Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

-

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

HT 0-0: Marchisio close in Malmo

Nov 26, 2014

Claudio Marchisio had the best chance of the first half, but Juventus are still goalless against Malmo in Sweden.

There is good news from elsewhere, as Atletico Madrid are leading Olympiacos 2-0, so if everything stands this way Juve would move into second place on their own.

The Bianconeri had lost both their previous away games at Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos, both 1-0, so this was a must-win game. Kwadwo Asamoah, Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres missed out, while Patrice Evra and Angelo Ogbonna returned for a spot on the bench. Arturo Vidal was picked as the trequartista supporting Carlos Tevez – who scored both goals in the 2-0 victory in Turin – and Fernando Llorente. Malmo missed Johan Hammar, but Markus Rosberg had scored four of their last five Champions League goals.

The playing surface was very poor and Juve complained to UEFA before kick-off, stopping short of a formal protest. The Italians wore their all-green strip, which had only been used before in Madrid.

Isaac Kiese Thelin fired a couple of early half-chances well off target. Juventus created their first opportunity after 15 minutes when Stephan Lichtsteiner charged down the right and pulled back for Vidal, whose powerful but central shot was beaten away.

Andrea Pirlo chipped a pass over the top and at full stretch Claudio Marchisio only got a stud to it, not enough to direct the ball past the goalkeeper.

Marchisio had an even better chance on 36 minutes in a similar situation, this time sent through by Vidal, but the volley forced a sensational reaction save out of Robin Olsen.

Kiese Thelin fired straight at Gigi Buffon after Juve failed to clear a corner, while Emil Forsberg hit the side-netting when sent clear by Rosenberg.

Pirlo hit a free kick into the wall and sparked a Forsberg counter-attack, but he scuffed his shot under pressure from Lichtsteiner.


Malmo 0-0 Juventus (Half-Time)

Malmo: Olsen; Tinnerholm, E Johansson, Helander, Ricardinho; Eriksson, Adu, Halsti, Forsberg; Rosenberg, Kiese Thelin

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Padoin; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba; Vidal; Tevez, Llorente

Ref: Proenca (POR)

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Malmo 0-2 Juventus: Llorente and Tevez on
target as Bianconeri boost qualification hopes

The Spaniard broke the deadlock four minutes after the interval before his strike
partner sealed three precious points for the Italian champions with a late strike.

Nov 26, 2014

Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez got the goals as Juventus climbed into second place in Champions League Group A with a 2-0 win at Malmo.

With Atletico Madrid winning against Olympiacos, the Italian champions moved into second place with a three-point cushion, as Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez delivered the decisive goals.

Malmo goalkeeper Robin Olsen ensured the two sides went into the break level with three important saves to deny Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio, twice.

However, Malmo's resistance was finally broken early in the second half as Llorente netted his first goal of this season's competition with a composed finish.

Chances continued to arrive for the visitors and after Marchisio and Llorente had wasted good opportunities, Tevez secured the win with two minutes to play, before defender Erik Johansson was sent off for the hosts.

Victory means a point against Atletico in their final group match will see Juve through, no matter what Olympiacos do, while Malmo's adventure in the competition is over.

Massimiliano Allegri made two changes from Juve's Champions League win over Olympiacos on matchday four, with Simone Padoin - who was sent off against Lazio in Serie A on Saturday - and Llorente coming into the side.

After a fast start from the hosts, who were unchanged from their last European outing against Atletico, the game's first effort on goal did not arrive until the 16th minute, as Stephan Lichtsteiner raced down the right wing unopposed.

Malmo failed to deal with the full-back's cross, allowing Vidal a free shot from the edge of the penalty area that Olsen had to be alert to parry.

Juve continued to push for the opening goal and Marchisio had two chances before the break, only to be denied by Olsen on both occasions.

His first effort after 28 minutes came following a chipped pass from Andrea Pirlo, but the midfielder was unable to divert the ball past Olsen, and seven minutes later the goalkeeper made a superb reaction save to deny the 28-year-old again.

Malmo's only effort of the first half came in the closing minutes, as Emil Forsberg jinked past the Juve defence only to see his low effort beat Gianluigi Buffon but end up in the side netting.

Marchisio's personal battle with Olsen continued in the opening minute of the second half, but once again the 24-year-old got down well to keep the Italy international at bay.

Two minutes later the goal came, though, as Marchisio turned provider with a defence-splitting pass for Llorente, the Spanish forward rounding Olsen to fire home from six yards.

Having been a mere spectator for much of the second half, Buffon was finally called into action after 64 minutes when Enoch Adu found space on the edge of the penalty area, but the Juve goalkeeper had no trouble gathering a tame effort.

Llorente should have doubled his tally with 20 minutes to play as he rose to meet a Padoin cross from the left, but he headed straight at Olsen.

Juve doubled their advantage with two minutes left as Paul Pogba broke free in the Malmo half before playing in Tevez, the Argentine striker scuffing his shot past Olsen and into the goal.

To add to Malmo's frustration, they were reduced to 10 men following the goal as Johansson was sent off for a second-bookable offence in the build-up.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

CL: Juventus conquer Malmö

Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez gave Juventus a precious 2-0 win
in Malmo, so a draw against Atletico Madrid will qualify them.

Nov 26, 2014

There was good news from elsewhere, as Atletico Madrid comfortably beat Olympiacos 4-0.

The Bianconeri had lost both their previous away games at Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos, both 1-0, so this was a must-win game. Kwadwo Asamoah, Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres missed out, while Patrice Evra and Angelo Ogbonna returned for a spot on the bench. Arturo Vidal was picked as the trequartista supporting Carlos Tevez – who scored both goals in the 2-0 victory in Turin – and Fernando Llorente. Malmo missed Johan Hammar, but Markus Rosberg had scored four of their last five Champions League goals.

The playing surface was very poor and Juve complained to UEFA before kick-off, stopping short of a formal protest. The Italians wore their all-green strip, which had only been used before in Madrid.

Isaac Kiese Thelin fired a couple of early half-chances well off target. Juventus created their first opportunity after 15 minutes when Stephan Lichtsteiner charged down the right and pulled back for Vidal, whose powerful but central shot was beaten away.

Andrea Pirlo chipped a pass over the top and at full stretch Claudio Marchisio only got a stud to it, not enough to direct the ball past the goalkeeper.

Marchisio had an even better chance on 36 minutes in a similar situation, this time sent through by Vidal, but the volley forced a sensational reaction save out of Robin Olsen.

Kiese Thelin fired straight at Gigi Buffon after Juve failed to clear a corner, while Emil Forsberg hit the side-netting when sent clear by Rosenberg.

Pirlo hit a free kick into the wall and sparked a Forsberg counter-attack, but he scuffed his shot under pressure from Lichtsteiner.

Within seconds of the restart, Marchisio’s half-volley was parried by Olsen, then Tevez was inches away from poking in Vidal’s cross-shot at the back post.

The deadlock was broken by Fernando Llorente, who until then had barely made an impact. He ran on to a Marchisio through ball and sprinted towards goal, keeping his cool to go round the goalkeeper and deposit into an empty net despite attempted goalline clearances.

Remarkably, that was Juve’s first away goal of the Champions League campaign after 32 attempts.

Marchisio tested Olsen again after a long period of Juventus pressure and Llorente nodded wide from a free kick, but Buffon also smothered an Enock Adu snapshot.

Llorente’s weak header was straight at Olsen and Rosenberg attempted an overhead kick from a knocked on set play.

It somehow wasn’t 2-0 on 86 minutes, as Roberto Pereyra rolled across for Alvaro Morata who incredibly hit the underside of the bar from a yard. It seemed easier to score than miss.

Buffon smothered a Rosenberg effort, but Juventus finally got their second. Morata shoved Johansson, sparking a Pogba counter and Tevez scuffed his finish, but it still dribbled past Olsen into the empty net. Johansson was furious and received two yellow cards for dissent.

Rosenberg had a good chance in stoppages, but Buffon denied him with a smart one-handed save at the near post.


Malmo 0-2 Juventus

Scorers: Llorente 49 (J), Tevez 88 (J)

Malmo: Olsen; Tinnerholm (Rakip 85), E Johansson, Helander, Ricardinho; Eriksson, Adu, Halsti, Forsberg; Rosenberg, Kiese Thelin (Cibicki 70)

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Padoin; Marchisio (Pereyra 84), Pirlo, Pogba; Vidal; Tevez, Llorente (Morata 72)

Ref: Proenca (POR)

Sent off: Johansson 89 (M)

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Juventus secure win over Malmo
in Champions League clash

Goals from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez guide Juventus
to a 2-0 win over Malmo in their Champions League clash this evening.

Nov 26, 2014

The visitors pressed early in the game and Stephan Lichtsteiner did well down the right as he raided forward and cut the ball back to Arturo Vidal on the edge of the area. The midfielder then powered an effort at goal, which was well saved by Robin Olsen.

Juventus were dominating possession in the match, but were struggling to carve out opportunities in the final third as Malmo defended well in numbers to stifle the visitors' quick passing game.

Massimiliano Allegri's side threatened when Andrea Pirlo produced a moment of magic out of nothing as he released the run of Claudio Marchisio over the top of the Malmo defence. The Italy international had to stretch for the ball and couldn't get enough contact to poke it past Olsen.

The visitors could have taken the lead just before the break when Vidal picked out Marchisio at the back post, but his effort on the first-time volley was well saved by Olsen.

Malmo had an excellent chance to go ahead on the whistle when Markus Rosenberg raided upfield following a poor free kick from Pirlo. The striker drove to the edge of the area, but he fired his shot just past the post.

In the second half, Marchisio should have broken the deadlock when a loose ball fell to him inside the penalty area, but his shot was well saved by the sprawling dive of Olsen.

However, Juventus did take the lead in the 49th minute when Marchisio released the run of Llorente through the middle, and the striker kept his composure to round Olsen and slot the ball home.

The visitors tried to kill the game off as Vidal showed his class teed up Marchisio on the edge of the area with a pinpoint pass, but the midfielder's effort at goal was beaten away by Olsen.

Juventus sealed their win in the 88th minute when Tevez slotted the ball past Olsen after latching onto Paul Pogba's through ball. Matters got worse side when Erik Johanssen was sent off for his second bookable offence.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Llorente: 'Juve want top spot'

Nov 26, 2014

Fernando Llorente dedicated his Malmo goal to Juventus fans and warned “we want to top the group.”

The 2-0 victory in Sweden and Atletico Madrid’s 4-0 win over Olympiacos puts the Bianconeri second in Champions League Group A on nine points.

Atleti have 12 points and Olympiacos six. This means the Italians will be qualified for the knockouts with a point against Atletico Madrid in Turin.

A victory over Atleti by two clear goals would allow Juventus to top the group.

“It was a very important game, we knew that we could only win and I am very happy, as the team put in a great performance,” Llorente told Sport Mediaset.

“The whole team worked together and when we had the ball, we played really well. The team is very happy, there is one game to go and it depends on us now. We could even still win the group and want to go for it.

“I dedicate the goal to all the fans who came here to see us, as they are very important.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez
give Juventus UCL hope

Nov 26, 2014

Juventus ended their away day blues to reignite their chances of progressing from Group A of the Champions League with a 2-0 win over Malmo.

Defeats on the road against Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos had left Juve in third place prior to kick off, but second-half goals from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez gave the Italians a crucial win.

Tevez's strike angered Malmo, with Erik Johansson seeing red for dissent, while two of his team-mates were also booked amid the protests.

Juve move up to second place, three points behind Atletico and three clear of Olympiakos going into the final round of fixtures, while Malmo are left to fight for a Europa League place.

Malmo began brightly with Isaac Kiese Thelin enjoying two early sights of goal, but not managing to test Gianluigi Buffon on either occasion.

Instead, Juventus took control of the game as they began to pile up chances.

Robin Olsen pushed Arturo Vidal's drilled effort to safety before holding Andrea Pirlo's free-kick.

Claudio Marchisio's shot just before the half-hour mark was straight at the goalkeeper, while Stephan Lichtsteiner shot wide soon after.

Olsen made a fine save to push Marchisio's volleyed effort around the post for a corner.

Buffon got a rare touch when he held on to Thelin's shot five minutes before the break, while Vidal volleyed wide at the other end.

Pirlo sent a free-kick into the wall and Malmo hung on until the break.

However, the stalemate did not last long into the second half.

Tevez had gone close moments before Llorente broke the deadlock, shooting low past the goalkeeper from Marchisio's assist.

Still Juve came forward, with Tevez shooting wide from close range while Olsen kept out Llorente's header.

Malmo were offering little and Juve finally killed the match off with two minutes to go.

Seconds after Markus Rosenberg had warmed the palms of Buffon, Pogba played in Tevez and he bobbled in a right-footed shot.

Malmo immediately protested with Johansson earning a head-start on his shower and Olsen and Rosenberg also booked.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Malmo 0-2 Juventus: Bianconeri
Make Hard Work Of Swedes

Nov 26, 2014

Juventus have overcome Malmo 2-0 at the Swedbank Stadion on Wednesday evening in the UEFA Champions league.

It was Spaniard Fernando Llorente opened the scoring midway through the second half, followed by a mind-bending strike from Carlos Tevez at the death.

Swedish forward Isaac Kiese Thelin had an early opportunity to put the hosts in the lead, however he squandered his attempt across the face of the goal.

Coach Age Hareide’s men played a high pressing opening half and endeavoured to stretch the Italians on the flanks.

While the Bianconeri enjoyed much of the possession, the home side mostly restricted them to coming forward on the counter.

The Old Lady appeared unsettled in their passing, with both squads conceding easy balls and committing poor fouls.

Indeed the stop start nature of the match clearly rattled coach Massimiliano Allegri’s men whose best chance came from midfielder Arturo Vidal, who drilled the ball towards the goal but was saved by goal keeper Robin Olsen.

Midfielder Claudio Marchisio missed another stellar opportunity when the ball was played over the Malmo defence and directly onto his foot, however a poor touch from the Italian saw the ball land in the hands of Olsen.

Despite a few clear cut chances, it was the Swedes who came forward on any given opportunity and fancied their chances against a laboured Bianconeri squad, who once again were struggling away from home.

Their clear intent was contrasted by the Old Lady’s laziness who were lucky not to concede a penalty in the latter stages of the half following a Vidal smother on Markus Halsti.

However the Bianconeri were a different side after the break and began the second period of play with a renewed hunger and vitality.

It took only four minutes of play, for Spaniard Llorente who scored his fourth goal of the season following a well-timed and isolated run past the home side’s defence and the reach of Olsen.

Stephan Lichsteiner continued to make threatening runs down the right and draw in fouls from the opposition.

In fact it was a free kick awarded to the left-back that nearly saw the Old Lady double her lead, after an Andrea Pirlo’s strike narrowly missed the head of Llorente.

Yet it was a different tale for the Swedish side who played within themselves for much of the second term and continually gave the ball away cheaply, allowing the Bianconeri to advance forward in numbers.

The only clear chance of equalising came off the boot of Kofi Adu whose powerful strike was aimed directly into the chest of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

However it was the likes of Marchisio, Llorente and later Alvaro Morata who continued to be in the midst of the action.

Indeed a Morata shot should have made the score line 2-0 yet his shot deflected off the bar.

Yet only moments later, a long direct ball found Tevez, who struck the ball into the bottom left corner of the net past a helpless Olsen.

The match did not end without controversy with a flurry of cards being shown by Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca, including a red card to Erik Johansson.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Malmo vs. Juventus: Score, Grades
and Reaction from Champions League Game

Nov 26, 2014

Juventus kept their chances of progressing to the next round of the UEFA Champions League alive with a 2-0 win over Malmo on Wednesday, scoring twice in the second half in a dominant performance.

The fixture was overshadowed by a late scuffle that saw multiple players carded and one dismissed for protesting, but the Bianconeri were never threatened by a Malmo team incapable of producing much danger.

As the favourites, Juventus took control of the ball from the opening whistle, pinning the hosts back in their own half. The first shot on goal was for the Swedes, however, with Kiese Thelin angling his drive on the wrong side of the post.

The opening minutes were rather dull, so FourFourTwo's Adam Digby provided a fashion update:

Adam Digby @Adz77
Because it's essential to know, Padoin, Vidal & Lichtsteiner all rocking short sleeves. Pogba too but he has gloves

Malmo did an excellent job of limiting the feed to forwards Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, forcing the Bianconeri to rely on the individual brilliance of Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba. Thelin had another good look on goal, this time smashing his shot well over the bar.

Arturo Vidal's hard shot had goalkeeper Robin Olsen spilling the ball for a moment, but he was on point to deal with an Andrea Pirlo free-kick from a long way out.

Magnus Eriksson tried to emulate Pirlo's free-kick with a long shot of his own, but as shared by Football Italia, his effort turned out to be quite the hilarious one:

footballitalia @footballitalia
Eriksson takes a huge run-up for his free kick... and hits Tevez, who was a one-man wall

The Italians started to increase the pressure, and Marchisio nearly connected with one of Pirlo's patented chipped passes over the top. Juventus tried the move through Vidal minutes later, but Olsen produced a fantastic save with his foot to deny Marchisio from close range.

UEFA.com's Nicklas Vinde was impressed:

Nicklas Vinde @UEFAcomNicklasV
Great save by @Malmo_FF goalkeeper Robin Olsen denies @juventusfc their first goal.

Juventus continued to dominate possession, exposing themselves to counter-attacks. Malmo had a great opportunity for a shock lead minutes before half-time, but Emil Forsberg's shot ruffled the side netting.

The score was 0-0 at half-time, with the Bianconeri dominating the ball but producing too few chances. Determined to change that, Juventus came out firing in the second half, and Olsen had to come up with another fine stop on a ranged effort from Marchisio.

Tevez nearly found himself on the end of a sneaky ball from Marchisio before his attacking partner Llorente finally broke the deadlock, rounding Olsen after a great pass from Marchisio. Here's the Vine, via Football Live Goals:

Football Live Goals @FootyLiveVines
Llorente scores Juve's first of the night!

The goal seemed to take the pressure off Juventus' shoulders, who started passing the ball around more freely. Seemingly desperate for a goal, Marchisio had another crack from range, firing it straight at Olsen.

An excellent cross in from Pirlo had the Bianconeri faithful thinking their team would double the lead, but the ball somehow bounced off Llorente's shoulder and out of play.

Enoch Kofi Adu nearly stunned the visitors when he was afforded too much space to shoot, but Gianluigi Buffon was well aware of the danger and snuffed out the shot.

