<div style="float: left; margin-right: 5px;"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sampdoria-qualified-for/image/8817276?term=Sampdoria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/8817276/sampdoria-qualified-for/sampdoria-qualified-for.jpg?size=380&amp;imageId=8817276" alt="May 16, 2010 - Genova, Italy - epa02159649 Sampdoria&apos;s soccer player Antonio Cassano, today in Genoa, Italy, 16 May, celebrate the qualification of his team in Champions League after a 1-0 win against SSC Napoli." width="380" height="306" border="0"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>Last season was a special one for the <em>Blucerchiati</em>, as they finished the season in fourth place in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League.&nbsp; The club also unveiled a striker-duo that could not only lead Sampdoria to further success but form the basis of a more potent attack on the Italian national team.&nbsp; But Sampdoria’s rivals have not sat still this offseason (including arch rival <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-genoa-aims-for-european-success/2939" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Genoa</a>) and the club must adjust to being one of the clubs on top, not only seeing if they can make a run at the Top 3 but hold-off much improved <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-the-resurrection-of-juventus/2945" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Juventus,</a> <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/serie-a-preview-palermo-wont-miss-cavani/3016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palermo</a>, and others.</p>
<p><strong>Management:</strong> Luigi Del Neri did such a good job developing and leading Sampdoria last season that he was promptly <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/di-carlo-to-guide-sampdoria-into-champions-league/2448" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snatched away by Juventus</a> in the offseason.&nbsp; Into the void stepped former Chievo Verona manager Domenico Di Carlo.&nbsp; In an odd twist of fate, Sampdoria’s 2-1 victory over Parma in 2008 cost Di Carlo his first Serie A job, when he failed to lead Parma out of the relegation zone early in the season.&nbsp; He has received great praise for his ability to be so successful with Chievo, a club with a budget much smaller than most Serie A teams.&nbsp; This will only be his fourth year coaching in Serie A, however, and the expectations are much higher than they were at Chievo.</p>
<p><strong>Transfer Market:</strong> The club had a quiet offseason save for reshaping the keeper position.&nbsp; Last year’s starter Storari is in Milan and his replacement is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianluca_Curci" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gianluca Curci</a> from Siena.&nbsp; He’s young at 25 and was at one time an heir apparent to Gigi Buffon on the Azzurri, although he has not been called up to the team since 2008.&nbsp; This season could be a chance for him to make his case for inclusion.&nbsp; Another player added to the roster is <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=41635&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicola Pozzi</a>, who is a depth addition to the front line.</p>
<p><strong>Key Players and Formation:</strong> A concern going into the season has to be the defense after the disappointing Champions League play-in versus Bremen.&nbsp; A key starter on the backline is Daniele Gastaldello who has ninety-six appearances for the club since 2008.&nbsp; He will likely be flanked by a combination of Marius Stankevicius, Stefano Lucchini and Massimo Volta.&nbsp; I expect the young Swiss international Jonathan Rossini to also compete for substantial playing time.</p>
<p>Captain and Sampdoria stalwart Angelo Palombo returns to anchor a talented midfield after there was some speculation he could go in the offseason.&nbsp; On his right will be former Viola player Franco Semioli who notched two goals last season.&nbsp; Young star-in-the-making Andrea Poli also returns to gain valuable experience and could be a future member of the Italian national team.&nbsp; Depending on his injury sustained in Tuesday’s match, Argentine Fernando Tissone enters the Serie A season as a starter in a midfield where, depending on the match, Di Carlo could play four or five players.</p>
<p>Of course the big names for Sampdoria are the two strikers – Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini.&nbsp; Both had excellent ’09-’10 seasons and both legitimately deserved to play in South Africa, although only one did.&nbsp; They have picked up where they left off against Bremen, scoring all four of the team’s goals.&nbsp; If they stay healthy and motivated, Sampdoria again will have one of the most dangerous attacks in Serie A.&nbsp; If they do not, however, the depth is less spectacular.</p>
<p><strong>Outlook: </strong>This week’s Champions League loss <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/championsleague/story/Samp-boss-saddened-by-CL-exit">was a heartbreaker</a> for the club, and showed some of its faults to an international audience.&nbsp; Nevertheless, this is essentially the same club that finished fourth last season, and they should be expected to compete for the top four again.&nbsp; A couple of keys for the season will be [a] how the players adjust to Di Carlo’s scheme and how Di Carlo adjusts to Top Four <em>calcio</em>, [b] if Cassano <a href="http://www.serieatalk.com/the-fate-of-antonio-cassano/1775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">behaves himself</a> and is as productive as he can be, and [c] if this team can handle both a Serie A schedule and the Europa League.</p>

