A little rest before jetting off to England

The whole squad got one day's rest, the deserved reward after the TIM Trophy and most of all after a heavy week when the Bianconeri also played two international games in Copenhagen and Dortmund (the latter with the inconvenient postponement due to heavy storms). 

It was a Wednesday of rest and relaxation, to recover from the effort and to recharge the batteries in view of the upcoming, glamorous engagements. Indeed on Thursday morning the squad will leave Turin for England, where they will stay for a whole week.

Three prestigious friendlies are lined up and there’ll be many chances to keep growing in view of the Champions League preliminary round. First stop of the tour will be in London, where our boys will play the prestigious Emirates Cup with Arsenal and Hamburg. First match on Saturday August 2nd (4.15 pm local time, 5.15 pm in Italy) against the Gunners, hosts of the event; the following day, at 2 pm (3 pm in Italy), the game against the German side.

And then on Wednesday the 6th the whole squad will travel on to Manchester, where in the evening (8 pm local time, 9 pm in Italy) they have a top-level friendly scheduled at Old Trafford against European and English champions United. 

Three vital games to best prepare for the preliminaries and for which Claudio Ranieri is going to bring the whole first team squad, with the sole exception of Almiron, who's still held back in Argentina. Five Youth Team players will also be going on the tour: Nocchi, Ariaudo, Esposito, Rossi and Pasquato.
*juventus.com

Five years without President Chiusano

Vittorio Caissotti di Chiusano passed away on July 31st 2003. The 'gentleman President' had held the top role at Juventus since 1990, the year he replaced Giampiero Boniperti. Thirteen years as President, but many more spent working for the Club he deeply loved.

Indeed Chiusano entered Juventus' Board of Directors in 1960, under President Umberto Agnelli, and then became Vice-President in the early '70's. His passion for the Club went beyond institutional roles though: Chiusano was always a passionate fan, but his behaviour was always courteous and irreproachable, perfectly embodying Juventus' style, of which he was proud.

Everyone at Juventus honours his memory five years from his passing.
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Ranieri: «Our growth continues»

Almost a month of work has been completed. With the TIM Trophy matches, July is basically over and it's already time for Juventus to turn the calendar page and focus on August.

August has been associated with the Champions League preliminaries for quite a while in the minds of all the Bianconeri. No chance then that on day 1 the tournament's draw will take place in Nyon, and then Juventus will learn the name of their rivals (or potential rivals) to be faced in the third round.

The team are working well and, besides the results, Claudio Ranieri has been able to note many other positive things. The Bianconeri's Manager assessed the current situation after the two mini-games against the Milan teams, and just before the trip to England (where the team will play against Arsenal, Hamburg and Manchester United). 

«We keep growing and that's the important thing, compared to last year we're even getting match-fit a little faster. We're working hard to get to the preliminaries in the best possible shape, even though we know we won't be able to reach top form in time for the two games». 

Ranieri noted the positive aspects he saw in the two games against the Milan teams, both certain rivals for the whole season: «I liked everything, even though I knew we couldn't be at our best. But, as always, I was interested in adding minutes of play to every player. We can play for 45 minutes now, as I've almost always divided the squad in two parts, so we must still improve further. I'm pleased with the internationals' level of fitness and with the performances of the younger players». 

Growth: this is the main aim of Juventus on their tour of England. They will face three prestigious opponents, but also two matches – the Emirates Cup ones with Arsenal and Hamburg – in the space of just 24 hours: «I'll do the same thing I did in the TIM Trophy, two different line-ups for the two clashes and we'll need to hold up and keep running for the whole 90 minutes. I repeat: we won't be able to be in top shape when the preliminaries come around, but we must go through and to do so we'll need to stay super concentrated».
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TIM still taboo as AC Milan win on penalties

For once Juventus looked to have broken the TIM Trophy taboo, but yet again in summer 2008 they were unable to win this particular tournament. AC Milan took advantage of the rules and won the trophy thanks to two wins on penalties.

In front of a 25,000-strong crowd at the Olimpico, Ranieri's men beat Inter Milan (1-0, goal by Iaquinta) and drew 2-2 with the Rossoneri (goals by Trezeguet and Marchionni and two by Seedorf, elected best player of the tournament), but it wasn't enough. The penalty defeat against AC Milan was fatal as the Rossoneri beat their city rivals in the same way after the 45-minute derby match ended 0-0. 

Despite the Trophy slipping away due to the tournament's rules, Claudio Ranieri ended the evening with a lot of useful notes for the team's prosecution this season. The Bianconeri also put more “fuel” in the tank and not even Amauri's second “head bang” (after the one during the Mezzocorona game) created any real problems. 
The strikers scored three goals in 90 minutes, Trezeguet finding one again at last too, and the defence didn't suffer too much: they were only beaten by two Seedorf inventions from long range. Young players Ekdal and Rossi did well again and are more than ever in the spotlight. 

Now, after a day of rest, Juventus will go on a tour of England, playing against Arsenal, Hamburg and Manchester United, three games that will tell us a lot about the team's condition.

JUVENTUS-AC MILAN 4-6 pen (2-2)

Not even the Olimpico seems to be able to break the TIM taboo. Juventus lost their first match on penalties just when they looked all set to get a well-deserved win.

After going one goal down early on due to a great long-distance Seedorf strike after 6 minutes, the Bianconeri came back into the game. Marchionni was the decisive man, first putting the ball in perfectly for Trezeguet to equalize (in the 7th minute), then heading in a Grygera cross himself after 11 minutes, and then almost scoring the third goal with a long-range shot after 13 minutes, deflected by Kalac. 

Ranieri's men were in control of the match and went close again with Nedved and Chiellini. It looked to be all over, but it was Seedorf once more who found the right shot, equalizing the game at 2-2 and sending everyone on to penalties.

Alas, the penalties proved fatal. Trezeguet and Tiago missed theirs, while the Rossoneri were perfect from the spot. Ancelotti's team now have two points, Ranieri's one and they immediately have to play against Inter Milan. 

JUVENTUS-INTER MILAN 1-0

The Bianconeri made up for losing to AC Milan in the first game by beating Inter Milan in the second after 45 riveting minutes. 

It ended 1-0 thanks to a Vincenzo Iaquinta goal after 27 minutes, fed by a perfect Legrottaglie pass. There were several chances on both sides with Del Piero (who incredibly hit the post twice in a row well into injury time), Camoranesi, Poulsen (who'd come on just before the goal) and young player Rossi in the spotlight and a sensational save by Buffon at the end.
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Iaquinta: «We can challenge anyone»

Now that he's started, Vincenzo Iaquinta just keeps scoring: one goal against Brondby, two against Borussia Dortmund and another very important one against Inter Milan at the TIM Trophy tonight.

The Calabria-born striker is one of the stars of this pre-season period and has no intention of stopping. Even more so now that the crucial moment of the summer is getting nearer: «I feel very good, fortunately my injuries are in the past now and I hope I can get to the preliminaries 100% fit. We're all doing very well up front, we're still in the preparation phase, but all four of us will be on good form when it counts. Tonight we had more confirmation that we can challenge any team».
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Trofeo TIM: Inter bow to Iaquinta

Tuesday 29 July, 2008

Vincenzo Iaquinta's well-taken goal allowed Juventus to defeat an anxious Inter, but there were injuries to Marco Materazzi and Amauri.

Having lost the opener on penalties to Milan, Juve had one point and changed several of the players from that first match, including new strike partners Alex Del Piero and Amauri. Jose Mourinho introduced a trident attack with Mario Balotelli and Amantino Mancini flanking the rediscovered Adriano.

There was bad news just seven minutes in, as Marco Materazzi appeared to sprain his knee and was forced off the field. Mourinho opted to throw on Dejan Stankovic, who was roundly jeered in Turin after Juve fans put a stop to his transfer with their protests, moving Esteban Cambiasso into central defence.

Cristian Molinaro outpaced Douglas Maicon down the left flank and crossed back for Mauro Camoranesi's deflected finish. Dario Knezevic did well to close down Adriano with a sliding tackle in the box.

Play was halted for a nasty clash of heads between Patrick Vieira and Amauri, the Brazilian getting the worst of it with a deep cut to his eyebrow that prompted a substitution. Young Juve talents Albin Ekdal and Fausto Rossi had dangerous shots blocked and Stankovic earned more jeers with a wayward strike.

Christian Poulsen came on for Momo Sissoko and moments later another substitute, Vincenzo Iaquinta, sprung the offside trap to trap a long ball and place a precise angled drive past Julio Cesar. It was his fourth goal of the summer so far after scoring against Brondby and a brace in the 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.

Poulsen's attempt was charged down after a counter and teenager Rossi tested the Inter defence with a cheeky curler towards the near post. Gigi Buffon needed his wits about him to prod a wayward Knezevic intervention off the head of Adriano at the back post.

Hernan Crespo and Luis Figo replaced Stankovic and Balotelli for a change of system with 10 minutes to go, the Portuguese winger on the right and Mancini on the left with two main strikers. Maicon seemed to be particularly out of shape and made several simple errors, earning a booking for a late tackle on Ekdal.

