Socrates

Serie A - 1^ Giornata - Ritorno - 28-1-2012 (ore 20:45) 2 - 1 Alessandro Matri (42′) Antonio Floro Flores (56′) Alessandro Matri (62′) Juventus Stadium - Torino Arbitro: Paolo Valeri Spettatori: 39625 Serie A - Juventus più forte di neve e Udinese La marcia della Juventus non si ferma: la formazione di Conte supera anche l'Udinese e sale a 44 punti. La capolista vince 2-1 grazie alla doppietta di Matri; non basta agli uomini di Guidolin il gol del parziale 1-1 di Floro Flores. Per la Juve è il 20° risultato utile consecutivo. Eurosport - Sabato, 28 gennaio 2012 Questa Juventus non ha nessuna intenzione di fermare il proprio cammino. Sotto la neve di Torino, i ragazzi di Antonio Conte hanno dimostrato ancora una volta di meritare il primo posto in classifica con una prova dagli alti contenuti fisici e tattici. La Juve sa andare in vantaggio, sa soffrire quando c'è da farlo e sa cambiare pelle quando bisogna invertire la tendenza di una partita. Esattamente quello che è successo contro l'Udinese, bravissima in ripartenza ma non abbastanza cinica da sfruttare le poche palle concesse dall'attenta difesa torinese. Matri, con la sua doppietta, spinge la Juventus a quota 44 punti, inutile il bel gol di Floro Flores, che aveva ristabilito la parità. Per battere questa Juventus ci vuole qualcosa di più: il fatto è che nessuno ha ancora capito esattamente cosa... LE SCELTE DEI MISTER - Conte dribbla i giornalisti e in attacco si affida alla coppia Quagliarella-Matri. I cronisti invece avevano creduto all'accoppiata di Coppa Del Piero-Borriello. Il modulo è un 3-5-2 molto variabile. Guidolin deve fare a meno di tanti centrocampisti e punta sul 4-5-1, con Abdi a supporto dell'unico attaccante Di Natale. BUFFON E HANDANOVIC, CHE NUMERI 1 - Gara subito a ritmi alti, bisogna scaldarsi causa gelo: già dalle prime azioni si capisce che le emozioni arriveranno a iosa. Dopo nemmeno 3' infatti, Handanovic è già costretto a rimboccarsi le maniche per ovviare a un buco concesso dalla sua difesa: Estigarribia corre a mille all'ora, il portiere è bravo in uscita a evitare il gol "a freddo". Notevole l'assistenza di Quagliarella. L'Udinese sembra in difficoltà, ma dopo i primi tentennamenti, rialza la testa e al quarto d'ora crea due grossi problemi al neo-34enne Buffon, bravo a deviare in corner prima sul destro di Abdi e poi sul mancinaccio di Armero. La gara è un saliscendi d'emozioni: al 24' l'Udinese cede un'altra volta il fianco al contropiede juventino, ma anche questa volta Handanovic fa vedere di essere un signor portiere. MATRI PIAZZA LA ZAMPATA, 1-0 - La partita a questo punto conosce una flessione quasi inevitabile, visti i ritmi mantenuti per la prima mezzora. Purtroppo per l'Udinese, però, appena la gara si risveglia è la Juve a sorridere: al minuto 42 buon lavoro di Estigarribia in fascia, palla dentro per Quagliarella che gira di testa; Handanovic para ma non può evitare che Matri ribadisca in rete. La Juve è in vantaggio e così si chiude la prima frazione di gioco. FLORO FLORES ENTRA E SEGNA - Nella ripresa, Abdi, sempre fuori dai giochi, viene rilevato da Floro Flores, e Guidolin passa a un più "normale" 4-4-2. Il cambio di modulo non sembra interessare molto la Juventus, che parte subito a spron battuto: la squadra di casa però si espone un po' troppo ai contropiede ospiti. Al 53' Di Natale spreca una buona chance tirando un siluro leggermente troppo laterale: Buffon si tuffa ma la palla finisce a lato. Tre minuti dopo però arriva il pareggio: Isla scappa via, Di Natale si allarga, ma il servizio è per Floro Flores che piazza un bel destro a giro sul palo lungo. TIMBRA ANCORA MITRA-MATRI - La gara sembra mettersi male per la Juve, Conte corre ai ripari: dentro Marchisio per Quagliarella. Il minuto dopo, è il 63', il gol del nuovo vantaggio casalingo: Marchisio sfiora la palla che arriva a Matri. Quest'ultimo si inventa un movimento che manda al bar Ferronetti e piazza la zampata mancina sul secondo palo. Handanovic non ci arriva, è il 2-1. BARZAGLI CHIUDE LA PORTA - A questo punto, la Juve si può permettere di abbassare i ritmi: la squadra ha dato tanto e la Coppa infrasettimanale si fa sentire. Per dare ulteriore equilibrio, Conte si affida a Pepe e torna alla difesa a quattro. L'Udinese prova a fare la partita, ma la squadra di casa si chiude a riccio. Barzagli firma un "gol in difesa" fermando un assist al bacio di Basta indirizzato a Di Natale. Gli ospiti però si fanno un po' prendere dalla fretta e non riescono a pungere a dovere; la Juve invece guadagna secondi preziosi, con l'esperienza e sotto l'incitamento del pubblico di casa. A parte un po' di "corrida", non succede più nulla. La Juve saluta tutti e se ne va a quota 44. E adesso chi la prende? Davide Bighiani - Eurosport Juventus - Udinese 2-1

