JUVENTUS VS LAZIO 2 - 0

Juventus: Buffon; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Salihamidzic; Camoranesi, Marchisio, Zanetti (Amauri 55), Nedved (Tiago 84); Iaquinta (Giovinco 72), Del Piero

Lazio: Carrizo; Lichtsteiner, Siviglia (Tuia 78), Rozehnal, De Silvestri; Brocchi, Dabo (Meghni 64), Ledesma, Foggia; Kozac, Del Nero (Mendicino 52)

Ref: Peruzzo

Vincenzo Iaquinta's brace secured second place for Juventus, but the day was dedicated to Pavel Nedved. Both teams went into this fixture knowing they had achieved their aims of European qualification. Ciro Ferrara won on his debut as caretaker manager and admitted his chances of staying on next season were only 33 per cent.

He missed Momo Sissoko, Paolo De Ceglie, Christian Molinaro, Zdenek Grygera and Dario Knezevic. Lazio had Goran Pandev suspended plus Tommaso Rocchi, Mauro Zarate and Stefan Radu, so fielded an impromptu front line. Pavel Nedved announced this weekend he was quitting Juve, but not necessarily retiring from football, so this was his farewell to the Turin fans and he wore the captain's armband. It took three minutes for Juve to open the scoring, as Claudio Marchisio threaded through with the outside of his foot for Vincenzo Iaquinta to run between the central defenders and place an angled drive through the legs of the on-rushing Juan Pablo Carrizo.

Alessandro Del Piero had a goal ruled offside, probably incorrectly, while Kozac threatened an equaliser for Lazio when clear on goal and placing his lob just too high. Gigi Buffon needed two touches to deny Pasquale Foggia's effort, but just before half-time Del Piero's spectacular overhead kick skimmed the bar. Nicola Legrottaglie had to come sliding in to take a dangerous cross off Simone Del Nero's foot from six yards. Iaquinta completed his brace with an assist from Nedved, who spun round between two defenders to immediately thread through for his teammate.

Carrizo plucked a Del Piero lob out of the air, while Libor Kozac's glancing header skimmed the far post with the aid of a deflection off Legrottaglie. Nedved was substituted seven minutes from time so he could receive a standing ovation from the entire stadium. Kozak took advantage of a Chiellini hesitation to get between his legs and hit the post from point-blank range.

Read more »»

PREVIEW JUVE VS LAZIO

"We have already sobered up from the win against Siena and we're already thinking about our next encounter, against Lazio on Sunday,'' Ferrera said.

Juventus need to find a new coach for next season and have already begun rebuilding their squad, but this year's campaign is not yet over as they look to snatch second place against Lazio tomorrow.Ciro Ferrara will again be in charge of the team following Claudio Ranieri's sacking, but the rumour mill is in full swing trying to identify the likely long-term successor.

The likes of Laurent Blanc and Antonio Conte are reportedly being considered alongside Ferrara.The incumbent did himself no harm last week with the way Juventus went about beating Siena 3-0 to stay in contention for second place.However, he is keen to put that to one side now and focus only on tomorrow."We have already sobered up from the win against Siena and we're already thinking about our next encounter, against Lazio on Sunday,'' Ferrera said.

The future of the coach is not the only thing likely to be decided in the coming days, with Vicente Iaquinta claiming he is on the verge of a new deal, while there are reports that Pavel Nedved is also set for a further extension to his career.Another win will be enough for Juve to finish second courtesy of their superior head-to-head record against Milan.Juventus will hope to get it against a Lazio side that have nothing left to play for but pride.

A Europa League place was secured through the Coppa Italia, but Delio Rossi will want to see some fight from his players against a side they have already beaten twice this season.One of the players who has been key to Lazio's best performances this season has been Goran Pandev, a reported target of Juventus who will miss the chance to impress his prospective new employees due to a suspension.Club president Claudio Lotito, for his part, is insisting that the 25-year-old forward is not for sale."Why would we want to let go of such a great player, whose contract expires in June 2010?'' Lotito asked in Corriere dello Sport."I'm happy that there is interest in our player from big clubs, however before attempting to speak with the player, Juve should pay us some respect and speak with me."I have never received any interest on the part of Juve, or any other team for that fact, about Pandev.''Rossi is missing Mauro Zarate, Cribari and Christian Manfredini through injury.

Simone Inzaghi is also out after shoulder surgery and Rossi may give several youth players their chance.For Juventus, Mohamed Sissoko has returned to training, but this game has come too soon.Mauro Camoranesi sustained a knock in training on Wednesday, but he is likely to be fit for action.However, Dario Knezevic, Albin Ekdal, Cristian Molinaro and Zdenek Grygera are all out.

Read more »»

Official: The relationship between Juventus and Pavel Nedved is about to come to an end.

“I won four Scudetti and the Ballon d’Or in Turin. I particularly want to thank my wife Ivana and our children, who have accompanied me during this extraordinary journey. From Monday onwards, I will think about my future.

Pavel Nedved has announced he is leaving Juventus, but not necessarily retiring from football. “It’s time to say goodbye.”
The Juventus midfielder turns 37 in August and the club had tried to change his mind the same way they did a year ago, when he had threatened to retire.
A new contract was offered, but meetings at the headquarters last night and again this morning failed to reach a consensus.
“After eight years at Juventus the time has come to say goodbye and thank all the fans, teammates and the club for all the support I have received in this time.
“I won four Scudetti and the Ballon d’Or in Turin. I particularly want to thank my wife Ivana and our children, who have accompanied me during this extraordinary journey. From Monday onwards, I will think about my future.
“I will continue to feel close to Juventus and I’m particularly grateful to the Agnelli family for giving me the opportunity to play for this great club. I can assure you economic reasons had nothing to do with this decision.”
It is curious that the Czech is leaving Juve, but not necessarily hanging up his boots for good, as confirmed by his agent.
“For now we say goodbye to Juve, a decision that was already very difficult,” noted Mino Raiola on Sky Italia.
“From Monday we will think about the future. Sunday will be his last game in the Bianconeri shirt.
“I have already received many requests from Italy and abroad. We never asked Juventus for guarantees on tactics, players or a future as a director.”
Nedved began his career at Sparta Prague in 1992, moving on to Lazio in 1996 and then Juventus in 2001.

Read more »»

Pavel Nedved will continue running in one season

Juventus veteran Pavel Nedved had met the club's directors today to resolve his future.Earlier in the season, the Czech international declared his intention to hang up his boots at the end of the current campaign.

But recently his agent Mino Raiola stressed that he expected Nedved to play on for another year.Reports suggest that the 36-year-old had met club President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli later today to make a final decision.

After that meeting According to juventusnews.tk, it has been reported that Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved will continue running on the playing fields for another season following a meeting with his club, who managed to convince him not to retire and instead accept a one-year deal extension.

Nedved is expected to receive around €1.7 million, including bonuses tied to the number of appearances he will make next term.

The 36-year-old had announced that he would retire at the end of this campaign and in fact, following the elimination from the Champions League, he had stated that one of his biggest regrets was that he never won the trophy with the big ears.

However, now he will have another shot at glory as he will have the opportunity to fight another season in Europe's most prestigious competition and maybe finally make his dream come true.

Nedved has been at Juventus since 2001 following his move from Lazio, and has made 246 league appearances for the club, scoring 51 goals in the process.

Read more »»

Italy: Lippi call all italian defender of juve

Marcello Lippi has called 21 players for the friendly that Italy will play against Northern Ireland in Pisa on Saturday June 6 (20.50). Eight new faces: the goalkeeper of Cagliari Marchetti, the defenders of Lecce Esposito, del Palermo Cassani and of Inter Santon, the midfielders Biagianti (Catania), Galloppa (Siena), the attackers Mascara (Catania) and Pellissier (Chievo). The coach has also announced the names of 13 of the 23 players who will participate in the Confederations Cup: the list will be completed by Thursday June 4th.

