JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

Socrates · May 12, 2017

Sacchi: 'Real Madrid defence mediocre'

http://www.football-italia.net/102404/sacchi-real-madrid-defence-mediocre

May 10, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Arrigo Sacchi believes Juventus will beat Real Madrid in the Champions League Final, above all because of the “mediocre defence.”

The Final will be in Cardiff on June 3 and the Bianconeri already knocked Madrid out in the 2015 semi-finals.

“The Real Madrid defence has no weight to it, no substance, apart from Sergio Ramos,” former Milan Coach Sacchi told Mediaset Premium.

“Danilo is a mediocre player and I don’t know if they will be able to get Dani Carvajal back in time for the Final.

“Juventus are strong, they seem like a tank and their confidence is growing more and more with each Champions League game.

“Juve have already achieved something remarkable, reaching two Finals in three years. They are flying the flag for Italian football in Europe and deserve great credit for that.”

Of course, this is also the second consecutive Real Madrid Final, as they won the trophy last season.

After Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid (qualifying 4-2 on aggregate), Juventus are the only unbeaten side in the Champions League this season.

Juve have conceded only three goals in the entire tournament, whereas Real Madrid kept just one clean sheet, conceding 17.

Socrates · May 12, 2017

Juventus target Treble

After booking their place in the Champions League Final against Real Madrid,

Livio Caferoglu sees Juventus in great shape for an historic Treble.

http://www.football-italia.net/102411/juventus-target-treble

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Being someone who has watched both Juventus and Real Madrid avidly this season, I can safely say the Bianconeri have been the better team in every department. Barring two Cristiano Ronaldo hat-tricks against Atletico, Madrid have failed to excel against a big boy so far – or at least not matched the level of performance of the Old Lady’s 3-0 victory over Barcelona.

As bemusement at Barcelona’s decision to let Dani Alves leave on a free transfer last summer sank in, so did Juve reaching their second Champions League Final in three years. However, there’s still a sixth-straight Scudetto and another Coppa Italia to be won before their focus can be on Cardiff.

Juve put in a thoroughly professional performance to not only preserve their Champions League semi-final lead against Monaco, but also build on it, winning the second leg 2-1, despite Kylian Mbappé’s consolation effort. Judging by their trajectory in the competition so far, they have every chance of beating Real Madrid on June 3.

Before then, however, Juve have two of their most important matches of the season coming up. First up is a trip to Roma this weekend, where a point would confirm the Serie A title. Just three days later, the Turin giants will be looking to become the first team in history to win three consecutive Coppa Italia trophies when they face Lazio.

Dead rubbers or not, Juve will be seeking convincing victories over both Crotone and Bologna to ensure they head into their European showdown in peak condition. It’s a sentiment shared by Coach Max Allegri, who not only demands perfect results, but that no stone is left unturned.

Five games in less than a month will be a challenge, made more so by the prospect of key players missing. Miralem Pjanic will miss the Coppa Italia Final through suspension, Daniele Rugani and Marko Pjaca are out for the rest of the season, Sami Khedira is an injury doubt, while Dani Alves, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are all one booking away from Serie A bans.

The real problem might be in attack, where there are precious few alternatives to Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and above all Gonzalo Higuain. Fans will be hoping they are wrapped in cotton wool once the Coppa Italia Final has passed by. Changing the system to 4-2-3-1 was a masterstroke by Allegri, but done too late in the season to find adequate understudies on the transfer market.

Yet it’s in the face of adversity when Juve thrive the most. One Treble has already passed the Old Lady by and she won’t be letting a second chance go quite so easily.

Socrates · May 12, 2017

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon

star in UCL Team of the Semifinals

With the Champions League semifinals done

and dusted, it's time to look at the best XI ...

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/3123660/cristiano

-ronaldo-and-gianluigi-buffon-star-in-champions-league-team-of-the-semifinals

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
What more can be said about the remarkable Buffon? He came through at the most important moments for Juventus in what was ultimately a comfortable win over Monaco. In the first leg -- his 100th Champions League appearance -- he made crucial saves from Kylian Mbappe and Radamel Falcao while the game was still in the balance; in the second his astute overhead throw began the attack that brought Mario Mandzukic's goal. Buffon is so sharp, alert and composed -- and now has the chance of a first victory in the final that would crown a remarkable career.

Right-back: Dani Alves (Juventus)
Over the two legs, Alves produced what might be described as a best-of compilation. He turned 34 on Saturday, and there was something of a throwback about the way, galloping up and down the flank, he managed to dictate proceedings in both matches having been licence to create as a wing-back. The two assists in Monaco were sumptuous; the delivery for Mandzukic a week later was equally important and the thudding volley he provided after that was the icing on the cake.

Centre-back: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
As his teammates filed down the tunnel at the Estadio Vicente Calderon, Ramos was the last Real Madrid player off the pitch -- making sure to congratulate every one of his opponents on their performance. But Ramos himself had been influential throughout the semifinal, preventing Atletico's attackers from breaking through on a number of occasions in the second leg and heading away several set-pieces. He came up strong when needed the most.

Centre-back: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
Juventus did not quite keep the clean sheet they would have liked across the 180 minutes, and were at times stretched more than at any point in this Champions League campaign, but less experienced defences might have buckled against such lively and creative opponents. Instead, Chiellini and his teammates -- Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli made up the rest of their back three -- were their usual rock-solid, uncompromising selves. There is no better defensive unit on the continent.

Left-back: Alex Sandro (Juventus)
It was Sandro who, receiving the ball from Buffon and with space opening up on the left, did much of the work that led to Alves teeing up Mandzukic to open the scoring in Turin. The Brazil international did not quite have his compatriot's explosive impact over the two games, but he was still a persistent threat going forward at wing-back and helped Juventus take the initiative against a side that can be devastating down the flanks.

Centre-midfield: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Modric was impressive in the first leg but perhaps it was what he did in the second that mattered most. Real were on the rack for 25 minutes against their resurgent opponents, but as soon as the Croatia international got a grip on the midfield everything changed. His composure, positioning and passing range were integral in calming things down and for the final hour of the game he was head and shoulders above anybody else on the pitch. On an occasion that needed experience and quality to shine through, Modric delivered brilliantly.

Centre-midfield: Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid)
For a while it seemed as if Saul's thumping near-post header had set a stunning turnaround in motion at the Calderon. He and his Atletico Madrid teammates had not done themselves justice in the first leg, but this time around they were tenacious, fearless and full of quality -- even if they eventually fell well short. Saul was excellent in an Atletico engine room that took the initiative early on; having also scored in the quarterfinal against Leicester and in last year's semi against Bayern Munich, he is eking out a reputation as a man with a sense of occasion.

Attacking midfield: Isco (Real Madrid)
Just as Real needed the class of Modric to steady themselves, they were indebted to Isco in more ways than one. His intelligent running between the lines began to trouble Atletico as the first half went on, and a couple of mazy runs with the ball relieved pressure at key moments. Then came his finish, an alert stab past Jan Oblak after the goalkeeper had made a save, and it was ultimately the contribution that rubber-stamped Real's place in Cardiff.

Right-wing: Kylian Mbappe (Monaco)
Nobody could dispute that, for his endeavours over the tie, Mbappe richly deserved the goal he eventually put past Buffon. He was also due the embrace he received from the opposing goalkeeper afterwards; Buffon knows just how good a player the 18-year-old is and against a lesser custodian Mbappe might even have given Monaco a first-leg lead. He also hit the post early on in the second leg; had that chance gone in then the tie would have been truly alive, but Mbappe had kept Juventus's experienced defence honest for its duration.

Left-wing: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Save for a couple of second-half runs and a free kick that Jan Oblak saved, Ronaldo was quiet on Wednesday. But it hardly mattered: his hat trick eight days previously had already given Real a foot in the final and proved yet again that there are few who have ever been as decisive at this level. A header, a thumping finish and a calm sidefooter gave Real their three-goal cushion and also showed that, even if some of the old speed is disappearing, he still has a peerless eye for goal.