Simone Padoin found some space on the wing to deliver a good cross for Llorente, but his powerful header was aimed straight at Olsen, who dealt with it comfortably.

Malmo couldn't produce any danger of note, and Juventus were content to take their foot off the pedal, protecting the one-goal lead. Passing the ball around with ease, the Bianconeri forced the hosts to chase the ball all over the pitch, wasting valuable energy.

Markus Rosenberg tried his hand at an overhead kick but couldn't hit it with power thanks to some great defensive work from Giorgio Chiellini, and substitute Alvaro Morata nearly iced the game minutes later, slicing a shot onto the crossbar.

The Vine, via Khaled Al Nouss, shows Morata's effort was a candidate for the list of worst misses of the year:

Khaled Al Nouss @KhaledAlNouss
Morata hits the crossbar. What a miss.
https://vine.co/v/O1VeFDJ3mtH

The young Spaniard redeemed himself moments later, using his body well to get the ball to Pogba, who in turn played in Tevez for the easy finish. DiMarzio's David Amoyal just knew the in-form Argentine would score:

David Amoyal @DavidAmoyal
Tevez has only one goal in a CL away match in his career- with United back in 2008 vs Lyon. I predict he adds to that tally tonight

The hosts were furious with the official for not calling a foul on Morata, resulting in some wild scenes in front of goal. Johansson saw the red card after extended protests, while Olsen, Rosenberg and Morata were also booked during the scuffle.

Rosenberg produced one final chance for the hosts, but his effort was parried by Buffon. Amid rains of boos from the stands and even more arguments on the pitch, the official signaled the end of the match.


Grades

Claudio Marchisio: B

The Italy international sees his grade lowered for the plethora of chances he didn't convert, courtesy of a very strong Olsen. Still, Marchisio was active all night, providing plenty of danger around the box. His great pass set up Llorente for the opener, once again illustrating his wide skill set.

Giorgio Chiellini: B+

A defensive rock, Chiellini continues to show why he's one of the world's best on a weekly basis. Malmo hardly threatened in the first half, but when they did, the big Italian was usually there to make sure nothing came off it.

Robin Olsen: B

Malmo could have realistically been down two or three goals at half-time if it hadn't been for the efforts of Olsen. Frustrating Marchisio in particular, the stopper had another fine night against the Italians.



Post-Match Reaction

FourFourTwo's Adam Digby didn't see Juventus at their best, but ultimately, it didn't matter:

Adam Digby @Adz77
FT 2-0. Poor passing in midfield, some scrappy play on a bad pitch but Juventus take care of business. Job done.

Nicklas Vinde believed Juventus thoroughly deserved the win:

Nicklas Vinde @UEFAcomNicklasV
The referee blows the final whistle and Juventus can travel back to Turin with a deserved win and three important points.

As shared by Juventus' Twitter feed, manager Massimiliano Alergi believes his team has played better than the standings indicate, and he wants his players to rest and focus on Serie A for now:

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "For the performances we've put in so far during the #UCL, we should have more than nine points to our name."

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We have two league games to focus on before Atletico. We can still top the group so need to prepare as best we can"


Post-Match Outlook

The win coupled with Olympiakos' 4-0 loss against Atletico Madrid means Juventus now control their own destiny going into the final matchday. Anything but a loss at home against the Spanish champions will see the Bianconeri qualify for the next round, and a win by two goals or more means they will top Group A.

If Juventus lose, Olympiakos have to beat Malmo to qualify over the Bianconeri. The Swedes can no longer progress to the next round, but a win against Olympiakos would see Malmo leap over the Greeks in the standings and qualify for the Europa League.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Can you hear the drums Fernando?
Llorente finally hits right note for Juventus

The Spanish striker overcame a dreadful start to the season to net
the Bianconeri's most crucial goal of the European campaign so far.

Nov 26, 2014

By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent
Cometh the hour, cometh the Lion King.

Juventus’ recent Champions League history has been littered with trips to Scandinavia which have brought nothing but frustration and regret. Their visit to Nordsjaelland two seasons ago finished with a 1-1 draw which to a large extent was flattering to the Italian champions, while their return to Denmark last year saw two more points dropped against Copenhagen.

The trip to Malmo in Sweden on Wednesday threatened to be another banana skin, with Juve’s hopes of progressing to the round of 16 needing a serious leg-up. But their 2-0 victory put to bed their ills on the road in Europe, and it was their most out-of-form player who won the game for them.

One goal in his first 12 appearances this season had left Fernando Llorente fighting for his future, with Alvaro Morata deputising for two games in early November with reasonable success. The widespread calls for the ex-Real Madrid man to be given an extended run were gathering momentum.

And since returning to the starting XI, Llorente netted twice in the 7-0 drubbing of Parma but then was disappointing once more in the win at Lazio last weekend, hooked just 13 minutes into the second half.

Against Malmo he was given another chance to start and was similarly quiet for long spells. But this time he managed to deliver when it was needed, putting the Bianconeri on the road to victory with the opening goal just after the interval. And it wasn’t a typical Llorente finish either.

The Swedish defence opened up just far enough for Claudio Marchisio to play the ball into space between the back four and goalkeeper Robin Olsen. The Spaniard marched forward, feigned past Olsen and slid the ball beyond two retreating defenders into the back of the net.

It was a huge goal at a crucial point of Juventus’ season. It was only his fourth strike of the campaign, but the Turin outfit have scored few more vital goals in recent memory.

Juve had had chances before then, but so too had Malmo. The home side might even have had a penalty had referee Pedro Proenca had the backbone to whistle for a clear foul by the disappointing Arturo Vidal. Llorente, though, was to be the man of the hour.

One goal, of course, will not silence every critic. But Llorente proved at the Swedbank Stadion that he can still be Juve’s go-to man. He will need to perform on a much more regular basis over the course of this term, yet Wednesday’s goal will act as great currency when Massimiliano Allegri sits down to ponder his first XI for Sunday’s Turin derby and the trip to Fiorentina which follows.

After that, of course, Juve host Atletico Madrid still needing a positive result to assure themselves of progression to the round of 16. But the win in Malmo, with Carlos Tevez’s late second relieving the last remnants of any nerves, at least means a draw will see them through regardless of Olympiakos’ result against the Swedes.

Llorente still has a lot to prove, but his goal is a mammoth first step on the road back to redemption.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Allegri: 'Angry at wasteful Juve'

Nov 26, 2014

Max Allegri wants Juventus to “go for it” against Atletico Madrid, but was “angry” at wasteful finishing in Malmo.

The Bianconeri had lost five of their previous six away games in the Champions League, but won 2-0 in Sweden this evening.

“Qualification and first place are still up for grabs. It won’t be a simple game, but we can win the group and have to go for it,” he told Sport Mediaset.

“I think the team had a good performance. We struggled a little in the first half, as they were pressing us and we couldn’t really pass the ball to feet on that pitch. We had to stay tight and occasionally conceded a counter.

“After the break we played better and Malmo fell away. We just had to finish off the game, which eventually we did.”

Allegri was spotted on the touchline raging, kicking water bottles and screaming at his players.

“I was above all angry in the second half that we didn’t score another goal after Llorente’s opener and it was still open after three really clear chances.

“We ran the risk of conceding from a ricochet or a cross into the box. It happened to us in Madrid and Greece, so when we have the chances to score, we have got to take them.”

A point against Atletico Madrid in Turin would be enough to qualify, but a victory by two clear goals would allow Juve to win the group.

“You approach it trying to win with two clear goals, as topping the group would give us a better draw for the next round. If we have to meet a group winner in the next phase, it’ll be more difficult.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Player Ratings

Nov 26, 2014
 

Malmö FF

25 R. Olsen - Though a number of shots were straight at him, he still pulled off a number of saves. Hard to blame him for the last two goals.

3 A. Tinnerholm - Involved in a few promising attacks in the first half, but could not maintain that effect for the second.

21 E. Johansson - He headed the ball straight to Pogba in the buildup to the second and though he had some justification to call for a foul, he was still sent off for his protests.

4 F. Helander - Caught out on the break for both Juve goals.

20 Ricardinho - Offered nothing in attack and was suspect in the second half.

7 M. Eriksson - Rather wasteful in the end despite seeing a lot of the ball.

8 E. Adu - Had a decent try in the second half, one of the rare positive moments for his side.

6 M. Halsti - Overrun in midfield by the passing and quality of his opponents.

33 E. Forsberg - Led the hosts on the break twice in the first half but could not fashion the requisite end product.

9 M. Rosenberg - Malmo's leading scorer could not get much of a glimpse on goal, apart from a late shot that Buffon saved.

24 I. Thelin - His speed won him a few shooting chances, but he fluffed his lines each time.

 

 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon - Only called into action at the very last, pushing a Rosenberg shot around the post.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - Was not tested much defensively and spent most of his time involved in the build up.

19 L. Bonucci - Solid at the back, though he had nothing to do in the second half.

3 G. Chiellini - Snuffed out every single counter attacking threat that came down his side.

20 S. Padoin - Got forward increasingly in the second half, picking out a few fine crosses.

8 C. Marchisio - His off-the-ball movement was superb, but he could not beat Olsen. However, he instead turned provider, releasing Llorente for the opener.

21 A. Pirlo - Played a few choice passes from deep but was lazy to track back on one potentially crucial occasion.

6 P. Pogba - Set up the second goal by latching onto a knock down and sliding a great pass into Tevez.

23 A. Vidal - Broke up play and was heavily involved in the final third, linking well with his teammates.

10 C. Tévez - Came close a few times before a fortunate finish clinched the game for Juve. Set up Morata for a great chance to boot.

