Juventus Season 2011-2012

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Vidal: Juventus have not won Serie A title yet

The Chile international was over the moon with his side's victory over Roma,

but added that nothing is decided yet as there are still five more games to be played.

Apr 22, 2012

Arturo Vidal has stressed that Juventus have not secured the Serie A title just yet, as he feels the Old Lady still have some tricky games coming up.

The Bianconeri beat Roma 4-0 on Sunday evening to maintain their unbeaten status, and Vidal is eager to keep the momentum going in the remainder of the 2011-12 campaign.

"The title? We haven’t clinched it yet, five games are left and we must continue in this way," Vidal was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"We’ve certainly given an important signal, not only with this evening’s victory, but with several excellent performances over the whole season.

"It was a difficult game, but here in Italy all matches are tricky. Now, we must address the remaining fixtures like we did this evening."

Juventus currently hold a three-point lead over second-placed AC Milan.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Conte: 'Juve ambition limitless'

Apr 22, 2012

Antonio Conte insisted Juventus did not have it “easy” when steamrollering Roma, but “our ambitions have no limits.”

The Bianconeri extended their lead at the top of the table to three points after tonight’s 4-0 victory over Roma, added to Milan’s 1-1 home draw with Bologna.

“The approach was fundamental and worthy of a top club. These lads continue to amaze me. We know it was a little step forward, but there are also five Finals in front of us and none of them are easy,” said the Coach.

“Tonight was not easy, either. We expected it to be tough and Roma can hurt anyone, but tonight they had to face off against a concentrated, enthusiastic and gritty Juve. I think it’s worth giving credit to the winning side rather than looking to blame the losing team.”

Arturo Vidal’s brace had them 2-0 up after just eight minutes, followed by Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio, while Maarten Stekelenburg was sent off.

“We have to look only at ourselves. We are in front right now and therefore our fate is in our hands. We don’t need to pay attention to how the other teams are doing.

“We’ve already secured direct access to the Champions League with five rounds to go, which is an excellent objective. This project is going quicker than expected and enables us to experience this dream, which includes the Coppa Italia Final.”

Conte was asked whether there was a Scudetto bonus in his contract, considering a title push was unexpected.

“These are personal matters,” he grinned. “The club had asked me to start this new project and qualify for the Champions League, so it’s mission accomplished. Naturally we are now up here and will not set any limits on our ambition, as we can dream with the club, the players and fans.

“We need to improve through tactical, physical, technical and psychological work every day, which is what I tell my players constantly. You can already see the growth of the team in those terms over the course of the season.

“I will never stop thanking these lads, as they have been absolutely at my disposal from the first moment I was appointed Coach of Juventus.”

Both Juve and Milan have dropped points against the smaller clubs this season.

“This has been an extraordinary campaign for us, who are still unbeaten after 33 games. Do I like that? Oh definitely, I love it! Bologna took points off both us and Milan, so they balanced it out.”

Conte was also asked how he felt hearing his name dragged into the match-fixing investigation regarding his time at Siena in Serie B last year.

“I have been in football for many years and I understand certain behaviour. When you are at the top, the winds get stronger and they try to knock you off that pedestal. It’s all about being stronger than that pressure.

“At times people can be cruel and try to damage others, but seeing as every time they attack me we end up winning 3-0 or 4-0, it doesn’t matter.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Luis Enrique explains Totti snub

Apr 22, 2012

Luis Enrique gave credit to Juventus and explained his decision to drop Francesco Totti, but acknowledged Roma’s “game was over after 10 minutes.”

The Giallorossi fell to a quick one-two from Arturo Vidal, then Andrea Pirlo scored the follow-up to a penalty after Maarten Stekelenburg’s dismissal for an eventual 4-0 defeat.

“After eight minutes we were 2-0 down with the only two chances. Juve are at a remarkable level this season, so the game was already over at that stage. When they went 3-0 up and we had a man down, it really was over,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“There was a big difference between the teams tonight and we compliment the Serie A leaders for their victory.”

Totti and Erik Lamela were surprisingly on the bench at the Juventus Stadium.

“I did not see it as a risk. Don’t forget Totti was playing in the Coppa Italia game here and we lost 3-0. It’s too easy to talk about decisions afterwards. Juventus have great quality and physicality, so I thought it was best to adopt a more physical approach and reserve Totti for the next game.

“We must already look ahead to Wednesday with Fiorentina and then Napoli. Every time a defeat like this happens, of course we are worried.

