Socrates

Serie A - 1^ Giornata - Andata - 25-8-2012 (ore 20:45) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Andrea Romeo Spettatori: 37771‎ La Juve ricomincia vincendo: Parma ko 2-0 Di Lichtsteiner e Pirlo le reti decisive. Subito protagonisti anche i giudici di porta che nel primo tempo segnalano un rigore alla Juve e nella ripresa concendo ai bianconeri il gol "fantasma" del 2-0. Nel primo tempo Vidal fallisce un calcio di rigore sullo 0-0. Eurosport - Sabato, 25 agosto 2012 Con o senza il suo "vero" allenatore, poco cambia per la Juventus che sul campo ricomincia la nuova stagione da dove aveva lasciato: vincendo. Quel che è stato differente però, almeno prima dei gol di Lichtsteiner e Pirlo arrivati ad inizio ripresa a sbloccare la situazione, è che la Juventus è apparsa meno brillante del solito. Sarà che, di fatto, questo è ancora calcio d'agosto; saranno i carichi di lavoro, ma per i primi 45 minuti di gara un bel Parma ha imbrigliato - e non poco - il reparto che l'anno scorso aveva fatto l'autentica differenza per la squadra che sarebbe diventata poi campione d'Italia: il centrocampo. Una prima partita che ha lasciato molteplici spunti, dal punto di vista del campo e non. Sì perché se da un lato ci sono da sottolineare le splendide prove di Asamoah e Marrone, dall'altra non si potrà non parlare dei giudici di porta. La novità dell'ultimo minuto del calcio italiano, infatti, è da subito protagonista: un rigore e un gol arrivano direttamente dalle decisioni del "quinto" uomo. PARMA GAGLIARDO - Ma andiamo con ordine. Come detto il primo tempo - e in particolare la prima mezz'ora - sono tutt'altro che una passeggiata per i campioni d'Italia. Donadoni mette infatti in campo un centrocampo tecnico e con la voglia di giocare a calcio più che pensare solo a difendersi e l'intensità, insieme a una scarsa condizione della Juventus, dà i suoi frutti impedendo ai bianconeri di creare una singola occasione da rete. GIUDICE SUBITO PROTAGONISTA - Ci vuole dunque il primo episodio dubbio dell'anno per infiammare la gara. Al 32' Lichsteiner entra in area e anticipa Mirante che in uscita lo stende. L'arbitro non vede, ma il giudice di porta segnala immediatamente il fallo da rigore. Romeo ammonisce quindi Mirante ma la partenza di Lichtsteiner, c'è da dirlo, veniva da una netta posizione di fuorigioco non rilevata dal guardalinee. Dal dischetto - dopo un mini-litigio con Vucinic - va Vidal ma un detto milanese, che poco c'entra con questa partita, dice che "San Giovanni non fa inganni" ed il cileno si fa ipnotizzare da Mirante. Nulla di fatto. Il Parma si salva e va all'intervallo su un pareggio più che mai meritato a fronte di una Juventus ben lontana dagli standard di corsa della passata stagione. UNA JUVE DIVERSA - Conte non può essere negli spogliatoi, ma vista la reazione dei suoi ad inizio ripresa c'è da giurare che abbia istruito a dovere Carrera. La Juventus infatti entra in campo completamente rivoluzionata nello spirito, aggredendo il Parma e alzando il ritmo e nel giro di un quarto d'ora decide la gara. Prima Vidal sfiora il gol su un pregevole pallone di Asamoah; due minuti dopo Vucinic pecca d'egoismo sul filtrante geniale di Vidal tirando anziché servire Marchisio libero a centroarea; ma al terzo tentativo la Juve passa: Asamoah scappa ancora a sinistra e mette al centro un cross rasoterra, Lichtsteiner brucia la difesa gialloblù e come nella passata stagione inaugura lo Juventus Stadium con una rete. GIUDICE PROTAGONISTA, CAPITOLO 2 - La Juve non è paga. Dopo 5 minuti - 59' -, Vidal si conquista una punizione dal limite dell'area; Pirlo va sul pallone e lascia partire un velenoso colpo rasoterra: Mirante, poco oltre la linea di porta, è incerto nella trattenuta; l'arbitro fa giocare ma il giudice di porta richiama l'attenzione segnalando il gol. Pur essendoci la sensazione di una palla effettivamente dentro, nessun replay televisivo conferma con sicurezza l'accaduto lasciando così alla figura del giudice di porta da subito il "beneficio" di entrare in tutte le discussioni da bar (e non solo): servono o non servono? Creano confusione o no? Come sono stati formati? Eccetera eccetera. LA GESTIONE - Da quel momento, però, la partita cambia radicalmente. La Juve inizia una gestione del gioco che in più di una occasione la porta a rischiare - Biabiany, Valdes, ma anche il subentrato Belfodil avranno più di una chance di accorciare le distanze - ma nonostante questo i bianconeri chiudono il match sul 2-0, non prima però di perdere Giovinco per un infortunio alla caviglia (allarme rientrato immediatamente nel dopo gara). I SINGOLI - Insomma, se quella che da tutti è considerata la grande favorita per la vittoria finale ha convinto solo in parte nella sua prima uscita, il lato positivo per i tifosi bianconeri - e per Conte - sono le prestazioni di due dei tre nuovi innesti in formazione titolare rispetto alla passata stagione. Asamoah, in un ruolo da lui mai coperto a Udine, dopo aver convinto a Pechino contro il Napoli l'ha fatto di nuovo anche stasera, correndo per la fascia durante tutti i 90 minuti e dimostrandosi eccezionale sia in fase propositiva (suo l'assist che sblocca la gara), sia in fase difensiva (una paio di splendide chiusure in ripiegamento degne di un terzino puro). Marrone invece, reinventato da Conte difensore centrale con compiti d'avvio di manovra, ha di nuovo stupito tutti adattandosi a un ruolo che col tempo potrebbe definitivamente fargli cambiare idea riguardo ai suoi propositi da vice-Pirlo. Per quanto riguarda il Parma di Donadoni, invece, poco da dire (nel senso buono): se riuscirà infatti a riproporre per il resto del campionato il calcio dei primi 45 minuti, agli emiliani toccherà qualcosa in più di una salvezza tranquilla. Simone Eterno - Eurosport Juventus - Parma 2-0

