Massimiliano Allegri called on Juventus to turn around their recent poor form when they host Atalanta on Sunday as he expressed his disappointment at a run that has seen them fall 15 points behind Inter Milan.

Juve topped Serie A as recently as late January, but their title challenge looks all-but over after they collected just five points from their last six games.

They were beaten by defending champions Napoli last time out, with Inter now looking increasingly likely to claim their first title since 2021.

“I am not worried,” said Allegri. “If anything, I am disappointed because we did not get many points in February.

“Even at Napoli we showed some positive signs but in the end we came home with nothing. We need to turn this trend around.

“We have 11 league games left, plus two – hopefully three – Italian Cup games, we are fully in contention to reach our targets and now all our energy must be focused on those.

“It will not be a decisive game tomorrow, but still important. Now the points start to weigh that bit more and because Atalanta are also in the running for a top-four finish.

“We need to read the phases of the game in the right way and improve when we defend, because we have conceded too many goals lately.”

Weston McKennie and Moise Kean are available after injury, though, Adrien Rabiot and Carlos Alcaraz are set to miss out.

Sunday’s visitors are themselves chasing down a Champions League place and are looking to get their season back on track after their recent five-game winning run in the league was followed up by three without a victory.

Manager Gian Piero Gasperini talked up Ademola Lookman after he put in an impressive display during Wednesday’s Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon.

“Every now and then I push him to become a more complete player, he has the physical ability to do so,” he said.

“Sometimes he hides a little but he can be more of a reference point, especially this year.”

Moise Kean fired Juventus to a fifth consecutive victory in all competitions with a 1-0 win against Verona at Allianz Stadium.

A relatively quiet game offered little in the way of clear-cut opportunities, Danilo hitting the frame of the goal in the best chance of the first half.

However, Kean ensured the home fans would have something to celebrate after capping off a fine Juve move.

Though far from a vintage performance, Juve have moved four points behind fifth-placed Atalanta and three behind sixth-placed Roma, who play on Sunday.

Verona almost broke the deadlock after 15 minutes, Kevin Lasagna pulling a dangerous cross to the far post for Fabio Depaoli to smash a volley narrowly wide of Wojciech Szczesny's goal.

Danilo came closest before the break, his free-kick clipping the top-left corner of the crossbar.

Juve got their winner in the 55th minute. An excellent move culminated in Manuel Locatelli playing in Kean, who smashed home to take his tally of league goals for the season to six.

Massimiliano Allegri's side were not home and dry, however, with Szczesny charging off his line to push a loose ball away with Lasagna lurking after his defence left him in the lurch.

Juve had Szczesny to again thank when he kept out Filippo Terracciano's fierce effort.

Bremer squandered a golden opportunity to wrap up the points late on, somehow bundling an attempt over from inside the six-yard box, though fortunately for the defender, Verona could not make Juve pay for his miss.

Gianluca Mancini's thunderous strike moved Roma up to fourth place in Serie A with a 1-0 victory over Juventus at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

The centre-back's rasping second-half drive sealed three precious points, boosting Roma’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

After a week dominated by off-field headlines for head coach Jose Mourinho and former Juve playmaker Pablo Dybala, the Giallorossi claimed what could prove to be a huge victory.

Defeat will be a bitter pill to swallow for Massimiliano Allegri's Juve side after a performance in which they will feel they did enough to earn a point and Moise Kean was sent off in the closing stages, less than a minute after coming on, for kicking out at Mancini.

Knowing victory would edge them above Milan and into the top four on goal difference, Roma sought to impose themselves upon their visitors early on.

Yet Juventus were stubbornly defiant in front of a partisan crowd, and did their best to take the initiative themselves.

It was the Bianconeri who came closest to a breakthrough in the first half, when Adrien Rabiot saw his header saved by Wojciech Szczesny near the left post in the 43rd minute.

Emboldened by their support from the stands, the hosts broke the deadlock eight minutes after the interval, with Mancini letting fly from long range with his right foot and giving Szczesny no chance.

