Socrates

E meno male che sono ultimi in classifica .......

Come mai il Venezia é ultimo in classifica se gioca cosí bene allora?

Io li vedevo tutti dietro sullo 0-0. Ora devono cercare il pareggio e la partita si é fatta interessante.

Indovina

FEDERICO GATTI 1-0

Nel calcio devono giocare due squadre. Quando una delle due pensa solo a difendersi, il calcio é uno sport molto noioso.

Juventus vs Venezia: Preview and Prediction Juventus fans were craving for a big win and saw their side leave the pitch in a different mood than their last four games as they get set to host Venezia at the Allianz Stadium. The Bianconeri had drawn their last four games across all competitions, including last weekend’s meeting with Thiago Motta with his former side, Bologna. Motta will have been satisfied seeing his side overcome a tricky UEFA Champions League tie against English champions Manchester City. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie proved enough to take all three points at the expense of Pep Guardiola’s side, as Juventus moved up in the standings to a healthier position than before. Now, Motta will want to carry that momentum from midweek into the weekend, as Juventus are eager to climb up the Serie A standings. Currently, Motta’s men are seven points behind leaders Atalanta and four behind nearest rival Lazio, and a win is a must at the weekend as the Bianconeri host Venezia. ............ Team News & Tactics Juventus The midweek win over Manchester City saw Thiago Motta welcome back a few key stars that were missing from action recently. Those included midweek goalscorers Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie, while Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Savona also made their comebacks. Those returns boost the squad side ahead of a crucial period. Nicolas Gonzalez is also closing in on a return from his injury. However, long-term absentees Juan Cabal, Gleison Bremer, and Arkadiusz Milik will not be available for the foreseeable future. In any case, Motta will have a strong enough lineup to select, although he will continue to retain most of those who featured in the midweek tie. Motta could carry on with the same back four, including Danilo at left-back, which worked against Manchester City. In midfield, despite Luiz’s return, Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram are the starters for now and will keep their places against Venezia. Similarly, Motta is unlikely to make any changes in the final third as Dusan Vlahovic will lead the line with the support coming from Teun Koopmeiners, Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao in the attacking areas. Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, Danilo; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic Venezia ............ Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Stankovic; Altare, Svoboda, Idzes; Zampano, Andersen, Caviglia, Ellertsson; Busio, Oristanio; Pohjanpalo Key Stats Juventus are undefeated in their last 23 matches in Serie A. Juventus have won five of their last six matches against Venezia in all competitions. Venezia have conceded at least two goals in eight of their last ten matches in Serie A. Venezia have claimed the fewest points and hold the worst defensive record away from home. Player to Watch Dusan Vlahovic The Serbian striker was on song against Manchester City during midweek and put in a commanding display to open the scoring for Juventus. He will be key going forward, as Thiago Motta hopes for the striker to hit top form from here on. ........... Prediction Juventus 2-0 Venezia Venezia come into this clash under tremendous pressure to stay in touching distance of their other relegation rivals. They are three points behind the nearest team, meaning a win would help them in a big way, although the game against Juventus will be a tough ask for Eusebio Di Francesco to expect a win or even a draw. Juventus are coming into this clash after a stellar win over Manchester City and will be confident of getting another win. Thiago Motta will have realised some of the mistakes from previous games, and he will look to make things comfortable and get the three points against Venezia while keeping a clean sheet. . Read more -> https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2024/12/14/juventus-vs-venezia-preview-and-prediction/

Nicolas Gonzalez could make the bench against Venezia Juventus has received a significant fitness boost ahead of their match against Venezia this weekend. The Bianconeri have remained one of the standout teams in Serie A this season. Despite being plagued by injuries to several key players, they have managed to maintain an unbeaten record in domestic competitions. This resilience has kept them well-positioned to climb higher in the league standings if the teams above them begin to falter. ............ Nicolas Gonzalez is another player who could make his return to action. The report indicates that the attacker is fit enough to be included in the squad, at least as an option from the bench. Depending on the progress of the match, Motta might decide to introduce Gonzalez in the second half to provide an extra edge. Juventus has sorely missed Gonzalez during the two months he has been sidelined due to injury. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/nicolas-gonzalez-could-make-the-bench-against-venezia/

