Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Player Ratings: AC Milan 0-1 Juventus

Sep 20, 2014

Juventus defeated AC Milan 1-0 in Serie A on Saturday evening.

The Bianconeri fully deserved the three points, after Carlos Tevez finished off a clever move with team mate Paul Pogba, as the away side dominated huge periods of the match.

Claudio Marchisio also hit a post for Massimiliano Allegri’s team, as Milan were brushed aside quite comfortably despite the tight scoreline.

AC Milan

Christian Abbiati – 6 – Confident

The Milan keeper looked in good form, deputising for the injured Diego Lopez. Could do nothing about the Tevez goal but certainly offered a safe pair of hands in the absence of the team’s number one goalkeeper.

Ignazio Abate – 5.5 – Ineffective
More was expected of the Italian international but he failed to link in any way with Keisuke Honda and offered very little in terms of an attacking threat. His defending was adequate but nothing more.

Christian Zapata – 5.5 – Difficult
A huge error early in the first half was mixed in with some good defending given the torrid time he was given by both Tevez and Fernando Llorente. Will need to be more consistent if he is to cement a starting spot.

Adil Rami – 5.5– Insecure
Similar performance to Zapata in that some good work was often spoiled by some shaky moments. The Milan defensive issues look far from fixed.

Mattia De Sciglio– 6 – Generous
Got forward much more than Abate and put in some decent crosses. Balanced it well with looking after the dangerous Stephan Lichsteiner and made sure he got back to cover the Swiss international wing back.

Andrea Poli – 5.5– Determined
Put in a shift but there is little difference in him, Muntari and De Jong. Much fetching and carrying, strong tackling and chasing but a Milan that has ambitions of winning the title will need something more in terms of a midfielder.

Nigel De Jong – 6 – Wrecking-Ball
Strong first half, breaking up much of the Juve play and attempting to start counter attacks. Faded in second half somewhat as the whole Milan team started to tire and suffer.

Sulley Muntari – 6– Aggressive
Played to his strengths, though there are not many. Box to box midfielder but offered little in creativity despite the functional makeup of the Milan central three midfielders.

Keisuke Honda ­­– 6 – Sacrificed
Played mostly in his own half, covering Abate and helping his side defend the wave of Juve attacks. Failed to attack the right flank with any regularity though had Milan’s best chance with a header in the first half.

Jeremy Menez – 7 – Dangerous
By far the most threatening player in red and black and ran himself into the ground trying to get something from the match. Is reveling in his false nine role and Juventus found it difficult to stop him as he played between their defence and midfield lines.

Stephan El Shaarawy – 6 – Threat
Always looked to beat his man and drive into the box whenever possible, with some success. Still a few games away from full match fitness, but the Pharaoh is beginning to find his old form from a couple of seasons ago.


Substitutes

Giacomo Bonaventura – 5 – 66 mins

Fernando Torres – 5 – 75 mins

Giampaolo Pazzini – no vote – 83 mins

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon – 6.5 – Blessed
Did not have an awful lot to do but made two great saves in the first half which could have put a totally different spin on the game had he not made the stops. Despite his age, Juventus would not want anyone else in goal right now.

Martin Caceres – 6 – Injured
The defender went about his job well enough but was unlucky to have to leave the field early due to injury.

Leonardo Bonucci – 6.5 – Calm
Defended well and looked composed in everything he did. Plenty of long balls played to his forwards to start off moves and was the best center back on the pitch.

Giorgio Chiellini – 5 – Liability
Huge error in first half almost allowed Menez in on goal and did not recover in terms of form throughout the game. Was fortunate the home team were not able to have sustained periods of pressure as he looked the weak link at the back.

Stephan Lichtsteiner – 6 – Motivated
Was a danger on the right hand side though De Sciglio did well to curb his runs into the box. But as usual, a huge part of the attacking Juventus strategy.

Paul Pogba – 6.5– Instrumental
Failed to get into the match early on and struggled to make an impact until he assisted thonda milanhe Tevez goal which gave him a huge confidence boost. Was Juve’s best player in last 20 minutes which was key to stopping any Milan comeback.

Claudio Marchisio ­– 6.5 – Playmaker
Hit a post in the first half and sat very deep, orchestrating maneuvers effectively in his role as the vice-Andrea Pirlo. Perhaps should have been sent off for a stamp but was only yellow carded.

Roberto Pereyra – 6.5 – Dynamic
The ex-Udinese midfielder was the outstanding performer in the first half and continued his form into much of the second before being subbed. Lung-busting runs into the box, dribbling and ball recovery were all part of his game. A massively important addition to Allegri’s squad.

Kwadwo Asamoah – 5.5 – Timid
Failed to capitalise on the wing defended by Abate and should have offered his side a bit more in the attacking third of the field.

Carlos Tevez – 7.5 – Indispensable
Incredible scoring form for the Argentine, who has been decisive in the Bianconeri’s last three games. Unstoppable at the moment not only in terms of goals but his overall contribution to the team.

Fernando Llorente ­– 6 – Strong
Didn’t score but the perfect partner to Tevez, often playing with his back to goal, occupying both opposition centre backs as his strike partner drops deep looking to make late runs. The classic ‘prima punta’.


Substitutes

Angelo Ogbonna – 6 – 34 mins

Arturo Vidal – no vote - 75 mins

Romulo – no vote – 82 mins

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Allegri: Juventus-Milan wasn't
about revenge for me

The 47-year-old was sacked by the Rossoneri in January but he led
the Bianconeri to a 1-0 win over his former employers at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Sep 20, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri insisted that he did not view Sunday's 1-0 win over AC Milan as revenge for his San Siro dismissal.

The 47-year-old was fired by the Rossoneri in January of this year only to be appointed as Antonio Conte's successor as Bianconeri boss in July.

Allegri triumphed on his return to the Giuseppe Meazza thanks to Carlos Tevez's second-half goal but he was adamant that the win was not a case of getting one over on his former employers.

"It was not a normal game; I would be a hypocrite to say otherwise," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"At Milan, I experienced intense moments, but this is absolutely not revenge.

"In this moment, I'm the coach of Juventus but the Rossoneri bench was an important period in my career. There, I had a lot of satisfaction.

"But I'm lucky and proud to coach this squad."

Allegri was booed and whistled by some sections of the stadium but he was not in the least bit perturbed by the hostility.

"These are normal things," he told Mediaset Premium. "There's a great rivalry between the two clubs.

"But Milan, despite this defeat, are a team capable of fighting for the top three places.

"For us, this was a difficult game against a direct rival for the Scudetto."

Allegri also insisted that there is no animosity between himself and Milan coach Pippo Inzaghi, whom he coached as a player.

"We greeted one another normally," he said. "When he was playing he saw things in a different way, but that's normal."

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Vialli Confident Over Juventus Superiority

Sep 20, 2014

Former Juventus striker Gianluca Vialli believes AC Milan still have a long way to go to reach the level of his former club.

The former Italian international after watching Juventus record a win at the San Siro over AC Milan, thanks to a Carlos Tevez goal, believes they deserved to win the game.

