Mario Mandžukić

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mandzukic: I'm not a robot

 

 
http://www.football-italia.net/95971/mandzukic-im-not-robot

 

 

Dec 21, 2016

 

Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic has revealed that 'it's only natural' that he doesn't like being substituted and insists 'I'm not a robot'.

 

The Croatian reacted angrily to being substituted against Torino, but admits that it is a result of his passion for the game.

 

"How I started in football? It was thanks to my father," the 30-year-old told Corriere della Sera. "He was a great stopper.

 

"He took me to training and I was in love with the sport. My idol was Ronaldo, the Phenomenon .

 

"Passion, courage and pride, are essential concepts. They represent what I strive for and I want to feel: in football but also in my private life.

 

“Am I judged by goals scored? I put in all the energy I have – which is so much – to help Juventus win. The most important thing is that my teammates and the Coach know this.

 

"Sometimes I have the impression that the fans understand this better than so many experts. But it is better to win than to count your own goals.

 

"Last year I got hurt by a billboard against Udinese the first day of the season. I do not like whining because it depresses me even more and I never want to look for excuses.

 

"I prefer to fight against the pain, but I admit that I had three or four complicated months. The wound became infected and had to take antibiotics. Any contact in training bothered me.

 

"Being benched is not a true rage in itself. Everything stems from my visceral love for football. It’s a disappointment, like when a small child, playing in the yard and they are called to come inside.

 

I cannot hide my emotions, I'm not a robot . I am very passionate and it is normal that I don't like being substituted. But it's nothing that serious."

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mandzukic: I run the most!

 

 
http://www.football-italia.net/95972/mandzukic-i-run-most

 

 

Dec 21, 2016

 

Mario Mandzukic insists that not only does he run more than Gonzalo Higuain, he also covers more ground than any of his Juventus teammates!

 

After having discussed his aversion to being substitued, the Croatian discussed team dynamics at the club.

 

"Is there a bad atmosphere? No, I’m only bad on the pitch, the 30-year-old continued in an interview with Corriere della Sera.

 

"There were no guarantees for me when Higuain arrived. In a team like Juve only stronger players arrive.

 

"Myself and Higuain understand each other very well, both on and off the pitch.

 

"Maybe people wish there was a disagreement between the two of us, but there is great mutual respect.

 

"Each of us has to show on the field what they are worth and you have to make your own space.

 

"I never raised any issues, and I think we have proven to be quite capable of playing together.

 

"I have a vision of football in which you have to be open to various possibilities, without thinking too much, but working to win.

 

"Do I run more than Higuain? No, I run more than anyone!

 

"Can we play in a trident with Paulo Dybala? Good players can always find an agreement. Football is actually very simple. Although sometimes people have to make it complicated and difficult."

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

VIDEO: "Mr. No Good!" Mandzukic shares a joke with Patrice Evra

 

 

The Juventus team were in good spirits as they travelled to Qatar to face

AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup, with the Frenchman entertaining teammates.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/4160/extra-time/2016/12/21/30714122/-

 

 

Dec 21, 2016

 

There are not many certainties in 2016, but you can always count on Patrice Evra to throw something up on Instagram to brighten your day.

 

The veteran Frenchman has been a prolific user of social media this season, including such quirkiness as dressing up as a panda and dancing to Desiigner before delivering an anti-racism message.

Here we join Evra and team-mates Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic as they travel with the Juventus team to Doha to face AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup.

 

Mandzukic is jokingly branded 'Mr. No Good' by a mischievous Evra before being coaxed by the Frenchman in to delivering his catchphrase "I love this game".

 

 

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Chinese offer for Mandzukic?

 

 
http://www.football-italia.net/95988/chinese-offer-mandzukic

 

 

Dec 21, 2016

 

Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan are prepared to offer €35m for Juventus’ Mario Mandzukic, according to reports.

 

The Croatian striker is a fan favourite in Turin for his all-action style, and has scored five goals in all competitions this season, as well as providing two assists.

 

However, Corriere della Sera is reporting that Beijing Guoan are ready to test the Bianconeri’s resolve with a €35m bid.

 

In addition, a huge salary would be put on the table for Mandzukic, who currently earns around €3.5m per season.