Centre-forward: Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)
Higuain has been labeled a flat-track bully at some points in his career, but the two first-leg goals he scored in Monaco effectively settled the tie. Both were clinical finishes and, while he missed some presentable opportunities in Turin, the damage had already been done. It is hard to think of two more important goals the striker has scored and he now has the chance to net the biggest of them all in Cardiff.

Socrates · May 12, 2017

Sergio Ramos: Sparks will fly when

Real Madrid play Juventus in UCL final

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/real-madrid/story/3123680/sergio-ramos

-sparks-will-fly-when-real-madrid-play-juventus-in-ucl-final

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has predicted that "sparks will fly" when his team face Juventus in the Champions League final in Cardiff next month.

Madrid survived a scare at neighbours Atletico in Wednesday's semifinal second leg to go through 4-2 on aggregate, 24 hours after Juve had beaten Monaco.

Asked whether he was looking forward to facing Juve's former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, Ramos told reporters: "Juve have a great team, with players with a lot of experience.

"They don't just have Alves, they have Pipa [Gonzalo Higuain], [Mario] Mandzukic, [Giorgio] Chiellini.

"It will be a very nice final for those who love football. The sparks will fly with every challenge."

Higuain spent six seasons at Real, winning three La Liga titles, and Ramos said he was still in touch with the Argentina international.

"He is a great friend, and we had a great relationship when he was here," he said. "But I will not be passing him the peanuts when we're out on the pitch."

Ramos was also asked about his comments before the second leg when he hit back at an Atletico Madrid social media campaign about their team's values, saying: "It seems people think we were all born in Beverly Hills."

In the build-up, Atleti's social media team sent tweets with the hashtag #NoLoPuedenEntender (they cannot understand) and messages such as: "I love you for your values, not for what you win."

Ramos said: "You are either humble or you are not. You don't talk about it, you just show it. I don't know about people who say they are proud of being humble.

"There will be humble rich families and arrogant poor people. In Beverly Hills, there will also be humble families -- I don't want them to get angry with me as we are doing preseason there."

Madrid take part in the International Champions Cup in the summer, with their schedule including games against Manchester United in Santa Clara on July 23, Manchester City in Los Angeles on July 26 and a Clasico against Barcelona in Miami on July 29.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Juventus must keep focus on domestic ambitions

With a trip to Rome and a Coppa Italia final coming up in the next week,

Juventus must ensure they don't let their European success distract them

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/11/15610342/juventus-2017-serie-a-coppa-italia-final

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Juventus wake up today knowing they have a Champions League final to look forward to in three weeks time. Following a 2-1 victory over Monaco Tuesday night, which means a 4-1 win on aggregate, the Bianconeri booked their return to the contest they lost back in 2015. Having knocked out Barcelona in the previous round, Juve finally got revenge on the team that prevented them from winning Europe’s premier prize. Now, they have a chance to right the wrongs of the final itself when they come up against Real Madrid in Cardiff on Saturday, June 3.

The club is no doubt already relishing the challenge, but they need to be wary of letting it affect them too much. There’s still a Serie A title to be won, as well as a Coppa Italia final to be played next Wednesday against Lazio, and it would be a shame if the distraction of a Champions League final seen the club falter in other competitions. The European tournament may be the main priority, but Juve are in search of a bigger achievement than just their third European cup.

All season long, this club have had ambitions of a historic treble, and are now only one win away in each competition from achieving that. The final will be played against Real Madrid, which lost Wednesday to Atletico Madrid but advanced on aggregate, and will be the toughest test Juve have left to face.

But Juve face another challenge and obstacle to their treble ambitions. And that is themselves. If they focus too much on the final in Cardiff, or if Max Allegri chooses to rest players with an eye on June 3, Juve are at risk of undoing all their good work. It is of course understandable if this occurs, because many teams who get to the Champions League final find it even harder to return. Despite the upheaval and several changes the squad has seen since the final in Berlin in the summer of 2015, the Bianconeri are back in the biggest contest of club football. Knowing how hard it is to get there could see the club throw all of its eggs into one basket.

It would be a shame, however, as Juventus have come too far, handled too many challenges to suddenly cast their focus away from the domestic competitions. All they need is three points to seal a sixth successive Serie A title; or if they manage to avoid defeat in Rome at the weekend that will also be good enough. They have been boosted by the news that Edin Dzeko won’t be available due to a calf injury, a huge blow for Roma’s ever-decreasing title hopes. The match will still be tough, though. Roma may have accepted that first place is out of reach for another year, but they would hate if Juve’s celebrations occurred on their home patch. The Bianconeri will be facing a team given their all for a positive result, and a defeat would pile unnecessary pressure for the remaining fixtures. Juve’s players will need to put the upcoming Champions League final to one side and focus on securing the league & cup double, which could even happen in the next week.

The Coppa Italia final meeting with Lazio has been changed to May 17 due to Juve’s success in the Champions League and advancement to next month’s final. This means within a matter of days the Bianconeri could grab two of the three titles they’re chasing. What momentum that would provide heading into the final in June. Lazio & Roma will prove tough opponents, and tired legs could be a problem. While Allegri and his coaching staff will need to find a way of dealing with that, finally winning the league title, and emerging victorious in the Coppa Italia, would allow for much rest over the next fortnight ahead of the final in Cardiff.

Reaching the Champions League final is a great achievement — especially for a club that has been written off as prime European contenders time and time again. But until the domestic tournaments are secured the club must remain focused in their search for history. It would take a huge collapse of concentration for the squad to surrender their stronghold on the league now, and they are considered overwhelming favourites against Lazio. If they manage to stay focused and take each game as they come, they’ll have two prizes to pick up in the next week.

The anticipation of Cardiff is exciting, but Juventus are a club which celebrates trophies and not finals.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Ramos: 'A final for football-lovers'

http://www.football-italia.net/102421/ramos-final-football-lovers

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Sergio Ramos says the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus will be one 'for football-lovers.'

Los Blancos, 11-time winners of the competition, booked their place in the Cardiff showdown with a 4-2 aggregate win over city rivals Atletico Madrid last night.

Bernabeu captain Ramos added that although he has a great relationship with Juve forward Gonzalo Higuain, there would be no room for sentiment come kick-off on June 3.

"This group is very hungry. It will be a match for all football-lovers," the 31-year-old stated.

"I am very proud of the team for having reached the final for the third time in four years. It's something incredible that our grandchildren will remember.

"I have a great relationship with Higuain, but I don't intend to give him an inch in the final. There will be sparks on the pitch."

Ramos was then asked about what he believes are the Old Lady's main strengths.

"The defence, Dybala, Pipita and not just that. They are going through a great period.

"But before the final with Juventus we have to focus on the League."

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Juventus vs. Madrid: Ronaldo, Bale and

Buffon the key storylines in UCL final

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor juventus-real madrid cristiano ronaldo buffon

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/3123681/juventus

-vs-madrid-ronaldo-bale-and-buffon-the-key-storylines-in-ucl-final

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Juventus face Real Madrid in the Champions League final on June 3, and there's plenty of big storylines for each side.

James Horncastle (Juventus) and Dermot Corrigan (Real Madrid) discuss the key issues ...

Juventus

1. Time to scratch that itch?

The holders have never retained the trophy in the Champions League era. Meanwhile, there is the seven-year itch. A team from Serie A has won the Champions League every seven years (not to mention a few times in between) since 1989. The sequencing suggests it will be Juventus' turn again in 2017. Time to scratch that itch.

2. Buffon's bid for glory

Will it be third-time lucky for Gianluigi Buffon? A runner-up in 2003 and 2015, this is what keeps him going even at 39. It drives Juventus on as well. "We want to do it for the club and for our captain," Leonardo Bonucci said on Tuesday. Buffon deserves it, and should he finally lift the trophy, there's a chance he becomes the first goalkeeper since Lev Yashin to win the Ballon d'Or.

