Juventus in trouble, two major absentees for challenge against Lecce
Massimiliano Allegri announces two absences
It’s raining cats and dogs at Juventus: after being eliminated from the Champions League, Massimiliano Allegri’s band is called upon to make a change of pace in the league, but for the match against Lecce (kickoff Saturday at 6 p.m.) Dusan Vlahovic and Manuel Locatelli will be absent.
This was announced by Allegri himself in a press conference: “Vlahovic has not recovered, he has this pain in the adductor-pube and then Locatelli will not be there for personal reasons. Plus all the others you all know. We have enough players to play tomorrow’s game against a well-organized team with very fast players in the attacking department. Then playing in Lecce is never easy because they are always complicated matches. We need to have a reaction after the elimination, the anger needs to be carried throughout the championship.”
“We go away in 19 with 3 goalkeepers, that’s enough, we are ready to play this game. Chiesa and Pogba are not there tomorrow, impossible on Wednesday and 99% not even with Inter. Maybe they will be there, but it is very difficult, with Verona and Lazio. But it will be very difficult. In Locatelli’s place? I will see tomorrow.”
“In the league we are behind, however, we have the time and the possibility to recover. Now we have five important games and we have to focus on that, then the break will come and we will recover all the players and it will be another thing. Now we have to stay focused on tomorrow: it will be difficult, we have to catch up and run as hard as they do. If we need to, we also have to play a dirty game. The anger of the elimination is normal for us to remain. Seasons are made of many moments, now we have to do something more to turn things in our favor. We have to be good, it is an opportunity for everyone because it is a moment of growth.”
One of the few positive notes from the challenge against Benfica was Iling-Junior: “In all negative things, there is positive. The Juventus youth sector is working well. Miretti is permanently in the first team, Iling is doing well, Fagioli is growing well, and Soulé himself. And there are others. However, it is not that in one day for one game you have to turn everything upside down, maybe tomorrow someone will play and bring enthusiasm and recklessness. Iling can play on the right but it is better for him to be on the left,” Allegri concluded.
