Socrates

Giaccherini

0-0 con il Siena ... sarebbe un'altra occasione persa

'sti Gazzi .....

Non dobbiamo pareggiare con il Siena

A noi mai rigori

Catenaccio puro.

Partita stregata.

Siena in campo col modulo 10 - 0 - 0. Come giá si sapeva.

'Sti gazzi ....

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Line-ups: Juventus-Siena Feb 5, 2012 Juventus look to a trident of Mirko Vucinic, Alessandro Matri and Simone Pepe as they welcome Antonio Conte’s old club Siena. Conte took the Tuscans to promotion last season before resigning when he received the prestigious call from Turin. He has a full squad to choose from and opts for the 4-3-3 formation with Vucinic returning from injury. Paolo De Ceglie is picked at left-back, allowing Giorgio Chiellini to play in central defence. Siena miss Zeljko Brkic and Francesco Bolzoni for this trip to the Juventus Stadium, but have Mattia Destro as a partner for Emanuele Calaiò. Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Vucinic, Matri, Pepe Juventus bench: Storari, Bonucci, Giaccherini, Marrone, Del Piero, Quagliarella, Borriello Siena: Pegolo; Vitiello, Rossettini, Terzi, Del Grosso; Giorgi, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza; Destro, Calaiò Siena bench: Farelli, Rossi, Contini, Parravicini, D’Agostino, Reginaldo, Gonzalez. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe return for Juventus against Siena The Old Lady have reverted to their tried-and-tested against the Tuscan outfit, as four changes are made from the side that defeated Udinese 2-1 last weekend. Feb 5, 2012 Juventus have entrusted Mirko Vucinic, Alessandro Matri and Simone Pepe to lead the line for today's visit of Serie A rivals Siena. The trio will line up in a 4-3-3 system, as coach Antonio Conte has opted to end his 3-5-2 experiment and go back to the formation that has platformed the Bianconeri's success so far this season, which has seen them remain unbeaten after 20 league matches. Four changes have also been made from the XI that consigned Udinese to a 2-1 loss last week, as Leonardo Bonucci, Marcelo Estigarribia, Emanuele Giaccherini and Fabio Quagliarella have been replaced by fellow quartet Paolo De Ceglie, Claudio Marchisio, and duo Pepe and Vucinic. Meanwhile for Siena, two new personnel additions from the 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Fiorentina see Luigi Giorgi and Franco Brienza come into the fold at the expense of Emanuele Pesoli and Gaetano D'Agostino. The teams are as follows: Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Vucinic, Matri, Pepe Subs: Del Piero, Quagliarella, Borriello, Storari, Bonucci, Marrone, Giaccherini Siena (4-4-2): Pegolo; Vitiello, Rossettini, Terzi, Del Grosso; Giorgi, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza; Destro, Calaio Subs: D'Agostino, Farelli, Contini, Reginaldo, Parravicini, Rossi, Gonzalez. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Marcello Lippi: Juventus set to dominate Serie A once more The Turin club have taken a while to recover from 'Calciopoli' but the man who led them to five titles in two separate spells feels that they are now poised to reign supreme again. Feb 5, 2012 Former Juventus boss Marcello Lippi believes that the club are on the cusp of a new era of dominance. After successive seventh-placed finishes, the Bianconeri are currently flying high at the top of Serie A under new coach Antonio Conte, who arrived in Turin last summer. Juve have taken a while to recover from 'Calciopoli', the match-fixing scandal which resulted in them being relegated to Serie B, but the World Cup winner feels that they are now poised to re-establish themselves as the most powerful force in Italy. "Juventus will open a cycle because this team is only going to get better from here on," he told Tuttosport. "The new stadium has added a sense of pride, while Conte has given organisation and sense of belonging back to the club." Lippi coached Juve during two separate spells in 1994-99 and 2001-04, during which he led the club to five Serie A titles. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Sannino fired up for Juve Feb 5, 2012 Giuseppe Sannino believes Siena will have “exceptional motivation” in today’s trip to Juventus, especially as they are facing their old Coach Antonio Conte. “I am hardly the first to discover Juventus are a great side and therefore the team will have exceptional motivation in playing against the very best,” said Sannino. “A squad does not remain unbeaten for over half a season by accident. We are going into an extraordinary stadium against a very strong outfit. “We know that we have to seek safety points against every opponent in any arena, but to do it we need heart and passion.” January signing Erjon Bogdani is not yet ready to feature, while Zeljko Brkic and Francesco Bolzoni are injured. “This is the team from here to the end of the season and we must be as united as possible, becoming one with the fans and the city. This unity has to become our greatest strength, as it is the only way to survive in Serie A.