Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 13, 2013 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Quarter Final - 10-4-2013 (8:45 p.m.) ................ JUVENTUS 0 - 2 BAYERN Mario Mandzukic (64′) Claudio Pizarro (90+1′) Juventus Stadium - Turin Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain) Attendance: 40823 Juventus must build on Champions League experience, says Buffon The 35-year-old has reflected on the Bianconeri's elimination from Europe and is satisfied with the progress the club has made. Apr 11, 2013 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says the club must build upon their Champions League experience this season. The Bianconeri bowed out to Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage on Wednesday, with the Bavarians running out 4-0 winners over the two legs. The Italy keeper remains upbeat about their European campaign, but admits there is work to be done next term. He told reporters: " We are among the top eight teams in Europe, that is a fact, and that is where we must start to improve again." The 35-year-old also revealed his delight with the support the Bianconeri received from supporters after the final whistle at Juventus Stadium. He continued: They were just amazing, the fans gave us extraordinary help, and the final applause was very nice, we were pleased, despite the disappointment of elimination. "The fans have realised that we have done the very best we could have done." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Lippi: 'Not a good sign' Apr 13, 2013 Marcello Lippi celebrated his 65th birthday in China and cast his eye over the Italian football scene. “The clubs aren’t doing as well as the Nazionale.” The 2006 World Cup winner is now Coach of club side Guangzhou Evergrande and to mark his birthday on Friday spoke to RaiSport. “I am happy in China. As for the future, we’ll see,” said Lippi. “It’s a bad sign for Italian football that none of the teams got past the quarter-finals this season. It reflects the economic situation too, as the top European clubs have very different options on the transfer market. “The Italy squad is in great shape, but that is a different matter altogether. They are close to qualifying for the World Cup and have a good future ahead of them, but the clubs aren’t doing as well as the Nazionale.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 The reforms Italian football must make to return to the top of Europe The peninsula's final representatives were eliminated from continental competition this week, prompting Juventus coach Antonio Conte to suggest calcio is far from healthy. Apr 14, 2013 COMMENT By Kris Voakes | Italian Football Writer After his Juventus side had been knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday, Antonio Conte was honest and forthright in his assessment of calcio’s place in the European game. “I can’t see an Italian team winning the Champions League in the coming years,” admitted the former Bari and Siena coach. “It makes me laugh when I hear that with just two or three new signings we can win the Champions League. Italian football has come to a standstill and that should be a concern for everyone.” A Juve side arguably better-equipped than the Chelsea outfit which was triumphant on the continent 11 months ago bowed out with their tails between their legs after a 4-0 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich, but comparisons to the over-achieving English side are misleading. It is the comparative strength of some of Europe’s top clubs which has Conte worried for the future of Italian football. While the Bavarians continue to excel in their push to topple Barcelona and Real Madrid as the game’s powerhouses, German football in general is growing. And while the Premier League continues to attract attention come rain or shine, Serie A is foundering. “When was the last time an Italian team reached the semi-finals?” asked Conte, knowing full well that Lazio’s subsequent failure to overcome Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday leaves the peninsula without representation in a European semi-final for the third successive season, a first for Italian football. “I think everyone has to pull together to try to change things. When I say everyone, I mean the clubs, the supporters, the media and all the institutions,” he continued. And with that statement he hit the nail on the head. For while other leagues continue to prosper despite severe global economic issues, times are hard in Italy’s national game. The Azzurri’s continued good form from Euro 2012 into the ongoing World Cup qualifiers has shown that there is talent at the very top, but the depth, appeal, organisation and marketing is simply not in evidence. And now is the time for action. Italian football must prepare itself for a massive overhaul if it is not to fall even further off the pace in the years to come, and there are many different areas in which improvements must be made. BUILD NEW STADIA, WITH OR WITHOUT LEGGE STADI In October 2009, authorities drafted a law which would aid clubs in the construction of their own stadiums. However, as recently as December 2012, FIGC president Giancarlo Abete warned that “save for miracles, it will remain only a proposal”. At present, only Juventus own their own stadium, with the remaining 19 renting from local bodies for match days. The Bianconeri are the only ones who can take advantage of the financial boon of collecting all gate receipts, hosting concerts and other such events which can be staged during each week. Currently, the Legge Stadi remains tied up in red tape. “It is a typical Italian story,” Abete explained. “New buildings are needed, but if the law doesn’t go through we will just have to forget about it.” The change of law, which would force councils to make a judgement on a stadium planning application within 90 days, is desperately needed by Italian football. But there are ways of getting around it should there be no redrawing of the lines. As happened when Juve knocked down the old Stadio delle Alpi and constructed Juventus Stadium, it is permitted for new stadia to be built on existing sites. This should prompt clubs to follow a similar pattern. There is nothing to stop boards making the decision to buy the land of their ground from the local council and then putting plans in place to build a new stadium on the site. Clubs could either play at a nearby Serie A ground for the duration of the work or build the new structure in two phases to allow football to continue throughout. While it is not an ideal scenario, and may not resolve problems for the Milanese and Roman clubs who share their homes, it sure beats standing still. For as long as there is no change to the status quo, calcio is falling further behind, grounds are becoming even older and more decrepit, and clubs simply cannot make money from matchday revenue. Until a new law is finally passed, it remains about the only option left open to clubs, and as such needs to be taken seriously. STOP BURYING BAD NEWS It is an all too regular occurrence in Italian football for people to want to overlook issues within the game. Whether that be the widespread ignorance of racist behaviour from supporters (this writer has witnessed on several occasions very noticeable chanting which has been completely passed over by the media and authorities), the continuation of poor results on the field, or the lenient sentences for match-fixing, there is a very real need to start taking such problems seriously. Attention needs to be drawn to these issues if they are ever to go away, with the practice of allowing them to go on almost forgotten in the background adding fuel to the fire of the problems. When the Calcioscommesse scandal broke in the summer of 2011, it was Italian football’s chance to show that it really wanted to get to the root of the problem of match-fixing in the country’s pastime. Instead, the news soon moved from page one to page 17 or 25, and before long it was being explained away as a largely misunderstood sequence of events. Players, agents and others implicated in the scandal sat out short suspensions for the most part, and many of them are back doing their jobs once more. Bans should have been far longer, if not permanent, in order to send a message that calcio will not stand for match-fixing. Similarly, results in Europe cannot continually just be accepted and passed off as the result of clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain having been injected with foreign cash. Instead, there should be deep inquests into the elimination of every single Italian club from Europe. Hopefully, on this point at the very least, Antonio Conte’s words will be heeded. But the trend has not been thus in calcio of late. Bad news has instead been buried, and the practice has to stop if people are ever going to feel the pressure to push the country’s football forward. FAVOUR EUROPA LEAGUE CLUBS MORE Uefa are not going to change their mind. As brain-dead as the current country coefficients clearly are, they are here to stay. So now it is up to Italian football to do whatever possible to help clubs who represent the country on foreign shores. A system which dictates that Europa League semi-finalists Benfica have so far this season gained the same number of coefficient points as Juventus, despite them failing in the Champions League group stages, needs reforming. But it will not be. Instead, calcio needs to come to terms with the fact that the Europa League needs greater attention if Italy are to hold on to their third Champions League place, let alone regain the fourth place lost to Germany in recent years. At present, there is little at stake for clubs who play in the little sister competition, with minimal prize money offered and at least 17 games needing to be negotiated in order to win the trophy. It seems to many in the Italian game that the number of injuries suffered can sometimes be greater than the proceeds in Euros a decent run on Thursday nights can provide. However, calcio needs to offer greater incentives to clubs who do more to gain coefficient points for their country. Prize money from Serie A should be weighted towards those who go further in the Champions League and Europa League rather than simply on league finishes in order for clubs to take their Thursday football more seriously. There is currently only €5 million available to the Europa League winners, but if Italian authorities agree to offer independent financial incentives to clubs who progress into the latter stages of the tournament, perhaps the likes of Udinese, Napoli, Sampdoria, Genoa, Palermo etc. will place greater stock in their hopes of going further on the continent the next time they are representing Italy. Until such a system is considered, clubs will continue to put their own targets of Champions League qualification or Serie A respectability a long way above the Europa League in their list of priorities. REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TEAMS IN SERIE A It was not really a decision made for the wider benefit of Italian football when Serie A was expanded to contain 20 teams back in 2004, but rather a misjudged reaction to the Caso Catania as calcio looked for a way to alleviate the issues growing in an expanded Serie B. Nine years on, it is fair to say the expansion of the top flight has not really worked. Yes, teams have two extra home games from which to make money, but it is not as though they are coining it in to the tune of millions. And in other