Socrates

Inaccettabile come dice il Milan ....

Noo Vidal

Rigore su Borriello non dato, Goal di Vucinic annullato ingiustamente ... dedicato ad Allegri

Fuorigioco di Vucinic?

GOAL DELLA JUVE!

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato HT: Juve-Napoli stalemate Apr 1, 2012 Andrea Pirlo went close, Marco Borriello and Marek Hamsik wasted changes, but it’s still 0-0 at the break between Juventus and Napoli. This has always been a huge battle in Serie A, but this time they were going head-to-head for Champions League places. Juve needed to take advantage of Milan’s slip-up to close the gap at the top of the table, while Napoli had to do the same after Lazio and Udinese were beaten in the race for third this weekend. Both sides essentially had full squads to choose from and Antonio Conte mirrored their 3-5-2 system with Stephan Lichtsteiner returning from suspension as a wing-back. Marco Borriello and Mirko Vucinic were picked in attack, hoping to make the most of Napoli’s weakness at defending in the air. Christian Maggio returned from injury to start with the Three Tenors. Andrea Pirlo’s cross to the back post from the left flashed across the face of goal, but Borriello only glanced the header wide from under six yards. Another Borriello header was well off target from Lichtsteiner’s cross. The first Napoli chance was on 13 minutes, but Marek Hamsik’s touch let him down when going past Gigi Buffon and gave away a goal kick. A Pirlo free kick sailed over the bar from distance, but at the other end Leonardo Bonucci was at full stretch to intercept a dangerous Camilo Zuniga cross into the six-yard box. Bad news for Napoli, as Maggio’s comeback lasted only 25 minutes before he limped off again in favour of Andrea Dossena. Arturo Vidal’s glancing header flicked a Pirlo free kick across the face of goal to skim the far post. Hamsik blasted over the bar from distance and the tension got to Lichtsteiner, who was booked for dissent. The first actual shot on target was a Pirlo free kick that Morgan De Sanctis rather comfortably smothered at the near post. Vidal picked up a yellow card for going straight through Hamsik outside the box, but Lavezzi curled the free kick over the bar. Dossena charged down a Vidal volley in the area, but Juve went closer on 44 minutes when De Sanctis got down to palm a curling Pirlo free kick out for a corner at the base of the near post. Juventus 0-0 Napoli (Half-Time) Juventus: Buffon; Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Borriello, Vucinic Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio (Dossena 25), Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani Ref: Orsato http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Line-ups: Juventus-Napoli Apr 1, 2012 Juventus have chosen Marco Borriello and Mirko Vucinic against Napoli’s Three Tenors in a huge showdown tonight, but tactics are revamped. The Juventus Stadium hosts a classic fixture of Serie A, one that ended 3-3 when these sides met in Naples earlier this season and will be renewed in the Coppa Italia Final on May 20. Borriello is the surprise pick against his hometown club, leaving Alessandro Matri and Alessandro Del Piero on the bench. It’s believed Antonio Conte hopes Borriello can take advantage of the problems Napoli have defending in the air. Stephan Lichtsteiner returns from suspension in a 3-5-2 system that mirrors that of Napoli with Paolo De Ceglie the other attacking wing-back. Napoli only miss Marco Donadel, as Christian Maggio returns to the starting XI after an injury lay-off. The Three Tenors are present and correct with Marek Hamsik, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi. Juventus: Buffon; Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Borriello, Vucinic Juventus bench: Storari, Caceres, Pepe, Giaccherini, Quagliarella, Matri, Del Piero Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani Napoli bench: Rosati, Fernandez, Britos, Dossena, Dzemaili, Pandev, Vargas http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Borriello starts for Juventus against Napoli The striker has failed to score in his seven previous Serie A appearances for the Bianconeri but has been paired with Mirko Vucinic as Antonio Conte reverts to a 3-5-2 formation. Apr 1, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has recalled Marco Borriello for Sunday's crunch Serie A clash with Napoli in Turin. The forward has failed to score a single Serie A goal for the Bianconeri since arriving on loan from Roma in January but he has been preferred to Alessandro Matri up front alongside Mirko Vucinic, with Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Del Piero again named among the substitutes. Simone Pepe drops to the bench as Juve switch to 3-5-2, with Stephan Lichtsteiner getting the nod ahead of Martin Caceres on the right-hand side. Leonardo Bonucci has been recalled and will start alongside Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini at the back for the Bianconeri. As for the visitors, Christian Maggio returns from injury to reclaim the right wing berth from Andrea Dossena, while Paolo Cannavaro slots back into the defence in place of Federico Fernandez. The final change sees Blerim Dzemaili make way for Walter Gargano in the middle of the park. Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Borriello, Vucinic. Subs: Storari, Caceres, Pepe, Giaccherini, Quagliarella, Matri, Del Piero. Napoli (3-4-3): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Cavani, Lavezzi. Subs: Rosati, Fernandez, Britos, Dossena, Dezemaili, Pandev, Vargas. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Marotta 'won't respond' to Allegri Apr 1, 2012 Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta refused to “fuel more controversy” by responding to Milan Coach Massimiliano Allegri’s criticism. Allegri was furious after the 1-1 draw with Catania on Saturday, suggesting Marotta “ought to shut up” for continuing to complain about refereeing errors. “Allegri is a very good Coach, but I do not respond to opposition tacticians,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia ahead of tonight’s Juventus-Napoli match. “I do not want to fuel more controversy. I think Robinho’s goal should’ve stood, but this requires new technology and not just having extra officials on the line. The more errors are reduced, the better football will be. “If Milan put in a formal request for goalline sensors to be used in Serie A next season, then we will be by their side.” Marotta is in the stands for tonight’s big game against Napoli and commented on their Three Tenors. “We also have some talented tenors,” he smiled. “Do we miss a player like Edinson Cavani? Maybe, but we still score many goals and will certainly act on the transfer market in the summer to improve our strike force.”

