Socrates

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3^ giornata - Andata) - 23-10-2012 (ore 20:45) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Arbitro: Deniz Aytekin (Germania) Spettatori: 22404 Champions League - Vucinic salva la Juve, ma l'1-1 potrebbe non bastare Vucinic con una zampata nei minuti finali salva la Juve dall'umiliante sconfitta, ma è un pareggio agrodolce. Entrambe le reti nella ripresa: la punizione di Beckmann gela la Juve, che agguanta il pareggio con una girata di Vucinic. A nulla vale l'assalto finale. Eurosport - Martedí, 23 ottobre 2012 Ennesimo pareggio per l’euroJuve: con quello di Copenaghen sono nove i segni “X” consecutivi. Siamo alle solite. Juve spietata, implacabile in campionato, titubante e spuntata in Europa. E ora i giochi in ottica qualificazione si complicano: non sono compromessi, sia chiaro, ma ora i bianconeri non potranno più lasciare punti per strada. Come le capita spesso nei palcoscenici europei la Vecchia Signora non sfodera l’italico killer instinct: e quando Giovinco & Co. inquadrano la porta ci pensa un Super Hansen a sbarrare la strada ai bianconeri. Menomale che l’estremo difensore danese si era dichiarato tifoso sfegatato della Juventus. Ci ha pensato l’imprescindibile Mirko Vucinic a evitare agli uomini di Conte la più umiliante delle sconfitte. POCA FREDDEZZA SOTTO PORTA - Lo si capisce fin dalle prime battute: la trasferta danese non è una passeggiata di salute per i bianconeri. Gli uomini di Hjulmand non sono fenomeni, ma possono contare su un copione di gioco ormai consolidato, con gli esterni Joshua John e Andreas Laudrup a vestire i panni delle mine vaganti. La prima frazione di gioco è equilibrata. Prive di timori reverenziali, le tigri selvagge di Farum se la giocano alla pari con i più quotati avversari. Probabilmente a fine gara impazzeranno le polemiche sull’assenza di un grande attaccante tra le fila della Juve; in realtà Matri e Giovinco hanno disputato una buona gara, mostrando un’intesa consolidata e creando più di un pericolo alla retroguardia danese. è mancato l’acuto decisivo. La Formica atomica ha avuto due occasioni colossali nel primo tempo: sulla prima è stato sciagurato nel centrare l’esterno della rete dopo aver scartato il portiere, mentre nella seconda è stato superbo Hansen nella deviazione d’istinto, dopo un dribbling da fuoriclasse dello Juventino. Sono mancati gli inserimenti dalla mediana, con Marchisio e Vidal più spompati del solito. Per contro i danesi hanno sfondato con Joshua John, esterno di belle speranze in prestito dal Twente, che alla mezzora sfugge ai radar bianconeri e prova a eludere Buffon con un timido pallonetto: il portierone della nazionale si è salvato con un’uscita kamikaze fuori dalla sua area. Colpisce il pallone con il petto o con le mani? I replay non chiariscono. Al limite risulterà essere anche la decisione di non accordare il penalty alla Juve sul bolide di Marchisio respinto con il braccio da Mtiliga. TUTTO NELLA RIPRESA - L’avvio di secondo tempo è promettente: improvvisamente la Juve sembra ritrovare l’agonismo abituale. è un fuoco fatuo. è Beckmann a mandare in visibilio il Parken di Copenaghen. La sua punizione pennellata sorprende Buffon e firma l’incredibile vantaggio dei danesi. Notte fonda per la Juve che fatica a riprendersi dopo la doccia fredda. Giovinco si conferma l’uomo più pericoloso e innesca una sfida all’Ok Corral con l’insuperabile Hansen; ci prova persino di testa il numero dodici della Juve, ma la sua girata da ariete consumato trova l’opposizione miracolosa di Hansen. Matri si spegne alla distanza, e Alessio giustamente decide che è arrivato il momento di estrarre il jolly Vucinic, seguito a stretto giro di posta dall’idolo locale Bendtner. La pressione della Juve cresce a dismisura: lo stoico Nordsjaelland cede alla distanza e soccombe sul cross millimetrico di Isla – fin lì disastroso-. La girata di prima intenzione di Vucinic sull’assist del cileno è un saggio di concretezza e classe: proprio quella che era mancata fino a quel momento. A nulla vale l’assalto finale: la palla d’oro ce l’avrebbe sulla testa Bendtner ma l’airone danese getta alle ortiche l’occasione della vita. Paolo Pegoraro - Eurosport FC Nordsjaelland 1-1 Juventus

Buffon: Chelsea clash will decide progress Oct 25, 2012 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon says the Champions League fixture between the Serie A champions and Chelsea "will be decisive" as to which of the pair progress to the knockout stage. The match, on November 20, is a home game for Juve and according to the goalkeeper,will see one side crash out of the competition. Speaking to fans via JuventusMember.com, Buffon said: "I have always said that we would fight out for top spot in the group with Shakhtar Donetsk. The match against Chelsea will be decisive, qualification for the knockout stages will be between us and them." "The Champions League is a tough competition but it feels great to hear the anthem before every game." Buffon also said he was relishing his role as leader of the side following the departure of Alessandro Del Piero during the summer, but insisted that he prefers that the team be recognised for its efforts rather than any individual. "Raising my first trophy as captain [the Supercoppa] in Beijing was nice but I really do not love to be the centre of attention in these situations. When we win, I feel such gratitude towards my companions as it is not right that the honour of raising a trophy is restricted to one. That's why in the photos of awards I am often behind and to the side!" Now 34, the Italy international also answered questions on Juve's 2006 relegation, saying: "With this shirt I have spent 12 years, almost half my life, but I hope that this adventure can continue for a long time. Few people can say they were there for a long time with a team so important. "I stayed with the team while we were in Serie B for the fans. Those were difficult years and it was also tough when we returned to Serie A."

