'Snow and Udinese were not enough to put the brakes on this flying Juve side. Now Milan must try to keep pace with the Old Lady, as she continues her charge and gathers momentum'

Taken from Sunday's edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the quote above seemingly echoes the general consensus that the Scudetto race is rapidly becoming a two-sided affair. Having now broken free of Saturday night's opponents, opening up a six-point gap over third-placed Udinese, the Bianconeri's next task appears to be plotting an escape from the tireless hunt of Massimiliano Allegri's side.

January 2010, four points collected from a possible fifteen. January 2011, four points collected from a possible fifteen. January 2012, four points collected from a possible six. By this point, the reoccurring theme becomes apparent. With three games remaining this month, the Bianconeri will attempt to achieve something they have failed to do in the past two years, obtain more than four points in January. Following a disappointing home draw with Cagliari, coupled with an equally disappointing second-half performance, do Antonio Conte’s men risk coming close to repeating history?

An unbeaten start to the season stretching into the new year, the only side across the five major European leagues to achieve such a feat, coupled with the 'restoration of credibility' that Antonio Conte has long desired since his arrival last summer, all appears to be well in Turin. Enter the January transfer window. Rumours circulate, signings are made and Felipe Melo makes his feelings clear on his future. Clubs pay extortionate prices to land their desired targets, or if you’re Adriano Galliani you pull off yet another ‘Deal of the Century’. It’s all part and parcel of the January transfer window.

“It’s not a good situation for my coronary arteries!” was the reaction of Antonio Conte following the 2-0 win over Novara on Sunday. Despite yet another Bianconeri victory, Conte was critical of the performance, citing domination of possession as positive, yet wastage of numerous chances continues to be the Achilles heel of his side. Simone Pepe’s early strike set the tone for the clash, but tifosi were made to wait until the 74th minute for a second. A fine header from Fabio Quagliarella was the striker’s first goal since 19 December 2010. Should Juventus harbour hopes of a title challenge this season, can they continue to be so wasteful in front of goal, especially with a daunting trip to Udinese ahead?

It's been a while since Italy has had something to shout about in Europe. While the Milanese clubs confirmed their continued participation in Europe’s elite competition in February with games to spare, Napoli completed yet another chapter in their fairytale with a win over Villarreal on Wednesday night, booking their place in the knock-out stages. While Calcio regains credibility across Europe, it is all merely the pre-amble for the return of the Old Lady to the higher echelons of European football next season.

Being somewhat of an old football romantic, there has been a reoccurring theme whilst enhancing my knowledge on the history of football and reminiscing about the 'good old days'. Through time, and in particular when the Azzurri have been at the pinnacle of the game, there has always been a strong Juventus presence.

We all know Juve are the only remaining unbeaten side in Serie A this season. They face daunting trips to Lazio and then Napoli in the forthcoming weeks as their quest for the Scudetto becomes more realistic with each passing round of fixtures. However, watching Claudio Marchisio’s man of the match performance against Palermo on Sunday, three goals from current players in the national squad, and several solid performances from other Italian internationals, it seems fitting to celebrate the grand old Bianconeri tradition of producing fine home-grown talent.

'Compleanno da capolista!' reads the headline on the official Juventus site. The Bianconeri journey began in 1897, 29 Scudetti, 2 Champions League titles, 3 UEFA Cups, 9 Italian Cups, 9 Ballon d'Or winners and 114 years later, they are again in the midst of a purple patch. The Derby d'Italia needs no introduction. One of the fiercest rivalries in European football, the mere mention of Inter-Juventus is enough to have many fans salivating with excitement. The latest instalment did little to disappoint, with the boys from Turin coming away from San Siro with all three points while sending Inter a step closer to Serie B. Having already conquered the defending champions from Milan, another encouraging result has seen many pundits proclaim that the Old Lady is now window shopping for a classy frock ahead of receiving her Scudetto crown.

“If all Italian clubs owned their own stadiums, the income would change radically. Unfortunately, we are light years away from this change. What happened in Turin cannot be repeated.”

That was the verdict of Adriano Galliani ahead of the Rossoneri’s trip to face Juventus earlier this month. While the Old Lady of Italian football enjoys her new-found success and ponders over what to spend her riches on in the future, clubs across Italy are left to continue to bemoan the lack of revenue and atmosphere at their current homes.

The new Juventus Stadium holds 41,000 fans, and has already had a significant impact on the club’s finances. While the Bianconeri made just €1.2 million from the first three home games at their temporary residence at the Stadio Olimpico last season, the club have collected an impressive €4.2 million from the first three matches this campaign. Despite the money-men predicting that the club will bring home almost €27 million by the end of the season, that’s around €15 million more than in 2010/11, there is still a glaring issue that needs addressing in the Italian game. Surprisingly, it’s not all down to poor quality and invariably intimidating atmospheres.

“Juventus are over reliant on Andrea Pirlo. It is Pirlo who dictates the game. If you take him out, the others become like ants” scoffed Catania general manager Pietro Lo Monaco after his side held the Bianconeri to a draw on Sunday. Creator-in-chief, ‘L'architetto’ was prevented from being at his fluent best on Sunday, with those struggles permeating through to the rest of the team in Sicily. Despite producing a decent performance considering the lack of time and space he was afforded, does Lo Monaco have a point? Can Juve find a Plan B to win games when the hub of their creativity is shut down?

You’ve waited all summer. Bets have been placed, fantasy football teams submitted and all that’s left is for the season to kick-off. Nervous, excited and hesitant all wrapped into one. Will Conte get it right? Will the team gel with all the new arrivals? Will Amauri ever leave? Of course they will, well except Amauri, but you can’t have everything! The Bianconeri brushed aside all the doubts with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Parma in Turin on Sunday, and with it, set the standard for the rest of the season.