Juventus News

[Socrates 7971]

Vincenzo Iaquinta Reportedly Ordered to
Stand Trial over Alleged Mafia Links

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2601532-vincenzo-iaquinta-reportedly-ordered-to-stand-trial-over-alleged-mafia-links?

Dec 22, 2015

Former Juventus and Italy forward Vincenzo Iaquinta is set to stand trial over alleged links to the Calabrian mafia.

According to Reuters (h/t the MailOnline), Iaquinta will be one of more than 140 figures to be tried in relation to the ‘Ndrangheta, said to be the most powerful organised crime network in Italy. The charges against those to stand trial range from helping the organisation to being an active member of it.

The indictments against Iaquinta, who was part of the Italy team that won the 2006 World Cup in Germany, include illegal possession of firearms and intention to assist the ‘Ndrangheta.

As reported by Football Italia, the 36-year-old’s legal representative, Carlo Taormina, confirmed Iaquinta’s father will also be tried, but over more serious charges of association with the organisation.

It’s also noted in the aforementioned piece that judge Francesca Zavaglia has stated the trial will begin on March 23, 2016.

Iaquinta, who retired in 2013, last featured in Serie A for Cesena in 2012 but enjoyed the best days of his career at Udinese and Juventus. At his peak, the rangy striker was a handful for defenders, excelling with his back to goal, in the air and when it came to bringing other players into the game.

The highlight of his playing days came in 2006, when he was part of the Azzurri’s glorious World Cup campaign. Iaquinta played in five of Italy’s seven matches in the tournament, including the final, in which he came off the bench after 61 minutes to replace Simone Perrotta; the Azzurri and France drew 1-1 after extra time, with the former winning 5-3 on penalties.

[Socrates 7971]

Alleged 2016/2017 Juventus Kit Leaked Online

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/12/alleged-20162017-juventus-kit-leaked-online/?

Dec 23, 2015

A picture of Juventus’ reported kit for next season has been doing on the rounds on the internet.

The Bianconeri are currently signed to sportswear giant Adidas, bringing an end to their deal with Nike following the end of last season.

According to Footy Headlines, Juve’s home kit next season will feature several thin black vertical lines, a design used by both AC Milan and Germany champions Bayern Munich.

The article also states that the Bianconeri are choosing between two shades of blue for their away kit next season.

The deal with Adidas, which is effective until 2022, sees Juventus earn a total of €25 million per year, €10.5m more than their earnings from Nike.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus jerseys for 2016-17 season leaked?

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/12/alleged-20162017-juventus-kit-leaked-online/?

Dec 24, 2015

Juventus switched shirt manufacturers from Nike to Adidas at the beginning of this 2015-16 season campaign. The new deal, which runs through till 2022, pays the Bianconeri €25 million per year, which is €10.5m more than their Nike contract.

Yesterday the internet was awash with supposedly leaked pictures of what next season's jersey were going to look like.

Picture courtesy of Juvefc.com

The reason that there are two blue jerseys is that Juve are yet to choose which one of the pair they will adopt as the away kit, and the 'zebra' kit will be the third jersey. Here's a closer look at all the shirts.

The blue away jersey is a throwback to the golden era of the '90s, but with the yellow trim replaced by white, it's not quite the same.

And the third jersey is bound to be a polarizing one. Juventini are either going to love it, or hate it.

Pictures courtesy of CalcioNews24.com

Remember, these are all leaked images and could likely be the product of one fan's fervent imagination. Also, as was brought up in the FanShot version of this post, where is the silver star to mark 10 Coppa Italia trophies?

Or indeed these designs could be real in which case we better start embracing them - fino alla fine.

[Socrates 7971]

Zoff: 'I saw Bearzot and Scirea'

http://www.football-italia.net/77528/zoff-i-saw-bearzot

Dec 26, 2015

Italy legend Dino Zoff thought he was going to die after being hospitalised with a viral infection. “It was my most important save.”

The 1982 World Cup winner spent several weeks in a clinic, but has been sent home and spoke to Calciomercato.com.

“For the first time in my life, I was actually afraid,” confessed the former goalkeeper, Coach and club President.

“It was even scarier than when I was a child in Friuli and the bombs came down during the war. At the age of two you don’t entirely realise what’s going on, but at 72 you understand all too well.

“When I say scared, I wasn’t afraid for myself, but for those around me. My wife, my son, my grandchildren. My tribe, basically. I would’ve really hurt them by leaving.

“I rebelled, mentally, against that destiny. You know, the human brain and mentality can achieve miracles. The rest was done by the medics who identified that damned virus that was paralyzing me before it reached my heart. The heart would not have held out.

“Fortunately, it is in the past now and it was the most important save of my life.

“One night I saw two figures at the end of my bed. They had the faces of Gaetano Scirea and il Vecio (Enzo Bearzot). They were both smiling. I wasn’t asleep, it wasn’t a dream. I told them: ‘Not yet, not now.’ And I am still here.”

[Socrates 7971]

‘It was time to leave Juve’

http://www.football-italia.net/77619/%E2%80%98it-was-time-leave-juve%E2%80%99

Dec 28, 2015

Andrea Pirlo says ‘Juventus wanted me to stay’ but that ‘it was time for something new’ and praises his relationship with Italy CT Antonio Conte.

The 36-year-old left Turin in the summer to join MLS side New York City FC, but is still targeting a place in Italy’s Euro 2016 squad.

“Juventus wanted me to stay, they didn’t send me away,” Pirlo told giornalaccio rosa.it.

“It was my decision, I had other choices in my mind but decided on this one.

“You get to a certain age where you must make certain evaluations. It was the right time for a change and to have a new experience after four fantastic years and having won all there was to win. I made a life choice in order to learn something new.

“I’ve built a good relationship with Conte, we’ve shared great successes together. Now he’s the CT of the national team, but for us nothing has changed, he knows I’m still playing and can see me every day in the American league.

“The respect and what we’ve shared together will remain forever.”

[Socrates 7971]

The 15 best Juventus-related things
from the 2015 calendar year

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/12/30/10662960/juventus-2015-serie-a-scudetto-coppa-italia-champions-league

Dec 30, 2015

The past 12 months have been rather interesting — and that's probably putting things somewhat lightly based on what's happened. We've seen Juventus do things the club hasn't done in years. We've seen some of the most important players of the past decade head out and a new-look roster try to make its own mark in the process. It has been, well, the kind of year that is hard to truly put into words sometimes. That's both because of the good, the bad and everything in between.

But we're going to try.

Or, at least, try some of it.

It would be impossible to recap every single solitary thing that Juventus did from the first day of January to the final game of the 2015 calendar year. Unless you're into 20,000-word posts that may well keep you staring at your screen for an hour or two, then there's only the short version of it. (Just for the record, this post will end up being just over 2,700 words.)

How do you define the year of 2015 for Juventus?

Something that was both trophy-filled and made a good bit of history is always going to be described and/or defined in a positive sense. But, like I said, the summer of 2015 was one of big-time change. We saw the likes of Carlos Tévez, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal — drink! — headline a group of players that headed out of the club after one hell of a short yet successful run. But even with change, even with the ups and downs that you might not expect one of the best clubs around might have to deal with, Juventus' 2015 was quite the run — both for the good and not-so-good.

