Juventus wary with rivals hot on their heels

MILAN: Juventus’ Serie A season starts on the back of an apology from striker Gonzalo Higuain, and coach Massimiliano Allegri warning of obstacles as they face a potentially tougher title defence.

“We’re not in top form yet but we have to be ready because the new championship is about to start and we can’t afford to make any more slip-ups,” Allegri said following a shock 3-2 loss to Lazio in the Italian Super Cup final.

Barely three months after a chastening 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final capped a record third consecutive double-winning season, Juventus host Cagliari in a championship-opening clash hoping it will lead them to a record-stretching seventh straight scudetto.

But last week’s reverse — which prompted Higuain to post an apology to fans on Twitter — is being seen as a portent that “unstoppable” Juve are finally ready to be toppled. Despite Roma finishing only four points behind in runners-up spot last term, resurgent AC Milan could claim to be front of the queue. Amid a busy summer spending spree that has yet to end, the seven-time European champions struck a major blow by lur- ing highly-experienced Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci to the club. The capture of Porto starlet Andre Silva, Ivorian striker Franck Kessie (Atalanta) and, possibly, Fiorentina marksman Nikola Kalinic in the coming days, means Vincenzo Montella’s men can start dreaming of challenging for a first title since Allegri led them to the 2011 scudetto.