Player Ratings: Juventus 1-0 Fiorentina

Juventus held on for a slim, somewhat controversial 1-0 victory over Fiorentina to draw level with Inter Milan for the time being at the top of the Serie A table. Goal.com rates the participants…
JUVENTUS

Buffon: 8.0- Made his first Serie A start since mid-October and looked sharp in the process, making a handful of beautiful saves including one from Gilardino in the 71st minute.

De Ceglie: 6.0- The 22-year-old has a bright future ahead of him but did not show his true potential tonight.

Legrottaglie: 7.0- Kept Gilardino and Jovetic off the score-sheet and will be happy to escape with the victory.

Mellberg: 7.0- Lucky not to have conceded a penalty in the 12th minute but did a good job of keeping Jovetic in check after that.

Grygera: 5.5- The Czech international almost put the match to bed with a ferocious strike in the 61st minute but was taught a footballing lesson by Pasqual tonight.

Zanetti: 6.0- Failed to provide the steel in the midfield that Sissoko so eagerly provides.

Marchisio: 7.0- Reminds many older Juve fans of Marco Tardelli and the youngster scored the winner with a well taken goal in the 21st minute but faded away after that.

Marchionni 7.0- He had his best match of the season and should have found his name on the score-sheet but was robbed not once but twice in the 45th minute by Frey.

Nedved: 6.0- He was given the roughhouse treatment by Zauri and will be left black and blue after the match.

Del Piero: 6.5- The ageless Juve legend set up Marchissio’s goal with a sublime through ball but then was substituted, much to his dismay.

Amauri: 5.0- The Bianconeri’s leading scorer was unusually inconspicuous tonight and will be disappointed with his performance.

SUBS: Giovinco (77”) 6.5, Poulsen (89”) NA


FIORENTINA

Frey: 7.5- Back between the posts after missing a match through injury and kept his team in the game with a plethora of important saves, his best effort being a great double save on Marchionni at the end of the half.

Pasqual: 7.5- The second-choice left-back ran riot up and down the left hand side with the final product rarely lacking in quality.

Kroldrup: 6.0- Had no answer for Marchionni tonight and will be left licking his wounds after the match.

Gamberini: 6.5- Missed a glorious chance on the stroke of half-time, sending a close-range header wide of the target, but marked Amauri out of the match.

Zauri: 6.0- The veteran ex-Lazio man filled in for the suspended Comotto and seemed more interested in his personal duel with Nedved than anything else tonight.

Felipe Melo: 6.0- Made countless rash challenges and picked up another yellow card against Juve but provided the toughness in the middle of the park that la Viola desperately need.

Montolivo: 5.5- Was quiet by his lofty standards in the first 45 minutes and failed to find his rhythm in the second half.

Gobbi: 5.0- Was largely anonymous and was substituted to start the second half. Not one of his better efforts.

Santana: 6.0- He played behind the two strikers tonight and almost found a goal as he hit the crossbar with a powerful header in the first half.

Jovetic: 6.0- The teenage sensation showed flashes of why he is such a highly coveted prospect tonight and almost found the equaliser in injury time.

Gilardino: 6.5- Had a perfectly good goal disallowed in the first half and will be left feeling aggrieved after the match.

SUBS: Kuzamanovic (46”) 5.5, Bonazzoli (72”) 6.0

Giovinco: «I was hoping to celebrate here»

January once again confirms itself as a month of impoortant birthdays. After Salihamidzic, Cobolli Gigli, Secco, Marchisio and Sissoko and while awaiting that of Buffon (on Wednesday) today is the turn of Sebastian Giovinco.

The Atomic Ant has turned 22 during a period in which he is in good condition. 2009 began in the same way that 2008 ended with Seba taking advantage of every opportunity given him. After the splendid goal against Lecce he scored again against Catania in the Coppa Italia.

But it is mostly his consistency in performance that earns him points. Even against Fiorentina, Giovinco provided good initiatives during the period in which he played, going close to scoring the goal which have brought a definite end to the match.

A goal against the viola would have been a good birthday present just like his friend Marchisio: «True – commented Seba on Juventus.com-, it would have been another reason to celebrate. In the meantime I am happy of being here at Juventus. Last year, when I was at Empoli, I hoped to celebrate wearing the black and white jersey. At this time I am feeling well and continuing to work hard so as to improve things aiming to make myself ready whenever I’m called. And this also applies for the next two matches against Udinese and Cagliari.».

The best wishes of all the Juventus supporters of whom he has always been an idol go to Superseba. To send him a message log on to JuventusMember.

Giovinco is expecting a lot of messages: «I thank all those supporters who will be sending me their wishes».


*juventus.com

A victory for Agnelli!

The important thing was winning for Juventus and they did. It was Claudio Marchisio who scored the only goal of the match and the first for him in the Serie A. Juventus played a good match missing a number of opportunities but Fiorentina were definitely there and it was also thanks to Buffon that Ranieri’s men managed to bring home 3 points which are worth the joint-first place in the table.

Fiorentina are the first to attack with Jovetic who on the 3rd minute heads the ball towards goal but Buffon has no difficulty in cradling the ball. One minute later its once again the viola who put a dangerous cross into the Juventus area with Grygera making a good clearance. The first chance for Juventus comes on the 5th minute: free-kick for Juventus. With Marchionni putting the ball into the area but Frey saves.

Juventus however are very much in the game and in the 7th minute Del Piero puts a beautiful long ball to Marchionni who enters the area but the shot goes wide perhaps deviated. The captain is in great shape and two minutes later puts the ball high over the bar after good team-work. It would have been a great goal by Pinturicchio. On the 10th minute good work by Del Piero sees him entering the area but the ball is cleared however it reaches Nedved who attempts a cross into the area but the ball is cleared.

Three minutes later Amauri enters the area and shoots but the ball goes wide. Two minutes later there is a free-kick for Fiorentina. The ball is put into the area but Nedved clears. On the 17th minute Marchionni puts pressure on Kroldrup who passes to Frey putting him through some difficulty but the goalkeeper manages to clear in some way.

