ALLEGRI GETS HERO’S SEND-OFF
Emotional farewell for manager as Juventus celebrate eighth successive Serie A title
JUVENTUS have kick-started their celebrations after finally lifting the Serie A trophy and marking their eighth successive season as champions of Italian football.
The Old Lady’s rule of dominance continues, as the curtain came down on another campaign at home which ended with a 1-1 draw against Atalanta.
Before the match a party atmosphere quickly began to gather pace, with big names watching on from the stands including new boy Aaron Ramsey.
Club legend Gianluigi Buffon was also invited back by the club,
and came out onto the pitch to share a special moment with the supporters who idolized him for his entire career.
The match took on plenty of additional significance, with it being the last in charge for manager Massimiliano Allegri who is to now pursue his career elsewhere.
A huge banner was unfurled across one end of the stadium, with fans keen to let Allegri know of their appreciation for the work he has conducted at the club.
Roughly translated, the banner of tribute read: “Proud man, winning coach. Five years of glory where you wrote the story, thanks Max Allegri.”
Emotion began to pour as veteran defender Andrea Barzagli bid farewell to the Vecchia Signora, playing his last match for Juve and departing to a standing ovation just after the hour mark in the Allianz Stadium.
“Andrea Barzagli, thank you champion!” read another large banner, as the 38-year-old played his final match in front of the home faithful.
Prior to the contest Cristiano Ronaldo was front and centre, collecting the trophy for Serie A Player of the Season.
The Portuguese superstar finished his debut season in Italian football with 21 Serie A goals and eight assists, following a switch from Real Madrid.
Juve will now conclude their campaign with a final game of the season away to Sampdoria.
Speaking following the match, manager Allegri admitted he did not want to take a year away from football, but would only head into a project which convinced him.
“I was told on Friday morning. When I left the meeting on Thursday evening, I knew that I was no longer the Juventus coach. I wasn’t told, I just knew,” Allegri admitted.
“I am not particularly looking for a year off. I’ll only take a Sabbatical if I have to, but otherwise the idea is to find a project that convinces me. Life is full of surprises and you have to be ready for anything.
“I train with joy and fun, because if I am not convinced by the squad at my disposal, I try changing things around, moving players into new positions and finding something different, otherwise I get bored.”
The point keeps Atalanta’s hopes of a first Champions League campaign alive, which they can seal if they beat Sassuolo in their final game this weekend.
Atalanta moved third ahead of Inter Milan on head-to-head after Luciano Spalletti’s side lost 4-1 at Napoli.
Juventus and second-placed Napoli are already through to the Champions League next season.
AC Milan are just one point behind Inter and Atalanta in fifth after Krzysztof Piatek and Suso struck in a 2-0 win over Frosinone.
Inter will play their final match against Empoli, who are trying to avoid relegation.
Milan are at least assured of a place in next season’s Europa League, along with Roma, who were held to a goalless draw at Sassuolo on Saturday.
The two teams benefited from seventh-placed Torino’s shock 41 defeat at Empoli, which ended the northerners’ European hopes.
Lazio, in eighth, are sure of playing in the Europa League group stage thanks to their Italian Cup victory.
Empoli moved out of the relegation zone at the expense of Genoa, who were held 1-1 by Cagliari, and are now 18th ahead of next week’s clash with Fiorentina, themselves just three points off the drop zone.