Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus-Fiorentina Betting: Defences likely
to come out on top in an edgy Coppa Italia clash

With a number of first-team players missing and a busy schedule to contend with,
Al Hain-Cole expects La Viola to keep things tight against Massimiliano Allegri's men.

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus will be hoping to keep their chances of a domestic double alive when they welcome rivals Fiorentina to Turin in Thursday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

No team has won this competition more times than the Bianconeri, who are favourites with William Hill to remain on course for a 10th title with a win here.

Having seen off Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in the last round, the visitors are available at to put one foot in the final with another big victory at the home of the champions.

The sides shared a 0-0 draw when they met in the league back in December, and you can get odds of on them cancelling each other out once again.

Considering their deep-rooted disdain for their opponents, La Viola would like nothing more than to get one over on them by coming out on top in their own back yard.

However, although they come into the fixture in fine form, a lengthy injury list means that Vincenzo Montella’s men will be up against it to secure a first away victory over the league leaders in just under seven years.

Furthermore, a hard-fought away win over Inter on Sunday will almost certainly have drained the already weakened squad, who have a hectic schedule to contend with over the upcoming weeks due to Serie A, Coppa Italia and Europa League commitments.

With this in mind, Montella would surely settle for a solid performance from his under-strength team at the Juventus Stadium, where any away goal would represent a bonus in a resolute performance.

Considering Massimiliano Allegri’s side were also put through their paces in an intense top of the table league clash against Roma only on Monday, this evening’s match is likely to be played at a rather slow tempo.

All things considered, quotes seem to offer excellent value on a tight game reaping under 2.5 goals for the seventh time in eight encounters between the sides in Turin, particularly given Juventus have kept clean sheets in six of the previous eight meetings in all competitions.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus to make changes for Coppa

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus will make significant changes for tonight’s Coppa Italia semi-final with Fiorentina, and are likely to field a 4-3-3 system.

The Bianconeri have played with three forwards in the two previous rounds, a 6-1 victory over Verona and a 1-0 triumph in Parma, and the system was employed in today’s training session.

Marco Storari seems set to take his customary Coppa Italia place in goal, while Andrea Barzagli could make his first appearance of the season in defence.

Youngster Kingsley Coman could be handed a starting shirt, with the Frenchman and Simone Pepe flanking Fernando Llorente.

Paul Pogba is likely to return after sitting out the Roma game with injury, but Andrea Pirlo is still sidelined.


Probable Juventus team to face Fiorentina: Storari; Caceres, Ogbonna, Barzagli, Padoin; Pogba, Marchisio, Vidal; Pepe, Llorente, Coman

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Line-ups: Juventus-Fiorentina

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus host Fiorentina in tonight’s first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final, as Paul Pogba and Mohamed Salah face off.

It begins at the Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.45 CET.

This fixture has always been a bitter grudge match, which only intensified last season after Juve knocked Fiorentina out of the Europa League.

The Viola reached the Coppa Italia Final last term, losing 3-1 to Napoli, so are eager to get back there.

Juventus boss Max Allegri makes changes, as he is without the injured Andrea Pirlo, Romulo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Luca Marrone.

Carlos Tevez is rested, but Paul Pogba returns to the starting XI after he was left out of the big 1-1 Serie A draw with Roma on Monday due to a muscular problem.

He also brings back the 4-3-3 system with Fernando Llorente given a chance to lead the line with 18-year-old prodigy Kingsley Coman and veteran Simone Pepe, who seems to have finally recovered after two years of an injury nightmare.

Fiorentina know all about injury nightmares and are without Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi, Ciprian Tatarusanu and Federico Bernardeschi.

Mario Gomez is available again, but all eyes will be on Mohamed Salah, who is in sensational form since arriving from Chelsea in January.

Norberto Neto starts against what many believe will be his next club.

These teams have faced off 12 times in the Coppa Italia, the Viola ahead by five wins to three along with four draws.

However, Fiorentina haven’t beaten Juve in this tournament since September 1985, managing just three draws and a defeat.


Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe, Llorente, Coman

Juventus bench: Buffon, Rubinho, Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Evra, De Ceglie, Sturaro, Pereyra, Tevez, Morata, Matri


Fiorentina: Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Marcos Alonso; Aquilani, Badelj, Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez, Salah

Fiorentina bench: Aquilani, Bagadur, Borja Valero, Diamanti, Gilardino, Ilicic, Lazzari, Lezzerini, Pasqual, Rosati, Rosi, Vargas

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juve 'build team around Pogba'

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus director Beppe Marotta assured they “want to build a team with and around Paul Pogba. We decide his future.”

The French midfielder is hot property on the transfer market with Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Manchester United and Manchester City all prepared to pay €100m.

“Juventus are the ones who must decide his future, even if the player has a decisive role in this,” Marotta told Rai Sport.

“We are talking about a young lad who can still grow and this is the ideal environment for him.

“We extended his contract because we want to build a team with and around Paul Pogba.”

He starts in tonight’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Fiorentina at the Juventus Stadium.

“We want to achieve the maximum in every competition we take part in,” continued Marotta.

“The Coppa Italia brings lustre to Italian football and tonight we’ll try to honour it.

“We have a line-up that fully reflects the expectations of the club. We must do well to take any opportunity to raise the bar.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Montella 'no reason to quit Viola'

Mar 5, 2014

Fiorentina director Vincenzo Guerini praised Mohamed Salah and said Vincenzo Montella “has no reason to leave.”

The Viola face Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg tonight.

Guerini was asked about the rumours linking Coach Montella to a future at Milan or Napoli.

“He has another two years on his contract and has no reason to leave,” Guerini told Rai Sport.

“As far as I can see, he should complete his work here and there’s more to be done.”

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado was sold to Chelsea in January, but Salah has more than made up for the Colombian’s exit.

“Cuadrado had so many offers and so much attention. Fiorentina have to take certain economic proposals into account.

“Plus we got Salah, who is a very humble young man doing extremely well. We frankly didn’t expect him to do this well straight away.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

.-

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

HT 1-1: Llorente wipes out Salah

Mar 5, 2014

Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary solo effort was cancelled out by Fernando Llorente, as Juventus and Fiorentina are 1-1 at the break.

The second leg of this Coppa Italia semi-final will be played in Florence on April 7. Juve were without Andrea Pirlo, Romulo and Kwadwo Asamoah, but Paul Pogba returned from a thigh injury. Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic, Nenad Tomovic, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi, Ciprian Tatarusanu and Federico Bernardeschi didn’t make the trip.

Arturo Vidal had two efforts off target in the opening two minutes, while Jasmin Kurtic volleyed wide.

Fiorentina took the lead with a sensational solo effort from Mohamed Salah. A Juve corner was cleared and he sparked the counter-attack from inside his own half, sprinting past everyone to fire into the top corner.

Juve equalised when Simone Pepe whipped in a cross from the right for Fernando Llorente’s free header, which bounced in off the inside of the upright.

Marco Storari palmed a Mati Fernandez strike out from under the bar and on the resulting corner a Mario Gomez error turned into an assist for Jose Maria Basanta’s diving header that hit the post.

Kingsley Coman suffered an early knock at the hands of Jasmin Kurtic and eventually limped off for Carlos Tevez. Milan Badelj was booked and will be suspended for the second leg.


Juventus 1-1 Fiorentina (Half-Time)

Scorers: Salah 11 (F), Llorente 23 (J)

Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe, Llorente, Coman (Tevez 36)

Fiorentina: Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Alonso; Kurtic, Badelj, Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez, Salah

Ref: Valeri

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina: Stunning Salah
double gives Viola vital victory

The Chelsea loanee scored either side of a Fernando Llorente goal - one a stunning
solo effort - to give Vincenzo Montella's side a great Coppa Italia win.