On the 21st minute Marchisio enters the area after receiving the ball from Del Piero and shoots from a lateral position putting the ball behind Frey and into the net for the opener. It is the first goal by the young midfielder in the Serie A. One minute later Juventus go close to scoring their second with Nedved after the Czech received a good ball from Del Piero.

Fiorentina react and on the 24th minute a great save by Buffon denies Fiorentina a goal after a dangerous initiative. One minute later Santana misses a golden opportunity putting the ball high from an inviting position.

On the half-hour Montolivo shown a yellow card for a foul on De Ceglie. Del Piero takes the free-kick but the ball goes straight into the keeper's hands. One minute later it’s Santana who hits the post. From the re-bound Gilardino scores but the referee disallows for off-side.

On the 33rd minute there is a free-kick for Juventus. Nedved takes it with the ball going inches wide with Frey beaten in what is a near miss. Six minutes later there is a corner for Juventus. Del Piero puts the ball into the area but the purple defence clears. One minute later Fiorentina are awarded a free-kick but the Juve defence clears. From the rebound Buffon saves easily.

On the 44th minute Del Piero receives a good ball from Zanetti. The captain moves well to put the ball for Nedved who misses the sphere. One minute later Del Piero puts a good long ball for Marchionni who enters the area alone in front of Frey with the goalkeeper saving twice. Two golden opportunities missed in one action.

The last action of the first half is for Fiorentina with Kroldrup close to the equaliser but the ball goes high.

The first fifteen minutes of the second half are somewhat purple in colour. The first action however is by the bianconeri. On the 3rd minute Frey is forced to put the ball into touch after a good action by Juventus. Five minutes later Gilardino puts the ball high in what was a dangerous attempt. On the 11th minute Buffon makes a good save on Pasqual with Jovetic putting wide from the re-bound. In the action that follows Grygera is close to an own goal after being pushed.

Juventus are coming back and on the 15th minute Frey puts the ball into corner after a great shot by Grygera who received from Marchionni. From the resulting corner Amauri heads the ball but the Fiorentina defence clears. Two minutes later Gilardino heads the ball wide after a dangerous cross by Jovetic. The flag however, was up for an off-side.

On the 19th minute Amauri sees his shot being saved by Frey after receiving the ball in the area. One minute later there is a free-kick for Juventus after a dangerous foul on Nedved and another on Zanetti. Del Piero takes a try but Frey saves with some difficulty.
On the 23rd minute Del Piero puts the ball high after a good pass in the area. Another good opportunity wasted. Two minutes later Buffon performs a miracle on Gilardino with the ball clearly headed to the net.

The half-hour sees Legrottaglie clearing into corner after a dangerous Fiorentina initiative. From the resulting corner it is the Juve defence which clears with difficulty. One minute later Giovinco comes on for Del Piero and the Atomic Ant immediately makes his presence felt.

There is however another man who is making his presence felt: Gigi Buffon. On the 34th minute Buffon performs a good save once again on Gilardino saving the result. One minute later Jovetic puts the ball high after yet another initiative by the team in purple. On the 37th minute Fiorentina win a corner after the Juventus defence is forced to put the ball beyond the line under pressure.

One minute later Nedved launches Giovinco who enters the area after a great run but sees Frey saving after shooting on goal. Seconds later there is another dangerous action by Juventus with Giovinco who puts the ball in front of the line with Amauri missing an easy tap-in and a sitter. Yet another Juventus attack, two minutes later, with the ball being cleared by the Fiorentina defence. On the 43rd minute Poulsen comes on for Zanetti.

In the second of three minutes of stoppage time it is Buffon who saves the result with a save following what is a real assault on goal.

The end of the match seeing Juventus bringing home three important points and climbing to the top spot of the table in await of Inter’s match on Sunday.


JUVENTUS - FIORENTINA: 1 - 0

Goals: Marchisio (21st)

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Grygera, Mellberg, Legrottaglie, De Ceglie; Marchionni, Zanetti (Poulsen 88th), Marchisio, Nedved; Del Piero (Giovinco 75th), Amauri. Reserves: Chimenti, Ariaudo, Poulsen, Ekdal, Yago, Giovinco, Iaquinta. Coach: Ranieri.

FIORENTINA: Frey; Zauri, Gamberini, Kroldrup, Paquaul; Felipe Melo, Montolivo, Gobbi (Kuzmanovic 45th); Santana (Bonazzoli 71st), Gilardino, Jovetic. Reserves: Storari, Dainelli, Vargas, Donadel, Kuzmanovic, Semioli, Bonazzoli. Coach: Prandelli.

REFEREE: Saccani from Mantova.

Yellow Cards: Grygera (26th), Montolivo (30th), Zanetti (66th), Felipe (66th), Giovinco (88th)

*juventus.com

Marchisio: «Finally it came!»

Five months of constant improvement. Since Claudio Marchisio returned to play for Juventys after the experience at Empoli he has been having one positive performance after another. The only thing that was missing was a goal as the cherry on the cake.

And today it came. A splendid and important goal to give Juventus the three points in a difficult match as was the one against Fiorentina. The joy of Claudio Marchisio, five days after his birthday is therefore more then justified: «I am really happy. Finally this goal came. I had been wanting to score since the start of the season. I had been dreaming of it for some time but I thought I would have scored with a shot from outside the area. I must thank Del Piero for his great pass. Frey left the posts well but I managed to shoot in the best of manners. I would like to share this joy with my parents and with my wife who was at the stadium tonight».
*juventus.com

Buffon: «Back in top form»

Gigi Buffon is back and in his way: as protagonist. Having overcome the injury that kept him away from the field and having recovered from the fever which stopped him from playing against Lazio, the number one returned to his place in goal and left his mark on the victory against Fiorentina.

The day after, the goalkeeper commented on the victory on Rai during an interview which will be aired tonight during La Domeinca Sportiva and a preview of which can be viewed on Juventus.com.

