Juventus Season 2015-2016

[Socrates 8523]

MILAN - JUVENTUS

1 - 2

Alex (18')

Mario Mandžukić (27')
Paul Pogba (65')

 

MATCHDAY 32
Saturday, April 9th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Daniele Orsato

AC Milan vs. Juventus 1-2, Gianluigi Buffon helps
Juventus secure three vital points at San Siro

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/4/10/11399840/juventus-ac-milan-2016-serie-a-round-32-final-score-recap-result

Apr 10, 2016
 
Juventus had a pretty calm week by all intents and purposes. Sami Khedira's suspension being upheld was minor news and the team seemed to have been training calmly. Milan, on the other hand, is a different story. In the last five games, they had won one game, drawn three, and lost one. So, needless to say, Milan manager Sinisa Mihajlovic was under pressure to perform.

Based on these situations you would have thought that Juventus had the game in the bag, but this was not the case.

Max Allegri lined up with his tried and tested 3-5-2 with the usual suspects at the back, except for Daniele Rugani covering for the injured Giorgio Chiellini (BRB? BBR? what are we going to call them?). In the middle of the park Juventus had Stephan Lichtsteiner, Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio, Kwadwo Asamoah and Alex Sandro. The attack was led by Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic. Allegri's choice in midfield was a little surprising to me, because it forced Pogba to play on the right, a side in which he hasn't played since the early Anotnio Conte days. Moreover, it paired Sandro with Asa for the first time ever (I am pretty sure). I thought it would have been Stefano Sturaro to take over from the suspended Khedira. This wouldn't have affected the Sandro-Pogba pairing, which I am really enjoying, and I don't think the Lichtsteiner-Sturaro pairing would have been poor.

Nevertheless, I don't get paid millions of dollars to make these decisions, so what do I know.

The game was really strange. In the first few minutes Juventus seemed to be pegging Milan back, but they were not being incisive enough. On the other hand, Milan seemed to create chances out of nowhere. Then it became clear that Juventus were not pegging Milan back, instead they were allowed to move forward up to a point in which Milan's pressing became relentless. This type of game really caught our players off guard, and Milan ended up having the best chances. And here is where the Gigi Buffon show began.

Buffon saved a cross from Ignazio Abate and a free kick from Mario Balotelli. Unfortunately, no matter how good Buffon was, he was unable to stop a powerful Alex header from a corner. I've watched the replays a few times and I don't know who to blame here. Rugani was the closest, but it appears as though Barzagli was covering Alex when the corner was taken. No matter what, it is unacceptable that five Juventus defenders cannot cover three Milan players.

Juventus started to press a little higher and had a couple good chances. Then, 26 minutes into the match, Buffon launched a ball forward that would make Andrea Pirlo proud, and after a couple of exchanges between our front men, Mandzukic was left alone in front of Gigi Donnarumma. The Croatian didn't miss and made it 1-1. Juventus had the better chances after that but couldn't score before the ref blew the whistle.

In the second half the team came out strong, but it was Buffon again who will save the day. After 50 minutes of play, Balotelli took not one, but two shots from close range. Superman was there to stop him. It took an outstretched arm for the disgraced Italian forward to put it in the net. Fortunately for us, the ref saw right through that. At the 60 minute mark Pogba took a great free kick, but was denied by the upright. Five minutes later, the Frenchman would celebrate his seventh Serie A goal.

The goal deflated Milan. The Rossoneri tried, but were too tired to do what they did in the first half, and Juventus would shut everything down that came their way. Now Juventus keep their lead against Napoli based on their 3-0 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday.


Pagelle

Buffon 8.0 He stopped almost everything today, some of those saves were double saves. If Neto wants a starting spot he better hand in his transfer request.

Barzagli 6.0 Pretty solid at the back but I can see him being partly at fault for the goal.

Bonucci 6.5 Didn't do anything wrong but also didn't do anything worth noting.

Rugani 6.0 Same thing as Barzagli.

Lichtsteiner 6.5 As always, he was solid defensively, but left something to be desired up front. His decision making could have been better a couple of times.

Pogba 7.0 Five tackles attempted, five successful tackles. Add to that the goal and it sounds pretty good. However, this game Pogba went missing for a whole half, and for that he looses a point in my books.

Marchisio 7.0 He did well covering the defense and organizing play. Elegant as always. He could have scored a goal from outside of the 18 yard box but Donnarumma saved it.

Asamoah 5.0 Terrible game from the Ghanian. He lost the ball, was caught out of position and didn't play well with Sandro. To top things off he got a yellow card for his troubles and walked off injured.

Sandro 6.0 He managed four tackles in this match but was really ineffective going forward. I think he has us so used to great displays that today he looked subpar despite having a decent game.

Manduzkic 7.0 After getting hit in the face, he played on and scored the tying goal. He seemed really bothered by that knock. Kudos to Alex who kept him quiet most of the match.


Allegri 6.0 Coaches live and die by their decisions and Allegri had one bad one — Asamoah. The experiment could have turned out great and Allegri could have received an 8, but instead it didn't pan out. Also, the team looked unprepared. He needs to make sure to keep the pressure high until the title is ours. Losing it at this stage would be ridiculous.


Things I think I think

- I have to say something about last week's headlines involving Sarri, Higuain, and Juventus. That kind of mentality can only hurt Serie A. If the tournament is a foregone conclusion for everyone then why watch, and most importantly why play the tournament

- Seeing Milan is like bumping into your friend from high school who is now a jobless alcoholic. Milan was one of the big teams that I really respect and I hope they come back at some point.

- Lichtsteiner has done so much for this shirt, being instrumental in every single trophy this team has won. With that being said, I think it is time to start looking ahead. We need someone else that has better crossing ability but take his defensive duties as seriously as the Swiss Express.

- Allegri is lucky that Milan did not punish Juve more with this starting lineup. Trying things like these in Europe can cost you the game.

- Juventus.com had a picture of the Buffon save from Balotelli's corner. The caption said, "Fill in the blank: Buffon last night was_______ . My favorite one was Buffon last night was himself.
 
 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

MILAN - JUVENTUS

1 - 2

Alex (18')

Mario Mandžukić (27')
Paul Pogba (65')

 

MATCHDAY 32
Saturday, April 9th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Daniele Orsato

Juventus Surge to Further Glory Despite
Premature Champions League Exit

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2631854-juventus-surge-to-further-glory-despite-premature-champions-league-exit?

Apr 11, 2016
 
That should just about do it. Juventus’ 2-1 victory at AC Milan on Saturday night, in one of Serie A’s historically prestigious fixtures, has ended any doubt over the destination of the Scudetto, if there had been any before.

Napoli’s 3-0 win over wooden-spooners Hellas Verona on Sunday afternoon kept the gap between first and second place at six points, but make no mistake, this was Juve’s weekend.

The game was also a further underlining of how the balance of power has moved west over northern Italy in recent years. Alex’s early goal, which gave the Rossoneri the lead and roused the San Siro, only accentuated this, offering brief—and quickly dashed—hope of an exploit to lift a floundering Milan season under Sinisa Mihajlovic.

This is what Juve did under Antonio Conte and have continued to do under Massimiliano Allegri. There may be passages of hope for opponents, but Juve are almost stronger in the final stages. They grind you down and get their way.

The sharpest illustration of that characteristic this season will remain their match with nearest challengers Napoli in February. The Partenopei matched the champions blow for blow and were well worth a point—a result, you felt, that would have suited Allegri just fine. Only substitute Simone Zaza took things into his own hands, scored a fine (if deflected) winner and placed Juve back on top of the table. That saw a reshuffling of the classifica that looks increasingly permanent.

It’s at least some form of comfort in the wake of defeat in that titanic UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich. Juve were so close to a shock of their own—which it would have been given their slow start in Turin and their diminished resources in the return—before Pep Guardiola’s side overcame them in extra time.

The sort of late agony suffered in at the Allianz Arena can break a team, but Juve have not for a moment since looked like being overwhelmed. They have won three successive Serie A games since their trip to Munich, albeit with varying levels of comfort, and they are nailed on for a fifth straight title. The full extent of their majesty is that since late October, they’ve taken 62 points from a total of 66 available in the league.

This surge back to where they should be is confirmation Juve have continued to develop under Allegri, even if last year’s glorious run to the Champions League final in Berlin couldn’t be matched. The quality of their play in this season’s competition is a huge caveat in this campaign’s relatively early exit and promotes confidence that it could well be a one-off in the Allegri era—the extension of which the man himself said in recent days was a “formality," shared by MSN.

When assessing Juve’s season overall, though, it’s worth suspending the benefit of hindsight and being completely honest. After all, the opening weeks of the Serie A campaign suggested Juventini might have to lower their expectations to adjust to, at best, a disappointing season or, at worst, a transitional one.

Before they hit that stellar run, the assumption of retaining the title seemed to have given way to prioritising a top-three finish. Chelsea, after all, have shown how a poor start to a championship defence can quickly turn into a fallow season, even with a partial recovery. After losing three of their first six in Serie A—including, crucially, defeats to direct rivals in the shape of Roma and Napoli—Allegri and company were on the expressway to nowhere.

Paul Pogba, the scorer of Saturday night’s winner and sailing into his imperious best just at the right time for France’s UEFA Euro 2016 hopes, looked alarmingly fallible in the season’s opening weeks. It seemed as if the No. 10 shirt, assumed following the departure of Carlos Tevez, was a millstone rather than an inspiration for the relentlessly ambitious and supremely confident player.

If many were deflated by this—and some attempted to use it as evidence of the midfielder’s callowness given his respectable but hardly earth-moving performance in the Berlin final—they weren’t allowing themselves the necessary context. The team’s state of flux was partly caused by Tevez's departure, but the other key pieces who moved on in the summer all played in the area of the pitch where Pogba works: midfield.

