Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 3 Juventus 2 - Lazio 0: Initial reaction and random observations As it turns out, sometimes good things can still be done by this team. At long last, a reason to smile. For the players, for the coaches and for those of us like you and me who have been watching Juventus fall further and further into the depth of the nine-game collapse they had coming into Tuesday night’s first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals against Lazio. And while the first 45 minutes of said opening leg against Lazio looked, unfortunately, a lot like what we saw just four days earlier at the Stadio Olimpico, thankfully the Juventus we saw in the second half was a much, much different kind of team. ............ Within a 15-minute span in the second half, Juventus flipped the script from looking like a team that could be slogging their way to another bad result to a comfortable two-goal lead against a Lazio side that limited them to next to nothing just a few days earlier. Goals from Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic not only gave Juventus the 2-0 win and the upperhand heading into the second leg in Rome come three weeks from now, but gave us all — players, coaches and fans alike — something to finally smile about during the club’s worst run of form in a long, long time. You didn’t even need to wait to see those smiles appear, either. There was Chiesa, who is always going to be one of the most emotive Juve players there is, with about as big of a smile as we’ve seen in weeks (if not longer) as he celebrated Vlahovic’s goal to put his team up by a pair of goals. It was, finally, a chance to be happy again about something Juventus did. Sure, it’s only one step and a good 45 minutes does not suddenly correct what this team has done ever since Arek Milik got sent off against Empoli and the poor run of form got underway. But, for now, Juve have a solid lead in a two-legged cup semifinal and now have the chance to close out Lazio and make the Coppa Italia final barring any sort of big-time disaster in Rome. We won’t know if this second-half performance will be any sort of start for the better until Juve face Fiorentina at the weekend and then roll into the meat of this final stretch of games to close out the season. But I just wanna point out a few things that we hadn’t been seeing lately that actually played out Tuesday night: For one, Juve actually scored a goal. That’s a big deal because when Federico Chiesa jumped on Andrea Cambiaso’s brilliant long-range through that went right down the heart of the Lazio defense, Juve were closing in on going 250 minutes without scoring. That’s a lot of minutes — and thankfully Chiesa was there to put that run of scoreless ways to an end. Vlahovic playing in that kind of way and with the kind of brute force and confidence that he showed on his goal is something Juve need a whole lot of going forward. ............ This is a team that exhibited a lot of the same old problems in the first half. Their passing was off. Their defenders couldn’t consistently complete passes out of the back. The attacking game plan looked to be along the lines of “try and get it to Fede or Dusan and then hope for the best.” Vlahovic was surrounded by what felt like half of Lazio’s team every time somebody was trying to get a cross off to him. It was rough. It was a rough watch. It just looked like more of the same. Thankfully, this team actually had an answer to their struggles to open a game. That’s something we weren’t able to say against this same Lazio team four days ago. It’s something we haven’t been able to say for much of the nine-game run that only had one win. It showed that maybe, just maybe, they’re not totally dead yet and there’s finally something to build off of as compared to the awfulness of the last nine games. ............ RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS ............ Even with all of that possession Lazio had, Mattia Perin had to make the same amount of saves that I did on Tuesday. These are the things that made Juve good in the first half of the season. These are the type of things that either Perin or Wojciech Szczesny will always love to see again going forward the rest of the season. We cannot forget that the thing that allowed Cambiaso to make that assist and for Chiesa to score his first goal since Juve’s loss to Napoli is that absolutely fantastic play to keep the ball in play by Manuel Locatelli right in front of Igor Tudor. I don’t know how Loca did that, but he did it. That was some magic right there to keep the ball in and get it to a teammate. Guess who got the assist on Vlahovic’s goal? Surprise! It was Weston McKennie. Those two fellas just can’t stop this who Weston assists, Dusan scores thing. More, please. That’s 10 assists in all competitions for McKennie, by the way. I think it’s safe to say that’s pretty damn good for a player who wasn’t even in the original squad over the summer. Now we just need to get him a goal because he deserves it. One last note on McKennie: Dude was an absolute terror in the second half. His play after the break really is representative of the Juve team as a whole. Well done, Wes. ............ It really does fit the script with how things are going for Juventus lately to win a penalty, have Vlahovic just about to take it and then VAR comes right in and cancels things out. VAR gonna VAR, it’s just the rule of law. It was the wrong call, by the way. We can all agree on that, right? Juventus didn’t do much going forward in the first half. And yet ... they were the only team to record a shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes. This stupid game. Kenan Yildiz only played about 10 minutes against Lazio, but my goodness was he out there looking to destroy the souls of anybody who got in his way. That long run he made from the Juve box to essentially the edge of the Lazio box was just pure skill and strength combining. I woulda loved to see him keep the run going after he passed to Vlahovic, but I guess you can’t have everything in the world. ............ I’m still fawning over that assist from Cambiaso. It was just so beautiful. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/3/24119223/juventus-lazio-2024-coppa-italia-semifinals-leg-1-final-score-result-initial-reaction-observations Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 3 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 6 Journalist previews what to expect from Juventus against Fiorentina Juventus’ upcoming fixture pits them against Fiorentina, following their recent 2-0 victory over Lazio. ............ In the first leg of the Italian Cup semi-final, Juventus displayed their trademark defensive solidity by securing a clean sheet against Lazio. Buoyed by this result, fans now anticipate a similar outcome against Fiorentina. The match holds particular significance for Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic, both of whom will be facing their former club. Alongside their teammates, Chiesa and Vlahovic are determined to showcase their abilities and secure a positive result against Fiorentina. Journalist Paolo De Paola has now previewed the game and said: “What do I expect with Fiorentina? Not a turning point from the point of view of the game. Juve previously managed to impose itself with character and determination, not with the quality of the game. linked to the moments of the individuals, but not to a collective game. If they find themselves and unite, Juve can certainly give a lot. But the game has never been there and I don’t think it will be there now.” ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/journalist-previews-what-to-expect-from-juventus-against-fiorentina/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 6 Preview: Juventus vs. Fiorentina - prediction, team news, lineups After ending their winless run with victory in midweek, Juventus host fellow cup semi-finalists Fiorentina on Sunday, when both teams will try to transfer momentum from the Coppa Italia to Serie A. While Juve have taken just two points from the last 12 available but beat Lazio on Tuesday, the Viola also won their first leg amid faltering form in the top flight. Match preview Second-half strikes from Federico Chiesa and top scorer Dusan Vlahovic put Juventus in charge of their semi-final tie in the Coppa Italia, as they will take a two-goal advantage to Rome for the second leg later this month. Just days after suffering a last-gasp league defeat to Lazio in the capital, Juve managed to turn things around on home soil, so silverware remains a possibility despite their dismal form since mid-winter. ............ In fact, Juventus are 20 points from the top at this late stage of a season for only the second time in their long and illustrious history, causing speculation regarding Allegri's future to swell. The Bianconeri's winless streak stands at four Serie A matches, so after posting an increasingly rare clean sheet in the cup, they will aim to continue their relatively solid home record. Having lost only one of 15 league fixtures at the Allianz Stadium this term, Juve now host one of the clubs that loathe them most: a series of Fiorentina players - most notably Roberto Baggio - have trodden the path from Florence to Turin, creating a bitter enmity. Most recently, Vlahovic (98 league games and 44 goals for the Viola) and Chiesa (137 and 26) have opted to leave Stadio Franchi for the lure of Juventus - but neither has been directly involved in any goals against their old side since. Fiorentina have lost 11 of their last 12 away matches against Juventus, failing to even score in four of the last six, and they were also beaten 1-0 by the Bianconeri in November's reverse fixture. ............ Team News While back-up goalkeeper Mattia Perin returns to the bench and first-choice Wojciech Szczesny replaces him, Juventus boss Max Allegri is not expected to make many other changes to his lineup this weekend. With Arkadiusz Milik still ruled out by injury, Dusan Vlahovic starts up front: Juve's win percentage drops from 64% to 20% without the Serbian striker and their goals-per-game ratio is halved. Vlahovic has racked up 15 league strikes to sit second in the Capocannoniere rankings this season, but he has yet to score in five games against Fiorentina since leaving. ............ Juventus possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic Fiorentina possible starting lineup: Terracciano; Kayode, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Arthur; Gonzalez, Beltran, Sottil; Belotti We say: Juventus 1-0 Fiorentina Both teams are desperate to stop the rot in Serie A, so a gritty contest is set to take place in Turin. As Juventus boast the better attacking options - mostly former Fiorentina players - they can snatch all three points with a single goal. Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/preview/preview-juventus-vs-fiorentina-prediction-team-news-lineups_540678.html Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 6 Juventus vs Fiorentina: Preview and Prediction It is almost a tragedy to think of the plight of Juventus over the last couple of months, for where they were and where they currently are ahead of the game against Fiorentina. The Bianconeri were in the thick of a title challenge with Inter Milan in February but find themselves 20 points behind the leaders and now in the thick of a top-four race. In recent weeks, AC Milan have crawled in from behind and taken over the second spot, opening up a six-point advantage over Juventus. Moreover, fourth-placed Bologna are only two points behind the Bianconeri, meaning in the final games, Massimiliano Allegri might have to fend off rivals like Thiago Motta and even AS Roma’s Daniele De Rossi to secure third or fourth spot on the table. In midweek, Juventus ended their winless run with a win over Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg. Goals from Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic put the Bianconeri in a commanding position. However, the top-four race is not won yet, as plenty of ups and downs are expected, especially given how badly Allegri’s men have been playing since the turn of the year. Fiorentina and Juventus have a long history, as La Viola always look to exact revenge on their Turin counterparts. In the reverse fixture at home, the Turin giants were triumphant after a solitary Fabio Miretti goal proved enough to secure three points. Fiorentina’s recent record when travelling to play Juventus away from home is wretched. They have lost 11 of their last 12 games. La Viola have not scored in four of their last six coming there, meaning Vincenzo Italiano must bring some magic to Turin to turn things around. ............ Team News & Tactics Juventus Barring maybe the returning Wojciech Szczesny for backup keeper Mattia Perin, Massimiliano Allegri is not expected to make any changes to his lineup that beat Lazio in midweek. The Juventus boss is close to having an entire squad at his disposal, with Arkadiusz Milik the only one missing from action, apart from banned duo Nicolo Fagioili and Paul Pogba. Federico Gatti will assume his place in the back three alongside regular partners Gleison Bremer and Danilo. Andrea Cambiaso and Filip Kostic are the preferred choices for the wing-back roles on either flank, with a midfield three of Manuel Locatelli, Weston McKennie and Adrien Rabiot taking shape between them. Allegri will unlikely change his front two players, with Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic the preferred strikers to lead the line. The latter will also want to prove a point against his old club and help Juventus keep hold of third place in the table. Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa Fiorentina Giacomo Bonaventura will return for Fiorentina in the Serie A after serving a suspension last weekend. He did play in the midweek cup clash and is in line to start on Sunday night. Vincenzo Italiano will have a full complement of players to choose from ahead of this trip to Turin. ............ Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Terraciano; Dodo, Martinez, Ranieri, Biraghi; Arthur, Duncan; Gonzalez, Beltran, Sottil; Belotti Key Stats Juventus have won nine of their last ten home matches against Fiorentina in all competitions. Juventus have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven home matches against Fiorentina in all competitions. Juventus have picked up only seven points from their last nine games in Serie A. Fiorentina have lost 11 of their last 12 away matches against Juventus. Fiorentina have failed to score in four of their last six games against Juventus away from home. Player to Watch Dusan Vlahovic Vlahovic has been an essential player for Juventus this season despite constant links with a move away from the club. Statistically, the Bianconeri’s win percentage drops from 64% to 20% without the Serbian striker and their goals-per-game ratio is halved. Moreover, it is a big game from Vlahovic’s perspective as there is always the added pressure of facing former sides, which in this case is Fiorentina. Hence, for Juventus to keep hold of their third spot or even regain second, they will need their mains striker firing on all cylinders, starting with his former side, the Viola. Prediction Juventus 1-0 Fiorentina Fiorentina are in decent form and come into this clash in Turin, where they have not been performing well against Juventus in recent years. Vincenzo Italiano does have some ambitions before leaving the club in the summer, and that would also involve beating the Bianconeri at their ground. However, Massimiliano Allegri’s men have the quality to get the better of Fiorentina, although there’s an expectation this game will be a cagey affair. Juventus might slightly nick the Viola to a narrow victory and keep hold of their third spot in the standings for the time being. Read more -> https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2024/04/06/juventus-vs-fiorentina-preview-and-prediction/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 6 Preview: Juventus vs Fiorentina – Team News, Lineups & Prediction Allianz Stadium sets the stage for Sunday’s handsomely-looking Serie A showdown between out-of-sorts Juventus and European hopefuls Fiorentina. Both teams are desperate for points, albeit for different reasons. Juventus found a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel in midweek Coppa Italia action, claiming a 2-0 home win against Lazio in the first leg of their semi-final tie. After keeping their hopes of avoiding another trophyless campaign alive, Massimiliano Allegri’s men are looking to transfer their cup form to Serie A, where they’ve stuttered in 2024. Last weekend, Lazio got the better of Juventus on Igor Tudor’s touchline debut, as Adam Marusic’s last-minute header settled an evenly-contested affair at the Stadio Olimpico. A 1-0 defeat in Rome marked Bianconeri’s second straight scoring blank in Serie A following a dismal 0-0 home draw against promoted Genoa on the stroke of March’s international break. Demoted to third in the league standings, Juventus can no longer afford slip-ups, with fifth-placed Roma closing the gap to seven points. However, visiting Fiorentina might be in a more precarious situation than their hosts after a three-game winless Serie A streak (D2, L1) plunged them into mid-table. ............ Match Preview Juventus Juventus head into this round frantically looking over the shoulders for the first time in a while after having won just one of their last nine league outings (D4, L4). The record-time Italian champions’ abysmal form in Serie A has caused division between the club supporters, with one portion of the stadium voicing their discontent at manager Allegri during the Coppa Italia game against Lazio. Fiorentina’s visit to Turin is well-timed for the under-pressure coach, considering Juventus have emerged victorious from nine of their last ten home encounters against La Viola (L1). Since a disastrous 3-0 defeat in December 2020, they’ve won three consecutive such fixtures without conceding, with two of those triumphs yielding an identical 1-0 scoreline, highlighting the potential for a low-scoring contest. Fiorentina Like Juventus, Fiorentina will hope their Coppa Italia success could be a turning point as they bid to defy a woeful run of just one win from their last six Serie A matches (D3, L2). Nothing less would do for the Tuscan outfit, especially with direct European rivals Lazio stringing wins in the post-Maurizio Sarri era. ............ Team News Except for the suspended duo Nicolo Fagioli and Paul Pogba, Juventus will be without the injured striker Arkadiusz Milik. On the bright side, Dusan Vlahovic, who got on the scoreboard against Lazio on Tuesday, is back after serving a one-game ban against Biancocelesti last weekend. On the other hand, all but Oliver Christensen are fit and ready for this trip in the Fiorentina squad. It means Andrea Belotti will probably lead the line, with Lucas Beltran, Christian Kouame, and Nicolas Gonzalez likely to line up behind him in Italiano’s 4-2-3-1. Juventus vs Fiorentina Potential Lineups Juventus (4-3-3): Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Gleison Bremer, Daniele Rugani, Mattia De Sciglio; Fabio Miretti, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot; Andrea Cambiaso, Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa. Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Pietro Terracciano; Michael Kayode, Nikola Milenkovic, Luca Ranieri, Parisi; Giacomo Bonaventura, Rolando Mandragora; Nicolas Gonzalez, Lucas Beltran, Christian Kouame; Andrea Belotti. Juventus vs Fiorentina Prediction Juventus fans will no longer tolerate sub-par home performances, as recently witnessed by their reactions against Genoa and Lazio. With Vlahovic back and Fiorentina not at their best, we expect Allegri’s team to get back in the win column. Prediction: Juventus Win Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/preview-juventus-vs-fiorentina-team-news-lineups-prediction/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 6 Juventus vs. Fiorentina match preview An intense rivalry arrives in Turin once again, with two teams looking to get back on track in the worst possible way. Here is something we haven’t been able to say in a while: Juventus are actually coming off a win. I know, I know — I can’t believe it either with the way the last two months have gone. But the rumors are true, dear readers, a Juventus win happened four days ago and we actually got to write about something other than what has been happening ever since the high-scoring ways that filled January. But the thing about getting one win during a brutal stretch doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods just yet. Maybe not even two wins or a few good results rather than the continued doom that you’ve gone through for the last few months. ............ That next chance comes Sunday night on the same field in which the midweek win occurred. And it just so happens to be against a Fiorentina that, like Juventus, picked up a Coppa Italia win midweek that they are hoping will do the same thing as Allegri’s squad — be the start of a turn for the better during a truly awful spell of form. That’s because, before their respective midweek victories, this is how many points Juve and Fiorentina have recorded over the past six games: Juventus: 6 Fiorentina: 6 OK, so as you can clearly see, Juve and Fiorentina are two of the most out of form teams currently going in Serie A. That’s because as much as the last six games have not been good for either side, these streaks of bad form go much further back than just wha the form guide on WhoScored says. That’s because this is what things look like for both clubs since the start of the new year — which, as we know for Juve, was actually pretty good: Juventus: 12 games played, 16 points earned Fiorentina: 11 games played, 10 points earned ............ Of course, the memories of what it took for Juventus to beat Fiorentina the first time these two teams met this season at the Franchi in Florence. It was corto muso as corto muso gets, with Juve defending for their lives after Fabio Miretti scored his first senior goal in the 10th minute. Fiorentina sent in crosses after cross to no avail. It had the likes of Bremer and Juve’s other defenders and midfielders racking up clearances and defensive actions like they were going out of style. It was strong defending, sure, but also the kind of highwire act that has proven to work only so many times with this team. Could Sunday be like that yet again? ............ TEAM NEWS The biggest piece of news over the last couple of days is that Federico Chiesa has recovered from dealing with flu-like symptoms earlier in the week. Chiesa, who scored Juve’s opening goal in the 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Lazio, missed training on Thursday but returned to the group 24 hours later. Arek Milik is the only player currently out injured for Juventus. Allegri said that he expects the Polish striker back in 15 to 20 days. The same two suspended players, Paul Pogba and Nicolo Fagioli, are still suspended. Just for a reminder, Fagioli’s suspension is set to expire on May 20, which isn’t so far away now. With just about everybody healthy, the only reported decision starting lineup-wise that Allegri is still mulling over is at the left wingback spot between Filip Kostic and Samuel Iling-Junior. Allegri said Sunday’s game “will be a good test of character.” JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH We can save a discussion about Dusan Vlahovic’s latest hairstyle later — I don’t even know what you would call this one? — and that’s because will talk about this guy’s importance going forward here these last eight league games. ............ I bring this up because the numbers with Vlahovic in and with him out are pretty staggering: Average goals per game with Vlahovic in the lineup: 1.6 Average goals per game without Vlahovic in the lineup. 0.8 Average points per game with Vlahovic in the lineup: 2.16 Average points per game without Vlahovic in the lineup: 1.0 ............ MATCH INFO When: Sunday, April 7, 2024. Where: Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy. Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. in Italy and the Central European time zone, 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, 11:45 a.m. Pacific time. ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/7/24119589/juventus-fiorentina-2024-serie-a-matchday-31-preview-team-news-schedule-how-to-watch Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 7 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 7 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 7 Juventus 1-0 Fiorentina: Gatti breaks the Viola Federico Gatti’s tap-in proved enough for Juventus to beat Fiorentina, along with a stunning Wojciech Szczesny save on Nico Gonzalez and three disallowed goals. ............ Weston McKennie had the ball in the net at the sixth minute, but only after he had wandered offside. Juve scored again on 12 minutes, but Federico Gatti came sliding on to a Filip Kostic cross and turned it onto the underside of the bar, Vlahovic meeting the rebound, but Gleison Bremer was offside and made contact on the way through. The pair were involved again when the hosts did finally make one count, as a corner found Bremer’s looping header to bounce off the far post, then Gatti tapped in the rebound from point-blank range. Incredibly, Juve had a third goal disallowed at the 32nd minute because McKennie was offside when he nodded down the Chiesa cross for Vlahovic to tap in from close range. This one was much closer than the other two, but caught by VAR. ............ Kenan Yildiz threatened to score with his first touch, cut off by fellow teenager Michael Kayode, while Vlahovic failed to make the most of a misplaced pass in the final third. Fiorentina came extraordinarily close when Nico Gonzalez cut inside to bend a strike towards the far top corner, but Szczesny at full stretch managed to fingertip it onto the underside of the crossbar on 74 minutes. It was the 17th time the Viola hit the frame of the goal this season, more than any other Serie A side. ............ Juve increasingly sat deep as Fiorentina threw everything at them, but the black and white wall held out. It opens up a four-point cushion between the Bianconeri and fourth-placed Bologna. Read more -> https://football-italia.net/serie-a-juventus-1-0-fiorentina-gatti-viola/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 7 Gatti the match winner as Juventus scrape past Fiorentina Juventus started the game eager to continue their fine form from their 2-0 win against Lazio in their last match. Within six minutes, they had the ball in the back of the net, but Weston McKennie’s strike was ruled out for offside. ............ Six minutes later, the ball was in the back of the net again for Juventus, but the goal was similarly disallowed for offside. Bremer then rose highest to head the ball towards the goal, but it hit the post for the unlucky hosts. This time, Federico Gatti was on hand to turn in the rebound. Juve finally had a goal and kept pushing for the second before halftime, and they thought they had it when Dusan Vlahovic tapped in a fine headed assist from McKennie. However, replays showed the American was marginally offside, and Juve had a third goal of the half disallowed. ............ Juventus kept threatening at the restart and could have scored a second as Milenkovic deflected a Filip Kostic cross agonisingly close to scoring an own goal. Max Allegri then switched things around, replacing Kostic with Samuel Iling-Junior and Federico Chiesa with Kenan Yildiz. Yildiz nearly got in on the act immediately, but Michael Kayode defended well against the youngster. Despite making changes, both teams kept looking for the next goal, but neither could get close enough to finding it twenty minutes after the break. Nico Gonzalez had been a problem for Juventus in this half and tested Wojciech Szczesny with a stunning curling shot, but the Polish goalie pushed it onto the bar and out. It was an excellent save for the Juve number one. ............ La Viola then had three corners in quick succession as Juventus struggled to hold onto their lead, but the Bianconeri defended well. Despite more late trouble from Fiorentina, Juve held on to win back-to-back games and give the fans something to cheer. Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/gatti-the-match-winner-as-juventus-scrape-past-fiorentina/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 7 Juventus Player Ratings vs Fiorentina: Gatti the “Corto Muso” Hero Juventus (3-5-2) Wojciech Szczesny – 7 The Pole was a spectator in the first half, but then had a massive save to pull off on Nico Gonzalez’s curler. He was just able to fingertip the shot towards the woodwork to maintain a clean sheet. Federico Gatti – 7.5 The former Frosinone man emerged as the ultimate hero after finding himself in the right place to poach his fourth of the season. But aside from the goal, his contributions at the back were crucial. Never gave Christian Kouame or Riccardo Sottil a chance. Gleison Bremer – 6.5 A powerful display in defense from the Brazilian who nullified Andrea Belotti and M’Baye Nzola. Hit the post with a solid header, which culminated in Gatti’s winner. Danilo – 6.5 The Juventus captain had Gonzalez in his back pocket for the vast majority of the match. A solid showing. Andrea Cambiaso – 6 The former Genoa man wasn’t as inspirational as he was in midweek, but it still passes as a decent display, although he faded later on. Weston McKennie – 6 The American thought he produced his tenth assist of the season, but was denied by VAR. Did well to keep Jack Bonaventura quiet. Manuel Locatelli – 5.5 ............ Adrien Rabiot – 5.5 ............ Filip Kostic – 6.5 ............ Dusan Vlahovic – 6.5 The Juventus Number 9 was certainly craving a goal against his former employers, but was unlucky to be denied by Bremer’s unintentional touch on the first occasion and then a marginal offside position. Afterwards, he got frustrated by his team’s rigid second-half display, and rightly so, Federico Chiesa – 6 The former Fiorentina man didn’t set the world on fire but it was a decent shift nonetheless. Produced a lovely cross to McKennie which culminated in a disallowed goal for Juventus. He also dropped deep to support his teammates at the back. Substitutes Samuel Iling-Junior – 5.5 ............ Kenan Yildiz – 5.5 The Turkish teenager was left starving for the ball and had some dirty work to do. But still showcased his talent on those rare occasions. Carlos Alcaraz – 5.5 ............ Moise Kean – N/A Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/juventus-player-ratings-vs-fiorentina-gatti-the-corto-muso-hero/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 8 Juventus 1 - Fiorentina 0: Initial reaction and random observations A strong first half was replaced by a second half in which Juve barely touched the ball. Yet, thankfully, it was enough for the Bianconeri to record their first league win in nearly two months. There was one reason and one reason only as to why this wasn’t a complete runaway after 45 minutes Sunday night: Of the four times Juventus found the back of the net, three of them were wiped out thanks to VAR ruling things offside. That meant that Juve had to make a Federico Gatti goal 20 minutes in stand rather than having a stress-free second half for the first time in months. That meant things went the way of the first time these two teams met this season back in November: sit back and protect the lead. Sit back they did. A lot. But protect the lead they did, too. Although they can thank their keeper who was in his highlight green kit for that on a rare occurrence Fiorentina actually put something on frame. A one-goal lead through Gatti’s latest eventual game-winning goal that would have been two or three (at least) if not for the offside rule being such a cruel thing saw Juve revert back to basically what they did in Florence back in November. That meant essentially dare Fiorentina to break down their defense no matter how much of the ball they had. And La Viola had a whole hell of a lot of it, but a simply stunning 84% possession after the break only resulted in a few genuine chances, none of which were able to get past Wojciech Szczesny a couple of moments of simply world-class goalkeeping, as Juve held on for a 1-0 win over Fiorentina. It was Juve’s first league victory since they beat Frosinone on Feb. 25. And it was just Juve’s second league victory since the draw against Empoli in late-January started this nine-game run in which things went more than just a little sideways. ............ With the way the first half was going, you didn’t really care who scored a goal that counted, you just wanted Juventus to get a goal that counted. It didn’t matter if it was Gatti or Dusan Vlahovic, just something that stood after they had basically every single quality scoring chance and also limited Fiorentina to next to nothing on the other end of the field. Of course, we didn’t expect a goal to be called off due to offside on THREE DIFFERENT INSTANCES, but that is just the reality of what happened. Juve were playing well, but the offside calls were simply the one thing holding them back from running away with it. Then that second half ... boy, that second half sure was something. Lemme just drop a couple of stats on your real quick: In the second half alone, Fiorentina had nearly 300 more passes than Juventus, 345-69 (nice?). In the second half, Fiorentina had the aforementioned 84% possession. Despite all of that possession, Fiorentina had an xG of just 0.43. It was negative from Juventus, don’t get me wrong there. This was almost a direct replica of what Juve did back in Florence earlier this season without Fiorentina just launching cross after cross after cross into the box simply because they played much of the second half without any sort of reference point up front after taking out Andrea Belotti. But the thing that stuck with me about Fiorentina’s performance was, despite SOOOOOO MUCH possession, how empty all of it was. Outside of the two big saves Szczesny made late in the half, he really had nothing of note to do outside of collect a handful of crosses. Most of Fiorentina’s shots were low-percentage shows from outside the box that went well wide or ones that were blocked by a Juve defender. ............ RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS YOU PUT SOME RESPECT ON WOJCIECH SZCZESNY’S NAME AND YOU DO IT RIGHT NOW. I mean, come on — that’s one of the best saves Szczesny has made since he became Juve’s No. 1. Literally got his fingertips on the ball, which was just enough to redirect it onto the far post and keep it out of the net. It’s just so, so good on so many levels. I’m gonna watch that save so many times over the next couple of hours. You can probably assume this post was sent live later than originally planned simply because I was watching the replay of Tek’s save a few more times just because it was so good. Juventus xG: 2.09 Fiorentina xG: .054 This game is dumb sometimes. It really is. Two Juventus goals called off within the first 12 minutes. Sure, one was more obvious than the other, but I’m guessing you didn’t have that one on the bingo card. Little did we know ... I can’t remember a game in which Juventus had three goals called off due to offside over 90 minutes, let alone in less than 45 minutes. That’s just crazy. The offside rule robbed us of another Vlahovic goal assisted by Weston McKennie. Don’t they know that these things matter to us and we want to see this trend continue?! ............ I wonder if Michael Kayode is interested in signing with Juventus over the next few years. Or maybe it’s better phrased this way: would Kayode be interested in coming back to Juventus? That’s a 19-year-old fullback with a bright, bright future and it’s very unfortunate that he didn’t stick with Juve’s youth setup. ............ Only two Juventus players, Bremer and Andrea Cambiaso, completed more than 80% of their passes against Fiorentina. That, no matter what your possession numbers are, is not good at all, my friends. Juve’s three starting central midfielders COMBINED to attempt 49 passes. That’s WILD. Manuel Locatelli, while playing well defensively, attempted 13 passes. Thirteen! Madness. Filip Kostic attempted nine passes. That’s crazy, too. ............ Well, at least Juventus won. So there’s that. Thank goodness because writing about more dropped points really wasn’t something I was in the mood to do. Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/8/24123597/juventus-fiorentina-2024-serie-a-matchday-31-final-score-result-initial-reaction-random-observations Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 8 Allegri: Juventus know what our limitations are Juve finally get back to winning ways It's no surprise that if Juventus were finally going to get back to winning ways, it would be in prime Allegriball manner, with minimal possession playing counterattacking football and relying on set pieces for goals. Well, Fiorentina became the latest side to come to the Juventus Stadium this season and get beaten that way in a 1-0 win for Massimiliano Allegri's side. Speaking after the game, the coach talked about the effort his side were putting in. “We work every day to improve. There are also moments psychologically, as we had not won in Serie A for a while. We ran no risks in the first half, had three goals disallowed for offside by a matter of centimetres, then also created chances in the second. “It’s true that we risked conceding the equaliser late on after a technical error, but I would not reproach the lads for anything. “They are having a good season, we are doing everything we can to get as many points as possible. We kept a second consecutive clean sheet and victory, so that is important progress.” ............ “In football there are two teams, with two different jerseys, we are the Bianconeri, they are the Viola. We want to keep the ball for 90 minutes, have 30 shots on goal, but I don’t think anyone can do that even in their dreams. “We know what our limitations are. At this stage of the season, the most important thing is the result. I don’t see many teams who avoid allowing a single shot on target, we do our best, but the lads are doing well.” The game statistics were not flattering for Juventus, with just 227 passes and 25% possession, compared to the Viola's 675 passes and 75% on the ball. “We try to play in the opposition half for 90 minutes, but there are opponents too. The idea is to play with a high press, push the other team into their own half and pass it more cleanly. “We should’ve been 2-0 up at half-time, we didn’t get the second goal, inevitably Fiorentina would come out fighting. We had a few opportunities on the counter-attack and should’ve done better.” ............ “These are extraordinary lads, we have the objective of Champions League qualification and are on track. Perhaps seeing how the season went, we had too many points early in the season and too few in the second stage.” ............ Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/8/24123743/juventus-1-0-fiorentina-serie-a-match-recap-allegri-thiago-motta-chiesa Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Torino vs Juventus: Preview and Prediction Juventus are seeking to strengthen their grip on third place and win their 18th straight game without defeat against local rivals Torino. Torino are not too far away from securing European qualification, but their current position in ninth does make them outsiders as they get set to take on Juventus in the derby. Napoli occupy the last continental berth but are only four points away from Ivan Juric’s side, who have to come back into top form in the late-season run-in. ............ Heading into Saturday, Torino have an extensive record to clear with their abysmal form against local rivals Juventus. Home or away, the Granata have been terrible against the Bianconeri, who are looking to make it an 18th game without defeat against Juric’s side. Juventus are the fallen giants of Serie A this season after building up plenty of promise until a couple of months ago. The fall from grace has been terrific for the neutrals to watch as Massimiliano Allegri’s men emphatically bowed out of the title race despite going neck-to-neck with Inter Milan. Over the last few weeks, they have capitulated further by losing second place to AC Milan, who have since opened up a six-point gap over the Bianconeri. Hence, for Allegri, it is imperative to keep hold of that third spot and possibly even hope that Milan slip up and let them re-enter the race for second spot once again. In terms of results, Juventus has turned a corner after winning back-to-back in all competitions. Last weekend, they triumphed over Fiorentina with a narrow 1-0 scoreline, courtesy of a first-half strike from Federico Gatti. Allegri will hope for more results but in a more convincing manner. Team News & Tactics Torino ............ Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Ricci, Linetty, Vojvoda; Vlasic; Zapata, Sanabria Juventus Much like his counterpart in the Torino dugout, Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is expected to make no changes from the win over Fiorentina. Arkadiusz Milik remains the only notable absentee from the Bianconeri squad, with the manager having his other players fit and available for action. Their goalscorer and match-winner against Fiorentina, Federico Gatti, will feature in the back three alongside former Torino man Gleison Bremer and Danilo. On the wings, Andrea Cambiaso and Filip Kostic are the likely choices for Allegri, with a midfield three of Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, and Weston McKennie sandwiched between the wing-backs. Dusan Vlahovic, eager to make a significant mark on proceedings, will lead the line for Juventus alongside Federico Chiesa, who has hit a good vein of late. Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa Key Stats Torino have lost five of their last six derbies with a 1-0 scoreline. Duvan Zapata has previously scored six times in 16 matches against Juventus Juventus have won 22 of their last 27 games against Torino in all competitions. Juventus have drawn at half-time and won at full-time in five of their last seven away matches against Torino in all competitions. Juventus have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six away matches against Torino in all competitions. Player to Watch Federico Chiesa Chiesa has been in good form lately, and these games against Torino will let him showcase his class. The attacker needs to have a good end to the season following what has been a dismal campaign for his club, Juventus. ............ Prediction Torino 0-1 Juventus The Bianconeri have been in good form against their local rivals, although they need to improve their current form, home or away. This clash against Torino is very important from Massimiliano Allegri’s perspective, and he will demand a win without paying too much attention to the final scoreline. Torino have not had a good record against Juventus, especially at home, but these encounters here have always had the cagey feeling to it. Once again, going by the form of these two sides, one can expect a narrow ending to this clash, with the Bianconeri likely to come away with three precious points. Read more -> https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2024/04/12/torino-vs-juventus-preview-and-prediction/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Preview: Torino vs Juventus – Team News, Lineups & Prediction The latest chapter of the storied Derby della Mole pits Torino and Juventus against each other at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Saturday. The 208th edition of this famous Serie A fixture comes at an opportune moment for the visitors while the hosts seek redemption for last weekend’s failure. ............ Unlike their bitter rivals, Juventus are on the cusp of fulfilling their seasonal goal after a narrow 1-0 home win against Fiorentina ended their four-game winless league run (D2, L2). Massimiliano Allegri’s men commence this matchday in third, seven points clear of fifth-placed Roma, meaning Champions League qualification is almost in the bag. Nonetheless, Juventus must build momentum ahead of the return leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie against Lazio. That’s not to mention their eagerness to claim bragging rights, as they’ve done in their last three league meetings with Torino. Match Preview Torino Goals have been at a premium for Torino in recent Derby della Mole editions. They have failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their last five matches against Juventus, including a 2-0 defeat in October’s reverse fixture. But they might not need to score to take a point from this fixture. Juric’s airtight backline boasts the division’s joint-best record of only eight goals conceded in 15 home league outings this season. They’ve kept a clean sheet in five of their last six Serie A games at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino (W3, D2, L1). However, just one of those six contests came against a side positioned better than them in the standings. Top-five opponents, on the other hand, have troubled Torino. Except for a 1-1 home draw against Roma in September, they’ve lost five remaining such assignments in 2023/24. Juventus This short crosstown journey comes amidst the visitors’ mini-revival. After only winning one of their nine Serie A matches (D4, L4), Juventus have racked up back-to-back competitive wins ‘to nil,’ beating Lazio 2-0 at home in Coppa Italia action before the abovementioned triumph against Fiorentina. However, both those wins came at the Allianz Stadium. It’s been a different story on the road. Juventus haven’t won a league game away from home since January. Not just that, they’ve lost three of their last four Serie A travels (D1), including two without finding the back of the net. And it gets worse. Allegri’s critics have a reasonable explanation for demanding his farewell at the end of the season. Juventus haven’t fared well against top-ten sides on hostile turf, generating an underwhelming 33% win ratio in such fixtures this term (W2, D1, L3). Team News Torino will be without several first-team stars this weekend. Koffi Djidji, Ivan Ilic, Perr Schuurs, Gvidas Gineitis, and Pietro Pellegri are out injured. ............ As for the visitors, Nicolo Fagioli and Paul Pogba are unavailable for well-known reasons. Arkadiusz Milik is on the sidelines with a muscle injury, meaning Federico Chiesa will partner up with Dusan Vlahovic in the front third. Oddly enough, Federico Gatti could be Allegri’s secret weapon. In addition to scoring his fourth goal of the season last weekend, he opened the scoring in the reverse fixture before Milik sealed Torino’s fate. Torino vs Juventus Potential Lineups Torino (3-4-3): Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Adrien Tameze, Alessandro Buongiorno, Ricardo Rodriguez; Raoul Bellanova, Karol Linetty, Samuele Ricci, Valentino Lazaro; Nikola Vlasic; Antonio Sanabria, Duvan Zapata. Juventus (3-5-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Federico Gatti, Gleison Bremer, Danilo; Andrea Cambiaso, Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Filip Kostic; Federico Chiesa, Dusan Vlahovic. Torino vs Juventus Prediction One goal might settle this affair if the recent history of this match-up is anything to go by. Juventus have beaten Torino 1-0 in five of their last six encounters at this venue, and we wouldn’t put to past them to replicate that scoreline this weekend. Prediction: Juventus Win Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/preview-torino-vs-juventus-team-news-lineups-prediction/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Preview: Torino vs. Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups Seeking to continue their long dominance of the Turin derby, Serie A's fallen giants Juventus visit city rivals Torino on Saturday evening. After posting back-to-back wins, Juve now aim for an 18th straight game without defeat to their neighbours, which would set a new record in the Derby della Mole. Match preview Having ended a worrying winless run just days earlier, when beating Lazio in the Coppa Italia, Juventus hosted fellow cup semi-finalists Fiorentina last week and ground their way to victory in classic Max Allegri style. Recording just a 25% share of possession, Juve were indebted to Federico Gatti's first-half strike, as ex-Viola star Dusan Vlahovic had two goals ruled out by the VAR and their visitors once again failed to fire in the final third. Allegri's side have now won 11 Serie A matches with lower than a 50% share of the ball, and throughout Europe's top five leagues this season, no team has managed to do so more often - only Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid can match such a tally. While it was not pretty to watch, the Bianconeri halted a four-match streak without top-flight victory, tightening their grip on third place - they sit four points ahead of Bologna, but trail behind both Milan clubs following their recent downturn. ............ As part of that run, Saturday's hosts were beaten 2-0 in the most recent Derby della Mole, which took place at the Allianz Stadium in October; in Serie A history, there have been some 77 Juventus victories to date, compared to just 35 for Torino. ............ Team News After getting his team back on track last week, Max Allegri is not expected to make any changes to his starting XI on Saturday, when Arkadiusz Milik will be the only Juventus player ruled out by injury. Therefore, top scorer Dusan Vlahovic should start up front, alongside Federico Chiesa, while Bremer, Danilo and Federico Gatti feature in the visitors' back three. The latter's first Serie A goal came in October's reverse fixture and he has since scored three more times in the league - including the winner last week - effectively claiming six points for his club in the process. Meanwhile, Torino striker Duvan Zapata - who has previously scored six times in 16 matches against Juve - moved on to seven Serie A strikes this year by bagging a brace in Empoli; only Vlahovic has scored more in 2024 (penalties excluded). ............ Torino possible starting lineup: Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Linetty, Ricci, Lazaro; Vlasic; Sanabria, Zapata Juventus possible starting lineup: Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic. We say: Torino 1-1 Juventus Recent history weighs against them, but Torino are made of sterner stuff under Ivan Juric - most notably on home turf. As Juventus are still searching for rhythm after their form collapsed in February, they may have to settle for a single point from the latest Derby della Mole. Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/torino/turin-derby/preview/preview-torino-vs-juventus-prediction-team-news-lineups_541033.html Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Juventus plays out drab draw to drop more Serie A points Following their two wins in two games, Juventus started their derby against Torino with confidence, knowing they would achieve a three-game winning streak with a victory. Dusan Vlahovic latched onto the ball for the game’s first real chance, but the Serbian shot wide. Andrea Cambiaso then set up Manuel Locatelli to open the scoring, but he also could not find the target. Vlahovic had another chance to test the Torino goalkeeper, but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved well from his fellow countryman. That was better from the striker. ............ Torino had the ball in the back of the net immediately after the break, but it was ruled out for a foul. Il Toro seemed to have returned from the break with more confidence, and after a spell of both teams failing to create a meaningful chance, Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a stunning save by Antonio Sanabria. That could have been the opener. Max Allegri responded to that by bringing on Kenan Yildiz and Samuel Iling-Junior for Federico Chiesa and Filip Kostic. ............ Torino got close to scoring again through Mergim Vojvoda, but Szczesny was similarly on hand to make another superb save. At the other end of the pitch, Yildiz cut in from the left and released a powerful shot that was heading towards a goal, but Milinkovic-Savic made a world-class save to deny him. Allegri made some bold changes, removing Vlahovic and Gatti for Alex Sandro and Moise Kean. Can any of them be the hero tonight? Both teams kept threatening each other but were frustrated, as Szczesny went down following an elbow from a Torino player who wanted to head the ball, and the game was halted so that he could get treatment. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-plays-out-drab-draw-to-drop-more-serie-a-points/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Juventus Player Ratings vs Torino: Wasteful Vlahovic, Solid Bremer Juventus (3-5-2) Wojciech Szczesny – 6.5 Another well-deserved clean sheet for the Pole who denied Antonio Sanabria in the second half. He almost left the pitch in the final minutes with a bloody nose, but insisted on standing his ground. Federico Gatti – 6 The former Frosinone man found Vlahovic with a great cross early on, but his poor passing skills offered possession to Torino on several occasions. Did well overall at the back, and had seemed to get on Duvan Zapata’s nerves. Gleison Bremer – 7 A rock-solid display from the Brazilian against his former employers. He used his experience, strength, pace and at times gamesmanship to keep Zapata at bay. Danilo – 6 The Juventus captain made some important interventions at the back but kept his attacking forays very limited. Andrea Cambiaso – 6 ............ Weston McKennie – 6 ............ Manuel Locatelli – 6 ............ Adrien Rabiot – 5.5 A mediocre display by the Frenchman’s high standards. His passing wasn’t too sharp and was hesitant to shoot in the final minute. Filip Kostic – 5.5 The Serbian did fairly well to limit Raoul Bellanova’s threatening runs and crosses, but found little success when he went forward himself. Dusan Vlahovic – 5 The former Fiorentina star had two glorious chances from close range to put Juventus in the lead but hit the post on the first and was denied by Vanja Milinkovic-Savic on the second. He never truly had opportunities to make amends in the second period. Federico Chiesa – 6 The Italy star had his moments in the first half and deserved to have an assist to his name after putting Vlahovic through on goal. But he was left starving for the ball in the second half and left the pitch at the hour mark. Substitutes Samuel Iling-Junior – 5 A forgettable cameo for the young Englishman who allowed Bellanova to skip past him on one occasion and also lost the air duel against Valentino Lazzaro which almost resulted in a Torino winner. Kenan Yildiz – 6 The Turkish teenager looked dangerous whenever he had the ball at his feet and even produced the solitary Juventus shot on target in the second half. But like Chiesa, his teammates hardly provided him with the ball. Moise Kean – N/A Alex Sandro – N/A Carlos Alcaraz – N/A Read more -> https://cultofcalcio.com/juventus-player-ratings-vs-torino-wasteful-vlahovic-solid-bremer/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 13 Juventus 0 - Torino 0: Initial reaction and random observations What a great way to start the weekend... Knowing full well that the Derby della Mole is almost always going to be decided on the margins and incredibly close no matter who’s on the field, you can certainly bemoan the chances that Dusan Vlahovic couldn’t convert in the opening 30 minutes Saturday evening. You simply can’t afford to let big-time chances slip by in a game that you know full well going into things that is going to be tight from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. And yet, do those two moments completely overshadow how Juventus played for the entire second half against Torino? Man, it’s tough to say. Mainly because, as much as Vlahovic missing two should-be goals within the first half hour, Juventus playing simply as poorly as they did after halftime and creating next to nothing outside of a chance from substitute Kenan Yildiz played a big role in the final Derby della Mole of the 2023-24 season ending in a scoreless draw. Juventus did what Max Allegri has decided to do a lot this season rather than what common logic might tell you. Juve sat back and chose to protect the point rather than truly pushing forward on a consistent basis to try and get the win. Their pressing died off, their passing wasn’t as crisp or even as quick as it was and it was just an overall showing after the break that, no matter what Vlahovic did, left you befuddled as to why this team and manager continues to do these types of things in games that are very much of the winnable variety. On top of that, it makes you somewhat baffled that they actually had more possession than Torino after halftime. Your eyes said one thing, the stats say another thing. In the end though, this definitely feels like two points dropped rather than a point earned. ............ Yes, Vlahovic will bear a whole lot of the blame for those two missed chances. He deserves the criticism for it, and that’s just the nature of the beast when you’re the No. 9 of the biggest club in Italy and have such a transfer fee attached to your name whenever it’s mentioned. But, let’s face it, Juventus shouldn’t be going the next 60-plus minutes with just a couple of shots on goal no matter how tough of a defense you are facing. ............ We’ve talked for weeks now about how tough the schedule is to close the final stretch of the season and how the Turin derby was going to be one of the few games left against mid-table opposition that would very much be a game Juventus should (and probably had to?) win. As it turns out ... they didn’t. So now, instead of keeping the winning ways of last week going, we’re now hearing about the horrendous run of form Juve are on again. It’s now two wins in their last 10 league games, by the way. That’s just not good enough to keep a hold of where you want to finish no matter who you are. RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS Sure, it was at Torino’s home stadium, but that atmosphere sounded absolutely phenomenal at kickoff. We may have about that in a few days ... It took all of about two minutes for Dusan Vlahovic and Alessandro Buongiorno to show that they are two big boys who are very much going to scrap against one another for the next couple of hours. And then right after typing that there goes Vlahovic missing an absolutely glorious chance after some brilliant work on the right wing by Federico Chiesa. Like, how do you miss that? (Maybe he didn’t want to start all of the corto muso in the seventh minute, I dunno.) ............ Torino’s first shot on goal came in the 60th minute. Wojciech Szczesny made a very good save on it. I like Tek Szczesny. He can stay as long as he wants. What I don’t like is when Tek catches a stray elbow and might have ended up with a broken nose. The only positive to come out of that is that we might see him wearing a mask the next time he takes the field. That would look cool. Or maybe because it’s Szczesny kinda awkward because that’s just kinda who he is. The look on Chiesa’s face when he was subbed out pretty much told the whole story. Let’s look at it, shall we? ............ Adrien Rabiot was the only Juventus midfielder to record a key pass against Torino. Rabiot also had another pretty bang average performance. But don’t worry, he will continue to play a full 90, folks. There’s that fact we can bank on. Carlos Alcaraz coming on in second-half stoppage time tells you all you need to know about how proactive Max Allegri was as this game went on. Alex Sandro coming in for the final portion of the game when things are scoreless gave me visions of some kind of defensive blunder that would have made us very angry. I’m guessing I’m not the only one. Torino attempted 34 crosses. They completed about 20% of them. Tells you all you need to know about how Allegri approached this one. Juventus played pretty well defensively and yet Torino still almost scored in stoppage time. If they had converted that chance after Juve played like they did in the second hlf, I can only imagine what the mood would have been like. I’m so tired of this season. Like, these last 2 1⁄2 months have been pretty awful. I think everybody around here is just ready for the summer to start. Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2024/4/13/24129372/juventus-torino-derby-della-mole-2024-serie-a-matchday-32-final-score-result-reaction-observations Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 15 Juventus Ultras clarify Superga banners: “We never intended to insult the dead” Juventus Ultras have released a statement explaining their actions in front of the Superga Basilica while denying any malice against the fallen Torino legends. Ahead of Saturday’s Della Mole, the Drughi (the most famous Juventus Ultras group) displayed banners in front of the Superga Basilica, causing great irritation among Torino supporters. This site is synonymous with the Superga air disaster which took the lives of the entire Granada squad on the 4th of May, 1949. That team was renowned as “Grande Torino”, having dominated Italian football in the post-WWII era. ............ “Regarding the controversy related to what happened on Friday night, we would like to underline that the Basilica of Superga has been a symbol of the city of Turin since its construction on a par with the Mole and the Caval’d Brons, and not Torino as a club,” reads the statement published by the Drughi. “We have always respected the dead, as we would like other fanbases to do towards our dead. “No one allowed themselves to even think about insulting the tombstone of the fallen. “It was just a demonstration that Superga, which protects our city from above (the hill), has been part of the history of Turin’s first team since 1897.” Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-ultras-clarify-superga-banners-we-never-intended-to-insult-the-dead/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 15 Juventus fans rejoice as record remains intact following Inter’s draw Juventus supporters can breath a sigh of relief following the 2-2 draw between Inter and Cagliari on Sunday night. While Max Allegri’s men haven’t given the fanbase many reasons to celebrate over the past few months, Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari have at least helped the Bianconeri preserve an important Serie A record The Old Lady famously set the record for the league’s point tally in the 2013/14 campaign, assembling a whopping 102 points. This was Antonio Conte’s third and last season at the helm before his controversial departure in the following summer. ............ But while some of the Inter faithful were beginning to dream of breaking Juve’s record, their hopes were shattered last night when they settled for a single point against the tenacious Isolani. At the moment, Simone Inzaghi’s men have 83 points in the bag. If they win their remaining six league fixtures, they will finish the season with 101 points, one short of the Bianconeri’s record. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-fans-rejoice-as-record-remains-intact-following-inters-draw/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 7974 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 130850 messaggi Inviato April 15 Juventus set more negative records – The worst attacking stats in decades Juventus continue to set some undesired records in what has gradually descended into a forgettable campaign. While Max Allegri and the club’s officials insist that the results remain in line with the objectives – that is finishing in the Top Four – the hollow performances have been difficult for the fans to digest, especially over the last few months. Yesterday, the Bianconeri fired blanks once more, settling for a goalless draw in the Derby della Mole against Torino. The last time the club scored fewer goals by this stage of the season was in the 1998/99 campaign. This term, the Bianconeri have only registered 45 goals since the start of the domestic campaign. In the 98/99 season, they had only scored 38 strikes after 32 rounds. So from an attacking standpoint, the stats suggest this is the worst version of Juventus in 25 years. ............ Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-set-more-negative-records-the-worst-attacking-stats-in-decades/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
