Socrates

Marotta confident Conte ban will be overturned Sep 12, 2012 Juventus sporting director Giuseppe Marotta is confident that the Italian Olympic Committee’s national sports arbitration tribunal will overturn manager Antonio Conte’s 10-month ban. “We are super confident,” Marotta said after attending a ceremony at Juventus College.

Trapattoni's Scudetto tips Sep 12, 2012 Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has tipped Juventus, Milan, Inter and Roma for the Scudetto battle. Il Trap spoke after Ireland’s 4-1 win over Oman and gave his views on the current Serie A title race. “My Serie A starting grid is the usual teams,” he told calcio-inglese.it. “Juventus have to defend their title, plus Milan, Inter and also Roma. I am convinced Zdenek Zeman’s side can do very well this season.”

Juve still pondering transfers Sep 12, 2012 The transfer window may have closed but Juventus are still working to strengthen the squad, says director general Beppe Marotta. “We are continuing to monitor interesting players and we’ll decide whether to make any moves in January,” stated the official. Marotta and Co spent the whole summer looking for a new striker, but failed in bids to net Robin Van Persie, Stevan Jovetic or Fernando Llorente. While the Dutchman has now been lost to Manchester United, the Fiorentina and Athletic Bilbao men are still on their radar. “We have looked for players with a certain profile and Jovetic fits that, but he is a Fiorentina player and the Viola will decide his future. Llorente? We are continuing to work.” Juve eventually opted to take Niklas Bendtner on loan from Arsenal, a player who has a number of question marks against his quality. “The first judgements from Conte on Bendtner are very positive,” Marotta added. “He’s a youngster who wants to do well.” The Turin giants also rubbished reports that they are interested in Lazio stopper Modibo Diakite after he rejected a new deal in Rome. “There are usually a lot of bombastic headlines about us and we get linked with moves that I can categorically deny. “For example, we have not talked to Diakite. He is a Lazio player and won’t be coming to Juventus.” Marotta also spoke about boss Antonio Conte’s appeal to the TNAS tribunal, set for September 21, in his effort to get his 10-month touchline ban scrapped or reduced. “We are super optimistic about the TNAS hearing,” he noted.

Buffon up for Champions League Sep 12, 2012 Gigi Buffon has admitted that he’s excited by the prospect of once again playing in the Champions League. The Old Lady have returned to the competition for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign when they failed to get out of a group containing Bordeaux, Bayern Munich and Maccabi Haifa. “I’ll be happy to hear the Champions League theme tune again,” he stated. “I’ve had to listen to it from my sofa over these years and I didn’t think that was right.” The Scudetto holders will start their European Cup adventure with a trip to holders Chelsea on September 19. They will also face Shakhtar Donetsk and Nordsjaelland in Group E. Buffon, who lost the 2002-03 Champions League Final to Milan, also spoke about his future in Turin. “That’s the last of my problems,” the man whose deal expires in June 2013 stated. “I’ve already said that I’m in no rush.” Both Buffon and Juventus have admitted a desire to prolong their relationship.

Prandelli on the Pirlo problem Sep 12, 2012 Italy boss Cesare Prandelli has underlined that his side can’t just rely on the playmaking skills of Andrea Pirlo. The Juventus man dictates the tempo for club and country, but he wasn’t given much room to operate in the two World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Malta. “Malta pressed Pirlo,” the tactician stated after the 2-0 win in Modena. “They defended with nine men and stuck one man on Pirlo for the entire game. “We have to thus do what we did at the European Championship. If Pirlo is not free then we need to use other players such as Thiago Motta or Riccardo Montolivo.” Italy started the game with an attacking midfielder behind two strikers which should have given them more of a chance to create, but Alessandro Diamanti failed to shine. “We played better in the second half with two wide attackers, whereas we struggled in the first with the Trequartista. “Also, by playing with an attacking midfielder that means that the two forwards – Mattia Destro and Pablo Osvaldo – become reference points for the opposition. “We’ll have to analyse these situations so that we don’t make the same mistakes against teams who just sit back and defend.”

