OLD LADY BANK ON ‘MAGICIAN’ ALLEGRI

Juventus coach in his element as he plots comeback against Atletico

JUVENTUS supporters hope coach Massimiliano Allegri can pull one of his surprises out of the hat as their team attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 second leg today.

Although he was outsmarted by his opposite number Diego Simeone in the first leg, when three quickfire substitutions knocked Juve off balance, Allegri has often been in his element when he is apparently on the back foot.

“The more complicated it is, the more I enjoy it,” Allegri said after Friday’s 4-1 win over Udinese. “If I have to think up something new, I prefer it that way.”

Only nine teams have ever overcame a two-goal deficit in the Champions League knockout stages, with Manchester United becoming the first to do it away from home when they won 3-1 against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

On the eight occasions it has been achieved by a home team, only three have managed it without an away goal in the bag.

Serie A leaders Juventus will also be up against one of the competition’s best-organised defences and Allegri also needs to make sure Cristiano Ronaldo is not starved of service as he has been in some recent games.

Whatever the outcome, Allegri has been keen to play down the importance of the tie amid suggestions that, having signed Ronaldo from Real Madrid, anything less than the Champions League title this season would be considered a failure.

“The Champions League has always been an objective but it is wrong to say that it’s a failure if Juventus go out,” he said.

“I find that laughable... it’s just a football match. If we go through then that’s great, if not then we’ll try again next year.”