Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 20, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Barcelona vs. Juventus 2017: Final score 0-0, Team effort puts Juve into Champions League semifinals A goalless draw at Camp Nou confirms Juve’s big first-leg win. http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/4/20/15365076/barcelona-juventus -2017-champions-league-quarterfinals-leg-2-final-score-result-match-recap Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Ninety-nine times out of 100, winning the first leg of a European tie 3-0 at home would almost make the second leg a formality. But Wednesday was not a normal day. On Wednesday, Juventus walked into the Camp Nou in Barcelona, and even with a 3-0 lead, the tie still seemed poised on a knife’s edge. The specter of Barca’s unprecedented second-leg comeback three weeks ago against Paris Saint-Germain, who came to Catalonia with a 4-0 first-leg lead, loomed large. With Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar up front, Andres Iniesta supplementing and Sergio Busquets leading the midfield, this team was capable of anything — especially in their fortress of a stadium, where they had won 15 consecutive Champions League games. But Juventus isn’t PSG. The French champions do not have the discipline, skill or grinta that the Bianconeri do, and all of that was brought to bear at the Camp Nou. The result was a goalless draw that dumped Barca out of the competition and put Juve into the Champions League semifinals thanks to the 3-0 aggregate scoreline. Luis Enrique did not, as expected, start the game in the 3-diamond-3 formation that he had been using in recent weeks and stuck to Barca’s traditional 4-3-3. Two major changes were made from last week’s match: Busquets returned after a yellow card suspension in the first leg, and Jordi Alba came in to play left back. Massimiliano Allegri sent out the exact same starting XI that had fought so hard and won so well in Turin eight days ago. As Barca lined up to kick the game off, the imperative was clear — Juve had to keep any potential opening goal out as long as possible. Letting in an early goal, as PSG did when Suarez bundled through the opener only three minutes in, would energize Barca’s players and turn an already frenzied crowd volcanic. A goal of their own, on the other hand, would force the Blaugrana to score five in order to advance. It was heartening, then, to see Juve react to Barca’s initial press by pressing right back. After a sterling performance in the first leg, Paulo Dybala looked to be a marked man in the early phases. He was hit hard several times early, with Ivan Rakitic lucky to avoid a booking from Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers less than five minutes in. The ensuing free kick from the Croatian’s foul found Gonzalo Higuain. The €90 million man had a decent opening for a volley, but put it meekly behind for a goal kick. A minute later came a sequence significant not necessarily for its on-field result but as an indication of how the game would be officiated. Neymar had the ball screaming the other way. He skipped through Dani Alves and confronted Leonardo Bonucci before going to ground, with a recovering Alves contributing to the collision. Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images UEFA and the referees it employs are often accused of an institutional bias toward Barcelona. It’s true that a lot of calls go the way of the Blaugrana, especially at the Camp Nou. Now whether that’s because of favoritism on UEFA’s part, straight incompetence or a general tendency for a game official in any sport to favor home teams (there is a section of the excellent bookScorecasting by Tobias J. Moskowitz and L. Jon Wertheim that offers an explanation on that last one) is anyone’s guess, but after the second leg against PSG was riddled with errors by German referee Deniz Aytekin and the complete failure of Viktor Kassai to control Tuesday’s second leg between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the quality of the officiating was a concern among Juventini coming into this game. Kuipers made an impression in this early moment by swallowing his whistle. Indeed, throughout the entire night he and his crew worked a textbook match. They allowed a good deal of physical play to go on. Kuipers mostly kept his cards sheathed. There was little patience for playacting and arguments, and while there were no bookings for dissent — even when Busquets grabbed Kuipers by the arm midway through the first half — there was never any sense that the game was getting away from them. It was an excellent performance by a good official in a big game, and this moment was an early example. For the first 15 minutes or so of the game the two giants of the European game traded blows. The MSN got into Juve’s box but were unable to escape the attention of Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, but couldn’t quite tee each other up for clear chances. At the other end Dybala again found Higuain, but the hit man struck his near-post shot over the bar — another chance wasted. Juan Cuadrado barely missed slipping a ball under Gerard Pique for Dybala, and then Messi was finally given a clear opening at the other end only to blaze wide from 14 yards. Barca soon began to gain more control of possession. But despite their command of the ball, they really weren’t making any clear chances. Any balls into the box were intercepted with authority by Bonucci and Chiellini. Jordi Alba evaded his marker a time or two to make a run down the attacking left, but wasn’t able to meet the passes sent his way with any authority. Messi finally got a sight of goal again in the 32nd minute, but the shot was easily palmed away by Gianluigi Buffon and the Argentine’s attempt to put in his own rebound bounced off the side netting. Juve, meanwhile, looked to grab an all-important away goal on the break. Mario Mandzukic almost managed to get Dybala through, but La Joya was offside by a fair margin and the flag stopped play. In the 38th minute they managed their best chance of the half when Miralem Pjanic found Higuain, only for the striker to tamely tap the ball into the hands of Marc-Andre ter Stegen. For those of you keeping count, that’s three missed opportunities in this game and six over the entire tie for Higuain. As the half wore on and the opener didn’t arrive, frustration started creeping in for the Barcelona players. It didn’t help that Kuipers was not giving them the foul calls they wanted. Suarez in particular seemed to gesture angrily toward Kuipers every time he was touched by a Juventus defender. Just before the half Pjanic fouled Messi hard when he went up for a header near midfield — landing the Argentine on his face and opening a cut on his cheek — Neymar lost his head. He clattered into Pjanic after the whistle, earning a yellow card and a ban in Barcelona’s next European match — which we now know will take place in September. Halftime came and went, and Juve very nearly found the away goal they had been looking for four minutes out from the break when Cuadrado screamed down the right side on the counter but missed just wide of the far post. Neymar and Messi both fired off target — the latter tantalizingly close — before Cuadrado again menaced the Barca goal, only to be denied by ter Stegen. Messi, showing the signs of switching to battle mode, fired in another shot that Chiellini deflected agonizingly wide of the post. After Messi fired over from a free kick in the 58th minute, one began to wonder how long Juve could get away with Barca missing the target time and again. Ten minutes later came a moment that could’ve turned the tie on its head. On 68 minutes, Buffon came out for a corner kick but could only tip it, leaving himself WAY out of position. Suarez swung a cross toward Messi, who had only to beat Mandzukic, who was guarding the line, to put life into the crowd and wind into Barca’s sails for the last 22 minutes. But Messi’s volleyed attempt, a shot we’ve seen him bury time and again over his brilliant career, sailed past the juncture of the post and the crossbar. Messi fired wide again a few minutes later, before Higuain and Dybala created a couple of chances that petered out before, with 15 minutes left, Juve locked up the shop. Dybala was withdrawn for Andrea Barzagli, reuniting the BBC backline. Barca threw on Javier Mascherano and started crossing into the box as much as possible, but apart from one ball from Neymar that skipped all the way through to Buffon, who had to parry it away, nothing was getting beyond the back line. Juve nearly put an exclamation mark on things. Sami Khedira fired a weak shot at ter Stegen when Mandzukic was standing unmarked in the box, and substitute Mario Lemina forced the German into action almost as soon as he came on for Cuadrado. By that point, Barca was a broken force. “Olé!” chants emanated from the away end as the Bianconeri put together a string of passes, and when Barca’s final effort went over the end line, it was all over. Juventus had avenged their loss in the 2015 final and catapulted themselves into the semifinal draw — and no one will want to see their name come out of the hat. Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images LE PAGELLE Gianluigi Buffon - 7. Nearly caused an issue when he misplayed that corner, but otherwise had very little to do. Fantastic as the conductor of the defense. No one can marshal a back line better. Dani Alves - 6.5. Didn’t do as good a job at containing Neymar as he did last week, but made some critical open-field tackles. Spent most of his time in the defensive third and didn’t press up too much. Leonardo Bonucci - 9. Both center backs were titans on Wednesday. Bonucci made a few vital interventions, including preventing a Neymar tap-in in the 40th minute. His passing prowess was less important today than old-school Italian lock-down defending. Giorgio Chiellini - 9. Speaking of old-school defenders. Nothing got past Chiellini. Did get booked, but with the semifinals looming the slate is wiped clean. A masterpiece of defending. Alex Sandro - 7. Known more for marauding forward, Sandro stayed home for most of the day and did very well, backing up the center-backs and intervening on numerous crosses. Didn’t do much offensively but didn’t really have to. Sami Khedira - 7. Unlike Chiellini, Khedira was already sitting on a suspension so his 64th minute booking means he’ll miss the first leg of the semifinal. Disrupted things as best he could in midfield but really should’ve done better with that late scoring chance. Miralem Pjanic - 8. He was absolutely everywhere. Seemed like he popped up to win the ball every few minutes. Not usually noted for his defensive prowess, this might’ve been one of his best games in black and white. Juan Cuadrado - 6.5. Missed a few chances, but the real reason his ranking is so low has to do with defense. He let Jordi Alba get into dangerous positions one too many times in the first half, although he did a better job in the second. Paulo Dybala - 6.5. Wasn’t able to do much with the meager chances he got, but did his job when out of possession. Mario Mandzukic - 7. Excellent job supplementing Sandro on the left. Got into his own box to defend numerous headers. Gonzalo Higuain - 4. One of the few true negatives for Juve. Higuain missed three chances in the first half. He also failed to hold the ball up well — according to WhoScored.com, he was dispossessed twice and had four unsuccessful touches, many of which were near the halfway line and allowed Barca to keep up pressure. Juve spent three times the GDP of Tuvalu for him in order for him to be a difference maker in games like this, not a passenger. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images TACTICAL ANALYSIS Last week I characterized Allegri’s strategy as “defending to possess, rather than defending to break.” Juve would defend for long periods but rather than immediately hoof the ball upfield when they regained the ball they would usually take possession and start passing moves of their own. They would break on swifter counters when the situation warranted, but for the most part they settled on the ball so they could reset and put Barca under pressure. Allegri did the same for about 15 minutes tonight, then gradually retreated into a shell. By the second half it was mostly straight counter-and-break. The formation again morphed from a 4-2-3-1 in possession to a 4-4-2 in defense, a trait becoming more and more pronounced as this formation continues to be used. They compensated well for the wider playing surface in Barcelona and funneled Messi and Neymar into the center, where Bonucci and Chiellini could either deal with them or charge down their efforts. FEAR THE BIANCONERI Don’t look now, but Juventus has made it to a European semifinal in three of the last four years, the Champions League twice and the Europa League once. The final phase of their comeback, returning to the elite of Europe, looks like it has finally been realized. Juventus enter the semifinal draw on Friday as the team that no one wants to face. Leonardo Bonucci said it best after the match when asked about potential semifinal opponents: “I think it’s not who we don’t want to face, but the fact all three of the other teams don’t want to face us. Juventus invoke fear now in others and we’ve proved ourselves.” Indeed. Juve are ready to take on the world. While some draws will be better than others, Juventus are fully capable of beating any of their three potential opponents in the semis. This team now has a winning European mentality to go along with talent and tactics. They have as good a chance as anyone to win this thing. Oh, and one other tidbit. Only two teams have ever held Barcelona scoreless over two legs of a tie. Those were Manchester United in the 2007-08 semifinal and Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 semifinal. Both of those teams went on to win the competition. Whether Juve can do the same and claim the cup with the big ears for the first time in 21 years remains to be seen, but this tie certainly feels like it can be the catalyst for it. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 20, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Dani Alves: 'Bittersweet feeling' http://www.football-italia.net/101370/dani-alves-bittersweet-feeling Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Dani Alves admitted to a “bittersweet feeling” after Juventus knocked his former club Barcelona out of the Champions League. This was his first return to Camp Nou since leaving last summer and helped earn a 0-0 draw, reaching the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate. “It was tough, but I am happy for the club and my teammates,” the Brazilian told reporters. “This night does give me a bittersweet feeling, because coming here brings back so many good memories from my time in this stadium and to see your friends sad is an odd sensation. “It’s painful, but this is part of our profession.” Dani Alves and Juan Cuadrado comforted a sobbing Neymar after the final whistle. What did he say? “I told him that this is football, that’s just the way it is. I already told him that I didn’t want to take on Barcelona for all that we had gone through together, but that in these situations you have to leave feelings aside. “Everyone defended their club colours and Neymar needn’t be sad. It’s just a defeat and he has to move on.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Juventus never afraid of Barcelona comeback as defence stands firm http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3107988/juventus- never-afraid-of-barcelona-comeback-as-defence-stands-firm Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE There is a saying that Juventus veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon likes to bring up when his side are warned about tough European away trips: "I have never seen the crowd score a goal." Barcelona's Camp Nou was supposed to be different. "I am sure that if we score the first goal, the Camp Nou will score the second and the third will come of itself," manager Luis Enrique had insisted on the eve of a Champions League quarterfinal second in which Barcelona needed to overcome a 3-0 deficit. After all, it had taken just seven minutes for them to find the back of the net three times against PSG to complete a miraculous, "more complicated" comeback from 4-0 down (6-5 on aggregate) in the previous round. But on Wednesday night, Juventus keep the crowd quiet, kept Lionel Messi quiet, and put in a wonderful defensive display to hold Barcelona to a 0-0 draw that sealed their progress to the semifinals. Whatever your opinion of this Barca side -- and, after their exit, people have been every bit as quick to declare this the end of an era as they were in 2013 -- the club went into the game with a perfect record at the Camp Nou in Europe. Enrique had won every single match on home soil in the Champions League since getting the Barcelona job, dispatching visitors by an aggregate scoreline of 18-1 this season. Understandably after their history-making exploits in the last round many were of the belief that nothing was impossible for this Barcelona team. The bookies immediately reinstalled them as favourites after their Lazarus act against PSG and Enrique didn't hesitate last week when asked if Barça could do it all over again. "We can score four against anyone," he proclaimed. Barca are the top scorers in Europe's top five leagues with 143 goals; the MSN trio alone account for 92 of them and Luis Suarez and Neymar were both on the scoresheet when Barcelona beat Juventus in the final two years ago. Which is why Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri felt his team had to score twice, even with a 3-0 lead from the first leg, just to be on the safe side. His Milan side had beaten Barca 2-0 at San Siro and then lost 4-0 at the Camp Nou in 2013. Mentally, games like these are so hard to prepare for because teams get caught between a gameplan of defending a lead or trying to add to it. In the build-up, Buffon cast his mind back to 2004 when Deportivo didn't seem to have a hope of overturning a 4-1 loss at San Siro but upset holders' Milan 4-0 at the Riazor. Then, of course, there is one-word that strikes fear into anyone defending a 3-0 lead: Istanbul. Milan, again, falling to Liverpool on penalties in 2005 after going in to the break three goals up. Both those comebacks shocked the world. But Barca turning the tables on Juventus just wouldn't have the same resonance. Not after PSG. Everybody knows that, regardless of their flaws, this Barcelona team is capable of it. How many times in the last week did you hear: "If any team can do it, it's Barcelona?" It stopped Juventus fully enjoying last week's 3-0 win. Peers reminded the players exactly what they were up against: Fabio Cannavaro recalled how the pitch at the Camp Nou is so big it seems to go on forever and that the ball never goes out of play; after losing 6-1, PSG's Marco Verratti apparently told Leonardo Bonucci something similar. "You can't press them. The spaces are enormous." Bonucci, however, was completely unfazed. "But in 2013 you went there and drew 1-1," he replied, "and the pitch was as big then as it is now." If you want an insight into Juventus' character, there you have it. Unlike PSG and many other teams before them, they never once allowed Barcelona to get into their heads and unnerve them. Do that, and you're dead. "They're like sharks," Giorgio Chiellini explained. "They sense when you're afraid and they finish you." Juventus were never afraid. From start to finish, Juventus believed. Shortly after Wednesday night's result, Bonucci published a video on Instagram from before the quarterfinal draw. "If on Friday the 17th we get Barcelona we'll knock them out," he says. "Signed Leonardo B." Bonucci was as good as his word. If Allegri had wanted his side to score twice, it wasn't out of fear of conceding, it boiled down to three things: experience, realism and the confidence that his side could do it. In the end they didn't and although Allegri lamented the fact Juventus didn't take their chances, failing to make the most of some of their counter-attacks, the assuredness with which the team defended ensured he wasn't made to regret it. "Everyone had a great game today," he marvelled. "When [Andrea] Barzagli came on, we could have played a whole day and not conceded." Juventus haven't conceded in the Champions League for 531 minutes; only two teams in the Champions League era -- Ajax in 1995-96 and Arsenal in 2005-06 -- have got to this stage with as good a defensive record and it is only the third time Barça have been shut out in both legs of a knockout tie in that time as well. Neymar left the field in tears; Messi looked like he had been in a boxing match; Suarez was toothless. While nights like Wednesday will be remembered for the defence, a recruitment strategy centred on making Juventus more of a skill and finesse team has paid off as they are now able to go to places like the Allianz Arena, Bernabeu and Camp Nou and feel comfortable passing while keeping the ball under pressure. Miralem Pjanic won't get the same headlines as Bonucci and Chiellini, but he put in a fine performance, cleverly launching attacks and releasing Juan Cuadrado to take the heat off the defence. For Allegri, though, his team's biggest strength lies in "never getting carried away, but having the enthusiasm in good and in bad to face certain games and certain moments of the season, to face whatever's the most important thing that tomorrow brings and the unpredictable that can happen during a game. It's there that you need to be lucid and cool, without allowing anyone or anything to budge you." Barcelona could not budge Juventus. And, on this form, the signs are that the remaining semifinalists -- Real Madrid, Atletico and Monaco -- will struggle to knock Allegri's side off their stride too. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Del Piero: ‘Juventus can win CL’ http://www.football-italia.net/101383/del-piero-‘juventus-can-win-cl’ Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero believes his former side “are built to win the Champions League”. The Bianconeri reached the semi-finals last night with a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou, having won 3-0 against Barcelona in the first leg. “They did everything they had to do without conceding anything to Barcelona,” Del Piero told Sky. “Juventus reached the semi-finals for the second time in three years and that’s a very important thing. Two years ago, Juventus seemed in deficit compared with Barça, but you didn’t see that on the pitch, or even on an emotional level. “They defended as a great team and showed that they’re built to win the Champions League.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Marotta: ‘Beneficial Allegri relationship’ http://www.football-italia.net/101386/marotta-‘beneficial-allegri-relationship’ Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta doesn’t see “disagreements” which would lead to Max Allegri leaving. The Coach has been linked with a switch to Arsenal this summer, but it was reported today that a meeting will be held next week to discuss a contract extension. “Beyond the mere formal aspect of a contract expiring in 2018, the most important thing to consider is that the relationship with Allegri has benefitted everyone,” Marotta told Tuttomercatoweb. “We don’t see any disagreements which would interrupt this marriage. When two parties are in agreement, the fact of continuing seems to me like a secondary consideration.” The Bianconeri reached the Champions League semi-finals last night with a 3-0 aggregate win over Barcelona, but Marotta warns they’ve achieved nothing yet. “There’s the security of having deserved to go through. Now there are three teams, but I emphasise that while this qualification has rightly been hailed as a big achievement, going through doesn’t count for anything if you don’t end up the winner. “It was a lot of effort, and at the same time we have an equally important month coming up, with the final sprint in the League, which a the goal for the season. “Our great feature is the strong international mentality which has grown in the club, plus the choice of players who represent this philosophy. “People who have won the Champions League, who are world champions, and have integrated positively with their teammates. “The club’s job was to support Allegri and the apotheosis of that was the qualification yesterday. “In three years we’ve had two semi-finals, plus what happened in Munich last year. We’ve found the right awareness which was slightly lost at Juventus after the hurricane of 2006. “With pride we are among the top five or six in Europe.” Paulo Dybala got two goals in the first leg, and has recently signed a new contract with the Old Lady until 2022. “He’s a champion, no doubt, but credit goes to all the players in the squad, even those who haven’t played much in the Champions League,” Marotta said. “We’re proud of the choice to sign Dybala, we were criticised at the time of the deal for paying a lot of money, but time is repaying us.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Juventus victory over Barcelona means nothing without trophy - Marotta http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/story/3108180/juventus -victory-over-barcelona-means-nothing-without-trophy-marotta Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Knocking Barcelona out of the Champions League will mean nothing if Juventus do not go on to lift the trophy, general manager Beppe Marotta has said. Juve secured a 3-0 aggregate win over Barcelona following a 0-0 second leg draw at the Camp Nou and have now gone 531 minutes without conceding in Europe this season. But Moratta told reporters: "Going through is not a big achievement if we do not ascend to the throne of champions. "We still have two more obstacles to overcome and we have got to do it. We've discovered the right mentality." Juve reached the final just two years ago, when they were beaten by Barcelona at the end of Massimiliano Allegri's first season in charge. Allegri -- linked with a move to Arsenal next season -- has guided the club to back-to-back Serie A and Coppa Italia Doubles, and they remain on course for a Treble this season. Marotta said Allegri "has brought benefits to everybody" and added: "We can't see any reason to interrupt it. "He has a lot of merit. The club have supported him throughout and he has shaped this team, making them winners. "In three years with him, we have reached two Champions League semifinals, and he has had an important role." Juve will discover their semifinal draw in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday. Monaco, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are their potential opponents. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Landmarks of Turin Awards: Barcelona vs. Juventus Edition http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/4/20/15369516/juventus-barcelona -landmarks-of-turin-awards-2017-champions-league-quarterfinals-leg-2-match-recap Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE When Max Allegri decided to put Andrea Barzagli on the pitch, I thought it was too early. Fifteen minutes left. One goal every five minutes. Not out of the question. And so as I watched little Paulito amble off the pitch as slowly as he could, I was afraid. I do admit it. As stupendous as Juventus had looked for the first 75 minutes in Wednesday night’s game, as much as the Bianconeri had rebounded in the second half from a first half that was filled with 2-3 golden opportunities for Barcelona, I worried. As we’ve seen again and again, Paulo Dybala is often the main or only connection between Juve’s pivot midfielders and and the attackers at the front of the 4-2-3-1. Even at this point of the contest, I was hoping Allegri’s squad would capitalize on one of the 337 counterattacks. Corner after corner, cross after cross, attacking movement after attacking movement, an almost-callable Sandro handball — none of it mattered; the defense stood firm, and it reminded me of Helm’s Deep when the rain started and all the orcs are standing outside the wall in rank and file — the orcs, I guess, would be Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar — and Aragorn starts chirping in Elvish to the Elves who were last-minute reinforcements (i.e., Barzagli), and the defensive posture was fully committed to (i.e., the fortress in Helm’s deep), and probably Dani Alves is Gimli because Gimli does so many things where you’re just like. What the hell is happening (like when the game started and Alves was literally joking around with the Barcelona bench; you can’t make this up), and the orcs start charging with their torches and the moonlight glinting off their shields and swords and they’ve got trolls and battering rams and those big ladders they latch to the walls and those trebuchet-type things and all the good guys could do was sit back in their defensive posture and be like, So it begins. That’s how I felt in the 75th minute when Barzagli was subbed for Dybala. And then Juventus won, and there is a 99% chance we draw Atletico or Real tomorrow. Aperitivi A tantalizing collection of titillating tidbits. When the game was 100 pervent in hand — with like 27 seconds left in stoppage time, basically — all the Barcelona supporters were cheering and waving their flags, and I had two reactions. One: That’s really impressive, and gives me sort of a different view of their organization known stereotypically for its entitlement. Two: I wonder if that’s borrowed footage, Trump style. My body was literally shaking for much of this game. I assume I was not alone. Cuadrado’s volley attempt in the 16th minute: LOL Cuadrado. I really dislike Neymar, but you’ve got to recognize how skilled he is with the ball. Juve have Paulito who amazes us again and again with his skill, and Paulito and Neymar aren’t the same player by any means, but goodness gracious the dude is unbelievable with the ball at his feet. He doesn’t have the vision or passing mechanics of Messi, but multiple times he decided it was prudent to take on 4-6 Juventus defenders, and somehow he was right, and dribbled past them all. Of course, he also dives and whines like no other, and I hope he stepped in dog poop and messed up his sneakers before getting on the bus yesterday. The game really got salty toward the end of the first half. Miralem Pjanic faceplanted Messi into the grass, and Neymar did the extremely Neymar thing of not thinking very much, and when Barcelona couldn’t score I think the idea that they might in fact lose (to a better team) started entering their adorable Barcelona brains. My notes include many profanities directed toward MSN, and a handful of LOL/WTF toward Cuadrado and Alves — both of whom played great, I thought. But still. That’s the sort of players they are, you know? Onto the semifinals. Hoorah! Onto the awards: Sidewalk of Turin Award For a weak(ish) performance masked by other factors. If I were doing ratings, I don’t think I’d give anyone below a 6 or 6.5. Juventus have just shut Barcelona out for 180 minutes, and that’s a magical feat made possible only with 11 players defending constantly, and understanding their roles, etc. That said, there were a few players yesterday who I thought were below their capable form: Pipita, Cuadrado, and Alex Sandro. Don’t hurt me; remember what this award is: basically saying they played absolutely fine, but there was a chink or two in their game. For Pipita, it was finishing and first touch. Besides those two things, he did exactly what he needed to do. Yes, he could’ve sealed the deal and put us up 1-0 on a couple occasions, but I was proud of his performance yesterday and thought he earned his paycheck. For Cuadrado, it was the final pass or connection on the counterattack. The botched cross to Dybala, a wrong decision here or there. But he pressured their defense extremely well. He worked hard. He pressed. He did exactly what a Cuadrado ought to do, which is weigh the other team with his pace and tenacity and relentlessness. It was a joy to watch. For Sandro, who has set his bar of play impossibly high, it was a couple instances of careless possession, one of which forced Sami Khedira into a yellow-card-worthy tackle. But Sandro was fantastic in the air, and solid defensively. Piazza San Carlo Award For a potentially overlooked yet stellar showing. I don’t think this is really possible for the Bianconeri fans on this site, but insofar as it is I would give the San Carlo to Chiellini, if only because his partner was clearly and evidently — in the author’s humble opinion — one of the two best players