“It was a game that I thought required more stamina and strength, so I believed this was the right line-up for the occasion. After those first eight minutes, it made no difference who was on the pitch. We had two trequartisti, Fabio Borini and Miralem Pjanic.

“I have played a few games in my career and know intensity is crucial. It’s true we are struggling to find that intensity and tonight Juve were more intense. I don’t think we are four goals different to Juve, but tonight that was the case.

“Of course I will continue the same way. We know there are some bad defeats, but we have done some good things too and are still close to third place. Naturally every setback is a problem, but each game is very difficult to predict in Serie A.

“We still have three home games, plus trips to Cesena and Verona. We certainly have to improve away, but are doing a good job at the Olimpico and we’re up there.”

Luis Enrique was also shown footage of the incident in the final minutes. Stephan Lichtsteiner mocked Lamela by waving four fingers – a gesture famously done by Totti against Juventus some years ago – and the Roma player responded by spitting on his shoulder.

“It is ugly for me to see a player who is winning 4-0 to do that at this level, while it is also ugly for Lamela to spit.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Vidal urges Scudetto caution

Apr 23, 2012

Arturo Vidal has underlined that Juventus still have a fight on their hands to win the Scudetto. “It’s not over yet.”

The Old Lady increased their lead at the top of the table on Sunday as they beat Roma 4-0, while Milan were held to a 1-1 home draw by Bologna.

“We haven’t clinched the title yet – five games are left and we must continue in this way,” stated the Chilean.

“We’ve certainly given an important signal to the championship, not only with the victory over Roma, but with several excellent performances over the whole season.”

Vidal played an instrumental role in Sunday’s destruction of the Giallorossi as he grabbed two goals within the first 10 minutes of the tie.

“When I play, I always try to give my heart,” added the summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen. “If our opponents possess the ball then I must regain it.

“Perhaps this has been my best game since I joined Juventus. I’m happy with our win, for myself, but especially for the squad.

“It was a difficult tie, but here in Italy all matches are tricky. Now we must address the remaining fixtures like we did against the Giallorossi.”

The Bianconeri are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to relegation-threatened Cesena.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Defensive strength surprises Buffon

Apr 23, 2012

Gigi Buffon has paid tribute to the defensive qualities of leaders Juventus – an aspect aided by midfield warrior Arturo Vidal.

“I’ve conceded just once in the last seven games and just 15 in the 31 games I’ve played,” the goalkeeper stated after the 4-0 win over Roma.

“It’s never happened before, not even in the years when we dominated as a side. The defensive solidarity is the platform on which we’ve built our successes.”

The unbeaten Old Lady have impressed with how difficult they are to break down no matter what system is employed – whether a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2.

The gladiatorial performances of Vidal have also been a factor in Juventus’ solidity this term, a player who netted a brace in last night’s footballing lesson.

“I’ve been lucky enough to see a host of fine midfielders during my time with the club,” Italian international Buffon added.

“I already said at the start of the season that someone like Arturo would have also been able to play for the great Juve of a few years ago.”

Juve’s latest win saw them move three points clear of Milan with just five games of the League campaign left.

“The Roma victory was perhaps the most important of those we’ve picked up until now,” the 34-year-old claimed.

“But the victories that follow from here on in will be fundamental, because they bring us closer to a target that seemed truly impossible.”

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Barzagli reveals Juve secrets

Apr 23, 2012

Andrea Barzagli has revealed the three key ingredients behind Juventus’ somewhat unexpected Scudetto push.

The Old Lady began the campaign as outsiders for the title after two consecutive seventh place finishes in Serie A.

But with five games to go, the unbeaten Bianconeri are top of the table with a three-point advantage over Milan. They’ve also qualified for the Coppa Italia Final.

“There are three reasons behind our season,” the January 2011 signing from Wolfsburg said after last night’s 4-0 drubbing of Roma.

“The first is our new stadium which allowed us to understand the importance of our club’s history and colours.

“Secondly, Andrea Pirlo who is a champion capable of giving something more.

“And finally Antonio Conte – our Coach who has passed on to us his character, ideas and way of playing.

“Now he’ll require us to keep our focus for the matches that are remaining, but it’s not necessary. We’ve enough experience and we know what to do.”

Juve moved into their new home in the summer after their old Stadio Delle Alpi was remodelled into a modern day arena.

