Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Mihajlovic: 'Shocking Samp start'

Dec 14, 2014

Sinisa Mihajlovic was more annoyed by Sampdoria’s first half performance than proud of holding Juventus.

The Blucerchiati were dominated before the break, but after introducing Manolo Gabbiadini secured a 1-1 draw in Turin.

“We suffered a lot in the first 30 minutes, as they were superior in technical and physical terms, while we stepped on to the field with fear,” Miha told Sky Sport Italia.

“We changed system and then played our game. It’s disappointing, as if we play the way we know how, then we can be on level terms with anyone.

“Juve had won their last 25 consecutive home matches, so getting a point here certainly wasn’t easy. We were fortunate to only be a goal down at the break and then did well to earn the draw.

“The result was not as interesting to me as the performance. If we had played like Samp throughout, then I would’ve been happy. For example, we drew with Napoli with a great performance and I was content, but the first 30 minutes today were terrible.

“We did much better playing 4-3-3 than trying to mirror Juve’s system. In the first 30 minutes I wanted to change eight of the 11 players...”

Mihajlovic was shown replays pointing out the Claudio Marchisio corner for Patrice Evra’s goal was outside the quadrant, but the former defender was unimpressed.

“Every now and then I did that too. You have to sneaky in life! I am more irritated that a not very tall player like Evra can score that goal. I’d accept it more from Bonucci, Morata or Llorente. He did well, but we were dumb.”

Gabbiadini came off the bench to score the equaliser amid reports he’s on the verge of joining Napoli for €13m.

“I won’t talk about the transfer market other than with my directors. Manolo is an important player for us, but has to improve like everyone. Perhaps being on the bench for a few games helped him, because now I see more determination and conviction in him.”

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Juventus Home Winning
Streak Ends At 25

Dec 14, 2014

Juventus’ remarkable winning streak at Juventus Stadium in Serie A has been stopped after 25 successive wins as Sampdoria earned a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon.

The Bianconeri last dropped points at home on the penultimate round of league fixtures during the 2012/13 season when a Mirko Vucinic goal cancelled out an early strike from Cagliari’s Victor Ibarbo in a 1-1 draw.

Last season they had a perfect 19 wins at home, scoring 47 goals and conceding just nine and in total just lost twice during the league season with away defeats at Fiorentina and Napoli.

The Bianconeri so very nearly had their streak end in their previous game against Torino, however Andrea Pirlo’s last second strike preserved their perfect record.

Indeed, their last home defeat came against Sunday’s opponents, Sampdoria, when in January 2013 the ten men of the Blucerchiati came from behind with a Mauro Icardi brace to secure a memorable victory.

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Mihajlovic: Sampdoria Showed Great Character
To Comeback Against Juventus

Dec 14, 2014

Sampdoria boss Sinisa Mihajlovic believes his team performed extremely well against Juventus after drawing 1-1 to the reigning Serie A champions.

The Blucerchiati initially struggled to cope with the home side’s pressure, but were able to find an equaliser through substitute Manolo Gabbiadini.

Speaking after the match to Mediaset Premium Mihajlovic said the team came into the match with confidence, believing his side could get something against the league pacesetters.

“We [sampdoria] came to play but did not necessarily think we would win, but thankfully we got a wonderful Christmas gift,” Mihajlovic said.

“First half hour we suffered against Juve. But you cannot be afraid in football, I know they could do it and have shown that often.”

The Sampdoria coach was also quizzed about the decision to start goal-scorer Manolo Gabbiadini on the bench.

“Gabbiadini on the bench was a technical choice. I am not afraid he [Gabbiadini] will leave to go to another club in January.”

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Juventus 1 - Sampdoria 1: Initial
reaction and random observations

Dec 14, 2014

There's two ways to go about this...

The glass half full approach to the way Juventus played in the first half pretty much says that they played relatively well despite only scoring one goal. Then there's the glass half empty approach to the way Juventus played in the first half, which pretty much says that they played not even close to being all that great because they could only manage to score one measly goal despite a handful of quality opportunities.

Regardless of how you feel about Juventus' first-half performance, they certainly had chances to score more than just Patrice Evra's 12th-minute header off a corner kick. Not a lot, but a healthy number of goal-scoring opportunities against Sampdoria to open the game, going out of the gates as the vastly superior side.

But there's no way to spin how Juve played in the second half into anything positive. Nope, not even close to it, really. Max Allegri's men looked like a shell of the team that played well in the first 45 minutes against Sampdoria. When were Juventus at their best in the first half? Pressing, high-tempo play, quick and dangerous counterattacks.

That didn't happen after halftime, and the result proved to be costly.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
Post-match @OfficialAllegri reaction: "It’s a pity, we played very well in the first half but didn’t match it after the break."

That doesn't excuse Juve from not taking full advantage of all the chances they created in the first half. Sure, Sergio Romero made a couple of really good saves — most notably on Claudio Marchisio's ferocious left-footed strike — but Juventus really should have done better to grab more than just one goal. Saying Juventus lack a clinical aspect in front of goal these days might as well be the understatement of the year.

Yet when they really needed to be efficient in front of goal in the first half Sunday afternoon, they weren't able to. And as a result, it came back to bite them right in the bianconero backsides.

Random thoughts and observations

It feels like I can write the same thing about Arturo Vidal after each and every game these days. He's not playing well. He hasn't been playing well for weeks now. I don't know when this run of bad form will end because he really hasn't shown us any consistent glimpses that he will get out of it anytime soon. The question going into the winter break is this: Should Allegri consider sitting Vidal down when the holiday break comes to an end in January?

Even though it seems like he's just a few minor details away from securing his move to Napoli, I still feel like Gabbiadini could be a useful piece for Juventus. And that was before his beautiful game-tying goal in the second half. Bringing Gabbiadini on to begin the second half was the best thing Samp manager Siniša Mihajlović did all game. Who knows how much longer he'll end up being a Sampdoria player, but we're coming to find out Gabbiadini has a serious thing for scoring pretty goals against Juventus.

Patrice Evra screams, "SUCK IT, HATES!" as he scores tumbling headers against Sampdoria. Or at least that's what I imagine he said as he went and celebrated his first career goal in a Juventus jersey. And good for him, too. He played well in Sunday's draw.

You know who else had a very good game? Claudio Marchisio. And it came as a regista, which certainly adds another chapter to the book about how he could step in at regista for Andrea Pirlo whenever the bearded wonder hangs up his boots. Marchisio's numbers in the first half were just plain crazy: He touched the ball 71 times, recorded three tackles and had a 91 percent pass success rate. So much for any doubts about him being still a little shook up from the flu earlier in the week, right?

Status quo for Gigi Buffon. His one difference-making save was absolutely superb. Ho-hum.

Their finishing sucked, but Juve's attack just go about things at a different speed when Álvaro Morata is on the field. I know I've been championing his case for more playing time, and I do think if he continues to contribute like this, both goals and assists will come. Now it's just up to Allegri to show him at least some of the same kind of faith he's shown Fernando Llorente so far this season.

Kingsley Coman came on in favor of Sebastian Giovinco in the second half. I know Seba made a late-game appearance, but that's a pretty good sign of what Juve's current striker depth chart looks like.

Carlos Tévez is starting to cool off a bit from his early-season hot streak. I'm pretty sure I know how to feel about this development.

It just had to be Manolo Gabbiadini scoring the game-tying goal, didn't it? Not Stefano Okaka, not Eder. Just Manolo freaking Gabbiadini because that's the curse of the co-owned who will never wear a Juventus jersey.

Game recap in one word: Frustrating, man. Really frustrating.

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Evra: 'Happy and disappointed'

Dec 14, 2014

Patrice Evra couldn’t entirely celebrate his debut Serie A goal, as Juventus were held 1-1 by Sampdoria.

“My goal would’ve counted for more if we had won,” the ex-Manchester United star told JTV.

“I am happy to have scored, but disappointed by the result, as we had the game in hand during the first half. If we’d scored another goal, it would’ve been over.

“We had talked before the game and wanted to start all guns blazing. At the end of the day we did it, but missed the second goal and paid for that in the second half.

“We are disappointed, but still top of the table and are focused on the next match. Juve must begin again as winners. We dropped two points and need to beat Cagliari next week.

“Juve have incredible character, so I have no doubts we’ll achieve our aims. I dedicate the goal to my sister Annette and fitness coach Marco Luison, who made me work hard when I was injured.”

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria

A second-half strike from Manolo Gabbiadini cancelled out an early header from Patrice Evra,
as the away side managed to hold the Serie A leaders to a hard-fought draw in Turin.

Dec 14, 2014
 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon - Made a couple of important second-half saves to ensure that Juve didn't succumb to a rare home defeat.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - A workhorse down the right-hand side and offered plenty as an outlet in the first half.

19 L. Bonucci - Made a few important sliding blocks and challenges to keep Juve in the game late on.

5 A. Ogbonna - Covered well and wasn't caught out of position too often, but was turned too easily on occasion.

33 P. Evra - Steered home a back-post header in the first half to give the Bianconeri an early lead.

23 A. Vidal - Always present at the back post, but could only loop headers onto the roof of the net and straight at Romero.

8 C. Marchisio - His long-range shooting was poor, with the Italy international failing to run things from deep.

6 Paul Pogba - The Frenchman went close to having clear-cut chances on several occasions, but was unable to hit the target.

37 R. Pereyra - The Argentine midfielder clipped a number of interesting deliveries towards the back post, but nobody could get a touch.

10 C. Tévez - Forced Romero into a few good saves, despite trying his luck from tight angles rather selfishly.

9 Álvaro Morata - Anonymous and didn't offer a great deal physically, before being replaced by Llorente.


Substitutes

14 Llorente - Offered a physical presence, but had no opportunities.


 

Sampdoria

33 S. Romero - Commanded his area well, was quick enough off his line and made a number of good saves.

86 F. Cacciatore - Struggled when Evra overlapped at times, but was competitive and fairly solid.

28 D. Gastaldello - Made a couple of timely headers deep inside his own box, as Sampdoria marshalled the edge of their area well.

5 A. Romagnoli - Strong in the air and kept tabs on Juve's strikers to ensure that Sampdoria's defensive line stayed strong.

19 V. Regini - Struggled against Lichtsteiner in the first half, but was a lot more comfortable after the interval.

22 L. Rizzo - A fairly good outlet down the right-hand side throughout, with his runs able to relieve some pressure.

17 A. Palombo - Threw himself into a brilliant late challenge, with the defensive midfielder leading by example.

14 Pedro Obiang - Physical in his challenges and broke up play fairly well in front of the back four.

10 N. Krstičić - A fairly anonymous showing from the Serbian midfielder, who only slid through one telling pass.

9 S. Okaka - Didn't have any opportunities throughout, despite holding the ball up fairly well at times.

23 Eder - A real handful in the second half, using his pace and dribbling ability to good effect.


Substitutes

11 M. Gabbiadini - Netted Sampdoria's only goal with a great finish, as well as forcing Buffon into a great late save.

18 G. Bergessio - Offered plenty of late running and approach play around the box.

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Juventus must be more clinical, says Allegri

The champions spurned a number of chances in the first hour against Sampdoria
only for Manolo Gabbiadini to punish them on the break.

Dec 14, 2014
 
Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri was left frustrated at his side's lack of cutting edge as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sampdoria on Sunday.

Patrice Evra put the hosts in front during an opening hour in which they dominated proceedings, only for Manolo Gabbiadini to score a fine strike on the break in the second half.

Though left irritated by what he considered to be time-wasting tactics from the visitors, Allegri concedes his side have only themselves to blame after failing to make their dominance count with additional goals.

"I think there should have been more stoppage-time, especially with substitutions and time-wasting. But we have to accept it," he told Sky Sport.

"You can't play for 90 minutes in the way we did the first 55 minutes. We created so many opportunities, didn't allow Sampdoria anything and should've made more of our chances.

"It was a shame we didn't win as we dominated the first half with so many chances. We struggled more after the break, [Gianluigi] Buffon made a great save and we were unable to seal the victory after doing all that we could.

"Samp are very dangerous on the counterattack and we conceded from that. It's a pity. The team gave gave their all and were coming off several games where we've played at a high intensity.

"We remain top of the table and that is what counts."

Roma closed to within a point of the champions at the Serie A summit following their 1-0 win over Genoa.

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Arturo Vidal is a shadow of his former self,
and that's a concern for Juventus

Dec 14, 2014
 
Juventus' 1-1 draw at home to Sampdoria on Sunday felt like a defeat for the hosts. It's clear Juve were the superior team, but their failure to make the most of their chances, especially in the first half, will trouble them as they attempt to keep Roma at bay in the table.

Aside from the immediate disappointment of dropped the points, the main issue to come from the match is the form of Arturo Vidal.

The Chilean is quite simply a shadow of his former self. While Juventus have been in terrific form in certain games, what they truly have lacked is their warrior in midfield; the man who can both improve their attacking ability, as well as secure the back line. Had the old Vidal been playing as he knows how, the Old Lady would have simply been unstoppable this season.

That player is greatly missed, and one has to be concerned with his performances. Not only is his timing off, his decision-making horrid and his passing inaccurate, but he's proving to be a liability and should have been sent off both against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek and again in this match.

Vidal, strongly linked with Manchester United over the summer, is now the reckless midfielder who is struggling to understand his body and the blow it has received. The knee ligament injury has not only affected his ability, but his confidence, too.

One can only imagine how much better this team would perform with Paul Pogba, Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo all playing at their top level.

Despite having played a Champions League game midweek, the Bianconeri started the game with great intensity, playing an energetic and high-tempo match as they immediately set about to score the opening goal.

The mark of a true side is one that stays loyal to their identity and style of play, even if versatility is required. As such, Sampdoria erred when they opted to change and mirror Juve's formation, leaving their usual 4-3-3 behind to play a 4-3-1-2 shape. The change not only led to a brand of play with players looking uncomfortable, but it allowed Massimiliano Allegri's men to dominate possession and control the midfield.

With Stephan Lichtsteiner making use of the space to push up and Patrice Evra pushing forward on the opposing flank, Roberto Pereyra worked on speeding up play through the middle, allowing the Bianconeri to fashion many chances.

With the game in their hands and Sampdoria struggling, Juventus should have made more of their chances, especially as by the 38th minute they had already produced 10 shots -- five of which were on target -- as well as scoring through Evra.

Sampdoria introduced Manolo Gabbiadini at the start of the second half, returning to their usual 4-3-3 shape and the difference was remarkable. The Blucerchiati were back to playing in an organised fashion, imposing their strength and frustrating the opponent.

While Juventus started the second half with determination, their opponents were less fearful, and it didn't take them long before they got their goal. Gabbiadini, the youngster co-owed by Juventus and tipped to move to Napoli soon, may not be the most consistent performer on the planet but he does boast great technique. With Evra not getting close enough to close him down -- as per usual, with him -- Gabbiadini produced a fabulous shot to equalise.

The Old Lady required a moment of magic. When Sampdoria play with confidence and stay compact and organised, it can be almost impossible to breach their walls. A perfect Carlos Tevez or a stronger Vidal may well have made the difference as would a Pogba who doesn't switch off in certain moments. Tevez truly missed Fernando Llorente up front. While Alvaro Morata played an excellent game, Llorente's ability to annoy the centre-backs and push them back creates space and time for Tevez to work without pressure.

