Juventus Season 2014-2015

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

JUVENTUS 3-2 FIORENTINA
MATCH REPORT

Apr 29, 2015

Juventus edged out Fiorentina in a thrilling 3-2 to take them within a point of a 33rd Scudetto.

Both teams were reeling from surprise defeats at the weekend with Juve losing to Torino 2-1 while Fiorentina were pummelled 3-1 by Cagliari at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Claudio Marchisio returned from suspension to make his 300th club appearance but Leonardo Bonucci was out with a one-match ban while Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo were still out through injury.

The away side started the brighter through Mohamed Salah while Mati Fernandez fired wide of the post from distance. Juve looked out of sorts early as Stephan Lichtsteiner almost gifted the visitor’s possession before Andrea Pirlo blatantly tripped Joaquin to earn Fiorentina a penalty. Gonzalo Rodriguez stepped up and converted into the far top corner.

Juventus were aggrieved just moments later when Norberto Neto appeared to foul Stefano Sturaro outside of the box but the referee waved away appeals for a sending off, giving the keeper a yellow card instead as the tackle was well wide of the goal. Pirlo floated in a free kick and Llorente rose highest to bring Juve level through a well taken header.

Patrice Evra had a chance shortly after the restart but his header from Pirlo’s corner was saved by Neto. Juve continued to press for the lead and it was Evra again, this time with a perfectly chipped pass for Carlos Tevez to loop his head past a stranded Neto to put Juve ahead.

Juve sat back early in the second half and their complacency almost cost them dearly. Giorgio Chiellini tripped Gonzalo Rodriguez but thankfully his penalty was blasted wide of the goal. Juve capitalised moments later as Carlos Tevez ran on to a great long ball from Marchisio to beat Savic and beat Neto one-on-one with a pinpoint finish.

Fiorentina earned a late consolation goal through Josip Ilicic’s sublime free kick but Juve held on for the win that takes them to within a point of their fourth successive scudetto.


Statistics

Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez

Flop of the Match: N/A

Fouls: 11

Corners: 5

Pass Accuracy: 82%

Shots on Target: 5

Total Shots: 12

Ball Possession: 50%

Formation: 4-3-1-2


Lineups

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo (Vidal 56), Sturaro (Padoin 77); Pereyra (Ogbonna 70); Tevez, Llorente

Fiorentina: Neto; Savic, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Basanta, Alonso; Badelj, Aquilani, Mati Fernandez (Borja Valero 76); Joaquin, Salah, Gomez (Gilardino 70)

Ref: Banti

Missed penalty: Gonzalo Rodriguez 67 (F)
 
 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Juventus 3 - Fiorentina 2: Initial
reaction and random observations

Apr 29, 2015

AS Lazio put in their first, second, and third goals within the first 18 minutes of their game against Parma Wednesday night, the reality of Juventus being able to celebrate Scudetto No. 33 in front of their hometown crowd pretty much went up in smoke. Poof! Just like that, it was essentially known that the title party was being put off until the next match day.

That didn't deter Juventus from showing Fiorentina who the top dog in Italy is.

Well, I guess giving up a clear and unquestioned first-half penalty while also not playing very well whatsoever in the opening 30 minutes woke them up, too.

The Beauty & The Beast striker partnership was in full force at Juventus Stadium, as Juventus' small and tall combo of Carlos Tévez and Fernando Llorente led the way offensively in the 3-2 win over Fiorentina. They're two strikers having two completely different kinds of seasons, obviously, but all three of the goals were as pretty as it gets. It was Llorente's first goal since Juve lost 2-1 to Fiorentina in Turin in the Coppa Italia back in early March.

And what about Tévez? Well, he was just out there being Tévez, really.


JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
Seven Serie A doubles racked up by @carlitos3210 in the black and white stripes.

Gee, I wonder who we've also seen play the violin at Juventus Stadium this year...   

Ah, right. That's a good one, Carlitos. Keep them coming.

So now all that remains for Scudetto No. 33 to be signed, sealed and delivered? One single point. That's it. One more point and Juventus get to celebrate a fourth consecutive Serie A title. It's unfortunate that it couldn't be locked up in Turin, but when you're closest competition is playing Parma, then it's a tough thing to have happen from the get-go.

No matter what, though, Juventus will be officially anointed Serie A champions sooner rather than later. That inevitable day we've been waiting for over the last two months is finally here. Let's just hope it's done in swift and concise fashion.

JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
.@gianluigibuffon: "We’re extremely close. We needed to win and that’s what we did. Our destiny is now entirely in our own hands."


Random thoughts and observations

Never ever ever leave Turin, Carlos. Never ever. (I know it will happen, but still.)

Think about how many goals Carlos Tévez has scored as a Juventus player, then think about how much — or little at this point — Beppe Marotta paid for him a couple of years ago. I will never get over how Marotta just completely fleeced Manchester City for such a world-class striker. No matter what he does on the transfer market going forward, the swoop for Tévez will be one of the best deals he's ever made.

What big night for milestone appearances amongst the Juventus ranks.

Gigi Buffon with his 529th appearance, moving him all alone into third place all time at the club. Too bad there was no clean sheet to go along with it. That would have been nice.

Claudio Marchisio with his 300th appearance, which was capped with another standout performance in a season that is basically filled with them. That assist to Tévez on his second goal was a thing of beauty.

That's a huge part of the Juventus spine both on the field and in the dressing room. And that's lot of games in a Juventus jersey between the two of them. Luckily for us, there's plenty more where that came from and a few more milestones are still to be rang in before it's all said and done. It's hard not to love them both.

When was the last time we've seen Andrea Pirlo taken off at 55 minutes due to non-injury reasons? Max Allegri was clearly thinking of this weekend's trip to Sampdoria once Juve got a 2-1 lead. (It also probably helped knowing that Arturo Vidal was sitting there on the bench.)

That cross from Patrice Evra on Tévez's first goal was one of the best cross a Juventus player has delivered not just all season, but in a couple of years. What an absolute gem with about two seconds left to go in the first half.

Andrea Barzagli was a consistent as it gets against Fiorentina. Surprise, surprise.

I guess Fiorentina must not have anybody better on the current roster when their best penalty kick taker is a center back and he subsequently ends up slitting his attempts from the spot.

I know it's a small sample size, but this was easily one of the best games Stefano Sturaro has played since coming to Juventus in January. He finished up tied with Marchisio with a team-high four tackles despite being subbed off at the 76-minute mark. Good to see him be as relentless and active as ever.

Llorente gaining some confidence entering the home stretch definitely isn't the worst thing in the world. He does know a thing or two about scoring goals against Real Madrid, you know.

Just one last request: Get the Scudetto out of the way before Real Madrid. That last thing Juventus needs to have happen is a disappointing result with such a massive European contest looming.

JuventusFC ✔@juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "We’ll look to claim the point we need in Genova and then focus on the #UCL and #CoppaItalia."

I'm glad we agree about that, good sir.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Allegri: It Was Important For Juventus
To Return To Winning Ways Against Fiorentina

Apr 29, 2015

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has praised the resilience of his side after they came from behind to win 3-2 against Fiorentina at the Juventus Stadium on Wednesday evening in Serie A.

The Old Lady went into the match having lost two of their last three league games, as many as they had in their previous 59 Serie A fixtures, but will secure a fourth consecutive Scudetto on May 2 should they avoid defeat away at Sampdoria.

“It was an important victory,” said Allegri to Sky Sport Italia after the match.

“At this point it would take the opposite of a miracle for us to lose this Scudetto.

“We have a 14-point lead, we need one more and hope to get it on Saturday so that we can best prepare for the Champions League.

“The last two games have been difficult to prepare for, psychologically there may have been dips in concentration.

“There are also many players who haven’t been available this season for long periods, so the others had to carry on throughout and not get as much rest as I’d have liked.

“I thought it would be a good season, as these players are great both on the field and off.

“I found players like Simone Padoin, Stefano Sturaro, Kingsley Coman and Simone Pepe who have proved decisive when coming off the bench.

“During the course of a campaign, these are the players who become crucial.”
 
 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Buffon: This Season Is One
Juventus Can Be Proud Of

Apr 29, 2015

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon revealed his pride at the Bianconeri’s season to date, after his side’s 3-2 victory over Fiorentina on Wednesday evening.

Buffon looks set to win a fourth straight Scudetto in Turin, and expressed his happiness after yet another successful Serie A campaign.

“We are happy,” Buffon said to Mediaset Premium

“Especially because tonight’s game had many pitfalls.”

