Massimiliano Allegri

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Enough is enough! Arsenal must replace Wenger with Allegri

 

 

The Gunners have offered the Frenchman a contract extension but he needs

to step aside, and the Juventus coach is the perfect replacement.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/premier-league/2017/02/06/32390032/-

 

 

Feb 6, 2017

 

 

Albert Einstein reasoned that the definition of insanity was "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

 

Watching the same thing over and over again can be just as maddening. Ask any Arsenal fan, a group now driven demented by Arsene Wenger's refusal to either alter his famed footballing philosophy - or hand over the reins to someone else.

 

As one banner at Chelsea on Saturday read, "Enough is Enough, Time to Go." The Gunners supporter holding the placard was dismissed as "an idiot" by Gary Neville but desperate people do stupid things.

 

"Arsene Wenger doesn’t deserve that," the former Manchester United defender-turned-pundit argued. "Obviously, the Arsenal fans are disappointed, but to pre-empt [a defeat] by bringing a banner into the ground is a joke."

 

Wenger, a three-time Premier League winner, does indeed deserve better but surely the more salient point here was that the "idiot" in question could make his banner beforehand, safe in the knowledge that his side would indeed self-destruct at Stamford Bridge.

 

There is no more damning indictment of Wenger's Arsenal. Gooners had seen this game before. Too many times. Consequently, they want to see change, evolution, but the sad truth is that the man who once revolutionised English football, the mastermind behind the greatest team the Premier League has ever seen, has run out of ideas.

 

Time waits for no man and Wenger's time is up. According to Goal sources, Wenger is still weighing up a two-year contract extension that former defender Martin Keown fully expects him to sign. However, as the ex-England international told BT Sport, "I'm not sure that will sit well with the fans."

 

It won't. Not at all. They are, like many Americans right now, so disillusioned, so desperate for change, that they would entrust their futures into the hands of a power-hungry madman.

 

Luckily for Arsenal, though, it need not come to that. Goal understands that Massimiliano Allegri could quit Juventus this summer - and the 49-year-old is the ideal coach for the Gunners.

 

Allegri is, for the most part, a calm, composed character. However, he is not afraid to take risks. He is the right kind of 'crazy' for Arsenal.

After watching his troops turn in a tepid performance in a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina earlier this month, Allegri decided enough was enough, it was time for a change.

 

Juve were still top of Serie A, and already safely through to the last 16 of the Champions League, but he detected an air of complacency among his players. So, to shake things up, Allegri ditched the 3-5-2 system that had served him and predecessor Antonio Conte so well, and fielded an adventurous 4-2-3-1 formation in Juve's very next outing, against Lazio.

 

"I am not much of a theorist," Allegri admitted after a commanding 2-0 win in Turin, "but every now and then I come up with a mad idea and try it on the pitch. The important thing is to be sure what you’re doing."

 

The results certainly suggest that the former AC Milan coach knows what he is doing: Juve have won four games in a row in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the process.

 

Allegri has stacked more attacking players in the starting line-up - yet managed to solidify his side in the process - and there was a nice symmetry in Juve winning their third successive Serie A game with their new formation on the same weekend that Arsenal suffered yet another humiliating loss to Chelsea.

 

 

Allegri regularly likes to say that, "A coach should do as little damage as possible" to his team. When he succeeded Conte at the helm in 2014, he took over a side that had won three consecutive Scudetti - yet Allegri has made Juve better, as evidenced by the way in which he led a side that had struggled in Europe to the final of the Champions League at the end of his first season in charge.

 

Allegri had a tough act to follow but actually improved Juve. He is still improving Juve. Wenger, by contrast, is hurting Arsenal, and their fans.

 

He knows it, too. He is an astute man - and that is why he is stalling over signing that new contract. The Frenchman wants to see how the season finishes but the league is already gone for another year and he needs to accept that he is not the man to regain it. It would be sad to see him endure another campaign like this, given everything he has given to Arsenal, and English football.

 

Wenger needs to do right by his club, and its supporters, and step aside to allow Arsenal to move for Allegri. To do otherwise would be the definition of insanity.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Juventus warn Arsenal: There's no reason for Allegri to leave!

 

 

The Italian has been mooted as a replacement for Arsene Wenger although

the club's general manager Giuseppe Marotta does not expect him to quit.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1862/premier-league/2017/02/08/32473622/-

 

 

Feb 8, 2017

 

Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has played down reports linking manager Massimiliano Allegri with Arsenal, insisting there is no reason for him to leave.

 

Allegri has reportedly emerged as the front-runner to replace Arsene Wenger in the summer, should the Frenchman no longer be in charge at Emirates Stadium.

 

Wenger's contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and some fans have been left disgruntled at a failure to regularly mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.

 

Chelsea defeated to Gunners 3-1 on Saturday to deliver a huge blow to any lingering hopes of catching the Blues at the top of the table, with one fan even displaying a 'Wenger Out' banner.

 

Should the north Londoners and the 67-year-old part ways, Allegri, who has won two Serie A titles since taking over at Juve in 2014, has been tooted as the favourite to step in.

 

But when asked whether the former AC Milan boss could leave, Marotta was pretty emphatic in his insistence that he does not expect the Italian to leave.

 

“Aside from the fact we have a contract with Allegri, I think there are still great targets we need to achieve together and our rapport is very good," he said, as quoted by Mediaset.

 

“There is no reason for him to leave Juventus, as there is great mutual admiration and affection.”

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri remains tight-lipped as Arsenal rumours intensify

 

 

Recent reports have linked the Italian with replacing Wenger at Arsenal

but the Juventus head coach has dismissed such rumours as "paper talk".

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/683/main/2017/02/08/32477832/-

 

 

Feb 8, 2017

 

Massimiliano Allegri says he will not "deny or confirm anything" as speculation mounts the Juventus head coach is set to replace Arsene Wenger as Arsenal manager at the end of the season.

 

Frenchman Wenger has once again faced intense scrutiny over his tenure at Emirates Stadium as another bid for the Premier League title has faltered in recent weeks.

 

 

Wenger is out of contract at the end of the season and reports have suggested that the Gunners are in advanced talks with Allegri to take over from the 67-year-old.

