Juventus Vs Chievo Verona - Serie A - Game Preview By Roberto Rivelino

Juventus Vs Chievo Verona
Juventus Arena | 22nd September 2012 | Game Week 4 | 19:45 GMT

 

Referee: Matteo Russo

Since the start of the season, Juventus have been dominant and the motivation for the Chievo match couldn't be better. Italian Super-Cup in the bag and 3 Serie A matches, 9 points and a comeback at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea being up 2-0, until Vidal and Quaglirella (this one at the 80th minute), tied the match.
Simone Pepe and Simone Padoin are still injured for the Home side, while Luciano is the biggest loss for Chievo's side.
Juventus are undefeated for 42 matches in Serie A, but, take notice, Chievo hasn't lost in the last 5 matches against them as well.

Squad list for the game.
Keepers - (1) Gigi Buffon, (30) Marco Storari and (34) Rubinho;
Defenders - (2) Lúcio, (3) Chiellini, (4) Martin Cáceres, (11) Paolo De Ceglie, (15) Andrea Barzagli, (19) Bonucci and (26) Lichtsteiner;
Midfielders - (6) Pogba, (8) Marchisio, (21) Andrea Pirlo, (22) Asamoah, (23) Arturo Vidal, (24) Giaccherini; (33) Mauricio Isla and (39) Luca Marrone;
Wingers / Forwards - (9) Vucinic; (12) Giovinco; (17) Nicklas Bendtner; (27) Quagliarella and (32) Matri.

Predicted Line-Ups.


Roberto Rivelino.

Genoa 1-3 Juventus Post-Match analysis

Juve resilience shines through in Genova

September 16, 2012

Mirko Vucinic and Kwadwo Asamoah came off the bench to inspire a second-half fightback as Juventus battled from a goal down to register a 3-1 win over Genoa.

The Bianconeri struggled to find their rhythm in a frenetic first half and found themselves behind when Immobile tapped home on 18 minutes. But a spirited second-half showing, sparked by the introductions of Vucinic and Asamoah, tipped the balance in the visitors’ favour.

A fine Giaccherini strike levelled matters, Vucinic then put Juve in front from the spot and Asamoah made the points safe with five minutes remaining to preserve Juventus’ winning start to the season.

It was a significantly changed side that took to the field at the Luigi Ferraris, with Antonio Conte electing to shuffle his pack ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League bow against Chelsea. Caceres, Giaccherini, De Ceglie and Matri came in for their first starts of the season as Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Asamoah and Vucinic dropped to the bench.

Massimo Carrera had previously warned the Bianconeri to expect a tough test against a plucky Genoa outfit, and Luigi De Canio’s men, backed by a passionate home crowd, kept to the script by putting their visitors under a significant spell of pressure in the opening stages.

Half-chances fell to the feet of Borriello and Jankovic before a defence splitting pass sent Immobile one-one-one with Buffon. The striker, however, was unable to keep his composure and rolled a tame shot wide of the target.

Redemption arrived just minutes later. Immobile and Bertolacci exchanged passes outside the area before the former Juve frontman elected to pull the trigger, squeezing the ball in between Buffon’s despairing dive and the post for his second goal of the season on 17 minutes.

Faced with an uphill task, Juventus remained patient and began to settle into their passing game. Good work from Giovinco, who cleverly peeled off his marker to connect with Pirlo’s low corner, almost got the visitors back on level terms, but the former Parma man blazed his attempt over the bar.

Matri also went close towards the end of the first half, but, like Giovinco, was unable work the goalkeeper from a promising angle.  

The start of the second half yielded a much sharper and purposeful Bianconeri display. And when Giovinco embarked on a mazy run before stroking a delicately placed effort goalwards, it seemed that Carrera’s half time words had paid instant dividends. But the diminutive frontman was left to rue his misfortune as the ball cannoned back off the post.

The turning point of the game arrived on 60 minutes. Having rattled the woodwork with Borriello’s header a few minutes earlier, Genoa went a whisker away from doubling their advantage. Bertolacci found the ball at his feet in the area but Buffon was sharp off his line to thwart the former Roma man’s instinctive attempt.

Undeterred, Juventus broke with pace on the counter and saw their persistence pay off when Giaccherini curled an unstoppable strike past a motionless Frey after being teed up by substitute Vucinic.