 

Juve would be hesitant to sell, given their lack of depth in attack, but the reported fee for a 30-year-old could prove tempting.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Tianjin Quanjian in for Mandzukic

 

 
http://www.football-italia.net/96282/tianjin-quanjian-mandzukic

 

 

Jan 2, 2017

 

Juventus have reportedly turned down an offer from Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian for Mario Mandzukic.

 

According to Tuttosport, the Chinese side offered the Bianconeri €28m for the striker, in addition to a salary for the player of €7.5m per season.

 

The report suggests that both the club have no desire to accept the offer from Fabio Cannavaro’s side, especially after Axel Witsel opted to move to the Chinese side instead of heading to Turin as expected.

 

Despite the bumper salary, Mandzukic himself is also reportedly uninterested in such a move to the Chinese Super League.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Tianjin Quanjian ask for Mandzukic

 

 
http://www.football-italia.net/97210/tianjin-quanjian-ask-mandzukic

 

 

Jan 21, 2017

 

After Nikola Kalinic rejected a move to Tianjin Quanjian, Fabio Cannavaro is turning his attention to Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic.

 

Following weeks of speculation and a reported €38m offer with wages worth €10m per year, Kalinic surprisingly announced on Friday that he would be staying with Fiorentina.

 

Cannavaro’s Tianjin Quanjian are still determined to get a big name centre-forward from Europe.

 

According to Il Quotidiano Sportivo, the next target on his list is Juventus star Mandzukic.

 

Like Kalinic, he is a Croatia international and the offer on the table is believed to be worth €28m.

 

He’d have a four-year contract earning €7.8m per season in China.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mandzukic: ‘I like new Juventus system’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/97515/mandzukic-‘i-new-juventus-system’

 

 

Jan 27, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic endorses the new Juventus formation, and confirms “I try to set the example for my teammates”.

 

Coach Massimiliano Allegri deployed an uber-attacking 4-2-3-1 system against Lazio and Milan, with Mandzukic, Juan Cuadrado, Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala all starting.

 

“I like this new system that Allegri has created for us,” the Croatian confirmed in an interview with Sky.

 

“I think it’s good for us, there are a lot of players who can attack but if everyone does his job in the right way then we can adapt to situations very well.

 

“We’ll see if we continue to play this formation, but I think it’s a good system, which takes advantage of all the quality we have in attack.

“When it comes to defending we all defend together, there’s balance.

 

“I feel good in this system, the Coach asks me to help the team and we’re playing this formation then I have to be on the left.

 

“If it helps the team though, I’ll give my maximum availability.

 

“As for Allegri, I know he respects me a lot. It was him who wanted me at Juventus. There’s a lot of mutual respect between us, and I have full confidence in him.

 

“I also try and set the example for my teammates, if I run as hard as I can then maybe they’ll run even more. I feel I can be a leader in that regard.”

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Juventus launch campaign to 'soften up' Mandzukic 

 

The reigning Serie A champions have asked their supporters for assistance

in a bid to bring out their solemn striker's sweet and sensitive side.

 

 

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/13712/extra-time/2017/02/09/32499472/-

 

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic is a notoriously hard man to please. So in order to soften up the striker, Juventus have launched their #TenderMario campaign.

 

The Serie A giants want to make their forward smile, asking fans to "tweet the sweetest thing possible in reply using the hashtag #TenderMario".

 

 

 

 

 Follow

JuventusFC 

 

✔@juventusfcen

Think you’ve got what it takes to soften up Super Mario? Tweet the sweetest thing possible in reply using the hashtag #TenderMario  #NoGood

1:30 PM - 9 Feb 2017

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   278278 Retweets
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Many people have already tried their best to please the Croatia international, but efforts including soft toys, puppies, and other cute imagery and videos have yet to break down Mandzukic's tough exterior.

