Italians in the UK: The Weekend Performances

In our weekly feature, here on Italian Football Daily, we take a look at the performances of Italians currently based in the top two divisions in England.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Claudio Ranieri (Manager – Leicester City)

Leicester City and Claudio Ranieri continue to lead the Premier League after a last gasp 1-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday.

Just when it looked like their title challenge was about to suffer a further setback after their 2-1 defeat at Arsenal in their last fixture, Leicester snatched victory from the jaws of despair with a last minute Leonardo Ulloa goal against Norwich.

Despite dominating much of the game, Leicester found it hard to break down a resilient and organised Norwich defence, and with only 20 minutes of the game remaining, Ranieri gambled by taking off N’Golo Kante, his holding midfielder, as his team looked to secure the win. The move paid off and, as they say, fortune favours the brave in title races.

After the game, Ranieri spoke to the media, indicating that:-

“It was a difficult match. Norwich played well and closed the space, but we believed until the end. This victory was very important to restart after the Arsenal defeat.

“I said before the Arsenal match that Norwich would be more difficult. Both teams could have scored a goal in the final 20 minutes.

“The conclusion I have drawn from this is that my players believe until the end. That, for me, is very important. If the other teams start to win, they can win all the matches. But for us, the next match is always the final match. That is our mentality.”

Leicester continue to head the Premier League by two points coming into a crucial week of games where they face West Bromwich Albion and Watford in a space of four days; although they should win both games on current form. If they’re still top at the start of next week, whisper it quietly, Ranieri might be the Champion of England.

Matteo Darmian (Manchester United)

Darmian missed Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Arsenal on Sunday due to a dislocated shoulder injury. In his absence, United fared well and the performance of young right-back Guillermo Varela means that Darmian might struggle to regain his place.

Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United)

Angelo Ogbonna played the full 90 minutes as West Ham United Sunderland 1-0 on Saturday lunchtime.

Ogbonna once again put in an impressive performance, dealing easily with the threat posed by the Sunderland attack, as he looks to persuade Antonio Conte that he should be a member of the Azzurri squad that travels to the European Championships in France.

Graziano Pelle (Southampton)

Graziano Pelle was a 69^th minute substitute as Southampton’s push for a Europa League spot was interrupted by a 2-1 home defeat against Chelsea. Pelle replaced Southampton’s goal-scorer, Shane Long, with the Saints 1-0 up, but was unable to help his side close out victory as the incessant Chelsea pressure eventually told, as 75^th and 89^th minute strikes from Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic saw Chelsea take the points.

Francesco Guidolin (Manager) & Alberto Paloschi (Swansea City)

Francesco Guidolin’s Swansea City travelled to White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon, hoping to take advantage of Tottenham Hotspur’s tiredness following their efforts against Fiorentina in the Europa League in midweek.

Former Chievo striker, Paloschi, was a key influence in the majority of Swansea’s attacks, almost turning provider early in the first-half as his cut-back to Gylfi Sigurdsson was turned over expertly by Hugo Lloris. Paloschi made no mistake when presented with the chance a few minutes later, seizing on a deflected shot to fire past the Spurs’ ‘keeper.

Despite further effort from Paloschi, who lead the attack well, Swansea were unable to capitalise on their deserved lead, and Spurs’ pressure told as they recovered to win the game 2-1.

Fabio Borini & Vito Mannone (Sunderland)

Sunderland lost further ground in their relegation battle with a 1-0 defeat to West Ham United on Saturday lunchtime.

Whilst Mannone may have been able to reach Michel Antonio’s curling shot, there was little doubt that his abundance of saves kept the scoreline respectable for the Black Cats. Mannone made a catalogue of outstanding saves, many of which had the West Ham players gobsmacked. Alas for Mannone and Sunderland, it was insufficient as Sunderland lacked the cutting edge to find the net to equalise.

Despite their failure to score, Fabio Borini was left on the substitutes’ bench by Sam Allardyce, somewhat surprisingly given his recent form and his influence on Sunderland’s last game against Manchester United.

ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP

Fernando Forestieri (Sheffield Wednesday)

Sheffield Wednesday remain just inside the play-off places after a 0-0 draw away at high-flying Hull City on Friday evening.

The evening was one to forget for Fernando Forestieri who as sent off the second match in succession, after picking up two yellow cards. The second yellow card was for diving, although the challenge which he avoided would have broken his leg if evasive action was not taken. The challenge was that bad that the Hull defender, Michael Dawson, had his hands in the air apologising to the referee after he made it. He too was surprised when Forestieri earned a booking for it. Despite his sending-off, Forestieri’s team-mates held on for a draw to maintain their promotion.

Diego Fabbrini (Birmingham City)

Diego Fabbrini made his first start for Birmingham City in their 2-0 defeat at QPR on Saturday afternoon, following his move from Middlesbrough at the end of the transfer window. Fabbrini played 69 minutes, but struggled to impress in the time he was on the pitch, as he was well handled by fellow Italian, Gabriele Angella.

Marco Antenucci, Giuseppe Bellusci and Marco Silvestri (Leeds United)

Leeds United travelled to Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday evening, hoping for a win to steer themselves clear of the slight threat of relegation that still hangs in the shadows. Leeds are only six places above the relegation zone, and their current form has seen them pick up only 3 points in their last 5 games.

Despite this relegation threat, the team failed to show up, and were 4-0 down at half-time. Brighton failed to add to their four goals after the break, but the damage was already done. It was no surprise that the result was met with further demands from the Leeds fans for the owner, Massimo Cellino, to sell the club immediately.

Of the Italians only Silvestri made the starting line-up. He had an indifferent game making several saves in the first-half, but was at fault for Brighton’s third goal. Antenucci was an unused substitute, whilst Bellusci did not make the match-day squad.

Gabriele Angella (Queens Park Rangers)

Gabriele Angella played a key role in Queens Park Rangers’ 2-0 home victory over Birmingham City on Saturday. Angella coped easily with the threat posed by fellow Italian, Diego Fabbrini, and could also have found himself on the score-sheet but for a fine save by the Birmingham goalkeeper, Tomas Kuszczak.

Federico Macheda (Cardiff City)

Federico Macheda was an unused substitute in Cardiff City’s 2-1 victory over Preston North End on Saturday.

Michael Agazzi (Middlesbrough)

Michael Agazzi once again failed to make the match-day squad for Middlesbrough’s 2-0 victory away at Fulham.

 

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Napoli Ratings v Fiorentina

Following their 1-1 draw against Fiorentina, here’s how we rated the performances of the Napoli players:

Pepe Reina (6.5)

Little chance with Alonso’s header for the first goal. Swept up well behind his defence, allowing them to press onto Valero and Fernandez sitting just behind Kalinic. Had no saves to make him the second-half despite Fiorentina dominating possession.

Faouzi Ghoulam (6)

Had a torrid time against Cristian Tello, and was turned inside out by him on numerous occasions in the first-half. Improved as the game went on, and provided an attacking threat in the second-half in support of Insigne.

Raul Albiol (6.5)

Had a difficult time against Kalinic, but survived unscathed despite giving away numerous fouls at the start of the second-half. Made some good clearances in the second-half.

Kalidou Koulibaly (7.5)

Lucky not to be penalised by Kalinic when giving the ball away just after half-time; the Croat hitting the bar when one-on one with Reina. Made some excellent last-ditch clearances in the last ten minutes as Fiorentina pressed for a winner.

Elseid Hysaj (6)

Faced a constant threat down his side from Marcos Alonso, and was out-jumped by the Spaniard for Fiorentina’s first goal. Like Ghoulam, improved as the game went on, and linked well with Mertens when he came on.

Allan Loureiro (5.5)

Valiantly attempted to drive Napoli forward as well as shielding his back-four in the first-half, but not the usual accomplished performance one expects. Subdued in the second-half, and it was no surprise to see Lopez replace him.

Marek Hamsik (5.5)

Had little impact on the match, offering little support to his midfield colleagues or Higuain.

Jorginho (6.5)

Neat and tidy as usual, and always available to his team-mates. Struggled a bit with the movement from Valero and Fernandez, particularly when Vecino overloaded the midfield by stepping forward. Grew into the game in the second-half, and hit some excellent long-range passes.

