Gianluigi Buffon

• Squad No: 1 
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Age: 34
• Birth Date: Jan 28, 1978
• Birth Place: Carrara, Italy
• Height: 6' 3'' (1.91m)
• Weight: 83 kg 

Long regarded as the finest goalkeeper in the world, Buffon became the most expensive shot-stopper in history when he joined Juventus for £32.6 million in 2001. Since that record-breaking move the Italian has proved his considerable worth for both club and country, culminating in World Cup triumph in 2006.

After winning the 2001-02 and 2002-03 Scudetti in Turin, Buffon stayed loyal to Juventus after they were demoted to Serie B in the Italian match-fixing scandal and he was rewarded with an instant return to the top fight, which inspired the big keeper to sign an extension to his contract until 2012.

Buffon has won everything in the Italian game and was a major part of the Italy side that won the World Cup - enjoying a 453-minute scoreless streak and conceding just two goals (one an own goal and the other a penalty) during the tournament.

His personal accolades include the UEFA award for Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper. He was also named by Pele as one of the top 125 players in the game. The keeper was handed the honour of captaining his nation following Fabio Cannavaro's retirement in 2011.

Strengths: An agile, commanding shot-stopper who is hugely experienced at the highest level.

Weaknesses: Has been caught out a few times from crosses and age is catching with him so his mobility is not what it once was.

Career high: Winning the World Cup in 2006 with Italy.

Career low: Being demoted to Serie B with Juventus following the calciopoli scandal.

Style: Accomplished, commanding, a well respected keeper.

Quotes: "Gigi Buffon is in every way an original. His talent very quickly made him the No.1 with Italy, whilst his personality, which is never banal, is characterised by great bravery both in his statements to the press and as he comes out to smother the ball at the feet of onrushing players." Italian journalist Leo Turrini.

Trivia: Buffon hails from sporting stock as he is a nephew of keeping legend Lorenzo Buffon. His father Adriano was a weight lifter while his mother was a discus thrower.

Youth Carrer:

1991–1995 Parma 

Senior Carrer: 

1995 - 2001 Parma

2001 - ........ Juventus

Ibrahimovic Akan Tetap di Milan di Musim Depan

Milan - Massimiliano Allegri percaya Zlatan Ibrahimovic akan tetap di Milan. Ibra sendiri kerap dispekulasikan akan meninggalkan Milan pada bursa transfer musim panas nanti.

Allegri memberikan wawancara panjang dan mendapat banyak pertanyaan tentang masa depan Ibrahimovic. Top skorer Seri A musim musim ini dengan raihan 28 gol tersebut santer dikabarkan akan meninggalkan Milan musim panas mendatang, tapi Allegri menyatakan sebaliknya.

Di sisi lain, ia juga mengaku senang dengan skuad yang dimilinya saat ini.

"Dia (Ibrahimovic) bilang mencintai Milan dan berkata akan tetap di Milan," kata Allegri seperti dilansir Football Italia.

"Siapa yang aku impikan untuk dilatih? Itu pertanyaan sulit. Melatih pemain juara seperti Messi atau Christiano Ronaldo adalah impian semua (pelatih).

"Aku memiliki Ibrahimovic dan Thiago Silva dan aku cukup beruntung atas hal ini, tanpa melupakan mereka yang telah meninggalkan klub."

"Milan masih punya waktu 10 tahun lagi dengan para juara ini, terutama dengan para pemain asal Italia-nya. Berbeda dengan sang juara saat ini, yang sedikit sekali punya pemain asal Italia, yang mana buruk bagi persepakbolaan Italia," tukasnya.

Giovinco Dibandrol 40 Juta Euro

Parma - Tommaso Ghirardi ( Presiden Parma), menyatakan bahwa Sebastian Giovinco tidak akan dijual dengan harga murah. Untuk mendapatkannya, klub pengincar harus mengeluarkan uang sebesar 40 juta euro (sekitar Rp 473 miliar).

Giovinco, yang kontraknya juga dimiliki Juventus, banyak menarik minat dari klub lain setelah mencetak 15 gol di Seri A musim ini. Ghirardi dengan tegas mengatakan bahwa klub manapun yang hendak memboyongnya harus siap merogoh kocek dalam-dalam.

"Berapa harga Giovinco? Saya bertanya kepada kalian, apakah harganya di bawah Javier Pastore atau Alexis Sanchez?" kata Ghirardi kepada Football Italia.

