Juventus News

Socrates · December 1, 2016

Juventus stars nominated for FIFPro XI

http://www.football-italia.net/95086/juventus-stars-nominated-fifpro-xi

Dec 1, 2016

Six Juventus players have been nominated for the FIFPro World XI, including Paulo Dybala.

The award is voted for by fellow pros, and seeks the name the best possible 11 from a calendar year.

Gianluigi Buffon is nominated among the goalkeepers, with Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Dani Alves and Paulo Dybala also among the contenders.

Gonzalo Higuain has been given the nod for his exploits with Napoli and latterly the Bianconeri, while former Juve man Paul Pogba is also on the list.

The Turin side are the only Serie A representation on the list, but Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti is also flying the flag for Italy.

FIFPro World XI Nominees:

Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo [Chile/FC Barcelona/Manchester City], Gianluigi Buffon [Italy/Juventus], David de Gea [Spain/Manchester United], Keylor Navas [Costa Rica/Real Madrid] and Manuel Neuer [Germany/FC Bayern Munich]

Defenders: David Alaba [Austria/FC Bayern Munich], Jordi Alba [Spain/FC Barcelona], Serge Aurier [Côte d’Ivoire/Paris Saint-Germain], Héctor Bellerìn [Spain/Arsenal], Jérôme Boateng [Germany/FC Bayern Munich], Leonardo Bonucci [Italy/Juventus], Daniel Carvajal [Spain/Real Madrid], Giorgio Chiellini [Italy/Juventus], Dani Alves [Brazil/FC Barcelona/Juventus], David Luiz [Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain/Chelsea], Diego Godín [Uruguay/Atlético Madrid], Mats Hummels [Germany/Borussia Dortmund/FC Bayern Munich], Philipp Lahm [Germany/FC Bayern Munich], Marcelo [Brazil/Real Madrid], Javier Mascherano [Argentina/FC Barcelona], Pepe [Portugal/Real Madrid], Gerard Piqué [Spain/FC Barcelona], Sergio Ramos [Spain/Real Madrid], Thiago Silva [Brazil/Paris Saint-Germain] and Raphaël Varane [France/Real Madrid]

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso [Spain/FC Bayern Munich], Sergio Busquets [Spain/FC Barcelona], Kevin De Bruyne [Belgium/Manchester City], Eden Hazard [Belgium/Chelsea], Andrés Iniesta [Spain/FC Barcelona], N’Golo Kanté [France/Leicester City/Chelsea] Toni Kroos [Germany/Real Madrid], Luka Modrić [Croatia/Real Madrid], Mesut Özil [Germany/Arsenal], Dimitri Payet [France/West Ham United], Paul Pogba [France/Juventus/Manchester United], Ivan Rakitić [Croatia/FC Barcelona], David Silva [Spain/Manchester City], Marco Verratti [Italy/Paris Saint-Germain] and Arturo Vidal [Chile/FC Bayern Munich]

Forwards: Sergio Agüero [Argentina/Manchester City], Gareth Bale [Wales/Real Madrid], Karim Benzema [France/Real Madrid], Cristiano Ronaldo [Portugal/Real Madrid], Paulo Dybala [Argentina/Juventus], Antoine Griezmann [France/Atlético Madrid], Gonzalo Higuaín [Argentina/Napoli/Juventus], Zlatan Ibrahimović [Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester United], Robert Lewandowski [Poland/FC Bayern Munich], Lionel Messi [Argentina/FC Barcelona], Thomas Müller [Germany/FC Bayern Munich], Neymar [Brazil/FC Barcelona], Alexis Sánchez [Chile/Arsenal], Luis Suárez [Uruguay/FC Barcelona] and Jamie Vardy [England/Leicester City]

Socrates · December 2, 2016

Remembering Edgar Davids' Importance

to Juventus' European Dominance

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2679282-remembering-

edgar-davids-importance-to-juventus-european-dominance

Dec 2, 2016

He looked nervous. After taking much longer than usual to get the ball to sit perfectly on the penalty spot, he waited for referee Manuel Diaz Vega to finish speaking with Juventus goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi before finally beginning his run-up.

Stuttering just before he took aim, the shot was embarrassingly tame and poorly struck. The goalkeeper made a routine save. For a fleeting moment, Ajax's Edgar Davids thought about blasting the rebound, but he decided against it and began the long, lonely walk back to the centre circle.

Ciro Ferrara, Jari Litmanen, Gianluca Pessotto, Arnold Scholten and Michele Padovano all converted before Peruzzi also saved from Sonny Silooy. Vladimir Jugovic then stepped up and rifled his effort low into the bottom corner. Edwin van der Sar was beaten, and Rome’s Stadio Olimpico erupted.

Juventus were champions of Europe once again, and their supporters celebrated wildly into the night, with their joy at seeing Gianluca Vialli lift the 1995/96 Champions League trophy aloft continuing unabated. But there was work to be done.

The captain, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Paulo Sousa, Massimo Carrera and Pietro Vierchowod all moved on that summer, leaving director general Luciano Moggi to rebuild the victorious team almost entirely.

He brought in a raft of new players, including Alen Boksic, Christian Vieri, Mark Iuliano, Paolo Montero and Zinedine Zidane. With those new faces, the club would embark on a thrilling 1996/97 campaign, winning the Serie A title and reaching a second successive UEFA Champions League final.

While they also won the Intercontinental Cup—an accomplishment discussed in a previous post—that 3-1 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund brought even more changes.

Jugovic, Boksic and Vieri were sold as Alessandro Birindelli and Pippo Inzaghi joined coach Marcello Lippi’s squad. They became a machine, going undefeated through the first three months of the season and looking completely unstoppable at home and abroad as they eased into the latter stages of the Champions League once more.

Meanwhile, the man whose missed penalty helped spark this new era of dominance was not doing quite so well. Davids joined AC Milan but broke his leg shortly after moving to Serie A, explaining in a 2010 interview with FourFourTwo just how difficult that period was for him:

That was one of the worst times I've ever had because you don’t speak the language very well. You’re sitting at home with your television, but you can't really understand it. The first couple of weeks you can't move with your leg because you are afraid of thrombosis. It was bad. It helped that every couple of weeks, I was driven to Amsterdam because that's where I was recuperating.

Playing just 19 games, he failed to make much of an impression and was on the fringe of the side as the 1997/98 season began. By December, he clearly wasn’t part of the Rossoneri starting XI. But everything would change when Juventus moved to sign him from their rivals.

He was instantly transformed. Finally fit again, he set about proving just how wrong Milan had been to give up on him, feeding on the belief and trust placed in him by his new coach in Turin.

"A lot of it was down to Lippi," Davids told FourFourTwo. "He had confidence in me, and when he has confidence in someone, he puts them in straight away."

Yet it wouldn’t be all straightforward, as doctors diagnosed him with glaucoma in 1999, only for the eye condition to give birth to his trademark look.

