Juventus Season 2012-2013

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

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San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

‘Napoli draw signalled Juve Scudetto’

Feb 28, 2013

Giorgio Chiellini says that Juventus realised they could win the Scudetto last season after collecting a 3-3 draw at Napoli.

The two teams meet at the San Paolo again on Friday in a potentially decisive game, a match that holds happy memories for the 28-year-old.

“Even though there were plenty of games to go, that match gave us the belief that we could win the Scudetto,” he told Sky Sport Italia after Juve came from behind to salvage a point.

“We did just that, we won the title and we want to win it again.”

Napoli are only six points behind leaders Juventus and the Italian international has great respect for their opponents.

“There have been a lot of games since we met in Serie B and Napoli have improved immensely,” the defender added.

“They have an ambitious President, and since Coach Walter Mazzarri arrived, they’ve taken a further step up in quality.

“The club has not only become competitive in Italy, but also in Europe, as they showed last year over two legs against Chelsea.

“Yes they were knocked out, but they lost to the eventual champions and, in fact, would have deserved to progress to the next round.

“The match on Friday could go either way. It won’t be decisive though because there is still a long way to go in the championship, but it will of course be important for both teams.”

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Conte promises proactive Juve

Feb 28, 2013

Juventus boss Antonio Conte insists his side won’t be playing for a draw at Napoli on Friday night.

There is a suggestion that the Old Lady could be looking to primarily defend their six-point advantage at the top of the table when the two teams meet at the Stadio San Paolo.

Conte, however, has told reporters on Thursday that his side only play with one thing on their mind.

“Our style of play doesn’t change whether we play at home or away,” he stated. “We always look to play proactive football.

“Sometimes that happens, other times our opponents don’t allow us to. But, at the San Paolo, we’ll look to play with our ideas and organisation.”

The game is being billed as a potential title decider, but the tactician has underlined that the season is still long.

“It’s one of the many games that we’ll have to get over to reach the finish line. The championship will not end tomorrow.

“More important games will follow against Milan, Inter, Lazio…

“There is certainly a lot of media attention, but that is what happens when two important sides meet.”

Conte also has total respect for the Azzurri, a squad he believes has the potential to take away their League crown.

“We went into last season off the back of two seventh placed finishes. Napoli, meanwhile, were built for a Champions League campaign. Now, with the Scudetto shield on our shirts, the roles have been reversed.

“Napoli, though, strengthened in the summer and in January – so they can target the title. They prematurely exited the Coppa and the Europa League, but they can get the only objective left for them.”

Conte again took the opportunity to defend Sebastian Giovinco, the club’s top scorer this term who continues to have his critics.

“Giovinco was listed in the elections and I voted for him,” Conte smiled. “Sebastian has to be calm and he’s very mature. He knows how to cope with the pressure and that is not easy.”

Will Giorgio Chiellini start after recovering from injury? “Giorgio is well. He’s recovered, but I want to speak to him first before making a decision. The important thing is that he has recovered from injury.

“I’d like to wish Simone Pepe good luck too after surgery. We’re waiting for him.”

The former midfielder also expressed his disappointment with regard to the amount of media attention there has been this week about the choice of tomorrow’s referee.

“It’s not nice to talk about referees. It’s a shame that people always find something to stir up controversy.

“We have faith in the referees, we know that they can make mistakes and you can get angry with them as we have in the past. I have and paid for it, but it is ugly to start insinuating things.”

Daniele Orsato has been given the game.

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Mazzarri: Juve match not decisive

Feb 28, 2013

Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri has claimed that Friday's match with Juventus 'will not be decisive' in terms of the title race.

The Partenopei host Antonio Conte's men at Stadio San Paolo tomorrow, and the 51-year-old Azzurri Coach has insisted that the game will be 'special' but won't decide who wins the Scudetto.

"It is not a decisive game for the title,” he told a Press conference. “After this there are 11 other matches.

“It is definitely a special game for Napoli and Naples as a city, but it will not be decisive.

“We have spent 20 years not reaching the top level of Italian football, but for the last three years we've been reaching the upper echelons – and that is already a success.

“Unfortunately this is not said a lot, and I would like to remind the fans.

“Juve have great quality. We have not had much time to prepare for the game but we will still try to play our best.”

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juve name Napoli squad

Feb 28, 2013

Antonio Conte has named his 21-man squad as Juventus prepare to take on Napoli at Stadio San Paolo tomorrow.

The Bianconeri face the Partenopei looking to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to nine points.

And they do so with the help of Giorgio Chiellini, who is recalled after a month out with injury. Nicolas Anelka meanwhile, misses out.

Full squad: Buffon, Chiellini, Pogba, Marchisio, Vucinic, Giovinco, Peluso, Barzagli, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Asamoah, Vidal, Giaccherini, Lichtsteiner, Quagliarella, Storari, Matri, Isla, Rubinho, Marrone

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

De Sanctis: Conte has changed Juve

Feb 28, 2013

Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis has praised Juventus Coach Antonio Conte as both sides prepare to face each other in a top of the table clash.

The Partenopei host the Bianconeri at Stadio San Paolo on Friday evening, looking to cut the gap at the top of Serie A to three points.

But the Italy international knows it will be a tough game against a 'major rival'.

“Conte has changed the mentality of this Juventus team,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “They are now confident of winning and putting pressure on all their opponents.

“They deserve our respect, but we will be at home so we know we can make it difficult for them.

“Of course we want to cut the distance at the top of the table because they are a major rival of ours.

“We have come back strongly in recent years, and now we're one of their biggest threats.”

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Cavani and Napoli’s dry spell

Feb 28, 2013

Napoli will be hoping that Edinson Cavani can bring an end to his goal drought when they play Juventus on Friday.

The Uruguayan international is the Serie A top scorer this season with 18 goals, but he hasn’t scored in his last six appearances and the Azzurri haven’t netted in their past four games.

Cavani’s last goal came in the 2-1 win at Parma on January 27. Since then, he has fired blanks in matches against Catania, Lazio, Sampdoria, Udinese – as well as the two Europa League games versus Viktoria Plzen.

