Socrates

Pogba undergoes Juventus medical The France Under-19 international is on the verge of joining the Serie A champions, as he is currently in Turin to undergo his physical tests before putting pen to paper. Jul 27, 2012 Juventus have confirmed on their official website that promising youngster Paul Pogba has arrived at the club to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed transfer. The 19-year-old midfielder left Manchester United earlier this summer after deciding not to extend his expiring contract, and he is now one step closer to completing his long-awaited move to the Serie A champions. Pogba is seen as one of the biggest talents in his age category, and Juventus have pinpointed the midfielder as an important player for the future. The France Under-19 star is expected to ink a long-term deal with the Bianconeri once he passes his medical. Pogba is a product of the Le Havre youth academy, but left the French side for Manchester United in the summer of 2009. He made his Premier League debut against Stoke City in January 2012, but will now continue his career in the Italian top flight.

Pogba undergoes Juve medical Jul 27, 2012 Another transfer saga is close to completion after Juventus confirmed that Paul Pogba is having his medical on Friday. The 19-year-old arrived at the Clinica Fornaca in Turin this morning to start tests ahead of his anticipated switch to the Old Lady. Pogba is a French youth international midfielder who has opted to join Juve after turning down the offer of a new contract at Manchester United.

Marotta stands by Conte Jul 26, 2012 Director general Beppe Marotta has assured “Antonio Conte will be Juventus Coach now and in future, regardless of the outcome” of the betting trial. Conte and several members of his staff were charged with failing to report an attempted sporting fraud while at Siena as part of the investigation into a betting scandal. Simone Pepe was also charged, while Leonardo Bonucci was accused of the more serious sporting fraud due to his time at Bari. “There is deep bitterness at seeing our members brought into the situation, as they are very professional and fair, so we believe in their good faith,” Marotta said at the presentation ceremony for the Serie A 2012-13 calendar. “We have handed the reins to Conte, we’re happy with him and he will be Juventus Coach now and in future, regardless of the outcome of the sentence. We will find a solution.” The Juventus director was also asked about their interest in signing Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie or Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic. “The top player we are looking for is not only a name with an important price-tag attached. What we mean by top player is someone who can improve our quality level. “Van Persie is an excellent player and Arsenal have no intention of losing him. It is not possible to negotiate for a player if the club is not open to talks. “As for Jovetic, it’s only right that Fiorentina ruled he is off the market. We never even tried to get close to him.” Roma won the tug-of-war with Juventus for Mattia Destro, although Marotta maintains it was never that clear-cut. “We simply observed the Destro situation. Roma got themselves a very good deal.”

Pogba ready for Juve medical Jul 26, 2012 There are reports Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will arrive in Turin tonight to undergo a medical with Juventus. The 19-year-old is a free agent after his contract with United expired last month and has long had an agreement in place with the Bianconeri. According to Sky Sport Italia, the French youngster will arrive in Turin this evening and undergo his medical with Juve staff on Friday. Pogba can then put pen to paper on the new contract.

