Allegri: Football is not an exact science, perfection does not exist

Juventus go into the last game of the season with their future in Europe still up in the air. Their seventh-placed standing should see them qualify for the Europa Conference League, but there have been rumours that UEFA could still levy a one-year suspension on the Bianconeri which would see them out of the third tier of continental competition.

Atalanta sit two points ahead of Juve and play Monza, while AS Roma one point ahead entertain Spezia after losing in the Europa League final midweek on penalties. Overhauling either could mean a berth in the Europa League for the Bianconeri, but before that they will have to overcome Udinese on the road.

Speaking to the media, coach Massimiliano Allegri talked about closing out the season.

“The team feels ok, we’ve trained well, but we lost the last two games.

“For now, we are in Conference League, and we need a nice game in Udine for Europa League, but it doesn’t depend on us only.”

On the club’s plans for next season after two straight years without winning any silverware -

“At the end of every season, we review the year. There are always errors, it’s part of the job. We’ve had a few injuries, but we could have done more. We’ll try to improve next season.

“I returned with enthusiasm, we’ve done good things in the last two years. Even with no trophies, we’ve played five young players, which is good for the club and Italian football: Fagioli, Miretti and Gatti. Iling-Jr was born in 2003, like Soulé. We must continue working. We’ll see where we’ll play, if Europe or Conference League, and then we’ll start planning. For now, we know that tomorrow is the last game of the season. On July 10, we’ll start again.

“Right now, everything looks dark, but this should not affect us.

“We have a good team, a few contracts are expiring, but we’ll evaluate everything from Monday. The day after tomorrow we’ll know with certainty the future of Juventus. Starting from that, the club will make their assessment which must be respected. Juventus have a good base.”

What emotions was he feeling in his last pre-match press conference of an up and down season?

“There is tiredness and rage, which you feel when you don’t win. Otherwise, you become like the others and to win or lose is the same thing. We must carry this range inside and put it on the pitch.”

Media reports claim that Juve have set the same €80m price tag for Dusan Vlahovic that they bought him for from Fiorentina with Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea interested in the Serbian international.

“I don’t talk about transfers, the club is in charge. I can only give advice. Dusan has been out for a week, he has the potential to have an excellent career.”

For the game tomorrow, the striker is out again, with Bremer, Nicolo Fagioli, Mattia De Sciglio, Paul Pogba and Kaio Jorge also all out.

There have been plenty of calls for #AllegriOut over the last few weeks, what did he have to say to his detractors?

“I have nothing to tell them. We’ve worked with seriousness and honesty. In life, getting everyone to agree is impossible.

“There is always someone happy and someone who is not. It happened even when we were winning trophies. This is part of the game, we must analyse two difficult seasons, but football is not an exact science. We must work with serenity, trying to make fewer errors. Perfection doesn’t exist.”