Max Allegri explains his tactical choices against Sporting CP in the Europa League quarter-final, joking he ‘did it for’ the journalists and pundits who protest Juventus are too negative.
It kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
The Bianconeri pick an all-attack trident with Federico Chiesa and Angel Di Maria supporting Arkadiusz Milik, plus Filip Kostic and Juan Cuadrado on the wings.
“I did it for you, so now you are happy,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia, with whom he had more than one angry discussion about his supposedly negative tactics.
“There are four forwards out there, as we also have Cuadrado on the right. We are taking on a team with technical quality, so we must play well. It is the first of two matches and we must try to bring home a victory.”
Dusan Vlahovic and Paul Pogba are on the bench, both not 100 per cent fit, but Allegri hinted they could feature in the second half.
“We’ll see. Dusan is doing better. Paul needs to get his form back so he can be important in the final stages of the season.”
It has been a tricky few days for Juve, who lost in Serie A to Lazio and learned more charges are on the way from the investigation into their salary manoeuvre as well as the 15-point penalty for artificially inflating capital gains.
Pogba must be pampered to be “ready for the final stages of the season???” Like when, the last game? The after season party?