Socrates

Giorgio Chiellini: Scudetto is now a two-horse race The versatile Italy international is refusing to underestimate the threat posed by Udinese and Inter but he feels that his side and AC Milan are the clear frontrunners. Feb 3, 2012 Giorgio Chiellini believes that the battle for this season's Scudetto has become a two-horse race between Juventus and AC Milan. The Bianconeri currently lead Serie A by a solitary point from the Rossoneri, having played one game less than the defending champions. Udinese sit third, three points off top spot, with Lazio and Inter tucked in behind but Chiellini believes that there are now just two genuine title contenders left. "I have never underestimated Udinese, though, if they were to go progress further in the Europa League, we could see a drop off in the league," the makeshift left-back told Sky Sport Italia. "Inter had made an amazing and unexpected recovery, [but] now they have slowed up in recent games. "In fact, it would now appear to be a two-horse race, but this year's championship is finely balanced and there could be some other big comebacks." With Juve still undefeated and unburdened by European competition, Antonio Conte's men appear to have all of the odds stacked in their favour. However, Chiellini suspects that everything could hinge on how they fare over the next month, given that they must face the Rossoneri at San Siro twice in February, once in the Coppa Italia and once in the league. "It's too early to be feeling like favourites," the Italy international argued. "You are playing every couple of days and a mistake will allow Milan to change things. "In the next month we will have many commitments, including the Italian Cup, and when they are concluded we will have a clearer picture, particularly after the games against one another."

