Juventus Season 2011-2012

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida‎

Conte: 'Take nothing for granted'

Jan 14, 2012

Antonio Conte urges Juventus to ignore the Milan derby and focus on getting their result against Cagliari. “Nothing can be taken for granted.”

The Bianconeri are currently joint Serie A leaders with Milan, but that could change with the Rossoneri facing Inter on Sunday night.

“Our first thought must be towards winning on Sunday against a side in great shape who are fresh from a 3-0 victory over Genoa,” warned the Coach.

“Nothing can be taken for granted, so let us try to be three points in front on Sunday evening rather than one. Then we’ll see what happens.

“We do not consider ourselves the ‘anti-Milan’ or the only team who can challenge them for the Scudetto. The certainty is that the reigning champions are the favourites followed by others, including Juve, who can fight.

“Do not forget our mission this season is to get back to battling for prestigious titles. Clearly the media finds a Juventus-Milan duel to be a tasty proposition, but it is too early to talk about that. We’re not even at the midway stage of the campaign and can only consolidate what we are doing.

“We’re also aware that our opponents have changed in the way they approach us. Juventus are no longer a surprise and teams put in the performance of their lives against us. On the one hand that is gratifying, but on the other it means more difficulties.”

Conte confirmed Paolo De Ceglie is likely to start at left-back due to Giorgio Chiellini’s ban against Cagliari.

“We have a certainty in De Ceglie. With the new system he has often found himself on the bench, but he gives me guarantees and he’ll play on Sunday. It’s inevitable I’ll try other alternatives, like Marcelo Estigarribia, for facing very defensive opponents.”

Marco Borriello could also feature, or at least be called up for the first time since joining on loan from Roma, although the ultras have been extremely hostile to his arrival.

“Marco has only been training with us for a week, so his physical fitness is not yet up to the level of his teammates,” added Conte. “I haven’t decided yet whether to call him for this game.

“I understand the fans are upset, but we have made it very clear Borriello never turned down the Juventus shirt. Therefore I expect everyone to stick together, both inside and outside the squad, because we are still under construction. I’m convinced our fans will embrace us, becoming once again the 12th man.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Borriello gets first Juve call

Jan 14, 2012

Marco Borriello has received his first call-up in the Juventus squad for Sunday’s game against Cagliari.

The striker arrived on loan from Roma during the transfer window, but was struggling with a previous injury.

Borriello has now recovered and is in the side to face Cagliari on Sunday afternoon, although Emanuele Giaccherini is out with a back problem.

Giorgio Chiellini is not in the team because he must sit out a one-match ban.

Juventus squad: 1 Buffon, 5 Pazienza, 7 Pepe, 8 Marchisio, 10 Del Piero, 11 De Ceglie, 13 Manninger, 14 Vucinic, 15 Barzagli, 17 Elia, 19 Bonucci, 21 Pirlo, 22 Vidal, 23 Borriello, 26 Lichtsteiner, 27 Krasic, 28 Estigarribia, 30 Storari, 32 Matri, 33 Sorensen, 34 Marrone

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Serie A Preview

The Old Lady were forced to endure a difficult 90 minutes at Lecce last weekend despite

their win, but will hope the Sardinians prove to be a less challenging proposition.

Jan 14, 2012

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

JUVENTUS

Buffon

Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Ceglie

Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio

Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

CAGLIARI

Agazzi

Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini

Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan

Cossu

Larrivey, Ibarbo

Antonio Conte is expected to make just two changes from the side that struggled to a 1-0 victory over Lecce last week as Fabio Quagliarella and Giorgio Chiellini are set to be replaced by Alessandro Matri and Paolo De Ceglie.

Quagliarella picked up a facial injury during the win at the Via del Mare and will come as unwelcome news to the forward, who failed to take advantage of a rare opportunity to lead the line for the Bianconeri. Meanwhile, Chiellini's yellow card means he is suspended for the encounter.

For the visitors Cagliari, an unchanged line-up is in the offing from the resounding 3-0 win against Genoa last weekend. However, Rui Sampaio, Gabriele Perico, Nene and Sebastian Eriksson remain on the sidelines.

DID YOU KNOW?

- Juventus have won their last three meetings with Cagliari in Serie A.

- Also, the Old Lady have lost just two of their last 14 games against the Sardinians.

- Striker Alessandro Matri has scored six goals over the last five meetings between these two teams.

- Juve are the only side from Europe's top five leagues to still be unbeaten at this stage of the season.

- Their victory over Genoa last Sunday ended a three-match winless streak.

- The Sardinians have won just one of their last five games away from home.

