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Juventus cruise into Italian Cup quarters

Simone Pepe (center) celebrates his goal in Juve's Italian Cup  last 16 success over Catania.
Simone Pepe (center) celebrates his goal in Juve's Italian Cup last 16 success over Catania.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Juventus cruise through to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup on Thursday
  • They reach the last eight of the competition after a 2-0 victory over Catania
  • Milos Krasic and Simon Pepe score the goals that seal Juve's success
  • Bologna are deducted three points for failing to pay player wages and taxes
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(CNN) -- Juventus are through to the last eight of the Italian Cup after a comfortable 2-0 win over Catania on Thursday evening.

Serbian international winger Milos Krasic opened the scoring for the home side 11 minutes before the break and Italian wideman Simone Pepe made the result safe in the 54th minute.

The match also marked the return of international goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who has missed the last seven months with a disc problem in his back.

Juventus currently lie nine points off leaders AC Milan in Serie A and have crashed out of Europe, so the cup represents their only realistic chance of some silverware this season.

And this result means they join Inter Milan, Palermo and Parma in the last eight of the competition while the other four qualifiers will be decided next week.

Meanwhile, Bologna's fight to avoid relegation from Serie A has suffered a further blow after they were hit by a two-point deduction for failing to pay players wages and taxes.

Bologna suffered a one-point penalty last month for the same offense -- and the new decision means they drop down five places to 15th -- just four points off the drop zone.