Mar 5, 2014

Chelsea loanee Mohamed Salah scored both goals as Fiorentina beat Juventus 2-1 in Thursday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.
The Egypt international has hit the ground running since arriving on loan from Chelsea during the transfer window and netted a brace to hand Fiorentina the advantage heading into the second leg in Florence next month.

Salah opened the scoring in the 11th minute when, following a period of Juve dominance, he broke clear to send a left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Marco Storari.

Fernando Llorente pulled Juve level with a headed effort, but Salah was on target again after the break – again 11 minutes into the half – to condemn the hosts to their first defeat in normal time since October.

Salah has now netted six goals in seven appearances in all competitions, having made just four starts.

Only four players kept their place in the Juventus starting XI following a 1-1 Serie A draw at Roma on Monday, and one of those men, Arturo Vidal, proved to be a nuisance for the Fiorentina defence from the off - blasting over with little more than a minute on the clock, before side-footing wide of the right-hand post moments later.

Fiorentina also made seven changes from their last league outing and, after Jasmin Kurtic drilled wide from the visitors' first chance, Salah shook off Simone Padoin as he surged forwards to guide a shot past Storari from the left side of the six-yard box.

That lead lasted just 13 minutes, though, as Llorente rose highest to head in a Simone Pepe cross off the left-hand upright – just his second goal of 2015.

Matias Fernandez stung the palms of Storari from 25 yards out on the half-hour mark, and Fiorentina should have re-taken the lead soon after when Jose Maria Basanta sent a close-range header against the post after Mario Gomez had scuffed an effort.

Vidal ended the half as he had started it, causing problems for the visiting defence, but was unable to find the target as he headed narrowly wide.

Fiorentina applied the pressure at the beginning of the second half, with Micah Richards testing Storari at his near post, before Salah again forced his way through the home defence and applied a smart finish to put his side back in front.

Juve appeared to wake up with half an hour to play, but struggled to turn possession into meaningful goalscoring opportunities.

In fact, it was Fiorentina substitute Josip Ilicic who next came close to finding the net when he drilled wide in the 71st minute, before Roberto Pereyra squandered a glorious opportunity to restore parity by glancing off-target from a central position with 10 minutes left to play.

The visitors held out for an important win in their bid to win this tournament for the first time since 2001, while Juve - who have not won the cup for 20 years - will need to up their game for the return leg in April.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Coppa Italia: Salah conquers Juve

Mar 5, 2014

Mohamed Salah’s brace gave Fiorentina a shock 2-1 Coppa Italia semi-final victory in Turin, ending the Juventus unbeaten home record.

Not only was this a great first leg result for the Tuscans, extending their unbeaten streak to 13 games in all competition, but it also saw Juve end their positive run on home turf after 38 wins and four draws. The last side to win here was Bayern Munich in April 2013.

The second leg of this Coppa Italia semi-final will be played in Florence on April 7. The Old Lady hasn’t won this trophy since 1995 and it’ll be tough for them to break that streak after this result.

Juve were without Andrea Pirlo, Romulo and Kwadwo Asamoah, but Paul Pogba returned from a thigh injury. Khouma Babacar, Stefan Savic, Nenad Tomovic, David Pizarro, Giuseppe Rossi, Ciprian Tatarusanu and Federico Bernardeschi didn’t make the trip.

Arturo Vidal had two efforts off target in the opening two minutes, while Jasmin Kurtic volleyed wide.

Fiorentina took the lead with a sensational solo effort from Mohamed Salah. A Juve corner was cleared and he sparked the counter-attack from inside his own half, sprinting past everyone to fire into the top corner.

Juve equalised when Simone Pepe whipped in a cross from the right for Fernando Llorente’s free header, which bounced in off the inside of the upright.

Marco Storari palmed a Mati Fernandez strike out from under the bar and on the resulting corner a Mario Gomez error turned into an assist for Jose Maria Basanta’s diving header that hit the post.

Kingsley Coman suffered an early knock at the hands of Jasmin Kurtic and eventually limped off for Carlos Tevez. Milan Badelj was booked and will be suspended for the second leg.

Micah Richards forced a desperate save out of Storari at the near stick after the restart, while Marcos Alonso’s looping header landed on the roof of the net.

Fiorentina were dominating possession at the start of the second half and penalised Juve for giving the ball away in the final third, as Salah completed his brace with the inside of his left foot. It was his sixth goal in just seven games for the Viola.

Mario Gomez wasted another good chance, injuring himself in the process, then Norberto Neto performed a stunning reaction save on Tevez from point-blank range. Neto also scrambled to fingertip a Pogba cross-shot over the bar, clattering into the upright as he did so.

Josip Ilicic drilled wide, as did Roberto Pereyra, but Alessandro Diamanti wasted a two-against-one counter when allowing Angelo Ogbonna to close him down.


Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina

Scorers: Salah 11, 56 (F), Llorente 23 (J)

Juventus: Storari; Caceres, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Pogba; Pepe (Pereyra 72), Llorente (Morata 58), Coman (Tevez 36)

Fiorentina: Neto; Richards, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Alonso; Kurtic, Badelj (Aquilani 77), Mati Fernandez; Joaquin, Mario Gomez (Ilicic 62), Salah (Diamanti 75)

Ref: Valeri

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina – Coppa Italia:
Salah Sinks Old Lady

Mar 5, 2014

A Mohamed Salah inspired Fiorentina were 2-1 winners against Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg in Torino on Thursday evening, handing the Bianconeri their first home defeat since April 2013.

The Egyptian scored his fifth and sixth goals since joining Fiorentina in January, sandwiched in-between a Fernando Llorente equaliser midway though the first half.

It was Juventus who were quick out the blocks as Arturo Vidal looked to have the game by the scruff of the neck, first shooting over Neto’s goal, then side-footing wide.

However, completely against the run of play Salah was sent clear, nutmegged Simone Padoin, then unleashed a lightening shot into Marco Storari’s far top corner.

That seemed to wake Juve up and they got their goal on the 23rd minute through Llorente. Simone Pepe’s dinked in a lovely ball and the Spaniard’s powerful header was too much for Neto, as it went in of the post.

Fiorentina continued to sit deep and were keen to exploit the counter attack, though both side’s finished the first period unable to manufacture any other meaningful chances.

Michah Richards had a close range effort saved by Storari early in the second half, but it was long before Fiorentina retook the lead on 55 minutes with Salah again getting on the scoresheet, after a pouncing on a mistake from Claudio Marchisio.

Moments later, Neto kept La Viola in front as he got down low to a point blank Carlos Tevez shot.

The home side went on the offensive for the remainder of the half, but rarely got through a resolute Fiorentina backline.

Juventus now travel to the Stadio Franchi on April 7, in the hope of overturning the deficit.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Mohamed Salah's brace gives Fiorentina
advantage over Juventus

Mar 5, 2014

Raising his tally to six goals in seven matches since arriving on loan from Chelsea, Mohamed Salah scored twice as Fiorentina defeated Juventus 2-1 in Turin in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semifinal.

Juventus' 47-game home unbeaten streak came to an end. No visitors had won at the Juventus Stadium since Bayern Munich in April 2013.

Salah opened the scoring on a remakable 60-yard run that started in his own half, cut across the pitch past three defenders, and ended with a shot past Juventus keeper Marco Storari.