Buffon: Chelsea game is crucial Oct 25, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon has admitted that Juventus' home game against Chelsea will be decisive if they are to qualify from Champions League Group E. The Turin giants host the reigning European champions on November 20, and the veteran shot-stopper has conceded that whoever wins that game will go through to the last 16 of the competition. “I have always said that we would fight out for top spot in the group with Shakhtar Donetsk,” he told juventusmember.com. “The match against Chelsea will be decisive, qualification for the knockout stages will be between us and them. “The Champions League is a tough competition, but it feels great to hear the anthem before every game.” He also commented on his career at the Bianconeri, as well as his best and worst games for the club. “I stayed with the team whilst we were in Serie B for the fans,” he said. “Those were difficult years, it was also tough when we returned to Serie A. “The game that is always in heart is when we beat Milan in 2005, 1-0. David Trezeguet scored the goal. “The worst game was the one against Lecce last year. I was terrible.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 'We must perform better to qualify' - Buffon urges Juventus to up their European game The Old Lady captain knows his team are not playing well enough to advance to the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition and wants more from his colleagues. Oct 25, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon insists Juventus must up their game to succeed in the Uefa Champions League this season. The Bianconeri have returned to the competition after not participating for a few years and, having landed the Serie A title in an unbeaten campaign last term, expect to have a major impact on the tournament. However, a draw on Tuesday night against FC Nordsjaelland has dented their hopes of progress. Shakhtar Donetsk have taken control of Group E to leave Buffon and his side fighting it out with reigning champions Chelsea to make the last 16 teams. "It's a difficult competition. I said to my companions, 'what we do in Italy and Europe is not enough'," the Italian World Cup winner told fans via a video conference. "To qualify for the second round we must play against Chelsea. I knew it would be tough after the draw in the group. Speaking briefly of his plans after football, the goalkeeper was non-committal: "I do not know what I'll do. I need projects, I always need challenges, I always need to win races. My life has always been like this since I was a kid." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Seeking Desperately Cure to European Draw-Itis… Oct 25, 2012 Complete domination in Serie A, eating humble pie in Europe. That is the tale of Juventus so far this season, with the Old Lady unable to do any better than a 1-1 draw against a resolute Nordsjælland side Tuesday evening (and only achieving this result in the last 10 minutes of the match). Conte’s playoff hopes in Group E keep on getting more complicated while the team’s European “draw-itis” continues, bringing Juve’s streak of consecutive draws in continental competitions to 9! The adage “it’s useless to be undefeated when your opponents have more points that you” rears its ugly head again… MATCH ANALYSIS (by Marco Pantanella) Nordsjælland, as mentioned in our match preview, may lack European experience but play an organized, determined, and offensive style of football focused on passing and ball possession. Galvanized by their home crowd, the Danes started the match with a lively pace and positive mentality, trying to exploit their wings and find breaches in the Bianconeri defense (through the left side in particular, dominated by Mtiliga and John). The first 15 minutes thus went by with very little to note, with Juventus (and particularly Vidal and wing-backs De Ceglie & Isla, who replaced absentees Asamoah and Lichtsteiner) leaving much to be desired. Around the 20th minute mark Pirlo finally took the reins of the game, offering a few of his trademarks pearls of passing, which neither Giovinco (lively but insufficiently incisive) nor Matri (always making his run a moment too soon) could properly exploit. Juventus started to gradually reduce their opponents’ zone of operation, but not before getting the biggest scare of the half after a long aerial drive towards Joshua John — slipping behind Bonucci and Lúcio — put the Dutch winger one-on-one with Buffon. Fortunately Gigi’s risky, but ultimately decisive rush prevented an early goal against Juve, with the Azzurri keeper chest-blocking the ball outside of his box under referee Ayketin’s attentive eye. On the opposite end, Giovinco obtained the best shooting chance he would have all evening. Exploiting a good Matri delivery, Super-Seba chested the ball down, and accelerated past an out-rushing Hansen, only to deliver the ball on the outside part of the mesh with the goal at his mercy (the angle was difficult). At the half-time break, Juventus had conceded the advantage of ball possession to Nordsjælland but spent slightly more time in their opponent’s offensive third, as exemplified by their 7 corner-kicks vs. 3. Disappointing for the visitors, but with still 45 minutes left to rectify the situation. After the break, Juventus resumed things where they left off: in Nordsjælland’s half. The Danish champions, aware of their opponents’ superior technique, patiently contained the Old Lady. Waiting. Lurking. Ready to pounce on the first Juve mistake. Which promptly arrived. In the 51st minute, an idiotic backpass from Paolo De Ceglie was followed by an equally inept foul by Giorgio Chiellini, who needlessly brought down Andreas Laudrup just outside his box. Andreas who by the way — up until then — had shown