That streak of four consecutive Serie A games without a goal is his poorest spell of the season, given that his previous worst drought came when he failed to score past Udinese and Juventus in Weeks 7 and 8.

Napoli, meanwhile, haven’t scored as a team in their last four encounters.

They lost 3-0 and 2-0 to Viktoria in Europe, while they have drawn 0-0 with Sampdoria and Udinese in the last two League rounds.

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

Socrates · February 28, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Conte promises attacking Juventus at Napoli

The Bianconeri coach condemned his recent reaction to refereeing, and hinted that

the Serie A clash with the second-placed side on Friday night will not be season-defining.

Feb 28, 2013

Antonio Conte has promised that Juventus will be on the attack when they play Napoli on Friday night.

The Bianconeri are six points ahead of the Azzurri heading into the top-two tussle, but a defeat at the San Paolo would see the Scudetto title race blown wide open, though the Italian champions’ head coach denied they would be playing defensively as a result.

“Our style of play doesn’t change whether we play at home or away,” Conte told reporters on Thursday. “We always look to play pro-active football.

“Sometimes that happens, other times our opponents don’t allow us to. But, at the San Paolo, we’ll look to play with our ideas and organisation.”

Walter Materazzi’s side have surprised many by keeping pace at the top of Serie A - though Juve’s struggles in 2013 have helped - and Conte praised the strength of Friday’s opponents.

“We went into last season off the back of two seventh-place finishes,” he added. “Napoli, meanwhile, were set for a Champions League campaign. Now, with the Scudetto shield on our shirts, the roles have been reversed.

“Napoli, though, strengthened in the summer and in January, so they can target the title. They prematurely exited the cup and the Europa League, but they can get the only objective left for them.”

But Conte resented that much of the build-up to the tie has focused on Daniele Orsato refereeing the match, and condemned his own outbursts at officials in the past.

“It’s not nice to talk about referees. It’s a shame that people always find something to stir up controversy,” he said.

“We have faith in the referees, we know that they can make mistakes and you can get angry with them as we have in the past. I have and paid for it, but it is ugly to start insinuating things.”

The 43-year-old was resilient in his insistence that, whatever the result, the Friday night fixture will not be the deciding moment of the Serie A season.

Conte added: “It’s one of the many games that we’ll have to get over to reach the finish line. The championship will not end tomorrow.

“More important games will follow against Milan, Inter, Lazio… There is certainly a lot of media attention, but that is what happens when two important sides meet.”

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

MATCH PREVIEW

Feb 28, 2013

Napoli and Juventus meet in a potential Scudetto decider which the hosts must win to stay alive, while Juve can pull clear.

The Partenopei dropped to six points behind the Bianconeri after a goalless encounter with Udinese on Monday. They had chances to grab a precious lead, but Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani were unable to break the deadlock against a stubborn Friulani outfit.

Walter Mazzarri said afterwards he was happy with his side’s performance. However, given a run of three draws has left them two wins adrift of the Turin club a win on Friday is a must, as Hamsik noted. “The game with Juve will be very important. It is crucial for us to get a result.”

Alessandro Gamberini is the only player in doubt for the Partenopei, as he battles to recover from injury. Lorenzo Insigne is set to once again start alongside Cavani.

Juventus recovered from a defeat in Rome to comprehensively topple Siena last Sunday. Goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner, Sebastian Giovinco and Paul Pogba proved enough to down the relegation threatened club, even if there were late scares.

While built as a potential Scudetto decider, a win is not imperative for Antonio Conte’s men given their current buffer. Despite this, captain Gianluigi Buffon says Juve will play their usual game in Naples. “We’ll go and play Napoli without making any calculations. That’s also because when we try to do that, things don’t add up.”

Giorgio Chiellini may start on the bench after suffering bruising to his ankle in his comeback versus Siena. Arturo Vidal will take his usual place in midfield, leaving Paolo De Ceglie, Nicklas Bendtner and the unfortunate Simone Pepe sidelined through injury.

Juve battled back last season to draw 3-3 in a pulsating clash. It was just their second point – between Serie A and Serie B – in six San Paolo visits. They have not won in Naples since 2000-01. Overall the hosts shade the ledger, winning 21 matches to Juve’s 20, with 26 further draws.

Keep an eye on: Edinson Cavani (Napoli) – The Uruguayan hitman is suffering a goal drought – by his lofty standards – and hasn’t celebrated since netting against Parma, four League games ago. Considering the occasion, Napoli need Cavani to fire them back into Scudetto contention.

Form guide: Napoli (W W D D D) Juventus (D W W L W)

Last season: Napoli 3-3 Juventus

Stat fact: Marek Hamsik has five career goals against Juventus, his second favourite opponent. Three of the five have come at the San Paolo, including one last term.

NAPOLI (probable): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Britos; Mesto, Behrami, Inler, Armero; Hamsik; Insigne, Cavani

JUVENTUS (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus-Napoli Preview: Round 27 —

San Paolo Scudetto Showdown

This shall be fun. Or stressful. Or both. But probably more stressful.

Feb 28, 2013

For the past couple of weeks, we've been talking about the decisive week that will play a key role in Juventus' season. It's been sitting there in the back of our heads while trying to concentrate on the immediate future to the best of our ability. But that's obviously tough — especially knowing how big a clash like this could possibly be to bringing another Scudetto back to Turin.

Finally, that week is here.

Juventus vs. Napoli. Serie A's top side against Italy's No. 2 team. A chance to put serious distance between the rest of the competition or re-open a Scudetto race with 11 games left in the season. It's pretty easy to figure out which objective will be gunning for when they take the San Paolo pitch on tomorrow night.

Who does this match mean more to? I really don't know. The rewards are as clear as day for each respective club, as are the consequences for whichever team happens to suffer a potential loss.

In the grand scheme of things, going up nine points won't completely end things in Serie A. But you gotta admit, if Juventus do claim all three points on Friday night, things will be looking awfully good when it comes to winning a second straight Scudetto.