Juventus' reply may not have been as spectacular but it required no less skill as Simone Pepe and Fernando Llorente combined to level things up 13 minutes later. Pepe provided a perfect cross from the right and Llorente rose to attack a brilliant header which went in off the far post.

Both sides were trying to get forward but Fiorentina were having the more clear-cut chances as Jose Maria Basanta headed against the post and Micah Richards brought a smart save from Marco Storari just after the break.

So it was no surprise when they took the lead, Claudio Marchisio losing possession in midfield and allowing Salah to bear down on goal and coolly slot home.

Juve then had the best of the second half as they pushed for an equaliser but they will have a deficit to turn over in their second leg in Florence on April 7.

Since joining Fiorentina last month, Salah has three goals in Serie A, one in the Europa League, and two in the cup.

Fiorentina stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 15 matches.

Lazio and Napoli drew 1-1 in the other semifinal on Wednesday.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

JUVENTUS 1-2 FIORENTINA PLAYER
RATINGS – COPPA ITALIA

Mar 5, 2014

Fiorentina have the advantage after some magic from Mo Salah put them 2-1 up in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus.

Juve squandered their early chances before Salah put La Viola ahead with a fine solo goal, leaving Simone Padoin in his wake.

Simone Pepe delivered a superb cross for Llorente to level the scoreline but Salah was on hand again, early in the second half, to put Fiorentina back in front with his 6th goal in 7 appearances.

 

Marco Storari 6.0 - Made two very good saves that might have been enough on another night – Had no help from his defence for either of Salah’s goals.

Martin Caceres 5.5 - Did very little of note during the entire game. Rarely made his presence felt in the final third and was to blame along with the rest of the Juve defence for a poor overall display.

Leonardo Bonucci 5.5 - A few important interceptions and made some decent crosses but little else.

Angelo Ogbonna 5.5 - Made at least one critical interception and a few good tackles to keep the scoreline from getting worse.

Simone Padoin 5.0 - Beaten time and time again by Salah and simply couldn;t live with his pace. At fault for the Fiorentina opening goal.

Paul Pogba 6.0 - Only really started to play when Juve were behind, even then, his passes weren’t great. The kind of game where he needed to step up but struggled to create anything of note.

Claudio Marchisio 5.0 - Misplaced passes and no real invention or creation. A night to forget.

Arturo Vidal 6.0 - Should have put Juve ahead but wasted a glorious chance by shooting wide. Lots of energy in midfield but it counted for nothing.

Kingsley Coman N/A - Injured relatively early on and struggled from then onwards. Replaced by Tevez

Fernando Llorente 6.5 - Scored the only Juve goal on the night but created precious little afterwards.

Simone Pepe 6.0 - Could have put Juve ahead early on, delivered the vital cross for Llorentes goal.


Substitutes

Carlos Tevez 6.0 - Tried his best to make a telling contribution. Had a number of shots blocked by a resolute Fiorentina defence.

Roberto Pereyra 5.5 - Really should have done better. Had a number of late chances, all of which he wasted or chose the wrong pass. Needs to improve.

 

Alvaro Morata 6.0 - Drifted wide and drilled in some great crosses that his teammates managed to waste, more than once.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina

Mar 5, 2014

Fiorentina shocked Juventus 2-1 in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie in Turin on Thursday evening.

Mohamed Salah bagged a sublime double either side of a Fernando Llorente header, which briefly gave the Old Lady hope of avoiding a first home defeat in 47 matches.

 

Juventus

Marco Storari – 6 – Exposed - The veteran goalkeeper had no chance at stopping either goal and dealt with a couple of other efforts impressively to deny Fiorentina an even better result.

Martin Caceres – 6.5 – Runner - Caceres attempted to get forward at every opportunity in order to offer his team an outlet down the Juve right and handled his defensive duties well.

Leonardo Bonucci – 5 – Uncertain - Looked nervous on the ball and was caught upfield from a set-piece when Mohamed Salah burst clear to fire Fiorentina into an early lead.

Angelo Ogbonna – 6 – Confident - Put in a few decent challenges and strode forward into midfield with great authority.

Simone Padoin – 6 – Worker - Pounded the left flank with his strong running and never gave up. However, he just couldn’t get back in time to stop Salah in the first half when hitting his first strike.

Paul Pogba – 6.5 – Trickster - Twenty-one year-old star Pogba provided a threat down Juve’s left-hand side throughout the contest, but occasionally got carried away trying to do too much.

Claudio Marchisio – 6 – Professional - Delivered a composed showing until the 56th minute when caught in possession for Salah’s second. Still got back on the horse to finish strongly.

Arturo Vidal – 6 – Unfamiliar - Usually so dynamic, the Chilean simply wasn’t at his best and cut a peripheral figure at times.

Simone Pepe – 6.5 – Tireless - Produced a constant stream of crosses from the right all evening, with some good and some not so good. His best delivery found Llorente to glance home a 24th minute goal.

Fernando Llorente – 7 – Goalscorer - Scored a fine equaliser in the first half with a flicked header in off the inside of the post, but was fairly quiet otherwise.

Kingsley Coman – 5 – Ineffective - Frenchman was hauled off after 37 minutes having offered nothing in the way of end product and also took a knock earlier which may have affected his performance.


Substitutes

Carlos Tevez (37 mins) – 6 – Frustrating - Tried and failed to find a way through a packed Fiorentina defence, despite putting in a good shift after arriving on the scene earlier than expected.

Alvaro Morata (59 mins) – 6

Roberto Pereyra (73 mins) – N/A


 

Fiorentina

Norberto Neto – 7 – Comfortable - Had nothing to do until the hour-mark when pulling off a fine reaction save from Carlos Tevez against the side who reportedly want to sign him next season.

Micah Richards – 7 – Obstacle - Put in block after block during a performance reminiscent of the days when he first burst onto the scene at Manchester City. Was also denied a goal by Storari after a fine one-two with Matias Fernandez.

Gonzalo Rodriguez – 8 – Inpenetrable - Cleared everything in his path, putting in several last-ditch tackles and playing the leadership role to perfection in the heart of the back four. Outstanding.

Jose Maria Basanta – 7 – Solid - Provided strong support for fellow central defender Gonzalo in defence, but headed wide of a gaping goal in the opening period.

Marcos Alonso – 6 – Resilient - Former Sunderland left-back Alonso was quiet in the first half, but began getting forward later on. He also put in a sumptuous tackle towards the end of proceedings in his own box to ensure Fiorentina remained ahead.

Jasmin Kurtic – 6 – Lively - On loan Sassuolo man Kurtic sent in a few good crosses and also participated in some good link play with his attacking cohorts.

Milan Badelj – 6 – Composed - Kept possession well, while also giving his defensive colleagues a great amount of assistance when required. Looked good on the ball.

Matias Fernandez – 6 – Disciplined - Showcased a clever understanding of his role when using his box-to-box abilities to good effect throughout the contest.

Joaquin – 7 – Fleeting - The ex-Real Betis winger displayed a fantastic touch at times, but continually faded in and out of the action.

Mario Gomez – 6 – Bustling - German striker Gomez put himself about effectively in the opening 45 minutes, but scuffed a shot when well-placed prior to Basanta’s follow-up header that somehow went wide. Trooped off injured after an hour.

Mohamed Salah – 8.5 – Dynamo - Egyptian winger Salah seemed to pop up absolutely everywhere on the field. He notched a wonderful opening goal after lung-bursting run from his own half and then pounced on a rare Marchisio mistake to bag a brace.


