JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

Socrates · February 17, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus cruise past Palermo

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http://www.football-italia.net/SerieA/match/88070

Feb 17, 2017

Juventus moved 10 points clear at the top of Serie A with a 4-1 win over Palermo, with Paulo Dybala curling in a free-kick against his former side.

First half strikes from Paulo Dybala and Claudio Marchisio followed by Gonzalo Higuain's second half strike secured the win, to put the pressure on Roma in their game in hand against the Old Lady's city rivals, Torino.

Max Allegri’s line-up was listed in a 4-2-3-1 formation which had been so successful, with Stefano Sturaro replacing the suspended Mario Mandzukic on the right and Marko Pjaca in for Juan Cuadrado on the other flank.

However, Sturaro occupied a more central role than Mandzukic, making it more of a 4-3-3 shape.

Leonardo Bonucci was making his 300th appearance for the Bianconeri, partnering Medhi Benatia in the centre of defence.

Edoardo Goldaniga risked a red card with a terrible tackle on Sturaro after four minutes, but escaped with a booking.

The Rosanero were almost punished regardless, but Dybala’s free-kick rebounded off the outside of the post.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to take the lead. Dybala was fouled by Sinisa Andelkovic, giving the Old Lady a free-kick in a dangerous position.

Gonzalo Higuain was afforded far too much space to get on the end of Dani Alves’ cross, and despite Josip Posavec taking it off his toes, Claudio Marchisio was there to fire home the rebound.

The visitors hadn’t offered much in the opening exchanges, but Ilija Nestorovski forced Gigi Buffon into action with a left-footed strike from a hard angle.

Norbert Balogh robbed Bonucci on the edge of the box, but he could only fire a shot straight at Buffon.

Palermo could have equalised on 37 minutes, but Kwadwo Asamoah slid in to take the ball away from Balogh as the Hungarian was preparing the volley into the net.

That missed opportunity would prove crucial, as the Bianconeri made it 2-0 just minutes later.

The Rosanero gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box, and Dybala curled a glorious strike over the wall and into the top corner.

An ex-Palermo player, La Joya didn’t celebrate against his former side.

With the Champions League to come on Wednesday, Allegri opted to replace Khedira with Mario Lemina at half-time.

The pattern of play continued much as it had left off, with Higuain furious with Sturaro after he failed to find the striker with a cutback.

Diego Lopez sent on Toni Sunjic shortly after the break, switching to a back-three in an attempt to stew the flow of Juve attacks.

Higuain got his name on the scoresheet just after the hour mark. Dybala slipped the ball behind the Palermo defence, and his compatriot cooly dinked the ball over Posavec and into the net.

Juan Cuadrado came off the bench and was soon played in by Dybala, but his shot was deflected out for a corner after the Colombian had teased the Rosanero defence.

There was a worrying moment when Posavec was caught by Goldaniga as they looked to thwart Higuain.

The Palermo goalkeeper was knocked unconscious, with the quick-thinking Andelkovic putting him in the recovery position.

Incredibly, despite having one substitution left and being 3-0 down, Lopez opted not to replace his ‘keeper, who regained consciousness and played on.

Nestorovski thought he’d got one back for the visitors, but he was wrongly flagged offside.

Despite his injury, Posavec was quick off his line to deny Cuadrado on 87 minutes.

Dybala got his second of the night with only two minutes left to play.

Goldaniga inexplicably flicked the ball up in the air, allowing Higuain to run in on goal.

In an effort to make up for his mistake, the defender hauled the Juve man back, but he still managed to pick out Dybala who swept it low into the net.

Gigi Buffon was on the verge of a sixth clean sheet in a row, on the night he equalled Giampiero Boniperti’s appearance record.

The veteran was furious, however, when Ivalyo Chochev was left free to head in from Alessandro Diamanti’s corner.

Juventus: Buffon; Dani Alves, Bonucci, Benatia, Asamoah; Khedira (Lemina, 46), Marchisio (Rincon, 75), Sturaro (Cuadrado, 70); Dybala, Higuain, Pjaca

Palermo: Posavec, Rispoli, Goldaniga, Andelkovic, Alessami; Jajalo (Sunjic, 49), Bruno Henrique, Chochev; Sallai (Embalo, 71), Nestorovski, Balogh (Diamanti, 82)

Ref: Di Bello

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus 4 - Palermo 1: Initial reaction

and random observations

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http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/17/14651678/juventus

-palermo-2017-serie-a-round-25-final-score-result-initial-reaction

Feb 17, 2017

As Claudio Marchisio stepped onto the Juventus Stadium field on Friday night, he’d need more than all of his fingers and toes to count how many days it had been since he last found the back of the net. It had been more than a year — heck, nearly two full seasons — since he scored against Inter in the Derby d’Italia at the San Siro.

Marchisio’s scoring drought wasn’t the only one that ended on Friday night. Although, one was much longer than the other. There was one thing that didn’t change on the final day of the work week. They were both good in you like good things happening to Juventus.

Marchisio and his Juventus teammates — most notably the Argentinian ones — certainly did take advantage of Palermo’s 2016-17 struggles, as Juve continued their dominance on their home turf and extended their lead atop the Serie A standings all at the same time thanks to their 3-0 win. Paulo Dybala once again came back to haunt his former club, scoring a brilliant first-half free kick as part of his first brace since mid-October and then assisted on Gonzalo Higuain’s 62nd-minute chip of Palermo keeper Josip Posavec to put the cherry on top of the latest victory at Juventus Stadium.

You wanted Juve to take care of business against a Palermo side that will be certainly trying not to get relegated, then you go it.

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Great buildup play by Juventus for Higuain's 19th Serie A goal

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It was an efficient performance outside of Gigi Buffon’s shutout streak coming to an end in the 93rd minute. Juventus handled things as well as they could have against a Palermo side that curiously decided to go to more of a defensive formation after Dybala’s first goal made it 2-0 five minutes before halftime.

Palermo should have never had the chance to even get a goal in the dying stages of the game — a goal that had Buffon a little heated to say the least knowing that it was the last scoring chance of the game for either side.

Either way, three things seemed to remain true on Friday night at Juventus Stadium...

Death.

Taxes.

And Juventus winning at home.

Those are things we know are going to happen. Those are the things that I will never ever grow tired of seeing. It doesn’t matter what competition it is. Juventus continues to make its home field an absolute fortress and that’s all that matters to me.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Palermo sure are a long way from the days of Dybala, Andrea Belotti and Franco Vazquez, aren’t they?
Who here remembered that Alessandro Diamanti is a Palermo player? Because I didn’t.
This was Leonardo Bonucci’s 300th appearance with Juventus. He’s been victorious in 193 of them. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that that’s a pretty good winning percentage.
You all will now be able to tell your kids one day that you were able to watch Max Allegri field Stefano Sturaro as a winger in a game in February of 2017. I think the line “What a time ... to be alive!” comes to mind when thinking of winger Sturaro.
You can’t stop that. I don’t care who you are. You just can’t stop that.
Seriously, how good does Allegri have it when you can give Miralem Pjanic a rest and you still have Dybala around to take your free kicks? Must be nice.
I thought the same thing when Marko Pjaca made his first Juventus Stadium a few games ago and I’ll say it again now: There were moments where he showed why he is so highly regarded, but others where you can tell he needs a lot more experience. It basically was like one of his substitute appearances, but he really had no impact at all after halftime. The good thing is that he got a valuable 90-plus minutes for the first time in a Juventus shirt. As long as he starts getting some regular playing time, I’m confident that the short bursts of what he’s shown so far can become more of a constant theme going forward into the summer.
The ball Dani Alves played into Higuain on Marchisio’s goal was pretty good.
The ball Dybala played to Higuain on Juve’s third goal of the night was pretty good.
The ball Higuain played to Dybala on Juve’s fourth goal of the night was pretty good.
The goal line stop by Kwadwo Asamoah moments before Dybala’s goal was pretty good, too.
Allegri’s three subs on the night: Mario Lemina for Sami Khedira, Juan Cuadrado on for Marchisio and Tomas Rincon on for Sturaro. I don’t know about you guys, but with an incredibly important Champions League fixture coming up, I would have liked to see Max play it a little safe with Dybala and/or Higuain.
Make that 29 straight Serie A victories at home. That’s pretty good, if you ask me.

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Dybala: ‘Juventus didn’t play well’

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http://www.football-italia.net/98521/dybala-‘juventus-didn’t-play-well’

Feb 17, 2017

Paulo Dybala believes Juventus “didn’t play very well” against Palermo and warns “we must change our attitude”.

The Bianconeri were 4-1 winners at Juventus Stadium tonight - click here for the match report - but the forward was disappointed with their display.

“I think we’ve made a big step forward, but we didn’t play very well,” Dybala told Mediaset after the final whistle.

“In the first half we dropped too many passes, we were superficial and we can’t allow that to happen.

“Against Porto we’ll have to change our attitude and mentality, it won’t be easy and we have to be focused for Wednesday’s game.”

Dybala got a double, including a glorious free-kick, but refused to celebrate against his former team.

“I knew that if I scored I wouldn’t celebrate, out of respect for my former fans and teammates I didn’t celebrate.”

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Paulo Dybala brace allows Juventus

to win, open 10-point lead

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http://www.espnfc.co.uk/report?gameId=461057

Feb 17, 2017

Paulo Dybala scored twice as Juventus opened up a 10-point lead at the top of Serie A with a thumping 4-1 win against Palermo.

The Argentinian also set up fellow countryman Gonzalo Higuain for his 19th goal of the season as defender Leonardo Bonucci enjoyed an easy ride on his 300th appearance for the Black and Whites.

The home side had already struck the outside of a post through the impressive Dybala when they took a 13th-minute lead. Midfielder Claudio Marchisio pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to rifle a shot into the top corner.

Palermo's response came from Ilija Nestorovski but his low drive was palmed around the post by Gianluigi Buffon.

Massimiliano Allegri's men come close to doubling their lead in the 21st minute but Palermo goalkeeper Josip Posavec managed to keep out Sami Khedira's volley from point-blank range.

