Juventus Season 2012-2013

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Cambiasso: Consistency key difference between Inter and Juve

Speaking ahead of the Derby d'Italia, the veteran midfielder has admitted that the Nerazzurri

have struggled to maintain a high level of performance from game-to-game.

Mar 30, 2013

Esteban Cambiasso has admitted that Inter's inability to play with any degree of consistency has completely undermined their hopes of challenging Juventus for this season's Serie A title.

The Nerazzurri looked like legitimate Scudetto contenders after ending the Bianconeri's 49-game unbeaten run in the league back in October, but their hopes were dashed by a subsequent spate of injuries and a serious crisis of confidence.

Consequently, Andrea Stramaccioni's side go into this weekend's Derby d'Italia fifth in the standings, some 20 points behind runaway leaders Juve.

"This season we have managed to turn in some great performances, but also some very disappointing performances," Cambiasso lamented in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.

"This, ultimately, is what makes the difference for a team, particularly in a competition like the league, where what matters so much in terms of reaching high levels of performance is consistency, which we have never had.

"Juve, though, have."

Speaking on the eve of the San Siro showdown, Cambiasso was also keen to play down the bitter nature of the rivalry that exists between the two clubs.

"If we're already starting before the game to talk about enemies and not of sporting opponents, I think, at least on our part, we are getting it all wrong," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"It's better to think that we are only sporting rivals because the story of Italian football demonstrates that this is what we really are."

Inter's eagerly-awaited clash with Juve at the Giuseppe Meazza is scheduled to get under way at 15:00CET.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Buffon: Juventus desperate for revenge against Inter

The Old Lady's 49-match unbeaten run was ended by their bitter rivals

in November, a fact not forgotten by the Bianconeri captain.

Mar 30, 2013

Gianluigi Buffon says Juventus will do their "utmost" to make amends for their Derby d'Italia defeat to Inter earlier this season when they travel to the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday.

Having gone the entirety of the previous Serie A campaign unbeaten, the Old Lady maintained their invincible league form at the beginning of 2012-13, but the Nerazzurri halted their 49-match run with a 3-1 victory in November.

But while the goalkeeper admits the loss left a sour taste in his mouth, he believes it will have provided Juve with enough motivation - other than their ambitions of sealing successive titles - to overcome Andrea Stramaccioni's side.

"In the first match, Inter deserved the win, and when you lose it rightly bugs you. We have the utmost desire for revenge," Buffon told Sky Sport Italia.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Trap reads Inter-Juventus

Mar 30, 2013

Former Inter and Juventus Coach Giovanni Trapattoni cast his eye over today’s Derby d’Italia, advising Antonio Conte to “stay in Serie A for a few years.”

The two rival clubs go head-to-head this afternoon at 15.00.

“Inter-Juve and Bayern Munich-Juventus can be defined absolute classics of Serie A and the Champions League,” the Republic of Ireland manager told Eurosport.

“Games like this are won thanks to details, as those are what make the difference. Why did I move from Juventus to Inter in 1986? I had already revamped that team three times and wanted to challenge myself against a new reality.

“Inter gave me different motivation and I just wanted a new experience. I must confess, when I faced Juventus for the first time as an Inter Coach, I was chatting to Michel Platini and without realising I sat on the Juventus bench. Force of habit.”

Trapattoni won titles with both clubs – six at Juve, one record-breaking Scudetto with Inter – and is keeping tight-lipped on today’s game.

“I never liked making predictions. It will be a very open game with an uncertain result.”

The Nerazzurri have been struggling recently and Trap was asked about the rumours Andrea Stramaccioni will make way for Jose Mourinho’s return.

“I don’t think Andrea has lost his way. His Inter still needs reinforcements, but so far he has done well, giving the team shape. I am sure that thanks to him Inter will be able to identify the right buys for next season.

“I don’t think Mourinho will return, nor does Massimo Moratti genuinely intend to bring him back. It seems inevitable that the papers talk about Mourinho whenever one of his former clubs is going through a bad patch.”

Juventus are top of the Serie A table and through to the Champions League quarter-finals, but Conte expressed his irritation with the pressure in Italy and hinted at a move abroad.

“He has a strong side with a great collective and a clear and effective style of football. Antonio’s work is excellent and he should continue with this team.

“Many years ago I was a young Coach achieving success and I had someone whispering in my ear that I should change country, even if at that time it was unusual,” continued Trap.

“When I told a friend that I was going to Bayern Munich, he said I should watch out, as the more forests you travel in, the more wolves you find. He was right. Going abroad is a great unknown and before taking that step you need to have a lot of experience in Italy.

“I thought long and hard before leaving Serie A, so I suggest Conte do the same...”

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Eto'o flies in for Inter-Juve

Mar 30, 2013

There are reports ex-Inter star Samuel Eto’o will be at San Siro today to cheer on his old teammates against Juventus.

The Derby d’Italia kicks off at 14.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

It is rumoured Anzhi hitman Eto’o has flown to Milan for the big game, as he is out of action for two to three weeks with a knee injury.

The 32-year-old Cameroon international was at Inter from 2009 to 2011, winning the Treble and scoring 33 goals in 67 games.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Inter Milan vs. Juventus

Mar 30, 2013

Projected Inter Milan XI: Handanovic; Zanetti, Ranocchia, Chivu, Pereira; Gargano, Kovacic, Cambiasso; Alvarez; Palacio, Cassano

Projected Juventus XI: Buffon; Barzagli, Marrone, Bonucci; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Giovinco

The first Derby d’Italia of the season saw visiting Inter Milan deny Juventus a 50-match unbeaten run, but despite the wobble the Bianconeri remain comfortably atop the Serie A standings ahead of Saturday’s trip to Milan for the return match against Inter.

Presently sixth in the standings, the Nerazzurri will be without the suspended Juan Jesus while Fredy Guarin, who arrived late following Colombia’s World Cup qualifiers, is doubtful to start.

On the other side of the ball Juventus will be without defenders Martin Caceres and Giorgio Chiellini, meaning Luca Marrone will likely start in manager Antonio Conte’s three-man grouping in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Line-ups: Inter-Juventus

Mar 30, 2013

The Derby d’Italia is the huge game of the afternoon as Juventus seek revenge against Inter for the end of their 49-game unbeaten record.

It kicks off at San Siro at 14.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

The Bianconeri had gone without defeat for 49 consecutive Serie A rounds before suffering a shock 3-1 home loss at the hands of their rivals back on November 3.

Antonio Conte’s men hope to return the favour at the Stadio Meazza, where they are unbeaten since April 2010.

Mirko Vucinic was a last-minute absentee due to flu symptoms, joining the injured Martin Caceres, Simone Pepe, Mauricio Isla and Nicklas Bendtner.

Giorgio Chiellini pulled out of international duty last week with ankle problems, but is able to start this match.