Vialli working as a pundit for Sky Sport Italia gave his assessment of the teams after the game, “Between the two teams there is still much difference, Juve is another level and won with merit.”

The former Bianconeri forward continued “Juve played well and never got weary in search of the opening goal, the Milan I’ve seen tonight were to predictable and their forwards were to easily contained.”

Vialli scored over 280 goals in his illustrious career making over 500 appearances in all competitions.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Tevez: Our patience paid off

The Argentine struck the only goal of the game as the Old Lady
saw off Milan 1-0 on Saturday to maintain their Serie A lead.

Sep 21, 2014

Carlos Tevez praised Juventus' patience as they were made to wait to secure a 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Saturday.

The Argentine struck his second league goal of the season, his fourth in all competitions, after Juve went close on a number of occasions through Roberto Pereyra, Giorgio Chiellini and Fernando Llorente.

Like in their victory over Malmo in the Champions League Massimiliano Allegri's side needed to be patient to maintain their 100 per cent start in all competitions.

Nigel de Jong paid particularly close attention to Tevez but, like his team-mates, he waited for his opportunity to come and took full advantage to make the difference.

"There weren't many opportunities today because De Jong was always waiting for me," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"We expected a game like this, as Milan were coming off two wins, but we had confidence and were always in the match

"I managed to score eventually and I am happy."

Juventus remain top of the table after the win and are yet to concede a goal in their three Serie A matches so far this season.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Zapata: Juventus were too much for Milan

The defender concedes his side were second best against the Old Lady
but remains upbeat that the Rossoneri will improve on last season's showing.

Sep 21, 2014

AC Milan defender Cristian Zapata concedes that reigning champions Juventus were too much for his side on Saturday night.

Carlos Tevez grabbed the only goal of the game as the Old Lady saw off Filippo Inzaghi’s side at San Siro, ending Milan’s perfect start to the Serie A season which began with victories over Lazio and Parma.

But Zapata remains upbeat over the Rossoneri’s chances of improving on last season’s disappointment of an eighth place finish which saw them fail to qualify for European competition for the first time in 14 years.

"With their quality, Juve punished us. It was a very hard match and we wanted to achieve more. We wanted to be more courageous and in the end we weren’t able to do so," the Colombia internationaltold the club's website.

"We’re a bit down, but we’re at the start and on Tuesday we have an important match against Empoli.

"We want to get back on track. There is a whole season ahead and we have to look forward. We definitely didn’t achieve what we should have today.

Zapata’s central defensive partner Adil Rami echoed those sentiments, adding that he and Zapata had shown they are forging a fine partnership at the back.

"We’re at the beginning of the season and this result shows we have to work more. They’re a good side, with Tevez and Llorente for us it was hard. Physically it was very tough," Rami said.

"Zapata and I showed that we can hold our own, but we have lots of respect for Inzaghi and his choices. We will always ensure that we’re ready. We have all said that nothing is over, that we’re still at the start and that we have to continue to work and get back on track."

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Inzaghi: I'm not angry
with Juventus defeat

The Rossoneri boss says he was proud of his players' performances in spite
of the fact that they lost their 100 per cent record to the reigning champions.

Sep 21, 2014

AC Milan coach Pippo Inzaghi insisted that he was not "angry" or disappointed after Sunday's 1-0 loss to Juventus.

Carlos Tevez scored the only goal of the game in the Serie A showdown at San Siro, slotting home in the 71st minute after being put through by a sublime pass from Paul Pogba.

Juve were full value for their victory but Inzaghi insisted that he was not deflated after his side's first defeat of the season.

"I'm not angry," the former Milan striker told Sky Sport Italia. "I've only seen positive things.

"We did our best against an extraordinary team. We could also have taken the lead through [Keisuke] Honda's header in the first half.

"But Juve did not steal anything. We should be proud of our performance. The game was decided by a goal created by two champions.

"We are disappointed that we were not at the level of Juventus, but it was perhaps too much to expect because last season we only had around 50 points.

"I want to be realistic. I thought that beating Juve tonight would have been a miracle. They were good, credit to them.

"But this game will not affect our belief in ourselves. With this desire and this way of doing things, slowly but surely we will go far.

"We knew that we could not be perfect after three games. On Tuesday, we play Empoli and we will try get back on top.

"Then, in December, we'll see where we are. We're going to try to grow in order to reach the same level of Juve and Roma."

Inzaghi also insisted that he was not bitter about having lost to a side coached by former Milan boss Massmiliano Allegri, whom he served under during his playing days.

"It was all sorted. There were misunderstandings in the past. Now, he's at Juve, and I'm doing the job of my dreams."

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Carlos Tévez can't stop scoring goals,
Juventus subdue Milan 1-0 at the San Siro

Sep 21, 2014

All the elements for a dramatic nail-biter were there: Massimiliano Allegri's first game back at his former employers, with three-time champions Juventus visiting a Milan side that appeared rejuvenated in the last two games under new manager Filippo Inzaghi, whose playing days were curtailed by Allegri a couple of years ago.

Juventus dominated the game as expected, though Inzaghi's curious tactics of sitting too deep in the second half of the game will come under scrutiny in the following days. Pippo's side is not necessarily blessed with too much quality, but the former striker has managed to squeeze some determination out of his players and the way Milan hurled themselves after the ball showed there might still be some hope for the Rossoneri.

Allegri will be relieved in the end to have picked up three points after it looked like this would be one more of the numerous games Juve have played against provinciale sides over the last couple of years with ten (sometimes eleven) men behind the ball. The magic of Andrea Pirlo was missed today as the Old Lady sometimes struggled for inspiration to break down the two lines of five that the home side presented. On this day though, luckily for Juve, superstar referee Nicola Rizzoli did not fall for Milan's late-game antics and kept the game in check.

Milan for their part have looked better this year after an abysmal 2013-14 season - this game generated plenty of buzz, the San Siro selling out with a Serie A record for ticket sale income €3.2m. With all the offseason additions and no European distractions, Milan should do better than finishing 45 points adrift of Juventus like last season.

MATCH SUMMARY

Roberto Pereyra got the start instead of a supposedly fit Arturo Vidal in the middle, while Giorgio Chiellini finally played in his first game of the Serie A season, slotting back into his customary position on the left of the back three. Meanwhile, Pippo decided to go with an ultra-conservative three-man midfield - Sulley Muntari and Andrea Poli playing alongside Nigel De Jong in the middle of a 4-3-3 is hardly an attacking lineup.

The opening quarter of hour was marked by hard challenges flying in on both sides. Juventus and Milan were both looking determined to protect their unbeaten records, with the home team getting the first clear chance of the game just before the half hour mark. Muntari's cross into the box hovered tantalizingly for Keisuke Honda to sneak in but his header was brilliantly palmed away by the otherwise-idle Gianluigi Buffon.

