Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday.

Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams.

Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four.

The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week.

The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Sevilla faces Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four

Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday. Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams. Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four. The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week. The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Champions League quarterfinals: Liverpool to face City, Juventus to take on Real Madrid

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday.

Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min&#39;s opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League.

But Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season.

&quot;We weren&#39;t in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that,&quot; 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters.

&quot;We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference.&quot;

No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them.

When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm.

Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents.

&quot;We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals,&quot; he said.

&quot;We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight.&quot;

Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition.

&quot;At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come,&quot; he said.

&quot;Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience.

&quot;A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games.&quot;

Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side&#39;s durability.

&quot;The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them,&quot; he said. &quot;Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved.

&quot;In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I&#39;m happy it paid off.&quot;

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday. Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min's opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League. But Massimiliano Allegri's side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season. "We weren't in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that," 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters. "We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference." No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them. When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm. Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents. "We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals," he said. "We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight." Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition. "At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come," he said. "Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience. "A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games." Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side's durability. "The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them," he said. "Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved. "In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I'm happy it paid off."

Champions league: Matuidi praises Juventus's warrior spirit after victory over Spurs

Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has dismissed reports that the Serie A champions are interested in signing Italian striker Mario Balotelli as &quot;a hoax&quot;.

There were reports that a five-year deal was in the offing for the former Manchester City striker, who has hit top form for Nice this season with 17 goals.

&quot;Beyond our affection, esteem and liking for this boy it&#39;s a fantasy football story,&quot; Marotta told Mediaset Premium on Monday.

&quot;This is a profile we don&#39;t need.&quot;

Balotelli won six trophies with Inter Milan including the Champions League before moving to Manchester City in 2010, followed by two spells at AC Milan either side of an unsuccessful stint at Liverpool.

The 27-year-old left Liverpool on a free transfer in August 2016 to join Nice, who are sixth in the French league this season.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/finally-the-sanchez-mkhitaryan-deal-done-30411">Finally, the Sanchez-Mkhitaryan deal done</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-five-facts-on-alexis-sanchez-647">In pictures: Five facts on Alexis Sanchez</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/barcas-rafinha-moves-to-inter-milan-30437">Brazilian midfielder Rafinha moves to Inter Milan</a>

Marotta confirmed the reigning six-time league champions&#39; interest in Liverpool&#39;s German international Emre Can, whose contract expires in June.

&quot;We know his contract is expiring but he could renew or have other opportunities,&quot; said Marotta.

&quot;We&#39;ll try to bring him to us, I think a big club has to have the ambition to achieve difficult objectives.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/rafinha-shares-emotional-message-after-leaving-barcelona-30441">Rafinha shares emotional message after leaving Barcelona</a>

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&nbsp;

Giuseppe Marotta: "Beyond our affection, esteem and liking for this boy it's a fantasy football story, this is a profile we don't need"

Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has dismissed reports that the Serie A champions are interested in signing Italian striker Mario Balotelli as "a hoax". There were reports that a five-year deal was in the offing for the former Manchester City striker, who has hit top form for Nice this season with 17 goals. "Beyond our affection, esteem and liking for this boy it's a fantasy football story," Marotta told Mediaset Premium on Monday. "This is a profile we don't need." Balotelli won six trophies with Inter Milan including the Champions League before moving to Manchester City in 2010, followed by two spells at AC Milan either side of an unsuccessful stint at Liverpool. The 27-year-old left Liverpool on a free transfer in August 2016 to join Nice, who are sixth in the French league this season. Finally, the Sanchez-Mkhitaryan deal done In pictures: Five facts on Alexis Sanchez Brazilian midfielder Rafinha moves to Inter Milan Marotta confirmed the reigning six-time league champions' interest in Liverpool's German international Emre Can, whose contract expires in June. "We know his contract is expiring but he could renew or have other opportunities," said Marotta. "We'll try to bring him to us, I think a big club has to have the ambition to achieve difficult objectives." Rafinha shares emotional message after leaving Barcelona

Transfer window: Juventus denies Balotelli move

Italian champions Juventus slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Sampdoria in Serie A on Sunday while hapless Benevento were denied their first point of the season when they lost 2-1 at home to Sassuolo in stoppage time.

Two second-half headers from Mauro Icardi gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win at home to Atalanta, which took them two points above Juve into second place to stand two points behind Napoli, and left the Argentine with 13 goals from as many games.

Federico Peluso&#39;s 94th-minute winner for Sassuolo, which came minutes after his team missed a penalty, meant bottom team Benevento were condemned to a record-extending 13th straight Serie A defeat.

Juve trailed 3-0 at Sampdoria before stoppage-time goals by Gonzalo Higuain, with a penalty, and Paulo Dybala made the score more respectable.

Juventus rested goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and defender Andrea Barzagli, who both confirmed their international retirements after playing in Monday&#39;s 0-0 draw with Sweden which meant Italy failed to qualify for next year&#39;s World Cup.

They missed a host of first-half chances then collapsed after the break as Samp maintained their perfect home record.

Duvan Zapata headed Sampdoria ahead in the 52nd minute, Lucas Torreira blasted the second and Gian Marco Ferrari turned in Fabio Quagliarella&#39;s cross from the byline for the third.

&quot;It was one of our best first halves of the season and we just needed to keep our cool in front of goal,&quot; said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. &quot;They scored three goals from four shots.&quot;

Icardi put Inter ahead in the 52nd minute against Atalanta when he got away from his marker to head in Antonio Candreva&#39;s free-kick and struck again with a superb glancing header from Danilo D&rsquo;Ambrosio&#39;s cross on the hour.

Napoli, 2-1 winners over visiting AC Milan on Saturday, lead the standings with 35 points from 13 games ahead of Inter on 33, with both teams still unbeaten. They are followed by Juventus on 31, AS Roma on 30 and Lazio with 28.

 
&quot;Good effort&quot;

Benevento gifted Sassuolo the lead after 57 minutes when Alessandro Matri was left to tap the ball into an empty net after a backpass was intercepted by Simone Missiroli.

In a game that summed up Benevento&#39;s season, Samuel Armenteros equalised eight minutes later but they almost immediately had Gaetano Letizia sent off for a second booking.

Benevento held out until added time when Sassuolo got a penalty for handball which Domenico Berardi smashed against the bar.

The home team&#39;s relief was short-lived, however, as Peluso headed in from a corner for the winner from the next attack, the second time Benevento have been beaten deep into stoppage time.

&ldquo;We put in a good effort and the attitude is there,&quot; said Benevento coach Roberto De Zerbi. &quot;It&#39;s our fault that we lost points again at the end - in those situations, the ball has to be cleared.&quot;

In other matches, Luca Rigoni&#39;s early goal gave Genoa a 1-0 win at Crotone and a winning start to Davide Ballardini&#39;s third stint as their coach after he replaced Ivan Juric.

Torino striker Andrea Belotti had a second-half penalty saved by Stefano Sorrentino as the Bulls were held 1-1 at home by Chievo, while Fiorentina&#39;s match at SPAL ended with the same scoreline and Cagliari won 1-0 at troubled Udinese.

Juve trailed 3-0 at Sampdoria before stoppage-time goals by Gonzalo Higuain, with a penalty, and Paulo Dybala made the score more respectable.

Italian champions Juventus slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Sampdoria in Serie A on Sunday while hapless Benevento were denied their first point of the season when they lost 2-1 at home to Sassuolo in stoppage time. Two second-half headers from Mauro Icardi gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win at home to Atalanta, which took them two points above Juve into second place to stand two points behind Napoli, and left the Argentine with 13 goals from as many games. Federico Peluso's 94th-minute winner for Sassuolo, which came minutes after his team missed a penalty, meant bottom team Benevento were condemned to a record-extending 13th straight Serie A defeat. Juve trailed 3-0 at Sampdoria before stoppage-time goals by Gonzalo Higuain, with a penalty, and Paulo Dybala made the score more respectable. Juventus rested goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and defender Andrea Barzagli, who both confirmed their international retirements after playing in Monday's 0-0 draw with Sweden which meant Italy failed to qualify for next year's World Cup. They missed a host of first-half chances then collapsed after the break as Samp maintained their perfect home record. Duvan Zapata headed Sampdoria ahead in the 52nd minute, Lucas Torreira blasted the second and Gian Marco Ferrari turned in Fabio Quagliarella's cross from the byline for the third. "It was one of our best first halves of the season and we just needed to keep our cool in front of goal," said Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri. "They scored three goals from four shots." Icardi put Inter ahead in the 52nd minute against Atalanta when he got away from his marker to head in Antonio Candreva's free-kick and struck again with a superb glancing header from Danilo D’Ambrosio's cross on the hour. Napoli, 2-1 winners over visiting AC Milan on Saturday, lead the standings with 35 points from 13 games ahead of Inter on 33, with both teams still unbeaten. They are followed by Juventus on 31, AS Roma on 30 and Lazio with 28. "Good effort" Benevento gifted Sassuolo the lead after 57 minutes when Alessandro Matri was left to tap the ball into an empty net after a backpass was intercepted by Simone Missiroli. In a game that summed up Benevento's season, Samuel Armenteros equalised eight minutes later but they almost immediately had Gaetano Letizia sent off for a second booking. Benevento held out until added time when Sassuolo got a penalty for handball which Domenico Berardi smashed against the bar. The home team's relief was short-lived, however, as Peluso headed in from a corner for the winner from the next attack, the second time Benevento have been beaten deep into stoppage time. “We put in a good effort and the attitude is there," said Benevento coach Roberto De Zerbi. "It's our fault that we lost points again at the end - in those situations, the ball has to be cleared." In other matches, Luca Rigoni's early goal gave Genoa a 1-0 win at Crotone and a winning start to Davide Ballardini's third stint as their coach after he replaced Ivan Juric. Torino striker Andrea Belotti had a second-half penalty saved by Stefano Sorrentino as the Bulls were held 1-1 at home by Chievo, while Fiorentina's match at SPAL ended with the same scoreline and Cagliari won 1-0 at troubled Udinese.

Football: Juventus beaten at Sampdoria, hapless Benevento lose in stoppage time

Lazio won the Italian Supercup for the fourth time after a stoppage-time goal by substitute Alessandro Murgia gave them a 3-2 victory over last season&#39;s domestic double winners Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

Juve, who beat Lazio 2-0 in the Italian Cup final at the same venue in May after they had also won the league title, came back from a two-goal deficit in a frantic five-minute spell before Murgia netted the winner.

Lazio dominated the opening hour as striker Ciro Immobile fired them ahead with a 32nd-minute penalty after he was brought down by Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon and then headed a delightful Marco Parolo cross into the far corner in the 54th.

Looking out for the count, Juventus staged a late comeback as Argentina forward Paulo Dybala put them on level terms with goals in the 85th and 90th minutes.

Dybala curled in a superb free kick from 25 metres and then converted a penalty, throwing vociferous Juventus fans into raptures as both lots of supporters created a cracking atmosphere on the terraces.

But the Bianconi&#39;s celebrations were short-lived as Murgia swept in a low cross from the left at the death, delighting the Lazio contingent as he settled a rip-roaring curtain raiser to the Italian season.

Juve, who beat Lazio 2-0 in the Italian Cup final at the same venue in May after they had also won the league title, came back from a two-goal deficit in a frantic five-minute spell before Murgia netted the winner

Lazio won the Italian Supercup for the fourth time after a stoppage-time goal by substitute Alessandro Murgia gave them a 3-2 victory over last season's domestic double winners Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. Juve, who beat Lazio 2-0 in the Italian Cup final at the same venue in May after they had also won the league title, came back from a two-goal deficit in a frantic five-minute spell before Murgia netted the winner. Lazio dominated the opening hour as striker Ciro Immobile fired them ahead with a 32nd-minute penalty after he was brought down by Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon and then headed a delightful Marco Parolo cross into the far corner in the 54th. Looking out for the count, Juventus staged a late comeback as Argentina forward Paulo Dybala put them on level terms with goals in the 85th and 90th minutes. Dybala curled in a superb free kick from 25 metres and then converted a penalty, throwing vociferous Juventus fans into raptures as both lots of supporters created a cracking atmosphere on the terraces. But the Bianconi's celebrations were short-lived as Murgia swept in a low cross from the left at the death, delighting the Lazio contingent as he settled a rip-roaring curtain raiser to the Italian season.

Italian Super Cup: Lazio beat Juventus in dramatic final

With <a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/real-madrid-beat-juventus-to-win-champions-league-16396">Real Madrid defeating Juventus</a>&nbsp;in the Champions League final last week, we turn our attention to next season&#39;s European club competitions. Who&#39;s qualified so far from the major football leagues?