“We started at a disadvantage and it was difficult to recover. With patience and tenacity we were able to turn the result around.”

“As for the Scudetto, it would be my ninth title, and the eighth for Serie A. It would be a small success in the 14 years I’ve been with Juve.”

“This year is one to be proud of, and progress has been made.”

Juventus could wrap up the title with a win as early as Saturday evening, when they travel away to Sampdoria.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Player Ratings: Juventus 3-2 Fiorentina

Apr 29, 2015

 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon - Though he could have done better with the late free-kick, he was still generally a safe pair of hands.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - Made a crucial block on Fernandez at the near post and was alert defensively.

15 A. Barzagli - Marked Gomez out of the game, tracking almost all of his runs to perfection.

3 G. Chiellini - Conceded a penalty as Joaquin fooled him with a quick change of direction.

33 P. Evra - His great ball set up the go-ahead goal, and he was a danger in the final third regularly.

8 C. Marchisio - The midfielder's passing from deep areas was delightful, and one such ball set up Tevez's second.

21 A. Pirlo - Caught in possession regularly and was a defensive liability, giving up a spot kick. However, he also sent in the free kick for Llorente's leveler.

27 S. Sturaro - His runs from deep were menacing, and he never stopped fighting for the team.

37 R. Pereyra - Worked hard at the tip of the midfield, though he struggled to pick the right passes at times.

10 Carlos Tévez - Two clinical finishes gave the Bianconeri victory, and he proved to be their match winner yet again.

14 F. Llorente - Bullied the defence on occasion, and scored the leveler with a header from a free kick.


Substitutes

23 A. Vidal - Not his usual self off the bench.


 

Fiorentina

1 Neto - His play off his line was generally sound and he was unlucky to be called for a free-kick that led to a goal from Llorente.

15 S. Savić - Couldn't stop Llorente from powering in Juve's first.

2 G. Rodríguez - Buried a penalty, missed another and was caught out by the run of Tevez in an eventful game for him.

19 J. Basanta - Caught napping at the back more than once. Let his team down.

28 Marcos Alonso - Cleaned up defensively and sprayed some clever passes down the flanks as well.

5 M. Badelj - Not his night as a few turnovers nearly proved costly.

10 A. Aquilani - Misted the movements of his teammates more than once, resulting in some frustrating attacks.

14 M. Fernández - Thwarted by Lichtsteiner at the near post, but didn't look to attack down that side nearly enough.

17 Joaquín - Won two penalties with his quick feet and was always a threat in the final third.

74 Mohamed Salah - The Egyptian was always a danger with his pace, but he needed better support.

33 M. Gómez - Hard for him to sniff out a chance against the Juve back four.


Substitutes

72 J. Iličić - Curled in a wonderful free kick that ended up being only a consolation.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Juventus still have to wait for Serie A
title despite beating Fiorentina

Apr 30, 2015

Title celebrations will have to be postponed at least a while for Juventus, who managed a win against Fiorentina. Lazio pummelled Parma to delay matters, but a point against Sampdoria over the weekend and the Old Lady can celebrate yet another domestic triumph.

Fiorentina are always tricky opponents for they boast great technique and genuine desire. When they're fully concentrated and alert, they defend with vigour and attack with pace and strength and the manner in which they started the match troubled the home side. Juventus are simply not at their best at this moment in time and it largely has to do with the fact that they don't need to be. Careless with their passes, their attitude nonchalant, the Bianconeri are not playing with gritty determination and the fluidity that previously defined them.

The problem with Serie A is this: Juventus rarely find an opponent capable of punishing them for their mistakes. They can afford to play with the handbrake on, squander possession and give only 80 percent. They need not play to expectations but as long as they understand how to exploit the opponent's weaknesses, victories can be collected. This was the case on Wednesday evening against the Tuscans, who showed their defensive inadequacies.

There is a slight fear that playing in such comfortable surroundings where the Bianconeri always know they can win despite not giving their all will set them up for disappointment in Europe. Not since the Coppa Italia second leg have Juventus actually played at an impressive level, showing ambition and beautiful play. Since then, not even the win against Lazio required optimum levels of determination, because even the team in second place lacks too much to provide real competition.

It is for this reason, Massimiliano Allegri should be worried. He must ensure his men play with fluidity and accuracy, sacrificing it all to obtain a win against Real Madrid midweek. Juventus cannot afford to be careless against the Spanish giants, as they were against the Viola, with players casually committing silly fouls in the box to concede two penalties. Consistently offering Vincenzo Montella's men an opportunity to attack a set piece, the Old Lady must play a more intelligent game should they want to avoid a European defeat.

Andrea Pirlo was the man to concede the first penalty and the deep lying midfielder, despite some excellent passes, can be a defensive problem. Giving up possession too easily and offering little support to the men behind him, there are times we can understand why the fans call for Claudio Marchisio to play in his position. His artistic ability is unrivalled, but the moment he loses the ball, Juventus are in trouble.

Sadly for the visitors, they barely had enough time to celebrate as Fernando Llorente used his large frame to equalise minutes later. Yet while the Spaniard always does his best to contribute to the side with his back to goal, using his strength to maintain possession and bring others into play, it's Carlos Tevez who makes Juve's world go round.

The Argentine wasn't a consistent presence up top in this particular game -- one suspects he's not yet at his best after illness -- yet when called upon, he possess the majestic touch and ability to affect the game. A sublime cross from Patrice Evra found Tevez who headed in the second. His mobility, his reading of the game and his attitude are the reasons behind his excellence and the 20 league goals he has scored this season. The third goal was a fine finish but even when he's not scoring, he's making the right runs forward to penetrate even the toughest of defences.

One of the main differences between the win against the Viola and the loss to Torino is Evra on the left wing. He is not the quickest, he can be easily overwhelmed and he frustrated with his inability to handle the duality of his role in the early part of the season. Yet the manner in which he has progressed this season has been truly exciting to watch as he can now always be relied upon to produce balanced displays and provide important attacking contributions. It is his constant presence on the left, his relationship with the now injured Paul Pogba and his accurate crosses into the box that have given the side a new dimension. A player who can also score the goals, one shouldn't forget what a threat he can be from set-pieces and he nearly was again against Fiorentina.

A beautiful Josip Ilicic gave the Viola their second goal of the night but they simply didn't have enough going forward to take advantage of their opportunities. Italy hopes they can get back to winning ways in the Europa league.

As for Juve, the postponement of celebrations is a good thing to ensure tensions are high and the motivations are there to secure more victories. A wonderful performance against Sampdoria will ensure the title and leave them in the right frame of mind to face the biggest test of the season: the semifinal of the Champions League.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Juventus Maintain Astonishing 14-Point Lead,
Could Wrap Up League On Saturday

Apr 30, 2015

Juventus triumphed over a spirited Fiorentina side yesterday night and maintained their 14-point lead at the top of the table. Lazio’s 4-0 win over Parma postponed Juve’s title celebrations, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side can wrap up the title if they pick up a win against Sampdoria on Saturday.

The game started with Fiorentina pulling the strings in the first few minutes and looked comfortable in possession. Juventus finally started playing some football of their own after the 15-minute mark as Fiorentina struggled to get hold of the ball. However, in the 31st minute, Andrea Pirlo stuck out a leg to take down winger Joachin in the penalty area. Rodriguez converted the resultant penalty to give his side a lead against the run of play.

Fiorentina weren’t able to hold their lead for long as Juve took only three minutes to find an equaliser. Andrea Pirlo made up for his mistake and provided a beautifully flighted ball from a free kick which was nodded home by Fernando Llorente. The reigning champions then took the lead just before half time when a Patrice Evra cross was cleverly headed home by Carlos Tevez.

In the second half, the Viola were handed a golden opportunity to equalise when Joachin was once again taken down, but this time, by Chiellini. However, Rodriguez failed to convert it after trying to smash it. Juve punished Fiorentina in the 70th minute after their defence tried to play an offside trap, but failed in doing so. Tevez converted the chance after slotting the ball past the keeper. Fiorentina tried to push in order to reduce the deficit but had to wait until extra time. Ilicic scored from 20 yards out, but unfortunately, Fiorentina failed to back that wonderful set piece with an equaliser.


Losing the title very unlikely from here, says Allegri

Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri was delighted with the win and added that it will take an almighty loss in form for his side to lose the title from here, “At this point it would take a reverse miracle for us to lose this Scudetto,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“We have to be wary, as we’ve lost out last two away games, but the lads deserve compliments for an extraordinary campaign.

“We have a 14-point lead, we need one more and hope to get it on Saturday so we can best prepare for the Champions League.

