Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Roberto Di Matteo expects "open game" against Juventus Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo believes that their Champions League clash with Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday will be "an open game". The Premier League giants will take on the Italian champions in Turin in Group E. "It's going to be a difficult one for sure – they are under pressure as well to win this game and it's going to make it an interesting match," said Di Matteo. "It will be an open game. Both sides can win it. Juve are at home and maybe that could be a bit of an advantage, but sometimes playing at home can be a hindrance too. "I think we've got to try and create problems for Juve. I've seen lots of their recent games, including the last one against Lazio, when they crushed their opponents in their own half. We have to cause them problems. Yes, we will defend, but not only that." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Juventus v Chelsea: Nicklas Bendtner targets win Nov 20, 2012 Nicklas Bendtner is hoping to kick-start his career at Juventus by helping them beat Chelsea in their crucial Champions League game on Tuesday. Juventus host the European champions, trailing the Blues by one point with two group games to play. Striker Bendtner is on a season-long loan at the Serie A side from Arsenal. "I have come to one of, if not the, the biggest club in Italy to win something, to play and to score goals," the 24-year-old told BBC Sport. Bendtner has been limited to two starts in seven appearances in all competitions for the Italian league leaders but is hoping to make more of an impact now that he is fully fit. He said: "It took me a month or so to get fit but now that I am I've played many games, coming on as a substitute. "Obviously, I hope to establish myself even more in Italy and start scoring goals for Juventus." Bendtner joined Arsenal in July 2005 but after struggling to establish himself in the first-team and a loan spell at Sunderland last season, he believes his move to Juventus was "good for everyone". Asked about whether he would be returning to Arsenal, he replied: "You can never rule anything out but I am focusing on my career here and I'll see where that takes me. "Arsenal is still a great club and I had some great times there. At times I thought I should have played more. I've scored a lot of important goals while I was there. "I did start to play on a more regular basis but then I had that terrible car crash [in September 2009] which set me back. When I came back after that it was difficult because the other players performed really well. "I then went on loan to Sunderland and played every match. I felt strong and fit again going into the Euro 2012. "I had a good European Championship and the last year set me up for a move away and it's what I wanted and what I was ready for." Bendtner feels he has now acclimatised to the emphasis on the tactical side of the game in Italy compared to the "faster" pace of English football. And, going into Tuesday's game against Chelsea, he knows that Juventus need to be wary of their rivals who have failed to win in their last four league games and have gone nine outings without a clean sheet. "I don't think you can underestimate Chelsea," he said. "Even though they haven't won in four games they are always difficult to play against. "They also won this competition last season so we have to stay on our guard and make sure that they don't win this game either." Juventus know the importance of a win against Chelsea as the Serie A outfit face a tough trip to Shakhtar Donetsk in their final group game, while the Blues host group strugglers FC Nordsjaelland. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Gullit rules out Chelsea Champions League challenge Nov 20, 2012 Ahead of Chelsea's almost vital away clash with Juventus tonight, former Blues player and manager Ruud Gullit has claimed the club cannot win the Champions League this year. Chelsea go into tonight's game at the Juventus Stadium top of Group E, level on points with second place Shakhtar, and one point ahead of Juventus in third. However defeat against Juve could put the Blues into third, and would leave Di Matteo's men reliant on a draw between Shatktar and Juventus in the final game, assuming Chelsea beat Nordsjaelland. Gullit feels that despite sitting top of their group, Chelsea cannot challenge for Europe's top prize this season. “Chelsea winning it last year was a surprise, I don’t think they can do it again," Gullit told the Mirror. “They are trying to change the way they play and are having mixed results, so they will have to work very hard to reach the latter stages again.” Chelsea have recorded just two victories in their last seven outings, against Man Utd in the League Cup, and over Shakhtar in the last Champions League outing. They come into the clash on the back of a 2-1 defeat to West Brom on Saturday, a match which prompted angry exchanges in the Blues dressing-room after the game. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Juventus v Chelsea: Probable line-ups Nov 20, 2012 Juventus go into Tuesday’s Champions League tie with Chelsea knowing that the match is a must win game. The Bianconeri could be eliminated from the competition if they lose to Chelsea and Shakhtar defeat Nordsjælland. Chelsea will be without John Terry and Frank Lampard, while there are doubts over Fernando Torres starting the game. Meanwhile Juve will have Mirko Vucinic back after his bout of flu. Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Quagliarella. Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Torres. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Juventus can beat Chelsea, insists Dalla Bona The 31-year-old believes the Bianconeri have the quality to send the reigning European champions home empty handed, and has singled out Andrea Pirlo as the key man. Nov 20, 2012 EXCLUSIVE By Sergio Stanco Samuele Dalla Bona is confident Juventus have what it takes to beat Chelsea in Tuesday's Champions League Group E encounter. The Turin side currently sit in third place, trailing their opponents by one point, and Dalla Bona believes they could leapfrog the Blues in the table on Tuesday. "In my opinion, Juventus can beat Chelsea. It's true that Chelsea have a great team and that they have more international experience. However, Juve are the most English side of all the non-English teams," Dalla Bona told Goal.com. "They play at a very high pace, always pressuring their opponents and are very physical. I expect an entertaining encounter. It will not be easy, but I believe that Juventus in the end have a good chance of being victorious." The former Chelsea man then went on to praise the Bianconeri's midfield, and singled out Andrea Pirlo as the player who could make all the difference. "For me, Juventus have one of the best midfields in the world with Pirlo, [Arturo] Vidal and [Claudio] Marchisio. Chelsea have a strong midfield as well, though. That's where the game will be decided, and Pirlo could be decisive. "He has made a step up in quality since he was turned into a deep-lying playmaker by [Carlo] Mazzone. He was already strong as a trequartista, but he's simply excellent in his current position. He always plays at a high level. He's a phenomenon." Dalla Bona played for Chelsea between 1998 and 2002, before returning to his native country and joining AC Milan. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Champions League: Juventus v Chelsea match preview Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea go into their Champions League Group E game at Juventus in danger of being the first holders to crash out of the competition before Christmas. A win will guarantee Chelsea qualification to the next round so the onus will be on Juventus, who are third in the group, to take control. Chelsea need to avoid defeat to ensure that a win over Nordsjaelland at Stamford Bridge on 5 December will guarantee they reach the Champions League knockout stages. Win tonight, and they will be through. KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 8.45pm PAST MEETINGS… Chelsea 2 (Oscar x2) Juventus 2 (Vidal, Quagliarella), Champions League, group stage, September 2012 Juventus 2 (Iaquinta, Del Piero) Chelsea 2 (Essien, Drogba) Champions League knock-out phase, March 2009 Chelsea 1 (Drogba) Juventus 0, Champions League knock-out phase, February 2009 STATS… This is Juventus' 42nd meeting with English sides; their record is W15 D11 L15 Chelsea have won only once in eight visits to Italy, a 4-0 group stage success at S.S. Lazio in 2003/04 Chelsea have now lost three of their last 12 away group games, winning five ODDS… Juventus to win: 1.9 Chelsea to win: 4.4 Draw: 3.9 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Ivanovic: Juventus clash is like a final for Chelsea The experienced defender is aware of the importance of the current European Champions getting a positive result in Turin as they look to reach the knockout stages. Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic believes their Champions League match away to Juventus will be "like a final" as they eye a place in the next round. A win away to the Serie A champions would secure the Blues' passage into the knockout stages of the competition that they won last year, while a point would also put them in the driving seat to progress. However, a defeat would leave them in a precarious position and in danger of finishing behind Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk, who they narrowly beat in the previous round of games, and Ivanovic is aware of the importance of the tie. Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “Tuesday is a crucial game for our season. We have already had a couple of games like this, this year, but this one is like a final for us. It can decide a lot, but if we do what we know it is going to be fine. “We know we cannot lose, of course. But the mentality of the team is not like this. We have to follow our philosophy of attacking and trying to win the game, because we are Chelsea and we have a way of playing. “We want to win every game and qualify as soon as possible, and we have to be true to our philosophy.” The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in the Blues’ 2-1 loss to West Brom on Sunday, and admitted he has been impressed by the performances of his replacement, Cesar Azpilicueta’s recent displays. He added: “Cesar is great. He takes up good positions and it's important we have players like this who can play games, because we have a lot in the season. I hope he will use every chance he has to play.” Chelsea head into the match against Juventus having lost two and drawn two of their previous four Premier League fixtures. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Vialli: Juventus have 12 men with Pirlo The former Italy striker believes the midfielder gives Antonio Conte's side an edge whilst he does not see Didier Drogba as the answer to the club's striking problems upfront. Nov 20, 2012 Gianluca Vialli has backed Andrea Pirlo to be Juventus' key player as the Serie A champions take on another of the Italian's former sides Chelsea on Tuesday. The midfielder has been imperious for Antonio Conte's team since moving to Turin from AC Milan in 2011, and Vialli believes La Vecchia Signora almost have an extra man when Pirlo is in the side. "Juventus play like they have 12 men with him [Pirlo]. He is the director, the playmaker," he explained to Tuttosport. He also admitted that Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo is likely to employ Oscar to try and combat Pirlo's passing game after the Brazilian scored twice in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge on matchday one. He added: "Di Matteo will repeat the move, because it has brought great results. Oscar is the ideal player to put him in trouble, because he has the humility and the age to shoulder the dirty work and the quality in attack in turn. "If Pirlo screens the defence, the Brazil international will allow him to take the ball and then attack him. We'll see what the outcome is." Despite an impressive start to the defence of their Serie A title, Conte's team have been criticised for not having a regular goalscorer to spearhead their attack. The Bianconeri coach has tried and tested two or three different partnerships with Mirko Vucinic, Sebastian Giovinco, Fabio Quagliarella, Alessandro Matri and on-loan Nicklas Bendtner to choose from, but has yet to settle on a pair he is happy with. And Vialli was unsure as to who the best partnership would be to grab the goals to beat the European champions. "The problem of the attackers of Juventus is that they are all the same level. No one has proven to be a champion and this explains the rotations of Conte," he continued. "Overall, the team can benefit, but the individual certainly not. To answer that, I find it hard to choose a partnership. You can think of so many different combinations, but not one can be considered the strongest." Former Blues' striker Didier Drogba has been linked with filling the void at Juventus Stadium, but Vialli thinks that the Cote d'Ivoire striker would not be the long-term answer to the issues that the club faces. He added: "To win back the championship Juventus do not need Drogba. It would certainly not be a long-term investment and soon the problem would return again. "It would be better to buy once and lock down the role for the next five years." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Torres dropped while Hazard starts as false nine for Chelsea The out-of-form Spaniard is relegated to the bench while the Blues' creative trio is preserved in attack and Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta start as wing-backs. Nov 20, 2012 Fernando Torres has been dropped to the bench for Chelsea's crucial Champions League group-stage clash with Juventus. Eden Hazard will start as a false No.9 in the absence of the out-of-form Spaniard, with Juan Mata and Oscar tasked with providing the service for the tricky Belgian. In defence, Roberto Di Matteo shifts to a back three of Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz and Gary Cahill, with the returning Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta are expected to operate as wing-backs. Juventus, meanwhile, prefer Fabio Quagliarella to Sebastian Giovinco up front in what is otherwise a full-strength lineup. Juventus starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci; Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Asamoah; Vucinic, Quagliarella Subs: Storari, Caceres, Pogba, Pepe, Giovinco, Giaccherini, Matri Chelsea starting XI (5-2-3): Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole; Mikel, Ramires; Mata, Oscar, Hazard Subs: Turnbull, Bertrand, Romeu, Marin, Torres, Piazon, Moses Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Line-ups: Juventus-Chelsea Nov 20, 2012 Juventus have Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella and Andrea Pirlo in tonight’s Champions League showdown with Chelsea, who drop Fernando Torres. The Bianconeri are currently third in Group E, but only one point behind joint leaders Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea. As their final game is in Ukraine, it is essential Juve get a good result on home turf against the reigning Champions League holders. Vucinic has missed the last few games due to an ankle injury and then a bout of flu, but has recovered to start alongside Quagliarella, sending Sebastian Giovinco to the bench. Pirlo was suspended for Saturday’s Serie A 0-0 draw with Lazio, so returns well-rested to the midfield. Stephan Lichtsteiner is back after he was dropped for a few games, but Nicklas Bendtner is not even on the bench. Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge when these teams met back in September and were beaten by West Bromwich Albion at the weekend. There were reports that Torres would be dropped for this huge game after an alleged locker room row and he is indeed on the bench in Turin, leaving Eden Hazard as a 'false 9' although it is also possible the Blues could line up with an unusual 5-2-3 system. Juan Mata, Oscar, Ramires, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic have all shaken off injuries to return for Roberto Di Matteo’s men, but Frank Lampard and John Terry are sidelined. If Shakhtar Donetsk beat Nordsjaelland this evening, then they will secure their spot in the knockouts thanks to a superior head-to-head record with Chelsea, leaving just one qualifying place left. Unlike the last Champions League home game against Shakhtar, the Juventus Stadium is expected to be sold out tonight. Chelsea’s record on Italian soil is weak thanks to a single win at Lazio in 2003-04, three draws and four defeats. JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Vucinic Juventus bench: Storari, Caceres, Pogba, Pepe, Giaccherini, Giovinco, Matri CHELSEA: Cech; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic, A Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Hazard, Juan Mata, Oscar Chelsea bench: Turnbull, Bertrand, Oriol Romeu, Marin, Piazon, Torres, Moses Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 20, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS - CHELSEA Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) HT: Quaglia continues Chelsea account Nov 20, 2012 Fabio Quagliarella was on target against Chelsea again as Juventus lead 1-0 in Turin at half-time and were denied a second by a goalline clearance. Elsewhere, Nordsjaelland are holding Shakhtar Donetsk 2-2 in an unexpected result, as the Danes went in front twice. This was a must-win game for the Bianconeri if they wanted Champions League qualification to remain in their hands. They were third in Group E, but only one point behind joint leaders Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea. Mirko Vucinic recovered from a bout of flu to start alongside Fabio Quagliarella, while Andrea Pirlo returned after he missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Lazio due to a ban. Chelsea completely reshuffled after a dismal Premier League run, dropping Fernando Torres for a 4-2-3-1 system with Eden Hazard a ‘False 9,’ while Ashley Cole, Oscar, Ramires, Juan Mata and Branislav Ivanovic shook off injuries. Frank Lampard and John Terry were still sidelined. Juve poured forward immediately and after three minutes Stephan Lichtsteiner volleyed a Vucinic chipped pass to the back post, but Petr Cech managed to deflect it on to the upright from point-blank range with his legs. Chelsea were sitting back and trying to hit only on the counter, which they almost did with Giorgio Chiellini’s intercepted pass. Oscar threaded through to send Hazard clear, but Gigi Buffon managed to turn it on to the side-netting. Cech came to the rescue again when a corner found Claudio Marchisio’s strike palmed out for another set play. Quagliarella passed two angled drives straight into the goalkeeper’s arms, as did Vucinic and a Pirlo free kick that went through the wall. Gary Cahill needed a crucial interception in the six-yard box to stop Lichtsteiner’s pull-back after a wonderful passing move. At the other end, Oscar almost made the most of another counter-attack, but Leonardo Bonucci came sliding in to block his shot. Juventus did eventually break the deadlock on 38 minutes with a sneaky finish. Pirlo won back possession in midfield unleashed a long-range snapshot that Quagliarella redirected with his toe to completely wrong-foot Cech in goal. It was so nearly 2-0 moments later, but a desperate goalline clearance from Ashley Cole denied Lichtsteiner at the back post. The move continued and at the other end Juan Mata was totally unmarked, but Buffon stood his ground and blocked the volley. Juventus 1-0 Chelsea (Half-Time) Scorers: Quagliarella 38 (J) Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Vucinic Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cahill, A Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Juan Mata, Oscar, Azpilicueta; Hazard Ref: Cakir (TUR) Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Blues on the brink as pressure piles on Di Matteo Goals from Quagliarella, Vidal and Giovinco compound a disastrous night in Turin for the European champions, who are just one game away from bowing out of the competition. Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea's defence of their Champions League crown was left hanging from a cliff in Turin on Tuesday night as Juventus put the Blues to the sword in a convincing 3-0 win. A first-half goal from Fabio Quagliarella was doubled by Arturo Vidal's second-half strike before Sebastian Giovinco rounded off the win to ensure that, combined with a victory for Shakhtar Donetsk, Juve leapfrogged Roberto Di Matteo's team. A draw or Shakhtar win when the Italians travel to Ukraine on the final matchday would now confirm Chelsea's elimination. The Blues were under pressure after just four minutes as Mirko Vucinic's clever back-post cross required Petr Cech to pull off a stunning point-blank save from Stephan Lichtsteiner to turn it onto the post. The giant Chelsea goalkeeper was at the heart of the action, parrying well from Claudio Marchisio's first-time effort on 15 minutes. At the other end, Oscar carried Chelsea's threat as he burst from the left flank to the middle, taking two Juventus defenders out of the game as he glided across the box. He released Eden Hazard, who seemed certain to score until Gianluigi Buffon's trailing leg diverted his low shot just wide. It was to prove their best chance of the match. As the game settled, it was not until the 35th minute that Chelsea mustered another clear-cut chance. Ramires burst through midfield challenges and released Oscar into the box. The Brazilian was only stopped by Leandro Bonucci's well-timed tackle. But, soon after, the deadlock was broken and there was a touch of fortune about it as Quagliarella diverted Pirlo's tame 25-yard effort past a sprawling Cech to give Juventus the lead. It was the Italian striker's sixth goal in six games. The hosts nearly made it 2-0 immediately afterwards but for Ashley Cole's alert goal-line clearance as Lichtsteiner headed past Cech. As if prompted by the threat on their own goal, Chelsea responded. Hazard outpaced the Juve defence and squared to an unmarked Juan Mata but, by the time that he had controlled the ball, Buffon had smothered him. Di Matteo declined to make half-time changes, with the benched Fernando Torres continuing to look on, but it was his defensive line who came under question as Gary Cahill appeared to tug the tricky Vucinic to the ground. Fortunately for the visitors, referee Cuneyt Cakir chose to wave play on rather than signal for a penalty. The Juventus attack continued to trouble Chelsea and Quagliarella had two fine chances to double his haul but he was left rueing Cech's determined keeping. But, as Di Matteo chased the game, introducing Victor Moses for Cesar Azpilicueta, Juventus struck again. Vucinic's pass allowed Kwadwo Asamoah to drive into the box and his cutback fell for Vidal, who saw his 20-yard shot deflect off of Ramires' heel and through Cech's legs. It was the 20th goal that the Stamford Bridge outfit had conceded in 10 games. Chelsea continued to chase, finally introducing Torres for John Obi Mikel, but it was the hosts who looked more dangerous, Vucinic criminally knocking a shot from 10 yards out over the crossbar. But, as the clock rolled into injury time, substitute Giovinco prodded past Cech to cap a fine night in the Juventus Stadium. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Juve crush Chelsea! Nov 20, 2012 Juventus dominated Chelsea in Turin with Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco in a 3-0 Champions League triumph. Elsewhere, Nordsjaelland had twice gone in front against Shakhtar Donetsk, but eventually capitulated 5-2. It means the Ukrainians are qualified for the knock-outs and Juve are in second place. This was a must-win game for the Bianconeri if they wanted Champions League qualification to remain in their hands. They were third in Group E, but only one point behind joint leaders Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea. Mirko Vucinic recovered from a bout of flu to start alongside Fabio Quagliarella, while Andrea Pirlo returned after he missed Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Lazio due to a ban. Chelsea completely reshuffled after a dismal Premier League run, dropping Fernando Torres for a 4-2-3-1 system with Eden Hazard a ‘False 9,’ while Ashley Cole, Oscar, Ramires, Juan Mata and Branislav Ivanovic shook off injuries. Frank Lampard and John Terry were still sidelined. Juve poured forward immediately and after three minutes Stephan Lichtsteiner volleyed a Vucinic chipped pass to the back post, but Petr Cech managed to deflect it on to the upright from point-blank range with his legs. Chelsea were sitting back and trying to hit only on the counter, which they almost did with Giorgio Chiellini’s intercepted pass. Oscar threaded through to send Hazard clear, but Gigi Buffon managed to turn it on to the side-netting. Cech came to the rescue again when a corner found Claudio Marchisio’s strike palmed out for another set play. Quagliarella passed two angled drives straight into the goalkeeper’s arms, as did Vucinic and a Pirlo free kick that went through the wall. Gary Cahill needed a crucial interception in the six-yard box to stop Lichtsteiner’s pull-back after a wonderful passing move. At the other end, Oscar almost made the most of another counter-attack, but Leonardo Bonucci came sliding in to block his shot. Juventus did eventually break the deadlock on 38 minutes with a sneaky finish. Pirlo won back possession in midfield unleashed a long-range snapshot that Quagliarella redirected with his toe to completely wrong-foot Cech in goal. It was so nearly 2-0 moments later, but a desperate goalline clearance from Ashley Cole denied Lichtsteiner at the back post from a Kwadwo Asamoah cross. The move continued and at the other end Juan Mata was totally unmarked, but Buffon stood his ground and blocked the volley. Vucinic had penalty appeals after the restart when he ran on to a long ball and fell under a shirt-tug from Cahill, though the referee did not consider it enough to knock him over. It was certainly a yank on the shoulder and unbalanced him, but at the same time the striker did not particularly try to stay on his feet either. Quagliarella managed to turn by leaning into Cahill, but Cech smothered at the near post when he should’ve rolled back for Lichtsteiner. A Pirlo screamer was fingertipped round the post by the Chelsea goalkeeper. On 59 minutes Quagliarella sprung the offside trap, but Cech stuck to him to narrow the angle and prevent the finish from the by-line. From that corner, Bonucci nodded over the bar. Arturo Vidal surged forward and exchanged passes with Vucinic, but the Montenegrin went for goal rather than giving it back and had to apologise to his angry teammate. Less than a minute later Vidal got his chance and took it, as Asamoah burst down the left and pulled back for the on-rushing Chilean to fire a daisy-cutter that took a deflection off Ramires to nutmeg Cech. Asamoah was sent clear just moments after Cesar Azpilicueta, who had been marking him, was substituted. Lichtsteiner had cramp and made way for Martin Caceres and he immediately had an angled drive charged down in the box. Vucinic then dived on to a cross, but just failed to make contact with his head. Torres was thrown on too and Asamoah mis-kicked wide from a promising position. Vucinic wasted a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 when Caceres rolled across from the right and he ballooned over the bar unmarked. A substitution was changed at the last second, as Sebastian Giovinco was coming on for Quagliarella, but Vucinic – who was suffering from flu last week – begged to be replaced instead. Oscar should’ve done better when faced with a hole in the Bianconeri defence, but lost his footing at the crucial moment. Marchisio was booked and will be suspended for the final group trip to Shakhtar Donetsk. Substitute Giovinco has been criticised by the fans recently, so expelled all his anger when scoring the third goal. The Atomic Ant struck on the counter and drew out Cech to toe-poke it past him into an empty net from 20 yards. In stoppages Giorgio Chiellini felt a thigh twinge and limped off after all the substitutions had been completed. Juventus 3-0 Chelsea Scorers: Quagliarella 38 (J), Vidal 61 (J), Giovinco 90 (J) Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Caceres 68), Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella (Pogba 89), Vucinic (Giovinco 82) Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cahill, A Cole; Ramires, Mikel (Torres 71); Juan Mata, Oscar, Azpilicueta (Moses 60); Hazard Ref: Cakir (TUR) Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Cechmate As