Socrates

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 2 Alessandro Del Piero (28′) Djamel Mesbah (51′) Maxi López (81′) Mirko Vučinić (98′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Old Lady edge through Mar 20, 2012 A goal in extra-time by Mirco Vucinic was enough to guide Juventus into the final of the Coppa Italia after a thrilling second leg against AC Milan. The hosts started the game with a 2-1 lead from the first leg which they extended after 28 minutes through Alessandro Del Piero. Djamel Mesbah's header reduced the deficit before a superb turn and strike by Maxi Lopez drew Milan level nine minutes from the end to force the tie into extra-time. However, after 98 minutes Vucinic unleashed a shot into the top left-hand corner as Juve moved into the final. The game was open from the outset. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's right-footed shot was saved by Marco Storari to his bottom left with Clarence Seedorf's right-footed shot going narrowly wide. Vucinic fired in a shot which Marco Amelia saved down to his right before Del Piero slotted home a close-range effort as the hosts went further ahead in the tie. Milan levelled on the night six minutes after half-time through Mesbah's header from Philippe Mexes' cross with Sulley Muntari missing from close range. Lopez then levelled the tie with a classy turn and shot into the top right-hand corner to send the game into extra-time. Claudio Marchisio squandered a great chance when he shot over and Emanuele Giaccherni was denied at close range before Vucinic shot into the top right-hand corner.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 2 Alessandro Del Piero (28′) Djamel Mesbah (51′) Maxi López (81′) Mirko Vučinić (98′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Vucinic seals Juve-Milan thriller! Mar 20, 2012 Milan won 2-1 after 90 minutes, but a magnificent Mirko Vucinic strike in extra time has sent Juventus into the Coppa Italia Final 4-3 on aggregate. These two sides were battling for the Scudetto, but also went head-to-head in the Coppa Italia semi-final. Juve won the first leg 2-1 at San Siro, but missed Alessandro Matri, Andrea Barzagli and rested Gigi Buffon. Alessandro Del Piero made a rare start, as Andrea Pirlo faced his former teammates. Milan’s injury list included Alessandro Nesta, Robinho, Alexandre Pato, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Ignazio Abate, Mark Van Bommel, Antonio Cassano and Mathieu Flamini. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was able to start despite suffering from flu symptoms. An early Ibrahimovic free kick was charged down by the wall, but Sulley Muntari was booked for a lunging tackle on Stephan Lichtsteiner. Ibra’s toe-poke angled drive was palmed just past El Shaarawy and the far post by Marco Storari at full stretch. From the corner, Thiago Silva nodded over. A Clarence Seedorf screamer from distance swerved marginally wide of the top corner, but it was Juventus who took the lead. Pirlo flicked a ball over Djamel Mesbah for Lichtsteiner, who rolled across for Del Piero from six yards to skip past Marco Amelia and deposit into an empty net. Mirko Vucinic had another chance on the counter moments later, but the finish was too weak and straight at Amelia. Alberto Aquilani was booked for a very late tackle that propelled Vucinic into the advertising board. The Montenegrin was absolutely livid and, after carrying on his protests for several minutes, also received a yellow card. Before half-time a Pirlo daisy-cutter was well held by Amelia. In first half stoppages Vucinic took advantage of a defensive error, but Vidal’s header whistled wide with Del Piero just unable to get the final touch at the back post. Maxi Lopez replaced Ibrahimovic, who had been in doubt before kick-off. Milan immediately equalised, as a long pass from Philippe Mexes found Mesbah’s brilliant diving header from six yards to stun Storari, as he snuck in behind Simone Pepe. Storari smothered a Maxi Lopez attempt, but Muntari went closer when failing to make strong enough contact with an Aquilani cross under pressure from Lichtsteiner. Moments later at the other end Del Piero skipped past Mexes and pulled back from the by-line for a crucial Thiago Silva intervention. Vucinic went on a solo slalom only to hit the side-netting from a very tight angle. Another Muntari snapshot was caught with the same fate falling to a Claudio Marchisio strike, while El Shaarawy tried to battle his way through a crowd of Juve defenders but was unable to get his finish away. Pippo Inzaghi came off the bench to replace El Shaarawy against his former club. Luca Antonini risked an own goal with a defensive volley. Milan took the lead with a spectacular Maxi Lopez strike. The former Catania man gathered with his back to goal, leaned into Chiellini, spun round to ride a tackle and smashed the fiercre shot under the bar. It was a goal that put everything