JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Juventus Beat Lazio 2-0 to Win

3rd Straight Coppa Italia Final

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2710264-juventus-beat

-lazio-2-0-to-win-3rd-straight-coppa-italia-final

 

 

May 17, 2017

 

Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 in the 2017 Coppa Italia final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome as they claimed their first trophy in a potential treble success.

The Old Lady scored twice in the first half through Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci, and their Roman opponents were clearly deflated by the strikes.

Lazio battled in the second half, but Juventus soaked up the pressure to extinguish the threat.

Both teams made several changes as they rotated their options. Juve brought Neto, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Tomas Rincon, Claudio Marchisio, Dani Alves and Paulo Dybala back into the starting XI.

Lazio selected Stefan de Vrij, Wallace, Dusan Basta, Lucas Biglia, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Senad Lulic and Ciro Immobile to make first-team bows.

 

FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/Getty Images

 

Lazio almost took the lead in the opening moments as Keita Balde hit the woodwork after a blistering counter-attack, but Juve began to dictate the tempo and grabbed the lead through Alves.

The Brazilian legend side-footed home in the 12th minute at the far post against the run of play, stunning Lazio after a constructive start.

OptaPaolo highlighted Alves' goal:

 

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Juventus doubled their lead 12 minutes later as Bonucci was left alone in the box from a corner, allowing the defender to flick home from close range.

It was a bad goal for Lazio to give away, and it clearly affected their morale as Juve celebrated.

The second half saw Felipe Anderson enter the fray for the Rome side, and the Brazilian almost had an immediate impact as his shot was tipped round the post by Neto.

Anderson was inspired as Lazio hunted a way back into the match, but overall, the Eagles struggled to rise to the challenge.

 

Marco Rosi/Getty Images

Juve began to hunt for a third on the counter-attack as the match became stretched, but Lazio were unable to feed Immobile, despite the striker taking up good positions.

There was no rush for Juve in the final moments, and they dictated the tempo against a fatigued opponent.

Lazio carried a threat in the second half, but the Old Lady displayed the tactics that have made them Italy's best side for a number of years.

The timings of the goals hurt Lazio, and if they could have resisted until half-time, they might have stolen the cup.

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

One down, two to go

 

 

Lazio were beaten in the Coppa Italia Final by many of the qualities that

allowed Juventus to dominate this season, writes Adam Digby.

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102742/one-down-two-go

 

 

May 17, 2017

 

One down, two to go. Having slipped up in the league on Sunday, Juventus returned to the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night, recording a 2-0 win over Lazio that ensured the Bianconeri were the first team to have won the Coppa Italia in three consecutive seasons.

While Roma shocked the Turin giants in the same venue just three days ago, their crosstown rivals were quickly and easily swept aside thanks to first half goals from Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci.

This was nothing new for these two sides, Juve winning each of their six previous meetings with the Biancocelesti, scoring 11 goals and keeping a clean sheet every time. The gulf in quality between them – a chasm further highlighted by the 15-point gap in the current Serie A table – was evident throughout the game, but the 90+ minutes of action also served as a perfect microcosm of how Max Allegri’s team have fared in the 2016-17 campaign.

They did more than enough to win, Lazio arguably fortunate to only be trailing by two goals after a first half that Juventus completely dominated. For large portions of the opening stanza, the Rome-based side struggled to gain a foothold in the game, Dani Alves and Alex Sandro stretching them down either flank while Paulo Dybala tormented them through the middle.

While the Argentinian roved around the pitch and popped up wherever he found pockets of space between the opposition defence and midfield, Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic worked tirelessly to close down Lazio whenever Juve lost possession. Of course the presence of the BBC kept their attacking prowess fully in check, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini denying Keita Balde Diao and Ciro Immobile the chances other teams have surrendered.

However, perhaps it was the displays from unheralded names that best showcased Juve’s complete control in this clash. With Sami Khedira injured and Miralem Pjanic suspended, Allegri was forced to hand Tomas Rincon a place in the starting XI, the Coach rewarded with a solid, reliable outing from the Venezuelan midfielder. He provided a strong filter alongside Claudio Marchisio, the duo helping the Bianconeri kill the tie off after the break, the game never truly looking like a genuine contest.

Further back, goalkeeper Norberto Neto once again deputised for Gigi Buffon, the Brazilian making a number of saves – albeit largely comfortable ones – to register his seventh shutout in 13 appearances this term. Neither Rincon nor Neto are likely to feature in the Champions League Final, a game that Juventus will certainly be able to focus on once they take care of business against Crotone on Sunday.

Cup finals should not be this straightforward, but the celebrations for this victory will be somewhat muted given what lies ahead. Even as they move on to their next objective, the Coppa Italia Final showed once again why Juventus remain head and shoulders above their domestic competition.

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Juventus' Max Allegri eyes 'fantastic'

season after Coppa Italia win

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/3128508/juventus-boss-

max-allegri-eyes-fantastic-season-after-coppa-italia-win

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Massimiliano Allegri complimented an "extraordinary" Juventus in the wake of their 2-0 Coppa Italia final victory over Lazio on Wednesday.

Juve kept their Treble hopes alive with victory at the Stadio Olimpico and can follow up their first trophy of the season with a second if they beat Crotone to clinch the Serie A title on Sunday.

They then face Real Madrid in the Champions League final on June 3, when they can turn a great season into a fantastic one, according to Allegri.

"I've got to compliment the lads for what they have done -- they were extraordinary," Allegri told RAI television. "Now on Sunday we've got another big appointment -- to win the league. All the lads are playing a great season and now we have to make it a fantastic one.

"Crotone have picked up 17 points in their last seven games, so we are going to have to be as ruthless as we were tonight. We need a win on Sunday."

That will then need to be followed by another win two weeks later if Juve are to replicate arch-rivals Inter Milan by winning a cup, league and Champions League Treble in the same order that Jose Mourinho & Co. achieved it in 2010.

"This is our first objective reached today, and now we want to win the Scudetto," said Leonardo Bonucci. "The defeat to Roma at the weekend did us good. It hit the headlines because it doesn't happen often that we play like that. We were not nasty enough and we've worked very seriously in these past few days and knew we had to play this game like this, now we've got 20 intense days to go.

"Sunday is another cup final to seal our second objective of the season, then we all go to Cardiff together."

Juventus celebrate the first of what could be an historic Treble of titles on Wednesday.

Full-back Dani Alves opened the scoring for Juventus on Wednesday, continuing his rich vein of form, but Allegri refused to single the former Barcelona man out for praise.

"To talk about a single player would be disrespectful to the others. It's down to everyone that we got this, our first objective," Allegri said.

"Congratulations to the boys, because they were amazing."

Meanwhile, Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi felt his side did not get the rub of the green on the night, although he paid tribute to the Bianconeri.

"They are Champions League finalists, but they were up against a side who put them to the test tonight and we were not fortunate either, because at 0-0 we could have gone in front with Keita's shot which deflected off an arm against the post, and the game would have changed," he said.

"This is not taking anything away from Juve, but we lost two players against Fiorentina on Saturday due to injury and we got the feeling then already that things were not going our way. Maybe with a bit of luck, it could have gone differently. We're sorry to have lost, but compliments to my lads."

 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Coppa Italia Player Ratings:

Juventus 2-0 Lazio

 

 

Juventus took the Coppa Italia for the third year in a row,

but who made the difference in the Final with Lazio?

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102743/coppa-player-ratings-juventus-2-0-lazio

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Juventus
 

Neto: 7
Some may criticise Neto for his previous performances, but at times tonight he was superb. His incredible reaction saves from Immobile and Felipe Anderson kept Juve 2-0 up in the second half.

 

Dani Alves: 8 (Man of the Match)

Yet another fantastic performance from the Brazilian, whose opening goal set Juve on their way tonight. His bursts forward essentially made him a right-winger at times, and he was probably Juve’s key man all night. His volley was what the side needed to set them on their way to success. It’s hard to think why Barcelona let him go, but it’s Juve’s gain!

 

Giorgio Chiellini: 7

Every week it seems to be the same thing about Chiellini, and that is that he’s always reliable at the back. He wasn’t spectacular, he wasn’t flashy, but he did what was needed from him. He cleared every ball, headed away every cross and even made the short burst forward on the ball. He did everything that was asked of him.

 

Leonardo Bonucci: 8

Bonucci does have a habit of popping up with the odd goal every now and then, and he did just that tonight, scoring the important second. Much like Chiellini, he was a rock at the back and dealt with whatever came his way. He defended with class and his goal was testament to his performance tonight, topping off another great season.