Juventus still looking at Llorente, reveals Marotta The Old Lady's sporting director claims the Italian side are still working hard to identify potential targets ahead of the January transfer window. Sep 12, 2012 Giuseppe Marotta has insisted that Juventus are looking to bring in suitable players when the transfer window re-opens in the new year, including Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente. The 57-year-old spent the summer trying to land the signature of a top-class centre-forward but were thwarted in their attempts to sign Robin van Persie, Stevan Jovetic and the Spain international. The Italian champions did manage to sign Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner on loan from Arsenal but Marotta is still hoping to further bolster their attack. "We are continuing to monitor interesting players and we will decide whether to make any moves in January," he told reporters. "We have looked for players with a certain profile and Jovetic fits that, but he is a Fiorentina player and the Viola will decide his future. Llorente? We are continuing to work. "The first judgements from Conte on Bendtner are very positive. He is a youngster who wants to do well." However, Marotta dismissed reports that the Turin side were interested in signing Lazio centre-back Modibo Diakite, after the Senegalese star refused to sign a new contract at Stadio Olimpico. "There are usually a lot of bombastic headlines about us and we get linked with moves that I can categorically deny. "For example, we have not talked to Diakite. He is a Lazio player and will not be coming to Juventus.” Juve coach Antonio Conte is currently serving a 10-month ban for failing to report match-fixing activities, but Marotta is optimistic that the former Siena boss' upcoming appeal will be successful. “We are very optimistic about the TNAS hearing," he revealed."

Serie A Week 3 - 16-9-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Luigi Ferraris Stadium - Genoa Referee: Gianluca Rocchi Juve's Borriello & Immobile warning Sep 11, 2012 Genoa forwards Marco Borriello and Ciro Immobile could come back to haunt former club Juventus on Sunday. Borriello spent the last six months of 2011-12 in Turin, but the outfit opted against signing him outright from Roma. Immobile, meanwhile, is a player part-owned by the Old Lady who was the top scorer in Serie B last term while at Pescara. “Borriello and Immobile will have a great desire to prove themselves and cause Juventus some regret,” former Bianconero boss Gigi Maifredi told Tutto Juve. “Immobile is the best signing on the Italian transfer market this summer, while Borriello has returned to his happy place.” Juve won the championship last term and the former Bologna and Brescia tactician understands why they are favourites to net the Scudetto again. “Juventus are undoubtedly the strongest when looking at their squad and the way they play,” he continued. “Napoli, Inter and Roma are quite far away from them…” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

Conte tribunal date set Sep 11, 2012 Antonio Conte’s appeal against a 10-month ban will be heard in front of the TNAS tribunal on September 21. The Juventus Coach was suspended due to his time at Siena in 2010-11, when he is accused of failing to report authorities to a potential fix. He has always strongly denied these allegations and lost his first appeal to the Disciplinary Commission, even though one of the two charges was dropped. It has now been announced that the TNAS tribunal will begin the hearing into Conte’s case on September 21 at midday local time. It will be presided by Professor Massimo Zaccheo, Professor Guido Calvi and lawyer Enrico De Giovanni.

Marchisio wants Euro style Italy Sep 11, 2012 Claudio Marchisio expects Italy to put in a performance against Malta in tonight’s World Cup qualifier. The Azzurri started their Brazil 2014 campaign with a 2-2 draw in Bulgaria on Friday, but the display has been heavily criticised. La Nazionale will revert back to a 4-3-1-2 system in Modena and the Juventus man is pumped up to silence their critics. “The point in Bulgaria will be worth something,” he stated. “But, against Malta, we will have to re-find that conviction and style of play which took us from a disastrous World Cup in 2010 to the Final of Euro 2012.”

Juventus To Look To Youth Sep 10, 2012 Antonio Conte is confident that the young players at Juventus Stadium could make a big impact for his side this season. He singled out Luca Marrone and Paul Pogba as particular players who could prove important for the Biaonceri. “I am hoping our youngsters Marrone and Pogba turn out to be top players and revelations for us this season,” the Juventus boss said. Marrone previously worked under Conte at Siena and is a player that he likes while Pogba arrived in Turin this summer from Manchester United. Pogba has yet to feature for the club this season while Marrone has played twice for the Old Lady in defence.