No Andrea Pirlo and no Arturo Vidal meant Pogba was required to be a leader all of a sudden, as well as recalibrating his own playing role. This was accentuated by the loss of Claudio Marchisio—Juve’s outstanding player in Berlin—to injury for the bulk of the season’s opening two months.

On Saturday, beside Marchisio again but also with Kwadwo Asamoah—the Ghanaian is accomplished enough but hardly one of Allegri’s first picks—Pogba ruled the roost again. His winner was beautifully taken, but it was his level of involvement that impressed—and not only in the final third. The defensive side to Pogba’s game (the part that needs the most work) was excellent. He made more tackles (five) than anybody else in the Juve side, per WhoScored.com.

Alvaro Morata, another player who suffered in those delicate opening weeks of the season, also played a crucial role. Just over 10 months ago, the Champions League final suggested he would lead Juve into the post-Tevez era before spearheading Spain in the Euros.

It hasn’t quite worked out like that—partly because of Paulo Dybala’s wonderful performances. It seemed highly speculative to say the summer signing from Palermo could adequately replace Tevez, one of the world’s outstanding players last season, but he has achieved the seemingly impossible.

Morata has looked more like himself in recent weeks; seven of his 10 goals and four of his six assists this term have come since the end of January, and he laid on Mario Mandzukic's equaliser against Milan.

Even if history may eventually only remember Bayern’s comeback in Europe, there is justifiable regret in Allegri’s rare slip in withdrawing the striker for the last 20 minutes, removing the player who was causing Guardiola’s team the most discomfort.

There is the sense Morata and Dybala haven’t quite clicked, but Juve won’t want to give up on trying. As speculation mounts that Real Madrid will exercise their €30 million buyback option on their canterano this summer, Juve have even been linked with paying Los Merenegues extra to cancel the option and keep him, per giornalaccio rosa World.

If Morata could be persuaded, there seems little limit to what Juve could become. Alex Sandro has become more and more important after being gradually eased into life in Turin. Against Milan, defender Daniele Rugani—who has had to be patient for his chance—was impressive in place of Giorgio Chiellini, even though the 21-year-old was making just his sixth Serie A start of the season.

So don’t make the mistake of thinking Juve have regressed this season. If anything, they have proved even stronger than we thought.

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

MILAN - JUVENTUS

1 - 2

Alex (18')

Mario Mandžukić (27')
Paul Pogba (65')

 

MATCHDAY 32
Saturday, April 9th, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Daniele Orsato

AC MILAN 1-2 JUVENTUS
MATCH REPORT

http://www.juvefc.com/ac-milan-1-2-juventus/?

Apr 11, 2016
 
I had suspected we would face a sterner test than league positions and recent results would suggest. For games against AC Milan are always something separate, beyond and apart from the general run of the league campaign. A different kind of honour is at stake, something noble, proud and majestic, for if there are two classic pillars of Italian football they are found in the ranks and history of these two clubs.

Whilst it was pleasing to welcome back Sandro, and also to see Rugani given his third start on the trot, I was less than convinced of the value of shoe-horning Pogba into the CMR role, when his best work has long been found in the opposite channel. The system we have most commonly deployed demands a different set of duties for that particular role, for our formation is never symmetrical. It is slanted. Much like Vidal, Khedira and Sturaro can both naturally adopt a box to box role, with a greater (or equal) emphasis on the defensive phase than the offensive stage of the game. Both are adept at screening the defence, with the German equally comfortable supporting in the final third. Pogba, however, is not as accustomed to the role.

And so it was Asamoah charged with the Pogba position, and the Frenchman asked to masquerade as Big Sami.

The game started at a lively pace. The hosts clearly setting their stall out to meet us thrust for thrust, jab for jab, Alex fouling Morata every 30 seconds, Pogba well marshaled and out of sorts. Neither side was in true ascendancy. Still, after a few early scares it came as no major surprise when Milan took the lead through a Balotelli corner plundered into the net for 1-0 by Alex. The marking was non existent with several Juve players flocking around Bacca at the near post leaving the Brazilian veteran free to head home. There had been warning signs of the danger of much maligned Balotelli, for Buffon had earlier saved a splendid free kick from the striker. I was increasingly impressed with Mario. His swift probing and flair remain potent, as does his pace.

Rather than let our heads drop, we continued to try piece together quality moving up the field. Lichsteiner found space and produced a half decent shot on goal. Marchisio also let fly from range. Remarkably, it was Buffon who produced the long ball from his own half which led to the equaliser. Mandzukic won the aerial battle, knocked the ball down to Morata who returned the pass which the giant Croatian despatched past the youngster between the sticks. Before the ref blew for half time, Lichsteiner again found good space in the box, yet his effort on goal was lame.

Early in the second period we were reminded as to why Buffon is rightfully considered a true legend of the game, assuredly on par with the best of all time. Bacca found space in the box, drove a strong shot towards goal which was superbly parried by Buffon, Balotelli on hand to apply the finish and yet from point blank range, Santo Buffon tipped the ball up and away to safety. The double save was truly remarkable. A superhuman feat.

We were growing in confidence. Our superior fitness or perhaps confidence driving the balance in our favour. A flurry of bookings for the home side coincided with Pogba finally hitting his stride. Finding himself in the 6 yard box, the ball had to be hit at an awkward angle, yet King Paul prevailed, bouncing the ball off the ground and over the despairing Donnarumma for 1-2.

After which the home side lost heart, the wind was knocked out of their sails.


Player ratings

Buffon 9 – In immense form throughout. In fact without his expertise we would have drawn or lost. Saves from Balotelli, Bacca and commanding his box kept us in the game. At 38 years of age, Buffon remains world class.

Barzagli 6 – Strangely subdued, yet came to life in the second half as did many of his comrades.

Bonucci 6 – As with Barzagli, Big Leo failed to defend as resolutely as we have come to expect. No major mistakes, yet lacking the fierce drive which makes him an uncomfortable opponent for all who find themselves in his path.

Rugani 6.5 – Given the pressure and spectacle, the youngster did well enough. He continues to pass through the rites of passage comfortably, if not always impressively. Did the simple things carefully and covered, tackled and intercepted as well as any other in the rear-guard.

Lichsteiner 6.5 – Another who seemed lethargic, yet the Swiss Locomotive found several promising positions and was solid on the flank. Managed to suppress the normally more adventurous Bonaventura.

Pogba 7.5 – A game of two contrasting halves for the gallic prince. Off the pace in the first 45, struggled to make any meaningful impact, other than a top drawer free kick which hit the post. Clearly collected his thoughts during the interval and emerged a different beast. Began to impose himself as the opponents tired of double and sometimes triple marking him. And once he found more space, it was only a matter of time before he made his technical superiority count. Well taken goal, superb second period showing. We need him to play in such a way for 90 minutes though, not 40.

Marchisio 6.5 – Quiet, yet worked damn hard as always screening the defence and attempting to keep the ball moving quickly and intelligently. Until he has a run of games without injury we are unlikely to see his best.

Asamoah 5.5 – After such a brilliant cameo against Empoli I was very much disappointed with the Ghanaian. Perhaps he was trying too hard? Running into dead-ends, losing the ball, his effort and eagerness not yet matched by his sharpness on the ball, which is to be expected of a player who has barely played this season. Great to have him back in the ranks and available, and I know he will come good soon enough.

Sandro 7 – I enjoy the brazilian more every time I see him play. Clearly missed Pogba in close attendance, yet stuck to his task, defended resolutely and bombed forward with zeal time and time again. His ball control is splendid as is his pace.

Mandzukic 6.5 – Took his goal smartly, toiled hard and was facing too many foes to conjure any other meaningful opportunities. Finally we saw some decent link-up play between the Croatian and the Spaniard!

Morata 6.5 – Battered, tactically, by Alex until he earned a yellow card. Found it very tricky indeed to turn and explode with lightning pace and menace, as his minder was always supported by fellow henchmen blocking a path to open space. Worked himself into the ground, though never truly sparked into life. Smart enough to assist the goal.


SUBS –

Zaza 5.5 – Earned his trademark yellow card, other than which offered nothing of value other than appearing aesthetically a cousin to Alex.

Cuadrado – N/A

Evra – N/A


Aside from the two goals we scored and the manner in which we took control of the game after taking the lead, it must be said that Buffon was by far the busier keeper. In fact, he was the difference more than any other in black and white. Milan were impressive. And we were not far shy of lackadaisical – albeit in patches – for much of the first half.

Balotelli, despite suffering from obvious fatigue, displayed more technical ability and flair than I have seen in any of those chosen by Conte as the attacking options for the EUROs. It is a shame, in many ways, that Il Mister is so pig-headed, for even a barely half fit Balotelli troubled our defence more than most others of his ilk have managed this season. He has astonishing talent. And I can but still hope against reality and my conclusion of Conte, that he will make the cut for France. I believe we need him.

I was also impressed with Alex. Reminded me of Cannavaro, who was a cultured thug of the highest calibre in his heyday. Sinisa clearly set out his tactics to stifle and stride forward with Mario as the fulcrum of creativity. Our key creators of Pogba and Morata found very little space in the first 50 minutes. It was not until their markers tired that we began to impose ourselves. Yet still only managed a slender victory.

We did enough to warrant the 3 points, which is what matters most. Played our part in an entertaining fixture and yet seem to have been struck in the process by yet more injuries. Morata’s stomach is not a serious worry, yet Asamoah was evidently hurt. Dybala continues to attempt to remedy his muscular strain and Chiellini? Who knows when he will return. Still, Napoli have Roma and Inter to face away, whereas we have only Lazio at home and Florence away to contend with as potentially tricky ties. Our journey to the finishing line appears at least on paper, slightly less taxing.

