Felipe Melo and Diego available. 21 depart for Roma match

As foreseen Felipe Melo and Diego have recovered from their respective muscular problems and are available for the away match in Rome which will also see the particpation of Sebastian Giovinco who is now back with the group. Hasan Salihamidzic will not make it after failing to recover from the blow to the ankle suffered against Chievo. In all 21 players have been called-up for the match against Roma:

Below is the complete list:

1 Buffon
2 Caceres
3 Chiellini
4 Felipe Melo
5 Cannavaro
8 Marchisio
9 Iaquinta
10 Del Piero
11 Amauri
12 Chimenti
13 Manninger
16 Camoranesi
17 Trezeguet
18 Poulsen
19 Molinaro
20 Giovinco
21 Grygera
28 Diego
29 De Ceglie
30 Tiago
33 Legrottaglie

Champions League: Juventus drawn in Group A

If anyone had hoped for a soft start in this year’s Champions League, he will surely be disappointed as the bianconeri were drawn in Group A together with Bayern Munich, Bordeaux and Maccabi Haifa.

It is hard to judge the difficulty of a group but one thing is certain: Group A (the one of Juventus is definitely not an easy one). The bianconeri avoided the 4 English teams in the first pot and also FC Barcelona, but none the less the top seeds in their group are definitely not an easy team: Bayern Munich will be a tough bone to chew as will also be French champions Bordeaux and Israeli side Maccabi Haifa (the only team to already have taken part in the tournament from amongst the fourth seeds).

Juventus will play the first match of the group stage in mid-September. In the mean time below are the Groups as drawn tonight in Monaco:

Group A
Bayern Munich (Germany)
JUVENTUS
Girondins Bordeaux (France)
Maccabi Haifa (Israel)

Good news for Sissoko

Juventus today had a morning training session with the bianconeri taking part in a mini-match on the full field at high intensity. Zebina and Salihamidzic remained in the gym where Brazzo began a programme of functional athletic preparation with the possibility of him being available for the next championship match.

Ferrara fielded Martin Caceres as right fullback and the Uruguay national was a protagonist of a good performance even scoring a goal thanks to a powerful shot from outside the area ending in the corner of the net.

Felipe Melo and Diego worked separately with professor Gaudino. The former, due to a slight muscle strain to his left thigh while the latter due to a general muscle strain. Up to now both should be available for the match on Sunday afternoon.

Good news with regards to Momo Sissoko:

Following a consultation with Dott. Frenet and the instrumental tests (x-ray and scintograph) the healing of the inflammation is progressing well. In the next 15 days Momo will see the physiotherapy treatment being intensified just like the programme for the maintenance of the general muscular toning. After this Sissoko will get back to running and next will take part in specific training at the Juventus Center in Vinovo.

juventus.com

Giorgio Chiellini: Partnership With Fabio Cannavaro At Juventus Must Still Improve

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has explained how he is hoping to improve the partnership he has with Fabio Cannavaro and step it up to the same level he has enjoyed with Nicola Legrottaglie.

This is the first season in which Chiellini has played with Cannavaro, so the young defender is also hoping to learn a lot from the Italian national team’s captain.

"Now Legrottaglie and I play with eyes closed together as I'm used to playing with him," affirmed the former Fiorentina player to calcioblog.it.

"The understanding is very important for a central duo. Cannavaro had played so much with [Lilian] Thuram that he created an exceptional understanding, but we still need to improve.

"Playing together in the national team improves our automatism. Right now there's a lot of talk about Chiellini and Cannavaro, but I'm sure that Legrottaglie will play many games."

The 25-year-old defender has been at Juventus since 2005, and since then has played a total of f 107 league games and scored 10 goals for the club.

Goal.com

Juventus Sign Rafinha From Schalke 04

Juventus have signed Brazilian right back Rafinha from Schalke 04 for €8 million, according to Sportmediaset.

There is no official confirmation from either of the two clubs, but it is expected to arrive shortly.

Juventus have had a high profile summer in the transfer market, already signing Felipe Melo, Diego, Fabio Cannavaro, and Martin Caceres on loan, and had stated a couple of weeks ago that they would be bringing in no further players.

However, the full back positions looked far from secure in the latter part of pre-season, and now Juventus have moved to strengthen their right back area by purchasing Rafinha, a fast and attacking wingback who has been likened to Selecao legend Cafu.

Rafinha fell out with Schalke last summer after he insisted on competing in the Olympics. Without permission the Brazilian international travelled to China and incurred a €700,000 fine.

The full back has been linked with a host of top clubs this summer, including Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea, but it is Juventus it seems who have secured his signature.

