Allegri wants to secure title
Rome, May 19: Coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged treble-chasing Juventus to settle nerves ahead of their Champions League final with Real Madrid next month by securing the Serie A title, and another league and Cup double, on Sunday.
Juventus took one step towards a third successive league and Cup double on Wednesday with a comprehensive 2-0 Cup final win over Lazio.
But Juve’s slip at Roma last week, where they looked jaded on their way to a 3-1 reverse that has added unexpected spice to the season’s finale, left a bitter taste in Allegri’s mouth.
Given Juventus are facing relegation-threatened Crotone, the odds should be firmly in the hosts’ favour.
But the Calabrians’ lateseason efforts to beat the drop — they are currently one point from Empoli and the safety zone — has produced a turnaround in form in recent weeks.
“We’ve claimed our first trophy of the season, now we want the second,” Allegri said after seeing Juventus become the first Italian team to win three successive Cup finals.
Failure to do so could see Juve’s chances of keeping their hopes of a treble, last achieved in Italy by Inter Milan while under Jose Mourinho in 2010, hinge on the final day of the season.
Roma, only four points off the pace, travel to Chievo for Saturday’s early game looking to keep the pressure on and buoyed by the return of Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman and 27league goal striker Edin Dzeko.
Napoli, in third at one point behind Roma, host seventh-placed Fiorentina in Saturday’s late fixture a week after a 50 rout at Torino.
Fiorentina are only one point behind AC Milan and a Europa League place.
Fixtures: Saturday: Chievo vs Roma (9:30 PM) Sunday: Napoli vs Fiorentina (12:15 AM), Empoli vs Atalanta, Genoa vs Torino, Juventus vs Crotone, AC Milan vs Bologna, Sassuolo vs Cagliari, Udinese vs Sampdoria Monday: Lazio vs Inter Milan (12:15 AM) Tuesday: Pescara vs Palermo (12:15 AM)