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Del Piero: Juventus ‘must’ have title belief, but avoids Yildiz comparison Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero feels the Bianconeri can still aim for the Serie A title, but plays down comparisons with Kenan Yildiz: ‘He has to build his own path.’ Juventus and Italy legend Del Piero feels the Old Lady can still hope to win the Scudetto in 2025-26. Inter are currently the table leaders, while Milan sit second, just five points below the Nerazzurri. ............ “I don’t think so. It’s undeniable, though, that the Rossoneri, along with Inter, are the teams with the best chances of challenging for the title,” he told Italian reporters. “After all, Milan are among those who have had the fewest setbacks, and they don’t have any European competition draining all their energy. However, there are other candidates.” Juventus sit fourth, ten points below Inter and Del Piero says Luciano Spalletti’s men still have a chance. ............ “Why not? There’s a renewed sense of confidence in the environment,” said the ex-striker. “The dressing room can and must start believing again. It’s true that their comeback began later than their rivals’, but who knows? You always have to aim as high as possible, and if the team were to put together four or five wins in a row, also considering the big match at San Siro against Inter, anything could still happen.” ............ “I’ve always avoided comparisons. Kenan is growing and, match after match, he’s showing that he can take on responsibility in big games,” Del Piero said. “He’s certainly improved a lot, and you can see that he’s committed, trying to take inspiration from more experienced teammates as well, just as I did when I was a kid, and critics tried to compare me to one champion or another. The truth is that, beyond ideas he’ll try to pick up, he has to build his own path, a unique one. He has to carve out his own space in the world.” ............ “I think Juventus have a strong chance of advancing to the next round against Galatasaray” Del Piero concluded. “The players are very focused on these two matches. However, given how the season started, I don’t believe they truly have the goal of reaching the final. Considering the initial difficulties, they need to take one step at a time.” . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/del-piero-juventus-title-no-yildiz-comparison/

Juventus considering four free-agent signings, including Man City & Bournemouth stars Juventus could revive their old habit of snapping up some of the hottest names on the free agent market. This practice characterised Beppe Marotta’s time in Turin, which witnessed the arrival of top-notch stars, like Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, and Sami Khedira, on free transfers. ............ The first name is Marcos Senesi, a left-footed Argentine defender who has been playing his football at Bournemouth since 2022. The 28-year-old could be the right profile to share the left centre-back role with Lloyd Kelly. The defenders already have a similar arrangement during their time together at the Vitality Stadium. Also at the back, Juventus would like to recruit Zeki Celik from their rivals, Roma. The Turkish international is a 28-year-old right-back who been a key player in the Italian capital since 2022. ............ The first is Manchester City legend Bernardo Silva, who will leave the Etihad after nine years of impeccable service. At the age of 31, the Portuguese playmaker still has several good years in the tank, and he would add the sort of flair that Juventus have been lacking in the middle of the park. On the other hand, Xaver Schlager is a competent ball winner who can give some breathing room for Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram. The 28-year-old Austrian has been an RB Leipzig player since 2022. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-summer-free-agents-bernard-silva-man-city/

Juventus probable lineup vs Atalanta: Five changes for Coppa Italia clash Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti will rotate his starting lineup when he takes on Atalanta in the quarter-final of the Coppa Italia. The contest will take place at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. It kicks off on Thursday, 21:00 CET. ............ After all, Juventus have a gruelling schedule to negotiate in February, which includes back-to-back Serie A clashes against Lazio and Inter, and a double header against Galatasaray in the Champions League play-offs. ............ The lineup changes will begin with the goalkeeper, as Mattia Perin is considered the designated Coppa Italia custodian, a role he’s become accustomed to during his time in Turin. Therefore, Michele Di Gregorio will start on the bench. At the back, Gleison Bremer should be afforded some rest, making way for Federico Gatti, who hasn’t started a match since returning from a meniscus surgery. The Italian defender will link up with Lloyd Kelly. Despite the arrival of Emil Holm, Pierre Kalulu will have to wait for his first ‘day off’. The ever-present Frenchman is expected to start at right-back, with Juan Cabal taking over from Andrea Cambiaso on the opposite flank. ............ With Kenan Yildiz only fit enough for the bench the super-versatile Weston McKennie should move to the left wing, while Fabio Miretti starts behind Jonathan David, and Francisco Conceicao keeps his starting berth on the right flank. Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Raspadori; Scamacca Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly, Cabal; Locatelli, Koopmeiners; Conceicao, Miretti, McKennie; David . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-probable-lineup-vs-atalanta-five-changes-for-coppa-italia-clash/

E se segnasse Koopmeiners?