Playmaker Pirlo was netted on a free transfer from Milan, while Conte joined the club after guiding little Siena into the top flight.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Conte: It's tough for any team

to play against this Juventus side

The Bianconeri boss has expressed his satisfaction with his side's victory over Roma,

and feels that any team will have a difficult game against the Old Lady when they're on song.

Apr 23, 2012

Antonio Conte has voiced his delight with Juventus' 4-0 Serie A win over Roma on Sunday evening, and is of the opinion that the Bianconeri can compete with the best teams in the world on their current form.

The Turin giants moved three points clear of second-placed AC Milan in the league table following this weekend's results, while also securing Champions League qualification, much to the coach's satisfaction.

"We played a great game, with the attitude possessed by great teams. The team played with a manner and authority that deserved the victory," Conte said at a press conference.

"It’s tough for anyone to play against a Juve side on this kind of form. It was an important victory and we’ve taken a little step towards a dream that we’re all chasing together.

"We’ll now start to think about Cesena, a game in which we’ll have everything to lose. But for now we’ll enjoy the fact we’ve managed to directly qualify for the Champions League, our first target of the season."

Juventus lock horns with Cesena on April 25 in their next Serie A game.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Buffon hails Juventus' defensive strength

The experienced goalkeeper feels that the Bianconeri's impressive stability

in their back line and self-belief are the main reasons for their successful season so far.

Apr 23, 2012

Gianluigi Buffon has voiced his delight with Juventus' good form in the 2011-12 campaign, and feels that their defensive strength has been vital for the team's unbeaten run.

Juve beat Roma 4-0 on Sunday evening to move three points clear of title rivals AC Milan at the top of the Serie A standings, and Buffon believes that the Old Lady's success is mainly down to their impressive defensive record.

"It’s pleasing to still be unbeaten, but it’s the way we play and the strength we show in every game that demonstrates how much this team believe in their capabilities," Buffon was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"I’ve conceded just once in the last seven games and just 15 in the 31 games I’ve played. Something like this has never happened before, not even in the years when we dominated as a side.

"The defensive solidarity is the platform on which we’ve built our successes."

Juventus resume Serie A action on Wednesday when they travel to Cesena.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Rampant Juventus march towards Scudetto glory

as frigid AC Milan slip up again

The Bianconeri are moving ever closer to the title after the champions

squandered more points and fell a game in arrears to Antonio Conte's side.

Apr 23, 2012

COMMENT

By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Editor

The two performances could not have been more different. AC Milan stumbled and stuttered against Bologna, lacking ideas, creativity and leadership. Juventus, on the other hand, put Roma to the sword from the very first minute, opening up a one-game cushion that they surely won’t throw away as they close in on the title of 2011-12 Scudetto winners.

The defending champions displayed none of the calculated superiority that had first won them the championship last year, and then sent them four points clear just a month ago. Instead, the clash with the Rossoblu was another demonstration of just how far the once mighty have fallen.

Mark van Bommel’s careless loss of possession in midfield to Alessandro Diamanti which led to Gaston Ramirez firing home should not have been fatal. They should have had the gumption to come back and win in the time-honoured fashion of Milan teams past. But right now this Rossoneri outfit looks a shadow of itself, and in the end they did well to get anything from the game.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic went missing for long spells, but remained the man most likely. He should have had an equaliser early in the second half when he lobbed the advancing Federico Agliardi, with the ball crossing the line despite Nicolo Cherubin’s desperate attempted clearance. But somehow, an offside flag went up against the Swede, even though he’d come from at least a yard onside.

Still, there should have been enough in the Milan tank to win the game, but there was just no ideas-man in their midfield. Antonio Nocerino, Van Bommel and Sulley Muntari were all short of the cutting edge that the Diavolo once took for granted when they had names such as Andrea Pirlo, Kaka and Manuel Rui Costa in their ranks. They could have got by with a decent display from Clarence Seedorf, but the Dutchman disappeared without trace.

Instead it took a last-minute strike by Ibrahimovic to rescue a point, but that was never going to be enough in the context of the title race. With games running out, this was a match Milan needed to win regardless of Juve’s result later in the day, and Massimiliano Allegri conceded that the Bianconeri were title favourites even before they pulled Roma apart in Turin.

That the Giallorossi were pathetic defensively came as a surprise to few given some of their showings this season, but Juventus’ clinical finishing was a far cry from the profligacy that has threatened to derail their title push for much of the term. Typically, though, it was the midfielders who did all the scoring.