Llorente's absence on the pitch allowed Alessio Romagnoli to focus all his energy on Tevez, who suffered when pressed and looked incapable of maintaining possession.

The "tactical sacrificial lamb" that is Llorente -- as dubbed by this blog -- may not be the world's best striker, but his sacrifices improve the performance of those around him.

Nevertheless, a point against Sampdoria is nothing to be ashamed of, but Roma will continue to apply pressure, and it will be up to Allegri and his men to play with the consistency required of winners.

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Evra: Sampdoria draw not good enough

The Frenchman was left frustrated as his side gave up a first-half lead
to see their lead over Roma at the top of Serie A cut to one point.

Dec 14, 2014

Juventus full-back Patrice Evra has labelled Sunday’s draw with Sampdoria "not good enough".

The Frenchman gave the reigning Serie A champions a 12th minute lead at the Juventus Stadium, nipping in at the back post to grab his first goal for the club.

But Manolo Gabbiadini equalised six minutes after the break, forcing a draw which saw Juve’s lead over Roma at the top of the table cut to one point.

“We must win next time out,” said Evra.

“We’ve dropped two points here and that’s not good enough. We need to beat Cagliari. We’ve got great character and personality so I’m sure we’ll do it.

“My goal would’ve been more important had we got the win today. I’m happy to have scored, but also disappointed by the result because the match was ours for the taking in the first half.

"If we’d scored two goals before the break that could’ve been it.”

The result ended Juve's run of 25 consecutive home Serie A victories and left them two games without a league win for the first time since May 2013.

It was also the first time this season that Juve failed to win after taking the lead and Evra expressed his frustration at their inability to push on and dominate the game after he put them ahead.

“We felt good in the first half,” he said.

“We spoke about it beforehand and wanted to make a great start. As it happened, we just couldn’t get that second goal and that came back to haunt us after the break.

We’re disappointed, but we’re still the league leaders so we’ll just focus on the next match.”

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

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria: Manolo Gabbiadini
holds Juventus to disappointing draw

A second-half goal from the co-owned youngster cancelled out
Patrice Evra's opener, leaving Juventus on a run of three consecutive draws.

Dec 14, 2014

Sampdoria travelled to the Juventus Stadium on a strong run of form, just outside the Champions League places and having not lost in six games. Sampdoria was in fact the last Italian team to beat Juventus in Turin, recording a 2-1 win in January of 2013, a season in which the Genovese side did the double over Antonio Conte's Scudetto-winning Juventus.

Massimiliano Allegri's Juventus side has struggled a bit for goals of late, coming off consecutive 0-0 draws at Fiorentina and against Atlético Madrid in Turin. This one ended in another draw, and it could have been even worse after a flat second-half performance from the home side, in which Manolo Gabbiadini scored the equalizer and was denied a second by a stunning save from Gianluigi Buffon. With a visit to Cagliari and the home game against Napoli coming before the winter break, Allegri will have all hands on deck to try and inject some life into a sputtering Juventus attack.

Both sides came into the game with a nominal 4-3-1-2 formation, with Roberto Pereyra and Nenad Krstičić taking the free roles behind the strikers. The Argentine got the better of this particular duel, frequently dribbling into the heart of the Sampdoria defense and creating chances for himself and others, while Krstičić struggled to have any influence and was replaced at half.

Up top, Álvaro Morata joined Carlos Tévez in a switch that many had anticipated given Fernando Llorente's poor form in recent weeks. Perhaps a greater surprise was that Andrea Pirlo dropped to the bench, with Allegri preferring Claudio Marchisio at the base of midfield. The legendary midfielder has been in a rut of poor form lately, and with Marchisio recovered from illness Juventus tried to take control with a more physical midfield.

The early signs were very positive from Juventus, as Sampdoria were quickly pinned back into their own half with Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra combining to great effect down the left. One of these early combinations led to the corner kick resulting in the first goal, when Claudio Marchisio's far-post delivery was met powerfully by the French left-back. As the half wore on Sinisa Mihajlović adjusted, moving Krstičić and Eder back into midfield and leaving Stefano Okaka up front alone. The adjustment helped Sampdoria finally get some possession as the first half trickled to an end, but Juventus were well-worth their lead at the interval.

The second half began with the introduction of Manolo Gabbiadini for the ineffective Krstičić, with the left-footed attacker slotting in on the right flank to balance Eder on the left. The co-owned youngster, seemingly bound for Napoli in January, made the telling contribution with his first touches of the game, finishing excellently from the edge of the box following a quick counter down Juventus' right side. Juventus was unable to create many chances even with the added urgency of the 1-1, with Pereyra's curling shot perhaps the best of the lot. Morata and Tévez showed signs of an intriguing partnership, with the Spaniard's pace and energy evident along with with good technique to control in tight spaces, but neither striker was able to really trouble Sergio Romero in the Sampdoria goal.

As time ticked down Juventus continued to control possession high up the pitch, but Sampdoria continued to threaten on the counter, and especially through the substitute Gabbiadini cutting in on his left foot. Evra was able to close down one threatening opportunity, but another shot from the ex-Atalanta player required Buffon to be at his best to save with a strong right hand. Kingsley Coman, Llorente, and Sebastian Giovinco all came off the bench as Allegri tried to breath some life into a stuttering attack, but the pattern of play continued until the final whistle. A disappointing result, especially after the first half-hour, but still a point that keeps Juventus atop the standings ahead of a trip to Cagliari, where there's sure to be plenty of Bianconero in the stands.
 

 

MATCH SUMMARY

It all started so well for Juventus, with the home side taking control almost immediately after Samp kicked off. Early balls into the box came from Stephan Lichtsteiner, Morata, and Pogba, but failed to find their intended targets. "El Tucu" Pereyra showed early signs of intent, with an excellent run through the Sampdoria lines before laying the ball of for Tévez' shot, saved at the near post. Crosses were raining into the box, with Morata and Pereyra just unable to get good contact on their headers. The Spanish striker had a chance with the ball at his feet when Vidal slipped him in, but the angle was against him and Romero stood his ground well.

Pogba and Evra were having their way down Sampdoria's left flank, and won the corner that would get Juventus their lead. A far-post delivery (from just outside the line) was met well by a flying Patrice Evra, who had escaped the attention of Vasco Regini. It was an excellently-timed jump, reminiscent of many goals scored by the left-back in the red of Manchester United.

A questionable offside call denied Tévez a run through on goal, while Morata was rightly flagged off. At this point Sampdoria's best chances were all coming from Juventus errors, with lazy backpasses from Lichtsteiner and Vidal forcing Gianluigi Buffon to rush off his line. Marchisio tried his luck from distance, but wasn't able to beat the Argentine goalkeeper.

In the 28th minute Juve nearly doubled their lead, when an excellent long ball from Leonardo Bonucci found Pogba charging into the box. Fabrizio Cacciatore did everything to put the Frenchman off, grabbing him by the jersey and around the shoulder, but the referee saw nothing wrong. A few minutes later it was Pereyra brought down just outside the box, but the referee again waved play on.

Around the half-hour mark, with Sampdoria now stabilized in a 4-1-4-1, the visitors finally began stringing some passes together and moving up the field. The space they left was almost fatal, with Morata and Pereyra nearly getting in behind, and by the 36th minute Sampdoria owner Massimo Ferrero had seen enough. Angelo Ogbonna did well to control Stefano Okaka in the box, and Buffon was alert to smother a loose ball following a corner pulled back for a shot from distance. Carlos Tévez tried his luck from range but hit the ball straight at Romero, while Arturo Vidal tried and failed to find the killer pass for the second goal.

