Gianluigi Buffon amat berharap angka penuh dapat dipetik Juventus waktu menerima kedatangan AC Milan di giornata 6 (partai kelima) Serie A akhir pekan ini.
Laskar pimpinan Antonio Conte saat ini memegang tampuk capolista dengan status belum terkalahkan, tapi tanda tanya soal kapasitas Juve mengakhiri musim dengan scudetto di tangan belum juga hilang.
Karena itulah, pengoleksi 27 titel juara Serie A ini mesti menepis keraguan tersebut dengan menaklukkan Il Diavoli yang notabene berstatus juara bertahan.
Di mata Buffon, kemenangan di Juventus Stadium nanti juga bakal sangat berguna untuk menambah kepercayaan diri di ruang ganti La Vecchia Signora.
"Gim ini bakal mengungkapkan kepada kami [soal kekuatan tim]. Membukukan hasil positif adalah yang kami perlukan demi kepercayaan diri," tutur sang portiere kepada Football Italia.
"Intinya, kemenangan akan menghasilkan kepingan penting pada jalur perkembangan kami."
30 September 2011
Gigi Buffon Tekankan Pentingnya Kemenangan Atas Milan
Blog: Pro Pirlo-dependency
As Andrea Pirlo's past and present teams prepare to meet on Sunday, focus is all about his role at both clubs, as Rob Paton explains.
It is fair to say Juventus' start to the season has been a success. Being joint top of the League after four rounds is backed up with early signs of the team's refreshing capacity to rotate its squad members without drastically affecting performance levels.
From game to game, Antonio Conte has made nine changes to the starting XI, switched left-backs through suspension and formation and focus up front through various forwards. Evidence of an unaltered end product perhaps comes from the fact that each of the seven goals scored by the team had been by a different player.
However, there is one striking constant to have come from the opening weeks - Andrea Pirlo's overriding influence on proceedings. This ranges from the three assists he has provided - just under half the team's goals - to constant involvement in the team's efforts to always play the ball along the ground from goalkeeper to forward.
For the player, it has been a return to some of his best football, the type perhaps last seen taking such hold on games when with the national team during their run to World Cup success in 2006. He has returned to the pendulum style of play - taking possession and ably spraying balls to the right, left or over the top of opposition back-lines - effectively dictating both how and when his new Juve side attack.
Unsurprisingly came Pietro Lo Monaco's suggestion in the wake of Catania's 1-1 draw last weekend that Juve had, within a handful of games, grown to be 'Pirlo-dependent'. Vincenzo Montella placed a man-marker on Pirlo, Juve put in a less-than-inspiring performance.
It is timely then that the Pirlo-dependency debate arises as he prepares to face Milan in Week 6, the team whose success was once perceived a direct result of his talents, and whose latter deterioration was then thought the outcome of an over-reliance on him.
His success and end at Milan perhaps provides the greatest insight into the debate that Lo Monaco's words have created. The last three years saw the Rossoneri struggle to both protect a central midfield and central defence that was vulnerable to counter-attacking, and justify placing Pirlo in his preferred position in front of that defence.
Pirlo's absence through injury during 2010-11 coincided with Massimiliano Allegri's redevelopment of the Rossoneri central-midfield. In place of the playmaker's less-than-convincing defensive attributes stood one of Mark van Bommel and Massimo Ambrosini, whilst the former Cagliari Coach - aided significantly by summer spending - was able to shift creative responsibility away from Pirlo and on to the forwards.
By the time the No 21 was fit to challenge for a spot, Allegri's first edition of his Milan team had marginalised both the footballer's strengths and weaknesses. The defence was protected by a more solid brute force and the attack could now score goals without him.
However, what is important to note is that this was not Allegri's final intention with the side. The Coach admitted he was disappointed with Pirlo's decision to leave in the summer as he said he intended to focus developing a way of bringing out the best of him, whilst maintaining the side's strengths that had grown in his absence through 2010-11. Alberto Aquilani's arrival and Kevin Prince Boateng's projected shift back into midfield is evidence to this line of thought.
Allegri's tactics had created a Milan team that for the first time in a decade could win without Pirlo. However, their start to 2011-12 with minimal selections in attack and subsequent struggles to break down teams, when put alongside Pirlo's form at Juve, backs up Allegri's belief that his team still had room and a need for the playmaker.
As such, at Juventus, the season is about - perhaps more than anything else - ensuring that the team learns from Allegri's Milan. That is say, that they both allow Pirlo to play as he can, which as he has proven still carries a heavy influence on team performance, and that they have a plan B that can operate, crucially, with the playmaker still on the pitch.