14 F. Llorente - Raced onto a through ball to round the keeper for the opening goal of the game.


Substitutes

37 R. Pereyra - Added some poise on the ball against tired Malmo legs.

9 Álvaro Morata - Hit the bar from an embarrassingly open position.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Player Ratings: Malmo 0-2 Juventus

Nov 26, 2014

Juventus defeated Malmo 2-0 at the Swedbank Stadion in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Fernando Llorente grabbed the opener with a calm just after half time, finish before Carlos Tevez wrapped up any doubt in the dying moments of the game.

 

Malmö FF

Robin Olson – 5.5 – Blockade - Made some good saves including a peach to deny Marchisio, even though the Italian should really have scored. Could do nothing for either goal conceded.

Anton Tinnerholm – 5 – Sturdy - Was solid for the most part ended up on the losing side. Was taken off for a more attacking approach with the addition of Rakip with five minutes to go.

Erik Johansson – 3 – Anger - Lost his head after Juventus’ second goal due to the referee not pulling play back for a foul. Not that his sending off affected how the match would end. A shame if his parents were in attendance though.

Filip Helander – 4.5 – Weak - Arguably the weakest of the back-line and failed to control the quick movement of Tevez and failed to track the run of Llorente for the game’s opening goal.

Richardinho – 5 – Name - Will always win the award for best named player of the game, but sadly the Brazilian was just as helpless to trying to salvage something for his team.

Magnus Eriksson – 6 – Eagle - Pinged the ball very well around his players in the first half, but seemed to fade out of the game as the match got away from the home side. Can be proud of his performance.

Enoch Adu – 5 – Clever - Much like Eriksson, made some smart passes including a quick touch and flick to striker Kiese Thelin at the end of the first half. Was marked out of the game in the second and thus rendered ineffective.

Markus Halsti – 4.5 – Obsolete - Didn’t offer much compared to his midfield buddies and was bypassed for most of the game. Ran about a fair bit but ultimately wasn’t in the match at all.

Emil Forsberg – 5 – Fearless - Enjoyed running at the Juventus backline during the first half and looked like he could be the key to unlocking the opening goal, instead, faded just like every other Malmo player sadly.

Markus Rosenberg – 5.5 – Tried - Caused a few problems at the back for the Bianconeri but to no avail. Forced Buffon into a great save in the final minute but by then the game was done. Picked up a booking for dissent at the end as well.

Isaac Kiese Thelin – 6 – Hassle - Was a shame to see him go off in the final 20 minutes as he was a constant threat the first 45 minutes and Malmo’s brightest attacking threat . Gave Bonucci the slip a couple of times but most of his shots fell comfortably for Buffon.


Substitutes

Pawel Cibicki – 5 – Youngster - If in doubt, throw a 20-year-old onto the field to try and spark your team into life. He didn’t, but it would be a good experience for him. Likewise for 18-year-old Erdal Rakip’s five minutes on the field.

Erdal Rakip – N/A

 
 

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon – 6 – Stopper - Commanded his defence well when called upon and knew exactly how to deal with anything that was thrown at him. Not much really in hindsight, but it’s a clean sheet, so Gigi won’t be complaining.

Stephan Lichtsteiner – 5 – Forgotten - Forgot the Swiss was even on the field for pretty much the entire game. Bypassed in the first but made some decent, expected runs in the second. Not a typical performance by his standards.

Leonardo Bonucci – 6 – Resolute - A good word to describe such a player, did his job well and effectively. Does however need to realise he can’t ping a pass like Pirlo, but he still tries to anyway. Every.single.game.

Giorgio Chiellini – 6.5 – Solid - Made a great clearing block from a Malmo cross in the second half and proved sturdy at the back during a rocky first half for the Bianconeri. Was outmuscled a couple of times, which is unlike him.

Simone Padoin – 6 – Played - Can’t give much of a run-down of Padoin’s performance as he didn’t really do much. Is picked for his form has been clear to see and deserved to start, but lacked in anything truly spectacular.

Claudio Marchisio – 6 – Improvement - On assessment of prior games, Marchisio was definitely better. Was unlucky on two occasions with the fact his legs aren’t long enough, or getting high enough to bring down two balls that should have led to goals. Made a great defence splitting ball for Llorente’s opener however, which was of vital important.

Andrea Pirlo – 5.5 – Different - It wasn’t your typical Pirlo performance, with some passes being exquisite whilst some were just plain lazy, including one pass following a poor free-kick by the magician himself that led to a Malmo counter. Wasted a few good freekicks too.

Paul Pogba – 6 – Worker - Worked well during the game and grabbed an assist for his troubles. Impressed on occasion with some good passing but failed to show the flair we know he has.

Arturo Vidal – 5 – Slacked - Every Juventus fan must just be asking what has happened to their Chilean. Immense last season, he has failed to shine thus far and it was evident today. Sloppy passes are still in his game as he makes problems for himself. Mind must be on other things.

CARLOS TEVEZ – 7 – Goalscorer - You know a good striker by their movement alone and Tevez does that with a plomb. Twists and turns from his defenders with ease and got a fairly deserved goal to clinch all three points at the end with a smart finish.

Fernando Llorente – 6.5 – Matchwinner - Scored the goal which gave his team a massive three points and brought a dire game into some form of worth. Took his goal cooly as he rounded Olsen. Made way for Morata with about twenty left on the clock.


Substitutes

Alvaro Morata – 5 – Miss - Arrived onto the scene with time to shine, ran about a bit before missing from point blank range when it was easier to score, smashing his effort onto the bar from a Tevez cut-back.

Roberto Pereyra – 5 – Booking - Only gets a rating and adjective because he came on with about seven minutes to go and got the first booking of the game after being on the field for 90 seconds.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Marchisio: 'Ignore permutations'

Nov 26, 2014

Claudio Marchisio discussed his versatility after Juventus earned a 2-0 victory at Malmo and looks forward to Atletico Madrid.

“I made mistakes on my chances and aimed too close to the goalkeeper. We are happy with the performance, especially in the second half, as we brought home the three points,” he told Sport Mediaset.

“Let’s just say we now have experience of bad pitches in Europe after Istanbul last year! We knew the pitch would be difficult, but we adapted and in the second half played our usual fluid football.”

A point against Atletico Madrid in Turin will be enough to qualify them, but a win by two clear goals would even make Juventus the group leaders.

In fact, Juve could even lose to Atleti and qualify if Olympiacos fail to beat Malmo.

“Now we will think of Atletico. We mustn’t look at the permutations and instead go only for the victory. We took the game to Atletico in Madrid and were unlucky not to score there.

“The team has been playing very well for the last month. I don’t have a specific position that I prefer. I’ve played many roles with criticism and praise. Over the years I must say I just try to give my contribution in any role.

“Since I’ve been playing a little deeper and closer to the defence I get more touches and that’s certainly enjoyable, even if I am further away from the goal.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Tevez: Juventus Can Do Better

Nov 26, 2014

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez believes his side can continue to improve after putting themselves on the verge of Champions League qualification with a 2-0 success away to Malmo.

The Argentinean struck late in the game after Fernando Llorente had opened the scoring as the Bianconeri put one foot in the knockout stages of the competition.

He told Sky Sport Italia afterwards: “The pitch was not a good one for the game but for my goal it favoured me so I can’t complain!

“In the first half, we did not play well but after the goal from Llorente it opened the game up for us. We are Juventus and we must grow. We know that we can improve and that we can do better even if this time it was important to win.”

Tevez also said that one of the secrets to their success is down to the players simply having fun and enjoying themselves on the field but refused to be drawn on choosing between Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

“There are so many pressures on you as a player [for Juventus] and we players have to prove that we can have fun on the field which we do,” he added.

“That is a great help because having fun makes you play better. It is important to have fun because it also eases the pressure.

“Conte or Allegri? Both are phenomenal.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Allegri: Juventus want to beat
Atletico to top spot

The Bianconeri only need a point from their final fixture to progress to the last-16
but their coach says the Italian champions will be targeting a victory by two clear goals.

Nov 26, 2014

Massimiliano Allegri says Juventus will go all out to beat Atletico Madrid to top spot in Champions League Group A when the pair collide in Turin next month.

The Bianconeri defeated Malmo 2-0 in Sweden on Wednesday night to move second in the standings, three points behind the already-qualified Rojiblancos, but three ahead of third-placed Olympiakos.

As things stand, Juve need only a draw to book their place in the last-16 but Allegri insists the Italian champions will do everything they can to overturn their head-to-head deficit against Atletico, having been beaten 1-0 by Diego Simeone's men at the Vicente Calderon on matchday two.

"We must try to win - and do so by two clear goals because we have the chance to finish first," he told Sky Sport Italia.

"It will be a beautiful evening but we will have to get a good result in order to seal our qualification and claim first place."

As for the win over Malmo, which came courtesy of second-half strikes from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez, Allegri was pleased with the way in which his players coped with the cold conditions and a difficult playing surface.

However, the former AC Milan boss was frustrated by Juve's failure to break Malmo's game resistance before Tevez struck with two minutes of normal time remaining.

"We should have closed the game out earlier but, in the circumstances, the boys have played a good game.

"Malmo ran a lot. The pitch didn't help us. We gave the ball away too many times and also wasted too many goalscoring chances.

