Max Allegri warns Italian football is “on the edge of madness” after more controversy surrounding his Juventus.
The Bianconeri were awarded a last-minute penalty against Milan, which Paulo Dybala converted, adding to complaints from Inter and Napoli about officiating where the champions are concerned.
Max Allegri warns Italian football is “on the edge of madness” after more controversy surrounding his Juventus.
The Bianconeri were awarded a last-minute penalty against Milan, which Paulo Dybala converted, adding to complaints from Inter and Napoli about officiating where the champions are concerned.
“I won’t talk about the dressing room, because I haven’t seen it,” Allegri said in his pre-Porto Press conference, referencing alleged vandalism of the away dressing room.
“I can only give my reaction, and I think that will take a bit of time and we should talk about it in another setting. I think Italian football must go down a completely different path, because we’re definitely not setting a good example.
“Above all I think there are rules in life and it takes education and respect. Especially for children in football academies, who see certain things on Serie A pitches from an early age.
“It’s not what happened on Friday, Friday is the latest in a long list of things which have happened.
“In life you have to do, not talk, you need to have respect, rules and education. Then you need to have the culture of winning and losing, but this is a topic that I can’t address properly in two minutes. I have my ideas, but it’s difficult in Italy…
“In Italy we promise and say things, then do the opposite of what was said. If we want to be constructive, we have to be better at planning, in building things for the future. That’s my view.
“Friday was a beautiful game between two teams who fought hard, between the two sides the one which deserved to win was Juventus, then there was another team who are doing great things in the League and that’s Milan.
“The 17-20 points of difference are everything, these controversies which arose on Friday, as they have arisen in other situations, must in no way affect what the team is doing, what the lads are doing.
“This is a team which has won 23 games, drawn one and unfortunately lost four. There are situations which go for you and ones which go against you, but if you were to list the incidents from the start of the season on August 27… the memory card is full, it would never end.
“As I’ve said before, we only remember the things which go against us. The things in our favour, never.
“And genuinely, certain statements make me smile, but not on Friday and also on other occasions.
“One week we attack a referee because he didn’t give a penalty, the next our referees are better than anyone’s.
“We’re on the edge of madness, lads, in Italy we’re on the edge of madness.
“Mistakes happen, incidents happen, it’s a normal thing so if you can go down a different route…
“I’m not speaking as the Coach of Juventus, I’m speaking as the father of a 22-year-old and a five-year-old. We need to go down a different route, that’s what I think.
“That said, Juventus have won 23 matches, drawn one and lost four. One or two incidents can’t change what the lads are doing.
“It’s not that Italian football should be discarded completely, Italian football has to look forward and improve the things which aren’t working.
“The penalty incident, whether it’s there or not there… look, I’d be annoyed too if I had a penalty given against me in the 95th minute but the values on the pitch were well-defined on Friday.
“I think in the last six years the only match that wasn’t balanced has been Friday’s, where there were 25 shots for Juventus, 13 on target and great saves from the goalkeeper [Gianluigi] Donnarumma.
“There was the 2-0 when I was on the Milan bench and we lost right at the end, where Juventus played a great match and deserved to win.
“The others have all been balanced games because that’s how Juventus-Milan is.
“We’ve analysed what happened in the match, now we have to think about tomorrow and then Sunday.
“We’ve never fallen into the trap of controversy, because it’s a waste of energy. We need to keep working and get results.
“It’s an important point in the season and we have no choice, we need to pick up points because Roma could get to 92 points if they win every game and Napoli 90.
“There’s still a long way to go and we can’t be distracted by what is, in the end, only talk. In the end it’s results that count.”