Gigi expressed his satisfaction with regards to his return to the field. «When I was injured I said that I would have been back when I felt that I was in top condition and so it was. For this I must thank Manninger who allowed me to work calmly and to recover completely. This is something which really made me happy».

Double the satisfaction when one thinks of the result obtained and the top spot in the table, even though temporary: «Hard to obtain victories like the one against Fiorentina help self-confidence to grow. Being at the top even just for a day is a prize for all the efforts made during this period and the spark that helps us not to give up».
*juventus.com

Player Ratings: Lazio 1-1 Juventus

Lazio and Juventus drew 1-1 in a pulsating contest at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital tonight. Adrian Del Monte rates the performances of those on show...

Lazio

Carrizo – 6.0: Didn’t have all that much to do this evening, and he dealt with everything thrown at him fairly well. He could not do anything to prevent the Mellberg header, and so he gave a good showing throughout.

Lichtsteiner – 6.5: This player is slowly emerging as one of the Serie A’s most influential defenders, and he showed glimpses of his very best once again tonight. Got forward on more than one occasion, and had a massive chance to score after 16 minutes.

Diakite – 6.0: It was his poor marking that led to the Mellberg goal, as he left him unmarked, whilst just standing still – simply not acceptable for a central defender. A strong, physical performance nonetheless that nullified the impact of Amauri.

Rozenhal – 6.5: Had a shaky start, but was the rock of the Lazio back four in this match. Continues to improve with each and every match he plays.

Radu – 6.0: Solid outing for the left back, as he worked hard at both ends of the park. His brilliant delivery almost led to a goal after 11 minutes.

Dabo – 6.0: A fairly strong performance in the middle, however his marking on the Juve goal was non-existent, and he thus needed to improve his defensive skills in this match.

Ledesma – 7.0: He scored the only goal for his side, and it was quite fortunate too, due to a misjudgment by the Juve keeper Manninger. The Biancocelesti directed a lot of their play through this player, making him crucial to their performance this evening.

Meghni – 5.5: The midfielder has come a long way over the past season or so, and showed patches of good form tonight, but was removed after 63 minutes for Brocchi.

Pandev – 6.5: His pace made life for the Bianconeri defenders very tough and he was menacing early in particular. His impact minimized as the match progressed, however he was the pick of the Lazio front three.

Zarate – 5.5: Not the hitman’s greatest game ever, however he did play well at times in the dangerous forward trident. He tested his luck from distance on more than one occasion, and had a great opportunity prior to being substituted after 76 minutes to grab the winner.

Rocchi – 6.0: A solid captain’s performance tonight from Rocchi, as he kept at it all match, for no reward. Got into good positions, and brought his team mates in to it, but lady luck was simply not on his side throughout.

Subs: Brocchi 5.5, De Silvestri 5.5, Foggia 6.0

Juventus

Manninger – 5.0: Had plenty to deal with in the early stages, and did well dealing with everything, however his poor misjudgment that resulted in Ledesma scoring from an unlikely position may very well cost him his spot for Buffon next weekend.

Mellberg – 7.5: Fantastic performance from the former Aston Villa man, and tonight was undoubtedly his best showing in the Bianconeri colours. Scored with a brilliant header after 29 minutes, and was a consistent performer throughout.

Legrottaglie – 7.0: Another great match by the central defender, who stood up in the absence of Chiellini and Grygera. He went close to scoring after 86 minutes of play, as his powerful drive from 25 yards was denied by the post.

Ariaudo – 6.5: The young starlet was handed a start alongside Legrottaglie due to the absence of so many key players, and he certainly held his own in this match. He looked confident and composed, and put in some brilliant challenges, including one on Pandev to deny Lazio a second goal, just moments after their first.

Molinaro – 6.5: Defensively very strong, and as always he surged forward with real purpose, offering support to his attacking players. Dealt well with Zarate on 75 minutes, when he was involved in a one on one battle with the hitman.

Marchionni – 6.0: His wonderful assist from the corner set up the Mellberg goal, and despite not having the most dominant of performances, the up and coming midfielder was great from the dead ball situations.

Sissoko – 5.5: Couldn’t get anywhere near it early, however he worked himself into as the match wore on. Made a physical impact, as well as going close to scoring early in the second half, following a brilliant run from the half way line.

Zanetti – 5.0: Completely outclassed by the Lazio midfield, and just could not impose himself at all throughout. Was replaced by Marchisio after 70 minutes as a result.

Nedved – 6.0: Was extremely physical at times, and gave his all for the entire 90 minutes. Received a hostile reception from the crowd, as a former player of the club, however he dealt with everything thrown at him in a professional manner.

Del Piero – 5.5: The captain tried hard, but was unable to replicate the brace he managed in the corresponding fixture last term tonight. The lack of possession in the middle was the main reason behind this being the case.

Amauri – 5.0: Anonymous for the large part of the contest, especially the first half, a period in which he failed to touch the ball. Had a few chances late on, and a penalty claim that could have been given, but it certainly wasn’t a night to remember for the striker.

Subs: Marchisio 5.5, Giovinco 5.5

Adrian Del Monte
*Goal.com

Juve shares spoils in Rome

In what was a very difficult match away to Lazio, Juventus play well and manage to obtain one point thanks to an equalizer by Mellberg, reducing their margin from the Serie A leaders to three points. Lorenzo Ariaudo makes his debut in the Serie A.

The first forty-five minutes were rather tactical nonetheless however producing two goals: one for each side. On the 4th minute Molinaro wins a good ball and passes to Nedved but the ball is too long.

Most of the action is taking place in the midfield with the two teams seeming to be in a study phase, however in the 8th minute Lazio attack and enter the area but the Juventus defence manages to defend well. Three minutes later there is a dangerous cross into the Juventus area but Molinaro manages to head the ball to corner. In the action that follows
Legrottaglie clears a dangerous ball in the area.

