Juventus Season 2015-2016

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Guardiola: 'Bonucci is my favourite'

http://www.football-italia.net/80315/guardiola-bonucci-my-favourite?

Feb 23, 2016

Pep Guardiola praised Juventus, Leonardo Bonucci and claimed Bayern Munich playing so well “is one of the most special days of my career.”

The Germans were 2-0 up after an hour and totally dominated possession in Turin, but Juve fought back for a 2-2 draw that leaves the Champions League tie alive.

“To come here and play the way we did against Juventus is one of the most special days of my career,” said the Coach in his Press conference and on Mediaset Premium.

“It was a great Champions League game between two excellent teams. I am satisfied with the performance of my players.”

Guardiola opted to drop Xabi Alonso, instead playing Arturo Vidal in front of the defence.

“Arturo played the last two games very well. Physically he is very strong. We needed a player with his characteristics back there. Naturally I was not afraid, because I know his character and it was my decision.

“Juventus had three shots and scored two goals, but you cannot think of coming to this marvellous stadium in Turin and not conceding. We couldn’t think of coming here and dominating or winning 7-0.

“I know people always talk about the result, but Bayern put in a great performance and the result isn’t everything.

“It’s true Juve have a chance of qualifying, but so do we. I complimented Max Allegri after the game, as people enjoyed themselves watching this tonight.”

The tactician denied there was a collapse in fitness levels as the game wore on.

“If there was a drop in fitness levels, you don’t attack the way we did in the last 15 minutes. Fitness levels are one of the most important things in this country, but it doesn’t matter at all. It’s an individual issue.

“Did you really think we could come here and expect to dominate for 90 minutes against a side with Pogba, Mandzukic, Morata, Bonucci – one of my favourite ever players – Buffon and all these characters?

“There are some regrets considering the way we played that we didn’t win, but this is football. We are a team with many young players and will learn for the future.

“We’ll see how we are in three weeks and play another great game against Juventus.”

Are Bayern distracted by Guardiola’s announcement he will be joining Manchester City next season?

“I don’t know, you’d have to ask them, but it seems to me as if they ran hard. We kept the ball and tried to attack as well as possible.”

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Vidal: 'Hard to leave Juve'

http://www.football-italia.net/80317/vidal-hard-leave-juve?

Feb 23, 2016

Bayern Munich star Arturo Vidal admits “it was hard to leave Juventus, but the time had come to change.”

The Chile international returned to Turin for the first time and played in tonight’s 2-2 Champions League draw.

There were also penalty appeals for his handling offence in the first half.

“In my view it wasn’t a penalty, because my arm was too close to my body,” he told Mediaset Premium.

“I felt good in that midfield role, it can be a good idea for my future.

“It was hard to leave Juventus, but it went this way. I had some wonderful years here, but the time had come to change.”

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Robben: Bayern should have
killed Juventus off

The Netherlands international was disappointed to see his side surrender a two goal
lead against the Italian champions and feels they lost their focus in the game.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2016/02/23/20651352/-?

Feb 23, 2016

Arjen Robben admitted Bayern Munich paid dearly for not staying calm as they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Juventus.

Thomas Muller and Robben scored either side of half-time to put Pep Guardiola's side on course for a repeat of their 2-0 triumph over the same opponents in Turin in 2013.

However, the Italian side hit back to grab a draw and give themselves a glimmer of hope ahead of the return fixure in Munich.

"We all are a bit disappointed," Robben is quoted as saying by Uefa's official website.

"When you are two goals up you have to finish off the match. We should have played calmer.

"Even after a second goal you must stay focused."

Paulo Dybala made the most of an error from Joshua Kimmich - playing alongside David Alaba in a makeshift pairing at the centre of Bayern's defence - to cut the deficit in half before substitute Stefano Sturaro completed the Juventus comeback.

However, Bayern's Philipp Lahm was not overly concerned by his side's inability to hang onto their advantage.

"That was a very good game," the defender said after completing his 100th Champions League appearance.

"Juventus is a strong team that fought back because of our faults. But we can definitely build on the first 60 minutes.

"We controlled the game, had a lot of chances and didn't give anything away."

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic help Juventus
fight back against Bayern

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2814005/paulo-dybala-mario-mandzukic-juventus-fight-back-vs-bayern

Feb 24, 2016

Juventus started Tuesday's match against Bayern Munich with fear and trepidation, conceding two goals to all but ensure their exit from the Champions League. That is until ambition reared its beautiful head.

In the words of giornalaccio rosa dello Sport's match review, "No one puts Juventus in the corner."

If there is ever a side who knows how to stage a comeback, it is the Old Lady. Two goals in 13 minutes and the Bianconeri managed a 2-2 draw to keep hope alive in this competition.

Void of confidence, Juventus started in cowardly fashion and struggled to win back possession or merely keep hold of the ball for longer than a few seconds. Every pass inaccurate, every attempted challenge embarrassing, the side once revered for their spirit and intensity struggled to challenge their opponents or apply even a hint of pressure, falling deeper and deeper, terrified of what the German's front line would do.

After reaching the Champions League final last season and comprehensively defeating Manchester City twice in the group stage, Massimiliano Allegri had hoped his Old Lady had overcome her inferiority complex and was now psychologically capable of navigating the toughest European challenges. Yet it seemed those memories of the defeat suffered at the hands of Jupp Heynckes Bayern are still raw causing great damage to their confidence.

With Juve hardly pressing and barely interested in testing a German backline suffering from so many injuries, it seemed an early exit from the competition was not only expected but a certainty. That's is until Paulo Dybala scored.

With Mario Mandzukic making that bit more of an effort to deliver to Dybala, the Argentine's goal revived the Old Lady and sparked the reaction Allegri needed. Juve thereafter played with pride and intensity, pressing higher up the pitch and winning the challenges required to maintain their attacking momentum.

Allegri's substitutions were inspired as usual, few tacticians are so capable of changing the face of the game from the bench. If only his starters had managed to put Juve in a better position. A 2-2 draw is not ideal but at least the Old Lady has some hope of continuing her journey in Europe's grandest competition.


Player ratings

Gianluigi Buffon, 7 -- A little shaky at the start but always focused, he pulled off key saves to keep Juve in the game.

Stephan Lichtsteiner, 5 -- Suffered greatly against Douglas Costa, he wasn't on point defensively and offered little going forward.

Leonardo Bonucci, 7 -- The man who battles on when everyone around him has given up, he is always capable of rescuing a side when they start to collapse. Some wonderful interventions and a goal-line clearance, he minimised the damage that Bayern could have potentially caused in the first half.

Andrea Barzagli, 7 -- The reliable defender Juve need, he frustrated Robert Lewandowski all night, making valuable interceptions and maintaining composure.

Patrice Evra, 5 -- Struggled throughout the match, barely containing a rampant Arjen Robben.

Juan Cuadrado, 6 -- In high calibre matches like these, intelligence is key and sadly for Cuadrado, he is often exposed when playing superior opponents. Almost incapable of making the right decision, he at least won back possession and drew out fouls in dangerous areas. A relentless runner, it's a pity he plays with no direction.

Sami Khedira, 6 -- Sacrificed it all to halt Bayern but does not have the energy levels required to produce a box to box performance which is what is required in his position.

Claudio Marchisio, 6 -- It took him some time before he began to show pride, asserting himself to win back possession but the team was overwhelmed and needed him to step up a little earlier to better help control the match. Replaced in the second half.

Paul Pogba, 7 -- When the team plays badly, the youngster is mediocre, when the team plays well, the Frenchman is inspirational. A player of immense technique, he offers so much creativity and quality but not a leader who can spur the team on but rather one that relies on the excellence of those around him.

Mario Mandzukic, 7 -- Easy to spot his rustiness as he only just returned from injury but few fight as hard as the Croatian for the sake of the team. Won the ball to deliver the perfect assist for Dybala's goal, his determination has been missed.

Paulo Dybala, 7 -- Not as brilliant as usual in possession but the team let him down, the group could barely keep possession to deliver and aid him in his quest for goals. Once the team played, he took his chance for the goal.


Substitutes

Hernanes, 7 -- A great performance from the heavily criticised midfielder. He fought, he ran and he challenged to win back possession and spur his teammates forward.

Stefano Sturaro, 7 -- A fighter who makes the right runs into the box, he made the difference to a game that needed his physicality and desire to occupy the right spaces. Brilliant for scoring the equaliser.

Alvaro Morata, N/A -- His movements stretched the defence while his ability to be direct and run fast with the ball shook a fragile Bayern backline.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Juventus can play the
football to qualify – Pogba

The France international midfielder feels Tuesday's rally to secure a 2-2 draw did not
feel like a victory, but believes it is still all to play for at the Allianz Arena.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2914/champions-league/2016/02/24/20656962/-?

Feb 24, 2016

Paul Pogba believes Juventus will take a positive attitude to Bayern Munich for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash next month.

The Italian champions had to fight from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw in Turin on Tuesday evening, and the France international midfielder believes the tie is in the balance despite Pep Guardiola’s men boasting two away goals.