John Elkann thrilled by Juventus performance against Manchester City Exor CEO John Elkann has expressed his joy following Juventus’ impressive victory over Manchester City in the Champions League earlier this week. Going into the match, Juventus was struggling with poor form, and many fans were pessimistic about their chances of securing a win. ............ Despite the challenges, Juventus rose to the occasion, delivering a fearless performance that stunned the Premier League champions. The Bianconeri played with determination and took the game to their opponents, showcasing an aggressive and tactical approach under Thiago Motta. City struggled to counter Juve’s strategy on the night, and this tactical superiority was key to securing the victory. The win has been widely celebrated as one of Juventus’ standout performances of the season. Elkann, clearly impressed, praised the team for their effort and resilience in such a high-stakes match. He commented: “Nice to see Juve playing to the best of their potential against one of the strongest teams in the world. Fun match and good goals, happy for McKennie.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/john-elkann-thrilled-by-juventus-performance-against-manchester-city/

Agent confirms Juventus keeper snubbed Liverpool in the summer Carlo Alberto Belloni, agent of Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, confirms the Italian snubbed a move to Liverpool to join the Old Lady last summer. ............ He played a key role in the Bianconeri’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday, producing two fantastic saves on Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan. “Surely, Manchester City fans will remember his saves for a long time,” the goalkeeper’s agent said. “We said no to Liverpool in the summer to join the Juventus project. “He’s working hard to improve continuously,” continued Belloni. “He set up a gym at home so he can train on his days off. He has an incredible mentality, and his desire is to be part of a Juventus side that rewrites history and wins important trophies.” Di Gregorio, 27, has kept nine clean sheets in 15 appearances across all competitions with Juventus this season, conceding just ten goals. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/agent-juventus-keeper-snubbed-liverpool/

Preview: Juventus vs. Venezia - prediction, team news, lineups Fresh from success in Europe, Juventus will try to revive their Serie A title challenge on Saturday night, when they play host to rock-bottom Venezia. Juve stunned Manchester City in the Champions League earlier this week, but a series of domestic draws have dented dreams of reclaiming the Scudetto. Match preview ............ They may have shut out a sub-par Man City, but Thiago Motta's men have uncharacteristically conceded goals in both of their last two league fixtures - they have yet to go three without keeping a clean sheet since Motta took charge. Under his watch, Juventus have faced the fewest shots and fewest shots on target per game in the Italian top flight, but they are not always fluent at the other end despite some lavish summer spending. Occupying sixth place after fighting back to draw 2-2 with Bologna last weekend, the Bianconeri have now shared the spoils in nine of their first 15 Serie A matches - and they have not won so few games at this stage of a season since 2001. Nonetheless, Juve are the only team still unbeaten, and they can claim to be in contention for three trophies as things stand; the third being the Coppa Italia, in which they will start their defence against Cagliari next week. ............ Team News © Imago Juventus have recently welcomed several players back from injury - Dusan Vlahovic, Weston McKennie, Nicolo Savona and Douglas Luiz all featured on Wednesday - but it remains to be seen whether Andrea Cambiaso can recover from an ankle sprain in time to face Venezia. Nico Gonzalez is closing in on a return, but ACL victims Juan Cabal and Bremer will again join Arkadiusz Milik on the sidelines. Three of the four youngest players to record multiple goals and assists in Serie A this season could be involved on Saturday, as Juve pair Kenan Yildiz and Samuel Mbangula - scorer of the Bianconeri's late leveller against Bologna - are set to feature at some stage. ............ Juventus possible starting lineup: Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Rouhi; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Yildiz; Vlahovic Venezia possible starting lineup: Stankovic; Idzes, Svoboda, Altare; Candela, Doumbia, Nicolussi Caviglia, Zampano; Busio, Oristanio; Pohjanpalo We say: Juventus 3-0 Venezia Full of confidence from their midweek feats, Juventus should steamroll a limited Venezia side that will struggle to avoid relegation. The hosts often fail to convert one point into three, but with several players returning, they are surely set to record back-to-back wins. . Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/preview/preview-juventus-vs-venezia-prediction-team-news-lineups_560452.html

Juventus 2-0 Man City: Fabio Capello slams "arrogant" Pep Guardiola following one win in 10 games Managerial legend Fabio Capello has hit out publicly at Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, claiming the Spaniard is "arrogant". Man City were beaten 2-0 away in Turin to Capello's former club Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, with second-half goals coming from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie. That extended City's recent form to just one win in 10 games, in which time they have taken only one point from three matches in the Champions League. ............ Working on the Juventus-Man City clash for Sky Sport Italia, Capello was scathing in his criticisms of Guardiola, even harking back to times before their current dismal run. The former AC Milan and Real Madrid boss claimed that the City manager only thinks about his own standing, and prioritises that over the benefit of the team as a whole. "Guardiola is a great coach, but he is far too arrogant and presumptuous," Capello began. "At times, he has even lost trophies because he wanted to prove that he was the one winning and not the players, so he dropped key figures from the side in the big games. "That was, in my view, an attempt to take the spotlight and the credit away from his squad." ............ . Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-city/champions-league/news/fabio-capello-slams-arrogant-pep-guardiola-after-juventus-defeat_560473.html?newsnow