 

However, Allegri - speaking after Serie A leaders Juve defeated Crotone 2-0 on Wednesday - insists that the rumours are mere paper talk.

 

"I won't deny or confirm anything," he told Mediaset Premium. "I am in sync with the club, now we have to focus on winning.

 

"At this time of the season the media always says I'm leaving, even when things are going really well."

 

 

Speaking before the Crotone match, Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta reiterated his belief that Allegri will stay with the Serie A champions.

 

"Aside from the fact we have a contract with Allegri, I think there are still great targets we need to achieve together and our rapport is very good," Marotta told Mediaset Premium.

 

"There is no reason for him to leave Juventus as there is great mutual admiration and affection."

 

Allegri has won Serie A and the Coppa Italia twice with Juve and led the club to the 2015 Champions League final.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Sarri rages at Juventus rumours

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98131/sarri-rages-juventus-rumours

 

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

Napoli Coach Maurizio Sarri threatens legal action after a newspaper claimed he had met with Juventus.

 

It has been reported that Bianconeri Coach Massimiliano Allegri will leave the club at the end of the season, with the Old Lady making contingency plans.

 

Fiorentina’s Paulo Sousa has been heavily linked with the job, but this morning Il Tempo claimed that Sarri had already met with the Turin giants.

 

“A newspaper claims that I’ve already met with Juventus,” the Partenopei boss fumed.

 

“I’ll speak with the lawyers and see if there are grounds to sue. This being a totally false report, I will see if there are grounds.”

 

The club’s Press secretary then intervened to state that any damages would be given to charity.

 

Sarri was also asked about his contract, and the chance to build a long-term project along with President Aurelio De Laurentiis.

 

“Continually updating doesn’t making sense if there are young players who won’t improve overnight, but need months of work.

 

“I feel an obligation to help them grow, it’s obvious that everyone wants to win but there’s satisfaction in developing young players and a squad.

 

“Napoli’s transfer strategy was clear, we got young talents with a lot of room to grow.

 

“We hope they reach their potential as soon as possible, but it’s also clear that these talents are coveted by everyone and it’s not easy to hang onto them.

 

“I’m not talking about Napoli, but Italian football. There are really big clubs abroad. We were at the top in the 90s, now we’re in the third world.

 

“Just look at the stadiums abroad.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

‘Sarri rumours only to destabilise’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98134/‘sarri-rumours-only-destabilise’

 

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

Maurizio Sarri’s agent insists Juventus rumours are “only to destabilise” Napoli.

 

This morning, Il Tempo claimed that the Partenopei Coach had met with the Old Lady, to discuss the possible succession of Max Allegri.

 

Sarri reacted furiously, threatening legal action against the newspaper, and his agent was similarly dismissive.

 

“I can’t comment about something which doesn’t exist,” Alessandro Pellegrini said on Radio Crc.

 

“It makes no sense to keep talking about something which is meant only to destabilise a team which is starting to be feared.

 

“You don’t debate with buffaloes, you use them to make mozzarella.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri to leave Juventus?

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98136/allegri-leave-juventus

 

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

It’s reported that Max Allegri and Juventus agreed in January to part ways at the end of the season.

 

Rumours have been growing in recent weeks that the Coach will leave after this season, and last night he refused to confirm or deny that he could move to Arsenal.

 

Now calciomercato.com is reporting that a mutual decision was taken in January for Allegri to leave the Bianconeri this summer.

 

The website notes that there has been no falling out or bitterness, but both the club and the Coach feel that the current cycle is coming to an end.

 

Since Marcello Lippi’s first spell on the bench, no Juve Coach has gone beyond three seasons in Turin.

 

Fiorentina’s Paulo Sousa is a candidate to replace him, while there are even sensational rumours Luciano Spalletti could leave Roma in order to take over.

 

Spalletti's contract is up at the end of the current campaign, and so far he has not signed a new deal.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Massimiliano Allegri not ideal replacement for Wenger at Arsenal

 

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/arsenal/359/blog/post/3057034/massimiliano

-allegri-not-ideal-replacement-for-arsene-wenger-at-arsenal

 

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

 

When Antonio Conte chose to leave Juventus in 2014, the fans were left devastated.

They just lost their former captain and revolutionary coach, a man who took them from the depths of seventh place and turned them into champions. They went unbeaten in their first season under him but more than results, Conte created a culture of winning, demanding nothing but perfection.

But after three years, Juventus weren't enough for him anymore. Conte had set his sights on higher targets, wanting better players and bigger challenges to contend with. Juventus couldn't satisfy his demands and in his words, didn't have what it takes to win the coveted Champions League trophy.

"Well, you cannot go to eat at a €100 restaurant with just €10 in your pocket, can you?" He famously asked. That's what he thought of the Old Lady, a €10 squad chasing trophies that were out of their league.

Massimiliano Allegri was the chosen successor and fans were inconsolable. Many believed the title he won with AC Milan in 2011 only came because the squad boasted Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the moment he came up against a good side, such as Conte's Juve, he lost. A muted character, fans did not believe he could continue Conte's work.

Except he did, and more than continue his work, he bettered it. Juventus, a club renowned for the beauty of their work rate, unwavering devotion to success and constant sacrifice under Conte were now in the hands of Allegri, the man who evolved the side by introducing tactical intelligence and versatility.

Under the new man, Juventus morphed into a club that impressed with their intelligence. Players were no longer micromanaged but encouraged to take responsibility on the field. While they continued with the 3-5-2 formation Conte introduced, the Bianconeri also learnt the art of versatility, developing tactics as the season progressed. They could play various styles and the formations required to beat the different opponents they faced. In many ways, Allegri's tactical intelligence fortified the team's mentality in Europe. They believed their style of play was good enough, something Conte always insinuated wasn't possible.

Considered a success in his first season for taking Juve to the Champions League final and managing to win both the league and the Coppa Italia, Allegri started his next season slowly, struggling to recover tactical fluidity and motivating the squad, after several departures and arrivals.

Simplifying the tactics and working with the team, Juventus went on to rediscover their form again, going on a stunning winning streak that resulted in two trophies yet again and only narrowly missing out on the opportunity to beat Bayern Munich in the final minutes of their exciting Champions League tie last season.

Now, Juve's coach has been linked with a move to England amid doubts over Arsene Wenger's future. Indeed, Allegri has refused to rule out succeeding the Arsenal boss. 

Is he the right fit for the Premier League?

Yes. While he's a better tactician than a man manager, he can motivate the troops through his style of football. This season he's changed Juventus into a 4-2-3-1 formation and it has paid off. He saw that while his side were winning, they weren't particularly energised and thought if he allowed them to play a style of football they enjoyed, they would repay him with hard work and sacrifice. They have, winning relentlessly and doing so in style.

He doesn't care about creating tactical legacies and isn't married to a specific style of play. If he notices problems, he adjusts the game plan either with substitutions or small tweaks such as rearranging those already on the pitch like he did with Juve against Inter Milan last weekend. As we have come to realise -- and Conte has proven with his shift to three at the back -- tactical ingenuity works in the Premier League. There are a few who understand the strengths and weaknesses of his own side and the opponent like Allegri.

Is he the right fit for Arsenal?

He will improve them but it may not be the ideal fit. Allegri is the type of coach you bring in when motivation is high but the quality of football is low. Much like Pep Guardiola has learnt with Manchester City, it is difficult to implement tactical ideas when the team you are training is susceptible to mental fragility. Allegri is not a man who creates superstars, he refines them, but he needs to oversee a side that is already mentally tough, a little like what Carlo Ancelotti managed with Real Madrid after Jose Mourinho reinstalled their winning mentality.

Liverpool, by contrast, are motivated and eager but perhaps not tactically balanced under Jurgen Klopp, losing against the smaller sides who block spaces to neutralise their high-energy style of play. Allegri is better suited to fixing those types of problems. He can take an exhausted team, refine the play and allow them to navigate congested fixture lists intelligently.

Arsenal may need more of an authoritative figure, someone whose passion and demanding nature will make the side believe and fight again, working on the details to secure wins as a unit.

What would happen to Juve if he left?

The Turin giants would certainly feel the void. Despite the many changes the side has experienced over the years, including the loss of great champions Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba and Carlos Tevez, Juve have continued to win both in Italy and Europe by maintaining their winning mentality and improving the quality of their football.

His elegant manner and balanced points of view are in line with Juve's philosophy. He is not interested in off-pitch drama or engaging in mind games in a bid to give his sides a leg up. He is almost irreplaceable, but Juve are a well-run club and should manage to find a worthy successor. 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Sarri ‘considering legal action’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98171/sarri-considering-legal-action

 

 

Feb 10, 2017

 

Maurizio Sarri’s lawyer has confirmed that the Napoli Coach is considering legal action against newspaper Il Tempo, which reported a meeting with Juventus.

 

Sarri raged at the publication during a Press conference on Thursday, in which he staunchly denied its claims that he met with Juve over succeeding Massimiliano Allegri, and Fabio Giotti is standing by his client.

 

“I confirm in its entirely, what Sarri stated in yesterday’s Press conference,” he told Radio Kiss Kiss.

 

“We’re analysing the facts and there are various legal avenues. I will sit down with him as soon as possible.

 

“He’s currently focused, body and soul, on Napoli’s commitments, after that he’ll decide what to do accordingly, without media clamour.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Spalletti candidate for Arsenal?

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98176/spalletti-candidate-arsenal

 

 

Feb 10, 2017

 

Roma boss Luciano Spalletti has joined Max Allegri and Thomas Tuchel as potential future Arsenal managers.

 

The London club is looking to next season amid growing reports Arsene Wenger will walk away.

 

Juventus Coach Allegri has been the hot favourite in the British media for many months, despite the fact he’s under contract in Turin until June 2018.

 

Borussia Dortmund tactician Tuchel emerged as a contender this week.

 

According to asromalive.it, the latest option Arsenal are looking into is Spalletti.

 

He has already worked abroad, spending several years in Russia with Zenit St Petersburg, and revitalised Roma when taking over from Rudi Garcia in January 2016.

 

It was a return to the Stadio Olimpico for Spalletti, although he continues to dodge questions on a contract extension.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri hoping for 'another 400 games' as

Juventus boss despite Arsenal rumours

 

The 49-year-old has been repeatedly touted as the successor to Arsene Wenger,

but revealed that he is 'happy at Juventus' and wants to stay.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/02/11/32559882/-

 

 

Feb 11, 2017

 

Massimiliano Allegri says he wants to coach Juventus for another 400 matches despite persistent talk of interest from Arsenal.

 

According to media reports in England, the 49-year-old has been earmarked as a potential successor to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

 

Allegri will take charge of his 100th Serie A match with the champions on Sunday when they visit Cagliari, but while the personal milestone means little to the former AC Milan boss, he suggested that he would be happy to stay in Turin for many years to come.

 

"I can't deny anything I've never said or confirm something that does not exist," he told a news conference when asked about the Arsenal rumours. 

 

"I'm fine here, I still have a year and a half on my contract. In due time, we'll sit down and discuss things with the board, which is the normal thing to do.

 

"I never thought about it [100 matches] because I am not interested in records but rather in winning the Scudetto and going all the way in the Champions League.

 

"I hope there are another 300 or 400 games, as I am happy at Juventus. I always said that, if I were to leave, Juve would be the first to know."

 

Juve are looking for a fifth consecutive league win for the first time this season and Allegri believes it could be an important fixture in terms of keeping title-chasing Napoli and Roma at bay.

 

"We face a Cagliari side who score a lot of goals at home, who are quick and have managed good results against great teams," he said.

 

"It's a delicate moment of the season. We need to keep a distance between us and Roma and Napoli. This year, we've not managed five victories in a row in the league and that will be our aim."

 

The match comes at the end of a week in which tempers have flared between Juve and Inter in the wake of the league leaders' 1-0 win last Sunday.

 

Juve director general Giuseppe Marotta criticised Inter for focusing on what they considered to be debatable refereeing decisions during the match, prompting the San Siro side to release a stinging statement in response.

Allegri, however, was not interested in continuing the feud.