The first quarter of an hour sees Lazio taking most of the initiative but in the 13th minute Juventus are awarded a free-kick. The ball reaches Amauri in the area but the Lazio defence manages to clear. Two minutes later Zarate enters dangerously into the Juventus area but the defence manages to clear with some difficulty. On the 19th minute Ledesma tries his luck from a rather long distance but the shot is rather slow and central and Manninger has no difficulty in cradling the ball.

On the 22nd minute Del Piero puts a good ball into the area but Nedved is not fast enough and the ball goes beyond the line. One minute later Legrottaglie clears a very dangerous ball in the Juventus area.

The home team is dictating its game and in the 24th the biancocelesti are awarded a free-kick. Ledesma takes the kick and puts the ball behind Manninger making the score 1-0. Juventus are still trying to digest the goal conceded when barely a minute later Lazio go close to scoring their second goal but Manninger manages to save.

The bianconeri have shown their determination before and begin to react. On the 26th minute there is a free-kick for Juventus from a rather long distance. Alex Del Piero puts the ball into the area but the Lazio defence clears. Three minutes later however Juventus win a corner. The ball enters the area and Mellberg heads home to equalize. This is the first goal of the Swedish defender in the Serie A since his arrival at the beginning of the season.

The minutes which follow see a number of actions in mid-field but on the 35th minute Nedved enters the area and is fouled but does not fall. This could have been a penalty. One minute later there is a good cross into the Lazio area: Marchionni enters but the ball goes high.

In the 39th minute Marchionni puts a dangerous ball into the area with the Lazio defence resorting to a corner. The rest of the half does not see much happening and the referee sends the teams to rest after two minutes of stoppage time.

The second half is a totally different story with both teams fighting hard for possession and trying to have their say. Juventus however, take most of the initiative. On the 4th minute Sissoko with a great run, enters the Lazio area and shoots with the goalkeeper saving with some difficulty. One minute later Marchionni shoots at goal from outside the area but the goalkeeper cradles the ball.

Juventus are piling up the pressure and on the 8th minute Amauri is grounded inside the area but the referee says to play on. Seconds later it is once again Amauri who heads high following a good cross into the area.

Lazio react and in the 10th minute Zarate fires a powerful shot from outside the area with the ball going wide. Four minutes later there is a free-kick for Juventus taken by Marchionni. The ball is put into the area with Mellberg trying to repeat his feat but the ball goes wide. In the 18th minute there is a dangerous movement by Rocchi in the Juve area but the defence manages to clear.

The match is much more interesting now with both teams playing much better football then in the first half. On the 20th minute Zanetti tries a shot from outside the area. The ball is deviated and ends up in a corner. From the corner the ball is headed wide by Legrottaglie. Three minutes later Nedved puts a good ball through for Del Piero but the captain is anticipated.

The 25th minute sees the first substitution for Juventus with Marchisio coming on for Zanetti. Three minutes later Amauri is stopped just outside the area by an obstruction but the referee does not order a foul. Seconds later the freshest man on the pitch, Marchisio,
tries a shot from some distance but the ball goes high.

The 30th minute sees Zarate in a dangerous run with Molinaro managing to win some time before the Lazio player luckily slips. Two minutes later its Manninger who saves a dangerous ball.

On the 35th minute Giovinco comes on for Del Piero and two minutes later it is the atomic ant who on the run passes to Marchionni who puts the ball into the area for Amauri who in turn sees his header being deviated by a defender. On the 40th minute Juventus have perhaps the best chance to go ahead: Legrottaglie hits the post after a great shot at goal from outside the area.

On the 42nd minute De Silvestri puts a dangerous ball into the area but Mellberg clears. Two minutes later there is a free-kick for Juventus taken by Giovinco. The ball is in the area but the Lazio defence puts the ball into corner. The last chance of the match is for Lazio with Rocchi missing a golden opportunity.

Serie A 2008/09 19th Day
Rome, Stadio Olimpico
Sunday 18th January 2009

LAZIO – JUVENTUS: 1-1

Scorers: Ledesma (25th), Mellberg (30th),

LAZIO: Carrizo; Lichtsteiner, Diakite, Rozenhal, Radu; Dabo (De Silvestri 70th), Ledesma, Meghni (Brocchi 62nd); Pandev, Rocchi, Zarate (Foggia 77th). Reserves: Muslera, Cribari, De Silvestri, Firmani, Mauri, Brocchi, Foggia. Coach: Rossi.

JUVENTUS: Manninger; Mellberg, Legrottaglie, Ariaudo, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko, Zanetti (Marchisio 70th), Nedved; Del Piero (Giovinco 80th), Amauri. Reserves: Chimenti, De Ceglie, Marchisio, Poulsen, Tiago, Ekdal, Giovinco. Coach: Ranieri.

Referee: Morganti

Yellow Card: Dabo (41st), Del Piero (57th), Molinaro (66th), (Radu 75th), Sissoko (81st), Ledesma (84th), Brocchi (88th),

Legrottaglie: «Inter must be careful: we’re hungry!»

Legrottaglie: «Inter must be careful: we’re hungry!»

Once again Nicola Legrottaglie has proved his worth in the Juventus defence playing a great game and even going close to scoring with a great shot from outside the area hitting the post.

«It would have been a very important goal – said the defender – and then they say I only score with my head. The match was a difficult one with the team having one half each».

The defence saw the debut of 19 year-old Lorenzo Ariaudo: «He played really well. He is a good boy, very educated and if he remains humble can become a great player.».

The discourse turns back to the match and the final result: «It isn’t easy to play against Lazio. We played well and even had the chance of winning but we must feel satisfied, after all we won back a point. It is not a lost opportunity. The championship is becoming more interesting. Last year we were more then three points short of Inter at the end of the first round and this means that we have improved. Inter should be careful because we’re hungry!».

*juventus.com

Ariaudo: «Thanks to my team-mates for their help»

Lorenzo Ariaudo will not forget the last week. Within four days the young defender of the Primavera played for 180 minutes. If the 90 minutes played against Catania went nearly unnoticed (due to the little importance given to the competition), those played away to Lazio will be spoken of for quite some time. You may rest assured.