Here is the list of those summoned for the friendly in Pisa
Goalkeepers: De Sanctis (Galatasaray), Marchetti (Cagliari), Defenders: Cassani (Palermo), Dossena (Liverpool), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Grosso (Olympique Lyon), Esposito (Lecce), Legrottaglie (Juventus), Santon (Inter) ; Midfielders: Biagianti (Catania), Brighi (Rome), D'Agostino (Udinese), Galloppa (Siena), Gattuso (Milan), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Palombo (Sampdoria), Forwards: Foggia (Lazio), Mascara (Catania ), Pazzini (Sampdoria), Pellissier (Chievo), Rossi Giuseppe (Villarreal).

Here is the list of 13 players already invited to the Confederations Cup
Goalkeepers: Buffon (Juventus), Amelia (Palermo) Defenders: Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Chiellini (Juventus), Zambrotta (Milan) Midfielders: Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Pepe (Udinese), Pirlo ( Milan) Forwards: Gilardino (Fiorentina), Iaquinta (Juventus), Quagliarella (Udinese), Toni (Bayern Monaco).

Read more »»

Juventus are planning to raid the Bundesliga again and close a deal for highly rated Stuttgart defender Serdar Tasci.

The 22-year-old German of Turkish origin has made 29 appearances for Stuttgart this season, scoring a single goal.Tasci has been a regular for Stuttgart for three years and played a part in their title winning side in 2007.

He made the first of seven appearances for Germany in a 2-0 victory over Belgium on August 20, 2008.Juventus believe Tasci can provide Fabio Cannavaro with some much need competition at centre-back.

He has a contract with Stuttgart until 2010 and, rather than waiting for it to expire, the Bianconeri want to open negotiations now.Juventus are looking to gradually overhaul their ageing squad and rejuvenate it with promising young players.

Read more »»

Diego is officially a Juventus player

WELCOME DIEGO RIBAS
THIS IS OUR NEW PLAYMAKER


Diego Ribas Da Cunha - For more funny videos, click here

“I chose Juve because they are one of the best teams in the world and we have been discussing this move for two and a half years now,” said the man who took Werder Bremen to the UEFA Cup Final.

Read more »»

Interview with ferrara after siena match

“Siena had a very strong start and created a few problems for us, but for the rest of the time I think Juve played with a real spirit of sacrifice from all its men" Said Ferrara after match

He made his debut with a few but very significant words: "Everything worked perfectly. I couldn’t ask for better". “It was a wonderful day, but above all I am happy with the reaction and performance of the squad,” said the new Coach who replaced Claudio Ranieri this week. Then he went on: "It was a very intense week during which I experienced various feelings. Happiness on one side, worry on the other. Then I came to the stadium, before the match and I felt better. Thanks to the 3-0 victory away to Siena, Fiorentina's 1-1 at Lecce and Milan's 3-2 home defeat to Roma, Juve are guaranteed a top three finish".

The Juventus seen on the field today gave the results which all had hoped for: "I thank the boys for the commitment shown during the week. I spoke clearly to them as fro the first day: it is difficult to work on the tactical aspect two weeks from the end of the championship and so I tried to work on motivation, on self-appreciation and on the intensity during the training sessions and they responded well"

One cannot miss out on a comment about the performance of the captain who scored twice and passed the ball of the other goal notwithstanding the injury suffered during the week: "I chose to field him- concluded Ferrara – because during the week he trained well and only slowed down a bit because of that blow during training. However, even during the fine-tuning session he played the mini-match and took the free-kicks. I had to choose who to field alongside Iaquinta and I chose him and I did well: great play, goals, passes and perhaps he could have been even more incisive when it came to scoring but he reacted like a captain"
He also commented about siena performance “Siena had a very strong start and created a few problems for us, but for the rest of the time I think Juve played with a real spirit of sacrifice from all its men.

“I believe that when there is a change of management, there is always going to be a shake-up in terms of motivation. Even if it wasn't me on the bench, the players would've felt responsible and realised exactly what it is we're gambling with here".

“We had to go and get the direct Champions League qualification and perhaps something a little more.” Ferrara has said he wanted to make it a permanent job on the Bianconeri bench, but faces competition from Bari boss Antonio Conte.

“Conte sent me a message wishing me luck.”

Read more »»

SIENA VS JUVENTUS 0 - 3

Ciro Ferrara had the perfect debut as Alessandro Del Piero and Claudio Marchisio sent Juventus into second place! On Monday Claudio Ranieri became the first Juventus Coach in 40 years to be sacked mid-season, so legend Ferrara was promoted from chief co-ordinator of the youth sector for his Serie A bow.

Time was of the essence, as they were only one point clear of Fiorentina and finishing fourth would be disastrous by forcing them into the Champions League preliminary round. The Bianconeri were without a win in seven and missed Momo Sissoko, Zdenek Grygera, Christian Molinaro, Albin Ekdal and Dario Knezevic. Alessandro Del Piero recovered from a bruised thigh to start. Siena had nothing to play for but pride and the only real injury loss was Houssine Kharja. He had scored the only goal here last season, which interrupted Juve's 100 per cent record in Siena in three visits.

After 40 seconds Gigi Buffon had to grab a Jarolim free kick, but Iaquinta should've opened the scoring on 15 minutes. He sprung the offside trap and was totally clear on goal, but hesitated and hit a weak effort straight at goalkeeper Gianluca Curci. Del Piero scored the first goal of the Ferrara era for Juventus, as he curled a trademark free kick into the near top corner from just over 20 metres, more distant than Il Capitano is accustomed to. It was a particularly special moment for Alex, who had been repeatedly dropped by Ranieri. Del Piero volleyed over from a promising position, but Juve doubled their lead just before the break.

Del Piero was the provider this time as he went on the counter and placed a slide-rule pass between defenders for Claudio Marchisio to score with the outside of his right foot. Curci was at full stretch to keep out another Del Piero free kick and a central snapshot from the captain. The second half was significantly quieter for all concerned, as the heat and tiredness took its toll. Del Piero completed his brace by waltzing round the goalkeeper in the final minute after springing the offside trap.

Read more »»

PREVIEW SIENA VS JUVENTUS

"The players need to understand that it only takes a little to change this negative period. This is a big occasion for me and the best response will be to get the results by winning. Ferrara

Juve have not won since March 21, a run of seven consecutive games which has left the club just one point clear of fourth-placed Fiorentina with two games left.

Fans have protested and there have been disagreements in the dressing-room, all of which led to the club sacking their coach for the first time in 40 years.

John Elkann, president of Juve's parent company, hopes Ferrara gets off to a winning start to boost the mood in the Bianconeri camp.

"What's important is to return to winning,'' he said. "I believe that Ferrara is a person who is capable, very convincing and who has all the cards to stimulate the squad and start again on a route to victory which we need.

"We are very close to the squad and to Ferrara and I hope that Juve return to winning: we believe a lot in the capacity of the coach and the players.

"Now we will play well the two remaining games.''

Alessandro Del Piero is facing a race against time to be fit for the clash against Siena after picking up a knock in training, while Cristian Molinaro, Mohamed Sissoko, Dario Knezevic, Albin Ekdal and Zdenek Grygera are definitely out.

Siena have nothing to play for but pride in their last home game of the season as Marco Giampaolo's side have already assured themselves Serie A football next season having collected 43 points in 36 games.

