Massimiliano Allegri called on Juventus to turn around their recent poor form when they host Atalanta on Sunday as he expressed his disappointment at a run that has seen them fall 18 points behind Inter Milan.
Juve topped Serie A as recently as late January, but their title challenge looks all-but over after they collected just five points from their last six games.
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They were beaten by defending champions Napoli last time out, with Inter now looking increasingly likely to claim their first title since 2021.
Coach Allegri meets the press ahead of Sunday's #JuveAtalanta: 🧵 pic.twitter.com/OlwqXCzr52
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 9, 2024
“I am not worried,” said Allegri. “If anything, I am disappointed because we did not get many points in February.
“Even at Napoli we showed some positive signs but in the end we came home with nothing. We need to turn this trend around.
“We have 11 league games left, plus two – hopefully three – Italian Cup games, we are fully in contention to reach our targets and now all our energy must be focused on those.
“It will not be a decisive game tomorrow, but still important. Now the points start to weigh that bit more and because Atalanta are also in the running for a top-four finish.
“We need to read the phases of the game in the right way and improve when we defend, because we have conceded too many goals lately.”
𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐂𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐍 #JuveAtalanta pic.twitter.com/osikoWHaFV
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) March 9, 2024
Weston McKennie and Moise Kean are available after injury, though, Adrien Rabiot and Carlos Alcaraz are set to miss out.
Sunday’s visitors are themselves chasing down a Champions League place and are looking to get their season back on track after their recent five-game winning run in the league was followed up by three without a victory.
Manager Gian Piero Gasperini talked up Ademola Lookman after he put in an impressive display during Wednesday’s Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon.
“Every now and then I push him to become a more complete player, he has the physical ability to do so,” he said.
“Sometimes he hides a little but he can be more of a reference point, especially this year.”