3. Can Juve's attack match their impeccable defence?

Don't reduce this final down to Real's attack against Juventus' defence. We're not in the 1960s and Juventus don't play catenaccio. One of the ways they have been so effective at nullifying the opposition is by giving them plenty to think about at the other end. They have Brazilian full-backs, a Bosnian midfield maestro who takes free kicks like Juninho, tricky Colombian wing play and a certain €90 million Argentine striker on 32 goals this season in ex-Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain. Will it be decisive?

r208026_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=738&site=esp — Gianluigi Buffon is bidding to win the trophy for the first time, having lost in the 2003 and 2015 finals.

4. The Max factor

Achieving balance by playing five nominally attacking players is the kind of counterintuitive masterstroke that makes Massimiliano Allegri a great coach. Fully aware of how top-heavy the team feels, Juventus' strikers and midfielders shoulder extra responsibility and put in more effort than they otherwise would without the ball. Mario Mandzukic is the symbol of this willingness to sacrifice. The result is a team that defend and attack better because of the number of skilful players on the pitch at the same time. A chameleon of a team, Juve are hard to read and keep their opponents guessing. They switched systems five times in their 2-0 first-leg win against Monaco in the semis and adapted to circumstance brilliantly. Allegri also likes to keep a card up his sleeve and play it from bench. It's difficult to count the number of game-changing substitutions he's made.

5. BBC vs. BBC

When Juventus talk about defending, the word they use is "empathy." Buffon and Juve's own version of the "BBC" (for Bale, Benzema and Cristiano read Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini) have played together for almost seven years. They know exactly what the others are thinking. Still undefeated in the Champions League this term, Juve have been behind only once, and that was for 39 minutes at Sevilla. Real, on the other hand, have found themselves behind at home to Sporting, then away to Legia, not to mention both legs against Napoli, then Bayern at home and again away to Atletico.

Prediction: 2-1 to Allegri's men.
Juventus' control and game management sees them through, perhaps with an offside back-heeled goal in revenge for the one Predrag Mijatovic scored when the two teams met in the 1998 final. Another omen: Juve's two Champions League wins came against reigning holders.

Real Madrid

1. Will Zidane stick with his A team?

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has possibly the best club squad ever assembled in terms of quality and depth. A clever rotation policy has seen established superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric play key roles in their Champions League progress, while high-quality backups Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio swatted aside opponents with great style in lower-profile La Liga fixtures.

Could the A and B teams now be blended together? Should he inject some more youthful vigour into his Gala XI? A former Galactico, Zidane has so far respected the dressing room hierarchy. But for the final game of the season, he might spring a surprise.

2. Will Bale be fit? And if so should he be picked?

As soon as Gareth Bale limped off in the quarterfinal second leg against Bayern Munich, the countdown began. Would the Cardiff-born winger return in time for the final in his home city?

There are many good reasons for caution. The latest injury is Bale's 17th in four seasons in Spain, eight of which have been calf problems. The team also look more solid with an extra midfielder, with Isco staking his claim with a goal in the semifinal second leg at Atletico Madrid.

But then €100m man Bale is a firm favourite of club president Florentino Perez. Plus he scored a crucial goal in the 2014 final and provided the assist for Sergio Ramos in 2016.

It looks as if he will be available but not fully match fit. It's a big call for Zidane to make.

3. Can Ronaldo finally dominate a final?

Although he finished both games posing for the cameras in triumph, Cristiano Ronaldo cut a peripheral figure for most of the 2014 and 2016 finals, contributing very little in open play.

He reached the end of both campaigns fatigued and wracked by injury, having pushed himself through less important games earlier in the season. This year, Zidane has finally convinced the 32-year-old that it was in everyone's interests to rest from time to time.

The policy paid off spectacularly with eight goals across the quarters and semis. It also means Ronaldo could now be primed for a personal show in the biggest club game.

4. Can Madrid match Juve's hunger and go back-to-back?

Many apparently great sides have stumbled in their bid to retain the trophy, with defending champions beaten in four finals since it was rebranded the Champions League -- including Juventus in 1997.

Luck and injuries play a part, but finding the motivation required to come back and win the trophy again looks the biggest factor. Juve's hunger to finally get over the line will be huge. They have also lost finals in 1998 (to Madrid), 2003 (to Milan) and 2015 (to Barcelona).

Madrid's stars, going for what would be a third victory in four years, will have to match that desire.

5. Is Madrid's defence a liability?

Last year Zidane's side conceded just three goals in their seven knockout games as they lifted the trophy. This season they have kept just one clean sheet in 12 outings.

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas has made some horrible mistakes, though his form has improved. There is also a major issue at right-back, where Dani Carvajal is currently hamstrung, and stand-in Danilo suffered badly on Wednesday night at Atletico.

Juventus have been expert at exploiting their opponents' flaws and Madrid's weak spot is pretty clear.

Prediction: Madrid to win 2-1 after extra time
It will be tight and tense but Los Blancos' deeper options off the bench will swing it their way.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Banti to referee Roma-Juve

http://www.football-italia.net/102425/banti-referee-roma-juve

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Luca Banti has been selected to referee the Serie A match between Roma and Juventus.

The complete list of officials for the 36th round of fixtures in Italy's top-flight was submitted this afternoon.

Banti's last Serie A assignment came in the 1-1 draw between Crotone and Milan on April 30.

He will now preside over Sunday's encounter between the League's top two teams, with Juventus needing a point to mathematically secure the title.

Elsewhere, Massimiliano Irrati will take charge of Napoli's visit to Torino, Davide Massa will run the rule over Inter's first match since the sacking of Stefano Pioli, while Gianluca Rocchi will be whistle-blower for the clash between Atalanta and Milan.

Serie A Round 36 Referees:

Atalanta - Milan: Gianluca Rocchi

Bologna - Pescara: Antonio Di Martino

Cagliari - Empoli: Maurizio Mariani

Crotone - Udinese: Michael Fabbri

Fiorentina - Lazio: Domenico Celli

Inter - Sassuolo: Davide Massa

Palermo - Genoa: Daniele Doveri

Roma - Juventus: Luca Banti

Sampdoria - Chievo: Fabio Maresca

Torino - Napoli: Massimiliano Irrati

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Cristiano Ronaldo: 'Champions League final is 50-50'

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor juventus vs real madrid

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/real-madrid/champions-league

/news/cristiano-ronaldo-cl-final-is-50-50_297922.html

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed that the 2017 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus is a '50-50 match'.

Real Madrid booked their spot in the final of the European Cup with a 4-2 aggregate success over Atletico Madrid, while Juventus progressed after overcoming AS Monaco 4-1 on aggregate.

Los Blancos are looking to become the first team in the modern era to successfully defend the Champions League, but Ronaldo is fully aware of the task facing his side in Cardiff on June 3.

"We knew that Atleti was going to start strongly and they had the luck in scoring two goals, however we have such experience and we knew a goal would kill them, we are Real Madrid and we have shown more experience," Ronaldo told reporters.

"Nothing is easy and we will fight to the end to win the Champions League, we are in a good moment but I see the final as 50-50 between the two teams."

Ronaldo's treble in the first leg of Real Madrid's semi-final with Atletico took the Portuguese onto 103 goals in the Champions League.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Monaco's Kamil Glik: 'I should have

been sent off' for Higuain tackle

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor juventus vs monaco mandzukic glik

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/story/3123750/monacos

-kamil-glik-i-should-have-been-sent-off-for-higuain-tackle

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Monaco's Kamil Glik has admitted he should have been sent off for stamping on Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain in their Champions League tie on Tuesday.

Higuain, who had scored both goals in Juve's 2-0 first-leg win six days earlier, needed extensive treatment after Glik deliberately stood on the Argentina international's thigh in the second half of Juve's 2-1 second-leg triumph.

Glik escaped sanction from referee Bjorn Kuipers, with the Dutch official booking Leonardo Bonucci for protesting too vociferously, but defender acknowledged to media he could have had few complaints if he had been shown a red card.

"Yes, I should have been sent off," the Poland international is quoted as saying by L'Equipe. "I did a really nasty foul that wasn't justified,

"It's a football match. There can be incidents like that with fouls. We didn't speak, we didn't see each other [after the game]. I talked with other Juve players, but I didn't see him. I didn't have another opportunity to talk to him."

