Socrates

Spero che l'arbitro svedese non sia un tifoso del Chelsea.

Si sapeva. Sono un'ottima squadra.

Inquadrato Lufessu.

Noi non abbiamo un Luis Adriano.

Grazie, non lo sapevo.

L'arbitro somiglia vagamente al caporale tedesco/nazista ne "La vita é bella". Quello il cui discorso viene tradotto da Benigni ....

Ma non hanno freddo i giocatori in maniche corte?

Bel lancio di Seba ma Vucinic spara alto.

Vidal becca subto il giallo.

Come qui da noi in Olanda.

Giovinco é di poco piú alto del bambino UEFA.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Line-ups: Shakhtar-Juventus Dec 5, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini, Paul Pogba and Sebastian Giovinco are in the starting XI as Juventus must earn a point at Shakhtar Donetsk to continue their Champions League adventure. The Bianconeri leapfrogged Chelsea with their 3-0 victory in Turin, so will be secure of qualification if they avoid defeat in Ukraine tonight or Nordsjaelland emerge unbeaten from Stamford Bridge. Mircea Lucescu’s Shakhtar have already sealed their spot in the last 16 and are eager to keep hold of top spot. Luiz Adriano is suspended for breaking the fair play rules after his infamous goal against Nordjsaelland, where his teammates were trying to give back the ball following time out for an injury and he pounced to score undisturbed. Eduardo is chosen to fill in for Luiz Adriano, while Tomas Hubschman and Dymtro Chygrynskiy are injured for Shakhtar. Chiellini returns to the Juventus line-up after missing two games with a calf problem, while Leonardo Bonucci is also fit following a bout of flu. Arturo Vidal is also back after a ban ruled him out of the Turin Derby on Saturday, while Pogba steps in for the suspended Claudio Marchisio. Giovinco is chosen as the partner for Mirko Vucinic in attack, while Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner take the wings. SHAKHTAR DONETSK: Pyatov; Srna, Kucher, Rakitskiy, Rat; Fernandinho, Stepanenko; Alex Teixeira, Mkhitaryan, Willian; Eduardo Shakhtar bench: Kanibolotskiy, Kryvtsov, Gai, Kobin, Ilsinho, Douglas Costa, Devic JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco Juventus bench: Storari, Caceres, Padoin, Giaccherini, Marrone, Quagliarella, Matri

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Alessio: Juventus cannot play for a draw Dec 5, 2012 Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu recently had some words for Juventus, claiming that the Italian team is “predictable”, and stand-in coach Angelo Alessio aims to prove him wrong. With Antonio Conte soon returning to the sidelines as head coach on December 8, Alessio plans a win against Shakhtar to secure a spot for Juve in the next round of the Champions League, and what a departing achievement it would be for the fill-in coach if he can do so. Although the Bianconeri are excited for the return of Conte, they are completely focused on their upcoming match, especially with top defender Giorgio Chiellini ready to be put back into action after a recent calf injury left him on the bench for two games. “We are very happy at Antonio’s impending return, but right now we are all exclusively focused on this match,” Alessio told the press “Giorgio Chiellini trained yesterday and is regularly at our disposal. Antonio will then decide the starting XI tomorrow,” he said during a press conference. “He can say we’re predictable, but we create many scoring opportunities. In that case let’s call Barcelona predictable – the same XI play pretty much all the time and everyone knows the style of football they propose, yet they are the best team of recent years. “Lucescu’s words remain just that: words. We are extremely concentrated on this match and absolutely want to reach the next round of the Champions League. “We’ll be facing the toughest side in the group, as they are the leaders, but we have improved and can get a result. “We cannot play for a draw and count on being able to get two results. We’ve got to take the game to Shakhtar and play the way we know how. We must fight for every single ball.” Describing Juve as “predictable” may not have been the best move for Shakhtar’s head coach, and may provide any extra motivation needed for Alessio and the Serie A leaders to grab the win.

