JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Lemina: ‘Roma not decisive’

 

  

http://www.football-italia.net/95718/lemina-‘roma-not-decisive’

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina expects “a great game” against Roma but “it won’t be decisive”.

 

The Bianconeri can stretch their lead to seven points with a win over Luciano Spalletti’s side on Saturday night, but a Lupi win would leave just a one point gap at the top of Serie A.

 

“Roma are a team who are in an excellent period of form,” Lemina acknowledged in an interview with JTV.

 

“They’re second in the League, so it’ll be a great game but you can’t say it’ll be decisive for the awarding of the Scudetto.

 

“It’s too soon, because there are still too many games to play from now until the end of the season.”

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Perotti: ‘Roma can win Scudetto’

 

  

http://www.football-italia.net/95720/perotti-‘roma-can-win-scudetto’

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

Diego Perotti says Roma “have the squad to win the Scudetto” and sees Edin Dzeko as better than Gonzalo Higuain.

 

The Giallorossi face Juventus in Turin on Saturday night, and can cut the gap at the top of Serie A to just three points if they win.

 

“We can do it,” Perotti told Sky.

 

“We’re close to them and we have the squad to win the Scudetto. We also have the Europa League which is very exciting, as well as the Coppa Italia. So we can win something.

 

“We beat Napoli, Inter and Milan and a team which does that deserves to. It’s true that we can win [the Scudetto].

 

“They’re all internationals and they’ve won a few games where we’ve dropped points. They’ve found the net when it seems like they’ll draw.

 

“We’re missing that small step, but I think we’re doing well.

 

“Winning the derby [against Lazio] was important for the team and the fans. Winning against Milan was important, now we have to do everything to get what would be an important win over Juventus.”

 

Perotti was then asked for his opinion on some Bianconeri players, starting with a comparison between Dzeko and Higuain.

 

“All my teammates are stronger than the others. He [Dzeko] my teammates and he’s having a great season.

 

“Gianluigi Buffon? I don’t study opposition goalkeepers, but I know he’s one of the best in the world and I want to cause him problems.

 

“As for Paulo Dybala, you could see he had quality and he just needed to grow but I never expected the change he made from Palermo to Juventus.

 

“I don’t know him, but from what I’ve seen he’s sure to become one of the best in the world.”

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Salah back in Roma training

 

  

http://www.football-italia.net/95722/salah-back-roma-training

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

Mohamed Salah is back in training with his Roma teammates, so could face Juventus at the weekend.

 

Salah has missed the wins over Lazio and Milan after picking up an ankle injury in training, but appears to be close to a return.

 

The Egyptian winger started working with the ball at Trigoria yesterday, but was unable to take part in the full session with his teammates.

 

Today, Sky is reporting that Salah took part in the full session, meaning he should at least make the bench on Saturday night.

 

However, Bruno Peres and Leandro Paredes worked in the gym, so are in doubt to face the Bianconeri.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Zeman: ‘Juventus are favourites’

 

  

http://www.football-italia.net/95725/zeman-‘juventus-are-favourites’

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

Zdenek Zeman believes “Juventus are favourites” against his former side Roma this weekend.

 

The sides top two sides in Serie A meet at Juventus Stadium on Saturday night.

 

“When first meets second it’s always a big game, a great clash,” Zeman told reporters, as reported by Tuttosport.

 

“Juve are always favourites for what they did on the transfer market over the summer, but if Roma do well on Saturday it could give the other sides hope and make for a more interesting League.

 

“Max Allegri and Luciano Spalletti? They’re good, aside from the results they’ve often set their teams up well in terms of style of play too.”

 

Daniele Orsato will referee the match, and Zeman believes he’s the right man for the job.

 

“Right now he’s considered the best Italian referee, he has character and personality. He can be up to the task.”

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

Serie A: Fixture changes to Feb 19

 

 

  

hhttp://www.football-italia.net/95730/serie-fixture-changes-feb-19

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

The changes to the Serie A fixture list up to February 19 have been scheduled, including Milan and Juventus games postponed for the Super Cup.

 

The Lega Serie A finally drew up the calendar this evening, putting together Champions League, Europa League and Coppa Italia commitments.

 

Juventus and Milan face off in Doha for the Italian Super Cup on December 23, so their Serie A games for the midweek round are postponed to Wednesday February 8.

 

*The Week 22 matches Cagliari-Bologna and Fiorentina-Genoa will only be moved to this earlier kick-off if either Bologna or Genoa qualify for the Coppa Italia quarter-final.

 

The dates and times listed below are GMT.

 

The fixtures for the Coppa Italia Round of 16 and Quarter-Finals have also been announced.

 

Week 18

Wed Feb 8

Crotone-Juventus (17.00)

Bologna-Milan (19.45)

 

Week 19

Sat Jan 7

Empoli-Palermo (17.00)

Napoli-Sampdoria (19.45)

Sun Jan 8

Udinese-Inter (11.30)

Milan-Cagliari (17.00)

Juventus-Bologna (19.45)

 

Week 20

Sat Jan 14

Crotone-Bologna (17.00)

Inter-Chievo (19.45)

Sun Jan 15

Cagliari-Genoa (11.30)

Fiorentina-Juventus (19.45)

Mon Jan 16

Torino-Milan (19.45)

 

Week 21

Sat Jan 21

Chievo-Fiorentina (17.00)

Milan-Napoli (19.45)

Sun Jan 22

Juventus-Lazio (11.30)

Atalanta-Sampdoria (17.00)

Roma-Cagliari (19.45)

 

Week 22

Sat Jan 28

Cagliari-Bologna (14.00)*

Fiorentina-Genoa (14.00)*

Lazio-Chievo (17.00)

Inter-Pescara (19.45)

Sun Jan 29

Torino-Atalanta (11.30)

Napoli-Palermo (19.45)

 

Week 23

Sat Feb 4

Bologna-Napoli (19.45)

Sun Feb 5

Milan-Sampdoria (11.30)

Juventus-Inter (19.45)

Tue Feb 7

Roma-Fiorentina (19.45)

 

Week 24

Fri Feb 10

Napoli-Genoa (19.45)

Sat Feb 11

Fiorentina-Udinese (19.45)

Sun Feb 12

Crotone-Roma (11.30)

Sampdoria-Bologna (17.00)

Cagliari-Juventus (19.45)

Mon Feb 13

Lazio-Milan (19.45)

 

Week 25

Fri Feb 17

Juventus-Palermo (19.45)

Sat Feb 18

Atalanta-Crotone (17.00)

Empoli-Lazio (19.45)

Sun Feb 19

Bologna-Inter (11.30)

Roma-Torino (17.00)

Milan-Fiorentina (19.45)

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

Coppa Italia schedule confirmed

 

 

  

http://www.football-italia.net/95731/coppa-italia-schedule-confirmed

 

 

Dec 15, 2016

 

The Coppa Italia Round of 16 and Quarter-Final dates have been announced, including Milan-Torino, Juventus-Atalanta, Roma-Sampdoria and Inter-Bologna.

 

The Lega Serie A drew up the fixture list in accordance with changes to the top flight schedule.

 

All times listed below are GMT.

