Max Allegri compares Juventus to ‘sailors in stormy seas’ and explains his tactical decisions to neutralise Chelsea and hit them on the break in a 1-0 Champions League victory.
It was Federico Chiesa who got the winning goal 11 seconds after the restart, before Chelsea had managed to get a single touch.
For all of their possession, the reigning Champions League holders didn’t have a shot on target, Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz turning over.
Champions League | Juventus 1-0 Chelsea: Chiesa sings the Blues
“Usually, when sailors are in stormy seas, they can always find the way out. That’s what we did tonight with a great game against the Champions of Europe,” Allegri told Amazon Prime Italia.
“We can play better than this in purely technical terms, but we frankly didn’t allow many real clear-cut chances and we wasted a couple of dangerous counter-attacks too.
“After two games, six points and zero goals conceded, that’s a good step towards qualification for the Round of 16.”
The Bianconeri went into this showdown with only one striker available, Moise Kean, yet the coach opted to bench him in favour of Federico Bernardeschi as a False 9, flanked by Juan Cuadrado and Chiesa.
“I thought we could have an advantage by playing three upfront, then I moved Chiesa to centre-forward with Bernardeschi behind and it went better.”
There were also improvements in the middle of the park, where Manuel Locatelli and Rodrigo Bentancur are starting to get to know each other.
“Bentancur struggles by himself, today Locatelli did better in blocking off Lukaku. Adrien Rabiot did not start well, but he improved as the game went on.”
Chelsea had 66 per cent possession, but it’s also fair to say that was the approach Allegri wanted.
“Juventus must know how to win games like this, when you have to suffer and fight for the result. That’s what the lads did this evening.
“With all due respect to the Champions of Europe, Wojciech Szczesny didn’t have a real save to make.”
Federico Chiesa is just exceptional, isn’t he… 🔥
Another immense display from the Italian star 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/DRY0vmaXAl
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 29, 2021
Chelsea have a woeful record away to Italian clubs. I think it’s only one win and that was vs Lazio many moons ago.
Cattenaccio is back Allegri is taking Juve back to the 1960s
not a good advert for italian football by a prestigious club,
thank goodness italy
have Atalanta‘s fast flowing passing game,
they are a credit to calcio,
Where are all the Allegri haters now? Bow down to the master.
Great win by Juve. Defensive solidity is starting to come back to this team. Getting the defensive side fixed is Allegri’s first job. The good football will come when key players return and it will be much easier for players like Dybala, Morata and Chiesa knowing that their goals won’t be wasted by poor defending. Juve made Chelsea look average tonight.
@Sempre italia Nice cope. The fact of the matter is that Juve beat the Champions of Europe once again and is the only Italian team that has has achieved such results in the last decade. Id’ rather beat every single team this way than play “beautiful” football under Sarri and get knocked out by mid level teams.
Catenaccio is what the Italian club’s & the national team’s success has been built on. Juventus, Milan & Inter wouldn’t have won the trophies they have won at home & abroad without superb organisation and the ability to nullify teams with great strike forces. Italy won the Euro’s because they had better organization than the other nations, despite being under immense pressure at times, they held firm, stayed in games and found a way to win. Personally, I love watching a great tactical battle more than a wide-open end to end game where defensive organisation is an afterthought. Chelsea are European champions by beating Manchester City in last seasons UCL Final playing exactly like Juventus did tonight. Allegri is one of the best tactical managers in Europe and I am so happy he is back where he belongs. He still has a lot of work to do to and he knows it, but he is so strong mentally that nothing will phase him in the work he has to do. #ForzaMax #ForzaJuve
My team got lucky tonight but Chiesa is a beast and will move to a bigger club once we fail to qualify for the CL next year. I am tired, confused and know nothing about 21st century football. I yearn for Juve to go back to 1984 and play an even slower game.
i would understand if this was vs bayern or psg now. but this chelsea team might have won the c.league but juve isnt inferior to them. i thought we could have played with a striker and a classic 4-4-2 and beaten this side. but a win is a win. but people need to pay attention to locatelli. guy makes some timing defensive challenges everytime the opposition looks to score. its a very underrated part of his game
@Fake EL CID, hahahaha… If you call this victory lucky, then it’s crystal clear that you know nothing about football. Fino Alla fine!
We aren’t gon play games with no one from now on. Time for experiments is over. Back to the basics. Dr. Max ain’t playing with go😂 #FinoAfinale
@imposter EL CID, we did not get lucky as we showed that if you chain the bus and confuse with the opposition with mighty Berna up front, this would panic Chelsea. The key factor was the fact that every player wore their diapers correctly and made sure they did not fall down. Sometimes I even double diaper when watching my team play.
@Idiot (9:48), Wow! It must be very hard for you to accept that Allegri kicked out your beloved hero. I think you should take your pills and go to bed Ronny fan boy! Your football knowledge is ZERO and only an idiot does what you’re doing right now, impersonating someone and to think it’s fun.
Why are you guys even paying attention to EL CID the dude is clueless. This guy does not deserve the time for us to reply to his comments. I already feel like I wasted a minute of my life writhing this comment for someone who gets his knowledge from FIFA, youtube or even Mickey Mouse who the hell knows lol
@whiterabbit I was thinking the same that guy EL CID is a doofus. I have been a Juventini since I was a child. I take the good with the bad. I hate the people who slam our club in times of difficulty, but are full of adoration when we win. Football comes in cycles. Barca are in a proper mess but they will be back in perhaps a few years. We have won so much in the last 10 years and whilst we are not in their situation we will soon win again. I am a realist as it won’t be this year but maybe 2-3 years, just be patient. If that means Inter winning then so be it. Just look at how much they are losing a year. They spent everything on just one title for a short term gain. We always think long term, but our management have to wake up and stop making the mistakes of the last few years. No more silly free transfers and giving out ridiculous salaries. Give Allegri the time and players and then judge him.
@SArcone you made a very good point that football comes in cycles. I think we haven’ suffered yet us much as other clubs over the years. Just look at Inter, Milan, and Manchester united. We dominated Italy for so long and were a formidable force in Europe too. I feel the management made a big mistake when they forced Allegri to resign. It was the transfer strategy that is to blame the most, bringing players for free does help financially, but not if you are signing players that dont fit the team mentality. I really welcomed the signing of Ronaldo and who wouldn’t because i really thought that he would be enough to bring us over the hump and win the CL. Unfortunately that didnt happen as the rest of the team kind of stopped playing and became too reliant. Now, that thats all in the past, I really see some positives with this Juve thats in the process of being reconstructed. I cant stand people who are bashing Allegri. I think we should be lucky that we were able to get him back. I dont think any top coach would have taken on to manage a club in shambles and with huge expectations. I dont expect fireworks this year, but If he is able to get to the players minds and make them believe then next year we will be firing on all cylinders. Hopefully.. Cheers to all the real Bianconeri !!!