Socrates

Asamoah un pó timido stasera.

Giovinco impreciso.

Vai formica

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) HT: Oscar performance stuns Juve Sep 19, 2012 Juventus have had more of the possession in the first half, but are trailing 2-1 at Chelsea after two Oscar snapshots. The Bianconeri returned to the Champions League for the first time since 2009-10 and did it against the trophy holders. Gianluigi Buffon made his 400th appearance for the club and there were no surprises in the starting XI. Roberto Di Matteo had John Terry back after a two-match ban and opted for Oscar’s first start in attack rather than Juan Mata. As in Serie A, Antonio Conte was in the stands so Massimo Carrera manned the touchline. Juve had lost their last five consecutive Champions League trips to England against Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Arsenal (twice). The last time the Bianconeri conquered English soil in this competition was 1-0 at Manchester United in the group stage on November 11, 1996. After three minutes David Luiz bundled a corner into Buffon’s arms, but in numerous early set plays Giorgio Chiellini and Terry got up close and personal. Arturo Vidal’s shot was charged out for a corner, but on the counter Andrea Barzagli intercepted a dangerous Eden Hazard pass to Fernando Torres. Claudio Marchisio trapped a long ball forward to spring the offside trap and was one-on-one, but Petr Cech came flying out to parry at his feet from nine yards. In the opening stages in London, Chelsea appeared to be focusing on the counter-attack. Ramires and Torres had efforts charged down from close range as part of the same chaotic move, as did Mirko Vucinic from Stephan Lichtsteiner’s pull-back. Vucinic should’ve done better when Vidal intercepted a Branislav Ivanovic pass in midfield, but the Montenegro international hit the side-netting from a very promising position. Vidal turned his ankle during that move and was off for treatment when Chelsea got a goal out of nowhere. Oscar aimed from distance and it took a big deflection off Leonardo Bonucci’s shin to loop over a helpless Buffon. It gave the home side the lead against the run of play. Juve were still stunned when Chelsea added a second from a similar position, but this time there was no deflection. The Brazilian spun round between two defenders to curl an unstoppable strike into the top corner that dipped mercilessly under the bar. Vidal tried to curl one too, but it was over the bar and he still seemed to be limping heavily from that ankle sprain. Despite being in very poor condition, Vidal still managed to get a goal back for Juve. His first touch on the edge of the box gave him enough space to smash a precise angled drive into the near bottom corner. The Chilean could barely celebrate as he was grimacing at the pain of his ankle. Cech smothered a slightly over-hit Vidal through ball at Giovinco’s feet, then Buffon had his palms stung by a Ramires snapshot from a tight angle. Ashley Cole charged down a Giovinco spin from the D. The first half ended with an Andrea Pirlo free kick that was curled just wide. Chelsea 2-1 Juventus (Half-Time) Scorers: Oscar 32, 34 ( C), Vidal 38 (J) Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole; Lampard, Mikel; Ramires, Hazard, Oscar; Torres Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco, Vucinic Ref: Proenca (POR)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Juventus Will Experience True Test Sep 19, 2012 Juventus caretaker Massimo Carrera has emphasized the importance of their opening Champions League fixture against reigning champions Chelsea set to take place today. Carrera who took over for Juve manager Antonio Conte following his 9 month ban, believes that this game will be a true test to Juventus’ ability and strength in Europe. Juventus dominated the Serie A last year winning the Scudetto and going undefeated in the process. The Bianconeri have not qualified for the Champions League since the ’09-’10 season, in which they did not get past the Group Stages. Carrera has personal experience in the Champions League as he won the highest honor in club football with Juventus back in the ’95/’96 season as a player. “I’m not nervous. It will be a normal game for me. We are back in Europe and are very proud to be facing the holders of the trophy. It represents an important test for us.” Carrera will look to fair better than his compatriot Massimo Allegri whose squad struggled against Anderlecht and walked out of their Champions League opener with a disappointing tie. Both Chelsea and Juventus are top of the table in their respective leagues and surely have a lot to prove in their first game of Group E.

