Juventus Season 2015-2016

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA

2 - 0

Paulo Dybala (28')
Mario Mandžukić (49')
 

MATCHDAY 9
Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus 2 - Atalanta 0: Paulo Dybala leads the way
for the bianconeri against the nerazurri

The Argentinian scored and assisted in Juventus' rout of Atalanta.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/10/26/9611920/juventus-atalanta-2015-serie-a-round-9-final-score-recap-result

 
Oct 26, 2015

Juventus hosted an underrated Atalanta on Sunday seeking to finish their late scoring difficulties and trying to achieve some consistency in the domestic league.

Massimiliano Allegri announced squad rotation at pre-match press conference on Saturday. He left Juan Guillermo Cuadrado on the bench and that meant a change in his module. Juventus started the match with Max's signature 4-3-1-2 formation, deploying Roberto Pereyra as trequartista. Atalanta coach Edy Reja presented an aggressive 4-3-3. The veteran manager tried to choke Juventus with a high pressure from his attackers.

The bianconeri began the match with great determination. Early in the game, they had two interesting set pieces, both executed by Paulo Dybala. The first one was a floated cross onto Leonardo Bonucci's head, whose effort forced a spectacular save by Marco Sportiello. The second was a corner kick that found Mario Mandzukic in the back post; however the keeper controlled the striker's erratic half volley easily.

Soon after, Atalanta started to even the match appealing to their usual high -tempo pressure, but they didn't cause troubles to Gianluigi Buffon.

Nevertheless, this match was Dybala's show. On 28 minutes, "La Joya" found some space on the edge of the box and fired a wicked long-range shot that got past Sportiello. At first glance, it looked like the young goalkeeper could make a better effort. The truth is that the ball had — a lot — of movement. It was a superb goal by the tiny striker.

In the 36th minute, Roberto Pereyra went down, and nobody touched him in that play. El Tucumano left the pitch and was replaced by Kwadwo Asamoah.

Just before halftime, Paul Pogba served a nice ball to Patrice Evra on the edge of the penalty area, the Frenchman executed a back pass to Dybala, who shot straight away, but Sportiello responded with an acrobatic save.

Five minutes after halftime, Juventus elaborated one of their prettiest plays of the season. Claudio Marchisio combined with Paul Pogba, who set up Dybala with a clever backheel. Then, the Argentinian executed an accurate low cross, which was sent into the back of the net by Mandzukic.

In the 69th minute, Dybala was close to score once again when he fulfilled a beautiful free-kick. His curled shot was inches wide of Sportiello left post. A minute later a magical pass by Pogba left Dybala one-on-one with Sportiello. Dybala performed a nice volley, but the goalkeeper responded with a terrific save.

On 78 minutes, Dybala beat Gabriel Paletta inside Atalanta's penalty box, the defender fouled his compatriot and the bianconeri were awarded with a penalty. However, Pogba couldn't capitalize from the spot because Sportiello responded again with an excellent stop.

Juventus accomplished a worthy victory against the Goddess. They rediscovered their creativity and played with flexibility. I'm begging for more games like this.


LE PAGELLE

Buffon 6.5 - Another spectator-type match for Gigi. He had an untroubled evening at Juventus Stadium.

Padoin 6.5 - Solid performance by the bianconeri's Swiss Army knife. He did not put a foot wrong on defense.

 

Bonucci 7 - Rock-solid as always. My only complain is that he jeopardized the possession of the ball sometimes.

Chellini 7.5 - Made a couple of great plays on defense. He's an unsung hero in this victory.

Evra 7.5 - The ruler of the left flank. He was a constant threat on offense; yet a belligerent defender.

Khedira 7.5 - Smart as always. It looks like he's starting to build huge chemistry with the rest of the team.

 

Marchisio 8 - The metronome of Juventus' midfield. He hardly missed a pass, could make Andrea Pirlo proud with this performance.

Pogba 7.5 - Paul we really missed you. Please don't let his missed penalty fools you; He had a very nice match. Maybe he could claim the trequartista role.

Pereyra 7 - He played with great intensity. He had to leave the game with an ugly-looking injury.

Mandzukic 6.5 - He's still out of rhythm. However, was an enforcer in the area and scored his first goal in Serie A.

Dybala 9 - I don't know what to write. He was phenomenal plain and simple! He could have had a hat trick with a little bit of luck. Of course, he's the Man of the Match.


Subs

Asamoah 7.5 - I'm so glad to see Kojo back and playing an important number of minutes. He complemented nicely the rest of the midfield. I believe he's ready to fight for a spot.

Morata s/v - Entered for Mandzukic and played the last 15 minutes.

Sturaro s/v - Entered in the 89th minute for Khedira.


Coach

Allegri 7.5 - He deployed his favorite 4-3-1-2 formation and it was a success. Also made a gutsy decision when he put Asamoah in the game instead of Cuadrado. Pogba as a trequartista was another bright choice. However, the best of all is that he finally used Dybala in a complete game!


Things I think I think

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

4-3-1-2, 4-3-3 or (I hope not) 3-5-2?

Dybala and Cuadrado? Dybala or Cuadrado?

Pogba as a trequartista is an intriguing idea. Asamoah looked really good in his first real cameo of the season.

Just imagine a weekly partnership between Dybala and Morata. By the way, let the Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester, Bayern, Arsenal rumors begin!

It's just me or Giulio Migliaccio is Vin Diesel's lost twin?
 
 

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

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA

2 - 0

Paulo Dybala (28')
Mario Mandžukić (49')

MATCHDAY 9
Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus vs. Atalanta: Winners
and Losers from Serie A Game

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582522-juventus-vs-atalanta-winners-and-losers-from-serie-a?

 
Oct 26, 2015

Juventus welcomed Atalanta to the Juventus Stadium on Sunday in need of a big win.

After their rough start, a home victory against a team that, on paper, they should beat—not to mention one above them in the standings—was vital to start Juve's climb back up the table.

It was even more important considering the way the league's other games have shaped up this week. Second-placed Inter dropped points on Saturday to Palermo, while four teams ahead of Juve in the standings—Lazio, Torino, Roma and Fiorentina—played each other later on Sunday.

Lazio and Roma emerged triumphant from those two games, and Juve are eight points off the latter, who top the Serie A table.

The Bianconeri delivered one of their more comprehensive performances of the season. Paulo Dybala and Paul Pogba keyed the team to a 2-0 victory that could easily have much more had La Dea not gotten a fine performance from goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.

Who were the big winners and losers from this important match? Let's delve a little deeper to find out.


Winner: Paulo Dybala

Four days after fans and media blasted coach Massimiliano Allegri for benching Paulo Dybala for Juve's Champions League match against Borussia Monchengladbach—and one day after Allegri hit back at those critics—the young Argentinian had what might be a breakout performance.

During his pre-match press conference, per Football Italia, Allegri blasted critics of his move to sit Dybala midweek and suggested that it wasn't fair to put too much pressure on the 21-year-old.

"Last season he was a leader at Palermo," he said, "but he cannot have that same role at Juve yet...We cannot put this amount of responsibility on Dybala's shoulders."

On Sunday, Dybala went out and proved that his coach might be wrong.

He was absolutely everywhere in the attacking third. He made good runs to get himself free off the ball, and he dribbled incisively on it, cutting through a weak Atalanta defense to set up dangerous situations.

It paid off in the 28th minute, when he controlled a simple layoff from Pogba and slammed in a shot that took a last-minute swerve to off-balance goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.

It was his fourth goal of the year. To this point, he'd fired in a pair of penalties and bundled a ball over the line on the run against Roma, but this was the one that really showed just how good he is.

It wasn't the end of his day either. He set up Juve's second, and could very easily have scored four times.

Right before the half, he hit a low, powerful first-timer off a beautiful pass. Sportiello didn't know much about it but was lucky it was right at him, and he saved with his feet.