Fabio Quagliarella surprisingly starts with Alessandro Matri in attack, while Simone Padoin replaces Stephan Lichtsteiner ahead of the Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.

Inter have numerous problems to contend with, as Juan Jesus is suspended, while Fredy Guarin returned late from international duty after missing his flight.

Dejan Stankovic, Diego Milito, Luca Castellazzi, Joel Obi and Gaby Mudingayi are all long-term absentees, but Walter Samuel is back in the starting XI after an injury lay-off for a three-man defence.

Rodrigo Palacio partners Antonio Cassano with support from Ricky Alvarez and the Italian has an excellent record against Juve, scoring seven goals past them in 18 games.

INTER: Handanovic; Ranocchia, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Kovacic, Gargano, Pereira; Alvarez; Palacio, Cassano

Inter bench: Belec, Carrizo, Silvestre, Guarin, Kuzmanovic, Rocchi, Cambiasso, Benassi, Jonathan, Pasa, Nagatomo

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Matri

Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Pogba, De Ceglie, Giovinco, Peluso, Anelka, Giaccherini, Marrone

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

-

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

HT 0-1: Juve lead Derby d'Italia

Mar 30, 2013

Fabio Quagliarella’s long-range screamer has given Juventus the half-time lead away to Inter in the Derby d’Italia.

This remains a massive grudge match in any situation, but this time the Bianconeri were out for revenge after their 49-match unbeaten League run was ended in Turin. Juve also faced potential distraction from the upcoming Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.

Mirko Vucinic pulled out with flu symptoms, joining Mauricio Isla, Martin Caceres, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe on the treatment table. Juan Jesus was suspended, while Fredy Guarin arrived late back from international duty after missing his flight. Dejan Stankovic, Diego Milito, Luca Castellazzi, Joel Obi and Gaby Mudingayi missed out. Walter Samuel and Giorgio Chiellini were able to start despite injury concerns, as Inter switched to a three-man defence.

Inter fans mocked their rivals’ post-Calciopoli slip into Serie B by pointing out in banner form they were the only side never to disappear from Serie A.

It took under three minutes for Juventus to break the deadlock, as Fabio Quagliarella gathered from 20 metres and curled a wonderful effort under the bar with Samir Handanovic watching it go by.

Leonardo Bonucci nodded over on the counter-attack from a poor Cassano corner, while Gigi Buffon was at full strength to fingertip a deflected Cassano angled drive round the far post. From that corner, Buffon performed a stunning reaction save to deny Rodrigo Palacio’s header at the back stick.

Alessandro Matri had a great chance moments later on the counter, but his volley was so far off target it went out for a throw-in. Claudio Marchisio nodded the ball on to Javier Zanetti’s arm, so the referee waved play on.

Juve were continually dangerous on the counter, but Matri was caught offside and Arturo Vidal trapped an Andrea Pirlo chipped pass, but hesitated and Handanovic smothered at his feet.

Handanovic palmed away a fierce Pirlo shot from the edge of the area before half-time.

Inter 0-1 Juventus (Half-Time)

Scorers: Quagliarella 3 (J)

Inter: Handanovic; Ranocchia, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Kovacic, Gargano, Pereira; Alvarez; Palacio, Cassano

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Matri

Ref: Rizzoli

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Matri settles Derby d'Italia

as Old Lady continue title march

The former Cagliari man created the opener for Fabio Quagliarella with a sublime dummy

before then popping up to net the winner, after Rodrigo Palacio had briefly levelled matters.

Mar 30, 2013

Juventus took a significant step towards a second successive Scudetto by battling their way to a 2-1 victory over Inter in Saturday's Derby d'Italia at San Siro.

Fabio Quagliarella opened the scoring in sensational fashion just three minutes in with a stunning strike from just outside the area, after Alessandro Matri had created space for him with an ingenious stepover.

Rodrigo Palacio drew a game home side level shortly after half-time with an impressively composed finish but there was no containing the Bianconeri's front two, who combined to devastating effect again on the hour mark, with Matri applying the finishing touch this time in far more routing fashion to send Antonio Conte's men 12 points clear at the summit of Serie A.

Juve would have been forgiven for having one eye on their midweek Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich, but the likes of Gianluigi Buffon spoke before the game of a burning desire for vengeance, having seen their 49-game undefeated run in Serie A ended by the Nerazzurri all the way back in October.

Therefore, the way in which Juve tore into their hosts right from the first whistle really should have come as no surprise. That their early endeavour yielded a goal was not in the least bit shocking either - but the manner of the opener was most certainly spectacular, Quagliarella picking up possession some 25 yards out following a wonderful dummy from strike partner Matri before whipping the ball into the top right corner of Samir Handanovic’s goal.

The reigning champions could have doubled their advantage moments later but Leonardo Bonucci headed over at the end of a breathtaking Bianconeri breakaway.

This frustratingly brittle Inter side could easily have folded in the face of such an early onslaught but, credit to Andrea Stramaccioni’s side, they came storming back and Buffon was twice forced to come to the visitors’ rescue, tipping a low strike from Antonio Cassano around the post before then scrambling a Palacio header off the line.

It was Juve who continued to carry the greater attacking threat, though, and only some alert goalkeeping from Handanovic prevent Arturo Vidal from getting a shot away after the Chilean had been put through by a characteristically sublime ball over the top from Andrea Pirlo. The latter then tested Handanovic himself shortly before the break with a stinging drive from distance.

Inter responded with a tame downward header from Palacio, following more good work from Cassano, but, in truth, they home side were somewhat fortunate to go in just a goal in arrears at half-time. They looked a different side after the break, though, and deservedly drew level when Palacio, with the aid of the most exquisitely timed arrival into the area, took a measured pass from Cassano in his stride before casually rolling the ball past an exposed Buffon.

However, the equaliser merely raised Juve from the interval-induced slumber and they reclaimed the lead on the hour mark. Again, the goal owed everything to the tremendous telepathy between their front two, Matri slotting home first time at the near post after being the recipient of a terrific cut-back from Quagliarella.

Inter tried valiantly to rally but they were unable to secure even a point from the game, thus all but ending their hopes of a top-three finish. However, even that was no justification for the way in which their frustration spilled over right on full-time, with Esteban Cambiasso earning a fully-deserved straight red card for a dreadful foul on fellow second-half substitute Sebastian Giovinco.

Even that, though, did not sour Juve's celebratory mood at the end of a game which has all but sealed the title.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Juve win the Derby d'Italia!

Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri gave Juventus a 2-1 victory away

to Inter that seals the Derby d’Italia and possibly also the Scudetto.

Mar 30, 2013

This remains a massive grudge match in any situation, but this time the Bianconeri were out for revenge after their 49-match unbeaten League run was ended in Turin. Juve also faced potential distraction from the upcoming Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.