Thiago Motta gets more fitness good news ahead of the Venezia game Juventus is set to face Venezia in Serie A this weekend, following their impressive midweek victory over Manchester City in the Champions League. That triumph not only showcased Juve’s quality but also set the tone for a potentially strong run of results. Fans are optimistic that the team will build on their European success and secure a convincing win against their domestic opponents. ............ One player who could bolster Juventus’ lineup is Andrea Cambiaso. The full-back, who missed the match against Manchester City due to an injury picked up last weekend, is likely to return to the squad for the clash against Venezia. Cambiaso’s availability would be a welcome boost for manager Thiago Motta, as his presence adds depth and stability to the defensive unit. The improving fitness of several key players has been a positive development for Juventus, enhancing their overall performance. With a stronger squad at his disposal, Motta will be expected to guide the team to consistent results in both domestic and European competitions. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/thiago-motta-gets-more-fitness-good-news-ahead-of-the-venezia-game/

Jorge Mendes still pushing to send his client to Juventus in January Super agent Jorge Mendes is reportedly keen on freeing up Antonio Silva from Benfica and bringing him to Juventus. The Bianconeri’s Director of Football Cristiano Giuntoli shares a great rapport with the Portuguese agent who famously represents Cristiano Ronaldo. The two men worked together to find the right formula to bring Francisco Conceicao to Turin last summer despite the club’s lack of funds. ............ The 21-year-old Benfica defender rose to prominence over the past few seasons, showcasing maturity beyond his years. He was a regular starter during Roger Schmidt’s stint at the club, but has been relegated to the bench under the orders of the club’s new boss Bruno Lage who is primarily relying on Nicolas Otamendi and Tomas Araujo at the back. Silva has had enough, and is now seeking an immediate departure. But while Benfica have no intention of depriving themselves of the Portugal international, Mendes will try his best to change the club’s stance, perhaps with his well-illustrated diplomacy. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/jorge-mendes-still-pushing-to-send-his-client-to-juventus-in-january/

“You’re the best” – Juventus youngster thrilled to see his idol Del Piero after Man City win The aftermath of the Champions League victory over Manchester City also witnessed a special moment between Juventus star Kenan Yildiz and the iconic Alessandro Del Piero. ............ After the contest, the 19-year-old was interviewed by CBS Sports who had Del Piero doing punditry. This set the stage for an amicable exchange between the legendary Juventus icon and the teenager who has recently inherited his iconic Number 10. “Alex, it was nice to see you. I wanted to say hello before the match, but I didn’t see you. You’re the best,” this was followed by an embrace between the men. “It was a great win after on the back of a top display. I’m really happy, especially for the team. Manchester City are a fantastic team, but we went out on the pitch with a lot of confidence, we played a great game in front of an incredible atmosphere from the fans.” ............ “We studied them in training. They are a great team so we had to think about the defensive phase first. We conceded little. On the pitch, we always try to give our best. I’m always happy to score but the important thing is the achieve victory. “The injuries? What we have to do is recover as best we can after the games to avoid new injuries. Some players are slowly coming back. . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/youre-the-best-juventus-youngster-thrilled-to-see-his-idol-del-piero-after-man-city-win/

Man Utd legend Paul Scholes in awe after discovering Juventus youngster: “Who the…” Iconic Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes was astonished by the display of Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz against Manchester City. The Turkish teenager was one of the stars of the show in last night’s Champions League contest which ended in a 2-0 victory for the Old Lady which deepened the wounds of the reigning Premier League champions. ............ Although Yildiz has already cemented himself as a bona fide star at Juventus and the Turkish national team, it appears that Scholes had never heard of the player before, at least based on his x-rated praise for the player on Instagram. The former England international was obviously enjoying the youngster’s masterclass, as it came at the expense of his Man United’s crosstown rivals. Therefore, he posted a story on his Instagram account, asking “Who the F*** is this Yildiz” with clapping emojis, in a hilarious comment that delighted both Juventus and Man United supporters. ............ The management thus decided to hand Yildiz the reins by extending his contract and placing the iconic Number 10 jersey on his back. This season, the teenager has thus far contributed with four goals and as many assists in 21 appearances in all competitions. . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/man-utd-legend-paul-scholes-in-awe-after-discovering-juventus-youngster-who-the/