Head to Head

Serie A - Feb 5, 2011 - Cagliari 1 - Juventus 3

Serie A - Sep 26, 2010 - Juventus 4 - Cagliari 2

Serie A - Apr 11, 2010 - Juventus 1 - Cagliari 0

Serie A - Nov 29, 2009 - Cagliari 2 - Juventus 0

Serie A - Jan 31, 2009 - Juventus 2 - Cagliari 3

Last Five Matches

Juventus

Jan 8, 2012 - Lecce 0 - Juventus 1 - Serie A

Jan 5, 2012 - Al Hilal 1 - Juventus 7 - Friendly

Dec 21, 2011 - Udinese 0 Juventus 0 - Serie A

Dec 18, 2011 - Juventus 2 - Novara 0 - Serie A

Dec 12, 2011 - Roma 1 - Juventus 1 - Serie A

Cagliari

Jan 8, 2012 - Cagliari 3 - Genoa 0 - Serie A

Dec 20, 2011 - Cagliari 0 - AC Milan 2 - Serie A

Dec 17, 2011 - Chievo 2 - Cagliari 0 - Serie A

Dec 11, 2011 - Cagliari 0 - Parma 0 - Serie A

Dec 4, 2011 - Catania 0 - Cagliari 1 - Serie A

Players to Watch

Andrea Pirlo

The former Inter and Milan midfielder has been a revelation since moving to Turin in the summer, and Juve are a better side when he is on form and dictating play. He will look to maintain his excellent form in the second half of the season.

Radja Nainggolan

One of the most talked-about talents in Serie A at the moment, and one of his suitors is apparently Sunday's opposition. The 23-year-old will be out to prove his ability by shooting down his admirers.

Prediction

Juventus remain unbeaten so far this season and in order to maintain pressure on Milan and the other sides around them, a fixture such as this will be one they will be expecting to win.

Editor's Prediction

Juventus 2 - 0 Cagliari

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Serie A Preview

Jan 14, 2012

Marco Borriello has vowed to prove his worth to the Juventus fans if he features in tomorrow's Serie A clash with Cagliari.

The 29-year-old was given a hostile reception last weekend by the Juve faithful, who unveiled a banner describing the striker, who had previously turned down the opportunity of a permanent move to Turin, as a "mercenary".

"I have great respect for Juve fans and I will do all I can to earn their trust," he said. "I am aware that I have joined a group where there is a lot of competition for places.

"But the important thing is that all of us give our all for the good of Juventus.

"No one has promised me anything but I want to do well and earn a regular place in the team.

"I want to be an additional weapon for this club even though the coach will have the final say as to who plays."

Borriello has another motivation to do well with the Turin giants as Juve have an option to make his move permanent in the summer.

"I also want to convince the Juve executives to acquire my rights at the end of the season," he said.

Unbeaten Juve know they could take over sole possession of first place if they beat Cagliari and AC Milan fail to take all three points against Inter this weekend.

The Bianconeri are level on 37 points with Serie A leaders Milan.

Cagliari have won just two of their 31 league encounters at Juventus over the years, but coach Davide Ballardini is optimistic the team can build on last weekend's 3-0 win over Genoa.

That result ended a three-game winless run for Cagliari and lifted them to 10th in the standings.

"This result was a big boost in confidence in view of our game at Juventus," Ballardini said. "We had failed to score in our previous three games and my players were hungry to get a result and produce a solid display in front of our home fans.

"Now we need to show the same attitude in Turin, knowing we face a very tough opponent."

Juve will be without suspended defender Giorgio Chiellini and injured striker Fabio Quagliarella this weekend.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Serie A Preview

Jan 14, 2012

Alessandro Matri haunted former club Cagliari the last time Juventus faced the Sardinians in Serie A. It was February 5, 2011, and the Italian striker netted twice in the Old Lady’s 3-1 away victory just days after he completed his move to Turin.

Matri was again on target last weekend when, after coming off the bench, he struck from close range to seal a vital 1-0 win at Lecce. The Bianconeri’s overall performances may not have been too special, but the win ensured that they remained joint top of the standings with Milan.

While the Rossoneri face a tricky derby against in-form Inter at the weekend, Juventus could theoretically take control of the standings on their own when Cagliari visit the Juventus Stadium. But they’ll have to record a victory to do so.

Juve, still unbeaten this term, have won their last four home games and last conceded in Turin back in Week 9’s 2-1 victory over Fiorentina. They’ve also collected three clean sheets in a row which mean they’ve shut out opponents in six of their last eight top-flight matches.

Boss Antonio Conte is set to field a 4-3-3 system, but he does have some selection problems. Giorgio Chiellini is suspended which should see Paolo De Ceglie begin at left-back. Matri is expected to start as Fabio Quagliarella is sidelined with a fractured cheekbone, while new boy Marco Borriello could come off the bench.

Cagliari, who haven’t won on the road since December 4’s 1-0 at Catania, are a pretty inconsistent outfit. The Rossoblu have won just five of their 17 games this term, but the 3-0 thumping of Genoa last week raised a few eyebrows. Especially as the side hadn’t scored more than one goal in a League game since the Week 6 2-0 win against Lecce.

Boss Davide Ballardini should field a 4-3-1-2, but he has a few injury concerns – including captain Daniele Conti. He’ll have to prove his fitness if he is to feature. If he doesn’t make it then former Juve player Albin Ekdal may get a start.

Historically speaking, Juventus have dominated this Serie A fixture with 18 wins, 11 draws and just two losses. Saying that, the second Cagliari win came as recently as January 2009 when Davide Biondini, Jeda and Matri scored in a 3-2 win.