Coppa Italia: Atalanta vs. Juventus – probable line-ups Atalanta and Juventus meet in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, with reduced rotations, although Kenan Yildiz and Gleison Bremer are expected to start on the bench for the Bianconeri. It kicks off at 21:00 CET (20:00 GMT) at the New Balance Arena in Bergamo. ............ Jonathan David will lead the Juventus attack with Francisco Conceiçao, Fabio Miretti and Weston McKennie starting behind the Canada international. Federico Gatti will partner with Lloyd Kelly in central defence, while Mattia Perin will start between the sticks for the Old Lady. ............ Atalanta vs. Juventus – probable line-ups Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Ahanor, Djimsiti, Scalvini; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; Raspadori, De Ketelaere; Scamacca. Juventus (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly, Cambiaso; Thuram, Koopmeiners; Conceiçao Miretti, McKennie; David. . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/coppa-atalanta-v-juventus-probable-line-ups-tv/

Juventus receive major Yildiz boost ahead of Atalanta showdown Juventus star Kenan Yildiz will join the team on the trip to Bergamo for the Coppa Italia quarter-final clash against Atalanta. Last Sunday, the Turkish forward felt some discomfort during the first half of the Serie A contest against Parma. ............ After the Ennio Tardini contest, Luciano Spalletti offered a reassuring update, insisting that the player did not suffer a serious injury. Therefore, the 20-year-old didn’t undergo any clinical tests at the J|Medical Centre, as the doctors felt that a few days of rest and physiotherapy sessions were sufficient in his case. ............ However, the youngster is recovering faster than expected. ............ Yildiz will be expected to start on the bench, with Miretti the favourite to fill in for him alongside Weston McKennie and Francisco Conceicao, who should act as the supporting trio behind the striker. Therefore, Spalletti might be able to resort to his services if required. On the other hand, if the team isn’t chasing a result in the second half, he will likely be given the night off. ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/juventus-receive-major-yildiz-boost-ahead-of-atalanta-showdown/

Preview: Atalanta BC vs Juventus - prediction, team news, lineups Clashing in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, Atalanta BC and Juventus will meet in Bergamo on Thursday evening. After Juve beat La Dea to lift the trophy for a 15th time in 2024, this time they are vying for a semi-final tie against either Lazio or holders Bologna. Match preview For all their recent success - most notably winning the Europa League - Atalanta's sole national cup triumph dates all the way back to 1963. ............ Atalanta may have won seven of nine home matches under ex-Juventus winger Palladino, who now welcomes his former club to Bergamo, but Juve have been busy with their own revival. ............ Much has changed since the sides played out a 1-1 league draw in September, with both clubs changing their head coach to great effect. One of Luciano Spalletti's first wins as Bianconeri boss came in the previous round of the Coppa Italia, where Juve beat Udinese 2-0 in Turin. Following that success in early December, they have grown in confidence and forged a clear identity, while lifting themselves into Italy's top four. Also safely through to the Champions League's knockout phase, Juventus have lost just twice across all competitions under Spalletti - posting a particularly good set of results over the past fortnight. After beating Benfica and Serie A champions Napoli in quick succession, they followed a midweek draw with Monaco by putting four goals past Parma on Sunday, as defensive rock Bremer bagged a brace. However, Juve's February schedule only gets tougher from there: after tackling Atalanta, they will face Lazio and Como either side of the Derby d'Italia, while squeezing in both legs of their Champions League playoff against Galatasaray. Atalanta BC Coppa Italia form: W Atalanta BC form (all competitions): W D L W L D Juventus Coppa Italia form: W Juventus form (all competitions): W L W W D W Team News ............ Dusan Vlahovic - who scored the winner against Atalanta in the 2024 final - remains on the sidelines, along with forgotten man Arkadiusz Milik. Though Vlahovic has been absent for some time, Jonathan David now has four Serie A goals in 2026, and Weston McKennie has scored six across all competitions since Spalletti arrived in October. Meanwhile, Bremer will pose a significant threat at set-pieces. Including his double strike against Parma, no central defender has scored more goals across Europe's top five leagues since 2019; fellow Brazilian Gabriel Magalhaes has also registered 21. Atalanta BC possible starting lineup: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Raspadori; Scamacca Juventus possible starting lineup: Perin; Kalulu, Bremer, Gatti, Cabal; Locatelli, Koopmeiners; Zhegrova, McKennie, Miretti; David ............ We say: Atalanta BC 0-1 Juventus While Juventus have won four of their last five away games in Serie A, Atalanta have become much tougher to beat on home turf. So, just as in the 2024 Coppa Italia final, a single strike could split these sides. As Andrea Cambiaso's freak own-goal against Parma is one of just four goals conceded by Juve across their last dozen matches, the Old Lady can defeat La Dea. . Read more -> https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/atalanta-bc/coppa-italia/preview/atalanta-vs-juventus-prediction-team-news-lineups_591315.html