However, they will want to put on a good performance to erase memories of last week's 3-0 loss at Inter Milan.

Siena midfielder Daniele Galloppa is wary of a Juve backlash and hopes his team are up to the challenge.

"Our aim was safety and we hoped for a season as calm as this,'' he said. "We have always been outside the relegation zone and that has given us a lot of calm and serenity.

"Now we are up against a team with so much motivation and that could spur us on, regardless of the heat and tiredness accumulated in these past few months, to give a great performance.

"Personally I am happy to be able to play against Juventus at this moment, it will be another important test and we have to give a great performance.''

Giampaolo has an almost full-strength squad to choose from apart from the injured Mirko Guadalupi and goalkeeper Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos.

Read more »»

A day of training with special jerseys sporting

Juventus' Mauro Camoranesi, left, and Amauri of Brazil sport team jerseys with their names written in Chinese, to celebrate 20 years of Serie A soccer broadcasting by CCTV5 in China, during a training session at the Vinovo center, near Turin, Italy, Friday, May 22, 2009.

The Chinese television troupe which has been in Italy for the last 15 days filmed the principle football towns in Italy that is Turin, Milan and Genova and interviewed the protagonists of the Italian championship. The special programme will speak of the historical relationship which unites Fiat, the report’s sponsor, and Juventus through an interview with John Elkann.

Read more »»

Ferrara : I want to make different juve

"At this moment we really need the supporters to reach a difficult objective that is the direct qualification to the Champions League and therefore we have to work together".

Ferrara has been given a chance to impress after replacing Claudio Ranieri for the last two games of the season.After working as youth team boss and an assistant to Marcello Lippi for the national side, Ferrara has promising credentials.

“What is important is that we get back to winning,” Elkann told Juve's website.
“I think that Ferrara is capable and very convincing. He has what it takes to motivate this squad and get us the wins we need.

“We believe completely in the players and the Coach we have and for now it's just important to focus on the two remaining games.”

Ferrara makes his debut against Siena this weekend before a final-day test against Lazio.
He had little time to think about his decision and yet he accepted the challenge without blinking an eyelid: "I was very direct with Jean-Claude Blanc. I would like to thank all those who beleievd that I could be useful at this moment. Perhaps it is partially due to my recent past with this jersey. I did not ask questions or make any requests but I made myself available for the club. I have been part of this club since 1994 and after retiring in 2005 I was given a managerial role and therefore I feel I should make myself available. For me it is a great honour. I told Blanc and Secco to feel completely free with regards to the next coach were it to be me or somebody else. If I am not the coach next season I will return to my post as director of the youth sector without any problems. The club should not feel obliged to confirm me for next year. I am proud to have been chosen for these two day at least. When it comes to the future we’ll see but the club should do what it thinks is best".

The team’s performances have been rather bleak recently, to say the least, with no victories in the last 2 months and therefore a drastic change is necessary: "My intention is to see a different Juve. I know I have little time and that I must intervene but i can’t change a team completely in these two weeks. Hopefully by the end of the week I will be more precise with regards to details. Apart from the technical, tactical and physical aspect of the role i think I will have to work on other things. I think I will have to show the players the difficult time the club is going through. Sometimes little details are necessary to make big changes. I think the problem is not the scarce physical condition but that the players must find the right motivation for these two matches".

Ciro, as he is amicably known, may boast of a great past as a player and a great present as the director of the youth sector and now as from tomorrow his future is that of Juventus coach: "It is clear that it is difficult to judge me technically since I have two weeks to work. I will try to work well and try to bring out the players’ capabilities even because I know them. Since I took on the managerial post I have put my footballer days behind me. I want to be judged on the work that I will do as coach from now on. I felt obliged to give my contribution and do not fear risking in this strange moment".

The new Juventus coach played with a few of the current members of the squad and now finds himself as their boss: "I don’t think I will need to spend much time speaking to the boys. I will use the right words but most of all get on the field and work intensely. We have 10 training sessions left in these two weeks and these 10 sessions must be intense so as to achieve the right results. I am sure to find players who are intelligent and who understand my position and the final objective. They are all fundamental to me. At this point I am the coach and even though I am friends with some of the players we must be able to distinguish a friendly relationship and a work relationship. When Ancelotti was our coach even though I knew him well from the national side I always tried to understand his choices. I don’t care if they call me Mister or simply Ciro, what interests me is working well".

Finally a word about the supporters: "At this moment we really need the supporters to reach a difficult objective that is the direct qualification to the Champions League and therefore we have to work together".

Read more »»

Edin dzeko want to play with juventus

"I know Chelsea want me and they have already spoken to my agent," "But my dream is to play in Italy, with Juventus."

Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko has claimed Chelsea have spoken to his agent over a possible transfer.

The highly-rated Bosnian has been linked with a summer move away from Volkswagen Arena, with a number of sides credited with an interest in his services.

Dzeko, who has netted 25 Bundesliga goals this season, has suggested Chelsea have enquired about his services, although he would favour a move to Serie A.

"I know Chelsea want me and they have already spoken to my agent," said Dzeko in the Daily Mirror.

"But my dream is to play in Italy, with Juventus."

The 23-year-old Dzeko is under contract at Wolfsburg until the summer of 2011.

Read more »»

Juve prepare Fabio transfer

Juventus have stepped up their interest for Udinese ace Fabio Quagliarella as Inter threaten to move first.

The Old Lady will be looking to strengthen their striking line this summer with French international David Trezeguet expected to leave.

Azzurri marksman Quagliarella continues to impress at the Stadio Friuli and he has been widely tipped to join one of the peninsula's giants.

Juve have been watching Quagliarella for months, but Inter boss Jose Mourinho is also an admirer of the talented hitman and the champions are said to be preparing a bid.

Stunned into action, Juve sporting director Alessio Secco met with Udinese counterpart Pietro Leonardi yesterday and they reportedly began formal negotiations for a transfer.

Reports suggest that Quagliarella would fetch around £14m and Udinese could demand full rights to rising star Michele Paolucci.

Read more »»

FIRST DAY TRAINING WITH FERRARA

After the words come the facts. The day after the announcement and the official presentation of Ciro Ferrara came the time to begin work on the field.

The adventure has begun, for him as coach but also for all the members of his technical staff. At the start of the afternoon session all the team got to know those collaborating with him. The faces are known to all since they are those of professionals coming directly from the youth sector.

The deputy-coach is Massimiliano Maddaloni. Michelangelo Rampulla will get back to coaching the goalkeepers while Dodo Sormani is the new technical assistant. Only Andrea Scanavino has been confirmed as trainer and is a sign of continuity from the Ranieri period.

Here are the presentation details of the four collaborators of Ciro Ferrara:

Ciro Ferrara

First of all a first class player who was capable of winning 6 scudetti on the field. He is also a valid manager capable of leading the youth sector in one of the most important times in its history. He is now also the coach of the first team. Since 1994, when he joined Juventus, Ciro Ferrara has made of the relationship a stronger one each day.

Born in Naples on the 11th of February 1967, as a player he played 500 matches in the Serie A, 247 of which with the Napoli jersey and 253 for Juventus, the team which he played for between 1994 and 2005. Besides 8 scudetti (one of which was revoked), he won 2 Coppa Italia, 5 Italian Supercups, a UEFA Cup, a Champions League and an Intercontinental Cup.

He formed part of the technical staff of the Italian national team who went on to win the 2006 World Championships as an assistant to Marcello Lippi. Since 2006 he is the personal responsible of the Juventus youth sector. In 2008, with the return of Lippi as Italian national coach he was once again appointed as assistant to the national coach.

On the 18th of May he replaced Claudio Ranieri as coach of the first team.