Allegri said he was developing this at Milan, and former Bianconero Aquilani's progress therefore becomes very interesting to track this season, in effect acting as what-might-have-been for a Milanese Pirlo.
For Juve short term, to a certain extent, Lo Monaco's reactionary comments are right - Juve are Pirlo-dependent. At this time. It is too early to declare them completely reliant on Pirlo, until the wingers and full-backs have had time to develop an understanding, and Alessandro Del Piero, Alessandro Matri, Fabio Quagliarella and Mirko Vucinic have formulated strike-partnerships.
Indeed, it is also too early to panic that Pirlo's influence is too great on the team. It would have been a far worse quandary for Conte had the 32-year-old player on a €3.5m net, three-year deal proved to be over the hill.
Have your say on this issue. Email us at: editorial@calcioitalia.co.uk
26 September 2011
Pirlo: 'We lacked desire in first half'
Andrea Pirlo looked at the positives to come from Juventus' 1-1 draw with Catania, but did admit the first half performance lacked desire.
Juve could only draw to Catania in a rain-soaked Sicily, with Milos Krasic's second-half strike cancelling out Gonzalo Bergessio's opening strike for the hosts.
The Bianconeri have drawn their last two games, but took top spot on goals-scored from Napoli.
“We've dropped two points, as we did on Wednesday. [Catania] showed more desire than us in the first half and closed us down well. Then we changed our tempo and managed to find an equaliser, also trying to win the game.
“We weren't able to, but it's important to still be up there. Now we'll prepare ourselves well for the next encounter.”
Catania man-marked Pirlo during the game, and the Italian admitted it affected his performance
“I didn't have a great game today, I was marked tightly and therefore I looked to move to provide more space for my teammates.
“I fit in very well with the manager's way of playing, also because I've always got many ideas of where to play the ball, be it out wide or forward.”
PROFIL : Miloš Krasić
Miloš Krasić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милош Красић; born 1 November 1984) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays for Juventus and the Serbian
Playing style
Krasić is a right-sided midfielder/winger, noted for his powerful dribbling technique and speed. He has earned comparisons with former Juventus great, Pavel Nedvěd.[1][2]
Club career
Early years
After starting out with the hometown side FK Rudar Kosovska Mitrovica Serbia, Krasić was noticed by FK Vojvodina in 1999 and he made a switch northwards at age 14. He spent the next four-and-a-half seasons in Novi Sad, where he further raised his level and became the team captain.
[edit] CSKA Moscow
FK Vojvodina and CSKA Moscow were in negotiations over Krasić's transfer since January 2004, but the deal stalled. The player himself even made several unsuccessful trips to Moscow.[3] Finally, during the summer of 2004, the deal was completed and the winger was on his way to Russia. He featured in three games during the club's UEFA Cup 2004–05-winning run, including a cameo appearance in the final. He also helped them win the Russian title in 2005 and 2006, the Russian Cup in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and the Russian Super Cup in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
Juventus
After much speculation in the summer of 2010, Juventus and CSKA Moscow agreed on a fee for Krasić reported to be in the range of about €15 million. Krasić officially became a Juventus player on 21 August and was given the #27 shirt.[4] Krasić was instrumental in his home début against Sampdoria, assisting a goal and creating many chances. The game ended 3–3. In his second away game in the Serie A, against Udinese, Krasić proved once again instrumental in their 4–0 victory, assisting Fabio Quagliarella and Claudio Marchisio for a goal each. Krasić scored his first Juventus goals against Cagliari on 26 September 2010, netting a hat-trick. He scored his first European goal for Juventus, helping his side salvage a point against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in the Group A tie of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, in a match that finished 1–1. On 26 October, he was given a two-match ban after diving, although successfully winning a penalty (the penalty was then missed), during the league match against Bologna. Krasić scored a goal in a 2–0 away win over Genoa after Eduardo put a ball in his own net in the 18th minute. On 12 December, in the game against Lazio, Krasić scored a very late, match-winning goal in which his attempted cross deflected off Lazio goalkeeper Fernando Muslera and into the net. The match ended immediately after the goal in a 2–1 victory for Juventus. He scored a screamer which guided the Bianconeri to a 2–1 victory against Brescia.He managed to score a screamer against Roma, in which the match ended 2-0..