Manolo Gabbiadini replaced Krstičić at the start of the second half, a move that instantly brought more danger to the Sampdoria attack. Even so the second half began with pressure from Juventus, as Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, and Vidal tried to create chances for teammates. Following a giveaway Arturo Vidal earned Juventus' first yellow card of the night, for a tackle from behind on Angelo Palombo.

Morata and Pereyra combined to put the Argentine through on goal, but his curling effort was fairly comfortable for Romero. From the save Sampdoria broke downfield, with Eder and Regini leaving Juventus players trailing behind. The Brazilian rolled the ball across the top of the box for Gabbiadini, who had all the time he needed to take a touch and fire an excellent shot into the far corner. 1-1.

The Juventus midfield continued trying to create space for a killer ball, but were unable to convert possession into shooting opportunities. Gabbiadini continued to threaten at the other end, playing a dangerous ball in behind for Okaka but his cross was ahead of an onrushing Eder. The young Italian showed that he isn't afraid to take one for the team as well, dragging back Pogba when the French midfielder looked to break into space.

A combination of bad luck, poor form, and deep defending continued to keep Juventus from getting good chances, and for all the crosses pumped in from the flanks Juve never really got good contact on the end of them. Another passing sequence on the edge of the Sampdoria box ended with a poor touch from Tévez, and Eder was off on the counter. Bonucci put an end to the danger, but paid for it with a yellow card that means he will miss the trip to Cagliari.

Llorente came on for Morata, but even the giant Basque was unable to get good contact on a cross, with one ball from Evra bouncing off both Llorente and Tévez with neither able to get a shot off. Arturo Vidal actually had some of the best chances, sending one header over the bar and another into Romero's arms. A slack touch from Pedro Obiang nearly gifted Tévez a run through on goal, but the Sampdoria midfielder recovered in time.

Kingsley Coman came on for Pereyra to add a pit of pace, but ended up running into the same problems as the Argentine, with the Sampdoria backline controlling space well. Pogba nearly broke through from an Evra pass, but Palombo was quick to slide in on the cover. Sampdoria continued to look for Gabbiadini's left-footed shot, but this time Evra was close and shut him down. Seconds later it was Gabbiadini again doing his best Arjen Robben impression. Pogba got caught leaning the wrong way to give him room to shoot, and Buffon was forced into a fantastic save diving to his right.

Arturo Vidal continued to try and create an opening, but the Chilean's form is nowhere near that of last year and nothing seemed to come off for him. Sebastian Giovinco was brought off the bench in place of Tévez, but with only a couple of minutes to go he had little chance to impact the game. Following another poor touch to give the ball away Vidal tried to make up for it and could easily have seen a second yellow for a late tackle on Sampdoria substitute Alfred Duncan.

In stoppage time Vidal sent in a cross looking for Llorente, but Romero was quick to punch the ball away. Marchisio tried his luck from distance once more, but unlike Andrea Pirlo's effort two weeks ago his shot went well over the bar. Sergio Romero saw yellow for time-wasting in the final minute, as Sampdoria held Juventus to a third consecutive draw.
 

 

LE PAGELLE

Buffon: 7 Quick off his line several times to clear the danger, Superman made an excellent save on Gabbiadini to keep the game level. Nothing he could do on the goal.

Lichtsteiner: 5.5 Put in a couple of crosses, but was unable to create the same danger as usual. Could have done more to slow Eder and track back in the buildup to Gabbiadini's goal.

Bonucci: 5.5 Generally in control of Okaka, but in the buildup to the goal stepped forward and was beaten too easily by Eder. Played a few nice long passes, but will miss the Cagliari trip due to card accumulation.

Ogbonna: 6 Brought in for Chiellini, the Nigerian-Italian continued his strong performances this season. Left with a huge area to cover after Bonucci and Lichtsteiner got caught upfield, takes little blame for the goal conceded.

Evra: 6.5 Scored his first Juventus goal with an excellent header, and was left fairly isolated against the dangerous Gabbiadini. Combined well with Pogba and put in lots of crosses, but will be disappointed he didn't do more to stop the Sampdoria forward.

Vidal: 5 Tried hard, but his technique let him down more than once on the edge of the Sampdoria box. Could perhaps have done more to slow the counter leading to Sampdoria's goal. Saw yellow early in the second half, and could easily have seen another for a poor tackle on Alfred Duncan.

Marchisio: 6 One of the better performers on the night, Marchisio's energy was important in keeping Sampdoria penned deep in their own half for long periods.

Pogba: 5.5 At times showed his amazing strength and technique when combining with Evra down the flank, but was unable to make a telling contribution. Could perhaps have done more to help Evra with Gabbiadini.

Pereyra: 6 One of the few bright spots for Juventus, the Argentine midfielder continued his strong run of form and seems sure to keep a starting spot. Always driving at the defense, with better finishing he could have won the game for Juventus.

Morata: 5.5 Showed his pace and skill, but was unable to seriously trouble the Sampdoria defense. Always eager to close down and vary his movement, with time those combinations with Tévez and Pereyra will get more precise.

Tévez: 6 Another who can't be faulted for effort, but Tévez' finishing has cooled down since a stunning start to the season. Was perhaps too happy to try his luck from distance.

Substitutes:

Llorente: 5 Given 20 minutes in place of Morata, the Basque striker did little to prove he should be starting. Was in the area of a couple crosses, but couldn't trouble Romero.

Coman: 5.5 Brought on for Pereyra the Frenchman tried to inject pace into attack, but couldn't find the space to cause real trouble.

Giovinco: N/A A late run-out for the Juve youth product, in which he hardly had a touch.

 

Allegri: 5 Began on the front foot with a strong starting lineup that immediately took control, but as the game wore on was slow to react to Sampdoria's changes. Removed Pereyra when he was one of the few players creating anything, and failed to provide help for Evra when Gabbiadini was the obvious danger.

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

Juve face Borussia Dortmund

in Champions League

Dec 15, 2014
 
Juventus will play Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16.

The two-time winners were paired with Dortmund at Monday’s draw in Nyon and will be at home for the first leg, which is to take place on February 17/18 or 24/25.

Dortmund will host the return bout at the Westfalenstadion on March 10/11 or 17/18.

It’s a repeat of the 1996-97 final, in which Dortmund beat Juve 3-1 in Munich through a Karl-Heinz Riedle double and a Lars Ricken strike. Alessandro Del Piero netted for the Old Lady.

Juventus, the only Italian representatives left in the tournament, qualified for the knockout rounds in second place in Group A, trailing Atletico Madrid.

The Serie A leaders could have been pitted against Real Madrid, Monaco, Bayern Munich, Chelsea or Porto.

Former Lazio striker Riedle conducted part of the draw, with the Champions League final to be played in Berlin on June 6.
 

 

Champions League Round of 16 draw in full:

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Chelsea

Manchester City vs. Barcelona

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Atletico Madrid

Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund

Schalke vs. Real Madrid

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich

Arsenal vs. Monaco

Basel vs. Porto

[Socrates 8518]

JUVENTUS - SAMPDORIA

1 - 1

Patrice Evra (12')

Manolo Gabbiadini (51')

Sunday, December 14th, 2014 - 12:30 PM
Juventus stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Doveri

Juve share spoils yet again

A third draw in a week for Juventus shows that they do have weaknesses after all, says Alasdair Mackenzie.

Dec 15, 2014

A frustrating week came to end for Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus as they were held to a third consecutive draw in the space of eight days. Sinisa Mihajlovic’s robust Sampdoria team came to Juventus Stadium and fought back from a Patrice Evra header thanks to a peach from Manolo Gabbiadini in the second half.

The result ensures that perhaps Samp’s best statistic of an impressive season remains – along with Juve, they are the only team to have been beaten once all season. While Mihajlovic’s side deserve immense credit for a disciplined and organised performance, particularly in the second half, the result may be just enough for some of the more impatient Juventini to begin questioning Allegri again.

