Allegri: Juve need high-level performance for consistent results

Juventus return to league action with a trip to defending Scudetto champions AC Milan on Saturday, and coach Massimiliano Allegri expects a difficult challenge following the Rossoneri’s 3-0 spanking at the hands of Chelsea midweek in the Champions League.

“We face the champions of Italy and it’s going to be more difficult than usual.

“They come from a bad defeat in London in the Champions League so they’ll be looking for revenge tomorrow. It will be a great game, there are all the conditions to do well. We have never won away this season, hopefully, the first time is tomorrow. We are ready to play.”

On where Milan are dangerous, Allegri spoke about the quality they have in their side.

“Milan have great players, Leao can shift the balance. We’ll need personality to play at San Siro, it will be an important test.

“They create a lot on the left, so we should not leave space for them and be exposed to counter-attacks. Milan have other great players like Giroud, De Ketelaere and Diaz.

“They are doing better because they have four points more than us. I can only compliment Pioli for the job he is doing and the title he won last season. The numbers are on his side.”

Last season Juventus had no victories against the top three that finished ahead of them, is that something that has been weighing on Allegri?

“Right now, we must make results, we dropped five points against Salernitana and Monza, we are behind and we need to take a step at a time.

“The season is long, the most important thing is to gain consistent results, in order to do it, we need a high-level performance. We have ten games remaining before the break, we must focus on one at a time.”

Arkadiusz Milik missed out on the win against Maccabi Haifa, would he be back in the squad for tomorrow? How about Leonardo Bonucci, who only came on in he second half of that game.

“Bonucci will be back, Milik is feeling better, he should be available, but I will assess him between today and tomorrow.”

Juve will be without Angel Di Maria who serves the second game of his two-game suspension, while Paul Pogba and Federico Chiesa are long term absentees.