Conte lawyers start new appeal Aug 29, 2012 Juventus have lodged their new appeal against Antonio Conte’s 10-month ban in the betting scandal, hoping to reduce it by at least four months. The Coach lost his first appeal, but is going to the TNAS court run by the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee). It is reported the appeal folder has 70 pages and around 10 additional documents, including medical records, video of interviews and newspaper articles on the match in question. Former Siena boss Conte was cleared of the first charge of failing to report a potential fix to authorities in another Serie B game against Novara, as ex-player Filippo Carobbio’s testimony was not considered to be reliable. Carobbio’s testimony is the only evidence against Conte, so his legal team are aiming to work on that fact and discredit the player.

Marrone at home in defence Aug 29, 2012 Luca Marrone has thanked his teammates for helping him settle into a new defensive role for Italian champions Juventus. The midfielder, 22, was used in the middle of a back-three against Parma because of fitness issues to Giorgio Chiellini, Lucio and Martin Caceres. “The most important thing is that I felt at home thanks to the help of my more experienced colleagues,” the Italian Under-21 international told Juventus Channel. “The toughest thing to take on board as a defender is the tactical aspect. You need to maintain your concentration at all times and make the right movements when covering. “On the other hand I feel at ease when setting up the play. I operate practically 10 metres behind Andrea Pirlo and have to act as a sweeper. “In any case there’s a lot to work on during the week and I’m helped by the advice from both staff and fellow teammates.” Marrone was rarely used by boss Antonio Conte last term, but he is hoping to make more of an impact this time around. “I’m happy with how everything’s going,” he commented. “I want to show even more and establish myself as a Juventus player.”

Juve reject €60m for Vidal & Marchisio Aug 28, 2012 Juventus reportedly rejected a €60m offer from Bayern Munich for Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio. According to Tuttosport, the German club made contact with their Turin counterparts earlier this summer and they were ready to dig deep to net the duo. Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes is understood to have been the architect behind the failed bid for the midfield two. Juventus already rejected approaches from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain for Vidal at the end of last season. It’s also not the first time that Bayern have gone for the Chilean given that Juve pipped them to his signature in 2011 when Bayer Leverkusen made him available for transfer. Marchisio, an Italian international, is a youth-team product and is considered as a future captain of the side.

Marrone delighted to be 'living a dream' at Juventus The 22-year-old has been making a name for himself in the reigning Serie A champions' first team and has revealed his extreme pride in wearing the Bianconeri shirt. Aug 28, 2012 Luca Marrone has declared himself ecstatic at his increased reponsibilities at Juventus this season, despite playing in an unfamiliar role. The 22-year-old ended last season by setting the Bianconeri on their way to a 3-1 win over Atalanta and he could not hide his pleasure at figuring in the starting line-up for this term's first game against Parma. "I was in the starting line-up for the first championship game of the season, in front of our own supporters and - just as it is every time I pull on this shirt - it felt like I was living a dream," Marrone said to Juventus' official website. "I'm happy with how everything's going. I want to show even more and establish myself as a Juventus player." Marrone has undergone a switch from his usual midfield position to an unfamiliar defensive role, after impressing as a central-defender during the club's pre-season, and the former Italy Under-21 international praised everyone at the club for their help during his adjustment. "The toughest thing to take on board is the tactical aspect. You need to maintain your concentration at all times and make the right movements when covering. "On the other hand I feel at ease when setting the play. I operate practically 10 metres behind Pirlo and have to act as a sweeper. "In any case there’s a lot to work on during the week and I’m helped by advice from both staff and fellow team-mates. "Having the Scudetto on our chests gives us strength, but it also brings responsibility. We must show our worth every time we cross that white line."

Marchisio: Asamoah a great Aug 27, 2012 Claudio Marchisio says he expected new Juventus teammate Kwadwo Asamoah to make the right sort of impact against Parma. The summer signing from Udinese made his League debut for the Bianconeri on Saturday and set up the first goal in the 2-0 win. “I'm not at all surprised by how well Asamoah has settled in,” Marchisio commented. “He's got great physical and technical qualities – everything needed to be a success at Juventus.” The Old Lady did take their time to settle against the Ducali, but a much-improved second half display saw them take the points. “We won and that's what we wanted,” the Italian added. “We'll take the three points, but we know we have to keep on improving. “I don't think there was much difference between the two halves because we did create chances when we increased the tempo in the first period. “But we have to build on this and we should make the most of the fact that we don't have any Cup fixtures yet to work properly during the week and prepare for the next test.” Juventus collected the win despite the 10-month touchline ban handed to boss Antonio Conte. Massimo Carrera steps in for him on match days. “Conte is still important for us, but Carrera also has the experience and character to guide us during the game,” the former Empoli player concluded.

