Massimiliano Allegri was critical of Juventus' second-half performance after they reached the Europa League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win at Freiburg on Thursday.
Juve built on their 1-0 first-leg advantage as Dusan Vlahovic converted a first-half penalty after home defender Manuel Gulde was controversially sent off for handball inside his own area.
Federico Chiesa added a late second after entering the fray as a substitute, as Juventus maintained their bid for a first major continental title since they won the Champions League in 1996.
However, Allegri was displeased with Juventus' performance after Freiburg went down to 10 men, saying the Bianconeri must improve if they are to progress further in the competition.
"The team got a good result as we progressed. We made a lot of mistakes in the second half with our ball handling, and we need to improve," he said at his post-match press conference.
"We can't play a second half like this against a team of 10. We were made to defend our own box. The second half should have been better. We need to work; we made a lot of wrong decisions.
"Against 10 we lowered our attention and pace. The result is good – excellent even – but let's not get excited because we're in the quarter-finals. We have to think about what we did in the second half and improve."
Chiesa's stoppage-time goal – a driven strike which found the net via the foot of the post – was just his second since returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November, and the Italy international is looking to find consistency in the coming weeks.
"My first thought is to be available to the coach. Unfortunately I haven't been there in the last few games," he said. "There's still a bit of discomfort, but I'm working even harder to be more ready.
"Unfortunately my father [former Italy striker Enrico Chiesa] had similar injuries. It's a path of great obstacles to come back, but even after that, the journey continues. I just have to stay calm."
Meanwhile, the decision to send Gulde off after his outstretched arm was struck by Federico Gatti's shot infuriated Freiburg boss Christian Streich, as did a failure to punish Wojciech Szczesny for seemingly picking up a Manuel Locatelli back-pass.
"We were brave, we went for it," the Freiburg boss said. "Then there was the situation with the red card and the penalty. That was of course a difficult situation for us.
"I'm speechless. In both games, after every foul, a Juve player plays the ball away. Always. It's a complete mystery to me.
"Then there's the intentional back-pass that isn't blown. It's difficult to accept. Something that was crucial was let go."
Arsenal's season a positive step even if title eludes them, says Parlour
Arsenal will be better for the experience of pushing Manchester City close even if they fail to capture the Premier League title this season, says former Gunners midfielder Ray Parlour.
Having dropped away during the run-in as City captured their third straight title in 2022-23, Mikel Arteta's side have kicked on this campaign and currently hold a one-point lead at the summit.
However, City have three games to play to Arsenal's two, leaving the Gunners praying for a slip-up from the champions, who face Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham in their remaining fixtures.
While Parlour finds it difficult to see City dropping points at this stage, he believes this season has been another positive step for Arteta's team, whatever the outcome.
Parlour, an ambassador for NetBet, told Stats Perform: "I think it's been so positive this season.
"Even if they do come second, I think they've got better from last year and that's all you can keep doing, keep improving.
"We all know Man City are an absolute machine. Arsenal just have to keep trying to improve. It's a young team, they'll learn every year by going close, by playing big games. It can only be good for them.
"I'm sure they'll be looking in the market in the summer, trying to get the right people in. I think it's been positive.
"The problem is you set the bar high and it's not going to get lower, it's got to go a little bit higher again. That's the hard bit, to keep maintaining the consistency, what you've done so far."
City are unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games (16 wins, four draws). They have won each of their last six while netting four or more goals in five of them – against Aston Villa (4-1), Crystal Palace (4-2), Luton Town (5-1), Brighton and Hove Albion (4-0) and Wolves (5-1).
Parlour admits the champions' form is ominous and believes Arsenal will look back on last month's 2-0 defeat to Villa with plenty of regrets, saying: "All they can do is keep winning games.
"I look at Man City's run-in, I just can't see them dropping a point, that's my problem. Football's a funny game, so it can happen. I've seen Crystal Palace go to the Etihad and beat them, but it doesn't happen too often, especially towards the end of the season.
"Arsenal have really pushed them all the way. They'll be kicking themselves a little bit with the Aston Villa game, but sometimes games don't go your way."
Ray Parlour was speaking on behalf of NetBet Sports Betting.
