled with his defensive solidity has warranted comparisons with legendary full-back Cafu. Mario Yepes will partner French International Phillipe Mexes, who seems to have taken a page out of former team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s book with a spectacular bicycle kick during the European fixture. Nigel De Jong will be the screen in front of the defense while Riccardo Montolivo will act as the creative outlet from midfield. The former Fiorentina man will look to orchestrate Milan attacks and will spray out balls left, right and centre. Bojan will spearhead the attack and while he doesn’t offer a huge target to aim for, he is dynamic and his pace could trouble the Juve defence. Kevin Prince Boateng and Stephan El Shaarawy will flank him in attack. Milan may not see a lot of the ball and they may look to make the most of the high back-line Juventus will employ. El Shaarawy and Bojan have the pace to worry Juventus and as Chelsea showed, the Bianconeri back three could be troubled when counter-attacked with pace and trickery. But Milan will also have to be wary of the late runs made by Marchisio and Vidal into the box which have often gone untracked by teams. Milan have Mesbah, Strasser, Didac Vila, Antonini, Abate, Traore, Ambrosini and Bonera all on the treatment table. Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-3): Abbiati; De Sciglio; Yepes, Mexes, Constant; Montolivo, De Jong, Emanuelson; Boateng, Bojan, El Shaarawy Juventus After their invincibility cloak was shrugged off by Inter, Juventus have responded with authority. Three wins and a draw against Lazio underlines their ability to recover from a rare loss. But against Chelsea, there was the urge and determination we’ve grown to familiarize ourselves with Antonio Conte’s side. The players played for each other rather than themselves and their arrogance was replaced by humility and an unwavering attitude that Conte demands. Few changes are expected from the side that was deployed against Chelsea. Giorgio Chiellini was impeccable in defence against the English side but Conte will be sweating on the fitness of his big defender. Chiellini faces a race against time to make it to the eleven against Milan but the general feeling is that Conte won’t risk him. Martin Caceres and Lucio will be vying for the Italian International’s spot in the back three with the Uruguayan looking the favorite to start ahead of the former Inter man. Leonardo Bonucci too is a doubt and could miss the game due to a fever. Should he fail to make it in time, youngster Luca Marrone will take his place in the centre of the back-line. The midfield picks itself, with the dominating trio of Vidal-Pirlo-Marchisio looking to stamp their authority on the game. Andrea Pirlo, of course, had a memorable time with Milan and will be pulling the strings from the heart of midfield. After a slow start to the campaign, Pirlo, just like his beard, has grown magnificently well into form. Mauricio Isla should return to the set-up with a break for Stephan Lichtsteiner on the table keeping in line with Conte’s rotation policy. Isla’s pace and willingness to take his man on could cause Kevin Constant a few problems but he will also have one eye set on Milan’s talisman, Stephan El Shaarawy. Mirko Vucinic is expected to continue his partnership with Juventus’ most in-form striker Fabio Quagliarella. Juventus’ midfield tussle with Milan’s three makes for an intriguing clash and it is here where the game could be decided. On paper, Juventus are more than capable of dictating proceedings owing to their superior quality and the away side will look to take advantage of Milan’s lack of quality in defence. Attacking them from the outset will be Conte’s orders but they should be wary of the threat Milan pose on the counter. The home side’s inability to convince defensively from set-pieces and aerial balls whipped into the box is an area Juventus will look to exploit as well. Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Quagliarella Players To Watch Out For Stephan El Shaarawy (AC Milan) The shining light in a period of darkness, Stephan El Shaarawy has stood up and dragged Milan through these trying times single-handedly. The ‘Little Pharaoah’ has 10 goals to his credit in the league and his inspirational performances have been reminiscent of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s displays at Milan. The Rossoneri will once again pit their hopes on the 20 year old’s shoulders in the hope of producing the goods he is well and truly capable of. Arturo Vidal (Juventus) The Chilean International is arguably the most in-form player in the Juventus roster. His all action display against Chelsea gained him many plaudits and rightly so as he announced himself on the European stage. Antonio Conte will hope for another lion-hearted display against the Milan giants as he looks to establish control over the midfield and support the Juventus attack as well. Prediction Milan 1-2 Juventus Juventus have emerged as clear favorites for this game but