Ironically, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri was grateful to Glik, who played for Juve's neighbours and bitter rivals Torino between 2011 and 2016, for the foul as he felt it brought his players back to life after they had looked a little complacent.

r208521_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=738&site=esp — Gonzalo Higuain needed lengthy treatment following the challenge from Kamil Glik

"We have to thank Glik, because it happened at a time when we were almost sleeping," said Allegri, who had seen Kylian Mbappe pull one back just before the incident. "We were a little too convinced to have already won and we conceded a goal. Glik's foul woke us up and we suffered less afterwards."

Glik had published on social media a picture of himself tackling Juve's Emanuele Giaccherini during a Turin derby prior to the semifinal tie this week, which he has since deleted.

UEFA could still punish the centre-back should their disciplinary body decide to review the incident.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

El Shaarawy: 'Second very important'

http://www.football-italia.net/102427/el-shaarawy-second-very-important

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Stephan El Shaarawy says finishing second would be 'a great achievement' for Roma this season.

With three matches remaining in the Serie A season, the Giallorossi are a point clear of third-place Napoli in the fight for automatic Champions League qualification.

Speaking ahead of his side's crunch match with Juventus, the 24-year-old called on his team to correct the 'small errors' they make in big games following recent League and Coppa Italia defeats to Lazio.

"Every team has its weak points and we are watching a lot of videos to prepare ourselves from a tactical point of view," El Shaarawy told Sky.

"We want to win so we can keep second place, which would be very important.

"Every game is different. Against Lazio we were punished by certain incidents. They scored from their first shot, we need to correct our small errors.

"Roma have always shown great reactions, last Sunday we played a great match. We need to keep the intensity high."

The attacking midfielder believes that although Napoli's football is pleasing on the eye, Roma deserve their current League position.

"We are a point ahead, so we have done something a little more even though they are a great team and they play maybe the best football in Italy.

"For what we have done this year we need to try to hold our position. Getting into the Champions League automatically would be a great achievement."

El Shaarawy was then asked whether he believes he is at a top club.

"Absolutely. At a great club where there are great players and the boss gives everyone a chance."

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 13, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Dybala: 'Buffon the best ever'

http://www.football-italia.net/102435/dybala-buffon-best-ever

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Paulo Dybala says Juventus will not be playing for a draw when they face Roma on Sunday.

The Old Lady go into the match at the Stadio Olimpico knowing that a point will be enough to mathematically guarantee a sixth successive Scudetto.

However, the Argentine is adamant that Max Allegri's side will be out to win in what is the start of a pivotal week for the club.

"We are very focused on this match. We know that it will not be easy at all," Dybala told Sky Sport.

"It's true that a draw would be enough, but we always play to win. Facing Roma is always difficult because they have great players."

The Argentine was asked to comment on a number of his teammates, starting with goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.

"For me, Buffon is definitely the number one of all number ones that there have been in football history.

"We are lucky enough to play with him. We enjoy it and we hope it lasts for longer."

Following Sunday's game, Juve will face Lazio in the final of the Coppa Italia before stepping up preparations for the Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 3.

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 13, 2017

'Bale makes Madrid a better team' - Zidane hoping

to have Welshman for Champions League final

The Welsh forward is currently sidelined again with a calf complaint, but

is hoping to be back in contention for a meeting with Juventus in Cardiff.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/683/main/2017/05/11/35425772/-

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Zinedine Zidane believes Real Madrid are “a better team” with Gareth Bale and hopes to have him available for the Champions League final.

The Wales international is facing a race against time to make the European showpiece being staged in his hometown of Cardiff on June 3.

Bale limped out of a Clasico meeting with Barcelona in April, with a calf complaint seeing him complete just 39 minutes of that contest.

The 27-year-old is now back on the sidelines, towards the end of an injury-hit campaign, but his manager is still counting on him to make an eagerly anticipated clash with Juventus.

"He's recovering and there's time for him to be ready for the final," Zidane told Madrid’s official website.

"I hope he's ready before and I hope he can be with us more than anything. We're a better team when he plays."

Bale sat out four months earlier in the season with an ankle problem.

Fitness issues have been all too frequent during his time at Santiago Bernaebu, with the current campaign set to see him hit a new low in terms of first-team outings.

He has made just 26 appearances to date, netting nine times, and has only a matter of weeks to ensure that at least one more appearance is added to that tally at the Millennium Stadium.

Socrates · May 13, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Dybala: 'My Champions League promise'

http://www.football-italia.net/102437/dybala-my-champions-league-promise

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Paulo Dybala explained the Champions League promise made to his Juventus teammates, facing Roma and a free kick competition with Alessandro Del Piero.

The Argentine sat down with Sky Sport Italia for a lengthy interview, you can read the rest of it here and here.

“The first time I met my new Juve teammates was when they invited me to attend the Champions League Final against Barcelona in Berlin,” revealed La Joya.

“I returned to Italy on the plane with them and that’s when I got to meet most of the players. They welcomed me and in particular Claudio Marchisio said we had to get back out there and return to playing the Final.

“I always remember that phrase, and now that we really are there again… I hope for a different result.”

Juventus lost that 2015 Final to Barcelona, 3-1, and face Real Madrid in Cardiff on June 3.

Before that, the Bianconeri can clinch their sixth consecutive Serie A title with Sunday’s trip to Roma.

“It’s one of my favourite cities in the world and I made my Palermo debut at the Stadio Olimpico, so it’s very special for me. We are very concentrated on this match and know full well it won’t be easy.

“It’s true that a draw would be enough for the Scudetto, but we always play to win. Roma have many great players, not just Francesco Totti, but I hope to say hello to him. He’s a Gladiator.”

There’s another promise Dybala has made with a Juventus teammate, namely to enter into a free kick duel with Del Piero – refereed by Gigi Buffon in goal.

“We talked about it and realised that, fortunately, we’ll have to wait until after June 3. It’s great having Gigi in goal for this event.”

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Morientes Juve-Madrid prediction

http://www.football-italia.net/102442/morientes-juve-madrid-prediction

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Fernando Morientes predicts Real Madrid will beat Juventus in the Champions League Final “with a non-existent Gareth Bale penalty.”

The sides will face off in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on June 3, their first Final meeting since an offside Predrag Mijatovic goal in 1998.

“I believe this time the result will also be 1-0 to Real Madrid,” former striker Morientes told Spanish newspaper As.

“It’ll be decided by a non-existent Gareth Bale penalty. In 1998 we were not the favourites going in, as Juve had Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Pippo Inzaghi. But we won anyway.

“With Real Madrid going into a Final, I always felt we were the favourites, but in the end it’s all down to destiny.”

Gigi Buffon has never won the Champions League and Morientes concedes it’s about time for the 39-year-old legend.

“Football owes a Champions League trophy to both Buffon and Atletico Madrid. In this sport you are remembered if you win, not if you finish second.”

Socrates · May 13, 2017

Power Rankings: UCL finalists

Juventus No. 1, Real Madrid No. 2

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3124026/shaka-hislop

-power-rankings-led-by-champions-league-finalists-juventus-and-real-madrid

May 11, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Europe's top clubs keep winning. As a result, Juventus remain top and there's only one new entry in this week's Power Rankings.

1. Juventus (no change)

Max Allegri's side dropped more Serie A points when Torino came within a whisker of winning the Turin derby, but Juve can still clinch the title this weekend. After that, focus will turn to the Champions League final, which they reached by beating Monaco 4-1 on aggregate.

2. Real Madrid (no change)

Zinedine Zidane rotated heavily for the visit to Granada, but it mattered little as Madrid eased to a 4-0 win. The main men returned in the Champions League semifinals at Atletico, where plenty of experience and some Karim Benzema magic sealed a place in Cardiff next month.