"The most important thing in the second leg will be to not concede a goal, to play in a forward-thinking way, like we did in the second half," he told beIN Sports. "Then we’ll see what happens.

"We believe we can do it. We can play the football for it."

Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro got Juve back into the game after they trailed to strikes from Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben, but Pogba insisted it did not feel like a win for the Italians.

"It’s not a draw that has the taste of a victory, but we never gave up against a very good side.

"Bayern are really strong technically and they made us run. We were able to come back to 2-2, so we’ll start again at 0-0 in the second leg, which we can thing about now.

"They tired a little towards the end of the match and we played on the counterattack. They made two little errors and we’ve scored two goals. That’s football at the highest level, that’s the Champions League."

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Allegri: Juventus can take courage from
second half against Bayern Munich

The manager's comments after the 2-2 draw at home against Bayern Munich.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/24/11102900/allegri-juventus-courage-second-half-bayern-munich-2016-champions-league

Feb 24, 2016

Juventus manager Max Allegri continued to stay positive after the home side fought back from a two-goal abyss to draw 2-2 against giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

"In order to qualify we have to win and now we have to do it there.

"The team played well and we have to build on the second half performance more than the errors of the first half. We should've done better playing our way out of defence, but still created some interesting opportunities.

"We improved in the second half and above all gained confidence, so we were rewarded for that. It proves that in the Champions League you need more belief and courage.

"Of course we believe in our chances, absolutely, and the fightback gives us more confidence. Right now have to focus on Serie A though."

Allegri's substitution choices seemed bewildering to the fans, but paid off overall as Hernanes did decently while Alvaro Morata snagged an assist for Stefano Sturaro.

"The substitutions went well, I am happy for Hernanes, as he was often criticized by the fans. I introduced Sturaro because we needed someone to run in from midfield and Sami Khedira was flagging. Sturaro brought sharpness."

Fans were bemused in the first half as the visitors controlled the bulk of the possession, and Allegri was asked if that was part of the plan.

"Bayern's last man was often Arturo Vidal and we should not have allowed them that much space. As long as Bayern maintained a certain tempo, it was not easy for us. Fortunately they lost intensity and we came out.

"We need to have more confidence in our own abilities and not sit so deep. We can do it and I'm happy to have certain players back from injury."

If you needed a silver lining from this game, here's what you need to know — Juventus have gone through in each of the last six European knockout rounds in which they started with a home draw.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Bayern Munich Throw Away Lead but
Remain in Driver's Seat in Juventus Tie

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2619103-bayern-munich-throw-away-lead-but-remain-in-drivers-seat-in-juventus-tie?

Feb 24, 2016

Not a single Bayern Munich player bore a smile as he left the pitch following Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League round-of-16 clash with Juventus. Yet by the end of the first leg, the Bavarians had earned a result most teams would covet, one that puts them in commanding position heading into the return game next month.

The 2-2 draw in Turin means that Juve will have to score twice or more in a draw, or beat Bayern by any score, to avoid crashing out of the competition. It's a tall order in any situation, and it will be especially so with the tie heading to the Allianz Arena.

Paul Carr ‎@PCarrESPN
Attacking-half touches in first 10 minutes: Bayern 89, Juventus 5.

Yet it's understandable why Bayern's players weren't happy with the result. For an hour, they dominated the match.

Throughout the first half, statisticians on social media rattled off the numbers: Juve hardly had a touch in their attacking half, Bayern won the possession by nearly a 4:1 ratio and so on. But these numbers only told part of the story.

Bayern needed to render it impossible for their opponents to use their height to their advantage. That meant no free-kicks anywhere near the attacking third, no corners, and no opportunities to cross from free play.

They achieved this in part by controlling much of the possession, but it went beyond that: Bayern were extremely adept at winning the ball back.

When Juve won possession, they were often forced to punt the ball in a harmless way that made work easy for the Bayern defenders. It was a good thing, with the 1.80-meter David Alaba and 1.76-meter Joshua Kimmich playing as center-backs, flanked by 1.70-meter full-backs Juan Bernat and Philipp Lahm.

DW Sports ✔ ‎@dw_sports
Bayern Munich completed 177 passes in Juventus' final-third in the first half. Only 58 were completed by Bayern in the second-half.

As the final minutes of the first half approached, Bayern hadn't exactly dominated the chances on goal. Thomas Muller had failed to put away a golden opportunity, but Mario Mandzukic had also come close for the hosts. And it was 0-0 until just before half-time; the Bundesliga side had put in much better attacking performances before.

Similarly, the possession alone was not particularly impressive by Bayern's standards; they'd won the ball at similar rates in games they'd lost.

What was extremely impressive was their ability to stifle their hosts, rendering a strong and talented Juventus side more or less harmless.

Muller's opener on 43 minutes was thoroughly deserved, and when Arjen Robben made it 2-0 within 10 minutes of the restart, the tie looked done and dusted.

Juve had nothing going forward, and the floodgates looked as though they were opening: Robben's goal had come from a counterattack in which there was simply an inexcusable amount of space afforded to the Bayern attack.

Cristian Nyari ‎@CrisNyari

#FCBayern at home in the #UCL under Pep:

4-0 W
5-1 W
5-0 W
3-2 W
6-1 W
7-0 W
3-0 W
2-0 W
1-0 W
0-4 L
3-1 W
1-1 D
2-3 L
5-0 W
3-0 W

Yet Juve climbed back into the tie and ultimately deserved their draw.

In one of the few chances the Serie A side had to take on Bayern's center-backs from a settled starting point, Paulo Dybala finished a great counter of his own. And then Alvaro Morata won a high ball on the left before crossing to Stefano Sturaro for the equalizer: Two instances in which the lack of height in Bayern's back line didn't exactly help their cause.

Juventus had finally begun to exploit their opponents' weakness, and having come back from two goals behind, the result may have felt like more of a win than a draw.

With all things considered, Juve could well have won the match: After going two goals behind, they also had two close calls from efforts by Juan Cuadrado and Paul Pogba.

Bayern looked far more tame over the final half hour. But the match ended in a draw, and the fact of the matter is Juve's standing is worse than it would have been had the two sides played to a boring, lazy 0-0 draw.

For that, Bayern players would have earned a right to smile, even if the course of events does mean they have some distance to go if they are to win the Champions League.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

The good and bad of Juventus

Juventus recovered to draw 2-2 against Bayern Munich in a match
of contrasting fortunes for the Bianconeri, as Luca Cetta explains.

http://www.football-italia.net/80324/good-and-bad-juventus?

Feb 24, 2016

It was a game you did not want to end. A pulsating affair which leaves Bayern Munich in command but offers Juventus a glimmer of hope. But the lingering thought is - where had the Old Lady been for the first hour?

Paulo Dybala’s first European goal changed everything. It was the spark Juventus needed and from there it seemed the home side could do no wrong. They looked lively and dangerous, creating chances and inciting panic at the heart of the Bayern defence. They were rewarded with an equaliser. But the Round of 16 first leg served to highlight the good and bad of Juventus.

The match started in terrible fashion for the home side. They tried to stifle Bayern’s prolific attack, highlighted by 51 goals scored by Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller. On Monday Patrice Evra remarked about what the Bianconeri needed to do to gain a positive result: “It’s important to play with intelligence, personality, respect and be fearless in our approach,” he noted.

Juve aimed to restrict Bayern fluency, but from the first Arturo Vidal shot beaten away in anger by Gianluigi Buffon, the script was set. Juventus looked timid – showing too much respect – and Bayern seized the initiative. Their fluidity in movement and possession had the home side at times chasing shadows. Juventus couldn’t hold out until half-time, Muller’s opener well deserved and timely.

Massimiliano Allegri built Juve’s run to last season’s Berlin Final on a proactive approach. It served them well. This approach did not. Too often they were camped inside their half and when trying to counter the options were few. Allegri hasn’t got much wrong in his time at the club but here he did. Being wary against Bayern is fine. But sitting too deep with little counter threat only spurred the visitors forward. Bayern had eight shots to three and a whopping 71 per cent of possession before the interval.

The Old Lady showed glimpses of improvement early in the second half, but a typically sublime Arjen Robben goal not only appeared to win the match, but snuff out the tie.

Dybala’s strike changed everything. Did Bayern take their foot off the gas, with the game seemingly sewn up? They did come into the match rocked by defensive injuries, forcing Pep Guardiola into an unusual central pairing of Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba. Targeting this appeared the avenue to success and when the Bianconeri finally put pressure on the defence they clawed back into contention. Juve also looked to get the ball forward quickly to bypass the effective Bayern press, in turn giving them a chance to run at the defence.

The visitors looked vulnerable and Juventus Stadium – stunned by Robben – was rocking after Mario Mandzukic slipped the ball through for Dybala. “We gave everything we had and never gave up,” the Argentine said. “In the first half we allowed Bayern too much room, but did better in the second half by pressing high.”