Juan Cuadrado almost levelled matters on the cusp of the hour with a superb free-kick that struck the post.

Juve were unable to salvage a point and Kean was shown a straight red card for lashing out at Mancini soon after coming on, adding insult to injury.

Juventus eased to their third straight Serie A victory after Moise Kean and Angel Di Maria struck in a 2-0 victory at relegation-threatened Spezia on Sunday.

Spezia sacked coach Luca Gotti in midweek and saw some improvements, yet Massimiliano Allegri's team still triumphed at Stadio Alberto Picco.

Kean's deadly 32nd-minute finish sent the visiting Juve on their way before substitute Di Maria drilled home in the second period to seal the three points.

Victory moved Juve to seventh, albeit nine points behind sixth-placed Atalanta and a place in Europe next season, while Spezia remain two above the relegation zone.

Dusan Vlahovic saw a cool finish ruled out for offside in a slow opening, while Danilo nodded narrowly wide after Spezia lost goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski to an apparent hip injury.

Juve capitalised soon after as Filip Kostic's left-wing cross found Kean, who calmly swept a left-footed finish into the bottom-right corner past Federico Marchetti.

Eldor Shomurodov nodded just off target and Emmanuel Gyasi was unable to get the required touch on a bouncing ball past Mattia Perin as the struggling hosts looked to respond.

Kean headed a glorious chance from Alex Sandro's delivery wide after the interval before Danilo thwarted Shomurodov with a last-ditch block.

Di Maria, brought on for Kean, ended any hope of a Spezia fightback as he lashed low into the bottom-right corner from outside the area after 66 minutes.

Perrin produced an expert stop to deny Gyasi's ferocious effort as Juve held out for another triumph.

What does it mean? Juve continue to recover

With a Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter in April and hopes of a Europa League run, Allegri's side still have a chance of salvaging their season after their 15-point deduction last month.

Italy's top six may prove a step too far but Juve continue to recover after winning their sixth straight Serie A clash with Spezia, who have not scored at home in the league since a 2-2 draw with Atalanta on January 4.

If the Bianconeri can edge past Nantes in their Europa League play-off second leg, with the tie level at 1-1, Juve will be able to take pride in their response to the punishments.

Classy Kostic

Kostic continues to impress after signing from Eintracht Frankfurt in August, with yet another pinpoint assist coming from the left-hand side.

The Serbia international has created nine goals in all competitions this season, only Napoli's in-form Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (12) has managed more assists among Serie A players.

Defensive solidity key for Juve

Juve have kept a clean sheet in four of their six league victories over Spezia, with the defensive resilience of Allegri's men a notable factor this season.

The Bianconeri have won the most Serie A games this term without their defence being breached (14), the last time they managed more shutouts after 23 league games was in the 1977-78 campaign (16).

What's next?

Juve visit Nantes in the aforementioned European clash on Thursday, before hosting fierce rivals Torino five days later in Serie A.

Newcastle United are reportedly preparing an improved offer to pry midfielder James Maddison away from Leicester City in January.

Maddison, 25, is away at the World Cup with England after a blistering start to the Premier League season saw him force his way back into the national set-up after three years in the wilderness.

After scoring a career-high 18 goals last season, Maddison has continued to show it was no fluke, bagging seven goals and four assists in 13 league fixtures this campaign.

Newcastle have been fond of the Foxes star for some time, having had two bids rejected in the range of £50million in the previous transfer window, but they are said to be discussing if they should "break their wage structure" to meet the demands.

 

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE READY ANOTHER OFFENSIVE FOR LEICESTER'S MADDISON

According to Sky Sports, Maddison's contract demands have been a stumbling point for Newcastle in their pursuit, but the club are now willing to go above and beyond to secure their key target.

The report claims Leicester value Maddison at £60m, meaning the two sides are not far apart, and with just over 18 months remaining on his contract, his value will continue to fall the closer he gets to its conclusion.

