Juventus Boss Allegri Offers Update Over Injured Personnel Ahead of Crunch Week

Massimiliano Allegri has revealed that it is 'unthinkable' for him to consider playing Paulo Dybala in each of the next three games after a hamstring injury.

The hotshot striker has spent the past month on the treatment table after he pulled a hamstring on 6th January, and he has only returned to training in the past week ahead of a crunch seven days for I Bianconeri.

Juventus face Atalanta twice at home - in Serie A and the Coppa Italia - before a tricky league game away to Lazio and, speaking via the club's official Twitter account, Allegri spoke openly about potentially risking his star man.

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Indeed, Allegri hinted that Dybala would have be managed carefully so that he didn't suffer a recurrence of the strain he picked up in the 1-0 win over Cagliari.

He said: "Yesterday I tried Dybala in the striker role, but it's unthinkable that after 40/45 days of not playing that he can play the full 90 minutes for the next three games, so we'll have to manage him carefully."

Allegri also offered an update on his other injured quartet, with the likes of Gonzalo Higuain and Mattia De Sciglio also being absent over the past couple of weeks.

He continued: "It will be difficult for Higuain to play tomorrow. (Federico) Bernardeschi will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. Apart from De Sciglio and (Juan) Cuadrado, everyone else is at my disposal."

The 48-year-old, finally, spoke glowingly about this weekend's opponents Atalanta, who were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday.

Two tussles will occur between the duo in the four days, and Allegri expects La Dea to give his team a stern test at the Allianz stadium.

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He added: "Compliments to Atalanta with how they handled the Europa League, I'm sorry that they were eliminated. Italian teams need to move forward in Europe even if it is very difficult.

"Atalanta will want to get right back at it, and Wednesday like us they will be fighting to reach the final of the TIM Cup. They are a very physical team that plays well and we will have to handle them in the right way.

"Tomorrow is the first game of an important cycle of matches before the international break from here until our game with SPAL. "