 

 

 

 Follow

Elias @Xordian

@juventusfcen #TenderMario #NoGood

1:32 PM - 9 Feb 2017 · Lund, Sverige

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   11 Retweet
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   33 likes

 

 

 

 

 Follow

JuventusFC 

 

✔@juventusfcen

.@Xordian, it's a #NoGood from @MarioMandzukic9 we're afraid... #TenderMario

2:08 PM - 9 Feb 2017

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   2828 Retweets
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The forward has five Serie A goals this season in 22 games as the club aims to win a sixth title in a row.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mario Mandzukic: The Forgotten Musketeer Of Juventus

 

He might not get the credit he deserves, but Mario Mandzukic has been outstanding

in recent weeks for Juventus and is fast becoming one of their most important players.

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/02/mario-mandzukic

-the-forgotten-musketeer-of-juventus/

 

 

Feb 11, 2017

 

They say three’s a crowd, and despite Juventus extending their lead at the top of Serie A on Wednesday night, striker Mario Mandzukic must understand the meaning of the phrase better than most on the Italian peninsula.

If you were a UK-based fan unable to catch the Bianconeri’s midweek evening kick-off against Crotone live – from a TV at least – you will have struggled from the post-match reaction to know whether the Croatian had even taken part.

“Gonzalo Higuain’s 16th goal of the season sends Juventus seven points clear with victory at struggling Crotone,” crowed the BBC.

“Higuain and [Miralem] Pjanic spark Juventus past well-organised Crotone,” was the angle chosen by ESPN.

It wasn’t until you searched the Italian outlets, that you found any reference to the 30-year-old’s contribution, with La Gazzetta dello Sport proclaiming, “Goals from Mandzukic and Higuain save Juventus.”

This is not the first time the former Bayern Munich striker has failed to receive the appropriate credit, but maybe that will always be the case when the others in this trident are the most expensive Serie A player of all-time and Paulo Dybala – who must surely inherit the legendary Juventus No.10 shirt next season.

Maybe the spotlight doesn’t shine so brightly on Mandzukic because he has cast aside (so to speak) to the unfamiliar role of wide-attacker by coach Massimiliano Allegri, or the relatively poor return of five Serie A goals and three assists this term.

However, those numbers mask the greater contribution the ex-Atletico Madrid frontman provides and will be crucial if the Old Lady are to make a serious assault on the Champions League, now that a sixth consecutive Scudetto appears secured for the honours board.

Since the turn of the year, Juventus have tasted defeat just once, when Mandzukic appeared for just 12 minutes against Fiorentina from the Bianconeri bench. A coincidence fans of the South American duo will no doubt be quick to point out!

 

On their return from Florence, though, the Croatian was vital when netting a goal and assist – for Dybala – next time out against Lazio in a 2-0 win, and a mainstay in his less familiar wide-left position during a run of four straight victories.

Just as against the Il Squali Wednesday evening and Inter before them, though, it is his experience and physicality, so attuned to the mentality of the Juventus of the last half-decade, that appears to make them an even tougher proposition for opponents.

During an hard-fought contest with the Nerazzurri at the Juventus Stadium, Mandzukic stood tall, always willing to receive the ball and provide the link between midfield and central striker – a position he no doubt craves himself.

The Croatian was nearly the hero against Inter as well, sending a diving header narrowly past the post, and was also seen making a last-ditch tackle on Mauro Icardi inside his own penalty area.

However, a strong character, who left Bayern within 12 months of deciding the playing-style under Pep Guardiola was not for him, will surely not want to play second-fiddle – let alone third – for too long.

His continued dedication to the Juventus cause, rather than shuffle around the club muttering under-his-breath disapproval over his switch in role, is exactly what a team fighting on three fronts need for success.

If Mandzukic and his more celebrated teammates keep up performances in Turin, the first Croat to score in a Champions League final could well end the season a two-time winner of the competition and may even receive the credit he so deserves.

 

 

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Serie A suspensions confirmed

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98368/serie-suspensions-confirmed

 

 

Feb 14, 2017

 

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic and Geoffrey Kondogbia of Inter are among the players suspended for Week 25 of Serie A.

 

Both men picked up a fifth booking of the season in this weekend’s fixtures, meaning they will sit out the next round.

 

Joining them on the sidelines having picked up one booking too many are Fiorentina’s Federico Bernardeschi and Domenico Maietta of Bologna.

 

Sassuolo’s Timo Letschert and Nicolo Barella of Cagliari were both sent off in Week 24, and have been given one-game bans.