Serie A - 11^ Giornata - Ritorno - 1-4-2012 (ore 20:45) - Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Daniele Orsato I tenori azzurri sfidano il 3-5-2 di Conte nell'anticipo della finale di Coppa La sfida tra i bianconeri e gli azzurri chiude la trentesima giornata di Serie A: le due squadre si ritroveranno a fine maggio per l'attesissima finale di Coppa Italia.. 1 Apr, 2012 QUI JUVENTUS Rientra dalla squalifica Lichtsteiner ma lo svizzero non è certo di partire titolare: si giocano due maglie lui, Caceres e Bonucci. Modulo prescelto il 3-5-2, in avanti ancora da decifrare il partner di Vucinic: Matri è in vantaggio sul resto del parco attaccanti, ma spera ancora anche Del Piero. QUI NAPOLI Mazzarri si affiderà ai titolarissimi, con il trio Campagnaro-Cannavaro-Aronica in difesa, il rientrante Maggio a centrocampo, con Zuniga spostato a sinistra e la coppia Inler-Gargano al centro (panchina per Dzemaili). In avanti i tre tenori Hamsik, Lavezzi e Cavani nonostante un Pandev scalpitante. IL MOMENTO La Juventus si presenta a quest'appuntamento con il morale a mille dopo la vittoria sugli acerrimi rivali dell'Inter: i bianconeri credono ancora nello scudetto e non vogliono assolutamente fallire questa tappa. ll Napoli è reduce dal deludente pareggio col Catania, che ha complicato la corsa al terzo posto: una sconfitta potrebbe rendere la rimonta sulla Lazio quasi impossibile. LA CHIAVE Tra Juventus e Napoli c'è molta rivalità, i punti in questa fase della stagione sono pesantissimi e per questo sarà difficile vedere le due squadre rischiare più del dovuto. Ci si aspetta però grande dinamismo a centrocampo: sarà nella zona nevralgica che il match troverà la sua direzione... I PROTAGONISTI All'andata era assente ma da qualche settimana è tornato ai suoi livelli ottimali: Claudio Marchisio può essere la variante per mettere in difficoltà la difesa del Napoli. Contro gli azzurri vanta una buona tradizione anche Del Piero. Nelle file dei partenopei occhi puntati sul duo Cavani-Lavezzi, ma attenzione anche all'impatto che può avere Pandev. LE FORMAZIONI JUVENTUS Buffon Barzagli - Bonucci - Chiellini Caceres - Vidal - Pirlo - Marchisio - De Ceglie Matri - Vucinic ------------------------------------------------- Cavani Lavezzi - Hamsik Zuniga - Inler - Gargano - Maggio Aronica - Cannavaro - Campagnaro De Sanctis NAPOLI Testa a Testa Serie A ‎- 29 Nov, 2011 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 3 Serie A ‎- 22 Mag, 2011 - Juventus 2 - SSC Napoli 2 Serie A ‎- 9 Gen, 2011 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 0 Serie A ‎- 25 Mar, 2010 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia ‎- 13 Gen, 2010 - Juventus 3 - SSC Napoli 0 Ultime 5 Partite Juventus 25 Mar, 2012 - Juventus 2 - FC Internazionale 0 - Serie A 20 Mar, 2012 - Juventus 2 - AC Milan 2 - Coppa Italia 17 Mar, 2012 - Fiorentina 0 - Juventus 5 - Serie A 11 Mar, 2012 - Genoa 0 - Juventus 0 - Serie A 7 Mar, 2012 - Bologna 1 - Juventus 1 - Serie A SSC Napoli 25 Mar, 2012 - SSC Napoli 2 - Catania 2 - Serie A 21 Mar, 2012 - SSC Napoli 2 - Siena 0 - Coppa Italia 18 Mar, 2012 - Udinese 2 - SSC Napoli 2 - Serie A 14 Mar, 2012 - Chelsea FC 4 - SSC Napoli 1 - UCL 9 Mar, 2012 - SSC Napoli 6 - Cagliari 3 - Serie A http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A - 11^ Giornata - Ritorno - 1-4-2012 (ore 20:45) - Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Daniele Orsato Confronti ufficiali 150 - 131 (Serie A) - 8 (Coppa Italia) - 6 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 2 (Serie B) Vittorie Juventus 68 - 58 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) - 4 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Coppa UEFA) - 1 (Serie B) Pareggi 49 - 45 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Serie B) Vittorie Napoli 33 - 28 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) -1 (Coppa UEFA) Goals Juventus 228 - 189 (Serie A) - 12 (Coppa Italia) - 21 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 2 (Coppa UEFA) - 3 (Serie B) Goals Napoli 168 - 145 (Serie A) - 11 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato a gironi) - 5 (Supercoppa Italiana) - 3 (Coppa UEFA) - 1 (Serie B) Juventus - Napoli Serie A a Torino Confronti ufficiali 65 Vittorie Juventus 38 (L'ultima il 28.02.2009, 1-0) Pareggi 20 (L'ultimo il 22.05.2011, 2-2) Vittorie Napoli 7 (L'ultima il 31.10.2009, 2-3) Goals Juventus 112 Goals Napoli 64 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Napoli a Torino 14 presenze Furino Giuseppe 12 Boniperti Giampiero 12 Scirea Gaetano 11 Zoff Dino 10 Bettega Roberto 10 Brio Sergio 10 Causio Franco 10 Cuccureddu Antonello 10 Salvadore Sandro 10 Tardelli Marco 6 goals Borel II Felice Placido 5 Boniperti Giampiero 4 Sivori Omar Enrique 3 Anastasi Pietro 3 Bettega Roberto 3 Capello Fabio 3 Charles John William 3 Ferrari Giovanni 3 Hansen John 2 Baggio Roberto Ultimi confronti diretti 16.03.2008 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 1-0 18.10.2008 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 2-1 04.02.2009 Coppa Italia Juventus-Napoli 0-0 28.02.2009 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 1-0 31.10.2009 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 2-3 13.01.2010 Coppa Italia Juventus-Napoli 3-0 25.03.2010 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 3-1 09.01.2011 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 3-0 22.05.2011 Serie A Juventus-Napoli 2-2 29.11.2011 Serie A Napoli-Juventus 3-3 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 3 - Pareggi 3 - Vittorie Napoli 4 - Goals Juventus 14 - Goals Napoli 16