 

"Juve deservedly won a match against Inter," he said. "I still maintain that Inter are a good side who, fortunately for us, had a bad start to the season, otherwise they'd be challenging for the Scudetto. I won't add anything to that topic."

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Sousa to stay with Fiorentina?

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98356/sousa-stay-fiorentina

 

 

Feb 14, 2017

 

Paulo Sousa may stay at Fiorentina, depending on results over the next month.

 

It has been widely assumed that the Portuguese Coach will leave the Viola at the end of the season, possibly to replace Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus.

 

However, La Nazione is reporting this morning that it’s far from a settled issue, and much will depend on the next few games.

 

The three forthcoming Serie A games are Milan, Torino and Atalanta, which will be crucial in determining where Fiorentina finish this season.

 

In addition, the Viola have a Europa League tie with Borussia Monchengladbach, with the games to be played this week and next.

 

Given that there is an option to renew Sousa’s contract for a further year, it’s thought that positive results in these games could lead to a mutual decision to continue together.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri defends Napoli, Sarri

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98450/allegri-defends-napoli-sarri

 

 

Feb 16, 2017

 

Juventus Coach Max Allegri says Napoli “played well” with Real Madrid, and defends Maurizio Sarri.

 

The Partenopei were beaten 3-1 at the Bernabeu last night, with President Aurelio De Laurentiis criticising Sarri after the match.

 

With the Bianconeri due to return to Champions League action on Wednesday, Allegri was asked for his opinion of this week’s Last 16 ties.

 

“First of all I enjoyed them a lot,” the Juve boss said in his pre-Palermo Press conference.

 

“When you see these games there are always some tips you can take from them, things you can put into practice and learn.

 

“The two Champions League days were good ones, there was absolute technical quality in the players and in the teams.

 

“It proved that Paris Saint-Germain are a top team, physically and technically they’re on the top level. I didn’t think they’d beat Barcelona so heavily, but they always had the potential to beat them.

 

“As for yesterday, compliments to Napoli for the game they played, it wasn’t easy to play against Madrid, especially for Napoli who don’t have a lot of international experience.

 

“So they had a good game against a Real Madrid side which has players of the highest technical level. You just have to look at [Luka] Modric, with three passes out wide he put the ball at [Cristiano] Ronaldo’s feet.

 

“That wasn’t about pressure, tactics or technique, just the technique of individual players and it’s beautiful to see. But Napoli played a good match.

 

“De Laurentiis? First of all, I’ll never spout off about what a President can and can’t say.

 

“One thing I will say and repeat is that Sarri deserves compliments for the work he’s doing in Naples and for yesterday’s game because Napoli aren’t beaten yet, they have the opportunity to overturn the result at home.

 

“I repeat, Napoli played a good game, a top game, all things considered. They faced Real Madrid, and that’s important European experience.”

 

Are Juventus on the level of Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich?

 

“No, we have to improve. Definitely on a mental level we have to be up there with Real, Paris, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

 

“Some people had doubts about Bayern Munich this year and thought they wouldn’t progress, in fact they’ll do it very calmly as the Germans are always hard to beat. They have character and technical quality.

 

“Juventus need to improve. I think this is the time where we have to push hard to improve the quality of our play and the speed of our passing, partly because we have excellent players and that’s why we have to improve on this, because only the team can take us forward in Europe.

 

“Just look at the level of Real Madrid yesterday and the difficulties Napoli encountered.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri: ‘Arsenal? I haven't said that...’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98523/allegri-‘arsenal-i-havent-said-that’

 

 

Feb 17, 2017

 

Juventus Coach Max Allegri dismisses links to Arsenal - “you all say that, I just listen…”

 

Rumours are growing that Gunners manager Arsene Wenger will walk away at the end of the season, with the Bianconeri boss one of the favourites to replace him.

 

“How’s my English?” Allegri considered, speaking to Sky after the 4-1 win over Palermo.

 

“I started learning before Milan, now I’ve left it.

 

“They say I’ll go to Arsenal? You all say that, I just listen…”

 

Allegri was also asked whether he would deviate from his 4-2-3-1 formation for the Porto game on Wednesday.

 

“It’s unlikely we’ll change, unless something strange happens. Porto don’t concede many goals and they play on the counter-attack.

 

“Against Sporting they ceded possession to their opponents, leaving no points of reference. Porto are used to these games, it will be a good Last 16 tie.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri: ‘Juventus not CL favourites’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98525/allegri-‘juventus-not-cl-favourites’

 

 

Feb 17, 2017

 

Massimiliano Allegri warns “Juventus have not become favourites for the Champions League” ahead of the Porto match.

 

Barcelona were beaten 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain, while Bayern Munich - by their standards - have struggled domestically, leading some to suggest the Bianconeri are favourites to lift the trophy in Cardiff.

 

“It’s not like with Barcelona’s defeat, Juventus have become favourites for the Champions League,” Allegri said in his Press conference after the Palermo match.

 

“First of all we have to play against Porto, who are used to playing these kind of games. Playing there is absolutely not easy, and there are teams of a high level.

 

“The thing that makes me smile is that when I arrived here three years ago there was a fear we wouldn’t beat Malmo.

 

“Now we’ve gone the opposite way, with people saying Juventus are the number one favourite for the Champions League.

 

“I think you need to be balanced in these things, what we have to do is go onto the pitch and beat Porto.

 

“Porto are a team who knocked out Roma in the play-offs, they’re a club used to playing these kind of games and that counts in the Champions League.

 

“So we need to go there with extreme caution, knowing that to go through we have to work hard and suffer.

 

“PSG had a good game, and Barça didn’t match their level. There wasn’t just intensity and running though, there was also technique, just as Bayern and Real Madrid have technique.

 

“The important thing is that we shouldn’t go too far the other way and start saying that Juve are favourites for the Champions League.

 

“We feel like we’re on the level of the others and we have to play to get to the win, every year Juve have to play to win, in every competition we have to raise the bar.

 

“Then if the others do better then maybe it’s because they’ve had a bit of luck and gone through, that’s part of the game.

 

“We can’t go from being full of depression before Malmo - and trust me, I remember it - to being euphoric now.”

