Allegri: Juventus could play with three up front

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has spoken to the media ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League tie against Sevilla, saying that his side could field a front three after Gonzalo Higuain’s injury left him bereft of striking choices.

“It’s simple. Tomorrow Juan Cuadrado will play off the striker or we’ll play with three up-front.

“With the players I have available, Mario Mandzukic will play alone or with Cuadrado alongside him.

“Cuadrado could play on one wing, then on the other Stefano Sturaro, Alex Sandro or the kid Moise Kean could play.”

The injury situation means Allegri will not be able to use his favored 3-5-2 or 4-3-1-2 formations.

“Regardless of the formation, we know we’re facing a side which hasn’t conceded so far in the group, so they’re still unbeaten.

“We hope to be the first team to score against them. They’re a team with a very good attacking level and they’re good on set pieces because they have a lot of physicality.

“It’s not a feat [to win without Higuain and Dybala], it’s a football match where we have to do well. The players I have available are capable of putting in a good performance.

“We know that the only result which would guarantee us mathematical qualification is a win, a draw wouldn’t guarantee mathematical qualification.

“We’re facing Sevilla, who are playing good football and are third in the Spanish League, so it will be a beautiful game as they all are in the Champions League.”

He spoke more about Higuain’s injury, and that he wouldn’t risk the player with the longer term future in mind.

“He took a knock which sometimes can get better in a day or sometimes can be worse.

“Yesterday there was a doubt about whether he’d be available or not but this morning he wasn’t able.

“Among other things it’s an area of the thigh where he’d already taken a knock with Argentina, so it would be too risky to chance losing him for a month.

“It’s not like we can go on holiday after tomorrow, we have tomorrow then we have four big games in the League and the final Champions League match.

“We’ve got the players we’ve got for tomorrow, and they can play a great match.”