Allegri demands title before Real duel
Massimiliano Allegri has called on his Juventus team to go into their UEFA Champions League tie with Real Madrid as Serie A winners.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is hoping that clinching the Serie A title against Sampdoria will provide a boost ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid.
Allegri's team head to Genoa on Saturday knowing that a point will secure their fourth successive Scudetto before they host Real in the first leg of their last-four tie on Tuesday.
And Allegri is determined to wrap up the title before the visit of the reigning European champions.
"It's important to go into it [the Real Madrid match] as Italian champions. The squad is fit so the best team will play [at Sampdoria]," he said.
"We're calm. We know we have the chance to reach the historic milestone of four consecutive Scudetti; four for the players, the club and the fans, and my first as coach of Juventus.
"Sampdoria will be aggressive and alert. It'll be tough for us because they're very strong at home. It was 1-1 in the reverse game, but we dominated, particularly the first half.
"That teaches us that games are never over until they're over. We've reached the finishing line and now it's time to cross it."
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