Substitutes

Josip Ilicic (63 mins) – 6

Alessandro Diamanti (74 mins) – N/A

Alberto Aquilani (78 mins) – N/A

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Fatigue, Squad Rotation Floor Juventus
as Unbeaten Run Ends Against Fiorentina

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus have continually impressed this season, still in contention for all three major competitions as February gave way to March. Enjoying a comfortable lead in Serie A and—perhaps most importantly—with an advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie, the Bianconeri have undoubtedly enjoyed a successful 2014-15 thus far.

Last week’s win over Borussia Dortmund was thoroughly deserved and was quickly followed by a top-of-the-table clash—the Turin giants ensured their nine-point cushion over Roma remained intact by holding the Giallorossi to a draw on Monday.

The Italian Cup offered Massimiliano Allegri’s men some respite from the demands of those two competitions, but before their encounter with Fiorentina, the coach insisted his team would be seeking yet another win.

“It’s our duty to try and go all the way in the Coppa Italia,” he told reporters at his pre-match press conference, per the club’s official website. “It’s a target of ours and one we haven’t achieved for 20 years,” he continued, hinting at their poor record in recent years.

Indeed, having not lifted the cup since defeating Parma way back in 1995—although they did reach three finals in the two decades since that triumph—Allegri’s stance was understandable. Yet, as Thursday’s semi-final unfolded, the Old Lady could not have been a more accommodating host, as the Viola were seemingly granted the freedom of Juventus Stadium.

Led by Mohamed Salah, Fiorentina ran riot against the Bianconeri, the Egyptian winger repeatedly tearing through the home side’s defence with consummate ease. By the time the final whistle sounded, he had netted twice to take his tally to six goals in as many games since arriving on loan from Chelsea.

His performance in Fiorentina’s 2-1 win was undoubtedly superb and brought an end to the simply staggering home record possessed by the Bianconeri. The Viola became the first side to hand Juve a defeat in their own stadium since Bayern Munich’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final triumph back in April 2013.

Allegri’s side will have to wait over a month until the second leg and a chance to overturn the deficit, and there are a number of reasons not to lose too much confidence at one result. Having expended so much energy in pursuing those two previous results against Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma, it was a visibly tired home side on show here.

Injuries—most notably to Andrea Pirlo—have taken their toll, but the mental lapses evident throughout this performance were a clear result of their recent demanding schedule. Allegri rotated heavily, resting a number of his regular first-choice players and allowing some of the reserves a chance to take the field. Defenders Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner sat out, while the regular attacking duo of Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez did the same.

They were joined on the bench by Gigi Buffon, meaning back-up goalkeeper Marco Storari pulled on the gloves for just the fourth time this season. Kingsley Coman matched that figure at the other end of the field, while there was also a place in the starting XI for Simone Pepe for only the third time in 2014-15.

Perhaps, with Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal still featuring, Juventus still possessed the quality to take more from the match, but the two midfielders looked jaded throughout. Fatigue is understandable, though this was precisely the type of game for the young French star to shine and lift his team when they were struggling.

His failure to do so in the more mundane fixtures was discussed in detail here, and it is something Pogba must look to address if he is to become a truly transcendent star. He clearly has the talent to do so, but finding the will and desire when others are failing is a trait that sets the truly great players apart.

Juve will lament the end of their impressive record, but will simply look to start a new one when they host Sassuolo on Monday.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Bonucci: 'Gomez man-marked me'

Mar 5, 2014

Leonardo Bonucci revealed a Fiorentina tactical trick and reassured fans after Juventus lost the Coppa Italia semi-final.

The first leg ended 2-1 in Turin with a Mohamed Salah brace and the decider will be on April 7.

“Fiorentina did well to make the most of our mistakes. We were a little confused and disorganised in the first 10 minutes after the restart,” Bonucci told Rai Sport.

“When you desperately want to get the equaliser, it can lead to being hasty and making more errors. We still hope to turn this around in the second leg in Florence.

“I thought we played very well tonight. Obviously a defeat can’t be perfect, as we conceded on a ball we’d lost and a counter-attack from our own corner.

“The fans should be confident because we work hard every day and try to put the Coach’s ideas on to the field.

“The only periods of games we got wrong recently were 20 minutes against Roma and 10 minutes here with Fiorentina.

“When you concede on two errors, the tactics count for little. It is an added bonus for the team to know many different systems, as we can surprise our opponents.”

Yet Bonucci admits Vincenzo Montella out-foxed Juve with a tactical trick.

“Fiorentina studied us carefully and Mario Gomez was essentially man-marking me to prevent me starting moves from the back. Their midfielders also took turns attacking Claudio Marchisio and that led to the second goal.”

Salah bagged a brace this evening, his sixth goal in seven games for the Viola.

“First of all, he’s very intelligent, as it’s not easy to come from a different League and immediately adapt so well. He relies on his pace and tonight we made it easier for him in a couple of occasions.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Montella: Fiorentina Have Won Nothing Yet

Mar 5, 2014

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella reminded his side that nothing has been won after the Viola’s 2-1 victory away to Juventus in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.

Mohamed Salah was the inspiration for Fiorentina as he scored either side of Fernando Llorente’s leveller to hand the Bianconeri their first home defeat since April 2013.

Montella though warned, that to make it to the final for the second successive year, they would need to show the same clinical performance come the second leg next month.

“We are happy that we’ve played a great match,” the 40-year-old told Rai.

“Juventus are a dangerous team but I know we want to return to the final and be challenging for a trophy.

“The result helps, but the second-leg will be a difficult game, like it was tonight.

“We got a taste of what is to come, but we have time to access things as we play it in a month, which means we can focus on our other season objectives.”

Since a shock defeat to Parma began the new year, Fiorentina are unbeaten in 12 matches which sees them fighting for Champions League qualification in Serie A as well as fighting for the Coppa Italia and Europa League trophies.

“Since January I have more alternatives, who all make themselves available to me,” Montella said.

“The transfer window was important as we have [Alberto] Gilardino back and we did not expect such a decisive impact from Salah, but we will enjoy the moment and take advantage of it.

“This team is maturing, the players have been together for some time and I understand them better.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Allegri: Fiorentina Deserved Win

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was magnanimous in defeat after seeing Fiorentina leave the Juventus Stadium with a valuable 2-1 win in the first-leg of their Coppa Italia tie.

Fernando Llorente had cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s opener but the Bianconeri were unable to find an answer to the Chelsea loanee’s second as Juventus lost at home for the first time since April 2013.

“We knew we had to face a Fiorentina in a great moment of form,” Allegri told Rai after the match.

“The first half saw both teams perform to a high level, but in the second half we lost our shape and then we conceded the second goal.

“We could have equalised, but Fiorentina were the better side and deserved to beat us.”

Juventus are fighting on two further fronts with a nine point lead at the top of Serie A and their Champions League last 16 return leg away to Dortmund in a two weeks time; however, Allegri refused to use their busy schedule as an excuse.

“We had time to prepare for this tie,” said the 47-year-old.

“Now we turn our intentions to an important league match at the weekend [with Sassuolo] and then we will prepare for the other matches.

“Serie A is not over yet, as everyone else thinks, while Europe is still our a dream and we will try to move forward.

“We are fighting to win all we can and, with all due respect to Fiorentina, we can go and win there”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus 1 - Fiorentina 2: Initial
reaction and random observations

Mar 5, 2014

Mo Salah, Mo stupid problems for Juventus.