Newcastle may face some competition, as GiveMeSport also believes Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is pushing to bring Maddison to north London.

 

ROUND-UP

- Sport is reporting Aston Villa are interested in a January move for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, and hope they can land him for a fee around €14m after he arrived in Spain as a free agent in July.

- According to 90min, Chelsea have offered goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to Tottenham amid news they are looking to replace club captain Hugo Lloris.

- Juventus and Newcastle United are discussing a potential swap deal that would send Moise Kean back to the Premier League and Allan Saint-Maximin to Turin, per Juve Dipendenza.

- Calciomercato is reporting Inter have rekindled their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram after their attempt to sign him 18 months ago was torpedoed by a knee injury at the 11th hour. 

- Arsenal have been joined by Monaco and Ajax in the chase of 21-year-old Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, who the club are reportedly willing to part ways with for €24m, per ESPN.

Newcastle United are reportedly preparing an improved offer to pry midfielder James Maddison away from Leicester City in January.

Maddison, 25, is away at the World Cup with England after a blistering start to the Premier League season saw him force his way back into the national set-up after three years in the wilderness.

After scoring a career-high 18 goals last season, Maddison has continued to show it was no fluke, bagging seven goals and four assists in 13 league fixtures this campaign.

Newcastle have been fond of the Foxes star for some time, having had two bids rejected in the range of £50million in the previous transfer window, but they are said to be discussing if they should "break their wage structure" to meet the demands.

 

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE READY ANOTHER OFFENSIVE FOR LEICESTER'S MADDISON

According to Sky Sports, Maddison's contract demands have been a stumbling point for Newcastle in their pursuit, but the club are now willing to go above and beyond to secure their key target.

The report claims Leicester value Maddison at £60m, meaning the two sides are not far apart, and with just over 18 months remaining on his contract, his value will continue to fall the closer he gets to its conclusion.

Newcastle may face some competition, as GiveMeSport also believes Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is pushing to bring Maddison to north London.

 

ROUND-UP

- Sport is reporting Aston Villa are interested in a January move for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, and hope they can land him for a fee around €14m after he arrived in Spain as a free agent in July.

- According to 90min, Chelsea have offered goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to Tottenham amid news they are looking to replace club captain Hugo Lloris.

- Juventus and Newcastle United are discussing a potential swap deal that would send Moise Kean back to the Premier League and Allan Saint-Maximin to Turin, per Juve Dipendenza.

- Calciomercato is reporting Inter have rekindled their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram after their attempt to sign him 18 months ago was torpedoed by a knee injury at the 11th hour. 

- Arsenal have been joined by Monaco and Ajax in the chase of 21-year-old Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, who the club are reportedly willing to part ways with for €24m, per ESPN.

Massimiliano Allegri believes "a different mental approach" has been crucial for Moise Kean following his impressive recent form.

The Italy international scored his first Serie A brace since March 2019 as Juventus leapfrogged Lazio into third place following a 3-0 victory at the Allianz Stadium.

Kean has now netted four goals in as many league appearances, as many as in his previous 38 matches in the Italian top flight.

"He is far more balanced mentally, as when you are young, and he is so exuberant, it all gets a bit much," Allegri told DAZN.

"He is working hard, he weighs five or six kilograms less than last season, and you can see he has a different mental approach."

The win over Lazio was Juve's sixth on the bounce in Serie A heading into the World Cup break, and Allegri praised his players' efforts.

"The lads did well, especially after a tough month," he said. "It was not easy against Lazio, we had the patience to close their passing channels, allowing them practically nothing until the final minutes.

"Just six rounds ago, nobody believed we would be third in the table, so that is a step forward. I can only thank the lads for their performances."

The break has arguably come at the wrong time for in-form Juventus, but Allegri insists it will be beneficial for the Bianconeri, who are missing several players through injury.