So, with all of that being said, in no particular order — although some are much more obvious than the others — here are the 15 best Juventus things from the calendar year of 2015.

 

 

Juventus making the Champions League final

For many of us who have become Juve fans within the last decade or so, the day of June 6 was the first time we had ever seen Juventus play in a Champions League final. For those of us who have been Juve fans for much, much longer, it was the return to the biggest game in Europe after such a long wait.

Juventus didn't win the game, losing 3-1 to Barcelona in Berlin, but had one hell of a run to get there. Nobody really expected them to get to the Champions League final for whatever reason. They were the club not many picked to get to the semifinals, or even past the round of 16. But what did they do? Shut all of those folks up. They knocked off Real Madrid to get to the final before losing to the machine known as Barca. Was the final score against Barca a reflection of how the game went? Yeah, probably. And even though I'm somebody who doesn't exactly go for the whole 'morale victory' thing, Juve getting to the Champions League final last season was one hell of a fun — and incredibly stressful a lot of the time, too — ride that we all viewed from afar.

 

 

Juventus winning a fourth straight Scudetto

Regardless of the managerial situation when last season got underway, Juventus had the best team in Serie A last season. There were things to overcome on top of Antonio Conte stepping aside and Max Allegri taking over the ship. Along the whole shift from one manager to the other, though, it was pretty much well established that Juve were the best team in Italy — and by a comfortable margin, too.

Juventus faced some competition from Roma for a cool minute, but then once Rudi Garcia unintentionally decided his club would do nothing but rack up draw after draw, Juventus was able to pull away and claim their 33rd Serie A title. It was the confirmation of what we already knew — Juve were the top dogs in Serie A for yet another season. Good to be reminded of it, though.

 

 

Juventus finally winning Coppa Italia No. 10

There may not be a silver star on the first Juventus kit adidas has ever produced, but that doesn't take away from Juventus finally getting a record 10th Coppa Italia win back in late May.

For years Juve had been chasing said achievement, with their previous Coppa triumph coming 20 years earlier in 1995. Thanks to a player making his return to the club after bouncing around Serie A, Alessandro Matri, and some overcoming of odds along the way, Juve captured their 10th Coppa with a 2-1 win over Lazio in extra time at the Olimpico in Rome.

 

 

Gigi Buffon has continued to be the gold standard despite hitting his late-30s

Now that the titles are out of the way, we can mention individuals. And it's hard to get all that far into a list of the most influential Juventus players of any given season over the past two decades without mentioning San Gigi himself.

Buffon turned 37 years old less than 30 days into the 2015 calendar year, and he pretty much began his late-30s like he has played throughout the majority of his Juventus career. I know I say it all the time, but it's pretty remarkable that somebody at his age can play at the kind of level he does game after game, month after month, season after season. Whether it's in the Champions League final against Barcelona or making one singular save to keep Juventus in the lead against some mid-table Serie A club, Buffon is defying the logic that says he is supposed to regress at this point of his lengthy career.

The saves, like the one pictured above, continue to blow our mind. And, as is the case, they usually equal Juventus getting at least one point coming their way. Keep being you, San Gigi, keep being you.

 

 

Juventus didn't miss a beat going from one manager to another

Yes, I know the Max Allegri era technically began in the summer of 2014, but stick with me here.

Juventus didn't truly hit its stride until late-2014 and the early weeks of 2015 as they both pulled away from the pack in Serie A and went on their unexpected run on the Champions League. A lot of it had to do with Allegri finding the right kind of formula when it came to the players that were available to him at any given time. We saw Allegri shift between formations and tactical setups both from a game-to-game basis as well as in-game scenarios.

Even this season when things weren't going right Allegri stayed the course and continued to preach patience. As we'll get to in a little bit, that patience is paying off based on how Juve have rebounded from their early-season struggles.

 

 

Max Allegri has shut a lot of us up since he became Juventus manager

Like, me, for one.

I say this because not many people were all too convinced Allegri was the right man for the job when he took over for Conte in the summer of 2014. And, even with Juventus struggling to start this season, Allegri has been able to find the right solution to correct the early-season wrongs and get back into the Scudetto race.

It's definitely helped him out that Juve has seen important players get healthy and get back on form, but to say Allegri hasn't played any kind of serious role in the current rise up the table would be so completely wrong.

 

 

The absolutely beautiful goals Juventus scored over the last 12 months

Being a team that has some really, really players on its roster, scoring pretty goals is almost a certainty. And in the calendar year of 2015, Juventus players certainly scored their fair share of good looking goals.

Whether it was Carlos Tévez's right-footed hammer in the second leg against Borussia Dortmund...
 

Or Álvaro Morata's opener in the first leg of Juve's Champions League semifinal showdown against Real Madrid after the build-up to the goal included close to 30 passes...
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehUt758euD0

Or Andrea Pirlo's free kick against Torino in late-April where he basically started celebrating before the ball hit the back of the net...
 

Or Paul Pogba turning nothing into an absolute something as Juve conquered the Stadio San Paolo for the first time in over a decade back in January...
 

Or Paulo Dybala with a wonderful bit of skill just a few weeks ago in Juventus' 2-0 win over Lazio...
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=h_7KbjnRN2w

There are many more that can be added to this compilation of videos, and feel free to share them in the comments below because it's impossible to get tired of Juventus scoring goals. But being reminded of the wonderful things that helped Juventus achieve even larger wonderful things is always a nice thing to look back on. Or, in this case, watch on loop 10 more times on Vine and/or YouTube.

 

 

The continued development of Claudio Marchisio's game

...on the field, you fools. He's a happily married man with two wonderful children.

At this point, Marchisio being the deep-lying, hub of Juve's midfield is not a new development. He has adapted to this role as well as anybody could have hoped. We know how important he is to this Juventus team, mainly because they are so different when he is not in the lineup. And when Marchisio has been in the lineup this season, Juve are near perfection with their results.

Marchisio is important for every reason you can think of — his calm, cool and collected on-field presence, what he adds to the midfield both on offense and in the defensive third and his obvious leadership both on the field and off it. He's one of Juve's alternate captains after Buffon, and that's how it should be.

 

 

Álvaro Morata's goals in the Champions League knockout rounds

The first part of Morata's Juve career was clearly an adjustment period to life and football in Italy, thus the reason why Allegri chose to bring him along slowly. But once he got up to speed, it was full steam ahead for the young Spaniard.

Morata's second half of the season included big goal after big goal. Not just big goals, but big goals that were in the Champions League. Morata scored at least one goal against three of the four Juventus knockout round opponents. There were the goals against Borussia Dortmund, then the pair against his former club Real Madrid — including the one that sent Juve to the Champions League final — and one more for good measure in the final against Barcelona.

 

 

One Argentine striker leaves his mark on Juventus

Carlos Tévez's stay at Juventus wasn't very long in the grand scheme of things. Two years at a club isn't long no matter if it's a star player or one that is essentially serving as the late-game substitute at the end of games in the mold of Simone Padoin. But in those two seasons, Tévez had one of the best runs of any Juventus striker we've ever seen.

In a post-Del Piero world, Tévez proved to be worthy of such the lofty standards set by those who wear the Juventus jersey with No. 10 on the back of it. His final goal-scoring tally at Juve was simply superb: 96 games played, 50 goals scored. Twenty-nine of those goals came during the 2014-15 season, including seven of those coming in the Champions League.