The second half saw Dybala snag a ball on the left wing and drive to the byline before sending in a hard low cross, giving Mario Mandzukic a simple tap-in.

Later, he whizzed a free kick just beyond the post, then he was unlucky after his first touch on yet another through ball was just a bit too hard, leaving him a difficult shot on a bouncing ball rather than a more routine tap.

Dybala was without a doubt the man of the match. He played perfectly and made Mandzukic look better than he has for much of the season.

The idea of the Argentine pairing with Alvaro Morata at full bore from the start is a tantalizing prospect—and Dybala must certainly have shown that he now deserves to be in the big matches from the beginning.


Loser: Roberto Pereyra

Just as it seemed like Roberto Pereyra was about to start getting a chunk of playing time, he's been stalled again.

Juventus fans who were clamoring for a trequartista in the summer transfer window seemed to have forgotten the Argentina international, whose performances in the hole last year were impressive. His ability to dribble and take a man on are precious commodities on a team where there isn't much of that to go around.

The 24-year-old performed well on Sunday, playing sideline to sideline to open up the field in the attacking third and splitting Atalanta's back line apart several times. He also keyed several breakaways.

But it was one of those counterattacks about 35 minutes in that threw a wrench into the gears. Pereyra pulled up hard after letting Dybala through on the run and collapsed to the field. There is no official word yet, but from the looks of it it had hamstring written all over it.

It's a real shame for a man who was, once again, showing that he deserved to be on the field in big moments. Juve will hope that he recovers soon and regains his place.


Winner: Paul Pogba

The harsh glare of his missed penalty kick aside, Paul Pogba had a very good game.

According to WhoScored.com, Pogba completed 89.4 percent of his passes on the day, made four key passes, put two shots on target and assisted the opening goal. He also drew five fouls and completed one of two crosses, both of his long passes and his lone attempt at a through ball.

For any other player, this would be an extraordinarily good day. For Pogba, from whom so much is expected due to his prodigious skill and his takeover of the No. 10 shirt, there will undoubtedly be some criticism for not doing even more.

Granted, the penalty miss makes the 22-year-old an easy target, especially after his nonchalant, baby-steps run-up. He did the same thing against Genoa in September and was booked for unsportsmanlike play as a result. It's that tendency towards Hollywood play that is his one remaining weakness—one that he's overcoming in fits and starts.

Regardless of that miss, however, the young Frenchman took a step in the right direction today, although it may be in the best interests of the team to rest him a bit soon with a stretch of big games on the horizon.


Loser: Gabriel Paletta

It was only two seasons ago that Gabriel Paletta enjoyed the best season of any center back in Serie A and earned himself a starting spot in the World Cup opener against England.

How the mighty have fallen.

An injury slowed him at the beginning of last season, and then he bailed out of the sinking ship that was Parma only to arrive at the mess that was AC Milan's 2014-15 campaign.

The Rossoneri needed to off-load a center back this summer and chose Paletta as the man to go. His play for Atalanta has left a lot to be desired.

Back in the starting lineup after being suspended for a red card, the 29-year-old was carved up all day long. While WhoScored.com clocked him at five tackles, four interceptions and five clearances, those are volume stats accumulated after 90 minutes of near-constant Juve attacks.

He was directly responsible for Juve's clincher after losing Mandzukic's run, and he was let out of jail by Sportiello after conceding the penalty Pogba missed. He was constantly on the wrong end of dribbles and was very lucky not to have been booked when he took out Dybala on the penalty.

Certainly not a good day for Paletta, who is showing more and more that his 2013-14 season was a one-year wonder.


Winner: Marco Sportiello

Sportiello certainly showed something on Sunday.

While his legendary opposite number Gianluigi Buffon spent his day largely watching his team attack from afar, the 23-year-old was in the thick of things. Squawka credited him with seven saves, including his stop against Pogba.

He denied both Dybala and Pogba several times from open play, was sure-handed when coming for crosses, and he rarely put a pass wrong.

It's clear now why La Dea didn't worry much when they let long-time goalkeeper Andrea Consigli—another excellent man between the pipes—move to Sassuolo before the start of last season.

Sportiello is an excellent player, who could play his way into the conversation as one of Buffon's backups at Euro 2016 if he keeps performing at this level.


Loser: Maximiliano Moralez

When you're deployed on the left wing against a makeshift right-back, you're expected to do big things.

Unfortunately for Maximiliano Moralez, he wasn't able to take advantage of Simone Padoin, who was deputizing for the injured duo of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres.

Moralez has had a good season so far, scoring once, providing four assists and, according to WhoScored.com, averaging 2.4 key passes per contest.

Granted, all of those numbers came from the right side of the attack. It seems that Atalanta manager Edy Reja tried to get cute by matching up his most creative attacker against a perceived weakness in his opponent's defense.

Unfortunately it didn't work. Padoin did well to shackle the winger, who failed to get a shot off and only managed to provide half-chances—if that—for his teammates. The 28-year-old was hauled off after only 51 minutes after being completely ineffective.

It's not uncommon for players to get smothered by Juve's defense, but with a point to aim at in Padoin, Moralez should have done better.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA

2 - 0

Paulo Dybala (28')
Mario Mandžukić (49')

MATCHDAY 9
Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Paulo Dybala Shrugs off Criticism to Help
Juventus Ease to Win over Atalanta

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582644-paulo-dybala-shrugs-off-criticism-to-help-juventus-ease-to-win-over-atalanta?

 
Oct 26, 2015

There have been numerous issues for Juventus so far in 2015/16, with few appearing to resonate as deeply as their use of Paulo Dybala, yet the Argentinian striker was undoubtedly the star of their 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday afternoon.

The club’s most expensive summer signing, he arrived from Palermo at a cost of €32 million (323 million), according to their official website, with a further €8 million (£5.75 million) in potential bonuses still to be paid.

However, Massimiliano Allegri’s decision not to start him in either of their previous two matches saw the coach widely criticised.

“The Dybala case is causing Allegri problems,” proclaimed the front page of Thursday morning’s edition of TuttoSport (h/t Football Italia), the Turin-based newspaper one of many voices discussing the situation.

“Allegri is on track to ruin Dybala," Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini said when asked about his former player by Radio Sportiva last week (h/t FourFourTwo).

Yet before the meeting with Atalanta, none of Juve’s attacking players had spent more time on the pitch this term than the 21-year-old.

Indeed, Dybala had featured for 561 minutes in all competitions, putting him ahead of Alvaro Morata (535 minutes) Mario Mandzukic (499) and Simone Zaza (296), a fact noted by Allegri at his pre-match press conference.

“Dybala has played more than any of our other strikers,” the coach said, per the club’s official website. “He's a lad with fantastic ability and a great future. Last year he was Palermo's star player but that doesn't mean we can hand him the same responsibility at a club like Juventus.”

While the fact Dybala had returned from international duty ahead of the Inter clash perhaps justified his omission there, his late introduction in the following match against Borussia Monchengladbach was certainly questionable.

Yet Allegri would feel vindicated after including the Cordoba native in the starting XI against Atalanta, finding himself subsequently rewarded with an energy-filled display that fully showcased the player’s ability.

Dybala would open the scoring after 28 minutes, collecting Paul Pogba’s pass outside the area and smashing an unstoppable effort past goalkeeper Marco Sportiello that put Juve fully in control of the game.

Taking his 2015/16 tally to five goals overall, it was a goal whose significance cannot be understated after those somewhat misplaced concerns. But it would merely be one highlight of a superb all-round performance, with Dybala then joining a sublime team move that provided Mario Mandzukic with the game’s second goal.

He would also win a penalty that Pogba failed to convert, while statistics in the tweet below show Dybala connected with 41 of his 46 pass attempts, recovered the ball four times and took eight shots at the Atalanta goal.
 

