Serie A Preview: Juventus - Inter
Who: Juventus (3rd, 20pts) versus Inter (1st, 24pts)
When: 2030 CET, Sunday, 4th November 2007
Where: Stadio Olimpico, Turin
Juventus Fired Up
The biggest game of the Serie A season so far sees Serie B champions Juventus host Scudetto holders and league-leaders Inter.
Much more rides on this game than just three points and the Bianconeri have 18 months of post-Calciopoli anger ready to pour out onto the pitch.
Italy’s most successful club were infamously revoked of their two Scudetti from 2005 and 2006 and relegated to Serie B following the crisis last summer.
They have surprisingly impressed upon their return to the top-flight and go into Sunday’s Derby d’Italia in third place, just four points behind their opponents.
This gap would have been much closer had it not been for the scandalous events of last Saturday, when Juventus had two non-existent penalties given against them during the 3-1 defeat to Napoli.
The match at San Paolo only served to confirm to many people that there is a conspiracy against the Old Lady, first in penalising them during Calciopoli, and now in making them suffer upon their return to the top.
Claudio Ranieri’s men are sure to be fired up for victory in Sunday’s game and with the likes of David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero in red-hot form recently, I certainly would not bet against them coming away with a victory.
The Inter Machine Rolls On
While Juventus were the team that suffered most from Calciopoli, Inter were undoubtedly the club that benefited the most.
They bought two world-class players off the Bianconeri in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, and waltzed to last season’s Scudetto after virtually all the big teams were handed big point-penalties.
At this current time there can be little doubt that the Nerazzurri are the strongest team domestically in Italy. They are still unbeaten in Serie A this season, with seven wins, three draws, and just six goals conceded.
Roberto Mancini’s men are in awesome form, and prior to last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Palermo, they had won six games on the spin in all competitions, including a crushing 4-1 win at title rivals Roma.
The last time Inter and Juventus met in Serie A was in February 2006, when goals from Alessandro Del Piero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave the Bianconeri a 2-1 away victory.
Of course on Sunday Ibrahimovic will be lining up for Inter, and he is certain to be booed and jeered by the home crowd every time he touches the ball. The Swedish superstar is regarded by Juve fans as a traitor after moving to the club’s bitter rivals after Calciopoli.
FORM GUIDE
Juventus
Match Result Date Championship
Juventus – Empoli 3 - 0 31/10/2007 SERIE A
Napoli - Juventus 3 - 1 27/10/2007 SERIE A
Juventus - Genoa 1 - 0 21/10/2007 SERIE A
Fiorentina - Juventus 1 – 1 07/10/2007 SERIE A
Torino – Juventus 0 - 1 30/09/2007 SERIE A
Juventus - Reggina 4 - 0 26/09/2007 SERIE A
Inter
Match Result Date Championship
Inter – Genoa 4 - 1 31/10/2007 SERIE A
Palermo – Inter 0 - 0 28/10/2007 SERIE A
CSKA – Inter 1 - 2 23/10/2007 CHAMP. LEAGUE
Reggina – Inter 0 - 1 21/10/2007 SERIE A
Inter - Napoli 2 – 1 07/10/2007 SERIE A
Inter - PSV 2 – 0 02/10/2007 CHAMP. LEAGUE
TEAM NEWS
Juventus
Juventus have been boosted by the return from suspension of Nicola Legrottaglie, Giorgio Chiellini, Antonio Nocerino and Pavel Nedved, while Mauro Camoranesi and Marco Marchionni have recently returned from injuries.
Coach Claudio Ranieri seems set to take the game to Inter and is expected to unleash a trident attack of Alessandro Del Piero, Vincenzo Iaquinta and David Trezeguet.
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Nocerino, Zanetti, Nedved; Del Piero, Iaquinta, Trezeguet
Inter
Reports in Italy on Friday have suggested that troubled Brazilian Adriano may be handed a shock starting role up-front alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Emperor has impressed in training over the past couple of days.