Betting scandal: The charges Jul 26, 2012 The betting scandal today saw 44 people and 13 clubs charged, but Napoli, Lazio and Genoa are waiting for September to learn their fate. The FIGC prosecutor announced the charges for the first phase of the trial into alleged match-fixing after a summer of interrogations. Between Serie A, B and Lega Pro there are 44 individuals charged with various accusations ranging from sporting fraud to failing to report an attempt at sporting fraud. These include five Serie A clubs, although only Lecce and Grosseto are accused of direct responsibility for the incidents. All the other clubs face the charge of indirect responsibility – this means they knew nothing about the wrongdoing, but are punished because individuals within the club or squad did. Direct responsibility is a very serious accusation, so Lecce and Grosseto could well be demoted. The investigation is far from a complete picture, as games involving Lazio, Napoli and Genoa are still being scrutinised and charges are not expected before September. In the current phase of the trial, the charges are as follows. Clubs charged with direct responsibility: Lecce and Grosseto Clubs charged with indirect responsibility: Udinese, Bari, Bologna, Portogruaro, Sampdoria, Siena, Ancona, Novara, Torino, Varese and Albinoleffe Individuals charged with sporting fraud: Andrea Masiello, Salvatore Masiello, Nicola Belmonte, Alessandro Parisi, Leonardo Bonucci, Antonio Bellavista, Stefano Guberti, Marco Rossi, Filippo Carobbio, Daniele Padelli, Cristian Stellini (ex-Siena assistant manager), Giuseppe Vives, Pierandrea Semeraro (Lecce President), Piero Camilli (Grosseto President), Carlo Gervasoni, Mario Cassano, Edoardo Catinali, Cristian Bertani, Davide Drascek, Mavillo Gheller, Marcelo Larrondo, Roberto Vitiello, Alessandro Pellicori, Emanuele Pesoli, Ruben Garlini, Davide Bombardini, Dario Passoni, Luigi Sala, Mirko Poloni, Fernando Coppola, Claudio Terzi Individuals charged with failing to report an attempted sporting fraud: Simone Pepe, Guido Angelozzi (former Bari director of sport), Simone Bentivoglio, Marco Di Vaio, Angelo Da Costa Junior, Antonio Conte (ex-Siena Coach), Angelo Alessio (ex-Siena assistant manager), Marco Savorani (ex-Siena goalkeeping coach), Marcello Sanfelice (Bologna team manager), Bortolo Mutti (ex-Bari Coach) and Giorgio D’Urbano (ex-Siena fitness coach) Individuals charged with violating Article 1 on sporting fraud: Marco Esposito.

Agnelli 'sadness' at betting charges Jul 26, 2012 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli expressed “deep sadness” after Antonio Conte, Simone Pepe and Leonardo Bonucci were charged in the betting scandal. Coach Conte and Pepe were charged with failing to report an attempted fix to the authorities at Siena and Udinese respectively, while Bonucci is charged with sporting fraud due to his time at Bari. “Today’s events leave a deep sadness in all of us, mitigated by the knowledge that, as indicated by the leaders of Italian football, the sporting justice system will find clarity,” said Juventus President Agnelli. “On behalf of the club I confirm our full support for Antonio Conte, Angelo Alessio, Christian Stellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe.” Alessio and Stellini are members of Conte’s management staff who were also with him at Siena. “Juventus are a club floated on the stock exchange, but for those of us who dedicate our work and passion to the Bianconeri colours, it is more than that. “In a team you help each other out and battle. Whether you win or lose, you are never left alone. I can assure everyone that will be the case this time too.” There are reports Conte could face a six-month ban, so Juventus could hand the bench to a surrogate tactician for that period.

Agnelli 'sadness' at betting charges Jul 26, 2012 Juventus President Andrea Agnelli expressed “deep sadness” after Antonio Conte, Simone Pepe and Leonardo Bonucci were charged in the betting scandal. Coach Conte and Pepe were charged with failing to report an attempted fix to the authorities at Siena and Udinese respectively, while Bonucci is charged with sporting fraud due to his time at Bari. “Today’s events leave a deep sadness in all of us, mitigated by the knowledge that, as indicated by the leaders of Italian football, the sporting justice system will find clarity,” said Juventus President Agnelli. “On behalf of the club I confirm our full support for Antonio Conte, Angelo Alessio, Christian Stellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe.” Alessio and Stellini are members of Conte’s management staff who were also with him at Siena. “Juventus are a club floated on the stock exchange, but for those of us who dedicate our work and passion to the Bianconeri colours, it is more than that. “In a team you help each other out and battle. Whether you win or lose, you are never left alone. I can assure everyone that will be the case this time too.” There are reports Conte could face a six-month ban, so Juventus could hand the bench to a surrogate tactician for that period.