Pastore meninggalkan Palermo dan menuju Paris Saint-Germain musim panas lalu dengan harga 43 juta euro, sementara Barcelona memboyong Sanchez dengan mahar 26 juta euro - harga yang disinyalir melambung hingga berkisar 37,5 juta euro.

"Kami sendiri tidak ingin menjualnya dan dia dipastikan tidak akan pergi," lanjut Ghirardi. "Giovinco bersikap tenang dengan situasi yang ada sekarang."

"Dia tidak keberatan untuk bertahan, tapi seperti semua pemain, ia memimpikan bermain untuk tim besar. Juventus boleh berbicara dengan kami mengenai situasi ini," pungkasnya.

Akhir Sebuah Era di AC Milan

Jakarta - Sehari setelah Alessandro Nesta, Filippo Inzaghi dan Gennaro Gattuso juga memutuskan pergi. Sebuan era dan sepotong generasi dalam perjalanan sejarah AC Milan pun berakhir.

Nesta, Inzaghi dan Gattuso menjadi penggalan besar kekuatan Milan saat klub tersebut menjuarai dua gelar Liga Champions di musim 2003 dan 2007, serta masuk final di tahun 2005. Setelah kepergian Andrea Pirlo dan pensiunnya beberapa nama plus Carlo Ancelotti yang lebih dulu pergi, saat ini tinggal Clarence Seedorf dan Massimo Ambrossini yang tersisa dari skuad tersebut.

Era untuk nama-nama pemain yang disebut di atas tak bisa dipungkiri telah mendekati akhir. Nesta cuma tampil di 16 pertandingan Seri A musim ini, Inzaghi cuma dapat jatah enam kali diturunkan, sedangkan 'Si Badak' terganggu masalah pengelihatan yang membuatnya cuma bermain lima kali. Mereka sudah beranjak tua dan mulai sangat dibatasi kemampuan fisik serta cedera yang terus datang.

"Kenyataan yang ada melewati mimpi terindah yang kami punya. Dua gol ke gawang Liverpool (di final 2007), dua tahun setelah Istanbul), titel juara nomor tujuh di Liga Champions. Nasib memberi kami hal yang kami bahkan tidak berani berharap," sahut Inzaghi dalam pernyataan perpisahannya.

Untuk Inzaghi, Milanisti diyakini sudah menyiapkan pesta khusus buatnya. Di laga pamungkas pada Minggu (14/5/2012) mendatang, jika dimainkan itu akan menjadi pertandingan ke-300 dia buat Diavolo Rosso.

Kedatangan Massimiliano Allegri sekitar dua musim lalu sesunggunya sudah menandai dimulainya sebuah periode baru di San Siro, dengan dia memboyong banyak pemain baru dan berusia muda. Perubahan yang dapat dukungan dari Silvio Berlusconi dalam bentuk kucuran dana besar untuk memboyong pemain seperti Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin Prince Boateng, hingga Robinho dan Urby Emmanuelson.

Sebuah era sudah berakhir di Milan, dan generasi baru terus dibangun dalam upaya kembali mengukuhkan diri sebagai klub terbaik di Italia dan Eropa. Dan tugas pertama generasi itu musim depan adalah merebut kembali titel juara yang tahun ini lepas ke tangan Juventus.

 

sport.detik.com

Nesta to leave AC Milan

koclokindoblog, 10 Mei 2012, AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has announced he will quit the club at the end of the season to further his career outside of Europe.

The 36-year-old centre-half, whose Milan contract expires in June, will put an end to a 10-year stint with the Rossoneri, having joined the club from Lazio in 2002 in a 30.5-million-euro deal.

He had been linked with a move to Juventus, but he stressed that he will no longer play in Europe as he struggles with the pace of the game in the continent.

"Italian and European football are too fast for me now," he said on Thursday. "If I do not feel important, I prefer to stay at home.

"I have won so many things, but out of respect for the club and my team-mates I have decided to try a different experience at a club in which I can do something good."

Since arriving at San Siro, Nesta has helped Milan to win two Serie A crowns and two Champions League titles, among other pieces of silverware.

"The first Champions League that I won is the best memory I have from this club," he said.

"I leave Milan disappointed because we hoped to win a league that was within our reach."

Questioned about his future, the former Italy international noted that he has not yet decided his next move, but admitted that the American Major League Soccer (MLS) is an attractive destination.

"I do not know where I will go because I have not signed anything yet," he said.

"It would not be bad to play in the MLS, right now I do not have any other offers."