it’s an encounter which Antonio Conte won’t allow his side to take lightly. Milan have it in themselves to run this Juventus train off its tracks. It will be an exhilarating encounter with both the sides hunting for a win but form and sheer difference in quality should hand Juventus the three points, but only just. Blast From The Past http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus-Milan Preview: Round 14 — Dancing With the Devil Nov 24, 2012 Put the nail in Allegri's coffin? Well, a lot of Milanisti would probably welcome that, no? In the past, this matchup would be talked about just as much as the Derby d'Italia or Juventus vs. Chelsea in the Champions League. It had as much clout as any game out there in Europe. It was the meeting of Italy's two biggest teams, the two most historic clubs out there in the country. Well, maybe not this year. Juventus are still Juventus. They are the ones with the Scudetto patch in the middle of their chests. Milan, on the other hand, aren't exactly the same Milan from five or 10 years ago. Heck, they aren't even close to the same team as last season. Change is a natural occurrence. For AC Milan, club-rattling changes came in just one swift, fast-acting summer of seeing a whole bunch of players walk out the door. No more Ibra. No more Thiago Silva. They're off partying with just about half of last year's Serie A in Paris right now. Those loses, along with their Old But you know this by now. Milan's struggles this season aren't some new-found discovery that I used my investigative journalism class skills to uncover. This kind of season was kinda expected once the last few big names walked out of Milanello and went off to sign new contracts that stuffed their pockets full of cash. But to the extent of the struggles — so incredibly roller coaster-like — is a surprise to some. So, because of this, a derby that has been so important has lost a little bit of its juice. Certainly not all of it, but doesn't it seem like it's lacking that so-called flair it once did? It was so competitive, so intense last year. Now, it seems like it just needs Milan to be more like, well, Milan. Still, 1-2-3...AVANTI! GOOD NEWS For one, Juventus are back to being Juventus — crushing the opposition and allowing no goals at the same time. The post-Inter world is a beautiful one. There are wins — sans the scoreless draw with Lazio — and then there are the wins Juve have recorded the past three weeks. We need to look no further than the goal differential Juventus has put up since the loss to Inter the first weekend of November: Four games, 13 goals scored, 1 allowed. That's beautiful stuff. For somebody who loves them a combination of offense and stellar defense, that's some good lookin' stuff right there. If you need a minute, just see yourself out... BAD NEWS I want a Stephan El Shaarawy — and that's obviously because he's not on the Juventus roster. He probably won't be for quite some time — or ever — and that sucks. That just means Juventus are just gonna have to keep him from finding the back of the net, right? Yeah, that sounds like a fantastic idea. Go do that, fellas. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. What the starting defense looks like. There have been rumblings, as many of us know, that Juventus' rock-solid defense may look a wee bit different come Sunday night at the San Siro. Leo Bonucci is battling the flu, while Giorgio Chiellini is showing a few after effects — a calf strain — of is his awesome play the last few weeks. In other years, I'd be freaked the hell out if a defender was sick and/or injured. Now, with the kind of options available to Antonio Conte, things are a little bit calmer as I type this preview out for all of you. If Luca Marrone has to take over for Bonucci, so be it. If Martin Caceres has to step in for somebody, that's okay, too. While they aren't starting on a regular basis, there a still some darn good players on the Juventus bench. 2. How said defense, regardless of its arrangement, contains Sonic the Egyptian-Italian. As I said, Stephan El Shaarawy is good. Really, really good. And of all the strikers scoring a bunch of goals to start the season, he is probably the most surprising. Not because he's doing so — the boy has talent. But it's the simple fact that he's currently one of Serie A's most consistent goal scorers and he's only 20 years old. Yeah, I don't really want to imagine how good he'll be in a few years, but I guess we're going to find that out soon enough. 3.Which Milan shows up. A lot of this season at Milanello can be described with one word: Inconsistent. It's had it's moments, but also it's extremely low points. Obviously the media is going to concentrate on the valleys rather than the peaks because, well, that's what sells papers and gets ratings. But if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't know that Milan are coming off a win in the Champions League and a 2-2 draw against Napoli. So it's not all bad, I guess. 