No undersoil heating, chaotic organisation, ancient terraces & the stadium problems that must be addressed after the midweek mayhem in Serie A The 21st round of the Italian league season was decimated by the weather, throwing up all sorts of question marks about provision and decision-making across the peninsula. Feb 3, 2012 Many eyebrows were raised in late-July when the 2011-12 Serie A calendar was revealed. It had nothing to do with who played who on opening day, nor the timing of the Milan or Rome derbies, and the final day pairings were the last thing on people’s minds. Instead it was the decision to again schedule a midweek round at the end of January that had many talking. While last season’s 23rd round went ahead unscathed, it was a shivering collection of supporters that made their way to the 10 Serie A grounds, and it surprised many that the Lega Serie A were willing to push their luck again this year. Many players from the top flight expressed surprise that midweek evening fixtures would once more be forced on them, with Fiorentina’s Valon Behrami raising the issue once more on Twitter earlier this week. But after only six games went ahead due to the snow this week, and Inter’s home game against Palermo played in farcical icy conditions which put players at risk, there are a number of issues which need to be looked into for the same situation not to arise in future seasons. NO UNDERSOIL HEATING The first problem came in terms of the lack of protection against the elements. Four games fell to the inclement weather and at least one other should have gone with them. In every case, the only thing used to protect the pitch from the snow was a series of tarpaulin sheets. In the 21st century, this is frankly ridiculous. It hardly takes the brightest or most scientific of minds to realise that the tarps are completely ineffective. Allowing the snow to settle on the huge strips is little more preventative than leaving the turf uncovered and crossing your fingers. The white stuff is too much for these sheets, meaning that when tractors or brushes are used to clear the tarps and unveil the pitch, all that remains is an icy surface ill-equipped for top class football. Handheld snow blowers do little more than clear the surface snow, making the pitch look greener but doing nothing to thaw the grass underfoot. The widespread lack of undersoil heating – brought about because of the local authorities’ ownership of most stadiums – needs to be addressed. CHAOTIC ORGANISATION It was clear from around 15.00 on Tuesday that the match between Parma and Juventus was going to be a victim to the weather, yet it somehow took until after 19.00 for the inevitable decision to be confirmed. Then on Wednesday we had the bizarre situation whereby the Atalanta-Genoa clash was called a no-go just 15 minutes before the scheduled 18.00 start, only for the judgement to be reversed. A pitch inspection was then made a full 30 minutes after the intended kick-off time, at which point the few fans to have braved the weather were put out of their misery. Such a lack of common sense and blatant disregard for supporters is absolutely mind-boggling. Supporters had trekked through snowy, slippery and often icy conditions on the streets of Parma and Bergamo to find they would just have to turn back again without seeing their sides in action. That the games were called off was completely understandable. That nobody was willing to go ahead and make an immediate decision when conditions were clearly not suitable is unforgivable. It is no coincidence that both of these games were due to get sole TV coverage across the country. Fans need to come first, not bank balances. IGNORANCE OF THE FANS' INTERESTS “We could have played the game at 15:00,” said Juve coach Antonio Conte after the Parma clash was called off on Tuesday. Yes, Antonio … Brilliant idea. Why not alienate the fans some more just after they have been royally shafted? As if it was not enough to be dragged out to the stadium through the snow then sent straight back home, the Bianconeri boss was proposing that in future it should be made even more difficult for supporters to attend their teams’ games. If matches that were under threat were suddenly all changed to midweek afternoon kick-offs, it would be all too easy for Serie A to be treated with as much contempt as the Coppa Italia, which has countless later-round fixtures rearranged to late-afternoon starts. The last thing a league with dwindling attendances and supporter apathy, plus a sense of contempt towards those who attend, should be considering is midweek afternoon kick-offs. Conte’s claims were scandalous when placed into this context. This should not be seen as a personal attack on Conte though, his words were simply a reflection on the general disregard for supporters, completely out of place though they were. ANCIENT UNCOVERED TERRACES Another thing which makes supporters not want to bother turning up is the rickety state of some of the stadiums around the country. At some there remain temporary standing areas which have been in place for a number of years, rusting away under rain and snow, while there are swathes of uncovered terracing at 11 of the 18 current Serie A venues. In the spring, summer and even autumn, this hardly qualifies as a problem, with most fans basking in the warm seasonal weather in front of the national sport. But in winter, it is a different story entirely. Italy has a very distinct climate, particularly in the north of the country. In the summer it is generally very hot, but in the winter it can be unbearably cold. Even on Thursday night, as Novara faced up to Chievo at the Stadio Silvio Piola, the remnants of two days’ worth of snow made the terraces an unforgiving place to be despite the artificial pitch allowing for the clash to be played as scheduled. With each new announcement of plans for a new home venue for a Serie A club comes the hope that the Juventus Stadium blueprint will be followed. It is the least the fans deserve if they are to be expected to continue braving near-arctic conditions for two months of the season. WINTER BREAK LENGTH & TIMING It is high time that the timing of the winter break is looked at. Two seasons ago, the break came one week too late, with a freezing cold weekend preceding the seasonal closedown. But most years it is during January that the worst of the weather arrives. Now, it is impossible to arrange the season around a weather forecast six months in advance, but more must be done to ensure that the winter break serves its initial purpose. These days it is used as a good chance to rake in a few extra euros with a trip to the likes of Dubai, while also giving the players Christmas off. But the supposed reason for a winter break is the avoidance of playing in the most inclement weather conditions, and to that end, a change in timing should be looked at. The final weekend of 2009 was largely bearable, but for the decision to go ahead with an Inter v Lazio evening kick-off played in -12C weather. That particular issue could have been avoided had the game been scheduled as one of the afternoon matches, when the temperature had yet to drop below zero, with one of the southern teams hosting the evening game (Roma’s home fixture that day kicked off at 15.00 in 10C sunshine). In most years, it is during January that Italy will have its coldest, snowiest weather, meaning a winter break from mid to late January is likely to result in more fixtures going ahead as planned. With more consideration offered to southern teams hosting evening matches at either side of such a break, this would all result in more games remaining unaffected by the weather. A three to four week break during January would surely be more effective than the current situation, at least until there are more venues suitable for hosting winter fixtures. REDUCTION OF GAMES A longer winter break would, of course, mean squeezing the calendar elsewhere. As already outlined, the intense summer heat makes for similarly uncomfortable viewing midway through the year, so the idea of extending the league season into June with largely evening fixtures is not necessarily a goer, even before taking into account any objections Uefa would have to such a decision. So it begs the question as to what else can be done, and the reduction of Serie A fixtures is one idea which arises. As a huge enthusiast of the Italian game, this writer would be the last person to ask for less matches normally, but the quality of football and playing conditions would surely both increase markedly if the calendar is shortened to 34 rounds. Serie A was only extended to a 38-game season due to the Caso Catania of 2004, and had nothing at all to do with preserving or increasing the quality of the product. There are too many teams in the top flight sitting in a comfort zone for long spells of the campaign these days, with at least one club invariably becoming stranded at the bottom of the standings. The lack of competitiveness of teams 19 and 20 needs to be addressed. This could combine with the need to relieve the pressure on referees, TV companies and the game’s authorities to get games played in January - all forcing the Lega Serie A’s hand over reducing the size of the top flight.