"Now, we need to recharge our batteries and be ready to resume in January," he added. "We have too many players with question marks over them, and now we have the opportunity to get them back fully fit. We needed this break to have a breather.

"I think when we do resume, there will be a game every three days, we will try to go all the way in the Europa League and there will be space for everyone to give their contribution."

Moise Kean scored twice as Juventus leapfrogged Lazio into third place in Serie A after a 3-0 victory at the Allianz Stadium.

Starting up front in Dusan Vlahovic's continued injury absence, Kean opened the scoring just before half-time with a neat 20-yard lob.

The in-form Italy international then netted his fifth goal in as many games in the 54th minute to make sure of Massimiliano Allegri's side's sixth successive league win – the margin widened further by Arkadiusz Milik's late third.

Victory maintained Juve's hold over Lazio – who have won only two of the past 36 editions of this fixture – and ensured the Bianconeri carry momentum into the World Cup break.

Kean was a threat from the outset, drilling just wide of the far post.

Nicolo Fagioli then called Ivan Provedel into action from distance, while Milik brilliantly controlled a long ball before bending a 20-yard effort marginally wide of the target.

The hosts broke through two minutes before half-time. Adrien Rabiot robbed Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of possession before his precise lofted ball found Kean, who neatly lifted over the advancing Provedel.

Lazio arrived in Turin having conceded just one away league goal this season, but Provedel was beaten again nine minutes after the restart, with Kean tucking into an empty net after the Biancocelesti goalkeeper parried Filip Kostic's initial effort. 

The visitors struggled to pose a genuine threat at the other end. Wojciech Szczesny comfortably saved tame efforts from Luis Alberto and Pedro, before Milik turned home Federico Chiesa's inviting centre to cap a fine Juve win.

Massimiliano Allegri was grateful after Alex Sandro's cynical red card helped Juventus to a 1-0 win over bottom-placed Hellas Verona on Thursday.

Moise Kean's strike with half an hour to play looked to be enough for Juve to make it five victories and five clean sheets in a row, but in injury time, a Thomas Henry throughball put Kevin Lasagna in on goal.

However, Sandro barged Lasagna over before the Verona forward reached the box and though the full-back was sent off, the resulting free-kick was skied over and Juve saw the game out to secure the three points.

Allegri was delighted after the match with his side's dogged performance and Sandro's unselfish decision to take Lasagna down, telling Sky Sport: "Alex Sandro's red card is worth a goal.

"He should not be fined but given a prize.

"It certainly wasn't a great match on a technical level. In some situations we could have done better but it is an important sign for the team. We came through a tiring period and with players out, and luckily the changes helped us."

Allegri also spoke of his joy for Kean, who has now scored in three straight starts in all competitions after failing to hit the target in his previous seven, saying: "If he played many games, he would score many goals.

"For me he is very important and I'm happy. It took a while to get out of the way to find space, he [Kean] and [Arkadiusz] Milik did it better in the second half."

Angel Di Maria continued his return from injury with a cameo and though he failed to make much of an impact, Allegri was understanding with the former Real Madrid man expected to be in Argentina's World Cup squad.

"On a technical level, he did well. Angel managed the ball," Allegri added. 

"It's normal, there's a World Cup in a few days and you unconsciously leave something on the pitch. It's not wanted, but that's the way it is."

Juventus made it five straight Serie A wins as Moise Kean's goal was enough to see off bottom-placed hosts Hellas Verona on Thursday.

Verona had lost eight consecutive league games while Massimiliano Allegri's men had won four in a row.

However, Salvatore Bocchetti's men made it difficult for Juve and it looked as if they had a chance of earning an important point.

But Kean's deflected 60th-minute strike made it three goals in three starts for him and his team held on to continue their winning streak, despite a late red card for Alex Sandro.

Verona started brightly and went close within three minutes, though Sulemana's powerful drive flew just past the post after a corner was cleared to him outside the box.

Juve grew into the game, with Arkadiusz Milik and Manuel Locatelli both testing Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo.