Juve were in their ascendancy in this back-and-forth half, with the lively Pereyra at the heart of most of their creative efforts. Milan's veteran goalie Christian Abbiati first saved from Fernando Llorente and then pushed away a shot from Pereyra before watching helplessly as Claudio Marchisio strode through and crashed his shot off the post.The half was marred for Juventus as in-form defender Martin Caceres had to leave the game favoring his right leg, with Angelo Ogbonna stepping in for him.

In the second half, it was Milan that looked like they had played a midweek Champions League game as they retreated into a deep shell and allowed Juventus to spray the ball around as they probed for an opening in the backline. The away team were missing the critical last pass time and again as they failed to penetrate the massed ranks. It was going to take a magical touch to get the breakthrough, and on 71 minutes Paul Pogba duly obliged with a sublime return pass that allowed the warrior Carlos Tevez through on goal to neatly slot past Abbiati.

Just minutes earlier Inzaghi had taken off a poor Stephan El Sharaawy for new signing midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura as he looked ready to settle for the point. The goal prompted him to throw on on-loan striker Fernando Torres and then veteran Giampaolo Pazzini, but couldn't create any clear-cut chances. Allegri brought on Arturo Vidal and Romulo to close out the game which Juve duly did.

LE PAGELLE

Buffon: 7 - A seven again, but once again had little to do - stepped up superbly when needed though.

Caceres: 7.5 - Has been on an excellent run of form and kept El Shaarawy under wraps while he on the pitch.

Bonucci: 8 - Stellar performance today, in command at the back and always looked in charge when playing the ball out of the back. Ensured the dangerous Jeremy Menez had nowhere to go.

Chiellini: 7 - Chiello looked a little rusty in his first League outing, but made a couple of crucial interceptions.

Lichtsteiner: 7.5 - The cliche never gets old with the Swiss wingback - same solid effort, every game.

Pereyra: 7.5 - Best game so far from Pereyra - looked particularly lively in the first half, unlucky not to have a goal.

Marchisio: 8 - Really came into his own in the second half, is quite enjoying his Pirlo-replacement role.

Pogba: 7.5 - Was surprisingly quiet in the first half, but when afforded the time and space on the ball in the second half, he terrorized the Milan defenders.

Asamoah: 6.5 - The Ghanaian put in a functional performance, giving Juve a creative outlet on the left wing.

Tevez: 8 - Nigel De Jong had called him a 'warrior' pre-game, and he lived up to his billing, obliging with a goal too.

Llorente: 7 - The Spaniard does a couple of things, but does them really well. His hold-up play was fantastic as always, but struggled to get away from Cristian Zapata.

Subs:

Ogbonna: 7 - The left-footed defender fit in seamlessly despite having to come into the game after half an hour and playing on the right.

Vidal: N/A - He looked rusty, but Juve fans will be glad to just see him on the pitch again.

Romulo: N/A - Made his Serie A debut for Juve. Looked like he was trying too hard, which can hardly be faulted.

Coach:

Allegri: 7 - This rating will start to drop the longer we see Juve go without any changes from previous seasons. Today's performance looked like any one of numerous away games the Bianconeri have played against inferior opposition that cede possession to them, 59% today. Allegri still doesn't show that he has any new ideas on how to break down the opposition in games like that.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Bonucci: Juventus were almost perfect

The centre-back was delighted with his team's performance
in their 1-0 win over Milan at San Siro on Saturday night.

Sep 21, 2014

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci says his side were almost perfect in their 1-0 away win over Milan on Saturday.

The Bianconeri are yet to concede a goal in competive action this term, winning all three of their Serie A fixtures so far and beating Malmo 2-0 in their first Champions League group stage fixture.

“We often see teams defend against Juventus,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia .

“We were almost perfect and proved our strength once more.

"Milan were coming off a difficult season and are eager to turn things around, but it was always going to be tough for them against a side like Juve that has won so much.”

Saturday's game, at a sold-out San Siro, was decided by a lone second-half strike from Carlos Tevez, ending Milan's own perfect start to the season.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Familiarity carries Old Lady past Milan

Sep 21, 2014

At the San Siro, a ground that now boasts renewed enthusiasm and the familiar scent of confidence, Milan had high hopes but Juventus won, playing an intelligent and patient game in a 1-0 victory.

Milan, for all their hunger going forward and improved defensive display, are still not yet the unit Juventus are, but we expect nothing less. While the Bianconeri are often guilty of impatience, forcing the issue and wasting possession due to their enthusiasm, they are never quite as difficult to beat as when they play a controlled and patient game -- relentless in their desire to uncover gaps and create goal-scoring opportunities.

The Old Lady immediately showed their ambition, but Milan retaliated by displaying the power and speed of their attack, attempting to counterattack to devastating effect. Jeremy Menez was the best Milan had on the pitch, his tactical intelligence and technique putting the Bianconeri under some pressure, but it was Juventus that were better on the ball and secure enough defensively to attack consistently.

While Gianluigi Buffon was called on to make a terrific save, it was surprising how much space the Rossoneri afforded the Juve players eager to penetrate the final third. Stepping back until they fell deeper and deeper, Pippo Inzaghi's men must learn how to close down the ball quicker and actually go in and make a tackle rather than allowing the opponent to make their way forward unimpeded. Instead, they often allowed Massimiliano Allegri's men to dribble though, carrying the ball, especially the centre-backs and Claudio Marchisio, who nearly scored the opening goal.

Milan committed the same errors as the last time the two giants took each other on in March. In the last match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Carlos Tevez was allowed all the time in the world to take a shot and show off his technique to score Juve's second. While Inzaghi is working on developing the side, he must focus on getting his men to close down chances quicker and not leave their opponents with so much time to create or shoot as they often did last season and again last night.

Yet while Milan's limitations became obvious in their continued search for unity and an identity, Juventus must be applauded for their character and confidence - a team that always believed that the win would come if they persisted.

Nigel De Jong did his utmost to mute the impact Tevez can make but Fernando Llorente worked on pushing the Milan defence back. Attacking from all angles, there was a real balance to Juve's attacking game. Roberto Pereyra worked tirelessly, contributing to both phases of the game and exploiting space while nearly every quality move initiated by the Old Lady went through Paul Pogba.

Allegri was angry with the Frenchman, a player he sees as capable of so much more. While his contributions to the game came in fits and spurts, his quality is undeniable. It is practically impossible to rob him of possession while his vision and affinity with the ball inspire adulation. There was nothing quite as beautiful as his pass -- that perfect assist for Tevez to score the only goal of the game.

Inzaghi attempted to stimulate his side to change the course of the game and even changed formations, playing with two up front yet little could be done to penetrate a Juve defence that has not conceded a Serie A goal since April.

Fitness also proved to be an important issue as despite the fact Juventus had played a Champions League game midweek, they still looked the more energetic between the two sides with Milan falling apart in the last quarter of the game. Their passes less accurate, their decisions less intelligent, they must improve their fitness levels and learn how to better manage their energy if they are to overcome better sides.

The same can be said of Pereyra and Marchisio. Il Principino not only played the Andrea Pirlo role well, launching his lovely vertical passes forward but was also on hand to make timely runs into the box. However, he too surrendered to exhaustion and needs to understand his body better, pacing himself to ensure he doesn't run risks as he did towards the end of the game.

