MY ACCOUNT
Massimiliano Allegri hailed the “heavy legacy” Giorgio Chiellini will leave as the Juventus head coach suggested the centre-back and Paulo Dybala will feature at Fiorentina.
Chiellini confirmed he will leave Juve at the end of the season and was substituted in his final home appearance in the 17th minute on Monday to honour his 17-year spell with the Bianconeri.
The Italy veteran handed the captain’s armband to Dybala as he made his way off the pitch, with the forward also heading for the exit door when his contract expires in June.
Dybala, who has 115 goals for the Bianconeri, will leave as the third-highest non-Italian scorer in Juve’s history in all competitions, behind only David Trezeguet (171) and John Hansen (124).
Monday’s draw with Lazio was expected to be the pair’s last appearance for Juve, but Allegri suggested the duo could yet feature in Florence on Saturday, while Weston McKennie might return from injury.
“A good match against a team that has the objective of hitting Europe,” he said as he previewed the Fiorentina game on JuventusTV. “We will find a warm environment and we have to have fun.
“Tomorrow I think it will be an open game with many goals. Then usually in the final season in these games there are many goals.
“We will all go to Florence apart from Danilo, [Federico] Chiesa and [Mattia] De Sciglio. Then the others are all available. [Weston] McKennie comes back and maybe he will play a piece of the game.”
On Chiellini’s departure, Allegri added: “He leaves a heavy legacy because in any case he was an extraordinary player and he still is because he plays tomorrow.
“Also on a moral level he will have left excellent lessons to the players who remain in the locker room.”
Juve will end this season with 73 points if they defeat Fiorentina, their worst total in a Serie A campaign since 2010-11 (58).
Allegri is aware that improvements are needed for next season to compete in the Champions League and with the likes of Milan and Inter, who are still vying for the title.
“They are the ones that must have a team that aims to win and that fights for all the goals for which it participates,” he said of his team.
“We definitely need to improve this year’s season. It’s true, but also that we have a good base to start from.”
