Torino-Juventus, Juric and Allegri in agreement: “It’s a shame not to have won”

TORINO. Regret is the prevailing feeling at the end of the Mole derby number 208, both on the black and white side of the Po and on the Granata side. Justified in both cases, given that if Juventus had control of the match in the first half, with clear chances and the tactics of Allegri who wrapped up their opponents, while in the second half Torino changed gear, also finding the opportunity to win it at the end with Lazaro.

“We played a good game – confirms the Juventus coach at the end of the match -, we are disappointed because in any case we did well in the first half and in the second, despite lowering the center of gravity, we had opportunities to exploit better with Vlahovic e Star. We gave Toro a great opportunity because we didn’t shorten it, but we knew the difficulties of the match: it’s on the left side of the table, it’s still a derby and they’re in the running for Europe. Sorry but we have to look ahead and prepare for the match against Cagliari.”

The problems in attack and the Champions League race

Vlahovic’s performance weighs heavily on the overall score of the match. The two opportunities wasted by the Serbian center forward, one foiled by Milinkovic and the other printed on the post, changed the outcome of the evening: “Dusan played a good game like the whole team, he had two chances, he didn’t score and he’s very disappointed”. Allegri will certainly be too, but he hasn’t changed his setup by making the “standard” substitutions, role by role, without attempting the trident or at least two attacking midfielders behind a single striker: “It may be a valid solution, but we have an objective so important to achieve that doing experiments would be risky. Today there was a moment when I could have put it, but at the moment we are balanced and we must continue like this.” Neither a point gained nor two lost according to Allegri in the race for one of the places in the Champions League: “More than anything else it’s a point, when we do it there’s the disappointment of not having scored three, but we left a lot of them on the way, with the Lazio, with Napoli. Let’s take the point, analyze the situation and we need to improve some things. The only thing that matters is getting into the Champions League, we will try to get as many points as possible, one step at a time. We have an important match in Cagliari, then on Tuesday we will try to reach the Italian Cup final: in my opinion we are missing seven points to qualify.”

Juric and the recovery of the second half

If the first half was all Juventus-led, the second half saw the comeback of Toro, who came close to scoring with a header twice, once with Buongiorno and the other with Lazaro in the end, good at anticipating Shake-Junior, less so in concluding: “The first half we were tense, slow in our phrasing, in the second we were fantastic, dominating it and creating dangerous opportunities. There is regret for not having won it. Juve has moments in which they press and others in which they lower themselves, the script of the match was written. When you have a second half like this against Juventus, in which they struggle to come forward, dominating, winning corners, it’s sad not to win: in the first half, however, they had the best opportunities.” On Lazaro’s occasion, Juric doesn’t want to hear about mentality, about desire: “We always talk about mentality, I think it’s about quality. Why is one player overpaid and another less? Also for this reason. The team has showed great mentality, attacked, conceded little. I saw Juve well, but I saw my players better. They are dynamic, they run, solid and tough at the back down, even though in the last 20 minutes I had the feeling that we could have won it.”

The Croatian’s future and the derby he never won

Also at the center of the discussion is the future of the Croatian coach, in the last year of his contract and not yet sure of a confirmation or a farewell: “We are not talking about fourth arguments, we are working. It takes time to understand certain things, I am convinced that the history of the Bull is such that it must always fight for Europe, have a high level. My speech is based on this, on growth, on improvement. I was happy with certain things, but I didn’t understand the discontent: now I do I understand. Especially in the last three or four months I am satisfied, happy: with the club, with myself, with the fans. There is a harmony that can be seen on the pitch and today the stadium was fabulous, I am proud to be from Toro will decide what is best for everyone.” On the expulsion, at least this time, Juric he doesn’t agree: “This time I think it’s an unjustified expulsion, I’ve been sent off three times in the season and I’ve always admitted when I exaggerated. I tell you honestly when I do bullshit, I apologize. I’m not happy with today’s refereeing standards” .