Serie A Preview &#8211; Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top

Serie A Preview - Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top - World Soccer Talk

Serie A Preview – Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top

<div style="text-align: center"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sports-news-august-2010/image/9499132?term=Juventus" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9499132/sports-news-august-2010/sports-news-august-2010.jpg?size=500&amp;imageId=9499132" border="0" alt="Aug. 06, 2010 - 06282320 date 05 08 2010 Copyright imago Gribaudi ImagePhoto GC Modena 53 08 2010 Europe League Juventus Shamrock RVs Photo Giuseppe Celeste Image Photo Esultanza Gol Alessandro DEL Piero PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxITA Football men UEFA Europe League Europe League EC 3 Qualification 2010 2011 Modena Action shot Vdig xkg 2010 horizontal Highlight premiumd." width="500" height="333"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>Mention the 2009-2010 season to Juventus’ 170 million fans and they will shake their head in disgust.&nbsp; Italy’s most successful and <a href="http://www.repubblica.it/2008/08/sezioni/sport/calcio/sondaggio-calcio/tifo-juve-inter/tifo-juve-inter.html" target="_blank">beloved</a> soccer team was a shell of itself, missing out on a European tournament spot due to poor play and aging players.&nbsp; It is not a coincidence that the Italian national team also failed to live up to expectations in the World Cup, as Juve players made up a large contingent of the team.&nbsp; Overall, it was a season to forget in Stadio Olimpico and the club wasted no time in cleaning house, replacing individuals from the team president down.&nbsp; The new Juventus still has many familiar names, but has strengthened its weaknesses to make a run at the top four.  <strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Management: </strong>Jean-Claude Blanc, the brainchild behind the new Juventus stadium, was forced out in May 2010 and replaced with Andrea Agnelli, the fourth member of his family to run Juventus.&nbsp; Similar to Blanc, he has a business background and is tasked with maintaining the profitability of the club.&nbsp; No doubt part of his financial plan includes UEFA tournament money.</p>
<p>His first task upon being hired was to grab Luigi Del Neri from Sampdoria as a permanent replacement for Ciro Ferrara.&nbsp; Del Neri guided Sampdoria to a top four finish and was in demand this offseason.&nbsp; His 4-4-2 style will be a good fit for Juventus, and look for the team to focus a bit more on defense this season.&nbsp; Del Neri could, however, actually play more of a 4-2-2-2 if he extends the wings and moves them forward in the attack.&nbsp; Juventus in their matches this month have also played a 4-3-3 at times.&nbsp; He’s seen success at Atalanta before guiding Sampdoria to the Champions League, and he was the best person available for the job.  <strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>The Transfer Market:</strong> Juventus was active in the transfer market, as to be expected, sending out older&nbsp;and more expensive players and bringing in both quality starters and key backups.&nbsp; Maybe the biggest name to come to Juventus was Pepe, acquired on loan from Udinese with an option to buy.&nbsp; Del Neri knows Pepe from his time in Palermo, and has added him as an attack option on the right side.&nbsp; The club also beefed up its defense, which is discussed in depth below.</p>
<p>The continuing story of this offseason is the departures from the club, or a house cleaning if you prefer.&nbsp; Italian national and rapidly aging defender Fabio Cannavaro has left for the UAE soccer league and a hefty contract.&nbsp; Christian Poulsen was transferred to Liverpool for about €5.5 million to free up some salary and space after a disappointing stint with the club.&nbsp; The biggest loss long-term, however, may be <a href="http://blogs.soccernet.com/juventus/archives/2010/08/ciao_gio.php" target="_blank">the loss of Sebastian Giovinco</a> to Parma.&nbsp; The young playmaker had been tabbed by fans as the next Juve star, but he grew tired of waiting to break into the starting XI.  <strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Key Players:</strong> Starting in the back of the 4-4-2, vice-captain and all-world keeper Gigi Buffon begins the season&nbsp;on the injured list, leaving AC Milan acquisition Marco Storari as the starter.&nbsp; Storari will never cause people to forget Buffon, but he is experienced and talented enough to hold down the position until Buffon is healthy.</p>