Bianconeri Run Riot Nov 20, 2012 Juventus deservingly defeated Chelsea 3-0 in Champions League at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday. Fabio Quagliarella put the Bianconeri ahead just before the break then Arturo Vidal made it two in the second half, before Sebastian Giovinco sealed the win in the final moments. The home side clearly had the bit between their teeth as they looked to get an early advantage. Stephan Lichtsteiner forced Petr Cech into a point blank save from three yards after he met a Mirko Vucinic volley at the back post. Chelsea were struggling to make it out of their own half in the opening moments, but Gianluigi Buffon did have to push an Eden Harzard shot round the post. Cech was once more in action as after Claudio Marchisio had his shot from inside the box palmed away. But Juve did find a way past Cech after Quagliarella redirected an Andrea Pirlo shot to leave the Czech keeper powerless in the Chelsea goal. Ashley Cole then denied Lichtsteiner by clearing the defender’s shot off the line. In the second half Juventus felt they should have been given a penalty after Vucinic looked to have been pulled down in the box by Gary Cahill, but the referee waved play on. Just seconds later Chelsea saw an 20 yard freekick smashed into the wall by David Luiz. Juve were denied on a couple more occasions by Cech, Pirlo and Quagliarella having shots saved, but the home side were starting to apply some pressure. Then Vidal made it two when he slide home a Kwadwo Asamoah pull back from the edge of the area, though the ball looked to have taken deflection via Ramires. Chelsea were struggling to gain a foot hold in the game with Juventus keeping the ball in the Blues’ half. Vucinic then had a golden opportunity to make it three, but ballooned over the bar from six yards. Roberto Di Matteo’s side went all out attack in the end and left themselves exposed to Juventus counter attacks Then Giovinco put the icing on the cake in the final minute with a cool finish from outside the box, after Cech came rushing out of his goal. The result means Juventus now move up to second place, two points above Chelsea, with Shakhtar Donetsk topping group with a point more than the Serie A side. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Juventus beat Chelsea to push European champions to the brink of an early exit Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea are on the brink of an early UEFA Champions League exit after losing 3-0 at Juventus on Tuesday evening. Fabio Quagliarella diverted Andrea Pirlo's weak shot past the wrong-footed Petr Cech to give the home side the lead just before the interval. Arturo Vidal added to the lead just after the hour mark when his side-footed effort from Kwadwo Asamoah's cut-back was deflected past Cech off the heel of Ramires. And substitute Sebastian Giovinco put the gloss on the display as he slotted the ball past the advancing Chelsea goalkeeper in injury time. Chelsea must now beat Nordsjaelland in their final Group E game - and hope Shakhtar Donetsk beat Juve in Ukraine - to have any chance of retaining their European crown. And Roberto Di Matteo may regret fielding a new-look line-up with Fernando Torres axed in favour of Eden Hazard up front and Cesar Azpilicueta playing on the right of midfield. Juventus had dominated the game before the break with wing-backs Stephan Lichtsteiner and Asamoah pushing forward at every opportunity. Lichtsteiner should have opened the scoring inside five minutes but Cech managed to push his close-range effort onto the post. At the other end, Hazard nearly found the breakthrough only for Gianluigi Buffon to deflect his shot just wide. But the home side were producing the classier football and it was no surprise when they took the lead through Quagliarella. In fact, they nearly doubled their advantage soon after. Minutes after the opener, Ashley Cole had to clear off the line to avoid the Blues going two behind. But Di Matteo's side remained an intermittent goal threat and broke within seconds only for Juan Mata to see Buffon block his volleyed effort at point-blank range. The Chelsea boss did introduce Torres with 20 minutes remaining but the visitors were two down by that point following Vidal's effort, and Giovinco's late finish puts the Blues on the verge of a Champions League exit. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Chelsea on verge of exit Nov 20, 2012 Holders Chelsea are on the verge of an early Champions League elimination after they were beaten by Juventus on Tuesday, while Celtic's fate is also out of their hands after tasting defeat against Benfica. Elsewhere Manchester United, already safely into the last 16 of the competition, played a youthful side in defeat against Galatasaray - on a night where Barcelona, Valencia, Bayern Munich and Shakhtar Donetsk also qualified for the knockout stages. A victory in the final group game against FC Nordsjaelland may still not be good enough for defending champions Chelsea to go through, after they lost 3-0 against Juventus. The Blues are now two points behind the Italian side going into the final game, with a draw against Shakhtar - safely through after a 5-2 win over Nordsjaelland - good enough for the Turin club to seal the second qualification berth in Group E. Goals from Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco condemned the Blues to their unwelcome position, on a night where the changes Roberto Di Matteo promised failed to bring an immediate reward. The Italian left Fernando Torres on the bench and started with a five-man backline, a move that initially looked promising as Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar - interchanging at the front - found space going forward. But the course of the match was changed by a piece of opportunism by Quagliarella - who re-directed Andrea Pirlo's long range shot past a wrong-footed Petr Cech to open the scoring shortly before half-time. Midway through the second half Juventus had a deserved second, as Vidal's driven shot deflected through Cech's legs off the unfortunate Ramires. The Blues never really looked like getting back into the game after that, despite the introduction of both Victor Moses and Torres, and a final goal from Giovinco - beating the onrushing Cech to a long through ball and sliding the ball under him - in the closing minutes added emphasis to the final scoreline. In the other game in the group, Shakhtar romped to victory against Nordsjaelland - with Luiz Adriano scoring a hat-trick and Willian chipping in with the other two. The win sent the Ukrainian side through, with Chelsea now left to hope it does not lead to them taking their foot off the gas in the final game against Juve. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Match Analysis: Juventus 3-0 Chelsea Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea's chances of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League are on a knife edge following their 3-0 defeat in Juventus this evening. Goals from Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco did the damage for hosting Juve, who are now favourites to qualify at the expense of the Blues. Sports Mole has looked back over the encounter to determine whether or not the scoreline flattered the Italian champions. Match statistics: JUVENTUS: Shots 24 On target 15 Possession 56% Corners 10 Fouls 19 CHELSEA: Shots 11 On target 6 Possession 44% Corners 5 Fouls 6 Was the result fair? The only was the outcome could have been fairer is if Juventus had scored more goals. They dominated the match from start to finish and by and large dealt with anything Chelsea threw their way. Juventus's performance Juve are very well organised side. Granted they keep the ball well and play some good passing football when they have possession. However, it's without the ball where they also impressed tonight. Everybody knew their respective jobs and carried them out responsibly. Chelsea's performance Dropping Fernando Torres because of his current form is fair enough, but only do that if you are replacing him with a natural centre-forward. Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard all tried to fill the void, but the striking role is not natural to any of them. As well as that, Roberto Di Matteo will be disappointed with the way that his side surrendered possession in the midfield on numerous occasions. Sports Mole's man of the match Arturo Vidal: The Chilean is and old fashioned midfielder who hustles his way from one penalty area to another. Not only did he break up several Chelsea attacks, but he also scored the crucial second goal. Biggest gaffe It did not have an impact on the overall result, but quite what Petr Cech was doing in stoppage time for the third Juventus goal is baffling. Full-back Ashley Cole looked to have the situation covered but Cech raced off his line, giving Giovinco an easy finish. Referee performance It was a relatively easy night for Turkey's Cuneyt Cakır. There were no malicious tackles, which meant Cakir did not have too many major decisions to make. The one he did have he may have got wrong though as he waved away Mirko Vucinic's appeal for a penalty after he appeared to have been hauled back by Chelsea's Gary Cahill. What next? Juventus: Domestically Juve travel to AC Milan at the weekend, while next month their final Champions League group game is away to Shakhtar Donetsk. Victory in Ukraine will seal their spot in the next round. Chelsea: On Sunday Chelsea will play champions Manchester City. Meanwhile, their final group game is against Danish side Nordsjaelland. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Juventus embarasses Chelsea Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea's recent struggles continued in Turin, as they dropped into third place in Group E following a 3-0 loss to Juventus. The first half featured wide-open play from both sides, and each had quality opportunities in front of each other's goal. However, Juventus appeared to have the advantage while playing at home, and Fabio Quagliarella smartly deflected Andrea Pirlo's strike past Petr Cech in the 38th minute to make sure the score line reflected this. After the break, Chelsea continued to put pressure but never truly threatened to score against the Italians. Arturo Vidal doubled Juve's lead with a strike from distance that once again got past Cech on a deflection. The Blues goalkeeper then made a questionable decision to leave his line in the 90th minute and challenge Sebastian Giovinco, who slipped the ball past him to push the score to 3-0. Chelsea is now dangerously close to being the first team to win the Champions League and fail to reach the knockout stage in its next campaign. Grades Andrea Pirlo, Juventus: A- The ageless midfield maestro was once again instrumental to an important victory for his side. His intelligent and accurate passing ensured that Juventus maintained control of the match and their future in the Champions League. Near the end of the first half, he made a fantastic interception and quickly settled the ball and fired at Chelsea's goal. The shot was deflected into the goal, and his effort gave the Italian side the momentum it needed for a positive result. Juan Mata, Chelsea: C The stakes were clear heading into this match, and Mata failed to deliver. He certainly had a difficult task as he attempted to find space in a crowded midfield, but the Blues needed a top-class performance from its star player. Mata has been in incredible form recently, but this was not one of his better matches. He made little impact on the match, and without a major contribution from him, Chelsea was unable to score. Fabio Quagliarella, Juventus: B+ The veteran striker played the poacher's role to perfection in this match. His slight touch on Pirlo's shot proves that a player does not need to do much in order to make a massive impact on the game. His positioning and his movement were extremely intelligent throughout the match, and he ensured that David Luiz and Gary Cahill were constantly occupied. Eden Hazard, Chelsea: C+ Hazard started the game in an unfamiliar position, as Roberto Di Matteo opted to start the match in a False No. 9 formation. Playing out of position, the Belgian playmaker was not nearly as effective as he has been previously this season. Fernando Torres was eventually brought onto the field to give the Blues a natural striker, but Juventus had already fallen back into defensive tactics by this point, and Hazard was unable to cut down his team's deficit. Arturo Vidal, Juventus: A- Juventus dominated the midfield in this match through excellent play from both Pirlo and Vidal. Pirlo's strike from distance was deflected by his teammate, and he did not get credit for the goal. Vidal was more fortunate, as Chelsea's Ramires pushed his attempt past Cech. The Chilean's excellent performance certainly earned him a place on the score sheet. What's Next? Juventus are now in second place in Group E, while Chelsea drops to third. Shakhtar Donetsk is in first, and Juve will travel to play the Ukrainians in two weeks, while the Blues will host FC Nordsjælland. The Blues now need a victory in their final game, and will also need Juventus to lose to Donetsk. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Tactical Analysis of UEFA Champions League Thriller Nov 20, 2012 Juventus hosted reigning European champions Chelsea at Juventus Stadium on Tuesday and were comprehensively beaten, 3-0. The match carried prime billing, but it became clear within 15 minutes that the Blues would be travelling home with nothing. The tactical battle was an interesting one and Roberto Di Matteo's struggles against a three-man defence continued, while the Italian's own experiment with Eden Hazard ended in failure. Here's a tactical breakdown of the match. Formations Juventus lined up in their typical 3-5-2 formation, using a regista in Andrea Pirlo and two midfield shuttlers in Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. Chelsea took their usual 4-2-3-1 shape and modified it slightly, with Hazard playing something approaching a false-nine role up front. Cesar Azpilicueta played an odd role on the right-hand side. To Live and Die by the Wing-backs When we talk about three-man defensive systems, we often underline the importance of the wing-backs creating penetration. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, it allows two players the freedom to run with the ball and literally drag their team forward 15, 20 or perhaps even 30 yards. Second, it stretches the pitch to its widest, giving the central midfielders room to play football. Di Matteo was clearly aware of the threat Kwadwo Asamoah carries from left-wing-back, as he deployed right-back Azpilicueta as an extra level of insurance in front of Branislav Ivanovic. On the other side, John Obi Mikel played a deeper role to help Ashley Cole defend against Stephan Lichtsteiner. These were the most important individual battles on the field and because The Old Lady won them, they controlled the game. Leonardo Bonucci vs. Eden Hazard The second important battle on the field was key to the Bianconeri blunting Chelsea's attack. Bonucci, who played the central role in a Juve back three, often found himself man-to-man with Hazard as he was sucked in to pressurise the false-nine. Lesser players would have been bullied by the Belgian's crafty runs, but the Euro 2012 finalist was up to the challenge. He broke up play with ease, totaling six interceptions and looking like the complete opposite of Fernando Amorebieta's failed attempts to man-mark Lionel Messi. RDM struggles This is the fourth time Roberto Di Matteo has come up against a three-man defence this season, and on no occasion has his team looked comfortable. The opening day of the English Premier League saw the Blues dominated at DW Stadium, but still manage to squeeze a 2-0 win on the counterattack. A draw against Liverpool and losses to Manchester City and now Juve can only point to an increasingly evident fact—the Chelsea boss still doesn't know how to overcome a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3. Hazard was a pretty poor choice up front. With Victor Moses and Fernando Torres on the bench, opting to play the Belgian No. 10 was rather questionable. With his team struggling to control possession against five-man midfields in the past, it's feasible to suggest the Italian was playing a 4-6-0 to try to grind out proceedings. It didn't work. Overcompensation Chelsea were disjointed from the start and that's due to the formation. Azpilicueta played an entirely pointless role in this match, as Asamoah comprehensively owned the left-hand touchline despite being double-marked, and the Spaniard offered little in attack. He was reluctant to break forward with Oscar and Hazard and was never in line with Juan Mata on the opposite flank. This caused Chelsea's formation to become lopsided, Ramires to storm forward and plug the gap and Mikel to motion haplessly at the gaping holes Vidal and Marchisio were running through. Tactically speaking, this was an all-round disaster for Chelsea and Roberto Di Matteo. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Di Matteo uses Hazard upfront, but Chelsea lose the game elsewhere Nov 20, 2012 Juventus played excellently and comfortably defeated Chelsea. Antonio Conte went with on-form Fabio Quagliarella upfront alongside Mirko Vucinic, and used Stephane Lichtsteiner rather than Mauricio Isla on the right. Roberto Di Matteo dropped Fernando Torres in favour of Eden Hazard as a false nine – because he didn’t want to give Juventus’ three centre-backs a ‘reference point’. This meant he needed another wide player, and he wanted someone defensive-minded – this would have been Ramires were he not needed in the middle, so Cesar Azpilicueta became a cautious right-winger. But Juventus were the superior side – their opening two goals were both aided with deflections, but they created significantly more goalscoring opportunities over the course of the 90 minutes, and put Chelsea under constant pressure. Hazard upfront The surprises in Chelsea’s line-up, combined with the resounding defeat, will see Di Matteo’s starting selection questioned. In fact, the moves made sense on paper and were hardly disastrous on the pitch. The decision to start Hazard rather than Fernando Torres was completely reasonable. Torres had been extremely quiet in the first leg, not showing the appetite for physical battles against Juve’s centre-backs, nor the ability to make clever movements in the channels to get away on the break. It’s a thankless task, playing upfront alone against a back three, but Torres’ showing in the reverse fixture, combined with his poor run of form (which, realistically, now stretches back for three years), hardly made a convincing case for his selection. It’s got the point where Hazard is more adept at playing the Torres role (that is, the role of Torres at his peak, peeling off into wider zones before sprinting in behind) than Torres. Chelsea were playing on the counter-attack in the first half, and Hazard played the false nine perfectly well. He might have missed a fine goalscoring opportunity after Oscar’s excellent run, but he created a similarly good chance with some brilliant movement and good awareness of Juan Mata’s run, and produced a fine pass to find