CHAMPIONSLEAGUE.CA UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Juventus preview Dec 5, 2012 Shakhtar Donetsk hosts Juventus on Wednesday in a crucial Champions League Group E match. The winner will not only claim the group, but if Juventus picks up at least a point, they’ll eliminate the holders Chelsea from the competition. In their last meeting in Turin, Shakhtar took the game to Juve, but thanks to a little luck and some lackluster finishing from the Ukrainians, the Italian champions escaped with an undeserved point. The Eastern European giants pounded the Bianconeri on the counter with their pace, technique, and quick passing. This will be key for both sides as Juventus was also hammered on counter attacks by AC Milan 10 days ago. Juve will need to be wary of the forward runs of Fernandinho along with the intricate ball movement from Willian, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Alex Teixera. Right back Dario Srna will also be making runs forward and playing almost like a winger, so Juventus needs to watch out for him as well. If not, it’ll be a long day for the Scudetto holders. Shakhtar needs to watch out for a few things from their opponents. Firstly, the defence. Whenever there’s a free kick in Juve’s defensive third or a goal kick, Gianluigi Buffon always plays it short to one of his defenders, who then proceed to knock a long ball forward into the attacking third. Shakhtar’s front four must close down those defenders, that’s what Chelsea failed to do and they got torn apart. Inter did this to Juventus a month ago and ended the 49 game undefeated streak. It’s a small detail that goes unnoticed, but it’s more integral to Juventus’ attack than some may think. There’s also the midfielders and wingbacks. Kwadwo Asamoah and one of Mauricio Isla or Stephan Lichtsteiner will be bombing forward and back all game, so it’s important to break out of the defence quickly and to shut down the flanks when Juventus moves forward. As for the central part of the pitch, Andrea Pirlo needs to be man marked, but surely Mircea Lucescu has already told Mkhitaryan to do so. They also can’t forget Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba as they tend to be “destroyers” to opponents, but they’re far from it. They’ll be lurking around the top of the box and will occasionally dart into the penalty area and have a shot. The lineups are missing some significant starters. For Shakhtar, they’ll be without striker Luiz Adriano as he serves a one match ban for his unsportsmanlike goal at Nordsjaelland two weeks ago. Midfielder Tomas Hubschman has a thigh injury, so he’s doubtful for the game along with center back Dmytro Chygrynskiy. They’ll be deploying their usual 4-2-3-1. Juventus’ only absence is Claudio Marchisio as he’s serving a ban for yellow card accumulation, so Pogba is likely to occupy his role. The other two dilemmas for Antonio Conte will be who to play at right wingback. Isla will get the nod if Conte wants a more attacking option and Lichsteiner will play if the coaching staff wants to be more defensive. The striking partnership will most likely be Fabio Quagliarella and Mirko Vucinic, but that can change. Shakhtar is already through to the round of sixteen, but they’re not the kind of team who wants to roll over for someone else. They’ll take the game to Juventus and the visitors will obviously be giving it their all as they try to progress to the next stage. Don’t expect a stale moment during this match, because it’s going to be a fun one.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Angelo Alessio "very optimistic" of Juventus win Dec 5, 2012 Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio has said that he is "very optimistic" about winning against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday. A win for the Italian champions in Ukraine will see them qualify for the last 16 as Group E winners, while a draw will send both sides through to the knockout rounds. "I think we have been improving from game to game, so I am very optimistic about the match in Donetsk," he said. "We should concentrate from the start, stay focused and fight for every ball. Control of the ball will be crucial, as we need to press them and not allow them to play the football they want to play. "Our actions during the opening minutes will be very important." Juventus are currently second in the group with nine points from five matches, a point behind leaders Shakhtar and two ahead of third-placed Chelsea.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Juve play to win, says Bonucci Dec 5, 2012 Leonardo Bonucci has rejected talk that Juventus will be playing for a draw at Shakhtar Donetsk this evening. A point in the Ukraine will be enough for the hosts to win the group and the Italian outfit to qualify second, thus knocking champions Chelsea out of the competition. However, the centre-back has defended his side against accusations that they will play out a convenient draw. “These things make me laugh,” the Italian international noted. “Juventus are a great side who always play to win. And Shakhtar will not be giving out gifts. “I can understand why Chelsea fans fear elimination, but they have to take that out on their own team…”