Buffon shows contract patience Aug 27, 2012 Gigi Buffon is in no rush to sign a new contract at Juventus despite the fact that it expires in June 2013. “There won’t be any problems.” The custodian, born in January 1978, now has less than a year left on his agreement but is confident that it won’t take long to agree new terms. “I’m in no hurry and I don’t envisage any problems,” the 34-year-old stated. “I’ve always had an honest and straightforward relationship with the President. “I’ve told the directors to think about their other priorities for now, then we’ll speak about it and find an agreement when the moment’s right.” Buffon missed the opening game of the season against Parma, but he’s on the mend and eager to once again play in the Champions League. “We speak about the Champions League in the dressing room because, after three years, we finally have the opportunity to figure on the European scene,” the new club captain noted. “We’re aware that there are two or three teams that are stronger than us, but we can certainly hold our own against the others.”

Cech: Buffon & Casillas the best keepers in the world The Czech Republic international has nothing but praise for the Juventus and Madrid stars, while also having drawn inspiration from some former greats such as Oliver Kahn. Aug 27, 2012 Chelsea shot-stopper Petr Cech has revealed his admiration for Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas, and feels the experienced duo remain the best goalkeepers in the world. The Czech played a key role in his side's Champions League victory last season with some crucial saves in the final against Bayern Munich, and has now admitted that the Juventus and Real Madrid stalwaerts have inspired him. "I definitely admire Buffon and Casillas," Cech was quoted as saying on the official Uefa website. "They have kept a consistent level of performance for more than ten years at the top for club and country. That's why they are still among the best keepers in the world. "Oliver Kahn, Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar inspired me early in my career. Each of them had something inspiring, because they were all different characters. "Then Buffon appeared and changed everything. "Later, Casillas was very interesting. He started to play for Real Madrid, historically one of the best teams in the world, at the age of 17 or 18. So I told myself: 'OK, if he can play for a big club so young, age is not an obstacle. There is no reason why I cannot make it too.'" Cech has made over 250 Premier League appearances for Chelsea since joining the club from Stade Rennais in 2004.

Serie A Team of the Week: Jovetic & Milito steal the show in swashbuckling first round Goal.com looks at the star performers from the opening round of Italian league action at the weekend. Aug 27, 2012 Serie A bounced back after a rollercoaster summer with a host of excellent matches over the weekend, and a fine collection of individual performances were in evidence around the peninsula. Inter and Napoli both recorded convincing away wins, and each have players in our inaugural Team of the Week as a result, while Sampdoria and Lazio also contribute after victories on the road as eight of our 11 come from teams who were in visiting dressing rooms. Here, Goal.com presents the star performers from the first round of action in Serie A. One of the most notable results of the weekend came at San Siro, where Sampdoria grabbed a memorable 1-0 win on their return to the top flight. Part of the reason for their success was the form of Sergio Romero between the sticks. The Argentina international wasn't tested as much as he might have anticipated, but still did brilliantly to push a Mario Yepes effort onto the post and was an excellent leader at the back, with his anticipation and organisation ensuring that the Blucerchiati held out Milan late on. Champions Juventus got off to a perfect start, beating Parma 2-0, and for a second successive season it was Stephan Lichtsteiner who opened the campaign with a goal. He was also resolute at the back, earning a spot on the right of our back three - a position he turned out in over the summer for the Bianconeri. He joins Danilo, Udinese's captain for the day, who followed up his magnificent performance in the Champions League against Braga in midweek by leading the Friulani to within three minutes of a precious point away to Fiorentina. Andrea Ranocchia earns the final defensive spot for his measured and mature showing against newly-promoted Pescara at the Adriatico. The former Genoa man will have quite a spotlight on him this term, but the early signs are positive. Lazio provide 50 per cent of our midfield after chalking up a hugely merited win at Atalanta. Stefano Mauri was as creative as ever in a typically cultured attacking outfit, while Anderson Hernanes proved to be the right man in the right place at the right time as he turned in a low cross to chalk up the only goal of the game, capping a fine individual display. Marek Hamsik was also on the scoresheet, netting a powerful drive from Christian Maggio's pass against Palermo, and he also added an assist for Maggio in Napoli's 3-0 win. Kwadwo Asamoah followed his excellent Supercoppa Italiana performance with another encouraging display down the left for Juventus against Parma, showing once more that he could well go down as the signing of the summer. Along the front line there was a large group of talent to choose from, but nobody did more for his team's cause than Stevan Jovetic. The Montenegrin was on hand to net Fiorentina's equaliser against Udinese before bagging a 91st-minute winner to send the Viola fans home happy in the season's opening fixture. Diego Milito outshone new team-mate Antonio Cassano in Inter's strikeforce by setting up goals for Wesley Sneijder and Philippe Coutinho. He also found time in between to turn home Cassano's low cross for a goal of his own in the 3-0 win in Pescara. Alejandro Gomez takes the final spot in the side for his lively display and cool finish for Catania, who very nearly left the Stadio Olimpico with all three points but had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Roma. ROMERO (Sampdoria) LICHTSTEINER (Juventus) - DANILO (Udinese) - RANOCCHIA (Inter) MAURI (Lazio) - HAMSIK (Napoli) - HERNANES (Lazio) - ASAMOAH (Juvents) JOVETIC (Fiorentina) MILITO (Inter) - GOMEZ (Catania)