No one can blame him for wanting to finish his career where it started in Argentina. You just wish, with the way he played, his Juventus career lasted another year or two longer. But even with that, he was one hell of a signing.

 

 

Another Argentine striker begins his own Juventus career with a bang

The initial price tag was steep, and when it's all said and done, Palermo will likely see €40 million head in its direction. But, as the saying goes, the price to acquire young, world-class talent isn't cheap (unless it's Paul Pogba), and Dybala is definitely a world-class player in the making.

The first month of his Juventus career involved us wondering why Allegri wasn't playing him consistently. The next three months have involved us looking at Dybala and making swooning sounds while watching score goal after goal. In 16 Serie A appearances this season, he's already two-thirds of the way to his goal total from last season with Palermo.

Watching Dybala grow into his role at Juventus has been one of the most enjoyable things of this current season. He has the skill, the personality and the obvious desire to make his stint at Juventus a truly special one.

 

 

Paul Pogba's development into one of the best in the world

Many will look at The Guardian's Top 100 footballers of 2015 list and wonder why Pogba is ranked so high, above the likes of . (Amongst other things, I will look at said list and wonder where the hell Claudio Marchisio is, but that's just me.)

But no matter where you think Pogba should be at on said list of the best in the world, he's up there somewhere. In a four-year period since arriving at Juventus, Pogba has gone from "teenager with potential that Manchester United let go for free" to the eye of every big-money club who wants to spend upwards of €100 million for the 22-year-old French midfielder. That's quite a transformation, and it's not like Pogba is doing anything to make people think otherwise.

 

 

The influx of young talent on the roster

Dybala. Morata. Stefano Sturaro. Daniele Rugani. Alex Sandro. Maybe we can thrown in Domenico Berardi in a few months, Alberto Cerri in a year or two, and some other names that will likely be added along the way. A lot of clubs would like to have a core like that to build around going forward. This is Juve's current situation. Pretty cool, huh?

This is a big part of what the summer of 2015 was all about. Of course, the task of replacing the players that left over the summer was priority No. 1 because Juve are still expected to be in the title hunt. But, maybe just as important, the front office's job was to lower the average age of the squad — and that's what they did. Juve's core, while still led by the likes of Buffon, Marchisio and the BBC defense, is much younger than it was come the end of the 2014-15 season.

And to think that in the summer of 2016 that Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici will likely add more to it (headlined by, we all hope, a Berardi signing) ... man, oh, man.

 

 

Leonardo Bonucci's rise to one of the best centerbacks in Europe

This guy, this guy right here, has seen a lot happen since he arrived from Bari (and Genoa, technically) before the 2010-11 season. A lot of it has been good, some of it not-so-good, and a little bit of it had to do with how Bonucci has personally played.

But what we saw during the 2014-15 season was a player who had made the leap and had the best season of his career. Bonucci wasn't just really good, but he was great. Of all the great performances Juve got from its incredibly talented roster last season, Bonucci had one of the best — and most consistent — of the bunch.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
Who has made the most Juventus appearances in 2015? Our number 19, @bonucci_leo19!


Juventus is set up for another Scudetto run

And thus the beauty of having a seven-game domestic winning streak to close the calendar year.

With their first two games of 2016 against clubs in the bottom third of the table, the possibility of extending that winning streak into double digits is a real possibility. When the second half of the season officially begins in the third week of January, Juventus will — at least in theory — with a legitimate shot at winning the Serie A title once again. Who knows how many points they will be out of first place by the time they see Udinese for the second time this season, but if they continue along their current path, things will be awfully good with so many big games arriving in late-January, February and March.

[Socrates 7971]

Raiola: 'Conte return to Juve'

http://www.football-italia.net/77717/raiola-conte-return-juve?

Dec 31, 2015

Mino Raiola “wouldn’t be surprised” to see Antonio Conte back at Juventus and reveals he was very close to Milan.

The Italy manager’s future remains the source of speculation, as he could well leave after Euro 2016.

“I can see Jose Mourinho at Manchester United. Even when at Milan, Max was fascinated by English football. I think if an offer arrived from the Premier League, he’d be tempted. Of course it also depends on Juve,” agent Raiola told Tuttosport.

“I admire Conte a great deal, he can go anywhere, but whoever signs him must allow the Coach to express his character to the full.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he returned to Juve. I had taken Antonio to Milan and we went really close too. At the time, in 2014, I told him: ‘This is the moment to join Milan, as with Juve you’ll manage about four games.’

“He proved me wrong – he quit after two training sessions. That idea is in the past now, Milan must give space to an excellent Sinisa Mihajlovic.

“I really hope Conte leaves the Nazionale after Euro 2016. A man like Antonio can’t be at the beck and call of a terrible Federation President like Carlo Tavecchio.”

Carlo Ancelotti has already agreed terms to replace Pep Guardiola on the Bayern Munich bench next season.

“Bayern will improve. Guardiola is a great Coach, but a complicated person. He really can’t stay at the same club for more than three years.”

[Socrates 7971]

Juve duo in France Football XI

http://www.football-italia.net/77721/juve-duo-france-football-xi?

Dec 31, 2015

France Football named two Juventus players in their Team of 2015, which was dominated by Barcelona stars.

The highly-respected magazine unveiled its ideal XI of the year.

Winning the Scudetto, Coppa Italia and reaching the Champions League Final saw Juve represented with two members of the old guard.

They included goalkeeper Gigi Buffon and centre-back Giorgio Chiellini.

Barcelona dominated the line-up with four members, while Kevin De Bruyne was the only Premier League representative.


France Football Team of 2015:

Buffon (Juventus); Alves (Barcelona), Godin (Atletico Madrid), Chiellini (Juventus), Alaba (Bayern Munich); Iniesta (Barcelona), Krychowiak (Sevilla), De Bruyne (Man City); Messi (Barcelona), Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Neymar (Barcelona)

[Socrates 7971]

Giampaolo: 'I was Juve Coach'

http://www.football-italia.net/77757/giampaolo-i-was-juve-coach

Jan 2, 2016

Empoli Coach Marco Giampaolo is ready for “unpredictable” Inter and reveals he had agreed to take over at Juventus.

The tactician was expected to falter when replacing Maurizio Sarri, but has kept the Tuscans on an even keel with spectacular football and fine results.

“We must do well to get right back on track after the winter break,” Giampaolo told Sky Sport Italia.

“Inter are strong and you cannot define them. They change players and system from match to match, so it’s not easy to prepare this game tactically.

“The Nerazzurri are unpredictable and you can’t put them in a box. I think their best player is Marcelo Brozovic, as he has quality and is dynamic.”

Giampaolo isn’t letting the recent fine form get to him, as he’s been close to glory and disaster before.

“Empoli represented a new opportunity for me. Up until five months ago I was working in Lega Pro. Cremonese really was my last chance and if I had failed there, I would probably have quit football.

“Before that in 2013 I told Brescia that I wanted to leave, but someone at the club announced I’d gone ‘missing.’ I paid a heavy price for that in the papers. I was left at home for many months, but fortunately then Cremonese arrived.

“In the past I had actually agreed terms with Juventus. The night before it was all sorted, then the morning after someone changed their mind.

“Obviously there were regrets, as it was the chance of a lifetime. I never asked why. I was just told that at Juve there are things bigger than us when it comes to decision-making.”