Keep an eye on: Marco Borriello (Juventus) – Criticised by some sections of the support for allegedly turning down a move to Juventus in 2010, the loan arrival from Roma will want to quickly get any doubting supporters on his side.

Last season: Juventus 4-2 Cagliari

Form guide: Juventus (W D W D W) Cagliari (W D L L W)

Stat fact: In the last 10 Serie A meetings here, Juventus have smashed in 24 goals to Cagliari’s 11. Juve have won seven of those ties and lost one.

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

Cagliari (probable): Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan; Cossu; Larrivey, Ibardo

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Match Preview

Juventus need to claim maximum points against Cagliari in order

to maintain their chances of gaining Serie A leadership.

Jan 14, 2012

With AC Milan up against Inter Milan in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday, a Juventus victory over Cagliari could possibly see them overtake the league leaders into first-place of the Serie A.

After 17 rounds of the competition, Juventus find themselves with 37 points, the same number of points as the Italian champions, but with an inferior goal-difference. With Udinese just two points astray the three points are essential for Antonio Conte's side.

Juventus come into the clash in fine form, after having notched up 20 points in their last eight games, with 18 goals in favour and only five goals against. A victory over Cagliari would allow La Vecchia Signora to extend their winning streak to five matches at the Juventus Stadium.

Conte has been forced into making two changes from the side that barely scraped a 1-0 victory over Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare last weekend, with Alessandro Matri replacing the injured Fabio Quagliarella and Paolo De Ceglie in for the suspended Giorgio Chiellini.

Juventus will likely approach the game with a 4-3-3 formation, with Matri, Simone Pepe and Mirko Vucinic being Conte's desired three-man attack. Juve have depth in all sectors of the field, and this is much of the reason why they have remained unbeaten this season.

Cagliari, on the other hand, will remain with an identical side as to the one that hammered Genoa 3-0 last weekend. The South American contingent of Joaquin Larrivey and Victor Ibarbo will form their strike-partnership. Both players were on target in the win against Genoa.

Juventus have a favourable history over Cagliari, with a total of 18 triumphs, 11 draws and a mere 2 losses. They have scored 51 goals altogether and have only conceded 25. Furthermore, La Vecchia Signora have lost only two of their last 14 meetings with the Sardinians.

Since beating Juventus twice in 2009, Cagliari have lost their last three games, with the last coming in February of 2011, when they suffered a 3-1 defeat at the Stadio Comunale Sant'Elia.

Juventus know that if they manage to claim the three points against Cagliari on Sunday it will significantly increase their chances of winning the Serie A championship for a record 28th (30th) time, and the first since the 2002-03 season.

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Marco Borriello starts as substitute

for Juventus ahead of Cagliari clash

The new signing from Roma could make his Old Lady debut from the bench against

the Sardinians, as coach Antonio Conte makes two further changes from the win at Lecce.

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus have given new striker Marco Borriello a place on the substitute's bench for the visit of Cagliari on Sunday.

The Roma loanee was not present in the Bianconeri's last match - a 1-0 victory over Lecce last weekend - but he could be in line for a home debut at Juventus Stadium as he prepares to play second fiddle to Alessandro Matri, who starts in place of Fabio Quagliarella.

Additionally, one other change is seen in defence, as the suspended Giorgio Chiellini is replaced by Paolo De Ceglie at left-back.

Meanwhile, for the visitors Cagliari, an unchanged lineup from the emphatic 3-0 win over Genoa has been named by Davide Ballardini.

The teams are as follows:

Juventus (4-3-3): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Ceglie; Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio; Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

Subs: Storari, Sorensen, Marrone, Estigarribia, Krasic, Del Piero, Borriello

Cagliari (4-3-1-2): Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan; Cossu; Larrivey, Ibarbo

Subs: Avramov, Ariaudo, Gozzi, Conti, Ceppelini, El Kabir, Thiago Ribeiro

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Ballardini fears Juve Stadium

Jan 15, 2012

Davide Ballardini tells Cagliari they don’t just have to battle Juventus this afternoon, but also the fiery atmosphere in Turin.

“We will need a fantastic performance in terms of focus, concentration and intensity,” said the Coach.

“It also requires a high level of quality, so basically an almost perfect match, but we are in good shape and will try to do what we know that we can.”

The Sardinians are fresh from a storming 3-0 victory over Genoa, though they take on a still unbeaten Juve.

“The Bianconeri have great potential and are going through an amazing period of form. Not playing in Europe is an advantage, plus on home turf they have the extra weapon of the crowd in the Juventus Stadium.

“In all honesty, I cannot see any weak points in the team. Without doubt if I could take away one element, it would be their stadium. The fans are their 12th man.”

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

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Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Line-ups: Juventus-Cagliari

Jan 15, 2012

Mirko Vucinic and Alessandro Matri lead the way against Cagliari, as Paolo De Ceglie replaces Giorgio Chiellini for Juventus.

The Bianconeri aim to break away at the top of the table this weekend, hoping to take advantage of tonight’s Milan derby.