There were, in fact, a whole lot of problems for Max Allegri's squad after Thursday night's 2-1 loss to Fiorentina in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinals. Juventus played as poorly as they have in weeks in front of their hometown crowd. A sold-out Juventus Stadium saw their team slog and stumble through mental and physical mistakes against a Fiorentina side that was pretty damn good to boot.

This was, in essence, the perfect storm for Fiorentina.

Yes, Juventus tied the game midway through the first half thanks to Fernando Llorente scoring a classic Fernando Llorente kind of goal, but when you have strikers making 70-yard runs and your team playing extremely well at easily one of the hardest stadiums in Italy to play in. This was Fiorentina at close to its best and Juventus close to its worst this season. I really don't care that Juventus had more possession and just as many shots on target as Fiorentina.

Thursday night's first leg was just ... yuck. There, one word to describe it.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: “This result needs to make us sit up and take notice ahead of our next fixtures. Now for an important game with Sassuolo"

For a team that looked both mentally and physically tired against Fiorentina, things aren't getting any easier. It's not like the schedule is going to be in any sort of a forgiving mood over the next couple of weeks before the international break arrives later this month. The team needs legit rest and time off. Can they actually get it, though? They've played three incredibly tough games in the span of about 10 days. That's a lot to ask of any club no matter how good they are.

Can Juventus rebound right away when it is desperately needed? Sure, but this is a team whose flaws are becoming more and more apparent as the weeks go by in the calendar year of 2015. The defense is looking even more disorganized and prone to mistakes, the midfield isn't so dominant as it once was not so long ago, and just the overall quality of play leaves a whole lot to desired.

Maybe the loss to Fiorentina will wake the team up and snap them out of whatever is preventing them from reaching their potential. An extremely disappointing loss has done so once before, hopefully it can do it again. And preferably before the trip to Germany for the second leg against Borussia Dortmund. That would be nice, wouldn't it?


Random thoughts and observations

Simone Padoin is going to have nightmares of Mohamed Salah running at — and past — him for years to come. Salah was flying down the field in warp speed while Padoin was just trying to keep up as much as he could. The end result was exactly what you would expect to see — Padoin getting burned and Salah opening the scoring for Fiorentina.

Kingsley Coman took one hell of a nasty tackle to his right foot/ankle and never recovered from it. If you want to go ahead and criticize him for how he played in the limited amount of time he was full strength, go right ahead. But then you'd just be taking things completely out of context.

I had no problem with Max Allegri going with a 4-3-3 or that he chose to rotate as much of the squad as he did. Juventus just wasn't able to generate any kind of answer to Fiorentina after they took a 2-1 lead. Oh, there were chances to score, but the finishing was, well, not very good at all.

I believe Allegri really does want to get Juventus to the Coppa Italia final, but until they actually play well en route to that, the notion that the club doesn't hold the tournament in very high regard will continue to be there. That's just the nature of the beast.

That mistake by Claudio Marchisio on Salah's second goal, that's just one of the most un-Marchisio-like mistakes you'll see. And Salah did what he should do — jump all over the mistake and grab a goal.

That's all I got. Uninspired Juventus has left me with nothing left to say. May the personal Padoin winning streak be remembered as something wonderful.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Pogba's poor form is down
to fatigue, says Allegri

The Frenchman has been out of sorts of late but the Juventus coach is not worried,
insisting it is usual for young players to go through periods of struggle.

Mar 5, 2014

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has insisted that Paul Pogba's dip in form is purely down to fatigue.

The Frenchman has looked out of sorts in recent weeks and was far from his best during Thursday's 2-1 Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg loss to Fiorentina in Turin.

However, Allegri says he has already talked to the former Manchester United man about his form and has stressed he is not overly worried about the situation.

"Any player involved in over 40-50 games per season will have moments of fatigue, let alone a 22-year-old who has a lot to learn on how to control games and pace himself throughout 90 minutes," the coach told reporters.

"I always tell him technique is not enough, he needs to put in a certain type of performance.

"Youngsters are going to have peaks and troughs, as Alvaro Morata did, on their way to maturity."

The former AC Milan boss went on to admit that Vincenzo Montella's side were worthy winners on the night even though his side did have chances to level the game and make it 2-2.

"We knew Fiorentina were in fine form and I would say it was a good first half from both teams," said Allegri.

“After the break we lost organisation for about 10 minutes, allowing them two or three chances and conceded on the third. We had opportunities to equalise, but Fiorentina played better than we did and deserved to win."

Allegri called on his side to turn the tie around in the second leg as Juve continue to battle on three fronts with the season reaching its key period.

“There is the second leg and we will try to turn things around," he said.

"We are aware it won’t be easy because Fiorentina are in great form and play very good football but we conceded one goal with a man who ran 70 metres with the ball at his feet. That is not a tactical issue.

“This result must make us think and focus on the next game. The Serie A season is not over, despite what many people seem to say. Europe is a dream and we have got the second leg at Borussia Dortmund, then the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Player Ratings: Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina

Mar 5, 2014

 

Juventus

30 M. Storari - Had no chance with either of Fiorentina's goals and made a couple of fairly smart close-range saves.

4 M. Cáceres - Fairly ineffective going forward but wasn't asked too many questions defensively by Joaquin.

19 L. Bonucci - His long-range passing was at times inaccurate, but the Italy international made a couple of important defensive interceptions.

5 A. Ogbonna - Made a couple of vital last-ditch sliding challenges to ensure that the scoreline didn't become embarrassing.

20 S. Padoin - Struggled with the pace and trickery of Salah down the right-hand side and wasn't too productive offensively either.

23 A. Vidal - Tucked a couple of close-range efforts agonisingly wide of the post, even uncharacteristically missing the chance to head home after timing his run well.

8 C. Marchisio - Sat deep in midfield to keep things moving and slotted incisive passes into the feet of his strike force.

6 P. Pogba - Provided a couple of intelligent crosses from deep and occasionally tried his luck from range, but wasn't at his cutting best.

7 S. Pepe - Full of industry and determination, posing a few questions with his set piece deliveries. Nearly poked home an early effort.

14 Fernando Llorente - Rose brilliantly to direct a header into the bottom-left corner to give Juve some hope in the second leg.

11 K. Coman - Forced to come off in the first half after taking a knock, but was direct with his dribbling.


Substitutes

10 C. Tévez - Full of energy and running, seeing a number of shots blocked within the Fiorentina penalty box.

37 R. Pereyra - Went on a few dangerous runs from deep, but didn't provide any cutting edge.

9 Álvaro Morata - Cut back a few nice balls from the byline, but created nothing out of the blue for himself.


 

Fiorentina

1 Neto - Only had a couple of testing saves to make, as the Fiorentina defence protected their Brazilian goalkeeper well.

4 M. Richards - Full of battling and forced Storari into a smart near-post save in the second half.

2 G. Rodríguez - Threw himself into some important hooked clearances with both his feet and head.

19 J. Basanta - Defended well with his central defensive partner, as La Viola sat back on the edge of their box and remained resilient.

28 Marcos Alonso - Made a couple of vital interceptions in the dying stages of the game, covering across from left-back brilliantly.

16 J. Kurtič - Fired a couple of efforts just wide of the far post in the first half, but was guilty of a couple of dodgy tackles.

5 M. Badelj - Sat at the base of midfield and broke up play when required, but a booking for the Fiorentina man inhibited his later decisions.