4. Strikers! Let's talk strikers! Vucinic-Quagliarella? Vucinic-Giovinco? Quagliarella-Giovinco? None of the above? Yeah, a talking point every week has become that much more important now that Mirko's kicked his cold and was back in the lineup against Chelsea. We all know about the rotation Conte employs, we just don't know the exactly details of it. Quagliarella is the in-form player at the moment and this seems like another chance for him to shine. Maybe Conte has found a situation that works for him? I dunno. I'm still trying to figure this thing out. My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Giovinco OR.... My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon, Barzagli, Marrone, Caceres; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Giovinco Gotta be prepared for last-minute changes, right? Right. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Chiellini out of Milan-Juve Nov 24, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini is out of Sunday night’s Milan-Juventus clash, but Leonardo Bonucci has recovered from a stomach bug. Chiellini was a major doubt after limping off during the final minutes of their 3-0 Champions League win over Chelsea on Tuesday. The Italian international defender suffered a minor calf strain, but it is enough to rule him out of the trip to San Siro. Bonucci was also at risk after coming down with illness, but the official Juventus website confirmed he has recovered. Juventus squad for Milan: Buffon, Lucio, Caceres, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Vucinic, De Ceglie, Giovinco, Barzagli, Bendtner, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Giaccherini, Lichtsteiner, Quagliarella, Storari, Matri, Isla, Rubinho, Marrone http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Allegri: 'New Milan against Juve' Nov 24, 2012 Massimiliano Allegri admits he’ll change for Sunday night’s Milan-Juventus, talk of Alexandre Pato’s exit “is premature” and competition from Pep Guardiola is “not my problem.” The Rossoneri were visited for the second Friday in a row by President Silvio Berlusconi, who landed at the training ground in his personal helicopter to motivate the squad. However, Berlusconi also stated Milan are battling Manchester City to sign Guardiola next season. “President Berlusconi is very charismatic and uses the right words for every individual. A positive result would help to cancel out some of the negative things,” said Allegri in his Press conference. “Guardiola? That’s not my problem. I have to focus on tomorrow’s game. I do not want to, nor can I, decide who will be the Milan Coach next year. It’s not up to me.” Among those negatives is the Pato ‘problem’ after the striker said he’ll talk to his agent about a move so he can play more regularly. “The lad was just blowing off steam in the heat of the moment. He needs to have the patience to understand that it takes time to get back to the player he was. He cannot resolve everything straight away. “It is premature to talk about Pato’s exit from Milan. We have to concentrate on Serie A, seeing as we have qualified for the Champions League knockouts.” It’s not just any Serie A game on Sunday evening, as leaders Juventus visit San Siro for a tense showdown. “It is possible there will be a few changes compared the most recent games. This match is going to feel like it lasts 100 minutes, so some figures are tired. I am thinking about some changes in midfield and will evaluate what is the right move tomorrow morning. I hope it goes well. “Tomorrow we need a perfect performance in every area, even if of course perfection does not exist in football... “Will we man-mark Andrea Pirlo? No, we didn’t do that last season and won’t tomorrow either. Of course, we will keep a special eye on him.” The tension is still dragging on from last term when Sulley Muntari’s ‘phantom goal’ crossed the line in their 1-1 draw, unseen by the officials. “There has been enough talk about this all over the world. It would be pointless discussing it again now. At least I can tell the story to my grandchildren,” smiled Allegri. “I don’t think Antonio Conte’s ban has damaged Juve, as they have 32 points and put in a great performance against Chelsea. It’s more of a trauma for him not being on the bench than it is the team.” Philippe Mexes and Kevin Constant have recovered from knocks picked up against Anderlecht, but Pato is out along with Luca Antonini, Massimo Ambrosini, Ignazio Abate, Daniele Bonera, Sulley Muntari, Djamel Mesbah and Didac Vila. “It is possible Robinho will start among the front three, yes. It’s a shame we are not higher up the table going into this game, but we have time to recover. A great performance would bring enthusiasm back to the fans and help self-confidence grow in the team. “What has changed from the last Milan-Juventus? Well, 13 players have gone, but there’s no point talking about them now. I must work with the ones we have.” Milan squad for Juventus: Abbiati, Amelia, Gabriel, Acerbi, De Sciglio, Mexes, Yepes, Zapata, Boateng, Constant, De Jong, Emanuelson, Flamini, Montolivo, Nocerino, Strasser, Bojan, El