Back to work on the 2nd January
Juventus did not lose a single championship game in 2006. Since Didier Deschamps' arrival back in August, the Bianconeri have taken Serie B by storm, coming into the winter break with a 17 game unbeaten run under their belts and enjoying a near perfect home record at the Olimpico. When training resumes at Vinovo's Juventus Center on the 2nd January, Deschamps' men will be anxious to pick up where they left off, ready to push aside all in their path once more as they look to regain their place among Italy's élite. Juventus back in action against Milan Juventus begin 2007 in suitably prestigious fashion. On the 6th January, the Bianconeri will be in action at the San Siro as they challenge Milan for the "Trofeo Berlusconi". It's the 15th edition of the friendly between Italian football's most decorated sides, a clash which has never failed to set previous summers alight. The game has a winter flavour for the first time this year but that won't stop the temperature reaching boiling-point at the Giuseppe Meazza. Aside from the age-old rivalry between the pair, the clash will be the perfect indicator of the condition the two teams are in after the winter break and of Juventus' future ambitions as they chase down a return to Serie A. The "Berlusconi" has become a classic of the Italian footballing calendar and - with the exception of 1992, 1993 and 1994, when Milan hosted Inter, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich - the trophy has been an annual head-to-head between the Bianconeri and the Rossoneri, ever since its inception in 1991. As things stand, Juventus lead the way with eight victories to Milan's seven. History 1991 Juventus 1992 Milan 1993 Milan 1994 Milan 1995 Juventus 1996 Milan 1997 Milan 1998 Juventus 1999 Juventus 2000 Juventus 2001 Juventus 2002 Milan 2003 Juventus 2004 Juventus 2005 Milan Facts and figures Juventus goal scorers in the Trofeo Berlusconi Del Piero 3 goals Inzaghi 3 Casiraghi 2 Conte, Trezeguet, Camoranesi, Olivera, Vieira: 1 goal Bianconeri with the most appearances in the Trofeo Berlusconi Del Piero 11 appearances Tacchinardi 9 Birindelli 7 Ferrara 7 Juventus players with the most wins in the Trofeo Berlusconi Del Piero 7 victories Iuliano 7 Pessotto 7 Birindelli 6 Tacchinardi 6 Tudor 5 Zambrotta 5 Juventus coaches with the most wins in the Trofeo Berlusconi Lippi 4 times Ancelotti 2 Capello 1 Trapattoni 1 In the event of a Juventus victory, Deschamps will become the first man to win the Trofeo Berlusconi both as a player (1995 & 1998) and coach. Juventus returned to the Olimpico this evening for their final game of 2006. Under Deschamps the Bianconeri had enjoyed an 100% record at home this season, and with the winter break lying just around the corner, they were looking to avoid any slip ups. The Frenchman signalled his intentions with a starting line-up which included the attacking quartet of Palladino, Del Piero, Zalayeta and Trezeguet, while Chiellini retained his place at the heart of the defence alongside Boumsong. Juventus made a confident start to the game but it was Arezzo who threatened first, Floro Flores working an opening on the edge of the box in the 3rd minute and firing inches wide of Buffon's right post. The Bianconeri quickly set about dominating possession and by the ten minute mark, Arezzo were firmly pinned back into their own half. With 15 minutes on the clock, Juventus almost found the opening they were looking for. A rapid counter-attack left Balzaretti in acres of space on the left wing; the fullback feathered a diagonal ball into a crammed Arezzo penalty area but with Bremec stranded, Del Piero could only find the crossbar with his angled header. The pressure began to mount but as the home side ventured increasingly further into the Arezzo half, gaps opened up at the back. The Tuscans looked eager on the counter-attack but Chiellini and Boumsong maintained their focus to snuff out the danger. Juventus were looking to break forward at every opportunity and on 26 minutes, they came close once more. Del Piero broke down the left wing and played a sublime pass to Palladino on the far side with the outside of his boot; the ball skipped up off the wet playing surface as Palladino brought the pass under control