Giorgio Chiellini came on for Molinaro and Crespo couldn't get enough contact on his header. Julio Cesar had to palm a dangerous corner away from Camoranesi.

The save of the tournament came from Buffon with an absolutely stunning reaction stop on Adriano's towering header. Adriano then got between the two centre-backs and was sprinting towards goal, but Chiellini did well to anticipate with the aid of a possible shirt-tug from Knezevic.

It should have been 2-0 in stoppages, but Del Piero's free kick incredibly ricocheted off the inside of one upright, then the other and into the grateful arms of Julio Cesar! It didn't matter, as Juventus won 1-0. The final round of the Trofeo TIM is the Milan derby.

Inter 0-1 Juventus
Scorers: Iaquinta 27 (J)

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Burdisso, Materazzi (Stankovic 7) (Figo 35), Maxwell; Zanetti, Vieira, Cambiasso; Balotelli (Crespo 35), Adriano, Mancini

Juventus: Buffon; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Knezevic, Molinaro (Chiellini 38); Camoranesi, Ekdal, Sissoko (Poulsen 26), Rossi; Del Piero, Amauri (Iaquinta 20)
Ref: Gava

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Trofeo TIM: Seedorf double sinks Juve

Clarence Seedorf's brace forced a thrilling 2-2 draw in which Milan beat Juventus on penalties, so the Bianconeri now face Inter.

The Trofeo Tim is one of the traditional summer competitions in the peninsula and has Inter, Milan and Juventus going head-to-head in 45-minute encounters at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin.

Juventus were expected to do well in this tournament, as they were already at an advanced stage of pre-season training ahead of the Champions League preliminary round, but Cristiano Zanetti had a minor injury.

Kaka returned from his knee operation along with Under-19 international Alberto Paloschi, as they were the only fit strikers at the club. Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato were at the Olympics and Pippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello sidelined. Mathieu Flamini was also out with a muscular strain.

Surprisingly, the Rossoneri were more aggressive from the start and took the lead with a cracking strike from Clarence Seedorf after seven minutes. The Dutchman took a few steps forward and unleashed a right-foot screamer from 20 metres that slotted into the top corner despite Gigi Buffon getting his fingertips to it.

The advantage lasted all of 40 seconds before David Trezeguet's equaliser. The Barcelona transfer target slid on to Marco Marchionni's cross, allowed all the time in the world by Kakha Kaladze's error.

Milan's defensive problems were evident again soon after, as a Zdenek Grygera cross from the right took a touch off Kaladze to find Marchionni's cushioned header at the back post.

It was not a vintage performance from Kaladze, who incredibly ballooned Cristian Brocchi's low cross over the bar from six yards! Buffon palmed away efforts from Paloschi and Marek Jankulovski, while Vincenzo Iaquinta's touched-on free kick and a deflected Nedved angled drive were wide.

Milan got back on level terms with just 120 seconds left on the clock, as a corner came to Seedorf, who shrugged off his marker to cannon another powerful and precise shot under the bar. That forced a penalty shoot-out to decide who would face Inter in the second match.

Trezeguet started the 'lottery' and blasted well over the bar, then Kaka coolly sent Buffon the wrong way with a low right-foot finish.

Zeljko Kalac got a hand to Iaquinta's penalty, but couldn't keep it out, while Andrea Pirlo's was just past Buffon's fingertips. Giorgio Chiellini and Jankulovski converted, but a terribly weak Tiago Mendes effort was comfortably saved. Paloschi lifted his penalty over Buffon to win 4-2 on penalties.

Juventus 2-2 Milan

Scorers: Seedorf 7, 43 (M), Trezeguet 8 (J), Marchionni 12 (J)
Juventus: Buffon; Grygera, Chiellini, Mellberg, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko, Tiago, Nedved; Trezeguet, Iaquinta.

Milan: Kalac; Zambrotta, Bonera, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Brocchi, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Kaka; Paloschi
Ref: Brighi

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TIM Trophy squad named

Claudio Ranieri has named a 25-man squad for the TIM Trophy, scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Olimpico in Turin, just like he did for the trip to Germany. There's one change though: Tiago is in the list, having fully recovered from injury, and Zanetti isn't. In the match against Borussia, Cristiano was hit hard on his right thigh and ultrasound scans have identified a muscle contusion. The midfielder will need to rest for three days and then he'll be able to train again.
Almiron's name is also missing from the list; he left yesterday for Argentina to deal with bureaucratic transactions necessary to renew his residence permit in Italy.
This is the list of players called up in full: 

Amauri
Buffon
Camoranesi
Chiellini
Chimenti
Del Piero
Ekdal
Grygera
Iaquinta
Knezevic
Legrottaglie
Marchionni
Mellberg
Molinaro
Nedved
Poulsen
Salihamidzic
Sissoko
Tiago
Trezeguet
Zebina
Ariaudo
Esposito
Nocchi
Rossi
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It's Ekdal's 19th birthday today. Best wishes Albin

He's been at Juventus only a few weeks and he's already won everybody over despite his very young age. Albin Ekdal is one of the happiest notes of this season so far.

After his excellent performances on the pitch, the Swedish midfielder's new fans' attention deserves to focus on a pleasant personal recurrence for him. Indeed today, Monday July 28, he turns 19 years of age.

All the best birthday wishes to Albin
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It was worth waiting one more day to see Juventus in Dortmund. The Bianconeri confirmed their favourable tradition in the German city and got a prestigious win that's also useful for all the pointers it gave Claudio Ranieri.

At Signal Iduna Park, it ended 3-1 with Juve on top in every part of the pitch and capable of dominating opponents that have been training far longer. Amauri opened the scoring; Iaquinta got two in the second half. Kruska scored the German consolation goal on penalty. Both Poulsen, who made a great pass for the 3-0 goal, and Knezevic enjoyed excellent debuts.

At the kick-off, Ranieri confirmed the same line-up that was supposed to play yesterday, with Buffon in goal, a defence with Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini and Molinaro, Camoranesi, Sissoko, Zanetti and Nedved in midfield and Amauri and Trezeguet up front.

Chiellini and Sissoko started their first game and Camoranesi played for the first time this season and from the start. The Italian-Argentinean was immediately lively and, after a one-two with Grygera, set up Amauri's goal in the 5th minute. It would remain the only goal of the first half, a half in which Juventus had few problems, with only one Buffon save and chances for Trezeguet, Nedved and Sissoko.

In the second half, as planned, there were several changes. Zebina, Legrottaglie, Knezevic, Marchionni, Ekdal, Del Piero and Iaquinta all came on from the start. The former Udinese striker shone from the moment he set foot on the pitch, first forcing a goal-line clearance from a defender and then scoring with a header from a perfect Nedved cross after 51 minutes.

There were other line-up changes during the second half. Fausto Rossi replaced Nedved, Salihamidzic Molinaro, Chimenti took Buffon’s place and Poulsen came on for Sissoko. People were curious to see the Dane at work and he soon showed what he can do: his perfect 50 m long pass on Iaquinta's feet was converted by the striker with an extremely precise lob. Borussia finally reacted and scored after a few minutes. Just like in Copenhagen against Brondby, the Bianconeri let one in only on penalty, which was awarded to and converted by Kruska.

The final 3-1 result reminds us all of the legendary matches Juve played on this same pitch. But most of all it makes everyone look to the future with more optimism. In two days' time Juve will already be facing Inter Milan and AC Milan at the TIM Trophy (in Turin). Next weekend, it’s time for the Emirates Cup in London.

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Here is the Bianconeri's schedule in full

Day 1 Fiorentina-Juventus 
Day 2 Juventus-Udinese 
Day 3 Cagliari-Juventus 
Day 4 Juventus-Catania 
Day 5 Sampdoria-Juventus 
Day 6 Juventus-Palermo 
Day 7 Napoli-Juventus 
Day 8 Juventus-Torino
Day 9 Bologna-Juventus 
Day 10 Juventus-Roma 
Day 11 Chievo-Juventus 
Day 12 Juventus-Genoa 
Day 13 Inter Milan-Juventus 
Day 14 Juventus-Reggina 
Day 15 Lecce-Juventus 
Day 16 Juventus-AC Milan 
Day 17 Atalanta-Juventus 
Day 18 Juventus-Siena 
Day 19 Lazio-Juventus

Serie A campaign to kick off in Florence

The 2008/09 Serie A season finally has a face. Indeed the calendar was officially released today in Rome; the season begins on August 30/31. 

And Juventus will start it with a bang, at Fiorentina on the opening day. The teams who came 3rd and 4th last year will thus immediately face each other, just days after playing their Champions League preliminary round games. The first home match will be against Udinese, right after the break for the World Cup qualifiers.

All the top matches will take place between Day 8 and Day 16. In the 8th round, the derby game against Torino, on Day 10 the match against Roma, on Day 13 the eagerly awaited clash with Inter Milan and on Day 16 the game against AC Milan. Juve's last game of the League, on May 31st 2009, will be at home against Lazio.
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Iaquinta: «Thanks to my team mates»

A goal in Copenhagen, two in Dortmund: Vincenzo Iaquinta is truly on European form. The former Udinese player is one of the fittest at this stage, but he's also a forward who can play alongside anyone. After doing well with Amauri in Denmark, in Germany he played 45 very intense minutes, always trying to take advantage of his team mates' excellent passes.