"I was worried, and I did think I might have to retire," he continued in that same FourFourTwo interview. "But then I found out there [was an option]: wear goggles. It was strange the first time I had to play in them; they would steam up, so it took time to adjust, but I don’t think it affected my performances."

hi-res-1ebdf13660ed1b4e8a5ae3a89c5547aa_

ALBERTO RAMELLA/Associated Press

Davids was instantly recognisable.

Now the Davids we recognise today, he also became the perfect foil for the skill and grace of Zidane. The energetic and resilient midfielder worked tirelessly but with incredible tactical awareness and diligence, making himself as important to the Bianconeri as his French team-mate ever was.

Lippi labelled him "my one-man engine room," per CNN, allowing those ahead of him to play with far greater freedom, safe in the knowledge that Davids was behind them to protect the defence.

Over his six or so years with the club, he played in over 240 games for Juventus. Davids was a model of consistency and dedication to the Bianconeri cause, as he helped lift three Serie A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana and the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

They also reached two Champions League finals, losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in 1998 and on penalties to Milan at Old Trafford in 2003. Substituted after 65 minutes, he did not have chance to redeem himself with a spot-kick and could do nothing to help the Old Lady once again taste defeat.

As can be seen in the video above, Davids' playing style stood somewhat in juxtaposition to his off-field image. So easily recognisable, he became a prominent figure in a number of advertising campaigns such as the one below, where his incredible skill and technical ability shone through.

"It is important to be gritty and strong to win back the ball and give consistency to a team," he said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport last year (h/t Football Italia).

His time in Turin was not without controversy, however. The Italian Football Federation suspended him in 2001 after he tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone, per the Telegraph. That ban was initially two years, but it was reduced on appeal to just four months, per BBC Sport.

Davids left Juventus in January 2004, with his loan arrival at Barcelona sparking something of a revival at the Camp Nou before he moved permanently to Inter Milan that summer. That stay lasted just one season and was followed by spells at Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax, Crystal Palace and Barnet before his retirement in 2014.

He was an essential part of one of the best and most dominant sides Europe has ever seen, doing the little things that help a team to win and ensuring his infectious tenacity spurred his team-mates to new heights.

Davids was honoured with a star on the Walk of Fame at the new Juventus Stadium in 2011, but he was unimpressed when he was compared to Arturo Vidal 12 months later.

"He is a very good player," he said of the Chile international during an interview with Cesare Polenghi of Goal. "I want him to do well at Juventus, and he is doing exceptionally well. But there is only one Edgar Davids, and there will never be another one."

That is undoubtedly true, and it is a shame. He is arguably the exact player missing from the current team. His time in black-and-white stripes should never be forgotten, because Davids truly was a unique and special midfielder, one Bianconeri fans were fortunate to watch.

Socrates · December 5, 2016

Paul Pogba: “Juventus the most important club in my career”

http://www.juvefc.com/paul-pogba-2/

Dec 5, 2016

Former Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has backtracked on his suggestion that he was at the club “on holiday” by calling the Bianconeri “the most important club in my professional career.”

Pogba returned to Manchester United in the summer, stating United were “my house. When I left, I always knew that I would come back. It’s like I went on holiday and just came back.”

You can get odds on United for the Premier League title race and get great signup bonuses here.

The French midfielder has since released a statement to try and clarify the situation:

“Juventus is the most important club in my professional career thus far and has a special place in my heart. I don’t like that my words have been erroneously interpreted.

“I am very grateful and happy for the love, confidence and opportunities given to me by Juventus. They played a crucial role in making me the player I am today. I will forever be grateful to Juventus.

“The fans, club and city always made me feel at home, supported me and are fantastic. At the same time, Manchester is where I spent my childhood, it is my home, a club that has always had a special place in my heart.

“I will do my best to have success here, to make my club and fans proud of me and my dreams.”

Socrates · December 7, 2016

Nedved receives ban

http://www.football-italia.net/95353/nedved-receives-ban

Dec 7, 2016

Juventus Vice President Pavel Nedved has received a ban from the FIGC for comments made to match officials after the 3-1 victory over Atalanta.

The former Bianconeri attacker is banned from carrying out any activities related to the FIGC or representing the club until the end of December 12.

The ban came after the Czech insulted officials in the dressing room after the match at Juventus stadium.

Sporting Director Fabio Paratici also escaped with a warning for comments made towards officials at half-time.

The decisions were officially confirmed via the Lega Calcio disciplinary commission.

Socrates · December 9, 2016

UEFA confirms CL changes

http://www.football-italia.net/95461/uefa-confirms-cl-changes

Dec 9, 2016

UEFA has confirmed changes to the Champions League, with new kick-off times and automatic entry for the top four Leagues.

It had already been proposed that from 2018 onward “the top four clubs from the four top-ranked national associations will now qualify automatically for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League”.

Today the executive committee met in Nyon, and approved the new measures in full.

In addition to the new entry system, “it was also decided to have two separate kick-off times in the UEFA Champions League, at 19.00CET [two matches] and 21.00CET [six matches]”.

When working out club coefficients for seeding, UEFA will use “results of the past five years to reflect the current strength of teams and will not contain bonus points for previous titles”.

However, in distributing finances, the governing body will “include bonus points for previous titles to reflect the longer-term contribution of clubs to the competition brand and success”.

That means teams will get 12 points if they’ve won the Champions League in the last five years, eight if they’ve lifted the trophy since the 1992-93 season and four for any wins before that.

Performances in the Europa League and the now-deduct Cup Winners’ Cup will also be taken into account, though will be worth less points.

Qualification for the Europa League will also become easier for champions from smaller nations as “all domestic champions eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League get a second chance in the European competitions by entering a dedicated champions' path in UEFA Europa League qualification”.

Socrates · December 16, 2016

Chelsea still No. 1 in Power Rankings,

Real Madrid No. 2, Juventus No. 3

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3020530/chelsea

-still-top-power-rankings-with-real-madrid-in-second-and-juventus-in-third

Dec 15, 2016

Chelsea gritted their teeth and dug deep for two wins this week, and as a result they remain top of Shaka Hislop's Power Rankings.

1. Chelsea (no change)

To win a league title, sometimes you have to nick a result when not at your best. Chelsea did that twice last week, first against West Brom and then at Sunderland. Back-to-back 1-0 victories mean Antonio Conte's men have won 10 straight league games.

2. Real Madrid (no change)

Real Madrid refuse to lose these days as Zinedine Zidane's side extended their unbeaten run to 36 games with a last-gasp win over Deportivo and then handling Club America 2-0 in the Club World Cup on Thursday morning. What's truly remarkable about their form is how they find different ways to win: Sergio Ramos' injury time header secured the victory on Sunday while Cristiano Ronaldo turned in a superb 90 minutes against the Liga MX side in midweek. Ignore them at your peril.