 

 

Coppa Italia

 

Round of 16

 

Napoli-Spezia (Jan 10, 20.00)

Fiorentina-Chievo (Jan 11, 16.30)

Juventus-Atalanta (Jan 11, 19.45)

Milan-Torino (Jan 12, 20.00)

Inter-Bologna (Jan 17, 20.00)

Sassuolo-Cesena (Jan 18, 16.30)

Lazio-Genoa (Jan 18, 20.00)

Roma-Sampdoria (Jan 19. 20.00)

 

Quarter-Finals

 

Napoli/Spezia v Fiorentina/Chievo (Jan 24, 19.45)

Juventus/Atalanta v Milan/Torino (Jan 25, 19.45)

Inter/Bologna v Lazio/Genoa (Jan 31, 19.45)

Roma/Sampdoria v Sassuolo/Cesena (Feb 1, 19.45)

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Know thy enemy: Seven questions with Roma blog Chiesa Di Totti

 

  

hhttp://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/12/16/13976292/rival-

question-and-answer-juventus-roma-2016-serie-a-round-17-preview

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

We sit here less than two days away from the first Juventus-Roma showdown of the season. You know this is true because the Italian press has been dominated by players from the both teams giving their respective thoughts on the game. Some say it’s not decisive, others say they want to rip the opposition’s throat out. (Okay, so that second one might not be all that true, but go with me here.)

There is much to like about this latest top-of-the-table matchup between the five-time defending Italian champions and one of the teams that people think are their closest competition. Two of Serie A’s top defenses will be facing one another. Two of Serie A’s most productive strikers will be going against one another. Former Roma midfielder and fan favorite Miralem Pjanic will be facing his old club for the first time this season.

See? A lot to like!

As has become tradition around these parts for the bigger games of the season, we enlisted the help of one of our SB Nation blog friends to give their side of the weekend’s Juventus game. This time it means we go over to the site that represents one half of the Italian capital, Chiesea Di Totti, and see what they have to say about their favorite team and what they think about facing Juventus just a few short days before Christmas arrives.

Enough of this rambling from yours truly. Let’s ask the man who runs the SBN Roma blog, Mr. Bren himself, some questions about his beloved Giallorossi.

BWRAO: Hello, Bren! Thank you for joining us on this wonderful December afternoon. Let’s get to it. Simple question first: How has Roma been able to be un-Roma-like in its rise to second in the Serie A table?

CDT: Well, perhaps you haven't been paying attention the past decade, if there's one thing Roma does well, it's second place! But in all seriousness, it started last spring when Luciano Spalletti was brought in to replace Rudi Garcia. I'm not exaggerating, but I think within three weeks, Spalletti used more formations than Garcia did in two plus years. His willingness to shape and mold his formation to both create and ride the hot hand--be it Diego Perotti and Stephan El Shaarawy last season or Edin Dzeko this year--has given the club more ways to win.

Roma is all about offense, and with Dzeko and Salah firing on all cylinders, the rest of the attack has sort of fallen into place, while the defense has kept afloat despite some horrific injuries.

BWRAO: What the hell has gotten into Edin Dzeko this season?

CDT: I honestly have no clue, maybe Miralem Pjanic was holding him back! It seems to simple to chalk it up to an increased familiarity with the league, but that may just be it. He was so horrifically bad last season, it seemed to snow ball to the point where he couldn't do the simplest things; not on a Rick Ankiel level, but his confidence was completely shot, you could see it in his body language. Getting off to a fast start seemed to help, and to speak to my first point, Spalletti has really built the entire ship around him, so the conditions for his success have been there from day one under Spalletti.

BWRAO: Roma's goal differential is almost as good as Juventus' this season. How much has solving the defensive issues of years prior played into Roma's success?

CDT: This is a tough question to answer. Going into the season, we pictured a quartet of Antonio Rüdiger, Kostas Manolas, Bruno Peres and Mario Rui, which would really only be exceeded by Juventus, though I'd argue Roma would have the edge on the flanks, but apart from Manolas, each of those names has missed significant time. But, and crazy as this might sound, Federico Fazio has been amazing for the club this year, he's been the perfect foil for Manolas. I think for much of the season, we've been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but they keep doing just enough to stay in matches, and the improved play from De Rossi and Strootman has certainly alleviated a bit of the pressure on the back four.

BWRAO: I'll turn it right back at you with what you asked me: What worries you most about Saturday's match?

CDT: Welp, I think it would have to be the fact that Pjanic and Higuaín seem to be rounding into form, though I cannot wait to see Higuaín and Manolas go toe-to-toe, and if De Rossi or Strootman knocked Pjanic on his ass, you wouldn't see to many tears in the Roma section, unless they were tears of laughter. But honestly, at the end of the day, facing the Old Lady at Juventus Stadium is reason enough for worry, but I think this is going to be a close one.

BWRAO: What has surprised you most about Roma this season?

CDT: On the positive side, Dzeko and the defense surviving the injuries. I won't rehash it because we already spoke about it, but had I woke up one late August day and Dzeko's head was on a spike outside the Olimpico, I wouldn't have been surprised. I honestly cannot recall a player pulling a 180 like this in my time covering Roma and the league as a whole. On the negative side, I'm a bit disappointed that Spalletti hasn't found more consistent minutes for El Shaarawy — he was so massive for us in the spring, its a bit disconcerting to see him on the bench, but again, that's a byproduct of Dzeko's resurgence, so there's not much we can do about that now.

BWRAO: The Dzeko, Salah, Perotti trio has scored all but seven of Roma's goals in Serie A this season. Are they almost too dependent on those three for offense or is it something that can continue to breed success?

CDT: Too dependent...yes and no. If you run up and down Roma's roster, there is no nominal attacking midfielder, so the heavy lifting has been done by Dzeko getting service up top or spreading the play out to Salah and letting him run; its not a recipe for long-term success, but it's working. There are other options, Totti and El Shaarawy for instance, but Salah, Dzeko and Senor Neck Tattoo have done such a bang up job, why mess with success?

BWRAO: Let's be honest here, how happy are you that Kevin Strootman's ban was overturned?

CDT: Oof, that would have been tough. Spalletti would have had to make a major tactical change, one which would have probably seen Juan Iturbe take the pitch, and no one wants to see that. You guys still upset about that one!?

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Old Lady ignores Roma groans

 

 

Roma have repeatedly found ways to blame Juventus for their misfortune,

much to the annoyance of Bianconeri supporters, as Adam Digby explains

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95749/old-lady-ignores-roma-groans

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

“They've always got a little help,” Francesco Totti once said of Juventus. “That's the evidence. There's little you can do about it.” In those three short sentences, the Roma captain arguably summed up feelings on both sides of the rivalry his club have shared with Juventus over the years.

For supporters of the Giallorossi – a group which undoubtedly includes their legendary No.10 – the Turin giants benefit from favourable calls on and off the pitch, while fans of the Old Lady believe Roma exist only to lose and then complain about it being someone else’s fault.

It hasn’t always been this way. Indeed, despite the Bianconeri having long been loathed by everyone, the vitriol between them and their opponents from the Italian capital only truly began with the notoriously disallowed ‘gol di Turone’ in May 1981. A victory in that showdown would’ve taken Roma to the top of the table with two games left in the season, but instead they finished runners-up after Maurizio Turone’s strike was debatably ruled offside.

That was followed by a questionable match-winning goal from Juve’s Sergio Brio two years later, prompting then-Roma President Dino Viola to say the matches were “a question of centimetres.” Juventus President Giampiero Boniperti responded by sending Viola a cheap plastic ruler, adding a note which read “you can use it to measure our offsides.”