Lorenzo Insigne (6)

A couple of glimpses of Insigne’s brilliance, but not his usual creative threat due to being starved of the ball for much of the game. Did well to support his full-back in the second-half, running the full length of the pitch to track Tello when Ghoulam was caught upfield.

Jose Callejon (5.5)

Failed to support Hysaj behind him when he was overloaded by Alonso and Valero, and offered little going forward in the first-half due to limited supply. Should have scored when one-on-one with Tatarasanu on 57 minutes. No surprise he was replaced by Mertens with 15 minutes left.

Gonzalo Higuain (7)

Took his goal extremely well, converting Alonso’s poor clearance without a second thought. A constant threat to Rodriguez and Astori, giving them little peace in the first-half. Almost got the winner, but had a late effort correctly ruled out for offside. Cut a frustrated figure at times due to the lack of service, and extremely displeased to be substituted. Where would Napoli be without him?

SUBSTITUTES:

David Lopez (6.5) (replaced Allan on 62 minutes)

Lopez strived to drive Napoli forwarded when he came on, and provided some incisive passes.

Dries Mertens (6) (replaced Callejon on 77 minutes)

Mertens had little time to make an impact, but provided several good balls into the box from the right-side. Linked well with Hysaj when he came on.

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Fiorentina ratings v Napoli

Following their 1-1 draw against Napoli, here’s how we rated the performances of the Fiorentina players:

Ciprian Tatarasanu (7.5)

The Fiorentina ‘keeper was partly at fault for Higuain’s goal, leaving his goal unattended when chasing the long ball from Koulibaly. However, redeemed himself with an amazing double-save from Callejon and Higuain on 57 minutes, and then at close range from Insigne in injury time.

Facundo Roncaglia (7)

In contrast to Alonso, the right-back was reluctant to get forward. But dealt with the potential threat from Insigne well.

Gonzalo Rodriguez (7)

The Viola captain dealt with the Higuain threat well, but could do little to prevent his compatriot’s goal. A sloppy pass on 57 minutes needed a double-save from Tatarasanu to redeem him.

Davide Astori (8)

Astori has been excellent all season, and once again put in an accomplished performance handling Higuain well alongside Rodriguez. Never looked in trouble throughout the whole game, and put in one outstanding saving challenge on 74 minutes when Callejon was running through.

Marcos Alonso (7)

Great header for the opening goal, but culpable for Higuain’s equaliser one minute later failing to clear the ball. A constant threat down the left-hand side. Hysaj will be glad the game is over now.

Milan Badelj (6.5)

Shielded the back four well, and always available to receive the ball from his team-mates. Almost got on the score-sheet just before half-time, but his left-footed shot flashed wide of the post.

Borja Valero (8)

Mr Dependable once again led the Fiorentina creative threat, and no surprise that Fiorentina opened the scoring from his corner. Controlled the game and a constant threat with his movement and incisive passing. Calmness personified when in possession, even in the frantic last ten minutes.

Matias Vecino (7)

As usual, neat and tidy in midfield. Always available to his centre-halves and full-backs to relieve the pressure. Some great long-range passes out to Tello on the right-hand side, and once again put in an accomplished performance.

Mati Fernandez (6.5)

Always involved in the first quarter, took responsibility and sought out possession constantly, linking well with Tello. Less influential as the first-half went on, mainly due to pressure from Jorginho and Allan. Delivered some excellent set-pieces too, and had Reina at full-stretch on 65 minutes when sending a curling shot just wide of his far post.

Nikola Kalinic (7)

Led the line well, and his movement when dropping deep caused Albiol many problems, particularly at the start of the second-half. Also relieved the pressure on his defence well at times, carrying the ball forward on several occasions. He should have converted his one-on-one with Reina on 32 minutes rather than hitting the crossbar.

Cristian Tello (7)

Extremely bright start, almost creating a chance for Kalinic in the first minute. Had the beating of Ghoulam in the first half. Unlucky not to record his first goal, hitting the bar after turning Ghoulam inside out. Less influential as the second-half progressed, but remained a threat.

SUBSTITUTES:

Federico Bernardeschi (replaced Mati Fernandez on 70 minutes) (6.5)

Surprisingly benched by Sousa, and struggled to pick up the pace of the game when he came on, but provided a couple of glimpses of his potential including one mazy dribble.

Josep Ilicic (replaced Badelj on 90 minutes) (N/A)

No time to make an impact or receive a rating.

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Mauri: “We played beneath our potential”

Lazio fail to build upon their Europa League momentum, falling to Sassuolo in Rome.

The string of disappointing league results continued today for Lazio. The capital club was riding high following a 3-1 victory against Galatasaray but were the lesser team this evening. Brazilian defender Mauricio was repeatedly burned by the Sassuolo attack and conceded a clear penalty on a terrible tackle.

Following the game former Lazio captain Stefano Mauri spoke to Sky about the game.

“We played beneath our potential. The field did not help us in the first half, they defended well and countered. The episode of the penalty changed the game. We are too up and down, we alternate games in which we are quick and others in which we are unable to create any chances. Our team, however, has great potential and can play with anyone. But we have to play with a good rhythm and to help one another. League play is more difficult, you face closed defenses which gives us difficulty.”

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Serie B Week 28 Round-up

There is no rest for the wicked as week 28 of the Serie B season quickly gives into week 29. Before the midweek fixtures are played however we best first look back over what happened in an exciting weekend round of matches.

The round started off on Friday evening when Novara and Pro Vercelli went head to head in the Derby at the Stadio Silvio Piola. In the end it would be the opening five minutes where we would see most of the important action.

It was the visitors Vercelli who would take the lead with only three minutes on the clock. Manuel Scavone with a first time thunderbolt from the edge of the area after a perfect cut back from the right hand end line.

Sadly, for the travelling supporters they did not have long to celebrate their derby lead as only two minutes later Novara were back on level terms through Simone Corazza. A perfectly placed cross from the right towards the back post met the diving head of Corazza who made no mistake in putting it past Riccardo Melgrati.

Unfortunately, that would be the end of the scoring but not however the end of the chances as both sides would continue to go close. Although Novara will probably be the ones who feel they could have done more with the opportunities they got. In the end though the spoils remain even at the end of the particular derby.

Later that night table toppers Cagliari visited the Manuzzi to face Cesena. Nobody expected this to be an easy encounter for the Rossoblu but a few perhaps were surprised in how hard it actually turned out to be.

Embed from Getty Images

So difficult in fact that the Sardinians fell to what was only there fifth defeat of the season so far. The hosts took the lead just before the hour mark when a cross from the left was bundled home from barely a yard out by Stefano Sensi.

Not long after that things got even worse for Cagliari when Nicola Murru was given a second yellow for a stray elbow. There poor evening was then compounded 11 minutes from time when Milan Djuric, a man linked with Wolfsburg in recent days, got his head on another cross from the left to head into the bottom corner.

An excellent win for Cesena that moves them up to fourth, a surprise defeat for Cagliari but one that is likely not to have too many repercussions in their promotion hunt.

Onto Saturday’s action and Crotone who were looking to claw themselves back to within two points of Cagliari at the top. There opponents were a struggling Vicenza side at the Ezio Scida.

The opening 35 minutes or so were pot marked with chances and half chances for both sides before Federico Ricci opened the scoring on 38 minutes for the Squali. And what a goal it was by the young Roman native as he ran at the heart of the Vicenza defence and then let fly from the edge of the area sending a rasper into the top right hand corner.

From there you may have expected the leagues seconded place side to go on and kill off their lowly placed opponents. But it would not be until three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the match that the made the points secure. Ante Budimir winning and taking a penalty to give the Calabrian’s a 2-0 win and move them ten points clear of third place Pescara.

That is because the Delfini slipped up at the Adriatico against another of the leagues lower sides in the shape of Ascoli. It was indeed the Picchio who took the lead on ten minutes, Jakub Jankto eventually benefitting from a horrible clearance by Vincenzo Fiorillo to volley into the left hand corner.

