Allegri praises referee who sent him off

Feb 01, 2019 06:00 am

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri agreed with the referee's decision to send him off during his side's shock 3-0 defeat at Atalanta and suggested it was inevitable that they would lose their first domestic game this season.

Allegri was dismissed in the first half of their Coppa Italia quarter-final yesterday morning (Singapore time) for throwing his coat onto the pitch after his side went 2-0 down.

"It was right to remove me from the pitch, I was agitated and the officials were impeccable throughout. Compliments to the referee," he said.

Juventus were unbeaten in 22 previous league and cup matches this season - their only two defeats coming in the Champions League - but Allegri said they had to lose at some point. It also ended their run of four successive league and cup doubles.

"It was in the air," he said. "You get bad nights in football. I think we were probably a bit tired mentally. It's nothing to get dramatic about, as it was just an off day." - REUTERS