Juventus To Look To Youth Sep 10, 2012 Antonio Conte is confident that the young players at Juventus Stadium could make a big impact for his side this season. He singled out Luca Marrone and Paul Pogba as particular players who could prove important for the Biaonceri. “I am hoping our youngsters Marrone and Pogba turn out to be top players and revelations for us this season,” the Juventus boss said. Marrone previously worked under Conte at Siena and is a player that he likes while Pogba arrived in Turin this summer from Manchester United. Pogba has yet to feature for the club this season while Marrone has played twice for the Old Lady in defence.

Lippi: Only Barcelona And Real Madrid Are Better Than Juventus Sep 10, 2012 Former Juventus boss Marcello Lippi has insisted that only Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are better than his old club. The man who also led the Azzurri to the 2006 World Cup is now managing in China and is optimistic about the Bianconeri’s season ahead. “I think that after Barcelona and Real Madrid who are the best teams, there are Juventus of course as well as clubs like Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester City,” said Lippi. When speaking about the rest of the sides in Serie A, he believes the league is in good shape with some fine teams at the top. “Although the two Milanese clubs are reconstructing their sides, Napoli represent the greatest threat to Juventus as well as Roma who have great players in their ranks and also at Fiorentina there is nothing missing from that side.” Lippi also spoke candidly about how he has been likened to Antonio Conte and the future of the Italian game following big summer departures from the peninsula. “If people say Conte is like me then I am flattered because he is a very skilled coach,” he said. “Also, for me it is a good thing not bad that some stars are leaving Serie A because we can finally give space to young players and if you look around there are many examples. “This is the right way to advance our football.”

Pirlo: Juventus built to succeed Sep 10, 2012 Andrea Pirlo is confident that Juventus will be able to fight for all trophies this season thanks to the club’s summer recruitment policy. Although the outfit failed to sign the top player in attack they were hoping for, the midfielder is content with the new faces which did touch down in Turin. “We had a great season in 2011-12,” the former Milan playmaker stated to Sky Sport Italia after the outfit’s remarkable unbeaten Scudetto campaign. “The club have carried out an excellent transfer campaign in order for us to face all of the competitions in the best shape possible. “We’re starting the season with the aim of doing well in all.” The club’s most notable summer signings were Kwadwo Asamoah [udinese], Mauricio Isla [udinese], Sebastian Giovinco [Parma], Lucio [inter], Niklas Bendtner [Arsenal] and Paul Pogba [Manchester United].

Lichtsteiner considered Juve exit Sep 10, 2012 Stephan Lichtsteiner did consider his future at Juventus before crunch talks with Antonio Conte, his agent has revealed. The Swiss international was being linked with a switch to Paris Saint-Germain, but he opted to eventually remain at the club who signed him just a year ago. “He did think about going,” Marco Lichtsteiner told Calcio News 24. “But we did not think it would be wise to move to another Italian club, it would have only been for a foreign one. “Coach Conte and Stephan had a conversation during pre-season and, from that moment onwards, my brother decided that he wanted to continue wearing the black and white shirt. “Juve are a fantastic club with an impressive history. Stephan is happy and thankful to be a part of this club. “We are sure that Juventus will have a great future.” The 28-year-old, who can play as a right-back and a wing-back, cost the Old Lady €10.5m from Lazio.

Bulgaria point heavy, says Buffon Sep 10, 2012 Italy captain Gigi Buffon has looked to silence the side’s critics following the 2-2 draw in Bulgaria on Friday. The Azzurri opened their World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign with a point, but the performance was not one of the best. “It’s right to accept criticism when the evidence is in the eyes of everybody,” the Juventus shot-stopper stated. “However, I think that at the end of the 10 qualifying games for Brazil 2014, that point in Bulgaria will be worth a lot. “Now we just have to concentrate on Malta to get over the last game and win it by playing a good brand of football.” Italy boss Cesare Prandelli is set to revert to a 4-3-1-2 system after starting Friday’s encounter with a Juventus-style 3-5-2.