14 M. Fernández - Mustered up a couple of long-range efforts and carried the ball upfield quite well.

17 Joaquín - Direct with his running and caused a couple of issues for Juve with his crossing.

33 M. Gómez - Didn't receive a great deal of service as the German striker cut a fairly isolated figure up top.

74 Mohamed Salah - His pace and trickery caused all kinds of problems, with the Egypt international firing home two wonderful finishes to bag a double.


Substitutes

72 J. Iličić - Cracked a couple of long-range efforts goalwards.

10 A. Aquilani - Brought into the central midfield battle to sew up the result for Montella's men.

18 A. Diamanti - Won a few late free kicks for the visitors to give his defence the chance to have a momentary break.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Uninspired Juventus down, but not out,
after Fiorentina loss

Mar 6, 2014

There were two things Juventus needed to worry about when facing Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia semifinal.

The first was the Viola's ability from set pieces. After all, only Atletico Madrid and Werder Bremen have scored more via this method in all of Europe's top five leagues this season.

The second? Mohamed Salah, the pacy arrival who has made quite the impact on the Italian club, scoring six goals in the seven matches he's played.

So what happened Thursday? Salah scored twice while Fiorentina nearly managed another through a set piece in their 2-1 win.

While the Bianconeri started well, showing intensity as they created several chances to overcome Fiorentina's defence, they soon surrendered to imprecision and shocking sloppiness, losing possession cheaply before allowing Salah and his pace to score the opening goal.

Of course Monday's match against Roma certainly fatigued the Old Lady, both mentally and physically, and one cannot expect outstanding performances when the side plays every three days, but it's never acceptable when a giant plays with disinterest. Certain passes were simply lazy, allowing Fiorentina the opportunity to counter-attack and inflict their pace and skill, while the Tuscans' pressing game forced the Old Lady into heinous errors not befitting of a league leader.

The last time Juventus lost at home was on April 10, 2013 -- such is the power of their stadium. Dubbed a fortress, it failed to do little on the night for a team that simply couldn't organise themselves and simply couldn't read the game. To make matters worse, the team were forced to change shape when Kingsley Coman was taken off due to injury and Carlos Tevez was introduced. Yet while the attack worked and the defence struggled under the pressure placed on them by Fiorentina's forwards, it was Juve's midfield that truly disappointed.

With Andrea Pirlo out due to injury, Claudio Marchisio played a woeful game in his place. After some tremendous performances in that deep-lying position, against Vincenzo Montella's men the midfielder was shockingly imprecise and inept at both phases of the game. Arturo Vidal alongside him is now nothing more than an average player. He misses his cues, his shots are weak and inaccurate, and one cannot help but notice his fear when the time comes to make a tackle. The physiological impact of his injury still haunts him, and while he performs in fits and bursts, it's clear the Bianconeri have lost a once-shining star.

As for Pogba, his performances are really not befitting a man with so much talent. His skills and technique are nothing short of magical to watch. But he simply does not appear to have enough faith in himself and isn't performing like a man with much confidence. Too often he reaches the final third and stutters. Overthinking every move and trying too hard to choose the right option is mentally exhausting a player who ought to play unburdened. When he scores, he follows it up with several other goals in the proceeding games, proving how much his thoughts hinder his performances. One poor performance and he quickly unravels, losing his self-esteem.

Between Jan. 11-25, Juventus played four games. The young Frenchman scored in each because he took chances and believed in his strengths. On Nov. 2, 2013, one delicious goal against Parma was quickly followed up by a stunner against Napoli the following week. Once Pogba lets go of all the trepidation, he really is marvellous to watch, but Allegri is right: The midfielder can boast all the technical skill in the world but it's not enough if he cannot exploit that potential and make it count for the team on a consistent basis.

He is young and he will learn, but he is also a player others look to for inspiration. When he stops and looks and slows down the tempo, he is affecting those around him. By contrast, Alvaro Morata, another young player, has matured mentally, and Allegri made a point of mentioning that in his postmatch conference. Not only has the Spaniard learned to put his individual needs aside to play for the team, but he plays with greater confidence, believing in his own quality to let instincts take over in moments that require courage and quick thinking to ensure clever movements in the box.

Yet despite Juve's average performance on the night, they still had their opportunities -- but either took one too many touches or tried to walk the ball into the back of the net. It's important not to force the issue and surrender to frustration as they have in previous seasons, and again in this match. But they must also believe more in themselves when it comes to the final third. And they must use the full width of the pitch, playing with intelligence as opposed to fear -- the very fear that is ironically forcing them into making the bad decisions they are looking to avoid.

Montella's men deserve their victory, for not only did they have a clear strategy and the weapons to hurt a tired Juve, but they defended well, playing with the kind of maturity that has seen them triumph in the Europa league and in the Coppa Italia. However, it's not over yet, there's still the return leg. And while Fiorentina have the advantage, one can never underestimate the grand Old Lady.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina: Viola Played Better
& They Deserved To Win, Admits Allegri

Mar 6, 2014

Chelsea loanee Mohamed Salah was the hero again for Fiorentina as they became the first Italian team to beat Juventus in their own backyard in over two years. After this first leg victory in first leg of Copa Italia, Fiorentina are now the clear favorites to reach the finals. Juventus boss Max Allegri admitted it after the game that the Viola were a better team and deserved to win it.

Ever since his loan move from Chelsea to Fiorentina, Mohamed Salah has hit the ground running for Viola and he was again on target against the most powerful team of Italy as he scored one goal in each half.

For Juventus, Fernando Llorente did score a goal in the 24th minute but it proved too little as Fiorentina dominated the proceedings from start to end.

And Juventus boss Max Allegri admitted it after the game that his team deserved to lose.

“We knew Fiorentina were in fine form and I’d say it was a good first half from both teams,” Allegri told reporters after the game.

“After the break we lost organisation for about 10 minutes, allowing them two or three chances and conceded on the third.

“We had opportunities to equalise, but Fiorentina played better than we did and deserved to win tonight.

“There is the second leg, we’ll try to turn things around, aware it won’t be easy because Fiorentina are in great form and play very good football.

“Up until we had Coman on the field, we had more density in midfield. With Tevez we changed shape a little and were struggling during those 10 minutes.”

Fiorentina boss Vicenzo Montella was pleased with this victory over Juventus and he also praised the impact of Mohamed Salah.
“The whole team is growing, not just Salah, though he is scoring a lot of goals. Salah is in a state of grace and we hope he can continue, but the team has been consistent since November-December,” Montella said.

“Salah settled in very well. We knew he was strong, but in all honesty his immediate impact has gone beyond expectations.

“We have a squad with many alternatives and the January transfer window gave me some other options to choose from. I haven’t forgotten we brought in Alberto Gilardino too and he will have more space.

“The team is confident, aware of what it can do and also remains humble.”

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus made it easy for Salah - Bonucci

The defender was critical of the way his team offered chances
on a plate to Fiorentina to punish in the midweek Coppa Italia semi-final.

Mar 6, 2014

Leonardo Bonucci believes that Juventus deserve to be chastised for making it easy for Fiorentina superstar Mohamed Salah to put them to the sword on Thursday.

The Chelsea loanee opened the scoring in the the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg before Fernando Llorente equalised for Massimiliano Allegri's men on 24 minutes.

Salah edged Vincenzo Montella's side back into the lead shortly after the break, however, and they held on for a surprise 2-1 victory at the Juventus Stadium.

Bonucci was critical of the way the Scudetto holders allowed Salah - who has been a revelation since joining the Viola on loan just over a month ago - to exploit their weaknesses using his speed and quick brain.

"Salah seems very intelligent - it’s not easy to come from the Premier League and immediately adapt so well," he told Rai Sport.