Progress from the Champions League group stages was sealed on Tuesday night with their second successive goalless draw. While the result was enough in the end, the fact remains that if any of Atletico’s chances had been converted it would have been enough to see the Bianconeri crash out. Perhaps the most frustrating factor for the fans has been their inability to score. With an arsenal of attacking talent including Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Morata, one goal in three games (from the left back) is not good enough and suggests a lack of ideas going forward.

The form of Arturo Vidal is another significant worry for Allegri. The Chilean was the club’s star man last season, scoring 18 goals from midfield, but he has looked a shadow of his former self at times in this campaign and was very lucky indeed to not be sent off in the draw with Sampdoria.

However, the fact that two consecutive league draws can be counted as a fairly major hiccup for the Old Lady goes some way to underlining their dominance in recent years. Roma, just about managing to keep pace, failed to capitalise on Juve’s dropped points last week but ensured they wouldn’t make the same mistake this weekend.

The Giallorossi travelled to the Marassi to face on-form Genoa and came away with an impressive 1-0 win. Eugenio Lamanna was so nearly the hero after coming off the bench following Mattia Perin’s expulsion to save an Adam Ljajic penalty with his first touch. However, Radja Nainggolan’s volley was enough to give Roma all three points, cutting the gap at the top to one point.

The Giallorossi face another big game next week when they host Milan. The fixture could be crucial for the squad’s confidence going forward, as a win would be enough to ensure the club enter the winter break at least within touching distance of Juventus, if not above them.

Milan’s much improved performance last night in their 2-0 win over Napoli suggests this might not be an easy task though. Pippo Inzaghi’s side showed much more attacking verve and caused enough problems to a shaky Napoli backline to ensure that they ended the night by leapfrogging the Partenopei into sixth place.

The failure of either Genoa or Sampdoria to pick up wins against the top two did open up an opportunity for the chasing pack and Lazio took advantage with their comfortable 3-0 win against Atalanta in which captain Stefano Mauri scored twice and Senad Lulic got the other.

The Biancocelesti have now moved into the third Champions League spot, but Fiorentina’s 4-1 win against Cesena continued their good run and La Viola are now only three points behind Lazio despite being in eighth place. There is all to play for going into the last round before the winter break.

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Preview: Cagliari vs. Juventus

Dec 16, 2014

Following a run of four successive victories, Juventus have now drawn their last two Serie A encounters.

As a result, a once comfortable lead at the top of the Serie A standings has been cut to just one point by second-placed Roma.

Massimiliano Allegri's men will look to return to winning ways on Thursday evening when they visit the Stadio Sant'Elia, the home of Cagliari.

Allegri omitted both Fernando Llorente and Andrea Pirlo from his starting lineup for the weekend's clash against Sampdoria, but the duo could return for this encounter, potentially at the expense of Alvaro Morata and Arturo Vidal.

Like visiting Juve, Cagliari are also in need of the three points, albeit for different reasons. Without a win in seven, Zdenek Zeman's team occupy the final relegation place. However, if they were to avoid defeat against the champions, they could move out of the danger zone.

Despite the fact that he has not scored in Serie A this season, it is expected that Inter Milan loanee Samuele Longo will lead the Cagliari attack.
 
 
Cagliari

Form in Serie A: L D D L L D
Form in all competitions: D D L D L D 
 
 
Possible starting lineup: Cragno; Rossettini, Ceppitelli, Avelar, Balzano; Conti, Ekdal , Cossu, Crisetig, Farias; Longo
 
 
Juventus

Form in Serie A: W W W W D D
Form in all competitions: W W W D D D 
 
Possible starting lineup: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Pirlo, Marchisio, Pogba, Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente
 

Sports Mole says: 1-2

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

CAGLIARI V JUVENTUS MATCH PREVIEW

Dec 17, 2014

 

 Juventus

Juventus have appealed coach Max Allegri’s one match ban as they travel to the Stadio Sant’Elia to face Zdenek Zeman’s Cagliari.

Allegri was handed a one match ban for insulting officials following his sides 1-1 draw with Sampdoria on Sunday.
“Juventus are to lodge an urgent appeal against the one-match touchline ban handed to Massimiliano Allegri during Sunday’s home game against Sampdoria,” read a statement on the club’s official website.

Juventus are on a run of three draws in a row but defender Andrea Barzagli was quick to reassure supporters.

“We played against three big, physical sides, but the important thing is we’re still top” the player told the clubs official website earlier this week.

Juve are without Leonardo Bonucci who triggered an automatic one match ban following his yellow card against Sampdoria. Angelo Ogbonna is expected to take his place while Giorgio Chiellini returns from suspension to play alongside. Stephan Lichtsteiner has played some of his best football of the season in recent matches and will start at right-back. Patrice Evra was named in Gazetta’s team of the week and will hopefully continue his good run of form which included a goal against Sampdoria.

In midfield, Arturo Vidal has been struggling for form but is expected to start with Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo. Roberto Pereyra impressed at the weekend and is likely to reprise his role behind a front two of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente.


Predicted Lineup

4-3-1-2 : Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Pirlo, Vidal, Pogba, Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente


Injuries

Andrea Barzagli (Heel), Luca Marrone (Thigh), Martin Caceres (Thigh), Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo (Both undergone knee surgery)

Suspended: Leonardo Bonucci


 

  Cagliari

On Thursday night, Juventus will face Cagliari and Zdenek Zeman’s high-octane offense. The return of the Czech coach in Serie A hasn’t been particularly impressive so far: they are in 18th position with only 12 points. They have won their last match on October 25 and they have only won two games so far. They have never won at home so far (three draws, four losses) and they have been resoundingly defeated in the last two games at Sant’Elia, by Chievo Verona and Fiorentina.

In addition, they don’t look the offensive vanguard Zeman’s sides usually are. They have scored 20 goals: it’s good for a low-table team but it’s average overall. As you would expect, they have the second-worst defense in the league, as they have already conceded 26 goals. But something doesn’t seem right here: they are using 4-3-3, but it’s very plain, there’s no longer that tactical recklessness and it’s not even that fluid.

It probably comes down to the squad Zeman has at disposal. They don’t have a productive and mobile centre-forward: Samuele Longo could be that theoretically, but he hasn’t so far; Marco Sau, who’s been a viable option, is more a second-striker/left-winger. They still rely on the old legs of Daniele Conti and Andrea Cossu and also Lorenzo Crisetig and Albin Ekdal don’t stand out for their dynamism. The general lack of movement is a problem. Add that to a Serie B-caliber defense and the bad results are inevitable.

Cagliari made some interesting purchases in the summer to give the coach a more suitable team, but the only player who has performed well enough has been Diego Farias. Joao Pedro has been bad, Godfred Donsah has played sparingly, Caio Rangel has basically never featured. In defense, Zeman has used Alessio Cragno, Luca Ceppitelli and Antonio Balzano a lot, but they haven’t really proved they can be Serie A material.

Cagliari have shown exceptional resilience as they have been often able to come back (they’ve been 0-2 six times): they can score a lot and they can score in a hurry. Farias-Cossu-Ibarbo, even if there won’t be Sau due to an injury, remains an unpredictable attack: it’s very difficult to contain, especially from the speed standpoint. Conti, Crisetig and Ekdal are all capable of feeding the strikers with timely through balls.

On the other side of the ball, Cagliari struggled both collective and individually. The mechanisms of the high offside trap aren’t on point and the defenders and the goalkeepers are blunder-prone. More importantly, their offense hasn’t been able to compensate for the poor defense and this is the key element of Zeman’s teams. If that doesn’t happen, they are in trouble, like Cagliari are now.