Mirko Vucinic pulled out with flu symptoms, joining Mauricio Isla, Martin Caceres, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe on the treatment table. Juan Jesus was suspended, while Fredy Guarin arrived late back from international duty after missing his flight. Dejan Stankovic, Diego Milito, Luca Castellazzi, Joel Obi and Gaby Mudingayi missed out. Walter Samuel and Giorgio Chiellini were able to start despite injury concerns, as Inter switched to a three-man defence.

Inter fans mocked their rivals’ post-Calciopoli slip into Serie B by pointing out in banner form they were the only side never to disappear from Serie A.

It took under three minutes for Juventus to break the deadlock, as Fabio Quagliarella gathered from 20 metres and curled a wonderful effort under the bar with Samir Handanovic watching it go by.

Leonardo Bonucci nodded over on the counter-attack from a poor Cassano corner, while Gigi Buffon was at full strength to fingertip a deflected Cassano angled drive round the far post. From that corner, Buffon performed a stunning reaction save to deny Rodrigo Palacio’s header at the back stick.

Alessandro Matri had a great chance moments later on the counter, but his volley was so far off target it went out for a throw-in. Claudio Marchisio nodded the ball on to Javier Zanetti’s arm, so the referee waved play on.

Juve were continually dangerous on the counter, but Matri was caught offside and Arturo Vidal trapped an Andrea Pirlo chipped pass, but hesitated and Handanovic smothered at his feet. Handanovic palmed away a fierce Pirlo shot from the edge of the area before half-time.

Fredy Guarin replaced the anonymous Ricky Alvarez for the second half and Inter equalised after nine minutes.

Pirlo gave the ball away in midfield to spark a counter and Cassano rolled through the middle to send Palacio clear with a delicate angled drive across Buffon into the far bottom corner.

Simone Padoin stung Handanovic’s palms and moments later Juventus restored their advantage. Vidal’s through ball sent Quagliarella to the by-line and he just about kept it in, pulling back for Matri to tap in from a couple of yards at the near post. Inter protested and claimed the ball had gone out of play, but replays show it was clean.

Cassano had too much time to chest down and volley a corner, which Buffon managed to block. There were protests in the build-up for Chiellini’s tackle on Mateo Kovacic.

Inter also complained at Chiellini’s challenge on Cassano, but it was right under the eyes of the goal line official. There was controversy in the final kick of the game, as Esteban Cambiasso was shown a straight red card for taking down Sebastian Giovinco with a horrible leg-breaker tackle to the ankle. It was an awful challenge for his first red card in 277 games for Inter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inter: Handanovic; Ranocchia (Cambiasso 66), Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Kovacic, Gargano (Rocchi 79), Pereira; Alvarez (Guarin 46); Palacio, Cassano

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Padoin, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah (Peluso 64); Quagliarella (Giovinco 83), Matri (Pogba 74)

Ref: Rizzoli

Sent off: Cambiasso 95 (I)

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Juve beat Inter to extend lead

Juventus beat Inter Milan 2-1 at the San Siro to extend their lead at the top

of Serie A thanks to goals from Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri.

Mar 30, 2013

Juventus overcame the first major obstacle on the last leg of their Serie A title defence by edging out 10-man Inter Milan in today's Derby d'Italia.

League leaders Juve were also eager to avenge November's 3-1 home defeat to the Nerazzurri which saw their unbeaten run ended one game shy of 50, and Fabio Quagliarella drew first blood within minutes.

Inter dominated for long spells but, despite Rodrigo Palacio's second-half equaliser, they could not break down a resilient Bianconeri defence after Alessandro Matri found a winner 30 minutes from time.

Esteban Cambiasso's late dismissal for a foul on Sebastian Giovinco then summed up a frustrating afternoon for Andrea Stramaccioni's men, who remain in sixth place.

Juve, however, have a 12-point lead at the top ahead of second-placed Napoli's trip to Torino this evening and this week's Champions League quarter-final meeting with Bayern Munich.

There was never any danger of this becoming a run-of-the-mill game but Quagliarella ensured it would be a riveting contest inside three minutes.

The Neapolitan striker shaped to shoot from outside Samir Handanovic's area and his superb curling effort sailed over the Inter keeper's head to nestle in the net.

Antonio Cassano came close to a rapid equaliser with a daisycutter from distance but Gianluigi Buffon stood tall to punch the ball clear for a corner.

The Italy keeper then found himself pulling off a stunning parry on Rodrigo Palacio's header as Inter pressed on.

Matri was flagged for offside as Juve grew back into the game before Arturo Vidal fluffed a chance to make it 2-0 when one-on-one with Handanovic.

It was the Bianconeri backline who would preserve their side's lead towards the break, however, with Andrea Barzagli sweeping the ball off Cassano's feet before closing down a rampant Palacio.

Andrea Pirlo's improvised curler was contained by Handanovic and, with Buffon snaffling a Palacio header in the 44th minute, it was still game on heading into the interval.

So it proved in the 54th minute as Palacio squeezed through a sleepy Juve defence to level..

That state of affairs did not suit the champions, however, and they wasted no time in wresting back control of the tie.

Having scored the first Quagliarella was heavily involved in the second as he beat Andrea Ranocchia to cut the ball back to Matri, who clipped a measured right-footed shot beyond Handanovic's reach.

The outcome might have been very different had referee Nicola Rizzoli had awarded either of two strong penalty calls for Inter around the 70-minute mark.

First, Palacio went to ground after contact with Barzagli. Cassano then appealed in vain after clashing bodies with Giorgio Chiellini.

The late introduction of Giovinco for Quagliarella was designed to produce one final goal for Juve and, although he did not score, he played a vital role in securing the result.

He had been on the pitch for 10 minutes when Cambiasso saw red for an over-zealous challenge on the diminutive striker, leaving Inter a man short and thwarting their late bid to force an equaliser.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Spectacular Quagliarella the difference for Bianconeri

Mar 30, 2013

Inter were beaten 2-1 by Juventus at the Stadio Meazza on Saturday afternoon in Serie A.

An early goal from Fabio Quagliarella gave the Bianconeri the lead, before Rodrigo Palacio levelled but Alessandro Matri put Juve back in front in the second half of what was a pulsating game of football.

Quagliarella’s rocket after just three minutes gave the away side the lead. The Italian curled the ball from just outside the area leaving Samir Handanovic rooted to the spot.

After that goal Inter rallied well and put their opponents under a good amount of pressure and did have an appeal for a penalty waved away as Javier Zanetti’s cross was poorly controlled by Leonardo Bonucci and the ball ricocheted off the defender’s hand, but as it wasn’t a deliberate action the referee waved play on.

Antonio Cassano also shot just wide and Rodrigo Palacio did have a header saved off the line from Gianluigi Buffon.

There was also a penalty incident involving Zanetti, similar to that of Bonucci earlier in the match, but as before the referee waved play on.