Coach Conte impresses Pirlo Feb 3, 2012 Andrea Pirlo says he’s been surprised by the ability of Juventus boss Antonio Conte. The latter was appointed as the Old Lady’s new Coach in the summer despite his inexperience at the top level. Yet Conte has impressed for the work he has done tactically and mentally with the present Serie A leaders. “I didn’t expect an Antonio Conte like this,” the summer signing from Milan told Juventus Channel. “I didn’t know him as a Coach, he’s been a great find. He’s a really good tactician, someone who gives so much to his team and we are following him on every level.” Like Conte, Pirlo has been key to the Old Lady’s cause as he has been central to the Coach’s evolving tactics in Turin. “I’ve certainly had a positive season so far,” Pirlo added. “We’ve started the campaign well. We are top of the League and we hope to keep moving forward at this pace.” After Tuesday’s game at Parma was postponed, Juve return to action on Sunday when they host Siena. “It’ll be a difficult game because they are a well organised side. They play good football so we expect it to be as tough as other games.”

Juve to tighten grip on Buffon Feb 3, 2012 Juventus will soon open negotiations with Gigi Buffon in an effort to extend the goalkeeper’s contract. Buffon, now 34, is presently only tied to the Bianconeri until June 2013, but the club are keen to tighten their grip on him. According to reports in Italy on Friday, the Old Lady are ready to offer the veteran a new deal until the summer of 2016. The Italian international is currently the club’s top earner, given that he earns around €6m per campaign. Buffon, who will be the Juve captain next season once Alessandro Del Piero leaves the outfit, will be offered a reduced wage. It is believed that Buffon will accept a cut in salary in order to remain at the club where he expects to hang up his gloves. The net-minder moved to Juventus in the summer of 2001 after the Old Lady handed over a massive £32m to Parma for the ‘keeper.

Juve signings useful, not decisive Feb 3, 2012 Nicola Legrottaglie doesn’t expect Juventus’ new arrivals to make a telling difference to the side. The Old Lady, for whom Legrottaglie used to play for, netted three players in January – Roma’s Marco Borriello, Simone Padoin of Atalanta and Sevilla’s Martin Caceres. “The January signings won’t change the balance of the side,” the now Catania defender told Tutto Juve. “They will be useful over the course of the season, but the protagonists who have dragged Juve along during the first half of the campaign will remain the same.” Juve strengthened their position at the top of the table this week after their one point advantage over Milan remained despite their postponed game at Parma. “Milan’s loss to Lazio could give Juve an important advantage,” the former Chievo Verona stopper continued. “Milan now can’t mess up any more games, whereas Juventus are playing as a team. They are a collective. “Right now Juve are too strong for everyone else. It’ll be hard for anybody to takes points of them, especially in Turin.”

Juventus keen to open contract talks with Gianluigi Buffon The Italy international has a contract until the summer of 2013, yet the Bianconeri are very keen to keep him at the club until he hangs up his gloves. Feb 3, 2012 Juventus are keen to hold on until goakeeper Gianluigi Buffon until the end of his active career, and are ready to open talks with the Italy international about extending his current deal, Tuttosport reports. Buffon has a contract with the Bianconeri until the summer of 2013, but the club keen to reward him for his loyalty toward the club by offering him a new long-term deal. The glovesman joined Juventus from Parma in the summer of 2001, and has since made over 300 league appearances for the Old Lady. Unlike former team-mates such as Lilian Thuram, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, Buffon opted to stay put at the Turin outfit after Juventus were relegated to Serie B for their involvement in the Calciopoli scandal in 2006. Talks with Buffon are not the club's absolute top priority, but general director Giuseppe Marotta is expected to open negotiations in the coming weeks.