Giraudo appeal in Calciopoli trial Dec 5, 2012 The Calciopoli civil trial is still dragging on and today ex-Juventus general manager Antonio Giraudo had his sentence reduced to 20 months. The Court of Appeal in the Naples tribunal gave its verdict this evening, cutting Giraudo’s sentence from three years to just a year and eight months suspended. Giraudo had been convicted of sporting fraud and working with others to commit an offence. However, former referees Paolo Dondarini, Tiziano Pieri and Tullio Lanese were all cleared. “We are disappointed and at the same time surprised, as we didn’t expect this epilogue,” said Giraudo’s lawyer. “We await the motivation for this sentence, which we will certainly appeal against. We want to reiterate our client’s complete innocence.” Giraudo was a member of the so-called ‘Triade’ of directors at Juventus along with Luciano Moggi and Roberto Bettega.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Chiellini ready for Juve return Dec 5, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini will reportedly return to the Juventus side for this evening’s crucial Champions League game at Shakhtar Donetsk. The Italian international is a doubt given that he hasn’t played since limping out of the 3-0 win over Chelsea in the same competition. However, stories on Wednesday are suggesting that the stopper has passed a fitness test and will start in the Ukraine. Boss Antonio Conte, who will return to the bench this weekend, is set to field a 3-5-2 system that will be without the suspended Claudio Marchisio. Summer signing Paul Pogba is expected to start in place on the Italian international. Mirko Vucinic and Sebastian Giovinco could be the front two. Juve need a draw to qualify for the last 16, while a win would actually see them top the group. Juventus probable: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Buffon: Juventus should be feared The experienced goalkeeper believes that the Bianconeri have already proven their worth in Europe, and has insisted they are ready for the decisive game against Shakhtar Donetsk. Dec 5, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon feels that Juventus have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in the Champions League with their performances so far in Europe. The Serie A champions currently sit second in Group E with nine points from five games, and a draw against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday will see them through to the knock-out stages, regardless of whether Chelsea beat Nordsjaelland due to the Italian side's superior head-to-head record over the reigning European champions. "I think our run so far has shown that we should be feared by everyone we come up against," Buffon said at a press conference. "Of course, the result against Shakhtar and qualification are both fundamental, but the impression we’re giving this year is that we’re back to being competitive on a European level. "If we play as we’re able to then I believe we have every chance of ending the group unbeaten. We’re ready. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing if we manage to win the group and avoid a handful of potential winners." Wednesday's encounter in Donetsk is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) The Dossier: What Juventus must do to stop Shakhtar exploiting them again The Bianconeri need just a point from their trip to Ukraine to progress at Chelsea's expense, but a repeat of their under-par performance on matchday 2 could spell danger. Dec 5, 2012 TACTICAL ANALYSIS By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer There is needing a point, and there is needing "only" a point. Those are two very different scenarios, and it is the former which faces Juventus as they make the trip to play Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday night knowing a draw from their final Champions League Group E fixture will send them into the last 16. Their slow start to the European campaign - particularly the costly 1-1 draw with Nordsjaelland in Copenhagen - has come back to bite them as they fly to Ukraine with their future in the competition still on the line. And while they come up against a side already assured of a place in the knockout phase, they cannot take it for granted that their hosts will be happy to take a share of the spoils. If anything, they will want to maintain the excellent form they have shown to this point, which was rarely more in evidence than when they picked the Bianconeri apart in their 1-1 draw in Turin in October. JUVENTUS V SHAKHTAR: 02/10/12 MULTI-FACETED: But Vidal's ability to sweep & Marchisio's attacking threat from the left failed in Turin That night, Juve were expected by many to turn in another convincing performance after outplaying Chelsea in their opening fixture, but instead they were subjected to the most thorough examination of their tactical structure since Antonio Conte arrived at the club in the summer of 2011. They managed to get out of the game intact thanks to Leonardo Bonucci’s driven effort from a right-wing corner three minutes after going behind, but few Juventini left Juventus Stadium feeling better about their side's hopes than they had before kick-off. At Stamford Bridge, we had seen signs of Juve in their pomp. Arturo Vidal had been his domineering best in the right channel, covering space behind Stephan Lichtsteiner and Andrea Pirlo well in order to give extra protection to Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli, while to the left of Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio was given the freedom to regularly make a nuisance of himself in and around the final third. It has been the classical Juve midfield set-up since Conte put the three centre-midfielders together: Vidal working, Pirlo creating and Marchisio exploiting. But in the 90 minutes that followed, Mircea Lucescu’s side asked so many more questions of the Old Lady than Chelsea would eventually manage over 180. The wily Romanian was insistent that his team would get the best out of their ability by playing to their strengths, and to a large extent that also coincided with Juventus’ lesser-spotted weaknesses. With Willian asked to spend much of his time loitering in the space between Juve’s lines of defence and midfield, the Miners were able to find cheap possession in advanced territory. Tomas Hubschman was asked to slide across and fill in for Razvan Rat as the left-back made regular forays down the flank, thereby tying up Stephan Lichtsteiner and forcing Barzagli to step up and mark Willian whenever Vidal was caught in an advanced position after one of his regular raids into the Shakhtar half. While Barzagli has been very consistent in his strength and aerial ability since arriving from Wolfsburg in January 2011, the 37-cap World Cup winner has sometimes had a tendency to struggle with more technically gifted adversaries. Willian made the most of the Italy international’s fragility, regularly cutting inside Barzagli to send testing balls through for Luiz Adriano (suspended on Wednesday night) and the supporting Henrik Mkhitaryan and Alex Teixeira, all of whom were able to find space on the right up against Giorgio Chiellini due to the attacking nature of Kwadwo Asamoah and Marchisio's roles. SHAKHTAR'S ANSWER IN TURIN PRINCE WILLIAN: The Brazilian played in the space between the lines, exploiting Juve's right As Shakhtar forced them back, Juventus were made to start attacks from a less comfortable deeper platform, with the back three chased down regularly and pressed into losing possession cheaply. To add to that, players like Marchisio, Pirlo and Asamoah, who are infinitely more comfortable with the ball than without it, were stripped of their more adventurous nature. This was not the Bianconeri we had become used to in Serie A for the previous 12 months. Shakhtar’s goal emanated from just such a situation. Mirko Vucinic lost the ball in midfield after dropping in to help develop an attack, and as soon as Fernandinho burst into the Juve half, Willian was in support with Vidal still back-tracking. With the Ukrainians then sending the ball between several pairs of feet, Marchisio was too easily attracted to the man in possession and with each pass he increasingly lost sight of Alex Teixeira’s run into the right channel. When Willian’s original shot was blocked, he then found his countryman in acres of space with Marchisio nowhere to be seen. Of course, this time around Marchisio is suspended, but the plan would need to be the same whether he was available or not. Greater care must be given to filling the gaps in Shakhtar’s outside left and outside right positions, where Willian and Alex Teixeira got too much freedom last time around. If anything, Paul Pogba may well be better placed to carry out the role than Marchisio, given that he spent much of his youth career at the heart of midfield with a fair degree of defensive responsibility. Still, the naturally attacking wide men - Lichtsteiner and Asamoah - must not be afraid to attack, even if they must be wary of the dangers they are leaving behind. Conte’s message must be simple as he waves his players off ahead of one final stint in the stands before his ban ends. Juventus must play to their own strengths, but need to be more switched on in terms of the midfield five's defensive responsibilities. Failure to do so could see the Old Lady sent to the Europa League after Christmas. Their biggest 90 minutes of the season lie ahead. "Only" a point? Hardly!

