Juve-Villarreal, all in one night. The bianconeri are facing the first one in or out of the European season, namely the return match against Emery's Spaniards, valid for qualification for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Difficult game, as well as very balanced: in fact, we start from the1-1 in the first leg, a result that until last year would have given Allegri an advantage thanks to the away goal but which now, in the light of the new UEFA rules, essentially means starting from scratch.
Juve-Villarreal, Allegri peremptory: "You need the ambition to reach the final"
The Juventus coach, unlike what happens regularly on the eve of the championship, where he prefers to keep a low profile, has decided to raise the bar before Juve-Villarreal, aware that the Champions League, around Continassa, is the cup par excellence . "It will be a straight match, a final, I don't know if we have the qualities to think about going all the way, but we must have the ambition to do it - he explained Allegri at the press conference – The team is fine, this is a good moment, decisive for the season. The goal is to arrive at the break in the best possible conditions in the standings, but now we're focused only on the Champions League: we should never regret not giving our all".
Locatelli in no uncertain terms: "We can't go wrong"
Manuel Locatelli, one of the most constant in the strange black and white season, took care of supporting Allegri. "The attitude will be important, we absolutely can't go wrong with it – confirmed the midfielder -. We have to take the field hungry and try to win at all costs, we had a complicated start but now the atmosphere is different, the group has made great strides forward. They are a very strong and technical team, they have been together for many years and they play good football, a mature match awaits us, in which it will be very important to be ready."
Emery believes it: "Juve are favourites, but we can do it"
On the Villarreal front there is respect, but also a lot of trust: the first leg, after all, showed that the Spaniards can play it. “We showed we could compete – explained Emery -. This doesn't change history, they are favorites and among the candidates to win the Champions League because of their history and what they represent, but we want to try. We want to demonstrate that we deserve this place, put another stone in our growth path: the people are confident, we are going to Turin with the intention of being protagonists”.
Juve-Villarreal: the formations (21 pm, Amazon Prime)
The infirmary situation remains complicated (Bonucci, Alex Sandro and Zakaria can't make it and join the long-term patients Chiesa and McKennie), but Allegri finds three very important pieces for Juve-Villarreal such as Dybala, Chiellini and Bernardeschi. Only the latter has hopes of playing from the start, even if he is likely to take a seat on the bench together with the other two, waiting for the right moment to take over. The Juventus coach loves to mirror his opponents and this evening too he will be no exception, abandoning the now usual 4-3-3 for a 4-4-2 with Szczesny in goal, Danilo, Rugani, De Ligt and De Sciglio in defense , Cuadrado, Locatelli, Arthur and Rabiot in midfield, Morata and Vlahovic in attack. Same game system for Emery, who will respond with Rulli between the posts, Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres and Pedraza in the back, Chukwueze, Capoue, Parejo and Yeremi Pino in the midfield, Lo Celso and Danjuma as an offensive couple.
