Socrates

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625 Matri & Juventus Strike Down Udinese in Top of Table Showdown Jan 28, 2012 At the beginning of the month, Juventus and the club's fans were becoming exceedingly worried about a possible—and recently traditional—drop in form. Juventus has suffered in January over the past few years, and a weak 1-0 win against Lecce, followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw with Cagliari, did little to calm Il Tifosi's nerves. Then, the Old Lady's fortunes started to rise. Juventus persevered to a 2-0 win over Atalanta. Then, on Tuesday in the Coppa Italia, Juventus crushed Roma 3-0. Now, to bring that winning streak to three games from two, Juventus has beaten top-of-the-table rivals Udinese 2-1. The game was, at times, utterly similar to their 0-0 draw a month ago. But, at other times, it was very different. The chief difference, of course, was the goal-scoring. Antonio Conte had Juventus playing in a 3-5-2 today, mirroring Udinese. This formation has been used by Juventus on several occasions this season, though rarely has it been the starting formation. The backline consisted of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. Barzagli was, per usual, magnificent. He had six interceptions, second only to Chiellini's seven, and he was the rock in Juve's backline throughout the game. This was needed, as Leonardo Bonucci made a pair of puzzling errors. Regular readers know that I am a big fan and big defender of my dear boy Leo, but I will say that he had a poor second half today. His first big mistake came during an Udinese counter attack. He was high up in Juve's half, and he pushed up to try and intercept an Udinese pass. His timing was just off, and his attempt failed. Thus, he found himself out of position, and Udinese were fast on the break. Some Juve players scrambled to stop Udinese, and, after a few contentious moments, Barzagli came in with an interception to stop the play. His second mistake did not have as severe consequences, though it could have. While in possession near Juve's box, an Udinese player closed him down. Bonucci panicked, and his errant pass went straight to another Udinese player. Luckily for Leo, Giorgio Chiellini came in with a fine challenge to stop the danger. Despite his mistakes, Leo did well in other areas. He had blocked two shots, one of which was a particularly forceful Antonio Di Natale effort. Additionally, he had a 93-percent passing accuracy rating. This is higher than that of any other starter. Perhaps most importantly, he displayed great chutzpah by shoving Antonio Di Natale right in front of the referee. Bonucci was arguing with the ref, and Di Natale ran over and started getting in Leo's face. So, he got a nice shove. Leo's recent inconsistent form has continued today, but this is still not a confirmation of his doubters. He hasn't had an all-around bad game recently—just a few notable mistakes. His passing has continued to be important for Juventus in her own half, and, so far, Barzagli has been adept enough at fixing Juve's jams. Still, Leo needs to nip these silly mistakes in the bud going into February. He can't rely on Chiellini and Barzagli; he needs to return to the Bonucci of the first half. Juve's midfield was a mixed bag. On the wings, starters Marcelo Estigarribia and Stephan Lichtsteiner had fines games, though Lichtsteiner went off late in the game with a slight injury. This was the first game of the Serie A season in which Lichtsteiner did not play the full 90 minutes. In central midfield, Emanuele Giaccherini and Arturo Vidal put in strong performances. Granted, Vidal did have one stretch of play where a nagging injury bothered him. It was not severe enough to get him off the field, but he was limping for several minutes. Still, he was handling the ball and making passes. Some of the passes were sloppy, but still impressive for a man on one good leg. He eventually recovered, and had a fine game. The other man in midfield, Andrea Pirlo, put in a sublime performance. Pirlo's performances often serve as microcosms of the team's entire play. Today, his fine play mirrors Juve's. His passing was, as always, the fuel for the engine of the Juve offense. The two men injured against Atalanta, starting eleven stalwarts Simone Pepe and Claudio Marchisio, both made substitute appearances. Marchisio had a good performance, assisting on the second Juve goal. Pepe's play was adequate, especially when considering he's coming off an injury. Up top, Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri had different games. Quags put some pressure on Udinese's keeper Samir Handanovic, and, in the end, he had an important part in Juve's first goal. On the other hand, Matri was superb. He scored both of Juve's goals, and each was characteristic of Prettyboy Ale. The first came from an Estigarribia cross out wide. Quags received the header and got it to Matri, who fiercely sent it into goal. Matri has struggled to score lately, so this goal was a fantastic confidence boost to the poacher. Udinese would equalize shortly after the second half began with an Antonio Floro Flores goal, but Matri eventually put Juve on top once again. Vidal passed to Marchisio, who had been playing up after he subbed on for Quags. Marchisio displayed his great touch by flicking the ball on to Matri, who slid it right past Handanovic into the far post. It was a trademark Matri goal, and it was beautiful. All in all, it was an alright performance by Juventus. Offensively, they were on par at times, though they also struggled at other times to create opportunities. Still, two goals against one of the top defenses in the league is nothing to frown about. On the other side of the spectrum, they had some rather annoying defensive lapses. They would dictate play for swathes of match time, and then some silly positioning error would let Udinese launch fierce counter attacks. Juventus got the three points, and Udinese now have to worry about Inter passing them in the standings. Juventus have also now beaten all of the top four teams, with return matches against Inter and A.C. Milan, plus Coppa matches against A.C. forthcoming. Parma is up next, on Tuesday. Hopefully, Juventus can repeat their 4-1 thrashing from opening day. Praise Conte, and Forza Juve. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625 Invincible Juve out in front after edging Udinese Jan 28, 2012 A brace from Alessandro Matri saw Juventus do their hopes of winning the Italian title the power of good on Saturday, seeing off fellow high-riders Udinese 2-1 in Turin. The win preserved Juve's unbeaten league record and opened up a provisional four-point lead over AC Milan, who host Cagliari on Sunday, while Udinese could see Inter Milan draw level with them if the Nerazzurri can win at Lecce. Juve moved onto 44 points from 20 games but were eternally grateful to Matri for his predatory instincts after Antonio Floro Flores had threatened to bag a point for the visitors. Matri's winner just after the hour mark owed much to an inspired substitution by Juve coach Antonio Conte, who sent on Claudio Marchisio for ex-Udinese favourite Fabio Quagliarella. Marchisio promptly diverted an Arturo Vidal cross right into Matri's path and the striker lashed the ball past visiting goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to clinch a crucial win. Matri had notched his opener from point-blank range after Handanovic had palmed out a near-post header from Quagliarella straight to the lurking forward three minutes before the interval. But substitute Floro Flores pilfered the equaliser 10 minutes after the restart, curling a neat right-footed effort beyond Gianluigi Buffon for his second goal of the season. Buoyed by that, Udinese fought in snowy conditions to take the game to their hosts, whom they held to a goalless draw earlier in the season. Colombian Pablo Armero fired in an early volley that Buffon did well to push away diving low to his right and 14-goal hot-shot Antonio Di Natale also went close from close range. Handanovic just managed to take the ball off the toes of the effervescent Matri mid-way through the opening half, while industrious Swiss Stephane Liechsteiner found himself in space on the half hour but dithered and, crowded out, saw the chance fade away before he could pick his spot. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625 Immediate Reaction: Juventus Defeat Udinese 2-1 Jan 28, 2012 It was a winter wonderland for Juventus, who started the second half of the Serie A season with a hard fought victory at home. Two goals on the opposite side of the halftime break from Alessandro Matri were the difference, as Juve defeated Udinese 2-1 on Saturday. The first half: It seemed, after 40 minutes, that the big story of the first half was going to be Juve blowing a handful of scoring opportunities, coupled with some solid saves made by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. The snow didn't seem to bother either side early on, as both clubs eagerly searched for a first goal in the opening minutes of the game. Juve had a golden opportunity to open the scoring two minutes in, when a through ball sprung Marcelo Estigarribia past the Udinese back line. Estigarribia took two touches into the penalty area as Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic broke off his line. The 'keeper slid to stop the attempt from Estigarribia, which, truth be told, probably should have been struck a little better. A similar moment for Juve came 20 minutes later. This time, a duo of passes put Alessandro Matri down the left wing and past the defense. His first touch was just a bit too heavy, however, and Handanovic read the play perfectly, coming off his line and sliding into Matri's attempt. Handanovic certainly deserves credit for some brave goalkeeping, but Matri's first touch should have been better in that situation. Udinese threatened a handful of times around the 15-minute mark. While Juve were sloppy and bit disorganized off the ball, Buffon prevented the hosts from going down a goal. Juve finally settled into the game after about a half hour, and they then opened the scoring just minutes before the break. In the 42nd minute, Estigarribia sent a cross from the left wing into the box. Handanovic did well to stop a header from Fabio Quagliarella, but the 'keeper could do nothing about Matri's rocket rebound shot fired into the back of the net. Juventus, the better side in the 12 minutes leading up to the goal, took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break. The game changed: A little over ten minutes into the second half. Juve threatened and threatened in the opening minutes, but failed to work a decent ball into the penalty area. Udinese survived these nervous moments and then found an equalizer in the 56th minute. A bad turnover in the midfielder began a three-on-two break for the visitors, a break that concluded with substitute Antonio Floro Flores having possession just to the left of center of the outskirts of the box. Floro Flores squared up and put an unstoppable shot across Buffon and into the far corner of the net. It was a perfect finish, as a fully-stretched Buffon couldn't get a touch. The winner: Juventus, like Udinese did earlier in the half, survived a few nervous attacks after Floro Flores leveled the match. Six minutes after that goal, Arturo Vidal played a high ball from the right wing toward the center of the field. Claudio Marchisio headed the ball for Matri into the middle of the box, and Matri turned to his left, held off a defender and slotted home a brilliant left-footed shot into the far corner of the net. Handanovic had no chance here, and a vintage Matri finish eliminated much of the wind from the sails of the visitors. Things largely quieted down after Matri's goal. Juventus tightened up in defense, and failed attacks visibly frustrated an Udinese side that never recovered after Matri put them back down a goal. The hosts did well to kill the clock in the final five minutes, taking the 2-1 victory and three points. What it means: Juventus are now four points clear of second place AC Milan. Udinese remain in third, two points behind AC Milan and three points ahead of Inter. Both AC Milan and Inter play on Sunday. Overall: This was a much more entertaining contest than when these same sides met just before the Christmas break. All three goals were deserved, and the better team earned the victory. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625 Matri brace wins Bianconeri battle Jan 28, 2012 Juventus saw off the spirited challenge of Udinese to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to four points with a 2-1 win in the snow in Turin. Alessandro Matri scored both of Juve's goals with Antonio Floro Flores equalising for Udinese early in the second half. He missed two further chances, but Udinese did not just make up the numbers as they searched for goals themselves, justifying their third place in the table. Despite the heavy snow falling in Piedmont, the pitch in the Juventus Stadium was in pristine condition with a slick surface making for a fast pace with both sides keen to attack. It was a case of third time lucky for Matri when he finally put Juventus in front in the 42nd minute. He missed two one-on-one chances in the second and 23rd minute with Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic coming out on top both times to deny him. Not wanting to be outdone, at the other end, Gianluigi Buffon made a fine one-handed save to deny Pablo Armero in the 16th minute. But it was Juve who were the most likely to score and, after Stephan Lichtensteiner shirked the chance to shoot from a good position in the 34th minute, Matri struck. Marcelo Estigarribia's cross from the left was headed towards goal by Fabio Quagliarella. Handanovic got a hand to it, but only managed to lay it on a plate for Matri, who made no mistake this time from close range. Udinese started to take more risks early in the second half with Antonio Di Natale shooting just wide from 20 yards out in the 53rd minute. The visitors were particularly dangerous on the counter attack and that is how they levelled in the 56th minute with Mauricio Isla leading a three-against-two attack before feeding Floro Flores, who picked his spot in the far corner of Buffon's goal. A four-against-three break minutes later culminated in Di Natale lifting his close-range shot over the crossbar. Juve were under pressure, but they found the best way out of it by regaining the lead in the 62nd minute. Claudio Marchisio touched the ball through to Matri, who held off a defender and turned to shoot into the opposite corner of Handanovic's goal. It was enough to earn Juve all three points and take them four points clear of AC Milan at the top of Serie A. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625‎ Matri's double breaks Udinese Alessandro Matri’s brace gave Juventus a 2-1 victory over Udinese in this top of the table showdown under the snow.. Jan 28, 2012 It was first against third at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, which held up well under heavy snowfall throughout the day. Mirko Vucinic was injured, with Claudio Marchisio and Simone Pepe only fit for the bench, so Fabio Quagliarella was given the nod against his former club. Antonio Conte mirrored Udinese’s three-man defence. The Friulani missed Diego Fabbrini, Andrea Coda, Paulo Vitor Barreto, Giampiero Pinzi, while Mehdi Benatia, Kwadwo Asamoah and Emmanuel Badu were at the Africa Cup of Nations. Gigi Buffon celebrated his birthday and Marcelo Estigarribia nearly gave him a present in the opening 120 seconds, but Samir Handanovic rushed off his line to block with his legs after springing the offside trap. Handanovic also flapped at a looping Giorgio Chiellini header and Alessandro Matri was penalised for a foul on the goalkeeper as they both scrambled for the loose ball. Buffon fingertipped an Almen Abdi snapshot over the bar and from the corner the birthday boy flew to push Pablo Armero’s volley round the post. Matri went on another rapid Juve counter-attack, but once more Handanovic rushed off his line to block with his body. Abdi charged down a Stephan Lichtsteiner effort from six yards. Juventus did break through just before half-time. Handanovic did brilliantly to get down and palm away a Quagliarella header on Marcelo Estigarribia’s cross, but could do nothing as Matri pounced to follow up. Antonio Floro Flores replaced Abdi for a more attacking line-up, but Juve wasted a good chance when Estigarribia just failed to make contact with Quagliarella’s chipped pass at the back post. It was Floro Flores who equalised, as Udinese intercepted Andrea Barzagli’s pass in midfield and surged forward, Mauricio Isla spreading it to the left for the substitute to pass it round Buffon into the far bottom corner. The Friulani went on the counter again and Di Natale came sliding in to blast over with a deflection off his leg. Instead, Matri restored the Juventus advantage with his second goal of the game. Substitute Claudio Marchisio flicked on the Arturo Vidal ball for Matri to turn Damiano Ferronetti and flash a snooker shot across Handanovic. Simone Pepe came off the bench and clumsily slashed at a clearance in the box, but was fortunate no Udinese players were ready to take advantage. Barzagli had to block a dangerous pass from reaching Di Natale in the six-yard area. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juventus: Buffon; Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (De Ceglie 82), Vidal, Pirlo, Giaccherini, Estigarribia (Pepe 64); Matri, Quagliarella (Marchisio 61) Udinese: Handanovic; Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi (Battocchio 73); Basta, Isla (Pereyra 85), Fernandes, Armero, Pasquale; Abdi (Floro Flores 46), Di Natale Ref: Valeri http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Attendance: 39625‎ Matri double clinches points for Antonio Conte's side and stretches lead at Serie A summit to four points Matri took the lead for the Serie A leaders despite substitute Floro Flores cancelling out the home side's first goal, however Juve answered in fashion and took all three points. Jan 28, 2012 Two goals from Alessandro Matri proved the difference as Juventus beat Udinese 2-1, sending the Old Lady four points clear at the top of Serie A on Saturday night. Substitute Antonio Floro Flores cancelled out Matri’s first effort, yet the 27-year-old was at the double to ensure his side widened their gap to rivals AC Milan in a nail-biting thriller at the Juventus Stadium. Antonio Conte’s men looked to continue their season-long unbeaten run, and made four changes to the team which cruised past Roma in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia on Tuesday. The home side opted for a rare 3-5-2 formation, with Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella taking charge of the attack. Udinese made just a single change from the side which beat Catania 2-1 last weekend, with boss Francesco Guildolin deeming Giovanni Pasquale the correct choice at left-back. Both teams kicked off with a spark, however the first chance came to Juventus after just two minutes. Arturo Vidal slotted a well-placed pass into midfielder Marclo Estigarribia’s path, forcing a good, firm save from keeper Samir Handanovic, leaving the Paraguay international with his head in his hands knowing he should have opened the scoring. However, the Bianconeri soon found their feet going forward, putting pressure on Juventus through the flanks, as Almen Abdi received the ball on the edge of the area, striking a vicious shot through the defence for Gianluigi Buffon to fingertip away for a corner. Udinese came close to taking the lead after Leonardo Bonucci headed the set-piece away from danger, only for Colombian Pablo Armero to catch on the volley and force yet another quality save from Buffon. Play rallied back and forth with both sides creating chances going forward, yet it was Conte’s side who took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Quagliarella saw his header parried by Handanovic, only for Matri to answer his critics and score his eighth goal of the season from just two yards out. Guildolin was the first of the coaches to make a change, replacing Abdi for Floro Flores. It was The Old Lady who emerged from the break the more attacking side, yet Udinese caught the hosts on the counter and super-sub Floro Flores received the ball wide in the Juve box before curling a beautiful effort far past Buffon, marking his 23rd goal in 115 appearances for the Bianconeri. Udinese’s lead was short-lived, though, as Conte’s men continued their second half attacking prowess, with substitute Claudio Marchisio providing an exquisite touch to guide Vidal’s cross into Matri, who turned his marker and produced a fine finish at the far post to defy Handanovic and put Juve back into the lead. The visitors pushed for an equaliser, yet lacked the final touch as Di Natale failed to get a shot on target late into extra time. Juventus' win sees them remain unbeaten so far this season, and edge clear of Milan, who face Cagliari on Sunday. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Line-ups Jan 28, 2012 Juventus rely on Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri in a 3-4-1-2 against Antonio Di Natale’s Udinese, as it’s first against third in Turin this evening. Only three points separate these teams at the top of the Serie A table and it ended 1-1 when they met at the Stadio Friuli last month. Quagliarella is given a rare starting spot along with Matri and support from Eljero Estigarribia in a 3-4-1-2 system. Stephan Lichtsteiner moves up to a wide midfield role matched on the other side by Emanuele Giaccherini. The home side are without Mirko Vucinic, but Simone Pepe and Claudio Marchisio have recovered for a place on the bench. Milos Krasic is left in the stands. Udinese are without Diego Fabbrini, Andrea Coda, Paulo Vitor Barreto and Gianpiero Pinzi for this difficult trip. They also have Mehdi Benatia, Kwadwo Asamoah and Emmanuel Badu on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Capocannoniere Di Natale leads the way with support from Almen Abdi. It is snowing in Turin this evening, but the new Juventus Stadium is prepared for inclement weather thanks to covers and under-pitch heating and the game should go ahead as planned. Despite being the home side, Juve will play with the pink jersey. Juventus: Buffon; Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Giaccherini; Estigarribia; Matri, Quagliarella Juventus bench: Storari, De Ceglie, Marchisio, Marrone, Pepe, Del Piero, Borriello Udinese: Handanovic; Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi; Basta, Isla, Fernandes, Armero, Pasquale; Abdi, Di Natale Udinese bench: Padelli, Piccoli, Battocchio, Ekstrand, Pereyra, Floro Flores, Torje http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Matri and Quagliarella both start against Udinese Antonio Conte has rung the changes from the Coppa Italia win over Roma in midweek, and the striking duo are entrusted to lead the line against the Zebrette. Jan 28, 2012 Juventus have made four changes from the side that convincingly put Roma to the sword in the Coppa Italia quarter-final on Tuesday for Saturday's visit of Udinese. However, Antonio Conte has chosen to experiment, as the coach has opted to match his opposite number Francesco Guidolin by also using a 3-5-2 formation. The personnel changes see Gianluigi Buffon, Arturo Vidal, Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella come into the fold, replacing Marco Storari, Luca Marrone, Alessandro Del Piero and Marco Borriello. Emanuele Giaccherini and Marcelo Estigarribia, erstwhile, have been rewarded for their positive efforts of late by retaining their places in the XI. Meanwhile for Udinese, just the one alteration from their 2-1 victory over Catania last weekend sees Giovanni Pasquale picked at the expense of Giampiero Pinzi. The teams