<a href="https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/seedcl2017.html">22&nbsp;teams</a> have qualified directly for the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. 57 teams in total will be fighting to qualify for the remaining 10 places in the group stages.&nbsp;Five teams, including Liverpool and Napoli,&nbsp;will be going into the 4th round of qualifiers for the competition.

The first round of qualifying for the Champions League <a href="http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2435148.html">starts on</a> June 27, 2017.&nbsp;The final line-up for the group stages will be determined on August 23, 2017, with the draw to take place on August 24, 2017.

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/rEJVsV2.png" style="margin:0 auto;width: 350px;height:auto;" />

<a href="https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/seedel2017.html">16 teams</a> have qualified directly for the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League, including big names such as Arsenal and AC Milan. A&nbsp;total of 141 teams will be in qualifiers, fighting&nbsp;for the remaining 32&nbsp;places in the group stages. The first round of qualifying <a href="http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=2435180.html">starts on</a> June 19, 2017.&nbsp;The final line-up for the group stages will be determined on August 24, 2017.

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/uGFpuJa.png" style="margin:0 auto;width: 350px;height:auto;" />

With the Champions League over, we turn our attention to next season's European competitions and who'll be playing in them

With Real Madrid defeating Juventus in the Champions League final last week, we turn our attention to next season's European club competitions. Who's qualified so far from the major football leagues? 22 teams have qualified directly for the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League. 57 teams in total will be fighting to qualify for the remaining 10 places in the group stages. Five teams, including Liverpool and Napoli, will be going into the 4th round of qualifiers for the competition. The first round of qualifying for the Champions League starts on June 27, 2017. The final line-up for the group stages will be determined on August 23, 2017, with the draw to take place on August 24, 2017. 16 teams have qualified directly for the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League, including big names such as Arsenal and AC Milan. A total of 141 teams will be in qualifiers, fighting for the remaining 32 places in the group stages. The first round of qualifying starts on June 19, 2017. The final line-up for the group stages will be determined on August 24, 2017.

Football: Who's qualified for Europe next season?

More than 1,500 people were injured, three seriously, after a bomb scare triggered a stampede among Juventus fans watching the Champions League final in Turin, local authorities said Sunday.

In an update on Saturday&#39;s dramatic events in a square packed with supporters watching the Cardiff match on a giant screen, the local prefecture said 1,527 had been treated for mainly minor injuries.

Three people were in a serious but not life-threatening condition, including a young boy. Local media described him as a seven-year-old and said he was in a coma with serious chest injuries after being trampled in the crush.

AFP reporters who witnessed the scenes said the panic seemed to have been triggered by fireworks, followed by one or more people shouting that a bomb had exploded -- a notion that quickly filtered through the crowd.

The incident compounded a miserable night for fans of Turin-based Juventus, who lost the final 4-1 to Real Madrid.

It also underlined the impact recent acts of terror are having on a jittery public across Europe, and the dilemmas now faced by organisers of any mass gathering of people following the Bataclan, Paris and Manchester concert attacks.

&quot;This is a city that lives with anxiety and panic is something that is very difficult to control,&quot; said Turin Prefect Renato Saccone.

Beer bottles&nbsp;

The scare in Turin came just minutes before another deadly attack unfolded in London with assailants driving a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then going on a stabbing spree before being shot dead by police.

&quot;Even if there have been no Islamist attacks in Italy, the panic of last night shows they are achieving their objectives even here,&quot; said Roberto Calderoli, a Senator for the Northern League.

Several thousand fans had turned up to watch the match in the Piazza San Carlo in downtown Turin.

As fear took hold, a rush towards exit points quickly accelerated and the square emptied so quickly it was left strewn with hundreds of shoes ripped off people&#39;s feet as they ran.

The square was still dotted with shoes, clothes, bags and patches of blood on Sunday morning. The high number of cuts was blamed on beer in glass bottles having been freely available before and during the match from unlicensed vendors.

&quot;We heard a noise, then there was a movement of people like a wave and everyone started falling over each other,&quot; said Luca, one of the fans caught up in the drama.

&quot;I have got blood on me from the people who fell on top of me, people were screaming, jumping over each other,&quot; he told AFPTV. &quot;It was really awful - we really thought it was Manchester again.&quot;

Heysel memories&nbsp;

Some of the injuries occurred after a railing around the entrance to an underground car park beneath the square gave way under the weight of the crush, causing some of those injured to fall up to two metres (nearly seven feet) onto tarmac.

Local media cited older Juventus supporters present as saying the panic had evoked painful memories of the 1985 Heysel disaster, in which 39 mostly Italian fans died when they were crushed by a collapsing wall before the start of that year&#39;s European Cup final, against Liverpool.

Another fan, Giulio, said he had been knocked to the ground. &quot;Everyone just trampled over me. I got separated from all my friends. I don&#39;t have the slightest idea what happened.&quot;

Fellow supporter Filippo took refuge in a restaurant in a neighbouring square. &quot;They gave us something to drink and we stayed there until it was calm outside and we went back to find the shoe my daughter had lost.&quot;

&quot;It was very stressful,&quot; added Gaetan. &quot;With everything that is going on nowadays, it&#39;s only to be expected. We just panicked and tried to get out of there.&quot;

(AFP)

 
&nbsp;

Chaotic scenes ensued ten minutes before the end of the Champions League final in Turin on Saturday, apparently triggered by fireworks being let off and one or more people shouting that a bomb had gone off

More than 1,500 people were injured, three seriously, after a bomb scare triggered a stampede among Juventus fans watching the Champions League final in Turin, local authorities said Sunday. In an update on Saturday's dramatic events in a square packed with supporters watching the Cardiff match on a giant screen, the local prefecture said 1,527 had been treated for mainly minor injuries. Three people were in a serious but not life-threatening condition, including a young boy. Local media described him as a seven-year-old and said he was in a coma with serious chest injuries after being trampled in the crush. AFP reporters who witnessed the scenes said the panic seemed to have been triggered by fireworks, followed by one or more people shouting that a bomb had exploded -- a notion that quickly filtered through the crowd. The incident compounded a miserable night for fans of Turin-based Juventus, who lost the final 4-1 to Real Madrid. It also underlined the impact recent acts of terror are having on a jittery public across Europe, and the dilemmas now faced by organisers of any mass gathering of people following the Bataclan, Paris and Manchester concert attacks. "This is a city that lives with anxiety and panic is something that is very difficult to control," said Turin Prefect Renato Saccone. Beer bottles The scare in Turin came just minutes before another deadly attack unfolded in London with assailants driving a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then going on a stabbing spree before being shot dead by police. "Even if there have been no Islamist attacks in Italy, the panic of last night shows they are achieving their objectives even here," said Roberto Calderoli, a Senator for the Northern League. Several thousand fans had turned up to watch the match in the Piazza San Carlo in downtown Turin. As fear took hold, a rush towards exit points quickly accelerated and the square emptied so quickly it was left strewn with hundreds of shoes ripped off people's feet as they ran. The square was still dotted with shoes, clothes, bags and patches of blood on Sunday morning. The high number of cuts was blamed on beer in glass bottles having been freely available before and during the match from unlicensed vendors. "We heard a noise, then there was a movement of people like a wave and everyone started falling over each other," said Luca, one of the fans caught up in the drama. "I have got blood on me from the people who fell on top of me, people were screaming, jumping over each other," he told AFPTV. "It was really awful - we really thought it was Manchester again." Heysel memories Some of the injuries occurred after a railing around the entrance to an underground car park beneath the square gave way under the weight of the crush, causing some of those injured to fall up to two metres (nearly seven feet) onto tarmac. Local media cited older Juventus supporters present as saying the panic had evoked painful memories of the 1985 Heysel disaster, in which 39 mostly Italian fans died when they were crushed by a collapsing wall before the start of that year's European Cup final, against Liverpool. Another fan, Giulio, said he had been knocked to the ground. "Everyone just trampled over me. I got separated from all my friends. I don't have the slightest idea what happened." Fellow supporter Filippo took refuge in a restaurant in a neighbouring square. "They gave us something to drink and we stayed there until it was calm outside and we went back to find the shoe my daughter had lost." "It was very stressful," added Gaetan. "With everything that is going on nowadays, it's only to be expected. We just panicked and tried to get out of there." (AFP)

More than 1,500 injured in Turin stampede

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid crushed Juventus 4-1 in Cardiff on Saturday to become the first team to retain the European Cup in the Champions League era.

The Portugal superstar&#39;s opener was cancelled out by an astonishing Mario Mandzukic strike, but goals from Casemiro, Ronaldo and Marco Asensio secured Madrid&#39;s third Champions League triumph in four years and 12th in total.

Now a four-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo finished as the competition&#39;s top scorer for the fifth season running, substantially enhancing his chances of matching eternal rival Lionel Messi&#39;s tally of five Ballons d&#39;Or.

Zinedine Zidane, a head coach for only 17 months, became the first manager to oversee back-to-back European Cup successes since Arrigo Sacchi&#39;s fabled AC Milan team won the tournament in 1989 and 1990.

It crowns a glorious season for Madrid, who have pulled off a La Liga and European Cup double for the first time since 1958, having also won the Club World Cup and European Super Cup.

Zidane&#39;s triumph was his former club Juve&#39;s misery, Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s side crashing to a fifth successive defeat in Champions League finals and seventh in total, extending their own desperately unwanted record.

The first Champions League final to be played beneath a closed roof saw Juve hit their heads against a familiar ceiling as they missed out on a chance to complete the first Treble in their history.

The Italian champions also had substitute Juan Cuadrado sent off after he was shown a second yellow card for a gentle push on Sergio Ramos that drew a comical overreaction from the Madrid skipper.

Kick-off at the Principality Stadium was delayed by two minutes due to an elaborate pre-match ceremony involving American pop act the Black Eyed Peas and when play got under way, Juve settled first.

Gonzalo Higuain worked Keylor Navas twice, while Miralem Pjanic&#39;s snappy half-volley forced the Madrid goalkeeper to produce a smart one-handed save.

Madrid drew first blood in the 20th minute when Ronaldo flicked the ball wide to Dani Carvajal before artfully sweeping the Spaniard&#39;s return pass into the bottom-left corner via a nick off Leonardo Bonucci.

Mandzukic masterpiece 
 
It was a fine strike, and it made Ronaldo the first player to have scored in three finals in the Champions League era, but it was cancelled out by Mandzukic&#39;s masterpiece, one of the great European Cup final goals.

Bonucci&#39;s flighted pass from deep was volleyed into the box by Alex Sandro and Higuain chested the ball down before teeing it up for Mandzukic.

The Croatian forward took a touch with his chest and then, as he fell, hooked a sublime volley over Navas&#39;s despairing dive and beneath the crossbar.

After the break it was Zidane&#39;s men who set the tempo.

Luka Modric had a 25-yard effort caught by Gianluigi Buffon and Marcelo narrowly failed to pick out Ronaldo with a cross from the left before Casemiro put Madrid ahead in the 61st minute.

A loose ball broke to him on the edge of the box and the Brazilian midfielder unleashed a right-foot shot that flicked off the heels of Madrid old boy Sami Khedira before spinning past the helpless Buffon.

Three minutes later it was game over as Ronaldo netted his 12th goal in the tournament, moving a goal clear of Messi.

Modric sped to the byline on the right and crossed and Ronaldo darted ahead of Bonucci at the near post to guide a shot past Buffon.

Cardiff native Gareth Bale made an appearance as a late replacement for Karim Benzema, having been out since April 23 with a calf injury.

Alex Sandro headed wide from a Dani Alves free-kick, but Juve&#39;s fire went out when Cuadrado was given his marching orders and substitute Asensio added to their grief with a late tap-in from Marcelo&#39;s cut-back. 
 