3. Juventus (no change)

When Torino opened the scoring on derby day, it looked like Juventus might lose for the second time in three league games. However, Gonzalo Higuain picked a good time to end a Serie A goalless run dating back to October by scoring twice in an eventual 3-1 win.

4. Barcelona (+1)

After three straight league draws, Barca needed a boost, and a trip to bottom-of-the-table Osasuna provided just that, though it took almost an hour to break through. In the end, Luis Enrique's side cruised to a 3-0 win with Lionel Messi scoring twice.

5. Roma (+1)

In the battle of second and third in Serie A, Roma prevailed 1-0 against Milan. The win was built on a fine goalkeeping display by Wojciech Szczesny, who saved a penalty to set the stage for Radja Nainggolan's winning goal. Next up for Roma? Juventus.

6. Bayern Munich (+1)

Since a blip at the start of November, when they took one point from two games, Bayern have reeled off three straight wins. The latest, which when combined with a Leipzig loss took them back to the top of the Bundesliga, was an emphatic 5-0 triumph vs. Wolfsburg.

7. Nice (+2)

Nice were knocked out of the French Cup midweek vs. Bordeaux but not to bother: After all, it just means that Lucien Favre's league leaders can concentrate on securing what would be a miraculous Ligue 1 title. Last weekend, Les Aiglons swooped into the Parc des Princes and took a 2-0 lead over Paris Saint-Germain. Though Unai Emery's side eventually rallied for a 2-2 draw, the result was yet more proof at how this team can more than handle their own in French football this season.

8. Benfica (new)

The best team in Portugal continue to stay out in front of the competition, beating their nearest rivals Sporting CP 2-1 in last weekend's derby. Goals by Eduardo Salvio and Raul Jimenez secured all three points. Rui Vitoria's side are four points clear atop the table as the season approaches the halfway point.

9. RB Leipzig (-5)

The surprise Bundesliga leaders suffered their first defeat of the season -- an equally surprising 1-0 reverse at relegation-threatened Ingolstadt. Ralph Hasenhuttl's side are now second, but they retain a healthy six-point advantage over third-placed Hertha Berlin.

10. Sevilla (new)

Jorge Sampaoli's first European management job couldn't be going better as Sevilla continue to flourish under his intense tutelage. Sitting comfortably in third place just a point behind Barca, they got back to winning ways last weekend with a 3-0 win at Celta Vigo, with Vicente Iborra coming off the bench to score an improbable hat trick. This team is still a work in progress, but it's safe to say they're ahead of schedule.

Dropping out: Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan

Socrates · December 30, 2016

Can Italy dominate Europe again?

Napoli and Juventus topped Champions League groups, as did Roma and Fiorentina in the Europa League.

http://www.football-italia.net/96212/can-italy-dominate-europe-again

Dec 30, 2016

Italy has long been one of the powerhouses of continental football; in fact, only Spain can claim to have produced more UEFA European champions. Although Italian football clubs have been strong in Europe since the 1960s, their most recent period of dominance came in the late 1980s and 1990s. Italian clubs were then the wealthiest in Europe, and the world’s best players flocked to play in Serie A.

Between 1989 and 1998, there was only one Champions League Final that did not feature an Italian club, as first Milan and then Juventus established a consistent presence at the top level of European football. Even a smaller club such as Sampdoria was able to enjoy a spell in the spotlight, pushing Barcelona to extra time in the 1992 Final.

Yet as the new millennium approached, Italy’s dominance waned. At one time, bookmakers would have routinely marked up the Italian entrants to the Champions League among the favourites, but such has been the decline of Italian teams in Europe that in recent years only Juventus have kept Il Tricolore flying in the Champions League betting markets.

The decline was gradual, but unmistakable. Milan still won the Champions League twice, in 2003 and 2007, and Inter lifted the trophy as part of a Treble in 2010, but those successes have been dwarfed by the eight Champions League titles that have gone to Spain since 2000, and equalled by the rising power of the English Premier League, which has produced three winners.

Money was the main reason for the decline. As foreign investors moved into the Premier League with huge revenues from TV rights, and Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid scrambled to catch up, the best footballers moved away from Italy to England and Spain, and the Calciopoli scandal of 2006 further tarnished the reputation of Italian football.

Unable to attract the world’s best players, the quality of Italian domestic football began to decline, and the top Italian teams struggled to assemble squads capable of competing both in Europe and domestically.

The relationship between a team’s European and domestic form can be complicated, and this subject is explored in depth in this article from 888sport, but the Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, and the failure to attract the world’s best players has made it hard for Italian clubs to compete in this tournament.

Only Juventus, with their huge resources, have managed to remain competitive at a European level. In 2015, they became the first Italian team to reach the Champions League Final in five years, and they have been dominant domestically.

However, the signs for Italian football are promising. The takeover of Roma by American investors in 2011 was a new development, and this led to the club becoming the main domestic challengers to Juventus. Inter can also be expected to improve, thanks to its new Chinese owners. If the pattern of foreign investment grows, and the global stars return to Serie A, there is every chance that Italian clubs will once again be dominant in European football.

Socrates · January 9, 2017

Ibra doping claimant sued

http://www.football-italia.net/96625/ibra-doping-claimant-sued

Jan 9, 2017

Former Sweden athletics coach Ulf Karlsson, who accused Zlatan Ibrahimovic of doping, has been made to pay damages of €2,500.

A court in the Swedish town of Karlstad convicted Karlsson of defaming Ibrahmovic after he accused the striker of taking performance-enhancing substances during his time at Juventus in the early 2000s.

Karlsson later tried to clarify his controversial remarks, but that did not stop the Manchester United veteran from taking legal action against the former.

“Although Karlsson’s claim does not contain a direct accusation, it cannot be understood in a different way and gives the impression that Ibrahimovic had doped during his time at Juventus,” read the court’s final verdict.

Socrates · January 13, 2017

Juventus just make the top ten richest clubs

UEFA report highlights rapid growth of Premier League.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/1/13/14251602/juventus

-just-make-the-top-ten-richest-clubs-europe-uefa-report

Jan 13, 2017

UEFA released a report on Thursday looking into the financial aspects and more of all its member clubs, and came up with with this table to show the top ten richest clubs in Europe, and their growth rates year-over-year.

While there were no real surprises here, what it did show was the richest clubs are getting even richer at a higher rate than before - money begets money, as we’ve heard before.

Five of the top ten European teams come from the Premier League, which has escalated rapidly fiscally thanks to some monster television deals across the world.

Juventus are the highest placed Italian club, and continue to set the pace for the country with their strategic vision for the future. However, they are limited by the Serie A’s lack of exposure and vast gulf in quality between themselves and the chasing pack.

If anything, this reaffirms to club chairman Andrea Agnelli that he and his Board are continuing to do the right things organizationally, but will need to assert themselves in Europe to truly become one of the largest clubs in the world.