 

Palermo’s Andrea Rispoli has been warned and given a €2,000 fine after being found guilty of diving in the defeat to Atalanta.

 

Inter have been hit with a €3,000 fine after their supporters displayed a banner which was deemed to be “an incitement to violence”.

 

Udinese were fined €2,000 for delaying the second half of their loss to Fiorentina by around five minutes.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Galatasaray go for Mandzukic

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99125/galatasaray-go-mandzukic

 

 

Mar 2, 2017

 

Galatasaray and their new Coach Igor Tudor are eager to make an offer for Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic.

 

According to reports in Turkey, they see the centre-forward as an ideal reinforcement for next season.

 

He’d only be able to arrive if they qualified for the Champions League and right now Galatasaray are in third place behind Fenerbahce and leaders Besiktas.

 

They hope that the promise of regular first team football in a centre-forward role and the presence of fellow Croatian Tudor can convince Mandzukic to make the move to Istanbul.

 

He turns 31 in May and is under contract with Juventus until June 2019.

 

Mandzukic has 29 goals in 74 senior caps for Croatia and joined Juve in 2015 for €19m from Atletico Madrid.

 

Although now a regular in the Juventus line-up, he is being used in a wider role supporting striker Gonzalo Higuain.

 

Nonetheless, this season he has contributed seven goals and five assists in 33 competitive games.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Evra: 'Bring Mandzukic to Marseille'

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99342/evra-bring-mandzukic-marseille

 

 

Mar 7, 2017

 

Patrice Evra said he would love to see his former Juventus teammate Mario Mandzukic at Olympique Marseille. “He’d have such success in France.”

 

The France international moved to the Ligue 1 club in the January transfer window.

 

“Mandzukic is a great striker, he’d have such success in France,” Evra told BEin Sports.

 

“I would like to see him wearing the Marseille shirt. I think Mandzukic would be an excellent buy.”

 

Croatia international hitman Mandzukic is already well-travelled, having played in Germany, Croatia, Spain and Italy.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

The Left Wing Debate: Is Mario Mandzukic the right man for the job?

 

 

Using the Croatian as an unorthodox winger has caused debate amongst fans. 

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/3/26/15056572/juventus-mario

-mandzukic-max-allegri-2017-serie-a-champions-league-tactics

 

 

Mar 26, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

 

The decision made by Massimiliano Allegri to move Juventus from the 3-5-2 that has characterized the team’s rise since 2011, and the 4-3-1-2 that got the team to the UEFA Champions League final in his first year in charge, to a 4-2-3-1 has changed the season.

Nicknamed the “Five Star” system because it puts Juve’s five best attacking and creative players on the field at the same time, the change was initially considered a big risk. But fears of imbalance were quickly dispelled, and since the change the bianconeri have only dropped two points out of a possible 30 in Serie A and are unbeaten in both the Coppa Italia and Champions League.

But even after all the success of the last two months, there is still some debate over how the team is set up. I first really noticed this last week, when I wrote a post-match piece for Juve’s win over Sampdoria and a large-scale argument broke out in the comment section over one particular position: Juventus’ left wing.

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Since the switch, which officially happened on Jan. 22 against Lazio, that position has been manned by Mario Mandzukic. The Croatian has played all but two games there since the change, and is one of the five stars that gives the formation its nickname.

It was he that was the subject of the comment-section showdown here on BWRAO last week. A sizable portion of the debaters advocated for his immediate replacement with Marko Pjaca, while the rest defended his play in all phases over the last two months. Frankly, I align with the latter group. To use a chess analogy, Mandzukic’s detractors tend to only look at one move, rather than the whole board. When you do, you realize how important he is to the system as a whole.

It’s certainly true that Mandzukic looked an awkward fit when Allegri made the switch. At first glance, it looked like he was only on the left wing because that was the only place left to put him. Gonzalo Higuain was always going to play the primary striker role when he was on the field, Paulo Dybala was going to play in the hole behind him and Juan Cuadrado wouldn’t be playing anywhere but the right wing.

The biggest issue people seem to have with his placement on the left is his style of play. At 6-foot-3 and weighing almost 200 points, Mandzukic is the archetypal battering-ram center-forward. His detractors point to his lack of pace and the fact that he doesn’t put many crosses into the box as evidence that he shouldn’t be on that side.

