Massimiliano Allegri paid no attention to Juventus' Serie A points deduction as he declared his side will be facing Inter on Sunday to "defend second place".
The Bianconeri were served with a 15-point deduction in January for financial irregularities, sending them tumbling down the standings and facing a fierce fight to secure Champions League qualification for next season.
Juventus sit seventh in the table, 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Milan, but Allegri sees things differently and considers the clash with Inter to be a fight for the runners-up spot.
His team would sit second but for their punishment, three points ahead of Inter but still 15 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.
"We go to San Siro to defend second place," Allegri told a press conference. "I will repeat it until exhaustion. We are second with three points more than Inter, five ahead of Milan, four ahead of Lazio and six ahead of Roma.
"If at the end of the year the team net of penalties will be sixth or fifth in the standings, then it means that we will not have done well.
"We'll take stock at the end of the season. There are definitely positives. We've got five youngsters playing. We're still in the cups and need to get into the top four in the league. We also need to assess what we've done on the field."
Allegri is under no illusions regarding the challenge of Sunday's clash at San Siro, however, and wants improvements from Thursday's Europa League display, when Juventus won 2-0 against 10-man Freiburg.
"The team must do better than the second half on Thursday night against Freiburg. We must be aware that we are going to play against a team that does well at home," Allegri said.
"We have to do our best – it's a tough challenge tomorrow. We need to try to come out on top in these contests with direct rivals. It'll be tough to close the gap in the league, but we must remember that on the field we've picked up 53 points."
Juventus and Pogba agree to terminate contract
Juventus and Paul Pogba have agreed to the mutual termination of the midfielder's contract after he was banned over a failed drugs test.
The 31-year-old will complete his suspension in March after testing positive for DHEA in September 2023, a banned substance that boosts testosterone levels.
He was initially banned for four years, only for his punishment to be reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October.
Despite that reduction, Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli recently cast doubt on Pogba's chances of representing the Bianconeri again, and he has now been released by the club.
Pogba had a contract with Juventus to run until June 2026, but he will now train in Miami in the hope of finding a new club before his suspension ends.
"The club wishes Paul all the best for his professional future," Juventus said in a statement.
Pogba added in a statement of his own: "It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special moments together.
"I cherish the memories we made. They live on.
"Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.
"I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club."
Injuries limited Pogba to just 162 minutes in five appearances across the 2022-23 season, his first campaign back in Turin after leaving Manchester United.
He then played a total of 51 minutes as a substitute before being suspended last season, reportedly agreeing to take a substantial pay cut while ineligible to represent the club.
Bisseck signs Inter contract extension to 2029
Yann Bisseck has signed a new contract extension with Inter until 2029.
The defender joined the club in July 2023 from AGF for around €7million and has since made 32 appearances in all competitions.
His initial deal would keep him at Inter until 2028, but the 23-year-old has signed a one-year contract extension.
Bisseck has played 11 times for Inter so far this term, including all four of their Champions League matches, making the second-most blocks (four) and the most interceptions (five) among his team-mates in the competition.
"I feel that the club has confidence in me, as does the coach: everyone has contributed to this renewal, and I'm happy with the progress I've made. I think this deal is a positive moment for everyone," he told InterTV.
"There are many things I can still improve. I'm not a perfect player, but I'm still young and there are many aspects that I still need to work on, especially from a tactical and mental point of view.
"Technically and physically, I've reached a good level. I think my mentality will be key to my future growth."
Clarendon College, Manchester, Dinthill Technical and Cornwall College through to quarterfinals of Ben Francis Cup
Seven-time champions Cornwall College and Manchester High survived penalty kicks to advance to the quarter-finals of the ISSA Ben Francis Cup, where they will be joined by Clarendon College and Denbigh High.
Cornwall College came from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw against Happy Grove High before winning 5-4 on penalties at Drax Hall, the same margin that Manchester High beat Dinthill Technical by after they played out a 2-2 draw at Wembley Centre of Excellence.
Clarendon College beat Kemps Hill High 3-1 in their all-Clarendon derby at Foga Road, while Denbigh High were 2-0 winners over Alphansus Davis High at Brooks Park.
The winners will await the four teams that fail to advance past the daCosta Cup quarter-finals for the next round of the Ben Francis Cup, which will be played on November 21st.
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