International career
Under-21
Krasić has been an important part of Serbia and Montenegro under-21 squad on the last two European U-21 championships, as well as at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
He was in the team that finished as runners-up in the 2004 European under-21 Championship in Germany, but did not play in any games. Two months later, he was part of the Serbia and Montenegro squad at the 2004 Summer Olympics. In May 2006, Krasić was playing a leading role for Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 European under-21 Championship in 2007 against Kazakhstan. He also played in the match against Portugal on 28 March at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. He was an important player for the Serbian senior squad in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He scored one goal in the match against Lithuania, another in the game against Austria, and set up three in the game against Romania, which sealed qualification.
[edit] Career statistics
As of 25 September 2011
Club Season League Cup Europe Other[5] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vojvodina 1999–00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2000–01 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2001–02 26 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 2
2002–03 23 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 1
2003–04 27 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 4
Total 77 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 77 7
CSKA Moscow 2004 7 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 12 0
2005 27 2 8 1 14 0 1 0 50 3
2006 26 3 6 0 8 0 1 0 41 3
2007 22 4 3 0 6 1 1 0 32 5
2008 28 6 2 1 6 0 0 0 36 7
2009 26 9 3 0 10 4 1 0 40 13
2010 14 2 0 0 3 0 1 0 18 2
Total 150 26 23 2 51 5 5 0 229 33
Juventus 2010–11 33 7 2 1 6 1 0 0 41 9
2011–12 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1
Total 36 8 2 1 6 1 0 0 44 10
Career total 263 41 25 3 57 6 5 0 350 50
[edit] International goals
Miloš Krasić: International goals Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 11 October 2008 Stadion FK Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Serbia Lithuania 2–0 3–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 15 October 2008 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria Austria 0–1 1–3 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 5 June 2010 Stadion FK Partizan, Belgrade, Serbia Cameroon 1–1 4–3 Friendly
[edit] Honours
Russia CSKA
Russian Premier League: 2005, 2006
Russian Cup: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
Russian Super Cup: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009
UEFA Cup: 2005
Juventus Hungary Golden Ball: 2010
Individual
Serbian Player of the Year: 2009
Antonio Conte Puji Semangat Juang Pemain Juventus
Pelatih Juventus Antonio Conte memberikan pujian kepada para pemain yang telah bekerja keras ketika Bianconeri bermain imbang 1-1 di kandang Catania.
Gonzalo Bergessio membawa Catania ini unggul lebih dulu. Namun Juventus bangkit di babak kedua, dan gol Milos Krasic di menit ke-49 berhasil menyamakan kedudukan.
“Saya merasa senang dengan performa yang diperlihatkan para pemain, karena mereka tidak ingin kalah di pertandingan ini, dan menunjukkan semangat juang yang sempurna,” ujar Conte dilansir laman resmi klub.
Walau memperoleh hasil imbang, Juventus tetap berada di puncak klasemen Serie A Italia. Namun Conte mengingatkan anak asuhnya agar tetap berpijak ke bumi.
“Kami tidak boleh memanjakan diri sendiri, tidak membuat fans terlena. Kami harus harus terus bekerja keras agar terus meningkat. Kami harus tetap ingat tim ini hanya menempati posisi tujuh klasemen dua musim berturut-turut,” kata Conte.
Juventus selanjutnya akan menghadapi juara bertahan AC Milan di Turin pada 2 Oktober mendatang.
Antonio Conte Tak Khawatirkan Kembalinya Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Pelatih Juventus Antonio Conte menyatakan dirinya tidak memiliki rencana khusus untuk mengantisipasi ancaman yang akan dihadirkan striker AC Milan Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Ibra dikabarkan akan segera fit total pada pekan ini setelah striker asal Swedia itu mengalami cedera dalam sebuah sesi latihan pada awal bulan ini.
Ibra diragukan bisa tampil lawan Viktoria Plzen di ajang Liga Champions pada pertengahan pekan ini. Namun, ia kabarnya sudah fit saat Rossoneri bertandang ke markas Juventus pada 2 Oktober mendatang.
"Kami tidak mempersiapkan sebuah startegi khusus untuk mengantisipasi kembalinya pemain itu," ujar Conte kepada Rai Sport.
"Kami hanya memikirkan cara permainan kami sendiri, dan mempraktikkannya di lapangan."
Conte mengakui AC Milan lebih diunggulkan dalam pertandingan ini. Namun, ia yakin timnya akan mampu meraih kemenangan.