“This victory allows us to face the remaining Serie A games with a more relaxed state of mind. When you’re nearly there, this anxiety comes in.

“When you are 14 points in front, it is natural to have some dips in concentration. There are also many players who haven’t been available this season for long periods, so the others had to carry on throughout and not rest as much as I’d have liked,” he added.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Carlos Tevez Drags Juventus
Closer To Serie A Title

Apr 30, 2015

The Serie A leaders Juventus beat Fiorentina 3-2 on Wednesday but their title celebrations were delayed by Lazio’s 4-0 victory over a Parma side who are now certain to be relegated But Juve, who are 14 points clear with five matches to go, will be champions with a draw at Sampdoria on Saturday.

As they prepared to host Fiorentina on Wednesday evening,Juventus knew that each stage of a remarkable treble was slowly coming within touching distance. A Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid looms large on the horizon, with the Coppa Italia final against Lazio to follow later next month. Both sides were coming off surprise defeats at the weekend, as the Viola had lost three on the bounce in Serie A, while the Bianconeri fell 2-1 to rivals Torino. Claudio Marchisio returned from suspension, but Leonardo Bonucci was banned with Paul Pogba, Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and Romulo. Khouma Babacar and Giuseppe Rossi were out for the season. Fiorentina are the only side to have conquered the Juventus Stadium since Bayern Munich in April 2013, winning 2-1 here in the Coppa Italia semi-final last month. However, their most recent League victory here was 3-2 in March 2008.

Juventus are the most prolific side in the opening 45 minutes of games so far this Serie A season, but it was the visitors that started brighter pressing the ball high up the pitch as well as being comfortable in possession. Gianluigi Buffon was untested though, as Juve recorded the first shot on target in the match after 20 minutes when Llorente rolled Rodriguez and forced Neto into a comfortable save. Fiorentina did take the lead from the penalty spot after Andrea Pirlo tripped Joaquin just inside the box sticking out his left leg when the wingback stepped outside him from a short corner. The Tuscan side was the only team in the top five European leagues to have failed to convert any of the previous four penalties awarded to them this season, but Rodriguez beat Buffon with a powerful right-footed strike high into the corner. Their lead only lasted for two minutes and 28 seconds as Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto was shown a yellow card after rushing outside his box to challenge Stefano Sturaro. Pirlo curled the resultant free-kick from near the corner flag on the left side into the centre of the box for Llorente to score with a header into the bottom corner. Patrice Evra then forced Neto to claw away a bullet header from close range after a Pirlo corner before turning provider, as Juventus turned the game around with a goal in the final action of the first-half. The 33-year-old fullback picked out Tevez with an excellent pass over the Viola defence and the Argentine scored for his fourth successive Serie A match at the Juventus Stadium with a looping header.

Fiorentina gave nothing more away in the first third of the second half and even sniffed for a leveller on occasions. They thought they had been given the perfect opportunity to produce one in the 66th minute when Giorgio Chiellini felled Joaquin in the area. This time, however, Rodriguez made a mess of his spot-kick, sending the ball wide and inspiring much backslapping from Juve’s players. Tevez sensed blood and quickly doubled his side’s advantage with a fine strike in the 70th minute. Put through by Claudio Marchisio, the Argentine stormed into Neto’s box before picking his spot just inside the far post. With time running out it looked like Juve had done enough to rubber-stamp the three points that put them on the brink of a fourth straight title, but Fiorentina fancied reminding them that there would be no festivities just yet. Substitute Josip Ilicic aped set-piece master Pirlo with a searing free-kick that Gianluigi Buffon could only wave a fist at.

Fiorentina have now lost each of their last four league matches for the first time since February 2005, whereas Juventus are now undefeated in their last 45 home matches in Serie A. Juventus remain 14 points clear of Lazio and will clinch a fourth successive title with a point at Sampdoria on Saturday.

No matter what he does on the transfer market this summer, Beppe Marotta should be lauded for nabbing Carlos Tevez for such a small fee from Manchester City. The Argentine has been simply phenomenal this term and it keeps getting better as we approach the business end of this season. Gigi Buffon made his 529th appearance last night, moving him all alone into third place all time at the club while Claudio Marchisio recorded his 300th appearance, which was capped with another beautiful assist for Juve’s third goal. Andrea Barzagli produced a confident performance against Fiorentina but Giorgio Chiellini conceded a needless penalty in the second half. With Chiellini continually error-prone, it is perhaps not too far-fetched to suggest Allegri should consider sitting the 30-year-old for a period, particularly now that Andrea Barzagli has fully recovered from his own injury problems. It would be a bold move to drop the vice-captain, but if Allegri goes with a four-man defence against Real Madrid, a Bonucci-Barzagli pairing would see his two most in-form players take the field.

Stefano Sturaro had an impressive game registering a team-high four tackles plus he was relentless and active throughout the night. Fernando Llorente gained some confidence by netting the equalizer and one must not forget that he does know a thing or two about scoring goals against Real Madrid. There was also plenty of food for thought ahead of that clash with the reigning European champions, and it will be interesting to see what decisions are made along the way.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA

3 - 2

Gonzalo Rodríguez (33'-Pen.)

Fernando Llorente (36')
Carlos Tévez (45'+)
Carlos Tevez (70')

Josip Iličič (90')

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Luca Banti

Juventus 3-2 Fiorentina: Carlos Tévez
grabs Scudetto with one hand

Juventus need one more point to officialy seal the fourth consecutive Scudetto after

Tévez's brace and Llorente's long-sought goal overcame Fiorentina.

Apr 30, 2015

A win for Juventus and a draw for Lazio. A win for Juventus and a draw for Lazio.

A win for Juventus and a draw for Lazio. A win for Juventus and a draw for Lazio.

Verdammnt! Verdammnt Lazio... hanging in there, postponing the title celebrations.

It would have been the perfect timing and the ideal venue, winning the 33rd Scudetto and the fourth in a row, after the match No. 100 played at the Juventus Stadium — which surprisingly had quite a few empty seats. At least the festive day has not been marred by the nasty Gigliati, even if it is hard to believe they would have dared to get another positive result after what happened last time.

A single point is needed now to officially secure the title. Not that you didn’t already know this, but with five games left to play, it is quite a handy situation for one to find himself in and it definitely requires a bit of showing off. Just ask Carlos Tévez and he will tell you. Sealing the Scudetto without making Rudi Garcia look like a fool won’t do.

Max Allegri continued to reshuffle the pack with great effect, making no less than six different changes to the line-up used for the Derby della Mole. Stephan Lichtsteiner was the only player who kept his place in the defensive compartment. Central backs Angelo Ogbonna and Leonardo Bonucci, who had a little nightmare in the previous game, were replaced by Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, while Patrice Evra regained his place at left back to the detriment of Simone Padoin.

Claudio Marchisio had served his suspension and marked his 300th appearance with a place among starters, with Arturo Vidal benched. The upfront pair Alvaro Morata and Alessandro Matri also made way for the former oh so effective duo from last season Carlos Tévez – Fernando Llorente. Perhaps, surprisingly, it actually was again effective with the Spanish-speaking strikers sharing the goals between them.

Plenty of moves to keep the squad fresh and fully fit ahead of the vital clash with You-Know-Who. Hopefully, the title party taking shape at the horizon will not create too much discomfort within the Bianconeri ranks. This, indeed, if Juventus get that single point in their trip to Genoa where Sampdoria, winless in five games, await. And it looks like they will.


MATCH SUMMARY

After a small misunderstanding between referee Luca Banti and Tévez over the first kick of the game, the action unfolded, but rather slowly, with a disciplined Fiorentina managing to close the ball down quickly, away from their own box.

Juventus almost had a shot on target after quarter an hour of playing, but Marchisio’s powerful attempt was involuntarily blocked by Tévez. A few minutes later, Llorente pivoted brilliantly with Gonzalo Rodriguez closely marking him inside the opposite box but the Spaniard had no venom in his shot and it was easily saved by Neto.

The stream decided then to botch things up and by the time it was fixed... well, nothing had happened.

However, it wasn’t long until a few moments of pressure rewarded Fiorentina with the opener in the 33rd minute. Pirlo was easily tricked by Joaquin right at the edge of Juventus’ area and the bearded master tripped the Spaniard down, forcing referee Banti to point to the spot. Viola captain Rodriguez stepped up to take the penalty and converted it perfectly, giving Gianluigi Buffon no chance.

All Hell broke loose afterwards and with great effect for Juventus who managed to equalise in the 36th minute. Neto, who was well out of his position, brought Sturaro down with a silly foul on the right side of the box. From the resulting free-kick — a shorter corner – Pirlo delivered a sublime cross for Llorente who headed the ball past an idle Neto.