Pescara would hit back but not until just past the hour mark, the league’s top scorer Gianluca Lapadula showing his quality to head home a corner from the right. Five minutes later the Delfini were in front, Pierluigi Cappelluzzo with the finish albeit with the help of a massive deflection.

Things were now looking good for Pescara but Ascoli were unwilling to go quietly and only three minutes after going behind they were back level. Luigi Giorgi with a fine volley from the edge of the area, although once again Fiorillo must be highlighted this time for a poor punched clearance.

That would be the end of the scoring but not the drama as Ascoli would finish with only ten men. While even after the final whistle the players got to know each other a bit better if you know what I mean.

Elsewhere around the division, Como’s great escape looks to have petered out as they fell 2-1 to Brescia at the Rigamonti, Leonardo Morosini with both goals for the Biancoazzurri, Simone Ganz with Como’s effort.

Embed from Getty Images

Davide Luppi popped up with another vital goal on 18 minutes to give relegation threatened Modena a 1-0 win over Latina. The win proved that all the bit more vital after Virtus Lanciano also had a 1-0 at home to Bari, Nicola Ferrari with the goal for the Frentani.

It turned out to be a less good weekend at the bottom for Salernitana and Livorno. The Granata though did at least pick up a point thanks to Massimo Coda’s 84^th minute leveller against Serse Cosmi’s Trapani.

As for the Amaranto they lost 2-1 away to Avellino. Francesco Tavano doing what he does best with a neat finish to give the Lupi the lead, Jeferson Vergara did level for Livorno but it was short lived as Benjamin Mokulu scored the winner for Avellino on 59 minutes. A win that keeps them in the promotion hunt while for Livorno the spectre of relegation remains.

In the last two fixtures of the weekend Virtus Entella continued their remarkable season by beating Perugia thanks to a 93^rd minute penalty by Francesco Caputo. Finally, Spezia won 2-1 away to Ternana.

As already said there is little time to lick wounds as they do it all again on Monday and Tuesday night in round 29.

View Highlights HERE.

View Table HERE.

Week 28 Results:

Novara 1-1 Pro Vercelli, Cesena 2-0 Cagliari, Avellino 2-1 Livorno, Brescia 2-1 Como, Crotone 2-0 Vicenza, Latina 0-1 Modena, Pescara 2-2 Ascoli, Ternana 1-2 Spezia, Trapani 1-1 Salernitana, Virtus Entella 2-1 Perugia, Virtus Lanciano 1-0 Bari.

 

 

 

 

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Napoli, Sarri’s Agent: ”Napoli Wanted Him More Than Fiorentina”

Sarri’s agent says that the Italian manager could have ended up at Fiorentina had Napoli not shown their strong interest in signing him.

In an interview with Radio Bruno Toscano, Maurizio Sarri’s agent Alessandro Pellegrini revealed that Fiorentina were chasing his client but Napoli showed that they wanted more.

Coming off a spectacular season at Empoli, it is normal that he was being followed by all Serie A teams. Being tracked by Fiorentina filled us with joy. He would have liked to coach Fiorentina but it was Milan and Napoli that wanted him the most. Sarri was convinced by Napoli and we are very happy to be where we are now.”

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Chiellini Skips Training Through Injury

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini did not train today with his teammates but his condition is still unknown.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Chiellini missed training today through injury and the defender will undergo medical tests tomorrow to determine his situation.

The Italian international was forced to come off for Daniele Rugani in the first half of his side’s 2-0 win over rivals Inter. When Massimiliano Allegri was asked to update the player’s condition after the game, the former Milan boss said,:

“Nothing serious. He came out as a precaution due to a knock on his calf muscle.”

While Allegri maintains that it isn’t a long-term injury, the hard-nosed defender will still undergo tests to ensure the injury doesn’t reoccur. This is not Chiellini’s first injury this season as the defender has missed a number of games recently due to knocks.

Without Chiellini in the lineup, Allegri will have the choice to go with a back four or stick with the back three and hand Rugani some starts. Yesterday, the Italian tactician opted to stay put with the 3-5-2 and brought on Rugani. With games against Inter and Atalanta coming up, expect the former Empoli man to play a crucial role.

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Morata Contract Leaked: Details

Football Leaks has struck yet again, after Tevez, Imbula, Falcao, James Rodriguez and many others, Juventus’ Alvaro Morata has had his contract leaked.

Morata was transferred to Juventus in the summer of 2015 for a fee of 20 million euro. In the contract we can see that Real Madrid has a “diritto de recompra”. What this consists of is either after this season or the next, Real can resign the player for a fee of 30 million euro if he has played more than half of Juve’s games, 25 million if he has played between 25% and 50% of matches, and finally 20 million euro if he has played less than 25% of matches with Juventus.

The most interesting element within the Spanish forward’s contract is the fact that after the 2017 season the Turin based side has no claim to the player. This means that when Morata’s contract with Juventus ends, his future will be decided by both himself and Real Madrid. However, if Juventus were to sell the player to another team before then, they would then have to pay the Galacticos a massive fee of 80 million euro.

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Three Things We Learned from Inter vs Juve

After today’s 2-0 defeat to Juve, Inter make this seasons campaign harder for themselves.

Inter have been in a rough patch in 2016, they’ve dropped form significantly since December, where they were well on their way towards a successful season. It hurts Interisti around the world to see a team play this game in and game out. We’ve seen the good and the bad from the Nerazzurri  this season. Good defense, bad results. Let’s start with three quick things we’ve learned after tonight’s defeat.

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Milan, Niang: “My driver and I are fine”

M’Baye Niang took to his twitter account to confirm the reports this afternoon that the Rossonerri striker was involved in a serious car accident.

“Good morning everyone, I just wanted to inform you that my driver and I are fine. The car did an aquaplaning which caused more fear than harm. I’m ready for the end of the season with Milan. #ForzaMilan “

 

http://pic.twitter.com/MEeRawBkYz

— M'Baye Niang (@MBaye9Niang) February 29, 2016

 
The Senegalese striker is expected to miss the rest of the season through injuries sustained in the crash.

“AC Milan communicates that M’Baye Niang has suffered an injury to the capsular ligament in his left ankle, as well as bruising to his left shoulder following a car accident.”

Sinisa Mihajlovic has already confirmed that Mario Balotelli is set to replace the striker in the starting line-up tomorrow evening in the Coppa Italia Semi-Final second leg.

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Milan, Abbiati: ”Lifting The Coppa Italia Would Be Special”

Milan Goalkeeper Christian Abbiati talks about how it would feel for the Rossoneri  to reach the Coppa Italia Final and win it all.

In a press conference leading up to Milan’s Coppa Italia Semi-Final 2nd Leg against Alessandria, Christian Abbiati addressed the media on the importance of winning the cup:

Raising the cup with this jersey has a special meaning. Tomorrow, we must not think about playing Alessandria. We must take the pitch with the right attitude. If we do so, I do not think we will have any problems.

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Napoli callups and probable starters vs Fiorentina

Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri has called  up the following players for today’s critical match vs Fiorentina

Goalkeepers: Reina, Gabriel, Rafael

Defenders: Hysaj, Maggio, Luperto, Ghoulam, Albiol, Regini, Koulibaly, Chiriches

Midfielders: Allan, Grassi, David Lopez, Chalobah, Jorginho, Valdifiori, Hamsik

Forwards: Callejon, Mertens, Insigne, Gabbiadini, Higuain

Suspended: none

Injured: El Kaddouri

Probable starters and formation, graphic courtesy of Gazzetta Dello Sport

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Fiorentina callups and probable starting XI vs Napoli

Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa announced the squad that will face Napoli today, the last game of matchday 27.

Goalkeepers: Lezzerini, Tatarusanu, Satalino

Defenders: Alonso, Astori, Pasqual, Rodriguez, Roncaglia, Tomovic

Midfielders: Blaszczykowski, Borja Valero,  Kone, Vecino, Badelj, Fernandez, Costa

Forwards: Babacar, Bernardeschi, Ilicic, Kalinic, Tello

Injured: Benalouane

Suspended: Zarate

Left at home: Sepe (disciplinary)

Probable Starting XI and formation – Graphic courtesy of Gazzetta Dello Sport

 

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Felipe Melo: “We don’t have time to cry about this result.”