 

Andrea Barzagli: 7

Coming up against Keita Balde Diao looked like it could have been a challenge for Barzagli tonight, but he dealt with the Senegal striker’s pace with ease. In a foot race, there is only one winner. Keita could have had Barzagli on toast, but the veteran defender’s intelligence kicked in and he managed to contain the winger all night.

 

Alex Sandro: 8

Are Alex Sandro and Dani Alves the best full-back pairing in the world? Tonight showed why the two are so highly rated, with the first goal being made between the duo. Sandro’s sensational deep cross to the back post picked Alves out and the latter did the rest, but all night Sandro was constantly up and down the left-hand side. The Brazilian was vital tonight, providing two assists, and showed why so many people feel his is the best left-back in the world.

 

Tomas Rincon: 6

With Miralem Pjanic and Sami Khedira unavailable, Rincon was drafted in to hold the midfield line and play as an anchor to allow the full-backs to bomb forward and let Claudio Marchisio dictate play. Nothing special, but he did his job.

 

Claudio Marchisio: 7

Due to Rincon holding the line, Marchisio was allowed to be the ball carrier and essentially play the Pjanic role tonight. He started attacks and his wide array of passing set Juve up on forward drives on multiple times. It doesn’t seem like Marchisio does much during a game, but his impact in a side is huge.

 

Paulo Dybala: 7

Once again, Dybala’s pace and trickery was key for the Bianconeri tonight. He may not be on the score sheet, but he added that something extra in the final third and always looked like he was prepared to take defenders on. Dybala has a habit of drifting out wide at times and roaming towards the middle, and this makes him almost impossible to mark and pin down at times.

 

Mario Mandzukic: 7

Again, Mandzukic’s hard work is what set him apart at times tonight, with his industrious style pushing Juve hard at times. He may not be the most elegant of players, but he never gives up and is always an asset to have in any side. You can always count him to get on the end of some chances, or like tonight where he was more creative than anything.

 

Gonzalo Higuain: 7

Higuain failed to score tonight, but his hold-up play was essential for bringing others into attacks. He had a few chances to really make the score look emphatic, and whilst some may judge him on his misses, it’s better to look at his build-up play to judge him tonight.

Subs:
Mario Lemina: N/A
 

Lazio
 

Thomas Strakosha: 7

If it wasn’t for Strakosha tonight, Lazio would have been battered. He made some incredible saves at times in the first half and really kept Lazio in with a fighting chance. Without him, Lazio would have been done in the opening half-hour, but Strakosha was fantastic during the 90 minutes.

 

Wallace: 6

Playing in a back three, Wallace wasn’t outstanding, but at times he did well. He let Dani Alves slip in at the back post for the opener, but apart from that he was relatively solid throughout. He’d be disappointed for the first goal, but overall he didn’t make many mistakes.

 

Stefan de Vrij: 6

The highly-rated Dutchman wasn’t bad tonight, but he wasn’t outstanding either. At times he was caught out by Dybala’s pace, but apart from that he was good in the heart of the back three. Went off injured.

 

Bastos: 5

Subbed off just before the hour mark, Bastos was average tonight. There wasn’t much he could have done to stop the two goals, and he was okay in the back three. Nothing more of note on Bastos, but this game shouldn’t paint a picture over his whole season.

 

Senad Lulic: 4.5

The full-back wasn’t really able to do much damage on his flank, mainly due to the constant threat of Dani Alves coming at him in almost every Juve attack. He had a bit of a nightmare in defence, losing his man for the opening goal and even nutmegged by Dani Alves at one stage.

 

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: 6

The Serbian gave a good account himself as he tried to kick-start attacks, but he just couldn’t do much against a rigid Juve side. He tried to drive from midfield, but due to the deep-lying defence of Juventus and some special attention from Rincon, he wasn’t that effective.

 

Lucas Biglia: 6

A deeper lying midfielder in the pair this evening, Biglia was seemingly always chasing back. He would sit back and let Milinkovic-Savic run forward, trying to stop attacks, but he just couldn’t do it to the level that was needed.

 

Marco Parolo: N/A

After just about passing a late fitness test, Marco Parolo didn’t last too long in the game. Subbed after just 21 minutes, you could tell he wasn’t in good shape.

 

Dusan Basta: 6

Basta tried to create moves for the forwards from the wing-back position and he had some success, with his runs allowing him to get a few crosses in, but unfortunately for Lazio, a lot of them had failed to reach Immobile in the middle. Basta certainly did better than his fellow full-back Lulic, but that’s not really saying much.

 

Keita Balde Diao: 6

It all started to so well for Keita, with his blistering pace setting him free within the first five minutes, striking the post and nearly opening the scoring, but apart from that he was absent. It was a mix of being marked out of the game and having little to no service, but Keita’s fast start was soon forgotten about.

 

Ciro Immobile: 5

Immobile attempted to get into good positions and really did try to get onto the scoresheet, but ultimately he didn’t have the service to score. His downwards header towards goal would have gone in had it not been for the incredible reflexes of Neto, but that was about as good as it got for Immobile tonight.

 

Subs:

Stefan Radu: 5

Coming into the game after just 21 minutes, Radu was largely ineffective for Lazio. Over-run at times, Radu was nothing to the game. Then again, it must have been tough to be thrown into the deep end in such a big match.

 

Felipe Anderson: 5.5

Brought on for Bastos just before the hour mark, Felipe Anderson tried to be the spark that Simone Inzaghi’s side needed, but apart from a low drive that stung the fingertips of Neto, he didn’t do all that much. He tried to break free of his marker and did try to get crosses in, however his balls into the back never seemed to beat the last man.

 

Luis Alberto: N/A

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Juventus vs. Lazio 2017: Final score 2-0, Juve make

history with third consecutive Coppa Italia title

 

 

Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci put the Coppa final to bed early.

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/18/15656200/juventus

-lazio-2017-coppa-italia-final-final-score-result-match-recap

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Juventus’ social media people have been doing a really good job with the number/letter replacement hashtags over the last few years. There was “Hi5tory” for last year’s historic fifth consecutive title, and this year it looks like we’ll see “Le6end” if and when — there is no point tempting fate — the Bianconeri put an unprecedented sixth to bed.

On Wednesday night, Juve made another little bit of history. Until Paolo Tagliavento blew his whistle to end this year’s Coppa Italia final, no team had ever won the trophy three times in a row. How do we get a number into play here? The only thing I can come up with is to get a little Shakespearian with “Histori3,” but that just looks wrong.

Oh, well. They’re better at this than me. They’ll think of something.

Coming into the final on the back of a disappointing 3-1 loss to Roma in league play on Sunday, the hope was that the setback would shake Juve from a slumber that had seen them fail to win a domestic match since they destroyed Genoa 4-0 on April 23. Draws against Atalanta and Torino had preceded the Roma game, with focus clearly shifted to the Champions League as Massimiliano Allegri tried to rest key players in a team that, in its current form, doesn’t have all that much depth thanks to injuries.

He had to shuffle things around in midfield to deal with the absence of Sami Khedira, dealing with a hamstring injury, and Miralem Pjanic, who was suspended for yellow card accumulation. That led to a starting midfield of Claudio Marchisio and Tomas Rincon. Allegri returned to the hybrid 4-2-3-1/3-4-2-1 look that had confounded Monaco in the Champions League semifinals. The BBC made its return, while Norberto Neto took the net as is team policy in the Coppa. Marchisio and Rincon were flanked by Dani Alves and Alex Sandro, with Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, and Mario Mandzukic up in the attack.

Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi had his own worries, as No. 1 goalkeeper Federico Marchetti missed out due to injury, forcing Thomas Strakosha to deputize. Marco Parolo passed a late fitness test, and left back Jordan Lukaku was also sidelined.

As the game started, it was clear that Lazio weren’t going to sit back. They pressed hard, and the pressure paid six minutes in when Alves lost the ball, springing Keita Balde Diao on a one-man run. The Senegal international skipped past Leonardo Bonucci and fired from a tight angle. The ball struck Andrea Barzagli’s hand, which was resting by his thigh, and bounced off the post.

Juve responded immediately to the early wake-up call, with Higuain testing Strakosha from distance. The shot went right at the Albanian, who met it with a powerful parry.

The early stages developed a pattern. Lazio would press and have a bit of possession before Juve would break on dangerous counterattacks. Juve’s counter is an underrated part of their game because they tend to dominate possession against weaker Serie A teams, but they can be lethal on the run, as Strakosha found out five minutes after he denied Higuain.