New buy Marco Borriello is on the bench for the first time since his loan move from Roma and wears shirt number 23, but it is Simone Pepe, Vucinic and ex-Cagliari striker Matri who start in the 4-3-3 system.

De Ceglie gets a rare chance to shine in place of the suspended Chiellini. Emanuele Giaccherini and Fabio Quagliarella are injured, the latter undergoing surgery for a fractured cheekbone this week.

Cagliari are fresh from a surprise 3-0 win over Genoa, but no opponent has scored at the Juventus Stadium since Fiorentina on October 25.

The Sardinians are without Gabriele Perico, Nene and Sebastian Eriksson, but Joaquin Larrivey gets the starting spot along with Victor Ibarbo and Andrea Cossu. This is their first game since selling Davide Biondini to Genoa.

Juventus: Buffon; De Ceglie, Barzagli, Bonucci, Lichtsteiner; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

Juventus bench:Storari, Sorensen, Marrone, Estigarribia, Krasic, Borriello, Del Piero.

Cagliari: Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan; Cossu; Larrivey, Ibarbo.

Cagliari bench: Avramov, Ariaudo, Gozzi, Conti, Ceppelini, Thiago Ribeiro, El Kabir

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Cossu equaliser cancels out Vucinic opener

and holds Antonio Conte's side to frustrating draw

The Bianconeri met heavy resistance and ultimately they had

to settle for a point against Davide Ballardini's plucky side.

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Cagliari in a surprisingly tight affair in Serie A on Sunday afternoon.

A first-half strike by Mirko Vucinic gave Antonio Conte's men an early lead as the Old Lady dominated before the break.

Shortly after the restart, however, Andrea Cossu pounced on a mistake in defence by Leonardo Bonucci and fired a powerful shot from outside the box past the helpless Gianluigi Buffon. Juventus tried to fight back, but Cagliari held firm to secure a vital point.

The Old Lady showed they meant business right from the start as they constantly pressed Davide Ballardini's side in the early minutes of the game. It was not long before the scoring was opened as Stephan Lichtsteiner made a great run on the right before selflessly teeing up Vucinic, who converted easily from close range.

Juventus continued to press after the goal, and nearly made it 2-0 in the 24th minute when a brilliant flick by Claudio Marchisio caught Arturo Vidal by surprise, and the Chilean could not apply a proper finish with only Michael Agazzi to beat.

The tempo dropped after the half-hour mark and this allowed Cagliari a few chances to threaten Buffon's goal. The visitors had two penalty shouts turned down and they were slowly gaining momentum.

The restart saw Juve switch to a rather sluggish pace, and this was soon punished by Ballardini's men. In the 47th minute a cross by Joaquin Larrivey was poorly cleared by Bonucci into the path of Cossu, who took a couple of steps before firing an unstoppable shot past Buffon and into the corner of the net.

The Old Lady looked devoid of answers to Cagliari's brave comeback, and hardly created opportunities until late in the second period. In the 76th minute Vucinic was released in a decent position on the left, but blasted horribly over the bar, much to the dismay of the home fans.

Moments later Cagliari were in trouble again, but Agazzi came to the rescue, parrying a header from substitute Alessandro Del Piero, following a free-kick by Andrea Pirlo.

Juventus threw everything forward in the final minutes of the game, and substitute Milos Krasic was given the chance to make himself a hero, but dragged his shot from the edge of the area woefully wide with the goal at his mercy.

Following this result, Juventus are first in the standings with 38 points, but could be leapfrogged by AC Milan later tonight if Massimiliano Allegri's men manage to defeat Inter in the Milanese derby.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Cagliari shock Juve

Jan 15, 2012

Cagliari held Juventus to a shock 1-1 draw in Turin and Milos Krasic horribly missed the potential winner in stoppages.

The Bianconeri were still unbeaten this season and saw this as a great opportunity to go clear at the top ahead of tonight’s Milan derby. Paolo De Ceglie stepped in for the suspended Giorgio Chiellini, while Fabio Quagliarella was out after fracturing his cheekbone, but new buy Marco Borriello had his first spot on the bench. Alessandro Matri faced his former club, who were fresh from a 3-0 thrashing of Genoa. Cagliari also had injury problems for Rui Sampaio, Nene, Sebastian Erikson and Perico.

It took Mirko Vucinic just six minutes to break the deadlock at the end of a wonderful team move. There were a series of one-touch passes until Stephan Lichtsteiner rolled across for Vucinic to tap in from six yards undisturbed.

Matri drilled just wide of his former teammate’s goal, but Cagliari wanted a penalty for Leonardo Bonucci’s handling offence as he clumsily intervened on a header down in the box. Andrea Barzagli then charged down Victor Ibarbo’s effort in the area.

Simone Pepe should’ve put more power behind his header, which failed to trouble Michael Agazzi from a promising position.

Just before the break Andrea Cossu had more penalty appeals for a snapshot that came off Andrea Pirlo’s arm for a corner.

