Allegri: VAR will take a little patience

Juventus mounted an impressive comeback to win away at Genoa despite falling behind by two goals very early on in the game. At the site of a humiliating 3-1 loss last season, the Bianconeri came roaring back thanks to a hat-trick from the sensational Paulo Dybala.

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

“We were trying to beat last year's record and we made a good stab of it – 2-0 down inside the first seven minutes.

“It looked like being a bad Saturday night for us but then the lads got themselves together and managed to turn it around. Defensively we did better in the second half than in the first.

“We came here today with the aim of winning and keeping a clean sheet. We didn't manage to do that and it shows we still have to improve at the back.

“We must learn to keep our shape better. In the first half we made the same sort of mistakes we made against Lazio, affording our opponents too much space."

On Dybala, who had another outstanding performance -

“He's producing some fantastic stuff at the moment but he's still got room for improvement.

“He could have a great season in Italy and the Champions League as long as he doesn't rest on his laurels. He's got superb technique and he's not 100% yet.”

Juventus had a controversial penalty awarded against them after a foul on an offside player, and then received a penalty for a point-blank range handball in the box. With the decisions made via the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the game saw stoppages for the review to take place, and Allegri commented on the delays -

“Fortunately, the lads did well to bring home the victory, but when it comes to VAR it will take a little patience. We all need a period to adapt.

“Just as we need to work on our routines to improve, so the referees work on their routines to make VAR quicker and more effective.”

Club captain Gianluigi Buffon was not as benevolent about VAR however.

“You told us that VAR would be used in clear-cut incidents where there were mistakes, but now you are even checking the replays for a trodden toe or a finger in an ear. It’s no longer football that way, it’s turning into water polo.

“It takes too long, as I didn’t even celebrate when we were awarded a penalty, because six minutes had passed.

“I am speaking as someone who represents a side that attacks a great deal and is often in the opposition penalty area: last season we had three penalties in our favour, but if it carries on like this, we’ll have 50.

“I’m happy with that as a Juventino, but it ruins the entertainment factor.”