First, Mirko Vucinic played a slide rule ball in behind for Paolo De Ceglie, who crossed low for Arturo Vidal to fire home from close range. Then the middle man was cut out as Vucinic teed up the overlapping Chilean to drill across Maarten Stekelenburg with real aplomb. Eight minutes in, two goals up, and Juve had the three-point lead in their sights already.

Aleandro Rosi had looked all at sea from the off, and he was to contribute to the clincher midway through the first half. The full-back stood and watched as Claudio Marchisio made a run onto another exemplary through pass by Vucinic, allowing the midfielder to advance and knock the ball past Stekelenburg, who brought him down.

A penalty was rightly given, but the accompanying red card was harsh, with Marchisio having sent the ball well away from goal and made himself third-favourite in the chase behind the retreating Rosi and Jose Angel. Still, Andrea Pirlo didn’t let the arguments affect him, stepping up to fire home the rebound after his original spot-kick was parried away by substitute Gianluca Curci.

The remainder of the game was little more than a procession, and just after the interval the irrepressible Vucinic got involved in a fourth goal when he played a superb first-time back-heel to Marchisio, who curled home clinically with his instep from just outside the area. The four goals took the tally for Juve midfielders this campaign to 27, which accounts for more than 47 per cent of their overall mark. As team units go, they are right up there.

The win was symbolic of Juve’s season in its convincing manner, but it also highlighted the increased capability of the side in recent times. While Milan have wobbled, the Old Lady have stayed strong, stringing together a season-high six-match winning streak that now carries them to within four wins of the title, with all of their remaining five games coming against teams from the bottom seven of Serie A.

With Fiorentina, Inter, Napoli, Palermo, Lazio and Roma all having been dispatched in the last five weeks, Cesena, Novara, Lecce, Cagliari and Atalanta shouldn't so much stand in their way as be eyewitnesses to their glory march. At a time when real champions stamp their mark on a season, it is Juventus, and not Milan, who are taking the league by storm.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Juventus have the strongest midfield in Italy, claims Vidal

The Chilean, a summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and his colleagues Andrea Pirlo

and Claudio Marchisio have played an integral role in the Bianconeri's resurgence this season.

Apr 23, 2012

Arturo Vidal labelled Juventus' midfield as the strongest in Italy after Sunday's 4-0 demolition of Roma in Turin.

All three members of the Bianconeri's engine room were on target in the win over the Giallorossi, with Vidal striking twice inside the opening eight minutes. Andrea Pirlo then converted the rebound after seeing his penalty attempt saved just before the half-hour mark before Claudio Marchisio found the back of the net early in the second half.

As a result, Vidal was reluctant to accept any plaudits for his performance against Luis Enrique's side, preferring instead to heap praise on his midfield accomplices.

"It is easy to play well with peers like this," the Chile international is quoted as saying by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "We are the strongest midfield in Italy.

"I am delighted to be at Juve. This is a spectacular team and the fans are fantastic, very passionate - just how I like it."

The rout of Roma saw the Bianconeri move three points clear of title rivals AC Milan with just five games to play, but Vidal insists that there is still much more work to be done before Antonio Conte's men can start talking about the Scudetto.

"It was a super performance but we now have to continue like this," the former Bayer Leverkusen man argued.

"We cannot give an inch and now our minds are already focused on the game against Cesena [on Wednesday]. We must play as we did against Roma."

Juve's clash with Cesena kicks off at 18.00CET, with Milan's meeting with Genoa is set to get under way at the same time.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Lamela handed three-game ban for spitting on Lichtsteiner

The Argentine attacker's offence was caught on camera and he will now sit out

the Giallorossi's Serie A matches against Fiorentina, Napoli and Chievo.

Apr 23, 2012

Roma's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League have been dealt a blow with the news that Erik Lamela has been banned for three games for spitting on Stephan Lichtsteiner during Sunday's 4-0 loss to Juventus.

The Argentina international, who only came on early in the second half of the game in Turin, was involved in an off-the-ball dispute with his Swiss opponent, which went unnoticed by the match officials but was captured by the television cameras.

On the evidence of the recorded footage, Lamela has now been suspended for his side's upcoming clashes with Fiorentina, Napoli and Chievo.

A statement from Lega di Serie A read: "The television images show that the Giallorossi player, in the centre of the field but at a considerable distance from the play, was close to the Juventus player and that he - presumably in response to a mocking gesture - spat on the left shoulder of the Bianconeri player, leaving a visible residue."