Cagliari grabbed a surprise equaliser straight after the restart, as Leonardo Bonucci’s clearance was straight at Cossu who wasted no time with a fierce left-foot strike from the edge of the box that beat Gigi Buffon at the near post.

Matri tried to earn a penalty, but only received a yellow card for simulation as he ran into Francesco Pisano. Juve called on Alessandro Del Piero and Milos Krasic in a bid to spark a reaction, the Serb’s first appearance since October.

Del Piero went close to a winner with his glancing header somehow fumbled off the line by Agazzi, then Borriello made his Juventus debut in place of former Roma teammate Vucinic.

Krasic really should’ve made it 2-1 to Juventus in stoppages on Borriello’s assist, but sliced his shot well wide from an excellent position, infuriating President Andrea Agnelli in the stands.

Moments later an Arturo Vidal diving header was off target from De Ceglie’s cross, as Cagliari managed to hold out Juve in Turin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juventus: Buffon; De Ceglie, Barzagli, Bonucci, Lichtsteiner; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pepe (Del Piero 63), Matri (Krasic 71), Vucinic (Borriello 81)

Cagliari: Agazzi; Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan; Cossu (El Kabir 75); Larrivey (Ariaudo 71), Ibarbo

Ref: Guida

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Juve miss opportunity to press Milan

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus were held to a disappointing home draw by Cagliari to hand AC Milan an opportunity to go clear at the top of the Serie A standings later this evening.

Unbeaten Juve started the weekend level on 37 points with Milan at the summit and looked set to pick up three more points after taking a seventh-minute lead through Mirko Vucinic.

However, mid-table Cagliari upset their hosts by drawing level just after half-time through Andrea Cossu and Juve could not find a winner as the Bianconeri had to settle for an eighth draw in 18 games this season.

The result gives Juve a one-point lead at the top of the table, but Milan could take over pole position if they beat city rivals Inter in the Milanese derby.

Cagliari had won just two of their 31 league encounters at Juventus over the years and that record looked unlikely to improve as Antonio Conte's men took an early lead.

Stephan Lichtsteiner created the chance with a fine pass and Vucinic made no mistake from the edge of the six-yard box.

Former Cagliari striker Alessandro Matri could have doubled Juve's lead soon after but he fired just wide from outside the area, while Simone Pepe was denied by a good save from Michael Agazzi just before half-time as the home side sought to put daylight between themselves and their opponents.

Cagliari's only real chance of the first half saw Davide Astori fire wide in the 20th minute, but the visitors managed to get back on terms three minutes into the second half thanks to Cossu.

He tried his luck with a left-footed shot from outside the box and Gianluigi Buffon was left with no chance as the ball whistled into the bottom left corner of the net.

That was a big setback for Juve but they at least had sufficient time to recover and try to force a winner.

The hosts were not short of chances, but they were unable to make any of them count as Matri headed over, Arturo Vidal failed to keep his shot down while Vucinic was also unable to hit the target with his opportunity.

Perhaps the best opening of the lot fell to veteran striker Alessandro Del Piero with 10 minutes left, but the club's all-time record goalscorer saw his close-range header saved by Agazzi on the line.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Player Ratings

Goal.com rates the performances of the players involved

in the exciting draw in Turin on Sunday afternoon.

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon 6.0 - Had very little to do and was left with no chance for the equaliser. Still, he showed great control of his box and was dominant in the air.

Paolo De Ceglie 6.5 - The defender made sure he got the basics right in an encouraging performance. Was solid at the back and made a few decent runs.

Andrea Barzagli 6.5 - Barring some nervy moments at the end of the first half, the defender did very well at the back. Showed great anticipation and often bailed out Bonucci.

Leonardo Bonucci 4.5 - The former Bari man had a poor game. Lacked composure and his terrible clearance in the 48th minute led to the equaliser.

Stephan Lichtsteiner 7.0 - The Switzerland international was exceptional in the first half, making some rampaging runs on the flank and was a rock at the back. Provided the assist for the opening goal but his level of performance somewhat dropped after the break.

Simone Pepe 6.0 - Put in a lot of effort, but most of the time the final product was missing. Drifted in harmless positions and looked isolated for large parts of the encounter.

Claudio Marchisio 6.5 - Impressed with some nice flicks and passes early on, but his efficiency started to wane as the game progressed. Made some reckless challenges and should have been booked for a foul on Ibarbo in the first period.

Andrea Pirlo 6.5 - Distributed the ball, but generally failed to make a decisive impact. Put in a lot of effort in defence and was a threat from set-pieces.

Arturo Vidal Pardo 6.5 - The Chilean delivered an energetic performance, but his finishing let him down on a couple of occasions. Made sure Cagliari were stifled in midfield and made a few telling interventions.

Mirko Vučinić 5.5 - Despite scoring Juve's only goal of the game, the former Roma man was very poor. Barely played with the ball and was isolated for large parts of the match.

Alessandro Matri 5.0 - The 27-year-old was anonymous and failed to impress against his old team. His only chance of the game came in the first half as he stole the ball off the visitors' defence, but failed to find the target from outside the box.