 

Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini missed tonight’s match, will they be back to face Porto?

 

“They’ve been working separately, we’ll see how they are tomorrow. I haven’t seen them today, so there’s a chance, but we’ll see.

 

“If there’s any risk then they’ll definitely stay out, because it’s a high-intensity game and those who play must be comfortable without the risk they’ll waste a substitution.

 

“At the moment though the journey continues in the best way, we hope to have them available.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Arsenal-linked Juventus coach Allegri jokes: How's my English?

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/juventus/story/3063047/arsenal-linked-

juve-coach-massimiliano-allegri-jokes-hows-my-english

 

 

Feb 18, 2017

 

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has played down speculation that he will take over from Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, insisting he has not started learning English again.

Allegri is the favourite, ahead of Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe and Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Tuchel, to take over from Wenger if he calls it quits at the end of the season when his contract expires.

While the Frenchman claims he will continue his management career, Allegri is not thinking about a move to the Premier League and is content to just listen to the mounting gossip.

"How's my English?" he joked with reporters after Juventus beat Palermo 4-1 on Friday night. "I started learning before [my time at] Milan -- now I have left it. They say I will go to Arsenal? You all say that, I just listen."

Juventus won their 29th consecutive home Serie A match with two goals and an assist from Paulo Dybala, and Allegri added that he was pleased his team are one step closer to winning the title.

"The lads ended the first half 2-0 up despite not playing well," Allegri said. "But we had a good game, even if we granted Palermo a few too many shots from outside the box. It was a league match and we got three points which are just as valuable as the ones we got against Inter.

"It is one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the lads for the way they approached the game."

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

‘No reason for Allegri to leave’

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98668/‘no-reason-allegri-leave’

 

 

Feb 21, 2017

 

Juventus legend Marcello Lippi believes Max Allegri will remain as Coach, while Paulo Dybala will also stay.

 

Allegri has been linked with Arsenal, amid speculation Arsene Wenger will step down at the end of the season, but the former Italy CT believes he’ll remain in Turin.

 

“Will he be burnt out like I was in China?” Lippi considered in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

 

“No, my problem was how far away I was from home, 10,000 kilometres. Three years don't necessarily lead to burnout.

 

“If Max had the perception that he wasn’t welcome then he wouldn’t say, but I think that’s the furthest thing from his and Juve’s thoughts at the moment.

 

“For now they’re just thinking about the sixth Scudetto which would take them into legend, and the Champions League which is feasible.”

 

Leonardo Bonucci, Paulo Dybala and Stephan Lichtsteiner have publicly berated the Coach though…

 

“These things aren’t problems, just a strong signal of personality from players who want to be protagonists.

 

“Not to mention that, historically, at Juventus certain attitudes are poorly tolerated by the club and the veterans.

 

“Moments of tension are inevitable, but the players respect their Coach and apologised, which shows they know they made a mistake.”

 

Lippi famously advised Juve to cash in on Paul Pogba, with the Frenchman joining Manchester United in a €105m move in the summer.

 

“Indeed, he’s a great player but I had these situations too as a Coach,” Lippi recalled.

 

“It’s like when l’Avvocato [Gianni Agnelli] told me: ‘Marcello, unfortunately we have to sell [Zinedine] Zidane, but don’t worry we’ll reinvest it’.

 

“I shrugged, then they bought Buffon, [Pavel] Nedved and [Lilian] Thuram and we got two Scudetti and a Champions League final.

 

“Is it the same with Dybala? It seems to me that the situation is very different, there’s a strong relationship between Juventus and Dybala, which is confirmed every day.

 

“The big clubs are interested, but I can’t see a repeat of the Pogba incident. Honestly, when I see Dybala I see [Omar] Sivori.

 

“He has the same ruthlessness, the same class, the same brilliant ideas in decisive moments. They’re made of the same stuff.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Allegri has rediscovered Juventus'

substance by turning up the style

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3065471/allegri-

has-rediscovered-juventus-substance-by-turning-up-the-style

 

 

Feb 21, 2017

 

 

Juventus boss Max Allegri thoroughly enjoyed last week's Champions League action. "I had a lot of fun," he said. "When you watch games like these you always come away with ideas. Things you can put into practice and learn from."

Allegri didn't elaborate too much on exactly what. Instead he used the opportunity to reinforce his point that, at this level, the difference is often made by skill and technical excellence. "It's enough to watch Luka Modric," he said.

A chance the Croatian created for Real Madrid just before the half-hour mark in their 3-1 win against Napoli excited Allegri. Modric started the move just inside his own half. He slowed the tempo down, exchanging a series of passes with the outside of his foot to Real's left-back Marcelo before suddenly lifting it again, dashing into space and putting Ronaldo through on goal. "Pressing and tactics [all these things we fixate on] had nothing to do with it," Allegri marvelled. "It was all about the skill of the individual players involved. It was pure entertainment. Beautiful to watch."

Downplaying a coach's role is a common Allegri ploy. The best ones, he likes to say, are those who do the least damage. Praised by the pundits in the Sky Italia studio after his substitutions again impacted a game and helped Juventus find a way to win at Chievo in November, he reminded them that the winning goal was a sublime Miralem Pjanic free kick. You can't coach the skill involved. "It's like teaching birds how to fly," he said.

Aside from being far too modest for his own good in seeking to minimise his part in Juventus' success, these anecdotes reveal a lot about Allegri's approach to the Champions League. At the end of last season, he offered the following analysis: "In Europe, you win with skill, not running. It's not like the league. You can run a lot but in the moment you naturally stop to catch your breath, it's then that, if their full of skill, the other teams strike. That's just how it works."

 

Since Allegri led Juventus to the Champions League final two years ago, recruitment has largely followed this train of thought. The club has looked to add skill players in all positions, from Alex Sandro and Dani Alves at full-back, to Miralem Pjanic in midfield and Juan Cuadrado and Marko Pjaca out wide, to Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain in attack. All of them are comfortable on the ball. They can beat players in one-vs.-ones. They're smart and can win games out of nothing from a free kick in Pjanic and Dybala's case or another piece of individual brilliance.