to have the Ladrup pedigree only in name, possessing neither the verve of Brian nor the inventiveness of daddy Michael. It was all Nordsjælland needed to make it count. With the best Pirlo impersonation one could have expected fom a Danish player this evening, Mikkel Beckmann delivered a perfect curling free kick towards the top-right corner. Buffon could only touch it. 1-0 Nordsjælland, with the entire Parken Stadium throbbing in jubilation (save for a very surprised and disappointed Juventus supporters section). What ensued was a long Juventus siege, in which Conte’s team collected no fewer than 18 corners and 30 shooting attempts (15 on target), but which exalted the spirit of sacrifice of Kasper Hjulmand’s troops, particularly center-backs Okore and Runje and an absolutely monumental Hansen in net (who, for all him being a Juventus fan, made his childhood team’s evening extremely difficult). Nearly every shot attempted by the Bianconeri was either saved by the Danish keeper, or found the opposition of an opposing defender entrenched into his box. With Vidal having an off day, Pirlo’s passes getting predictable, and Matri and Giovinco running around with very little effect, it was time for Juve to make some changes. Fans called for Pogba. They saw Giaccherini instead, but not before Vucinic and Bendtner and stepped in for Matri and Lúcio, turning the Bianconeri into a 3-4-3 offensive assault force. De Ceglie and Isla multiplied their efforts on the wing, especially the former (trying to atone for his mistake), yet deliverance (so-to-speak) would arrive from the latter. Finally getting an effective cross in, the Chilean served up a perfect ball for Mirko Vucinic‘s accurate instep finish past Hansen. 1-1. At last. Conte’s boys continued to push forward. A De Ceglie cross served Nicklas Bendtner with the opportunity to turn into his team’s saviour, but the forward’s header was wide of the mark. The Bianconeri’s last few desperate attempts were cleared by the Danish defense. Full time. 1-1. The football Gods had decided Juve had simply not done enough to merit a win tonight, and frankly, we are inclined to agree… LE PAGELLE (by Aaron Giambattista) Buffon 6 – A bit of a strange match from San Gigi. Saved the team’s ass on more than one occasion, but also left his line uncharacteristically poor. That was a very tough goal to save (Buffon called it impossible) but perhaps while no ordinary man could have made that save, Superman could’ve. Lúcio 5 – Simply a step too slow on a number of occasions. After a great match played against Chievo, he returned to the starting lineup but in very different fashion. Did not guarantee the flank at all. (76′) Bendtner s.v. Desperate for playing time, the big Dane was granted a spot on the bench perhaps largely due to his status as a “hero” back in Denmark. Came on, had a good chance and looked better than Matri, but didn’t light up the pitch. Bonucci 6.5 – The only guarantee in defense. Wasn’t particularly troubled by the Nordsjælland attack and occasionally cleaned up for Lucio and Chiello’s mess. Chiellini 5 – Full of physicality and grinta, but perhaps needed to play calmer. Didn’t contain his area of the pitch as usual. His unnecessary foul (put in a tough spot by Paolino) led to the goal. Isla 5.5 – From experience with Quagliarella (and long ago, ADP) Juventus fans are well aware it takes a while to recover from an ACL injury. Beyond the actual physical healing time, it takes a long time before players feel comfortable on the pitch and get into some degree of form. Isla isn’t yet- we have not seen the Udinese Isla at all, who was probably a better player than even Asamoah. His assist was the only note of the night, otherwise, his offensive output was worthless. Defensively secure, for the most part. Vidal 5 – It continues to be a month of difficulties for Re Arturo, who has struggled badly since the Chelsea match. Looks tired and irritable. Vidal right now is unable to control the midfield and prone to poor fouls. Needs a break, if not for physical reasons, then surely for mental ones. (83′) Giaccherini s.v. Sent on in the last few minutes to try and connect midfield and attack. Not much of note. Pirlo 6 – Andrea’s successful passing rate was a mediocre 77%, poorer than his midfield compatriots Marchisio and Vidal, though he did pass a bit more than the other two. Had a few illuminating passes but a bit of a subdued night for il Maestro. Marchisio 5.5 – Took a hard blow early on, and that seemed to affect him physically for much of the match. Lost a significant amount of balls in midfield and wasn’t able to penetrate the box well. De Ceglie 5.5 – Too much time out of the starting XI has seen Paolino’s performances slip back to his “old” self- great in attack, delivering different types of teasing crosses, but far from assured in defense. Was beaten off the ball and didn’t look comfortable in coverage. A disappointing performance. Matri 5 – It’s not a question of whether Matri is in an epic slump or not, but rather how/if we can get him out of it. Looks like a shadow of the player he was last fall, where he had a great eye for goal and contributed well in the build up play. Was unable to hold onto the ball and never looked like he knew how to score. Depressingly wasted another shot at a starting spot. (67′) Vucinic 6.5 – I’ve been plenty critical of Mirko in the past (and present) but he is scoring on a more consistent basis than last fall. It doesn’t matter whether they are pretty or ugly goals, the other strikers don’t look like scoring. Rescued Juventus. Giovinco 6.5 – Had the most amount of shots in the game, the most shots on target, the 2nd most key passes (after Pirlo), and a fair amount of lost balls and dispossessions, all statistics that show how involved Giovinco was. Did everything