That's the glass half full approach. And it's not like there's any reason not to be at this point in time.

Why be so optimistic?

Because we root for Juventus, for one. And it's not like Juve are playing piss-poor like they were, say, a month or so ago. Getting back to winning after the suckfest known as the 1-0 loss to Roma two weekends ago was important, only for the fact that it got everybody's head right again.

Now, as we hit the biggest week of the season to date, what a better thing to do than to keep the train rollin'.

GOOD NEWS

In the month of February, Napoli has won exactly one game (a 2-0 victory over Catania). Since that win at the Stadio San Paolo, Napoli have gone on to be shutout four times and scored just one — yes, one — goal since that win at home. And to make matters worse for the Azzurri, Edinson Cavanni hasn't scored since Napoli's 2-1 win over Parma on Jan. 27. That was five weeks ago. Not exactly Cavani-like, is it?

All of this could be that Napoli are starting to really hit a wall. Or it could just mean that Juventus will be getting a sleeping giant on Friday night.

BAD NEWS

Nicolas Anelka is a doubt after missing practice on Wednesday with back problems. We're doomed. Might as well cancel the game and stay in Turin for the weekend.

Okay, meaningful injury news...

Also missing practice on Wednesday was Martin Caceres because of the same kind of back pain. Or at least that's what we know for now. If there is any kind of chance that Giorgio Chiellini can't play (don't read ahead tomorrow night), then whether his top replacement is available is up in the air right now — which wouldn't exactly have some of us thinking happy thoughts going into one hell of an important game.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. Will Giorgio Chiellini get his first start in months? If Sunday against Siena was the test drive, then might Friday night against Napoli be when Conte releases Giorgio of the Jungle out in the wild again? With Caceres' sudden injury concerns, Chiellini's status becomes even that much more important. Let's be honest, how confident would we feel if Federico Peluso is starting against Napoli? If Chiellini is healthy, he should play. But if there's any doubt, I have a hunch Antonio Conte will play it safe. Who knows, though. I've been wrong in the past.

2. How Leonardo Bonucci handles the San Paolo atmosphere. Remember the last time Juventus visited Naples? While it was one of the best and most exciting games we've seen of the Conte Era, it wasn't a memorable one for Juve's then-24-year-old central defender. He didn't handle the atmosphere well at all. And on the field, he might have done even worse. While he has made tremendous progress the past two seasons under Conte, Bonucci having a good game will play a huge role in whether or not Juve are able to claim all three points.

3. Whether or not Big Game Mirko gets off the bus. If Bonucci is key for the defense, then the same — if not more — importance should be placed on Mirko Vucinic when it comes to Juventus' attack. In the past few weeks, Vucinic has been very hot and cold. He was very productive against Siena last weekend, but barely showed up when Juve lost to Roma. This is the kind of game where Vucinic's reputation would make you think that he's going to play a key role in the final outcome. Whether or not that actually happens is obviously still to be determined.

4. Keeping Cavani at bay. Even when he hasn't scored in over a month, Cavani scares the crap out of me. I'm probably not the only person who thinks along those lines. I mean, it's Edinson Cavani. Even going without a goal for over a month, Cavani is still joint-top scorer in Serie A with 18 goals (39 percent of Napoli's production this season). Stop Cavani, stop Napoli? Hey, it's worth a shot.

5. Wing-backs vs. wing-backs. The last time Juventus and Napoli played, Kwadwo Asamoah was a monster who could not be contained. Obviously he's not playing up to that level since he returned from AFCON duty, but that doesn't mean he can't get back there. And for Stephan Lichtsteiner, who has been just rock solid this season, it's basically keep the good performances going. They'll have put in good showings if Juve want to win the battle on the wings, a place that Napoli loves to use in their counter-attacking way of going about things.

My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres/Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Matri

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Behrami ready for 'key' match against Juventus

The midfielder believes that Friday's Serie A tie against Juventus

could well determine who ultimately secures the league title.

Feb 28, 2013

Napoli's Valon Behrami believes the Serie A clash against Juventus will be vital for their league campaign and determine what his side can achieve this season.

Behrami's side host Juve on Friday, and a win for the home side will see them close the gap on the league leaders.

However, a victory for the Bianconeri will extend their lead to nine points at the top of the table - a gap that Behrami admits could be insurmountable.

He told reporters: "In my opinion, this is a key game from the psychological point of view. It can show us who we are and what we can get from this season.

"Juventus is a great team. We will have to attack smartly and at the same time not let them take any initiative. We must leave a mark; we will try to do it."

And the 27-year-old has called on the side's supporters to get behind the team, adding: "Our fans can give us that extra boost, the adrenaline to push us more. They can be our extra weapon to go beyond our limits.

"I ask them to support us, to appreciate what we have been doing in this championship and to consider what we are trying to achieve, that is something very important."

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Napoli-Juventus Preview:

Last chance saloon for Partenopei

Walter Mazzarri's side have struggled in recent weeks and know another slip-up

against the league leaders on Friday would strengthen the Bianconeri's grip on the Scudetto.

Feb 28, 2013

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

NAPOLI

De Sanctis

Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Britos

Mesto, Behrami, Inler, Armero

Hamsik

Cavani, Insigne

JUVENTUS

Buffon

Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini

Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah

Vucinic, Giovinco

Napoli only have a minor injury concern ahead of their must-win clash against Juventus on Friday at the Stadio San Paolo.

Alessandro Gamberini will be assessed before the game which means Miguel Britos may deputise for the 31-year-old.

The Partenopei have been struggling in recent weeks and Giandonmenico Mesto and Pablo Armero may be sacrificed for Christian Maggio and Juan Zuniga.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte can field a full-strength side with Giorgio Chiellini returning to the fray after being out since December.

Paolo De Ceglie, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe are all unavailable, while Nicolas Anelka and Martin Caceres did not train on Wednesday because of back pain.

There are no suspensions for either side to contend with.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Napoli have failed to win any of their last five matches in all competitions, and have drawn their last three consecutive encounters in Serie A.