However, the Old Lady then took control of the game and could have had a penalty of their own when Arturo Vidal was played through on goal by Andrea Pirlo thanks to a splendid ball over the top, but a combination of Mateo Kovacic and Handanovic denied the Chilean. Though there were more penalty claims as Vidal felt he was fouled by the Nerazzurri goalkeeper.

Pirlo had a great shot from the edge of the area well saved by Handanovic, before Palacio had another header saved by Buffon, though the cross was slightly behind the Argentinian making the stop relatively simple for the Italy number one.

Then, 10 minutes into the second half, Palacio levelled the game. Kovacic started a quick attack before releasing the ball to Cassano, whose lovely pass into the path of the onrushing Argentinian who cooly placed the ball past Buffon.

But then six minutes later Vidal played a through ball into the box for Quagliarella whose cut-back cross was smashed home from close range by Matri.

There were protestations from the Nerazzurri who felt the ball was out of play before Quagliarella sent it into the box, however replays showed this was not the case.

Kovacic then had another penalty decision turned down as Giorgio Chiellini looked to have brought down the young Croation, but the referee deemed the challenge fair. Then from the resulting corner Cassano had a point blank effort saved by Buffon, though the shot was directly at the goalkeeper.

The penalty incidents kept on coming as this time Cassno was in a rage after he felt he was tripped by Chiellini once more, but again nothing was given.

Inter then went all out in a bid to get an equaliser but despite their efforts the Bianconeri backline remained resolute.

Then just as the final whistle blew Esteban Cambiasso was given a straight red card after a horror tackle on Sebastian Giovinco, going in studs up on the striker’s ankle.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Derby d’Italia No Longer Top Of The Bill

Mar 30, 2013

Walking into the lair of their most heated (and hated) rivals, for once Juventus had bigger concerns than a meeting with Inter. Thanks to a nine point cushion atop the Serie A table, nobody could blame the Bianconeri if they were looking past the latest installment of the Derby d’Italia saga and thinking about the Champions League Quarter Final against Bayern.

MATCH ANALYSIS - by Adam Digby

The line-up was, as the coach promised in his Friday press conference, very strong. Giorgio Chiellini took his place among the starting eleven despite missing out on Italy duty this past week as Conte looked to improve his match fitness ahead of Tuesday. The M-V-P trio of Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo was also left intact behind a front pairing of Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri.

On the other side, Andrea Stramaccioni went back to the 3-5-2 formation that served Inter well at Juventus Stadium back in November. Walter Samuel returned in the heart of defence, in hope the robust Argentinean could bolster the back line but, throughout the first half, it appeared the young coach had out-thought himself.

Seemingly inspired by a huge banner in the Curva Nord belittling the 2006 relegation, Juventus went at Inter from the opening whistle and, in the unfamiliar shape, the Nerazzurri struggled to contain such a vibrant start. The opening goal was no surprise but the amount of time and space awarded to Quagliarella certainly was. The Neapolitan striker has proven time and time again that given such generous defending he will almost certainly punish opponents as he did here, lashing a superb shot past Samir Handanovic from outside the area.

From there the two sides exchanged ball-to-hand incidents in the box as first Bonucci and then Javier Zanetti were struck by crosses they had no chance of avoiding with referee Nicola Rizzoli shockingly managed to get both calls right in a game which he managed relatively well. Juve than appeared happy to sit and defend, with only Kwadwo Asamoah appearing to struggle as Inter enjoyed some success down his flank.

The second half was something of a stalemate until come great play from Cassano released Rodrigo Palacio to level the scores but Juventus reacted almost immediately as Simone Padoin almost scored from a smart shot. Vidal then sent Quagliarella through and the striker made a huge effort to keep the ball in play, successfully squaring for Matri to smartly restore Juve’s lead.

Inter pressed forward searching for a lead, making some penalty appeals for some typically tough Chiellini tackles. Their tempers frayed and substitute Cambiasso saw a red card right at the final whistle for a tackle on Sebastian Giovinco that can only be described as disgusting.

LE PAGELLE - by Adam Digby

Gianluigi Buffon 7.0 - San Siro marshalls should ask to see his ticket. Best seat in the house and actually got paid to watch the game. *Yawn*Ooops, sorry, that was every other game this season, here Buffon actually had work to do, making some excellent saves from a number of good Inter chances.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrea Barzagli 6.5 - Calm, cool and rock solid as ever, Barzagli surprised everyone with an incredible burst of speed in the first half. The defender stepped out to dribble past both Antonio Cassano and Cristian Chivu, thoroughly embarrassing the latter as he left him trailing in his wake.

Leonardo Bonucci 6.0 - With Cassano and Palacio pulling wide he had very little to do other than marshall the defence. He did.

Giorgio Chiellini 6.0 - Seeing him in the starting XI after injury is always a worry, his desire to play often overriding rational thoughts about fitness. He quickly allayed those fears with a typically robust performance that bodes well for Bayern.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simone Padoin 6.0 - Came in to allow Lichsteiner to rest up and did just what you would expect in a dependable but ultimately limited performance.

Claudio Marchisio 6.5 - A quiet display as both he and Vidal sat deep alongside Pirlo rather making than his usual late forays into the opposition area.

Andrea Pirlo 7.0 - At the heart of everything as ever, he was crucial to controlling the tempo and direction in the calm manner we have come to expect of the Bearded Genius. Unlucky not to score in the first half but otherwise a sharp display.

Arturo Vidal 6.5 - Like Marchisio he abandoned all thoughts of attacking in order to contribute to a sound defensive display.

Kwadwo Asamoah 5.5 - Struggled to stay in front of his man and can fully expect to be replaced by Federico Peluso in the Champions League this week. Still nowhere near the levels we saw from him prior to his African Cup of Nations exploits.

’56 Federico Peluso 6.0 - Given the final thirty minutes which one imagines was preparation for facing Bayern.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fabio Quagliarella 7.5 - Took his goal as only he can and immediately rushed to celebrate with Nicolas Anelka who has been acting as something of a mentor/guide/coach for the other strikers since his January arrival. Eager Beaver once again rewarded Conte’s faith in him.

’82 Sebastian Giovinco s.v - Came on to play ten minutes as a 5′ 5″ (1.64 m) lone striker. Unsurprisingly made very *ahem* little impact in his *cough* short spell other than be the victim of Cambiasso’s late violent lunge.

Alessandro Matri 7.0 - Held the ball up well but wasted a couple of great chances in the opening 45 minutes. Matri would fully make amends in the second half as he capitalised on some woeful Andrea Ranocchia defending to slot home Juve’s second goal.

’74 Paul Pogba 6.5 - Came on to reinforce an already solid midfield in order to ensure the victory. Job done.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Antonio Conte 7.5 - Made a number of big calls but his choices, tactics and substitutions kept him one step ahead of Stramaccioni throughout the game and will ensure the team heads to Tuesday’s huge game filled with confidence and sharpness.