Dybala scored a stunning second five minutes before half-time, curling a free-kick into the top right-hand corner from 25 yards.

Juventus continued to dominate after the break and Higuain made it three with a dinked finish from Dybala's superb through ball in the 63rd minute.

A collision involving defender Edoardo Goldaniga and goalkeeper Posavec saw the latter receive treatment before carrying on.

Substitute Juan Cuadrado had the chance to seal victory for Juventus with three minutes remaining but his angled drive was beaten away by Posavec.

That was left to Dybala, who side-footed in a fourth from Higuain's intelligent back-heel, but there was still time for Palermo to snatch a consolation through Ivaylo Chochev's header.

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Allegri: ‘Juventus got it done’

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http://www.football-italia.net/98522/allegri-‘juventus-got-it-done’

Feb 17, 2017

Massimiliano Allegri criticises Juventus’ first half against Palermo but “it’s one game less to winning the Scudetto”.

The Bianconeri moved 10 points clear of Roma, who have a game in hand, with a 4-1 win in Turin.

Despite hitting a brace, Paulo Dybala criticised the performance after the match and the Coach had similar sentiments about the first half.

“The lads ended the first half at 2-0 despite not playing well,” Allegri explained in his post-match interview with Mediaset Premium.

“We had a good game, even if we granted Palermo a few too many shots from outside the box.

“It was a League match with three points which are just as valuable as the ones against Inter. It’s one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the lads for the way they approached the game.”

Juve face Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Allegri believes they’re in good shape heading into the Last 16 tie.

“We’re in good physical condition, we face this tie with enthusiasm and we hope to go through.

“Will Dani Alves or Stephan Lichtsteiner play? I haven’t decided yet, Dani Alves did well for us and is a player who brings a lot of experience.”

The Coach had criticised Marko Pjaca’s worth ethic before the match, and was asked about the winger’s performance.

“He has to improve with experience. He has great quality, but it’s one thing to play in the Croatian League, where the difficulties are smaller, and another to play in Serie A.

“In the Italian League he needs to grow in terms of personality. He did well in the first half.

“Claudio Marchisio? I hope to have him back in peak condition as soon as possible, he had an excellent game and it was good for his morale that he scored.”

Finally, Allegri was asked if Gonzalo Higuain is better than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who he worked with at Milan.

“It’s hard to separate them, and I feel lucky to have coached both.”

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Lopez: ‘Errors cost Palermo’

http://www.football-italia.net/98524/lopez-‘errors-cost-palermo’

Feb 17, 2017

Diego Lopez laments the “individual mistakes” which hurt Palermo in their defeat to Juventus.

The Rosanero were beaten 4-1 in Turin, but had their chances in the first half.

“I think we had a great first half, where we tried to stop them getting the ball into [Paulo] Dybala,” Lopez told Mediaset Premium after the match.

“The first goal was a mistake we just can’t make. On the second we gave it away and that’s where the free-kick came from.

“The third goal was just down to their quality and the fourth was a mistake. We need to try and cut out the individual mistakes because we had a great first half, but you can’t give them gifts like that.”

Palermo have faced both Juve and Napoli in recent weeks, which is the better team?

“The Bianconeri are more clinical, while Napoli move you about. They’re both great teams.”

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Max Allegri: Juventus one step closer to Scudetto after beating Palermo

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http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/3062955/max-allegri-

juventus-one-step-closer-to-scudetto-after-beating-palermo

Feb 17, 2017

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said his team moved one step closer to winning Serie A with Friday's 4-1 win over Palermo.

Paulo Dybala scored twice with with Claudio Marchisio and Gonzalo Higuain also on target, as the result widened Juve's lead in the race for the Scudetto to 10 points ahead of the rest of the weekend's games.

Allegri was not happy with his team's first-half performance, but was pleased by the scoreline as Juventus closed in on their sixth straight league title.

"The lads ended the first half at 2-0 despite not playing well," Allegri told Mediaset Premium. "We had a good game, even if we granted Palermo a few too many shots from outside the box.

"It was a league match with three points which are just as valuable as the ones against Inter. It's one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the lads for the way they approached the game."

Allegri did have some encouraging words for Marko Pjaca's performance after criticising the winger's efforts before the match.

"He has to improve with experience," the coach said. "He has great quality, but it's one thing to play in the Croatian league, where the difficulties are smaller, and another to play in Serie A.

"In the Italian League he needs to grow in terms of personality. He did well in the first half."

Allegri then looked ahead to Juventus' Champions League test on Wednesday, when they will face Porto in the round of 16.

"We're in good physical condition, we face this tie with enthusiasm and we hope to go through," he said, adding that he had not yet decided if Dani Alves or Stephan Lichtsteiner will be in the lineup.

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

'We did not play well' – Juventus hero Dybala fires Porto warning

The Serie A leaders cruised past Palermo, with their Argentine forward shining

against his former club, but not everyone was completely satisfied.

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http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/02/17/32799862/-

Feb 17, 2017

Paulo Dybala has warned Juventus to up their game ahead of their Champions League clash against Porto despite leading the Serie A champions to an easy 4-1 victory over Palermo.

The forward haunted his former club with two goals and an assist as Juve moved 10 points clear of Roma – who play Torino on Sunday – at the top of the table.

Claudio Marchisio and Gonzalo Higuain scored the other goals for Massimiliano Allegri's men, but Dybala wants much more from his team-mates.

"We have made a big step forward in the league, but we didn't play very well," Dybala said to Mediaset.

"In the first half we missed too many passes, we were superficial and we can't allow that to happen.

"Against Porto we will have to change our attitude and mentality, it will not be easy to play there and we have to be focused for Wednesday's game.

"But the victory was more than deserved. Playing in Turin is not easy for our opponents, they suffer in the environment of Juventus Stadium."

Dybala opted not to celebrate his strikes against his former club, who are in serious danger of relegation.

He also talked up his relationship with Higuain after they each laid on an assist for one another.

"I knew that if I scored I wouldn't celebrate," Dybala said.

"Out of respect for my former fans and team-mates I didn't celebrate. I did hug Higuain but that was a thank you for the assist he gave me.

"We are talking a lot to improve the understanding between us and we hope to continue like this."

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Allegri: Juventus have a long way to go

Manager’s post-match comments after 4-1 romp.

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http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/18/14655228/

allegri-juventus-have-a-long-way-to-go-serie-a-title

Feb 17, 2017

Juventus beat Palermo 4-1 earlier today with Paulo Dybala scoring a brace. After the game manager Massimiliano Allegri insisted that it was business as usual and that there was still plenty left to do.

“With 63 (points) we’d barely get the Europa League. Roma and Napoli keep winning, so we still have a long way to go. Roma could potentially get to 95 points, so we need to take things a game at a time.

“The lads have beaten Palermo, now we think about Porto then there’s Empoli and the Coppa Italia with Napoli.

“So, step-by-step. We need to tackle it with calm.”

Today, Leonardo Bonucci was seen shouting at Allegri. What was that all about?

“It’s simple, Marko Pjaca asked to come off, Stefano Sturaro was in a bit of trouble and I didn’t realise Claudio Marchisio had a flexor problem because he was tired.

“So there was a bit of a mix-up, but nothing special.

“We always want respect. Dybala realised he was wrong, he’s a young lad. With Lichtsteiner there was a misunderstanding, because I thought he was asking to come off and then he told me he was fine.

“There was nothing with Leo, then we always want respect and there are ways of saying things. In moments of tension though, you can make mistakes.”

Are Juve one of the favorites for the Champions League?

“It’s not like with Barcelona’s defeat, Juventus have become favourites for the Champions League. First of all we have to play against Porto, who are used to playing these kind of games. Playing there is absolutely not easy, and there are teams of a high level.

“The thing that makes me smile is that when I arrived here three years ago there was a fear we wouldn’t beat Malmo. Now we’ve gone the opposite way, with people saying Juventus are the number one favourite for the Champions League.

“I think you need to be balanced in these things, what we have to do is go onto the pitch and beat Porto. Porto are a team who knocked out Roma in the play-offs, they’re a club used to playing these kind of games and that counts in the Champions League.

“So we need to go there with extreme caution, knowing that to go through we have to work hard and suffer.

“PSG had a good game, and Barça didn’t match their level. There wasn’t just intensity and running though, there was also technique, just as Bayern and Real Madrid have technique.

“The important thing is that we shouldn’t go too far the other way and start saying that Juve are favourites for the Champions League. We feel like we’re on the level of the others and we have to play to get to the win, every year Juve have to play to win, in every competition we have to raise the bar.

“Then if the others do better then maybe it’s because they’ve had a bit of luck and gone through, that’s part of the game. We can’t go from being full of depression before Malmo - and trust me, I remember it - to being euphoric now.”

Andrea Barzagli are Giorgio Chiellini were out today, will they return for Porto?

“They’ve been working separately, we’ll see how they are tomorrow. I haven’t seen them today, so there’s a chance, but we’ll see.

“If there’s any risk then they’ll definitely stay out, because it’s a high-intensity game and those who play must be comfortable without the risk they’ll waste a substitution.

“At the moment though the journey continues in the best way, we hope to have them available.”

Will Allegri stick with his 4-2-3-1 formation?

“It’s unlikely we’ll change, unless something strange happens. Porto don’t concede many goals and they play on the counter-attack.

“Against Sporting they ceded possession to their opponents, leaving no points of reference. Porto are used to these games, it will be a good Last 16 tie.”

Once again there were more links to Arsenal for Allegri.

“How’s my English? I started learning before Milan, now I’ve left it.

“They say I’ll go to Arsenal? You all say that, I just listen…”

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus vs. Palermo 2017: Final score 4-1, Juve

cruise to comfortable victory against timid Palermo

A Paulo Dybala brace helped Juventus ease to victory against

the relegation battlers to extend their league lead to 10 points!

