02 March 2019
“Napoli are having a great season. Tomorrow will be a beautiful evening of sport, where we need to be ready, play a great game of technique and intensity. We know that at San Paolo the matches are never over.” With just over 24 hours to go ahead of the game, Massimiliano Allegri gave his thoughts on tomorrow’s big match that could leave an important stamp in the race for the title. But the game wasn’t the only thing that was addressed during his press conference….
LEAVING SOCIAL MEDIA
“This is the problem,” revealed Allegri after he was asked about his deleted social media accounts. “I have never been a big follower of social media, sometimes I would post a message after a game. I was at dinner and I decided to close my profiles, but I find it normal. This clamour has surprised me.”
THE CRITICS AFTER MADRID
“In the last four years we have shared a lot of satisfaction and now we are still on course for another Scudetto and we are in the Champions League. We lost the first leg 2-0, and I’m sorry for the reactions that were there: they had created expectations for which it seemed that Juventus had to win 3-0 in Madrid… During my time, Juventus have lost 11 times in the Champions League, one in Bern and Sevilla when we were already qualified, in Manchester at home, another in Monaco, and all the other times we lost against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico – three teams that are above Juventus in the rankings. When the criticisms form part of the play, I accept them as constructive criticism but not if they are born from unexpected realities. The Champions League is a competition where anything can happen, where centimetres can be decisive. Real needed 11 years to win La Decima. It’s true that they have won four more, but for 11 years they didn’t win everything.
THE CONDITION OF THE TEAM
“Ronaldo is doing well, he trained with the group. Tomorrow either Emre Can or Bentancur will play. Regarding the injuries, Khedira is being monitored and there isn’t a date for his return. We hope to recover Douglas Costa for Atletico. The team will be ready for the match. Bonucci and Chiellini’s conditions are improving, just like that of Pjanic.
THE RUMOURS OF HIS FUTURE
“After Madrid they made us for dead before we’ve been eliminated, so voices came out that I would go away for a number of reasons, which are not true. I will meet with the President and we will talk like every year and decide what to do next year. Now we have to be focused on the remaining games still to be played, a championship that needs to be won and on the game on March 12th, where everyone will be needed. What is needed is a stadium that will push the team for 95 minutes.”
ON THE GAME AT SAN PAOLO
“We will play for two thirds of the Scudetto, because in the case of a positive result, it will help our possibility (to win the league) a lot. It will be a great game because they want to beat us and demonstrate that they are better, it’s been a week or more that they have prepared for this game. I don’t believe that tomorrow will be a closed game, Napoli played in a different way in respect to the past, and you can find more space. I am sure Juventus will play a great game.”