Adam Digby @Adz77
Paulo Dybala vs Atalanta: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 penalty won, 8 shots, 1 on target, 41/46 passes (via @StatsZone)

But even he was dissatisfied with his contribution, noting in a post-match interview that he hopes to have an even greater impact in the future.

“I'm only half-satisfied, I was able to score a goal but I also missed a lot,” Dybala told Mediaset (h/t Football Italia). “I am self-critical because this is the only way I will improve.”

Allegri made similar comments at his post-match press conference, per the club's official website, with the coach saying that he “liked Paulo’s positional sense,” but adding that he needs to “get used to the physical aspects of the game.”

That unified message certainly bodes well for the future, one in which the striker will surely become a more prominent figure for Juventus.

Dybala continues to justify that significant summer outlay, and performances such as this one should see more faith shown in the way Juve manage him.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8523]

JUVENTUS - ATALANTA

2 - 0

Paulo Dybala (28')
Mario Mandžukić (49')

MATCHDAY 9
Sunday, October 25th, 2015 - 3:00 PM
Juventus Stadium - Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Trapattoni: Juventus Can Still
Come Back For Title Race

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/trapattoni-juventus-can-still-come-back-for-title-race/?

 
Oct 26, 2015

Giovanni Trapattoni spoke about Juventus‘ chances for the title after a poor start of their Serie A campaign.

The 76-year-old endorsed the Bianconeri side for a probable comeback in the second half of the season, following their satisfactory win against Atalanta at the Juventus Stadium in Turin.

“I believe there is still a long road to go down before the title is assigned,” said Trapattoni to Rai Due.

“The matches are giving very clear indications so far,” he added.

“But this league is a long-run and Juventus is not completely out of it.

“At the top of the table, there are many important clubs and they are all going to fight for the title”.

The former coach was in charge of Juventus on two occasions during his career.
 
 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo V Juventus – Preview: Bianconeri Hoping
To Continue Momentum Against The Neroverdi

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/sassuolo-v-juventus-preview-bianconeri-hoping-to-continue-momentum-against- the-neroverdi/?

 
Oct 26, 2015
 
Juventus visit Sassuolo on Wednesday night as the reigning Serie A champions attempt to continue their revival.

Coach Eusebio di Francesco has led his Sassuolo side to a fine start to the season with his team in sixth place ahead of their game against Juventus and are just three points shy of a European spot.

Sassuolo however have lost to Empoli and AC Milan in recent weeks, while Juventus are unbeaten in any competition since their loss to Napoli in late September. The Neroverdi are though undefeated in their last seven home matches in Serie A.

The Bianconeri’s dominant win over high-flying Atalanta on Sunday only helped solidify the impression that Massimiliano Allegri’s side are returning to form. Summer signing Paolo Dybala in particular shined as he scored the first and then set up the second in the 2-0 win.

Sassuolo were hindered by the loss of goalkeeper Andrea Consigli in the 28th minute in Sunday’s match against Milan and they ended up losing 2-1 after conceding a late goal.

Though this season has already defied expectations for the home side, if history is any indication then Sassuolo might have a tough time of it. They have drawn one and lost the rest of their last six meetings against Juventus since being promoted back to Serie A in 2013.

With the exception of the suspended keeper Consigli and the injured duo of Luca Antei and Alfred Duncan, Sassuolo should be able to field a full strength side on Wednesday evening.

Juventus will be without several players for their trip to Emilia-Romagna. Stephan Lichtsteiner, Martin Caceres, Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah are all out of action for the Bianconeri.


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


Expected Starting XIs

Sassuolo:
Pegolo; Peluso, Acerbi, Cannavaro, Vrsaljko; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Laribi; Flores, Defrel, Berardi

Juventus:
Buffon; Padoin, Chiellini, Bonucci, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pogba; Dybala, Mandzukic
 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

How Juventus Are Quietly Rediscovering
The Form That Made Them Italy’s Best

Juventus may well be currently languishing outside the top 10, but as their performance against Atalanta suggests,
the reigning Serie A champions are starting to rediscover the form that made them great, writes Ryan Wrenn.

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/how-juventus-are-quietly-rediscovering-the-form-that-made-them-italys-best/?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Just six months ago, the 2-0 win Juventus earned over Atalanta on Sunday would have come as no surprise. Everything about the game – 70% possession, nine shots on goal, no shots on goal conceded to Atalanta – embodies what this Juventus side has become since its return to prominence in Serie A in 2011. It’s a team that wins seemingly through sheer force of will.

The context in which Sunday’s game occurred, though, suggests a different story. By their respective positions on the table you might think that Juventus had lost that spark that made games like these so easy for them over the last four seasons. That a team like Atalanta could find themselves in the top half of the Serie A table only puts Juventus’ plight into perspective.

That, though, is not to suggest that Atalanta is undeserving of their position in the table. The result on Sunday might make it hard to see, but coach Edy Reja has designed an efficiently potent team especially considering the resources available to them. They can and will recover from this dramatic dip in form against Juventus.

That last bit is important: this should not be discounted as an off week for Atalanta. Even if they inexplicably left their best player – Alejandro Gomez – on the bench to start the game, this was a side that came into the game buoyed enough by earlier successes to think they could get something out of what’s looked like a wounded Juventus side. Their inability to do so is less a sign to Atalanta’s overall quality and more an indication that things are finally coming together for the reigning champions.

Even claiming that is a bit misleading. Comparing this term’s underlying stats to last term’s is to see, if anything, consistency. Possession and passing figures are all virtually unchanged. Indeed, total number of shots and shots on target have actually improved per WhoScored, and Juventus concede a league-low average of 8.2 shots conceded per game so far this term. Allegri must look at those figures and scratch his head in bafflement.

Not all shots are created equal, of course. Juventus’ middle-of-the-pack goal scoring rate of 1.22 per game clearly suggests that those shots might not have been taken in the best of locations or contexts. It could also simply mean that Juventus players have been unlucky and that, on a long enough time line, their efforts would be repaid.

Those figures and Sunday’s results fly in the face of critics who say that the loss of such players as Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez over the summer has compromised Juventus’ ability to compete in what’s become a hotly contested Serie A season. While it’s true that the highlight reels for Juventus’ season so far lack Vidal’s relentless energy, Pirlo’s sublime free kicks and Tevez’ charges on goal, lacking such flash isn’t always an indication in a drop of baseline quality.

Perhaps even more telling to what this Juventus side is capable of is the fact that the team roster was compromised on Sunday. Both choices at right-back – Stephen Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres – were out with injuries, forcing Allegri to field midfielder Simone Padoin in that position instead. Even if he scored Juventus’ second goal, Mario Mandzukic was more effective as a decoy for Dybala’s efforts in and around Atalanta’s penalty area. Sami Khedira is a great acquisition for the club, but his skills in defensive midfield are largely wasted against a team as content to sit back as la Dea.

Given a clean bill of health and a bit better foresight, each of these positions could have been more capably played by someone else currently on Juventus’ roster. Injuries are hard to control, and Allegri could be forgiven if he’s yet to find his preferred starting XI after the summer’s upheaval, so the fact that the Bianconeri got a result despite these liabilities is an achievement in and of itself.

These are just the positives one could derive from Juventus’ Serie A form. With two wins and a draw so far they top a Champions League group that includes Manchester City and Sevilla, a series of results that indicate this is still the Juventus team that reached the finals before only falling to a superb Barcelona side.

A mere three points separate Juventus from sixth place Sassuolo, their opponents in the upcoming Serie A midweek fixtures. A win there would go a long way to redeeming Allegri’s boys and could even propel them into the crowded mixer for the Scudetto.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo vs. Juventus: Team News, Predicted Lineups

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2582786-sassuolo-vs-juventus-team-news-predicted-lineups-live-stream-tv-info?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Sitting in 12th place in Serie A, Juventus will hope to continue their recent unbeaten run when they face off against Sassuolo on Wednesday evening. The Bianconeri will be boosted by their most recent outing, emerging with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Atalanta in Turin.