[Socrates 7971]

Del Piero for Mallorca role?

http://www.football-italia.net/77992/del-piero-mallorca-role?

Jan 7, 2016

Former Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero is reportedly on the verge of joining Real Mallorca in a directorial role.

Sky Sport believes that a close friendship between Del Piero and former NBA star Steve Nash, who owns the club, could lead to a new role for the former Italy international.

The report says that the former Juve number 10 would take on the position of director general at the Spanish club.

Mallorca are currently 18th in the second tier of Spanish football and Nash was reported to have been part of a group that purchased a controlling share in the club two days ago.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus, Napoli on IFFHS list

http://www.football-italia.net/78010/juventus-napoli-iffhs-list?

Jan 7, 2016

Juventus and Napoli placed second and third on the International Federation of Football History & Statistics’ club rankings.

The body calculates the ranking of clubs in world football by their results in a calendar year, and the Bianconeri and the Partenopei came behind Barcelona in the World rankings.

The Old Lady’s run to the Champions League final saw them come second to winners Barcelona, while the Vesuviani’s Europa League exploits brought them second place.

Fiorentina were the only other Serie A side in the top 10, coming in eighth place between Independiente and River Plate.

Lazio were ranked 17th, Roma came in 38th place while Inter were in joint 84th alongside CSKA Moscow.

In terms of players, Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was named as the world's second best goalkeeper, behind Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich.


IFFHS Club rankings

1 - Barcelona
2 - Juventus
3 - Napoli
4 - Bayern Munich
5 - Paris Saint-Germain
6 - Real Madrid
7 - Club Independiente Santa Fe
8 - Fiorentina
9 - River Plate
10 - Wolfsburg

[Socrates 7971]

Boateng out of Bayern-Juve

http://www.football-italia.net/78840/boateng-out-bayern-juve?

Jan 24, 2016

Jerome Boateng misses both Champions League games with Juventus, as the Bayern Munich man could be out for three months.

According to German newspaper Bild, Boateng has a groin strain that will keep him on the touchline for most of this season.

The Bundesliga resumed this weekend after the winter break and Boateng was carried off the pitch during their 2-1 win over Hamburg on Friday.

Initial reports suggest the 27-year-old could be out of action for around three months.

Even a rosier diagnosis would still make it extremely unlikely he’d be available against Juventus in the Champions League Round of 16 next month.

[Socrates 7971]

Second leak of Juventus 2016-17
home kit from Adidas emerges

Is this what the Old Lady will be wearing next year?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/1/29/10864342/juventus-home-away-kit-leak-adidas-2016--17-images

Jan 29, 2016

It’s that time of year again where supposed leaks of next season’s kits start to emerge. Thanks to those at footyheadlines.com, we have some images of what appears to be Juventus’ home kit for the upcoming season.

If you remember, we had reported leaked designs a month ago, and these latest images are the same shirts that we had previously seen. Now. although we cannot confirm or deny whether this image is true or not, Footy Headlines have been very accurate in the past on kit releases and leaks.


La Maglia Bianconera @La_Bianconera
#Maglie #Juve 16/17 - Un leak Home di @Footy_Headlines conferma ns anticipazioni! Novità l'ipotesi maniche monocolor

Here's the description of the new home kit by the aforementioned FootyHeadlines:

"After the very first Adidas Juventus home kit was predominantly white, the new Juventus home kit will see black take over the dominant part, with most of the sleeves and back colored in black. The traditional striping on the front of the Juventus 16-17 home kit is re-imagined in a modern way as thin black pinstripes are placed inside the larger white stripes.

Three stars commemorating the club's Serie A titles are placed above the iconic Juve badge in gold, while the Adidas logo is white with a black outline. Also on the front of the new Juventus kit is the Jeep logo, colored white inside a black box, while the Adidas stripes run down on the sides in white.

Continuing the scheme of the new Juventus 16-17 shirt, the shorts and socks will be black with white accents, a big change from the almost entirely white Juventus 15-16 home kit."

We also have images of what appears to be the away and third kit for next season brought to us by @la_bianconera, a twitter account that specializes in all things pertaining to Juve merchandise.


La Maglia Bianconera @La_Bianconera
Sull'edizione odierna di @tuttosport pubblicate le nostre indiscrezioni sulle divise della #Juve 2016/17

I personally love that Adidas has taken an adventurous approach to next season's Juve kits. We are so used to seeing exact duplicates of kits throughout Europe with different colour schemes, it's a nice change of pace. Fan reception on these kits is definitely going to be interesting and only time will tell if these images and tweets are factual. Having said that, all kits look a little better if some green, white and red patches somehow find their way onto them. Only time will tell.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus poised to reap rewards of Paulo Dybala-Alvaro Morata duo

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2796379/juventus-benefiting-from-paulo-dybala-and-alvaro-morata-duo

Jan 29, 2016

A team worthy of a symphony of compliments, there are not enough superlatives that can be used to describe the winning mentality Juventus, for rarely have fans seen such a motivated and dedicated group of players. In destroying Inter 3-0 on Wednesday evening in the Coppa Italia semifinal first leg, Juventus have forgotten the irritating smell of defeat. This is a side that despite the overwhelming number of wins, still pride themselves on their humility.

So many were quick to criticise the purchases made by the club over the summer, and while management dropped the ball on a PR level, they did indeed make the right investments to ensure a long future for a side filled with varied talent. So many greats have donned the Bianconeri jersey and so many of them were very young when they delighted on the pitch, yet watching Paulo Dybala on the ball makes one wonder whether he will be the greatest of them all.

It may be too early to put so much pressure on the shoulders of such a young player, but his intelligence on the ball, speed of thought and understanding of his body mesmerise onlookers. Italian media might have surrendered to exaggerations when they asked questions such as "Carlos Tevez who?", and while the former Manchester City striker took Juve by the scruff of the net and scored the goals necessary to propel them to the upper echelons of European football during his time there, Dybala is managing just as much, if not more, with far less experience and so much more promise.

This blog was admittedly cynical. The former Palermo star achieved rather exciting statistics last season and was largely the reason the Sicilians managed such excellent performances. But there were moments Dybala seemed invisible and his slender stature worried a few. Would he cope with the pressure of playing for such a big club?

Juventus may not be bigger than some of their rivals in Europe, but playing in Italy brings with it so many added pressures. Take Kingsley Coman as an example. He's now playing for Bayern Munich, a European giant expected to win the Treble every season, yet he maintained that he felt more pressure in Italy when he played for Juve. "At Juventus the pressure was greater before games, in Munich it's more relaxed which suits me well."

Former Manchester United and current Juventus defender Patrice Evra has previously uttered similar words, while former Juve and current West Ham player Angelo Ogbonna also admitted he has found England to be relaxing in comparison to the tough world of Italian football. For Dybala to succeed in a country where criticisms are the norm and praise is reserved only for saints, he truly must be a sensation; indeed he is that. He not only scores the goals with such intelligence and efficiency but he creates them, too, sacrificing himself for the benefit of the team and the perfection of the attacking line.

Yet while he scored another glorious goal against Inter, showing a young Mauro Icardi what it means to be dedicated to one's trade, the Coppa Italia was memorable because of another striker, Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard has suffered off the pitch in recent times which has undoubtedly affected his performances on the pitch. While everyone hopes players have the thick skin required to ensure consistency, fans must remember the difficulties of youth and hope that things will improve for the young Spaniard. As for now, Morata is certainly enjoying his moment.