Marchisio: It will be difficult to repeat Scudetto success Juventus' midfielder urges patience for Giovinco and admits defending the Serie A title will be a tough challenge this season. Aug 27, 2012 Claudio Marchisio has dispelled any doubt that the Juventus squad are complacent going into this season's Serie A campaign and has asked for new signing Sebastian Giovinco to be given time to impress without comparisons made to former Old Lady legends. New signing Giovinco was stretchered off with a suspected ankle problem in the final five minutes of Juve's opener versus his former club Parma, which has raised concerns over his potential absence. "Giovinco and Del Piero? You cannot make comparisons, we have to allow Seba to prove his worth and hope that his injury is not serious," Marchisio told giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. The 26-year-old Italy midfielder was handed the captain's armband for the champions' opening fixture in the absence of both Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini. "I hope to play at Juventus for a long time, with or without the armband," explained Marchisio, affectionately known as the Prince. "My attitude does not change, I would still raise my voice." Marchisio and the rest of the Juventus squad, however, are not under any illusions regarding the task facing them this season. "It will be more difficult than last year because our opponents know [how we play] and will close the spaces. The team is motivated and beating opponents hinges on the fact that we come back to win."

Serie A Round 1 Results: Lopez rescues late point for Roma, Napoli cruise past Palermo The Italian top-flight is up and running, as Vladimir Petkovic kicked off his reign in charge of Lazio with a win, while Genoa and Chievo also registered opening-day victories. Aug 26, 2012 Serie A Round 1 Results League Table FIORENTINA 2 - 1 UDINESE ESE Fiorentina began life under new coach Vincenzo Montella in Serie A with a win, as they edged past Udinese 2-1 at the Artemio Franchi in Saturday's curtain raiser. The hosts enjoyed a productive summer, having bankrolled a heavy recruitment drive, bringing in the likes of Alberto Aquilani, David Pizarro and Borja Valero, but they were to go behind early on. It was the Zebrette, fresh off a 1-1 draw with Braga in their Champions League play-off, who took the lead through new signing Maicosuel, who fired home Luis Muriel's intuitive through ball, on 27 minutes. However, parity was restored near the hour mark via a volleyed attempt from want-away Stevan Jovetic on the edge of the box, albeit aided by a huge deflection en route to the back of the net. And Jovetic was at the double to mark an impressive comeback for his side, as he conjured up a fine curling effort past Zeljko Brkic to put an under-strength Udinese to the sword. JUVENTUS JUVENTUS 2 - 0 PARMA Match Report Player Ratings AC MILAN 0 - 1 SAMPDORIA Match Report Player Ratings ATALANTA 0 - 1 LAZIO Lazio maintained a 100 per cent record under the leadership of new boss Vladimir Petkovic with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Atalanta on Sunday. Despite being forced to withstand the pressure of being visitors at the Azzurri d'Italia, the Biancocelesti nonetheless netted the winner just 17 minutes into proceedings thanks to Hernanes, who struck past Andrea Consigli following good work from Stefano Mauri. The result puts Lazio seventh in the Serie A table after the first matchday, while Atalanta remain 19th and fail to make up any of their two-point deduction. CHIEVO 2 - 0 BOLOGNA Chievo carried on from last season's impressive 10th-placed finish by inflicting a 2-0 loss on a Gaston-Ramirez-less Bologna at the Bentegodi. In an assured display from the Flying Donkeys, where they managed to stifle their opponents, legendary striker Sergio Pellissier opened his account for the season by finishing off a cross midway through the second half. Peru international Rinaldo Cruzado then read Luciano's through pass to strike the ball beyond Federico Agliardi and ensure Chievo made an unbeaten start to the new campaign. For Bologna, however, they suffered the disappointment of going a man down following Diego Perez's red card, as question marks hang over the future of their Uruguayan talisman. GENOA 2 - 0 CAGLIARI Genoa survived the humiliation of a missed penalty in the first half to eventually record a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cagliari in Liguria on Sunday. Davide Astori's foul in the opening stages gave Cristobal Jorquera the chance of giving his team the lead from the spot, but Michael Agazzi guessed right to deny the attacking midfielder. Nonetheless, Alexander Merkel popped up just six minutes after the restart to make sure Andreas Granqvist's header proved decisive from the rebound. Luigi De Canio's side secured the three points late on, thanks to a classic striker's finish from Ciro Immobile, beating off the Cagliari defence to give his former club Juventus food for thought. PALERMO 0 - 3 NAPOLI Napoli produced an inspired performance at the Renzo Barbera to condemn an out-of-sorts Palermo to a 3-0 defeat in the opening matchday of Serie A. The Partenopei were keen to forget their 4-2 reverse against Juventus in the Supercoppa, and they went some way towards attaining that through a Marek Hamsik strike on the stroke of half-time. Hamsik was instrumental in his side's second of the evening, as he played in Christian Maggio, who peeled off from the right-hand side to poke the ball past a helpless Samir Ujkani. Substitute Edu Vargas rounded off a comprehensive victory in injury time to already heap the pressure on new Palermo boss Giuseppe Sannino. Napoli, meanwhile, will look to build on their success, having joined Inter at the top of the table. PESCARA 0 - 3 INTER Match Report Player Ratings ROMA 2 - 2 CATANIA A managerial change may have been witnessed at Roma, but they proved to be still leaky at the back as they were forced to salvage a 2-2 draw with Catania at the Olimpico. Returning coach Zdenek Zeman named an attackling line-up for the visit of the Elefanti, but he was made to pay for their lack of defensive discipline just 29 minutes in, as Giovanni Marchese slammed home a loose ball from a Sergio Almiron free-kick. But in emphatic style, Pablo Osvaldo saw justice served for his disallowed overhead kick against Novara last season with a similarly spectacular effort midway through the second half. The game seemed to be finally in Roma's grasp. However, as shown on many occasions in 2011-12, Catania showed great resilience. A defence-splitting pass from Francesco Lodi found Alejandro Gomez, clean through on the left wing with the goal at his mercy, and blasted the ball home. Catania looked destined to head back to Sicily with all three points, but Nico Lopez stepped off the bench to coolly dink the ball over his marker and power a stinging low volley past Mariano Andujar from close range for a share of the spoils in injury time. SIENA 0 - 0 TORINO TORINO In the last match of the first week's round-up, neither Siena nor Torino could muster a goal to speak of, as a 0-0 draw was to be the outcome in Tuscany. A rather uneventful encounter was played out, as both sides failed to show much in terms of enterprise but it was the new boys who squandered the best chance of the match near half-time; however Rolando Bianchi could not turn and shoot past Jean-Francois Gillet in the box. Siena hit back with a similarly passable opportunity of their own, but Gaetano D'Alessandro's free-kick from distance rattled the crossbar, leaving Torino in 11th place. The hosts, however, stay rooted to the bottom of Serie A with -5 points to their name.