Zeman’s Roma catch Mancini’s eye Sep 10, 2012 Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini thinks that Roma could win a three-horse race for the Scudetto this season. Although Mancio believes that reigning champions Juventus are favourites to lift the title, he’s impressed by the potential of Roma. “I think the Scudetto will be between three sides in Juventus, Roma and Napoli,” the former Inter tactician told Il Messaggero. “Perhaps Juventus have that something extra because they can rely on a winning team that has been reinforced. “However, Roma and Napoli are very close to the Bianconeri and I can see a beautiful battle.” Mancini added that he watched Roma’s 3-1 win at Inter in Week 2 and was impressed by Zdenek Zeman’s side. “If Zeman can get the team to play the way they did at Inter then Juventus will have to take note,” added the Sampdoria legend. “Roma also will not have to cope with the physical struggles and stresses of European competition which take their toll over the course of a season.” Mancini also spoke well of Napoli, a side who knocked them out of the Champions League last year. “Napoli? I like them and they’ve inserted some valid players into a squad which already demonstrated their ability in the Champions League. “The club have built a lot in these years and they are now ready to target the Scudetto.”

Pirlo: Juventus want to do well in all competitions The influential playmaker is full of ambition and has set his sights on silverware both in Italy and in Europe following last year's success. Sep 10, 2012 Andrea Pirlo has stressed that Juventus are aiming for victory in every competition they feature in this season. The Turin giants beat AC Milan to the Serie A title last term, while making it to the final of the Coppa Italia as well, and Pirlo believes they can now make an impact in the Champions League, too, following their excellent transfer campaign. "We enjoyed a great 2011-12 campaign and we're looking to build on that," Pirlo stated to Sky Sport Italia. "The club has had an excellent transfer campaign, which should enable us to challenge for silverware in all competitions. "We have started the new season with the ambition to do well in all competitions." Juventus have won the opening two games of the 2012-13 campaign and currently sit on top of the Serie A table at the moment.

Sneijder: Inter can beat Juventus The Netherlands international feels the Nerazzurri can go for the title, while adding that their Milan rivals will also be in the running for the Scudetto. Sep 10, 2012 Wesley Sneijder is confident that Inter have what it takes to challenge Juventus for the Serie A title this term, while refusing to dismiss AC Milan as title contenders. The Dutchman has admitted that the reigning champions are the favourites, but believes that Inter have the quality to beat them this term after a disappointing 2011-12 campaign. "I do not think that Juventus are stronger than Inter or any of the other teams. We can beat them," Sneijder said to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "It might look like Milan have fallen apart, but they always have great players. And then there are teams like Napoli and Roma in the race for the Scudetto as well. "It is going to be a long and hard season for all of us. Juventus are the reigning champions and the favourites, but we can definitely beat them." The attacking midfielder then stated that he would like to be Inter captain in the future, but admitted that he's unlikely to wear the armband anytime soon as Javier Zanetti is still going strong, while adding that he could finish his career in the MLS. "The captaincy? If only, but Zanetti will play on until he is 60... "If my wife continues to be an actress, the MLS might be an idea. But not at this point. I want to stay at Inter. I have never thought about leaving Inter. I like the team, the city and the club. "As a minimum I want to stay until the end of my contract." Inter have collected three points from their opening two Serie A games.