«I must thank Nedved and Poulsen for the assists and Del Piero for his through pass, when I wasn't able to score. For a striker it all becomes much easier when you play with team mates like these. Everything's going well so far, the team are improving match after match, I'm sure we'll do very well».
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Ranieri: «Such heat, the lads expended a lot of energy»

From violent storms to sweltering heat. In two days, Juventus went from one extreme to the other in Dortmund. But apart from the weather, the Juventus side seen in Germany has made another step forward and Claudio Ranieri can be pleased. 

Here are his words after the match: «I'm happy with the way we played, a little less about the climate. Honestly I was expecting it to be much less hot and the lads really expended a lot of energy. The important thing is that everybody added more minutes of play. At this stage they can't all be on the same level, but they'll all have the chance to improve. We don't have a set starting 11 in this team and seeing all the games we'll play, there's going to be space for everybody. We'll have a tough start in the League and then hopefully we'll have the Champions League to play too. So I'll need each and every one of my lads».
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Sissoko, Ekdal, Poulsen, “foreign” midfield speaks

In Dortmund it wasn't just the usual great day for the attack and for an ever more solid defence (once again they only let in a goal on penalty). The midfield did its part too. And if Zanetti's brilliance isn't headline news by now, the young Ekdal - who will turn 19 only tomorrow - keeps growing, as does Sissoko's physical condition. Not forgetting Poulsen, whose debut will be remembered for a long time, especially thanks to his fantastic pass on Iaquinta's second goal. 

At the end of the match, these were the three foreign players' comments. 

Momo Sissoko: «We're improving in every game and that's the most important thing. Today we did very well again despite the excessive heat. I'm pleased with how my understanding with Zanetti is growing». 

Albin Ekdal: «We held out well against excellent opponents such as Borussia. Poulsen? He's a true pro and he shows it in every training session. I'm not expecting anything special for my birthday, definitely some phone calls from Sweden». 

Christian Poulsen: «I'm pleased with the ball I gave to Vincenzo. It's always a pleasure to set up a team mate so that he can score. But the thing that pleased me the most is the fact that I felt no pain to the muscle I'd injured, I'm fine now and I count on getting even fitter».

Juve win first European outing

The international tour that will take Juventus up to the Champions League preliminary round began in the best possible way in Denmark tonight. Ranieri's men beat Brondby 2-1 thanks to Amauri and Iaquinta, both scoring in the first half. The hosts scored with Farnerud, on penalty, and also hit the woodwork twice. 

The Bianconeri's Manager had the chance to note some positive things apart from the win. Buffon (who was later replaced by comeback boy Chimenti), Chiellini and Sissoko played their first game this season. The younger players did well, especially Fausto Rossi. 

Ranieri didn't risk all the players who've just recently returned from holiday at the kick off, starting only with Buffon, also the Captain tonight in goal; in front of Super Gigi, he placed a defence with Zebina, Legrottaglie, Mellberg and Molinaro; Salihamidzic, Zanetti, Ekdal and Nedved were in midfield; Iaquinta and Amauri up front. 

The two strikers had the chance to show their skills again after their good performance against Mezzocorona. Brondby were much stronger than the Trentino team, but the two men played well together. They passed to each other a lot and they struck gold. After a couple of head chances, it was Amauri who scored first with a perfect header. His team mate “replied” just seconds later after a personal run. The score was 2-0 at the break.

In the second half, Grygera, Trezeguet and young player Fausto Rossi all came on, replacing the two goal-scorers and Zebina. The Frenchman played alone up front, aided by Nedved, Salihamidzic and the Youth Team lad, who immediately showed his worth with a silky run inside the penalty area. But the hosts went closer to scoring when a Katongo header hit the crossbar. Moments later, Farnerud converted a penalty to make it 2-1. 

The Danes tried taking advantage of their superior level of fitness and went close to equalizing, but Buffon was saved by the woodwork once again as Williams hit the post. It was the last thrill of the match for the great keeper, who left his place to his friend Chimenti, making his seasonal debut. Chiellini also replaced Legrottaglie and Esposito, Nedved. Juve then scored the third, but Trezeguet's goal was wrongly disallowed for offside. Before the end Ranieri also put on Sissoko and Ariaudo, in place of Ekdal and Mellberg. These were the last notes of the match as the score remained the same until the end: a 2-1 win, more useful to boost morale than for the history books, but a good appetizer in view of the next friendlies (the Borussia Dortmund game is already Saturday) and, most of all, the preliminaries.
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Ranieri: «It was important to give minutes to everyone»

Juventus' summer European adventure began with a win this year. The Bianconeri defeated Brondby and will now start preparing their next engagements, which on paper look tougher, as they'll be facing prestigious teams such as Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg, Arsenal and Manchester United. 

Before facing the next friendlies and, most of all, the Champions League preliminary round, Claudio Ranieri can enjoy his victory on Danish soil for now: «It's nice to win and it boosts morale. At this stage it's important to accumulate minutes on the pitch and finding our rhythm; we were facing fitter opponents, they've already begun their League and the UEFA Cup. The lads loosened up after a few minutes and they did well. I already noted some positive things; they'll need to be confirmed in the next few games. I count on making Camoranesi and Del Piero play for a few minutes too already on Saturday, against Borussia Dortmund, who played the German Super Cup final today».

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Buffon: «We showed we already have personality»

The international games have begun and Buffon has taken his place back where he belongs, in goal, from where he observed the good win over Brondby: a fine omen for the Bianconeri's other imminent engagements.

This is what Super Gigi had to say when interviewed by Juventus Channel: «It's always better to start playing as soon as possible, especially as we have two important games like the preliminaries ahead. These friendlies help a lot because you face opponents that are much fitter at this stage, so they make it hard for you and this raises the pain threshold. Our team? I think the lads did well, apart from the first ten minutes, we showed we have personality and quality. We look like a real team from the start and the fact that a lot of strong players were missing tonight raises our hopes for the future».
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De Ceglie, Marchisio and Giovinco shine as Olympic team draw

The Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics are getting nearer and footballers are among the athletes preparing themselves for the event. The team coached by Casiraghi and Zola has a large quota of Juventus players and the lads are putting the finishing touches to their pre-tournament training.

After the training camp in Coverciano, the 18-man squad for the tournament was named, and our very own Paolo De Ceglie, Claudio Marchisio and Sebastian Giovinco all made the final list. 

The three lads starred in the last friendly played before flying to China too. The team drew 1-1 with Rumania in Pistoia. Giovinco was one of the best men on the pitch, De Ceglie hit the crossbar near the end and Marchisio contributed his usual accurate passing game in midfield.

At the Games, Italy have been drawn in Group D alongside Honduras, South Korea and Cameroon. They will make their debut on August 7th against Honduras; they will then face the Asian team on the 10th and the African side on the 13th. The group winners qualify directly for the semi-finals, ready to challenge for one of the medals. 

 
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Camoranesi: «Qualifying for the Champions League is our first objective»

«We have the chance to get closure on a path we began two years ago. They've been peculiar seasons: in the first we had to return to Serie A, in the second we had to qualify for Europe. Now we need to take a further step and go through the preliminaries; qualifying for the Champions League proper would be the crowning achievement of this path». Mauro German Camoranesi nails the first objective of the season. 

Before talking about winning the Scudetto and the Champions League, you have to get into the main European tournament, and then you can concentrate on new targets, knowing full well that the team is capable of fighting on every front: «Juventus are competitive. We have the skills in midfield. I think the other teams know they'll be facing the usual Juve, ready to fight to win something important. In the big teams it's important to have at least two players for each role, because it allows them to rest when necessary, and we have them. International-level players have joined us, and that's what Juventus needed».
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Buffon and Chiellini in squad named for Copenhagen game

Ranieri will have 20 players at his disposal for the first of the two international friendlies scheduled this week, the one against Brondby tomorrow night in Copenhagen, with kick-off at 8.10 pm. Buffon, Chiellini and four Youth Team players are part of the squad too: goalkeeper Timothy Nocchi, defender Lorenzo Ariaudo and midfielders Simone Esposito and Fausto Rossi. 

This is the squad list in full:

Amauri
Buffon
Chiellini
Chimenti
Ekdal
Grygera
Iaquinta
Legrottaglie
Mellberg
Molinaro
Nedved
Salihamidzic
Sissoko
Trezeguet
Zanetti
Zebina
Ariaudo
Esposito
Nocchi
Rossi


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Juventus Soccer School project conquers America

Juventus Soccer School are set to conquer the heart of America: indeed today the American summer camps through which the Bianconeri export their brand of football to the United States kick off. Football, or soccer, is a growing phenomenon across the Atlantic. Fans are increasing steadily alongside media attention and the number of people regularly playing it, and the Juventus Soccer School project begins its third summer American tour with the aim of teaching it to young local kids. 