"The second half was easier but we still should have finished them off sooner."

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Malmö 0 - 2 Juventus: Initial
reaction and random observations

Nov 27, 2014

As much as Juventus tried to 'Euro Juventus' the whole thing up Wednesday night's trip to Scandinavia, the adjustments Max Allegri made at halftime were just too much for the Old Lady's European wackiness.

Juventus looked a lot like they had in the previous Champions League encounters over the first half. Their attack was rather drab, their build-up play not exactly the best or most imaginative. But you could tell the switch went off at halftime, and they showed it right away. Juventus used second-half goals from the Beauty and the Beast Combination of Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tévez to beat Malmö 2-0. And, thanks to Atlético Madrid's dismantling of Olympiacos, enter the final group stage game of 2014 all alone in second place.

Not exactly what we envisioned when Juve were struggling to do much of anything all those weeks back in Madrid, now is it?

But Juventus have rebounded, and are actually playing good football for a change compared to the first half of this year's group stage. Instead of lagging for 90 minutes, Allegri was able to adapt, noticing that something needed to be fixed and executing it exactly how they should have. They not only dominated possession in the second half, but dominated the scoring chances as well.

And because of it, Juventus are where they are now. Some in-game adaptation — no matter who it comes from — is quite nice to see, if you ask me.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@ClaMarchisio8: "We managed to raise the intensity and find greater space in which to play after the interval."

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We created a lot after the break but should have put the game to bed earlier - that's where we need to improve."

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "I didn't think Malmo could maintain their first-half tempo and so it proved."

All they need against Atlético Madrid is one measly point. Although three points would be pretty cool.


Random thoughts and observations

Seriously, how pretty was Claudio Marchisio's assist on Llorente's goal?

Seriously, how did Fernando Llorente outrun all of Malmö's defenders on his goal?

I've been known to say a nice thing or two about Marchisio when he plays really well, and that's not going to change today, people. The assist on the go-ahead goal is the headliner on a very good performance, but this was as active and attack-minded I can remember Marchisio being in a good amount of time. Other than his not-so-great finishing in front of goal, it was one of the best I've seen Marchisio play this season. And even then, it took a couple of absolutely fantastic saves to keep Marchisio off the scoresheet Wednesday night.

He has clearly been one of Juventus' most consistent players the last month or so. And if this new tactical approach by Allegri means a better Marchisio, that's nothing but a good development.

At times on Wednesday night, Arturo Vidal looked like the Arturo Vidal of old. But in the big picture, he's still struggling to regain any kind of good form this season.

Speaking of players who looked more like their old selves, Giorgio Chiellini was an absolute rock in defense — especially in the first half when Malmö actually gave the Juventus defense some problems.

Fifteen starts in all competitions for Carlos Tévez this season, 12 goals scored in those games. He's in such good goal-scoring form that he can absolutely scuff a shot and it will still find the back of the net. Must be nice, Carlitos.

Although, that goal from Tévez probably should have never happened because of a foul on Álvaro Morata. But based on the kind of night the referee had, I'm not surprised he missed a clearly foul that happened right in front of him.

Gigi Buffon with shutouts in four of Juventus' last five games. It's not just the offense that is greatly benefiting from Allegri's formation change.

Just for the record: That pitch was Galatasaray bad, but it was pretty terrible. When you can see the ball bouncing a couple inches off the ground on simple passes, then you know it's not even close to being a good thing.

Juventus is still undefeated when Simone Padoin starts at left back. Just throwing it out there.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Malmo 0-2 Juventus: Fernando Llorente
and Carlos Tévez score in vital away win

Nov 27, 2014

It was the kind of night that Juventus fans have learned to dread in recent years, a Champions League away trip to a Scandinavian team where only a win would suffice. A goalless first half kept Juventus fans on edge until Fernando Llorente broke the deadlock, with Carlos Tévez adding a late second to record a 2-0 win that has been a long time coming.

Juventus traveled to Sweden in fantastic form, with Massimiliano Allegri's switch to a four-man defense seeing four straight wins recorded by the resounding combined margin of 15-2. Those two goals did however come in Champions League play, where the Juventus defense has been much leakier. Juventus did record a clean sheet against Malmö in the Juventus Stadium, and another 2-0 result in Sweden is exactly what Juventus needed.

The pitch in Sweden was cutting up even before the game began, and with Juventus coming out in their green jerseys, the early omens felt a tad worrying. The bad feeling continued into the first half as Juve created few chances and gave Malmö hope of their own, with the Swedish side able to pass around comfortably and create the occasional chance by putting long balls into the Juventus box. None of the early chances were very good, but Malmö generally competed well.

As Juventus came to grips with the pitch conditions and the physical style of the hosts, creases began to appear in the Malmö defense. Claudio Marchisio was twice able to run behind the Swedish defense onto excellent chipped passes from Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal as the Old Lady bared her teeth.

The second half showed a newly determined Juventus, with the full knowledge that this was their last chance. Fail to score and the Champions League dream would again be over too early for the Italian champions. In the end the deadlock only lasted for a few minutes, as Fernando Llorente was able to race clear and make his chance count. Juventus saw out the remainder of the game fairly comfortably, with Carlos Tévez adding a deserved second in stoppage time.

In the end it was the kind of victory we expect when Juventus goes away to Europe's lesser lights, and which too often failed to materialize in the past few years. Next the Bianconeri can look ahead to emotional clashes with Torino and Fiorentina before the crunch clash with Atlético Madrid, knowing that a draw with the Spanish champions will see them through to the knockout stages.


MATCH SUMMARY

As soon as Malmo kicked the ball off from the center circle this looked like another difficult away day in Scandinavia, with the well-drilled and physical home side happy to stick together in defense and look for long balls into their strikers. The best chances of the early minutes went to the home side, as Juventus struggled to play the ball cleanly out from defense and were occasionally caught flat-footed by Malmö's physical strike partnership.

Juventus grew into the game as the half went along, and the counterattacking game that was so deadly against Lazio appeared once again with Vidal forcing a save out of Olsen when he perhaps should have scored following excellent work from Stephan Lichtsteiner down the right. Juventus began recovering the ball higher up the pitch, and forcing Malmö into a defensive shell, but the finishing was not quite there.

Clipped balls over the top were a constant source of danger for the home side, with Pirlo in particular reveling in the space provided in front of Malmö's defensive lines. Twice Marchisio broke through the Swedish defense, but was unable to beat Olsen in net. A couple of late counterattacks nearly produced chances in on goal as the strikers and advanced midfielders played quick combinations, but Malmö and the linesman did just enough to keep the scoreline at 0-0 into the break.

Whatever Allegri said at halftime certainly had the desired effect, as Juventus came out on a mission to get at the Malmö goal. Marchisio had another good chance after Llorente hooked a high ball down for the Italian midfielder, but again his finish was too central. Minutes later Paul Pogba created another good chance for Marchisio, flicking the ball through the last line of defense, but Malmö recovered and when the ball came in again Tévez just missed it at the far post.

With all this pressure the goal was surely coming, and in the 49th minute Llorente made it 1-0. Marchisio was again involved, with a perfect pass along the ground that split the Malmö defense wide open and put the Spanish striker in on goal, where he was able to round the keeper and slot home.

The goal certainly relieved some of the pressure on Juventus, and with the goal that they needed control and patience became the order of the day. Malmö didn't seem to have a more aggressive gameplan in store for chasing the game, and Juventus was happy to keep the ball and watch the clock wind down, while always searching for a killer second goal. Pirlo took a guiding role as the game became more controlled, directing traffic and always looking for the killer pass to put a man in on goal.

Although Malmö were contained fairly well, the home side continued to threaten the Juventus defense with simple high balls into the box. Set-pieces were a constant danger for Juventus with just the one-goal lead, with corners, free kicks, and even long-throws causing a bit of nerves considering the narrow margin for error.

On 70 minutes, Llorente had a good chance for his second, when Padoin provided an excellent cross only to see his header saved. Álvaro Morata came on to replace his countryman just after, and Juventus could have sealed the result when countering off a Malmö corner, only for Vidal to miscue his pass. Juventus continued to create chances through the onrushing midfielders, but the home side nearly crashed the party when a late free kick found a Malmö head in the box, only for Chiellini and Buffon to react quickest and deal with the danger.

Morata had a fantastic chance to make the scoreline safe on 87 minutes after his fellow substitute Roberto Pereyra dribbled to the byline and Tévez produced a fantastic cross, but somehow hit the crossbar from inside the six-yard box. But finally the second did come, and Morata played a vital role.

Chiellini played a long ball out of defense for Morata to contest, and while Malmö complained of a foul the referee saw nothing wrong as the ball rebounded to Paul Pogba. The French midfielder rolled the ball across to Tévez for a confident first-time finish to finally put the game out of reach in the 91st minute. Two Malmö players were booked for their protests, including a second yellow for center back Johansson.

Malmö did create one more chance, with Rosenberg firing near post following a run from substitute Cibicky, but it was well-saved by Buffon. So 2-0 it finished, which, combined with Atlético Madrid's 4-0 win over Olympiacos, means that a draw will be enough for Atleti and Juve to go through to the next round, with Juventus needing a two-goal victory to finish 1st. While qualification remains uncertain, today's results were certainly what the Old Lady ordered.


LE PAGELLE

Buffon: 6 Once again left with little to do, the Italian goalkeeper showed once again that he doesn't need constant action to be at his best with an excellent late stop on Rosenberg.

