22 May 2015
Massimiliano Allegri has called on his team to add further gloss to tomorrow’s “night to remember” by putting in a strong performance against a Napoli side looking to dent Juventus’ unbeaten home record in Serie A this season.
While the outcome of the match will have no impact on the Bianconeri’s campaign, the visiting Partenopei still have hopes of securing a place in next season’s Champions League, meaning they will be going all out for three points at Juventus Stadium.
And with the Scudetto and Coppa Italia trophies to be paraded in front of the fans, Allegri is eager to ensure Rafael Benitez’s men don’t gatecrash the party.
Speaking to the media in Vinovo, the 47-year-old said: “We have two games left, starting with Napoli tomorrow. It’s a match that counts for nothing in terms of our goal of winning the Scudetto. However, it’s important in terms of staying unbeaten at home.
“We need to play well from a technical standpoint, as we must keep working on that and improving. We need to show intensity, character and above all good team play to produce great performances. This in turn will allow us to achieve results.
“I think tomorrow is going to be an important day as not only do we play against Napoli, but we will also have the league trophy there and the Coppa Italia too. It’s going to be a night to remember.”
After his team bring down the curtain on their home campaign tomorrow, Allegri confirmed he will be handing his men a short breather before their Champions League final preparations kick off in earnest.
“There’ll be a three-day rest after Saturday, because they’ve not had a half-day off since late February. It’s important to work, but it’s vital to rest too. Afterwards, we need to prepare for the final, but we need to do it calmly. We mustn't create excessive stress and anxiety about going to play in Berlin. Otherwise, when we get there, we’ll barely be able to run.”
When asked about the prospect of facing Barcelona the Tuscan tactician admitted his men would not be in for an easy ride, predicting a “tough match” in the German capital.
Allegri claims a fearless performance by those in the black and white stripes will be key to their chances of success, as they seek to upset the odds by overturning heavily-fancied Barcelona.
“I think it’ll be a very tough match. However, as we saw on Wednesday night, the league table said it should have been a foregone conclusion, but that certainly wasn’t the case. The final in Berlin will be the same.
“We can’t be afraid of Barcelona. They have three fantastic players up front. Then they have Iniesta in midfield – he’s the player that dictates the way the team plays.
“We need to try and spoil the party and put a dampener on Xavi’s farewell. He has been an extraordinary player for Barcelona and in world football as a whole.”