(AFP)

Real Madrid become the first team to retain the European Cup in 27 years

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid crushed Juventus 4-1 in Cardiff on Saturday to become the first team to retain the European Cup in the Champions League era. The Portugal superstar's opener was cancelled out by an astonishing Mario Mandzukic strike, but goals from Casemiro, Ronaldo and Marco Asensio secured Madrid's third Champions League triumph in four years and 12th in total. Now a four-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo finished as the competition's top scorer for the fifth season running, substantially enhancing his chances of matching eternal rival Lionel Messi's tally of five Ballons d'Or. Zinedine Zidane, a head coach for only 17 months, became the first manager to oversee back-to-back European Cup successes since Arrigo Sacchi's fabled AC Milan team won the tournament in 1989 and 1990. It crowns a glorious season for Madrid, who have pulled off a La Liga and European Cup double for the first time since 1958, having also won the Club World Cup and European Super Cup. Zidane's triumph was his former club Juve's misery, Massimiliano Allegri's side crashing to a fifth successive defeat in Champions League finals and seventh in total, extending their own desperately unwanted record. The first Champions League final to be played beneath a closed roof saw Juve hit their heads against a familiar ceiling as they missed out on a chance to complete the first Treble in their history. The Italian champions also had substitute Juan Cuadrado sent off after he was shown a second yellow card for a gentle push on Sergio Ramos that drew a comical overreaction from the Madrid skipper. Kick-off at the Principality Stadium was delayed by two minutes due to an elaborate pre-match ceremony involving American pop act the Black Eyed Peas and when play got under way, Juve settled first. Gonzalo Higuain worked Keylor Navas twice, while Miralem Pjanic's snappy half-volley forced the Madrid goalkeeper to produce a smart one-handed save. Madrid drew first blood in the 20th minute when Ronaldo flicked the ball wide to Dani Carvajal before artfully sweeping the Spaniard's return pass into the bottom-left corner via a nick off Leonardo Bonucci. Mandzukic masterpiece It was a fine strike, and it made Ronaldo the first player to have scored in three finals in the Champions League era, but it was cancelled out by Mandzukic's masterpiece, one of the great European Cup final goals. Bonucci's flighted pass from deep was volleyed into the box by Alex Sandro and Higuain chested the ball down before teeing it up for Mandzukic. The Croatian forward took a touch with his chest and then, as he fell, hooked a sublime volley over Navas's despairing dive and beneath the crossbar. After the break it was Zidane's men who set the tempo. Luka Modric had a 25-yard effort caught by Gianluigi Buffon and Marcelo narrowly failed to pick out Ronaldo with a cross from the left before Casemiro put Madrid ahead in the 61st minute. A loose ball broke to him on the edge of the box and the Brazilian midfielder unleashed a right-foot shot that flicked off the heels of Madrid old boy Sami Khedira before spinning past the helpless Buffon. Three minutes later it was game over as Ronaldo netted his 12th goal in the tournament, moving a goal clear of Messi. Modric sped to the byline on the right and crossed and Ronaldo darted ahead of Bonucci at the near post to guide a shot past Buffon. Cardiff native Gareth Bale made an appearance as a late replacement for Karim Benzema, having been out since April 23 with a calf injury. Alex Sandro headed wide from a Dani Alves free-kick, but Juve's fire went out when Cuadrado was given his marching orders and substitute Asensio added to their grief with a late tap-in from Marcelo's cut-back. (AFP)

Real Madrid beat Juventus to win Champions League

Juventus beatn Crotone 3-0 to win their sixth consecutive league title.

The win means they have an unassailable fpour-point lead over second-placed AS Roma.

Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s men took a one-point lead over Roma into their penultimate game of the league campaign and needed a win to secure the title.

Ahead of their final game at Bologna next week, Juve are now four points ahead of their closest challengers.

Mandzukic gave the hosts a 12th minute lead when he met Juan Cuadrado&#39;s cross at the back post to fire past Alex Cordaz in the visitors&#39; net.

Croatia international Mandzukic, celebrating his 31st birthday, almost gave Juve a 2-0 lead before Fabio Sampirisi toe-poked the ball away from the big forward as he teed up.

But the fans who packed out Juve&#39;s stadium for their final home game of the campaign were not to be denied.

Dybala doubled the Turin giants&#39; lead with a sumptuous free kick that curled into the top corner to leave Cordaz with no chance six minutes before half-time.

And their third consecutive league and Cup double, also a record, was al but sealed seven minutes before full time when Cordaz palmed Sandro&#39;s bullet header in off the underside of the crossbar, goal-line technology confirming it had crossed the line.

Juventus&nbsp;will now turn their focus to winning an unprecedented club treble when they face 11-time champions Real Madrid in the Champions League June 3 final in Cardiff.

These are the five keys to Juventus&#39;s title success this season:

Recruitment

Juventus&#39;s path to a record sixth consecutive &#39;scudetto&#39;, and a possible treble of trophies, has been a steady work in progress but the Turin club&#39;s recruitment policy, particularly last summer, was key. Although coach Massimiliano Allegri picked his targets, most of the credit will go to general director Beppe Marotta, who thanks to some shrewd negotiating added quality to the squad -- and at a cut-price cost. Snapping up Paul Pogba on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012 and then selling the emerging French star back to the Premier League giants for 105m euros, an all-time record, last summer helped balance the books. It helped cushion the blow of paying 90m euros, an Italian record, to Napoli for the southerners&#39; 36-goal hero Gonzalo Higuain, whose 24 goals before their final game at Bologna was among the league&#39;s best. Following Andre Pirlo&#39;s departure in 2015, Juventus snapped up Bosnian free-kick specialist and midfielder Miralem Pjanic from Roma, in the process denting the capital club&#39;s title hopes. The cherry on the cake was the addition of former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, who arrived on a free transfer and has since proved pivotal to their success in Italy as well as their ongoing campaign in Europe.

Tactics and man management

Under Allegri, who in 2011 helped AC Milan end a seven-year wait for the scudetto, Juventus have become one of the most potent, well-rounded teams in Europe only four years after former coach Antonio Conte dismissed their chances of ever challenging for continental honours. Allegri&#39;s nose for tactics, and how to motivate his players has been crucial. After three years of playing a 3-5-2 formation under Conte, and failing to reach the Champions League final, Allegri has reached two in just three years, having opted earlier this season for a 4-2-3-1 that, with considerable focus on individual defensive duties as well as a potent attack, has won plaudits throughout the game. Thanks to evergreen goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and a rock-solid back four bossed by Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, Juve have conceded only 26 league goals so far. Pjanic overcame a mercurial start to the season to hit some crucial free-kicks for the champions, while Juve&#39;s attack -- a three-man front line of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado -- all supporting lone striker Higuain -- has scored a combined total of 43 goals.

Flexible front men

At the start of the campaign Allegri had a problem: making sure Higuain, freshly arrived from Napoli with a new 36-league goal Serie A record in his pocket, didn&#39;t go goal-hungry. To whet Higuain&#39;s appetite but also keep the Argentina striker within the realms of his tactical plan, Allegri reshuffled, and after a few teething problems found the magic formula. Allegri convinced Mario Mandzukic to take a role out wide on the left, a switch that, despite a comparative lack of goals, brought the best out of the Croatian striker who has won extra plaudits for some dogged defensive displays. Argentina starlet Paulo Dybala slipped into his preferred role just behind Higuain, allowing the diminutive playmaker free reign on the edge of the area to dazzle opposition defences, score goals and provide crosses into the danger zone. Colombian Juan Cuadrado was at home out wide on the right, where his pace and creativity are regular problems for opposition defences. With such support, Higuain could hardly complain. Although he remains four goals behind Serie A&#39;s leading scorer Edin Dzeko, who has hit 28, Higuain has fulfilled his wish of winning trophies in Italy.

Rock solid defence

Once known for the ultra-defensive &#39;catenaccio&#39; system, designed primarily to stop opposing teams from scoring, Italian teams have since woken up to the fact that attacking play is crucial to success if they are to keep pace in Europe. But one of the keys to Juve&#39;s success this season was Allegri&#39;s insistence on every player performing defensive duties. Most, even Higuain -- who received flak in the past for being overweight and shirking when it came to tracking back -- was receptive to the idea. Two years after losing the Champions League final 3-1 to Barcelona, Allegri dangled the carrot of another promising European campaign in front of the players. And to a man, the Bianconeri responded, upping their defensive game by chasing lost possession and tracking back to cut down opposition teams&#39; chances.

Captain Buffon

Juventus wouldn&#39;t be in their current position without long-serving goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who at 39 years old remains the bedrock, and captain of the Turin giants as they head towards a possible treble, and he heads towards an expected retirement following an eventual Italy campaign at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Champions League title remains the only major accolade missing from the 2006 World Cup winner&#39;s list of honours, but Buffon has kept his eye on the ball no matter the opposition. Two years after being nominated for the UEFA save of the season award, when he stopped Dani Alves in the 2015 Champions League final, Buffon defied the onset of age to maintain spectacular form, earning his place on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon D&#39;Or, placing ninth in the final voting alongside Real Madrid centre-back Pepe. Last January Buffon was awarded the Serie A goalkeeper of the award for an 11th time.

(AFP)

Juventus now have an unassailable four-point lead over Roma

Juventus beatn Crotone 3-0 to win their sixth consecutive league title. The win means they have an unassailable fpour-point lead over second-placed AS Roma. Massimiliano Allegri's men took a one-point lead over Roma into their penultimate game of the league campaign and needed a win to secure the title. Ahead of their final game at Bologna next week, Juve are now four points ahead of their closest challengers. Mandzukic gave the hosts a 12th minute lead when he met Juan Cuadrado's cross at the back post to fire past Alex Cordaz in the visitors' net. Croatia international Mandzukic, celebrating his 31st birthday, almost gave Juve a 2-0 lead before Fabio Sampirisi toe-poked the ball away from the big forward as he teed up. But the fans who packed out Juve's stadium for their final home game of the campaign were not to be denied. Dybala doubled the Turin giants' lead with a sumptuous free kick that curled into the top corner to leave Cordaz with no chance six minutes before half-time. And their third consecutive league and Cup double, also a record, was al but sealed seven minutes before full time when Cordaz palmed Sandro's bullet header in off the underside of the crossbar, goal-line technology confirming it had crossed the line. Juventus will now turn their focus to winning an unprecedented club treble when they face 11-time champions Real Madrid in the Champions League June 3 final in Cardiff. These are the five keys to Juventus's title success this season: Recruitment Juventus's path to a record sixth consecutive 'scudetto', and a possible treble of trophies, has been a steady work in progress but the Turin club's recruitment policy, particularly last summer, was key. Although coach Massimiliano Allegri picked his targets, most of the credit will go to general director Beppe Marotta, who thanks to some shrewd negotiating added quality to the squad -- and at a cut-price cost. Snapping up Paul Pogba on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012 and then selling the emerging French star back to the Premier League giants for 105m euros, an all-time record, last summer helped balance the books. It helped cushion the blow of paying 90m euros, an Italian record, to Napoli for the southerners' 36-goal hero Gonzalo Higuain, whose 24 goals before their final game at Bologna was among the league's best. Following Andre Pirlo's departure in 2015, Juventus snapped up Bosnian free-kick specialist and midfielder Miralem Pjanic from Roma, in the process denting the capital club's title hopes. The cherry on the cake was the addition of former Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, who arrived on a free transfer and has since proved pivotal to their success in Italy as well as their ongoing campaign in Europe. Tactics and man management Under Allegri, who in 2011 helped AC Milan end a seven-year wait for the scudetto, Juventus have become one of the most potent, well-rounded teams in Europe only four years after former coach Antonio Conte dismissed their chances of ever challenging for continental honours. Allegri's nose for tactics, and how to motivate his players has been crucial. After three years of playing a 3-5-2 formation under Conte, and failing to reach the Champions League final, Allegri has reached two in just three years, having opted earlier this season for a 4-2-3-1 that, with considerable focus on individual defensive duties as well as a potent attack, has won plaudits throughout the game. Thanks to evergreen goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and a rock-solid back four bossed by Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, Juve have conceded only 26 league goals so far. Pjanic overcame a mercurial start to the season to hit some crucial free-kicks for the champions, while Juve's attack -- a three-man front line of Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado -- all supporting lone striker Higuain -- has scored a combined total of 43 goals. Flexible front men At the start of the campaign Allegri had a problem: making sure Higuain, freshly arrived from Napoli with a new 36-league goal Serie A record in his pocket, didn't go goal-hungry. To whet Higuain's appetite but also keep the Argentina striker within the realms of his tactical plan, Allegri reshuffled, and after a few teething problems found the magic formula. Allegri convinced Mario Mandzukic to take a role out wide on the left, a switch that, despite a comparative lack of goals, brought the best out of the Croatian striker who has won extra plaudits for some dogged defensive displays. Argentina starlet Paulo Dybala slipped into his preferred role just behind Higuain, allowing the diminutive playmaker free reign on the edge of the area to dazzle opposition defences, score goals and provide crosses into the danger zone. Colombian Juan Cuadrado was at home out wide on the right, where his pace and creativity are regular problems for opposition defences. With such support, Higuain could hardly complain. Although he remains four goals behind Serie A's leading scorer Edin Dzeko, who has hit 28, Higuain has fulfilled his wish of winning trophies in Italy. Rock solid defence Once known for the ultra-defensive 'catenaccio' system, designed primarily to stop opposing teams from scoring, Italian teams have since woken up to the fact that attacking play is crucial to success if they are to keep pace in Europe. But one of the keys to Juve's success this season was Allegri's insistence on every player performing defensive duties. Most, even Higuain -- who received flak in the past for being overweight and shirking when it came to tracking back -- was receptive to the idea. Two years after losing the Champions League final 3-1 to Barcelona, Allegri dangled the carrot of another promising European campaign in front of the players. And to a man, the Bianconeri responded, upping their defensive game by chasing lost possession and tracking back to cut down opposition teams' chances. Captain Buffon Juventus wouldn't be in their current position without long-serving goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who at 39 years old remains the bedrock, and captain of the Turin giants as they head towards a possible treble, and he heads towards an expected retirement following an eventual Italy campaign at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Champions League title remains the only major accolade missing from the 2006 World Cup winner's list of honours, but Buffon has kept his eye on the ball no matter the opposition. Two years after being nominated for the UEFA save of the season award, when he stopped Dani Alves in the 2015 Champions League final, Buffon defied the onset of age to maintain spectacular form, earning his place on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon D'Or, placing ninth in the final voting alongside Real Madrid centre-back Pepe. Last January Buffon was awarded the Serie A goalkeeper of the award for an 11th time. (AFP)

Five key reasons behind Juventus' sixth straight league title

Juventus defender Dani Alves produced an inspired display capped by a stunning volleyed goal in a 2-1 win over AS Monaco on Tuesday that took the Italians into their second Champions League final in three years.

