Juventus v AC Milan
Serie A Week 28 – Friday, 10th March – 19:45 GMT – Juventus Stadium
Juventus
Juventus, after a year without draws in Serie A, were probably due for a stinker and it happened against Udinese. I do not know what it is, but Sunday afternoon games always feel like less important and filled with weird stuff. The squad was outmuscled and outhustled by the opponent, who looked much sharper. For the first time in a while, the Bianconeri looked disjointed and sloppy and were pretty lucky to come away with a tie thanks to a header by Leonardo Bonucci, who made up for his soft tackle on Duvan Zapata’s goal. Unfortunately, Juventus failed to take full advantage of Roma’s slip-up against Napoli and to deliver a massive blow to the Scudetto race. Eight points is an excellent lead at this point of the season, but there is not much room to relax yet.
In an unusual Friday night game, which of course is very helpful before the Champions League tilt, Juventus will face Milan, who have been by all accounts, their biggest rival this season. It is the fourth encounter between the two franchises so far: The Rossoneri have come up on top both in the first Serie A game and on penalties in the Supercoppa, then were defeated in Coppa Italia.
Massimiliano Allegri will have to come up with a solution for two problems. Giorgio Chiellini was subbed off early against Udinese because of a hamstring problem: it does not appear to be serious, but he will miss this one. Luckily there are plenty of valuable alternatives on the roster: Medhi Benatia entered the last game, Andrea Barzagli is a rock and Daniele Rugani has been very good this year. Benatia is the frontrunner.
The biggest issue is the absence of Juan Cuadrado, who is suspended, and it could lead to a tactical change. The easy solution would be to field Marko Pjaca, who is a natural left winger but has had good showing also on the other flank. He almost feels destined to decide a game against Milan after he snubbed their heavy courtship in the summer to move to Juventus. However, Allegri has been reluctant to put him in the XI and he also wants to have a pacey player to sub-in, if need be.
The other option is a return to a three-man midfield, with Claudio Marchisio joining the troops. It would likely be a 4-3-1-2 with Miralem Pjanic as deep-lying midfielder and Paulo Dybala in the hole. It is crazy to think that a couple of months ago we were debating whether Mario Mandzukic, Gonzalo Higuain and Dybala could play together and now it feels strange if they do not start alongside another attacker. This formation could easily turn into a 4-3-3, with Dybala on the right and Mandzukic on the left. It is a marquee match so we should see the starting midfielder featuring Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic, despite the midweek game ahead. Stefano Sturaro is still out with an abdomen injury.
There is another option which would see Dani Alves playing as right winger, with Stephan Lichtsteiner behind him. Alves has always been a bit anarchic and it could be an OK solution for an hour, even though moving fullback to more offensive position rarely produces good results. If only one of them starts, Lichtsteiner has a little edge because of his defensive prowess. Allegri has left the room open to all possibilities in the pre-game presser.
UPDATE: It looks like the third option is gaining steam, with Barzagli possibly sliding in as RB and Kwadwo Asamoah starting on the left.
Probable lineup:
4-2-3-1: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Benatia, Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic; Pjaca, Dybala, Mandzukic; Higuain.
Injuries:
Chiellini (hamstring), Sturaro (abdomen).
Suspensions:
None.
AC Milan
Milan are having a bizarre season, clouded by the never-ending saga that has been the Chinese takeover, but they are trending upwards on the field. As a matter of fact, they come off three straight wins and they are undefeated in their last five games. They are only two points shy of the fifth position which would allow them to play European football next season.
Quick recap of what is going on outside the pitch. The Chinese consortium led by Sino-Europe Sports has paid €200M as down payment and the deadline to deposit the final €320M to buy the club was March 3. The money did not arrive because they are having bureaucratic problems with moving funds abroad, but there are also reports saying that some investors have pulled out. Fininvest, the Berlusconi holding, is still negotiating with SES even though the terms have expired, but they want another tranche of down payment soon. It is reportedly going to happen, but the end of the ordeal is still a month away.
Vincenzo Montella has always been very capable in exploiting the strengthes of his roster, and when Giacomo Bonaventura went down with a very serious hamstring injury, he started riding Gerard Deulofeu, who joined in January, and the move has paid off. He has quickly become their main offensive playmaker and he is much more effective than Mbaye Niang, who had started at length as left winger before departing to the EPL pastures. The Spaniard gives another dimension to their trident because he is a very capable assist-man.