If there has been a criticism of Juventus this season, it is perhaps that, at times, particularly earlier in the campaign, they relied too much on the latter. They weren't convincing as a collective. Napoli are adjudged to play the best football in Italy. But as Allegri says, you get no points for style. You can't have champagne and caviar all the time. Sometimes you have to make do with a ham sandwich. Juventus will do what it takes to win. As their motto goes: "Winning isn't important, it's the only thing that counts."

But Allegri isn't prepared to settle for that. While Juventus are playing as well as they have done all season, coming good at exactly the right time, he continues to demand they play better. "We have got to improve," he said on Thursday. "Now is the time to really push hard at increasing the quality of our play, the speed of our passing." The latter is a particular obsession of Allegri's. "Bayern and Real pass the ball with an extraordinary speed and execution," he observed, "but we are not inferior. We can match them."

As the season has worn on Allegri has got closer to achieving this by fielding as many skill players simultaneously as possible while also applying some counter-intuitive thinking. Juventus' problem this season has been balance. After their defeat to Fiorentina in January, Giorgio Chiellini candidly admitted that, at this stage, unlike in previous years at the same point, they were still in search of it. Allegri's reaction was to then name what on paper looked like the most unbalanced Juventus team imaginable, featuring Higuain, Dybala, Cuadrado, Mario Mandzukic and Pjanic from the start.

Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic have combined to great effect at Juventus.

It was a masterstroke not only from a tactical point of view, but in a motivational sense too as in order to make it work, the players all went the extra mile without the ball and, rather curiously in light of Allegri's comments about skill and running, covered more ground than in any other game this season. It looks like the best of both worlds. Higuain has scored more goals than any other striker in Europe's top five leagues in 2017. The defence has kept five clean sheets in seven games. Mandzukic's role wide on the left has been compared to the one Samuel Eto'o played for Inter Milan when they won the Treble in 2010. His spirit of sacrifice and the mismatches he creates with opposition full-backs is key.

While the media has leapt on the formation change to a 4-2-3-1 as more reason to believe Juventus can win the Champions League, Allegri has been keen to point out that the other systems they used up until January, from the trademark 3-5-2 to the Christmas Tree, also had the team top of the table. No team in Europe is as adaptable. The defence, along with Atletico Madrid's, remains the most dependable in the competition. Allegri believes Dybala could win the Ballon d'Or in the post-Ronaldo/Messi era. Higuain is scoring at the same rate he did at Napoli. Overall Juventus have a depth perhaps only Bayern can rival. For Buffon and other veterans this could be their last chance. Juventus feel ready.

Sixteen players have left since the final in Berlin two years ago, but an awareness of their own strength in Europe remains. The complex they suffered under Conte is gone. Although Juventus went out at this stage a year ago, their performance against Bayern felt like progress. The first 70 minutes at the Allianz Arena were comparable to what PSG did to Barca last week and had Morata's goal stood...

Allegri has pushed back against the narrative that Juventus are overwhelming favourites against Porto. He has been very respectful of their history, recognising their winning tradition in this competition and how they have won it as many times as Juventus. Porto are used to getting to this stage of the Champions League. They won't be fazed by it and managed to upset Bayern Munich at the Dragao not too long ago. Roma lost there in the playoffs earlier in the season and Leicester City got hammered 5-0.

And yet, as a manager who surprised Juventus by demanding a bonus for reaching the Champions League final when they first sat down to discuss his appointment, this tie, this year should represent an opportunity. No team is unbeatable, and Juventus have closed the gap.

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Lippi backs Allegri for Juventus stay

 

The Italian has been linked with a move away from Turin at the end

of the season but is being tipped to remain at the club.

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2017/02/21/32910812/-

 

 

Feb 21, 2017

 

Former Juventus head coach Marcello Lippi has backed Massimiliano Allegri to remain in charge of the Serie A champions, despite speculation regarding his future.

 

Allegri has clashed with a number of his own players in recent weeks, while he has also been linked to the Arsenal manager's job as Arsene Wenger's potential successor. 

 

But Lippi, who has twice managed Juve, expects Allegri to stay in Italy and does not believe the former AC Milan boss is suffering from the same "burnout" he experienced at Guangzhou Evergrande.

 

"Will [Allegri] be burnt out like I was in China?" Lippi said to Gazzetta dello Sport. "No, my problem was how far away I was from home - 10,000 kilometres. Three years don't necessarily lead to burnout.

 

"If Max had the perception that he wasn't welcome then he wouldn't say, but I think that's the furthest thing from his and Juve's thoughts at the moment.

 

"For now, they're just thinking about [winning a] sixth Scudetto, which would make them legends, and [winning] the Champions League, which is feasible."

 

And Lippi insists that Allegri's confrontations with Leonardo Bonucci, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Paulo Dybala are not cause for concern.

 

"These things aren't problems," he added. "[They are] just a strong signal of personality from players who want to be protagonists.

 

"Not to mention that, historically, at Juventus, certain attitudes are poorly tolerated by the club and the veterans.

 

"Moments of tension are inevitable, but the players respect their coach and apologised, which shows they know they made a mistake."

 

Juventus are currently seven points clear of Roma at the top of Serie A, while they face Porto in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

 

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Juventus approach Simeone?

 

http://www.football-italia.net/98721/juventus-approach-simeone

 

 

Feb 22, 2017

 

A report claims Juventus approached Atletico Madrid Coach Diego Simeone about succeeding Massimiliano Allegri.

 

The Bianconeri boss has repeatedly been linked with an exit at the end of the season, with speculation he could join Arsenal if Arsene Wenger decides to walk away.

 

Now SNAI Sportnews is reporting that, three weeks ago, the Turin giants approached Simeone to sound him about about replacing the current Coach.

 

It’s thought the former Inter and Lazio player didn’t outright reject the proposal, but nor did he accept it, as his own future is still undecided.

 

Simeone has previously declared his intention to coach both of his former Italian sides, with rumours the Nerazzurri will look to appoint him when he leaves Atletico Madrid.

 

A number of Coaches have been linked with the Old Lady in recent weeks, including current Fiorentina boss Paulo Sousa.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Report: Allegri to Arsenal, Spalletti to Juve

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99007/report-allegri-arsenal-spalletti-juve

 

 

Feb 28, 2017

 

A report in Italy claims that Juventus Coach Max Allegri has told friends he will join Arsenal in the summer.