Napoli are Juventus' main threat - Zola backing former club to be Serie A challengers The ex-Partenopei player believes the Naples club are The Old Lady's biggest contenders along with Roma, but feels Milan and Inter are not strong enough to challenge. Sep 9, 2012 Watford coach Gianfranco Zola believes Napoli are Juventus' main obstacle in retaining their Serie A title. The ex-Azzurri player, who spent four years in Naples as a player, does not think Milan or Inter are strong enough to challenge, but feels Roma could also be darkhorses in the race for the Scudetto. "Because Milan did not reinforce and Inter don't seem superior to their status last season, there could be room for teams like Napoli and Roma," the former Chelsea star told Il Mattino. Milan are currently reeling from the losses of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, while Inter have lost long-standing veterans in Maicon and Julio Cesar. He is also impressed with the form of 21-year-old Lorenzo Insigne, who has come in to fill the void caused by Ezequiel Lavezzi's departure to Paris Saint-Germain. "I saw him play or Pescara last season. I like him a great deal and hope he has the chance to play and grow at Napoli," stated Zola.

Juventus 2012-13 SQUAD NUMBERS Sep 9, 2012 With the Summer mercato now over, the Juventus Squad Numbers for the 2012-13 season are pretty much finalized until January 1, 2013. Though there have been a few changes compared to last year, nothing too noteworthy or too surprising from what we already discovered during pre-season. One interesting point that should be mentioned is that Juventus have historically been known to use a “standard” numbering system — going from #1 to the last number on the list — without allowing players to pick years of birth or otherwise digits that are too high. As an example, Barzagli had to give up his customary #43 and pick #15 when he was signed in 2011; similarly Buffon changed from the #77 he wore at Parma to the more traditional goalkeeper’s #1. That would perhaps explain a certain number of “forced” choices this year as well. Here’s the numerical run-down: 1 - Gigi Buffon 2 - Lúcio - NEW - 2010-2011 Marco Motta 3 - Giorgio Chiellini 4 - Martín Cáceres 6 - Paul Pogba - NEW - 2010-2011 Fabio Grosso 7 - Simone Pepe 8 - Claudio Marchisio 9 - Mirko Vučinić - 2010-2011 (14) - 2010-2011 Vincenzo Iaquinta 11- Paolo De Ceglie 15- Andrea Barzagli 17- Nicklas Bendtner - NEW - 2010-2011 Eljero Elia 19- Leonardo Bonucci 20- Simone Padoin 21- Andrea Pirlo 22- Kwadwo Asamoah - NEW - 2010-2011 Arturo Vidal 23- Arturo Vidal - 2010-2011 (22) - 2010-2011 Marco Borriello 24- Emanuele Giaccherini 26- Stephan Lichtsteiner 27- Fabio Quagliarella - 2010-2011 (18) - 2010-2011 Miloš Krasić 30- Marco Storari 31- Laurenţiu Brănescu - NEW - 2010-2011 (not assigned) 32- Alessandro Matri 33- Mauricio Isla - NEW - 2010-2011 Fredrik Sørensen 34- Rubinho - NEW - 2010-2011 Luca Marrone 39- Luca Marrone - 2010-2011 (34) - 2010-2011 (not assigned) Among the players already here last season in 2011-12, four players changed their numbers: Mirko Vucinic (from #14 to #9), Arturo Vidal (#22 to #23), Fabio Quagliarella (#18 to #27), and Luca Marrone (#34 to #39). Mirko VUCINIC switched from #14 to #9, the number he had during his Roma days and which last year was assigned to Vincenzo Iaquinta (who remains without an official number this year… now isn’t that the saddest thing you’ve ever heard?). #9 is traditionally the number of the prima punta, the cannoniere who scores lots of goals, and though Vucinic is certainly no Trezeguet, one can only hope he intends to hit the back of the net more than he did in 2011-12 (a resolution we can only give two thumbs up to). Arturo VIDAL went up a notch and switched to #23 (the number he wore at Leverkusen, and worn by Marco Borriello from January to May last season) to leave his #22 to newcomer Kwadwo ASAMOAH. When Vidal was signed by Juventus last year #23 was being worn by Zdenek Grygera, but by the time the Czech defender left before the end of the Summer mercato, Juve had already registered Vidal as #22 with Lega Calcio (you cannot switch mid-season). It is also possible that Asamoah requested #22, but for what reason…? (he wore #20 at Udinese, and wears #10 / 21 for Ghana). Taking advantage of the departure of nouveau Istanbulite Milos Krasic (sold to Fenerbahce), Fabio QUAGLIARELLA grabbed back his #27 (which he wore at Sampdoria & Napoli) and left #18 in the wind. Luca MARRONE switched to #39 and left his old #34 he had last year to new signing and 3rd goalkeeper RUBINHO. No idea here if Rubinho asked for that specific number, or why Marrone changed his. Speaking of goalkeepers, Primavera’s Laurentiu BRANESCU has been officially given a first-team number this season (#31), likely as a sign of the club’s trust in this budding young Romanian talent. Despite Leali’s loan to Lanciano however, Rubinho’s arrival effectively precludes Branescu from ever even seeing the senior team bench this year. LÚCIO grabbed the #2 left to him by… Marco Motta (not really) and was apparently forbidden to pick #6 (which he wore at Inter), surely to avoid any tifosi-backlash that would have resulted in giving Gaetano Scirea’s legendary number to an ex-Nerazzurro (didn’t exactly stop Fabio Grosso though, did it?). So the number went to another new signing, Paul POGBA, instead. Mauricio ISLA picked #33, perhaps symbolically trying to show he will “redouble” his efforts now that he’s at Juve (he had #3 at Udinese, which is also the number he wears in the Chilean national team). Sebastian GIOVINCO, who volunteered to take over Alessandro Del Piero‘s number, was given #12 instead. It is likely Conte prefers having the youngster earn his stripes, rather than being bestowed such a heavy responsibility in his first season back at the club. We approve 100%, especially since it means #10 will remain unassigned for one season, a more-than-rightful homage to our former Capitano as Nick Barbieri discusses in this week’s guest-post. Lastly, loanee Gunner Nicklas BENDTNER was given #17 (he couldn’t pick #52 because Juve doesn’t do high numbers, as mentioned before). Let’s hope he goes the David Trezeguet route instead of Eljero Elia‘s. Note that Bendtner’s original #52 at Arsenal came from the fact he likes #7 (5+2=7), probably explaining his choice of #17 (hey, at least one digit’s there). A few words should also be spent on the few players who — before shipping away on loan — did most of Juve’s pre-season this year. In case they are recalled during the Winter mercato (let’s hope that won’t be necessary), they’d likely be wearing the same number originally picked in July. Goalkeeper Nicola LEALI, now on loan at Lanciano, picked up the #13 left to him by Alexander Manninger. Alberto MASI, now on loan at Pro Vercelli, picked #5 initially (left to him — not really — Michele Pazienza). Richmond BOAKYE, now on loan at Sassuolo, picked #18 (left vacant — as mentioned — by Fabio Quagliarella). Reto ZIEGLER, ever-present on the Antonio Conte shitlist list of “undesirables”, picked #16 (the same one he had during the 2011 pre-season) before being shipped off to Lokomotiv Moskow. Here’s one guy who surely will NOT be recalled during the Winter mercato.