Two great performances to substitute a certain Giorgio Chiellini. Two matches in which Lorenzo saw Legrottaglie in the role of older brother, with the latter guiding him as best he could. Ariaudo seems much more confident on the field then in front of the cameras of Juventus Channel: «I must thank my team-mates who helped me a lot on the field, especially Nicola. I worked a great deal with him during training, especially on the off-side technique, something which we use a lot even with the Primavera. On the eve of the match I nearly didn’t sleep at all thinking of having to deal with Pandev, Rocchi and Zarate but once on the field everything went well. I still feel that I am a Primavera player and every time I am called-up with the first team I will welcome the news».

*juventus.com

Ranieri: «The championship is till long. We will continue to fight.»

On the eve of the last match of the first round it was hard to imagine Juventus would have managed to reduce the margin from Inter. However, the margin has been reduced from four to three points. If Inter suffered a heavy defeat in Bergamo, the bianconeri in Rome faced the difficulties which had been foreseen.

Notwithstanding the draw, Ranieri;s team played a great match against Lazio, especially following Mellberg’s equalizer. As from next weekend the challenge continues and the fight for the leadership of the table promises to be an interesting one. «At the beginning we encountered some difficulty because they ran a real lot – commented the coach – but both teams tried to win on the long run. On the eve of the match I feared the three attackers scheme of Lazio and I wasn’t sure of fielding this formation. I wasn’t so sure of Mellberg on Zarate but Olof did well even in Madrid in that role and today he confirmed this. I had no doubts with regards to Ariaudo. He played really well in Coppa Italia on Wednesday and besides he ahs been training with us for the last year and therefore I knew what he is capable of. The table? The championship is long and we will continue fighting right to the end».

*juventus.com

Cobolli Gigli: «The race is still long»

President Cobolli Gigli is somewhere between satisfied and disappointed at the end of the match which saw Juventus in a draw after 5 consecutive victories in the championship and this is clear from his words.

«I do not feel joy because we drew after having got used tow inning. The first half they played better and then we managed to eqiualize with Mellberg. The second half saw us playing in a better way. The match was quite a masculine one. Hopefully nobody got seriously injured.»

Juventus must maintain the positive attitude: «The race is still long but we managed to gain a point with respect to Inter. Next Saturday we play against Fiorentina and then after that the next and the next. The team is united and you can tell even from the dressing room. After momentary uncertainties at the start of the championship we managed to get back on track. Last year January was a very difficult month. This year we managed to get back in the right manner. Perhaps to stay in Turin this year was a clever one.»

What about Ariaudo?: « Ariaudo is a very good player. He played really well. He is another of the youngsters who are doing really well and who is a result of the Juventus nursery and this makes me really proud.»

*juventus.com

On to the quarterfinals on the beat of 3!

Claudio Ranieri declared he wants to win the Coppa Italia and this is a step closer after the bianconeri managed to beat Walter Zenga’s Catania by 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Juventus are determined to do all in their power to win their tenth Coppa Italia and this is evident both from the starting line-up and the attitude taken as from kick-off. In the first minute in fact, Juventus make their first shot at goal with Giovinco who received a pass from Del Piero, enteringthe area to see the goalkeeper save easily.

Three minutes later Ranieri’s men have a reason to celebrate: Marchionni taps in a first attempt by Del Piero for the match opener: 1-0. On the 7th minute Buffon saves well following a powerful shot by Martinez, showing that notwithstanding the 101 days since his last official appearance the skills which made him the best goalkeeper in the world are still there.

In the 8th minute there are two good chances for Juventus with Amauri first and Sissoko after. The Juventus midfield and attack are playing a magnificent match. Four minutes later Grygera puts the ball into corner after an attempt by Plasmati. Buffon waves the ball away and then Legrottaglie saves on Ledesma.

On the 12th minute Marchionni attempts a second goal after entering the area and dribbling round a defender but the ball goes straight into the hands of the keeper. If anybody still had any doubt about the skills of this player the midfielder has been proving himself over and over again, today included. Two minutes after. Marchionni dishes out a great cross into the area. The defence clears a first time with the second attempt ending in the hands of the keeper.

The 20th minute sees a great exchange of passes between Amauri and Giovinco with the latter shooting wide. Three minutes later great run by Marchionni who passes to the captain who in turn stops the ball but finds a Catania defender ready to clear. On the 25th minute it is Amauri who sees a good shot being saved by the Catania goalkeeper.

Juventus continue to create chances and on the 26th minute Zanetti, who is having a great match, crosses into the area but the Catania defence clears. Three minutes later Sissoko controls a ball leaving it to Amauri but the shot by the Brazilian striker is too weak. One minute later a corner for Juventus sees Legrottaglie heading the ball with Bizzarri saving.

Catania try to react and on the 33rd minute Buffon manages in some way to wave the ball away with Sissoko taking the ball out of the area after a corner for the guests. Three minutes later, however, Giovinco enters the area, passes to Amauri who sees his shot being saved by Bizzarri. Del Piero from the re-bound sees the ball going inches wide. On the 39th minute Del Piero enters the area, dribbling his way in and then shoots with his left foot hitting the post with the goalkeeper beaten.

On the 42nd minute Amauri tries a shot at goal after good midfield work by Del Piero but Bizzarri saves with some difficulty. One minute later Giovinco runs on the left, crossing into the area but the cross is long and the Catania defence clears. The referee sends the teams to dressing rooms after two minutes of stoppage time.
If in the first half the only fault of Juventus was that of wasting too many goal opportunities the story changed quite a bit in the second half. Ranieri’s men in fact put Bizzarri’s area under siege right from the start.

In the second minute Zanetti launches Marchionni who is halted by the flag in what is a dubious off-side position. One minute later Giovinco puts a dangerous ball into the area for Del Piero who is forced to pass back with Sissoko shooting wide. On the 4th minute
Amauri attempts a shot at goal but the result is weak and the goalkeeper has no difficulty in saving and one minute later the Brazilian stops a great ball in the area passing to Del Piero who shoots slightly wide.