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Juventus v Siena – Preview Feb 4, 2012 Serie A leaders Juventus welcome Siena to Turin on Sunday, hoping to maintain their unbeaten record and one point lead over second placed Milan. Siena’s last trip to face the Bianconeri ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, however Giuseppe Sannino will find it much tougher to repeat history. Mirko Vucinic has returned to full fitness, while new signing Simone Padoin should be named on the bench. Antonio Conte saw his side’s clash with Parma postponed in mid-week, and with seven wins from their ten home games this season, he will be confident of continuing their good form. Siena also saw their game in mid-week postponed due to the weather, but have concerns over the availability of Zeljko Brkic and Francesco Bolzoni. Sannino’s men have collected just four points away from home all season, are without a victory in that time and have lost their last five on the road. The front pairing of Emannuel Calaio and Mattia Destro will be a tough test for the Juve backline, despite the Bianconeri possessing the strongest defence in Serie A. Probable Line-ups: Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Pepe, Matri, Vucinic Subs; Storari, Caceres, De Ceglie, Giaccherini, Padoin, Borriello, Quagliarella Siena (4-4-2): Pegolo, Vitiello, Rossettini, Contini, Del Grosso, Angelo, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza, Destro, Calaio Subs; Farelli, Pesoli, Terzi, Grossi, D’Agostino, Reginaldo, Gonzalez Form Guide: Juventus: -WWDWD 21/12/11 – Udinese 0-0 Juventus 08/01/12 – Lecce 0-1 Juventus 15/01/12 – Juventus 1-1 Cagliari 21/01/12 – Atalanta 0-2 Juventus 28/01/12 – Juventus 2-1 Udinese 31/01/12 – Parma PSTP Juventus Siena: LDLWD 20/12/11 – Siena 0-0 Fiorentina 07/01/12 – Siena 4-0 Lazio 15/01/12 – Parma 3-1 Siena 22/01/12 – Siena 1-1 Napoli 29/01/12 – Fiorentina 2-1 Siena 01/02/12 – Siena PSTP Catania Top Scorers: Juventus Matri – 9 Marchisio – 6 Siena Calaio – 9 Destro – 5 Assists: Juventus Pirlo – 5 Vucinic – 5 Siena D’Agostino – 3 Calaio – 2 http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Match Preview Serie A league leaders Juventus have an ideal opportunity to further distance themselves from their closest rivals when they entertain lowly Siena at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday. Feb 4, 2012 La Vecchia Signora are the odds on favourites to extend their impressive 20-game unbeaten run when they clash with relegation candidates Siena at the Juventus stadium on Sunday. Juventus, who had their midweek game with Parma postponed due to extreme weather conditions, will be hoping to get back into the swing of things against a vulnerable Siena outfit who have yet to win an away game in ten attempts this season. Although the Tuscan outfit will do their utmost to change this negative statistic it is likely to be an almost impossible ordeal, not only because Giuseppe Sannino's troops have suffered five straight defeats, but because their rivals boast the best defence in the league, after having conceded a mere 13 goals. Juventus, who reinforced their side with Marco Borriello, Ouasim Bouy, Simone Padoin and Martin Caceres following the winter transfer window, contain depth in every sector of the field, and the fact that they have scored at least a goal in each of their last fifteen games at their newly-built fortress, the Juventus Stadium, means that they will likely continue with their glorious run on Sunday. Antonio Conte, the coach of Juventus, will field a full-strength side for the game, with Paolo De Ceglie, Simone Pepe, Mirko Vucinic and Claudio Marchisio expected to start from the kick-off, as they did in the 2-1 win over Udinese. Juve idol, Alessandro del Piero, will wait anxiously for an opportunity from the substitute's bench to increase his career-high tally of twelve goals versus Siena. There is no team that Del Piero has converted more goals against than La Robur. Meanwhile, Sannino will maintain an almost identical formation as to the one that lost 2-1 to Fiorentina in the Tuscan derby. The news comes rather surprisingly, considering the fact that Siena face Napoli at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia on Thursday. Juventus have a favourable history over their rivals in the Serie A, after having obtained 13 wins, one draw and a single loss. Do you think Siena could pull off an upset? Prediction: Juventus 2-0 Siena http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Juventus v Siena: Preview Feb 4, 2012 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini is warning his team not to be distracted by thoughts of winning the title as they prepare to host Siena tomorrow. The Turin giants are one point clear of AC Milan at the top of Serie A and have a game in hand after Tuesday's game at Parma was postponed due to heavy