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Juventus 4-0 Roma: Black & White Hurricane Unleashed!!!

Juve at +3!!!

Apr 23, 2012

Can you feel it? That tingling sensation Juventus are onto something big!? Dubbed as their “last big hurdle” of the campionato, Roma provided a slippery slope for Conte & Co. this week-end, as indeed when the Giallorossi step onto a soccer pitch few can tell what can of team they will see. Well, few certainly predicted quite such a goal-rout in Turin, with the Bianconeri literally steamrolling their Roma opponents in a match that was over as quickly as it began. Lead by a storming Arturo Vidal, a rejuvenated Marchisio, and the ever-commanding presence of Andrea Pirlo in midfield, Juve’s win not only mathematically ensures them of a Champions League berth next season but puts them +3 ahead of rivals AC Milan atop Serie A standings! Aaron brings you the after-action report of a slammin’ Sunday!

MATCH ANALYSIS (by Aaron Giambattista)

Luis Enrique, who had typically stuck with either a 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2 formation all season, chose the latter to take on Juventus in Torino. To pressure Andrea Pirlo in midfield, a more defensive trequartista option (Perrotta) was utilized, with Totti and Lamela starting out on the bench. Daniele De Rossi was pushed back in defense, Pjanic, Gago, and Marquinho given the reins of the Giallorossi midfield.

The chief flaw of the 4-3-1-2 is its vulnerability along the flanks. A longtime problem for Italian clubs in Europe (who, barring a stunning display from the fullbacks, play generally too narrow and are often outpaced against 4-4-2 opponents), the same situation applied to Roma today. With little width, the Giallorossi were perfectly countered by the 3-5-2′s two wing-backs flying up and down the flanks. Juve’s first goal – a brilliant finish by Arturo Vidal – was born from this situation, with Vucinic playing the ball wide to De Ceglie (who had gotten clear of Rosi) and Paolino’s cut-back cross finding the feet of the Chilean midfielder.

After the opening the score Juventus continued to push down the flanks, hitting home for a second time through Arturo Vidal once again. Off a counter-attack, Vucinic slid the ball on the right for Capitan Uncino (the Chilean’s new nickname) who drove a powerful finish with his right foot from the edge of the box. Stekelenburg was left helpless and it was 2-0 within the first 10 minutes of play, Roma’s defense once again a complete disaster at the back.

It only got worse for the Giallorossi. Though they admirably attempted to build possession and create attacks, Juve’s defense suffocated Osvaldo & Borini up top, while their five-man midfield had a clear numerical advantage over its Roma counterpart. It was simply a matter of time before Luis Enrique’s defense capitulated once more, though Vucinic and Chiellini’s certainly were warning signs.

In the 26th minute came Juve’s third, with Claudio Marchisio running onto a through Mirko pass and getting upended by Stekelenburg. Bergonzi pointed to the spot and issued the Dutch keeper a (perhaps harsh) red card. Pirlo stepped up from 12 yards, saw his shot saved by substitute Gianluca Curci, but coolly slotted in the rebound. At 3-0 with less than a half-hour on the clock and Roma down to 10 men, the match was pretty much over.

With their midfield completely overrun and their defense all-the-more fragile, Juventus made it 4-0 shortly after the break, another wide run from De Ceglie culminating in a Vucinic-redirected backheel to Claudio Marchisio, who put a powerful curling shot into the bottom-right corner.

At this point, Antonio Conte decided to go easy on Roma and sent on Borriello & Del Piero to replace Vucinic & Quagliarella. Despite putting on a great obstacle to goalscoring, Juventus still had plenty of decent efforts on goal, the most notable of which through Marchisio, Giaccherini, and Del Piero. The match had been over for some time by then.

The game finished with a bit of unsportsmanlike conduct from both sides. There was an incident between former Lazio defender Stephan Lichtsteiner and Roma’s Erik Lamela. The two had words and Lichtsteiner flashed 4 fingers to Lamela, mimicking Totti’s famous hand gesture of several years ago. Lamela also took inspiration from the Roman captain by spitting on the Swiss defender, no doubt earning himself a cushy three-match ban in the process. Three being the operative word, just like the number of points separating Juve from AC Milan in the standings…

LE PAGELLE (by Aaron Giambattista)

Buffon s.v. – Roma’s only shot on target today was a weak Gago effort from mid-range. When asked if he had made any saves today, Buffon replied “One I think, telegraphed. My pre-match warm-up went great though”. Oh Gigi…

Barzagli 6.5 – Kept Borini (in his brief time on the pitch) quiet, and Osvaldo starved of service. An easy outing.