As Juventus continue to improve, so will Milan. It's clear that at the moment that no side has the cohesiveness of the Champions, and it will be some time before Inzaghi can create a similarly devastating squad. However, Juventus should also learn from this game and understand that if they display as much confidence and composure in their European matches as they do in Serie A, easier victories will be achieved.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

AC Milan 0-1 Juventus – Tactical Analysis

Sep 22, 2014

AC Milan hosted Juventus for the first time this season in Serie A, as the home side looked to continue their unbeaten run in the league so far. Both the teams arrived at the San Siro with two back-to-back wins with Juventus even victorious in midweek in the UEFA Champions League. A lot has changed on the managerial front for both of these Italian teams, with the most notable one being the change in coaches. While Milan placed their faith in Inzaghi, who had earlier won everything there is with the Milan Primavera, Juventus appointed Allegri, who was removed after Milan’s nightmare start last season.


The coaches

Both the coaches had a history between them, as it was reported that Inzaghi and Allegri clashed at least on three separate occasions during Allegri’s reign at Milan. The last of those came during Inzaghi’s last year, when he overcame a career-threatening ACL tear to make it to the first team. In spite of being fit and ready to play, he rarely saw any action and it came to such a situation that Inzaghi even thought of leaving Milan in the January transfer window to look for regular playing time.

With such animosity between these two individuals, the clash was hyped to be one between Inzaghi and Juventus rather than between Milan and Juventus. Although both of them downplayed the past incidents in their interviews, one felt that whichever team scored would automatically prove a point in their favor. While Allegri visited the San Siro dugout for the first time since his removal and immediately took the opposition seat, Inzaghi walked over to the Juventus dugout and exchanged pleasantries. A moment for the camera, but one with far-reaching consequences.


The formations

Milan stuck to their 4-3-3 formation as this was the one which had given them goals and points in their previous two matches. While the attacking talent was there for all to see, the defensive lapses exposed Milan’s vulnerability at the back. Having lost Diego Lopez and Saponara to injury, Milan also missed Bonera with a suspension. In a bid to heighten their attacking options, Milan called up El Shaarawy and new recruit, Torres to the first team. Milan changed their back-line, opting to field Rami and Zapata as the central defensive duo. While the midfield remained the same, it did transmit a sense of desperation rather than options for Inzaghi. With Montolivo and Saponara out of the squad, Milan does have some muscle in the midfield, but Inzaghi is yet to use any of them so far. El Shaarawy returned to the forward line replacing Bonaventura as Menez once more started in the false nine position.

When Allegri was appointed the head coach at Juventus, it was expected that he will change the formation to his favored 4-3-3. However, he stuck with their tried and tested 3-5-2 formation. So far this season, Juventus are yet to concede a goal and that goes a long way to show that the players have continued the process after the departure of Conte. Leading the most accomplished team in the subcontinent isn’t an easy affair, but to Allegri’s credit, he hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. The midweek victory over Malmo helped in that regard. For Juventus, Marrone and Pirlo missed this match due to injury and even though there was some doubt over Vidal, he was eventually included in the team. Juventus have a very solid back-line in Caceres-Bonucci-Chiellini, with players like Pereyra, Marchisio and Pogba providing the impetus from the midfield. Llorente and Tevez formed the strike force, with Llorente sometimes playing the role of a single striker with Tevez dropping a bit deeper.


The match

The match started at a slow pace with both teams feeling out each other before going for the kill. Inzaghi’s Milan deployed a fast counter-attacking formula against Juventus’ high intensity tireless running all over the pitch. Juventus deployed a high line from the very onset and as the match progressed, Milan midfield was pushed back to their own half. It was not that they did not have the possession or the ball, but anytime a Milan midfielder had possession, he was hounded till the point he retreated to his own half. Pereyra, Marchisio and Pogba pressured De Jong and Muntari as Poli preferred to play a bit higher role. The first chance of the match came Juventus’ way when Pereyra shot over the bar. Milan slowly gained confidence and composure as the first half progressed and their first real chance came when Honda headed straight to Buffon. Milan had Abbiati at the back saving them on many occasions with most of them coming from Llorente. The home side tried to shackle Tevez and for some portions of the match, they succeeded in doing that. Before the end of the first half, Llorente had a one on one saved against Abbiati. Marchisio came the closest to scoring as his shot hit the woodwork. Ogbonna came on for Caceres for what appeared to be a muscle problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf-Jd9QP68w

The second half started a bit slower than the first, with the visitors keeping possession of the ball and Milan looking to break with Menez and El Shaarawy. Menez was a nuisance throughout the match, but lacked in his positional sense. It is a known fact that Menez likes playing on the left – a place where El Shaarawy was operating and during many occasions, he was seen drifting to the left, leaving a hole in the middle. At times, El Shaarawy became the central striker. Bonaventura replaced El Shaarawy soon after and minutes later, Tevez scored the only goal of the night. Working his way through a forest of Milan midfielders and defenders, Tevez waited for Abbiati to commit before finishing in the far corner. A flurry of substitutions followed from both the sides, with Milan throwing in four forwards and Juventus only replacing Pereyra with Vidal. While Milan attacked with vigor, Juventus defense held firm. Even a fast Torres could not get past the stubborn formation.


Aftermath

A victory was expected from Juventus, with the final score line confirming their status as the top team in Italy. Milan have only just began their journey and it will take quite some time till they become Scudetto material but it has been an encouraging start from Milan this season. They have to address their concerns at the back if they are to finish high up the table this season. Juventus, on the other hand, has continued so easily under Allegri that one wonders whether there has been any change at all at the helm. The victory leaves Juventus rightfully at the top of the table.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

MILAN 0 - 1 JUVENTUS

-

Carlos Tévez 71'

Saturday, September 20th, 2014 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) Stadium - Milan
Referee: ‬Nicola Rizzoli

Pretenders slow in pursuit

The big guns of Juventus and Roma keep on rolling, but the pretenders
to their dominance have started to show fragility already, writes Alasdair Mackenzie.

Sep 22, 2014

It may be one of football’s most tired clichés, but the ability to ‘win ugly’ is universally regarded as an essential asset of a title-winning side. Not that Juventus or Roma have particularly needed to yet. After another week in which last season’s top two recorded victories, it is already quite hard to see a way in which another Serie A side will threaten to break their stranglehold of the League’s top places.

Three games in, both the Giallorossi and La Vecchia Sigora are yet to concede a goal. After the excitement of a goal-fuelled opening two weeks for Pippo Inzaghi’s Milan, many hoped Saturday night’s clash at San Siro would shake things up finally, but instead Carlos Tevez scored to secure the three points. The Argentine’s bizarre celebration was perhaps an offering to break the monotony of Bianconeri dominance.

Roma strode past Zdenek Zeman’s stuttering Cagliari side and look equally unflappable. Given that both sides had midweek Champions League ties that also ended victoriously, it is clear that Serie A’s pretenders will have their work cut out keeping up.

