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Max Allegri: There are ten teams superior to Juventus in Europe

By James Cormack

TURIN, ITALY, MARCH 16:Massimiliano Allegri, head coach of Juventus, follows the game during the round of 16 second leg Champions League football match between Juventus and Villarreal at Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, on March 16, 2022. (Photo by Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY, MARCH 16:Massimiliano Allegri, head coach of Juventus, follows the game during the round of 16 second leg Champions League football match between Juventus and Villarreal at Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy, on March 16, 2022. (Photo by Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) /
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After being outclassed by his opposite number Unai Emery on Wednesday night, Massimiliano Allegri claimed that there are ten teams superior to his Juventus side in Europe right now.

The Bianconeri crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 for the third successive season following an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Villarreal. Juve, who impressed in the first half, had no answers for Emery’s low block after half-time and they eventually capitulated in dismal fashion.

The returning Gerard Moreno scored from the spot after 78 minutes before Pau Torres and another penalty, this time converted by Arnaut Danjuma, compounded Juve’s woes.

It was yet another harrowing night for the Old Lady in Europe, and the defeat once again showed just how far they’ve fallen in recent years.

Massimiliano Allegri claims there are ten teams better than Juventus in Europe right now

Allegri had guided a pair of excellent Juventus teams to Champions League finals during his first stint in charge. In 2015, Paul Pogba and company succumbed to Barcelona’s ‘MSN’ trident before they felt the wrath of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid two years later.

Since that 4-1 defeat in Cardiff, Juve’s performance in Europe has gradually declined and they were once again eliminated to supposedly inferior opposition in the first knockout round on Wednesday night.

Allegri, who was certainly partly to blame for Juve’s exit due to his conservatism in the first leg, was keen to brush the defeat under the carpet and move on. He told reporters after the match: “We have to accept this defeat, it’s ugly, but I cannot complain about the lads, as they played well.

“I wasn’t angry with anyone. I congratulate [Unai] Emery, as he had the right approach, it was one of his usual games. Look, let’s move on, controversy won’t help anyone.”

The Juve boss clearly wasn’t overly disappointed with his side’s elimination as he noted that the Bianconeri are way behind Europe’s current best crop of teams.

“There are ten teams superior to Juventus in Europe, it’s no shame, it’s a fact,” Allegri added (via Forza Juventus). And while it’s a tough statement to take, the manager’s probably right.

The Bianconeri have a LONG way to go before they can even think about returning to the highs that are still fresh in the memory.

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