Shaarawy, Niang, Pazzini, Robinho http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan v Juventus: Preview Nov 24, 2012 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini is urging his team-mates to carry the momentum from a memorable victory over Chelsea into tomorrow night's trip to the San Siro. The Bianconeri are on the verge of clinching a place in the last 16 of the Champions League after cruising to a 3-0 win over European champions Chelsea this week. The game took a lot out of Juve vice captain Chiellini, though, and the 28-year-old is facing a race against time to be fit to face struggling AC Milan. He told giornalaccio rosa.it: "The match against the English was the most important game of the season so far. "We knew we could not afford to go wrong and we played a great game. "The downside of a win like that is that you can only enjoy it for one night, because then you have to start thinking about the next game, especially when that game is against AC Milan. "We have to use the experience of the Chelsea game in the right way because it would be a serious mistake to relax now. "That's something you can never afford to do against Milan. "It will be an extremely intense game, between two highly motivated sides that want to win. "I'm struggling a bit but it's only fatigue. Without taking too many risks, I will do everything I can to be there.'' The Italy international has identified the Azzurri's latest star, Stephan El Shaarawy, as the man he will be marking should he play tomorrow night. El Shaarawy notched his 10th goal in all competitions against Anderlecht this week, with Chiellini noting: "He is the revelation of the season. "We could all see his potential last year, though. Now he is scoring a lot of goals and becoming a key player for Milan. "In addition to his technical quality he has the right attitude and he wants to show what he can do.'' Juventus deposed the Rossoneri as Serie A champions in 2011, and Milan's star has certainly fallen a long way since they secured 3-0 wins both at home and away in the 2009-10 season. Fast forward two years and Juve top the table with 32 points, 17 more than Milan, who are languishing in 12th place. Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato, who has revealed his dissatisfaction over his current part-time role at the San Siro, will sit out tomorrow's clash with a muscle problem. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-12 (20:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan - Juventus Preview: Injury-ravaged Rossoneri face reigning champions Massimiliano Allegri has more than a few concerns ahead of this encounter with the Bianconeri, and given the visitors' record on the road this season, it is not going to be easy. Nov 24, 2012 PROBABLE LINE-UPS MILAN Abbiati De Sciglio, Yepes, Mexes, Constant Montolivo, De Jong, Emanuelson Boateng, El Shaarawy, Bojan JUVENTUSBuffon Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah Giovinco, Vucinic AC Milan are expected to be without a number of key players for the clash against the league leaders as they look to recover from their disappointing start to the season. A glance back at the team which lined-up when they met back in February tells its own story. A summer of upheaval at San Siro has done little to help the Rossoneri, who currently find themselves languishing in 12th place in Serie A. Philippe Mexes is expected to be the only survivor in defence from that match nine months ago, with centre-back Thiago Silva now at Paris Saint-Germain and Daniele Bonera unavailable. Defenders Ignazio Abate and Luca Antonini are sidelined which means young full-back Mattia De Sciglio and Guinean Kevin Constant continue at the back for Massimiliano Allegri's side. Nigel de Jong is expected to play alongside Riccardo Montolivo and Urby Emanuelson in the centre of the park, while the hosts continue with Kevin-Prince Boateng, Stephan El Shaarawy and Bojan upfront. Brazil striker Alexandre Pato, who is rumoured to be unhappy at the club, is a doubt for this match while Robinho is again expected to start on the bench. Juventus head into the clash boosted by their dismantling of Champions League holders Chelsea. The Bianconeri are four points clear at the top of the Serie A table and have yet to lose on their travels this season. Coach Antonio Conte has no real injury concerns either, and though Giorgio Chiellini picked up a knock against the Blues he is expected to recover in time for Sunday's encounter. Mauricio Isla could replace Stephan Lichsteiner in a bid to freshen up the side, while Sebastian Giovinco, who scored against Chelsea as a substitute, may get the opportunity to start here. DID YOU KNOW? • AC Milan lost six times already this season, this equals their total for the whole of the previous campaign. • Kevin-Prince Boateng has attempted 42 shots on goal this season but has yet to find the net. Incredibly, Stephan El Shaarawy has had the same amount of efforts and has netted 10 times. • Milan have won three and lost