Three minutes later, another great corner-kick delivered by Pirlo – and I write this while still in utter astonishment — almost lead to the second goal, but Evra directed his header straight at the goalkeeper who showed good reflexes to pull the save.

With three minutes before the break, Lichtsteiner managed a fantastic last-ditch tackle to block Salah, whose attempt from close range was announcing danger for Buffon.

Tévez gave Juventus the lead in the first minute of injury time with a sublimely placed header — although the way he hit the ball looked a bit weird. Evra had enough time to prepare his cross from more than 25 yards out and found El Apache in the box. The Argentine broke free of his marker and sent the ball past Neto who had no chance to keep it out.

Allegri showed a sign of relief as the ball hit the net and headed straight for the locker rooms, probably also missing the chance to see Tévez playing the violin — Rudi, doing alright?

The second half started in the same high tempo as it finished and the Gigliati launched themselves forward, but an early corner came to nothing.

In the 55th minute, Gomez was presented with a decent chance but Evra cramped him enough and the German striker put his header wide. Appeals for a penalty were fruitless, for Gomez’s exasperation.

Ten minutes later, Joaquin won the second penalty of the evening after a similar situation but with Chiellini the villain. Rodriguez faced Buffon again but put his shot wide of the post, sending Buffon and Allegri in exuberant celebrations.

The miss suddenly proved even more costly for Fiorentina as Tévez doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 70th minute. From just inside Juventus’ own half, Marchisio delivered a fantastic ball over Viola’s defence for Tévez who beat the offside trap and made his way inside the box, placing a perfect shot at the far post from a tight angle past a fully-stretched Neto.

Allegri reacted quickly after the goal and switched to a three-man defence, replacing Pereyra with Ogbonna. The substitution pretty much closed the game, as Fiorentina’s attacks were coming to a premature halt.

With four minutes to go, a dialogue between Buffon and Alessandro Diamanti was more interesting than the game, as the two friends were shouting at each other, trying to make themselves heard over the chanting coming from the crowds.

The friendliness of the pair was all charming but a football game was still left to be finished and Fiorentina reduced the deficit on the board in the 90th minute. Having just replaced Salah, Josip Ilicic stepped up to take a free-kick from just under 30 yards out and the Slovenian curled a tremendous ball over the wall and into the net, despite Buffon’s desperate efforts.

The four minutes of extra time passed without any more problems for Juventus who sealed the win to move one point away from the fourth consecutive Scudetto.


PLAYER RATINGS

Buffon: 5.5 Could do nothing to prevent either of the goals, but was not really tested beside that

Lichtsteiner: 6 Steady performance from the Swiss who kept Alonso quiet throughout, although his presence in attack was scarcely felt

Barzagli: 6.5 The Wall put in a great display, dealing with the opposite attacking players with ease, while also very confident with the ball at his feet

Chiellini: 5.5 Conceded the second penalty after a reckless challenge but had a decent performance overall

Evra: 6.5 Great delivery to assist Tévez’s goal and could have also scored in the first half. Very alert in defending

Marchisio: 7 Swept pretty much everything in midfield and distributed the ball around swiftly, with a brilliant long-ball played for the third goal

Pirlo: 6 Uncharacteristically, delivered two fantastic crosses from set-pieces but wasn’t one of his best games, also conceding the penalty

Sturaro: 6.5 Probably the first exceptional performance from him, before being forced off with injury. Very dynamic and an important defensive contribution.

Pereyra: 6 Looked a bit out of form in the first part but managed to cover a lot of ground throughout, although ineffective in attack

Tévez: 8 Bailed Juventus out once again with a phenomenal brace. Simply brilliant

Llorente: 7 The Spaniard finally found the net again. Also decent hold-up and passing game from him


Subs

Vidal: 6 Replaced Pirlo after 56 minutes and added some extra muscles and speed to the midfield.

Ogbonna: 6 Introduced to accommodate the 3-5-2 and did his job all right

Padoin: N/A Played the last 12 minutes after replacing Sturaro but was barely involved


Coach

Allegri: 7 The rotations used recently have worked quite well and they also paid off against Fiorentina, with an inspired attacking partnership dealing with matters. Replacing Pirlo before the hour mark was a great decision, as was changing the system following Tévez’s second goal.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Preview: Sampdoria vs. Juventus

Apr 30, 2015

Juventus will win their fourth consecutive Serie A title if they earn at least a point against Sampdoria on Saturday evening.

The Bianconeri have once again shown their dominance in Italy this season, but their opponents are also looking for vital points in their bid for a European spot.


Sampdoria

It has been a torrid month for Sampdoria, who have seen their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League all but ended and have also lost their grip on securing a Champions League spot.

They had enjoyed a fine spell in March and had won all four of their league matches, including memorable victories over heavyweights Roma and Inter Milan.

Their good form was brought to an end at the start of April following a 2-0 defeat at European rivals Fiorentina, and it signalled the beginning of a five-game winless run.

The most recent of those fixtures came on Wednesday evening, when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Hellas Verona. They had taken the lead thanks to a goal from Lorenzo De Silvestri just minutes after being reduced to 10 men, but a quick-fire equaliser from Luca Toni made it another night to forget for Sinisa Mihajlovic and his players.

The Blucerchiati are still fifth in the league table and in command of a European place, but their city rivals Genoa are just a point behind them, with Fiorentina and the in-form duo of Inter Milan and Torino also closing in quickly.

As well as their recent dip in form, they have also suffered a major blow, with highly-rated striker Eder ruled out until the end of the season due to a knee injury that he sustained in last weekend's defeat to Napoli.

Recent form: W L D D L D



Juventus

Juventus are just a point away from retaining their title and winning a record 31st Scudetto, as their superiority of Italian football shows no signs of ending.

At the start of the season, many people were tipping Rudi Garcia's Roma to be their main challengers for the Serie A trophy, but they have made light work of their rivals to open up a 14-point lead at the top with a month left to play.

The title could have been secured twice already this week, but on Sunday they fell to a shock 2-1 defeat against Torino, while on Wednesday evening a 3-2 win over Fiorentina was not enough to see them crowned champions, due to second-placed Lazio's victory over Parma.

Massimiliano Allegri will be desperate for his team to finally wrap up the league this weekend, with the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid taking place next Tuesday. The Juventus manager has made a number of changes to his starting lineup in recent weeks before crucial European games, but with the title on the line it is likely that he will play his strongest side.

It is that rotation policy that has seen the Bianconeri lose two of their last four league matches, having suffered just one defeat previously all season. They have also let in four goals in their past two games, which is surprising considering that they had conceded just one goal in the 10 matches that came beforehand.

As well as winning the Scudetto this weekend, there could be another record broken at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, as Andrea Pirlo is just one free kick away from equalling Sampdoria manager Mihajlovic's Serie A tally of 28 goals from set pieces.

Recent form in Serie A: W W L W L W
Recent form (all competitions): L W W D L W


Team News

Sampdoria will have to make do without Afriyie Acquah, who was sent off during the draw against Verona.

He is expected to be replaced by Roberto Soriano, while Samuel Eto'o is also pushing for a start.

Meanwhile, Juventus are able to welcome back Leonardo Bonucci following his recent suspension.

Arturo Vidal should also return to the starting lineup and Fernando Llorente may keep his place after scoring in midweek.

A spot up front seems almost certain for Carlos Tevez, who scored twice against Fiorentina to take his tally to 28 goals this season.

Paul Pogba is ahead of schedule with his recovery from a hamstring injury, but he is not expected to feature until next week's Champions League match.


Sampdoria possible starting lineup:

Viviano, De Silvestri, Romagnoli, Silvestre, Mesbah, Obiang, Palombo, Soriano, Muriel, Eto'o, Okaka


Juventus possible starting lineup:

Buffon, Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Pereyra, Tevez, Llorente


Head To Head

In this season's reverse fixture, Sampdoria came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Juventus in Turin.

Sampdoria generally have a good record against Juventus and they have won three of their last eight meetings with the Bianconeri, including two wins in the last five games.

There is also plenty of excitement whenever these teams play each other and there have been 30 goals scored in the last nine games between them.


We say: Sampdoria 1-2 Juventus

With the title up for grabs on Saturday evening, Juventus will be fired up and eager to get the result they need. It would be a huge confidence boost for the Bianconeri ahead of their tie with Real Madrid to be crowned champions and although Sampdoria are a good team, we don't think that they will be able to stop Allegri's side from picking up all three points.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sampdoria - Juventus Preview: Win or draw
gives visitors fourth straight title

Massimiliano Allegri's side will win their fourth successive
Serie A title with either a win or draw this weekend.