Socrates · January 17, 2017

Juventus present new logo

<br/><a href="http://oi66.tinypic.com/e7h1ro.jpg" target="_blank">View Raw Image</a>
http://www.football-italia.net/96994/juventus-present-new-logo

Jan 16, 2017

Juventus have presented their brand new logo that President Andrea Agnelli said took “a year” of research to create.

The logo was eventually unveiled during a lavish ceremony in Milan this evening, where Milan Fashion Week is taking place, attended by Giorgio Moroder and the entire squad.

“We spent a year trying to find out what the new markets want, but also to show a sense of belonging and looking to the future,” said Agnelli.

“This new logo is a symbol of the Juventus way of living.”

The development has not gone down well with fans, as many mocking versions of it have already appeared on social media.

“Juventus’ objective is to grow in terms of presence and influence and to expand the business side of the club through a series of radically innovative initiatives, targeting both Bianconeri fans all over the world and those with less of an interest in football,” read a statement.

“Black and White and More represents the start of a host of events relating to the Academy, immersive retail formats and a range of unique physical and digital products and services.

“The transformation also encompasses a brand-new visual identity. The result of a bold, uncompromising approach, the new visual identity turns the sport’s traditional style on its head and sets about blazing a new trail.

“It is an iconic, simple design centred around sharp lines and will surely steal the spotlight no matter where it is used. The design brings to mind a famous line from Gianni Agnelli: “I get excited every time I see a word beginning with J in the papers.”

“No club in Europe has so far been able to transcend sport and convey the philosophy behind that,” explains Manfredi Ricca, Chief Strategy Officer for EMEA & LatAm at Interbrand, who teamed up with Juventus to develop the identity and concept of Black and White and More.

“If there is one club capable of taking that step, it’s Juventus – the brand is synonymous with ambition and excellence and these are principles that can inspire truly unique experiences. The new visual identity has been designed to boldly take the club’s spirit into new, unexpected realms.”

Socrates · January 17, 2017

Juventus unveil dramatic change to club logo

The Bianconeri have ditched their traditional oval-shaped crest in favour

of a new design that will appear on their shirts from next season.

<br/><a href="http://oi66.tinypic.com/9a8k1u.jpg" target="_blank">View Raw Image</a>

h ttp://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/01/16/31615902/-

Jan 16, 2017

Juventus have unveiled a new club logo at an event in Milan on Monday evening, marking a dramatic departure from their traditional crest.

The new badge was revealed at a special ceremony led by Bianconeri president Andrea Agnelli at the Museum of Science & Technology.

It will becoming the club's new primary logo immediately but will not appear on their shirts until new jerseys are released at the beginning of next season.

"We are here to present what will be the future of Juventus in the coming years," Agnelli said. "In order to grow we must keep winning and evolve our language to achieve new targets.

"The new logo defines a sense of belonging and a style that allows us to communicate our way of being."

Juventus have sported an oval-shaped crest for the vast majority of their history, with only a brief interlude to that style occuring from the late 1970s until 1989.

They wore two different badges designed around the famous bull on Turin's coat of arms during that period before switching back to a new take on the traditional design.

That logo was subsequently adapted in 2004 into the badge currently worn on Juventus' kits this season.

juventus-logo_1w3xh872jwd3p1x3fn9zw2a9sf

Now, however, Juventus have decided to move away from the striped design, featuring the bull as part of a crest at the bottom of the logo, to a symbol based on around the 'J' at the start of their name.

Juventus explain the design as referring "the famous phrase of [former owner] Gianni Agnelli: 'I get excited every time I see in the newspapers a word that starts with J'."

The Bianconeri have already updated their official website and social media accounts to reflect the change in branding.

Socrates · January 17, 2017

Juventus Anger Supporters With Dramatic Change Of Club Crest

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/01/juventus-anger-supporters-with-dramatic-change-of-club-crest/

Jan 16, 2017

Juventus supporters worldwide have been left angered and confused by the club’s decision to move away from the current club crest.

The traditional design has been replaced by a minimalistic design, which is predominantly a J beneath the club’s name.

Fans have taken to social media to express their discontent with the move, with many frustrated that supporters didn’t get to have a say in the decision to change.

Follow

ForzaItalianFootball @SerieAFFC

Doesn't seem to be too much love for the new Juventus logo. Let's poll this...

10:39 PM - 16 Jan 2017

18%It's nice. Stop moaning!

82%Awful! Original is best

494 votes•Final results

3 Retweets

2 likes

Socrates · January 17, 2017

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: For some reason,

Juventus unveils a new logo

I'm sure everyone will be okay with this.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/1/16/

14288520/official-juventus-unveils-new-club-logo

Jan 16, 2017

Juventus held an event titled "Black and White and More" in Milan on Monday evening. On the official website announcing this event, they said:

In just a few hours' time, Juventus Football Club will enter a new era.

To enter this 'new era,' Juventus announced that they would be changing their logo. I don't think anybody saw this coming. This was their reasoning, from the official Juventus website:

They also posted this video to their YouTube channel:

Juventus' new J-themed logo will be a part of the new club kits starting in the 2017-18 season. It goes away from what has been a pretty damn good looking crest for decades, as Juventus tries a transformation that "also encompasses a brand-new visual identity."

If by getting Photoshopped by just about everybody and their mom on the Internet in the last few hours since the new logo was released to the masses, then they could be onto something here. For now, people are just having a good time mocking Juventus' new J-only look — which the club said over a year to design, by the way.

You know that saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Why not with this? You see black and white stripes, you think of Juventus. You see a big, black and white J, what are you going to think about? How Juventus botched their new logo?

We're sure everyone is going to love this, but just for fun, why not add a poll?

POLL

What do you think of Juventus' new logo?

Love it
Like it
Neutral
Don't like it
Hate it

view results

Socrates · January 17, 2017

The History Of Juventus’ Crest

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/01/the-history-of-juventus-crest/

Jan 16, 2017

Juventus unveiled a new logo which will emblazon their shirts from the 2017/18 Serie A season, the first chance to the club’s crest since 2004.

Here are some other incarnations of the Bianconeri badge.

Socrates · January 17, 2017

Juventus unveil revamped minimalist

club crest while 'looking to the future'

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/3040279/juventus-unveil

-revamped-minimalist-club-crest-while-looking-to-the-future

Jan 16, 2017

Italian champions Juventus revealed a new club crest Monday night, doing away with their famous symbol of a charging bull.

Club president Andrea Agnelli said the new design, a simple black-and-white "J," took a year to develop.

"This new logo is a symbol of the Juventus way of living," he said. "We spent a year trying to find out what the new markets want but also to show a sense of belonging and looking to the future."

The crest was unveiled at a ceremony in Turin attended by current and former players. Juventus will put it into full use beginning in July.

So, do you like Juventus' new logo?

22%
Yes: It's great!
78%
No: what were they thinking?

