Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has suggested Sunday’s table-topping clash with Inter Milan is not the time for change.
Inter go into the latest instalment of the derby d’Italia with a two-point advantage at the top of the Serie A table.
A sixth success in a row for Juventus would take them to the summit and Allegri has hinted he would not be making radical changes to his winning side.
The 56-year-old told a press conference: “We’re approaching the game as best we can and we’ve prepared well for it.
“It’s a big test for us and it can help us improve as a team. We’re up against the league leaders and the title favourites.
“We have lots of midfield options and I don’t think switching formation is a good idea. All our forwards are in good shape. They have to make a decisive contribution.”
Juventus conceded their first goal since September in the 2-1 home win over Cagliari last time out and Allegri continued: “It will come down to small margins tomorrow and it should be an excellent test for us. The lads are all ready to play.
“It’s sure to be a great football spectacle with a full stadium – but the season doesn’t end tomorrow.
“It’s been a long time since we were playing for top spot. We must show our desire to win it. I’m confident the lads will perform well.
“We’re approaching the game as best we can and we’ve prepared well for it. It’s a big test for us and it can help us improve as a team. We’re up against the league leaders and the title favourites.
“I have a solid, close-knit group of players who are ready to produce a big performance in what will be a fantastic match for Italian football. We must keep working away and maintain our hunger.
“Football is full of surprises and you have to deal with them calmly.”
On their opponents, he added: “(Simone) Inzaghi and Inter are doing really well. They give little away and if they take the lead, it’s difficult to get back in the game.”
Inter have a 100 per cent away record and are chasing a seventh-successive victory in all competitions.
Boss Inzaghi told his team’s pre-match press conference: “It will be a challenging game, with maximum concentration required.”
Benjamin Pavard is again ruled out for the visitors with the knee injury sustained in the win at Atalanta three weeks ago, while fellow defender Alessandro Bastoni joins him on the sidelines because of a calf issue sustained on international duty with Italy.
Pioli wants Milan to finish season on a high
Head coach Stefano Pioli wants Milan to end the season on a high note even though the Serie A title race is lost and their place in the Champions League is already secured.
Milan are winless in their last six matches in all competitions, a dismal run that included a 2-1 loss to Inter which sealed a 20th Serie A title for their city rivals.
Second-placed Milan have 71 points, five ahead of third-placed Juventus with three matches to go.
"We want to get back to winning ways for us, for the club, for the fans," Pioli told reporters ahead of Saturday's match against 15th-placed Cagliari.
"Second place is an important goal and we are motivated to play this game.
"The squad is doing well, at the end of the season it is normal for some players to be more or less in form than one another and this will factor into my lineup.
"It would bother me if the squad weren't to bring all their energy to finish this season in the best way possible.
"No one has said they want to take it slow before the end of the season, the whole squad is ready and available."
Pioli said losing at Roma last month, which ended their Europa League campaign in the quarter finals, was his biggest regret of a trophyless season.
"We could have gone further," he said. "Losing the derbies also weighed heavily on us. We hoped to do better, in general, but I don't think the group ever lacked in their reaction."
A section of Milan fans have been holding protests at matches, demanding clarity from the management regarding the club's future plans after two seasons without silverware.
"My position and position of others will be spoken about after the games. We will see," said Pioli, who has been at the club since 2019 and won the Serie A title in 2022.
"In these years, the club has shown they know how to work and be ambitious.
"I believe that the highs and lows of a season are always shared between club, coach, and players."
Inzaghi gets 'all answers needed' after Inter humiliate Frosinone
Clinical Inter returned to winning ways with a 5-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Frosinone on Friday, and coach Simone Inzaghi admitted he had no questions left following his side's stellar performance.
Champions Inter stumbled to a 1-0 loss at relegation-battling Sassuolo last weekend but bounced back at Frosinone when five different players were on target to further hamper Frosinone's hopes of steering away from the relegation zone.
"I got the answers I wanted even though there was no need [for them]," Inzaghi told a press conference.
"A lot of guys who have played less answered and even contributed with a goal, I'm thinking about [Tajon] Buchanan and [Marko] Arnautovic.
"Important answers also came from [Kristjan] Asllani, who has grown a lot and has also played parts in important games."
Inter, who remained on track to beat the club record of 97 points set in the 2006-07 season, have also equalled the 15 away wins recorded in that season and maintained their 10th clean sheet, previously seen in 2007-08.
"I have a club that has been working for some time to ensure that the team improves because we always have to grow," Inzaghi said when asked if the team would be able to keep up the pace next season.
"Now we have two matches in which we will do our best, and then we will think about next season.
"The celebration? What our fans did to us will always remain within each of us. It's the shield of joy. I will always thank the fans."
Inzaghi is set to remain at Inter, with Italian media reporting he has already agreed to a new deal which puts him at the helm of the club beyond 2025.
He added: "You know what relationship I have with the club. We will all sit down and talk, but we are already in contact every day."
Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders: Neville calls on hosts to put foot down in derby
Phil Neville believes the Portland Timbers have not picked up the points their performances have warranted this season, but he knows the time has come for them to put their foot down ahead of Sunday's Cascadia Derby against the Seattle Sounders.
Portland sit 12th in the Western Conference standings, below the Sounders on goal difference, after going eight MLS matches without a victory.
Their 10 points through 11 games in 2024 represents their joint-worst return at this point of any MLS campaign (alongside 2014).
Neville, however, believes they have deserved more as they prepare for a run of three home games in their next four.
"I think the first thing to say is we are not making any excuses – the results have not been as good as we wanted," he said.
"We've not got our just rewards but now we look forward to a stretch where we've got to perform better and get better results, we've got to put our foot down on the gas."
The Sounders have also struggled this term, though they have taken four points from their last two MLS games against the Philadelphia Union (3-2) and LA Galaxy (0-0).
They then overcame Louisville City on penalties in the U.S. Open Cup in midweek, and coach Brian Schmetzer hopes they can carry on their momentum from that game on Sunday.
"This club has had a long history in the U.S. Open Cup, I like the tournament. It was certainly a challenge against a good, well-coached Louisville team," Schmetzer said.
"We came out on top and hopefully this propels us a little bit in our league play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Maxime Crepeau
Portland have conceded at least once in a club-record 17 successive regular-season matches, allowing 37 goals in that time.
Goalkeeper Crepeau has faced 41 shots so far in MLS this term, preventing 1.13 goals according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, conceding 14 times from 15.8 xGoT faced.
Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz
Ruidiaz has 12 goals in 16 previous MLS matches against Portland (including playoffs), the most goals scored by any player against the Timbers in MLS play.
It's also the most goals scored by any MLS player against a single opponent since Ruidiaz made his debut in the competition in July 2018.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Timbers are unbeaten in six straight matches against the Sounders (four wins, two draws), the longest streak in all competitions by either team in the MLS era of their rivalry.
Portland have also won their last two home matches against Seattle after the Sounders won four of the previous five meetings at Providence Park.
Seattle's 10 points through 11 matches this season are tied for the second-worst start in club history, having only collected eight points at this stage in 2018. Though the Timbers have been in dismal form themselves lately, this fixture could come at a good time for them.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers – 41.5%
Seattle Sounders – 30%
Draw – 28.5%
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