With just under half an hour to win it, the Bianconeri, galvanised by the introductions of Asamoah and Vucinic, attacked with menace.  

And after the Montenegrin had made his presence felt by laying on the first goal, it was soon Asamoah’s turn to make an impact.

With 78 minutes on the clock, the Ghanaian’s silky skills proved too much for Sampirisi, who sent him tumbling with a clumsy challenge in the box.  Rocchi was left with no option but to point to the spot, and Vucinic held his nerve to tuck his low penalty beyond Frey’s grasp.

The points were made safe when Asamoah reacted first to Vucinic’s deflected centre and turned the ball over the line with four minutes remaining.

GENOA 1-3 JUVENTUS

GOALS: Immobile 18, Giaccherini 61, Vucinic 78, Asamoah 84

GENOA
Frey; Sampirisi (Ferronetti 79), Canini, Bovo (Ganqvist 67), Antonelli (Melazzi 82); Kucka, Seymour, Bertolacci; Jankovic, Borriello, Immobile.
Substitutes not used: Tzorvas, Moretti, Merkel, Toszer, Stillo, Piscitella, Anselmo, Jorquera.
Coach: De Canio

JUVENTUS
Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Caceres (Lichtsteiner 76), Giaccherini, Pirlo, Marchisio, De Ceglie (Asamoah 55); Giovinco, Matri (Vucinic 55).
Substitutes not used: Storari, Rubinho, Lucio, Marrone, Vidal, Isla, Pogba, Bendtner, Quagliarella.
Coach: Carrera

REFEREE: Rocchi
ASSISTANTS: Di Fiore, Giordano
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Preti

BOOKED: Immobile 18, Pirlo 25, Bonucci 43, Canini 63, Barzagli 69

@Juventus.com

Genoa Vs Juventus - Serie A - Game Preview by Roberto Rivelino

Genoa Vs Juventus
Luigi Ferraris | 16th September 2012 | Game Week 3 | 14:00 GMT

 

Referee: Gianluca Rocchi

Juventus, after beating Parma and Udinese on Game Week 1 and 2, are ready to play Genoa (who won Cagliari at home for 2-0 and lost to Catania, away, last Sunday, for 3-2), at Genova's own, Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
Lúcio returns from a twisted ankle and for the first time, Nicklas Bendtner, Mauricio Isla and Rubinho, all Juventus Summer signings, will be available for Massimo Carrera options, who, also, will surely consider that Wednesday Juventus will play Chelsea in London for the Champions League.
This match will be special for Ciro Immobile, Genoa's striker, who will face his beloved and previous team, Juventus. Immobile has played the two game weeks and scored one goal, against Cagliari, in 180 minutes played.

Squad list for the game.
Keepers - (1) Gigi Buffon, (30) Marco Storari and (34) Rubinho;
Defenders - (2) Lúcio, (3) Chiellini, (4) Martin Cáceres, (11) Paolo De Ceglie, (15) Andrea Barzagli, (19) Bonucci and (26) Lichtsteiner;
Midfielders - (6) Pogba, (8) Marchisio, (21) Andrea Pirlo, (22) Asamoah, (23) Arturo Vidal, (24) Giaccherini; (33) Mauricio Isla and (39)Luca Marrone;
Wingers / Forwards - (9) Vucinic; (12) Giovinco; (17) Nicklas Bendtner; (27) Quagliarella and (32) Matri.

Massimo Carrera's Word.
"This game is every bit as crucial as Chelsea (...) We are facing a difficult side in a fiery atmosphere like Marassi. Plus, when Juventus come to town there is always a surge in motivation and determination from our opponents."
"We have to fight them on the same level with that degree of passion. Don’t forget last season Genoa took points off us both home and away."
About Chelsea game on Wednesday: “Squad rotation is the wrong term, because we do not have first choice picks and reserves. Every time we will put out the side that can give us the best guarantees (...) It’s important for a player to step on to the pitch, regardless of the opponent or whether it’s the Champions League or Serie A."
"Fortunately we have options to choose from. Lucio has recovered, so has Nicklas Bendtner, while Mauricio Isla played 76 minutes with Chile and is available (...) Will Andrea Pirlo be rested? He is a champion and knows how to deal with his energy levels."

Roberto Rivelino.