Lichtsteiner: 6.5 The Swiss Express has been in excellent form of late, with the switch to a four-man backline doing nothing to hinder his attacking output.

Bonucci: 6 The challenge today was mostly in the air, where Bonucci was able to hold his own. His distribution was a bit erratic at times, but defensively he did the job.

Chiellini: 6.5 Like his partner, Chiellini held his own while frequently challenged in the air. A physical game that played right into his hands, the hardman also contributed to the second goal.

Padoin: 5.5 Again showed the difficulties of playing out of position, allowing several crosses in and only sporadically contributing in attack. One of these contributions did lead to a good chance for Llorente.

Pogba: 6.5 The Frenchman didn't have his best day in recent weeks but his physicality and technique repeatedly kept the ball for Juventus in tight spaces. Did well defensively to cover the back four.

Pirlo: 6 The bearded veteran had a mixed performance early on, with one poor giveaway nearly gifting Malmö an opener. However, as the game wore on, his influence became much greater and could easily have led to assists.

Marchisio: 7.5 Constantly running behind the opposing defense and always willing to have a shot, Marchisio was the standout performer for Juventus. With a bit more luck in his finishing could have bagged a hat trick.

Vidal: 6 Although he can never be faulted for effort and defensive ability, Vidal's attacking has left something to be desired. While last year every shot seemed to fly past the keeper, this year has been a bit more of a struggle for the Chilean.

Llorente: 6 A tough first half for the Spaniard in which he hardly touched the ball was more than eclipsed with a vital goal just after the break. Could have added another with two good headed chances.

Tévez: 7 All-action and with the technique and decision-making to get the final touch just right, Carlos Tévez is in some of the form of his life. Made himself available as an outlet on the counter and scored a well-taken insurance goal.


Substitutes:

Morata: 6 Brought on for Llorente in the 71st minute, Morata played a vital role in Tévez's goal by contesting the long ball. Should have really gotten the second himself when he somehow hit the crossbar from Tévez's cross just before.

Pereyra: 6 The Argentine came in for Marchisio and took on the role behind the strikers. Always willing to take on his man and dribble into the box, Pereyra showed his defensive side by stopping a Malmö counter and earning yellow for his trouble.


Coach:

Allegri: 7 A lot could have gone wrong in this match, especially after enduring a goalless first-half, but the coach's halftime talk reinvigorated the side. The four-man defense continues its undefeated run, with Juventus having won all five games since dropping the sweeper. Allegri continues to get things right on the bench and is very much winning over the Juventus faithful.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Marchisio: Atletico clash like
a final for Juventus

The Italy international has stressed that the Bianconeri are not there just yet
and has urged his team-mates to again give everything against the Spanish outfit.

Nov 27, 2014

Claudio Marchisio has stressed that Juventus' last Champions League group game against Atletico Madrid will be like a final after they moved into second place in their group following Wednesday's 2-0 win over Malmo.

Goals from Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez helped the Serie A champions to a vital win over the Swedish champions and saw them leapfrog Olympiakos in the table, lying three points ahead of the Greek side.

Juve now need a draw at home against Atleti to clinch a spot in the last 16, while a win by a two-goal margin means they will finish as group winners.

"Against Atletico it will be like a final. We played well against them in Madrid, even though we ended up losing," Marchisio told Uefa's official website.

"Qualification is the most important thing. We will try to win the last game and if things go well, we will also try to score more and finish first.

"Now we must focus on Atletico. It's the last game and we've suffered a lot in this group but we approach this game in the best condition. We will try to play well against Atlético knowing that if results go our way, we'll qualify."

The midfielder then went on to voice his satisfaction with his side's performance against Malmo.

"It was not an easy game but we finally managed to win. Malmo created problems, especially in the first half, but in the second half we played much better and scored the goal which broke the deadlock. These three points are crucial for us.

"We knew they were going to play long balls and our coach had told us that we had to be ready on second balls in order to win possession. Both Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente used the spaces their defence left well and we were able to exploit that."

Juventus resume domestic action at home against Torino on Sunday.

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

MALMÖ FF - JUVENTUS

0 - 2

Fernando Llorente (49')
Carlos Tévez (88')

Wednesday, November 26th, 2014 - 8:45 PM
Swedbank Stadion, Malmö
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença (Portugal)

Padoin: Malmo Were Just Long
Balls And Physicality

Nov 28, 2014

Juventus full-back Simone Padoin has claimed that Champions League opponents Malmo offered little more than long balls and physicality, but once the Bianconeri relaxed and found some fluidity could have won by more than a two-goal margin.

It was the 30-year-olds third consecutive match under new coach Massimiliano Allegri and he praised the former AC Milan coach for having faith in his ability and aims to continue giving his all to remain in the side.

“We knew it would not be an easy match,” Padoin told Juventus.com.

“We suffered from the continuous long balls in the first half and their pressure was constant, but in the second half settled down and we relaxed.

“You saw another Juventus, and we could do even more goals.

“I played pretty simple.

“I’m happy the coach has decided to focus on me as a left-back, and I do so with the utmost enthusiasm as possible.

“When the team achieves these results thanks to my efforts I am twice as happy.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/49/uefa-champions-league/group?ICID=MP_TN_166

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

-

Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Agnelli: ‘Juve play to win’

Nov 27, 2014

​Andrea Agnelli says Juventus always look to win every game, as he and Torino counterpart Urbano Cairo preview the Turin derby.

The Bianconeri host Il Toro on Sunday evening looking to stretch an unbeaten run against their city rivals to 17 League games.

Ahead of that, the club’s two Presidents came together at the presentation for Turin’s award as European Capital of Sport for 2015.

“Juventus always go out on to the pitch to win, and then, Torino have not won and have not even scored in a derby for 15 years,” Agnelli reflected to reporters present, before touching on a more serious topic.

“We must eliminate violence and racism from the stadiums, but not the teasing, which is the salt of this sport.”

In response to Agnelli’s preview, Cairo considered: “We are currently focused on the game with Club Brugge, then we will focus on the derby.

“We all want to put in a great performance against Juventus.

“It is true, since I have been here this game has not given me much joy, but I hope that this year, having seen us return to Europe, things can change.”

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

-

Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus V Torino – Preview: Are 19 Years
Of Derby Della Mole Hurt Set To End?

Nov 27, 2014

Juventus play host to fierce rivals Torino in the highly anticipated Derby della Mole on Sunday evening, knowing a win for the Bianconeri will maintain their lead in the Serie A standings.

Both teams will be desperate for the three points, but for obviously different reasons as they are situated at opposite ends of the table.

The home side are the undisputed favourites as they sit comfortably at the summit of the table on 31 points, three points ahead of second placed Roma.

Juventus have been in flying form since their 1-0 shock loss away to Genoa back in October, triumphant in their previous three domestic outings, which included impressive victories against Parma and Lazio, beating them 7-0 and 3-0 respectively.

Stark contrast to Torino’s underwhelming campaign as they have inevitably struggled, due to the departures of Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile over the summer.

The visitors have accumulated just 12 points and lie precariously in 15th spot. However, the lacklustre performances could be attributed to the midweek travel the side has endured competing in the Europa League after a 20 year absence. Something which has certainly been difficult to manage for coach Giampiero Ventura, given the obvious lack of depth when compared to a wealthier club.

Last weekend’s disappointing 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Sassuolo only rubbed salt further into the wounds of the traveling side.

The corresponding fixture last season, saw the Bianconeri edge pass the Toro defeating them 1-0 courtesy of a first half goal from Carlos Tevez. And incredibly, Torino haven’t scored in this fixture – in Serie A – for 12 years, and haven’t won it since a 3-2 win in 1995.

Juve will be without defenders Andrea Barzagli and Martin Caceres, as well as Kwadwo Asamoah, while Simone Padoin will miss the game due picking up a suspension after being sent off against Lazio last week. Former Torino man Angelo Ogbonna also remains doubtful for the match, but could feature after straining his hamstring.

For Torino, the Granata will have to do without youngster Marco Benassi, and midfielders Ruben Perez and Migjen Basha.


Expected Starting XIs

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Pereyra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal; Tevez, Llorente

Torino: Gillet; Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti; Peres, Vives, Gazzi, Darmian; El Kaddouri, Farnerud, Quagliarella

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

-

Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus vs. Torino: Key Issues
and Decisions That Will Shape Serie A Game

Nov 28, 2014

Over the past few weeks, Juventus have rounded into what is comfortably their best form of the year. After overwhelming a poor Parma side before the international break, the Bianconeri continued with another emphatic win last weekend.

That 3-0 defeat of an impressive Lazio side—reviewed here—was arguably their best performance of 2014-15, and they followed that with victory in the Champions League. Dispatching Malmo 2-0, Massimiliano Allegri’s side are now just one point away from qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition.

Atletico Madrid will visit Juventus Stadium in two weeks' time for that key fixture, but for now, attention must revert to domestic matters. If the Bianconeri needed any additional reason to concentrate fully on taking care of business in Serie A, the identity of this weekend’s opponents should provide it.

Sunday sees the 230th edition of the Turin derby as Torino make the short trip across town to face their local rivals. The game may not possess the animosity seen when Roma and Lazio go head-to-head or the glamour of the Milan derby, but it has always been a hotly contested matchup.