Allegri too had a hand in the revival. He was forced into a half-time switch following Claudio Marchisio’s injury and replaced him with the oft-criticised Hernanes. The Brazilian enjoyed his best game this season. Allegri’s other substitutes helped turn a losing position into one of hope.

Alvaro Morata has struggled this season but was involved and lively. Stefano Sturaro “brought sharpness” in replacing Sam Khedira, according to the boss. Having made a telling contribution on his European debut last season against Real Madrid, Sturaro did so again in the same penalty area to net the equalising goal. Juventus even had opportunities to take an advantage to Munich.

Bayern director Karl Heinz Rummenigge remarked this week his team would be happy with a score draw. They got that, although don’t go home so happy given they led. The result does leave Guardiola’s side as favourites to progress. They have won all 15 matches at home in all competitions this season, conceding just five times. Juve won’t have the crowd support to will them on, but have advanced following a first leg draw six times out of six. The Turin giants can build on the final half hour.

Juventus will go to Germany single-minded. They must win. Allegri initially got it wrong and then had a hand in the revival on Tuesday. However, his blueprint for success was laid clear during 90 minutes in Turin. Sit back and be at the mercy of Bayern. Attack with intelligence and there’s a chance.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Juventus vs. Bayern Munich 2-2, Bianconeri
rally to keep the tie in the balance

Second half goals from Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro
have kept Juventus in the tie against Bayern Munich.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/24/11104340/juventus-bayern-munich-2016-champions-league-round-of-16-final-score-recap-result

Feb 24, 2016

The Bavarians invaded Turin, but they couldn't conquer it.

Bayern Munich terrorized Juventus during the first half of Tuesday night's game. At the beginning of the second half the Bianconeri were two goals down and without arguably their most important player, Claudio Marchisio. However, Bayern needed to learn a lesson: Juventus is a unique team, their players sweat grinta, they'll never give up and that's why Fino alla fine is their motto. The Bianconeri fought back and defended their turf, the final result was not ideal for the Turin side, but the message was loud and clear: "Not in our house!"

Max Allegri needed to disable the Bavarian machinery and he chose a 4-4-2 formation to achieve that goal. Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio played in the heart of the midfield and Mario Mandzukic — who returned from his month-long injury absence — partnered with Paulo Dybala in attack. Pep Guardola displayed his 4-1-4-1/4-3-3 hybrid configuration with the ex-juventino Arturo Vidal playing in front of Bayern's defense.

The match started as expected, Bayern claimed the possession of the ball and Juventus waited for the moment to frame a killer counterattack. Nonetheless, the Bavarians turned the first half into a Tiki-Taka clinic. Juventus were caged in their penalty box and they didn't have a chance to scape.

On four minutes, Vidal fired a furious volley from distance, Gianluigi Buffon responded to his former teammate with a clever save. At the 13th minute, a series of marvelous passes from Bayern left Thomas Müller alone just outside of the six-yard box, but luckily the German Icon made an erratic control and his shot was easily cleared by Leonardo Bonucci. Bayern didn't lift the siege and Juventus was suffering a lot to grasp some precious air. Arjen Robben and Juan Bernat tried some dangerous long range efforts but they were harmless, later Gigi Buffon controlled a Robert Lewandowski's menacing header.

At 43rd minute, just when it seemed that Juventus would scape from the Bavarians attacking fury, Khedira lost the ball in the middle of the park and Bayern performed a frenetic counterattack. After a pair of crosses from Robben and Douglas Costa the ball fell to Thomas Müller who was alone in the penalty spot, this time the attacker from Die Mannschaft scored. Juventus were down 1-0 at the halftime.

At the beginning of the second half, Hernanes replaced an injured Marchisio. Juventus tried to press Bayern and take control of the ball, however, at the 56th minute, the Bavarians would double their lead. It was another counterattack, after a series of passes Arjen Robben was one-on-one with Andrea Barzagli in the penalty box, the Dutchman cut onto his left and sent a powerful curling shot that left a diving Buffon without a chance. That shot had Arjen Robben's trademark all over it.

On 64 minutes, Juventus responded. Mandzukic took advantage of a bad clearance by Joshua Kimmich and fed Dybala with a superb pass. La Joya showed his worth and beat Manuel Neuer coolly. Four minutes later, Mandzukic fought for an impossible ball and charged towards Bayern's goal. The Croatian assisted Juan Cuadrado, who performed a thunderous shot from the right flank that burned Neuer's gloves.

Allegri made two movements that changed the destiny of the match. At the 69th minute, Stefano Sturaro replaced Khedira, and, at the 75th minute, Álvaro Morata entered for Dybala. Just one minute later, Juventus found the equalizer. Again, all began with Mandzukic, who passed the ball to Morata and the Spaniard sent a clever headed cross into the area where Sturaro beat Kimmich to score from point-blank range.

After this, the two European heavyweights exchanged some hazardous attacks. Nevertheless, the match finished 2-2.

It's a great result for the Germans from a numeric perspective. However, Juventus have found some cracks in the Bavarian machinery and you can`t forget that when this two great teams play again in Munich on March 16.


LE PAGELLE

Buffon 6.5 He showcased his great technique to deny Bayern's long-range efforts and dangerous crosses. The two goals weren't his fault.

Lichtsteiner 6 The Swiss Express had a really hard duel against Douglas Costa on the right flank. He suffered on the first 45 minutes but contained the Brazilian speed demon on the second half.

Bonucci 7 Leo played most of the time inside his own penalty box and guarding an elite striker. His performance helped his team to stay in the game.

Barzagli 6.25 The rock played a solid game; nonetheless, he was beaten badly by Robben in the second goal.

Evra 5.5 Patrice had to dance with Robben during the match and struggled with his speed. It was a brave effort by the Frenchman.

Cuadrado 6.25 Another Dr. Juan Guillermo and Mr. Hyde performance by the Colombian. He sometimes excelled with his ability but he also showcased some real head scratchers. He helped Lichtsteiner to defend the right flank.

Khedira 5 Big Sami looked really slow in the pitch. He also had problems with the ball on his feet. It wasn't a great game by the German.

Marchisio 5.5 Il Principino played a belligerent game defensively but he hardly touched the ball on offense. He needed to leave the match prematurely.

Pogba 6.5 The kid fought hard during the game but failed to demonstrate his world-class skills. It's clear that he isn't a winger.

Dybala 7 If Juve don't have the ball, La Joya will suffer. The tiny striker showed that he had ice in his veins and beat Neuer with his only scoring chance. He's only 22 by the way.

Mandzukic 7.5 A warrior in the pitch. He never gave up and inspired the comeback. He contributed in both Juventus' goals.


Subs

Hernanes 6.5 Entered for Marchisio at the 46th minute. It was a courageous game by the prophet. He proved to be decisive in the second half and helped his side to gain possession of the ball. Not a bad cameo by this mercato flop.

Sturaro 6.5 Entered for Khedira at the 69th minute. Again, release the Sturaro! The industrious midfielder took no prisoners and scored with lots of grinta. He needs to work with his technique but l love his attitude.

Morata 6.5 Entered for Dybala at the 75th minute. Mr. Champions League did it again. He achieved an assist just a minute after he entered to the game. He created havoc on Bayern's defense.


Coach

Allegri 6.5 Max had some troubles with his initial strategy. Pep Guardiola bullied Juventus with his Tiki Taka on the first half; nonetheless, the Livornian coach adjusted superbly.


Things I think I think

More injuries, yeah!
Please Hernanes make me a believer.
Arturo Vidal: I hate you, but I love you.
I assumed Lewandowski and Mandzukic were friends (nah, just kidding)
#beheroes...well guys, mission accomplished.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Juventus Must Take Attacking Approach
into 2nd Leg at Bayern Munich

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2619225-juventus-must-take-attacking-approach-into-second-leg-at-bayern-munich?

Feb 24, 2016

A packed Juventus Stadium welcomed Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening for a match between two of European football’s truly giant clubs. The first leg of this last-16 clash ended 2-2, with Bayern holding a distinct advantage thanks to their away goal, but the Bianconeri still have a chance to progress in the competition.

However, that did not appear to be the case for much of the first leg, with the German champions thoroughly dominating their opponents. As the tweet below highlights, Juve managed just 29 percent possession in the opening 45 minutes and should perhaps consider themselves fortunate not to be trailing by more than a single goal.

WhoScored.com ✔ ‎@WhoScored
Juventus 0-1 Bayern Munich HT: Shots(OT) 3(2) - 8(4), Possession 29% - 71%, Rating 6.45 - 6.72

But for all Bayern’s superiority, that strike came courtesy of some uncharacteristically sloppy defending from the Turin side. Arjen Robben’s over-hit cross was volleyed back into the danger area by Douglas Costa, and an ineffective clearance allowed Thomas Muller to net from 12 yards out.

It could have been disallowed, as one of his team-mates was blocking Gianluigi Buffon’s vision and there was perhaps an earlier foul on Leonardo Bonucci. Ultimately, both incidents add to the feeling that the Bianconeri could have prevented the goal.