Do Juventus have what it takes to win their first Scudetto since the 2002-03 Serie A season? La Vecchia Signora have yet to taste defeat this term and everything seems to indicate that the title will be theirs.. Feb 2, 2012 With Italy's Serie A at its mid-point stage, there's no question as to whom are the favourites to clinch the Scudetto come the end of the season. Juventus, Italy's most storied club with a staggering 27 league championships to their name, have been unstoppable this season, and they currently lead the Serie A with 44 points, one point more than their closest rivals AC Milan, and also with a game in hand. Juventus, who last won the Italian championship in their 2002-03 campaign, have undergone a rebuilding process since being relegated to the Serie B following the Calciopoli scandal, but finally after many years of difficulty it seems that La Vecchia Signora are back on their way to returning to being the force that they once were. Since the appointment of Antonio Conte in mid-2011 the former Juventus midfielder has changed the fortunes of the club. La Vecchia Signora have returned to being the protagonists of the Italian first division, and if they manage to continue with their impressive form there is no reason why they can't win the Scudetto this season. The reason for Juventus' change of fortunes has much to do with Conte, who has moulded together a side that may not count with such high-profile names, such as those of Inter and AC Milan, but on the other hand count with players who are characterised by both their determination and fighting spirit. The combination of youth and experience has worked wonders for Juve. Players who they purchased in the Summer of 2011, such as Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Eljero Elia and Mirko Vucinic have added a wealth of depth to the side. With Marco Borriello, Ouasim Bouy, Simone Padoin and Martin Caceres having reinforced the side following the winter transfer window, Juventus could possibly become even stronger. Meanwhile, the newly-built Juventus Stadium has become somewhat of a fortress for the Bianconeri, who have won seven and drawn three out of ten games at the 41,000-capacity venue this season. While an unbeaten Juventus could possibly extend their lead at the summit to seven points, once they play their catch-up game against Parma, perhaps the only problem that they have faced this season is finishing off their rivals. La Vecchia Signora have drawn a total of eight from their twenty games this season, which kind of downplays the fact that they are still unbeaten. Generally, having drawn so many games could end up being rather costly in the Serie A, and that is the reason why Juventus have to address the situation promptly. What has played to Juventus' advantage, however, is the fact that their closest rivals have been rather ordinary in recent weeks, as the likes of defending champions AC Milan, Udinese, Lazio, Inter, Roma and even Napoli haven't been at their best. This should pave the way for Juventus' much-awaited title.

Serie A - 3^ Giornata - Ritorno - 5-2-2012 (ore 15:00) - Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Sebastiano Peruzzo Confronti ufficiali 15 - 13 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) Vittorie Juventus 13 - 11 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) Pareggi 1 - 1 (Serie A) Vittorie Siena 1 - 1 (Serie A) Goals Juventus 33 - 29 (Serie A) - 4 (Coppa Italia) Goals Siena 9 - 7 (Serie A) - 2 (Coppa Italia) Juventus - Siena in campionato a Torino Giocate: 6 Vittorie Juventus: 5 (l'ultima l'11.01.2009, 1-0) Pareggi: 1 (il 14.03.2010, 3-3) Vittorie Siena: 0 Goals Juventus: 15 Goals Siena: 5 Giocatori con più presenze e goals contro il Siena a Torino in Serie A dal 1929/1930 6 presenze Del Piero Alessandro 4 Camoranesi Mauro German 4 Trezeguet David Sergio 3 Buffon Gianluigi 3 Cannavaro Fabio 3 Grygera Zdenek 3 Legrottaglie Nicola 3 Nedved Pavel 3 Zambrotta Gianluca 2 Chiellini Giorgio 8 goals Del Piero Alessandro 3 Trezeguet David Sergio 1 Candreva Antonio 1 Cannavaro Fabio 1 Emerson Ferreira Da Rosa 1 Salihamidzic Hasan Ultimi confronti diretti 27.02.2005 Serie A Juventus-Siena 3-0 21.12.2005 Serie A Juventus-Siena 2-0 30.04.2006 Serie A Siena-Juventus 0-3 23.12.2007 Serie A Juventus-Siena 2-0 04.05.2008 Serie A Siena-Juventus 1-0 11.01.2009 Serie A Juventus-Siena 1-0 24.05.2009 Serie A Siena-Juventus 0-3 25.10.2009 Serie A Siena-Juventus 0-1 14.03.2010 Serie A Juventus-Siena 3-3 18.09.2011 Serie A Siena-Juventus 0-1 Giocate 10 - Vittorie Juventus 8 - Pareggi 1 - Vittorie Siena 1 - Goals Juventus 19 - Goals Siena 4