In other news Julio Cesar replaces Paolo Orlandoni in goal, however Marco Materazzi, Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic and Luis Jimenez are still injured.
Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Figo; Ibrahimovic, Adriano
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) – The Golden Boy is always at his best when he is fired up and there is no game that will motivate him more than a clash against bitter rivals Inter.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter) – The Swedish superstar faces the club that he left in such controversial circumstances in 2006. Ibra will be looking to silence the Juventus supporters who are certain to boo and jeer him every time he touches the ball.
PREDICTION
Juventus have 18 months of anger burning inside them and will be extremely fired up for this game. If they can use their heads as well as their hearts I can see them obtaining a famous victory over an Inter side weakened in midfield by the loss of Vieira and Stankovic. Juventus 2-1 Inter
Ibra To Juventus Fans: Bring It On
Zlatan 'Ibra' Ibrahimovic is ready to return to the Internazionale lineup in time to face Juventus, with the talismanic Swede delighted at the prospect of competing in one of Italy's biggest games. What's more, he's declared himself unafraid of a hostile reception from the bianconeri tifosi...
This weekend's Derby d'Italia is set to mark the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Inter lineup, just in time for this vital, table-topping clash with Juventus.
The Swede didn't take part in his side's 4-1 win over Genoa midweek but is fit and ready to return to the club that he left in 2006.
He told the press, "I'm excited by the prospect of playing against Juventus. I love these types of big games."
Ibra, who scored 26 times in 92 appearances for the Old Lady, is unfazed by the prospect of a hostile reception from the Juventus faithful.
Many regard him as a turncoat for leaving after Juve's relegation to Serie B, but the 26 year old is unrepentant.
"If they whistle me then that will make me happy," he grinned.
"They think I'm a traitor? That's the way things are in football.
"When you are at a club everyone is happy and they love you, then when you leave everyone is unhappy."
Inter sit atop Serie A with 24 points from a possible 30, but Juventus are close behind with 20.
The former Ajax striker joined Juve in 2004 after three years in Amsterdam. Previously, he served hometown club Malmo FF.
goal.com
Who: Juventus (3rd, 20pts) versus Inter (1st, 24pts)
When: 2030 CET, Sunday, 4th November 2007
Where: Stadio Olimpico, Turin
Juventus Fired Up
The biggest game of the Serie A season so far sees Serie B champions Juventus host Scudetto holders and league-leaders Inter.
Much more rides on this game than just three points and the Bianconeri have 18 months of post-Calciopoli anger ready to pour out onto the pitch.
Italy’s most successful club were infamously revoked of their two Scudetti from 2005 and 2006 and relegated to Serie B following the crisis last summer.
They have surprisingly impressed upon their return to the top-flight and go into Sunday’s Derby d’Italia in third place, just four points behind their opponents.
This gap would have been much closer had it not been for the scandalous events of last Saturday, when Juventus had two non-existent penalties given against them during the 3-1 defeat to Napoli.
The match at San Paolo only served to confirm to many people that there is a conspiracy against the Old Lady, first in penalising them during Calciopoli, and now in making them suffer upon their return to the top.
Claudio Ranieri’s men are sure to be fired up for victory in Sunday’s game and with the likes of David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero in red-hot form recently, I certainly would not bet against them coming away with a victory.
The Inter Machine Rolls On
While Juventus were the team that suffered most from Calciopoli, Inter were undoubtedly the club that benefited the most.
They bought two world-class players off the Bianconeri in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira, and waltzed to last season’s Scudetto after virtually all the big teams were handed big point-penalties.
At this current time there can be little doubt that the Nerazzurri are the strongest team domestically in Italy. They are still unbeaten in Serie A this season, with seven wins, three draws, and just six goals conceded.
Roberto Mancini’s men are in awesome form, and prior to last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Palermo, they had won six games on the spin in all competitions, including a crushing 4-1 win at title rivals Roma.
The last time Inter and Juventus met in Serie A was in February 2006, when goals from Alessandro Del Piero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic gave the Bianconeri a 2-1 away victory.