Conte considers plea bargain Jul 26, 2012 Antonio Conte’s lawyer admits the Juventus Coach could offer a plea bargain after he was charged with failing to report attempted match-fixes. The tactician had faced the far more serious accusations of sporting fraud, but his interview with prosecutors convinced them he was at most only aware of an attempted fix rather than actively involved in it during his time at Siena. “When this whole affair began, there were much more serious scenarios painted by the sporting and civil justice systems,” lawyer Antonio De Renzis told Tgcom24. “That scenario has been taken down a few notches and I think we are going towards a shelving of the civil charges. “As for the sporting judges, we see that now it has been taken down from sporting fraud to simply not reporting an attempted fraud. That has again changed the scenario that had been painted. “I think the work done during the investigation helped to show how little responsibility Conte had in the matter.” Several clubs have already taken plea bargains to reduce their punishment and get the sporting trial over as quickly as possible. It is a route Conte could well follow. “A good lawyer never takes anything off the table because he has to evaluate the situation. A plea bargain is one thing in a civil court and another in a sporting court. “Everyone always said that the sporting justice system is the opposite of a civil one, as here the accused has to prove his innocence rather than the other way round. The accused must prove in some way that the accuser is lying. “In that sense, a plea bargain would perhaps lack intellectual honesty. For the moment we are simply content to see the prosecuting scenario dropped down a few notches.” It is big news for Conte, because he was dragged into the trial by former Siena player Filippo Carobbio, who claimed the Coach told the team in a locker room meeting that a result was ‘already decided.’ However, the other players in the same meeting denied this ever happened and Conte’s testimony also helped prosecutors to consider Carobbio’s accusations less than entirely reliable. It could well prompt the rest of Carobbio’s testimony to be reconsidered by prosecutors, who had until now stated he was “a reliable witness.” Conte had claimed Carobbio was implicating him because there had been a row between their respective wives. Instead, it seems as if the prosecutors only took into account the alleged testimony of ex-Siena player Roberto Di Martino, who said he told Conte at the time that he’d turned down the offer to ‘fix’ Novara-Siena as a high-scoring match. Conte and Di Martino are therefore accused of not reporting the attempted fix to authorities.

'Nobody will be abandoned' - Juventus president Agnelli vows to stand by Conte amidst match-fixing accusations The former Italy international is accused of failing to report two attempts to arrange the outcome of a game during his time in charge of Siena, but the owner is behind his man. Jul 26, 2012 Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has vowed to stand by coach Antonio Conte, defender Leonardo Bonucci, winger Simone Pepe and the two club officials implicated in the Scommessopoli match-fixing scandal. On Thursday morning, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) revealed the identity of the 44 players and 13 clubs under investigation as part of their enquiry into the affair. Bonucci has been charged with sporting fraud, while Conte and Pepe stand accused of failing to report instances of match-fixing. Agnelli, though, insists that Juve intend to support all three, as well as coaches Angelo Alessio and Cristian Stellini. "Today’s events leave a bitter taste in our mouths, which is relieved only by the awareness that, as stated by the Italian sporting authorities, the circumstances will be clarified ahead of any case," the Bianconeri supremo explained in a statement on the Old Lady's official website. "On behalf of our club, I'd like to confirm that our full support lies with Antonio Conte, Angelo Alessio, Christian Stellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe. "Juventus are a company on the Stock Exchange, but people perceive us like a team, and all those involved who have devoted work and passion to the Bianconeri’s colours have an even stronger perception. "In teams, people help one another while fighting, losing and winning. But nobody is alone. And even now nobody will be abandoned." The charges against Conte relate to two games involving former club Siena, the club he left for Juventus last summer.