Michelangelo Rampulla

Two years later, Michelangelo Rampulla returns to coaching the goalkeepers of the first team after having been part of Didier Deschamps’ technical staff.

This is another experience for one of the most loved persons by the Juventus supporters. Born in Patti (Messina) on the 10th of August in 1962, his name is linked to Juventus since 1992. For 10 years, as a goalkeeper, he was part of one of the most successful periods in the history of the club.

After having shelved his gloves, he remained with Juventus undertaking various roles within the youth sector (Primavera goalkeepers’ coach, goalkeeper coaches’ coordinator and coaches’ organization coordinator) but also as the person responsible of the Juventus Club Doc Coordination Centre. This, apart from that of goalkeepers’ coach during the Deschamps period in the 2006/07 season.

Massimiliano Maddaloni

As deputy-coach, Ferrara re-embraces an old companion who formed part of his adventure since the times of the Napoli youth sector. Massimiliano Maddaloni will be undertaking the role simultaneously with that of Primavera coach.

Having joined Juventus at the beginning of the 2007/08 season as coach of the Allievi Nazionali, he has been successful since the beginning of the season as Primavera coach. Having won the Viareggio Cup in February and gone close to triumph in the Coppa Italia, the bianconeri under his direction are currently busy with the final phase of the championship after having dominated the elimination phase.

Born in Napoli on the 22nd of June 1966, his sports curriculum includes a long parentesis as professional footballer in Serie C and D between 1985 and 2000. As coach, before his arrival in Turin, he coached Tuscan teams (Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, Versilia and Cecina) in Eccellenza category, Serie D and Serie C.

Adolfo Sormani

A historical name for Italian football is now part of the staff. Son of Angelo Benedicto, Adolfo “Dodo” Sormani, is the new technical assistant to Ciro Ferrara, with whom he has already been collaborating for two years within the youth sector.

Born in Genova on the 11th of August 1965, he is close to the end of his second season with Juventus as technical instructor within the youth sector. This is the latest stage in a career which saw him first as a player (for a number of important team such as Parma, Napoli, Avellino and Sambenedettese) and then as coach of Serie D teams like Portosummaga, Conegliano, Chioggia and Cattolica.

Andrea Scanavino

Andrea Scanavino represents continuity in the technical staff. He will keep the role of athletic coach. His collaboration with Juventus will continue after he joined in 1999, the year in which he was enrolled as the person responsible for the recovery of injured players.

In these years he collaborated actively with all the professionals who came along: from Giampiero Ventrone (during the two periods of Marcello Lippi and with Carlo Ancelotti) up to Riccardo Capanna, and through the times with Massimo Neri during the Fabio Capello era and Antonio Pintus during the time of Didier Deschamps.

Read more »»

PRO - CONTRA AFTER RANIERI SACKED

This statement from many figures and newspaper headline after Ranieri Fired



Gazzetta dello Sport
Ranieri pays - Ciro Ferrara replaces Claudio on the bench to try and protect Juve's third place
The former Juve boss: I am calm because I did my duty

Corriere dello Sport
Juve sensation: Ranieri is sacked! The team are immediately placed under Ciro Ferrara and Conte will arrive in June
Blanc: It's the right time for a shock

Tuttosport
Juve are released, Ranieri is finished: sacked!
Ferrara: Now it's time to rise again
Blanc: There needed to be a shock to save the Champions League place

Dailymail
Former Chelsea boss Ranieri booted out by Juventus after failing to peg back Mourinho
Claudio Ranieri could consider a return to England after being sacked by Juventus.

Moggi (former Juventus director)
“Juventus aren't accustomed to sackings in the final few weeks of the season - that's why the news is even more sensational,” Moggi said on R101.
“However, it has become common practice in football. If things don't go well then the Coach pays first then the directors.
“However, I don't think that Ranieri did so badly at Juve and he wasn't the wrong choice as Coach.”

Carlo Mazzone (Veteran Coach Serie A)
“Despite the final stumble I think Ranieri did well. He had to put up with a whole host of injuries and has mixed youngsters with experienced players.
“I would like to see what would happen if you give the same squad to any other highly rated Coach from the start of the season.”

Jean-Claude Blanc (President directur of juve).
“We want to thank Ranieri, but after the recent results and with Fiorentina just a point behind we have opted to put Ferrara in charge,”
“Ciro said that he was available yesterday and this morning we decided to give him the job. We will see what happens after the two remaining games of the season.
“We wanted to shake up the players and now it is up to them to show us a reaction.”

Ciro Ferrara (Coach of Juventus)
“The important thing is to get the players showing pride again - not much needs to be done to turn things around,”
“It only takes a few small things to get into or out of a crisis. I don't think the physical side is the problem.
“I want to be judged on what I do and my own abilities. I am not scared of putting myself out there, but it's clear that I need time to do things on a tactical and technical level.
“As for the national side, rest assured I will be available to Lippi from June 2. For now I am in charge of Juve for 15 days and then we will see.”

Read more »»

CANNAVARO IS BACK

“Juventus have deposited the contract of Cannavaro that will be effective from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010,” a club statement reads.

It has been confirmed that Juventus have signed Azzurri skipper Fabio Cannavaro.

The 35-year-old left the Bianconeri to sign for Real Madrid after the Calciopoli scandal in 2006.

But Canna's contract at the Bernabeu expires this summer and he has been called back to Turin.

“Juventus have deposited the contract of Cannavaro that will be effective from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010,” a club statement reads.

The Neapolitan stopper won two Scudetti with Juve in 2004-05 and 2005-06 after signing from Inter in June 2004.

Cannavaro was a hero in the World Cup 2006 triumph and won the Ballon d'Or that year, but his performances have been questionable at times this season and his return has been opposed by angry fans who feel the centre-back deserted them three years ago.

“I am happy to return to Turin and to have the chance to wear the Juve shirt again,” Canna said yesterday.

“I'm disappointed that some fans have some bitter feelings after the glorious seasons we enjoyed together.

“However, I am convinced that I can win them over with professionalism and passion in this new adventure.”

Read more »»

FINALLY, RANIERI SACKED

Like my prediction its just matter of time

“Juventus would like to thank Ranieri for the work he has done over the last two years,” a statement from the club reads.

Juventus have sacked Claudio Ranieri with just two games of the season left and made Ciro Ferrara caretaker Coach.

It has been a disappointing campaign for the Bianconeri, who have failed to secure any trophies and are in danger of sliding into fourth place.

After last weekend's 2-2 draw with Atalanta, the Juve directors held a crisis meeting with President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli this morning and they have decided to end the Ranieri era early.

“Juventus would like to thank Ranieri for the work he has done over the last two years,” a statement from the club reads.

“We wish the new boss Ferrara immediate success in his new position.”

Ferrara will be presented to the Press at 5.15pm and will take charge of training today.

Read more »»

JUVE VS ATALANTA 2 - 2

PLAYER STATISTICS
JUVENTUS

Buffon- 6.5: Nothing he could do on either goal and he was visibly frustrated with the slow reactions of his defenders. The Italian international made some smart stops from Doni and Cerci.

Grygera- 5.0: He was not very involved in any capacity, being pinned back in his own half by Atalanta's attack.

Mellberg- 5.5: He is never up to the standard of Chiellini and struggled to deal with any burst of pace, being turned on a few occasions. He did well dealing with aerial threats.

Legrottaglie- 6.0: Unluckily, a deflection off the former Siena player took the ball past Buffon for the opening goal. He nearly made up for it when his header hit the woodwork.

De Ceglie- 7.0: the best of the Juventus backline, he was always well positioned in attack and defence and made plenty of runs forward on the left side.