him. Chelsea were two composed finishes away from Di Matteo’s decision being judged a success. How would Torres have fared? It’s impossible to say – but there’s nothing to suggest he would have been a more promising outlet on the break, or a more reliable finisher in front of goal. Of course, when Chelsea fell behind, Juventus sat back and Hazard was forced to play more of a classic centre-forward role – this was predictably unsuccessful. Azpilicueta Di Matteo’s second key decision was using Azpilicueta on the right of midfield, and again, this broadly worked well on. There was a huge difference in the positioning of Azpilicueta and his equivalent on the opposite side, Mata. That’s entirely natural – Azpilicueta is a full-back, Mata is a playmaker. But while Azpilicueta kept the right flank secure in combination with Branslav Ivanovic, Chelsea’s clearest weakness in the first half was Lichtsteiner’s untracked runs from the right-wing-back position. It was he that hit the post in the opening minutes after a run behind Ashley Cole, and then later Cole was forced to clear off the line when Lichtsteiner tried to bundle the ball over the line. On other occasions, the wing-back found himself in space but wasn’t found quickly enough by the Juventus midfielders. The disparity on either side was stark – Azpilicueta forced Kwadwo Asamoah to retreat or play a sideways pass, where Lichtsteiner was free to attack. The first half average positions (courtesy of UEFA.com) - see how Mata (10) is in no protection to protect Cole (3), while Lichtsteiner (26) is higher up than Asamoah (22) Midfield In the centre of the pitch, Oscar again did a decent job on Andrea Pirlo – he was unfortunate to be caught out for Juventus’ opening goal, a Pirlo shot that was turned in by Quagliarella – but Juventus’ bravery in terms of forward running was remarkable. From an early stage they got numerous players into the box, with both Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal charging into goalscoring positions. Vidal found space between Ramires and Mata when Chelsea were defending, particularly when Juve attacked down the left and Ramires shuffled across the pitch. Pirlo, too, was happy to move ahead of Oscar and risk being caught on the counter-attack – Juve were seemingly confident their surplus of centre-backs would allow them to stop breaks, although a couple of times defenders were forced into tactical fouls. Juventus routines In combination with the midfield running, Juve replicated their pre-arranged strategy to drag Chelsea’s defenders out of position. Both Vucinic and Quagliarella are mobile, quick but competent with their back to goal – so when one moved deep and drew a Chelsea centre-back up the pitch, the other would quickly sprint in behind. This happened a couple of times in the first half – an offside flag called a halt to one move – but it was most obvious in the second half when Quagliarella rounded Petr Cech, but couldn’t finish from a tight angle. It was also notable that Juventus had prepared a couple of clever corner routines – one resulted in a short corner and a backwards ball into the path of Marchisio, who forced Cech into a save. Another less successful strategy was for Pirlo to chip a short corner to a player in advance of the near post, who would flick the ball into the six-yard box. Substitutions Di Matteo’s first substitution was predictable, replacing Azpilicueta with the more attack-minded Victor Moses – but within 90 seconds, Chelsea had conceded a goal assisted by Asamoah, who had previously been shackled by Azpilicueta. It’s unlikely Azpilicueta would have been directly tracking Asamoah’s run – but he would have been in a deeper position than Moses was, which in turn might have pushed Ivanovic deeper and in a position to tackle Asamoah. Again, Juve’s commitment to brave runs paid off – nine seconds after a throw on the halfway line, they had four men inside the penalty box against Chelsea’s four defenders. That wrapped up the game. Di Matteo then put on Torres for Mikel, moving Oscar deeper alongside Ramires. Juve freshened things up with Martin Caceres replacing Lichtsteiner and Sebastian Giovinco on for Vucinic. This helped secure the win – Caceres brought both more defensive steel and renewed energy, while Giovinco kept making dangerous runs in behind a Chelsea defence playing an increasingly attack-minded game. Caceres set up Vucinic for a good chance, then made the interception that led to Giovinco scoring the third. Conclusion The decision to use Hazard didn’t cost Chelsea, nor did the decision to use Azpilicueta. Instead, they were prone to Juve’s midfield runs, the movement of their strikers, and the runs of Lichsteiner from right-wing-back (Asamoah on the other side only became a significant problem after Azpilicueta departed). In fact, they were were most exposed in the least experimental and least controversial parts of Di Matteo’s starting XI. That will prompt questions about his overall strategy at Chelsea, but his specific tactics for this game weren’t disastrous. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Why the Blues Can't Recover in 2012 Champions League Nov 20, 2012 Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo was surprisingly upbeat ahead of his team's must-win match against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League. Not that the manager isn't normally upbeat, but given the fact the Blues haven't won an English Premier League match in over a month and were heading towards elimination in the very competition where they triumphed so majestically last year, Di Matteo's confidence was both unexpected and refreshing. Commenting via The Telegraph, the Blues' boss had this to say prior to kickoff. I'm not thinking about my future, I'm preparing the game and the team for tomorrow, and have important decisions to make about that. We are confident we can have a good game and, hopefully, a good result. They need to have belief in themselves, and that's the most important aspect. We work together, and, at the moment, we're all in it together and believe we have a good group—a good team—and are pulling together. We believe we can get a positive result. However, after watching his side concede three goals to the defending Italian champions and placing themselves in a tough spot for the remainder of the tournament, Di Matteo's confidence had changed to misery; his high-flying spirit struck down by the depressing, somber reality of defeat. Following the loss, Di Matteo had this to say (per Sky Sports): I thought this was the team to beat Juventus, but if the result is negative you always face repercussions. We still have hope because mathematically it is still possible because Shakhtar can beat Juve at home. In a big club like this—if you have a few bad results—you are going to be under pressure but you have to live with it. And it's been like that from day one, and it's up to me to pick the players up now. While the manager does possess hope for the future of his team in the European competition, the truth is that this club is very unlikely to progress through the group-stages and into the final 16 of the tournament. Even those who are looking through the bluest of spectacles will concede that their path to the knockout rounds is incredibly unlikely. To progress, Chelsea would need to beat lowly Nordsjaelland at home—which is almost a given—but would be relying on Shakhtar Donetsk to beat the Italian giants in the final round—which is where the problems begin to come in for the West London club. Shakhtar have been one of the form sides in world football this season, which at first glance, seems to bode well for the Blues, who need the Ukrainian club to dominate their Italian opponents—similar to what they did when the two met earlier in the European competition. At home, Shakhtar have lost just three domestic matches in their past six seasons (yes, you read that right), and could well be too much for Juventus to handle. However, keep in mind that the Ukrainian club have already qualified for the knockout rounds; they do not need any points from their match against Juve and have nothing to play for, whereas the Italian giants have everything to play for. Shakhtar's place in the final 16 is guaranteed, and with a three-month lay off in the Ukrainian Premier League set to take place following their match against the Italian side, they simply will not risk injuring any of their star players ahead of the rest period. Their starting lineup will not be strong and in contrast, Juventus will do whatever they can over the next two weeks to ensure that their squad is as dominant and as ready as it could be to win one single football match. Oh, yeah, and they only need to draw. Their 3-0 demolition of Chelsea means that should they finish on equal points—which is what would happen in Juventus draw and Chelsea win their last match—the Italian champions would still progress through with the better head-to-head record. The West London club's future in the Champions League is not in their hands but on the boots of Juventus, and after watching the most recent performance of those boots, it seems highly unlikely that their future in the tournament will last anything longer than Matchday 6. Chelsea will finish third and be put into the round of 32 in the Europa League—a move that could well have some ironic yet frustrating consequences for the Blues, who are simply desperate for some new attacking life in their club. It seems there's a bigger problem taking place at Stamford Bridge than one loss this week and a loss the weekend before in the English Premier League. It's a problem that is working it's way through the whole club, and could well find some new pores to seep if current performances do not improve soon. Not once has the defending champion of the UEFA Champions League trophy been eliminated in the group-stages of the tournament. Not until this year, that is. At least Chelsea are making history. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Juventus 3-0 Chelsea REVIEW: Were You Watching, Europe? Nov 20, 2012 Finally, another glorious European night in Turin! Reigning European Champions Chelsea FC visited the Juventus Stadium looking for the draw that would send them through to next round of the tournament with only the formality of beating Nordsjælland at home. Let’s just say they didn’t get what they came for! Here are Lars and John with the break down of the match that finally saw Juventus re-enter the hierarchy of top clubs. MATCH ANALYSIS (by Lars Pedersen) In what was a somewhat a surprise move, Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo decided to bench the under-performing Fernando Torres and start with Eden Hazard as a “false 9” in front of Mata, Oscar and the surprise inclusion Azpilicueta in a more advanced role. Much like in the group stage game between Italy and Spain at the European Championships, a striker-less formation did not manage to trouble the “BBC” back three too much, though. During the opening minutes, the course of the game was laid out pretty clear: Juventus pressured aggressively while Chelsea were quite contend with sitting back and sending away their pacey and tricky front three on the break. Both plans worked initially, as the Bianconeri piled on the pressure and created numerous chances in the first half hour, notably a Stephan Lichtsteiner finish in the fourth minute cleared onto the post by Petr Čech and a Claudio Marchisio long range shot after a smart corner-routine, again parried by the ‘keeper. At the other end, Chelsea looked very dangerous on the counter through Oscar, Mata and Hazard. In the 25th, Andrea Pirlo tried a smart under-the-wall free kick, but Cech was alert. The game settled for a while, Juve still seeing the most of the ball, but just after the half hour mark, first Leonardo Bonucci and then Pirlo gave balls away to some threatening Chelsea plays. However, the Juve pressure paid off soon after, as a hopeful Pirlo-shot was crucially deflected by Fabio Quagliarella, who made sure the ball got just enough spin to escape the unfortunate Cech in the visitors’ goal. Looking at the replay, Quags actually, like the effort so marvelously saved by Marchetti vs. Lazio at the weekend, had clear intend when putting his foot to the ball. As Top Strikers do! Juventus continued to press on for the remainder of the half, resulting in a few half chances and a huge scare, as Mata was denied by Gigi Buffon at point blank range after another swift play by Hazard. The second half continued as the first had finished, Juventus very much looking to extend their lead while the Blues still tried to penetrate the Juve defence with clever runs. Those were impressively stifled by the Bianconero back-line, whilst the home team threatened through Quagliarella and Pirlo before the hour. At the 61st minute, the Chelsea defence was carved open via a long throw-in from Giorgio Chiellini, a smart pass from Mirko Vucinic to Kwadwo Asamoah who laid it back for Arturo Vidal to fire a shot (deflected by Ramires) into an open net. 2-0, and the Juventus Stadium erupted with a hitherto withheld roar of triumph and relief. From the on it was rather smooth sailing for the Bianconeri, surrendering possession to the opposition, soaking up pressure and, crucially, not allowing for those dangerous counter attacks. The introduction of Victor Moses and Fernando Torres did little for Chelsea, whilst Martin Caceres came on for a burned-out Lichtsteiner to secure the right flank. Chelsea naturally sought the crucial goals in the last half hour, but to no avail, or indeed any real threat. Instead, Vucinic skied a golden opportunity in the 74th. Later he would make way for Sebastian Giovinco who was set to come on for Quagliarella, but at the last minute it was the Montenegrin who opted out, seemingly still not entirely fit. It proved a good move at any rate (Quags eventually subbed with Paul Pogba in the dying minutes), as Giovinco would go on to finish the game off, exploiting a quick counter-attacking move by simply prodding the ball home instead of taking on the bemused Cech, who was left rooted well outside his box. LE PAGELLE (by John Cascarano) Buffon 7.5 – At first I wanted to give Gigi a slightly above average score, only for lack of work. Then I began working off my notes, and considered the saves off of Hazard in the 9th minute off of a quick break, and off Mata who almost made it 1-1 during the first half. Although he otherwise had little else to worry about, those were pivotal saves at pivotal moments, and kept the game firmly in Juventus’ control. Extra .5 for always looking tidy on any dribbles or passes into the box, aggressively charging and scooping up any danger. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chiellini 7.0 – Another solid performance by Giorgio. Cleared away any danger and himself looked dangerous in the air on set pieces. I could pretty much copy and paste his pagelle game after game. Bonucci 7.0 – A couple of nice steals, and some slick defending by he and Barzagli off of a nice run of play by Ramires and Oscar. Constantly cleaning up in the back. I dare say…he’s looking like a sweeper. Barzagli 6.5 – Andrea capped off a Juventus defense which holistically gave fans little to be concerned with on the night. Constantly stayed on his men and somehow kept up in foot races against fast-breaking (and much faster) attackers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asamoah 7.0 – Man, I love this guy. He didn’t seem like a typical left winger, and he really isn’t… but he’s getting the job done. Some nice fancy dribbling, good hustle, and some dangerous crosses, all night long. A great signing for his versatility alone. Marchisio 8.0 – I will probably be ridiculed mercilessly for giving Principino such a high score, but he was simply all over the field. Constantly running in the midfield, darting through gaps in space on both sides off the ball, and if not for (yet another) beautiful Cech save, would have opened the floodgates himself in the first half. Pirlo 6.5 – Has looked like a far more complete midfielder since joining Juventus, and nothing changed this evening. Every time he wins the ball, I get excited, but he’s been doing far more of that than I’d expected (bonus!). Credit for having the balls to constantly shoot from outside and make things happen (i.e. Quagliagol), but loses 0.5 for a dangerous giveaway in the 30th immediately after a wasted free kick straight at Cech. Vidal 7.5 – Our Top Player, and our top striker, period (I know he’s not a striker, that’s the point). The model of consistency in the midfield, and – much like Marchisio – seems to have a knack for coming up with a vital goal in a pinch when the strikers are running dry. Lichtsteiner 6.5 – Bombed up and down the field, nearly scored early on if not for Cech doing a Marchetti impression. A constant source of energy, I thought he was playing striker at times. Watching him shout at Quagliarella is always fun. ’68 Caceres 6.0 – Martin provided Stefan with some rest, and got off some nice crosses from the right side. This team is looking very deep. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vucinic 6.5 – Overall played well. Looked sharp, and moved well with the ball in tight spaces. Loses a .5 for missing a sitter in the second half that would have put the game away for certain (earlier). ’83 Giovinco 6.5 – Provided a perfect spark off the bench, playing well and making things happen immediately. Scored a goal off of a beautiful finish off of a beautiful run, but loses a .5 for proving that Napoleon’s complex is indeed real, and earning a foolish yellow card for removing his shirt afterwards. Hey, Seba… you’re not that jacked. Quagliarella 7.0 – Seemed to be trying too hard at first, with a couple of desperate shots straight to the keeper. Finally got it right this time, as a deflection off of Pirlo’s boot found its way past Cech (unlike against Marchetti last weekend). ’89 Pogba s.v. – Could you imagine being 19 years old and even warming up on the sidelines before a Champions League match against the defending champions? Neither could I. Glad he got some mop-up minutes at the end. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conte / Alessio 9.0 – Completely out-managed, out-prepared, and out classed Di Matteo. The staff have done well thus far with one Conte tied behind their back. ANALYSIS WRAP-UP (by Lars Pedersen) Apart from the individual displays, impressive as they were, what Juventus should take away from this game is the very simple fact that they could. Being dominant in Italy doesn’t necessarily transfer to the European stage, especially not in these times of crisis. In holding her ground firmly and resoundingly against a team that is de facto an improved version of the one winning the Champions League six months ago, the Old Lady has every reason to believe that the progress she has made is indeed worthy of some of her previous incarnations. Finally. Andiamo ragazzi! http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xv8yg8_juvche30hig_shortfilms Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Player Ratings The Blues' European defence hangs by a thread after goals from Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco give the Italian champions a comprehensive victory in Turin. Nov 20, 2012 Juventus Gianluigi Buffon - On the occasions when his team's high pressing left him exposed, he made smart saves to deny Hazard and Mata. Commanded his penalty area superbly. Giorgio Chiellini - Occasionally found it difficult to deal with Hazard's pace and trickery but, on the whole, marshalled his defence well. Andrea Barzagli - Defended with aggression and conviction, ensuring that Chelsea got no change from long, hopeful balls upfield. Leonardo Bonucci - Struggled with the fluidity of Chelsea's attack and resorted to cynical fouls when his lack of pace was exposed. Stephan Lichtsteiner - Attacked with real intent down the right flank and only a superb reflex save from Cech prevented him from opening the scoring early on. Claudio Marchisio - Showed, aggression, energy and poise in the midfield, and his well-timed runs into the penalty area caused panic in the Chelsea defence. Andrea Pirlo - Controlled proceedings from midfield, regularly escaping the attentions of Oscar and exerting much more of an influence than in the game at Stamford Bridge. Kwadwo Asamoah - Kept good width on the left, attacking whenever he got the chance and regularly clipping in dangerous crosses. Showed great awareness to pick out Vidal for the decisive second. Arturo Vidal - A bundle of energy in the centre of the park, working tirelessly from box to box and keeping the ball well for his team. Deserved his goal, even if it came courtesy of a deflection. Mirko Vučinić - Showed some neat close control and clever movement, but his finishing was tame. Fabio Quagliarella - Like Vucinic, made intelligent runs in the final third to create space for midfield runners, and showed great improvisation for his goal. Substitutions Martín Cáceres - Replaced Lichtsteiner with just over 20 minutes to go as Juve shut up shop. Sebastian Giovinco - Came on for Vucinic with seven minutes left, and helped himself to the easiest of goals. Paul Pogba - What a nice experience for the young french player those few minutes in a great Champions League match. Chelsea FC Petr Cech - Made some superb stops as his side largely weathered what seemed an unending storm for the first hour. Beaten by deflections for two Juve goals and made a strange decision to rush out for the third. By then, though, the game was already over. Branislav Ivanovic - His decision-making was suspect all evening and the fact that most of the hosts' success came down his flank says everything about his performance. Ashley Cole - Made a heroic last-ditch clearance to stop Juve heading into the break with a two-goal lead but his efforts were ultimately in vain. David Luiz - His usual confident self on the ball but his positioning once again left something to be desired and his general demeanour was not of someone who fully appreciated the seriousness of the situation. Gary Cahill - Little better than his defensive partner at stemming the tide of Juve goal attempts and the movement of Quagliarella and Vucinic troubled him all evening. César Azpilicueta - Selected to provide an extra shield for Ivanovic as well as contrbuting to Blues attacks, he did neither, and was anonymous until his withdrawal for Moses on the hour. Ramires - Looked uncomfortable when penned in around his own penalty area, making several questionable decisions on the ball, and being given precious little opportunity to showcase his blistering pace from midfield. Oscar - His run early on to set up Hazard's chance was a delight but thereafter he faded to the periphery. John Obi Mikel - Looked slow to make decisions on the ball, but that might also be explained by the fact that he had no options. Eden Hazard - Unlucky to miss a golden opportunity early on and worked tirelessly for the cause up front alone but was starved of service after the break. Juan Mata - Buzzed around expectantly on the halfway line and in the final third but, all too often, the play never reached him. Substitutions Victor Moses - Showed energy and enthusiasm when he replaced Azpilicueta with half an hour left, but a minute after his arrival Vidal ended the match as a contest. Fernando Torres - Replaced Mikel on 71 minutes with the game already lost. Was anonymous again. He should not be judged on tonight but on the string of listless performances which led to him relegated to the bench in favour of a midfielder. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 Juventus destroy the European champions to prove they are back among the elite The Bianconeri thrashed Chelsea to move to within a single point of the last 16, and with it made a clear statement of intent to the continent's big boys. Nov 20, 2012 COMMENT By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer In many ways, it was the perfect evening. Juventus started well, scored goals at the right times, and restricted Chelsea to the odd dangerous counter-attack. As statements of intent go, the Bianconeri’s 3-0 mauling of the Champions League holders was among the most convincing you could get. The Old Lady is not just alive and kicking, she’s singing from the rooftops and back among the best Europe has to offer. Yes, Juve are not qualified yet, and they face a tricky trip to Donetsk on December 5 needing a draw to finish off the job. Yes, they lived dangerously at times as the Premier League outfit threatened to pick them off on the break when the game was still in the balance. But the Bianconeri dominated for long periods, controlled the midfield, made twice as many chances as the Blues, and forced Petr Cech into a number of saves which ensured he was the visitors’ busiest player. Make no mistake about it, this was a booming declaration that Juventus are back. Their Scudetto triumph gave them a leg up; it was their first step on the road back to redemption after the Calciopoli scandal ripped the heart out of the club. But a club’s European record is the real measure of its success in most eyes in the 21st Century, and an outfit that has so often failed to convert domestic dominance into continental crowns in the past needs to be in amongst the greats of the game to be taken seriously. Their performance at Juventus Stadium was cutting, it was controlled and it was convincing. Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio once more had the better of the game across the middle. Fabio Quagliarella showed the striker’s instinct the Bianconeri have sometimes lacked in poking home the opening goal, and once Vidal fired in a deflected second, Chelsea looked more than ready to throw in the towel. Sebastian Giovinco’s injury-time clincher was simply the icing on the cake. After their difficulties in the early part of the campaign, they are now in a great position to advance. And if they do, they will be a big threat. None of the Barcelonas, Real Madrids, Manchester Uniteds or Bayern Munichs will relish facing the Old Lady come February, with Juve now a very different prospect to the side which briefly flirted with a return to Europe with little success in 2008 and 2009. Forget those two campaigns, they weren't reflective of the great Turin club at their best. Forget even their horror show against Nordsjaelland. At this moment in time, they look ready for the task. They’re still maybe a striker short of being among the very best, and if there was one warning tonight it was that their tendency to occasionally leave their back three exposed can cause them a few scares. But the positives massively outweigh the negatives, and the high-energy, slick style with which they try to play the game whoever the opposition deserves to be applauded. Juventus are well and truly back, and they need just one more point to give themselves a chance to ruffle the feathers of those they’ve had to sit back and watch for the last six years. It’s in their hands now. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8239 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 132524 messaggi Inviato November 21, 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (5th leg) - 20-11-2012 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 3 - 0 CHELSEA Fabio Quagliarella (38′) Arturo Vidal (61′) Sebastian Giovinco (90+1′) Juventus stadium - Turin Referee: Cuneyt Çakir (Turkey) Attendance: 39670 'Juventus have proved doubters wrong' - Buffon The veteran keeper has hailed his side's win over Chelsea as one for the whole of Italy, and believes they dominated the European champions in every department. Nov 20, 2012 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes that his side have proved that they belong in the Champions League, having recorded a 3-0 win over Chelsea. Goals from Fabio Quagliarella, Arturo Vidal and Sebastian Giovinco were enough to seal a vital three points for the Serie A leaders, who are now poised to progress to the knock-out stages of the competition. "It's wonderful," he told reporters. "Some had doubts about us, but I think we cast those aside by playing like this. We have our certainties and know that we still have to quality. I hope we can do that. "When you give such a convincing performance - in tactical, physical, psychological terms - it's a great sign for Juve and for Italy. "If we should go out, at least we achieved nine points, which means we fought on level terms with everyone and got back to being competitive. That was imperative. "We won in every area tonight. We were hungrier, sharper, more attacking, more creative and with a little more precision, we could have scored even more." Juventus need a mere point from their trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk to confirm their place in the next phase of the competition. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