In the 1990s the rivalry took a backseat with the notable exception of the 2000-01 title race in which Fabio Capello’s Giallorossi pipped their northern counterparts to the title. When Juve emerged as calcio’s dominant force a decade later, the collapse of Milan and Inter saw Roma emerge as the biggest threat and once again the vitriol came to the fore.

Before they did however, they brought Coach Zdenek Zeman back for another spell in charge, a move that fueled an already intense dislike among supporters of the Old Lady. In the late 1990s, the Czech Coach accused the Bianconeri of systematically doping players, pointing to the altered physique of Gianluca Vialli and Alessandro Del Piero as proof.

His comments sparked the trials that saw Juve doctor Riccardo Agricola found guilty of “administering excessive pharmaceuticals to players” between 1994 and 1998, only for the verdict to be overturned 12 months later. Zeman’s second spell would collapse in failure, which was of course celebrated in Turin.

But then under Rudi Garcia, Roma became a true rival. Totti would taunt Juve goalkeeper Marco Storari, prompting a neat retaliation from Stephan Lichtsteiner, who as a former Lazio player was clearly delighted at being able to mock the Giallorossi. The French Coach would be sent off as his side suffered a controversial 3-2 defeat, complaining about “19-yard penalty areas” and playing an imaginary violin to mock the referee.

Roma would again collapse in trademark fashion, Garcia and Totti bitterly complaining about decisions that went against them, fueling the belief that the Giallorossi always find someone else to blame. Doping, referees, a falsified championship, accusations about Luciano Moggi “stealing” Paulo Sousa and Ciro Ferrara, the list of excuses wheeled out never seems to end, with players and Coaches seemingly happy to feed the fire.

Luciano Spalletti has urged his side to match the consistency of the Bianconeri, but his team and many of their supporters seem all too happy to let the old pathology play out. It will certainly add motivation to their meeting at Juventus Stadium on Saturday, not that a clash between the nation’s top two teams needs any further edge.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Vermaelen doubt for Juve-Roma

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95755/vermaelen-doubt-juve-roma

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Roma defender Thomas Vermaelen is an injury doubt for the game with Juventus on Saturday.

 

The game kicks off on Saturday at 20.45 CET - 19:45 GMT.

 

The former Arsenal man has already missed 15 games for the Giallorossi this term with a groin injury and has been fit for less than a month before coming down with ‘flu.

 

Returning to fitness in November, the Belgian played 90 minutes against Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League on December 8th, but CalcioNews24 reports that he is likely to re-join Roma’s injury list.

 

Coach Luciano Spalletti will also have to do without Bruno Peres, who suffered an injury in the victory over Milan on Sunday, whilst Francesco Totti also remains a doubt.

 

It isn’t all bad news however, as it has been reported that Mohamed Salah is back in training earlier than expected and could be ready for a return against the Old Lady.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Allegri: 'Roma game not decisive'

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95761/allegri-roma-game-not-decisive

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri believes that the game against Roma on Saturday 'won't decide the championship.'

 

The Bianconeri take on Luciano Spalletti's side at the Juventus stadium at 8.45 CET - 7.45 GMT.

 

The Coach admits that victory will be important in order to remain top of the table at Christmas, but has he decided who will play up front for his side?

 

"We are too far from the game, there is today's training and also training tomorrow morning. We play tomorrow night, so I still have time to think about it.

 

"I have not decided, honestly. It can be Dybala playing with Higuain, but Higuain and Mandzukic can also play together, we'll see.

 

"I have to evaluate it a little bit today, but all three together is difficult.

 

"Roma in recent years, along with Napoli, have been the antagonist of Juventus.

 

"They are a very strong team because they have great quality players, as well as being well-organised.

 

"Regardless of who takes to the field we will see a tough Roma, because lately they are a team that compared the beginning of the season gives little away.

 

"Maybe they create fewer chances, but are more solid defensively.

 

"It’s a game that won’t decide the championship, but it is important for us because practically we play tomorrow with a one point advantage.

 

"If we are to remain top of the league at Christmas we have to get a result tomorrow, because then Roma play against Chievo at home and we will play the Super Cup in Doha."

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Juventus v AS Roma: Preview

 

  

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/preview?gameId=461137

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri will settle for nothing but a win against their ``number-one enemy''.

Roma arrive in Turin on Saturday evening looking to close the gap on Serie A leaders and reigning champions Juve to a single point.

Doing so would put the Giallorossi in a position to take over at the top heading into the winter break, with beatable Chievo visiting the Eternal City while Juve travel to improving Crotone in midweek.

Should Allegri's men win this showdown, however, they would be seven points clear and looking to quickly extend that advantage to 10, and the Bianconeri boss will not let the opportunity slip.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: ``Tomorrow will be a head-to-head confrontation against a team who are, at this moment, our number-one enemy.

``A draw will not suffice for me, matches like this have to be won. If we want to guarantee we are top of the tree at Christmas, we will have to get the victory tomorrow.

``Roma are strong and organised... they have quality. We are facing a tough Roma side who are solid and who concede very few goals. It will be an important game, but not a decisive one.

``We're all looking forward to a great evening of sport featuring two great teams.''

Allegri is planning to unleash former Roma playmaker Miralem Pjanic against the club he left in the summer, while the first-choice strike partnership of Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic will start.

Missing out are injured defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Dani Alves, while Croatian winger Marko Pjaca will not return until January.

Alessandro Florenzi is Roma's notable absentee as Mohamed Salah is now fit enough to take a place on the Giallorossi bench.

The capital club have played themselves into a position to compete for the Scudetto by seeing off rivals Lazio and AC Milan heading into the Juve encounter.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is looking forward to the challenge of securing a third straight win.

``I'm imagining the game against Juve to be an intense but fun one,'' the Pole told La Stampa.

``The wins against Lazio and Milan have improved our chances of winning the title and we will be there or thereabouts right until the end, whatever happens tomorrow.''

Asked how he is preparing to face the prospect of a trademark free-kick from one-time team-mate Pjanic, he added: ``I know Miralem very well, and his kicks are perfect.

``You have to take a step, guess in advance and hopefully keep the ball out of the net.

``Hopefully we can be careful enough to deny him the opportunity to show his quality in that regard.''

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Allegri: 'Pjanic will start'

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95763/allegri-pjanic-will-start

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that Miralem Pjanic will play against Roma in Saturday's top of the table clash.

 

After admitting that the game 'wouldn't be decisive' in terms of the title, the Coach was asked who would play in defence.

 

"No, it is not decided, but tomorrow it could be better to play Benatia, so I have yet to decide the formation in defence.

 

"[Andrea] Barzagli is better, his shoulder is better, so he has definitely completely recovered from the match against Milan.

 

"I won’t change the defence because of Roma, because I do not know how they will play, if Bruno Peres will be fit, I do not know who will play.

 

"We will have to make an intelligent game, that is careful, of great intensity and especially good quality. So the hypothesis of three in defence could be deployed."

 

Will Miralem Pjanic start from the bench?

 

"An immediate weapon, a weapon for afterwards, or a weapon from the bench, no, Pjanic plays.

 

"A draw is not good because it is an important game, for us it would be important to win, but these are direct conflicts.

 

"At the moment we have not yet drawn at home, so it would be nice to continue with a victory.