The second strike lent itself to similar belief as the usually flawless Andrea Barzagli became the latest defender to watch Robben cut back onto his left foot and curl the ball home. That came in the 55th minute, and shortly after that, Juventus suddenly sparked into life.

Having barely mustered a cohesive attacking move, Mario Mandzukic pounced onto Joshua Kimmich’s poor attempt to clear the ball and fed Paulo Dybala. The Argentinian forward made no mistake and beat Manuel Neuer.

Khaled Al Nouss ‎@KhaledAlNouss
Dybala scores his first goal in Europe.

Finding renewed hope with Bayern suddenly nervous, Juan Cuadrado drew a good save from the German goalkeeper before midfielder Paul Pogba hit the far post with an excellent effort of his own.

Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri brought on Stefano Sturaro and Alvaro Morata to continue the fight-back, and those decisions were quickly rewarded. Mandzukic flicked a pass from Pogba to the Spanish striker, who in turn headed the ball back across the goal to allow fellow substitute Sturaro to score from close range.

Juvefc.com ‎@juvefcdotcom
Anything you can do....Sturaro scores his first Champions League goal

Pogba and Bonucci had chances to give the home side an unlikely victory, and the manner in which the final 30 minutes unfolded should give the Bianconeri a clear idea of how they can emerge as the overall winners of this tie.

When they allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to play, they were completely overrun. But they found success when they finally took the game to Bayern. It was something Cuadrado recognised shortly after the final whistle, with the Colombian international telling Mediaset Premium (h/t Juventus.com):

We know now that we need to start in Munich the way we finished tonight. If we do that, we have a chance. They have some exceptional players but we showed that we have great qualities ourselves tonight and that is something we must keep in mind for the second leg. We have to go there believing we can win.

He was not alone, with team-mate Sami Khedira telling BT Sport (h/t Football Italia) that “nothing is impossible” when they meet again in three weeks’ time, but the Bianconeri will need to take a much more proactive approach in order to do so.

“Fino alla fine”—until the end—is the club’s often recited motto, but at the Allianz Arena, Juventus need to attack from the start rather than once again waiting until late in the game, something only the brave would attempt.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Dybala: 'We can hurt Bayern'

http://www.football-italia.net/80339/dybala-we-can-hurt-bayern?

Feb 24, 2016

Paulo Dybala wants 'to win, not to draw' against Bayern Munich, while revealing why he chose Juventus over Inter.

The Bianconeri managed a 2-2 draw against the German titans in the Champions League Last 16, and the result has something impressive about it considering they were down by two goals at half-time.

“As soon as we returned into the changing rooms we told each other to stay calm and remain in the game,” he told Sky Sports.

“Bayern are a team that crushes you, but we had our chances too.

“After their second goal we emerged and we forced Bayern to make mistakes.

“Scoring my first goal in the Champions League was something wonderful, I was looking for it in other games but yesterday it was really important to fire up the team.

“I'd have liked to have been able to celebrate, but we were still one goal down and we needed to turn it into a draw.

“We can have faith in view of the return leg. If we play with the drive and the grit we showed in the second half, we can hurt Bayern.

“At the Allianz Arena we must press harder and not play too low, or they'll punish us.

“It's going to be a difficult game like yesterday's, but we can hurt them the way we did in those last thirty minutes.

“I would prefer to win, not to draw with a greater number of goals than 2-2.”

Dybala then discussed the transfer market and his short contacts with Inter.

“Before coming here I had a chat with Mancini. I thanked him, but I wanted to play for the Old Lady as soon as I heard that they wanted me. That's because they are the strongest team in Italy.

“A comparison between me and Icardi? He is an in-the-box poacher, I'm a supporting striker.

“A comparison with Mandzukic would be more apt. He's doing well and I hope that in the future Icardi and I may be able to play together with the national team.”

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

JUVENTUS 2-2 BAYERN MUNICH – JUST AS
THE PRIEST WAS ADMINISTERING THE LAST RITES…

http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-2-2-bayern-munich/?

Feb 24, 2016

I remain in a state of recovery. Still my blood feels alive with war and battle, my body tired yet my spirit a flame, for we witnessed a true marvel when the Germans came to town. Unfortunately I had to head straight the office after the match, from being thrown hither and thither by great tides caused by the contest of Titans, I remained throughout the day, eager to keep the swords clashing desperate to find sparks leading to inferno, with anyone I could find with even a hint of contest in their eyes or tone. Perhaps it was this rabid state of spirit and wildly beating heart which drew towards me a series of mighty bothers? Yet since three of such episodes have passed, I will leave them where they belong, in the past, and move on with renewed hope, in all matters…

No bliss comes without agony, no success comes without suffering. Whilst we suffered immensely, were held down and beaten as clearly the defeated, in our own backyard, the future relentlessly bleak, the stadium awash with inaudible death throes found within the chorus of the Bavarians mourning our demise with chests beaten, heads held high…we met our reckoning, toiled and faltered, were made to appear a galaxy apart from the staggering brilliance of the Bayern machine, and then…when many of us were wondering how embarrassed we could find ourselves when the referee signalled the end of our torment with the world watching, something magical happened…From dejection, dismay, depression, a dying, slowing heartbeat was picked up from the turf by a battle hardened spirit, a lupine howl roared from our ranks, and we rose from the earth, just as the Priest was administering the last rites. Elation crunched horror, Warriors replaced peasants, Celebration and Pride trounced Pity and Regret. If ever there were a game to confirm that lo stile juve has been suitably imbued in our new recruits as remains strident and indomitable in our veterans, it was this one…


Player Ratings

Buffon 6.5 - Made a spritely save early doors from Vidal’s rocket, was not at fault for either goal, other than which helped the side to ride the storm.

Lichsteiner 6.5 - Had his work cut out, yet rose to the occasion, covering, fighting, scrapping. I prefer to see him on the flank as a wingback, yet injuries forced him more central/ full back, where he performed well enough to earn a 6.5.

Bonucci 5.5 - Big Leo is a cultured brute, able to deal with most issues with his physical dominance, courage and decent positioning. However he has a habit of pushing things a little too far, and can become accustomed to relying on the free-kicks he ‘engineers’ with the opponent often an unwitting participant in his stage play. Had his efforts, on such a course, been performed in the box, he may well have got away with it, but the incident to which I refer, happened near the centre circle, where the ref ponders matters differently. It seems possible the Lewandowski played him at his own game in the build up to the second. After which Big Leo was sturdy.

Barzagli 6 - Stretched from the start to the finish but refused to break, could well have marshalled the defence better for the second when Muller was found free in the box. It was Andrea who pushed Robben ONTO HIS LEFT for the second? Made to look rather ordinary for much of the game, yet he emerges with his head held hahigh.

Evra 6.5 - Rolled back the years to offer stern resistance against Robben, yet I felt Bayern had been tasked with attacking his lack of pace, and Robben was in fine fettle, the Igor wannabe with dancing feet. His experience was vital, yet it was clear that the Dutchman had his number, leaving Patrice to resort to a few tactical fouls to thwart any more chances for his foe late on. Against as wily a bastard as Robben, experience and nous is often not enough, and I would feel more confident to find Sandro or a match sharp Asamoah lining up in his place in the return.

Cuadrado 6 - I will agree with my comrade from the guardian commentary section El b, in that the always eager Juan is a good player, and can be a valuable weapon if used correctly. However, ‘good’ is not enough against the very best. ‘good’ is average. And when your main strengths are winning free kicks and pace, you are going to struggle against the classy likes of Munchen. Several times his passing let the team down when a lively counter appeared possible. He earned a few free-kicks, rarely beat his man without keeping his head down and running straight into trouble and offered perhaps a little more than usual defensively. When found in the box on the end of a thrilling move, he shot straight into the hands of Neuer. Still…it was his typically misplaced pass which led to the only obvious error of the opposing defence and our first goal, so some credit is due. Essentially, I do not believe he has enough quality to play at the top level and succeed.

Khedira 4 - Invisible throughout. Off the pace. I understand why we played him from the start, such is his pedigree, yet also understand why he was pulled out the fray for Sturaro, for his energy seemed awful.

Marchisio 5 - Over-run, often in the wrong position, out numbered and often absent in the first half. Perhaps he was injured early doors, hence his substitution during the interval. Not his finest 45 in our colours, when we needed him most, yet I will err on the side of a physical bother as the culprit.

Pogba 7 - Playing in that hybrid CM/LM role, Paul was unable to focus on the central channels where he is at his best. Yet he worked damn hard, set up moves which led to chances and goals and met the enemy on his own terms. Could have done better with an opening on his right boot, as with his header, but clearly our most potent midfielder.

Mandzukic 8 - The big fella was always going to be rusty, yet he fought like a berserker, helped out immensely in defence and put the chance on a plate for Dybala to strike home. Then played a prominent role in our second. He seemed to get better as the game wore on, and his immense hustle and determination almost led to another chance when ploughing through the high set rear-guard of The Enemy. Will be sharper for the return leg.

Dybala 7 - Struggled to find space, and seemed perhaps a little overawed, yet given the complete dominance of Bayern, it was no surprise to find his opportunities few and few between. When he finally found one decent chance, he put it away with clinical execution. Wonderful to see him score his first European goal in such an encounter.


