Max Allegri urges Juventus to end their long Champions League drought, with a historic treble in their sights
Juventus have not won the Uefa Champions League since 1996, when they beat Ajax on penalties in the Rome final, and Allegri has implored his players to end that barren run
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Your support makes all the difference.Max Allegri has urged his Juventus players to go and end their 20-year Champions League drought on 3 June after their professional second leg defeat of Monaco in Turin this evening.
Juve were comfortable 2-1 winners thanks to first half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Dani Alves, returning them to the stage where they lost 3-1 to Barcelona in 2015.
But Allegri, who was coach then, believes this team is stronger than that one and hopes that they can go all the way, presumably against Real Madrid, in Cardiff next month.
“We are in the final and must try to win it," Allegri said after the game. "Hopefully this is the right year. I think Juventus have a very good chance of winning.”
Juventus are targeting a treble this season and they can take the first step this Sunday if they get a point at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma, currently in second place. With a cup final too it could be one of the great season in Juventus’ modern history, as well as their sixth Serie A title in a row.
But Allegri still wanted them to improve on their performance against Monaco at the Juventus Stadium, where they did let the Ligue 1 have a few chances.
"We need to be more concentrated, and keep the ball better,” Allegri said. “But there are important games over the next month and we have to get the result against Roma [where a point will secure the Serie A title] or risk putting the Scudetto back in doubt. There's the Coppa Italia final with Lazio too."
Of course, Juventus could end the season with nothing, although that is unlikely, and Allegri demanded maximum focus from his experienced team over the new month.
"I am glad for the lads, they reached the final,” he said, “but from tomorrow we have to focus, because we haven't won anything.”
But on 3 June they will have the chance to win the big trophy that has evaded them for so long.
“What will we need in Cardiff,” Allegri was asked. “We learned a lesson in Berlin. We need technique, a great defence and a little bit of luck against a team of great players.”
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