Allegri ‘happy’ at Chiesa’s return to team training ahead of Maccabi clash

Federico Chiesa’s injury nightmare is nearly over as he is back in team training, Massimiliano Allegri said Tuesday as his Juventus team prepare for the Champions League visit of Maccabi Haifa. 

Chiesa has been out of action since January after tearing ligaments in his left knee and although Allegri won’t have the Italy forward available for Wednesday’s match at the Allianz Stadium he is relieved that one of his injury problems is being resolved.

“I’m very happy for Federico, to come back to the team after nine months is a relief for him, it’s difficult to train on your own,” Allegri told reporters.

“I hope to have him back as soon as possible, we’ll assess the situation day by day and we’ll organise a friendly to see whether he can start playing again.”

Italian media report that Chiesa, 24, could be back in action for Juve’s trip to Benfica later this month, as could Paul Pogba who is yet to play a competitive game since returning to Turin in the summer.

First Juve need two wins over Group H’s bottom side Maccabi if they are to have any realistic hope of making the knockout stages.

Third-placed Juve have zero points from their two matches with Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica and are six points behind that pair.

“But that doesn’t mean that we should play worried or rushed. Rushing leads to errors,” said Allegri.

“As long as we’re not mathematically out, we need to work to qualify from the group.”

Allegri added that Poland forward Arkadiusz Milik, who has scored four times in seven appearances since signing from Marseille, has a muscle problem and will start from the bench.

“We hope that we won’t have to use him,” said Allegri, whose team take on Italian champions AC Milan at the San Siro on Saturday.