Sarri: No argument with Pjanic

Juventus have already made a false start in the return to football last week, losing in a poor performance overall in the Coppa Italia Final to a better-organized Napoli side. Manager Maurizio Sarri is under pressure to ensure the Scudetto is secured, starting with a game away at Bologna tomorrow.

Miralem Pjanic had struggled mightily before the coronavirus-enforced interruption three months ago, and with talk rife that Rodrigo Bentancur is ready to step into his role there were rumours in the Italian media earlier today that Pjanic had clashed with Sarri in training. No more details were provided about the disagreement, but the manager was quick to quash such talk.

“That’s fake news, there was no argument.

“He is one of the players I fielded the most this season and I have to rely on him, because he has a decisive role in the three-man midfield.”

On the injury front, Juve are still short a number of players with Sami Khedira injured again, and Alex Sandro joining him on the sidelines after an ugly incident in the game against Napoli. Gonzalo Higuain is still not ready to play but does still have a role to fulfill this season. Club captain Giorgio Chiellini is not match fit quite yet either.

Sarri will be concerned that his side is yet to find the back of the net after 180 minutes since the resumption of football playing with a front line of Douglas Costa, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala. He went on to add that his version of the ‘False 9’ was not working and that he would be changing it to get more out of Ronaldo.

“I spoke to Ronaldo before the Milan semi-final and the Lazio Final. We talk.

“He tends to do his best work when starting slightly out wide.”