Category Archives: Juventus

Matri turns match winner Coppa Italia 2015

Alessandro spoke of his delight after the game: “We’re good at making sure we’re always ready”

 

 

Matri’s smile said it all. It was the smile of a man whose two goals went a long way towards securing the Coppa Italia, first turning the tide in the semi-final at Fiorentina, before settling the final tonight.

“Obviously it feels amazing for me personally but regardless of that it’s fantastic to win our 10th Coppa,” he admitted.

Ale epitomises a team that never give up, in which everyone is ready to stand up and be counted and give 100% whenever called upon.

“A feature of our play is that we’re always ready – to a man – even if we only play 10 minutes. We’ve always got a huge will to win, we’re naturally very driven.

“This Coppa is a reward for the hard work we’ve put in over the last year. Now we’re in the right frame of mind to prepare for the final in Berlin,” added Mitra.

“Barcelona are in our sights, we know we’re a good side and we’ll approach the game with hope and a great desire to win it.”

Allegri hails “magnificent” cup final display – Coppa Italia 2015

The boss offers his post-match verdict: “It’s never easy to do the double. Now let’s see what happens on 6 June”

 

 

Max Allegri’s relentless pursuit of success shows no sign of easing up. Not even after adding another Scudetto crown and a 10th Coppa Italia to Juve’s trophy cabinet.

That’s why his thoughts turned to the Champions League immediately after tonight’s cup triumph. “It wasn’t easy to do the league and cup double. Now we’ll see what the next final has in store for us,” he declared.

He also gave credit where it was due to the beaten finalists: “Lazio were superb, they really are in fine fettle. They were a tad unlucky too, but as we all know moments turn matches in football. Before they hit both posts we had chances of our own.”

The coach went on to praise his own charges: “All the lads did brilliantly. It wasn’t an easy game. Lazio made a strong start then we came into it more in the second half.

“Going all the way in three competitions as we have is no simple task. We put in a magnificent performance tonight. The players were fantastic.”

Chiellini cherishes Coppa success

“We’d waited 20 years, we wanted it, we’ve won it and now we’ll enjoy it”

 

 

Giorgio Chiellini put in a sensational performance. His wonderful goal restored parity to a match that began as an uphill battle. He followed that with a near-flawless display at the back. It was little wonder he struggled to contain his excitement post-match.

“We put in a brilliant performance against a side on good form that caused us problems,” he explained. “We knew that coming in, we imagined it would be tough but we fought and stayed together throughout. Plus we’ve got players who can turn games in an instant.”

The success is down to the squad, with Chiellini adding that, “We always find our own motivation, that drive to win and push our boundaries.”

It had been some wait, for a trophy the club had long been striving for. “We’d waited 20 years for this, we wanted it and deserved it and Berlin is still some way off. We’ll celebrate winning this.”

Juve seal historic tenth Coppa Italia triumph!

Substitute Alessandro Matri’s extra-time goal enables Juventus to become the first club to win 10 Coppa Italia trophies, earning a 2-1 triumph over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico

 

 

 

An extra-time strike from Alessandro Matri earned Juventus a historic tenth Coppa Italia success and domestic double with a 2-1 win over Lazio on an incredible night in the capital.

Quick-fire goals within the opening 11 minutes by captains Stefan Radu and Giorgio Chiellini set the tone for an entertaining final, with both sides having first-half chances to go into the break with the upper hand.

The second 45 minutes, however, produced a much more edgy affair, characterised by plenty of physicality in the midfield battle and precious little chances on goal.

Despite the lack of clear-cut opportunities, the Bianconeri thought they had sealed a last-gasp winner when substitute Alessandro Matri sent Andrea Pirlo’s inviting pass into the back of the net, only to see his effort chalked off for offside.

After being dealt a let-off of their own when Filip Djordjevic saw a dangerous strike bounce back off both posts, Juventus edged in front courtesy of a close-range finish from Matri, who gleefully swept past Etrit Berisha six minutes into extra-time with what proved to be the eventual winner.

Both finalists began with plenty of energy but it was Lazio who seized an early advantage with just four minutes on the clock. A Danilo Cataldi delivery from the right-hand side did the damage, enabling captain Radu to rise above his marker and plant a firm header into the top corner.