• The Partenopei have not lost to Juventus at the Stadio San Paolo in the league for six games. A run which stretches back to October 2000.

• Edinson Cavani who is Serie A's leading marksman, has failed to score in his last 500 minutes of football.

• Juventus can stretch their lead at the top of Serie A to nine points with a win on Friday, with only 11 games left to play.

• The Bianconeri's biggest away win against Napoli is 6-2, way back in 1974-75 season.

• The Old Lady are undefeated in their last four league games against the Naples club.

Head to Head

Serie A ‎- Oct 20, 2012 - Juventus 2 - SSC Napoli 0

TIM Supercup ‎- Aug 11, 2012 - Juventus 4 - SSC Napoli 2

Coppa Italia ‎- May 20, 2012 - Juventus 0 - SSC Napoli 2

Serie A ‎- Apr 1, 2012 - Juventus 3 - SSC Napoli 0

Serie A ‎- Nov 29, 2011 - SSC Napoli 3 - Juventus 3

Last Five Matches

SSC Napoli

Feb 25, 2013 - Udinese 0 - SSC Napoli 0 - Serie A

Feb 21, 2013 - FC Viktoria Plzeň 2 - SSC Napoli 0 - EL

Feb 17, 2013 - SSC Napoli 0 - Sampdoria 0 - Serie A

Feb 14, 2013 - SSC Napoli 0 - FC Viktoria Plzeň 3 - EL

Feb 9, 2013 - Lazio 1 - SSC Napoli 1 - Serie A

Juventus

Feb 24, 2013 - Juventus 3 - Siena 0 - Serie A

Feb 16, 2013 - Roma 1 - Juventus 0 - Serie A

Feb 12, 2013 - Celtic 0 - Juventus 3 - UCL

Feb 9, 2013 - Juventus 2 - Fiorentina 0 - Serie A

Feb 3, 2013 - Chievo 1 - Juventus 2 - Serie A

Players to Watch

Marek Hamsik

With Cavani out-of-sorts at the minute, the onus is on Napoli to find goals from other areas of the pitch and the Slovakian might just be the man to solve their striking woes. He seems to have a habit of scoring against the Bianconeri - with six goals in 17 appearances against the Serie A holders. Technically gifted and blessed with a natural athleticism, the 25-year-old will have to be kept quiet on Friday if Juventus want to come away with a result from Naples.

Sebastian Giovinco

He has been written off by many of the Bianconeri faithful and was roundly jeered by the home support in their 3-0 victory over Siena, despite scoring in the eventually comfortable victory. There is no doubt there is a question mark over the future of the diminutive forward, but he could silence the critics on Friday with a standout performance which he is more than capable of delivering.

Prediction

This really is a win or bust game for Napoli if they harbour ambitions of lifting their first Scudetto since the late 1980s, but the signs are not good. Cavani is struggling to find the back of the net and nobody has stepped up to fill the void his barren spell has left. Juve, meanwhile, continue to produce results without excelling and would perhaps be quite pleased to come away with anything other than a defeat, and they might just sneak this one.

Editor's Prediction

Napoli 1 - 2 Juventus

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Chiellini will start for Juventus

Mar 1, 2013

Giorgio Chiellini is being tipped to start for Juventus in their Scudetto clash against Napoli on Friday night.

The defender has reportedly passed a fitness test this morning which should see him selected ahead of Federico Peluso.

The Italian international returned to action last week for the first time since picking up a muscle strain at the end of 2012.

However, Chiellini limped out of the 3-0 win over Siena with an ankle problem which had made him a doubt for the San Paolo tie.

The 28-year-old has only made 14 League appearances so far this season after being restricted by injuries.

He’s not started a game in the Italian top-flight since the 3-0 win over Atalanta back on December 16.

Juventus probable: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Giovinco.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Moggi: 'Napoli-Juve like a Derby'

Mar 1, 2013

Former Juventus and Napoli director Luciano Moggi says tonight’s Scudetto showdown could have any result and “is like a Derby.”

The disgraced ex-director general is from Naples, although became most famous as the key figure in the Calciopoli scandal in Turin.

This evening the two teams go head-to-head at the Stadio San Paolo, kick-off at 19.45 GMT.

“This could end with a home win, a draw or an away victory. It is a difficult game to decipher,” Moggi told Odeon TV.

“Napoli are not in great shape, but considering how special this occasion is, they could well win it. Napoli-Juventus is like a Derby.

“The strength of the teams is more important than the referee and right now Juve seem stronger.”

Edinson Cavani has not scored for six official games, while Antonio Conte looks set to keep the faith with Sebastian Giovinco despite jeers from the Juventus fans.

“Giovinco has scored more goals than anyone at Juve, so he is doing well and is also to be considered important in providing assists. Of course he’s not an exceptional player, but Juve’s strength is in their group dynamic and he grew up in this team.

“Conte was a great Coach even when he was a player,” added Moggi.

“Massimiliano Allegri, on the other hand, became great through hard work and focused on theory to teach movements to his players. When Milan were doing badly, it was not Allegri’s fault.”

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

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San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Maggio agent explains form

Mar 1, 2013

Christian Maggio’s agent reveals why he has been off form since returning from surgery and looks ahead to tonight’s Napoli-Juventus.

The right wing-back was out for two weeks due to a fractured bone in his hand, which required an operation to stabilise it in late January.

“I don’t know whether or not Maggio will start tonight’s game against Juventus,” agent Massimo Briaschi told Radio Crc.

“His injury occurred during a great period of form and is really affecting his performances, because playing with a cast on your arm is always going to be irritable. It also forces you to adjust the way you run and balance yourself.

“A Scudetto is never decided in one match, but if Napoli were to take home three points this evening, they’d make the race very exciting indeed. Even a draw would be useful.

“Tonight Napoli will face a team that is almost unstoppable on the flanks, because the Bianconeri have work-rate and technique. The battle on the wings could well be decisive for the final result.

“Andrea Pirlo should be man-marked and in my view Walter Mazzarri ought to put Valon Behrami on him.”