Pirlo vogliamo un goal

Pirlo e Giovinco ... un primo tempo mediocre.

Si sentono i nostri sugli spalti.

Era sembrato fallo su Vucinic.

VIDAL

Cross moscio di Forrest Gump

Risultato bugiardo.

Si mette male. Oscar 2-0

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Marotta: 'Juve must try to win' Sep 19, 2012 Director Beppe Marotta is not afraid of Chelsea. “We are Juventus and it is our duty to go for the best result in every competition.” The Bianconeri return to the Champions League at Stamford Bridge this evening against the trophy holders. “This is Juventus and it is our duty to go for the best result in every competition,” director general Marotta told Sky Sport Italia before kick-off in London. “Tonight it is an important test for a group that is new at every level, in terms of players and directors. It is exciting and for many a novelty. “We have to grow in various aspects and at this stage the Champions League is a series of challenges to be overcome in the group.” Kwadwo Asamoah was snapped up from Udinese over the summer and is in the starting XI against Chelsea. “Asamoah is a player who attracted a lot of interest from different clubs, as did Arturo Vidal. The fact he’s playing tonight shows what a versatile player he is who fits our needs. “We were looking for a young athlete who would settle in quickly to the squad, without forgetting an adequate price.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Line-ups: Chelsea-Juventus Sep 19, 2012 Juventus keep the 3-5-2 at Stamford Bridge with Mirko Vucinic and Sebastian Giovinco against John Terry’s Chelsea, but Juan Mata is benched. The Bianconeri make their return to the Champions League after a two-year absence and begin with the trophy holders in London tonight. As expected, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Arturo Vidal, Kwadwo Asamoah and Vucinic return to the starting XI after the 3-1 win at Genoa on Sunday. Gigi Buffon marks his 400th appearance for the Old Lady. Coach Antonio Conte – who is in the stands due to a 10-month touchline ban for failing to alert authorities to a potential fix while at Siena – sticks with the 3-5-2 system. Chelsea are top of the Premier League despite being held by QPR at the weekend and are hoping the form of Eden Hazard can fire them up in Europe. Fernando Torres is in the starting line-up despite his angry reaction to a substitution at the weekend, backed by Oscar and Ramires, so Juan Mata is surprisingly sent to the bench. John Terry shook off a knee problem he picked up in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with QPR and is available again after a two-match European ban, while John Obi Mikel has recovered from back pain. These sides also faced off in the Round of 16 in 2009, as a spectacular 2-2 draw in Turin was followed by Chelsea’s 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. In a somewhat worrying statistic, Juventus have lost their last five consecutive Champions League trips to England against Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Arsenal (twice). The last time the Bianconeri conquered English soil in this competition was 1-0 at Manchester United in the group stage on November 11, 1996. Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole; Lampard, Mikel; Ramires, Hazard, Oscar; Torres Chelsea bench: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Bertrand, Juan Mata, Moses, Oriol Romeu Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco, Vucinic Juventus bench: Storari, Lucio, Giaccherini, Isla, Marrone, Matri, Quagliarella

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Oscar makes full debut as Chelsea begin Champions League defence against Juventus The 21-year-old comes in for Ryan Bertrand in Roberto Di Matteo's only change from the weekend draw with QPR, with Andrea Pirlo among the familiar faces in the Italian's line-up. Sep 19, 2012 Brazilian starlet Oscar makes his first start for Chelsea in their Champions League opener against Juventus. The Blues start their defence of their European crown at Stamford Bridge, where Roberto Di Matteo makes just one change from the side that drew 0-0 with QPR in the Premier League on Saturday, the 21-year-old replacing Ryan Bertrand. Fernando Torres keeps his place as the lone striker, while the impressive Eden Hazard continues in midfield alongside another Brazil international, Ramires. Elsewhere, the back-five remain the same, with John Terry and David Luiz keeping Gary Cahill on the bench, along with new signings Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses. As for Juventus, there is no place for Nicklas Bendtner in the side after he joined on loan from Arsenal in the summer. The Serie A outfit's coach, Massimo Carrera, instead plays Sebastian Giovinco up front, with an attacking three of Mirko Vucinic, Kwadwo Asamoah and Arturo Vidal in support. Andrea Pirlo, who Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry will know well from Euro 2012, will be looking to pull the strings from midfield in west London. Chelsea starting XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Oscar, Hazard; Torres Subs: Turnbull, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Bertrand, Romeu, Mata, Moses Juventus starting XI: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Marchiso, Pirlo; Vucinic, Asamoah, Vidal; Giovinco Subs: Storari, Lucio, Giaccherini, Isla, Marrone, Quagliarella, Matri