Brazilian Alves crossed for Mario Mandzukic to net the first goal in the semi-final, second leg and then scored the second through an explosive strike which, with Juve leading 2-0 from the first game, effectively finished off the tie by halftime.

Juventus were coasting until Monaco&#39;s exciting 18-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, ending a run of six successive clean sheets in the competition for the Serie A side and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Tempers then flared when Monaco defender Kamil Glik appeared to stamp on forward Gonzalo Higuain, although the referee took no action against the Pole, leading to a bad-tempered final 20 minutes as Juve ran out comfortable 4-1 winners on aggregate.

They will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, who meet in the other semi at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday with Real leading 3-0. The showpiece match is in Cardiff on June 3.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy with the way the lads played,&quot; said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side lost 3-1 to Barcelona in the 215 final. &quot;It wasn&#39;t easy to play in the Champions League and they deserved to get to the final.&quot;

Monaco started brightly as they began the thankless task of trying to breach the Juve defence and the home side&#39;s 39-year-old keeper Buffon flapped at Bernardo Silva&#39;s cross in the first minute, although nobody was on hand to take advantage.

Mbappe then hit the inside of the post from a narrow angle, though he was flagged offside, and Radamel Falcao drove over from long range as the visitors pressed forward.

But Juventus always seemed to have too much guile and Higuain had already squandered one chance, with a failed attempt to dink the ball over goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, before Mandzukic put them ahead after 33 minutes.

The move started with Alex Sandro breaking out of defence to charge 50 metres down the left and the ball eventually found Alves who lofted a high cross over from the right.

Mandzukic&#39;s header was brilliantly saved by Subasic but the keeper could do nothing as his fellow Croat fired home the rebound from close range.

Both teams had further chances as the game ebbed and flowed but Juve were sharper in attack and struck again just before halftime.

Alves, who in the previous attack had played in Paulo Dybala with a precision pass, met Subasic&#39;s punched clearance with a full-blooded volley from 25 metres and the ball flew into the net with the goalkeeper out of position.

Juventus were able to drop the pace in the second half and neither Mbappe&#39;s goal nor Glik&#39;s tackle were anything more than mild annoyances as the reigning Italian champions cruised into next month&#39;s final.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

This will be their second final in three years

Juventus defender Dani Alves produced an inspired display capped by a stunning volleyed goal in a 2-1 win over AS Monaco on Tuesday that took the Italians into their second Champions League final in three years. Brazilian Alves crossed for Mario Mandzukic to net the first goal in the semi-final, second leg and then scored the second through an explosive strike which, with Juve leading 2-0 from the first game, effectively finished off the tie by halftime. Juventus were coasting until Monaco's exciting 18-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, ending a run of six successive clean sheets in the competition for the Serie A side and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Tempers then flared when Monaco defender Kamil Glik appeared to stamp on forward Gonzalo Higuain, although the referee took no action against the Pole, leading to a bad-tempered final 20 minutes as Juve ran out comfortable 4-1 winners on aggregate. They will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, who meet in the other semi at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday with Real leading 3-0. The showpiece match is in Cardiff on June 3. "I'm very happy with the way the lads played," said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side lost 3-1 to Barcelona in the 215 final. "It wasn't easy to play in the Champions League and they deserved to get to the final." Monaco started brightly as they began the thankless task of trying to breach the Juve defence and the home side's 39-year-old keeper Buffon flapped at Bernardo Silva's cross in the first minute, although nobody was on hand to take advantage. Mbappe then hit the inside of the post from a narrow angle, though he was flagged offside, and Radamel Falcao drove over from long range as the visitors pressed forward. But Juventus always seemed to have too much guile and Higuain had already squandered one chance, with a failed attempt to dink the ball over goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, before Mandzukic put them ahead after 33 minutes. The move started with Alex Sandro breaking out of defence to charge 50 metres down the left and the ball eventually found Alves who lofted a high cross over from the right. Mandzukic's header was brilliantly saved by Subasic but the keeper could do nothing as his fellow Croat fired home the rebound from close range. Both teams had further chances as the game ebbed and flowed but Juve were sharper in attack and struck again just before halftime. Alves, who in the previous attack had played in Paulo Dybala with a precision pass, met Subasic's punched clearance with a full-blooded volley from 25 metres and the ball flew into the net with the goalkeeper out of position. Juventus were able to drop the pace in the second half and neither Mbappe's goal nor Glik's tackle were anything more than mild annoyances as the reigning Italian champions cruised into next month's final. (Reuters)

Inspired Alves leads Juventus into Champions League final

With <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/inspired-alves-leads-juventus-into-champions-league-final-15415">the victory</a> of Italian football club Juventus in the Champions League semi-final against French club Monaco, Italy will get a chance to win its first Champions League trophy in seven years on June 4.

The last Champions League trophy was annexed by an Italian club was in 2010 when Jose Mourinho&rsquo;s Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2-0.&nbsp;

Spain has been pretty much dominant over the past few years with Barcelona and Real Madrid sharing the last three titles between them.

Italy has been waiting seven years for a&nbsp;Champions League win. So how long has it been for other major European countries?

Check the graphic below to find out:

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Source: <a href="http://http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/ec2.html">RSSSF.com</a>

It has been 21 years since Juventus itself won the Champions League.&nbsp;Here&#39;s a breakdown of how long the wait has been for major European clubs.

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Source: <a href="http://http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/ec2.html">RSSSF.com</a>

Juventus hopes to end Italy's seven-year wait for a Champions League title

With the victory of Italian football club Juventus in the Champions League semi-final against French club Monaco, Italy will get a chance to win its first Champions League trophy in seven years on June 4. The last Champions League trophy was annexed by an Italian club was in 2010 when Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2-0. Spain has been pretty much dominant over the past few years with Barcelona and Real Madrid sharing the last three titles between them. Italy has been waiting seven years for a Champions League win. So how long has it been for other major European countries? Check the graphic below to find out: Source: RSSSF.com It has been 21 years since Juventus itself won the Champions League. Here's a breakdown of how long the wait has been for major European clubs. Source: RSSSF.com

Infographic: Countries waiting for Champions League trophy

Juventus defender Dani Alves produced an inspired display capped by a stunning volleyed goal in a 2-1 win over AS Monaco on Tuesday that took the Italians into their second Champions League final in three years.

Brazilian Alves crossed for Mario Mandzukic to net the first goal in the semi-final, second leg and then scored the second through an explosive strike which, with Juve leading 2-0 from the first game, effectively finished off the tie by halftime.&nbsp;

Juventus were coasting until Monaco&#39;s exciting 18-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, ending a run of six successive clean sheets in the competition for the Serie A side and veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.&nbsp;

Tempers then flared when Monaco defender Kamil Glik appeared to stamp on forward Gonzalo Higuain, although the referee took no action against the Pole, leading to a bad-tempered final 20 minutes as Juve ran out comfortable 4-1 winners on aggregate.&nbsp;

They will face either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, who meet in the other semi at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday with Real leading 3-0. The showpiece match is in Cardiff on June 3.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy with the way the lads played,&quot; said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri, whose side lost 3-1 to Barcelona in the 215 final. &quot;It wasn&#39;t easy to play in the Champions League and they deserved to get to the final.&quot;

Monaco started brightly as they began the thankless task of trying to breach the Juve defence and the home side&#39;s 39-year-old keeper Buffon flapped at Bernardo Silva&#39;s cross in the first minute, although nobody was on hand to take advantage.

Mbappe then hit the inside of the post from a narrow angle, though he was flagged offside, and Radamel Falcao drove over from long range as the visitors pressed forward.

But Juventus always seemed to have too much guile and Higuain had already squandered one chance, with a failed attempt to dink the ball over goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, before Mandzukic put them ahead after 33 minutes.

The move started with Alex Sandro breaking out of defence to charge 50 metres down the left and the ball eventually found Alves who lofted a high cross over from the right.

Mandzukic&#39;s header was brilliantly saved by Subasic but the keeper could do nothing as his fellow Croat fired home the rebound from close range.

Both teams had further chances as the game ebbed and flowed but Juve were sharper in attack and struck again just before halftime.

Alves, who in the previous attack had played in Paulo Dybala with a precision pass, met Subasic&#39;s punched clearance with a full-blooded volley from 25 metres and the ball flew into the net with the goalkeeper out of position.&nbsp;

Juventus were able to drop the pace in the second half and neither Mbappe&#39;s goal nor Glik&#39;s tackle were anything more than mild annoyances as the reigning Italian champions cruised into next month&#39;s final.

(Reuters)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Juventus reached their second Champions League final in three years with a 2-1 win over Monaco.

Football: Alves leads Juventus into Champions League final

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a goal in each half to give the Italian side a 2-0 win at Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Right back Dani Alves raced into the box and back-heeled for Argentina striker Higuain to sweep home a clinical finish just before the half-hour mark.

The same two players combined again for the visitors&#39; second goal on 59 minutes, Higuain tapping in from close range from an astute cross by the veteran Brazilian defender.

Monaco, featuring a bunch of gifted young players and who have scored plenty of goals this season, had their chances but kept bumping into the tightest defence in Europe&#39;s top club competition with just two goals conceded in this campaign.

Real Madrid crushed city rivals Atletico 3-0 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick in the first leg of the other semi-final at the Bernabeu on Tuesday. 
 
(Reuters)

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a goal in each half to give the Italian side a 2-0 win at Monaco

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a goal in each half to give the Italian side a 2-0 win at Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. Right back Dani Alves raced into the box and back-heeled for Argentina striker Higuain to sweep home a clinical finish just before the half-hour mark. The same two players combined again for the visitors' second goal on 59 minutes, Higuain tapping in from close range from an astute cross by the veteran Brazilian defender. Monaco, featuring a bunch of gifted young players and who have scored plenty of goals this season, had their chances but kept bumping into the tightest defence in Europe's top club competition with just two goals conceded in this campaign. Real Madrid crushed city rivals Atletico 3-0 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick in the first leg of the other semi-final at the Bernabeu on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Battle-hardened Juventus show all-round nous at Monaco

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta acknowledged on Tuesday that his team has to provide a perfect performance to turn around the result against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Camp Nou stadium, after a thrashing 0-3 first leg defeat.

Barcelona had made a historical comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the fourth round, after a 0-4 defeat at the Parc des Princes, wrapping up the match with&nbsp;a 6-1 victory at Camp Nou.

Barcelona finds itself in the same situation today, but this time against Juve&#39;s almost impregnable&nbsp;defense.

On the first leg in Turin, Iniesta said: &quot;It was a tough loss, but we&#39;re potent. We can sow doubt in our opponents and try to turn the tables.&quot;

&quot;We have to play a perfect game. We have to create the maximum number of chances and score goals,&quot; he added.

