| /- � Start :: Multimedia :: the Man :: the Stats :: this Season :: Community Forum :: Webmaster � -\ |
2. Adriano 14 3. Andriy Shevchenko 14 4. Alberto Gilardino 13 5. Mauro Esposito 12 6. Francesco Totti 12 7. Valeri Bojinov 11 8. Francesco Flachi 11 9. Mirko Vucinic 10 10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic 10 11. Cristiano Lucarelli 10 12. Fabrizio Miccoli 9 13. Luca Toni 9 14. Christian Vieri 9 15. Hernan Crespo 8 16. Vincenzo Iaquinta 8 17. Obafemi Martins 8 18. Arturo Di Napoli 7 19. Tommaso Rocchi 7 20. Riccardo Zampagna 7 /- as of 21.02.05 |
| 19.02.05 22:07/- Capello: We're unlucky |
Fabio Capello has put Juve�s latest stutter in Sicily down to pure bad luck and explains his tactical experiments. �We had two good chances in the first half, although they did push us and I confess we struggled,� he commented after the 0-0 draw at Messina.
�After the break, we had some incredible scoring opportunities and didn�t take them. We�re unlucky at the moment and the ball just isn�t going in.�
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was their most dangerous player, but twice he failed to find the net with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Alessandro Del Piero was voted Man of the Match after his fine performance.
�Del Piero was great in the first half, dribbling past players and creating a wonderful chance for Emerson,� continued Capello. �He played well and the whole team raised their game in the second period, but clearly Alessandro is improving with each match.�
At this rate, and with David Trezeguet struggling with flu, it�s likely Del Piero will earn a starting place at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.
�We are in good physical condition, so that is the most important thing. We still have to see how we set ourselves out against Real Madrid.�
Capello staged another tactical revolution for this encounter, playing with a 3-5-2 system that turned to 5-3-2 under pressure.
�We played with three defenders, then Del Piero and Mauro Camoranesi supporting Ibrahimovic. If Pavel Nedved returns then we�ll see how to adjust our tactics, as he has characteristics that give us real depth and pace.�
The result means Juve have earned just four points in their last four games and if Milan beat Cagliari this evening they will catch the Bianconeri at the top of the table.
"If there was a team that deserved to win this, then that was Messina," said Riccardo Zampagna.
"I hit the woodwork and there was a penalty for a push on me. We played very well and should have come away with all three points."
| 19.02.05 19:15/- Messina 0-0 Juventus |
Both teams hit the frame of the goal in this fiery encounter, but Messina succeeded in stifling Juve for a 0-0 draw in Sicily. This tie had not been played in the top flight for more than 40 years, but Juventus have never won in Sicily. Fabio Capello was forced to do without Pavel Nedved and David Trezeguet, so he switched to a 5-3-2 system with Alessandro Del Piero partnering Zlatan Ibrahimovic upfront and Gianluca Zambrotta and Jonathan Zebina pushing forward from the flanks.
Massimo Donati's tame effort went wide of the near post, then Del Piero curled a couple of free kicks just over the bar. The Juve captain latched on to Zambrotta's cutback and fired it past the upright with the outside of his foot.
The Bianconeri's best chance came after 25 minutes when Marco Storari could only beat away a fierce Del Piero effort, then Ibrahimovic failed to make the most of the loose ball by hitting it straight into the goalkeeper's arms.
Play continued and at the other end of the pitch Arturo Di Napoli's penalty appeals for a Lilian Thuram nudge were waved away.
However, Messina could not have gone closer to opening the lead than on the half-hour mark. Gaetano D'Agostino's free kick found Riccardo Zampagna's diving header and the ball smashed off the near post with Gigi Buffon left stranded.
There were more spot-kick appeals when Di Napoli and Zampagna wrestled with two defenders for the ball around the six yard box.
Moments later Del Piero sprinted through the centre and cut through for Emerson, but just as Ibrahimovic was preparing to pounce on Rahman Rezaei's clearance, Marco Storari smothered the danger.