 

"Also because we have two games before Christmas, a league match and the first opportunity for a trophy in the season and there will be no chance of revenge."

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

‘Spalletti has done a great job’

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95764/‘spalletti-has-done-great-job’

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri lauds his Roma counterpart, Luciano Spalletti - “he’s done a great job”.

 

Spalletti replaced Rudi Garcia midway through last season, and his Giallorossi are the main challengers to the Bianconeri this term.

 

“Spalletti has done a great job from his arrival last season up until now,” Allegri said ahead of their meeting tomorrow.

 

“He has changed Roma, and above all the mentality has changed. Just the fact that Roma concede less means that something has changed.

 

“Then they have very good players, [Edin] Dzeko is playing at an optimal level. Tomorrow will be a good, balanced game; it should be a great evening of sport between two title contenders.”

 

Juve President Andrea Agnelli declared that everyone was against the club, but Allegri was more conciliatory.

 

“Juve are running our own race. Juve play game-by-game the way we always have, trying to get the wins which will bring the points which will in turn bring the title.

 

“It’s normal that Juventus have a lot of enemies, tomorrow our number one enemy is Roma.

 

“Then in the next game we’ll play Bologna, then there will come Fiorentina, Lazio… every team in the Italian League is an enemy of Juventus, more so those who fight with us for the title.

 

“I think it’s normal, part of the game. In the end it’s normal that Juventus fight against everyone to take home the title.”

 

The Coach was then asked if he expected some “Christmas presents” in the form of new signings ahead of the Porto match in the Champions League.

 

“I wrote my letter to Santa, let’s see what it brings me…” Allegri smiled.

 

“It depends if I was good or not. The draw might look good on paper, but Porto are a club who are used to playing in the Champions League, they’re used to being in the international arena.

 

“They surprised people by eliminating Roma, and in the Last 16 two years ago they beat Bayern 3-1, so it’s definitely not easy, especially given the history of Porto in Europe.

 

“That’s something to keep in mind.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Spalletti: ‘Roma won’t play for a draw’

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95765/spalletti-‘roma-won’t-play-draw’

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Luciano Spalletti warns Roma would “lose for sure” if they went to Juventus looking for a draw.

 

Tomorrow sees a top-of-the-table clash between the Giallorossi and the reigning champions, with the capital club having the chance to cut the gap to just one point.

 

“Our position is easy to explain: this is a fundamental game for us,” Spalletti said in his pre-match Press conference.

 

“We can’t go there and look for a draw, we’d lose for sure. We’re a strong team and we have to go there and give an account of ourselves, showing our strength.

 

“The goal is to make sure that the return match is a very important one, and that’s what we’re working for.

 

“Will Juventus attack? In their DNA they have the awareness of their physical strength, their character.

 

“They’ll come to force the game, with the pressure from their stadium, they have other major ambitions [the Champions League] so if they can delineate them with the game tomorrow that will be very important for them.

 

“We need to be good at managing that and asserting our own quality, because we’ll certainly have our say.

 

“I’ve always seen these games as beautiful challenges where we’ve been chasing them because they’re better, so tomorrow we want to see their qualities more closely and shorten their lead in the table.

 

“Is this our last chance for the Scudetto? In my mind it’s never the end, we always must have the attitude that we can overcome something which happens to us.

 

“That has to be our attitude. I will say that it’s a crucial game, and [if we lose] it’d be very hard, but still possible.

 

“We’ll have the situation where we’ll be in the Europa League, the Coppa Italia… we’ll be playing every two or three days.

 

“Juventus will have those periods too. They have great players, but there will be a period where it’s less smooth for them.

 

“At that point, if we do well, we can recover points.

 

“We have to take advantage of the game tomorrow though.”

 

Juve Coach Max Allegri described Spalletti as “sometimes a great Coach, sometimes a great actor”…

 

“That’s because he’s never heard me sing!” Spalletti joked.

 

“I think he’s a great friend, and he remains that. He’s a good person and a great Coach. It’s easy to say ‘oh it’s easy to win with great players’, but that’s not the case.

 

“You have to manage them, steer them and let them express their qualities.

 

“Of course, it’s clear if you look at the last game [against Torino] if you can bring [Miralem] Panic and [Paulo] Dybala off the bench it’s different to bringing on other players.

 

“We’re friends.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Allegri: Roma game decides nothing, Pjanic will start

 

  

Manager’s pre-match comments ahead of Saturday showdown

 

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/12/16/13981296/max-allegri-

juventus-roma-game-decides-nothing-pjanic-will-start-pre-match-comments

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus take on AS Roma on Saturday in an eagerly awaited top-of-the-table clash. The Romans have been in fine form heading into this game while the defending champions are finally stabilizing into a decent run just before the upcoming winter break.

Bianconeri manager Massimiliano Allegri spoke to the media ahead of the game keen to downplay the drama that this fixture has heralded over the last couple of years.

"Roma in recent years, along with Napoli, have been the antagonist of Juventus.

"They are a very strong team because they have great quality players, as well as being well-organised.

"Regardless of who takes to the field we will see a tough Roma, because lately they are a team that compared to the beginning of the season gives little away.

"Maybe they create fewer chances, but are more solid defensively.

"It’s a game that won’t decide the championship, but it is important for us because practically we play tomorrow with a one point advantage.

"If we are to remain top of the league at Christmas we have to get a result tomorrow, because then Roma play against Chievo at home and we will play the Super Cup in Doha."

When asked if he already his starting team in mind for the weekend -

"We are too far from the game, there is today's training and also training tomorrow morning. We play tomorrow night, so I still have time to think about it.

"I have not decided, honestly. It can be Paulo Dybala playing with Gonzalo Higuain, but Higuain and Mario Mandzukic can also play together, we'll see.

"I have to evaluate it a little bit today, but all three together is difficult.”

As far as the defence is concerned -

"Tomorrow it could be better to play Benatia, so I have yet to decide the formation in defence.

"Andrea Barzagli is better, his shoulder is better, so he has definitely completely recovered from the match against Milan.

"I won’t change the defence because of Roma, because I do not know how they will play, if Bruno Peres will be fit, I do not know who will play.

"We will have to make an intelligent game, that is careful, of great intensity and especially good quality. So the hypothesis of three in defence could be deployed."

Former Roma player Miralem Pjanic was apparently warned by his then teammate Radja Nainggolan that he would not speak to him again if he went to Juve, but this week the two have been chatting on FaceTime.

"An immediate weapon, a weapon for afterwards, or a weapon from the bench, no, Pjanic plays.

"A draw is not good because it is an important game, for us it would be important to win, but these are direct conflicts.

"At the moment we have not yet drawn at home, so it would be nice to continue with a victory.

"Also because we have two games before Christmas, a league match and the first opportunity for a trophy in the season and there will be no chance of revenge."

As is customary for this time of the year, he was asked what transfers he would like in upcoming January window -

“I’ve already written my letter to Santa, we’ll see what I get… our most important January signings will be Dybala and Pjaca.”

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Spalletti: ‘No problem with Pjanic’

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95766/spalletti-‘no-problem-pjanic’

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Luciano Spalletti has no problem with “true champion” Miralem Pjanic despite his move from Roma to Juventus.

 

The Bosnian will face his former side for the first time tomorrow, but the Giallorossi Coach insists there’s no bad blood.

 

“Pjanic already came to see us against Torino and had a meal with us,” Spalletti pointed out in his pre-match Press conference.

