Massimiliano Allegri shrugs off Juventus–Roma” data-scaytid=”3″>Juventus-Roma talk by asserting focus has to be on Sassuolo” data-scaytid=”4″>Sassuolo and then a ‘crucial’ month ahead.
Massimiliano Allegri shrugs off Juventus-Roma talk by asserting focus has to be on Sassuolo and then a ‘crucial’ month ahead.
The Bianconeri return to League action against the Reggio Emilia outfit after the international break, with talk still very much on the fallout from their Week 6 win over Roma.
However, in facing the media today in his pre-match Press conference, Juve’s Coach has looked to direct focus to the here and now.
“For us this is an important game tomorrow, at the same time we have a tough month ahead and I think that this is a crucial month,” Allegri has responded to reporters.
“For the League it is not decisive, but very important. For the Champions League I think that the two games, one in Athens and the return at home to Olympiacos, are essential for progressing to the next round.
“This break has allowed us to recover a little of our energy, many international players went off but they have returned in good condition, and they played some good games.
“There have been few here, I’ve never before had to train only two players. Tomorrow we must continue the journey.
“It will not be simple against Sassuolo, who are not going through a good period, but are a team with good quality, indeed very good quality in attack and this will absolutely not be an easy game.”
Allegri was pressed for comment on the continued debate over the controversy from the Roma win.
“What has been said is part of the game and I believe that it is the moment to stop, because luckily, tomorrow we return to the League.
“And I think that this is the most important thing, because after that I think people’s interest will be in watching football games, seeing beautiful matches, as Juventus-Roma was, and there will be many others.
“There are a lot of games to go until the end of the season and as I said, in the case of victory or defeat for one of the two teams, it certainly does not affect the title race for either team.
“Hence we should be focused straight away, because we know that we have to be aware that this month, as I have said, is not decisive, but is crucial for the Scudetto and it is very important and certainly decisive for the Champions League.”
Allegri spent the 2007-08 season on the Sassuolo bench, whilst defeat to the Neroverdi last season spelled the end of his time at Milan.
“I can only say that Sassuolo has been part of my coaching career, I have experienced beautiful and less beautiful things.
“Tomorrow we face a team that has a lot of quality, and whilst a side only with three points, they have all the features to avoid relegation and stay in Serie A.”