Serie A - 2^ Giornata - Ritorno - 31-1-2012 (ore 20:45) - Rinviata Stadio "Ennio Tardini" - Parma Arbitro: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Serie A - Parma-Juve, rinvio tra neve e polemiche La partita del Tardini viene bloccata dalla neve: benché l'arbitro avesse dato il proprio benestare, le squadre hanno insistito per il rinvio in modo da salvaguardare la sicurezza degli eventuali spettatori sulle tribune. Non è ancora stata decisa la data del recupero. Eurosport - Martedí, 31 gennaio 2012 Parma-Juventus viene rinviata per maltempo. La neve copiosa caduta sulla Pianura Padana non cessa di affliggere la città emiliana, perciò, dopo lunghe trattative, la gara viene rinviata. Il problema, tuttavia, non è il campo: coperto per tempo con i teloni, il terreno di gioco ha cominciato a coprirsi di neve soltanto poco prima dell'incontro, una volta rimosse le protezioni. La vera problematica riguarda la sicurezza per i tifosi: con una nevicata così abbondante e abbinata al vento freddo, le tribune e le gradinate stavano cominciando a ghiacciare, rendendo pericoloso l'ingresso del pubblico nella struttura. La decisione non è stata presa né dall'arbitro, né dalla Lega, ma dal Gos (Gruppo operativo sicurezza) su particolare insistenza della Juventus, che oltre ai problemi interni alla struttura temeva anche problemi di ordine pubblico all'esterno, con l'area del Tardini congestionata dalle macchine per colpa del traffico rallentato dalla neve. Mentre la gente all'esterno, sotto gli ombrelli, si lamenta, non ci sta nemmeno l'ad gialloblù Pietro Leonardi. "La situazione è semplice. I giudizi devono essere sempre gli stessi e non essere modificati in base alle partite - dice - Io non ho detto che si doveva giocare ma che la decisione doveva essere presa dalle autorità competenti. Ci rimettiamo alla loro volontà. Ero arrabbiato perché questo tipo di risonanza non si è dato in occasione di Parma-Palermo, dove non vedevano nulla neppure gli stessi giocatori. Quello che mi ha dato fastidio è che c'era la volontà di non giocare a prescindere. Data di recupero? Non ne abbiamo parlato, da escludere di giocare domani". Pronta la replica del bianconero Beppe Marotta. "Era prevedibile che la partita non si potesse svolgere. Le previsioni meteo erano negative e poi bisogna considerare l'ordine pubblico perché l'incolumità degli spettatori deve essere garantita. Va considerato anche il fattore di viabilità. Bisogna capire che non si possono conciliare calendari di questo tipo con strutture obsolete e vecchie degli stadi italiani, con tutto il rispetto per la società Parma. Noi abbiamo costruito uno stadio, in grado di venire incontro a questi problemi. Questo è un messaggio che lancio a livello politico perché se si vuole garantire lo spettacolo bisogna avere strutture adeguate. Recupero? Noi abbiamo commentato positivamente il rinvio, per l'eventuale data mi rimetto anche ai regolamenti e al Parma e in concomitanza con competizioni europee non si possono stabilire date e orari". E' molto irritato per la situazione Antonio Conte. "Sono molto arrabbiato perché' era una situazione prevista - esordisce il tecnico della Juventus - Dopo la partita contro l'Udinese, quando sono rientrato negli spogliatoi mi hanno detto di aspettarci una situazione molto simile a Parma. Il problema è che lo stadio di Parma non è quello della Juventus, quindi sapevamo che oggi al 100% non si sarebbe giocata la partita. Secondo me si poteva fare qualcosa di più per giocare questa partita perché ci provoca comunque delle grandi difficoltà in quanto adesso dobbiamo rientrare a Torino: avremo dalle 10 alle 15 ore di pullman e dovremo ritornare a Parma un'altra volta. Ci si poteva comportare in maniera diversa. Mi dispiace aver sentito in televisione che la Juventus e io non volevamo giocare. Ci sono 10 cm di neve. Noi vogliamo essere messi nelle condizioni di giocare e oggi non c'erano e si possono vedere. Sapere che il tifoso del Parma possa pensare che noi non volevamo giocare la partita mi dà molto fastidio perché non è la verità. Si poteva giocare nel pomeriggio". Eurosport Parma - Juventus (rinviata)

