Juventus, Allegri: “The derby is important to continue the climb. Pogba called up”

Enough with the caution of recent days, fueled by past disappointments: Paul Pogba will be called up for Tuesday’s derby with the Turin. 315 days have passed since the last official match played by the French: in the midst of muscle problems, the injury to the lateral meniscus remedied on tour, wrong choices and the World train lost due to the after-effects of the operation. Against the grenade, Octopus will be available again, with the hope of seeing him back on the pitch for a few minutes, unlike what happened with Monza, when he was called up but warmed up for a long time without playing: “Paul is fine and he’s called up – he said Merry before revealing the Frenchman’s physical conditions -. He doesn’t have very high playing time but good. But from here to say that Pogba, 315 days after the last game, is a fully recovered player goes a long way. Church also, he has just returned from a ten-month break: time and patience are needed for continuity. If you keep a car stationary for a year, it doesn’t go at the same speed right away.”

That’s why the last few months of the season will mainly serve the Frenchman to regain his rhythm, find his best condition, leave behind the last few years in which he lived with injuries: “I spoke to Paul and I speak regularly as with everyone, he too has to understand that what awaits him is an important piece of the season, useful for getting back on track, for making a good season finale, for giving us a hand”. And plan for the next and subsequent seasons.

Church will be there but hardly from the beginning

Tomorrow against Juric’s Torino, Allegri will need players who are ready, able to immediately give their contribution against an opponent whose trademark is intensity and pace, as well as tactical organisation. After Bologna’s victory against Inter, the Emilians are +3 ahead of Juventus, thus becoming the next objective in the block climb devised by the coach. Not knowing what fate awaits the club, between investigations and sentences, such as that of the -15, the coach holds on to the 47 points won in the championship to remind his and his opponents what Juventus’ true value is. “The derby is a very important match for us and for them, but above all for us who have to continue the climb – Allegri confirmed -. We have three points in Bologna and we have to grab them, we have to increase our points in the league without thinking about the off the pitch. The match is very complicated, Torino are very prepared and with good qualities, a very aggressive team”.

It will be the first match in which the coach will be able to count on Di Maria, Vahovic, Pogba and Chiesa at the same time, even if the first two are the only ones who are sure to play from the first minute. As for Chiesa, on the other hand, the recovery after missing Spezia and the return with Nantes is now complete but prudence reigns supreme: “Yesterday he trained with the team but he was the first full-back for some time and I have to decide. He will hardly leave from the beginning. However, I repeat, those who have been inactive for a long time must be managed. He has played two games in a row with Fiorentina and with Nantes, it is normal that he paid a little for it but now he is fine”.

Andrea Agnelli: “Juve, I resigned to be able to defend myself. Only the Superlega can save football”

by Matteo Pinci

February 25, 2023

Bonucci is back, in the next few days it will be Milik’s turn

In addition to Chiesa and Pogba, he will also be there Bonucci, also returning from a tormented season in which he missed eleven games due to physical problems before returning to taste the field. “Tomorrow he will sit next to me again” Allegri joked speaking of the Juventus captain: “Leo is much better, I am very happy, he has regained confidence with the pitch in Spezia and a few more minutes in France. He has been inactive for a long time he’s fine but tomorrow he won’t be in the starting lineup, having him back is already very important, we need him and he’s the captain of Juventus.” After the stop will also return Milikwho will thus be able to relieve Vlahovic, while they will be missing in the derby Mirettiwho will return against Roma in the next round, and the disqualified Locatelli. Absence that weighs and that Allegri will buffer by inserting Beans And Paredes alongside Rabiotif he confirms the five-man midfield: “Juric’s teams are very specific in their play, they attack, attack, press. They become intense games so we have to be good at getting into reality, if we think we’re playing on tiptoe we risk taking them, knowing the importance of the match, the small goals we have ahead of us. Tomorrow we have to reach Bologna, Turin permitting. Tomorrow’s derby will be even more complicated, we respect Turin because they have good quality players and systems.”