Bonucci 6.5 – Continues to tie the three-man defense together as the central stopper. Decent range of passing today.

Chiellini 7 – Much like his two center-back colleagues, had Roma’s attack completely locked up. In tremendous form this season.

Lichtsteiner 6 – The Swiss Express kept his spot in the team but didn’t entirely convince. Had plenty of space and practically no defensive duties today, but didn’t take much advantage of it. In a 3-5-2, Cáceres is the better RWB option at the moment.

Vidal 8 – In absolutely unstoppable world-class form at the moment. Put the game away in the first 10 minutes with two clinical finishes, smashing the ball into the goal with both his left and right feet. It’s scary how good Arturo is at this age.

(67′) Giaccherini 6 – Didn’t have too long to impress but moved around midfield well enough.

Pirlo 7 – Luis Enrique assigned Pjanic & Perrotta as Pirlo’s bodyguards, but neither managed to create any kind of significant pressure on the Juve playmaker, who directed the match with ease. Had his penalty saved but hit it well on the rebound.

Marchisio 7.5 – A great display. Made brilliant insertions to threaten the Roma goal, won the penalty (causing Stekelenburg’s dismissal) and capped the evening off with a lovely curling effort into the back of the net. Principino is IN.

De Ceglie 7 – Acres of space on the left flank as Paolino consistently tore Rosi apart. His crossing wasn’t great but his movement stretched Roma and he delivered a good cut-back ball for the first goal. His confidence was clearly showing as he even attempted to get on the scoresheet.

Quagliarella 6.5 – Chosen surprisingly ahead of Alessandro Matri, the in-form Neapolitan had a relatively good game working hard up top. Combined well with Mirko Vucinic.

(61′) Del Piero s.v. – Juventus didn’t press very heavily by the time Pinturicchio stepped on the pitch. Not much to do but participate in the post-match celebrations.

Vucinic 7.5 – For his first appearance against his former side Mirko started the match poorly, losing possession rather easily in the first few minutes. Made up for it with a brilliant set of assists. The Montenegrin had a hand in each of the goals today: set up De Ceglie’s cross and Marchisio’s penalty-kick run, then directly assisted Vidal’s 2-0 and Marchisio’s 4-0. Post-match, Conte stated “Roma did us a favor by giving us Mirko… he was devastating.”

(57′) Borriello s.v. – Came onto a match that was already done and dusted. Still was unable to even threaten the goal.

Conte 8 – The sixth win in a row, a level of consistency that we haven’t hit since Farsopoli. Approaching Capello’s record of 9 wins in a row, and doing so in style. Whether Roma had a man sent off or not, this match was going to be a rout. Conte prepared his team brilliantly.

ANALYSIS WRAP-UP (by Aaron Giambattista)

With Milan drawing Bologna 1-1 earlier today, Juventus have been handed a massive opportunity to create space in the Scudetto race. Their lead has now increased from +1 to +3 and with a superior head-to-head record, Juventus only need to win four of their remaining five matches to be crowned Serie A champions!

Crushing Roma was impressive in itself, but the truly stunning fact is that Conte has won 6 games in a row, defeating Fiorentina, Inter, Napoli, Palermo, Lazio, and Roma in the process. Even more dazzling are Juve’s 18 goals scored and only one conceded during this six-match run!

That sort of consistent winning is what the club has found so difficult since Farsopoli, and that has resulted in many failed Scudetto attempts. The team has drawn many games this season, but has hit a hot spot at the right moment. The defense is still rock-solid, and with the midfielders returning to goalscoring form, the points have come.

Five matches remain: five finals. Juventus are very close to the DOUBLE, and close to clinching it undefeated. A decade after Antonio Conte celebrated an improbable Scudetto as a player, he eyes what would be a most-incredible title in his first season as coach.

In Conte We Trust!

.

JUVENTUS-ROMA 4-0

GOALSCORERS: 4′, 8′ Vidal (J), 29′ Pirlo (J), 52′ Marchisio (J)

JUVENTUS (3-5-2): Buffon – Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini – Lichtsteiner, Vidal (67′ Giaccherini), Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie – Quagliarella (61′ Del Piero), Vucinic (57′ Borriello). COACH: Conte

(UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Storari, Cáceres, Pepe, Matri).