are as follows: Juventus (3-5-2) : Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Giaccherini, Estigarribia; Matri, Quagliarella Subs: Storari, De Ceglie, Marchisio, Krasic, Pepe, Del Piero, Borriello Udinese (3-5-1-1): Handanovic; Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi; Basta, Isla, Fernandes, Armero, Pasquale; Abdi; Di Natale Subs: Padelli, Neuton, Battocchio, Sissoko, Ekstrand, Floro Flores, Torje http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juve-Udinese under the snow Jan 28, 2012 Tonight’s Juventus-Udinese showdown should go ahead as planned despite heavy snow, as the new Juventus Stadium prepares for a big test. It’s first against third at 19.45 UK time, but the weather has not been kind to the Scudetto clash, as it is already snowing in Turin. The official Bianconeri website confirmed the giant cover has been placed over the pitch to keep off the snow, while the field is heated from beneath by specially-constructed pipes. The Juventus Stadium is also taking care of the fans’ safety by laying salt in the car park and anti-freeze on the walkways and stands. “The intensity of the snowfall is being constantly monitored and at the moment the situation is under control,” confirmed the statement. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Marotta on Nainggolan and Toni Jan 28, 2012 Juventus director general Beppe Marotta confirmed talks for Radja Nainggolan, while Luca Toni will join Al Nasr tomorrow. The transfer guru spoke to Sky Sport Italia ahead of tonight’s big Serie A match with Udinese. “Toni’s move to Al Nasr is not yet official, but we believe it will be completed tomorrow,” said Marotta. The veteran striker goes to Dubai for the UAE Pro-League team coached by Walter Zenga. The media is full of stories about ways to bring Nainggolan to Juve from Cagliari either this month or at the end of the season. “Nainggolan is a player who interests us. We have talked with their President Massimo Cellino, but there isn’t what I’d call a real negotiation. “We will try to bring Nainggolan to Turin in January, but there are many things to consider and above all whether Cagliari want to sell. “We’ll look to take any good opportunities that arise, but at the moment I don’t see any, especially as we strengthened an already excellent squad with the arrival of Martin Caceres and Marco Borriello.”

Adult film star offers job to Gianluigi Buffon after wife's sex comments The Italy No.1 has been asked to enter the adult film business by a well-known porn star after the shot stopper's wife praised her husband's skills in the bedroom. Jan 28, 2012 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has received a rather unusual job offer when he decides to hang up his gloves - a career in the porn industry. The 34-year-old's wife, Alena, told Italian women's magazine Verrisimo that her husband was "better in bed than Rocco Siffredi", a famous porn star. Siffredi has responded to the comments in an interview with Tuttosport and is keen for the Italy No.1 to showcase his talents in the bedroom. "Buffon may be even better than me in bed, but I want to see him in front of the camera. Buffon is still a kid compared to me. I will make a suggestion: when he stops playing, he should come work for me. I need real men," Siffredi said. The comments come a week after Kevin-Prince Boateng's girlfriend, Melissa Satta, claimed the reason for the player's recent injury woes was because of the couple's active sex life. Buffon is yet to comment on the offer as he focuses on helping Juve's Scudetto bid.

Chiello fortissimo

Ammonito Armero

Ci sono provvedimenti per le bestemmie in campo vero?

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Best defences? Juve-Udinese is also an…attacking challenge! Jan 27, 2012 The first leg goalless draw was a clue: Juventus and Udinese have the best defences of the championship. Antonio Conte’s squad has conceded only 12 goals, Gianluigi Buffon having been beaten only twice in the last 8 matches by Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Cossu. The keeper, who has been voted “best keeper of the last 25 years” recently, has saved a penalty to Francesco Totti. He has conceded 6 goals in home matches. AC Milan, Chievo and Udinese are the only ones to have done better than him. Udinese have conceded 14 goals, 10 of which in away matches. Things have gotten worse in the last two matches against Lazio (2-2) and Genoa (2-3), yet our squad has one of the most reliable defences after Juventus, Napoli and Fiorentina. But Juventus and Udinese have also two of the best forwards of the championship: right begind AC Milan (40 goals) and Napoli (34), stands the “Old Lady” with 31 goals. Udinese, with 28 goals scored, is fifth, right after Inter (30). http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Juventus v Udinese: Preview Jan 27, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has stressed the importance of tomorrow's home game against Udinese to his players as they look to stretch their advantage at the Serie A summit. The Turin giants go into the encounter unbeaten and holding a one-point lead at the top of the standings at the halfway stage of the campaign. Conte's men followed last weekend's 2-0 triumph at Atalanta with a 3-0 midweek victory over Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. Despite his side's great run of form, Conte has warned his players not to underestimate third-placed Udinese, who lie just three points behind them. "This game is worth double," he said. "It's worth six points and not the usual three." "We must be smart and understand the importance of this game to play with the right determination." "We take on a team that is no longer a surprise and that is fighting to achieve important results." "But this is an important time for us and I want my players to deliver." Juve face an arduous schedule with a game against Parma on Tuesday and Siena next weekend before travelling to the San Siro for the cup semi-final first leg against AC Milan on February 8. Rivals Udinese have clinched just 10 of their current 38 points on the road, but they go into this weekend's encounter on the back of a 2-1 triumph over Catania. "We've had great results so far but we cannot look back," Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin said. "Our aim is to continue to surprise ourselves and do well." "Juve have a great squad but we will go out determined to take a win." Udinese, who held Juve to a goalless draw at the Stadio Friuli last month, will be without midfielder Giampiero Pinzi because of a thigh injury. Guidolin will be hoping to recover midfielder Mauricio Isla, who is doubtful with a muscular problem. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri MATCH PREVIEW Jan 27, 2012 Udinese haven’t made it easy for Juventus in Turin over recent seasons and they won’t roll over on Saturday. The Old Lady may be Winter Champions after an unbeaten start to the campaign, but their Bianconero rivals will be a force to be respected at the Juventus Stadium. Udinese have won just six times at Juve in the League, but three of those have come in the last 10 meetings and two in the last four. Goals from Cristian Zapata and Alexis Sanchez cancelled out a Claudio Marchisio effort last January. Marchisio is a doubt for this one after picking up a knee injury in the 2-0 win at Atalanta. Simone Pepe is also struggling with an ankle problem that saw him replaced in Bergamo, while Leonardo Bonucci has a knee issue that the club are continuing to monitor. Mirko Vucinic may be absent too. Juve wrapped up the winter crown last week with a deserved 2-0 victory at Atalanta, yet their difficulties in finishing off the game earlier will have alarmed boss Antonio Conte. Despite creating a hatful of chances, they had to wait for second half goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Emanuele Giaccherini. Alessandro Matri wasted numerous chances and his position could be under threat from Marco Borriello, the January loan arrival who started his first game for the Old Lady against Roma in the Coppa on Tuesday. Juve’s run of four consecutive home wins was stopped by Cagliari on January 15 as the Rossoblu collected a 1-1 draw. In the Old Lady’s favour is Udinese’s pretty mediocre away form. While they have collected 28 points from a possible 30 at the Stadio Friuli, they have won just twice away from home in the championship. Udinese recovered from a 3-2 loss at Genoa to net a 2-1 against Catania last week. That win saw them set a new club record of 38 points at the half-way stage of the season. Not bad for a side who sold Sanchez, Gokhan Inler and Zapata in the summer. Boss Francesco Guidolin has no suspensions to deal with, but Barreto, Coda, Fabbrini and Pinzi are injury worries. Meanwhile, Benatia, Asamoah and Badu are away on African Cup of nations duty. In 37 League games in Turin, Juventus have 27 wins, there have been just four draws and six Udinese victories. Keep an eye on: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese) – He may only have three goals in 12 League games for Udinese against Juventus, but every time he has scored against the Old Lady his side have won. He’s in great form – as his wonder goal against Catania last week underlined. He has 14 goals in 18 League games this term. Last time in Serie A: Juventus 1-2 Udinese Form guide: Juventus (W D W D W) Udinese (D D W L W) Stat fact: Juventus have only scored four goals in their last five home games against Udinese. The last time they scored more than once in a game against the Zebras was 2-1 in February 2005 when Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mauro Camoranesi hit the target. Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Vidal, Pirlo, Marrone; Giaccherini, Matri, Estigarribia Udinese (probable): Handanovic; Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi, Pasquale; Basta, Isla, Fernandes, Armero; Floro Flores, Di Natale http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Serie A Preview The winter champions host Francesco Guidolin's men on Saturday night, knowing a victory would see them move six points clear of the visitors. Jan 27, 2012 PROBABLE LINE-UPS JUVENTUS Buffon Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini Vidal, Pirlo, Marrone Giaccherini, Matri, Vucinic UDINESE Handanovic Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi Basta, Isla, Pinzi, Fernandes, Armero Floro Flores Di Natale The Old Lady have a few concerns going into Saturday's clash, with both Claudio Marchisio and Simone Pepe doubtful. The midfield pair both limped out of the 2-0 victory over Atalanta last week, and will need to pass late fitness tests to take part on Saturday. However the league leaders have been boosted by the return of Fabio Quagliarella and Alex Manninger, with the duo returning to the squad who defeated Roma in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday, after recovering from fractured cheekbone and twisted ankle respectively. Francesco Guidolin's troops will travel to Turin without two of their midfield enforcers in the form of Kwadwo Asamoah and Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, with the pair both representing Ghana at the African Cup of Nations, while Mehdi Benatia will also miss out, as the former Marseille youth is also at the tournament with Morocco. DID YOU KNOW? - Juventus are the only side to have won a point away at Udinese in this campaign. - No other side in Serie A have drawn more games than the Old Lady this season. - The hosts have only conceded two goals in their last seven league games. - Antonio Di Natale has scored 50 per cent of Udinese's league goals this term. - The visitors have lost two of their last three games in all competitions. - Only the hosts have conceded less goals than Udinese this season. Head to Head Serie A ‎- Dec 21, 2011 - Udinese 0 - Juventus 0 Serie A ‎- Jan 30, 2011 - Juventus 1 - Udinese 2 Serie A ‎- Sep 19, 2010 - Udinese 0 - Juventus 4 Serie A ‎- Apr 3, 2010 - Udinese 3 - Juventus 