ANALYSIS WRAP-UP - by Adam Digby

The difference here appeared to be comfort. Juventus, the opening half aside, were rarely at their best but Antonio Conte thoroughly got the better of Andrea Stramaccioni as the two men went head to head. Juve’s familiarity with the 3-5-2 told for the whole game as far too many Inter players simply did not fit into the framework their coach demanded.

Nowhere was this truer than with Ranocchia who, as we saw at both Genoa and Inter under Gian Piero Gasperini, cannot understand the nuances of the system. Constantly out of position and not quick enough to recover, the 25 year old was at fault on both goals and it was no surprise to see him replaced by Esteban Cambiasso midway through the second half.

Antonio Conte: Juventus now go to Munich with great confidence. We are facing a strong Bayern side, but continue to embrace this dream. In Italy we realised that we are on the right track and now we want to measure ourselves against Europe too.

Conte’s plans as the Bianconeri head for the Allianz Arena remain unclear but they undoubtedly need to shore up the wide areas before facing Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. With Lichtsteiner and Peluso surely coming in for Simone Padoin and Asamoah, it would also be no surprise to see them opt for Paul Pogba over one of the two strikers on Tuesday as he did in the final quarter of this match. Conte used the latter part of this match to experiment with a 3-5-1-1 formation with Marchisio just behind Sebastian Giovinco and that shape could well be used against Bayern although Mirko Vucinic would be the most likely candidate for the lone striker role.

Overall a solid performance which maintains the lead over the rest of the pack domestically, Juventus can take some momentum and the memory of good performances with them to Germany. Conte ensured the focus was firmly on this game but will now move on in positive fashion after expending the minimal amount of effort. Andiamo ragazzi!

Senza di te non andremo lontano,

ANTONIO CONTE IL NOSTRO CAPITANO!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xylvin_inter-vs-juventus-1-2_sport

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Inter vs. Juventus: 5 Things We Learned

Mar 30, 2013

In what was ultimately their last chance to secure a Champions League spot, Inter lost 2-1 to Juventus at home in yet another emotional installment of the Derby d'Italia.

Unfortunately, what was a fantastic 90-minute Italian affair ended in controversy as Esteban Cambiasso made a last second lunge on Sebastian Giovinco's ankle. It was a horrid tackle which could have ended the atomic ants career.

Anyway, onto the five biggest lessons from this pivotal Serie A match!

Esteban Cambiasso Should Be Sanctioned Heavily

It was a tackle reminiscent of Eduardo's horror injury with Arsenal a few years ago.

Bitter from the loss, Esteban Cambiasso temporarily lost his head and lunged into the tiny Giovinco right as the referee was blowing the final whistle.

Behavior of this sort has to be eradicated with harsh suspensions. Fortunately for Giovinco, he avoided serious injury despite image captures of the foul painting a much harsher picture.

Juventus Has Won the Scudetto

In reality, this match could have turned the tide in Serie A had Inter managed a result. Milan would have crept within eight points and had a chance to shorten it to five as the two sides still have to meet later this season.

However, Juventus played much more fluidly and were saved on several occasions by the eternal Gianluigi Buffon.

The Derby D'Italia Is the Biggest Rivalry in Italy at the Moment

Although Lazio and Roma fans would state their case against this headline, there is little doubt in my eyes that Juventus and Inter have the most heated rivalry in Italy at the moment.

Think about it, which other two sides are still bitter about something as serious as the dreaded Calciopoli scandal in 2006 which sent Juventus to Serie B and allowed Inter to snap up their Scudetti?

It's a match fueled by bad blood and always incredibly enjoyable for neutral spectators.

Juventus vs. Bayern Could Be One of the Best Matches of the Year

Juventus is coming off this win while Bayern Munich have absolutely pulverized Hamburg 9-2 over the weekend, clinching the Bundesliga title in emphatic fashion.

Tuesday's Champions League fixture has all the makings to be one of the most memorable matches of the year, as it pits the first place sides from both Italy and Germany.

Inter Need Massive Changes in the Summer

Despite having a few young starlets with potential such as Mateo Kovacic, Inter is coming off one of their most bizarre January transfer windows.

Head-scratching moves such as wheeling in the 35-year old retiree Tommaso Rocchi, doubled by other mediocre signings have turned Inter into an awkward mix of mediocre squad players alongside aging veterans.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Player Ratings

Goal.com evaluates the performances of everyone involved at San Siro, as goals

from Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri see the Bianconeri surge 12 points clear.

Mar 30, 2013

FC Internazionale

Samir Handanoviç - Given no chance by Quagliarella's opener and kept his side in the game by throwing himself at the feet of Vidal, after the Chilean had been played in by Pirlo. Continued to frustrate Juve in the second period but little he could do about Matri's winner.

Javier Adelmar Zanetti - Unsurprisingly, showed a tremendous appetite for the game, even bundling the far more physical Asamoah off the ball at one point. Drove forward relentlessly after the restart but, once again, his sterling efforts were all to no avail.

Andrea Ranocchia - Struggled to cope with Juve's front two and was no surprise that it was he who made way when Stramaccioni decided to go to a flat back four on 66 minutes.

Walter Adrian Samuel - Made a few clumsy challenges but was solid enough for the most part, winning almost everything that came his way in the air.

Cristian Chivu - Did not make any glaring errors but never looked remotely comfortable at the back and was fortunate to escape sanction for a stupid challenge on Barzagli.

Alvaro Pereira - Provided good width on the left-hand side but his final ball remains maddeningly erratic. Indeed, his best cross was one which deflected into the path of an unmarked Palacio at the back post. His tackling also remains worryingly reckless and he should have been booked for going through the back of Vida even before he eventually saw yellow for catching Padoin late.

Mateo Kovačić - The one player in the Inter midfield who could hold his head high at full-time, the talented teenager impressed in what was his first Derby d'Italia, passing with real purpose.

Walter Gargano - Was tidy in possession at times but his attempts to upset Juve's much-vaunted midfield trio were hindered by a harsh booking for a late - but in no way reckless - challenge on Chiellini. Still, even then, he just did not do enough to impose himself on the proceedings.

Ricardo Gabriel Álvarez - Given the nod ahead of Guarin in behind the front two, Alvarez again failed miserably to prove his worth to this Inter side, even if he did show in flashes what he can do, particularly at the tail end of the first half when he began to float in between the Juve defence and midfield to good effect. However, his half-time exit was not in the least bit surprising.

Rodrigo Palacio - Was always looking to get in behind the Bianconeri backline and went desperately close to cancelling out Quagliarella's opener but Buffon managed to stop his back-post header right on the goal-line. Had another tame header just before the break before belatedly beating Buffon with an impressively calm finish.

Antonio Cassano - Always the man most likely to prise open the Bianconeri defence, playing in Palacio a couple of times before the Argentine eventually drew Inter level courtesy of a sublime slide-rule pass from 'Fatantonio'. Also threatened Juve's goal himself, most notably with a low drive that Buffon finger-tipped around the post. A constant menace, he could even have earned himself a couple of penalties.