Juventus Stadium Celebrates Its First Birthday Sep 9, 2012 In the last 12 years, I have had the privilege of seeing both of my favorite sports teams open the doors to brand new stadiums that everybody wants to proclaim their love for. They both took years to build, but in their short period of existence, have captured the pure essence of each team that inhibits them. But since this is a Juventus blog, I'm sure not many of you care too much about baseball and the beautiful bay-side ballpark I've spent many of days over the last decade at. (But come on, you gotta admit that setting is absolutely gorgeous.) Because of that, I'll keep it to Juventus Stadium only. Or at least try my best to do so. Today, Sept. 8, is the one-year anniversary of Juventus Stadium officially opening its doors to the public. If Juventus Stadium was a baby, it would probably be a spoiled as hell and need two rooms in its house just for all of the extra presents because of everything wonderful that has happened in its 12 months of existence. But because it's, ya know, a stadium, that obviously not the case. In this one year, Juventus has gone from a club that coming of consecutive seventh-place finishes in Serie A to current Scudetto holders. That's one hell of a ride. And Juventus Stadium has been one of the brightest spots of all during the past 365 days. When Andrea Agnelli declared "Welcome home" to the tifosi at the inauguration, you knew he meant it. The man knows Juve as well as anybody, so when he said those words, there was nothing but complete seriousness behind it. Juventus Stadium was designed to be Juve's fortress. It turned out to be exactly that. Juventus Stadium was designed to be a place that is the definition of 'home field advantage.' It turned out to be exactly that — and more. Juventus Stadium was, as Agnelli said, designed to write a new chapter in the club's glorious history. It's doing just that. You get the point. But all of this ... for a stadium? Yes, for a stadium. Stadiums that are as nice as the one we watch Juve plays at half the time every season are quite rare. How many times in Europe, let alone Italy, can say they have a stadio that even rivals the one that Juventus has? Few. Very, very few. A stadium, in a very unique way, takes the personality of those that are not only there to watch, but those who play on the field that is surrounded by the thousand upon thousand of seats. I've seen it happen in San Francisco since AT&T Park opened in 2000 and the same thing is happening in Torino. Both are models of modern technology and 21st century amenities — most notably, those fancy luxury boxes and top-notch restaurants — but give the old-school kind of feel, which make sense since both teams are enriched such a great history. Further confirmation of this? Just ask those who also see it as their home. Juventus players loving playing there. Honestly, how many times do we hear a Juve player saying that the crowd's support gave them a boost in strength/passion/whatever? Sure, the actual people filling those seats have a lot to do with it. But they aren't there just to be there. They aren't there just to sit on their backside and twiddle their thumbs for two hours. They sing for Alessandro Del Piero, Gigi Buffon, and Antonio Conte on a regular basis. They are there to experience everything that a Juventus game has to offer. And for one whole year — and counting — those who attend a Juventus game haven't seen a Serie A loss. Juventus Stadium is where Juventini come from all over the world to watch their beloved Old Lady play some calcio. It is where, for a lot of us, we only get to see Juve play a few times in our lifetime. And for many others, it is a place that we may never get to see in person and only admire from afar. But regardless of where you are, Juventus Stadium is "our home." There is no denying that. That is what makes it so special. I'll leave you with this video of a few guys you may know a few sentences below the one you have just read. It's pretty damn interesting to listen to what Del Piero said then and look back on it a year later. After everything that has taken place at the stadio since it saw its inauguration, its first win, its first Scudetto. May it just be the beginning. And don't you worry. They will be chanting "c'e solo un capitano" for ADP again.