Pawel Dawidowicz missed a decent opportunity after the interval when he scooped over after the ball fell kindly to him in the area.

Juve nearly went ahead when Adrien Rabiot crossed for Kean, but the low delivery just evaded the former Everton striker's outstretched boot.

The game was becoming more stretched, and Juve hit the hosts on a sublime counter to grab the lead on the hour.

Kean took Rabiot's pass in his stride before his deflected effort was pawed at by Montipo, but not enough to stop it bouncing in.

Juve had an almighty scare when a collision between Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Verdi in the box led to the referee pointing to the spot, but a VAR check encouraged him to reverse his decision.

Sandro was shown a second yellow card in injury-time for cynically barging over Kevin Lasagna as the forward charged down on goal, but it did not matter as the resulting free-kick flew over and the final whistle eventually came, much to Juve's relief.

Massimiliano Allegri backed his Juventus side to claim a vital Champions League win at Benfica after they thrashed Empoli 4-0 on Friday.

The Bianconeri followed up their derby victory over Torino last weekend with an impressive display at the Allianz Arena, where Moise Kean put them in front with his first goal since April.

Weston McKennie opened his Serie A account for the season to double their lead and there were two late goals for Adrien Rabiot as Juve moved above Inter into seventh place.

Allegri's future had been called into question following defeats to Milan and Maccabi Haifa, but the Turin giants look to have turned the corner.

They must win at Benfica on Tuesday to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League round of 16 and head coach Allegri fancies their chances in Lisbon.

He said: "Tonight it was important to win because we are behind in the championship and we hadn't won two in a row.

"Unfortunately we have to chase in the championship for the points lost against Salernitana and Monza. Tuesday will be an important match for two reasons: we are not out of the Champions League and we are not even in the Europa League.

"We will face a strong team, we can go there and overturn the result [they were beaten at home by Benfica], we need to be confident."

Moise Kean ended his goal drought and Adrien Rabiot scored twice as rejuvenated Juventus eased to a 4-0 win over Empoli on Friday.

Kean had not scored since April, but the striker set Juve on their way to victory with an early strike at the Allianz Stadium.

Weston McKennie doubled the Bianconeri's lead with his first Serie A goal of the season, heading home in the second half, and Rabiot added a late double to cap an impressive performance.

That is now back-to-back wins for Massimiliano Allegri's side, who moved up a place to seventh ahead of a must-win Champions League clash at Benfica next week.

Juve started with great intensity and were rewarded just eight minutes in when Filip Kostic whipped in a cross from the left and an unmarked Kean applied the finish from close range.

Kean should have found the net again just after the half-hour mark but headed a McKennie cross wide from six yards out.

The Bianconeri demonstrated the danger they pose from set-pieces to double their lead nine minutes into the second half, McKennie rising to powerfully head Juan Cuadrado's delivery into the roof of the net.

Kean nodded in another sublime Kostic delivery but had his celebrations cut short after straying offside as hungry Juve continued to cause problems.

Juve scored another goal from a Cuadrado corner after 82 minutes, Guglielmo Vicario unable to palm away Rabiot's header before it crossed the line.

The France midfielder then capped a great evening for the Turin giants when Danilo's cross gave him a tap-in at the end.

Chelsea have reportedly held an emergency call with new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to reassure him of his future with the club after Thomas Tuchel's surprise sacking.

Tuchel was removed from his position after Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener, in a move that will carry a heavy financial cost, according to reports from the Daily Mail and The Mirror.

Tuchel and his backroom staff are said to be receiving £15million in pay-outs, and Brighton are set to claim £20m in compensation after Graham Potter took over.

One of the main selling points for Aubameyang to come to Stamford Bridge was his relationship with Tuchel, who had coached him at Borussia Dortmund, and the Telegraph claims Chelsea's ownership group went out of their way to reassure the 33-year-old striker about his decision after cutting ties with Tuchel.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA OWNERS REASSURE AUBAMEYANG OF HIS ROLE AFTER TUCHEL FIRING

According to the Telegraph's report, controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Egbali addressed the Chelsea squad on Wednesday after Tuchel's sacking took place that morning, but there was also a separate individual chat with Aubameyang.