Dining out after the match, Morata noticed a young Juve fan by the name of Gianmarco Fraglica sitting in the restaurant wearing his jersey. Gianmarco is a diehard Juventino, one who attends all their games, and he's almost always wearing Morata's jersey. Noting his happiness on Facebook at the wonderful scoreline in the Coppa Italia, his idol, Morata, walked into the restaurant, noted the jersey and walked up to Gianmarco to ask him if he wanted to join him for dinner. Not only did the duo take what seems to be a thousand pictures for the sake of social media, but they shared in the happiness of an exciting day for both Juve's players and their delighted fans.

One only hopes this excitement will last. With Bayern Munich around the corner, the dreaded feeling of a potential defeat is rattling. While the Germans have lost a huge player in Jerome Boateng, no amount of on-pitch brilliance will matter if the Old Lady makes an early exit in Europe and fails to out-do Napoli in the league. This is exactly why Morata's return to goalscoring comes at such a great time. Morata, more than any other Juve striker, has the potential to disturb the Bavarian back-line with his speed and athleticism. With Xabi Alonso most likely the man who will be tasked with playing the ball out from the back, Bayern's game will be that more predictable and that much easier to neutralise, but Juventus will need a fit and confident Morata.

In the words of Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri and midfielder Paul Pogba, Juve have achieved nothing yet this season and could well find themselves with no trophy to hold at the end of the season. They have indeed performed miracles in making up for their disastrous start to the season, but they will need to do even better if they hope to be called champions and attempt to earn the funds necessary to ensure they can compete with Europe's finest.

[Socrates 7971]

Juve climb in UEFA rankings

http://www.football-italia.net/80332/juve-climb-uefa-rankings?

Feb 24, 2016

Juventus have climbed to ninth place in the updated UEFA rankings, with Roma and Napoli also in the top 20.

Europe’s governing body released an updated list of the coefficient rankings for this season today, following recent European results.

The Bianconeri came back from a two goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Bayern Munich in Turin last night, while Roma were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid in Rome on Tuesday.

In the Europa League, Lazio held Galatasaray to a 1-1 draw in Istanbul, Napoli were beaten 1-0 in Spain by Villarreal and Fiorentina drew 1-1 with Tottenham in Florence.

 

UEFA Club Coefficient

1. Real Madrid (22 points)

2. Barcelona (21)

3. Bayern Munich (20)

4. PSG (20)

5. Wolfsburg (19)

6. Zenit (19)

7. Atletico Madrid (18)

8. Chelsea (18)

9. Juventus (18)

10. Benfica (18)

16. Roma (14)

17. Napoli (12)

22. Lazio (11)

41. Fiorentina (7)

78. Sampdoria (0)

[Socrates 7971]

Tottenham to play Juventus and Atletico Madrid in preseason

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/barclays-premier-league/story/2818908/tottenham-to-play-juventus-and-atletico-madrid-in-preseason

Mar 1, 2016

Tottenham Hotspur will face Juventus and Atletico Madrid in a preseason tournament in Melbourne, Australia this summer.

Spurs, Juve and A-League club Melbourne Victory were confirmed in December for the International Champions Cup, and will be joined by Diego Simeone's La Liga high flyers.

Spurs will face Scudetto holders Juve on July 26 at 8 p.m. local time (9 a.m. UK) and Atleti on July 29 at 8 p.m. local time.

There is a chance all three teams could head to Australia as champions of their respective leagues, with Juve currently three points clear at the top of the Serie A, Spurs two points off top of the Premier League, and second-place Atleti putting pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona, after beating city rivals Real Madrid at the weekend.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is looking forward to facing his friend and compatriot Simeone.

"Diego and I started coaching at the same time," the Argentine said. "He's a good friend and great coach, I look forward to seeing him again in Melbourne.

"The announcement of Atletico as the fourth team in the Champions Cup is a great addition to this competition.

"Playing two of Europe's best teams in Melbourne will be a strong test for us. We hope to put on a great show for our fans as a way of thanking them for incredible support throughout this and every season."

[Socrates 7971]

Tuchel: 'How to trouble Bayern'

http://www.football-italia.net/80843/tuchel-how-trouble-bayern?

Mar 5, 2016

Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel advised Juventus “how to trouble” Bayern Munich.

The two sides drew 0-0 in the Bundesliga this evening, maintaining the gap at the top of the table.

Were there any lessons for Juventus, who drew the first leg of their Champions League tie 2-2?

“We played an excellent first half, helped also by our amazing fans,” said Tuchel.

“We defended well against a very strong side. In order to hurt them, you have to be courageous and escape from their pressure.

“It’s not easy, but it is the only way to trouble them. We had possession for long periods and went close to scoring, but couldn’t get the goal.”

Juve will play at the Allianz Arena on March 16.

[Socrates 7971]

Niang back for Coppa Final?

http://www.football-italia.net/80905/niang-back-coppa-final?

Mar 6, 2016

Milan send M’Baye Niang to a specialist in Amsterdam, hoping to have him fit for the Coppa Italia Final with Juventus.

The striker was ruled out for approximately six to eight weeks after damaging his left ankle and shoulder in a car crash last week.

According to Sky Sport Italia, Niang will visit specialist Professor Niek van Dijk in Amsterdam tomorrow morning.

Milan hope he can be fully fit in time for the Coppa Italia Final against Juventus on May 21.

That is increasingly their best chance of getting into Europe for next season, but in a change of rules only the Coppa winners qualify for the Europa League.

The swelling has gone down around the ankle and tomorrow’s check-up will see if surgery is necessary.

[Socrates 7971]

Robben tells Guardiola: I don't want to be rested!

Bayern Munich's lethal winger is desperate to force his way into his manager's plans ahead
of Werder Bremen on Saturday before the German club's Champions League last-16 second leg.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/725/bundesliga/2016/03/11/21216892/-?

Mar 11, 2016

Bayern Munich attacker Arjen Robben says he does not need to miss Saturday's Bundesliga match versus Werder Bremen in order to be fit to face Juventus in the Champions League on March 16.

The 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday maintained Bayern's five-point advantage at the top of the league.

The German champions will also be looking to book their ticket for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday after their 2-2 first-leg draw in Turin, but Robben is adamant he does not need to be rested after overcoming his recent injury problems.

"I am feeling strong again and I am back to my old level," the Netherlands international told reporters.

"I know what I am capable of and my body is cooperating. I hope it stays like this. I want to stay fit and gain match rhythm.

"I don't want to be rested against Bremen, as I always want to play. We did not have a game in midweek this time. It does not matter what I want, though. The coach is the one who decides in the end.

"You cannot treat Werder like they are a warm-up for the game against Juventus. It does not work like that. We only have finals left this season and in the Bundesliga, Dortmund are still a very strong rival.

"But games like the clash with Juventus are what it is all about. I love these kinds of games. You have to show that you are ready for it when it matters most."

[Socrates 7971]

Serie A clubs fail to reach European
quarterfinals for first time in 15 years

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/story/2832054/italian-teams-out-of-europe-before-the-quarterfinals

Mar 18, 2016

There will be no Italian club heading to Milan's San Siro for this year's Champions League final, and none going to Basel for the Europa League final either, with all Serie A sides out of Europe by the quarterfinals for the first time since 2001.