right, much as he did against Napoli, except scoring. I think the goals will come, he showed an eye for it while at Parma, Conte just needs to keep believing in the Atomic Ant. Conte/Alessio 5 – The team did not appear mentally prepared for this match, and the substitutions came far too late. A disappointing draw in Europe. Again. ANALYSIS WRAP-UP (by Aaron Giambattista) This draw is not the fault of any one players performance. Matri looked depressingly poor, Isla/PDC were shadows of Lichtsteiner/Asamoah on the flanks, Buffon didn’t look secure, Vidal played tired, and Pirlo wasn’t terribly inspired. Collectively, it was a team failure, and one we saw against Shakthar. Credit to Nordsjaelland for playing a fine match, but Juventus simply is not playing up to grade in Europe thus far. This is completely different from the team mentality in Serie A. And it’s hard to think of a concrete reason why. It wasn’t a completely terrible performance. Unlike today’s Arsenal match, where the London-based club struggled to get any kind of shots or shots on target, Juventus rained in 33 shots, 9 of them on target, and got one measly goal out of the whole affair. But not all shots are alike. Nordsjaelland defended well, but Juve’s tactical positioning failed to cut the team incisively. It may have been a situation where the 4-3-3 could’ve been more effective in drawing the defense wide and allowing for Marchisio and Vidal’s forward runs. Under Gigi Delneri, the club looked painfully casual in the Europa League. It was a second priority, and everyone knew it, it was a secondary European competition and no one cared about the results. The performances in the Champion’s League have likewise been disappointing, despite the higher level of prestige. Perhaps the coaching is partially to blame as well- by rotating in secondary players like De Ceglie, Lucio, Isla, and Matri, maybe the coaching staff had an overly relaxed view in taking on minnows Nordsjaelland. 3 draws in a row was certainly not what we hoped for in a return to the Champion’s League. These three ties, added onto Delneri’s stunning 6 draws in a row in the Europa League group stage, means Juventus have tied in 9 consecutive European ties. It was already a record at 8, a record not to be proud of, and we have extended it. And yet, the team still can qualify for the next round of the Champion’s League. A win at home against both Chelsea and Nordsjaelland, followed with a draw/win away at Shakthar means the Old Lady would taste knockout Champion’s League football for the first time since the Claudio Ranieri era. As we like to say here at JuventiKnows- it ain’t over till the Old Lady sings. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Chiellini: Juventus deserved more against Nordsjaelland The Italy international struggled to comprehend how the Turin giants failed to bag the full three points against the Danish champions after playing out a 1-1 draw. Oct 24, 2012 The Bianconeri had set their sights on the full three points against the Danish side, but had to thank Mirko Vucinic for not leaving Copenhagen empty handed as the Montenegro international levelled the scoring with only 10 minutes to spare. "We go home scratching our heads as to how we haven’t won this match," Chiellini was quoted as saying on the official Juventus website. "Over the course of 90 minutes we allowed them one free kick and one chance from a long ball. We had 15 shots and created 30 chances. "In certain league games, like against Genoa or Siena, we've gone home with three points despite conceding more chances. Tonight we deserved a lot more." Juventus sit third in their section with three points from as many games, behind Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 We are happy to be off the mark, admits Nordsjaelland's Hjulmand The Danish coach wasn't satisfied with his side's performance against the Serie A champions, but admits relief over getting a point on the board. Oct 24, 2012 FC Nordsjaelland boss Kasper Hjulmand admitted that he is relieved to have picked up a point in the Champions League group stage, after a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Juventus, but was keen to discuss what could have been. A free kick from Mikkel Beckmann opened the scoring for the competition's minnows, as Danish hopes came to fruition, but a Mirko Vucinic goal in the dying stages of the game extinguished any hopes of a heroic victory. Nordsjaelland remain bottom of Group E with a solitary point, but after grinding out a point against the Italian champions they have demonstrated that they are capable of competing with Europe's best. "We could have got more out of the match if we had of kept playing during their pressure," admitted Hjulmand, speaking to reporters. "After playing well in the first half, I don't think we threatened them enough in the second. However, considering their pressure - their equaliser was inevitable - we are happy to be off the mark now," he said. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