Felipe Melo was speaking to Inter Channel after tonight’s defeat to rivals Juventus, a result which sees the Nerazzurri five points behind Roma in third place.

“We were in the game until the first goal, then in the end we gave them two gifts, now we need to get back on track immediately, we don’t have time to cry about this result.”

Inter face Juventus again in three days time in the second leg of their Coppa Italia Semi-Final, a tie which already seems over after a 3-0 defeat in the first leg.

“We must work in silence to bounce back. We’ve got the Coppa Italia coming up against Juventus and we have to put everything into that even if it won’t be easy. Then there are two matches in the league both at home.”

Roberto Mancini went with the 3-5-2 formation to match Juventus, a tactic he has used twice this season. One of those games came against Fiorentina where they lost 4-1.

“The wrong approach? We fight for every ball so I don’t think you can say anything in this respect.”

“I won’t speak about individual players because I sometimes make mistakes too. Right now we have to keep quiet, work hard and allow our true qualities to come to the fore.”

Icardi and co have struggled to score goals, but the lack of chances created aswell is a cause for concern.

“We have to score goals when we create chances. They hit the back of the net at the first time of asking, we didn’t.

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Allegri: “Compliments to the Players But We’ve Accomplished Nothing Yet.”

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri highlighted his satisfaction with the win but maintains the bianconeri have done nothing yet.

Following his side’s 2-0 win over their fierce rivals Inter, Allegri was asked by TuttoJuve if he was satisfied with the result. He told reporters,:

“First of all, we have to compliment the players for what they are doing even if we’ve accomplished nothing yet. The season is still long, we have eleven games left. Tonight, it was important to win to knock Inter out of contention for the Scudetto and  it was also important to return to winning ways. The players approached the game very nicely. In the first fifteen minutes, we had many chances and then we took the foot off the gas. In that moment, we needed to do just a bit better at maintaining possession without conceding counter attacks. We played against Inter, we conceded a few crosses but that’s normal.” 

Will you watch Napoli-Fiorentina?

“Yes, I’ll watch it and be happy either way as even if Napoli win we’ll still be in first place. We’re taking it one game at a time, now we have to qualify for the final of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday.” 

How is Chiellini? 

“Nothing serious. He came out as a precaution due to a knock on his calf muscle.”

 

Will physical condition matter a lot from now until the end of the season? 

“This is always the case. It matters that we’re all feeling good. Last year, this was huge. The final objective is something that everyone strives for which if we achieve it, it will be important.” 

 

How did Hernanes play? 

“He did really well tonight.” 

 

Can Marchisio play alongside Hernanes? 

“Marchisio can play on either side of the midfield three. Hernanes can help him a lot.” 

Are you in the process of raising your technical level to surpass Bayern’s pressing?

“We have to work hard to improve, independently of Bayern, which will be hard. We have to pick the right play and play with serenity. On Tuesday, they applied a lot of pressure and we made a few errors getting out of our zone. We will play them like it’s a final. If they press us, we will need to find other solutions to win.” 

 

 

Your pre-game behaviour makes the difference. You are helping the team and players psychologically get ready for key games…

“We have to improve in the final third. We have to be good in possession when under pressure. Today, we could have circulated the ball better there. When you’re under pressure you must emerge. We must acquire confidence from within.” 

 

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Player Ratings for Inter over Juventus

Here is how we rated the performance of Inter players following their 0-2 loss away to Juventus.

Inter: 3-5-2
Handanovic
Murillo – Miranda – Jesus
D’Ambrosio – Melo – Medel – Kondogbia – Telles
Icardi – Palacio

Samir Handanovic (6): Wonderfully got a finger to Hernanes’ blast that was destined for the upper 90 early on in the first five minutes. Came out on a few occasions to parry the ball away from danger. Could not do anything against Bonucci’s volley from six yards out. Went the wrong way on Morata’s penalty. Again, not much he could do there.

Jeison Murillo (6): Closed down Pogba & co. well in the first half. Had nothing to do with either of Juve’s scoring plays. A shame both Juve goals came on two individual mistakes, because Murillo and the rest of the back line played fluidly throughout the match.

Miranda (5): Solid as ever in the first half. Gave away an absolute amateurish penalty on a foul against Alvaro Morata in the 82nd, that was ultimately converted for the 2-0. His lack of poise essentially killed Inter off once Morata converted the penalty.

Juan Jesus (6): Did well to get in front and block a Dybala shot right outside the six yard box in the seventh minute. Got a yellow for a harsh tackle on Dybala in the 58th minute. In the end, he did his job quietly and steadily and neither goal can be linked to his wrong-doing.

Danilo D’Ambrosio (4): The Italian could not get a head onto one of Telles’ pinpoint set-piece crosses that would’ve given Inter the lead early on. Completely at fault for Juve’s opening goal, as his headed clearance from a Dybala cross fell straight to Bonucci who easily volleyed it home for the 1-0 lead. Provided very little on the right-wing. A performance to forget for the wing back.

Felipe Melo (4.5): Awfully quiet performance for the Brazilian. Looked lethargic on almost every challenge. Let players breeze by him often. Did not track back on most occasions.

Gary Medel (4.5): The Chilean was overshadowed by Juve’s midfield. He could not seem to get much going. Subbed off in the 56th minute for Adem Ljajic.

Geoffrey Kondogbia (5.5): Looked lively, dribbled well and connected well with the players around him. Held the ball well under pressure and provided a calm, cool and collected outlet in an otherwise shaky Inter midfield.

Alex Telles (6): Great crosses on set plays, unfortunate not to have an assist. Did his job on the left-wing until being subbed off for Perisic in the 70th minute.

Mauro Icardi (4): Although he was not provided with much service today, Icardi did not offer anything for his side tonight, either. No smart movements, no urgency to get involved- not even a shot. Ultimately an invisible display for the Inter captain. Subbed off for Eder in the 85th minute.

Rodrigo Palacio (6.5): Was a constant nuisance for the Juve defense going forward. Dribbles were impactful and passes were pin-point. Came back and helped the lethargic Inter midfield to close down Juve players. Easily Inter’s liveliest player throughout the match.

Substitutes

Adem Ljajic (5.5): Came on for Medel in the 56th and instantly gave somewhat of a jolt of life to the otherwise non-existent Inter atack. Shots ultimately went wide and key passes amounted to nothing.

Ivan Perisic (6): Came on for Telles in the 70th and was lively down the left-wing throughout his 20+ minutes on the pitch. Sent in a few great crosses that were only met by uncontested Juve heads.

Eder (5.5): Came on for Icardi in the 85th. Got into a great space late in the game and had a shot saved by Gigi Buffon.

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Three Things We Learned From Juventus’ Win Over Inter

Today, Juventus overcame Inter by a score of 2-0 at the Juventus Stadium and extended their lead at the top of the league.

Despite Inter’s strong start, Juventus were able to take control of the game and see the win out after Leonardo Bonucci’s second half strike. Here’s what we learned from the clash.

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Bonucci: “We Simply Had To Win, Let’s Continue.”

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci highlighted his satisfaction at his side’s result and his goal over fierce rivals Inter.

In his post-match interview, Bonucci told reporters of Mediaset Premium,: 

“We simply had to win, starting with Inter. Two consecutive draws were too many, we had to return to winning ways.

Were people who were expecting you guys to be tired after the Bayern game wrong? 

“The wins or draws mean nothing today. We have to continue working hard. We must already shift our attention to Wednesday because even if we have a 3-0 lead, they will start strong. We, however, must start stronger than them.”

Did you pile on the pressure on Napoli? 

“We must focus on ourselves.” 

You scored a forward’s goal. 

“When I saw the ball drop to me I looked to hit it as hard as possible. I was lucky to keep it low and avoid hitting Handanovic.” 

 

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Man of the Match: Leonardo Bonucci

Today, Juventus extended their lead at the top of the league with a crucial win against Inter thanks to a Leonardo Bonucci winner.