His tendency to track back and defend is also, for some reason, considered a deficit. In ranking Juve’s players in the Sampdoria game, ESPNFC’s Mina Rzouki even went so far as to say “Not sure if he can even be considered an offensive player anymore,” and said that he had to “perhaps sacrifice a little less for the sake of attacking brilliance.”

With respect to Mina’s opinion, I think that’s daft. Goals win games but defense wins trophies, and to criticize a player for doing the extra work to track back and help his team defend is borderline absurd. Heck, last month Allegri criticized Pjaca for not doing it more. Mandzukic has made several important defensive interventions in his time at the club, and to put down this quality of his game is puzzling at best.

Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images

Now to the other major argument against him: That he doesn’t bring what is expected to the wing position. That, on its face, is true. But the unorthodox nature of his play on the left is one of the things that makes the “Five Star” system so dangerous.

Mandzukic is a physical mismatch for almost every fullback who could play against him. In the second leg against Porto, the broadcasters pointed out that his opposite number in Porto’s defense, Maxi Pereira, was the smallest man on the field. That enhances his already-formidable abilities in the air and forces opposing managers into a decision. Do they allow the physical mismatch, use a center back as a makeshift right back, or try to bring the fullback help from other areas of the field?

If they chose the first option, Mandzukic becomes a magnet for high balls to set up Juve’s attack on that side. The second creates yet another mismatch with the makeshift defender and Alex Sandro, who will likely be too quick for him. The third pulls the opponent all over the place, opening spaces for the rest of the attackers to exploit.

Mandzukic’s presence on the left wing and the mismatches he creates have a cascade effect on the entire team. He makes Sandro more dangerous by sucking in defenders and opening space on the overlap, as he did for Kwadwo Asamoah last Sunday against Sampdoria, when the Ghanaian deputized for Sandro and burst into the space created after a defender collapsed on Mandzukic, who fed in a simple pass for Asamoah to deliver the assist for Cuadrado’s goal.

He also enhances one of the most underrated weapons on the team: Leonardo Bonucci’s ability to play the ball long. Bonucci is one of the best long-ball artists in the world today, and Mandzukic’s size advantage over most fullbacks offers one hell of a target.

If you look again at the second leg match with Porto, you can see just how productive that connection can be. Twice within the first nine minutes of the game Bonucci found Mandzukic with long, cross-field passes that the Croatian headed on to his teammates. Neither move ended in a goal — the first saw Dybala fire wide on the half-volley and the second saw him just miss picking out Sami Khedira with a cross. But the danger that Mandzukic’s simple headers off these passes create is undeniable.

When citing his style of play many compare Mandzukic to the man across the field from him, Cuadrado. While Cuadrado may be far quicker than his teammate, he plays so fast that he goes beyond the point of control, and his decision making can range from questionable to abysmal. And while he may be the more traditional winger, his counting statistics since the 4-2-3-1 was adopted (two goals, one assist, 16 key passes), are only fractionally better than Mandzukic’s (one goal, one assist, 13 key passes).

At the end of the day, the unorthodox style Mandzukic must employ on the wing doesn’t make all that much of a difference than the more traditional one from someone like Cuadrado. He creates just as much danger, just in a different way. The fact that it doesn’t look like it does at Barcelona doesn’t mean it isn’t effective.

If the 4-2-3-1 ends up Juve’s default formation in future seasons there will be a point where replacing Mandzukic will be necessary. He’ll be 31 years old by season’s end, and the squad and its tactics will evolve as transfer windows pass. But that time is not now. Mandzukic’s interpretation of wing play may not be the sexiest in the world, but has some unique qualities that are integral to the effectiveness of the system as it currently runs. There’s no urgent need to replace him.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Evra calls Mandzukic to Marseille

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/100478/evra-calls-mandzukic-marseille

 

 

Apr 1, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Patrice Evra has asked his former Juventus teammate Mario Mandzukic to join him at Olympique Marseille, claims L’Equipe.

 

The French veteran made the move to Marseille in the January transfer window.

 

According to L’Equipe newspaper, the 36-year-old has called Mandzukic to recommend the striker follow his footsteps.