“My bond with Juventus goes beyond playing time” – Danilo reveals his desire Juventus captain Danilo is determined to stay at the club at least until the end of the season, reiterating his unbreakable bond with the club. ............ But while the Brazilian was an undisputed starter at the back in previous years, he endured a rough patch at the start of the season. Between reduced playing time and some uncharacteristically poor displays, many believe the veteran’s stint at Continassa could be put to a merciful end as early as January. Nevertheless, Danilo bounced back with a formidable display against his old employers Manchester City, leading Juventus towards a crucial Champions League victory on Wednesday night. ............ “Even in the summer, they were linking me to several other clubs,” recalled Danilo in his post-match interview. “But I never said anything, I never asked to leave, I’ll always make myself available for the club. My bond goes beyond playing time. Of course, the last performances have been up and down, they weren’t at my level, but I always make myself available.” The Brazil skipper made it clear that he wishes to honor his contract by staying until the end of the season. “I want to stay here until the end of my contract, I’ve never seen a captain who left his team halfway through the season and I won’t be that one.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/my-bond-with-juventus-goes-beyond-playing-time-danilo-reveals-his-desire/

“This is a great success for Juventus” – Arrigo Sacchi on the team’s resurgence Juventus’ recent victory over Manchester City in the Champions League has sparked optimism and renewed confidence in Turin. The 2-0 triumph, achieved through second-half goals by Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie, is a significant milestone for the team under the guidance of coach Thiago Motta. Former Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi shared his insights. ............ “This is a great success for Juventus,” he noted. “It’s one of those victories that boosts courage and self-esteem—essential fuels for tackling the rest of the season.” Despite Manchester City’s current struggles, Sacchi emphasized that defeating such a formidable opponent is a testament to Juventus’ growing strength. ............ “It seems that, little by little, Thiago Motta’s ideas are entering the players’ minds,” he said. The team’s collective effort, including defenders contributing to offensive plays, was particularly noteworthy. This victory, however, is only the first step in a long journey. Sacchi urged caution: “The 2-0 win over City is just the beginning of a very long path.” Dusan Vlahovic, who has faced criticism recently, was pivotal in this match. Sacchi acknowledged his impact: “Vlahovic often troubled the English defense.” His performance exemplified the team’s overall improvement and adherence to Motta’s strategies. ............ In conclusion, Sacchi expressed optimism about Juventus’ project under Thiago Motta but stressed patience and humility as key factors for future success. “Thiago arrived at Juventus only last summer; let’s give him time to show all his qualities,” he urged. As both Juventus and Milan progress in Europe, their performances will be closely watched by fans and critics alike. . Read more -> https://www.footitalia.com/this-is-a-great-success-for-juventus-arrigo-sacchi-on-the-teams-resurgence/

Di Gregorio admits: ‘I don’t know how I pulled off’ incredible Haaland save Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio admitted ‘I honestly don’t know how I pulled off that save’ after keeping Manchester City’s Erling Haaland out while one-on-one during the entertaining 2-0 Bianconeri victory in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Di Gregorio is one of several Juve players who have been heavily praised for their performance in the Man City win. The former Monza stopper pulled out two particularly impressive saves, but his strong palm to deny Haaland in the penalty area was one of the moments of the match. ............ “I’m happy because it’s every kid’s dream to play in the Champions League. And then, against a team like City, it was really exciting: The stadium, the atmosphere, everything. I’m really happy.” Juventus have now kept 12 clean sheets in their last 21 matches in all competitions and are now 14th place in the Champions League standings. ............ The Old Lady will be back in Champions League action in January, when they have two remaining league phase matches against Club Brugge and Benfica. . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/di-gregorio-dont-know-haaland-save-v-juventus/

Today’s Papers: Juventus teach City and Guardiola a lesson. Gran Signora Champions League: Juve teach City and Guardiola a lesson Vlahovic-McKennie launch Motta: Direct qualification for the round of 16 still possible. ............ Like the real Juve Superchampions: The Bianconeri triumph against Guardiola (2-0) Motta trumps Pep: Vlahovic and McKennie take down City Defence and counter-attack: The perfect match. The Serbian and the American make their mark in the second half. Thiago makes it 11: Bruges and Benfica next. Seventh defeat in 10 games for the English. ............ Fabulous 2-0: Vlahovic and McKennie crush phenomena City: Caught up with Atalanta: Juve two points away from Round of 16. Finally a great night. Thiago wins the actical battle against Pep, always pressing well and lethal counter-attacks. Di Gregorio stops Haaland and Gundogan. Motta: ‘Now it’s going well, Wes can do everything, I’m proud’. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/today-papers-juventus-city-lesson-fonseca-fury/