Despite the constant formation changes, Bonucci continues to act as the glue that holds the Juventus defence together. Today against Inter it was no different as the former Bari man was once again immense at the back for the bianconeri. As a result, both Mauro Icardi and Rodrigo Palacio barely got a sniff of the goal. In addition, the Italian international found himself in the right place at the right time when Danilo D’Ambrosio’s headed clearance fell to him in the box. Bonucci would make no mistake and would volley it home expertly past the helpless Samir Handanovic. With performances like these it leads one to wonder whether Bonucci has overtaken his teammates as the side’s best defender.

Bonucci v Inter – By the Numbers:

Goals: 1

Passes completed: 49/55 (89.1%)

Ball Recoveries: 8

Tackles: 3/3

Interceptions: 1

Clearances: 3/3

Embed from Getty Images

Just by going by the numbers from above it’s easy to realize just how important Bonucci was to Juventus’ success tonight against Inter. That said, if you payed close attention to the defender throughout the game you will quickly realize that his influence goes far beyond his impressive numbers. With the 28-year-old at the heart of defence, Massimiliano Allegri’s men are able to dictate the tempo of games as Bonucci is more than comfortable with playing out of the back.

Tonight, Inter opted not to press the defender when he was in possession and it costed them as Bonucci had all the time in the world to pick their midfield apart. Should teams adopt similar tactics against Juventus and Bonucci, don’t be surprised to see more performances like these by the defender.

Our full ratings from this game can be found here.

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Juventus v Inter: Player Ratings

Today, Juventus took on Roberto Mancini’s struggling Inter at the Juventus Stadium and prevailed by a score of 2-0.

Here’s how we rated their performances –

Goalkeeper –

Gianluigi Buffon (6.5): The veteran custodian didn’t have much to do but handled whatever came his way expertly, most notably late against Eder. Broke his own personal record for minutes played without conceding a goal.

Defenders:

Andrea Barzagli (6.5): Barzagli was his usual dependable self at the back for the bianconeri. Wasn’t fazed when he switched over to the left hand side of defence.

Leonardo Bonucci (8.0): The former Bari man was easily the man of the match in this one. Scored the game winner and was immense at the back.

Giorgio Chiellini (6.0): Did well in the limited time that he was on the pitch but he eventually got subbed off for Daniele Rugani due to injury. 

Midfielders:

Stephan Lichtsteiner (6.5): The Swiss Express marauded the right flank and caused Telles all sorts of problems with some nice crosses.

Sami Khedira (6.5): The German international was crucial in the defensive zone for the Italian champions and helped maintain possession nicely in the final third.

Hernanes (6.0): Started the game off to a blistering start by hitting the cross bar but saw his influence on the game diminish as the minutes ticked on.

Paul Pogba (6.0): The Frenchman wasn’t his typical silky self in possession and gave the ball away cheaply on a few occasions. Will need to be better moving forward. 

Alex Sandro (6.5): The former Porto man was a threat going forward and made a huge intervention on D’Ambrosio at the back post in the first half.

Forwards:

Paulo Dybala (6.0): La Joya wasn’t at his best tonight and got muscled off the ball by Inter’s more physical defenders. However, he did show flashes of brilliance.

Mario Mandzukic (6.5): The Croatian forward never stopped running throughout the whole game proving just how important he is to Allegri’s setup. Should have done better with his chance in the first half.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Daniele Rugani (6.5): The young defender came on for the injured Chiellini and didn’t look one bit out of place. Solid but unspectacular performance from the former Empoli man.

Stefano Sturaro (N/A): Came on with fifteen minutes left and didn’t do anything of note.

Alvaro Morata (6.5): The Spaniard was tasked with blowing by tired legs and did just that as he won his side an important penalty shot in the 80th minute when he was taken down by Miranda. Morata would step up and convert it past Handanovic.

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Inter, Ausilio: ”Mancini Is At The Center Of Our Project”

Sporting Director Piero Ausilio reaffirms the importance of Mancini to the club’s project and rejects any rumblings of a potential sale of the club.

Prior to the derby between Juventus and Inter, the Nerazzurri’s Sporting Director, Piero Ausilio, spoke via interview with Premium Sport.

On this being Inter’s last shot on saving their season:

I would not say it is the last, there are still 12 games to play. There are many left, but not that many. We must begin having continuity and we must do everything we can to get a result this evening.

On the sale of the club:

The President already refuted all of the alleged meetings. All we can do is have a good laugh.

On Mancini:

No need to waste words. He is at the center of our project, he is our manager and together with him, we are creating something. If we work and have patience, something great will happen this time with Mancini, as it happened with Moratti. He is doing well at Inter, it is a mutual thing. He is still young for the National Team.

On the tense relations between Juventus and Inter on the mercato:

Amongst the Directors, there is mutual respect. The Vucinic-Guarin deal was not completed for many reasons. This year, it was about the deal for Hernanes. The offer was fair and the deal was done without any problems.

On if the squad has lost its self-esteem:

No, we did well up until the 6th of January. We went beyond what we expected. The decline was excessive in respect to how the performances went but nobody expected Inter to be in first. We must improve, the squad is young. We had a drop in form, now we have started up again and we must continue to do well.

On their mercato target, Ever Banega:

It is an opportunity. We will see in the coming days.

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Milan, Mihajlović: “We Need To Fear No One”

On Saturday, Milan defeated Torino with the score of 1-0, thanks to Luca Antonelli who grabbed the winner just before the teams entered the tunnel at the break. After the win, manager Siniša Mihajlović spoke about the performance.

Mihajlović on the match, via acmilan.com:

“We were prepared for a difficult game tonight. Torino are a tough side to face and they played well, but we deserved this win. I liked the team’s desire to battle and work-hard.”

The manager on the form of his club, and the positioning in the league:

“Looking at the numbers, such as points collected and goals conceded, it’s fair to say we are on the up and we are on the right track. We now have to prepare well for Tuesday’s cup game and then the next three matches in Serie A, which will reveal a lot about our chances of qualifying for the Champions League. I believe, but let’s take things one match at a time.”

With the cup match this week against Alessandria, Mihajlović on the bout and the road ahead:

“We are step by step gaining our revenge. We now have to focus on the cup match. The chance to reach the final is a big motivation. That is our aim and then we will think about beating Sassuolo in the next league match.”  

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Three Things We Learned About Milan From Their Win vs. Torino

Coming off a well-earned draw against Napoli at the San Paolo, Milan returned to the friendly confines of the San Siro to host Torino. The rossoneri extended their unbeaten streak to nine games with a hard fought 1-0 win, thanks to a goal from Luca Antonelli.

After manager Siniša Mihajlović told the media his side needed to win the match today, they did just that, shutting down a team that the Serbian called “a strong side” and “dangerous in attack.” Milan remain in sixth place in the Serie A table.

Here is what we learned from Milan’s victory over Torino.

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Ignazio Abate: “Milan Can’t Stop Now”

AC Milan continue their unbeaten ways with a 1-0 home win against Torino. 

The rossoneri fullback spoke to Mediaset Premium following tonight’s victory.

“This is the crucial moment of the season and everything is up for grabs in the next three games. We must manage to keep this run going. We’re on the right track, we let the criticism slide off us before and now need to have the same attitude to compliments. We saw the banner from the fans thanking us for our efforts and we’re glad they recognized what we’re doing. There was a period this season where we could’ve gone off the rails, but instead we stayed united around the Coach. The results are finally arriving, but we can’t stop now, as we need to give our best and qualify for Europe.

Milan is back in action Tuesday evening as they host Alessandria in their second leg tie of the Coppa Italia semifinal. They hold a 1-0 advantage in the tie.

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Milan Player Ratings v Torino

Luca Antonelli’s late first-half goal was enough, barely, for Milan to come away with the 1-0 win at home against Torino.

Here is how we rated the individual performances of Milan’s players following their win over Torino.

Donnarumma (8): The young keeper of the rossoneri continued to shine, making several key saves and preventing Immobile and Belotti from getting on the scoresheet. A well-earned clean sheet from a hard-fought performance in goal by the now 17-year old.

Abate (7): The star from Napoli-Milan had another quality outing, using his speed to cut down a few counter-attacking buildups Torino sought to jumpstart. He trekked forward, while also holding it down on the right flank.