Morata 7 - His electric pace and ability to turn and accelerate past opponents made a difference. His headed assist created the equaliser. The Spaniard comes alive in European competition, whilst his league form continues to deflate. A lame shot soon after appearing, yet he looked increasingly dangerous as he settled into the rhythm of a match turning in our favour.

Hernanes 7 - ‘What a strange and terrible move‘ I muttered as I saw the brazilian emerge from the tunnel for the second half, ‘perhaps for Cuadrado…so we go 4-3-1-2…that makes sense…yet where the devil is Il Principino????’…Despite my horror – likely shared by millions – Hernanes proved far more effective than Marchisio. He was eager, battled hard, passed intelligently and diversely and merits praise for his finest performance in our colours since his arrival at the club. He displayed the talents we all know he has, yet have seen so little of, and on this form, I am eager to see him gain more playing time.

Sturaro 8 - Whenever I caught glimpses of Khedira, mainly off the ball, I had written and roared ‘GET HIM OFF FOR STURARO, ALLEGRI YOU DANGEROUS FIEND’. It was the most obvious move to improve our midfield I could conjure. And whilst he waited, Il Mister played the Stefano card to perfection, and what a move it proved to be. His appearance added momentum and energy to our resurgence, and he took his goal brilliantly under pressure. I remain of very high hopes indeed for the youngster.


Analysis

Irritating, yet unsurprising to find a fair few people suggesting Allegri didn’t do his homework, and Juve made the wrong decision to sit so deep…

No doubt that Allegri told his charges to keep it tight, especially early-doors, but it is plain nonsense to focus more on Juve wittingly inviting that kind of pressure onto them than the more obvious explanation of ‘Bayern were playing brilliantly, powerfully and pushing us back, as they do most teams they play’. They were incredibly impressive in the first half. Only the Barca side of the last few seasons looked (and still look) as insanely capable of applying constant pressure, players swapping positions, superb movement, forcing sides to bring so many players back to mark runners, cover space, try stem the tide, that when they do lose possession, there is nobody to pass to, so they win possession back once again.

It is a clear tactic, an onslaught, over-loading which can be used when you have a squad of such talent as Bayern. Most teams cannot defend against it, hence Bayern’s success, reputation and domestic dominance which is staggering. They are rightly ranked by most fans and pundits and players as one of the two best sides in the world.

To say Juve/Allegri invited that pressure for the first 50 minutes or so is as useful as saying ‘then Pep got his tactics wrong, by inviting Juve to attack more space in greater numbers for the next half hour! Nearly back-fired completely’.

These turns of tides throughout a game are not solely tactical, and sometimes, simply a natural ebb and flow more than strict guide-lines.

Yes yes! The only way to counter that tactic is to push men forward???. I can think of no manager who would do such a thing in the opening 20 minutes or so against Bayern. Other than Barcelona…Arsenal tried to do this against Barca, and got done 0-2. yet we are a far stronger side than Arsenal, mainly mentally. As the recovery against Bayern reminded many.

Missing Chiellini and been forced to play Cuadrado was a bother, yet no need to moan or make excuses.

We have players coming back from injury, the confidence that we can shed more bavarian blood in the second tie will be interesting.

Bayern needed to take breath. Once they did we went for the jugular. They made one small mistake defensively, which we pounced upon. We were then their equals, and at times almost their betters.

I’d say they were the best side we have played since, other than Barca last year, we were crunched by their 2013 counterparts.
 

 

With that out the way I can concentrate more on the particulars…

This was a game which moved me deeply, nourished my Juve love, for we saw the gulf in class which can transpire when we are not at our best and up against one of only two sides I know are superior in talent and technique and equal in organisation. We were not abysmal in the first 50-60 minutes, we were simply made to appear very ordinary by an extraordinary side. Had we found ourselves 0-4 down at half time I could not have complained. Their dominance could well have been said to deserve such a lead, such was their total control of the game.

Yes yes! We had chances, yet to count them in the first hour against those of Bayern had us wretchedly inferior. However, once the tide turned – and how it turned! – and the recovery hit full stride, we created enough chances to then go on to win the game. We more than rattled one of the finest teams I have ever seen, transformed from seemingly servile acceptance of our minnow showing, to confident, pressing, strong and strident equals.

The recovery could well be the making of this new Juve. For regardless of the result achieved when we head to Munich, to claw our way back in such spirited fashion will have taught those new to the cause a wonderful education, imbued confidence, drive, determination and belief, that we can meet the very best…as equals.

Its strange how a draw rarely feels like a draw. For Bayern, the result likely feels not far removed from a loss – despite their wholesome advantage on away goals forged – for to find themselves hauled back to a balance of the scales, threatened seriously with defeat in a game which will go a fair way to defining Guardiola’s tenure at the club, will have felt odd and horrid, for a team so accustomed to complete dominance against all opponents. Yet for us, whilst the result could well have gone either way in the final reckoning, to realise that these are not superhumans we have no hope of matching let alone beating – but either we are equally superhuman in turn, or they are mere mortals – to have them on the ropes, to end for half hour (or close to it!) our subjugation to their powers, felt fucking amazing…

Allegri’s moves from the bench proved absolutely superb, In this measure, he outfoxed Guardiola. Hernanes improved us instantly and thereafter, Morata set up a goal and Sturaro scored.

Much has been said and written of Pep’s legacy in Bavaria. To win the league, especially when Dortmund – their main and only rivals – have faltered terribly last term and remain on the comeback trail, is not enough to rival the work of Heynckes. Only a champion league title can achieve such a status, so we must appreciate that the Spaniard – with the league already all but marked on their storied record – has this one last chance to prove his mettle. Believe me and in common sense, when I assert, that Pep has been focused on this game more than any other this season. He has worked to the best of his abilities to win the tie, to emerge as victors, and maybe they will, yet Europe and the World must appreciate the gargantuan effort and spirit we showed, to earn the draw and keep the tie alive…

Looking at the game as a whole…on chances found, we matched them, and forged perhaps more serious openings than our opponents. Possession does not equate to goals. Total dominance does. Which is why we found ourselves 2 goals down before we managed to finally become Lazarus, or perhaps we simply realised we were losing and been made to look like amateurs in our own backyard, and decided, player by player, that we refused to lose in such a manner.

Its unlikely we will triumph in the return leg, yet we will have Asamoah, Sandro and Chellini back in the ranks. Any victory will be enough to triumph, and if we are the stuff of champions, such a herculean mission will prove within our ken.

We proved that no side can dominate us for 90 minutes. We proved that we can meet one of the two finest sides on the planet, and equal their war cry and powers.

I salute the club, raise my glass of russian fire water to the skies, for dragging me to hell then fighting our way back to heaven.

It is too early to consider the second leg as anything other than…if we win, we march onwards. And for me, whilst not ideal, it is enough.

Outstanding spirit lighting the way in a world of darkness. An amazing adventure, glorious fight, which left me ever more proud to be truly and unerringly, juventino to the core of my essence.

Forza Juve


Statistics

Man of the Match: Mario Mandzukic

Flop of the Match: Khedira

Corners: 3

Pass Accuracy: 78%

Shots on Target: 7

Total Shots: 11

Ball Possession: 33%

Formation: 4-4-2


Lineups

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Cuadrado, Khedira (Sturaro 68), Marchisio (Hernanes 46), Pogba; Dybala (Morata 74), Mandzukic

Bayern Munich: Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Kimmich, Alaba, Bernat (Benatia 74); Vidal; Robben, Thiago Alcantara, Müller, Costa (Ribery 84); Lewandowski

Ref: Atkinson (ENG)


Poll

Who was your man of the match against Bayern Munich?

Mandzukic 64%

Pogba 8%
Sturaro 8%
Hernanes 8%
Buffon 6%
Dybala 3%
Morata 2%
Cuadrado 2%
Barzagli 1%
Lichtsteiner 0%
Bonucci 0%
Evra 0%
Khedira 0%
Marchisio 0%

Votes 133

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Pep Guardiola, Max Allegri find
positives in Bayern, Juventus 2-2 draw

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/marcotti-musings/62/post/2814273/juventus-bayern-munich-ucl-draw-full-of-positives-for-both

Feb 24, 2016

Every match has its own narrative and the sequence in which things happen sometimes matters more than the result. At least that was the impression after Bayern's 2-2 draw away to Juventus.

"I complimented [Juventus coach Max] Allegri on a tremendous performance from Juve," said Bayern boss Pep Guardiola. "This is one of the most special days of my career ... to come here and play like that. We played a very good game."

And Allegri? "In general, we played a really good game, we could have won it tonight," he said. "This game must give us confidence that we can take on one of the best teams in the world and handle it, that we can deal with one-on-one situations, especially at the back."

