Pepe: Juve´s hunger is the difference

Juventus winger Simone Pepe feels AC Milan still have the edge over his club, but thinks Juve’s hunger makes them a formidable challenger.

Juve lead the Serie A standings by one point from Lazio, who have played a game more than all of their title challengers, while Milan are a point further back in third.

Given Juventus have finished seventh in the past two seasons and Milan are the reigning champions, Pepe thinks Massimiliano Allegri’s men are favourites for the Scudetto.

But the 28-year-old believes his team’s desire to end their wait for a first official title since 2003 could prove decisive.

“I think that Milan can still have something more than us, but if you are strong you have to constantly prove it on the field,” Pepe told Tuttosport. “But I think we have a lot more hunger than the Milan team.”

Pepe thinks his former club Udinese, who sit fourth and are level on points with Milan, are more than capable of maintaining their excellent form until the end of the season.

“It would feel remiss of me not to say anything of Udinese, who each year do extraordinary things,” Pepe said.

Milan can go top of Serie A with a win over Bologna on Sunday, but Juventus will return to the lead if they defeat Roma on Monday.