That came after two goalless draws, and the much-improved attacking display bodes well for the reigning champions, with director general Beppe Marotta insisting the team are much better than they appear.

“This position in the table does not reflect our value,” he told Mediaset Premium recently (h/t Football Italia), going on to say that it is “a long campaign and there’s time to recover” for the Bianconeri.

Yet their visit to the Mapei Stadium will be a difficult test, with their opponents currently six places above them. Indeed, despite dropping points away to Milan, Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco told Radio RAI (h/t Forza Italian Football) that his team “have proven we are good enough” to compete with the division’s leading sides.

For their part, the visitors will be encouraged by their current form as they seek to put their poor start to 2015/16 behind them and can look to three consecutive shut-outs as a major factor in that improvement.

“We’ve come on a lot physically,” coach Massimiliano Allegri told a recent press conference. “The boys are working well as a unit and if you do that you can cause the opposition problems and keep clean sheets.”

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
Three clean sheets in a row for the Bianconeri in all competitions.

Juve have recorded three wins and a draw in their four Serie A clashes with Sassuolo, with the tactical approach of both teams making for an interesting battle. Di Francesco’s 4-3-3 places emphasis on attacking intent and drawing the best from talented wingers Nicola Sansone and Domenico Berardi.

Allegri will need to ensure his team are prepared to counter that while continuing the freedom of his own front players, with a win vital to Juve’s hopes of climbing in the standings.

 

Probable Formations

Sassuolo (4-3-3):
Gianluca Pegolo; Sime Vrsaljko, Francesco Acerbi, Paolo Cannavaro, Federico Peluso; Simone Missiroli, Francesco Magnanelli, Alfred Duncan; Domenico Berardi, Gregoire Defrel, Antonio Floro Flores

Unavailable: Andrea Consigli (suspended), Luca Antei (injured)


Juventus (4-3-3):
Neto; Andrea Barzagli, Daniele Rugani, Giorgio Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Stefano Sturaro, Hernanes, Claudio Marchisio, Juan Cuadrado; Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala

Unavailable: Martin Caceres, Stephan Lichtsteiner (both injured)



Key Battle

Domenico Berardi needs little introduction to regular watchers of Serie A; the Sassuolo forward was once again on the scoresheet against Milan this past weekend. That took his tally against the Rossoneri to eight goals in five appearances, further enhancing his high-profile reputation.

He has been linked with Juventus for some time, with the Turin club’s director general noting their “excellent relationship with Sassuolo,” when he was asked about Berardi at a shareholders meeting, per FourFourTwo.

While that is a matter for the future, his head-to-head clash with either Patrice Evra or Alex Sandro could be key to deciding the outcome of Wednesday evening’s encounter at the Mapei Stadium.



Player to Watch

If Berardi’s impact is key at one end, perhaps the one man to watch in this game will be Juventus striker Paulo Dybala. Much was made of the way the Bianconeri have been using the Argentinian striker recently, with the widespread criticism discussed at length here.

He answered that with a stellar performance against Atalanta, netting the opening goal of the game before laying on a second for Mario Mandzukic. It was the kind of display that vindicated Allegri’s handling of the 21-year-old, and it will be interesting to see how he follows that up here.

OptaPaolo ✔ @OptaPaolo
5 - Paulo Dybala had a hand in five goals this season (four goals, one assist), more than any other player among the Bianconeri. Dynamic.

Faced with Sassuolo’s veteran defence, Dybala could enjoy another impactful display and help Juventus gain three crucial points as they bid to climb further up the table as quickly as possible.



Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 25-43

Home win: 261-50

Draw: 69-25

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Allegri: ‘Focus on winning’

http://www.football-italia.net/74891/allegri-%E2%80%98focus-winning%E2%80%99?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri insists he’s not looking at other teams - “we have to think about winning our games.”

The Bianconeri are currently eight points adrift of table-topping Roma, but the tactician isn’t looking at the results of their rivals.

“First we have to try and win another game, which is tomorrow,” Allegri told reporters in his Press conference ahead of the Sassuolo game.

“Then we’ll prepare for the derby [against Torino] on Saturday. It’s useless to start drawing up tables and schedules.

“We have to take it one game at a time and see where we are at Christmas, and how many points we have. If we’re doing well by then we’ll think about catching our opponents.

“The table says that at the moment the favourites are those who are ahead of us. Roma are in front, then Lazio, Napoli…

“We need to have great motivation, the first thing is to improve our position, and I think tomorrow will be important for the League.

“After that we’ll see. If all the others in front of us win, then we can’t catch them. We have to try and think about winning our games, then look at the others.”

The Juve squad has been hit with a number of muscular injuries, but Allegri insists he’s not concerned by the situation.

“Luckily I have a full squad available. We knew the risk with Roberto Pereyra. Last month he went to the national team and he wasn’t good. He missed a lot of training, and unfortunately this injury happened.

“Kwadwo Asamoah has gone eight months without playing, he had a good game but unfortunately when changing direction he picked up a muscular injury. I think he’ll be back after the international break.

“I’m not worried, because this is a period where we’re playing every three days, and we’ve got the full squad back.

“Martin Caceres is back with the team, but he needs to work. Other than that we’re thinking about the game tomorrow.”

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo v Juventus: Preview

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432175/sassuolo-juventus/preview?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that summer signing Paulo Dybala possesses quality but admits ahead of his team's visit to Sassuolo on Wednesday that he has room for improvement.

Dybala, who joined Juve this summer from Palermo on a permanent transfer, scored his fourth league goal of the season in his side's 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday.

The Argentina forward also set up Mario Mandzukic for Juve's second.

``Dybala has to grow technically and physically but no one doubts his quality,'' Allegri said to giornalaccio rosa dello Sport. ``He is playing in a different role to what he was accustomed to at Palermo and he has to get used to it.

``Dybala was a leader at Palermo and we cannot pretend that he is one here just yet.''

The South American enjoyed an impressive 2014-15 campaign with Palermo, scoring 10 goals and setting up 12 more in 35 league starts.

``He is only 21 and he has great quality,'' Allegri said. ``At Palermo, he played as a forward and here he has less space to move.

``But I'm certain he will become a champion.''

Dybala is expected to start alongside Alvaro Morata in Juve's attack at the Citta del Tricolore stadium.

Juve are looking to win two games in a row in Serie A for the first time this season.

The defending champions won just one of their opening six Serie A games but Sunday's victory lifted the Bianconeri to 12th in the standings, eight points adrift of league leaders Roma.

``We played a great game against Atalanta and for the third match in a row, we didn't concede a goal which is important,'' Allegri said. ``I'm satisfied as we are playing as a group and we are improving.''

Juve, who host Torino in Saturday's city derby, will be without midfielder pair Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah.

Both players sustained muscular injuries at the weekend and face spells on the sidelines.

Moreover, Martin Caceres is still unavailable with an ankle injury.

Unlike Juve, Sassuolo went unbeaten in their opening six games before losing 1-0 at Empoli earlier this month.

Sassuolo then lost 2-1 at AC Milan on Sunday to drop to sixth in the standings.

Eusebio Di Francesco's side has not lost at home since a 3-0 defeat to Roma in April while Juve have won just once on the road this season.

The hosts will be without goalkeeper Andrea Consigli, who was sent off against Milan.

Gianluca Pegolo will replace Consigli in goal.

Domenico Berardi, who has scored in Sassuolo's last two games, will lead his team's attack.