Substitutions

Fredy Guarín - Left on the bench after his late return from international duty, but thrown on in place of the ineffective Alvarez in time for the second half. Made an immediate difference and was unlucky to see a late attempt deflected into the side netting.

Esteban Matias Cambiasso - Replaced Ranocchia midway through the second half but while he offered plenty of endeavour, he was unable to swing the game back in the hosts' favour and disgraced himself with a dreadful challenge on Giovinco.

Tommaso Rocchi - Sent on in the closing stages in search of an equaliser but was unable to find one.

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon - Twice came to his side's rescue in the opening quarter, tipping a low strike from Cassano around the post before then denying Palacio at almost point-blank range.

Andrea Barzagli - Coolness personified once again. Inter's front two were lively enough, but Barzagli was nearly always there to snuff out the danger whenever Palacio tried to make a clever run in behind or down the channels.

Leonardo Bonucci - Another towering display from Bonucci, who was not even content just to reign supreme at the back. Indeed, he very nearly scored after getting on the end of a brilliant Bianconeri breakaway midway through the first half.

Giorgio Chiellini - Perhaps surprisingly selected at the back with Bayern Munich in mind, but he showed just why Conte decided he just could not leave him out by turning in a tremendous defensive display that was both composed and committed. Indeed, it was hard to keep track of just how many times he got in the way of crosses from Pereira.

Simone Padoin - Did a decent job deputising for Lichtsteiner, twice going close to scoring in the second half. Still, Inter did most of their good work down the left-hand side, so Padoin was given plenty to do from a defensive perspective.

Claudio Marchisio - Once again offered so much dynamism in the middle of the park for Juve, even if his crossing let him down whenever he ventured down the left wing.

Andrea Pirlo - As per usual, the most creative presence on the pitch. Pirlo repeatedly switched the play to great effect and also played out some predictably sublime passes, with his through-ball for Vidal the pick of the bunch. Also threatened a goal with a well-struck drive that drew a good save out of Handanovic.

Arturo Vidal - Typically industrious performance from the Chilean, who won plenty of ball in the middle of the park before using it intelligently. Indeed, Bonucci should have done better with his inviting right-wing cross midway through the first half. However, he also should have scored himself after being put in on goal by Pirlo, but he couldn't get the ball out of his feet.

Kwadwo Asamoah - Kept busy by the evergreen Zanetti, so was not able to attack as freely as usual, but he stood up well defensively and did an excellent job getting back to cover when Palacio looked set to get away from Chiellini. Replaced by the more defensively reliable Peluso midway through the second half.

Fabio Quagliarella - The undoubted man of the match. The forward gave his chances of starting against Bayern the power of good by opening the scoring in spectacular 25-yard strike just three minutes and then setting up the second for Matri with a terrific cut-back from right on the touch-line.

Alessandro Matri - Deserves his fair share of credit for Quagliarella's opener as it was the former Cagliari man who created space for his strike partner with an incredibly clever dummy. Got the goal his industry deserved on the hour when he calmly converted Quagliarella's cut-back.

Substitutions

Federico Peluso - Took over on the left-hand side from the more attack-minded Asamoah as Juve looked to shore up their defence after reclaiming the lead.

Paul Pogba - Added some solidity to the midfield after coming on for Matri with 17 minutes remaining.

Sebastian Giovinco - Sent on in place of Quagliarella late on and made a real nuisance of himself, even picking up a booking.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Conte: Inter victory shows Juventus have grown

The 43-year-old was very pleased with the Old Lady's display at San Siro

and is eagerly anticipating the match against Bayern Munich.

Mar 30, 2013

Antonio Conte has voiced his delight with Juventus' 2-1 Serie A win over Inter at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday afternoon and the successful coach feels the Bianconeri's victory was further proof of their growth in recent months.

The reigning champions grabbed an early lead via Fabio Quagliarella before Rodrigo Palacio restored parity after the break. However, Alessandro Matri eventually helped Juve to the three points with his goal at the hour mark.

"Today we have taken another step toward the finish line. We still have eight games to go, though, and the teams behind us are ready to take advantage if we slip up," Conte said at a press conference.

"We got a great result against a superb team. Inter beat us at home and they drew and won against AC Milan. They can beat any team and our win shows that we have grown as a team. We put in a great performance."

The Juventus coach then went on to discuss the upcoming first leg of the quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich.

"We are travelling to Munich full of enthusiasm, knowing that we did what we had to do in the league," he added.

"We want to keep our Champions League dream alive and see at what level we are. We go into the game without fear. We want to find out how big the gap with the European top is."

Tuesday's match at the Allianz Arena is scheduled to kick off at 20:45CET.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Cambiasso: I did not have the intention to hurt Giovinco

The Argentine was dismissed after a late lunge on the Bianconeri attacker,

but has stressed it was an unfortunate accident rather than a deliberate foul.

Mar 30, 2013

Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso has apologised for his horror tackle on Juventus' Sebastian Giovinco in Saturday's 2-1 Serie A loss at the Giuseppe Meazza and insisted that he had no intention to injure the Italy international.

The combative midfielder received a straight red card after a bad lunge on Giovinco in the closing stages of the match, but Cambiasso has stressed he did not mean to harm the forward.

"Fortunately nothing bad happened to him. I think that everything I have done in the past demonstrates that I never have the intention to hurt someone," Cambiasso was quoted as saying on the official Inter website.

"My past speaks for itself, and they all understood the situation right away. It was an accident.

"After what had happened on the pitch, I immediately went to the Juventus dressing room to make sure he was okay. Things could have been bad due to my foul."

Inter have dropped to seventh place in the Serie A table following Saturday's defeat.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Stramaccioni rues 'sinful' Derby d'Italia defeat

The Inter boss has expressed his frustration following his side's 2-1 defeat

at the hands of Juventus, but hailed Mateo Kovacic for his showing in the San Siro loss.

Mar 30, 2013

Andrea Stramaccioni has branded Inter's defeat to Juventus in Saturday's breathless Derby d'Italia match as sinful.

An early goal from Fabio Quagliarella gave Antonio Conte's men the lead before Alessandro Matri ensured that Rodrigo Palacio's equaliser was nullified to secure a 2-1 win for the visitors.

The young coach cited Inter's profligacy and the effect of Quagliarella's early strike as the main causes of their defeat.

"Quagliarella's early goal cut us down," Stramaccioni told a press conference following the match. "We had a few chances through Palacio and [Antonio] Cassano in the first half but failed to score."

"It is undeniable that our intensity rose in the second half, though. We forced Juve to retreat but their second goal came during our best spell. It was a sin."

Stramaccioni maintained that his side must remain motivated and recognised that the game was an entertaining spectacle but expressed his disappointment at the result.