It seemed mildly odd that Allegri opted to deploy Asamoah, moving Pogba in the process, rather than play Lemina (or Sturaro) in place of Khedira. For as we have an option to sign Lemina for 9.5m before the end of April, would it not make more sense to give the lad a chance to impress before that date? Either we are negotiating with Marseille for another loan, we have decided to buy him, or we have decided to send him home. I have not seen enough of the player to make the call. Nobody has (other than the coaches in training) due to injuries. I could not even suggest where his best position lies. Yet 9.5m for a 22 year old who has shown great form in France, has suitors elsewhere and when fit, has performed well in our colours? Seems a steal and at worst a punt unlikely to lead us astray…

I am assuming that Pogba will remain, as will Morata. With this firmly in mind I will ponder the next stage of evolution for our squad.

Caceres, Zaza, Cuadrado, Hernanes and perhaps Padoin will leave. I would not be surprised to see Pereyra added to that list, yet given his season of injury, we will make a sizeable loss on his value in monetary terms.


OUT

Caceres, Zaza, Cuadrado, Hernanes, Padoin, (Pereyra).


IN

Berardi, Saponara, Mkhitaryan, Vrsaljko, Benatia (or Tonelli) and one other, of an attacking nature.

 

Even assuming Pereyra will remain, as he most likely will, the other five changes will improve the squad hugely. Its up to Beppe and Fabio to make such moves, yet the signs are very positive. I have full faith in that duo.

If Lemina is sent home, we will have another space in the squad to fill. My instincts suggest he will stay put.

We have 7 games to play. The double is yet again within our grasp and bearing in mind we lost 3 established world class players last Summer, have suffered our worst series of injuries for the whole season, if we were to claim league and cup, it would be a tremendous achievement.

Next weekend’s matches at the top could well prove decisive. We have Palermo at home whilst Napoli travel to Inter. Despite Fiorentina’s wretched form, they seem unlikely to be caught by Milan or Sassuolo for the final European place. Further down…it would be interesting to see Carpi survive and Palermo once again head down, and who knows eh…perhaps Juve can thereafter reunite Vazquez with Dybala!

Forza Juve

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Paulo Dybala ready for Juventus return
against old club Palermo

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/2848719/dybala-close-to-juventus-comeback-against-old-club-palermo

Apr 12, 2016
 
Juventus' 14-goal forward Paulo Dybala is set to make his return from injury against his old club Palermo on Sunday.

The Argentine limped out of Juve's 4-1 win over Torino on March 20 but his club continued to pile on the wins, the latest being last weekend's 2-1 win over AC Milan that took them six-points clear of Napoli.

Dybala, 22, who joined Juventus at the start of this season after spending three years with Palermo, is eager to get back on the pitch, but admitted that it will be odd playing against his old side.

"It will be a little strange, having played for Palermo for three years, but I'm a Juventus player and on Sunday I will think only of the three points," Dybala told reporters.

"We must not give away anything and keep the right approach, bringing respect for every opponent.

"Now, we are almost at the finish line."

Knowing that he is likely to lift his first-ever Serie A title in his maiden season with the Turin giants, Dybala praised his teammates for helping him settle in quickly, and has set sights on even more silverware with the club.

"I chose Juventus to win and everything was clear after my first goal in the Super Cup," he said.

"That was perhaps the most beautiful moment I have lived with Juventus so far.

"I always try to improve, in everything I do, the club and the team-mates have helped me a lot."

With six games left to go, Juventus will be well on their way to a fifth consecutive Serie A title if they can seal a 25th league win of the season against Palermo at home on Sunday.

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Paulo Dybala sounds like he will be making his return
to the Juventus lineup against Palermo

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/4/12/11412668/paulo-dybala-injury-juventus-palermo-2016-serie-a

Apr 12, 2016
 
Over the last few weeks, Juventus have proven they can win games without their leading goal scorer, Paulo Dybala, in the starting lineup. That doesn't mean we don't want to welcome La Joya back into the lineup ASAP. That's basically because you want a player of Dybala's quality playing as much as he possibly can within reason.

Well, folks, it sounds like we are getting pretty close to seeing Dybala on the field once again.

That's good. We've missed you, Paulo.

As he seemed to directly or indirectly hint at in an interview on Monday, Dybala's return to the field could very well be happening this weekend against his former team, Palermo, at Juventus Stadium on Sunday. It would be the first time in nearly a month we've seen Dybala on the field in a Juve jersey after he picked up an injury in the first half of the Turin derby on March 20. Here are his words, courtesy of Juventus' official website:

"There's a great spirit in the dressing room at the moment. Naturally we're delighted with the way we have overhauled Napoli and established an important lead in the last few months but we're also aware that the job is not done yet.

"As for me, I'm feeling good, training well and looking forward to returning to action soon. It'll be strange facing off against Palermo again having played there for three years. Old team or not, I'll be thinking only of taking Juventus one step closer to the title."

If there's one team Dybala makes his return for, it makes sense that it's Palermo considering how much respect that young guy seems to have for his former employer. And knowing how much of a mess Palermo is right now, having a player with Dybala's capabilities on the field will be even that much more helpful when it comes to continuing this final charge toward the Scudetto.

Even with Dybala missing the last couple of games, he's still tied for second in the league in goals scored (14), and even with teammate Paul Pogba in assists (8). Juventus have been getting by just fine with Álvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic in this post-international break world, but it sure will be nice to see Dybala on the field and hopefully 100 percent healthy again.

The last thing we need is to see is a repeat of when he had to be subbed off before halftime against Torino last month. But by the way he's talking, Dybala is sick and tired of being forced to watch his teammates pick up wins from the stands or at home with his family. (Don't lie, you know you wanna watch a game with the Dybala family, though.)

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

Juventus - The Old Lady who would
bring balance to the Force

Juventus is the manifestation of the long-foretold modern team
that perfectly blends attacking flair with defensive solidity.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/4/12/10991762/juventus-the-old-lady-who-would-bring-balance-to-the-force

Apr 12, 2016
 
This day has long been foretold. The team who would blend a pure, undefiled love for beautiful attacking flair play with a fiendish fascination with the dark arts of defending.

The midichlorians once tingled in anticipation of a team just as comfortable in possession as they are playing on the counter, as happy to aggressively dominate long spells of a match as they are to serenely soak up pressure and wait for their moment to strike.

Juventus combines the silken icy-calm of Claudio Marchisio with the calculated brutishness of the enigmatic Giorgio Chiellini, a backyard brawler with a collegiate degree. A volatile Swissman was previously the corniest joke you could make before Stephan Lichtsteiner appeared on the scene, but the fiery right back exemplifies the dual nature of this Bianconeri.

Massimiliano Allegri has taken Antonio Conte's Juventus and moulded it in his image. Through Conte's Sith-like passion, his side gained strength. With Allegri, this side has found serenity while retaining the power and lethal danger — both on the counter-attack and in possession — that has made them so dangerous over the last four years.

Despite Juve's worst start to a season in league history, the Mister preached patience. Notwithstanding the raft of injuries that decimated his squad early on, he stayed calm. Regardless of the calls to ringing through the Piemonte to feature Paulo Dybala more prominently early on, he remained serene to gradually work his young Padawan into the system, heedless of those who screamed for his forced inclusion.

Showing greater tactical flexibility than Conte's version of Juventus, Allegri's team shifts and morphs as personnel and situation dictates. Whether it be the now-traditional 3-5-2, his preferred 4-3-1-2, or some hybrid 3-5-2/4-4-2 formation, this Zebrette side adapts to the situations as easily as Jar Jar Binks goes from land to water.

I'm sorry I mentioned Jar Jar Binks, but you guys get the point. Also *whispers* Jar Jar might lowkey actually be the best Star Wars character ever.

At this point, you'd be hard-pressed to name a team that defends as well as Juventus while simultaneously boasting the caliber of attacking talent this side does. Despite the heartbreaking Champions League exit, going out at the hands of Pep Guardiola's rampant Bayern Munich side, Juventus showed exactly the type of balance — and, admittedly, turbulence — that has been so evident in this team. First showing its dark side in a subdued first-half showing against the Bavarians, then storming back to level the match 2-2 in an incredible second-half performance. In the second leg, Juventus turned the tables, marching imperially to an improbable but wholly deserved 2-0 lead before being force-choked into submission by a rousing comeback by Munich.

So what does the future hold for this team? Currently sitting six points clear at the top of the Serie A table, led by Grey Jedi Master Allegri and with the new, progressive Jedi Council of Andrea Agnelli, Pavel Nedved and Giuseppe Marotta at the helm, anything is possible. Stay tuned for the next episode.

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Dybala returns to Juventus training

http://www.football-italia.net/82722/dybala-returns-juventus-training?

Apr 12, 2016
 
Paulo Dybala has returned to Juventus training, as he recovers from a calf injury.

The forward hasn’t featured for the Bianconeri since going off injured against Torino on March 20, and had been training separately.

“Rejoining the group for a portion of the session was Paulo Dybala,” the Old Lady confirmed in the official training report.

“He will continue to work towards full fitness in the coming days ahead of this weekend's fixture against his former club [Palermo] at Juventus Stadium.”

Since joining in a €40m deal from the Rosanero last summer, Dybala has repaid the Turin giants with 14 goals and eight assists in 29 Serie A appearances.

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Novellino: ‘Zamp trying to save Palermo’

http://www.football-italia.net/82816/novellino-%E2%80%98zamp-trying-save-palermo%E2%80%99

Apr 14, 2016
 
Walter Novellino insists Maurizio Zamparini “is doing everything to save Palermo”.

The Coach was sacked by the Rosanero this week, with Davide Ballardini returning to replace him in the ninth change this season.

However, despite being given just four games on the Barbera bench, the former Sampdoria boss bears no ill-will toward the club President.