'Nobody will be abandoned' - Juventus president Agnelli vows to stand by Conte amidst match-fixing accusations The former Italy international is accused of failing to report two attempts to arrange the outcome of a game during his time in charge of Siena, but the owner is behind his man. Jul 26, 2012 Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has vowed to stand by coach Antonio Conte, defender Leonardo Bonucci, winger Simone Pepe and the two club officials implicated in the Scommessopoli match-fixing scandal. On Thursday morning, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) revealed the identity of the 44 players and 13 clubs under investigation as part of their enquiry into the affair. Bonucci has been charged with sporting fraud, while Conte and Pepe stand accused of failing to report instances of match-fixing. Agnelli, though, insists that Juve intend to support all three, as well as coaches Angelo Alessio and Cristian Stellini. "Today’s events leave a bitter taste in our mouths, which is relieved only by the awareness that, as stated by the Italian sporting authorities, the circumstances will be clarified ahead of any case," the Bianconeri supremo explained in a statement on the Old Lady's official website. "On behalf of our club, I'd like to confirm that our full support lies with Antonio Conte, Angelo Alessio, Christian Stellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Pepe. "Juventus are a company on the Stock Exchange, but people perceive us like a team, and all those involved who have devoted work and passion to the Bianconeri’s colours have an even stronger perception. "In teams, people help one another while fighting, losing and winning. But nobody is alone. And even now nobody will be abandoned." The charges against Conte relate to two games involving former club Siena, the club he left for Juventus last summer.

Bonucci risks three-year ban for Scommessopoli involvement The defender could face a lengthy ban for his role in the match-fixing scandal, while Antonio Conte and Simone Pepe could also be slapped with suspensions. Jul 26, 2012 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci could face a three-year ban for his role in the Scommessopoli scandal as the Italian FA (FIGC) has announced that the centre-back will face charges of sporting fraud. The FIGC revealed the names of 44 players and 13 clubs that have been indicted for their part in the match-fixing probe, with Bonucci being one of the high-profile names on the list. The 25-year-old is believed to have been involved in fixing the result of matches during his spell at Bari in 2009-10. Furthermore, Juve coach Antonio Conte could be suspended as he faces charges of failing to report two attempts of match-fixing during his time at Siena. The Scudetto-winning trainer was questioned by the prosecution earlier this summer, and was cleared of sporting fraud. However, Conte is now accused of being aware of attempts to fix the results of the games against Novara and Albinoleffe. Juventus winger Simone Pepe also faces charges of failing to report attempted match-fixing activities during his stint at Udinese. Other players who will be judged for their roles in the scandal are Marco Di Vaio, Daniele Portanova and Andrea Masiello.

Bonucci risks three-year ban for Scommessopoli involvement The defender could face a lengthy ban for his role in the match-fixing scandal, while Antonio Conte and Simone Pepe could also be slapped with suspensions. Jul 26, 2012 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci could face a three-year ban for his role in the Scommessopoli scandal as the Italian FA (FIGC) has announced that the centre-back will face charges of sporting fraud. The FIGC revealed the names of 44 players and 13 clubs that have been indicted for their part in the match-fixing probe, with Bonucci being one of the high-profile names on the list. The 25-year-old is believed to have been involved in fixing the result of matches during his spell at Bari in 2009-10. Furthermore, Juve coach Antonio Conte could be suspended as he faces charges of failing to report two attempts of match-fixing during his time at Siena. The Scudetto-winning trainer was questioned by the prosecution earlier this summer, and was cleared of sporting fraud. However, Conte is now accused of being aware of attempts to fix the results of the games against Novara and Albinoleffe. Juventus winger Simone Pepe also faces charges of failing to report attempted match-fixing activities during his stint at Udinese. Other players who will be judged for their roles in the scandal are Marco Di Vaio, Daniele Portanova and Andrea Masiello.