"Satu-satunya cara yang bisa kami lakukan adalah merapatkan jarak antara kami dan Milan. Kami masih berkembang, dan demikian pula mereka," ujar Conte.
goal.com
Pirlo: “A good second half”
Andrea Pirlo is not often one to show his emotions and analysed the game against Catania with the same coolness he displays on the ball: “We’ve dropped two points, as we did on Wednesday. They showed more desire than us in the first half and closed us down well. Then we changed our tempo and managed to find an equaliser, also trying to win the game. We weren’t able to, but it’s important to still be up there. Now we’ll prepare ourselves well for the next encounter.”
Juve’s number 21 was identified by the Rossazzurri as a potential threat, who assigned a player to follow the midfielder’s every movement. This could have perhaps limited his contribution, but a player of his class is always able to contribute to the team’s performance: “I didn’t have a great game today, I was marked tightly and therefore I looked to move to provide more space for my team-mates. I fit in very well with the manager’s way of playing, also because I’ve always got many ideas of where to play the ball, be it out wide or forward.”
Juventus.com
Krasic: “A goal for the team”
26 September 2010, 25 September 2011. It’s been almost a year to the day since Milos Krasic’s superb hat-trick against Cagliari, and the Serbian winger enjoyed opening his account this afternoon, enabling the Bianconeri to extend their unbeaten run so far this season.
But it was a goal equally important for Milos, returning to the team following an injury picked up at the end of August. “I’m happy about scoring my first goal of the season. I’d like to dedicate it to the team and to my team-mates who have been close to me throughout this period, showing their affection today in the hug after the goal. I’m sorry I didn’t have the right composure when breaking on the counter in the final stages of the game. If I passed the ball to one of my team-mates in the box, then maybe we could have scored a second and clinch the victory, allowing us to go clear at the top of the table.”
juventus.com
Juve make second half point in Catania
Juventus extended their unbeaten start to the season by clinching an away point in Catania. The Bianconeri struggled to find their rhythm early on, with Bergessio capitalising by putting the hosts ahead midway through the first half. But Krasic’s equaliser five minutes following the restart provided the catalyst for the desired response, and Antonio Conte’s men can consider themselves unlucky not to have taken all three points.
Conte elected to make four changes to the side that drew against Bologna. Fabio Grosso returned for his second start of the season, preferred at left-back to Paolo De Ceglie. Elsewhere, Arturo Vidal stepped in for Alessandro Del Piero and last Sunday’s match winner Alessandro Matri replaced the suspended Mirko Vucinic. The final change saw Eljero Elia make his Serie A debut, with Simone Pepe dropping to the bench.
Conte’s former international team-mate Vincenzo Montella also opted to shuffle his pack following the Rossazzurri’s midweek defeat in Genoa. Pablo Alvarez replaced Alessandro Potenza at right-back, with Gennaro Delvecchio and former Juventus midfielder Sergio Almiron coming into midfield at the expense of Marco Biagianti and Pablo Ledesma. This season’s only goalscorer, Maxi Lopez, was dropped to the bench, with Andrea Catellani featuring on the right-hand side of a three-pronged attack.
Juventus enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges without posing a significant threat on goal. The second minute saw Matri took on a host of defenders and weave his way into the box, but the striker failed to pick out a team-mate with his cross.
The Bianconeri’s first real chance arrived in the 17th minute from a free-kick. Spolli’s challenge on Pirlo was deemed to be a foul by Mazzoleni, but the Italian midfielder’s direct attempt on goal cannoned straight off the wall and Catania scrambled the ball to safety.
Five minutes later and Juventus fell behind for the first time this season. Gomez found space down the right flank, pushed the ball past Grosso and sent in a low cross. Bergessio was quickest to react, sweeping the ball home for the Rossazzuri’s second goal of the campaign.
Despite Marchisio drawing a save from Andujar seconds later, the Bianconeri looked laboured in their passing. The hosts continued to press, doubling up on Krasic and Elia, denying the wingers space in which to stamp their authority on the game.
And Catania also refused to settle for their one-goal advantage. Buffon was quick to block Lodi’s inswinging free-kick in the 26th minute, while four minutes later Catellani struck a fierce left-footed volley which flashed just wide.
Conte wasted no time in making changes, introducing Pepe at half-time in place of Elia. As the rain poured down at the Angelo Massimino, the Bianconeri grew in stature and found an equaliser five minutes after the break.
Pepe was involved immediately, squaring from the left flank to Krasic who took one touch before lashing a fierce strike goalwards that Andujar failed to hold. The ball nestled into the bottom corner and the Bianconeri were back in it with 40 minutes remaining.
The goal provided the spark for Juve’s improved second half display, in which their opponents were pinned back into their own territory. Lichtsteiner began to find space going forward, Vidal and Marchisio imposed themselves on their midfield rivals and Pepe provided industry down the flank.