"He relies on his pace and tonight we made it easy for him in a couple of occasions.

"Overall, Fiorentina did well to make the most of our errors. We were a little confused and disorganised in the first 10 minutes after half-time.

"When you really, really want to get the equaliser, it can lead to being rash and making more mistakes. We still hope to turn this around in the second leg in Florence."

Although the centre-back was openly critical of where Juve fell short, he still thinks that a Coppa Italia final is a realistic target for the Italian champions.

"I thought we played pretty well tonight," Bonucci added. "Obviously losing is not ideal; we conceded from a piece of play in which we lost the ball and a counterattack from a corner of ours.

"The fans should be confident, though, because we work hard every day and try to put Allegri's ideas into practice.

"The only periods of games we got wrong recently were 20 minutes of our 1-1 draw against Roma and 10 minutes here against Fiorentina.

"When you concede from two errors, the tactics you plan mean nothing. It is an added bonus for us to know multiple tactical plans, at least, as we can surprise our opponents."

The second leg of the Coppa Italia final will take place on April 7.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

1 - 2

Mohamed Salah (11')

Fernando Llorente (24')

Mohamed Salah (56')

Coppa Italia semi-final
Thursday, March 5th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus 1-2 Fiorentina: Mohamed

Salah's brace makes the difference

Fiorentina ended Juventus' unbeaten streak of 47 games at home,
as Mohamed Salah capped a great individual performance with a brace.

Mar 6, 2014

There was a bit of digging done after the full time whistle came at the Juventus Stadium. And then a bit more. And some more. And finally, after yet more digging, it has been revealed — Juventus’ last home defeat came almost two years ago on 13th of April 2013, in Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munchen. An unbeaten streak of 47 games perpetuated over the JStadium since then — fairly decent, one would argue.

But as everything else, those streaks come to an end at some point and it was Fiorentina who ended it for the Bianconeri, getting their noses in front over the two-leg encounter of the Coppa Italia. That’s good news.

No, not the defeat, obviously; the two-leg tie.

Winning the Coppa Italia proved to be rather difficult over the past 20 years for Juventus, considering they haven’t won it at all. The last success came versus Parma in 1995 and the closest the Old Lady got since then were three runner-up places. This is why juventini formed a world-wide chorus voicing solidarity in moaning and complaining about the failed attempts of lifting the 10th Coppa and, subsequently, becoming the first club in history to receive the silver star.

And after the latest setback, it appears to many supporters that there will be some more waiting on the cards, but perhaps those are too quick to write off the second leg. Winning at Stadio Artemio Franchi is not such an insurmountable problem, really. In fact, Juventus managed it last year in Europa League when, after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Andrea Pirlo’s free-kick goal was enough to secure the win.

Despite the draw being the most common result when the two clubs faced each other in Florence, a motivated Juventus would definitely be able to do the job.

This defeat should be a wake-up call — not only for the players, but for Max Allegri as well. Questions were raised after the horrible last 20 minutes played earlier this week against Roma but a change in attitude is yet to be seen. Since all the rumours of €100m Paul Pogba started, the young Frenchman hasn’t really been the same – too often switches off on big occasions. Arturo Vidal is still trying to find his rhythm with small success, if at all, and the defence has particularly been a problem over the last month.

It was indeed a mixed side against Fiorentina but only Simone Padoin, Kinsgley Coman and Simone Pepe represent a clear downgrade, really. The introductions of Alvaro Morata and Roberto Pereyra changed nothing. The Argentine was even frustrating to watch because of his unbelievable poor decisions. This is why, the problem seems to lie within team’s mentality and focus ability. Juventus give the impression they drift off at times and in against decent opposition, punishment arrives instantly.

Roma, Dortmund, Fiorentina and even Cesena, already took advantage of it. Allegri has to mend this issue in order to keep Juventus steady in the course for the fourth Scudetto and, more importantly, advance in the next round of Champions Leauge.


MATCH SUMMARY

Juventus started the game strongly and Vidal missed a huge chance in the second minute. Pogba played a brilliant through ball inside the box for Vidal who got past Jose Basanta with the first touch but then placed his shot narrowly wide of the far post from 10 yards.

Fiorentina had a good chance inside 10 minutes as well. Joaquin played a good long ball inside Juventus’ box which found Jasmin Kurtic unmarked at the far post but the Slovenian midfielder couldn’t find the target with his first-time volley.

Pogba had a good attempt from the edge of the area in the 10th minute but the ball was blocked and Juventus won a corner-kick. Simone Pepe took the corner but it was easily defended by the Viola defence who cleared the ball straight to Mohamed Salah, who was lurking just inside his own half.

The Egyptian only had Padoin to beat as he broke free on the counter and developed great pace to take the defender on easily. Salah sprinted all the way to Juventus’ box, then coolly sent his shot past Storari into the top corner, giving Fiorentina the lead in the 11th minute.

Coman won a yellow card for Kurtic in the 17th minute but came out limping from that duel, showing signs of an injury to his ankle.

Llorente levelled the score for Juventus in the 24th minute with a fantastic header. Pepe had plenty of time on the right side of the pitch to prepare an inch-perfect cross that found Llorente just outside the 6-yard-box. The Spaniard leaped over the defence and directed his header beautifully at the far post, leaving Neto rooted to the spot.

Storari made his first intervention of the game in the 31st minute, pushing over the bar Matias Fernandez’s powerful shot from about 20 yards out. Following the corner kick, Juventus’ defence had problems clearing the ball and it reached Jose Basanta whose diving header hit the outside of the post.

Coman couldn’t shake off the knock received earlier and was taken off in the 37th minute, replaced by Carlos Tevez. The Argentine had a good chance just seconds later as he broke free on a counter attack on the left flank but his shot from inside the box was blocked and Fiorentina cleared the danger.

Juventus had the last chance of the first half in the 45th minute when Pogba flicked a ball in for Padoin, whose cross found Vidal at the far post but the Chilean couldn’t direct his header on target.

There was an early first half-chance for Juventus in the 47th minute when Pepe sent a low cross for Tevez who couldn’t connect with the ball. Storari made a great save to deny Micah Richards just two minutes later. The Englishman played a one-two with Fernandez inside Juventus’ box and then blasted a shot at the near post, but Storari parried the ball away with his left foot.

Salah scored his second goal of the game in the 56th minute after a huge mistake from Marchisio. Juventus’ captain received the ball outside his box and tried to play a pass to Padoin on the left but sent it straight to Salah’s feet. The 22-year-old midfielder only had to take a few steps to get inside the box, before sliding a ball at the far post behind a hopeless Storari.

Tevez had a great chance to level the scoreline in the 62nd minute. Marchisio chipped a ball over the defence for Morata who cut it back inside the 6-yard-box to Tevez. The Argentine hit it first time but despite the close range, Neto showed great reflexes to keep the ball out. Two minutes later, Pogba sent a cross from the left side but the ball took a weird trajectory and was heading for the top far corner when Neto tipped it over the bar, crashing with the post in the process.

In the 72nd minute, Josip Ilicic, who replaced the injured Mario Gomez in the 63rd minute, received a ball from Salah just outside Juventus’ area and after a neat first touch, the Slovenian went for the long shot but the ball flew inches wide of the post.

With 10 minutes to go, Caceres did some good work down the right flank to send a low cross which found Pereyra completely free in a central position in the box but the Argentine’s shot was very poor as he barely connected with the ball.