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http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/18/14653986/

juventus-palermo-2017-serie-a-round-25-final-score-recap-result

Feb 18, 2017

Time for some Friday Night Lights! Since the night of Champions is almost upon us, the regular Serie A Juventus game was moved to Friday to grant the team enough rest in preparation for the midweek showdown in Portugal. Nevertheless, Juventus were in cracking form coming into the game against opponents Palermo and were probably looking to swat away the relegation contenders as quickly as possible in order to fully cast their minds on the real deal on Wednesday. That said, Juventus barely moved into second gear as they comfortably breezed past a dull Palermo side and secured yet another home victory in the league. The final score was 4-1 thanks to a Paulo Dybala brace and goals from Gonzalo Higuaín and Claudio Marchisio, although Ivaylo Chochev grabbed a consolation goal late into stoppage time that left a sour aftertaste to what should have been an easy clean-sheet victory.

The game started off in a calm demeanor, allowing fans from both sides to get settled in to the glamorous Friday feeling of the game and nicely digest some of that early dinner. The first piece of action came after Edoardo Goldaniga fouled Higuaín on the edge of the box and ex-Palermo man Dybala struck an exquisitely-placed free kick off the base of the post. Still, though, both sides continued to take it easy and get a feel for the game without rushing things — Juventus by dominating possession and Palermo by bunkering down in an almost 5-4-1 formation and lurking on the counterattack.

Thankfully, Juve’s domination quickly paid off through the opening goal in the 13^th minute. Dani Alves, replacing Stephan Lichtsteiner at right back for the evening, caught Palermo off guard with a quickly taken free kick towards Higuaín, who narrowly beat the offside trap. Goalkeeper Josip Posavec was forced to come out to deny the Argentine, but the rebound fell kindly for Marchisio, who buried his shot high into the top-left corner of the goal: 1-0!

Palermo looked to hit straight back though by immediately forcing Gigi Buffon into action, but the goalkeeper produced a great save to stop a smart Ilija Nestorovski shot from close range.

Juventus continued to comfortably control the game through dominating possession instead of necessarily creating many clear-cut chances. However, one of these chances did come later on after Sami Khedira almost nodded in (with his hand?) a cleverly-chipped cross from Marko Pjaca, but Haitam Aleesami was alert to the danger and cleared the ball off the line. Palermo could only muster a decent Norbert Balogh shot and a wayward Roland Sallai effort as they spent most of the first period camped well inside their own half. Juventus responded with a chance of their own through a weaving Dybala run but his eventual shot was easily taken by Posavec.

Palermo, quite surprisingly, did come agonizingly close to the equalizer after Nestorovski headed down a long ball across the face of goal towards Balogh, who was just about to finish what surely would have been a goal, only for Asamoah to deny him with a last-ditch tackle and subsequent clearance. That missed opportunity would prove fatal as a few minutes later, Dybala lined up a free-kick on the edge of the area and curled a left-footed effort perfectly into the top corner to double the home side’s lead: 2-0! A perfect way to end the first half of football and Juventus were cruising to victory.

Juventus FC v US Citta di Palermo - Serie A

You could really see that Juventus were conserving energy for the big showdown with Porto on Wednesday, because the game continued at an exhibition-match pace in the second half. The team focused on stringing some passes together, keeping things solid, and not expending too much energy in a match where it really wasn’t needed anyway. Bonucci tried to spice things up a little by trying a cheeky, ambitious effort from inside his own half after spotting Posavec off his line, but his strike sailed comfortably wide of the target. Higuaín, however, kept things simple and clean a few minutes later when he scored the third goal of the game by chipping a truly sublime finish over the onrushing Posavec and in off the far post after Dybala sent him through on goal with an excellent through-ball: 3-0!

It was all plain sailing now for the Bianconeri who were en-route to yet another home victory in the league. It was almost 4-0 soon after when Dybala, really in swaggering form tonight, released substitute Cuadrado on the right wing but the Colombian winger got stuck in 300 minds and thus allowed the Palermo defenders to clear the danger. The fourth goal did arrive through Dybala soon afterwards as Goldaniga made an absolutely woeful error in defense, allowing Higuaín to bear down on goal. The defender didn’t care about saving face though as he tried to sumo-wrestle Higuaín to the ground, but the Argentine wasn’t going to let that desperate attempt deter him as he teed up Dybala with a clever backheel which La Joya comfortably tucked away for the fourth goal: 4-0! Unfortunately, there was a real blight on the scoreline at the end as Chochev headed in a late Diamanti corner to break the run of clean sheets and send Buffon into seething anger. Nevertheless, it did little to change the eventual outcome: a comfortable 4-1 victory at the Juventus Stadium!

Le Pagelle

BUFFON 7 – Rightly furious about the needless goal late on. Saved a few Palermo shots excellently even though he had next to nothing to do.

ASAMOAH 7.5 – Really had Balogh pinned down on the left side and made that absolutely fantastic last-ditch tackle in the first half. Gets a bit extra for his heroic efforts there.

BENATIA 7 – Tidy and composed. Didn’t have much to do because it seemed like Nestorovski drifted towards Bonucci’s side of the pitch more frequently.

BONUCCI 7 – Dealt with Nestorovski’s presence easily, sprayed passes around with confidence, and even tried to pull off a cheeky heroic effort from his own half. Not quite there yet, Leo.

DANI ALVES 7 – The little defending he had to do, he did effortlessly and linked up well with first Pjaca and then Dybala (after Allegri tinkered a bit with the positioning of the forward line).

KHEDIRA 7 – A bit difficult to grade because he only played the first half. Looked solid as usual though.

MARCHISIO 7.5 – Sharp instincts on the first goal (he did shoot it awfully high though) and overall a strong performance. He did test the patience of the referee with his tackles though, especially when he was on a booking already.

STURARO 7 – Defended better than he attacked, but then again that’s what we’re used to of him, no? Had some real snappy challenges which were actually very good and helped add some bite to the midfield.

DYBALA 8 – That’s more like it from La Joya! I was getting a bit worried after his poor run of form of late, but he toyed with Palermo’s defenders with all the ease in the world and enjoyed the ease of the occasion.

PJACA 6.5 – Ah yes, the rating that everybody yearns to read. If I give him a low grade, it feels like I’m being harsh on him. Yet giving him a high grade feels like I’m trying to flatter him. Overall, I think he was very good at the start but gradually tailed off as he ran out of energy. I think he can really be something for this team, but for now I wouldn’t risk playing him against the real big boys — games like these against less threatening opposition is probably the best compromise for now to give him confidence and playing time.

HIGUAÍN 7.5 – Another game, another fantastic performance by the Argentine. I give him a tad less than Dybala because he was caught offside awfully frequently. Nevertheless, he continues his excellent form with yet another goal and also a brilliant assist ~~after shrugging off the sumo-wrestling effort from Goldaniga~~!

Note: I wanted to punish everyone for conceding that totally unnecessary, complacent goal at the end, but I’m a nice guy.

Subs

LEMINA 6.5 – He was awfully sloppy in the first 10-15 minutes when he came on, but kept things simple afterwards.

CUADRADO 6.5 – Don’t know why he seemed so confused on that big chance he got in the second half, but overall he kept things quite tidy and had some nice exchanges with Alves.

RINCÓN 6.5 – A quick 15-minute cameo for El General.

Manager

ALLEGRI 7 – I think he rotated to just the right degree — resting Khedira early once he saw it would be a breezer of a match and giving the likes of Benatia, Alves and Pjaca a run-out. Also tinkered well during the game after moving Pjaca to the left wing to (somewhat?) double up there with Sturaro, leaving the right wing to Alves and playing Dybala as an inside-forward. Some nice, subtle flexibility from Mad Max there and it paid off handsomely as the team barely broke a sweat all game. I do wonder if Higuaín doesn’t need a rest though…

Tactical Analysis – Much ado about nothing

I’m starting to notice that the most boring tactical games are those where one team entirely dominates possession and the overall proceedings of the match. This, again, was one of those games. Therefore, I just have a few snippets of the game to share that caught my eye throughout the 90 minutes.

Dybala clearly occupying that pocket of space in the inside-right channel, cutting inside onto his left foot.

Juventus started with Pjaca on the right and Sturaro on the left in a 4-2-3-1 formation but Allegri quickly (around the 15-minute mark) changed that to something more resembling a 4-3-3 formation with Dybala as the inside-right forward, Pjaca high on the left, and Sturaro as a left-central midfielder (though playing very close to Pjaca as well). On the opposition side, Palermo played a 4-3-3 when in possession but, since that was rarely the case, they adopted a 4-5-1/5-4-1 formation for most of the game. The wingers, Balogh and Sallai, especially played in an extremely deep position.

After their substitutions early in the second half, Palermo resorted to battening down the hatches even further by moving towards a 5-4-1 (that resembled a 4-4-2 when in possession, which was a more frequent phenomenon in the second half). Due to this, I couldn’t quite figure out what the deal was with Sunjic, who played a quasi RB/RCB role, and Rispoli, who played a quasi RB/RM position. Therefore, it was at time a 5-4-1, other times a 4-4-2, and yet other times a 3-4-3. So many numbers, so much math, yet still much ado about nothing.

Sunjic (blue circled), Rispoli (brown circled), and Aleesami (red circled) are now seemingly set up so that it’s a 5-4-1 for Palermo. In possession though, Rispoli would quickly bomb forward, while Sunjic and Aleesami shuttled wide but not too as aggressively forward.

Momentum

Believe me, I’m also still pissed off about the Chochev goal, but hey, the players are humans and I’ll forgive this mistake as long as it’s used as strong reminder of how difficult the next three months are going to be. Still, though, the game really had an exhibition-match feel to it as the players (rightly) didn’t look overly bothered to waste too much energy on a really, really poor opponent. I like that Allegri used his subs intelligently and, in general, seems to be utilizing the full depth of his squad the last few weeks.

In closing, I will leave a few words for our beloved Pjaca. I honestly think that for the rest of the season, the best course of action is to use him against the Empolis, Palermos, Pescaras, etc. of the league and use that to build his confidence and general knowledge of Italian teams that are more gritty and stout.

