NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag Juventus

  • Mar, Mon, 2020
Sport

Dybala stunner sends Juve top with behind-closed-doors’ win over Inter Milan

Dybala
Turin (Italy), March 9, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) A wonderful winning goal from substitute Paulo Dybala sent Juventus back to the top of Serie A with a 2-0 victory over title rivals Inter Milan on Sunday.

Juve, who opened the scoring at an empty Allianz Stadium through Aaron Ramsey, lead on 63 points, one point ahead of Lazio and nine clear of Inter Milan in third.

Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan side however have a game in hand.

Ramsey fired home the first goal from close range soon after the break and was also involved in the second.

Juventus’s Argentine forward Dybala exchanged passes with the Wales international on the edge of the area before dribbling around defender Ashley Young.

He showed great invention to find the bottom corner with the outside of his boot.

The game was played without fans present after the Italian government ordered that all matches are held behind closed doors until April 3.

“This is an important victory, but there are still 12 games to go. So, it’s a long road ahead,” coach Maurizio Sarri said. “`This was far more what I wanted to see from my Juventus.

“We had seemed a little empty and flat recently. So, we had to choose players who could guarantee more energy, both physical and psychological.

“That’s the sensation we got in training from these players, but that could change in a couple of weeks.”

Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovic returned from injury and they were grateful to have the Slovenian back as he blocked a Matthijs De Ligt header early.

He also showed quick reactions to palm away a Blaise Matuidi drive inside the opening 15 minutes.

The hosts had the better chances in a lively first half, but Marcelo Brozovic forced Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny into a sharp save with a powerful drive before the break.

Juventus made the breakthrough 10 minutes into the second half when Matuidi’s cut-back was taken off the toe of Cristiano Ronaldo by Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The ball fell into the path of Ramsey who drilled a shot home via a deflection.

Dybala was surprisingly dropped to the bench but made a huge impact after his introduction, controlling a long pass with his first touch before playing a one-two with Ramsey.

He danced past Young and prodded in with a deft finish after 67 minutes.

Ronaldo aimed to make his mark on his 1,000th official game as he chased a Serie A record of scoring in 12 straight games.

He came close in stoppage time as his shot swerved narrowly wide before he dragged a low effort beyond the far post.

The game marked Conte’s return to Turin after spells with Juventus as a player and coach.

But it was not a happy one as his side fell to their second defeat of the season against the Italian champions.

“The difference between us and Juventus, not counting the game in hand with Sampdoria, is six points,” Conte said. “That’s the two defeats, at San Siro and here.

“We tried to stay in their slipstream, but must learn from defeat and take the lessons of comparison to grow in terms of character, quality and strength.

“It’s a loss that must help us to grow and understand how far away we are.”(Reuters/NAN)
OLAL
======

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Mar, Sun, 2020
Sport

Juventus stop under-23 training after opponents diagnosed with coronavirus

Diagnosis
Rome, March 1, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) Juventus suspended the activities of their under-23 team on Saturday after a fourth player at third-tier club Pianese, their most recent opponents, tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Turin club, whose under-23 team play in Serie C, said it was a precautionary measure and they were in constant contact with health authorities.

“It is specified that, six days after the game, the Juventus players remain asymptomatic and are under medical supervision,” added the club statement.

Gazetta dello Sport said the players had been quarantined in their homes, though this was not mentioned by Juventus.

Their under-23 side beat Pianese 1-0 last Sunday.

Earlier, Pianese said that “after a series of checks, Pianese announce that a fourth player is infected by Covid-19.

“He too is in solitary confinement at home and is under observation by the relevant authorities.”

One member of staff has also been infected.

The club, based in Piancastagnaio in the region of Tuscany, said on Friday that the entire squad have been quarantined in their homes.

It said the first player tested positive on Thursday, several days after he missed a match because he was feeling slightly feverish.

The number of deaths in Italy from the illness rose to 29 on Saturday and the accumulated total of cases reached 1,128, authorities said.

Twenty of the 30 Serie C matches this weekend have been postponed because of the virus. Five Serie A games have also been called off.(Reuters/NAN)
OLAL
======

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

  • Feb, Thu, 2020
Sport

Sluggish Juventus slump to surprise defeat at Olympique Lyonnais

Defeat
Lyon (France), Feb. 27, 2020 (Reuters/NAN) Juventus’s hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League last eight suffered a blow when the two-times European Cup winners slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday.

Midfielder Lucas Tousart scored the only goal in the opening half of the last 16 first leg fixture to give Lyon a deserved win.

They are bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.