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Juventus v Napoli: Preview Apr 1, 2012 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is full of admiration for the job Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri has done this season. Buffon has spoken of his respect for the Tuscan tactician ahead of the meeting between the two sides tomorrow in Turin. "Mazzarri has done an excellent job,'' Buffon said. "Napoli is the Italian team that I admire the most. "Alongside us, they are the team that plays the most entertaining football and that is Mazzarri's doing.'' The Bianconeri go into the encounter on the back of a 2-0 triumph over Inter Milan last weekend that kept the Turin giants in second place, four points behind Serie A leaders AC Milan with nine games remaining. Juventus, coached by Antonio Conte, are unbeaten this season but expect to be tested on Sunday. "It's going to be a big challenge for us,'' Buffon said. "But we want to win in order to keep up the pressure on leaders AC Milan. "Napoli are fourth in the standings, three points behind Lazio, who hold the last Champions League qualifying spot. Napoli are determined to return to play in Europe's top club competition next season after being eliminated in the round of 16 by Chelsea earlier this month. "Our focus is firmly on finishing in the top three,'' Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi said. "We have to win as many games as possible. "We know it's going to be tough to end Juventus' unbeaten run but are ready and determined.'' Tomorrow's game will be the first of two meetings between the two sides from here until the end of the season as Napoli will take on Juventus in the Coppa Italia final on May 20. Napoli will be bolstered by the return of defenders Gianluca Grava and Hugo Campagnaro as well as midfielder Christian Maggio. The trio missed last weekend's 2-2 draw against Catania through injury. Conte will have all of his players available. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato MATCH PREVIEW Apr 1, 2012 Neither Juventus nor Napoli can afford to drop points at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday as they persist with respective ladder duels. Juve kept to within four points of leaders Milan with an emotional Derby d’Italia win over Inter last weekend, as they pursue their first Scudetto since Calciopoli. Pivotal saves from Gianluigi Buffon, as well as strikes from Martin Caceres and captain Alessandro Del Piero sealed the win and extended the season’s unbeaten League streak to 29 matches. As Antonio Conte noted, the fate of the Scudetto ultimately rests in Rossoneri hands and he knows Juventus can only continue to win matches in order to sustain the pressure. After their provincial struggles throughout February and March, the past week has seen a marked improvement from the Old Lady to fend off three rivals - Fiorentina, Milan and Inter. Emanuele Giaccherini returns from injury and Stephan Lichtsteiner from suspension to guarantee Conte a full squad. He may revert to the 3-5-2 formation which helped defeat Inter and was in use during the meeting with the Partenopei back in November. Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri lamented his side’s inability to deal with late set-pieces which cost them victory over Catania last weekend. Blerim Dzemaili and Edinson Cavani had put the Azzurri two goals ahead after the interval, yet a lack of concentration helped the Sicilian’s claw back the deficit and leave with a point. It could be a crucial slip-up in the battle for third place, with Napoli currently sandwiched on 48 points between Lazio and Udinese. Despite successive draws, their nine-match unbeaten streak ensures Napoli are right in the hunt for a second crack at the Champions League. Ahead of their direct showdown with Lazio next weekend they will be aiming for winning momentum. Marco Donadel remains on the sidelines, otherwise Mazzarri can count on all his regulars. Past results in this fixture do not favour Napoli, who have won just seven times in Turin over the years compared to Juve’s 39. There have been 20 draws, including last season’s 2-2 thriller. Keep an eye on: Arturo Vidal (Juventus) – The Chilean was everywhere against Inter and gave one of his best performances in a black and white shirt. In what could prove to be a tight tussle in the centre of midfield, Vidal’s drive and energy will be vital for Juve. Form guide: Juventus (D D D W W) Napoli (W W W D D) Last season: Juventus 2-2 Napoli Stat fact: Between 1958-59 and 1985-86 Juventus enjoyed a 25-match unbeaten run in Turin versus Napoli, including 16 wins. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Caceres, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie; Vucinic, Matri Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Serie A Preview - Old Lady aim to continue title challenge as Mazzarri's men look to step up Champions League chase Antonio Conte's side are back on the winning trail following a run of draws, but now face a Partenopei outfit keen to recover from last week's disappointing draw with Catania. Apr 1, 2012 PROBABLE LINE-UPS JUVENTUS Buffon Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie Matri, Vucinic NAPOLI De Sanctis Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga Hamsik Lavezzi, Cavani Juventus have a full squad to choose from for the visit of Napoli on Sunday, but it is likely that coach Antonio Conte will utilise a 3-5-2 formation during the match. The trainer used his tried-and-trusted 4-3-3 against Inter last week, but it is expected that goalscorers Martin Caceres and Alessandro Del Piero will be benched in favour of Leonardo Bonucci and Stephan Lichtsteiner, while there will be no place for Simone Pepe. Meanwhile for Napoli, a number of changes look set to take place from the 2-2 draw with Catania a week ago. The alterations start in defence, as Hugo Campagnaro has returned to the fold and should replace Federico Fernandez. Elsewhere, Andrea Dossena and Blerim Dzemaili will be dropped to accommodate Christian Maggio and Gokhan Inler in midfield. DID YOU KNOW? • In 131 previous Serie A meetings, Juventus have won 58 times against Napoli, compared to their rivals' 28 victories. • However, the Partenopei are unbeaten in their last five games against the Old Lady. • Alessandro Matri has already netted five goals against the Partenopei. • The Bianconeri have failed to score in just one of their last 19 games at home. • Napoli are unbeaten in the last nine Serie A matches, but have drawn their last two. • Walter Mazzarri's side have shipped seven goals over their last three fixtures in the league. • Marek Hamsik has scored five goals against Juventus; more than against any other club. • Napoli have netted 145 strikes against the Old Lady, the most against in Italy's top-flight division. Head to Head Serie A ‎- Nov 29, 2011 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 3 Serie A ‎- May 22, 2011 - Juventus 2 - SSC Napoli 2 Serie A ‎- Jan 9, 2011 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 0 Serie A ‎- Mar 25, 2010 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia ‎- Jan 13, 2010 - Juventus 3 - SSC Napoli 0 Last Five Matches Juventus Mar 25, 2012 - Juventus 2 - FC Internazionale 0 - Serie A Mar 20, 2012 - Juventus 2 - AC Milan 2 - Coppa Italia Mar 17, 2012 - Fiorentina 0 - Juventus 5 - Serie A Mar 11, 2012 - Genoa 0 - Juventus 0 - Serie A Mar 7, 2012 - Bologna 1 - Juventus 1 - Serie A SSC Napoli Mar 25, 2012 - SSC Napoli 2 - Catania 2 - Serie A Mar 21, 2012 - SSC Napoli 2 - Siena 0 - Coppa Italia Mar 18, 2012 - Udinese 2 - SSC Napoli 2 - Serie A Mar 14, 2012 - Chelsea FC 4 - SSC Napoli 1 - UCL Mar 9, 2012 - SSC Napoli 6 - Cagliari 3 - Serie A Players to Watch Mirko Vučinić The Montenegrin attacker is in brilliant form, coming off three wonderful displays in which he scored one and set up three more against Fiorentina before sending Juve to the Coppa Italia final with a spectacular extra-time goal against AC Milan. Another equally-impressive performance against Inter was witnessed, where he was unfortunate to not get on the scoresheet, so Conte will be hoping for more of the same on Sunday. Edinson Cavani El Matador scored last Wednesday to propel Napoli past Siena and into the Coppa Italia final, and also against Catania, although his efforts were in vain. The Uruguay international will be leading the line for his team at Juventus Stadium and is sure to be fired up for the encounter, as the Partenopei desperately need a win to keep pace in the race for the final Champions League spot. Prediction Napoli have no trouble in scoring, but it's their deficiencies at the back that will cost them once more against Juventus, and possibly the chance of finishing in a Champions League spot at the end of the season. Juve, meanwhile, are very much experiencing the opposite, but they have recently rediscovered their scoring touch, so a slender victory for the hosts should suffice. Editor's Prediction Juventus 2 - 1 Napoli http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Caceres: Difficult to stop Cavani The on-loan Sevilla man has enjoyed playing alongside the Partenopei striker for the Uruguayan national team but he could end up marking 'El Matador' in Turin. Apr 1, 2012 Juventus defender Martin Caceres is desperate to start in Sunday night's crucial Serie A clash with Napoli but concedes that if he does play, he will face an onerous task in trying to nullify the threat posed by compatriot Edinson Cavani. The Bianconeri go into the game knowing that a victory will draw them to within two points of league leaders AC Milan, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Catania on Saturday. However, Caceres is taking nothing for a granted against a side spearheaded by a forward whose talents he is very familiar with. "I hope to play," the on-loan Sevilla man told TuttoNapoli.net. "But Edinson, I have known him for many years; since we met up in the national team ... "Stopping him is difficult because, even when he doesn't score, he drives you crazy with his runs." Napoli's clash with the Bianconeri at Juventus Stadium gets underway at 20.45CET. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato If Juventus had Edinson Cavani, they would have almost won the Scudetto already With the prolific Partenopei forward in town tonight, the Bianconeri will get another chance to run the rule over a striker who would most likely solve their goalscoring problems. Apr 1, 2012 Speculation is mounting in Italy that Juventus will make a move for Napoli’s Edinson Cavani during the summer. Whether the Bianconeri are really capable of winning a likely bidding war with Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain for one of the most highly-rated forwards in Europe is debatable. What is beyond dispute, though, is that Antonio Conte’s team is in dire need of such a prolific forward. Juve are currently five points off top spot in Serie A but they can reduce their arrears to just two points if they overcome Napoli in Turin on Sunday night. The title race, it seems, is likely to go right to the wire. That Juventus have managed to sustain their Scudetto challenge, though, is quite remarkable given the conspicuous absence of a free-scoring striker amongst their frontline. Indeed, ahead of the visit of Napoli, it is difficult not to suspect that if Juventus had a frontman of the calibre of Cavani, the title race would already be run. Juve are, after all, just nine games away from becoming only the third side to go through an entire Serie A season undefeated. Yet, in spite of this, they are playing catch-up to a Milan side that has been bedevilled by injuries this season and that has also had to cope with the added burden of European competition. The reason for this is obvious from just a quick glance at the Serie A table: too many draws. Fourteen of the Bianconeri’s 29 games this season have finished level. Of course, in some instances, a point was a fine outcome for Juventus, most notably at the San Paolo in November when they twice came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Napoli, and in their San Siro showdown with Scudetto rivals Milan in February. However, Juventus have bossed countless games this season only to fail to turn their dominance into goals. In this regard, the Bianconeri have been badly let down by their forwards. Alessandro Matri is the club’s top scorer, having netted 10 times in the league, and it would be wrong to be overly critical of the former Cagliari man, particularly in light of his goals-to-shot ratio of 15.62 per cent, which compares reasonably with that of Cavani (20%). However, it is clear that he does not retain the full confidence of his coach, as evidenced by the fact that he was left on the bench for the crunch clash with Milan last month. That he subsequently came on to snatch a point for the visitors underlined his value to Juve. We are talking about a talented forward who works incredibly hard for his team – he chased back fully 50 metres to reclaim possession for his side during the recent win over Fiorentina – but Conte seems to share the commonly held view that Matri is not, and never will be, a truly world-class striker. It seems that in the coach’s eyes, he is merely the best of a bad bunch. Conte, of course, needs no reminding of how great a player Alessandro Del Piero once was, but judging by how little game time the legendary marksman has seen this season, the former Bianconeri midfielder clearly feels that ‘was’ is the key word. Such an opinion seems a tad harsh on Del Piero, particularly in light of his impressive performance in the Coppa Italia clash with Milan and the starring show against Inter which followed, but there is no denying that the 2006 World Cup winner is a fading force. At 28, Mirko Vucinic should be in his prime but the Montenegrin has only recently begun to show why Juventus paid Roma €15 million for his services last summer. As he proved in the 5-0 demolition of Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi and again in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Milan, he is a player of many attributes. However, as his return of five goals from 76 shots so far this season painfully underlines, ruthlessness in front of goal is not one of them. Fabio Quagliarella, meanwhile, has simply not been the same player since a knee ligament injury interrupted the most promising of starts to his Juventus career and there have been suggestions that while he has recovered physically, he is still struggling mentally. As for Marco Borriello, well, he has always been more prolific off the field than on it, but his regression is actually quite astonishing and having failed to score a single goal in his seven Serie A appearances to date, the former Milan forward is destined to be sent packing back to Roma when his loan deal expires at the end of the season. Consequently, it is hardly surprising that Juventus have begun the hunt for a new forward already. That they have reportedly set their sights on Cavani is hardly surprising. Unlike their other alleged transfer