(Reuters) – Juventus will do better next season, manager Massimiliano Allegri said on Saturday, as the 36-times Italian league champions contemplated life in the Conference League or Europa League.
The Turin side, docked 10 points by an Italian soccer court over their transfer dealings, are seventh in Serie A with one round of matches remaining, putting them in the Conference League next season, but they still entertain hopes of overtaking Roma or Atalanta to make it into the Europa League instead.
They would need to beat Udinese away on Sunday and hope that either Roma or Atalanta fail to win against Spezia and Monza respectively.
“Next season we aim to do better. My passion isn’t in doubt,” Allegri told a press conference ahead of the match in Udine.
“For now, we are in the Conference League and we need a nice game in Udine for the Europa League but it doesn’t depend on us only.
“My players have done a good job and next season will be different,” he said. “We’ve got strong foundations for next season and every problem has a solution.”
Allegri has faced criticism during his second tenure at Juve, primarily due to a lack of trophies and his defensive playing style over the past two years.
“There is always someone happy and someone who is not. It happened even when we were winning trophies,” he said.
“This is part of the game, we must analyse two difficult seasons, but football is not an exact science. We must work with serenity, trying to make fewer errors. Perfection doesn’t exist.
“There is tiredness and rage, which you feel when you don’t win,” Allegri added. “Otherwise, you become like the others and to win or lose is the same thing. We must carry this rage inside and put it on the pitch.”
Juve conclude the campaign still beset by injury problems that have plagued them throughout the season.
“(Dusan) Vlahovic, Bremer as well as (Mattia) De Sciglio, (Nicolo) Fagioli and (Paul) Pogba will be missing from tomorrow’s encounter,” Allegri said.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)
