Allegri: Juventus will only turn things around 'if we shake off the fear'
Massimiliano Allegri accepts the only way Juventus can turn around their season is to approach big matches with less fear after going down 2-0 to Milan on Saturday.
Juve's recent upturn in results, in which they had picked up their first back-to-back wins of the season against Bologna and Maccabi Haifa, came to a halt at San Siro.
Fikayo Tomori's opener late in the first half was added to early in the second by Brahim Diaz, who ran half the length of the pitch before firing past Wojciech Szczesny.
Eighth-place Juve are at risk of dropping into the bottom half on Sunday depending on results elsewhere, having collected just 13 points from their opening nine matches.
And Allegri, who has come under fire for his tactics this season, accepts his side have taken a step backwards with their performance against his old club Milan.
"After tonight's game, there is little for me to say," he told DAZN. "We are in a moment where we seemed to be out of the negative period with these two victories.
"But we fell for it again. It's a pity, as we did well for the first 20-25 minutes, then got deeper and deeper without even being forced into it.
"We made a lot of misplaced passes and inevitably you pay for that."
The defeat was Allegri's first against a Stefano Pioli-coached side in the 17th encounter between the pair in the Italian top flight.
It leaves Juve winless in their opening four away league matches for just the second time in their past 40 campaigns, the other instance coming in the 1993-94 season.
Asked if his side are struggling physically this season, as vice-president Pavel Nedved suggested ahead of the game, Allegri said: "I think it's psychological, too.
"It's not easy at the moment. We dropped a lot of points against the lower-mid table teams, then in these big clashes we needed more confidence."
Juve were not happy Tomori's goal was allowed to stand due to what they felt was a foul from Theo Hernandez on Juan Cuadrado in the build-up to the corner he scored from.
Diaz's second was also preventable, with the Milan forward collecting a stray Dusan Vlahovic pass, knocking the ball past a couple of players and charging through on goal.
Milan had earlier twice hit the post through Rafael Leao with the scoreline level, and finished the game with an expected goals (xG) return of 2.35, compared to Juve's 0.75.
That suggests a huge gulf in quality on the day, and Allegri has demanded an improvement in Tuesday's Champions League tie with Maccabi Haifa.
"It's unfortunate we conceded from our own mistakes on both goals," Allegri said. "We need to stay calm, roll our sleeves up and go to Haifa with the mental strength to win.
"It is strange because at a certain point we just stopped playing and started to back down. After Leao hit the post, we started going backwards.
"There are also some passes that are just impossible to get wrong. It's not as if two good games can resolve all the problems.
"It was five against three on some of our attacks; we need to score goals in those situations. We've got to be more determined in the challenges and shake off our fear.
"If we don't do that we won't have the balance to go far this season. If we shake off the fear, we can turn things around.
"When you pass the ball backwards, the other side will push forward and don’t even need to press you that hard. We need to work on that and improve."
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Barbados, Belize win League C groups to earn promotion
Barbados and Belize sealed promotion as League C resumed in the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League on Wednesday.
Saint Kitts and Nevis earned a victory to maintain its group lead to also improve to a 3-0-0 record. The victory assures the nation at least a spot in the Play-In round.
British Virgin Islands vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis won 3-1 against the British Virgin Islands in Group C at Warner Park in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Malique Roberts scored the opening goal in the 25' with a header in the box to connect on a free kick service.
Gvaune Amory increased the lead for the Sugar Boyz in the 37' with a right-footed hit inside the penalty area, connecting on a pass over the top by Raheem Hanley.
Kristian Javier Samuel cut the deficit for the British Virgin Islands in the 46' with a right-footed hit from the top of the box.
Ikyjah Williams accidentally hit the ball into his own net in the 90'+5, striking a deflection off a ball into the box from Romaine Sawyers for a third goal for Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The result seals a qualification to the Play-In round for Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Sugar Boyz can win the group without playing if the Cayman Islands fails to win against the British Virgin Islands on Saturday.
U.S. Virgin Islands vs. Barbados
Barbados won 5-nil against the U.S. Virgin Islands in Group A at the Wildey Astro Turf Stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Hadan Holligan struck the opening goal in the 42' with a right-footed finish to place Barbados in the lead before the end of the first half.
Niall Reid-Stephen extended the lead for Barbados in the 45'+2 with a conversion from a penalty kick opportunity.