Juventus boss Conte on trial Jul 26, 2012 Juventus boss Antonio Conte will face sporting charges of allegedly failing to report attempts to fix two Siena games. Conte was questioned by the Italian Football Federation’s chief prosecutor earlier this month, after claims were made that he was involved in plans to arrange the outcome of games against Novara and Albinoleffe while in charge of Siena. While the tactician has been cleared of sporting fraud, he will have to face charges that he was aware of the circumstances around the games. Conte, if found guilty, could be fined or suspended – with a ban, according to some sources in Italy on Thursday, at around the six-month mark. The tactician has always maintained his innocence following the accusations made against him by his former player at Siena, Filippo Carobbio. The FIGC have been investigating the possibility that numerous games have been rigged as part of a numerous betting probes up and down the peninsula. Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci and midfielder Simone Pepe have also been caught up in the drama given their time at Bari and Udinese respectively. Bonucci will face a deferral for sporting fraud, while Pepe will have to prove his innocence after also being accused of failing to report knowledge of attempted match-fixing in reference to a Bari-Udinese tie in 2010. It is being alleged that Bologna’s Daniele Portanova and Atalanta’s Andrea Masiello could face lengthy bans too. Clubs such as Lecce, Grosseto and Siena will also be in the dock as they run the risk of a point penalty for the new season. Those individuals charged with sporting fraud could face lengthy bans if found guilty. Hearings are set to start on August 2.

Marchisio: Juventus can be successful in the Champions League The versatile midfielder believes the Old Lady can make an impact in Europe's premier club competition if they show the fighting spirit that they exhibited last term. Jul 24, 2012 Claudio Marchisio believes that Juventus can enjoy a successful season in Europe in 2012-13 if they show the right attitude. The Turin giants claimed the Serie A title with an unbeaten league campaign, and the Italy international believes they can go far in the Champions League this term if they show the same determination as they did in 2011-12. "Juventus will be even stronger than last year, and will also be fighting for the Champions League," Marchisio was quoted as saying by Tuttosport. "Nobody thought that we could win Serie A without losing a single game. We can be successful in Europe if we have the same spirit that we had last year. "We hope that Juventus will return to the top of Europe again. The important thing is to believe in yourself. You must have faith in your own qualities in every game, just like we did last season." Juventus last featured in the Champions League in 2009-10, when they failed to progress past the group stage.

Fiorentina want Juventus to include Marrone in Jovetic deal The Old Lady are desperate to lure the Montenegro international to Turin this summer, and the inclusion of the young midfielder could be enough to convince the Viola. Jul 24, 2012 Fiorentina have asked Juventus to include Luca Marrone in their offer for Stevan Jovetic, Goal.com can reveal. The Turin giants saw their previous bid of €13 million plus Alessandro Matri and Michele Pazienza turned down by the Viola, who were initially holding out for a transfer fee of €30m. However, Fiorentina could now accept an offer in the region of €22m plus 50 per cent of the economical rights of Marrone as head coach Vincenzo Montella sees the 22-year-old midfielder as a useful addition to his squad. Juventus trainer Antonio Conte considers Marrone to be an important player for the future, and would support the ideal of seeing the former Italy Under-21 starlet earn first-team experience elsewhere as long as the Serie A champions can re-sign him in the future. Marrone is a product of the Juve youth academy, and made his official first-team debut in the 2009-10 campaign. Although a deal is still far away at this stage, negotiations between both clubs are ongoing, and the Bianconeri remain hopeful of acquiring Jovetic. The Montenegro international, 22, was recently stripped of the Fiorentina captaincy, and is keen to make the move to Turin as he wants to play Champions League football.

Marchisio: Beware of Juve hunger Jul 24, 2012 Claudio Marchisio has failed to rule out Juventus as serious contenders for the 2012-13 Champions League. The Old Lady will return to the competition after winning Serie A last term and the midfielder is in optimistic mood.

Marrone can play Pirlo role Jul 23, 2012 Luca Marrone says he’s ready to stay at Juventus to act as cover for Andrea Pirlo during the 2012-13 campaign. “The Pirlo role is the position in which I prefer to play,” the 22-year-old Italian has commented. “I have the characteristics of a deep-lying playmaker.” It was unclear what the Old Lady would do with Marrone given that he was limited to just six appearances in all competitions last season. “Anything can still happen in the transfer market,” the Italian Under-21 international continued. “But the Coach has wanted me to stay in Turin for over a year now and I’m happy.” Antonio Conte knows the midfielder well given that he first bossed him during a loan spell at Siena in the 2010-11 season.