Camoranesi- 6.0: He made many incisive movements forward in the first half, but the end product was constantly lacking from the winger.

Zanetti- 6.5: He added some poise to the Bianconeri midfield and scored an absolutely stunning goal with a volley from outside the area!

Poulsen- 4.5: Overall, a sloppy match, he was constantly nervous in possession and lost the ball on too many occasions. He nearly gifted Atalanta the winner with a weak header back to Buffon. He also missed a header from point-blank range at the other end.

Nedved- 7.5: The Czech veteran struggled to get into the match at first, but his influence grew as the match went on. He assisted Iaquinta's goal and set up many more chances for his team-mates.

Amauri- 6.5: A frustrating match for the ex-Palermo hitman, who held the ball up well and also saw a header cannon back off the woodwork.

Iaquinta- 7.0: He never stopped running and was rewarded with another goal for his efforts, his tenth in Serie A this season.

Substitutes

Del Piero- 6.0, Trezeguet - 6.0, Zebina - N/A

ATALANTA

Consigli- 8.0: The Italy Under-21 shot-stopper made a number of fine saves, including a fantastic one from Del Piero in the late stages to keep the scores level at 2-2.

Garics- 6.5: Put in a good display before being subbed due to injury in the 41st minute.

Capelli- 6.0: He was unable to effectively deal with Juventus' build-up play on their first goal, but otherwise turned in a commendable performance.

Manfredini- 7.0: The central-defender made few mistakes and was solid at the back for the entire match.

Bellini- 6.5: The left-back has been a bright spot for the team this season and continued that trend by doing plenty of chasing and blocking crosses.

Defendi- 6.5: He missed a great chance to score at the end of the first-half, when he turned the ball over the net from close range, but he worked hard.

Parravacini- 5.0: He lacks the intensity of the suspended Guarente and was not much of a force in the midfield for the Orobici.

Cigarini- 7.5: His deflected strike opened the scoring and he almost had another when his long range effort smashed against the post. He was one of the top performers in this match with a number of impressive passes.

Cerci- 5.0: The Roma-owned winger has simply been unable to perform in Serie A and misplaced a number of passed throughout the match.

Doni- 7.0: The veteran keeps on ticking, he helped to set up the first goal and was always involved in attack for the visitors.

Plasmati- 7.0: He worked hard to keep Mellberg and Legrottaglie busy and was unfortunate to hit the crossbar, not once, but twice, in the second-half.

Substitutes

Pellegrino- 6.5, Peluso - 6.0, Girasole - N/A

Read more »»

JUVENTUS VS ATALANTA

Optimistic Juventus fans will talk to you about the team’s four-game unbeaten run. Their pessimistic counterparts will simply give you a stat – five points from the last 18 available.

This game will be played behind closed doors, as Juve lost their appeal against a one-match ban for racist chanting at Mario Balotelli during the Derby d'Italia.

Some may think the Bianconeri’s season is over. What with Inter a win away from the Scudetto and Milan four points in the distance, there is certainly cause to think so. However, the last three games of the season will be crucial in deciding Italy’s final two entrants in next year’s Champions League.

Juventus still have chance of finishing second, but with fourth placed Fiorentina just three points behind them, victory over Atalanta becomes all the more important. The momentum is certainly with the Viola, who have won six of their last seven games, scoring 13 goals and keeping clean sheets in each of their previous two outings.

Staving off Fiorentina is very important in two respects. If Juventus slip to fourth they will be awarded a lot less prize money. That, in turn, will restrict their ability to rebuild the team in the summer transfer window and possibly collapse the Diego deal.

What’s more, by finishing fourth instead of third, Juventus will have to start the season almost a month earlier and take part in the preliminary stages of the Champions League.

Luckily for the Bianconeri, Atalanta are the team travelling to Turin this weekend, carrying with them a bout of inconsistency. The Orobici have only won two of their last 10 games and are safely ensconced in mid-table with barely anything to play for this season.

Over 10 points clear of both the relegation dogfight and the last Europa League places, Atalanta are already on the beach.

Gigi Del Neri looks set to leave the club in the summer and a lot of the appetite the team showed earlier this season appears to have evaporated. However, Juventus will be wary of the fact Atalanta beat Inter and Roma this season and deserved a victory over Milan.

Keep an eye on: Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus) – The 29-year-old striker is quite a conundrum. He has scored nine goals in just 15 starts this season, most of which have come over the last two months, begging the question: Why did Ranieri not play him earlier in the campaign? However, his form has coincided with the Bianconeri’s worst spell of the season, giving one the impression that the team isn’t as good as a whole with Iaquinta in it.

Last season: Juventus 1-0 Atalanta

Form guide: Juventus (L D D D D) Atalanta (D L W L D)

Read more »»

Arsenal very interest with Chiellini

"Giorgio signed a renewal in July with Juventus and, even though I am not his agent, I can tell you that there is a difference between talking about a deal and actually doing one," Claudio Chiellini said."I think that a departure is just pure fantasy."

Arsenal are looking for defensive cover and they are looking to sign Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini.

The Gunners defence has not been physically tough enough to withstand physically imposing strikers like Chelsea's Didier Drogba.

Chelsea thumped Arsenal 4-1 with Drogba playing a key role in that defeat.

Arsene Wenger's side have now conceded 36 goals in the Premier League, which is already five more than last season and ten more than they surrendered when they last won the league in 2003/04.

Reports at the weekend suggest the Londoners have targeted a move for 24-year-old Chiellini to bolster their ranks, but the Italian international won't come cheap.

Indeed, it is somewhat unlikely that Juventus will even consider selling the former Fiorentina star, but in the event they are prepared to listen to offers, they would want at least £15million.

But the Chiellini's brother Claudio Chiellini denies all link , "Giorgio signed a renewal in July with Juventus and, even though I am not his agent, I can tell you that there is a difference between talking about a deal and actually doing one," Claudio Chiellini said.

"I think that a departure is just pure fantasy."

Read more »»

Juve-Ranieri, all over now Time to choose his successor

The relationship between Claudio Ranieri and Juventus is over. Reuters

one declaration from president Cobolli Gigli. It was succinct: “I am in total agreement with Blanc and am more than ever a fan of Juventus. I am disappointed, but I still believe that we can finish second.”

The Bianconeri have decided to divorce their coach at the end of the season,For next season Spalletti would really like Prandelli, but some of the club’s administrators would like Gasperini. Conte, Giampaolo and Ballardini are the outsiders.
The piece of paper is now redundant. This is the first irony: a contract, black on white, ties Claudio Ranieri to Juventus. It expires in June 2010. However, despite that, the only certainty is that Ranieri’s time as Juventus coach is over. He will leave in a month at the most. The feeble performance against Lecce has accelerated everything. The club’s directors are also on the counterattack. The board of directors meets on Wednesday 13 May. No urgent decision will be taken before then. Ranieri will only be coach for the next three games. Ferrara is ready to step in, but only if a heavy defeat in three matches moves everything forward. During this (confused) wait the club’s directors are keeping quiet. There has been just one declaration from president Cobolli Gigli. It was succinct: “I am in total agreement with Blanc and am more than ever a fan of Juventus. I am disappointed, but I still believe that we can finish second.”

FAVOURITE

The president said nothing else, there being no need. They want solutions and they want them fast. Many ideas are flying around. There is a possibility of Spalletti. Negotiations (albeit informal ones) have already begun, but no agreement has been reached. The club made this clear immediately after the defeat to Lazio. There is no agreement, but an idea that they are exploring and that the club’s owners are particularly keen on. Downsides? Spalletti is now ready to leave Roma, but he earns the grand sum of 2 million euros net per season. Then he would also bring his six person staff to Turin, costing another 1 million euros net per season. Spalletti is a man of experience, a coach capable of challenging Inter’s leadership. They prefer him to Prandelli, who anyway does not want to leave Florence.