May 1, 2015

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon hailed coach Massimiliano Allegri ahead of Saturday's trip to Sampdoria, where they need just a draw to clinch their fourth successive Serie A title.

Allegri - sacked by Milan in January of last year - was given the tough ask of trying to replace Antonio Conte in July when the latter stepped down unexpectedly.

Conte had led Juventus to a hat-trick of Serie A crowns and Allegri's appointment was met with widespread scepticism, as 300 fans protested against the decision at the club's training complex.

But all is forgotten with the club's supporters after another stunning season, which could see Juventus win a historic treble as they open a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on Tuesday and face Lazio in June's Coppa Italia showpiece.

Juve lead second-placed Lazio by 14 points with five games remaining and have a better head-to-head record than their rivals. That means a draw or win would clinch the Scudetto this weekend.

That is the ideal scenario for Juve, who can then focus all their energies into the clash against Madrid, and before the road trip, Buffon took time out to praise Allegri.

"We're extremely close to crossing the finish line," he said. "We've done well up until now.

"Allegri's been a big factor behind our season. He guides us, gives us ideas and manages the group.

"He inherited a strong squad, but whoever replaced Conte would have had a tough task ahead of them."

Juventus responded to a shock derby defeat to Torino by coming from behind to see off Fiorentina 3-2 on Wednesday, largely thanks to Carlos Tevez's double.

The Argentina forward now has 20 Serie A goals - two more than any other player.

Juve have failed to win any of their last three away matches in all competitions, with a gutsy goalless draw at Monaco - that secured their progression to the last four of the Champions League - sandwiched by Serie A defeats at Parma and Torino.

Paul Pogba (hamstring) is on the comeback trail but this match will come too soon for the France midfielder.

Sampdoria boss Sinisa Mihajlovic has seen his side enjoy a strong campaign but they have dropped to fifth after a winless run of five.

They threw away a lead in a 4-2 loss at Napoli on Sunday and repeated the dose in a 1-1 stalemate against Hellas Verona on Wednesday.

Mihajlovic could also see a record of his own fall. The Serbian scored 28 Serie A free-kicks during an excellent career at Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter. Juventus' Andrea Pirlo is hot on his heels with 27, though.

Sampdoria did the double over Juventus during the 2012-13 campaign, but have not won since, with the earlier meeting this season ending in a 1-1 draw in Turin. Manolo Gabbiadini's 51st-minute effort cancelled out Patrice Evra's opener in December.


OPTA FACTS

This will be the 130th meeting in Serie A between Sampdoria and Juventus: the Old Lady lead by 64 wins to 27.

Sampdoria have conceded 215 goals to Juventus, only Inter have scored more against the Blucerchiati so far in Italy (241).

Samp have won only two of their last 12 home games against Juve, losing six times.

Over the last three seasons, the second leg has always repeated the result of the first - Samp and Juve drew in Turin back in December.

Samp are winless in their last five league games (D3 L2).

Juve have alternated between a win and a defeat over their last five league fixtures.

Juve have lost their last two away games in the league - last time they lost three in a row on the road was in April 2010.

Simone Pepe's first goal for Juve was right against Sampdoria in September 2010.


LAST FIVE MATCHES

Sampdoria D L D D L

4/29/15 - Sampdoria 1 - 1 Hellas Verona
4/26/15 - Napoli 4 - 2 Sampdoria
4/18/15 - Sampdoria 0 - 0 Cesena
4/12/15 - Milan 1 - 1 Sampdoria
4/4/15 - Fiorentina 2 - 0 Sampdoria


Juventus W L D W W

4/29/15 - Juventus 3 - 2 Fiorentina
4/26/15 - Torino 2 - 1 Juventus
4/22/15 - Monaco 0 - 0 Juventus
4/18/15 - Juventus 2 - 0 Lazio
4/14/15 - Juventus 1 - 0 Monaco


HEAD TO HEAD

12/14/14 - Juventus 1 - 1 Sampdoria
1/18/14 - Juventus 4 - 2 Sampdoria
8/24/13 - Sampdoria 0 - 1 Juventus
5/18/13 - Sampdoria 3 - 2 Juventus
1/6/13 - Juventus 1 - 2 Sampdoria

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sampdoria vs. Juventus: Team News

May 1, 2015

Having narrowly defeated Fiorentina on Wednesday night, Juventus travel to Genoa to go head-to-head with Sampdoria on Saturday. The Bianconeri need just a single point in order to claim their fourth consecutive Serie A title and will surely be looking to wrap that up before Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Max Allegri is clearly enjoying the full faith of his players, with captain Gigi Buffon telling reporters his feelings about the coach shortly after that win over the Viola, per Juventus' official website:

We’re extremely close to crossing the finish line. We’ve done well up until now and even more so this evening, because it wasn’t an easy game considering what we have coming up on Saturday and especially Tuesday.

Allegri’s been a big factor behind our season. He guides us, gives us ideas and manages the group. He inherited a strong squad, but whoever replaced [Antonio] Conte would have had a tough task ahead of them.

With that fixture against Real Madrid on the horizon, Allegri is likely to rotate his starting lineup, with a number of reserve players expected to be given the nod. He told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) that he believes those players can deliver:

“Players like Simone Padoin, Stefano Sturaro, Kingsley Coman and Simone Pepe have proved decisive when coming off the bench. During the course of a campaign, these are the players who become crucial.”

They might not need to be at their best against Sampdoria, who are struggling of late and have failed to win in each of their last five league outings.


Predicted Lineups

Sampdoria: (4-3-3) Viviano; De Silvestri, Munoz, Romagnoli, Regini; Mesbah, Obiang, Duncan; Eto’o, Okaka, Muriel.

Juventus: (4-3-2-1) Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, De Ceglie; Marchisio, Padoin, Sturaro; Pereyra; Matri, Llorente.


Player to Watch

Since Sampdoria’s decision to sell Manolo Gabbiadini to Napoli back in January, much of the attacking burden has fallen on Eder. The Brazil-born striker has responded well, recording team highs in both goals and assists, earning a controversial call up to the Italy national team during their last round of fixtures.

Now ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, Samuel Eto’o will be expected to fill the void for the Genoese side. He has scored just once since arriving from Everton, netting in the 1-1 draw with Milan at San Siro, showing his love for the big occasion remains.

With the Bianconeri coasting their way to a fourth consecutive Serie A title, the former Inter and Barcelona star would relish the chance to spoil the party, and the Juventus defence will need to be aware of him at all times.


Key Battle

Perhaps the most likely area for this game to be won or lost is midfield, where Angelo Palombo can expect a busy afternoon. The Sampdoria captain remains the beating heart of his team, with those around him constantly looking to him for leadership, particularly in difficult matches in which they are in danger of being overrun.

That could well be the case on Saturday, with Stefano Sturaro expected to start for the Bianconeri as they rest others ahead of the forthcoming match against Real Madrid. As discussed in this previous column, the 22-year-old has been handed a wonderful opportunity with the Bianconeri, and it is one of which he seems determined to take full advantage.

This fixture holds added meaning for Sturaro, who moved the relatively short distance from his childhood home in Sanremo to join Sampdoria’s bitter local rivals, Genoa, back in 2008, so he will enjoy the chance to once again defeat the port city’s other team.


Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 129/100

Home win: 227/100

Draw: 43/20

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

'Juventus, match ball tomorrow'

May 1, 2015

Max Allegri says tomorrow's game against Sampdoria will represent the 'first match ball of the season', and expects to 'close matters over the Scudetto'.

Juventus, who lead Serie A by 14 points, have the opportunity to win the championship several weeks in advance as they travel to Genoa to face the Blucerchiati.

“Tomorrow is the first real match ball of the season,” Allegri admitted in conversation with Sky Sport Italia.

“Last Wednesday it wasn't down to us, we needed Lazio to lose.

“So tomorrow we'll have to play well and get a positive result, either a draw or a victory. Besides, we recently lost twice, both times when playing away, against Parma and Torino.

“So we must close matters over the Scudetto and concentrate on the Champions League semi-final.

“Right now our focus is on the championship. Our players are well rested, so tomorrow we'll be fielding our best formation to face Sampdoria. Though it's possible that [Andrea] Pirlo will sit this one out.

“It's not going to be an easy game. They may have been having a rough time recently, but when they play at home their squad is fearsome.

