Massimiliano Allegri has conceded his Juventus side showed fatigue in a hard-fought 2-1 Serie A win over Empoli.
Cristiano Ronaldo's double – the second of which was a sublime strike from long range – secured a comeback win for Juve to move the Serie A champions eight points clear at the top.
Juve have now won 12 of their last 13 matches in all competitions, and Allegri feels the Bianconeri's performance was typical of a team struggling with the effects of a congested fixture list.
"A team that wins 12 games out of 13 can be a bit tired," Allegri told a news conference.
"The team had started with the right approach, but after 10 minutes we slowed down the tempo of our passing and allowed a few too many Empoli counters.
"Empoli are tough to play against, so we had to be wary of the counter and that is how they scored the goal.
28 - has equalled their best start in the Serie A after the first 10 league games: 28 points gained as in 2012/13 season. Rythm. October 27, 2018
"In the second half, we created many chances and deserved the victory, but we have to tip our hats to Empoli for being so well-organised and impressive.
"It was a game that had to be won, regardless of the performance. Congratulations must be made to Empoli for how they played."
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