Max Allegri says Juventus ‘proved tonight they are a team’ by beating Torino in the Derby della Mole and he finally saw the ‘character and attitude’ he had been looking for.
The Bianconeri were in full crisis mode going into this match and had the squad locked into a training retreat in the days building up to the Derby della Mole.
They didn’t have a single shot on goal until the 33rd minute, but then forced a triple save from Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, while Dusan Vlahovic tapped in at the back post when Danilo flicked on Juan Cuadrado’s corner for the winner.
It is their first away victory of the season in all competitions.
“The lads proved today they are a team. We were organised, starting from the way we controlled the game, we had lots of shots on goal,” Allegri told DAZN.
“I am happy, especially as it’s the first away win of the season, we had failed to score in three of our last five matches, so it was not easy. They showed character.
“It’s disappointing we had this recent spell, but sometimes situations come together and are beyond our control. We made a first small step today to getting out of the situation, I had no doubts they would, and now we need to continue.
“We’ve had a few crossroads lately. One was Salernitana, everyone knows what happened in that game, and the lads realised they needed to react. I was relaxed on the bench, as I saw the team had the right approach. We could’ve scored earlier and had more chances, but that will come with time as we gradually improve.”
Arkadiusz Milik was not 100 per cent fit, so Moise Kean partnered Vlahovic upfront.
“I said at half-time, when the two strikers are superior to their defenders, we need to keep seeking them. Moise had a good game and deserved the goal. Paredes came on with the right spirit in the final five minutes. I talk to Vlahovic all the time, he is only 23 years old, everyone can still improve, even veterans, let alone someone of his age.
“Obviously, if you don’t get everyone back behind the ball when you lose it, then you are in trouble. This time we were careful and all worked together to get back into shape.
“It was the attitude, quite apart from the tactics, that I liked. The more duels you win, the better your chances of winning the game. Bruno Giorgi used to say that every time at Cagliari, it was over 30 years ago, basically prehistory, but the sport hasn’t changed.”
Juventus moved to a 3-5-2 formation this evening, changing from the 4-4-2 that had been seen in recent weeks, despite dropping Leonardo Bonucci.
“Everyone did well, with Bremer and then Bonucci. With three defenders, it’s important to always be aggressive, but we also marked well inside and outside the area.”
Does this win mean the training retreat is over after just a couple of days?
“I told the lads they can go home and hug their loved ones this evening.”