Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Juventus Champions League Adventure Set To Raise Big Money Apr 15, 2015 Following Juventus’ first leg Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, the potential financial windfall of qualification has been analysed. The European competition is one that promises an increased income to all teams who compete and now the Bianconeri have the opportunity to boost their earnings. Italian newspaper Tuttosport have reported that the Old Lady have already collected €78 million so far during the competition and that they now have the chance to make another 10 if they are to eliminate Monaco. This additional fee is made up of €4.9m as a general bonus, €1.6m for the market pool of television rights as well as another €3m for potential ticket sales. Furthermore, if Juventus are to make it to the final of the competition then their earnings could exceed that of €100m. As a whole, the revenue of the Champions league accumulates to a huge amount of money and it is even set to increase next year by a total of €500m, which is a 32% inflation on the current total. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Juventus use intelligence to secure first leg victory over Monaco Apr 15, 2015 Was it a penalty? Was it a red card? So many questions, such intelligent tactics, but at the end of the first 90 minutes, it was Juventus that walked away with a 1-0 win against Monaco and deservedly so based on the number of chances they fashioned. Monaco winger Nabil Dirar upset the home fans when he referred to Arsenal as a better side than Juventus. Italians thought Borussia Dortmund was a harder test for the Old Lady than Monaco would be, yet here the two teams stand, in the quarterfinals due to one particular point: Intelligence. "This is a tough side to play against and paradoxically it was easier against Borussia Dortmund because of their style of football. Monaco know their limitations and therefore play to stop the opposition playing. It means waiting a little longer and making an extra five or six passes to find the right breakthrough," noted Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri accurately in his post-match conference. Both Juventus and Monaco understand their strengths and play with their heads more than their hearts. Caution weighs heavily on their minds and every move and decision is thought of a dozen times before it is executed. Neither side play the exciting football of those opponents they defeated in the last round, yet more than any other teams in this competition, they are both fully aware of how to adapt to situations and make their intelligence count. Expected to be a cagey affair, it was the visitors who created the better chances once they settled in, opting for a speedy attack as opposed to the technique of their experienced forward, Dimitar Berbatov, who started on the bench. The strategy was quickly made clear: absorb pressure then hit on the counterattack. After all, there's nothing the Old Lady despises more than being run at with pace. With Juventus consistently passing inwards, attempting to direct play through the middle and find the players between the lines, they became somewhat predictable. Every move just took a little too long to execute, thus allowing their opponents plenty of time to take their position and defend in organised fashion. What the Bianconeri needed were faster passes, quicker thinking and speedy movements to uncover a gap at the back, provoke an error and simply exploit the situation. Instead, they were imprecise with their play and possession was easily squandered in midfield. Monaco grew in confidence as they countered with speed and the moment they lost the ball they pressed high up the pitch to exert pressure on a shaky Andrea Pirlo. The problem with the side from the principality, much to Allegri's delight, is their attacking ambition ebbs and flows in unusual manner. The smallest incident will provoke caution resulting in defensive play and Juventus eventually began to dominate, as they adapted well to the opponent and created chance after chance. The moment Juventus lost the ball through the middle, they would devote numbers to winning it back to maintain attacking momentum. The ball moved quicker, the movements were faster and Juventus became more dangerous. Arturo Vidal had a glorious chance to take the lead just before halftime only to waste yet another opportunity. Most will point out that his performance was impressive -- if only because he expended so much strenght, relentlessly running to halt the opponent and win back possession. Yet while his determination and heart were, and always are, a joy to watch, his technique is not what it used to be and when the accurate balls reached his feet, one lost confidence in his ability to covert. It is precisely why fear was so keenly felt by all the home fans when it was Vidal who stepped up to take the penalty. Pirlo delivered a beautiful pass forward for Alvaro Morata, only for the Spaniard to find his heels clipped, going down in the box to earn his side a spot kick. Pirlo had hardly had a great night, looking sluggish and out of touch for much of the first half, yet his geometric passes are still a thing of beauty and always decisive as they were on this occasion. Did Vidal have the confidence? Apparently so, as he asked for the opportunity, reflecting a confidence and knowledge that a successful strike would break down any psychological barriers that still existed in his mind. Needless to say, he was unstoppable thereafter, running everywhere and anywhere to keep the opponents at bay while Monaco attempted to control their temper. Monaco were furious with the referee, as Morata appeared to have been fouled outside of the box, but Juventus were still granted the controversial penalty. The goal left both sides perplexed and bad football ensued with neither side knowing whether or not to go for a goal or play with caution. While Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim eventually decided to bring on Berbatov to give his side more attacking verve in a 4-2-4, Allegri opted to change to a 3-5-2 formation, effectively defending with five men to guarantee the result -- yet another example of playing with one's head, managing the game to perfection. Based on the overall balance of the game, the Bianconeri deserved the win simply because they created an abundance of chances, but Jardim's men proved exactly why they find themselves at this stage of the competition, for few sides possess their tactical intelligence and organised style of play. It was a pure moment of quality that broke the deadlock, delivered by the one man who looked out of sorts on the pitch: Pirlo. Neither Carlos Tevez nor Morata proved especially effective on the night and the tie is still wide open. One can only hope that the pressure on Monaco to score at home will offer Allegri the opportunity to play a reactive and counter-attacking game in the second leg -- exactly how they played in Germany to defeat Dortmund. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Arturo Vidal Penalty Helps Juventus Take Slender Lead Over Monaco Apr 15, 2015 A contentious Arturo Vidal penalty gave Juventus the 1-0 Champions League quarter-final victory over Monaco. The decider will be in the Principality on April 22, where ASM have won only twice in the competition this season. The Bianconeri were the favourites on paper in this first leg quarter-final, but fresh from a shock defeat to Serie A bottom club Parma and facing a Monaco side that eliminated Arsenal with a 3-1 win in London. They had scored only seven goals in their eight games so far, but conceded fewer than any other club in the Champions League this season. Andrea Pirlo made his first appearance in three weeks, but Paul Pogba was still sidelined and Andrea Barzagli only fit for the bench. The visitors missed Jeremy Toulalan and opted for Ricardo Carvalho and Anthony Martial rather than Wallace and Dimitar Berbatov. After an expected bright opening from the home side in which Morata volleyed over the bar from just six yards after being picked out by an inch-perfect pass Andrea Pirlo pass, it was actually Monaco who slowly began take control of proceedings. First Yannick Carrasco passed up a golden opportunity to give the visitors a vital away goal to take back with them to France after being picked out in the area following a fine driving run by Anthony Martial, only for the Belgium winger to somehow fail to beat Gianluigi Buffon from close range when it seemed easier to score. Then just seconds later the same player again tested Buffon with a low shot from the edge of the area, which the Juve captain did well to turn round the post after the ball was deflected en route to goal. And when an unmarked Layvin Kurzawa also directed a header off target just past the quarter-hour mark, the home fans’ unhappiness with how Monaco were dominating was clear for all to hear. But Juventus soon recovered their poise, and control of the contest, despite strong Monaco appeals for a penalty after Giorgio Chiellini appeared to haul the speedy Martial down in the box, with the hosts missing a glut of opportunities as the game moved towards the break. First Tevez failed to make good enough contact with the ball after being found unmarked at the back post by Claudio Marchisio’s curling left-wing centre, before left-back Patrice Evra blazed wildly over the crossbar after fine approach play on the right-hand by-line from Roberto Pereyra. However, it was Vidal who was guilty of the worst miss of all. The Chilean was played clean through on goal by a delicious defence-splitting pass from Tevez, only for the midfielder to miss the target with only Danijel Subasic to beat in the Monaco goal. Monaco were first to threaten in the second half, Bernardo Silva breaking into the box at the end of a swift raid before forcing a save out of Buffon with his left boot. Nabil Dirar went off with a knee injury and Tevez was unable to tap in a