Berardi was co-owned by Juve until this summer and the Turin giants retain the option of re-signing him at the end of the campaign.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Di Francesco: ‘Juventus have improved’

http://www.football-italia.net/74900/di-francesco-%E2%80%98juventus-have-improved%E2%80%99?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Sassuolo Coach Eusebio Di Francesco warns “we’ll face a different Juve compared to the beginning of the season.”

The Bianconeri have started the Serie A season poorly, and currently sit eight points off the top of the League, but the Neroverdi boss sees signs of recovery.

“I liked this Juve in the last two games [against Inter and Atalanta],” Di Francesco said in his pre-match Press conference.

“They had great desire to dictate the play, physicality… we’ll face a different Juve compared to the beginning of the season, one in great condition.

“Quite rightly, Juve must try to win every game, they did it last season, never mind now when they need points to climb the table.”

Sassuolo have scored twice against the Old Lady at Mapei Stadium, with both coming from Simone Zaza, now plying his trade in Turin.

“Simone can score an own-goal at best, right?” Di Francesco laughed.

“I must say, he’s done well in recent games, in Milan he impressed me with his physicality. Maybe he didn’t score, but he had a great game.

“That said, we’ll play a great game tomorrow. We’ll think about the performance, and someone will score the goals.”

Di Francesco’s men were defeated by Milan at the weekend, but the Coach saw positive signs from his team.

“I’m sorry that we didn’t bring home a positive result, but we’re aware that we played really well even though we had 10-men.

“At times it seemed like we had equal numbers, we went down at the end, but that can happen as we had given so much.

“Rotation? The Bianconeri are growing, as are we. Compared to the games against Empoli and Chievo we’ve had very positive results.

“The game against Milan was very draining, so we’ll have to evaluate if changes are needed, although we can cope well with two matches so close together, it’s the third we might struggle in.”

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Juventus squad for Sassuolo

http://www.football-italia.net/74904/juventus-squad-sassuolo?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Juventus are without Roberto Pereyra, Kwadwo Asamoah, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres for the trip to Sassuolo.

It kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT.

While Lichtsteiner and Caceres were already long-term absentees, Pereyra and Asamoah picked up muscular injuries during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Atalanta.


Juventus squad for Sassuolo:

Buffon, Chiellini, Khedira, Zaza, Marchisio, Morata, Pogba, Hernanes, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Lemina, Bonucci, Padoin, Dybala, Rugani, Neto, Sturaro, Evra, Audero

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

MATCH PREVIEW

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/preview/69918

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Europe-chasing Sassuolo host a Juventus side seemingly getting back on their feet after a woeful start to the season.

The Bianconeri are slowly recovering from their worst start since 1912, with wins against Bologna and Atalanta coming either side of a goalless draw against Inter.

Sunday’s win over La Dea came in impressive fashion and Max Allegri will be hoping his side can continue where they left off in the visit to Emilia-Romagna, building momentum for next weekend’s derby against Torino.

Allegri has an almost full strength squad to choose from, with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Martin Caceres the only notable absentees. The Coach is likely to go with the same attacking pair that got the goals against Atalanta, as Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic lead the line.

Sassuolo go into this fixture off the back of Sunday’s gut-wrenching away defeat to AC Milan. Having seen goalkeeper Andrea Consigli dismissed midway through the first-half, the Neroverdi managed to claw their way back into the game only for Luiz Adriano’s late header to snatch the point away from them.

Domenico Berardi’s stunning free-kick looked set to secure the point for Sassuolo in that game, and the talented forward is expected to lead a front three alongside Gregoire Defrel and Antonio Floro Flores.

Consigli’s red card means that he will sit out the visit of the champions, with Gianluca Pegolo handed the gloves. Luca Antei is a long-term absentee with a cruciate ligament injury, whilst Alfred Duncan will be assessed before kick-off.

A win for Sassuolo could see Eusebio Di Francesco’s men move into a Europa League spot, whilst Juventus know that a victory for them could push them into the top half of the table ahead of the derby.


Keep an eye on: Paulo Dybala (Juventus) – The diminutive Argentine seems to have found his scoring boots in Turin, following up his strike against Bologna before the international break with a goal and assist in the win at Atalanta. With the pressure of a big-money move on his shoulders, the former Palermo man will be looking to add to his tally and prove that the Bianconeri made the right decision to bring him in.

Last season: Sassuolo 1-1 Juventus

Stat fact: In their four meetings since Sassuolo’s promotion to Serie A in 2013, Juventus have scored nine goals to the Neroverdi’s two.


Sassuolo (probable):
Pegolo; Vrsaljko, Acerbi, Cannavaro, Peluso; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Duncan; Floro Flores, Berardi, Defrel

Suspended: Consigli


Juventus (probable):
Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Khedira, Marchisio, Lemina; Pogba; Dybala, Mandzukic

Suspended: None

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo squad for Juventus

http://www.football-italia.net/74906/sassuolo-squad-juventus?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Sassuolo are without suspended goalkeeper Andrea Consigli and injured Luca Antei for tomorrow’s game with Juventus.

It kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT.

Consigli was sent off during the 2-1 defeat to Milan on Sunday and sits out his one-match ban.

Defender Antei remains on the treatment table, but the rest of the squad is available to Coach Eusebio Di Francesco.


Sassuolo squad for Juventus:

Pomini, Pegolo; Longhi, Vrsaljko, Peluso, Acerbi, Ariaudo, Fontanesi, Gazzola, Terranova, Cannavaro; Magnanelli, Pellegrini, Missiroli, Biondini, Laribi, Duncan; Falcinelli, Politano, Sansone, Berardi, Floro Flores, Defrel, Floccari

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Juventus vs. Sassuolo Preview: Round 10 —
Time to (completely) right the ship

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/10/27/9612010/sassuolo-juventus-2015-serie-a-round-10-lineups-team-news-live-online-streaming

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
So, now that we have debunked the "Will Juventus ever score a goal again?" question from the Atalanta match preview over the weekend, we can move onto bigger and better things. Like, you know, bringing up another very important question regarding our favorite black-and-white-colored football club.

Can Juve do what they haven't been able to do all season and win two Serie A games in a row?

See, at BWRAO, we bring up the questions people want to hear!

But the fact still remains through the first nine Serie A rounds this season, Juventus has yet to win two straight league games. The team Juve beat over the weekend, Atalanta, has already won back-to-back league games. Same goes for Milan, which sits 10th. Same goes for every club sitting in Serie A's top five spots in the league standings. And it's no wonder that it's part of the reason why they are where they are.

The same kind of thing can be said for Juventus, who has as many wins (3) as they do losses and draws through the season's first name games.

It's pretty well established that we didn't expect Juventus to begin the season in the fashion that they have. But we can say that Juventus' game over the weekend was easily one of their best showings of the young season. And, if they want any chance of winning two games in a row, three games in a row or even 10 or 12 games in a row, then they're going to need to start not just racking up wins, but building off of them.

You know, instead of sputtering and then ending up with a disappointing loss/draw.

The thing is, though, Juventus will have to try and build off Sunday's win over Atalanta against the club that has quietly worked its way up to sixth in the table. Yes, little old Sassuolo, the club that saw its second-best goal scorer sign for Juventus this summer, is sitting just outside a European place. Sure, it's late-October and things could most definitely change, but Sassuolo is up where the big boys in Serie A are — and they're hanging right on in there.

Here's the catch, though: If Juventus wins on Wednesday night, they're even on points with Sassuolo. Yes, that rise up the table we've all been hoping for could come quickly if Juve get the job done the next few weeks (and going forward after that). So go on out there and win some games, Juventus. Sure would be nice to see you win a few in a row as we hit the quarter poll of the season, that's for sure.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "The only way we'll make up ground in @SerieA_TIM is by putting together a run of consistent results."


GOOD NEWS

Juventus entered the weekend in 14th place.