four of their seven home games this term in Serie A. • Juventus have been scoring for fun in recent weeks. In their last four matches they have struck 13 times. • The Bianconeri have a very strong away record. From their six matches on the road they have won five and drawn one while are also the joint-highest goalscorers away from home with 16. • Juve are unbeaten in their last three trips to the San Siro. Head to Head Coppa Italia ‎- Mar 20, 2012 - Juventus 2 - AC Milan 2 Serie A ‎- Feb 25, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia ‎- Feb 8, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Juventus 2 Serie A ‎- Oct 2, 2011 - Juventus 2 - AC Milan 0 Club Friendlies ‎- Aug 21, 2011 - AC Milan 2 - Juventus 1 Last Five Matches AC Milan Nov 21, 2012 - Anderlecht 1 - AC Milan 3 - UCL Nov 17, 2012 - SSC Napoli 2 - AC Milan 2 - Serie A Nov 11, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Fiorentina 3 - Serie A Nov 6, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Malaga 1 - UCL Nov 3, 2012 - AC Milan 5 - Chievo 1 - Serie A Juventus Nov 20, 2012 - Juventus 3 - Chelsea FC 0 - UCL Nov 17, 2012 - Juventus 0 - Lazio 0 - Serie A Nov 10, 2012 - Pescara 1 - Juventus 6 - Serie A Nov 7, 2012 - Juventus 4 - FC Nordsjælland 0 - UCL Nov 3, 2012 - Juventus 1 - FC Internazionale 3 - Serie A Players to Watch Stephan El Shaarawy Arguably the one positive to come out of Milan's disappointing campaign. Has displayed a maturity which belies his years often being the one to dig Massimiliano Allegri's men out of a hole by scoring some crucial goals. Will be up against an experienced Juve backline and this will be a real test of his ability but one he can pass with flying colours. Andrea Pirlo It is difficult to find superlatives which have not been used for this man. Confident, assured on the ball, neat and tidy in possession, always seems to have that extra yard of space which no one else has. He may be coming towards the end of his career, but he is still arguably the Bianconeri's most important player. Oh yes, and he is not so bad at set-pieces either. Prediction Both teams will be in confident mood after their midweek heroics but Antonio Conte's men have yet to be defeated away from home this term and, given the problems that the Rossoneri have been having all season, it looks as though that will continue on Sunday at San Siro. Editor's Prediction Milan 1 - 2 Juventus http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Bojan eyes permanent AC Milan stay The striker has not made the best of starts to his time at San Siro - scoring just once all season - but hopes to impress between now and the end of the season. Nov 24, 2012 Bojan Krkic wants to make his loan move to AC Milan permanent in the summer. The 22-year-old forward joined the club on a season-long loan deal from Roma in August, and hopes to do enough between now and the end of the campaign to convince the Rossoneri of his worth. "My mission is to be kept on by Milan. Nobody wants to stay with the Rossoneri for only for one season," he told Corriere dello Sport. Bojan has scored just once in 14 appearances for the club - his solitary strike coming in the 5-1 demolition of Chievo - but he believes he should be judged on his all-round game and not just his goals tally. "I miss scoring lots of goals, but I have always thought that a striker should not be judged just by the amount of goals he scores. The work he does for the team is also important," he added. Milan take on Serie A leaders Juventus on Sunday on the back of a 3-1 Champions League victory over Anderlecht on Wednesday and the former Barcelona man believes he and his team-mates will be high on confidence going into the game. "This match comes at the right moment. We got a draw in Naples after a positive performance, then we secured Champions League qualification," Bojan continued. "Our confidence has increased and for us this game is a great opportunity. Every match is worth three points, but to beat Juventus would be a huge boost for us." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli El Shaarawy: 'Beating Juve? Priceless' Nov 24, 2012 There’s no stopping Stephan El Shaarawy at the moment and “beating Juventus would be priceless,” said the Little Pharaoh who still lives with his parents. The 20-year-old is Capocannoniere and has scored 16 goals in all competition this season, winning a bet he made with teammate Massimo Ambrosini. “I haven’t decided where I’ll take my vacation that Ambrosini will pay for, but it’ll certainly be somewhere warm by the sea,” he told the Corriere della Sera. “I have to thank Coach Massimiliano Allegri, who had a fundamental part in my growth and was impeccable in my first season, knowing exactly when it was best to use me. “What would I have done if Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano had remained? I cannot know, but the fact is with their departure two places opened up at Milan. I haven’t heard from Ibra since he left.” He may only be a young man, but the Little Pharaoh is not feeling the pressure