24 January 2015
With the 2014/15 domestic campaign now at its halfway stage, the remaining 19 league fixtures will tell us a great deal of this Bianconeri side as they look to sew up their fourth Serie A title on the spin.
One of the newest features brought to you by Juventus.com during the second half of this season will be an in-depth look at a trio of players who could cause the Old Lady problems in the matches to come between now and the end of May.
Heading up the first-ever edition are Chievo’s attacking trident of Valter Birsa, Alberto Paloschi and captain Sergio Pellissier:
Name: Valter Birsa*
Age:* 28
Position: Winger/Attacking midfielder/Supporting striker
Birsa joined the Gialloblu on loan from Milan in July 2014 following a frustrating year at the San Siro. Linked with big-money moves to Premier League outfits Liverpool and Tottenham in the past, the Slovenian international was brought in to add fresh attacking impetus to a Gialloblu side that could only muster 34 goals last season.
Despite having not got his name on the scoresheet thus far, the 28-year-old has chipped in with an assist and is known not only for his versatility to play in a variety of positions, but also for his expert crossing ability. A big presence on the flanks, Birsa can also be called upon for his defensive duties and is strong in the tackle.
Name: Alberto Paloschi
Age: 25
Position: Striker
Milan youth graduate Paloschi burst onto the Serie A scene when he scored the Rossoneri’s winner in a 1-0 victory over Siena back in March 2008. Incredibly, it was courtesy of his first touch of the encounter, a mere 17 seconds after coming on as a substitute.
Fast forward seven years and the 25-year-old is now leading the line at the Gialloblu after spells with Parma and Genoa. Now in his fourth campaign at the Bentegodi, Paloschi currently leads the way out in front of the other Chievo scorers with four strikes to his name in this 2014/15 season. Recognised for his poaching ability, he is a constant threat in and around the six-yard box and will gobble up any opportunity presented to him.
Another key factor regarding his possible dangerman status, Paloschi is maintaining a career trend of bagging more strikes away from the Bentegodi, with three of his four goals this term coming outside the city of Verona.
Name: Sergio Pellissier*
Age:* 35
Position: Striker
Team captain Pellissier, who was suspended for August’s clash which finished 1-0 to Juventus, has been a mainstay at the club since 2000 and continues to lead the Chievo line. The Gialloblu’s number 31 scored a memorable hat-trick away at the Bianconeri in a 3-3 draw six years ago, a season in which his stellar performances saw him called up for the Italian national side by Marcello Lippi, and he has now netted 114 in total for the Gialloblu.
A certified club legend, Pellissier still proves himself a handful for opposition defenders at the grand old age of 35 and has three goals for the current campaign in spite of only playing 318 minutes in total. One for trivia buffs, the Aosta-born frontman actually began his professional career with the Old Lady's arch-rivals Torino before then also turning out for Varese and SPAL.