Of course on Sunday Ibrahimovic will be lining up for Inter, and he is certain to be booed and jeered by the home crowd every time he touches the ball. The Swedish superstar is regarded by Juve fans as a traitor after moving to the club’s bitter rivals after Calciopoli.
FORM GUIDE
Juventus
Match Result Date Championship
Juventus – Empoli 3 - 0 31/10/2007 SERIE A
Napoli - Juventus 3 - 1 27/10/2007 SERIE A
Juventus - Genoa 1 - 0 21/10/2007 SERIE A
Fiorentina - Juventus 1 – 1 07/10/2007 SERIE A
Torino – Juventus 0 - 1 30/09/2007 SERIE A
Juventus - Reggina 4 - 0 26/09/2007 SERIE A
Inter
Match Result Date Championship
Inter – Genoa 4 - 1 31/10/2007 SERIE A
Palermo – Inter 0 - 0 28/10/2007 SERIE A
CSKA – Inter 1 - 2 23/10/2007 CHAMP. LEAGUE
Reggina – Inter 0 - 1 21/10/2007 SERIE A
Inter - Napoli 2 – 1 07/10/2007 SERIE A
Inter - PSV 2 – 0 02/10/2007 CHAMP. LEAGUE
TEAM NEWS
Juventus
Juventus have been boosted by the return from suspension of Nicola Legrottaglie, Giorgio Chiellini, Antonio Nocerino and Pavel Nedved, while Mauro Camoranesi and Marco Marchionni have recently returned from injuries.
Coach Claudio Ranieri seems set to take the game to Inter and is expected to unleash a trident attack of Alessandro Del Piero, Vincenzo Iaquinta and David Trezeguet.
Juventus (probable): Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Nocerino, Zanetti, Nedved; Del Piero, Iaquinta, Trezeguet
Inter
Reports in Italy on Friday have suggested that troubled Brazilian Adriano may be handed a shock starting role up-front alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Emperor has impressed in training over the past couple of days.
In other news Julio Cesar replaces Paolo Orlandoni in goal, however Marco Materazzi, Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic and Luis Jimenez are still injured.
Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Figo; Ibrahimovic, Adriano
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) – The Golden Boy is always at his best when he is fired up and there is no game that will motivate him more than a clash against bitter rivals Inter.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter) – The Swedish superstar faces the club that he left in such controversial circumstances in 2006. Ibra will be looking to silence the Juventus supporters who are certain to boo and jeer him every time he touches the ball.
PREDICTION
Juventus have 18 months of anger burning inside them and will be extremely fired up for this game. If they can use their heads as well as their hearts I can see them obtaining a famous victory over an Inter side weakened in midfield by the loss of Vieira and Stankovic. Juventus 2-1 Inter
Ibra To Juventus Fans: Bring It On
Zlatan 'Ibra' Ibrahimovic is ready to return to the Internazionale lineup in time to face Juventus, with the talismanic Swede delighted at the prospect of competing in one of Italy's biggest games. What's more, he's declared himself unafraid of a hostile reception from the bianconeri tifosi...
This weekend's Derby d'Italia is set to mark the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the Inter lineup, just in time for this vital, table-topping clash with Juventus.
The Swede didn't take part in his side's 4-1 win over Genoa midweek but is fit and ready to return to the club that he left in 2006.
He told the press, "I'm excited by the prospect of playing against Juventus. I love these types of big games."
Ibra, who scored 26 times in 92 appearances for the Old Lady, is unfazed by the prospect of a hostile reception from the Juventus faithful.
Many regard him as a turncoat for leaving after Juve's relegation to Serie B, but the 26 year old is unrepentant.
"If they whistle me then that will make me happy," he grinned.
"They think I'm a traitor? That's the way things are in football.
"When you are at a club everyone is happy and they love you, then when you leave everyone is unhappy."
Inter sit atop Serie A with 24 points from a possible 30, but Juventus are close behind with 20.
The former Ajax striker joined Juve in 2004 after three years in Amsterdam. Previously, he served hometown club Malmo FF.
goal.com
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