regards the 20-team format has many downsides. Too often come the latter weeks of each season there are too large a number of teams with nothing to play for, and the tendency is for those already safe to go through the motions in the final weeks of the campaign. Bologna’s reaction to reaching 40 points with eight games to play in 2010-11 was to take the final two months off. They collected just two points from their remaining matches, scoring two goals and conceding 15, and finished just two places above the drop zone. And that case is typical. But it also damages the integrity of the sport, too. While Bologna played both Milan and Napoli in their run-in, losing to both, they had already taken on Inter twice, meaning that the three-way title race was partly conditioned by the calendar. Yes, that can be said of the schedule in almost all countries, but given the Italian trait of not caring too much once your destiny is fixed exaggerates the issue in Serie A. Therefore, there needs to be greater competition for longer. Serie A should return to being an 18-team league. In each club’s 34 games there would be that bit more urgency for points, such as there is in the thriving Bundesliga. The tendency to believe that bigger is better doesn’t really apply. If Italian football is to become more appealing to the masses, it will not suffer for the loss of a couple of provincial clubs from the top flight. STAGGER KICK-OFF TIMES The growing world market has helped to ensure that the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga receive more attention than ever before, and it is high time Serie A got a piece of the action. With football TV audiences growing by the day in Asia, the Lega Calcio have made note of the appeal but have so far not gone far enough in cashing in. The Supercoppa Italiana was taken to Beijing for three years and one Serie A fixture was moved to 12:30CET each week in a bid to win over fans in the Far East who may otherwise be drawn to English and Spanish football. But that has not gone quite far enough, especially considering some of the third-rate match-ups rescheduled for the lunchtime appointment over the course of the season. Inter and Juventus have each played in the early slot only twice so far in 2012-13, while Milan’s trip to Fiorentina last week was their first such fixture. If Italy is serious about drawing an audience from Asia, then staggering kick-off times has to be considered. Given that every game is televised on the peninsula, there is little chance of affecting either attendances or viewing figures too much at home by moving more games to the early afternoon for the benefit of those abroad. In the format suggested here for an 18-team league, a Sunday triple-header of three of the weekend’s more appealing fixtures could be played at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00CET, allowing Asian audiences to watch Serie A’s best clubs battle it out before bedtime. Meanwhile, there would be the opportunity to have Champions League sides play games on Friday nights (replacing the Monday slot for that week) and Saturday afternoons ahead of European appointments, while Italian audiences would also be catered for with three evening games. While a completely staggered fixture list may not sit well with traditionalists, it is vital that there is more than a cursory nod given towards attracting what is a huge foreign market. For instance, this Sunday for potential Italian football fans in Tokyo there is the appetite-whetting clash between Palermo and Bologna at 19:30 in the evening, while Milan-Napoli kicks off at 03:45 in the morning. That in itself is a great example of why calcio doesn't help itself sometimes. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Conte: 'Confidence not shaken' Apr 14, 2012 Antonio Conte knows both Juventus and Lazio will be eager to put their European exits behind them when going head-to-head on Monday night. “Our confidence is not shaken.” The Bianconeri visit the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT). “I don’t think the games against Lazio and Milan are more important than any other. Every match is worth three points,” said the Coach in his Press conference. He confirmed Giorgio Chiellini, Sebastian Giovinco, Nicolas Anelka, Nicklas Bendtner and Simone Pepe are out of this trip to Rome. “There is no hierarchy within the squad. I will choose the best possible line-up for this game, so those in the best shape will play. It will be a tough match in a difficult arena. Don’t forget Lazio got as far as we did in Europe, who knocked us out of the Coppa Italia semi-final, so basically we’ve both played more than anyone else this season. “Milan-Napoli? We always focus on playing our own game without considering what the other teams are doing. That has always been our strength. Those who win write the history books, the others just read them. If I were Walter Mazzarri and Massimiliano Allegri, I'd believe in a comeback. We need to keep winning, but they could also slip up.” Both clubs were eliminated this week, as Juventus lost 4-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Lazio went out of the Europa League 3-1 on aggregate to Fenerbahce. “Our objective for this season was to get back into the Champions League and target another Scudetto. I think we are well on the way to achieving those aims. “Why would the defeats to Bayern have taken away some of our confidence? We knew full well that reaching the quarter-finals was already an achievement. What the club asks of me every year is to qualify for the Champions League and target victory in Italy, so anything more than that is thanks to our hard work. “I think we are doing very, very well this season, so I don’t see why that should affect our confidence or shake some of our certainties in what we’re doing.” The newspapers this morning have been filled with talk of a bid for Barcelona striker Alexis Sanchez. “Talking about the transfer market right now is disrespectful to my players and all the hard work they are putting in for Juventus. I want to focus only on the present. “We win as a team and lose as a team. I hope people appreciate the extraordinary work my lads are doing.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Petkovic: 'Juve aren't unbeatable' Apr 14, 2012 Lazio welcome Serie A leaders Juventus on Monday evening and Vladimir Petkovic warns “nobody is unbeatable.” Both these teams went out of Europe this week and will be eager to put that heartache behind them. Kick-off is at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT). “It’s true the Bianconeri are close to the Scudetto, but there is no such thing as an impossible game. Nobody is unbeatable, not even Juventus,” said the Coach. So far this season they have crossed paths three times between Serie A and Coppa Italia, but Lazio have remained unbeaten. “We already put Juve under pressure and knocked them out of the Coppa Italia semi-final. We must never let up the intensity for the full 90 minutes and ensure we don’t let them play at their best. “Even 100 per cent is not enough against Juventus, so we have to give 150 per cent. I really admire Antonio Conte, as he is one of the best Italian Coaches with such grit and determination.” Lazio went out of the Europa League on Thursday night with a 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce, but the game was played behind closed doors due to a two-match UEFA ban. “It’s true we couldn’t play at our best without the fans there, as we lacked that push to get us beyond our limits. I hope to see a huge crowd again, just as there was in the Derby.” The Biancocelesti are currently in fifth place and continue to hope they can snatch third from Milan. “We believe we can reach the Champions League places,” assured Petkovic. “Tomorrow will be a decisive game, as if we win that then the fixture list is looking more comfortable for us. The fact we’re out of Europe means we can work all week and finally see the best Lazio again. “This is not the time to analyse what went wrong this season. At the end of the campaign we’ll look each other in the eyes and understand what happened.” Lazio are without the suspended Giuseppe Biava, Stefan Radu and Senad Lulic, while Bruno Pereirinha, Abdoullay Konko, Andre Dias and Cristian Brocchi are injured. “I won’t have many choices at my disposal, but all those who step on to the field will give their all. Stefano Mauri is ready to play, even if he hasn’t got 90 minutes in his legs. Miroslav Klose has recovered and needs to prove he can make the difference.” http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio-Juventus Preview: Serie A giants looking to bounce back after European disappointment Everything is to play for in this crucial clash as Juve can strengthen their grasp on the title while Vladimir Petkovic's men are battling it out for Europe. Apr 14, 2013 PROBABLE LINE-UPS LAZIO Marchetti Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius Ledesma Candreva, Mauri, Hernanes, Onazi Klose JUVENTUSBuffon Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah Matri, Vucinc Lazio and Juventus will be quickly looking to put behind them their European disappointment by achieving a positive result at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday. After their derby exploits against Roma last week the Biancocelesti are missing key players because of suspension including Giuseppe Biava, Stefan Radu and Senad Lulic. While Abdoulay Konko, Andre Dias and Bruno Pereirinha are unlikely to be fit in time for the clash. Ogenyi Onazi and Stefano Mauri return from suspension which saw them sit out the 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce which ultimately eliminated Vladimir Petkovic's men from the Europa League. Meanwhile for Juventus, Giorgio Chiellini, who injured himself in Friday's training session, is out and Sebastian Giovinco is unavailable, too. Simone Pepe is out for the season. Claudio Marchisio is doubtful which means Paul Pogba is likely to come in and replace him other than that, however, Juve are at full strength. DID YOU KNOW? • Lazio looked as though they would be title contenders heading into 2013, but have managed just two wins from their last 11 Serie A games. • Miroslav Klose is the club's top goalscorer with 10 league goals, however, the veteran Germany striker has yet to find the back of the net against Juve in six attempts. • The Biancocelesti have only won once in their last 10 encounters against Antonio Conte's men in all competitions, a 2-1 Coppa Italia win. • Juventus' last defeat on the road in Serie A came against Lazio's fiercest rivals Roma where a solitary strike from Francesco Totti separated the two sides. • Mirko Vucinic had a five-year stint at Roma and also played for Lecce. The Montenegrin has featured against the Biancocelesti 21 times, scoring seven goals in the process. • The Old Lady have not been beaten at the Stadio Olimpico in the league in the previous seven meetings with the last two encounters finishing 1-0 to Juventus. Head to Head Coppa Italia - Jan 29, 2013 Lazio 2 - Juventus 1 Coppa Italia - Jan 22, 2013 Juventus 1 - Lazio 1 Serie A - Nov 17, 2012 Juventus 0 - Lazio 0 Serie A - Apr 11, 2012 Juventus 2 - Lazio 1 Serie A - Nov 26, 2011 Lazio 0 - Juventus 1 Last Five Matches Lazio Apr 11, 2013 Lazio 1 - Fenerbahce 1 EL Apr 8, 2013 Roma 1 - Lazio 1 - Serie A Apr 4, 2013 Fenerbahce 2 - Lazio 0 EL Mar 30, 2013 Lazio 2 - Catania 1 - Serie A Mar 17, 2013 Torino 1 - Lazio 0 - Serie A Juventus Apr 10, 2013 Juventus 0 - FC Bayern München 