 

“Every time he talks to one of the players they put me on the phone. I made him feel important, gave him the keys to Roma by putting him deeper than [Daniele] De Rossi.

 

“In the time he was here he gave us a lot, because he’s a true champion. We’ve shared a joke, because there’s mutual respect between us.”

 

Tomorrow’s match has been built up as a battle of the strikers between Gonzalo Higuain and Edin Dzeko…

 

“I saw that during the week these two were the most cited, but the teams have other strengths and the goalkeepers [Gigi Buffon and Wojciech Szczesny are among them.

 

“One of them has great physical and mental strength, Buffon, [Andrea] Barzagli and [Leonardo] Bonucci have made our national team great.

 

“Szczesny has quality, but he’s yet to accumulate the same experience.

 

“We’re in a good place if we’ve improved our defence and Higuain vs Dzeko is balanced.

 

“Dzeko is someone who can battle with Higuain for capocannoniere. There are others like [Paulo] Dybala, but I think if these two play regularly in the League they’ll be first and second.”

 

Despite singling out Dybala, the tactician doesn’t expect him to play tomorrow.

 

“His presence doesn’t change much, they have physical and technical strength and they always have the quality to come out on top.

 

“If Mandzukic and Higuain play, as I expect, it will become a game of strength and physical duels. In that aspect you can’t afford a single mistake.

 

“Against Torino it was two balls thrown into them which made the difference.”

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Totti to miss Juventus

 

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95774/totti-miss-juventus

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Francesco Totti and Leandro Paredes appear certain to miss Roma’s trip to Juventus tomorrow.

 

The match sees first welcome second in Serie A, and is being billed as one of the most crucial games of the season.

 

Coach Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that Mohamed Salah is available for the match, but admitted Totti and Paredes would have to be evaluated.

 

Now Sky is reporting that Giallorossi captain Totti, suffering with illness, worked alone in the gym at Trigoria today.

 

That makes it almost certain that Er Pupone won’t be called-up for the trip to Turin.

 

In addition, Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes was unable to take part in full training, as he’s still to shake off a knock.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Juventus v Roma Match Preview

 

  

 

http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-v-roma-match-preview-and-scouting/

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Juventus

Despite not playing their best football, Juventus once again found a way to beat a tough opponent and come away with three points in the Derby della Mole. This time it was Gonzalo Higuain’s turn to play the role of hero: the second goal was aesthetically fantastic, a true gem from one of the best strikers in the world.

The score did not really reflect the course of the game: the Bianconeri started the game pretty well, but conceded on the first chance, where the whole left flank fell asleep and Andrea Belotti outmuscled Stephan Lichtsteiner in the box and netted a pretty header. It did not take long for Juventus to find the equalizer, thanks to a quick counter after a misplaced pass, with Mario Mandzukic feeding Higuain beautifully. In the second half, Torino had more intensity and created more chances, but failed to capitalize and at the end of the day, the Old Lady has simply too much quality and too many champions, especially if you expose your defence trying to score.

Higuain ended his Serie A drought in a big way and further good news came from Paulo Dybala, who was freaking untouchable in his short stint, creating havoc all over the field and single-handedly building the third goal. I do not know if he is ready to start: if you put a player in the XI you have to be ready to play him for the full game because some events may force your hand on the subs, but it is sweet to have him back and he seems to have embraced the role of the assist man. Mandzukic is obviously a very good forward, but his presence tends to hurt El Pipita a little bit and I think Higuain is a more lethal pure goal scorer, so probably there are tough times ahead for the Croatian striker, hopefully he will not pout and stay committed.

Miralem Pjanic only played a few minutes because of back spasms, but he did enter the game and scored so he should be good to go this week, as confirmed in the pre-game presser. I think that the 4-3-3 with Juan Cuadrado, Higuain and Mandzukic has weird geometrics even though it has been effective at times, especially when the Colombian winger has had good days, 4-3-1-2 is just more natural. There have been some reports about 3-4-1-2 to keep Pjanic in a more advanced position, but I am not sure Sami Khedira is apt for that scheme and Massimiliano Allegri would not drop  him in a big game. The other doubt lies between Stefano Sturaro, Mario Lemina and Kwadwo Asamoah, but the Ghanaian is well behind.

Andrea Barzagli has practiced all week with the rest of the group, so if he does not have pain in the shoulder he could be shoehorned into the lineup because that type of injury is unlikely to have a setback. As of right now, Rugani, who struggled a little bit against Belotti at first but then adjusted well, is still the frontrunner, but Medhi Benatia is gaining steam and he is probably a better fit against Edin Dzeko. 3-5-2 is definitely on the table with Barzagli back, at that point Cuadrado would probably supplant Lichtsteiner on the right wing. The formation is more unpredictable than usual because it depends on the physical conditions of three different players, Dybala, Pjanic and Barzagli, so there are many variables. Also Marko Pjaca has re-joined the squad list after a lenghty absence due to a cracked fibula.

Daniele Rugani and Sturaro have both extended their contracts this week and reportedly Leonardo Bonucci and Paulo Dybala will be next. Both youngsters have expressed the desire to stay for many years, and while that is a no brainer for the centre-back, who has ton of potential and is already pretty good, many do not like Sturaro. He is not a great player and should definitely work on his first touch and technique, but right now Juventus do not have many Italian players and therefore he will be part of the picture going forward even though the midfield will probably be in flux in January and in the summer.

Probable lineup: 

4-3-1-2: Buffon; Lichsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini, Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pjanic; Mandzukic, Higuain.

Injuries:

Bonucci (hamstring),  Alves (fibula), Mandragora (foot). 

Suspensions:

None.

 

 

Roma

It took Roma some time, but in the end they clearly emerged as the second force of the League, something many expected them to be before the season. They are four points behind so they have a huge chance to close the gap and then aspire to the title. However, Juventus have won every Serie A game at the Stadium and also their last five trips to Turin all ended in defeat. They also do not have an elite record on the road.

There is no denying that they are playing pretty well. In the last game, they proved to have more difference makers than Milan and won in a very mature way, resisting well to the attacks of the opponent and eventually finding the right play. They have world class players in all areas and Luciano Spalletti has done a masterful job since coming back, tweaking his preferred tactic and adjusting to the players he has at his disposal.

Their ability to cope with difficulties has been outstanding: they have endured some tough injuries, but they have continued to perform at a high level because others stepped up. Being eliminated in the Champions League play-offs has derailed other teams’ seasons in the past, but they have played well in Europa League, where they are among the favourites.

Edin Dzeko has returned to his old Bundesliga self and has scored in bunches. It is also remarkable how a team that last year played noticeably better without a center-forward has learned how to feed him properly over and over again. He is obviously a physical presence, but he is also quite technical, decently mobile and very capable of connecting with the rest of the team.

Daniele De Rossi is having a throwback season, holding the fort in the midfield where they had to wait for Kevin Strootman to return to his best, and he is not 100% yet, and where Leandro Paredes and Gerson have not panned out as they hoped. Kostas Manolas is a top five Serie A defender and Radja Nainggolan, after a difficult start due to some nagging injuries, is coming along in a big way while playing as attacking midfielder and is also finding the back of the net consistently.