Two camps will take place: the first, a two-week one organized with Nike and held at the Nike Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. The second one, lasting one week, in Los Angeles, thanks to a new partnership with Warner Brothers. 
JSS therefore consolidate their presence in America, and are set to increase the number of summer camps in the next few years, with the main objective of creating a full-time Academy in the United States, setting the foundation for a proper Juventus soccer school across the pond.
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Season tickets on sale for everyone from Wednesday

The 2008/09 season ticketing campaign is entering its second phase. The period when only those who had a season ticket last year could renew ended on Saturday 19th with an excellent outcome: a total of 15,000 out of the 17,250 season tickets sold last year were renewed. 
Now it's the new season tickets' turn: indeed from Wednesday July 22nd to August 2nd those who didn’t have a season ticket last year will have the chance to buy a new one.
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Best wishes Marco. Marchionni turns 28 and his condition is improving

Yesterday morning he was hit hard on his calf during training, forcing him to sit out the afternoon session. But this morning he already trained again and his condition is largely improving. Good news for Marco Marchionni: he will soon completely recover from the hit and will be fully available for Ranieri to select very soon. A nice birthday present, this, for the midfielder, who blows out 28 candles today: happy birthday to Marco from everyone at Juventus and the fans, and best of luck in recovering super-quickly from his injury.

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Poulsen: «An honour to be at Juve»

«Juventus are one of the greatest Clubs in Europe and I was anxious to join them. It is an honour for me to be a part of this team after playing four years in Germany and two in Spain».
These were Christian Poulsen's first words at today's press conference, where he was introduced to the press by Managing Director Jean-Claude Blanc. 

The journalists' first questions concerned the impression the Italian public had of Christian after seeing him during the 2004 European Championships game against Italy and playing against AC Milan in the Champions League. Two games in which the Dane rendered Totti and then Kakà completely ineffective, giving the idea of a hard player: «As luck would have it, certain specific incidents in my career have occurred against Italian teams, but I think that if you analyze all my other games I have showed I possess other qualities too. I'm a defensive midfielder and being a hard player is part of the game, but I believe I'm more skilful than the Italian public may think. It's true, I'm an aggressive midfielder, but the thing is, when a game begins, a battle begins, and I want to win it. That's football».
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Blanc: «Poulsen has Juve-style determination»

«With Christian's arrival our midfield transfer transactions have ended and we're happy we finished off with a good quality player such as he is. He has Juve-style determination: ours is a tough team, we fight to win in every match, exactly like Christian, who has the leadership qualities to make his mark in the middle of the pitch». Jean-Claude Blanc was pleased to introduce Juventus' latest signing today. 

In the last few months many midfielders' names were mentioned in the papers as possible Juve signings, but the choice in the end fell on the Dane, who arrived in Turin following very quick negotiations: «The fact that we closed the deal quickly doesn't mean we weren't interested in Poulsen even before, in fact quite the opposite. Juventus were keeping an eye on him since his days at Schalke 04. We kept our options open; we spoke with different clubs about various footballers: choosing the right man also means taking into account all sorts of technical and financial aspects, and Christian was the best choice for Juventus, as he's an excellent player, both technically and in terms of his character. With Christian's signing our inbound transfer market is basically over, except we still need to get a reserve keeper. Sure, we can always sign someone else up until the last day, but there’s very little chance of this happening».
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Zanetti: «Juve have both quality and stamina»

Cristiano Zanetti is ready to make it three excellent seasons in a row. Juventus, ending their training camp in Pinzolo today, have showed they have a good quality side for 2008/09, but they haven't been able to show their real face in midfield yet, as Marchisio is away with the Olympic team, Sissoko is recovering from an injury and Poulsen was only signed two days ago. 

The Tuscan was the only midfielder always employed, even for the full 90 minutes in the game against Piacenza. The players swapped around beside him, from Tiago, to young promising upstart Ekdal and Youth Team player Castiglia. The going will get tough from Saturday, when the squad will be at full ranks, but Zanetti is ready: «Competition? It has always been like this in the big teams. I had Tiago and Almiron last year. This year there's a lot of players and potentially they can all be first team regulars, everyone will do their best and then the Manager will decide». 

After months spent reading in the papers the names of possible new signings in midfield, Zanetti never thought he had a problem. And on his arrival in Pinzolo, it was up to Claudio Ranieri to do justice to his performances, calling his last season sensational: «The Manager's compliments please me because he sees me training every day and he knows the sacrifices I make. I'm not bothered by rumours, they're part of the business, I know there's always a special treatment for the newcomers, but at the end of the day everybody needs to earn their place on the pitch». 

Meanwhile, while we wait to see the real midfield and the real Juve too, Zanetti is happy with the team: «Everybody speaks about quality. This team has quality, but also determination and stamina. Last year we did well, we beat all the bigger teams. We only lacked consistency a bit. We aim to improve further, the Club operated well, signing excellent players. The other teams have improved too, but only the pitch will tell us by how much». 

Finally, before leaving Pinzolo and ending the Val Rendena camp for this year, he commented the game against Piacenza: «We're doing special training, it's normal that we're not fully fit yet. Yet we still had several chances and we were punished on their first attempt». 

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Piacenza win at the Briamasco

These things happen in pre-season football. Juventus have been training very hard and so ended their period in Trentino with a close defeat against Piacenza. At the Trento Briamasco, in front of 3,800 people, it ended 1-0 with a Simon goal after 29 minutes. 

Ranieri's men created several chances, especially in the first half when Amauri and Trezeguet tried to get on the scoreboard, supported by Nedved and Marchionni, but it was to no avail. In the second half, the many youngsters on the pitch were well-intentioned, but it wasn't enough. Ranieri played a starting eleven with Belardi in goal, a four-man defence made up of Zebina, Legrottaglie, Mellberg (making his debut tonight) and Molinaro. Marchionni, Zanetti, Tiago and Nedved were the midfield four. 

Trezeguet and Amauri were up front, as Iaquinta was rested as a precaution alongside Salihamidzic. The match. Bianconeri pushed forward from the off. Marchionni and Nedved dominated on the wings, and it was from there that the biggest dangers came. In the first 13 minutes, Piacenza keeper Cassano had to save on the Czech player twice, on an Amauri tap-in and on a Trezeguet header. There was also an Amauri volley from a Molinaro cross which went wide. Piacenza's goal came after 29 minutes when Simon anticipated everybody and beat Belardi with a volley from an Anaclerio pass.

One minute later Juve equalized, but Trezeguet's goal was disallowed. After 30 minutes, Tiago set up Trezeguet beautifully, but the Frenchman's shot was deflected. There was also a Nedved run into the penalty area when Olivi struck the ball with his arm but the ref signalled play to go on. After 38 minutes a Tiago left footer went just wide; so the first half ended with Piacenza up 1-0. 

Second half. Ranieri changed the face of the team. He replaced Belardi, Mellberg, Tiago, Marchionni, Nedved and Trezeguet with Fiory, Ariaudo, Esposito, Ekdal, Rossi and Pasquato. The first shot at goal was by Zebina already after 4 minutes, but Maurantonio, one of the ten Piacenza subs put on by Pioli after the break, saved. Ten minutes later, a long range shot by Pasquato was also saved. Then Amauri missed the winning shot a few minutes later. After 64 minutes, the Brazilian came off with Zebina: Castiglia and Grygera replaced them. The young Bianconeri still on the pitch gave it their all. After 71 minutes, Pasquato tried to repeat the stunning free kick he scored just a few months ago against the Piacenza Youth Team, but the ball went over the bar this time. 

Castiglia had a chance from a scramble in front of goal but he shot wide. Pasquato was always the most dangerous Juve player on the pitch. He went past a couple of defenders and shot wide after 79 minutes, but this was practically the last note-worthy chance of the match, which ended with a Piacenza win. 

Things like this can and do happen in pre-season football. 

Friendly Trento, Briamasco Stadium 
Tuesday July 15th 2008 
JUVENTUS-PIACENZA 0-1 (0-1) GOAL: Simon 29 mins. 

JUVENTUS: Belardi (Fiory 46 mins) (Nocchi 77 mins); Zebina (Grygera 64 mins), Legrottaglie, Mellberg (Ariaudo 46 mins), Molinaro; Marchionni (Esposito 46 mins), Tiago (Ekdal 46 mins), Zanetti, Nedved (Rossi 46 mins); Amauri (Castiglia 64 mins), Trezeguet (Pasquato 46 mins). Subs not used: D’Elia, Duravia, Bamba, De Paola, Almiron. Manager: Ranieri. 
PIACENZA: Cassano, Abbate, Zammuto, Bianchi, Olivi, Anaclerio, Stamilla, Riccio, Simon, Guzman, Piccolo. Subs (all on in the second half): Maurantonio, Avogadri, Bini, Wolf, Calderoni, Nainggolan, Patrascu, Rantier, Tulli, Aspas, Maccoppi, Guerra, Ciarrocchi. Manager: Pioli. REFEREE: Mauri from Trento.

Christian Poulsen joins Juve

Christian Poulsen is officially a Juventus player. The Danish midfielder signed a four-year contract this afternoon, after undergoing medical tests in the morning. «I'm really glad to join such a prestigious Club – he declared – Juventus are one of the top teams in the world and I hope I can do well here». 

