Former coach Arrigo Sacchi analysed Juventus’ disastrous 1-0 loss at home to Udinese and how that affects their title race with Inter.
The Bianconeri were already on the back foot after suffering a possibly decisive defeat to the Nerazzurri in their Derby d’Italia meeting earlier this month, and their loss to Udinese on Monday evening only further exacerbated things in the Piedmont capital.
Juventus now sit seven points behind Inter, who still have a game in hand, and look to be almost out of the running for the Scudetto with 14 matches left to play. Whilst Massimiliano Allegri’s side still have a shot of winning the title, it would take a fairly dramatic collapse from the Nerazzurri.
Speaking on page nine of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Sacchi first highlighted how Inter cannot take victory for granted now.
“In football, when you think you’ve won, it often happens that you go into crisis and lose. But Inter are a high-level team with considerable experience, and therefore I don’t think they will make the mistake of already feeling like Italian champions.
“You can never rest assured when your destiny depends on a rolling ball. Of course, having a seven-point advantage is a good margin, but you shouldn’t think about managing. Rather, this is the moment to push even harder on the accelerator to make the decisive push.”
He compared the title race to a boxing match, noting how Inter need to go for the knock-out.
“Exactly. After you have landed a punch on target, and perhaps managed to knock your opponent to the floor, you need to persist. Likewise, when a team score, in my opinion they must continue to attack to look for the knock-out blow.”
The former coach was asked if he expected Juventus’ loss to Udinese.
“If I say yes, I’ll come off as presumptuous. But I must admit that the defeat against Udinese, in my opinion, is the result of the defeat a week ago, at San Siro against Inter. Therefore, something could’ve been perceived in the air.
“At San Siro, Allegri’s boys gave their all and understood that they were inferior to Inter. These are matches that leave their mark on you, physically and mentally.
“Once they realized that they probably wouldn’t win the race for the title, they perhaps let their guard down a little.
“Furthermore, Juve have a very young team, there’s little experience, they have no leaders. All of this weighs heavily in the long run.”
Sacchi spoke about if the Old Lady were suffering from a psychological decline.
“I’m not inside the Juventus locker room, so it’s difficult for me to judge. I’d say, however, that the knock-out at San Siro had a significant impact. On that occasion, Inter demonstrated that they were stronger and, consequently, their direct opponents became demoralized.”
He commented on Milan’s possible fight for second in the Serie A table and their recent form.
“Milan are going through a good period of form, and they also showed it on Sunday evening against Napoli. They’re only one point behind Juve and therefore it’s logical that they aim to finish second.
“However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the Rossoneri are also involved in the Europa League, while Juve have no European matches and can prepare the whole week without wasting energy. This is no small detail. It will be an exciting sprint all the way.”
Finally, Sacchi discussed the mindset needed by Inter for the remaining months of the season.
“Inter will have to give their all to get to the finish line as soon as possible, and only then will they be able to allow themselves a bit of relaxation.
“Inter also have European commitments, the Champions League is very tough, the double match against Atletico Madrid will force the Nerazzurri to deploy additional energy.
“Their advantage, I repeat again, is there and it is important. But you have to protect it with the right mental attitude. Woe to those who feel they have finished!”