Juventus in Profile - The Old Lady Has A New Lease of Life Sep 9, 2012 They’re Italian, so it’s tough, but Juventus, known as La Vecchia Signora (the old lady), are not the force of old. Italian champions always deserve respect, and Juventus have made something of a comeback, but they are still trying to recapture past glories. What’s more, they have signed Nicklas Bendtner on loan for 2012-13 from Arsenal. The Danish irritant has yet to make his Serie A debut, but has been signed to give Juve more options up front. Chelsea fans will savour the sight of veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who drove Italy to the Euro 2012 final. Pirlo netted on the opening day of the Italian season when Juventus beat Parma 2-0. They followed that up with a 4-1 win at Udinese. That win put Juventus on top of the first Serie A table. Juventus coach/manager call it what you will, Antonio Conte clinched the title in his first year in charge. But in the summer, Conte was accused of misprision of felony over the latest match-fixing scandal and later suspended for 10 months. So, on matchdays, Massimo Carrera runs the team! Juventus’ title was their 28th and went some way to compensate for being stripped of two titles in 2005 and 2006 due to the match-fixing scandal that engulfed the Italian game. [Note: Why is Italian football so susceptible to bribery, corruption and malpractice? It’s not as if Italian players are badly paid. Perhaps FIFA/UEFA should punish them appropriately – they would soon change their ways if the Azzuri were banned from the World Cup or the top Italian clubs were exiled from the Champions League. Of course, it’s not going to happen.] Since winning the title, Juventus have added to their already huge squad (have you seen the number of players they have out on loan, for example). As well as Bendtner, they spent more than EUR 50m in the summer – not bad for an economy that’s on its knees! Sebastian Giovinco cost EUR 11m from Parma and he’s already netted twice against Udinese in game two. Ghanaian midfidler Kwadwo Asamoah came from Udinese for EUR 9m and his compatriot Richmond Boakye – a striker – arrived from Genoa for EUR 4m. Chilean defender Mauricio Isla was also picked up from Udinese for EUR 9.4m and another defender, Uruguay’s Martin Caceras, cost EUR 8m from Sevilla. Conte described Juventus’ return to the Champions League as “the right place for a club that, for tradition and results, has made and continues to make history in Italian football and beyond.”

