Tension high as Juventus go to Inter with title nerves frayed
MILAN: Tensions are running high as Juventus travel to Inter Milan on Saturday in a game which could prove decisive for the champions’ hopes of a seventh straight Serie A title.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side are being pushed all the way for the Scudetto by Napoli with their lead cut to just one point after last weekend’s 1- 0 defeat by their title rivals in Turin.
Juventus have 85 points from 34 games with Napoli on 84 with four games to play this season.
The champions face Inter, Bologna, Roma a n d Ve r o n a before the end of the season, as a s AC Mi l an the Italian Cup final.
Captain Gianluigi Buffon was forced to angrily dismiss reports of dressing room bickering after the Napoli defeat.
But teammate Andrea Bar z a g l i c onc e de d the atmosphere was tense, with the added blow of defender Giorgio Chiellini’s hamstring muscle well i n tear.
“Maybe it has destabilised the environment a bit, because in recent years fortunately for us, we have always won and we have rarely had difficult moments, so maybe it has created a bit of tension,” said Barzagli.
“There was some bitterness towards the defeat, but we had a day off to think about what happened.
Juventus face a tough battle against Inter Milan who are coming off back-to-back wins and fighting for a return to the Champions League next season. The traditional Derby d’Italia between the two northern Italian giants has already set a new Serie A record with over five million euros ( US$ 6 million) raised from the 78,328 spectators.
— AFP