Juventus found it hard to break down a resilient Palermo side, and the only goal came about thanks to a slice of fortune for Allegri’s side three minutes after the break.
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Massimiliano Allegri insists focus is fully on claiming the first points of Champions League campaign after a cagey 1-0 win at Palermo on Saturday maintained the early-season doubts hanging over Juventus.
Juventus visits Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday and needs a win after drawing 0-0 with Sevilla in their opening Champions League match.
Juventus, who had crushed Cagliari 4-0 in midweek with Alves on target, struggled with a tight Palermo defence in the first half, with both Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic failing to put them ahead with several good scoring chances.
“In technical terms we should have done much better, but we take the three points home with us”, Allegri told Sky Sport.
“It was the first time really for the two strikers together and they didn’t combine, but then that is not in their characteristics”, he said.
Manolo Gabbiadini and Marek Hamsik proved Napoli’s attack is not all about Arkadiusz Milik and Jose Callejon as they fired the Partenopei to victory. Slovakian worldwide Hamsik, who is now only 15 short of equalling the all-time scorers’ record at the club, held by former icon Diego Maradona, said the focus is now on Europe.
“It’s a great achievement”, Hamsik said.
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The Juventus player was ruled out of action for six weeks by the Italian giants on Sunday, following Saturday’s injury during their Serie A game. “We are high in the table and that’s what’s important”.