Reid-Stephen scored on the other side of halftime, with a left-footed shot from outside the box in the 47', securing a brace in consecutive matches.
The Barbados scorer struck with his left again, from a free kick chance in the 65', to earn his hat-trick.
Omani Leacock scored inside the penalty area in the 90'+2 to put a bow on the victory for the Tridents.
Kishmar Primus made four saves as he collected his second clean sheet of the campaign.
The victory clinched the top of the group, and a return to League B, for Barbados.
Anguilla vs. Belize
Belize won 1-nil against Anguilla in Group B at FFB Stadium in Belmopan, Belize.
Orlando Velasquez broke the deadlock in the 56' with a strike inside the box, connecting on a pass from Krisean López.
The Belize defense, led by goalkeeper and captain Charles Tillett, earned its third clean sheet and have yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
With the victory, Belize assured itself a first-place finish in the group and promotion to League B.
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McClaren, Lowe cautious but confident as Boyz hunt Nicaragua scalp in Group B top-of-the-table showdown
While boasting the stronger squad on paper, senior Reggae Boyz Head coach Steve McClaren is by no means grandstanding against Nicaragua, as the two are set to lock horns in a defining Concacaf Nations League encounter.
With both teams unbeaten and locked on four points each in Group B of League A, a win for either at the Nicaragua National Stadium on Thursday, would put them one step closer to a quarterfinal berth and, more importantly, secure their spot in next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup.
Kickoff is at 9:00 pm Jamaica time.
Though confident that his squad possesses enough quality to secure the three points, McClaren is not underestimating their opponents, especially in hostile territory where the crowd’s fervor can serve as a crucial 12th man.
“We're coming here to win the game, but without doubt, we respect Nicaragua. I've watched a few of their games and they are a very good team, very comfortable in possession, and always competitive. Like us, they've collected four points, so they're going well in the Nations League, so we respect them,” McClaren said in a pre-game interview.
“If we have to play them on turf, we play them on turf. We have no excuses. Football is football, and they may be a little more used to it, but hopefully our quality will come out in the end. You’ve got to be prepared for anything and so we just need to be smart and stay disciplined,” he added.
Jamaica’s journey in the Nations League so far has been marked by flashes of brilliance and growing cohesion within the squad. The team’s strength lies in its potent attack, which is yet to really fire having only tallied two goals so far in this campaign.
Yet, as McClaren emphasized, talent alone won’t guarantee victory, especially against a Nicaraguan side that has defied expectations with its spirited performances.
“We know we're a very good team, and we know to be a very good team you have to be consistent and that's what we're hoping to achieve. We didn't beat Cuba, so we were inconsistent in that game; we had a good game against Honduras and we anticipate that this is going to be a very difficult game,” McClaren reasoned.
“I've told the players already, Nicaragua are a good team and, at home, a strong team. But we have no excuses, we must produce our quality, and that's why I'm here. The talent within the squad is so good; the potential is so big, and we have to realise it. Along the journey, there's going to be a lot of tests and tomorrow (Thursday) is going to be a big test for the team,” he noted.
Still, Nicaragua’s defence will face its toughest test yet against the Reggae Boyz front line, which features the likes of West Ham United’s Michail Antonio and former Everton man Demarai Gray, who now plies his trade in Saudi Arabia. Both players are capable of turning a game in an instant, but breaking down a compact and organized Nicaragua will require patience and precision.
McClaren’s approach is likely to be a blend of assertive attacking play and controlled buildup, with midfielders such as Leicester City’s Bobby Reid and possibly Tyreek Magee pulling the strings.
“But again, sometimes the surface has an effect on the game, but with the quality of players that we have and how focused we are going into this game, we have no excuses and we're just going to go in... it's a cup tie, and so it's going to be very difficult. So we just have to focus on the task at hand and not worry about the obstacles ahead,” the tactician declared.
Defensively, Damion Lowe, whose leadership and experience have been invaluable, and his partners will need to be on high alert to contain any counterattacking threats.
Like McClaren, he too is confident that with efficient execution, they should secure the win.
“I think we prepared well. The gaffer has, you know, put the game plan on the board and we just have to follow the instructions. I can't give too much away because then we would be giving you the game plan. But just know that the guys are excited, we're focused, and we're ready for the task at hand. Fully prepared, and we're going there to get three points,” Lowe stated.