“All I can say is that I was unlucky at Palermo,” Novellino told TuttoJuve.

“I have to thank Zamparini for the opportunity, when you don’t win it’s the Coach who pays for it.

“Zamparini? He’s bitter, disappointed by the performance of the team. He’s doing everything to save Palermo.”

The Sicilian side face League leaders Juventus in Turin on Sunday, but Novellino thinks that could actually help them.

“Juve don’t give anything to anyone. Palermo will try to bring home an important result. The team is lacking organisation, they’re a little bit afraid.

“Maybe they can find some calm by playing away from home.”

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Dybala: 'Scudetto belongs to Juve'

http://www.football-italia.net/82831/dybala-scudetto-belongs-juve?

Apr 15, 2016
 
Paulo Dybala says it would be 'incredible' for Juventus not to win the Scudetto and regrets the Champions League: 'It could have been ours'.

The Argentinian emerged as the Old Lady's star striker this season, and his return from injury is gleefully expected by the fans.

It seems likely that Dybala will play this Sunday against Palermo, and the player confirmed that.

“Yes, yesterday I had the full training session with the team,” he told Il Corriere dello Sport. “I went at 100 per cent and had no problems.

“I agree that losing the Scudetto with six points of advantage seems incredible. Everybody wrote us off, but our comeback and the drive we show in every training session shows that the Scudetto has to be ours.”

In spite of the success in Serie A, the Champions League remains an elusive target for the Old Lady.

“When I saw that Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League it made my head spin. With a little more luck this could have been Juventus' tournament. Now I hope Bayern Munich win it. At least we'd have bowed out to the champions.

“Leo Messi? He is my idol. He does things that no-one else can do. Since Ronaldinho is no longer playing, he is the champion I'd like to bring to Juventus.”

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Mario Mandzukic vs. Stefano Sorrentino
Will Be Key Juventus vs. Palermo Battle

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2632240-mario-mandzukic-vs-stefano-sorrentino-will-be-key-juventus-vs-palermo-battle?

Apr 15, 2016
 
Looking to continue their pursuit of history, this weekend will see Juventus looking to reinforce their advantage over Napoli at the top of the Serie A table.

With their closest rivals facing a tough encounter with Inter Milan on Saturday evening, the Bianconeri will hope to take to the field against Palermo knowing they can extend the current six-point gap.

Sunday’s clash with the Sicilian outfit should be a relatively straightforward one for a Juventus side who have won 21 of their last 22 league fixtures, a run which includes a 3-0 win over the Rosanero back in November.

OptaPaolo ✔ ‎@OptaPaolo
28 - Palermo have gained 28 points after 32 Serie A MDs, as many as they reached in 2012/13, when they have been relegated. Similarities.

Since then, their opponents have suffered from a desperate loss of form and are winless in their previous 11 outings. They have conceded a total of 57 goals in 2015/16—trailing only Frosinone for the worst defensive record in Serie A—while the Bianconeri have netted 58 times, the third-highest tally on the peninsula.

Paulo Dybala moved from Palermo to Juventus last summer and remains the top scorer for Massimiliano Allegri’s men, but the coach will be aware that the Argentinian is lacking fitness as this fixture approaches.

Indeed, while the 22-year-old has weighed in with 18 goals and eight assists in all competitions, he has not featured since the March 20 win over Torino due to an ongoing calf injury. “I’m training normally, and I hope to return to the group in the next few days because I don’t feel any pain,” he told Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) this week.

Yet with Dybala sidelined, Mario Mandzukic has stepped up for Juventus and scored in each of the last two games. Prior to those strikes, the Croatia international had not hit the back of the net since December’s victory over Carpi, a 10-game barren spell that ended with his match-winning goal against Empoli.

OptaPaolo ✔ ‎@OptaPaolo
103 - Mario Mandzukic's previous Serie A goal dated back to December 2015 (vs Carpi): 103 days ago. Relief.

He followed that up with an equaliser against AC Milan last weekend, and is likely to lead the line for Juventus against Palermo. Mandzukic now has 11 goals this term, and he will surely be looking to add to that tally against Sunday’s opponents who will certainly give the 29-year-old striker the chance to do so.

According to statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, the 16.4 shots per game allowed by the Rosanero is the second-highest total in Serie A, meaning that Stefano Sorrentino is likely to have a busy afternoon at Juventus Stadium.

The goalkeeper has managed just six clean sheets in 2015/16, but he has still played well in extremely difficult circumstances. Figures taken from the Fox Soccer website show that only Emiliano Viviano of Sampdoria (120) and Frosinone’s Nicola Leali (114) have made more saves than Sorrentino’s 107 this term.

With Walter Novellino sacked earlier this week, Palermo have now made no fewer than nine coaching changes this term, per Football Italia, and their position in the bottom three is therefore no surprise.

“I'd never been in a situation like this before,” Sorrentino told Sky Italia (h/t Goal.com) back in January, and the issues have only escalated since then. Palermo’s poor goal difference has put them in the relegation places, and the shot-stopper’s ability to prevent Juventus running up the score could be crucial in this clash.

Speaking to Croatian news outlet Sportske Novosti last month (h/t Football Italia), Mandzukic said that Allegri “has given me a lot of support” before adding that the coach had helped him overcome his earlier struggles.

“With this faith he was close to me in the difficult moments and that means a lot to me,” Mandzukic continued, and he will look to repay that faith by winning his battle with Sorrentino on Sunday to help Juventus beat Palermo.

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus' defence must show improvement
before season's end

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2851341/juventus-defence-must-show-improvement-before-seasons-end

Apr 16, 2016
 
Conceding only 17 goals and collecting 18 clean sheets in 32 Serie A games, one can only point to a brilliant defence and applaud Juventus for their reliability. After all, this is a side that knows exactly how to work as a unit and frustrate the opponent. Yet, upon watching the likes of Atletico Madrid shut out Barcelona in the Champions League, one cannot help but wonder whether Juventus' back-line, while excellent so often, are as good when pitted against strikers of immense quality.

When the Turin giants were paired with Bayern Munich in the last 16 round of the Champions League, many including this writer billed the clash as a beautiful defence versus a beautiful attack. Yet within 55 minutes, the Bavarian side had scored two goals in Juventus' home. Perhaps anxiety kicked in and psychological fears forced Juventus into an under par performance; yet it only got worse in the second half of the second leg when Bayern scored four in front of their own fans to seal qualification to the next round of the competition.

Forced to sit deeper and deeper as they attempted to shut out the opponent, Juve were unable to sustain the pressure as Pep Guardiola's men eventually found their way through, forcing their Italian opponents into committing unusual errors. Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli struggled to contain the brilliance of Robert Lewandowski and co.

Perhaps one can say that Juve were facing a perfectly balanced attack overflowing with skill and talent. Yet in the group stage against Sevilla, away from home, the centre-backs also erred, losing ground to Kevin Gameiro and Fernando Llorente, the latter, an ex-Bianconero, scoring the goal that forced Juventus to progress as runners-up of their group.

It must be said that Juve rarely face a good challenge in Serie A as they are allowed to dominate possession in a way they cannot expect to do in Europe. However, even then, when playing against the better strikers in the league, anxiety creeps into their play in much the same way it did when facing Marco Borriello of Carpi in December.

Against Milan last weekend, it took a great performance from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to rescue his team who frequently looked troubled. Buffon has been forced to work a little harder in recent weeks, managing 22 saves in the last six match-days -- as many as in the previous 15. It bears mentioning that the defence is playing with Daniele Rugani in place of the experienced Giorgio Chiellini, but the team appears more anxious at the back than usual. Buffon has broken records largely thanks to the men who play ahead of him, but it's also important to note that without him, Juventus would be a little lost, especially as he has managed the highest percentage of saves in Europe, second only to Kevin Trapp of PSG.

The above is in no way meant to suggest that the Old Lady hasn't achieved remarkable figures at the back. After all, they proved capable of containing strong attacking sides, such as Napoli and Gonzalo Higuain in recent weeks. The point though is that they still have work to do, especially in matches against teams that boast a strong attack and won't allow them to control games like they're used to doing.

In Europe, Juve have been a force to be reckoned with, but while many would bet their lives on Atletico Madrid not conceding in the big games, can the same really be said of Juventus? Perhaps the Spaniards' next Champions League clash against Bayern Munich will better demonstrate the strength of their defence in comparison to Juve.

In the meantime, Massimiliano Allegri's men must continue the fight in Serie A where they face Palermo next, a club ridiculed for their constant hiring and sacking of coaches. Lacking an identity and any sort of momentum, the club have great players and a well-equipped squad, but in recent weeks have suffered to score, let alone win.

With Paulo Dybala back in training, seemingly recovered from his injury problems, it remains to be seen if Allegri will rely on him to face his old club. A phenomenon desperate to score more goals, Dybala's return should ensure better attacking performances from a Juve side that has looked less than perfect in recent weeks, despite grinding out important wins.

Likely to deploy a 3-5-2 formation, Juan Cuadrado and Patrice Evra may well be used on the wings while it appears Mario Mandzukic is set to lead the offensive line. Another win at home and Juventus are one step closer to clinching yet another title.

 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Time for Morata goals

Alvaro Morata must add the goals his recent Juventus
performances have only hinted at, writes Luca Cetta.

http://www.football-italia.net/82876/time-morata-goals?

Apr 16, 2016

Much of the focus will be on Paulo Dybala as Juventus welcome crisis-ridden Palermo to Turin on Sunday. Twice injured in the past month, it has been a frustrating spell in a successful first season for the Argentine, now on the comeback trail. While Dybala was sidelined, it was another Bianconeri striker who shone.

Alvaro Morata has arguably been Juve’s best performer in that time, only lacking the goals at the end of it. The Spaniard will look to put that right against a desperate team hoping to avoid relegation.