Nocerino: Milan-Juve will be key Jan 30, 2012 The February meeting between Milan and Juventus could decide the destination of the Scudetto, says Diavolo ace Antonio Nocerino. The former Bianconeri midfielder was again on the scoresheet last night as his side beat Cagliari 3-0 to move back to within a point of leaders Juve. “The championship is still long,” the Italian international told Sky Sport Italia. “However, ourselves and Juve are going strong. “Let’s hope we can continue on this road until our game against each other. I think that tie will be decisive for both teams in the Scudetto race if we keep up this pace.” The Italian giants are breaking away at the top of the table after Juve beat third-placed Udinese this weekend, while Inter dropped from fourth to fifth following defeat at Lecce. Juventus beat Milan 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium earlier this season. http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

Allegri: "I don't regret letting Andrea Pirlo leave last summer" AC Milan have been rocked by a number of injuries in midfield but the coach is adamant that the club were right to let the Italy playmaker go. Jan 29, 2012 AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri insists that he still does not regret allowing Andrea Pirlo to leave for Juventus last summer. The Rossoneri are currently desperately short on bodies in the middle of the park, with the club having confirmed on Sunday evening that Alexander Merkel will be unavailable for two months and has joined Alberto Aquilani, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Gennaro Gattuso on the sidelines. The injury crisis has prompted many to once again question the wisdom of the decision to part company with Pirlo, who has played a key role in Juve's revival this term. However, Allegri, speaking after Sunday night's 3-0 victory over Cagliari, told Sky Sport Italia that the club had made the right call. "Pirlo is a champion and is having a great season," he acknowledged. "It was a choice, which included economic factors, for us to part. "Teams win with champions but some teams also win after they're sold." And while the transfer window does not close for another two days, Allegri claimed that Milan do not need strengthen in midfield. Meanwhile, Allegri admitted that it was vital for Milan to have picked up three points against Cagliari, with Juventus having defeated third-placed Udinese on Saturday night. "At this time the table has stretched out and it was it was important for us to win to stay in Juve's slipstream and now allow them to pull clear," he reasoned. Milan remain second in Serie A, one point behind the Bianconeri but five clear of Udinese.

Allegri: 'No Pirlo regrets' Jan 29, 2012 Massimiliano Allegri says it was crucial for Milan to stay within a point of Juventus and insists he has no regrets about letting Andrea Pirlo go. “At this moment the table has stretched out a ban, so it was important for us to win tonight,” he said of the 3-0 victory against Cagliari. “We’re still close to Juve and have broken away from the chasing pack, as both Udinese and Inter lost this weekend. The Rossoneri are struggling with an injury crisis in midfield that has deteriorated with news Alexander Merkel will be out for eight weeks. Some are claiming this just shows Milan were wrong to let Pirlo’s contract expire in the summer, especially as he is doing such sterling work for leaders Juventus. “Last season I had already decided that the tactics would change. Pirlo is a champion and is having a great campaign, but the split was a mutual decision and also good for us economically. “It’s true that teams win with champions, but some continue to win even after selling them.”