They reportedly told the signing from Barcelona that they "believe he can flourish under new head coach Graham Potter", and the Gabon international is said to have no second thoughts about his decision.

While he was clearly a player Tuchel pushed for, Aubameyang was assured he was "a club signing", and the report claims he "is thought to have been appreciative of the explanation".

In his one game for Chelsea under Tuchel, Aubameyang was substituted in the 59th minute.

 

ROUND-UP

– BILD has confirmed once again that Liverpool have their sights set on a massive move for Borussia Dortmund's 19-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham in 2023. 

– A report from Sport claims the rise of 18-year-old Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde has complicated the arrival of Marcos Alonso, who was brought in to be the main competition to Jordi Alba, but he is now behind Balde as well.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk wants a move to Arsenal alongside his Ukrainian compatriot Oleksandr Zinchenko, and that it could be possible in January.

– JuveLive claim Juventus are prepared to offer 22-year-old striker Moise Kean to Aston Villa in a straight swap for 24-year-old midfielder Douglas Luiz.

Chelsea dismissed Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday following their 1-0 Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb.

New Blues owner Todd Boehly wielded the axe after a slow start to the 2022-23 season for the London club.

Several names have been linked with the vacant post already, including Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter.

TOP STORY – VERBAL AGREEMENT IN PLACE FOR CHELSEA AND POTTER

Chelsea will formally offer their vacant manager role to Brighton and Hove Albion's Graham Potter, according to several UK reports.

Brighton had granted Chelsea permission to speak to Potter, with the two parties locked in talks on Wednesday evening following Thomas Tuchel's dismissal.

Ben Jacobs from CBS Sports claims that a verbal agreement is agreed between Chelsea and Potter, with Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett stating he could be unveiled as their new boss on Thursday.

ROUND-UP

– The Sun claims that Manchester United are ready to open discussions with Marcus Rashford on a new deal. Rashford, who has three goals this season, is contracted until mid-2023.

– The Sun also reports Wilfried Zaha is set to be offered a new deal by Crystal Palace. Zaha, who has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea, is into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Juventus are preparing for a straight swap deal in January with Aston Villa, which would see Moise Kean and Douglas Luiz trade places, according to JuveLive. Douglas Luiz's contract at Villa Park expires at the end of this season.

–  Everton and Arsenal both remain interested in Mykhaylo Mudryk but Shakhtar Donetsk want more than £30m (€34.5m) for the 21-year-old Ukrainian winger, claims Gianluca di Marzio.

Erling Haaland has paid tribute to "the best" Mino Raiola after the renowned agent died at the age of 54.

Raiola's family announced he passed away on Saturday, two days after it was revealed the Italian was in a critical condition in San Raffaele Hospital in Milan.

One of the most recognisable agents in the world, Raiola represented the likes of Haaland, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and many more.

Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland reacted to Raiola's death by posting a picture of the two of them along with a heart emoji and wrote: "The best."

On-loan Juventus striker Moise Kean also paid an emotional tribute to his agent.

He posted on Instagram: "I still can't believe, you took me out from the streets and you made me learn so many principles in life… to be honest it's not a not goodbye for us wherever you are you will always be in my heart . R.I.P BIG Boss."

Raiola's family said in a statement: "In infinite sorrow we share the passing of the most caring and amazing football agent that ever was.

"Mino fought until the end with the same strength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players. As usual, Mino made us proud and never realised it.

"Mino touched so many lives through his work and wrote a new chapter in the history of modern football. His presence will forever be missed.

"Mino's mission of making football a better place for players will continue with the same passion.

"We thank everybody for the huge amount of support received during these difficult times and ask for respect to the privacy of family and friends in this moment of grief."

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