It has been a much kinder 2016 for Morata than the latter half of 2015. Pivotal in Juve’s European exploits last term, a decent start to the campaign was followed by a long barren patch. It wasn’t until late January – a run of 20 matches without a goal – that Morata was able to put the drought behind him. Being relegated to the bench was not what Morata had in mind for his second Juve season.

Handed a start in the return leg against Bayern Munich following Dybala’s first injury, Morata impressed. He was the main figure causing havoc for a ragged Bavarian backline. Morata should have ended the night with a goal. The turning point of the contest was his second half withdrawal for Mario Mandzukic.

The 23-year-old followed it up with a second half brace in the Derby della Mole – once more replacing Dybala. Those have been his only goals since late February, a return not fitting what Morata has brought to the side. He starred against Empoli, thumping the woodwork, and then assisted Mandzukic’s equaliser at Milan last Saturday.

Massimiliano Allegri always backed Morata to be decisive. Even when he was not scoring, the tactician threw his support behind the Spaniard and the team is reaping the rewards.

A likely starter on Sunday, facing a side without a win since 24 January is the perfect opportunity to add to his six-goal Serie A total. Palermo have kept only seven clean sheets this term and conceded six times in the last two matches.

Simone Zaza is suspended, so if Dybala is deemed only fit enough for the bench against his former club, it will be the same combination which helped bring down the Rossoneri. Now six points clear at the top of the table, victory will see Juve move even closer to a fifth consecutive Scudetto.

Goals are also important for Morata with Euro 2016 on the horizon. The striker has been criticised for an inconsistent campaign by Spain Coach Vicente Del Bosque, but with the attack something of a concern for La Furia Roja, a position is up for grabs.

“If he’s not being used much it’s his own fault, not the fault of his Coach. It means he’s not doing well,” Del Bosque said last month. “But he has everything to be our central attacker. For some reason he hasn’t found the right regularity yet, he has his own responsibility for this.” The Spain boss did praise Morata’s performance in the subsequent friendly with Italy.

Real Madrid will certainly be keeping a close eye on how Morata closes the season, with the buy-back clause still an issue for Juventus. The Bianconeri would like to keep the player and he has stated his intention to continue in Turin, but an uncertain summer on that front is forthcoming.

Yet for now Morata’s only concern can be scoring goals in the black and white shirt. He stepped up in Dybala’s absence and has been important for a Bianconeri side closing in on more silverware. Now Morata must apply the finishing touches.
 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

JUVENTUS VS PALERMO MATCH PREVIEW

http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-vs-palermo-match-preview-scouting/?

Apr 16, 2016
 

Juventus

Last Saturday, Milan challenged Juventus in a way that was maybe unexpected, but in the end, the Bianconeri grabbed yet another win: the 19th in the last 20 matches, which is honestly mind-blowing. Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic combined spectacularly for the equalizer, then Paul Pogba beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a bouncy shot in a corner kick situation. Obviously, the man of the match was Gianluigi Buffon, who made two incredible saves and continues to perform at the highest level. Even though Milan played well, Juventus put the game to bed with the second goal. I never actually had the impression that we could lose that game.

It will be a tough week as it always is when you play thrice in seven days: after the Palermo match, Juventus host Lazio and then travel to Florence. Three match days that are likely to decide the Scudetto race: Napoli will face Inter, Bologna and Roma, the first and the third on the road, and I would be surprised if they managed to cut the lead. Of course, Juventus is in control of the situation and does not need to worry about Napoli’s results if they keep up this pace. At this point, after such a long series of good results, a slip-up would be very understandable, but I am sure that the coaching staff and the players are aware of the peril.

Just as it looked like this will be one of the few injury-free weeks of the season, Norberto Neto picked a calf injury and will miss about a month. Alvaro Morata and Kwadwo Asamoah left the Milan game with apparent ailments, but it was minor stuff and they did not even take the tests. Roberto Pereyra was said to be out for 7-10 days before the last match and there were no updates on his condition, so he will be sidelined. Giorgio Chiellini remains out to nurse a hamstring problem, along with Martin Caceres who is out for the season and reportedly leaving the club as well.

Sami Khedira has served his two game suspension and he is slated to return to the starting XI. Paulo Dybala has made progresses in his recovery and he is battling with Morata and Mandzukic for the starting job: any combination of the three could be the right one. Simone Zaza is suspended.

Thanks to his strong performances, Daniele Rugani has earned Massimiliano Allegri’s trust, so 3-5-2 will continue to be the way to go unless the coach decides to rest one between Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci, which is not out of the question. Two more difficult games are coming up, so some rotation is possible in the midfield as well to preserve maybe Claudio Marchisio or Paul Pogba. We will see all the four wing-backs in the coming games, Juan Cuadrado-Patrice Evra could be the duo for this one.

It will be interesting to see whether they decide to give Mario Lemina some playing time: the management has make a decision on the €9.5M option by April 30th. Obviously they could take some more time, but they would have to re-negotiate with Olympique Marseille and it would not be automatic. Sincerely, I do not know what their assessment would be: the Frenchman has shown some flashes of real talent, but he has also dealt with a nagging injury like knee tendonitis that could resurface in the future. Also, Juventus is reportedly looking to make a splash in the midfield, so at least one of the current players will be the odd man out. You can not keep adding pieces without giving up something.


Probable lineup 3-5-2

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Dybala.


Injuries:

Caceres (Achilles), Chiellini (hamstring), Neto (calf), Pereyra (hamstring).

Suspensions:

Zaza.


 

Palermo

Right now, Palermo is a dumpster fire. After finishing 11th last season, they literally dragged themselves into the three-team battle to avoid relegation. They are currently third to last because they have a worse goal difference than Carpi. The situation is very troubling and honestly self-inflicted: it seems to happen every year that a decent team end up in the lowest zone of the table because of some weird situations.

In this case, Maurizio Zamparini is largely to blame for the state of the club. In the summer, he retained Giuseppe Iachini, a coach that he never really liked but tolerated because of the good results. At the first sign of difficulties, he fired him to get Davide Ballardini, but he never really gelled with the players that even mutinied, something that is unheard of, because he decided to bench the captain Stefano Sorrentino.

The biggest gamble, and mistake, was to appoint Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who might be a good coach but did not have a European coaching license. Schelotto ultimately quit because the bureaucratic problems proved to be too much to overcome in a short period of time and also because of the potential opening at Boca Juniors, where he ultimately landed.

Zamparini then re-called and re-fired Iachini, tried to salvage the situation with an experienced coach he was familiar with like Walter Novellino, then sacked him to bring back Ballardini. In the meantime, three other interim caretakers, or whatever label they had, sat on the bench during games, the assistant Fabio Viviani, the U19 coach Giovanni Bosi and Palermo legend Giovanni Tedesco, either while the president was looking for a new coach or to serve as “official” coach because Schelotto could not.

Forgotten in all this mess is that, until a month ago, Palermo had not yet slid into the most dangerous areas of the standings. They would have probably been better off keeping Iachini for the whole season, despite his boring and defensive style.

The end result is that the team has no identity after using a half dozen different systems and with the pecking orders constantly changing and it does not really have a roster which is suitable for the relegation race, which usually takes a bunch of Serie A veterans, a strong group and a consistent XI. Palermo is filled with foreigners, some of whom have yet adapt to Italy or perform at a good level. Despite bringing in a new crop of youngsters, they have not been able to find a replacement for Paulo Dybala.

Ballardini coached seven games against Lazio, Juventus, Atalanta, Frosinone, Sampdoria, Fiorentina and Hellas Verona: he won two, drew one and lost the other four and was also defeated in Coppa Italia against Alessandria. He is a 4-3-1-2 aficionado, which was always used in his tenure but the “mutiny game” against Hellas Verona, which, ironically enough, they won.

The defence will be composed by Aljaz Struna, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Sinisa Andelkovic and Achraf Lazaar. Struna missed the last game because of last-minute muscular problem but it looks like he will be ready to go, otherwise one between Roberto Vitiello and Michel Morganella will play RB. Edoardo Goldaniga is returning from a big hamstring injury, but it is not sure yet whether he will be able to start: he will replace Andelkovic if healthy enough. It is the second worst defence in the League: they have conceded 57 goals. The trio in the midfield will be formed by Oscar Hiljemark, who was their best summer addition despite tailing off as the season went by, Mato Jajalo and one between Ivaylo Chochev and Enzo Maresca.

Franco Vazquez, who is not having a very good season without his buddy Dybala but is still by far their most dangerous player, should play as second-striker alongisde Alberto Gilardino, with Gaston Brugman in the hole. However, the situation is fluid: Vazquez could be deployed as no.10, with one between Uros Djordjevic or Viareggio Tournament standout Antonino La Gumina in the attack. Palermo have not scored against Juventus in 700 minutes, since an Andrea Migliaccio goal in 2011.


Probable lineup 4-3-1-2

Sorrentino; Struna, Gonzalez, Andelkovic, Lazaar; Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev; Brugman; Gilardino, Vazquez.


Injuries:

None.

Suspensions:

Quaison.

 

Formation

 
 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Ballardini: 'Palermo to attack Juve'

http://www.football-italia.net/82887/ballardini-palermo-attack-juve?

Apr 16, 2016
 
Davide Ballardini is back on the Palermo bench and wants “a team that will attack Juventus” on Sunday.

He makes his second debut in Turin tomorrow at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

“The team and I are concentrated on what happens on the pitch,” said Ballardini in this morning’s Press conference.

The Sicilians are in the drop zone and this week made their ninth change of management, sacking Walter Novellino after just four games to recall Ballardini.

“I want a Palermo side that controls the ball and tries to attack Juventus. I saw the team work very hard, is focused and we have some very good ingredients in this group.