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Chelsea goalkeeper Cech wary of tough Juventus test The Czech Republic international insists the Blues will have to be at their very best to ensure they make a winning start to the defence of the trophy they won in May. Sep 19, 2012 Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says his side will need to be at their best if they are to making a winning start to the defence of their Champions League crown when they entertain Juventus on Wednesday evening. The meeting with the Italian champions will be the west Londoners’ first game in the competition since they defeated Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup for the first time in May. Juventus will line-up at Stamford Bridge without boss Antonio Conte, who is serving a ban for failing to report an approach for match-fixing at previous club Siena. Despite being without their manager, Juve have made a perfect start to the new Serie A season, and Cech is well aware that they will put up a good fight at Stamford Bridge. “We're playing Juventus, who have been missing from the Champions League for a few seasons, so they will definitely want to show they are back,” Cech told Chelsea’s official website. “Last time we played them we beat them in the knockout stages [in 2009], so this is a chance for them to get revenge for that defeat. “Anybody who plays against us will want to raise their game, we are the defending champions so its extra motivation for everybody.” Last season, under the stewardship of Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea only sealed their progression to the knock-out stages in the final group game, and Cech does not want a repeat of that this time around. “The sooner you can qualify from the group, the better it is,” the 30-year-old added. “But whether you qualify on the last day or the first day it's not important, the main thing is just to get through. “If we win every home game and lose every away game but win the Champions League, it doesn't really matter. “We want to improve, though, because in all of our away games last season we were in a good position but failed to kill the match off, so that's definitely an area we want to build on to make our life easier.” Chelsea were recently humbled by Atletico Madrid in the Super Cup, but Cech hopes to see his side's domestic form - which has seen them start unbeaten - transferred to Europe. “It's always better if you can keep a clean sheet in the Champions League as it relieves the pressure,” the Czech Republic international said. “It's been a positive start in that sense and we want to keep it going. Against Juventus it will be important as I don't see a game with many goals. “They've been doing well and they will want to keep progressing. They have quite a few younger players who came through a couple of years ago who are still there, they have a very good defence and of course [Gianluigi] Buffon in goal, so it's going to be a very difficult game.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Carrera relishing 'big test' against Chelsea The caretaker is eagerly anticipating Wednesday's trip to Stamford Bridge, as he believes his players have been presented with a great chance to announce their return to Europe. Sep 19, 2012 Massimo Carrera sees Wednesday's Champions League Group E opener with Chelsea as the perfect yardstick for Juventus to measure their progress. The Serie A champions have picked up from where they left off last season, with three wins from three games, and the interim boss wants his team to make full use of their opportunity against the competition holders. "We are really proud to have the opportunity to face the champions of this competition," Carrera said at a press conference. "Of course it's a big test for us and we have to work and improve. "But we are really happy that we can play these sort of games. We have spoken to the players and they know what they should and shouldn't do for tomorrow's game. "We are conscious of what we need to do; these sort of games can give you a better understanding of where you are as a team." Juventus last featured in the Champions League in 2009-10, when they failed to survive the group stage.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) The Old Lady is back: Juventus return to the Champions League with bad memories to bury The Bianconeri have had a rollercoaster 33 months since their last taste of the big time, and a successful European campaign would cap their rise back to the top. Sep 19, 2012 COMMENT By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer Many Juventus fans did not stick around to watch Anatoliy Tymoshchuk make it 4-1 - they’d already seen enough. Little did they know it at the time, but things would get worse. Their elimination from the Champions League in the group stages was just the beginning of the Bianconeri’s woes in 2009-10, and the following season would not be any better either. After a European campaign which saw them twice scrape unconvincingly past Maccabi Haifa and fail to beat either Bordeaux or Bayern Munich came a run of five defeats in six league games and elimination from the Coppa Italia. It was the end for Ciro Ferrara, but the misery had only just started, with the appointments of first Alberto Zaccheroni and then Luigi Del Neri doing nothing to steady the ship. Truth be told, that defeat to Bayern Munich in December 2009 was the start of the rot. Having just seen their side beat Inter to close in on Jose Mourinho’s league leaders and eventual treble winners, many Juventini were expecting great things to follow. Instead, there was 18 months of ignominy