3. Chelsea (no change)

Relegation-threatened Middlesbrough were probably the ideal opponents to alleviate any pre-title nerves, and so it was that Chelsea swept to a 3-0 win with a minimum of fuss. It means three more points will seal the deal; they could be collected at West Brom on Friday.

4. Barcelona (no change)

Since a 2-0 defeat at Malaga appeared to end Barca's hopes of winning La Liga, Luis Enrique's side have reeled off five straight wins, scoring 20 goals in the process. The latest, a 4-1 thrashing of Villarreal, saw Lionel Messi net his 50th and 51st goals of the season.

5. Bayern Munich (no change)

The German champions coasted through a 1-0 win over Darmstadt, who were relegated as a result. The season is meandering to a close for Bayern, with Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso's final games before retirement the only notable moments that remain.

r208653_1296x729_16-9.jpg&w=738&site=esp — Juventus calmly rolled into the Champions League final. Can they get the better of Real Madrid?

6. Monaco (no change)

Their Champions League dream came to an end against Juventus, but Monaco can console themselves with having lit up European football this season. Plus, they are on the brink of winning Ligue 1; they will clinch this weekend if results go their way.

7. Atletico Madrid (no change)

It will hurt badly that they have been knocked out of the Champions League by their bitter, cross-city rivals for the fourth straight season. But at least Atletico restored some pride with a vibrant 2-1 win at the Calderon on Wednesday. Maybe next year?

8. Borussia Dortmund (+1)

Dortmund took a big step toward securing third place in the Bundesliga by beating their immediate competition, Hoffenheim, 2-1 at the weekend. Thomas Tuchel's side have a two-point cushion with two games remaining.

9. AS Roma (+1)

The Giallorossi retained their grip on second place in Serie A behind champions-elect Juventus by thrashing Milan 4-1 last weekend. Napoli are just a point back; can Luciano Spalletti & Co. hang on?

10. Ajax (new)

Ajax have been in superb form of late and could still sneak the Eredivisie title from Feyenoord, who have a one-point lead, in the league's final weekend. If they fail, not to worry: Ajax secured a place in the Europa League final after overcoming Lyon 5-4 on aggregate.

Dropping out: Tottenham

Socrates · May 13, 2017

April’s Monthly Juventus Thoughts: The final sprint is near!

The season finale is near, but Juventus continues its battle in all

three competitions. Let’s see how they fared in April.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/12/15541856/juventus-

april-2017-in-review-serie-a-coppa-italia-champions-league

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

April was jam-packed with games as the final stretch of the season bears down on us. The players battled through games in all competitions — from Serie A to Coppa Italia to the League of ~~Shadows~~ Champions. It’s time, then, to discuss the most interesting trends of April!

Final Flash

April could easily have been a month where the season came crashing to a sorry end. The extraordinarily topsy-turvy Coppa Italia game against Napoli could have ended in heartbreak. Barcelona could have mounted another record-breaking comeback at the Camp Nou in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal. Napoli could have caused a real scare in the title race had they mustered a second goal at the San Paolo in the league game against Juventus.

But none of that happened.

Instead, here we are in May looking at a Champions League final in Cardiff, on the verge of a sixth consecutive Scudetto, and ready to battle against Lazio for the honor of this season’s Coppa Italia. I absolutely didn’t expect us to be in such a stellar position in May, so I’m sincerely grateful for and proud of this team of champions; this team of greats that sacrifice themselves for the will of the collective. Then again, we could still blow it all in a matter of weeks, so celebrating an almost-achievement is as meaningless as, well, whatever the opposite of that is.

Nevertheless, it’s only right that I recognize and commend the team’s — and Max Allegri’s! — performances over the last month after fighting through a whopping eight games in 26 days. Not all the performances were a joy to behold — ahem, Atalanta and Napoli, ahem — but given the circumstances and relatively thin squad, the team maintained an admirably high standard of play throughout their fixtures. Granted, it helped that Juve faced the likes of Pescara, Chievo, and Genoa along the way, but hey, if you so convincingly and beautifully beat a phenomenal team like Barcelona in the process, I think I can cut you some slack.

The Availability Cascade

Speaking of Barcelona, I was un-surprised to see a sharp increase in the number of discussions regarding referees in the buildup to that quarterfinal tie. This wasn’t helped, of course, by a rather controversial second-leg encounter elsewhere across the continent, but it was still inevitable regardless of that. The public’s distrust of the governing authorities (seems to be a common theme these days, no?) and cries of rage, conspiracies, and fear after that first leg between Real Madrid and Bayern actually got me thinking about a book I’ve reading lately.

In the typically eccentric and bewildering way my brain works, I discovered a connection between parts of this book by Daniel Kahneman, “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, and the worryingly malicious levels of anger felt by fans during those Champions League fixtures. This connection stems from a term called “the availability cascade.”

An availability cascade is a self-sustaining chain of events, which may start from media reports of a relatively minor event and lead up to public panic … This emotional reaction becomes a story in itself, prompting additional coverage in the media, which in turn produces greater concern and involvement. The cycle is sometimes sped along deliberately by “availability entrepreneurs,” individuals or organizations who work to ensure a continuous flow of worrying news.

Thinking, Fast and Slow; Page 142

Now I know what you’re thinking: That referee performance in the Madrid-Bayern game was anything but “a relatively minor event” man! What about all the times Barca had referee favors, especially that crazy game against PSG?!

I know.

From my perspective, these events were relatively minor in their frequency, relative to the number of games that have occurred without referee controversies. But the times that these unfortunate events did happen, they managed to stand out powerfully in our memories such that “our emotional reactions to them become a story in itself.” The pattern unfolds rapidly in the way Kahneman describes in the passage above — also thanks to “availability entrepreneurs” (i.e. mainstream sport media outlets that continue to talk about the controversies — and before you know it a majority of fans distrust referees. It’s more of a public uproar instead of a public panic.

I know it seems like I’m some kind of noble warrior that intends to glorify and protect the integrity of referees and turn a blind eye to their deficiencies, but I can assure you that this is not the case. My intention, one which has grown stronger and stronger in other areas of my life as I’ve gotten older, is to bring as much reason and rationality to this discussion as possible. Why are we so scared of refereeing controversies in big games like these? Why do we always suspect them of conspiracies? Why do we let relatively infrequent occasions dominate our memories and perceptions of the world around us?

I’m not a betting man, but for once I dare to venture a bold guess: if you were to objectively assess every single refereeing decision in the Champions League and/or La Liga over the last five seasons to see how many were “correct” and how many were “incorrect”, you would easily find no systematic bias in favor of either Barcelona, Real Madrid, or the flippin Tooth Fairy for that matter. To paraphrase Don Draper, the universe is indifferent, so nobody is “out to get” your team. Kahneman sums it all up beautifully (with my notes in brackets):

We are pattern seekers, believers in a coherent world in which regularities appear not by accident but as a result of mechanical causality or of someone’s intention [UEFA]. We do not expect to see regularity produced by a random process [the occasional refereeing screw-up], and when we detect what appears to be a rule [UEFALONA CONSPIRACY!], we quickly reject the idea that the process is truly random.

Random processes produce many sequences [big teams getting the occasional rub of the green] that convince people that the process is not random after all.

Thinking, Fast and Slow; Page 115

In appreciation of defense… and balance

After the glorious victory against Barcelona, it was quite a sight to see the media shower Juventus with lavish praise after their display of defensive prowess against the Spanish giants. As much as I loved basking in the glory of our remarkable victory, I finally realized something that, honestly, I’m embarrassed to admit that it took me so long to realize that defending really can be as beautiful as attacking.

As I write this, I can’t help but have a wry grin on my face of “Wow, it really took me that long to realize this, didn’t it?” To be fair, I don’t necessarily adore the ‘beauty’ of seeing a defensive unit shift across the penalty area. No, I realized that I developed a true admiration for the brilliantly-timed, crunching tackle; for the clairvoyant foresight to step up to intercept a pass before the opponent even realized you were there; and, of course, for the fantastic save by the goalkeeper to save his team. More than anything, I finally realized that it’s ok – better yet, it’s feels amazing – to celebrate a brilliant piece of defending as much as it is to celebrate a glorious goal.

