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Juventus manager Max Allegri: 'I like a challenge'

Manager's post-match comments after Juventus beat Sampdoria 5-0

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Juventus thumped Sampdoria 5-0 to celebrate lifting the Scudetto in style at the Juventus Stadium in Turin. Goals from Patrice Evra, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and a brace from Paulo Dybala settled the one-sided affair.

After the game, manager Massimiliano Allegri spoke to the media -

"I am happy, as it has been a wonderful evening and it was only right we celebrated with the fans who were by our side throughout.

"I think it's almost impossible to repeat a run of 25 wins in 26 games and I have extra applause for the eight players who won all five Scudetti.

"Even after some very difficult opening games, where we were a little chaotic and the ball didn't want to go in the net, we set some objectives and the lads went beyond them.

"Having said all that, after this we have a Coppa Italia Final to play and the foundations to start next season in a different way. What happened earlier this term must serve as a lesson that nothing is to be taken for granted.

"I like a challenge. The other day someone wrote that I lost two games that Juventus never would've lost, but I am the Coach who won the Scudetto despite losing the first two.

"I have a strong club behind me and even when I get old and senile I like to think a bit of healthy madness will never leave me."

Who from his Juventus side did Allegri think should be in the running for the Ballon d'Or?

"I'd be happy if any of them got into the running for such a prestigious award. Paul Pogba has reached a new level of maturity, while in his first season Paulo Dybala has become a clinical ‘killer' in attack.

"I have extraordinary champions in my team, but my first year at Milan was a great learning experience working with Ibrahimovic, Seedorf, Gattuso, Nesta... I always say in a team you need great players both on the pitch and off it.

"As long as they know how to play football, you can put them in some system or another."

When asked if Claudio Marchisio being out for six months would affect Juventus' decisions in the summer transfer market, he said -

"We'll work together, the way we did last year. We've started a new era this season and nobody expected these results so quickly.

"We need to find players who have the DNA of Juventus and are able to raise the quality level of this team. We don't just buy good players here, but above all good men.

"We played the Champions League Final last season and some appear to have forgotten that. We did well this year and only really got it wrong against Sevilla. To win this trophy you need to be in the right place at the right time.

"Meanwhile we want to go for a sixth Scudetto, to challenge ourselves and make history."