A club statement describing the new look said it "represents the very essence of Juventus: the distinctive stripes of the playing jersey, the Scudetto -- the symbol of victory -- and the iconic J for Juventus. These three elements make up the DNA of our club.

"The black and white stripes are the defining trait of the new visual identity and can be adapted to fit any setting. The Scudetto represents the club's determination to strive for victory, now and forever.

"And finally, the J -- that most distinctive of initials -- occupies a special place in the heart of every fan, not least [former owner] Giovanni Agnelli: 'I get excited every time I see a word beginning with J in the papers.'

"The new logo brings these three elements together into a unique, universal symbol capable of representing not just a football club, but an identity, a sense of belonging, a philosophy. It is a logo for the modern age in that it conveys its message effectively on any physical or digital format.

"Most important of all, however, is the way the new logo boldly leaves behind the accepted wisdom of classic football badges to blaze its own trail."

Juventus' crests have usually utilised a bull, a symbol for the city of Turin, though there have also been periods with a zebra instead.

The club last tweaked their crest in 2004.

Socrates · January 17, 2017

Nedved: 'I love the new logo'

'Is this a joke?' - Juventus break the internet with 'condom logo' unveiling

http://www.football-italia.net/97012/nedved-i-love-new-logo

Jan 17, 2017

Juventus Vice President Pavel Nedved has revealed he is 'in love' with the new Juventus logo that was unveiled last night.

Social media was flooded with differing opinions on the new design, with many taking the opportunity to mock what was revealed.

"I am in love with it, I liked it right from the beginning and I hope that others like it too," Nedved told JTV at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.

"We want to be first both on and off the pitch. We have seen a demonstration of many the things you can do with this logo, I think this is a great example, a great opening to another world.

"I am happy with the new badge, I think it is innovative, it gives freshness, and shows a lot of desire to move forward in the digital and social world.

"I think it is truly a breakthrough."

Socrates · January 18, 2017

Juventus discard their identity

The new Juventus badge isn’t just ugly, says Gaby McKay,

it’s everything that’s wrong with modern football.

http://www.football-italia.net/97024/juventus-discard-their-identity

Jan 17, 2017

In many ways, the #AgainstModernFootball movement is the worst of hipster culture. People who were born in the ‘90s, pining for some imagined “football culture” which they’ve never experienced. Contrarians, who pine for a return to the days of ploughed pitches, long balls and leg-breaking tackles because they think it’s “more authentic”. Ordinarily your correspondent would advise dismissing such people out of hand, but I’ve just seen the new Juventus badge and… #AgainstModernFootball.

It’s not that it’s new. There’s nothing wrong with moving with the times, just look how outdated Microsoft’s logo looks next to Apple’s redesigned emblem. If your new Macbook arrived with the god-awful multicoloured effort of days gone by, you’d rightly laugh. But there’s a difference between moving with the times and destroying part of your own identity.

The Bianconeri unveiled their new “identity” with a glitzy launch in Milan. “Juventus change the rules of the game and expand the limits of their universe”, read the Press release. We were promised “the latest turning point in Bianconeri history”, “a step into a new era” and “a brand-new visual identity”.

What we got was a rotated faucet with the club’s name written above it. The final design was, according to club President Andrea Agnelli, the result of year’s work. Italy’s most successful club has spent a year - and surely inordinate amounts of money - to come up with two black and white Js.

Agnelli claimed that the new design is “what the new markets want”. What a sad indictment of the current era of football. The Old Lady has changed her crest many times, but since the ‘70s the basic components have remained more-or-less the same: an oval shield, traditionally Italian. A bull, representing the city of Turin. A crown, to reflect the city’s status as the traditional home of the Italian royal family. And, of course, those famous black and white stripes.

What was unveiled last night features none of those components, simply the first letter of the club’s name, in capital and lower-case form. It may be what new markets want, but it surely misses the point in quite spectacular fashion.

Europe’s grandest football clubs have an identity and tradition which, for example, no NFL team could hope to match. Soccer can never hope to compete with the glamour of the Super Bowl, but equally the Dallas Cowboys will never have the tradition of Real Madrid. Just this year, Manchester City returned to a more traditional crest, looking to emphasise 120 years of history rather than the nouveau riche image of the club today.

Juve, by contrast, were proud to announce that the new logo will applied to “the brand’s physical and digital effects from July 2017”. The brand. Not the club, not the team. The brand. From something identifiably Italian and Torinese, the badge has become something as processed as McDonald’s, as blandly universal as a U2 song. All this despite that fact that football-obsessed children the world over can surely already identify the Bianconeri’s logo. There’s a reason Nike don’t bother changing the Swoosh.

Complaining about the commercialisation of football is akin to spitting in the wind, and the truth is that the naked corporatism might be slightly less nauseating if the damn thing weren’t so UGLY.

Juventus have taken a design which - at most - needed updating and have destroyed the very essence of it. Much as the BBC shot itself in the foot when the fat, multicoloured Daleks were introduced to Doctor Who in 2010, the Bianconeri have needlessly done away with an iconic design. Those day-glo monstrosities were abandoned after a backlash from fans. One can only hope a similar extermination follows for the New Juventus Paradigm.

Socrates · January 18, 2017

Have Juventus copied tennis ace Soderling's logo?

The Swedish tennis player has claimed that the Italian club's new

crest bears a strong similarity to his own from four years ago.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/4160/extra-time/2017/01/17/31640672/-

Jan 17, 2017

Juventus unveiled their new logo on Monday, but they did not receive the reception they may have expected.

The new club crest, which features two white lines on a black backround to create a 'J', was criticised by supporters who saw it as too much of a departure from their traditional badge.

However, as well as the negative Tweets, the Serie A side have also been accused of plagiarism, with their new logo looking very similar to one from tennis star Robin Soderling.

The Swede unveiled his branding in 2013, with a very similar style and colour-scheme to the new Juve crest.

Juventus's design has also encouraged another club to follow suit and rebrand themselves with a tribute.

Russian club Yenisey Krasnoyarsk shared a new design for their club badge, imitating the Juve style.

Whether Yenisey will decide to use this rebranded crest is yet unclear.

Socrates · January 18, 2017

Juventus 2017/18 Jersey With New Logo

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/01/juventus-201718-jersey-with-new-logo/

Jan 17, 2017

After the furore caused by Juventus new logo, fans on social media have decided to have a go at designing their jersey with the new crest.

What do you think?

Socrates · January 25, 2017

Gianni Agnelli – Juventus’ Uncrowned King Of Italy

http://www.juvefc.com/gianni-agnelli-juventus-uncrowned-king-italy/

Jan 24, 2017

The following is a guest post, originally published in 2011, witten by Arbër Sulejmani – You can follow him here on Twitter.

Gianni Agnelli saw the inevitable. Fate decided otherwise, and he had battled with prostate cancer. Fourteen years ago today, the world lost one of its most important figures. A man with an extraordinary power that was often described in Italy with the joke: As the Pope is celebrating Mass in St.Peter’s Square, a small kid goes to ask his relatives ‘Who the man in the skull cap next to Mr. Agnelli?’