2 - UCL Apr 6, 2013 Juventus 2 - Pescara 1 - Serie A Apr 2, 2013 FC Bayern München 2 - Juventus 0 - UCL Mar 30, 2013 FC Internazionale 1 - Juventus 2 - Serie A Mar 16, 2013 Bologna 0 - Juventus 2 - Serie A Players to Watch Miroslav Klose Goals have been hard to come by for Lazio in recent weeks having failed to score in three of their last five Serie A matches. The German veteran though is coming back to full fitness, so if the Biancocelesti are to find the back of the net, it's likely to be through this man. Mirko Vučinić Has been on the receiving end of criticism in the press for his work rate in recent weeks which seems to be slightly unjustified. Scored a double against Pescara last week but his goalscoring exploits are not the only thing he has to his game. Excellent at holding up the ball and bringing others into play, the Montenegrin will be key to Juve's potential success on Monday. Prediction These games have been notoriously tight affairs with only one of the last nine matches at the Stadio Olimpico in all competitions seeing more than a goal seperate the two sides. It is difficult to see this changing on Monday, despite the hosts' injury and supension problems, as they have been strong at home throughout the campaign, though Juve may just have a little bit too much quality on the day. Editor's Prediction Lazio 0 - 1 Juventus http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro MATCH PREVIEW Apr 14, 2012 After their disappointment in Europe, Juventus look to bounce back against a Lazio side who also faced similar heart-break last week. Despite the belief and the desire, Juventus finally came up short against German champions Bayern Munich as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat in Turin in their Champions League quarter-final second leg. A 0-4 loss over the two legs would have been hard for Antonio Conte to take, given that his team went almost a year unbeaten not so long ago. However, on the balance of play it has to be said the Bavarians deserved that scoreline. Now, the Bianconeri turn their attention back towards the League where they enjoy a healthy nine-point lead over nearest rivals Napoli. And while their second successive Scudetto looks to be assured, they won’t want to take the foot off the gas just yet. The Old Lady will remember the 2005-06 season when a quarter-final loss to Arsenal in Europe saw them almost throw away a 10-point lead over Milan in the final eight games. And a trip to the Olimpico will not be an easy one, despite Lazio’s Euro weariness as Roma found out last week. Conte has most of his squad available with no suspensions to contend with, and only Giovinco out through injury. There will also be added incentive for the Bianconeri to beat the Aquile, given they have failed to do so in three meetings this season, and went out of the Coppa Italia at their hands. Lazio have had a great season so far, and though Champions League qualification is unlikely, Vladimir Petkovic can be proud of the work he has done to turn this side into a doughty unit. The Laziale have had to deal with a major hole up front with the loss of Miroslav Klose for an extended period through injury, but they coped with it quite well. The German featured in the derby last week, and Petkovic might just put him on from the start on Monday night. Despite the huge number of games they have played this season, the Aquile players have shown a tenacity that can be attributed to the Serbian Coach’s advanced training methods. This was particularly evident against Roma, as the team continued to press despite playing with 10 men. Lazio’s new found never-say-die spirit was also seen against Fenerbahce in the Europa League as they continued to give their all in the competition - uncharacteristic for Italian sides. However, fatigue could very well be a factor in this game as they are without quite a few key players. Giuseppe Biava, Senad Lulic and Stefan Radu are suspended, while Cristian Brocchi, Andre Dias and Bruno Pereirinha are out through injury. Petkovic will likely stick with Ogenyi Onazi in the middle of the park, while Marius Stankevicius should deputise for the Portuguese. With the visit of Milan coming up followed by the trip to cross-town rivals Torino, Conte knows it is imperative to get the three points in Rome but Lazio will make things difficult once again. Keep an eye on: Miroslav Klose (Lazio) – The German returned from injury about two weeks ago, but he is yet to find the back of the net so far. Given his appetite to show up on the big occasions, he will be looking to make an impact on Monday. Stat Fact: The last time Juve failed to beat Lazio during the season was back in 2005-06, since then the Bianconeri boast a record of eight wins and three draws against the Aquile in the League. Form Guide: Lazio (L L L W D)Juventus (D W W W W) PROBABLE LINE-UPS LAZIO: Marchetti; Gonzalez, Cana, Ciani, Stankevicius; Ledesma, Candreva, Onazi, Hernanes, Ederson; Klose JUVENTUS: Buffon; Brazagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Matri http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio v Juventus: Preview Apr 14, 2012 Juventus' rivals may be close to admitting defeat in the race for the Serie A title but Bianconeri head coach Antonio Conte knows anything can happen at this stage of the season. Walter Mazzarri's Napoli and Massimiliano Allegri's AC Milan look suitably adrift in second and third place respectively but, ahead of tomorrow night's trip to Lazio, Conte tried to put things in perspective. He told juventus.com: ``History teaches us that anything's still possible. If I was Mazzarri or Allegri I would still believe in the comeback. ``We approach the Lazio game on the back of four consecutive wins, gained at difficult places like Bologna or against Inter Milan at the San Siro. ``We still have some difficult games to play and we need to stay alert because we're the only ones who can slip up, not the chasing pack.'' Lazio were expected to push Juve all the way for the Scudetto but the capital club have drifted out to sixth after winning only two of their last 11 league games. Nevertheless, the Biancocelesti have frustrated tomorrow's visitors in three meetings this season - a goalless draw in Turin preceding Juve's exit from the two-legged Coppa Italia semi-finals. ``We still haven't beaten them this season?'' Conte added. ``There's always a first time for everything. ``Lazio, along with ourselves, are the team who have gone furthest in Europe and played the entire Coppa Italia campaign. It will be a tough game at a difficult venue.'' Defender Giorgio Chiellini and forward Sebastian Giovinco are injured while midfielder Simone Pepe as well as strikers Nicklas Bendtner and Nicolas Anelka are working their way back to full fitness. Conte added: ``There's no pecking order as far as I'm concerned. The players in the best condition and form will be in the starting line-up.'' Lazio also have several key players unavailable. Defenders Giuseppe Biava and Stefan Radu are suspended alongside midfielder Senad Lulic, with Abdoulay Konko, Pereirinha, Andre Dias and Cristian Brocchi all nursing injuries. Vladimir Petkovic's Lazio were briefly the last Italian club standing on the continent until Fenerbahce completed a 3-1 aggregate win in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. The Bosnian coach told La Repubblica: ``The team is doing well and I congratulated the boys anyway because they always give 100 per cent. ``But we will need 150 per cent against Juve. They are the best team in the league and we will need a much bigger effort. ``They have pretty much won the Scudetto but football teaches you that there are no unbeatable teams.'' http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio v Juventus Preview – Team News, Tactics, Line-ups And Prediction Apr 14, 2012 Juventus and Lazio, two of Serie A’s last standing participants in European competitions were both humbled in mid-week as they bowed out meekly. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from those disappointments, but Lazio will have the extra incentive for a Champions League berth from this encounter. LAZIO The Romans were once tipped to be a prime competitor to Juventus and Napoli for the Scudetto, but they have slumped to an all too familiar loss of form after winter break. A steady downslide has seen the Aquile drop from a potential top-3 finish to outside the top 5. They have done better in Cup competitions as they have already reached the Coppa Italia final after knocking Juventus out in the semi-finals. They were also the last remaining side from the peninsula in Europa league. Lazio lost a man and conceded two goals in last the 12 minutes to lose to Fenerbahce in Turkey before managing just a 1-1 draw at home as they were knocked out in the quarter-finals. Lazio will line up in a 4-5-1 formation with a fit Miroslav Klose as the lone striker. Italy international Marchetti has been particularly inspirational for Lazio this season and the custodian will hope to continue his streak of great form against Juventus from the past couple of seasons. Influential full-back Senad Lulic will miss out because of suspension and is likely to be replaced by Uruguayan Alvaro Gonzalez. Experienced Albanian Lorik Cana is likely to partner Michael Ciani in Lazio’s central defence. Lazio’s midfield has been one of the most consistent in this season’s Serie A, and they will have an interesting battle with Juventus’ 5-man midfield. Antonio Candreva, who spent a loan season in Turin a few years ago, has found his form in the Capital club and will be partnered with Stefano Mauri on the opposite wing. Candreva and Mauri are more offensive wingers than Juventus’ wing-backs, and it will be interesting to see how they can cope with Juventus’ lateral movement. Brazilian Hernanes has undoubtedly been one of the best transfers in Serie A in the past few seasons, and he will once again be the life force of Lazio’s attacks. Hernanes had a wonderful first half in the Roman derby last week but somehow managed to turn up a totally different player in the second half, giving away a penalty and missing one himself as the match ended 1-1. Twenty-year-old Nigerian Ogenyi Onazi has been impressive for Lazio during their Europa League campaign and is likely to slot in as the defensive component in their midfield. The return of Miroslav Klose from injury will be a major boost for Lazio. The German legend’s injury after winter break was one of the main reasons why his side lost form, and his experience will be absolutely vital against a Juventus defence which will miss Giorgio Chiellini. Probable Starting XI (4-5-1): Marchetti; Gonzalez, Cana, Ciani, Stankevicius; Candreva, Ledesma, Onazi, Hernanes, Mauri; Klose JUVENTUS The much hyped clash against Bayern Munich finally turned out to be a damp squib for Juventus as the club barely mustered a fight before exiting after losing both legs by the same 2-0 margin. Juve’s loss against Bayern showed exactly the difference in level that exists between Serie A and Bundesliga currently, and the fact that being the best in Italy doesn’t go far in competing with the best in Europe. Antonio Conte’s team need to ensure that their exit from Champions League doesn’t impact their Serie A campaign negatively. Giorgio Chiellini injured himself during training and is expected to be out for a couple of weeks. Federico Peluso is likely to be a direct replacement for Chiellini on the left side of the three-man defence after he sat out the last two matches. Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will complete Juve’s defensive line along with Peluso. Both Stefan Lichtsteiner and Arturo Vidal sat out of Juventus’ loss against Bayern and will come back into the starting XI. Lichtsteiner has often performed well for Juventus against his old club, while Vidal was absolutely monstrous when Juventus beat Lazio last season on their way to the title. Both Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio looked completely out of sorts against Bayern, and one of them is likely to be rested to accommodate Paul Pogba. Most Juventus players had bad games against Bayern but the poorest of them, unarguably, was the department often rightly pointed out to be the club’s weakest: attack. None among Vucinic, Matri, Giovinco or Quagliarella managed to make the barest minimum of impact against Bayern, and Juventus almost never looked like scoring a goal. It was evident once again that should Juventus want to compete for bigger prize in Europe, they need to upgrade their frontline significantly. Fabio Quagliarella has played major portions of three matches in the past one week and is likely to be benched for this one in favour of Alessandro Matri. Mirko Vucinic’s form, despite the brace he scored against Pescara last week, has been very ordinary recently and he would be looking to make an impact against his former rival club. With both teams stacking players in the central midfield, the match will belong to the side which takes control of the midfield quicker. In this respect Lazio have a slight disadvantage of playing a high intensity match against Fenerbahce in mid-week and getting a day less of rest. Serie A fans will also be eager to take a look at two of the brightest young midfielders in the league this season when Pogba squares off against Onazi. Probable Starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pogba, Marchisio, Asamoah; Vucinic, Matri Players To Watch Out For Arturo Vidal (Juventus): Vidal had a good and week-long rest after playing against Pescara, and he will be gunning to show the same form he showed against Lazio almost an exact year ago. Vidal set up several chances for his teammates in that game but had to watch them squander them before Del Piero came off the bench to win the match. Hernanes (Lazio) Arguably Lazio’s main creative outlet, the Brazilian will be looking to make amends for his disastrous performance in the second half of the derby last week. He also needs to be at the top of his game, because otherwise the best midfield in Serie A can knock Lazio out of the game quickly. Prediction Lazio 1-2 Juventus Lazio’s fatigue will make a difference in the end. Lazio have played two taxing games against Roma and Fenerbahce in the last few days, while Juventus had an easy run in against Pescara and gave very little effort in the last 20 minutes against Bayern as the result was beyond doubt. Blast From the Past http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Preview: Lazio vs. Juventus Apr 14, 2012 Ahead of the Serie A meeting on Monday night, both of these sides exited European competitions at the quarter-finals stage last week. You could argue that the three points are needed more by hosts Lazio, who are under pressure from Inter Milan in the final Europa League place. What's more, a victory would draw them closer to a Champions League slot. However, any positive result that they are able to collect would have to be achieved without the suspended trio of Giuseppe Biava, Stefan Radu and Senad Lulic, while Abdoulay Konko, Andre Dias and Bruno Pereirinha are all injured. There are no such problems for the visiting league leaders, who only have an injury doubt over Claudio Marchisio. Should he miss the match, Paul Pogba has been tipped to deputise. The Old Lady have lost just one of their last 10 meetings with Rome-based Lazio. Recent form Lazio: WLLLWD Juventus: WDWWWW Possible starting lineups Lazio: Marchetti; Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius; Ledesma, Candreva, Mauri, Hernanes, Onazi; Klose Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Matri, Vucinc Sports Mole says: 2-1 http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Scouting Report: LAZIO – Serie A, Round 32 Apr 14, 2012 0n Monday night, Juventus head to the Stadio Olimpico to face Lazio, in need of a victory in order to continue their pursuit of the Scudetto crown. Last week’s Champions League defeat represented a set back to the Bianconeri, but thoughts must now turn to domestic matters and seeing out the league in which Juventus lead by 9 points ahead of the chasing pack led by Napoli. Lazio too, had a disappointing week in European competition, going out in the Europa League quarter finals 3-1 on aggregate to a Fenerbahce side containing ex-Juventini Milos Krasic and Reto Ziegler. However unlike their counterparts from Turin, Lazio’s domestic form heading into the game has been poor, winning only one of the last 5 games and with that, their hopes of conquering their rivals for the third coveted Champions League qualification place appear dead and buried. Both teams have very different goals for the remainder of the campaign, however Lazio and Juventus imperatively need a victory to bounce back from European disappointments. April 8 2013: Roma 1-1 Lazio Last Monday saw the second Rome derby of the season. Always a fiery affair, an excellent game from both a mental and a tactical perspective was to be expected. It didn’t let down with it proving to be a highly entertaining and interesting encounter. Roma lined up with a diamond formation using a 4-1-2-1-2 with De Rossi as the protector/playmaker in front of the back four. Totti was played on the left of the two central forward positions, however he was often keen to drop into the left channel where Florenzi made vertical runs to move beyond the experienced number 10. Lazio used the 4-1-4-1 system they’ve used for the majority of the season, which saw Hernanes partnered in the midfield by Nigerian Ogenyi Onazi. Klose led the line on his own upfront, with Lulic and Candreva in the wide areas to provide the width to support the German. Both teams played an extremely contrasting game. Roma were very keen to retain possession, demonstrated by the splitting of their two centre backs with the full backs pushing up the pitch down the sides. Roma had to make use of this width from the full backs as their diamond formation meant they outnumbered Lazio in the middle, but didn’t offer any natural width when in possession. Lazio, on the other hand, were very content to just sit back and absorb pressure, when without the ball, their defensive line and midfield dropped off, freeing up Roma’s centre backs and Daniele De Rossi to have the freedom to move the ball around the back. Klose was solely in charge of pressing from the front, however nobody from Lazio’s midfield were too keen to join him, playing a very disciplined game in which when Roma played the ball into the middle third of the pitch, one Lazio midfielder would close down, the other would cover, never swarming the man in possession which saw them utilising a patient system with regards to their defensive strategy. Lazio’s counter attacks from deep positions were a key feature of the game. As I mentioned, Lazio didn’t employ a high pressing game and so they abode their time when Roma were in possession of the ball, however when they did break down Roma’s play, they clearly had one directive and that was to attack as quickly and as directly as possible. There was no messing around here, possession of the ball didn’t matter to them, it was a simple strategy but an effective one based on players’ energy, work rate and off the ball movement to get forward and overload Roma at the back when they were caught high up the pitch. All four of the Lazio midfield – ahead of the deepest midfield Ledesma – broke from their deep defensive positions and ran at the Roma defense at a high intensity causing Roma to back peddle and struggle to form any sort of defensive shape. It proved very effective and led to numerous chances, which if Lazio had been more clinical, they would have taken the victory, rather than settling for the point the 1-1 draw proved to be. The way in which they countered was excellent too. If Marchetti received the ball to start a counter attack, he’d quickly roll out the ball to Radu who’d run with the ball at full octane down the left flank. Then via a few direct passes in the midfield they’d switch the ball to the right hand side to Antonio Candreva who used his direct style of play to cause problems down the right side. In starting the attack down the left before switching it quickly to the right, it dragged Roma’s shape all over the pitch and opened up gaps for Hernanes to exploit. Hernanes appeared to relish the space these quick counters created and was able to play an influential role throughout the game. Candreva was probably the most dangerous player on the pitch, but he often made the wrong decision to shoot whenever he got a sighting, rather than looking for a teammate. Both of Lazio’s two wide players offered different but effective threat on the break. Candreva being a shoot on sight type of player was more inclined to come inside, running directly into the space between Roma’s left centre back Castan and the left back Marquinhos, while Lulic preferred to hug the touchline which was expected from him given he’s the more natural wide player of the two having played left back and left wing back for Lazio in the past. Lazio’s ability to either go down the line, or come inside depending on which flank their counter took place meant they offered a multi-dimensional threat which Roma’s backline struggled to cope with, despite limiting the scoreline to just one goal. Lazio were the better team throughout, but weren’t helped by poor finishing – perfectly summed up by a missed penalty from Hernanes and then a red card for a second yellow to centre back Biava. They had the opportunities to win the game, but were unable to take them and Roma proved resolute and gained themselves a point via a Francesco Totti penalty, showing the Brazilian how it’s done. Roma’s retention of the ball was excellent, however this was irrelevant given Lazio’s gameplan meant they needed the other side to be in control of possession and dictate the game. Keys To A Juventus Victory I think it goes without saying, that one of the keys to a Juventus victory is preventing Lazio being so effective on the counter attack. Juventus in Serie A naturally like to retain the ball and dictate the rhythm of the match. This is the style Conte has implemented and the 3-5-2 generally works excellently in doing this. What’s important though is that when Juventus do dictate the game via the building from the back starting from Buffon to the centre backs, the team is patient in possession. Lazio will be happy to drop into their deep defensive shape and let Juventus go for long periods of the game with the ball, when they do this it will be tough to break them down, which means there could be anxiety from Juve’s players (particularly Bonucci) to get the ball forward quickly in taking riskier passes. This would play into Lazio’s hands as a poor pass to cheaply give away possession would leave Juventus exposed at the back with the majority of the Bianconeri pushed forward to support what was supposed to be a Juventus attack. Lazio would then be able to spring forward with their excellent vertical runs to support Klose and overload the back three plus Pirlo with a potential 5 