targets, Fernando Torres and Gonzalo Higuain, he has a proven track record in Serie A, having scored 45 goals in 62 league games for Napoli since arriving from Palermo in the summer of 2010. The Uruguay international has wonderful predatory instincts and a useful knack for getting in behind defences – skills that Juventus are currently crying out for. Of course, Napoli’s game is founded on their counterattacking prowess and on several occasions this term they have struggled to break down sides that have been content to sit deep and invite the Partenopei onto them. However, Cavani has proven time and time again that he can create space for himself in the most congested of penalty areas, with his recent equaliser against Udinese a wonderful case in point. It is difficult to foresee Juventus stumping up the alleged €80m transfer fee Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis will demand for his most prized asset but, as the old adage goes, sometimes one has to speculate in order to accumulate. Goals win games and Cavani guarantees them in abundance. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Conte considering Borriello or Quagliarella for Napoli clash The Bianconeri duo have managed just two goals between them this season but one or the other is set to earn a recall for a game that is vital in terms of the Scudetto race. Apr 1, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has revealed that he is considering starting either Marco Borriello or Fabio Quagliarella in Sunday night’s crunch Serie A clash with Napoli. Borriello has yet to score a single goal since joining the Bianconeri on loan from Roma in January, while Quagliarella has netted just twice this season after recovering from a serious knee injury last January. However, Conte has revealed that both are in the reckoning for a game that Juventus will be desperately hoping to win in order to reduce their deficit to league leaders AC Milan to just two points. “Either Borriello or Quagliarella could start,” the former Bianconeri midfielder told reporters on Saturday. “They’ve both got an extraordinary motivation to play. “Quagliarella has had to overcome the after effects of his injury and is now getting back to his level. “Things would have gone different for Borriello had he arrived in June, but he’s settling in and could be important.” While Milan’s surprise draw in Catania on Saturday underlines that Juve retain every chance of winning the Scudetto this year, Conte insists that his primary focus is on securing a return to the grandest stage in European football. “Winning tomorrow would be an important step towards qualifying for the Champions League,” he mused. “Securing direct qualification would be something extraordinary. "However, we know that we have a testing encounter ahead against a team who have done well in the Coppa Italia. “They’ve also done remarkable things in the Champions League and perhaps a bit more experience would have seen them in the semi-finals. “It’s a tough fixture, so we’ll focus on ourselves without looking at the others.” The Bianconeri's meeting with Napoli at Juventus Stadium gets underway at 20.45CET. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Juve and Napoli name squads Mar 31, 2012 Juventus welcome back Stephan Lichtsteiner, while Napoli have Christian Maggio in the squad going to Turin. Both Coaches named their sides for the big Sunday night showdown at the Juventus Stadium. Antonio Conte can once again count on Lichtsteiner, who missed last week’s win against Inter due to suspension. Napoli welcome Maggio back from injury, so only Marco Donadel is now on the treatment table. Juventus squad: Buffon, Chiellini, Caceres, Pepe, Marchisio, Del Piero, De Ceglie, Manninger, Vucinic, Barzagli, Quagliarella, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Vidal, Borriello, Giaccherini, Lichtsteiner, Estigarribia, Storari, Matri, Marrone Napoli squad: De Sanctis, Rosati, Colombo, Aronica, Britos, Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Fernandez, Dossena, Dzemaili, Gargano, Hamsik, Inler, Maggio, Zuniga, Cavani, Lavezzi, Pandev, Vargas, Ammendola http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Conte: 'Juve eyes on Napoli and Milan' Mar 31, 2012 Juventus Coach Antonio Conte hopes Milan will “shoot themselves in the foot” and could start Marco Borriello against hometown club Napoli tomorrow. “After this game there will be another eight and I have to say this is going to be a probing test for us,” said Conte ahead of the Sunday evening showdown. “Napoli have done well to reach the Coppa Italia Final and went so close to the Champions League quarter-finals. In fact, seeing how Chelsea beat Benfica, I believe the Partenopei could’ve reached the semi. “This club has grown so much and it is thanks to President Aurelio De Laurentiis, who constructed a long-term project that improved year by year. Walter Mazzarri and his players also did something extraordinary and only paid a price for not having that much strength in depth. The Champions League takes a lot out of you, as I know from when I played in it. “Their strikers can be decisive when given space and are so dangerous. Mazzarri is