The assault on the Catania goal continues and on the 6th Marchionni sees the ball go slightly high over the bar after a good attempt at goal. Two minutes later Juventus are denied a penalty after a foul on Sissoko in the Catania area. In the 12th minute Zanetti passes to Marchionni who puts a great ball into the area, Amauri heads the ball with the goal inches wide.

One minute later Giovinco takes an attempt at a great goal but the ball goes wide. Ledesma is shown a yellow card after committing a foul on Giovinco. The free-kick istaken by the Atomic Ant with the Catania defence clearing. On the 17th minute Giovinco passes to Marchionni who enters the area dangerously with the Catania goalkeeper making him miss the opportunity to make his toll 2.

Giovinco is playing well and will soon be awarded for this. On the 22nd minute Giovinco excahnges the ball with Del Piero who returns the favour with the Atomic Ant beating Bizzarri to make the score 2-0!

Catania are clearly disheartened and one minute after the second goal Del Piero heads the ball seeing the sphere hit the bar after a great cross by Amauri. There is no time to breathe for Zenga’s team however because a mere 60 seconds later Del Piero makes it 3-0 with a great touch of class after receiving the ball in the area from Marchionni.

On the 26th minute Esposito comes on for Giovinco who leaves the field amidst the deserved applauses of the public. Three minutes later Sissoko sees the ball go inches wide after a powerful shot at goal. The Mali midfielder leaves the field one minute later being replaced by Poulsen.

In the 34th minute Amauri sees the ball being saved by Bizzarri and three minutes later Juventus are awarded a free-kick after a foul on Esposito. Del Piero tries his luck but the ball is cleared by the defence. On the 39th minute Esposito shoots high over the bar after some good movement. Four minutes later the last attempt on goal by the bianconeri comes from Poulsen who attempts a shot from outside the area but sees the ball go wide.

The 3-0 victory of Juventus confirms the great moment of form of Ranieri’s men who will now meet Napoli in the quarter-final to be played on the 4th of February.

TIM Cup 2008/09 - Last 16
Turin, Olympic Stadium
Wednesday 14th January 2009

JUVENTUS – CATANIA 3-0

Scorers : Marchionni (4th), Giovinco (69th), Del Piero (71st)

JUVENTUS: Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie (Mellberg 82nd), Ariaudo,De Ceglie; Marchionni, Sissoko (Poulsen 75th), Zanetti, Giovinco; Amauri, Del Piero. Reserves: Manninger, Mellberg, Molinaro, Ekdal, Poulsen, Esposito, Yago. Coach: Ranieri.

CATANIA: Bizzarri; Silvestre, Sardo, Sabato (Dica 75th), Silvestri; Biagianti, Ledesma, Tedesco (Izco 75th), Llama; Dica; Plasmati (Paolucci 65th), Martinez. Reserves: Acerbis, Terlizzi, Sabato, Izco, Carboni, Mascara, Paolucci. Coach: Zenga.

REFEREE: Banti from Livorno.

Yellow cards: Sardo (52nd), Ledesma (60th), Zanetti (72nd)

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Ranieri: «I am satisfied. It is an improvement over Sunday»

Just three days ago, watching his Juventus against Siena, Claudio Ranieri was happy with the victory at the end of a difficult match. Against Catania, the coach could once again witness, for most of the time, the team that had shown such great game play in the past weeks.

After the match against the Sicilian side, the coach spoke his thoughts to Juventus Channel: «I had said that I wanted to see the rhythm shown in 2008 and today we managed. Apart from a few episodes the team played in a compact manner throughout the match. Tonight we managed to do well even in those areas in which we erred on Sunday. I am happy with the return of Buffon and Zanetti, with the performance of Giovinco and with the very positive debut by Ariaudo. Such a performance was important in view of the next two matches against Lazio and Fiorentina. On Sunday a difficult match awaits us. Last year’s match in Rome was the one in which we conceded most shots on goal».
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Giovinco: «I am happy that we won»

The Atmoic Ant was called by Claudio Ranieri to replace Pavel Nedved and the young talent did not disappoint, even scoring the second of the three goals.

«I am happy with the preformance and obviously with the goal. I am happy we won and that we managed to continue in our streak of victories».

Asked how he felt playing in the position usually occupied by Pavel Nedved Giovinco said: «I didn’t expect it but I felt well and it is always importnat to learn and gain experience. I always try to give my maximum. Perhaps sometimes I get more tired. This role is more diffiuclt because you spend much more energy».

The goal celebration saw the apprentice run and hug his master Alex Del Piero: «I celebrated with Alex as I had always dreamt of doing sibce I was a boy. We missed alot of chances and we wanted to end the match as soon as possible but we even risked since we missed quite a few goal opportunities».

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Marchionni: «We wanted to leave our mark»

Marco Marchionni might be seen by a few as a replacement of Camoranesi but the midfielder has certainly performed up to standard and has shown that he is far from a simple substitute.

The match against Catania was further proof of Marchionni’s great skill and present form which has been of great benefit to the team: «Perhaps it is my mental state. I am feeling well both mentally and physically. I try to make myself available but more then that its up to the others to judge.»

Speaking of the match against Catania Marchionni said: «I am happy with the performance because we wanted to leave our mark and we did. On Sunday we weren’t so convincing so today we wanted to show we’re there especially since Sunday we play Lazio. We wanted to leave our mark right from the start.»

Marchionni will be the guest of Juventus Channel on Filo Diretto on Thursday.
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Call-ups: Buffon present!

After a long absence due to injury the number 1 is back. Gigi Buffon has in fact been called up for the Coppa Italia match against Catania. On the other hand Nedved and Marchisio will be rested out of precaution. Also absent are Tiago and Chiellini who should recover by Sunday. Iaquinta is still unavailable and therefore Amauri will be forced to work overtime. The match against Catania might see the debut of Ariaudo and Giovinco could also be in the starting line-up. These are a few of the indications given by Ranieri during the press conference on the eve of the match with regards to the starting line-up at the Olimpico.