<div style="float: left;margin-right: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/shamrock-rovers-juventus/image/9449128?term=Juventus" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view4.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9449128/shamrock-rovers-juventus/shamrock-rovers-juventus.jpg?size=234&amp;imageId=9449128" border="0" alt="July 29, 2010 - Dublin, Ireland - epa02266030 Pat Flynn from Shamrock Rovers (R) and Giorgio Chiellini from Juventus in action during the Europa League 3rd round 1st Leg Qualifiying match between Shamrock Rovers and Juventus in Dublin, Ireland, 29 July 2010." width="234" height="156"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>Coming into the new season, Del Neri knew he needed to revamp the defense after Juventus allowed 55 goals last season.&nbsp; He acquired rising star Leonardo Bonucci from Bari and Marco Motta from Roma to partner with stalwarts Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Grosso, or if Grosso leaves during this transfer window, Paolo De Ceglie.&nbsp; The two new additions will strengthen the backline and makes defense a team strength.&nbsp; Look for Bonucci to become the next Fabio Grosso in his time at Juventus.</p>
<p>If Del Neri continues his traditional formation, the midfield will see two holding and two attacking wingers.&nbsp; As mentioned, Pepe will man the right wing and replace Mauro Camoranesi, who regardless of his transfer status should be replaced by a younger player.&nbsp; Claudio Marchisio, one of the players who actually looked good in last season’s debacle, could start on the other wing, with Mohammed Sissoko in the middle.&nbsp; <strong>UPDATE – </strong>Juventus <a href="http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2010/08/19/2078378/breaking-news-cska-moscow-confirm-milos-krasic-will-join" target="_blank">added another potential starter</a> to the midfield with CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic.</p>
<p>Up front, Del Neri against Shamrock moved Pepe and attacking midfielder Davide Lanzafame (Parma) to the forward position with Amauri.&nbsp; While this could be an attacking option, I can see a rotation (assuming a 4-4-2) of Amauri, Trezeguet, and Del Piero as a potent attack.</p>
<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/pictures.photo/entertainment/sports-news-august-2010/image/9545240?term=Juventus" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://view2.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/9545240/sports-news-august-2010/sports-news-august-2010.jpg?size=234&amp;imageId=9545240" border="0" alt="Aug. 14, 2010 - 06320941 date 13 08 2010 Copyright imago Gribaudi ImagePhoto GC Bari 13 08 2010 Trofeo Tim Milan Juventus Photo Giuseppe Celeste Image Sports Nella Photo Esultanza Gol Diego PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxITA Bari men Football ITA Series A 2011 try out Portrait Vdig xmk 2010 Square premiumd." width="234" height="238"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>This is, of course, assuming Diego is sent to a Bundesliga club, where he has been rumored to be going (<a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=815305&amp;sec=transfers&amp;cc=5901&amp;cc=5901" target="_blank">or not going</a>).&nbsp; If Diego stays, the forward position has the potential to be one of the deepest in Serie A.</p>
<p><strong>Outlook:</strong> This preview could change if Juventus makes any more changes on the transfer market, which is possible.&nbsp; But as their club stands, Juventus is definitely a favorite to finish in the top four.&nbsp; Even without a healthy Buffon to begin the season, the defense is improved from last season and will be a strength.&nbsp; The attack will be more “exciting” than last season with a good variety of scorers that Del Neri can turn to for goals.&nbsp; Under new management and with Del Neri’s vision revitalizing the club, there is no reason this club will not move higher in the standings.&nbsp; Whether they can challenge for a <em>scudetto</em> will depend on if they can improve on their record against the top clubs.</p>