They should confirm their usual 4-2-3-1 even though at times they have explored 3-4-2-1 when they had a shortage of attackers. Diego Perotti will move to the right, where he is not as effective as on the left but still a very reliable source of good plays, while Stephan El Shaarawy will start on the left to cover the hole left by Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian winger has quickly recovered from an ankle sprain and will be healthy enough to be part of the squad: he could be a nice weapon once teams get tired in the second half.

Bruno Peres left the last game with an ankle injury: he resumed practicing with the rest of the group on Friday, but he is still unlikely to start and could be replaced by Emerson Palmieri or Juan Jesus. Obviously, they would not have the same offensive punch without both Alessandro Florenzi and the former Torino fullback. Federico Fazio has climbed the hierarchies thanks to some injuries, in particular the Thomas Vermaelen one, and he is a dependable complementary piece to Manolas as he is less blunder-prone than other options.

They will not be content with just sitting back and counter-attacking: they are a proactive team and will try to impose their tempo and dominate the ball possession, but they will not necessarily succeed as Juventus have usually managed to take control of games at home. The biggest threat come from the through balls by Perotti or De Rossi towards Dzeko, Nainggolan and El Shaarawy, so the offside trap will have to be on point. Differently from the past seasons, they now have an elite striker, therefore they are a much more pragmatic and physical team.

UPDATE: It looks like Salah has a chance to start in lieu of El Shaarawy.

Probable lineup: 

4-2-3-1: Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas, Fazio, Emerson; De Rossi, Strootman; Perotti, Nainggolan, El Shaarawy; Dzeko.

Injuries:

Florenzi (knee), Paredes (ankle), Totti, Lobont. 

Suspensions:

None. 

 

 

Formation

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

 

Spalletti: Playing defensively would guarantee Roma lose to Juventus

 

 

   The Giallorossi coach has stressed they will be looking to beat the Italian

champions on their own terms in Saturday's crunch clash in Turin.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2016/12/16/30568292/-

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Luciano Spalletti is adamant Roma will stay true to their attacking instincts or face certain defeat when they face Juventus on Saturday. 

Roma are trailing the Serie A leaders by four points and will be looking to fire a statement of intent by closing the gap with a result.

 

However, Spalletti knows a defeat would be a major blow for their title ambitions and feels they are guaranteed to lose if they set out to defend.

 

"Saturday's game is a crucial one for us," the trainer told reporters. "If we go to Turin to defend, we are certain to lose.

 

"Therefore, we have to lay the right foundations from which we can play to our strengths.

 

"Our objective is to ensure that the return match in Rome will be a decisive one for the title.

"We need to make sure that we cope well with their attacks and show our own qualities.

 

"It is very simple, really."

 

Juventus have dominated the league in recent years and Spalletti has made it clear the Scudetto holders are an example to follow for Roma.

 

"Juventus have been excellent at maintaining the very high standards they have set, showing great strength and securing top results along the way," he added.

 

"They are one of the reasons why today you need 100 points to win the Scudetto. For us, looking at Juve helps to drive us on and always do better."

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

Nainggolan: No Pjanic grudges

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95777/nainggolan-no-pjanic-grudges

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

Radja Nainggolan insists he holds no grudges against former teammate Miralem Pjanic but “really thinks” Roma can beat Juventus on Saturday.

 

Pjanic controversially left Roma for Serie A rivals Juve in the summer after the Bianconeri activated his €32m release clause, but Nainggolan still “loves” his fellow midfielder, even if he rejected “no lack of offers” himself.

 

“Against Juventus, we must really try to pull [the win] off to understand where we actually are,” the Belgian told La Repubblica.

 

“Pjanic? I love him the same, I hear from him almost every day.

 

“As for me, I decided to stay despite no lack of offers. Here, they love me. I really think we can win this game.”

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

JUVENTUS VS AS ROMA: POSSIBLE LINEUPS,

TACTICS, KEY STATS AND PREDICTION

  

 

http://www.thehardtackle.com/round-up/2016/12/17/juventus-vs

-as-roma-possible-lineups-tactics-key-stats-and-prediction/

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

It’s Matchday 17 and Serie A leaders and defending champions Juventus host second-placed AS Roma on Saturday night, eager to widen the gap on their rivals on top of the table.

Saturday night’s clash at the Juventus Stadium is set to be a classic with the two title rivals of recent years squaring off against each other. Juventus have won three of the six meetings in the last three seasons, with Roma winning two, and the other was a draw. With seven red cards being dished out in as many meetings in recent years, this should be one fiercely competitive meeting.

The hosts Juventus come into this match on the back of a 3-1 Turin Derby win at Torino, with the Biancocelesti coming from a goal down to triumph at the Olimpico di Torino. Luciano Spalletti’s men, too, enter this game with a victory in their previous outing, as they overcame fellow title rivals AC Milan 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico to maintain the four-point gap and sit outright second over the Rossoneri.

Possible Lineups and Tactics

Juventus

Come Saturday night, Juventus will look to extend their perfect home run this season they try to make it nine wins out of nine at the Juventus Stadium. There are reports that Massimiliano Allegri is considering a switch to a flat back four, with Bosnian midfielder getting to play in the hole with more freedom to create scoring opportunities for his strikers.

On the injury news front, Allegri has just three players out with Dani Alves (fractured tibula), Marko Pjaca (calf) and Leonardo Bonucci (hamstring) nursing their respective injuries. Forward Paulo Dybala is back in the fold after missing since late October with a thigh injury, however he is expected to start this match from the bench.

Allegri should start with a three-man midfield of Stefano Sturaro, Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio in order to retain control of the game and provide former Roma man the impetus to play with freedom behind the in-form front two of Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain.

Possible Lineup (4-3-1-2) Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Rugani, Chiellini, Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pjanic; Higuain, Mandzukic

AS Roma

Roma will be looking to overturn a dismal recent record at the Juventus Stadium when they take the field against the champions on Saturday. With wins over Lazio and Milan in their last two games though, confidence is high for the Giallorossi and they have the extra motivation of closing the gap to the top.

Luciano Spalletti, however, has a few of his key figures ruled out of the match, with Bruno Peres and Leandro Paredes both nursing ankle injuries. Central midfielder Alessandro Florenzi is a long-term absentee with the Italy international sidelined with a cruciate ligament rupture. Mohamed Salah has made an early return from an ankle injury and is expected to start from the bench.

In Peres’ absence, Spalletti is also expected to start with a back four with Antonio Rudiger deputising at the right back. The prolific Edin Dzeko is expected to have Stephan El Shaarawy, Diego Perotti and star man Radja Nainggolan for company, as they attempt to break an organised Juventus defence.

Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas, Fazio, Emerson; De Rossi, Strootman; Perotti, Nainggolan, Shaarawy; Dzeko

Key Stats

• Juventus have lost only three of their last 22 Serie A matches against AS Roma (W14 D5).
• Juventus have a 100% record at home this season, winning each of their eight home games at the Juventus Stadium.
• AS Roma haven’t won in any of their last five visits to the Juventus Stadium, conceding fifteen goals while scoring just thrice.
• Roma have won eight of their last 10 matches in the Serie A (D1 L1). They have grabbed the most points in this period (25), one more than Juventus.

Prediction

Juventus 1-0 AS Roma

This is the last Matchday before the Christmas break, which only seeks to establish the importance of this fixture for both teams. Should Juventus win, it’ll create a seven-point gap on the top of the table and give Allegri’s side a big psychological advantage before the festive period.