to come. "That defeat to Bayern was just the start of the rot. There was 18 months of ignominy to come" Consecutive seventh place finishes, an entire Europa League group campaign without a win, a thrashing at Fulham, humiliating home defeats to the likes of Parma, Bologna and Palermo … the tale of woe was longer and more painful than anything they could have imagined as they trudged out of the Olimpico on that cold winter evening after Mario Gomez had put the game beyond them. The aftermath of Calciopoli was a trying period for the club, but there was a feeling of victimisation driving everyone on. This time, all of the damage was self-inflicted and they needed all sorts of work from top to bottom. Tonight, Juventus step back into the Champions League having undergone a mesmerising transformation in the 33 months since their elimination by die Roten. Despite the troughs that have been experienced in between times, it is from the top of the tallest of peaks that they head for Stamford Bridge to take on European champions Chelsea. It is all thanks to their overhaul on and off the field over the last year and a half. Unbeaten in 42 league games, boasting a ground-breaking new stadium, playing football which is the envy of Italy with a squad brimming with confidence, this Juventus could hardly be any more different from the one which last graced the Champions League stage. Back then, there was a distinct lack of partnerships on the field. Now, the unity of the side is their outstanding quality. No more is there the feeling of dread as fans enter the ground, that was washed away when Juventus Stadium was opened and Antonio Conte’s brand of football was embraced. Along with their new home, there have been other great strides off the pitch. There is now a greater belief in the administration of the club too. JUVENTUS IN EUROPE SINCE THEIR LAST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE APPEARANCE 2009-10 - EUROPA LEAGUE Last 32 - Ajax (a) W 2-1 Last 32 - Ajax (H ) D 0-0 Last 16 - Fulham (H ) W 3-1 Last 16 - Fulham (a) L 1-4 2010-11 - EUROPA LEAGUE 3rd Qual - Shamrock Rovers (a) W 2-0 3rd Qual - Shamrock Rovers (H ) W 1-0 Play off - Sturm Graz (a) W 2-1 Play off - Sturm Graz (H ) W 1-0 Matchday 1 - Lech Poznan (H ) D 3-3 Matchday 2 - Manchester City (a) D 1-1 Matchday 3 - Red Bull Salzburg (a) D 1-1 Matchday 4 - Red Bull Salzburg (H ) D 0-0 Matchday 5 - Lech Poznan (a) D 1-1 Matchday 6 - Manchester City (H ) D 1-1 2011-12 - DID NOT QUALIFY After a difficult first term, director general Giuseppe Marotta and sporting director Fabio Paratici have brought in players who have been hugely effective in the club’s rise to the top in the Bel Paese. President Andrea Agnelli, once questioned for his inability to stand up for Juventus within the wider football community, now has the backing of the vast majority of the fan base thanks to his approach to the three-star debate and the Conte touchline ban episode. It really is a world away from the days of Jean-Claude Blanc, Roberto Bettega and Alessio Secco. But above all, when the Champions League anthem is played in west London at 20.40CET tonight, the camera will be panning across a line of black and white shirts being worn by Andrea Pirlo, Mirko Vucinic, Arturo Vidal and Stephan Lichtsteiner rather than Christian Poulsen, Amauri, Tiago Mendes and Zdenek Grygera. Three seasons on from the beginning of the landslide, Juve are back. And as they embark on the next step of their rise back to the top of the world game, a victory over the continental kings would bury for good the bad memory of Bayern and the 18 months of hell that followed.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Buffon wants 'competitive' Juventus to prove their worth in Champions League The veteran glovesman feels the Old Lady must now step up to the plate on the continental stage, as he looks forward to Wednesday's clash with reigning champions Chelsea. Sep 19, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon has stressed that the time has come for Juventus to prove they have what it takes to shine in the Champions League. The Serie A champions are by many seen as one of the dark horses to win the competition, and the goalkeeper wants his team to step up to the plate in their Group E curtain raiser against Chelsea. "Last season’s Scudetto win was epic and qualifying for Europe as Italian champions gives us both pride and belief in our ability," Buffon told reporters at a press conference. "I believe there are three or four teams that are above us, then there’s a group in which I’d include ourselves. It’s now down to us to show we’re competitive at Champions League level. "Our style of play is suited to European football. Chelsea’s players may have more appearances in the Champions League than ours, but we’re an emerging side." Wednesday's encounter at Stamford Bridge kicks off at 20:45CET.