The early opener had a galvanising effect on the Bianconeri who levelled matters just five minutes later. An Andrea Pirlo free-kick towards the far post was headed back across the face of goal by Patrice Evra, with Chiellini on hand to do the rest courtesy of an acrobatic finish from close range.

Two early strikes and a high tempo to the game gave the impression that the chances would keep flowing for both sides, but that was not the case as the encounter settled down into a more moderate pace.

Guided by the perennial threat of Felipe Anderson on the counter, Lazio began to enjoy the better of proceedings as the match edged past the midway point of the first half and could have regained their lead through a Marco Parolo snap shot from the edge of the area that flashed just wide of the upright on 32 minutes.

This sparked a couple of Bianconeri chances before the interval. On 40 minutes, Tevez went close to making a decent connection with Evra’s cutback after a slide rule pass by fellow Frenchman Paul Pogba had sent the left-back bombing into the box, eventually sending his effort over the crossbar.

Two minutes later, heavy Tevez pressing on Berisha forced the goalkeeper to hurriedly clear his lines, breathing a sigh of relief when the Argentine’s block dropped wide of the upright.

The start of the second half brought more intensity from both sides, Pogba and Parolo both trying their luck at goal, but clear-cut opportunities remained at a premium as the midfield battle ruled supreme.

With the combative affair now into its final 15 minutes of normal time, Massimiliano Allegri replaced Pogba with Roberto Pereyra, who moved to the right of the central midfield three with Vidal switching to the left.

A golden opportunity to pounce at the death fell in Lazio’s favour with 84 minutes on the clock, but Djordjevic was thwarted by an ever-alert Storari, who raced off his line to prevent the substitute converting from an acute angle.

Moments later, Matri, on in place of Fernando Llorente, thought he had netted a late winner when he swept Pirlo’s delightful through ball past Berisha, but the linesman had other ideas, ruling his effort out for offside.

The start of extra-time saw Djordjevic once again in the thick of the action, leaving Bianconeri hearts in mouths when his fierce left-footed strike bounced off both posts before rolling away to safety, but the black and white faithful would soon be gasping again, this time for a different reason entirely.

A quick counter attack saw an opportunity presented to Tevez and, after having his shot blocked, Matri was on hand to sweep the ball beyond Berisha with a shot that proved too hot to handle on 96 minutes.

The Blucerchiati threw bodies forward in a bid to get back into the game, but the Bianconeri also had their chances to break on the counter. This particular scenario earned them a free-kick from a dangerous position, yet Pirlo was unable to catch Berisha unawares at his near post with 11 minutes of extra-time to play.

Despite a few flutters as Lazio upped the pressure at the end, Juventus held out to celebrate a richly deserved triumph, with Chiellini rounding off a sensational evening’s work by lifting the trophy in front of jubilant Bianconeri supporters.

One domestic double down, now time to push for an incredible treble.

 

Official formations – lineups: Juventus vs Lazio, Coppa Italia Final, Wednesday 20 May 2015

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Juventus FC Juventus – Lazio SS Lazio

 

Here are JUVENTUS vs LAZIO official formations – lineups for the Coppa Italia Final on Wednesday 20 May 2015 at the Olimpico di Roma Stadium in Rome, Italy at 20:45

Juventus (3-5-2): Storari; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Pogba, Pirlo, Vidal, Evra; Tevez, Llorente.

Coach.: Allegri.

Lazio (3-4-3): Berisha; de Vrij, Gentiletti, Radu; Basta, Parolo, Cataldi, Lulić; Candreva, Klose, Felipe Anderson.

Coach: Pioli.

Coppa Italia Tickets / Italy Cup Tickets

Coppa Italia Tickets 2014 – 2015 Coppa Italia Final

Juventus – Lazio
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Olimpico di Roma Stadium
Rome, Italy

20:45

Referee: ORSATO
Assistants:  FAVERANI – STEFANI
Fourth Official:  TAGLIAVENTO
ADD1: BANTI
ADD2: MAZZOLENI
Reserve: PETRELLA