(L-R) Juventus’ Fernando Llorente celebrates with his teammates Andrea Pirlo, Kwadwo Asamoah and Claudio Marchisio, after scoring a goal against Udinese during their Italian Serie A match at the Friuli stadium. (Reuters)
DPA/Rome
Juventus are shunning talk about winning a third straight Serie A title despite 87 points and an eight-point lead on Roma with five games remaining.
Concentration remains high at the Bianconeri camp, where Fernando Llorente this week conceded that the team’s standing is a privileged one.
“It takes three more wins to be mathematically champions and we must get them as soon as possible,” said the Spanish striker, who on Monday tallied his 14th goal in a 2-0 win at Udinese.
“We are doing very well and we hope to celebrate some trophy in the end. This is a beautiful year. I do not know if it is the best in my career, but it is truly great.”
Beside the home title, Llorente’s first year at Juve could also end with success in the Europa League, where the Turin club next week are tackle Benfica in the semi-finals, hoping to secure a final that will take place at the Juventus Stadium.
Coach Antonio Conte said that “Roma do not give up and we want to do the same,” and did not talk much about the Europa League, noting that “the most important game is the one we play Saturday against Bologna. I expect to see a Juventus Stadium brimming with people who take us to the victory.”
As Juve should have little trouble from demotion-threatened Bologna, Roma are in for a tougher affair at Fiorentina in a late game that closes a 34th round entirely played on Saturday to respect Sunday’s Easter festivity.
The Rome Giallorossi hope to be within reach of Juventus when they welcome them in the penultimate game of the season, but have to reckon with the good form of the Florence hosts.
Roma’s French coach Rudi Garcia remains fully focused on the pursuit of first place and this week said that “when the gap stays the same and the rounds go by, it gets difficult. But I told the boys: when you do not expect things, that is when they happen.”
Third-place Napoli, meanwhile, on Wednesday celebrated the 54th birthday of their Spanish coach Rafael Benitez ahead of a game at Udinese.
The Naples side should have no problems retaining the last available Champions League berth, given their nine-point lead on Fiorentina.
The fourth-placed Florence side are virtually certain to clinch a Europa League berth as finalists of the Italian Cup against Napoli, while five teams, sitting in a five-point bracket, vie for two more berths.
Parma and Inter Milan sit sixth and fifth, respectively, and two points apart when they meet in afternoon action. Lazio and Torino clash sitting level on points with AC Milan, three behind Parma.
Milan are at home to drop-zone Livorno, Chievo and Sassuolo play a relegation tie as Atalanta v Verona, Catania v Sampdoria, and Genoa v Cagliari complete the round.