Sportmediaset also claims that Rafinha will not be the last arrival in Turin before the end of the transfer window. Lyon’s Fabio Grosso will also be joining to fill the left back position, and this deal could be closed within a number of hours.

Goal.com

Juventus Striker Amauri Hopes For Goal Against Roma

Juventus striker Amauri was active in the club's 1-0 win over Chievo on Sunday, but did not get on the scoresheet and has made that his priority in round two, when his side travel to Rome to face the Giallorossi.

"The goal for me is to score against Roma," he said when asked about hitting the post against Chievo.

"Diego? With him we can all play really well, myself, [Alessandro] Del Piero, and [Vincenzo] Iaquinta."

Amauri scored 13 goals in all competitions during his first season at Juventus and is looking to improve on that number in the 2009-10 campaign.

The player is also expected to receive his Italian passport very soon and has stated his desire to feature for the Azzurri. The 29-year-old is expected to start the match against Roma next weekend, even if Del Piero is slated to return from injury.

Goal.com

Juventus Nearing Deal For Lyon's Fabio Grosso As Rafinha Chase Stops

Juventus have abandoned their chase of Schalke's Rafinha and have focused their efforts on landing Fabio Grosso from Olympique Lyonnais.

According to Il Corriere Dello Sport, the Bianconeri are trying to reconcile requirements with budgetary constraints, leading them to give up on €12 million-rated Rafinha.

Coach Ciro Ferrara is working on adding strength to his defence, and Grosso has, once again, popped up on his shortlist. The Italian has been linked with Juve on numerous occasions.

The report suggests La Vecchia Signora cannot stretch to meet Schalke's asking price, and thus Rafinha no longer seems like an option.

Grosso, on the other hand, costs less. Lyon want around €2m, but the Italian side want to bargain and get that price down. However, the French are in no mood to comply.

It is said Juve will try to meet with Lyon's directors at next week's Champions League draw in Monaco in order to discuss Grosso further.
Goal.com

Diego: «Our objective is to win the championship»

The first match of Diego in the Serie A is much more then positive with the Brazilian champion distributing great balls and even putting in the ball for Iaquinta’s goal.

«I am distrubuting the ball which is what I am here to do. We are playing well and I am sure we can improve further and do well. Our objective is to win the chmapionship.
I am feeling better even if I am not at my 100% . I must still improve but I am sure that soon I will be able to give even more. We want to do well and our will will help us achieve results.The most important thing is understand and create space. Italian football is comparable to continental football and the most important thing is the feeling with my mates».

Ferrara: «Three important points and a great first half»

Three official matches and three victories for Ciro Ferrara since he took over the team at the end of last season. The Juventus coach, however, does not choose to speak of this, perhaps even due to superstition, and concentrates on the victory against Chievo «which bring three important points and especially the satisfaction to have seen the team playing well satisfying me in the first half because they played an excellent match» stated Ferrara who went on: «In the second half we were a bit tired. Another reason to be satisfied was having seen players who last year had problems like Poulsen and Tiago, playing an excellent match».

Obviously one cannot help but feel satisfied with Fabio Cannavaro’s debut complete with applause following the summer controversy: «It was not easy for him but I had no doubt that he would have played as best he knows and I am not even surprised by the applauses because the supporters know he is a champion and that his contribution is important».

After having commented «the excellent first half by Diego, who then decreased a bit in the second, as was imaginable, since he has been working only for two weeks on full-time with the team», the absence of Del Piero «who is still suffering of back pains» and the part-time employment of Camoranesi «who is recovering from an ankle injury and so not in the best condition», Ferrara answered the question about the advantage over Inter, who drew against Bari: «It does not count much. There is still a long way to go».

juventus.com

Barcelona, Juventus Or Inter For The Champions League - Claudio Marchisio

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio has made his Champions League predictions: Barcelona, Juventus and Inter are favourites.

Surprisingly, the Italian didn't mention last year's finalists Manchester United, the Galacticos of Real Madrid, or even Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea.

Marchisio believes Juve's summer investments in players like Diego and Felipe Melo will pay dividends on the continent and on the domestic front.

"Barcelona have the greatest chance [of winning the Champions League] compared to the rest," Marchisio told Il Corriere Dello Sport.

"Inter are there after they strengthened, but we are also aiming to win the trophy."

Bitter rivals Inter have dominated Serie A in recent years, but the Italian star is confident of breaking the Nerazzurri's stranglehold.

"We have always been close to Inter, and now we have strengthened I think we are even stronger than they are," added Marchisio.

Diego has been the outstanding signing this summer, and Marchisio believes the Brazilian will help in the conquest for trophies.

"Diego is a true Brazilian. We are getting to know him better game after game, and he will make the difference for us," concluded the Italian.

Goal.com