Coppa Italia Preview: Atalanta vs. Juventus As Juventus strolled into the Coppa Italia quarterfinals last season, we saw their opponent as a relatively simple one to get past. Fact was that Empoli were in the midst of a relegation battle that would eventually see them sent down to Serie B, and Juve were wobbling yet still very much favorites over the struggling Tuscan side. ............ So now 12 months later, Juventus are again in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals after strolling past Udinese in the round of 16 two months ago. But instead of getting another mid-table or provincial side as we saw a year ago thanks to an upset, Juventus will be facing an Atalanta side that has rebounded from their brutal start to the season now that the incredibly handsome Raffaele Palladino has taken over for Gian Piero Gasperini disciple Ivan Juric. And unlike so many other years prior where Juve’s quarterfinal tie would be at the Allianz Stadium, the Bianconeri will make the trip to the New Balance Arena in Bergamo on Thursday night if they want to get one step closer to winning their first trophy since Max Allegri’s final game in charge. It is far from the simple task that we originally viewed last season’s quarterfinal to be. Instead, Juventus will be facing an Atalanta squad that has earned just three points fewer than Luciano Spalletti has since the former took over for Juric on Nov. 11. La Dea also finished just two spots behind Juve in the Champions League league phase table — which, surprisingly, was one of the few occurrences in Juric actually got a few points to his name during his brief time in charge in Bergamo. But when it comes to Thursday night, it’s quite the difficult matchup for a Juventus squad that was absolutely embarrassed in this round of the Coppa Italia this time last year. The good thing is that Juventus are in a much different space and overall state of mind compared to when they were dumped out of the Coppa Italia by Empoli last season. They’ve got much more stability at the managerial position, and the overall level that the squad is performing at five weeks into 2026 feels like a stark contrast when you feel like dipping back into the depths of where things were 12 months ago. (But don’t do it for that long because we don’t want you to start feeling truly horrible or just start doomscrolling for the next couple of hours.) ............ Atalanta’s form on the whole has improved since Palladino took over, but the last couple of weeks have not been very kind to them. After starting 2026 with wins over Roma, Bologna and Torino, La Dea have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, including a 1-0 loss to Union Saint-Gilloise in the UCL league phase finale that could have gotten Atalanta into the top eight if they had won. That’s on top of a loss a week earlier to Athletic Club in the Champions League — which, as you can probably guess, was just as costly as the loss seven days later in Belgium. ............ So if there ever was a “good” time to be facing Atalanta in a one-off cup tie, this might be one of those instances considering its the first extended period of dropped points and frustrating results under Palladino. Now we just are about to find out if Juventus are the ones who add to Atalanta’s recent struggles or if it’s a second straight season in which the Coppa Italia quarterfinals is how far the Bianconeri go in the competition. The winner of Thursday night’s matchup will face the winner of next Wednesday night’s quarterfinal between Bologna and Lazio at the Renato Dall’Ara. TEAM NEWS Luciano Spalletti did not hold a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, therefore we don’t have any clues as to just how much of the typical Coppa Italia squad rotation will take place even though Juventus are facing a relatively strong opponent. Then again, we do know who’s out injured for Thursday night’s Coppa Italia quarterfinal matchup. With Daniele Rugani’s loan move to Fiorentina, there are only two players on the injury list: Dusan Vlahovic and (of course) Arek Milik. While he’s technically not considered injured by many in the Italian press, Kenan Yildiz is not expected to start against Atalanta on Thursday night. There are reports that Yildiz will be part of the traveling squad and potentially available off the bench in Bergamo. (That Juve traveling squad has not been announced as of this writing.) As is the norm, Mattia Perin is expected to be Juventus’ starter goal for his usual Coppa Italia assignment. JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH Oh, Juventus are playing Atalanta, you say? And it’s the Coppa Italia in which there is bound to be some sort of squad rotation, right? Well then that means we also get our latest chance to talk about our favorite former Atalanta player! ............ At this point, my own personal expectations for Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners can basically be summed up like this: if it’s anything close to decent, then that’s just a bonus. That is because Koopmeiners, a year and a half into his time as a Juventus player, has completely failed to live up to what he did at Atalanta and the massive price tag in which the previous front office paid for him in the summer of 2024. Koopmeiners is still the player that you hope to try and get so much more out of, but it’s just not happened outside of maybe a handful of games over the last 18 months. Things seemed to be working better for him as a member of the three-man defense, but now that he’s back in more of a midfield role it just feels like the same old issues are starting to come back to the forefront again. Adding to the potential worries against Atalanta: He’s being tipped to start alongside Manuel Locatelli in midfield. In the small number of occurrences in which those two have played alongside each other, it has not exactly gone well. But the thing is, it’s not like Spalletti has a whole lot of other options in midfield outside of Koopmeiners if he were to rotate and try and give some guys some rest after an intense start to 2026. ............ MATCH INFO When: Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Where: New Balance Stadium, Bergamo, Italy. Official kickoff time: 9 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe, 8 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 3 p.m. Eastern time, 2 p.m. Central time, 12 p.m. Pacific time. . Read more -> https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/previews-reviews/36069/home-away-2026-competition-preview-team-news-schedule-how-to-watch