snow. "It's too early to feel favourites for the Scudetto,'' Chiellini said. "We have only started the second half of the season and just because Milan lost at Lazio in midweek, it doesn't change things. "We have so many games to play this month, including a clash at AC Milan (on February 25), and after that things will be more clear.'' Juventus remain unbeaten this season and have the best defence in the league with just 13 goals conceded in 20 games. Moreover, they have never lost against Siena at home. Siena coach Giuseppe Sannino is expecting a tough afternoon. The Tuscan outfit have struggled on their travels this season and head to Turin still searching for their first win on the road. Siena have collected just four points from a possible 30 away from home. "Juventus are a fantastic team,'' Sannino said. "We will be playing in a fantastic stadium against a great side. "We need to get points against every opponent in our battle to avoid the drop. "My players will need to show heart and passion to have a chance to win this game.'' Siena, whose midweek game against Catania was also postponed due to adverse weather conditions, go into the encounter on the back of last weekend's 2-1 loss at Fiorentina. The result left them in 17th place, three points clear of the drop zone. Juventus, coached by Antonio Conte, will be at full strength with midfielder Claudio Marchisio, winger Simone Pepe and forward Mirko Vucinic having all recovered from injury. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo MATCH PREVIEW Feb 4, 2012 The last time Juventus hosted Siena in Serie A, the minnows came from three goals down to net their first ever point in Turin. It was March 2010 and two goals from Alessandro Del Piero and a strike by Antonio Candreva put the Old Lady into a formidable position just 10 minutes into the game. But by the final whistle, Alberto Malesani’s Tuscan outfit picked up a 3-3 with goals from Massimo Maccarone and an Abdel Ghezzal brace. This is a very different Juve though. Of the 14 players who Alberto Zaccheroni used on that afternoon, only Paolo De Ceglie, Claudio Marchisio and Alex Del Piero remain in the present squad. The Old Lady, unlike back then, are now serious Scudetto contenders given that they lead the standings by a point over Milan and they have a game in hand. Both Juventus and Siena saw their midweek commitments postponed because of the arctic conditions to have hit Italy over the last few days, but those cancelled games didn’t affect their League positions. If anything it strengthened the Old Lady’s, while Siena are still three points above the drop zone. Juve boss Antonio Conte, who led Siena to promotion last term, has recovered Mirko Vucinic from injury. He’ll either use a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 on Sunday, while Giuseppe Sannino will respond with a 4-4-2 that Conte used to such great effect last term. Conte will have to decide whether to field Giorgio Chiellini in the middle or as a left-back, while Stephan Lichtsteiner should start given that he was expected to be rested in midweek. Juve have won seven of their 10 home games this term, but they can be stopped as draws with Bologna, Genoa and Cagliari illustrate. Siena, who have concerns about Zeljko Brkic and Francesco Bolzoni, don’t travel well though. They have picked up just four points on the road all season, they have no win and have lost their last five away from home. Their last away win was at Grosseto in April. Siena may be hard to breakdown though as they have the sixth best defensive record in the land. Keep an eye on: Mattia Destro (Siena) – Believed to be on Juve’s wish-list for the summer, the Under-21 international will be keen to catch the eye of the Bianconeri. He has five goals in 13 Serie A games so far this term. Last time in Serie A: Juventus 3-3 Siena – Alex Del Piero scored his 300th and 301st career goals in that tie. Form guide: Juventus (W W W D W) Siena (L W D L W) Stat fact: There have been just six Serie A games in Turin between Juventus and Siena. The Old Lady have five wins and there has been one draw. Del Piero has featured in all of them, scoring eight goals in the process. Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pepe, Matri, Vucinic Siena (probable): Pegolo; Vitiello, Rossettini, Contini, Del Grosso; Angelo, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza; Destro, Calaió http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Serie A Preview The Old Lady could distance themselves from their league rivals at the summit of Serie A with a positive performance against the free-falling Tuscan outfit on Sunday. Feb 4, 2012 PROBABLE LINE-UPS JUVENTUS Buffon Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Ceglie Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio Pepe, Matri, Vucinic SIENA Pegolo Vitiello, Rossettini, Terzi, Del Grosso Angelo, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza Destro, Calaió Juventus coach