................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3^ giornata di ritorno) Donbass Arena - Donetsk mercoledì 5-12-2012 - Ore 20:45 Arbitro: Jonas Eriksson (Svezia) Verso Shakhtar-Juventus: Un punto tra la Signora e gli ottavi, con la tentazione primo posto... Chiellini arruolabile, davanti spazio a Giovinco I bianconeri cercano in Ucraina il punto che gli consentirenne di passare il turno a spese dei campioni in carica del Chelsea. Con una vittoria sarebbe primo posto. 5 dicembre, 2012 PROBABILI FORMAZIONI SHAKHTAR Pyatov Rat - Kucher - Rakytskyi - Srna Stepanenko - Fernandinho Teixeira - Mkhitaryan - Willian Eduardo ------------------------------------------------ Vucinic - Giovinco Asamoah - Pogba - Pirlo - Vidal - Lichtsteiner Chiellini - Bonucci - Barzagli Buffon JUVENTUS QUI SHAKHTAR Con Luiz Adriano squalificato dopo il mancato fair-play, in avanti come unica punta ci sarà il brasiliano naturalizzato croato Eduardo, favorito su Devic. Per il resto sarà il solito modulo, 4-2-3-1, con Stepanenko al posto di Hubschmann al fianco di Fernandinho e il trio di trequartisti formato da Texeira, Willian e Mkhitaryan. In difesa al loro posto i veterani Rat e Srna. QUI JUVENTUS Conte deve fare a meno dello squalificato Marchisio, e sembra intenzionato a dare fiducia al francese Pogba, che affiancherà quindi Pirlo e Vidal in regia. Sulle fasce ci saranno Lichtsteiner (favorito su Isla) e Asamoah. In difesa c'è fiducia riguardo al recupero di Chiellini, come esternato da Alessio in conferenza stampa. Caceres resta comunque in preallarme. In avanti la coppia dovrebbe essere quella formata da Vucinic e Giovinco, Quagliarella verso la panchina. IL MOMENTO La squadra di Lucescu sta dimostrando coi suoi giovani di poter essere iper-mega competitiva anche in Europa; ed anche in campionato le cose stanno andando per il verso giusto. Stesso discorso per i bianconeri, che arrivano al match forti della vittoria nel derby contro il Torino in campionato e convinti di poter battere chiunque dopo aver tramortito in casa il Chelsea due settimane fa. LA CHIAVE Sicuramente la voglia di passare il turno e l'attenzione che dovrà mettere in campo soprattutto la Juventus: i bianconeri hanno bisogno di un solo punto, ma con una squadra che sa già di aver passato il turno ed ha già la sicurezza del primo posto nel girone ci vorrà grande attenzione. La partita comunque i bianconeri la potrebbero vincere a centrocampo, sfruttando la superiorità numerica dovuta al modulo. Importanti saranno anche gli inserimenti degli stessi centrocampisti. I PROTAGONISTI Nello Shakhtar c'è sicuramente, su tutti, da fare attenzione al brasiliano Willian e all'armeno Mkhitaryan, che sta dimostrando di non essere semplicemente una meteora momentanea. Tra i bianconeri si spera che Vucinic possa tornare al goal dopo un periodo fatto di infortuni e di prestazioni altalentanti. Anche un goal di Giovinco potrebbe far cambiare idea a qualche tifoso della Juventus. Testa a Testa UEFA Champions League ‎- 02/ott/2012 - Juventus 1 - Shakhtar 1 Ultime 5 Partite SHAKHTAR 20/nov/2012 - FC Nordsjælland 2 - Shakhtar 5 - UCL 07/nov/2012 - Chelsea FC 3 - Shakhtar 2 - UCL 23/ott/2012 - Shakhtar 2 - Chelsea FC 1 - UCL 02/ott/2012 - Juventus 1 - Shakhtar 1 - UCL 19/set/2012 - Shakhtar 2 - FC Nordsjælland 0 - UCL JUVENTUS 01/dic/2012 - Juventus 3 - Torino 0 - Serie A 25/nov/2012 - Milan 1 - Juventus 0 - Serie A 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 Previsione Shakhtar 1 - 1 Juventus