Asked whether Bar&ccedil;a can make another comeback, the veteran midfielder said: &quot;Twice? It&#39;s complicated, but if we can get close and create uncertainty in our opponents, the team will have a chance.&quot;

Iniesta also believes that Wednesday&#39;s match has many similarities to the PSG encounter, explaining that &quot;it&#39;s similar in that we have to score goals and give our rivals little chance to do so.&quot;&nbsp;

He added &quot;mentality is key from the opening minute. We have to score goals, and the earlier, the better.&quot;

(Agencia EFE)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Barcelona is set to clash against Juventus at Camp Nou today hoping to turn the three goal deficit suffered in the first leg

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta acknowledged on Tuesday that his team has to provide a perfect performance to turn around the result against Juventus in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Camp Nou stadium, after a thrashing 0-3 first leg defeat. Barcelona had made a historical comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the fourth round, after a 0-4 defeat at the Parc des Princes, wrapping up the match with a 6-1 victory at Camp Nou. Barcelona finds itself in the same situation today, but this time against Juve's almost impregnable defense. On the first leg in Turin, Iniesta said: "It was a tough loss, but we're potent. We can sow doubt in our opponents and try to turn the tables." "We have to play a perfect game. We have to create the maximum number of chances and score goals," he added. Asked whether Barça can make another comeback, the veteran midfielder said: "Twice? It's complicated, but if we can get close and create uncertainty in our opponents, the team will have a chance." Iniesta also believes that Wednesday's match has many similarities to the PSG encounter, explaining that "it's similar in that we have to score goals and give our rivals little chance to do so." He added "mentality is key from the opening minute. We have to score goals, and the earlier, the better." (Agencia EFE)

We have to play a perfect game against Juventus: Iniesta

Barcelona&#39;s hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday at the Nou Camp to reach the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate.

The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope of repeating their historic turnaround against Paris St Germain in the last 16 and protected their healthy advantage from the first leg by starving the hosts of space and clear sights of goal.

Lionel Messi came closest to giving Barca a route back into the contest with four strikes at goal but failed to hit the target with any of them and frequently came up short against Juve&#39;s intimidating centre-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

Twice European champions Juve lacked the spark and power of their thrilling first-leg victory in Turin, but there was rarely any doubt they would exact revenge for their defeat to Barca in the 2015 Champions League final by reaching a 12th semi-final.

Barca coach Luis Enrique had said before the game that if Barca managed to strike early then the noise of the Nou Camp would suck the other goals in.

Juventus, however, showed in the opening stages that they are made of sterner stuff than PSG, who gave up a 4-0 first-leg advantage.

Massimiliano Allegri&rsquo;s side pressed Barca in their own half and limited the supply to the front three.

Messi almost managed to pick out Jordi Alba with a hooked pass and later played a one-two with the Spaniard before dragging narrowly wide of the far post.

Ivan Rakitic and Neymar also missed the target with hopeful efforts but Juventus&#39; aggressive gameplan limited how much attacking Barca could do without leaving themselves exposed.

Gonzalo Higuain cracked a shot over the bar before the break while the probing Juan Cuadrado almost picked out the Argentine striker in the middle, but was thwarted by a brilliant block from Gerard Pique.

Barca increased their grip on possession after the break and spent most of the remainder of the game in their opponents&#39; half trying to carve out chances, but Juve were always ready for them.

Messi whipped a free kick onto the roof of the net and slammed another shot wide before spurning his best chance, a volley which fizzed over the bar.

Barca right back Sergi Roberto attempted a repeat of his heroic strike against PSG, but also missed the target, unable to prevent his side&#39;s second successive elimination at the quarter-final stage, which will provoke much soul-searching at the five-times European champions.

(Reuters)

The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope by starving them of space and clear sights of goal

Barcelona's hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday at the Nou Camp to reach the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate. The Italian champions barely gave Barca a glimmer of hope of repeating their historic turnaround against Paris St Germain in the last 16 and protected their healthy advantage from the first leg by starving the hosts of space and clear sights of goal. Lionel Messi came closest to giving Barca a route back into the contest with four strikes at goal but failed to hit the target with any of them and frequently came up short against Juve's intimidating centre-back pairing of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Twice European champions Juve lacked the spark and power of their thrilling first-leg victory in Turin, but there was rarely any doubt they would exact revenge for their defeat to Barca in the 2015 Champions League final by reaching a 12th semi-final. Barca coach Luis Enrique had said before the game that if Barca managed to strike early then the noise of the Nou Camp would suck the other goals in. Juventus, however, showed in the opening stages that they are made of sterner stuff than PSG, who gave up a 4-0 first-leg advantage. Massimiliano Allegri’s side pressed Barca in their own half and limited the supply to the front three. Messi almost managed to pick out Jordi Alba with a hooked pass and later played a one-two with the Spaniard before dragging narrowly wide of the far post. Ivan Rakitic and Neymar also missed the target with hopeful efforts but Juventus' aggressive gameplan limited how much attacking Barca could do without leaving themselves exposed. Gonzalo Higuain cracked a shot over the bar before the break while the probing Juan Cuadrado almost picked out the Argentine striker in the middle, but was thwarted by a brilliant block from Gerard Pique. Barca increased their grip on possession after the break and spent most of the remainder of the game in their opponents' half trying to carve out chances, but Juve were always ready for them. Messi whipped a free kick onto the roof of the net and slammed another shot wide before spurning his best chance, a volley which fizzed over the bar. Barca right back Sergi Roberto attempted a repeat of his heroic strike against PSG, but also missed the target, unable to prevent his side's second successive elimination at the quarter-final stage, which will provoke much soul-searching at the five-times European champions. (Reuters)

Barcelona fail to breach Juventus' steely defence, crash out of Champions League

Holders Real Madrid were drawn to face their former coach Carlo Ancelotti&#39;s Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday.

Italian giants Juventus can take revenge for their 2015 final defeat against Barcelona, but face the daunting task of muting the competition&#39;s top marksman Lionel Messi.

English champions and wily underdogs Leicester landed last year&#39;s beaten finalists Atletico Madrid, a draw which prompted British bookmakers to slash the odds making Atletico third favourites to lift the trophy in the June 3 final at Cardiff behind Barcelona and Bayern.

France&#39;s free-scoring Monaco were drawn to meet Thomas Tuchel&#39;s Borussia Dortmund at home and away legs to be played on April 11-12 and April 18-19.

Bayern Munich, the 2012 champions, host ten-time winners Madrid in the first leg as they target a sixth consecutive semi-finals appearance.

(AFP)

Italian giants Juventus can take revenge for their 2015 final defeat against Barcelona

Holders Real Madrid were drawn to face their former coach Carlo Ancelotti's Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday. Italian giants Juventus can take revenge for their 2015 final defeat against Barcelona, but face the daunting task of muting the competition's top marksman Lionel Messi. English champions and wily underdogs Leicester landed last year's beaten finalists Atletico Madrid, a draw which prompted British bookmakers to slash the odds making Atletico third favourites to lift the trophy in the June 3 final at Cardiff behind Barcelona and Bayern. France's free-scoring Monaco were drawn to meet Thomas Tuchel's Borussia Dortmund at home and away legs to be played on April 11-12 and April 18-19. Bayern Munich, the 2012 champions, host ten-time winners Madrid in the first leg as they target a sixth consecutive semi-finals appearance. (AFP)

Champions League quarter-finals: Real Madrid clash against Bayern Munich, Juventus to play Barcelona

A first-half penalty from Paulo Dybala helped fire Juventus into the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday after a 1-0 win sent the Serie A champions through 3-0 on aggregate.

Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo had hailed Juve&#39;s 20-game unbeaten home run in Europe as he played down the Portuguese side&#39;s chances of overturning a 2-0 first leg defeat at the Estadio do Dragao.&nbsp;

And the 43-year-old was right not to talk up their chances.

Despite enjoying plenty of possession in a first half that saw the hosts squander a number of chances, their bid ended when right-back Maxi Pereira saw red after handling Gonzalo Higuain&#39;s goal-bound shot five minutes before the break.

Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan pointed to the spot and Argentinian playmaker Dybala stepped up to drill into the bottom-right corner as Iker Casillas dived the other way.

Juventus stretched their unbeaten home record in Europe to 21 games -- the last time they suffered a home defeat in Europe was a 2-0 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, in the quarter-finals, in April 2013.

However, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri warned his side must improve, whoever they are drawn against in the last eight.

&quot;We&#39;ll need a different kind of performance when we come up against better sides,&quot; he said.

&quot;In the second half, with 11 against 10, we did the opposite of what we achieved in Oporto.&quot;

Juventus won 2-0 in Portugal thanks to goals from Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves after Alex Telles was sent off on 27 minutes.

Nuno lamented his side&#39;s failure to score a &quot;deserved&quot; goal, but said: &quot;The expulsions in both games changed everything for us, and when you&#39;re playing against a big side like Juventus it becomes difficult.

&quot;They&#39;re one of the top four or five sides in Europe.&quot;

Casillas record 
 
Allegri deployed an attack-minded 4-2-3-1 formation that saw Higuain lead the Turin giants&#39; attack.

But it was Dybala, whose only previous Champions League goal this campaign came in a 4-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb last September, who had the majority of the chances.

The Argentinian had spoken on Monday of his desire to add to his tally in Europe, but fired wide twice in the opening stages as the hosts set the tone.&nbsp;

At the other end, Brazilian Francisco Soares curled directly into Gianluigi Buffon&#39;s arms, but it was one of too few opportunities for the visitors.

Mario Mandzukic&#39;s header was smothered by Spanish goalkeeper Casillas, who was making a record 175th appearance in European competition.

The imposing Croatian forward went closer with a header whistling wide of the far post from a corner, before Pereira flew to save Higuain&#39;s shot with his hand after Alex Sandro&#39;s header was parried by Casillas.&nbsp;

That left the visitors a man down and Dybala made no mistake from the spot to claim his third goal in the competition.

&quot;I felt more pressure taking the penalty against AC Milan than tonight,&quot; said Dybala, who hit a crucial, last-gasp winner in a controversial 2-1 league defeat of Milan on Friday.

&quot;I&#39;m happy with the goal, but also with the win and the fact we&#39;re through.&quot;

Juve could have had a second goal just after the restart but Casillas produced a fine reflex save at his near post to stop a wayward header by Porto midfielder Danilo.

Minutes later Buffon rushed out to close down Soares after he escaped Sandro to fire an angled shot wide of the &#39;keeper&#39;s far post.

Allegri replaced Juan Cuadrado with Pjaca for the start of the second half and the Croatian starlet saw an angled effort spin past Casillas&#39;s far post after he controlled well under pressure on the edge of the area.&nbsp;

Higuain, on 66 minutes, then fired just wide after holding off two markers in the area in what was Juve&#39;s last real chance to add to their tally.

(AFP)

Juventus stretched their unbeaten home record in Europe to 21 games

A first-half penalty from Paulo Dybala helped fire Juventus into the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday after a 1-0 win sent the Serie A champions through 3-0 on aggregate. Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo had hailed Juve's 20-game unbeaten home run in Europe as he played down the Portuguese side's chances of overturning a 2-0 first leg defeat at the Estadio do Dragao. And the 43-year-old was right not to talk up their chances. Despite enjoying plenty of possession in a first half that saw the hosts squander a number of chances, their bid ended when right-back Maxi Pereira saw red after handling Gonzalo Higuain's goal-bound shot five minutes before the break. Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan pointed to the spot and Argentinian playmaker Dybala stepped up to drill into the bottom-right corner as Iker Casillas dived the other way. Juventus stretched their unbeaten home record in Europe to 21 games -- the last time they suffered a home defeat in Europe was a 2-0 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, in the quarter-finals, in April 2013. However, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri warned his side must improve, whoever they are drawn against in the last eight. "We'll need a different kind of performance when we come up against better sides," he said. "In the second half, with 11 against 10, we did the opposite of what we achieved in Oporto." Juventus won 2-0 in Portugal thanks to goals from Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves after Alex Telles was sent off on 27 minutes. Nuno lamented his side's failure to score a "deserved" goal, but said: "The expulsions in both games changed everything for us, and when you're playing against a big side like Juventus it becomes difficult. "They're one of the top four or five sides in Europe." Casillas record Allegri deployed an attack-minded 4-2-3-1 formation that saw Higuain lead the Turin giants' attack. But it was Dybala, whose only previous Champions League goal this campaign came in a 4-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb last September, who had the majority of the chances. The Argentinian had spoken on Monday of his desire to add to his tally in Europe, but fired wide twice in the opening stages as the hosts set the tone. At the other end, Brazilian Francisco Soares curled directly into Gianluigi Buffon's arms, but it was one of too few opportunities for the visitors. Mario Mandzukic's header was smothered by Spanish goalkeeper Casillas, who was making a record 175th appearance in European competition. The imposing Croatian forward went closer with a header whistling wide of the far post from a corner, before Pereira flew to save Higuain's shot with his hand after Alex Sandro's header was parried by Casillas. That left the visitors a man down and Dybala made no mistake from the spot to claim his third goal in the competition. "I felt more pressure taking the penalty against AC Milan than tonight," said Dybala, who hit a crucial, last-gasp winner in a controversial 2-1 league defeat of Milan on Friday. "I'm happy with the goal, but also with the win and the fact we're through." Juve could have had a second goal just after the restart but Casillas produced a fine reflex save at his near post to stop a wayward header by Porto midfielder Danilo. Minutes later Buffon rushed out to close down Soares after he escaped Sandro to fire an angled shot wide of the 'keeper's far post. Allegri replaced Juan Cuadrado with Pjaca for the start of the second half and the Croatian starlet saw an angled effort spin past Casillas's far post after he controlled well under pressure on the edge of the area. Higuain, on 66 minutes, then fired just wide after holding off two markers in the area in what was Juve's last real chance to add to their tally. (AFP)

Dybala fires Juventus past depleted Porto into Champions League quarter-finals

Leonardo Bonucci&#39;s second-half leveller saved Juventus&#39;&nbsp;blushes a day after Roma virtually conceded the title as the champions were held to their first Serie A draw in over a year at Udinese.

