Juventus have had little problem claiming seven consecutive Serie A titles.
However, the Champions League remains allusive. Cristiano Ronaldo has now joined their ranks and the Italian giants are unbeaten in all competitions this season, placing them as one of the favourites for European silverware.
Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri has a different line of thinking, though.
“We’re working this year, as in recent years, to achieve the objective we haven’t been able to achieve in recent years,” Allegri acknowledged in his pre-Cagliari press conference.
The Bianconeri were runners-up in 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons. Allegri believes that luck also plays a huge role in determining who takes home the coveted trophy.
“It also takes a bit of luck. Juventus have played two finals in the last four years, and it’s not nothing that in the other two we were eliminated after a great match in Madrid and after overturning the first leg in Munich,” he added.
“I don’t feel privileged, I feel like a coach who is fortunate enough to be at Juventus, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, and with a squad that can aspire to win the Champions League. But it’s not certain, just as the league isn’t.”
Last season, Real Madrid turned around a dire domestic start to eventually emerge as European champions.
Allegri explained: “Last year when Real Madrid were 20 points behind Barcelona I said they were favourites for the Champions League. They had some good luck, we had some bad luck and they won.”
The Italian believesBarcelona are the prime candidates to dethrone Real Madrid after the Catalans stringed a few convincing victories against the likes of Tottenham, Sevilla, Inter and Real Madrid.
“This year the prime candidate to win the Champions League is Barcelona,” he said.
“You just have to watch their games, not simply look at them. It’s simple. They’re the number one candidate, we’re among the top four favourites. But we need to be calm.