Predicted Lineup:

4-3-3: Cragno; Pisano, Ceppetelli, Rossettini, Balzano; Crisetig, Conti, Ekdal; Ibarbo, Cossu, Farias


Injuries

Marco Sau, Sebastian Eriksson


 

Formation

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Cagliari v Juventus: Barzagli unconcerned

by successive draws

The Bianconeri have failed to win in their last three games, but their defender
is focusing on the big picture ahead of Thursday's Serie A clash.

Dec 17, 2014

Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli is unconcerned that the Serie A champions head to Cagliari on Thursday winless in three matches.

Massimiliano Allegri's men have been held to a trio of draws in succession, playing out a goalless match with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League between league stalemates against Fiorentina and Sampdoria respectively.

As a result, Juve were forced to settle for a second-place finish in their Champions League group, while their lead over Roma at the top of Serie A has been cut to just one point.

Up next for Juve is a trip to struggling Cagliari on Thursday and they may be without coach Allegri after he picked up a one-match touchline ban for expletive remarks made to officials during the draw with Sampdoria, though the club lodged an appeal on Tuesday.

Barzagli, who is nearing a return from an Achilles injury, is not worried about the champions' form, reminding critics that they are still top of the table.

"We played against three big, physical sides," the centre-back told Juve's official website.

"But the important thing is we're still top. It's a long season, and we have to stay as focused as ever."

Juve will be expected to take all three points away from Stadio Sant'Elia, with Cagliari having failed to register a single win in the last 10 meetings between the sides across all competitions.

Cagliari's last win over Juve came in the shape of a 2-0 triumph at home in November 2009, but few will envisage a similar outcome this time around.

Zdenek Zeman's side head into the clash third from bottom in Serie A, ahead of only Cesena and Parma.

Cagliari have won none of their last seven fixtures in the league, a run which includes home defeats to Fiorentina and Chievo.

The Sardinia-based club were held to a 0-0 draw at rock-bottom Parma last time out and under-fire coach Zeman has acknowledged that his players are worried about their precarious position.

He told Radio Rai: "The mentality of the lads was correct and we controlled the ball well, even if we were lacking something up front.

"It was hardly an epic match, as you could tell both teams were worried about their current situations."

While Juve could be without Allegri, they definitely will not be able to call upon the services of suspended defender Leonardo Bonucci.

Cagliari continue to miss goalkeeper Simone Colombi (wrist) and striker Marco Sau (thigh), with neither expected back until early 2015.


OPTA FACTS

Cagliari have only taken two points from the last nine Serie A clashes against Juventus, conceding an average of 2.4 goals per game in the process.

The Sardinians have lost six of the last seven home games against Juve, winning the other one (November 2009), the only game in which they have not conceded.

Cagliari are winless in seven league matches (D4, L3), failing to score in the last three.
 

 

LAST FIVE MATCHES
 

Cagliari D L W L D

2014/12/14 - Parma 0 - 0 Cagliari
2014/12/08 - Cagliari 0 - 2 Chievo Verona
2014/12/04 - Cagliari 4 - 4 Modena
2014/11/30 - Cagliari 0 - 4 Fiorentina
2014/11/23 - Napoli 3 - 3 Cagliari


Juventus D D D W W

2014/12/14 - Juventus 1 - 1 Sampdoria
2014/12/09 - Juventus 0 - 0 Atlético Madrid
2014/12/05 - Fiorentina 0 - 0 Juventus
2014/11/30 - Juventus 2 - 1 Torino
2014/11/26 - Malmö 0 - 2 Juventus



HEAD TO HEAD

2014/05/18 - Juventus 3 - 0 Cagliari
2014/01/12 - Cagliari 1 - 4 Juventus
2013/05/11 - Juventus 1 - 1 Cagliari
2012/12/21 - Cagliari 1 - 3 Juventus
2012/12/12 - Juventus 1 - 0 Cagliari

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Defiant Allegri insists Juventus are not exhausted

The coach believes the illusion of fatigue was created by his team's eagerness to score
early in the clash with Sampdoria, and revealed his excitement to face Dortmund in Europe.

Dec 17, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that his players are not suffering from exhaustion with the winter break imminent.

The Scudetto holders have drawn three successive matches - against Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid and Sampdoria - which has sparked suggestions his squad are losing their legs somewhat due to the intense run of fixtures.

Allegri, who took over from Antonio Conte in the summer, flat-out refused to use fatigue as an excuse and believes the illusion of tiredness was created by his players' eagerness to impress early in their 1-1 result at home to Sampdoria on Sunday.

"It's absolutely not true that the team is tired at the moment," he said in a press conference ahead of their clash with Cagliari on Thursday. "On Sunday we played one of our best games from a physical point of view.

"I think we made some technical mistakes and were guilty of too much urgency after the break, especially in the last 20 minutes - this made it look as though we were tired.

"But this is absolutely not the case. The team's physically in top condition, especially when you consider that last Sunday's game was the best physical performance in the whole first half of the season.

"It was one of our best games, second only to the match against Olympiakos. Cagliari always play open games and look to score. It's certainly going to make for a good match."

On Monday, Juve were drawn in the Champions League last 16 with 2012-13 runners up Borussia Dortmund who - despite finishing top of their group - are currently languishing joint-bottom of the Bundesliga.

"Dortmund are a team that, regardless of their trouble in this first half of the Bundesliga, have won a few games in the Champions League," Allegri added.

"They are emerging from a few sensational years, in which they reached the final of the Champions League, claimed two German titles and did other great things in their own top flight.

"It's going to be a fascinating match. We are going up against one of the great European teams."

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Cagliari v Juventus: Preview

Dec 17, 2014

Massimiliano Allegri has ordered Juventus to snap out of their toothless slumber with a convincing victory at Cagliari on Thursday evening.

The reigning Serie A champions have allowed title rivals Roma to cut their advantage at the top to a single point by struggling through back-to-back draws with Fiorentina and Sampdoria.

Allegri's men were uncharacteristically sluggish against Samp and conceded a second-half equaliser in Turin.

Their next opponents, who are coached by the notoriously attack-minded Zdenek Zeman, will also be keen to respond to a rare goalless game having drawn a blank in Parma at the weekend.

Juve boss Allegri must watch the encounter from the stands of the Stadio Sant'Elia after earning a one-match touchline ban for insulting officials during the Samp game and, while he could still succeed in an appeal against the suspension, he is keen to get his message across to his players as soon as possible.

``They have a lot of attacking options, like all Zeman's teams do: they will be a difficult challenge,'' he said of Cagliari at his pre-match press conference.

``Tomorrow we have to return to winning ways with a really good performance.

``We created lots of opportunities against Samp but we didn't exploit them as well as we could have.

``My suspension? I'm still surprised about it. My behaviour around the officials was, as it always is, proper and correct.''

The Bianconeri are almost at full strength with only injured defenders Andrea Barzagli and Kwadwo Asamoah giving Allegri any real cause for concern.

The former AC Milan coach will most likely partner Giorgio Chiellini with Angelo Ogbonna in central defence.

Zeman is without Sebastian Eriksson, Marco Sau and Simone Colombi as he makes plans to snap a seven-game run without a win, an outcome which would lift Cagliari out of the relegation zone.

The islanders are unlucky to produce the shock triumph they need, but their Czech coach remains optimistic based on Juve's recent shortcomings.

``Right now we cannot afford to do any favours for other clubs,'' he told La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. ``We have to play for ourselves.

``It's true that Juventus have only lost three or four league games in the last two years but anything can happen in football and so we have to try.''

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Allegri: ‘Best XI against Cagliari’

Dec 17, 2014

Juventus Coach Max Allegri says that tomorrow’s game with Cagliari ‘is the most important’ and that victory comes ‘first and foremost’.

The Bianconeri travel out to Sardinia on Thursday evening for their Week 16 fixture, before facing Napoli in the Italian Supercup in Doha at the start of next week.