Suso is dealing with a minor muscular problem, but could recover in time and start. Otherwise, Deulofeu will move to the right flank, with Luis Ocampos on the left. A very elegant player, but he has not showed much in his two Italian stints so far.
The coach is juggling a lot with the rest of the formation, also because of injuries. Ignazio Abate is set to remain sidelined by of an eye injury: Mattia De Sciglio will start as right back. Leonel Vangioni has been viable as left back since being inserted in the XI because no there were no other options, but he is facing some competition from Davide Calabria. Cristian Zapata could supplant the usual starter Gabriel Paletta. Alessio Romagnoli returned last week from a hamstring strain with no hiccups: he has also been tried as left back, a position he occupied when he was younger.
Their midfield is in flux. The man who took down Juventus back in November, Manuel Locatelli, has lost his job to José Sosa. He is also under the weather. The favourites to flank him are Andrea Bertolacci and Mario Pasalic, but Juraj Kucka is definitely still in the race. They have tried Sosa and Locatelli together in the last game, but it did not work that well.
The biggest threat is obviously Carlos Bacca, who, despite a contentious relationship with the penalty spot and the fans, is showing flashes of his old trickster Sevilla self in the last two games. He has scored eleven goals so far. Gianluca Lapadula has also been efficient off the bench. They will not come to Turin to park the bus: they will pull no punches as they know they have beaten us fair and square before. Juventus will have to be at their best. Containing their speed upfront will be the biggest challenge for Bianconeri.
UPDATE: Suso is still feeling pain in his hamstring he is unlikely to start: it will be Ocampos on the left and Deulofeu on the right. Romagnoli as LB is gaining momentum.
Probable lineup:
4-3-3: Donnarumma; Abate, Zapata, Romagnoli, Vangioni; Pasalic, Sosa, Bertolacci; Suso, Bacca, Deulofeu.
Injuries:
Bonaventura (hamstring), Abate (eye), Montolivo (knee).
Suspensions:
None.
Why not Rugani!! What is this shit? Cant believe that Benatia gets his chance!
come on mate, calm down, this is just a preview.
Yeah. But he deserves it.
Guess i was wrong
Sorry for being out of context again but i saw lyon vs roma today. Guys i would stick with Allegri. I dont know but being 2 1 up not changing your tactics in the half time on a 180min match and lose 4 2. Or our team is miles ahead or i dont know. They give spectacle no doubt but in these games you need results and our coach delivers just that. Somtimes we may be boring as hell but as long as we go through nobody will care.
and the decision to go 343 when 3421 worked just perfectly is just another bs from spall.
how was Tolliso anyway? i know he scored
He is a good midfielder great shot lots of work. Under the mentor he will improve if we get him. You know even seeing sandro juan manzu dybala all of our players seem to improve. Somtimes we say omg another boring story then we go up against the best and show them how its done. Allegri is a mystery to me somtimes i just say let him go but in the same time i keep my grip tight on him.
I may sound stupid but seeing Psg and Roma and Arsenal not mentioning the unmentionable with an N and their stupid president i say Allegri must be given lots of credit for where we are today.
yep, i stick with your opinion about Allegri, hope he will get the improved deal he asked for.Not sure if anyone else would take us to higher level, basicly, we are in top 5, but we need to prove it on the pitch.Some guys here talked about Sousa, but, no way , the only name if Allegri leaves us is Jardim.
To Say the truth i tought of Spaletti. But seeing he has a tired side you cant just ask the players to fuckin run. Thats were the tactical genius comes in. You must keep the formation tight short and move foward and backwards alltogether. You just cant ask Naingolan who apart from being a fucking retard is what we miss in the mid go 200 km/h all the time. Sometimes you must change sit deep and hit with counter.
he also played that twat as right winger, he is great midfielder but no winger at all.
I would like to keep Allegri, but if he leaves I´d like Simeone, although Jardim doesn´t sound bad to me. Sousa to me feels rushed, have Sousa handle A higher profile team 1st before handing him Juve.
Is there a chance Lippi would manage us again? The best coach we have ever had in my lifetime. Thanks boss you are still the best :´)
Oh and don´t forget Ancelotti, I would give him a chance for vindication at Juve after his short sub-par spell, maybe it was not the right time back then, it might be now.