 

The Bianconeri boss has been heavily linked with the Gunners, as manager Arsene Wenger may step down at the end of the season.

 

In addition, the recent saga with Leonardo Bonucci has seen speculation grow that his future may lie away from Turin.

 

Now calciomercato.com, working with a site called ilbianconero.com is stating that Allegri told friends in his native Livorno that he’ll be joining Arsenal.

 

In addition, the sites are claiming that Roma Coach Luciano Spalletti is being lined-up as the man to take over at Juve.

 

The tactician is out of contract at the end of the season, and is yet to sign an extension.

 

However, President Andrea Agnelli could veto any potential deal, as he was angered by Spalletti rejecting the Old Lady while he was at Zenit St Petersburg.

 

The story should be treated with caution, however, as while Calciomercato is an established source, ilbianconero.com is largely unknown in Italy.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Barcelona consider Allegri

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99103/barcelona-consider-allegri

 

 

Mar 2, 2017

 

Reports in Spain suggest Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri is being considered for the Barcelona job.

 

Current incumbent Luis Enrique announced last night that he’ll step down at the end of the season, igniting speculation about who will replace him.

 

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Bianconeri boss is on the shortlist, along with Everton’s Ronald Koeman and Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool.

 

However, the favourite remains current Sevilla Coach Jorge Sampaoli, who is believed to be the preferred candidate of Lionel Messi.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Zola warns Italian duo over EPL

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99142/zola-warns-italian-duo-over-epl

 

 

Mar 3, 2017

 

Gianfranco Zola says that Luciano Spalletti and Max Allegri 'must understand the different mentality' of players should they move to England.

 

Juventus boss Allegri has repeatedly been linked with replacing Arsene Wenger this summer, while a recent report suggested that Spurs would look to Spalletti should current boss Mauricio Pochettino depart for Barcelona.

 

"Arsenal, with their tradition, supporters and victories are like AC Milan or Inter," the Birmingham City boss said in a brief interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Tottenham are, shall we say, a bit more like Roma."

 

Asked how he thought his compatriots would adapt to life abroad, the former Chelsea striker offered some advice on the differences between football in Britain compared to on the peninsula.

 

"They must understand the mentality of players," Zola continued.

 

"In Italy we train often and a lot; but in England to play a lot, at a thousand miles per hour, training must be less intense.

 

"Translation? We must be neither urgent nor stressful."

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Does Massimiliano Allegri have total

control of the Juventus locker room?

 

 

Frequent high-profile dust-ups with players this season poses

questions about the manager’s relationship with his team.

 

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2017/3/3/14781126/juventus

-massimiliano-allegri-2017-serie-a-team-management

 

 

Mar 3, 2017

 

 

It’s been almost two weeks now since the very public row between Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri and center back Leonardo Bonucci. Now that the emotions have died down, it may be time to take a serious look at a big question: Is this latest incident between Allegri and a player a sign of friction in the Juve locker room?

The profane argument between Allegri and Bonucci was the fourth such incident between the coach and one of his players in the space of three months. The first came in December, when Mario Mandzukic kicked a water bottle and then a wall after being taken off during the Derby della Mole. In late January, Paulo Dybala not only refused to shake his coach’s hand after being substituted but deliberately pulled it away. Stephan Lichtsteiner was the next player with an issue after he was taken off during the Derby d’Italia on Feb. 5.

Each of the first three incidents was played off as a player’s natural frustration with being substituted, or, in Lichtsteiner’s case, a misunderstanding of body language. The explanation for just what precipitated the Bonucci situation hasn’t been made entirely clear. But regardless of the cause, the fact that such public dust-ups are happening with this kind of frequency may be a signal that something deeper is going on in the locker room.

Allegri has never been thought of as a man manager. His claim to fame has been his tactical acumen, which, while subject to the occasional mistake, is formidable. His interpersonal relationships have sometimes been far less successful.

His difficulties with Andrea Pirlo at AC Milan are what pushed the legendary midfielder to Juventus in the first place in 2011. The end of his time with the rossoneri was also punctuatedby a heated argument with Filippo Inzaghi, who at the time was Milan’s primavera coach.

Now, there are some worrying signs that a wedge is being driven between Allegri and his players in Turin. The odd on-field argument between a coach and a player is something you expect over the course of a season, but seeing so many public disputes in such a small time frame isn’t normal. If you take the scenario to its worst case, it’s entirely possible that the team has tuned Allegri out to the point that the barriers to such public displays of disrespect have come down.

The on-field arguments aren’t the only thing that look wrong. Early in the season the team looked sluggish and unfocused. Uncharacteristic mental lapses saw league wins against the likes of Udinese and Chievo and Coppa Italia triumphs against Atalanta and Milan harder than they had to be. The first two home games in the UEFA Champions League saw a similar lack of verve that led to dull performances and draws. A tactical change after January’s dull loss to Fiorentina has injected a new energy, but they’ve still had trouble killing games off on occasion.

If Allegri has lost his locker room, what caused the decline? It could simply be that his coaching style has run out of time at Juve, as it does for many coaches at many clubs. It could also be the constant rumors of Allegri’s future — is he going to Barcelona? What about Arsenal? — have caused some players to regard him as a lame duck.

Of course, there is also evidence that this could all be empty worry. The team is seven points up in the league and has solid first-leg leads in both the Champions League round of 16 and the Coppa Italia semifinal. It’s also hard to imagine the team taking to Allegri’s new 4-2-3-1 formation without some level of buy-in from the players in the squad.

The individuals involved in some of the on-field incidents are producing some of their best football of the year. Mandzukic in particular has been big part of Juve’s post-Fiorentina success as an unorthodox left wing, and Dybala has begun adapting to his new role behind Gonzalo Higuain on the outside.

But even with so many good things going, there is an almost-undetectable uneasiness in the squad that has been amplified by the Bonucci saga.