“Tomorrow we'll need a positive, aggressive attitude. We need to act like a team that wants to play a strong game in terms of intensity, but most importantly in terms of our technique, as always. We must never stop looking for ways to improve.

“So this is the type of game we'll need to play tomorrow, but above all else we need to take home the points we need for the Scudetto.”

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sampdoria v Juventus: Preview

May 1, 2015

Juventus need only a single point from their trip to Sampdoria to clinch a fourth straight Serie A title - but the small matter of a Champions League semi-final meeting with Real Madrid offers no small distraction.

A hard-fought 3-2 victory over Fiorentina maintained Juve's 14-point lead over Lazio and a point will be enough to secure the Scudetto on Saturday given the Bianconeri have a superior head-to-head record against the capital club.

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri knows Samp are no pushovers having observed the fact Juve visited the Marassi five times without winning before they broke their duck with a 1-0 triumph last season.

He would ideally pick his strongest team but admits he will have to rest certain key players with European champions Real visiting Turin only three days later.

Allegri told the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport: ``We need to take it one step at a time and go slowly. It will be difficult.

``We'll have to be at our best to get a point in Genoa, we've lost our last two away games in the league.

``Players will be rested - some will be saved for the Champions League so it's possible (Andrea) Pirlo won't play - but we'll still do whatever we can to beat Samp.

``First we will try to win the championship and then we'll think about the semi-final. We've already had a good season and it could become a great one.''

Forced out of contention due to injury are Kwadwo Asamoah, Romulo and Martin Caceres, while French midfielder Paul Pogba, missing since March with a thigh injury, will return to training the day after the Real clash.

Afriyie Acquah is suspended for Samp, who are also missing injured trio Eder, Fabrizio Cacciatore and Luka Djordjevic.

The Ligurians are battling to hold onto fifth place and Europa League football but lost momentum in a 1-1 midweek draw with Hellas Verona.

Boss Sinisa Mihajlovic told the Corriere dello Sport: ``It's too bad because the lads did their best, playing the game in the right way.

``We wanted to win at all costs, but unfortunately, it turned out badly.

``But if we continue to play like that, certainly over the last few games, then we have every chance of getting some good results.''

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sampdoria V Juventus – Preview:
Time To Uncork Scudetto Champagne

May 1, 2015

Juventus travel to the Stadio Ferraris, where they will meet Sampdoria on Saturday afternoon, looking to seal their fourth consecutive Scudetto.

Despite their shock loss in the Derby della Mole against Torino, Juventus travel to Sampdoria only needing a point, following their impressive 3-2 win over Fiorentina in midweek.

As for Sampdoria, they will hope they can further delay the celebrations for Massimiliano Allegri and his men.

Indeed, after Torino and Lazio wins kept the Scudetto champagne on ice, Juventus will be eager to finally settle the Scudetto race and put the first trophy of a possible treble in the bag. Sampdoria on the other hand, will have aspirations of May auguring better things, after ending the month of April winless.

Sampdoria will have a tough task overturning their fortunes however. The last time Samp defeated Juventus was in the 2012-13 season, when they completed a league double over the Bianconeri. Since then however, Juventus have won twice and drew 1-1 earlier in the season.

With Juventus preparing an important first-leg Champions League semi final against Real Madrid on Tuesday, Allegri will be rotating his lineup. The suspended Patrice Evra will be replaced by Simone Padoin; Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini will be on the bench. Alessandro Matri gets the nod up top.

Sampdoria will welcome the Bianconeri in Sinisa Mihajlovic’s new-found attacking spirit, with news that all three of Stefano Okaka, Samuel Eto’o and Luis Muriel will feature. Eder remains unavailable through injury.

Despite Sampdoria’s recent attacking intents — in their chase for the elusive Europa League spot — it is individual errors that have hamstrung them the most.

Alfred Duncan scored an own goal in the draw against AC Milan; Lorenzo De Silvestri had a game to forget against Napoli, gifting a goal to Lorenzo Insigne and then giving away a penalty. In that same game, goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano allowed Manolo Gabbiadini’s shot to slip under him.

Finally, in midweek, Afriyle Acquah got himself sent off for a second yellow card offense in the draw against Hellas Verona.


Form Guide: Sampdoria (D-L-D-D-L-W) Juventus (W-L-W-L-W-W)


Expected Starting XIs

Sampdoria: Viviano; De Silvestri, Munoz, Romagnoli, Regini; Palombo, Obiang; Muriel, Soriano, Eto’o; Okaka.

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Ogbonna, Padoin; Vidal, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pereyra; Morata, Matri.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Allegri: Juventus Want To Win Scudetto
Before Turning To Real Madrid Match

May 1, 2015

Massimiliano Allegri wants his Juventus side to rediscover their away form and secure a fourth consecutive Scudetto before turning their attentions to Tuesday’s clash with Real Madrid.

The Bianconeri only need a point away to Sampdoria on Saturday evening to secure the league title but Allegri will rest certain personnel with Real visiting the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday for the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo and Giorgio Chiellini are expected to be on the bench at the Stadio Ferraris but Allegri insists the squad is focused on Sampdoria.

“Right now there is the desire to clinch the title,” Allegri told the press.

“The players are well rested and will be prepared to give their best on the pitch. The game comes at a time when we have been poor away and strong at home.

“We need to be more purposeful and have the right attitude if we want to have a good match.

“After two negative results in Parma and against Torino, we need to improve and then we can think about the Champions League.”

Allegri spoke positively about the likelihood of having Paul Pogba back after a long spell on the sidelines for Juventus’ first Champions League semi-final for 12 years. However, the former AC Milan coach was coy on the prospect of the Turin giants completing a treble this campaign.

“The assessments of Pogba made by the doctors have been good and optimistic,” the 47-year-old coach said.

“It is hoped he can return to the squad and play a part against Real Madrid.

“We still have the Coppa Italia final to fight for as well but for now we’ll focus on winning the championship.

“Winning a treble is hard but everyone has to be happy about what we have achieved up to this point.”

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

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Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sampdoria Boss Determined
To Spoil Juventus Celebrations

May 1, 2015

Sampdoria coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has called on the fans to play their part in halting Juventus’ procession towards the Scudetto.

Any positive result for the Bianconeri would see them crowned champions at the Luigi Ferraris although Sampdoria are determined to put the champagne on ice for the moment.

Speaking to the media before the game, the Serbian said: “In recent times, we have had some problems but against Juventus we will be able to deploy the best striker in our history: the fans of Sampdoria.

“I ask you to take to the field with us. I am convinced that together with determination, character and that bit of luck, we can postpone the celebrations of Juventus. They deserve the title and can rightly celebrate it in Turin – but not in our ground.

“I do not expect Juventus to be distracted because over the past four years, they have greatly improved their mentality. We definitely have to play it as our most important game of the season – for the position, the morale and the opponent we face. They need a point, but we need three.”

The former Fiorentina coach also insisted that his overachievers have been the surprise package of the season so far as they find themselves in a great position to qualify for Europe in 2015/16 but would not be drawn on whether or not he will be at the helm for it if they do so.

Mihajlovic added: “I would say that Samp have been the surprise of the season. We are fifth with five games to go and we will continue playing right until the end. Our recent results show that all teams have ups and downs but we just have to focus on ourselves and our goals. I always believe in us.

“My future? I have never said that I am leaving because I do not know myself. I know football though and know that newspapers need to be filled. I am sure that this does not impact the performances of the team.”

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Romulo named in Juventus squad

May 1, 2015

Romulo could make his first Juventus appearance since November, as he’s named in the squad to face Sampdoria.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side will secure a fourth successive title if they avoid defeat at the Marassi tomorrow, and the Coach has named a strong squad.

Despite the Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid being on the horizon, the likes of Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Gianluigi Buffon are named in the 23-man squad.

Brazilian Romulo could make just his second Serie A appearance of the season after being named in the squad, with the on-loan Verona man’s season having been disrupted by injury.


Juventus squad to face Sampdoria: Buffon, Romulo, Chiellini, Ogbonna, Pepe, Marchisio, Morata, Tevez, Coman, Llorente, Barzagli, De Ceglie, Bonucci, Padoin, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Storari, Matri, Pereyra, Marrone, Audero.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Allegri demands title before Madrid tie

Juventus need just a point this weekend to be crowned champions of Italy
for a fourth consecutive season, ahead of meeting Carlo Ancelotti in the Champions League.

May 1, 2015

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his players to clinch the Serie A title on Saturday before meeting Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Allegri's team head to Genoa on Saturday knowing that a point will secure their fourth successive Scudetto before they host Carlo Ancelotti's side in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Tuesday.