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 Juve mimic Udinese’s tactics but remain an all-round attacking threat Jan 28, 2012 Alessandro Matri scored a classic centre-forward’s goal to strengthen Juve’s position at the top. Antonio Conte switched to three at the back, as he did in the previous meeting between the sides. Simone Pepe and Claudio Marchisio were only fit enough for the bench. Udinese lined up largely as expected – Francesco Guidolin was without various players because of the Africa Cup of Nations, plus Giampiero Pinzi through injury. The sides played in a similar fashion but Juve were clearly the better side, able to offer a threat after long spells of possession, whereas Udinese were too reliant upon counter-attacking. Early stages Nevertheless, this was a game dominated by playing on the break, as Marcelo Estigarribia, Matri and Di Natale all had one-on-one chances on the counter. Both sides played three at the back with five midfielders ahead, though there were differences in the way they played upfront. Udinese were 3-1-4-1-1, with Gelson Fernandes sitting deep as a spare man in front of the defence, and Almen Abdi playing as the attacking midfielder. Juve were roughly the same, with the first key difference being the use of Fabio Quagliarella, a second striker rather than an attacking midfielder. The second key difference was more important. Andrea Pirlo played in roughly the same position as Fernandes, but is clearly a different type of player – he’s a deep-lying regista who controls the game and prompts attacking moves. As a result, the main impact of his presence was to force Abdi deeper to pick him up without the ball, leaving Antonio Di Natale against three defenders by himself. He spent the game, as usual, drawing wide to find space, but Juve’s outside centre-backs were happy to follow him out there. Juventus possession The knock-on effect of the 3 v 1 situation, especially with Di Natale moving to the left, was that Giorgio Chiellini could move forward on the ball. He probably didn’t do this enough early on, but gradually started to force Udinese – particularly Mauricio Isla – forward to close him down, leaving space between the lines, especially when Fernandes then had to step forward to close down Emanuele Giaccherini. This gave Juve more fluidity when in possession. The key tactical decision was a poor one from Guidolin. Abdi hadn’t been very effective going forward, so Guidolin decided to switch him and Pablo Armero after 25 minutes, presumably to give more drive on the break – Armero is a great runner with the ball. But the Colombian wasn’t as good as Abdi at tracking Pirlo – in fact, it looked like he either couldn’t be bothered or had been told not to. As a result, for the final 15 minutes of the first half Juve were dominant in terms of possession and clever on the ball too, with Pirlo instrumental in their spell of pressure. They went ahead on the stroke of half time. Second half Guidolin then changed things again, removing Abdi completely with Antonio Floro Flores on in his place. Armero moved back to his starting position. This was better – Floro Flores tracked Pirlo when out of possession, but also sprinted past him when Udinese won the ball. This worked out perfectly for the goal – Floro Flores first prevented a pass into Pirlo, and then when the alternative pass went astray and Isla intercepted, he got himself into a goalscoring position to equalise. But that was the only way Udinese were going to score – their players, even Di Natale, all specialise on the break. Juve had Matri, who created a goal from nothing by getting the ball with his back to goal, rolling the defender then steering the ball into the far corner. Juve could be a threat, even with the opposition defence all in position. The goal also owed much to a clever flick from Marchisio, who had just replaced Quagliarella. Marchisio is clearly a deeper player naturally, and so this worked very well for Juventus – as soon as they re-took the lead, they could use Marchisio as a number ten ahead of the midfield to retain possession. The sides had essentially switched formations – Udinese started with a forward and a number ten but went to two forwards, Juve had done the opposite. Juve shut the match down And with Marchisio playing deeper, Juve retained the ball excellently. Udinese aren’t accustomed to closing down and winning the ball high up, and seemed confused about how they were meant to do it. Pirlo was being left free more and more, which meant either Isla or Armero moved towards him. That left their man (Giaccherini or Arturo Vidal) free, which forced Fernandes higher up, which then left Marchisio free and the back three were reluctant to come out. Eventually Guidolin sacrificed the back three, bringing on midfielder Cristian Battochio for Domizzi. They switched to more of a 4-4-2 – Giovanni Pasquale and Dusan Basta dropped in, with Armero and Isla wide in midfield, and Battochio joining Fernandes in the middle. It was numerically the right approach, but Pasquale and Basta moved too deep – really they needed to continue the pressure in midfield and leave 2 v 1 at the back – almost line up in a 2-6-2 formation. Instead they stood off, let Juve play and never looked likely to come back. Yet again, it was an example of a counter-attacking side looking lost when they had to chase the game. Conclusion Two main factors here – first, the fact that Juve were more capable in possession, which basically comes down to having both a better playmaker (Pirlo) and more of an all-round striker (Matri). Second, the battle concerning Pirlo – Abdi, Armero and Floro Flores all had a go, with varying levels of success. Juventus were highly impressive yet again – Conte changed his shape, but Juventus looked comfortable. In a battle of similar systems, it was Juve, rather than Udinese, who looked as if they’d been playing this way all season. 