Socrates

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Chiellini: 'Juve will fight to the end' Apr 4, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini assures “Juventus will fight to the bitter end” to take the Scudetto off Milan this season. The Bianconeri are in second place and just two points adrift of the Serie A leaders going into the Easter Saturday games. “I am certain Juventus will fight to the bitter end for the Scudetto,” the defender told children on a visit to a local school. “I tell youngsters not to smoke, to eat healthily and do lots of sports. We football players know that we set an example for children, so for this reason we must keep an eye on our behaviour.” This weekend Juventus visit Palermo, while Milan welcome Fiorentina to San Siro. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Depleted Palermo target Juve upset Apr 4, 2012 Palermo are aware that it will take some effort to get a result against Scudetto-chasing Juventus on Saturday. The Rosanero have the fourth best home record in the Division, but the Old Lady are in form having won their last three games – scoring 10 and conceding none in the process. “We’ll try to beat them, but it will be very tough,” Vice-President Guglielmo Micciche commented. “We will be without the suspended Abel Hernandez, Massimo Donati and Andrea Mantovani. Meanwhile, Federico Balzaretti, Eros Pisano and Matias Silvestre are out injured. “It will be hard without half the team to get a positive result, but we’ll try to get some points even against a very strong Juventus side.” The Bianconeri haven’t beaten Palermo in Sicily since a 2-0 in February 2009 thanks to goals from Momo Sissoko and David Trezeguet. Palermo have won three of the last four at the Barbera against Juve – 2-1, 2-0 and 3-2. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Moggi loses latest appeal Apr 4, 2012 The Italian Olympic Committee have confirmed Luciano Moggi’s lifetime ban from any involvement in football. Former Juventus director Moggi, punished for his involvement in the 2006 Calciopoli sporting trial, had tried to get that suspension overturned. However, CONI’s high court has confirmed his ban, as well as those handed to ex-Juve official Antonio Giraudo and former FIGC Vice-President Innocenzo Mazzini.

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Conte’s 12-minute team talk Apr 4, 2012 The Italian media are speculating on exactly what Antonio Conte said to his Juventus troops during a 12-minute motivational speech. The tactician spoke at length to his entire squad on Tuesday in a bid to fire them up ahead of the last eight games of the campaign. “Milan will have to spit blood until the very end to win the championship,” the former midfielder allegedly stated. “People are flooding us with praise right now, but that sends shivers through me. Why? Because I have fear, I have fear, I have fear that someone here will start to relax. “There is applause and a consensus, but what is the reality? The reality is the pitch, the reality is sweat, the reality is sacrifice. “That is what has led us to this point of the championship and we still haven’t done anything yet… “Let’s look at who we have in front of us now because we are mature enough to fight until the very end. “As I said before, they will have to spit blood until the last game.” Juventus, who travel to Palermo this weekend, are now just two points behind leaders Milan in the championship. The Old Lady, unbeaten this term, will also face Napoli in the Coppa Italia Final next month. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Chiellini: Juventus will fight for the Scudetto until the end The 27-year-old stopper is refusing to write off his side's chances in the competition and says his team will fight until they are mathematically out of the race for the title. Apr 4, 2012 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has guaranteed that his side will do their utmost to dethrone AC Milan in Serie A. The Bianconeri are two points behind Milan in second place, with eight matches remaining in the competition. Juventus will not play against Milan again before the end of the season, but Chiellini has warned that his side will try to take advantage of any slip-ups from the Rossoneri. "I am certain Juventus will fight to the end for the Scudetto," Chiellini said during a visit to a local school. "I tell youngsters not to smoke, to eat healthily and do a lot of sports," he added.