The suspension of the defender for the trip to Porto has the whiff of a coach trying to regain control of an unruly squad — especially so if Tuttosport reports from before that game (h/t Football Italia) that Bonucci had already been fined are true. If another report by La Repubblica (also taken from Football Italia) that Allegri threatened to resign on the spot if Bonucci wasn’t suspended is true, it would add a whole other dimension to the story.

At the end of the day, there can be no way of knowing what’s going on in the locker room at Vinovo on a day-to-day basis. It could be that any worries over Allegri’s relationship with the team are totally baseless. But there is also the slightest hint of a wobble in the clubhouse, and that bears watching as the campaign’s key phase unfolds.

Until the destinies of both the team and Allegri himself are decided at season’s end, no one will know for sure — and even then we may only ever have suspicions and not a full picture. But by June things will certainly be a lot clearer.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

 

Report: Allegri says yes to Arsenal

 

http://www.football-italia.net/99214/report-allegri-says-yes-arsenal

 

 

Mar 4, 2017

 

The Sunday Express claims that Juventus Coach Max Allegri has reached a verbal agreement with Arsenal and targets Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

 

According to tomorrow’s paper, the tactician has given the all-clear to become the Gunners boss in 2017-18.

 

However, he will only accept if Arsene Wenger steps down voluntarily.

 

It’s reported the agreement includes a list of players Allegri would like to sign next season, including Lazio midfielder Milinkovic-Savic.

 

Arsenal fans are increasingly irritated with Wenger and he certainly did not endear himself to them today by dropping Alexis Sanchez for a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool.

 

Allegri was again asked about his future in today’s Press conference and did adjust his usual position by not confirming he’d stay until his Juventus contract expires in June 2018.

 

“Right now, at this moment, we are focused on what happens this season and so to talk about what I’m going to do is of little interest to anyone,” said Allegri.

 

“The Juventus fans are interested in what the team does and what the team can win. Last year I met the President and told him I would stay, that when the moment comes I will talk to the club and we’ll decide.

 

“I have a contract to 2018, but now we have to focus on this very important period of the season, concentrating on Serie A, the Champions League and Coppa Italia without thinking of what will happen next year.

 

“Right now nobody is interested in what my future holds. The important thing is to be aware we can go all the way in all three competitions.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Juventus will miss Max Allegri's ability

to develop players should he depart

 

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/juventus/111/blog/post/3075514/juventus-

will-miss-massimiliano-allegri-ability-to-develop-players-should-he-depart

 

 

Mar 5, 2017

 

 

Many are still in the dark with regards to where Massimiliano Allegri's future lies. With the likes of Barcelona and potentially Arsenal looking for a new coach, even the happiest of tacticians may be tempted by the lure of a new experience.

Should Allegri choose to leave Juventus, the club will not only lose a champion but a man whose character is perfectly aligned with the values of the club. The personification of Stile Juve, Allegri may not be the passionate soul who awakens the tribalistic nature within every football fan but he's calm, elegant and the perfect man to diffuse the many awkward situations a club like Juventus finds itself embroiled in on a regular basis. A small joke here and there, a clever shift in focus and the self-deprecating attitude he brings to press conferences have helped enhance the club's elegant reputation.

Every coach has his strengths and weaknesses and timing can be everything. Allegri has benefitted from having a strong leadership in charge that is willing to support him, mentally and financially. Moreover, he inherited a squad that had recovered the winning mentality that eluded them before. However, what separates him from those before him and around him is his ability to enhance the strengths of a side rather than concentrate on masking their deficiencies.

He focuses on developing the players, ensuring their progression to solidify the unit. He doesn't care for non-stop rock and roll football that overwhelms the opponent nor is he obsessed with a beautiful passing game. He, alongside the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, are masters at combining the pragmatic with the romantic ideals of football to create a winning machine. This is perhaps why no matter how tough a season can be with so many fixtures to be played, Allegri's sides rarely seem emotionally exhausted. Players have come and others have departed yet Juve's style of play has rarely suffered.

Developing players is a difficult thing to do especially when one must contend with packed schedules yet most -- if not every -- player Allegri has coached at Juventus has improved, either technically or emotionally. Carlos Tevez went from being a selfish player criticised for his attitude to being one who sacrificed the glory of scoring to help develop Alvaro Morata. Alex Sandro has been polished and refined, developing from a player who was a little rough around the edges to being the leader who commands the left lane.

However, it's Mario Mandzukic who has perhaps transformed the most under Allegri's tutelage. He famously once admitted to not having the motivation to play against the "village teams" while Felix Magath was often livid with the striker: "No coach can tame him!"

Mandzukic was frequently accused of not training effectively and neglecting his defensive duties. Even Diego Simeone publicly blasted the Croatian, reminding him to put the team ahead of himself during his time at Atletico Madrid.

For anyone who has followed his career closely, Mandzukic is now a player transformed. Not only is he a leader who gives everything for the sake of the unit but he's proved even better at recovering possession and tracking back than the defensive players within the side. A pleasure to have in the dressing room and a hard worker on the pitch, Mandzukic listened to Allegri and chose to prove himself guaranteeing first team action on a weekly basis and performing better than he's ever managed in his career thus far.

Leonardo Bonucci, the man who lashed out at the tactician in full view of the world, said it best when he said: "In certain moments, he [Allegri] knows how to unleash that hunger, that anger and mental intensity which he's repeatedly proved he has.

"His way of understanding football is very clever, because he knows how to read the qualities of a squad and, as we've seen this year and work out the best way to put those qualities on the pitch."

Losing Allegri will be a tough pill to swallow and while club management will fully support whomever may take over, many hope the tactician will choose to stay. Until a decision has been made, the fans can enjoy the team's progression.

Udinese will host Juventus next and should the Bianconeri win, the will open a 10-point gap at the top of the table as Napoli defeated Roma on Saturday. Luigi Del Neri's team have been suffering in recent weeks, collecting three league defeats in a row and conceding six goals in the process.

A team that's yet to mature fully, they concede penalties far too easily and concede possession cheaply. Yet as we have all come to realise, teams always play with greater motivation when facing the Champions of Italy and Udinese have managed to score against the bigger sides, even managing a win against Milan in late January.

Set to deploy the 4-2-3-1 formation and all their stars, Juventus will be hoping for another away win.