Allegri urges Juventus to make most of points reprieve ahead of Napoli duel

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is urging his team to take advantage of their Serie A points deduction reprieve as they host leaders Napoli with second place in sight.

The Bianconeri were hit with a 15-point deduction in January after an investigation into a capital gains case, with the club found guilty of alleged breaches in relation to historical transfers.

Former chairman Andrea Agnelli, ex-director Pavel Nedved and one-time managing director Fabio Paratici, who joined Tottenham in 2021, were all suspended from football by the Italian Football Federation (FICG), along with eight other individuals.

Juve’s initial appeal to have the deduction revoked proved successful, with the Collegio di Garanzia referring the case back to the FIGC following Thursday’s announcement. Nedved and some other former directors have been cleared, although Agnelli and Paratici had their suspensions upheld.

The FIGC could yet punish Juve again after re-evaluating the case, but for the time being the 15 points they lost in January have been reinstated, hoisting them back up third in the table.

It is timely for the Bianconeri as they bid to qualify for the Champions League, and Allegri appreciates the magnitude of the boost.

“We did what was possible after the penalty. It’s normal that there was some conditioning but there shouldn’t be any excuses. What happened, happened. Now we have to think about what must happen from today until June 4,” he said.

“It would be too easy to think about what if… It could be said that [the deduction] brought us together, but maybe we would’ve won 10 points more than we have without what happened, because maybe in terms of mental conditioning it’s difficult to explain.

“I’m happy with what the boys have done, it’s something important.

The Coach sets his sights on Sunday’s #JuveNapoli: pic.twitter.com/ov45o6Tg9D

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) April 22, 2023

“We had to reset everything, make a mental effort to readjust to what the rankings were and try to get back on track.

“In the meantime we had the Europa League, the Coppa Italia. What we’ve done has been done well, now we have to do better from here to the end of the season. We have the possibility of going to the final of the Coppa Italia and the Europa League, and we try to go and get Lazio in second place.”

They could usurp Lazio as early as Sunday if they do beat Napoli, though even after the Partenopei’s Champions League disappointment in midweek, Luciano Spalletti’s side represent a huge threat.

Serie A’s runaway leaders crushed Juventus 5-1 earlier this season, meaning they are aiming to do the double over the Old Lady for only the fourth time in the top flight.

Napoli’s form has become a little patchier in recent times, failing to win three of their previous six games in the league, as many as in their first 24 of the season.

But those disappointments have all been at home. On the road they have been irrepressible, winning each of their past seven away games in the league and 12 of 13, the exception being a 1-0 defeat at Inter in January.

While Napoli were knocked out of Europe by Milan this week, Allegri recognises Napoli’s standing.

“There is no desire for revenge. There is just a desire to beat the league leaders who have won seven times in their last seven away games,” he said.

“They are strong, they have shown it in Italy and in Europe. Sometimes you lose games that you don’t deserve to lose, but in the end the results count.

“Napoli are doing very well. They killed the championship by keeping an impressive away record.

“This is a Napoli that’s on its way to winning the Scudetto. They’ve had an extraordinary season and are deservedly winning [the title].

“It will be a difficult match against a strong team, who came out of the Champions League despite playing a good game and who will try to score as many points as possible to get to the Scudetto as soon as possible.”