"It's important to go into it [the Real Madrid match] as Italian champions. The squad is fit so the best team will play at Sampdoria" he said.

"We're calm. We know we have the chance to reach the historic milestone of four consecutive Scudetti; four for the players, the club and the fans, and my first as coach of Juventus.

"Sampdoria will be aggressive and alert. It'll be tough for us because they're very strong at home. It was 1-1 in the reverse game, but we dominated, particularly the first half.

"That teaches us that games are never over until they're over. We've reached the finishing line and now it's time to cross it."

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

SAMPDORIA V JUVENTUS MATCH PREVIEW

May 1, 2015

 

Juventus

Juventus travel to Genoa knowing that as long as they avoid defeat against Sampdoria, a fourth consecutive Scudetto will be theirs.

For the first time this season, the Bianconeri know that the title is in the own hands and all thats needed is a point to secure a 33rd club Scudetto, despite there being no Juve fans allowed at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

A ban imposed by the league as a result of last week’s unrest in the Derby Della Mole means that if Juve do secure the title, they’ll have to wait until the following week to celebrate the title with supporters. A further ban was imposed on the Curva Sud meaning it will be closed for two-matches, however Juventus are planning to appeal the decision.

There has been some positive news this week, beginning with the return of midfielder Romulo who has missed most of the season due to injury. The Brazilian joined the rest of the team for his first training session in almost 6 months and has been included in the squad for tomorrow’s game.

Another positive is the imminent return of Paul Pogba following 50 days out with a thigh injury. A statement on the clubs official website read as follows:

“Today an MRI scan revealed that the player has made further progress in his recovery from a torn thigh muscle.

“The player will undergo a personalised recovery regime before potentially returning to full training with the group on Wednesday.”

If all goes according to plan, the French midfielder may be fit enough to feature in the second-leg of Juve’s Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Switching focus to tomorrow’s game, Gigi Buffon is fit and will start in goal while Allegri may opt for a 3-5-2 formation meaning Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini will all start in defence. Patrice Evra is suspended so Simone Padoin is the likeliest replacement at LWB with Stephan Lichtsteiner starting on the right.

Juve coach Max Allegri has confirmed that Andrea Pirlo will probably start on the bench meaning Claudio Marchisio will play in the regista role with Stefano Sturaro and Arturo Vidal partnering him with Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata up front.


Probable lineup

3-5-2: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Sturaro, Padoin; Tevez, Morata


Injured Players

Asamoah (Back in training), Caceres (ankle), Pogba (hamstring)


Suspended Players

Evra


Form

(L-W-D-L-W)


 

Sampdoria

Samdporia are in dire need for points to stave off Genoa and Inter’s furious comebacks into Europa League contention. As it stands right now, they have a one-point lead over Genoa, a two-point one over Fiorentina (that have the easiest schedule in this bunch) and three points more than Inter and Torino. How did that happen? They have chocked in the last two home games, drawing against Hellas Verona and Cesena, they have tied against Milan, a match that has become a freebie at this point, and they have lost against Fiorentina and Napoli. Victory has been elusive to them for five straight pivotal matches down the stretch.

The hard-nosed coach Sinisa Mihajlovic needs to right the ship quickly or his stocks will plummet as he’s almost a sure bet to leave after the season. Since Samuel Eto’o and Luis Muriel joined the team in January, he has tinkered a lot with the tactics: a weird 4-3-3 basically with three centre-forwards; 4-3-1-2 with a stronger midfield and a true CAM or Eto’o in the hole; 4-2-3-1 with the Cameroonian striker in a free-style role, with Roberto Soriano, Eder or Muriel completing the trequartistas’ trio and Stefano Okaka as the offensive reference point. The results have been mixed, not to say disappointing, but the last one is probably the best one, or at least the funniest to see. The most defensive one should be the choice here.

With Eder now done for the season with an MCL tear, Muriel has stepped into the starting XI, but this has also depleted the bench, which has won some games for them. Muriel can be a transcendent talent, but he’s injury-prone, sometimes out of shape and seems to be performing at high levels only when extremely motivated. He has benefitted from the change of scenery as he has scored four goals in 574 minutes with Blucerchiati, after failing to score with Udinese in the first half of the season. After some fracas at the beginning of the stint, Samuel Eto’o has been awesome: a true leader of men in his new role as point guard/quarterback.

So, what’s holding them back? Some calls haven’t gone their way, Okaka’s poor scoring record certainly doesn’t help, at times Mihajlovic gets a little reckless with his lineups and some of the starters are simply average players that have overachieved for most part of the season. I think they deserve to qualify to Europa League because they have been consistent all year long. After Juventus, they face Udinese, Lazio, Empoli and Parma: they definitely have a shot to cling to their lead, even if the opponents are raising the level of their performances.

They’ll be without Afriyie Acquah who is suspended and Eder, Fabrizio Cacciatore and Alessandro De Vitis that are injured. Angelo Palombo, Soriano and partly Eto’o have rested on Wednesday, so they are likely to start, but Alfred Duncan has played well against Hellas Verona and could strengthen the midfield in place of Soriano. Djamel Mesbah could replace Vasco Regini on the defensive left flank. Ezequiel Munoz has played the last game substituting Matias Silvestre, but Sinisa will probably go with his starting CB’s pair.

They have never lost at home: seven wins and nine draws. In order to grab at least that one Scudetto-winning point, Juventus will have to contain Sampdoria’s shots, through balls and counter-attacks and pay particular attention to set pieces.


Injured players

Eder (knee), Djordjevic (neck), Cacciatore (thigh), De Vitis (knee).


Suspended players

Acquah


Probable lineup

4-3-3: Viviano; De Silvestri, Silvestre, Romagnoli, Mesbah; Obiang, Palombo, Duncan; Muriel, Okaka, Eto’o.
 

 

 

Formations

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Juventus vs. Sampdoria Preview:
Round 34 — Down the stretch they come

May 1, 2015

In the hours following Juventus' 3-2 win over Fiorentina on Wednesday, I decided to go back into the BWRAO archives. It wasn't anything from the distant past, more like something from over the summer. I was feeling nostalgic, I guess, and was in search of something that was relevant to what is on the brink of happening in Juve's next game.

What I was looking for didn't take long to find at all. And what I was looking for was the 'OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL' post after Max Allegri was hired to replace Antonio Conte as Juventus' manager back in the middle of July. I concluded the post with what journalism folks call a 'kicker,' the paragraph that wraps everything up in a nice bow without spewing out a couple hundred more words. This kicker was all of two sentences that added up to a grand total of about nine words.

Here's to the future, Max. Don't screw it up.

So simple. So honest. So ... not very optimistic at all. (This coming from a self-proclaimed eternal optimist.)

Allegri's appointment was not accompanied with any kind of fanfare or massive amounts of optimism from the vast majority of the masses around here. It was a lot more of the opposite, as people wanted Juve's newest manager to not screw things up and not have the club take a serious step backwards more than anything else.

Today is the first day in May, a month where titles are clinched and seasons come to an end. There's still plenty to be written in this 2014-15 campaign for Juventus. There's some Champions League business to take care of in a few days. But first there's the matter of the Scudetto, something we've been waiting on for weeks and weeks.

Just like we all thought would be the case on the day Allegri was hired, right? ... RIGHT? ... RIGHT?

Juventus needs to get all of one point Saturday evening against Sampdoria and Scudetto No. 33 will officially be theirs. One measly point. Juventus don't even need to beat Sampdoria tomorrow, dammit! The inevitable is as close as it can possibly be without actually taking place in front of us. They've needed some help from Lazio's opponents the last two matches, but now it's all in Juventus' hands this weekend. No need for help anymore.

But one point, one single solitary point will make the eventuality an actuality. And, at the same time, be the latest thing that convinces everybody that maybe Mad Mex wasn't such a bad choice to replace Conte after all.
 

Sorry about being so grumpy all those months ago, Max. I take it back. You definitely haven't screwed things up.


GOOD NEWS

Have I mentioned that Juventus is one point away from clinching a fourth straight Scudetto? Yeah, I think I've mentioned it, but it doesn't hurt anything to say it again mainly because it's the damn Serie A title.


BAD NEWS

We're getting close to being able to count how many Juventus games that are left to be played this season (in all competitions) on one hand.

(I guess that's better than reminding all of you about who's injured and won't be traveling to Genoa tomorrow, right?)


WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. What kind of squad rotation will there be with Real Madrid looming next week?