Conte makes us all feel important, says Marrone The young midfielder has nothing but praise for the Bianconeri trainer, and expressed his ambition to do even better than last term with the Turin giants. Jul 23, 2012 Juventus youngster Luca Marrone has hailed head coach Antonio Conte's role in the club's recent success, as he feels the former Italy international does a great job of keeping everybody motivated. Marrone added that the 42-year-old has played a big part in his personal development, and he is determined to reward the trainer for the faith shown in him. "The coach makes us all feel important. We feel we have all got a possibility of being in the starting line-up," Marrone stated to the club's official website. "I have been working with Conte for a few years and I know what he wants, so I will look to make my contribution. The belief shown by him and the club can only give me confidence, pride and desire to work with the utmost commitment." The 22-year-old then went on to express his delight with Juve's activity in the transfer market, and is hopeful that the Old Lady can replicate last year's success in the new campaign. "There have been important arrivals and the club continues to work to bolster the squad even further. We are the champions and we will face this season with a great desire to follow up last year's achievement."

Goal del Milan!

Buffon: 'Juve are Number 1' Jul 21, 2012 Gigi Buffon “can’t wait” to get back to his Juventus teammates and play at least 50 games this season. “We have the Number 1 club in Italy.” The goalkeeper is still on vacation because he was part of the Italy side that reached the Euro 2012 Final. “I can’t wait to join my teammates, as too many days have passed since I was last on the football field,” he told Sky Sport Italia. The Bianconeri have already signed the likes of Mauricio Isla and Kwadwo Asamoah, while they have reportedly made an offer to Arsenal for Robin Van Persie. “I won’t name names, but we have the Number 1 club in Italy and great directors. Giuseppe Marotta is excellent at his job and knows what to do, so I am relaxed and have the utmost faith in the club.” Buffon is already 34 years old, but has no intention of winding down his career ahead of the next World Cup. “I have set myself the target of playing at least 50 games this season between Juventus and the Nazionale. I know that I can do it. “Brazil 2014? Well, if you saw what I did at the Euros, then you’d have worked out roughly whether I’ll be at the World Cup in two years or not...” The shot-stopper was speaking at the presentation of Carrarese’s new campaign, as he bought his hometown club and could be the President in future. “I am in a situation that I’m not really accustomed to, as I am still a player, but I could not resist the call of my homeland. When Carrarese were in difficulty, I felt it was my duty to help. At that point I decided to buy all the club shares. “There is a serious and credible project in place here and we took some young players from Juve who will have a future in Serie B or A.”

Buffon targets 50-game-a-season mark for Juventus and Italy The experienced goalkeeper has admitted that he wants to play as many matches as possible for club and country in the new season and is looking towards the World Cup in 2014. Jul 21, 2012 Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that he is aiming to make at least 50 appearances for Juventus and Italy in the 2012-13 campaign. The veteran goalkeeper, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, captained the Azzurri at Euro 2012, and confessed that he is looking forward to getting back to action for the Turin giants despite just a short break. “I can’t wait to join my team-mates, as too many days have passed since I was last on the football field,” the 34-year-old told Sky Sport Italia. “I have set myself the target of playing at least 50 games this season between Juventus and the national team. I know that I can do it. “We are the number one club in Italy and we have great directors. Giuseppe Marotta is excellent at his job and knows what to do, so I am relaxed and have the utmost faith in the club,” the shot-stopper continued. Buffon went on to admit that he has one eye on the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, and feels that he can compete in the tournament. “Brazil 2014? Well, if you saw what I did at the Euros, then you’d have worked out roughly whether I’ll be at the World Cup in two years' time or not,” he said confidently.