And it was Pepe who had the first of Juve’s multiple chances to extend their lead. The winger collected the ball and smashed a fierce drive from outside the area that Andujar palmed behind for a corner. Then it was Krasic’s turn to try and continue his goalscoring exploits, carrying the ball forward in the 69th minute but failing to trouble Cesena’s goalkeeper with his resulting effort.
With ten minutes on the clock, it was back to a classic 4-4-2 and the chances kept coming. Matri had already given way for Del Piero and Marchisio was replaced by Quagliarella, back to Serie A action following his long spell on the sidelines.
Firstly, Krasic ghosted past Capuano on the right and clipped in a cross but Del Piero was unable to trouble the goalkeeper. Then Vidal blazed a right-footed attempt over from close-range after Juve’s captain had done well to cut the ball back from the byline.
Mazzoleni brought the game to an end following a frantic five minutes of added time. The point sees Juventus maintain their position at the top of Serie A, with a mouth-watering home clash against Milan to follow next Sunday.
CATANIA 1-1 JUVENTUS
GOALS: Bergessio 22, Krasic 49
CATANIA
Andujar; Alvarez (Marchese 29), Bellusci, Spolli, Capuano; Del Vecchio, Almiron (Ledesma 66), Lodi; Gomez, Bergessio (Suazo 78), Catellani.
Substitutes not used: Kosicky, Ricchiuti, Maxi Lopez, Lanzafame.
Manager: Montella.
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Chiellini, Grosso; Pirlo; Krasic, Marchisio (Quagliarella 81), Vidal, Elia (Pepe 45); Matri (Del Piero 73)
Substitues not used: Storari, Bonucci, Pazienza, Giaccherini.
Manager: Conte
REFEREE: Mazzoleni from Bergamo
ASSISTANTS: De Luca, Petrella
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Damato
BOOKINGS: Marchisio 16, Chiellini 25, Almiron 52, Capuano 60, Vidal 75
juventus.com
25 September 2011
Juventus Tertahan Lagi
Juventus kembali harus puas berbagi satu angka dengan sang lawan. Setelah di laga midweek bermain seri 1-1 dengan Bologna, Si Nyonya Tua asuhan Antonio Conte menyudahi laga di rumah Catania pada Minggu (25/9) dengan skor identik.
Kendati demikian, hasil ini belum menggeser posisi Juve di pucuk klasemen bersama Udinese, yang kebetulan juga memiliki jersey utama berwarna sama, hitam-putih.
Conte melakukan perubahan terhadap skema pasukannya dalam gim di Stadion Angelo Massimino ini.
Sang allenatore meninggalkan formasi 4-2-4 dan menggantinya dengan pola 4-2-3-1, dengan trio Milos Krasic-Arturo Vidal-Eljero Elia menyokong Alessandro Matri sebagai ujung tombak tunggal. Andrea Pirlo dan Claudio Marchisio tetap ditugaskan mengisi gelandang tengah.
Kubu tuan rumah asuhan Vincenzo Montella membuka keunggulan terlebih dahulu di menit ke-22 ketika Gonzalo Bergessio mengungguli Giorgio Chiellini untuk menyontek umpan silang rendah winger Alejandro Gomez.
Juventus lantas mulai membangun serangan demi serangan untuk melesakkan gol balasan. Sejumlah kans pun terlahir, namun tak satu pun yang bisa dikonversi menjadi gol hingga babak pertama berakhir.
Empat menit menginjak paruh kedua, barulah Juve mendapatkan hasil. Antisipasi buruk kiper Mariano Andujar terhadap tembakan keras Milos Krasic setelah menerima sodoran Vidal membuat bola berakhir di dalam gawang Catania.
Tak berapa lama kemudian, Bergessio nyaris membawa timnya kembali memimpin, namun penyelesaiannya dari jarak dekat, hanya sekitar enam mehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifter, justru melambung tinggi, meski eks striker Saint-Ettiene ini pada akhirnya dinyatakan off-side.
Permainan terus berjalan terbuka hingga menit-menit penghabisan. Namun, di menit ke-80 sebenarnya Juve bisa saja unggul. Alesandro Del Piero, yang turun menggantikan tempat Matri, berada dalam posisi bebas saat menerima crossing Krasic, namun sundulannya justru melenceng dari sasaran.
Di masa injury time, Gomez di sisi Catania serta Vidal di kubu Juve juga tak mampu mengonversi kans yang mereka peroleh. Tembakan kedua pemain ini melayang di atas mistar.