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54') Andrea Pirlo (58') Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771 Player Ratings Goal.com takes a look at the men who featured in Saturday's clash at Juventus Stadium, won by goals from Lichtsteiner and Pirlo. Aug 25, 2012 Juventus Marco Storari 3.0 - Called into action only sporadically through a dominant performance by the hosts, but did well to deny Biabiany late in the second half and guarantee a clean sheet. Capped display with double save in the dying minutes. Andrea Barzagli 3.0 - Made one crucial intervention to deny substitute Belfodil, stepping in to rob the striker after Biabiany had broken through. The highlight of a composed performance from the defender. Leonardo Bonucci 2.5 - Caught out early on a couple of occasions by the pace in Parma's attack, but looked more comfortable as the game went on. Stephan Lichtsteiner 3.0 - A livewire playing wide on the right. Won the penalty albeit from an offside position, and showed great awareness in arriving late in the area and stroking home the opening goal. Claudio Marchisio 3.0 - Directed proceedings from the middle of the park alongside Pirlo. Rarely flashy in possession, but the heartbeat of the team as they took control in the second half. Andrea Pirlo 3.0 - A great start to the season for the 33-year-old idol. Put the result beyond doubt with a trademark free kick, and his passing was a danger throughout for the visitors. Kwadwo Asamoah 3.5 - An excellent debut for the Ghanaian, who started rather wasteful on the ball but got better as the game went on. Always a danger down the left, set up one goal and could have laid on another for Vidal. Alberto Vidal 3.0 - A frustrating game for the Chilean, who was always looking for the ball and threatening in the final third. He will be disappointed with a tame penalty effort, but did well to stretch and reach Asamoah's cross in a move that almost opened the scoring. Luca Marrone 3.0 - A defensive injury crisis forced the young midfielder to fill in alongside Barzagli and Bonucci, but aside from a couple of positional errors Luca will be happy with a solid display further down the field. Mirko Vučinić 3.0 - The striker almost netted early on from Pirlo's cross, and was a valuable creative outlet in the box. Had little luck in front of goal and struggled to impose himself when it counted. Sebastian Giovinco 2.5 - A quiet game from the forward as he started against his former club. Booked for a blatant dive in the first half and saw little of the ball. • Substitutions Paolo De Ceglie N/A - Just three minutes for the ex-Siena man as the game wound down. Simone Padoin N/A - Came on for Lichtsteiner 10 minutes before the end, and had little time to make an impact. Alessandro Matri N/A - Another late substitute in the Vecchia Signora ranks, coming on for Vucinic. Parma Antonio Mirante 3.0 - It wasn't the greatest kick, but the goalkeeper still did well to get down and keep out Vidal's penalty. No chance on the opener, and was unlucky to see a goal called against him after stopping Pirlo's free kick. Cristian Zaccardo 2.5 - Given a torrid time out wide by Asamoah, dragged out of position and leaving vast holes behind him. Will want to forget the sight of the Ghanaian quickly. Alessandro Lucarelli 3.0 - The captain tried his best to hold together a backline that was in danger of disintegrating during a nightmare start to the second half. An ugly forearm smash on Vidal could well have produced a red instead of just a booking. Gabriel Paletta 3.0 - The Argentine's rushed clearance indirectly led to Juve's missed penalty, and he was nowhere to be seen when Lichtsteiner fired the Turin side into the lead, but did well to keep Juve's front two at bay. Aleandro Rosi 3.0 - Toiled and worked down the flank, but by the end of the game was overwhelmed by Juventus' slick passing and movement. Subbed 10 minutes from the end. Jaime Valdes 2.5 - The No. 10 showed moments of class, but was starved of the ball in a system that favoured swift counters and did not figure as much as he would have liked. Marco Parolo 2.5 - Squandered Parma's best chance of the first half, blazing a free header over the bar from Pabon's corner. Matched Pirlo and Marchisio in the first 45, before being overrun after the interval. Massimo Gobbi 2.5 - Like the rest of the Gialloblu midfield, had no answer when Juve stepped up a gear. Was spared by a poor offside call from the linesman, after playing Giovinco on as the forward surged through on goal. Afriyie Acquah 2.5 - The young Ghanaian tried hard in the middle, but his most notable contribution was a cynical, nasty challenge on Pirlo that earned him a yellow card and could well have been another colour. Jonathan Biabiany 2.5 - Always dangerous when released out wide or through the middle, and forced an excellent save from Storari from distance, but couldn't convert his play into a goal, and that proved costly. Dorlan Pabón 2.5 - The pacey forward had mixed fortunes on his Serie A debut. Started brightly and was a threat from dead balls, but faded out of the game and was substituted following the first goal. • Substitutions Sotiris Ninis 3.0 - The Greece international injected more creativity into the game after coming on for Acquah, and played Biabiany in with a wonderful ball in his most meaningful contribution. Ishak Belfodil 2.5 - Came on the pitch to try and salvage a goal for Parma, but in his best chance of the evening hesitated and saw the ball robbed from his feet by Barzagli. Graziano Pellè 2.5 - A fleeting appearance from Pelle, who replaced Rosi with less than 10 minutes on the clock.