With all the Scudetto talk surrounding the team the last two days — and rightfully so, I might add — there's still a whole lot on the line just a few days from now. I think everybody expects Allegri to be rotating his squad against Sampdoria. But how much squad rotation will there be? It's hard to say. We know Simone Padoin is basically a lock to start at left back with Patrice Evra suspended and not part of the 23-man traveling squad. I'm thinking the odds of Andrea Pirlo getting rested are also rather favorable. Same goes for a certain Argentine striker (more on that later). So if we see four or five changes from the starting lineup that beat Fiorentina 3-2 in the middle of the week, would it be that much of a surprise? I don't think so. That's just what happens when you're comfortably ahead in Serie A and there just so happens to be the defending European champions coming to town in a couple of days.


2. Will there be an all-Spanish striker combination?

Of all the spots to rest Carlos Tévez, this seems one of the most logical ones in the entire season. Maybe he'll get some time off the bench in the second half, but with Real Madrid on the horizon, there's really no reason for Carlitos to be logging heavy minutes on Saturday night. I'm sure Tévez wants to play, but let's think big picture here. What's the benefit of Tévez playing against Sampdoria other than giving him a chance to build on his Serie A goal tally? Maybe Fernando Llorente scoring against Fiorentina will make the decision an easier decision for Allegri than it probably already is (or should be). I guess what I'm trying to say in all of this is that there are few things Juventus can really risk to have happen than Tévez picking up a knock against Sampdoria and putting his status for Real Madrid in question.


3. Which Sampdoria will show up?

In their last five matches, 'Doria has only gotten three points, drawing three and losing the other two. Luckily for them, they are still in a European spot and those above them in the standings not named Lazio haven't exactly been lighting the world on fire, either. Sampdoria's one saving grace in all of this as they enter a game against the soon-to-be champions? In their last 16 games at the Ferraris, Samp has lost all of zero of them. The only other team not to lose a Serie A game at their home stadium this season? That would be Juventus. In those 16 games, Sampdoria has allowed only 11 goals. Compare that to the 25 goals they've allowed 17 games away from home and you can instantly see just how much better Sampdoria are on their home turf. Maybe, just maybe, Juventus will be the last undefeated-at-home team standing come the final whistle Saturday night.

My starting XI (4-3-1-2)

Buffon

Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Padoin

Vidal, Marchisio, Sturaro

Pereyra

Llorente, Morata

OFFICIAL KICKOFF TIME: 6 P.M. IN ITALY; 12 P.M. ON THE EAST COAST; 9 A.M. ON THE WEST COAST

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Sinisa Mihajlovic: "Juventus deserve the Scudetto"

May 1, 2015

Sampdoria manager Sinisa Mihajlovic has hailed Juventus as worthy champions elect but plans to make them wait to secure the Serie A title.

The Old Lady need just one point from their final five games of the season to clinch a fourth straight Scudetto and travel to Sampdoria on Saturday evening.

However, Mihajlovic hopes to delay Juve's celebrations by inflicting on them only a fourth defeat of the campaign.

"Juventus deserve the Scudetto but they can celebrate winning it in Turin and not on our own patch. While they only need a point, we're out to get all three," he told reporters.

Sampdoria are fifth in the Serie A table, but winless in their last five outings.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Serie A Previews: Juve Day?

May 2, 2015

Juventus only need a point at Europe-chasing Sampdoria to secure the Scudetto, plus Sassuolo-Palermo, Roma-Genoa, Atalanta-Lazio and Napoli-Milan.

There are two games today and the action kicks off at Marassi at 18.00 CET with Sampdoria v Juventus.

The Bianconeri need only one point to start the Scudetto celebrations, but Samp are unbeaten on home turf this season and chasing a spot in the Europa League.

This evening Sassuolo host Palermo in an intriguing battle of very attack-minded teams, with Domenico Berardi, Simone Zaza, Paulo Dybala and Franco Vazquez on show.

On Sunday the 12.30 CET match is a fascinating clash between Roma and Genoa, two sides fresh from impressive wins and who need to keep up the pace for their Euro qualification.

Tomorrow afternoon Inter host tricky Chievo, second-placed Lazio visit desperate Atalanta and Fiorentina risk seeing their campaign fall apart against Cesena.

There’s also a showdown of the old dogs, as Luca Toni’s Verona take on Antonio Di Natale’s Udinese.

At 20.45 CET on Sunday we have a big game between stuttering Napoli and Milan, who by that stage could well be under new ownership.

Rafa Benitez’s men were humiliated 4-2 by Empoli on Thursday and don’t want their Champions League hopes slipping further away.

The round continues on Monday evening with Cagliari desperate not to get dragged down into Serie B with Parma.

On Wednesday afternoon, Torino host impressive Empoli.

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

MATCH PREVIEW

May 2, 2015

As Sampdoria look to their home fortress to stop a fine season from disintegrating at the last hurdle, if Juventus avoid defeat, a fourth consecutive Scudetto will be theirs.

The Blucerchiati did not win during the entire month of April and are experiencing their longest winless streak at a time when their 5th place is vulnerable to Europa League competitors, including local rivals Genoa.

Their Coach, the usually intense and disciplined Sinisa Mihajlovic, appears recently to have been distracted by the prospect of working beneath the glamorous lights of Milan and Naples.

To make matters worse, Doria’s two highest goalscorers are unavailable for the remainder of this campaign, Manolo Gabbiadini, having been sold in January, and Citadin Eder now on the treatment table.

However, Samp, alongside Juventus are the only side to avoid defeat at home this season, drawing more than half of their matches at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in the process. Pride and the protection of such a record at this late stage of the campaign will demand a battling performance.

Something which is not in the Bianconeri’s favour is the ban imposed on their fans, and so should they manage to get over the finishing line away in Genoa, celebrations will be rather muted.

Juve have been dominant throughout this season, and though they have suffered somewhat surprising defeats in recent weeks, they have always responded well. In fact such is the emphatic nature of this campaign that even their away goal difference is superior to the home form of this weekend’s opponents and the only other side to go unbeaten.

Whilst midfield engine Paul Pogba, may recover in time for a Champions League return, the champions elect have such an embarrassment of riches that his absence should not be felt too greatly this weekend.

Juventus already have one hand on their winners’ medals but Sampdoria still have European football and regional bragging rights to play for. The Blucerchiati should push for the win, but a lack of cutting edge and a wave of Turin professionalism mean that a stalemate would be hardly surprising.


Keep an eye on: Carlos Tevez (Juventus) – He may be 31 years old but this season has been that of the Apache. He is the league’s top goalscorer (20) and the Old Lady’s highest assist provider (7). Four goals in his last three league starts prove that he is as relentless and hungry as ever.


Form guide: Sampdoria (L D D L D) Juventus (W L W L W)

Last season: Sampdoria 0-1 Juventus

Stat fact: Should Juventus at least earn a draw this weekend they will win their fourth consecutive Serie A title, one short of the record they hold from 1930/31-1934/35.


Sampdoria (probable): Viviano; De Silvestri, Silvestre, Romagnoli, Mesbah; Palombo, Obiang, Duncan; Muriel, Eto’o, Okaka

Suspended: Acquah


Juventus (probable): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Marchisio, Sturaro, Padoin; Tevez, Morata

Suspended: Evra

 

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

[Socrates 8516]

SAMPDORIA - JUVENTUS

-

Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 - 6:00 p.m.
Luigi Ferraris Stadium (Marassi), Genoa
Referee: Paolo Valeri

Palombo: 'Samp-Juve battle'

May 2, 2015

Sampdoria captain Angelo Palombo assures it will be “a real battle” for Juventus to get their Scudetto point today.

“Unfortunately we dropped two points against Verona and deserved victory, just as we did against Cesena,” Palombo told Tuttomercatoweb.

“That’s how it went, but we’re still there fighting and will do so against Juve as well, because we’ve learned that every match is a unique event separate from the rest.

“In these situations it can be easy to calculate how much you need to reach an objective, but that is the wrong attitude, because in football things can turn out to be the complete opposite to what you expected.”

Juventus could’ve won the title some time ago, but suffered surprise defeats to Parma and Torino.

They’re also likely to rest some stars ahead of the Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.

“Juve are always Juve,” warned Palombo. “Even if the so-called second string should start, it would still be a team to be respected.

“Knowing them and us, it will be a real battle and a real game. I doubt Juve will let go of an inch.”

Sampdoria are still in fifth place, but only one point clear of Genoa, two from Fiorentina and three from Inter and Torino.

“I think all the teams behind us are in with a chance of qualifying. At this moment we have the advantage of a few points, so we’ll try to cling to every single one that can take us to this dream.”

 

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