You may conclude that both these men are "glass half-full" types, and you'd probably be correct. Because what we saw Tuesday night was the prototypical game of two halves or, perhaps more appropriately, a game of two-thirds and one-third. Bayern didn't just dominate the first 60 minutes -- they camped out in Juve's half, sending Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller right up in Gigi Buffon's grill. They went 2-0 up, but it could easily have been more. All the home side had to show for it was an errant finish from Mario Mandzukic and an appeal for an Arturo Vidal handball.

Then came the last half-hour. Perhaps knowing they had little to lose, Juve streamed forward and this time it was Bayern who were rattled. In came the fresh legs of Stefano Sturaro and Hernanes, for Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira, and out popped two goals plus at least two other excellent chances.

A headline in Munich's Suddeutsche Zeitung about the game read "Unnecessarily Exciting" and from Bayern's perspective, that was undoubtedly the case. A 2-2 away draw is not a bad result, but to most it would become a poor performance when you can't hang onto a 2-0 lead with half an hour to go. Yet Guardiola sees the bright side of that first hour.

The argument works in reverse for Juve. A reflection on just want went wrong in that first hour seems more apt than celebrating the comeback. You spent the majority of the game getting pounded, being second to every ball and unable to cross the half-way line with any sense of control. (And make no mistake about it, it was a case of "being unable" rather than "choosing not to" -- Allegri himself admitted afterward that it wasn't his game plan to park the bus... Bayern did that for him.)

And yet because of the two late goals -- several outlets noted with pride that Juve became only the third team to score more than once against Bayern this season -- all of a sudden it's as if everything is fine. "Juve, What Lions!" was the headline in the Turin daily "giornalaccio rosa dello Sport."

Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe Allegri and Guardiola simply have sunnier dispositions. Perhaps more likely, they know their squad and their players far better than I do and they know that to get the best out of them you need to dish out far more carrots than sticks. Perhaps they're also employing some selective memory as well.

A longtime Pep-watcher suggested that with the Bundesliga all but locked up and his final months as Bayern boss ticking away, these days he's all about performance and execution. And those first 60 minutes were so perfect, such a utopian blend of pressing, possession and movement that Guardiola would have been happy his side hit those peaks even if he'd lost the game.

That might be over the top -- it's easier to say stuff like that when you're in the drivers' seat for qualification as Bayern are now -- but there's more of a kernel of truth to it. How he wins games matters to Guardiola far more than it does to others, possibly because he knows full well that his squad is so good that they can mail it in and still beat most opponents both in Europe and in the Bundesliga.

As for Allegri, he went so far as to say that the result doesn't change much in terms of advancing. They were going to have to beat Bayern either at home or away and, while they couldn't do it at home, the performance suggest that they can do it away. "And so it becomes like a one-off game," he said. Which isn't exactly true, of course, because it's the kind of one-off that Bayern can win or draw (0-0 or 1-1) whereas Juve pretty much need to win (improbable 3-3s or 4-4s aside). Still, there's something to be said for positivity.

I guess that's the message coming from these two. You can focus on Juve's initial hour of utter futility or Bayern's latter half-hour of wobbles and chaos, pointing the finger of blame. Or you can go yin to that yang and instead praise both Bayern's start and Juve's finish. Allegri and Guardiola have opted for the latter, at least in public. Whether they sing a different tune in private to their players is anyone's guess. The simple fact of the matter is that a lot went wrong for long stretches of the game for both clubs and you'd imagine they'd want to address that.

Sometimes positive reinforcement can work wonders. Guardiola showing them the first hour of the game and simply telling them "when you play like this, nobody can touch you" might well be more effective than pointing out individual or isolated mistakes by Vidal, Joshua Kimmich and Manuel Neuer. Similarly, Allegri replaying the ending of the game to his men might teach them that if they are fearless and kick it up a notch the way they did after Bayern's second goal, they can overcome anyone -- even one of the two best sides in the world.

That said, sequence matters. Had it been Juve going 2-0 up and then drawing 2-2, the mood would be distinctly different. So too if that had been Bayern getting pummeled for an hour. Great managers shape their message to the situation and in the case of these two, they deliver a spoonful of honey wherever possible.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Neuer: Juve have no mental edge
over Bayern despite comeback

The Serie A side fought back from two down to draw with Bayern in the first-leg of
their Champions League tie, but the goalkeeper insists his side are still in a good position.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2914/champions-league/2016/02/24/20671722/-?

Feb 24, 2016

Manuel Neuer has dismissed the notion that Juventus could hold a psychological advantage over Bayern Munich ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Juve were two goals down to Bayern in Tuesday's game, but staged a stirring second-half comeback, with goals from Paulo Dybala and Stefano Sturaro earning a draw for the Italian champions.

Coach Pep Guardiola was angered by suggestions that Bayern wilted physically after such an authoritative start and, when asked whether Juve's fightback will give them a mental edge at the Allianz Arena in three weeks' time, Neuer responded: "I don't know about that. I think it is very good that we scored two goals."

Neuer did, however, admit that Bayern took their foot off the gas after Robben put them two goals to the good in the 55th minute.

"It is unfortunate for us that we did not reward ourselves with a win and go back home with a 2-0 result," he added.

"Now everything is undecided of course, although it would have been like that with a 2-0 victory as well. We know that there was more for us to get out of that.

"We weren't too sure after our 2-0. I'd rather say that, for example, we rushed a few of the chances. We did not stay calm and were not cool enough.

"Of course we did make mistakes which lead to the goals and we played against an opponent who makes the best out of our mistakes."

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Second-half comeback gives Juve reason
to believe ahead of Bayern trip

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/2814257/second-half-comeback-gives-juve-reason-to-believe-at-bayern

Feb 24, 2016

Juventus and Bayern Munich met in Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie and produced a captivating 2-2 draw. With the tie very much in the balance heading to the Allianz Arena on March 16, we asked Raphael Honigstein and James Horncastle to assess the state of play.

James kicks things off:

Recovered yet, Raf?

I write to you after seeing Pep Guardiola get quite prickly in Turin. He didn't seem to appreciate the implication that Bayern wasted their first-half domination, got complacent and then took their foot off the gas at 2-0. While impressive, it did take me aback to hear him say on TV in Italy that "to come here and play like we did is one of the most special days of my career."

He chose to look beyond the result, which he appeared to imply isn't the typical thing in Italy. But to take him up on this point, while awe inspiring at times in the opening 45 minutes, this wasn't the ruthless, otherworldly football that discombobulated Roma at the Stadio Olimpico last season. Maybe his opinion owes something to the injuries Bayern had and respect he has for Juventus. "I didn't expect to come here, win 7-0 and for Juventus not to be able to get out of their own half," he bristled.

People have got to be realistic. How did you see it? To me it had shades of Arsenal vs. Barca in 2010.


Buon giorno James,

Good to hear from you again. Arsenal vs. Barca in 2010? Wow, that's some compliment for Bayern, but perhaps not so much for Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller. Who was the Nicklas Bendtner on Tuesday? Jokes aside, you're right in the sense that the draw flattered the home side here. In a wider sense, it also confirmed what we suspected of Bayern: they're as good going forward as they've ever been at the moment, and they can dominate teams with a million passes, but as soon as the ball is near their own box, problems can arise.

In Germany, Joshua Kimmich got a lot of criticism given his failure to clear the ball in the run-up to Paulo Dybala's goal. Guardiola was having none of it. He called the 21-year-old's performance "perfect." Kimmich has little to no experience as a centre-back and acquitted himself fairly well considering the circumstances, but the "lack of coolness" in the last 20 minutes or so that Arjen Robben bemoaned also affected much more seasoned players.

In my view, not enough has been made of Manuel Neuer's floated goal kick wide right that put immediate, unnecessary pressure on Philipp Lahm. Lahm's header bounced off Paul Pogba; what followed was the equaliser. Neuer did a similar thing last season, playing a quick goal kick out to Juan Bernat in the first leg of the Barcelona semifinal. Instead of slowing things down and wasting a bit of time with 20 minutes to go at 0-0, his attempt to launch a quick attack backfired as Bernat lost the ball and Lionel Messi broke the deadlock.

Bayern got a lot of the big things right in Turin, and in fairly impressive fashion, but they'll need to pay more attention to those small things if they want to lift the trophy again.


Arise, Lord Juan Cuadrado!

I'm anointing him as the Bendtner of this piece, Raph. OK, it wasn't a chance to win the game -- rather, it was one to equalise before Stefano Sturaro actually did -- and I don't think I'm being too harsh in expecting him to have done better. But good of the Old Lady to show up in the end, wasn't it? Fashionably late after an hour.

Max Allegri felt Juventus should have trusted their defenders more. Instead, in those opening stages, the midfielders and strikers helped out so much they forgot they were midfielders and strikers. Also, how imprecisely Juventus played out from the back in this game was highlighted as an area they have got to improve ahead of the second leg. They couldn't keep the ball. They couldn't build.

"We couldn't get out," defender Leonardo Bonucci said. "We couldn't find an out to one of our strikers. You defend, defend, defend and in the end you concede."

For all the doubling up Juventus did on the flanks, Robben came close to making an Ashley Cole out of Patrice Evra, while Stephan Lichtsteiner will regret not getting closer to Douglas Costa for the cross that brought the opening goal.

