Juventus Season 2015-2016

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')
 
 

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

Juventus 2-0 Inter: Bonucci and Morata
seal the win in Derby d'Italia

Leonardo Bonucci struck one minute into the second period before Alvaro Morata
netted from the spot as Juventus claimed all three points in the Derby d'Italia.

http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-internazionale/2120641/report

Feb 28, 2016
 
Leonardo Bonucci's fierce close-range volley and a late penalty from Alvaro Morata saw Juventus beat Inter 2-0 in the Derby d'Italia to move four points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A.

Juventus led a minute after the interval in Turin on Sunday, Bonucci smashing in a volley from four yards after a poor defensive header by Danilo D'Ambrosio.

Morata made sure of the victory by beating Samir Handanovic from the penalty spot with 10 minutes to go after the striker was fouled by Miranda shortly after entering the game as a substitute.

The defeat means Inter's poor 2016 form continues - they have won just two of their nine league games since leading the table at the mid-season break - as they struggled to create clear chances against a Juventus defence that has now kept eight successive clean sheets in Serie A.

Hernanes almost opened the scoring against his old employers within five minutes, smashing a thunderous 25-yard drive that was brilliantly tipped on to the crossbar by Handanovic.

The league leaders started on top and Handanovic had to save another long-range effort after 14 minutes, diving low to his left to deny Hernanes again, before the Slovenia international saved a Mario Mandzukic header.

Alex Sandro almost headed into his own goal under close attention from D'Ambrosio after 23 minutes, then Icardi missed a terrific chance as Inter grew into the match.

Rodrigo Palacio shrugged off Paul Pogba and bent a delightful cross into the box, but Inter's captain, who had scored six goals in six Serie A games against Juventus, got his finish all wrong.

Palacio should have done better with a header from an Alex Telles free-kick after 43 minutes, planting his effort straight at Gianluigi Buffon.

Juventus took the lead a minute into the second half and the visitors only had themselves to blame.

D'Ambrosio headed Paulo Dybala's free-kick directly to Bonucci, who made no mistake with a powerful volleyed finish from close range.

Serie A's defending champions almost scored a second goal six minutes after the interval but Dybala scuffed his shot just wide.

Substitute Adem Ljajic hit an effort off target after 63 minutes as Inter, who have not beaten Juventus since November 2013, battled to break Allegri's side down.

Juventus sealed the points with a late penalty, Morata confidently converting from 12 yards after Miranda bundled him over in the box.

Buffon made his first save of note with just two minutes to go, turning a 30-yard free-kick from Ljajic away and catching Felipe Melo's rebound strike. He then denied Eder from a shot on the turn in the six-yard box as Inter proved unable to breach the watertight champions' rearguard.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')
 
 

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

Juve wreck Inter hopes of third

Juventus sent Inter spiralling with a 2-0 Derby d’Italia
victory decided by Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata.

http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/70085

Feb 28, 2016
 
The Bianconeri saw their 15-round winning streak ended last week by Bologna and a 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich, so wanted to get back on track and secure first place. Claudio Marchisio was injured, but Giorgio Chiellini and Alex Sandro returned, as did the 3-5-2 system. Roberto Mancini mirrored their tactics, but had Marcelo Brozovic suspended.

Inter haven't beaten Juventus in all competition since a 3-1 result in Turin on November 3 2012. That was followed by three draws and five defeats. There was a huge choreography before kick-off mocking ‘clowns’ Inter for accepting the so-called ‘Cardboard Scudetto’ after Calciopoli in 2006.

There was a huge chance within five minutes, as Hernanes unleashed a scorching strike from a good 30 metres out and Samir Handanovic got fingertips to turn it on to the crossbar.

Moments later Mario Mandzukic ran on to a through ball and pulled back for Paulo Dybala, but his shot was charged down. Mandzukic then failed to make the most of a poor Jeison Murillo interception by blasting over from a tight angle – and that was all within the opening nine minutes.

Handanovic also comfortably smothered a Hernanes low drive and Mandzukic header, while Alex Sandro’s crucial header stopped Danilo D’Ambrosio nodding in an Alex Telles free kick at the back post and Mauro Icardi’s first touch let him down from six yards out on Rodrigo Palacio’s divine chipped pass.

Bad news for Juventus, as Chiellini went off injured after just 35 minutes, making way for Daniele Rugani. Joao Miranda crucially intercepted a Paul Pogba assist from a free kick in the six-yard box, then Handanovic timed his intervention perfectly to prod the ball off Mandzukic’s feet.

The deadlock was broken straight after the restart, as a long Dybala free kick seemed to be going out of play, but for some reason D’Ambrosio nodded it back across the face of goal and Leonardo Bonucci volleyed in across Handanovic. The centre-back had to readjust his position to blast that in from a tight angle.

Dybala scuffed his volley on an Alex Sandro cross to bobble just wide of the far post. Gary Medel went off injured and was unusually replaced by Adem Ljajic and the Serbian drilled wide with Gigi Buffon watching it all the way.

Alvaro Morata came off the bench and immediately dribbled into the box, drawing a clumsy challenge from Miranda. The referee awarded a penalty and the Spanish striker converted it himself.

Buffon’s first genuine intervention came at the 88th minute, getting down to beat away a Ljajic free kick, but Miranda shoved Ivan Perisic aside to get the rebound when his teammate was in a much better position to score.

Buffon also got down very quickly for a one-handed save to deny Eder from close range in stoppages. It ensured Juventus have still conceded only one Serie A goal in 2016 and Buffon set a new personal record of 746 minutes of Serie A football without letting in a goal, eight consecutive clean sheets.


Juventus:
Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini (Rugani 35); Lichtsteiner, Khedira (Sturaro 77), Hernanes, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Mandzukic, Dybala (Morata 81)

Inter:
Handanovic; Miranda, Murillo, Juan Jesus; D'Ambrosio, Felipe Melo, Medel (Ljajic 55), Kondogbia, Telles (Perisic 73); Icardi (Eder 85), Palacio

Ref: Rocchi

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus back to winning ways
with win over Inter

Serie A leaders Juventus returned to winning ways
this evening by overcoming Inter 2-0 in Serie A.

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/juventus/result/result-juve-edge-out-inter_267437.html

Feb 28, 2016
 
The Old Lady had drawn their previous two matches, including a come-from-behind 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16, after 13 straight wins in all competitions.

Juve started quickly and went close three times in the opening 10 minutes, with Hernanes, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic all threatening early on.

Inter then settled and frustrated the hosts to get to half time goalless, but then the visitors committed a mistake at the back and they were duly punished.

No-one tracked the run of Leonardo Bonucci and the centre-back slammed home a volley from a narrow angle as the Inter defence stood and watched.

Inter failed to create many opportunities throughout the contest and the game was put out of their reach in the 84th minute when Alvaro Morata slotted home from the penalty spot after Miranda's infringement in the area.

Juve go four points clear for the time being, although Napoli can close the gap back to one if they win away at fourth-placed Fiorentina tomorrow night, while Inter stay fifth and now drop 13 points behind the leaders.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus 2-0 Inter: Defensive
Blunders Decide Derby D’Italia

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/02/juventus-2-0-inter-defensive-blunders-decide-derby-ditalia/?

Feb 28, 2016
 
Juventus defeated rivals Inter 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium in their Sunday evening Serie A derby clash.

A defensive mistake allowed Leonardo Bonucci the opportunity to put the hosts ahead, one which he took with both hands, and Alvaro Morata then converted his spot kick to confirm all three points for the Bianconeri.

The Old Lady initially came out all guns blazing, an early long-range strike from Hernanes struck the woodwork after Samir Handanovic got a slight touch on the ball. Minutes later the Bianconeri had another chance, but Paulo Dybala couldn’t convert the pass from Mario Mandzukic.

Mauro Icardi came very close to scoring for the Nerazzurri, but he couldn’t make clean contact with the ball from Rodrigo Palacio. Handanovic came to the rescue again for the visitors, charging off his line to beat Mandzukic to the ball and parry it out into play.