Thanks to their dominant form of recent decades, Juventus have enjoy clear ascendancy over the Granata, winning 95 of those clashes and losing just 72. Yet their opponents will see the latest meeting as a chance to boost their own poor form, having won just three times thus far in the current campaign.

Over the following pages is a look at the key issues and decisions that will shape the game, closely analysing factors that could determine the result.


Juventus Midfield Must Exert Dominance

One notable point from Wednesday’s win over Malmo was the continued poor performances of the Juventus midfield. While Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio acquitted themselves well, both Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal were once again poor for the Bianconeri.

Their Champions League performances were analysed here, and although Pirlo has been much better in Serie A, the form of Vidal remains a concern. Allegri would perhaps be advised to rest the Chilean, making space in the starting line-up for the impressive Roberto Pereyra.

Since arriving from Udinese, the versatile 23-year-old has steadily improved, enjoying his best performance in the win over Lazio. That display—singled out for praise here—saw him notch an assist on Pogba’s second goal and stats site WhoScored.com shows he added two tackles and one interception.


Fabio Quagliarella to Haunt Old Lady

Fabio Quagliarella moved from Juventus to Torino this past summer, ending a four-year stint with the Bianconeri which saw him win three league titles. Having scored some vital goals, his switch to the club’s cross-town rivals came as something of a surprise, but was a return of sorts for the 31-year-old striker.

Quagliarella began his career with Torino, and is currently their leading scorer this term with four league goals. However, he has not netted in Serie A for over a month, and he would surely love to find the back of the net against the club who released him so readily.

“I do not think that I regret leaving Juve,” he told Sky Italia in October (h/t Forza Italian Football). “The more time passes, the more you know.” The Bianconeri defence will be well aware of the danger he poses, and neutralising their former team-mate will be vital if they are to claim all three points.


Carlos Tevez to Continue His Impressive Form

Netting his third Champions League strike of the campaign on Wednesday, Carlos Tevez took his season tally to 12 goals in all competitions. Also weighing in with five assists, the Argentinean striker has been in unstoppable form, scoring four times in his last three appearances.

Having scored the only goal in this fixture last term, Juventus will once again look to the 30-year-old to lead them to victory.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

-

Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus-Torino Preview: Champions
target 25 wins in a row in derby

Massimiliano Allegri's men are on the brink of an impressive landmark
and can clinch the figure with a home win over their local rivals this weekend.

Nov 28, 2014

Juventus can make it 25 home Serie A wins in a row when they host city rivals Torino on Sunday.

The run, which has seen Juve score 64 goals and concede just 11, stretches back to the beginning of last season and is two matches away from spanning the calendar year of 2014.

The first of those fixtures comes in the Derby della Mole this weekend, and coach Massimiliano Allegri will be keen to see the defending champions maintain their three-point advantage at the summit of the Italian top flight.

Juve come into this clash on the back of a 2-0 Champions League win at Malmo on Wednesday, which sent Allegri's men a step closer to qualifying for the knockout stages.

And defender Leonardo Bonucci believes the result puts Juve on a surer footing in the competition, leaving them to focus on the weekend clash with Torino.

"It was an important win, mainly because we wanted it right from the off," he told the club's website. "Getting the victory meant putting one foot in the next round.

"We'll go all out at home to secure qualification or perhaps even pip first spot in the group."

The win signalled a fourth on the bounce since Allegri tinkered with his formation to play four, rather than three, at the back.

And Bonucci feels the new tactics, which helped Juve come from behind to beat Olympiakos when they were introduced earlier this month, will serve the team well both domestically and in Europe.

"Since then we've persisted with this tactical mindset and it's allowed us to become stronger and even more positive, especially in Europe," he continued.

But Bonucci knows that Europe must now take a back seat, adding: "As always, winning [in the derby] is all that matters."

And Juve have an excellent track record when it comes to getting one over their near neighbours - unbeaten in the last 16 league fixtures between the sides.

The last time Torino got the better of Juve was back in 1995, and a poor start to the current campaign sees them languishing down in 15th in the Serie A table - their most recent setback was a 1-0 home defeat to Sassuolo.

Juve, who are on a five-match winning run in all competitions, will be without midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah for Sunday's fixture, with the Ghanaian scheduled to undergo and arthroscopic procedure on a knee injury next week.


OPTA FACTS

“Derby della Mole” number 139 in Serie A – Juventus lead by 63 wins to 34.

Juventus are unbeaten in the last 16 games against Torino in Serie A (W12,D4).

The Bianconeri have won their last six derbies against Torino.


LAST FIVE MATCHES

Juventus W W W W W

11/26/14 - Malmö 0 - 2 Juventus
11/22/14 - Lazio 0 - 3 Juventus
11/9/14 - Juventus 7 - 0 Parma
11/4/14 - Juventus 3 - 2 - Olympiakos
11/1/14 - Empoli 0 - 2 Juventus


Torino D L L L D

11/27/14 - Torino 0 - 0 Club Brugge
11/23/14 - Torino 0 - 1 Sassuolo
11/9/14 - Roma 3 - 0 Torino
11/6/14 - Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi 2 - 1 Torino
11/2/14 - Torino 0 - 0 Atalanta


HEAD TO HEAD

2/23/14 - Juventus 1 - 0 Torino
9/29/13 - Torino 0 - 1 Juventus
4/28/13 - Torino 0 - 2 Juventus
12/1/12 - Juventus 3 - 0 Torino
3/7/09 - Torino 0 - 1 Juventus

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

-

Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus vs. Torino: Full Derby della Mole Preview

Nov 28, 2014

The rivalry between Juventus and Torino doesn't get as much press as Inter vs. Milan, but Turin's local derby is older—the oldest in Italy, in fact—and just as intense.

Sunday will mark the 165th league meeting between the two city rivals. The Bianconeri will be flying high after big wins against Lazio and Malmo; Torino will be picking up the pieces after returning from the international break with a 1-0 loss to Sassuolo and a goalless draw against Club Brugge.

Who will have the upper hand in Sunday's clash? Here we'll take a deeper look at the matchup to find out.


Juventus Overview

The Bianconeri have been on a roll since Massimiliano Allegri switched the team from a three-man to a four-man defensive system.

The change came against Olympiacos in the Champions League on November 4. Juve scratched out a 3-2 victory over the Greek champions, then unleashed their new tactics on Parma, who were no match for the champions and were annihilated 7-0.

That form continued after the international break with a 3-0 thrashing of Lazio in Rome. A 2-0 victory in Wednesday's must-win Champions League tie against Malmo capped off a run of excellent form that has seen the team win every game they have played since their last-second loss to Genoa on October 29.

With Roma still only three points behind them, any slip-up can drastically change the title race. A derby match is always a potential place for a slip-up. There is also the potential for a drop in focus following an important victory in Europe. The challenge here will be for the players to keep their focus and avoid the sort of let down that would let their pursuers catch up.


Torino Overview

It's been a rough season for Torino.

Il Toro had a wonderful year in 2013-14. They were an Alessio Cerci penalty away from sixth place and were allowed to enter European competition when Parma were denied a UEFA license after they failed to pay bills on time.

The summer transfer window hurt them, though. Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile—the most prolific strike duo the team had seen since the 1970s—were sold to Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund respectively, and the club wasn't able to adequately replace them.

The result has left the team with a dismal attack. They've scored just seven goals in Serie A this season—second to last in the league—and have only managed four more in the Europa League. They haven't scored in a league game since their 1-0 victory over Parma on October 29 and have only scored more than one goal once in their 12 league games.

The team should get through to the round of 32 in the Europa League, but their scoring struggles have left them 15th in Serie A and in desperate need of a shot in the arm in order to make a run at the top half of the table.


Key Players: Juventus

Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez is on fire.

A look at his numbers on WhoScored.com will likely leave a reader breathless. Between Serie A and the Champions League, Tevez has scored 12 goals in 16 appearances, notched five assists and is averaging 2.6 key passes per game. That run includes four goals and an assist in his last three contests.

It was clear last year that Tevez is the top-level striker Juve have been hungering for since they started their current run of success in 2011, but his form is turning otherworldly.

In seasons past, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal have been considered the linchpins of the club. But with both having dealt with injuries this season, Tevez has grabbed that mantle by the scruff of the neck.

Torino will be hoping they can keep the Argentine at bay.


Stephan Lichtsteiner

Switzerland international Stephan Lichtsteiner was easily the best player on the field for Juve against Malmo on Wednesday.

Lichtsteiner has looked lively since the transition to a back four. Allowed to play his natural position once again after two-and-a-half years of playing as a wing-back in a 3-5-2, the right-back is getting forward and overlapping well on the wing while providing solid flank defense.

He may have produced the moment of the game against Malmo. A lazy pass by Pirlo had allowed Emil Forsberg to break with only Lichtsteiner between him and Gianluigi Buffon. The Swiss gave ground, containing the midfielder but never committing to a challenge that could have easily led to a disastrous equalizer. He covered nearly two thirds of the field like this before Forsberg finally put his shot well wide.

Lictsteiner is an old-school player who is deeply committed to the team. Put him in front of a brick wall and say "run," and he will charge the thing until he's on the other side. He will likely be matched against talented Torino wing-back Matteo Darmian—a tantalizing matchup that could go a long way to deciding who takes points from the match.


Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba's stock keeps going up and up.

The 21-year-old Frenchman is now routinely drawing comparisons to the likes of Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane. That both French legends played in the black-and-white shirt is an interesting coincidence.

