Juventus currently need five shots to score a goal and must improve their finishing, coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday, while revealing that Arthur Melo will miss their Serie A clash with Venezia after turning up late for training. The Turin club, who are fifth and seven points outside the top four, have scored 22 goals this season, the lowest number of the top 12 sides.
Their issues finding the net were laid bare during a 2-0 league win over Genoa last Sunday, when Juve had 27 shots to the visitors’ zero, but took until the 82nd minute to put the result to bed with a Paulo Dybala strike. “We need to be calmer and more clinical in front of goal. Our current finishing percentage is too low for Juventus. To score a goal we need five chances,” Allegri told a news conference.
Allegri’s side defeated Malmo 1-0 on Wednesday to clinch top spot in their Champions League group and notch a third consecutive victory in all competitions. But Arthur turned up late for training the day before Saturday’s trip to 16-placed Venezia and the coach revealed he will not be called up for the visit to the Stadio Penzo, which is hosting top flight football for the first time in 19 years this season.
“This is a pitch that nobody in this team knows, only me and Giorgio Chiellini have played there. Everything about it is strange, you arrive by ferry, the pitch is narrow,” Allegri said. “If you don’t go there to play a ‘provincial’ style of game, you risk getting hurt.”
Venezia threw away a three-goal halftime lead to lose 4-3 to Hellas Verona in an extraordinary game last weekend, but have already beaten big-name clubs Fiorentina and AS Roma at home this season. “They are coming off an ugly defeat, and tomorrow they face Juventus and will be looking for a historic result. We need to match them mentally and physically,” Allegri said.