It was Lyon’s first victory over the Serie A leaders, who suffered their first defeat in the competition this season.

Juventus lacked quality, with Cristiano Ronaldo rarely getting into scoring positions, and they will need to improve in the return leg on March 17 if they are to progress.

About 2,700 Juventus fans travelled from Piedmont, a region neighbouring the coronavirus-hit Lombardy, as the game went ahead as planned in spite of concern over the virus.

On the pitch, Lyon were at their best, with Houssem Aouar and new signing Bruno Guimaraes inspiring their team.

“We were not the favourites and rightfully so, but we believed that we could unsettle Juventus,” said midfielder Aouar.

“But let’s not get carried away, there’s one full game left.”

Juventus have only won four of their last eight competitive matches and captain Leonardo Bonucci pointed out that the team had improved.

“We messed up our first half. Sometimes it happens,” he said. “We gifted one half and they scored at a moment when they were good at hurting us.”

After a cagey start, Lyon made a clear chance when Karl Toko-Ekambi’s header at the near post from Aouar’s corner kick hit the crossbar.

Aouar then burst into the area and delivered a cutback which Tousart placed into the top corner from close range to put the French side ahead after 31 minutes.

Juve were at the time down to 10 men as Mathias De Ligt was getting treatment for blood on his head after being accidentally stamped on by team mate Alex Sandro.

The visitors threatened through Ronaldo but the Portuguese shot just wide at the end of a counter-attack as Juve looked short on confidence.

The Italian side increased the pressure after the interval as Lyon tried to sit back and hope to hurt Maurizio Sarri’s team on the break.

Paulo Dybala went close for Juve with a volley, substitute Gonzalo Higuain wasted a couple of chances and Dybala had a goal ruled out for offside as Lyon held firm.(Reuters/NAN)
OLAL
======

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Ronaldo seals Juventus win to keep pressure on Inter Milan

Serie A
Turin (Italy), Sept. 28, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus to continue their unbeaten start to the Serie A season with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over struggling SPAL on Saturday.

Miralem Pjanic’s strike put the hosts in front on the stroke of half-time before Ronaldo headed his third goal of the campaign with 12 minutes remaining.

Juve lead the table on 16 points but Inter Milan can return to the summit when they travel to Sampdoria later on Saturday.

SPAL goalkeeper Etrit Berisha made a string of impressive saves to keep the score down as the visitors fell to their fifth defeat in six matches.

They stay level on three points with Sampdoria at the foot of the table.(Reuters/NAN)
VO/OLAL
=========

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Teenager Kean on target again as Juve win

Serie A
Turin (Italy), April 3, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Juventus teenager Moise Kean appeared to suffer racist abuse but still scored a late goal to give the Turin side a 2-0 win at Cagliari in Serie A on Tuesday.

Kean, born in Italy to Ivorian parents, turned in Rodrigo Bentancur’s cross with five minutes left and then turned to the Cagliari fans behind the goal and folded his arms.

In response, Cagliari’s supporters made the noise which is described by Italian media as “buu” and regarded as a racist insult in Italian football.

Monkey noises could also be heard among the crowd.

Shortly after the goal, Juve’s French midfielder Blaise Matuidi protested furiously to the referee and at one point appeared to threaten to walk off.

Matuidi complained last year that he was subjected to racist abuse at the same stadium and Cagliari later apologised.

Play was halted for around three minutes and a warning was broadcast to the crowd.

It was the first step in the so-called three step procedure which ultimately leads to the teams being led off the field.

Play resumed amid more booing and the referee blew the final whistle shortly afterwards.

Defender Leonardo Bonucci had opened the scoring with a towering header from a corner kick in the 22nd minute.

The win took Juventus to 81 points from 30 games with second-placed Napoli 18 points behind, ahead of their game at Empoli on Wednesday.

Juventus were again without Cristiano Ronaldo who is recovering from a thigh injury. (Reuters/NAN)
VO/MUYI/OLAL
==============

(Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Juventus suffer first league defeat of the season at Genoa

Defeat
Genoa (Italy), March 17, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Juventus fell to their first Serie A defeat of the season on Sunday as Genoa ran out 2-0 winners, days after the Turin club’s UEFA Champions League heroics against Atletico Madrid.

Stefano Sturaro, who joined Genoa on loan from Juventus in January before the deal was made permanent, put the home side in front in the second half.

Then, fellow substitute Goran Pandev secured the shock result with 10 minutes remaining.

Cristiano Ronaldo inspired a remarkable European comeback for the Italian champions on Tuesday when he scored a hat-trick to overturn a 2-0 first leg defeat against Atletico Madrid.

