Coppa Italia 1st leg: Empoli vs Juventus [DEC 6th 2007] (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mark
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Malesani: Just what we need!
Empoli boss Alberto Malesani is far from enthusiastic at facing Juventus in the opening Coppa Italia last 16 clash tomorrow night.
The lowly Tuscans have a crucial encounter against fellow strugglers Cagliari on Sunday, but first they must entertain a Bianconeri side on menacing form.
While Empoli received a bye to this stage of the tournament, Juve have already come past Parma and Malesani isn’t relishing their visit.
“The Coppa Italia isn’t exactly an unforeseen problem, but I would have worked better if I could just think about Cagliari,” Gigi Cagni’s replacement moaned.
“I’ll use the Coppa game to get to know this squad a little better and see some other players at work.
“But obviously we don’t want to be embarrassed at home against Juventus.”
The last 16 sees the competition revert to the two-legged system, with second legs being played in January.
Football Italia
Not anymore. He is working on his match fitness, I think. I´m not sure if he is able to start the game. Probably not.
It seems that these players are NOT called up for Empoli match: Andrade, Buffon, Camoranesi, Chiellini, Nedved, Olivera, Trezeguet, Zanetti and Zebina.
You´ve got nothing on me, "Reporter".
It seems that these players are NOT called up for Empoli match: Andrade, Buffon, Camoranesi, Chiellini, Nedved, Olivera, Trezeguet, Zanetti and Zebina.
You´ve got nothing on me, "Reporter".
Not anymore. He is working on his match fitness, I think. I´m not sure if he is able to start the game. Probably not.
It seems that these players are NOT called up for Empoli match: Andrade, Buffon, Camoranesi, Chiellini, Nedved, Olivera, Trezeguet, Zanetti and Zebina.
You´ve got nothing on me, "Reporter".
It seems that these players are NOT called up for Empoli match: Andrade, Buffon, Camoranesi, Chiellini, Nedved, Olivera, Trezeguet, Zanetti and Zebina.
You´ve got nothing on me, "Reporter".
Coppa Italia Preview: Empoli – Juventus
What: Coppa Italia: Round of 16 First Leg
Who: Empoli vs Juventus
When: Thursday December 6, 20:30 (CET)
Where: Stadio Castellani, Empoli
Empoli Having A Miserable Season
Empoli are having a campaign to forget and are currently rock-bottom of Serie A having picked up just 10 points in 14 games.
It is a far cry from last year, when they finished in a magnificent seventh position and qualified for the UEFA Cup.
They were promptly eliminated in the first round by FC Zurich and confidence within the squad has since dropped dangerously low.
In many respects it has been a strange campaign as Empoli have performed well against the big teams, beating Milan 1-0 at San Siro, defeating Palermo 3-1, and drawing 2-2 with Roma.
However they have struggled against the smaller squads and their slide down the table inevitably resulted in the sacking of Coach Gigi Cagni. His replacement Alberto Malesani did not have the debut he was looking for, as the Tuscans fell 1-0 at Parma.
Thursday’s game against Juventus may provide Empoli with a chance to go out and play a relaxed game without the fear of losing.
However Malesani has hinted that he will do what his predecessor Cagni did in the Uefa Cup, and rest players for the far more important Serie A survival game against Cagliari this weekend.
If this is the case it is very difficult to see any result other than a Juventus win.
Juventus With Excellent Record Over Empoli
Due to Empoli’s rather obscure history until the 1980s, the two teams have only actually met each other on 15 occasions.
Unsurprisingly Juventus hold a dominant record over the Tuscans, winning 11, drawing two and losing just a couple of these games.
Empoli’s last victory over the Bianconeri came eight-and-a-half years ago, while the last time the two teams met at the Castellani back in 2005, Juve thrashed their sorry opponents 4-0 thanks to goals from David Trezeguet (2), Patrick Vieira and Mauro Camoranesi.
The Azzurri may take heart from a hugely entertaining clash in 2004, when now Lazio star Tommaso Rocchi hit a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw in Empoli. The prolific Trezeguet replied with a treble of his own that day.
Juventus go into the tie as huge favourites, due to the excellent start to the season which sees them sitting in third position in Serie A.
However the Coppa Italia is a competition that the Old Lady have historically not cared too much about, and indeed they have only lifted the trophy on two occasions in the past 25 years, the last time coming in 1995.
Nevertheless Gianluigi Buffon ensures that Juve want to win the cup this year.