And this was a week in which the pretenders showed worryingly familiar signs of fragility. Milan failed to provide their fans with the home win over Juve that they desperately crave. The Curva Sud unfurled a banner that read ‘A year of rage to become great again’, but after the performance many will be thinking that much more than rage is needed at San Siro.

On the other side of the city, a Nemanja Vidic howler continued the Serbian’s nightmare start to his Serie A career and resulted in the Nerazzurri being held to a draw away to plucky Palermo. Defensive mishaps are not unfamiliar to Inter fans, but this will give many Interisti a much larger dose of reality than smacking seven past Sassuolo provided last week.

Likewise, Lazio suffered from familiar problems on a couple of fronts. Firstly, the inability to be clinical in front of goal, as a host of chances went begging at Marassi, and secondly, unbelievably bad luck with injuries. The impressive Santiago Gentiletti may now have six months out after barely 150 minutes of Serie A football, with Lucas Biglia and Dusan Basta also likely to be long-term absentees.

However, Rafael Benitez’s Napoli are again the most obvious example of underperformance. The Spaniard watched his side lose 1-0 to Andrea Stramaccioni’s impressive Udinese, conceding yet another goal from a set piece and looking as sharp as a hammer up front. The opening day win against Genoa is feeling very distant now and the home tie against Palermo on Wednesday could see a rather unsettled fan base.

Going against this pattern, Fiorentina finally got off the mark with their first win of the season, beating Atalanta 1-0. Vincenzo Montella’s side were very impressive last year but have been slow starters this time round. Their young Coach will have to rediscover his side’s spark without Giuseppe Rossi, and do all he can to get Mario Gomez firing.

One of the charms of last season’s Serie A campaign was that some pretenders to the European positions came from unexpected places – Parma, Torino and Verona.

Roberto Donadoni’s team lost their opening two matches, suggesting their fleeting moment of success had passed, but they showed remarkable spirit to come back from behind and defeat Chievo 3-2. There was an inspired performance from Antonio Cassano, scorer of two goals, and Donadoni will need more of the same from his star man in the coming months if they are to replicate last season’s wonder run.

Verona were certainly expected to drop off after a poor finish to last season and the sales of Romulo and Juan Iturbe. However, their win over a struggling Torino shows promise for another great story to take place as they sit in third place after three rounds. Players are already staking their claim to be the new Bentegodi heroes and goalkeeper Rafael may well be just that after his stunning double save from Omar El Kadourri’s late penalty that sealed the points for his side.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Preview: Juventus vs. Cesena

Sep 22, 2014

Juventus are expected to record a routine Serie A victory when they entertain Cesena on Wednesday evening.

The Italian champions have begun their title defence with three wins and three clean sheets from as many matches.

They passed their first big test of the season on Saturday when Carlos Tevez's goal downed Massimiliano Allegri's former club AC Milan.

The Argentine striker has scored in his last three matches and will be confident of continuing that run against a Cesena side who have started the season steadily, but have never beaten Juventus.

Pierpaolo Bisoli's team have picked up four points from three games since gaining promotion back to the top flight, but threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Empoli at the weekend.

Nicola Leali and Horour Magnusson are unavailable for the visitors due to the conditions of their loan moves from Juventus, and so Federico Agliardi will likely make his first appearance of the season in goal.

Juventus will be without Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres for a few weeks after he suffered a calf strain at the San Siro, and so former Manchester United man Patrice Evra may return at left-back.

Allegri could use this match as an opportunity to rest several players ahead of the trip to Atalanta on Saturday, with Paul Pogba, Fernando Llorente and Leonardo Bonucci all having been ever presents thus far.

Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal is still working his way back to match fitness and may start in the centre of the park.


Recent form

Juventus: WWWW

Cesena: DLWW


Possible starting lineups

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Evra; Marchisio, Asamoah, Vidal; Tevez, Morata, Giovinco

Cesena: Agliardi; Lucchini, Volta, Capelli, Renzetti; Giorgi, Coppola, Cascione, Brienza, Marilungo, Defrel


Sports Mole says: 3-0

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Juventus V Cesena – Team News,
Tactics, Line-Ups And Prediction

Sep 22, 2014

Juventus host newly promoted Romagna based side Cesena on Wednesday at the Juventus stadium in Turin. The start of the season has been solid so far for new head coach Massimilliano Allegri with Juventus claiming 9 points in 3 games without conceding a goal. A professional display saw them grab a vital win away at the San Siro last Saturday and Allegri will be hoping to keep up the winning run in this busy schedule of games. The two sides met earlier this season in a friendly which ended 0-0 but it would be a big surprise if Cesena manage to get anything out of this game.

Cesena come into this game as one of the weakest teams in this division. They lack significant quality in their roster and survival would be a miracle for them this season. The Seahorses started well with a win in their opening game but have struggled since then. Team manager Pierpaolo Bisoli understands the magnitude of the task ahead of him and is likely to setup his team to grab a draw which will be a massive point for them even at this early stage of the season. But how far that is achievable is a question that will be answered tomorrow night at the Juventus stadium.


Team news and tactical brief

Juventus

Juventus have more or less settled on a 3-5-2 formation this season with their head coach Massimilliano Allegri recently pointing out that without Andrea Barzagli it is almost impossible to switch to a back four. Barzagli was not summoned against Milan but he will be on the bench for this game. Martin Caceres picked up an injury against Milan so Giorgio Chiellini, Angelo Ogbonna and Leonardo Bonucci are expected to start on Wednesday. Patrice Evra started on the bench against Milan but he should be the holder on the left flank for this game while summer signing Romulo is likely to get his debut on Wednesday night as the right fullback.

Arturo Vidal looked very confident on the pitch against Milan but Allegri will have one eye on the Champions League game so it is most likely that Roberto Pereyra will deputize for the Chilean. Andrea Pirlo is still nursing his knee injury so Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio should continue to run the show in the middle of the park. Upfront finally it will be the much awaited debut of new recruit Alvaro Morata. His cameos as a sub were impressive enough to suggest that he can add quality to an already strong team. Alongside him the relentless Apache Carlitos Tevez will be looking to continue his explosive start to the new season.

Probable Starting Line-up (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini, Bonucci, Ogbonna; Romulo, Pogba, Pereyra, Marchisio, Evra; Tevez, Morata

Cesena

Cesena have had an indifferent start to the season although they won their first game at home. They would be immensely disappointed to throw away a 2 goal lead against Empoli on Saturday. Bisoli is known to rotate his players throughout the season while he never settles on a single formation for the entire season. The first three games of the season have been more of a 4-3-1-2 module which is likely to continue here as well although the team will be more defensive on Wednesday. On loan Juventus keeper Nicola Leali will be guarding the goal with experienced central back pair Massimo Volta and Stefano Lucchini in front of him. Daniele Capelli will be handed the task to check the right side of the defence while Francesco Renzetti will be on the opposite flank.