If Roma win, on the other hand, they can cut  I Bianconeri’s lead to a solitary point, and establish themselves as genuine title contenders this season. However, their recent record at the Juventus Stadium leaves a lot to be desired and with the hosts boasting of the meanest defence in the league this will be a tough ask for Spalletti’s men.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

Mohamed Salah return a boost to Roma,

but can they beat Juventus?

  

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/as-roma/104/blog/post/3021183/mohamed-salah

-return-from-injury-is-a-boost-to-roma-as-they-face-title-rivals-juventus

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

It's rare that the Scudetto is decided in the festive period. The "top at Christmas" stat that makes Chelsea such strong favourites to regain the Premier League title means little in Italy, where the campione d'inverno ("winter champions") are decided after the first half of Serie A's fixtures are completed in January. However any hope of Roma taking top spot at the halfway point, which would statistically give them a much better chance of winning their first league championship in a generation, hinges on this weekend's massive pre-Christmas clash at the Juventus Stadium.

In the last 30 years (not counting the two championships affected by Calciopoli), 22 winter champions have gone on to win the league and most of those that didn't had the title ripped from them on the final day. It's not a given -- Napoli for example broke the rule last season, when they fell away to concede the title to Juventus with three games to spare -- but being winter champions is a very good indicator that you'll be hoisting the trophy in front of delirious fans come May.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise then that Luciano Spalletti is rushing Mohamed Salah straight back into action. Salah, who formed one-half of Europe's most prolific strike partnership with Edin Dzeko before being chopped out of action in training by teammate Thomas Vermaelen, was expected to be nursing his ankle ligaments a while longer. He wasn't expected back until their final match of 2016 against Chievo on Thursday at the earliest, but a remarkably quick recovery means that he is making the trip to Turin and gives Spalletti the option of using his frightening pace -- possibly even from the start.

Playing the Egyptian is a gamble for Spalletti, but it's a calculated one. In giving Salah game time, he's running the risk that he might hurt his ankle again -- the striker might also not be psychologically ready for Juve's crunching tackles -- but Roma can happily do without him against Chievo at the Stadio Olimpico, where they have won their last 11.

Roma's next match then doesn't come until Jan. 8 at Genoa, after which Salah would then in any case be jetting off with Egypt to the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, where he could easily be until early February.

Why would Spalletti not pick Salah for the biggest match of the season? Even if he does injure himself, the coach will only lose him for the period either side of Christmas in which he'll hardly be able to use the attacker anyway. It seems a no-brainer.

The importance of this match cannot be underestimated. A win would put the Giallorossi just a point away away from league leaders Juve, and a draw wouldn't be too bad either heading into the final matchday before the Christmas break, when the Bianconeri travel to Doha to take on AC Milan in the Italian Super Cup. That in turn would mean that Roma would be able to close in on or even overtake Juve (whose game in hand is admittedly at lowly Crotone in early February) with what must be a sure-fire win over Chievo.

However, to do that they will have to overturn both Juve's formidable home form (24 straight wins) and their terrible record at the Juventus Stadium, where they have lost each of their five league visits since the ground opened in 2011, scoring just three goals and conceding 15.

Wins in the Rome derby a fortnight ago and against AC Milan on Monday have given fans encouragement that they can do just that; the positive vibes generated by those two victories also saw supporters snap up the 2,100 available away tickets in just 42 minutes. In both those matches, without the use of Salah's threat, Roma have kept it tight and shown steel to grind out tight one-goal wins. Against Milan in particular they were very impressive in shutting the game down once taking the lead.

Nonetheless, having Salah back is a huge boost for Roma's attack, especially at a stadium where swiftness on the break will be essential. They've been extremely well organised and solid in the last couple of weeks, but the goals have flowed less freely, and while that's no doubt due to the quality of the recent opposition, it's also because top scorer Edin Dzeko has had to toil up front on his own, without his preferred partner.

Dzeko and Salah have bagged 20 of Roma's 35 goals so far this season, with Salah providing assists for three of the Bosnian's 12 league strikes. The Egypt international's pace will offer a threat on the break that should make Juventus cautious about pressing Roma too high up the pitch.

His return is also great news for a team that has already had to deal with a host of injuries this season, Francesco Totti's surrender to flu being the latest in a long line. With Paolo Dybala on the way back, Gonzalo Higuain creeping back towards his best form and set-piece demon Miralem Pjanic ready to sink his old teammates, Roma are going to need all the positives they can get.

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

Juventus under pressure against the best Roma team in recent memory

  

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3021301/serie-a-

juventus-under-pressure-against-the-best-roma-team-in-recent-memory

 

 

Dec 16, 2016

 

 

On Saturday evening, Juventus host Roma in what has already been dubbed, the Serie A match of the season so far.

While only four points separate the two teams in the table, Luciano Spalletti is right when he noted that this was a "fundamental game" for his side. After managing wins against Napoli, Lazio and Milan last week, the Giallorossi are thought to be the anti-Juve, the only side capable of challenging for the title. A win against the Champions of Italy would not only confirm their rising status but it would send a clear signal of intent that this side can win the title.

Boasting the most prolific attack in the league, Roma look a better team this season, partly due to Edin Dzeko's growth. Last term, the striker almost contrived to squander the greatest of goal scoring opportunities, scuffing his shots or delivering wide off the target. However, with teammates who have proved better at assisting and delivering playable balls, Dzeko has thrived this season, playing with tenacity and determination. Capable of defending possession, creating chances for his teammates and striking with efficiency, he has already scored 12 goals.

The former Manchester City striker could be viewed as the emblem of this new and mentally improved Roma. For years now, the capital side have played an aesthetically pleasing style of football that revolved around beautiful fluidity and cohesive movements. While that always thrilled Spalletti, the team's ability to falter in pressure situations stoked his ire. The Giallorossi needed to develop mentally, to believe in their status as a big club and impose their strength as opposed to surrendering to intimidation.

Juventus have had the opposite problem. For most of this season they have been accused of playing poor football. Lacking in fluidity and beauty, their midfield imbalance and woeful offensive movements resulted in heavy criticism. Yet somehow, the Bianconeri were winning. Boasting individuals who could make the difference, many felt they almost didn't deserve their lofty position.

Massimiliano Allegri has since attempted to recover the flow, to ensure tactical balance and offensive coordination to secure goals and stunning performances. This is a side with grand ambitions and managing narrow wins on account of such poor performances will not yield the European trophy they covet so deeply.

While Allegri looked to enhance his side's performances, Spalletti set about improving his team's mental fortitude. Winning was all that mattered regardless of how it was achieved and those cynical victories have started to arrive.

If the game is to turn in Juve's favour, it could well be on the boots of Miralem Pjanic and Paulo Dybala.

Against Milan, Spalletti's men hardly played a spectacular game, yet they snatched all three points while their composed and mature performance overcame a Lazio side that succumbed to the emotions of the derby. This is a maturing Roman side, one capable of providing Juventus with a stern test.

While Dzeko has earned the plaudits, scoring more than expensive Juve arrival Gonzalo Higuain has managed for the Old Lady, all eyes will be on the two trequartistas. For the first time this season, Miralem Pjanic will be facing his former side, attempting to prove he is more valuable to his new team than Radja Nainggolan has been for Roma this season.