Juventus left the weekend in 12th place.

Onward and upward!


BAD NEWS

The Injury Angel sprinkled her little magic dust again and now a pair of midfielders, Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah will be out until mid-November at the very earliest.


WHAT TO WATCH FOR

1. Juventus' defense vs. Domenico Berardi

I love Berardi, I really do. But for one day, I hope he has a terrible game. I don't want him to score a goal against the team the vast majority of folks thinks he will be playing for next season. I want Andrea Barzagli or Leonardo Bonucci to block every one of his shot attempts. I want every Berardi picture from tomorrow's game to be of him putting both his hands on his head because he's completely frustrated. But, the thing is, for as much as I want Berardi to do nothing against my favorite (and maybe his future) team, I know that Berardi is just as capable as exploding for a hat trick and completely taking over a game whenever he's on the field. I guess the good thing is that the Juventus defense — no matter which formation Max Allegri goes with on Wednesday — is playing as well as it has all season right now, recording three consecutive shutouts in all competitions. There's no doubting that watching a confidence defense trying to stop one of Italy's best players will be entertaining, though.

2. Paulo Dybala's impact

The naysayers will now say, "But Allegri probably won't play Dybala, so you're wasting your time, pal!" But I feel safe in saying that coming off what he did on Sunday, it will be an absolute shock if Dybala isn't starting against Sassuolo on Wednesday night. That's not because I'm an absolute Dybala fanboy (which might be true anyway at this point), but it's the fact that the argument for who Juve's best player against Atalanta starts and ends at the mention of Dybala. Throw in the fact that Álvaro Morata is likely returning to the starting lineup after getting most of the Atalanta game off and you have the Morata-Dybala that is full of happy thoughts and plenty of potential for goals. If Allegri wants Dybala to earn his spot in the starting lineup, then playing like he did against Atalanta will be the ticket for that exact notion. And if Dybala continues to play like he did against Atalanta, then Allegri keeping him on the bench will become harder and harder to both justify and actually go forward with doing.

JuventusFC ✔ @juventusfcen
.@OfficialAllegri: "@PauDybala_JR has fine qualities. He's young with room for improvement and he'll become a great player."

3. Can Paul Pogba build off his weekend performance?

We all know how inconsistent Pogba has been this season. But for the first time this year, we saw what Juve's midfield could be like in the win over Atalanta — Claudio Marchisio played great, Sami Khedira played great and Pogba was able to resemble the kind of productive player that he has been for the better part of his Juventus career. All three parts of the Juve midfield worked well together, and all three brought their own unique kind of characteristics. For Pogba, it was the kind of simple yet effective game where he was able to grow into the match and sprinkle in a few tricks along the way. Those big-time runs forward returned, the flicks and everything to his teammates were beneficial instead of a complete hinderance to Juve's attack. A lot like the team as a whole, it was one of Pogba's best games this season. And, also like the team as a whole, you hope it can be the start of something bigger and better rather than just a one-game type of thing.

4. Does Patrice Evra or Alex Sandro start at left (wing)back?

This is the luxury that Allegri now has. Basically he can go into any given game and think to himself, "Which really good left back am I going to play today?" It's not a bad problem to have, either. And, because of it, Allegri is able to not run either player into the ground during any given week where there's three games. Essentially is what I'm getting at is that many believe that Allegri will go with Alex Sandro against Sassuolo after Evra played over the weekend against Atalanta. It's a logical step, too — especially with the schedule being so busy these days. I understand that Allegri probably wants to slowly integrate the 24-year-old Brazilian into the squad because he's still very new to Serie A and the Juventus system as a whole. But when it comes to having to very good players at one position, why not take advantage of the ability to give an older player like Evra a rest whenever it seems fit? This isn't like how things are at the other fullback position where Allegri's having to play Simone Padoin every so often simply because he has nobody else there.


My starting XI (3-5-2):

 

Gianluigi Buffon; Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Juan Cuadrado, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba, Alex Sandro; Álvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sarri: Juventus Are Serie A Favourites Not Napoli

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/sarri-juventus-are-serie-a-favourites-not-napoli/?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has claimed that Juventus are still the team to beat in Serie A despite their slow start to the season.

Juventus are in 12th place in Serie A, six points behind second place Napoli but Sarri is not interested in talking about Napoli’s Scudetto chances.

“For me, Juventus are still favourites to win Serie A,” Sarri told reporters during his pre-match conference ahead of the game against Palermo.

“We dont talk about our chances of winning Serie A.

“We will take it one game at a time and not focus on the long term.

“A few weeks ago people were writing us off so we cant get carried away.”

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

SASSUOLO V JUVENTUS SERIE A MATCH PREVIEW

http://www.juvefc.com/sassuolo-v-juventus-serie-a-match-preview-and-scouting/?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 

Juventus

After a job well done against Atalanta, Juventus take on their little brother Sassuolo on the road. The Sunday performance was certainly one of the two best of the year, second only to the Sevilla game, because of the different pedigree of the opponent. Everything worked for the Old Lady that did not concede for the third game in a row, a sigh of relief after the early, and inexplicable, defensive woes. It is probably not a coincidence that Juventus get stouter with both Claudio Marchisio and Sami Khedira on the pitch: not only they are great defensive stopper, but they are also smart veterans that make the right play at the right time and are able to control the pace of the game.

Paulo Dybala and his management by Massimiliano Allegri were the topics of the week and the Argentinian starlet responded with a statement game: a goal, an assist and a penalty. A Carlos Tevez-like performance that hopefully he will repeat several times. Much has been said and written about this matter: the coach defended himself saying that Dybala played the most minutes among the strikers, which is true but the former Palermo has always been available, differently from Alvaro Morata and Mario Mandzukic, so he is also the “most benched” one. On the other hand, Allegri is right when he says that the price tag does not dictate how much a player should feature and also when he points out that Dybala’s destiny is not to be a “small” centre-forward à la Kun Aguero, which he was in Sicily, but a more traditional second striker. He likes to roam, he can take defenders on, he has great speed and great technique and he is a willing passer: we have rarely seen a player like that be the main cog in an attack in Italy. The adjustment to his new role should be natural and is the best move for the Juve roster, which is filled with physical striker.

Unfortunately, the injury bug continues to spread in the locker room: Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah suffered hamstring injuries and will miss time, they could be available after the November international break. It was interesting to see Paul Pogba moved to the no.10 position for a big chunk of the game when there was not a state of emergency: Hernanes and Juan Cuadrado were on the bench. It probably says something about the Brazilian playmaker who is starting to be buried, factoring in also Giuseppe Marotta’s recent words.

Allegri has announced the return of Andrea Barzagli in the starting lineup after a much deserved day off: he should be used as right centre-back/right back in the fluid 3-5-2/4-3-3 formation, but it is possible that Giorgio Chiellini is rested, so at that point Simone Padoin or Stefano Sturaro would play at RB. Cuadrado is poised to start and so is Alex Sandro. The midfield is likely to stay intact. The main doubts are in the attack: the latest reports indicate that Zaza will make an appearance in his old stadium with Dybala confirmed in the XI, but I would not rule out Morata, who was rested in the last game. Let’s not forget that the Turin derby is in four days, so some top players could be spared.


Probable lineup 3-5-2:

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Zaza.


Injuries:

Lichtsteiner (heart condition), Pereyra (hamstring), Asamoah (hamstring).

Suspended:

None


 

  Sassuolo

Sassuolo are having a pretty good season: they have matured and, after two years, they have become a legitimate Serie A team. They seem to have escaped the dangerous zones of the table with a fast start and they can aim at having a very fun and relaxed year. I do not expect them to be able to maintain their current six position as there are a couple of bigger teams behind them, but they are playing good football, as they have always done, and they do not look as vulnerable defensively as in the past.