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771‎ Donadoni: 'Parma too timid' Aug 25, 2012 Roberto Donadoni was disappointed with Parma’s performance at the Juventus Stadium. “We were too timid.” The Ducali were beaten 2-0 in Turin this evening and only really threatened in the final half-hour. “We conceded two goals in the space of four minutes. It’s a shame, because with a little more conviction and determination we could’ve done better, especially in the first half,” said the Coach. “The team must grow, as we were too timid when faced with Juve’s aggressive approach. Dorlan Pabon has a great right foot, but the new players need time to settle in and understand the dynamics.” There were some contentious incidents, as Stephan Lichtsteiner was offside when earning a penalty and the goal judge ruled Andrea Pirlo’s free kick had crossed the line. “I don’t talk about referees,” insisted Donadoni. “The more eyes on the field, the better it is, but even then mistakes can happen. We need everyone to start seeing it this way, otherwise we’ll always be here talking about officials.”

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771‎ Carrera: 'I made my decisions' Aug 25, 2012 Stand-in Coach Massimo Carrera assures he “did not need” Antonio Conte’s advice to deal with Juventus-Parma. He is on the touchline during Conte’s 10-month ban in the betting scandal and oversaw tonight’s 2-0 Serie A victory. “My role is to deal with a football team, even if at times one has to raise his voice,” said Carrera of the half-time talk. “Conte has great charisma and is a great Coach who fires up his men. I try to transmit that passion to the players on the field. I’ve been working with him for a year, so I know how he thinks and we continually exchange views. “I left my phone on the team bus, so I haven’t heard from Conte during the game and made my own decisions.” However, during his ban Conte is not allowed to communicate with Carrera on match day, even if he is in control of day-to-day training. “What does my future hold? For the moment I am replacing my Coach on the touchline. I want to be his collaborator, then we’ll see. “I did get a little angry with Mirko Vucinic when we conceded a counter-attack after his error, but we cleared the air immediately.” There was an early scare when Arturo Vidal fired a poor penalty straight at the goalkeeper. “Vidal wanted to take the penalty because he felt ready. Kwadwo Asamoah was a smart buy and the fact he started tonight proves that.”

Juventus not interested in Barcelona forward Villa, says Marotta The Bianconeri are looking to recruit a traditional target man rather than the gifted Spaniard, who has recently returned to first-team action following a lengthy injury lay-off. Aug 26, 2012 Juventus chief Giuseppe Marotta has denied that the club have approached Barcelona over forward David Villa. Reports in Spain had suggested that a move could be in the offing, but this has now been refuted by the 57-year-old executive. The Old Lady are looking to sign a high-profile striker this summer, and have been linked with Robin van Persie, Edin Dzeko and Fernando Llorente at various times. However, 30-year-old Villa is not on their list of targets. "I can rule out any interest or negotiations for David Villa," Marotta is quoted as saying by Mundo Deportivo. "He is a great player, but not the type we are looking for. We want a striker in the style of Edinson Cavani or Llorente, who are our primary targets along with Edin Dzeko." With time running out in the transfer window, Juve will no doubt be concentrating their efforts on recruiting a new goalscorer to aid their quest for back-to-back Serie A titles.