Napoli are currently six points adrift of Serie A leaders Juventus and must focus on this target, as they are already out of the Europa League and Coppa Italia.

“Over the last few years Napoli have achieved extraordinary results and the fans ought to be in love with these protagonists,” continued agent Briaschi.

“Obviously, if there were to be a Scudetto, then we’d all celebrate, but I like to underline how well the club is doing anyway.

“I am sure we’ll see an entertaining match tonight and I imagine there will be many goals.”

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

'Italy forgets Naples for 364 days a year' - How Napoli-Juventus

symbolises the Italian cultural divide between north & south

The top two in Serie A collide at the San Paolo on Friday night

with their shared history reflecting a greater rivalry which transcends football.

Mar 1, 2013

COMMENT

By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer

“It’s a huge mess,” said one political analyst, while the electoral system was considered “a pig’s ear.” The past week saw Italy’s elections decide exactly nothing about the future of the bel paese, leaving many to scratch their heads over the next move in the bid to find a new government.

With Italy struggling under the weight of massive unemployment, a continued slump economically, further poverty across large swathes of the country and the geographical division which still characterises the 150-year-old nation, there is much to contemplate for the average Italian right now.

But on Friday night, there are more immediate concerns. Because while political and economic issues are seen as long-term problems which are unlikely to be resolved any time soon, Juventus’ trip to Napoli represents a civil war which takes place every single season. The people of Naples may not fancy their chances of overcoming their daily struggles relating to drugs, corruption, pollution, refuse and poverty, in which they feel no support from the powerful north, but they have faith in the possibility of a change in tide on the football field. They believe in it because they have seen it happen before.

Despite unification in 1861, Italy has always retained the feeling of two very separate countries – continents even – bonded only in name. In real terms, it remains a very young nation with significantly deep divides.

It is often said that the only thing that unites Italy is the national football team, but the one player who came closest to exposing the love-hate relationship for what it really is also happens to be the man who gave many in the south of the country the greatest few years of their sporting lives. Nay, their entire lives. Neapolitans still believe in the improbable because of Diego Maradona.

When the Argentine arrived in Naples, he was already seen as one of the most talented players ever to step onto a football pitch, but over the next seven years he would prove to be the very best in the game’s history. The greatest ever player’s greatest ever spell came in the azzurro of Napoli, and it made it all the sweeter to both the Partenopei and to Maradona himself that it came at the expense of the traditional powerhouses in Italy’s north.

No city south of Rome had ever witnessed a Scudetto triumph. Even the capital clubs of Lazio and Roma had only ever won three titles between them. Instead, it was the triumvirate of Juve, Milan and Inter who had become known for their dominance of the sport in the bel paese. Just as the north was the hub of Italian industry, so too did it hold all the cards when it came to calcio. And it rankled just as much with the inhabitants of cities such as Naples and Bari that they couldn't claim to be sporting equals as it did that they were not considered ‘terroni’ (a derogatory term for southerners) by those in the north.

Maradona changed all that. Naples was the one city which hadn't seen most of its locals pick one of the three northern giants as their team of choice. Naples had stayed strong and remained loyal to its club. The Argentine saw the capital of Campania as a city that spoke to him. He had himself been exposed to a difficult upbringing in a poor family in Argentina, and he saw in Naples what he had seen in Villa Fiorito. He wanted to help turn the tide, and he did so in spectacular style.

Juventus were the most obvious representation of the gulf between the successful north and the downtrodden south, with around 14 million fans following the Turin side from all over the country. They were what the majority of the Mezzogiorno aspired to be, but the second half of the 1980s was a far from prolific time for the Bianconeri, while the Partenopei achieved like never before. The 1987 Scudetto was characterised by a double success over a Juve side boasting Michel Platini, the first – a 3-1 triumph at the Stadio Comunale – putting them clear at the top for the first time that season. They would never relinquish the lead from there.

When the title was clinched, the city partied like never before. Maradona ordained himself a “son of Naples," while his ‘fellow Neapolitans’ hosted a series of wakes for the powerhouses of the north. It was only ever going to be a temporary shift in power, but they were not about to pass up the opportunity to make their point. This was the south's moment in the sun.

The Neapolitans must remember one thing. Italy makes it feel important one day of the year, but forgets about it the other 364 - Diego Maradona

There was no let-up in the bile which came from the terraces when the Azzurri travelled north, with banners at Verona greeting Napoli fans with the messages “Welcome to Italy” and “Vesuvius, make us dream”. But with Maradona around, the Neapolitans’ answer came on the pitch. A Uefa Cup in 1989 and a further Scudetto in 1990 prolonged the dream further.

However, the reverie began to die when Maradona appeared at San Paolo in the shirt of Argentina for the 1990 World Cup semi-final against Italy. “The Neapolitans must remember one thing. Italy makes it feel important one day of the year, but forgets about it the other 364,” warned ‘El Pibe de Oro’ ahead of the match. It was a plea which fell on deaf ears, with banners informing Diego: “We love you, but we are still Italian.” The relationship between Maradona and Napoli, which had been tenuous at times during his stay, became fragmented soon after.

Since that summer, the Partenopei have been on a spectacular rollercoaster which has included bankruptcy and reformation, returning the club alongside its city’s inhabitants as an inconsequential afterthought in the minds of those in the north. But last summer they clinched their first major trophy since that 1990 title win by beating Juventus 2-0 to lift the Coppa Italia, and the significance of the Old Lady being on the receiving end was lost on nobody. The biggest symbol of northern Italy’s footballing superpowers had been toppled by the plucky streetfighters from the south.

And on Friday night, Napoli walk into the last chance saloon as they attempt to thwart Juve’s march towards a second straight Scudetto and prolong their own hopes of recreating the days of silverware which allowed them to hold their heads high among their supposedly exalted company from the north.