level on aggregate, so would take the tie to extra time. Marco Borriello had a great chance to seal the tie for Juve against his former club when springing the offside trap in midfield, but went too wide and fired straight at Amelia. Seedorf thumped wide from long range, while a Vidal glancing header was into Amelia’s arms. Milan almost won the tie at the 93rd minute with a remarkable run from Urby Emanuelson, but Inzaghi just couldn’t get the tap-in from a Maxi Lopez assist. Juve did the same at the other end, as Vucinic’s deflected effort beat Amelia to skim the far post. From the corner, Vucinic hammered a powerful strike just over the bar, so it went to extra time. Within 30 seconds of extra time, Borriello had stung Amelia’s palms and Marchisio fired the follow-up wide. Then Emanuele Giaccherini sprung the offside trap to go clear from a Vucinic through ball, but Amelia plucked the ball off his foot. Martin Caceres had a strike deflected over from the edge of the box, but Vucinic did put Juventus back in front on aggregate with an absolute blockbuster! He gathered 30 metres from goal and smashed the right-foot screamer into the far top corner past Amelia’s flailing hand. Juventus assistant manager Angelo Alessio was sent off for dissent, while Vidal was booked for bringing down Emanuelson on a powerful counter-attack. Amelia parried a Borriello shot on the turn at the base of the near stick, while Inzaghi’s first touch let him down on a ball into the box. Juventus 2-2 Milan aet (4-3 agg) Scorers: Del Piero 27 (J), Mesbah 51 (M), Maxi Lopez 81 (M), Vucinic 96 (J) Juventus: Storari; Lichtsteiner (Caceres 90), Bonucci, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Giaccherini, Pirlo, Vidal; Pepe (Marchisio 63), Del Piero (Borriello 73), Vucinic Milan: Amelia; Antonini, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah; Aquilani (Nocerino 67), Seedorf, Muntari; Emanuelson; Ibrahimovic (Maxi Lopez 46), El Shaarawy (Inzaghi 77) Ref: Orsato

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 2 Alessandro Del Piero (28′) Djamel Mesbah (51′) Maxi López (81′) Mirko Vučinić (98′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Vucinic extra-time screamer sends Bianconeri to Coppa Italia final after epic encounter A 98th minute strike from the Montenegrin takes the Turin giants through to their first cup final since 2004 after a pulsating semi-final second leg clash against the Rossoneri. Mar 20, 2012 An extra-time goal from Mirko Vucinic was enough to take Juventus through to the Coppa Italia final after a pulsating 2-2 draw with AC Milan at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday. Holding a 2-1 lead from the first leg, the Turin giants were boosted by an Alessandro Del Piero goal in the first half, but goals after the break from Djamel Mesbah and Maxi Lopez subjected the Bianconeri to their first defeat of 90 minutes this season and took the tie into extra-time. Vucinic stepped up though to score a sumptuous goal to send the Old Lady to the final. With the Bianconeri holding all the cards going into the game, it was the Rossoneri who started the brighter of the two sides. Milan were completely dominating possession in the early stages, and perhaps should have made Antonio Conte's side pay on 20 minutes. Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned past Andrea Pirlo on the edge of the Juventus area, and, opening up his body, sent a shot goalwards, only to see Marco Storari push it wide of his left-hand post. Seedorf had a long-range effort that went just a whisker over the bar midway through the half, but on 27 minutes Milan were cursing their wastefulness as the hosts opening the scoring. A superb run from Stephan Lichtsteiner down the right-hand side culminated in a low cross towards Del Piero, who flicked the ball over the on-rushing Marco Amelia, and coolly tapped it into the net. Milan were still dominating the play – ending the half with just under 60 per cent of the possession – but it was Juve who had the best chance just before the break. Mirko Vucinic was played through by Arturo Vidal, but delayed his cross for too long, and the eventual ball to Emanuele Giaccherini was slightly too high as he headed wide. The sides returned for the second period, and almost immediately a deep searching through ball from Philippe Mexes alluded all the Juventus defenders inside the area and reached the far post, where Mesbah finished brilliantly with a diving header into the top right-hand corner of the net. With the scoreline on the night level, the wind was really in the Rossoneri's sails, and they perhaps should have added a second goal just 15 minutes later. A deep cross from the right by Luca Antonini found Sulley Muntari at the back post, but he couldn't quite bundle the ball home under pressure from Leonardo Bonucci. The wave-after-wave of Milan attacks eventually paid dividends though on 81 minutes. Maxi Lopez received the ball just