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54') Andrea Pirlo (58') Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771 Vidal and Marchisio pulled Juventus through, says Carrera after win over Parma The interim boss has highlighted the importance of the midfield duo for not shirking responsibility during the opening-day victory, and spoke of his role in Antonio Conte's absence. Aug 25, 2012 Massimo Carrera has hailed Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio for their respective roles in Juventus' 2-0 Serie A success over Parma on Sunday. Second-half strikes from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Andrea Pirlo were enough to ensure the Old Lady started the defence of their Scudetto shield in winning fashion, despite a slow start in Turin. However, Carrera, who has assumed caretaker responsibilities on matchdays following Antonio Conte's suspension, believes the victory must be attributed to a rise in performance levels of the two midfielders. "Vidal felt that he was being pulled by one of the Parma players [in the build-up to his missed penalty]," the former Italy defender told Sky Sport Italia. "During the first half, we maintained a slow pace, then Marchisio and Vidal grew and the team followed them." Carrera then reflected on the displays given by summer signing Kwadwo Asamoah, who has impressed in an unfamilar left-wing position since his arrival from Udinese, and makeshift centre-back Luca Marrone. "We tested Asamoah in that role during pre-season and he has shown that he can offer a lot there. His play was spot on," he added. "Marrone in defence? He is doing well, but he has to work hard; he needs a little more experience." The ex-Juve and Atalanta stopper has enjoyed a successful start to his spell in charge of the Bianconeri, having also won a Supercoppa title prior to the weekend, but he insists he is not thinking about the possibility of replacing Conte permanently. "Antonio is a great coach with great charisma. I aim to bring the charge that he gives us on training onto the pitch," mused Carrera. "In the match, I make the decisions. We work together and know each other's methods. "Do I want to be the head coach? No, we want to continue with Conte."

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771‎ Juve back with a bang Aug 25, 2012 Juventus began the defence of their Serie A title with a 2-0 win over Parma, although they had their goalkeeper Marco Storari to thank for helping them to victory. Arturo Vidal missed a penalty in the first half but the Bianconeri took the lead through Stephan Lichtsteiner in the 54th minute. A disputable goal from Andrea Pirlo four minutes later looked to have wrapped up victory but it took some sterling saves from Storari to prevent Parma from finding a way back into the game and upsetting the fans, who were already celebrating inside the Juventus Arena. With Massimo Carrera in charge on the Juventus bench following the upholding of Antonio Conte's 10-month ban for failing to report match-fixing while at Siena, there was little other difference to the Serie A title-holders at the start of the new season. With the lively Sebastian Giovinco up against the side he represented while on loan last season, they harried and hassled the Parma defence, showing why they did not lose a single game last term. Mirko Vucinic went close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute but sent his header over the crossbar. Juve should have taken the lead 10 minutes before the break when the referee awarded them a penalty, Antonio Mirante adjudged to have brought down Lichtsteiner inside the penalty area. However, Vidal's spot-kick was saved by the Parma goalkeeper, who got away with only a booking for the initial foul. Lichtsteiner put Juventus ahead in the 54th minute when he met Kwadwo Asamoah's low cross from close range to tuck the ball in. Pirlo made it two four minutes later, delivering a punishing blow to Parma. The Italy international's direct free-kick was grasped by Mirante, who slid over the goal line but tried to keep the ball out. According to the referee, though, the ball had crossed the line fully and the goal was given. Parma did not lose heart and the pacy Jonathan Biabiany proved to be a thorn in the side of the Juve defence. Jaime Valdes missed the best chance for Parma in the 78th minute when he took too long with the ball and allowed Leonardo Bonucci to get back and make the tackle. Marco Storari did well numerous times to keep a resurgent Parma out, most notably in the 87th minute when he first denied Sotiris Ninis and then got up to block Massimo Gobbi's effort.

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771‎ Juve push past Parma Aug 25, 2012 Juventus started the season with a win over Parma, with Arturo Vidal’s penalty was saved and Andrea Pirlo’s goal have been just some centimeters over the line. The reigning champions began their campaign the same way as in 2011-12, by welcoming Parma to Turin. This time Sebastian Giovinco was playing for the home side and partnered Mirko Vucinic. Gigi Buffon, Simone Pepe, Lucio, Mauricio Isla and Martin Caceres were injured, so Luca Marrone went into central defence. Parma had Daniele Galloppa suspended, Amauri, Nicola Sansone, Raffaele Palladino and Fabiano Santacroce sidelined, so Jonathan Biabiany went into attack with debutant Dorlan Pabon. There were fears kick-off could be delayed after a thunderstorm hit 40 minutes before kick-off, but the pitch was drained in time. Giovinco didn’t have a good start against his former teammates, as he was booked for simulation early on. An Andrea Pirlo free kick was nodded on to the roof of the net by Vucinic. At full stretch the Montenegrin also just failed to get on the end of a Pirlo pass across the face of goal. On 33 minutes Stephan Lichtsteiner ran on to a ricochet and Antonio Mirante rushed off his line to close him down, but the goalkeeper caught his shin for a penalty. The Swiss wing-back was clearly offside in the lead-up, though. Arturo Vidal stepped up and fired a weak spot-kick straight at Mirante! Vucinic’s angled drive was somewhere between cross and shot, while Giovinco’s effort was too timid to trouble Mirante. Straight after the restart Kwadwo Asamoah’s shot took a crucial deflection in front of goal, then the former Udinese man rolled a pass across to the back post where Vidal sliding in just failed to get the final touch. Vucinic sprung the offside trap on a smart Vidal pass with the outside of the boot, but hesitated and fired straight at Mirante when Claudio Marchisio was clear. From the resulting corner, Marchisio’s volley was charged down. The pressure was building and Juventus broke through when Asamoa skipped past Aleandro Rosi down the left and rolled across for Lichtsteiner to tap in from five yards, sneaking in between the Parma defenders. Alessandro Lucarelli was booked for a body-check on Vidal. From that fierce Pirlo free kick, Mirante blocked it with some difficulty, but according to the official behind the goal it was already over the line. Video replays are not real clear and Juventus were awarded the second goal. Parma substitute Sotiris Ninis fell in the box, but the referees did not consider the shove to be enough for a penalty. Moments later Biabiany ran on to a Ninis through ball and forced a save out of Marco Storari. Giovinco hit the side-netting, but Parma had a great chance on the counter with Biabiany pulling back from the by-line for Ishak Belfodil’s deflected finish inches past the near post. Another crucial Leonardo Bonucci sliding challenge managed to block a Jaime Valdes shot in the box. Greek international Sotiris Ninis unleashed a rocket from distance that Storari pushed out for a corner. There were concerns in the final five minutes when Giovinco was stretchered off with an ankle injury. Storari needed a double save on Ninis from distance and the follow-up at the near post by Massimo Gobbi. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juventus: Storari; Barzagli, Marrone, Bonucci; Lichtsteiner (Padoin 78), Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco (De Ceglie 86), Vucinic (Matri 79) Parma: Mirante; Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli; Rosi (Pelle 80), Acquah (Ninis 58), Valdes, Parolo, Gobbi; Pabon (Belfodil 58), Biabiany Ref: Romeo Saved penalty: Vidal 34 (J)