Alex (7.5): The Brazilian centre-half was tested a few times, but cleaned up the mess he was served. As a defense, the back four were handed a tough task of containing the pairing of Immobile and Belotti, and Alex did his part to ensure neither continued their good run of form.

Zapata (8): Mihajlović once again leaned on Zapata to fill in for the still achy Alessio Romagnoli, and he did just that following his stellar outing earlier this week against Napoli. The Colombian made a few marauding runs in the first half and really worked his tail off. Zapata certainly has gained more confidence, and it’s beginning to show with each chance Mihajlović gives him.

Antonelli-MOTM-(8.5): The former Genoa left-back was the difference maker for Milan today. His late first-half goal stood up and it arrived at the most convenient of times. Aside from his match-winner, the Italian defender controlled the left flank and ensured that his duties were fulfilled. Together, he is deserving of the Man of the Match award, for his efforts on both ends of the pitch.

Honda (7.5): The Japanese winger continues to turn in quality outings. His work rate was exceptional, and he nearly scored from a free-kick. Despite being denied by the post on the set-piece, Honda has been as consistent a player for Mihajlović as any over the course of the past few weeks.

Kucka (8): “The Tank” lived up the name today. Kucka was credited with the assist on the Antonelli goal, but it was his work in the midfield that stood out. The Slovakian showed his creative side, while also bullying his way in the middle of the park. A job well done for the ex-Genoa midfielder.

Bertolacci (6): The Italian started in place of the suspended Montolivo, but failed to fill his shoes. It was another disappointing night for Bertolacci, who continues to struggle in cementing a role within the side. His second half was better as he managed to plunge forward, but something is still lacking.

Bonaventura (7): Jack did his usual thing on the left side tonight. He had a few decent looks on goal, but nothing to show for it. Bonaventura did however maintain possession quite a bit and he earned his fair share of corners for the rossoneri. Despite not having his best outing, the ex-Atalanta man still finds a way to contribute to the result.

Niang (5.5): Simply put, it was a day to forget for the young Frenchman. Niang was sloppy when in possession and never looked controlled, which forced Mihajlović’s hand by subbing in Boateng to replace him before the 70th minute. Milan fans will have to take the good with the bad until Niang can fully harness his talent.

Bacca (6): With service lacking, Bacca did not see much of the ball in threatening positions. With the few chances he did have to test Torino keeper Padelli, the Colombian hesitated and pulled back. Without being provided chances, Bacca can’t impact the match it seems. Two straight rough ones for the ex-Sevilla hitman.

Substitutes

Boateng (4.5): After relieving Niang with nearly 20 minutes left, the former Schalke attacker failed to provide anything worth mentioning. He had been publicly pleading for more minutes but performances like today simply do not justify them.

Balotelli (n/a): The player was not on the pitch long enough to properly assess his performance.

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Pjanic: “The team is in harmony with Spalletti”

Miralem Pjanic spoke after the 3-1 victory over Empoli to Premium Sport.

He touched on the recent form, Spalletti and the Scudetto.

“Winning does well for all of Roma. We’re on a good stretch, deservedly, because we’re playing good. At times we can do better. The Scudetto? We think only game after game. Now we’re watching the other games this weekend and we must prepare to do well like the one in Florence. The faith has returned, our play is there and there are chances. We’re all ready, we win and suffer all together. It’s true that there’s been a downturn but now there’s enthusiasm. The team is in harmony with Spalletti, he protects us and we want to have a great season with him.”

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Roma’s Player Ratings vs Empoli

Roma picked up their sixth win in a row tonight via a 3-1 win over Tuscan side Empoli

Szczesny (6): Average showing from the polish goalie. Was at fault for the goal Roma gave up. Didn’t have to do much after it either.

Maicon (7): Underrated game from Maicon. He wasn’t amazing but he did his job well and was steady throughout the match. Solid shift from the defender.

Rudiger (8): Was asked to lead the defence today and he did just that. Was wonderful throughout the whole match and made life hard for the Empoli attackers.

Zukanvoic (6.5): Average showing. The Bosnian wasn’t bad but he also wasn’t amazing. Had decent moments but wasn’t as good as his partner Rudiger.

Digne (7.5): Good match from the Frenchman. Along with El Shaarawy, he dominated the left flank and also defended really well.

Keita (6): The Malian wasn’t up to it today. Was supposed to anchor the Roma midfield but wasn’t up to his usual standards. Could have been a better night for him.

Pjanic (7): Pjanic was very involved today and also scored a fantastic goal to put Roma up 2-1. It wasn’t a perfect night from Pjanic but he put in a decent shift and scored a very important goal.

Nainggolan N/A: Nainggolan was forced to come off in the 1st half due to injury.

Salah (6): Average from Salah. Worked hard all night but never delivered the final product. However he was credited with the assist for El Shaarawy’s second goal.

Perotti (7.5): Perotti once again played as the false 9 and once again was very good. Constantly dropped back to pick up the ball and create chances.

El Shaarawy (9): Roma’s man of the match! The Italian scored two goals, one which was a screamer from way out. Outside of the goals El Shaarawy also was very involved and worked out. A difference maker for Roma.

SUBS;

Iago Falque (5.5): Came on for the injured Nainggolan and really didn’t do much. Never settled into the game it seemed.

Edin Dzeko N/A 

Kostas Manolas N/A

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Allegri: “Chelsea? I Choose Where I Go, I’m Working For The Future Of Juve.”

Today, Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri spoke to the media ahead of the Derby D’Italia.

The first question of the press conference was regarding the impact of his side’s most recent Champions League clash,:

After the taxing game on Tuesday, how do you get your players to refocus for the league? Does it help to be playing a big team like Inter?

“It’s simple. We only played the first of two games therefore we’ve done absolutely nothing so far. We obtained a good result against Bayern and we still have a chance at progressing to the next round but the return leg is in thirty days. Tomorrow, we have a difficult game against a physical Inter side, the table doesn’t matter. Our objective is clear: Win again after two consecutive draws against Bologna and Bayern and remain at the top of the table. Then on Wednesday we must play to reach the Coppa Italia final for the second consecutive time. The Champions League, for now, well until the 12th of March, we don’t have time to think about it.”

In the first round of games, Inter almost always win and you guys were in a crisis. Did you expect their fall? 

“They are still in the fight for third place. The league is still very open as it’s not only a question of Juventus and Napoli. Roma are only eight points behind us while Fiorentina are six. There are 12 games left, we can’t talk about a finished league. Roma are coming off five or six consecutive wins and have the potential to finish strongly on nearly 86 points, just like Fiorentina and Napoli. We’ll take it game by game. Tomorrow, it’s the derby D’Italia. I didn’t expect their fall. They started really well. Let’s not forget where we were and where they were after ten games. As there are still 12 games left we need to keep our feet on the ground. We need to look to win tomorrow as it would mean that we would need one less win for the Scudetto.” 

Does the approach change when playing the same team in the span of three days? 

“Absolutely nothing changes, we have to be fully focused on what our objectives are. Tomorrow, three points are on the line while on Wednesday we go into the game with a 3-0 lead. We’ll first think of tomorrow’s game and then shift our attention to the game on Wednesday.” 

How will you set your team up? 

“I don’t even know this. They are a physical team therefore we will need to play extremely well technically and with speed. Tuesday was a nice night as we were losing 2-0 and came back. The guys were exceptional but we must improve tomorrow. Two things we need to improve in Europe are our technique and the speed of our passes. You can’t always think of playing physical in Europe because you’ll play Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid. When it comes to formations, it’s all relative. The important thing is to play well and to control the game.” 

Are you happy that Chelsea are looking elsewhere now? Are you preoccupied that their future manager Antonio Conte will have 150 million pounds to buy your players as the tabloids are reporting? 

“Now we can’t talk about the transfer window, it’s closed. I head Allegri this, Allegri that. What I have in my head, no one knows. When I hear that Allegri’s going to Chelsea, I smile. Allegri chooses where he wants to go like I always have. I’m happy to be with Juventus, we are working to give this team a future. This year we’re looking to win the fifth consecutive Scudetto which would be extraordinary. The guys would forever go into the club’s history books. We’re working to reach our second consecutive Coppa Italia final and to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. More than this we cannot do.” 

