09 December 2014
Massimiliano Allegri sought to thank his players after the Bianconeri safely navigated their way out of Group A courtesy of this evening’s 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid at Juventus Stadium.
The boss believes a place in the last 16 is no less than his men deserve following a solid overall display in the competition’s group stages.
Speaking to the media after the game, Allegri began: “Credit and thanks go the lads tonight. We played well in the group stages and held our own against last year’s finalists. We need to be aware of our qualities and we’ll gradually improve.”
The Tuscan tactician moved on to reveal the difficulties Juventus faced when trying to break through the Spanish champions’ stubborn rearguard, causing him to call for a more cautious approach as the minutes ticked by in the second half.
He added: “It’s never easy when going up against Atletico. They’re strong in defence and played narrow, meaning it was difficult to get the ball in between the lines. There were a couple of nervy moments, with Gigi doing well to keep them at bay.
“We wanted to win, but in the second half our aim was to get through. We didn’t want to jeapordise a deserved place in the last 16.”