corner, then Monaco threatened on the counter with Buffon palming a Bernardo Silva shot round the near post. In the 57th minute, however, Juve were gifted an opportunity to score. When Ricardo Carvalho brought Alvaro Morata down in the area, Vidal stepped up to the mark and beat Subasic with a driven spot-kick. The Chilean hadn’t found the net in this tournament since a hat-trick against FC Copenhagen in November 2013.Then, with Juve still celebrating, Kondogbia tried to surprise Buffon with a shot from distance but the veteran keeper flicked the ball out for a corner. Sensing a backlash, Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri withdrew playmaker Andrea Pirlo for defender Andrea Barzagli, and Monaco’s ability to retaliate steadily weakened. Kondogbia did wriggle into the area as time ticked away, but the save was easy for Buffon and full-time soon ended the principality club’s tame challenge. Juve comfortably saw out the closing stages, but they will be far from confident of sealing the deal next week given they have lost every Champions League contest they have ever played on French soil. Juventus did enough to claim the win this evening after a dominant performance. They were in control of the match and they enjoyed a huge amount of the ball. Monaco deserve CREDITfor their defensive display and they almost managed to claim a draw, but for a rare defensive lapse by Carvalho that gave away the penalty. With the scoreline so finely poised, there is still everything to play for when the teams meet at the Stade Louis II next Wednesday. The Bianconeri were not at their absolute best, but they managed to grind out another narrow victory. They struggled to create many clear-cut chances against a stubborn Monaco defence, but Carlos Tevez and Vidal both missed very presentable openings in the first half. Once they went ahead, they expertly killed the game off to ensure a vital result. The visitors may argue that the foul for the penalty happened just outside the box, but Carvalho was extremely fortunate not to pick up a red card. In the end, they failed to take their chances and it means that they will have big task on their hands to overturn the deficit in the return meeting. The Bianconeri face a top-of-the-table clash in Serie A at the weekend when they welcome Lazio to Turin while Monaco will be looking to continue their Ligue 1 title challenge against Rennes on Saturday evening. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) If you want fun, go to the circus - Allegri The Juventus boss has defended his tactics in the 1-0 win over Monaco, saying he is "only interested in reaching the Champions League semi-finals". Apr 15, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has told his side's fans that they should "go to the circus" if they want entertainment. The Bianconeri played it safe in their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco in Turin, winning 1-0 courtesy of a penalty from Arturo Vidal. However, the former AC Milan boss has defended his tactics and was delighted to see the Chilean return to goalscoring form. "Yes, the result is good, there's no doubt about it," he is quoted as saying by La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "It was crucial not to concede in the home leg. Let's not say that we're already in the semi-finals though. "It was a boring game? If you want to have fun, you should go to the circus. I'm only interested in reaching the semi-finals. "We are pleased with the performance. Whoever thought that it would be an easy quarter-final is mistaken. "In truth, Vidal has been playing well for some time. This time, he scored which is for the best. He and Tevez are the penalty takers." The Italian champions travel to the prinicipality for the second leg next week as they look to reach the last four for the first time since 2003. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Vidal: 'I asked to take penalty' Apr 15, 2015 Arturo Vidal revealed why he took the penalty for Juventus against Monaco. “I asked Carlos Tevez for the ball.” The spot-kick proved decisive for a 1-0 first leg quarter-final victory, his first Champions League goal since November 2013. “I felt confident, so I asked Carlitos for the ball and then I scored. We don’t have a first choice penalty taker, it’s whoever feels most up to it will take it,” the Chilean told Sky Sport Italia. Vidal had missed a golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time, ballooning over the bar. Did he feel at that point he was never going to break his Champions League drought? “When I saw the ball go over, I felt tense, but I looked up and saw my wife, so she gave me more confidence to carry on. “The ball bobbled, but for some reason I’m missing chances that I never used to. Now I’ve scored, I hope to feel more confident. “It’s normal to feel a little scared in a quarter-final against a team that did so well in the first leg against Arsenal. We were worried at leaving spaces behind us, but in the end we got there.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Juve’s big guns the difference Juventus will have a lead to defend next week after downing Monaco by a single goal. Luca Cetta praises crucial contributions from key players. Apr 15, 2015 Interviewed by giornalaccio rosa dello Sport ahead of yesterday’s match, Arturo Vidal’s message was simple: “I want to score some crucial goals and this is the right time!” With a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg deadlocked just after half time, Vidal stepped up to break Monaco’s stubborn resistance. The superb penalty turned out to be the only goal of the game. Danijel Subasic could do little to stop a spot-kick which arrowed into the top corner. Vidal spoke to the pink paper at length about battling through the pain to take the field for Juventus after a knee injury early last year which nearly cost a spot at the World Cup. The recovery was slow and criticism forthcoming. And the Chilean, for three seasons a prolific midfield scorer, had failed to find the target in seven European matches, no opportunity more glaring than his miss from the spot against Olympiacos. On the stroke of half time he spurned a glorious chance to put the Bianconeri ahead. Were the gremlins surfacing? “When I saw the ball go over, I felt tense, but I looked up and saw my wife, so she gave me more confidence to carry on.” Then the referee pointed to the spot. This was the chance to put things right. “I felt confident, so I asked Carlitos [Tevez] for the ball and then I scored.” His penalty was hit with the confidence of a man up for the big occasion. It lifted a weight off his shoulders. Free of the shackles, Vidal lived up the ‘Warrior’ moniker, never giving Monaco players a moment’s rest. Juventus will admit they are not one of the favourites to lift the ‘cup with the big ears’. It’s a strong squad, but not as deep as some. Like with the penalty, luck doesn’t go astray in Europe. And as Vidal demonstrated they need their principal components to be decisive at the right time. Just as was the case with Andrea Pirlo, making his first appearance since the Round of 16 first leg. Massimiliano Allegri had late doubts whether he would make it, but Pirlo’s presence slightly re-jigged Juve in comparison to during his absence. Part enforced by Monaco’s disciplined shape and part Pirlo, the Old Lady was more vigilant in building from the back. The Metronome’s radar was a little rusty. After almost two months out this was to be expected. But his long-range missile for Alvaro Morata after half time was game-changing. The Spaniard and Ricardo Carvalho tangled and while contact took place just outside the area, a penalty was awarded. In real time it’s easy to see why. The decision was close, Vidal’s finish unerring. Before and after the goal the visitors threatened. The opening minutes were like that of two boxers exchanging jabs. Juventus took the initial ascendency. Then Monaco landed a strong blow. Yannick Ferreira Carrasco wasted a golden chance after Anthony Martial’s burst, denied by Gianluigi Buffon. Juve’s captain looked the most assured man on the field, dealing with what Monaco threw his way and producing the serenity needed in the final minutes to protect the lead. That Monaco could exert such pressure - Dimitar Berbatov also came close with a late header - will offer hope for the return. Giorgio Chiellini felt the Turin side started badly. “Our initial approach was wrong, leaving too many spaces to their strikers who can be devastating on the counter, but then we adjusted and controlled the game.” Stats show Monaco have a better record in Ligue 1 away from home than at the Stade Louis II. They were devastating away to Arsenal. With their ability on the counter it’s clear why. While looking dangerous in that regard, next week they will need to score. That should, in theory, leave gaps for Tevez and Morata - well shackled on Tuesday - to exploit. But as Buffon warned, Juventus will need to be spot on with their passing to avoid quick transitions: “We made some mistakes in our passes and created three or four very dangerous counter-attack situations for them.” If the first leg is anything to go by it will be an evenly-fought battle. But thanks to their big players shining at the right moments, Juve will go to the Principality with an advantage to defend. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Juventus 1-0 AS Monaco: Arturo Vidal's penalty gives Bianconeri slim lead after first leg Apr 15, 2015 Prior to Juventus and AS Monaco's quarterfinal showdown, both sides possessed two of the best defensive records in the Champions League. However, of the teams that qualified for the knockout round, Leonardo Jardim's side scored the least amount of goals in the competition. Therefore, the Bianconeri's narrow one goal victory was unsurprising. Jardim persisted with a variation of a 4-2-3-1 with Fabinho replacing the injured Jeremy Toulalan to join Geoffrey Kondogbia in the double-pivot, while Joao Moutinho sat slightly behind Anthony Martial to shadow Andrea Pirlo, and help the striker press from the front. It was evident from the first whistle that Monaco aimed to play on the break. Despite a positive Juventus start inspired by Carlos Tevez, the home side encountered difficulties bypassing Monaco's midfield block. Juve's attacking players were unable to receive the ball between the lines, get behind Monaco's back four, and their passing across the pitch was shockingly underwhelming. Certainly Monaco's discipline and organization was a key component to Juve's first half issues, but their transitional defending was worrying throughout. On paper, Berbatov's exclusion provided Jardim with a pacy front trio, and they constantly exposed Juve's leggy back-line. Giorgio Chiellini, nor Leonardo Bonucci are renowned for their speed, and with full-backs Stephan Lichtsteiner and Patrice Evra eager to join the attack, simple long balls into the channels ignited quick counter attacks. In the opening 10 minutes both Martial and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco got the better of Bonucci down the left, with the latter receiving the best chance to open the scoring, but he fired a low effort directly at Gianluigi Buffon. Carrasco was a nuisance throughout, and his clipped ball into the left channel nearly saw Chiellini concede a penalty on Martial. The Portuguese winger also created Monaco's best chance in the second half, sending substitute Bernardo Silva free on goal, but Buffon comfortably pushed his near post effort aside. Meanwhile, Juve's sloppy passing — particularly Pirlo in the first half — enabled the away side to quickly facilitate the ball into attacking areas, but they failed to monopolize their chances and missed the target on each attempt. Juve's territorial dominance forced Monaco to defend without the ball for large portions of the match, but their pace and ability to repeatedly capitalize on sloppy passes in central areas should have resulted in goals. Juve's difficulty in open play was also interesting. While Pereyra's running and Tevez's incisive passing didn't break lines, Allegri's side relied on lofted balls from deep areas to fluster the Monaco back-line. Frankly, apart from optimistic shots from distance, the home side's best chances stemmed from this route of attack. First, Pirlo dinked a ball towards the far post for Morata, but he skied his shot over the net. Shortly afterwards, Marchisio's delivery towards the far post fell to an unmarked Tevez, but the Argentine fired a tame effort on goal. With minutes to spare in the first, it was Vidal who received a stunning pass from Tevez, but the Chilean's wayward shot from inside the box flew wide. The buildup to the winner, though, epitomized Juve's threat in these areas. Pirlo was gifted enough space to launch the perfect ball over the top for Morata, who was subsequently clipped down by Ricardo Carvalho, thus resulting in a penalty - which in fairness was simply a free kick. It was a rare occasion where Morata's pace stretched the Monaco back-line, but Juve were equally rewarded for persisting with their penetration from deep areas. Both managers swiftly reacted to Vidal's opener, as Juve dropped a tad deeper into two banks of four, thus handing the onus to Monaco to break them down. However, apart from Kondogbia dispossessing Marchisio in midfield and forcing a save from Buffon, and Berbatov's skewed header from point blank range. Monaco's threat in the final third was scarce, as the home side remained compact, while the dynamic Vidal's work rate was equally influential in regaining possession. Whereas Berbatov's introduction offered Monaco a reference point upfront, the French side was equally deprived of pace in the final third. Allegri's reluctance to push for a second goal saw Andrea Barzagli replace Pirlo as Juve moved to a 3-5-2, which in theory transitioned into a 5-3-2 to stifle Monaco's threat on the break. The match was settled by a controversial penalty decision, yet Juve's penetration from deep, along with Monaco's pace in transition shaped its overall pattern. Although both sides profligate finishing presents a tense second leg encounter in France, Juve have displayed their maturity to soak up pressure and punish teams on the counter under Allegri, further elucidating why they're clear favourites next week. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Why Monaco Goal Proves Juventus Still Need Arturo Vidal Apr 15, 2015 It hasn't been a vintage season for Arturo Vidal. Injury issues haven't been enough to keep him off the field—he's started 20 times in the league and come off the bench on four occasions—but they have taken their toll on his ability to influence games. Last campaign, Vidal scored 18 times in all competitions. That's just three fewer than Carlos Tevez managed, despite the Chilean being a midfielder. So far this season, he's bagged just seven. But when he took the ball from Tevez to take and convert Juventus' penalty against Monaco on Tuesday night, he reminded us all of something integral to his game: his unwavering self-belief. There were reports earlier in the year, such as this one from the Express' Ben Jefferson, that the Bianconeri were willing to take a cut-price deal on the injury-prone "ticking time bomb." There was some concern about the severity of his problem, but there's no doubt that the anxiety gave way to hyperbole. You don't just write off a 27-year-old athlete—especially not one as talented and as determined as Vidal. Juve had many opportunities against Monaco, and Vidal had already seen a shot of his own fly over the bar before he stepped up to take the penalty in the 57th minute. Ricardo Carvalho's tackle on Alvaro Morata would later prove to be controversial, but there was nothing contentious about the way Vidal drove his shot past Danijel Subasic. It was exactly the kind of goal he needed to get the monkey off his back. For the rest of the game, he looked like a player reborn. We've seen flashes of Vidal's best this season, but this was a game where the dogged, relentless battler of old returned to the fore. At times, it looked like he was capable of winning the game solo, just through sheer force of will. Speaking to the Sky Sport Italia after the game, here in English via football-italia.net, he said: When I saw the ball go over [from his earlier shot] I felt tense, but I looked up and saw my wife, so she gave me more confidence to carry on. The ball bobbled, but for some reason I’m missing chances that I never used to. Now I’ve scored, I hope to feel more confident. It’s normal to feel a little scared in a quarter-final against a team that did so well in the first leg against Arsenal. We were worried at leaving spaces behind us, but in the end we got there. [Then for the penalty] I felt confident, so I asked Carlitos for the ball and then I scored. We don’t have a first choice penalty taker, it’s whoever feels most up to it will take it Sounds simple, but there must have been huge pressure involved in taking the ball from Serie A's current capocannoniere and Juve's most reliable goalscorer. It's not the kind of strain that most players would invite upon themselves—especially not in a Champions League quarter-final. And that's what makes Vidal special. Not only is the Chilean one of the world's best all-round midfielders, but he's also a natural leader and the kind of footballer that managers can rely on to take control of games. Yes, Paul Pogba keeps getting better, and yes, there might come a day when the young Frenchman is so good that Juve will only need one dynamic, goal-scoring inspiration in midfield. But that day hasn't come yet. Arturo Vidal is still a priceless part of the Juve setup, and selling him would be a step back for the Bianconeri. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - MONACO 1 - 0 Arturo Vidal (57' - Penalty)Tuesday, April 14th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Juventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Pavel Kralovec (Czech Republic) Buffon & Pirlo can guide Juventus to Champions League final, says Ferrara The former Bianconeri boss is hoping the club can make it all the way to Berlin this season, with the Italian duo spearheading their bid. Apr 16, 2015 Former Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara believes that veteran duo Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon can guide his old side to the Champions League final. The Bianconeri have one foot in the last four, having beaten Monaco 1-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash courtesy of an Arturo Vidal penalty. And the 48-year-old believes the quality of two of their veteran Italy internationals can get them to the Berlin showpiece on June 6. "We are talking about two phenomena," he said of the duo to La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. "They have made history in world football, not just in Italy. In their case, age does not matter. They are champions who have been lucky enough not to have serious injuries and have shown their value for almost 20 years. "Why can't they reach the final? I'm optimistic by nature but the path is very long, starting with the return clash in Monaco. "From an Italian perspective I hope they can. Objectively it's very difficult but not impossible. Now they're all games that can be decided with one moment. "Gigi and Andrea have unique experience." Juve take their 1-0 aggregate lead to Stade Louis II on Tuesday, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45CET. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Pioli: ‘Lazio have achieved nothing’ Apr 16, 2015 Lazio Coach Stefano Pioli warns they ‘haven’t achieved anything yet’, but says they’ll try to beat Juventus on Saturday. The Aquile have stormed into second place in Serie A, but face a tough run-in, and Pioli isn’t allowing his team to relax. “We must stay focused,” Pioli told SportMediaset. “We’re happy, but we haven’t achieved anything yet. We must continue to work meticulously. I knew the potential this team had, and the club has put exactly the right conditions in place to work. “We haven’t reached our goal yet, though, there are still too many game to go before we can start celebrating. “Can we win at Juventus? We want to try. We’ll go out there to play our game, and if we leave everything on the field we’ll have no regrets.