In the second half it took just seconds for the opening goal to arrive, a terrible clearance from Danilo D’Ambrosio fell kindly into the path of Leonardo Bonucci who blasted his volley past Handanovic. Dybala almost doubled the Bianconeri lead, but his curling strike went just wide of the post after Alex Sandro found him in the box.

The second goal of the game eventually arrived, courtesy of a clattering challenge from Miranda on Alvaro Morata in the box. Referee Gianluca Rocchi awarded the penalty and Morata took the spot kick, sending Handanovic the wrong way.

Inter had late chances to grab a consolation goal, Miranda had a shot saved comfortably at the near post by Gianluigi Buffon, before substitute Eder had his goal-bound strike eventually cleared.

Juventus now go four points clear at the top of the Serie A table, while Inter lose ground on Fiorentina and Roma, with AC Milan now also catching up with their rivals.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus increase Serie A lead
after convincing defeat of Inter

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/italian-serie-a/match/432003/juventus-internazionale/report

Feb 28, 2016
 
Juventus threw down the gauntlet to Serie A title rivals Napoli by pulling four points clear at the top with a convincing 2-0 victory over Inter Milan.

February has seen the reigning champions catch up to, and then finally overhaul free-scoring Napoli, but they were only one point clear of the southerners heading into the 27th round of games.

It took second-half goals from Leonardo Bonucci and substitute Alvaro Morata -- the latter converting a late penalty -- for Juve to earn a breather, safe in the knowledge their status as Scudetto favourites cannot be touched by Napoli when the Azzurri visit Fiorentina on Monday.

Roberto Mancini's Inter, the former table-toppers who were distinctly ineffective in Turin, only deigning to threaten their hosts at the death, now face the unenviable task of attempting to overhaul Juve's 3-0 lead in the Coppa Italia semifinals when the Italian giants meet again on Wednesday.

The best moment of an underwhelming first half occurred in the fifth minute. Brazilian playmaker Hernanes almost struck a blow against his previous employers when he took aim from long range, but he could only rattle the crossbar and Samir Handanovic punched the ball clear.

Juve kept pushing and Mario Mandzukic soon set up Paulo Dybala for an attempt from the middle of the Inter box that Miranda did very well to block.

In the ninth minute Jeison Murillo failed to deal with a devious cross from Stephan Lichtsteiner, allowing Mandzukic a free shot that he put wide.

The onslaught eventually ceased and Inter enjoyed a half chance when Rodrigo Palacio put Mauro Icardi through for a decent effort that missed the target.

Juve lost influential defender Giorgio Chiellini to injury shortly before half-time, meaning Italy Under-21 centre-back Daniele Rugani got a rare opportunity to impress having struggled for game time since arriving from Empoli in the summer.

However, it would be an old head in the Juve rearguard who boosted the leaders ahead following the break.

When Inter full-back Danilo D'Ambrosio tried to make a headed clearance of Dybala's free-kick, he unwittingly gifted Bonucci the break he needed to volley home the opening goal.

It was almost 2-0 when Dybala latched onto Alex Sandro's assist from the left flank but, under heavy pressure from Inter defenders, he fluffed his lines.

Not to worry, though, as Inter had failed to register a shot on target in over an hour of play and did not look like doing so as time ticked away in Turin.

Juve were nevertheless grateful of the chance to double their advantage and eliminate any doubt over the outcome. When Miranda fouled Morata in the penalty area on 84 minutes it was the Spaniard who stepped up to cement yet another Bianconeri victory.

With all hope now lost, fifth-placed Inter decided to go for broke and almost grabbed a stoppage-time consolation when Adem Ljajic teed up Eder for a snapshot that veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon struggled to repel.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Allegri: 'Admirable Juventus'

http://www.football-italia.net/80552/allegri-admirable-juventus?

Feb 28, 2016
 
Max Allegri thanked Juventus for an “admirable performance” to beat Inter 2-0 and tried to reassure the Nerazzurri.

The Bianconeri consolidated their leadership of Serie A with a 2-0 victory, decided by Leonardo Bonucci’s volley and an Alvaro Morata penalty.

“Inter are a tough side and they will continue to challenge for third place,” insisted Allegri on Mediaset Premium.

“We have moved them further away from the top, but we are already thinking about Wednesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final. I realised in the first leg that our season was changing.”
These two sides already met for the first leg in January, Juventus emerging 3-0 winners, so Inter have a mountain to climb next week.

“The lads did really well and it was important to take home the victory. This was an admirable performance after the intense Tuesday night game with Bayern Munich.

“Inter left us many spaces and we needed to speed the ball up with our passing. At times we managed that, at others we did not, but we didn’t have the strength to keep that going throughout.”

Once again, Allegri’s changes proved impressive, as Alvaro Morata came off the bench and almost immediately scored.

“Players coming off the bench can be decisive. At the end of the season whether you played more or less, everyone contributed and everyone wins.

“Now we have one less obstacle on our path to the Scudetto, we remain top of the table and there are 11 left. The more we win, the less we have left to do.”

Allegri was again asked about his future, even though Chelsea seem to have opted for Antonio Conte.

“I speak to Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici every day. We have a great rapport. I am happy at Juventus and we’ll see about the future at the right time.

“Someone in the media wanted to send me away when we were losing, so I smile because I know that’s the name of the game. We are still fighting and want to go all the way.”

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Zanetti: 'Inter must give more'

http://www.football-italia.net/80553/zanetti-inter-must-give-more?

Feb 28, 2016
 
Javier Zanetti said “the time has come for Inter to take responsibility and give something more” after defeat to Juventus.

The Vice-President was sent to speak to the media following the 2-0 result in Turin, as Coach Roberto Mancini did not feel up to it.

“He was already ill before the game and now has lost his voice,” Zanetti told Mediaset Premium.

“It is a very tough defeat to swallow, unfortunately it was due in part to the strength of our opponents and also our own fault.

“However, the time has come for the team to take responsibility and give something more. From here to the end of the season they must give everything they’ve got.

“We must get back to being solid and have more certainties. After that we can take it one game at a time. It’s the only way to emerge from this moment, which sadly has been going for a while.”

It has been a remarkable collapse, as Inter were Serie A leader on January 6, but have plummeted to fifth place – 13 points adrift of Juventus – and are only one point ahead of Milan.

“Inter were a solid team and proved up until Christmas that they were top of the table. Juve are a well-organised side with a lot of character and that makes the difference.

“We tried to play them on level terms.”

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Ausilio: 'Inter players unworthy'

http://www.football-italia.net/80554/ausilio-inter-players-unworthy?

Feb 28, 2016
 
Piero Ausilio was “absolutely furious” with Inter players after defeat to Juventus. “The second half was inadmissible.”

The Nerazzurri were beaten 2-0 in Turin, but director of sport Ausilio seemed more angry with the fact they have dropped from leaders on January 6 to fifth place and 13 points adrift of the top on February 28.

“I don’t know how many other teams have managed to lose this many places in such a short space of time,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“Losing at the Juventus Stadium is no shame, where we really suffered was dropping points against Carpi, Sassuolo and Verona.

“Roberto Mancini already had flu and a temperature before the game. It was raining heavily and cold here, so he lost his voice too. That is why I am here talking to you.”

Ausilio was asked whether Inter were set out too negatively with a 3-5-2 system, although it was more of a 5-3-2 with wing-backs Alex Telles and Danilo D’Ambrosio.

“In all honesty, we damaged ourselves. We had defenders slipping and sliding, creating chances for Juventus.

“What I found inadmissible was the second half performance, allowing a goal with a simple cross and doing very little. I really did not like the attitude coming out after the break, as within a couple of minutes we gifted Juventus the goal.

“There was a lack of concentration. I remain convinced Inter had a good first half, apart from the opening 20 minutes, and Mauro Icardi had a great chance.

“I was let down by the second half performance. Actually, I was absolutely furious.

“I will admit I expected more of the players to step up and be worthy of Inter. You can play football in many different ways, but what you cannot lack is technique, determination, character and balls.

