Fourth-placed Juventus remain upbeat despite six major absences as they visit fifth-placed Bologna in a key Serie A battle to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, their coach Igor Tudor said on Saturday.
Forward Dusan Vlahovic, who has a thigh problem, will remain unavailable for Sunday’s game, joining Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Teun Koopmeiners and Federico Gatti on the injury list.
Kenan Yildiz will also miss out due to suspension.
“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 told reporters.
The coach said he needed his depleted squad to rise to the challenge.
“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. When the team prepares for the match well, then they manage to achieve everything,” he added.
Juventus sit one point above Bologna with four matches to go. AS Roma, Lazio and Fiorentina are also within three points of Juventus.
“In the final stage of the season, all games are important. 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,” Tudor said.
Croatian Tudor, who replaced Thiago Motta as Juve coach in March, said his team will not play for a draw.
“Bologna have years of work behind them, they are a difficult team to play against, full of running, of grit, of duel,” he 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.”