Two years at F.C. Copenhagen, four at Schalke 04 and the last two at Sevilla: Poulsen has gathered an impressive international experience. Ha can also boast fifty-six appearances with the Danish national team, and was selected as Danish player of the year twice, in 2005 and 2006. The trophies he's won include a Danish League title, a Spanish Cup, a Spanish Super Cup, a UEFA Cup and a European Super Cup. «I think playing at Sevilla was a good experience for me before joining Juventus. I've already seen my new team mates play several times because, as I said, this is one of the top Clubs in the world. They have a great history and I'm proud to be here».

Pres conference Thursday, 2.00 pm
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Ranieri: «Very happy about Poulsen»

It was supposed to be a quiet Monday, the eve of the second pre-season game (tomorrow night's friendly against Piacenza) and with the new Dsquared² suit unveiling (where he tried his hand at a spot of modelling). But this 14th of July has become the most awaited of days for Claudio Ranieri: the day when the new midfielder finally got signed. 

Juventus' Manager has got what he wanted with the signing of Christian Poulsen. As he restated at the very start of his press conference in Pinzolo: «I'm very happy about his arrival, he is what we wanted. Last year we had the best attack and the third-best defence, so we needed to improve defensively and he will be the one guaranteeing better protection at the back. I'm sure he'll do really well». 

Claudio Ranieri had this to answer to the doubts some people expressed: «Those who say this lad has no qualities will definitely change their minds. The fans loved Sissoko from the start, and they'll do the same with Poulsen, because he also has years of international experience as an added bonus. In fact, I'm convinced he'll become a firm favourite with the fans. He only needs the right amount of time to adapt». 

With the Dane's arrival, Juventus' transfer market can be considered over. Or almost over. «We're 99% complete, at least in terms of people coming in. We only need another keeper and then we'll be all set, ready to face the new season. I'm really pleased with how the Club operated and for this I thank them. I'm convinced I have a good team at my disposal; we'll be able to compete with everybody. We only need to work hard and keep pushing forward».
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2008/09 Dsquared² uniforms unveiled

Today was an unusual Monday for Claudio Ranieri, David Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta: in the morning, they were still footballers (and manager) while in the afternoon they turned into models. Straight after the only training session of the day in Pinzolo, the three men travelled to the picturesque town of Madonna di Campiglio, where the official unveiling of the 2008/09 season uniforms took place at the local Golf Hotel. 

After showing the public the new Nike playing kits on the very first day back from the holidays, today it was the turn of the official match day suits, for the third consecutive season provided by Dsquared², and capably designed once again by Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten, both of whom attended the event organized in the Trentino location. 

Dsquared² will thus dress Juventus in the 2008/09 season. Not only the first team players and coaching staff, but also the Club officials, the staff at the stadium, the medical staff and the Youth Team coaches and managers, for a total of 115 uniforms, 100 for men and 15 for women.

With Pessotto and Trezegoal under the rain

The rain didn't stop the Bianconeri fans invading the Val Rendena en masse on Sunday. And it didn't even stop the nightly events at the Summer Village. Everybody stayed put under the stage with their umbrellas awaiting the arrival of a really special pair, Gianluca Pessotto and David Trezeguet. 

There was talk of football, but also of charity work. Alongside the two Juve idols, DJ Nana and Valeria Ciardiello, the stage welcomed Professor Luigi Zanesco, Head Physician at the Padua Hospital’s Children's haematology-oncology department, and Ivana Lorenzini, vice-president of the ADMO (the Bone Marrow Donors Association). Juventus gave them a football, signed by all the Bianconeri players, which will be auctioned off to gather funds for the association. It was the chance to confirm the Club’s involvement with the charity, which began back in 1995, around the time of footballer Andrea Fortunato's untimely, tragic death.
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Salihamidzic: «Our strength lies in the group»

The 2008/09 Juventus side will be like a “solid chameleon”, Claudio Ranieri had predicted a few days ago. There's a player in the squad to whom this definition seems to fit particularly well, more than anybody else, and that’s Hasan Salihamidzic. Nobody can change skin and role, while still playing at a high standard, like “Brazzo” does. 

Exactly one year after he arrived in Turin, the Bosnian is more than aver a favourite with the fans, but also a leader in the locker room. And now, with the events that count getting closer – the Champions League preliminaries first and foremost («They're vital, we want to get through») – he explained his recipe for success: «The group is our strength. You don't win anything without a cohesive group». 

The group is working hard in Pinzolo now and, while they wait to be at full ranks with the arrival of the last players who took part in Euro 2008 and the final transfer market signings, they have set their first vital objective. August means Champions League preliminary rounds. «We all know how hard they are – Brazzo confessed – I played them just once when I was at Bayern and we struggled, and I know how much Juventus risked going out four years ago against Djurgardens. We want to win those two games, regardless of who our opponents will be». 

All the Bianconeri mention the Champions League when interviewed. They have sacrificed too much in the last two years to risk underestimating the challenge. But success in Europe isn't the only objective. «We're Juve and so we have to set our aims on winning everything – Salihamidzic continued -. We already know it'll be tough in the League, as it is every year, and every match can be potentially insidious. But we're ready to face all competitions». 

Brazzo Salihamidzic throws the gauntlet from the Pinzolo training camp and he gives full marks to the new Juventus side. «Our strength lies in the group; you don't win anything without having a cohesive group. I really like this year's squad of players and that's why we could go very far. Plus we've increased our quality, especially thanks to Amauri, who's really an extraordinary player and he's given us what we were perhaps lacking». 

The Bosnian is still one of the men Ranieri will rely on the most; after the excellent things he did in his first year he wants to consolidate himself in the team. The main “solid chameleon” prototype player is pumped and ready for action: «I play where the Manager tells me to, I don't have any preference. By now I can adapt with anybody who plays beside me. Goals? I'd be happy if I scored as many as last year, but the main thing for me is helping my team mates».
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Rain doesn't stop Bianconeri fans. Anticipation grows for Piacenza game

Not even the abundant rain that fell on all the Val Rendena could stop Juventus' people today. Taking advantage of the Sunday, a huge number of fans decided to come to Pinzolo for the day to watch Ranieri's men's two training sessions.

The squad welcomed back Trezeguet (returning from Paris, where he attended the 1998 World Cup win 10th anniversary celebrations) and continued work preparing for the second pre-season match: Tuesday night's friendly against Piacenza in Trento. A game that looks set to be more testing than last Friday's one against Mezzocorona. 

The training camp in Trentino thus continues in the best possible way, while the time to go back to Turin is getting closer. At some point on Monday July the 14th, Dario Knezevic should be joining up with the team too. But the Croatian defender, signed from Livorno, won't be available due to the injury he picked up at the recent European Championships.
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Spotlight on Olof Mellberg

The 2008/09 Juventus side is taking shape, one piece at a time. Yesterday Claudio Ranieri was able to see at what stage his team is and at the same time welcome two players who were at Euro 2008: Grygera and Mellberg. The Czech was simply returning to base, whereas it was like the first day of school for the Swedish player. 

After the first Pinzolo training session with his new team mates, Mellberg held a press conference to officially introduce himself. While we wait to see his potential on the field, he already showed he knows the new set-up at Juventus very well. «I know I've joined one of the world's top teams. I've watched all the Bianconeri's games from January onwards and so I’ve gotten to know all my new team mates. At the moment I'm favourably impressed by the fans' affection. Only at the 2006 World Cup in Germany had I trained in front of so many people before». 

Juventus can now count on another important piece of the puzzle in defence; on the same day that Andrade is forced to take time off again, Ranieri can start working to make the back four impenetrable, especially the central pair. And with Chiellini and Legrottaglie (the best Serie A defence duo by far in the last season) still here, plus Knezevic, Buffon can truly consider himself well protected at the back. 

Mellberg is thirty years old, has an imposing physique and boasts several years of international experience between the Spanish Liga (at Racing Santander), the Premier League (six seasons at Aston Villa) and the Swedish national team (he already has 90 caps), so he has everything he needs to do well here. This was clear from his first press conference too: «Italian football has a large following in Sweden and Juventus are one of the best-loved Clubs there. Watching all those games from January onwards, I could see how many strong defenders there are here, but competition isn't a problem for me. In my career I've almost always played as a central defender, it’s the role where I feel more at ease, but sometimes I have also been employed on the right at Aston Villa». 

Mellberg arrived in Pinzolo already primed about his new Club. «When I learned Juventus were interested in me back in January, I never considered joining any other club. I’ve been studying my new team ever since. I immediately felt they were very strong and the fact that they always fought as equals with the best teams will help this year in the Champions League. I have also started learning Italian. Luckily I spent three years in Spain and that helps. I can already understand several words and I'm starting to speak it too». 

He'd studied the set-up a lot, but two things still surprised him on his arrival in Pinzolo: the people's affection and a young fellow countryman named Ekdal. «The people's welcome has been really incredible, I wasn't used to it. I'd seen that many fans watching a training session only at the 2006 World Cup. I didn't know Ekdal before, I met him for the first time yesterday and he made a great impression on me, both as a person and as a footballer». 

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Jorge Andrade to undergo more surgery

Bad news for Juventus and for Jorge Andrade: the Portuguese defender has suffered another serious injury to his left knee. Indeed the diagnosis of the incident, occurred on July 10th while he was training on his own in Pinzolo, is one of “kneecap fracture relapse”, the same knee bone operated on twice last season.

This was the outcome of the tests and visits the player underwent with orthopaedic specialists in Turin. A new surgery will be necessary to synthesize the bone tissue; presumably it will be carried out on Monday July 14th by Dr. Martins and his team in Lisbon. The player is expected to stay out of action for a few months.

..Juventus.com

yach...cedera lagi...

JUVENTUS-MEZZOCORONA 7-1 (5-0)

GOALS: Amauri 15, 18, 32, 36, 41 mins, Pasquato 52 mins, Esposito 58 mins, D’Acampo (M) 90 mins.

JUVENTUS: Belardi (Fiory 46 mins) (Nocchi 67 mins); Zebina (Bamba 46 mins), Legrottaglie (Duravia 63 mins), Ariaudo (De Paola 46 mins), Molinaro (D’Elia 63 mins); Salihamidzic (Esposito 46 mins), Zanetti (Castiglia 63 mins), Ekdal (Almiron 46 mins), Nedved; Iaquinta (Pasquato 46 mins), Amauri (Rossi 48 mins). Manager: Ranieri.

MEZZOCORONA: Macchi, Lordi, Pellizzari, Torroni, Berardo, Sebastiani, Tulli, Morat, Donini, Benvenga, Tartabini. Subs (all came on in the second half): Morelli, Fraccalossi, Brighenti, Zarini, giacomini, Ceravolo, Martone, D’Acampo, Piolanti, Vanzetta, Tomasi, Picariello, Malacarne, Fusari. Manager: Rastelli.

Referee: Lentino from Rovereto.

Amauri immediately leaves his mark

Today it was all about the newcomers. The first seasonal friendly against Mezzocorona was most of all the chance for the Bianconeri fans (the 4 thousand-plus in Pinzolo and those watching at home on Juventus Channel) to see the new faces and also the stars of tomorrow in action.

Amauri was in the spotlight with five goals scored in just 41 minutes (before he had to leave the field at the start of the second half due to a cut to his forehead), but so was youngster Ekdal, and Olof Mellberg, just arrived at the camp with Grygera and sitting by the side of the pitch. Not forgetting the several Youth Team lads who were able to show their strength, like Pasquato and Esposito, who scored a goal each, and Ariaudo, who played from the start, partnering Legrottaglie at the centre of the defence.

The first game thus ended with a 7-1 win (the local team scored at the end with D’Acampo), only good for the annals, but which allowed Juve's fans to find some new idols to cheer. The next friendly, against Piacenza in Trento, on Tuesday July 15th, looks set to be much more demanding. It'll be definitely one to watch, with a few more days' training under everybody's belts, and some players who sat out this debut game coming back (specifically Trezeguet, Tiago and Marchionni).
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«My Juve? A solid chameleon»

From today, the football vocabulary is ready to include a new word. «My Juve? Like a solid chameleon». This is how Claudio Ranieri replied when asked how he expects his team to be in this 2008/09 season. Juventus' Manager is fired up after the first few days of work, and curious to see his “creature” in a proper match, such as tomorrow afternoon's first friendly against Mezzocorona (kick off at 5 pm).

The match will allow him to verify the progress made in just six days of training. And it’ll be the first chance for the fans to cheer their team in a real game, while they wait to see the rest of the players, i.e. the internationals and the last few signings planned by the Club, join up with the squad. The players here for the moment are working well and looking promising. «We are not lacking in quality – Ranieri commented -. All the lads are quality players; they wouldn't be at Juventus otherwise. They're all determined and humble and they all want to bring the team up to the same level as the great Italian and European teams».

A “solid chameleon”, but also a “tree that grows day after day”; Juventus' Manager likes to use quirky comparisons to describe the team. «We took a first step last year, now we need to go the rest of the way, starting from the Champions League preliminary rounds. The tree we planted has taken fine, thanks to its solid roots: the fine players and the Club. We have new young branches this year and that's how we'll face another long and difficult winter».

The side being built in the Val Rendena will have an added weapon: its flexibility. «Chameleon-like or solid? I want Juve to be like a solid chameleon: able to change its skin but tough too. When we signed Amauri, we considered his ability to adapt his style of play to all the other forwards in the team. And we're using the same criteria to choose the midfielder we're after».

Just another few days and the name of the new signing could be announced. A name that will help further strengthen a squad that has done very well and that wants to improve still, which pleases Claudio Ranieri no end. «I like having abundance problems. I want to have a lot of great players at my disposal, who aspire to win and who know that there'll be space and chances for everyone here. We expect to be playing a lot of games, all important as they’re all worth three points. Last year we did very well with the big teams and lost a few points with the small teams, we have to improve under this point of view now».
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On the eve of the first match

After six days' training, it's time for Juventus to play a full match. As scheduled, tomorrow afternoon, Friday July the 11th, Ranieri's team will play their first friendly of the 2008/09 season.

Just like last season, the Bianconeri's first opponents are local team Mezzocorona, managed by Claudio Rastelli (who used to play for Ranieri at Napoli); they have had a great season in Serie C2 and are ready to challenge Ranieri's team at 5 pm on the Pineta pitch in Pinzolo, where Juve do their training. The game will be shown live on Juventus Channel.

Juventus prepared for the event with two training sessions today. A few players were missing: Trezeguet and Andrade did their physiotherapy, while Tiago and Zebina rested due to fatigue. Meanwhile, Sissoko continues training on his own, but the Mali native is really eager to get back into the action, as confirmed by Ranieri in the press conference on the eve of the match: «He needs to be told to take it easy at the moment because he wants to do what his team mates are doing. The last tests' results still force us to be a little more cautious for now».

Pinzolo town square fills up for Juve

Pinzolo town centre filled up with people last night, there to cheer Juventus up on the stage. The Bianconeri paraded on the runway set up in the town's main square, to bask in the love and affection of 3,000 excited fans.

A big event, Juventus' official presentation ceremony in the Val Rendena kicked off at 9 pm, when Juventus Channel started broadcasting the evening live and exclusively for their subscribers. After images of the Bianconeri stars not in Pinzolo, i.e. Del Piero, Buffon, Camoranesi, Chiellini, Marchisio, Giovinco, De Ceglie, Grygera and Mellberg, were shown, the stage came alive with Gianluca Pessotto and the Youth Team members, who are also in Pinzolo, arriving onstage. The youngsters were introduced individually to the fans.

The first team players arrived right after that. Around 9.30 pm, the fans' favourite players hit the stage. Then it was the medical staff's turn, led by the man in charge, Doctor Agricola, and then the coaching staff, with Manager Ranieri leading the way.

«I'm happy to see all this enthusiasm and I hope I can repay it, starting from the Champions League preliminary rounds; getting through is our first objective. We promise to try and improve on last season, and always give 100%».

This is what the Manager declared straight after the Bianconeri's presentation, when the players were called up one by one in the order of their field position. Ovations were awarded to everyone, but there were special roars for Momo Sissoko, Pavel Nedved, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Amauri and David Trezeguet.

Team change at Birra Moretti Trophy

There'll be a slight change to next month's Birra Moretti Trophy's line-up. Inter Milan have pulled out of the 12th edition of the summer tournament, scheduled for August 21st. The organizers have yet to officially announce which team will take the Nerazzurri's place, but the other teams taking part, Juventus and Napoli, and the seat of the tournament, the San Paolo Stadium in Naples, have been officially confirmed.

This is Juventus' revised summer calendar after this slight change to the programme.

From July 5th to the 16th, pre-season training in Pinzolo, with two friendlies, against Mezzocorona (in Pinzolo, on Friday 11th, at 5 pm) and Piacenza (in Trento, on Tuesday 15th, at 8.30 pm)
July 11th, friendly against Mezzocorona in Pinzolo (kick-off 5 pm), live coverage on Juventus Channel
July 15th, friendly against Piacenza in Trento (kick-off 8.30 pm), live coverage on Juventus Channel
July 23rd, friendly against Brondby in Copenhagen
July 26th, friendly against Borussia in Dortmund
July 29th, TIM Trophy in Turin against Inter Milan and AC Milan
August 2-3, Emirates Cup in London against Arsenal and Hamburg
August 6th, friendly against Manchester United in Manchester
August 12th or 13th, Champions League 3rd preliminary round, first leg
August 17th, Berlusconi Trophy in Milan against AC Milan
August 21st, Birra Moretti trophy in Naples (tournament schedule to be confirmed)
August 26th or 27th, Champions League 3rd preliminary round, second leg
August 31st, 2008/09 Serie A, Day 1
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Trezeguet to focus on Juve

«I'd like to make a very important personal announcement: I've decided to give up the National team for good». David Trezeguet opened his press conference without waiting for the journalists' questions. The striker has decided: enough with the Bleus: «The reasons behind my choice are clear enough. After the disappointing European Championships, the French Federation have still decided to continue with Domenech, going against the wishes of all the French people. I've never seen eye to eye with him, I haven't agreed with many of his choices over the years and I think I should’ve been called up for the European Championships after what I did at Juve last season; clearly we see things differently in football terms, so I think that, as he’s still there, this is the right moment for me to retire from the National team. I'll only focus on Juventus from now on, as they've always had faith in me. I would've liked to bid farewell to the French fans on Saturday, in the game that's been organized to celebrate the ten year anniversary of our World Cup win, but I have a little problem with my knee and the medical staff have asked me to stay here in Pinzolo to take care of it and train properly. There'll be other opportunities to say goodbye to the French fans».