Maybe the reason that I feel so conflicted about this issue is because I feel like I’m treading the fine line of hypocrisy. It’s only fair to admit that I despised, utterly despised, the notoriously defensive Chelsea team of 2012 and, tribal allegiances aside, the even more defensive treble-winning Inter of 2010. Granted, I was only a young, ~~innocent, wishful, love-seeking~~ 18- or 19-year-old kid around that time and thus very prone to emotional extremes, but I still remember siding with those that viciously criticized the spirit/intention of those two teams’ styles of play. How could any lover of football ever, EVER, remotely like defensive football?

That being said, as I’ve grown older and matured over the last few years, another skill that has tremendously impacted every area of my life is that of emotional temperance or, if you will, balance. As favor has it, this has also greatly helped me to perceive football in a more sane, humane, and holistic manner.

Defensive football isn’t bad. Offensive football isn’t good. A country isn’t good; a country isn’t bad.

It simply is.

Change is neither good nor bad. It simply is.

– Don Draper

Taking that theme of emotional temperance further, I realized how much more beautiful and admirable it is to balance both sides of the madness than it is to just play defensively or just play gung-ho offensive football. Plus, I succeeded in reconciling that uncomfortable feeling of hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance.

Earth. Fire. Air. Water.

Only The Avatar can master all four elements

And bring balance to the world.

At the end of the day, it’s ok to celebrate a bruising Chiellini tackle or an intelligent Bonucci interception. You’re not a “champagne football drunkard fanboy” if you’re exhilarated by a blitzing 5-0 victory filled with bicycle kicks and no-look passes. But imagine how much better off you would be if you could appreciate and harness all those elements into one wholesome perspective.

You probably won’t reach the Avatar State just yet, but you’ll definitely have a much healthier view of this beautiful game we call football. And perhaps too, of this other curious game we call life.

Socrates · May 14, 2017

Brych to referee CL final

http://www.football-italia.net/102472/brych-referee-cl-final

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

UEFA have announced that German referee Felix Brych will preside over the Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid.

The final will take place in Cardiff on Saturday June 3rd.

The 41 year-old was part of the Euro 2016 refereeing team last summer, taking charge of Sweden-Belgium and England-Wales in the group stage, plus Poland-Portugal in the quarter-final.

In 2014, Brych also refereed the UEFA Europa League final between Sevilla and Benfica which was held at Juventus stadium and has met the Bianconeri before this term when he officiated their first-leg match against Porto in the knockout stage.

The officials will line-up as follows:

Referee: Felix Brych (GER)
Assistants: Mark Borsch, Stefan Lupp (both GER)
Fourth Official: Milorad Mazic (SRB)
Additional Assistants: Bastian Dankert, Marco Fritz (both GER)
Reserve assistant referee: Rafael Foltyn (GER)

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Marchisio to miss Roma-Juve

http://www.football-italia.net/102479/marchisio-miss-roma-juve

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Juventus have confirmed that midfielder Claudio Marchisio will miss the match with Roma on Sunday.

Kick-off at the Stadio Olimpico is at 20.45 CET - 19:45 UK time.

The encounter could see the Bianconeri get their hands on a sixth consecutive Scudetto trophy, with Roma trailing by seven points in second place.

“Claudio Marchisio was not involved in training today due to fatigue in the left thigh muscle,” a statement on the club’s official website read.

“His condition will be evaluated between tomorrow and Sunday in view of a possible return for the Coppa Italia final on Wednesday.

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Roma - Juventus Match Preview

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/preview/88183

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

First meets second in the table with Juventus one point away from a sixth consecutive Scudetto, a party they can spark against their title rivals.

Max Allegri’s men are in buoyant mood. Passage to the Champions League Final against Real Madrid was successfully achieved in midweek, and in consummate fashion. In truth, the tie was effectively over after the 2-0 first leg win in Monaco and the Bianconeri’s spectacular Treble dream remains intact.

The feel-good factor will continue in to the weekend as Allegri’s side travel to the Capital, in search of a point which would secure yet another title, but must do so without the services of Sami Khedira. The German international suffered a hamstring injury on Tuesday night but should be fit for the Coppa Italia showdown with Lazio on May 17, with Claudio Marchisio or Tomas Rincon likely to deputise in his absence.

Elsewhere, Allegri may look to freshen up his team and has a wealth of options at his disposal. Such is the talent in the Bianconeri ranks, the likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci could comfortably sit out, safe in the knowledge Medhi Benatia or young Federico Mattiello could start and not let the side down. Stephan Lichtsteiner should keep his place after the recent 1-1 draw with rivals Torino, but Daniele Rugani and Marko Pjaca are injured.

For Juventus, it’s now all about game management and ensuring they can make it through each remaining league match with a clean bill of health as they enter the business end of the season.

For opposite number Luciano Spalletti, the clash also holds significance. Roma have a slender one-point lead over Napoli in the race to finish second and need a positive result to give themselves the best possible chance of qualifying for the group stage of next year’s Champions League. A defeat at the hands of the champions-elect would only further heighten the tension surrounding the club and it’s crucial Spalletti’s troops lay down a marker ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

The Giallorossi come in to the match in good form, having ruthlessly despatched Milan 4-1 at San Siro, serving as a reminder of what they’re capable of.

The hosts have been dealt a body blow, missing Capocannoniere Edin Dzeko with a calf strain. Diego Perotti is expected to move from the wide left position he occupied in the last match to a more central role, vacating room for Stephan El Shaarawy following the Italian’s impressive goalscoring appearance off the bench against his former employers.

Kevin Strootman serves the second of his two-match ban, while Radja Nainggolan is fighting to be fit after a bruised calf against Milan.

Spalletti has a dismal record against Juventus, beating them only once along with three draws and 18 defeats.

Keep an eye on: Miralem Pjanic (Juventus) – The Bosnian was dubbed a traitor when he activated the release clause in his contract last summer, joining Roma's arch rivals. It's safe to say he will receive a frosty welcome in this first visit back in front of the Curva Sud. Funnily enough, Pjanic scored for the Giallorossi's 2-1 victory in this fixture last season.

Form Guide: Roma (W L W D W) Juventus (D D W W W)

Last season: Roma 2-1 Juventus

Stat fact: Juventus have won only one of their last six competitive visits to Roma, 1-0 in May 2014, plus a pair of 1-1 draws and three defeats.

Top tip: Both teams to score.

Roma (probable): Szczesny; Emerson Palmieri, Manolas, Fazio, Juan Jesus; Paredes, De Rossi, Nainggolan; El Shaarawy, Perotti, Salah

Suspended: Strootman

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Benatia, Alex Sandro; Rincon, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain

Suspended: None

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 14, 2017

Who is Juventus' Player of the Season?

Massimiliano Allegri's men have put themselves in a wonderful position

to win a treble but who are their top three performers of the 2016-17 campaign?

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2017/05/12/35452322/-

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Juventus are on the verge of history. Take a point from Sunday's game against second-placed Roma and they will guarantee themselves a sixth successive Serie A title, something that no club has ever done before.

However, it could just be the first leg of a first ever treble for the Bianconeri, who will meet Lazio in the Coppa Italia final in Rome on Wednesday before bidding to win a third European Cup when they tackle reigning champions Real Madrid in Cardiff on June 3.

So many of Massimiliano Allegri's men have played pivotal roles in what has already been a remarkable campaign and honourable mentions must go to the likes of Leonardo Bonucci, Dani Alves, Alex Sandro, Miralem Pjanic and, in particular, Paulo Dybala.

However, Goal has selected Juve's top three performers of the 2016-17 season in descending order and, given there were some incredibly close calls, feel free to join the debate in the comment box at the bottom of the page!

3. GONZALO HIGUAIN

Gonzalo Higuain

Whether Gonzalo Higuain is worth €90 million remains open to debate. The Argentina international was bought with the specific objective of winning the Champions League — and that target has not yet been achieved.

