Young Boys game more important than Derby d'Italia, says Allegri

Securing top spot in its Champions League group is more important than Juventus beating Inter in Serie A, says Massimiliano Allegri.

Published : Dec 07, 2018 08:24 IST

Massimiliano Allegri believes Juventus finishing on the top of its Champions League Group will have a great bearing on its season.
Massimiliano Allegri believes Juventus finishing on the top of its Champions League Group will have a great bearing on its season.
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Massimiliano Allegri believes Juventus finishing on the top of its Champions League Group will have a great bearing on its season.

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri acknowledges Inter is a title rival in Serie A but believes next week's Champions League showdown with Young Boys is more important than the Derby d'Italia.

Reigning champion Juve heads into Friday's match already boasting an 11-point advantage over third-placed Inter after 14 games of the season.

Allegri still feels Inter is part of a three-horse title race alongside his own side and Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli, but understandably believes Juve getting the win it needs over the Swiss champion next Wednesday to ensure top spot over Manchester United in Group H will have a greater bearing on its season.

"Tomorrow is the Derby d'Italia. Regardless of where we are in the table it will be a fascinating evening," he said at a Thursday news conference.

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"It will be a technical and mental test against a team that has grown a lot and that, together with Napoli, are our rivals for the Scudetto.

"Together with Napoli, they are the anti-Juve at the moment. I do not think the others play for second place. Ancelotti says it all the time, we still have three head-to-head matches, the rankings could change.

"For us next Wednesday's game is more important because we're playing for first place in the Champions League [group]. Tomorrow against Inter is just one game."

Emre Can could come into contention after two months on the sidelines with a thyroid issue but fellow midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur will be assessed due to a back complaint.

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