“Juventus deserved the win, don’t get me wrong, but if we look at the incidents then their goals were created by slips, misplaced passes and silly tackles.

“None of us believed we would stay top at Christmas, considering the project that was in an early stage and so many new players.

“At the same time, we cannot think that where Inter belong is in fifth place. We now have to roll our sleeves up, try to play good football and climb back up.”

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Allegri: Admirable performance
by Juventus against Inter

Manager's comments after Juventus won the Derby d'Italia 2-0 earlier.

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/28/11130232/allegri-admirable-performance-juventus-inter-derby-ditalia

Feb 28, 2016
 
Juventus won an important battle on Sunday, bouncing back after two consecutive draws to blank Inter Milan 2-0 in the second leg of the Serie A Derby d'Italia this season. The two teams will play once again on Wednesday, this time in the return leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final where Juve go in with a 3-0 aggregate lead.

After the game, manager Massimiliano Allegri commented on their opponent's performance -

"Inter are a tough side and they will continue to challenge for third place.

"We have moved them further away from the top, but we are already thinking about Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final. I realised in the first leg that our season was changing."

Allegri also spoke of the importance of the victory -

"The lads did really well and it was important to take home the victory. This was an admirable performance after the intense Tuesday night game with Bayern Munich.

"Inter left us many spaces and we needed to speed the ball up with our passing. At times we managed that, at others we did not, but we didn't have the strength to keep that going throughout."

Yet again Allegri used the substitutions to change the course of a game, with Alvaro Morata making an immediate difference. The Spaniard was hacked down in the box to win a penalty, and then slotted home to seal the game.

"Players coming off the bench can be decisive. At the end of the season whether you played more or less, everyone contributed and everyone wins.

"Now we have one less obstacle on our path to the Scudetto, we remain top of the table and there are 11 left. The more we win, the less we have left to do."

For the umpteenth time this season Allegri was also asked if he would be taking up the manager's role at Chelsea, despite it looking almost certain that former Juve manager Antonio Conte will be stepping in there.

"I speak to Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici every day. We have a great rapport. I am happy at Juventus and we'll see about the future at the right time.

"Someone in the media wanted to send me away when we were losing, so I smile because I know that's the name of the game. We are still fighting and want to go all the way."

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

RATINGS: Bonucci stars in derby win

Goal took in the action in Turin, where the home side moved four points clear
after a disciplined and clinical performance in the Derby d'Italia.

http://www.goal.com/en/match/juventus-vs-internazionale/2120641/ratings

Feb 28, 2016
 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon - Pulled off some fine saves in the closing minutes to break his personal record of 745 minutes without conceding a league goal.

15 A. Barzagli - Slipped up on one cross that he allowed to sail through to Palacio, but was otherwise accomplished at the back.

19 L. Bonucci - Barely put a foot wrong at the back, and was in the right place to convert a sumptuous volley to open the scoring.

3 G. Chiellini - Didn't last long, succumbing to an injury, and was replaced in the first half.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - He marauded down the right at will, sending in a series of balls for Mandzukic to attack.

6 S. Khedira - Put in a shift in the middle of the park in term of covering ground, but one or two of his challenges were late, and he was booked.

11 Hernanes - Not shy to have a go from long range, with an early effort pushed onto the woodwork by Handanovic.

10 P. Pogba - Not his greatest game, as Inter were successful in applying pressure to prevent him from getting a head of steam on the dribble.

12 Alex Sandro - Regularly got forward to support the attack, and made some important interceptions as well.

17 M. Mandžukić - A constant target in the area, but he snatched at the balls that dropped his way.

21 P. Dybala - Not his most influential game, as he was harried off the ball regularly.


Substitutes

24 D. Rugani - Slotted in seamlessly at the back after Chiellini's injury.

9 Álvaro Morata - Earned and converted a penalty seconds after coming on in the second half.

 

 

Internazionale

1 S. Handanovič - Were it not for his poise in goal, the scoreline could have been greater. A fingertip stop on Hernanes was a highlight.

25 Miranda - Was having a solid game at the back until he conceded a penalty for tugging back Morata.

24 J. Murillo - Stepped out wide to make a number of vital challenges whenever his full-back was out of position.

5 Juan Jesus - Made an important clearance almost on his own goal line, but left Bonucci in too much space for the opener.

33 D. D'Ambrosio - From a free-kick, he flicked a header towards Bonucci that was converted for the opener. It would have been a spectacular assist - if he wasn't on the defending team.

83 Felipe Melo - A solid offering in the middle of the park for the Brazilian against his former club, as he worked hard to close down the space.

17 G. Medel - Defensively sound but unreliable on the ball, before he was replaced in the second half after an injury.

7 G. Kondogbia - Not able to influence things much in an attacking fashion, but was always available to help out off the ball.

12 Alex Telles - Constantly tried to get forward and drew a fair number of fouls, but wasn't able to apply enough end product.

9 M. Icardi - The striker had one of those games where he barely seemed to be on the pitch.

8 R. Palacio - He drifted out to the right flank, which caused a few problems for the defence, and played one excellent cross in that Icardi failed to capitalise on.


Substitutes

22 A. Ljajic - Forced Buffon into a save with a long-range attempt from a free-kick.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Player Ratings: Juventus 2-0 Inter

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/02/player-ratings-juventus-2-0-inter/?

Feb 28, 2016

Juventus defeated Inter 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday night in Serie A, a win that sees the Old Lady go four points clear at the top of the table.

A dreadful defensive error by Inter full-back Danilo D’Ambrosio just after half-time led to Leonardo Bonucci giving the Bianconeri the lead which was followed up late on with an Alvaro Morata penalty.

 

Juventus

1 G. Buffon – 6 – Spectator - The Juventus shot-stopper had no shots to save in the first half and only two tame Miranda and Eder late efforts to deal with in the second half, as Inter only produced eight goal attempts all evening with only three on target.

15 A. Barzagli - 6.5 – Focused - Looked sharp and focused in dealing with the threat of Mauro Icardi and Rodrigo Palacio without being overly extended.

19 L. Bonucci - 7.5 – Solid - Usual dependable self and struck the Bianconeri’s first goal just after half-time with a volley from four yards which gave Handanovic no chance.

3 G. Chiellini - 6 – Unlucky - The Juventus vice-captain only last 35 minutes following a calf injury, but didn’t do much wrong during his short spell on the pitch.

26 S. Lichtsteiner - 6.5 – Determined - Put in two good crosses in the first half, with one on 18 minutes leading to a Mandzukic header on target which was saved by Handanovic. Always a threat with his forward runs and composure on the ball, and kept Inter full-back Alex Telles busy defensively.

6 S. Khedira - 6 – Unrewarded - Worked hard but looked slightly sluggish throughout. Booked for foul on Telles on 59 minutes. Replaced by Stefano Sturaro after 78 minutes.

11 Hernanes - 7 – Unlucky - Played the Regista role just in front of the back three and came so close to scoring on four minutes with a long-range drive which was superbly tipped onto the bar by Samir Handanovic. Booked for a foul on 45 minutes for a foul on Rodrigo Palacio

10 P. Pogba - 6.5 – Character - Showed some nice flashes of skill throughout, with one leaving Inter forward Palacio for dead with a fantastic spin on 20 minutes. Made some good runs forward and looked more comfortable in a central role in Juve’s 3-5-2 formation.

12 Alex Sandro - 6 – Tireless - Made a good run on 11 minutes which was eventually halted by Felipe Melo, and made a fantastic headed clearance midway through the first half as Inter created a half chance. Kept D’Ambrosio busy defensively down the left-hand side.

17 M. Mandžukić - 6.5 – Linked - Linked up well with strike partner Paulo Dybala, combining with the Argentine on six minutes which nearly lead to the opening goal. Missed a great chance to score on eight minutes after an error by Inter defender Jeison Murillo, but shot wide of the Inter goal.