“Tomorrow Palermo have to focus on themselves and not Juventus. Our real strength is the fans and our people do not deserve everything that is happening.

“We have never lacked for effort and want to turn this trend around straight away.”

Franco Vazquez is available again after suspension against Lazio, but Robin Quaison sits out a ban instead.

“We have a good mix of quality and experience in attack. We’ve got Alberto Gilardino, but can also rely on youngsters like Aleksandar Trajkovski and Uros Djurdjevic.

“In midfield we have different alternatives. Gaston Brugman is an intelligent player with quality, as are Ivaylo Chochev, Oscar Hiljemark and Mato Jajalo.

“In defence Edoardo Goldaniga is available, he has recovered from his injury.”

“There are many players in this squad that I like and that is why I returned. I won’t calculate the likelihood of Palermo securing safety, but I will say this team has the capability to do well and get points.

“There is no sense of resignation, we want to do well and the team has what it takes.”

This week President Maurizio Zamparini said he’ll stick with Ballardini even if Palermo drop into Serie B.

“I am not even thinking about relegation,” replied the Coach.
 
 

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus - Palermo MATCH PREVIEW

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/preview/70146

Apr 16, 2016
 
Another record could tumble for Juventus when they face Palermo, as the hosts continue their charge to the defence of their Scudetto.

With 64 points collected from their last 22 Serie A outings, the Bianconeri are just a single point away from matching Inter’s 2006-07 record of 65 from 23 matches. With a formidable home record this season, chasing an eighth straight clean sheet at Juventus Stadium in order to match the similar feats of 1974-75 and 1977-78, Massimiliano Allegri’s men are overwhelming favourites to add to their run of 19 wins in 26 home games against Palermo.

The opportunity for the champions to maintain their inexorable march towards the Scudetto is ripe given how the visitors in disarray. Reeling from failing to win in 11 games – the current longest winless stretch in the League and a streak that led to Walter Novellino becoming the latest coaching casualty under President Maurizio Zamparini, with only one goal scored during his reign – Palermo are going from trough to trough, without a victory in sight.

The Rosanero’s rate of conceding has stood at an alarming 2.6 goals in each of their last seven away fixtures, making them appear easy prey to their fit-again former hero Paulo Dybala. As the Scudetto race enters its final climax, do not expect Juventus to pass up opportunities gift-wrapped in the shape of Palermo in order to seal a fifth consecutive Serie A triumph.


Keep an eye on: Paulo Dybala (Juventus) – The ex-Palermo ace will be out to put his old side to the sword. Paulo Dybala had a direct hand in 23 goals at the Renzo Barbera last season, and is just a goal or assist away against his former employers to matching that record, in what has been a truly remarkable debut campaign for him at Juventus.


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

Last season: Juventus 2-0 Palermo

Stat fact: Juventus have won all of their last seven Serie A games against Palermo without conceding.


Juventus (probable)

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Dybala

Suspended: Zaza



Palermo (probable)

Sorrentino; Marganella, Gonzalez, Andelkovic, Lazaar; Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev; Brugman; Gilardino, Vazquez

Suspended: Quaison

 

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus vs. Palermo: Team News, Preview

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2633034-juventus-vs-palermo-team-news-preview-live-stream-tv-info?

Apr 16, 2016
 
This week is set to be a huge one for Juventus, taking on Palermo, Lazio and Fiorentina, hoping to at least maintain their advantage over closest rivals Napoli. The Bianconeri head into that run of games with a six-point lead at the top of the table, knowing a win in the first fixture is essential.

By the time they kick off against the Sicilian side, coach Massimiliano Allegri and his players will know the result of Napoli’s clash with Inter Milan and could deliver a fatal blow in the Serie A title race.

“We’ve still got a long way to go in order to win the Scudetto,” the Juve boss said at a press conference last week, then going on explain the reasons behind the incredible form shown by the reigning champions.

This is a true group effort that derives from the club’s support of the manager and players, who have been excellent from the tenth matchday onwards. Winning five Scudetto titles in a row isn’t something that happens every five years, but we’ve the chance to do so this season.

We need to stay calm and courageous, but also enjoy the ride, taking each match at a time. The ability to focus on the game at hand has undoubtedly been one of our main strengths.

Their next outing should be much simpler than last weekend’s tough clash with AC Milan, with Palermo falling rapidly down the standings after failing to record a win in any of their last 11 Serie A fixtures.

They have also sacked their coach a staggering nine times this term and conceded more goals (57) than any team other than Frosinone’s tally of 60, prompting president Maurizio Zamparini to concede defeat.

“We already have one foot in Serie B, we don’t have the mentality to survive,” the club owner told Radio 24 (h/t Football Italia). “We are not accustomed to battling it out with the same situations as Carpi and Frosinone.”

OptaPaolo ✔ ‎@OptaPaolo
28 - Palermo have gained 28 points after 32 Serie A MDs, as many as they reached in 2012/13, when they have been relegated. Similarities.

Juventus will be further boosted by a reduced injury list, with former Palermo striker Paulo Dybala returning to training this week, per the club’s official website. Sami Khedira will also return from suspension, meaning Allegri will have almost a full squad of players to choose from for the first time in a number of weeks.

They will of course need to guard against complacency, but there is little doubt that the Bianconeri have the quality to sweep their opponents aside and notch three more points in their pursuit of history.

 

Probable Formations

Juventus (3-5-2)

Gigi Buffon; Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Daniele Rugani; Juan Cuadrado, Sami Khedira, Hernanes, Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra; Mario Mandzukic, Alvaro Morata

Unavailable: Simone Zaza (suspended), Giorgio Chiellini, Martin Caceres and Roberto Pereyra (all injured)



Palermo: (4-3-1-2)

Stefano Sorrentino; Aljaz Struna, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Sinisa Andelkovic, Achraf Lazaar; Oscar Hiljemark, Mato Jajalo, Gaston Brugman; Franco Vazquez, Alberto Gilardino, Aleksandar Trajkovski

Unavailable: Robin Quaison (suspended) and Edoardo Goldaniga (injured)


Key Battle

Given Palermo’s woeful defensive performances this term, the key for them here is likely to be shutting out a Bianconeri attack that has scored 58 goals this term, the third-highest mark in Serie A.

Croatia international Mario Mandzukic has ended a lengthy personal drought to net in each of his last two appearances, and Stefano Sorrentino’s ability to deny him a third consecutive strike will be vital.

Their head-to-head battle is likely to play a major role in deciding the outcome of this fixture, and it was discussed in further detail in this previous post.


Player to Watch

While restricting the chances given to the likes of Mandzukic and Dybala will be key for the Rosanero, their own attacking threat rests almost entirely on the shoulders of the Argentinian-born Franco Vazquez.

The 27-year-old forward—who has won two international caps for Italy—has continued the good form he displayed last season, weighing in with five goals and seven assists so far in the 2015/16 campaign.

WhoScored.com ✔ ‎@WhoScored
Franco Vázquez: Has been fouled at least 27 more times (72) than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues in 2016

According to statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, his average of 3.4 dribbles per game is the best mark in Serie A, how effective he has been at taking on defenders.

Fortunately for Juventus, Vazquez has been wasteful in front of goal this term, with Squawka.com highlighting his poor shooting accuracy, which has seen him hit the target with just 36 percent of his attempts.


Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 16-1

Home win: 1-5

Draw: 11-2

 

SERIE A TABLE

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Allegri: 'Juve, learn from Barcelona'

http://www.football-italia.net/82894/allegri-juve-learn-barcelona?

Apr 16, 2016
 
Max Allegri tells Juventus to learn from Barcelona as they host Palermo. “A week ago they were Liga and Champions League favourites…”

It kicks off on Sunday at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

“We mustn’t have any Champions League regrets. In the group stage there is time to recover, but in two-legged ties an incident can go against you and that’s it,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

Holders Barcelona crashed out following a defeat to Atletico Madrid.

“Nobody has retained it since Milan and then it was the European Cup. Our objective has to be having a great Champions League campaign.”

Paulo Dybala has returned to full training after a muscular injury, but will he be risked from the start?

“I have to evaluate Dybala’s condition carefully. We have Simone Zaza suspended, so we need to decide what is the best option. If he’s not fit to start, we’ll see about using him towards the end.

“This match might seem unbalanced on paper, but every game has to be played and we begin from 0-0 tomorrow. Napoli can still catch us, so we have to focus on our own results and staying top of the table.

“Palermo have been in a training retreat for several days, they have a new Coach and are desperate for points to stay in Serie A.

“It’ll be hot in the afternoon, so we must be concentrated and behave responsibly. Any error could be extremely costly. I look to the example of Barcelona – a week ago people assumed they had won the Liga and were Champions League favourites. Fast forward seven days and their lead in the Liga has been cut to four points and they are out of Europe.

“Until it is mathematically decided, we cannot assume anything is done and dusted. We’ve won 21 of the last 22 games, but that counts for nothing unless we get the Scudetto.

“I don’t think Palermo will clam up. I believe as long as they can, they’ll try to put pressure on us, as they don’t have real counter-attacking characteristics.

“Some games might seem easy on paper, but we absolutely cannot afford to drop points by the wayside.”

The Bianconeri have Sami Khedira back from suspension to partner Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio.

“Juventus have a strong squad made up of some talented little old men, plus a promising future represented by the likes of Dybala, Pogba, Alex Sandro, Sturaro, Morata, Rugani and Lemina. They can grow and prove themselves in Italy and above all in Europe.

“At this moment many players deserve to start, such as Simone Padoin, Stefano Sturaro and Mario Lemina. That strength in depth is important to cover for absences and reach an extraordinary objective.

“It would be irresponsible to make a mistake or look beyond tomorrow’s game, because that would mean failing to realise the importance of this moment.”