ROMA (4-5-1): Stekelenburg – Rosi, Kjaer, De Rossi, José Ángel – Pjanic (61′ Lamela), Perrotta, Gago, Marquinho, Borini (28’ Curci) – Osvaldo (57′ Bojan). COACH: Luis Enrique.

(UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Heinze, Taddei, Greco, Totti).

.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Juventus: The Fall And Rise Of The Grand Old Lady

Apr 23, 2012

by Michael Ogunjimi

After the scandal that emerged in 2006. It seemed Juventus would never recover after their involvement in calciopoli. Juventus were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles. This reduced their proud title tally from 29 Serie A medals to 27. Much worse yet the Old Lady was unceremoniously kicked out of the 06/07 Champions League and relegated to Serie B for the first time in their history.

Because of these incidents many star players left I bianconeri but after one season in Serie B they achieved promotion and the slightest of redemptions after winning the league with extreme ease. During the 07/08 season they reached third place status in Serie A and qualified for the Champion’s League, but it was still not enough for a big club like Juventus losing to Chelsea in the knockout round in the latter stages in the competition in the 08/09 season. The season after that proved to be disappointing having been knocked out the Champions League again, this time by Bayern Munich and finishing in 7th place and also again finishing 7th in the 10/11 season. It appeared it was going to take a lengthy time for Juventus to recover.

Enough was enough. In the summer of 2011 the Juventus board gained inspiration from Barcelona’s decision to hire Pep Guardiola which paid dividends as the Catalan club have now won an astonishing 13 major titles in the last four years. They ultimately decided to hire Juventus legend Antonio Conte and this was when things started to dramatically change. Fast forward to current events and Juventus have not been beaten at all this season taking their unbeaten streak to 32 games. They are now just two games short of equalling Fabio Capello’s AC Milan side of 1991-92. While they may not play pretty football like Barcelona but their game is similarly based around possession – they are in 8th place in Europe’s possession stats, the second highest in Italy after AC Milan. To optimise this Conte’s first aim was to make Juventus an extremely fit side, which is a key component as to why they are unbeaten this season. Its seems teams that have high fitness are doing well of late at the moment e.g. Borrusia Dortmund who are now on a 26 match unbeaten streak and have recently been crowned the Bundesliga Champions for the second consecutive year in a row. Also Real Madrid whose fitness levels are simply incredible – especially that of Cristiano Ronaldo – are now massive favourites to lift the La Liga title after beating Barcelona at the Nou camp with exactly the same line up used against Bayern Munich a few days earlier. If you were fortunate enough to watch the match you could see how Madrid pressed Barcelona effectively and with such efficiency. Similarly Conte puts fitness first in the Juventus team and made attacking football the second priority. After all he did push all the way to sign Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal who, like Ramirez of Chelsea, has amazing fitness levels as it seemed Vidal was on his way to Bayern Munich. You heard it here first, I believe over the next few years clubs will aim to take fitness levels into even more extreme stratospheres.

Another purchase that has greatly helped Juventus is the signing of Andrea Pirlo the former AC Milan legend who surprisingly left AC Milan after it was deemed he had no place in the team after Milan bought Van Bommel. Pirlo does what he does best which is dictating and spraying pinpoint accurate long passes to the forwards. He is to Juventus what Xavi is to Barcelona and what Xabi Alonso is to real Madrid, Pirlo has been integral for Conte’s plan for Juventus as he was seen as the missing link in the legendary football side. The formation Juventus play can be really confusing and mind twisting because at the start of the season Conte’s side were playing an attacking 4-2-4 formation but in games against Napoli and Milan Conte’s tactical changes have been effective. Playing a 3-5-2 formation against Napoli matching them blow for blow, coming from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 and later winning 3-0 in the next fixture against them. Against Milan he’s played the same formation again, this time drawing against them after Juventus lost one nil earlier in the Serie A campaign. It clearly seems that Conte is becoming infatuated with using the 3-5-2 formation. Has it been enough? One simple answer. Yes. Juventus have won their last 5 games against good sides playing the same formation. They beat Inter, Fiorentina, Lazio, Napoli and Palermo. They are also in the Coppa Italia final and are looking to win a domestic double. Conte’s vision for Juventus is clearly bright and clear. He has definitely brought the Guardiola first season effect to Turin and is seeing amazing results. Quite simply they’ve been the best team in Serie A.