Lazio followed Juventus in being eliminated this week and you have to go back 15 years for the last time there was not one single representative of Italian football among the final 16 clubs of Europe's two major club competitions.

After sending three clubs through to the same stage last season -- with Fiorentina and Napoli reaching the semifinals of the Europa League and Juve going all the way to the final of the Champions League -- the transformation in Italian clubs' results is a major blow in their attempts to snatch a fourth Champions League berth from the Premier League.

Indeed, a repeat this year of the respective results of Premier League and Serie A clubs in Europe last season would have seen Italy move up to third in UEFA's five-year rankings and take that fourth Champions League spot from 2017-18.

With Liverpool and Manchester City entering Friday's draws in Nyon, the Premier League even has the opportunity to strengthen its third rank -- although it will lose almost four points when the 2011-12 season is scratched from the list in the summer.

That increases the chances of England holding onto its fourth Champions League berth also for 2018-19, despite losing a further two points to Italy at the end of next season.

Dale Johnson ‎@dalejohnsonESPN
All Serie A clubs out of Europe:
- No team in QF, 1st time since 00-01
- Worst overall performance in 4 years
- Worse only once since 08-09

"What we have done is a disgrace," said Lazio's Luca Biglia, referring to his side's 3-0 defeat at home to Sparta Prague on Thursday night which saw them eliminated 4-1 on aggregate. "It's disgraceful -- truly disgraceful.

"I hope that tonight can prove to be a lesson for us."

That lesson will need to be heeded by all Italian clubs in Europe next season, in particular the one forced to go through two qualifying rounds to reach the Europa League group stage, with Sampdoria's crushing defeat to Vojvodina in July setting the tone for a disappointing year in Europe for Italian clubs.

Lazio's unexpected but equally deserved elimination was perhaps an apt conclusion.

"We didn't play as a team and we should be ashamed," said Lazio's Nenad Lulic in La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "When you've got to stand there and take the jeers after a game like tonight's, then you should all be there taking those jeers and not just five or six of us.

"The others had escaped into the dressing room. This shows that we're not a team. When you get applause, everybody's there to take it, and the same should go for the jeers."

[Socrates 7971]

Four Juventus players called up for
Italy's friendlies against Spain, Germany

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/3/21/11274972/juventus-italy-squad-2016-gianluigi-buffon-leonardo-bonucci-andrea-barzagli-simone-zaza

Mar 21, 2016

We haven't had an international break to slog through in months. The football has been fast and frequent, with Juventus playing on all three fronts until a couple of days ago. With no more Euro 2016 qualifiers to take care of,

Departing Italy manager Antonio Conte has called up four Juventus players — goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci and striker Simone Zaza — for the Azzurri's upcoming friendlies against Álvaro Morata and Spain and then Sami Khedira and Germany. Italy will play Spain at the Dacia Arena — formerly known as the Stadio Friuli — in Udine on Thursday night before traveling to heading to Munich next Tuesday.


The complete 23-man roster for the Spain and Germany friendlies is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Mattia Perin, Salvatore Sirigu

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Luca Antonelli, Davide Astori, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Matteo Darmian, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Andrea Ranocchia

Midfielders: Giacomo Bonaventura, Alessandro Florenzi, Emanuele Giaccherini, Jorginho, Riccardo Montolivo, Thiago Motta, Marco Parolo, Roberto Soriano, Marco Verratti

Forwards: Federico Bernardeschi, Antonio Candreva, Eder, Stephan El Shaarawy, Ciro Immobile Stefano Okaka, Lorenzo Insigne, Graziano Pellè, Simone Zaza


In terms of the Juventus contingent called up by Conte, none of these names are surprising. It would obviously be more plentiful if the likes of Claudio Marchisio and Giorgio Chiellini weren't out injured right now. And maybe if Daniele Rugani were playing a little more regularly, he'd be with the senior squad rather than the Under-21 side the next 10 or so days.

The interesting part in all of this involves the other players who got called up by Conte.

For one, you have the first senior team call-up for Insigne, who has easily been one of Napoli's best players not named Gonzalo Higuain this season. Then there's one of this season's biggest revelations, 22-year-old Fiorentina starlet Bernardeschi, who, alongside Insigne, gets his first senior team call-up this week.

With this being one of the last squads Conte will name before his tenure with the Azzurri comes to an end — and the subsequent expectation that he goes to England to manage Chelsea — we could be in for a good hint what he will be taking to the European Championships this summer. Of course, if they are healthy come the summer months, then Marchisio and Chiellini will be there. And see as the likes of Insigne and Bernardeschi are there, too, then maybe this is allowing some of Serie A's best youngsters to try and make a name for themselves before the final Euro roster cut. (As well as setting things up for the future months beyond the summer.)

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus to play Tottenham, Melbourne Victory
in Australian side of International Champions Cup

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/3/23/11289436/juventus-tottenham-hotspur-melbourne-victory-2016-international-champions-cup

Mar 23, 2016

The last time Juventus made their way over to Australia, it wasn't necessarily to sit around and play with kangaroos. The time before that, they were set to make their return to Serie A. So to say that Australia has been Juve's home away from home wouldn't necessarily be true, but there's certainly a reason Juve keep going back to the land of Crocodile Dundee and the world-renowned Sydney Opera House.

This next time, about four months from now, will be the International Champions Cup.

Don't worry, it won't be like the last time Juve took part in the International Champions Cup a few years ago. Or, at least, we hope it won't be like a couple of years ago. At least there won't be any MLS teams as far as we know right now.

But Juventus are heading back to Australia for the first time since they faced Alessandro Del Piero and the Australian League All-Star in the late-summer months of 2014. There will be no kind of reunion, rather a pair of friendlies against an Australian side, Melbourne Victory, and a team that maybe, just maybe, Juve will see in the Champions League group stage come the fall in the form of Tottenham Hotspur.

The complete schedule — as it stands right now — is below:

Match 1: Juventus vs. Melbourne Victory, Saturday, July 23rd, 7 p.m. AEST, 11 a.m. in Italy, 5 a.m. ET, 2 a.m. PT

Match 2: Juventus vs. Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tuesday, July 26th, 8 p.m. AEST, 12 p.m. in Italy, 6 p.m. ET, 3 a.m. PT

Match 3: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. vs. Atético Madrid, Friday, July 29th, 8 p.m. AEST, 12 p.m. in Italy, 6 p.m. ET, 3 a.m. PT

Whether we get a Juventus-Atléti matchup is unclear at this point, but it seems like both Juventus and Tottenham will be playing two games and then likely heading out somewhere else to complete their summer preseason tour. Nothing has been officially announced through the Juventus channels just yet, but maybe we're just a little bit of time away from that knowing that the International Champions Cup folks have now released what looks like the entirety of the schedule both in Australia and the United States.

[Socrates 7971]

What should Juventus do to get
to the top of Europe?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/3/26/11303050/what-should-juventus-do-to-get-to-the-top-of-europe-2016-serie-a-champions-league

Mar 26, 2016

Almost six years ago, Andrea Agnelli took over the Juventus presidency. One of his first acts was to appoint Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici to implement his vision for the club. Importantly, In the first year there were some growing pains, Juventus sold many players — some at a loss — and bought others with Beppe's now famous loan-with-option-to-buy, and appointed Gigi Delneri as coach. Unfortunately, the end product was terrible, Juventus finished seventh, they were out of Europe and everything pointed to the club having to start from scratch.