Giuseppe Marotta promises more signings in the summer Juventus director has made it clear that the Turin club will continue to add to their ranks at the end of the season after making three January signings. Feb 2, 2012 Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta has made it clear that the Bianconeri will continue to strengthen their squad in the future, as he has promised that more new signings will arrive in Turin in the summer. Players such as Eljero Elia, Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Mirko Vucinic all found their way to the Old Lady in the summer of 2011, with Marco Borriello, Ouasim Bouy and Simone Padoin following suit this winter. The Bianconeri are not done just yet though as Marotta has insisted that they will continue to add fresh blood to their ranks. "It's a bit premature to already talk about it, but the process of renewing the team will continue in the summer," Marotta said to Tuttosport. The Juve chief refused to mention any potential transfer targets, but the Turin based daily claims that Real Madrid attacker Gonzalo Higuain is one of the Bianconeri's top transfer targets at the end of the season. The Argentine attacker has been used in a squad rotation system at Madrid so far this term, and could be allowed to move on at the end of the 2011-12 campaign.

Marrone will emerge, say Juve Feb 2, 2012 Juventus insist that the capture of Simone Padoin from Atalanta won’t affect the development of Luca Marrone. Midfielder Padoin arrived from Bergamo this week and there are fears that he’ll now hinder the growth of Under-21 international Marrone. “These considerations are unfounded,” director general Beppe Marotta underlined. “Antonio Conte always selects the best XI available to him. “Marrone is an excellent player who can illustrate his ability. Given that he is so young, this experience will help his growth.” Marrone, born in Turin, has featured in two Serie A games this term and two in the Italian Cup. He returned to Juve in the summer after a spell at Siena last season under now Juve boss Conte.

Juventus want to hold on to Luca Marrone - agent The 21-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan to Siena but, after impressing of late, the Bianconeri are reluctant to let him leave again during the current transfer window. Jan 25, 2012 Juventus intend to hold on to Luca Marrone for the rest of the season, according to the player's agent. The 21-year-old midfielder did not feature for the Bianconeri for the majority of the first half of the season, prompting speculation that the player, who spent last season on loan at Siena, might be allowed to leave during the January transfer window. However, Marrone has impressed after being afforded some game time in recent weeks and his representative, Giuseppe Bonetto, insists that the Italy Under-21 international is staying in Turin. "Conte knew him well from having coached Siena and he wanted him at Juve because he knew of and appreciated his qualities,” the agent told TuttoJuve.com. “We’re calm and I believe that it’s clear that the intention of the club and of Conte is not to allow him to leave for anywhere else. “Indeed, if this question was put to the coach he would not answer it because they would not even have considered letting him go." Marrone is a product of the Bianconeri's youth academy and has now made four appearances for the senior team. He was a part of the Juve side which beat Roma 3-0 on Tuesday evening to reach the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.