Thanks to the summer additions of Gregoire Defrel, Alfred Duncan, Matteo Politano, Diego Falcinelli and Karim Laribi, the last two where loaned out in Serie B last season, they have depth and quality alternatives in every position. As a matter of fact, they have been able to cope pretty will with Domenico Berardi either missing time or playing below his standards because of poor conditioning for six games.

They are still undefeated at Mapei Stadium: they have defeated Napoli early in the season and Lazio two games ago and they have drawn with Atalanta and Chievo Verona. They tend to play better against proactive opponents because their main weapons are the counterattacking game and the multiple playmakers they have at disposal that can explode in the open field. The coach has pulled out a couple of times a midfield composed by two offensive-minded players, Laribi and Simone Missiroli, which is very interesting and maybe a midgame solution. However, Duncan is primed to start alongside the always reliable Francesco Magnanelli and Missiroli for a more defensive look.

Eusebio Di Francesco has rotated in and out all his forwards. In this one, the combination should be Berardi-Defrel-Antonio Floro Flores, even though the giant killer Nicola Sansone has a chance to start. Defrel, who was brought in as the de facto Zaza replacement even though he is a much different player, adds a nice little element to their offensive. Zaza is in no way a slow player, but the Frenchman is a speedster and so they use more and more deep central passes where he tries eitehr to slip behind the defensive line or to glide past the centre-back thanks to his dribbling skills. Floro Flores is a gutsy, borderline arrogant, striker who is not afraid to take responsibilities.

The defense has often been their Achilles heel and they had some blunders this year too, especially against lesser teams where they are probably not completely locked in, but overall it has been acceptable and has not hold them back. Having the same players, Sime Vrsaljko-Paolo Cannavaro-Francesco Acerbi-Federico Peluso, for basically the whole season definitely helped creating some chemistry.

We can expect a side that is accustomed to assault the opponent and that does not like to sit back and wait, but want to win the ball and run. They have often played up to the level of the competition.

 

Probable lineup 4-3-3:

Pegolo; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso; Duncan, Magnanelli, Missiroli; Berardi, Defrel, Floro Flores.


Injuries:

Antei

Suspended:

Consigli


 

Formation

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo Coach Fears Rejuvenated Juventus Squad

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/sassuolo-coach-fears-rejuvenated-juventus-squad/?

 
Oct 27, 2015
 
Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco admitted it may take an own goal from former striker Simone Zaza to guarantee a result against Juventus at the Mapei Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Bianconeri have shown improvement in recent weeks following a poor start to their Serie A campaign, something the 46-year-old is aware of ahead of the fixture.

“Simone can score an own goal in the game and help us can’t he?,” the former Lecce coach joked during his pre-match press conference.

“This is a Juve team who I have liked a lot over the past two games.

“They have showed a great desire to take the game into their own hands and we will now come up against a Juventus side who are much different from the one at the start of the season. They are in great condition.”

The Neroverdi were narrowly beaten 2-1 by AC Milan on Sunday evening and will be looking to bounce back against Juventus.

“We are preparing well for it though. We have spoken about the things we did well and the things we can improve on from the game at the San Siro. There were many positives to take from it.”

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Clubs line up for Berardi

http://www.football-italia.net/74925/clubs-line-berardi?

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
It’s reported Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona could rival Juventus for Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi.

The Bianconeri sold their half of the striker to the Neroverdi outright this summer, though the Turin giants retain a buyback clause.

However, the Emilian side warned yesterday that the Old Lady were not the only ones monitoring the Italian Under-21 international, and today’s Corriere della Sport reports a wide range of interest.

According to the newspaper, three clubs from the English Premier League are following Berardi, namely Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Barcelona’s international sporting director Ariedo Braida has also been spotted at Mapei Stadium, with the Blaugrana also believed to be interested.

Berardi is seen as one of the most promising young Italian players, and has scored 33 goals across the last three Serie A seasons, including two in six so far this term.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Cuadrado to return for Juventus?

http://www.football-italia.net/74948/cuadrado-return-juventus?

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
Juan Cuadrado looks set to return to the Juventus starting line-up, as Max Allegri reverts to a 3-5-2.

The Colombian winger was rested for Sunday’s 2-0 win over Atalanta, with the Bianconeri opting for a narrow 4-3-1-2 shape.

However, the on-loan Chelsea man looks set to return at wing-back for tonight’s trip to Sassuolo, with giornalaccio rosa dello Sport and Sky predicting the return of 3-5-2.

It’s expected that Alex Sandro will be preferred to Patrice Evra in the other wing-back slot, but Tuttosport is predicting a 4-3-3 shape, with Cuadrado and Paulo Dybala flanking Simone Zaza.

Coach Allegri has often opted for a flexible shape this season, switching between 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 during the match, so Andrea Barzagli could play right-back, but slot to centre-back at times to form a three-man defence.

There is also disagreement about who will play up-front. Dybala is widely expected to start, but Sky believes Mario Mandzukic will partner him, giornalaccio rosa reports Alvaro Morata and Tuttosport predicts Zaza will be given the nod.


Probable Juventus team to face Sassuolo:

Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Cuadrado, Khedira, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Zaza.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Lineups: Sassuolo-Juventus

http://www.football-italia.net/74963/lineups-sassuolo-juventus?

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
Juventus are still struggling to find consistency and this evening visit on-form Sassuolo, including Domenico Berardi.

It kicks off at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT.

The Bianconeri have flattered to deceive so far this season, ending a run of two consecutive draws in all competition with a 2-0 win over Atalanta.

Paulo Dybala was on target and is again in the starting XI after controversy over Max Allegri’s decision to bench him.

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado and Andrea Barzagli return after being rested, while Stephan Lichtsteiner, Martin Caceres, Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah are unavailable.

Claudio Marchisio pulled out with flu symptoms and is not even on the bench, so Mario Lemina steps in.

Simone Zaza returns to the Mapei Stadium to face his former club, but will only do so as a substitute.

Juve had an option on Zaza which they activated over the summer and there’s a similar situation in place for current Sassuolo star Berardi.

Some even suggest he could make the step up to Turin in January, fending off interest from the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona.

The 21-year-old will be particularly eager to impress his future employers, but goalkeeper Andrea Consigli is suspended and Luca Antei injured.

Sassuolo have never beaten Juventus, managing only a 1-1 draw in October last year from four meetings.


Sassuolo: Pegolo; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Biondini; Berardi, Floccari, Sansone

Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Sturaro, Lemina, Pogba, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Dybala

 

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

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MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Half-Time 1-0: Nicola Sansone strike pegs
10-man Juventus back at Sassuolo

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/half-time-report/half-time-report-nicola-sansone-strike-pegs-juventus-back_254719.html?

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
Juventus have it all to do in the second half if they want to avoid defeat at Sassuolo, as the hosts head into the break with a 1-0 lead and a numerical advantage.

Chances were at a premium in the opening stages but Juve caused the hosts some problems in the 15th minute when Paulo Dybala's menacing cross caused panic in the penalty area before being scrambled clear.

The Old Lady were left stunned in the 20th minute when Sassuolo took the lead straight from a free kick, Nicola Sansone bending a strike into the top corner to break the stalemate.

Paul Pogba almost levelled things up in the 26th minute when he was picked out by Stefano Sturaro. The Frenchman's shot looked destined for the top corner, but Stefano Sturaro produced acrobatics to keep it out.

Juventus struggled to create chances during the first half, and things could be more difficult for them in the second as they were deduced to 10 men in the 39th minute when Giorgio Chiellini was shown a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

1 - 0

Nicola Sansone (20')
 
 

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo 1-0 Juventus: Sansone strike
sinks struggling champions

A first-half free-kick from the Neroverdi forward was the difference between
the two sides at the Mapei Stadium, with Giorgio Chiellini sent off for the visitors.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/sassuolo-vs-juventus/2120474/report

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
Nicola Sansone scored a superb first-half free-kick to earn Sassuolo their first victory over Juventus, who had Giorgio Chiellini sent off on another miserable night for the visitors.