“The Coppa Italia is one of our objectives, like the League title, and it would be a great result if we managed to win it, also because I’ve never won it in my seven years at Juve,” the world’s number one shot-stopper said.
FORM GUIDE (All Serie A)
Empoli
10/31 Juventus 3-0 Empoli
11/4 Empoli 2-2 Roma
11/11 Sampdoria 3-0 Empoli
11/25 Empoli 0-0 Torino
12/02 Parma 1-0 Empoli
Juventus
10/31 Juventus 3-0 Empoli
11/4 Juventus 1-1 Inter
11/11 Parma 2-2 Juventus
11/25 Juventus 5-0 Palermo
12/01 Milan 0-0 Juventus
TEAM NEWS
Empoli
Empoli boss Albert Malesani has admitted that this game will play second-fiddle to this weekend’s crucial relegation match against Cagliari, so a number of second-choice players may be handed starts. Daniele Adani and Felice Piccolo are definitely out.
Juventus
As mentioned above, Gianluigi Buffon has stated that the Coppa Italia is a key objective for the club this season, so Claudio Ranieri is expected to field a strong line-up. David Trezeguet may be rested having started all of Juve’s Serie A games this season. Marcho Marchionni will be given the chance to regain some fitness, however Jorge Andrade and Jean-Alain Boumsong are still missing with long-term injuries.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Giovinco (Empoli)
The 20-year-old 'Italian Lionel Messi’ is one of the hottest prospects in European football, however he has been criminally underused this season, making just two Serie A starts and being limited mainly to substitute appearances. Despite this he is still the joint-top scorer for the Tuscans this campaign, although with two goals this isn’t saying much.
Palladino (Juventus)
The Napoli-born star is just one of four strikers in red-hot form for Juve at the moment. The 23-year-old, who recently made his Italian national team debut, is likely to get a start in this game and I can see him causing real problems for the Empoli backline with his skill and creativity.
PREDICTION
Empoli are in shocking form at the moment, while Juventus’ confidence is sky high. I foresee a comfortable away victory in this one.
Empoli 0-3 Juventus
Carlo Garganese , Goal.com
What: Coppa Italia: Round of 16 First Leg
Who: Empoli vs Juventus
When: Thursday December 6, 20:30 (CET)
Where: Stadio Castellani, Empoli
Empoli Having A Miserable Season
Empoli are having a campaign to forget and are currently rock-bottom of Serie A having picked up just 10 points in 14 games.
It is a far cry from last year, when they finished in a magnificent seventh position and qualified for the UEFA Cup.
They were promptly eliminated in the first round by FC Zurich and confidence within the squad has since dropped dangerously low.
In many respects it has been a strange campaign as Empoli have performed well against the big teams, beating Milan 1-0 at San Siro, defeating Palermo 3-1, and drawing 2-2 with Roma.
However they have struggled against the smaller squads and their slide down the table inevitably resulted in the sacking of Coach Gigi Cagni. His replacement Alberto Malesani did not have the debut he was looking for, as the Tuscans fell 1-0 at Parma.
Thursday’s game against Juventus may provide Empoli with a chance to go out and play a relaxed game without the fear of losing.
However Malesani has hinted that he will do what his predecessor Cagni did in the Uefa Cup, and rest players for the far more important Serie A survival game against Cagliari this weekend.
If this is the case it is very difficult to see any result other than a Juventus win.
Juventus With Excellent Record Over Empoli
Due to Empoli’s rather obscure history until the 1980s, the two teams have only actually met each other on 15 occasions.
Unsurprisingly Juventus hold a dominant record over the Tuscans, winning 11, drawing two and losing just a couple of these games.
Empoli’s last victory over the Bianconeri came eight-and-a-half years ago, while the last time the two teams met at the Castellani back in 2005, Juve thrashed their sorry opponents 4-0 thanks to goals from David Trezeguet (2), Patrick Vieira and Mauro Camoranesi.
The Azzurri may take heart from a hugely entertaining clash in 2004, when now Lazio star Tommaso Rocchi hit a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw in Empoli. The prolific Trezeguet replied with a treble of his own that day.
Juventus go into the tie as huge favourites, due to the excellent start to the season which sees them sitting in third position in Serie A.
However the Coppa Italia is a competition that the Old Lady have historically not cared too much about, and indeed they have only lifted the trophy on two occasions in the past 25 years, the last time coming in 1995.
Nevertheless Gianluigi Buffon ensures that Juve want to win the cup this year.