The Coach of the Old Lady is aware of the upcoming challenge abroad, but says his first focus is on the Isolani.

“I expect a difficult team, one that creates a lot,” Allegri said in today's Press conference.

“They've given proof of these qualities in their home games, especially against Fiorentina, but we must return to victory with a good performance.

“We had one against Sampdoria, but in that case unfortunately we weren't able to win.

“I have absolute no worries as far as our attack is concerned. We must return to scoring, against Sampdoria we had important chances that we weren't able to exploit at our best.

“Our midfielders should have made a few more runs in the end game.

“Tomorrow we must try doing what we always do, looking to create play with the involvement of the midfielders and the strikers, so we can go back to scoring and finding victory.”

Juventus currently have a number of their players on an accumulation of yellow cards, who might miss out on the Supercup Final in Doha should they pick up another booking, a situation which Allegri finds abnormal.

“I don't think it's regular that we'll be playing in Cagliari with five players on a caution and the problem that they could miss out on Doha.

“The same can be said about the risk of being booked in Doha and skipping the following League game against Inter, because the Supercup is played as a final, as a single game, and it should be disputed in August.

“Tomorrow I will play with my best XI, because tomorrow's game is the most important.

“Let's think first and foremost about winning tomorrow, then we'll deal with potential bookings. I hope nobody does.

“Based on that, I'll see who is available for Doha and I'll let them play, I have no other alternative. Unfortunately we'll have to face the consequences of this.”

Allegri was given a one-match ban after the 1-1 Sampdoria game for insulting officials.

“I was surprised by the suspension, because I think there's a substantial difference between an insult and a general curse.

“I think my behaviour towards the referees has always been quite correct. That being said, of course I am not a saint, so I think I can be forgiven if I allow myself the odd curse.”

Juventus play against Cagliari tomorrow at 7 pm CET at the Stadio Sant'Elia.

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Zeman: ‘Pleasure to play Juventus’

Dec 17, 2014

Cagliari Coach Zdenek Zeman says it’s a ‘pleasure’ for his side to take on Juventus tomorrow evening.

The Isolani face the League leaders at home tomorrow, with the Bianconeri heading to Doha to play the Supercoppa on December 22.

“Which of their players would I take?” Zeman considered in his Press conference ahead of the game.

“All of them, but the problem is their team as a collective.

“We have to play our own game, we know it will be very difficult but we have to try.

“Playing Juventus is a pleasure, it gives you an added stimulus today just as it did 20 years ago.

“We don’t have much to worry about, because we don’t have much to lose.

“What matters is how we approach the game. We’ll have to fight for every ball, and make as few mistakes as possible both in defence and on the counter.

“I think [Antonio] Conte’s Juventus played at a higher tempo, whereas [Massimiliano] Allegri prefers more possession but in reality these are just details.”

Cagliari currently sit 18th in Serie A, inside the relegation zone, and the Czech tactician admits that he expected to be doing better.

“It’s not what we expected, neither ourselves nor the fans.

“We haven’t been winning at home, and it’s normal that that if you’re doing all you can and results aren’t coming then you start to get a bit concerned - especially because this is a young team without a lot of experience.”

A meeting was held yesterday in Milan between the Coaches of Serie A sides and Italy CT Antonio Conte. Zeman did not attend, but insists he is fully behind the Azzurri cause.

“We’ve got the game against Juventus tomorrow and I couldn’t leave the team just 48 hours before a match.

“I’d already said I wouldn’t be able to go, with a lot of regret.

“I think that the national team should be top footballing priority in any country.”

Zeman has also announced the squad which will take on the Bianconeri, with former Juve midfielder Albin Ekdal included in the party.


Cagliari squad to play Juventus: Carboni, Cragno; Avelar, Balzano, Benedetti, Capuano, Ceppitelli, Murru, Pisano, Rossettini; Barella, Capello, Conti, Crisetig, Dessena, Donsah, Ekdal, Joao Pedro; Caio Rangel, Cossu, Farias, Ibarbo, Longo.

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

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Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Allegri ban overturned

Dec 17, 2014

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri will not face a touchline ban for tomorrow’s Cagliari game, after having his sentence reduced.

The Bianconeri boss was given a one-match touchline ban for insulting match officials in the wake of Sunday’s draw with Sampdoria, but has had his sentence reduced on appeal.

The FIGC Appeals Court has partially upheld Allegri’s appeal, reducing his punishment to a €10,000 fine with an official warning for his conduct.

The former Milan Coach will now be on the Bianconeri bench tomorrow night after his touchline ban was lifted.

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Juventus vs. Cagliari Preview: Round 16 —
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Dec 17, 2014

The last time Juventus saw Cagliari lining up across from them as their opposition, there was some history going down. That day at Juventus Stadium saw Antonio Conte's men record points 100, 101 and 102 on the last day of the 2013-14 season, heading out onto the streets of Turin a little while later to celebrate after Gigi Buffon lifted another Scudetto trophy over his head.

Scudetto parades are fun, something that I will never tire of as long as we inhibit this very planet earth.

But this game against Cagliari won't see a fancy parade with thousands of people lining the streets following the final whistle. Well, unless there's an early Christmas celebration going on afterward that I don't know about. What there is going on for Juventus is the chance of going into the holiday break — sans the playing of the Supercoppa against Napoli next Monday in Qatar — as winter champions and officially start the new year with some kind of lead atop the Serie A table.

And when you throw in how Cagliari have been absolutely terrible in Serie A since the middle of October, there's nothing smacking us in the face and telling us that Juventus shouldn't have a four-point lead over Roma at the end of the day.

Of course, there's talking about it and actually going out to achieve it.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We expect a difficult game. They’re in need of points to stay up and have plenty to offer up front."

But luckily for those of us who root for Juventus, Max Allegri's squad will be playing a team coached by Zdenek Zeman — which means at least one team won't be playing much defense at all. And for a Juventus side that has scored just one goal in its last three games in all competitions, that might be the cure to this current streak of three consecutive draws.

So, come on, Zemanlandia. Work your magic and let in a bunch of goals. It's the right thing to do.

(According to me.)
 

 

GOOD NEWS

Go check Cagliari's defensive statistics this season, then get back to me. Try not to get all giddy in the process.

Also, Max Allegri won't be suspended for tomorrow's match. That's good, very good news.
 

 

BAD NEWS

Here's something that is completely stupid...

Juventus currently has four players — Angelo Ogbonna, Claudio Marchisio, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Paul Pogba — sitting one yellow card away from a one-game suspension. If any of those five players were to get a yellow card against Cagliari, then they will miss Monday's Super Cup against Napoli in Doha.

So you get carded in a Serie A game and will miss a glorified exhibition that is supposed to take place before the season even begins. Do we really think somebody like Lichtsteiner is going to make it through the next two games without getting carded? Italy does a lot of stupid things, and this is definitely one of them.
 

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. Can Juventus snap the draw streak?

A draw against Fiorentina wasn't the end of the world, neither were those subsequent ones against Atlético Madrid and Sampdoria for their respective reasons. But as Juve enter their final away game of 2014, the manageable and comfortable cushion between themselves and Roma is basically gone. All that separates first and second place in Serie A is one measly point entering the 16th round of play Another slip up and Juventus could be in second for the first time in quite a number of months. Cagliari are nowhere near the quality of Fiorentina or Sampdoria, so anything other than three points should be considered bad news. Let's just hope we don't have to broach that subject about 24 hours from this post going live.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We need to get back to winning ways by turning in a great performance tomorrow."