We can all obviously see that he has real talent in him, but I think it’s best for the overall development of the lad if he plays in lower pressure environments for the time being, where he can “fail” in a “safer” environment. Remember, we don’t know how his off-the-field acclimatization is going: new language, new country for the first time in his young life, friends, family is far away, and so on. I’m sure he wants to kick the beat and get rolling so badly but good things come to those who wait, young one.

Now, on to the Stadium of the Dragon...

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

World-class duo Dybala and Higuain

lead Juventus to easy Palermo win

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http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3063006/

serie-a-world-class-duo-dybala-and-higuain-lead-juventus-to-easy-win

Feb 18, 2017

Defeating Palermo 4-1 to make it 29 consecutive wins at home, Juventus were professional and clinical, scoring another early goal to demonstrate their might and gain an early upper hand.

Under Diego Lopez, Palermo have proved more organised and made a good effort in the first half to block Juventus and even created chances of their own. However, individual errors allowed the home side to capitalise and score the goals required to seal what wound up being an easy win.

Positives

Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala struggled to establish their partnership at the beginning of the season, but the two now understand each other perfectly well, knowing when to provide and when to take charge of the situation to produce impressive performances going forward. It is a partnership that is flourishing as it grows.

Negatives

It's a shame that after managing five consecutive clean sheets, Juventus were undone at the final moment by a header from a set piece. Such defensive inadequacies spoilt what was a great night, and Max Allegri will hope his side do not suffer the same lapses in concentration in the Champions League against Porto.

Manager rating out of 10

7 -- Despite an important game coming up, Allegri ensured he deployed a good side capable of sealing a win, taking players off at the right time to ensure freshness. Consistently motivating his side from the sidelines, Allegri is a winner and won't accept anything less than the very best.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):

GK Gianluigi Buffon, 6 -- Alert, stopping Ilija Nestorovski from scoring in the first half but little to do in the second until Palermo scored.

DF Dani Alves, 5 -- Yet to learn he's a defender and not an attacker. Luckily his teammates, namely Kwadwo Asamoah, are always on hand to cover up his defensive mistakes.

DF Mehdi Benatia, 6 -- Not always the most composed, but attentive and capable at the back.

DF Leonardo Bonucci, 6 -- His 300th appearance for Juventus, the defender started the match committing a few unusual mistakes and looking flustered. Grew in stature as the game progressed.

DF Kwadwo Asamoah, 6 -- Made a wonderful challenge at the back to rescue Juventus from Norbert Balogh. Defensively capable while good going forward but unfortunately lost the aerial duel with Ivaylo Chochev that led to Palermo's goal.

MF Sami Khedira, 6 -- His timing and intelligence make all the difference, controlling the midfield and making the right decisions going forward.

MF Claudio Marchisio, 7 -- A tremendous game from the midfielder who scored the opening goal with composure and produced the passes that kept Juventus moving.

MF Stefano Sturaro, 6 -- All grit but little quality in the final third to help the attack. Not suited to the more advanced role in this formation.

Dybala Higuain celeb vs Palermo 170217 — Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala continue to grow together as an attacking duo among the best in the world.

MF Paulo Dybala, 8 -- What a performance from the mercurial player whose constant movement, beautiful free kick, wonderful assist and second goal secured a necessary win for the Bianconeri. His partnership with Higuain continues to grow every day.

MF Marko Pjaca, 6 -- A good first half in which the Croatian showed off his dribbling and close control, providing an outlet for the pass. He also recovered possession quite often but disappeared in the second half.

FW Gonzalo Higuain, 8 -- Once you gain a striker of such immense quality, you wonder how you ever lived without him. Higuain continued to pull into space, creating for his teammates and anticipating situations to score a goal. As Gazzetta dello Sport said, his goals are "as inevitable as death and taxes." His relentless hunger and character make the difference and ensure Juve are always on the front foot and looking for more.

Substitutes:

MF Mario Lemina, 5 -- Inaccurate on the ball and a little off the pace. Needs time to reintegrate within the patterns of play.

MF Juan Cuadrado, 6 -- His pace punished his tired opponents as he pushed forward to consistently create danger.

MF Tomas Rincon, N/A -- Came on to secure the win in place of a tired Marchisio.

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

Socrates · February 18, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Juventus 4-1 Palermo Match Review and Player Ratings

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http://www.juvefc.com/juventus-4-1-palermo/

Feb 18, 2017

Player Ratings

Buffon – Made a couple of solid, yet comfortable saves in a match where the goal was rarely threatened. No chance on the late header. Defence was to blame for that bother. 6.5

Bonucci – Average performance from the big man who had two efforts on goal when prancing forward. Looked a little uncomfortable with Benatia. 6

Benatia – Worked hard, was perhaps lacking communication when the goal came late on but otherwise showed he can prove a dependable back-up. Would have preferred to see Rugani. 6

Alves – I think he set up Higuain’s strike which led to Claudio’s rebound effort. Yet overall Dani was poor. He showed little value in either end of the pitch and it worries me to consider that Allegri might seriously start him in Europe in place of Stephan. For he lacks the intelligence to allow Cuadrado to take the spaces high up the field he is eager to forage for himself and is far less dependable defensively. 5

Asamoah – Hustled and bustled, held down the flank and delivered some decent balls into the box. Also made a stunning tackle to deny the striker a clean shot on goal after Alves had set him up with an appalling header. 7

Khedira – Though he fared well, and looked more spritely than last week I continue to feel at present he works better in the fulcrum alongside Pjanic. 6

Marchiso – Took his goal splendidly and kept trying to pull the strings in midfield. His stamina is improving as is his touch, with his fine footballing brain as sound as always. However, this was the second game on the trot he has made a vicious, needles foul. Maybe frustration, or a different Principino has emerged from the hospital ward, one brimming with spite. 6.5

Pjaca – A below par outing for the youngster. I was thinking as I watched ‘He thinks he is still playing in Croatia…these tricks don’t work in Serie A’. Looked for free kicks whenever he lost the ball and though faced with numerous opponents, he failed to capitalise on the brief moments of success. He has much to learn, but will learn solely through playing. Glad to see him finally on the field. 5

Sturaro – Strange to see him deployed so high up the field, a position which does not suit his natural tenacity and skill set, yet he tucked into the middle more often than not. He won the free kick that led to Dybala’s gorgeous opener and tackled well enough, though was unable to offer much more. 5.5

Lemina – Gave the ball away several times and appeared disconnected from his team-mates and the tactics. 5

Dybala– Hit the post, scored a sublime free kick, created one for his Argie pal then wrapped up the double with a smart strike from the edge of the 18 yard box. One of those games where he very much looked like a world star in the making. 9.5

Higuain – His form is steady and powerful. Took his goal superbly, supplied the perfect assist for Dybala when he was being fouled and never stopped charging into intelligent positions. 8

Palermo were hapless in defence, though made a fist of it when flowing forward, to at least offer a mild test to the side in black and white.

We bossed the game from start to finish, could have scored more than the four, were wasteful on the ball and pretty much carrying Alves and Pjaca. Which is a testament to both the strength of the others and the lameness of our visitors from Sicily.

Some of our play was classy. Especially the growing combination between Higuain and Dybala, with the latter deployed higher up the field than I have seen for a while. That is the bonus of playing Sturaro, who prefers to head central and offer defensive zeal than be responsible for crafting the play.

Lemina was woeful, yet he hasn’t impressed throughout the season. A lingering thought remains of his possible use in one of the 3 up top, yet he has shown nothing to warrant moving up the pecking order. I remain very much unconvinced.

Its a shame that we conceded so late on, yet considering the changes in defence it comes as no surprise. I just hope it hasnt left a bad taste in the mouth for all concerned in Turin.

gonzalo-higuain-juventus-palermo-serie-a

The squad looks in decent shape for the Porto tie. And its pleasing to read of Allegri stating that we will almost certainly stick with the new formation. If Chiellini doesn’t make the game, Rugani can slot in more comfortably than Benatia. Pjanic should surely come in for Marchisio, Cuadrado and Mandzukic also. Which leaves solely the LB slot. No doubt Allegri will go with the Brazilian, up against his old club, but I would be perfectly content to see Asamoah start in his place, who has performed very well indeed since reprising the LB role.

We have two of the most in form strikers in Europe. A capable defence, world class keeper and lively, fluid midfield. Now is the time we will be able to judge our progress. Are we able to transplant generally impressive domestic form to the big stage? Much will depend on mentality, though on paper we have a superior side.

13 games to go in the league, a probable 7 point lead and every game from here on in becomes pivotal. I give praise to Allegri who has once again appeared to get the squad in the best condition of the season, at the right time to challenge on all fronts.

forza juve

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

Socrates · February 19, 2017

JUVENTUS - PALERMO

4-1

Claudio Marchisio 13'

Paulo Dybala 40'

Gonzalo Higuaín 63'

Paulo Dybala 89'

Ivaylo Chochev 92'

MATCHDAY 25

Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Juventus Stadium, Turin
Referee: Marco Di Bello

Landmarks of Turin Awards: Juventus vs. Palermo Edition

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palermo-landmarks-of-turin-awards-2017-serie-a-round-25-match-recap

Feb 18, 2017

Juventus are 10 points clear in the Serie A table, and Roma play our friends — too strong? — from across town this weekend. It’d be nice to get some help from Andrea Belotti and Co., wouldn’t it?

I was happy this game was in Turin, because as bad as Palermo is — so bad, guys, they’re so bad — soccer is still soccer (or football, football, if you prefer; or calcio, calcio if we’re staying linguistically in Serie A), and things like Leicester City winning a league title can happen. In other words, crazier things have happened than Palermo waltzing into Juventus Stadium and kicking some Bianconeri tail. But, uh, that’s not what happened. Let’s do this fast, and get to Wednesday.

Aperitivi

A tantalizing collection of titillating tidbits.

