Massimiliano Allegri says to leave Juventus now would be be ‘cowardly’, and hit out at the FIGC following the latest verdict on Juve’s points penalty. The Bianconeri boss was speaking to DAZN after their 4-1 loss to Empoli which came shortly after conformation that the club would be docked 10-points for alleged capital gains:
Good approach, then the collapse after the two goals conceded.
“Now to encapsulate the season in a night like this I think is very reductive, we must not find alibis and excuses, because in any case we are Juventus, Juventus is used to winning; not winning and suffering, now we have to tighten up even more, because it is not easy, we still have two games to play, there are six points up for grabs and on Sunday Milan come.”
“It’s normal that it was a strange situation, with 10 minutes to go the judgment came out. We had also started well, we could have scored goals, we had favorable situations, we could have shortened the gap at the end of the first half. Right after 20 seconds of the second half we had a good ball, but that doesn’t justify the mental collapse.”
“Then you can talk about many things but in this moment we just have to shut up, accept the defeat, especially because before the game, from being second in the standings, and on the pitch….anyway we have 69 points and this must remain clear….then we found ourselves 10 points below, and we had this great chance, winning today, to play with Milan what could have been entry into the Champions League.”
“Unfortunately this is how it went, however, there is nothing to reproach the players about because it was not an easy situation and it will not be easy in these last ten days either, because the rebound is there, especially from the elimination against Sevilla, today they take ten points off you ten minutes before the game, during the season we lived for three months on a seesaw. These are not justifications, however, it is certainly an abnormal situation. And having said that, the team scored 69 points.”
How have you seen the boys in these two days? What is the balance of this season?
“The guys did everything after what happened in the year, then with ifs and buts you don’t go anywhere, tonight was a game that could allow us again to play against Milan for eventual entry into the Champions League, but we have been playing these games since January, it’s normal that then you go to Sevilla, you get eliminated in extra time and you have a mental collapse as well, but I think it’s also normal. Now we have to rest at least 1-2 days because otherwise Sunday with Milan will be harder than ever. We have Roma in front, Atalanta in front and we have to try to score six points to reach those in front. And still get the points to stay second in the standings because at the moment we are. The boys did the best they could do and I can assure you that … there are ten days left and they are going to be ten heavy days, because its normal to be lacking energy, it was a surreal situation. The team was also too good.”
There were many individual mistakes, especially in the defensive phase.
“The psychological aspect is fundamental, for a quarter of an hour of the game we were second in the standings, then we found ourselves at 59 points. You can say anything, I accept everything, criticism should be made, but it’s one thing to play a game where you are second in the standings and where you have 5 points on Milan who are fifth, you win, you have two results out of three with Milan and you play it. You go into the game, you have to win yet another game because you have to chase points again, because every time we put our heads out, they push us down below. After Thursday it could have been normal, yesterday the guys in practice were empty, I was worried about this game. These are not justifications, however, some mitigation should be given to this team.”
Have you asked yourself if it is right for you to stay at Juventus, given that you don’t know where they will play, that you don’t know if they will make the cup competitions, that you don’t know what future it may have? Do you want to stay? Is it too big a challenge for you?
“I think you have to talk to the club, first of all you have to know where you are going to play, if you were to make it to the Europa League, if they are going to play it, if they are not going to play it, I don’t know, these are corporate matters. Then we go from there. Unfortunately, you have to accept reality. If next year we will be out of everything, it is normal that you have to make a program, without selling things that you cannot sell, in the sense that you cannot say that next year Juventus can come back immediately to win. Because it’s normal. then maybe we will. The important thing is to stay aligned in the difficulties to come out on top. To abandon Juventus now would be cowardly. I am very angry, disappointed, it was a huge effort. These guys should only be applauded, in these moments you have to be quiet however, on the field we are second in the standings. I hope that it has been resolved once and for all, because all this is a drip-drip-drip, a trickle, a lack of respect for working people. Let them decide once and for all, it’s unbelievable. That’s enough at this point.”
Where to start again?
“After so much darkness there has to be light, before tonight we were the best defense in the league. This year we are missing something in front. As always Juventus will get back up, we hope to start again knowing that there will no longer be all these issues because it’s something that sends you over the edge psychologically. It was better if it happened two months ago otherwise we knew what to die of.”
Is Chiesa returning to his level?
“These are the recovery times that people who are out ten months need. Tonight he did well, others less so. Now it’s time to rest to prepare for the next games.”