Below are the players called-up:

1 Buffon
4 Mellberg
6 Zanetti
8 Amauri
10 Del Piero
13 Manninger
18 Poulsen
20 Giovinco
21 Grygera
22 Sissoko
27 Ekdal
28 Molinaro
29 De Ceglie
32 Marchionni
33 Legrottaglie
35 Esposito
41 Ariaudo
45 Yago
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Player Ratings: Juventus 1-0 Siena

Juventus defeated Siena 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Serie A this afternoon. Carlo Garganese looks at the players on show...
JUVENTUS

Manninger - 6.5: Did not have a single save to make until the last 10 minutes, but then made a smart stop to deny Ghezzal.

Grygera - 6.5: Troubled by Kharja in the opening 20 minutes or so, but then settled down. His cross almost led to Amauri doubling Juve's lead, while he made a crucial late block on Ghezzal.

Legrottaglie - 6.5: Solid in defence, as he has been all season, winning everything in the air.

Mellberg - 7.0: Filled in well for star defender Chiellini, and made a key last gasp tackle on Frick on the hour mark.

Molinaro - 6.5: Had shown signs of improvement before Christmas, and was sound today. Combined well with Nedved down the left.

Marchionni - 5.5: Carried out his job, but seems to lack the confidence at times to try and take on his man.

Marchisio - 6.0: Some nice touches, including a delicious nutmeg on Galloppa, but could not match his standout display against Milan in December.

Sissoko - 6.5: Imposed himself physically on the game. Made some trademark sliding tackles in the middle-of-the-park before he was replaced midway through the second half.

Nedved - 7.0: Juve's best player in the first half, when he was full of running, winning the free kick for Del Piero's goal. Not so prominent in the second period.

Del Piero - 8.0: After a magnificent 2008, Del Piero began 2009 in style with a majestic free kick to win Juve all three points. Wasted the chance to double his side's lead, but it didn't matter.

Amauri - 7.0: Excellent up-front again again. Held the ball up, created a fine chance for Del Piero, but did squander a good opportunity of his own when he headed wide

Subs: Zanetti 6.0, De Ceglie 6.0, Poulsen N/A

SIENA

Manitta - 6.0: Perhaps could have had a stronger hand on Del Piero's free kick, but aside from this he replaced the suspended Curci well.

Del Prete - 5.5: Struggled against Nedved in the first half, but improved as the game wore on.

Portanova - 6.5: Hesitated on a chance for Del Piero in the second half, but aside from this he showed all of his leadership qualities.

Brandao - 6.5: Impressed in the first half, making some key interceptions, but dragged around a touch in the second by Amauri.

Del Grosso - 6.0: Barely troubled at all by Marchionni, but contributed nothing as an attacking force.

Jarolim - 6.0: Plenty of quantity from the Czech Republic midfielder, but not too much quality.

Galloppa - 6.0: Not too prominent this afternoon was Galloppa, and he had to suffer the humiliation of being nutmegged by Marchisio.

Codrea - 6.5: Did well in the first half, spraying the ball around intelligently, and always involving himself in the play. Tired after the break and was substituted.

Kharja - 7.0: Undoubtedly Siena's most dangerous player, particularly in the first half, when he shot wide twice. Has the ability to play for a big club.

Ghezzal - 6.5: Linked up well with Kharja, and looked very menacing in the latter stages. Would have grabbed a late equaliser, but for Grygera's block.

Calaio - 5.0: Things have just not worked out for Calaio at Siena so far, and it was a similar story this afternoon. Had a decent opening in the first half which he wasted.

Subs: Frick 6.0, Packer 6.0, Zuniga N/A

Carlo Garganese
*goal.com

Magic moment!!

If in 2008 Del Piero showed that he is still capable of magic tricks from set-pieces 2009 began with further proof of this. The captain scored the match winner in what was to be no easy game against a well-organized Siena side.

It is Siena who kick-off the first official match for 2009 and the team from Tuscany is immediately dangerous on the left but the Juventus defence manages to clear. No time to look away before Grygera puts a good cross into the area but the Siena goalkeeper anticipates Amauri. One minute later (and we are still in the 2nd of 90) Juventus benefit from a corner putting the ball into the area after a short pass but the Siena defence manages to clear after a good series of passes by Juventus.

Siena refuse to play the role of sitting ducks and are reacting to the Juventus attacks but on the 5th minute a good team effort by Juventus ends with Manitta grabbing hold of the ball after a dangerous cross into the area. One minute later Marchionni dishes out a good cross into the area which reaches Nedved who in turn passes to Del Piero but the captain fails to hit the ball. It is once again Marchionni in the 7th minute who sends the ball high over the bar after a good piece of action and cross.

In the tenth minute the player with the same number on his shirt, Del Piero tries one of his magic tricks but the Siena defence manages to clear. Juventus are clearly in control of the midfield with Nedved in exquisite form but the Tuscan team is no small fish. On the 13th minute Siena put a dangerous cross into the Juventus area but the bianconeri manage to clear and two minutes later Kharja in a dangerous action sent shivers down the Juventus spines but the defence managed to clear with Siena asking for a penalty.

In the 19th minute the referee awards a free-kick to Juventus following a foul on Del Piero in what is a sort of short corner. Marchionni takes the free-kick crossing the ball to Amauri in the area but the defence clears. Once again its Marchionni, 4 minutes later, who crosses into the area for Amauri with Manitta saving.

Siena try to react and in the 24th minute Kharja shoots dangerously close to the Juventus post with Manninnger in a covering dive. Two minutes later Siena are awarded a free-kick. Codrea tries but the ball is low and causes no worry to the Juventus defence.

On the 29th minute Del Piero shoots but the resulting ball is rather weak and finds itself in the hands of the keeper. Siena are trying to show their teeth but Juventus are holding well and keeping ball possession with the re-payment for their efforts just round the corner. In the 32nd minute Juventus are awarded a free-kick following a foul on Nedved. Del Piero from his favourite position casts yet another spell and scores yet another magical goal. 1-0!!!

In the 38th minute Legrottaglie heads clear after a dangerous action by Galloppa. The match moves into a phase with most of the action taking place in midfield with both formations to find that winning run. In the 44th minute Manitta saves after an attempt by Juventus and two minutes later a dangerous cross into the Juventus area with the ball ending high over the bar brings the first half to an end.

The second half sees the bianconeri continue where they left off. In the 3rd minute Juventus are awarded a free-kick following a handsball by a Siena player. The position is a reflection of the one from which the goal was scored. Del Piero takes it but this time the ball goes high over the bar.

On the 8th minute Amauri is anticipated just in time by the Siena defence in what was becoming an inviting position. One minute later Del Piero makes two splendid moves in the area of the Tuscan team but the defence manages to clear in some way. On the 10th it is Grygera who puts a good ball into the area with Amauri's header going inches wide.

The 15th minute of the second half sees three actions changing sides. The first is a corner for Juventus with Manitta saving from a header, followed by Nedved shooting. It is then Siena’s turn to try its luck with Mellberg saving on Frick in what seemed like a sure goal.

The 19th minute sees Zanetti coming on for Sissoko in what is a very happy return to Serie A action. One minute later Amauri manages to control a difficult ball and shoots but the ball goes high over the post. From here the match enters a rather quiet stage which lasts up to the 27th minute when Del Piero goes close to scoring his second goal with the ball going slightly wide from an angular position.

Manninger, who has had very little to do up to now is about to enter into the match. In the 29th minute there is a corner for Siena.: Manninger saves after the Siena attackers try from the re-bound. Eight minutes later the Austrian goalkeeper saves with some difficulty after a dangerous Siena attack. From the resulting corner the Juventus defence has to fight hard to wave away the danger. Between the two saves precisely in 33rd minute of the second half De Ceglie came on for Marchionni as did Poulsen for Marchisio in the 39th minute.

In the 42nd minute Nedved enters the area and tries a lob from a lateral position but the ball is saved by the goalkeeper. This is followed by a number of Manninger saves. In the 43rd minute Manninger cradles the ball in what was a good save following a powerful shot by Ghezzal. Two minutes later it is once again the Austrian who performs a good save following a dangerous Siena cross.

The last action of the match comes during the first out of 3 minutes of stoppage time. A free-kick is awarded to Juventus after Del Piero used all his talent and experience to maintain the ball on the field close to the corner flag with the Siena defence resorting to a foul.

Serie A 2008/09 18th Day
Turin, Stadio Olimpico
Sunday 11th January

JUVENTUS – SIENA 1-0

Scorers: Del Piero (32nd)

JUVENTUS: Manninger; Grygera, Mellberg, Legrottaglie, Molinaro; Marchionni (De Ceglie 78th), Sissoko (Zanetti 64th), Marchisio (Poulsen 84th), Nedved; Amauri, Del Piero. Reserves: Chimenti, Ariaudo, De Ceglie, Zanetti, Poulsen, Giovinco, Esposito. Coach: Ranieri.

SIENA: Manitta; Del Prete (Zuniga 85th), Portanova, Brandao, Del Grosso; Jarolim, Codrea (Packer 70th), Galloppa; Kharja; Ghezzal, Calaiò (Frick 59th). Reserves: Eleftheropoulos, Moti, Zuniga, Barusso, Rossi, Packer, Frick. Coach: Giampaolo.

Referee: Russo di Nola.

Yellow Cards: Codrea (15th), Grygera (45th),
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Del Piero: «We won an important match but the race is still long»

The man of 2008 is fighting for a role as protagonist even in the new year. Del Piero is always Del Piero and with one of his magical tricks – an incredible free-kick on the 33rd minute of the first half – saw Juventus winning a difficult match against Siena and reduce the gap from the top of the table.

These are the words of the captain at the end of the match: «We are happy because we won a very difficult match. Siena put us in difficulty and we found it hard to get back into match mode after the break. Well done to Manninger, not only for today bur for all he has done during this period. Together with all those who were called to the field up to now he helped us overcome formation difficulties. Catching up with Inter? We are progressing well but in order to catch up we must hope that the ones ahead of us lose points. The race however, is still long and we must think of ourselves and hence of the victory obtained today».
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Ranieri: «Luckily we have Del Piero»

Twelve months later, the new year begins once again with Alessandro Del Piero as protagonist. However, contrary to the penalty scored in 2008 against Catania, this time the goal scored by the captain is twice as valuable. The one against Siena is in fact a fundamental victory against Siena due to the reduction of the margin from the top of the table.

Juventus, just like Inter halted by Siena, had no easy game against Siena. Mr. Ranieri had in fact warned of this prior to the match: «I told the boys before the match that we would have some hard food to chew. Siena is led by a great coach and they made us suffer. In order to win such matches it is often necessary to find a magical touch and luckily for us we have Del Piero. The captain has allowed us to win, not so much for the table because we do not look at Inter but to start-off the year on the right footing. We know that there is still much work to be done because we are not yet on last year’s level»

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Manninger: «I am happy with my season»

At the end of the season when the time of reckoning comes, one will just have to thanks Alexander Manninger. The Austrian goalkeeper, who arrived in Turin in August, was one of the great protagonists. Having found himself at the centre of attention after the injury suffered by Buffon, he played his part as best he could, contributing to the long victorious run, the latest of which against his former team Siena.

Now with Gigi ready to go, Manninger will have to give up his place, however always ready to return to the role of protagonist. «Today, once on the field I did not think of playing against my former team. Siena played a great match and caused us difficulties. I am happy with this victory and of what I was capable of doing during this period. 2008 was a really fantastic year for me. When I played for Siena we had a great championship managing to avoid relegation way before the end of the season. Then came my transfer to Juventus and I had the opportunity to play quite a bit including some very important matches like the one against Real Madrid. I have had many more opportunities then I had expected but the season is still very long and there will be others».

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