I wrote: “Let’s score fast.” And then we scored fast.
Juventus still haven’t lost since I’ve started writing for BWRAO. Knocks furiously on the wooden table until knuckles bleed.
The beIN announcers had absolutely no idea what we were doing with Stefano Sturaro and our formation. To be fair, there was a high level — I thought — of fluidity. Paulo Dybala for half the game was a right winger. (More on La Joya later, of course.)
Here is some not fake news: Sturaro is not our best midfielder. There were a lot of grumbles with the Tomas Rincon signing last month, but when the Venezuelan tank got in there the defense for the decision, to me, was evident. I think I wrote “Sturaro lol” at least three or four times.
Leonardo Bonucci played some fantastic balls. Medhi Benatia is a perfectly fine center back who can log minutes for a world side like Juventus, but next to Bonucci he seems pedestrian. Bonucci’s creativity, his anticipation, his spontaneity — he’s like a midfielder. It seems like Daniele Rugani is made in his image, which is a wonderful thing.
On the Claudio Marchisio goal: If Palermo’s back line hadn’t been so lazy, Gonzalo Higuain would’ve been offsides. Thanks, Palermo!
All in all, I was pretty happy with this performance. It was nice to score more than two goals, and it was bad to concede to Palermo for the first time in six (!!!) years.

Onto the awards.

Sidewalk of Turin Award

For a weak(ish) performance masked by other factors.

It’s time to talk about Marko Pjaca, who has the dubious honor of winning the Sidewalk of Turin Award. For the first 30 or 40 minutes of this game, Pjaca looked pretty stunning. I wrote a number of excited expletives in a recurring attempt to describe how damn good he looked out there on the pitch — that cross was beautiful — how deft he looked with the ball at his feet, how difficult it is for a defender to dispossess him, how he seems to survey the field with such foresight; he looked like a 21-year-old kid who in three years’ time would be a world-beater.

Then, in the second half, his energy tanked faster than the Philadelphia 76ers. When Dybala and Higuain — who were well aware they’d be seeing minutes just five days later in Portugal — were still hustling after the ball with the game well in hand, Pjaca was ambling around lackadaisically. When Max Allegri made those comments about Pjaca’s work rate, I thought it was just a little something extra to light a fire under the Croat — like when he said Miralem Pjanic was a tepid passer. Pjanic doesn’t need help passing, but Allegri was trying to get some fight into him. With these comments, Allegri was just saying exactly what he thought.

I teach high school, and when I really want to make my students feel bad for something, I say, “I’m not mad...I’m just disappointed.” And that was how I felt with Pjaca.

(I am willing to qualify my remarks and say this, though: Maybe in his youthful exuberance to play well and respond to Allegri’s remarks, Pjaca came out with too much energy, i.e. he didn’t pace himself at all. If that’s the case, I’ll give the kid a pass. He’s not started many games and played the full 90 minutes, and it’s a tricky thing to be able to portion out your energy across a full fixture.)

Piazza San Carlo Award

For a potentially overlooked yet stellar showing.

Kwadwo Asamoah has played great football in the last two months, and it’s time he takes home some hardware for this. Against Palermo, his shining moment was a feat of acrobatic brilliance — snatching a volley away from a threatening man in pink. Gigi Buffon wouldn’t have had a chance, and I still have no idea how Asamoah did it.

But he also moved forward well; he’s a little more liberal moving forward than Alex Sandro. He beat some defenders off the dribble. He played balls into the box. I thought he played a really excellent match, and his goal-saving Matrix move saved us from a 1-1 tie at that juncture.

Lingotto Award

For a notable demonstration in both grit and flair.

There are a number of players who could win this. The midfield, collectively, was great, but I think Gonzalo Higuain deserves this award for the flair of his chipped goal — holy goodness was that beautiful — and the intensity with which he pressured the Palermo back line.

I say it again and again, but it’s amazing to me how well Juventus have looked on the defensive side with a formation that’s playing, like, 29 strikers at once. It’s because guys like Mr. No Good and Higuain and Dybala and Pjanic, they’ve all not only agreed to play defense, but they’ve committed themselves to it. Dybala’s second goal of this game happened because Higuain, rather than sitting back and letting Palermo’s backline to collect and distribute at will, pressured them into a mistake, which led to the cheeky pass and nice finish from La Joya. Higuain can score with the best in the world. His speed is underrated. His runs are impeccable.

But — seriously — how many world-class strikers on this planet work as hard as he does on the defensive side of the ball?

Parco Valentino Award

For an urbane demeanor distributed amongst the squad.

I’ve monitored the Dani Alves vs. Stephan Lichtsteiner debate for some time, and think I’ve landed on Team Alves.

(Hey, guys, we should start a Twilight Team Jacob or Team Edward thing, and we can all get t-shirts and fight all the time about it and prepare very thoughtful and articulate arguments about it. It’d be fun!)

Lichtsteiner tries really hard, but when he moves all the way up the right side of the pitch he doesn’t really do anything. Remember when Juan Cuadrado freaked out last week at our wonderful Swiss friend? That’s how I feel sometimes. He’s good, and he’s a rotation player/irregular starter on a team like Juventus for a reason, but on Friday night, even against this competition, I thought Alves showed why he’s the superior player, when healthy of course.

Alves battled for balls in the air again and again; it wasn’t just the physicality, but the anticipation. When Alves has the ball at his feet, he’s more creative. He also happened to lay a perfectly placed free kick at Higuain’s feet. Yes, he has 907 tattoos, and yes he sometimes looks like an Ewok with all the fur shaved off, but he’s the more dynamic player.

Giuseppe Garibaldi Award

For the man of the match.

I can finally give the Garibaldi justly to my tied favorite player — Giorgio Chiellini is the other, if you must know.

A few minutes into the game, Dybala clanged a free kick off the iron.

A few minutes after that, he deposited the ball into the top-right corner of the net, and then acted like every time he touches the ball it should end with that same result. Which, he’s not wrong.

Dybala was a perpetual threat. He scored twice, assisted once, and nearly converted that first free kick. I maintain that as amazing as Higuain is — and I would grant that at the moment he’s our “best” player, i.e. the one performing at the highest level — Dybala is our most talented. He’s got the dexterity to shoot free kicks with near-Pjanic accuracy; his dribbling skills are like Eminem on an open mic; he’s got sneaky strength and isn’t fun to clash with; he’s an attacking midfielder smashed into a right winger smashed into a striker, and he’s 23 years old, and he’s ours. I’m cooking up a longer piece on Dybala, because I’ve got a hell of a lot more to say.

Onto Porto.

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

Socrates · February 19, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Benatia: 'Porto tough for Juventus'

http://www.football-italia.net/98553/benatia-porto-tough-juventus

Feb 18, 2017

Medhi Benatia warns Juventus that “there are no easy games in the Champions League” ahead of the clash with Porto.

The first leg in the Round of 16 kicks off at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT on Wednesday.

“There are no easy games in the Champions League and Porto are accustomed to playing at this level and in this tournament,” noted Benatia on Sky Sport Italia.

“We are well aware it won’t be a simple task. There are strong ambitions for this season and we want to go all the way in the Champions League.

“This is a very important period of the campaign for us and we’re ready for it.”

Benatia had faced Juventus as an opponent last term when Bayern Munich knocked them out in extra time.

“At Bayern we never underestimated Juventus, as this is a side with an important reputation on an international level. I remember full well in the locker room when we found out who we’d got in the draw, nobody was happy.

“Juve had a great game at the Allianz Arena and caused us huge problems, but we did well to react.”

Socrates · February 20, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Juve's biggest test

While the Juventus attacking style has been devastating in Serie A,

Gaby McKay ponders whether it will work in Europe.

http://www.football-italia.net/98578/juves-biggest-test

Feb 19, 2017

Since Max Allegri’s “mad idea” of switching to an uber-attacking 4-2-3-1, Juventus have won all six games. The Bianconeri have scored 11 goals in that time, while conceding just one. Following wins over Milan and Inter, fears over whether the set-up would be imbalanced in the big games have been at least somewhat assuaged. The acid test, however, will come on Wednesday when the Old Lady returns to Champions League action.

It has been widely acknowledged that the physicality and work rate of Mario Mandzukic is crucial to the success of the formation, but Allegri stuck with the approach for Friday’s win over Palermo. The results were mixed, with the Coach admitting that his side didn’t play well in the first half, despite a 4-1 win.

Mandzukic will be available for the trip to the Dragao, and Allegri has said he’ll almost certainly stick with the system in the Champions League. It will be its biggest test so far.

Porto, despite not being as glamorous a name as the likes of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, have a formidable home record in this competition. English champions Leicester City were thrashed 5-0 back in December, with Bayern and Chelsea both defeated at the Dragao last season.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had a difficult start to the season, but have now put together a run of six consecutive wins, leaving them just one point off the summit of the Liga Nos - make no mistake, these are two in-form sides.

The concerns over the 4-2-3-1 have mainly concerned the midfield two, with Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic perhaps not offering the protection that back-four could require. Wednesday’s game will probably be won or lost in the midfield.

If, as expected, Juve stick with the attacking style, it could yield a crucial away goal. However, the Portuguese side are strong in defence, having conceded just 11 League goals all season. If the Bianconeri can’t break them down, that midfield two could be exposed on the counter-attack.

Perhaps the best approach for the Old Lady would be to start with the 4-2-3-1, in the hope of grabbing an early away goal. Given that Porto haven’t lost a home game in 90 minutes since April last year, even a score draw would be an excellent result to take back to Turin.

Adopted frequently during the run to the Final in 2014-15, Allegri can retain the option of switching to a 3-5-2 to lock the game down. On the flip side, the Coach could start with a more cautious 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, then revert to his “mad” formation if the game remains goalless.

What is certain is that the Champions League is not Serie A. At home, Juventus have enough of a gap to afford the odd slip-up. Get it wrong on Wednesday, and there may be no way back.

Socrates · February 20, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Pjanic doubt for Porto-Juventus

http://www.football-italia.net/98592/pjanic-doubt-porto-juventus

Feb 19, 2017

Juventus are expected to miss Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini for the Champions League trip to Porto, but Miralem Pjanic is also in doubt.