ahead of tomorrow’s Milan-Juventus match. “Tomorrow is a super-important game for the table, but also for our growth as a team. A victory would be priceless, but we need to give 150 per cent to achieve that. To win and score under the Curva Sud would be fantastic. The Juve player I admire the most is Gigi Buffon, who is great both on and off the field. “Responsibility motivates me and I do not feel pressure. My teammates, the club and fans all have faith in me. It’s all happening so quickly and everything a 20-year-old dreams of. It’s very gratifying especially for my parents, who made so many sacrifices to help me. “My mother lives with me in Milan, while my father travels to and from Savona. My parents take care of my money too. I don't go out clubbing and I don't have a girlfriend, as I just want to focus on football right now. “I am tied to my father’s land and am happy to visit relatives in Egypt, but I feel Italian and was never remotely tempted when Egypt asked me to play for them. My dream is to take part in the 2014 World Cup and hopefully win it.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Montolivo: 'Milan hit rock bottom' Nov 24, 2012 Riccardo Montolivo feels Milan will learn after they “hit rock bottom” and become stronger for it against Juventus tomorrow evening. “Let’s just say when we hit rock bottom, it did us good,” he told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. “We were able to overcome the difficulties together and in situations like this a group of players emerges stronger at the end. “Was the side suffering after so many leadership figures left? Of course you’re going to miss characters like that, but the gap must be filled. Have I filled it? It’s too early to say. I am at the disposal of the Coach and the team. I think a leader should set the example more than order people about.” President Silvio Berlusconi visited the training ground last week and noted Montolivo reminded him of Andrea Pirlo. “I am not worried by the head-to-head with Pirlo, because we are different players. He is more of a director of operations, while I also try to win back possession. Andrea is untouchable for all he did at Milan, so I won’t even worry about comparisons with him.” The Rossoneri have a new superstar in their midst, as Stephan El Shaarawy is Capocannoniere despite turning 20 this month. “Nobody expected such a strong season, not even him, but I have always liked El Shaarawy. He has pace and a real ability to split defences. He also shoots with power and precision.” On the other hand, Alexandre Pato declared this week he wants to leave Milan in order to play more regularly. “It is an unusual situation,” mused Montolivo. “You need patience with him, but it’s worth the wait. He is an amazing player and I have never trained with one so talented. It’d be a shame if he left.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli El Shaarawy: Beating Juventus would be priceless The 20-year-old believes a win for AC Milan against the reigning Serie A champions could kick-start the club's season, but is realistic over the size of the task ahead. Nov 24, 2012 Stephan El Shaarawy says victory over Juventus on Sunday would be "priceless". The highly-rated youngster has netted 12 goals in all competitions so far this season, but has been a rare ray of sunshine in what has been an otherwise disappointing season for AC Milan. The Rossoneri have taken just a point from their last two league games, but after beating Anderlecht 3-1 in Belgium on Wednesday, the Italy international is determined to build on that result by taking all three points against the Bianconeri. "Tomorrow is a super-important game in terms of the league table, but also for our growth as a team," he told reporters at a press conference. "A victory would be priceless, but we need to give 150 per cent to achieve that. To win and score under the Curva Sud would be fantastic." The 20-year-old has fast become Milan's talisman with several high-profile team-mates enduring inconsistent campaigns, but he says it is a responsibility that brings the best out of him as a player. "Responsibility motivates me and I do not feel pressure," he added. "My team-mates, the club and fans all have faith in me. It's all happening so quickly and it is everything a 20-year-old dreams of. It's very gratifying especially for my parents, who made so many sacrifices to help me." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli AC Milan - Juventus Betting Preview: Rare gulf in class between sides should see Bianconeri home Massimilano Allegri was boosted by Milan's win in Europe in midweek but Adam Bate expects that to count for little when in-form league leaders arrive at San Siro. Nov 24, 2012 Juventus resume the defence of their Serie A crown after ending Roberto Di Matteo’s reign as Chelsea manager with an emphatic 3-0 win over the European champions on Tuesday. The Bianconeri travel to Milan on Sunday to take on the team they deposed as champions of Italy and will start as heavy favourites at San Siro. Juve have won 10 of their 13 league games this season and their form is in stark contrast to a stuttering Milan side that finds itself in turmoil languishing in the bottom half of the table. Juventus are 13/10 (2.30) favourites with Marathon Bet. The Rossoneri did at least have a morale-boosting win at Anderlecht on Wednesday with Philippe Mexes stealing the show thanks to a sensational overhead kick. With their place in the last 16 of the Champions League now secure, it may be time to expect an upturn in league fortunes as they focus on domestic matters until the spring. The visit of the champions certainly represents an excellent opportunity to assert themselves. Milan are 12/5 (3.40) underdogs with Marathon Bet to claim three points here. The draw is available at 47/20 (3.35). But the best bet is to back Juventus at 13/10 (2.30). Milan may have home advantage but history suggests that is no stumbling block for Antonio Conte’s men – they have not lost away since May 2011. In terms of other bets, there are some great options relating to the champions. They are available at 77/100 (1.77) to score in the second half of this game and, if previous encounters are anything to go by, then, this suggests that it is highly likely to happen. Juve have scored after the break in 10 of their 13 Serie A matches this season and that looks great value. But for better returns, it is important not to be fooled by the famous Milan name here. The gulf in quality between these two teams means it makes sense to back the visitors to get the job done. They have the class - and the star names, including ex-Milan man Andrea Pirlo - and have had that extra day of rest. Back Juventus to win both halves of this one at a chunky 31/5 (7.20) with Marathon Bet. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Serie A Week 14 - 25-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan Referee: Nicola Rizzoli MATCH PREVIEW Nov 23, 2012 The protagonists in last season’s Scudetto race, Milan and Juventus resume their rivalry with very different objectives in mind. This fixture provided season 2011-12’s most controversial moment, the ruling out of Sulley Muntari’s ‘ghost goal’ in a 1-1 draw at San Siro. It was the most notable flashpoint in what proved to be quite a bitter title race, with opposing Coaches Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte regularly taking verbal pot-shots at one another. This year there doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as much antipathy, Juventus President Andrea Agnelli even making a point of congratulating Milan for their qualification to the Champions League last 16 in midweek. Of course it’s easier to be friendly towards an opponent that no longer constitutes a threat. The Rossoneri start the weekend 12th in Serie A, a whopping 17 points behind League leaders Juve. They have lost six times the amount of games the Bianconeri have, won less than half as many, and conceded twice as many goals. That said, there’s been enough improvement in the recent displays of Allegri’s men to suggest that, whilst they may be unable to mount a Scudetto challenge of their own, they are capable of knocking La Vecchia Signora’s off course. Both clubs did their duty for Italy with midweek European wins, Juventus bringing about the sacking of Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo by trashing the Londoners 3-0 and Milan defeating Anderlecht 3-1 in Brussels. “This is an important game against a side that right now might not be among the top teams, but has a squad of great quality,” said Conte in a rare interview earlier this week. “We are the leaders, but mustn’t forget we haven’t done anything yet.” “Sunday’s match against Juventus will be tough, especially with what happened last year,” stated young Milan fullback Mattia De Sciglio. “We’ll give 100 per cent to cause them as much difficulty as possible.” Milan’s monstrous injury list includes Muntari, Djamel Mesbah, Didac Vila, Luca Antonini, Ignazio Abate, Bakaye Traore, Massimo Ambrosini, Daniele Bonera and Alexandre Pato. Juve miss only one player but he’s an important one – Giorgio Chiellini. Keep an eye on: Stephan El Shaarawy (Milan) – Not to go all Star Wars on you, but there is a sense that the Little Pharaoh is Milan’s only hope. “Is El Shaarawy the Milan team?” Juve’s Sebastian Giovinco wondered aloud. “He’s the one making the difference for them so yes, I’d say he is.” After his strike against Anderlecht, the 20-year-old has accounted for 12 of the Rossoneri’s 27 goals this season. Form guide: Milan (W D W L D) Juventus (W W L W D) Last season: Milan 1-1 Juventus Stat fact: Juventus have lost just one of their last six visits to Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza. Probable line-ups Milan: Abbiati; De Sciglio, Mexes, Yepes, Constant; Montolivo, De Jong, Emanuelson; Boateng, Bojan, El Shaarawy Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres; Isla, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Giovinco http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/