A torrid night saw the Serie A champions slip to their fourth defeat of the season and their third away from home, as coach Massimiliano Allegri watched one of his former clubs outplay his stuttering side in the rain at Mapei Stadium.

Allegri’s men paid for their physical approach, as poor tackles led to the decisive free-kick from which Sansone scored, as well as the dismissal of experienced defender Chiellini.

Sassuolo's home form has been at the heart of their excellent start to the season, with Eusebio Di Francesco's side now unbeaten in eight home league matches – a run that stretches back to April.

Allegri, meanwhile, must address his side's away form; the champions have won only once on their travels in Serie A this season.

Juve started the night unbeaten in their previous five outings, and they enjoyed a spell of early pressure.

Paulo Dybala sent a free-kick bending towards goal that forced Gianluca Pegolo to make a punched clearance, with the damp conditions making life difficult for the Sassuolo goalkeeper.

The steady rain led to some heavy challenges, and Mario Lemina was booked for a clumsy tackle that gave Sassuolo a free-kick in a dangerous position after 20 minutes. Sansone stepped up and curled in an inch-perfect effort that evaded both the Juve wall and the reach of Gianluigi Buffon.

Juve looked to Paul Pogba for inspiration and the Frenchman responded, creating space for himself to launch a dipping shot at goal that drew a save from Pegolo at full stretch.

Just as the visitors seemed to be finding their feet, Chiellini clattered into Domenico Berardi and, having already booked him earlier in the half, referee Andrea Gervasoni had no hesitation in dismissing the veteran defender.

Despite their man disadvantage, the champions came out with intent after the break, and Dybala crossed for Mario Mandzukic, whose effort was blocked but he laid the ball off for Pogba to slam a shot narrowly wide.

Allegri sent on Alvaro Morata for the misfiring Mandzukic as Juve continued to press for an equaliser, with his introduction seeming to energise Dybala, who sent a fizzing shot just wide of Pegolo's goal.

Berardi had the ball in the net in the closing stages, but the linesman's flag denied him a goal and Sassuolo a more emphatic first win over the Bianconeri, whose title defence suffered a further blow.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

1 - 0

Nicola Sansone (20')
 
 

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo sink 10-man Juve

A splendid Nicola Sansone free kick and Giorgio Chiellini’s
early dismissal saw Juventus capitulate to Sassuolo.

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/69918

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
The Bianconeri were still seeking consistency and visited the Mapei Stadium, Simone Zaza’s old hunting ground, while Domenico Berardi faced the side he’ll probably join next season or even in January. Stephan Lichtsteiner, Martin Caceres, Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah all missed out, while the hosts had Andrea Consigli suspended and Luca Antei injured. Claudio Marchisio pulled out late on with flu symptoms.

The Neroverdi had never beaten Juve, managing only a 1-1 home draw in four meetings, but were ahead of the giants in the table.

Sassuolo had the stronger start and took the lead with a splendid free kick. Everyone was expecting Berardi to go far post, so instead Nicola Sansone curled into the near top corner, leaving Gigi Buffon rooted to the spot.

Paul Pogba unleashed an absolute screamer from distance, which Gianluca Pegolo fingertipped out from under the bar.

Juventus went down to 10 men, as Giorgio Chiellini received his second yellow card for going through the back of Berardi. He had been booked after just four minutes for dissent.

After the restart, Pogba drilled wide of the near stick and Juan Cuadrado tested Pegolo at the near post, as Juve pinned Sassuolo back despite being down to 10 men.

However, despite playing better in the second half, the Bianconeri were unable to get themselves back into the game, trying only from distance with Hernanes and Mario Lemina.

Sassuolo really should've had Francesco Acerbi sent off after 77 minutes, as he went elbow-first into Dybala's face, but instead Pogba was booked for dissent.


Sassuolo: Pegolo; Vrsaljko, Cannavaro, Acerbi, Peluso; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Biondini (Duncan 71); Berardi (Laribi 81), Floccari (Defrel 70), Sansone

Juventus: Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Alex Sandro, Sturaro, Lemina (Hernanes 83), Pogba, Cuadrado; Mandzukic (Morata 60), Dybala (Zaza 78)

Ref: Gervasoni

Sent off: Chiellini 39 (J)

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

1 - 0

Nicola Sansone (20')

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Nicola Sansone strike sinks
10-man Juventus at Sassuolo

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/result/result-nicola-sansone-strike-sinks-10-man-juve_254735.html

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
A Nicola Sansone strike in the first half proved enough to secure a memorable 1-0 win for Sassuolo over 10-man Juventus in Serie A.

The opening stages of the match were uneventful, but it came to life in the 20th minute when Sansone gave the hosts the lead from a free kick, smashing an unstoppable strike into the top corner from outside the box.

Things went from bad to worse for the Old Lady in the 39th minute when they were reduced to 10 men, Giorgio Chiellini receiving his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Despite being a man down, Juve were inches away from an equaliser in the 50th minute as Mario Mandzukic held off his marker and found Paul Pogba in front of goal, but the Frenchman could only shoot wide.

It was Sassuolo's first ever victory over Juventus, and they were made to work for it as the Old Lady hit them with everything they had in the second half.

Juan Cuadrado almost found the bottom corner from inside the box just after the hour mark, but Sassuolo goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo was equal to his strike.

Hernanes tried his luck from range after exchanging passes with Pogba with four minutes remaining, and was just inches from finding the target.

It was as close as Juventus came to an equaliser as Sassuolo held on to secure a famous win.

 

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

[Socrates 8523]

SASSUOLO - JUVENTUS

1 - 0

Nicola Sansone (20')

MATCHDAY 10
Wednesday, October 28th, 2015 - 8:45 PM
Mapei Stadium, Reggio Emilia
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Sassuolo 1-0 Juventus: Bianconeri
Lose More Ground At Neroverdi

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/sassuolo-1-0-juventus-bianconeri-lose-more-ground-at-neroverdi/?

 
Oct 28, 2015
 
Sassuolo beat Juventus 1-0 on a wet and miserable Wednesday night at the Mapei Stadium.

Nicola Sansone scored the only goal of the game with a magnificent free-kick in the 20th minute in what was a rather turgid match in terms of goalscoring chances. In the 39th minute Giorgio Chiellini was sent-off for a poor challenge on Domenico Berardi to make matters worse for Juventus.

After a rather uneventful first 20 minutes, Sassuolo were given a free-kick just outside the box, following a foul by Mario Lemina. Sansone stepped and curled in a breathtaking free-kick into the top corner, leaving Gianluigi Buffon stranded to give the Neroverdi the lead.

The Old Lady responded in strong fashion and Paul Pogba stung the fingers of Gianluca Pegolo with a rasping shot from 30 yards out.

Ten minutes before the end of the first-half, Juventus were struggling to breakthrough a stout Sassuolo defence, their frustration was shown when Stefano Sturaro rushed an effort as it flew harmlessly over the bar.

Three minutes later it went from bad to worse for the Bianconeri as Chiellini was sent-off for a second yellow card. In truth the Italian could have had no complaints as his challenge on Berardi was rash and needless.

The start of the second-half was relatively chance free with both defences on top form, but Sansone was able to fire a shot from 25 yards out but it sailed wide.

Juventus’ first real chance of the half came in the 65th minute when Leonardo Bonucci failed to direct his header goalwards following a corner.

The Old Lady were increasing the pressure in the final 20 minutes but failed to create anything to trouble the hands of Pegolo.

The result leaves Sassuolo three points off 5th position and Juventus in an awful 12th, 11 points behind league leaders Roma.

 

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