 

They share the same agent and OM are looking for a new forward over the summer, so the Croatia international would fit the bill.

 

Mandzukic is getting more playing time at Juve since the move to a 4-2-3-1 formation, so he might not be tempted to leave if that situation remains the same.

 

He will turn 31 next month and is under contract in Turin until June 2019.

 

This season Mandzukic has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 36 competitive games for Juve, but rarely as a centre-forward.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

Barzagli: ‘Mandzukic crucial for Juventus’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/101634/barzagli-‘mandzukic-crucial-juventus’

 

 

Apr 25, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

Andrea Barzagli says Mario Mandzukic is “a crucial weapon” for Juventus, and discusses his own longevity.

 

The Bianconeri have switched to an uber-attacking 4-2-3-1 formation this season, with Mandzukic playing an unfamiliar role on the left-wing.

 

However, the Croatian’s work rate has seen him adapt to the role and become a hero for the Juve faithful.

 

“We faced him when he was at Bayern, he was the main striker but he pressed everyone,” Barzagli recalled in an interview with Tuttosport.

 

“We remember him well as he was, but from that to thinking that he could play on the wing and all over the pitch… we didn’t expect that.

 

“He has great heart and physicality, and also on dead balls he’s a crucial weapon for us.”

 

Barzagli will turn 36 in just under two weeks, and he was asked about his longevity at the highest level.

 

“To get to be close to 36 with this Juve you have to be at your maximum, you have to push, you have to run and you have to work well.

 

“I do this and I look for my motivation. In these years where we’ve won a lot there could have been a sense of satisfaction but I don’t know what it is, maybe the  Juve atmosphere, all of us always want to win.”

 

Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba left to try and win the Champions League, yet Juve are in the semi-finals while Bayern Munich and Manchester United aren’t.

 

“Those are their choices,” Barzagli shrugged.

 

“No-one would expect that they leave and a year later the team reaches the Champions League semis.

 

“I spoke to Pogba just after the Genoa match, on the one hand he’s happy but on the other he’d like to be here.”

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Unique Mandzukic

 

 

Mario Mandzukic brings together contradictory qualities that make him the

most tactically valuable Juventus player, writes Andrea Tallarita.

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102608/unique-mandzukic

 

 

May 15, 2017

 

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

 

When the up-and-coming football fans ask us what we remember of the Grande Juventus (or whatever moniker will inevitably catch on) 20 years from now, I expect the majority will mention Paulo Dybala or Leonardo Bonucci. I will say that I remember Mario Mandzukic, the Croatian giant who took to the football pitch like a working-class Italian.

The 30-year-old is not a star in any meaningful sense of the term. A solid portion of the spectators watching the Champions League Final on June 3 may ask the person sitting next to them, what's the name of that guy?

He does not play beautifully, either. There are flashes of skill and the odd back-heel, but he doesn't have a fraction of Dybala's noblesse, or even Gonzalo Higuain's rough, untameable wildness. He fights for the ball the way normal people fight to get on a crowded bus, with pursed lips and plenty of elbows.

And yet there is more value in his game than numbers can measure or words can express. Even Beethoven's arms would never have conducted the Fifth if someone had taken away the man's shoulders, and Mandzukic is, for lack of a more appropriate analogy, the (left) shoulder holding up the Old Lady. He has everything that a good striker has – and also everything that good strikers usually don't have.

With that classic combination of killer instinct and physicality, the Croatian is never a waste of space in the box, and he represents Juve's best player in the air alongside only Giorgio Chiellini. But he also possesses the type of stamina and speed that are typical of shorter footballers: ever since Max Allegri figured to clamp him on the left, he has been lording that wing like a full-back from the 1990s.

It is precisely this ability to bring together contradictory qualities that makes Mandzukic so unique. Big players shouldn't be so fast, strikers shouldn't provide such a neat defensive edge, and most importantly, 30-year-old veterans of the game should not be playing with the sprightly approach of someone just catapulted out of the youth systems. Mandzukic does all this, and more.