McGinn focusing on 'astronomical achievement' of Champions League qualification after Aston Villa heartbreak
John McGinn is quickly turning his focus to the "astronomical achievement" of Champions League qualification after Aston Villa suffered heartbreak in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.
Villa were among the favourites to lift Europe's third-tier trophy but a 2-0 defeat at Olympiacos on Thursday consigned Unai Emery's men to a 6-2 aggregate loss over the two-leg tie.
It means Villa end what has largely been viewed as an excellent season without a trophy but they can still finish on a high by securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
They lead fifth-place Tottenham by seven points with two games left in their domestic season, albeit Spurs do have a game in hand.
McGinn apologised to the travelling support in Piraeus but, speaking to TNT Sports after the game, said there is still an opportunity to finish the season on a high.
"We went into this competition as favourites and we handled that pressure throughout the competition, I think it’s been a huge learning curve for us," he said.
"It's not been a smooth journey, we got to the semi-finals down to the bare bones a bit.
"However, those of us who were out there over the two legs, we lost to who were the better team and I think the scoreline proves it."
"Our instant feeling is absolutely gutted. We all wanted to be back here for the final.
"Olympiacos gave it absolutely everything, played out of their skin in both legs, and overall the scoreline proves they were the better team.
"We'll reflect, there's a lot of things we could have done better, but over the season, of course, we can be proud of the journey.
"Obviously, we need to apologise to the supporters who have travelled here, they've travelled the whole campaign with us.
"We wanted to deliver a trophy to them, we all wanted it as players. We’'e all bitterly disappointed, but we need a big push in the last two games to try and get over the line for the Champions League, which would be an astronomical achievement.
"But here, the overriding feeling is disappointment, frustration and an opportunity missed. Congratulations to Olympiacos and we wish them all the best in the final."
Sporting Kansas City v Houston Dynamo: Olsen backs visitors to respond to 'punch in the face'
The Houston Dynamo took a "punch in the face" as they exited the U.S. Open Cup at the hands of Detroit City on Tuesday, but Ben Olsen expects his team to respond when they go to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
Defending U.S. Open Cup champions Houston squandered a 2-0 lead against their USL Championship opponents in midweek before losing a dramatic penalty shoot-out 10-9.
They now turn their attentions back to MLS, sitting eighth in the Western Conference with 14 points from their first 10 games of the year, and Olsen expects them to bounce back.
"It's a good punch in the face. But I think they'll respond," Olsen said.
"We have a good group in there and I think we have the right character to turn this into a positive."
Sporting KC trail Houston by just three points in the standings, but they made it through their own U.S. Open Cup tie against Union Omaha in midweek, winning 2-1 in extra time.
Boss Peter Vermes is not overly concerned by the physical toll taken by having to play 120 minutes, pointing out Houston did likewise only one day earlier.
"Houston had to do the same yesterday. The only thing is they have a day extra rest," he said.
"We have just got to do the best we can to recover and get ready for that game. It was good. We used all of our subs.
"Everybody's getting minutes and now we just have got to get ourselves recovered and get ready for Houston on Saturday."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sporting KC – Johnny Russell
Russell has scored eight goals against the Dynamo in all competitions, more than against any other opponent in his Kansas City career. He has scored against Houston at least once in each of the last six years.
Houston Dynamo – Ibrahim Aliyu
The Dynamo had a combined 22 shots on goal during their 0-0 draw with St. Louis City last Saturday, with top scorer Aliyu having five of those – the most by a Houston player in an MLS game this season.
The Nigerian has three goals this campaign and will be looking to get back on the scoresheet at the weekend.
MATCH PREDICTION: SPORTING KANSAS CITY WIN
Kansas City have won five straight home matches against Houston in all competitions and have only lost twice in their last 19 at home against the Dynamo in all competitions (11 wins, six draws) dating back to 2012.
However, Kansas City are winless in four straight home matches (two draws, two defeats) for the first time since a five-match drought between July and August in 2021. Sporting have conceded three times in each of their last four home matches, equalling the second-longest such streak in MLS history.
The Dynamo’s goalless draw with St. Louis City last week was their third straight regular-season match without a goal. Houston had been shut out in only two of their previous 18 regular-season matches dating back to last August. Their attacking issues mean Sporting go in as favourites.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Sporting Kansas City – 47.7%
Draw – 27.7%
Houston Dynamo – 24.6%
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