The flat 3man midfield lacks creativity but that won’t be a concern for Bisoli as their main aim would be to stifle the free flowing Juventus midfield and offer little space for them to work. Keeping that in mind, experienced customer Emmanuel Cascione is a safe bet to drive the team from the heart of the midfield. Rest of the load will be distributed between Manuel Coppola and Brazilian Ze Eduardo. On paper these names do not look likely to cause any trouble but teams sitting deep and packing the defence have posed problems to Juventus previously and one feels they would require an early goal to settle themselves better. Franco Brienza will be the playmaker in Bisoli’s lineup whose main job would be to keep an eye on Claudio Marchisio who will operate as a regista. Apart from this, he will be looking to feed the two frontmen Guido Marilungo and Alejandro Rodriguez.

Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-1-2): Leali; Capelli, Volta, Lucchini, Renzetti; Cascione, Coppola, Ze Eduardo; Brienza; Marilungo, Rodriguez


Players to Watch Out For

Claudio Marchisio (Juventus)

In absence of two protagonists in midfield Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo, doubts were raised how Juventus would cope in their absence. But all those doubts were comprehensively quashed and Claudio Marchisio deserves a special mention for this. Although Juventus have not yet lined up against a very strong midfield till now, but the ease with which Marchisio has slotted in the regista position is praiseworthy. His goal against Udinese was typical of him and he is expected to be the driving force once again on Wednesday night.

Nicola Leali (Cesena)

Standing at 6’2’’, Nicola Leali will be an important factor in Cesena’s quest for survival this season. Leali himself will be looking to impress his parent club on Wednesday. This is his first season in the top flight and his abilities will be fully tested as he has a pretty weak defence in front of him. A good show in Turin will further strengthen his position as one of the most promising goalkeepers in the peninsula.


Prediction

Juventus 2–0 Cesena

The games are coming thick and fast and although the busy fixture list might be a headache for Massimilliano Allegri yet this game should not cause any trouble. A relatively easy 2-0 win is expected for the Bianconeri.


Blast From the Past

Juventus ran out comfortable 2-0 winners last time these two sides met in 2011 thanks to goals from Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Juventus - Cesena Preview:
Hosts out to maintain perfect record

The Bianconeri have won their first three games of the new season
and will be confident of seeing off their mid-table opponents.

Sep 23, 2014

Juventus will be out to continue their strong start under new boss Massimiliano Allegri when they host Cesena in Serie A on Wednesday.

Allegri took over from Antonio Conte in the summer tasked with following the act of a man who had delivered three consecutive Scudetti.

After his tenure at Milan ended in an unceremonious departure following a poor run of results last season, doubts were raised in some quarters over whether Allegri would succeed in Turin, but general director Giuseppe Marotta made public his support for the coach on Monday.

Marrotta's praise is backed up by the facts; Allegri has begun in fine fashion, boasting a 100 per cent record in three Serie A matches this season, all won without conceding a goal.

The most impressive of these came on Saturday as Allegri returned to his former club and came away from San Siro with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Carlos Tevez's 71st-minute winner.

It was the Argentine's fourth goal in three matches, following his effort in the 2-0 win over Udinese and his brace in their Champions League success over Malmo, by the same scoreline.

Tevez will be hopeful of continuing that scoring run on Wednesday, while regular strike partner Fernando Llorente is yet to get off the mark.

The game also provides Juve with a chance to extend their remarkable home record, with the Turin giants boasting 20 consecutive league victories at Juventus Stadium, with their last Serie A defeat there coming against Sampdoria in January 2013.

The visitors, meanwhile, are looking to continue their solid start to the campaign after gaining promotion from Serie B in 2013-14.

Pierpaolo Bisoli's men have four points from their first three outings back in the top flight, thanks to a 1-0 win over Parma and a 2-2 draw at home with Empoli on Saturday.

Bisoli was unhappy with the officiating in that encounter as the visitors were handed what he thought was a controversial penalty to halve the deficit after Guido Marilungo and Gregoire Defrel had put them two goals to the good.

In their last outing away from Stadio Dino Manuzzi, Cesena were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Lazio, and they will have their work cut out if they are to pick up their first away point of the season on Wednesday.

Cesena continue to have concerns over Giuseppe De Feudis, Andrea Tabanelli, Nico Pulzetti and Riccardo Cazzola, who are all continuing their recovery from injuries.

For Juve, Martin Caceres has suffered a hyperextension of his hamstring and is unlikely to feature, while Andrea Pirlo remains a doubt with a similar problem.


HEAD TO HEAD

Serie A ‎- Apr 25, 2012 - Cesena 0 - 1 Juventus
Serie A -‎ Dec 4, 2011 - Juventus 2 - 0 Cesena
Serie A - Mar 12, 2011 - Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus
Serie A ‎- Nov 7, 2010 - Juventus 3 - 1 Cesena
Serie B -‎ May 6, 2007 - Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus


LAST FIVE MATCHES

JUVENTUS

Sep 20, 2014 - AC Milan 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A
Sep 16, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 0 Malmo FF - UCL
Sep 13, 2014 - Juventus 2 - 0 Udinese - Serie A
Aug 30, 2014 - Chievo 0 - 1 Juventus - Serie A
Aug 10, 2014 - A-League All Stars 2 - 3 Juventus - Friendly


CESENA

Sep 20, 2014 - Cesena 2 - 2 Empoli - Serie A
Sep 14, 2014 - Lazio 3 - 0 Cesena - Serie A
Aug 31, 2014 - Cesena 1 - 0 Parma - Serie A
Aug 24, 2014 - Cesena 1 - 0 Casertana - Coppa Italia
Jun 18, 2014 - Latina 1 - 2 Cesena - Serie B

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

Lippi: Juventus & Roma on another level

The Guangzhou Evergrande coach thinks only two teams have
what it takes to challenge for the Scudetto this term.

Sep 23, 2014

Marcello Lippi believes Juventus and Roma will be the two teams fighting it out for the Serie A title this season.

Both the reigning champions and last term's runners-ups have collected nine points from their opening three games and the former Italy boss believes their rivals will face a tough task to close the gap.

"I really think that Serie A will be a two-horse race this season. I know that it's still early, but I think Roma and Juventus are on another level," Lippi told Corriere dello Sport.

"They have something extra compared to the other teams. And I'm not the only one who has that feeling.

"It's rather predictable. You don't need to be a magician to see this. The majority of the fans will have expected these two teams at the top of the table.

"Milan and Inter have had a good start and did well on the transfer market, but they are not at the same level yet.

"I think we should be expecting more from Napoli, although they are still a level below Juventus and Roma as well."

Juventus finished 17 points clear of Roma last season.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Bisoli: 'Tempo can hurt Juve'

Sep 23, 2014

Cesena Coach Pierpaolo Bisoli says the key to causing Juventus problems is “a high tempo and concentration.”

“Games like this are actually easier to prepare, because when playing against Juventus you cannot lack concentration,” noted Bisoli in his Press conference.

“We know it is a prohibitively difficult task for us, as Juve are unbeaten at home in two and a half years and kept a clean sheet for all four fixtures this season.

