Page 5 - Juventus
- October 22, 2015
During the 2014 2015 Serie A season, as they collected a fourth consecutive league title, Juventus won 26 games, drew nine, and only lost three. This season, during the first eight weeks of Serie A 2015 - 2016 competition, Juve have already tallied three losses and have only collected three wins. The poor record has put the Zebras all the way back at 14th place in the Italian league standings, a far cry from the leading position they were expected to once again occupy all season.
Whether or not Juventus have any chance at rallying and getting back to the winner's circle this season depends on who you ask. Undoubtedly, though, the collapse of Italian football's most recent dynasty has created some interesting narratives in the 2015 2016 Serie A.Fiorentina: Finally
- October 14, 2015
As September neared its conclusion, and Juventus remained winless at home for the 2015 2016 Serie A season, head coach Massimiliano Allegri was getting angry. The Italian-born manager criticized his team for reading games wrong and giving up what should be easy wins. So what is causing the Juventus 2015 - 2016 Serie A struggles and can they overcome the issue?
A September 23rd at-home draw against Frosinone was particularly frustrating for Allegri, for numerous reasons. For one, Frosinone are Serie A debutantes this year, having finished second in the 2013 2014 Serie B. For another, Frosinone were on a four-game losing streak when they faced Juventus. And finally, Juventus looked to have the game in the bag with a 1-0 lead, until Frosinone defender Leonardo Blanchard netted a goal at the 90+2-minute mark.
The Frosinone draw was just one bum note in what has been a symphony of disappointment - October 02, 2015
In what was one of the most highly anticipated matches of the entire 2015 2016 Champions League group stage, and Juventus beat Sevilla 2-0 to establish a clear lead in Group D. The fixture was significant as a match-up between two football clubs that excelled particularly well in UEFA competitions last season. Juventus, of course, went all the way to the UCL finals, though they ultimately lost the tournament to FC Barcelona. Sevilla, meanwhile, beat Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to clinch their second consecutive Europa League title.
The Struggle of Juventus
Normally, Juventus would have been the favorite not just to win this particular match, but also to top Group D period. In fact, initial predictions for the group stage questioned whether or not Sevilla would even advance to the knockout rounds. After all, Group D also includes Manchester City, who have been one of England's most powerful soccer clubs in recent years.
However, - September 28, 2015
When the groups were drawn for this year's UEFA Champions League on August 27th, Group D looked
like one of the most "open and shut" of the entire tournament. Between Juventus (last season's runners-up) and Manchester City (so clearly dominating the English Premier League this season), the group's top two teams were easy to identify. What were the chances of either of these top-ranking football clubs bowing out of the UCL before the knockouts? Never mind the fact that Sevilla were coming off two straight Europa League titles, or that Borussia Monchengladbach had just played one of their best seasons ever in the German Bundesliga. In the eyes of most soccer fans and experts alike, Champions League 2015 - 2016 Group D belonged to the Zebras and the Sky Blues. - September 24, 2015
Well, this is certainly an unexpected turn of events. A month and four matches into the 2015 2016 Italian Serie A, reigning league champions Juventus FC are nowhere to be found in the top 10, and Inter Milan are in the lead. Juve, of course, have won the past four Serie A titles. They are coming off a great season where they clinched the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italia and reached the finals in the UEFA Champions League. Internazionale, meanwhile, came in eighth place last season and have experienced a real rough path over the past few years. Everything, after month one of 2015 - 2016 Serie A appears to be upside down.
The Downfall of Juventus
It was pretty clear Juventus were headed toward trouble this summer when three of their best players-Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal, and Andrea Pirlo-all transferred to different football clubs. The Zebras still held on to a few of their biggest names (Gianluigi Buffon, Paul Pogba, - September 18, 2015
It would not be a stretch to say that Juventus FC have so far experienced a disastrous 2015 2016 football season. After winning four Serie A titles in a row, the Zebras have slipped to 16th place in the Italian top-flight division this fall. And while the season is still in its earliest stages, the fact that Juve lost arguably their two best players over the summer (Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal) does not inspire much confidence for the soccer squad's chances. However, this week Juventus score surprise Champions League win, could this be the boost the club needed?
Juventus were not expected by many to win their opening Champions League match. While the Zebras are coming into the UCL this year fresh off a runner-up finish in the prestigious tournament, that is just about all they had going for them heading into game one. Their opponents were Manchester City, who have won all five of their domestic league matches so far, and the match was scheduled to take place - September 09, 2015
With the football season begun, and excitement buzzing can Juventus' deadline day transfers kick-start
another fantastic season for the Zebra's? Juventus were remarkable in the 2014 2015 season, not only navigating their way to the top of the Serie A table for the fourth year running, but also managing victories in the Italian Cup and Super Cup, not to mention a runner-up finish in the UEFA Champions League. Add the fact that five Juventus players were shortlisted for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award-more than any other football club on the continent-and the Zebras should have been headed for a great season in 2015 2016.
Then again, Juventus might have been hit harder during the summer transfer window than - August 24, 2015
Ever since the Serie A schedules were announced for the 2015 2016 season, Italian football fans have been looking forward to the second to last weekend of August for the league's big opening weekend. But while the idea of Italian football starting up again has certainly been something to look forward to, at Soccer Box, we're actually more excited for week two than for week one, thanks solely to the Roma V Juventus 2015 fixture that is on the schedule for Sunday, August 30th.
Indeed, the week two battle is like the clash of the titans for the current Italian football scene, a duel between last year's top Serie A finisher and runner-up. And while conventional wisdom would put Juventus as the favorite heading into the match, the fact is that the game could end up being a good deal closer and more competitive than many might think. - August 10, 2015
10th August 2015.
On August 27th, ahead of the group stage draw for the 2015 2016 Champions League, UEFA will announce the winners of the Goal and Save of the Season awards. We will also do a rundown of the nominees for Goal of the Season, but today, we're taking a look at the goalkeepers who have been nominated for the UEFA Save of the Season 2014 - 2015 Prize. Of course, similar to Goal of the Season, the nominees for Save of the Season are all moments that took place in UEFA competitions during the 2014 2015 season-so Europa League and Champions League matches, Euro qualification fixtures, U19 or U21 games, and more.
So, without further ado, the nominees! Note that the hyperlinks provided on the names of the goalkeepers take you to UEFA's page, where you can vote for the goal in question as your "Save of the Season."
The Goalkeeper: Sergio Rico, of Sevilla FC
The Game: The Europa League final, between Sevilla - August 07, 2015
In 2014 2015, Juventus won their fourth title in a row in the Italian Serie A, clinched the Copa Italia, and landed five players on the shortlist for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. Needless to say, the Zebras are one of the best football clubs in the world, and are tough to criticize from either an offensive or defensive standpoint. Yet despite Juve's incredible streak of success over the past few years, at least one benchmark of football dominance continues to elude them: a trophy at the UEFA Champions League. So Juventus at the UEFA Champions League, what is their history, and what can they do to succeed in 2015/16?
Juve's UCL Victories
That's not to say that Juventus have never won the UCL. On the contrary, they've hoisted the trophy twice, winning