21 P. Dybala - 7 – Lively - Had a chance to open the scoring on six minutes, but his shot was blocked Miranda. His free kick just after the break lead to the mistake by D’Ambrosio which setup Bonucci to smash home. Came close to a goal on 51 minutes but his left-foot effort was swept wide.


Substitutes

24 D. Rugani (35 mins) – 6.5 – Dependable - Replaced Chiellini after the half-hour and looked solid without being tested too much by the Inter forwards.

27 S. Sturaro (78 mins) – N/A

9 Álvaro Morata (82 min) – 7 – Impact - Entered the field for Dybala near the end and won the penalty which he converted for Juve’s second goal.

 

Internazionale

1 S. Handanovič - 6 – Unfortunate - Produced a spectacular save on four minutes to deny Hernanes from long range, and had little chance to save Bonucci’s volley just after the break. Beaten by Morata late on with a penalty.

25 Miranda - 6 – Sloppy - Made a great block on six minutes to deny Dybala and look assured early on but gave away a penalty on 83 minutes by making a rash tackle on Morata.

24 J. Murillo - 5 – Erratic - Looks out of sorts lately after a fine first half of the season and made two errors early on in this game which nearly lead to the Bianconeri taking the lead.

5 Juan Jesus - 5.5 – Faded - Took up good positions defensively early on and made some good interceptions as Inter fielded a back three. Booked for a foul on Dybala on 58 minutes.

33 D. D'Ambrosio - 4.5 – Error - Shocking defensive header following a Dybala free kick from the right which set up Bonucci to give Juve the lead on 46 minutes. Offered little going forward and was kept busy dealing with Alex Sandro down the right.

83 Felipe Melo - 5.5 – Enforcer - The former Juventus midfielder worked hard pressing the Bianconeri midfield, especially in the first half. The Brazilian has little more to his game though, and lacks any kind of quality in possession.

17 G. Medel - 6 – Tenacious - Took a dead leg from Juve full-back Lichtsteiner’s tackle on 32 minutes which seemed to slow down the Chile international. Worked hard before being replaced by Adem Ljajic on 55 minutes without showing much quality on the ball.

7 G. Kondogbia - 5.5 – Worker - Like his midfield partners Medel and Melo, the France international runs around a lot but struggles when pressed in possession and offers little going forward.

12 Alex Telles - 6 – Fruitless - Created two good chances in the first half with one free-kick delivery on 23 minutes which was well cleared by Alex Sandro. Substituted off on 73 minutes for Perisic.

9 M. Icardi - 5 – Invisible - The Inter captain had a quiet game and didn’t get involved in the play enough and missed a great chance on 30 minutes after a good cross by Palacio into the box. Feeds on scraps most of the time as Inter failed to create any meaningful chances which the Argentine needs to show his qualities.

8 R. Palacio - 6 – Movement - Drifted out wide in the first half and showed good movement early on. Set up Icardi with a fantastic cross after half an hour. Like his strike partner Icardi, has very little to work with as Inter’s midfield is devoid of any kind creativity.


Substitutes

22 A. Ljajic (55 mins) – 6 – Productive - Replaced the injured Medel in the second half and setup Miranda late on with a chance.

44 I. Perisic (72 mins) – N/A

23 Eder (85 mins) – N/A

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus march on as Inter's
season crashes and burns

Goals from Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata gave the Bianconeri a comfortable win
against Roberto Mancini's men but the Nerazzurri now desperately need to get back on track.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2016/02/28/20819522/-?

Feb 28, 2016
 
For these two Derby D’Italia rivals, the Serie A season began with a prolonged set of surprises.

But after a 2-0 Juventus win over Inter, the expected order of things has emphatically returned to Italian football. The Old Lady moved four points clear at the top of the table, with closest rivals Napoli facing Fiorentina on Monday, while the Nerazzurri are marooned in fifth, their early title hopes fading into disappointment and the perennial fear of being overtaken by Milan appearing increasingly likely.

A volley from Leonardo Bonucci and a penalty from Alvaro Morata gave Juventus a reasonably comfortable victory, but, in a match that lacked real fluency, Inter never looked capable of overcoming Max Allegri’s side. Gianluigi Buffon’s remarkable reflexes denied Eder late on but the gulf in quality between the two sides was evident throughout, as was the vast difference in defensive resilience.

Inter made their name early in the season for their ability to shut teams out, often attracting criticism for the functional way in which they managed to grind out victories. But Roberto Mancini’s side have lost some of their edge.

Bonucci’s opener, undoubtedly a spectacular volley from close range, was gifted to Juventus as Inter defender Danilo D’Ambrosio directed a harmless Paulo Dybala free-kick into the Italy international’s path. From then, Juventus never looked like losing and Bonucci, who possesses fantastic technique for a centre-back, continues to make his name as a big-game goalscorer, with strikes against Roma, Milan, Lazio and now Inter in the last two seasons.

Ahead of that match, Bonucci indicated that he wanted to “bury” Inter and, following another Juventus win, the Italian defender has certainly put the Nerazzuri’s ailing title challenge to bed.

The contrasts between the start of the season and the present could not be more marked. Five wins from five at the beginning of the campaign had invested Inter with a sense that they could propel themselves back to the top of Italian football. Juventus, meanwhile, had just one win from their first five, losing their opening two games, leaving many with a sense that their restructured side was not up the task of competing for the Scudetto.

Now, as winter edges into spring and the title run-in gathers pace, Inter have collapsed while Juventus continue to march on. After a 15-game winning streak over the winter months, ending only in the last match with a 0-0 draw away to Bologna, the Bianconeri are in pole position to record their fifth successive Scudetto, with Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli providing the only remaining challenge.

Juventus have a formidable squad, experienced at maintaining their form across numerous competitions, and find themselves, once again, in a commanding position as the season’s end draws ever closer. Roma’s efforts have been insufficient to surmount the Old Lady in the last two seasons and Napoli must continue to defy expectations if they are to succeed where the Romans could not.

Inter, meanwhile, must reflect on a promising season that has degenerated into mediocrity. Now facing a resurgent Roma, under the guidance of returning coach Luciano Spalletti, and the control of Fiorentina, Mancini’s side will need to battle to even secure a Champions League spot. Should the unthinkable happen and Sinisa Mihajlovic’s upwardly mobile Milan overtake Inter, the Nerazzurri could even miss out on Europa League qualification.

Inter's early league title hopes have faded into nothingness and they are now faced with the real danger of the 2015-16 season juddering to a prosaic halt.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Allegri praises 'admirable' Juventus
performance in Derby d'Italia win

Leonardo Bonuccia and Alvaro Morata did the damage in Turin to take down
the Bianconeri's old rivals, and their trainer was delighted with the display.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/02/28/20820592/-?

Feb 28, 2016
 
Juventus put in an "admirable" performance by beating Inter 2-0 in the Derby d'Italia on Sunday, head coach Massimiliano Allegri said.

The Serie A champions got back to winning ways in Turin after back-to-back draws thanks to goals from Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata.

Allegri was happy with his side's showing as they recorded an eighth successive league clean sheet to move four points clear of title rivals Napoli, who play Fiorentina on Monday.

"The lads did really well and it was important to take home the victory," Allegri told Mediaset Premium.

"This was an admirable performance after the intense Tuesday night game with Bayern Munich.

"Inter are a tough side and they will continue to challenge for third place."

Allegri is already looking forward to another match against Inter on Wednesday, with Juve taking a 3-0 lead from the first leg into their Coppa Italia semi-final at San Siro.

"We have moved them further away from the top, but we are already thinking about Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final," he said.

"I realised in the first leg that our season was changing.

"Now we have one less obstacle on our path to the Scudetto, we remain top of the table and there are 11 left.

"The more we win, the less we have left to do."

Allegri also praised the impact of his substitutes, with Morata winning and converting a penalty just three minutes after coming on.

"Players coming off the bench can be decisive," he said.

"At the end of the season whether you played more or less, everyone contributed and everyone wins."