Juventus not interested in signing Drogba, says Marotta The powerful attacker has recently been linked with the Serie A champions, but the Italian giants have no plans to try and sign the 34-year-old. Oct 24, 2012 Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has insisted that his side have never thought about signing Didier Drogba, and have no intention to go after the Shanghai Shenhua star in the January transfer window either. The Cote d'Ivoire international, 34, is reportedly unhappy at his current club, and has recently been linked with a move to Italy, with the Old Lady keen to add some more firepower to their squad. However, the former Chelsea striker is not one of the candidates to strengthen the Serie A leaders' attack this winter. "We have never considered making a move for Drogba. That's just rumour and speculation," Marotta told Mediaset Premium. Juventus are also be said to be monitoring the situation's of Roma's Pablo Osvaldo and Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Rossi ‘blames’ Juventus midfield Oct 24, 2012 Italy legend Paolo Rossi believes that Juventus’ problems against Nordsjaelland originated from midfield. The Old Lady were expected to get their first Champions League win of the campaign in Denmark last night, but they could only salvage a 1-1 draw. “The Juventus midfield was subdued,” Rossi told Sky Sport Italia. “Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio put in opaque displays.” According to UEFA stats, Juventus only enjoyed 52 per cent possession during the encounter on Tuesday. Juve had 15 shots on target against the home side’s five. The Bianconeri also had 15 efforts off target versus the three of Nordsjaelland. The Italian champions now have home games against Nordsjaelland and Chelsea, before ending the group stage with an away trip to Shakhtar Donetsk. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Juventus can rely on history Oct 24, 2012 History shows that all is not lost after Italian giants Juventus drew yet again in the Champions League. The Old Lady complicated their passage towards the last 16 with a 1-1 at Nordsjaelland last night to add to the 2-2 with Chelsea and the 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk. However, the Bianconeri are not new to such a string of results in the European Cup. In 1998-99, they actually drew their first five games in a group containing Galatasaray, Rosenborg and Athletic Bilbao. They beat the Norwegian minnows in their last game to go through and they eventually reached the semi-finals before losing to Manchester United. Current boss Antonio Conte was part of that side. Meanwhile, Inter proved in 2009-10 that you can actually win the competition after drawing your first three games. Jose Mourinho’s troops were stopped by Barcelona, Rubin Kazan and Dynamo Kiev before going through with two wins, three draws and a loss. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Draw-ventus lack European aura Juventus have complicated their Champions League path with another draw. Luca Cetta writes after the 1-1 with Nordsjaelland. Oct 24, 2012 A night of Champions League shocks looked on the cards during the opening 45 minutes. Celtic led at Barcelona, Manchester United found themselves two goals down and Chelsea fell behind. In Denmark, minnows Nordsjaelland went blow for blow with Juventus as it remained scoreless. There was to be no fairytale for Celtic, while Braga let their lead slip to lose 3-2. Shakhtar have proven to be dangerous opponents – especially at home – so perhaps the shock value was not as high when they claimed a win over Roberto Di Matteo’s side. Meanwhile, Juve toiled for little reward after falling behind to Mikkel Beckmann’s fine 50th minute free-kick. That was until Mirko Vucinic rescued a draw. A relief? Yes. The desired result? No. The Danes gained their maiden Champions League point in a result not many saw coming. It means the Bianconeri have drawn for the third time in Europe this season and for the ninth consecutive game in European competitions. For a club of their stature that record is not good enough. Just as much as winning has become a habit domestically, not winning is prevalent on the continent. The aura of invincibility which powers the Juve machine in Serie A is not present. When they needed to get out of a tight spot against Napoli they found a way. Here it did not occur. The typical grinta was missing. While a different regime and scenario to when the Turin giants drew their way through the Europa League two seasons ago, this side has not yet altered the pattern. The same old problem with this Juventus reared its ugly head in. The lack of a clinical edge in attack was evident once again. A total of 33 shots, just nine on target and only one found its way past the impressive Jesper Hansen. The self-confessed Juve fan did his best to frustrate time and again with a series of saves. Gianluigi Buffon and Angelo Alessio claimed Juve deserved to win after creating ample opportunities, but the fact is they failed to capitalise. The Danish champions should be commended for their performance. They contributed to an entertaining first half, at times holding more possession than Juventus and nearly opened the scoring, only for a superb Buffon stop to deny Joshua John. However, Juve’s captain could do little to prevent the opening goal and for the third straight contest Juventus conceded the lead. Nordsjaelland were then pinned back in their half but defended stoutly, led by youngster Jores Okore. Could Alessio have looked to the bench sooner? In between Beckmann netting and Vucinic appearing Juve were pressing, but the game followed a predictable pattern. Once the fresh injection was made the Bianconeri looked livelier. Beside his goal the Montenegrin was readily involved, while fellow substitute Nicklas Bendtner was vigorous. On home soil and with something to prove a longer run in place of Alessando Matri may have done the trick. On a disappointing night, the Dane’s cameo and the showing of Sebastian Giovinco – who continued on from an impressive display on Saturday – were bright spots. Group E has reached the halfway point and Juve lie third. They will fail to gain six points against Nordsjaelland as expected, but now cannot do with less than four. Shakhtar’s win over the reigning champions throws the group wide open, with the Ukrainians currently leading by three points. Should they take something away from Stamford Bridge it will aid the Old Lady’s cause. But Antonio Conte’s men must be concerned with their results as Juve’s European destiny remains in their hands. Seven points from a possible nine is the minimum required. As recent at 2009-10 Inter drew their opening three matches before qualifying and going on to claim the trophy, so all is not lost. Yet what Juventus requires above all is that winning aura to follow them into the Champions League. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Juventus stalemate proves mentality in Europe needs to change Oct 24, 2012 If you were to take someone who knew little about football and sit them down in front of the Juventus-Napoli fixture at the weekend and Wednesday’s fixture against FC Nordsjaelland, aside from the kit and some of the players, they’d probably think they were watching two different teams. In a sense, they’d be right. There were five changes between the Juventus line up that dominated Napoli at the weekend and the 11 men that lined up in Denmark on Wednesday – but unlike the drive that saw the Bianconeri stretch the Partonopei for 90 minutes in Turin, there was no fight, no fire, no confidence. It’s surreal to see a side that has almost no rivals domestically genuinely struggle to put a side away who – and no offence meant to FC Nordsjaelland, are not as talented as Napoli, Milan or arguably even Fiorentina - sides that Juventus have performed much better against thus far this season. So what is it? It is widely reported that while Juventus have one of the best midfield’s in Europe, all three of the “MVP” trio making an appearance on Wednesday – but looked out of sorts, without any of the cohesion that has saw them continue to make confident strides towards a consecutive Scudetto. The lack of a truly world class striker that Juventus director Beppe Marotta has been chasing for two years is so storied it is almost bordering on Italian journalistic cliche’ – but that isn’t the problem either. Juventus don’t dominate possession like they do in Italy. Pirlo doesn’t dominate as he has done for club and country in the last 18 months, whilst the multi faceted, “reference-less” system that has seen Juve register more goalscorers than anyone else in Serie A has not quite illuminated Europe with the ease that was expected. With the current approach and form that Conte’s side are showing in the Champions League, it seems only a matter of time before Juventus register their first loss in all competitions since their loss in the Coppa Italia final to Napoli late last season. Quite simply: Juventus need to up their game. Resultssometimes come for Juventus in Serie A because sides allowing themselves to be dominated by the Bianconeri rather than try and play ball with the undefeated side. Sometimes, the aura of Juve is enough and teams are beaten before a ball is kicked. Juventus fans will of course argue that you still have to win, and while this is true – there is no doubt that sides fear Juve, and that will naturally inhibit performance, whether the sides admit or not. In the Champions league, situations don’t present themselves like that quite so easily. Inside Italy, Juve still maintain the indomitable reputation that saw them continually atop of the peninsula’s highest division. In Europe, they are a big scalp, but by no means possess the same fear factor they used to have; the same one Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester United have in today’s game. Juventus fans won’t want to hear it, but the Old Lady will have to work a little harder to climb the “sides teams are most scared of” mountain. The mentality needs to change. Isla is a hardworking, efficient player, but doesn’t possess the same capabilities offensively or defensively as Lichtsteiner, and Paolo De Ceglie certainly isn’t Asamoah. Sebastian Giovinco doesn’t have the same penetrative effect on teams in Europe whilst Mirko Vucinic is the only proven scorer at continental level in Juventus’s entire squad, and isn’t the most consistent forward himself. Juventus at full strength possess a starting XI that contains numerous players that most Arab funded super-clubs would love to whisk away from Turin, and will in all likelihood look to do so in summer. Their entire squad is perfectly competitvely domestically, and has proved so in the last month with a series of excellent performances without a few select star names. However in Europe, it is quite clear that some don’t possess the quality to break sides down. Juventus squads of old were legendary for their ruthlessness, and it rang true for the club as well. If you didn’t make the grade on the highest level, you didn’t play for Juventus at the highest level. By no means are “La Vecchia Signora” down and out on the continent – to be still unbeaten is noteworthy, and a knockout place is by no means unachievable(a feat made much more attainable after Chelsea’s defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk). But results are slowly turning from optimistic to disappointing, and all of a sudden it will seem that Juve just aren’t good enough. It’s time to separate the men from the boys in Turin, before the Old Lady gets schooled on things she used to already know. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Analysing What Went Wrong for the Bianconeri Oct 23, 2012 Juventus travelled to Denmark to take on FC Nordsjælland tonight with one simple goal: win the game. Mission failed. After a disappointing 1-1 draw, the Bianconeri find themselves in third place in Group E and in dire need of a win if they are to secure one of the top two spots that qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. Let's have a look at what exactly went wrong for the Bianconeri, and what could explain this disappointing result. Coaching Decisions Giving some playing time to everyone is a great idea, but it is not when you face a must-win situation in Europe's premier club competition. Mauricio Isla is not a bad player, but he did not have enough minutes under his belt for a game of this magnitude. Juventus hardly threatened Nordsjælland over the right wing, deciding to focus their attention on the left wing and Paolo De Ceglie, who is a serviceable player but nothing more. De Ceglie had the multitude of his crosses blocked and failed to do anything to warrant more playing time. He was active and involved, but after the display Martin Cáceres put up against Napoli, I was very surprised not to see him start. Lucio remains a liability everytime he touches the field. He was out of position, couldn't contribute to the buildup and nearly caused a second Danish goal when he decided to sit down instead of challenging a Danish striker in mid air. If Conte is serious about Luca Marrone as a centre back, he should have started this game. As for Alessandro Matri, he never found his groove. Sebastian Giovinco did everything he could in this game and deserved a goal for his many efforts, but Matri paled in comparison. It was no coincidence Mirko Vucinic scored the equaliser after replacing Matri. Even Nicklas Bendtner, who has been a complete afterthought for the Bianconeri so far this season, was more dangerous in limited time than Alessandro Matri. One of the few bright notes to take from this game was the impact the Danish international had on it. As the striker on loan gets into shape, he could become the best option Juventus have next to Vucinic/Giovinco. Lack of Pace FC Nordsjælland are not a good team. This became very clear during the first 20 minutes when Juventus pressed forward and created multiple chances. The Danish were too slow, couldn't compete with the Bianconeri on a technical level and were lucky not to concede. Yet for some reason, Juventus decided to give the Danish space and allowed them to get a rhythm going and fight their way back into the game. Where Juve had pressured the backs of Nordsjælland, they were suddenly given space to bring the ball forward. The pressure returned, on occasion, but Juventus seemed to lack a sense of urgency. There was very little depth in the Bianconeri play, and the pace of the game was far too low. More often than not, the wings were completely ignored, and the ball was played around the centre of the pitch for far too long. Before the opening goal, Juventus had been by far the better team. Yet they only held the ball for roughly 50 percent of the game. When you play an inferior team, you go in for the kill. Straight away. The Danish were about to break, yet they were allowed to survive. Sloppy Play The passing game was sloppy. There is very little to say about this. Juventus lost possession of the ball far too often because of bad passes. Too many back heels. Too much fancy footwork. Keep the game simple and let the ball do the work. Bad Luck Let's face it, Juventus had some bad luck too. Sebastian Giovinco's header, Arturo Vidal's effort that rolled past the wrong side of the post... You could argue the free kick awarded to the Danish—producing the only dangerous moment for the Bianconeri—was very harsh and should not have been given. Gianluigi Buffon got a touch on the ball but just couldn't deflect it enough. If Juventus had been just a bit more lucky, this would have been an easy win. What's Next? This result is not a disaster. We'll have to assume both Chelsea and Shahktar Donetsk will beat this Danish side for a second time. This means one thing: Juventus must beat FC Nordsjælland at home and will probably have to win out against both Chelsea and Shahktar. Shahktar looked very good in their 2-1 win over Chelsea, and I'm backing them to win this group. If they can steal a point in London, it will be up to Juventus to take care of Chelsea themselves and return from Ukraine with at least a point. But Juventus can't count on other teams anymore. The pressure now lies with the Italian champions to secure the results themselves. And that means winning every game from now on. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Vucinic rescues point for Bianconeri Oct 23, 2012 Juventus drew 1-1 with Nordsjaelland at the Parken Stadium on matchday three of the Champions League on Tuesday. Mikkel Beckmann gave the Danes the lead early in the second half, but Mirko Vucinic levelled the score and earned a point for the Bianconeri late in the game. The Old Lady took the early impetuous with Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo seeing shots from distance fly wide, before Sebastian Giovinco saw a great opportunity fly over the bar from 10 years out. It took a while for the Danes to get into the game, but Kasper Lorentzen did get a shot in to test Gianluigi Buffon. Then Joshua John tried an audacious chip on the Juve goalkeeper, who looked to have handled the ball outside the area, but the referee decided the ball only his his chest and no further action was taken. Giovinco should have found the net moments later, when he rounded the goalkeeper but took the ball too wide and could only shoot into the side netting. Towards the end of the first period, Alessandro Matri saw a head go wide, Giovinco had a shot blocked as did Claudio Marchisio. Juve suffered a blow early in the second half when Nordsjaelland took the lead through Beckmann, whose freekick from the edge of the penalty area sailed past a helpless Buffon. The away side though looked to immediately get back in level terms and peppered the Nordsjaelland with shots but goalkeeper Hansen stood firm. Pirlo went close from a freekick as Juve dominated possession and pinned their opponents back but found the Danish side difficult to break down. As the half wore on Nordsjaelland struggled to have any meaningful possession and had Hansen to thank after his excellent save denied Vidal. But Vucinic brought the score level on 80 minutes after steering home a Mauricio Isla cross. Both sides then went looking for a winner but none was forthcoming and the match ended in a draw. Elsewhere in Group F, Chelsea succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk, meaning the Ukrainians top the standings on seven points, three points clear of the reigning European champions, with Juve sitting third a further point behind. Nordsjaelland: J Hansen; Parkhurst, Okore, Runje, Mtiliga; Adu, Stokholm; Laudrup (Christensen 70), Lorentzen (Christiansen 88), John; Beckmann (Nordstrand 67) Juventus: Buffon; Lucio (Bendtner 76), Bonucci, Chiellini; Isla, Vidal (Giaccherini 82), Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Matri (Vucinic 70), Giovinco http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group