'I will ask for Pirlo's signature' - New Juventus signing Canizares The 16-year-old is delighted to sign for the champions, arriving at the same club as legends such as the defensive midfielder, who he plans to ask for an autograph. Jul 20, 2012 Nicolas Canizares has expressed his joy at signing for Juventus, and is relishing the opportunity to play with new team-mates such as Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini. The centre-back was out of contract at Liga club Rayo Vallecano, but has agreed terms with the Old Lady, and will sign a contract with the Italian champions on Sunday. The Spaniard admits that he was initially apprehensive about the idea of moving to a foreign country so young, but is eagerly awaiting the challenge ahead of him. "I still can not believe it, but when they told me I did not think I was very attracted to the idea of moving countries," the defender told AS. "I am looking forward to moving to the city. I will be asking for Chiellini's, and especially Pirlo's autograph."

Asamoah: It's a dream to play for Juventus The 23-year-old is over the moon with his move to the Turin giants, and added that he's keen to play in the same team as his childhood idol Andrea Pirlo. Jul 20, 2012 Kwadwo Asamoah has voiced his delight with his recent transfer from Udinese to Juventus, saying that it is a dream come true for him to have made the move to Turin. The versatile midfielder recently signed a contract till the summer of 2017 with the Serie A champions, and is very pleased to have followed in the footsteps of compatriot Stephen Appiah. "It is a dream to play for Juventus. I am only the second Ghanaian after Appiah," Asamoah stated to Juventus Channel. "Juventus are a very big club that won the Scudetto last term. I saw a lot of their matches and I am delighted to be at this club. Having joined Juventus is the best thing in my life." The Ghana international then went on to praise Andrea Pirlo, stressing that the experienced playmaker is his idol. "I’m excited about playing for the same team as Andrea Pirlo, who has always been my idol. He is still the best for me, because he always plays well. "He has so much experience, but never changes and for me he is the most important player."

Asamoah: Being at Juve is a dream Jul 19, 2012 Kwadwo Asamoah has reflected on his summer switch from Udinese to Juventus and admits that as a Ghanaian it will be a source of pride to play for the Old Lady. After completing his co-ownership move to Turin this summer, the midfielder became the second Ghanaian after Stephen Appiah, to join the team. “Yes, Stephen before me is the only Ghanaian to have played for Juve. I am the second to play for Juventus, it is a dream,” admitted the midfielder on Juventus Channel today. “It’s the best thing in my life, because Juventus are a very big club, who won the championship last year. I have seen many of their games and I am very happy to be here. “Who was my idol as a child? Andrea Pirlo. He is still the best for me, because he always plays well. “He has so much experience, but never changes and for me he is the most important player.” Speaking from the club’s pre-season base at Valle d’Aosta, the 23-year-old reflected on the work-out he and his teammates have undertaken so far. “I feel good, we have trained well, we’ve been here for a week. It’s difficult, but when you see so much support, we can do much more. It’s hard work, but in the end it is better for a player. “When you’re on the field you then don’t feel anything during the game, nothing. For me, it’s better that way.”

Marotta: Van Persie signing is a Juventus fan's dream The general manager of the Serie A champions remained coy on any potential bid for the Arsenal man, but admitted he would be a top target for the Turin giants. Jul 19, 2012 Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has claimed his club are still chasing Arsenal captain Robin van Persie. Having told the Gunners that he will not be signing a new contract, the Dutchman has alerted many potential suitors wanting to acquire his services and Marotta says Juventus are still chasing the forward. "Robin van Persie is a fan's dream," Marotta told reporters. "Everyone has dreams but then you have to confront this with the reality. "We know what we have to do, and that is the important thing." Juventus will face stiff competition to land last season's Premier League top goalscorer who hit 44 goals for club and country last season, with Manchester City also heavily linked with the Netherlands international. They also face a battle convincing Arsenal to sell their key man as the Gunners are set to tell Van Persie that he will not be allowed to leave this summer, as exclusively revealed by Goal.com. However, the Turin club are keen to strengthen as they look to retain the Scudetto and replace club legend Alessandro Del Piero.