After receiving a short pass in midfield from Marchisio, Sandro dribbled forward and launched an early cross to the far post. It found Alves, who was alone in a wedge of space between Wallace and Senad Lulic. The Brazilian volleyed the ball into the ground, and it bounced over Strakosha into the goal.

Twelve minutes in, Juve had the lead.

It was an incredible goal, one that truly showed off the class of both of Juve’s stellar fullbacks. Watching them duel against Real Madrid’s duo could be really fun.

Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Another break two minutes after the opener nearly added to the lead. Higuain laid off for Dybala, whose drive was saved by a sprawling Strakosha. Moments after that he denied the Argentinian again. Alves easily closed on the rebound, and Higuain got ahead of Bastos to try to tap in his cross, but Strakosha somehow got his foot to it.

Lazio suffered a blow in the 20th minute when the injury Parolo had tried to shake pre-match made it impossible for him to continue, and he made way for Stefan Radu.

The counterattack continued to be Juve’s key weapon as he half wore on. A long clearance set Dybala charging down the left side, but he waited a tad too long to cross and a lung-busting run by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw the Serb block his shot out for a corner. Dybala’s delivery was flicked on by Sandro, and Bonucci lost Stefan de Vrij in the crowd to burst into space and side-foot the finish. Juve had the game by the throat after 25 minutes.

The best chances of the rest of the half fell to Lazio, who were now faced with the daunting task of trying to get back into the game against the world’s best defense. Former Juve prospect Ciro Immobile headed wide in the 33rd minute, and on the stroke of halftime Milinkovic-Savic’s powerful header from a corner went right at Neto, sending the teams into the break at 2-0.

When going into the half with a 2-0 lead, one tends to hope that the second half becomes boring, and for the most part it was. To their credit, though, Lazio did do their darndest to make the finish interesting.

A lot of that had to do with Felipe Anderson. Inzaghi inserted the Brazilian early, replacing Bastos only eight minutes into the half. Within a minute he had almost halved the deficit, firing an angled drive with literally his first touch that Neto turned wide with a fingertip save.

Three minutes later he turned provider, popping a cross to Immobile at the far post. The ball actually rattled between his head and Barzagli’s before spinning toward goal from point-blank range, where Neto, wrong-footed by the ricochet, was somehow able to claw it away from the goal line.

Juve did have their chances in the second period. Rincon got himself some space from long range, but never came close to the target. The ball will likely be found orbiting Jupiter by NASA’s next mission to the planet.

More threatening chances fell to Higuain, who seemed to lose a bit of steam as the game progressed. In the 62nd minute Dybala finished a mazy dribble by putting the ball across the face of goal, but his compatriot hadn’t caught up and he was a good two yards behind the play. A minute later he was fed by Dani Alves after a steal but took far too long to decide what to do as he charged forward and was eventually dispossessed. Ten minutes after that he got to the byline and put the ball across the goal, but his teammates were still a good deal behind and the cross went to no one.

As these missed opportunities ticked by Inzaghi was forced into another change. De Vrij injured himself after successfully throwing himself at Dybala to prevent him from taking a close-range shot, and was replaced by attacking midfielder Luis Alberto with 21 minutes to go. Before long the young Spaniard tested Neto, but fired it right at him.

Lazio found themselves in shooting positions more and more as the game marched toward its conclusion. Juve seemed to lose a bit of focus, and Immobile, Keita, and Lucas Biglia all putting shots on goal, though all were either blocked or off target.

Higuain was given another chance to put the game on ice with two minutes to go when he was fed by Alves, but Strakosha again got a foot too the ball, keeping the thread his team was hanging by together.

But try as they might, Lazio could never get close. After three uneventful moments of stoppage time, the celebrations began and Giorgio Chiellini, as captain for the night, got to hoist the Coppa for the third time in as many years.

Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

LE PAGELLE

Norberto Neto - 8. Easily his best game of the season. Barring injuries he’ll never play a meaningful game outside the Coppa, but having someone who can play the way he did today is useful in reserve. The saves on Anderson and Immobile were truly impressive.

Andrea Barzagli - 7.5. An unexpectedly dominant performance by il Muro. He tends to struggle with pacy players these days but kept up with Keita all night and outthought his opponents, always ending up in a place to disrupt the attack.

Leonardo Bonucci - 8. Dude comes up with big goals in big games. His work in the back was solid as always and he threw in a few of his patented long balls, completing seven of eight, according to WhoScored.com.

Giorgio Chiellini - 8. Immense in the back. Racked up nine clearances and blocked a pair of shots. After a rough start to the season he’s back to his old dominant ways.

Dani Alves - 9. What an amazing goal. He didn’t stop there, giving Lazio fits down the attacking right all night long, making four key passes and making a couple of defenders look silly while not shirking his defensive work.

Tomas Rincon - 6.5. Didn’t make any huge mistakes but wasn’t an especially major player either. Held his position well and allowed Marchisio the freedom to pull the strings.

Claudio Marchisio - 7. He doesn’t command the midfield the way Andrea Pirlo used to, but his brand of regista play, while different, is no less valid. Completed 93.9 percent of his passes and fed the forwards on their breaks.

When you deliver a cross like that, you deserve to have your boots shined up real nice.

 Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Alex Sandro - 9. Recorded both assists with an early cross and a flick-on on a corner kick. Had three key passes and completed a team-high 95.7 percent overall, along with two tackles and three interceptions.

Paulo Dybala - 7.5. Cut through the defense with a couple of great runs and was denied a few times by Strakosha. His speed was instrumental in spurring the counter early.

Mario Mandzukic - 7.5. Industrious down the left side. Got back to defend as usual and provided a target for long outlets.

Gonzalo Higuain - 6.5. Denied by a string of excellent Strakosha saves. His rating gets dragged down just a bit for two reasons: 1) his holdup play was spotty, especially in the first half, and 2) he simply takes way too long to make up his mind when he is moving with the ball at his feet. Looked a bit behind play as the game dragged on.

SUB

Mario Lemina - NR. On to give Dybala a rest, helped see the game out from midfield.

MANAGER

Max Allegri: 6.5. Pushing Alves forward and playing Barzagli on the right in a hybrid 4-2-3-1/3-4-2-1 has paid some major dividends, which we’ll get to in a moment. This rating is a little lower than some might expect because of Allegri’s substitutions — or rather lack thereof. Lemina relieved Dybala, but no one else came on, and given the fixture congestion and the state of the team’s depth, that was surprising, especially in the case of Higuain, who visibly flagged as the game wore on. The striker has played 52 matches this year, all but six of them as a starter. Marchisio is still getting to full fitness after last year’s knee injury and had taken a nasty knock in the 51st minute. Some of these guys should not have been playing 90 minutes.

TACTICAL ANALYSIS

I’ve said before that one of Allegri’s hallmarks is the use of hybrid formations that morph and change as the situation dictates. The most obvious example was seen in the Champions League group stage last season, when Andrea Barzagli was played on the right in a 3-5-2/4-3-3. Even the “Five Star” system turns itself into a 4-4-2 when Juve are defending for extended periods.

Placing Barza on the right is the fuel behind this new 4-2-3-1/3-4-2-1 look that Allegri has been giving us since the start of the Champions League semifinal tie with Monaco. In possession, he drifts wide as a full-back to allow Dani Alves to take up the right wing position. When the ball is lost Alves returns home and Barzagli returns to the familiar BBC back line with Alves and Sandro acting as wing backs.

These new tactics help Barzagli overcome his problems with pacy players, and allows Alves to have more free reign in attack. That’s a big deal, because he’s much better at breaking down an opponent from a standstill than Juan Cuadrado, who is more suited to breaking away on the counter.

It’s another innovation from Allegri. It now remains to be seen whether he’ll use this hybrid lineup against Real Madrid on June 3 or if he’ll revert to the more traditional “Five Star” lineup in a straight 4-2-3-1.

Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images

ONE DOWN...

The Coppa is now done. The next objective is the scudetto. Juve will win their record sixth consecutive title with a victory in either of their next two games — provided Napoli and Roma don’t oblige them by dropping points before Sunday’s match against Crotone kicks off.

Crotone won’t be a pushover. Once thought certain to go down, Davide Nicola’s team hasn’t lost since March and have a W-D-L record of 5-2-0 in their last seven matches, including a win over Inter and a draw against AC Milan. They’re still in the drop zone, but are only a point behind Empoli and two behind Genoa. There are few opponents more dangerous than a provinciale with a purpose.

That said, they’ll be heading to the J-Stadium to face a team that has a mission of their own. After the Roma loss, Angry Juve has shown up. I like Angry Juve, and if it stays around for the weekend, the Sharks will be in for a long day.