on the pitch. Old man warrior/business mogul Chiellini was wonderful. Again. Positioning, in the air, with his tackles. Thank goodness that he’s recovered from his injury-prone first half the season, because as fantastic as Barzagli is I’m not sure he could last a full 90 minutes in these types of games, which would mean more Benatia, because Rugani is just a toddler in Allegri’s mindset (okay, not the place to pick this fight, whatever). Take home some hardware, Giorgio. Lingotto Award For a notable demonstration in both grit and flair. Here’s my only surprise for the awards: Allegri takes this one home. Allegri takes this one home because Allegri did not, as he did in the league game against Napoli in Naples, elect to sit back and take the punches one after the other. I think we all had nightmares of that happening. I had nightmares of that happening, even after his comments yesterday about playing to win, I feared we’d come out fielding a 7-2-1 and just put in every center back on our roster. But we pressed. Allegri made sure we pressed. We pressed to open the game, and when Barcelona pressed back — I’d say from the 15-minute mark to the 25-minute mark is when Barcelona looked the scariest — Allegri didn’t let his team settle for staying back the rest of the game. And this is where Higuain, Cuadrado, Dybala, and even Mr. No Good deserve credit. They pressed and they moved the ball forward and held it in the few opportunities they had. Allegri played this match perfectly. Barcelona had their chances, but so did Juventus. It was really after that first third of the game where I thought, tactically speaking, the danger could be lurking, but Juventus withstood the onslaught at the end of the first half, clearly frustrating Barcelona, and played the entire second half, up to the last moments of the game, with frequent bursts into the final third. Goodness gracious, that was pretty. Parco Valentino Award For an urbane demeanor distributed amongst the squad. For the second game in a row, the 39-year-old golden Zeus between the posts wins this award. He really should text me to say thank you, I think. It’s not only for the saves he made, one of which was extremely difficult to contend with—the cross/shot with a Barca attacker flying in front of him, and very little time to react to the non-touch—but it’s the fact that for 90 minutes he was controlling and shaping our defense. Having Buffon in between the posts is like having a really freaking good, defensive-minded manager on the pitch; it really is. And when you add the experience and ability of Bonucci and Chiellini, it makes for a hell of a defense, which is what we’ve got: Juventus have conceded two (!) goals in ten (!!) Champions League games, and have tallied three (!!!) clean sheets. Go home, Barcelona. Enjoy your Neymar-less date with Real. Giuseppe Garibaldi Award For the man of the match. This is obvious, but I’ll call a push between Miralem Pjanic and Leo Bonucci. Pjanic was given the dubious task of blanketing Messi for this game and also pressing forward and also being the pivot between back and front lines, and he did it well; for all 90 minutes he was everywhere. By a fair margin he had the most touches for Juventus, and he was as accurate as humanly possible under the kind of pressure exerted yesterday. Pjanic obviously isn’t the most pacey player, but he’s got a sneaky agility when the ball gets at his feet, especially, it seems, when he’s holding with his back toward the goal, and he changes directions. He wields an uncanny ability to know where our players are, and who exactly he should pass to. If the 4-2-3-1 is here to stay, Pjanic is becoming essentially the perfect defensive midfielder: a distributor, a blanket, and to top it off a free-kick ace. If he’s able to do these things well, his pace won’t matter that much; he’ll be able to broaden his passing skills—Allegri alluded to this a couple months ago—and will be essentially the Bonucci of midfield. A staunch defender who instigates attacks. Darn, that’s exciting. And then there’s Leo. Both Leo and Miralem played pretty much perfect games, right? And I don’t mean mistake-free games—I’d wedge Chiellini into that category; even his yellow was a pretty smart foul, I think, despite the free kick it gave away—but Leo was everywhere: stopping crosses, winning headers, directing the formation. Maybe he heard Verratti’s comments and got a little salty. Any time he walks onto the pitch, he’s one of the best. Against Barcelona, he stood alone. Fino alla fine. Forza Juve. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Coppa: VAR and change of date? http://www.football-italia.net/101396/coppa-var-and-change-date Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Tickets for the Coppa Italia final go on sale on Friday, but the date of the match may have to be changed. Juventus and Lazio will face each other at Stadio Olimpico, with tickets going on sale tomorrow priced between €35 and €120. Season ticket holders will be able to buy tickets first, followed by a second round of sales for fans “involved in various loyalty initiatives” and a third and final sale to the general public if any tickets remain. The match is scheduled for Friday June 2, but Juve’s progression to the Champions League semi-finals means it may have to be moved. The final of the competition is scheduled for the following day, so if the Bianconeri get to Cardiff the cup final will have to be moved. In 2015, the same two sides reached the final and the game had to be moved from June 7 to May 20, as Juventus reached the Champions League final in Berlin. The Coppa final could also see the use of Video Assistant Referees, as Il Tempo reports both clubs have agreed to use the technology during the match. However, the Lega Serie A must gain approval from FIFA and the International Football Association Board. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Bonucci: 'Juventus for the Treble!' http://www.football-italia.net/101402/bonucci-juventus-treble Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Leonardo Bonucci believes Juventus “have a good chance of winning the Champions League and the Treble. Now it’s all about the mentality.” The Bianconeri kept a clean sheet over two legs against Barcelona, going through to the semi-finals with a 3-0 aggregate result after last night’s 0-0 Camp Nou draw. That game ended the Blaugrana’s 15-match Champions League home winning streak, stretching back to May 2013. “Achieving something like that over 180 minutes against Barcelona, without ever really being under a lot of pressure from one of the two-three best teams in the world, that means Juve can now target the Champions League,” Bonucci told Sky Sport Italia. “This is a special moment and you are at the limit. All you need is to get the approach to one game wrong and you have compromised everything that was done before.” Tomorrow there is the draw for the semi-final with Real Madrid, Monaco and Atletico Madrid. “There are four sides left in the Champions League, who have proved on the pitch they are the best in Europe. Now it’s up to us to prove we are hungry enough to go all the way.” A 3-0 home victory over Barcelona was decisive, but the clean sheet at Camp Nou was something few genuinely expected. “I think it was achieved over the 180 minutes. We played fantastic attacking football in the first 45 minutes and that made the difference. Then we arrived in Barcelona fully aware that we could allow them little or nothing, creating our own chances on the counter.” Can Juventus win the Champions League after a 21-year wait? “We have a very good chance of reaching the Final in Cardiff and raising this trophy to the sky,” replied the defender. “Now it’s all about the mentality, as we must keep our feet on the ground without letting ourselves get swept up by excessive enthusiasm.” Juve are also eight points clear at the top of the Serie A table and will face Lazio in the Coppa Italia Final, so they could replicate Inter’s Treble in 2010. “We are in the running on all three fronts and they are within reach, so now it’s all in the mind. We must maintain our concentration for a month and a half to go all the way. “Over the years this squad has proved it is compact and knows what it takes to achieve victory.” Bonucci formed a rock-solid partnership with Giorgio Chiellini for both Juventus and Italy. “It was funny this morning when I saw the video of Chiellini giving me a slap, as some read it to be him telling me off, but that was not the case. “Throughout the game, we gave each other pats on the back, hugs, slaps to keep the tension up for the entire 95 minutes. In that case he simply gave me a friendly ‘whack’ to fire me up, because we had earned a free kick at the 90thminute and we both live on adrenaline.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Orsi: 'Juve better than Mou's Inter' http://www.football-italia.net/101406/orsi-juve-better-mous-inter Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Former Inter assistant manager Nando Orsi claims this Juventus “is better” than Jose Mourinho’s Treble-winning Nerazzurri. The Bianconeri are on track for a possible Treble this season after reaching the Champions League semi-final, Coppa Italia Final against Lazio and sitting eight points clear at the top of Serie A. Orsi was asked whether Max Allegri’s Juventus could follow in the footsteps of that 2010 Inter side? “This Juve plays better and I think are more aware of their capabilities than Inter were,” Orsi told Radio Radio. “You could see no fear in the way they approached the second leg at Camp Nou last night and Juventus proved themselves superior to Barcelona. “The truth is not only did they defend very well, but also wasted chances to win it on the counter-attack. Allegri deserves praise for making the most of his squad. “Having Mario Mandzukic on the left is a great idea on a tactical level.” Orsi was assistant manager at Inter from 2004 to 2007 under Roberto Mancini, who he also worked for at Lazio. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Dani Alves to crying Neymar: Barca loss to Juventus a 'learning experience' http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/story/3108293/dani-alves -to-crying-neymar-barcelona-loss-to-juventus-a-learning-experience Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus right-back Dani Alves has revealed the advice he gave to a sobbing Neymar in the aftermath of Wednesday's 0-0 Champions League quarterfinal second-leg tie with Barcelona. The Bianconeri advanced to the semifinals 3-0 on aggregate over Barca with the result, and a disconsolate Neymar was pictured sobbing into the arms of his former Blaugrana teammate Alves after the match. And Alves, who left Barcelona for free last summer, said: "The only thing I told him was not to regard this as a defeat, but as a learning experience, to get up from this type of situation and move on." Neymar completed 13 dribbles against a suffocating Juventus on Wednesday, the most in a Champions League game since November 2014, when Chelsea's Eden Hazard had 15 against Maribor. Dani Alves consoles Neymar after Juventus' quarterfinal defeat of Barcelona. However, it wasn't enough as Barcelona's fearsome attack sputtered at the Camp Nou against the defending Italian champions. "To see my friends sad hurts a lot. When there are feelings involved, it's very difficult, but this profession is like that, and I need to leave feelings out, to do my work and defend these colours with honour," the Brazil international said. "If it had happened the other way, they would be sad for me." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Power Rankings: Real Madrid still No. 1, Juventus No. 2 after advancing in UCL http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/3108349/shaka-hislop -power-rankings-still-boasts-real-madrid-and-juventus-in-first-and-second Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE 1. Real Madrid (no change) They needed a last-minute goal to beat Sporting and overcame Bayern thanks to the benefit of some controversial refereeing, but at the end of it all, Madrid remain top of La Liga and are in the Champions League semifinals. Next up? The small matter of El Clasico! 2. Juventus (no change) An easy win over Pescara was ideal preparation for a trip to the Camp Nou, where Max Allegri's men were resolute and disciplined to complete a 3-0 aggregate win. Juventus allowed just one shot on target as they claimed their place in the Champions league's last four. 3. Bayern Munich (no change) It was a week to forget for the German champions. First, they failed to find a way through Leverkusen, despite taking 21 shots, before things got worse in midweek. Having fought back to draw level vs. Madrid, Bayern were on the wrong end of key decisions. 4. Atletico Madrid (+1) After claiming a fourth straight home league win to consolidate third place in La Liga, Atletico scored an away goal at Leicester and then withstood everything the English champions threw at them to claim a third Champions league semifinal place in four seasons. 5. Monaco (+2) The treble chasers marched closer to marking an unforgettable season with silverware. Radamel Falcao's superb free kick secured a league win over Dijon, and the striker was on the score sheet again as Monaco completed a Champions League win vs. Dortmund. 6. Chelsea (-2) They're still favourites to win the Premier league, but make no mistake, Chelsea have wobbled in recent weeks. Antonio Conte's side did not manage a shot on target in their loss at Manchester United and must rediscover their form soon if they are not to collapse entirely. 7. Tottenham (-1) Can Spurs, who have won seven straight league games, keep winning to maintain the pressure they have put on Chelsea? They get an opportunity to strike a psychological blow this weekend when they face their London rivals in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley. 8. RB Leipzig (new) The plucky upstarts in Germany endured a major bump in form that ended their remote title hopes, but they have rebounded sharply in the weeks since. Last weekend's 4-0 win over Freiburg keeps Leipzig firmly in control of second place behind Bayern, seven points ahead of third-place Hoffenheim after 29 games. Will Leipzig contend again next season? 9. AS Roma (-1) The Giallorossi are no longer competing in Europe but did pick up another draw, 1-1 at Pescara, last week to remain in control of second place in Serie A with six league games remaining. 10. Borussia Dortmund (no change) Thomas Tuchel's side had a pair of 3-1 results since last week: The first was a win against Eintracht Frankfurt, and the second a defeat at red-hot AS Monaco to end the Bundesliga side's Champions League aspirations. Still, Dortmund are playing well domestically and are just a point off the top three (and automatic UCL qualification) with five games left. You'd bet on them to finish the job. Dropping out: Barcelona Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 BARCELONA - JUVENTUS 0-0 JUVENTUS WIN AGGREGATE 3-0 QUARTER FINALS - SECOND LEG Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands) Attendance: 96290 Barcelona 0 – 0 Juventus Champions League Player Ratings http://www.juvefc.com/barcelona-0-0-juventus-champions-league-player-ratings/ Apr 20, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Barcelona 0-0 Juventus Barcelona had their chances but the Juventus defence made the difference in a 0-0 draw that takes the Bianconeri through to the Champions League semi-finals. LINEUPS: Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto (Mascherano 78), Piqué, Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Alcacer 58), Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suarez, Neymar Juventus: Buffon; Dani Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Pjanic, Khedira; Cuadrado (Lemina 83), Dybala (Barzagli 74), Mandzukic; Higuain (Asamoah 88) Ref: Kuipers (NED) Player Ratings BUFFON: Had to be on his toes all night as Barca had good periods of pressure. One brief lapse in concentration aside, he was in command of his box, vocal in conducting the defence and kept the back line working in harmony. 7.0 DANI ALVES: Started well but wasn’t as tight on Neymar as in the first leg – Beaten by his compatriot on a few occasions down the flanks and in front of the box. Linked play really well with Cuadrado to provide Juve with an outlet down the right. Stayed in his own half for much of the night, which was only to be expected, as Barcelona focused most of their attack down the right . Solid. 6.5 BONUCCI: It was difficult to improve on the display in Turin – But then ‘difficult’ isn’t in Leo Bonucci’s vocabulary. When he and Chiellini play to this sort of level, it’s hard to find a better pairing in football….anywhere. His reading of the game, and more importantly, his positioning and awareness is second to none. Made some truly vital interceptions and restricted Suarez to a cameo role for the entire 90 minutes. This certainly wasn’t catenaccio, it was something else altogether – A rough-and-tumble defensive masterclass, ably assisted by Chiello. 10 Clearances, 5 Tackles and 4 Interceptions. A defensive colossus. 9.0 CHIELLINI: Much like his teammate, he barely put a foot wrong. Alert and aware throughout, marking Suarez, breaking up play and covering for his partner when needed. If it wasn’t Bonucci, it was Chiellini, and if it wasn’t Chiellini, it was Bonucci. Always alert to any and every threat – When Barcelona lofted crosses into the box, it was Chiellini who cleared. When they played those perfect, precise passes, it was Chiellini who intercepted. He’s enjoying a renaissance of sorts, and what a joy it is to watch. 9.0 ALEX SANDRO: Given that Messi would be Barca’s main threat, Sandro was restricted to a more defensive role this time around. It’s a testament to how much he’s improved in his defensive duties that Leo was relatively quiet for most of the night. His understanding with Mandzukic is improving and they provide the perfect duo on the left. 7.0 PJANIC: ‘Outstanding’ would be an understatement. Alive to the Barca threat, he worked every blade of grass in the centre of the pitch, exerting pressure when the home side was in possession. Strung together neat passes to bring the ball forward and launch counter attacks. Showed his more physical side over the course of these two matches and is ending the season in the way he started. Sublime 8.5 KHEDIRA: Had a glorious chance to score late on, which he really should have buried. On the plus side, his defensive work over the two-legs was immense. Broke up the Barca attacks, timed his tackles well, worked hard for the entire match. 7.0 CUADRADO: He may have neglected his defensive duties, but he was arguably Juve’s most potent attacking player, constantly finding possession in the final third, always looking to pass to a teammate or fire in a cross for Pipita. If he could be more direct at times and finish his chances, he could be in double digits for the season. 7.5 MANDZUKIC: It takes a level of sacrifice to move from playing as a typical ‘9’ to left-midfield. For all intents and purposes, he was a left-back-cum-left-midfielder for these two-legs, working tirelessly in the Juve box on corners. He provided a good outlet on the left, trying his best to pressure Barca when they were in possession. 6.5 DYBALA: Utterly restricted in this leg, largely due to the Barcelona midfield, who did a good job of keeping La Joya quiet. A snatched half chance and a few brief forays into the box aside, he was subdued for much of the match. 6.5 HIGUAIN: Missed 3 very good chances in the first half, any one of which would have settled Juve nerves for the remainder of the match. A frustrating figure in games like this where he gets the opportunities but fails to capitalise on them. Other than that, he did a good job at holding up play and worked hard to bring the ball out from the Juve half. 6.0 Substitutes: LEMINA: N/A ASAMOAH: N/A BARZAGLI: N/A Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Analyzing the UEFA Champions League Semifinal Draw Who is the best matchup for the Bianconeri? http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/4/21/15366350/champions-league -semifinal-draw-2017-juventus-real-madrid-atletico-madrid-monaco Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Wednesday was a monumental day for Juventus. Their goalless draw in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie against Barcelona sent them to the semifinal draw, and could serve as a launching point for something very special. Of course, in order to make that special something happen, there are still two more rounds of competition to get through. With the draw set for Friday, Juve don’t have anything to fear. They are fully capable of beating any of the other three teams left in the competition, but there are still best- and worst-case scenarios for the Bianconeri — especially with the home leg of the Derby della Mole and a road game against Roma sandwiched around the dates for the tie. Here, we take a closer look at all three teams Massimiliano Allegri’s men could be facing, in order from least desirable matchup to most desirable. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images ATLETICO MADRID A tie with Atleti is just going to be a pain in the rear. Diego Simeone’s men are easily the most balanced team left in the competition. After Juve they are absolutely the toughest defense in the draw. Anchored by Diego Godin — who seems like he’s always around when a big moment happens — and backed by a fine goalkeeper in Jan Oblak, this is a seriously difficult team to score against. Up front, the BBC defense and Gigi Buffon will have to contend with Antoine Griezmann, who has scored 24 times between La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. He’s backed up by two forwards with plenty of experience in the late rounds of European competition: Fernando Torres, who won both the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea, and Kevin Gameiro, who won the Europa League three straight times with Sevilla. Yannick Carrasco, usually deployed on the left of a 4-4-2, is another attacking threat, while the midfield trio of Koke, Saul Niguez and Gabi operate the supply lines. Atleti are one of the only teams that can match Juve in terms of tenacity and tactics, and they are one of the most experienced sides in Europe when it comes to the late stages of the Champions League, having finished as runner-up in two of the last three seasons. Their quest to shake off the bridesmaid label will give them much the same motivation as the 21-year quest for their third European crown does for Juve. On paper, Juve has what is needed to beat this team, but this is easily the most difficult potential tie in the draw. It could be a grind-it-out affair, which, given the magnitude of Juve’s league games before and during the tie, would be a nasty thing to have to deal with. Given how far out of the title race in Spain Atleti are, they would be able to rest key players before each leg, another thing that would make this tie rough. The last time these two teams met was in the group stage two years ago. Atleti won at home in the first fixture, and the teams played to a goalless draw in the second, knowing that a point would give them each a spot in the knockout stage. Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images REAL MADRID Don’t let the final result fool you. Real Madrid were in serious danger of getting dumped out of the competition by Bayern Munich before a farcical call by Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai saw Arturo Vidal see his second yellow card, allowing Los blancos to take command of the game in extra time. That game was totally ruined by Kassai’s inability to keep control of it, and the tie itself was shaped by red cards in both legs — Vidal’s on Tuesday and one earned by Javi Martinez in the first leg — this one entirely deserved after committing two bookable offenses in three minutes. Facing Real a man down is always a daunting task, regardless of how good a team is, and it may not have helped that center-backs Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels may have been less that 100 percent fit. Real are defined, of course, by Cristiano Ronaldo. Their front line as a whole — the other BBC — can be lethal, although Karim Benzema only has nine league goals this year as opposed to 24 a year ago. As good as the attack has been, the defense...has had its moments. In the Round of 16 Napoli managed to slice through them on several occasions, and Bayern had periods in both legs where they utterly dominated Real in each leg before the red cards changed things. For all of Sergio Ramos’ game-saving goals from set pieces, he can be beaten in the back, and the entire unit doesn’t seem as cohesive as others in the competition, especially with Raphael Varane and Pepe out injured. Real’s M.O. in the knockout round has been to start slow before coming on strong late and overwhelming opponents with the surge. It will be far more difficult to do that playing Juventus. Give Juve early leads they way Napoli (in both legs) and Bayern (in the first leg) received and you could find yourself hammering uselessly at the goal and watching the minutes on the clock bleed by. If that trend continues, Juve could build a lead and make it unassailable before Real can take control. Real are in a moderately tight race for the La Liga, one that could get a good deal tighter over the weekend if Barcelona manages to win the Classico at the Bernabeu. Real last played Juventus in the semifinal two years ago, won by the Bianconeri 3-2 on aggregate after Alvaro Morata — now back with Real after a buyback clause ended his two-year stint with Juve — scored the winner late in the second leg. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images MONACO The surprise team left in the competition, Monaco has ridden a young, dynamic attack to their first semifinal since they lost the final to Porto in the 2003-04 season. It’s a far cry from the team that Juve beat in the quarterfinals on their way to the final two years ago. That team was borderline incompetent on offense, scoring only seven times throughout the competition. Their biggest threat was Dimitar Berbatov. Now the attack is lead by a revitalized Radamel Falcao and teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe, who has exploded for 14 goals in all competitions since the beginning of February. Monaco has scored 21 times in this year’s Champions League, including 12 in knockout stage ties against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. Conversely, Monaco’s defense, the great strength of the 2014-15 season, is now a potential vulnerability. The center-back pairing, led by a familiar face in former Torino captain Kamil Glik, is the most ordinary in the competition, and fullbacks Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibe sometimes overcommit to the attack, leaving big holes — the kind someone like Juan Cuadrado could exploit. The key in this tie would be to use the defense to blunt Monaco’s attack. The BBC will easily be the best defense the principality side has come across, and they may prove a bit too much for a team that has no experience at this level of the competition. If they do turn the tie into a shootout, all best could be off, but it’s likely that Leo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini will be able to keep the games at a reasonable pace. That quarterfinal two years ago finished 1-0 on aggregate, the difference being a first-leg penalty by Arturo Vidal. Poll Who would you rather see Juventus face in the Champions League semifinals? 33% Real Madrid (205 votes) 11% Atletico Madrid (71 votes) 56% Monaco (348 votes) 624 votes total Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 CL draw: Strengths and weaknesses http://www.football-italia.net/101431/cl-draw-strengths-and-weaknesses Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE This morning, Juventus will find out their opponents for the semi-finals of the Champions League, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Bianconeri secured a 0-0 draw at Barcelona on Wednesday night for a 3-0 aggregate victory, and are now just two games away from Cardiff. Standing in their way though are three of Europe’s top sides. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the Old Lady’s potential opponents. Real Madrid Strengths: Los Merengues are the ultimate Champions League team, having lifted the trophy 11 times in their history. As the holders, Zinedine Zidane’s squad have the experience to go all the way, and Cristiano Ronaldo is hitting form at just the right time, with five goals in the two Bayern Munich games. Add to that the quick, incisive play shown against Napoli in the Last 16 and Real Madrid would represent a fearsome opponent for Juventus. Weaknesses: The last two times the two sides met in the Champions League final, it was the Old Lady who progressed. In 2003, goals from David Trezeguet, Alessandro Del Piero and Pavel Nedved overturned a 2-1 defeat in Madrid, while 2015 saw a 2-1 win in Turin and a draw at the Bernabeu. Juve have lost just one of their last eight meetings with Los Merengues. In addition, no side has yet managed to retain the Champions League since it replaced the European Cup in 1992. Monaco Strengths: Quite simply, attack. Leandro Jardim’s side have smashed in 90 goals in their 32 Ligue 1 games so far, as well as 28 goals in the Champions League; having come through two qualification rounds. Kylian Mbappé has become one of Europe’s hottest properties with 22 goals this term, and the 18-year-old will surely move for big money when he leaves Stade Louis II. Radamel Falcao has been revived this season after struggling at Manchester United and Chelsea, and even the Bianconeri’s famously stingy defence won’t relish facing Monaco. Weaknesses: At the other end of the pitch, the Monegasques aren’t quite so imposing. Their last five Champions League games have seen the men from the principality ship 12 goals. If Juve could limit Monaco in attack, they’d be confident of hurting them at the other end of the park. Atletico Madrid Strengths: Other than the Bianconeri, Atleti are the strongest defensive unit left in the competition. Diego Simeone’s men have reached the final twice in recent seasons, building their success on a well-organised backline and counter-attacking strength. Antoine Griezmann has become one of the best forward players in the world, and Los Colchoneros have quality all over the pitch. A tie against Simeone’s side would be a chess match, and the Argentine got the better of Max Allegri in the 2014-15 season, with a 1-0 win in Spain and a 0-0 draw back in Madrid. The Italian champions have shown they can beat attacking, possession-based teams, can they beat someone with similar defensive rigour? Weaknesses: These two sides are not the same as two years ago. While Juve appear to have grown, particularly in attack, Atleti may have regressed ever so slightly. City rivals Real Madrid are 10 points clear of them with a game in hand, and Leicester City were perhaps not the best test of strength in the previous round, with all due respect. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Juventus’ Defence Deserves Recognition As One Of The Greatest In Recent History https://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/04/juventus-defence-deserves -recognition-as-one-of-the-greatest-in-recent-history/ Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE After knocking out a team consisting of three of the best forwards in the world, the performances of the Bianconeri defence deserves to live long in the memory Eliminating a team like Barcelona from the Champions League is no easy task but when a team can keep two clean sheets against the Blaugrana’s star-studded attack, that side must have something special about them. Juventus drew 0-0 against the Spanish giants at the Camp Nou on Wednesday evening, prevailing 3-0 on aggregate to progress through to the semi-finals, and they did it with great defensive discipline and organisation over the two legs. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has taken the Bianconeri to the semi-finals for the second time in three seasons and they could be in with a great chance of winning the whole tournament this time around. If Juventus go on to win their first Champions League title since 1996, their defence probably won’t go down as the greatest ever, but it deserves to be considered among the best in recent memory. When comparing them to the Inter backline of the 1960s or the AC Milan defence of the 1980s and 1990s, they perhaps don’t really belong in that conversation. Helenio Herrera’s Nerazzurri side perfected catenaccio with its usage of a sweeper and man-markers while the Rossoneri teams under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello were the masters of zonal defending. Individually those defences were stronger as well with the Biscione containing Tarcisio Burgnich and Giacinto Facchetti while the Diavolo included Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. The current Juventus backline probably wouldn’t be rated as the best in their illustrious history either. When Giovanni Trapattoni coached them in the 1970s and 80s, his defence consisted of Gaetano Scirea, Claudio Gentile, Sergio Brio, and Antonio Cabrini while the legendary Dino Zoff was behind them in goal. Defences that the current La Vecchia Signora one can be compared to are the Juve of the 1990s, Milan of 2000s and Inter in the treble-winning season of 2010. Those three teams had defenders that were great but there were others that weren’t as iconic. For instance, as talented as Nerazzurri centre-backs Lucio and Walter Samuel were, would many people consider them to be at the same level as Maldini and Alessandro Nesta from the Rossoneri? Although Moreno Torricelli, Ciro Ferrara, Pietro Vierchowod, and Gianluca Pessotto were formidable under Coach Marcello Lippi, they did not play with the same continuity as the current Juve backline. Despite all the individual comparisons, the way these defences operated as a team must also be taken into account. While Allegri will not go down in history as a tactical revolutionary, his Juventus team knew how to defend as a unit. Antonio Conte created the BBC defence with Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini but the current Bianconeri tactician has moved away from the 3-5-2 and used the back four. In both legs against Barcelona, Bonucci and Chiellini started in the centre of defence and Barzagli would join them in the dying minutes of each game. Having played together since 2011, those three in particular are well aware of how they play. World-class forwards Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar failed to score against a rearguard consisting of Dani Alves, Bonucci, Chiellini, and Alex Sandro over 180 minutes, and even when they were breached, the Barca attack were not able to beat Gianluigi Buffon in the Juve goal. So far in the 2016-17 Champions League, La Vecchia Signora have kept a clean sheet eight times in 10 games and have not conceded a goal in over five matches. Juventus will likely win their sixth consecutive Serie A title in May but a Champions League victory is needed to secure their place in history. If they do achieve European glory, their defence should be remembered as one of the key components of this side. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Real Madrid face Atletico in Champions League semi-finals as Monaco take on Juventus http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11835/10844908/real-madrid-face -atletico-in-champions-league-semi-finals-as-monaco-take-on-juventus Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Real Madrid will take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, with Monaco facing Juventus. The draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon means the Madrid rivals cannot contest a third final in four years after Real's victories in 2014 and last year. Instead Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone will do battle in the last four, with the first leg at the Bernabeu and the second across town at the Vicente Calderon. Monaco will be at home for the first leg of their semi-final against Juve, the 2015 runners-up, and the winners of that tie will be designated the 'home' team for the final in Cardiff on June 3. Monaco last reached the final of the competition in 2004, when they were beaten 3-0 by Jose Mourinho's Porto side. Semi-final draw Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (first leg May 2, second leg May 10) Monaco v Juventus (first leg May 3, second leg May 9) Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Real Madrid vs. Atletico, Juventus vs. Monaco in Champions League semis http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/story/3100620/real-madrid- to-play-atletico-madrid-and-juventus-face-monaco-in-champions-league-semifinals Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Reigning European champions Real Madrid will play neighbours Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semifinals. Eleven-time European champions Real, who eliminated Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, could become the first club in the Champions League era to win the competition in successive seasons. The Madrid clubs have met in the Champions League final in two of the past three years, with Real coming out on top on both occasions. Atletico had also reached the final in 1974, when they lost to Bayern, but have yet to win the competition. Atletico director Clemente Villaverde said the club were not daunted by facing their rivals again, while Real director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno said past meetings will have no bearing on the clash. The other tie sees Ligue 1 leaders Monaco taking on Italian champions Juventus. Juventus, European champions in 1985 and 1996, lost the final to Barcelona in 2015 but defeated Luis Enrique's side 3-0 on aggregate in this year's quarterfinals. Monaco have only once reached the final, losing to Jose Mourinho's Porto in 2004. They eliminated Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund on their way to the last four. Juventus director Pavel Nedved said the club could go all the way but warned that semifinal opponents Monaco would pose a tough challenge. Meanwhile, Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev said his side had the chance to gain revenge for their defeat to the same club in the 2015 quarterfinals. According to the Soccer Power Index (SPI), Real are 67 percent likely to beat Atletico, with Juve rated 70 percent likely to defeat Monaco. The Spanish club are marginal favourites to lift the trophy, rated at 38 percent in the SPI compared to Juve's 36 percent chance. Real Madrid will host Atletico at the Bernabeu on May 2 before travelling to the Calderon eight days later on May 10. Juventus will go to the Stade Louis II on May 3 before Monaco travel to Turin the following week on May 9. The final will be played at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on June 3. SEMIFINAL DRAW: The first legs will take place on May 2 and 3, with the second legs the following week. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Juventus to face Monaco in Champions League semi-finals http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-to-face-xxx-in-champions-league-semi-finals/ Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus will face Monaco in the semi-finals of the Champions League. The Bianconeri have been drawn against the same side they played against en route to the 2015 final, albeit in the semi-finals this time round. The first-leg will be played on May 3rd in Monaco with Juve facing Atalanta the weekend before, while the second-leg is in Turin on May 9th with a Derby against Torino sandwiched inbetween. Speaking after the draw, Juventus director Pavel Nedved gave his thoughts on Juve’s opponents: “It’s hard to say which was the best team to face meet because this competition has shown that you can never make a mistake. “I hope and believe we will be ready to meet this challenge with the maximum of our potential. “We are expecting a very young team that runs a lot and that’s always a complicated thing.” Ex-Juve midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi believes it’s the best possible draw for the Bianconeri: “It’s super draw, they are the weakest team of three possible. “Of course Monaco deserve the utmost respect. “The away match in Monte Carlo will be important, because the principality team does not have much experience and the stadium factor can be decisive.” Speaking to BeIn Sports, Monaco chairman Vadim Vasilyev emphasised the changes Monaco have undergone since the last time the two teams met: “They’re a tough opponent, with a different style of play to ours. “It will be a rematch, two years ago Juventus eliminated us in the quarter-finals. They’re stronger than two years ago, but we’re stronger too. “It will be a nice match. “Every opponent is difficult to face at this stage of the competition, the atmosphere at Stade Louis II was incredible in the last game, I call on all supporters to be there like in the return.” The latest betting odds seem to favour Juventus to progress from the draw, however Monaco ambassador Ludovic Giuly is content with the draw and believes the French side may yet trouble the Bianconeri: “We’ll try to recover well and be attentive. “Tactically the Italians are very strong, with great players. We’re content, we’ll need to be forceful and give everything. “We’re two matches away from a final which would be historic for this club, we need to maintain the care-free attitude which is the hallmark of this team. “There’s talent, but also this care-free approach which allows us to transcend ourselves. Jardim definitely has a big tactical job on his hands, but I was persuaded beforehand that it’s a good draw for ASM.” Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid and Juventus vs Monaco in Champions League semi-final The four teams remaining in the tournament learned who they will face in the penultimate phase, setting up some enticing matches. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2017/04/21/34797332/- Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Real Madrid have been drawn against Atletico Madrid and Juventus will face Monaco in next month's Champions League semi-finals. The all-Madrid semi is a repeat of last year's final, which Real won on penalties, and the final three years ago which Real also won in extra-time. After beating Bayern Munich 6-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals, thanks in part to controversial refereeing decisions and a hat-trick from Ronaldo in the second leg, Zinedine Zidane's men were paired with their neighbours, who knocked out Leicester City. It is the fourth season in a row in which the sides from the Spanish capital have met in the knockout rounds of the competition, with Real getting the better of them each time. The first leg will be played at the Bernabeu, while the return tie will mark the last time the Vicente Calderon will host a Madrid derby before Atleti move into their new stadium next season. Juventus, who last won the Champions League in 1996, defeated Monaco in the last eight of the 2014-15 competition en route to their final defeat at the hands of Barcelona. Massimiliano Allegri's men impressively defeated LaLiga's champions 3-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals this time, though, and remain on track for a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble. Monaco have been the surprise package in this season's competition and defeated Manchester City in the last 16 before completing a classy quarter-final triumph over Borussia Dortmund. Leonardo Jardim's men have caused problems with the youth, vibrancy and pace in their side, with Kylian Mbappe a particular threat - the teenage France striker becoming the first player in the tournament's history to score in his first four knockout-stage matches. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Juve-Monaco in UCL semi-final http://www.football-italia.net/101434/juve-monaco-ucl-semi-final Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus have pulled out AS Monaco in the draw for the semi-finals of the Champions League. The other fixture will be a Madrid derby as Real Madrid take on Atletico Madrid. The ties will be played on May 2nd and 3rd with the return legs scheduled for May 9th and 10th. Juve will travel to Monaco for the the first leg with the second played at Juventus stadium. Should the Bianconeri reach the final, they will be the nominal home team in Cardiff. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Champions League draw results 2017: Juventus and Monaco to meet in semifinals http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/4/21/15380730/ champions-league-2017-draw-results-juventus-as-monaco Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Following the scoreless draw on Wednesday against Barcelona, we knew the path to the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff was going to go through Juventus Stadium. Now, we also know the other half of the equation that Juventus will have to pass through on what is hopefully a second visit to the grand final in the last three seasons under manager Max Allegri. We now there will also be a French flair to Juve’s possible route to Cardiff as well. After two straight Madrid-based teams were drawn to open Friday’s proceedings, Juventus’ next European opponent was crystal clear. It was just a matter of finding out who would be home first, as Juventus will face Monaco in the semifinals that take place next month. The first leg will be played in Monaco. The return leg will be played a week later at Juventus Stadium in Turin. To the winner goes the chance to play either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid. No matter what, if Juventus advance to the final, we know where said team will be from and where the game will be played. So we’ve got that going for all of us. Juventus playing Monaco will put arguably the best defense of the entire tournament this season against one of the most powerful and potent offenses. Like we talked about in the build-up to the draw, this Monaco team isn’t the same one that Juventus saw two years ago in the Champions League quarterfinals. There’s no meh strikers leading the line and a clear defensive mindset to try and rely upon. Monaco are going to attack, attack and then attack some more. Kinda sounds like what we heard about Barcelona, right? Good thing guys like Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are around. Those guys are pretty good at the whole playing defense thing. But hey, if Juve want to beat Monaco over two legs, the same end result will have happened (in a slightly different order, though) — time to play for that wonderfully big trophy with wonderfully big ears. You guessed it, folks. #ItsTime once again. Time for Juventus to advance to the Champions League final. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Tacchinardi: 'Super draw for Juventus' http://www.football-italia.net/101436/tacchinardi-super-draw-juventus Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi insists the semi-final fixture with AS Monaco is a ‘super draw’ for the Bianconeri. The other fixture will see the two Madrid teams face off against each other, and the 41-year-old thinks this is favourable for Max Allegri’s side. "It's super draw, they are the weakest team of three possible," he told Mediaset Premium. "Of course Monaco deserve the utmost respect. "The away match in Monte Carlo will be important, because the principality team does not have much experience and the stadium factor can be decisive." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Nedved: 'Juve are ready' http://www.football-italia.net/101437/nedved-juve-are-ready Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Juventus Vice-President Pavel Nedved insists his side are ready to face Monaco with 'our maximum potential'. The Bianconeri were drawn against the Ligue 1 side in the Champions League semi-final. Others have suggested that the Bianconeri have received the most favourable fixture, with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid making up the other semi-final, but Nedved refused to be drawn on such claims. "It’s hard to say which was the best team to face meet because this competition has shown that you can never make a mistake," the Czech told the Press after the draw. "I hope and believe we will be ready to meet this challenge with the maximum of our potential. "We are expecting a very young team that runs a lot and that's always a complicated thing." Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
Socrates 8524 Joined: 04-Apr-2006 134604 messaggi Inviato April 21, 2017 Real Madrid dreams to end vs. Atletico, Juventus too shrewd for Monaco http://www.espnfc.co.uk/uefa-champions-league/2/blog/post/3108742/real-madrid-dreams -to-end-vs-atletico-in-champions-league-semifinals-juventus-too-shrewd-for-monaco Apr 21, 2017 Tifosibianconeri English page - CLICK HERE Friday's Champions League semifinal draw saw Real Madrid placed against rivals Atletico Madrid, while Ligue 1 leaders Monaco face Serie A champions Juventus. Here, Nick Ames looks at the meetings and predicts which sides will reach the final in Cardiff on June 3. Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid There was an inevitability about this tie being drawn out: the pair have contested two finals and a quarterfinal in the past three seasons, so perhaps it was about time this gap was filled. At least it will make for some variety in the Cardiff showpiece and Atletico will hope it is their turn, after losing all of the recent matchups, to hold sway in a Madrid derby. They can feel encouraged by the 1-1 draw they eked out at the Bernabeu in a La Liga match two weekends ago, Antoine Griezmann equalising late on, even if a 3-0 home reverse in November augurs rather less well. Can Atleti coach Diego Simeone vault a hurdle that has proved just too high so far? Antoine Griezmann was on target as Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at Real in La Liga on April 8. It would be a fantastic story and just reward for the progress of a side that develops year on year while retaining the doggedness that is Simeone's hallmark. Atletico have a chance against the champions and 11-time winners: clean sheets are currently rare commodities at the Bernabeu and Real have not kept a single one in the Champions League all season. Zinedine Zidane's side have rode their luck at times, never more so than in a quarterfinal second leg against Bayern Munich that saw them on the rack before controversial red card and offside decisions swing the tie in their favour. Real, with Cristiano Ronaldo as predatory as ever even some of the old explosiveness has gone, will capitalise on the smallest advantage so the key for Atletico will be discipline. If they can avoid falling into too many of the niggly pitfalls that derby days harbour, their city rivals are vulnerable -- and the tie could end up being finely poised. Either way, it will be loaded with emotion. Atletico's Estadio Vicente Calderon will now host one last derby, the penultimate game Atletico play there before leaving at the end of this season, and it is a chance to sign off on perhaps the most positive note of all. Assuming Atletico are firmly in the tie after the first leg, the atmosphere at their home stadium will be electric -- and whoever masters it most effectively may well go through. Prediction: This time Atletico get it right, riding the wave of emotion and expectation to capitalise on Real's defensive shakiness and edge through. Monaco vs. Juventus It can convincingly be argued that this is the more mouthwatering of the two ties -- both for its relative novelty value and the contrast and styles and expertise it presents. These two actually faced each other in the knockout phase only two seasons ago, Juventus winning a quarterfinal 1-0 on aggregate, but it was one of only two ties they have ever contested -- the other being a semifinal in 1998 that the Italians also won. The change, particularly in Monaco's case, since 2014-15 has been extraordinary: back in 2015 they could be tough to watch even with Anthony Martial and one of this season's stars, Bernardo Silva, coming through. This time around they are probably the freshest, most exciting side in Europe -- attacking at lightning speed through Kylian Mbappe and their exhilarating full-backs, Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibe. Leonardo Jardim has been given time to develop a team that will be many neutrals' favourites for the competition, particularly with the risk of big bids for many of their young stars coming in during the summer. A thrilling Monaco side knocked Borussia Dortmund out at the quarterfinal stage. Can they pull it off? Monaco should be a threat to anybody but they are faced with what is probably the ultimate European test. While the Ligue 1 side were throwing men forward as usual to defeat Borussia Dortmund, Juventus were providing a now-familiar masterclass in defensive discipline and application to keep Barcelona out at the Camp Nou and hold on to their 3-0 first-leg lead. Massimiliano Allegri's side has purred along in its Champions League campaign so far and its record is remarkable -- they have conceded just twice in their 10 games. And even if Monaco can, as they will expect to, make a dent in that record, the Italian champions are more than capable of cutting loose further up the pitch. Gonzalo Higuain has 29 goals this season; Paulo Dybala, who scored twice against Barcelona, has 16, and a supply line that includes Miralem Pjanic and Juan Cuadrado should find gaps in a Monaco team that, according to Jardim, will not compromise on its beliefs in the last four. It is a tantalising clash of thrilling young talent and practised, battleworn heads: Monaco will hope to get their first semifinal since 2004, when they went on to finish as runners-up, off to a good start in the home leg, but Juventus -- seeking their first Champions League triumph since 1996 -- may feel confident of keeping them at arm's length. Prediction: Juventus are the most complete team left in the Champions League and, while Monaco will doubtless stretch them, it will be the Italians who go through -- perhaps by a two-goal margin. Condividi questo messaggio Link di questo messaggio Condividi su altri siti