Buffon did well to hold his ground and get behind a powerful long-range strike from Zampagna, then Di Napoli scissor-kicked a D'Agostino cross wide, though the linesman had already flagged for offside.
On the stroke of half-time, Rezaei left Del Piero unmarked to chest down a searching free kick, but his half-volley was off target.
Andre Kpolo Zoro and Mauro Camoranesi had a scuffle just before the break and the defender was booked for his reaction, but replays show the Juventus player had kicked out in an off the ball incident.
Gianluca Zambrotta had the first chance of the second half when he hooked the ball with his right foot and spun round for a left-foot shot that dribbled just past the upright.
Alessandro Parisi needed an acrobatic clearance to prevent Zebina tapping in a splendid Emerson pass to the back post. Del Piero touched on a free kick that Swedish international Ibrahimovic slammed over the bar.
Capello made another tactical change on the hour mark, introducing Marcelo Zalayeta for defender Zebina and switching to a 3-4-3 system.
The Messina defence was taken totally by surprise moments later, as Zambrotta ran down the left flank and rolled the ball across for a totally unmarked Ibrahimovic. He was behind the ball, so was not in an offside position, but he incredibly fired on to the frame of the goal from seven yards with only the 'keeper to beat.
The Sicilians also made adjustments, introducing midfielders Domenico Giampa' and Rafael in place of the disappointing Ivica Iliev and D'Agostino. The final stages were hampered by a heavy rainstorm over the Stadio San Filippo.
Substitute Rafael sprung the offside trap, but failed to make the most of this opportunity as his first touch let him down.
Juve were forced into their second change, as Paolo Montero limped off with a muscular problem and made way for Ciro Ferrara.
With ten minutes to go Ibrahimovic sprung the offside trap and again fired straight at brave goalkeeper Storari, but Emerson shoved Zoro in the back as he cleared off the line and Messina emerged unscathed. Despite six minutes of stoppages, Capello's men were unable to break them down and it ends 0-0.
Pete says: "Not Zlatan's worst performance this season, but certainly not his best. He fit well into a lacklustre-looking side in Sicily. Juventus never looked convincing enough to score and Zlatan's lack of clinical finishing maybe cost his team 2pts. Not the best of times at Juventus, but with a tough tie away in the Champions League on Tuesday looming - it looks as if a much better Zlatan and indeed Juve will be needed in Madrid to make the grade. Believe it or not, Alex Del Piero was our shining beacon today - let's see if his bout of good form can be mirrored in Europe this week."
| 18.02.05 19:38/- Trez and Nedved sidelined |
Leaders Juventus will face Messina on Saturday without both David Trezeguet and Pavel Nedved. The pair have been omitted from the squad for the Week 25 clash, escalating fears that the Czech ace will also miss the Champions� League game against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
"Trezeguet currently has a fever and he won�t travel to Messina, but we are optimistic that he will be fine for Madrid," stated boss Fabio Capello.
"Nedved hasn�t made it either and he is a doubt for Real. At this moment in time he won�t play, even if we might still take him to Spain to see whether to risk him for part of the game."
The midfielder has been on the sidelines with a knee injury since the victory over Brescia on January 23.
Although the Bernabeu clash is undoubtedly the club�s biggest game of the season so far, Capello wants his side to focus on one match at a time.
"Messina will be very difficult," he stated ahead of the Stadio San Filippo tie. "They are a side to be feared at home.
"We are now not thinking about Real because we can�t afford any mistakes if we want to maintain our Serie A leadership."
It is unclear at this stage what sort of side Capello will select tomorrow, but Alex Del Piero will probably partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack.
The tactician is also likely to revert back to a 4-4-2, despite using a 3-4-3 against Udinese and testing a 5-3-2 in training this week.
Squad: Buffon, Ferrara, Tacchinardi, Montero, Pessotto, Emerson, Ibrahimovic, Del Piero, Chimenti, Birindelli, Camoranesi, Appiah, Zambrotta, Blasi, Thuram, Bonnefoi, Olivera, Zalayeta, Zebina, Cannavaro.
| /- ZIs has no affiliation whatsoever with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Juventus the club or the club's official website at juventus.com |