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Massimiliano Allegri says “nobody will have the opportunity” to catch up to Serie A leaders Napoli if they keep up their impressive form.
Luciano Spalletti’s side beat Empoli 2-0 on Tuesday to secure their 10th straight league victory and move eight points clear of reigning champions Milan at the summit.
Allegri’s Juve have won four consecutive Serie A games themselves, but their head coach says that may pale into insignificance if Napoli continue their stunning streak.
“Napoli are having an extraordinary championship,” Allegri told reporters ahead of Juve’s match with Hellas Verona on Thursday.
“If they continue like this, nobody will have the opportunity to get closer.
“We have to take one step at a time. Verona, Lazio and then to recover energy.”
Despite picking up maximum points over their last four league matches, Juve still lag 13 points behind Napoli as they sit fifth, having won nine titles in a row between 2011-12 and 2019-20.
Allegri’s men have also been knocked out of the Champions League group stage, losing five of their six games.
But a 2-0 win over rivals Inter on Sunday has fostered some positive feeling heading into their penultimate fixture before Serie A pauses for the World Cup.
Allegri demanded his players do not take Verona lightly, despite them sitting bottom after picking up just five points from 13 matches this season.
“It [the Inter victory] let us spend an evening of satisfaction and joy, but the next day we closed the chapter,” Allegri added.
“Tomorrow in Verona we will play against a team that has beaten Juventus three times in the last five games.
“In the last few matches they have been defeated in an undeserved way. They have a physical and attacking team. It will not be an easy match.
“It is a team that does not deserve the ranking it has. We will have to play an equal match to them from a physical point of view.”