The first leg in the Round of 16 tie kicks off on Wednesday at 20.45 CET - 19.45 GMT at the Estadio do Dragao.

Chiellini limped off during last week’s 2-0 win away to Cagliari and is still struggling with a muscular problem, as is fellow defender Barzagli.

It’s increasingly unlikely that either of the two Italy internationals will be passed fit to feature in Portugal.

Either Medhi Benatia or Daniele Rugani must therefore play centre-back with the ever-present Leonardo Bonucci.

The other issue that Max Allegri has to deal with is an inflammation of the left ankle for Pjanic, which is why the ex-Roma star has been used so sparingly in recent weeks.

The Coach already stated he will not change his successful 4-2-3-1 formation and Mario Mandzukic is well-rested after missing the 4-1 victory over Palermo due to suspension on Friday.

Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala are guaranteed a starting spot with Juan Cuadrado likely to take the wing.

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Benatia, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio; Cuadrado, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain

Socrates · February 20, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Report: Miralem Pjanic still fighting off injury

ahead of Juventus’ game against Porto

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/20/14663898/miralem-pjanic-

injury-juventus-porto-2017-champions-league-round-of-16-team-news

Feb 20, 2017

It wouldn’t be an important Juventus game over the last couple of seasons with at least some kind of injury worries, right?

We know about Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli already, with both veteran Italian defenders missing out on Friday night’s 4-1 win over Palermo. They were going to be injury concerns no matter based on the face that they didn’t play over the weekend and no official timetable has been outlined for their return. But the latest injury concern might be a little more glaring — midfielder Miralem Pjanic, who reportedly picked up a knock against Cagliari last weekend that caused him to miss the Palermo game.

Turns out it wasn’t just Max Allegri giving Pjanic some extra rest entering a Champions League game. It’s reportedly a little more than a scheduled night off from the field.

Not exactly what you like to hear before a big game, right?

Nope.

Allegri has made it be known that the 4-2-3-1 formation isn’t going away even with the change from Serie A to Champions League competition. Meaning the formation that has really kicked Pjanic’s season into gear will be around won’t suddenly disappear even if Pjanic isn’t able to give it a go on Wednesday night in Portugal. Depending on what site you read, there’s the statement saying that there’s doubt surrounding Pjanic’s current injury situation or that he could very well be available against Porto. Not that it really helps matters or ease concern about the status of Pjanic’s ankle when you’re hearing different things from different Italian media outlets.

Allegri will be certainly asked about Pjanic when he takes to the mic during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. And when he does, there’s certainly going to be a lot of people eager to hear what he has to say even if it’s a “We’re still evaluating Miralem’s status for tomorrow night. I will see in training.” He’s known to do that once or twice in the past.

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2017: ROUND-OF-16

SCHEDULE, LIVE STREAM, TV INFO, PREDICTIONS

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2693743-champions-league-

2017-round-of-16-schedule-live-stream-tv-info-predictions

Feb 20, 2017

The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 will welcome eight new teams this week as the likes of Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Manchester City and AS Monaco look to boost their chances of a quarter-final spot.

Atleti have made it to the competition's last eight in each of the last four seasons, but they travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday hoping to make progress toward a fifth in the first leg of their clash with the Germans.

Monaco travel to Manchester City on Tuesday in the belief their good form this term can surprise Pep Guardiola's Premier League giants.

The Citizens aren't the only English representatives in action, either, as Premier League champions Leicester City look to down Sevilla in Spain on Wednesday, while Serie A champions Juventus travel to face Porto.

Read on for all the essential viewing information ahead of this week's round-of-16 action, complete with predictions and a preview of the most enticing matches on offer.

2016-17 Champions League Round of 16: Week 2 Schedule
Date	Time	Prediction	TV Info (UK/US)	Live Stream
Tuesday, Feb. 21	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Atletico Madrid	BT Sport 3/ESPN Deportes	BT Sport Player/ESPN Player
Tuesday, Feb. 21	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Manchester City 1-1 AS Monaco	BT Sport 2/Fox Sports 1	BT Sport Player/Fox Soccer 2Go
Wednesday, Feb. 22	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	FC Porto 1-2 Juventus	BT Sport 3/Fox Sports 2	BT Sport Player/Fox Soccer 2Go
Wednesday, Feb. 22	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Sevilla 3-0 Leicester City	BT Sport 2/Fox Sports 1/ESPN Deportes	BT Sport Player/Fox Soccer 2Go/ESPN Player
BBC Sport

Juventus Extinguish Dragons' Flame

Porto finished second in Group G, and their reward was a round-of-16 matchup opposite a Juventus side that's rediscovered its charm under manager Massimiliano Allegri—if it was ever lost—and is unbeaten in Europe this season.

Centre-back Medhi Benatia—on loan from Bayern Munich—isn't expecting an easy trip to Portugal come Wednesday, however, and he told Sky Sports Italia (h/t Football Italia) of the challenge facing the Turin club:

There are no easy games in the Champions League and Porto are accustomed to playing at this level and in this tournament.

We are well aware it won’t be a simple task. There are strong ambitions for this season and we want to go all the way in the Champions League. This is a very important period of the campaign for us and we’re ready for it.

That being said, with the Bianconeri enjoying a six-match winning streak, it's fair to say Juventus enter the Estadio do Dragao as fancied favourites to take a result from the first leg.

The Dragons have scored in every home league fixture this season, however, and the Champions League Twitter account recently noted it's mostly Juventus' home form that's made them terrifying this season:

View image on Twitter

Follow

Champions League

✔@ChampionsLeague

Juventus are 43 home games unbeaten in all competitions since August 2015 (W36 D7). #UCL

10:33 PM - 18 Feb 2017

613 Retweets

1,451 likes

Porto sit second in the Primeira Liga while Juventus currently rule the Serie A roost, meaning this round-of-16 duel could be between two teams who go on to collect their respective domestic crowns this term.

However, Italian titans Juve hold the aces up their sleeve in terms of world-class quality across the pitch, and their form of late suggests Allegri won't allow his side to crumble at this stage.

Prediction: Porto 1-2 Juventus

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

How should Juventus line up in Wednesday’s

Champions League fixture against Porto?

Who should the starting XI be for the first leg in Portugal?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/20/14665408/fc-porto-juventus

-2017-champions-league-round-of-16-leg-1-you-choose-the-starting-lineup

Feb 20, 2017

The Champions League is back, and so is the starting lineup poll. Juventus heads into Portugal to take on Alex Sandro’s former club, FC Porto, in the first leg of the Round of 16 on Wednesday night.

Juventus are coming into the game in sizzling hot form, winning their last 10 games in all competitions, and only scoring less than two goals only one time. Credit must be given to the 4-2-3-1 formation, but it has yet to be tested in Europe, should Wednesday be the debut?

Among the unavailable selections for the starting lineup poll includes Miralem Pjanic, Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini. If their status is unlikely, odds are that they wouldn’t be ready to go right from the start. If you think they should be used as a sub in certain circumstances, there’s a spot for you to mention that. Also, if their status changes, I will update the survey accordingly.

All things considered, who would you like to see start against Porto on Wednesday?

Remember, this is what you would like to see, not what you think Allegri will pick.

Starting Formation


3-5-2/5-3-2	14
4-3-3/4-5-1	18
4-2-3-1	271
4-3-1-2	18
Overig	0

3-5-2/5-3-2	14	4.4%
4-3-3/4-5-1	18	5.6%
4-2-3-1	271	84.4%
4-3-1-2	18	5.6%
Overig	0	0%

Starting Keeper


Gianluigi Buffon	317
Neto	3
Emil Audero	1

Gianluigi Buffon	317	98.8%
Neto	3	0.9%
Emil Audero	1	0.3%

Starting Lineup

Question	Count
D - Daniele Rugani	259
D - Mehdi Benatia	81
D - Leonardo Bonucci	314
D - Stephan Lichtsteiner	132
D/WB - Dani Alves	189
D/M/W -Alex Sandro	310
WB/M - Kwadwo Asamoah	16
M - Sami Khedira	299
M - Stefano Sturaro	22
M - Tomas Rincon	25
M - Claudio Marchisio	310
M - Mario Lemina	8
M - Rolando Mandragora	3
WB/M/W - Juan Cuadrado	298
W/AM/S - Marko Pjaca	21
S/AM - Paulo Dybala	315
S/W - Mario Mandzukic	291
S - Gonzalo Higuain	317

D - Daniele Rugani	259	80.7%
D - Mehdi Benatia	81	25.2%
D - Leonardo Bonucci	314	97.8%
D - Stephan Lichtsteiner	132	41.1%
D/WB - Dani Alves	189	58.9%
D/M/W -Alex Sandro	310	96.6%
WB/M - Kwadwo Asamoah	16	5%
M - Sami Khedira	299	93.1%
M - Stefano Sturaro	22	6.9%
M - Tomas Rincon	25	7.8%
M - Claudio Marchisio	310	96.6%
M - Mario Lemina	8	2.5%
M - Rolando Mandragora	3	0.9%
WB/M/W - Juan Cuadrado	298	92.8%
W/AM/S - Marko Pjaca	21	6.5%
S/AM - Paulo Dybala	315	98.1%
S/W - Mario Mandzukic	291	90.7%
S - Gonzalo Higuain	317	98.8%

Justify an interesting inclusion (optional)

Pjanic

I believe we should start Pjaca instead of Mandzukic, dani coz he got champions league xperience, Marchisio coz morale up there since the last game, alex sandro and pjaca on either flanks to suport the forwards

It works

Pjaca could involve himself more with a right sided start, he has the option to change places with dybala and higuain better than cuadro, while licht should go defensive to counter porto attack which should leave sandro to terrorize the left channel making mandzu more central And in the absence of the regular defensive chiellini, i'd like to see licht more defensive to shore up numbers

Pjaca

4-2-3-1 all the way to Cardiff

obvious :-)

I'm torn between Alves and Lichtsteiner, but if Pjanic is unavailable, a little bit of flair from Alves would be appreciated.