The victory had sent his side through to the quarter-finals with a 3-2 aggregate win.

However, the Portuguese was left out of the matchday squad for the trip to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

And, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was left frustrated as Genoa took points off his side for the second time this season, having drawn 1-1 in Turin in October.

“I expected a different Juventus,” Allegri told Italian broadcasters.

“We did not put in a good performance. We made some mistakes and then this goal came out of nowhere.

“Much like the Coppa Italia defeat to Atalanta, we picked the right game to lose, because it’s just before the break for international duty. So, we have time to unplug and rest.

“I am actually happy for Stefano, because if anyone had to score against us, I’m glad it was Sturaro.

“He’s a lovely guy and suffered so much, out of action for practically a year with that tendon injury. So, he deserves it.”

Juventus had dropped points just three times this season going into the game, with draws against Genoa, Atalanta and Parma.

They were unbeaten overall in the top-flight for the last 31 rounds, since losing 0-1 to Napoli on April 22, 2018.

However, the hosts started the brighter as Christian Kouame forced a good save from former Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin, before Cesare Prandelli’s side were awarded a penalty kick for handball.

But a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review overturned the decision.

Juventus thought they had gone in front after the break when Paulo Dybala swept home a finish, but VAR chalked the goal off for an offside in the build-up.

Sturaro then curled a finish into the corner against his parent club just minutes after coming on, before Pandev made sure of the three points with a powerful finish.

In spite of the result, Juventus remain 18 points clear of second-placed Napoli at the summit of the table, while
Genoa climbed above Sassuolo into 12th place on 33 points. (Reuters/NAN)
VO/OLAL
=========

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Atalanta send holders Juventus crashing out of Coppa Italia, as Fiorentina maul Roma

Knockout

Atalanta (Italy), Jan. 31, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Holders Juventus crashed out of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat at Atalanta, as striker Duvan Zapata scored twice to continue with his electric form.

Timothy Castagne and Zapata struck in the 37th and 39th minutes to stun the record 13-times winners, with Zapata netting another late on to set up a semi-final clash with Fiorentina.
Atalanta, who earned a 2-2 draw against Serie A leaders Juventus at Bergamo in December, pulled off another surprise result, ensuring Juve would not win the competition for a fifth season running.

Castagne caught out Joao Cancelo and drilled home from the edge of the box to put the hosts ahead, with the Colombian Zapata lashing in the second moments later.

Furious Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was sent off after throwing his jacket onto the pitch after the second goal.

The Old Lady were not stirred into action, however, and failed to record a single shot on target in the first half.

Zapata pounced for his second in the final stages, taking his tally to 17 goals in his last 10 games across all competitions.

Elsewhere, Federico Chiesa scored a hat-trick as Fiorentina humiliated AS Roma 7-1 to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals on Wednesday.

Chiesa, the 21-year-old Italy forward, sliced Roma open at will, hitting the post early on and striking twice in the first 18 minutes.

Aleksandar Kolarov pulled one back for the visitors but Luis Muriel restored Fiorentina’s two-goal lead before the break.

Eusebio Di Francesco’s Roma completely collapsed in the second half with Chiesa completing his hat-trick, Giovanni Simeone scoring twice and Marco Benassia also finding the net.

Substitute Eden Dzeko was sent off for the visitors after arguing with the referee to complete a woeful night for the visitors.

Stefano Pioli’s Viola will face Atalanta in a two-legged semi-final. (Reuters/NAN)

VO/OLAL

=========

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

 

Sport

Ronaldo brace gives Juventus contentious win over unlucky Sampdoria

Ronaldo

Turin (Italy), Dec. 29, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday scored a brace, with the second goal a contentious penalty kick, to give Juventus a dramatic 2-1 win over Sampdoria.

Sampdoria also had a stoppage-time equaliser chalked off following a long Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review in Serie A.

Riccardo Saponara thought he had given Sampdoria a point when he curled a delightful shot past Mattia Perin and was booked for throwing off his shirt as he celebrated.

But, after a delay of nearly three minutes, referee Paolo Valeri ruled that there had been an offside in the build-up.

It was one of three VAR decisions in a game which also saw Sampdoria’s 35-year-old forward Fabio Quagliarella score for the ninth Serie A game in a row.

It made him the first player to do so since David Trezeguet in 2005.

Leaders Juve meanwhile reached the season’s halfway mark with 53 points out of a possible 57, a Serie A record for a 20-team championship.

Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo described Juve’s penalty kick, awarded for handball by Alex Ferrari, as absurd.

“The penalty kick given to Juventus was a present,” he said.

“We can talk about this until the day after tomorrow, but you can’t give a penalty kick like that. Otherwise, every Sunday will turn into a mess. That handball decision was absurd.”

Ronaldo gave Juventus the lead after two minutes, collecting Paulo Dybala’s pass and cutting inside to score with a low shot.

Former Juventus forward Quagliarella levelled in the 33rd minute from a penalty kick awarded after the ball hit the back of Emre Can’s outstretched arm as he jumped for it.

The referee gave the penalty kick after looking at the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Juve’s winner also came from a handball, although the ball only brushed Ferrari’s arm which did not appear to be outstretched.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot, but Ronaldo had to wait more than two minutes to take his kick, while the incident was reviewed on the pitchside monitor.

The Portugal forward took his tally to 14 goals, making him Serie A’s top goalscorer.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said he believed his side needed 37 more points from their remaining 19 games to make sure of an eighth successive title.

“VAR is an important instrument,” he said. “There were two penalty kicks, both awarded with the use of VAR, one confirmed and one under a review.

“Looking at it that way, it was either both or neither. In Italy, we create too many controversies.”(Reuters/NAN)
VO/OLAL
=========

(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Ronaldo penalty sends Real through after thrilling Juve fightback

Thriller

Madrid, April 11, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo showed nerves of steel to score an injury-time penalty and send holders Real Madrid into the semi-finals of the Champions League in dramatic circumstances.

The Spanish side progressed to the last four despite losing 3-1 to Juventus on Wednesday but won a thrilling tie 4-3 on aggregate.

Juventus looked to have staged a stunning revival at the Santiago Bernabeu to force extra time after Mario Mandzukic scored twice in the first half.

Blaise Matuidi added a third on the hour mark after a goalkeeping clanger from Real’s Keylor Navas.

The goals cancelled out Real’s resounding 3-0 win in Turin a week earlier but Lucas Vazquez won a disputed injury-time penalty.

Juventus goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon was given a straight red card for pushing English referee Michael Oliver as he vented his fury at the decision.

The Italian veteran was given a standing ovation from the home fans as he walked off the pitch in what is likely to be his last act in a long and eventful career in the Champions League.

Buffon is set to leave Juventus at the end of the season.

Juve’s substitute goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny came on but Ronaldo blasted into the top corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to score for the 10th game running in this season’s competition.

The goal sent Real into the semi-finals for a record-extending eighth year in a row.

Real were missing influential captain Sergio Ramos through suspension and Mandzukic headed Juventus in front when the game was only 76 seconds old, meeting a sumptuous cross from former Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira.

The early strike offered the visitors hope of repeating compatriots AS Roma’s incredible second-leg turnaround against Barcelona the previous night.

The Croatian struck again in the 37th minute, heading beyond Navas, who got a hand to the shot but could not prevent it going in.

Real had plenty of chances in the first half but Buffon made three strong saves to thwart Gareth Bale, Ronaldo and Isco, who was also denied a goal by the offside flag.

Raphael Varane also sent a header crashing against the bar from a free kick at the end of the half.

Real settled down after the interval, taming the visitors and twice firing at Buffon.

But down the other end Navas spilled a cross from Douglas Costa right at the feet of Matuidi who rolled the ball in to level the tie.

Madrid soon woke up and produced their best spell of the game as Isco, Varane and Ronaldo all went close while Giorgio Chiellini narrowly avoided scoring an own goal.

Ronaldo finally got the vital goal they had craved to pile more misery on the Italians, who were beaten 4-1 by Madrid in last season’s final in Cardiff. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/YAZ

Sport

Chiellini out of Italy friendlies with thigh injury

Injury
Turin (Italy), March 19, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Defender Giorgio Chiellini has withdrawn from Italy’s training sessions ahead of this month’s international friendlies because of a thigh strain, his club Juventus said on Monday.

The Azzurri, as the Italian national team is called, is expected to take on Argentina in Manchester on Friday and England at Wembley four days later.

Interim coach Luigi Di Biagio replaced Gian Piero Ventura in November after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.

The 33-year-old Chiellini, capped 96 times by Italy, picked up the injury in Juve’s 0-0 draw at Spal on Saturday.

The Turin club said the injury would be evaluated over the next two days.

Juve’s next match is against AC Milan on March 31, followed by the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on April 3.(Reuters/NAN)
KIA/KOLE/OLAL
===============

(Edited by Remi Koleoso and Olawale Alabi)