a great Coach and I respect him. I believe that I am too and will be in years to come.” Juventus changed their system to mirror that of Napoli in their spectacular 3-3 draw at the San Paolo on November 6, an approach many sides have since taken. “Strangely, since we played with the 3-5-2 in Naples, everyone has adopted this system. Napoli are an atypical side, as they often over-run you. We will evaluate all options, as we can also play with a 4-3-3. “Borriello and Fabio Quagliarella could both start tomorrow and are highly motivated to play against their hometown club. Fabio is going through a difficult year, while Marco perhaps would’ve had a different season if he had arrived in June.” Juventus are in second place and hope to close the four-point gap from leaders Milan. “If we win tomorrow, then we put second place under lock and key. It would be extraordinary to reach the Champions League without a preliminary round, but we are also keeping an eye open to take advantage of any slip-ups... “The Scudetto is in Milan’s hands and only they can lose it. Our fixture list is tougher than theirs in the run-in, but if they were to shoot themselves in the foot...” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Mazzarri: 'Napoli can beat Juventus' Mar 31, 2012 Walter Mazzarri insists “Napoli can beat anyone – including Juventus” tomorrow evening, but laughs off links with the Lazio bench. The Bianconeri are still unbeaten this season and welcome the Partenopei to Turin on Sunday night. “We are now accustomed to playing games at a certain level and that is what is most enjoyable about this season,” said Mazzarri. “Teams consider us to be an important club and for us it has become the norm to push all the way in every match. When we play at our best, Napoli can beat anyone – including Juventus. We’ll give our all in Turin for this shirt and our fans.” It is a special occasion for Mazzarri, who marks his 400th match as a professional Coach. “Many years have passed, but I remember my first season at Bologna. It’s been a nice journey and I had many satisfactions along the way. I started from nothing and worked my way almost to the top, because playing in the Champions League is truly important for a tactician.” Their efforts in Europe could perhaps have cost Napoli the opportunity to fight for the Scudetto this term, but they will face Juventus in the Coppa Italia Final on May 20. “I try to drill into my lads the desire to always play 100 per cent, but objectively it was difficult to fight for the title when playing in the Champions League. Of course there are regrets for how we lost certain points, like the two we dropped against Catania last Sunday. “After that game, I sat down with my assistant manager and we focused on how to make our defending better from set plays. However, we shouldn’t get bogged down on that, as statistically we’re not that bad in these situations. “What we do have to work on is maintaining our concentration to the final whistle, as it’s never over until that moment. When we lower our concentration levels, we are simply not the same team. It happened with Catania, but also against Siena.” Mazzarri has been linked with a move away from Napoli at the end of the season, with the likes of Inter and Lazio on the cards. “I am just focused on the next few games, so you’d have to ask the President about these matters. It is pleasing to hear of interest from Lazio, but I have a contract to 2013 with Napoli and I intend to respect it.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Napoli: Campagnaro and Maggio OK Mar 31, 2012 Napoli preparations for facing Juventus this weekend have received a boost with the news that Christian Maggio and Hugo Campagnaro are fit. Alongside Gianluca Grava, Maggio and Campagnaro were hit with a virus in midweek that prevented their participation in training. However, all three men are believed fully recovered, having returned to training to take a full part in Friday’s work. Walter Mazzarri’s team travel north to Turin to take on second place Juventus on Sunday evening, keen to pick up three points to maintain momentum in the race for the third and final Champions League qualification slot. Probable Napoli team to face Juventus: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Sunday's Serie A Betting Preview: Juventus and Napoli to share the points The hosts are aiming to stretch their unbeaten run when they host Walter Mazzarri's side on Sunday. But Adam Bate is expecting an even contest between the two sides. Mar 31, 2012 It has the potential to be a thrilling game in Turin on Sunday when Juventus host Napoli – the two sides shared six goals when they met in November. Juventus scored two late goals that day to maintain their unbeaten record and they still haven’t tasted defeat more than four months on. The hosts are 4/5 (1.8) favourites with Bet365 to extend their record to 30 games for the season. Napoli are enjoying good form themselves having gone nine games without defeat in the league. With Champions League distractions behind them, Walter Mazzarri’s men are focused on securing a top three spot and are well set-up to cause an upset here. With the attacking