Max Allegri admits Juventus “were falling asleep” and have lost some of their focus lately, but the 3-1 defeat to Roma can be “a wake-up call.”
Mario Lemina had given them the lead at the Olimpico, but Daniele De Rossi, Stephan El Shaarawy and Radja Nainggolan completed the comeback.
Max Allegri admits Juventus “were falling asleep” and have lost some of their focus lately, but the 3-1 defeat to Roma can be “a wake-up call.”
Mario Lemina had given them the lead at the Olimpico, but Daniele De Rossi, Stephan El Shaarawy and Radja Nainggolan completed the comeback.
“It was a good first half, with both teams very aggressive and determined. In the second half we conceded a strange goal on the counter from our own free kick,” Allegri told Mediaset Premium.
Juventus needed just one point here to clinch the Scudetto, but now have two points from the last three rounds.
“I think we let our guard drop and thought we’d done enough to take the result home. The fact we drew with Atalanta and Torino, then lost here, it shows we’ve lost something in terms of concentration.
“At least it’ll be a wake-up call ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia Final with Lazio. We had a good first half, we just needed to stay organised and not allow those chances.
“We were up against Roma, the second strongest side in Serie A, and anything can happen in the head-to-head clashes. We took that into account and knew the Scudetto would be decided in the other games, not against each other.
“I won’t say this was entirely unexpected, but not expected either. We had the game in hand during the first half and need to make sure we’re fully plugged in for the remaining weeks of the season.
“We have to take it one step at a time, because we’ve won nothing yet. We’ve got the Coppa Italia Final and then Crotone, while the Champions League is a month away.
“I thought after the equaliser we could still go on and win it, but we weren’t sharp enough. I realised from the first passes of the second half that we were falling asleep. We gifted them the ball!
“There are times in a season when the ball hits the post and goes in or hits the post and goes out. We knew a point here would enable us to win the Scudetto. We have to look at the positive, which is this’ll make us keep absolutely focused for Wednesday.”