If Napoli lose to Juve, normal service will resume, the Bianconeri will win the title, and life in Italy will go on as normal, complete with drugs, corruption, poverty etc. But with a victory for the Partenopei, an entire city’s battle against those who treat them as ‘terroni’, as foreigners, as sewer rats, could yet have a happy ending. To the people of Naples, this is infinitely more important than any election. This is a fight they can win.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Mazzarri: Juventus are more than just Pirlo

The 51-year-old is eagerly anticipating Friday's game against the reigning champions,

and is pleased with the Partenopei's return to the top in recent years.

Mar 1, 2013

Walter Mazzarri has warned Napoli cannot afford to solely focus on Andrea Pirlo in this weekend's Serie A match against Juventus, as he feels the Bianconeri have numerous great players.

The influential midfielder has developed into the Old Lady's undisputed star player since joining the club from AC Milan in the summer of 2011, but Mazzarri feels Pirlo is not Juve's only threat.

"Stopping Pirlo isn’t the problem, because Juventus aren’t just about Pirlo," Mazzarri said at a press conference.

"They’ve also got Marchisio, Vidal, the wingers, the strikers. They have plenty of options and so we need to stay alert.

"They are a really good side and have excellent technical qualities right from the back, even Buffon is like a forward on the ball."

Mazzarri then went on to discuss Napoli's performances so far this term, and voiced his delight with their re-emergence.

"Apart from our third-placed finish two years ago, it’s been 23 years since Napoli ended the season near the top.

"However, now we’re competing with the best which is great and we are delighted to have come so far, to be competing at these levels and to be feared by everyone. So, however it goes tomorrow, it will be a success."

Napoli are currently trailing leaders Juventus by six points.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Prandelli: 'Napoli vs. Juventus clash will decide Serie A title'

Mar 1, 2013

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli believes that Friday night's Serie A clash between Napoli and Juventus will decide the destination of the title.

A Napoli win would move them three points behind Juventus while a victory for the Turin giants would see them stretch their lead to nine points.

Prandelli said, however, that whichever team emerges victorious will go on to claim the scudetto.

"The game will give you the exact destination of the title," giornalaccio rosa dello Sport quotes Prandelli as saying.

"It is a game that will be full of emotion and technical ability. They are two very large clubs and we hope to see a great match.

"Both coaches have built their careers on very hard work, and the match should reflect this."

Napoli have lost just once at Stadio San Paolo all season.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Napoli vs. Juventus: Keys to Victory for Both Teams

Mar 1, 2013

Napoli have played Juventus twice so far this season, and both times Napoli have looked overmatched.

On second thought, overmatched might be too generous a description.

If Napoli want to have any chance of contending for the Scudetto this season, truly contending, they must win at home against Juventus. For Juventus, a draw will do the trick. Sharing a point with Napoli keeps the six point gap between the two sides Juventus have going into their clash Friday.

It would not be surprising to see Juventus attempt to dominate possession in this match. A scoreless tie would be a wonderful result for the Bianconeri, and Napoli haven't scored a goal in their last two matches.

Napoli must start playing inspired calcio again if they are to have any chance of winning. Here are a few things each team must do to come out on top.

Edinson Cavani Must Play Like El Matador

El Matador didn't score a single goal in February. Napoli only had one win in February.

Coincidence? Not likely.

Cavani is the man at Napoli. He must produce Friday if the Partenopei are to have any chance to win. He's still the goal scoring leader in Serie A with 18.

All things considered though, it's unlikely the drought will continue. But Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini is relatively healthy again and that's only going to make things harder for the Uruguayan who has enough pressure on his shoulders as it is.

The whole thing must certainly be weighing on his mind. If he's interested in heading to Madrid or to another high-profile club in the near future, this would be a great stage to put on a great show.

Regardless of his state of mind, he looked lost against Udinese Monday; he has before kickoff to figure it out.

Morgan De Sanctis Needs to Have a Great Game

Morgan De Sanctis has been up and down this season. That may be putting it lightly, but regardless, it's time for De Sanctis to have his game of the year.

Otherwise this one could be over early.

Juventus will have plenty of chances against Napoli. He'll be tested early and often as the Juventus midfield will likely control the pace of the game and will send plenty of balls forward to test the aging Italian and that sometimes shaky back line.

And God forbid Andrea Pirlo get a free kick near the box.

De Sanctis' starting days are winding down for the Partenopei, but in front of the home fans at the San Paolo he's got a wonderful opportunity to help his team stay alive in the scudetto race.

Napoli's Midfield Must Be Up to the Task

Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal. It's an embarrassment of riches for the Old Lady.

Napoli's midfield isn't nearly as gifted as Juve's, but they have an incredible work rate.

They're going to need it.

Juventus will do their best to work the ball around methodically and try to force the likes of Marek Hamsik, Gokhan Inler, Valon Behrami and others to run themselves ragged trying to challenge Juventus for possession.

A big key will be for Behrami to stay out of the book early. He has one of the best motors on defense you'll see, but often times is just too reckless.

If he's able to be smart in how he challenges his man, the Azzurri might have a chance in this phase of the game.

Walter Mazzarri Must Make Good Decisions

Ideally, Napoli's starting 3-4-1-2 would look this:

Morgan De Sanctis

Hugo Campagnaro, Paolo Cannavaro, Gamberini

Pablo Armero, Christian Maggio, Valon Behrami, Juan Zuniga

Marek Hamsik

Edinson Cavani, Lorenzo Insigne

Walter Mazzarri probably won't do the above, but he should. Goran Pandev will almost certainly start up front instead of Insigne.

Armero and Zuniga provide unbelievable speed on the wings that would give Napoli tons of great opportunities to counter.

Insigne's speed and creativity up front would command attention from Juve's back line and give Cavani a little bit of room to breathe.

Mazzarri should keep Gokhan Inler at the ready should someone start to falter in the middle.

The Juventus Strikers Must Not Waste Their Chances

More than likely they'll get more than a handful of opportunities, but Juventus better make the most them.

There's a reason the bianconeri faithful were clamoring for a striker in January.

All too often Juve's forwards seem to squander beautiful chance after beautiful chance. Whether it's Mirko Vucinic trying to do too much, Alessandro Matri missing the target, or Sebastian Giovinco and his struggles with consistency, Juve's front must be at their best at the Stadio San Paolo.