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Champions League: Shakhtar target victory over Juventus in key clash for Chelsea Dec 4, 2012 Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu has pledged to go for victory against Juventus despite having already reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. The Ukrainian champions have been among the most impressive sides in this year's competition, securing qualification from Group E with a game to spare. They welcome second-placed Juve to the Donbass Arena, where defending European champions Chelsea will be hoping Shakhtar come out on top. The Blues are third in the pool and their head-to-head record is inferior to both teams above them, meaning a draw would see Juventus join Shakhtar in the last 16 regardless of the result at Stamford Bridge. A point, though, would not be enough for Lucescu, who wants to end the group stage in style. "This game represents a big exam for us, against a team with great tradition, history and players," Lucescu said. "This is a game that transcends normal fixtures. "Regardless of our qualification status, football is football, we're professionals and we'll take to the field with the desire to win. "We're up against an incredibly strong side, who play a type of football I appreciate. They know our strengths and we know theirs. We're fully motivated and determined to show our hunger on the pitch." Shakhtar will be without Luiz Adriano after the striker received a one-match ban for his controversial goal against FC Nordsjaelland on matchday five. Juventus will also be missing a key player as midfielder Claudio Marchisio serves his own one-match ban. "The loss of Marchisio is a big blow for Juventus," Lucescu added. "Perhaps his absence will cause Conte to make certain tactical changes." Veteran Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon confessed to losing sleep over what he hesitantly referred to as the "third result". A Chelsea win coupled with a Juve defeat in Donetsk would see the Bianconeri slip out of the top two and into the Europa League. Buffon said: "Our biggest concern is that third result, the one we really don't want to think about. It's the trap that we fear falling into. "We know how good Shakhtar are and we respect them. But they have already qualified and so they will possibly be a bit more relaxed. No matter what happens, I think winning the games we have won in such a tough group shows we have what it takes to inspire fear in our opponents."

