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Archive for March, 2009
Champions League Preview: Juventus – Chelsea
Mar 10th
After winning the first leg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea travel to Turin hoping to finish the job and dump Juventus out of the competition.
Kick-Off: Tuesday March 10, 2009, 20.45 CET. Stadio Olimpico di Torino, Italy
On A Roll
Having lost the first leg and failed to score an away goal at Stamford Bridge, Claudio Ranieri’s men have it all to do in Turin on Tuesday night.
To compound matters they face a Chelsea side who are currently enjoying a hot run of form.
The Blues are flourishing under new manager Guus Hiddink and have won their last six games on the trot.
Chelsea’s good recent form owes much to striker Didier Drogba who did the damage in the first leg, hitting the winner in the first half. The Ivorian appears to be enjoying his football again and may well be the man to watch, having bagged three goals in his last four games.
Another key man for the Blues is Michael Essien who may make something of a shock return to action against Juventus. Having missed the last six months due to a knee injury picked up on international duty in September, Essien made his long-awaited return to action with a substitute appearance against Coventry City at the weekend.
Manager Hiddink has since admitted that he must now decide whether to start with Essien, although after such a long absence it is possible he will begin on the bench.
Further good news on the injury front concerns Ricardo Carvalho who may partner John Terry at the back although Nicolas Anelka and Deco are expected to miss out and Paulo Ferreira has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Whilst Chelsea have endured something of an inconsistent season so far, Juventus will be aware that away from home they have been excellent.
The Blues have lost only three times on their travels all season and, armed with a narrow lead, will travel to Italy brimming with confidence.
Ranieri’s Revenge
Yet Claudio Ranieri’s men will be buoyed by their display in the first leg and will feel confident they can turn this tie around.
Their second half performance against the Blues proved they can cause Hiddink’s men problems and Pavel Nedved, in particular, almost grabbed a vital equaliser.
The Czech Republic international, who announced his intention to retire at the end of the season after the game at Stamford Bridge, was inches away from an equaliser in the closing minutes with a shot that whistled past Petr Cech’s left post.
Certainly Nedved’s determination to reach the Champions League final in his last season will aid Juve, as will their experience of coming from behind in the Champions League.
The Bianconeri have overturned first leg defeats in Turin, four times in seven attempts, mostly famously in 2003 when a 2-1 first leg semi-final defeat to Real Madrid was forgotten about with a 3-1 home win.
However, if they are to stage another remarkable comeback they will have to do so without some key players.
Mauro Camoranesi broke a rib at Stamford Bridge and will miss the game but so too will Mohamed Sissoko who injured his foot at the weekend and will join his colleague on the sidelines.
Against a midfield as strong as Chelsea’s, those injuries could prove key but with the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Amauri and David Trezeguet the options in attack they will hope to find the inspiration needed to hand Hiddink his first Chelsea defeat.
FORM GUIDE
Last Five Results
Juventus
Mar 7: Torino 0-1 Juventus
Mar 3: Lazio 2-1 Juventus
Feb 28: Juventus 1-0 Napoli
Feb 25: Chelsea 1-0 Juventus
Feb 21: Palermo 0-2 Juventus
Chelsea
Mar 7: Coventry City 0-2 Chelsea
Mar 3: Portsmouth 0-1 Chelsea
Feb 28: Chelsea 2-1 Wigan Athletic
Feb 25: Chelsea 1-0 Juventus
Feb 21: Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
TEAM NEWS
Juventus
Claudio Ranieri has problems in midfield where injury rules out Mauro Camoranesi and Mohamed Sissoko. The pair join Paolo De Ceglie and Cristiano Zanetti on the sidelines and they may be accompanied by Marco Marchionni who is also a doubt.
Possible starting XI: Buffon, Mellberg, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro, Poulsen, Tiago, Salihamidizc, Nedved, Del Piero, Trezeguet.
Chelsea
Nicolas Anelka and Deco are both expected to miss the trip to Turin. Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Essien are both fit again and Hiddink must decide whether or not the pair to start with the pair.
Possible Starting XI: Cech, A Cole, Carvalho, Terry, Bosingwa, Mikel, Lampard, Ballack, Essien, Kalou, Drogba.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Juventus – Alessandro Del Piero
If one man can inspire his team to come from behind to beat Chelsea and progress into the quarter-finals of the competition it is Alessandro Del Piero.
Whilst the striker could not find a way past Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge, he will know that his side must beat the Chelsea stopper in Turin at least once if they are to progress.
The 34-year-old striker has been rested by Ranieri for the last two games, meaning he should be raring to go come Tuesday night.
Chelsea – Didier Drogba
Drogba scored the vital goal in the first leg and is a man on form after hitting three goals in his last four games.Guus Hiddink’s arrival seems to have revitalised the Ivorian who has rediscovered his goalscoring touch with a bang.
