Tudor upbeat despite long Juventus injury list
Igor Tudor remains upbeat despite six major absences for Juventus as it prepares to visit fifth-placed Bologna in a key Serie A battle to secure a place in next season's UEFA Champions League.
Forward Dusan Vlahovic, who has a thigh problem, will remain unavailable for the game on Monday (AEST), joining Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Teun Koopmeiners and Federico Gatti on the injury list.
Kenan Yildiz will also miss out because of suspension, head coach Tudor said as Juve continues to battle with a depleted squad.
"Koopmeiners, Gatti, Cabal and Bremer are still out. Vlahovic won't be available either, he tried today but he's not at 100 per cent yet and won't make it," Tudor said.
After the win against Monza last time out, fourth-placed Juve could win back-to-back games for the first time since February and March in Serie A, when it won five in a row.
Tudor said he needed his injury-hit squad to rise to that challenge without a host of key players.
"I made a speech today that goes in this direction. The players must go and take their destiny, because no one can give it to them," he added.
"When the team prepares for the match well, then they manage to achieve everything."
Should Bologna win, it will overtake Juventus in the table with three games to go for the first time in the history of a 20-team Serie A season.
Tudor's side is just one point clear of Bologna with four matches to go, while Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina are also within three points of the Bianconeri.
"In the final stage of the season, all games are important," Tudor continued. "There are only a few matches remaining and it is clear that they have great importance.
"We have to do well in all the games, and we have been preparing for this Bologna encounter all week."
These two sides have drawn each of their past four Serie A meetings, with both sides scoring in each of those.
The pair could share the spoils in five games in a row in the competition for the first time since between 1978 and 1980, although Tudor has no intentions of playing for a point.
"Bologna have years of work behind them, they are a difficult team to play against, full of running, of grit, of duel," the Croatian said.
"You can't play for a draw, I've never done that in my life. We prepared the game to go and win. Tomorrow's result will decide a lot, but not everything."