Pogba is edging his way onto the list of best players in the world. His long, awkward-looking frame belies the easy grace he uses to dribble around unfortunate opponents.

That grace is complimented by power; he can be a bone-crunching tackler and his long shot is truly a sight to behold.

A contract extension in hand, Pogba is the player Juve hope to build around for the future. For the present, though, all should fear his impact on the midfield.


Key Players: Torino

Kamil Glik

Kamil Glik exemplifies the intensity of this rivalry—and not always in a good way.

The Polish international has been sent off in two of the last four Derbies, including a straight red for this horror tackle on Emanuele Giaccherini two years ago.

Given how Juve's attack has been clicking over the past few weeks, Torino can't afford a repeat of that trend. Glik is a key contributor to a defense that is tied for sixth-best in the league this season—and is likely the only player keeping the Granata out of the drop zone.

His partnership with Cesare Bovo and Emiliano Moretti will be key to Torino taking any points out of this game. He has to stay disciplined. As little as an early yellow could dramatically change the way the defense plays.


Fabio Quagliarella

It's easy to imagine a world in which Fabio Quagliarella hadn't injured his knee in the first game back from the 2010-11 winter break. The Italy international had scored nine times for Juve going into the match against Parma, and his injury sent a team that had been in second place two rounds before into a tailspin.

Had he not been hurt, he could easily still be leading Juve's line. Instead, he was relegated to a rotational role as he recovered, never receiving as much playing time as he may have deserved under Antonio Conte. His move to the other side of Turin has once again given him the chance to spearhead a team.

Without him, who knows where Torino would be. He's the only person on the team to have scored more than once in all competitions. He will be the biggest threat to Juve's defense—and may know a trick or two about getting around them, having trained against them for the last four years.

He is a player with drive, skill and the class to go with it. If he does manage a goal, expect him to continue his long-standing policy of declining to celebrate against his former teams.

He will be Torino's best chance to score. Against a Juventus back line in transition, he will likely get at least one chance. He can't be wasteful.


Jean-Francois Gillet

Finally back from a 13-month suspension stemming from former club Bari's involvement in the Calcioscommesse scandal, Gillet has resumed his role as Torino's primary goalkeeper.

His inclusion on this list is obvious. Any team that hopes to beat Juve is going to need a great day from their goalkeeper. The model this season has been Genoa's Mattia Perin, who made a string of impressive saves to keep the game scoreless until the Grifone managed a last-second winner.

If Torino are to earn any points, Gillet must be at the top of his game.


Manager: Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri started the season carrying over Antonio Conte's 3-5-2. It was a logical decision; the team had used the system en route to three straight titles, and he had had little time to integrate his own ideas into the team.

But it wasn't a system he was familiar with, and it was obvious he didn't know how to get the best out of it. The team's attack stagnated, especially in Europe. Something had to be done.

In a must-win Champions League fixture against Olympiacos, he finally took action, installing a 4-3-1-2. The difference was palpable.

Since the change, Juve have played two league games and two Champions League games and outscored their opponents 15-2. Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba have caught fire. Juve once again look like the titans of the Italian game that they are, not the team that was struggling to put away teams that they should have been crushing.

Allergi's move has likely turned Juve's season around. With Roma still in hot pursuit, a fourth straight title is no given, but Juve look far more likely to defend their crown than they did a month ago.


Manager: Torino

Giampiero Ventura is one of the most underrated managers in Serie A.

His tactical machinations got the best out of a middling team last year and took Il Toro to their first European place in many years. He has a knack for making slight adjustments that can suddenly bring players to life.

The most visible example of this was with Alessio Cerci, whom he moved inside as a seconda punta after years of being a winger. The move allowed Cerci, who had never realized his potential up to that point, to thrive. According to WhoScored.com, he scored 21 times and notched 11 assists in his two years at the Stadio Olimpico.

Torino's struggles this season have more to do with his forward line being gutted—Cerci and last year's capocannoniere, Ciro Immobile, now play abroad—than a deficiency on Ventura's part. The defense is solid and has only conceded 13 goals in 12 games. Still, it will be on him to figure out a way to generate more goals and rotate the squad well enough to compensate for a potential run in the Europa League knockout rounds in the new year.


Recent Matchups

Intense as it is, the Derby della Mole has been intensely lopsided for almost 20 years.

The last time Torino won a match against Juventus was on April 9, 1995—a 2-1 victory. Relegations for both sides have seen the derby interrupted since, but in 16 meetings, the Bianconeri have won 12 and drawn four. Torino haven't even scored in this fixture since earning a 2-2 draw in February 2002.

Since Torino's return to Serie A in 2012, Juve have outscored their city rival 7-0 over four games, which were all wins. Last season's contests were close—a pair of lively 1-0 games that also saw a total of 10 bookings.


Key Matchup 1

Carlos Tevez vs. Kamil Glik

Carlos Tevez has been close unstoppable this season. Every touch he gets produces danger. Even without the ball, his movement has carried defenders with him, opening space for his teammates to produce goals.

Torino's back three will be charged with nullifying the threat of Tevez, and Kamil Glik will be their leader. Glik is a physical presence in Torino's defense, but that physicality doesn't always have the desired effect. He isn't a volume tackler—WhoScored.com clocks him at an average of only one per match—and his efforts often end with a whistle.

He's already been sent off once this season—a straight red against Napoli—and as mentioned earlier in the slideshow, he has received marching orders in two of the four Derbies in which he's played.

Where he does excel is off-ball defending. He's averaging 3.4 interceptions per game in the league and 2.7 in all competitions. If he wins this battle, it will be by denying Tevez the ball altogether.

If he manages to do that, he has a chance to keep Tevez from scoring. If he has to resort to playing him with the ball, however, Juve could win several advantageous free kicks—and might end up with a man advantage.


Key Matchup 2

Stephan Lichtsteiner vs. Matteo Darmian

Matteo Darmian has become one of Torino's most important players. Able to play on either flank, he was one of the few bright spots for the national team during an otherwise disappointing World Cup.

He has been spending the majority of his time on Torino's left this season, which will pit him against Stephan Lichstiener on Juve's right.

As mentioned before, the move to a four-man defensive line has been a boon to Lichtsteiner, who has finally been able to play his natural position as a true full-back. Will Darmian's advanced position as a wing-back pin the Swiss back in defense or will Lichtsteiner be able to move freely in attack?

If Darmian is successful in bottling Lichsteiner up, Juve's wide play will have to come from the left—a position that is up in the air. Kwadwo Asamoah is still unavailable due to injury and Simone Padoin, who has done a good job filling in at left-back, is suspended after receiving a soft red card against Lazio. Patrice Evra has just about recovered from a muscle injury, but it remains to be seen how fit he is.

With options on the left thin, Lichtsteiner is crucial to ensuring that Juve's attack isn't bottled up in the center of the field.


Key Matchup 3

Giorgio Chiellini vs. Fabio Quagliarella

Chiellini and Quagliarella have been teammates for the last four years, but they've seen each other on opposite ends of the field during Quags' time at Napoli and Udinese.

Quagliarella has been Torino's only viable offensive threat this season. If he's been neutralized, the rest of the team has been practically impotent.

His former teammate is more than capable of doing just that. A blend of great defensive technique with the hard-nosed physicality of Italian defenders past, the oft-underrated Chiellini is one of the five best center-backs in football.

He has transitioned well from the three-man back line. The anchor of Juve's defense, Chiellini will provide an effective screen in front of Gigi Buffon's goal. He can make life miserable for Torino if he manages to contain his former teammate.


Prediction

This game has the makings of a lopsided contest.

Juventus have only conceded four goals in Serie A this year. Torino have only scored seven. The Granata are also solid defensively, but their scoring woes are a massive burden.

The long and short of it is that Torino are almost incapable of scoring at the same rate as Juve, especially the way the attack has clicked since Allegri changed formation. Their defense may be able to keep the scoreline respectable, but Juve will be able to overwhelm them in the end.

My prediction for this derby matchup is a 3-0 Juve victory.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - TORINO

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Sunday, November 30th, 2014 - 6:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Chiellini respects Toro players

Nov 28, 2014

Giorgio Chiellini insists that there's mutual affection and respect between Juventus and their Torino counterparts - just not this weekend.

Sunday sees the 230th Derby della Mole, when Toro will cross the city to take on the Bianconeri at Juventus Stadium.

Despite the disparity in the two clubs’ fortunes over recent decades, the all-time record is surprisingly close - the Granata taking 72 victories to the Old Lady’s 95, and Chiellini is expecting a tough game.

“On the field it will be a hard-fought game,” Chiellini predicted in an interview with Sky.

“Off it, there’s respect and empathy between the two sets of players we’re two groups of good guys who are only enemies on the pitch twice a year.

“Then for the rest of the season we bump into each other, we meet in the centre of Turin.

“Obviously we want to win, but I hope the game is only a spectacle on the pitch.”

The big defender also evaluated his side’s European campaign, insisting Massimiliano Allegri’s side are still aiming for top spot in their Champions League group.

“We’ve had two important results in the Champions League, they weren’t handed to us on a plate,” Chiellini said of wins over Olympiacos and Malmo.

“We dream of first place, and it’s a realistic goal even if we know it’ll be difficult.

“We want to get to the Last 16 again, we deserve it. At that point a whole set of new possibilities open up, with head-to-head clashes.

“It basically becomes a new tournament, but we know it won’t be easy.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111