With Nicolas Anelka likely to miss out through injury, Drogba’s presence will prove even more crucial and he will know that an away goal will make Juve’s task that much more difficult.
PREDICTION
Whilst Chelsea undoubtedly go into the match with a slight advantage, this game remains delicately poised.
Yet the Blues look a different prospect than under Luiz Felipe Scolari and Hiddink appears to have restored their previous air of invincibility.
Although Juventus will undoubtedly hand Chelsea a very stiff examination, the Blues are a tough side to beat, especially away from home, and they may just do enough to sneak past Ranieri’s men.
Juventus 1-1 Chelsea
Giovinco: “Juventus Can Do Better”
Mar 9th
The Bianconeri scraped a derby win on Saturday night, and Giovinco admitted his team could have performed better overall.
Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco got a rare start this weekend as his side managed a 1-0 win over local rivals Torino.
Many first-team players were rested ahead of the decisive Champions League clash against Chelsea, and that might explain the Bianconeri’s slow start against the Granata.
“It was a good game, even though we did not start too well, but then we managed to recover,” explained the former Empoli player to Sky.
“Obviously, we can do better. I’m happy about my performance. It was an important game, as the derby is a different match which is felt a lot by the fans, so we really wanted to win.”
In the end, the match was decided in the final ten minutes by a goal from defender Giorgio Chiellini, keeping Juventus within seven points of Inter in the title race.
Juve rolling after Torino takedown
Mar 8th
Juventus edged past Torino to take the honours in the Turin derby and keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Giorgio Chiellini scored the only goal nine minutes from time to earn Juve their third win in four league matches.
Claudio Ranieri’s men remain seven points behind Inter, who overcame Genoa earlier today.
Torino remain perilously close to the drop zone though, and will slip into the bottom three if Chievo and Lecce win their games in hand tomorrow.
Juve came into the encounter on the back of a 2-1 midweek defeat in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Lazio.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and team captain Alessandro Del Piero returned to the squad having been rested for that match, but coach Ranieri was without injured midfielder Mauro Camoranesi and suspended defender Nicola Legrottaglie.
Toro midfield duo Aimo Diana and Paolo Zanetti were also absent due to injury and suspension respectively.
It was Juve who produced the first effort after just two minutes when Sebastian Giovinco tried his luck from the edge of the area with a powerful left-footed strike which Toro goalkeeper Matteo Sereni did well to palm away.
Sereni was called into action again moments later when Vincenzo Iaquinta threatened with a right-footed shot which was heading towards the bottom right corner.
Toro weathered the storm though and Buffon faced his first test, pushing Eugenio Corini’s strike around the post before Roberto Stellone headed the resulting corner over the crossbar.
The hosts continued to push forward in numbers and Buffon had to be at full stretch to tip Simone Barone’s right-footed drive over the crossbar.
And the Italy goalkeeper was tested again by Barone after 19 minutes when the midfielder got his head to Marco Pisano’s cross.
Juve weathered the storm well and could have gone in front seven minutes later but for the agility of Sereni.
Giovinco’s free-kick found the head of Iaquinta, whose effort was on its way into the bottom left corner until Sereni got a hand to the ball on the goalline before sliding in to smother the effort with his body.
As the interval approached, Claudio Marchisio was the next player to try his luck for Juve with a 32-yard drive but Sereni was again equal to the challenge.
Ranieri’s men stepped up the pace in the second half, keeping Sereni busy at regular intervals.
Marchisio and Amauri combined for the latter to unleash a shot which was palmed clear by the Toro goalkeeper.
Giovinco then curled a 25-yard free-kick just over the crossbar as Toro were again forced to defend in numbers.
And Juve came even closer to breaking the deadlock after 71 minutes as Sereni cleared Chiellini’s header into the path of Hasan Salihamidzic, who struck the post with his volley.
Sereni had performed heroics so far in the match, but was finally beaten with nine minutes on the clock when Pavel Nedved picked out Chiellini with a cross which the defender headed beyond the reach of the Toro keeper.
Serie A Preview: Torino – Juventus
Mar 7th
Juventus face a potential banana skin against Torino in the derby della Mole, with their minds likely to be on the Chelsea clash. The Granata are desperate for a win and fireworks are expected.
Kick Off Saturday March 7, 20:30 CET, Stadio Olimpico Turin
The Only Way Is Up For Torino
Torino have enjoyed a good 2009 so far. After two early defeats at the start of the year to Genoa and Roma, the Granata have stopped the slide towards Serie B. Walter Novellino has finally managed to get Toro back on the right track. Unbeaten in seven games, there is real belief that Juventus’ bitter city rivals will live to fight another season in Italy’s top-flight. However, there are still 11 games before Urbano Cairo’s men can wave the safety flag.