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Chelsea's European honeymoon is over four months on from Munich The Champions League holders begin the defence of their trophy at home to Juventus but much has changed at Stamford Bridge since their triumph over Bayern Munich in May. Sep 19, 2012 COMMENT By Dan Levene Four months to the day since the magical and miraculous in Munich, Chelsea return to Champions League action against Juventus on Wednesday night. It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of relief and elation experienced by Chelsea fans at winning last year's Champions League, unless you were actually there. And by that I mean there for at least some of the nine campaigns in which it did not end in glory. This was not a victory over 120 minutes plus penalties, but a victory over 13 years and countless near misses (some nearer than others). Four defeats at the semi-final stage and one in the final had led some to suggest that it might never happen for Chelsea. And when it did happen, in the unlikeliest of all circumstances, it had a strange effect on Chelsea supporters. In fact only now is that elation starting to die-down. As with the team itself, there was an older generation of supporter who kept on coming just on the basis of 'maybe one day'. Now that day has come, some have decided it cannot be topped. It is by no means an exodus, but I have spoken to those who have decided to put their passport back in the draw: seasoned European travellers who have, as modern playing parlance puts it, 'retired from international football'. The draw handed to Chelsea this season has added to that: Turin and Copenhagen (where Nordsjaelland will play their games) are places the Blues have been in recent years. And Shakhtar Donetsk is too far, too much bother, or too expensive a trip for a lot of people. When it comes to matters on the pitch, there is not massive optimism for Chelsea in Europe this season. One of the phrases I heard most often in Munich the day after that final was: “Well we've done it now – that's never going to happen again, is it?” The truly unbelievable nature of the victory itself (a caretaker manager, a terrible domestic season, and 'Unsere Stadt, Unser Stadion, Unser Pokal') contributed to that. Most people understand that, but for that utterly incredible night, things might have been very different: without the cash from this season's Champions League qualification, and new FFP hurdles being erected. So now there is a touch of black humour when it comes to this season's chances. Roberto Di Matteo is starting to find that the honeymoon is over when it comes to both results, and fan reaction to them. A sizeable minority of people are questioning his abilities. That has not yet led to any sort of revolt: all want him to succeed. But the crushing nature of the Super Cup defeat to Atletico Madrid will have caused more than a flesh wound to one or two of his nine lives. And then there is the oft-repeated stat known to every schoolboy: no team has ever retained the Champions League. Not many Chelsea fans are booking their taxi to Wembley for next May's final just yet. It is not all doom and gloom of course: it would be ridiculous to say that about a club which reached the highest point in its 107-year history just seven competitive matches back. The signings of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Victor Moses have got people quite excited - notably Hazard, who looks like a fantastic buy. But there are definite concerns about how successful a strategy it is to buy three attacking midfielders, when the squad does not seem to possess a dedicated holding midfielder, or a back-up striker or understudy goalkeeper. As with the acquisition of Fernando Torres and David Luiz on the final day of the January 2011 transfer window, there is a belief that Roman Abramovich is committed to buying the best for the future. However, as also shown by that cash splurge of 20 months back, there is a concern that those underneath Abramovich are not showing the world that they know what they are doing. Four months on from Munich, Chelsea are a very different club with different players, different aspirations, and different concerns. It would take a punter with very strong will to bet that he knows how Chelsea's involvement in the 2012-13 Champions League will play out.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Di Matteo urges Chelsea not to dwell on Champions League success The Italian claims last season's victory will live long in the memory but wants his players to focus solely on the task in hand against Juventus on Wednesday night. Sep 19, 2012 Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo believes his side must focus on their current campaign rather than dwelling on last season's astonishing Champions League win. The Italian is determined to repeat the feat this term but, when quizzed on what the European win meant to him, insisted it was not on his mind. He told reporters: "When you are at a big club like Chelsea, there is always pressure to win trophies and bring more success. "Everybody was pleased we finally brought the Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge but now we have to look forward now, that's in the past." Wednesday night's opposition, Juventus, represent a tough opening task for Di Matteo's side, the Serie A champions are currently on a unbeaten domestic run of 42 games. The 42-year-old admits the match will prove a stern test of his side's credentials, adding: "Playing Juventus is one of the most difficult fixtures we could have drawn in the Champions League. "They are a very strong team, everybody recognises that and they are on a long unbeaten run. They have a lot of quality, experienced and younger players." Di Matteo is determined to become the first manager to retain the Champions League title and dismissed claims that the Blues were lucky on their way to the European crown last season. He added: "You need to deserve everything you get. We worked very hard and prepared well for the different opponents we faced. It can't just be luck, of course you need a portion, but that's a minor part of it. "It's difficult because of the fierce competition. Every season there are new strong teams who qualify, such as Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, which makes it difficult, but we will try because it's not impossible."