It was a strange game. Bayern had 71 percent possession in the first half, but Juventus had some golden opportunities -- for instance, the ball over the top for Mario Mandzukic after two minutes. There was another up and under for Dybala too, which, to be fair, was difficult to bring down and control. Should he have done so, though, Bayern would have been in trouble. A Dybala cross also narrowly escaped a sliding Mandzukic as well. The Croatian buried a similar but more difficult chance away at Manchester City.

A more courageous approach in the first half against that Bayern defence could have made things very different. As would referee Martin Atkinson awarding Juventus a penalty for a hand ball by Arturo Vidal or disallowing Muller's goal because of an infringement by Lewandowski or by calling a foul on the Pole as Bayern broke forward to double their lead.

Hindsight is 20/20, and the first 45 minutes perhaps shouldn't be seen through the prism of the final half-hour, when the state of the game changed. Bayern were 2-0 to the good. In some respects, Robben's goal was the best thing that happened to Juventus. The super computer switched off, or let's say the screen saver came on, and as has been the case so often this season Allegri effected a change from the bench that got Juventus a result that keeps them alive.

Other teams would have thrown in the towel. Juventus didn't. "Be Heroes" was the prematch choreography, and giornalaccio rosa dello Sport on Wednesday hailed Juventus' players as lions, with Mandzukic's performance singled out for special praise. He battled all night, set up Dybala to get Juventus back into the game and then Cuadrado for what should have been an equaliser. Substitutions and a riskier, bolder attitude turned the game.

Many Juventus fans feared the worst when Hernanes appeared in Claudio Marchisio's place in the second half. But he did well, and Alvaro Morata was the one who set up fellow substitute Sturaro to make it 2-2. The second half has to be the starting point for Juventus -- reason to believe. Bayern are superior but not unbeatable.


Oops!

You just made me realise that I've got my Bendtner-Bayern comparison the wrong way round, James! Apologies to all concerned.

How's this for a historical precedent: the result that came to my mind immediately on Tuesday was Bayern's 2-2 draw at AC Milan in the 2007 quarterfinals. It was a fantastic result, the Germans' best in Italy in years, and many Bayern fans entertained thoughts of reaching the semis. But then, in the return leg, Carlo Ancelotti's slightly creaking but still purring machine produced a master class, becoming the first European team to win in the Allianz Arena with a 2-0 result.

Bayern were utterly lost that night, unable to get a single shot on target. No, I don't think the second leg will play out that way. Bayern have become too good going forward, too tactically adept to not find a way through, even against the best-organised sides in Europe. But that result from the second Ottmar Hitzfeld era still stands as a warning that progression should never be taken for granted against an Italian heavyweight.

Juventus' ability to capitalise on mistakes, to stay in matches and to bounce back mirrors the traditional "virtues" of German football; that's probably why Bundesliga teams and the national team often struggle to prevail in these duels with continental opposition. Lahm was right when he said that "the Champions League was the winner" on Tuesday. The second installment promises to be just as thrilling.

Who, if anyone, will be Juventus' Clarence Seedorf and Pippo Inzaghi, eh? Can't wait to find out.

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - BAYERN

2 - 2

Thomas Müller (43')
Arjen Robben (55')

Paulo Dybala (63')
Stefano Sturaro (76')

Round of 16 - First leg
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016 - 08:45 P.M.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee:‬ Martin Atkinson (England)
Attendance: 41332

Sturaro: ‘Allegri planned it all’

http://www.football-italia.net/80380/sturaro-%E2%80%98allegri-planned-it-all%E2%80%99?

Feb 24, 2016

Stefano Sturaro reveals Juventus Coach Max Allegri planned his goal against Bayern Munich.

The combative midfielder scored the Bianconeri’s equaliser in the Champions League tie on Tuesday, surging into the penalty area to reach Alvaro Morata’s headed cross.

“In the days leading up to it, Allegri had shown me videos of a similar situation at Bologna where I hadn’t made that gamble,” Stuaro explained to Tuttosport.

“He told me I had to get into the box, without thinking about anything else. We worked on it a bit, and I put it into practice the first chance I got.

“It went quite well…”

The Old Lady recovered from two goals down to take a draw in the first leg, but are underdogs for the game in Bavaria.

“We have to go there with other beliefs and more certainty. There’s regret, because we could have done a bit better. Their pressure made us lose a bit of confidence in ourselves.

“We found it again though, and after seeing our second half performance we’re confident.”

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Chiellini in for Juve-Inter

http://www.football-italia.net/80338/chiellini-juve-inter?

Feb 24, 2016
 
Giorgio Chiellini and Alex Sandro returned from injuries and are both available for Juventus-Inter.

Chiellini was injured during the Bianconeri's 2-0 win against Frosinone, while the Brazilian reported muscular problems during a training session.

As the team heads towards Sunday's clash against Inter, it appears Coach Max Allegri will have his two defenders back in time for the game.

Sky Sports Italia reports that both players are back from injury and will be available to start against the Nerazzurri.

This allows Allegri to return to his favoured 3-5-2 formation. On the other hand Claudio Marchisio is still in doubt and his place may be taken by Hernanes.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Icardi: 'I want Inter glory'

http://www.football-italia.net/80341/icardi-i-want-inter-glory?

Feb 24, 2016
 
Striker Mauro Icardi declares club loyalty ahead of Juventus-Inter: 'I am the captain and I want to do great things'.

It is often speculated that the Argentinian may be sold if the Nerazzurri fail to qualify for next year's Champions League, but the player always denied he had any intention of leaving.

“I have the opportunity of being the captain and anyone would like to walk in [Javier] Zanetti's footsteps,” he told InterNos, as reported by the Inter Twitter profile in a preview of tonight's broadcast.

“Now we must aim for third place to meet the club's objective and return to playing in Europe.

“I want to stay here and I want to win with these colours. I'm the captain and I want to do great things with Inter.

“We have to give it all against Juventus. We always take to a game with a hunger to win. The mentality has to be right.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Icardi: ‘Inter can make Coppa final’

http://www.football-italia.net/80356/icardi-%E2%80%98inter-can-make-coppa-final%E2%80%99?

Feb 24, 2016
 
Mauro Icardi insists Inter can still make the Coppa Italia final, despite trailing Juventus 3-0.

The Nerazzurri face the second leg of the semi-final clash next week, following a heavy defeat in Turin in the first encounter.

“We’ll do our best on Wednesday,” Icardi told Inter Channel.

“It’ll be a difficult game, but we have to try until the end. Just think about what happened in the [2005] Champions League final between Liverpool and Milan.

“In just a few minutes Liverpool got three goals, we have 90 minutes available to us.”

Roberto Mancini’s men face a double-header with the Bianconeri, as the pair also meet in Serie A on Sunday night.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Kwadwo Asamoah
all return to training Wednesday

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/25/11110534/giorgio-chiellini-alex-sandro-kwadwo-asamoah-injury-juventus-2016-serie-a-champions-league

Feb 25, 2016
 
There were probably more than just a couple of moments Tuesday night against Bayern Munich where we thought something like "Gee, Giorgio Chiellini could have helped there!" or "I sure do wish Alex Sandro was playing tonight! Juve could sure use those cross..." Even with the 2-2 draw in Tuesday's first leg, there's no denying that two talented defenders could have helped the cause when facing such a talented and explosive attacking team like Bayern.

Fear not, loyal people, we won't be having those thoughts racing through our heads much longer.

Chiellini is back training. Alex Sandro is back training. Kwadwo Asamoah is back training. All three returned to training on Wednesday as Juve stepped onto the fields at Vinovo for the first time since their roller coaster-like match against Bayern the night earlier. From Juventus' official website:

Out on the Juventus Center pitches, with the previous evening's exertions still burning in their muscles, those that featured prominently on Tuesday night underwent a routine post-match warm down while the remainder of the squad focused on fitness.

Featuring in the latter group and providing the day's good news were Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro and Kwadwo Asamoah, all returning to first-team training after their respective injury layoffs.

The Bianconeri will reconvene at the same time tomorrow morning to get the ball rolling on Sunday's Serie A preparations in earnest.

From one big game to the next.

Much like when Mario Mandzukic returned to training less than a week ago, having a player — or, in this case, three players — come back right after one game usually bodes well for the next one. So, in this case, because the trio of Chiellini, Alex Sandro and Asamoah are back to training right after the Bayern game, then the chances of them taking part in Sunday's game against Inter seem to have improve mightily compared to a few days ago.

Some thought that Sandro and Chiellini might recover from their respective injuries fast enough to be back for the first leg against Bayern, but that obviously didn't happen. Having them back for the Serie A/Coppa Italia double with Inter Sunday and Wednesday — and, maybe more importantly, the second leg against Bayern — will finally give Max Allegri a chance to rest some players and get the team back into the 3-5-2 formation that has been at the center of the club's success the last four months.