trident of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani, Napoli can be a real threat on the counter-attack and have had joy on their travels this season - scoring three at Inter, Palermo and Fiorentina. Napoli can be backed at 7/2 (4.5) and the draw is available at 5/2 (3.5). Of the three Napoli stars, Lavezzi looks to be the best value to score first at 8/1 (9.0) with Bet365 – that’s an industry-best price. For Juventus, the romantic choice is the on-form Alessandro Del Piero. After scoring the opener against Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final the 37-year-old hit the net again versus Inter last weekend. Del Piero is 11/2 (6.5) to net the opener. In the other markets, the best bet is to back goals in this one. Napoli have scored in all but two of their last 19 matches – but they won’t shut out a Juventus side that have scored in all but one home game this season. Back both teams to score at 5/6 (1.83) with Bet365. That’s the bet of the day here but for the value bet it is worth considering both teams habit of drawing games. In fact, 1-1 has been the most common score for Juventus this season with seven such results. That’s also been the most popular result in Napoli’s away games in this campaign. You can back 1-1 at 11/2 (6.5) with Bet365. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Mazzarri: Napoli are used to big games now The San Paolo side travel to Turin on Sunday and the 50-year-old trainer believes his team can be the first to beat the Bianconeri this season. Mar 31, 2012 Walter Mazzarri has stated that Napoli are not afraid of playing in big matches, and are up to the challenge of facing Juventus on Sunday. The Partenopei played in some high-profile encounters during their exciting run in the Champions League this term and Mazzarri insists that the trip to Turin will not faze his side. "We are now used to playing matches of a high level. We are going to get the most out of our game against Juventus," he stated in a press conference. "I am sorry this match against Juve will not be a championship game for us. But we have done so much this year, taking into consideration the Champions League. "In the championship we have dropped points, but we have been a little unlucky. But now we are looking forward to Juve. "As long as we can still mathematically qualify for the Champions League we must aim for the maximum. After this complicated game that awaits us we will have a specific timetable that will allow us to decide our future," he clarified. Mazzarri’s achievements with Napoli have led to speculation that he could take over at Inter, however, he reiterated his commitment to the Partenopei. "I have a contract until 2013 and I intend to respect it," he concluded. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 30 - 1-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Video: Juventus-Napoli preview Mar 31, 2012 Get in the mood for this weekend’s big match between Juventus and Napoli at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Marotta: 'Forget Del Piero renewal' Mar 31, 2012 Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta said Gigi Buffon has a place at the club “for life,” but shot down Alessandro Del Piero’s renewal hopes. “The President was clear.” Recent performances have sparked a campaign from fans and teammates to get Del Piero’s contract renewed just two months before it expires. President Andrea Agnelli announced in a shareholder’s meeting early this season that it would be Del Piero’s final campaign in Turin. “What of Del Piero’s future? President Agnelli was clear on this issue,” Marotta told Tuttosport. “To be honest, there has been far too much talk about this. We will only sign quality players in the summer and decisions are made in absolute unity with Antonio Conte.” While Del Piero is not going to be offered a new contract, the same cannot be said of goalkeeper Buffon. “He will be here for a long time yet. All it takes is a glance to secure the renewal and he can stay at Juventus for life.” Marotta also commented on their failed bid to sign Carlos Tevez in January, battling Milan, Inter and Paris Saint-Germain. “With the current economic crisis, Italian football cannot afford to buy a player whose overall cost is €100m. Milan got a great bargain with Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he arrived on loan and was in a bitter row with Barcelona. “Tevez could end up in a similar situation and we are paying close attention. Of course, we’d have to ask Conte for his opinion. We certainly don’t want to aim low on the market, as we will improve in every area of the team. “We will sign players who perhaps might not hit headlines with their names, but who will be useful for the style of football our Coach plays.” On Sunday Juve go head-to-head with Napoli in a huge game and Marotta took the opportunity to discuss their strikers. “Napoli have many talented players and I definitely wouldn’t be disappointed to see Edinson Cavani playing for Juve. Lavezzi’s buy-out clause is €31m, which is the right price for Russian or English buyers. It is in any case premature for papers to focus attention on one or two transfer targets.”