Allegri: Juventus go home with regrets

Juventus clawed their way back into a game that started very poorly for them, but were unable to find the equalizer in a 2-1 defeat at Paris St Germain. The Old Lady’s opening Group H fixture in this season’s Champions League was always going to be their most difficult test, and with all the injuries affecting the squad, this went pretty much as expected though the Bianconeri will be ruing not having done better with a couple of chances at goal they did have.

Speaking after the game, coach Massimiliano Allegri bemoaned the missed chances and the poor start that eventually cost them the chance of getting any points tonight.

“We go home with regret. The team played a good game tonight, but we return home with regret for the result. We definitely need to improve, but this is a missed opportunity. In the first half we were too nervous but better in the second.”

Allegri had rested striker Dusan Vlahovic for this game, was he satisfied with his output?

“Vlahović played a good game, like all the players who played tonight. The guys had a great spirit, even if they risked something, but PSG has a great speed of execution and outrageous technique.

“When you play against these teams, the biggest difficulty is when you don’t have the ball. The two goals we conceded being the result of plays of an immense class by Neymar and Lionel Messi that both could have been avoided with more attention.”

After an indifferent peformance in his debut over the weekend, Leadro Paredes had a better game today, especially in the second half.

“Players of Paredes’ ability can be noticed immediately, from how they stop the ball and from how they think about the play. Now, we have to think about beating Salernitana, because we cannot drop any other points. Sunday night will be a complicated game because there will be few spaces. We will have to be good at finding them.”

Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images

Danilo sounded irritated when asked if Juve had given PSG a more difficult game than expected -

“I ask myself why it should have been an easy game for PSG. I don’t understand this question, we work every day to win. We know that we were below the level Juventus require in the last game in Florence. Today, except for the opening 20 minutes, we proved that we have character and quality.

“We must learn straight away, from the next game, from minute one. We need to go out there and win.”

Frenchman Adrien Rabiot was unfazed by the boos he received when he left the game in the second half.

“We started badly, especially the opening 20 minutes, we suffered, we sat too deep, but then we played well in the second half. We could have done even more, being more clinical. I am a bit angry, especially because of the first half. We conceded two early goals, too early, and the game changed.

“We proved that we could do better in the second half, we had chances, but we must continue to work and think of Benfica at home [in the next game].”

He went on to add that Juve played better today than they had in certain league games, further reinforcing the idea that the Bianconeri often play to their opponent’s level.

“We have to work, find the right system and the right players on the pitch, but I think that tonight we did better than in league games.

“Unfortunately, when we lose there is always criticism for the players and the coach. We reacted well in the second half and I am glad of it, we showed good things but we must work, it’s a long season and we know it.”