Juventus kept alive their hopes
of winning a treble this season by thumping Fiorentina 3-0 in
Florence on Tuesday to reach the final of the Italian Cup.
Goals by Alessandro Matri, Roberto Pereyra and Leonardo
Bonucci enabled the Turin giants to overturn a 2-1 deficit from
the first leg.
In the final Juventus will take on Napoli or Lazio, who
cross swords Wednesday in Naples in the second leg of their
semi-final after a 1-1 draw in the first.
Juve are on course to win their fourth consecutive Serie A
title as they are 14 points clear at the top of the table with
nine games to go.
They are also contenders in the Champions League, having
reached the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition.
They face Monaco in the last eight.
Tuesday's victory was all the more impressive, given that
it was accomplished without top scorer Carlos Tevez, who pulled
out with a leg muscle strain.
The Italian champions have also lost midfielders Paul
Pogba and Andrea Pirlo to injury in recent months.
So much of the credit for their ability to keep notching
up victories despite the loss of important players is being
given to coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Many Juve fans were skeptical when the club called in
Allegri after Antonio Conte's shock decision last summer to
leave following three consecutive scudetti.
Allegri had won the league his first season with his
former club, AC Milan, in 2010-11, but there was little success
after that and he was sacked in January 2014.
But the transition at Juventus, where Allegri is working
with a stronger squad, has been smooth and he has won over the
Bianconeri faithful.
The 47-year-old coach said what pleased him most about
Tuesday's performance was the character his players displayed.
"This is our squad," Allegri said via his Twitter acount,
@OfficialAllegri.
"This is a Juventus that never gives up. So proud of what
we are building".
Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini said the win has boosted
morale for the final straight of the season.
"Now we've got two hectic months ahead of us, but we need
to focus on the present and take each game as it comes," the
centre-back said.
"Success helps breed success and the last few wins are
important to also enable us to do well in the Champions League".
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