• Substitutions

Milos Krasic 4.5 - Guilty of a horrible miss in the last moments of the game. Did his chance to make the first team regularly no good.

Alessandro Del Piero 5.0 - Failed to make an impact after coming on.

Marco Borriello 5.0 - Couldn't turn the game around after replacing Mirko Vucinic.

Cagliari

Michael Agazzi 6.5 - Could not do anything to prevent the opener, but made a few great interventions to keep Juventus at bay. Was a bit unconvincing in the air, but improved as the game progressed.

Davide Astori 6.5 - The former AC Milan man was easily bypassed in the build-up to the opener, but upped his level of performance later on. Showed good reading of the game and great tackling.

Francesco Pisano 5.5 - Enjoyed an interesting duel with De Ceglie on the flank and was generally solid in defence. Had minimal impact in the final third, though.

Michele Canini 6.0 - Was dragged out of position on a couple of occasions, but got his act together after the break. Showed prowess in the air.

Alessandro Agostini 5.0 - Had his fair share of trouble with Lichtsteiner as the former Lazio man was dominant on the flank. Was often easily bypassed and offered no threat in attack.

Radja Nainggolan 6.0 - The midfielder had occasional flashes of brilliance, but generally failed to spark something special. Showed good passing, but was often outmuscled in centre of the pitch.

Andrea Cossu 7.0 - Was guilty of losing the ball on a lot of occasions, but more than made up for that with a fine strike to secure a point for his team. Had an inspired second half.

Albin Ekdal 5.0 - The former Juve man had a horrible game as he showed poor passing and ball control. Was often frustrated by the Old Lady's dynamic midfield and failed to make an impact.

Daniele Dessena 5.5 - Was nervous on the ball and often lost possession in dangerous positions. His passing was not impressive either, and was often chasing shadows.

Joaquin Larrivey 6.0 - The striker was isolated for large parts of the game and struggled to break Juve's defence. Provided the cross, which lead to the equaliser, but generally could have done better.

Víctor Ibarbo 7.0 - The striker had a very good first half as his physicality posed plenty of problems for Juve's backline. Played an important role in the equaliser as he forced Bonucci's poor clearance, which lead to the goal.

• Substitutions

Lorenzo Ariaudo 5.0 - Came on to help in defence as Cagliari were holding on for a draw in the second period.

Moestafa El Kabir 5.0 - The attacker failed to make an impact after coming on for Andrea Cossu.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Antonio Conte: We were not arrogant against Cagliari

The Turin side's head coach rued the Bianconeri's missed chances on Sunday,

but felt a draw was an acceptable result for the table-toppers.

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus boss Antonio Conte stressed that the Old Lady were not arrogant in their 1-1 draw against Cagliari on Sunday.

The Turin giants took an early lead via Mirko Vucinic, but failed to double their advantage and were made to pay when Andrea Cossu restored parity after the interval.

"I don't think we were arrogant, because we never stopped fighting for a good result. We are on an 18-match unbeaten run, and I'd say that a draw against Cagliari is acceptable," Conte said during the post-match press conference.

"We made a great start to the game and scored an early goal. However, we missed too many chances after that.

"We struggled after the equaliser and were unable to bounce back. I can't be satisfied with the result, but it's acceptable."

Juventus top the Serie A table with 38 points from 18 games, but will drop to second if AC Milan beat Inter in Sunday's Derby della Madonnina.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Conte: 'A Juve reminder'

Jan 15, 2012

Antonio Conte feels Cagliari gave Juventus a timely reminder. “We have to suffer and fight to the very end.”

The Bianconeri were expected to run away with this afternoon’s match, but were held to a surprise 1-1 home draw.

“I think the game immediately started well for us, as we were in the lead and playing good football with many chances to finish it off,” said Conte.

“After the break we conceded straight away and that goal made us freeze up. We improved later, but were unable to take our scoring opportunities.

“I tried to introduce fresh legs in attack, but the final blow just didn’t come. I am not satisfied with the result, as we must be intelligent enough to improve on negatives and continue this campaign that is above our expectations.

“After 18 games unbeaten, it is acceptable to draw against Cagliari. I don’t think my men were arrogant, as they fought hard for the result.

“It was a good reminder that we have to suffer and fight to the very end in every game from here to the last one in the season.”

Juventus are one point clear at the top of the table awaiting tonight’s Milan-Inter showdown.

“It’s a shame to be sitting down watching the derby with only a draw under our belts. May the best team win.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Comments: Juve 1-1 Cagliari

Jan 15, 2012

Antonio Conte: “We lacked the cynicism to finish off the result. I wanted to change the three in attack to give fresh legs to the team.”

Davide Ballardini: “We put Juve under pressure with our aggression and our style of football too. The referee can make a mistake, just like players and Coaches.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Conte rues missed chances

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus coach Antonio Conte played down the significance of two dropped points following a 1-1 draw at home to Cagliari on Sunday.

Mid-table Cagliari were not expected to trouble Conte's title-challengers in their own backyard, and the hosts duly took the lead through Mirko Vucinic just seven minutes into the match at Juventus Stadium.