The knee problem isn't anything serious and David could already be back training with the group by the end of the week: «It's a slight tendonitis to my right knee. To reach the Champions League preliminaries in the best condition, we've thought it best not to push too hard for now, so I'll be working only in the gym in the next few days, but I could already be training with the others on Saturday or Sunday».
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Juventus plant new forest thanks to New Holland

Juventus' summer camp in Pinzolo is the first-ever in the world with no emissions: this is possible thanks to New Holland's concern, who decided to confirm their ongoing commitment to the environment by funding the planting of 26 new trees in an area next to the training ground, thus creating a veritable Juventus forest. 

A large delegation from Juventus, including Chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli, Claudio Ranieri and eleven players (Belardi, Zebina, Andrade, Legrottaglie, Molinaro, Marchionni, Zanetti, Tiago, Trezeguet, Amauri and Iaquinta) planted the first tree this morning, a mountain ash that could grow up to fifteen or twenty metres in height. 

Alongside the Bianconeri, others taking part in the event included Carlo Lambro, New Holland Agriculture Europe's executive, New Holland Construction’s Italy Marketing executive Riccardo Balma, Pinzolo mayor William Bonomi and local councillors responsible for natural resources, forests and sport, Luciano Caola and Roberto Papa. Every one attending shovelled some earth to help plant the tree as proof of Juventus’, New Holland's and the Trentino region's commitment in environmental matters.

Piacenza friendly moved to 15th

The friendly against Piacenza will be played one day earlier than scheduled: the Bianconeri will take the pitch in Trento against the Emilia region team on Tuesday July 15th instead of Wednesday 16th as previously announced. The kick-off time has also been made official: the game will start at 8.30 pm and so the second friendly of the new season will also be Ranieri's men's first game played under the floodlights. Just like the game against Mezzocorona, the Piacenza match will be shown live and exclusively on Juventus Channel too.

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Amauri: «I'll repay the fans for their affection»

«My first impressions are excellent. There's a great group of players here, they made me feel at ease from the off and only confirmed the idea I had of Juventus before coming here: that of a great team». Amauri, from his very first appearances here at the pre-season camp in Pinzolo, is one of the players who have been more of a hit with the fans; a real confidence boost for the Brazilian, but also a lot of responsibility, seeing how much the fans are expecting from him: «I hope I can repay all the affection I felt in these first few days as soon as possible. There’s great competition here at Juventus, but I'm used to having to earn my place on the team. Wherever I've played, I've always fought hard to get my chance to play. Sure, it's going to be more difficult here, seeing the calibre of the players, but this is good for the team». 

Despite being one of the new signings, Amauri already sounds like a leader when talk switches to objectives for next year: «My dreams and Juve's ones coincide: I'm hoping this team can do well, both in the League and in the Champions League. On a personal level I hope I can give a huge hand; I've been doing well in Italy for the last three years, but I still have to prove myself here». Regarding the possible new signing in midfield, Amauri has no preference: «In the middle we have players who are very good at defending, such as Sissoko, but also others that can set up the forwards, like Tiago or Zanetti. We'll see how the Club operate on the transfer market». Finally this is how he replied to someone reminding him about the recurring comparison with Ibrahimovic: «They already compared us when I was at Chievo and it pleases me because he's a great player, who did well here too. Obviously I'll try and do better than him…»

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Legrottaglie’s European optimism

Nicola Legrottaglie is ready to start an exciting new season. After being one of the best defenders in the League last season, Nick’s intention is to keep playing at that standard, despite the press often not considering him part of the possible first team line-up of late: «I'm happy to stay at Juve and be part of this group. Many people called me this summer telling me: they've taken you out of the team. Well, if whoever joins the Club is stronger than me, no problem. I'd be secure in the knowledge of what I can do and I know it'll be harder this year, both for me and for the team. I also know that no-one is sure of a place on the team and I'm an example of this: last year I wasn't supposed to play and then I did, I played almost every game. I'd be very happy if this situation repeated itself. Plus this year we have the Champions League and I want to taste success in that too. I'm convinced we'll do particularly well in Europe. I can't explain why, but I have this feeling. We'll just need to have the same thirst for victory as last year and remain humble at all times».

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New Kit's 08/09

--Home

--Away

Iaquinta: «We're stronger than ever»

«I read in the newspapers about me possibly leaving to for Rome or Naples and I have to say that annoyed me a little. Truth is I met the Club before leaving for my holidays in Calabria and they said they're happy with me and on my part I'm happy to stay here, because Juve have given me a lot and I can feel the fans' affection for me». Vincenzo Iaquinta strongly denies the rumours in the press that linked him to several transfer negotiations. Truth is that the striker will be one of the four strikers next season; Juventus were already excellent up front, and now they're even more competitive with Amauri's arrival: «We're playing three competitions and we needed another forward. Amauri's signing makes us even stronger up front and we were already the best in that department last season. I'll try and do everything I can to play as much as possible. I'm motivated; I want to show what I'm worth. Playing with three up front? We haven't spoken with the Manager about formations, but last year we played with three up front in both games against Roma and it went well».

Inevitably, talk then moved on to possible transfer market candidates for midfield: «For us forwards, it's always best to have a skilful midfielder, who can play the ball vertically. It must be said we already have one at Juventus: Tiago is that kind of player and I hope that if he stays he can show his worth. If Tiago played as I've always seen him play in training, we wouldn't need anyone else. He didn't play much last year, but he was coming from a foreign League, he had to adjust to ours. And then there's Zanetti, who can make some great long passes for the strikers, we saw it very well with Del Piero… I read a lot of midfielders' names; I hope we get a really strong player, so that we'll be competitive with any team. Xabi Alonso is a great player and I like Stankovic too, but reading what our fans think of him in the papers, it seems unlikely…». 

Vincenzo is expected to have another season in the spotlight: last year he started off great, but towards the end a few injuries slowed him down, and cost him the call-up for the European Championships. One of his goals now is getting back into the National team: «I'm happy that Lippi's back, he's always called me up, he's always believed in me and made me part of the World Cup team. But I'm sorry for Donadoni, because he always had faith in me too ».

The last thought is for Pavel Nedved, who seems to be one of the most motivated players during these first pre-season training days: «Nedved is always motivated; his determination impressed me as soon as I met him last year. At 36 he still wants to push the rest of the team on in training... I don't think he'll hang up his boots next year, in fact I'll probably end up retiring before he does...»
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Nedved sets aims on Champions League

«I'm happy to have the chance to start another season. I have certain goals in mind, the same ones that have given me the motivation to keep playing for another year, and the idea of chasing them appeals very much to me». It's not difficult to imagine what the goals Pavel Nedved is talking about are. The Czech player's fascination with the Champions League has never been a secret and the idea of having another go at winning the “Cup with the big ears” intrigues him a great deal, especially with such a competitive team: «This Juventus is strong and I hope I can be of help, lending a hand to our younger players so that they can grow. They're really good, we saw it already in the first training session, and we’re still missing three lads who are off with the Olympic national team. Would I rather win the League title or the Champions League trophy? There's no point asking me, my thoughts are well known. If we want to compete with Inter Milan and Roma in the League, especially as we have another competition to play too, we'll have to be good at dosing our energies and the pitch will tell if we're stronger than last year, but we have excellent foundations to build on. In fact, I can't wait to start playing every three days again». Regarding possible new signings: «If we get more players, that’s fine. The more top players we sign, the stronger we will be».

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Ranieri: «We need our supporters»

«We're here to work and get better. The fans have given us a great welcome and they'll have to sustain us and help us, just like they did last season». Claudio Ranieri introduced the Pinzolo training camp in an interview with Juventus Channel. The Manager supervised the team's first training session on the Pineta pitch. After the warm-up and some athletic training, the Bianconeri immediately started working with the ball, bouncing it about and carrying out individual technique exercises. «Our philosophy is the same as ever –Professor Capanna explained in another interview with Juventus Channel– The aim is to involve the players as much as possible during the whole of the session and working with the ball makes them stay more focused». Approximately two thousand enthusiastic supporters watched the team train: «We don't want to give false hopes to anyone – Ranieri said – but it's only fair we set our aims as high as possible from the start. In the meantime, let's think about getting into the Champions League proper and then try and go as far as possible. Is the word scudetto taboo? No, not at all, – the Manager remarked jokingly – all taboos feel in 1968... For the time being, we'll simply try and improve»

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Season tickets on sale soon

Juventus have just come back from holiday but things are already busy: after unveiling the new kit, and the Pinzolo pre-season training camp kicking off, season tickets will also start going on sale from Tuesday July 8th. 
A lot of things change at the Olimpico Stadium compared to last season, a too: first of all, the facility will now hold 2,000 more people, thanks to the East stands' extension and new stands being placed in the East and West sectors. Furthermore, the guest fans' seats have been decreased by 1,000 and these will be available to the Bianconeri fans.