Alvaro Morata was included in Allegri’s list of youth for the future of Juventus, so does that mean he expects the Spaniard to still be there, despite Real Madrid having a buy-back clause?

“Considering what the lads are doing, I’d gladly keep them all for next season. There are choices made by the club and other clubs, but the important thing is that Juventus have a strong squad.”

A French reporter from L’Equipe asked if the pressure around Pogba was exaggerated for one so young.

“I don’t think expectations around him are exaggerated, as he has immense talent and potential. He is improving and is reaching a level of maturity that allows him to play whole games as a ‘great’ player, one who is experienced and can read each moment of the game.

“If he improves further in that sense, he can reach the top.”

Allegri was asked about the decision to reduce Napoli hitman Gonzalo Higuain’s four-match ban to three, but shrugged off the question.

“I told the lads too, we mustn’t look at what happens on the outside. We are six steps off the objective and destiny is in our own hands. Until we are mathematically sure of the Scudetto, we must remain concentrated, plus of course after that there’s the Coppa Italia Final too.”

Juventus confirmed Allegri will sign a new contract imminently, but when will the signature be placed on the paper?

“We’ve got three games over the next eight days, so there are more important things to focus on. Once again I say there won’t be any problems, we just need to sit down to plan the future, both sporting and economic.”

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Dybala back for Juve-Palermo

http://www.football-italia.net/82897/dybala-back-juve-palermo?

Apr 16, 2016
 
Paulo Dybala and Sami Khedira are back in the squad as Juventus host Palermo on Sunday afternoon.

It kicks off tomorrow at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

Simone Zaza sits out a ban, while Giorgio Chiellini, Roberto Pereyra, Norberto Neto and Martin Caceres are still out of action.

With Neto injured, Max Allegri calls up 19-year-old Emilio Audero to act as third choice goalkeeper.


Juventus squad for Palermo

Buffon, Khedira, Marchisio, Morata, Pogba, Hernanes, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Lemina, Bonucci, Padoin, Dybala, Asamoah, Rugani, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Evra, Rubinho, Audero

 

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus v Palermo Preview: Returning
Dybala knows first title is close

The striker has recovered from injury and is set to face his former team as the Serie A
leaders close in on the title after going 22 games without defeat in the league.

http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-palermo/2120702/preview

Apr 16, 2016
 
Paulo Dybala says he is back to fitness and ready to help Juventus finish their bid for a fifth consecutive Scudetto, starting with Sunday's clash with his old side Palermo in Turin.

The 22-year-old has missed Juve's last two matches – narrow victories against Empoli and AC Milan – with a calf problem but is set to return against the relegation candidates.

The champions are six points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A with six matches remaining as Massimiliano Allegri's men relish their astonishing run of 21 wins and one draw from their last 22 league outings, which has put them on the brink of glory.

They are strongly expected to continue that charge towards what would be Dybala's first title having won each of their last seven league games against Palermo, keeping a clean sheet every time.

The visitors, who sit 18th in the table, are in dire form – an 11-match winless run that is the longest current streak in Serie A - which promoted them to bring back former coach Davide Ballardini this week, their seventh change in the dug-out this season.

"I have had a full training session with the team," Dybala told Il Corriere dello Sport. "I went at 100 per cent and had no problems.

"I agree that losing the Scudetto with six points of advantage seems incredible. Everybody wrote us off, but our comeback and the drive we show in every training session shows that the Scudetto has to be ours."

Dybala also paid tribute to goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon after he was in stunning form in the 2-1 win at Milan last time out in the same season that he set a new Serie A record for minutes without conceding.

"Buffon in training is incredible, I don't know if there is a stronger goalkeeper in the world," said the striker.

"He's also very helpful to us younger players. The series of 22 undefeated games happened thanks to the older players."

Dybala feels he has dispelled debate about his transfer fee during his debut season with Juve, but still has significant goals in his sights.

He continued: "I have always had to deal with pressure. I was never sold for cheap sums. I'm glad people are no longer talking about the fact that I cost €40m, it's not money that plays games.

"I must still score three goals to beat Carlos Tevez's record of 21 goals in his first season in Turin. I would be very happy to overtake him. It would be good for me and for the team, as these goals would be important.

"I can certainly give a lot more. At 22 years of age I lack the experience of a player like Tevez. Playing here, in Europe and in the national team, I hope to close that gap."

While Dybala is likely to return for Juve, key defender Giorgio Chiellini (thigh) is still out.


OPTA FACTS

Juventus have won each of their last seven league games against Palermo without conceding.

Juventus have won 19 of the 26 Serie A home games against Palermo (D3 L4).

Juventus have not conceded a goal in their last seven home league games: the record for the Bianconeri is eight home clean sheets in a row (1974/75 and 1977/78).

Juventus have gained 64 points out of a possible 66 in their last 22 games: the Serie A record in a run of 23 games is 65 points for Inter in 2006/07.

The last Palermo victory in Serie A came back in 24th January – they have played 11 games and four points gained since then; the longest current winless run in Serie A.

Palermo have conceded 2.6 goals on average in their last seven away games (only one clean sheet).

Juventus have conceded 3.8 shots on target on average in their last six games, whilst in the previous six this has been as low as 1.2 per game.

With Walter Novellino, Palermo have scored only one goal and made an average possession rate of 36%.


LAST FIVE MATCHES

Juventus W W W L W

4/9/16 - AC Milan 1 - 2 Juventus
4/2/16 - Juventus 1 - 0 Empoli
3/20/16 - Torino 1 - 4 Juventus
3/16/16 - Bayern München 4 - 2 Juventus
3/11/16 - Juventus 1 - 0 Sassuolo


Palermo L L D L L

4/10/16 - Palermo 0 - 3 Lazio
4/3/16 - Chievo Verona 3 - 1 Palermo
3/19/16 - Empoli 0 - 0 Palermo
3/13/16 - Palermo 0 - 1 Napoli
3/6/16 - Internazionale 3 - 1 Palermo


HEAD TO HEAD

11/29/15 - Palermo 0 - 3 Juventus
3/14/15 - Palermo 0 - 1 Juventus
10/26/14 - Juventus 2 - 0 Palermo
5/5/13 - Juventus 1 - 0 Palermo
12/9/12 - Palermo 0 - 1 Juventus

 

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus V Palermo – Preview: Bianconeri Look To
Continue Winning Run Against Struggling Rosanero

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/04/juventus-v-palermo-preview-bianconeri-look-to-continue-winning-run-against-struggling-rosanero/?

Apr 16, 2016
 
Juventus will play against Palermo in Turin knowing a win will keep their healthy advantage at the top of the Serie A table over Napoli.

Last time out the Old Lady won 2-1 in a close game against AC Milan away from home to extend their unbeaten league run to 22 matches, whilst the visitors lost 3-0 at home to Lazio.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men will be eager to find out whether their main rivals Napoli will able to win away to Inter with anything other than a victory giving Juventus full control of the title race.

The Bianconeri have turned things around following a poor start and their steely defensive record will once again be put to the test as they have only conceded six goals all season at home in Serie A.

Palermo, on the other hand, have had a vastly contrasting season. Tempestuous chairman Maurizio Zamparini sacked a coach for the eighth time this season getting rid of Walter Novellino and re-installing Davide Ballardini.

The Rosanero have slowly slid down the table and now find themselves locked in a battle to secure the final place that will guarantee safety this season as Udinese and Sampdoria have pulled clear.

Former Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, who Juventus signed in the summer will be back from injury for this tie and will be in with a shout of beating his compatriot Carlos Tevez’s goal tally in his first season at Juventus with Dybala currently on 18 and Tevez ending his debut campaign with 21.

Robin Quaison will be suspended for the game at the Juventus Stadium and Aljaz Struna is a doubt for the visitors.


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


Expected Starting XIs

Juventus
Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Mandzukic, Dybala

Palermo
Sorrentino; Morganella, Gonzalez, Andelkovic, Lazaar; Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev; Brugman; Vazquez, Gilardino

 

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Line-ups: Juventus-Palermo

http://www.football-italia.net/82943/line-ups-juventus-palermo?

Apr 17, 2016
 
Juventus have Paulo Dybala back against his former club and the chance to go nine points clear, but Palermo ‘re-debut’ under Davide Ballardini.

Last night Napoli lost 2-0 away to Inter, which means a victory today would propel the Bianconeri nine points clear at the top of the table – 10 if you consider they have a superior head-to-head record with the Partenopei.

Juve have won 21 of the last 22 Serie A rounds and go into this test with Dybala returning from a muscular problem to face his old club.

Simone Zaza is suspended with Giorgio Chiellini, Roberto Pereyra, Neto and Martin Caceres injured.

Dybala partners Mario Mandzukic, while Sami Khedira is back after his two-match ban.

Palermo reached ‘Peak Palermo’ this week when sacking Walter Novellino after one point from his grand total four games in charge.

They recalled Ballardini, who was fired in February following a blazing row with goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino, who went on live television to declare the Coach had “not spoken to the team before, during or after” his final game against Chievo.

The Sicilians are in the bottom three and increasingly desperate, but can they cause an upset in Turin?

Franco Vazquez is available again after suspension in the 3-0 defeat to Lazio, though Robin Quaison sits out a ban.

Ballardini changes system again to 3-5-2 with Aleksandar Trajkovski picked ahead of Alberto Gilardino, while Edoardo Goldaniga returns from a lengthy injury.

Juventus have won their last seven meetings with Palermo, home and away in all competition, scoring 13 goals and not conceding any.

The Rosanero did conquer Turin four times in 53 Serie A visits, most recently 3-1 in September 2010.