Antonio Conte looks set to revert to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 formation for the visit of Siena, with an arguably full-strength XI ready to be named despite his 3-5-2 experiment proving successful during the 2-1 win over Udinese last week. As a result, Leonardo Bonucci, Marcelo Estigarribia, Emanuele Giaccherini and Fabio Quagliarella are to be ousted in favour of Paolo De Ceglie, Claudio Marchisio, Simone Pepe and Mirko Vucinic. Meanwhile, for Siena, Giuseppe Sannino is likely to make just the two changes from the 2-1 reverse to arch-rivals Fiorentina, as midfield pair Angelo and Franco Brienza are expected to replace Gaetano D'Agostino and Emanuele Pesoli. However, there will be no place in the squad for goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic and midfielder Francesco Bolzoni, both whom find themselves on the sidelines with injury. DID YOU KNOW? •Juventus still remain the only side unbeaten amongst the 'top five' European leagues this season. •The Bianconeri also boast the best defence in Serie A, conceding only 13 goals to date. •The Old Lady have also scored in each of their last 15 games on home soil. •Erstwhile, Siena have won just one of their last 11 league games. •Away from home, Sannino's men are on a run of five straight defeats and are without a win in their last 16. •Alessandro Del Piero has scored 12 goals against Siena; more than against any other Serie A opponent. •In 13 top-flight meetings between these sides, Juventus have won 11 of them, while Siena's only win came in May 2008 - a 1-0 victory. Head to Head Serie A - Sep 18, 2011 - Siena 0 - Juventus 1 Serie A ‎- Mar 14, 2010 - Juventus 3 - Siena 3 Serie A ‎- Oct 25, 2009 - Siena 0 - Juventus 1 Serie A - May 24, 2009 - Siena 0 - Juventus 3 Serie A ‎- Jan 11, 2009 - Juventus 1 - Siena 0 Last Five Matches Juventus Jan 28, 2012 - Juventus 2 - Udinese 1 - Serie A 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 Siena Jan 29, 2012 - Fiorentina 2 - Siena 1 - Serie A Jan 25, 2012 - Chievo 0 - Siena 1 - Coppa Italia Jan 22, 2012 - Siena 1 - SSC Napoli 1 - Serie A Jan 15, 2012 - Parma 3 - Siena 1 - Serie A Jan 7, 2012 - Siena 4 - Lazio 0 - Serie A Players to Watch Alessandro Matri A triumphant return to form last week saw the hitman score a crucial brace to hand Juventus all three points on offer against Udinese, after a run of just one goal in his previous seven matches. However, with his shooting boots seemingly back on, he'll be sure to pose Siena all sorts of problems as he aims to add to his tally of nine for the season. Emanuele Calaiò The former Napoli forward has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, scoring an impressive four goals in his past four matches, including a memorable brace in the 4-0 demolition of Lazio. However, having fired blanks in six previous matches, the pressure is on for Calaio to sustain his midas touch against Gianluigi Buffon. Prediction A comprehensive home win should be in the pipeline, as Juventus are expected to stroll past their Tuscan counterparts and make it an impressive 21 games unbeaten in Serie A, while piling further misery on the new boys. Editor's Prediction Juventus 3 - 0 Siena http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Juve looking to make light of the weather in Serie A Feb 4, 2012 The weather has been playing havoc with football fixtures in Italy all week but Serie A leaders Juventus have survived the big freeze and managed to cement their grip on the standings, without even playing. Juve's game at Parma was called off leaving them an anxious 24-hour wait to see if they would lose the league leadership. But AC Milan crashed 2-0 at Lazio meaning Juve held on to top spot ahead of the visit of Siena this weekend. "The midweek games provided a table that still makes us smile," said Juve captain Alessandro Del Piero. "With a one-point advantage (over Milan) and a game in hand we have to take advantage of the opportunity to escape, even though it's still too soon to stop and look at the table." There is still almost half the season to go but there's a feeling that things are falling into Juve's lap. However, with temperatures of up to minus 10 Celsius expected in the north this weekend, the weather promises to have yet more of a say. Many of Italy's stadiums are mostly old and out-dated with poor facilities and no contingency plans for icy conditions Already three scheduled evening games have had to be brought forward to the afternoon to give them a better chance of going ahead. What this has done is reopen a raging debate in Italy about the state of stadia in the country. Juve are the only club to own their custom-built stadium while everyone else rents theirs from the local council. Those other stadiums are mostly old and out-dated with poor facilities and no contingency plans for icy conditions. When games are called off in Italy it is rarely because the pitch is frozen but because the areas around the ground