STUFF AND NONSENSE

There are a number of ideas in the air, including one pushed by some club directors who would prefer an emerging coach . They would prefer Gianpiero Gasperini, the Genoa coach, the miracle maker. “Stuff and nonsense,” replied Enrico Preziosi, Genoa’s president. A joke, but also (primarily) a response to Juventus, which yesterday initiated contacts with Genoa with the aim of convincing the club to let go of its trainer, who is under contract until 2012. It will be discussed again in a few days. Gasperini gained his early coaching experience with the Juventus youth team and will not simply dismiss the idea of returning to Turin. However Gasperini is (above all) a loyal man, with close ties to the Genoa fans and president Preziosi. But, their mutual esteem also means that they cannot close down to any possibility. Preziosi will not stop his trainer from accepting an unrefusable offer from Juventus. Aside from Gasperini there are two other new interesting possibilities, coaches with clear ideas and personalities: Giampaolo from Siena and Ballardini from Palermo. Two new names and a name mostly on the fans' minds probably:: Antonio Conte. But real decisions need to be made, and quickly. Then comes the contract. However that is just a detail.

Read more »»

Criscito back to juve

Juventus-owned defender Domenico Criscito will return to Turin from Genoa at the end of the season, according to his representative.

The former Azzurrini star has been on loan at Marassi where he has impressed in an overachieving side.

Genoa could try to sign Criscito permanently, but his agent expects him to return to the Stadio Olimpico.

“The clubs are yet to sort out his future, but I don't think Genoa will sign him,” Sandro Gedda said in Tuttosport.

“They will be meeting soon. However, if they fail to reach an agreement then he will return to Juve.

“Nothing has been decided yet though and his future is in Genoa's hands.”

The future of Criscito may be linked to that of striker Raffaele Palladino, who is co-owned by Juventus and Genoa.

Read more »»

MILAN VS JUVENTUS 1 - 1

“We reactivated ourselves. Unfortunately the break for international duty had seen us lose our way, but tonight we saw the Juventus side that was concentrated, united and knew what had to be done,” insisted the Coach Mr. Ranieri.

Vincenzo Iaquinta replied to Clarence Seedorf's opener as a 1-1 draw leaves Milan seven points adrift of Inter. This means next week a victory over Siena will crown the Nerazzurri champions. This was practically a play-off for second place and the two sides could not be on more different form.

The Rossoneri had won seven out of eight games, while Juve were without a victory in 50 days and conceded 11 goals in their last five Serie A games. The Bianconeri were unbeaten at San Siro since a 3-1 result on October 29 2005, but had Pavel Nedved and Olof Mellberg suspended along with the injured Momo Sissoko, Christian Molinaro, Hasan Salihamidzic, Albin Ekdal, Dario Knezevic, Claudio Marchisio and Zdenek Grygera. Captain Alessandro Del Piero was sensationally dropped in favour of Amauri and Vincenzo Iaquinta for what would've been his 600th game for the club.

Milan welcomed Gennaro Gattuso back to the bench a full month ahead of schedule following knee ligament surgery in December. Marco Borriello, Alessandro Nesta, Kakha Kaladze, Christian Abbiati and Luca Antonini were still sidelined, while David Beckham struggled with an ankle problem, but Nelson Dida did not recover in time. Beckham was the first player booked after three minutes for a late sliding tackle on Marco Marchionni. Juve had the first chance with Iaquinta knocking down a cross for Mauro Camoranesi to volley over from eight yards.

Kaka threaded through for Pippo Inzaghi, but Gigi Buffon rushed off his line to smother. Juve threatened again as Marchionni was sent clear on goal, but Mathieu Flamini came flying in with a decisive tackle. Moments later Iaquinta went on a run from midfield, but again Flamini helped Paolo Maldini dispossess him when lining up the shot from eight yards. Inzaghi bundled his way past Giorgio Chiellini to volley Clarence Seedorf's chipped pass over the bar.

Iaquinta wanted a penalty, but he seemed to be tussling 50-50 with Flamini. Kaka slalomed his way through a series of players to go one-on-one with Buffon, who used his feet to clear. Iaquinta's volley tested Kalac and Buffon risked fumbling a Kaka snapshot. Inzaghi could not get his foot to the end of a Kaka cross as he tried to acrobatically hit the volley. Christian Poulsen was allowed to cut in through the middle undisturbed as the strikers drew the centre-backs away, but his low drive was off target. Inzaghi's volley flashed across the face of goal from a very tight angle as he got on the end of Andrea Pirlo's pass. After the restart Inzaghi nodded a Beckham corner wide from six yards. Juve went even closer as Iaquinta sprung the offside trap and his shot cannoned off Kalac's chest, but Flamini anticipated Amauri to the loose ball. Another Cristiano Zanetti long ball released Iaquinta and this time Kalac came flying out to hoof it clear. Seedorf went on a counter only to balloon well over from the edge of the box, earning jeers from the San Siro crowd.

Milan broke the deadlock with a classic counter-attack. Iaquinta's free kick in the final third was charged down and a counter was sparked sending Inzaghi clear from his own half - so the offside trap did not apply. He cut back for Ambrosini's scuffed shot which turned into an assist for Seedorf to tap in from a yard. Iaquinta equalised a few minutes later with a diving header at the back post from Camoranesi's sweeping cross. He held off Flamini with great strength to beat Kalac from nine yards. Flamini blasted wide from distance and Poulsen was booked for blatantly hauling back Kaka on another counter. There was tension between Maldini and Giorgio Chiellini as a corner was floated in and both were yellow carded. Alexandre Pato replaced the not 100 per cent fit Beckham, while De Ceglie fell on to his ribs (which he fractured earlier this season) and made way for Jonathan Zebina. Buffon fumbled a Kaka angled drive and another Brazilian effort was deflected out for a corner off Nicola Legrottaglie. Inzaghi's fierce volley whistled inches over the bar in his last kick of the game, as he was replaced by Ronaldinho. Del Piero came on for Amauri and marked his 600th appearance in a Juventus jersey. The captain immediately had a great chance, but slipped on the surface as he pulled the trigger. Zebina charged down Dinho's shot, but Camoranesi selfishly wasted a counter by going for an unlikely lob when Del Piero would've gone clear on goal nine minutes from time. Pato wanted a penalty, but the referee judged Legrottaglie's risky tackle from behind to be fair. Moments later Favalli went through the back of Del Piero for a second yellow card, leaving Milan with 10 men for the final five minutes. Pato's accurate shot was charged down and Kaka also slipped when trying to get the rebound.

Ronaldinho also wanted a spot-kick for a coming-together with Chiellini, but again the referee waved play on and this time there was no doubt on the replays he got the ball.
Milan failed to take advantage of Zebina's howler, while Dinho failed to get his head on to Pirlo's free kick by a matter of inches from six yards. Kalac smothered a Legrottaglie snapshot, but 10-man Milan kept pouring forward and were unable to find a winner.

THIS IS PLAYER RATINGS :

Milan

Kalac- 6.5: Called into question on numerous occasions. Despite having to parry more than once, he could do little on the goal which was muscled goal-bound from close range.

Flamini- 6.0: Played a great game until the Juve goal, hence the lower rating. Whilst he is still adapting to the full-back role, he clearly wasn’t strong enough when dealing with a determined Iaquinta inside the box.

Favalli- 5.0: The former Lazio man started well but was often out-muscled by the physical play of the Juve forwards. Given his experience he could have avoided a second bookable offence.