Serie A Week 21 - 31-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - POSTPONED Ennio Tardini Stadium - Parma Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Ghirardi: Fixture list needs care Feb 1, 2012 Parma's Tommaso Ghiradi has asked for more attention to go into planning the Serie A calendar, so as to best avoid games being hit by adverse weather. The Ducali’s game against Juventus was called off with just an hour to go before kick-off on Tuesday night due to heavy snow, which was ruled as making the stadium unsafe to host the match. Juve’s fans had already started to enter the ground before the decision was made official. Beppe Marotta commented that such a situation demonstrates the need for new stadiums in the country, whilst Antonio Conte lamented the fact that the Week 21 fixture could have been played earlier in the day, given that the weather was expected. Ghiradi continued in a similar way, suggesting that more attention and common sense needs to go into managing the fixture list. “The rules are clear that the area around the stadium should allow for it to be used and the referee must then verify this - clubs do not really count for anything. “It is necessary to analyse the calendar more precisely, times need to be reviewed and when we have these [weather] predictions, the game can be moved well in advance. I spent an hour and a half on the highway to get to the stadium.” The club President then referred back to the early-December clash between the Gialloblu and Palermo as another example of where the problem lies. That game was played at the Ennio Tardini in a thick blanket of fog. “We have played at 8.45pm on a weekend when Catania played at 3pm - here it does not take long to realise that in December, the fog may reach Parma sooner than it does Catania. “We must draw up the calendar with greater attention. Then, we also have to renovate stadiums. “Ours is one of the best, if not modern, but the comparison does not hold with Juventus’ new ground.” Ghiradi also passed brief comment on Sebastian Giovinco’s future. The playmaker is co-owned by Parma and Juventus, with a decision on his future due in the summer. “There are still three to four months, it is cold, there is the snow, we will have time to think about it. What will be decisive in negotiations with Juventus will be the will of the player.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 21 - 31-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - POSTPONED Ennio Tardini Stadium - Parma Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Alessandro Del Piero bemoans postponement of Parma clash The former Italy international has spent most of the season warming the bench but coach Antonio Conte had told the forward that he would start at the Ennio Tardini. Feb 1, 2012 Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero has bemoaned his misfortune after being finally included in the Bianconeri's starting line-up only to see Tuesday's clash with Parma postponed. The 37-year-old has spent most of the season warming the bench but Juve coach Antonio Conte had told the forward that he would start at the Ennio Tardini. However, the game was then called off because of adverse weather conditions, much to the disappointment of Del Piero. “Damn it, it had to be tonight when I was in the starting XI,” he wrote on Twitter. “I'll tell Conte he'll have to pick me when it is replayed!" Del Piero’s team-mate Gianlugi Buffon could also see the funny side of the last-minute cancellation. "Well, at least I didn't concede a goal tonight," the goalkeeper joked on his Twitter page. Juventus currently lead Serie A by a single point but they will be displaced at the summit if AC Milan get anything out of their clash with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 21 - 31-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - POSTPONED Ennio Tardini Stadium - Parma Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Antonio Conte: Postponed match against Parma should have been played at 3pm The coach of the Turin giants feels that the game could have gone ahead as planned if it had been moved to the afternoon, despite adverse weather conditions. Feb 1, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has voiced his frustration with the decision to cancel Tuesday's Serie A encounter against Parma at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. The league match was called off due to extreme weather conditions, but the 42-year-old tactician feels that the heavy snowfall should have been anticipated, and that the game could have gone ahead as planned had it been moved to the afternoon. "There's 10 centimetres of snow, but we could already have known that the weather would be like this about three days ago thanks to the modern instruments," Conte was quoted as saying by Il Corriere dello Sport. "Something should have been done. The match could have gone ahead if it had been moved to three in the afternoon." Conte's men are currently top of Serie A, but will relinquish their lead should Scudetto holders AC Milan beat Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night. The clash between Parma and Juventus has yet to be rescheduled. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 21 - 31-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - POSTPONED Ennio Tardini Stadium - Parma Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Furious Conte expected postponement Feb 1, 2012 Juventus boss Antonio Conte was left fuming after Tuesday’s Serie A game at Parma was called off. The Serie A tie was postponed close to kick-off given the snowy and freezing conditions at the Stadio Tardini. “Something more could have been done,” the former Bianconeri midfielder told Sky Sport Italia. “We could have played at three in the afternoon. “There is 10cms of snow and with the instruments that we have available to us we knew three days ago that the weather would be like this. “We can play under the snow at our stadium because it allows us to. Here, at the Tardini, it is impossible. “How would we have been able to play? What sort of spectacle would we have put on for the fans? “In coming down to Parma on the coach and returning, we would have spent 10-15 hours on a bus…” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Serie A Week 21 - 31-1-2012 (8:45 p.m.) - POSTPONED Ennio Tardini Stadium - Parma Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni Marotta makes stadium plea Feb 1, 2012 Last night’s postponed game between Parma and Juventus was another example why the country needs new stadiums, says Beppe Marotta. The Bianconeri official made that claim after the safety organisation which looks after the Stadio Tardini called off the game due to the snow and freezing temperatures. “With all due respect to Parma FC and the city itself, you can’t accommodate evening matches in winter months at out-dated structures,” he argued. “We’ve built a ground capable of dealing with public order problems and viability, but Italian stadiums are considered to be the lowest quality in Europe and this is a negative trend that needs to be overcome. “If you want to put on a top level spectacle, structure and adequate planning are required.” There were fears yesterday morning that the tie would not go ahead and Marotta was not surprised with the decision which was eventually taken last night. “It was foreseeable that this game would not have been able to go ahead,” continued the former Sampdoria official. “The pitch was completely covered and the safety of the spectators must always be guaranteed. “If you factor in the road conditions, which would have restricted the operation of any emergency services, it’s clear that the right decision has been made.” There is talk this morning that the game could now be rescheduled for Wednesday 7 March. “I call on the will of Parma and the League. Unfortunately neither Parma or Juventus have European commitments so we’ll find an adequate date.” http://www.soccerway...regular-season/