outside the area, turned Chiellini, and smashed it into the top right-hand corner past Storari. Juventus substitute, and former Milan striker, Marco Borriello, had the best opportunity to avoid extra-time just moments later. Played through by Giaccherini, the Italian forward found himself one-on-one with Amelia, but he could only hit his effort straight at the keeper, and with that, the teams went into the added 30 minutes. Extra-time began with exactly the same frenetic tempo as the game itself, and within minutes, Juventus had two great chances to score. Firstly, a cross from the right found Claudio Marchisio, but he blazed over. And secondly, Vucinic played Giaccherini clean through on goal, but the former Cesena man, deciding to go around Amelia, had the ball taken from under his feet by the keeper. But midway through the first period, all of that was forgotten as Vucinic struck a beautiful effort from 30 yards into the top right-hand corner of the net to give the Bianconeri a 4-3 aggregate lead going into half-time. The second period quickly turned into a scrappy midfield battle, with lots of late, niggling challenges. And despite a late charge from Milan, the referee blew for full-time to take Juventus through to their first cup final since 2004.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Line-ups: Juventus-Milan Mar 20, 2012 Alessandro Del Piero and Mirko Vucinic take on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Stephan El Shaarawy in the Coppa Italia semi-final tonight. The Bianconeri won the first leg 2-1 at San Siro, so the pressure is on the Rossoneri to turn that result around with their own away goals. Antonio Conte has rested Alessandro Matri and Gigi Buffon, while Andrea Barzagli is injured. He adopts the 4-3-3 system with a largely first choice defence, Andrea Pirlo facing his former teammates flanked by Emanuele Giaccherini and Arturo Vidal in midfield. Del Piero gets a rare start alongside Vucinic and Simone Pepe. Martin Caceres scored both goals in the first leg, but is on the bench tonight. Milan’s injury list is extensive and includes Alessandro Nesta, Robinho, Alexandre Pato, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Ignazio Abate, Mark Van Bommel, Alexander Merkel, Rodney Strasser, Antonio Cassano and Mathieu Flamini. There were doubts over whether Ibrahimovic could feature at all, as he has been suffering from flu symptoms, but he is in the starting XI. Alberto Aquilani starts against his former club, while Clarence Seedorf returns from injury as support for Urby Emanuelson and Stephan El Shaarawy. Juventus: Storari; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Giaccherini, Pirlo, Vidal; Pepe, Del Piero, Vucinic Juventus bench: Manninger, Caceres, Estigarribia, Marchisio, Padoin, Quagliarella, Borriello Milan: Amelia; Antonini, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah; Aquilani, Seedorf, Muntari; Emanuelson; Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy Milan bench: Abbiati, Yepes, Bonera, Nocerino, Gattuso, Maxi Lopez, Inzaghi

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Ibrahimovic to start Coppa Italia clash with Juventus It had been feared that the Sweden international would be denied the opportunity to face his old club because of illness but he will once again lead the Rossoneri attack. Mar 20, 2012 Zlatan Ibrahimovic will start for AC Milan in Tuesday night's Coppa Italia semi-final second-leg showdown with Juventus. It had been reported by Italian media earlier in the day that the Sweden international had been ruled out of the game with a fever but the forward has been paired with Stephan El Shaarawy in the Rossoneri attack, with Robinho again missing out because of the ankle knock he picked up in training last week. Elsewhere, Philippe Mexes, who has just completed a three-game suspension in Serie A, returns alongside Thiago Silva in defence, with Daniele Bonera the man to make way. Also in defence, Djamel Mesbah replaces Gianluca Zambrotta. In midfield, Alberto Aquilani and Clarence Seedorf both return from injury, while Gennaro Gattuso, who made a late cameo against Parma at the weekend after finally overcoming his ocular problems, is again named among the Milan substitutes As for the home side, coach Antonio Conte has, as promised, recalled Alessandro Del Piero up front and replaced Gianluigi Buffon with Marco Storari in goal. Del Piero will have Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe for company in the Bianconeri's three-pronged attack , with Alessandro Matri having been ruled out through injury Fabio Quagliarella and Marco Borriello both left on the bench once again. Elsewhere, Giorgio Chiellini returns in defence but Andrea Barzagli remains sidelined with a calf problem, while Emanuele Giaccherini takes over from the benched Claudio Marchisio in midfield. Juventus (4-3-3): Storari; Lichsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Giaccherini; Pepe, Del Piero, Vucinic. Subs: Manninger, Caceres, Estigarribia, Marchisio, Padoin, Quagliarella, Borriello. AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Amelia; Antonini, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Mesbah; Aquilani, Seedorf, Muntari; Emanuelson; Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy. Subs: Abbiati, Bonera, yepes, Gattuso, Nocerino, Maxi Lopez, Inzaghi.