Max Allegri believes ‘anything is possible’ in football and suggests that some people were ‘presumptuous’ about his return to Juventus. Goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Bremer helped secured a vital 3-0 win over Lecce to put the Bianconeri back in first place, with a match against Inter on the horizon. Speaking post-match, Allegri explained how his team prepared for the match and what he expects for the title race:
“There was a moment, which can happen, when our attention was lowered and we took a bit of a risk. The matches are long, if you concede a goal, then everything becomes more complicated because psychologically you turn the game upside down. Today’s football is like this, in the last quarter of an hour games change. The boys did very well tonight.”
“We trained to try to win as many games as possible. Then above all the management of the match, we have grown in this. We’re better physically, there’s more self-awareness from everyone. Tonight was complicated, Lecce ran and pressed. We had some good chances in the first half, then they dropped a bit and we remained lucid”.
“For us it is important to arrive at the direct clash (against Inter) in optimal conditions. Then above all to have a big advantage over fifth, today we are about 19 points behind. But I am happy with the 300 wins, I thank all the players I have coached. I consider myself lucky because I have coached and I coach extraordinary players. Even today when I see them again I get excited”.
“Vlahovic? We’re training to do the best we can to attack better and get out of the way. Cutting out is very important in football, like controlling the ball. Right now the boys are doing very well. Did Vlahovic do well to ‘steal’ the goal from McKennie? No… McKennie is also afraid of planes, the goal was needed to make the train journey…’.
“When I came back to Turin, the first year there was a little bit of presumption on everyone’s part, they thought they were going to come back and win straight away, instead it wasn’t immediately like that. I needed some time to get used to it again after two years, I had to get to know the team. Now we are working and growing together from 2021. There is a good group, we have all grown. This year the new director has arrived, who is working very well with Manna.”
“In football nothing is impossible, or at least have it in our heads. The conviction, the desire to do something extraordinary, to make impossible things possible: this means doing the maximum. Then if there is someone better than you, you go and shake their hand. The team is growing very well, as is the whole environment, and I’m very happy about that. I speak in general, nothing is impossible. That spurs you to do things above your possibilities.”
