Allegri: "Juventus is not dead as they are portraying it"

Allegri defends Juventus ahead of direct clash, saying the wounded side will not collapse despite media criticism.

Napoli manager Massimiliano Allegri held his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's Serie A fixture against Juventus, where he will be suspended and unable to sit on the bench. Allegri dismissed suggestions that Juventus are finished, stating: "They say Juventus is dead, but Juventus rarely dies. In these moments of difficulty, teams come together."

Allegri framed the encounter as a direct battle between two sides currently struggling in the league table. "We need to fix the standings," he said. "It's a direct clash between two teams that are currently behind, but we shouldn't reduce the entire season to this one match." He cautioned against overestimating the importance of a single result, emphasizing that Napoli's real objectives are finishing in the top four, progressing in the Champions League, and remaining competitive in the Coppa Italia.

On team news, Allegri confirmed that midfielder Stanislav Lobotka suffered a fortunate escape from serious injury in midweek, while Rrahmani and Anguissa are being assessed after illness. He expects to have Spinazzola, Neres, and Favasuli available after the international break. Napoli beat Monza 4-1 on Wednesday and sit on 14 points from nine games.