2. What kind of squad rotation will there be — if any?

I'd throw out a quote from Allegri about what kind of squad rotation may or may not be happening, but I've come to learn that Max isn't very helpful when it comes to revealing who will be playing outside of the givens. And you know what? That's perfectly okay with me. He's a manager, and managers like to do things their own way when it comes to saying what the starting lineup will be. I say this because Juventus nearing the end of another post-international break run of games. And while all but one other team will be starting their holiday break after their games this week, Juventus and Napoli won't be due to the Supercoppa. So does that mean some players might get a rest? I really don't know. Mainly because Max won't tell us. What a meanie.

3. The impact of a certain Carlos Tévez.

I'm not one to truly freak out about a player of Carlitos' quality not scoring a goal for a little less than a month or so, and I'm not going to start now. Yet the last time Tévez found the back of the net was Nov. 22 when Juve throttled Lazio 3-0 and pretty much tore apart a team that many people expected to be quite a stiff challenge for the defending Serie A champions. Since then, Tévez has gone on to score another goal — a few days later in the Champions League against Malmö — and then go rather quiet. So unless Tévez wants to go 0-for-December in Serie A, things will have to turn around for the leading scorer in Italy's top flight. At least he's the top scorer in Serie A for now, that is.

4. Adventures with Zemanlandia.

Here's something that won't surprise you: A Zdenek Zeman-coached team doesn't have a very good defense. A quick look at the Serie A stat sheet tells us that Zeman's Cagliari has allowed 26 goals through 15 games this season, the third-worst figure in all of Italy's top flight. So what does this mean? Well, exactly what we already know — Cagliari are all offense (20 goals scored) and no defense.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "Cagliari always play an open game and we'll be in for an entertaining encounter tomorrow."

So, no defense and all offense? Sounds like a blast! I love entertaining games! Sounds like Zemanlandia to me. This shouldn't be a surprise to anybody if they've watched a Zeman-led team. His tenure at Roma was the same type of deal — lots of offense, no defense, and then the subsequent firing around the middle of the season. Obviously Cagliari are a different animal because they're setting themselves up for a serious battle not to get sent packing to Serie B, but it's still the kind of team you'd expect from Zeman. And for that we should be thankful. Because maybe, just maybe, Juventus won't get a draw in their fourth straight game on Thursday night.


My starting XI (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba; Pereyra; Tévez, Morata

OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 7 P.M. IN ITALY; 1 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 10 A.M. ON THE WEST COAST

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Allegri: Cagliari Will Be A Tough Test For Juventus

Dec 18, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is not taking anything for granted when his side travel to Sardinia to take on Cagliari on Thursday evening.

The match will be the Bianconeri’s last Serie A encounter before their trip to Qatar next Tuesday to take on Napoli in the Supercoppa Italiana and Allegri is expecting a tough test.

”We are expecting a difficult game as Cagliari need the points,” the former Milan coach told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

”Like all teams that are managed by [Zdenek] Zeman they have very good attacking options but we must return to winning ways after the result against Sampdoria.”

Allegri also dismissed suggestions his side were tired.

”We are not tired. Sunday’s game was very hectic and this has made people think we are tired.

“From my point of view I thought on Sunday we looked as physically strong as we have all season.”

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Llorente: Juventus Must End Year As Winter Champions

Dec 18, 2014

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente has highlighted his motivation to see out 2014 in Serie A with victory over Cagliari.

The Bianconeri travel to Sardinia tonight looking to maintain top spot prior to their Supercoppa showpiece against Napoli in Qatar on Monday.

“We want to close 2014 as leaders of Serie A,” said Llorente via his personal Twitter account.

“A win on Thursday is vital. Vamos!”

Former Athletic Bilbao star Llorente has notched three goals in 14 league appearances so far this campaign and may have to settle for a place on the bench at the Stadio Sant’Elia with fellow Spaniard Alvaro Morata pushing for a starting spot.

Roma recently closed the gap to just one point following consecutive draws for Juventus and therefore three points taken by the Old Lady from their clash with struggling Cagliari would put all of the pressure back on the Giallorossi to ensure victory over resurgent AC Milan this weekend.

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

Line-ups: Cagliari-Juventus

Dec 18, 2014

Juventus lead Serie A by just one point and, if they fail to beat Zdenek Zeman’s Cagliari, could start 2015 in second place.

It kicks off at 19.00 CET, brought forward ahead of their Italian Super Cup clash with Napoli on Monday in Qatar.

Max Allegri reached the next phase of the Champions League, but slipped up in Serie A with two consecutive stalemates against Fiorentina and Sampdoria.

The Bianconeri face another tricky test away to Cagliari and their unpredictable Coach Zeman, who has engaged in numerous anti-Juve campaigns in the past.

Leonardo Bonucci is suspended, joining Andrea Barzagli, Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo, Martin Caceres and Luca Marrone on the absentee list.

That means Angelo Ogbonna again starts at centre-back, but Giorgio Chiellini returns from his one-match ban.

There are several players to watch out for, as a yellow card would rule them out of the Super Cup: Claudio Marchisio, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna and Paul Pogba.

Because of this issue, French midfield talent Pogba is rested.

Roberto Pereyra takes the trequartista role behind Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente, implying Alvaro Morata could start against Napoli.

Cagliari are the only team without a victory on home turf this season, haven’t won since October 25 and last week Zeman played out his first Serie A goalless draw in a decade.

Clean sheets are generally speaking anathema to Zeman, but the absence of striker Marco Sau has weighed heavily on the team.

Victor Ibarbo returns from suspension to bolster the attack with Andrea Cossu, but Zeman may well have changed to a 4-4-2 system for this game - a huge change for the master of the 4-3-3.

Cagliari haven’t got a good record against the Old Lady, managing two points from their last nine Serie A meetings.


Cagliari: Cragno;Capuano, Ceppitelli, Rossettini, Benedetti; Avelar, Conti, Ekdal, Balzano; Cossu, Ibarbo

Cagliari bench: Barella, Longo, Farias, Caio Rangel, Donsah, Carboni, Dessena, Crisetig, Capello, Joao Pedro, Murru, Pisano


Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente

Juventus bench: Storari, Rubinho, Romagna, Padoin, Mattiello, Pogba, Pepe, Morata, Giovinco, Coman

 

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

[Socrates 8518]

CAGLIARI - JUVENTUS

-

Thursday, December 18th, 2014 - 19:00 PM
Sant'Elia stadium, Cagliari
Referee: Paolo Silvio Mazzoleni

HT 0-2: Vidal inspires in Cagliari

Dec 18, 2014

Juventus have a comfortable 2-0 lead away to Zdenek Zeman’s Cagliari with Carlos Tevez and an Arturo Vidal stunner.

This fixture was brought forward to Thursday December 18 as Juve and Napoli prepare for the Italian Super Cup on December 22.

The Sardinians were the only side without a home win this season and hadn’t enjoyed any victories since October 25, putting Zdenek Zeman on the edge. Juve saw their lead at the top of the Serie A table cut to just one point after three consecutive draws in all competition. Giorgio Chiellini returned from suspension, but Leonardo Bonucci was banned along with the injured Andrea Barzagli, Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo, Martin Caceres and Luca Marrone. With Marco Sau still injured, Zeman switched his legendary 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 system.

In the opening three minutes Alessio Cragno had to perform a save on Fernando Llorente, then from that corner the goalkeeper’s parry on Chiellini was tapped in from six yards by Carlos Tevez.

Gigi Buffon was also tested, at full stretch to deny an Albin Ekdal header. However, Arturo Vidal got on the end of a poor clearance and curled a magnificent effort off the inside of his right foot from the edge of the box that left Cragno rooted to the spot.

Ekdal had a shot charged down.


Cagliari 0-2 Juventus (Half-Time)

Scorers: Tevez 4 (J), Vidal 15 (J)

Cagliari: Cragno; Capuano, Ceppitelli, Rossettini, Benedetti; Avelar, Conti, Ekdal, Balzano; Cossu, Ibarbo

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Ogbonna, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente

 

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