Pjanic for Khedera

It works

where is Pjanic?

Rugani as CB along with Bonucci, because even if he is not as experienced as Benatia he has proved himself as a reliable back that can handle tough key games like the one we have now against Porto.

Not necessarily 'interesting' but I wanna see the Khedira-Marchisio double pivot.

Sometimes I wonder, with Mandzukic and Cuadrado, is it really 4-2-3-1? Or is it more of a 4-4-1-1...

Pjanic is fine: he'll play

Pjanic for Khedira if included

Pjaca's time to shine

I hear dybala is pretty good

It is a 3-4-1-2. I am going for this because Porto play a 4-4-2 diamond. So by going with 3 centre-backs, Juventus will have 3v2 superiority, so it would be easier to play out from the back. I am going for Cuadrado over Lichtsteiner/Alves at RWB as he is in top form and got enough rest in the weekend. This can also help us shift to a back four if necessary, by pushing Cuadrado into attack. Front 3 of Dybala, Higuain, Mandzukic. The 3 can form a front 3 or also Dybala as CAM, other 2 playing strikers. So flexibility in attack as well as Mandzukic to track back and help Alex Sandro on the left.

Suspend Leo

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Rui Barros: ’50-50 in Porto-Juventus’

http://www.football-italia.net/98639/rui-barros-’50-50-porto-juventus’

Feb 20, 2017

Porto assistant manager Rui Barros believes “our chances of going through are 50-50” against Juventus.

The Portuguese side welcome the Bianconeri to the Dragao on Wednesday for the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie, and the former Juve midfielder spoke to Corriere della Sera.

“Our goal is to go as far as possible and our chances of going through are 50-50,” Barros, who won the UEFA Cup with the Old Lady, said.

“We already have experience at this level, now all that counts is the pitch and there are no favourites. It will be an intense game which we’ll face with great responsibility.

“We’ll fight with our weapons, which aren’t lacking.

“The Old Lady is back, I know that, they’re a fantastic team and are living up to their great history.

“Their weaknesses? Quite honestly there aren’t many. We’ve thoroughly studied them for the last two months, they’re complete with 20 strong players.

“What’s important for us on Wednesday is to win, and if possible to do it without conceding a goal. We know it will be tough, but it’s not mission impossible.

“We believe, we’ll fight on par with them and we’ll do everything to go through.

“Our strength is global, not one or two players. That’s what makes a really great team.”

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Bonucci: ‘Juventus have to be great’

http://www.football-italia.net/98663/bonucci-‘juventus-have-be-great’

Feb 20, 2017

Leonardo Bonucci warns “it’ll take a great Juventus” to beat Porto, who “have nothing to lose”.

The Bianconeri face the Portuguese side at the Dragao on Wednesday, in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie.

“Maybe Porto aren’t a big team when compared to some others who finished second in the group, but there’s utmost respect from our side,” Bonucci told UEFA’s official website.

“They went through a difficult period earlier in the season but they’ve overcome it. We’ll face a team which can rely on interesting youngsters and who will take the field against us with the attitude that they have nothing to lose.

“For that reason, it will take a truly great Juve to continue our European journey.”

Coach Max Allegri has switched to an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation recently, how is he preparing the team for this match?

“Allegri is a Coach who likes to talk, and he has a way of bringing out the best in each player through dialogue.

“In certain moments though, he knows how to unleash that hunger, that anger and mental intensity which he’s repeatedly proved he has.

“His way of understanding football is very clever, because he knows how to read the qualities of a squad and, as we’ve seen this year, work out the best way to put those qualities on the pitch.

“Now we’ve found this formation which enhances our capabilities and allows us to play a more European style. The Coach deserves credit for finding this formula.

The match is being billed a battle of the goalkeepers, as Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon face off for the 17th time.

“They’re two great legends of world football,” Bonucci acknowledged.

“I don’t know Casillas personally, but I know Gigi and there’s only one of him. There will only ever be one Gianluigi Buffon, forever.

“In these 20 years of his career, Gigi has shown himself to be unique, and those who come after him shouldn’t try to emulate him, but be themselves, because Buffon was and is the best goalkeeper in the history of football.

“Whoever comes after Buffon and Casillas will need to be reliable and grow over time, but above all he must be himself, because it’s impossible to emulate two legends.”

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Profiling Juventus’ next Champions League opponent, FC Porto

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/2/20/14661914/juventus-fc-

porto-opposition-profile-2017-champions-league-tactics-formation

Feb 20, 2017

Juventus is set to travel to Estádio do Dragão to face FC Porto in the Champions League Round 16 on Wednesday night. Here I profile this Portuguese heavyweight and analyze their strengths and weaknesses and how these factors will impact this tie.

Lineups and Formations

Porto's structure is hard to characterize because the shape of the team changes considerably with different players, notably in the midfield and in the forward lines. However, their defense lineup is quite constant. The great Iker Casillas starts as the keeper. In front of him is a four-man backline. From right to left are Maxi Pereira, Felipe, Ivan Marcano and Alex Telles. In the midfield, Danilo Pereira is the defensive midfielder. He is almost always partners with Hector Herrera, who is the captain and often plays on the right side. Oliver Torres occupies the left side and is an attacking midfield in nature. Jesus Corona plays behind striker duo of Andre Silva and Francisco Soares (also known as Tiquinho).

The 4-3-1-2 is only one of the several lineups Porto uses. For example, Spanish loanee Diogo Jota will sometimes play in place of one of the two strikers. In that case, Porto will play with a 4-3-3 with Diogo and Corona occupy the left and right winger position, respectively. In another instance, Yacine Brahimi will replace Oliver Torres, and another central midfielder, Andre Andre, will replace Corona. In such scenario, Porto will shift to 4-4-2, with Brahimi and Herrera playing the left and right midfielder positions. But no matter what players are deployed, Porto almost always defends with Danilo positioning in front of the defenders to protect the four men backlines.

Tactics

Pressing

Coached by the former keeper Nuno Espírito Santo, Porto plays a brand of football that is very different from most Serie A teams. Most Italian teams play passive zonal defense, where the major responsibility of a defender is to defend his assigned zone. Aggressive tackling is minimized to maintain the defensive shape. One notable exception is Gian Piero Gasperini, currently at Atalanta. His teams play a more aggressive man-oriented zonal defense where a defender will aggressively tackle the ball handler when the he enters his zone.

Porto, in this regard, is extremely aggressive. They attack the ball handler immediately and intensively. Porto often presses very high to prevent the opponents from building up their offensive phase from the back:

Their forwards and midfielders other than Danilo will close down the opponents very quickly to force them to release the ball. To maintain a high-pressure environment, Porto's players will crowd the opponent's space in their half:

Because they press so quickly and limit a lot of the shorter passing lanes for the opponents, the opponent will often have to send the aimless long balls forward. Such pressing prevents opponents from entering the offensive phase easily.

In the case where the opponent can advance the ball across the midline, Porto will focus their pressing in the midfield. The key setup is still the same, where a crowd of midfielders and forwards will limit space and passing range and allow any player close to the ball handler to close down and attack the ball immediately.

The important player here is Danilo. He rarely participates in the aggressively attacking on the ball handlers. He is like a sweeper of their midfield and cleans up any ball that got past the pressers. Bypassing him will expose Port's defense line.

The offensive phase

The offensive plan for Porto is simple: With their intense pressing, Porto is often able to generate a lot of defensive-to-offensive in transition. Once retrieved the ball, they will immediately send the ball up field. The key player is Corona. The 1 v. 1 scenario with him in the open space is very dangerous because he can use both legs equally well. His favorite move is to start on the right and cut inside to pass or to shoot with the left leg:

Porto often tries to pass the ball directly to their strikers/attacking midfielders without the build-up from the midfield:

This strategy is essential for them to maintain the speed of their offensive phase. Both Silva and Soares are dangerous because they are very physical and possess decent techniques. With so much space — often happens because Porto lives on the transitions and counter attacks — they often generate many problems for the opponents. And when both Silva and Soares play together, they eliminate the numerical advantages of the opponent's two center backs (as opposed to the common tactic where only one striker is used). This scenario can often lead to a loose ball not cleared immediately because either Soares and Silva will go to attack the ball.

Another strategy Porto uses often is counter-pressing. They will often send seemingly aimless long ball up from their defenders. One of the strikers will go for the long ball or pressure the opponent's player from passing to the teammates. Multiple Porto players will usually position close to the ball and retrieve it immediately:

To summarize, Porto's tactic is simple: Chaos. The goal for them is to prevent opponents from the transition between the defensive and offensive phase. When a team is not able to transition between phases, it results in a lot of chaotic situations, and Porto aims to take full advantage of this situation. Therefore, speed and aggressive pressing are key factors for Porto to succeed.

Key players

There is no need to introduce Casillas. He looks to be in pretty good shape from the few games I saw. But he is also under little pressures in these games.

The left back Telles has a great left foot. He is responsible for taking a lot of free kicks and corners. He is not exceptionally fast, but he is skillful. The combination of his techniques and passing range make him a dangerous threat when he overlaps on the left flank.

Danilo is one of the most important players in this Porto team. He is tall, exceptionally strong and physical. He is always in front of the defenders. His passing range is also impressive.

This attribute is critical for Porto because the two Porto's center backs have terrible passing abilities. Danilo is critical for Porto to build up from the back.

Luciano Moggi once suggested that Juventus should replace Paul Pogba with Herrera and "nobody could tell the difference." Most people will not agree with that statement, but nevertheless, Herrera is a world class player. He is the No. 8 who regularly runs up and down. He has very good passing range and techniques and can use both legs equally well. He is their Claudio Marchisio (a few years ago version). His constant running and technique are something Juventus has to watch out. He is often available to link up with Corona or the two strikers when Porto has to penetrate opponent's defense. Moreover, because he always sees and gets into dangerous positions in the field, he can drag the defenders with him and open up space for his teammates.

