Massimiliano Allegri Reflects on Juventus’ Hard-Fought Champions League Qualification
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri expressed both pride and relief after his team managed to progress to the Champions League semi-finals, despite suffering in their 0-0 draw with Monaco in the second leg of their quarter-final clash. The 1-0 aggregate victory was secured thanks to the solitary goal scored in the first leg at Juventus Stadium, but Allegri acknowledged that the road to qualification was far from easy.
“I knew we were going to suffer, it was a quarter-final,” Allegri admitted after the match on Wednesday. “Tevez was still vomiting an hour before the match, Vidal had been in bed for three days, Pirlo had only played two matches since his injury. We had to pull back a bit, but I also had players on the bench in case we needed to equalize.”
Despite the physical setbacks and the absence of key players, Allegri commended his team for managing to defend their slim advantage. “We didn’t play a great match, but we were a goal ahead, so we also had to defend,” he said. “Not all matches are played the same way. I have an extraordinary squad that knew how to handle the difficulties. I congratulate them. They fulfilled their objective, which was to reach the semi-final.”
Looking back on both the home and away legs, Allegri was quick to praise Monaco for their resilience. “It wasn’t two good matches, but I’ve been saying from the start that it’s not easy to play against Monaco,” he noted. “There were few scoring chances, we were good because we didn’t concede at home.”
Despite not delivering a spectacular performance, Allegri was content with his team’s overall achievements. “It’s a good season, and I think our fans should be happy. There’s a solid club behind it all, there are excellent players, you also need a good coach, but it’s the result of everyone, of all the components of the club.”
Juventus may not have been at their best in the quarter-finals, but Allegri’s acknowledgment of their grit and collective effort reflects the mentality that has propelled them to the semi-finals and set the stage for a deeper run in Europe’s elite competition.
