Allegri expects hungry Roma after Leverkusen loss
Juventus and Roma are involved in the battle for UEFA Champions League qualification in Serie A and, after the latter's defeat in Europe, Massimiliano Allegri expects to face a side hungry to bounce back.
Roma, which lost its UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg 2-0 to German champion Bayer Leverkusen, is fifth on the Serie A standings after one win in three games.
"We will find an angry Roma from Thursday [Friday AEST] who want to get back to fighting for the top-four positions and we will need a good game from our side," Allegri said ahead of the game in Rome.
"Roma are strong, they are doing very well. It will be a fascinating game, but difficult and complicated."
Juventus is third despite its dramatic decline in the second half of the season and victory in Rome would secure a UEFA Champions League place for next season.
Allegri's side lost once in the first half of the campaign, but has suffered four defeats in the second part and is on a run of one win in eight league matches.
"In the first half we scored 46 points, in the second half we didn't manage to do what we did in the first round, we have done much worse," Allegri said.
"We are close to the goal, and we need to stay focused.
"Until we have mathematical certainty, we need to be careful. Football always gives you surprises."
Daniele De Rossi has turned Roma's season around since taking over from Jose Mourinho in January, with the club ninth in the standings at the time, and Allegri was full of praise for the young manager.
"Daniele brought enthusiasm and light-heartedness," Allegri said. "That is despite Mourinho's excellent work. In football you forget quickly, but Roma have played two European finals in two years.
"Daniele is young, he is just starting out and he can have a good career. I actually played with his father at Livorno, in 1986. Alberto's playing career was coming to an end, a wonderful person."
Serie A will have five UEFA Champions League spots next season.
Juventus has 65 points, one ahead of Bologna, which has a game in hand, with Roma on 59. Atalanta is sixth, two points behind Roma with a game in hand.