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14:00 – Massimiliano Allegri presents Juventus-Lazio, a match valid for the quarter-final of the Italian Cup, scheduled for tomorrow at 21 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. TUTTOmercatoWEB.com brings you the Press conference by the Juventus coach, scheduled for 2.15 pm, live.
14:18 – Allegri takes his place in the press room: the Juventus coach’s conference now begins.
What reaction do you want to see after the defeat?
“The players were sorry and angry. We’ll talk about the championship on Monday, tomorrow is another competition however, we need to focus on this difficult match against a team that is doing excellent things. It’s a one-off game and it will have to be played with these canons.”
How’s the team doing?
“We just started again, we did a few races after two months off. It’s true that there was the World Cup but apart from Rabiot and the two Argentinians they all came out earlier. I haven’t decided anything for tomorrow yet, I have to make some assessments on training. Apart from Bonucci who is still out, the only one who will not be available due to flexor soreness is Pogba. Unfortunately, when you’ve been out for so many months and you raise the intensity level, pain comes out and therefore time is needed”.
Should we expect something more from players like Paredes?
“The whole team had a bad performance in the first half on Sunday, the team had a good second half after the changes, including the set-up, finishing with many shots on goal. But what counts is winning games, we didn’t win above all because we played a first half where on the three occasions Monza presented themselves they scored three goals, one of which was narrowly disallowed. Paredes alternated between good and less good games, he played a lot at the start because Locatelli was out. Maybe he needed to train, these months are important and he has to give us a hand like everyone in the squad ”.
Come sta Vlahovic?
“He should play from the start.”
Is Chiesa ready to play as a starter?
“Apart from Vlahovic who will almost certainly play as a starter, I have to decide for the others. Tomorrow’s match can last 120 minutes and so substitutions will be even more important. Tomorrow morning, after finishing, I’ll decide on the formation”.
Does the offensive trident lead to the return of the back four?
“The Chiesa-Di Maria-Vlahovic solution is a solution I had in mind right from the start, we set out to play like this. Then the vicissitudes of football, Pogba out, Di Maria a month and a half after the match, Chiesa not returning, lead to finding a different set-up. Players when they have been back for so many months due to an injury, Chiesa 10 months and Pogba have been 6 months since July but he hasn’t played since April, it’s hard, you need a little patience. Pogba played a good game in training last week, after a week he had some soreness and needs to get back on track, it takes some time. Just as it was for Chiesa who stopped and started again, maybe in two-three months he will be in optimal conditions. However, the team must maintain a balance that we haven’t had in the last few games in goals conceded”.
A comment on the numbers of the Italian market, also compared to the English one?
“They are objective things. Juve made a good transfer market, achieved their goals with McKennie who wanted to leave and found a good solution. Aké went to play, Zuelli to Pisa, Pellegrini to Lazio and maybe we’ll meet tomorrow. It is useless to make comparisons with English football. The 20 Italian teams have a turnover of 2 billion, those of the Premier League 8. The ratio is 1:4.”.
Could the fact that tomorrow’s competition is a different one, without penalties, help?
“Important match with a different objective than the championship. After the good reaction with Atalanta, because we came from the immediate where they took 15 points from us two days earlier, there could have been a rebound and so it was. Those of the 15 points are not alibis, the club will take care of seeing where we can defend ourselves and try to get these points back. But it shouldn’t be an alibi or a justification, we have to go on the field and do what needs to be done in the best possible way. I think it’s the first time that 15 points have been taken away from the standings, you go to bed as second or third and you wake up below. The Coppa Italia match must be done in the best possible way, we will do our best.”
Di Maria said it’s hard to stay focused. How does a coach train this part? And how is Quadrado?
“Cuadrado is in great shape, he’s fine. After the shock, it takes a moment to recover and you have to be good at doing it quickly. We have to put it in our heads that we have mini goals, we are thirteenth and we have to reach twelfth. We have to reach whoever fits ahead, one step at a time”.
Can Pogba return on Tuesday and how do you expect him this season?
“I expect a contribution from a player who has done 15 days of preparation since April, 45 minutes and then stopped. Those are the times, his body needs to readjust and it will take some time. Maybe he will do half “Now, maybe a game, you have to navigate these situations on sight. Knowing that from here to the end, you’ll need to make the most of him in the best possible way depending on when he’s feeling good.”
How is Bremer after the last few races in which he seemed to be in trouble?
“Not with Monza, in general everyone in the first half, the second was done well. He’s fine, as are all the others. You just have to work, do and react. Do something more to get the result”.
14:30 – Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference ends now.
