Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri expects goals galore but hinted he would settle for a scoreless draw against Bayern Munich in a mouthwatering first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash on Tuesday.
“I expect a lot of goals,” Allegri told media in Turin on Monday, admitting that one of his pre-match predictions last year prompted hundreds of insults from fans.
“When I said I’d settle for a scoreless draw last year I received hundreds of insults from angry fans.
“But it would be a good result all round. At the very least, it’s crucial we don’t concede.”
Having upset predictions to reach last year’s final before being outclassed 3-1 by Barcelona, Allegri feels Juventus have the bases required to be reaching the latter stages of Europe’s premier club competition on a regular basis.
But against Bayern, the Italians have a poor record.
In spite of a crisis in central defence, with Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng both missing and doubts hanging over Mehdi Benatia, Pep Guardiola’s men can afford to feel confident.
Bayern are the only foreign team to have beaten Juve in Turin in the past decade, winning 2-0 home and away on their way to a fifth Champions League trophy in 2013.
Asked if a supposed German ‘inferiority complex’ in relation to the Italy team could be applied at club level, Bayern skipper Philipp Lahm almost laughed into his sleeve when he reminded media of Bayern’s solid form against Juve in recent years.
“We have beaten Juventus several times over the past seasons in the competition. In fact we’ve only had good experiences against Juventus,” said Lahm.
On one of those occasions, in 2013, current Juve striker Mario Mandzukic scored once against the Italians in Turin.
Mandzukic has been sidelined recently but is expected to return to Juve’s starting line-up fully charged and ready to partner Argentine striker Paulo Dybala.
But the Croatia international can expect no leniency from his former teammates, according to Arjen Robben.
“This will be an important game for Mario. We’re happy to see him again but we’ll be doing everything to close him down,” said the Dutchman.
Juve’s new club record of 15 consecutive wins in Serie A came to an end on Friday in a scoreless draw at Bologna.
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