“We will try to make life difficult for them by keeping a high tempo and packing the midfield, therefore preventing their many champions from having the space to pick passes.”

Cesena were promoted into Serie A in June via the play-offs and lost only one of their opening three games.

“We are working to improve, but need a great deal of patience to reach our peak. I’d say four points after facing Parma, Lazio and Empoli is a decent tally.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Juventus squad for Cesena

Sep 23, 2014

Juventus are still without Andrea Barzagli, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Marrone and Martin Caceres against Cesena.

It kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET.

Caceres is awaiting further tests on a thigh injury, but could be out for several weeks after he limped off during the 1-0 victory over Milan.

Pirlo, Barzagli and Luca Marrone are still dealing with pre-season injuries.


Juventus squad for Cesena: Buffon, Romulo, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pogba, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Giovinco, Llorente, Bonucci, Padoin, Asamoah, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Storari, Evra, Rubinho, Pereyra, Mattiello

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

MATCH PREVIEW

Sep 23, 2014

Juventus meet Serie A new-boys Cesena in Turin this midweek hoping to extend their 100 per cent record so far this season.

A 1-0 victory over Milan on Saturday night was evidence that, despite the summer exit of Antonio Conte and arrival of Max Allegri in the dugout, Juventus remain the team to beat in Serie A.

Not only have three wins been recorded, but the Bianconeri backline has yet to be breached, and Juventus have looked extremely strong without ever hitting their top form in the campaign’s opening weeks.

Allegri insisted the victory at San Siro against his old employers was not a matter of revenge, and praised his side’s ‘handling’ of the game, “We created chances, including on the break, although we could have exploited them better on some occasions. But in terms of handling the ball after scoring, the guys were good, in playing and dealing with the pressing of Milan.”

Another victory is highly likely on Wednesday. Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner will be encouraged to stay wide when going forward, and central midfielders Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal will likely make lateral runs to take advantage of the lack of width in Cesena’s setup. Carlos Tevez, looking to get on the scoresheet for the fourth consecutive game in all competitions, will be a constant nuisance for the Cesena backline with his movement and work ethic.

Cesena’s return to the top-flight has been mixed, a win over Parma and defeat to Lazio followed up with a 2-2 draw with Empoli on Sunday, a game which saw the Seahorses race into a 2-0 lead before a second-half comeback rescued a point for Empoli.

Cesena will have to be at their very best defensively – their strong point during last year’s promotion campaign – to collect anything from the Juventus Stadium. Luigi Giorgi, Emmanuel Cascione and Manuel Coppola will provide a shield in front of the back four, the latter man also adept at carrying the ball forward on the counter, while Guido Marilungo’s lightening pace will also be important in attacking transitions.

Cesena’s start to the season has been promising, but it is difficult to see anything other than a comfortable Juventus victory on Wednesday night.

Keep an eye on: Nicola Leali (Cesena) – The highly-rated young goalkeeper is on loan from Juventus and will be hoping to catch the eye against his parent club. Agile and athletic, Leali is one of a few promising young Italian shot-stoppers to emerge over the past couple of seasons.

Form Guide: Juventus ( - -W W W) Cesena ( - -W L D)

Last season: Not played

Stat fact: Since moving to the Juventus Stadium in 2011, the Bianconeri have only failed to score in a league home game twice.

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Asamoah; Tevez, Llorente

Suspended: None

Cesena (probable): Leali; Capelli, Volta, Lucchini, Renzetti; Giorgi, Cascione, Coppola; Brienza; Defrel, Marilungo

Suspended: None

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Vidal to start against Cesena

Sep 24, 2014

Arturo Vidal is expected to start for Juventus tonight, as well as Romulo, whilst Alvaro Morata will continue from the bench.

Vidal had been out of action with a thigh injury since the international break, but made a brief return from the bench against Milan at the weekend.

The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport report that with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next midweek, the intention is to have the Chile international fit for that encounter.

So, the paper indicates that Vidal is favourite to come in for this evening’s Week 4 clash at home to Cesena.

Roberto Pereyra is believed likely to drop out, whilst Stephan Lichtsteiner is expected to be rested, with Romulo handed an opportunity from kick-off, and Patrice Evra starting on the opposite flank.

Morata’s search for full fitness will apparently only continue from the bench, though, with Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez seen as likely to start once more in attack.

Max Allegri did confirm that Andrea Barzagli’s return from injury is scheduled for October 1, the date of the match with Atletico.


Probable Juventus XI to face Cesena: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Romulo, Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Llorente, Tevez

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Cesena Goalkeeper Looking To Replace Buffon One Day

Sep 24, 2014

Cesena goalkeeper Nicola Leali admits that he is aiming to replace Gianluigi Buffon’s between the sticks at Juventus, but not in the near future.

The 21-year-old, who is seen as one of Europe’s most promising shot stoppers, joined the Bianconeri from Brescia in the summer of 2012, but was immediately sent out on loan to Lanciano for the 2012-13 campaign.

Despite never featuring for the Turin club, Leali is confident that he has what it takes to succeed at Juventus in the long term as he told Tuttosport.

“I would happily sign on to become Buffon’s heir in three years’ time.

“He is an idol for me. I still look back at my time with him and Storari in the dressing room at the start of the season with pride.

“I was impressed by everything he did. It would already be a dream for me to return to Juventus to be Buffon’s back-up.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

-

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Allegri: Juventus Must Defeat
The Small Teams To Win The Scudetto

Sep 24, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has stated that the Bianconeri must to beat small team’s like Cesena if they are going to win the title.

The Bianconeri host the Cavallucci Marini at the Juventus Stadium on Wednesday night but he is aware that Pierpaolo Bisoli’s side will not be an easy team to beat.

“They are in a good run of form. They concede little [and] in three matches they have given away only nine corners so they defend well,” Allegri said at his pre-match press conference as reported by TuttoMercatoWeb.

“To win championships you need to win above all with the small sides so you can face your direct opponents in a privileged position.”

Allegri has used the same formation as well as the key personnel that former Juventus coach Antonio Conte used but he believes that it is not necessary to make changes yet.

“I will not change the whole formation. We are at the start and there is no need to change for anyone trying to catch their breath,” Allegri concluded.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

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Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Line-ups: Juventus-Cesena

Sep 24, 2014

Juventus have high hopes of maintaining their 100 per cent record against newly-promoted Cesena.

It kicks off at 20.45 CET.

The Bianconeri won all four competitive matches this term, including the Champions League, without conceding a goal.

Martin Caceres joins the injury list along with Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli and Luca Marrone.

Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba are rested in favour of Sebastian Giovinco and Roberto Pereyra, but Arturo Vidal does start.

Cesena beat Parma in the opening round and fumbled a 2-0 lead with Empoli to draw 2-2 at the weekend.

Riccardo Cazzola, Andrea Tabanelli, Giuseppe De Feudis and Nico Pulzetti are still out of action.

There’s bad news for the Cavallucci Marini, as Franco Brienza and Massimo Volta are ruled out at the last minute by flu symptoms.