Francesco Caliari says Juventus star looked tired in recent matches Kenan Yildiz has remained one of the most important players in the Juventus team, even though the side no longer relies on him as heavily as it did before Luciano Spalletti became their manager. Despite this shift, the Turkiye star continues to play a significant role and has maintained a high level of performance whenever called upon. Yildiz has been outstanding since being handed the number 10 shirt and has shown no signs of nerves or hesitation. ............ However, in recent matches, concerns have emerged regarding the number of minutes he has been required to play. His heavy workload appears to have taken its toll, and this situation played a part in Juventus signing Jeremie Boga during the most recent transfer window. The expectation is that once the new signing is fully up to speed, Yildiz will be able to rest more regularly. ............ Francesco Caliari has expressed his desire to see Yildiz given time to recover, believing that the young attacker has been pushed too hard during a demanding period. He said, “I hope Boga can get back to full fitness soon, giving Yildiz a break. Lately, every time they look at him, the Turk looks really tired.” ............ . Read more -> https://www.juvefc.com/francesco-caliari-says-juventus-star-looked-tired-in-recent-matches/

Juventus eager for new Kolo Muani proposal to PSG, but not with Thuram Juventus are reportedly ready to try again for Randal Kolo Muani in the summer, when he’ll return to PSG from Tottenham, but are not prepared to sacrifice Khephren Thuram. The Bianconeri made absolutely no secret of their desire to bring the centre-forward back to Turin both last summer and in January. ............ Juve tried again for Kolo Muani last month, but Tottenham refused to interrupt their loan deal early. ............ The 27-year-old’s contract with PSG only runs to June 2028 and the club paid €95m to buy him from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023. However, any suggestion that Paris Saint-Germain will ask for France international Thuram as part of an exchange deal for Kolo Muani is doomed to failure. ............ . Read more -> https://football-italia.net/juventus-eager-for-new-kolo-muani-proposal-psg/