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Coppa Italia Betting Preview: Juventus and AC Milan to end in a draw Phil Kitromilides can see draw specialists Juve holding the Serie A leaders to another stalemate this evening at a tempting price considering their solid home form. Mar 20, 2012 The third meeting of these two giants of Italian football in the last six weeks, sees Juventus holding a slender 2-1 advantage heading into the second leg of this Coppa Italia semi-final. The team from Turin won the first leg at San Siro back in February, with a 1-1 draw in the league following a couple of weeks later, as Juventus maintained their unbeaten run this season. However, while Juve may be unbeaten, it is Milan who lead Serie A, four points clear at the top. A keenly contested match is in store this evening with Bet365 pricing a home win at 13/10 (2.30), while a victory for Milan is on offer at 21/10 (3.10). Juventus have the advantage when it comes to the recent head-to-head record between the two sides, with Milan only having one win in their previous five meetings. But given Juve's propensity for draws this season, the overwhelming urge to back another stalemate remains, and at odds of 9/4 (3.25) it is well worth backing with it providing a solid enough price, especially given the hosts already holding a lead in the tie. 14 draws for the Old Lady of Italian football this season have seen them relinquish the lead at the top of the table to Milan, and with four draws in their last five matches, they have lost the winning habit. The fact that they do not have to win to progress, only adds further weight to the argument for backing the draw. For an even bigger price, consider backing 1-1 in the correct score market at 11/2 (6.50) and a repeat of the meeting between these two sides in the league a few weeks ago.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Preview - Coppa Italia final place the prize as Conte's men lead from the first leg The Turin side hold all the cards going into the return fixture set in Juventus Stadium after a 2-1 first leg victory at San Siro back in early February . Mar 20, 2012 PROBABLE LINE-UPS JUVENTUS Storari Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini Lichtsteiner, Padoin, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie Borriello, Del Piero AC MILAN Abbiati Bonera, Mexes, Thiago Silva, Antonini Aquilani, Van Bommel, Nocerino Emanuelson Ibrahimovic, El Shaarawy Juventus have one foot in the Coppa Italia final after a 2-1 win at San Siro in the first leg and should be full of confidence after their convincing 5-0 triumph over Fiorentina in Serie A. Coach Antonio Conte looks set to go back to a 3-5-2 formation with Giorgio Chiellini recovering from injury to line-up alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Martin Caceres, who scored both goals for the Old Lady in the first leg, while Andrea Barzagli is still nursing a calf injury. Meanwhile Stephan Lichtsteiner, suspended for the club's next Serie A match versus Inter, and Paolo De Ceglie are pushed up into midfield. Bianconeri talisman Alessandro Del Piero is in contention for a place in the starting XI as striker Marco Borriello, playmaker Andrea Pirlo and goalkeeper Marco Storari are almost certain to face their former team from the starting whistle. Needing to overturn the aggregate deficit, Rossoneri boss Massimiliano Allegri welcomes back centre-back Philippe Mexes while veterans Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso could also make appearances at some point. However, although defender Alessandro Nesta and attacking midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng are back in training, neither is likely to participate on Tuesday. Italy international Alberto Aquilani, who has made three substitute appearances in a row for the club, should be handed a first XI berth against his former team-mates while Robinho, Stephan El Shaarawy and Maxi Lopez are all vying for a spot in attack alongside star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. DID YOU KNOW? • Juventus' 5-0 win over Fiorentina on the weekend ended a run of four consecutive draws in the league. • The Bianconeri are tied with Roma for the most Coppa Italia trophies (nine), but have not won the competition since 1995. • Del Piero's only goal this season has come in the Coppa Italia, during the quarter-final win over Roma • AC Milan were the last side in this fixture to score three goals in a single match, when they won 3-0 back in May 2010. • Aquilani, now