Here’s hoping that trophy two will be in the bag by lunch.

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Lotito: ‘Lazio won in the stands’  

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102756/lotito-‘lazio-won-stands’

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Lazio President Claudio Lotito says the club’s fans “won overwhelmingly” against Juventus in the Coppa Italia final.

 

The Biancocelesti fans unveiled a huge eagle before the match, which ended with the Old Lady lifting the trophy after a 2-0 win.

 

“A thank you and a big hug to all Lazio fans,” Lotito said in a statement.

 

“In particular to the curva who, with their coreografia, deservedly and overwhelmingly won compared to the Juve fans.

 

“They applauded the players and the club with genuine passion while respecting the rules, even at the end of the game, thus showing the squad and the club all of their affection and support and relieving the pain of the result.”

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Marchisio: ‘No more mistakes!’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102766/marchisio-‘no-more-mistakes’

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio hails the Coppa Italia triumph, but warns “we can no longer make mistakes”.

 

The Bianconeri are just two games away from the Treble, having won the cup against Lazio last night.

 

A win over Crotone on Sunday will secure a sixth Scudetto in a row, while they’ll also contest the Champions League final on June 3 against Real Madrid.

 

“We really enjoyed the win,” Marchisio told Sky.

 

“The words were there after Sunday’s game against Roma, because as we’ve seen and have always said during the year after bad defeats there have always been great reactions.

 

“Before though we’ve had time to react to defeats, now we don’t have any more time and we reacted well in winning the first trophy, the Coppa Italia.

 

“Now we have two more finals to play with maximum concentration, because we can no longer make mistakes.”

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Mazzoleni to referee Juve-Crotone

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102758/di-bello-referee-lazio-inter

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Paolo Mazzoleni will be the man in the middle as Juventus look to secure the title against Crotone, while Nicola Rizzoli is entrusted with Napoli-Fiorentina.

 

Marco Di Bello will take charge of Inter’s trip to Lazio, as the Serie A Week 37 referees are announced.

 

The Nerazzurri must win at Stadio Olimpico to keep their slim Europa League hopes alive, as they are currently four points away with just two games to play.

 

Today the AIA has announced that Di Bello will take charge of the fixture, which kicks-off at 19.45 UK time on Sunday night.

 

 

Serie A Week 37 referees:

 

Chievo-Roma - Antonio Damato
Empoli-Atalanta - Paolo Valeri
Genoa-Torino - Marco Guida
Juventus-Crotone - Paolo Mazzoleni
Lazio-Inter - Marco Di Bello
Milan-Bologna - Piero Giacomelli
Napoli-Fiorentina - Nicola Rizzoli
Pescara-Palermo - Luca Paireto
Sassuolo-Cagliari - Luigi Nasca
Udinese-Sampdoria - Riccardo Pinzani

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champions League finalists Juventus and

Real Madrid stay first and second

 

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3128900/shaka-hislop-power

-rankings-see-champions-league-finalists-juventus-and-real-madrid-stay-first-and-second

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

It's that time of the season when trophies are handed out and the biggest teams celebrate.

 

1. Juventus (no change)

In terms of Juve's treble mission, Part 1 is complete -- a 2-0 Coppa Italia final win vs. Lazio saw to that -- and Part 2 should be finalised on Sunday, when a draw vs. Crotone will be enough to clinch Serie A. After that, the focus will turn to the Champions League final.

2. Real Madrid (no change)

Talking of which, Juve's opponents in Cardiff have some business of their own to attend to before that June 3 showdown. After a week in which they won 4-1 vs. Sevilla and Celta Vigo, Madrid will seal the Liga title if they avoid defeat at Malaga on Sunday.

3. Chelsea (no change)

Admit it, how many of you predicted that Michy Batshuayi would score Chelsea's title-clinching goal? The scorer might have been unlikely but, since September, the destination of the Premier League trophy this season has been more and more apparent.

4. Barcelona (no change)

Neymar's hat trick sealed a sixth straight league win -- thrashing Las Palmas 4-1 -- but the title looks to be slipping away. Fans seeking some hope, though, might point to Barcelona's last defeat: A 2-0 reverse at Madrid's final-day opponents, Malaga.

5. Bayern Munich (no change)

With the Bundesliga decided, Bayern's trip to second-place RB Leipzig had less meaning. Or so it appeared. The hosts led 4-2 and looked set to bloody the champions' nose, only for Carlo Ancelotti's side to snatch victory with three goals in the last 10 minutes.

6. Monaco (no change)

One of the most impressive league-title wins of recent seasons was competed on Wednesday when Monaco claimed Ligue 1 glory. Manager Leonardo Jardim's exciting young side have been a joy to watch all season; here's hoping it doesn't get broken up this summer.

7. Roma (+2)

While a 3-1 win against Juventus is unlikely to derail the champions-elect, Roma's victory was noteworthy nonetheless. What's more, it keeps them in the box seat for second -- and group-stage entry into the UCL -- with Napoli a point behind.

8. Atletico Madrid (-1)

Twelve points behind Barcelona and six in front of Sevilla mean Atletico will finish third in La Liga. And so their attention turns to the summer transfer window and the yet-to-be-answered questions surrounding the future of Diego Simeone and several key players.

9. Benfica (new)

Winning the league is great -- Benfica did that with a 5-0 thumping of Guimaraes -- and winning the league for a fourth straight seasons is even greater. But what tops both of those things? How about celebrating with a few motorbike tricks in the changing room?

10. Feyenoord (new)

Not all heroes wear capes, and, in a football sense, few of them are veterans whose best years have -- we thought -- passed. Step forward Dirk Kuyt, 36, who scored a hat trick to clinch Feyenoord's first league title in the Dutch Eredivisie since 1999. Then he retired three days later!

Dropping out: Borussia Dortmund, Ajax.

 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Neto: ‘Barzagli helped me…’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102769/neto-‘barzagli-helped-me…’

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Juventus goalkeeper Neto admits he was lucky when saving from Felipe Anderson and Ciro Immobile - “Andrea Barzagli helped me a lot…”

 

The Brazilian deputises for Gigi Buffon in the Coppa Italia, and pulled off two stunning saves in quick succession last night to help the Bianconeri lift the trophy.

 

“Winning the Coppa Italia was our first objective,” Neto told Juventus TV.

 

“We have to enjoy this moment, but there are only two days until we have our next goal to reach, the League, which we want to immediately focus on.

 

“My saves? They were two difficult saves which were important for the game and because Lazio were pushing us.

 

“On the Immobile one I think I was a bit lucky, but Barzagli helped me a lot by putting him off.

 

“The most important thing was to win though, we’re aware of our ability and the ability to reach all the objectives we’ve set ourselves.

 

“When we go onto the pitch, we always do the maximum and have the objective of winning.

 

“This season we’ve proven we’re a strong team, we’ve grown in an important way and the strength is the group. Everyone plays and we’re growing in quality!

 

“Now we’ve had a beautiful start, it truly was important to win and we succeeded. Now we have to go forward with heads held high with the awareness that we can do it and the same determination.”

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Landmarks of Turin Awards: Coppa Nazionale Edition

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/18/15656256/juventus-lazio-

2017-coppa-italia-final-landmarks-of-turn-awards-match-recap

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

I really, really encouraged people not to freak out the other day when Juventus were pounded against Roma. There were all sorts of dramatic reactions that I’m not going to pretend I, as a fan, have never had. But they were pretty dramatic; we’ve got to admit it. There was all this stuff about the players reading the newspapers and getting big-headed and not concentrating, and how offensive it all was, and then this.

Juventus just kicked Lazio’s ass. And Lazio is good. They scored seven goals against Sampdoria. Six against Palermo. They stomped Roma 3-1 — a game for which we ought to be very thankful, although of course had they drawn or lost we would’ve approached our date with Roma differently — and they’re the top team in Italian football who’s not Roma, Napoli, or your very own Juventus. And it was extremely evident that Lazio is nowhere near the Bianconeri in terms of quality. Max Allegri didn’t even have Miralem Pjanic!

So, let’s breathe.

Let’s celebrate this one, because the fellas are one-third of the way there, and they did it in strapping fashion. They’ve now got three days to rest before playing Crotone at Juventus Stadium, with a chance to wrap up part two of the three-step path to dominance.

Aperitivi

A tantalizing collection of titillating tidbits.