v 4 situation which could prove costly. As I stated, it’s important Juventus remain patient in possession and look to stretch Lazio via recyling play down both wings in order to draw them out of position. Retaining the ball for long periods of the game does test a team’s concentration and the longer Juventus keep the ball, the more Lazio’s ability to focus defensively will be tested. While it may seem obvious, Juventus’ ability to work Lazio’s defence will prove crucial. Lazio are without the suspended duo of Radu and Biava and therefore will have to employ a makeshift defence who won’t have much experience playing together. When a team’s strategy is very dependent on keeping the opposition out before countering, it’s important to have a strong and impenetrable defence. The suspensions and injuries to important members of Lazio’s first choice defence means the odds don’t stack in Lazio’s favour and when one of your centre backs in Cana isn’t a natural defender in the first place, testing the Lazio back line is obviously going to be high on the agenda. This means that the Juventus striking duo need to be clever and test every facet of the Lazio defences game. Dropping off, running in behind, moving into the channels – the general stretching and moving of the Lazio back four will test their inexperience in playing with each other and would undoubtedly lead to gaps and potential defensive mistakes in order to capitalise upon. Clever forward movement will mean the gaps will open up for the midfield and won’t lead to the need to force passes, eliminating the potential problems this could cause. Individually, it’s key to prevent the influence of Hernanes. Hernanes has proven himself to be a top class midfielder since his arrival in Rome. Either as a number 10, in a deeper midfield position or as a box to box midfielder, he has shown he can be highly influential in a number of roles and has the ability to punish Juventus more than anyone else in the Lazio side. His ability to pick passes means it’s important not to allow space to Klose and Candreva who both possess excellent and good off the ball movement respectively. Equally whilst tracking those running beyond Hernanes, it’s important not to give him time and space outside the area as his striking from distance is as pure as it comes and with either foot. Klose’s ability to poach a goal out of nothing doesn’t need mentioning to anybody as everyone is fully aware of his talents, but Antonio Candreva is another one who can cause problems on his day. The ex-Juventino has had a solid season and is very confident in running at a defence, either with the ball or without it. His finishing can be inconsistent, but he does possess good quality, which is something the Juventus backline must be wary of. They must not only focus on the threats of the more obvious duo in Hernanes and Klose, but also supporting players such as Candreva and Mauri, both of whom possess the quality to make a telling contribution. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Conte: Fatigue could play a part Apr 14, 2012 Juventus coach Antonio Conte feels fatigue could be a factor in his team's Serie A clash with Lazio on Monday. Juventus and Lazio have been involved in the Champions League and Europa League respectively this season, and their European campaigns were brought to a halt last week by Bayern Munich and Fenerbahce. Lazio will be keen to make up ground on fourth-placed Fiorentina in the match against Juve, who lead the Serie A standings by nine points. But Conte feels their loaded fixture lists up until this point in the season will have an effect on the two teams. "We know that tomorrow we'll be playing an important match on a difficult pitch," Conte said. "We shouldn't forget that Lazio and Juventus are the teams who have played most matches in Europe and have played all the matches of the Coppa Italia, therefore tomorrow we'll see the two teams which have played most this year. We'll see what happens. "We're only focused on our match and we're not interested in what the others do. This has always been our strength and should always be so." Lazio boss Vladimir Petkovic, meanwhile, feels his side have what it takes to beat Juve, but conceded they face a tall order. "There aren't unbeatable teams in football, any team needs to sweat and fight to achieve a good result and this will be true for Juventus tomorrow, as it will be true for us against Juventus," Petkovic said. "We want to achieve a good result tomorrow and we're all aware that to win against Juventus we need more than 100 percent, we need to give our 150 percent, because Juventus are the strongest team in the league. "We need a great effort, more than the maximum, to achieve the three points we want. We will try to achieve those points - they will be useful for the rest of the season." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 14, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio-Juventus Preview: Round 32 — The Old Lady flies into Rome for Monday night football Apr 14, 2012 ven throughout the exit in the Coppa Italia, Antonio Conte maintained that the Scudetto was the primary goal. Even throughout the struggles against Bayern Munich, Antonio Conte maintained that the Scudetto was the primary goal. Now, with two out of the three fronts that Juventus entered the season competing on no longer in plan, there's only one thing on the table that remains from the beginning of the season. The primary goal. Seven rounds remain between Juventus and a second straight league title. It might not be the sexy Champions League trophy with the two big ears, but it's still something that should be looked as a major accomplishment for Conte's men. And for Conte to go 2 for 2 when it comes to Scudettos since he was named Juventus manager, that's a pretty damn good record to keep intact. If he wants to make this a regular thing, I won't object to it. And neither should you. Well, that's unless you're not a Juventus supporter, but that's not really where I'm going with all of this. The final charge starts Monday night against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The last time Juventus visited the Olimpico? Well, we won't really talk about that. The last time Juventus played Lazio? Yeah, we won't talk about that one either. Memories of Roman-based teams this season aren't exactly all that pleasant as of late. But as we've come to find out, Juventus are still top of the table with a very healthy lead. And there's just that one thing that remains. The one thing that Conte has circled from the very start of the 2012-13 campaign, even before the Champions League run got up and running. That's right — the primary goal. GOOD NEWS Nine-point lead in Serie A as of this preview being published. Of course, that may change or stay the same depending on the Milan-Napoli result. So there's that, which is nice. BAD NEWS Conte declaring Giovinco out of the Lazio match isn't all that surprising since he missed out on the second leg against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. But to see Chiellini miss out, after nothing had really been said about any kind of injury-related problems other than a report from Sky Italia, it's a little concerning for the simple fact of everything that he's been through this season. Whether it's just a one-game thing or something more than that, it seems like we'll just have to wait and see. I guess all we need to do now is have yet another Chiello prayer circle. WHAT TO WATCH FOR 1. How Juventus respond to the Champions League elimination disappointment. Yeah, I know, it's cliche. But we've seen this team struggle in games that follow up European contests. And while last weekend's win over Pescara was complete domination even though it got frustrating as hell at times, it was more of the exception than the rule. Why's that? Because Pescara is Pescara and anything other than win would be a terrible result. But Monday's fixture is a little different — hostile environment, better team, post-Champions League exit state of mind. What's it gonna be, Juve? 2. Will Antonio Conte change his formation? A slight change, of course, but there could be a shift in what Juve's formation and tactics look like. That's at least what La giornalaccio rosa is suggesting on Sunday with only three strikers available to play against Lazio. It would be a way to get Paul Pogba into the lineup — mainly because he's awesome and playing fantastic football right now. But we've seen all of this talk before and Conte stuck to his tried-and-true 3-5-2, so who really knows what will happen until the official lineups are released less than an hour before kickoff. 3. Striker selection. Depending on which formation Conte goes with will certainly play its part in which striker or strikers play. If there's a lone striker, then it's probably going to be Mirko Vucinic. If there's two strikers, it will be Vucinic and then somebody else. But since none of the strikers currently available to Conte are really on any kind of consistent form, going to a lone striker — as much as it could isolate Mr. Vucinic in the final third — might be the way Conte is leaning right now. But then again, My starting XI (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Quagliarella, Vucinic OR My starting XI (3-5-1-1): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Marchisio; Vucinic http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Conte hoping to end Lazio hoodoo Juve coach rates Monday's trip to Rome as among his side's toughest remaining fixtures but, despite the head-to-head record going against his side, he wants the victory. Apr 14, 2013 Juventus boss Antonio Conte says now would be an ideal time to end Lazio's unbeaten streak against him ahead of Monday night's clash in Rome. The Bianconeri travel to the Italian capital hoping to collect the three points necessary in edging them nearer to retaining their Serie A crown. However, Conte's side go into the game knowing their opponents boast the superior head-to-head record this season, with Vladimir Petkovic's men unbeaten against Conte as a coach. Speaking to reporters at a press conference, the 43-year-old said: "There is a first time for everything. "We have seven important games remaining and tomorrow night and the next one are definitely included in the seven. "Every game is worth three points and we hope to conclude this round of fixtures in the best possible way." Conte dismissed suggestions that there are tiers of players in the Juve team and did not want to discuss AC Milan's clash with Napoli on Sunday night, instead insisting his focus was on his side's league game. "There is no hierarchy within the squad. I will choose the best possible line-up for this game, so those in the best shape will play," he added. "It will be a tough match in a difficult arena. Don’t forget Lazio got as far as we did in Europe, who knocked us out of the Coppa Italia semi-final, so basically we’ve both played more than anyone else this season. "Milan-Napoli? We always focus on playing our own game without considering what the other teams are doing. That has always been our strength. Those who win write the history books, the others just read them. If I were Walter Mazzarri and Massimiliano Allegri, I'd believe in a comeback. We need to keep winning, but they could also slip up." Juventus crashed out of the Champions League to Bayern Munich 4-0 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage last week but Conte claims that his side's momentum has not been dented by the 2-0 defeats on home and away soil in Europe. "Why would the defeats to Bayern have taken away some of our confidence? We knew full well that reaching the quarter-finals was already an achievement," the coach continued. "What the club asks of me every year is to qualify for the Champions League and target victory in Italy, so anything more than that is thanks to our hard work. "I think we are doing very, very well this season, so I don’t see why that should affect our confidence or shake some of our certainties in what we’re doing." Juventus host AC Milan in Turin next Sunday as they continue en route to defending their Serie A crown. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Petkovic targets Juventus scalp Lazio coach believes Antonio Conte's side are not unbeatable on the eve of facing the champions-elect but says he wants to see his players give "150 per cent". Apr 14, 2013 Lazio boss Vladimir Petkovic insists that Juventus are not unbeatable ahead of Monday's clash with the league leaders. Antonio Conte's men are coasting to title glory in Serie A for a second successive season with the Stadio Olimpico being the next stop en route to retaining their crown. However, the Juventus coach is yet to experience victory over Lazio as a trainer and Petkovic says his team have every chance of slowing the inevitable by beating the Bianconeri. "We will never give up. We have to try and prevent them from playing at their best," he said. "They have pretty much already won the Scudetto, but football teaches us that there are no unbeatable teams. We will make Juventus sweat to get the result." Like Juventus, Lazio were sent crashing out of European competition during the week, with Fenerbahce progressing to the semi-finals of the Europa League over Petkovic's men. The 49-year-old went on to praise the performance of his players but insisted a super-human effort was required to prevent Juventus from moving nearer to retaining their title. "The team are ready and I complimented them because they gave 100 per cent on Thursday. But with Juve, they have to give 150% because when playing against the best in the league so further effort is necessary," he added. The Bosnian also revealed he was positive his side could catch AC Milan who currently occupy the third and final Champions League place but admits Lazio's fate lies in the hands of their rivals. Petkovic said: "I'm optimistic, but it depends on the teams in front of us because they need to drop points while we have to keep winning." Following the visit of Juventus, Lazio travel to Udinese next Sunday. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Five Juve players on yellow warning Apr 15, 2012 Five Juventus players will go into tonight’s Lazio tie just one booking away from missing next weekend’s game against Milan. Paolo De Ceglie, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Matri, Simone Padoin and Leonardo Bonucci will be suspended for the Diavolo showdown should they pick up a yellow card this evening. All five players are in the squad although only two of them – Pirlo and Bonucci – are being tipped to start. The giornalaccio rosa dello Sport is suggesting that Juve boss Antonio Conte could field a 3-5-1-1 formation at the Olimpico. Juve may thus line-up with: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah; Marchisio; Vucinic. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio vs. Juventus PREVIEW – Biaconeri Welcome (Left) Wingshot Eagles Apr 15, 2012 There have been a handful of European games in recent years that have really marked the end or beginning of an era. Those matches stick in our minds, because they’ve provoked an endless debate about the current and future status of our beloved club. The 4-1 home defeat to Bayern in 2009 was the start of a precipitous decline. We thought we were returning to Europe’s elite, but it was all smoke and mirrors. At that point, most Juventini knew that things would get worse before they were going to get better, but few expected the club to decline so far, and the humiliation at Fulham really drove it in – for all the good work Claudio Ranieri and the Old Guard did, that era of Juventus, built in the early 2000s, was definitively over. It was time to move on. And thus, another defeat to Bayern induces much navel-gazing and introspective thought, not just among Juventus fans, but among the directors and playing staff as well. After losing 2-0 at home to Bayern, Conte and Marotta hailed the work they’d accomplished in the last year and a half, truly a remarkable effort, but repeatedly addressed that there was a big gap for Juventus to truly return to Europe’s elite. Many of the pieces of the puzzle are there, a terrific coach, a great starting XI and solid depth, and a stadium we’re proud to call home. But there’s still something missing. Football fans can be fickle and demanding, and Juventus fans are no different. But the Bayern defeat is unique – there isn’t a howling cry for a “top player” or world class striker, nor are there calls for anyone’s resignation or a massive investment. The fans as a whole realize the club has done tremendous work in the last 18 months, but there’s something missing. The fans realize it’s a complex issue not solved by a signing or a new director or coach, as evidenced by the wonderful applause at the end of the Bayern home defeat. The club did everything it could in the last 18 months, but it will take some time to continue forward. JUVENTUS With Juventus now out of the Champion’s League and Coppa Italia, the only task that remains is to retain our Scudetto crown. There are 7 games remaining in the season, and with a 8-point advantage over Napoli (and 12 over Milan) going into Mnday night’s game, it would take a truly epic collapse to give up the crown, and that is incredibly unlikely at this club with this coach. Conte is no Cuper. It almost feels like Juve’s season is over. Rather than discussing the upcoming mercato, the debate has been what Juventus has to do to return to Europe’s elite, with a cursory glance at the league matches that are coming up. Fortunately, there are some great games in the home stretch of the league to grab Juventus fans’ attention. The next few weeks feature Lazio, Milan, and Torino, after which the team closes out 2012-2013 with some “weaker” opponents. The Bianconeri play Palermo, Atalanta, Cagliari, and Sampdoria in the month of May. With the Scudetto likely secured, and no cup or midweek commitments, it is time that Conte should be experimenting and tinkering with an eye to the future. Sebastian Giovinco, Luca Marrone, and Paolo De Ceglie showed up early at Vinovo on Thursday to attempt to regain fitness for the last 2 months of the campaign – all 3 former Primavera players whose futures are very much in the balance. Antonio-Conte-Juventus-confusedIt’s understandable that during the stressful “meaty” part of the season, Conte cannot rotate or experiment as much as he’d like to. But there’s a lot he can do now. The Lazio match should begin the experimenting with the following series of questions that needs to be resolved: #1- Sebastian Giovinco has had a mixed debut season at Juventus. Is he firmly part of Conte’s plans? Are Matri or Quagliarella part of our plans, who have had somewhat of a revival since Marotta attempted to sell them in January? What mix of strikers do we want up top? What are the best partnerships? #2- Should Juventus continue to rehab Mauricio Isla? The Chilean has played less than 90 minutes since his poor outing against Milan back in November, and minutes are crucial for someone recovering from an ACL tear. He was once one of the most fearsome fullbacks in Europe, but recovering him will take playing time and likely poor performances. #3- Who will be manning the left flank? Kwadwo Asamoah’s days as a left wingback seem increasingly numbered, as his wide play is simply lacking. Federico Peluso has convinced, but does not seem good enough to be the first name on the XI. Paolo De Ceglie had a great season under Conte in 2011-2012, with many suggesting a Euro 2012 call-up, but has regressed this season with less playing time and an injury. Should he stay at Juventus? #4- What is Martin Caceres’ role long-term at Juventus? As a backup? As a central defender or as a wing-back? #5- Can Conte promise Luca Marrone enough playing time to properly develop him at Juventus? Or should the former midfielder go on loan to gain some experience. #6- Do we have a tactical Plan B? Not just in terms of formation (4-3-3 vs 3-5-2) but can Juventus play a more direct style, and should the club do so on occasion? What’s our Pirlo-less plan? There are a few months left in the season to figure out some of these questions, all while evaluating the needs of the team in the mercato. We fortunately have a healthy +8 cushion, based on which we can pretty much use real league games in a way coaches often tinker in friendlies. Probable Formation: (3-5-2) Buffon; Barzagli, Marrone, Bonucci; Isla, Pogba, Vidal, Marchisio, Peluso; Matri, Vucinic LAZIO The blue side of Rome has had a bad habit in recent years – the Eagles soar in the first half of the season, often vying for 1st place for much of the campaign. And then, just like Juve’s miserable Januaries, the team collapses for much of early Spring. Lazio’s form in the last few months has been miserable, seeing the team drop into 5th place, 7th off of a Champion’s League spot. Like Juventus in most Februaries, there has been a slow revival, but for Lazio, it may be too late to win that coveted 3rd spot. The Laziali hired a Swiss coach in the offseason, Vladimir Petkovic, and he’s been a breath of fresh air to Serie A. A relatively quiet, unassuming coach, he’s done a very good job managing Lazio this season. While they slipped up in March, unlike his predecessors and most Italian coaches, Petkovic firmly committed to a 3-front campaign, fielding strong teams in both the Coppa Italia and the Europa League. hernanes-lazio-pescara-goalLazio doesn’t have the depth to compete on all 3 fronts and they’ve suffered accordingly, losing in the Europa League to Fenerbahce (albeit very unluckily) and slipping down in the league. It was a bold move, and while some may say it didn’t pay off, his side didn’t fare much worse in the league than his predecessors, and they had a solid Cup/Europa League run that their fans should be proud of. They have been rewarded with a berth in the Coppa Italia final after defeating Juventus back in January. In general, Petkovic’s team plays in a counter-attacking style. They have a well-drilled defense without any star names, but who are competent. Their defense has a better record than any club except for Juventus, Milan, and Napoli. In midfield, it’s a mix of hard workers and great talents. Hernanes is probably one of the most underrated midfielders in European football, Cristian Ledesma is a capable regista, Antonio Candreva acts as an all-action man, and Lorik Cana and Cristian Brocchi provide steel. Up top, they have decent physical strikers in Kozak and Floccari, but Miroslav Klose has been the man for Lazio ever since signing from Bayern Munich. It’s no coincidence that Lazio’s worst period of form was the same time that Klose spent a good amount of time on the injury table. A stingy side like Lazio relies on a few goals from their hitman, and without him, they simply couldn’t score enough. Klose now seems likely to play, but Petkovic has been hit hard with bans to three key players, defenders Biava and Radu, and midfielder Lulic,which means