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Felipe Anderson: 'Lazio fight Juve' Apr 16, 2015 Felipe Anderson insisted Lazio will face Juventus “with heads held high” in Serie A and the Coppa Italia. The Brazilian spoke to Lazio Style Radio on his 22nd birthday, ahead of Saturday’s clash between second and first in the table. “We must go to Turin in order to play our football with heads held high. It’ll be tough to score past Gigi Buffon, but we’ll run hard and aim to win. We all run for each other at Lazio.” They’ll also encounter Juventus in the Coppa Italia Final in June and that will be at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. “It would be my first trophy for Lazio. We want to win it and are working very hard to make it happen. “Coach Stefano Pioli’s secret is humility. We’ve won eight Serie A games in a row and he keeps telling us we’ve achieved nothing. We continue to work and sweat both in training and in a match situation. “I am an easy-going guy and like to have contact with the fans. I love to see people smile. Rome is a wonderful city and even going to training means driving past beautiful landscapes. The Romans are just as passionate as the Brazilians.” Felipe Anderson had a very tough first campaign in Italy, but has exploded in recent months with 10 Serie A goals and seven assists. “At the end of last season I realised I’d be able to make my mark at Lazio. I didn’t want to go on vacation, because I was aware that I could do well here. I believed and the fans were important too. “The club chose me and I chose them. Gradually we built up a deep rapport that goes straight to the heart. My family is also happy and we can now celebrate together. “I had a good training regime in the pre-season camp at Auronzo and the Coach always reassured me. I always worked hard and knew I had to repay Pioli for his faith in me. “I also tried to make the most of the opportunity afforded to me by Antonio Candreva’s injury. My first goal with Lazio was wonderful and the fans had been waiting for such a long time. “I can still improve inside the box, as when I go into the one-on-one with a goalkeeper, I tend to get it wrong. “Scoring in the Rome Derby was fantastic. After five minutes I was still looking up at the scoreboard, as I couldn’t believe my name was up there.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Marchetti fit to face Juve Apr 16, 2015 Federico Marchetti can play for Lazio against Juventus on Saturday, but Stefan Radu is in doubt. The top two in Serie A clash this weekend, click here for a match preview. Goalkeeper Marchetti fractured his nose last week and underwent surgery to stabilise it. “Marchetti can be called up, as he trained regularly with the protective mask,” chief medic Stefano Salvatori told Lazio Style Radio. “As for Radu, he did not train with the squad, but worked separately with a positive response. We did not give him a complete session to avoid risking a relapse. We’ll evaluate tomorrow morning what work he can do. “Santiago Gentiletti and Filip Djordjevic had more or less complete sessions this week, so their situations are improving, even if they lack consistency. “Filip will have his final visit tonight that should give the definitive all-clear. The player feels he is ready.” Serbian striker Djordjevic fractured his ankle in January and is on the verge of a comeback. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 16, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PMJuventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Nicola Rizzoli Preview: Juventus vs. Lazio Apr 16, 2015The top two teams in Italy will meet in Turin this weekend as league leaders Juventus take on in-form Lazio.With a 12-point lead at the top of Serie A the Bianconeri are unlikely to be caught, but a win for the visitors would help them to further strengthen their grip on a Champions League place. Juventus There are just eight games left to play in Serie A this season and for a long time Juventus have been in cruise control on their way to a fourth-successive title.However, their 20-game unbeaten run in the league came to an end last weekend, as they fell to a shock 1-0 defeat at bottom-of-the-league Parma.Massimiliano Allegri did rest a number of key players for that match in preparation for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Monaco and with big names like Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez back, they secured a 1-0 victory.The second leg of that tie will take place at the Stade Louis II next Wednesday, but against Lazio there will be no players left out as they face the only team with a slim chance of catching them at the top.It would take a disastrous collapse for them to lose their commanding lead, but a second straight league defeat would certainly offer hope to Lazio and even third-placed Roma that the title is still up for grabs.Recent form in Serie A: D W W W W L Recent form (all competitions): W W W W L W Lazio At the start of the season, there were some who felt that Lazio could challenge for a place in Europe, but very few would have predicted the position that they are in now.They have been in scintillating form in recent months and an eight-game winning run has lifted them up to second place in the table.To make things even sweeter for the club's fans, they are now above their city rivals Roma and they could be set to record their highest Serie A finish since they won the league 15 years ago.A combination of brilliant attacking play and a number of fine defensive displays have been the key to their unbeaten streak and they have bagged 21 goals in those eight games, while conceding just twice.The forward trio of Felipe Anderson, Antonio Candreva and Miroslav Klose have been scoring for fun and all three players found the back of the net last weekend, as they romped to a 4-0 win over Empoli.Recent form in Serie A: W W W W W W Recent form (all competitions): W W W W W W Team NewsAngelo Ogbonna is suspended for Juventus after picking up a yellow card at Parma last weekend, while long-term absentees Paul Pogba, Kwadwo Asamoah and Martin Caceres are still missing.There are reports that Fernando Llorente will start up front, while Allegri is expected to revert to a 3-5-2 formation.Lazio have been dealt a double injury blow, as first-team regulars Stefan de Vrij and Marco Parolo have both been ruled out.Luis Pedro Cavanda and Diego Novaretti are banned and will also miss the trip to Turin.However, the Biancocelesti will be able to call upon the services of Dusan Basta and Mauricio, who were suspended last weekend.Juventus possible starting lineup:Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Pereyra, Evra; Tevez, LlorenteLazio possible starting lineup:Berisha, Basta, Cana, Mauricio, Lulic, Biglia, Cataldi, Mauri, Candreva, Anderson, KloseHead To HeadIn this season's reverse fixture, it was Juventus who claimed the points, as they cruised to a 3-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico.The Bianconeri have a wonderful recent record against Lazio and they have lost just once in their previous 15 meetings.This is not the last time that these clubs will meet this season, as they will face off in the Coppa Italia final on June 7.We say: Juventus 1-1 LazioJuventus may have one eye on their Champions League trip to Monaco, but they won't be taking Lazio lightly, especially after last week's upset at Parma. The visitors are on an exceptional run of form and although their winning streak may come to an end in Turin, we think that they will have enough quality to claim a point to further their European aspirations. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PMJuventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus - Lazio Preview:Pirlo urges repeat of Monaco win Stefano Pioli's side have been in stellar form in 2015 and the veteran Italyplaymaker wants to see a strong attitude when they resume Serie A duties. Apr 17, 2015Andrea Pirlo has called on Juventus to take confidence from the Champions League triumph over Monaco when they take on a Lazio side eyeing second spot in Serie A.Arturo Vidal's second-half penalty gave Juve the first-leg honours in their quarter-final tie with Monaco - when Pirlo returned from a calf injury - and represented a strong response to last Saturday's shock 1-0 loss to rock-bottom Parma.Massimiliano Allegri's side had previously gone 20 matches unbeaten in the league and Pirlo lauded the coach's impact ahead of Saturday's clash against Stefano Pioli's men at the Juventus Stadium."Allegri has brought tranquillity," he told Sky Sport Italia. "He did not give too much importance to individual matches, as though we had to win them all to go forward."This gave us more confidence. The same attitude will also serve us well against Lazio."Despite Juve's setback at Parma, they remain firmly on course for a fourth consecutive title, boasting a 12-point lead over Lazio with eight games remaining.That Lazio are their nearest challengers is testament to the Rome club's remarkable form, which has seen them win eight top-flight games in a row.With that in mind, Juve winger Simone Pepe is taking nothing for granted."We've got two important matches coming up in the shape of Lazio and Monaco, but we're focusing our attention solely on the former," he told the club's official website."We haven't won the Scudetto yet, but we'd like to do so as soon as possible. Due to our healthy advantage at the top, Saturday's game with Lazio could prove pivotal in the title race."This has been the most intense campaign I've ever played in, it’s vital we remain level-headed."Lazio, who will also face Allegri's side in the Coppa Italia final on June 6, have a