Allegri wins over Juve fans with title
TITLE-WINNING coach Massimiliano Allegri was pelted with eggs and spat at on his first day at Juventus, chief executive Giuseppe Marotta recalled after his team clinched the Serie A crown on Saturday, it’s 31st Scudetto.
Allegri has led Juventus to a fourth successive title, less than one year after his appointment was greeted with huge scepticism by supporters.
His predecessor, the much-admired Antonio Conte had rebuilt the club, winning three Serie A titles in as many years, while Allegri was fired by AC Milan midway through last season.
“It’s an important Scudetto after a traumatic change of coach,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia after Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Sampdoria.
“On the first day with Allegri and (club president Andrea) Agnelli, our car was welcomed by eggs and spitting at the Vinovo training ground.”
“But here are the merits of our choice,” he added. “The championship was won by the best team. Over the course of 38 matches, the strongest team emerges.”
Allegri also looked back at his difficult start although in less graphic fashion.
“In the first few days we only had a few players and we didn’t do well in that first friendly that we lost 3-2,” he said.
“But the lads have been great, they quickly got to work and tried to change a few things. It makes me proud to have won two Scudettos with two different clubs. What really pleases me is that, in the game that settled the title, we gave a very good performance from a technical point of view.”
Experienced goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said the players did have doubts they could win another title following Conte’s resignation and his subsequent appointment as Italy coach.
“When there was a change of coach in July many had doubts, even us,” he said. “But it was also an incentive to show that we had morale, as well as technical value, as a team.
“There is a danger of becoming apathetic after too many victories, you need something to wake you up and a bit of a prod to give the best of yourself.”
Yesterday, AS Roma leapfrogged local rival Lazio into second place and the final automatic Champions League spot after Seydou Doumbia’s second goal in Italy and a Alessandro Florenze solo strike in stoppage time beat in-form Genoa 2-0.
Roma’s second straight win moves it up to 64 points, two ahead of Lazio, which was at relegation-threatened Atalanta later yesterday.
Genoa, which had won four of five games, stays fifth on 51 points, one behind its own local rival Sampdoria in the fight for a Europa League place.
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