Petkovic needs to reinvent his left flank entirely for this game. One of the key men to watch will still be Federico Marchetti, though. The ex-Cagliari keeper has played brilliantly this season when facing Juventus, pulling off jaw-dropping saves and stunning reaction blocks. Gigi Buffon picked him out as one for the future years ago before anyone had heard of him, and it seems Marchetti has taken it upon himself to impress his idol every time he faces him. Probable Formation: (4-5-1) Marchetti; Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius; Candreva, Onazi, Ledesma, Hernanes, Mauri; Klose This is a strange Juventus-Lazio game. In the past it has often been a top of the table clash, like Krasic’s memorable 94th minute goal under Delneri. Earlier this season, the two sides clashed high in the table in the league, before Lazio defeated Juventus in the Coppa Italia over two legs. Lazio probably have a Europa League spot locked up, either between the league or their presence in the Coppa Italia. (depending on Inter/Roma’s final league position) A berth in the Champion’s League is probably too much to ask, so while both sides will be aiming to win their remaining league games, neither Juventus nor Lazio are in a league dogfight. Conte will likely not practice any full scale rotation, given the strength of our opponents, but will probably throw in a surprise or two in the lineup. Lazio will field as best of a side as they have available, so it won’t be a friendly. But despite both teams having a successful 2012-2013, neither side’s focus will be on this game. Juventus fans will consider the medium-term future of the club, whereas Lazio fans, fresh off their Europa League exit, will be eagerly awaiting the possibility of silverware in the Coppa Italia final. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Lazio-Juventus Betting Preview: Expect the Bianconeri to put European heartbreak behind them with a win Antonio Conte's men were brushed aside by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but Al Hain-Cole expects them to bounce back with a win to reassert their supremacy in Serie A. Apr 15, 2013 With their Champions League dreams having been brought to an end by a ruthless Bayern Munich team, Juventus can now focus their full attention on wrapping up a 29th Serie A title, starting with Monday's trip to Lazio. Vladimir Petkovic's side will also be looking to bounce back from a continental exit, having crashed out of the Europa League against Fenerbahce, and must now concentrate on ensuring their place in next season's competition is secure. The Biancocelesti ran out 2-1 winners when this pair met at Stadio Olimpico in January's Coppa Italia tie, but they are not expected to repeat that feat this time, with Bet365 offering odds of 31/10 (4.10) on a home win. Having won their last three away league fixtures against this opposition, Antonio Conte's men are favourites at 10/11 (1.91) to emerge victorious this evening. The Romans were delighted to leave Turin with a share of the spoils after a 0-0 draw back in November, and you can get odds of 12/5 (3.40) on them holding the champions to another stalemate in front of their own fans. La Vecchia Signora may have been outclassed by Bayern over two legs, but domestically their dominance is beyond question. The leaders have are unbeaten in 32 of their last 34 away games in Serie A, and are currently enjoying a four-match winning streak in the league. They will be confident of banishing the memories of their European exit by overcoming a Lazio team that have lost six of their last 10 league games, and those 10/11 (1.91) odds are not to be missed on a morale-boosting win for the visitors. However, Juventus fans will know not to get too impatient if the score remains tied at half-time, as their side have gone in at the break on a level pegging in three of their last four victorious league fixtures. Considering the hosts have only hit the back of the net in the opening 45 minutes four times in their last 10 games, a stalemate could well be on the cards in the opening period, and it is well worth backing the visitors to come out on top after a draw at the break, at odds of 15/4 (4.75). http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Line-ups: Lazio-Juventus Apr 15, 2012 Juventus will start with Mirko Vucinic as their lone front-man when they play Lazio at Stadio Olimpico this evening. The Montenegrin international will lead the line against the capital club, with Claudio Marchisio expected to play a slightly more attacking role in support. Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo make up the central midfield triumvirate, as Federico Peluso comes in for the injured Giorgio Chiellini at centre-back. For the Biancocelesti meanwhile, they welcomed back Miroslav Klose to the starting line-up after he sat out the Europa League loss to Fenerbahce. LAZIO: Marchetti; Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius; Ledesma, Onazi, Hernanes; Candreva, Mauri; Klose JUVENTUS: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah, Marchisio; Vucinic http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 15, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) - Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro HT 0-2: Vidal gives Juve lead Apr 15, 2012 An early penalty and a neat chipped finish from Arturo Vidal has given Juventus a 2-0 half-time lead over Lazio. Antonio Conte put his faith in Mirko Vucinic to lead the line for the Bianconeri, as they looked for the three points that could take them 11 points clear at the top of Serie A. Claudio Marchisio was also in unfamiliar surroundings with a seemingly more attacking role, whilst Federico Peluso came in for the injured Giorgio Chiellini. The capital club meanwhile welcomed back Miroslav Klose to the starting XI after the Germany international missed their Europa League loss to Fenerbahce, with the home side hoping for the victory that could keep their Champions League dreams alive. Those European ambitions looked to be on track early on, as the Aguile made an impressive start to the match. Andrea Candreva and Hernanes were causing problems in between the lines, with the Brazilian forcing Gianluigi Buffon into a smart save. It didn’t last long though, as after just eight minutes, the Old Lady were awarded a penalty when Lorik Cana brought down Marchisio. Vidal stepped up and struck sweetly past Federico Marchetti for the opening goal. The Turin giants grew from that point – with six midifelders on the pitch, they were keeping the ball with ease, and created a number of opportunities thanks to neat interplay in the middle of the park and the bombastic runs of Stephan Lichtsteiner. A mixture of poor finishing a good defending though, ensured that the lead wasn’t doubled. Vladimir Petkovic’s men weren’t disheartened and went close on two occasions from corner kicks. But midway through the half, the Bianconeri showed their class and got themselves a second. Michael Ciani got in a tangle inside his own area, and Vidal was there to capitalize and lift a shot over Marchetti from just eight yards out for a comfortable lead going into the break. Lazio 0-2 Juventus Scorers: Vidal pen 8, 27 (J) Lazio: Marchetti; Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius; Ledesma, Onazi, Hernanes; Candreva, Mauri; Klose Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah, Marchisio; Vucinic http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 0 - 2 Arturo Vidal (8′-PG) Arturo Vidal (28') Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Attendance: 31000 Vidal double edges Conte's men closer to Serie A title The Chilean struck early on from the penalty spot and doubled his tally in the first half, to open up an 11-point lead at the summit for the Old Lady. Apr 15, 2013 Juventus took another big step towards the Scudetto at the Stadio Olimpico, with a vital 2-0 victory away to Lazio. Arturo Vidal was the hero for the Bianconeri, netting twice in the first half during a routine win that leaves the Turin outfit 11 points clear at the summit with just six matches left. After crashing out of the Champions League in comprehensive fashion against Bayern Munich, Juve were keen to put that disappointment behind them and continue their march to the title in the Italian capital. Against a Lazio side still in the hunt for a spot in the continental competition, Antonio Conte's men could not have asked for a better start. Just seven minutes into the encounter, Mirko Vucinic escaped Lorik Cana only to be cut down in the box by a clumsy tackle from the centre-back. There was no doubt whatsoever about the penalty decision, and Vidal fired home with authority and put his side into the lead. The goal immediately put the visitors in the ascendancy, as Lazio struggled to contain a vibrant attack throughout the first half. Michael Ciani came to the rescue of his side to block from Claudio Marchisio after the midfielder latched on to Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross, while Vucinic went close to netting as his toe-poke from a low free kick forced an instinctive save from Marchetti. The home side challenged across the pitch, but their offensive efforts lacked clarity and focus and they rarely threatened Gianluigi Buffon between the posts. Ciani prevented what seemed to be a certain second goal when he made a diving intervention to block Vidal's shot, but Juventus were in control and it seemed just a matter of time before they would double their lead. Minutes after that chance, Vucinic's pass took a somewhat fortunate deflection in the box and, as the Lazio defence hesitated, Vidal took full advantage as he coolly finished past Marchetti. The Biancocelesti were sinking without trace, and Champions League football looked a distant dream as they went into the break well behind the Serie A pace-setters. A more determined home side came out for the second 45 minutes, and they nearly pulled one back just after the interval. A looping corner found the net of the stooping Ciani, and Buffon was forced to make an excellent save to keep his clean sheet intact as the ball spiralled towards the bottom-right corner. Moments later, however, Juve should have put the game beyond doubt with a golden chance. Andrea Pirlo's free kick was saved by Marchetti, but the keeper could not hold on to the ball and it rolled loose with at least three black shirts chasing the rebound. Marchisio arrived first, but misjudged the bounce and off balance, sliced his shot well over to the bar. Lazio then lamented their luck in front of goal; with Miroslav Klose making a mess of a perfect cross from Antonio Candreva. After a thrilling start to the second period, the match soon lost its urgency with Juventus taking control, stroking the ball around the park and assuring victory. There was no way back for the home team, who slumped to defeat in front of their own fans and saw their hopes of European football fade even further. The win means Juve move 11 points clear of Napoli at the Serie A summit, and with just six games left to play, the title looks almost certain to return to Turin. Lazio, meanwhile, remain in fifth place, eight points behind AC Milan who currently occupy the final qualifying spot for the Champions League. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 0 - 2 Arturo Vidal (8′-PG) Arturo Vidal (28') Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Attendance: 31000 Vidal double gives Juve win An early penalty and a neat chipped finish from Arturo Vidal gave Juventus a 2-0 win over Lazio at Stadio Olimpico. Apr 15, 2013 Antonio Conte put his faith in Mirko Vucinic to lead the line for the Bianconeri, as they looked for the three points that could take them 11 points clear at the top of Serie A. Claudio Marchisio was also in unfamiliar surroundings with a seemingly more attacking role, whilst Federico Peluso came in for the injured Giorgio Chiellini. The capital club meanwhile welcomed back Miroslav Klose to the starting XI after the Germany international missed their Europa League loss to Fenerbahce, with the home side hoping for the victory that could keep their Champions League dreams alive. Those European ambitions looked to be on track early on, as the Aguile made an impressive start to the match. Andrea Candreva and Hernanes were causing problems in between the lines, with the Brazilian forcing Gianluigi Buffon into a smart save. It didn’t last long though, as after just eight minutes, the Old Lady were awarded a penalty when Lorik Cana brought down Marchisio. Vidal stepped up and struck sweetly past Federico Marchetti for the opening goal. The Turin giants grew from that point – with six midifelders on the pitch, they were keeping the ball with ease, and created a number of opportunities thanks to neat interplay in the middle of the park and the bombastic runs of Stephan Lichtsteiner. A mixture of poor finishing a good defending though, ensured that the lead wasn’t doubled. Vladimir Petkovic’s men weren’t disheartened and went close on two occasions from corner kicks. But midway through the half, the Bianconeri showed their class and got themselves a second. Michael Ciani got in a tangle inside his own area, and Vidal was there to capitalize and lift a shot over Marchetti from just eight yards out for a comfortable lead going into the break. Whatever Petkovic said at the interval, it worked. The hosts looked like a renewed side and took the game to Juve. Candreva with his pace and Libor Kozak with his height were hassling the Bianconeri, but it was Michael Ciani who nearly got a goal back for the Biancocelesti. The Frenchman rifled in a header from 12 yards out, but Buffon rolled back the years with a superb stop. Marchisio could have topped off a fantastic performance with a goal, only to fire over from close-range – but Conte’s men offered little else going forward in the second 45. They were content to just keep the ball and tire out their already fatigued opponents. The Turin giants weren’t anywhere near as good as they had been, but quite frankly, they didn’t need to be. Lazio were showing no creative spark and looked toothless going forward as a result. The visitors dominance saw the game peter out as they walked away with a comfortable three points. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lazio: Marchetti; Gonzalez, Ciani, Cana, Stankevicius; Ledesma (Crecco 68), Onazi, Hernanes (Kozak 45); Candreva, Mauri (Ederson 45); Klose Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Peluso; Lichtsteiner (Padoin 67), Vidal, Pirlo, Pogba, Asamoah, Marchisio (Giaccherini 89); Vucinic (Quagliarella 87) Ref: Giannoccaro http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 0 - 2 Arturo Vidal (8′-PG) Arturo Vidal (28') Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Attendance: 31000 Vidal vanquishes Lazio Apr 15, 2013 Juventus moved a step closer to a successful defence of their Serie A title with a win at Lazio which opens up an 11-point lead at the top of Serie A with six games left. Two goals from Arturo Vidal inside the first half an hour ended Lazio's hopes of moving into contention for a place in the Champions League next season in the battle of the two last Italian survivors in Europe, up until last week. Juve bounced back in style from their Champions League elimination to Bayern Munich while Lazio failed to do likewise after going out of the Europa League at the hands of Fenerbahce on Thursday. Lazio, lacking the suspended Giuseppe Biava and Stefano Radu, had to improvise in defence, which is hardly an ideal situation when faced with the league leaders. A foul by the inexperienced Cana on Mirko Vucinic inside the penalty area was punished in the eighth minute, and Vidal beat Federico Marchetti from the spot to put the Bianconeri ahead. Vucinic was denied by a good diving save from Marchetti in the 20th minute before Vidal made it two. Vucinic's cross was diverted kindly for Vidal by the luckless Cana, and the former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder accepted the invitation to score from close range. Lazio's heads dropped and Paul Pogba missed two chances to increase Juve's lead before the interval. The home team's coach Vladimir Petkovic appeared to have found the right words during the break as Miroslav Klose and Ederson both went close with two early chances in the second half. But they were always open to attacks and Claudio Marchisio should have increased Juve's lead when he lifted his shot over in the 56th minute. Libor Kozak came on, but the man who was so prolific as the Europa League's top goalscorer could not recreate that threat in a Serie A game, wasting several chances to reopen the game. And Klose summed up his side's luck, or lack thereof, when he shot wide in stoppage time. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 0 - 2 Arturo Vidal (8′-PG) Arturo Vidal (28') Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Attendance: 31000 Player Ratings Goal.com takes a closer look at the men on show at Stadio Olimpico, where the Old Lady continued their march towards the Scudetto with a commanding victory. Apr 15, 2013 LAZIO Federico Marchetti - Will have good reason to be livid with his defence after the failings of those at the back left him exposed for both strikes. Alvaro Gonzalez - Held up well against the pace and power of Asamoah, keeping the winger more or less quiet out on the right-hand side. Michael Ciani - Came to his side's rescue twice in the first half with two great blocks, but failed to react to the second goal. A terrific header went close to beating Buffon. Marius Stankevicius - Was lucky to see Ciani save the day after a dreadful pass threatened to let in Vidal during the first half. Looked insecure and fragile at the back. Lorik Cana - Caught out badly early on by Vucinic, and the ridiculous tackle that followed earned the Albanian a yellow card and put his side a goal down from the spot. Stefano Mauri - Worked hard to break down a strong Juve backline, but mostly without luck. Was sacrificed in the second half for Ederson. Hernanes - A really disappointing display from the Brazilian, who was overwhelmed by Juve's centre-midfield trio and failed to make any impact. Taken off at the break. Cristian Ledesma - Chased constantly and tried to nullify Vidal and Co. in the middle, but his unfortunate deflection sent the Chilean on the way for the second goal. Ogenyi Onazi - Was given a tough job keeping tabs on the dynamic Pogba, and his marking was less than impeccable at times. Failed to get his side moving forward when chasing the draw. Antonio Candreva - Came alive in the second half, drifting out wide and looking to exploit the gaps in the Juve half. A well-timed cross should have set up a goal for Klose. Miroslav Klose - Lazio constantly sought the veteran Germany international, but too often he was nullified by the backline and ineffective. Missed a glorious headed chance to put his side back in the game. A second miss capped a disastrous showing. Substitutions Ederson - Came on for the disappointing Mauri at half-time, and his entrance lifted a listless Lazio team. Luca Crecco - The teenager made a brief appearance at the end for Ledesma. Libor Kozák - Another half-time change, made Lazio more competitive but could not alter the game's fate. JUVENTUS Gianluigi Buffon - Had little to do during a one-sided first half, but saved his side with a brilliant stop from Ciani's header. Andrea Barzagli - Took his eye off Klose at the far post and almost paid dearly as the German missed with the goal at his mercy. Otherwise, rarely troubled. Leonardo Bonucci - Always on hand to clear up at the back when put under Lazio pressure, and his distribution from deep meant the Romans had to be wary of the counter throughout. Federico Peluso - Occasionally given grief by Candreva out on the flank, losing the forward in a move that almost led to a goal. A rare blip in an otherwise solid show. Stephan Lichtsteiner - A constant threat down the right-hand side as he stretched Lazio's defence from start to finish, putting in cross after cross to keep the pressure up. Paul Pogba - Always busy and excitable in the middle of the pitch, harried well throughout the 90 minutes and formed an efficient partnership with Pirlo. Andrea Pirlo - As always, impressed with an outstanding range of passing, the highlights including a delicious cross-field ball for Asamoah that was wasted by the winger. Arturo Vidal - Aggressive, attack-minded and uncompromising; an excellent showing from the Chilean. Took his penalty with authority, and was attentive enough to pick up a deflection and steer in the second. Kwadwo Asamoah - Stretched Gonzalez on multiple occasions out wide, but too often did not use the final ball well. His decision to cross in the box wasted an excellent chance following Pirlo's delightful assist. Claudio Marchisio - Played further up the field as a second striker and will be happy with a busy display. Always made himself available for the likes of Lichtsteiner with his late bursts. Mirko Vučinić - The striker's distribution and movement around the penalty area more than made up for his goalless performance. Was fouled for the penalty and a neat flick set up the second goal. Substitutions Simone Padoin - Entered for Lichtsteiner and helped keep things tight in the middle. Emanuele Giaccherini - Came on in the dying minutes for Marchisio. Fabio Quagliarella - A short cameo for the striker as he replaced Vucinic up front. http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8435 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134093 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2013 Serie A Week 32 - 15-4-12 (8:45 p.m.) 0 - 2 Arturo Vidal (8′-PG) Arturo Vidal (28') Olimpico Stadium — Rome Referee: Antonio Giannoccaro Attendance: 31000 Petkovic admits Juventus deserved win Lazio coach says the Bianconeri were good value for their victory at the Stadio Olimpico. Apr 15, 2013 Vladimir Petkovic says Juventus deserved their 2-0 victory over his Lazio side on Monday night but felt both goals were avoidable. The Bianconeri edged closer to retaining their Serie A crown, with Arturo Vidal's double enough to secure all three points. Petkovic, who went into the game boasting the superior head-to-head record against counterpart Antonio Conte this season, cited exhaustion as a possible reason for the defeat, but did not detract from the performance of the champions-elect. "We dominated them in the first few minutes. After this, we gave Juventus opportunities and they were clinical with the two chances we gave them. I think the two goals were avoidable," he told Sky Sport Italia. "In the end, kudos to Juventus because they deserved the victory. Surely we have seen the team are a little tired having played five times in a few weeks. "Today we were without seven players. I hope they can recover as soon as possible for all of them to be available to finish the season strong." http://www.soccerway.com/national/italy/serie-a/20122013/regular-season/ Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