But Marotta and Paratici had just laid the groundwork. Simone Pepe, Marco Storari, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Alessandro Matri were some of the players bought during Agnelli's first year. These players will go on to win many Scudetti in the coming years under the direction of Antonio Conte. In fact, after the 2011-12 season, it was clear that results had arrived quicker than anyone else expected. Understandably, Conte wanted his team to grow at a faster pace that our finances would allow. The management would add great players like Pirlo, Vidal, Pogba, but Conte wanted more.

Some fans also grew tired. Juventus became a force in Italy winning multiple Scudetti and breaking almost any Serie A record on its way. Europe, however, was another story. The lack of convincing performances in Europe, combined with the absolute domination in Serie A, led most pundits to conclude that the league is mediocre, and that Juventus are nothing but a medium size fish in the smallest pond on the planet.

True or not, this was the rhetoric and it became impossible to change it.

Which brings us to 2014 and a new manager in Max Allegri. To say that his appointment lacked fan support would be a massive understatement. Unfazed by the criticism, Max put his head down and got to work. Unsurprisingly, Juventus would continue to conquer Serie A. Also unsurprisingly, they hardly convinced anyone in Europe. Finishing second after Atletico Madrid and losing to Atletico and Olympiakos gave the appearance that Juve were still the same European light weight. Fast forward five months and Juventus had made it to the final and could have won it if lady luck would have been more favorable to the black and white colors. Many people thought that making it to the final would buy Juventus some respect, but not much came off it.

This year, Juventus were taken more seriously, recording a massive win in England against Manchester City. But the loss to Sevilla and the subsequent draw with Bayern seemed to seal our faith. Yes, Juve came close to going through, but the hard reality is that they lost to a team that was better than them. And as Juventini, we know that we don't lick our wounds for too long, but we look forward to how to improve, how to beat Bayern and Barca, how to get to the top.

So what should Juventus do to make it to the next level?

First of all we need to establish our real level. At this point, I believe that Juve are not in the top tier of Europe. In my opinion, that honor is reserved for Bayern and Barcelona. Maybe Real Madrid can be up there too depending on who is coaching the team. Then there is Paris Saint-Germain and Juve. Next summer, we can probably include Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, Chelsea under Conte, and United under Jose Mourinho. The last three must be considered because their spending power is so large that they can build a competitive team in one summer.

So, all in all, we are not bad, but we are also not where we need to be.

With that out of the way then here are five things that will allow us to move forward:


Sporting goals

Keep our stars. Pogba, Bonucci and Dybala are at the heart of this team and Juventus should build its future on these players. Losing them in the short term would set us back to the level of Borussia Dortmund or Atleti. The exception being Pogba. If handled properly, his sale could do for Juventus what Zidane's sale did for us in the past. With that being said, I still insist that Juventus should try to keep Pogba until at least the 2018 World Cup.

Keep Álvaro Morata. Morata says that he doesn't have a say about what happens and that it depends on Real Madrid. The reality is that if the player doesn't want to move then Real Madrid can't really force the issue. I think that if the player wants to stay, Marotta can give Real Madrid an extra €15 million and keep the player for good. The young Spaniard has recovered his form as of late and his speed and trickery would be crucial for Juventus to make a mark in Europe. I am still unsure if Morata and Dybala can play together, but Allegri should do whatever possible to make sure our most talented strikers develop a successful partnership. .

Develop a European identity. We need to find a better way to play in Europe than to bunker down and hope we can hit other teams on the counter. I am not saying go with a high-line against Bayern as this would be reckless, but Juve need to play like they did against Bayern in the first 45 minutes in Munich. Or like they did against Real Madrid over the two legs last year. Sure, Juve took advantage of our defensive solidity, but they also pressed their players further up the pitch. Although the loss against Bayern was a hard pill to swallow, it can also be used to learn a lot as to how to play in Europe in the future.


Economic goals

Raise our wages.

Right now, Juve's highest earners receive between €4-5 million plus bonuses. Although the bonuses can really improve players' salaries, our wage structure is out of pace with all of the big European clubs. Players like Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic make significantly more than any of Juve's players. Bringing players of this caliber to Juventus is now impossible. This limits what we can do in the transfer market: sign established players when their contract is up offering a decent salary (Khedira), or buy young players with potential looking to make the jump to a big club (Dybala). In other words Juventus will buy 18-22 year olds or 29-31 year olds that are capable of changing our team. Players in their mid 20s are out of our reach.

This is one of my hesitations about selling Pogba. What good can we do with €100 million if we are still offering €3 million per year types of contracts? Players like Isco or Gundogan may prefer to move to England where their salaries are higher even if we match the parent's club asking price.


Buy few players with high impact instead of many players with low ceiling.

We have been moving in this direction.

Players in may be counted twice. For example, Matri's loan in 2010-11 will count as a player acquisition, his full purchase will count as a player acquisition in 2011-12. Numbers from Wikipedia.

The general trend has been buying fewer players and the quality of the players has increased. Even in 2013-14 when we signed five players, we brought in Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente for €10 million with Angelo Ogbonna making up the difference. Last year, the new Adidas deal, the sale of Vidal, Ogbonna and Coman, and our deep run in the Champions League gave us plenty of funds to rebuild the team.

Moving forward, Juve need to buy two to four great players every year. Some promising stars sure, but also established players. I am hoping they start seeing that over the next few years.


Improve our commercial earnings.

Deloitte and Touche Money league has Juventus in 10th place. Interestingly, the biggest drop in earnings is between No. 9 (Liverpool) and No. 10 (Juventus). And with the new Premier League television deal, this gap is set to become even bigger. But Juventus' broadcast deal is nothing to be ashamed of. Last year the Old Lady received the distributions from Champions League was the highest ever paid to a club (€89.1 million).

The problem seems to be the match day revenue and the commercial earnings. Given that the size of Juventus Stadium is unchangeable, the only way to make more from match day revenue is by charging more for entry. Not necessarily a popular measure. The other way to improve our overall revenue is by improving our commercial earnings The plan for the J-Village due next year should improve our standings and allow us to continue in the top 10. Moving up higher in the table will be challenging since the next four clubs ahead of Juve are English and will receive a huge boost from the new broadcasting deal. For example, moving up to No. 5 will require over €150 million increased in revenue (almost a 50 percent increase of what they currently make) and that is not counting the new broadcasting deal. Creativity from management here will be crucial.

Since 2010, Juventus growth has been impressive. They have doubled their total earnings, won four Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, made it to one Champions League final and came within minutes of eliminating Bayern Munich this year. Juve have gone from buying players like Matri and Mirko Vucinic to signing young exciting players like Morata, Dybala, and established players like Tevez and Mandzukic. But there is still much to do and Juventus will only get there by consistently performing in Europe and asserting ourselves financially in the upcoming transfer markets.

[Socrates 7971]

Ranking Juventus' 10 Brightest Youth Prospects

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2627781-ranking-juventus-10-brightest-youth-prospects?

Mar 27, 2016

Recent seasons have seen Juventus invest heavily in their youth sector, drafting in players from around the world to play in their Primavera (under-19) side. Coached by former Italy international Fabio Grosso, that team has found form this season to perform well in both the league and the Viareggio tournament.

Grosso clearly has some genuine talent at his disposal, steering them to victory over Bologna in the quarter-finals of that latter competition and into the last four. They will take on Spezia on Monday, but the retired defender—appointed to his current role in March 2014—believes there is much more to come from his players.

“Our attitude for long spells of the game was spot on, but we know we can do better,” Grosso said after their most recent win, per the club’s official website. It was a match that highlighted a number of key performers in the Juventus youth sector, and what follows is a closer look at some of those names.

Listed in order of potential, the next pages turn the spotlight onto the 10 brightest prospects currently owned by the Bianconeri, focussing on their recent performances and what they might bring in the future.


10. Niccoló Pozzebon

Often overshadowed by some of Juve’s other attacking talent, Niccoló Pozzebon will perhaps never play for Juventus, but he has shown he might make an impact elsewhere. Netting 11 times in 15 Primavera championship appearances, the 18-year-old is a good finisher but is unlikely to remain in Turin for long.


9. Andrea Favilli

It says much for the ability of those above him here that Andrea Favilli has already made his first-team debut for Juventus, drafted in after a string of injuries left coach Massimiliano Allegri with a lack of options in attack.

The striker has bagged 11 goals and five assists in his 16 championship appearances for the Primavera this term and was brought on by Allegri as a late substitute in the match against Frosinone back in February.


8. Pol Lirola

A strong prospect at right-back, Pol Lirola arrived at Juventus from Espanyol and has established himself as a regular in Fabio Grosso’s side. Making 17 league appearances, the 18-year-old has weighed in with two goals and four assists while also showcasing a superb defensive attitude and ability to read the game.

Lirola told Juve’s in-house television station JTV (h/t La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, link in Italian) that he sees Stephan Lichtsteiner as a role model and hopes to one day reach the standard set by the Switzerland international.


7. Filippo Romagna

Able to play as a central defender or in midfield, the diligent awareness and tactical intelligence of Filippo Romagna shine brightly every time he goes out on the pitch. Often entrusted with the captain's armband, the 18-year-old may be a few years away from the first-team but could be an important player in the future.


6. Luca Clemenza

Currently out with a torn ligament, 2015/16 has seen some impressive performances from the versatile Luca Clemenza. Able to play anywhere in attack and even fill in as a midfielder if necessary, the 18-year-old has contributed 14 goals and three assists in all competitions this term.

He will be eager to get back into action once he has recovered from his current injury, but he has done enough to be seen as a player to watch in the coming years.


5. Emil Audero

Already a regular name in the Juventus first-team squad, Emil Audero is now clearly the club’s fourth-choice goalkeeper, ready to deputise whenever injury or illness befalls one of Allegri’s senior players.

Indeed, the 19-year-old has often travelled with the full side, named to the substitute’s bench on no fewer than 12 occasions and—in a 2014 interview with the club’s official website—spoke of the impact that has on his progression:

It’s great training with them, you learn and understand a lot of things you can’t pick up from the TV: from how they train to their sheer technique. When it’s with your team-mate from the Primavera, sometimes you just pass over it, whereas if you see the first team shot-stoppers carry it out, for example their footwork, ways of attacking the ball and how to dive when making a save, you pay a little more attention to it. Buffon has always been my idol, ever since I put my gloves on for the first time: maybe behind all the things that come naturally to me, there’s also a bit of copying going on!


4. Guido Vadala

Arriving as part of the deal that saw Carlos Tevez return to Boca Juniors, Juventus will have an important decision to make this year regarding Guido Vadala. According to a press release on the club's official website, they will pay €3.5 million to loan the Argentina-native until December 2017 but can invest a further €9.4 million to make that move permanent.

Featuring either as a winger or support striker in his 25 appearances for the Bianconeri, Vadala has so far weighed in with four goals and six assists, but he will need to continue in that vein if the Turin giants are to retain him at such a steep price.


3. Rolando Mandragora

Moving to Genoa’s youth sector ahead of the 2011/12 season, it was last season that saw Rolando Mandragora make a breakthrough, managing five Serie A appearances for the Grifone before a subsequent move to Pescara.

His form there saw Juventus pounce, the club’s official website revealing they paid an initial fee of €6 million to Genoa, which could increase by a further €6 million should certain sporting targets be achieved.

Mandragora signed a five-year contract with the Bianconeri but remained with Pescara, where he usually features just in front of the defence. His future in Turin was discussed during this previous post, with his technique and creativity marking the 18-year-old as a talent to monitor closely in the coming years.


2. Mattia Vitale

While Juve’s attacking talent often dominates the headlines, Mattia Vitale has quietly established himself as a major prospect for the Bianconeri. The 18-year-old midfielder has made two first-team appearances and seemingly won the confidence of Allegri last season, who had some encouraging words for the left-footed youngster last June.

“He is a very interesting player,” the coach told the official UEFA website. “He can play as a box-to-box midfielder or just ahead of the defence. He will grow by training and playing with the first team.”

However, Vitale was sent on loan to Virtus Lanciano in January, and the Bologna-native has already made 11 Serie B appearances. He will return to Juventus in the summer and will need to prove himself worthy of a place in the squad, or he can expect to spend another 12 months on loan—perhaps this time in the top-flight—to gain valuable experience.


1. Moise Kean

There is little doubt that Moise Kean remains Juve’s biggest youth prospect, the 16-year-old having already made a major impact for both the Bianconeri and Italy youth sides over recent months.

Standing 6' (1.82 m) tall and predominantly right-footed, he told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport (link in Italian) back in January that his biggest strengths are his pace, aerial ability and his accurate shooting.

Those attributes are obvious to anyone who has seen the forward—who also has Ivorian heritage—take to the field. Juventus have not been afraid to send him into action against much older players, rewarded by seeing Kean net 19 times in 19 appearances for their under-17s.

He also found the net in his one Primavera (U19) Cup outing, while his performances for the Azzurri began with two goals in six games for the U15s. Kean followed that up with three in his four U16 appearances, and he has already bagged another four in six matches for the U17s.

Those displays have seen him begin to attract attention across the continent, employing Mino Raiola to act as his agent and reportedly drawing the interest of Manchester United, according to Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star, and Manchester City (per the Daily Mail, h/t Turrell).

Juventus will hope he can thrive in their famous black and white stripes, with his talent making him perhaps the one attacking player most likely to make the leap to the first-team squad on a regular basis.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus win Torneo di Viareggio

http://www.football-italia.net/82071/juventus-win-torneo-di-viareggio?

Mar 30, 2016

Juventus have won the Viareggio youth tournament, beating Palermo in the final.

The Viareggio tournament - also known as the Coppa Carnevale - is considered to be one of the most important youth tournaments in the world, with Inter taking the title last season.

The Bianconeri, Coached by World Cup-winner Fabio Grosso, took an early lead when Grigoris Kastanos turned in a cross from Czech midfielder Roman Macek, before Antonino La Gumina equalised for the Rosanero.

Guido Vadala, who arrived as part of the deal which took Carlos Tevez to Boca Juniors but the Turin side back in front from the penalty spot, but La Gumina levelled things again with a penalty of his own.

A third penalty of the match went the way of Juventus, and Alessio Di Massimo converted to win the game for his side.