Maldini- 6.5 : A competent display from the veteran, he showed Chiellini he isn’t going soft in his old age when taking the Juve stopper by the scruff of the neck.

Zambrotta- 5.5: The former Juve man was positive going forward but a little suspect at the back. Like Flamini he made heavy work of containing Iaquinta who imposed his strength on every attack.

Pirlo- 7.0: The Italian put some great balls over the top for Inzaghi and had Pippo been on target he could well have been on the assist sheet.

Beckham- 7.0: Becks left to a round of applause from the Giuseppe Meazza. Despite his age, he is still more than capable of displaying a professional performance at the highest level and his crossing regular proved dangerous.

Ambrosini- 6.5: He may look to claim for the assist but his say in the Milan goal was simply a scuffed shot that fell in the path of Seedorf. Nevertheless the ageing midfielder kept on going and did well to help out going forward.

Kaka- 7.0: Mr €100m put in his regular elegant performance creating numerous chances for Inzaghi. With a little more protection from Orsato, he could have proven decisive as he looked to run at Juve.

Seedorf- 7.0: The Dutchman left the field once again to a pocket of whistles from the home crowd. Despite the strange objection from his home support, he combined well with Kaka to give De Ceglie a headache throughout.

Inzaghi- 7.5: SuperPippo continues to roll back the years with impressive performances at the highest level. Always a constant threat, the former Juve man created one and could have had a couple himself had he been on target following some ambitious volleying.

Substitutes

Pato – 6.0, Ronaldinho- 5.5, Senderos- N/A

Juventus

Buffon- 6.5: There was little he could do on the goal. With most of Milan’s close chances being sprayed wide, the Italian No. 1 wasn’t called upon too frequently.

Grygera- 6.5: The fullback made several good runs forward and limited Milan's influence down his side of the pitch. Had a penalty shout waved away in the first half.

Legrottaglie- 7.0: The former Siena man stepped in when called to and made a decisive challenge on Ronaldinho that sparked cries for a penalty from the Rossoneri.

Chiellini- 8.0: He put in a very concrete performance to step in on numerous occasions and deny the Rossoneri the chance to run at the Juve goal. Buffon wasn’t called upon too often thanks to Giorgio’s expert reading of the game.

De Ceglie- 5.5: He was given a hard time by Kaka and Seedorf for large spells, as they continuously switched roles. The youngster was caught napping as Milan broke to take the lead.

Camoranesi- 7.5: The Italo-Argentinean finally put in the performance he is paid for. Staying out of trouble and whipping constant crosses in for the big-man in the box, he was the spark behind much of the Juve forward play.

Poulsen- 4.5: Yet again the Dane looked out of his depth and could only contain the opposition with rash last ditch challenges. Had Orsato been a little stricter, Poulsen could well have finished early for a second bookable offence.

Zanetti- 7.0: He put in a professional performance at the heart of midfield and is an example to Poulsen on how to stay out of trouble whilst still keeping the opposition at bay.

Marchionni- 5.5: The zippy winger got himself into good forward positions at times, but he wasted a golden chance to put his side ahead in the first period when he was fed through on goal by Amauri

Amauri- 7.0: The Brazilian put in a real shift tonight. Testament to this was his request to be substituted with a quarter of an hour to go; His legs simply couldn’t give any more.

Iaquinta- 8.5: The stocky forward was a handful throughout and showed his power to beat Flamini to the ball inside the box. With performances like tonight’s it is a wonder why Ranieri hasn’t given Vincenzo more faith over the course of the season.

Substitutes

Del Piero- 6.5, Zebina- N/A

Read more »»

PREVIEW Milan VS JUVENTUS

It’s practically a play-off for second place and therefore the ability to say this season has not been a total failure.

Both sides will end the campaign empty-handed – as Inter boss Jose Mourinho has been at pains to point out – as it’s very unlikely Milan will be able to close the seven-point gap at the top in four rounds. Juventus were the principle challengers for the Scudetto until a sensational collapse that has seen them go seven games without victory amid in-fighting, transfer gossip and even talk of a caretaker Coach to replace Claudio Ranieri should this fixture end in an embarrassing defeat.


“We simply cannot do without Kaka,” confessed Carlo Ancelotti after the Brazilian’s recent return to full fitness coincided with a run of seven wins from eight games. “You can see how important he is to the side.” The Ballon d’Or winner has scored four goals in his last three matches and inspired many more.

Yet he is not the real form player for Milan right now, as that title belongs to SuperPippo Inzaghi with an astounding 11 goals from eight rounds. It is always a special occasion for him to face his former club and with the team in this form, it’s no wonder Ronaldinho has been left on the bench for the last month.

Alexander Pato is still recovering from injury, but his pace could be a very useful asset against the decimated Juve defence. Carlo Ancelotti could stick with the Christmas Tree formation and Clarence Seedorf, who has an excellent record against the Bianconeri.

These teams have been beset by injuries this season and the list still includes Gennaro Gattuso, Marco Borriello, Alessandro Nesta, Kakha Kaladze, Christian Abbiati and Luca Antonini on one side, Momo Sissoko, Hasan Salihamidzic, Albin Ekdal, Dario Knezevic, Claudio Marchisio and Zdenek Grygera on the other.

Juventus have two other problems to contend with, as Pavel Nedved and Olof Mellberg are suspended for this tie after picking up yellow cards. Nicola Legrottaglie and Giorgio Chiellini hope to recover from their niggles in time to take the centre-back slots and Jonathan Zebina could be the choice to fill out the defence.


Ranieri is hanging by a thread and this week general manager Jean-Claude Blanc would only back his tactician by urging “unity for the next four games, then we’ll see.” The Coach is regularly insulted by fans and there was a reported locker-room row with Mauro Camoranesi at half-time against Lecce. Gianluigi Buffon stormed out after just three minutes and spent the break wandering by himself around the pitch, spotted muttering the phrase “I can’t take this any more.”

There are rumours Buffon will request a transfer in the summer with Milan first in line to snap him up, having come so close to getting the goalkeeper in 2006. He certainly can’t be happy at conceding 11 goals in the last five Serie A games, as Juve haven’t kept a clean sheet since the Turin derby on March 7 and have shown an alarming tendency to let in stoppage-time efforts.

If the Camoranesi report is true, then he could be shelved for this big game in favour of Marco Marchionni with Sebastian Giovinco possibly taken out of storage to replace Nedved on the left. Alessandro Del Piero was also substituted at half-time and has had a distracting week with the birth of daughter Dorotea on Tuesday, but Il Capitano will partner either Amauri or Vincenzo Iaquinta. It looks as if David Trezeguet’s agent calling for “respect” from the Coach will be in vain.

Recent years have been very even at San Siro with all three results in the editions preceding this one. Last term it may have ended goalless, but the goalkeepers performed heroics to keep it that way. Juve’s happiest memory of this stadium is on May 8 2005, when David Trezeguet’s header secured the Scudetto in a 1-0 victory. There is another more burning result as they conquered the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza 6-1 in April 1997.

Keep an eye on: Pippo Inzaghi (Milan) – The former Juventus striker has a better scoring rate than players a decade his junior and hopes to continue that streak of 11 goals in eight games against his old teammates and an already nervous Bianconeri defence.

INJURED & SUSPENDED
The Bianconeri too have many injured players, as Claudio Marchisio, Albin Ekdal, Momo Sissoko, Hasan Salihamidzic, Dario Knezevic and Christian Molinaro are unfit to participate. However, it appears that Nicola Legrottaglie and Giorgio Chiellini will both be fit to play in central defence.