and, with Bremec hurtling off his line to close him down, he sent his snap shot inches over the bar. The visitors rolled up their sleeves and began to edge their way back into the match, Bondi covering acres of ground in the midfield, but it was a dangerous tactic with Juventus so hungry for goals. Zalayeta, Boumsong and Paro all had efforts on a goal as the Bianconeri extinguished the Tuscan threat and took an iron grip on the game, but Bremec kept his cool in the Arezzo goal. On the stroke of half time, the impressive Palladino delivered another sublime cross in from the right wing; Zalayeta got there first, but with Bremec beaten, he couldn't keep his glancing header under the bar. It was the last action of a pulsating first half. The Bianconeri wheeled out the artillery once more as they looked to resume their assault on the Arezzo goal. Three minutes into the second half Palladino skipped past his marker and fired a low pass into the six yard box; Bremec spilled the ball under pressure at his near post and pawed the ball out for a corner with Trezeguet bearing down on the rebound. Juventus were in ruthless form, dominating across the park, and for large spells of the game Arezzo did not have a single player in the Bianconeri half. In the 57th minute Balzaretti presented Trezeguet with a golden opportunity, sending an inch-perfect cross in from the left; the Frenchman got his head to it but couldn't direct the ball inside Bremec' left post. A minute later he made amends. Birindelli curled the ball infield from out on the right and, freed up by a superb Palladino dummy, the Frenchman had time to pick his spot, thumping the ball home from the edge of the box (1-0). It took the Bianconeri just seven minutes to register their second. An exemplary team move finished with Trezeguet threading the ball out to an unmarked Palladino on the right; the winger touched the ball on and fired the ball into the far side of the goal past a helpless Bremec (2-0). Deschamps replaced Zanetti with Marchisio on 67 minutes, and Arezzo made some changes of their own, sending on Martinetti and Lombardi on in place of Volpato and Bondi. Juventus continued to hammer away and Trezeguet almost made it three in the 76th minute, chesting down Birindelli's long ball inside the box and firing narrowly wide on the half-volley. It was a miss he would live to regret. The Bianconeri dropped the tempo to defend the lead and in doing so allowed Arezzo to advance increasingly forward. In the 80th minute Boumsong brought down Floro Flores in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. The substitute Martinetti made no mistake as the Tuscans clawed their way back into the match (2-1). On 83 minutes the unthinkable happened. Juventus had begun to attack in numbers once more and the space left open at the back was exploited in lethal fashion as Martinetti latched onto Croce's cross and headed home the equaliser (2-2). Juventus rolled up their socks and threw everyone forward, hammering away for an elusive winner. The Tuscans defended bravely but in the 90th minute they were reduced to ten men as Terra saw red for an ugly challenge as the Bianconeri looked to move the ball quickly out of defence. As the game entered time added on, there was not a single player from either side in the Juve half, Buffon excluded. Juventus moved the ball left and right, desperately seeking a chink of light in the Arezzo area but referee Celi's whistle came all too soon. Arezzo were going home with a precious point while the Bianconeri were left to rue what might have been. GOALS: Trezeguet 58', Palladino 65', Martinetti (pen.) 80' 83' BOOKED: Del Piero 39', Floro Flores 40', Ranocchia 59' SENT-OFF: Terra 90' JUVENTUS: Buffon; Birindelli, Boumsong, Chiellini, Balzaretti; Palladino, Paro, Zanetti (Marchisio 67'), Del Piero; Trezeguet, Zalayeta Subs: Mirante, Piccolo, Zebina, De Ceglie, Guzman, Bojinov Coach: Deschamps AREZZO: Bremec; Barbagli, Ranocchia, Terra, Capelli (Conte 82'); Rosselli, Croce, Bondi (Lombardi 67'), Di Donato; Floro Flores, Volpato (Martinetti 67') Subs: Marconato, Goretti, Chiappara, Simonetta Coach: Sarri REFEREE: Celi ASSISTANTS: Masotti, Chiocchi 4TH OFFICIAL: Vivenzi REGARDS -elang- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
