Reuters Juventus may be resorting to their old, uncertain tricks, but with their competition falling by the wayside in Italy, piddling concerns about middling form are quickly becoming irrelevant.
On Friday, Juve gave up the first goal at Cagliari and proceded to trail for 59 minutes, during which time David Astori picked up a second yellow for the hosts. It was only after the Old Lady held a man advantage that they equalized, the much-maligned Alessandro Matri pulling Italy’s leaders even on 75 minutes. Matri and Mirko Vucinic added stoppage time goals to salvage another turn back the clock (to last season) win for Antonio Conte. It’s not pretty, and the performances are starting to bely the record, but when the final whistle blows, Juventus is almost always on top.
As questionable as it’s becoming, Juventus’s underlying quality is becoming increasingly inconsequential. On one level, they’re still getting results, their Friday victory temporarily moving them 10 points clear of second in Italy. On another, nobody’s going anything to close that gap. This race may be as dead as Germany’s, where Bayern Munich took a nine-point lead on Bayer Leverkusen into the Bundesliga’s winter break.
Earlier this week, Napoli — one of two perceived title threats — were docked two points and had their captain (Paolo Cannavaro) suspended for six months after yet another instance of Italian match fixing. A former Partenopei goalkeeper had confessed to trying to manipulate a match, Cannavaro was one of two players cited for failing to report the affair, and as a result Napoli’s season has been derailed. After Juve’s win, Napoli sit 13 points back, left to scratch their way back without one of their best defenders.
Juve’s other potential challenger, Inter Milan, did their part to clear the way on Saturday against Genoa. Despite Nerazzurri control, former Bianconeri prospect Ciro Immobile put the Genovesi up 1-0 in the 77th minute. Esteban Cambiasso equalized for the hosts eight minutes later, but Andrea Stramaccioni’s side had left it too late to get full points. The 1-1 result leaves them nine back of Juventus after a week that’s taken most of the stream out of Italy’s title race.
But we do this every year. There are always leagues where teams take huge leads, and in many of them — be it from complacency, regression, or balance — the leads don’t hold up. Just last year, a big Real Madrid lead in Spain crumbled before Los Merengues finally put Barcelona away, beating them at the Nou Camp in late April. In England, Manchester United completed the biggest collapse in Premier League history by coughing up their lead to Manchester City.
While you’re sure to read “done and dusted” in other posts on this side (most likely from this author), in my more level-headed mood, I’ll simply note the path to a second-straight title has become very, very clear for Juventus.
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During his Premiership tenure Toure has proven himself a leader, captaining both the Gunners and the Citizens, as well as Cote d’Ivoire.
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Gareth Bale set to resign with Tottenham – But is it a good deal for the Welshman?
May 21, 2013, 8:37 AM EDT
Has Daniel Levy already forgotten about what happened when he tried to pin Luka Modric down with this ‘no sale’ line of bull?
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PSG, Ancelotti, and Real Madrid: Four basic facts of Carlo’s Spanish future
May 20, 2013, 11:58 PM EDT
Expect this one to get worked out.
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As far as transfer rumors go, Gonzalo Higuaín to Arsenal actually makes some sense
May 20, 2013, 11:23 PM EDT
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If Real Madrid’s going to shake things up, Higuaín could do worse than land at The Emirates.
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Reuters
Four players were on the original list. None of them may end up at Stamford Bridge.
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Silvio Berlusconi says he hasn’t fired Maximiliano Allegri. Yet.
May 20, 2013, 5:45 PM EDT
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For a moment, it looked like Milan had fired their coaching staff … via an open letter from a television show.
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Real Madrid won’t get any compensation from Chelsea for José Mourinho
May 20, 2013, 4:55 PM EDT
Real Madrid would have been in line for an eight-digit payday had they sold Mourinho to Chelsea.
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Klinsmann to replace Moyes at Everton? UK bookmakers slash odds
May 20, 2013, 4:00 PM EDT
Reuters
Odds on current U.S. Men’s National Team boss Jurgen Klinsmann to become Everton’s next permanent manager have dropped heavily today.
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ProSoccerTalk’s MLS Player of the Week: New York Red Bulls’ Jamison Olave
May 20, 2013, 3:45 PM EDT
Wherein we justify the selection of a center back, which always seems to be a requirement in these things:
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What’s been coming for a long time is now official. Jose Mourinho’s three-year tenure at Real Madrid has a finish line.
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Ben Olsen? Frank Klopas? … Someone else?
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The big, soon-to-be out of contract Galaxy center backs says talks with MLS commenced:
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Kljestan becomes the fifth American to defend a title in a top league:






