Soccer: Juve face Lyon in double bid

IMG class=hide alt=”Soccer: Juve face Lyon in double bid” src=”http://www.mineralfossil.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wpid-da21c5c8a18a261701d310c4606b84ed.jpg” (By Denis Greenan). P(ANSA) – Rome, March 21 – Favourites Juventus were handed a difficult tie against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals Friday but the two-time European champions are still hoping to keep their dream of an unprecedented Serie A-Europa League double alive./PPAndrea Pirlo, whose superb free-kick Wednesday settled the last-16 battle with their Italian rivals Fiorentina to keep the Serie A leaders on track for a European triumph on home turf two months from now, said: “We’re really up for this./PP”We respect Lyon – just look at all the French titles they’ve won – but we think we can give the fans a treat in May,” said the veteran Italy playmaker, whose seemingly endless Indian summer has boosted Juve to two straight titles and looks set to help deliver their third this year./PP”At 34, Pirlo is playing better than ever. Class is not water,” the Italian sports press said Friday, using a common Italian soccer term to say that form is temporary but innate gifts permanent./PP”He may be the coolest character around, but he’s simply on fire in terms of form,” the press said./PP”He never lets Juve or Italy down”./PPWith 10 games to go in Italy’s top league, Juve have a 14-point cushion over second-placed AS Roma./PPAlthough former Lyon coach Rudi Garcia’s Romans have a game in hand, bookies have already all but handed the scudetto to the Turin giants./PPIn Florence Wednesday night, Pirlo’s dead-ball accuracy on 71 minutes, caressing the ball high into the far right of the net, handed Juve a 1-0 victory and a 2-1 aggregate success over the Viola./PPHis strike came after Fiorentina were reduced to 10 men two minutes earlier after Gonzalo Rodr