The season ticket holders will now also have the chance to re-sell unused tickets, thanks to Lottomatica Italia Servizi: indeed by informing in advance that they won't be able to attend a game, their place will be made available. If Juventus manage to sell that ticket, the season ticket holder will get a partial refund. 

Those already holding season tickets last year will be able to buy the new tickets before anyone else, from Tuesday the 8th up to Saturday July 19th. On Tuesday 23rd the sale to the rest of the public will commence, ending on Saturday August 2nd.
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Juve unveil new kit

Juventus have a new kit for their return to the top European level. On the first day back from the holidays, the new kit to be used in the 2008/09 season was unveiled at the Media Center in Vinovo. Technical sponsors Nike took inspiration from the Club's successful past to create the kits. Indeed the home strip recalls the legendary '70s period, while the away shirt's gold colour celebrates Juve's international triumphs.

The home shirt is obviously black and white, but with slightly larger bands than last season's one. The stripe in the middle of the shirt, under the V-neck collar, is black. After the use of red last year, detailing is back in the classic yellow, a colour which appears on the armholes, on the lower rim and in the front part of the black collar. The numbers (and players' names) and the famous Nike “tick” logo are also in yellow. The shorts are white with yellow profiles, with the swoosh and the number in black on the left side and the Juventus logo on the right. Socks are black with a white rim and have the Nike logo and the name Juventus on them. 

The away strip is completely new. After using blue and yellow (recalling Turin's city colours), from summer 2008 Juventus dress in gold. And white, used for the armholes, lower rim, numbers and player names. Matching shorts are black with gold-coloured laces and profiles, while the Nike logo and numbers are in white. Socks are gold with a black and white rim and feature the swoosh and the name Juventus. 

A few decorative elements embellish the kits: the name Juventus appears on the outer collar area at the back, while on the inside the word “Bianconeri” appears, accompanied by two stars.

The materials used are the latest in cutting-edge technology. The main body of the shirts is made with Nike Sphere technical fabric, which is extremely light and allows the skin to breathe, reducing contact and allowing sweat to evaporate quickly. 

Both the black and white and the golden shirts have the Juventus crest on the left side, just below the two stars representing the number of League titles won (in tens), making their comeback on the players' chests. The sponsor logo, New Holland, a company of the FIAT Group, is located in the centre.

And now the news the fans were waiting for. The new kits will be available to buy immediately from the www.juvestore.com website. In fact our official online store is sporting a new look from today, with new graphics. Important news for our JuventusMember friends, too: if they buy the new shirts through the site, they will receive a € 10 discount. 



From Monday July 7th, the kits will also be available to buy at all main Nike retailers.

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2008/09 Champions League kicks off

Today, Tuesday July 1st, the 2008/09 edition of the Champions League has officially kicked off. Indeed the draw to establish the first two preliminary rounds' match-ups took place earlier this afternoon in Nyon, Switzerland.

As many as 42 teams are involved: the 28 teams who will play on July 15/16 and 22/23 to try and go through the next round, but also the 14 teams who have already secured a place in the second round.

Juventus will only start playing in the third round, but they are interested in these first two rounds too, as one of the teams qualifying after the second round (to be played on July 29/30 and August 6/7) could eventually face the Bianconeri for a place in the main event.

The dates that most interest us are: August 1st, the day of the third round draw, August 12/13, when the first leg will be played, and August 26/27, when the second leg will take place. 

Here are the fixtures in full: 

First round – first leg July 15/16, second leg July 22/23 

Game 1 Linfield (Northern Ireland) - Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) 
Game 2 Valletta (Malta) - Artmedia Bratislava (Slovakia) 
Game 3 Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia) - NSÍ Runakiv (Far Oer) 
Game 4 Santa Coloma (Andorra) - FBK Kaunas (Lithuania) 
Game 5 Murata (San Marino) - IFK Göteborg (Sweden) 
Game 6 Llanelli (Wales) - Ventspils (Latvia) 
Game 7 Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyprus) - Pyunik Yerevan (Armenia) 
Game 8 Inter Baku (Azerbaijan) - Rabotnièki (Macedonia) 
Game 9 Tampere United (Finland) - Buduænost (Montenegro) 
Game 10 F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg) - Domžale (Slovenia) 
Game 11 Dinamo Tirana (Albania) - Madrica (Bosnia & Herzegovina) 
Game 12 Aktobe (Kazakhstan) - Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) 
Game 13 Drogheda United (Ireland) - Levadia Tallinn (Estonia) 
Game 14 Bate Borisov (Belorus) - Valur (Iceland) 

Second round – first leg July 29/30, second leg August 5/6

Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) - Winner, Game 4 
Brann (Norway) - Winner, Game 6 
Winner, Game 8 - Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) 
Winner, Game 7 - Rapid Wien (Austria) 
Winner, Game 9 - Winner, Game 2 
Winner, Game 10 - Winner, Game 1 
Panathinaikos (Greece) - Winner, Game 3 
Winner, Game 5 - Basel (Switzerland) 
Winner, Game 12 - Sparta Praha (Czech Republic) 
Winner, Game 13 - Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine) 
Anderlecht (Belgium) - Winner, Game 14 
Beitar Jerusalem (Israel) - Wisla Krakow (Poland) 
Fenerbahçe (Turkey) - MTK Hungária (Hungary) 
Aalborg (Denmark) - Winner, Game 11 

 

Davide Lanzafame joins Palermo

Juventus today officially announced that Davide Lanzafame will be joining Palermo. The young striker, who had an excellent season last year at Bari in Serie B, moves to Sicily for good, but with a participation agreement formula contract.

Meanwhile, Juventus have sold another player too. After his experience at Empoli, Rey Volpato joins Bari (Lanzafame's former team, managed by Antonio Conte). The Tuscany-born striker has been sold with the same formula as the other player.

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Renzo Castagnini is the new chief scout

As of today, July 1st 2008, Renzo Castagnini is the new man in charge of Juventus' talent scouts.

Born in Reggello (near Florence) on November 14th 1956, Castagnini played professional football between 1975 and 1990. After his long career as a footballer, he became a manager and since 1992 has been working as Director of Sport at many clubs, among them Barletta, Salernitana, Catania, Genoa, Vicenza and finally Piacenza, the last position he covered before reaching Turin. 

At Juventus he will be working under Alessio Secco. 

The new man in charge of the scouts expressed his satisfaction via a press release sent out by the Club: «I'm proud to be working for an internationally renowned Club like Juventus». 

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Knezevic: «I'm joining the biggest team»

Welcome dario

As of today, Juventus' 2008/09 defence can be considered complete. After signing Mellberg, and De Ceglie's return, now it's Dario Knezevic's turn joining the side. Born in 1982, in Rijeka, Croatia, he played for Livorno last season and is here on loan, with an option for Juve to buy out half of his ownership. He'll be joining Ranieri and the others from mid-July, after the holidays needed to recuperate after Euro 2008 and most of all to recover from the injury he picked up against Poland, which forced him to finish his involvement in the tournament early.

«I'm joining the biggest team of them all; I'll have to measure up to players of Del Piero and Trezeguet's stature. For sure I'll learn something every day and in each training session». These were Dario's first words, spoken in visibly excited tones, as is normal for any newbie joining the "university of football". 

After stints at Rijeka and Livorno, the lad knows this is his big chance to show what he's worth and confirm the good impression he gave in the last two years in Italy and when playing for his national team, after the doubly unlucky experience at Euro 2008 (the injury for him and Croatia being knocked out in such a dramatic fashion by Turkey).

Indeed the injury suffered in the last match of the first round will prevent him from starting off at full speed. Director of Sport Alessio Secco and Dr. Agricola, both in Vinovo today, announced that Knezevic will need to rest for 30/35 days due to the knock he received to his left knee, which in any case is already healing. After 15 days of physiotherapy with no training, he will be able to start a personal regime and then join the others before the end of July to start training normally under Manager Ranieri's supervision. 

The injury didn't prevent other teams trying to sign him up until the last moment. Especially Torino, with whom a true "market transfer derby" was fought. Alessio Secco spoke in clear terms about the situation: «We started talks with Livorno's president Spinelli about ten days ago and we reached a verbal agreement, taking our time to check Dario's conditions. In the meantime, other Clubs tried to sneak in with their offers, but the player only signed our contract, which is the only one signed by both Juventus and Livorno too. That's why we're perfectly sure it's all legit and we'll be depositing his contract already tomorrow». 

End of discussion, as the player himself confirmed: «I respect Torino, but since I was a boy I'd always dreamed of playing for a big club and this is the biggest of them all. In the last few days I never had any doubt about which club to choose ». 

Just the time to fully recover from his injury and then Knezevic's dream will entirely become reality. «I'm aware I'm joining a team where a lot of huge stars play and some of these are great defenders. But competition doesn't scare me. I'm here to learn and I'll be able to do so in each and every training session. Over the years I've played in every role in defence, but I'm more at ease as a central defender». 

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