Juventus, aiming for a record sixth consecutive scudetto, were given a push in the right direction on Saturday when Roma&#39;s 2-1 home defeat to Napoli gave the Turin giants the chance to pull 10 points clear.

But in a cagey performance at the Dacia Stadium, filled to the brim for the visit of the 32-times Italian champions, Juve failed to capitalise, settling for their first draw of the campaign and their first in Serie A since drawing with Bologna in February 2016.&nbsp;

Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s men remain top of the pile but are now eight points ahead of Roma, with Napoli third at 10 points off the pace.

&quot;Before I say anything I have to compliment Udinese, who played a very solid game. At times they had two, three and even four players coming at our ball carriers,&quot; said Allegri.

&quot;We knew how difficult a game this would be after so many victories. It&#39;s been over a year since we&#39;ve drawn.

&quot;We made a lot of mistakes, especially in the first 20 minutes. On the plus side we gained a point on Roma but the championship is not over. Roma can still collect a lot of points.&quot;

Juventus were denied early penalty claims when Dani Alves, after pouncing on Gonzalo Higuain&#39;s smart delivery down the right, fired in a cross that appeared to come off the arm of Samir.

Referee Antonio Damato was unimpressed, and Juve suffered another blow minutes later when Duvan Zapata powered down the left, holding off Bonucci, to fire under the body of Gianluigi Buffon as the &#39;keeper came out to block at his near post.&nbsp;

But the home fans&#39; hopes of seeing Udinese hold on for a famous win were dashed on the hour.

Juventus won a free kick and when Paulo Dybala fired an inviting delivery towards the back post, Bonucci got between Silvan Widmar and Stipe Perica to head past Orestis Karnezis.

Earlier, surprise packages Atalanta stubbornly held on to fourth spot but missed out on the chance to close the gap on Napoli after seeing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu perform heroics in a scoreless draw with Fiorentina in Bergamo.&nbsp;

That result was welcomed by rivals who are also hunting a place in Europe next season, and Inter Milan capitalised in style with a classy 5-1 win at Cagliari that saw two-goal Ivan Perisic inspire the Nerazzurri.

Inter moved up to fifth, one point ahead of city rivals AC Milan following their 3-1 win over Chievo on Saturday, although the Nerazzurri will be back down to sixth if Lazio draw or beat Bologna in Sunday&#39;s late game.

A week after being stunned 3-1 by Roma at the San Siro, Inter coach Stefano Pioli said: &quot;I&#39;ve been really pleased with how the lads have reacted after the defeat to Roma.

&quot;We looked at the footage to learn from those mistakes. Today we controlled the game, although we have to know when to speed things up and when to slow them down.&quot;

Elsewhere, Italy striker Andrea Belotti hit a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to a league-leading 22 goals in a 3-1 home win over Palermo.

Relegation candidates Palermo saw Andrea Rispoli beat England&#39;s Joe Hart from distance on the half hour.

But Belotti struck three times in the space of eight second-half minutes to hand Torino a 10th win of the campaign.&nbsp;

He now has a three-goal lead in the scoring charts on Roma&#39;s Edin Dzeko and Higuain, both on 19, with Napoli&#39;s Dries Mertens on 18 and Icardi on 17.

Belotti said: &quot;It would be amazing to win the top scorer&#39;s award.&quot;

(AFP)

Bonucci's second-half leveler save the Old Lady's blushes, and are now eight point clear of second-placed Roma

Leonardo Bonucci's second-half leveller saved Juventus' blushes a day after Roma virtually conceded the title as the champions were held to their first Serie A draw in over a year at Udinese. Juventus, aiming for a record sixth consecutive scudetto, were given a push in the right direction on Saturday when Roma's 2-1 home defeat to Napoli gave the Turin giants the chance to pull 10 points clear. But in a cagey performance at the Dacia Stadium, filled to the brim for the visit of the 32-times Italian champions, Juve failed to capitalise, settling for their first draw of the campaign and their first in Serie A since drawing with Bologna in February 2016. Massimiliano Allegri's men remain top of the pile but are now eight points ahead of Roma, with Napoli third at 10 points off the pace. "Before I say anything I have to compliment Udinese, who played a very solid game. At times they had two, three and even four players coming at our ball carriers," said Allegri. "We knew how difficult a game this would be after so many victories. It's been over a year since we've drawn. "We made a lot of mistakes, especially in the first 20 minutes. On the plus side we gained a point on Roma but the championship is not over. Roma can still collect a lot of points." Juventus were denied early penalty claims when Dani Alves, after pouncing on Gonzalo Higuain's smart delivery down the right, fired in a cross that appeared to come off the arm of Samir. Referee Antonio Damato was unimpressed, and Juve suffered another blow minutes later when Duvan Zapata powered down the left, holding off Bonucci, to fire under the body of Gianluigi Buffon as the 'keeper came out to block at his near post. But the home fans' hopes of seeing Udinese hold on for a famous win were dashed on the hour. Juventus won a free kick and when Paulo Dybala fired an inviting delivery towards the back post, Bonucci got between Silvan Widmar and Stipe Perica to head past Orestis Karnezis. Earlier, surprise packages Atalanta stubbornly held on to fourth spot but missed out on the chance to close the gap on Napoli after seeing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu perform heroics in a scoreless draw with Fiorentina in Bergamo. That result was welcomed by rivals who are also hunting a place in Europe next season, and Inter Milan capitalised in style with a classy 5-1 win at Cagliari that saw two-goal Ivan Perisic inspire the Nerazzurri. Inter moved up to fifth, one point ahead of city rivals AC Milan following their 3-1 win over Chievo on Saturday, although the Nerazzurri will be back down to sixth if Lazio draw or beat Bologna in Sunday's late game. A week after being stunned 3-1 by Roma at the San Siro, Inter coach Stefano Pioli said: "I've been really pleased with how the lads have reacted after the defeat to Roma. "We looked at the footage to learn from those mistakes. Today we controlled the game, although we have to know when to speed things up and when to slow them down." Elsewhere, Italy striker Andrea Belotti hit a hat-trick to take his tally for the season to a league-leading 22 goals in a 3-1 home win over Palermo. Relegation candidates Palermo saw Andrea Rispoli beat England's Joe Hart from distance on the half hour. But Belotti struck three times in the space of eight second-half minutes to hand Torino a 10th win of the campaign. He now has a three-goal lead in the scoring charts on Roma's Edin Dzeko and Higuain, both on 19, with Napoli's Dries Mertens on 18 and Icardi on 17. Belotti said: "It would be amazing to win the top scorer's award." (AFP)

Juventus strive hard to earn point at Udinese, but stretch Serie A lead

&nbsp;Juventus&nbsp;edged closer to the Champions League quarter-finals after second-half goals from substitutes Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves earned them a 2-0 away win at 10-man Porto in a one-sided last 16 first-leg tie on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Porto&#39;s downfall was partly self-inflicted after left back Alex Telles received a red card in the 27th minute following two senseless bookings in the space of 90 seconds, leaving the home side to play over an hour against the Serie A leaders with 10 men.

Despite holding&nbsp;Juventus&nbsp;at bay for 72 minutes, Porto&#39;s resolve was broken when Miguel Layun deflected Paulo Dybala&#39;s pass into the path of Pjaca who slammed a first-time effort past Iker Casillas.

Dani Alves made sure of victory two minutes later when he controlled Alex Sandro&#39;s cross with his chest before finishing calmly as&nbsp;Juventus, who are still in the Italian Cup, boosted their hopes of a maiden treble ahead of the second leg in Turin on March 14.&nbsp;

&quot;We can be happy as it&#39;s a really good result, but to be honest after the first-half red card, we had to win this game,&quot;&nbsp;Juventus&nbsp;midfielder Sami Khedira told BT Sport.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s absolutely not over,&quot; he added. &quot;We&#39;re happy with tonight but in three weeks we&#39;ll need to be careful as Porto are angry and have nothing to lose.&quot;

Juventus&nbsp;were expected to face a stern test in Portugal, but while they imposed themselves from the early stages and controlled the first half, Porto were content to remain deep and absorb pressure.&nbsp;

The visitors struggled to forge the clear openings that their dominance deserved, although the lively Dybala fashioned the best chance of the first half with a thumping effort from outside the box which grazed the post.

Telles&#39;s minute and a half of madness quashed any lingering Porto ambition and prompted coach Nuno Espirito Santo to withdraw striker Andre Silva,&nbsp;scorer of four Champions League goals this season,in response.

Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri left out Leonardo Bonucci from the squad, after the pair&#39;s dispute during Friday&#39;s victory over Palermo, and while&nbsp;Juventus&nbsp;were untested at the back, they missed the centre back&#39;s creativity and probing long balls.

The breakthrough eventually came from the bench, as Allegri introduced Pjaca and Dani Alves to offer dynamism and directness and the pair repaid their manager with goals to end Porto&#39;s 20-game undefeated home streak.

(Reuters)

Porto's downfall was partly self-inflicted after left back Alex Telles received a red card in the 27th minute

Juventus edged closer to the Champions League quarter-finals after second-half goals from substitutes Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves earned them a 2-0 away win at 10-man Porto in a one-sided last 16 first-leg tie on Wednesday. Porto's downfall was partly self-inflicted after left back Alex Telles received a red card in the 27th minute following two senseless bookings in the space of 90 seconds, leaving the home side to play over an hour against the Serie A leaders with 10 men. Despite holding Juventus at bay for 72 minutes, Porto's resolve was broken when Miguel Layun deflected Paulo Dybala's pass into the path of Pjaca who slammed a first-time effort past Iker Casillas. Dani Alves made sure of victory two minutes later when he controlled Alex Sandro's cross with his chest before finishing calmly as Juventus, who are still in the Italian Cup, boosted their hopes of a maiden treble ahead of the second leg in Turin on March 14. "We can be happy as it's a really good result, but to be honest after the first-half red card, we had to win this game," Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira told BT Sport. "It's absolutely not over," he added. "We're happy with tonight but in three weeks we'll need to be careful as Porto are angry and have nothing to lose." Juventus were expected to face a stern test in Portugal, but while they imposed themselves from the early stages and controlled the first half, Porto were content to remain deep and absorb pressure. The visitors struggled to forge the clear openings that their dominance deserved, although the lively Dybala fashioned the best chance of the first half with a thumping effort from outside the box which grazed the post. Telles's minute and a half of madness quashed any lingering Porto ambition and prompted coach Nuno Espirito Santo to withdraw striker Andre Silva, scorer of four Champions League goals this season,in response. Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri left out Leonardo Bonucci from the squad, after the pair's dispute during Friday's victory over Palermo, and while Juventus were untested at the back, they missed the centre back's creativity and probing long balls. The breakthrough eventually came from the bench, as Allegri introduced Pjaca and Dani Alves to offer dynamism and directness and the pair repaid their manager with goals to end Porto's 20-game undefeated home streak. (Reuters)

Champions League: Juventus beat 10-man Porto 2-0

Champions Juventus extended their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points with a comfortable 2-0 win at lowly Crotone on Wednesday.

