Juventus boss Allegri plays down title hopes

Juventus can go top of Serie A on Friday but coach Massimiliano Allegri still insists his side are outsiders for this season’s Serie A crown.

“Inter Milan are the favourites for the title,” he said in Thursday’s press conference ahead of Juve’s trip to Genoa.

Sitting two points behind Inter, a win would put them top at least for 48 hours ahead of Inter’s potentially awkward trip to Lazio on Sunday.

“We have no results objective for the end of the first half (of the season). It is of no use,” said Allegri.

“We are focusing on our objective for the season which is qualification for the Champions League.

“We have to keep our feet on the ground, take the matches one after the other and manage as best as possible the negative moments that may arise.”

In spite of his team’s good form at the moment, Allegri, as he has done all season, deflected the title talk to their rivals in Milan.

“We know that Inter are the favourites for the title, the team was built to win their second star (for their 20th league title),” he insisted.

Juventus are comfortably the most successful team in Italian history with three stars to their name, their 36th and most recent title coming in 2020.

Allegri will be boosted by the presence of French international Adrien Rabiot who was an injury doubt earlier in the week after suffering a knock last weekend during the 1-0 victory at Napoli.

On the other hand, Moise Kean has an injured shin and will be out of action for a month.