Juventus takes on Pele and Zico this weekend…or other geriatric Brazilians

By: agiamba | April 7th, 2008

Well, Sunday sucked. No two words about it, after a slow half, we were sieging Palermo for most of the 2nd and we were very unlucky not to come away with anything.

#1) AC Milan this weekend. I’ve always loved this fixture, the two greatest Italian sides and for me this is the real competition in Serie A. Before this weekend, I would have said Juventus was going to comfortably win this one. 3-1, 2-0, something like that. Afterwards…it’s a little iffier. We played very well at Palermo, no doubt, and it’s very encouraging, but Milan rebounded to the kind of form they’ve been missing all season. SuperPippo scored a brace (he’s still scored 11 more goals for Juve than Milan…) and Kaka and Pirlo played well.

That said, we definitely be looking for another win. We are in good form, and Milan has been suspect all season. The best news for us is their backline- Oddo, Nesta, and Kaladze are all missing this one. This means, according to the friendly people over at the Milan Offsides their backline is going to be Cafu-Maldini-Bonera-Favalli, with Kalac in goal. This is where we are going to win the game. Maldini is world-class, was and still-is, he will be the strong point, but Bonera is suspect at times and Favalli and Cafu, well, no offense Milanistas but they are terrible. Both were once strong defenders but are far past their expiry date. Maybe Serginho will be thrown in, I don’t know, take their words over mine. If Del Piero and Trez can rip apart Inter, they can rip across this Milanese defense. Maybe Kalac will make another Dida-esque clanger(1:03), who knows. In the andata, Dida played terrific against us.

Despite their resurgence, I still think our backline can contain them..and our midfield is better, right now. Pirlo is refinding his form but Sissoko has just turned into a freaking beast, Camoranesi is playing the best of his career and Nedved, well, he’s not a Ballon d’Or winner for nothing. Oh yeah, and we’re at home. Prediction: 2-0.
To borrow from some other Offside writers, here’s some other predictions:
Chance Kalac makes Dida proud: 40%.
Chance Del Piero scores: 75%.
Chance Sissoko finally gets the red card he’s had coming: 30%.
Chance our squad starts slow and grows into the game: 70%.

An oldie but a goodie. Juventus drew 0-0 at home in the Andata of this season…and then conquered the San Siro.
Things I like about this video-
#1- My favorite Alessio Tacchinardi was in the game…so were legends Zidane, Peruzzi, and Ferrara, if not ADP.
#2- Franco Baresi and Maldini were both in this game also…but on the wrong side.
#3- Arrigo Sacchi’s reaction v. Paul Newman, aka God, aka Marcello Lippi. Sitting on the bench rubbing his face in…classic.
#4- Christian Vieri playing for Juve, club #7 out of 230. Seriously, can anyone find me someone who’s played for more teams in Italy? (Toni hasn’t, I checked)
#5- This game was played 11 years and 1 day ago. Minus purgatory…10 Serie A seasons ago, nearly to the day. (It works!) Let’s do it again.
#6- Milan finished in 11th place this season, and Roma finished in 12th. Beautiful.

Some Related Juventus Posts:

Category: Team News

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BigDawg 4 Milan

If we played like we played last week, we have a good chance to come away with a result, especially if Nesta's ban gets reduced.

I just hope Milan shows the same hunger and desire as they did last week. Kaka was amazing last week, albeit against Cagliari. But, I haven't seen him, or the team play that inspired since the second leg of the MAN-U game last year. And since our away form is much better than our form at home so we'll see what happens.

The problem is BUFFON, he's freakin awesome...Sissoko is running non-stop in the mid-field and Del Piero like Maldini (although not as old) is defying his age.
Anthony

A minority ownership would be great they could finance some summer transfers but with a bigger bankroll you need a better sporting director and secco would still manage to do nothing with all that extra money.
Alessio

Added note:

Nesta, Oddo, Kaladze, as I said are out, but Channel4 reports Favalli and Jankulovski are out also.
Deb

A minority ownership wouldn't neccessarily be bad, especially if they happen to... oh say, accidentally drop a steel beam on Secco before he manages to sell off all our young talent. ;)

Like everybody else on this blog, I'd really like to know what Nocerino and Molinaro have on Ranieri, considering that neither can pass for shit and yet they keep getting first team action. For a tinkerman he seems to play favourites an awful lot.

I hope Momo-Tiago get an extended run out together over the end of the season. I thought they were linking up quite well against Palermo. And the Milan game is winnable as long as the team shows up to play the entire 90 minutes rather than just the final 45. *eyeroll*
alessio

Gabriella, I'm ok with minority ownership, the leader of Algeria I think had a similar deal several years ago, but I'm dead set against a foreign takeover. I don't want to be like the EPL and sell our soul for a few more expensive players. We've built legendary teams in the past from our youth team and smart transfers, and we should continue to do so.

Anthony, he is, even under the current ownership. The current president of FIAT and his grandchildren, the Elkanns, don't care about Juve as much as he/the old Agnellis did...they didn't fight Calciopoli. Juventino conspiracists think it's so they could buy out the shares at rock bottom prices.
Anthony

goal.com says its a 100% take over theres something abit fishy gianni agnelli is probably turning in his grave.
Gabriella (ASR)

http://www.channel4.com/sport/...

how about this rumor?
ozzman

Nocerino is a hitman for hire player nobody cares if he is carded... as long as he does his job by stopping the best player from the opposition...
R.J.

Nocerino has absolutely zero touch. the only thing he CAN do is play hard, but that doesn't always translate to playing well. He goes all out for sure, but his touch is laughable at best. He can't pass to save his life whether it be short, long, crossing, or through. His intensity is good but he needs to watch Zanetti, and how he calmly puts balls where they need to be, and learn.

sissoko = badmotherfucker
adam

thats true alessio but you cant deny that tiago hasent been improving alot. look at the parma game the first half we played horrible. when tiago came in for nocerino the midfield was alot better, passes were more complete and crosses were more accurate. nocerino was repeatedly giving the ball away and at this point of the season if we want to keep our champions league spot we cant afford to have someone like nocerino continuosly giving away the ball in midfield.
alessio

Joe, well, Ranieri obviously prefers a midfield with two defensive central midfielders, and pre-Sissoko that's the only two we had, plus Tiago/Almiron, who were not given enough playing time, sucked. I don't blame Ranieri for not playing them more...in that form you'd get attacked all over for it.

Nocerino has enormous potential...but Gattuso also sucked when he was young. I hope we keep onto him, loan him out next year (he's young) because Cristiano Zanetti who is awesome, is not getting younger. Momo Sissoko is a beast though. So I'd say Nocerino was played because there weren't any other real alternatives until Sissoko came around. (and then Zanetti got injured)
R.J.

Alessio, how do you say garbage in Italian? oh yeah, i remember now, Nocerino.
Joe

What is the love with Nocerino by the way. I know he was touted by some as the next Gattuso but he doesn't seem to play under control much. Is it Ranieri's love for him or are there other pressures coming down that's causing him to get so much time on the pitch? Just curious from an outside observer.
adam

i cant wait for this game, hopefully our luck will change. our offence needs to kick it up a gear. ADP cant carry this team on his back every game. Trez needs to finish those shots from point blank. and as always nocerino needs to be on the bench, but we all know thats not gonna happen.