Serie A Preview &#8211; The Resurrection of Juventus

Serie A Preview - The Resurrection of Juventus - World Soccer Talk

Serie A Preview – The Resurrection of Juventus

<div style="float: right;margin-left: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=agnelli&amp;iid=8854858" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" style="border: 0px initial initial" src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/0/0/0/f/Andrea_Agnelli_a84c.jpg?adImageId=12919906&amp;imageId=8854858" border="0" alt="Andrea Agnelli" width="234" height="278"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>Juventus have decided to begin their rebuilding, a whole new set of staff will be deciding summer transfers and beginning the 2010/2011 season with a different mindset. Having arrived 7th this past season, Juventus will be missing out on Champions League football for next year, and they’ll have to go through &nbsp;qualifications for Europa League football. It’s certainly time for rebuilding for the <em>bianconeri</em>, and it seems like they’re getting the right people to do it.</p>
<p>It was first announced that the new president would be Andrea Agnelli, and soon after that, it was announced that Giuseppe Marotta would take on the role of Director General for Sport Affairs. When Marotta was at Sampdoria, he revolutionized and reorganized the club, bringing them promotion and key signings. He brought Antonio Cassano to Sampdoria from Real Madrid, and also brought Giampaolo Pazzini from Fiorentina, two extremely vital signings for the&nbsp;<em>blucerchiati. </em>So it’s very possible that we’ll see Juventus make smarter and better signings with the help of Marotta, and as it’s rumored, the 80 million Euros that he’ll have to spend will come in very handy.</p>
<div style="float: left;margin-right: 5px"><a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=del neri&amp;iid=8854860" target="_blank"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" style="border: 0px initial initial" src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/7/e/a/9/Luigi_Del_Neri_217f.jpg?adImageId=12919859&amp;imageId=8854860" border="0" alt="Luigi Del Neri new Juventus coach" width="234" height="149"></figure></div></a></div>
<p>As for the coach, Zaccheroni is gone and has been replaced by Luigi Del Neri, Sampdoria’s coach this past season. Del Neri took Sampdoria to the fourth Champions League spot but has still decided to leave the club for Juventus, and the project for Juve’s future will revolve around him. A great tactician and motivator, Del Neri also has an astute sense of the game which has helped him make smart signings and keep difficult players like Cassano under control. I for one hold Del Neri in extremely high regard, and I remember his days at Atlanta where his side would be extremely well set up, prepared for anything, and getting results like the famous 3-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Under Del Neri’s direction, I think Juventus could be setting themselves up for a great future with a great Italian coach like him.</p>
<p>And so we see Juventus try to begin a rebuilding plan, while some were thinking that Rafael Benitez from Liverpool would arrive, it seems like the society wants to head in a different direction. They’ll probably begin to build the team around Diego and Felipe Melo, using their young Italian talent like Giovinco and Marchisio to further boost the team, and hopefully, these changes will result in a scudetto or more from Juventus.</p>


Juventus begins to make changes

Juventus begins to make changes - World Soccer Talk

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Serie A Preview – Sampdoria Adjusts to Life At the Top

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Serie A Preview – The Resurrection of Juventus

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Juventus begins to make changes