Juventus Vs Parma - Individual Performances Analysis

Heads up, the new season has started in Italy, and so did started to grow the expectations of Juventus fans, specially, after such show against Parma, in which Juve won for 4-1, with goals scored by Lichtsteiner, Pepe, Arturo Vidal and Marchisio, for Juventus and, for Parma, Giovinco scored with a penalty committed by De Ceglie during the extra time, the red card followed Juventus full back, in consequence.


Juventus got their defense tested and Barzagli was the best defender, along with Lichtsteiner. Barza' really worked his body off and had some great tackles and interceptions, but, not only, defensively, he was important on the ball release from the defense to the midfield, with good passes and moves.
Lichtsteiner was really good as well. Lich' has something that Juventus have been missing from long time ago. He can defend and he can attack, and he is really good with the ball on his feet and he is brave and aggressive, which is perfect for a Right Back.
De Ceglie for some part of the match was good. He is really aggressive as well, but though, I think he needs to have more brains, because he has a lot of heart and has improved quite a bit since last season.

On the midfield, well, I could just mention Pirlo and that would do it.
He was amazing. He gave Juve something that they didn't had the chance to see on the last decade or so, maybe since Zidane. And that is flair, technique and class to our game flow.
Sometimes I thought about three things:
1- I wonder how would be this Midfield with Felipe Melo and Diego. Oh hell, that would be amazing. Diego would play so much better with Pirlo supporting his moves, and then Melo learning from Pirlo and doing (almost) the same as him (though, not really comparing both, take notice).
2- Juventus will score many goals with Vucinic and Matri because of him. The ability that he has to put the ball on defenders backs is really remarkable. He did it 10 times (from the top of my head) in this match, though, most of them were to Del Piero, who is not a 26 year-old anymore. Then when Vucinic came on, he (Andrea) served him a lot, but he was really nervous and didn't had a good debut at all.
3- This will have some irony... He reminds me of Busquets for Barcelona. (There's the irony, it should be the contrary) Busquets is like a watch for Barça, and so that will be Pirlo's role for Juventus too. Both turn the game to the left, the team game-play goes to the left, they turn to the right, and the team plays to the right. They are dictators of the rhythm of the match, they are fulcral on their teams because they are the major player in the first phase of game-construction and both are amazing players and I can't imagine Juventus without Pirlo right now.
Marchisio will also learn a lot with Pirlo, though, Pirlo's performance out-shined Marchi's. But I saw a couple of movimentations and skills (and with that I also include passes) that will give, Juve, points.

Then, the attack, and there I'll include Simone Pepe and Giaccherini.
Del Piero was really good, in my opinion, for the time he played. He served Matri really well, specially when Matri hit the post, he made an amazing pass, but not only talking about passes or shots, he was amazingly amazing when it came to the tactical campus. He opened a lot of spaces for Pirlo's balls and to Matri's runs behind the defenders. When Lichtsteiner scored Juve's first goal, I believe Del Piero pushed one or two defenders of Parma, which left Licht alone.
Matri was good. He looked really sharp and I the fact that he got pissed with himself for not scoring, when he got substituted is a good indication. He had some good runs, he hit a ball on the post, "scored" and had some great controls with his chest, receiving passes from Pirlo. He was also majorly helped by Del Piero and I think they will do a great combination during the season, specially if Matri hits the goal many times.
Vucinic was really really average on his debut. I think he will be a great player, but he was a bit nervous indeed. He had a lot of opportunity's and he crumbled. I might be being a bit severe, but I excepted a lot more from him, and that's about it.

Simone Pepe had a good match too. He showed some major improvement from the "narrow-minded" Pepe from Udinese or from the first half of the past season. He worked a lot, helped Lichtsteiner defensively, and had some good passes and scored a good goal. His crosses are terrible, though.
Gia' was a shame. Probably the worst man on the field.

Krasic had a good impact on the match, but honestly, I'm sick and tired of watching him doing the same skill: Ball Roll, followed by a Stepover with his left foot and then a push to his right and run. Every defender in Serie A knows that he makes that every-time and he is becoming more and more predictable with every match.

Arturo Vidal had a good impact on the match, as well, I must repeat. He gave a bit of muscle to the Midfield and his goal was pure class and power. I'm expecting good things from him. 

- Roberto Rivelino