After the win against Genoa at the end of April (in which the Bianconero scored one of his best goals of the season, we may add), La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed Mandzukic himself was the only reason Allegri was able to field the 4-2-3-1. The argument may suffer from confirmation bias, as a creative Coach could certainly find other ways to set up that formation with Juve's players. But undoubtedly Mandzukic makes the job a lot easier.

When people speak of this elemental cog – who fits so well into the football machine called Juventus – they either praise his ability, or else the foresight of the Coach who knew how to use him. In fact, it's a matter of the alchemy between the two, one which developed inevitably, by force majeure.

Allegri is an Italian Coach, schooled in Italian football. Mandzukic is Croatian, but he plays like an Azzurro: he is unashamed of his clumsiness, devastating whenever the opponents let down their guard, and pathologically incapable of giving up.

I think of him at a table with Gennaro Gattuso, Marco Materazzi and Luca Toni, laughing and singing raucous football songs, at a venue where Argentinian and Brazilian superstars will never be invited. And I'll remember him like that, whichever way it goes in Cardiff.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Besiktas target Mandzukic

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102843/besiktas-target-mandzukic

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Besiktas are continuing to push Juventus for their striker Mario Mandzukic, according to reports.

 

This is certainly not the first time the Croatia international has been linked with a move to Turkey.

 

He turns 31 tomorrow and this season scored nine goals with eight assists in 47 competitive games for Juve.

 

Besiktas would give him the opportunity to get back to playing as a centre-forward rather than on the left wing.

 

Goal.com suggest Mandzukic is seriously considering the proposal, but Juventus want a big transfer fee, as he is under contract until 2019.

 

He joined Juve from Atletico Madrid in July 2015 for €21m.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Besiktas offer Mandzukic €7m

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/103058/besiktas-offer-mandzukic-€7m

 

 

May 24, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic is reportedly being offered €7m per season by Besiktas, but he wants to stay with Juventus.

 

The Croatian striker has been one of the Bianconeri’s key men this season, bringing his physicality and work rate to the left flank in Max Allegri’s 4-2-3-1 shape.

 

According to SportMediaset, Turkish side Besiktas are offering €7m per season to convince Mandzukic to move there this summer, where he’d be their starting centre-forward.

 

However, it’s believed the player himself wants to stay at Juventus, and wants to extend his contract beyond its current 2019 expiry date.

 

The Bianconeri are only focused on the Champions League final at the moment, so a renewal won’t be talked about until the end of the season.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mandzukic signs fresh

Juventus contract until 2020

 

 

The Croatian, who has scored 10 goals in 48 games this season, looks

set to remain at the club for the foreseeable future after signing a new deal

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2017/05/25/35832402/-

 

 

May 25, 2017

 

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic has signed a new contract at the club that runs until June 30, 2020.

 

The former Bayern Munich striker, 31, has been an essential part of the Juventus team this season as the club have completed a league and cup double in Italy.

 

Mandzukic has scored 10 goals and bagged eight assists across 48 appearances in 2017-18 and has a Champions League final to look forward to on June 3.

 

"Strong, generous, stubborn, not willing to give one inch to the opponent until the last second of the match... it's the mantra of Mario Mandzukic," a statement from Juventus said.

 

"The striker — who with his technique, his experience and his immense self-sacrifice has had a fundamental role since summer 2015 to the present — has helped to get Juventus a third double Scudetto-Coppa Italia in a row, as well as the Champions League final in Cardiff this year."

 

Mandzukic's new deal is a one-year extension of his previous contract, which ran out in 2019.

 

The Croatia international has been with the club since joining for €19 million two years ago from Atletico Madrid, where he'd been for a single season.

 

Mandzukic had previously spent four years in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg and Bayern, both for two seasons.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

Mandzukic: 'I say things to your face'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/105821/mandzukic-i-say-things-your-face

 

 

Jul 15, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic responded to the furore over a fake interview about Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci by assuring “I always speak face-to-face.”

 

The Juventus striker had been quoted as telling a Serbian reporter about a locker room brawl during the Champions League Final against Real Madrid in Cardiff.

 

However, it was later proved to be a fake story that gained traction online.

 

“Words have been attributed to me regarding Dani and Leo. I have NEVER said such things,” wrote Mandzukic on social media.

 

“Who knows me knows that I never talk behind anyone’s back.