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Alessio: If Juventus are predictable, so are Barcelona The Bianconeri assistant coach dismisses claims his team cannot change their line-up or formation, and says the side must play to win against Shakhtar Donetsk. Dec 4, 2012 Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio has responded to Shakhtar Donetsk trainer Mircea Lucescu's claims that The Old Lady are predictable by saying that the Turin outfit's regular set-up is similar to Barcelona's approach. Lucescu claimed that Antonio Conte's team were easy to play against as they rarely change their formation or starting line-up, but Alessio feels that his players should concentrate on booking their place in the Champions League knockout stages and not react to comments from the opposition. "He can say we’re predictable, but we create many scoring opportunities. In that case let’s call Barcelona predictable – the same 11 play pretty much all the time and everyone knows the style of football they propose, yet they are the best team of recent years," Alessio told a press conference. "Lucescu’s words remain just that: words. We are extremely concentrated on this match and absolutely want to reach the next round of the Champions League." Juventus head into the match in Ukraine knowing that a draw will guarantee both them and Shakhtar a place in the last 16 of the competition, but Alessio wants the team to play an attacking style and try to win the match. "We’ll be facing the toughest side in the group, as they are the leaders, but we have improved and can get a result. “We cannot play for a draw and count on being able to get two results. We’ve got to take the game to Shakhtar and play the way we know how. We must fight for every single ball." Wednesday's match marks the end of Alessio's time as Conte's representative on the touchline, with the head coach set to make his return to the dugout against Palermo on Sunday, but the 47-year-old says the players must focus on their next match before looking forward to their trainer's return. "We are very happy at Antonio’s impending return, but right now we are all exclusively focused on this match." He added: "Giorgio Chiellini trained yesterday and is regularly at our disposal. Antonio will then decide the starting 11 tomorrow."