• Sort of a weird game, but not in a bad way. There were only two goals scored; you are probably aware of this. But there could have been lots more. Some of that is thanks to Neto, in a good way. Neto! What a game by the Brazilian backup goalkeeper. He’s had his non-moments, but Wednesday night he proved that he’s a worthy second-string option behind Gianluigi Buffon.
• The other reason there were not more goals: Bad finishing on the part of Juventus. I’ll address this below.
• That was a fun game. That was fast and up and down and everything that football or soccer or calcio or whatever should be.
• Is anybody else irrationally into Lazio’s kits? I really like the colors, the simplicity, and that white collar looks clean as hell.

Onto the awards:

Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Sidewalk of Turin Award

For a weak(ish) performance masked by other factors.

Gonzalo Higuain is a really good forward, one of the best forwards in the world, but I’m just going to be straight with you: For Juventus to unseat Real Madrid, Pipita has got to finish more effectively. We know he can do it, because, um, he’s scored lots of goals, and he scores goals all the time, but tonight was bad.

Higuain is a magician with so many things. His positioning is almost always perfect. The pressure he constantly exerts on a defense is lethally effective, and it’s not difficult to advance the argument that his presence is felt as much when he’s not scoring as when it is. He’s not scored as many this year as last year with Napoli, but he’s clearly made Juventus much, much better.

But against Lazio: two glaring chances. A couple more half-chances. And he didn’t finish. While Leonardo Bonucci did. I think the line of reasoning we’re taking here is that he’s saving up all his finishes for June 3rd, right?

Piazza San Carlo Award

For a potentially overlooked yet stellar showing.

With the usual caveat that it’s hard to overlook anything these days, I thought the player who didn’t really show up on the stat sheet but played absolutely brilliantly was Andrea Barzagli, the 36-year-old, do-it-all, how-is-he-running-that-fast defender.

I was trying to explain to a friend Wednesday morning what Juventus’ shape does with Barzagli at right back. It was especially evident in the Monaco games, but it’s extremely fluid. It’s not really a 4-2-3-1. It’s more of a 3-4-2-1, or something weird like that. Or a 3-4 and everybody else just doing whatever. It’s amazing to watch the formation move forward and expand, then retract when it needs to. The BBC is back in action, and it’s largely thanks to Barzagli’s ability to still, at his creaky old age, chase down wingers.

Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Lingotto Award

For a notable demonstration in both grit and flair.

We’ve known for some time that Alex Sandro is one of the best left backs in the world. (Side note: we’re facing one of the other best left backs in the world in Cardiff.) But I’ve got to say, he’s not been in great — by his standards — form lately.

But against Lazio, a game where Juventus was without their midfield engine Pjanic, Sandro not only tallied two assists, but logged the most touches and the highest passing accuracy with over 95 percent. His cross to Alves was sheer brilliance, the perfect slot between a retreating defender and the keeper. He moved forward with precision. The 4-2-3-1 with Mr. No Good on the left wing really needs Sandro to move forward well, and that happened Wednesday night.

Parco Valentino Award

For an urbane demeanor distributed amongst the squad.

Neto wins an award! Neto wins an award!

He doesn’t quite have the clout to bark out angry orders like Buffon, but he earned hugs from Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini on Wednesday. Anytime you earn hugs from Bonucci and Chiellini, you probably played well. He’s not as good as Buffon — hot take! — and he’s been relatively inconsistent this year, but man was he good when he needed to be against Lazio.

The whole situation where you — “you” being a team regularly playing in European football, with the need to have a really good second option — give your backup keeper an entire tournament, even in the final, is still a little weird to me. I get the rationale, but also it’s like: Don’t you want your best goalkeeper on the pitch? Well, it’s not my decision, and Neto didn’t disappoint.

Honorable mention must go as well to Bonucci, who put the game out of reach for Lazio.

Giuseppe Garibaldi Award

For the man of the match.

Holy crap, it’s not real. Dani Alves, according to WhoScored, had like 7,303 key passes. Also, he scored the all-important first goal. And he should’ve assisted 12 times to Higuain. He had a world-class tackle. He made a defender look sillier than the Three Stooges. Alves at right wing is a revelation. And it’s thanks to so many players moving around and succeeding, and it’s thanks to Allegri’s ability to see that potential.

Juventus are playing a target forward at left wing. They’re playing a 36-year-old at right back, and a 34-year-old right back at right wing.

And they’re about to take Europe by storm.

Fino.

Alla.

Fine.

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

More than full-backs, Dani Alves and

Alex Sandro have Juve thinking treble

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3128906/more-than-

full-backs-dani-alves-and-alex-sandro-have-juventus-thinking-treble

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

 

At times with Juventus, it's just like watching Brazil. 

Take last night's Coppa Italia final, for example. Juventus beat Lazio 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico and became the first team in history to win this competition three years running.  Think of it as one treble in preparation for another.

Dani Alves opened the scoring in Rome, running off the shoulder of the hapless Senad Lulic and volleying his shot into the ground, past the Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha. The 34-year-old has had a hand in five goals in his last five appearances, and as Italian newspaper La Repubblica puts it, continues to "perpetuate his magic moment."

Both strikes on Wednesday were assisted by Alves' compatriot Alex Sandro, who just so happened to set him up in Juventus' 2-0 win against Porto at the Dragao as well, a game that, in hindsight, could come to represent a turning point in their season. A late sub that night, Alves was considered by some to be a flop at Juve and an oddity up until then. 

The pair make quite the full-back tandem and when Juventus play Real Madrid in Cardiff in just over two weeks' time one of the things to watch will be the battle between them and Marcelo and Dani Carvajal. A face-off to decide who is the best double act in the world. That is of course if you can call them full-backs.

Juventus bought Sandro at a time when everybody was expecting them to sign a No.10. Max Allegri had expressed his admiration for players like Oscar and Isco and, for a while, it looked like German international Julian Draxler was Turin-bound. Paulo Dybala, who had already joined from Palermo, was considered a second striker. 

In the end, chairman Andrea Agnelli and general manager Beppe Marotta made a left-back the second most expensive purchase of their administration. A few eyebrows were raised at the cost of the operation. Juventus, renowned for the work they do in free agency, paid €26m for a player entering the final year of his contract at Porto. 

Brazilian full-backs Dani Alves and Alex Sandro teamed up to down Lazio in the Coppa Italia final.

Why? Well, Juventus knew that if they waited to take him for nothing, they couldn't match what Manchester City were prepared to pay Sandro in wages. What City hadn't reckoned on was Juventus' willingness to swallow the cost of taking him early and, boy oh boy, has Sandro been worth it. The Old Lady didn't choose to sign a defender over a fantasista. No, she acquired both in one fell swoop.  

Physically Sandro is built like the Brazilians you see in the UFC Octagon. While his teammates at Atletico Paranaense were at the beach or drinking caipirinhas, he would stay back after training and get another workout in. He clocks up a tremendous amount of running and covers an entire flank by himself, no problem. 

At the end of his first season in Turin, which Sandro initially spent learning the differences of the full-back and wing-back roles, he posted the kind of numbers any coach would want from a defender. The 26-year-old made 94 combined tackles and interceptions in 27 total games in Serie A and Europe.

He also created 52 chances and established a reputation as a dead-eyed crosser, laying on some huge goals for his teammates, at home at City then against Milan and, perhaps most significantly of all, Juan Cuadrado's 93rd-minute winner in the Turin derby, which was the turning point in their season and the start of a comeback from the point of no return in the title race.

Draxler who?

Even after watching Marcelo's virtuoso quarterfinal displays against Bayern Munich, there are Juventus fans still in no doubt as to who is the world's best left-back. It's their boy from Brazil, Sandro. They can't understand why Tite doesn't start him for the Selecao. Bafflingly Tite has sometimes overlooked him entirely, not even calling him into the squad. 

It's madness when you consider the regard Sandro is held in over in Europe. Just 18 months into his Juventus career, the club extended his contract until 2021 and regularly tell City and Chelsea to forget about signing him. It's the fastest they've moved to reward a player. Only Dybala has been offered a new deal in a similar timeframe. 

Alves, meanwhile, follows in the footsteps of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra, Kingsley Coman, Fernando Llorente and Sami Khedira as another priceless Juventus free transfer. There's a case to be made, irrespective of the profits made from Pogba, that he's the most important since Pirlo. The former was the difference when it came to turning Juventus into a Scudetto winner again. The latter could do the same for them in the Champions League. 

"Teach us how to win the Champions League," a humble Gianluigi Buffon asked Alves upon his arrival in the summer. Until February, though, Alves looked like a bust. "We found it a bit like hard work at first." Giorgio Chiellini explained. "Both us and Dani. He was like a fish out of water. A foreign body almost...a little crazy for our culture." 