But Andrea Cossu levelled for the visitors three minutes into the second half, and Juve proved unable to force a winner in the time remaining.

"After 18 games unbeaten, it is acceptable to draw against Cagliari," Conte said.

"I don't think my men were arrogant, as they fought hard for the result."

"It was a good reminder that we have to suffer and fight to the very end in every game from here to the last one in the season."

Conte felt the result was not a fair reflection of his team's dominance, after they recovered to control proceedings late in the contest.

"I think the game immediately started well for us, as we were in the lead and playing good football with many chances to finish it off," he said.

"After the break we conceded straight away and that goal made us freeze up. We improved later, but were unable to take our scoring opportunities."

"I tried to introduce fresh legs in attack, but the final blow just didn't come."

"I am not satisfied with the result, as we must be intelligent enough to improve on negatives and continue this campaign that is above our expectations."

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Juventus draw but go top

Jan 15, 2012

Juventus moved top of Serie A despite dropping points at home to Cagliari on Sunday (local time) as Inter Milan beat champions AC Milan 1-0.

Antonio Conte's Juve were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against 11th-placed Cagliari, despite taking a seventh-minute lead at Juventus Stadium.

Montenegro striker Mirko Vucinic tapped into an empty net to complete a fine team move that featured several short and sharp passes.

But despite Juve having several chances, the visitors took a point after attacker Andrea Cossu volleyed in a 48th-minute equaliser from 20 yards.

In the late kick-off, Inter continued their revival under Claudio Ranieri with a narrow victory in the Milan derby.

A well-taken strike from Argentina international Diego Milito in the 54th minute of the match at San Siro proved the difference between the two teams.

Milito found the bottom corner of the net after seizing on an error from Milan fullback Ignazio Abate, who failed to intercept Javier Zanetti's crossfield pass.

The goal came largely against the run of play, with Milan dominating possession and enjoying the majority of the chances.

Mark van Bommel struck the crossbar during the first half, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexandre Pato threatened throughout, without success.

Inter stay fifth following the win, but are now five points behind title-holders Milan, and just six points back from leaders Juve.

Elsewhere, Lazio secured a comfortable 2-0 win against Atalanta at the Stadio Olimpico.

Brazilian Hernanes' 20th-minute spot-kick and Miroslav Klose's neat finish in stoppage time were enough for Edy Reja's men, who played the majority of the second half against 10 men after Atalanta defender Stefano Lucchini was sent off.

Third-placed Udinese also dropped points, suffering a surprise 3-2 loss at Genoa.

Damiano Ferronetti gave Udinese the lead, but Genoa hit back after half-time as Andreas Granqvist, Bosko Jankovic and Rodrigo Palacio netted.

Veteran forward Antonio Di Natale struck a 75th-minute penalty after Marco Rossi was sent off, but Udinese were unable to find an equaliser against 10 men.

Meanwhile, a goal from Paolo Sammarco led Chievo to a 1-0 win over Palermo, whose winless league run was extended to six matches.

Lecce recorded just their third league win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina, Parma snapped a six-match winless league run with a 3-1 defeat of Siena and Adrian Mutu's brace helped Cesena beat Novara 3-1.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Juventus and Cagliari All Even at 1-1:

Now with 100 Percent More Milos Krasic

Jan 15, 2012

Sunday's game was a multi-record breaker. First, the 1-1 draw means this year's Juventus side is the longest to go unbeaten. Additionally, Antonio Conte may have set a 2011-2012 season record for the most variety in a Juventus lineup sheet.

The game featured Paolo De Ceglie starting in place of the suspended Giorgio Chiellini, and two other players made rare appearances. King of the transfer rumors Milos Krasic subbed in for Alessandro Matri in the 71st minute, and then later, new transfer Marco Borriello was substituted in for Mirko Vucinic. Both men are in strikingly circumstances currently, and both men played terribly today. Borriello was not as astoundingly bad as Milos; he just had a quiet game in the short of amount of time he was on.

Milos Krasic was just plain bad. I was at first very excited to see him come on, but that feeling almost immediately fizzled. The lasting memory of Krasic's play today will be of Stephan Lichtsteiner, arms out, yelling in frustration at Milos to provide the right back with some cover. It's worth noting that Milos is suffering from a considerable amount of rust, since he hasn't played for months.

Still, given all the rumors about a transfer away from Turin, one would think that Milos would come out spoiling for a fight. Instead, he seemed timid at best, and lost at the worst. I'm unsure whether or not there is even one bit of truth to the transfer rumors surrounding Milos, but I think that interest might wane after scouts see his performance against Cagliari.

The rough landing of Milos Mania was perhaps the most frustrating note from a game full of frustrating events for Juventus and her fans. The game started out well enough, though Cagliari were very much ready to bring the game to Juventus. After only seven minutes, Stephan Lichtsteiner played a one-two pass to Claudio Marchisio, and upon receiving the "two" pass, Lichtsteiner swung a horizontal pass to Mirko Vucinic, who fired the ball into the goal. It looked like Juventus was in the clear and was on their way to a 3-0 victory.