0 Serie A ‎- Nov 22, 2009 - Juventus 1 - Udinese 0 Last Five Matches Juventus Jan 24, 2012 - Juventus 3 - Roma 0 - Coppa Italia Jan 21, 2012 - Atalanta 0 - Juventus 2 - Serie A Jan 15, 2012 - Juventus 1 - Cagliari 1 - Serie A Jan 8, 2012 - Lecce 0 - Juventus 1 - Serie A Jan 5, 2012 - Al Hilal 1 - Juventus 7 - Friendly Udinese Jan 22, 2012 - Udinese 2 - Catania 1 - Serie A Jan 15, 2012 - Genoa 3 - Udinese 2 - Serie A Jan 11, 2012 - Udinese 1 - Chievo 2 - Coppa Italia Jan 8, 2012 - Udinese 4 - Cesena 1 - Serie A Dec 21, 2011 - Udinese 0 - Juventus 0 - Serie A Players to Watch Andrea Pirlo Many believed the playmaker was on the wane following his release from AC Milan, but the midfielder has proved his doubters wrong with some excellent performances, and after chipping in with five assits so far this term, he will be hoping to again provide the spark on Saturday. Antonio Di Natale The veteran striker is the main man at Udinese, and is again the club's top scorer this season with 18 goals in all competitions. Although the visitors form has dipped in recent weeks, the Italy international has been on fire, netting five goals in his last four outings, and with the chance to close the gap at the top, he will be hoping his impressive form continues. Prediction With the Old Lady in form following the 3-0 victory over Roma on Tuesday, along with having the opportunity to further stretch their lead at the Serie A summit, a victory for the hosts seems a likely outcome. Editor's Prediction Juventus 2 - 0 Udinese http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A - 1^ Giornata Ritorno - 28-1-2012 (ore 20:45) - Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Paolo Valeri Confronti ufficiali 82 - 75 (Serie A) - 3 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) - 2 (Spareggio Coppa Uefa) Vittorie Juventus 52 - 49 (Serie A) - 1 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Campionato a gironi) Pareggi 19 - 15 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 2 (Spareggio Coppa Uefa) Vittorie Udinese 11 - 11 (Serie A) Goals Juventus 161 - 152 (Serie A) - 5 (Coppa Italia) - 3 (Campionato a gironi) - 1 (Spareggio Coppa Uefa) Goals Udinese 67 - 64 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) - 1 (Spareggio Coppa Uefa) Juventus - Udinese a Torino Serie A Confronti ufficiali 37 Vittorie Juventus 27 (L'ultima il 22.11.2009, 1-0) Pareggi 4 (L'ultimo il 18.03.1990, 1-1) Vittorie Udinese 6 (L'ultima il 30.01.2011, 1-2) Goals Juventus 84 Goals Udinese 36 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro l'Udinese a Torino 12 presenze Del Piero Alessandro 9 Buffon Gianluigi 8 Cabrini Antonio 7 Boniperti Giampiero 7 Brio Sergio 7 Conte Antonio 7 Iuliano Mark 7 Scirea Gaetano 7 Tacchinardi Alessio 6 Bonini Massimo 6 goals Hansen John 5 Sivori Omar Enrique 4 Baggio Roberto 4 Del Piero Alessandro 4 Inzaghi Filippo 3 Boniek Zbigniew 3 Boniperti Giampiero 3 Charles John 3 Platini Michel 3 Stacchini Gino Ultimi confronti diretti 05.02.2006 Serie A Juventus-Udinese 1-0 16.09.2007 Serie A Juventus-Udinese 0-1 10.02.2008 Serie A Udinese-Juventus 1-2 14.09.2008 Serie A Juventus-Udinese 1-0 28.01.2009 Serie A Udinese-Juventus 2-1 22.11.2009 Serie A Juventus-Udinese 1-0 03.04.2010 Serie A Udinese-Juventus 3-0 19.09.2010 Serie A Udinese-Juventus 0-4 30.01.2011 Serie A Juventus-Udinese 1-2 21.12.2011 Serie A Udinese-Juventus 0-0 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 5 - Pareggi 1 - Vittorie Udinese 4 - Goals Juventus 11 - Goals Udinese 9

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Guidolin: “We’ll bring the will to amaze in Turin” Jan 27, 2012 It is the eve of a big match at Udinese: in the match against Juventus Guidolin will have to take in consideration the number of absences among his players, but the aim is to do the best despite the line-up. “I don’t know if Isla is going to make it, he’s coming with us but we’ll wait until tomorrow. We have a few problems, we can’t pretend we don’t. But we have to face such a situation and be attentive and ready, giving the best we can. I’m sure my players will do so. Juve are strong, so it would be hard anyway. We hope to play a good match”. How will you enter the Juventus Stadium? Do you aim at reaching them at the top? What is the secret of the squad? “It will be my first time in the new stadium, everybody say it’s beautiful and gives an extra-boost to the squad. I think Juve are a modern club, they’ve made this step before others. It’s important for Italian football, the atmosphere is similar to the one in Northern Europe. A just comfort for the fans is fundamental. But they also have important qualities and determination, they remind me of the great Juventus coached by Lippi. Conte has managed to give the will to self-sacrifice to all the players. The group has 3-4 outstanding players, but they are all first-class ones: they are doing something that is admirable, but not surprising”. Is it going to be a “free” match from a mental point of view? “When a squad feels mentally “light” then it gets beaten. We’ll have to keep focused and use our qualities. Juve are tough, but we’ll try and play the match our way, with our weapons and our possibilities. I’ve been trying several game plans but I always do it throughout the week, it’s no big news. I’ve been thinking of alternatives, but I can’t make them due to the large number of absent players. We’ll try and give them a hard time, with a fast match made of our counterattacks. But a lot will depend on what the opponent will allow us to do”. On Tuesday you said you are eager to amaze. “We’ve been talking about it over and over. We need to be willing to overcome difficulties, it is fundamental. We’ll bring this will in Turin”. What are the right moves to face Juventus? “We’ll try and put our qualities as far as possible, fastness and initiatives to serve Di Natale as often as possible. We’re facing a solid team, we need the strength not to back down and counterattack every time we can. Battocchio is a chance, he might be playing”. Which are the names we should keep an eye on? “Juve have a lot of quality-players, so we have to be aware of the whole squad. My attitude is to go face them in their half-field, but facing such a first-rate squad we run the risk to face the possession and their other qualities”. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Vucinic misses Udinese Jan 27, 2012 Juventus face Udinese this weekend without Mirko Vucinic, but are able to call up Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Elijero Elia. Vucinic, Marchisio and Pepe all sat out the Bianconeri’s midweek Coppa Italia victory over Roma, but where the latter two have shaken off knocks sustained last weekend at Atalanta, Vucinic’s continuing struggles with his left knee mean he misses the Udinese match on Saturday. Meanwhile, Elia has been included in the squad after last week’s confusion over his fitness. The Dutchman missed the Atalanta fixture with Antonio Conte explaining that he had not trained for a majority of the preceding week, even as the player claimed via social networking site Twitter that he was fit to play. Full squad to face Udinese: 1 Buffon, 3 Chiellini, 7 Pepe, 8 Marchisio, 10 Del Piero, 11 De Ceglie, 13 Manninger, 15 Barzagli, 17 Elia, 18 Quagliarella, 19 Bonucci, 21 Pirlo, 22 Vidal, 23 Borriello, 24 Giaccherini, 26 Lichtsteiner, 27 Krasic, 28 Estigarribia, 30 Storari, 32 Matri, 34 Marrone http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Antonio Conte buoyed by the signing of Martin Caceres ahead of Udinese showdown Juventus coach felt that his side was short on cover at the back and believes that the Uruguayan is the ideal man to fill the void given his familiarity with the club. Jan 27, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has welcomed the arrival of Martin Caceres ahead of the Serie A showdown with Udinese on Saturday. Caceres is in Turin putting the finishing touches on his move from Sevilla and his new boss believes the fact that the Uruguayan defender enjoyed a previous loan spell with the Bianconeri during the 2009-10 season will make his integration into the squad so much easier. "I've seen Caceres and I welcomed him," Conte told the club's official website. "We only had five defenders, so it was appropriate to make a purchase. "He is a player who already knows the club, so it will take less time to insert him [into the squad]. "He arrives with humility, knowing that he is now a part of a team that has the best defence [in Serie A]." Meanwhile, Luca Marrone has begun to establish himself in the Juventus side in recent weeks and Conte, having worked with him during the midfielder's loan spell at Siena, insists that he never entertained the idea of offloading the youngster. "Marrone is a player that I felt was never for sale right from the beginning of the season," the former Italy international said. "He did well at Siena, where I was struck by his great personality. We all believe in him - he represents the present and the future of Juve. "The important thing for him is to keep his feet on the ground, as he always has done, and continue to work hard without complaining." Turning his attention to Saturday night's clash with Udinese at Juventus Stadium, Conte admitted that the game has added significance because it pits first against third in the Serie A standings. "It's a challenge that's worth double to us - six points and not the usual three," he claimed. "We must understand that and play with fierce competitiveness. We are facing a Udinese side which are no longer a surprise package. "How are we prepared for this game? Unfortunately, we are not in good shape. We have some players who are not in the best condition. "There is still another training session so tomorrow we will evaluate who's good to play and we will try to ensure we put on the best performance possible." Juve currently top the table by a solitary point from AC Milan, while Udinese are just two points further back. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 20 - 28-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - Juventus Arena - Turin Referee: Paolo Valeri Francesco Guidolin: Juventus were born for the Champions League Speaking ahead of his side's trip to Turin this weekend, Udinese boss praises his opponents' stature and says Italian teams can compete with their Spanish counterparts. Jan 27, 2012 Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin has voiced his belief that Juventus are a club that were born to play Champions League football. The Turin club failed to qualify for either European competition this season, but a remarkable start to 2011-12 has has ensured Antonio Conte's side sit at the summit of Serie A without losing a single game. Guidolin's side will play their first match at the Turin club's new stadium on Saturday, and the 56-year-old was full of praise for their upcoming opponents. "Juve were born in the Champions League. Conte plays good football, worthy of the new stadium. But we will play with incredible courage," Guidolin told the Correire Dello Sport. The former Palermo boss went on to praise Barcelona in the wake of their aggregate victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, but voice his belief that Italian teams can compete with Pep Guardiola's side. "Real Madrid were courageous and showed that the distance between the two is not so large any more. But Barca had more certainty, more self-esteem, and of course are a great team. "I don't put much emphasis on the foreign leagues. I'm convinced our league can easily compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid. I'm not only thinking of Milan, but of Juventus too." Finally, Guidolin went on to say that the Premier League is interesting to watch, but has a dearth of technique. "The Premier League is fascinating for the atmosphere, but the technical quality isn't extraordinary." Udinese's first trip to the Juventus stadium kicks off at 20.45 CET on Saturday. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/