Having seen their lead cut by Roma&#39;s 4-0 success over Fiorentina on Tuesday, second-half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain kept Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s team on course for a sixth straight scudetto.

&quot;We could have done better in the first half, especially in the speed of our passing, but overall we were organised, giving away little or nothing and approaching the game with lucidity and organisation,&quot; said Allegri.

&quot;Roma and Napoli (third at nine points) are playing well, but we&#39;re thinking about keeping our concentration on what we have to do.

&quot;Also tonight, for example, we didn&#39;t concede a goal and that&#39;s something positive.&quot;

The defeat leaves Crotone languishing in 19th place and nine points from safety.

The Calabrians did not disgrace themselves and proved stubborn opposition for an hour.

But they ran out of steam as Croatian Mandzukic converted a rebound following a header from Kwadwo Asamoah on 60 minutes.

With 16 minutes left, Higuain calmly slotted home when faced with only goalkeeper Alex Cordaz to beat.

That took his season&#39;s tally to 16 league goals, just one shy of Serie A&#39;s top scorer Edin Dzeko, who bagged a brace for Roma on Tuesday.

&quot;We knew it wouldn&#39;t be easy. We expected Crotone to get behind the ball, making it difficult to get forward and find the man between the lines,&quot; said Juve centre-back Leonardo Bonucci.

&quot;In the first half our tempo was low, but as Allegri said, we did well to remain patient, like we did against Inter and as we will have to in the next few games.&quot;

Later on Wednesday, AC Milan are looking to end a three-match losing streak and resurrect their fading hopes of qualifying for Europe as they travel to Bologna, themselves smarting from a 7-1 rout by Napoli at the weekend.

Milan currently sit seventh, five points behind bitter city rivals Inter Milan in the last Europa League qualification spot.

(AFP)

Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain scored for the Old Lady to calcify their chances of a sixth straight scudetto

Champions Juventus extended their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points with a comfortable 2-0 win at lowly Crotone on Wednesday. Having seen their lead cut by Roma's 4-0 success over Fiorentina on Tuesday, second-half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain kept Massimiliano Allegri's team on course for a sixth straight scudetto. "We could have done better in the first half, especially in the speed of our passing, but overall we were organised, giving away little or nothing and approaching the game with lucidity and organisation," said Allegri. "Roma and Napoli (third at nine points) are playing well, but we're thinking about keeping our concentration on what we have to do. "Also tonight, for example, we didn't concede a goal and that's something positive." The defeat leaves Crotone languishing in 19th place and nine points from safety. The Calabrians did not disgrace themselves and proved stubborn opposition for an hour. But they ran out of steam as Croatian Mandzukic converted a rebound following a header from Kwadwo Asamoah on 60 minutes. With 16 minutes left, Higuain calmly slotted home when faced with only goalkeeper Alex Cordaz to beat. That took his season's tally to 16 league goals, just one shy of Serie A's top scorer Edin Dzeko, who bagged a brace for Roma on Tuesday. "We knew it wouldn't be easy. We expected Crotone to get behind the ball, making it difficult to get forward and find the man between the lines," said Juve centre-back Leonardo Bonucci. "In the first half our tempo was low, but as Allegri said, we did well to remain patient, like we did against Inter and as we will have to in the next few games." Later on Wednesday, AC Milan are looking to end a three-match losing streak and resurrect their fading hopes of qualifying for Europe as they travel to Bologna, themselves smarting from a 7-1 rout by Napoli at the weekend. Milan currently sit seventh, five points behind bitter city rivals Inter Milan in the last Europa League qualification spot. (AFP)

Juventus beat Crotone to extend Serie A lead

Juventus wrapped up top spot in their Champions League group as second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

Higuain broke the deadlock with a powerful effort seven minutes after the restart for his first goal in any competition since the start of November.

Rugani headed home from Miralem Pjanic&#39;s corner with 17 minutes remaining to wrap up victory and seal the Italian champions&#39; position as Group H winners, three points clear of Sevilla.

It was another dismal night for Dinamo, who became only the third team not to score a goal in the competition&#39;s group stages.

(Reuters)

Second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory

Juventus wrapped up top spot in their Champions League group as second-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Daniele Rugani secured a 2-0 home victory over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday. Higuain broke the deadlock with a powerful effort seven minutes after the restart for his first goal in any competition since the start of November. Rugani headed home from Miralem Pjanic's corner with 17 minutes remaining to wrap up victory and seal the Italian champions' position as Group H winners, three points clear of Sevilla. It was another dismal night for Dinamo, who became only the third team not to score a goal in the competition's group stages. (Reuters)

Juve wrap up top spot with Dinamo victory

Gonzalo Higuain converted an early penalty for Juventus and then missed a sitter before Olympique Lyonnais hit back late in the game to grab a 1-1 draw in their Champions League match on Wednesday.

Corentin Tolisso&#39;s 85th-minute header, the first goal that the Italian champions have conceded in four games in Group H, kept alive the French side&#39;s slim hopes of reaching the last 16 and kept Juve waiting for at least one more game to book their spot.

Juventus are second with eight points, two behind leaders Sevilla, and should still progress, while Lyon have four.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was angry with his team for trying to grab a late winner instead of settling for the draw.

&quot;We ran too many risks towards the end and we could have undermined our whole campaign in the Champions League,&quot; he said. &quot;You go to war when there&#39;s a chance of winning; you don&#39;t go to war when there&#39;s a chance of losing.&quot;

Juve were gifted an early lead when Higuain burst down the left and found Stefano Sturaro who was clumsily pushed over by Mouctar Diakhaby.

The Argentine stepped up and sent Anthony Lopes the wrong way from the spot.

However, Higuain turned villain shortly before halftime when he scooped the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy after Mario Mandzukic had won possession off a defender and set him up with a glorious opportunity.

In between, Claudio Marchisio sent a low drive agonisingly wide from just outside the penalty area.

Juventus, who won 1-0 in Lyon two weeks ago, appeared to sit back after halftime and the visitors enjoyed plenty of possession although they struggled to turn it into genuine chances.

Already missing Giorgio Chiellini from their so-called &#39;BBC&#39; defence, Juventus also saw Leonardo Bonucci limp off in the 67th minute when he had to be replaced by Mehdi Benatia.

The revamped defence were caught out with five minutes left when Rachid Ghezzal delivered a superb free kick into the Juve area which was attacked by three players, with Tolisso getting there first to head past Gianluigi Buffon.

Juventus threw themselves forward in search of a late winner and Lyon threatened to snatch the points when Alexandre Lacazette ran on to a through ball but Buffon did well to narrow the angle.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Higuain converted an early penalty but?missed a sitter before the match with Olympique Lyonnais game ended in a 1-1 draw

Gonzalo Higuain converted an early penalty for Juventus and then missed a sitter before Olympique Lyonnais hit back late in the game to grab a 1-1 draw in their Champions League match on Wednesday. Corentin Tolisso's 85th-minute header, the first goal that the Italian champions have conceded in four games in Group H, kept alive the French side's slim hopes of reaching the last 16 and kept Juve waiting for at least one more game to book their spot. Juventus are second with eight points, two behind leaders Sevilla, and should still progress, while Lyon have four. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was angry with his team for trying to grab a late winner instead of settling for the draw. "We ran too many risks towards the end and we could have undermined our whole campaign in the Champions League," he said. "You go to war when there's a chance of winning; you don't go to war when there's a chance of losing." Juve were gifted an early lead when Higuain burst down the left and found Stefano Sturaro who was clumsily pushed over by Mouctar Diakhaby. The Argentine stepped up and sent Anthony Lopes the wrong way from the spot. However, Higuain turned villain shortly before halftime when he scooped the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy after Mario Mandzukic had won possession off a defender and set him up with a glorious opportunity. In between, Claudio Marchisio sent a low drive agonisingly wide from just outside the penalty area. Juventus, who won 1-0 in Lyon two weeks ago, appeared to sit back after halftime and the visitors enjoyed plenty of possession although they struggled to turn it into genuine chances. Already missing Giorgio Chiellini from their so-called 'BBC' defence, Juventus also saw Leonardo Bonucci limp off in the 67th minute when he had to be replaced by Mehdi Benatia. The revamped defence were caught out with five minutes left when Rachid Ghezzal delivered a superb free kick into the Juve area which was attacked by three players, with Tolisso getting there first to head past Gianluigi Buffon. Juventus threw themselves forward in search of a late winner and Lyon threatened to snatch the points when Alexandre Lacazette ran on to a through ball but Buffon did well to narrow the angle. (Reuters)

Champions League: Higuain hero and villain as Juve blow early lead

France midfielder Paul Pogba has rejoined Manchester United from Italian champions Juventus on a five-year contract, with the option to extend for a further year, the Premier League club said in a statement on Monday. 
 
British media said United splashed out a world record fee of 89 million pounds ($115.98 million) on the 23--year-old, eclipsing the 100 million euros ($110.84 million) Real Madrid paid for Welshman Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. 
 
&ldquo;I am delighted to rejoin United. It has always been a club with a special place in my heart and I am really looking forward to working with (manager) Jose Mourinho,&quot; Pogba said in a statement on United&#39;s official wesbite (www.manutd.com). 
 
&quot;I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Juventus and have some fantastic memories of a great club with players that I count as friends. But I feel the time is right to go back to Old Trafford. 
 
&quot;I always enjoyed playing in front of the fans and can&rsquo;t wait to make my contribution to the team. This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game.&rdquo; 
 
Pogba is the latest of Mourinho&#39;s new signings following defender Eric Bailly, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the Portuguese coach revamps the under-performing squad he inherited from Louis van Gaal. 
 
&quot;Paul is one of the best players in the world and will be a key part of the United team I want to build here for the future,&quot; added Mourinho. 
 
&quot;He is quick, strong, scores goals and reads the game better than many players much older than he is. 
 
&quot;At 23, he has the chance to make that position his own here over many years. He is young and will continue to improve; he has the chance to be at the heart of this club for the next decade and beyond.&quot; 
 
Great footballer 
 
The France midfielder, whose strength and range of passing should allow United to play a more expansive game than the limited style adopted by Dutchman Van Gaal, has been a hot property all summer with Real Madrid also hovering. 
 
&quot;Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great footballer and when you are Madrid you always want the best,&quot; Real coach Zinedine Zidane had said before United wrapped up the deal for a player who scored 34 goals in 178 games for Juventus. 
 
Pogba joined Juventus in 2012, having come through Le Havre&#39;s youth system before moving to United&#39;s academy in 2009. 
 
He won four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies in a successful spell with the Turin club but was criticised after failing to shine in the 2015 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona and France&#39;s Euro 2016 loss to Portugal on home soil. 
 
Pogba had signed for United on a three-year deal with a one-year renewal option which then United manager Alex Ferguson was keen to activate but the 18-year-old was frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities at the club and decided to leave. 
 
The Frenchman made just seven first-team appearances for United, all off the bench. &quot;Ferguson came to my place. We talked. It did make me think. He wanted to keep me, but I&#39;d made my decision to leave,&quot; Pogba has said. 
 
He will now be reacquainted with Ferguson, who is a global ambassador at the club, but will take his orders from the uncompromising Mourinho who will demand a significant return on the club&#39;s world record investment in the Frenchman. 
 
United have not challenged strongly for the Premier League title since Ferguson led them to the trophy in 2013 before ending his glittering 26-year reign as manager at Old Trafford. 
 
