Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has urged his players to remain focused on ending their Serie A season on a high and not on the upcoming Champions League final against Barcelona.
The Italian champions are expected to convincingly defeat 13th-placed Verona when they travel to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on Saturday.
And the 47-year-old has insisted that the team are in good shape and motivated coming into their final domestic fixture.
“It is the last test before the final. It’s not ‘Allegri’s Juve’ but a team that has done a fantastic this season,” he told reporters.
“We haven’t played for seven days. Now we have to try to keep the focus high and go to and play Hellas Verona, with Verona with on our mind, and not Berlin.
“The team is well, so many players have played a lot. The final has different motivations though.
“For us it is normal to have enthusiasm, it’s hard to repeat a season like this, most of what has been done was difficult.”
Allegri then went on to address the team’s injury issues, and has reassured the club’s supporters that things are progressing nicely.
“We will not know about Barzagli until Tuesday,” the tactician continued. “I do not know if he is proceeding well, the medical staff are all doing their best.
“Pogba is fine and normal after the second game in Madrid and has had a good run, as have the others.”
When asked about how Juventus will take on Barcelona in the final, Allegri admits it will be hard to contain the Catalan’s world-class players.
“When you play these challenging games with great players, if we have the right approach, we will deserve the win,” Allegri said.
“We have to be calm and play with enthusiasm.
“We face two teams with different characteristics, we have to be as if we were playing Real, if not more so.
“It is a single game, but now there is no need to talk of Barcelona. On Sunday the guys will rest and will resume working on Monday to prepare for the week ahead.”