Alves fractured his leg in the 3-1 defeat to Genoa in November and, even at that early stage, ex-pros like Giancarlo Marocchi were writing him off on Sky Italia. But since returning from injury he has, in Chiellini's words, "got better with every game" and is "like [Lionel] Messi. Technically, he's on another level and it's no coincidence he played for Barcelona for such a long time." 

Dani Alves has proved his naysayers wrong, stepping up after a slow start to life in Italy to lead Juve to the Champions League final.

A regista aggiunto or added playmaker, as he's now being called, Alves has created more chances than any other player in the Champions League this season. Playing the role of one of the world's best music producers -- let's say Rick Rubin -- Allegri has gotten Alves to duet with Paulo Dybala in much the same way he did with Messi for so many years. The effects are devastating and Allegri is now laughing at those who ever doubted Alves. 

"Three months ago, some people wanted to strangle Dani," Allegri scoffed. "But when a player is good, he's good in June, September, and the following June...he hasn't turned mediocre. Besides, Alves is not someone we've discovered in the past three months. He's won 29 titles [now 32]." 

On Wednesday night, Alves played the 30th cup final of his career. He has been victorious in 27 of them and is now on course for his third treble. We're talking about one of the most successful players of all-time, someone who can come in and affect the culture of a club, even one full of serial winners like Juventus, a player who has come good at the right time, exactly when it matters, rising to the big occasions. 

"Juventus bought him for nights like these," Alessandro Del Piero said after Alves' starring role in the semifinal against Monaco, which ended with two (and a half) assists and a goal over both legs. The bossa nova out-wide has only helped Juventus boss their opponents. With two such technically gifted full-backs, the team is able to play out from the back and beat the press with skill and finesse, turning defence into attack with 1v1 dribbling, smart combination-play and vision. 

This is where Juventus have come on the furthest in the last two years. Full-backs on paper, in reality Sandro and Alves are so much more. They have grabbed the Old Lady by the hand and are taking her to a place she has never been before as if she were "The Girl From Ipanema". 

 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xavi hopes for a Juventus victory in the

Champions League final for Buffon's sake

 

 

The Spanish great wants the Bianconeri to trump Real Madrid

in Cardiff but not because of his Catalan affinity..

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2017/05/18/35628902/-

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

When Xavi, a four-time Champions League winner with Barcelona, states that he wants Real Madrid to lose in the upcoming Champions League final in Cardiff on June 3rd 2017, one would think it was the Catalan in him speaking out. 

 

But the 37-year-old midfielder, who is currently plying his trade in Qatar's Al Sadd SC, wants the Los Blancos to lose for the sake of Juventus' star custodian Gianluigi Buffon who is yet to win the Champions League in his illustrated career. 

 

"I think Juventus will win the Champions League. I want them to do it for Gigi Buffon," the midfield maestro told reporters at the opening of Qatar's Khalifa International Stadium (KIS), a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

 

 

Gianluigi Buffon has reached the final of the prestigious tournament twice with Juventus, in 2003 where they lost in a penalty shootout against arch-rivals AC Milan and in 2014 when Barcelona outclassed them 3-1. 

 

The 39-year-old is one of the modern greats of the game and Xavi feels he deserves to win the accolade before he called time on his career. 

 

"If he (Buffon) wins it will be his first Champions League title. The final is 50% for both teams but I want Juventus to win for Buffon." 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - LAZIO

 

              2-0     

 

Dani Alves 12'

Leonardo Bonucci 24'

 

 

 

FINAL

 

Wednesday, May 17th, 2017 - 9:00 p.m. CET
Olimpico Stadium, Rome
Referee: Paolo Tagliavento

 

 

 

 

Juventus 2-0 Lazio Coppa Italia

Final Report and Player Ratings

 

 

http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-2-0-lazio-coppa-italia-final-report-player-ratings/

 

 

May 18, 2017

 

Player Ratings

Neto – Was made to work for his money with several fairly comfortable saves in the second, yet to be fair was never truly threatened other than with the deflected Balde effort which hit the post early doors. 7

Bonucci – Solid as Mount Everest. I am amazed at his ability to step up from rather placid to beastly in the space of a few days. Probably the most valuable central defender on the planet. Took his goal with arrogance and confidence. 8.5

Chiellini – Monstrous. Unforgiving, indomitable, world class reading of the game only rivalled by…Leo. 8.5

Barzagli – How the devil can he run so fast at his grand old age? Brilliantly conditioned. Marshalled the lively yet rather tame Lazio attack with mindfulness and guile. 8

Sandro – Outstanding vision and technique to set up the first, played his part in the second and was strong throughout. 8

Alves – Took the opener superbly and created more chances in the first half for others which we really should have put away. 8

Marchisio – As juvefc regular darblack wrote recently, Claudio is our only world class midfielder. He is not a Pinturicchio, but he is a Nietzsche on the field. And dare I say, I believe we might be stronger with him in front of the defence, now he is gaining sharpness, than with either Pjanic or Big Sami in the starting XI. Whilst he has not the creativity of Miralem, or the muscle of Khedira, his game is so much more brilliantly rounded in every area. And the welcome marvel of his return is that presently I rate him at 60-70% of his potential, which will rise, if he can stay fit and get games 9

Rincon – Could be rarely seen in our attacking moves, nor could be seen making the tackles which counted at the back, but the Venezualan was superb. Positionally disciplined, never finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time and kept it simple and swift. Everything we need from a player in that role to allow the more offensive players to prosper. 8

Dybala – A menace in the first half and could have done better with several chances. calmed in the second, kept himself out of the firing line, of mainly a potential maiming as he was mangled over and over again. 7

Mandzukic – Back to his best, fighting, bloodied, roaring and throwing himself into everything with berserker eagerness in all areas of the field. 8

Higuain – Sharper, yet didnt get his goal. had several solid chances, yet all that matters is he played his part and emerged unscathed. 7

First half, we were outstanding. Powerful, constantly threatening, playing some gorgeous football and had we headed into the tunnel at half time 4 or 5 up it would have been warranted…Second half, I suspect Allegri told the players to practice defending a lead and playing on the counter whilst conserving energy.

One cup won, two to follow…

 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Nicola: ‘Crotone have to be mad’

 

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102814/nicola-‘crotone-have-be-mad’

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Davide Nicola wants Crotone to face Juventus with “a healthy madness” on Sunday, comparing his team to Rango.

 

The Squali looked doomed to relegation, but are currently second in the Serie A form table and have given themselves a chance of staying up.

 

With Empoli currently a point away and Genoa a further point clear, defeat in Turin could doom the Calabrians but their Coach is confident.

 

“We’re like Rango,” Nicola said in reference to Johnny Depp’s cartoon chameleon.

 

“The cartoon character who everyone thought was incapable and doomed, but then he showed his boldness and he got his revenge.

 

“This is a game to be faced with the healthy madness of those who have nothing to lose.

 

“The lads have been focused on the training ground this week, we’re going to face opponents who have reached every final and it’s gratifying for us to play them for our objective.

 

“If Juventus have won so much, it’s because they deal in the same kind of attention and hunger.”

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

How Juventus Can Win Serie A?

All The Possible Scenarios

 

 

 

https://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/05/how-juventus

-can-win-serie-a-all-the-possible-scenarios/

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Juventus are only three points away from their legendary sixth consecutive title, but it isn’t over yet, with Roma and Napoli still hoping for a different result.

 

 

The Bianconeri will be crowned Champions of Italy if they win one of their remaining two games, but if not, Juve could see Roma and even Napoli celebrate one of the most unexpected titles in history.

If Juventus don’t collect more than three points in the remaining games against Crotone and Bologna, Roma would be favourites, needing two wins to secure their fourth Scudetto. If Juve lose both remaining games, then Roma could even afford to tie one of their games against Chievo and Genoa.

To see Napoli win Serie A, Juve would have to lose both games, with Roma not making more than four points. But this would be absolutely incredible, yet possible…

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaka: Cheering for Madrid, Alves…

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102824/kaka-cheering-madrid-alves

 

 

May 19, 2017

 

Ricky Kaka admits he is “cheering” for Real Madrid in the Champions League Final but has warned them to look out for Juventus’ Dani Alves.

 

Kaka spent four years at Madrid between 2009 and 2013, prompting the former Milan star to back Los Blancos over Juve on June 2, although he feels Alves can be “key” in the showdown’s outcome.

 

“It’s a beautiful match, the clash between Real Madrid’s great attack and Juventus’ great defence,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

 

“It’s the game that everyone wants to see. Cristiano [Ronaldo] may decide it one box and Higuain in the other.

