Don’t let up now, urges Juventus boss

– Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri (right) has urged his side to step on the gas and tighten their grip on an eighth successive Serie A title before they turn their focus back to their Champions League pursuit.

The Italian champions booked their ticket to the knockout rounds of the elite European competition with a game to spare this week with Cristiano Ronaldo setting up Mario Mandzukic to score the only goal against Valencia.

Next up is a trip to Fiorentina today, the first of six league games before the end of 2018, which includes home games against Inter Milan and Roma in Turin.

“We have reached the first goal with Champions League qualification, now we must maintain the same energy throughout December,” said Allegri.

Juve are eight points ahead of second-placed Napoli, who were held to a goalless draw by bottom club Chievo last weekend.

They have won six of their last seven Serie A matches against mid-table Fiorentina, two points off the Europa League berths and coming off a run of five consecutive draws.

Juventus’ strike force of Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Mandzukic

Milan

are firing on all cylinders, with at least one of the trio on target in 13 consecutive games.

Ronaldo has scored 10 times in total, including five in four straight away games, with Mandzukic on seven and Dybala on six.

And Portuguese star Ronaldo will be looking to impress on the final weekend before the Ballon d’Or winner is announced in Paris.

Brazilian left-back Alex Sandro is out for the champions with a muscular problem picked up against Valencia, with Emre Can still recovering from a thyroid operation, but winger Federico Bernardeschi is set to return.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli travel to ninth-placed Atalanta on Monday with Inter Milan, a point behind the southerners in third, facing a tricky trip to Roma after their Champions League defeat to Tottenham.

Roma lost to Udinese to drop to seventh, and need to be wary of Inter striker Mauro Icardi who has scored five goals in his last three Serie A matches at the Stadio Olimpico. –