used by fans are deemed too dangerous. And while Turin is one of the worst affected areas in the country, the Juventus Stadium has held up well to the snow. Juve are the only club to own their custom-built stadium while everyone else rents theirs from the local council. "We're first in the table but we're already concentrating on the next match on Sunday against Siena at the Juventus Stadium," added Del Piero. "Last Saturday we gave a great demonstration of efficiency (in dealing with the weather conditions), so thanks to the people who worked hard to allow us to play and the fans to enjoy a great spectacle." The efficient stadium is indicative of a well-oiled Juve machine that remains unbeaten this season and has proved beyond doubt now that they are capable of putting successive, miserable, seventh-placed finishes behind them and challenging for the title. And if anything, their rivals seem to be facilitating affairs. Lazio had previously slipped away by losing at Inter Milan, who were on a seven-game winning run until the last week where one point from six has dropped them eight points behind Juve having played a game more. But Lazio then threw a spanner in Milan's works, leaving their coach Massimiliano Allegri insisting that Juve and not the champions are now the title favourites. They also face a much tougher weekend game as they host Napoli, themselves beset by problems an inconsistency. Napoli have been highly impressive when playing supposed big teams, beating both Milans and Manchester City. But their continued inability to put lesser teams to the sword—they have drawn nine games in the league—has seen them fall right out of title and probably Champions League contention. However, it would be no surprise if the giant-killing Napoli turn up on Sunday. Heavy snowfall in Rome has forced the postponement of the AS Roma v Inter Milan match this weekend, city officials announced on Friday. Officials in Forli, who govern the region of Cesena, added that the Cesena v Catania match—also scheduled for 1500 on Saturday—risked being called off because of adverse weather conditions. It has been decided that all of the weekend's remaining matches will kick off at 1500, although the Genoa v Lazio fixture will start as scheduled at 1230. Fixtures Saturday Cesena v Catania (TBC) Sunday Genoa v Lazio (1130 GMT), Chievo v Parma, Fiorentina v Udinese, Juventus v Siena, Lecce v Bologna, Novara v Cagliari, Palermo v Atalanta, AC Milan v Napoli, Roma v Inter Milan. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Round 22 (21): In Conte we trust Feb 4, 2012 This was a bit of a crazy week. The transfer window came and went, and many people are rating our past market as good one. And, thank God — Secco approves. I was nervous for a minute. Anyway, even if the moves weren’t exactly what we had thought they would be or hoped for, they all made sense. Depth was added, dead weight was lifted and, of course, we remain unbeaten. The curious cases of Reto Ziegler and to varying other extents Milos Krasic and Eljero Elia prove that Conte will not have any player imposed on him which he doesn’t feel fits his system. In fact, despite Tuesday’s game against Parma being snowed out, Conte is such a badass that he was able to keep us in first place (I know, everyone else has been making the exact same joke, but I don’t care). To this I say onward, with trust in the Count. Siena has not had a good run of things since promotion and poaching of their coach by us. Their most recent win was a 1-0 victory in the Coppa against Chievo, as they remain just out of the relegation zone 19 points, 3 more than Lecce with a game in hand. They travel to Turin to meet their old friend in his new home, with a rested squad. Good news: It appears as if Vucinic is available, as well as any other players who may have been questionable with a knock, such as Lichtsteiner – who wasn’t actually reaching into his crotch against Udinese to warm up his hands after all. Despite Conte’s complaints, a snowout against Parma was perhaps not the worst thing that could’ve happened. Now the full squad is presumably available to try and keep the ball rolling and make it 4 wins in a row (counting the Coppa win against Roma). Our old/new friend Martin Caceres is now available as his paperwork is finally through, as is NKOTB Simone Padoin. My Dutch mancrush Elia has also been included with the squad, so he can watch the game from a close vantage point, maybe even on the bench this time! Also, Siena has a midfielder named Gazzi. It makes me laugh every time I think about that. Bad news: Well, Siena is rested too, as the snow messed up a lot of fixtures. That shouldn’t be too much of a problem, right? Also of note is that Milos Krasic has been left off of the squad. Oh yea, and the Russian transfer window is open until February 24. Not looking good, Meelosh. My starting XI: (4-3-3) Gigi; Kelso, Giorgio, Dre, Marty; Principino, Bon Pirlo, King