CHAMPIONSLEAGUE.CA UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (3rd leg) - 23-10-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ NORDSJAELLAND 1 - 1 JUVENTUS Mikkel Beckmann (50′) Mirko Vučinić (81′) Parken Stadium - Copenhagen Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) Attendance: 22404 Nordsjaelland 1-1 Juventus Oct 23, 2012 Nordsjaelland accomplished the impossible, getting a 1-1 draw along with their first goal against Italian champions Juventus on Tuesday night. A stunning free kick from Mikkel Beckmann in the 50th minute gave the hosts the lead, but Mirko Vucinic tied it up in the 81st minute to salvage a point for Juve. The first half started out strongly for the home side, as Nordsjaelland looked very tidy in possession and spread the ball well. They even forced Gianluigi Buffon to make a couple of good saves to keep it level. As the minutes ticked by, Juventus grew into the game. Sebastian Giovinco looked very dangerous, despite missing two very good chances, but he was dictating the play on counter attacks and passed the ball nicely. Sadly, Alessandro Matri looked dull and slow compared to his counterpart up front. It’s apparent that these two don’t have the chemistry that Gio does with Mirko Vucinic. Give credit to Nordsjaelland, though. Jeff Parkhurst was giving the Bianconeri headaches down the right flank and Jores Okore was solid in center defense. The 20 year old Danish international surely has a bright future ahead of him if he can keep up these performances. Despite having more of the ball, Nordsjaelland conceded eleven shots to Juventus compared to their five (four of which hit the net), but only three of them were on target. Set pieces were a worry as the Juve players were able to win the ball in the air, but no one was able to get a clean attempt at goal. This with the midfield, especially Andrea Pirlo and the wingbacks, having plenty of time to pick out passes, but everyone was marked tightly. The second forty-five was when things got tasty. Just five minutes in, Giorgio Chiellini received the ball and lazily shoved off a Nordsjaelland defender, conceding a free kick 21 meters away from Buffon’s net. Mikkel Beckmann executed it perfectly, placing the ball in the right post, giving Buffon no chance to stop it. For thirty minutes, Nordsjaelland were in dreamland, until an exquisite Mauricio Isla cross connected with the foot of Mirko Vucinic to make it 1-1. Juventus fans could breathe a bit, but the result will sting in a performance that was simply not good enough. In what is now the third Champions League game in a row they’ve conceded the first goal and the ninth straight they’ve drawn, Juventus are beginning to look like an unlucky team in European play. Lots will criticize their lack of finishing and the decision of Antonio Conte’s selection of Alessandro Matri up front with Sebastian Giovinco, which is justified by the amount of missed chances. Juventus finished the game with 52% of the possession and had a whopping 30 attempts, 15 of which were on target. Of those 15, four were clear cut chances. Nordsjaelland only mustered eight with five hitting the goal. Alessandro Matri contributed to a few of Juve’s shots, but he was wasteful and looked very slow, a man who looks like his confidence has run out. Giovinco was lively and right away the chemistry between him and Vucinic was obvious. When Alessio changed to a 4-3-1-2 with Nicklas Bendtner coming in for Lucio and Giovinco dropping into a trequartista role, the team continued to pressure the Nordsjaelland goal. If they were given even five more minutes, they could’ve won that game. Nonetheless, it’s disappointing not being able to walk out of Copenhagen with three points. Take nothing away from Nordsjaelland, they had a well prepared and executed game plan. Okore continued his fine play from the first half, contributing to a few blocks by the Danes. Whenever the defense wasn’t there, childhood Juventus fan and Buffon admirer Jesper Hansen made several saves to keep the 1-0 lead safe. Another talking point will be the amount of corners conceded by the Danish champions. Juve were given eighteen of them, but couldn’t capitalize on any of them. The first few weren’t well defended, but the more the Bianconeri got, Nordsjaelland became better at clearing them. All in all, a very tactical battle in the Danish capital. It was a fair result given what happened, but with Chelsea losing 2-1 to Shakhtar in Donetsk, they’ll feel upset still being out of the top two in Group E upon returning to Turin. With a home date against Nordsjaelland next matchday, they’ll need to be a whole lot better. With Shakhtar at seven points, Chelsea with four and Juve at three, they’ll have to win in order to stay alive. If Shakhtar can give Chelsea another challenge, Juventus could be second with two games remaining, but they’ll have to play a lot better than tonight if they want to make that a reality. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group