 

“If I have to say something, I always speak face-to-face and those were NOT my words.

 

“Don’t worry guys, FAKE.”

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

 

Mandzukic wins goal of the season

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/108979/mandzukic-wins-goal-season

 

 

Aug 29, 2017

 

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic has won the 2016-17 UEFA Goal of the Season award for his overhead kick against Real Madrid.

 

The Bianconeri were beaten 4-1 by the Spanish champions in the Champions League final, having gone into half-time at 1-1.

 

That was thanks to an extraordinary strike from Mandzukic, who looped a sensational overhead kick into the net.

 

Leonardo Bonucci sent a long ball out to Alex Sandro on the left wing, and the Brazilian volleyed it first time into the area.

 

Gonzalo Higuain got on the end of it, taking a touch on his chest before volleying it to his Croatian teammate.

 

Mandzukic chested the ball up, before hooking it over his shoulder and over Keylor Navas in the Madrid goal.

 

Today UEFA has voted it the best goal of the 2016-17 season, beating Casemiro’s volley against Napoli, among others.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

 

Mandzukic 'potentially serious' injury

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/110950/mandzukic-potentially-serious-injury

 

 

Oct 7, 2017

 

Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic sustained a “potentially serious” ankle injury while playing for Croatia last night.

 

The striker had been on the scoresheet in the World Cup qualifier against Finland, but limped off after an hour.

 

It was a blow to the same ankle he has been struggling with recently.

 

“Mario’s problem is potentially serious, as he limped away despite the fact he has a very high pain threshold,” explained Croatia Coach Ante Cacic.

 

“Over the next few days we’ll see the extent of the issue and work out what is to be done next.”

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

 

Mandzukic cleared for Croatia

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/112456/mandzukic-cleared-croatia

 

 

Nov 6, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic has been cleared to play for Croatia against Greece after tests showed he did not sustain an injury playing for Juventus.

 

The forward only played the final 12 minutes of the Old Lady's 2-1 Serie A victory over Benevento yesterday, replacing Douglas Costa in the 78^th minute.

 

However, it was feared that he had picked up a thigh injury during that time and he underwent medical examination to determine whether there was a problem.

 

To the relief of his club and country, it has been confirmed that Mandzukic is fit enough to remain on international duty as Croatia prepare for their crucial World Cup play-off double header.

 

In spite of the welcome news, the Croatian Football Federation have announced that the 31-year-old will follow an individual training schedule as a precautionary measure.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

 

Croatia qualify for World Cup

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/112734/croatia-qualify-world-cup

 

 

Nov 12, 2017

 

Croatia have qualified for the 2018 World Cup, with Ivan Perisic rattling the woodwork, after beating Greece 4-1 on aggregate.

 

The first leg victory proved enough to see them through, drawing 0-0 in Piraeus this evening.

 

Perisic came closest to a goal on the night, the Inter winger’s strike thumping the upright.

 

He goes into the tournament in Russia along with Inter teammate Marcelo Brozovic, Milan striker Nikola Kalinic, Ivan Strinic of Sampdoria and Juventus forwards Mario Mandzukic and Marko Pjaca.

 

Greece go out in the play-offs with Roma defender Kostas Manolas and Bologna’s Vasilis Torosidis.

[Socrates 7963]

 

 

 

 

Mandzukic wants 'old' Juventus role

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/113302/mandzukic-wants-old-juventus-role

 

 

Nov 25, 2017

 

Mario Mandzukic is prompting the tactical shift at Juventus, it’s reported, as he no longer wants to be sacrificed as a left-sided winger.

 

The Croatia international wants to be ready for the centre-forward role at the World Cup next summer and feels his time in Turin is not being used wisely.

 

According to Tuttosport, Mandzukic has asked Max Allegri to get back to being a striker.

 

He is tired of making sacrifices and chasing opponents up and down the left flank.

 

This was also reportedly behind the fact he was benched for the showdown with Barcelona in the Champions League this week, which was a particular surprise to the fans, who unveiled a huge banner depicting his face before kick-off.

 

Allegri could test the 3-4-2-1 formation against Crotone tomorrow with Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala supporting Gonzalo Higuain.