(Reuters)

According to British media, Manchester United splashed out a record fee of 89 million pounds on Paul Pogba

France midfielder Paul Pogba has rejoined Manchester United from Italian champions Juventus on a five-year contract, with the option to extend for a further year, the Premier League club said in a statement on Monday. British media said United splashed out a world record fee of 89 million pounds ($115.98 million) on the 23--year-old, eclipsing the 100 million euros ($110.84 million) Real Madrid paid for Welshman Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013. “I am delighted to rejoin United. It has always been a club with a special place in my heart and I am really looking forward to working with (manager) Jose Mourinho," Pogba said in a statement on United's official wesbite (www.manutd.com). "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Juventus and have some fantastic memories of a great club with players that I count as friends. But I feel the time is right to go back to Old Trafford. "I always enjoyed playing in front of the fans and can’t wait to make my contribution to the team. This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to in the game.” Pogba is the latest of Mourinho's new signings following defender Eric Bailly, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan as the Portuguese coach revamps the under-performing squad he inherited from Louis van Gaal. "Paul is one of the best players in the world and will be a key part of the United team I want to build here for the future," added Mourinho. "He is quick, strong, scores goals and reads the game better than many players much older than he is. "At 23, he has the chance to make that position his own here over many years. He is young and will continue to improve; he has the chance to be at the heart of this club for the next decade and beyond." Great footballer The France midfielder, whose strength and range of passing should allow United to play a more expansive game than the limited style adopted by Dutchman Van Gaal, has been a hot property all summer with Real Madrid also hovering. "Everyone is interested in Pogba. He is a great footballer and when you are Madrid you always want the best," Real coach Zinedine Zidane had said before United wrapped up the deal for a player who scored 34 goals in 178 games for Juventus. Pogba joined Juventus in 2012, having come through Le Havre's youth system before moving to United's academy in 2009. He won four Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies in a successful spell with the Turin club but was criticised after failing to shine in the 2015 Champions League final defeat by Barcelona and France's Euro 2016 loss to Portugal on home soil. Pogba had signed for United on a three-year deal with a one-year renewal option which then United manager Alex Ferguson was keen to activate but the 18-year-old was frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities at the club and decided to leave. The Frenchman made just seven first-team appearances for United, all off the bench. "Ferguson came to my place. We talked. It did make me think. He wanted to keep me, but I'd made my decision to leave," Pogba has said. He will now be reacquainted with Ferguson, who is a global ambassador at the club, but will take his orders from the uncompromising Mourinho who will demand a significant return on the club's world record investment in the Frenchman. United have not challenged strongly for the Premier League title since Ferguson led them to the trophy in 2013 before ending his glittering 26-year reign as manager at Old Trafford. (Reuters)

Pogba joins United from Juventus for world record fee

Juventus have signed Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros ($98.89 million), the third highest transfer fee ever paid. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that the contract has been deposited with the League and the deal has been done,&quot; Napoli spokesman Nicola Lombardi told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the fee will be paid in two installments. 
 
The Turin-based club triggered the release clause for the 28-year-old, who still had two years to run on his contract, Napoli added later on Tuesday in a statement. 
 
Higuain&#39;s transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013 and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. 
 
Last season Higuain scored a record 36 Serie A goals in 35 games for Napoli, who finished runners-up as Juventus won a fifth consecutive title. He joined Napoli in 2013 after spending six years at Real. 
 
The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest fee ever paid, after those of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus have signed Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros ($98.89 million), the third highest transfer fee ever paid. "I can confirm that the contract has been deposited with the League and the deal has been done," Napoli spokesman Nicola Lombardi told Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the fee will be paid in two installments. The Turin-based club triggered the release clause for the 28-year-old, who still had two years to run on his contract, Napoli added later on Tuesday in a statement. Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013 and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. Last season Higuain scored a record 36 Serie A goals in 35 games for Napoli, who finished runners-up as Juventus won a fifth consecutive title. He joined Napoli in 2013 after spending six years at Real. The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt. (Reuters)

Juventus sign Argentina striker Higuain from Napoli for 90 million euros

Real Madrid have no intention of making a quick profit on striker Alvaro Morata after the Champions League winners opted to take him back to the Bernabeu from Juventus last month, the Spanish side&#39;s manager Zinedine Zidane has said. 
 
Real sold Morata to Juventus two seasons ago but included a buy-back clause in his contract, which they exercised in July after the forward scored 27 goals in 93 games in Italy and three for Spain during the European Championship. 
 
Media reports in Spain and Britain suggested that Real would cash-in on the 23-year-old by selling him immediately, with Arsenal and Chelsea said to be vying for his signature, but Zidane insisted Morata was part of his plans. 
 
&quot;Yes, Morata is a Real Madrid player,&quot; he told reporters in Michigan following his team&#39;s 3-2 win over Chelsea in the International Champions Cup at the weekend. &quot;We&#39;re delighted to have him back, back to his original home. He&#39;s going to remain a Real Madrid player.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Real Madrid had sold Morata to Juventus two seasons ago but included a buy-back clause in his contract

Real Madrid have no intention of making a quick profit on striker Alvaro Morata after the Champions League winners opted to take him back to the Bernabeu from Juventus last month, the Spanish side's manager Zinedine Zidane has said. Real sold Morata to Juventus two seasons ago but included a buy-back clause in his contract, which they exercised in July after the forward scored 27 goals in 93 games in Italy and three for Spain during the European Championship. Media reports in Spain and Britain suggested that Real would cash-in on the 23-year-old by selling him immediately, with Arsenal and Chelsea said to be vying for his signature, but Zidane insisted Morata was part of his plans. "Yes, Morata is a Real Madrid player," he told reporters in Michigan following his team's 3-2 win over Chelsea in the International Champions Cup at the weekend. "We're delighted to have him back, back to his original home. He's going to remain a Real Madrid player." (Reuters)

Zidane insists Alvaro Morata is staying with Real Madrid

New Italian coach Giampiero Ventura hinted today that striker Graziano Pelle could risk his Azzurri place following a recent move to China and gave Mario Balotelli little chance of returning to the national team. 
 
Pelle, 31, scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014 and was an integral part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. 
 
But Pelle&#39;s reported 15m Euros (&pound;12.7 million, $16.6 million) move to Shandong Luneng could dent his Italy future if he follows in the footsteps of former Juventus maestro Andrea Pirlo and ex-Bologna star Alessandro Diamanti. 
 
Pirlo&#39;s move to New York City FC and Diamanti&#39;s signing for Guangzhou Evergrande preceded the ends of their respective international careers. 
 
Ventura, officially unveiled as Chelsea manager Antonio Conte&#39;s successor today, said the circumstances surrounding Pelle and those players &quot;could not be compared&quot;. 
 
But he added: &quot;A player has to be strong, psychologically and mentally&quot;, to feature for Italy while playing outside of Europe. 
 
&quot;Diamanti, despite being a quality player, lost it (Italy place) when he went to China.&quot; 
 
Pelle scored twice for Italy in France last month but was one of several players to miss the target in an error-strewn 18-shot penalty shoot-out that Germany won 6-5 to advance to the semi-finals. 
 
Ventura said the striker, at least on paper, remains part of his plans but admitted the long-haul travel could complicate matters. 
 
&quot;I have to consider all the 23 players who were at the Euros because of what they achieved. Plus, there will be many others because we&#39;re moving forward,&quot; he explained. 
 
&quot;As for Pelle, apart from his missed penalty, he had a positive campaign. But China is far away. Let&#39;s see why he moved.&quot; 
 
Balotelli, meanwhile, will have to reignite his troubled club future if he is to have any chance of remaining an Italy international. 
 
Having spent a mediocre last season on loan at AC Milan, Balotelli was told recently by Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp to find a new club. 
 
Ventura said the door would remain open but that the troubled star was &quot;at a crossroads&quot; in his career. 
 
&quot;For me he&#39;s exactly the same as all other players when, a) he plays, and b) he is professional,&quot; added Ventura when asked about Balotelli. 
 
&quot;In terms of his character, he could do much better. The fact he&#39;s not playing at Milan, that Liverpool have abandoned him, means that he is at crossroads. 
 
&quot;The few times that Balotelli has really wanted to be a footballer, he has shown his quality. I have no prejudice, but his football must do the talking.&quot; 
 
A respected tactician, Ventura comes to the post after a five-year spell with Torino. 
 
Tasked with qualifying Italy for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he now hopes to convince rock-solid Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli to extend his international career. 
 
The sixty-eight-year-old coach also intends to build on Conte&#39;s two-year spell in charge by steering the new generation through the ranks. 
 
&quot;I haven&#39;t spoken to Barzagli yet but if I want to take up where Conte has left off it&#39;s obvious that he would be a crucial player for us,&quot; added Ventura, whose first game in charge is a friendly against beaten Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on September 1. 
 
&quot;We have a lot of upcoming players and I want to bring them through. But we have to be patient and give them time to come through gradually.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Graziano Pelle is all set to leave Southampton for Chinese Super League's Shandong Luneng

New Italian coach Giampiero Ventura hinted today that striker Graziano Pelle could risk his Azzurri place following a recent move to China and gave Mario Balotelli little chance of returning to the national team. Pelle, 31, scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton following his arrival from Feyenoord in 2014 and was an integral part of the Italy team that reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals in France. But Pelle's reported 15m Euros (£12.7 million, $16.6 million) move to Shandong Luneng could dent his Italy future if he follows in the footsteps of former Juventus maestro Andrea Pirlo and ex-Bologna star Alessandro Diamanti. Pirlo's move to New York City FC and Diamanti's signing for Guangzhou Evergrande preceded the ends of their respective international careers. Ventura, officially unveiled as Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's successor today, said the circumstances surrounding Pelle and those players "could not be compared". But he added: "A player has to be strong, psychologically and mentally", to feature for Italy while playing outside of Europe. "Diamanti, despite being a quality player, lost it (Italy place) when he went to China." Pelle scored twice for Italy in France last month but was one of several players to miss the target in an error-strewn 18-shot penalty shoot-out that Germany won 6-5 to advance to the semi-finals. Ventura said the striker, at least on paper, remains part of his plans but admitted the long-haul travel could complicate matters. "I have to consider all the 23 players who were at the Euros because of what they achieved. Plus, there will be many others because we're moving forward," he explained. "As for Pelle, apart from his missed penalty, he had a positive campaign. But China is far away. Let's see why he moved." Balotelli, meanwhile, will have to reignite his troubled club future if he is to have any chance of remaining an Italy international. Having spent a mediocre last season on loan at AC Milan, Balotelli was told recently by Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp to find a new club. Ventura said the door would remain open but that the troubled star was "at a crossroads" in his career. "For me he's exactly the same as all other players when, a) he plays, and b) he is professional," added Ventura when asked about Balotelli. "In terms of his character, he could do much better. The fact he's not playing at Milan, that Liverpool have abandoned him, means that he is at crossroads. "The few times that Balotelli has really wanted to be a footballer, he has shown his quality. I have no prejudice, but his football must do the talking." A respected tactician, Ventura comes to the post after a five-year spell with Torino. Tasked with qualifying Italy for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he now hopes to convince rock-solid Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli to extend his international career. The sixty-eight-year-old coach also intends to build on Conte's two-year spell in charge by steering the new generation through the ranks. "I haven't spoken to Barzagli yet but if I want to take up where Conte has left off it's obvious that he would be a crucial player for us," added Ventura, whose first game in charge is a friendly against beaten Euro 2016 finalists France in Bari on September 1. "We have a lot of upcoming players and I want to bring them through. But we have to be patient and give them time to come through gradually." (AFP)

Italy's Graziano Pelle, Mario Balotelli receive warning

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has become the&nbsp;world&#39;s&nbsp;third most expensive player after the 28-year-old signed a five-year deal at Juventus Football Club, and moved to Napoli, an Italian Champions club,&nbsp;for $99 million.&nbsp;

&quot;Juventus can confirm that it has purchased the registration rights of Gonzalo Higuain for &euro;90 million, payable in two financial years,&quot; said a statement on the Juventus website.&nbsp; 
 
Higuain&#39;s transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013,&nbsp;and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. 
 
Higuain&#39;s move could create a ripple effect in the market amid speculation that Paul Pogma may be on his way out to Manchester United from Juventus.&nbsp;The 23-year-old Pogba left United on a free transfer in 2012, but is likely to make&nbsp;the move back to the Premier League this summer. 
 
Higuain won the Capocannoniere - Serie A&#39;s golden boot - last season after scoring a league record-equalling 36 goals as Napoli finished runners-up to his new club. 
 
The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt.

The former Napoli player has become the third most expensive player after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has become the world's third most expensive player after the 28-year-old signed a five-year deal at Juventus Football Club, and moved to Napoli, an Italian Champions club, for $99 million. "Juventus can confirm that it has purchased the registration rights of Gonzalo Higuain for €90 million, payable in two financial years," said a statement on the Juventus website. Higuain's transfer fee is the third highest paid, after Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur for 100 million euros in 2013, and Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Spaniards from Manchester United for 94 million euros in 2009. Higuain's move could create a ripple effect in the market amid speculation that Paul Pogma may be on his way out to Manchester United from Juventus. The 23-year-old Pogba left United on a free transfer in 2012, but is likely to make the move back to the Premier League this summer. Higuain won the Capocannoniere - Serie A's golden boot - last season after scoring a league record-equalling 36 goals as Napoli finished runners-up to his new club. The news that he was poised to join Juventus caused anguish among Napoli fans, who gathered in Naples city centre on Saturday to tear up pictures of the Argentine and set fire to replicas of his number nine shirt.

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain joins Juventus for $99 million

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