poor record against Juve and have not recorded a league win over them since December 2003.Juve were 3-0 victors in November's return fixture, with a brace from Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez's strike doing the damage.Lazio sat sixth after that result, but a return to the Champions League is now firmly on the agenda. If they do manage to qualify, it will be the first time they have taken a seat at European football's top table since the 2007-08 campaign.OPTA FACTSJuventus are unbeaten in their last 20 league games against Lazio (14W 6D).Juventus’ unbeaten run of 20 league games (14W 6D) came to an end last weekend against Parma.Juventus were behind for 30 minutes against Parma – previously they had been trailing only for 31 minutes overall in the whole 14/15 campaign.Lazio have put together eight wins in a row in Serie A for the first time since April 2007.Their record in the league is nine consecutive wins, recorded in the 1998/99 season.Lazio have the best attack (25 goals scored) and defence (six conceded) in the second half of the season so far.Lazio and Juventus are two of the three sides with the most clean sheets (seven) in Serie A in 2015 – the other being Chievo.Lazio have scored the most headed goals in Serie A this season (10).LAST FIVE MATCHESJuventus W L W W W2015/04/14 - Juventus 1 - 0 Monaco2015/04/11 - Parma 1 - 0 Juventus2015/04/07 - Fiorentina 0 - 3 Juventus2015/04/04 - Juventus 2 - 0 Empoli2015/03/22 - Juventus 1 - 0 GenoaLazio W W W W W2015/04/12 - Lazio 4 - 0 Empoli2015/04/08 - Napoli 0 - 1 Lazio2015/04/04 - Cagliari 1 - 3 Lazio2015/03/22 - Lazio 2 - 0 Hellas Verona2015/03/16 - Torino 0 - 2 LazioHEAD TO HEAD2014/11/22 - Lazio 0 - 3 Juventus2014/01/25 - Lazio 1 - 1 Juventus2013/08/31 - Juventus 4 - 1 Lazio2013/04/15 - Lazio 0 - 2 Juventus2013/01/29 - Lazio 2 - 1 Juventus http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus V Lazio – Preview: Serie A’s Top Two Clash In Coppa Italia Final Rehearsal Apr 17, 2015 Juventus will be hoping to widen the points gap between them and second place Lazio when the two sides face off in Turin on Saturday, which will be a preview of the Coppa Italia final set to take place on June 6. The Bianconeri currently have a comfortable 12 point lead over the Aquilotti in the Serie A standings, but will have had less time to rest for the battle with the capital city club following their 1-0 Champions League quarter-final win over Monaco on Tuesday. Despite their success in Italy and Europe throughout the season the Old Lady are also coming off of a shocking 1-0 loss to last place Parma on April 11, which was only their second defeat of the entire season. The Biancocelesti have been in top form in recent months as they’re currently undefeated in their last 10 matches in all competitions with nine of those results coming as wins, and have now robbed second place from rivals Roma following their dominant 4-0 win over Empoli on April 12. Stefano Pioli’s men have also won their last four league matches on the road, though Juve have proven to be a tough obstacle to overcome in Turin. Juventus have a major advantage over Lazio when you look at the match history between the two teams with the Stadio Olimpico outfit securing just one win in their last 15 meetings with the Old Lady in all competitions, which came in a 2-1 result during a Coppa Italia clash in January 2013. This season’s previous meeting between the Italian clubs ended in a 3-0 win for Massimiliano Allegri’s men back in November. Allegri will have most of his starting players at his disposal for the battle with Lazio, though he is still expected to be missing Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo, Martin Caceres and star midfielder Paul Pogba. Angelo Ogbonna will be out serving a one-match ban, while Claudio Marchisio, Arturo Vidal, Paolo De De Ceglie, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Roberto Pereyra and Leonardo Bonucci all sit on the verge of earning suspensions of their own. Biancocelesti boss Pioli will have to deal with a number of absences as he prepares his squad for the challenge in Turin with Santiago Gentiletti, Filip Djordjevic, Stefan de Vrij, Stefan Radu, Marco Parolo and Abdoulay Konko all set to miss out on the match. Diego Novaretti and Luis Cavanda will both be out serving suspensions, while De Vrij, Ogenyi Onazi, Radu, Keita Balde Diao and Miroslav Klose are one yellow card away from picking up bans.Form Guide: Juventus (L-W-W-W-W-D) Lazio (W-W-W-W-W-W)Expected Starting XIs Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Padoin; Sturaro, Marchisio, Vidal; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente. Lazio: Marchetti; Lulic, Mauricio, Cana, Basta; Mauri, Biglia, Cataldi; Felipe Anderson, Klose, Candreva. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli 'Lazio, prepare for best Juventus' Apr 17, 2015 Max Allegri won't rest players tomorrow with a view to Wednesday's Champions League game, and warns Lazio they'll face ‘my best team’. Juventus face consecutive decisive matches, as tomorrow evening's Serie A game pitches them against the second-placed Biancocelesti, before Wednesday sees them travel out to Monaco for the return leg in the European tournament. Even so, their Coach ensures that it will not affect his decisions with the line-up. “Tomorrow I'll be deploying my best team, as always,” cautioned Allegri in today's Press conference. “Tomorrow's game is the most important one, we'll see about the one on Wednesday, and then the one next Sunday. “It's hard to think that someone shouldn't play because they have been booked. He can play, and then if he picks up a yellow card he can skip the following game. Eventually he'll have to miss out on a match anyway. “If you start calculating things this way you entangle yourself, because things always work out the other way around to the way you planned them. “As for the transfer rumours, they're part of the game, but this is such a delicate moment of the season, as I said before, that there's no point in talking about them, nor do they bother us. “We must focus on what we have to do, because we haven't won anything yet, so we have to think exclusively about our objectives.” The Juventus head was asked whether the loss to Parma last Saturday would affect his talks with the team prior to tomorrow's match. “I'll speak to the team before the game as I would before any other. But I'd like to specify that people saying our heads were in the clouds when we played against Parma are wrong. Absolutely wrong. “We played in a surreal atmosphere, because when you play in Parma the environment is always surreal [in reference to the club's bankruptcy scandal], at 6pm, after playing a strong first half. “Also, we had burned a great deal of energy on Tuesday, and we'd just turned around a Coppa italia result that seemed impossible. “In football you've got to allow for situations like these. What matters most is not repeating them, and understanding who we are – let me say this for the third time – at such a crucial moment of the season. “We haven't won anything yet, so let's take things one little step at a time so we can go all the way.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli 'Lazio, Roma still in Scudetto race' Apr 17, 2015 Max Allegri believes the race isn't over between Juventus and the Roman teams for the Scudetto, whilst praising Italy's performance in Europe. The Bianconeri's Scudetto rivals recently switched from Roma to Lazio, keeping the geographical rivalry identical. For Allegri, the nature of the challenge is also unchanged. “Lazio are a different team than the one we faced in the first leg, because they are much more confident in their strength now. They play some good football, and they have players who have developed individually. “It may have been possible to think that Juventus would win the championship by April 20, but I don't care about winning it on that day or on May 5, I want to win it, full stop. “As for when exactly that's going to happen, nobody knows. “We still need a lot of points to win it, because Lazio and Roma are still capable of making 82 and 81 points. “So it's still a very long road in Serie A and we need to get there slowly, conscious that the games are going to be difficult, because we'll be facing some very strong teams.” The 47-year-old was also asked about Napoli and Fiorentina, who picked up respectively a 4-1 victory and a 1-1 draw in yesterday's Europa League rounds against Wolfsburg and Dynamo Kiev. “Before saying anything else I'd like to pay my compliments to Napoli and Fiorentina for what they did in the Europa League. “And I'm very happy, because it adds value to Italian football. Unfortunately in Italy we have a greater tendency to destroy than to build, because that comes easier. “That's why people say that Italy is in trouble, football is in trouble, everything is in trouble... then you wake up one day to find that two of our teams made it to the Semi-Finals of the Europa League and one could reach the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. “This shouldn't be a given because making it to the final stages of those two competitions is something very challenging, if you consider how tough the other teams are. “It's a step forward for Italian football, not least in terms of our score in the rankings. Italy picked up a lot of points this year, which may come in handy a few years from now if we want to have four teams in the Champions League again. “As for the condition of my players, [Paul] Pogba is still a long way from recovering from his injury. [Andrea] Pirlo played in the last match and worked his game up slowly, but he needs to play more. “It's understandable that if you're out of playing time for 50 days, you lose not just your physical condition but your ability to evaluate distance on the pitch, your passes, and the way to hold yourself in the game. “Andrea needs to play, and he'll find his best condition from a tactical and technical point of view one game at a time.” Allegri was also asked if he had heard from supporters who were worried about a possible departure of striker Carlos Tevez. “Right now all of the supporters should think of backing the team. Transfer rumours are persistent over the year, because the mercato is always open, unfortunately. “You've got to know how to keep your focus, from here until June 7. Supporters should be happy about this team and about what the players and the club are doing, and I think that all of us together can reach our final objectives.” In closing, the Coach was asked about his personal feelings now that he is leading Serie A and has a strong record in the cups too. “I don't feel vindicated and I don't need to take revenge on anyone, because I think I won a few results of my own in the past. “I'm not surprised by my own achievements, not at all. That's a question that I leave for you, or for those who didn't expect Juventus to be here at this point in the season.