Olof Mellberg and Pavel Nedved are sure to miss out with suspensions, while Amauri, Chiellini, Tiago and Zdenek Grygera are all one booking from a ban.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Amauri will receive most of the defensive attention from Milan, and for good reason. He has scored just twelve goals this term and has created many more for his team-mates. While it is not entirely his fault, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has allowed eleven goals in the last five matches. As recently as earlier this season he was called the best goalkeeper in the world, so he needs to start conceding less goals.

Last season: Milan 0-0 Juventus

Form guide: Milan (W W W W W) Juventus (D L D D D)

Read more »»

Diego+Juventus a done deal Cobolli confirms Buffon is staying

"Buffon is right to want to win, he's totally right and we want that too. Even the fact that we are going after a huge star like Diego and others, means that we want to make sure we are in the right shape to be even more competitive". Cobolli

MILAN, 7 May 2009 - It's a done deal. After the visit of the Werder legal team yesterday to Turin to discuss the release to Juventus of Brazil playmaker Diego, the club chairman Jean-Claude Blanc and sports director Alessio Secco took a private flight to Bremen last night and reached an agreement with Werder Bremen to buy the player. A few remaining loose ends need to be tied up before it becomes official, although the agreement which leapfrogged Bayern Munich (the main rival in the operation), is a done deal.

Werder get €25 million and the player a fee of €3.5 million for five years. Bayern had made a last-minute bid but Werder remained faithful to agreements made with Juventus and the price was not altered.

Buffon staying put In the meantime, Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli ruled out any transfer of Buffon. "Even the value of inestimable assets like skyscrapers or monuments (I don't know what to compare Buffon to) can dip at such difficult economic times as these. Nevertheless, Buffon is invaluble to us, he's a true champion and as far as we're concerned, he's staying here" he commented on the issue of swapping goalies with Milan who would give Abbiati in order to get the Italian national goalkeeper.


"Buffon", added Cobolli, "is right to want to win, he's totally right and we want that too. Even the fact that we are going after a huge star like Diego and others, means that we want to make sure we are in the right shape to be even more competitive".

In the other side The player’s father and agent, Djair da Cunha, is confirm that “Is it a done deal ? Yes, you can say so,” he enthused in an interview with the Corriere dello Sport.So we'll have a new trequartista , Welcome diego .

Read more »»

Buffon-Abbiati swap deal

“I also don't think that Juventus will sell Buffon. I think people are exaggerating his loss of form. The Old Lady are having a tough time, but they want to make a competitive team so they need champions like Gigi.” said Vincenzo Morabito

Milan are rekindling their interest in Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon and reportedly believe he can be exchanged for Christian Abbiati plus cash.

The Rossoneri have long been admirers of Buffon and tried to sign him when the Bianconeri were relegated to Serie B in 2006.

The Italy No 1 is frustrated at life in Turin and appears open to either a move abroad or to the club of his grandfather's cousin, Milan.

Juventus are said to want £40m for Buffon, but Silvano Martina, the player's agent, believes he is worth half that figure.

Manchester City apparently made a bid of £70m for the 31-year-old in January only to sign Shay Given later that month.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Abbiati has been inserted into the potential transfer to offer Juve a replacement and to bring the cash deal down.

Abbiati spent a season on loan with Juventus three years ago after Buffon was injured against Milan in the Luigi Berlusconi Trophy Final.

He made 19 appearances for the Bianconeri before Milan sent him on loan to Torino and then Atlético Madrid.

Abbiati returned to the Rossoneri this summer and established himself as their No 1 until a knee ligament injury ended his season.

The 31-year-old will be out for six months at the very least and his physical condition will have to be factored into any deal for Buffon.

Comment of Abbiati's Agent

The other place milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati has no intention of leaving the Rossoneri in an exchange deal with Gigi Buffon, according to his representative.

There have been whispers that the unsettled Buffon will be exchanged for Abbiati and a significant cash sum.

But Vincenzo Morabito, who protects Abbiati's interests, doesn't think the transfer is likely.

“This is strange talk because Abbiati is recovering from a serious injury and may not even be available before August,” he told Tuttojuve.

“Besides, Christian is happy at Milan and not even thinking about any other options for his future.

“He had numerous options last season, but he made his choice and I think he will stay with the Diavolo.

“I also don't think that Juventus will sell Buffon. I think people are exaggerating his loss of form. The Old Lady are having a tough time, but they want to make a competitive team so they need champions like Gigi.”

Read more »»

Blanc give chances to Ranieri

“We will concentrate on the remaining four games and on doing as well as we can. We have the quality and mentality to emerge from this situation. I've asked for unity in these four games, then we will see.”

General manager Jean-Claude Blanc backs Claudio Ranieri, but asked for “unity in these four games, then we'll see.”
A few weeks ago the Bianconeri chief had given his Coach unconditional support, but he confessed to television cameras that things have changed.

“The figures in a club are tied to the results on the field. Today's message is we are all on the same boat. As directors we are capable of making decisions and right now the decision is to all work together on our path for the final weeks of the season.”
Today he called Ranieri to the club headquarters for an emergency meeting and then held the squad in the locker room for 90 minutes to discuss the seven-match winless streak.

“What is happening to Juve? It's a difficult moment in sport and the fact we have not won in 45 days is weighing on us,” Blanc told Sky Sport Italia.
“It was right to talk to the whole team and the staff, sharing what needs to be done an the objectives we must achieve. We came together and are united.

“In October we went through a similar period, so we will take the same steps and try to emerge from this crisis the way we did back then.”
Ranieri hinted he felt abandoned by the club hierarchy in recent weeks, so Blanc and director of sport Alessio Secco have pledged to change that situation.

“It was right we talk to Ranieri and we have taken the decision to spend more time together. We are checking the details more carefully in an important week that leads up to Milan-Juve.”
This coming weekend there is a head-to-head for second place at San Siro and there are reports another embarrassing setback could see the Coach sacked or resign.
“[Patron John] Elkann was right when he said a season can only be evaluated at the end,” continued Blanc.

“We will concentrate on the remaining four games and on doing as well as we can. We have the quality and mentality to emerge from this situation. I've asked for unity in these four games, then we will see.”
It is hardly a glowing recommendation and also hints that talk of a furious row within the Juventus locker-room has truth to it, specifically that Mauro Camoranesi was livid at half-time against Lecce when he was substituted.

Blanc moved to silence newspaper reports that Ciro Ferrara will be put in place as the caretaker Coach if Juventus lose to Milan.
“It is not true that we will put Ferrara on the bench. We will keep going with this staff until the end of the season.
“The club is on Ranieri's side. This is a difficult moment. But enough of the criticism, I demand respect for the work done by our staff.

“With the work Juve is doing, they do not deserve such strong criticism. A little respect would also help on an international level, so people could see Italian football doesn't just destroy everything with this criticism.”

Hard work at Vinovo

In the other place, Juventus had training with something different this afternoon.

The programme was different for some of the bianconeri compared to the one in the morning: Claudio Marchisio, after having worked in the gym at the start of the day, took part in the warm-up with his team mates and then proceeded to work with coach Riccardo Capanna. Legrottaglie first had an athletic session and then returned to the gym while Zdenek Grygera who in the morning trained in a separate session with the other defender joined the group in technical exercises. After, Grygera worked in the gym with Del Piero, Chiellini and Iaquinta while the other players moved to the field adjacent to the main one for some intense athletic training.

Mellberg and Knezevic also worked in the gym, while Hasan Salihamidzic and Momo Sissoko were busy with a light jog during which they returned to working with the ball. Cristian Molinaro who is once again suffering of abdominal pain is still resting.

Read more »»