A close game toward the end of the match would leave the door wide open for a late goal by the Partenopei, which they're so prone to produce, and would leave Juve wishing they'd made more of their scoring chances earlier on.

You've been warned.

Juventus Must Beware Napoli's Counterattack

Napoli counterattack as well as any team out there. It's really something to see.

The reason for the slide before this one is that simple fact.

If Juventus are tied with Napoli down the stretch, they could find themselves heartbroken when the final whistle blows.

For that reason Juve must consider playing a patient, methodical game. The must collapse when Napoli counter and must not be caught outnumbered at the back.

Their back line's recent health improvement is huge, but leaving three men to contain Edinson Cavani and company could result in disaster.

Udinese did a remarkable job stifling Napoli's attack at every turn. They did that by keeping their midfielders back to clog space making Udinese's defense impossible to break down, and they walked away with a clean sheet.

Juve's good enough to walk away with more than a draw if they can remain patient and not allow Napoli to break down their defense.

Antonio Conte Must Make Good Decisions

Antonio Conte is receiving high praise for good reason. He's worked wonders with Juventus and has them well on their way to all sorts of silverware at the season's end.

For Juventus, their starting 3-5-2 should look like this:

Gianluigi Buffon

Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini

Stephan Lichtsteiner, Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio

Mirko Vucinic, Sebastian Giovinco

More than likely Conte will use Kwadwo Asamoah on the wing, to bring extra speed to run with Napoli. Asamoah's seemed out of sorts lately though, and there could be some merit to sacrificing a bit of speed for quality.

If Juve get sucked in to playing Napoli's game, it could be their undoing.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Napoli fans disrupt Juventus at team hotel

Mar 1, 2013

Hundreds of Napoli fans greeted the Juventus players and staff when they arrived at their Naples hotel last night and attempted to disrupt their routine ahead of tonight’s key Serie A clash.

The Bianconeri did have a heavy police presence with them who were on constant alert at the stadium where Vesuviani fans descended to throw eggs, set off fireworks and launch many insults at the league leaders.

The Grand Hotel Parker’s on Corso Vittorio Emanuele was the scene of the incidents although it is believed that the situation did resolve itself eventually with the help of the police who were present at the time.

A great many insults were launched at the Old Lady but among those reserved for special vehement treatment were coach Antonio Conte, who has become something of a hate figure around the peninsula, and midfielder Claudio Marchisio.

This is due to comments that the Azzurri international made a few months ago about how he apparently hated the Partenopei.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Napoli v Juventus: the Serie A title is decided here

First play second in Serie A on Friday night as Juventus

travel to Napoli – it could be the title decider.

Mar 1, 2013

Friday night will be the first time in 23 years that excited locals will visit the Stadio San Paolo in Naples knowing a win over Juventus would give them a great chance of being crowned Serie A champions.

The city will be bustling with nervous yet confident home fans on what will be a humid night in the south of Italy.

Not since 1990 and the glory days of Diego Maradona have Napoli had such a great chance of winning their third domestic league title – and the supporter's can feel it.

Despite the Italian national teams brave venture to the European Championship final last summer, of late Italian football has had a bad name.

The relatively torrid recent time for Italian football has been down to countless match fixing scandals, so this game between first and second could be a real showcase of the best of what Serie A has to offer, and a true representation of where Italian football is at the moment in terms of actual play.

Title-holders Juventus, who went unbeaten for the whole of last season, are six points ahead of Napoli at the top of the table and have won four of their last six league games

While also effectively finished off Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with a 3-0 away win in Glasgow, so they go into the game on a steady run of good form.

Napoli on the other hand have taken only three points from their last three league games.

Consecutive draws against Lazio, Sampdoria and Udinese, sandwiching a 5-0 aggregate humbling at the hands of Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, have hampered, to a certain extent, what has been a season of overachievement so far.

Napoli have no choice now but to bounce back against Juventus with a victory and finish the season with some consistency, unless they want to finish runners-up.

Ironically, if you had offered Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri third place and a Champions League spot at the start of the season he would have taken it, especially given that one of his top players, Ezequiel Lavezzi, departed to PSG in the summer without being replaced by anyone of similar quality.

For Juventus, winning the league is of paramount importance, any less and they have failed miserably, such are the standards of Juve manager Antonio Conte and his club.

You get the sense that if Juve can go to Naples on Friday night and subdue what will no doubt be an initially buoyant atmosphere they can definitely come away with a victory.

They should then be safe in the knowledge that even if they drop nine or ten points from their remaining games they will be crowned champions of Italy once more as a once resilient Napoli side finally see their title hopes fade.

Napoli will have to break down a tactically astute Juventus defence if they are to avoid the Bianconeri creating a hostile atmosphere of their own.

If Napoli win the game, however, they will definitely be capable of making up a three point gap in the eleven remaining fixtures.

A little luck and a new sense of belief that they are very capable of winning the league, regardless of their recent struggles, will help the Azzurri to finish the season strongly and possibly on top.

It could be yet another title win for the ever-present Juventus or an unexpected title that's been a long time coming for Napoli.

The game itself seems too close to call, it depends whether or not Pirlo runs the midfield, as he usually does, and whether Juventus' constantly changing strike force can find the net.

If Napoli's two truly world class players, Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani, can get back to top form, they have the talent to win the game for Napoli, which they were doing previously.

Along with three valuable points, the psychological boost that either Juventus or Napoli will take from a victory could swing the title pendulum in their favour.

If Napoli win the game they have a brilliant chance of winning the league.

However, if Juve only draw in Naples their squad’s mixture of youth, energy, experience and, most importantly, sheer quality, will likely mean Napoli having to accept second place.

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Line-ups: Napoli-Juventus

Mar 1, 2013

Edinson Cavani, Goran Pandev and Marek Hamsik take on Andrea Pirlo, Sebastian Giovinco and Mirko Vucinic in tonight’s Scudetto showdown.

Only six points separate Serie A leaders Juventus from second-placed Napoli and they go head-to-head at the San Paolo. Kick-off is at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview. Keep up to date with the action on our Twitter feed.