Gianni Agnelli, so called for the only reason to distinguish him from his grandfather Giovanni Agnelli, was also referred to as ‘l’avvocato” which in English means “the lawyer” or “the attorney”, because he had studied law even though he never practiced it.

We know little about his life. It is said Gianni remained a mystery even to his closest friends. He was outgoing and polite, and in a way, that was one of his strategies to keep people at a distance. He of course loved to have people around him, but even amidst them (in larger events) he was alone. Gianni as described by his friends, was never the one to ask for help with any problem, personal or business.

Gianni always refused to have bodyguards around him. He would usually say:

“They see too much, and talk too much as well”

… despite the fact that terrorists in Italy were becoming a greater force than the state itself. One captured terrorist testified that he once had had Agnelli in his sights but was incapable of getting off a shot.Apparently, l’Avvocato was too fast for him. The state itself back then was Gianni and his FIAT company. People in Italy, and mainly his employees would use the slogan, “Agnelli is Fiat, Fiat is Turin and Turin is Italy.” Agnelli had a fortune estimated at more than $2 Billion and probably much more.

L’avvocato controlled more than a quarter of Italy’s stock exchange, and a group of enterprises that employed around 360.000 workers. The other activities were newspapers and publishing, insurance companies, food companies, engineering and construction and among the many, his “Prima Amore”, Juventus Football Club. Most importantly, La Stampa and Corriere della Sera (two of Italy’s three most important newspapers) gave Agnelli “extraordinary power”.

51657437-fiats-honorary-president-giovan

Journalists were all amazed by Agnelli’s interviews. It was only but normal to ask Gianni about economics, fashion and clothes, something about a politician and even about football or a particular player. As a matter of fact, during his working hours at the Fiat headquarters, he thought nothing of picking up his phone and calling a sports writer to give an opnion about a football player he wanted to sign for his team, the Agnelli family’s own football team – Juventus Football Club. Basically, he knew something about everything.

Agnelli was a notorious playboy. His white button-down shirt with the collar points undone; his wristwatch strapped outside the cuff represented an image, a look that was imitated by his admirers. It is also not considered an exaggeration to say that to Italians, Gianni represented the “bella figura”, and was also the ideal example everyone would like to follow: intelligent, successful, rich and handsome. It was no secret that even after he was married to the Princess Marella Caracciolo di Castegneto, he continued his adventures, and he explained it:

“I really loved everything beautiful in life. Anda beautiful woman, is the most beautiful thing of all”.

He seduced and partied with the powerful. He teamed up with the powerful and lived the “good life” furiously. His love affairs were followed by the paparazzi, when all those beautiful models, singers, ex-wife’s and among them Jackie Kennedy – America’s first lady – passed through the villa of Gianni. They would all go on and confide about their experience with Gianni, the great love which comes only once, and leaves its mark forever. On the contrary, Agnelli always kept the romance strictly private, by saying “Only servants fall in love.”

As noted above, one of the many women Marella had to share the marriage with was Jacqueline Kennedy. Gianni Agnelli never made public his affair with Jacqueline, and such was his power that even today, the world will discuss it. He was experienced enough to stay discreet about women and none more so than the world’s leading lady. He once professed:

“There are men who talk of women and others who talk to them. I don’t talk of them, I prefer talking to them”

And when once asked about how he would justify womanizing, he said:

“One can be a very faithful and bad husband, just as one can be unfaithful and a very good husband”.

Both Gianni’s parents died in accidents, but he himself continued to challenge his life by driving on the edge. He survived a number of serious accidents, but died in his bed. He was once driving a woman in his Ferrari at more than 200kph, which unfortunately crashed. His first thought was for the girl, who fortunately escaped unharmed, and he asked that her identity be kept secret. His leg was left paralyzed, he had a fractured cheekbone and for about three months he was unable to speak. It was about a year later when he appeared to settle down.

Gianni was a trendsetter. Nobody was living it better than l’avvocato during the era of “la dolce vita”, but he also was never able to ignore the business entirely. When the founder of Fiat, his grandfather, died in 1945, he left behind the industry in a dark period during Italian history.

Giovanni Agnelli had co-existed with facism, and after his death, Fiat was in a real danger. Gianni, who was a young man at that time, persuaded the Americans that the company should be held in private hands, and they were happy to accept that the family-owned Fiat could be a stronghold of free enterprise. Gianni’s intentions were not what everybody seemed to think. He handed its top job to Vittorio Valletta, because he was unwilling to accept such a heavy responsibility at such an early age. Gianni became a managing director in 1963 and a chairman in 1966, in which he led his company to many successful years, but some downfalls as well.

Interesting to know that when the “Clean Hands” investigation erupted in Italy, most of Italy’s corrupt personalities were swept away. Gianni on the other hand was a man of actions, and not words. There was a perception that Fiat had a special role in the country and Agnelli’s honest reputation remained untouched, something that cannot be said about other Italian businessmen and politicians.

However, as we all know, money and good looks do not bring happiness in one’s family. He was a restless man throughout his life, up until the suicide of his depressed son Edoardo in 2000, which many believe accelerated his own illness and death. Edoardo’s conversion to Islam made his father realize that his only son was not a suitable heir to the family’s wealth. Edoardo’s path in life, took him ever more distant from the management of the Fiat Company, an issue which never bothered Gianni. Juventus Football Club was the only family position in which Edoardo showed interest, he was quite a fan of football, and that’s what made him root hard for I Bianconeri during the mid 80’s. During April 20^th 1986 as Juventus were making their last efforts to win against Lecce, Edoardo came on to the field and sat next to Giovanni Trapattoni for the whole match, which he later explained:

“The reason was the children’s good spirit. It is very important to cheer players on the bench and watch their game as closely as possible.”

His daughter, Margherita Agnelli de Pahlen, was and still is a problem to Agnelli family, following the death of Gianni. In 2003 she asked for a full accounting of her dad’s wealth. She claims she never got it, and when his son Lapo Elkan became the heir of the Fiat Company, matters got even worse. She rocked the family empire with a lawsuit against her father’s longtime consiglieri, attacking the very people who helped her father collect the wealth which she proceeded to inherit a great part of.

Questions arose as to why doesn’t someone hadn’t shown Margherita the complete list of assets in an effort to resolve the matter – Just as the question, the answer itself is also very simple: because so far nobody admits to knowing the full extent of everything Gianni Agnelli actually owned. This de facto means that it will most likely take a considerable amount of time for Margherita’s lawsuit to reach a conclusion. Today, she is living in Geneva, Switzerland, and has set her powerful family against her.