And let's be honest, you think Chiellini wasn't licking his chops every time he saw Arjen Robben making one of those classic kind of runs in which he scored his goal on Tuesday night? Yeah, I could see that happening — and then Chiellini envisioning a crushing tackle right through Robben's feet. Music to his ears.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Marchisio to miss Inter clashes

http://www.football-italia.net/80368/marchisio-miss-inter-clashes?

Feb 25, 2016
 
Claudio Marchisio will miss the upcoming Inter clashes as Juventus announce he will be out for a week with a thigh injury.

The Old Lady host the Nerazzurri in Serie A on Sunday evening before facing their old rivals again in the Coppa Italia semi-final next Wednesday.

The Italy international midfielder was replaced during Juve’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday and the club today gave him a prognosis of a seven day recovery period.

“This morning Claudio Marchisio underwent tests that ruled out muscle injuries,” read a statement on the club’s website.

“The checks showed an overload of the vastus lateralis muscle of his left thigh. The prognosis for a complete recovery is for seven days.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Juventus' Paulo Dybala rejected Inter
and AC Milan offers for Turin move

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2814913/paulo-dybala-rejected-inter-and-ac-milan-to-move-to-juventus

Feb 25, 2016
 
Paulo Dybala has revealed how he turned down Inter Milan to join Juventus last summer, and does not regret it for a second.

Argentina international Dybala moved to the Bianconeri from Palermo, whose president Maurizio Zamparini recently revealed he had been forced to refuse a more lucrative offer from AC Milan because the player had his heart set on moving to Turin.

Inter Milan were also on his trail, even before Juve had opened negotiations, but Dybala said he only ever wanted one move.

"Before I came to Juventus I spoke with [inter coach] Roberto Mancini," Dybala told Sky Sport Italia. "I thanked him for his call, but I always wanted to join Juve because they are the best team."

Dybala comes face-to-face with the Nerazzurri in Serie A this weekend, with Juve looking to consolidate their position at the top of the standings with another win over the side they beat 3-0 in the Coppa Italia earlier this month -- and whom they face again in the second leg of that tie next week.

Those fixtures also pit Dybala up against Mauro Icardi, who he still hopes to play alongside one day, if not on a club level.

"He's Argentinean too, so who knows if we may have the pleasure of playing together for our national team one day," Dybala said. "He's playing well and I'm happy for him."

Icardi says he is happy too, despite reports that he has been unsettled by the January arrival of Eder at Inter.

"I've had a few offers, but I want to stay here and lift trophies with this club," he said on inter.it. "I'm the captain and I want to achieve great things with Inter. I've always shouldered my responsibility ever since I joined the club and I think the fans appreciate that."

F.C. Internazionale ✔ ‎@Inter_en
.@MauroIcardi: "I want to remain here and win with this shirt. I'm the captain and I want to do great things with Inter"

Those fans would also appreciate a win in the Derby d'Italia on Sunday night, and Icardi hopes to deliver.

"We have to give it our best shot," he said. "We always set out to win and anything can happen once you get out there, but you need the right mentality."

The same will be the case three days later, even if Inter have a mountain to climb after losing 3-0 in Turin.

"We'll give it a go on Wednesday in the second leg too," he said. "It's going to be very hard, but we have to fight till the end.

"Just look at what happened between Liverpool and AC Milan in the Champions League final. Liverpool turned it around in just a few minutes and we have 90 to play."

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Hernanes: ‘Not just Juve-Napoli’

http://www.football-italia.net/80382/hernanes-%E2%80%98not-just-juve-napoli%E2%80%99?

Feb 25, 2016
 
Juventus midfielder Hernanes warns other teams could challenge his side and Napoli for the Scudetto.

The Bianconeri lead Serie A by a point from the Partenopei, with Inter, Roma and Fiorentina having fallen off the pace in recent months.

However, the Brazilian international believes Juve’s 15-match winning streak should serve as a warning to never count anyone out.

“We’ve had a remarkable comeback, but we’re not satisfied yet,” Hernanes told JTV.

“It’s an exciting League, because so many teams play good football. There are still months to go in the struggle to achieve our goals.

“At the moment the fight is between us and Napoli, but there are 12 games to still to go, and someone else count re-enter the race like we were able to.

“So we have to stay focused to keep that from happening.”

Hernanes had been criticised by a number of Juventus fans after his summer move from Inter, but won plaudits for his performance against Bayern Munich in midweek.

“I knew the moment would come when I could show my qualities so while I wasn’t expecting it to arrive on Tuesday night, I think I responded well.

“The return leg will be tough and we will need to produce quite a performance to reach the quarter-finals at the expense of an excellent team.

“Everyone will now be expecting to see that Juve of the second half and we have to believe that we can get the result we want as we have done so consistently in the past few months.”

The Old Lady face Inter on Sunday night, with the opportunity to put the pressure on Napoli, who don’t play until Monday.

“It’s an important game for us, but they also have objectives to achieve,” Hernanes cautioned.

“After the last game [a 3-0 Juve win in the Coppa Italia] they’ll be more careful and cautious and I expect a tough match.

“We just have to focus on our qualities and think about playing our own game.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Kondogbia available for Juventus

http://www.football-italia.net/80383/kondogbia-available-juventus?

Feb 25, 2016
 
Inter midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia’s ban has been reduced, and he’ll be available to face Juventus.

The French international was hit with a two-match suspension by the Lega Serie A for sarcastically applauding the referee in the defeat to Fiorentina.

However, the Nerazzurri appealed the decision, and it has today been announced that the ban has been reduced to one game.

With Kondogbia having already missed the win over Sampdoria, he will now be available when Roberto Mancini’s side visit Juventus on Sunday night.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 27
Sunday, February 28th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Mauro Icardi's ruthlessness can
lift Inter Milan past Juventus

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/internazionale/110/blog/post/2815211/mauro-icardi-ruthlessness-can-lift-inter-milan-past-juventus

Feb 25, 2016
 
Sometimes you have to remember that Mauro Icardi is only 23 years old. Born in Argentina, raised in the Canary Islands, taught football at one of the world's greatest clubs (Barcelona) and finally finding his way to becoming captain of one of Italy's footballing institutions, he still has so much to offer.

Icardi learning his football on the streets of Rosario in Santa Fe in Argentina couldn't have been further from the truth. By the age of six the Rivero family had moved to Gran Canaria and it was there that the boy would learn his trade. In fact, it was while in the youth systems at Union Deportiva Vecindario (a club that sat in Spain's fourth tier, now dissolved) that Icardi would learn how to play and more importantly how to score goals. Forget the notion of a street footballer simply dribbling around players like another Rosario native, Lionel Messi, Icardi started out as a pure goalscorer. Over 500 goals in the youth system was enough to attract the attention of Valencia, Arsenal, Liverpool and even Real Madrid, but it was Barcelona where he would finally choose as his destination.

The world had suddenly become very big for Icardi, and despite moving to Barcelona's U-19 team, he surprised many by accepting a move to Serie A and Sampdoria. One thing was a constant, though: his goals. He had a reputation as a clinical and ruthless finisher who took little joy on the pitch apart from the moment the ball hit the net. It didn't matter who was involved or how the goal came about; all that mattered was that the ball was in the net.

While at Sampdoria, Icardi continued with his clinical practice and between 2012-13 he notched up 11 goals in 33 games -- not bad for a 19-year-old in one of Europe's toughest leagues. Ruthlessness on the pitch was construed with selfishness off it and by 2013 he moved to Milan to join the Nerazzurri.

While his first season at Inter was hampered by injury, he still scored nine goals in Serie A before last season when, despite Inter's poor form, he managed to net 22 and become joint Capocannoniere with Luca Toni. This season he has 11 goals, which at first glance does not seem like an improvement. However, he has had only 1.9 chances per game, unlike last season when he was provided with 3.4 (Whoscored) chances per match. Simply put, Icardi needs his teammates to get him the ball and he will do the rest.

For better or worse, Icardi's lack of interest in football in general is the type of characteristic that could serve Inter well this weekend in the Derby d'Italia at Juventus on Sunday. Icardi is not going to be overawed by the occasion. To him, it's just another game. It is not that he lacks effort or respect for his opponent -- far from it. It's just that he aware that it is his job. When asked about legendary Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, he once said: "Goalkeepers, they are all the same." A summary of how he sees the game in a nutshell. One cannot expect him to feel it like a fan; they must instead understand that his passions lie elsewhere.

Icardi is the type of player who enjoys the opposing fans getting on his back. In an interview with "La Repubblica," Icardi claimed that he is motivated him to silence rivals supporters, as then he knows he has done a good job. While on Sunday it may look like the Turin giants have the edge, as their form of 15 wins out of 16 games is certainly more impressive than Inter's pitiful return in 2016, Juve should still be wary as the Turin giants are Icardi's favourite opponent in Serie A. Icardi has six out of six in the league against the Old Lady, and when the derby arrives on Sunday, Icardi will go to work.

This week Icardi has called upon his team to try and win honours, and has pledged his future to the club. Why? For glory? For legendary status? There is perhaps a little bit of this, but mainly for him it is a pride in doing his job well.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=SP_TN_127