“The Coppa Italia is one of our objectives, like the League title, and it would be a great result if we managed to win it, also because I’ve never won it in my seven years at Juve,” the world’s number one shot-stopper said.
FORM GUIDE (All Serie A)
Empoli
10/31 Juventus 3-0 Empoli
11/4 Empoli 2-2 Roma
11/11 Sampdoria 3-0 Empoli
11/25 Empoli 0-0 Torino
12/02 Parma 1-0 Empoli
Juventus
10/31 Juventus 3-0 Empoli
11/4 Juventus 1-1 Inter
11/11 Parma 2-2 Juventus
11/25 Juventus 5-0 Palermo
12/01 Milan 0-0 Juventus
TEAM NEWS
Empoli
Empoli boss Albert Malesani has admitted that this game will play second-fiddle to this weekend’s crucial relegation match against Cagliari, so a number of second-choice players may be handed starts. Daniele Adani and Felice Piccolo are definitely out.
Juventus
As mentioned above, Gianluigi Buffon has stated that the Coppa Italia is a key objective for the club this season, so Claudio Ranieri is expected to field a strong line-up. David Trezeguet may be rested having started all of Juve’s Serie A games this season. Marcho Marchionni will be given the chance to regain some fitness, however Jorge Andrade and Jean-Alain Boumsong are still missing with long-term injuries.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Giovinco (Empoli)
The 20-year-old 'Italian Lionel Messi’ is one of the hottest prospects in European football, however he has been criminally underused this season, making just two Serie A starts and being limited mainly to substitute appearances. Despite this he is still the joint-top scorer for the Tuscans this campaign, although with two goals this isn’t saying much.
Palladino (Juventus)
The Napoli-born star is just one of four strikers in red-hot form for Juve at the moment. The 23-year-old, who recently made his Italian national team debut, is likely to get a start in this game and I can see him causing real problems for the Empoli backline with his skill and creativity.
PREDICTION
Empoli are in shocking form at the moment, while Juventus’ confidence is sky high. I foresee a comfortable away victory in this one.
Empoli 0-3 Juventus
Carlo Garganese , Goal.com
Ranieri to send in reserves
Claudio Ranieri is set to field a second-string side for Juventus’ Coppa Italia game against Empoli tomorrow.
The Old Lady have enjoyed a superb start to the campaign after their spell of Purgatory in Serie B last term.
Ranieri’s men beat Parma 3-1 in the last round with a strong 11, but the ex-Chelsea tactician will be keen to rest as many men as possible ahead of Sunday’s game against Atalanta.
Gigi Buffon, Mauro Camoranesi, Giorgio Chiellini, Pavel Nedved, David Trezeguet, Jonathan Zebina and Cristiano Zanetti won’t feature and Sergio Almiron and Tiago Mendes may have a chance to shine.
“It’s up to them to take the bull by the horns and convince me – that’s what I want,” Ranieri insisted.
Alessandro Del Piero may also get a start, but Ranieri is adamant that Pinturricchio doesn’t need to prove himself.
“Del Piero is a different matter, as he doesn’t have to win me over,” he stressed.
“He is in pole position as ever. He is a great champion and me captain and I have a close relationship with him.”
The last 16 first leg kicks off at 7.45 at Empoli’s Stadio Castellani.
channel 4
Claudio Ranieri is set to field a second-string side for Juventus’ Coppa Italia game against Empoli tomorrow.
The Old Lady have enjoyed a superb start to the campaign after their spell of Purgatory in Serie B last term.
Ranieri’s men beat Parma 3-1 in the last round with a strong 11, but the ex-Chelsea tactician will be keen to rest as many men as possible ahead of Sunday’s game against Atalanta.
Gigi Buffon, Mauro Camoranesi, Giorgio Chiellini, Pavel Nedved, David Trezeguet, Jonathan Zebina and Cristiano Zanetti won’t feature and Sergio Almiron and Tiago Mendes may have a chance to shine.
“It’s up to them to take the bull by the horns and convince me – that’s what I want,” Ranieri insisted.
Alessandro Del Piero may also get a start, but Ranieri is adamant that Pinturricchio doesn’t need to prove himself.
“Del Piero is a different matter, as he doesn’t have to win me over,” he stressed.
“He is in pole position as ever. He is a great champion and me captain and I have a close relationship with him.”
The last 16 first leg kicks off at 7.45 at Empoli’s Stadio Castellani.
channel 4