Serie A Week 1 - 25/8/12 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 0 Stephan Lichtsteiner (54′) Andrea Pirlo (58′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Referee: Andrea Romeo Attendance: 37771‎ Pirlo free-kick seals opening-day win for champions The veteran midfielder scored with a free kick judged over the line by the fifth official, after Lichtsteiner had fired the Old Lady ahead at the start of the second half. Aug 25, 2012 Juventus shrugged off a penalty miss from Arturo Vidal to run out comfortable winners against Parma, goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Andrea Pirlo sealing a 2-0 win on Serie A's opening weekend. The Switzerland international turned in from Kwadwo Asamoah's cross just after the interval, atoning for his Chilean team-mate who had seen his kick saved from the spot by Antonio Mirante. Three points were secured by Pirlo, whose low free-kick originally appeared to have been stopped before it was allowed on the advice of the fifth official. Parma started brightly against the Serie A holders, looking to capitalise on the counterattack through pacey forwards Dorlan Pabon and Jonthan Biabiany and get behind an Old Lady backline missing stars like Martin Caceres, Simone Pepe and Lucio. An early break from Pabon ended in a speculative effort that was easily stopped by Marco Storari, but it was from the dead ball that the Colombian debutant would cause the hosts the most trouble. It was his corner that found Marco Parolo completely unmarked, but the midfielder wasted a golden chance by heading over the crossbar. Juve legend Andrea Pirlo also showed off his skills on the deck, floating a dangerous free kick into the box that was glanced just over by Mirko Vucinic. After a quiet start to proceedings, Juventus started to show their dominance as the half wore on. In his first official game, Kwadwo Asamoah was a dynamic force on the left hand side as the Turin side pushed forwards in numbers. Thirty-four minutes into the half, the home side should have taken the lead. A rushed clearance from Gabriel Paletta hit Vucinic, leaving Stephan Lichtsteiner clean through on goal. The midfielder was clearly offside and should have been called back, but it was Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante who was sanctioned as he brought his opponent down in the box, conceding a contentious penalty and earning a yellow card. The former Juve academy player redeemed himself, however, saving from Vidal after the Chilean hit a tame effort from 12 yards. Vidal once again was handed an excellent chance to hit the net barely five minutes into the second half. Asamoah drove a delicious low ball across the face of goal, but the Chilean had to deal with an acute angle and could only turn into the side netting at full stretch. The breakthrough would not take much longer to arrive, however. More excellent work from Asamoah out wide led to another cross, and Lichtsteiner was in exactly the right place to calmly finish and put the hosts into a deserved lead. Parma were rattled, and captain Alessandro Lucarelli was extremely lucky to only receive a booking for an ugly challenge on Vidal that appeared to use the elbow. A second for Juve came in bizarre fashion just minutes later. Mirante appeared to have saved Andrea Pirlo's free kick right on the line. But referee Romeo disagreed and, after some consultation with the fifth official, ruled that the veteran midfielder had scored - to the delight of the home fans, who were in one voice praising the Italy international. Having done little since the opening minutes of the encounter, going two down prompted Parma to show more urgency going forward. Biabiany gave Juve fans a big scare as he connected with substitute Sotiris Ninis' through ball, but Storari was equal to the challenge as he parried the shot behind. Juventus by and large continued to look comfortable, passing the ball around with authority as they looked to close out the remainder of the encounter. Biabiany continued to be the focal point of Parma's attack, and his teasing cross had to be dealt with by Barzagli as Belfodil bore down on goal. There was to be no way through for the visitors, however, as a fantastic double save at the death from Storari secured his clean sheet and Juventus stayed firm to record three points at the start of their quest to retain the 2011-12 title. Juve's next Serie A test comes on Sunday, when they will visit Udinese. Parma, meanwhile, host Chievo on the same day.

Gran partita di Asamoah.

Ma quanto sono stupidi i giocatori quando protestano con l'arbitro .....

Avrá visto giusto l'arbitro di porta?

Come l'anno scorso: Lichtsteiner in goal contro il Parma.