The Partenopei have a full squad to choose from and Coach Walter Mazzarri has opted for the old-style ‘Three Tenors’ with Hamsik, Pandev and Cavani, leaving Lorenzo Insigne on the bench.

Christian Maggio does start on the right despite poor form since needing surgery for a fractured bone in his hand.

Cavani is desperate to break his six-game goal drought in all club competition.

Juventus are without Martin Caceres, Paolo De Ceglie, Nicolas Anelka, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe.

Giorgio Chiellini passed a late fitness test on an ankle problem, so starts in the three-man defence with Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.

Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal pull the midfield strings, while Antonio Conte keeps faith with strike partners Giovinco and Vucinic.

Federico Peluso gets the nod rather than Kwadwo Asamoah on the left wing.

Juventus have not conquered the San Paolo in Serie A since September 30, 2000, when Conte was playing in their midfield.

There are reports the Juventus team bus was pelted with eggs when it arrived at the Stadio San Paolo, while it is suggested a window might also have been broken.

NAPOLI: De Sanctis; Cannavaro, Campagnaro, Britos; Maggio, Inler, Behrami, Zuniga; Hamsik, Pandev; Cavani

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Peluso; Giovinco, Vucinic

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juve bus pelted with rocks

Mar 1, 2013

Napoli fans pelted the Juventus team bus with eggs, bottles and rocks, smashing the window where Kwadwo Asamoah was sat.

The Bianconeri arrived at the Stadio San Paolo ahead of tonight’s Serie A match, which kicks off at 19.45 GMT.

There was a police escort for the team bus on its journey from the hotel to the stadium, but that did not stop a group of hooligans throwing objects as it travelled.

Reports suggest it was pelted with eggs, but also bottles and some fairly large rocks.

Juventus director Beppe Marotta confirmed the window was smashed where Asamoah was sitting on the bus.

The Ghanaian is not in the starting XI, as Federico Peluso was preferred for the left flank.

“It was not a relaxed journey,” admitted defender Andrea Barzagli on Sky Sport Italia.

“Now we must concentrate on the match, which is better. It will be a game that counts for a great deal and means a lot to us.

“Antonio Conte fired us up with his usual words.”

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

-

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

HT 1-1: Tense Scudetto showdown all square

Mar 1, 2013

Giorgio Chiellini’s header and a deflected Gokhan Inler screamer have Napoli and Juventus level at half-time, but Edinson Cavani should’ve been sent off.

Only six points separated these teams as they went head-to-head at the San Paolo. Goran Pandev was preferred to Lorenzo Insigne and Christian Maggio picked for the right, while Giorgio Chiellini passed a fitness test for his first start in three months. Federico Peluso and Sebastian Giovinco were chosen ahead of Kwadwo Asamoah and Alessandro Matri, but Martin Caceres, Paolo De Ceglie and Nicolas Anelka were injured.

Juve last conquered the San Paolo in Serie A on September 30, 2000, when Antonio Conte was playing in their midfield. The pre-match choreography created a mosaic of Vesuvius and the sea, with flares set off to show the volcano erupting. The pitch was re-laid this week to ensure a perfect playing surface.

Within 15 seconds Marek Hamsik had scuffed a shot off target, while Giovinco turned well to sting the palms of Morgan De Sanctis.

It was Juventus who took the lead when a corner was taken short and Andrea Pirlo curled a cross to the back post for Chiellini’s header, as he out-jumped Miguel Angel Britos. The defender celebrated wildly and punched his chest like Tarzan after his second career goal against Napoli.

Stephan Lichtsteiner went down too easily under pressure from Gokhan Inler and the referee waved away his penalty appeals. At the other end, defenders blocked off both Pandev and Edinson Cavani from getting their shots away from a Hamsik through ball.

Arturo Vidal whipped in a cross for Mirko Vucinic, whose looping header across the face of goal whistled just wide with De Sanctis stranded.

On 19 minutes Vidal broke clear on the counter and rolled across for the totally unmarked Vucinic, but De Sanctis performed a fantastic one-handed save to palm it wide.

There was a terrifying moment on the half-hour when Britos accidentally clashed heads with teammate Inler and the Uruguayan seemed to be out cold for a few moments, but he was able to continue.

Vucinic had another good opportunity following an Inler error, but his first touch let him down when clear on goal. Hamsik’s through ball for Cavani was crucially intercepted by Chiellini, then from the corner Andrea Barzagli stopped the Uruguayan from pulling the trigger.

Lichtsteiner fired wide from the edge of the box, then Giovinco couldn’t take advantage of an error as Vucinic got in his way.

Just as the teams looked ready to go into the half-time break, Inler drew Napoli level with a screamer from distance that took a touch off Leonardo Bonucci’s head to lift it slightly into the top corner, where Gigi Buffon could not reach.

Napoli’s tails were up in stoppages and Juan Camilo Zuniga’s strike was charged down. There was tension from a corner, as Chiellini pulled Cavani’s hair, then the Uruguayan reacted by elbowing the defender in the side of the face. The goal line referee saw it all and advised that Cavani be booked. As this was seen and judged by officials, Cavani cannot be tried using video evidence for this incident..

Napoli 1-1 Juventus (Half-Time)

Scorers: Chiellini 10 (J), Inler 44 (N)

NAPOLI: De Sanctis; Cannavaro, Campagnaro, Britos; Maggio, Inler, Behrami, Zuniga; Hamsik, Pandev; Cavani

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Peluso; Giovinco, Vucinic

Ref: Orsato

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

Socrates · March 1, 2013

Serie A Week 27 - 1-3-2013 (8:45 p.m.)

1 - 1

Giorgio Chiellini (10′)

Gökhan Inler (43′)

San Paolo Stadium - Napels

Referee: Daniele Orsato

Attendance: 60000‎

Juventus survive San Paolo trip

Gokhan Inler replied to Giorgio Chiellini, but Edinson Cavani escaped

a red card as Napoli held Juventus in a Scudetto showdown stalemate.