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus 2 - Inter Milan 0: Initial
reaction and random observations

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/29/11130002/juventus-inter-milan-2016-serie-a-round-27-final-score-result-initial-reaction

Feb 29, 2016
 
Not that we didn't know that he was a top-notch footballer already, but Leonardo Bonucci has been garnering a lot of praise after Pep Guardiola in the hours following Juventus' 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich. That's caused Bonucci to be under a bit of a microscope in the days following. One of those things involved Bonucci being interviewed the other day and talking about the weekend's fixture against arch-rival Inter Milan.

"Winning that match and going four points ahead of Napoli, who then have to play Fiorentina, would send out an important statement, but we need to stay focused on ourselves. We can't afford to let off any pressure between now and the end of the season, because we've the chance to make this the finest year in the history of the club."

(Source: juventus.com)

One result down, another one for us to wait and see what happens Monday.

And it was only fitting that Bonucci, a former Inter youth product who was basically deemed surplus a little less than a decade ago, was the one who bagged the goal that ended up being the game-winner. Bonucci got an assist from ... Inter wingback Danilo D'Ambrosio, whose header went the wrong direction and landed right in the path of Bonucci.

Throw in Álvaro Morata's late penalty and Juventus has started a new winning streak and extended their unbeaten run to 17 games. Oh, and that lead atop the Serie A table is now up to four points with second-place Napoli facing Fiorentina Monday night at the Franchi.

Honestly, it could have been worse than 2-0, too.

Juventus left a handful of chances on the table in the first half, causing them to go into halftime tied 0-0 with Inter. It wasn't like Juve were playing poorly by any means. They started the game with their foot fully on the gas, which had some of wondering where that effort from the onset was against Bayern just a few days earlier.

The good thing is, though, Bonucci's strike about 70 seconds into the second half gave Juventus the lead the fully deserved. And, as is the case these days with Juventus, when they get the lead, it stays there. That's what's so different about this club compared to the first four or six weeks of the season. They aren't just getting leads, but their defense has become such a brick wall that 1-0 leads are a little easier to deal with these days.

JuventusFC ✔ ‎@juventusfcen
.@bonucci_leo19: "Two consecutive draws were two too many. We wanted to win to send out a message."

You see that? Those are the words of a guy who has become one heck of a leader. Two straight draws would have been two too many, indeed, Leo. And not taking advantage of beating a struggling team like Inter might have been even worse.

Luckily we don't have to worry about any of that now. Juventus got the job done, and now we get to sit back and see if Juve can get some help from our purple-clad friends when Napoli play for the second straight Monday.


Random thoughts and observations

Eight consecutive clean sheets in Serie A for Juventus. When you consider how many injuries have been going on in defense the last month or two, that's pretty damn remarkable.

One guy who isn't hurt — and better not get hurt — is Gigi Buffon, who made a couple of sweet saves in closing minutes and set some more history on Sunday by breaking his own record of minutes without conceding a goal. It's been 746 minutes since San Gigi last allowed a goal to an Italian opponent. That was all the way back on Jan. 10 against Sampdoria.

They didn't play great games by any means, but watching Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic work their tails off defensively continues to make me smile. Them not getting goals may irk some people the wrong way, but the effort they're putting in to be complete players is pretty remarkable. We always praised Carlos Tévez for his effort to drop back deep and run like a madman to win the ball back, and the same is true about both Dybala and Mandzukic.

With that said, Dybala just seemed off on offense today. Maybe it was the slick conditions with all the rain in Turin, maybe it was something else. But Dybala's usually quality control just wasn't there.

You can answer me this question in the comments: If Hernanes had scored that first-half goal instead of blasting it off the crossbar, what would have your reaction been? It was certainly a pretty decent way to follow up his strong second half against Bayern, if you ask me.

Here's the part of the post-game thread where we wonder why Giorgio Chiellini was playing even though it has been proven — again — that he wasn't fully fit to play. If this kind of deal for him to miss the second leg against Bayern just like he was forced to miss the first due to injury, one has to seriously wonder what the heck makes him and the doctors think that he is truly 100 percent ready to go.

The good thing with Chiellini having to be subbed out is that Daniele Rugani got to play. And, in the 60 or so minutes the young Italian defender had to play, he nearly put a wrong step forward. Sometimes it's a good thing as a defender to barely have your name said during a game, and that was definitely the case for Rugani.

For the record, I like Alex Sandro. I like him a lot. What a player he is now and will continue to be as he develops further.

Morata's first two moments of impact after coming into the game? Winning a penalty, scoring the subsequent penalty. Not bad, not bad at all.

If you're looking for where Mario Icardi was all match, it was Andrea Barzagli's back pocket.

Inter were atop the Serie A table when January arrived. Now they might not even make the Champions League. That's just so Inter, man.


POLL

Who was your Juventus Man of the Match against Inter?

76% Leonardo Bonucci (312 votes)

8% Alex Sandro (31 votes)
7% Gianluigi Buffon (28 votes)
7% Hernanes (28 votes)
3% Andrea Barzagli (12 votes)
0% Stephan Lichtsteiner (1 vote)

412 votes total

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus vs. Inter Milan: Winners
and Losers from Serie A

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2620501-juventus-vs-inter-milan-winners-and-losers-from-serie-a?

Feb 29, 2016
 
Having maintained their narrow advantage at the top of the Serie A table last week, Juventus took on Inter Milan knowing they had a chance to pull even further ahead of closest challengers Napoli.

They would do just that, netting both goals in a match which struggled to match the intensity seen in their more recent meeting, but the Bianconeri will be happy to return to winning ways after being held to draws by Bologna and Bayern Munich.

This of course marked the latest instalment of a fixture known as the “Derby of Italy” and Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri told reporters at his traditional pre-match press conference that recent results would matter little when the game got underway.

“It will be a tough game against a very physical outfit. They’ve had a great start to the season and haven’t lost any of their qualities,” the coach said. “The league table won’t matter tomorrow. For us it represents the first of three remaining games against our nearest rivals.”

Goals from Leonardo Bonucci and Alvaro Morata handed them the victory, and what follows is a look at the winners and losers from the game, highlighting the best and worst performances from the Serie A clash.


Winner: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)

After a first half in which the Inter defence held strong, it took a superb strike from Leonardo Bonucci to break the deadlock. The Italy international beat goalkeeper Samir Handanovic with an excellent strike, ensuring his name would once again feature prominently in the postgame analysis.

A former Inter player, Bonucci was lauded by Pep Guardiola just a few days earlier as the Bayern Munich boss told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia) he was “one of my favourite ever players” following their Champions League meeting.


Loser: Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter)

While Leonardo Bonucci clearly enjoyed netting against his former club, Danilo D’Ambrosio will be hugely disappointed with his contribution to it. The Inter full-back headed the ball across the face of his own goal to create the opening, a mistake that was severely punished as the Nerazzurri fell behind.

To make matters worse, D’Ambrosio spent four years with Juve’s crosstown rivals Torino, a fact that will only cause him even more anguish.


Winner: Alvaro Morata (Juventus)

Forced to take a seat on the bench after a string of disappointing performances, Alvaro Morata ensured Juventus took home all three points. The Spanish striker was sent on in place of Paulo Dybala late in the second half, winning and then scoring a penalty to give the Bianconeri a comfortable lead.

It was a strike that marked only his fourth league goal of the campaign, and one which will hopefully catapult the 23-year-old back into his best form.


Loser: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

While the match eventually proved to be another good night for the Bianconeri, Giorgio Chiellini was perhaps the one sour note from the home side. Back in the team following an injury, he once again suffered a setback and needed to be substituted in the first half, coach Massimiliano Allegri introducing Daniele Rugani as his replacement.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Bonucci stars for Juventus in 2-0
win over Inter Milan in Serie A

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/2817848/bonucci-takes-juventus-past-inter-milan-in-serie-a

Feb 29, 2016
 
Perturbed by managing two consecutive draws, Juventus performed like champions, demonstrating their grit, maturity and superior strength to return to winning ways, defeating Inter Milan 2-0 at home.

The last time these two sides met in the league, the Bianconeri were in 12th place in the table while Inter boasted twice the amount of points, happily sitting in third. Since then, Roberto Mancini's men have experienced a collapse and Sunday's night performance will have only worsened their problems.

Playing a 3-5-2 formation in an effort to mirror Juve's tactics, the Nerazzurri played a concentrated first half, conscious of halting their powerful rivals. The problem was, for all their defensive efforts, they were a side incapable of creating any danger.

An opportunistic club, the Old Lady needed her opponent to lose focus for only a moment to score the opening goal of the night. Leonardo Bonucci, a man clearly enjoying his football and confident after being described as one of Pep Guardiola's favourite players, demonstrated all the weaponry he possesses in his arsenal. A defensive stalwart and offensively capable, he showed great technique to volley past Samir Handanovic.

Demonstrating tactical balance and great composure on the ball, Juve always looked to attack while their opponents simply offered nothing going forward despite possessing the ball for long periods in the second half.

Famed for his excellent substitutions, Massimiliano Allegri sought to put the Nerazzurri under more defensive pressure when he introduced Stefano Sturaro, a man he is teaching how to make runs into the box and Alvaro Morata, the player who scored almost immediately after coming on. The Spaniard's fresh legs and ability to run forward with decent pace further overwhelmed a defence struggling to contain and eventually earned the penalty he perfectly converted.

A side in excellent physical condition and boasting a winning mentality, Juventus knew exactly how to exploit the mediocrity of their opponent and take one step forward to collecting their fifth consecutive league title.


Player ratings

Gianluigi Buffon, 7 -- A leader who displayed strength when called upon, the manner in which he organises his defence and his ability to make excellent saves makes all the difference. 746 minutes without conceding a goal -- legend.

Andrea Barzagli, 7 -- Marvellous clearances coupled with exceptional reading of the game, Barzagli demonstrates again why he is integral to the side.

Leonardo Bonucci, 8 -- Another exceptional performance from an exceptional player. The technique showed to score coupled with his fine reading of the game, grit and tenacity makes him an asset, especially in tense matches. He defends with fervour in addition to making a fantastic offensive contributions.

Giorgio Chiellini, 6 -- The player offers so much grit to this Juve side but was sadly taken off after just over 30 minutes.

Stephan Lichtsteiner, 7 -- Delivered some excellent crosses on the night, he looked in control in defence and eager going forward.

Sami Khedira, 6 -- It's not that the German is necessarily playing badly but it's simply that he's not offering what is required from his role: a box-to-box midfielder who can make penetrating runs. Lacking the energy and stamina needed.

Hernanes, 7 -- Curbing his instincts and playing a more thoughtful game has brought out the good in the Brazilian who has impressed both against Bayern Munich and Inter on Sunday evening. Determined, he spread the ball well and came close to scoring.

Paul Pogba, 6 -- The beauty of Pogba is his pride, he hates making a mistake and always attempts to recover. However, while he's always capable of a beautiful moment, a perfect pass or a wonderful back-heel, he is yet to understand how to balance instinctive play with good decisions. Thought process was too slow.

Alex Sandro, 7 -- Wonderfully direct and always determined, he is somewhat capable of an overly aggressive foul but he offers so much going forward.

Mario Mandzukic, 7 -- A fighter, he's relentless in his quest to win possession and put his opponent under pressure. Perfect in acting as the first line of defence even if he's still missing something in attack.

Paulo Dybala, 6 -- Not even the jewel in Juve's crown can always be expected to deliver perfection in every match. Inaccurate when given the opportunity.


Substitutes

Daniele Rugani, 7 -- Given the opportunity to play in a high pressure match, the youngster played with composure and confidence to deliver good passes forward and manage the basics well.

Stefano Sturaro, N/A -- Offers more of a physical presence, his task was simple, ensuring Juve's dominance.

Alvaro Morata, N/A -- A player who is excellent at forging ahead with speed, he won the penalty that he converted perfectly and overwhelmed a back-line that struggled to contain.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Bonucci: Juventus Had To Beat Inter

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/02/bonucci-juventus-had-to-beat-inter/?

Feb 29, 2016
 
Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci emphasised the importance of victory following his team’s 2-0 win over Inter on Sunday evening.

The 28-year-old broke the deadlock with a stunning 47th minute volley, setting the Bianconeri on the path to victory, which the Italian conceded did not involve too much thought.

“When I saw the the ball, I just tried to hit it as hard as possible,” Bonucci told Mediaset Premium.

“I was lucky to keep it low and to beat [samir] Handanovic.

“We just had to win today, regardless of Inter.

“Two draws would have ben too many in a row and we had to return to success.”

The win comes among a busy run of fixtures which will see Juventus play four matches in just 12 days, finishing with Wednesday’s second-leg Coppa Italia tie, up against the Nerazzurri once again.

However the former Bari man would not use the fixture congestion as an excuse and was already looking forward to advancing to the final.

“The wins or draws does not mean anything today,” Bonucci added

“We have to keep pedalling now and immediately look ahead to Wednesday.

“Although we won 3-0, they will start strong but we have to leave stronger than them.”

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus vs. Inter 2-0, Juve go four
points clear of Napoli — for now

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/2/29/11130138/juventus-inter-milan-2016-serie-a-round-27-final-score-recap-result

Feb 29, 2016
 
This was a tricky game. Juventus were playing Inter, Juventus were playing their first game after the end of their unbeaten Serie A streak (thanks, Bologna), Juventus were taking on the field after an exhausting Champions League match. At stake was ONLY the chance to stay on top of the Serie A for one more week and put pressure on Napoli. And of course, bragging rights for the Derby d'Itallia winner (or whiner in Inter's case).

Max Allegri lined up his usual 3-5-2 that has been devastating in Italy, with the usual suspects at the back; Stephan Lichtsteiner and Alex Sandro on the wings; Sami Khedira, Hernanes and Paul Pogba in the middle of the park, and Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic up front. With the exception of Hernanes, Juve rolled out arguably their best team.

Juventus started the game very strong, pressing Inter throughout the pitch, suffocating them like Bayern suffocated Juve a few days ago. It was surprising to see Juventus press with so much energy after the grueling match most of these players had a few days ago. The pressure started paying off right away. Hernanes had a shot saved by Samir Handanovic in the first five minutes, and in the next 10 minutes Juventus had at least two more clear chances coming off the feet of Mandzukic and Dybala.

After about 15 minutes of incessant pressure, Juventus understandably took their foot of the gas. But at that point the damage was done. Inter were psychologically distraught and missed most their passes leaving Juventus free and clear to recover the ball. Nothing much of note happened until the last 10 minutes of the match when Giorgio Chiellini came off for Daniele Rugani. If this is a recurrence of his previous injury, I blame Allegri and Chiellini for not taking more precautions.

I knew that this game had goals in it. Juventus are simply too strong to not score a goal against Inter. It was Leonardo Bonucci after only two minutes of play time in the second half to put Juventus in the lead. From a Dybala free kick, Danilo D'Ambrossio had a clear/assist to an unmarked Bonucci, who put the ball in the back of the net with authority.

Juventus dominated the next 10 minutes, but failed to trouble Handanovic. The reason: Inter knew full well that pushing Juventus will most likely result in an embarrassing scoreline against them. After 55 minutes of play, Gary Medel left the field for Adem Ljajic but the game didn't really change. Ivan Perisic was also brought to replace Alex Telles, but again nothing. Allegri responded with Stefano Sturaro and Álvaro Morata for Khedira and an exhausted Dybala. It took two minutes for Morata to earn a penalty, which he converted sending Handanovic the wrong way.

Inter had a few more chances in additional time (six minutes? why?), but Gigi Buffon made sure they didn't ruin his unbeaten Serie A streak.


Pagelle

Buffon 7.0 Up until the 90th minute, Inter had zero shots on target. Yes, that's right, zero. In the last six minutes they had three shots on target. The reason the scoreline was 2-0 is because we have the most dependable keeper in the world.

Barzagli 7.0 He played most of the game on the left side to make room for Rugani on the right and didn't put a foot wrong. Usual Barzagli display.