Deployed in the hole behind the strikers, Pjanic played a scintillating game against Atalanta, finally unleashing his vision and technical perfection. For some time, many were wondering if the Bosnian simply didn't fit within the patterns of play deployed in Turin. But once the playmaker was relieved of his defensive duties, he has not only inspired offensive beauty but has begun to play with confidence and character.

However, Pjanic is still developing while it appears Roma possess the most complete midfielder in the league. Nainggolan has been truly spectacular for his side as he not only ensures efficient penetration but defensive strength up front. Offering a vertical edge, clever penetration, goals and intelligence, the Belgian lacks nothing and has proved capable of almost everything. He is the man Juventus must watch and defend as he will occupy the right spaces and facilitate Roma's moves going forward.

Set to play a 3-4-1-2 formation, Pjanic will once again play behind the strikers for Juve. With Mario Mandzukic in stunning form, it's likely Allegri will look to play him alongside Higuain from the start hoping his physical strength and relentless devotion to the cause will make life difficult for the Romans in all areas of the pitch. Paulo Dybala will almost certainly feature as the impact sub, capable of changing the face of the game by overwhelming the tired opponent with his technical brilliance.

Two respected tacticians with a clear game plan, it remains to be seen who will come out on top.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

We don't talk anymore!' - Pjanic & Nainggolan

go to war in Juventus v Roma

  

 

With the Belgian set to be reunited with his "brother" in Turin on Saturday,

he may be wondering if his loyalty will go unrewarded.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2016/12/17/30581922/-

 

 

Dec 17, 2016

 

When it first emerged in the middle of May that Juventus were seriously considering activating Miralem Pjanic's buy-out clause, Roma team-mate Radja Nainggolan joked, "I already said that he can’t talk to me anymore!" The Belgian wasn't smiling, though, when he learned during the European Championship in France less than a month later that his fellow midfielder was on his way to Turin.

 

"I love him, I accept his choice and I’ll continue to love him,” Nainggolan told reporters after his country's loss to Italy in Lyon. "He was like a brother and it’d definitely be better to play together but he made another choice and we accept it. These things happen in football."

 

Indeed they do. A footballer leaving one club for another he feels more likely to win trophies at is nothing new. It happens multiple times in each and every transfer window. Granted, we live in an era in which many are motivated by money, with Oscar’s imminent move to China the latest case in point. However, numerous footballers are still driven by the prospect of lifting major trophies, all the while knowing that financial gain is a by-product of success.

 

In that context, Pjanic’s decision to accept a transfer to Turin was both unsurprising and understandable. The Bianconeri, after all, have won the last five Serie A titles and are considered major contenders in this season’s Champions League. Roma, by contrast, have won just three Scudetti in their entire history, and none since 2001, while they were knocked out of Europe by a distinctly average Porto side that Juve are expected to eliminate with ease next February.

 

 

As big as the Giallorossi are, they are clearly not on the same level as the Italian champions, either in a sporting or financial sense. However, Nainggolan will be buoyed by the progress that they are making, on and off the field, and while he may not still be around to play at the new stadium that they are hoping to build – a project that has, rather predictably, already become wrapped up in red tape – he is well within his rights to dream of winning a title at the Stadio Olimpico.

 

No other side has scored more goals in Serie A this season (36, one more than Juve), while they go into Saturday’s showdown with Juve in fine form, having won eight of their last 10 Serie A games, a remarkable run that includes hard-fought victories over city rivals Lazio and third-placed AC Milan. A triumph in Turin would see them draw to within a point of the reigning Italian champions at the top of the table.

 

However, history is against Roma - they have won just three of their last 22 clashes with the Old Lady and lost on their last five visits Juventus Stadium - as is the fact that Mo Salah, their most potent performer this season, is, at most, only likely to feature as substitute, with the Egyptian winger only having just recovered from an injury sustained in training before the Rome derby.

 

The onus will, thus, be on Nainggolan to once again step up to the mark. He proved pivotal in the vital victories over Lazio and AC Milan in Roma's last two outings. Shorn of the services of Salah, coach Luciano Spalletti has had to tinker with his tactics, switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1, and that has resulted in a more advanced role for Nainggolan, just behind lone striker Edin Dzeko. The former Cagliari man has flourished in his new position, racking up goals in back-to-back Serie A games for the first time in his career.

 

As Nainggolan freely admits, he is by no means a classic trequartista but the way in which he instantaneously controlled a looping header before then cutting infield and bending the ball into the bottom corner of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal in the 1-0 win over Milan had all the hallmarks of a classic No.10.

 

However, he arguably drew a bigger roar from his supporters just minutes later when he recovered possession with an expertly-timed tackle on Suso in the Milan half, underlining that while Nainggolan may not have the silky skills of other attacking midfielders, his attributes make him a nightmare for opponents napping in perilous positions.

 

 

Of course, with Nainggolan set to once again take on the trequarista role against Juve, it means that he will be in direct competition with Pjanic, who is expected to start in behind Juve’s awesome all-Argentine attack of Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala.

 

It will, thus, be brother against brother in the war for Serie A supremacy. They could, of course, been on the same side, and not only had Pjanic resisted Juve’s advances to remain at Roma.

 

Nainggolan, himself, was offered the chance to hook up with the Old Lady over a year ago but explained that his heart belonged to the Giallorossi, who he claimed were just as capable of fulfilling his Scudetto dream.

 

“I do not need to join a stellar team to win a trophy,” he declared. “I am in a good team now and I would love to [win the league] with Roma.

 

“For me, winning the Scudetto once at Roma would mean more than winning 10 with Juventus.”

 

One imagines that Pjanic would respectfully disagree with his "brother" on that particular point... that is, if they ever start speaking again.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110

[Socrates 8526]

 

 

 

 

 

JUVENTUS - ROMA

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCHDAY 17

Saturday, December 17th, 2016 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Daniele Orsato

 

 

Juve-Roma: Salah starts, Dybala maybe

  

 

http://www.football-italia.net/95796/juve-roma-salah-starts-dybala-maybe

 

 

Dec 17, 2016

 

Mohamed Salah is expected to make his comeback from the start for Roma this evening, but Paulo Dybala remains a Juventus doubt.

 

The top of the table showdown kicks off in Turin at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT.

 

There are injury problems and uncertainties for both Coaches going into the Juventus Stadium.

 

The Bianconeri are without Leonardo Bonucci and Dani Alves, while Andrea Barzagli returns for a spot on the bench after dislocating his shoulder.

 

Marko Pjaca is also on the bench for the first time since sustaining a micro-fracture on international duty with Croatia.

 

The only real doubt for Max Allegri seems to be in attack, where Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic need a strike partner.

 

Mario Mandzukic is the favourite to retain his spot, which would allow Dybala to come off the bench and shake up the game in the second half, but La Joya is a temptation to start as well.

 

Roma are without Francesco Totti, Leandro Paredes and Alessandro Florenzi.

 

Salah returns after an ankle injury and it’s widely reported he’ll be thrown in from the start for a 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

The Egyptian can flank Radja Nainggolan and Diego Perotti in supporting hitman Edin Dzeko.

 

Bruno Peres is in the squad, but might not be risked from the start.

 

 

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Benatia, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pjanic; Mandzukic, Higuain

 

Roma (probable): Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas, Fazio, Emerson Palmieri; De Rossi, Strootman; Salah, Nainggolan, Perotti; Dzeko

 

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en/tables/serie-a/13?ICID=TP_TN_110