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 17, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Biglia: Like Juventus, Lazio Have Their Pirlo Too The Argentine has become just as much a talisman for his team as the iconic Pirlo remains at Juventus, and their personal clash could prove crucial when the top-two Serie A sides meet on Saturday evening. Apr 17, 2015 Buenos Aires-born Lucas Biglia has been at the heart of everything good about Lazio this term, and his consistent form integral to an outstanding eight-match winning run stretching back to early February. The 29-year-old’s stature has grown stratospherically since joining the Biancocelesti from Anderlecht in 2013 — to such a degree that European heavyweights Manchester United and Arsenal have been strongly linked with an interest in his services. His steeliness when protecting the back-four, coupled with unerringly accurate passing abilities, have catapulted the once-underrated defensive midfielder firmly into the limelight. Though the Bianconeri linchpin Andrea Pirlo is — quite correctly — heralded as one of the game’s all-time greats, it is the impending duel with his similarly-impressive Lazio counterpart that will prove decisive at the Juventus Stadium. Pass completion rates of 89 percent (Pirlo) and 88 percent (Biglia) illustrate how closely matched they have been this season, with their number of successful passes per game averaging out at 64 and 59 respectively. Of those, each make 20 backwards passes, whilst advancing two-thirds of the time. Both are accomplished assist-makers who are supremely confident in possession, while they capably dictate the pace of proceedings from deep-lying positions. They are forward-thinking players who aim to keep the ball moving in order to set up attacks and are absolutely crucial to the strategies employed by their respective team, both of them acting as the fulcrum of the midfield engine-room. Few stark differences exist, but those that do include the Argentine’s penchant for physical challenges, in which the stylish Italian international holds little interest. Biglia’s statistics relating to the amount of tackles won, blocks made and successful interceptions dwarf that of Pirlo almost two-to-one. On the flip side, there is no doubting Pirlo’s innate capacity to produce that special something with one exquisite pass, flick, or set-piece, which barely a handful of his peers have in their locker. Aside from livewire forward Felipe Anderson, not one player has produced a higher level of performance in a Lazio shirt throughout this campaign than Biglia, who is almost two years into a five-year contract with the Roman outfit. That is despite Lazio having enjoyed a fantastic season collectively, in which they have attained a place in the upcoming Coppa Italia final and appear odds-on to achieve Champions League qualification after reaching second place in Serie A. Should Juventus coach Massimilano Allegri decide against unleashing his trusted maestro into the starting line-up, it may cause major repercussions on the contest’s outcome. At least with Pirlo on the pitch, it will afford Biglia less opportunities to assume control over midfield affairs, as opposed to battling with the still unconvincing Stefano Sturaro. Furthermore, the usually excellent Claudio Marchisio would likely be earmarked for a deeper role in the absence of ‘L’Architetto‘ (the Architect) Pirlo, which could play in Biglia’s hands. Yet another all-action display from Biglia spells trouble for Juventus, whomever Allegri selects, and a ninth successive Lazio win in Serie A cannot be ruled out. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Pioli: ‘Lazio can’t win Scudetto’ Apr 17, 2015 Stefano Pioli admits his Lazio side cannot win the Scudetto, but says they’ve improved since last facing Juventus. The Aquile could close the gap at the top of the table to nine points with a win tomorrow, and Bianconeri Coach Max Allegri warned the title race is not over. Despite a sensational run of form, Pioli does not believe his side can win the League, but says they’ve learned from their 3-0 defeat in Rome earlier this season. “Juventus have such a big advantage that any result tomorrow won’t change who finishes top,” the Coach said in his pre-match Press conference. “Juve are the strongest, they’ve proved that for several years now. I congratulate Allegri on the European results, which had been their achilles heel in recent seasons. “Juve have developed a winning mentality over the years, they always play with a lot of determination. “They’re used to playing so many games, their result [a 1-0 defeat] against Parma was not good for us, it will have made them very focused. “For our part, we’ll play to win, we’re the two teams with the least draws. Both will be trying to beat each other. “We’ll have to try and play our game, as well as trying to be compact. We have to hurt our opponents when we get a chance. “What more could we want? We’re lucky, we’re all doing a job that we love, I coach a great group of lads and we’re facing the League leaders in a full stadium. “I expect a great performance.” The last time the two sides met, the Old Lady ran out comfortable winners, but the Lazio boss insists his team have improved since then. "It was one of the many lessons we've learned over the course of the season. "Not all games go the way we want, but you can always learn something. "Tomorrow we're facing the best, but we're more mature and intelligent than the first leg. We're ready." http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus v Lazio: Preview Apr 17, 2015 Lazio will take aim at a club-record ninth consecutive Serie A win when they square off against Juventus in Turin on Saturday night. The hottest team in Italy, Lazio, have climbed into second place in Serie A and will now look to make history but to do so they will have to beat the three-time defending champions. Juve are unbeaten at home in the league this season and are 12 points ahead of Lazio with eight games remaining in Italy's top flight. The two sides will also meet in the Coppa Italia final on June 7 in Rome. ``There are eight rounds to go and the Coppa Italia final,'' Lazio coach Stefano Pioli said to the Italian press. ``I keep telling my players we must get the maximum of our potential, but we don't know what that is yet. ``If the campaign ended now, then we could celebrate, but it doesn't and therefore we have to remain focused. ``This streak means something, but we only got here by taking it one game at a time and we must not let go of that approach until the end of the season.'' Lazio have looked unbeatable of late, scoring 18 goals and conceding just once in their last six league games. ``They are having a great year,'' Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri said. ``They are a direct rival for the Scudetto. ``Lazio and Roma can still overtake us in the standings. ``I don't think the Scudetto will be decided until our game at Sampdoria (May 2). ``There's no room for distractions.'' The clash with Lazio comes at the start of a challenging week for Juve, who fell to just their second defeat of the campaign last weekend in a major upset at bottom-side Parma. Allegri's team travels to Monte Carlo on Tuesday for the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco holding a 1-0 advantage. The Bianconeri will then take on Torino four days later in the Turin derby. The hosts are without suspended defender Angelo Ogbonna and injured midfielder Paul Pogba. Pioli faces a defensive dilemma with Diego Novaretti and Luis Cavanda both suspended while Stefan De Vrij, Stefan Radu and Abdoulay Konko are all unavailable through injury. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus face a lively Lazio with the Serie A title within their grasp Apr 17, 2015 Ordinarily you would never expect Roma fans praying for a Juventus win but on Saturday afternoon, those flying the Giallorossi flag will be praying for just that as the champions face Lazio. The other Roman side are in a terrific period of form, developing and growing into a fine unit of players with a terrifying winning mentality. They have emerged as the closest challengers to Juve and those who doubted coach Stefano Pioli have been proven wrong. The one criticism people have levelled at the former Juventus defender is that his football has never been easy on the eye. Pioli enjoys the basics and is fond of great defences, as are most ex-Juve players. Yet at Lazio, he has crafted an attack-minded side, taking advantage of all the talent he has at his disposal. Acknowledging the task at hand, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri insists he will play his best starting XI to achieve the win that would take his side closer to the title but Lazio have had time to prepare for this one, while Allegri's men were in Champions League action in midweek. The last time the two sides faced each other, Juventus thrashed the Biancocelesti 3-0 with the most technical players making the difference. Andrea Pirlo was back to his best and Paul Pogba was dazzling in every area of the pitch. Juventus excelled and showed the elegance of Allegri's game, playing with fluidity. With Pogba unavailable and Claudio Marchisio possibly missing too, Juventus will be without a good dose of intelligence and technique which will benefit the visitors especially as they have grown defensively. There is a squad spirit that is unrivalled in the league under Allegri, although Pioli likes to think his team are the same. They're not quite at Juve's level, though. Having attacking players track back to defend is wonderful thing but the Biancocelesti are yet to put the team ahead of the individuals with players often holding on to the ball for longer than they should when a quicker release would have allowed a teammate a better opportunity. Juventus have no such problem. Not only do attackers Carlos Tevez, Alvaro Morata and Fernando Llorente do all they can to help out defensively when their team has lost possession but each pass move is executed with the team in mind. A win at home against the second best team in Italy will raise the Old Lady's self-esteem. It was clear that against Monaco in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg the "favourites" tag hindered Juve's style of play, with anxiety creeping in especially in the early stages of the 1-0 win. Tevez was not at his best having just come back from a minor injury while Juve played with the handbrake on, missing chances a confident side would not. Yet maturity and insistence produced a narrow victory and the same must happen against Lazio, with the title within sight. Tevez will start to allow him the chance to gain some momentum but Morata will miss out, with Alessandro Matri the most likely to start alongside the Argentine. A player who is experiencing a good period of form, Matri;s goal against Fiorentina in the Copa Italia demonstrated the opportunistic nature that Allegri so adores about the Italian. Confident and eager, he is the best man to start against Lazio. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PMJuventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Nicola Rizzoli JUVENTUS V LAZIO MATCH PREVIEW Apr 17, 2015 Juventus Juventus are almost there – A fourth successive scudetto is within sight and only 8 games remain in Serie A this season, but the Bianconeri have to face the best the league has to offer, starting with Lazio tomorrow night.While I’m loathe to make comparisons, it’s become all too easy to contrast Juve’s current campaign with the seasons that came before. At this stage in 2014, Juventus had secured a third scudetto, however in Europe they failed to make it out of the group-stages of the Champions League and were unceremoniously dumped out of the Coppa Italia in the quarter-finals by Roma.Fast foward a year and Juve are on the verge of their 33rd Scudetti while only 90 minutes separates them from a Champions League semi-final spot and then there’s the small matter of the Coppa Italia final against tomorrow’s opponents, Lazio.Merit, of course, must go to Antonio Conte for getting the team so far, however current coach Max Allegri has been nothing short of a revelation over the last 10 months. Where Conte bought intensity and a do-or-die attitude to almost every game, Allegri has instilled a sense of calm in his players, a quality many of them have attributed to their success so far.Addressing reporters earlier today, Allegri was quick to assure that his only focus was on Lazio while insisting the Scudetto isn’t won yet.“Tomorrow I’ll be deploying my best team, as always,” Allegri cautioned in today’s Press conference. “Tomorrow’s game is the most important one, we’ll see about the one on Wednesday, and then the one next Sunday.“It’s hard to think that someone shouldn’t play because they have got a yellow card. He can play, and then if he picks up a yellow card he can skip the following game. Eventually he’ll have to miss out on a match anyway.“If you start calculating things this way you entangle yourself, because things always work out the other way around to the way you planned them.“We still need a lot of points to win it, because Lazio and Roma are still capable of making 82 and 81 points.“So it’s still a very long road in Serie A and we need to get there slowly, conscious that the games are going to be difficult, because we’ll be facing some very strong teams.”With all this in mind, certain Italian media outlets are suggesting Allegri will rotate his team with one eye on next week’s Champions League match against Monaco. While Sky Sport Italia reported yesterday that Juve would field a 3-5-2, todays giornalaccio rosa favour the 4-3-1-2 and that’s way i think we’ll go.Gigi Buffon will undoubtedly start, but the defence could feature Padoin at right back with Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci in the centre and Patrice Evra on the left. Claudio Marchisio may get a well-earned rest with Andrea Pirlo getting the nod in his place and Arturo Vidal, Stefano Sturaro and Roberto Pereyra lining up in midfield.Alvaro Morata started in midweek so we may see Fernando Llorente or Alessandro Matri starting in his place alongside Carlos Tevez.Probable lineup4-2-3-1: Buffon; Padoin, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Vidal, Pirlo, Sturaro; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente Injured PlayersAsamoah and Romulo (Recovering from surgery), Caceres (ankle), Pogba (hamstring), Suspended PlayersOgbonna Form(W-W-W-L-W) Lazio Lazio have all the momentum in the world: they are riding an eight-match winning streak, they are in second position and they have just leapfrogged the crosstown archrivals Roma. Moreover, they have reached the Coppa Italia final. How can it get better than this for them? Hopefully it won’t.Not only they have been winning games recently, but they have also beaten their opponents convincingly and they have been playing really well. These three things doesn’t necessarily go along all the times. Stefano Pioli is having one hell of a redemption year after that bad season with Bologna, which by the way wasn’t totally his fault as there were heavy money problems.The coach stumbled onto a precious pot once Felipe Anderson decided it was time to take Serie A by storm (ten goals and seven assists since the start of December) and he managed to build a very efficient and fun 4-2-3-1 around him. Anderson is their biggest weapon, but they have many playmakers and threats, both with and without the ball. The always active Antonio Candreva plays on the opposite wing, while Stefano Mauri, with his ability to sneak between defenders, find the right position in the box and finish, is the perfect complement for the dynamic duo. On top of that, Miroslav Klose, while he has lost a step or two, is still a capable goal scorer. Lazio have the best attack in the League (58 goals, edging Juve by a single unit) and this tells the whole story about their offensive prowess.They are a solid team on all departments, but they will be without two cornerstones on Saturday. Marco Parolo fractured a rib and Stefan De Vrij sprained his knee in the last match. The 20-year-old rookie Danilo Cataldi has played a lot this year, because of an injury to Senad Lulic, and he should fill in easily in the midfield. On the other hand, the Dutch international, after a rocky start, has been in the top echelon of centre-backs and replacing him will be very difficult: Lazio have played thrice without De Vrij and they have lost every single time. They simply don’t have a quality substitute.With the bench players Diego Novaretti and Luis Pedro Cavanda suspended, the starting LB Stefan Radu out with a knee injury and the nominal starter at the beginning of the season Santiago Gentiletti still dealing with some ailments, Pioli will have to find a way to piece together a respectable defensive line. The only two certain elements are Dusan Basta at RB and Mauricio as one of the two CBs. Lorik Cana is probably the favorite to pair up with Mauricio, with either Edson Braafheid or Senad Lulic as the left-back. Pioli might decide to strenghten the midfield with Lulic, excluding Mauri from the starting XI (but he’s good off the bench too). Lucas Biglia has elevated his game this season and has become a high level deep-lying midfielder and he’s a menace on free kicks too. Federico Marchetti fractured his nose last week, but he’ll reportedly play with a mask.While dealing with some adversities, Lazio will try in every possible way to catch Juventus off guard, as this game is sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions League quarterfinal. In Rome, Biancocelesti fans are dreaming about repeating the 2000 championship comeback. Allegri’s side will have to pay attention to Lazio’s aggressive style, to the many long-range threats and to their schemes on set pieces. More importantly, however, Juventus need to have control of the ball to take them out of their rhythm, as their offense can be overwhelming when they start passing the ball, cutting, crossing and shooting frequently.Probable lineup4-3-3: Marchetti; Basta, Mauricio, Cana, Lulic; Biglia, Cataldi; Candreva, Mauri, Felipe Anderson; Klose Injured playersDe Vrij (knee), Parolo (ribs), Radu (knee), Gentiletti (thigh), Konko (ribs), Novaretti (hand). Suspended playersNovaretti, Cavanda. Form(W-W-W-W-W) Formation http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Allegri: Juventus-Lazio could decide Serie A title The Bianconeri are 12 points clear of Stefano Pioli's side with just eight games to go but the coach says their Turin clash could change everything. Apr 17, 2015 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that Saturday's Serie A showdown with Lazio could decide this season's title race. The table-topping Bianconeri are 12 points clear of their second-placed opponents going into the game in Turin, meaning even a home defeat would leave the Old Lady in a very strong position with seven rounds remaining. However, Allegri feels that a victory for Lazio, who have won eight games on the bounce, could change the entire complexion of the title race. “Tomorrow is a match that could decide the Scudetto," the Juve boss told reporters on Friday. "Lazio are having an extraordinary season. “Nobody at the start of the term would have imagined they’d be where they are now yet they can still reach 82 points, so nothing’s done and dusted for us as it stands." Allegri is delighted that aside from Paul Pogba, who remains sidelined with a thigh muscle tear, he is able to pick his strongest team for the visit of Lazio. "I would have picked my best side anyway, given that this is presently our most important game," he stated. Andrea Pirlo made his return from injury in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Monaco and there had been speculation over whether he would be rested on Saturday, with next week's trip to the Stade Louis II in mind. However, Allegri revealed that the veteran playmaker will play, as he wants to help the Italy international recover his match fitness. "Pirlo got better as the Monaco match wore on and needs game time in order to regain his best condition," he added. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PM Juventus Stadium, Turin Referee: Nicola Rizzoli Allegri: Juventus Must Not Repeat Parma Mistakes Against Lazio Apr 17, 2015 Massimiliano Allegri spoke ahead of Juventus’ Serie A game against Lazio, adamant that the Bianconeri won’t repeat the same mistakes from their loss to Parma. Lazio have been in great form, on an eight-game winning streak and have surged to second place in Serie A. Lazio will also look for some measure of revenge after their lost 3-0 home loss to Juventus back in November. Allegri spoke to the press, praising Lazio’s recent successes but stressed Juventus’ need to rectify mistakes made at Parma come Saturday. “Lazio are having an extraordinary season,” Allegri said in his pre-match press conference. “Even though we have a points advantage, we are coming from a negative result [after defeat to Parma] unlike Lazio who have won their last eight games. “Against Parma, we made mistake in the second half after failing to take the lead from our many first half opportunities. “It is important not to repeat those mistakes. Lazio are a different team from when we met them in the reverse fixture and the players have grown a lot. “Furthermore the game [against Monaco in the Champions League] will be of consequence against Lazio. “However, unlike against Parma, I have everyone available. “Pogba is far from returning and Andrea Pirlo needs to play in other to recover his best condition.” http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8516 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134570 messaggi Inviato April 18, 2015 JUVENTUS - LAZIO .- Saturday, April 18th, 2015 - 8:45 PMJuventus Stadium, TurinReferee: Nicola Rizzoli Juventus V Lazio – Team News, Tactics, Lineups And Predictions Apr 17, 2015Considering his side are so far clear in the title race and with a Champions League quarter-final coming up three days later, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri chose to rest some of his star players for their domestic game last weekend. But the policy came unstuck because, despite being away to cash-strapped Parma who are rock bottom of the table, Juve suffered a 1-0 defeat – only their second league loss of the season.It meant Juve’s advantage at the top of the table, as they close in on a fourth consecutive title, was cut to ‘just’ the 12 points by new second-placed club Lazio, who have taken advantage of Roma’s disappointing form since the turn of the year.And with the leaders playing the second leg of their Champions League tie against Monaco on Wednesday, travelling to Monte Carlo with a 1-0 lead, Allegri may well be tempted to rotate again with such a healthy position in the title race.A victory against Juve would give Lazio a sniff of a chance of catching his side over the remaining seven games. Defeat for Juventus would mean a nine-point gap, which would probably still be big enough, but the Roman club have won eight league games in a row and now have a completely clear run until the league campaign ends on May 31 – a week before they and Juve meet in the Coppa Italia final. If, as anticipated, Juve remain in the Champions League, Allegri will still have to juggle his priorities and so it makes sense to get the points in the bag while he can and ensure the title four-timer is a done deal as soon as possible.Juventus were last beaten at home in the league way back in January 2013 and while Lazio are a fast-improving side, they do not look capable of ending that fantastic sequence just yet.Team news and tactical briefJuventusJuve have the chance to respond to one of the biggest upsets in Serie A history in last week’s 1-0 defeat to Parma when the champions play their top-of-the table encounter against Lazio. Massimiliano Allegri’s side saw a 20-match unbeaten league run ended at Stadio Ennio Tardini, but returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Monaco in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals first leg.Paul Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah are still out of the side, so but Andrea Pirlo may well start to get some game time in his legs. Fernando Llorente replaces Alvaro Morata alongside top-scorer Carlos Tevez, after that front-two failed to make their mark against Parma. Juventus may have been looking sluggish over their last couple of games, but were on an impressive winning run themselves and remain a solid side, especially at home. On the other hand, Lazio are on the ascendency and will be looking to beat their city rivals Roma to second place, with a result here only strengthening their position and claim to the bragging rights.Probable Starting Line-up (4-3-1-2):Buffon;Padoin, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Sturaro, Marchisio, Vidal; Pereyra; Tevez, Llorente LazioUntil early February, Serie A had threatened to become a replica of last season with Juventus on top, followed by Roma and Napoli and a then seven-point gap to Sampdoria in fourth. Lazio were sixth following a home defeat to Genoa. Lazio’s run, in which they have conceded only two goals, combined with the indifferent form of Roma and Napoli, has completely changed that. Their main target remains a second-placed finish which would guarantee a place in the Champions League group stage next season, their first appearance in the competition since 2007/08. A win on Saturday would also equal Lazio’s club record of nine consecutive Serie A wins, achieved under Sven-Goran Eriksson in the 1998-99 season.Lazio’s charge up the Serie A table has given a new twist to the championship and a win at leaders Juventus in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash would add further spice. Stefano Pioli’s side travel to Turin on the back of eight successive league wins which lifted them into second place, ahead of neighbours AS Roma. Another win on Saturday would cut Juve’s lead to nine points with seven games left, just enough to keep Massimiliano Allegri’s team looking over their shoulders as they chase a league, cup and Champions League treble. Lazio are without Stefan de Vrij and Marco Parolo, both injured in their last fixture against Empoli. They are likely to be replaced by Dusan Basta and 20-year old native Roman Danilo Cataldi respectively. Having only conceded twice in their eight-match winning run, Lazio’s backline might not be as worried about their opposition’s strike force, who failed to find the net against bottom of the table Parma and only managed one goal against Monaco, as they would have been a few weeks ago. Lazio’s own front-three, however, each bagged a goal last week.Probable Starting Line-up (4-2-3-1):Marchetti; Basta, Cana, Mauricio, Lulic; Biglia, Cataldi; Mauri, Candreva, Anderson; Klose Key FactsJuventus are unbeaten in their last 20 league games against Lazio (14W 6D).Juventus’ unbeaten run of 20 league games (14W 6D) came to an end last weekend against Parma.Juventus were behind for 30 minutes against Parma – previously they had been trailing only for 31 minutes overall in the whole 14/15 campaign.Players to Watch Out ForArturo Vidal (Juventus)Arturo Vidal was back to his brilliant best against Monaco on Tuesday. Compared to his high standards, the Chilean has looked a bit rusty this season but seems to have rediscovered his form at the crucial juncture of this season. He scored the decisive penalty against the French opposition and will look to carry on his impressive work against second place Lazio tonight.Felipe Anderson (Lazio)Felipe Anderson sounded confident ahead of this top-of-the-table clash with Juventus and will be looking to emulate that on the pitch as well. The Brazilian has combined for 16 goals in his last 11 games (9 goals + 7 assists). He could be decisive for the Biancoceleste as they look to close the gap on leaders Juventus.PredictionJuventus 1–1 LazioThe most unexpected result happened in the previous round as Juventus lost to Parma, but the Bianconeri were probably thinking ahead to Monaco and used their advantage in the league to instead focus on Europe. Last week Lazio achieved their 8th consecutive victory and, as a result, climbed up to second place in Serie A. This will be their toughest test so far in the second half of the season, but three affordable games lie ahead, which means they could be happy with a draw here. Juventus could afford to lose one game in their path to the Scudetto, but unfortunately for Lazio, Allegri will make sure there will be no drop in concentration levels. Winning is not necessary for Juve, but obtaining all 3 points would also send a message to Monaco ahead of the second leg.Blast From the PastFernando Llorente was Juventus’ saviour as the Serie A leaders came from a goal down with 10 men to salvage a 1-1 draw at Lazio last year in this fixture. http://www.goal.com/en/results-standings/69/italy-serie-a/table?ICID=SP_TN_111 Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
