Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri doesn’t guarantee he will remain at the club beyond the summer and reveals having two line-up doubts for tomorrow’s derby della Mole: Filip Kostic or Samuel Iling-Junior on the left wing, Andrea Cambiaso or Timothy Weah on the right.
The Italian tactician addressed the media at a pre-match press conference on Friday on the eve of an away derby against Torino.
Club owner John Elkann had said on Thursday that the next season will be ‘Year Zero’ for Juventus under the guidance of new sports director Cristiano Giuntoli. Only one year ago, Elkann had named Allegri as the point of reference for the club’s future.
Allegri noted, “He [Elkann] said important words that highlighted what had been said three years ago.”
“We had to include NextGen players into the first team every season and make the club sustainable, and I think this was done. The work will continue in the coming years with the director, Giuntoli.
The Livorno-born coach faced several questions about his future. Despite a contract expiring in 2025, there are growing reports that Juventus want to part company with the 56-year-old and Allegri didn’t guarantee he’d stay.
“Right now, we must only think about our targets; they go above everything else,” he insisted.
“I think that with the Champions League qualification, €100m is at stake, so right now, this is the main objective, and everyone is involved. As for the future, as always, the club will decide what is best for Juventus. Now, the best thing to do is to stick together and play for this target.”
Did he realise that tomorrow’s derby could be his last one in charge of Juve?
“I didn’t think about it; I’ve only thought that it was an important derby, especially for us, the city and the club,” Allegri replied.
“A club like Juventus, for their history and brand, can’t remain out of the Champions League, also for financial reasons.
“We must work hard and focus on this final month. When we started the season, the target was to qualify the Champions League and the club have confirmed it. The other objective was the Coppa Italia. It’s important to be in the race still. Many things are usually determined in the last month, but being here is important. Now, we must reach the targets.”
Torino coach Ivan Juric has praised Allegri but said the Juventus coach doesn’t have a clear identity in terms of playing style. The Bianconeri boss didn’t take it badly.
“I adapt to the players I have. Juric is an excellent coach and it’s always hard to play against his teams,” he said.
“It will be a tough match; the derby is a special game for Turin and the fans. It’s a crucial game for us, we need points to continue pursuing our target.
“Torino have 15 clean sheets this season, which means they’ve conceded a goal every two games and only 10 at home. Their defence is the fourth-less-beaten in the league. The derby is always special.”
As for the Juventus line-up, Allegri said he has yet to make a couple of decisions.
“I have two doubts: one is Kostic or Iling, and the other is Cambiaso or Weah.”