He continued: "We must not change our objectives [for the rest of the season]. We are pleased with our performance. It was a good match and in the second half we played very well against the best team in Italy.

"There is still a sour taste in my mouth because we came within touching distance of a point. We did not deserve to lose, but you have to respect the result on the pitch."

Stramaccioni highlighted one positive aspect in particular for Inter - the bright performance and future of January signing Mateo Kovacic.

"Kovacic is the future of Inter's midfield," he added. "He is growing and I have great confidence in his ability."

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Matri: Juventus must recharge batteries ahead of Bayern

The attacker, who netted the winner in Saturday's encounter, has made it clear

the Turin side need some time to recover from their efforts in the Derby d'Italia.

Mar 30, 2013

Alessandro Matri has admitted Saturday afternoon's Serie A win over Inter has cost Juventus a lot of energy ahead of next week's Champions League match against Bayern Munich - who went on to win 9-2 against Hamburg.

The reigning Italian champions recorded a 2-1 away win over the Nerazzurri to make amends for their home loss earlier this season, but victory did not come easy for Juve.

"Today's game took a lot out of us and we need to recharge our batteries ahead of Munich," Matri was quoted as saying on the official Juventus website.

"We'll have a warm-down tomorrow then on Monday we'll train specifically with Tuesday's game in mind."

The attacker then went on to voice his delight with Saturday's victory as he feels it was a crucial win in the hunt for the Scudetto.

"It was a big win for us and we played at a high tempo right from the off," he continued.

"We've picked up three crucial points for the league table and now we're focused on Bayern."

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341‎

Strama: 'Inter performance positive'

Mar 30, 2013

Andrea Stramaccioni insisted Juventus scored the winning goal against the run of play and revealed Esteban Cambiasso apologised for that awful tackle.

Inter went behind after just three minutes and moments after getting back on level terms were punished again by Alessandro Matri for a 2-1 defeat.

“We conceded the early Fabio Quagliarella goal and with that stunning strike he put the game on the right track for Juventus,” Strama told Sky Sport Italia.

“We improved in the second half and had two great chances, forcing Juve to replace a striker with a midfielder. It’s a pity we conceded the second goal during our best moment of the match.

“We have to maintain our objectives, as Inter put in a positive performance. Juventus are the best side in Serie A, so regrets remain because we had more than one chance to equalise.”

There were Inter complaints over two Giorgio Chiellini tackles, while Cambiasso was sent off in stoppages for a leg-breaker challenge on Sebastian Giovinco.

“I don’t talk about incidents and do not want to comment on the referee’s decisions. Cambiasso’s foul was bad, but he went straight into the Juventus locker room to apologise. These things can happen, but our fair play demands the player apologise.”

Stramaccioni left Fredy Guarin on the bench, as he missed his flight and arrived late back from international duty.

“Guarin did not have a single training session with us. Our two midfielders often went out of position. Mateo Kovacic is the future of Inter and I had no hesitation in fielding him.”

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Conte: 'Juve beat great Inter'

Mar 30, 2013

Antonio Conte praised Inter for causing Juventus problems, but also pointed out “we proved we have got better” after today’s 2-1 victory.

The Bianconeri had been beaten 3-1 in Turin earlier this season, ending their 49-match unbeaten Serie A run, but got revenge this afternoon at San Siro.

“We achieved a great result, as in my view Inter are capable of beating anyone,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia.

“We proved that we have got better since November. I have to compliment my lads, as they were constantly on point. It is always a Match with a capital M against Inter.

“We put another brick down on the foundations of the Scudetto and it’s a step forward, even if there are teams like Napoli and Milan behind us who can’t wait to make the most of any slip-up.

“Juventus now go to Munich with great confidence. We are facing a strong Bayern side, but continue to embrace this dream. In Italy we realised that we are on the right track and now we want to measure ourselves against Europe too.”

Conte had hinted he was considering a move abroad to Chelsea or PSG after his irritation at the constant controversy in the Italian game.

“I was sad to see certain comments in the papers. What I actually said was in there, but the headlines made it look different. One day I could go abroad, but right now my present is here.”

The Coach surprised with his starting XI, picking Fabio Quagliarella and Alessandro Matri, who were both on target.

“Nobody has rotated the strikers the way I have. Quagliarella played in some important games and often started the big matches. I trust the look in the eye of a player, which is rarely wrong.”

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Cambiasso: 'It was an accident'

Mar 30, 2013

Esteban Cambiasso apologised to Sebastian Giovinco in public and private after his red card for a horrific challenge. “My history speaks for me.”

The Inter midfielder was sent off in the final kick of the 2-1 home defeat to Juventus for sliding on to Giovinco’s standing ankle.

“My history speaks for me and Juve also understood straight away that it was an accident,” Cambiasso told Inter Channel.

“I went into the locker room to see how Giovinco was doing. He is a colleague and I didn’t want to cause him any problems.

“He didn’t seem too bad, though unfortunately I did arrive late to the tackle. I think what I have done in my career makes everyone realise I didn’t want to break anyone’s ankle.”

Giovinco is not a major doubt to recover in time for the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Quaglia: 'Goal was instinctive'

Mar 30, 2013

Fabio Quagliarella said his goal against Inter was “instinctive,” explains why he hugged Nicolas Anelka and assures Juventus “do not fear Bayern Munich.”

He was an unexpected starter in today’s 2-1 win at San Siro, opening the scoring from distance and setting up Alessandro Matri for the second.

“The goal was instinctive,” he told the media. “I trapped the ball, saw that I had space and so I aimed for goal. I’m very happy, as it’s wonderful to break the deadlock against such a big team.

“I ran to the bench to hug Anelka because he asked me to in the locker room. It’s good to remember those on the bench, as they also work hard all week.

“The Coach has been rotating the strikers for two years now, so we are all relaxed and now our opportunity will come. Nobody here gets annoyed when they don’t play, as the important thing is to be ready when called.”

Juventus now go into the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, who are set to win the Bundesliga title this weekend.

“We have respect for Bayern, but no fear,” assured Quagliarella. “We are going there with the same spirit as always, trying to play our game.

“The Coach keeps his choices to himself until the last minute, so we have no idea who is going to play in Germany.”

Sebastian Giovinco is an injury doubt after Esteban Cambiasso’s terrible tackle on his ankle today, while Mirko Vucinic missed the Inter game with flu symptoms.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Matri: 'Bring on Bayern!'

Mar 31, 2013

Alessandro Matri got the winner against Inter and admits he’d love to start against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

The Juventus striker turned in Fabio Quagliarella’s pull-back for a 2-1 victory at San Siro on Saturday afternoon.

“It was an important win and we played at a high tempo right from the start,” Matri told Sky Sport Italia.

“Nicolas Anelka had predicted I would score a goal. We earned three precious points for the standings and can now focus on Bayern.”