Can Chiellini play? Marotta said on TV that you guys will meet to discuss a renewal. Would that make you happy? 

“In regards to what Marotta said, it brings me pleasure even because I’ve always said that I’m fine here. However, it’s not the time to talk about these things. The time will come because we surely need to delineate the future plans. Chiellini is feeling good. We only have Marchisio missing for a couple of days and Caceres. Everyone else has recovered and is feeling good. Some are less fit than others as they have trained less.” 

But if Marotta offered you a renewal in an hour, would you renew? 

“In an hour no because I have practice. Before we must also eat. After tomorrow’s game it’s impossible because we play Inter again. But I’ve never had problems with the club. Juventus are one of the strongest teams in Europe. There’s a project here and the new team is taking shape. I have a duty to help the players and make Juventus win.

What would happen if Tavecchio called you to coach the national team? 

“They were already saying that I had to go with the national team after my time with Milan. I don’t understand why you would want to get rid of me from Juventus, I’m happy here. Other than me there are many other managers with more experience to become the national team manager. Also, they already have a coach so I don’t understand the rumours. There’s Conte, leave him manage the team for the Euros then we’ll see. If he leaves, he leaves. I know what I have to do, not the others.”

Buffon said that a crucial part of the season was the first game against Inter at the San Siro because they didn’t take the opportunity to end your season. How were you able to resist? Do you agree with Gigi? 

“Resist what? They never took a shot on goal while we had chances. We were going through a difficult time. Gigi wanted to say that in that moment Inter could have taken advantage of us but the guys had an important reaction. To go to the San Siro and play like that it meant that sooner or later the team was going to break out of their slump. No one imagine us winning 15 consecutive games but the quality to return to fighting for the Scudetto was there.”

 

 

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Juventus v Inter – Probable Lineups and Call-Ups

On Sunday, Juventus take on Inter at the Juventus Stadium. Here’s the latest news on the call-ups and probable lineups from both sides.

List of call-ups provided by Tuttomercatoweb.com – 

Juventus –

Goalkeepers: Buffon, Neto, Rubinho.

Defenders: Lichtsteiner, Chiellini, Bonucci, Rugani, Barzagli, Alex Sandro and Evra.

Midfielders: Khedira, Pogba, Hernanes, Sturaro, Padoin, Asamoah, Cuadrado, Lemina, Pereyra.

Forwards: Zaza, Mandzukic, Dybala, Morata.

Suspensions: None.

Injuries: Marchisio, Caceres.

Inter –

Goalkeepers: Handanovic, Berni, Carrizo.

Defenders: Santon, Nagatomo, Juan Jesus, Miranda, Murillo, D’Ambrosio, Telles.

Midfielders: Gnoukouri, Biabiany, Medel, Kondogbia, Felipe Melo, Perisic.

Forwards: Eder, Manaj, Jovetic, Icardi, Palacio, Ljajic.

Suspensions: Brozovic.

Injuries: None.

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Derby D’Italia Preview: Inter Look To Get Their Season Back On Track

On Sunday, Juventus will host Roberto Mancini’s struggling Inter side in hopes of extending their lead at the top of the league.

Mid-way through the season, Inter were leading the table and Juventus were languishing in mid-table. Fast forward a few months and the situation has changed drastically. Today, both sides are chasing completely different objectives than they were just three months back. When Roberto Mancini’s side enter the Juventus Stadium on Sunday, they find themselves ten points behind the Italian champions barely clutching on to their Champions League dream. As a result, three points are of the utmost importance for them. The bianconeri, on the other hand, will need to claim the three points as Napoli are breathing down their necks. Fresh off a draining Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, Allegri’s men will need to be at their very best.

Form –

Juventus – WWWWWD

Last match-day Juventus’ 15-game winning streak came to a halt against an inspired Bologna side but Napoli were unable to capitalize. The Italian champions struggled to create anything of note in that game and arguably had their eye on the Bayern Munich duel. After being dominated by the Bavarians for the first hour of that game, Juventus kicked into a whole other gear and scored two goals to earn a crucial draw that will undoubtedly have them fired up for the Inter game. However, it will be interesting to see just how much energy they have left after that taxing clash. That said, Inter is a fierce rival beyond explanation which should serve as all the encouragement they’ll need.

Inter – DLWDLW

Inter’s form in their last six games is disappointingly symmetrical. Draw, loss, win. Draw, loss, win. For a team with Champions League aspirations, this is quite frankly not enough. Most recently, they dispatched of Vincenzo Montella’s relegation threatened Sampdoria easily by a score of 3-1. Before that, they fell to their direct Champions League rivals Fiorentina and drew a Hellas Verona side who have one win all season. If they are to have a shot for third, they will need to hit form starting with their next game against Juventus. Will it be easy? No, but it is absolutely crucial for their campaign.

Lineups –

Juventus (3-5-2): Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Khedira, Hernanes, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Dybala, Mandzukic.

Inter (3-5-2): Handanovic; Murillo, Miranda, Juan Jesus; D’Ambrosio, Felipe Melo, Medel, Kondogbia, Telles; Icardi, Palacio.

Graphic provided via Gazzetta.it – 

Tactical Battle –

Against Inter, Allegri is expected to return to the 3-5-2 as Giorgio Chiellini has reportedly fully recovered from his injury. In recent weeks, the former Milan tactician has gone with his hybrid 4-4-2/4-3-3 formation and has enjoyed success but he will now opt for the solidity of the three-man backline. The switch to this formation should ensure that Juventus maintain the lion’s share of possession while remaining defensively solid. In addition, it will allow Paul Pogba to return to a more central position where he can return to making late runs into the opposition’s box. As a result, expect a big performance from the Frenchman.

Inter will also line up with a 3-5-2 despite not previously using it this season. Mancini will resort to this formation with one clear goal in mind: Stifle Juventus. By mirroring their tactical setup, the bianconeri will find it increasingly difficult to exploit previous weaknesses in the nerazzurri’s system. That said, this is a risk by Mancini as if there’s one team in football that are familiar with the intricacies of this formation it is Juventus.

Key Matchup –

Embed from Getty Images

Key Battle: Miranda v Mandzukic – 

On Sunday, the two former teammates will play a huge role in which way the result sways. Both Miranda and Mandzukic are two of the fiercest competitors in the league and will likely do anything to get the edge over the other. With Miranda playing at the heart of Inter’s back three and Mandzukic acting as Juventus’ deepest forward, the duo will go head-to-head on more than one occasion. If the Croatian forward is able to get the better of his former Atletico teammate, Samir Handanovic and co. may be in for a long night. However, if the Brazilian can shackle Mandzukic’s aerial threat and overall linkup play, Allegri’s men will find chances hard to come by.

Prediction –

When a struggling team go into the Juventus Stadium it’s difficult to imagine any other result but a Juventus win. That said, Mancini has proven in the past with Galatasaray and Inter that he’s able to prepare his men for a one-off game against the bianconeri adequately. With rumours swirling that he will opt for the 3-5-2, I expect this game to be an ‘ugly’ contest and end in a low-scoring draw.

Juventus-Inter (1-1) 

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D-Day for Fiorentina and Napoli after Europa League exits

At the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Monday evening, Fiorentina play host to Napoli in a game which will have a huge impact on the race for the Scudetto and the Champions League places.

After a disastrous week for both sides, during which they were eliminated from the Europa League, the second and third placed sides both need a victory to keep alive their faltering seasons. Should Juventus beat Inter on Saturday evening, Napoli will find themselves 4 points behind the Bianconeri in the Scudetto race with only nine games left. Whilst the deficit is not insurmountable, Juve’s form is such that they do not currently look like they will lose two games before the end of the season.

Fiorentina on the other hand will be hoping their Tuscan neighbours, Empoli, can defeat Roma to stem the Giallorossi‘s challenge for the third Champions League spot. A win for Roma would move them above Fiorentina by one point, and the side from the capital will be in the ascendancy given their great form since the appointment of Luciano Spalletti as coach. On top of that, Fiorentina travel to the Olimpico to face Roma on Friday evening, and La Viola can not afford to lose either of these two games.

