Juventus became the fourth team to go unbeaten into the international break following their 2-0 win over Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, but Allegri is wary of the tag of being favorites early on in the season. He instead pointed to three other sides he feels will take it all the way, excluding his Bianconeri.
Speaking to Sky Italia following the win, Allegri assessed the season, pointing to Milan, Napoli, and Inter as favorites in the Scudetto race.
“Being two points behind the leaders is already a satisfaction, we’ll have to be good at staying close to the top and in three months we’ll see. But the favorites for the Scudetto are Inter, Napoli and Milan. We have to improve and be more pragmatic.”
Juventus will not have an intensive calendar as before due to their absence from Europe this season, which may very well play a significant part in Allegri’s hunger to re-establish the Bianconeri’s Serie A dominance.
“Nobody likes being out of the Champions League. In September, for example, we’ll only play two games. I think there are better-equipped teams like Inter, Milan, and Napoli which have the clear objective of winning the Scudetto. We have to be good at staying close together, but then football is strange and maybe in three months we’ll be fighting with them. Then if we want to say that we are favorites for the Scudetto, let’s say it, but in reality, the favorites for the Scudetto are those three.”
Allegri also spoke of Paul Pogba, who could once again face time out due to injury.
“Now we don’t know anything, he felt a pain in the back of his leg and we will see tomorrow or the day after the results of the exams. We are sorry because he had done well when he entered half an hour, with quality.”
For the first time in almost a year, Allegri and Juventus ended a Serie A match without conceding a single shot on target, extending their unbeaten league start to three games.
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