“Lucky to have such players” – Motta delighted with Juventus display against Man City Juventus coach Thiago Motta was left ecstatic by his players who produced a clinical performance against Manchester City. The Bianconeri were in dire need of a victory to a improve their status in the Champions League group stage, and they managed to pull it off at the expense of the free-falling Premier League champions. ............ After a goalless first half, Dusan Vlahovic broke the deadlock that a header what just went past the goalline, while Weston McKennie came off the bench to confirm the victory with a second goal. Therefore, Motta was thrilled with his men’s display, insisting that he and his staff are lucky to have such a quality squad at their disposal. “Tonight we had to do a lot of things well, especially with regards to compactness and concentration. We defended well, without conceding space, and struck at key moments,” said the 42-year-old in his post-match interviews as published by the official Juventus website. “It was a great performance from everyone, even those who came on later in the game, they contributed when called upon. McKennie, for example, had a great game: he has a unique mix of physical and technical qualities that allow him to be dangerous in the final third. “We’re fortunate to have players like that. This was a great night, but every game is different. In Leipzig, for example, the approach had to be different because of the type of opponent. Today we were compact in defence and dangerous on the counter-attack, but always played with quality.” ............ “The feelings we experienced tonight are speical, and these are moments that remind us why we do this job. When the time comes, we will evaluate where we can improve. “It is important that there is harmony between everyone and that we continue to follow the same philosophy. Right now, though, we have to stay focused: we will face Venezia this weekend and we have to maintain this level.” . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/lucky-to-have-such-players-motta-delighted-with-juventus-display-against-man-city/