However, there is no denying that the 29-year-old centre-forward has made Juve even better than they were last season. To date, he has hit 32 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions. Even more impressively, so many of those strikes have been crucial.

He began his Juve career by netting the winner against Fiorentina — just nine minutes after coming off the bench in Turin — and, though there have been dips here and there, he has continued to score important goals. Indeed, there have been decisive strikes against Torino and Roma, as well as four goals against Napoli, including three in the Coppa Italia semi-final tie with his former club.

Higuain's most significant contribution, though, was his double in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at Monaco, which suggested that not only can he deliver in big games, he might also be the man to end Juve's 21-year wait for a third European Cup. Do that and €90m will actually look like money well spent.

2. GIORGIO CHIELLINI

Giorgio Chiellini Juventus Barcelona

Faced with the daunting task of trying to nullify Barcelona's feared MSN forward line, Giorgio Chiellini mused, "Knowing what you need to do, though, is one thing — producing it when you need to is another thing altogether."

Chiellini, though, has always been able to walk the walk. The uncompromising defender rarely gets the credit he deserves, but he was widely lauded for the comprehensive man-marking job he did on Luis Suarez over both legs of Juve's 3-0 aggregate defeat of Barcelona in the Champions League.

The 32-year-old didn't just outplay the Uruguayan striker, he outscored him too, netting a towering header that effectively put the tie beyond the Blaugrana.

Chiellini may not have the eye-catching passing skills of his central defensive partner Bonucci, but there is arguably no more ruthlessly effective defender in world football.

1. GIANLUIGI BUFFON

Gianluigi Buffon Lionel Messi Barcelona Juventus UCL 19042017

After watching Gianluigi Buffon make a couple of uncharacteristically sloppy mistakes earlier in the season, Juventus fans felt compelled to show their unwavering support for their No.1.

"Even Superman is 'only' Clark Kent sometimes! Gigi, you'll always be our superhero," read a banner unveiled before kick-off in the Champions League group-stage clash with Lyon at the Stade Gerland.

That night, Buffon delivered an even more impressive riposte to those daring to suggest that time had finally caught up with the 39-year-old by turning in one of his finest ever performances, the highlight of which was a stunning stop of a deflected effort from Nabil Fekir.

The Italy captain has only gone from strength to strength in the interim, even going a record-breaking 689 minutes without shipping a goal on Juve's run to the Champions League final.

Victory over Real Madrid in Cardiff next month would be a fitting end to one of the greatest seasons of Buffon's truly incredible career and might just earn him the Ballon d'Or he so richly deserves.

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Preview: Roma vs. Juventus

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/roma/

preview/preview-roma-vs-juventus_298025.html

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Current Serie A champions Juventus travel to face title rivals Roma on Sunday evening knowing that a single point will be enough to guarantee them a sixth consecutive Scudetto crown.

As for the hosts, Spalletti and company are still aiming to fend off fierce competition for second place, as they try to secure automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League next term.

Roma

With Juve just one point away from clinching the title, Roma boss Luciano Spalletti will likely have other concerns on his mind as his side aim to stave off competition from third-placed Napoli in the battle for second and an all-important automatic qualification spot for the Champions League.

The end of May saw the Rome club fall to a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Lazio, before Spalletti's men bounced backed with a resounding victory away at AC Milan. La Maggica's remaining two fixtures beyond this tie see the club face both Chievo and Genoa, leaving Roma knowing that a positive result against the champions-elect would mean that second spot remains firmly in their own hands.

Spalletti has come in for criticism at times this season, although the Roma boss showed some shrewd tactical efficiency to dismantle Milan last time out, especially in his deployment of Radja Nainggolan, Leandro Paredes and Daniele De Rossi in a rotating midfield three that worked to perfection at San Siro.

One statistic the coach will be aware of, however, is that he has a rather poor home record when facing Juventus. As it stands, Spalletti has only beaten Juve once alongside three draws and 18 defeats. That said, Roma themselves have lost only one of their previous five Serie A home games against the Old Lady.

Roma fans will be hoping that Stephan El Shaarawy is able to make an impact on this fixture following his recent standout showing off the bench against Milan, especially given the reports surrounding the availability of Capocannoniere Edin Dzeko.

Recent form: WLWDWW

Juventus

The Old Lady will earn their sixth consecutive Scudetto on Sunday evening should they secure a point against the hosts, and a number of players have already made it clear what a feat it would be to do so against their closest title rivals.

Massimiliano Allegri and his charges will be travelling to the capital with great confidence following a total dismantling of AS Monaco in order to gain progression into the final of the Champions League. That spot in the final could just alter Allegri's plans here too, given that Juve might be hoping to rest a few players ahead of the looming European showpiece at the start of next month.

Despite some rotation potentially being on the cards, much has already been made of Miralem Pjanic's potential role in the contest, as he prepares to face the club he left under testing circumstances last summer.

Regardless of Juve's achievements in the Champions League, Allegri will know that there is still much work to be done during the final stages of the season, especially given that a point on Sunday is what potentially stands in their as they aim to complete a monumental treble this campaign.

Juve have only faced Roma twice after matchday 35 in the history of Serie A, but they enter this contest safe in the knowledge that they beat their rivals on both occasions during the 1948-49 and 2013-14 seasons.

Recent form: DDWWWD

Team News

Radja Nainngolan in action during the Coppa Italia game between Lazio and Roma on March 1, 2017

Roma's major concern is that Dzeko will be missing following a thigh strain, meaning that Diego Perotti will likely play more centrally to leave open a spot for El Shaarawy to start.

Nainggolan is thought to have picked up a slight knock against AC Milan and will be pushing things fine in order to retain his starting spot in the side.

As for the visitors, Allegri could make changes at the back in an effort to rest both Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, potentially leaving roles for Medhi Benatia or Federico Mattiello.

Gonzalo Higuain is expected to continue up top alone, while support should be provided by an attacking three of Juan Cuadrado, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic.

Roma possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Palmieri, Manolas, Fazio, Juan Jesus; Paredes, De Rossi, Nainggolan; El Shaarawy, Perotti, Salah

Juventus possible starting lineup:
Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Benatia, Alex Sandro; Marchisio, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain

Head To Head

Juventus already have the upper hand over the hosts this campaign, having picked up a slender 1-0 victory over Roma in Turin at the end of 2016.

Roma won their last home fixture against the Old Lady, however, following a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico in August 2015.

Over the last six meetings between the two clubs, Juve have won three, drawn one and lost two.

We say: Roma 1-2 Juventus

Juve's recent form in the league might not be too much to write home about following two draws on the bounce, but the visitors will be buoyed following their impressive performances in the Champions League. Knowing that just one solitary point separates them from a sixth consecutive crown will likely be more than enough to spur Allegri's side to victory, regardless of whether their coach decides to rest one or two of his key men.

Who will win Sunday's Serie A clash between Roma and Juventus?

Roma

25.0%

Draw

12.5%

Juventus

62.5%

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Andrea Barzagli calls for Juventus

focus ahead of Roma clash

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/news

/barzagli-calls-for-juventus-focus_298041.html

May 12, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Juventus centre-back Andrea Barzagli has called for his side to focus day-by-day ahead of their potentially title-clinching Serie A clash with Roma on Sunday.

The Old Lady will secure the Scudetto for the sixth successive season should they avoid defeat in the capital this weekend, but Barzagli has called for calm despite the positive omens ahead of their trip to the Stadio Olimpico.

"If there is a secret to our success it is focusing one game at a time," Barzagli told the club's official website.

"Given what is coming up, it would be easy to think too far ahead; for now, we have training tomorrow and a very important game against Roma on Sunday. Let's hope that we have something important to celebrate at the end of the season.

"We begin every campaign with the objective of winning everything and we are given that belief by the quality of the squad that the club works brilliantly to put together. Every new player that arrives immediately absorbs our winning mentality. This season could be the crowning glory of many years of work."

Barzagli has five Serie A winners' medals with Juventus.