Bonucci 7.5 He did everything he always does plus he scored the opener like an experienced striker. His composure on the ball under pressure is world class.

Chiellini 6.0 Did what was expected of him, but had to leave the field due to injury. Max better not rush him anymore.

Lichtsteiner 6.5 Missed a few passes during the game, but was solid defensively. Three tackles in the whole match. He ran Telles ragged.

Khedira 6.5 He mixed a good defensive display with some nice passes.

Hernanes 6.5 There were big question marks regarding his ability to reproduce his display against Bayern. He did a good job both offensively and defensively. With 89 percent pass success ratio, he made sure Juve didn't miss Claudio Marchisio too much. With that being said, comparisons to Pirlo are out of place.

Pogba 6.0 Harsh, absolutely. I rank players based on what they bring to the field, but also based on whether they can fulfill their potential. Since the Napoli game, I have been disappointed by the Frenchman. He is very good, but he needs to bring his best qualities to every match. He was dispossessed four times. He needs to choose when it is wise to take on a player and when it is wise to pass.

Sandro 7.5 Two dribbles, four tackles, and four interceptions, plus great possession and passing. I understand Allegri's reasons to play Patrice Evra ahead of Sandro, but against small teams that try to defend Sandro should be the de facto choice. He owned D'Ambrossio all game long.

Dybala 6.5 A bit of a hard match for him. Going forward he didn't do much, however, his contributions in defense did not go unnoticed. He had two tackles in the match, most forwards have zero. I think the Argentinian is tired and needs rest. There is no good reason to start him against Inter this Wednesday. Let's hope he has all week to recover.

Mandzukic 7.5 His defensive contribution was insane. Roberto Mancini started Geoffrey Kondogbia, Medel, and Felipe Melo with the hope of stopping our attackers. Mandzukic had more tackles (4) than any of those three Inter players. With that being said, he had two clear chances that he fail to convert and thus needs to refine his shooting. Against Bayern, he will need to be more accurate than he was today if he stand a chance of going through.


Rugani 7.0 I generally don't rank players that sub-in but Rugani played more minutes than Chiellini. If you look at his statistics he looks terrible, two clearances, zero interceptions, zero tackles. However, there is a lot more than statistics. Over time he is learning the system and positioning himself well.


Allegri 7.0 This was a tricky game and Juventus came out with a win to put pressure on Napoli. Credit to the coach for preparing such an important game in a short period of time. His subs worked well with Sturaro shutting things down and Morata getting us the second goal.


Things I think I think

- Buffon is ageless.

- In the future, Juventus needs more creativity in midfield. Sunday was not a game for Khedira or Sturaro. Don't get me wrong, those players are good, but they don't create much. And when you have a team that is sitting back and defending we need midfielders that can score goals or create more opportunities. Sure, that is Pogba's job but if he is having a bad game then we lose something. This team with a good trequartista would be a very different beast.

- The friendship and camaraderie in this group of players if phenomenal. After Morata scored the goal he went to celebrate with none other than Simone Zaza, a player that is competing with him for a starting spot. Just as important was how Zaza celebrated with Morata, like he meant it. To make things better, Pavel Nedved did a little dance of happiness too. From the president to the water boy, this team works for the group and not the individual. Compare that to Ronaldo's comments that players are not at his level. From a work environment point of view, Morata should have no problem picking Juve over Madrid any day.

- Rugani is starting to learn the defensive systems and is looking every day more like the player he promises to be. Mauro Icardi and Perisic tried to dribble past him and were unable to, the end result was passing the ball back and trying some other way. Can't wait to see him in a year.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

JUVENTUS - INTER

2 - 0

Leonardo Bonucci (47')
Álvaro Morata (Penalty-84')

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

Juventus Striker Alvaro Morata Underlines
His Importance in Win over Inter

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2620549-juventus-striker-alvaro-morata-underlines-his-importance-in-win-over-inter-milan?

Feb 29, 2016
 
Having been held to disappointing draws by both Bologna and Bayern Munich, Juventus were looking to return to winning ways as Inter Milan visited Turin on Sunday evening. They would do just that, emerging triumphant thanks to a 2-0 scoreline that extended their lead at the top of the Serie A standings to four points.

While their closest rivals Napoli take on Fiorentina on Monday, the Bianconeri will gain much confidence from this latest victory over Roberto Mancini’s side. It marked a remarkable eighth consecutive clean sheet for the Turin giants, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon making a number of key saves as the full-time whistle approached.

However, perhaps no player will take a more positive feeling away from this game than Alvaro Morata, the Spanish striker getting his name on the score sheet with an 84th-minute penalty that secured three points for Juventus.

It was his first goal in six appearances, his last coming back in a January encounter with Chievo and ending a barren run of over 300 minutes of action, with boss Massimiliano Allegri clearly pleased with his impact.

“We’re making a very good habit of seeing our substitutes come off the bench and swing matches in our favour and tonight was no different,” the coach told reporters at the post-match press conference, with Morata having also notched a key assist in the Champions League draw with Bayern Munich.

The Madrid native will have enjoyed his brief cameo, with the Nerazzurri emerging as one of his favourite targets—his spot-kick here adding to a brace against the same opponents in the Coppa Italia last month.


Adam Digby ‎@Adz77
.@AlvaroMorata vs Inter (28/2/16): 1 shot, 1 goal, 4/5 passes completed, fouled once (via @StatsZone)

Morata also won Sunday’s penalty, turning inside Joao Miranda and leaving the Brazilian defender with little choice but to haul him down in the box. Comfortably beating Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic from 12 yards, Juventus will hope that the goal finally sees their striker back to the devastating form of last season.

Indeed, arguably no player had the impact the 23-year-old managed on the Old Lady’s 2014/15 campaign, a season which saw him net goals in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Looking forward, it will be key for Allegri to have Morata thriving before the return leg of the European heavyweight clash Bayern, with his pace and direct approach an essential ingredient in Juve’s counter-attack.

It is something the club’s other forward’s perhaps lack; both Mario Mandzukic and Simone Zaza offer a more traditional target man, while Paulo Dybla remains a wonderful conduit between midfield and attack.

With Pep Guardiola’s German champions holding the away-goal advantage, they may look to negate the space they afford the Bianconeri, a factor Morata could well prove to be the perfect antidote for should he now push on to his best form.

“I realise a striker gets sad when he doesn’t score goals, I understand that, but it’s not as if Morata lost all his talent in a couple of months,” Allegri told RAI Sport (h/t Football Italia) last month, but another goal should see a much happier striker in the coming weeks.

That confidence—as well as his incisiveness—has regularly proved to be key in the past, and all concerned will hope that will be the case once again for a player who believes the mental toll he endures is part of life at one of the continent’s biggest clubs.

“Am I feeling the pressure when I don’t score?” Morata pondered in a recent interview with Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia). “No, anyone who feels the pressure should not be at Juventus.”

Overcoming that is likely to be essential to Juve’s on-going success, and for that, the team needs Morata taking on defenders and scoring goals, just as he did against Inter.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

Napoli lose further ground on Juventus

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/napoli/result/result-napoli-lose-further-ground-on-juventus_267502.html

Mar 1, 2016
 
Napoli are three points adrift of leaders Juventus following their 1-1 draw away at Fiorentina this evening.

The Partenopei sat top of the pile three games ago, but just two points have been collected since then to hand the reigning champions the advantage in the title race.

The majority of the action occurred early on in Florence, where the hosts saw their lead wiped out within 60 seconds.

There was six minutes on the clock when former Bolton Wanderers defender Marcos Alonso rose highest inside the area to plant a header beyond the reach of Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

However, the celebrations were short lived because in the very next attack the away side were level. Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain had gone four games without a goal prior to this encounter, but he returned to form with a drilled effort from 25 yards out following a mistake from goalscorer Alonso.

A winning goal eluded both sides, although it was not through a lack of effort and attacking play.

For Fiorentina, Cristiano Tello saw his first-half effort cannon to safety off the crossbar, while in the closing stages Higuain had his strike from close range ruled out for offside.