 

soccerway.com

Andrea Pirlo

Date of Birth: May 19, 1979

Place of Birth: Brescia

Position: Centrocampista (AMF, DMF)

Height: 177.0 cm

Weight: 68.0 Kg

Serie A Debut: 21/05/1995, Reggiana - Brescia 2-0

Andrea Pirlo is a world class player, possessing dazzling feet and a phenomenal ability to read the game. He understands his team-mates and the rhythm of the play, knowing how and when oppose his authority if need be.

The playmaker has a strong shot, characterised by extreme precision, a term frequently attributed to his lethal free-kicks. Above all, it’s Pirlo’s complete coolness in moments that count - as far as he’s concerned there’s no difference between taking a penalty in training, or appearing in the World Cup final.

This is a common quality in leaders, a merit that could only be claimed by the authentic driving forces, players who are destined for glory.

The midfielder is a born leader. He began his football career with Brescia, making his Serie A debut at 16 years of age in the 1994/95 campaign. Pirlo became a playmaker and featured in that role at the Rigamonti, then with Reggina and Inter, before returning to Brescia in 2001.

In order to accommodate both Pirlo and Roberto Baggio in the same side, the former altered his position and became a midfield general, a role that would bring both him and Milan great success throughout ten consecutive seasons in red and white.

His career record is impressive: a Club World Cup Championship, two Champions League wins, two European Super Cups, two titles, one Italian Super Cup and one Coppa Italia. Internationally, he won the 2000 Under-21 European Championships and was the top scorer, a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics and finally the 2006 World Cup in Berlin.

At Juventus he will be reunited with many team-mates who shared that fantastic adventure. Together they will contribute to write new pages of an extraordinary career.




Career :

1995–1998 : Brescia
1998–2001 : Internazionale
1999–2000 : Reggina (loan)
2001           : Brescia (loan)
2001–2011 : Milan 
2011– ......  : Juventus

Serie A preview: Juve, Milan face crunch games

koclokindoblog, 5 Mei 2012, Juventus could wrap up the Serie A title this weekend with a win against Cagliari - if second-placed AC Milan lose their derby with Inter.

The current league-leaders only managed a 1-1 draw against Lecce on Wednesday after an error from goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the 85th minute gifted Lecce an equaliser.

Juve, who are unbeaten in the league in 2011/12, need to regroup against Cagliari on Sunday to ensure Milan do not overtake them at the top of the table.

Antonio Conte's side are on 78 points, with Milan just one behind.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani could not believe Juve let them move within a point of the top of the table.

"I was just walking around in the changing rooms and I didn't believe it," Galliani said.

"I thought it was a joke that Lecce had equalised, but it was true."

AC Milan are up against city rivals Inter Milan on Sunday knowing that a loss could hand Juventus their first legitimate title since 2002/03.

At the other end of the table, Lecce, on the back of their late draw with Juventus, can move to the verge of Serie A-survival with a win on Saturday against Fiorentina.

Lecce are currently in 18th position on the Serie A table with two games to go, just three points behind 17th-placed Genoa, who are outside the relegation zone.

If Lecce defeat Fiorentina and Genoa lose to fourth-placed Udinese on Sunday, the two sides will swap spots.

Lecce coach Serse Cosmi wanted his side's game to be moved to Sunday to be played at the same time as Udinese's clash with Genoa.

"We want it changed because we want the championship to be decided in the right manner," Cosmi said.

But on Thursday, Serie A officials rejected the request.

Napoli can further strengthen their hold on Italy's third Champions League place with a victory in Bologna on Sunday.

But Udinese and Lazio, who travel to Atalanta, are ready to pounce if Napoli fail to win.

In other matches on Sunday, Siena host Parma, Novara play Cesena and Chievo take on Palermo, while on Saturday Roma are up against Catania.

 

soccerway.com

Serie A : Juventus back on top as Milan fall

koclokindoblog, 8 April 2012,

Juventus returned to the top of the Serie A after a 2-0 win at Palermo on Saturday, as AC Milan slipped up.

Milan - who began the day one point clear at the summit - missed a chance to go four points clear ahead of Juve's fixture with a shock 2-1 loss at home to Fiorentina.

And Antonio Conte's men took full advantage of Milan's slip-up, extending their unbeaten streak to 36 matches in all competitions - and 31 in Serie A - with an impressive performance at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

After a goalless first half, Juve flexed their muscle in the second and Leonardo Bonucci gave them the lead 12 minutes after the restart.

Juventus wrapped up the win 13 minutes later when Fabio Quagliarella converted Alessandro Matri's assist to seal the club's fourth league triumph in a row.

