Max Allegri warns Borussia Dortmund are still a difficult opponent for Juventus in the Champions League, and discusses Antonio Cassano.
The Bianconeri will play the German side in the Last 16 of Europe’s top club competition, with the first leg to be played at Juventus Stadium four weeks today.
Speaking at his Press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Coppa Italia game, the Juventus Coach took the time to look ahead to that tie, responding to suggestions that the Old Lady could win the Champions League with a world-class striker.
Max Allegri warns Borussia Dortmund are still a difficult opponent for Juventus in the Champions League, and discusses Antonio Cassano.
The Bianconeri will play the German side in the Last 16 of Europe’s top club competition, with the first leg to be played at Juventus Stadium four weeks today.
Speaking at his Press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Coppa Italia game, the Juventus Coach took the time to look ahead to that tie, responding to suggestions that the Old Lady could win the Champions League with a world-class striker.
“I think Juventus have big-name, quality strikers,” Allegri insisted.
“One more would simply be an extra one, but finding a great striker isn’t simple, because of the few that are out there in Europe and the world, big teams won’t give them to you, especially not in January.
“That being said, Juventus can have a good Champions League campaign all the same, an excellent one.
“First we must think about the Coppa Italia, then the League and then the Last 16, which absolutely does not present an easy test.
“I hear people talking as if Juventus have already passed into the next round, but let’s not forget that Borussia got a lot of points in the Champions League [group stages].
“In the League [Bundesliga] it’s not going too well for them, but they’re one of the teams who have achieved great things in Europe in the past three years.
“It’s a Last 16 match, and those are always in our out, and always strange, as well as very, very difficult.
“We’ll see if we can go through against Borussia and move forward.
“The Champions League is strange, it’s made up of little moments that maybe one time will go for you and you progress, another they’ll go against you and you’re out.
“We have to be constructive and positive, because the team has important attributes to do well in Europe, but we’re still a long way from that game.
“We have to think about the Coppa Italia tomorrow, and the League still has a long way to go. There are a lot of games to win.”
The former Milan Coach also discussed Antonio Cassano, who is a free agent after rescinding his Parma contract, and worked under Allegri at San Siro.
“As I said before, I don’t talk about players from other teams… although at the moment Cassano is no longer in another team,” the tactician considered.
“I don’t know. At the moment we have five strikers in attack, and at the moment no-one else has come in.
"Cassano is a player I coached at Milan, who fortunately was crucial in the Scudetto race. He's a player who has great quality on a technical level.
"Antonio is 32-years-old now, he's not a Juventus player.
"I only speak about the players I have available, and then those who arrive I'll speak to when they get here.
“The player who should arrive soon is [Stefano] Sturaro [from Genoa], after that there are still a few days of the transfer window left, so we’ll evaluate others.
“We do have a new signing in that Barzagli is back available, he’s not 100 per cent yet, but slowly he’ll get back to top fitness and will be able to play.
“This is good news for everyone, so essentially we’ve re-signed a player.
“We’ll see what opportunities there are before doing anything else, but we’re alert to that, we don’t need to worry and we can just think about the next game, which is tomorrow.”