on loan at Milan from Liverpool, played on loan at Juventus last season, making 34 appearances for the Turin club. • In three competitive meetings this season, Allegri's side have failed to defeat Juventus, drawing one and losing two so far. Head to Head Serie A ‎- Feb 25, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia - Feb 8, 2012 - AC Milan 1 - Juventus 2 Serie A - Oct 2, 2011 - Juventus 2 - AC Milan 0 Club Friendlies - Aug 21, 2011 - AC Milan 2 - Juventus 1 Last Four Matches Juventus 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 Mar 3, 2012 - Juventus 1 - Chievo 1 - Serie A AC Milan Mar 17, 2012 - Parma 0 - AC Milan 2 - Serie A Mar 11, 2012 - AC Milan 2 - Lecce 0 - Serie A Mar 6, 2012 - Arsenal 3 - AC Milan 0 - UCL Mar 3, 2012 - Palermo 0 - AC Milan 4 - Serie A Players to Watch Giorgio Chiellini The Juventus side's star defender returns to the starting XI after sitting out the past few games and his ability to shut down Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Rossoneri's attacks will be pivotal to the Bianconeri's chances of earning a place in the domestic cup final. Alberto Aquilani Creativity will be something Milan need if they want to open up coach Conte's rigid defence and Aquilani will be required to not only put his foot on the ball in midfield and control the tempo, but also find some incisive passes to try and put Juventus on the back foot. Prediction AC Milan will feel aggrieved as their last clash in Serie A with Juventus had plenty of controversy regarding Sulley Muntari's 'ghost goal' after his effort appeared to have crossed the line before Gianluigi Buffon's save. However, with the Bianconeri holding a significant away victory already, the Scudetto holders will have to come out and attack and that could play into the hosts' hands. Editor's Prediction Juventus 2 - 2 Milan

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato AC Milan to rest Thiago Silva versus Juventus The highly-rated defender will not feature against the Bianconeri, while Ibrahimovic is also unlikely to play in the game as the Swede has been suffering with a cold. Mar 20, 2012 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has made the decision to rest defender Thiago Silva in the second leg of the Rossoneri's Coppa Italia semi-final away against Juventus on Tuesday evening, Tuttosport reports. The Brazil international has been a key player for Milan in the 2011-12 campaign, but Allegri supposedly will opt to leave him out of the starting line-up as he feels the upcoming Champions League and Serie A games are of higher importance. With Thiago Silva likely to start Tuesday's encounter from the bench, Allegri is expected to give veteran defender Mario Yepes the chance to prove his worth alongside Philippe Mexes. Meanwhile, it is still not 100 per cent sure whether Zlatan Ibrahimovic will feature at Juventus Stadium. The towering attacker complained about a cold on Monday, and will make a decision about his availability later on Tuesday. Juventus defend a 2-1 lead from the first leg at San Siro with the second encounter set to kick-off at 20.45CET.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Ibra too ill for Juventus-Milan? Mar 20, 2012 There are conflicting reports on whether Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be able to play in Juventus-Milan tonight, as he is suffering from flu. The Swede already missed the recent 1-1 Serie A encounter due to a ban and was expected to take a key role in tonight’s Coppa Italia semi-final. However, Ibra has been struck down with flu symptoms over the past couple of days and is reported to be running a temperature. Some media sources suggest he will be in the starting XI anyway, whereas others claim he is not fit enough to feature at all. Juventus won the first leg 2-1 at San Siro and kick off tonight at 19.45 UK time.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Juventus to face AC Milan without Buffon, Barzagli & Matri The experienced goalkeeper is being rested for Tuesday's encounter, while the defender and attacker are unavailable due to injury. Mar 20, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte will have to make do without injured duo Andrea Barzagli and Alessandro Matri in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second-leg encounter at home against AC Milan. In addition, Juve confirmed on their official website that Conte has made the decision to leave Italy international Gianluigi Buffon out of the squad for the match at Juventus Stadium in order to give the goalkeeper a rest. The 30-year-old Barzagli picked up a calf injury in the 1-1 Serie A draw at home against Chievo on March 3, and is still working on his recovery. Matri, 27, has been ruled out of the match versus the Rossoneri as he is being plagued by a minor bruise to his right knee. Juventus defend a 2-1 lead from the first leg at San Siro in Tuesday's return. The match kicks off at 20.45CET.