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Quagliarella to net Juve start? Apr 4, 2012 Fabio Quagliarella is being tipped to win a place in the Juventus first team this weekend after his goal against Napoli. The Italian international came off the bench on Sunday to net in the 3-0 victory against his former club. According to various newspapers on Wednesday, the forward could now be offered a chance from the start against Palermo. Quagliarella, who missed the first six months of 2011 with knee ligament damage, has scored three goals in 18 League games this term. However, Quagliarella has only started five League games under Antonio Conte so far. It’s unclear at the moment whether Juve will field a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 at the Stadio Barbera on Saturday. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Bonucci wants his goal back Apr 4, 2012 Leonardo Bonucci is somewhat surprised that Juve teammate Mirko Vucinic was retrospectively assigned the opening goal in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Napoli. The striker’s shot was deflected in past Morgan De Sanctis by the Juventus defender, but the Lega Calcio awarded the effort to the Montenegro international on Monday. “I touched the ball without a shadow of a doubt,” the former Inter and Bari player told the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have celebrated like that. “In order for the Lega to give Vucinic the goal, they classed my action as someone who was trying to dodge out of the way – but that is the natural reaction of someone who is hit by something. “The goal is mine!” Despite his argument, Vucinic, according to the Lega at least, remains the official scorer of the first goal.

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Second best Juventus Apr 4, 2012 The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport has today highlighted Juventus’ strength during the second half of their Serie A matches. The unbeaten Old Lady turned draws into convincing victories against Inter and Napoli, after going in at the break 0-0, during their last two encounters. The national newspaper has today examined the statistics which illustrate that the Bianconeri seem to get results as games go on. If ties in Serie A finished at the 45-minute mark, Juve would have only collected 49 points this term and would be fourth behind Roma, Milan and Udinese. If just second half results were used to calculate an hypothetical table, Juve would be top of that with 59 points. As is stands in reality, the Turin giants are second in the classifica – two points behind Milan and 11 clear of Lazio in third. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 31 - 7-4-2012 (6:30 p.m.) - Renzo Barbera Stadium - Palermo Referee: Christian Brighi Budan: 'Juve not world class' Apr 3, 2012 Palermo striker Igor Budan has mocked Saturday’s opponents Juventus, complaining they have “no world class players.” The two clubs go head-to-head at the Stadio Barbera at 17.30 UK time this weekend and Juve are just two points adrift of Serie A leaders Milan. “Juve have no world class players,” said the forward during a press conference. “I thought Mirko Vucinic would be able to do more, but he had a few problems. Unfortunately for us, he is now getting back in shape. “I respect Marco Borriello and Alessandro Matri, but they are not Zlatan Ibrahimovic. However, Andrea Pirlo is having a great season and I hope he gets a few passes wrong on Saturday.” Palermo received a big boost at the weekend when they earned their first away victory of the season, conquering Bologna 3-1. “I think Emiliano Viviano’s save on Marco Di Vaio when we were 1-0 down made a huge difference, as it would’ve been tough to come back from 2-0 down. “We have a great squad and were always very united, trying to keep a positive atmosphere.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A - 11^ Giornata - Ritorno - 1-4-2012 (ore 20:45) 3 - 0 Mirko Vučinić (53′) Arturo Vidal Pardo (75′) Fabio Quagliarella (83′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Daniele Orsato Spettatori: 34000 Serie A - Juve tris al Napoli, il Milan ora trema Con una prova strepitosa la Juventus annichilisce il Napoli che viene travolto nella ripresa dalle reti di Vucinic, Vidal e Quagliarella (3-0 il finale). Con questo successo la squadra di Conte accorcia dalla vetta: sono solo due i punti di vantaggio del Milan. Eurosport - Domenica, 1 aprile 2012 Missione compiuta. La Juventus non si fa sfuggire l'assist del Catania e dimezza il distacco sul Milan (portandosi da 4 a 2 punti sui rossoneri) schiantando 3-0 un Napoli troppo brutto per essere vero. La squadra di Conte gioca una partita perfetta, aggredendo dal primo minuto Hamsik e compagni e capitalizzando la supremazia territoriale nel secondo tempo con i gol di Bonucci, Vidal e Quagliarella. Strepitosa per quantità, qualità e aggressività la gara giocata dai bianconeri che hanno spiazzato il Napoli stracciandolo proprio sul piano atletico, trascinati dall'energia di uno scintillante Vidal e dalle geometrie del solito incredibile Andrea Pirlo. C'E' BORRIELLO CON VUCINIC, MAGGIO RIENTRA - Antonio Conte spiazza tutti ridando fiducia a Marco Borriello alla ricerca del primo gol di questa stagione veramente sottotono per lui. L'ex romanista farà coppia con Vucinic, solo panchina per Matri e Del Piero, quest'ultimo reduce da due gol fra Coppa Italia e campionato. A centrocampo Lichsteiner vince il ballottaggio con Caceres per il ruolo di laterale destro nella mediana a cinque. Walter Mazzarri per questa trasferta delicatissima schiera il Napoli migliore, con Maggio che ha smaltito le noie fisiche e torna a presidiare il binario destro a centrocampo. Sulla fascia opposta c'è Zuniga mentre in mezzo Inler vicino il ballottaggio con Dzemaili. In attacco il tridente delle meraviglie formato da Hamsik, Lavezzi e Cavani. JUVE CHE GRINTA, MANCA SOLO IL GOL - La Juve sa che questa è una partita delicatissima, una delle più importanti della stagione, e parte a mille. Corta, aggresssiva e capace di pressare a tutto campo gli avversari costringe il Napoli a lunghi lanci dalle retrovie che snaturano il gioco della squadra di Mazzarri e impediscono ai tre tenori (Hamsik, Cavani e Lavezzi) di avere palloni giocabili. La prima occasione è di marca bianconera, Pirlo sulla sinistra stoppa in maniera maestosa un lancio di Vidal, elude l'intervento di Campagnaro e mette in mezzo un pallone morbido sul quale però arriva solo Bonucci che tocca sull'esterno della rete. La Juve continua a premere e a cerca di far male con i cross come al 9' quando Lichsteiner prova ad innescare Borriello che però con l'incornata non trova la porta. Il Napoli si fa vedere al 12' con Hamsik che, triangola nello stretto con Gargano, ma davanti a Buffon si allunga troppo il pallone. La Juve continua a premere e colleziona tante punizioni che vengono battute da Pirlo con la solita pericolosità: il muro del Napoli, che al 24' perde Maggio (problema ai flessori) sostituito da Dossena, però regge in qualche modo grazie anche alle parate di De Sanctis, che è molto attento al 34' e al 43'. Il primo tempo così chiude 0-0, un risultato che sembra uno sconto per un Napoli sgonfio. BONUCCI FORTUNATO, VIDAL E QUAGLIARELLA CHE GIOIELLI - Nella ripresa il Napoli sembra alzare un attimo il baricentro sfruttando l'unico momento di rifiatamento della Juve, che però riparte subito con la proverbiale cattiveria e al 48' va vicinissima al gol: punizione dalla sinistra di Pirlo, Hamsik di testa sfiora l'autogol ma viene graziato da De Sanctis che evita il gol. Sull'ennesima punizione la Juventus passa in vantaggio quattro minuti dopo, Pirlo dalla destra mette un in area, Barzagli prolunga la sfera per Vucinic che stoppa la sfera, si gira e tira. Bonucci sulla traiettoria del tiro devia la palla col ginocchio beffando De Sanctis e facendo esplodere lo Juventus Stadium. Il gol dà grandissima benzina alla Juventus, che non si accontenta, e in contropiede fa sempre male. Mazzarri prova a rianimare il suo Napoli inserendo Pandev, al posto di Inler, l'ingresso del macedone dà un po' di verve alla manovra degli azzurri che però sono costretti a lasciare spazi alla Juve che, dopo aver sfiorato il 2-0 con un tiro dalla distanza di Marchisio, trova il raddoppio con un azione personale di Vidal che entra in area, ubriaca con un doppio passo Campagnaro e con un sinistro sul secondo palo fulmina De Sanctis. L'eurogol del centrocampista cileno affossa il morale del Napoli che, rischia di subire il tris subito dal neoentrato Quagliarella (pallonetto da 50 metri fuori di nulla). L'ex di turno però colpisce all'82' quando chiude un contropiede devastante con un destro che si insacca sul primo palo soprendendo un incerto De Sanctis. Il divario potrebbe essere più grande perché entra anche Del Piero che in meno di sette minuti sfiora il poker con due giocate da campione. Va bene però anche così per la Juve che allunga la sua infinita striscia positiva di risultati ed ora a -2 dai rossoneri cova ancora più sogni di tricolore. Stefano Dolci - Eurosport Juventus - Napoli 3-0