Herrera's Mexican teammate, Corona, is their most creative player. He is quick and can dribble very well. Even when starting behind two strikers, he mostly stays on the right side. Because he can use both legs, it's hard for defenders to anticipate his move. He can either go to the by line or cut inside. In either case, he often looks to cross instead of shoot. He, Herrera and Danilo are the most important players for Porto.

Soares has just recently joined Porto but he has already forced into the starting lineup. He and Silva are both typical No. 9 type of striker. They are physical and like to play with their back against the defender. Both players have good techniques, but neither of them is creative. Silva is more technical, but less clinical regarding finishing chances. Soares is the opposite. Porto likes to play both strikers together which is a very rare tactic these days. When playing together, their physicality can hurt opponents' defense.

How Juventus should play against Porto

One of the Porto's major weapons is its pressing and aggressive tackling, Juventus must either resist it or avoid it.

To directly counter resist such pressing, a team would need to protect the ball, often dribble past the presser and positional play. Although Miralem Pjanic, Claudio Marchisio, Sami Khedira, Dani Alves and Alex Sandro are good with the ball, not all of Juventus center backs are exceptional in these areas. Juve’s best dribbling center back, Giorgio Chiellini, is most likely to miss out this tie, while Leonardo Bonucci has been quite careless with the ball since his return from the injury. (Or this season really — remember the Genoa's game?) Trying to play through these presses by exchanging short passes with the center backs are most likely a suicide.

The better option is to avoid it. One way to do that is to use width with long passes. Therefore, it will be critical to play with Dani Alves instead of Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right side. He, Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro can send cross-field passes to each other. Porto almost always defend in extremely compact shape (to increased number of player in the tackling area), and they are very vulnerable to the ball opposite flanks:

Efficient spreading the ball between the flanks is only important to avoid Porto's pressing but also to unlock Porto's defense. It is because of both Porto's center backs, especially Marcano, is not reliable against physical strikers nor handles crosses:

(None of the Porto's defenders even try to jump at all)

Sending crosses from the two flanks to either Mario Mandzukic or Gonzalo Higuain is very likely to yield a positive outcome. None of the four Porto's defenders has the physical attributes to counter them.

One thing to avoid for Juventus is trying too hard to penetrate through the central area by positional play or short passing between Dani Alves and Paulo Dybala. This is not to say that they are not good enough. But I think we have seen enough of those plays that result in the loose balls against Cagliari or Palermo. Those loose balls can become poison in the hands of this Porto's team.

If Porto does carry out its high pressing — they may not since they do not want to lose a goal at home, and they may play with less risk — Dybala will need to drop deeper to try to collect the ball or offer passing lanes for the defenders. Porto will press at most with five players (other than Danilo). Therefore, Juventus will need Dybala to balance the numerical disadvantage of double pivots and two center backs. The two full backs must be alert so that one full back can move up while the other will stay deeper to help with ball progression. The balance between width utilization and ball progression from the back will be essential to destroy Porto's pressing.

Moreover, it is important for Juventus to be able to hold a high press against Porto. Porto does not have very physical players other than Danilo and the two strikers. If Juventus can keep the game speed slow and turn it into a physical battle, they should have no problem getting past Porto.

Conclusion

Porto is a dangerous opponent and should not be under-estimated. However, they are also a side with a lot of flaws. Juventus needs to control the tempo of this game. Allowing them to run riot is in no doubt a suicide. If Juventus can play it slow, physical and grind it out, they should be able to advance to the quarterfinal.

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Alex Sandro: ‘Porto not easy’

http://www.football-italia.net/98665/alex-sandro-‘porto-not-easy’

Feb 20, 2017

Juventus left-back Alex Sandro warns Wednesday’s trip to Porto won’t be easy because “they keep fighting until the very end”.

The Bianconeri face the Brazilian defender’s old side in the Champions League Last 16, with the first leg at Estadio Dragao this week.

“If there is one thing to know about Porto, it is that they keep fighting until the very end,” Alex Sandro told JTV.

“They never give you an easy game, especially at the Estadio do Dragao. This is a side with excellent individuals who never give up.

“I still have lots of friends out there and I honestly hope they win the Portuguese title this season. I learnt how to adapt my Brazilian style and play the game the European way with Porto.

“It'll be a real pleasure going back and seeing some familiar faces but once the first whistle blows, my focus will be entirely on earning a crucially important win for Juventus.

“We've been training hard to be ready for Wednesday night. Both myself and this team go into every match and every competition with the belief that we can win.”

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

PORTO VS. JUVENTUS: TEAM NEWS, PREVIEW

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2694040-porto-vs-juventus

-team-news-preview-live-stream-tv-info-for-ucl-match

Feb 20, 2017

Juventus will travel to FC Porto on Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie, as the Serie A giants look to continue their fine run.

The Italians have won seven straight matches in all competitions, while Porto have won their last six and are expected to be a real challenge to the Old Lady's European ambitions.

Team News

Porto's upturn in form has coincided with the end of their injury wave. Entering Wednesday's clash, manager Nuno Espirito Santo has a full squad to work with.

Juventus defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini both missed the 4-1 win over Palermo and remain doubts for Wednesday, per Calciomercato.com. Miralem Pjanic should be back to full health, however.

Possible Porto XI: Iker Casillas, Alex Telles, Marcano, Felipe, Maxi Pereira, Oliver Torres, Danilo Pereira, Hector Herrera, Jesus Corona, Andre Silva, Soares

Possible Juventus XI: Gianluigi Buffon, Alex Sandro, Leonardo Bonucci, Medhi Benatia, Dani Alves, Sami Khedira, Miralem Pjanic, Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado, Gonzalo Higuain

Preview

Porto and Juventus will enter Wednesday's match with the top defences in the Portuguese and Italian leagues, respectively, and given their form, the first leg should be a tight affair.

Juventus are the favourites, but manager Massimiliano Allegri and his players have spent the week talking up their opponents. Per the Old Lady's official Twitter account, Medhi Benatia did his part:

Juventus' defensive injuries are an issue―Benatia is likely to partner Leonardo Bonucci in the heart of the back line, although Daniele Rugani could also be an option.

The absence of Barzagli and Chiellini all but assures Juventus come out in the 4-2-3-1 formation that has worked so well of late, with Paulo Dybala pulling the strings in midfield and Mario Mandzukic working from the wing.

In front of them, Gonzalo Higuain is in the form of his life, scoring four goals in his last three matches. Per Bleacher Report UK, he's having quite the season:

Follow

Bleacher Report UK

✔@br_uk

Gonzalo Higuain:

Two goals on Sunday

12 goals in his last 12 games

21 goals this season

9:59 AM - 14 Feb 2017

119 Retweets

219 likes

Things won't be easy in Portugal, however. Porto are as tactically versatile as Juventus, and it's anyone's guess which―fluid―formation they'll use on Wednesday. In Andre Silva, they have a stud striker of their own, although he has cooled off a bit after a scorching start to the season.

Set pieces could prove the difference―the Bianconeri have struggled defending corners this season, an issue that will only be enhanced if Chiellini misses out. Likewise, Iker Casillas isn't always reliable on corner kicks, and the Bianconeri have several dead-ball specialists.

Juventus' attack was splendid at the weekend, but expect both teams to be cautious during the first leg of this tie. With two class defences, a scoreless draw seems very likely.

Prediction: FC Porto 0-0 Juventus

Socrates · February 21, 2017

PORTO - JUVENTUS

-

Round of 16 - First leg

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 - 8:45 p.m.
Estádio do Dragão, Porto
Referee: Felix Brych (Germania)

Lippi: ‘Juventus can win CL’

http://www.football-italia.net/98669/lippi-‘juventus-can-win-cl’

Feb 21, 2017

Marcello Lippi sees Juventus as among the favourites for the Champions League - “the team has definitely grown”.

The Bianconeri face Porto in the first leg of their Last 16 tie tomorrow, and the last man to lift the trophy for the Turin side believes they can go all the way.

“Is heresy to say that Juve are among the favourites? No,” Lippi said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.  “It would be wrong to say that since they reached the final in 2015 and they’re stronger now, that means they’ll win. That’s a forced equation. There are important signs though.

“They have the one big thing which I insist on: self-esteem and the belief that you can play big games with big teams.

“Juve have already taken this path: Borussia [Dortmund], Real Madrid, with Bayern they came back by a miracle last year, the same with Barcelona who, if things had taken a different turn, could have lost that final.

“Then there’s another important detail: the favourites are no longer ‘impossible’ like before. Barça are risking elimination, Bayern swept Arsenal aside but that’s not a decisive test…

“Porto are a very good team, well-Coached by Nuno [Esprito Santo]. They have a good attitude and solidity.

“That said, there’s no doubt a concentrated and attentive Juve, aiming to establish themselves this season, will prevail. Starting with the away leg.

“Aside from maybe Madrid and Barcelona, home advantage counts for less than it once did. And Juve certainly don’t suffer away from home.”

Massimiliano Allegri has adopted a 4-2-3-1 shape recently, and Lippi praised the Coach for his innovation.

“Allegri is acting with a lot of intelligence, which not all Coaches do. Some think they have to immediately make their mark on a team by changing formations, systems and the status quo. So actually they weaken them.

“Allegri came to the 4-2-3-1 at the right time, at first it didn’t make sense to abandon the 3-5-2.

“Juve have an a striker who scores in every game [Gonzalo Higuain], [Paulo] Dybala who reminds me of [Omar] Sivori and [Mario] Mandzukic is enhanced in his new role.

“Then there’s [Gianluigi] Buffon, the defence, and [Claudio] Marchisio who are always certainties.

“The formation has held up well against strong teams like Inter, I don’t think Allegri will completely abandon it with Porto. The front-four will be there, maybe with an extra midfielder.

“Is the attack like mine, with Vialli-Del Piero-Ravanelli? There are a lot of similarities, above all in attitude, mentality.

“There’s one major difference though: mine had three great strikers but also three real midfielders in [Didier] Deschamps, [Antonio] Conte and [Paulo] Sousa, who today are a CT, a winning Coach and an emerging one."

Accedi

JUVENTUS SEASON 2016-2017

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