Juventus play their best game of the season to send Manchester City home a loser Juve completely defanged the struggling Citizens and claimed a vital Champions League win. ............ City were struggling coming in, that’s for sure. They’d lost six of their last nine games, many of which hadn’t been particularly close. But they were still the club that employs the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, and Bernardo Silva. They have the quality to right themselves in a second, and were clearly the most dangerous team Juve had remaining on the schedule before Christmas. And Juventus did beat them. It wasn’t a white-knuckled corto muso win that require mainlining beta blockers to watch. The Bianconeri were solid from the outset, allowing City the possession they crave, but prevented them from creating significant danger. As they grew into the game, they showed the ability to pass their way out of the press in a way that was completely absent against Bologna at the weekend. Juve went into the locker room clearly believing that they could go and take this game, and in the second half, they did just that. A header by Dusan Vlahovic and a historic strike from the club’s American tandem provided the margin, while Juve’s defense held fast, never really making it feel like they were ever in any trouble. ............ What it means in the present is that Juventus have catapulted themselves up eight places in the Champions League standings and have given themselves a signature European win. A win that, unlike the bonkers comeback in Leipzig, came about because the game plan was executed to perfection from the first whistle to the last. This was what Thiago Motta’s Juventus is supposed to look like — perhaps a little bit more defensive than usual given their opponent, but there nonetheless. Motta got Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz back from injury, but was missing Andrea Cambiaso, Nico Gonzalez, and Arkadiusz Milik. His 4-2-3-1 was anchored in goal by Michele Di Gregorio. Nicolò Savona, Federico Gatti, Pierre Kalulu, and Danilo fanned out in front of him. Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram formed the double pivot, with Francisco Conceição, Teun Koopmeiners, and Kenan Yildiz supported Vlahovic in attack. ............ Five minutes from time City finally produced the moment that all their quality can produce in a flash. Unsurprisingly, it was De Bruyne and Haaland who combined to make the magic. The Belgian slipped a pass through a corridor between three players, while the big striker snuck behind Kalulu and latched on. It looked like a vintage connection between the two—only Di Gregorio had something to say about it. He charged out to meet Haaland but checked himself from going after the ball at his feet at the last second and instead moved to make himself big. It was the right choice, and he managed to get his left hand to the ball, not simply parrying it but propelling it a few yards, putting the rebound safely into space for Savona to gather it. ............ It was Gatti who started the move by gaining the ball in midfield, and he continued on to join the attack after pushing the ball forward. Conceição had to drop the ball back to Locatelli, who sent in an early cross that found Gatti at the penalty spot, where he performed an excellent scissor kick that was unfortunately straight at Ederson. But the Brazil international chose to parry the ball back into danger instead of trying to collect it, which forced Gvardiol to push it into empty space on the left wing to prevent him from pouncing on his rebound. Of course, that only put the ball into empty space for Yildiz. The teenager collected it and quickly sent a perfect ball to the back post for Vlahovic, who beat Gvardiol in the air and fired a bullet header that hit Ederson in the chest and then bounced over the line just before he was able to claw it away. French referee Clement Turpin quickly blew his whistle to signal that the goal-line tech had registered the goal, and with that, Juve were in front. ............ It looked like the team was starting to flag, and Motta immediately sent some fresh legs on in the form of his American tandem, McKennie and Timothy Weah. It took a little more than five minutes for their influence to be felt in a big way. The whole sequence was textbook. Danilo made one hell of a stonewall tackle on Doku, exchanged passes with Yildiz, then sent McKennie into a huge swath of green down the middle of the field. McKennie immediately found his teammate with a good ball over the top. Weah was originally frustrated when his first cross was blocked, but he stayed with it and spotted McKennie — or probably heard him, as he was screaming for it as he entered the box. He met the cross with a scissor kick that blasted its way through Ederson’s hands and into the net, effectively ending the game with 15 minutes left. ............ LE PAGELLE MICHELE DI GREGORIO - 8. Two top-shelf saves kept Juve in position to run out winners, and his ball playing abilities were essential in getting through the press. It shows just why he’s that much better than Mattia Perin, especially with the ball at his feet. NICOLÒ SAVONA - 7. Credited with four tackles and three clearances, he made 95.7 percent of his passes — critical against this press. He’s had some baptisms by fire this year, and this was maybe his biggest, but he’s been up to the challenge in every one of them. What a player we have on our hands. FEDERICO GATTI - 8. The neutralization of Haaland — one of the best No. 9s you will see in this sport — was something of a team effort, but Gatti was absolutely everywhere in the back against Manchester City, equally adept at rushing forward to join the attack and when not to bad, we should win. PIERRE KALULU - 6.5. A little bit less than Gatti, just in terms of the day the two of themselves if you Lyft. Kalulu did his part in limiting Haaland to just 18 touches the entire game. DANILO - 7.5. Looked a little shaky going into the game, but grew into his as the game went along, and by the end of the night he was completely stonewalling any City attacker that dared challenge him. In the end, he was credited with six tackles, and his passing was a key component of the second goal. KHEPHREN THURAM - 5.5. ............ MANUEL LOCATELLI - 8. After his stinker over the weekend, Loca was at his absolute best this time around. Defensively he combined for six tackles and four clearances, and he also blocked a pair of shots. On the other end his passing made the team tick when it was in possession, racking up a pair of key passes. FRANCISCO CONCEIÇAÓ - 5.5. ............ TEUN KOOPMEINERS - 6. Did a lot more in the defensive phase than he did attacking. He registered three tackles and really helped keep Gündogan quiet in midfield. KENAN YILDIZ - 7. Dangerous whenever he got onto the ball. Provided a peach of an assist for Vlahovic’s goal and went ever so close to scoring their first goal with that great shot in the first half. DUSAN VLAHOVIC - 7. Did a lot of good things with his movement, and obviously the goal was excellent. Deserved that after some of his injury. SUBS WESTON McKENNIE - 7.5. What an absolutely sparkling goal, reminiscent of that signature win at Camp Nou for Andrea Pirlo four years ago. TIMOTHY WEAH - 7. Was great when he came on and injected his ball to Weston was feathery. SAMUEL MBANGULA - NR. ............ DOUGLAS LUIZ - NR. ............ MANAGER ANALYSIS I admit, I thought Juventus could — indeed would — win the game by using their physical edge in midfield to take more possession, expecting big things out of the young Portuguese. That didn’t really happen; Juve defended well and countered clinically to get themselves their all the way up to 14th in the standings. Clearly Motta knew what he was going to do, and he did how he was going to do. Most everything that Motta did wrong over the weekend against Bologna he did right here. Di Gregorio proved just how vital he is against the press, and Motta’s vaunted passing game poked its head out as the game went on and Juve began to play out of the press with much more frequency. ............ Now the question is what Juve does with it from here. Will they be able to turn this into a run that gets the season back on track? Only time will tell. ............ . Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/12/12/24319152/juventus-manchester-city-2024-champions-league-final-score-result-match-recap-analysis-thiago-motta