Unbeaten during their triumphant 2011-12 Serie A campaign, can Antonio Conte’s men defend their crown as they also set their sights on making a positive return to the Champions League? What a difference a year makes. At the beginning of last season uncertainty hovered around Juventus. Antonio Conte had replaced Luigi Delneri and promising purchases were made, yet after a second successive seventh-placed finish in 2010-11, fans were just hoping for a Champions League return. Now Juventus goes into this […]

When Juventus are strong so too are the Italian national team, as the old calcio legend goes. And when reviewing past tournaments it is hard to argue with that. Juventus have provided the most World Cup winners of any club, with 22 of the 24 champions Italian. In 1934, amidst the golden Quinquennio era, Juve has nine players in the squad as Italy defeated Czechoslovakia in the final. When Italy finished fourth in Argentina 1978, Juve contributed up to nine […]

Italy were pegged back for the second consecutive match as they drew 1-1 with Croatia in their Euro 2012 Group C encounter in Poznan. A vibrant Italy took command of the opening 45 minutes and were rewarded when Andrea Pirlo curled in a free kick, only for Mario Mandzukic to equalise with 20 minutes remaining. The result leaves Italy in a must-win situation against the Republic of Ireland. Italy started brightly, with Mario Balotelli and Claudio Marchisio each having chances […]

As we wave goodbye to another season of Serie A, Juventus can reminisce a wonderful campaign in which they claimed Scudetto glory and lost just once in all competitions. It may have ended on a sad note with the farewell of Alessandro Del Piero and the Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli, but the work of Antonio Conte and all involved is to be commended. Never before had a side traversed the difficult 38-game path and made it to the […]

Juventus 2011-12 has etched its place in history. Just like Antonio Conte wanted, his side can only be matched but never surpassed. The Bianconeri completed a remarkable 38-game unbeaten season by conquering Atalanta 3-1 and then watched as outgoing captain Alessandro Del Piero lifted the Serie A trophy high into the Turin sky Having secured the Scudetto and record, Antonio Conte’s mind is now focused on completing the entire season unbeaten in the upcoming Coppa Italia final versus Napoli. However […]

There is no doubt about it – this Scudetto tastes the sweetest. Some were won in more convincing fashion and others (2001-02) were secured in more dramatic circumstances. Yet for pure emotion and its back-story, nothing can top the Scudetto success of 2011-12, the season Juventus returned to former glory. After the disappointment of the dropped points against Lecce in midweek, Juve knew they had to respond versus Cagliari and did so almost instantly with Mirko Vucinic on target. It […]

Juventus drew 1-1 with Lecce in Round 36 of Serie A to see their gap at the top reduced to just one point with two matches remaining. An awful Gianluigi Buffon error gave Andrea Bertolacci a simple goal with five minutes remaining, cancelling out an early opener from Claudio Marchisio. Paolo De Ceglie had to be substituted almost instantly with a muscular complaint and Martin Caceres came on in his place. In the eighth minute Andrea Pirlo sent in a […]

The headline is not a typo. It indeed occurred: Marco Borriello scored the only goal as Juventus defeated Cesena at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi on Wednesday to remain three points clear at the top of Serie A. Days after their demolition of Roma in which Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio were superb and found all found the target, they - as well as their teammates – looked flat in Cesena. On the anniversary of Andrea Fortunato’s passing it […]

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Alessandro Del Piero has written yet another chapter in his storied Juventus career to ensure the Old Lady reclaimed top spot in Serie A after a thrilling 2-1 win over Lazio at the Juventus Stadium on Wednesday. Coming on as a substitute in game number 700 in a Bianconeri shirt, Del Piero netted goal number 289. Arguably, it is one of his most important. It was also free kick number 42 which has been […]

As Juventus helped secure a piece of their long-term future during the week by extending the contracts of Leonardo Bonucci and Alessandro Matri until 2017, the immediate future of another player has once again been called into focus after yet another less than impressive display on the weekend. Marco Borriello led the two man attack alongside Mirko Vucinic in Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system against Napoli, yet did little to endear himself to the Juventus Stadium faithful. Beside one half chance […]

Three matches and three rivals vanquished (even if Adriano Galliani does not completely agree) – Juventus enjoyed a successful week which rejuvenated their Scudetto bid and saw them reach the Coppa Italia final. The week-capping victory over Inter made Juve forget the provincial struggles which has threatened to ensure a potentially unbeaten season likened more to Perugia 1978/79 than Milan 1991/92. It had appeared the January yips which were prevalent in recent campaigns made the shift to February following a […]

13 wins. 14 draws. Four points behind Milan and 33 left to gain this season. These numbers will be constantly going through the head of all Juventini as they ponder the run home towards the Scudetto. Will it be a first championship since Calciopoli struck, or will Juve sit by the wayside as Milan lifts the trophy for the second successive season? One thing is for certain, the run of six draws from seven matches has made the club nervous […]