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Ranieri neutral ahead of Chelsea-Juve Sep 19, 2012 Claudio Ranieri says he won’t be supporting Chelsea or Juventus when his two former clubs clash in the Champions League tonight. The tactician spent four years with the London side before his dismissal in 2004, while he was netted by the Old Lady in 2007. “I just hope that I see some good football,” Ranieri told RAI. “I’m looking forward to watching those two clubs on the international stage. “Chelsea have changed a lot and will need to find the right balance, but I think Roberto Di Matteo will be able to do that.” Ranieri spent two campaigns in Turin before he was sensationally sacked with just two games of the 2008-09 season remaining. “There was a misunderstanding and something didn’t fit,” he continued. “A Coach is very much like a lawyer. “You are given a case to fight and you aim to do your best, but if it doesn’t work out then you change your lawyer. That’s what happened.” Juventus will kick off in London without the legendary Alessandro Del Piero after he left for Sydney FC, but Ranieri believes that Sebastian Giovinco can shine. “He’s an excellent player and he could become a champion,” the current Monaco tactician insisted. “He has all of the qualities needed to blossom, even if you need time when at a great club. It’ll depend on him and his teammates.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (1st leg) - 19-9-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ CHELSEA - JUVENTUS Stamford bridge stadium - London Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal) Mikel hails 'legend' Pirlo Sep 18, 2012 John Obi Mikel is looking forward to facing “a legend like Andrea Pirlo” in tomorrow’s Chelsea-Juventus clash. “Pirlo is a great player and he has been in the game a long time,” said midfielder Mikel in a Press conference. “Every day I come in to training and I like learning, even from the younger players, and I am always open to new things. “Playing against a legend like Pirlo is going to be great but I also want to win so it is going to be a battle. “He wants to win and I want to win but I respect him as a player and hopefully I can learn from him tomorrow. “We have lots of good, senior players to deal with the pressure and we are all big players so we live with pressure every game. “It isn't going be easy because Juventus haven't lost for a long time but if we go out there and we are tactically sound then we have a very good chance of winning the game. “Everyone knew how important it was for us to win the Champions League, but we don't want to stop and hopefully tomorrow is going to be the start of us retaining the title. “We worked very hard for what we achieved last season and we have brought in new players that are going to help us in the game. Hopefully this season we can play good football and get to the final again. We are still hungry.”