Caceres misjudged a long ball in the 86th minute and Bonucci weirdly decided to stop and not follow the ball, allowing Alessandro Diamanti and Ilicic to break into a 2:1 situation against Ogobnna. However, the Italian defender stood his ground firmly, managing to clear the ball behind for a corner kick.

Juventus pressed Fiorentina in the final minutes with no effect. Pogba’s played a good ball in from the left side with two minutes to go but none of the bianconeri in the box managed to get a shot in. A final weak effort from the Frenchman concluded the last action of the game, as referee Paolo Valeri blew the final whistle.


PLAYER RATINGS

Storari: 6 Made a couple of good saves but was left discovered at both goals, being unable to prevent them.

Caceres: 5.5 Frustrating night, as it was for the whole defence, as the Uruguayan had a hard time containing Joaquin and Fernandez.

Bonucci: 6 Probably the best performer at the back – the closest to a decent standard. Sent a few precise long balls, but was out of position too often.

Ogbonna: 5.5 The Italian gave the impression he was having a stroll in the park when Salah scored his second goal. Poor performance, heavily undermined by the Egyptian

Padoin: 4.5 Horrible.

Vidal: 5 Seemed very lively in the first 15 minute but then switched off and was hardly involved in any decent attacking action

Marchisio: 5 Childish mistake to lose the ball in that position for the stand-in captain. His passing throughout the game was of a very low standard

Pogba: 5.5 Was more active than his fellow teammates from midfield, but seemed too relaxed at times. Not the usual strong presence on the pitch

Pepe: 6 Started the game very well, delivering a beautiful cross for the goal, but couldn’t continue in the same manner

Llorente: 6.5 It’s been a long time since the Spaniard had such a good game. Besides the goal, his passing and hold-up play worked great

Coman: 6 Unlucky to pick-up an injury and was replaced before half-time, but the Frenchman didn’t really make a great impact until then


Subs

Tevez: 5.5 Almost made an instant impact after he Replaced Coman in the 37th minute. However, his game wasn’t great afterwards, missing a good chance and the Argentine also seemed tired

Morata: 6 Was quite lively upfront and sent a couple of good crosses, but couldn’t create any chance for himself

Pereyra: 5 Despite showing some nice skills, was really ineffective, missing a great chance and taking the worst decisions


Coach

Allegri: 5.5 Rotating the squad was something everyone expected and giving the home advantage it seemed as Juventus would grab the win without the best XI. It didn’t work out for Allegri though and the 4-3-3 with Ogbonna and Bonucci as central defenders was once again suicidal — re: Cesena. He’ll probably consider other options next time out.

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - SASSUOLO

.-

Monday, March 9th, 2015 - 9:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo

Juventus V Sassuolo – Preview: Bianconeri

Look To Extend Neroverdi Losing Streak

Mar 6, 2015

Sassuolo sit near the bottom of the Serie A form table as the Neroverdi have won just twice in their last fourteen matches.

The Emilia-Romagna side did surprise Juventus in their last meeting, where they took a surprise lead through Simone Zaza.

Paul Pogba levelled for the Bianconeri, but the feisty Neroverdi held on for over 70 minutes for the draw. Sassuolo will be hoping for the same when they travel to Turin for Monday night’s match.

Juventus come into the game with several key players missing through injury. Andrea Pirlo is the most notable of the Bianconeri’s absentees. The Italian missed last week’s match and the original diagnosis following the injury against Borussia Dortmund was approximately 20 days recovery time.

The playmaker will be joined by Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo and Luca Marrone who are all recovering from injury. Despite the injuries, Juventus have plenty of depth to fill in for their missing players.

Sassuolo’s injury worries are more extensive and those injuries have contributed to the club’s recent three loss run. Sime Vrsaljko, Federico Peluso, Paolo Cannavaro and Luca Antei will be out. The team’s defence is still a patchwork as 37-year-old Paolo Bianco should slot back into the side where he has struggled mightily.

The club have played midfielder Davide Biondini at full-back. The veteran is expected to be played their again which could lead to Juventus exploiting the Sassuolo right side. Forward Domenico Berardi is typically deployed on the right side as well. A lack of defending and tracking back from the youngster will leave Biondini regularly exposed.

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has been red hot in his last 11 matches. The Argentine has tallied nine goals in all competitions in that time pushing his season total to 21 goals. Tevez currently leads Serie A in the race for capocannoniere with 15 and should give Sassuolo’s ragged defence a difficult time on Monday night.

While Sassuolo’s defence is threadbare, their attack still has enough fire power to cause the defending champions trouble. The attack with be triggered by Domenico Berardi, whose six assists have been the catalyst to leading goal scorer Simone Zaza’s eight goals. Coach Eusebio Di Francesco’s attack will be rounded out by Nicola Sansone, who has tallied three goals and two assists of his own.

Juventus will be coming off a midweek Coppa Italia semi-final tie with Fiorentina, which could put the league leaders at a disadvantage. Add in the club’s second-leg tie with Borussia Dortmund on March 18th, and the Bianconeri could take their foot of the pedal.

The club have plenty of depth, which could see several key players get a rest. But Massimiliano Allegri still has plenty of options to get the job done and take all three points.


Form guide: Juventus (W-D-W-D-W-D) Sassuolo (L-W-D-L-L-L)


Expected Starting XIs

Juventus: Buffon, Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner, Pereyra, Marchisio, Vidal, Evra, Morata, Tevez

Sassuolo: Consigli, Biondini, Acerbi, Bianco, Longhi, Taider, Magnanelli, Missiroli, Berardi, Sansone, Zaza

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - SASSUOLO

.-

Monday, March 9th, 2015 - 9:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Sebastiano Peruzzo

Preview: Juventus vs. Sassuolo

Mar 6, 2015

A victory over Sassuolo on Monday could give Juventus an 11-point lead at the top of the Serie A table.

Massimiliano Allegri's side have been in fine form in the top flight having suffered just one defeat in 25 games, but they head into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final in midweek.

With a Champions League last-16 second leg against Borussia Dortmund coming up on March 18 and already a steady lead at the top of the Serie A standings, Juve could take their foot off the gas against Sassuolo, who reside 12th in the table.

Eusebio di Francesco has not witnessed his side win since the start of February when they secured a 3-1 triumph over Inter Milan.

Since then the team, who have grabbed just six wins all season, have drawn to Sampdoria and suffered defeats to Fiorentina, Napoli and Lazio, in which period they conceded nine goals overall.

Despite their results so far in the campaign, they can be buoyed by how they ended Juventus's winning run back in October by holding them to a 1-1 draw at the Mapei Stadium.

With regards to team selection, Juventus have a number of players on the treatment table - Andrea Pirlo, Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo and Luca Marrone will all miss the match, but Carlos Tevez is expected to be given the nod up front.

The Argentine has scored nine goals in his last 11 matches in all competitions, which has pushed his tally up to 21 so far this season, and he is expected to be joined by Alvaro Morata up front.

For the visitors, Davide Biondini is expected to move into a full-back position from midfield in order to cover Sassuolo's injury woes, while Domenico Berardi is likely to play on the right side of attack.


Juventus

Form in Serie A: W D W D W D 
Form in all competitions: W D W W W D 

Possible starting lineup: Buffon; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini, Lichtsteiner; Pereyra, Marchisio, Vidal, Evra; Morata, Tevez


Sassuolo

Form in Serie A: L W D L L L 

Possible starting lineup: Consigli; Biondini, Acerbi, Bianco, Longhi; Taider, Magnanelli, Missiroli; Berardi, Sansone, Zaza


Sports Mole says: 2-0

 

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