Juventus News

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus Primavera defeats Palermo
to win the 2016 Viareggio Cup

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/3/31/11335612/votd-juventus-primavera-defeats-palermo-to-win-the-2016-viareggio-cup

Mar 31, 2016

Juventus' Primavera squad has gotten the first leg of a potential treble out of the way thanks to a 3-2 win over country rivals Palermo in the final of the 2016 Viareggio Cup on Wednesday afternoon.

Big fellas win trophies. Little fellas win trophies. There seems to be a trend here.

Even with a squad that was nowhere near full strength due to a variety of Under-21 and Under-19 teams having games during the current international break. But once striker Alessio Di Massimo converted a penalty with just over 10 minutes to go in regular time, Juventus had snagged the lead once and for all in a game that seemed to be hanging on a thread from the opening kickoff.

Juventus also held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 thanks to goals from midfielders Grigoris Kastonas and Guido Vadala, respectively. Palermo obviously equalized, though, forcing the game to be decided until the final stages of the second half.

JuventusFC ✔ ‎@juventusfcen
Fabio Grosso: "We deserved to win the #ViareggioCup. This is a fitting reward for all the hard work that we've put in."

I'll go along with Mr. Grosso and say this: Good job, kids. Now one of you come through the ranks and actually make an impact with the senior team. Better yet, Juventus' senior squad. That would be nice.

[Socrates 7971]

Ibra accused of Juve doping

http://www.football-italia.net/82452/ibra-accused-juve-doping?

Apr 7, 2016

Former Sweden team doctor Ulf Karlsson has accused Juventus of doping players in the early 2000s: “Zlatan Ibrahimovic put on 10kg in six months.”

Karlsson believed that there was ‘a culture’ of doping at the Bianconeri during this period, using the PSG striker and Albin Ekdal as examples.

“Ibrahimovic put on 10 kilograms in only six months during his time at Juventus,” Karlsson said to SportBladet.

“I think he doped, at least this is what I believe.

“Albin Ekdal also put on eight kilograms of weight during his period with the Bianconeri.

“I think this is a culture that exists at Juventus. They had a doctor who had previously been convicted for 22 months.

“We had a debate on all the negative aspects of sport and doping and we highlighted what happened at Juventus in the early 2000s.

“It’s a shame to perceive this as a personal accusation of Zlatan. My statement was aimed at creating a discussion on doping in team sports.”

Ibrahimovic has never failed a doping test, and his agent has called the allegations "ridiculous".

[Socrates 7971]

Ibra agent: ‘Ridiculous allegations’

http://www.football-italia.net/82461/ibra-agent-%E2%80%98ridiculous-allegations%E2%80%99?

Apr 7, 2016

Mino Raiola calls claims that Zlatan Ibrahimovic was doped at Juventus “ridiculous” and plans legal action.

The former team doctor of the Swedish national team today alleged that the Paris Saint-Germain striker “doped” while playing for the Bianconeri between 2004 and 2006.

“We'll sue, we have grounds. I’m no expert on Swedish law, but we have a Swedish lawyer,” Raiola, Ibrahimovic’s agent, told Expressen.

“Perhaps he’s a former athlete who failed to succeed and is jealous, but he’s made a grave mistake. He had one life before these statements and he’ll have a different one after. He’s spreading falsehoods.

“Zlatan underwent a lot of doping tests when he was at Juventus, at least 20. Juventus players were always under the microscope, so this is ridiculous.

“There’s no evidence, and we can prove that the statement is false. Zlatan has never taken so much as an aspirin in all the clubs he’s played with.

“He’s calm, he’s more embarrassed for his missed penalty last night. He told me he doesn’t intend to respond to these allegations.”

[Socrates 7971]

Ibrahimovic doping claims retracted

http://www.football-italia.net/82525/ibrahimovic-doping-claims-retracted?

Apr 8, 2016

The Swedish athletics chief who implied Zlatan Ibrahimovic was doped at Juventus has apologised for his “inopportune” comments.

Ulf Karlsson had suggested there was “a culture of doping” at Juventus in the early 2000s in an interview with SportBladet, believing "he doped."

After the PSG striker threatened to sue, Karlsson rectified his statements via Swedish news agency TT.

“I expressed myself in an imprecise and inopportune fashion on Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I realise only now that what I said could’ve been interpreted in a certain way and I am profoundly upset, as it was not my intention.

“I apologise to Zlatan and all those who felt offended by my affirmations. I hope my words did not damage Ibrahimovic’s reputation, as I consider him to be the greatest player our country has ever produced.”

[Socrates 7971]

4 Juventus Players Who Deserve More Game Time

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2631958-4-juventus-players-who-deserve-more-game-time?

Apr 13, 2016

Given that Juventus have remained undefeated in Serie A since a late October victory over Torino, it is difficult to disagree with the decisions being made by coach Massimiliano Allegri. Indeed, since taking control of the Bianconeri back in the summer of 2014, the former Milan boss has seemingly made the right choices at almost every turn.

From match-winning substitutions to tactical shifts both before and after matches, the Livorno native has made Italian football’s grand Old Lady even more difficult to beat than before, yet he refuses to take the credit for bringing them to the brink of a fifth-consecutive league title.

“This is a true group effort that derives from the club’s support of the manager and players, who have been excellent from the tenth match-day onwards,” Allegri told a press conference after their most recent win over Milan.

That is undoubtedly true, but within that group are a number of players who arguably deserve to see more action, and what follows—in no particular order—is a closer look at four members of the Juventus squad who should receive more playing time in the coming weeks.


1. Stefano Sturaro

With Sami Khedira suspended for the last two games, Stefano Sturaro should perhaps have featured more heavily. Instead, Allegri opted to hand Kwadwo Asamoah a place in the starting XI only to see the Ghana international turn in two largely disappointing performances for the Bianconeri.

With 17 starts in all competitions, averaging two tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game, according to WhoScored.com, the 23-year-old Sturaro will hopefully see more action in the future rather than it being handed to others.


2. Simone Zaza

Like Sturaro, Simone Zaza struggles with a trio of international stars ahead of him. However, much like his midfield colleague, the striker should arguably have played more given the number of injuries affecting Juventus.

Paulo Dybala has been absent recently, yet Allegri has opted to field Mario Mandzukic alongside Alvaro Morata despite the fact that Zaza has scored four Serie A goals in just 496 minutes this term.


3. Daniele Rugani

Having been forced to sit on the sidelines early in the campaign, Daniele Rugani has now begun to be regularly included by Allegri. That should continue even as the veterans ahead of him return to fitness, with the 21-year-old starting to truly deliver on his immense potential with a string of solid displays.

As discussed in this previous post, the former Empoli defender has averaged an impressive 1.2 tackles, 1 interception and 2.4 clearances per game, according to WhoScored. His team-mates have recognised that improvement.

“Daniele arrived as a 21-year-old, has come on a great deal and is on the right track for a guy who has 10 to 15 seasons at Juventus ahead of him,” Giorgio Chiellini told Mediaset recently (h/t Goal.com). “When you arrive here you can't expect to play every game in your first season, that's also how it was for me. He's developing steadily, and he just needs to keep on going.”


4. Mario Lemina

Currently on loan from Marseille, Mario Lemina is another young talent who deserves more space in the Juventus XI. Like Sturaro, the club’s star-studded midfield has limited those opportunities, but the Gabon international has impressed whenever he's taken to the field.

Lemina has shown himself to be a reliable deputy for Claudio Marchisio in the central role, providing much more impetus and solidity than the disappointing Hernanes.

His ability and aptitude prompted Gigi Buffon to call him “simply Juve worthy” in a social media post (h/t Tom Sheen of the Independent), and the 22-year-old appears to be exactly that.

[Socrates 7971]

Inter beat Juve to Coppa Primavera

http://www.football-italia.net/82776/inter-beat-juve-primavera-coppa?

Apr 13, 2016

Inter have beaten Juventus 3-1 on aggregate amid tension to lift the Coppa Italia Primavera youth trophy after 10 years.

The Nerazzurri had already won the first leg 1-0 at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.

The Bianconeri equalised on aggregate at San Siro this evening with a strike from Grigoris Kastanos in the first half.

Rey Manaj certainly made an impact for Inter, scoring for 1-1 on the night and then getting himself sent off for a second bookable offence after diving in the box.

However, 10-man Inter still added to their tally with Loris Zonta in stoppages.

It is the first time they have won the Coppa Italia Primavera in a decade, but it’s not Inter-Juventus without controversy, even at this level, and ended in a brawl.

“I was angry with the linesman because it seemed that the throw-in on the goal was ours and so was the corner in stoppages,” Inter Coach Stefano Vecchi told Sportitalia.

“Then Fabio Grosso and Andrea Favilli attacked me, but I was leaving. Evidently the ‘Juve style’ only exists when they win.”

Juventus Primavera Coach Grosso replied to the television station.

“We paid a heavy price for two distractions. I thanked the lads, regardless of the final result, as we are still having a good season.

“Inter are a strong side, I compliment them on the victory, even if they showed little sign on the field of deserving it.”


Inter 2-1 Juventus (3-1 agg)

Scorers: Kastanos 34 (J), Manaj 77 (I), Zonta 93 (I)

Inter: Radu; Gyamfi, Gravillon, Della Giovanna, Miangue; Zonta, Gnokouri, Bonetto (Bagayoko 70); Kouame (Pinamonti 74), Manaj, Baldini (Popa 89)

Juventus: Audero; Lirola, Romagna (Severin 64), Blanco, Zappa (Di Massimo 81); Macek, Bove (Toure' 80), Kastanos; Cassata, Favilli, Vadalà

Ref: Di Martino

Sent off: Manaj 88 (I)

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus risk partial stadium ban

http://www.football-italia.net/83016/juventus-risk-partial-stadium-ban?

Apr 18, 2016

Juventus have been given a one-match suspended ban of the Curva Sud after anti-semitic chants.

The Lega Serie A found that approximately 3,000 Bianconeri supporters in the Curva Sud sang a song “expressive of anti-semitic discrimination” repeatedly from the 34th to 36th minute.

The chant in question declared that people from Florence were “not Italian” but “a bunch of Jews”.

The Giudice Sportivo ruled that Juve will be given a one-match closure of the stand where the chants originated, “suspended for one year, with the caveat that if a similar violation is committed in the same period the suspension will be lifted, and the penalty will be added to that imposed for the new violation”.

The club was also fined €15,000 for anti-Southern songs directed at the visitors.

On the pitch, Felipe Dias of Udinese and Chievo’s Riccardo Meggiorini have had their one match bans confirmed after their respective red cards.

Milan midfielder Juraj Kucka, Palermo’s Edoardo Goldaniga, Fabrizio Cacciatore of Chievo, Atalanta pair Jasmin Kurtic and Andrea Masiello, and Juventus striker Alvaro Morata have also picked up a one game suspension after one yellow card too many.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus handed suspended one-match
Curva Sud ban after chants

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2853810/juventus-handed-one-match-suspended-curva-sud-ban

Apr 19, 2016

Juventus have been handed a suspended one-match ban for the Curva Sud section of their stadium after insulting chants were heard in the weekend's 4-0 win over Palermo.

Juventus went nine points clear at the top of Serie A with just five games left, but the win was tarnished by the behaviour of "roughly 3,000, which is 70 percent of the fans present in the Curva Sud" who were heard making anti-Semitic chants directed at people from Florence "during the 34th and 36th minutes of the first half."

As a result, Serie A officials released a statement which handed down the suspended ban and the Bianconeri will be forced to play their next home game with a quarter of the stadium empty, although the sentence will only be enforced if there is a repeat of the misbehaviour of their fans in the next year.

It is the second time this season that Juve have been punished for the misbehaviour of their fans. In September, they were forced to close part of the Curva Sud due to disturbances related to the Turin derby last season.

In 2013, the Turin-based club invited schoolchildren to fill the voids left when the Curva Sud and Curva Nord were both closed for a fixture with Udinese.

Juve need just two wins from their remaining five matches to be crowned Italian champions once again and complete a remarkable recovery, having been 11 points off the pace after 10 games of the season -- an achievement no club has ever managed before.

"I think when a club like Juventus gains 20 points more than the side second in the table [in 23 games], then looking for alibis is futile -- people should instead be clapping their hands and praising a side who are making history," defender Leonardo Bonucci told Mediaset television.

"But it's very hard for this to happen in Italy, so we just have to keep going along our road, pedalling hard right to the end to prove once again that Juventus are the best."

Should Napoli lose to Bologna on Tuesday night, Juve can wrap up the title with four games to spare when they host Lazio just 24 hours later. That would give them a 12-point advantage and a superior head-to-head record over the Azzurri.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus in top 10 profitable clubs

http://www.football-italia.net/83061/juventus-top-10-profitable-clubs?

Apr 19, 2016

Juventus are the seventh most profitable football club in the world, according to Forbes, making $81m.

The financial giant analysed clubs for the 2014-15 season and found Juve were the only Italian representatives in the top 10.

The Bianconeri came in seventh place with $81m, aided also by reaching the Champions League Final, winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia.

The calculations are based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and player trading.

Manchester United might be struggling on the field, but they dominate off it, making $190m.


Top 10 most profitable clubs for 2014-15:

1 Manchester United $190m

2 Real Madrid $162m

3 Manchester City $131m

4 Arsenal $122m

5 Liverpool $115m

6 Barcelona $108m

7 Juventus $81m

8 Tottenham Hotspur $73m

9 Schalke $67m

10 Bayern Munich $60m

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus to be West Ham United's
first opponents at Olympic Stadium

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/barclays-premier-league/story/2858438/west-ham-united-bring-up-olympic-stadium-curtain-with-juventus-clash

Apr 25, 2016

West Ham United have announced that the first game at their new Olympic Stadium home will be a friendly against Serie A giants Juventus.

The Hammers move from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford next season and will host Juve on Sunday, Aug. 7.

Joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold told the club's official website: "We are delighted to be marking such a monumental day in West Ham United's history by welcoming one of the world's biggest clubs to our fantastic new home.

"It was always our intention to open the new stadium with a fixture fitting of the occasion, and the visit of the reigning Italian champions Juventus is certainly that.

"We are hugely excited and honoured by this wonderful opening fixture against a historic club.

"There has been an enormous amount of work done over the past few years to ready the stadium for our first game, and we cannot wait to show our fans and the wider football world how incredible it will look."

[Socrates 7971]

Juve 2016-17 shirt leaked

http://www.football-italia.net/83577/juve-2016-17-shirt-leaked?

Apr 29, 2016

A sneak peak of the 2016-17 Juventus Adidas shirt has emerged with wider white stripes and completely white shoulders.

The image was leaked by La Maglia Bianconera via Twitter.

It’ll have wider white stripes and the black stripes will include a very thin pencil-stripe inside it.

The shoulders will be white with a black collar.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus at match-fixing seminar

http://www.football-italia.net/83830/juventus-match-fixing-seminar?

May 4, 2016

Juventus team and staff attended a workshop to help combat match-fixing today, organised by the Lega Serie A.

The seminar has been held at numerous Serie A, B and Lega Pro clubs throughout the season.

Today was Juve’s turn to attend with players, coaching staff, medics and directors.

It was run by Marcello Presilla, the Italian lawyer representing Sportradar AG, the UEFA partner that monitors unusual betting patterns to spot potential fixes.

During the meeting, as described by the official Juventus website, they were told how to identify fixers and deal with their potential use of bribery, threats and blackmail.

“Juventus have always promoted the values of sporting ethics in their daily work with the first team and youth academy,” said director general Giuseppe Marotta.

“Today’s meeting, organised at the Juventus Training Center in Vinovo, represents an important moment of analysis and awareness for the players on aspects relevant to protecting the integrity of football.

“The themes discussed in the workshop reaffirm the importance of the values of fairness, key issues in the important formation process the players are periodically involved in.”

[Socrates 7971]

JUVENTUS STARS TO SHINE AT EURO 2016

http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-stars-shine-euro-2016/?

May 10, 2016

With their fifth consecutive Scudetto, and thirty-third in the club’s history, already secured, the players who made it all possible for Juventus may be forgiven for having one eye on the upcoming European Championship in France. The Old Lady do have the small matter of a Coppa Italia final against AC Milan at the end of the season, however, so it will be down to Massimo Allegri to keep the players focused on the task in hand to ensure the club enjoy more success on the pitch in keeping with the club’s rich heritage.

Juventus are blessed to have a high number of international stars within the squad, with their respective national team managers keeping everything crossed that they remain injury-free and play a big part at Euro 2016 which has the potential of being one of the best tournaments in recent history. Allegri will also watch on with interest to see how his players apply themselves in national team colours, in the hope that none of them report back for pre-season training in Turin with serious injuries. Euro 2016 may also be used by Allegri as a fantastic opportunity to scout potential transfer targets, and with the Bianconeri already linked with a number of players, it will be interesting to see which high-profile names arrive through the doors at the Juventus Stadium. The tournament itself should provide plenty of entertainment, drama and top quality football, and although Betway have compiled their list of teams they believe has what it takes to triumph at the Stade de France in the final, Juventus fans will hope that their players make a big impact on the international stage.

The Old Lady have always had a strong presence in the Azzuri squads over the years, and with former manager Antonio Conte overseeing his last tournament before heading to the Premier League with Chelsea, there is a good chance that a number of Juventus players will feature in his 23-man squad. Italy are not considered amongst the strong favourites to triumph at Euro 2016 with Betway, but their staunch reputation for being organised at the back and putting plenty of hard work in for the cause could see emerge as serious darkhorses. Being incredibly difficult to break down has been the hallmark of Italy’s success over the years, and it could be down to the Bianconeri quartet of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci to carry on the tradition this summer. All four have been integral for Juventus during the wonderful twenty-six game unbeaten run that helped salvage the club from what was a poor start to the 2015/2016 campaign; they will have to be on top form again this summer in a group which will see them come up against Belgium, Sweden and Ireland. Simone Zaza, who has played a bit-part role for the Old Lady this season, may also be selected, but Claudio Marchisio has been cruelly ruled out of Euro 2016 following the serious knee injury picked up against Palermo last month.

It is difficult to find any more superlatives to describe how good Paul Pogba has been for Juventus this season, with the mercurial talent developing into one of the most highly-gifted young players in world football. Bianconeri fans may have to endure another summer of speculation surrounding Pogba’s future, but the player himself is likely to play a key role for a host nation that are looking to win the third major international tournament played on home soil. Didier Deschamps, a former Juventus favourite who lifted the 1998 World Cup at the Stade de France as captain, will look to repeat the feat this summer as manager, with Pogba starring in a team that many believe are favourites to win Euro 2016. It remains to be seen how France handle the pressure of expectation on their shoulders, but if the 23-year-old star can carry his superb domestic form over to the international stage, then France could be the team to beat. Pogba could also be joined by club team-mates Patrice Evra and Kingsley Coman, with the latter enjoying a bright season on loan at Bayern Munich where he will remain until next summer.

His first season in the famous Bianconeri shirt may have taken a while to take off due to injury, but Sami Khedira’s arrival last summer on a free transfer has proved to be a masterstroke from Allegri. The former Stuttgart and Real Madrid star has been instrumental in Juventus’ surge up the Serie A table, with his leadership qualities and commanding presence in midfield allowing the more attacking players to express themselves without fear of leaving the team short of numbers when defending. Khedira has the knack of breaking up the play through excellent positional sense and reading of the game – qualities that are appreciated by Allegri and Germany national team manager Joachim Low who sees the 29-year-old as an integral part of his plans this summer. The 2014 World Cup winners are strongly backed to add this summer’s European Championship trophy to their ever-growing trophy case, with their ruthless professionalism and ability to get the job done in major tournaments likely to work in Germany’s favour once again. It will take a big effort from one of the other twenty-three participating nations to stop Low’s team, with Khedira not only hoping to return to Juventus Stadium in the summer injury-free, but also with a Euro 2016 winners medal around his neck.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus ninth most valuable club

http://www.football-italia.net/84192/juventus-ninth-most-valuable-club?

May 11, 2016

Juventus are the ninth most valuable club in world football, according to Forbes, and earned $101m from the Champions League.

Forbes released its annual The Business of Soccer study for the 2014-15 season.

Real Madrid are the most valuable club for the 11th season in a row and now worth $3.65bn, a 12 per cent increase on last year.

Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Arsenal make up the top five.

Manchester City are in sixth at $1.92bn, Chelsea $1.66bn, Liverpool $1.548bn and Juventus in ninth on $1.299bn.

There are another three Serie A sides in the top 20, as Milan come in 12th ($825m), Inter 16th ($599m), Roma 18th ($508m) and Napoli 19th ($396m).

It is noted that Juve received $101m from the Champions League after reaching the Final, even though eventual winners Barcelona only got $69m.

This is largely down to the way TV rights are split up, as Barcelona had to share with the other Spanish clubs who progressed.

Juve were the only Italian representative to get out of the group stage and Lazio failed to get past the preliminary round.

However, the study again highlights the way Serie A sides are vastly inferior to even the smallest Premier League clubs when it comes to TV rights.

Juve are the only Italian club in the top 20 when it comes to TV earnings, getting $113m – that’s less than Swansea City, Stoke City, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albiol and Aston Villa.

It is also only $1m more than Hull City.

Juventus bring in $53m from kit and shirt deals, compared to Real Madrid’s $220m and $209m for Manchester United.

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus' new 2016-17 adidas home kits have officially arrived

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/5/14/11675228/juventus-2016-17-home-kits-adidas

May 14, 2016

We're just a few short hours from Juventus' 2015-16 Serie A season officially coming to an end. And with that will come the official end of Year 1 into the Juventus and adidas partnership. But as is the case these days in the football kit world, just because one season hasn't come to a close doesn't mean the next season's jerseys are to be set free to the public.

We've been seen Juve's kits leaked to the public for months now. We even had a post about it all the way back in January— a sign that this kit leakage is far from a newfound talking point.

But as the clock struck 10 a.m. in Italy, the new Juventus home kits officially hit the internet.Go free your bank accounts of any kind of holds or would-be debts so you can spend at your heart's content, boys and girls. Behold, the home jersey we will be seeing Juve wearing for the majority of their games in the 2016-17 season.

JuventusFC ✔ ‎@juventusfcen
Champions of Italy. Presenting the new @adidasfootball home jersey for the 2016/17 season.

Okay, I know in earlier comments I have said that these are looking Newcastle-ish. And, you know what, I stand by that.

But those big stripes aren't the worst thing in the world. It's not like Juventus haven't had big black and white stripes in the past years. Maybe it's the adidas thing that has us clouding our judgement. I don't really know. It's not like last season's kits truly blew us away at the beginning, but they've certainly grown on me, that's for sure.

I guess the biggest thing is that Juventus continue to win in them. That's the thing I like to have happen. And let's not kid ourselves — the more pretty patches that are on that jersey, the better. So as they will probably wear this kit in the Coppa Italia, let's hope that same patch beside the club crest and the Scudetto patch is on there for a second straight year.

You like winning. I like winning. And we all like Juventus winning in black and white jerseys. We've got another set of those, folks, so there you go.

[Socrates 7971]

Euro 2016: Seven Juventus players named
to Italy's 30-man provisional roster

Andrea Pirlo is among the notable exclusions from manager Antonio Conte's squad.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/5/23/11745838/Euro-2016-7-Juventus-players-Andrea-pirlo-omitted-from-Italy-30-man-provisional-roster

May 23, 2016

Seven Juventus players were named to Italy's 30-man provisional roster for Euro 2016 on Monday: Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Daniele Rugani, Stefano Sturaro and Simone Zaza.

Veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo and Genoa striker Leonardo Pavoletti, who was the highest scoring Italian in Serie A this season, were notable exclusions from manager Antonio Conte's list. Pirlo has no goals and two assists in 11 matches for New York City FC in MLS. The 37-year-old has nine goals in 77 matches for Italy in his career.

Conte wil trim down the roster to 23 players by the time the Azzurri begin its European Championship run June 13 against Belgium at Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon. The Azzurri also play Sweden and Ireland on June 17 and 22, respectively, in Group E play.

Italy has made the tournament final in two out of the last four tournaments, falling to France in 2000 and Spain in 2012.

 

Italy's 30-man provisional roster

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Davide Astori (Fiorentina), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Angelo Obinze Ogbonna (West Ham), and Daniele Rugani (Juventus)

Midfielders: Marco Benassi (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Jorge Luiz Jorginho (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (AC Milan), Thiago Motta (PSG), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus), Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Davide Zappacosta (Torino)

Forwards: Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Citadin Martins Eder (Inter), Stephan El Shaarawy (Rome), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton) and Simone Zaza (Juventus)

[Socrates 7971]

Isla: 'I don't deserve Juventus'

http://www.football-italia.net/84888/isla-i-dont-deserve-juventus?

May 24, 2016

Mauricio Isla admits he “does not deserve to play for Juventus, one of the top 10 teams in the world.”

The 27-year-old Chile international spent this season on loan at Olympique Marseille.

“I always said that Juventus bought me when I had a knee injury,” the right-back told LUN.

“I am happy to have played with the likes of Gigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez.

“But if you are not up to the standard of that club, then you need to move on. Honestly, I was not capable of playing for Juventus, as we are talking about one of the top 10 teams in the world.

“I am happy in Marseille, as it is more my level. If I am not a Juventus player right now, it is because I don’t deserve to be there.”

[Socrates 7971]

Euro 2016: Six Juventus players named

to Italy's final 23-man Euro 2016 roster

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/5/31/11822188/juventus-players-

named-to-italy-final-23-man-roster-euro-2016-group-e

May 31, 2016

Six Juventus players have made Italy's 23-man roster for Euro 2016 on Tuesday: Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Stefano Sturaro andSimone Zaza.

"The choices are made, we reflected a great deal and picked the best at our disposal. As far as I am concerned, I have some pretty precise ideas," head coach Antonio Conte said during the announcement of the roster.

The Azzurri will begin its European Championship run June 13 against Belgium and Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon. They also play Sweden and Ireland on June 17 and 22, respectively, in Group E play.

Italy has made the tournament final in two of the last four tournaments, falling to France in 2000 and Spain in 2012.

Here is the squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Federico Marchetti (Lazio), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris).

Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham).

Midfielders: Federico Bernardeschi (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris), Marco Parolo (Lazio), Stefano Sturaro (Juventus).

Forwards: Eder (Inter), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Ciro Immobile (Torino),Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Graziano Pelle (Southampton), Simone Zaza (Juventus).

 

[Socrates 7971]

Juventus headed to Hong Kong for summer friendly

 

The Old Lady returns to China

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/6/7/11876732/

juventus-headed-to-hong-kong-for-summer-friendly

Jun 7, 2016

The Bianconeri will return to China for the first time in eight years. They will be taking on South China AA as part of their preseason. This is a preseason that already has the Old Lady playing in the International Champions Cup against Australian side Melbourne Victory and English side Tottenham Hotspur.

The match will take place on July 30th with tickets on sale June 23rd.

Here's the statement from the club.

"We are excited to be returning to Hong Kong, especially to play against a strong, traditional side like South China," said Giorgio Ricci, Head of Global Partnerships and Corporate Revenues at Juventus.

"The fixture represents another important stage in our pre-season campaign, forming the perfect next step following the International Champions Cup in Australia.

"We look forward to returning to Hong Kong to entertain the many Juventus supporters in the city. I am sure that the match will be an exciting one for the local football fans and a highlight of their summer."

[Socrates 7971]

Drake adds Juventus to ever-growing list of clubs he supports

 

 

 

The rapper is a fan of Chelsea and anything involving Didier Drogba and Mario Balotelli

but has now pledged his allegiances to a new club and we are losing count of them all.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/4160/extra-time/2016/06/08/24406572/-?

Jun 8, 2016

Drake, loyal fan of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, all things Didier Drogba and Mario Balotelli, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, has added another club to his supporter repertoire - Juventus!

The Canadian rapper has trained with Chelsea and Didier Drogba, hung about with Mario Balotelli, kicked a ball around with Rio Ferdinand, spoken of his admiration for Ruud van Nistelrooy and even enjoyed the company of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the past.

Drake has even been seen at the Etihad Stadium taking in a 3-3 draw between City and Sunderland in 2012 before jetting over to Germany to spend time with Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng.

More recently, Drake has been seen with Australia's Tim Cahill, sported a Barcelona shirt and wore an AC Milan shirt with Balotelli's name on the back... but now he's got his sights on a new idol in Paul Pogba.
 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

Conte hails Juventus defence

 

http://www.football-italia.net/85547/conte-hails-juventus-defence?

Jun 8, 2016

Italy CT Antonio Conte says having the Juventus defence at his disposal is “definitely an advantage”.

Having worked with the famous BBC - Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini - during his time as Bianconeri Coach, the Azzurri boss has already admitted that the trio, plus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, are his guarantees for Euro 2016.

“It’s definitely an advantage to be able to count on three or four Juventus players who have played together for a long time,” Conte told UEFA’s official website.

“They know each other perfectly. Of course we’ll try to build something spectacular on these solid foundations, because we also want to play attacking football.

“Balance will be important.”

[Socrates 7971]

 

Italy to Lean Heavily on Juventus

Defence at Euro 2016

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2645223-italy-to-lean-heavily-on-juventus-defence-at-euro-2016?

Jun 9, 2016

With the 2016 UEFA European Championship set to begin this week, it remains somewhat surprising that Italy—perennially among the favourites to win such an event—are widely expected to underperform in this summer's edition of the tournament.

Indeed, according to the Odds Shark, no fewer than six teams are believed to have more chance of lifting the trophy, with the Azzurri available at an eye-opening 16-1 with some bookmakers.

Among the major reasons for this, as Bleacher Report's own Sam Lopresti explained in this previous post, is the makeup of the squad selected by Antonio Conte.

The coach has omitted men such as Sassuolo's Domenico Berardi, Franco Vazquez of Palermo and Napoli midfielder Jorginho, instead opting for uninspiring choices such as Emanuele Giaccherini (Bologna), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain) and Eder (Inter Milan).

 

 

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OptaPaolo 

 

✔@OptaPaolo

4 - #Italy were one of 4 teams (alongside Austria, England, Romania) to remain unbeaten in the #Euro2016 qualifying campaign. Organized.

5:23 PM - 8 Jun 2016

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Yet if the four-time World Cup winners—who have tasted European Championship glory on only one occasion—are to enjoy success in France, their hopes undoubtedly rest on the block of Juventus players that has travelled en masse as part of the Azzurri setup. 

Having moulded Gigi Buffon, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini into a watertight unit during his own time in the dugout of Italian football's grand Old Lady, Conte explained at a recentpress conference how fortunate he is to be able to reunite them in the national team.

"Definitely, for us the defence is a certainty from which we start," Conte said. "I’ve worked with these lads for many years, and I hope they can pass everything on. We all hope that they’ll give us a major boost. I also hope they can repeat their success for the national team."

The launch of their glory years in Turin coincided with the appointment of Conte in May 2011. Juventus turned to their former captain after finishing Serie A in seventh place for two consecutive seasons. 

“We won the Scudetto at the first time of asking and the success was all his,” Andrea Pirlo explained in his autobiography I Think, Therefore I Play (h/t BBC Sport), going on to label it “a triumph of bloody-mindedness that went beyond everyone's expectations.”

They would add two more league titles before Conte left, as the Italian quit in the summer of 2014 and quickly took up his current role. What he left behind in Turin was a clear blueprint for success, one that remains intact even now—with Buffon and that trademark back three proving to be among the best defences ever assembled.

In their five title-winning campaigns, Juventus have conceded a total of just 111 goals, and while other players such as Stephan Lichtsteiner, Patrice Evra and Martin Caceres have featured heavily, it is the Italian quartet that forms the backbone of this almost impenetrable unit.

Over the 190 league games the club has played over the past five seasons, Buffon has missed just 22 and has managed to keep a staggering 96 clean sheets, but the trio in front of him have also been vital to that tally.

 

View image on Twitter

 

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WhoScored.com 

 

✔@WhoScored

GRAPHIC: Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellinihttp://wscrd.co/CoppaItalia2016 

3:45 PM - 21 May 2016

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While the club captain has made 168 Serie A appearances over that period, Bonucci has recorded just two fewer, developing into a fine leader in the centre of that vaunted three-man back line as 2015/16 saw him become one of the best defenders in the world.

According to statistics taken from WhoScored.com, the 29-year-old averaged 1.1 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per league game, also connecting with an impressive 87 per cent of his 63.6 pass attempts.

The same source shows that latter figure was a team-high, a fact that highlights Bonucci’s importance when Juve win possession, as the Viterbo native steps out into midfield with ease.

That was evident in Conte’s first game in charge of the national team, as Bonucci set up a goal for Ciro Immobile against the Netherlands (as seen in the video below).

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He has weighed in with vital goals of his own this term, including a strike against former club Inter Milan and a penalty against the same opponent that sealed Juve’s place in the Coppa Italia final. Bonucci has also found the net for the Azzurri in qualifying for Euro 2016, scoring against Norway back in September 2014 to get the team on the road to France.

Yet his defence remains the main reason he is so highly regarded, with the block in the video below arguably deciding the destination of the Serie A title—his outstretched boot somehow denying Gonzalo Higuain the chance to score for Napoli.

 

 

 

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Adam Digby 

 

✔@Adz77

How..... just how? @bonucci_leo19

8:22 AM - 14 Feb 2016

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Such play has won him many admirers, with Pep Guardiola featuring prominently among them. After his Bayern Munich side eliminatedJuventus from the Champions League back in March, the Catalan coach felt prompted to tell reporters at his post-match press conference thatBonucci is “one of my favourite ever players.”

But he is of course not alone for club or country, and the man himself is clearly aware of the importance of playing beside his two team-mates in the national team, as he explained in a recent interview with the UEFA website (h/t Football Italia):

We know each other perfectly well having played together so well at Juventus, and when we get to the national team we don’t have to test too many defensive movements.

Giorgio and Andrea are two great champions, they can be very aggressive when we play with a three-man defence, while my role is to cover them when attackers press very well.

They’re two bulldogs, definitely among the best defenders in the world.

Despite both men struggling with injuries during 2015/16, the table below—compiled using statistics from WhoScored—shows both Barzagli and Chiellini still made a vital contribution to the success enjoyed by the Bianconeri.

 

 

whoscored.com

Serie A 2015/16

 

Conte clearly has little doubts over their ability to maintain their club form when pulling on the blue shirt of Italy, with the quartet expected to start together with West Ham United’s Angelo Ogbonna—himself a former Juventus player—in reserve on the bench.

“It’s definitely an advantage to be able to count on three or four Juventus players who have played together for a long time,” Conte told UEFA's official website (h/t Football Italia). “They know each other perfectly. Of course we’ll try to build something spectacular on these solid foundations, because we also want to play attacking football. Balance will be important.”

 

 

Claudio Villa/Getty Images

 

While it remains to be seen if Italy do look to take the game to Belgium, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, Barzagli believes that the Bianconeri core—which set a new Serie A record by going 10 matches without conceding a goal—will at least give confidence to the rest of the side.

“Our defence is well-drilled, as we’ve been playing together for a very long time,” the 35-year-old told a press conference earlier this month. “We therefore feel confident around each other and hopefully that confidence spreads to the rest of the team. Hopefully we can be one of the strongest defences in Euro 2016.”

Given the lack of options ahead of them after Conte’s squad choices, the hopes of Italy adding to their 1968 European Championship triumph rest on the shoulders of the Juventus defence. Fortunately, the last five years have proved they are strong enough to carry them.

[Socrates 7971]

 

Italy-Spain in Turin

 

http://www.football-italia.net/85618/italy-spain-turin?

Jun 9, 2016

The FIGC have announced that Italy’s World Cup qualifier with Spain in October will be played at Juventus Stadium in Turin.

The Azzurri have been drawn in the same qualification group as La Roja, as both seek to make it to Russia in 2018.

The home leg of the double-header, which will be new CT Giampiero Ventura’s second competitive game in charge, takes place on October 6 and the FIGC have announced it will be played in Turin.

Juventus Stadium has hosted the national team twice since it was opened in 2011, a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic which sealed World Cup qualification in 2013 and a 1-1 friendly draw with England last March.

Italy and Spain have met 34 times in the past, with the last meeting the 1-1 draw in Udine on March 24.

The overall record reads 10 wins each and 14 draws.

[Socrates 7971]

 

Leaked images of Juventus'

2016-17 away & third kits

 

Images emerge of what could potentially be Juventus' away and third kits for next season.

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/6/10/11900826/

leaked-images-of-juventus-2016-17-away-third-kits

Jun 10, 2016

It's that time of year, folks, where we start to see actual leaked images of our new kits. As is Adidas tradition, the home and goalkeeper kit were unveiled for the last game of the Serie A season and the Coppa Italia final, but no mention had been made by the team or the German kit maker regarding Juve's away and third kits.

Back in January, we provided you with Footyheadlines mockups of the away and third kits here. Although the mockups provided are not identical to the actual pictures we see below, they are pretty close. We have to remember here that the mockups are most likely done by people who have seen the jersey for an instant or are being described the jersey for the sake of the drawing. Either way, these actual images provide us with some detail in regards to what our boys will be wearing in 2016/17.

 

View image on Twitter

 

 Follow

La Maglia Bianconera @La_Bianconera

++ #ESCLUSIVA! #LEAK #MAGLIA #THIRD #JUVE 2016/17 (low quality): confermate le nostre anticipazioni! #JuJersey  ++

6:31 PM - 8 Jun 2016

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The pictures provided are by twitter account @la_bianconera who are gaining notoriety for their leaks and info regarding new kits early on in the year (ie. October/November 2015). They've become so popular that Tuttosport displayed their images online to display the new jerseys.

They've also provided us with a few rough dates on when we can expect these jerseys to be released here:

 

View image on Twitter

 

 Follow

La Maglia Bianconera @La_Bianconera

Ecco, al momento, le più che probabili date di uscita delle divise away e third #Juve 2016/17! #JuJersey

5:41 PM - 9 Jun 2016

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Now it's worth noting that Footyheadlines.com says the third kit will be launched sometime in August so take both dates with a grain of salt.

A few thoughts on all three jerseys:

• I love what Adidas has done but adding the three stripes to the side of the jerseys as opposed to the shoulders. I find that having the three stripes on top often takes away from the jersey as they can become the focal point of the kit, moving them to the side fixes that.
• Not a huge fan of the large piping on the Home jersey this year, nor am I a huge fan of the pinstripe look. I get where Adidas is coming from, if the kit looks the same every year nobody will buy it but more of an attempt should have been made to somewhat stay true to tradition. As mentioned in the post from January, I much preferred the first Footyheadlines mockup as the stripes were thinner than the official kit we saw revealed at the end of the season. Call me a traditionalist snob, but our stripes should always be thin, similar to the Juve jerseys of the 1980s.
• The Zebra Third kit has grown on me so much since I first saw images of it way back in December. Worth noting that original leaks showed the zebra pattern just on the sleeves similar to the one of the left below, it makes a world of a difference adding the zebra pattern all the way across the shoulders to the neck:

 

View image on Twitter

 

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La Maglia Bianconera @La_Bianconera

Doppia proiezione grafica nuova #maglia #third #Juve 16/17 (aggiornamento dopo le esclusive di novembre). #JuJersey

5:33 PM - 11 May 2016

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• Hopefully Adidas does not put some crazy short design to match the zebra pattern on the third jersey, we don't need another debacle like what we saw this year on the third. The Billabong shorts can stay in the Billabong store please.
• The Buffon goalkeeper jersey is awesome, if only for the fact that its worn by Buffon. The orange colour scheme is pretty sweet too I guess.

 

POLL

Which jersey do you like the most for the 16/17 season?

• 40%Home(148 votes)
   
• 13%Away(49 votes)
   
• 31%Third(116 votes)
   
• 16%Goalkeeper(59 votes)
   

372 votes total

[Socrates 7971]

Report: Grosso rejects Crotone

 

http://www.football-italia.net/86079/report-grosso-rejects-crotone

Jun 19, 2016

Juventus Primavera youth team Coach Fabio Grosso has reportedly turned down the Serie A bench at Crotone.

The tiny Calabrian club earned its first ever promotion into the top flight by finishing second in Serie B this season.

Their tactician Ivan Juric left to join Genoa, so the search is on for a replacement.

Grosso was offered the position, but Sky Sport Italia claim this afternoon that he rejected it.