Juventus boss Max Allegri admits Paul Pogba won’t return before January and explains how the Old Lady will face Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Leo Messi.

The Bianconeri visit PSG in the Champions League Group H opener tomorrow. They are without the injured Angel Di Maria while Paul Pogba is undergoing meniscus surgery as the conservative therapy he underwent during the last month didn’t work out.

The Frenchman had trained on the pitch yesterday and today.

“It’s hard to see him back before January,” Allegri admitted during his pre-match press conference, as quoted by Ilbianconero.

“I like to be realistic and now we must think about the Champions League and then Salernitana. I don’t know if he’ll play in the World Cup, but it’s not my problem, I know he’ll be back in January for Juventus.”

Does he feel Juventus wasted a month with the conservative therapy?

“Looking backwards is useless, said Allegri. “When you take a decision, it’s because it’s right at that moment, and then you see how it goes. Now we must focus on the match.”

Angel Di Maria has been ruled out of tomorrow’s game. He had returned from an adductor injury on Saturday, playing in the first half against Fiorentina.

“Di Maria was available on Saturday, so he played. I didn’t want to take any risk [for the match with PSG], there are many games and it would have been useless,” explained Allegri.

“Tomorrow, we begin the group stage, we need 10 points to qualify. We face an extraordinary team, the No.1 favourite to win [the Champions League]. Our target is to be at their level, Juventus will play a great game technically, it will be an entertaining match.

“We must take a step at a time, we must work and improve. You don’t win titles now, it’s time to work to improve.

“Tomorrow, Bonucci, Rabiot and Vlahovic return. Perin will start. These four will surely be on the pitch. I must decide on the others. I have to assess Alex Sandro and Paredes.”

Allegri said on Sunday that Juventus must be realistic and that their direct opponent in the group are Benfica.

“I didn’t say I don’t want to win [against PSG],” clarified Allegri.

“Tomorrow we face a strong team and it will be crucial to handle the ball well. They have so much technique that we must work well.

“Neymar, Mbappé and Messi are so strong that they find the position easily. We must be able to stop them when we don’t have the ball, but also when we have it and we’ll do it.”

Juventus faced elimination from the Champions League Round of 16 in the last three years. They reached the Final twice during Allegri’s first spell at the club, in 2015 and 2017, losing to Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.

The last time they lifted the cup with the big ears was in 1996, with Marcello Lippi in charge.

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