Mazzone invented playmaker Pirlo Mar 19, 2012 Carlo Mazzone has underlined that he was the first Coach to use Andrea Pirlo as a deep-lying playmaker. The Juventus midfielder shined in the role while at Milan after being used in that position by Carlo Ancelotti, but only after veteran Mazzone saw the possibility first. “Pirlo is a great player,” he told Tuttosport when asked about the 32-year-old. “He suffered when he was fielded as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers. “As a result, I decided to change his role, I placed him as a playmaker in front of the defence,” continued the Roman. “We were at Brescia and the squad laughed with what I had found. But I forced the team to always give him the ball and told him to take the ball off his teammates. “As a deep-lying playmaker he has become what he is and has won everything.” Pirlo started his career at Brescia, but it wasn’t until a loan move back to the club in 2001 that he was transformed into the player he is today. Once his temporary spell with the Stadio Rigamonti outfit ended, he left Inter for Milan on a permanent basis.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Buffon, Matri, Barzagli miss Milan Mar 19, 2012 Juventus Coach Antonio Conte has named a 22-man squad to face Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, with a couple of notable absentees. Conte, who has confirmed that Alessandro Del Piero will start the second leg clash with the Rossoneri on Tuesday, has not selected Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Matri or the injured Andrea Barzagli for the knockout encounter. The Bianconeri welcome Max Allegri’s team to the Juventus Stadium leading 2-1 on aggregate from the first leg. Juventus squad to face Milan: 3 Chiellini, 4 Caceres, 7 Pepe, 8 Marchisio, 10 Del Piero, 11 De Ceglie, 13 Manninger, 14 Vucinic, 17 Elia, 18 Quagliarella, 19 Bonucci, 20 Padoin, 21 Pirlo, 22 Vidal, 23 Borriello, 24 Giaccherini, 26 Lichtsteiner, 27 Krasic, 28 Estigarribia, 30 Storari, 31 Branescu, 34 Marrone.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Conte: This will be the most important match of the season Juventus coach insists that the Italian cup is an important target for the club, while stating that veteran Del Piero will start the game upfront for the Bianconeri. Mar 19, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has highlighted the importance of Tuesday's Coppa Italia match against AC Milan. The Bianconeri have taken a big step towards reaching the final of the competition following a 2-1 victory at San Siro in the first leg of the tie. Juventus are four points behind Milan in second place in Serie A, but Conte insisted that he is not thinking about the league table. "This is a match which gives the possibility of winning a trophy," Conte told reporters. "Tomorrow [Tuesday], we will play the most important match of the season. "For us, at a time in which we are in reconstruction, it would be important to bring home this trophy. "This match has nothing to do with what is going on in Serie A, the outcome of the game will not change anything in terms of what the two clubs will do in the league." The 42-year-old trainer then revealed that veteran Alessandro Del Piero will start in the attack against Milan, while Marco Storari will be deployed between the sticks. "Storari will certainly play because he offers a lot of stability," Conte added. "Del Piero will also play, he adds a lot to the team. "I expect a lot from Del Piero and from Juve." Conte also praised the Rossoneri's winning attitude, stating: "I have tremendous respect for Milan. "In the last few years, they have never stopped playing to win. I envy them for this aspect."

