Massimiliano Allegri wants Juventus to channel their Champions League "anger" and show the rest of Serie A they remain a force to be reckoned with.
Under-pressure head coach Allegri said Juventus would "play an unspectacular game if necessary" on Saturday to get the better of Lecce.
After recent wins over Torino and Empoli, Juventus are looking for a third Serie A victory on the bounce, but results in Europe have been dreadful by comparison, with defeats to Maccabi Haifa and Benfica dumping the Bianconeri out at the Champions League group stage.
Italian media have not been slow to link Tottenham boss Antonio Conte with a return to Juventus, possibly at the end of the season when the former Italy coach's contract expires at Spurs, though the Premier League club do have an option to extend that agreement.
But Allegri wants to prove his Juventus are not a busted flush, and a long streak of league wins would be timely, possibly for the 55-year-old's job security.
The last time the Bianconeri won three league games in a row without conceding was back in February 2021, but winning 1-0 at Torino and 4-0 at home to Empoli last weekend has set up that possibility.
Now Lecce stand in Juve's way, and Allegri said: "We have to react after the elimination from the Champions League and carry the anger with us throughout the Serie A season.
"We will have to play an unspectacular game if necessary. Up to now Lecce has always kept the games in the balance, we know the importance of tomorrow's match, we will have to take it on as a team, with great consistency."
He will be without striker Dusan Vlahovic due to injury, while midfielder Manuel Locatelli misses out for personal reasons, with Allegri taking a 19-player group.
Federico Chiesa and Paul Pogba are not ready to return from their injury lay-offs, while Allegri was unsure whether he would field young midfielders Nicolo Fagioli and Fabio Miretti.
Juventus have 19 points from 11 games, losing twice, and they trail leaders Napoli by 10 points.
Their next Serie A assignment, after this weekend, is a clash with improving Inter.
The Lecce game is far from a formality, but Juventus have lost only four of 32 previous Serie A encounters with the team from the Salento peninsula.
"Right now we have to do something more to get out of this situation," Allegri said, quoted on his club's official website.
"It's an opportunity for everyone, it's a time for growth, I have a group of guys who have important moral values. Talking about the Scudetto today is useless, now we have to react starting from Lecce."
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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