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 Alessandro Matri: We showed great character to beat Udinese The attacker netted a brace to help his side to the full three points, and was very satisfied with the team's performance. Jan 29, 2012 Juventus attacker Alessandro Matri has expressed his satisfaction with his side's performance in their 2-1 home win over Udinese in Saturday evening's Serie A encounter. Matri gifted the Old Lady the lead shortly before the break, but the guests restored parity in the second half via Antonio Floro Flores. Nevertheless, the forward netted a second to help Juventus to the full three points. "It was an important test, in which we showed great character for the way in which we managed to react to Udinese's equaliser," Matri explained on the club's official website. "It's been a year packed full of emotions. Last year didn't end as we'd hoped, but now things are going well. The manager's doing a great job and even when we change our formation we're able to express ourselves to our best." Juventus' next Serie A match is an away game versus Parma on Tuesday. 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 Guidolin stands by choices Jan 28, 2012 Francesco Guidolin is disappointed at defeat to Juventus, as Udinese “could’ve done better. We got it wrong in the last five minutes of the first half.” The Friulani were beaten 2-1 by an Alessandro Matri brace around Antonio Floro Flores’ temporary equaliser. “A defeat can never be satisfying, although my lads gave their all. I just know we could’ve done better, as the team is capable of more,” said the Coach. “We had the chances to equalise, but unfortunately we got it wrong in the last five minutes of the first half, when we were pegged back in defence.” Substitute Floro Flores scored straight after coming off the bench, so some might suggest Udinese should’ve started with two strikers. “I think I made the right choices to make it difficult for Juventus, even if in the first half we left Antonio Di Natale a little isolated. After the break I wanted to risk something by introducing Floro Flores, because I knew what he could give. “Maybe with our first choice midfield available then we could’ve left less space for Andrea Pirlo, but many of my players had to be out of position tonight. I have to thank my squad for their hard work in difficult circumstances.” 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 Conte: 'Juve have to do better' Jan 28, 2012 Antonio Conte admits he “really feared” the meeting with Udinese and listed ways in which Juventus need to improve. The Bianconeri won 2-1 under the snow in Turin thanks to an Alessandro Matri brace. “I really feared this game, because Udinese play interesting football and have many quality players who are worthy of a top club,” said the Coach. “At the end we felt the fatigue of our midweek Coppa Italia test, but we controlled the field and earned an important victory. “We’ve got to improve the way we control the result. We lost the ball too many times in the middle of the park, allowing counter-attacks to Udinese. “I got very angry at our sterile possession, which was just playing into Udinese’s hands. Emanuele Giaccherini did well in this new role and he is a great example that clubs can search out talent in the lower leagues. “It’s not necessarily true that spending millions on a well-known player is really best for the team.” 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 Andrea Barzagli urges Juventus to avoid complacency following Udinese win The stopper is of the opinion that, despite an important victory over their league rivals on Saturday, the Old Lady have not achieved anything yet of note and must remain focussed. Jan 28, 2012 Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli has challenged his side to hold their nerve for the remainder of the season, following a 2-1 win over Serie A rivals Udinese on Saturday. The Italy international praised the Bianconeri for their resolve after managing to find the all-important winning goal deep in the second half, but reminded supporters that nothing has yet been achieved in regards to adding another Scudetto to their trophy cabinet. "It was a tough match, but in the end we managed to win," Barzagli told Sky Sport Italia after the match. "It is an important victory against a team fighting for the title, but we have not achieved anything yet so we must stay focused." Juventus have restored their four-point lead over AC Milan in the Serie A table following the victory, though the Rossoneri have a game in hand. 