MY ACCOUNT
Massimiliano Allegri insists he is not nervous amid reports suggesting his position as Juventus coach is at risk, saying critics cannot argue with his achievements in Turin.
Juventus benefitted from a late VAR reprieve in a 1-0 win over Fiorentina in Serie A last Sunday, before being pegged back by Nantes in a 1-1 Europa League draw on Thursday.
Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reported Allegri is clinging to his job in his second stint with the club, amid a frustrating campaign which has seen them exit the Champions League at the first hurdle and receive a 15-point deduction in Serie A after an investigation into historic transfer dealings.
Allegri was seen arguing with a supporter in the aftermath of Juve’s last league outing, but he claims he is not feeling the pressure.
“I’m not nervous,” Allegri said at a press conference to preview Sunday’s trip to Spezia. “Something happened with someone booing the players for no reason.
“The other night it was perhaps the wrong reaction, and I can accept criticism for many things, but there is one thing, we shouldn’t talk about facts. There’s no arguing about that.
“I accept that they say that I’m a poor coach and my teams suck because that’s part of the criticism. But there’s no arguing about the numbers.”
Allegri led Juventus to five successive Serie A titles and two Champions League finals during his first spell with the club between 2014 and 2019, but he oversaw the Bianconeri’s first trophyless campaign since 2010-11 last season.
Following Thursday’s draw with Nantes, Juventus have won just one of their last eight matches in European competitions (D1 L6), though they did at least avoid suffering four consecutive continental defeats for the first time.
Allegri rejects the notion Juve’s critics should be more understanding given the off-pitch turmoil impacting the club, and says they have plenty to play for in the remainder of the campaign.
“We don’t need understanding,” he said. “We have to try to do our best. We have to make an important climb in the league, it’s important for us to score a certain amount of points regardless of what happens outside.
“It’s a pity, the Europa, but it’s proof that there aren’t any easy games in Europe and so we’ll have to go to Nantes and try to play a game that will allow us to go through, and we have the chance.
“Then we have the semi-final of the Coppa Italia and we’ll see there too.”