Juve last lost a competitive match on May 15 last year when they were defeated 1-0 at Parma in the Serie A.

Milan's 2-1 defeat was even more surprising given that they took the lead.

Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted a 31st-minute penalty for Massimiliano Allegri's side and it was an advantage they carried into the break.

Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic levelled proceedings two minutes into the second half before Amauri - formerly on the books of Juventus - scored the winner in the dying stages.

Meanwhile, Kwadwo Asamoah scored a brace in Udinese's 3-1 home win over Parma.

The Ghanaian netted on the stroke of half-time and in second-half injury-time, with Antonio Di Natale also getting on the scoresheet for the winners.

Luis Muriel and David Di Michele grabbed doubles for Lecce as the relegation-threatened side beat sixth-placed Roma 4-2, while Inter Milan had to come from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw at Cagliari.

Mattia Destro's 90th-minute winner gave Siena a 2-1 victory at Atalanta and Chievo beat a 10-man Catania 3-2.

Cesena and Bologna played out a goalless stalemate while strugglers Novara and Genoa could not be separated either, as they were forced to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Lazio retained a firm grip on third place, 10 points behind Milan, with a 3-1 home win over Napoli.

Midfielder Antonio Candreva gave the home side a ninth minute lead only for Goran Pandev to equalise 11 minutes before half-time.

Goals from Stefano Mauri (61st minute) and an 81st minute penalty from Cristian Ledesma guaranteed Lazio the three points.

soccerway.com

Juve Harus Menangi Seri A & Coppa Italia

koclokindoblog, 5 April 2012, Turin - Pelatih Juventus, Antonio Conte, mengatakan jika lolos ke Liga Champions adalah target utama tim saat ini. Tapi karena berpeluang besar juga merebut Scudetto dan Coppa Italia, 'Si Nyonya Tua' diminta untuk melakukannya.

"Aku diminta untuk membawa mereka kembali ke Liga Champions karena itu penting dari sudut pandang ekonomi, juga merupakan daya tarik untuk mendatangkan pemain besar. Kami perlu finis paling tidak di posisi dua. Liga Champions adalah kehidupan," tutur Conte beberapa hari lalu.

Tapi pada faktnya Juve saat ini berada di posisi kedua dan hanya berselisih dua poin dari AC Milan yang ada di puncak, dengan Seri A menyisakan delapan pekan lagi. Peluang merebut Scudetto pun masih terbuka lebar.

Tak hanya di Liga Italia, Juve juga punya kans merebut silverware lain di ajang Coppa Italia dengan berjumpa Napoli di partai final yang akan dihelat bulan depan.

Dengan kemungkinan mengakhiri puasa gelar sejak 2006 dengan dua titel sekaligus, ini merupakan prestasi tersendiri bagi Conte dan juga Juve yang di awal musim tak begitu difavoritkan.

Maka wajar jika salah salah satu petinggi Juve yang juga bos FIAT, John Elkan, meminta Bianconeri untuk menghadirkan dua trofi itu di akhir musim.

"Tim bermain baik di liga dan juga kompetisi piala lokal, tapi seperti Antonio Conte katakan, ini bukan saat yang tepat untuk kehilangan konsentrasi," tukas Elkan seperti dilansir Football Italia.

"Scudetto atau Coppa Italia? Keduanya! Conte mengatakan kami harus bermain seperti 24 singa yang memainkan delapan laga final Seri A musim ini. Tapi aku lebih ingin mengatakan 24 singa yang bermain sebagai satu singa," pungkasnya.

sport.detik.com

Prandelli buoyed by Cassano news

koclokindoblog, 3 April 2012,

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is delighted that Antonio Cassano is poised to make his return to first-team action with AC Milan.

The Milan striker, who played an integral role in his country's qualification for Euro 2012, has not played since having an emergency heart procedure last November after falling ill following his club's Serie A clash with Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

It was initially feared that Cassano would not feature again this season but he could play some part in Milan's meeting with Fiorentina this weekend.

"I've very happy," Prandelli told reporters on Monday.

"I cannot say anything other than I'm just very happy."

Prandelli also had grounds to smile after learning that league officials have agreed to his request for a training camp at the end of the month.

The Azzurri boss had been hoping to hold several sessions in March and April but Serie A's finest rejected that idea.

However, a compromise agreement has been reached which will see clubs release their players for a two-day training camp on April 23-24.

Italy have been drawn in a group with Spain, Republic of Ireland and Croatia for Euro 2012.

soccerway.com