Juventus Blog: 06/02/09

Iaquinta Extends Contract Until 2013

Thanks to the club directors who showed faith in me and the fans who always supported me

At the end of the last championship match, Vincenzo Iaquinta signed the extension of his contract which will now see him at Juventus till the end of 2013. the striker expressed his satisfaction by stating:

"It is a reason of great pride for me having extended my contract with Juventus. This means that I have done well. Thanks to the club directors who showed faith in me and the fans who always supported and thus considered me an important player".

With 12 goals this season and a number of great performances Vincenzo Iaquinta was one of Juventus’ most important players and seeing the extension of his contract he will be in a position to continue on these lines. Well done Vincenzo!

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School’s Out

With victory against Lazio in the last match day and the second place in the championship came the “school’s out” for Juventus. For many players the well deserved holidays have begun but for many others there is still much more to sweat about.

Many bianconeri will in fact be busy in June with their respective national teams. Buffon, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Camoranesi and Iaquinta (a part from new signing Cannavaro) will take part with Italy in the Confederations Cup, the competition which brings together all the continental champions as well as the World Champions and the hosting country and which takes place in the country in which the next world championships will be played, in this case South Africa.

Italy will take part as world champions whereas the accredited teams are: Brazil who won the Coppa America in 2007, Spain the European Champion in 2008, the USA holders of the Conacaf title held in 2007, Iraq Asian Champions, Egypt as African Champions and New Zealand Ofc Confederation Champions.

Mellberg, Poulsen, Tiago, and Manninger will be busy with world cup qualifiesr: on the 6th of June the fixtures foresee Sweden-Denmark, Albania-Portugal and Serbia-Austria while on the 10th of June Sweden-Malta will be played.

De Ceglie, Giovinco and Marchisio will be busy with the Under 21 European championships in Sweden and they also will have to wait for their holidays.

All the others, including new signing Diego, who was not called-up by Dunga for the Confederations Cup, will meet at the beginning of July in Pinzolo, the location of the usual Summer camp. The new season will begin at Val Rendana and proceed in Spain with the Peace Cup, one of the most important tournaments in the world, “the Summer Champions League” as it has been re-named.

Juventus will face quality opponents – from all around the world – of the likes of Real Madrid, Seville, Deportivo La Coruna, Malaga, Porto, Olympique Lyom, Aston Villa, Celtic Glasgow, Fenerbahçe, LDU Quito (Colombia), Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) and Seongnam (South Korea). The bianconeri are in Group A together with Seville and the Korean side of Seongnam.

The tournament will take place between the 24th of July and the 2nd of August for the first time in Europe after three editions in Korea. This will be followed by the classical Summer tournaments from the Trofeo Berlusconi to the Trofeo Birra Moretti leading up to the 23rd of August and the beginning of the new championship.

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School’s Out

Cobolli Gigli: "We Won Ourselves Honour"

"Iaquinta? Yesterday we renewed his contract right after the match. He proved himself to be a great athlete and a player of mind intelligence and class".

President Giovanii Cobolli Gigli, commented about the agreement reached with Vincenzo Iaquinta which will see him at Juventus until 2013 via a telephone link on GR Parlamento. The signing was made even more precious by the two goals scored against Lazio. The president appreciated this but would have liked an identical result against the biancocelesti in the Coppa Italia:

"The only auto-criticism that I can make is that of not having reached the final and won it. With regards to the rest I think we won ourselves honor both in the championship as well as in the Champions League making further steps ahead towards the definitive reconstruction of Juventus".

The reconstruction is also made of the new signings: "Diego is a first class player who irrespective of whom will be the coach next year will bring along different tactical schemes. Cannavaro is a great player and I am convinced that he will do all in his power since he also has his international status at stake therefore being a great support to the defence".

Besides the new arrivals, an important contribution next year will be possible on the part of those players who during this season were forced to a long stop due to injury:

"During the last period we missed Sissoko and without him we managed to win less points. We moved from an average of 2.2 points per match to an average of 1.4. We will have him back as we are gradually getting back players like Camoranesi, Zebina and Zanetti. All these are elements whom we lost during the first part of the season for various reasons. My greatest pride is seeing Marchisio who is young, Italian and a product of our nursery. He can become the new Boniperti".

The subject turns inevitably to the next coach and the president is asked to cook-up an identikit of the new coach:

"We will try to employ an Italian coach, who is young in spirit and who has a will to risk and keep the team charged-up. Blanc is preparing a series of files about various possible candidates with an evaluation on their characteristics. We will analyze them and I think that by the end of the week or the beginning of the next we will come to a conclusion. Ferrara? We have the proof that he is well received by the supporters at the Olimpico. We will have to choose a coach who can show a strong Juventus spirit from an attachment to our past and a capability to adapt quickly".

The president then dedicated a thought to Nedved’s farewell which brought a long a bad feeling amongst the supporters:

"Criticism originates from the fact that sometimes episodes like that of Nedved are interpreted in a manner which is not really objective. The end of the match and the feast for his farewell with great commotion from all sides show that relationship we have with Nedved. The spirit which unites us can lead to a new collaboration with Juventus. Nedved in black and white forever? He has it in his heart".

From a champion who is retiring to others who is still active, the president answered in this manner to questions about Del Piero, Trezeguet and Buffon:

"Del Piero will give his best next season because he wants to play in his last world championships. He is the symbol of Juventus and will remain so. Trezeguet is a great champion who did a lot but sometimes other “homes” can be found for great champions. If this does not happen he will remain one of the four great forwards of Juventus".

"I think Buffon feels relieved. This was not due to the many words which I could have told him but due to his conversation with Ing. Elkann. I always thought he did well: in the match against Atalanta which was played behind closed doors you could hear him motivating the team from the beginning up to the end. He is a player who charges-up Juventus, the spirit of the dressing room and I am sure that next year he will have a great season with us".

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Primavera: The Final Eight Begins

The waiting for the final eight of the Primavera championship is finally over. Today, in fact, in Trentino, the final phase will kick-off with the first day of quarter-finals on a knockout basis. At 14:00hrs it will be the turn of Chievo-Genoa, while at 21:00hrs in Pergine Valsugana, Juventus will be meeting Palermo.

The rosanero made it to the scudetto pool eliminating Sampdoria who are the current holders by winning 1-0 at home and succumbing to a useless 3-2 defeat in Genova. The Sicilian’s strength is all in their defensive solidity having suffered only 20 goals in the regular season. The attack on the other hand only scored 41 goals.

However, attention must be paid to the Giovio-Misuraca duo which scored 23 goals. Lithuanian player Mchedlidze will not be playing due to an international call-up. He has often been called up with the first team and scored his only goal in the Serie A against Juventus.

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