 

“Another key player for Juve too is Dani Alves, who’s having a great season.

 

“I won’t give anything away on who I think will win, but with my Merengue [Madrid] heart, I’m cheering for Madrid.” 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

Juve regain momentum ahead of

final weeks of the 2016-17 season

 

 

After a slip-up in Rome, the Coppa Italia

win has gotten the team back on track

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/5/20/15663526/juventus

-2017-serie-a-coppa-italia-champions-league-final-stretch-run

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

After a deflating 3-1 defeat in Rome last weekend, Juventus went into their Coppa Italia final with more pressure heaped on them for the contest. A loss against Lazio, in the same stadium where they faltered versus Roma, could have been disastrous. The momentum picked up from the Champions League semifinal triumph over Monaco petered out following the loss against Luciano Spalletti’s side, but Juventus have the wind back in their sails again after picking up the first trophy of the year.

The loss against Roma was concerning more so for the mental impact than the defeat itself. Having to wait to celebrate their sixth successive Serie A title was a disappointment but that moment will come eventually, perhaps even this weekend in the home tie with Crotone. It was the increased pressure and hypothetical thinking of a late season collapse that came with it which consumed the minds of the Bianconeri faithful. As unlikely as that scenario was, with the Coppa Italia final looming, it was hard to ignore.

Losing against Lazio would have meant two big defeats within a few days of each other, thus risking a dwindling of confidence and belief for the final weeks of the campaign. Their hopes of an historic treble would be dashed, while the fixture with Crotone would suddenly centre more on fears of another slip-up than the excitement of a title win. Fortunately, this team is built around strong characters with champion mentality. They’re too experienced to let such a nightmare situation turn into reality, and the performance against Lazio reinforced their winners mindset.

A ruthless performance against Simeone Inzaghi’s side saw Juve pick up the first of three trophies they need to complete their ambitious aim of a treble. Dani Alves’ peach of a goal from Alex Sandro’s brilliant cross gave Max Allegri’s side the lead before a Leonardo Bonucci tap-in ensured victory. Gonzalo Higuain may have missed a couple of sitters but overall it was an efficient outing, who relied on their defensive solidity to see them through yet again. Another big game, another clean sheet. Even swapping Gianluigi Buffon out for second choice keeper Neto had no bearing on the final result.

The Coppa Italia performance reassured those in doubt that this side are ready for the final few weeks ahead. There’s still a league title to be captured & a Champions League final with Real Madrid to be played. But instead of fearing the worst, Juve supporters are now anticipating their team’s success. The win over Lazio was a typical Juventus victory, strong in defense while showing composure up front. Their opponents never looked like causing a problem, bar a couple of half-chances. On the back of the defeat to Roma, picking up a trophy was exactly what they needed to shift momentum back in their favour.

Crotone on Sunday should see Allegri put out a stronger side than in Rome last week, as heading into the final week without the title wrapped up is far from ideal. Going full strength now means a chance to rest those in need of a break for the final matchday, with the trip to Cardiff coming around in just a fortnight. The confidence from Wednesday night’s win, and the relief in keeping their treble dream alive, will make this weekend’s affair easier to deal with. After a blip in their otherwise stellar campaign, Juve are back on track and ready to push on to complete a famous season.

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Juventus could win Scudetto today if...

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102845/juventus-could-win-scudetto-today-if

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

In theory, Juventus could win the Scudetto today without even playing, depending on Roma and Napoli results.

 

The Bianconeri saw their lead at the top of the Serie A table cut to four points with two rounds remaining, postponing the title party with a 3-1 defeat to Roma last week.

 

A victory over Crotone tomorrow afternoon would mathematically clinch their sixth consecutive Scudetto.

 

However, it is possible that Juve could celebrate before even stepping on to the pitch.

 

If Roma lose to Chievo today and Napoli fail to beat Fiorentina this evening, then it will be impossible for both those sides to catch Juventus in the table.

 

A draw for Roma would keep the race alive, because they have a superior head-to-head record with the Bianconeri.

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

Vote for your Juventus player of the season

 

 

http://www.juvefc.com/vote-juventus-player-season/

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

 

With two games remaining and Juventus on the verge of a record-breaking sixth consecutive Serie A title, who is your Juventus player of the season?

 

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Khedira back in Juventus squad

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102856/khedira-back-juventus-squad

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Sami Khedira is back in the Juventus squad for tomorrow’s Serie A meeting with Crotone, boosting his hopes of facing Real Madrid.

 

It kicks off on Sunday at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

 

The German midfielder limped off just 10 minutes into the Champions League semi-final against Monaco with a thigh problem on May 3.

 

He has been working in training to find full fitness and is called up for the Crotone match in Turin.

 

“Khedira worked for a couple of days with the squad, he is at our disposal. He certainly won’t start, but he’ll be on the bench,” said Max Allegri in a Press conference.

 

Daniele Rugani and Marko Pjaca are still out of action, while Rolando Mandragora is at the Under-20 World Cup.

 

 

Juventus squad for Crotone: Buffon, Neto, Audero; Chiellini, Benatia, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Bonucci, Dani Alves, Lichtsteiner; Pjanic, Khedira, Marchisio, Mattiello, Lemina, Asamoah, Sturaro, Rincon; Cuadrado, Higuain, Mandzukic, Dybala, Kean

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Allegri: 'Juve must win tomorrow'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102857/allegri-juve-must-win-tomorrow

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Max Allegri warned Juventus “must win the Scudetto tomorrow against Crotone. This is the moment when we have to grab the bull by the horns.”

 

It kicks off on Sunday at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

 

“We want to celebrate the Scudetto tomorrow. We MUST win the Scudetto tomorrow,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

 

“We emerge from the Coppa Italia Final with an extraordinary result, as nobody had ever won three in a row, and that gave us remarkable strength to go forward,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

 

A victory would mathematically clinch the sixth consecutive Serie A title.

 

“The team had two good training sessions, tomorrow will be a great performance and it will be the Scudetto winner.

 

“Crotone have put together 17 points in their last seven games, I think 10 points from four away fixtures, they have conceded very few goals and are extremely dangerous on the counter-attack.

 

“The team needs to play with calm, but also the determination we saw after the defeat to Roma.

 

“Paulo Dybala is fine. Tomorrow we’ll have Buffon in goal, Dani Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini and Alex Sandro in defence,” he confirmed.

 

“Claudio Marchisio recovered well from the Coppa Italia Final and tomorrow he will play. I am satisfied with what the lads are doing. We’re in a wonderful moment of the campaign, tomorrow we need the fans to be behind us, as it’s the most important game of the season, the one that decides the Scudetto.

 

“A Final is not a game you play, it is one you win. I told the lads we’re sick of the sight of each other, so let’s finish the Scudetto and we can all have a few days off! Then after that we can prepare for Cardiff.

 

“The entire season has been crucial. We made big changes midway through, we won some games when not playing that well, so winning ugly with character.

 

“This is the moment when we have to grab the bull by the horns. Cardiff comes later, tomorrow we need to focus on the Scudetto.”

 

Juventus have seen the title race go down to the wire, as Roma beat them 3-1 last week to reduce the gap to just four points. The Bianconeri picked up just two draws in the last three rounds. What happened?

 

“There is no scientific explanation. It might be a physiological one, that the team has been pushing so hard and we conceded a daft goal against Atalanta at the end.

 

“Football is like this, at times you win games you don’t deserve and lose ones you do. Against Roma the second half performance was the issue and the Coppa Italia Final was the reaction to that, so I expect to see that same approach tomorrow.”

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Juventus-Crotone Match Preview

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/preview/88189

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Juventus can clinch their sixth consecutive Scudetto with a win, but Crotone are the form side in Serie A as they cling to safety.

 

The Bianconeri could’ve celebrated the title by just avoiding defeat to Roma last Sunday, but instead the gap at the top has closed to four points with two rounds remaining. They’ve picked up just two points from the last three rounds and risk wrecking an historic season.

 

For Max Allegri’s side, the task is simple. Win and you’re champions, anything less and it goes down to the final game of the season, giving Roma the chance to close the gap even further.

 

Juve’s lead could even be cut down to a solitary point by the time they kick off this Sunday, which would really give them a wake-up call.

That being said, they do boast the best home record in all of Serie A and come up against a team that spent the entire season in the bottom three.

 

After winning Wednesday’s Coppa Italia Final against Lazio, confidence will be high for the Old Lady. The comprehensive nature in which they won the cup wouldn’t have been good viewing for Crotone, but given their run of form, they will feel invincible.