 

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

[Socrates 8524]

INTER - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

Coppa Italia TIM - Semi-final 2nd leg
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Inter V Juventus – Coppa Italia Preview:
Bianconeri Out To Assert Dominance Over Nerazzurri

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/03/inter-v-juventus-coppa-italia-preview-bianconeri-out-to-assert-dominance-over-nerazzurri/?

Mar 1, 2016

Inter host Juventus at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday night in the second leg of their Coppa Italia tie.

Roberto Mancini’s squad started off the 2015-16 season well, especially in Serie A when they had managed to win nine matches with a 1-0 scoreline. Their form has dropped off in the second half of the season, losing six of their last 10 games.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side are still in fine form despite some recent setbacks. Their 0-0 draw with Bologna in Serie A ended a 15-match winning streak in the league while they drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

The Nerazzurri enter this match on the back foot after losing the first leg 3-0 in Turin on January 27; Alvaro Morata scored a double and Paulo Dybala added the third for the Bianconeri.

Both teams have just faced each other in Serie A, with Juve winning 2-0 against the Biscione on Sunday night. The only time Inter have not lost to Juventus this season was in Week 8 of Serie A action, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Inter will need to win by at least four goals if they are to reach this year’s Coppa Italia Final. Despite Mancini’s pragmatic approach this season, the Nerazzurri won 4-0 against Frosinone in November last year and also against Udinese in December in Serie A.

The Bianconeri are clearly tougher opponents than those two and they have not conceded four goals since losing 4-2 to Fiorentina in Serie A back in October 2013.

Gary Medel and Alex Telles could be doubts for Inter with a knee and thigh injury respectively and Jeison Murillo and Miranda are unavailable due to suspensions. Murillo was sent-off in the first leg whereas his teammate collected two yellow cards in two Coppa Italia matches.

Juve midfielder Claudio Marchisio will be missing with a thigh injury while a calf injury sustained on the weekend makes Giorgio Chiellini a doubt for this game as well.


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


Expected Starting XIs

Inter
Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, , Juan Jesus, Nagatomo; Felipe Melo, Kondogbia; Biabiany, Jovetic, Ljajic; Icardi

Juventus
Neto; Rugani, Bonucci, Barzagli; Cuadrado, Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Morata, Zaza

[Socrates 8524]

INTER - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

Coppa Italia TIM - Semi-final 2nd leg
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Allegri: ‘Season far from over’

http://www.football-italia.net/80628/allegri-%E2%80%98season-far-over%E2%80%99?

Mar 1, 2016

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri warns that ‘the season is far from over’ after Napoli’s draw.

The Partenopei were held to a 1-1 draw by Fiorentina in a thriller in Florence last night, opening up a three-point gap to Juve at the summit of the table.

However, Allegri says there is still all to play for and assures that ‘all eyes are now on Inter’ ahead of their Coppa Italia semi-final second leg tomorrow.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 3-0 and are heavy favourites to go through ahead of the San Siro clash, having beaten Inter 2-0 in Serie A on Sunday at Juventus Stadium.

“We played very well on Sunday but with 11 games to go, the season is far from over,” Allegri said at today’s Press conference.

“All eyes now are on Inter. Fiorentina-Napoli was a good result, but there are still many games left. Napoli still have 58 points and can get to 91.

“Putting Napoli’s draw aside, all we can do is focus on our own results and our own objectives.”

[Socrates 8524]

INTER - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

Coppa Italia TIM - Semi-final 2nd leg
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Inter Milan vs. Juventus: Team News, Predicted Lineups

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2620579-inter-milan-vs-juventus-team-news-predicted-lineups-live-stream-tv-info?

Mar 1, 2016

For the second time this week, Juventus will take on Inter Milan, travelling the short distance east to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday evening for the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.

The San Siro clash comes just three days after the Bianconeri notched a 2-0 league win over the same opponents. They also hold a three-goal advantage in this tie, having handily despatched Roberto Mancini’s men in Turin back in January.

Juventus are looking to retain the trophy they won last season, that triumph ending a decade-long drought in the knockout competition.

Leonardo Bonucci was the hero at the weekend as he notched the opening goal of the game, but by the final whistle he was already looking ahead.

“Now we just have to keep marching forward and our heads are already on Wednesday because, despite winning the first leg 3-0, Inter will get off to a strong start,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia). “We, however, will start even stronger.”

JuventusFC ✔ ‎@juventusfcen
Two games, one objective: the #CoppaItalia final.

Both sides are expected to be heavily rotated from their Serie A meeting, but Felipe Melo—himself a former Juventus player—believes his team-mates must stop talking and begin to take action out on the field.

“No time to cry, we have to shut up and work harder,” he told Inter Channel (h/t SempreInter.com) after Sunday’s defeat, and the Bianconeri must surely expect a strong reaction from their bitter rivals in the next instalment of a fixture commonly referred to as “the derby of Italy.”

The prospect of a final at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico against AC Milan awaits the winner of this tie, an encounter both Juventus and Inter would relish and an occasion which should see the 2015/16 campaign end in the best possible fashion.


Probable Formations

Inter: (4-3-3)

Samir Handanovic; Yuto Nagatomo, Juan Jesus, Gary Medel, Danilo D’ Ambrosio; Assane Demoya Gnoukouri, Felipe Melo, Marcelo Brozovic; Adem Ljajic, Stevan Jovetic, Eder.

Unavailable: Jeison Murillo and Joao Miranda (both suspended).


Juventus (4-3-3)

Neto; Simone Padoin, Leonardo Bonucci, Daniele Rugani, Patrice Evra; Stefano Sturaro, Hernanes, Kwadwo Asamoah; Juan Cuadrado, Simone Zaza, Alvaro Morata.

Unavailable: Martin Caceres, Giorgio Chiellini and Claudio Marchisio (all injured).


Odds (via Odds Checker)

Away win: 7-4

Home win: 7-4

Draw: 12-5

[Socrates 8524]

INTER - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

Coppa Italia TIM - Semi-final 2nd leg
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Gervasoni to ref Inter-Juve

http://www.football-italia.net/80635/gervasoni-ref-inter-juve?

Mar 1, 2016

Andrea Gervasoni has been named as the referee for Wednesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Inter and Juventus.

The Bianconeri travel to San Siro with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg as they aim to defend the title they won last year.

The two clubs met in the Derby d’Italia on Sunday evening in Serie A, when Juve ran out 2-0 winners at Juventus Stadium.

Gervasoni has today been named as referee for the clash, having worked as a top flight official in Italy since 2010.

[Socrates 8524]

INTER - JUVENTUS

-

 
 

Coppa Italia TIM - Semi-final 2nd leg
Wednesday, March 2nd, 2016 - 8:45 PM
Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, Milan
Referee: Andrea Gervasoni

Juventus Coach Demands Coppa Italia Focus Against Inter

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2016/03/juventus-coach-demands-coppa-italia-focus-against-inter/?

Mar 1, 2016

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is taking nothing for granted ahead of his side’s Coppa Italia second-leg encounter against Inter, and has demanded the full attention of his players.

The Bianconeri brushed aside their rivals 3-0 in the first leg, but the Italian tactician won’t allow his side to sit back on Wednesday evening.

“Winning the first leg by three goals was positive for us,” Allegri told the media, at his pre-match press conference.

“However, losing is never good so we will need to score, otherwise we will make it difficult for ourselves.

“We have not achieved anything yet, all we can do is think about what needs to be done tomorrow.”

Allegri then turned his attention towards defender Giorgio Chiellini, who limped off in Sunday’s 2-0 Serie A victory over Inter.

“I will have a look at Chiellini today and make a decision on him later,” the 48-year-old continued.

He then discussed the status of other squad members and provided a glimpse into his probable starting XI.

“Roberto Pereyra might play depending on the formation that I use,” Allegri noted.

“Daniele Rugani has done well in his limited minutes and could feature tomorrow alongside Andrea Barzagli.

“Due to a muscle problem, Patrice Evra will not play.”