Massimiliano Allegri is hopeful that Juventus are heading for a successful end to the season. His team tries wednesday at the expense of Villarreal to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but according to the coach that should not be the final station.
“We have to have the ambition to reach the final,” Allegri said at his press conference on Tuesday. “That’s our goal, so that’s what we’re going for. If we are good and have a bit of luck, we will succeed. And otherwise, other teams are apparently better.”
Juventus played three weeks ago in Spain with a 1-1 draw against Villarreal, last season’s surprising winner of the Europa League. Allegri rates his colleague Unai Emery, the driving force behind that success, highly.
“Villarreal is an experienced team with a very good coach. They give away few chances and hardly make any mistakes. In the away game we took some risks, but unfortunately we didn’t manage to win.”
Juventus is also working on an excellent series in their own country. The team is still unbeaten in the Italian league this calendar year. “The boys are doing well and it has become a close-knit group. But we haven’t achieved anything yet, so we have to keep our feet on the ground.”
Massimiliano Allegri is hopeful for Juventus
Chiellini and Dybala return, Bonucci missing
Allegri can again use Paulo Dybala and Giorgio Chiellini, who return from injuries. Striker Federico Bernardeschi is also fit again after a short absence.
“The return of those players is important,” said Allegri, who did allude to the fact that the three will not start in the starting line-up. “Certainly if there is an extension, the substitutions will become important.
But hopefully we’ll get the job done in ninety minutes.”
Leonardo Bonucci, like Matthijs de Ligt usually a regular at centre-back, has not yet recovered from a calf injury. At Villarreal there is probably a starting place for the Dutch attacker Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld.
The match in Turin starts at 21:00. At the same time, there will also be kick-off at Lille against Chelsea. After Wednesday, all quarterfinalists will be known.
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