 

This fixture is arguably just important to Crotone, as they sit just one point behind Empoli and have a superior head-to-head record.

 

Whilst a victory in Turin may seem unlikely, Davide Nicola and his men are on fire, picking up 17 points from their last seven games.

 

They will take inspiration from Torino and Roma in recent weeks and study how to frustrate Juve and try to leave the Stadium with at the very least a point. Unlikely, but not entirely impossible.

 

With Juventus having plenty of rest after the Coppa Italia Final, a few changes are expected. Both Miralem Pjanic and Gianluigi Buffon are set to return to first team action, whilst Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah should be in at full-back in place of Alex Sandro and Andrea Barzagli.

 

Crotone are likely to only make a handful of changes, including Marcus Rohden dropping out, with Bruno Martella comes in at full-back after missing the 1-0 home victory against Udinese.

 

Keep an eye on: Diego Falcinelli (Crotone) –The striker on loan from Sassuolo has been essential to their hopes of safety, contributing 12 goals and two assists.

 

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

 

Last season: Not played

 

Stat Fact: These sides have only ever met three times, with Juventus scoring 10 and keeping clean sheets. They crossed paths in the 2006-07 Serie B campaign, Crotone losing 5-0 in Turin.

 

Top Tip: Gonzalo Higuain to score at any time

 

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Benatia, Asamoah; Marchisio, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain

Suspended: None

 

Crotone (probable): Cordaz; Martella, Ferrari, Ceccherini, Rosi; Nalini, Barberis, Crisetig, Sampirisi; Trotta, Falcinelli

Suspended: None

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Nicola: 'Crotone are like Rango!'

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/102860/nicola-crotone-are-rango

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Davide Nicola explains why Crotone had such a tough start to the season and can now upset Juventus. “We’re like Rango!”

 

It kicks off on Sunday at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

 

“I want the whole team to stay together and participate for the last two games of the season. We’ll see if someone can or cannot recover,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

 

“If I were to list Juve’s qualities, a single Press conference wouldn’t be enough. So, as we always have done, we’ll concentrate on our own strengths.

 

“I see the squad training well, above all it is enormously gratifying to go to the Juventus Stadium two rounds from the end of the season and with it all still to play for."

 

Crotone are one point adrift of Empoli and two behind Genoa, as the relegation dogfight is wide open.

 

“We want to show how far we’ve come, how much the side has improved technically and tactically. We used to joke that at the start we seemed like we’d just passed our driving test, being super careful not to stall or get into the wrong gear, look in the mirror, etc. We spent the whole time thinking about what we were meant to do rather than doing it.

 

“Now we can park comfortably and drive on the motorway. The lads believed in their work and our objective is to go to the Juventus Stadium and show we can have our say.

 

“When the difference in quality is so clear, we have to become great alchemists and mix together different elements to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

 

“I have already found our sponsor, the representative figure. I don’t know how many of you have children, but there’s a great cartoon called Rango. That’s our story.

 

“A character who didn’t seem to have many characters, but he made people believe that he had even more than he really did. We’re like little Rangos.”

 

Rango is a 2011 computer-animated Western film voiced by Johnny Depp about a pet chameleon who ends up becoming the sheriff of a town populated by desert animals.

 

“I don’t know if the season will be resolved tomorrow or if it goes down to the wire. We cannot even afford to think about the result in Turin, we need to focus only on all we did to reach this stage and have the same self-belief that we’ve showed against the other big clubs.

 

“It’s not easy to be told for a year that we’re not good enough and then suddenly to surprise people. There are many out there cheering Crotone on now. We’re going to face a side that is trying to win the Treble, but it’s that great madness that could allow us to believe in a result.

 

“We want to prove that we are not doomed before we even kick off. Statistically it may well be true that we don’t have much of a chance, but it’s football and anything can happen.

 

“As we proved in recent rounds, and that makes a Coach happy, a player who hasn’t been picked many times to start can still be decisive. There’s a year of work that goes into being ready for that moment.”

 

 

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

[Socrates 7971]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - CROTONE

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 37

 

Sunday, May 21st, 2017 - 3:00 p.m. CET
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Mazzoleni

 

 

 

 

Juventus v Crotone Match Preview

 

 

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

 

 

May 20, 2017

 

Juventus v Crotone

Serie A Week 37 –  Sunday, 21st May – 14:00 GMT – Juventus Stadium

---

Juventus

Juventus bounced back in an excellent way after the disappointing performance against Roma and laid the smackdown on Lazio in the Coppa Italia final, lifting the first cup of the season and for the third time in a row. After an early scare due to a Balde Keita finish that bounced off the post, the rest of the game went as scripted. Dani Alves once again proved to be the man of the hour and Alex Sandro was spectacular as well. An all-around game by Bianconeri, who administered very well once they got the lead.

The second trophy could arrive on Sunday as we take on Crotone and need a win to seal the record-breaking sixth Scudetto in a row, regardless of Roma and Napoli’s results. The 33-home game winning streak was snapped by Torino, so it is time to start a new one in order to avoid useless worries in the final match day.

There will not be much rotation as Allegri underscored the need to wrap things up. Gianluigi Buffon will return in goal: even though he did not need to do many saves, Norberto Neto had his best game since joining against Lazio. I do not know whether he will stay or go, with the management maybe looking to bring in the heir apparent to the throne for a one-year tutorship, but he certainly helped his value in Rome. Massimiliano Allegri announced that Dani Alves, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Alex Sandro will start: it remains to be seen whether the former Barcelona will feature in the defence or as right winger; Juan Cuadrado will play in the first case, Stephan Lichtsteiner in the second.

Sami Khedira will be at disposal and that is great news: if things go well, he might make a cameo on Sunday or next weekend. Miralem Pjanic will play from the get go, alongside Claudio Marchisio, even though Mario Lemina and Tomas Rincon might have a chance if the coaching staff decide to not overload Il Principino. There were some concerns about Mario Mandzukic’s fitness after blows to the back and to the head, but he is a warrior. If he was not ready, Stefano Sturaro would take his place. Paulo Dybala did not show any sign of ailments on Wednesday after some pre-game alert. Gonzalo Higuain will complete the attack.

4-2-3-1: Buffon; Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini, Sandro; Marchisio, Pjanic; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain. 

Injuries: 

Rugani (tibia), Pjaca (knee). 

Suspensions:

None.

 

 

 

Crotone

Crotone are scratching and clawing in a late push to avoid relegation. They would be in much better shape had they performed this well all year long, but we see every year teams turning it around when they really get desperate. They have not lost in their last seven matches, winning five of them, three of which on the road. This stretch allowed them to put great pressure on Empoli and Genoa, who have only respectively one and two more points. This will likely go right down to the wire. It would be hilarious if Genoa got relegated after they arrogantly thought they were already safe in January and cashed in on their best players, disrupting a squad that was doing just fine.

They play exactly how you would expect a low-table team fighting for its life to play. They are sturdy, gritty and unspectacular. Davide Nicola opted for a primordial 4-4-2 with Marcus Rohden, who is more a of a central midfielder, on the right, Adrian Stoian on the left and two pure centre-forwards. It is basic football. It started being successful when the defence put it together and stopped conceding too many goals. They do have some quality there: Federico Ceccherini and Gianmarco Ferrari are skilled centre-backs, and the second one has already been purchased by Sassuolo.

The coach has understandably stuck with the same XI for weeks, but they are dealing with some injury concerns. Stoian has been hospitalized for a couple of weeks because of a virus and he will not play. They have used either Andrea Nalini or Aleksandar Tonev to replace him, who are OK but not as inventive as the Romanian winger. The only constant duel is between Leonardo Capezzi and Andrea Barberis as Lorenzo Crisetig’s partner in the midfield, with Barbers getting most of the starts.

Bruno Martella was a late scratch in their last match and there have not been many updates on his status: should he be out, he would be replaced by Mario Sampirisi. The more concerning news involve Marcello Trotta, who is dealing with a sprained ankle. The pairing with Diego Falcinelli has worked well although they are similar players and it would be a significant blow if he was out. The giant Simy has proved to be effective only in limited stints: he is better suited as a late-game sub. Without Trotta, they would probably switch to 4-3-3 or adapt a winger to a more offensive position, but there is optimism about his recovery.

Probable lineup: 

4-4-2: Cordaz; Rosi, Ceccherini, Ferrari, Martella; Rohden, Barberis, Crisetig, Nalini; Trotta, Falcinelli.

Injuries: 

Stoian (illness).

Suspensions:

None.

 

 

Formation

 

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