He’s not wrong, but regulars at the newly-built Juventus Stadium will be hoping the club makes the right history going forward. As far as the Champions League is concerned, Juventus have made good history, winning the competition twice, 1984-85 and 1995-96. They’ve also been runners-up five times. Interestingly, Juventus was named by FIFA as the most successful Italian club in the 20th century and the seventh most successful in Europe. There’s some pedigree there! So while Juventus have slipped from the lofty heights of the 1980s and 1990s, when a trip to Turin was one of the most daunting for any club, they are on their way back. Chelsea will be up against a side out to prove that it belongs in the top strata of European super clubs. It should make for two interesting games – starting on September 19 at The Bridge.

Zola: 'Napoli the anti-Juve' Sep 9, 2012 Gianfranco Zola believes Napoli “can be Juventus’ main rivals for the Scudetto” this season and advises ‘heir’ Lorenzo Insigne. The Watford manager started his Serie A career in Naples and continues to keep a close eye on their progress. “Napoli can be Juventus’ main rivals for the Scudetto, because Milan did not reinforce and Inter don’t seem superior to their status last season. There could be room for teams like Napoli and Roma,” he told Il Mattino newspaper. Napoli fans are already enamoured with Insigne, the local lad and Under-21 international who has replaced Ezequiel Lavezzi. “I saw him play for Pescara last season. I liked him a great deal and hope he has the chance to play and grow at Napoli,” continued Zola. “In a way, it would’ve been better for Lorenzo if Lavezzi had still been there. He would’ve had a reference point to learn from, like Diego Maradona was for me. “I only advise Insigne to keep his feet on the ground. The atmosphere around Napoli can lift you up very high if things go well and that can mean losing a sense of reality for a 21-year-old. Never feel as if you have arrived.”

Buffon unveils Italy 'tension' Sep 9, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon admits “someone talked a bit too much” on the field in Bulgaria after Italy’s tense and argumentative draw. The Azzurri were often seen berating each other for mistakes during Friday’s 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw in Sofia. “We always struggle a little in the first few qualifiers, then when you are tired it can happen to lose sharpness and become more tense,” Buffon told La Stampa. “This is why someone talked a bit too much on the field.” The pitch-side microphones picked up several conversations, including Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Pirlo discussing who was meant to charge down a shot and repeated instructions to Christian Maggio and Sebastian Giovinco on their positioning. Meanwhile, Buffon is widely expected to sign a contract extension with Juventus over the next few days. The goalkeeper should put pen to paper on a deal holding him in Turin until June 2016.

Lichtsteiner: There is absolutely no reason to leave Juventus The wing-back has made it clear that he is very pleased with the conditions at the Bianconeri, and that a transfer is not an option for him. Sep 8, 2012 Stephan Lichtsteiner has stressed that he is very happy with life at Juventus and has no intention of leaving the Serie A champions any time soon. The Switzerland international was being linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer, but he feels the conditions at his current club are too good to pass up. "The simple truth is that we [players] don't change clubs as easily as some people seem to think. Juventus are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I feel very well here," the right-back said to Le Matin. "I feel loved at the club and we will be playing Champions League football again this term. We're challenging for all trophies. There's no other place where I could find this. "All this has really strengthened my desire to stay here. I have absolutely no reason to leave. "And to be honest, I have not received any extraordinary offers." Lichtsteiner is under contract with Juve until June 2015.