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Champions League – Chelsea v Nordsjælland, Shakhtar Donetsk v Juventus Dec 4, 2012 Matchday Six in UEFA Champions League promises to be one of the most engaging, with a total of six teams in contention for remaining three slots for qualification to the knock-out stages. European Champions Chelsea, Italian Champions Juventus, Benfica and Celtic are among the teams who are yet to learn their fate in the competition while all four Spanish Clubs in the competition are through to the next round. Here, TheHardTackle previews the games from Group E and Group F. Group E Chelsea v Nordsjælland Stamford Bridge, London Chelsea take on Nordsjælland in a must win fixture for the Blues. Even that might not suffice as they must rely on Shakhtar Donetsk to defeat Juventus in the other Group E fixture on Matchday 6 of UEFA Champions League. Even though they have been massive underdogs throughout, and were not likely to qualify in any case, they will fancy their chances against Chelsea and go out with heads held high. The wheels have fallen off the European Champions’ so spectacularly that even the most seasoned observers have been left with their mouths gaping. Munich feels like years ago as Chelsea seem like a team in disarray with no ambition, guile or determination, something that so famously won them their first Champions League and was so characteristic in the early stages of the season. Still, Chelsea prodded through strikingly similar waters last season and emerged victorious, only this time they are no longer masters of their own destiny. Yet, a positive result on Matchday 6 could see a turnaround. Nordsjælland on the other hand are out of European competitions, certain to finish fourth in the group regardless of any result. Even so, they would like to have a go at Chelsea with absolutely nothing to lose. They will take heart from the fact the European Champions look blunt and out of form. On the domestic front, Nordsjælland are on an indifferent run of form, lagging nine points behind league leaders FC Copenhagen in second place. A positive result at Stamford Bridge would be ideal for a team taking its first steps on the biggest stages of all and for the remainder of their domestic season. For all their problems, Chelsea are still likely to emerge victorious from this fixture. But it might not prove enough as a first Group Stage exit after qualifying 9 years in succession for the knock-out rounds beckons. Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Nordsjælland Shakhtar Donetsk v Juventus Donbass Arena, Donetsk One of the most anticipated fixtures on Matchday 6 would be played out between Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus, in the former’s home stadium. As it stands, a calm, composed draw would be sufficient for both, first placed Shakhtar and second placed Juventus, to waltz through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. But it is not likely to be so simple. Shakhtar would not want to relinquish the top spot which, by the virtue of seeding rules of UEFA, increases the likelihood of an ‘easier’ opponent in the Round of 16. And even though Juventus are likely to be a shade more defensive and organized than they usually are, Shakhtar will not want to sit back but instead would want to get the security that a first goal might offer them. Juventus would be weary of this, and even though they are more than capable of seeing out a 0-0 draw, the attacking prowess that Shakhtar have displayed throughout this UEFA Champions League campaign is commendable. The confusion of early stages, when both try to weigh out what their opponent is playing for, may set the tone for an interesting game. Chelsea would be peeking around somewhere as well, looking for Shakhtar to bang in a goal. On the domestic front, both teams continue to dominate and are top of their respective leagues. Shakhtar are on an impressive run, while Juventus put behind the defeat to AC Milan with a comfortable home win against Torino. For Juventus to get the result they desire, their midfield trio of Pirlo, Vidal and Marchisio would need to stifle Shakhtar’s impressive midfield, especially the duo of Fernandinho and Willian who have been the stars of the campaign so far. With Luiz Adriano suspended for the game, after his ‘unsporting’ goal against Nordsjælland, Henrikh Mkhitaryan would in all likelihood play up front. Likewise, Vidal has emerged as an attacking threat from midfield during this campaign and Shakhtar would need to keep him in check to keep their first position intact. Chiellini would be crucial at the back for Juventus. The game will end up in a draw, although the attacking quality with both the teams would mean the game ends as a score-draw. The two would qualify for knock-out rounds of UEFA Champions League. Prediction: Shakhtar 1-1 Juventus