Good preview – “Allegri has left the room open to all possibilities in the pre-game presser.” lol Nothing new, I’m for 3th option. This is very strange game especially when we now how gnilan was protected by referees – almost like wolfs from Capital – almost.:D They allways play against us like this is the last game – because this is the only game that matter 4 them beside Berlusconi trophy in August of course and Doha last year in Super Cup (: Today I expect big win Cin Cin…Higuaiiin hat trick will be perfect, but it’s hard to imagine after Udinese and Luigi’s 1:1 FGJ Fino alla fine.The biggest threat is Deulofeu – this is my opinion – he is fast and can make a hard time 4 our defenders but anyway he is not Duwan and we play on Juventus Arena once more Cin Cin…Higuaiiin
Alright here we go again Dr. Allegri experiments again with a 5-3-2 with Benatia libero alves mezzala (just so that we don´t forget how to walk or speak).
Wow! noone saw that one coming. Benatia showing determination, way to go. Thank God
Wtf is up with allegri’s changes? Put cuadrado on ffs!!
Cuadrado is banned for the match, too many bookings.
As Seba said too, Cuadrado is suspended for this one
Wow, he’s bringing Kean on it would seem! Though he’ll hardly get 5 minutes max
Fuck yeaaaahhh!
Oh my God!!!!!!!!!!
What a finish!
We are in for a week the ref had the balls but we are in for the week
Great game! Donnarumma is the next Buffon.
Dybala needed to take that penalty. Now focus on Porto
I can already hear the conspiracy theories flying around!
Maybe the league is corrupt. So is Bayern in germany. The Hand was on the ball.
I wont hear and see other news apart from this site. Oh please god give us that cup
1) The 1st goal was legal. Being precise: 1-0, giving leeway: 1-0
2) The 2nd goal was slightly offside, had it been tracked by a machine it could have been disallowed. Being precise 1-0, giving leeway for human error 1-1.
3) The red card was correct. Sosa was losing Asamoah, he was reckless and he knew it.
4) In the penalty kick Milan defenders were careless to defend with their hands up in the air. If you look at Juve defenders they always defend with the hands in their backs. Therefore it all boils down to the ref´s criteria. In my opinion:
– Were it any other top european club they would have been awarded this same penalty (and the Bacca goal would have had a chance of being disallowed).
Here in south america I watch all games via ESPN of FOX. Funny thing is noone could call the Barcelona farce and robbery as such, as farce and robbery, neither did they call shame on the UCL. Still at today´s Penalty the commentator (who is Italian born) called it all just that, a robbery and a shame on Italian football.
Sigh.. double standard.
To wrap it up going by the book or measuring as a machine the game would have ended 1-0 at the end of the day, we Juve didn´t need the unsolicited controversy, we would have won the game just the same, we were clearly the better team, thank Donnaruma that it wasn´t 3-0 (3-1 giving leeway).
So don´t dare compare the refereeing today with the hideous Farca match rigging.
– The Mascherano handball=PK ignored
– The PK not awarded to PSG (mascherano sliding tackle in the box)
– The Suarez dive PK
Barca 6 PSG 5? more like Barca 5 -PSG 7
Lol this is Hilarious!
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/javier-mascherano-admits-fouling-psgs-9996381
Umm, several thoughts on today’s game; but points 1-5 are all SIGN Donnarumma now… break the bank again, but get him! That kid single handedly almost stole the game away!
Not a fan of not resting Kheidra, maybe Marchisio will start on Tuesday… I just have trouble believing he can’t fit into the 4-2-3-1, and provide rotation for Pjanic and Sami.
Was glad Pjaca played, and Benatia performed well… (my preference is always Rugani 1st, he needs to play and is just pure class.)
Still not sure if we should p/u his option; would’ve rather seen us stick with BBC, Rugani and Caldaria for next year instead of waiting 1 more year for him. I think a year with Barzagli would’ve done him well (don’t expect him to be here after that; Rugani needs to be starting soon, even if it means rotation with Giorgio)
Enough for now, was fine with the Milan goal, too slim of a margin in real time to make that call. The pk is a 50/50 decision… it just fell in our favor.
Was just glad we got the 3 points with all the chances we created… Gigio played out of his mind… Mino, you owe us (Pogba) and will probably move Kean away too, you must bring us Gigio!!!
I really really want Donnarumma at Juventus, but the kid loves his club. I can’t begin to imagine the battle in his head, you are called upon to replace football’s greatest ever keeper, but in fulfilling that you have to betray the club that you supported and loved since childhood… Decisions, decisions.
Unless they start treating him badly at Milan, I don’t see him playing for us.