Gianni Agnelli was closely connected with Juventus, the most renowned Italian football club. He was not only a direct owner but a fan with the strictest meaning of the word. The Agnelli family have been part of Juventus since 1923, while Gianni himself ran the club from 1947 until 1954. At this time, the most important players were the Danes John Hansen and Karl Aage Praest, Carlo Parola and above all Giampiero Boniperti. However, because of his busy life and the illness that destroyed him slowly, Agnelli had to resign but there was no doubt that his word was considered final on many major decisions such as the signings of big money players. It was Agnelli who decided that Juventus should buy the three times Golden Ball winner Michel Platini in 1982. Gianni nicknamed our beloved Alessandro Del Piero “Il Pinturicchio”, which nowadays still lives in our dictionary.

He was in fact the leader behind Italy’s greatest sporting institutions such as the Ferrari formula one team. Such was his success that when he died, he left his company in some trouble, but not Juventus, who were the champions of Italy. Gianni would often land with his helicopter at the training grounds and chat with his players, and each visit would surely become a front page story in the press the next day.

Gianni was more than a President. He was always informed about his players, and he would always bring Juventus to his “home” in Villar Perosa to play some a friendly match. He enjoyed a special relationship with the current Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero, and the phone calls every morning at 6am to the club’s President Giampiero Boniperti became legendary.

Agnelli remained one of the most important figures for journalists, especially as his comments that were always admired by the press. He once said:

“I feel emotional every time I see the letter J in a newspaper headline. I immediately think of Juventus”

Along with one of my personal favorites:

“Juventus is, for those who love Juventus, a passion, an entertainment … and something on Sunday. We have tried to give them the best show possible and also a lot of satisfaction.”

This was his image and the legacy he left behind in the hearts of Bianconeri, forever. He loved Juventus for what it really was and he never missed watching his own club play. During the worst times of life, when legs had lost senses and he couldn’t go to the stadium, he used to watch the team on TV at home. He could barely see, his eyesight was all but lost. Marella (his wife) explained how he never admitted any discomfort and how he never told her he couldn’t see the players on the TV, his pleasure was achieved by listening to the sound of the commentator. He never confessed to his wife about his blindness. Such was Gianni, that he didn’t want to discourage her hopes.

All in all, his involvement was decisive in making Juventus one of the greatest football institutions in the world, and under the guidance of the Agnelli’s, the thirty-four times champions of Italy, have become just that. Much has been said about Gianni, the Italian icon, and the myth of Juventus Football Club, who are even today proud to talk of “Lo Stile Juve” and the Juventinitá – Just some of those precious blessings Gianni gave us. For those who were around him, he left an empty space that will never be filled again, and for those, like me, who wished they knew him – would do anything to trade places with those whose lives he touched.

Socrates · January 25, 2017

Fiorentina note to Heysel families

http://www.football-italia.net/97362/fiorentina-note-heysel-families

Jan 24, 2017

Fiorentina released an open letter to the families of the Heysel victims to apologise for their fans insulting Juventus fans.

The chants against the supporters who were killed in the incident in May 1985 have been a very ugly recurring motif for a certain section of the Fiorentina fans.

Ahead of last week’s Serie A match at the Stadio Franchi, posters were put on the walls that read: ‘-39, no respect.’

Juventus responded this weekend with a huge banner: ‘+39, respect!’

Now Fiorentina have released an open letter on their website aimed directly at the Association of the Families of Heysel Victims.

“We read your note regarding the shameful incidents outside the Stadio Franchi ahead of the Fiorentina-Juventus game on January 15.

“We are sincerely sorry and offended by what happened, but want to make clear that our club has always been on the front line with activities, behaviour and initiatives to condemn any type of racial discrimination, written or verbal violence that aims to limit or worse remove the rights of others.

“In this specific case, we wish to make clear that as soon as we were informed of the incident, we took every procedure with the authorities to clarify the situation. It was not the responsibility of our security staff, because it happened outside the stadium.

“This gesture is certainly to be condemned, but what happened outside the stadium cannot be blamed on an entire fanbase or an entire city, which has always shown over time and with concrete action its sensibility when it comes to painful events.

“Our fans behaved correctly throughout the game (as confirmed by the report from the authorities). We are certain that with the collaboration of all the components and severe punishment against such vile actions, we can end these manifestations of incivility and idiocy.”

Socrates · February 4, 2017

Juventus top UEFA table of Euro 2016 payouts

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/european-championship/story/

3052207/juventus-top-uefa-table-of-euro-2016-payouts

Feb 2, 2017

Juventus got nearly €3.5 million ($3.78m) from UEFA to top the list of club payments for releasing players for the 2016 European Championship.

Liverpool and Tottenham also banked more than €3m ($3.24m) from the UEFA fund of more than €150m ($162m).

UEFA says 641 European clubs from 54 countries were paid for providing players to national-team squads in qualifying matches and the tournament in France.

Real Madrid, who sent Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe to the title-winning Portugal squad, were sixth, receiving €2.5m ($2.73m).

English clubs collected more than €38m ($41m), including several thousand to some semi-professional clubs.

Icelandic clubs earned €118,000 ($127,000). UEFA says it aims to pay clubs €200m ($216m) from Euro 2020 income.

Socrates · February 10, 2017

Enzo Maresca announces retirement

http://www.football-italia.net/98162/enzo-maresca-announces-retirement

Feb 10, 2017

37-year-old Enzo Maresca has officially announced his retirement from football today.

The midfielder had latterly been playing at Serie B side Hellas Verona, but had previously enjoyed spells in England, Spain and in his native Italy with clubs including Fiorentina, Juventus, Sampdoria and Palermo.

Maresca made the announcement via his Instagram profile.

"At 37, after nearly 20 years of football, I have decided to stop," Maresca wrote.

"They were years lived with immense passion, a passion that has brought me to play in four different countries, a passion that has given me the opportunity to learn about different cultures and worlds.

“I am proud of all the shirts that I wore, the first being that of West Bromwich Albion in 1998, through those Juventus, Bologna, Piacenza, Fiorentina, Sevilla, Olympiakos, Malaga, Sampdoria, Palermo, and finally that of Hellas Verona.

"A huge thanks to all these clubs that have given me the opportunity to grow as a player and as a man.

"Clubs that have given me the chance to win so much: (Italian Super Cup 2002 Scudetto 2003, Europa League 2006, Europa League 2007, European Super Cup 2007, the Copa del Rey in 2007, Spanish Super Cup in 2007, Serie B 2014).

"Thanks to all the teammates who accompanied me in this beautiful story. I am calm. Which is why I need to start a new story. And I am happy.

"Because every day I can hug my family. [They are the] only source of energy. Always and and forever. THANK YOU FOOTBALL!!! ".

Socrates · February 12, 2017

Morata: 'Beating Napoli would be sweet'

http://www.football-italia.net/98254/morata-beating-napoli-would-be-sweet

Feb 12, 2017

Alvaro Morata admits beating Napoli in the Champions League would be sweeter given his Juventus past.

The Real Madrid forward played for the Old Lady for two seasons, winning the League and Cup double in both of them, before returning to his boyhood club last summer.

However, the 24-year-old has fond memories of his time in Serie A and is adamant he would have wanted to stay a lot longer had Los Blancos not exercised their right to re-sign him.

"I am not Italian, but I gave everything for the Bianconero shirt and I was willing to stay there many years," Morata said during an interview with Corriere Dello Sport.

"Juventus knew that, the only problem was that Madrid had been my dream since when I was little. Without the buy back option, you would have had to drive me to get me away from Turin!"

Morata added that he has a lot to thank the Italian core of Juventus players for in helping him succeed with the Bianconeri.

"I miss the Italian group from the dressing room - Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini, Marchisio, Buffon, they were key in my adaptation to Juventus and Turin.

"If I had come into a bad dressing room at Juventus, I wouldn't have done so well."

Talk then turned to next week's Champions League Round of 16 first leg with Napoli, with the Spaniard acknowledging the Partenopei are dangerous opponents but expressing his desire to get one over on Maurizio Sarri's team.

"We can't wait to play Napoli. They play the ball with their feet very well and their front three of Callejon, Hamsik and Insigne are very dangerous.

"Then, there is Pavoletti and Milik who will also try to be there. They are a great team, this year they don't seem to be challenging for the League so they could be even better in Europe.

"They can beat us, but we can also beat them. That's the magic of the Champions League.

"I always want to win, but I admit I would be even happier to beat Napoli because of my Juventino past."

Finally, Morata admitted to mixed feelings over the possibility of a final between Juve and Madrid.

"Would I sign for a Real Madrid-Juventus final? Juve are Juve and they always aspire to the maximum. I admit I wouldn't like it, but just to be there I would sign for it.

"If I had to lose a final, I would prefer to lose against Juventus over losing to other teams. But now we need to focus on Napoli. If we think about a hypothetical final, Napoli will send us home."

Socrates · February 17, 2017

Power Rankings: Juventus surge to No. 1,

Real No. 2, Chelsea drop to No. 4

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3062005/juventus

-take-top-spot-in-power-rankings-with-real-madrid-in-second-place

Feb 16, 2017

1. Juventus (+1)

Business as usual in Turin, then! Max Allegri's side are humming in high gear, winning six straight in all competitions and eight of their last nine. A pair of Gonzalo Higuain goals were enough to defeat Cagliari last weekend, and SPI gives them an 81 percent chance of breezing through to the Champions League quarterfinal. They're a team that nobody wants to see next on the fixture list.

2. Real Madrid (+1)

Real haven't always located top gear this season but are still a formidable side capable of turning it on when it counts. They followed up a routine 3-1 win over Osasuna last weekend by falling behind 1-0 to in-form Napoli in the Champions League, but it didn't matter. Three unanswered goals gave Zinedine Zidane's side a decent cushion ahead of the round-of-16 second leg. Los Blancos have two games in hand and a one-point lead in Spain, too. Not a bad place to be.

3. Bayern Munich (+2)

Any fears over Bayern Munich being in decline were cast aside in spectacular fashion on Wednesday night with a thrilling, freewheeling and emphatic 5-1 victory over Arsenal. Robert Lewandowski, Thiago Alcantara & Co. showed their might with a dominant second-half display. But they can also win in less dominant ways, having needed two very late goals to defeat Ingolstadt last weekend. Every victory counts, and they're holding a seven-point cushion at the top of the Bundesliga. This might not be the same side that reached epic heights under Jupp Heynckes and Pep Guardiola, but Carlo Ancelotti is doing just fine with what he's got.

4. Chelsea (-3)

Antonio Conte's side has slipped from the top of the Power Rankings, but they're still cruising serenely at the summit of the Premier League. Sunday's 1-1 draw at Burnley -- not the easiest place to play this season -- is no blip or cause for concern: Chelsea are eight points clear with 13 games left to play.

5. Paris Saint-Germain (new)

Just like Bayern, PSG are one of those giant clubs that everyone seems to think is in crisis. The fact that they're not running away with Ligue 1 -- they're three points behind Monaco -- is seen as a flaw when, really, they've got things just where they want them. Tuesday's 4-0 pasting of Barcelona showed a side in full confidence and flow, one that knows how to turn on the class when necessary. Marco Verratti bossed the midfield, and the playmaking duo of Julian Draxler and Angel Di Maria made merry against a discombobulated Barca side. Unai Emery's side haven't lost since Dec. 17.

r181268_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=738&site=esp — Juventus look formidable of late, which is why they're leading the Power Rankings this week.

6. Benfica (no change)

Benfica are here not for their domestic exploits -- impressive as they are: top of the Primeira Liga, a point ahead of Porto, after beating Arouca 3-0 last weekend -- but for their continued success in Europe. Tuesday's 1-0 win over Borussia Dortmund may have had a lot to do with the German side's wastefulness in front of goal (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a nightmare, in particular) but full credit to Rui Vitoria's side for taking their chance. Konstantinos Mitroglou poked in the game's only goal and Ederson was superb between the posts.

7. Monaco (no change)

The French league leaders are riding high after last weekend's 5-0 rout of Metz. Bernardo Silva is in fine form, Radamel Falcao has 16 goals, and Leonardo Jardim has created a stout and flexible defence to protect keeper Danijel Subasic. It's a winning formula, and after the recent 1-1 draw with PSG, it's going to take a lot to dethrone them.

8. AS Roma (new)

The Giallorossi aren't going to win Serie A anytime soon, but Luciano Spalletti is working wonders. Last weekend saw a 2-0 win over Crotone, easy stuff for a team with Europa League aspirations, and their fourth win in their last five games. Daniele De Rossi is maintaining in midfield while Edin Dzeko continues to bang in the goals: He has 18 this season, tied with Higuain for the Serie A lead. More impressive was their 4-0 rout of Villarreal in their round-of-32 first leg, with Dzeko adding a hat trick to continue his scoring tear.

9. Sevilla (+1)

A 1-0 win at Las Palmas took every ounce of Sevilla's ingenuity last weekend, but it's par for the course this season for Jorge Sampaoli's side, who manage to taste victory in seemingly every situation.

10. Olympiakos (-2)

Paulo Bento's side are running away with the Greek Super League, winning 2-0 vs. Larissa last weekend to maintain a 13-point lead at the top with 10 games remaining. But Olympiakos were unable to break down Osmanlispor in the Europa League, settling for a 0-0 home draw in the first leg. You'd still fancy them to win away from home given their form.

Dropping out: Barcelona, Tottenham.

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UEFA report highlights rapid growth of Premier League.

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I'm sure everyone will be okay with this.

POLL

What do you think of Juventus' new logo?

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So, do you like Juventus' new logo?

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The Swedish tennis player has claimed that the Italian club's new

crest bears a strong similarity to his own from four years ago.

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