Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri dismissed media claims that former club Juventus are in crisis ahead of Sunday’s Serie A showdown. Allegri insisted the hurt Bianconeri remain a top-four contender while urging his own side to fix their defensive balance.
Napoli travel to the Allianz Stadium to face Juventus in Serie A on Sunday evening, with both sides level on 14 points. The Partenopei arrive on the back of a 4-1 victory over Monza, while Juventus suffer intense scrutiny following a 2-0 defeat to Genoa.
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Allegri will miss the match from the touchline due to a two-game touchline suspension, leaving deputy Marco Landucci in charge.
Despite Juventus’ midweek setback, Allegri insists their hosts remain an elite side.
Speaking ahead of his return to Turin, Allegri dismissed media coverage writing off the hosts. “The media are saying Juventus are dead but I know what the club is like and I know Juve never die,” Allegri asserted.
“When the going gets tough, everyone pulls together. It’s going to be a very difficult game.”
“Juventus are a team that’s been put together with the aim of finishing in the top four. They’re going to be hurt and angry… they’re an excellent outfit,” he added.
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While Napoli scored four midweek goals, Allegri remains concerned by defensive vulnerabilities, particularly following a serious injury to midfielder Stanislav Lobotka. “We’ve been scoring a lot recently but we’ve also been conceding a lot,” Allegri explained.
“That means we need to work on our balance and our ball management. We must improve our shape and our play at both ends of the pitch.”
“Our aim is to finish in the top four… We can’t think we only need to win this head-to-head to be happy,” the coach stressed.
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Deputy Landucci will manage Napoli from the touchline at the Allianz Stadium as Allegri serves his suspension.
The Partenopei aim to secure three points to strengthen their top-four credentials.
The high-stakes Serie A fixture kicks off on Sunday evening in Turin.