The inevitable focus ahead of this fixture will be on Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain who, despite 24 league goals so far this season, has failed to score in his last 4 Serie A and Europa League games. Whilst one suspects that the victor of his match-up with Gonzalo Rodriguez and Davide Astori will ultimately decide which team prevails, one should not discount the impact that Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon will have on this fixture.

Both Insigne and Callejon are in excellent form, and the calls for Insigne to get a starting berth in Antonio Conte’s team in Euro 2016 grow ever louder by the week. Callejon has excelled, albeit somewhat under the radar, weighing in with key goals and assists coming in from that right hand side.

Both Insigne and Callejon will look to exploit the space that the Fiorentina three-man defence allows out wide, particularly the weakness in the Fiorentina right centre-back position due to the inconsistency of Facundo Roncaglia and Nenad Tomovic. Insigne and Callejon will look to drag the outside centre-halves out to the flank, trying to create more space for Marek Hamsik to get forward to support Higuain.

Alternatively, Callejon and Insigne will try to force the Fiorentina wing-backs, Marcos Alonso and Federico Bernardeschi, into a more defensive mode thus negating much of the Fiorentina attacking threat down the flanks. With that in mind, one would not be surprised if Fiorentina coach, Paulo Sousa, decides to go with a back four, with two holding midfielders offering protection in front of them.

Fiorentina themselves will be hoping that Nikola Kalinic finds the form that shot Fiorentina to the top of Serie A in the first half of the season. His form in the second half of the season has been poor, although the service to him in recent games has been indifferent as teams have sought to stifle the supply to him.

Fiorentina’s key men will likely be Borja Valero, who continues to pull the strings in midfield despite being in dire need of a rest, and Josep Ilicic, who has taken over the goal-scoring mantle from Kalinic in the past month. Ilicic has however been inconsistent form within games, only shining for 30 minutes each match; that in turn has had an impact on the service he has provided to Kalinic. Ilicic is only reported to be at half-fitness, and therefore Cristian Tello might come into the team for him.

Fiorentina have only won one of the last 11 Serie A meetings between the sides, with the Viola failing to score in five of those games, and scoring only one in each of the other six. Napoli have won 6 of those matches and there has been 4 draws. However, Fiorentina have a ray of hope as Napoli have not won any of their last four games in all competitions, scoring only two goals in the process.

The sides met earlier this season, when Napoli ran out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Insigne and Higuain, with a Kalinic goal sandwiched in between. However, Fiorentina’s league home record has been excellent – collecting 31 points out of a possible 39 at the Franchi; meanwhile, Napoli have a reasonable away record, with only 3 defeats in their 13 away fixtures.

One would expect both starting line-ups expect to be at full strength, and neither Maurizio Sarri or Paulo Sousa will now seek to rest players as they look to rescue the seasons of their respective teams. Fiorentina have a full squad available, save for the suspended Mauro Zarate and the injured Yohan Benalouane. The only likely selection issues for Sousa will be whether to risk the fitness of Ilicic, and whether to give Milan Badelj a stating berth alongside Matias Vecino, thus allowing Valero to push further forward.

Napoli have a full strength squad available, and Sarri is likely to select his strongest team in an attempt to get the Partenopei’s Scudetto challenge back on track.

Whoever runs out the winner on Monday, might just have saved their season from them imploding. For the loser, ignominy beckons after a wonderful first half of the season.

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Pirlo: “Conte Is A Genius, He Has A Beast In Him.”

Antonio Conte is expected to be announced as the next Chelsea coach in the following week.

The 46-year-old is reportedly in talks with Chelsea over a three-year deal to replace Jose Mourinho in the summer once his contract with the Italian FA expires.

Conte achieved promotions to Serie A with Bari and Siena before being appointed Juventus manager in the summer of 2011. He lifted three consecutive Scudettos with the bianconeri as Juventus returned to the top of Italian football under his leadership.

Pirlo,who was speaking to the Daily Mirror, has warned he will not ­accept interference in his transfer policy or team selection.

“I love the man, I have nothing but respect and admiration for him. I know if he takes a job, any job, it will have to be on his terms.

“The players he wants to sign, those he wants to get rid of, the style he wants to play.

“If you sign him as your coach and then as the owner you want to start making ­decisions, he is not the coach for you.

“If you let him get on with things and do his methods, then you will have a team that plays attractive football and will, without doubt, be successful.”

Pirlo has also described Conte as “a beast with two wives” – his own and football. The midfielder, who played for the incoming Blues boss at Juve, revealed that Conte’s wife Elisabetta is fully ­understanding of his obsession with winning and his attention to detail.

He added: “There is a beast in him. I have been in his dressing room at half-time when we have been winning, but he comes in and will be throwing full bottles of water around because of a mistake we made or because he feels we should be further ahead.

“His life is football. I know he is up until 3-4am in the morning, studying videos, looking at errors, ­studying the opposition of the next game. It is a good job Elisabetta is such an understanding wife, and if he takes the Chelsea job then she will have plenty of time to enjoy London, because he has two wives – Elisabetta and football.

“I even know he will turn on the bedroom lights in the middle of the night because he has thought of something he needs to write down – you will not find a more understanding woman than her.”

“I have played under a lot of great managers.” said Pirlo.

“But I can say that Conte is a genius. Like all men who possess genius, he is a little mad.

“The man can be a beast, a dressing room when he is angry is one of the most dangerous places you can be.”

Conte is a success-obsessed coach that will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He’s shown this throughout his whole career either in the lower divisions in Italy or with Juve. This should be the case at Chelsea where Roman Abramovich will likely hand him all the tools he needs to be successful. Considering his personal drive and hunger, Chelsea and Conte can be a match-made in heaven.

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Andrea Petagna: ”I Was Never Given A Real Chance At Milan”

Former Milan Primavera sensation Andrea Petagna talks about the pressure he endured while with the Rossoneri and how he was close to leaving the sport.

Having been considered one of the brightest talents in the country and raising eyebrows in Milan’s youth system, Andrea Petagna was destined, as proclaimed by many, to be another great Italian striker in the making. After lighting up the Primavera league with 13 goals in 23 appearances in 2012/2013 at 17 years old, Milan sent Petagna on loan at Sampdoria to gain some top flight experience. This is when the pressure to live up to the hype began to set in and in an interview with La Gazetta dello Sport, the former Milan youth product opened up about those expectations, almost quitting football, his rebirth as a player and his personal life.

On Milan, the expectations and almost giving up on football:

There was too much pressure on me. Galliani baptized me as the vice-Balotelli and everyone expected incredible things to happen. I was sent to Sampdoria and had to be saviour of the club, but I was only 18. I am shy and the expectations were eating me up inside. As soon as I did something wrong, I finished the match on the bench. The same thing happened at Latina. At Vicenza, although I did not play much, I learned a lot. Devis Mangia (Ascoli manager) was the first to give me continuity on the pitch.

I endured a difficult summer. There were no demands for me and I wanted to quit. I saw everything dark. Thanks to my mental coach, Roberto Civitarese, he helped bring me clarity and my desire to play returned. Now, I am reborn.

I was not disappointed but I do regret never having been given a real chance at Milan. I happy with the call from Atalanta. They invested a significant amount of money on me and really believe in me.

On it being his destiny to sign with Atalanta:

When I was 9 years old, I was a ball boy for ASD Itala San Marco di Gradisca d’Isonzo. I admired Neto Pereira (Brazilian footballer, now at Padova) and every summer, I would go on trial at Atalanta. Then their Director, Mauro Bianchessi, went to Milan and he took me there along with Bryan Cristante.

On football being in his blood:

My grandfather Francesco was a player, then as a manager, he found Capello and Edy Reja. My father Euro coached the youth. I do boxing and as a child, I did swimming like my mother Alessandra (a professional swimmer) but I only wanted to play football.

On his passion for social media and tattoos:

I use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I like to interact with the fans and also read the insults if things do not go well. I have many tattoos but two of them are special. An inscription in Arabic on my right arm with my best friend Cristante and a portrait of my family that I have on my thigh. Along with my agent, Beppe Riso, they are the most important people in my life and from them I take refuge during difficult times.

On his future goals:

I want to help Ascoli to safety, hit double digits in goals and conquer the U-21 National Team.

 

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