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Allegri: 'No Juve rush with Roma'

http://www.football-italia.net/102511/allegri-no-juve-rush-roma

May 13, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

Max Allegri urged Juventus not to “rush” when trying to take the Scudetto against Roma, rotating ahead of the Coppa Italia Final with Lazio.

It kicks off on Sunday at 20.45 CET - 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).

The Bianconeri only need a point to mathematically clinch their sixth consecutive Scudetto.

“This will be the first time we can clinch the title regardless of other results, so it only depends on us. It won’t be easy, as it’s a big game between two teams with top players who are chasing their respective targets,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

“If we do it this weekend, good, otherwise we’ll think of the Coppa Italia Final and then the next test. There’s no rush, games have to be played in the moment. Roma and Napoli deserve praise for their campaigns, as it’s a battle in Serie A and their results have been extraordinary.”

Allegri confirmed that Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira are out injured, while Medhi Benatia will start in defence against his old club.

“Seeing Khedira in the Coppa Italia Final or against Crotone next week is impossible. We’ll evaluate him day by day to see about the Champions League Final.

“I am happy that we signed Benatia on a permanent basis. He had some muscular problems, but is an extraordinary player. In terms of defence, Roma have one of the best sides in Europe.”

This is part of squad rotation, as Juve will face Lazio in the Coppa Italia Final at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night.

“In the last three months I have changed from five to eight players per game. The important thing is to have at least two who play regularly. In attack I have four and we’ll see tomorrow if I leave one out or start all four.”

Much has been said about Francesco Totti and his imminent retirement, as the player has still not confirmed if he’ll hang up his boots this summer.

“Everyone has talked about this except for him,” noted Allegri. “When he speaks and decides, then we can comment. He illuminated football for 20 years, in Italy, Europe and the world.”

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Socrates · May 14, 2017

ROMA - JUVENTUS

MATCHDAY 36

Sunday, May 14th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Luca Banti

Roma v Juventus Match Preview

http://www.juvefc.com/roma-v-juventus-match-preview-scouting-2/

May 13, 2017

Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE

AS Roma v Juventus

Serie A Week 36 – Sunday, 14th May – 19:45 GMT – Stadio Olimpico

Juventus

Mission accomplished: on Tuesday, Juventus resisted Monaco’s early attacks and punished them twice in the first half taking advantage of the prairies they left in the back because of their new but still unbalanced scheme. Dani Alves once again delivered magic with that beautiful lob to set up Mario Mandzukic for the first goal and then putting the ball in the net himself with a stunner. The Brazilian fullback has been much maligned by the fans when he first came because of his tactical anarchy, but boy oh boy, has he shown up in the final stages of Champions League.

In the Turin derby, Juventus were pretty lucky to escape with a point: The Granata wanted it more as the Bianconeri were distracted by the two Monaco tilts. The 33 home game winning streak came to an end, but at least Gonzalo Higuain has carried on the exquisite tradition of scoring heart-breaking goals extremely late in the derby. Roma won on Sunday night, so we would have not celebrated the Scudetto anyway.

The party will inevitably arrive, but it would be neat if we wrapped things up this Sunday at Olimpico against the Giallorossi. Juventus simply need to avoid losing, something they have managed to do in their last 16 Serie A matches. The perils are obvious: the opponent is tough and motivated, we come from a very draining game and on Wednesday we face Lazio with the Coppa Italia on the line. The squad has the chance to complete two parts of the treble within four days: the trifecta would be incredible, but I think I speak for most Juventini when I say that winning the Champions League is what truly matters.

Inevitably there will be some rotation. Sami Khedira left the Monaco bout early, but luckily escaped major muscular problems: he has a pulled hamstring and will not be available for a while, the hope is to have him for a game or two before the Cardiff final. Miralem Pjanic is suspended for the Lazio game, so he will start in this one. Claudio Marchisio surprisingly made the squad list despite dealing with some muscle fatigue: anyway he is very unlikely to play in this one and fielding him four times in two weeks did not look particularly adequate. Hopefully he can recover by Wednesday. Tomas Rincon or Mario Lemina will be in the starting lineup.

In the defence, Giorgio Chiellini is playing at an incredible level and I think he will be spared for Wednesday, with Medhi Benatia taking his place, fresh off the club picking up the option to acquire him. Leonardo Bonucci can take playing a few times in a row and unfortunately Daniele Rugani is injured: let’s see how the coaching handles him. There should be the usual rotation on the right flank, with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Juan Cuadrado returning to the XI and Andrea Barzagli and Alves on the bench, but Big Game Dani could be an interesting option for the attack. Kwadwo Asamoah has a chance to supplant Alex Sandro, but that duel is tight.

As for the offensive line, Mario Mandzukic could be due for some rest as both Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala got some time off in the last two games: Stefano Sturaro would take his place, or maybe the coach, who has hinted at resting one of the big four, will use both Asamoah and Sandro at the same time.

4-2-3-1: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Benatia, Bonucci, Asamoah; Rincon, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain.

Injuries:

Khedira (hamstring), Rugani (tibia), Pjaca (knee).

Suspensions:

None.

Roma

Roma are having an excellent season, yet there is a cloud of sadness and disappointment hovering on their heads. The biggest problem is that once again they will not win anything: the nine-year drought is starting to weigh on them. They were eliminated in the Champions League playoffs and that ruined the whole season. Furthermore, Luciano Spalletti is a goner and has lived the whole year as a lame duck with contradicting and increasingly sibylline remarks. Finally, the management has basically forced Francesco Totti to retire: it was time, but they probably should have let the captain announce it on his terms.

They are fighting with Napoli for the second place, which would grant direct access to the group stage of the main European competition for the club. The only ray of sunshine for some in what is an inexplicably gloomy scenario is the arrival of the sporting director Monchi from Sevilla. A terrific hire, but when the dust settled and the smoke cleared, they did not achieve much the last time they treated an executive, who is now coordinating Inter and Jiangsu, like a superstar.

They arrive at this encounter pretty banged up. The Serie A leading scorer Edin Dzeko, who bounced back in a tremendous way after a down year, is out because of calf strain. Kevin Strootman is suspended for the ludicrous dive in the derby. Radja Nainggolan, who is probably pound for pound their most precious contributor, is battling an edema in the same muscle, while Diego Perotti, who becomes ultra-important because he is the prime false-nine candidate, is dealing with a sore ankle. They will both reportedly gut it out, but the midfielder is slightly more at risk.

The absences leave Spalletti with little choices. He has used 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1 this season: despite the absence of Dzeko, he should still deploy the first one. He still has some options concerning the defence and the flanks. Bruno Peres has dramatically fallen out of favour in the last few games: the coach even picked using Emerson Palmieri on the right and Juan Jesus as left fullback over fielding him in a key match like the Milan one. The Brazilian is best suited as a wing back and he would be the first alternative if one between Nainggolan and Perotti did not recover, prompting a tactical switch. Antonio Rudiger, Kostas Manolas, Federico Fazio and Emerson will form the back line.

Leandro Paredes has taken advantage of the recent playing time and has starting to show off his kicking skills, both from long range and set pieces. He will replace Strootman and partner with Daniele De Rossi. Mohamed Salah and Stephan El Shaarawy will start on the wings, with Nainggolan behind Perotti: they have used this exact scheme a lot last season when Dzeko was in a funk and the two Egyptians have thrived scoring wise and the Belgian ace emerged as an offensive weapon. It is a whole different challenge for the defence, because there is no reference point, they are extremely quick and have good chemistry. If something went wrong, El Shaarawy and Salah have both been used as false-nine, but they are not as effective as Perotti, who has great vision and passing skills. Clement Grenier has spent time as attacking midfielder. An out-of-the-box idea would be to start Francesco Totti in his last big game, but realistically the captain does not have more than a half in his legs.

Probable lineup:

4-2-3-1: Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas, Fazio, Emerson; Paredes, De Rossi; Salah, Nainggolan, El Shaarawy; Perotti.

Injuries:

Dzeko (calf), Florenzi (knee).

Suspensions:

Strootman.

Formation

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

Accedi

JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

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