Allegri expects goals, but would settle

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri expects goals galore but hinted he would settle for a scoreless draw against Bayern Munich in a mouthwatering first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash on Tuesday.

“I expect a lot of goals,” Allegri told media in Turin on Monday, admitting that one of his pre-match predictions last year prompted hundreds of insults from fans.

“When I said I’d settle for a scoreless draw last year I received hundreds of insults from angry fans.

“But it would be a good result all round. At the very least, it’s crucial we don’t concede.”

Having upset predictions to reach last year’s final before being outclassed 3-1 by Barcelona, Allegri feels Juventus have the bases required to be reaching the latter stages of Europe’s premier club competition on a regular basis.

But against Bayern, the Italians have a poor record.

In spite of a crisis in central defence, with Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng both missing and doubts hanging over Mehdi Benatia, Pep Guardiola’s men can afford to feel confident.

Bayern are the only foreign team to have beaten Juve in Turin in the past decade, winning 2-0 home and away on their way to a fifth Champions League trophy in 2013.

Asked if a supposed German ‘inferiority complex’ in relation to the Italy team could be applied at club level, Bayern skipper Philipp Lahm almost laughed into his sleeve when he reminded media of Bayern’s solid form against Juve in recent years.

“We have beaten Juventus several times over the past seasons in the competition. In fact we’ve only had good experiences against Juventus,” said Lahm.

On one of those occasions, in 2013, current Juve striker Mario Mandzukic scored once against the Italians in Turin.

Mandzukic has been sidelined recently but is expected to return to Juve’s starting line-up fully charged and ready to partner Argentine striker Paulo Dybala.

But the Croatia international can expect no leniency from his former team-mates, according to Arjen Robben.

“This will be an important game for Mario. We’re happy to see him again but we’ll be doing everything to close him down,” said the Dutchman.

Juve’s new club record of 15 consecutive wins in Serie A came to an end on Friday in a scoreless draw at Bologna.

Guardiola has taken note of Juve’s recent form, but believes his side will prevail.

“Allegri has done a very good job here (at Juve) and although they didn’t have a great start to the season, we’re up against a Juve side that has just won 15 games in succession,” said Guardiola, who will take over at Manchester City during the summer.

“It will be complicated and make for an interesting game, but ideally we’re going out to score some goals and try to win this game so we can then control the return leg in Munich.”

Although the match will see two former Juventus players — Arturo Vidal and Kingsley Coman — return to defy Allegri, it will also pit two of the world’s greatest goalkeepers against each other.

Juve ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon hailed his opposite number Manuel Neuer as “one of the many great goalkeepers I have come across” and admits Bayern pose a formidable challenge.

“They’re a really strong side with no weak points. Three years ago they were practically unbeatable,” said Buffon.

But he warned Juve are a different side to the one swept aside by the Bavarian giants at the quarter-final stage in 2013 when former coach Antonio Conte was in charge.

“We’re not the same side as three years ago. We are far more solid, we have newer, younger players and Allegri has given us the belief and knowledge that we can win these games,” said Buffon.

“It will be an important test for us,” added Allegri, who confirmed Mandzukic and German midfielder Sami Khedira are fit to play.

“For the younger players as well as the oldies who are back to playing their best.

“I don’t have a crystal ball and don’t know how it will go, but this game will be far more important than the second leg. I believe in our chances.”
Source :AFP