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 Antonio Conte: We didn't keep the ball well against Udinese The Bianconeri boss was frustrated at his side's failure to retain possession against the Zebrette, but praised the in-form Emanuele Giaccherini for impressing once more. Jan 28, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte has admitted that his side's ball retention during the 2-1 victory against Udinese in Serie A on Saturday was not good enough. The 42-year-old aired his relief at seeing the Old Lady eventually edge out their league rivals, whom he feels posed a potentially dangerous threat to his team, but called on his players to improve their possession of the football against similarly ranked outfits in the future. "I was very concerned about this match because Udinese are a team that play attractive football and have a lot of quality players who function as a great team," Conte told Sky Sport Italia. "In the end we paid a small price of fatigue from the Coppa Italia, but still earned a major victory. "We need to improve our grip on a match, as today we lost too many balls in midfield, leaving too much space for Udinese to hit us on the counterattack." However, Conte had far kinder words for forward Emanuele Giaccherini, who has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks after initially struggling for minutes at Juventus Stadium since his summer arrival from Cesena. "Giaccherini is a player who has strength and technique, fits in between the lines well and times his runs superbly," continued Conte. "He is the example that even in the minor leagues you can fish for important players, who can benefit clubs like Juventus." Juventus have moved four points clear of AC Milan once again after their win over Udinese, though the Rossoneri have a game in hand. 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 Player Ratings Goal.com rates the players on show as the Turin giants extend their lead at the summit of Serie A. Jan 28, 2012 Juventus Gianluigi Buffon 6.5 - Produced two world-class saves to keep his side in the balance, and couldn’t have done anything to stop Flora Flores’ fine effort. Giorgio Chiellini 6.5 - Top work at the back as he centred the three defenders, and made sure Di Natale didn’t get a sniff. Left stranded with Flora Flores as the visitors equalised, although that was more of a communication problem than anything else. Andrea Barzagli 6.0 - Disposed Di Natale well just on the half hour mark, then regained possession shortly after with a clean slide tackle. Good overall performance. Leonardo Bonucci 6.0 - The 24-year-old did well to keep Udinese at bay, and was also an asset going forward in the first half, heading down into good areas. Stephan Lichtsteiner 7.0 - Good performance by the Swiss international, who bossed the 3-5-2 formation put out by Conte. Andrea Pirlo 6.5 - Looked less comfortable on the ball than in other games, perhaps thanks to the extreme weather conditions, but still put in a shift for Juve, especially through his set-pieces. Arturo Vidal Pardo 7.0 - Good vision throughout the game. Movement off the ball was exceptional and proved the difference in a very tight encounter. Emanuele Giaccherini 5.5 - Could see his intention in his role behind the attack, but got booked and looked less cynical after the break. Marcelo Alejandro Estigarribia 5.5 - Looked good going forward, and had a decent effort saved in the first half. Replaced by Simone Pepe on the hour mark. Fabio Quagliarella 7.0 - Great distribution and provided some excellent crosses into dangerous areas. Subbed on the hour-mark. Alessandro Matri 8.0 - Opened the scoring just before half-time with a typical striker’s goal, poaching Handanovic’s parried save for the lead and deserved the second to conclude a well earned performance. • Substitutions Paolo De Ceglie 6.0 - Replaced Lichtsteiner with seven minutes to go. Simone Pepe 5.5 - Used the wings to his advantage, not much else apart from that. Claudio Marchisio 6.5 - Excellent touch put Matri through for the eventual winner. Nice cameo. Udinese Samir Handanoviç 6.0 - Made a fine effort in the first half to deny Estigarribia a clear chance, however was not at fault for Juve’s first goal as he equalled Quagliarella’s effort but could have covered his angles better for Matri’s second. Mauricio Isla 6.0 - Run his socks off and put in a good display, and proved to be the Bianconeri’s best player. Replaced by fresh legs in the second half. Danilo 4.5 - Poor effort from the Brazilian, who struggled against Matri throughout. Dušan Basta 5.5 - Partnered Fernandes in midfield and moved the ball around well. Could have done better defensively as Pirlo took full advantage on occasions. Maurizio Domizzi 5.0 - An average game by his standards, and didn’t do much to keep the Juve attack at bay. Giovanni Pasquale 4.0 - Barely noticeable as the visitors went forward and proved the weaker link of the team. Pablo Armero 5.5 - Good effort from the Colombian as he stamped his way through the game, tackling the likes of Vidal and Pirlo with gusto. Damiano Ferronetti 4.5 - Average display from the former Parma defender, who essentially failed to get going. Gelson Fernandes 5.0 - Did OK with Basta in the heart of the pitch, commanding display but didn’t prove the difference in the clash. Almen Abdi 3.5 - Inefficient and never looked likely to get a goal. Replaced by goalscorer Floro Flores for the second half. Antonio Di Natale 6.0 - Should have done better with his chance in the second half, shooting just wide after escaping his marker. Could have sneaked an equaliser late on but scuffed his shot. • Substitutions Cristian Battocchio 4.5 - Was on the field for just 20 minutes but made an effort to control Udinese in the midfield. Roberto Pereyra N/A - Subbed four minutes from time – made no impact. Antonio Floro Flores 6.5 - Replaced Abdi for the second half and scored within just ten minutes with a fine curling effort to beat Buffon at his far post. 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 & 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/