Sebastian Giovinco is in doubt for that game after Esteban Cambiasso went in hard on his ankle, while Mirko Vucinic missed the trip to Inter with flu symptoms.

“Of course I’d like to play against Bayern Munich, even if the decision is down to the Coach. I always tend to score when I play alongside Quagliarella, as we get along well.

“Europe is a dream for us and we know how Bayern play with some very talented individuals.”

Bayern Munich sent a message to Juve by beating Hamburg 9-2 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

“We have a solid lead in Serie A, but cannot take our foot off the gas until we are mathematically certain, so every game must be played like a Cup Final,” continued Matri.

“We used up a lot of energy at San Siro and need to recover in time for Tuesday.”

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Conte stands up for Cambiasso

Mar 31, 2013

Juventus Coach Antonio Conte stood up for Esteban Cambiasso after the red card for a terrible challenge on Sebastian Giovinco.

The Inter midfielder was sent off in stoppages during the 2-1 San Siro result on Saturday after a studs-up tackle on Giovinco’s standing ankle.

As the Juve players ran towards him enraged, Conte stepped off the touchline to protect Cambiasso and calm the situation.

“It’s a shame for Cambiasso, as along with Javier Zanetti and Walter Samuel he is a player I really respect,” said the Coach.

“I have played against them and know how honest and fair they are. Esteban also made a nice gesture by coming into the locker room to apologise after the game.

“These players deserve nothing but praise. Esteban had a reaction that came out of frustration, but he didn’t intend to hurt Giovinco.”

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/

[Socrates 8422]

Serie A Week 30 - 30-3-2013 (3:00 p.m.)

1 - 2

Fabio Quagliarella (3′)

Rodrigo Palacio (54′)

Alessandro Matri (60′)

"Giuseppe Meazza" Stadium - Milan

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli

Attendance: 79341

Juventus gain sweet revenge on Inter and keep

plenty in the tank for Bayern Munich test

The Bianconeri got their own back on Andrea Stramaccioni's side in preparation

for another huge date on Tuesday against the Bavarian giants.

Mar 31, 2013

COMMENT

By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer

Such has been Juventus’ dominance of Serie A in 2012-13, there were only really two targets in mind for the Bianconeri as they reunited after the latest international break. The first was to keep ticking off the points they need to wrap up a second successive Scudetto, while the second was to gain revenge on an Inter side that ended their 49-game unbeaten run in November.

And on Saturday afternoon they got 50 per cent of those tasks out of the way, seeing off the Nerazzurri at San Siro after a very accomplished performance. This was by no means Juve’s most convincing display of the season, and Inter had a number of chances to make the game interesting throughout, but the champions did everything they needed to do to leave the Beneamata a long way off the pace in the struggle for European football next term. As revenge missions go, this one was hugely successful.

Andrea Stramaccioni’s side now sit in seventh place in the table, 10 points behind third-placed AC Milan with eight games remaining. If they are to qualify for the Champions League they need a miracle, while even a return to the Europa League is a possibility more than a probability at the moment. An Inter outfit that had hoped for a top-three spot, and earlier in the campaign offered the closest thing Juventus have seen to a challenge all season, now finds itself struggling even to match their ‘achievements’ of last term.

They actually played pretty well on Saturday, and when Rodrigo Palacio cancelled out Fabio Quagliarella’s early belter it appeared that deja vu might bring down Juve, but Alessandro Matri soon struck back, and by the end it was clear they had been beaten by a better side playing a couple of gears short of the pace they’ll look to reach come Tuesday night against Bayern Munich.

The Nerazzurri’s frustration was borne out in the crazy tackle on the stroke of the full-time whistle which saw Esteban Cambiasso scythe down Sebastian Giovinco. The Argentine will likely miss three matches for his rare display of savagery, but he can count himself lucky that he didn’t do permanent damage to the Italian forward. Still, if even Cambiasso is letting things get the better of him, it just shows that all is not well for Inter.

Another encouraging display from Mateo Kovacic was about all they could add to the plus column after such a result, along with Roma’s shock 2-0 defeat at Palermo which means their Europa League hopes aren’t completely dead and buried. Meanwhile, Juve managed to edge three points closer to an inevitable title while keeping something in reserve for their huge fixture in midweek.

They will make the trip to Munich for their Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with a great deal of confidence on the back of this win, and while many may argue that Bayern’s astonishing 9-2 victory over Hamburg could be even more of a fillip to the home side, Antonio Conte’s men will surely take great satisfaction from having dealt with a Derby d’Italia with little fuss just three days before their biggest fixture of the season.

As we head into April, Juve are nine points clear of the pack, have a squad deep in numbers and high in confidence, and begin the final throes of the Champions League with a head completely clear of any worries about what’s going on back in Italy. They wanted revenge on Inter, and they got it. Now they can take on Bayern knowing everything is falling neatly into place for them.

Juventus are as prepared as they could ever hope to be going into their biggest fixture of the season. Bring on Bayern!

ELSEWHERE…

• Milan’s complaint to the Lega Serie A over the farce that has been the handling of the safety concerns at Cagliari’s Is Arenas was completely justified, but the benefits of playing against no home crowd were clearly lost on Fiorentina as they went down to a 2-1 defeat in Sardinia which all but expunges their hopes of making it into the top three. The Rossoneri had to take on the Rossoblu in front of a packed stadium earlier this season, while there have been various different measures enforced by the league committee for many games this term. While Milan were right to voice their ire, it appears unlikely to affect them directly following the defeat of Vincenzo Montella’s side which puts the Diavolo in a fantastic position to qualify for the Champions League come May.

• April Fools’ Day came a couple of days early in Sicily as relegation-threatened Palermo made idiots out of Roma. It was only the fourth victory of the season for the Rosanero, and Josip Ilicic and Fabrizio Miccoli’s goals have thrown them a lifeline in their battle for survival. But it was also a noticeable setback for the Giallorossi after an excellent recent run under Aurelio Andreazzoli had looked set to leave them level with neighbours Lazio heading into next week’s Derby della Capitale. Instead they turned in their worst performance since the 4-2 home defeat to Cagliari which earned Zdenek Zeman the sack. While this result won’t mean a similar fate for Andreazzoli, it does provide a jolt to his hopes of becoming the club’s permanent boss in the summer.

• Napoli managed to lose two leads and then fall behind before eventually wrapping up a thrilling 5-3 victory against Torino at the Olimpico. Edinson Cavani may have come off the bench to hit the goals which settled the contest, but it was Blerim Dzemaili who was the real hero for the Partenopei. The Swiss midfielder is hardly a regular goal threat from the centre of the park, but his hat-trick proved to be vital in his side maintaining their hopes of holding off Milan for second spot in the table and the automatic Champions League spot that comes with it. The difference between an assured place and a play-off berth could decide whether Cavani stays or goes in the summer, making Napoli's run-in perhaps the most important of any club in the top half of Serie A.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/