Arthur; Dutchie, Matri, Vooch. Alright, I’m not really mental. Caceres surely shouldn’t start just yet, especially ahead of Lichtsteiner. But maybe poor Steve-o could use a break, and plus, I am really, really excited to see Martin back on the pitch. I also know Elia isn’t going to play and frankly, I’m over it. I just feel like I need to remain consistent to keep my street cred up. Siena probable: (4-4-2) Pegolo; Vitiello, Rossettini, Contini, Del Grosso; Angelo, Vergassola, Gazzi, Brienza; Destro, Calaió. Bench: Farelli, Pesoli, Terzi, Grossi, D’Agostino, Reginaldo, Gonzalez. Remember when Gaetano D’Agostino was so sought after by us, but Udinese was playing hardball with us, pricing us out of the market? Yea, that was crazy. Thank God that transfer didn’t work out. Oh wait, that pushed Secco to sign Felipe Melo to play out of position as a regista. Nevermind. Juventus probable: Buffon; De Ceglie, Chiellini, Barzagli, Lichtsteiner; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Vucinic, Matri, Pepe. Bench: Storari, Bonucci, Estigarribia, Giaccherini, Del Piero, Quagliarella. Have at it, folks. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Calcio in the ice age The recent cold snap brought out the worst in Italian football infrastructure and showed why the Juventus Stadium is the future, argues Susy Campanale. Feb 4, 2012 Italians are not known for their organisational abilities. Even then, the chaos caused by snow in Serie A has been little short of embarrassing. New stadiums are needed, that much is clear, but this failure to play games because the stands are iced over has more to do with a desperate lack of fore-thought than long-term structural issues. The Juventus Stadium has shown us the way forward and it has become too urgent to ignore. The Atalanta-Genoa farrago on Wednesday evening could not have been handled worse. Teams were told after the warm-up that the game was off due to frozen stands. The supporters who had made their way into the snow-covered stadium offered to simply move out of the iced sections, which led to the sides warming up again – and in some cases having to get back shirts they had already exchanged – only to be told the match was definitively called off anyway. In 2012, we have games with a perfectly usable pitch cancelled because a section of the stands is icy. This is most likely because the authorities don’t want to get sued if someone slips and breaks their leg. Aware of the weather reports and the fact February is generally quite a snowy time in northern Italy, could they not put some grit down? Maybe some of those blankets people put over their cars at night to prevent frost? Or those weird giant hair-dryers that seemed to be in use when trying to blow snow off the pitch in Bergamo? It really can’t be that complicated. Yet it’s not even clear who takes responsibility for the upkeep of the stands leading up to a game, as the stadiums are owned by the local council and merely rented by the clubs on match day. The Juventus Stadium was unveiled with great fanfare and only now are we beginning to see why it is so important that others follow suit. It was colder in Turin than any other city over the past week, yet this arena and its seats remained in perfect condition. It is packed in all weather and against any opponent, whereas even the top of the table Udinese-Juventus couldn’t bring the punters in at the Stadio Friuli. People compared the Turin structure to a Premier League stadium, but I’d say it is closer to the Bundesliga, which makes sense considering the weather is more like Germany than England. If Munich can have an evening kick-off in sub-zero temperatures, why can’t Parma? It is imperative that the stadiums built for the 1990 World Cup be torn down and replaced by ones more suited to their every day needs. Udinese, Cagliari and Chievo represent small fanbases, so there is no need for such large arenas that sap any atmosphere out of the cavernous walls. They’re expensive to run, impossible to heat and truly embarrassing to see 70 per cent empty on a weekly basis. The investment would be paid off pretty quickly by having the gate actually go into their coffers, the chance to sell official merchandise on site and provide tours of the stadium. Serie A has resisted progress for too long and the Juventus Stadium has shown us what Italian football can achieve. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Caceres and Padoin in Juve squad Feb 4, 2012 Martin Caceres and Simone Padoin receive their first Juventus call-ups for tomorrow’s game with Siena. There were doubts as to whether Caceres could take part, but his international transfer has come through from Sevilla. The versatile defender is given his maiden call for the Bianconeri along with ex-Atalanta midfielder Padoin, who also arrived in the January transfer window. Mirko Vucinic is back in the side after an injury lay-off, as he would’ve missed the snowed off trip to Parma on Tuesday. Siena are welcomed to the Juventus Stadium on Sunday at 14.00 UK time. Juventus squad: 1 Buffon, 3 Chiellini, 4 Caceres, 7 Pepe, 8 Marchisio, 10 Del Piero, 11 De Ceglie, 13 Manninger, 14 Vucinic, 15 Barzagli, 17 Elia, 18 Quagliarella, 19 Bonucci, 20 Padoin, 21 Pirlo, 22 Vidal, 23 Borriello, 24 Giaccherini, 26 Lichtsteiner, 28 Estigarribia, 30 Storari, 32 Matri, 34 Marrone http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Andrea Pirlo wants to stay top of Serie A with Siena win The Bianconeri are a point ahead of AC Milan in the race for the Scudetto but their Italy international is keenly aware that they face a difficult opponent on Sunday. Feb 4, 2012 Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has stated that his side will be in for a difficult game against Siena on Sunday, but wants to stay top of Serie A with a win. The Turin giants are a point ahead of Scudetto holders AC Milan going into the fixture but the Italy international knows that recording a victory will not be a formality. "It will be a tough game against an organised team that plays good football, so it will be hard, as all the matches are," he told the Juventus Channel. Pirlo was also full of praise for coach Antonio Conte, with the team looking to secure their first Italian top-flight title since 2003. "Conte is a very good coach who can give so much to the team," the veteran enthused. "We are first in the standings and we hope to stay like this." Juventus are unbeaten in 20 league games this season, whilst Siena are in need of points as they sit precariously above the relegation zone in 17th position. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 22 - 5-2-2012 (3:00 p.m.) - Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo Conte: 'Juve now favourites?' Feb 4, 2012 Antonio Conte is ready to rotate the Juventus squad against Siena and thanks the media for “considering us Scudetto favourites.” The Bianconeri are still unbeaten this season and clear at the top of the table with a game in hand, as their midweek trip to Parma was snowed off. “I must thank the media, who are starting to see Juventus as Scudetto favourites. We did extraordinary work and things are evolving in a fantastic way. Over a few months, the hierarchy of Italian football has changed. “It’s fun looking back over the early reports on us, claiming we didn’t have any big signings, that our June and July work was disastrous and the Coach was a ‘tactical terrorist.’ Having said that, I continue to consider Milan as the favourites for the title.” Only the brand new Juventus Stadium seems able to withhold the Siberian winds and snow, which make this the coldest week in Italy for 27 years. “We know full well that we live in Europe, where it’s only normal for cold weather to come at this time. What we are lacking in Italy are adequate structures,” said the Coach. “We now have a new problem of having to play three games in six days due to the postponements. We have five matches over two weeks, so I cannot live day by day. “I have to plan the line-ups based on the form and fitness of my players. When it’s this cold, you have to be in peak condition or you’re likely to suffer an injury. “Fortunately, we have our stadium which has heating under the pitch. We can guarantee a spectacle despite the climactic conditions. “Everyone is in good shape at the moment, so I am happy that I’ve got the opportunity to make choices. There will be room for everybody and we need all of our players throughout the campaign. Even those who score a brace can end up on the bench and shouldn’t be surprised.” Martin Caceres should also be available if his international transfer comes through from Sevilla. This is a special match for Conte, who took Siena to promotion from Serie B last season before he left in order to take over at Juve. “Siena are tough opponents and we have to go into this wary of what awaits us.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Chiellini on title defensive Feb 3, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini has cooled suggestions that his Juventus side are in pole position to win the Scudetto. Leaders Juve have a one point advantage and a game in hand over closest rivals Milan in the Serie A table. However, the Italian international has reacted cautiously to claims that his side are the team to beat this term. “It’s too soon to be feeling like favourites,” the defender, who has been used in the middle and as a left-back this season, told Sky Sport Italia. “It looks like it will be a two-horse race, but that may be premature,” he continued. “Let’s see after the next month. “It’s a really balanced championship where Inter have made a crazy comeback with seven consecutive victories.” The Old Lady have been a revelation in 2011-12, especially after finishing the last two seasons in a lowly seventh place. “Everything has changed here,” he added. “The players, the Coach, the formation, the mentality and the stadium which is very important.”