Cesena have a victory in Turin on their records, although it was awarded by the Disciplinary Commission in 1987-88 because a firework was thrown from the stands and exploded in front of the tunnel at the end of the first half.

Coach Max Allegri warned Juve that “the Scudetto is won against the smaller clubs,” so this is the perfect test after a 1-0 victory away to Milan.


Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Giovinco, Llorente

Cesena: Leali; Krajnc, Lucchini, Capelli; Perico, Giorgi, Cascione, Mazzotta, Renzetti; Defrel; Marilungo

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS - CESENA

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Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

HT 1-0: Vidal puts Juve in front

Sep 24, 2014

Arturo Vidal’s penalty has given Juventus the half-time lead over Cesena in Turin.

The Champions of Italy had won all four competitive games without conceding a goal going into this seemingly simple home test with newly-promoted Cesena. Martin Caceres joined Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli and Luca Marrone on the injury list, while Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba were rested. The Sea Horses fumbled a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Empoli at the weekend, but were still without Riccardo Cazzola, Andrea Tabanelli, Giuseppe De Feudis and Nico Pulzetti. Franco Brienza and Massimo Volta missed out at the last minute due to flu symptoms.

Sebastian Giovinco’s free kick was charged down, but his volley from the ricochet was palmed out from under the bar by Cesena’s Juve-owned goalkeeper Nicola Leali.

Angelo Ogbonna nodded another set play into Leali’s arms, but the referee awarded a penalty for Emmanuel Cascione’s handling offence, though he insisted he was trying to protect his face from Arturo Vidal’s fierce strike. The Chilean converted, even though Leali got a hand to it.

Gigi Buffon was given something to do when punching a Guido Marilungo long-range strike out from under the crossbar.

Fernando Llorente spun round to drill wide, while Giovinco’s curler and a Claudio Marchisio effort were off target.


Juventus 1-0 Cesena (Half-Time)

Scorers: Vidal pen 18 (J)

Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Giovinco, Llorente

Cesena: Leali; Krajnc, Lucchini, Capelli; Perico, Giorgi, Cascione, Mazzotta, Renzetti; Defrel; Marilungo

Ref: Giacomelli

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CESENA

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Arturo Vidal 18'
Arturo Vidal 64'
Stephan Lichtsteiner 85'

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Juventus 3-0 Cesena: Vidal double
makes it four wins in four

The Chile star scored two goals to maintain the champions' 100 per cent
record in the new Serie A campaign so far, with Stephan Lichsteiner grabbing the other.

Sep 24, 2014

Juventus kept up their 100 per cent start to the Serie A season as Arturo Vidal scored twice to guide them to a 3-0 win over Cesena on Wednesday.

The Chilean broke the deadlock from the spot after 17 minutes on Wednesday when Emmanuel Cascione was adjudged to have handled in the area.

Vidal's second was an emphatic effort from the edge of the area just after the hour, before Stephan Lichtsteiner wrapped up the win with a smart finish in the 85th minute.

In truth, the scoreline barely reflected the chasm between the two sides as the champions dominated throughout to extend new boss Massimiliano Allegri's record to five wins from five competitive fixtures, with zero goals conceded.

Cesena's attacking threat was virtually non-existent, with Gianluigi Buffon easily thwarting their only real attempt on goal - a Guido Marilungo long-range effort in the first half - as Juve eased to a staggering 21st consecutive home Serie A victory.

Allegri opted to rest Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba, with Roberto Pereyra and Giovinco coming in.

And it was Giovinco who made the first significant contribution of the game after nine minutes when his stunning volley was superbly tipped over by Nicola Leali.

The early exchanges resembled a training exercise, such was Juve's dominance, and Ogbonna should have done better with a free header after 15 minutes.

But the pressure told shortly after as Cascione was penalised for handling Pereyra's shot in the area, leaving Cesena's players furious.

And Vidal tucked the penalty into the bottom-left corner, although Leali will be disappointed after getting a hand to it.

Cesena finally gave Buffon something to do on the half-hour mark when Marilungo let fly from long range but the Juve captain was well positioned to palm it away.

But that chance was an exception to the rule of a first half controlled by the champions, with Fernando Llorente and Giovinco going close before the interval.

The pattern continued in the second half as Giovinco's shot from a narrow angle forced a low save from Leali and Vidal couldn't keep the rebound down.

Leali frustrated the Italian forward yet again after 60 minutes by tipping away a free kick destined for the top corner.

But Juve finally made the game safe after 63 minutes when Vidal controlled well and advanced towards the area before firing a fierce 20-yard drive past the despairing dive of Leali.

And Lichtsteiner gave the scoreline a more accurate look by calmly slotting home from Simone Padoin's pass late on.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CESENA

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Arturo Vidal 18'
Arturo Vidal 64'
Stephan Lichtsteiner 85'

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Piero Giacomelli

Arturo Vidal bagged a brace as
Juventus made short work of Cesena.

Sep 24, 2014

The Champions of Italy had won all four competitive games without conceding a goal going into this seemingly simple home test with newly-promoted Cesena. Martin Caceres joined Andrea Pirlo, Andrea Barzagli and Luca Marrone on the injury list, while Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba were rested. The Sea Horses fumbled a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Empoli at the weekend, but were still without Riccardo Cazzola, Andrea Tabanelli, Giuseppe De Feudis and Nico Pulzetti. Franco Brienza and Massimo Volta missed out at the last minute due to flu symptoms.

Sebastian Giovinco’s free kick was charged down, but his volley from the ricochet was palmed out from under the bar by Cesena’s Juve-owned goalkeeper Nicola Leali.

Angelo Ogbonna nodded another set play into Leali’s arms, but the referee awarded a penalty for Emmanuel Cascione’s handling offence, though he insisted he was trying to protect his face from Arturo Vidal’s fierce strike. The Chilean converted, even though Leali got a hand to it.

Gigi Buffon was given something to do when punching a Guido Marilungo long-range strike out from under the crossbar.

Fernando Llorente spun round to drill wide, while Giovinco’s curler and a Claudio Marchisio effort were off target.

Straight after the restart, a Giovinco fierce angled drive was beaten away by Leali at the near post, then the Atomic Ant forced him to palm a curler out of the top corner.

Vidal doubled Juve’s lead with a powerful strike from outside the box, completing a brace on his comeback from injury.

Alvaro Morata came off the bench and hit a fresh air shot with the goal gaping from six yards as he tried to turn.

Stephan Lichtsteiner got the third, as he burst down the right and smashed his finish across the goalkeeper.

Giovinco tried everything to get on the scoresheet, but only made an impact on the woodwork, while Leali denied Simone Padoin.


Juventus: Buffon; Ogbonna, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Pepe 87), Vidal (Padoin 80), Marchisio, Pereyra, Evra; Giovinco, Llorente (Morata 70)

Cesena: Leali; Krajnc, Lucchini, Capelli; Perico (Carbonero 56), Giorgi (Nica 77), Cascione, Mazzotta (Coppola 46), Renzetti; Defrel; Marilungo

Ref: Giacomelli

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111