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (6th leg) - 5-12-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ SHAKHTAR - JUVENTUS Donbass Arena - Donetsk Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) Shakhtar Donetsk-Juventus Preview: The Ukrainian Adventure Dec 4, 2012 ONE POINT. JUST GET (AT LEAST) ONE POINT. THAT'S ALL WE ASK. Throughout the wild and wacky group stage in this season's Champions League, we've seen a lot of things happen. There's been a lot of unpredictability up and down the entire field, but there's no denying that a lot of it has happened in Group E, where the most of our attention is centered. At the midway point, Juventus had three points after three draws. Remember the freakout that ensued after Juve's draw in Denmark? Man, that was a lot of noise to listen to. It was doom and gloom. There were still three matches to be played, but hope and positivity was the last thing people wanted hear about — which was totally understandable. Two games, two wins, and a couple of weeks later, things have drastically changed. Juventus are in position — if things ended the way they are right now — to move onto the knockout stages for the first time in the Andrea Agnelli/Antonio Conte era. But the job isn't done yet. There's still 90 more minutes to go and a positive result between Juve and the knockout stages. What's needed for Juventus to remain in the Champions League come 2013 is clear: A win will be fantastic, but all that's needed is a draw. Then again, this is Juventus, where winning is the only thing that matters. That's what I'm talking about! LE CHIAVI Of the three spots in the knockout round that are still up for grabs, two of them are in Group E. Juventus can still win the group, or be sent to the Europa League. Translation: Things are still completely up in the air. Juve are obviously in a good spot considering they have a two-point cushion over Chelsea thanks to the absolutely wonderful result at Juventus Stadium two weeks ago, but nothing is set in stone. Until the final whistle is blown in Donetsk tomorrow night, there will be quite a few nails being chewed down to tiny proportions around these parts. GOOD NEWS Juventus don't need a win to advance, which is a good thing just in case the game doesn't exactly go as we hope. Team that with how much of a complete mess Chelsea since their loss to Juve and subsequent firing of Roberto Di Matteo/hiring of Rafa Benitez, and things are in Juventus' favor. But then again, Juventus need to get at least a point in a place where not too many teams are able to. So don't book your tickets to Turin for a knockout stage game just yet, folks. And, the disciplinary committee has spoken: No Luiz Adriano because he decided what sportsmanship is and subsequently got banned by UEFA. Well done, lad. BAD NEWS No Claudio Marchisio because of yellow card accumulation, which is huge seeing as he always seems to find a way to change the game in these big-time matchups. Obviously having Paul Pogba around eases the pain a little bit, but with Marchisio's awesomeness reigning supreme over the weekend and good form as of late will certainly be missed. Why? Because's it's not just goals and assists when it comes to Il Principino. He brings so much balance to the midfield and does even more that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. How awesome Willian's afro is. Don't deny it. You love it, too. 2. How Juventus deal with the elements. I'm no weather guy — nor do I attempt to play one during my day job — buta quick look at the forecast in Donetsk points to one conclusion: It's gonna be cold. I'm not talking about just kinda cold, I'm talking about below-freezing kind of cold. 3. The Paul Pogba Effect. Stepping in for Arturo Vidal is something that Pogba has done without much problem at all this season. Now he has the task of replacing a different kind of midfielder with different kind of responsibilities in Claudio Marchisio. The good things is this: Pogba is a bad, bad man. Oh, and he's good at this whole football thing. 4. The Mirko Vucinic Effect. For me personally, Mirko's Turin derby was very hit-and-miss. Yes, he had two assists and was effective in the second half. But, at the same time, there were a lot of things that the hated Bad Mirko usually does. That's been the trend for him lately — some good moments, sometimes even game-changing, but overall, he hasn't been consistent at all. It's certainly a crucial game and you know what that means — Big Game Mirko or no Big Game Mirko? He hasn't found the back of the end net much at all lately, and has just three goals in 17 games in all competitions. Yeah, about that.... 5. How well a rested Arturo Vidal plays. There weren't wholesale changes lineup-wise on Saturday against Torino, but the biggest one that could pay off for Juventus was the fact that Vidal got the night off. His last appearance was, well, not very good to say the least. His performance against Shakhtar back in early October wasn't very good, either. Now, with his battery recharged and his tank full, the usual Vidal will show its face again. I'd sure like that. 6. The battle on the wings. Our old buddy Jorid isn't scared to tell you about how awesome he thinks Darijo Srna is — and I really have no reason to disagree with him on that one. The Shakhtar captain has been known to make a bombing run down the right flank once or twice (slight understatement) over the course of a game. And his partner on the opposite flank, Razvan Rat, isn't too shabby in his own right. That means Stephan Lichtsteiner — who should get the start on the right — and Kwadwo Asamoah will have quite the task to not only contribute offensively, but also control Shakhtar's fullbacks on the defensive end of things. 7. How Shakhtar approaches things. Will they go for the throat and the three points? Will they play things safe, try to just hold onto first place in the group, and get the draw? Juventus' scenario is pretty clear, but so is Shakhtar's. They're top of the group and anything other than a loss keeps them there, so if they come out and play for the tie, I'll be surprised. Shakhtar has the talent to score goals. They've proven it. And there's no reason to think they won't do anything other than play their game tomorrow night. Well, unless Juventus cause them not to, of course... My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco