Juventus News

Socrates · July 26, 2016

Juventus New Boys Shine in Friendly Victory over Tottenham Hotspur

FBL-ICC-AUS-ENG-JUVENTUS-TOTTENHAM-1040x

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2654109-juventus-new-boys-

shine-in-friendly-victory-over-tottenham-hotspur?

Jul 26, 2016

Juventus played their second pre-season friendly on Tuesday, taking on Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, eventually emerging as 2-1 winners.

The Bianconeri had lost their opening match of the summer, with Melbourne Victory defeating them on penalties in a match discussed in this previous post. Despite the vastly improved quality of their opponents, coach Massimiliano Allegri’s men gave a much better account of themselves from the opening whistle.

Their chances were boosted by a much stronger starting XI, with both Miralem Pjanic and Medhi Benatia making their debuts after summer moves, each making a vital contribution to the final result.

It took just six minutes for Juve’s improved sharpness to pay dividends, a defensive mix-up from their opponents allowing Roberto Pereyra to race toward goal and offload neatly into the path of Paulo Dybala.

The Argentina international would make no mistake from 12 yards out, and from that moment, the Serie A giants never looked back. Shortly after opening the scoring, Dybala was it again, almost beating Spurs goalkeeper Michel Vorm with a powerful effort from the edge of the area.

Just 60 seconds after that shot, the Old Lady’s two new signings connected perfectly to double her advantage, with their second goal also coming after some sloppy play in the London club’s defence.

Failing to deal with a corner from Dybala, the ball fell to Pjanic crossed who quickly picked out former AS Roma team-mate Medhi Benatia. The Morocco international would take full advantage, heading home cleverly to net his first goal since joining on loan from Bayern Munich.

His signing undoubtedly underlines Juve’s main point of focus at present, clearly adding the impressive defender in order to boost their hopes of winning the UEFA Champions League in 2016-17.

Even before his arrival, the Bianconeri boasted some fine defensive options as Daniele Rugani provided support for the trio of Italy internationals already at the club. Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini have long been the backbone of this side, but now they have some serious help.

As well as their five high-quality central defenders, Allegri also has four world class full-backs to select from; Dani Alves, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Alex Sandro and Patrice Evra. Their newest member already seems to be aware of what is expected, as Benatia explained at a press conference to announce his signing:

The aim this season is that of retaining the Scudetto but also to be increasingly competitive in Europe as well. Last year, it was a pity that Juventus and Bayern Munich had to face one another in the last 16 because both sides deserved to reach the final.

I believe that the Bianconeri are well on the way to being able to win the Champions League, especially when you take into account their road to the final against Barcelona in 2015. It’s undoubtedly our objective to confirm our position among the elite clubs on the continent.

Even as he struggled for space in the Bayern XI last term,WhoScored.com figures show that Benatia averaged an impressive 1.2 tackles, 2.4 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game last term.

He also completed an admirable 89.6 percent of his 59.8 pass attempts per the same source, meaning he could offer cover in defence for Juve’s ball-playing playmaker Leonardo Bonucci.

Meanwhile, fellow summer signing Pjanic also showed his own fine qualities against Spurs. His passing and defensive awareness saw the Bianconeri begin to dominate the game, setting up yet another scoring opportunity for Dybala before half time.

After the break, some good work from Hernanes saw Pjanic in on goal, but he failed to keep his effort below the crossbar and shortly afterwards Erik Lamela made the scoreline a more respectable 2-1.

It was exactly the kind of display Juventus will hope to see from the Bosnia international over the coming season, Pjanic’s reputation for weighing in with assists and goals in equal measure now firmly established.

He offers Allegri some much-needed versatility in midfield, as the coach explained in an interview with Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) last month following his €32 million move from AS Roma:

Pjanic’s arrival is that of a major player. He gives us a lot of solutions, especially on set pieces. He improves the quality of our midfield, something that isn’t easy for a great team like Juventus.

Pjanic is one of the few players who can do it. Now it’s up to us to give him the best conditions to express himself. He can play in front of the defence, but also in the middle or at trequartista. I'm pleased the club made such an effort to get him.

That is undoubtedly true, and he should prove to be a fine addition alongside an already vast plethora of midfield options. Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and of course Paul Pogba were the mainstays of the side last term, with Pjanic’s attributes meaning he could substitute for any of that trio or play alongside them.

If the latter option is taken, that would mean a switch to a four-man defence, which was also on display against Tottenham and it is a set up that Benatia appears to favour, as he explained at that aforementioned press conference.

“I prefer playing in a four-man backline, as that’s what comes most naturally to me,” the 29-year-old continued. “Nevertheless, I featured as the central defender in a three-man rearguard at Udinese, so I’m used to both formations.”

That bodes well for all concerned and the coach seemed impressed with his new signings shortly after the final whistle in Melbourne, taking time to praise to duo to reporters, per Juve’s official website.

“Regarding Benatia and Pjanic, both put in excellent performances considering this was their first match with us,” Allegri said. “There’s great potential to improve their conditions physically and to gear up for a great season ahead.”

There is indeed, and that is exactly what he will hope to see when Serie A returns to action next month.

Socrates · July 30, 2016

Trial Juve beat South China

http://www.football-italia.net/88542/trial-juve-beat-south-china

Jul 30, 2016

Juventus have defeated South China AA by 2-1, with goals by new signing Medhi Benatia and youngster Lorenzo Rosseti.

The Bianconeri were in Hong Kong as part of a long summer tour that took them to Australia and then up through Southeast Asia.

Their friendly against South China AA showed that they are still finding their form, as they struggled in the early phases.

In fact the Italians went under by a goal as early as the 21', when Chian Siu Ki took advantage of a blooper by goalkeeper Neto.

Only five minutes later, central defender Benatia slotted in a free kick delivered into the danger zone by Miralem Pjanic.

The game could have cruised to a comfortable 1-1 finish, but youngster Rosseti, who came in at the beginning of the second half, took the Bianconeri up at the 82'. A shot by Stefano Padovan was not captured by South China goalkeeper Cristian Mora, and the 21-year-old Italian managed to kick it in on the rebound.

It ended 2-1, with Juventus winning although not truly glowing.

Socrates · July 30, 2016

South China 1-2 Juventus: Benatia on target again in Bianconeri win

The defender netted his second strike for the club since joining from Bayern Munich

on loan as the Serie A champions came from behind to taste victory in Hong Kong.

http://www.goal.com/en/match/south-china-vs-juventus/2237153/report

Jul 30, 2016

Medhi Benatia made it two goals in as many appearances for Juventus as the Serie A champions overcame South China 2-1 in Hong Kong.

Having netted in Tuesday's 2-1 International Champions Cup victory over Tottenham, the on-loan Bayern Munich defender repeated the trick as the Serie A champions came from behind to win on Saturday.

Juventus went 1-0 down when goalkeeper Neto flapped at a free-kick to allow Chan Siu Ki to pounce and coolly slot home.

Massimiliano Allegri's men recovered well from that 21st-minute setback, with Benatia poking home after gathering a loose ball that deflected off the defensive wall from a set-piece.

Lorenzo Rosseti settled the contest in the 82nd minute, rounding South China goalkeeper Cristian Mora after he spilled a 25-yard drive from Stefano Padovan.

Juventus opened up their pre-season campaign with a penalty shootout defeat against Melbourne Victory but have now put together back-to-back wins ahead of the start of the new Serie A season.

The Bianconeri now turn their attentions to facing West Ham and Cologne in warm-up clashes before they face Fiorentina in Serie A on 20 August.

Socrates · July 30, 2016

Paulo Dybala and Daniele Rugani Continue

to Shine as Juventus Defeat South China

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2654858-paulo-dybala-and-daniele-rugani-

continue-to-shine-as-juventus-defeat-south-china?

Jul 30, 2016

Juventus played the third game of their pre-season tour on Saturday, taking on South China at Hong Kong Stadium and eventually emerging as 2-1 winners.

The team will now return to Europe, with their next fixture scheduled to take place against West Ham United at London’s Olympic Stadium on August 7.

When they reach the UK, the Bianconeri will be further bolstered by the return of a number of international stars, with their Italian contingent set to begin training with the team from Monday.

Yet, in their absence, a number of other players have come to the fore, with new signing Medhi Benatia arguably chief among them. Just as he did against Tottenham Hotspur in Australia, the former Bayern Munich and AS Roma defender found his name on the scoresheet against South China.

After Miralem Pjanic’s free-kick took a deflection, and amid something of a scramble, Benatia controlled the ball superbly before slotting past the goalkeeper with remarkable ease. Their opponents equalised before half-time, but after Stefano Padovan’s shot was spilled, 21-year-old Lorenzo Rosseti prodded home the rebound to seal the victory.

However, if the likes of Benatia and Pjanic have shone brightest, this summer tour has also reinforced the importance of two Juventus players who have risked being overshadowed in recent weeks.

Gonzalo Higuain’s arrival from Napoli was confirmed on July 26, with the club’s official website revealing the Old Lady had paid an incredible €90 million to sign the Argentinian striker from their Serie A rivals.

The former Real Madrid star netted a league record 36 goals in just 35 appearances last term, but Paulo Dybala showed against Melbourne Victory, Tottenham and South China that he too remains a vibrant attacking force.

The 22-year-old was sensational in 2015/16, shrugging off his own high transfer fee to deliver consistently excellent performances as he weighed in with 21 goals and 10 assists in all competitions.

hi-res-a1f73f4429acdd488c89bd48dfcc7e82_

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Questions will need to be answered about how they will work in tandem, but coach Massimilano Allegri appears to be more than happy with the plethora of new arrivals who will be at his disposal next term.

"Higuain is a great signing just like Pjanic, Dani Alves, [Marko] Pjaca and Benatia," the coach said at a press conference this weekend. "The club is doing a great job in this transfer window."

Meanwhile, Dybala sat beside Allegri and explained to reporters that he had already spoken to his compatriot and was looking forward to working alongside him in the black and white stripes of Juventus:

I got to know Gonzalo in the national team, that’s how our friendship began. We exchanged plenty of messages over the past few days and he told me how much he wanted to play here. He’ll be happy now and we’re delighted to welcome a footballer of his calibre to this club.

That—as well as Dybala’s special video message to Higuain (shown below)—bodes well for the forthcoming campaign, and it was a sentiment echoed by the new arrival when he addressed the media at his unveiling earlier in the week.

"I've enjoyed linking up with Paulo on international duty and really appreciated the video he sent to welcome me!" Higuain said at his introductory press conference. "He is a fantastic player, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together, hoping we can move the club forward in the coming years."

However, while the world waits to see their partnership on the field, Dybala used Juve’s pre-season tour to remind onlookers at just how good he can be. Tearing through defences with superb skill and control, the former Palermo man has been a constant outlet for his team-mates in their three outings so far.

Having tormented Melbourne in the first match, it took him fewer than six minutes to put Spurs to the sword on Tuesday. Roberto Pereyra pounced on some poor concentration in the Tottenham defence and quickly passed the ball to Dybala, who made no mistake as he slotted past the goalkeeper from 12 yards.

It was the same story against South China. The Cordoba native ran his markers into the ground as the hosts had little answer to his endless running and abundance of energy. Dybala was a creative force for Juventus last season, with the Squawka graphic below showing he laid on a team-high 73 scoring opportunities, 19 more than any other player.

6094f2783039f8cc623b162730250eb1_origina

squawka.com

Chances Created 2015/16

Higuain will thrive on such superb service, his deadly finishing likely to be a major weapon for the Bianconeri as they bid to add a much-coveted UEFA Champions League title to their continued domestic success.

All of the new signings have discussed the need to shine in Europe’s elite competition, with none of them better placed to assess their chances than Dani Alves, who lifted the "cup with the big ears" three times during his time with Barcelona.

"The club's dream is to win the Champions League, and I hope to help them achieve this," the Brazilian said at his first press conference in Turin. "We need to believe we can win the Champions League if we're going to do it. Juve have a great dream and I want to make it a reality."

hi-res-a22e84c228b532e31d308ae5f56533c2_

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

His experience will certainly help on that front, as will the addition of Benatia. Yet, much like Dybala, youngster Daniele Rugani has shown already this summer that he possesses a level of ability that should not be forgotten no matter how many glamorous names arrive.

Arguably now the fifth-choice player in central defence, he turned in some thoroughly accomplished displays while Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini enjoyed an extended holiday.

The former Empoli man turned 22 on July 29 but struggled for space in the side during the course of 2015/16. Making just 11 starts in Serie A, he was linked with a move to Napoli following the signing of Benatia but told reporters in Australia that he was only focused on improving his play at Juve.

"I haven’t read, nor have I heard of the rumours surrounding my future," Rugani said, per Football Italia. "I’m thinking about getting in the best possible condition and giving the Coach a selection headache."

Given the quality of those around him, he is unquestionably in the best place to improve and to win, much like many of the other promising young players currently beginning to emerge at Juventus.

Dybala and Rugani have already shown they can thrive in 2016/17, no matter who else arrives at Juventus. As they prepare for their more illustrious team-mates to return to action, both have made their own cases to Allegri, and they will now hope to be given the chance to continue doing so.

Socrates · August 2, 2016

Ventura in ‘cordial’ Juve talks

http://www.football-italia.net/88689/ventura-‘cordial’-juve-talks

Aug 2, 2016

New Italy Coach Giampiero Ventura today spoke to the Juventus contingent of his future plans for the Azzurri.

The former Torino boss succeeded Antonio Conte after the end of Euro 2016 and is currently touring Serie A clubs in order to establish healthy relationships with directors, Coaches and players.

“It was a cordial meeting,” Ventura said to Itasportpress.it of his discussions with Andrea Agnelli, Max Allegri and Juve’s Italian players.

“It will allow us to plan the time we have available to the best of our ability.”

Ventura will tomorrow head to Bergamo to visit Atalanta.

Socrates · August 6, 2016

Gianluca Vialli: Heysel motivated

Juventus to win 1996 UCL trophy

Gianluca Vialli

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/12/blog/post/2922241/

gianluca-vialli-heysel-motivated-juventus-to-win-1996-ucl-trophy

Aug 6, 2016

Gianluca Vialli moved to Juventus from Sampdoria in 1992 for a then-world record of £12.5 million and won the Serie A title, Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup and Champions League during his time in Turin.

Vialli spoke to "The Big Interview with Graham Hunter" podcast about his time at Sampdoria, but also revealed that the Champions League success with Juventus in 1996 under Marcello Lippi was a turning point for the club and him. To listen to the podcast, click here.

Graham Hunter: I travelled from Scotland to interview you at Juventus in 1996. It struck me as an extraordinary, industrious club that reeked of success.

Gianluca Vialli: Success comes from the culture you create in your organisation. To wear the Juventus shirt is an honour, but it's also very heavy. The culture is that you never give up and go to the final whistle. You must prepare so that you can carry this claim on your shoulders. You need to be humble, play with pride but also aggression.

We were the best at preparing ourselves. Everyone did the same thing. We trained two or three times a day. We all had individual gym programmes. It became a competition to see who could get to the gym first. I turned up at 6.45 a.m. one day, thinking: 'I'll be first!' Angelo Di Livio was there, saying: 'Bad luck, Luca!' It was a great environment and Marcello Lippi was my Messiah. He made us feel in control. When we were walking down the tunnel before a game, I remember looking at opponents and thinking: 'I'm not scared. YOU must be scared.'

GH: We saw and learned from your pressing game. You were on top of opponents and when you got the ball you used it quickly and effectively. Did Lippi call it pressing?

GV: Pressure is when one player does it to an individual opponent. Pressing is when a number of players do it together, and it becomes even more effective.

A manager also tries to find the right balance in the side, so you need to convince the strikers to help the rest of the team to defend, and the defenders to be the first attackers. Lippi's ability to convince us that we needed to work for each other, with and without the ball, made us a very balanced team.

The only way you can play with three strikers -- which we did at Juventus -- is if the three work really hard, and become the first defenders. We took pride in winning the ball from defenders. We wanted to run more than them. We wanted to make it physical as well as mental and we came out on top. Behind us we had Didier Deschamps, Antonio Conte and Paulo Sousa -- three guys with brain, heart, legs and skills.

GH: When I spent some time at Juventus, I picked up on a desire to win the European Cup to compensate for the memory of Heysel [a stadium disaster in the 1985 European Cup final between Juve and Liverpool where 39 fans were killed]. You achieved this in 1996 against Ajax...

GV: The only European Cup the club had won [in 1985] was a tragedy. They really wanted a European Cup trophy with happy memories. We were extremely motivated to win it for ourselves [in 1996] but also for the fans

Just before we played Real Madrid in the second leg of the quarterfinal, I spoke to the Juventus managing director. My contract was due to run out at the end of the season and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I thought about coming to England, but I also thought it would be nice to get a new contract at Juventus.

The managing director said he wanted to keep me and they would offer a fifth of what I was earning! Which was a way of saying: 'Ciao!' I was angry and super motivated to prove to them that it was a big mistake to let me go. We beat Real Madrid 2-0 to go through to the semifinal. I remember crying after the second-leg match, and it was relief not joy.

Then, I remember the five days in Rome before the final. It was a difficult time because I knew it was my last game for the club, my second European Cup final and probably my last chance to win it. We won it on penalties. I didn't take one. We only took four. I would have been the sixth one.

Socrates · August 7, 2016

Juventus edge West Ham in friendly

http://www.football-italia.net/88904/juventus-edge-west-ham-friendly

Aug 7, 2016

A late Simone Zaza winner saw Juventus past West Ham United, as Gonzalo Higuain made his debut.

The Bianconeri were the guests of honour for the opening of the Hammers’ new stadium, the remodelled Olympic Stadium used for London 2012.

Paulo Dybala put the visitors ahead, picking up a Mario Mandzukic knockdown before firing past Adrian.

The Argentinian international then turned provider, leaving Winston Reid on his backside before teeing-up Mandzukic for 2-0 before Andy Carroll hit back with a header.

The Old Lady’s record signing Gonzalo Higuain replaced Mario Mandzukic at half-time, his first appearance since joining from Napoli for €90m.

It was Carroll who equalised just after half-time, with the English striker burying another header past substitute goalkeeper Neto.

Marko Pjaca also made his debut for the Bianconeri as the customary raft of changes occured.

It looked as though the match would end in a draw, but Simone Zaza sprung the offside trap, racing onto Luca Marrone’s pass to score the winner.

West Ham United 2-3 Juventus

Dybala 18 (J) Mandzukic 21 (J) Carroll 34, 52 (WHU) Zaza 85 (J)

West Ham United: Adrian; Antonio (Payet, 75), Reid (Oxford, 46), Obgonna (Collins, 46), Byram (Page, 86); Cullen (Brown, 83), Nordtveit; Feghouli (Burke, 46), Noble (Quina, 60), Valencia (Samuels, 75); Carroll (Fletcher, 55)

Juventus: Buffon (Neto, 46); Dani Alves (Untersee, 59), Benatia (Chiellini, 59), Rugani (Barzagli, 59), Alex Sandro (Kastanos, 87); Lemina (Macek, 78), Pjanic (Marrone, 78), Asamoah (Hernanes, 69); Pereyra (Zaza, 69); Dybala (Pjaca, 59), Mandzukic (Higuain, 46)

Socrates · August 7, 2016

Juventus beat West Ham 3-2 in friendly at Olympic Stadium

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/report?gameId=462143

Aug 7, 2016

LONDON -- Juventus beat West Ham United 3-2 in a friendly staged at the Hammers' new London Stadium, with Simone Zaza scoring a late winner for the Italian champions.

The match occurred as Juve were confirming that Paul Pogba is set to undergo a medical at Manchester United, but the Frenchman had not been part of Massimiliano Allegri's squad for the trip to east London in any case. Having played in the Euro 2016 final for France, Pogba and Patrice Evra were not due to start training in Turin until Monday.

Juventus began brightly, and were 2-0 up, before being pegged back by two Andy Carroll strikes. In the 18th minute, Mario Mandzukic's headed flick gave Paulo Dybala the chance to score from about 10 yards out, 36 seconds after Enner Valencia had struck the foot of a post for West Ham.

Three minutes later, Dybala returned the compliment by setting up Mandzukic after a mistake by Winston Reid had allowed new signing Miralem Pjanic to play Dybala in.

West Ham struck back in the 34th minute when Carroll headed down a Sam Byram cross, which Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon knocked onto the post before Carroll then bundled the rebound home.

Juventus remained in the ascendancy and had West Ham in a 39th-minute scramble when Alex Sandro had a shot saved by Adrian, then Carroll cleared Sandro's shot off the line before Medhi Benatia struck the woodwork.

After half-time, Juventus introduced Gonzalo Higuain, their €90 million summer signing from Napoli, to replace Mandzukic. Dybala went close in the 52nd minute when firing a Sandro cross narrowly wide.

Within a minute West Ham had equalised. Mark Noble drifted in a free kick and Carroll, having overpowered Benatia, crashed a typical header past substitute goalkeeper Neto to score his second. Carroll was subbed off by manager Slaven Bilic in the 58th for summer signing Ashley Fletcher.

West Ham introduced fans favourite Dimitri Payet to a standing ovation in the 75th minute, but the Frenchman was not able to exert much influence on proceedings.

For Juventus, Hernanes struck the bar with a free kick and then, in the 85th minute, a long pass from substitute centre-back Luca Marrone found Zaza in open space, and he finished well, guiding his shot past Adrian.

Socrates · August 7, 2016

West Ham 2-3 Juventus: Andy Carroll double in vain as Hammers beaten

Andy Carroll netted a double in vain as West Ham were beaten 3-2 by Serie A

champions Juventus in a game to mark the official opening of the London Stadium.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10526710/west-ham-

2-3-juventus-andy-carroll-double-in-vain-as-hammers-beaten?

Aug 7, 2016

A quickfire double from Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic put the visitors in control in the East End sunshine, with the Hammers far inferior to their illustrious opponents.

Carroll soon got the hosts back in it on a sun-drenched day at their new home, bundling the ball into the net in typically combative style, before heading an equaliser in the second half.

Hammers fans will have been pleased to see Dimitri Payet get his first minutes of pre-season, while record signing Gonzalo Higuain made his Juventus bow as a substitute, but it was another replacement in Simone Zaza who won it late on for the Old Lady.

West Ham in fact played a first competitive game at their new home when they beat Domzale in a Europa League qualifier last week but this was set to be the big curtain-raiser for a new era and supporters were treated to a carnival atmosphere.

That mood was dampened slightly, as a strong-looking Juventus team took charge early on, racing into a two-goal lead.

Moments after Enner Valencia saw his effort come back off the woodwork, a superb knockdown from Mandzukic picked out the run of Dybala, who took a touch and finished with his left foot in impressive manner after 18 minutes.

Before the supporters had re-taken their seats, the Serie A champions were two goals to the good, with the same combination linking up to devastating effect. This time Dybala returned the favour, slipping the ball in for Mandzukic for slot home.

With the visitors looking in fine fettle, Carroll took it upon himself to get his side back in it, getting on the end of a Sam Byram cross in the 34th minute, reacting quickest as his header was saved by Gianluigi Buffon to bundle the ball home.

The Hammers lived dangerously as a goalmouth scramble somehow didn't result in a Juve third, the crossbar and a Carroll goal-line clearance coming to the rescue.

After the break, Carroll continued to be a menace as Higuain laboured after coming off the bench down the other end, and the combative hitman soon found a leveller, this time attacking a Mark Noble free-kick, and powering a header into the bottom corner.

A raft of changes disrupted the flow of the game, but Payet's introduction got the crowd off their feet once more.

However, as we seemed to be heading for a penalty shoot-out, Zaza netted the winner out of nowhere. The Italy international brought the ball down superbly out of the air, stole a march of Reece Oxford and finished clinically with his left foot.

Socrates · August 7, 2016

No Pogba, no problem: Juve remind West Ham

they cannot waste gilded chance

The Italian champions were the visitors as the Hammers opened their new stadium officially

and they outclassed the Londoners, who simply must be better in the coming months.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/5400/pre-season/2016/08/07/26297382/-?

Aug 7, 2016

Sunday August 7 will forever be remembered among West Ham fans, and yet whenever they come to reflect on the day there will be something of a bittersweet taste.

The day marked the official opening of the intimidatingly palatial London Stadium, née Olympic Stadium, and it is a marvel, an amazing structure that deserves only the very best from its inhabitants.

Of course, the first game came on Thursday – a routine, yet emotional, 3-0 win over Domzale in the Europa League – but this was something more, the club laying on fireworks, dancers and a marching band.

Yet when the real business of the football started West Ham were all over the place. This is yet to become the club’s home stadium, of course, but Juventus – who are building a quite ferocious team – relished their role of party-poopers.

Juve are a team of footballing royalty, and are rarely challenged in Serie A. Even without the intimidating midfield presence of Paul Pogba – reportedly occupied in Manchester – the Italian champions put on a show. Miralem Pjanic has been signed as a replacement for the superb Frenchman, and ran the show from midfield. No Pogba, no problem.

The Hammers, initially shorn of Dimitri Payet, who began the game on the bench yet later returned to a thunderous ovation, threatened first, hitting a post through Enner Valencia, but the Old Lady struck the first blow; a deep Dani Alves cross was headed down by Mario Mandzukic, and Paulo Dybala swept the ball home. And just minutes later it was two, Dybala making a mockery of Winston Reid on the edge of the box and squaring the ball for his Croatian strike partner, who simply could not miss.

West Ham continued their press, however, and Andy Carroll pulled a goal back just after the half-hour mark, bundling the ball home after Gianlugi Buffon made a brilliant save from his initial header.

The England hopeful – with Sam Allardyce in charge he can surely expect to add to his nine caps – added a second just after the restart, rising highest to head home a superb Mark Noble delivery.

But no matter how well West Ham pressed, Juventus’ passing was crisper, their movement smoother than the new owners of this swanky stadium; they deserved their third goal when it came, Simone Zaza slotting home with aplomb after a fine ball forward from Andrea Barzagli.

Of course, pre-season friendlies, as is their nature, are broken up by substitutions and the tempo often dips below that of a Premier League or Champions League encounter, but West Ham need to be better than this.

Going forward the Hammers remain an exciting proposition, with the mercurial playmaking skills of Payet, the pace and power on the flanks of Sofiane Feghouli and Enner Valencia and the lurking physicality of Carroll. Defensively, however, there is plenty to be desired. Dybala roundly beat Reid on numerous occasions, as he completely failed to get to grips with the pace of the encounter, while Angelo Ogbonna looked similarly ill at ease with the task he had been assigned. They were not helped by Slaven Bilic’s bizarre decision to deploy Michail Antonio, who remains such an effective winger, as a full-back.

Bilic realised his mistake at half-time and completely restructured his back-four, hooking Ogbonna and Reid and sending on Reece Oxford and James Collins. Antonio instantly added a new dimension to West Ham’s attack, as he moved to the left flank. He must stay there.

Juve may be one of the elite teams in Europe but they have repeatedly struggled against English opposition, their 3-0 win over Chelsea last season ending a four-game winless run against Premier League teams.

West Ham will face similar tests in the Premier League after a summer of outrageous largesse from the biggest sides, with both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester all strengthening significantly.

Bilic has suggested that he wants five more players before the start of the season and, on this evidence, he may well be right. It would be myopic to suggest that big-money signings equal results, but they surely help, and West Ham must dip further into the market.

A fee has been agreed with Swansea City to sign Andre Ayew, but they need to go further. It is fair to mention that they faced a team with a €90m striker, but they need the personnel to go with the surroundings.

West Ham have a gilded opportunity to become a truly elite club; they have the stadium and they have the resources, but they are yet to build the team. There were flashes of quality on Sunday, but this stadium and these fans deserve more; the club daren’t waste this chance.

Socrates · August 8, 2016

West Ham 2-3 Juventus: Higuain makes Bianconeri bow in narrow win

The Argentina international made his first appearance for the Serie A champions but failed

to make much of an impression, as the Hammers fell in their first clash at their new home.

Higuain-Juventus.jpg?v=20160807154952

h http://www.goal.com/en/match/west-ham-united-vs-juventus/2233939/report

Aug 7, 2016

Gonzalo Higuain made his Juventus debut off the bench in a 3-2 friendly win over West Ham at London Stadium on Sunday.

The Argentina international, signed from Napoli for a fee of €90million, replaced Mario Mandzukic at half-time but struggled to make an impact during a second half interrupted by regular substitutions.

Top scorer in Serie A last season, the former Real Madrid striker appeared short of his physical best, having last played for Argentina during the Copa America Centenario in June.

An Andy Carroll double helped West Ham fight back from 2-0 down after goals from Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic had put Juve in control, and the match appeared to be drifting towards a penalty shootout before Simone Zaza won it late on.

Having survived Enner Valencia hitting the post in the 18th minute, Juve opened the scoring with relative ease less than a minute later.

Dani Alves found Mandzukic at the back post and the Croatian nodded the ball down for Dybala to guide a shot into the far corner of the net.

The Turin giants doubled their lead three minutes later, Dybala taking advantage of Winston Reid's slip to return the favour by teeing up Mandzukic for a close-range finish.

West Ham, playing in a black strip commissioned in honour of their forerunner Thames Ironwork FC, responded in the 34th minute, Mark Noble picking out Carroll from the left and the centre-forward powering a header downwards. Gianluigi Buffon got a glove to it but Carroll followed up strongly, bundling the ball and a defender into the back of the net.

The former Newcastle United and Liverpool striker, who will be hopeful of regaining his England place under new manager Sam Allardyce, struck with another header from a free-kick to equalise eight minutes into the second half, Carroll proving too strong for Medhi Benatia.

But Zaza, seeking to forget an embarrassing penalty miss in Italy's Euro 2016 quarter-final shootout loss to Germany, netted the winner from outside the area after getting clear of the West Ham defence in the 86th minute.

Socrates · August 12, 2016

Juventus squad for Espanyol test

http://www.football-italia.net/89172/juventus-squad-espanyol-test

Aug 12, 2016

Juventus named a 24-man squad for their friendly against Espanyol on Saturday evening, but there's no Simone Zaza.

The game will kick off at 19.00 UK time (18.00 GMT) at the Stadio Braglia in Modena.

Gonzalo Higuain, Miralem Pjanic, Medhi Benatia, Dani Alves and Marko Pjaca are all included.

However, Zaza is left out during advanced negotiations for a transfer to Wolfsburg.

Juventus squad for Espanyol: Buffon, Chiellini, Benatia, Pjanic, Higuain, Hernanes, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Mandzukic, Lemina, Bonucci, Pjaca, Dybala, Asamoah, Dani Alves, Rugani, Neto, Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, Audero, Marrone, Untersee, Macek, Kastanos

Socrates · August 14, 2016

Dybala lets Juve hold Espanyol

http://www.football-italia.net/89689/dybala-lets-juve-hold-espanyol?

Aug 13, 2016

Paulo Dybala is already on sparkling form, but Juventus only scraped a 2-2 friendly draw with 10-man Espanyol on Gonzalo Higuain’s first start.

The Bianconeri played their last friendly before the Serie A season begins next weekend and gave Higuain his first start, curiously alongside Mario Mandzukic rather than Dybala.

Roberto Pereyra is wanted by Watford, but started in the trequartista role and almost scored early doors with a right-foot curler.

Jose Antonio Reyes went off injured, but Espanyol took the lead with a well-taken goal from Leo Baptistao. He smartly cut back on to his left foot past Andrea Barzagli to fire low into the near bottom corner from 12 yards.

The Spaniards were forced to make another substitution before the break, as Hernan Perez suffered a nasty cut to the forehead after an accidental collision with teammate Pablo Piatti.

Higuain had a couple of first half chances, but scuffed his finishes and was still visibly out of shape.

Straight after the restart with Juve moving to a four-man defence, Dybala’s strike cannoned off the crossbar and as the move continued a Mandzukic diving header hit the far post.

Dybala was playing in a new role behind strikers Higuain and Mandzukic, which certainly seemed to pay off.

Juventus got their equaliser when Kwadwo Asamoah ran on to a Dybala ball over the top and rolled it across for the Mandzukic tap-in.

A fierce Mandzukic effort from distance was saved, but rarely for a friendly, Espanyol went down to 10 men for Victor Sanchez’s second bookable offence on Dybala.

La Joya repeatedly got opposition players booked, as he was very difficult to stop otherwise.

However, Espanyol restored their advantage late on when Alex Sandro was caught out, as Norberto Neto did all he could on the original Felipe Caicedo angled drive, but couldn’t keep out the Gerard Moreno follow-up.

Dybala was on stunning form and got Juve back on level terms in stoppages, curling a left-foot scorcher into the far top corner.

Juventus 2-2 Espanyol

Baptistao 35 (E), Mandzukic 54 (J), Moreno 85 (E), Dybala 90 (J)

Juventus: Buffon (Neto 55); Barzagli (Alex Sandro 46), Benatia (Bonucci 46), Chiellini (Rugani 60); Dani Alves (Lichtsteiner 46), Lemina, Pjanic, Asamoah (Hernanes 73); Pereyra (Dybala 46); Mandzukic (Pjaca 60), Higuain

Espanyol: Roberto; Javi López, O Álvaro, Ruben Duarte, Oscar Duarte; Hernán (Jurado 43), Diop, Víctor Sanchez, Piatti (Sevilla 64); Baptistao (Calcedo 65), Reyes (Moreno 27)

Sent off: Victor Sanchez 77 (E)

Socrates · August 14, 2016

Juventus 2-2 Espanyol: Dybala brilliance

seals draw on Higuain's first start

Gonzalo Higuain made his first start since signing for his new club but could not find

the target with the Argentine and Mario Mandzukic on target for the Italian champions.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3349/pre-season/2016/08/13/26485502/-?

Aug 13, 2016

Juventus were denied a fourth pre-season win in a row as they were held 2-2 by Espanyol on Saturday.

The Serie A champions, who handed a first start to €90 million signing Gonzalo Higuain, rescued a draw in the closing minutes through a brilliant Paulo Dybala strike after Gerard Moreno looked to have given the 10-man La Liga side the victory.

Espanyol had earlier taken the lead 10 minutes before half-time, as Baptistao turned inside Andrea Barzagli before slotting a clever finish past Gianluigi Buffon, with Mario Mandzukic equalising nine mintues after the restart for Juve.

Massimiliano Allegri named a strong starting line-up but his side struggled to find their rhythm against a side who had gone unbeaten in pre-season prior to Saturday's contest in Mondena.

The first half ended on a sour note, however, when a nasty clash of heads between Pablo Piatti and Hernan Perez forced the latter to be replaced by Jose Manuel Jurado after lengthy treatment on the pitch.

Dybala twice came close to an equaliser just after half-time, forcing Roberto into a good save before just failing to collect a high ball in behind the Espanyol defence.

Mandzukic rattled the post with a header as Juve began to step up their search for a goal, but the Croatian made no mistake just four minutes later.

Kwadwo Asamoah raced onto Dybala's clever flighted pass, before turning a low cross back into the six-yard area, where Mandzukic was on hand to bundle home.

Quique Sanchez Flores' side were forced to play the final 13 minutes with 10 men after Victor Sanchez picked up a second yellow card, but they struck on the break with three minutes to play to regain the lead.

Substitute goalkeeper Neto made a brilliant save to deny Jurado's half-volley, but Moreno was on hand to tap into the unguarded net.

Juve were facing their first pre-season defeat since a penalty shootout loss to Melbourne Victory last month, but Dybala rescued the draw with a sublime left-footed shot from 20 yards that nestled into the top-right corner.

Socrates · August 15, 2016

BWRAO Roundtable: Which new Juventus signing

are you most looking forward to seeing?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/15/12436812/bwrao-roundtable-

juventus-higuain-alves-pjaca-pjanic-2016-serie-a-summer-transfers

Aug 15, 2016

Just a few short days remain until Juventus opens its 2016-17 season against Fiorentina. That means, even though the club has played a handful of friendlies, we get the cub's summer signings for the first time official. Yes, we've seen the likes Marko Pjaca, Miralem Pjanic and Gonzalo Higuain for a couple of times already, but soon the games will actually mean something in the standings and the impact they make will be measured and be put under more of a microscope.

That begs the one question about Juventus' summer acquisitions.

Which one are you most looking forward to seeing this season?

Juventus have brought in one of the best strikers in the game. Juventus have brought in one of the best passers to play in the midfield in the game. Juventus has brought in a fullback who has achieved just about everything you can achieve during his time with Barcelona. And Juventus has brought in a young Croatian winger who certainly doesn't look like he's lacking in talent from what we've seen so far.

Not a bad summer transfer window, huh?

(And they probably aren't done yet. There's still a couple of weeks to go and probably another central midfielder to buy.)

So, in our last BWRAO roundtabling of the summer before the games get underway, we discussed which of the four arrivals that we are most looking forward to seeing with the season set to begin this weekend. Considering who Juventus have signed this summer, there are no wrong kind of answers here.

Calvin

Miralem Pjanic for sure. The sooner he hits the ground running the better it will be for Juventus. With Claudio Marchisio out for the next few months, Sami Khedira notoriously fragile and who knows where Paul Pogba's head would have been if be even if he stayed in Turin, Pjanic could be the metronomic heartbeat of the team that Andrea Pirlo once was from the regista position.

Kaushik

As much as Higuain excites me, the signing I'm most excited to watch is Pjanic. That silky touch of his and whirring footballing brain will come in great use wherever you play him. With him, we're given the chance to play the way we did with Pirlo, ie, with a proper regista pulling the strings, or we're given the chance to see Max implement the dream he's been harboring since he became coach: Build the offense around a world class trequartista.

I expect him to excel in both roles, however the thought of the likes of Marchisio, Khedira and Lemina forming a dynamic midfield trio, with Pjanic playing in the hole supporting Dybala in front of him, and Higuain in front of him, is truly a sexy thought. Without even factoring in Alves and Sandro bombing down the wings.. Here's hoping we sign some brilliant midfielder now to reinforce and add some serious quality in Pogba's absence, to allow Pjanic to shine where he does best. That said, I must make a shout out to Pjaca. I'm excited to see him adapt to the Italian game, and grow under Allegri's tutelage, and long term, he really does excite me too. Man, we're spoiled for choice this year..

Francesco

I am most looking forward to seeing Marko Pjaca this season. The quality of the other players we have purchased this season is well documented as most of them have been European regulars for many years. Admittedly, I had not heard of or seen Pjaca play prior to Euro 2016 but was pleasantly surprised with a) his creatively and skill and b) his work rate. I don't know if it's just me or if I have become smitten with Mandzukic's trackbacking ability, but I find Croatians leave everything on the field. Blood, sweat and tears with no regrets whatsoever. Now I'm not so sure we are getting a player who is a mix of Messi and Ronaldo (cc: Pjaca's agent) but I am quite confident we will look back on this season as the start of the Pjaca era and what a coup that signing was by Beppe and Co. We lost a significant amount of creativity on the wings with the departure of Juan Cuadrado and I am quite confident that Pjaca is going to fill the void admirably.

Jose. T.

I'll give the honorable mention to Pjaca, who I can see forcing his way into the starting XI at some point this season. Pjanic is the most exciting to me, though. As lauded as he is, I still think he's one of the more underrated players in Europe and making the switch to Juventus will help him stake a claim as one of the best midfielders in the world. His passing and vision are world class and he's gonna be creating chances no matter where Allegri puts him in the midfield. I think he'll start as a regista and get moved to trequartista when Marchisio comes back and Allegri decides to start using more formations. Should Paul Pogba had stayed, the idea of a Pjanic-Pogba-Marchisio midfield would have been ironically almost too good to be true. All of this, for €0.2 million LESS than Real Madrid once paid for Asier Illaramendi, all hail Beppe Marotta.

Johann

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch much Juventus during this pre-season. I finally got around to watching my first game on Sunday (live) when the Bianconeri opened West Ham's London Stadium. At that point in time, I was most keen on seeing the young Croatian Marko Pjaca, as he was the signing that I knew the least about. However, by the end of the game, I ended up being most excited by the prospect of seeing Dani Alves bombing down our right flank this season.

As much as I like Stephan Lichtsteiner, especially after his miraculously speedy recovery from heart surgery, the undoubted worst part of his game is his consistently horrendous final ball. With the Brazilian, however, I get the feeling this will not be a problem at all. In addition from his joyful flicks and one-twos, his crossing is a huge improvement over those of the Swiss international. Within minutes, he already put in the cross which led to the opening goal for Paulo Dybala, and was involved in the second goal, sending the Argentine through to make a complete fool of West Ham's Winston Reid. Maybe he won't be as solid defensively, but Allegri has seemingly already worked on a contingency for when Dani gets caught up field, with Mario Lemina regularly dropping back to cover the right back channel when he went forward.

Socrates · August 15, 2016

Morata: ‘Juventus a top club’

http://www.football-italia.net/89777/morata-‘juventus-top-club’?

Aug 15, 2016

Alvaro Morata calls Juventus “one of the best clubs in Europe” as he officially returns to Real Madrid.

The striker had a buyback clause in the deal which took him to Turin, and Los Merengues activated that option this summer.

Today the Spanish international was officially presented to the media as a returning Madrid player, and he offered words of praise for the Bianconeri.

“It’s a very happy day for me,” Morata told reporters.

“I thank everyone who had confidence in me. It was a long waiting period, which lasted two years, but I needed to mature.

“Now I’m back home and I hope to stay for as long as possible. I grew thanks to one of the best clubs in Europe, Juventus.

“Real Madrid could have easily sold me this summer, but instead they decided to put faith in my qualities. I’ll give 100 per cent for this shirt.”

Socrates · August 17, 2016

Inter Milan boss Frank de Boer not intimidated by Juventus

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/internazionale/story/2931681/

inter-milan-boss-frank-de-boer-not-intimidated-by-juventus

Aug 17, 2016

Inter Milan coach Frank de Boer says he has no fears of Juventus as he sets his sights on at least a top-three Serie A finish this season.

De Boer, 46, took the reins at Inter just under a fortnight ago and says it will take four months before he has the team playing the way he wants them to.

However, the former Ajax boss believes that if the gap at the top of the table is not so big come the winter, there is no reason why his side cannot mount a bid for the title.

"Our aim is [to qualify for] the Champions League, there are no two ways about it," De Boer told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We'll have to see what else we can do, but we'll give it a go. With good organisation and the right mentality, you can achieve anything in football.

"It's going to be hard on all fronts, though, because Roma, Napoli, Lazio, Fiorentina and AC Milan are great sides and warrant respect."

Juve are favourites to win a sixth straight Scudetto, having signed last season's Serie A top scorer Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli, though De Boer is not totally convinced they are a better team than last season.

"They're a great side and they have an exceptional squad," De Boer said. "They've added Higuain, but at the same time they've lost [Paul] Pogba. We'll have to see how they will play in midfield and it's not so certain that they will be better than last season.

"Yes, they have big names, but we don't yet know if they will be able to be a team. We'll see my Inter in four months, which is normal. We'll know who we really are in January."

De Boer is not going to try to rush things either, saying that Jurgen Klopp's experience at Liverpool confirms that is not the right way to go about business.

"We've got to be careful with the intensity of our training because our philosophy has changed," he said. "If you don't manage the physical side of things, then we could have a lot of injuries in the next few months.

"Remember Klopp -- he arrived at Liverpool in October and he tried to impose an energetic workload on the team immediately, like he had Borussia Dortmund playing. The result was plenty of injuries -- nine of them. Sometimes it's better just to take things slowly."

Socrates · August 18, 2016

Remembering the Greatest Juventus No.10s

as Paul Pogba Cheapens Its Legacy

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2658010-remembering-the-

greatest-juventus-no10s-as-paul-pogba-cheapens-its-legacy?

Aug 17, 2016

When it comes to the most famous and well-respected shirt numbers in European football, the Juventus No. 10 ranks high on any list. It has been passed from one truly great player to another with incredible regularity, and the sheer volume of legends to have worn it is a testament to its prestige.

It should be viewed with similar reverence to the No. 9 of Newcastle United or the Manchester United No. 7. The latter of those two English clubs are, of course, the reason the Turin giants will go into the 2016/17 season with their most hallowed shirt vacant, thanks to their summer purchase of Paul Pogba.

The France midfielder only inherited it 12 months earlier, switching from the No. 6 he will now wear at Old Trafford, but Pogba undeniably enjoyed the best season of his career with the No. 10 on his back.

Topping his previous best tallies for goals and assists with 10 and 14, respectively, in all competitions, his contribution looks remarkable even from the most basic level of statistical analysis.

Figures provided by WhoScored.com show that no player in Serie A made more assists (12), while only Franco Vazquez (126) completed more dribbles than Pogba’s final total of 120. The same source also highlights that his 47 interceptions were a career-high, with his 76 tackles only bettered by the 84 he registered in 2013/14.

Yet his contribution went beyond an ability to fill up a stat sheet. His impact on the biggest matches was also markedly more pronounced than ever before, with the 23-year-old shining just when the Bianconerineeded him most.

As last season reached its climax, Juventus were locked in a desperate battle for the Serie A title and trying to overcome Bayern Munich in theUEFA Champions League, and Pogba shrugged off some indifferent form to carry the team forward.

With the club having made a disastrous start, the Scudetto was far from assured, but the Frenchman's play—filled with tricks, delicate first touches and overwhelmingly powerful shots—helped deliver it, only for him to end the summer wearing a different shirt.

That caused much anger and resentment among Juventus supporters, but this was about so much more than his decision to go back to Manchester. The crass marketing campaign shown in the tweet above disappointed many, yet more than anything, it was the way in whichPogba treated the famous shirt number that truly stirred emotions in Turin.

Andrea, a fan who regularly takes his place in the Curva Sud atJuventus Stadium, explained those feelings to Bleacher Report, discussing just what the exit of the France international meant:

We survived after Zinedine Zidane, we'll survive after Pogba, right? He won't be part of our history, he's just part of our past now.

The “Juventus 10” is the dream of every child playing football because it represents the shirt of the classiest players, those who set the stadiums on fire with their skills.

Giving it to Pogba was the biggest mistake because he could have never represented the future of Juve; losing him after just one year leaves me completely indifferent to the whole situation.

To understand why it means so much, it is to that history referenced by Andrea we must look, starting with the man who vacated it just one year before Pogba.

Carlos Tevez spent only two seasons with La Vecchia Signora, but he played a major role in restoring the reputation so battered by theCalciopoli scandal.

Juve’s enforced relegation a decade earlier as punishment for that saw her stock tumble, but Tevez took a team that had struggled for European recognition and dragged it to the Champions League final.

A first appearance there in 12 years was the icing on the cake of an almost perfect 2014/15 campaign in which coach Massimiliano Allegri and the tenacious Argentinian also delivered a first league-and-cup double in two decades.

Tevez bagged an astonishing 50 goals in 95 appearances for the club, but it was arguably the fact he wore the No. 10 shirt without complaints from fans that stands as perhaps the biggest testament to his time in Turin.

Indeed, he took on the responsibility after Alessandro Del Piero—arguably Juve’s greatest-ever player—had moved on. The Italian legend had worn it since squad numbers were introduced in 1995, going on to set new records for both appearances and goals over the span of 19 incredible seasons.

There are no words to describe his impact upon everyone who supports Juventus, for Del Piero embodied everything important that the club represents. His dignity, grace and sheer skill felt incredible to see live, fans witnessing history seemingly every time he pulled on that famous shirt.

Goals in Champions League finals, in huge Serie A clashes and even World Cup semi-finals are all on his resume, and for many it is impossible to think about Juventus without mentioning his name.

When he departed for Sydney FC, there was talk of retiring the No. 10, but the long-serving captain believed it should remain available, as he would explain at his farewell press conference:

I hope that the No. 10 can be less of a burden after me. I hope that whoever wears it can begin a glorious career like mine and perhaps even greater. I've really had so much that I would never want it to be retired, this way, every child can dream of day of wearing it.

Yet it was not just Del Piero who fans remembered as Tevez repeatedly lit up Juventus Stadium; the exploits of another fiery Argentina native also came to mind.

One of the earliest stars of Serie A, Omar Sivori is fondly remembered for his time with the Bianconeri, his name prominent in any list of club legends.

He arrived from River Plate for a world-record fee, and spent the next eight seasons dancing around defenders and collecting silverware with equal aplomb. Sivori delighted in embarrassing would-be markers at every opportunity but always delivered the perfect end product.

His partnership with John Charles is among the best the game has seen, and by the time Sivori left the club in 1965, he had claimed threeSerie A titles, two Coppa Italia wins and the 1963 Ballon d’Or.

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JuventusFC

✔@juventusfcen

Brady's penalty 15 minutes from time against Catanzaro wrapped up Scudetto number 20 #OnThisDay in 1982.

10:00 AM - 16 May 2015

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Arguably the next great player to follow in Sivori’s early footsteps was Liam Brady. Often overlooked when discussing the best Juve No. 10s, the Irishman won two Serie A titles, with his high-pressure penalty in 1982 directly sealing that championship.

Brady would leave to allow Michel Platini space to shine, his spell atJuve perhaps the most sustained period of quality in any player’s career.

The French maestro claimed Serie A top scorer honours and the Ballond’Or for three consecutive seasons, while helping the team win every possible trophy.

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James Horncastle

✔@JamesHorncastle

30 years ago today Platini scored one of the great disallowed goals. Reaction to referee’s decision is pricelesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63mpjgVXnwk …

10:25 AM - 8 Dec 2015

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His skill and technique were simply unsurpassed, and after his exit in 1987, Juventus would struggle to contend for honours. Even a well-known name like Michael Laudrup wearing the No. 10 could not help, and it would be the iconic Roberto Baggio who once again restored the Old Lady to top spot.

Baggio was breathtaking in his early pomp, guiding the Bianconeri to aUEFA Cup triumph before ending a nine-year Scudetto drought in 1995. He, too, would earn World Player of the Year honours, and it would be his move to AC Milan that allowed Del Piero to flourish.

It was into these long shadows that Pogba stepped last year, and he also flourished with the famous shirt on his back.

Yet his exit tarnished that legacy, and supporters of the Italian giants will now wait to see who next takes on the challenge of donning their most iconic number.

Socrates · August 18, 2016

Carrera new Coach of Spartak Moscow

http://www.football-italia.net/89910/carrera-new-coach-spartak-moscow

Aug 17, 2016

Massimo Carrera is the new Coach of Spartak Moscow after he was promoted from an interim role.

The former assistant manager to Antonio Conte at Juventus and in the Italy staff made the surprise move to Russia in July.

He was appointed as assistant manager to Dmitri Alenichev and had that position for three games.

Carrera was then bumped up to caretaker manager following problems between the club and Alenichev.

He did so well in those two games that Spartak Moscow have decided to give the 52-year-old Italian the job on a permanent basis.

Socrates · August 26, 2016

Official: Italy get four CL teams

http://www.football-italia.net/90404/official-italy-get-four-cl-teams

Aug 26, 2016

Italy will have four teams in the Champions League from 2018 following UEFA's new reform.

Serie A is currently represented in the Champions League by a maximum of three teams, one of which has to dispute a play-off round. This is due to Italy's international coefficient rankings being lower than those of the Premier League, the Spanish Liga or the German Bundesliga, all of which get four teams.

The UEFA Executive Committee has now passed a reform of the qualifying procedure, meaning that the top four clubs from the four top-ranked national associations will qualify directly for the group stage.

As Italy falls in that category, it means they will automatically get four teams directly in the Champions League groups starting from 2018.

A number of other changes have been implemented. The winner of the Europa League will now get immediate access to the Champions League groups stage, rather than having to dispute a play-off, and financial distribution will be reformatted and increased.

One passage of the reform summary released on UEFA's official site is particularly significant, as it reads: “Historical success in the competition will also be acknowledged in coefficient calculation (points for previous European titles with a weighted system for UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League titles).”

This means that Italy's coefficient will be comparatively strong by default, as their recent lack of success is counterbalanced by a rich history in the elite tournament.

Socrates · September 4, 2016

Selecting the Worst Juventus XI of All Time

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2660074-selecting-the-worst-juventus-xi-of-all-time?

Sep 4, 2016

There is little doubt that Juventus can boast some of the finest players of all time, with the likes of Michel Platini, GaetanoScirea and Gigi Buffon among those to have worn the famous black and white shirts in years past.

As discussed in this previous post, even looking at only the men to have worn the club’s coveted No. 10 shirt is enough, with the likes of Omar Sivori, Roberto Baggio, Liam Brady and Alessandro Del Piero joining Platini as former owners of that iconic jersey.

Yet the Bianconeri have also been home to some truly dire players, with some well-known names having flopped during their time in Turin. Thierry Henry is an Arsenal legend and one of the Premier League’s deadliest-ever strikers, but his 19 appearances for Juventuswere largely forgettable.

What follows is not a look at those heroes to have represented the Old Lady, it is instead a recollection of the failures, the mistakes and the simply unfortunate as we select Juve’s worst-ever XI.

hi-res-4f7fbfb3ed20187ff7dc380559facc1e_

Goalkeeper

Edwin van der Sar is most likely to be remembered for his UEFAChampions League triumphs at either Ajax or Manchester United, and perhaps even his brief but impressive stint at Fulham sticks in the memory. In Italy, however, he is undoubtedly linked to two of Juve’s most surprising failures.

The Netherlands international arrived in Turin in 1999 after winning everything he possibly could in Amsterdam. The Bianconeri were reeling from Marcello Lippi’s sudden move to Inter Milan, with CarloAncelotti arriving to replace the coach. It would be a disaster.

Despite a squad laden with talent—the likes of Edgar Davids, Del Piero,Zinedine Zidane and Henry—the team could only manage two second-place finishes, with Van der Sar proving hugely responsible for both.

Indeed, while this previous post discussed some of the club’s best-ever goalkeepers, the man from Voorhout will never make an appearance on such a list. A major blunder in a loss to Lazio saw Juve let one title slip. The error in the video above was enough to see him moved on after just two seasons.

Defence

Long seen as a hallmark of Juve’s greatness, the likes of Scirea, LilianThuram and Leonardo Bonucci would shudder at the prospect of playing alongside some of the names on this list.

At right-back, Jonathan Zebina was a disaster from day one. Arriving on a free transfer from AS Roma at the request of Fabio Capello in 2004, the Frenchman somehow lasted six years in Turin.

His 98 appearances for the club involved some calamitous mistakes, he then sealed his fate when gesturing at Juventus fans during a poor run of results and slapping a cameraman as he left the field following a red card.

Joining Zebina in Juve’s team of shame is his compatriot Jean-AlainBoumsong, signed from Newcastle United as the club was relegated to Serie B in 2006. He began as he meant to continue, allowing lowlyRimini to score on his debut and was quickly shipped out following the team's return to the top flight.

While the first two names in this woeful back four were terrible, Jorge Andrade can perhaps consider himself unfortunate to warrant inclusion. The likes of Dario Knezevic or Leandro Rinaudo could just have easily taken his place, but Juve spending a substantial amount on the Portugal international seals his spot.

hi-res-2d5b1bec18158a3e987a1e09ca6d8f1a_

RICCARDO DE LUCA/Associated Press

Jorge Andrade

In 2007, the club paid €10 million for Andrade, according to the officialUEFA website. However, he broke his kneecap that September and suffered a repeat of that injury in pre-season the following year to miss the entire 2008/09 campaign. He went on to make a grand total of five appearances for the club.

Finally at left-back is a man Juventus supporters wish played so infrequently, but somehow Cristian Molinaro amassed 81 appearances for the Old Lady. He was never good enough and now struggles to hold down a regular spot with cross-town rivals Torino, much to the amusement of his former fans.

Midfield

At regular intervals, Juventus were forced to trot out a midfield of Felipe Melo, Tiago Mendes and Christian Poulsen. Even recalling those dark days now when the team is once again dominating Serie A is enough to cause distress to those who love the Bianconeri and with good reason.

All three were desperately poor. Their presence in Turin undoubtedly slowed the early progress of Claudio Marchisio, who fortunately was not contaminated by the sea of mediocrity which surrounded him in those formative years.

Melo was unable to pass, continually fouled and was generally terrible, while Tiago takes a place alongside him for arguably even worse behaviour. He locked then-club president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli in a bathroom during contract negotiations.

Attack

Thierry Henry was fielded wide on the left by Carlo Ancelotti, meaning this team really has no place for him, while even Diego—the subject ofthis previous post—cannot find a spot among the worst XI of all time.

Another who narrowly missed the cut was Juan Esnaider, an Argentinian striker signed by former director Luciano Moggi back in 1999. No goals in 16 appearances see the £4.5 million man reviled by many, but worse is yet to come.

hi-res-b4ddbdece2257e90a7075027e0515b32_

Alberto Ramella/Associated Press

Jorge Martinez

Remember Jorge Martinez? A Uruguayan midfielder who played quite well for Catania was inexplicably signed by Juventus in 2010 at a staggering cost of €12 million. A grand total of 20 appearances followed, and he remained attached to the club until this summer when his contract was dissolved.

Alongside him in this team comes another South American, Fabian O'Neil who was signed as a back-up to Zidane but rarely showed anything like the form that had been expected of him.

The same is true of Marcelo Salas. Selected to this team ahead of Esnaider, the Chilean striker arrived in 2001 after being an essential part of Lazio’s previous success under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Having won six trophies in a three-year stint there, he moved toJuventus where he would endure the worst moments of his career. Hampered by injuries, he played just 14 games and scored two goals, missing a penalty in a derby with Torino by skying the spot-kick high over the crossbar.

Salas’ career would peter out, but Juventus somehow managed to find an even worse player, with Amauri arriving in the summer of 2008. Costing the club €22.8 million, he netted just 17 goals, never looking like living up to his ridiculous price tag before moving on.

His career was discussed in this previous post, and he takes the final spot in Juve’s all-time worst XI.

Final Juventus XI (4-2-3-1): Van der Sar; Zebina, Boumsong, Andrade,Molinaro; Melo, Tiago; Martinez, O'Neil, Salas; Amauri

Socrates · September 4, 2016

Cagliari mourn title hero Nene

http://www.football-italia.net/90910/cagliari-mourn-title-hero-nene

Sep 4, 2016

Cagliari are in mourning for Brazilian Claudio Nenè, who starred in their Scudetto-winning campaign in 1969-70.

The midfielder died at the age of 74 after a respiratory illness.

Full name Claudio Olinto de Carvalho was born in San Paolo, but remained in Sardinia after his retirement.

Nenè played 311 games in the Cagliari jersey and scored 23 goals.

He also played for Santos alongside Pele and spent one season at Juventus.

After retiring, he became a Coach at youth level with Cagliari, Fiorentina and Juventus.

Socrates · September 4, 2016

The Week in Black & White – Juventus News [28/8/16 – 4/9/16]

http://www.juvefc.com/week-black-white-juventus-news-28816-4916/?

Sep 4, 2016

The mercato is finally over, Dybala and Bonucci could be on the verge of agreeing new deals, Lichtsteiner causes controversy…..and there’s the small matter of a transfer deal that failed to materialise. Here’s a roundup of all the Juventus news of the week.

I’ll start off by apologising for not publishing this weekly roundup as often as I had hoped to. While it was started with the best of intentions, it was near-impossible to cover all the summer transfer news every single week, simply because there was so much of it and we were linked to so many players, so often. Going forward, I’d like retain a small corner of this roundup for the mercato, but the main focus will be a roundup of all Juve news from the previous week. I digress….let’s get things started.

Lazio 0-1 Juventus

598105808-juventus-fc-players-celebrates

It may feel like a lifetime ago, but i can assure, we did play an actual game of football a week ago (Sat 27th August to be exact) – A muddled but satisfactory victory over Lazio saw Sami Khedira score his second goal in 2 games and retain his unbeaten status in Serie A: 22 games played, 21 wins and 1 draw. A stat that highlights just how instrumental he’s become to Juve over the course of the last season. He was also voted as Man of the Match here.

Zaza joins West Ham United

Simone Zaza departed Juventus after just one season at the club, inevitably finding it difficult to sit on the bench following the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain. Despite joining the Hammers on loan, Zaza will become a permanent signing if he makes a certain amount of appearances for the club:

The 25-year-old forward joins the Hammers for an initial €5m loan fee, with a permanent fee of €20m automatically triggered after a certain number of Premier League appearances this season, plus a further €3m in contingent payments.

[Source: http://www.whufc.com]

Juve Penalties / Budget turnaround

Two interesting stats that I came across this week:

1. Juventus have been awarded the fewest penalties among Serie A’s top teams over the past 18 years (Feel free to use that stat over the course of the coming season).

2. An obvious one, but the figures are quite telling – Juve’s fortunes have changed dramatically under the management of Andrea Agnelli:

Follow

Tarek Khatib @ADP1113

Juve's incredible budget turnaround under Agnelli:
10/11 = -95m
11/12 = -49m
12/13 = -16m
13/14 = -7m
14/15 = +3m
15/16 = +3m

7:52 AM - 30 Aug 2016

94 Retweets

76 likes

Juan Cuadrado returns to Juventus

As deadline day loomed large, Juve secured a deal for Juan Cuadrado – A player who, by all accounts, was actively pushing for a return to Juventus all summer long. Sky Italia reported that the Colombian was in tears at the close of last season and personally asked Beppe Marotta to bring him back to Turin. The Bianconeri willingly obliged and confirmed the deal with the following press release:

Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that the agreement with Chelsea Football Club Limited for the temporary acquisition, until 30 June 2019, of the registration rights of the player Juan Guillermo Cuadrado Bello has been finalized for an annual consideration of € 5 million. Juventus has the right to definitively acquire the player, or will be obliged to do so subject to the achievement of certain given team results during the loan period, for a consideration of € 25 million, payable in three years, less the amounts of the loan fees actually paid. Furthermore, on achieving challenging team performances during the term of the contract of employment with the player, Juventus will pay to Chelsea FC additional contingent amounts up to € 4 million

Stephan Lichtsteiner dropped from Champions League squad

While they’ve yet to be addressed fully, there were some disappointing rumours flying around in the closing days of the transfer window that suggested Stephan Lichtsteiner was pushing for a move to…..Inter Milan. As I say, they were purely speculation for the most part, stemming from articles in only certain parts of the Italian press, however Sky Sport Italia later reported that the player had never asked for such a move. The fallout may or may not have led to the player’s exclusion from the Champions League list for the first part of the season, although there’s a perfectly rational argument to be made for the inclusion of more midfielders and the use of Juan Cuadrado and Dani Alves in a more attacking setup. All the UEFA Champions League round of 16 clubs are permitted to register a maximum of three new eligible ‘A list players’ by February….that is provided they are still at the club, and there’s a distinct possibility that Lichtsteiner may be sold in January with only a few months remaining on his existing Juve contract. Watch this space.

Axel Witsel deal breaks down

It was off, then it was on, then it was off, then it was on again…..then it was officially off. Axel Witsel was on the verge of completing a transfer to Juventus on deadline day, having travelled to Turin to complete a medical and sign a contract, only for Zenit to block the move at the last minute. Zenit coach Mircea Lucescu was quick to deny rumours that it was his veto of the deal that saw the move break down, declaring:

“I have the utmost respect for Juventus, they are a top world-class club, but in all honesty to buy a great player like Witsel they shouldn’t have left it to the last minute.”

Witsel also gave his own take on the events, admitting that he “already felt like a Juventus player in every sense” and even picked out his shirt number (28).

What next ? In the players own words: “We’ll see what happens. My destiny was in that direction. Once I honour my contract, we’ll see where my future lies, but maybe yes [on joining Juve next season].” [RTBF.be]

Alex Ferguson on Juventus this week:

503604716-juventus-forward-paulo-dybala-

New contracts for Dybala and Bonucci

Tuttosport claim that Juventus are going to offer Leonardo Bonucci and Paulo Dybala new contracts in an effort to ward off interest from overseas. Bonucci was reortedly the subject of bids from Manchester United and City this summer while Barcelona are known admirers of Dybala. TS report that Bonucci’s deal will be extended to June 2021 and he’ll be paid €5m per year plus bonuses while Dybala will see his salary increased to €4.5m per season.

News in Brief

Claudio Marchisio is expected to return to full training in October and could be fit enough for the games against Udinese (15/10) or possibly Lyon (18/10) [CdS]
Leonardo Bonucci has returned to the national team having taken time out to be with his son during surgery. It’s reported young Matteo is making a recovery [FIGC Statement]
Exor are set to relocate their headquarters to Amsterdam – This article gives a little more inhsight on the reasons why.
The mercato is over! You can see a full break down of Juventus transfers 2016/17 here
Paulo Dybala is due to return to Juventus ahead of schedule following his red card in Argentina 1-0 victory over Uruguay. Medhi Benatia has already return to Turin. [TuttoJuve]
Juventus are linked with Blaise Matuidi (again), Axel Witsel (again), Mattia De Sciglio (again) and Matteo Darmian (again)
Gonzalo Higuain scored a tripletta in Juve’s 6-0 friendly match against Magenta [Video highlights below]

Amichevole Juventus – Magenta 03/09 by marozTV

Tweet of the Week

Next Match

Saturday 10th September – Juventus v Sassuolo K/O 17:00

Socrates · September 4, 2016

August’s Monthly Juventus Thoughts: Royal Return

We’re back, ragazzi! With the return of competitive football comes

the return of my regular monthly wrap-ups, so let’s get it started!

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/9/4/12779080/juventus-august-

2016-in-review-serie-a-champions-league-mario-lemina-stephan-lichtsteiner

Sep 4, 2016

Match control and stubborn old habits

Although it’s a new season, it seems that some old, annoying habits are still creeping around in our play. It still seems like we have the irritating problem of dominating games comfortably in terms of possession and not conceding chances but being lazy/complacent in terms of converting this into goals. It reminds me of an interesting interview that Andre Villas-Boas gavewhen he started his ill-fated spell at Chelsea in which he discussed a variety of things. The most interesting topics were those of verticality vs. horizontality and match control, but I want keep the focus on the latter.

In Portugal we have this idea of match control based on ball circulation. That’s what we in Portugal want to achieve in our football: top teams that dominate by ball possession, that push the opponent back to their area. If you go find the top English teams pre-Arsene Wenger they tell you how to control a match in the opposite way without much ball possession, direct football, searching for the second ball.

How does this Juventus squad ‘control’ games? Is it more oriented towards the (threat of the) creation of chances or towards ball retention/circulation? Which one, if any, is better? It’s quite clear to me that we control games by retaining the ball and relying on a remarkable defensive unit that rarely concedes chances, but I wonder about the efficiency of this method of controlling matches if all it takes is one lapse of concentration to break this hold (as demonstrated by Nikola Kalinic’s equalizer). Then again, given the overall success of the team in the last few years and our almost impenetrable defense, I suppose I shouldn’t second-guess the current tactics even though the clear downside is that it can be a terribly nerve-wracking way to control games. Maybe our method of match control can be best summarized in Sun Tzu’s words:

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Latent power

Good ol Gohan. He started as somewhat of a side-character in Dragonball Z, showing glimpses of his potential, but was always part of the support cast while the big boys did the heavy lifting. Obviously, we all knew he had it in him to unleash his deeper potential; it was all a matter of when, not if. Hence it was no surprise when he defeated Perfect Cell in the Cell Games.

As much as I love to reminisce about DBZ, there is some method to this madness. Our Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina faces an extremely important four-month period at the start of this new season. He has shown that he has some wonderful footballing talent to him — so much so that Juventus supposedly rejected offers from Arsenal for his services — but still remained part of the supporting cast as Claudio Marchisio, Sami Khedira and Paul Pogba ran the show last season. Marchisio, the main competitor for his position, is tentatively expected to be fit in October, but I personally expect him to truly be back in December at the earliest. Even then, I’m wary of overburdening our Little Prince (no, not that one) which means that the regista position is up for grabs until then. However, Il Mister also expressed his remarkably big expectations of Miralem Pjanic in the regista position when he returns to full fitness, meaning that Lemina certainly has his work cut out for him.

The time really is now. The time to show if he can mix with the big boys. Does he have that dormant Gohan-esque potential within him, waiting to be unleashed at the opportune moment so that he can claim that regista position as his? Or will he quietly play backup to Pjanic and Marchisio when both are fully fit again? The time for questions is over, it’s time for answers.

Rise Gohan!

No place for no hero

I certainly did not intend to write about this initially, but it raised so many eyebrows — including mine — that I just could not ignore the topic. Stephan Lichtsteiner’s exclusion from the Champions League squad quickly prompted a range of theories about potential fallouts between him and the management. Leaving these theories aside, I think this links to something I wrote about in May: the homegrown player quota.

This ain't no place for no hero. This ain't no place for no better man.

This ain't no place for no hero, to call "home."

Short Change Hero; The Heavy

In this squad, Marchisio and Emil Audero were the two club-grown players and thus the team consisted of 23 players instead of the regular 25. (Thanks, Kaushik, for the corrections.) This made me wonder the following: imagine if two other players in the squad, say Lemina and Paulo Dybala just for argument’s sake, were club-raised we would have had the space for two extra players and, consequently, for Lichtsteiner.

The reason I raise this point again is because our situation with club-grown players seems to be such a problem that we’re including a player that will miss at least half of the group stage just in order to satisfy this requirement. Unless he returns sooner than expected, he was clearly included just because of the quota. So as the squad becomes decreasingly Italian, and although this case wasn’t extremely catastrophic, it serves as a warning that this is an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. If not? Well then, this ain’t no place for no hero…

From Russia with love… and disappointment

What would you do, to get to me?

What would you say, to have your way?

Would you give it up or try again?

Try Again; Aaliyah (Romeo Must Die)

Where the heck do I even start? Just when you thought the Pogba transfer was the most ludicrous saga you’d ever witnessed as a Juventino, we witness this remarkable fiasco regarding the angel-blue eyed Axel Witsel from Zenit St. Petersburg. I was so used to Juventus never being involved in the often absurd, but admittedly hilarious, shenanigans of deadline day that I was initially furious at Beppe-and-sidekicks for getting us into this embarrassing gaffe in the first place. However, once I learned about the finer details of this episode I realized that, as with everything in life, there’s always more to a story than meets the eye.

On the one hand, fans criticize management’s complacency of leaving the transfer until the final minute. Why wait until the final day when we knew for at least 4 weeks that we were going to need a reinforcement given Pogba’s ~~social media-paraded~~ departure? On the other hand, the club did make various inquiries for players like Blaise Matuidi, Nemanja Matic, ~~the never-ending love affair with~~ Isco, and of course Witsel himself early in the transfer window. Just because these inquiries/negotiations weren’t publicized as extravagantly as the Pogba saga — to the point where breaking-news stories were created for “the humdrum act of getting on a plane, landing, and then being driven a few miles to a nearby location” — doesn’t mean that they never happened. The clubs simply refused to sell for every target that Juventus had, leaving Beppe with no choice but to have a last throw of the dice with Witsel. Heck, you can even say that it was incredible that he even completed the deal and was within a few hours of formallysealing it given how vehemently Zenit resisted and sabotaged it.

The whole thing is a darn shame really, because it seemed like we had finally found what we needed to fill that confusing gap in midfield. People weren’t quite sure what we needed there: A destroyer? A creator? A passer? Me? With Witsel, it seemed like we had found a nice compromise that ticked all the boxes — physical, solid defensively, decent offensively, good passer and nice hair.

Well, let’s see what happens in January/next summer, because if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again!

The New Order

As a quick final note, I’m sure all of you are aware of the big changes to the Champions League format that will kick in starting the 2018-2019 season. I just wanted to direct you all to a pretty insightful interview with Gab Marcotti at ESPN FC regarding the result of all the political sparring between UEFA and the big clubs. It will be fascinating to see how this affects Italian clubs especially, so keep your eyes on the (money)ball!

Socrates · September 6, 2016

Juventus Youth Report – September 2016

http://www.juvefc.com/juve-youth-report-sep-2016/?

Sep 5, 2016

With the international break proving a bother for many, some out of concern for injuries, for others further trauma delaying late in the day tactical adjustments, it seems opportune to bring you an overview of the major happenings in the Juve youth sector.

As many are well aware, we are not Barcelona. We do not have an all conquering youth side comprising of ready made superstars to promote to the senior squad. Yet it is fair to state that other than the UEFA youth league – where we have yet to make our mark – last season for Grosso’s U19 squad was one of glory. Winning the league stage then bowing out in the final of the knock-out stages of the bread and butter primavera league, losing in the final of the coppa of the same realm, and winning the Viareggio. The signs were very promising indeed, yet I have covered this and the fortunes of our loaned players previously so will focus on the near to Now.

What new fledgling talent have we procured? Where have we sent our primavera stars to cut their teeth with the men? Where is the next Messi? Some of these questions I can answer…

We have just picked up 18 year old Mattias Andersson, a Swedish U19 international who has played a few games for Malmo’s senior side before we swooped. Mattias plays in defence and heads straight into Grosso’s primavera outfit soon due to commence their league campaign.

As for the major loan moves of our little ones:

Beyond the peninsula

Guido Vadala (19) SS – Union de Santa Fe (Argentina)

Stefano Beltrame (23) SS – Den Bosch (Holland)

Tasos Donis (20) SS – Nice (France)

Nicolo Pozzebon (19) CF – Gronigen (Holland)

Lorenzo Rossetti (22) CF – Lugano (Switzerland)

Mame Thiam (22) LW/CF – PAOK (Greece)

Luca Marrone (26) CM/DM – Zulte Waregem (Belgium)

Vajebah Sakor (20) CM – Valarenga (Norway)

Carlos Blanco (20) CB – Lausanne (Switzerland)

Vykintas Slivka (21) CM – Den Bosch (Holland)

Nicola Leali (23) GK – Olympiakos (Greece)

Serie A

Domenico Berardi (22) SS – Sassuolo

Ouasim Bouy (23) CM/DM/CB/AM – Palermo

Matheus Pereira (18) AM – Empoli

Stefano Sensi (21) AM – Sassuolo

Leonardo Spinazzola (23) AM – Atalanta

Andres Tello (19) DM – Empoli

Pol Lirola (18) RB – Sassuolo

Serie B

Alberto Cerri (20) CF – SPAL

Leonardo Spinazzola (23) LM – Atalanta

Simone Ganz (22) CF – Verona

Francesco Cassatta (19) RB/RW – Ascoli

Mattia Vitale (18) CM – Cesena

Pol Garcia (21) CB – Latina

Fillipo Romagna (19) CB – Novara

Joel Untersee (22) RB – Brescia

Luka Oliviera (17) LM – Novara

I have omitted a fair few, yet I adjudge them to be presently no greater talents than at best leading to become makeweights in future deals for other players we wish to bring into the fold, which is unfortunately the way for likely many of the above in turn. However, all players listed I believe still have potential to find themselves in our colours at some stage of their senior career.

The most interesting of loan moves involve those stationed in the top flight of our domestic league pyramid. Bouy, Sensi, Tello and Pereira are talented lads, all embracing their maiden campaign in the upper tier and no doubt our scouts (me included) will be monitoring their progress with zeal. I am also intrigued to see how Cassatta, Cerri and Romagna fare in Serie B. The rest are of ever decreasing interest, though will likely earn us a few handfuls of gold in the future. Although…I very much liked the look of Rosseti pre-season. He seemed an accomplished front man, very tidy and direct.

Clemenza would probably have headed out on loan as he has long seemed ripe for picking, yet the ACL injury suffered in March during the Viareggio tournament has forced us to keep him in house. He will train with the primavera and perhaps also with the seniors as he seeks to revive.

Kastanos is a more interesting affair, for he appears to me physically capable of stepping up to the man’s game and very promising. We may have kept him in the ranks to be registered as one of the home grown players. If so – and I will delve deeper in due course – it will be wonderful to see him given some time in the coppa.

Major moves arriving in the youth sector-

Rogerio (18) LB – Sassuolo

Mattias Andersson (18) CB – Malmo

Francesco Margiotta(23) CF – Lausanne

Mehdi Leris (18) LW – Chievo

Tamba M’Pinda (18) DM – Bourgoin (France)

Oumar Toure (17) DM – Santarcangelo

Luka Oliveira (18) DM – Sporting Club D’Espinho

Andi Zeqiri (17) SS – Lausanne

Allessandro Semprini (18) RB – Brescia

Ricardo Campos (16) CF – Benfica

Nicolo Mosti (18) AM – Empoli

The Albanian by blood yet Swiss born frontman Zeqiri could well prove a very smart purchase indeed. Not many players make their debut in the seniors at 15, as did our new recruit. He joins on loan with an option to purchase fresh from making 21 appearances for the Lausanne first team in 15/16, scoring 8 goals in the process. With a host of other clubs reported to be scouting we have now made the move to bring the U19 international to Turin. Towering at 1.81m, the Swiss is clearly a physical menace with a decent left peg who I will be following for the coming campaign. (Carlos Blanco Moreno – scorer of that stunning strike from the halfway line pre-season in Melbourne – has moved in the other direction as part of the same deal.)

Another rising star added to the Juve night sky is 18 year old Nicola Mosti who was the creative catalyst for the Empoli primavera side’s positive run in league and both cups last term. A regular for Italy at U16 and more recently U18 level, Nicola is most comfortable central and charged with directing the offensive endeavour. A solid haul of goals and assists to his short career history suggests potential which we will hope to see blossom in black and white. We were able to bring in the flair merchant due to sending centre-back Edoardo Bianchi in exchange; the captain of our own U17 side has moved to join up with former Azzurri U17 manager, Dal Canto, who was very keen on securing the services of the Roman defender. Considering that Bianchi was unlikely to feature heavily when challenging older, bigger, more experienced players for a starting berth the move made sense for all parties.

Also 18, Mehdi Leris, a French Algerian wide forward joins on loan from Chievo Verona, where he has spent the last three years. 13 goals and 3 assists from his previous campaign. His former coach at Chievo had this to say of the player –

‘He is a playmaker with good quality and good physical skills. Very flexible, can make even the inside of midfield. He is a boy of obvious talent. sometimes it is discontinuous, because of age, but he made two good seasons, establishing himself well enough to earn his first professional contract with the club. Juve have followed the boy and saw interesting things. “

The U19s begin their league campaign away to Udinese on the 10th September, though they have been involved in friendly matches of late…

Juve 3-2 Aymavilles (Kean 2, Merio)

Juve 5-2 Pinerolo (Bove 2, Kean, Rogerio and Kastanos)

Aesch U19 Torneo

Juve 3-2 Red Star Belgrade (Kean 2, Bove)

Juve 1-1 Sporting Lisbon (Kean)

Juve 2-0 Hamburg (Caligara 2)

Semis : Juve 0-1 Fluminese

3rd place play-off : Juve 3-0 Basel (Zanandrea, Goh, Mancini)

More recently we played a lively role in the Memorial Mamma Cairo torneo, which featured both Milanese and Turinese clubs.

Semi-final : Juve 4-1 Inter (Muratore, Leris, Kastanos, Morselli)

Final : AC Milan 6-3 Juve (Kean hatrick)

Kean, Toure and Mosti also played and scored in the 7-0 drubbing of Magenta alongside a selection of the seniors not involved with international commitments.

10 goals from 9 appearances for Bioty Kean is very much in line with his exceptional form of last season. If he continues to plunder goals at this rate it is going to add weight to his eagerness to move into senior football and he may well end up heading out on loan in the Winter mercato. From our perspective, I just want to see that first professional contract signed. From experience, we can never trust Raiola…

I am pleased to find the relationships with clubs from Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands continuing to offer senior football to youngsters unable to attract eagerness for the same domestically.

The youth set-up as a whole remains very much under discussion with the FIGC, with the chitchat mainly focused on the suggestion of B teams. Of which it seems needless for me to comment at length presently, for I shall await concrete news on that score. Other than to mention that I very much like the idea of a second string, essentially our primavera, playing in Serie B or below. For the sooner the kids are judged as men, the better. Yet it is understandable why there may be opposition to this idea, from clubs for whom Serie B is their pinnacle, and to have less chance of playing there, is clearly a point of contention and opposition.

We must bear in mind that the youth sector is extremely volatile. A player who looks amazing at 16 may seem wretched by 18, let alone 21. The least we can hope for is that the club are scouting and procuring the finest talents available. Which we are doing in spades. It is very rare indeed for a club to establish a ready-made conveyor belt from Youth to Senior at the elite level, to which we have clawed our way back and now aspire to remain. It happens once in the bluest of moons…Fergie’s fledglings. The Barca Boys. Other than which, its mainly hit and miss. I see no team operating at the very top with a team made up mainly of former youth players.

The stakes are sky high for the seniors. We are not Udinese. We cannot afford (literally) to lose games by blooding youngsters in the senior game. As much as I feel and see huge potential in many of our stock, none of them yet warrant inclusion in Allegri’s squad over what we have in terms of established professionals. There may come a time when we alter our approach; promote a player like Lirola or Romagna, instead of signing an Alves or Benatia. Until which, I will raise my glass of russian fire water to toast our efforts, which are far from a failure, always focused on success.

Of those on our books, I consider Kean the most obvious mega talent. He is a born and bred goal machine. I still retain high hopes for Bouy, Leali and even Sakor. All of whom are making progress. Slow perhaps, yet sure.

My concerns over Grosso were put to rest last term, yet his real test comes this season. For the club have moved intelligently to augment those incoming from the U17s and those remaining from last year’s primavera offering to provide the coach with an ultra strong squad. We won the Viareggio, won our league campaign, then lost in the finals, and also lost in the coppa primavera final. However, we made zero in-roads on the continental front. And it is here, where Grosso must earn his stripes. For it is the only area where we have consistently under-achieved in the modern era.

My apologies for the absence of my normal playfulness in this report, yet as I always feel the need to mention, I am far from inspired by stats and spending time seeking out reports of players from Norwegian U17 coaches! It is journalistic servitude and I already find myself peeking at how those who have sought adventure in foreign pastures are now faring, for when I see them play, I can offer much more than the stats and poorly translated reports.

Essentially, we continue to move in the best of directions. Investing wisely and hopefully. Nothing more can be done!

forza juve

Breaking News

Juve have released their official squad list for Serie A.

4 home grown in Italy – Buffon, Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci

4 home grown at Juve – Rugani, Marchisio, De Ceglie, Marrone

Neto, Benatia, Sandro, Alves, Lichsteiner, Pjanic, Evra, Khedira, Hernanes, Lemina, Asamoah, Sturaro, Cuadrado, Higuain, Mandzukic, Dybala

Squad Size of 24

Only surprise is that Rugani has been counted as ‘home grown at juve’ for he has not spent three seasons at the club, yet the time he has spent elsewhere when owned by Juve has been accommodated.

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