Shortly after, Alessandro Matri had a shot that was just inches off of goal. That was basically the highpoint of Juve's control of the match. After that, Cagliari began to impose themselves a bit more. They made themselves a number of chances, though Juventus still seemed in control of the match.

The second half began, and things almost immediately went sour for Juventus. Cagliari's forwards were putting heavy pressure on the Juventus backline, and this tactic was bringing back pretty impressive returns. Victor Ibarbo was particularly effective while putting pressure on Leonardo Bonucci. Indeed, Ibarbo got past Bonucci and managed to play a pass to his teammate, Andrea Cossu, who slipped the ball past Gigi Buffon and into the net. Cagliari had equalized, and Juventus Arena went pretty quiet.

This is the point where the bottom fell out of Juve's game. Cagliari opened up the Juventus back line once again only moments later, but this chance would fade out. The defense was just all over the place, and this let Cagliari expose them a number of times. Juventus had a venture into Cagliari's box shortly after the equalizer, but Alessandro Matri went down on a dive and received a yellow card.

It should be said that, though he did lose his man on the goal, Leonardo Bonucci had a fine game otherwise. Many people on Twitter had been bashing his passing and his overall game, but he was perfectly acceptable aside from his mistake on the goal. His passing was relatively accurate, at 88 percent (two percent higher than Stephan Lichtsteiner's pass accuracy rate), and he was successful on all but one of his 13 long-ball attempts. Of course, Bonucci is scapegoated by some for all of the problems in Juve's defense. This has been the case ever since he arrived.

This is the second week in a row where a smaller side has put up a strong fight against Juventus. This is due both to problems with the play of Juventus and greater effort by the smaller sides. Juventus are now being thought of by opposing managers as one of the top teams in Italy. They are a top of the table side, and teams usually bring their A-game against top of the table sides. Usually.

There was one more area where Juventus really had trouble today. Their passing in the final third was atrocious. They struggled to string together more than two forward passes once they got into the final third. The frontline also underwent a complete transformation over the course of the game. The starters were Alessandro Matri (playing as a striker), with Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe on the wings.

Pepe would be subbed out for Alessandro Del Piero, who had a decent game but struggled with his finishing. Del Piero's finishing has been poor all season, and he's yet to break in the new Juventus Arena with a goal. He had a chance today, with a header off of a Pirlo free kick, but his header went straight to the Cagliari keeper Michael Agazzi and was saved.

Alessandro Matri was subbed out for Milos Krasic, and we already know how Milos played.

Vucinic went out for newly arrived Marco Borriello. I mentioned earlier that Borriello played poorly, but that he did not have much time to show anything, really. He had only seven touches, but he was still dispossessed twice. He was never really given the ball at a time when Cagliari were particularly vulnerable. It's going to take some more time for us to really see what Borriello can do for Juventus.

Today's result is disappointing. Last week, the team struggled against Lecce but still managed to pull out a 1-0 victory and three points. This week, they stumbled to a 1-1 draw at home. The one point earned by Conte's men puts them in first place over Milan by one point. Luckily for Juve, Udinese lost 3-2 to Genoa.

The Bianconeri players laid a big fat stinking egg on the pitch today. They have one more opportunity to pick up a clean three points next Saturday, away at Atalanta. They better win that game, because my birthday is on Friday and so it's basically their present to me.

The following Saturday, a big game at home against Udinese awaits Juventus. The last Udinese-Juvenuts match was a tense 0-0 draw, and this one has an even bigger implication on the Scudetto race, as this is the final matchup between the two sides, and thus, there is no longer a chance to avenge a negative result. Hopefully, Juventus can shake off their recent struggles and continue winning. Praise Conte, and Forza Juve.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 7973]

Serie A Week 18 - 15-1-2012 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 1

Mirko Vučinić (7')

Andrea Cossu (48′)

Juventus Arena - Turin

Referee: Marco Guida

Attendance: 30874‎

Bonucci stands up for Juve

Jan 16, 2012

Leonardo Bonucci has defended his Juventus teammates after their 1-1 draw against Cagliari on Sunday.

The Old Lady moved clear at the top of the standings thanks to Milan’s loss against Inter last night, but their failure to beat the Sardinian outfit has been highlighted by critics.

“We’re top and we’re alone up there,” the defender wrote on his official website on Monday afternoon.

“I wanted to start with that phrase because I’ve heard a lot of criticism aimed at us because we didn’t win.

“I, however, want to remind everyone that we are in first place and we are unbeaten.

“It’s obvious that winning would have been best, but we’ll take this draw and we’ll look to the future with optimism and faith.

“We face Atalanta next and it’ll be a battle like against Cagliari. We have just one requirement and that is to try to win the game.”

The Old Lady, who are a point clear of Milan, have now gone 18 games without defeat. That is their longest unbeaten start to a campaign and surpasses the achievement of the 1949-50 side.

Oddly, all of Juve’s home draws this season have come against sides whose clubs colours are Rossoblu – Bologna, Genoa and Cagliari.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/