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Allegri confident ahead of Juventus match: We will try to overturn the result Milan trainer is wary of the threat posed by the Bianconeri but insisted that his side will give their all to reach the Italian domestic cup final. Mar 19, 2012 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that his side can defeat Juventus on Tuesday in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie. The Rossoneri will have to work hard to reverse a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, but Allegri trusts his side's chances of getting a good result from their tip to Turin. "We will try to overturn the deficit to reach the final while being aware that this will be a tough match," he told reporters at a press conference. "We are doing well and we know we can turn the tie around. The Coppa Italia is a goal for us and we want to reach the final. "I am convinced that we will play a good game, even though we are missing some players." Allegri confirmed that Philippe Mexes is back after suspension and Clarence Seedorf has fully recovered from an injury, while Robinho and Mark Van Bommel have both been deemed unfit for Tuesday's contest. Kevin-Prince Boateng remains doubtful for the match and his availability will depend on a late assessment on his fitness. Alexandre Pato remains short of match sharpness, and Allegri conceded he is in the dark about the Brazilian striker's recovery time. "He is training, but right now I do not know when he will be available again," the 44-year-old coach said. "He will surely play again before the end of the season." The Italian coach then had some words of praise for Juventus, who head into Tuesday's contest on the back of a 5-0 thrashing of Fiorentina. "Antonio Conte's side play very well," Allegri noted. "Against Fiorentina, they showed they are in good physical shape. "Tomorrow will be tough. Both teams are good." Milan's last Coppa Italia trophy was won in 2003 when the Rossoneri defeated Roma 6-3 on aggregate in the two-legged final.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Del Piero: Juventus have to stick together to reach Coppa Italia final The veteran forward is eagerly anticipating the upcoming clash versus the Rossoneri, and also took the time to voice his support for Eric Abidal and Fabrice Muamba. Mar 19, 2012 Juventus attacker Alessandro Del Piero is looking forward to Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg at home against AC Milan, and has stressed that the Bianconeri have to stick together and act as a team. The Turin giants defend a 2-1 lead from the first leg, and Del Piero feels that Juventus are ready to meet the Rossoneri following their impressive 5-0 away win over Fiorentina on Saturday. "We will play the return of the semi-final of the Coppa on Tuesday, and it will be a tough match. It is important to stick together in order to achieve our goal of making it to the final," Del Piero was quoted as saying by Tuttosport. "We really needed this weekend's win over Fiorentina. It's the perfect preparation for the match versus Milan, and a real confidence boost." The 37-year-old, who is expected to feature from the start on Tuesday, then went on to voice his support for Barcelona defender Eric Abidal and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba. "My thoughts are with Muamba and Abidal. It's impossible not to be upset with what has happened. You can't think of a football pitch as a place where people suffer like this. We are all supporting Fabrice, and I'm confident that Eric will win this battle, too." Abidal is due to undergo a liver transplant in the upcoming weeks, while Muamba currently lies in hospital in critical condition following his cardiac arrest during the FA Cup game versus Tottenham.

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Ibrahimovic: AC Milan are going to Juventus to qualify for Coppa Italia final The Sweden international has stressed that the Rossoneri will do their utmost to eliminate the Old Lady, and feels they can beat Barcelona in the Champions League. Mar 19, 2012 AC Milan attacker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is eagerly anticipating the second leg of the Rossoneri's Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus on Tuesday. The San Siro outfit were beaten 2-1 at home in the first leg back in February, but Ibrahimovic believes they have what it takes to turn the tie around in the return clash at Juventus Stadium. "We are going to Turin to qualify for the final. We know that it will be tough, but it's possible and we want to make it through," Ibrahimovic was quoted as saying by Aftonbladet. The Sweden international admitted he is not fully match fit, but insisted that he will be ready to feature against the Old Lady. "I have a bit of a cold at the moment, but nothing can stop me from playing." The 30-year-old then went on to discuss the upcoming Champions League quarter-final showdown against Barcelona, and is confident that Milan have the quality to progress. "It will be a difficult tie, but it's not impossible. We don't have any fear. We do not only want to win, but we have to beat them. We have already met them before, and the next two games won't be too different to those encounters. It will be difficult matches." The first leg of the Champions League tie versus Barca takes place at San Siro on March 28.

Mexes manda a quel paese il pubblico .... é pazzo

Il Milan cerca il rigore

Coppa Italia - Semi-final (Second Leg) - 20-3-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Daniele Orsato Del Piero to start for Juventus against AC Milan The veteran attacker has mainly been warming the bench in the 2011-12 campaign, but is expected to feature from the start versus the Rossoneri in the cup midweek. Mar 19, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte is ready to give Alessandro Del Piero the chance to prove his worth in the upcoming Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against AC Milan on Tuesday, La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport reports. The 37-year-old attacker has been struggling to get regular action for the Bianconeri in the 2011-12 campaign, but will supposedly feature from the start in Turin. Del Piero is expected to form an attacking partnership with Montenegro international Mirko Vucinic in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. It will be only the seventh time this season that Del Piero will feature from the start. He also started in the first meeting between the two teams on February 8. The Turin side recorded a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the Italian cup tie at San Siro and will be looking to successfully defend their lead in the return at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday, kicking off at 20.45CET.

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