The question remains however, can they keep it up? Can they continue to dominate next season like this one? Crucially can they have a massive effect in the Champion’s League? Well I do personally feel Juventus can become better from here particularly if they seek out more proficient strikers whose profligacy is a major reason for their astonishing 14 Serie A draws this term. Were it not for Milan’s slip-ups those draws would surely have come back to haunt them. To this end the rumour mill in Turin is already whirring away linking the club to all manner of arch poachers.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

[Luigi Daniele 68]

I tend to agree with his conclusions. I would definitely focus on getting a world class striker. We are pretty darn good in defense (if Pirlo stays Pirlo @@ )

[Socrates 8331]

Serie A Week 34 - 22-4-2012 (8:45 p.m.)

4 - 0

Arturo Vidal (4′)

Arturo Vidal (8′)

Andrea Pirlo (29′)

Claudio Marchisio (53′)

Juventus Stadium - Turin

Referee: Mauro Bergonzi

Attendance: 35000

Juventus redemption almost complete

Juventus edge closer to first Serie A title since Calciopoli scandal.

Apr 23, 2012

July 4 2006 was a day all those connected with Juventus hoped would never come, as the Italian Football Federation's prosecutor, Stefano Palazzi, condemned them to Serie C1 as punishment for their part in the Calciopoli scandal.

An investigation by Italian police in May of that year discovered, via telephone interceptions, a network of relations between the Juve hierarchy and referee organisations, and also implicated AC Milan, Fiorentina, Lazio and Reggina.

Juve, back-to-back Serie A champions in 2005 and 2006, were however far greater exponents of these dark arts, and were justly punished for playing the most prominent hand in this match-fixing scandal.

On appeal, the Turin giants were able to ensure they were only relegated as far as Serie B, but they were also forced to pay the price for their indiscretions by relinquishing the titles they had won during the previous two seasons.

It was the first time in their illustrious history that Juve had been required to compete in the second-tier of Italian football, but relegation did not prove to be as catastrophic as it might have been, with a number of key players deciding to remain at the Stadio Delle Alpi.

Although the likes of Lilian Thuram, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Fabio Cannavaro all departed for pastures new, Pavel Nedved, Gianluigi Buffon and Alessandro del Piero remained.

The verdict of the Calciopoli scandal affected the latter emotionally more than many others, with Del Piero having spent 13 glorious years with Juventus before their demotion.

Yet the 37-year-old could finish his career at the end of this season knowing he has played a role in restoring Juve to somewhere near their former glories.

Redemption is near for Italy's most successful domestic club, as Antonio Conte's side edge ever closer to a first Serie A title since they were rocked so forcefully by the courts six years ago.

Didier Deschamps had led Juve back to the top-flight at the first attempt, but five managers between he and Conte have failed to launch a serious challenge for the league title.

The beginning of this campaign felt like the birth of a new Juventus, as they left the Delle Alpi behind - a stadium draped in both good and bad memories - for a purpose built new arena.

Juventus Stadium, as it is appropriately named, has quickly become a fortress for the Turin outfit, with Conte's side boasting 12 wins and five draws in 17 league outings at their new home.

The latest victory in Valette could be the most crucial yet, with Juve's convincing 4-0 triumph over Roma on Sunday propelling them above AC Milan to the summit of the Serie A table.

Milan had been four points clear little over a month ago, but Juve have enjoyed a swing of seven points, and remain on course to end the campaign without a single league defeat.

There may still be some distance to run in the Italian domestic season - five matches, to be precise - yet there is the sense that the momentum gained by Juve in recent weeks will be enough to see off any late surge from Milan.

Juve have won their last five matches in Serie A, and face a relatively straightforward run on the final straight; meeting five of the league's bottom seven sides in their remaining fixtures.

When Juventus limped to seventh place last season, some eight points away from the Champions League places, there was an overriding feeling that things could only get better, rather than worse, the following year.

But few would have imagined they could realistically beat Massimiliano Allegri's imperious Milan to the league title, let alone end the season with a domestic double.

Yet, with only three weeks of the current league campaign remaining and a Coppa Italia final with Napoli on the horizon, May could herald legitimate success at the top level for Juve for the first time in almost decade.

Juventus have had to go some way to distance themselves from the scandal that almost ruined the club six years ago, but their journey to redemption is now almost complete.

http://www.soccerway...regular-season/

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