Although Toro are slowly climbing back up the table, they are still just one point clear of the relegation zone. A win against Juve this Saturday will give the team a massive psychological boost. Serie A salvation is never easy. Despite being on the right track, the Granata are just not picking up enough wins. Only five victories all season does not make for inspirational reading in terms of dodging relegation. In there last six matches, Torino have only picked up one win. That was at home to Udinese two weeks ago. The rest have been draws with Cagliari, Chievo, Reggina, Lazio and Inter. Torino really should have beaten the first three teams as they are direct rivals for the survival places.
The only way is up for Toro, but the raging bull will need to learn how to beat the Old Lady. Traditionally, Juventus have always had the better record against Novellino’s men, but the derby della Mole has always been a special affair. The Piedmont-based team shouldn’t be surprised if they bag all three points against Juve. The Bianconeri won the reverse 1-0 thanks to a solitary strike from Amauri. Anything less than a win then it’s back down into the drop zone. It will be a 90 minutes of fire for the ‘home’ side, and they will be hoping Juve get burnt this time.
Too Many Distractions For Juventus
The Bianconeri have had a very busy last two weeks. Their focus on all fronts has been affected as a result. Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League matches have taken their toll on the the team and there will be no respite for them this weekend either. It really is a case of make or break for Claudio Ranieri’s men. First up is a battling Torino side who will not give up without a fight. More than just city bragging rights are up at stake as failure to secure maximum points will allow Inter to begin laughing again after all the midweek hype.
Juventus cannot afford to let their focus slip up against Toro. The Bianconeri head into the game having lost to Lazio in the Coppa Italia first-leg semi-final and confidence is not at its highest. Add to that matters off the pitch regarding the war of words with Inter and Jose Mourinho, as well as the Champions League clash with Chelsea, and there is a potential cloud of distraction gathering over Vinovo. However, having already beaten Saturday’s opponents earlier this season, Juve should be able to do the job confidently without hesitation.
Ranieri has come under some heavy fire recently as the Bianconeri’s hopes of silverware have been put in doubt. A win on Saturday night is needed in order to silence the critics and restore some pride and hope. In addition, victory against Torino can help spur the Old Lady on to overturn their Chelsea deficit just three days later. It’s a crucial stage of the season, and time to get things right for all involved with Italy’s most famous club.
Form Guide
Torino
Mar 1: Cagliari 0-0 Torino
Feb 22: Torino 1-0 Udinese
Feb 14: Lazio 1-1 Torino
Feb 8: Torino 1-1 Chievo
Feb 1: Inter 1-1 Torino
Juventus
Feb 28: Juventus 1-0 Napoli
Feb 21: Palermo 0-2 Juventus
Feb 15: Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria
Feb 8: Catania 1-2 Juventus
Jan 31: Juventus 2-3 Cagliari
Team News
Torino
Alessandro Rosina is fighting for a starting role against Juventus. The No. 10 has been impressive in training this week and he could come into contention. Elvis Abbruscato, Aimo Diana and Marco Di Loreto are all unavailable, while Paolo Zanetti serves a one match suspension.
Probable Starting XI 4-4-1-1: Sereni, Colombo, Natali, Pisano, Ogbonna, Saumel, Dzemaili, Corini, Abate, Bianchi, Stellone.
Juventus
Giorgio Chiellini worked apart from the rest of the squad on Thursday after suffering from muscle fatigue, but he should be back for the game against Torino. Zdenek Grygera and Marco Marchionni also trained separately but they are likely to start. Nicola Legrottaglie is suspended while Mauro Camoranesi, Paolo De Ceglie, Cristiano Zanetti, Tiago and Jorge Andrade are all injured.
Probable Starting XI 4-4-2: Buffon, Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini, Molinaro, Marchionni, Sissoko, Marchisio, Nedved, Del Piero, Trezeguet.
Players To Watch
Torino: Keep an eye on former Manchester City flop Rolando Bianchi. He has scored four goals for Toro this term. The big target man is likely to cause the Juve back line some trouble and he has the ability to score when it’s least expected.
Juventus: David Trezeguet is the one Torino will be monitoring closely. The Frenchman is itching to score again after his showing against Palermo. The problem has been the constant changing from Ranieri. If ‘Trezegol’ starts then he will all but guarantee a goal for his side.
Prediction
With Juventus having the Chelsea Champions League distraction hanging over them, this could be a chance for Torino to take full advantage. The Bianconeri are likely to have one eye on Europe and it may prove to be their demise. Juve have a lot of work this weekend. Local derbies are never easy, but they have enough quality to do the business.
Torino 1-2 Juventus
