Martín Cáceres may want to commit the final lines of the Brand New song “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” to memory. The track is now a fitting anthem for the Lazio right back.
“Call me a safe bet, I’m betting I’m not.
I’m glad that you can forgive; I’m only hoping as time goes, you can forget.”
After Tottenham’s impressive rally to salvage a fantastic 2-2 draw against Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday in Turin, Italy, many of the plaudits went to Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.
Being hated is part of the Juventus lifestyle. As the most successful team in Italy, there is plenty of fan bases who know nothing but contempt for the Old Lady.
Some of these hatreds are local, such as the rivalry with Torino, while some are based on success, such as the competitiveness with Inter. For Napoli fans, the rivalry is an extension of the north-south divide in the country. Likewise, many fans simply hate Juventus for their … controversial approach to winning at all costs. Some simply hate the fact that they win so much.
Gianluigi Buffon, a legend of the game, set another milestone on Friday. The Italian goalkeeper made his 500th league appearance for the Bianconeri in a 2-0 win for Juventus vs Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Buffon also had a clean sheet — thanks to a little help from VAR and the woodwork.
Clubs have DNA. Not in the chemical sense but more in terms of the enduring cultural traits which are endemic to every single iteration of the team they put out onto the field.
Manchester United and their propensity for scoring late, important goals.
Barcelona and their Cruyffian pass pass pass.
Tottenham Hotspur and their glorious failure.
These are values which develop and manifest in a number of different ways. But over the course of many generations, fans will be able to witness these teams reverting to the values built into the very fabric of the club.
The story of Bruno Zuculini’s young career is one of fire, fury and loan moves. A product of Buenos Aires club Racing, Zuculini made his first team debut with the club, one of the “big five” clubs of Argentine football, at the tender age of 16. After establishing himself as one of the Primera Division’s top talents, Manchester City signed him at the age of 21 for $3.2 million in 2014.
Serie A returned after a short winter break and everything seemed to go according to plan. Napoli won. Juventus won. Benevento lost. Pretty much par for the course.
Winter has arrived. The traditional Serie A winter break has been pushed back a few weeks to accommodate an “English-style” festive period. Now, with January in full fling, the clubs are taking a bit of time off to recover. So, naturally, it’s time to think about Serie A transfers.
How do you replace a man like Gianluigi Buffon? For the past two decades, Buffon has been a mainstay between the posts for both the Italian national team and his club side, Juventus.
During that time, he’s demonstrated remarkable consistency, spending twenty years as one of the best keepers in the world. Even when Juve was relegated in 2006, he stayed with the team. He’s unquestionably a legend of the game. But the end is nigh.
It’s one of the first lessons you learn playing soccer (or most any sport): play to the whistle. That tenet is even more important in the age of VAR, when professionals know the referee can consult replay to confirm goals, at least in countries that aren’t in the Dark Ages. The Mario Mandzukic goal vs. Torino was the result of Juventus punishing its rival for not playing to the whistle in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals on Wednesday.