Juventus

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Evra; Dybala, Mandzukic

Juventus bench: Rubinho, Audero, Lichtsteiner, Alex Sandro, Padoin, Lemina, Sturaro, Hernanes, Asamoah, Morata



Palermo

Sorrentino; Goldaniga, Gonzalez, Andelkovic; Rispoli, Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev, Lazaar; Vazquez, Trajkovski

Palermo bench: Posavec, Alastra, Vitiello, Gilardino, Brugman, Balogh, Struna, Cristante, Maresca, La Gumina, Morganella, Pezzella

 

SERIE A TABLE

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JUVENTUS - PALERMO

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MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Marotta: 'Juve step towards title'

http://www.football-italia.net/82947/marotta-juve-step-towards-title?

Apr 17, 2016
 
Juventus director Beppe Marotta warned Palermo are “a test to be overcome and a step towards the Scudetto.”

It kicks off at 15.00 CET - 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

“This is a test to be overcome and, aside from Palermo’s position in the table, we know it will be difficult,” the director told Mediaset Premium.

“It is a step towards the Scudetto.”

A victory would send Juve nine points clear at the top of the Serie A table.

Meanwhile, Marotta was asked about the long-awaited contract renewal for Coach Max Allegri.

“His comments are all part of the game and the dynamics of negotiations.”

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

HT 1-0: Palermo scare Juventus

http://www.football-italia.net/82948/ht-palermo-scare-juventus?

Apr 17, 2016
 
Juventus lead 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Sami Khedira volley, but Palermo were only denied by a goal-line clearance and Claudio Marchisio stretchered off.

As Napoli lost to Inter last night, Juve had the chance to extend their lead to nine points and place one hand on the Scudetto. Simone Zaza was suspended with Giorgio Chiellini, Roberto Pereyra, Neto and Martin Caceres injured, but Paulo Dybala and Sami Khedira were available again. Palermo sacked Walter Novellino after just four rounds and brought back Davide Ballardini, who was fired in February. Robin Quaison sat out a ban, though Franco Vazquez returned.

The Sicilians had lost their previous seven consecutive meetings with Juve, home and away, without scoring a single goal and conceding 13.

It was all Juve from the get-go and after a series of efforts charged down in the box, Paul Pogba’s chipped pass was chested down by Khedira to volley in with the right boot over Stefano Sorrentino. It was a splendid goal, his fifth of the season.

However, there was bad news for Juventus when Claudio Marchisio went into a tackle and seemed to sprain his knee badly. The Italy midfielder was stretchered off in evident pain to make way for Mario Lemina.

Juve seemed shell-shocked by that incident and lost their rhythm, as Palermo created a period of pressure and Gigi Buffon smothered an Ivaylo Chochev effort.

Pogba came very close with a volley into the ground on a corner that bounced off the crossbar with the aid of a Sorrentino fingertip.

Palermo thought they had equalised on the half-hour mark when Franco Vazquez sent Aleksandar Trajkovski through and the delicate finish beat Buffon, but Andrea Barzagli got back for a goal-line clearance.

Chochev gathered after a series of ricochets and his strike from 10 yards was deflected inches past the near top corner by Khedira.

Dybala’s free kick seemed perfect for Leonardo Bonucci to nod in, but Patrice Evra got there first and turned wide.


Juventus 1-0 Palermo (Half-Time)

Scorers: Khedira 10 (J)

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio (Lemina 16), Pogba, Evra; Dybala, Mandzukic

Palermo: Sorrentino; Goldaniga, Gonzalez, Andelkovic; Rispoli, Hiljemark, Jajalo, Chochev, Lazaar; Vazquez, Trajkovski

Ref: Giacomelli

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4 - 0

Sami Khedira (10')
Paul Pogba (71')
Juan Cuadrado (74')
Simone Padoin (89')
 
 

MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juventus 4-0 Palermo: Allegri’s men move
nine points clear at the top

The Old Lady extended their lead at the top of Serie A with a comfortable win
over Palermo, who remain in serious danger of slipping out of Italy's top flight.

http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-palermo/2120702/report

Apr 17, 2016
 
Juventus dispatched Palermo 4-0 to take full advantage of Napoli's defeat at Inter by moving nine points clear at the top of Serie A with five games remaining.

Having watched nearest challengers Napoli slip up 2-0 at San Siro on Saturday, the champions made it seven league wins on the bounce to edge closer to retaining the title.

Sami Khedira's exquisitely taken volley gave the home side the ideal start before Paul Pogba, Juan Cuadrado and Simone Padoin made sure of the victory with second-half goals.

The only downside for Massimiliano Allegri's side came when Claudio Marchisio was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury following a collision with a Palermo player, sparking fitness concerns with Euro 2016 looming large on the horizon.

While Juve are on course for a fifth successive title, Palermo continue their slide towards Serie B with a seventh loss in nine Serie A games.

Juve started the game on the front foot as expected and went close inside the fourth minute when Khedira reacted first to a Pogba blocked shot and dragged an effort narrowly wide.

Palermo struggled to get out of their own half and paid the price as the home side took a 10th-minute lead.

Pogba had all the time in the world to dink a ball over the Palermo back line, where Khedira had made the run, and the former Real Madrid man volleyed past Stefano Sorrentino.

The lively Pogba was involved again when he struck a volley into the ground that almost beat Sorrentino, although the 37-year-old did well to tip the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner.

Aleksandar Trajkovski had a golden chance to equalise after he was slid through on goal by Franco Vazquez, but his dink over Buffon was cleared off the line by Andrea Barzagli.

Palermo were inches from levelling a minute before half-time when Ivaylo Chochev had a shot from inside the penalty area that deflected past the top-left corner by Mario Lemina with Buffon beaten.

Patrice Evra steered a header wide from Paulo Dybala's free-kick as Juve finished the first half strongly.

Pogba almost caught out an unprepared Sorrentino with a 30-yard free-kick in the 12th minute of the second half, though his effort was narrowly over with the goalkeeper scrambling.

Lemina tried a shot from similar distance soon after and Sorrentino was this time in position to parry the ball away for a corner.

Barzagli was required to make a vital intervention at the other end as Vazquez played Trajkovski through on the left side before the striker knocked in a teasing delivery that the Italy international dealt with well.

Pogba gave Juventus some much-needed breathing room with just under 20 minutes left as substitute Alvaro Morata sent in a teasing cross from the left side that beat everyone before the France international was on hand to poke home at the far post.

Cuadrado then added a wonderful solo goal. The on-loan Chelsea man ran at the Palermo defence before flicking the ball over a defender and finishing with a stinging shot that Sorrentino could only parry into the top left corner.

Padoin netted his first of the season, adding to the visitors' misery with a calm finish in the final minute of the match, slotting into the bottom corner after Morata had played him through to earn his second assist off the bench.

 

SERIE A TABLE

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4 - 0

Sami Khedira (10')
Paul Pogba (71')
Juan Cuadrado (74')
Simone Padoin (89')
 
 

MATCHDAY 33
Sunday, April 17th, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Pietro Giacomelli

Juve climb +9

Juventus stuttered in the first half, but eventually swept
Palermo aside 4-0 to go nine points clear at the top of the table.

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/70146

Apr 17, 2016
 
As Napoli lost to Inter last night, Juve had the chance to extend their lead and place one hand on the Scudetto. Simone Zaza was suspended with Giorgio Chiellini, Roberto Pereyra, Neto and Martin Caceres injured, but Paulo Dybala and Sami Khedira were available again. Palermo sacked Walter Novellino after just four rounds and brought back Davide Ballardini, who was fired in February. Robin Quaison sat out a ban, though Franco Vazquez returned.

The Sicilians had lost their previous seven consecutive meetings with Juve, home and away, without scoring a single goal and conceding 13.

It was all Juve from the get-go and after a series of efforts charged down in the box, Paul Pogba’s chipped pass was chested down by Khedira to volley in with the right boot over Stefano Sorrentino. It was a splendid goal, his fifth of the season.

However, there was bad news for Juventus when Claudio Marchisio went into a tackle and seemed to sprain his knee badly. The Italy midfielder was stretchered off in evident pain to make way for Mario Lemina.

Juve seemed shell-shocked by that incident and lost their rhythm, as Palermo created a period of pressure and Gigi Buffon smothered an Ivaylo Chochev effort.

Pogba came very close with a volley into the ground on a corner that bounced off the crossbar with the aid of a Sorrentino fingertip.

Palermo thought they had equalised on the half-hour mark when Franco Vazquez sent Aleksandar Trajkovski through and the delicate finish beat Buffon, but Andrea Barzagli got back for a goal-line clearance.

Chochev gathered after a series of ricochets and his strike from 10 yards was deflected inches past the near top corner by Khedira.

Dybala’s free kick seemed perfect for Leonardo Bonucci to nod in, but Patrice Evra got there first and turned wide.

Dybala blasted well over from a promising position after the restart, while Pogba and Mario Lemina tried from distance. Giancarlo Gonzalez crucially intercepted a Juan Cuadrado cross for Khedira at the near post and on the resulting corner Mario Mandzukic’s free header was wide.

Just as the Juventus Stadium crowd started to get a little nervous, a Cuadrado corner was flicked on by Alvaro Morata for Pogba to tap in at the back post and double their lead.

The floodgates opened and Cuadrado added a third, his dummy sending Achraf Lazaar to ground before he curled into the far top corner.

Buffon also kept his clean sheet intact, fingertipping a Lazaar long-range strike over the bar.

Simone Padoin came off the bench to complete the rout, placing his right-foot angled drive into the far bottom corner after a fine Morata surge.


Juventus

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Rugani; Cuadrado, Khedira (Padoin 78), Marchisio (Lemina 16), Pogba, Evra; Dybala (Morata 68), Mandzukic

Palermo

Sorrentino; Goldaniga (La Gumina 73), Gonzalez, Andelkovic; Rispoli, Hiljemark, Jajalo (Brugman 59), Chochev, Lazaar; Vazquez, Trajkovski
 

Ref: Giacomelli

 

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